Ban the Flirting

So, most of you know I'm a natural flirt. It honestly comes really natural to me and I don't even realize I do it half the time. But lately, I've decided that it only gets me in trouble so that's why I'm going to ban the flirting. I mean 98% of the time I'm an innocent flirt, but I know I've been giving out the wrong impression. I mean a guy notices I'm flirting with them and they think I'm into them...of course! I mean they have every right to think that. I mean if a guy was flirting with me I would think they were into me so why shouldn't a guy think that about me? For me flirting is fun and carefree and exciting, but lately it's just causing more trouble than it's worth.

So, from here on out I will use my powers for good instead of evil. I will only flirt with a man who I am interested in dating. Now, I can't say that I won't slip up, but recognizing is the first step right? Can anyone tell me what steps 2-12 are?

and I am done...

Friday was my final and my last day with Chef Champalle. Most of us got there early to cram last minute. I really couldn't review any more. I knew the material, just anxious to take the exam. I also did buy chef a 6-pack of Guinness. It was mainly a going away present. He actually didn't even notice it at first. He walked in with another chef and he was the one who noticed. Looked in the bag and said, "It's going to be a good night, Chef!" Champalle looked in the bag and then looked at me and gave me a look like he always does. I just smiled.

7:00 pm time for roll call and then we headed for our last uniform inspection. We all lined up out in the hall and one by one chef shook everyone's hands. Then he came to me, extended his hand and said, "You, are a dangerous woman." I laughed and didn't know what he meant by that. A French man saying that to American woman can't be good right? I mean I'm sure French women are dangerous, not American women. Oh well, who's to say?

We piled in the room and we took our test. I basically knew all of the answers with confidence. A few I guessed at but I felt I made educated decisions. I actually was the first one done. We took a break as the last students finished. 1 down, 1 more to go. We made our way back in the room for our practical exam. I wasn't the first one finished, but I think I finished in an hour and a half. I arrange my cuts on my board to a beach theme. Took my orange supreme and julienne and turned it into a palm tree, took my parsley and turned it into an island, etc. I presented my board to chef and he gave me his look. Asked me what the design was supposed to be and said a beach theme. He smirked. Scores tallied up and I got a 146 out of 200, which turned out to be about a 73. It could be worse. It was finally over...

I checked my grade online the next day. The first day of class chef said he didn't give out A's in his class so I wasn't expecting an A. I stared at the computer screen and it was a B, the next best thing. :)

And I need a drink...

Today is my first final. It's 16 chapters that we covered in 3 weeks plus a practial test, which consists of our basic knife skills: batonnet, julienne, fine julienne, brunoise, fine brunoise, orange supreme, zest, garlic, onion, shallots, chiffonade, etc. If feel ready but there's just so much I have to review before tonight. I'm still shady on the primal cuts of beef, veal, pork, and chicken and I really don't know my stocks very well.

I'm buying the chef some Guiness, maybe he'll give me a D because I'm cute instead of an F? I've done really well on all my written quizzes and tests, but my knife skills are not good in any way. I was practicing last night and finished my tourne's so I started on my batonnets. Chef came by and knocked the tourne's all over, gave me a look, and said next time use your other paring knife. (great)

After tonight I don't have to study all weekend--the class will be over. I'm ready to drink!! New class on Monday.

Pescado

Last night was seafood. Very short chapter, but the highlight of the evening was when Chef filleted a whole salmon and Dover sole. Got to say this man is my culinary hero; he just chopped and sliced away like it was the easiest thing in the world. Very impressed when he grabbed the Dover sole and just peeled the skin off in one whole piece like a band-aid--didn't even use a knife!

Final on Friday--need to start studying!

Poultry!

Last class was a great class. It kind of didn't start off so well. I did horrible on my quiz. Apparently I need to review my soups again. Anyway, back to the good part. We went over poultry today reviewing the different types of chicken, duck, turkeys, squab, etc. All very interesting. So many varieties all with different textures and flavors. After the break, chef showed us different ways to cut up a chicken and duck. He cut up 3 chickens and 2 ducks. Let me tell you the man is a French badass. I swear if he wanted to leave cooking he could become a surgeon. He cut through every animal with ease and precision. He made it look so easy and instead of being grossed out (which poulty normally does to me) I was so mesmerized. I was so jealous--I hope I can be that good when the time comes. Of course I'll need to wear gloves, poultry is the only meat that grosses me out. So, what did we do with all that meat? We cooked it of course. We made a whole roasted chicken, whole grilled chicken, chicken fricase, and another chicken sauted and smothered in a red and green pepper reduction. We also made sauted duck with a orange reduction. All VERY good--well I'll admit I couldn't get into the duck. It's really different in texture--really firm and tough. The chicken was so juicy and tender so I took one bite of my duck and that was enough for me. For the rest of the class we practiced our knife skills again like we always do, but this time was different. I checked my batonnets and they were square and the right size. I hardly even looked at my guide and some of my measurements were right on!! So exciting! Julienne, fine julienne all turned out great--not perfect but so much better. Even my tourne's turned out ok. Those I definitely need to work on but they are much better.

