Happy Mothers’ Day
Wow…my apologies, it’s been a long while since I’ve checked in! But as I sit here studying for my pastry written exam (which, yes, is TOMORROW!) I can’t help but think of all the wonderful mothers I have been blessed to know. Starting, of course with Grandma Alice. She is the first person I remember being in the kitchen with, and probably a big reason of why I want to become a chef. All you have to do is tell her once you like a dish she makes, for me it’s her chicken & dumplings, and you’re set for life. I can almost tell where she’s going when she walks out the door by what food she’s carrying: jelly roll for Ben & Alex; spaghetti for Kristen, pumpkin pie for little Joe, sour cream cakes for the Lieblang cousins, banana bread for Molly…and the list goes on. It would always warm my heart coming home from college to open the fridge and see soy milk—knowing full well they hadn’t taken up the habit!—it was waiting there just for me.
My mother loves to cook and entertain. My friends at school always know when she’s in Paris because she’ll likely be at LCB taking classes and learning new recipes to take home and share. She makes mean twice-baked potatoes and the best chocolate chip cookies this side of the Mississippi. (Western conference title holder is my sister, who I will get to…) I always joke that one of mom’s favorite phrases is “somethin’ different.” Throwing a splash of color in a neutral room or adding a different ingredient to a recipe just to add, well, something different is her M.O. She’s never afraid to try new recipes and is intimidated by very little, in the kitchen or in life. A great lesson she keeps reminding me: you can’t be afraid!
Aunt Marie, my godmother, is a great cook (though she’d probably roll her eyes at my saying it). I remember having lunch with to her son, Kyle, who commented, “I mean, I guess I never noticed it, but my friends always say how my mom is a really good cook. It was always just normal to me, but yeah, she’s really good.” High praise from an 18-year-old, right? I spent many a night at their house growing up, and I remember watching Marie prepare food and wanting it to look just like the picture in the cookbook. She would take double the time to cut a green pepper, but they would all be the same exact size, not a seed in sight. Because of her, I rarely will buy a cookbook that doesn’t have beautiful photographs and learned to slow down in the kitchen.
Sister Kristin, mother to my darling godson Evan, is expecting another little boy this September! Krissy is 7 years older than me, so I remember her practicing teaching me how to puff my bangs and that I was the only kid in kindergarten that knew who Whitesnake was. I also remember about the only thing the two of us could manage to make in the kitchen, aside from a mess, were chocolate chip cookies. She loved lots of chocolate chips, I liked the dough…surprise! Of course, she has become a fantastic cook and introduced me to some great things like Sam the Cooking Guy. I still use his recipe for ahi tacos, and I will share a fish recipe we just made this week in Kristin’s honor. (The first thing we’ve made in a long time that’s worth reporting!) Kris, since you're preggers no raw fish...but we will have this when I'm back in Cali & we can both have a glass of wine : )
Thon Marine Pour Ma Soeur
*1.5 lbs. sushi grade ahi tuna
Confit tomatoes:
4 tomatoes peeled, seeded and cut into petals
olive oil
10 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 cloves of garlic
2 bay leaves
salt & fresh ground pepper
Marinade:
100 ml olive oil
4 garlic cloves
juice of 2 lemons (zest optional)
1/2 bunch of basil
salt & fresh ground pepper
cholula or your favorite hot sauce
reduced balsamic vinegar
Veg garnish:
1 onion
1 green bell pepper
Nicoise olives
salt & freshly ground black pepper
Serve on crostini or with baguette.
Preheat your oven to 300-degrees.
Prep tomatoes: to peel your tomatoes, you can either use a serrated peeler or plunge them in boiling water. For the water method, remove the stem and cut a small cross in the skin at the bottom pole. Drop the tomatoes into boiling water for 30 seconds or minute or until you see the skin start to separate. Then plunge them in an ice bath to stop the cooking. The skin should come off easily. Then cut the tomatoes into quarters, remove the ribs and seeds. Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle over olive oil, add whole sprigs of fresh thyme and bay. Leave the skin on the garlic cloves, just smash them and add to the baking sheet. Then arrange the tomato petals skin-side up on the sheet. Top with a sprinkling of S&P, bake in the low oven for about an hour.
Put on small saucepan with balsamic vinegar over med-high heat, so there’s a good amount of bubbling, and begin to reduce. It should be reduce by about half, until it becomes a syrup.
Marinade: Peel and remove the green germ inside the garlic cloves. Put the garlic in a small saucepan with cold water, bring the water to a boil. Strain and repeat two more times. Transfer the garlic to paper towel to dry well. Transfer the garlic to a saucepan of olive oil and simmer on low heat until the garlic is soft and tender. (Careful not to give it color). While it’s cooking, chiffonade the basil leaves. Take the confit garlic and smoosh it on the cutting board using the flat side of your knife. Then chop it together with the basil. Transfer it to a small mixing bowl, add the lemon juice and cholula. Pass the olive oil that has been flavored with the garlic through a fine mesh strainer. Then add it to the mixing bowl along with a dash of the balsamic reduction. Lightly whisk together, add S&P to taste. Then, prepare a baking sheet or large dish lined with parchment paper. Spread a layer of marinade over and set aside.
Prep fish: take your ahi or whatever fish you’d like to use, and cut into thin slices. You should be able to see your knife through the fish while you’re slicing, about 2mm thick. Lay them in a single layer over the marinade. Drizzle the marinade over the top, add another layer of parchment and let rest in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, but no more than an hour.
Veg garnish: finely dice the onion and green pepper. I would remove the skin from the green pepper, takes away the bitterness, but that’s up to you. Saute them in olive oil, add some S&P and set aside.
Once your tomatoes are dried and cooled a bit and everything is ready, you can arrange this several different ways. You can plate the fish layered with the tomatoes on a plate, over a bed of the veg garnish, sprinkle over the olives and have bread on the side. You could also toast little crostini, top with a small spoon of the veg, lay over a confit tomato, a twist of fish, half an olive, a sprig of basil for garnish and maybe a bit of zest for brightness. Honestly, we all devoured our own plates in class the day we made it...so anyway you dress it up, it will probably be perfect.
It’s a great recipe hailing French Riviera sent with love all the way to the Pacific coast <3
So, happy mothers’ day to all the mothers in my life: Alice, AB, Karen, Cathy, Marie, Kelly, Kristen…even Olive & Lulu.
*For this recipe, you can use a variety of fish: sea bass, john dory, salmon would all work.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Spring Fever
After the first long week of intermediate, all I wanted to do was have a big glass of wine and relax at home. I was also feeling a little shaky in the kitchen this week. No big disasters or anything that stands out, just feeling a bit unsure or clouded…which the chefs can smell from a mile away! So, I decided to go back to the advice from my favorite chef: just cook.
Last night, Anthony, E'Lane, Gillian and I met at Le Grande Epicerie to gather some ingredients. We stopped at my favorite wine cave on the walk home to my place and whipped up a delicious spring/summer menu. Of course we had to start with an asiette du fromage, olives & baguette, followed by salmon sashimi with wasabi & soy, a delicious salad with fennel, artichoke, haricot vert, mint and, finally, "grilled" tandori chicken (faux-grilled in my oven). The chicken was great, but the recipe needs a bit of tweaking. Maybe a finish with some coconut milk? We'll just have to give up our bodies to science and keep eating, drinking and testing!
