Look what we made!

Drat, Brian beat me to the knife entry because I was just too pooped to party last night. Or perhaps it was a case of gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce induced napping.
I just wanted to show you the fun things that we made in knife skills class.

Look!

Heh, heh, heh.  Just kidding.  My Mom brought me those.  They were the centerpieces of the dishes they ordered at a Chinese restaurant they love in Nashua N.H.  Quite amazing aren't they?  Brian and I were discussing after class how detailed and beautiful the presentation always is with Asian foods.  They have taken it to such a level of artistry. 

No, sadly, as Brian has already told you it was pretty much brunoise (1/8 inch dice), mirepoix (1/4 inch, or larger dice), julienne  (commonly called matchsticks), chiffonade (small ribbons) and an orange supreme (slice off peel and pith, remove each segment with a paring knife).

Like Brian I have been practicing my not oft used skills.  I made a clasic French omelet this morning, tri folded and turned out nicely. Wednesday I made Creme Fraiche (1 cup of heavy cream mixed with 1/2 cup of yoghurt, heat to 82 - 85 degrees, pour into a container, cover with plastic wrap, poke holes in it, let it sit at room temp 6 - 8 hours, stir, cover tightly, put into fridge).  Alchemy at its finest. I also made a hollandaise over direct heat to top our steaks on Wednesday night.  Quite easy and it worked.  I didn't break it...wee hoo. 
The key thing is to make sure you have tried all of these techniques a few times for one never knows what will come up in your practicum. 

I will have to decide what I shall practice this weekend.  Off to look through our textbook for some ideas...thoughts anyone?

Comments

[Brian]

The key thing is to make sure you have tried all of these techniques a few times for one never knows what will come up in your practicum.

I think the thing that's really missing from the way they have the program set up is the ability to perfect one's skill at a particular technique through constant repetition. As Chef Stephan said Tuesday, that class was our only exposure to making crepes for this quarter, and everybody got to make *one*. Nobody learns how to make good crepes by making *one*.

Because we had a weird schedule this week, today is the only day I've had all week to be at home, so it's my only "homework" day. I'm going to make the gougere, pots de creme, the curry mayonnaise to use with a shrimp salad, some Hollandaise for asparagus, and also do Cornish game hens with an orange-basil compound butter.

[sean]

GOD , I forgot how much I love Gougere!!!! I'm making some this weekend!

[sean]

I recall during a practicum a fellow student being criticized for using one method of making a hollandaise. Make sure you know more than one way! Practice the double boiler method just to have done it should someone say, during a practicum, that you "MUST" do it this way...