Good day in class! Next: seafood.

Just a Few of My Favorite Things

1.) Favorite Shoe: my yellow ballet flats
2.) Favorite Restaurant: La Duni
3.) Favorite Drink: vodka and seven with a lime
4.) Favorite Food: anything Mexican
5.) Favorite Spices: guajillo, pasilla, ancho chile, chipotle chile, cumin, chile de arbol, mexican oregano
6.) Favorite Knife: santoku
7.) Favorite Song: Glycerin by Bush
8.) Favorite Bands: Bush, Collective Soul, Depeche Mode
9.) Favorite Type of Man: confident, funny, boyish (usually a frat boy, LOL)
10.) Favorite Scent: rain
11.) Favorite Season: summer (love wearing my bikini)
12.) Favorite Holiday: Easter
13.) Favorite Sport: Basketball, College Football
14.) Favorite Perfume: Chic by Carolina Herrera
15.) Favorite Designer: Fendi
16.) Favorite Place I've been: Portland, Miami
17.) Favorite Place I want to visit: Spain
18.) Favorite Bar: Zubar
19.) Favorite Girly Thing: make-up
20.) Favorite Car: Mazzarati
21.) Favorite Colors: Silver, Black, Red (I bleed purple, go frogs!)
22.) Favorite Texas City: Austin
23.) Favorite Dogs: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
24.) Favorite Stress Reliever: cooking
25.) Favorite Dish to Cook: enchiladas, chicken tacos, beef tacos, chili
26.) Favorite Cheese: Gueyre, Brie
27.) Favorite Snack: Dr. Pepper and Snickers
28.) Favorite Dessert: Creme Brulee, Bananas Foster
29.)Favorite Culture: Latin
30.) Favorite TV show: Office, NCIS, CSI, The Hills
31.) Favorite Actor: John Malchovick
32.) Favorite Actress: Nicole Kidman
33.) Favorite 80's Movie: Goonies, Top Gun
34.) Favorite Musician: Gavin Rossdale
35.) Favorite Chic Flick: The Sweetest Thing
36.) Favorite Political Pasttime: The American Revolution
37.) Favorite Philsopher: John Locke
38.) Favorite Books: Portrait of a Lady by Henry James, Redeeming Love, The Bell Jar Sylvia Plath
39.) Favorite Pickup Lines: "Girl, that dress looks like a 'Good God' wrapped up in a 'Have Mercy' with a side of 'Ugfh'" "Have I seen your picture before? Oh yes its in the dictionary under Kblam!"
40.) Favorite Dance: Salsa
41.) Favorite Exercise: Yoga
42.) Favorite Hobby: Reading
43.) Favorite Passions: Cooking and Literature
44.) Favorite Fast Food: Taco Bueno, Raising Cane's
45.) Favorite Guilty Pleasure: Sprinkles Red Velvet Cupcake
46.) Favorite Surprise: Flowers
47.) Favorite Flower: Calla Lilles
48.) Favorite Wine: Moscato d'Asti
49.) Favorite Writer: Henry James, Sylvia Plath
50.) Favorite Character Trait of Myself: I'm a flirt

Spice and Equipment Test

Ok, so I rocked the spice test. It was 90 different herbs and spices. All laid out on the table and we had to go around and look, smell, or taste all the different spices to identify each one. No choose from a word bank--this was you either know it or you don't. I mean how else are you suppose to cook with it if you don't know the characteristics and what works well together. There was one drawback though. Whoever was studying the spices mixed a few of them up. So, #9 was supposed to be Tumeric, but it was Curry Powder and in Curry Powder's place was Tumeric. SO, instead of counting it as a mistake and accepting it, Chef didn't let us count it. So even though I know the difference between Curry Powder and Tumeric because it was in the wrong order and it wasn't according to the Chef's key it was counted wrong. The same thing happened with 3 other spices. So, I got them wrong even though I knew what they were. Out of 90 I got 4 wrong--not too bad.

I bombed the equipment test. I actually didn't know we were having an equipment test until Thursday night. On the way out, Chef said know your spices and equipment tomorrow! Oh no! I think I reviewed the equipment for about 15 min. I only got half right, but on the other hand. I did know what some of the items were, but because I put scale instead of portion scale, I got it wrong. Apparently I don't know any of my ovens. I guess I'll be studying that over the weekend.

Good news is, we have Martin Luther King Day off and I took a vacation day from work. Three day weekend so good! After sleeping 20 hours this week--sleep so good!!

I did survive week 2 of my crazy schedule. I learned a lot of what to do and not to do after that first week. First, drink less caffeine and more water. Even in the morning when I'm not all awake yet just drink water and then at lunch time drink a coke. I drink water for the rest of the day and my final coke is at our break around 10 pm. Second, Tylenol PM is my best friend. I tend to be an insomniac so that first week I wasn't getting sound sleep. I kept waking up in the night and early morning even though I was only sleeping 5 hours. With the Tylenol I was able to sleep straight through the night. That's all the tips I have. Only 4 more days and my first class is over. Now on to Food Science!