Shazzam...I just put three days of posts into one!!!

Well, since I forgot about Friday and Monday I'm going to do a post of just kitchens, because that's my most exciting class anyways. Also probably the most entertaining to read.

Friday was a very important day: I've decided to call it Deep-Fry Friday, because, yep, we deep fried. Everything. Officially, deep-frying something means you fry it in a large amount of fat. So we prepared different batters and breading and deep-fried just about everything we could think of. We deep-fried zucchini, green peppers, onion rings, bananas, sweet potatoes, oreo's and snickers candy bars. Needless to say, we were pretty stuffed that day.

On Monday we started our unit on salads. The basic plated salad has a few main elements: a green like a lettuce cup or a few pieces of chopped lettuce. The salads most people think of are bigger than what you would get at a five start restaurant, because usually, less is more. Next some color is added by using some complimentary vegetables for the greens you are using.  The garnish goes on before the dressing, if the dressing goes on at all, because most salads are premade and refrigerated before dressing and serving.Some restaurants serve their dressing on the side of the salad at all times for various reasons that are currently unknown to me. we learned how to cut salad greens and make a vinaigrette which is a mixture of any oil and vinegar, in addition to usually some herbs and other ingredients that serve as emulsifiers.

Today we made mayonnaise and mayo-based dressings, like ranch, thousand island, and blue cheese. When making mayo from scratch, you have to be sure not to whip it too much because you will cook the eggs and the mayo will turn green and taste look and smell gross. I learned from chef's experience: thankfully, our mayo was saved just in time so it wasn't green. into our mayonnaise we whipped crumbled blue cheese, half and half, a few drops of hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper. it was fantastical. another table made ranch that had this dill dip recipe in it and it was absolute magic, so we dipped bread in it. I was a very happy camper.

now I say bon nuit and go to sleep.
M

Testy Thursday

It seems that every two Thursdays and Mondays, we have tests. Thursday we have tests in Kitchens and Sanitation. Today in kitchens was our broccoli practical exam. I got a 92, because I overcooked the broccoli just a little, and the bottom of my pan wasn't clean enough. But still, an A is an A, so I'm not complaining. We didn't cook much because not only were about 4 people short of our full class, but half of the class was doing their broccoli practical. I was in the first group so I think those who weren't doing the practical were mincing garlic and onions for cafe prep. So it was a pretty basic class.

In strategies we learned about memory, and the different ways we use it and lose it throughout our lives.
In sanitation we also had a test, but that was it. I'd spent almost every night this week studying with my classmate Ashley, who is deaf, so I felt really prepared. Studying with her is a win win situation because not only do we both learn what we need to for our classes, I also learn sign language, which is fun.

All in all, it was a pretty good day. Except for the fact I found out the school is closing. Don't worry, I'll still finish my degree, but they are no longer accepting new students. I'm not exactly sure why, but it has something to do with the lack of funding and new applicants and a gradual phasing out of their various programs. So, while its unfortunate that the Chefs will lose their jobs, that's a part of life, and I'm still certain the God will provide.
M

The Day That I Forgot

You've heard of the city that time forgot? Well, today is the day that I forgot. Everything. No, I didn't forget to shower, or forget my knives, or forget any of my books. I just don't remember what I did today.

I'm trying hard to remember what I did today, because somehow, it got to be 4:30 and here I am. In kitchens....we had to slice 45 potatoes for home fries, because the chef who manages the cafe needed them to serve for breakfast. Then we braised collard greens with diced ham, ham stock, vinegar, and bacon. They weren't bad tasting, just not really my favorite. We also made green beans, first boiled and then sauteed with shallots and roasted red peppers. My personal favorite dish of the day was the cheesy grits. Simple, yet delicious. Then I ran to the Omni William Penn Hotel to meet my faculty advisor for a project, only to find out the project had been moved to 7 days from now. The Omni is where the kitchens are for the pastry and baking students, so starting next mod I will be hiking there every day. Its not a terrible hike, just about 8 or 10 blocks.

