Tuesday, September 28, 2010

You say tomato, I say potato!

Paring Portato
Today was hands on! After learning about the kitchen brigade we moved into cutting potatoes. First we learned the parts of the knife and the proper way to hold it. After all these years I learned that I was holding my knife wrong. Holding it right makes a huge difference. We used the proper method for peeling the potato, pulling the peeler toward you rather than peeling away from oneself. We learned to block the potato and then to cut into Pont Neuf ( 3/4" x 3/4" x 3"), Migonette (1/4" x 1/4" x 2") and Macedoine (1/4" x 1/4" x 1/4"). It will take some practice to get these cuts down!

Blocked Potato
I Got an email today to sign up to judge a chili cookoff in November, I hope I get it! The students are offered opportunities to work One Time Events. Chefs will call into to the school looking for students to work special events and get paid for them. Many times the responsibilities are platting and preparing items for serving. It is an excellent opportunity to get experience working with notable chefs!
Pont Neuf, Migonette, Macedoine

Monday, September 27, 2010

Temperature Danger Zone

No I am not talking about the temperature today, however, it did seem dangerous! 

Today was my first day of class and it was very exciting to get dressed up in my uniform and head off to school. I did cut myself shaving and I tried to think what the equivalent of that would be for a first grader getting ready for their first day of school. 

In Culinary Foundations we reviewed our knife kits and I was like a kid on Christmas morning! There are so many fun gadgets in there.

In Food Safety and Sanitation we discussed food borne illnesses and the causes of them. So the "Temperature Danger Zone" is the temperature range between cold and hot food that is optimal for the growth of bacteria and is between 41 and 135 degrees F. Cold foods should be kept below this range and hot foods should be kept above it. Did you also know that it only takes 2 people getting sick from eating the same food to be considered an outbreak?

Saturday, September 25, 2010

If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen...

Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, Technique Building
Today was my New Student Orientation and it was one of the hottest days of the summer. I walked to school and when I got there I got to go into the cooled buildings but unfortunately for the staff they had to set out in the asphalt parking lot in the heat! I got my schedule for the first session that starts on Monday, September 27, 2010 and ends on November 5, 2010. I have two classes, Culinary Foundations I that is MTWTF from 12:00PM-1:50PM and Food Safety and Sanitation that is MTTF from 2:00PM-3:40PM. Culinary Foundations includes knife techniques, recipe use, menu genres and the foundation for Le Cordon Bleu stocks and sauces are introduced. Food Safety and Sanitation covers the principles of safe food handling, the three types of hazards, and the most common causes of food borne illnesses. I am looking forward to both classes. Look for a report of my first day of class on Monday!