Dining Room

For the last 7 days i have been in Dining Room. This is the lab that you learn the Fine Dining Etiquette. We serve people, have a wine tasting, and learn different types of silverware, and fine china. A typical day in Freshman Fine Dining goes about like this. We come in at 7 AM and get our coffee or hot tea! We lecture and discuss different topics until about 10:15. At this time we start setting up the dining room. Everyone in the class had a different task to complete. Everything from putting linens on the tables, setting up the coffee and tea station, getting out tray jacks for the food trays, polishing silverware for the tables, picking up bread, prepping the dish pit, folding napkins, setting out salt ans pepper, and the simple sugar, just to name a few. Then all the servers line up at 10: 40 to get their assigned table and check presenters. Then the chef will come out about 10:45 to tell us about the menus and go over the different places each dish come from. We serve from 11:00-12:00 then we start to breakdown and clear all the tables. Then we get to eat! the best part of the whole day! After we eat then we break down the whole dining room, polish the silverware, vacuum the floors, and return the dessert plates to the pastry classroom. We have group pow wow and talk about what things worked, and what things we need to improve on. I have to say this class is a lot different then i thought. there is a lot to remember, but its fun. i always kind of wanted to be a server at a restaurant so this is my fulfillment i guess.  

It's been so crazy!

I want to say thank you to all of my fellow readers, and also i am sorry for not posting lately, things have been so crazy!
I left off talking about being in FFP, after that i went to Meat cutting. This class was very interesting. I have to say that i learned a lot, but i also really learned all the things that it takes to be a successful butcher. I learned how to break down a chicken, how to fabricate lamb chops, and how to make sausage. oh and did i mention that it was all done in a refrigerated classroom. It was about 37 degrees everyday. Yes, that cold. It was always nice to leave class and go outside in the 55 degree weather.  It was so warm!
After Meat Cutting,  the term was over and i was headed home for spring break!! Now normally i would be excited to go home for spring, except that my break was the end of February/ beginning of March, so it was still cold at home.
When i got back to school i started a new term, and New World Cuisine. New World incorporates foods from the "Old World", and the "New World". There are influences from Jamaica, Spain, Americas, and many other countries.
The three main things that we had to learn were frying, roasting, and grilling. I had a lot of first time things in this class. First time breaking down a fish, grilling steak, tresing and roasting a chicken. This class i had alot of fun in.
I will post my favorite recipes later. Unfortunately i have no pictures from my class, but i will try to take pictures of the class in there now so you can see the kitchen.

Fundamentals of Food Service production (FFP)

 HAPPY FEBRUARY!!
I don't know if any of you saw my post on Face book, but i was counting down the minutes till February. 

On Monday afternoon i started Fundamentals of Food Service Production. We like to call it FFP.  In FFP we do the fundamentals. This class also likes to use a lot of butter and oil, so its not that great of a transition from healthy yummy foods in Nutrition Class. Don't get me wrong the food is pretty good, but it is very rich, so i can't eat as much. Meanwhile, there is an older guy in our class doing a sort of detox program or something where he can only eat certain healthy foods, like lots of lean meats, fruits and veggies, etc. so this class is killing him.
It's a little harder to take pictures in this class, because there is a lot of movement and then usually were late or the class were feeding comes early so the food is devoured before i get the chance to take a picture. However i was able to sneak a few in before we ate all the food.
Here are a few....

 Corn Beef Hash with Sweet Potatoes, and Chiliequlies

 The BEST Stuffed French Toast ever!

 Plain French Toast with Brandi in the Background. ;)

 Bacon anyone?

 Roland Maple Syrup- get yours today(model not included! lol ;)

 Good Squeaky clean fun in the dish pit!

 Michael and Aris in the dish pit.

Nutrition Class Day 7

Today was day 7 of my nutrition lab, and let me tell you i have had the greatest time ever! The menus have been so great! Yes, most of the things we make have meat in them, so for you vegetarians it's harder, but for those carnivores out there, your in luck. Today i think we had one of the best menus yet. There were beef sliders with cheese, and caramelized onions, Chicken Marsala, chicken with peanut sauce, chicken wings,(A lot of chicken today) Grilled Caesar Salad, The most Amazing Carrot Cake, and a few other goodies. P.S. if you guys ever have a favorite thing you like to make, let me know cause i probably have a great recipe for it. The recipe i would like to share with you today was a request. It was the Vegan Chocolate cake.