In strategies we had a very productive class. One of my favorites so far, I think. We learned about sense and sensation, and how it affects our lives in the industry. This was easier for me than the previous classes because i could see the direct correlation to my education.

Sanitation....ummm...yeah. I have no clue.
M

Sleep....Who Needs It???

Wow. I'm drastically more tired than usual today. Why, you ask? Well, because I didn't sleep last night. I slept fitfully in the car on the way back to school for 3 hours, but it isn't helping me much today. Despite the obvious, I did manage to make it through kitchens this morning.

Today we all branched out and made different recipes, all cooked by braising. One table made kielbasi and sauerkraut with a beer flavor; another made ratatouille, no not the movie; my table made braised red cabbage, which was fantastic, if I do say so myself. and the last table made carrots with cumin and orange juice. We got to taste everything. it was really good! Braising is slow,moist cooking but its not just for meats--today we braised mostly veggies. We also practiced for our practical exam on broccoli, chef said mine was perfect! So I feel pretty confident.

In strategies we had a guest lecture on rape prevention and such...that was awkward, but necessary I guess.
In sanitation we went over chapter 9 which encompasses cooking temperatures of all raw foods.
And then I studied for my sanitation test on Thursday. And now I'm crashing because I have been up for a long time.
M

OOPS!

I was so tired after yesterday, I came home and slept and did nothing productive, so I also forgot to blog! Whoops! Lucky for me I took notes in class. Except strategies, Thursday was the test. Good news is I passed, bad news is I was waayyy lower than my own expectations for myself. Anywho....where was I...Kitchens!

In kitchens we actually did some real cooking! Finally!!! First we learned how to make buerre noisette which is a french term for hazelnut colored butter. This is a simple thing that really revs up the taste of basic veggies like broccoli, which is what we used it with. First you heat a sautee pan on a stove, then toss the butter into the pan and roll it around until it gets a golden to medium brown. And that's it! just drizzle over your food. To use this, we properly cooked and cut broccoli. We actually have a practical exam on broccoli someday in the near future, so its pretty important. I might post all the details about that later, but in short, you boil broccoli for about a minute or two, until its a bright green. so that was absolutely delicious. We also made cauliflower polonaise which is really good. If you want any of these recipes let me know and I'll put them up. 

In sanitation, we learned about thawing foods, and more receiving such and whatnot. A not about thawing chicken and meat to my dear mother: DON'T THAW A CHICKEN ON THE
COUNTER!!!! We might die. So that's a big no-no.

I also treated myself to Primanti Bros last night, because I was too tired to cook anything. Yumm!!

In kitchens today, we ate. ALOT. Its was GREAT!!! First we sauteed  zucchini and mushrooms in olive oil. For the zucchini, keep the pan on medium to low heat, add about a Tbls of olive oil and season with a bit of salt. For the mushrooms, the pan should be on medium to high heat, and add about 2-3 Tbls of olive oil, as soon as they get hot, toss in a bit of vinegar: this lets them retain that white color. Season with salt and go to town, because these are just delicious.And finally...the coup de grace: eggplant parmigiana. Oh. My. Goodness. I think that's what they serve in Heaven's cafeteria.  First we peeled and slice the eggplant into 1/2 inch slices, then hand breaded it by dredging in seasoned flour, then flopping it in an egg wash, and finally tossing it in some bread crumbs. We finished it off by pan-frying it. topping it with first Parkman cheese, then a little bit of marinara sauce, then some loosely diced basil and topped with some mozzarella cheese. Then bake for 5 minutes and go to town. I know I did.

In sanitation we went over the internal temperatures required for different foods, which I might put up when I start to study for the next exam, and also how to cool food properly.

