How ya like them apples?

Well there i was back at school after an extremely emotional weekend in St. George for Luas' funeral. I walk into the room and the first thing I see is some guy walking up to me we a little post it sticker... The teacher wants me to be the volunteer Sous Chef for the day because the guy that was supposed to do it has withdrawn from school. Sad story about that guy. His mom died in a car accident and now has to care for his little sister. And come to find out, the administrator at the Cordon Bleu school in L.A., where he is headed, just happened to know his mom... Small world.

So there i am. The person that was Sous Chef the class before was supposed to help me and show me where stuff was and what to do. That didn't happen, they didn't even show up until 5 minutes before class. The Sous Chef for the day is supposed to arrive 30 minutes before class starts to set up and get the sanitation and food chefs going on what they are supposed to do. Good thing i always show up 30-40 mins before class. It's all good. I scrambled around a little looking for all the stuff i needed to mark off on my inventory and set up the Chef and i was done. whew.

Then the Sanitations instructor comes in and starts talking about Ch. 6 being reviewed after he gives the Ch. 5 quiz. Doh, I wasn't there Friday to know that i was to read up on Ch. 5 for a quiz. So, he passes out the quiz and i'm looking at it like a dumbass because well, I knew a little of what was on there but not the crux of it so i raise my hand and walk up to the Chef and ask if i can do a makeup due to the fact that i was not in class on Friday and had no idea... Thank goodness for makeups. I wipe my brow again...

Our cuts for the day was fun. We made an Apple swan, lemon basket, tomato rose and carrot flowers. Chef said i did a very nice job. I want to thank my Father for his creative and artistic genes because it's easy for me to pick these things up where as some of the swans that i saw cut in class today were more like ugly ducklings. Practice, practice...(pictures of my cuts are posted below.)

We had a Chef from the Marriott come in and talk to us about his externship and well, the school is just starting to prep us for making our way out into the world to look for a place that we want to take our externship. This Chef, sorry i didn't catch his name, worked in New Orleans and has had the opportunity to "have drinks" with Emeril Lagasse. BAM!!! Must be nice. He's now the Executive Chef at the Seattle Marriott.
I'm still trying to think of a place to do my externship. I have Rays Boathouse in mind...we'll see.

That's my blip for my BFFs for today.

Testing 1,2,3...

I just finished writing a big Huge long blog, clicked a button by accident, POOF all gone. Now i have to rewrite everything. Yes, i dropped a few "F" bombs.

So, now this version is not nearly as winded as the last but eh, you're probably thinking, Thank God.

We had a test today in Culinary Foundations. I crammed my little ass off last night, woke up this morning and read some more and was hoping that the teacher would come in and give us the test while all this was fresh in my mind. Nope, Not happening. He did a review then wanted us to work on our Tourné cuts again, clean up, THEN take the test. My inner self at this point is screaming "OMG I'm gonna forget everything!" But come test time i think i did just fine.

I'm sorry, i'm a slacker. This is the 2nd time that i've forgotten to take a photo of my cuts. If i keep this up i won't have much of a portfolio. /sigh

I flew through the first part, just about pee'd my pants thinking about the math/measurement part but even that wasn't too bad. What i think i may have messed up on was the Kitchen Brigade part where we had to match the ranks with duties. Better luck next time.

Then came Sanitations but just before class started it started to snow Big HUGE flakes outside and the Natives started getting restless. "OMG I can't drive in the snow." "I live on a Hill, I'm not gonna be able to make it up to the top." But then towards the middle of class Chef Knaup came in and says "Calm down. It's stopped snowing and the sun is out, the snow is melting." I'm so relieved because I was a little concerned myself but i didn't show it because i'm studly, macho, suave like that. =P

So on with the class. We got into this discussion about McDonalds Chicken nuggets. Yep, it's made from a chicken but it's not the chicken breast you're eating there son. It's various chicken parts that is bleached white. This is a little disturbing but then I think to myself, hm... I eat sausages, and Love SPAM...get over it because there is no way i'm giving up SPAM, I'm Samoan. Good thing i don't order the Chicken nuggets but every 5 years or so.