As for the salad, very easy, fresh and lots of great flavor. I had a salad for lunch this week that paired artichoke with mint, and I fell in love with the combination. I wanted to put a spin on that, so Gill picked up an avocado and E'Lane grabbed some haricot vert. We just threw a bunch of stuff in the bowl and it was d-lish!
Artichoke, Fennel & Mint Summer Salad
3 artichokes
1 fennel bulb + fronds
1 avocado
red leaf lettuce
a bunch of fresh mint
a bunch of haricot vert
a cup of whole walnuts
2 lemons + zest
pomegranate seeds
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
cracked pepper
fleur de sel
Zest your lemon and set aside. Slice the lemons into quarters and reserve for the vegetables. Soak the walnuts in water and set aside.
Cut away the leaves off the artichokes so all you have left is the heart. Click through these photos to see how to do it. Then, poach them in a "blanc" until they are fork tender.
Blanc for poaching artichokes
Fill a pot with cold water, add 2 T of flour, salt and the juice of 1/2 a lemon. This will prevent oxidation (the artichokes turning purple). Add artichokes and cut a piece of parchment paper to make a "lid" to cover the artichokes in the pot. Bring the water to a simmer and let cook until the artichoke hearts are fork tender. Drain off the cooking liquid and let them cool. You can also put them into a cold water bath for a minute. Cut into bite-sized pieces, toss in a squeeze of lemon juice and add to bowl.
While the artichokes are poaching, trim the ends off the haricot vert. Bring a pot of water to a boil and prep an ice bath. When the water boils, add a few tablespoons of salt and then the haricot vert. When they are cooked al dente, strain the beans out of the boiling water and add them to the ice water bath to stop the cooking. Once they are cooled down (30 seconds or a minute) take them out of the ice bath. Don't let them sit in the cold water for too long, it ruins the taste. Slice them in 1-inch long pieces and add to the bowl.
Thinly slice the fennel, including the stems coming out of the top of the bulb and green fronds, toss in a bit lemon juice and add to the bowl. (You can use a mandolin to slice thin strips from the bulb or cut slices of the individual layers.)
Cut the avocado into bite-sized pieces. Again, toss them in a squeeze of lemon juice, and add to the bowl. Now, add the leafy red, green, or whatever kind of lettuce you like. I like the red leaves because they add a bit of color contrast. Strain the walnuts and add. Chiffonade the mint leaves and add. Put as much or as little lemon zest as you like. It adds a little brightness.
Then drizzle olive oil over the top, a good amount of fresh cracked pepper and some fleur de sel or sea salt. Then, a bit of good balsamic to start. (There's a lot of acid from the lemon juice, so start with less vinegar and then add to your liking.) Toss and adjust seasoning.
Finish by sprinkling some pomegranate seeds over the top. Maybe garnish with a mint leaf or two.
Serve with grilled fish or chicken. Wine and sunshine.
After the first long week of intermediate, all I wanted to do was have a big glass of wine and relax at home. I was also feeling a little shaky in the kitchen this week. No big disasters or anything that stands out, just feeling a bit unsure or clouded…which the chefs can smell from a mile away! So, I decided to go back to the advice from my favorite chef: just cook.
Last night, Anthony, E'Lane, Gillian and I met at Le Grande Epicerie to gather some ingredients. We stopped at my favorite wine cave on the walk home to my place and whipped up a delicious spring/summer menu. Of course we had to start with an asiette du fromage, olives & baguette, followed by salmon sashimi with wasabi & soy, a delicious salad with fennel, artichoke, haricot vert, mint and, finally, "grilled" tandori chicken (faux-grilled in my oven). The chicken was great, but the recipe needs a bit of tweaking. Maybe a finish with some coconut milk? We'll just have to give up our bodies to science and keep eating, drinking and testing!
As for the salad, very easy, fresh and lots of great flavor. I had a salad for lunch this week that paired artichoke with mint, and I fell in love with the combination. I wanted to put a spin on that, so Gill picked up an avocado and E'Lane grabbed some haricot vert. We just threw a bunch of stuff in the bowl and it was d-lish!
Artichoke, Fennel & Mint Summer Salad
3 artichokes
1 fennel bulb + fronds
1 avocado
red leaf lettuce
a bunch of fresh mint
a bunch of haricot vert
a cup of whole walnuts
2 lemons + zest
pomegranate seeds
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
cracked pepper
fleur de sel
Zest your lemon and set aside. Slice the lemons into quarters and reserve for the vegetables. Soak the walnuts in water and set aside.
Cut away the leaves off the artichokes so all you have left is the heart. Click through these photos to see how to do it. Then, poach them in a "blanc" until they are fork tender.
Blanc for poaching artichokes
Fill a pot with cold water, add 2 T of flour, salt and the juice of 1/2 a lemon. This will prevent oxidation (the artichokes turning purple). Add artichokes and cut a piece of parchment paper to make a "lid" to cover the artichokes in the pot. Bring the water to a simmer and let cook until the artichoke hearts are fork tender. Drain off the cooking liquid and let them cool. You can also put them into a cold water bath for a minute. Cut into bite-sized pieces, toss in a squeeze of lemon juice and add to bowl.
While the artichokes are poaching, trim the ends off the haricot vert. Bring a pot of water to a boil and prep an ice bath. When the water boils, add a few tablespoons of salt and then the haricot vert. When they are cooked al dente, strain the beans out of the boiling water and add them to the ice water bath to stop the cooking. Once they are cooled down (30 seconds or a minute) take them out of the ice bath. Don't let them sit in the cold water for too long, it ruins the taste. Slice them in 1-inch long pieces and add to the bowl.
Thinly slice the fennel, including the stems coming out of the top of the bulb and green fronds, toss in a bit lemon juice and add to the bowl. (You can use a mandolin to slice thin strips from the bulb or cut slices of the individual layers.)
Cut the avocado into bite-sized pieces. Again, toss them in a squeeze of lemon juice, and add to the bowl. Now, add the leafy red, green, or whatever kind of lettuce you like. I like the red leaves because they add a bit of color contrast. Strain the walnuts and add. Chiffonade the mint leaves and add. Put as much or as little lemon zest as you like. It adds a little brightness.
Then drizzle olive oil over the top, a good amount of fresh cracked pepper and some fleur de sel or sea salt. Then, a bit of good balsamic to start. (There's a lot of acid from the lemon juice, so start with less vinegar and then add to your liking.) Toss and adjust seasoning.
Finish by sprinkling some pomegranate seeds over the top. Maybe garnish with a mint leaf or two.
Serve with grilled fish or chicken. Wine and sunshine.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Eating my words!
So, I must immediately print a retraction from my last post about Intermediate cuisine being…well, lackluster.
Walking into demo this morning was exactly the same as we have done before. No pomp & circumstance. No welcome to Intermediate speech. Just the chef saying, (via our favorite translator, Deborah) "we're starting with the dessert." And he dove right in.
