Yesterday after the daurade debaucle, Lauren and I went to meet up with E'Lane who had had the dreaded stomach bug that's going around for 2 days. She didn't care where she went, as long as it wasn't her house! We went to Le Bon Marché and walked around before coming back here to finish off the rest of the Italian Wedding Soup (which I must say was fabulous). Gill came over later and it was just heavenly- 4 girls sitting around chatting...what could be better than that?
I had to go to the Embassy AGAIN this morning to check the status of my passport. The gentleman told me that I wasn't permitted to bring any beverage into the Embassy, that I needed to chug my tea in front of him before entering the building. 3,000 burned taste buds and 15 minutes later, I was out sans passport. I hustled to school- not wanting to miss out on veal escalopes with fresh pasta and tomato sauce. As if the menu wasn't enticing enough, we walked into demo and heard MR. BEAN'S voice!!!!!!! Chef Clergue did our demo today and it was UN REAL. He's a superior cuisine Chef and his demo was so great. We all were so engaged the whole time, he never idled or told stupid stories (AHEM Lesourd) and we all were SO into it. When he finished- the classroom ERUPTED into a powerful applause, complete with hoots and hollers. That certainly hadn't happened before! We tasted the delicious breaded veal, fresh pasta and tomato sauce and chocolate and orange mousse and were all in heaven.
I came up from the locker room and saw this swarm in front of where they post the planning. OUR GRADES FROM THE WRITTEN FINAL WERE UP! Suddenly my heart started beating a mile a minute and I sprinted back down to get my ID card. We needed it to identify our grades. The crowd was similar to that surrounding the Chefs plated dishes at the end of demo. I tried to wait patiently, but I couldn't. I strained my eyes and found my ID number 480971. There were 2 grades- the first one was 100 and the second one was a 92. I couldn't really see too well what it said up at the top so Anthony read it to me. The first grade was the recipe memorization grade...100!!!!!! The second grade was the rest of the test 92!!!!!!!!!!!!! Once the crowd faded- I got a closer look to make sure my eyes weren't deceiving me. I matched my ID card number to the grades at least 5 times. I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Only 2 people had beat me in the entire class. The highest grade was merely 3 points ahead of me, and most impressive was that my grade indicated that I had only gotten 2 questions wrong.
For someone who ALWAYS struggled with schoolwork and never was able to excel on tests- this was a huge coup. I am so excited, so relieved and so happy that all my hard work had paid off. I wanted to scream from the rooftops- I GOT A 92 ON THE WRITTEN FINAL!!!!!!!! I refrained and went to eat with Bruna, Lara, Anthony, Noor, Sara and Bruna's friends from Barcelona- the whole time wanting to run outside and make 2 phone calls- 1 to my parents (they would share with the sisters) and another to Carol Pratt. If anyone in this world can understand my academic struggles- it's her. I made it home and made the first call. Mom was so excited! I've since told Dad, Bird and Boo...and I bet if a stranger on the street asked me about it, I'd tell them too! I'm so excited that I'm not ready to stop talking about it yet...maybe tomorrow, but certainly not today! My email is not working properly or Carol would have an email in her inbox too. Too bad we don't actually get the tests back- or that bad boy would be sent to 36 Rumsey Road to be posted on the refrigerator (I think my acceptance letter to St. Lawrence was just recently retired...I like to relish in any academic accomplishments)!
Off to bed- I'll be breading veal at 8:30am tomorrow!
A Bientot!
ps. I GOT A 100/92 ON MY WRITTEN TEST AT ONE OF THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS CULINARY SCHOOLS IN THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Showing posts with label Written Exam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Written Exam. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
Written Exam, Chicken with Tarragon, Fish Terrine and Daurade
Apologies for the delay (again) I promise I'm going to get better at this blogging thing. Last week was really exhausting- I didn't realize how much so until it was over and I still can't seem to catch up on sleep.
First- was the written test. I had practical that Thursday at 12:30 before the test at 3:30- we were making chicken with tarragon, Italian style veggies and a sauce. I felt like I had a good handle on the recipe, but again- I had spent so much time studying that I was unsure about pretty much everything. We had Chef Terrien and this new Chef who is visiting. He's perfectly nice, but he's an odd duck. He wants to help out, but seems to annoy more than help. He kept telling me how perfect my chicken was, how amazing my sauce was etc. I mean it was good, but Terrien mentioned that the sauce could have used more tarragon. I was so mad, and flustered before my test I had to go sit by myself and not talk to anyone. Then out of nowhere I just burst into tears! I think I had worked myself up so much that I just lost it. I had to have Anthony do the bain-marie dance so I could get my shit together before the test.