We were given our Sanitations grades today and I'm happy to announce a whopping 99% for an A for me. I'm gonna need all the good grades i can muster especially since i'm gonna be missing my Friday class in order to go to my cousin Lua Afatasi's funeral. Life happens... so i'll just do the make up work and hope for the best.

What happened to Robert? He withdrew from the program yesterday.

And that is my blip for my BFFs today.

As the Blade Tournés

Today we learned how to Tourné (turn) a potato, celery, and summer squash.  Evidently I don't Tourné as well as I Allumette so it's going to take a bit of practice on my end.  My instructor on the other hand can Tourné a potato while holding it behind his back... True Story, I saw it with my own eyes.  I don't think I want to try practicing the behind the back technique especially with my history of stabbing myself while cutting the lawn with a machete.  I'll be happy just being able to do it while holding it directly in front of me.

So, we did our little line up for uniform inspection today and i didn't pass with flying colors (hangs head down low).  Why, do you ask?  Well, the teacher said that my nails were to long and marked points off.    My teacher says that Nails like to collect "things" when you go "potty".  In other words, if you can see the whites of your nails then you have pooper scoopers on your fingertips and therefore harvesting an abundance of potential Foodborne Pathogens.  So, after i write this up i'm off to go cut my nails down to nubs.  Guess I'll start practicing on my guitar again lol.  Attached is a photo of my nails, what do you think? Now, I know i don't have beautiful hands and i don't plan on making commercials so keep your funnies to a minimum lol... it is what it is.

The class was a little smaller today after our li'l 3 day weekend.  It's only week 2 and people are dropping like flies already.  Included in that list of flies was, (can you guess?), the infamous Robert.  You remember him from my Boop poop de oops blog don't you?  I wonder if he'll be in class tomorrow.  Hmmm?

And to finish my blog with a bang I'm proud to announce that my grade for the first week in Culinary class was, drum roll please...... An "A".   I can only hope to be able to keep it up.   Math is gonna kill me but i'll take what i can get and hope for the best in the end.

And that is my blip for my BFFs today.

Red Mill Burgers, Seattle

So, everytime my friend Leo sees me online he says "Have you gone to Red Mill Burgers yet?"  and I say, "No, I haven't gotten around to it yet."  You may have seen it featured on the Food Network Channels Man vs Food.

WEEEeeeell, Today I got around to going there with my sister Sadie.  Red Mill Burgers on Dravus, just off of 15th in Seattle, is just this tiny Hole in the Wall joint.  And what is the famous adage?  Yes, you guessed it.  Great things come in small packages!

Sadie and I get there and the line of people is overflowing out onto the sidewalk.  It's not a fast food joint so you wait in line to place your order then wait in line to get your order and while you're waiting you hope that a seat becomes available so you can sit and chow down but, it is so well worth the wait. 

While you wait you can watch the staff of busy lil bees buzzing about trying to get the orders out and if you look closely, and nobody is blocking your view, you can see a Tall stack (at least a foot high) of cooked bacon just waiting to be placed in your burger.  Yes, you guessed again.  I ordered the Bacon Deluxe with Cheese.  And can i say OOOOO Mommy it was so deliciously succulent, juices dripping off your fingers, lick em dry, OMGness, "Please, may i have some more" Nom Nom Nommy. Fries, Onion rings, Shakes anyone?  They are just as good as the burgers.  The shakes are made with, a wide variety to choose from, yes, Real ice cream.

Check out the website, look at the menu.  If you live in the Seattle area then you GOTTA go to this place at Least once.  If you're in town to visit or on business, Make time to go and treat yourself to the sinful pleasures of eating a great burger. 