We finally received our coveted binders, and we all quickly rifled through to find the Lesson 1 recipes so we could start taking notes. As I started flipping through to see what we would be making, I realized that Intermediate cuisine is segmented into different geographic regions of France and their trademark ingredients and dishes. How fun, right?! Lesson 1 was our tour of the Basque country.
Sadly, we didn't have the adorable Basque chef (he is away doing demonstrations in Shanghai) to tour us through his homeland, but instead the head chef of Intermediate. A rumpled middle-aged man who looks like a teddy bear that has seen better days but you just can't part with. All we really know about him is he has been referred to as an "encyclopedia of cuisine" and likes beaucoup salt in everything. Although his cooking style can be distracting…oil splattering everywhere, his cutting board sliding on the counter…his dishes today were delicious. Actually food I would happily make again!
On the off chance you were wondering…Pays Basque is located on the south west of France on the border of Spain, so there is naturally an influence of both French and Spanish cuisine. It is situated between the Atlantic coast to the east and the Pyrenees to the west. Seafood is bountiful and fish soup is a signature dish--tastes much better than it sounds. They usually use olive oil instead of butter and their dishes often take flavor from red or green bell peppers.
In future lessons we will also be looking at Normandy, Burgundy, Bordelais, Alsace, Champagne, and Côte d'Azur to name just a few. To be honest…there are some dishes I'm not excited for. Sweetbreads, trotters, aspic and guinea fowl are all on the menu. As if I have to say it…yuck. But! I can't wait to make trout fillets stuffed with morel mushrooms braised in Riesling wine or sole fillet and salmon paupiettes with Champagne. Now, that should be good!
But, we started off with a bang…on paper, it might seem strange with the chorizo (the Spanish influence), but trust me. There were a lot of mmmmm's in the kitchen : )
Salmon and Watercress Salad
480 g fresh salmon
50 ml olive oil
1 small head of romaine or butter lettuce
a bunch of arugula
a bunch of watercress
1 hard boiled egg
1/2 bunch of chervil
180 g smoked salmon (about 1 package)
100 g chorizo, casing removed
Vinaigrette
1/2 T mustard
30 ml sherry vinegar
100 ml olive oil
salt & pepper
1/2 bunch of watercress
Clean, trim and skin your fresh salmon. Season with salt & pepper and steam until just cooked through. 10 minutes was suggested by the chef, but it depends on the thickness of the salmon. When cooked, shred it and put into a large bowl.
To a blender, add all the vinaigrette ingredients except the olive oil. Start the blender on medium speed and drizzle in the olive oil to slightly emulsify. It should be a pretty green color.
To the bowl, add:
-Smoked salmon slices, cut into 1/2" cubes
-Chorizo slices
-Minced chervil
-Finely grated hard boiled egg (or put through a drum sieve if you have one lying around)
-Thinly slice your lettuce leaves, almost as thin as a chiffonade
-Vinaigrette plus a drizzle of olive oil
Mix, taste for seasoning and serve over a bed of arugula and watercress.
You can be as fancy or as rustic as you like. For the demonstration plate, the chef lined a small mold with a slice of smoked salmon, filled it with the finished salmon salad mix and made a little paupiette. Then he served it over a bed of watercress, topped it with arugula and garnished with a few reserved slices of chorizo. But, it is indeed delicious dressed up or dressed down. It could even be calling for a bit of avocado.
It's that easy...
bon nuit : )
So, I must immediately print a retraction from my last post about Intermediate cuisine being…well, lackluster.
Walking into demo this morning was exactly the same as we have done before. No pomp & circumstance. No welcome to Intermediate speech. Just the chef saying, (via our favorite translator, Deborah) "we're starting with the dessert." And he dove right in.
We finally received our coveted binders, and we all quickly rifled through to find the Lesson 1 recipes so we could start taking notes. As I started flipping through to see what we would be making, I realized that Intermediate cuisine is segmented into different geographic regions of France and their trademark ingredients and dishes. How fun, right?! Lesson 1 was our tour of the Basque country.
Sadly, we didn't have the adorable Basque chef (he is away doing demonstrations in Shanghai) to tour us through his homeland, but instead the head chef of Intermediate. A rumpled middle-aged man who looks like a teddy bear that has seen better days but you just can't part with. All we really know about him is he has been referred to as an "encyclopedia of cuisine" and likes beaucoup salt in everything. Although his cooking style can be distracting…oil splattering everywhere, his cutting board sliding on the counter…his dishes today were delicious. Actually food I would happily make again!
On the off chance you were wondering…Pays Basque is located on the south west of France on the border of Spain, so there is naturally an influence of both French and Spanish cuisine. It is situated between the Atlantic coast to the east and the Pyrenees to the west. Seafood is bountiful and fish soup is a signature dish--tastes much better than it sounds. They usually use olive oil instead of butter and their dishes often take flavor from red or green bell peppers.
In future lessons we will also be looking at Normandy, Burgundy, Bordelais, Alsace, Champagne, and Côte d'Azur to name just a few. To be honest…there are some dishes I'm not excited for. Sweetbreads, trotters, aspic and guinea fowl are all on the menu. As if I have to say it…yuck. But! I can't wait to make trout fillets stuffed with morel mushrooms braised in Riesling wine or sole fillet and salmon paupiettes with Champagne. Now, that should be good!
But, we started off with a bang…on paper, it might seem strange with the chorizo (the Spanish influence), but trust me. There were a lot of mmmmm's in the kitchen : )
Salmon and Watercress Salad
480 g fresh salmon
50 ml olive oil
1 small head of romaine or butter lettuce
a bunch of arugula
a bunch of watercress
1 hard boiled egg
1/2 bunch of chervil
180 g smoked salmon (about 1 package)
100 g chorizo, casing removed
Vinaigrette
1/2 T mustard
30 ml sherry vinegar
100 ml olive oil
salt & pepper
1/2 bunch of watercress
Clean, trim and skin your fresh salmon. Season with salt & pepper and steam until just cooked through. 10 minutes was suggested by the chef, but it depends on the thickness of the salmon. When cooked, shred it and put into a large bowl.
To a blender, add all the vinaigrette ingredients except the olive oil. Start the blender on medium speed and drizzle in the olive oil to slightly emulsify. It should be a pretty green color.
To the bowl, add:
-Smoked salmon slices, cut into 1/2" cubes
-Chorizo slices
-Minced chervil
-Finely grated hard boiled egg (or put through a drum sieve if you have one lying around)
-Thinly slice your lettuce leaves, almost as thin as a chiffonade
-Vinaigrette plus a drizzle of olive oil
Mix, taste for seasoning and serve over a bed of arugula and watercress.
You can be as fancy or as rustic as you like. For the demonstration plate, the chef lined a small mold with a slice of smoked salmon, filled it with the finished salmon salad mix and made a little paupiette. Then he served it over a bed of watercress, topped it with arugula and garnished with a few reserved slices of chorizo. But, it is indeed delicious dressed up or dressed down. It could even be calling for a bit of avocado.
