Monday of Second Week

Jesus Christ and all the saints.  Monday was something else.  The day we make beef consomme.  It is where you have to float this RAFT of meat and mirepoix.  I started out dropping knives (plural) everywhere.  I went to get some white peppercorns and was holding it by the top and the top wasn't on very good and peppercorns went rolling everywhere like marbles.  I wasted about two cups of these and it was just too difficult to walk on them so I swept them in a clump away from everybody's feet.  I was in a hurry to get my Raft started for my consomme.  This is a soup made from veal or beef stock and it has to be very clear down to the bottom of the bowl.  You have to be careful once the raft is formed and floating on the top that you don't  break it up or it will make the soup cloudy.  So you can not let it come to a boil.  I am used to boiling everything at home and the concept of something being on my stove without ever coming to a boil feels foreign to me. 

 

I was  dropping carrots, knives, peppercorns (I won't do that again) and my towels I keep on my waist (ooh germs).  I have a new motto now.  "I won't do that again".

To make a long story short my raft was quite floaty and did not break up.  My consomme did come out clear.  Successful, well sort of.  He got to looking at the color of my beef consomme.  It was light and I realized I had used the chicken stock instead of the veal stock that it called for.  We had both stocks simmering in the kitchen.  I just happened to follow one of my fellow students filling up her measuring cup and went to that stock pot.  We both made our beef consomme out of chicken stock.  The chef wasn't mad at us but he told us that if we do that on the midterm, we will flunk.  "I won't do that again".  I will always make sure I am using the right stock.  It was very weak and not as dark and rich tasting as some of the other students, but, hey, it was clear, right down to the bottom.

 

Consommes were trendy back in the 1950's and early 1960's.  They are not on menus anymore.  I can see why because it is bland and not very interesting.  I like texture in my soups.

 

I was glad Monday ended.