Right now I have to pack all my junk because I'm going home for a 3 day weekend!!!! YAY!!!!!! So, I'll see everyone Tuesday night, when the academia begins again.
M

Worried Wednesday

Well, today was a long day. I got up early and had time to get ready, so I had a good morning. In kitchens we peeled a tomato after blanching, peeling, and shocking it. We loosely diced it to make tomato concasse. This is not usually used to put in salads or a dish where the tomato is the singular flavor, because at this point, it doesn't have much left. We small diced some more onions, which I'm pretty sure will never leave my hands because they still stink. Using instant mashed potatoes, we became acquainted with pastry bags, which i already knew, but it was fun to use a new medium, that made it more difficult. With the potatoes, we piped rosettes and a straight line. Rosettes start at 6 o'clock and go counter clockwise in a circle about 2.5 inches wide, stopping at 7 o'clock. You first establish height, which Chef said is about an inch about the surface. When using a pastry bag, squeeze with the top hand, your guide hand is just that: a guide.
In strategies, we learned about intrinsic and extrinsic motivators. Intrinsic is when we do something just for the sake of doing it, or for ourselves. Extrinsic is when we are motivated by something outside of ourselves, be it a physical, monetary or other motivation technique. And I wish we did some review, but really we just learned more new things before our test. So I did alot of studying. ALOT.

In sanitation, we learned about receiving products and how they should be received and checked for safety. Many if not all received products need to be closely inspected for damage.

And finally, at lunch, I got my knife kit engraved!!! StuCo (Student Council) was doing it for only a few dollars. So some guy named Jared engraved my monogram on my knives and spatulas. I designed a monogram that is a cupcake with my initials where the cupcake wrapper would be. Its ADORABLE!!!!!

Off to bed now, because I have more studying to do tomorrow before class.
M

Test result Tuesday!!!

Well, it is indeed Tuesday, and since I'm not feeling terribly imaginative, its test Tuesday. I did actually get some test grades back, so Merry Tuesday Mom. I got a 95% in my kitchens quiz, and a 90% in sanitation. Not like thats a big deal, because I was actually hoping for higher, but I'll take it.

In kitchens, after I nearly was late because I turned off all 6 of my alarms, we learned how to mince garlic, shallots, and parsley. Mincing is generally used for herbs and spices to make them small enough so that you don't actually bite into one and get attacked by the spice bomb. (That's the off the record reason) For more dense things like shallots, you first dice or small dice the shallot and then turn from your 45 degree angle, (so that you cut straight against the left or right edge of the board). Once you are flush with the cutting board, you turn your chef's or french knife so that the tip points to the opposite end of your board. You then proceed to lift the back of your knife and mince the shallot in a kind of arc so that your shallots end up fanned out from the tip of your knife. Really really really tiny. We also learned how to brunoise, which is cutting julienne into dices. Maybe someday I will have a video camera and can show you how to do all this, because from reading it, it sounds harder than it actually is. Chef terrified my classmate Kia today, because she asked us to close our eyes and try to battonet potatoes. I know it sounds crazy, but I thought it was so much fun!!! Granted if you know me, the craziest things are fun for me, so that's all kind of relevant. But the reason Chef made us do that, (no she's not crazy) is so that we become more comfortable with the knife working flush with the fingers of our guide hand. That was totally the highlight of my day.

In strategies we had a guest speaker, actually two, the dean of students (there are about 6 deans of different departments I think) and the student success coordinator. It was mostly protocol and basic stuff that they went over, but I'm excited because I want to try and get perfect attendance, make the dean's list, and get into Eta Sigma Delta. Not like I'm reaching too high or anything.

Sanitation was just a review and prep for tomorrow, because we may very well get snowed in. Hopefully not, because, while I will get the day off, I'll have to make it up on a Saturday. Not fun.

I also bought some shoes at a fantastic sale at Payless. So that was exciting. Umm....yes. that is all.
M

P.S. Tomorrow I get my knife kit engraved!!!!!

Monday, Monday....

It seems that my blessings remain to be counted, as I did indeed make it up for school yet again today. Today was what is known as "mod day 6." This is when we have our first quizzes. All of our written quizzes and exams are on scantrons, or if you're familiar with the term "bubbling in." This morning we took our first kitchens and sanitation quizzes. In kitchens, we first had a normal class, where I sliced my middle finger because I wasn't paying attention while I was peeling an onion with my paring knife and we as a class learned to peel and cut potatoes, celery, and carrots. Today we did some more practice of julienne, battonet, small dice, and fine dice. Our quiz was fairly simple, and I'd studied with some of my classmates on Saturday, so I was well prepared.