It's that easy...
bon nuit : )
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Basic = Terminée
I know I am the world's worst blogger…sorry for the delay in posts! But, *drumroll* since I was away, the basic level of cuisine and patisserie is officially done! Pastry exam was Monday. Cuisine exam on Wednesday. Graduation was on Thursday, and I've been recovering ever since!
I have been looking back on the first segment of my time at Le Cordon Bleu and living in Paris and have come to one conclusion: I have learned a great deal, but still I feel like i have only scratched the surface.
First, Paris.
I have lived here for three months and am still speaking very rough french. I thought by now I'd be able to carry on a conversation, understand what the chefs are saying in demo and confidently navigate my way through markets. That is by far the biggest gap between my expectations and reality. As for learning my way around the city and using the metro, parfait. Paris is a relatively small city. You can pretty much walk anywhere, the metro is convenient and runs very regularly. You rarely have to wait longer than 2 minutes for a train.
Every where you walk there are monuments, historic buildings and churches. Important people buried all over the place (strange, but true) and cafés where you can people-watch for hours. The city where you still see nuns walking down the street in full habit and 14-year-olds openly smoking Marlboro Reds. You can find every sort of wine or whiskey, but forget about your favorite brand of vodka or tequila. And good luck finding a quick place to run in for a manicure & pedicure. (Those are french words, aren't they!?) Above all, before you do anything please get out your pen because there's going to be paperwork involved. They don't email, PDF or have well-functioning websites. I just got a letter in the post from the bank saying I could contact them via phone or fax. Fax, really? Like, should I write a note, fax it right over, and await a reply to come scrolling out? Do they know what email really is?
But alas, with all of it's maddening qualities, somehow it all adds up to Paris.
Paris. So much yet to do: Versailles, Pompidieu, Sacré Coeur, Monet. From my apartment, I can see the dome of Invaledes (where Napoleon is buried), but haven't actually walked inside. By the end of intermediate, I will check these things off my mental list. Keep scratching, get lost.
And, Le Cordon Bleu…
Of course, all the aforementioned Parisian quirks of bureaucracy are a part of Cordon Bleu and have caused a few wrinkles in my otherwise perfect skin ; ). But, you have a glass of wine with your friends and you get over it. Your friends from all over the world from all different backgrounds and ages. People you would never know otherwise, but are uniquely bonded to each other by this shared experience. This left turn from where you were 3 months ago.
Then you get into a class with a chef that will drive you crazy. But, that same chef will suddenly take an interest in you and somehow make sure you are learning, growing. Everyone has bad days in the kitchen, but I can honestly say that every chef at Le Cordon Bleu has something valuable to teach. Even if it's simply keeping your work station clean and organized, they are an eclectic and talented group that I feel privileged to learn from.
Speaking of things I've learned...Cliff's notes version:
-Put white vinegar immediately on a burn, it takes the sting out
-When sautéing fish in a pan without teflon coating, line the pan with greased parchment
-Cut the "gland" out of the tip of the tail bone of poultry
-Egg whites whip best when room temp
-Cream whips best when cold
-Gadgets are a waste, but the proper tools make life 100x easier
-A plastic scraper is one of the handiest tools you can have
-Organization, organization, organization
…and well, I hope you already bought your mini magnets and scale!
Intermediate starts tomorrow morning, bright and early. On one hand, my mental inventory of Basic has been looking back with a tinge of nostalgia. On the other, it's also a review with a hint of fear I will walk into the kitchen like it's the first day all over again. It's only been 5 days since our exam, but it feels like eons ago. Suddenly the stakes are higher. There's no excuse that "it's just basic" anymore. We're losing about 10 people in cuisine. Two didn't pass the final exam. It's not just cooking for fun, it's school. Tests, Ranks, Success and Failure. Merde.
Thank you everyone for your support over the past few months. It's been an incredible ride…but can you believe it? Basic is done! I will report more recipes, but I hear Intermediate is a lot of meat, stuffed with meat, stuffed with meat and cabbage. Yeah, I wouldn't want to read about that either! Going forward, I'd like to test some of my own recipes at home. I will report anything of note…dishes that are d.lish and disaster alike!
x's & o's
laur
I know I am the world's worst blogger…sorry for the delay in posts! But, *drumroll* since I was away, the basic level of cuisine and patisserie is officially done! Pastry exam was Monday. Cuisine exam on Wednesday. Graduation was on Thursday, and I've been recovering ever since!
I have been looking back on the first segment of my time at Le Cordon Bleu and living in Paris and have come to one conclusion: I have learned a great deal, but still I feel like i have only scratched the surface.
First, Paris.
I have lived here for three months and am still speaking very rough french. I thought by now I'd be able to carry on a conversation, understand what the chefs are saying in demo and confidently navigate my way through markets. That is by far the biggest gap between my expectations and reality. As for learning my way around the city and using the metro, parfait. Paris is a relatively small city. You can pretty much walk anywhere, the metro is convenient and runs very regularly. You rarely have to wait longer than 2 minutes for a train.
Every where you walk there are monuments, historic buildings and churches. Important people buried all over the place (strange, but true) and cafés where you can people-watch for hours. The city where you still see nuns walking down the street in full habit and 14-year-olds openly smoking Marlboro Reds. You can find every sort of wine or whiskey, but forget about your favorite brand of vodka or tequila. And good luck finding a quick place to run in for a manicure & pedicure. (Those are french words, aren't they!?) Above all, before you do anything please get out your pen because there's going to be paperwork involved. They don't email, PDF or have well-functioning websites. I just got a letter in the post from the bank saying I could contact them via phone or fax. Fax, really? Like, should I write a note, fax it right over, and await a reply to come scrolling out? Do they know what email really is?
But alas, with all of it's maddening qualities, somehow it all adds up to Paris.
Paris. So much yet to do: Versailles, Pompidieu, Sacré Coeur, Monet. From my apartment, I can see the dome of Invaledes (where Napoleon is buried), but haven't actually walked inside. By the end of intermediate, I will check these things off my mental list. Keep scratching, get lost.
And, Le Cordon Bleu…
Of course, all the aforementioned Parisian quirks of bureaucracy are a part of Cordon Bleu and have caused a few wrinkles in my otherwise perfect skin ; ). But, you have a glass of wine with your friends and you get over it. Your friends from all over the world from all different backgrounds and ages. People you would never know otherwise, but are uniquely bonded to each other by this shared experience. This left turn from where you were 3 months ago.
Then you get into a class with a chef that will drive you crazy. But, that same chef will suddenly take an interest in you and somehow make sure you are learning, growing. Everyone has bad days in the kitchen, but I can honestly say that every chef at Le Cordon Bleu has something valuable to teach. Even if it's simply keeping your work station clean and organized, they are an eclectic and talented group that I feel privileged to learn from.
Speaking of things I've learned...Cliff's notes version:
-Put white vinegar immediately on a burn, it takes the sting out
-When sautéing fish in a pan without teflon coating, line the pan with greased parchment
-Cut the "gland" out of the tip of the tail bone of poultry
-Egg whites whip best when room temp
-Cream whips best when cold
-Gadgets are a waste, but the proper tools make life 100x easier
-A plastic scraper is one of the handiest tools you can have
-Organization, organization, organization
…and well, I hope you already bought your mini magnets and scale!