Umami

I just learned about Umami in school and i'd like to share this with you because it's like the 6th sense of Tastes.  We all know about Sweet, Sour, Salty and Bitter and now we add Umami to it.  Umami is that certain Je ne sais quoi that is in food naturally that makes you want to say OOOooo Mommy I want more of that.  Watch the Food Flavor Mystery video i have linked under OoooMommy to learn more of what i'm talking about.  

AAAaand... For my Vegetarian friends out there, watch the Mushrooms that tastes like Bacon video to learn how to make Macon (a word i just made up) so you can have Macon and eggs for breakfast and not feel guilty about eating Bacon (coughKatecough) even though you say you're a vegetarian.

Boop poop de oops...

Homework for Sanitations was a bear and i was up late last night doing Homework and it was a lot of information to try and absorb.

So we're all sitting there today going OMG there is NO way we can remember all that How in the HELL are we going to get the quiz done... we're all fretting while he's doing his overview of the homework and blah blah blah... then he says "are you ready for the quiz?" and we all silently sit there looking at him. Then he says "It will be a Take home quiz." EVERYONE just Broke into an applause saying "THANK YOU CHEF" lol That was the 2nd half of school.

The first half is Cuisine Foundation (CF) so...There is a guy in class, his name is Robert. Clearly Robert has Mental issues and has difficulty learning. The cuts, he never completes the cuts assignment of the day. On the first day the teacher had trouble teaching him how to tie his cravat. Issue there was with his lack of comprehension of left and right. Someone else had to tie his tie for him. He also asks questions that have nothing to do with what is being discussed and each day we would sit and wonder "What is Robert going to do, or Not do, or say today.?"

So our sanitation class of course is about food borne pathogens and most of the pathogens have to do with feces and ppl NOT washing their Hands and so feces is transfered onto the food... Gross gross gross. And in all the prevention it states, Keep employees that have Diarrhea out of operation... What does this have to do with Robert, you ask?

Today i cut my finger, just a flesh wound, so i head to the first aid box for a bandaid and i pass Robert and i'm like, WTF did someone step in shit? I pass by him again, same strong smell. Pew.
I get my cuts inspected then go to put my stuff away and i'm saying to my compadres wtf is that smell? And Emily say, Robert pooped his pants. OMFG I couldn't believe it. She said she was sweeping up, and bends over to pick something up and smelled "something", looks up and there is poop stains all over his pants. Needless to say the Chef calls him out to "talk" to him, he comes back in, gets his bags and leaves before Sanitation class.

So my question is... Are they so hard up for $$ that they would allow someone in who is so clearly unable to take on a school like this? I wonder if he's going to show up for class tomorrow? Or
better yet, are they going to allow him to continue after what happened today? If it was me, I would give him his $$ back and say i'm sorry Robert. It's so sad.

So that is my blip for my BFFs for today. I've got a take home quiz to do. Love and peace to all. Q  (2/17/11)

First few days. First Cuts...2/16/11

So the teacher came to inspect my cuts today, bent over and looked and said MMMMMMmmmmmmmm... HHHhmmmmm... looked up... "Have you worked in a kitchen before?" me "Yes Chef"
"Hmmm it shows... good work, (flicks a potato) show off." Me BIG SMILE "Thank you Chef"... It was AWESOME =D.

First day we got our uniforms, second day our tool kit and OMG can i tell you how Nice this set is... I SO have a Knife fettish and i'm in LOVE lol...We learned 3 cuts and i did just eh... but today was Great the teacher looked at my stuff, asked if i had kitchen experience and i said Yes Chef, yes just like on tv, then he looked at my cuts again and said Good job... Show off ... and my reply with a Big Smile was "Thank you Chef"... yes Just like on tv.

We had our first quiz for Sanitation today and Aced that one too.
Next week my Sanitation instructor has a friend that does ice sculpting and he's gonna take ppl that might want to go after school... I'm going =}