Past Two Weeks!

Hey, hey everyone! Woo it's been a hectic, but good past two weeks! Two Wednesdays ago, we made cooked a lot of different foods using moist heat methods. We boiled chicken and poached shrimp, braised beef in a pan, and then finished it by baking it in the oven, and cooked fish in paper and oil in the oven. Then, each group had a side dish to prepare, and our group made apple cabbage by boiling apples and cabbage together with cider, white wine, and water! Then at the end we all tasted each others dishes, it was a lot of fun!

On Thursday, we had our baking midterm! First, we had a written midterm, with 50 questions, and then we had the practical were we each had to make chocolate chip cookies, cranberry citrus muffins, and flaky pie dough. We had 45 minutes to set up or Mise en place all of our ingredients and equipment, and then 2 and a half hours to bake everything! I made my pie dough first, and let it cool for 30 minutes. While it was cooling I made up my muffins, then took out the pie dough, and put the muffins in the oven. While the muffins were cooking I rolled out my pie dough and let it blind bake. When the muffins and pie dough were finished I began working on the cookies, and baked them. I was finished exactly at the end of our 2 and a half hours! I had to wait around to talk to the chefs, but I cleaned and did a lot of dishes. When they finally talked to me they said my pie dough was almost perfect, just a little too thins, and that I make perfectly shaped and identical products, I just need to work on not mixing too much!

On Friday and Saturday, I worked at Coldstones and had a blast, like I always do! ^_^

Then on last Tuesday I had Intro and Sanitation. We are now on the math section, and boy was everyone confused! Our short quiz took about 45 minutes! Basic math is so much harder then pre calc! x0 Later that night at Pastry Tube art we were supposed to make pipped mashed potatoes, but halfway through the class it got really stressful and let's just say not very fun. I just hope tomorrow is a lot better! ^_^

On Wednesday, we had our Culinary 1 midterm! It was 100 questions of doom! I think I did pretty good though, because I only felt confused on a few questions! Then in the kitchen we worked on our knife cuts and cut onions, celery, potatoes, garlic, carrots, basil, and more!

Then, on Thursday, we got our scores back from our written midterm, and I got a B minus! I'm sad it's not higher, but I'm so happy it isn't lower! We then talked about what we think our classes need to be better, and then in the kitchen we worked on making muffins, biscuits, and pie dough. My pie dough was perfect, but It didn't bake properly because the ovens kept getting open and shut over and over. My muffins still were a little overmixed, but they were better then the ones I made on my midterm, and my biscuits were nice and buttery, yet a little underdone!

On Friday and Saturday I worked at Coldstone and made myself a nice mix of white chocolate ice cream, oreos, chocolate fudge, and peanut butter cups, yum! I'm going to be sooo sad when we stop making White Chocolate ice cream! I can't wait for dark chocolate mint, and pumpkin though! ^_^

On Sunday I had lunch with my friend J and then that night my brother and some of his friends, and I, ordered Chinese food, and I got the greatest fortune ever! It said: "The Great Wall Didn't Got Build In One Day!" ... Didn't got build. Ahhh I love it. x0

Finally today, Monday, I had lunch with my friend J again, and we split a amazing pizza and both had coffee and desset. I had creme Brulle and she had tirimisu. We each had a few bites of each others and it was so good! I can't wait to go back to that coffee place! Then, when I checked my mail today I got my: HELLO KITTY TOASTER! : ) It is supposed to make hello kittys face on the toast, I hope it works, I will have to test it in the morning!

Well there was my looong recap of the past few weeks in my life of Culinary and just good food! I will try to get some pictures up soon and not go so long without posting! I had to keep studying for my Sanitation midterm tomorrow!

So, love you all lots!

Lizzie!