Everyone at school had said that the test was no big deal- but the pastry people said their test was really hard, so I really studied (as you all know). I sat in the front row and all my test anxiety came back at once. It took me 20 minutes flat. That's with having checked every answer and every question. I felt very prepared for it and was very happy. I left and thought I was going to collapse. What a relief! Friday we learned about hot fish terrine- which is repulsive. Spinach wrapped pike perch paste with a salmon stick in the middle- also wrapped in spinach baked in a water bath so it's gelatinous. We made it right after and It was disgusting. We also made a beurre blanc sauce which is made from 250g of butter (!!!!!) that's 2 American sticks in a sauce that goes on a plate with hot fish terrine....GROSS. I had Caals and he loved it- I of course didn't touch a bit of it.
I had a fun weekend- went to the Louvre...saw Mona, she says hello to all my blog followers and had some fun times with friends. Saturday night, Anthony, Lauren and I made homemade gnocchi with tomato sauce, prosciutto, spinach and baked it...AMAZING. Yesterday I made Ina's Italian Wedding Soup- I love that stuff. Today we learned about filleting a round fish (one with 2 fillets instead of 4 like Sole). We were making daurade with stewed fennel, and yet ANOTHER butter sauce with Pastis in it (anise flavored liquor). Chef Lesourd said mine was tres bien and I headed down to try and deal with the US Embassy because....
...I'm staying for intermediate!!!!!!!!!! I didn't want to share until I knew for sure, but I'm staying and I can't wait to continue here. I have to go back to SF and get a visa (ugh) go to MB's wedding (YAY!) and deal with getting spring clothes, subletting my apartment again (by the grace of God, I'm allowed to) and just generally dealing with 'stuff'. It's a major pain in the rear, but I'm so excited about it that I can't let it bother me. It's amazing how well things have worked out for me- I feel so lucky to have had such seamless transitions into life in Paris and also Le Cordon Bleu. I can't imagine what's to come and I just get excited every single day to go to class. The friends I've made here have been so incredible too- as you know they are from all over, but it's so nice to be around people who are so passionate about the same things that I am. It's refreshing to just 'get' it. To order food at a restaurant and have everyone pick it apart and appreciate it like I do. I've never felt like I've belonged somewhere like I do here- I think that's why everything has been so great for me...it was what I was meant to do, so things just fell into place!
I've appreciated all of the comments, questions, words of encouragement that you all have given me over the past 3 months. I've loved every single second here (yes, even those I didn't have blanky...just not as much) and I can't wait to continue my adventures. I hope you all continue this journey along with me until June 4th!
A Bientot!
First- was the written test. I had practical that Thursday at 12:30 before the test at 3:30- we were making chicken with tarragon, Italian style veggies and a sauce. I felt like I had a good handle on the recipe, but again- I had spent so much time studying that I was unsure about pretty much everything. We had Chef Terrien and this new Chef who is visiting. He's perfectly nice, but he's an odd duck. He wants to help out, but seems to annoy more than help. He kept telling me how perfect my chicken was, how amazing my sauce was etc. I mean it was good, but Terrien mentioned that the sauce could have used more tarragon. I was so mad, and flustered before my test I had to go sit by myself and not talk to anyone. Then out of nowhere I just burst into tears! I think I had worked myself up so much that I just lost it. I had to have Anthony do the bain-marie dance so I could get my shit together before the test.
Everyone at school had said that the test was no big deal- but the pastry people said their test was really hard, so I really studied (as you all know). I sat in the front row and all my test anxiety came back at once. It took me 20 minutes flat. That's with having checked every answer and every question. I felt very prepared for it and was very happy. I left and thought I was going to collapse. What a relief! Friday we learned about hot fish terrine- which is repulsive. Spinach wrapped pike perch paste with a salmon stick in the middle- also wrapped in spinach baked in a water bath so it's gelatinous. We made it right after and It was disgusting. We also made a beurre blanc sauce which is made from 250g of butter (!!!!!) that's 2 American sticks in a sauce that goes on a plate with hot fish terrine....GROSS. I had Caals and he loved it- I of course didn't touch a bit of it.
I had a fun weekend- went to the Louvre...saw Mona, she says hello to all my blog followers and had some fun times with friends. Saturday night, Anthony, Lauren and I made homemade gnocchi with tomato sauce, prosciutto, spinach and baked it...AMAZING. Yesterday I made Ina's Italian Wedding Soup- I love that stuff. Today we learned about filleting a round fish (one with 2 fillets instead of 4 like Sole). We were making daurade with stewed fennel, and yet ANOTHER butter sauce with Pastis in it (anise flavored liquor). Chef Lesourd said mine was tres bien and I headed down to try and deal with the US Embassy because....