Intermediate starts tomorrow morning, bright and early. On one hand, my mental inventory of Basic has been looking back with a tinge of nostalgia. On the other, it's also a review with a hint of fear I will walk into the kitchen like it's the first day all over again. It's only been 5 days since our exam, but it feels like eons ago. Suddenly the stakes are higher. There's no excuse that "it's just basic" anymore. We're losing about 10 people in cuisine. Two didn't pass the final exam. It's not just cooking for fun, it's school. Tests, Ranks, Success and Failure. Merde.
Thank you everyone for your support over the past few months. It's been an incredible ride…but can you believe it? Basic is done! I will report more recipes, but I hear Intermediate is a lot of meat, stuffed with meat, stuffed with meat and cabbage. Yeah, I wouldn't want to read about that either! Going forward, I'd like to test some of my own recipes at home. I will report anything of note…dishes that are d.lish and disaster alike!
x's & o's
laur
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Soufflés are special…
I was on the phone with my grandparents a few days ago telling them about the last couple of weeks in school and the goings-on in Paris. I was telling my grandpa that there are very few recipes I have made at school that I will ever make again. That is, if I want to live past the age of 30! Then I told him about the Grand Marnier soufflé we just saw in demo, and he immediately said, "well, you better make that again!"
And without a doubt, there is something special about soufflés. They can be savory or sweet and come from the french verb, souffler, which means "to blow up" or "to puff up." They must be served and eaten immediately--oven to the table--or you will witness the sad deflated remnants of a former soufflé…a tragic sight!
So, in the name of things I will surely make again, here are two soufflé recipes for you to try. The first is the cheese soufflé in honor of my dear friend and first visitor from home, Anne-Marie. Lucky for me, she did a one night stop-over in Paris while she and her husband were in London. We had an amazing time catching up and it was so, so nice to see someone from home. (It was also great having her here because she speaks fluent French!) And, like a soufflé, her visit was amazing but all too short-lived. Thanks to my crazy school schedule, I had no time to cook for Anne-Marie, but next time I see her I think a cheese soufflé should be on the menu!
Cheese Soufflé pour mon amie, Anne-Marie
40 g unsalted butter
40 g flour
250 mL milk
100 g gruyere, grated (plus some to sprinkle on top)
3 egg yolks
5 egg whites, stiffly beaten
pinch of salt
nutmeg
Preheat your oven to 350-degrees and immediately put a baking sheet on the bottom rack and remove other racks to allow room for your soufflé to rise. Butter and flour a 1.5-qt. soufflé dish. Brush on the butter in vertical strokes, the same direction the soufflé will rise. Put the mold in the fridge.
Prepare your béchamel: melt the butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Do not let the butter take on any color. Remove from the heat while you whisk in the flour. Put the roux back on the heat to cook off the flour taste. When the roux no longer smells of flour, add cold milk and whisk continually until the mixture thickens into béchamel sauce. When thick, grate in some fresh nutmeg, add salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and whisk in egg yolks. Cover with plastic wrap in direct contact with the sauce so it won't form a skin. Set aside, do not let get cold.
Add cold egg whites with a pinch of salt to your stand mixer and whip until stiff.
Transfer the béchamel to a mixing bowl, add cheese and whisk. Then add 1/3 of the beaten egg whites and whisk together until smooth. Gently add another 1/3 of the egg whites and fold in with a rubber spatula. (No whisk at this point!) Then add the last third, and stop when the mixture is just combined. Careful not to tap the bowl and try to deflate the egg whites as little as possible when mixing.
Gently lift out the soufflé mixture into the butter & floured dish with a ladle or a pastry scraper. Fill the dish 8/10 of the way to the top. Careful not to dribble any on the sides or rim, it will stop the soufflé from rising evenly. Sprinkle the top (in the center, not near the edges) with a bit of the grated cheese.
Place the dish on the hot baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes. When the top is a nice brown color, use your knife to test whether it is cooked through. Pierce the side of the soufflé, near the rim of the dish, and go all the way into the center. If the knife comes out clean, it's ready!
Serve immediately…have your trivet ready on the table!
And, now for souffle no. 2…
As soon as I saw the chef demonstrate how to make a Grand Marnier soufflé, I knew someday I would be making it for my Uncle Gary. He is a true gourmand who loves to eat and eat well. One of my earliest memories with him was eating mussels for the first time at the Cadeux Cafe, or going to old Joe Muir's with his parents, "Pops & Ginia." Ginia was a good cook and loved to laugh. Pops loved to eat and loved his wife. And the apple doesn't fall far from the tree : ) Just before I left for Paris, our family was sitting around the table playing the last supper game, and this was Gary's dessert. May it be far from your last supper, Gary, but the next supper together we will have shrimp eileen and Grand Marnier soufflé. (Well…in all fairness, I have promised your wife cream puffs, so you guys will have to duel over who's dinner is first!)
Uncle Gary's Grand Marnier Soufflé
500 mL milk
5 egg yolks, plus 3 egg yolks
150 g sugar
40 g flour
40 g cornstarch
50 mL Grand Marnier
zest of 2 oranges
100 mL orange juice
50 g candied orange peel, macerated in Cointreau (optional)
butter and sugar to line the mold
8 egg whites
70 g sugar
Preheat your oven to 350-degrees and immediately put a baking sheet on the bottom rack and remove other racks to allow room for your soufflés to rise. Butter and sugar a two 1.5-qt. soufflé dishes. Brush on the butter in vertical strokes, the same direction the soufflé will rise. Put the molds in the fridge.
To a small sauce pan, add orange juice and orange zest. Bring to a steady boil to reduce the mixture by half. Once reduced, remove from the heat and add the Grand Marnier.
Prepare pastry cream: Heat 500 mL of milk until it just comes to a boil. (By the way, 1 mL = 1 g, so you can weigh out any wet ingredients easily.) While the milk is heating, whisk together 5 egg yolks and 150 g sugar until the color lightens. Then whisk in the flour and cornstarch. When the milk just boiled, add about half of the hot milk to the bowl, whisking while you add so as not to cook the eggs. When combined, pour the mixture into the saucepan with the hot milk. Put back on heat, whisking continually. Keep moving on and off the heat until it comes back up to just a boil and thickens. Remove from heat. (Careful not to let the bottom of the pot take on any color.)
Once off the heat, continue to whisk for a minute to make sure it stays smooth. Then, add the other 3 egg yolks and whisk to combine. Now, add the Grand Marnier & oj mixture. At this point you can also add your diced candied orange peel, I don't happen to like them so I leave this part out…but whatever floats your boat.
Cover with plastic wrap in direct contact with the pastry cream so it won't form a skin. Set aside in a warm place so it doesn't get cold.
Add cold egg whites to your stand mixer and whip until stiff. When soft peaks form, add 70 g sugar and continue to beat until shiny.
