It's back to the same old grind ..... only more so!

With the holidays out of the way, sorry for the lapse in postings but went back to school and we've been covering so much space lately I only have time to come up for air now and then, that I just let it go..... it's the weekend and so I have a couple of minutes to stop and assess the damage (more or less) and I can take some time to give updates on our adventures.....

School is going at a furious pace. Truly. No more "book learning" and time to breathe, it's now "hands on" all the way and so everything we've talked about and seen is now on our plate..... or I should say on the plates we need to present to the Chefs who then criticize it down to: finish (or napè), texture, color, seasoning and look, plus how long it took to produce, did you follow the appropriate sanitation methods, did you work "clean", did you present correctly, did your knife cuts impress?. It better be 100% perfect or points get deducted, so far I've got a 4.00 GPA, I've got to insure I don't lose points or my average will go down (Oh no!)... and we can't have that, can we? So you can say everyone is feeling the pressure which is building each and every day.... plus after doing this, you have to clean the whole kitchen, pots and pans, throw out the trash and mop the floors.... all must be impeccable!

Got handed a 75 recipe PDF file and we're presenting from 4 to 6 recipes on a daily basis. We've got 3 hours to do it, including the base needed and everything else that each recipe entails. These can be from a very basic Bechamel Mother Sauce to a Navarin D’Agneau Printanier :( Lamb stew with Spring Vegetables) sound familiar? Made this for Ricardo's birthday so I've got a head start on this one and I'll take as much help as I can... - Cotes De Porc Charcutiere w/ Pommes Puree :( Pork Chops w/ Mashed Potato & Demi Glace Sauce w/ Gherkins - Escalope De Veau al a Crème Petits Pois al a Francaise: (Escalloped Veal w/ Mushroom Cream Sauce) - Ballotine de Poulet Grandmère (Deboned Chicken w/ Mushroom Dressing) - Canard Poele Aux Navets: (Pan Roasted Duck with Turnips - or other such delights..... (yes, we get to take it home or eat it...YUM!)

Considering that all dishes are classic French Cuisine means that should a recipe call for a specific sauce base or preparation, everything must be made without short cuts! You've got to make the Consomme or stock to use starting with roasting the bones (for color and flavor) along with aromatic vegetables (more color and flavor), cooking it to achieve the desired color, taste and texture expected THEN proceed to prepare the rest of the recipe.... lots of hard work at a fever pitch and people running around like headless chickens as you can imagine! Know something else? We don't use blenders or food processors. All whipping, blending and such is done by hand with a wire whisk and yes, my arm is ready to fall off..... (there are modern appliances here and the kitchens are state of the art, but you need to learn the classic ways before you can proceed to the other stuff which will come later).

This block, Culinary Foundations II, brings new Master Chefs to learn from and we have two, a very experienced female and a strict male Chef from Laos (who sometimes I can't understand, but I get the gist of what he wants mostly.... sometimes not), but they are picky and very demanding. We are doing very well and more than holding our own and it's been quite exciting really..... exhausting, nerve wracking, satisfying and frustrating all at the same time. At the end of the day you are T I R E D! Loving it!

To top of our return to school, we were greeted by a New Year's snowfall just outside the school, it was lovely..... just what we wanted to see and there it was, little plumes of snow floating towards us while all was quiet (seems than whenever it snows, the world get quiet- why is that? I love it!) Once again we're in our warm kitchens while snow falls upon the maples.... MMmmm.
But getting back to food and for those of you that love fish, here are two recipes that are equally wonderful with them. The first one is a traditional "Fish Fumet"..... lovely and light, while the second one is a basic tartar sauce type only much, much better and I like it on almost everything! So tasty..... hope you enjoy them....

Fish Fumet .- The best (the only) bones to use for fish fumet are saltwater white-fleshed fish bones. (If you can get the head included, that’s great, but remove the gills and eyes before using. This is what you want for it contains the most gelatin that will give the flavor you want) Fish to use are sole, halibut, flounder, turbot, etc. Do not use bones from fattier fish like trout, salmon or mackerel. Your best bet is ask your local fishmonger for bones or next time you serve fish, save the bones when you fillet it, freeze and use for this.