...I'm staying for intermediate!!!!!!!!!! I didn't want to share until I knew for sure, but I'm staying and I can't wait to continue here. I have to go back to SF and get a visa (ugh) go to MB's wedding (YAY!) and deal with getting spring clothes, subletting my apartment again (by the grace of God, I'm allowed to) and just generally dealing with 'stuff'. It's a major pain in the rear, but I'm so excited about it that I can't let it bother me. It's amazing how well things have worked out for me- I feel so lucky to have had such seamless transitions into life in Paris and also Le Cordon Bleu. I can't imagine what's to come and I just get excited every single day to go to class. The friends I've made here have been so incredible too- as you know they are from all over, but it's so nice to be around people who are so passionate about the same things that I am. It's refreshing to just 'get' it. To order food at a restaurant and have everyone pick it apart and appreciate it like I do. I've never felt like I've belonged somewhere like I do here- I think that's why everything has been so great for me...it was what I was meant to do, so things just fell into place!
I've appreciated all of the comments, questions, words of encouragement that you all have given me over the past 3 months. I've loved every single second here (yes, even those I didn't have blanky...just not as much) and I can't wait to continue my adventures. I hope you all continue this journey along with me until June 4th!
A Bientot!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Fried.
Anthony, Lauren, and I studied for longer than I care to discuss yesterday. They arrived around 1 and left at 10pm. Lara and Laura were here for several hour intervals, but the 3 of us were in it for the long haul. Anthony makes an excellent Alex Trebbek, I made up dances for all the sauces, and we found ourselves cheering and high-fiving when one of us got a recipe perfect. The profiteroles recipe got extra oomph from Anthony who sang Chantilly Lace every time we were ready for the Chantilly cream portion of the recipe. The pissaladiere got very roudy when it came time for the finish (24 black nicoise olives, 1 tbsp. capers, 2 cherry tomatoes- seeded, peeled and cut into petals, 1/2 tin of anchovy filets, garlic and thyme)...bottom line- we all lost our minds.
It was by far the most fun I've ever had studying- and I've never felt so prepared for a test in my life. Our LCB student party was last night, and at 10:16pm after deciding that I was too tired to go- I got in the shower and went. I was glad to get out of the house because I know that I would have driven myself batty going over the veal marengo recipe if I hadn't. It was a lot of fun- it's so funny to see people that you see every day in a different outfit. I mean sure, we all look GOOD in our uniforms, but seeing people all gussied up was hilarious. I recognized about 10 people.
I couldn't sleep- I was up thinking about recipes. More specifically- I was up trying to remember which croutons are fried in oil, and which are fried in clarified butter. For the record- crab bisque croutons are in clarified butter, and veal marengo croutons are in oil.
I have practical at 12:30 and then go right into my test at 3:30. Wish me luck!
A bientot!
It was by far the most fun I've ever had studying- and I've never felt so prepared for a test in my life. Our LCB student party was last night, and at 10:16pm after deciding that I was too tired to go- I got in the shower and went. I was glad to get out of the house because I know that I would have driven myself batty going over the veal marengo recipe if I hadn't. It was a lot of fun- it's so funny to see people that you see every day in a different outfit. I mean sure, we all look GOOD in our uniforms, but seeing people all gussied up was hilarious. I recognized about 10 people.
I couldn't sleep- I was up thinking about recipes. More specifically- I was up trying to remember which croutons are fried in oil, and which are fried in clarified butter. For the record- crab bisque croutons are in clarified butter, and veal marengo croutons are in oil.
I have practical at 12:30 and then go right into my test at 3:30. Wish me luck!
A bientot!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Beef Strogonoff, Exams and Flashcards
Yesterday really felt like a Monday- after having 2 days off, we were all so confused as to which day it was. When we got to demo at 8:30 we were all a little groggy- we were learning Beef Strogonoff which is a very popular exam dish. I was careful to pay very close attention. Chef Lesourd focused on that dish first as a girl in our class' mother was having surgery that day- so she had to leave early. That was a blessing in disguise because Chef Lesourd tends to take his sweet time during demo. He usually loses me 1/2 way through the third recipe.
We went right up to practical and I was pretty nervous. Chef Caals came in, and I got even more nervous. He rattles me and makes me feel very unsure. True to form, my beef wouldn't brown, so I had to use Lara's burner and I was super far behind. I managed to catch up and was one of the first 5 to plate- but not before my recipe and all my notes slipped down behind the oven never to be seen again. That made thing challenging because I didn't know whether to sautée my veggies in butter or oil among other questions.
My rice pilaf with brunoised vegetables looked pretty darn good and I knew that my sauce was perfect, but I knew I had overcooked my meat a little. Chef Caals said that my rice could have stayed in the oven for 1 more minute (really? 1 minute would have made the difference?) and that my sauce was perfect, but my meat was WAY overcooked. I was so mad at myself for overcooking my meat...that is NOT something I ever do- and I was so frustrated!
