Day sixty three

What was the question? (a courtesy of)

Strategy for a test? 

Today was one of the two days full of tests. The end of semester is not easy. Too many tests and other activities. Today was due day for the last homework for Nutrition and for the Final Project for the First Year Seminar.

At the Math class we did a final review and ready for tomorrow. Gastronomy we took the final test and after that we watched two videos regarding different management styles. The both videos were about conductors and how they are working. It seems to be quite similar (in some ways) what is going on in the kitchen. A few creative people should work together under a chef, who is responsible for the final impression. Yeah, that was

Day sixty two

My plate for Practical 

Can you cook a full menue in two and a half hours?

Today was Final Practical for the Culinary Fundamentals. We started from the theory and had to answer 35 questions. Some of these questions were multiple choice, some - true and fault, and some an essay questions. We had one hour to finish the test.

The second part was practical itself. We draw the menue which we suppose to cook. I hoped to get grilling menue, however I got sauté menu. I did not want that menu because of one item, which was steamed broccolini. For me vegetables are complicated, protein cookery is easier.

My menu for today was Saute Chicken Breast, sauce Fines Herbs, Steamed Broccolini, Glazed oblique Carrot, Basmati Rice Pilaf, and Mayonnaise. I had to cook ans present two identical plates. After 30 minutes of my time, I realized

Day sixty one

Today's food - buffet style

Do we need 'to rest' meat after grilling? And other secrets of successful grilling.

The day before practical exam for the first semester. I was about grilling. Our menu was: Grilled Beef NY Steak, compound butter and sauce Bearnaise, French Fries, Grilled Vegetables Provencial Style.

Let's start from the basics. There are a few techniques quite similar to each other - grilling, broiling, griddling, and BBQ. They are all similar because they are an examples of dry heat cooking. Grilling is when you have source of heat under you food item. The BBQ is a way of grilling. Technically BBQ is done

Day sixty

A courtesy of

Obesity is a real health issue in the USA.

TGFI

This week is finally come to the end. Friday is usually an easy day. We do not have First Year Experience. Only Math, Gastronomy, and Nutrition are on schedule.

Math was review for all what we have learned during the semester. It's useful, but boring at the same time. Useful because that will help to prepare to the final exam. Boring, because nothing new...

At Gastronomy we discussed organic food, sustainability, and

Day fifty nine

Gargouillou

Can the whole part be more than 100% ?

Today was all about Liberal Art Classes. All as usual - Math, Gastronomy, Nutrition, and First Year Experience. We can feel that we are going to the end of semester.

The next week is the last one. We will have practical exam on Culinary Fundamentals (knife cuts, written exam, and practical) and quizes on all other subjects. Also we have to complete final project for the First Year and probably something else...

Math today was a little bit about ratios and we started to review what we have learned so far. Answer to the question at the beginning of this post is yes, in case we use baker percentage. Do not think that bakers are crazy people and therefore they have more

Day fifty eight

Today's plate

What is collard greens?

Today was a disaster, indeed. We were late from the beginning. And sometimes, you can smell troubles even before any indication appears. We were in weeds from the beginning. Requisition came late, we were trying to distribute them, but due to inconsistant instructions, that took quite a lot of time. Our group finished cooking almost one hour late. Also there were not enough space at the ovens. Some days you are just glad that it's over...

Our production was not so difficult today. Team assignment was spicy collard greens, sauce Espagnole, and beer battered onion rings. Individual production suppose to be pan fried pork cutlets with sauce Charcuterie, spaetzle, coleslaw, and sauce chasseur.

What can I say?

Day fifty seven

Today's plate

Why some cooking techniques are called a la minute?

Today was about sautéing fish. This was our menue: Saute trout Meuniere, Wild rice pilaf, Brussels sprout with bacon, tourneyed carrot, and  sauce Beurre Noisette.

Sautéing usually refers as a la minute technique, because it literally takes a few minutes to cook main item. Let's say today trout was pan fried within four minutes (ish...) Do I like it? Yes, very much, that was my lunch for today. The issue you may have making this at home is a bit of smoke (if you have hood in the kitchen - great) and a bit of oil on the stove around a pan.

So, let's start from the middle (as per picture from the left).