It is getting tougher now. This was a long, tough week. Finals and Practicals. Midweek, we had a clean up kitchen day. Thursday and Friday were hustle and learn in our new intermediate class. We have had two to three people out the past two days. That means more prep and cook and clean up for those of us who are there. My teacher said the past two days were easy labs and that we will be preparing eight or nine dishes a day from here on out. These dishes have several ingredients and several steps of cooking. Sometimes, blanching veggies separately before sauteing them and adding them to sauces to be braised at the end with meat. I have had to cut up three chickens in the past two days and am already sick of chicken. I happen to be nauseated as I write this. Ugh. I ate one of my chicken breast with a salad when I got home tonight.
I am cooking enough food now to bring home to my family. I was actually able to take some to my parents tonight and let them taste test different recipes. It will be worth the money and hard work if I can bring home food to my parents and my own home as well. I hope to be able to bring home food every night next week.
I can't wait till we start cooking shellfish and fish. I love fresh seafood. I hope I don't get sick of seafood like I think I am with chicken. Something about the raw chicken smell getting it on my hands. I can't seem to get the smell off even after washing my hands ten times.
This fast track program is still in its infancy. They have only been offering the 9 month program since fall of 2007. I am starting to feel that they are rushing us too much. There is so much to learn in such a short amount of time. Believe it or not, five hours a day is not enough for us to cook and learn all we need for that lab. It is crazy fast and furious. You have got to study every night and keep up with all the terms and visualize your recipes for the next day. Writing the recipes is not enough, you have to study them so you can get in there and get your mis en place together asap. You can't miss a class and know what is going on the next day.
Our servsafe classes are still two days a week. We will have a midterm, our final and then we have to pass a National ServSafe Test for our certification. We have to pass all three in order to pass the class and move on to our third unit in July, which I think will be baking.
Oh yea, I got the sweetest, most thoughtful Mothers Day gift from my son and his wife. They are in Germany so they usually send me German crystal vases and trays etc. Absolutely beautiful crystal that I will treasure forever. I kept flowers in my large crystal vase but my cat, Monty (a dumb blonde) kept rubbing up against it and knocking it over on the kitchen table. Getting back to what I got for Mothers Day... my son has read my blog and he and his wife decided to get me a black full apron and chefs hat with my blog name, Chef Joanie Maccaroni , monogrammed on the front of my apron and hat. I wished I could wear it to school but they make us wear these half aprons,that one size fits all (meaning it is way too big for me) . I can't get mine to stay on my waste, of course. I am glad I have my Chef Joanie Maccaroni one to wear in my own kitchen. I thought that was such a thoughtful gesture. It was a nice ending to a truly stressful day at school.
Well, I got to get to reading tonight. . . Read, Read, Read.
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