1 oz Butter (solid)
4 oz Yellow Onion, chopped fine
2 oz Celery, chopped fine
2 oz Mushrooms, quartered
4 lb Fish Bones
8 fl oz White Wine
Water (as needed to cover)
½ ea Bay Leaf for sachet (put these in some cheesecloth and tie them up, put in)
¼ tsp Black Peppercorns for sachet
8 ea Parsley Stems for sachet

Butter the bottom of a heavy stockpot or sauce pot. Place the onion, celery, mushrooms (called a white mirepoix) in the bottom of the pot and the bones over the top of it. Cover the bones loosely with a round of parchment paper. Set the pot over low heat and cook slowly for about 5 minutes, until the bones are opaque and begin to loose juices.

Add the wine, bring to a simmer, and add the sachet and water to cover. Bring to a simmer again, skim, and let simmer for 30-45 minutes. Strain through a Chinois or fine strainer or even a strainer with some cheesecloth or towel. Cool, in a cold water bath, and refrigerate.
NOTE: This is a lovely fish consomme that can be used alone or as a base for other sauces. Use this as a poaching liquid for fish, you can continue to simmer it until you reduce it and use like a more concentrated sauce or glace, use as a base for fish stew or chowder, paella and many more....
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Remoulade Sauce.- A "tartar sauce" with all the trimmings, so if you like a cold sauce for fish, chicken, pork or whatever.... this is it. Easy to make and yummy to eat....

½ fl. oz. White wine vinegar
1/2 oz. Dijon Mustard
2 ea. Egg yolks
1 Pint Canola or vegetable oil
¾ oz. Capers, Chopped Fine
3/4 oz. Gherkins, Chopped fine
1/4 oz. Parsley, Chopped Fine
1/4 oz. Chervil, Chopped fine (you can just use all parsley if you like and omit this)
1/4 oz. Tarragon, Chopped fine
1/4 oz. Dijon Mustard
¼ oz. Anchovy essence (I use the oil from a can of anchovies, a drop at a time)
Salt and Pepper

Place the egg yolks in the bowl and beat with a whisk until pale yellow. Add white wine vinegar and beat well. Combine ingredients (mustard, salt, pepper) and add to the egg yolks. Mix well. Very slowly, almost drop by drop begin adding the oil beating continuously. Once the emulsion forms (it begins to thicken, this is the mayonnaise base), you can add the oil slightly faster. If the mayonnaise becomes too thick, thin with a little of the vinegar. (or water if already tart enough) Gradually beat in the remaining oil until it is fully incorporated and emulsified.

Adjust the tartness and the consistency by beating in a little lemon juice at the end. Add capers, gherkins and the rest of the ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 15 min, serve.
NOTE: You could skip over making your own mayonnaise but it's great this way, if you do then just use the mayo you've got and add the rest in and season. You can also add celery, endive, red cabbage or the like and turn it into a dressing for these too.....
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Sorry I'm not including more recipes but I will, soon. Right now it's getting late and sleep beckons more than anything else, just need to catch up and get back before I can devote time to fun pursuits. Looking to move closer to school, interviewing all over, doing volunteer projects with other Chefs to get experience, network and job leads while still do my "home" stuff..... The good thing is that it makes you want to get up in the morning and face the new challenges and that's amazing to have. Hoping everyone is well and happy and the New Year is off to a great start for all..... Talk soon

Here's some tasty treats for you.... Enjoy!

I can't believe we're already on Finals Week at school and our first block of classes is actually behind us. Even though it started off slow, the speed picked up and pretty soon it was zooming along at an incredible pace and here we are now..... studying, turning in papers and practicing knife skills and other things we will be tested on (by a panel of judges) by "doing them" and not just on a piece of paper....

My grades are excellent, I've gotten used to the routine and I can't sleep in anymore.... my eyes open by themselves a little before dawn and once again I have the house to myself while everyone else sleeps (except Kitty of course who sits at my side while I make coffee). A lovely time of the morning which is all mine.... quiet and still.... the first rays of the sun begin streaming in between the blinds ruining the hazy effect yet injecting the new day's energy into your very soul. It's time for another day to begin so you get your mind around it. You get going.....

