Culinary School: Week 5

This week was good for the most part. I am happy to report that I lived through my first practical and that although I was very nervous, I feel good about how I did. I got to class on Wednesday, the day of my exam and I was at about a 6 on the nervous scale. I started pulling out my knives and getting my work station ready when my instructor told us not to be nervous, followed up with: "blah blah blah, I had one student who was so nervous, blah blah blah, peoples hands were shaking, blah blah blah, and there's always one who cuts them self bad, blah blah blah, don't be nervous, blah blah blah." After his well-meant story telling session I was at about a 8.9 on the nervous scale. He gave us our lists of what we needed to have chopped and prepared to complete the exam. Rondelled carrots, batonnet potatoes, small diced onions, a broken down chicken, one gallon of chicken stock, 2 quarts of veloute ect. When it was go time I grabbed what I needed out of the walk in and put my head down and went to work. When my hands touched my first carrot I knew I was going to be ok. Somehow my nervousness was diffused and I knew what I needed to do. I got through all of the practical requirements in just over two hours. It felt great to be through it. There, of course, will be a few more practical exams before I am through with the program, and each one will be moderately nerve wracking but at least now I know what to expect, and hopefully won't be quite so scared. In baking this week we covered A LOT! Foccacia, boule shaping, batard shaping, roll practicing, baguette practicing, beer bread, and most of it covered in one class! It was exciting to learn how to make some of my favorite types of bread. In other news I found a stash of cookie dough in the baking class freezer so that's good (ha!). Overall a good week - now I'm ready to crash for the weekend! Sleeping in till at least 10am tomorrow!