Transfer the pastry cream to a mixing bowl. Then add 1/3 of the beaten egg whites and whisk together until smooth. Gently add another 1/3 of the egg whites and fold in with a rubber spatula. (No whisk at this point!) Then add the last third, and stop when the mixture is just combined. Careful not to tap the bowl and try to deflate the egg whites as little as possible when mixing.
Gently lift out the soufflé mixture into the butter & sugar-lined dishes with a ladle or a pastry scraper, dividing evenly. Fill the dishes 8/10 of the way to the top. Careful not to dribble any on the sides or rim, it will stop the soufflé from rising evenly.
Place the dish on the hot baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes. When the top is a nice brown color, use your knife to test whether it is cooked through. Pierce the side of the soufflé, near the rim of the dish, and go all the way into the center. If the knife comes out clean, it's ready!
Have the dishes and spoons ready and serve to your guests! I've seen this served at the Arroyo Chop House with a drizzle of Grand Marnier over the top just as it comes to the table. Yum : )
Lastly, say a prayer of thanksgiving for your Kitchen-Aid, because in school we have to do all of this whisking by hand!
<3 L
I was on the phone with my grandparents a few days ago telling them about the last couple of weeks in school and the goings-on in Paris. I was telling my grandpa that there are very few recipes I have made at school that I will ever make again. That is, if I want to live past the age of 30! Then I told him about the Grand Marnier soufflé we just saw in demo, and he immediately said, "well, you better make that again!"
And without a doubt, there is something special about soufflés. They can be savory or sweet and come from the french verb, souffler, which means "to blow up" or "to puff up." They must be served and eaten immediately--oven to the table--or you will witness the sad deflated remnants of a former soufflé…a tragic sight!
So, in the name of things I will surely make again, here are two soufflé recipes for you to try. The first is the cheese soufflé in honor of my dear friend and first visitor from home, Anne-Marie. Lucky for me, she did a one night stop-over in Paris while she and her husband were in London. We had an amazing time catching up and it was so, so nice to see someone from home. (It was also great having her here because she speaks fluent French!) And, like a soufflé, her visit was amazing but all too short-lived. Thanks to my crazy school schedule, I had no time to cook for Anne-Marie, but next time I see her I think a cheese soufflé should be on the menu!
Cheese Soufflé pour mon amie, Anne-Marie
40 g unsalted butter
40 g flour
250 mL milk
100 g gruyere, grated (plus some to sprinkle on top)
3 egg yolks
5 egg whites, stiffly beaten
pinch of salt
nutmeg
Preheat your oven to 350-degrees and immediately put a baking sheet on the bottom rack and remove other racks to allow room for your soufflé to rise. Butter and flour a 1.5-qt. soufflé dish. Brush on the butter in vertical strokes, the same direction the soufflé will rise. Put the mold in the fridge.
Prepare your béchamel: melt the butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Do not let the butter take on any color. Remove from the heat while you whisk in the flour. Put the roux back on the heat to cook off the flour taste. When the roux no longer smells of flour, add cold milk and whisk continually until the mixture thickens into béchamel sauce. When thick, grate in some fresh nutmeg, add salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and whisk in egg yolks. Cover with plastic wrap in direct contact with the sauce so it won't form a skin. Set aside, do not let get cold.
Add cold egg whites with a pinch of salt to your stand mixer and whip until stiff.
Transfer the béchamel to a mixing bowl, add cheese and whisk. Then add 1/3 of the beaten egg whites and whisk together until smooth. Gently add another 1/3 of the egg whites and fold in with a rubber spatula. (No whisk at this point!) Then add the last third, and stop when the mixture is just combined. Careful not to tap the bowl and try to deflate the egg whites as little as possible when mixing.
Gently lift out the soufflé mixture into the butter & floured dish with a ladle or a pastry scraper. Fill the dish 8/10 of the way to the top. Careful not to dribble any on the sides or rim, it will stop the soufflé from rising evenly. Sprinkle the top (in the center, not near the edges) with a bit of the grated cheese.
Place the dish on the hot baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes. When the top is a nice brown color, use your knife to test whether it is cooked through. Pierce the side of the soufflé, near the rim of the dish, and go all the way into the center. If the knife comes out clean, it's ready!
Serve immediately…have your trivet ready on the table!
And, now for souffle no. 2…
As soon as I saw the chef demonstrate how to make a Grand Marnier soufflé, I knew someday I would be making it for my Uncle Gary. He is a true gourmand who loves to eat and eat well. One of my earliest memories with him was eating mussels for the first time at the Cadeux Cafe, or going to old Joe Muir's with his parents, "Pops & Ginia." Ginia was a good cook and loved to laugh. Pops loved to eat and loved his wife. And the apple doesn't fall far from the tree : ) Just before I left for Paris, our family was sitting around the table playing the last supper game, and this was Gary's dessert. May it be far from your last supper, Gary, but the next supper together we will have shrimp eileen and Grand Marnier soufflé. (Well…in all fairness, I have promised your wife cream puffs, so you guys will have to duel over who's dinner is first!)
Uncle Gary's Grand Marnier Soufflé
500 mL milk
5 egg yolks, plus 3 egg yolks
150 g sugar
40 g flour
40 g cornstarch
50 mL Grand Marnier
zest of 2 oranges
100 mL orange juice
50 g candied orange peel, macerated in Cointreau (optional)
butter and sugar to line the mold
8 egg whites
70 g sugar
Preheat your oven to 350-degrees and immediately put a baking sheet on the bottom rack and remove other racks to allow room for your soufflés to rise. Butter and sugar a two 1.5-qt. soufflé dishes. Brush on the butter in vertical strokes, the same direction the soufflé will rise. Put the molds in the fridge.
To a small sauce pan, add orange juice and orange zest. Bring to a steady boil to reduce the mixture by half. Once reduced, remove from the heat and add the Grand Marnier.
Prepare pastry cream: Heat 500 mL of milk until it just comes to a boil. (By the way, 1 mL = 1 g, so you can weigh out any wet ingredients easily.) While the milk is heating, whisk together 5 egg yolks and 150 g sugar until the color lightens. Then whisk in the flour and cornstarch. When the milk just boiled, add about half of the hot milk to the bowl, whisking while you add so as not to cook the eggs. When combined, pour the mixture into the saucepan with the hot milk. Put back on heat, whisking continually. Keep moving on and off the heat until it comes back up to just a boil and thickens. Remove from heat. (Careful not to let the bottom of the pot take on any color.)
Once off the heat, continue to whisk for a minute to make sure it stays smooth. Then, add the other 3 egg yolks and whisk to combine. Now, add the Grand Marnier & oj mixture. At this point you can also add your diced candied orange peel, I don't happen to like them so I leave this part out…but whatever floats your boat.
Cover with plastic wrap in direct contact with the pastry cream so it won't form a skin. Set aside in a warm place so it doesn't get cold.
Add cold egg whites to your stand mixer and whip until stiff. When soft peaks form, add 70 g sugar and continue to beat until shiny.