In sanitation, we went straight to the quiz, which I'd also studied for and felt well prepared. I think I did pretty well on both quizzes, so I finished first and went to lunch.

Since I didn't do much of interest today, I thought I'd give you guys a great little recipe that my landlords shared with me on my first night of school. I'll post it separately so that I can have an Index of sorts. Off to bed now. M

In the beginning....

It's now Friday night, and I've made it through a whole week of the grueling work that is my patissserie education. I meant to blog every night, but I just was so tired from learning and going so many places that I very nearly collapsed after doing my homework every day. So here's the rundown of my first week of school.

Monday I got up at 4 and dragged myself out of bed to get dressed and catch the "T" by 5:30ish. I wanted to get into town early so I could figure out the whole commuting thing in the wee hours of the morning. So at 6:30 we met our chef, Chef Maureen Garfolo, who we just call "Chef," All of our instructors are referred to as "Chef," out of respect for the hard work that they have done to get that training and accomplishment. So chef told us essentially what we would be learning this mod (module) in our culinary foundations class. We will be learning all of the knife cuts and different techniques associated with the basics of the kitchen. After kitchens, which is obviously my favorite class because its active, we have Strategies (for lifelong learning). This will be teaching us how to assess people, what we should look for in employees, different learning styles and effective told in memorization. The most gross class is sanitation, which is going to earn us a "serv-safe" certification, this is what you must have to manage a restaurant in the US and its good for 5 years. After sanitation, in which half of the class tells our instructor, Ms. Clukey, that they will never eat again, we go to....lunch. :) The food is absolutely fantastic, and I'll probably tell you all what I eat at the cafe every day.  After I left school I got myself a lock to secure a good locker before they were all taken and hiked around Downtown Pitt so find a job. I came back with a lot of applications and very sore legs.

Tuesday I got up yet again, and started the wheels moving. Slowly. Once I got to class, Chef took us on a tour of the kitchens. So we went to the storeroom, all the floors and respective kitchens, and the back alley. We also got to know our classmates a bit better. I found out I'm the youngest one in my class, and one of only 2 pastry students, the other being a 50 something woman named Leslie. I really should have written this on Tuesday so that this was all still fresh in my mind, but now it seems like that was years ago. In Strategies, we learned about some of the psychology big name people, and why they are relevant to our lives. In Sanitation we learned about food contamination and Ms, Clukey's personal favorite: bloody diarrhea. We talk about this nearly every day in sanitation. Its not for the faint of heart. After lunch I again hit the town and went to the MarketPlace and applied as well as buying some groceries. Then I slept.

Wednesday I woke up looking like death, because I had been sick all the night before. So Wednesday didn't start all that great, but I made it to class, somehow, and dragged myself through the day. In kitchens we walked around the kitchen and had a bit of a scavenger hunt to find the equipment that we had read about in the previous nights homework. After kitchens, Chef let us out early so we could get our shoes between classes. I got a pair of very  manly, sturdy-looking shoes that are slip resistant. One is steel-toed and one is "regular". Needless to say, I wouldn't be wearing them on a date. In Strategies we went to the computer lab and learned how to use the student portal, which was interesting to see how many people were worse at computers than I am!!! Sanitation pretty much was more diseases or FBIs (Food Borne Illnesses) and their rather disgusting symptoms. At lunch with my morning kitchen class, or at least those who stayed, I met the only deaf student in our class, who agreed to teach me sign so we could communicate. Until then, texting and notes work fairly well. She also lip reads which is convenient. I also talked to Chef Robenko, who runs the cafe, who said he would give me a job in a week and a half, because Chef Garfolo (from my kitchen class) recommended me. I smiled, and shook his hand and did a little happy dance after he walked away. Since Wednesday work was concluded, I went home and slept, after falling asleep on the T and missing my stop, so I waited for about 6 minutes for the next one, feeling appropriately chastised.

