Culinary School

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GotGarlic

Chef Extraordinaire
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How are your classes going? I am so envious! Are you having fun?

I thought I'd start a new thread for this.

CWS, my classes in culinary school are going great and I'm having a great time! It's definitely a lot of work - we're in class about 20 hours a week (12:20-4:50 M-Th - M-W classroom and T-Th kitchen lab) and then there's outside reading, homework and projects - but it's a blast.

This is the primary book we're using (books and kitchen uniforms are included in the fees): ACF Culinary Fundamentals It's over 1,000 pages! But it has tons of recipes and beautiful pictures.

ACFAP030.jpg


At about 4 p.m. every day, we get a break to go to the dining room and taste the food the class ahead of us is preparing that day. They're in the International Cooking class, so last week, we had Mediterranean both days and this week, Scandinavian. So that's an unexpected perk.
 
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Here's a plate of the first "afternoon snack" we got to taste. And we have to - it's part of the class ;)

Spaghetti with clam sauce, osso bucco with risotto, gnocchi, calamari with aioli, a perfectly medium-rare steak, and rolled fresh mozzarella with basil and olive oil.
 

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Oooh. Keep 'em coming, GG!

So glad you're enjoying and learning so much!
 
GG, I am really happy for you. I know the workload can be heavy, but believe me it is all worth it in the end.

You are lucky that you get to eat the food of the class ahead of you - when we were in the training kitchen we had to eat what we made! :sick::LOL::LOL:

As with DL, I look forward to more reports and pictures!
 
Thanks, Laurie! I forgot to mention that - on classroom days, we eat from the International Cooking class, and on kitchen lab days, we eat our own food. Tuesday, we made chicken soup and Thursday, we practiced making tourned potatoes and minced and mashed garlic, so we had sauteed potatoes with garlic butter and garlic mashed potatoes for the snack. It turned out quite good, but we'll see as time goes on ;)
 

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Wow! I want to follow your course virtually--what was on the menu re: Scandinavian food? Lucky you!

Let's see: sauteed snapper with butter sauce, roasted duck breast with gravy, baked and fried peppery dough balls, fondue with Gruyere, braised carrots with honey (I think), and chopped purple cabbage with a crispy breadcrumb topping (not sure how they cooked that - I need to start asking questions!) :)
 

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Your tourned potatoes look really well done! :chef:

Thank you, Laurie :) I mentioned this a couple months ago when I decided to do this, but I want to make sure you know that your experience was an inspiration to me. I have severe medical problems, too, and it's been hard in the kitchen lab, but I'm determined to do it. So thanks very much for that :flowers:
 
I just wanted to thank you all for your support when I started this. Unfortunately, I started developing peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage) in my feet and have had to withdraw from culinary school. It's not safe for me to work in a commercial kitchen environment with a bunch of other people running around. I'm going to finish the sanitation (ServSafe) class, because passing the final exam gives you the national food handlers' certificate; it might come in handy.

On the bright side, I have a cool new set of knives and other tools, a great book from the American Culinary Federation, some new skills and experiences, and a few contacts in the industry. One chef/instructor said to keep in touch with her and we'll brainstorm other ways to reach my goals. It was never my goal to work as a line cook or open a restaurant, so this program probably isn't the best for me anyway. Serendipity, sorta :) I will miss the free afternoon international snack, though :LOL:
 
Aw that's a shame GG. I hope you didn't lose too much money.

Sending healing vibes in your direction for the neuropathy (and anything else).

Very cool that one of the chef instructors suggested brainstorming other ways to reach your goals.

BTW, what were the Scandinavian dishes?
 
GG, that really stinks. I know you were really looking forward to culinary school. I hope you can find a way to employ your newly learned skills.
 
Thanks, TL. It's a pay-as-you-go program, so I've only paid for classes I've taken, except that I won't be able to finish the Culinary Techniques class. But I will get a pro-rated refund for the time I couldn't be there, since it's a medical withdrawal. Thanks for the good vibes, too :)

The Scandinavian menu had artsoppa (pea soup); köttbulla (Swedish meatballs); Jansson's Tempation (potato casserole with fish and cream); rotmos med flask (braised pork belly); kraut; roast pheasant with apples, lingonberry jelly and wild mushrooms; pyttipanno (hash) with fried egg, beets, gherkins and capers; blini; Swedish pancakes; baked apples with almond filling; and potato-turnip hash. They did a good job :yum:

I'll see if I can find a photo of it later. Gotta get ready to take the dog to the vet now.
 
I'm glad to hear you didn't waste your money. Phew.

That sounds like a pretty good selection of Swedish dishes.
 
Wow, that is a tough brake. I just hope you feel good, hope you do not have health problem. Everyhting else is solvable. There are plenty of other jobs in the world. Good luck.
 
So sorry GG, at least you will be taking a finer aim at goals and heading out for something more suitable to your talents.
 
Sorry, GC. I have posted a recipe for Jansson's Temptation on DC. I make it all the time (well, not all the time, but often enough to call it one of my signature dishes). I agree with TL--nice selection of dishes.

I'm sure s/thing will turn up--sorry that this didn't work out, I know how excited you were about it.
 
So sorry it didn't turn out, GG. Sending out more good vibes and hopes for you to reach your dream.
 

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