Anyway, as I told you some days ago, the pizza competition has come and gone. It came with the added surprise of having won it without a great deal of effort, yet it was somewhat stressful due to it being at school, in front of my teachers who are heavy duty Chef's (and as a consequence, always "watching my every move") as well as the rest of the student body which hovers around 700 or so bodies and while most of them didn't enter the competition, it was still a "status" thing to participate and "we" (Rene and I participated individually) being "newbies" were looked down upon, at least initially and until we beat the pants off them that is.... much to the delight of our class of newbies and both of the Chef's that direct us. First time "newbies" had won anything and we asserted ourselves. Nice.

But apart from all of this, we've been making home-make pizza for a long time customizing it to suit our mood and taste and have found it easy and tasty. Maybe you will too and will decide to give it a try. I'll give you the easy preparation and you can let me know if you want something more elaborate, ok? Here you go.....

Poblano Chicken Pizza.- Very tasty, wonderful bright green color and surprisingly great

4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless (or any other chicken part you like), rough chopped
8 Poblano chiles, whole, fresh
1 onion, cut in thin strips
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup chicken stock (fresh is best, but use what you have)
1 cup heavy cream
1-2 tbl sugar
salt & pepper to taste
1-2 tbl olive oil
1-2 cups Manchego Cheese, grated (or whatever you like)
2-3 tbl sour cream
sprigs of cilantro leaves

For pizza crust:
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 envelope of Rapid Rise Yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1-2 tbl olive oil
1 cup (or more, depending dough), hot water (about 170F)
NOTE: You can also add rosemary, basil, red pepper flakes, etc. finely chopped to the flour if you want another flavor in your pizza crust.

Put the flour, yeast, salt, sugar and olive oil in the bowl of a mixer with the paddle attachment and mix it for 2-3 minutes. Slowly add some of the water, a little at a time until the dough comes together and comes away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is very sticky, add a little more flour. If you have a dough hook you can now use it and work your dough for about 10-15 min until the dough is tender and smooth. If you want to work the dough by hand, put the dough on a work table with some flour on it and knead it vigorously, to and fro, for about 15 min until it becomes smooth, flexible and can be stretched easily. Now cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow to rest and rise for at least 30-60 min. in a calm, warm place that's away from drafts.

Now is the time you can make the sauce since you're waiting for the dough to do it's thing. Begin by roasting the poblano peppers by putting them on your gas stove with the flame on high. Keep turning them as they blister and turn black but don't let them sit too long so they burn. Once they're all black all over, place them in a plastic bag for about 1/2-1 hour to steam and become easier to handle. Once they have cooled some, take the skins off (they should come right off) but DO NOT run under the faucet since this will take some essential oils away which you will want for more flavor, ok? Then take the stem off and cut off the top a little, make a cut down the side and open them up and remove the seeds and veins so they are clean. Chop them up and place in a blender or food processor along with 1/4 of the onion (also rough chopped) and 2 of the whole garlic cloves. Add the chicken stock.

Process the chiles and the rest really well until the whole thing becomes smooth. Begin by adding 1/2 of the cream and some salt and pepper. Taste it and decide if you want to add some sugar. Process again and make sure it's thick and smooth. You now have the pizza sauce. In a pan with some oil on it, cook the chicken until golden, halfway through this add the onions so they begin to color along with the chicken, salt and pepper them too. At the end, for 2-3 min. add the last of the chopped garlic.

If the dough has risen (you can see it easily), and is now tender and flexible. Put down some flour on the table and you can either extend the dough with your hands or use a rolling pin, your choice. You can use a pizza pan, baking pan, cookie sheet or whatever you feel like- if you have a pizza stone then it should already be in the oven and will get hot along with the oven. Be sure to pre-heat the oven to at least 450F, you might spray some light water on either the stone or the oven walls to get some steam going and build the pizza.

Extend the pizza to the size and shape you want. Poke the dough with your fingertip so you make little indentations over it, spread the sauce, top with the chicken onion mix and then with the cheese and bake until golden brown. Depending on your oven it could take from 8 to 15 min, but keep an eye on it just in case. Check the bottom crust and be sure it's cooked too. Allow the pizza to rest 5-8 min then cut and top each slice with a dollop of sour cream and a cilantro sprig. Enjoy!
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I still need to do more review for the three exams I've got tomorrow so I will check out now, but I'm hoping you will try this and let me know. Sorry about the very sub-par picture of the winning pizza, I did have a camera but they kept me outside until the end of the judging was done and by the time I got inside, they had ravaged it..... this picture was taken by one of the administrative people who was recording the event..... at least you can see the bright, green color.