Vegan Chocolate Cake  

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups raw sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

2 cups water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously spray two 9-inch square pans with pan spray.

2. Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add the oil, vanilla, vinegar and water. Mix together until smooth.

3. Pour into prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes or until a pick comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool. 

*We sprinkled powdered sugar on top of ours when wed plated them*

Another recipe i  would like to share is

Chicken Tortilla Soup  

Yield:  8 servings

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced

1quart tomato strips

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup whole corn kernels

1 cup white hominy

1 poblano pepper, roasted, peeled and diced

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-sized pieces (about ½ pound, raw)

Flour tortilla strips, brushed with oil and baked until crisp

1 sliced avocado (do this right before service)

½ cup shredded low fat cheese

6 sliced green onions

Lime wedges, small

Directions:

1. In a medium stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onion, garlic and chicken in oil until onions are softened. Stir in chili powder, oregano, tomatoes and stock. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Stir in corn, hominy, poblano pepper, beans and cilantro. Simmer for 10 minutes.  Add a bit more stock if soup gets too thick.

3. Ladle soup into individual serving bowls, and top with tortilla strips, avocado slices, cheese, green onion and lime wedges.

*I found this to have a very tomato taste to it, so if you don't like it as tomato-e then i would use less tomatoes.*  

Here are some pictures too! =)

   The Picture above is the serving line, with Corn Beef Hash in the front

This picture was a carving in a honeydew melon, by the vegetable and fruit carver

                                        More carved fruit

                          Our whole class. We have a pretty great bunch

             Above is the BEST CARROT CAKE YOU WILL EVER EAT!

                 Beef Sliders with caramelized onions, and cheese! Yumm

                    Twice baked potatoes with bacon and cheese

                                  Yummy Asparagus with Parmesan cheese

                              Chicken Tenders with Panko Bread Crumbs.

Product identification/ Store Room

This past nine days i have been in what we call storeroom. It was in the basement, and included, filling "req's", cleaning the floors, and identifying products. What is a "Req"? That is the cart that we fill with all the ingredients, that the Chef has ordered for their class. We fill the carts, and then enter the information in the computer. It was actually a pretty fun class, and Chef Rosenbaum was really cool! I have to say, that even though the labs are all day long, that i LOVE going to class everyday in a Chef's uniform. I don't know, its just something about the way i look, and what I'm doing, just feels right! So for all of you out there that never really knew what they wanted to do, its NEVER TO LATE! There are some adults in our classes, and no one cares, its actually pretty cool, because most of them have been in the industry and can share experiences. Yes, its expensive but, if you really like it and want to do it then go for it!

Principles of Beveragve Service

The last nine days I have spent in lab 324. This is the Principles of Beverage Lab. Now, your probably wondering what this entails, so I will tell you. This is a class that you learn all about the different mixed drinks. Yes, the Alcoholic ones. The school has an underage educational drinking license, where students in the class will be able to sip different kinds of beers, wines, liquors, and spirits. There is also an espresso machine where most of us spent our time before class started. In this class i learned how to read a wine label, how to taste wine for different fruits and the bitterness, and how to pair wine with foods. It was one of the most fun classes I have taken so far. Im really excited to come home and share all the different drinks with everyone.

End of First Term

I have just recently ended the first part of my Culinary Career. I will be finished with all of my academics for the year at about 7:00 Pm tonight! I then will start to pack for my trip home tomorrow. My School is based on a tri-mester program, and so the next two after this will only be cooking labs. It is very exciting! The first lab that i will be taking for 9 days is Principles of Beverage Service. In this class i will be learning how to make 40 different cocktails. So, for christmas i will be able to tell you about it. I will try to update frequently and add recipes for all of you. Thanks everyone for all the support it is really appreciated! For all of you guys in my home town see you tomorrow! ;)