I left sweating like I had just played a lacrosse game and Lauren and I walked home in the sunshine. We both showered at our respective houses and she came over later to study- we have our written exam on Thursday and were given the 10 possible practical final dishes.
Our written test is 10% of our grade. We have to memorize 6 recipes and fill in blanks that they make in the recipes. We also need to know all of the terms in the back of our binders so we can do matching, multiple choice and true/false. Lauren and I made a GIANT stack of flashcards each- now comes the memorizing part...SHOOT!
Our practical final is scary and is worth 45% of our grade. We were given a list of 10 dishes that we might have to make. On exam day we pick a token and a number and they give us a dish that corresponds with the token so not everyone in the room has the same dish. We are allowed NO notes in the room, JUST the recipe list. We have 2.5 hours to complete that and a technical skill. We plate 4 portions and then a jury of outside Chefs come in and grade us. The possible dishes are:
Poached Chicken, sauce supreme, and riz au gras- that was my first practical with Caals, it went poorly
Roast Chicken with Jus- I had Phillipe for that one and did really well
Brill Fillets in white wine sauce- I did very well on that one too, though my sauce needed more butter
Traditional Veal Stew- I did very well on that one- I'm pretty sure I had Terrien
Sauteed Veal Chop- Stril, one of my best dishes
Roast Duckling with turnips- Lesourd- also did well, though my jus was too greasy.
Beef Strogonoff
Chicken sauté with tarragon, Italian style vegetables- haven't done that one yet
Hot Fish Terrine with beurre blanc- GROSS! Haven't done that either
Daurade with fennel- haven't gotten to that one either
Our technical skill by the grace of God is turning, cooking and plating 2 artichokes. I'm good at artichokes so I need to practice some more, but I think I should be ok at that one. If it had been mushrooms, I would have been in trouble. I'm going to practice all the dishes at least once and time myself before the test- I'm so scared foe it!
Off to continue memorizing my flashcards...what a FUN Saturday activity!
A Bientot!
We went right up to practical and I was pretty nervous. Chef Caals came in, and I got even more nervous. He rattles me and makes me feel very unsure. True to form, my beef wouldn't brown, so I had to use Lara's burner and I was super far behind. I managed to catch up and was one of the first 5 to plate- but not before my recipe and all my notes slipped down behind the oven never to be seen again. That made thing challenging because I didn't know whether to sautée my veggies in butter or oil among other questions.
My rice pilaf with brunoised vegetables looked pretty darn good and I knew that my sauce was perfect, but I knew I had overcooked my meat a little. Chef Caals said that my rice could have stayed in the oven for 1 more minute (really? 1 minute would have made the difference?) and that my sauce was perfect, but my meat was WAY overcooked. I was so mad at myself for overcooking my meat...that is NOT something I ever do- and I was so frustrated!
I left sweating like I had just played a lacrosse game and Lauren and I walked home in the sunshine. We both showered at our respective houses and she came over later to study- we have our written exam on Thursday and were given the 10 possible practical final dishes.
Our written test is 10% of our grade. We have to memorize 6 recipes and fill in blanks that they make in the recipes. We also need to know all of the terms in the back of our binders so we can do matching, multiple choice and true/false. Lauren and I made a GIANT stack of flashcards each- now comes the memorizing part...SHOOT!
Our practical final is scary and is worth 45% of our grade. We were given a list of 10 dishes that we might have to make. On exam day we pick a token and a number and they give us a dish that corresponds with the token so not everyone in the room has the same dish. We are allowed NO notes in the room, JUST the recipe list. We have 2.5 hours to complete that and a technical skill. We plate 4 portions and then a jury of outside Chefs come in and grade us. The possible dishes are:
Poached Chicken, sauce supreme, and riz au gras- that was my first practical with Caals, it went poorly
Roast Chicken with Jus- I had Phillipe for that one and did really well
Brill Fillets in white wine sauce- I did very well on that one too, though my sauce needed more butter
Traditional Veal Stew- I did very well on that one- I'm pretty sure I had Terrien
Sauteed Veal Chop- Stril, one of my best dishes
Roast Duckling with turnips- Lesourd- also did well, though my jus was too greasy.
Beef Strogonoff
Chicken sauté with tarragon, Italian style vegetables- haven't done that one yet
Hot Fish Terrine with beurre blanc- GROSS! Haven't done that either
Daurade with fennel- haven't gotten to that one either
Our technical skill by the grace of God is turning, cooking and plating 2 artichokes. I'm good at artichokes so I need to practice some more, but I think I should be ok at that one. If it had been mushrooms, I would have been in trouble. I'm going to practice all the dishes at least once and time myself before the test- I'm so scared foe it!
Off to continue memorizing my flashcards...what a FUN Saturday activity!
A Bientot!
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