Wishing everyone a safe and warm holiday season, we're having warm sunny days here again (quite bizarre actually) but can't complain once you see the madness around the rest of the country.... talk soon!

Living in the Land of the Crazies.....

I guess those of you that are in the good 'ol USA (is it that anymore?) can relate to living in this crazy land during the last couple of months, right? I am so ready for all this election nonsense to be over..... Yes I know it's a civic duty and a privilege and all that (I voted the first day of Early Voting so this is just me complaining), but you can't turn on the radio, the TV or drive down the street without being bombarded by candidates.... OMG!!!!! All that money being wasted on terrible ads- and they ARE terrible! Maybe in other places it's not as bad as here where the world has decided to come watch the circus unfolding before our very eyes..... It's so sad to have to choose the least worst instead of the most capable person, but such is life I guess......

Good thing is that with all the school details coming to a head that's pretty much all I have time for. Just getting everything done on time, all the paperwork needed to get registered at school, transcripts obtained (what's that "must be in a sealed envelope and no one can see inside" business, that's crazy!), registering for Federal, State, local financial assistance and ALL the forms this entails, being confessed of everything in the world on details you don't even tell your close relatives, which drives me up the wall..... schedules, uniforms, equipment, travel times, more expenses, more debt.... AAAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!! it's enough to make one insane (luckily we've already achieved this so we can skip a step.....) and just thinking about the student loans that will be left, waiting to pounce once we've graduated..... OMG!

But under the present state of affairs it seemed like a good idea to go back to school, after all, how much getting up late and lolling around the house can you take? Unless cleaning and watching the tube is your thing, something had to give and school was it. Gives me nightmares actually just thinking about having to pay off student loans later, but like Scarlett famously said: "I'll think about that tomorrow...", a good idea if I could just train my mind to stop thinking about it. First off will be just trying to get back into the routine of long days on my feet since most of my classes, except for the general education ones that is, will be standing up and "doing". I remember when I opened my last restaurant after having an office job for a while- it was murder! Everything hurt and I ended up with the neighbor who was a "quackerpracter" because I couldn't even straighten up...... Ah, the memories of tortures past that I have to look forward to.

Anyway, nothing to be done but "just do it", get down and get it done. Sooner or later one gets used to anything and we will get used to this too, just a matter of habit. It will do good to get back "into it" and be productive for a change. I kept waiting for the "situation" to change and improve but nothing was moving and only seemed to be getting worse and sitting around was no longer an option so I thought I might as well. Rene decided to come along and so I'll have him as company on our new adventure, and what an adventure it will be. Goody!

So for now everything is done and we're all set. Not used to the routine yet or the hours, but no sense thinking about that, it will come after all, in time. I'm excited about a new adventure and I hope once we're done that we will not only find satisfactory employment but a whole new challenge as well. Plus if you think about it we'll be getting a truly mobile education that we can use anywhere in the world where food is served. I like the thought of not being hemmed in to any geographical area and being able to go anywhere.... nice.

Of course I also think that what am I doing gearing up for a whole new adventure at a time when most people are gearing down, but I figure "use it or loose it" so it should be good to keep active and always learning and practicing stuff I like to do anyway. Besides, I've been in the food business for many, many years (more than I care to admit to) and this will only refresh and hone my skills plus give me formal acknowledgment of my years "out in the field" and lastly I figure, it can't hurt, so why not, eh?

Even if I won't have as much time as before to sit and write, I expect to be able to continue my journal as time goes by and keep you up to date as to our progress in the wonderful world of all things culinary. Don't forget to stop by and check in and see what we're up to. It promises to be a most satisfying journey.....

Happy Halloween to everyone. Feliz Dia de los Muertos, Feliz Dia de Todos Los Santos, Happy Election Day and anything else I've forgotten to include..... Fall is here along with the lovely cooler weather (Yay!!!!!! Finally the heat is gone!) and sooner rather than later we will be planning Thanksgiving and Xmas...... My best wishes to all of you, we'll talk soon......