Transfer the pastry cream to a mixing bowl. Then add 1/3 of the beaten egg whites and whisk together until smooth. Gently add another 1/3 of the egg whites and fold in with a rubber spatula. (No whisk at this point!) Then add the last third, and stop when the mixture is just combined. Careful not to tap the bowl and try to deflate the egg whites as little as possible when mixing.
Gently lift out the soufflé mixture into the butter & sugar-lined dishes with a ladle or a pastry scraper, dividing evenly. Fill the dishes 8/10 of the way to the top. Careful not to dribble any on the sides or rim, it will stop the soufflé from rising evenly.
Place the dish on the hot baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes. When the top is a nice brown color, use your knife to test whether it is cooked through. Pierce the side of the soufflé, near the rim of the dish, and go all the way into the center. If the knife comes out clean, it's ready!
Have the dishes and spoons ready and serve to your guests! I've seen this served at the Arroyo Chop House with a drizzle of Grand Marnier over the top just as it comes to the table. Yum : )
Lastly, say a prayer of thanksgiving for your Kitchen-Aid, because in school we have to do all of this whisking by hand!
<3 L
Monday, February 15, 2010
I Heart Valentine's Day
Ever since I was little, I have always loved Valentine's Day. Hearts, red, pink, flowers, candy, cute decorations, sweet cards, cupcakes and parties…all of my favorite things. A broken heart can ruin a lot of things, but I decided it wasn't going to ruin one of my favorite holidays. Food, friends and wine = parfait!
My thoughts had been preoccupied with my meeting with the chef who told me to "just cook," and to have a Sunday the way the French do: go to the market, cook, eat, drink, hang. (I might have added the "hang," but he would have said it if he knew that word in English.)
My friend from school, Anthony, is living here while his husband is back in the states. Since we were both sans dates for Vday, I asked him to be my valentine and he graciously accepted. (Don't worry James, only valid in the 7th arrondissement!). We talked about just cooking and having a relaxed Sunday, and Anthony suggested we start at the gorgeous outdoor market right near his apartment. My fellow Grande Diplome friend, Blanca from Madrid, joined us to help us prepare this feast.
We arrived at the market at noon. Sweet Anthony brought flowers and chocolate for Blanca and I… I mean, c'mon, girls love that stuff! Anthony asked, "so, what are we getting?" Blanca and I shrugged, none of us came with a plan (except Anthony's delicious goat cheese that I am still dreaming about!). We just walked around, picked up what looked good, got inspired...and before long we had our menu:
Roasted chicken with red skin potatoes, carrots, zucchini and mushrooms
Seared ahí tuna
Sauteed Coquille St. Jacques scallops (in season and amazing)
Mashed pumpkin with Comté cheese
Green salad with haricot vert, dried cranberries, tomato and almonds
Duck terrine
Olives, charcuterie, shrimp, cheeses, baguettes
…and a half a case of wine, of course!
Three cooks in my tiny kitchen, and I'm not even sure who did what, but at some point the table was full of food. And, as any good Cordon Bleu student must, we followed the chef's directions: we sat, we ate, we drank, we laughed. Thankfully, Gillian from Dublin and her boyfriend came over to help with the mounds of food!
It was a perfect day. And, I now know why the chef's advice was so important. When you get into the kitchen at school, it's about speed, precision, and completion. Everyone's tense because the chef is looming or yelling at someone. There are good days, but it's definitely not like cooking in your own kitchen, (whisk in one hand wine in the other). Plus, I can't tell you how much food I throw away because even the dishwashers don't want to take home veal stuffed with veal stuffed with pork in a kilo of butter.
I started to forget how much I love to cook. And then St. Valentine brought the heart back. Spending the day cooking, actually enjoying the food and sharing it with friends reminded me why I came here in the first place. That is what I love to do. I won't be number one at graduation, but hey…I'll throw the best party after : )
I heart you all. xoxo
Ever since I was little, I have always loved Valentine's Day. Hearts, red, pink, flowers, candy, cute decorations, sweet cards, cupcakes and parties…all of my favorite things. A broken heart can ruin a lot of things, but I decided it wasn't going to ruin one of my favorite holidays. Food, friends and wine = parfait!
My thoughts had been preoccupied with my meeting with the chef who told me to "just cook," and to have a Sunday the way the French do: go to the market, cook, eat, drink, hang. (I might have added the "hang," but he would have said it if he knew that word in English.)
My friend from school, Anthony, is living here while his husband is back in the states. Since we were both sans dates for Vday, I asked him to be my valentine and he graciously accepted. (Don't worry James, only valid in the 7th arrondissement!). We talked about just cooking and having a relaxed Sunday, and Anthony suggested we start at the gorgeous outdoor market right near his apartment. My fellow Grande Diplome friend, Blanca from Madrid, joined us to help us prepare this feast.
We arrived at the market at noon. Sweet Anthony brought flowers and chocolate for Blanca and I… I mean, c'mon, girls love that stuff! Anthony asked, "so, what are we getting?" Blanca and I shrugged, none of us came with a plan (except Anthony's delicious goat cheese that I am still dreaming about!). We just walked around, picked up what looked good, got inspired...and before long we had our menu:
Roasted chicken with red skin potatoes, carrots, zucchini and mushrooms
Seared ahí tuna
Sauteed Coquille St. Jacques scallops (in season and amazing)
Mashed pumpkin with Comté cheese
Green salad with haricot vert, dried cranberries, tomato and almonds
Duck terrine
Olives, charcuterie, shrimp, cheeses, baguettes
…and a half a case of wine, of course!
Three cooks in my tiny kitchen, and I'm not even sure who did what, but at some point the table was full of food. And, as any good Cordon Bleu student must, we followed the chef's directions: we sat, we ate, we drank, we laughed. Thankfully, Gillian from Dublin and her boyfriend came over to help with the mounds of food!
It was a perfect day. And, I now know why the chef's advice was so important. When you get into the kitchen at school, it's about speed, precision, and completion. Everyone's tense because the chef is looming or yelling at someone. There are good days, but it's definitely not like cooking in your own kitchen, (whisk in one hand wine in the other). Plus, I can't tell you how much food I throw away because even the dishwashers don't want to take home veal stuffed with veal stuffed with pork in a kilo of butter.
I started to forget how much I love to cook. And then St. Valentine brought the heart back. Spending the day cooking, actually enjoying the food and sharing it with friends reminded me why I came here in the first place. That is what I love to do. I won't be number one at graduation, but hey…I'll throw the best party after : )
I heart you all. xoxo
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Live to fight another day...
When Sabrina Fairchild attends Le Cordon Bleu, after learning how to boil water and crack an egg, she has to make a soufflé. The bête noire of culinary school. Her judgement moment arrives, and the chef peers over into her dish and grimaces, "much too low." The old, sweet Barron takes her aside and says, "you forgot to turn on the oven!" Poor Audrey Hepburn looks like a sad puppy when the Barron continues, "your mind has not been on zee cooking, your mind has been elsewhere…"
Well, my dear followers (all 8 of you sweethearts!), it's no secret that the last couple of weeks have not been the best of my life. In fact, they would rank high amongst the worst. Needless to say, my mind has not been on zee cooking…
Yet, nothing can focus the mind like the words "midterm grades." Which of course, we received this week…and I admit to a touch of anxiety. Not so much because of the "grade" but the fact that we are mid-term already. Holy moly moment. The upside of the whole thing is that we each have an individual meeting with a chef. For those of us doing both cuisine and pastry, we have a meeting for each.