Thursday I woke up feeling much better, I had slept from about 5pm to 4 am, after all. And Thursday was a very exciting day. We got our knife kits. And I danced for joy. I won't label everything in my kit just yet, I might get to that on Sunday, because there are LOTS of things to label. So after we got our knife kits we learned to julienne, batonet and brunoise zucchini. I'll just point out here that the knife kit weighs about 30 lbs and I will be carrying it for the next 84 weeks for 5 days a week. Maybe I'll get muscles. Strategies again was in the computer lab and our instructor was sick so we got s sub who flew us through the assignments and we got done ahead of schedule. It is very nice to sit. Sanitation we learned about fish toxins and parasites that cannot be killed by cooking. Yet another reason I eat few fish. After lunch I went to the grocery store (yes, again) and bought the supplies to make oatmeal cookies.

Friday was finally here. Almost the weekend, when I no longer am required to wake up before the crack of dawn. In kitchens today we learned how to cut mushrooms, fine dice an onion, and set up and tear down our stations. Today Chef also began appointing people as designated chef positions for the day, for example, I was chef de partie  (does not mean that I am in charge of the celebration of cooking) but the "head of station" or in this case, my table. In Strategies today, we had a guest speaker, the Dean of Academics, who told us about himself and his background and how our time here at LCB would be scheduled for the next 21 months. In Sanitation, before class started Ashley taught me how to say good morning in ASL, so I felt pretty accomplished. The class today was just prep for our quiz on Monday, so we played Ms. Clukey's version of Jeopardy! Lunch came and went,so I was eager to get home and finish my school for the week.

So that concludes, in short believe it or not, my week. I am now going to bed because to me it feels like what 3am feels like to a normal person--that you are up far too late.

The First Chapter

As a way of keeping in touch with my family and friends, I've decided to start a blog about my adventures in culinary school and and helpful tips I learn. So hopefully, I will be able to show you all the things I'm learning like I never left home, (yes Dad, you will learn what I learn).

My first day of classes starts tomorrow in what might be a 3 year program for baking a patisserie (pastry) arts at LCB (Le Cordon Bleu). For my first six weeks, I will be getting up at around 4:30 or 5:00 to get ready and catch the "T" (the metro system here in Pittsburgh) to make it to class at 6. Thats really a half an hour before class starts, but I believe in erring on the side of caution. After all, what if I miss the 5:00 T? (Thanks to Mom and Dad for suggesting that) So I will wake up before the sun to try and be successful, because after some famous guy once said, "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." I'm gonna take the liberty of supposing he wasn't just talking about fellas.

My first classes aren't letting me jump right into sugar sculptures just yet. I start out in the morning with Culinary Foundations 1, followed by Strategies for Lifelong Learning, and Food Safety and Sanitation.

Culinary Foundations 1 is going to teach us knife skills, (which I'm happy for since I am a bit tired of nearly cutting off my fingers), a basic industry background and culinary terms and such. Think of it as Cooking 101.

Strategies for Lifeling Learning will mostly cover how to be successful in the industry I think. But the course syllabus isn't online yet, so thats my best guess.

Food Safety and Sanitation is exactly what it sounds like, how to cook and clean food so that no one gets food poisoning and such. At the end of the 6 weeks I will have my ServSafe certification, which will allow me to manage a restaurant.

I'll also be putting little tidbits about my life and my new church Grace OPC in Sewickley, which I absolutely love. Its not too big, no more than 100 people I would guess, but definitely more than 50 which is cool. There are also a bunch of student from the surrounding colleges.(Grove City and Geneva)

If I can work it out I'll put up some pictures and maybe videos of the desserts or dishes that I cook. Feel free to ask me questions and I'll ask my chef instructors or maybe I might know something. We'll see, but I'm not making any promises. And just in case you can't measure butter *ahem JOHN *ahem! I'll offer some helpful tips. Like reading a recipe. And the butter wrapper. But that's neither here, nor there.

I'm not a genius, but hopefully we'll all learn something.

Mar Mar