In my cuisine meeting, I was lucky to have a chef that knows me and has seen me do a fair bit of work in practical. His feedback was interesting, he said "I haven't figured you out yet." Probably because of the puzzled look on my face, he immediately added, "it iz not in a bad way, it iz zat I am not sure all you are capable of yet." Then he asked, "how do you sink you're doing?"
I said, "well, I've had good days and bad days. Honestly, I have been a bit distracted lately."
"Yes, good days and bad days iz a good way to put it," and he puffed my ego a bit by saying, "but, your bad days are still good compared to some ozer people." He added, "I watch you, you have good organization, you're clean and do good work." Then he hesitated, and said, "just some days you don't show up. You must be 100% every day."
"Oui, chef. Désolé."
"No, no, no, not to be sorry! It iz so you can focus. Zat is why we have zis meeting. But...it iz up to you…"
"Oui, chef. I promise, I will try."
I told him that I truly appreciate his feedback. I did not come here to be number one or have the highest grade. I'm here to learn, plain and simple. I want to get everything I can out of my time here, so I asked if there's something I be doing at home to improve. I said that I've been practicing turning mushrooms and carrots…what else can I do, what is the one skill that I should truly master? Soufflé? What?
He shook his head and told me, "just cook."
Chef said that every Sunday, French people, they go to church…well some of them do. (His words, not mine!) And then they go to the market and buy a chicken or whatever looks good. They cook, and sit around the table for hours eating and drinking. He said to just keep cooking, no matter what it is. Learn about ingredients, try new things. "It's clear you love to cook, zee more you do zee better you will be."
Sweet chef. Could he see that I just needed that go get 'em pep talk?
I have to say, compared to what I've heard from my friends about their meetings, I lucked out. Some people had a chef who didn't even know who they were.
Lucky girl that I am, I also had a meeting with the pastry chef that knows me. He also gave me more specific feedback, which is nice. He said that I am doing excellent work, even remembered my apple tart, but said that I need to continue to get faster. I'm never last, but I do tend to be a perfectionist, and I have always thought, "better to be slower and perfect than rushed and a mess." Now is the point where I need to get to perfect faster. Which is a fun challenge, I guess. "Keep practicing," and "Memorize what you need to do. Don't waste time reading your recipe."
Oui, chef.
Tomorrow we are making a Mocha cake, which requires a lot of piping with a tiny fluted tip. Piping is not my favorite; mostly because all that swagging looks like a supermarket sheet cake with over-sugared pastel icing. Yuck! Nevertheless, it is the "traditional" way to decorate a Mocha cake. So, swagging here I come!
It's a long life. There will be shitty times and terrible practical classes. I'm sure I have many "très biens" and "terribles" in my future. Today was also my first injury. Minor-to-medium burn on my left hand, courtesy of boeuf bourguignonne. But, I live to fight another day.
Merci beaucoup (beaucoup!) to everyone that has sent their love the past couple of weeks : ) It helps. xoxo
When Sabrina Fairchild attends Le Cordon Bleu, after learning how to boil water and crack an egg, she has to make a soufflé. The bête noire of culinary school. Her judgement moment arrives, and the chef peers over into her dish and grimaces, "much too low." The old, sweet Barron takes her aside and says, "you forgot to turn on the oven!" Poor Audrey Hepburn looks like a sad puppy when the Barron continues, "your mind has not been on zee cooking, your mind has been elsewhere…"
Well, my dear followers (all 8 of you sweethearts!), it's no secret that the last couple of weeks have not been the best of my life. In fact, they would rank high amongst the worst. Needless to say, my mind has not been on zee cooking…
Yet, nothing can focus the mind like the words "midterm grades." Which of course, we received this week…and I admit to a touch of anxiety. Not so much because of the "grade" but the fact that we are mid-term already. Holy moly moment. The upside of the whole thing is that we each have an individual meeting with a chef. For those of us doing both cuisine and pastry, we have a meeting for each.
In my cuisine meeting, I was lucky to have a chef that knows me and has seen me do a fair bit of work in practical. His feedback was interesting, he said "I haven't figured you out yet." Probably because of the puzzled look on my face, he immediately added, "it iz not in a bad way, it iz zat I am not sure all you are capable of yet." Then he asked, "how do you sink you're doing?"
I said, "well, I've had good days and bad days. Honestly, I have been a bit distracted lately."
"Yes, good days and bad days iz a good way to put it," and he puffed my ego a bit by saying, "but, your bad days are still good compared to some ozer people." He added, "I watch you, you have good organization, you're clean and do good work." Then he hesitated, and said, "just some days you don't show up. You must be 100% every day."
"Oui, chef. Désolé."
"No, no, no, not to be sorry! It iz so you can focus. Zat is why we have zis meeting. But...it iz up to you…"
"Oui, chef. I promise, I will try."
I told him that I truly appreciate his feedback. I did not come here to be number one or have the highest grade. I'm here to learn, plain and simple. I want to get everything I can out of my time here, so I asked if there's something I be doing at home to improve. I said that I've been practicing turning mushrooms and carrots…what else can I do, what is the one skill that I should truly master? Soufflé? What?
He shook his head and told me, "just cook."
Chef said that every Sunday, French people, they go to church…well some of them do. (His words, not mine!) And then they go to the market and buy a chicken or whatever looks good. They cook, and sit around the table for hours eating and drinking. He said to just keep cooking, no matter what it is. Learn about ingredients, try new things. "It's clear you love to cook, zee more you do zee better you will be."
Sweet chef. Could he see that I just needed that go get 'em pep talk?
I have to say, compared to what I've heard from my friends about their meetings, I lucked out. Some people had a chef who didn't even know who they were.
Lucky girl that I am, I also had a meeting with the pastry chef that knows me. He also gave me more specific feedback, which is nice. He said that I am doing excellent work, even remembered my apple tart, but said that I need to continue to get faster. I'm never last, but I do tend to be a perfectionist, and I have always thought, "better to be slower and perfect than rushed and a mess." Now is the point where I need to get to perfect faster. Which is a fun challenge, I guess. "Keep practicing," and "Memorize what you need to do. Don't waste time reading your recipe."
Oui, chef.
Tomorrow we are making a Mocha cake, which requires a lot of piping with a tiny fluted tip. Piping is not my favorite; mostly because all that swagging looks like a supermarket sheet cake with over-sugared pastel icing. Yuck! Nevertheless, it is the "traditional" way to decorate a Mocha cake. So, swagging here I come!
It's a long life. There will be shitty times and terrible practical classes. I'm sure I have many "très biens" and "terribles" in my future. Today was also my first injury. Minor-to-medium burn on my left hand, courtesy of boeuf bourguignonne. But, I live to fight another day.
Merci beaucoup (beaucoup!) to everyone that has sent their love the past couple of weeks : ) It helps. xoxo
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