Work is as boring as usual.. My finger bleeds for no reason today. -.-"
Actually wanted to make gnocchi today then I realised now my kitchen no place to roll the dough. SAD. My mum & sis was painting the house so I had to buy dinner back. For some reason, 90% of the stalls are closed. I walked around like a zombie for more than 1hour before I found a stall. And I waited for more than 10minutes for 3 packets of rice. Before that, I waited more than 20mins for bus, again. So irritating especially the weather is so hot recently. I just hope I'll be dead before the end of the world. -.-"
I got 2 movie vouchers from chef today. Quite random. Haha. Who want to watch movie with me? I only got 2 tickets.. So only enough for me and that person who is going with me.. Haha. So long never watch movie.. Feel so excited. Haha.
I'm getting more cuts on my hands and I don't know why.. -.-" I must buy that ice cream machine! I think in the future I'll just sell ice cream.. But I think I will finish eating them all even before my customers come.. Haha XD
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
additional stuff..
Now then I know that there's red crabs. All kinds of crabs will turn red after cooked, but this is red even prior to cooking. And guess what? You can't eat it. This kind of crab is known as Christmas island crab. I just researched about it online, saw the picture, its kinda creepy.. A least a few thousands of crabs march from forest all the way to the sea to lay eggs. So scary..
Oh. I got "poisoned" by the oyster.. While trying to open the shell, my finger hit against the shell and got a cut. I went to put a plaster and heard that the shell is poisonous? The chef quickly help me clean my small wound before I paste the plaster.. So nice.. Haha.
And I got one of the book from yesterday! One is better than nothing.. I haven't start reading yet though.. Whole day headache.. So tired. But so fun. I wished I can spend longer time in the kitchen :) I wanna make gnocchi this weekend! And use the carbonara sauce left from last week.. :P Hope will be nice~
Tomorrow my cupboard will be tear off.. Then next week whole week I can't use my room.. Will be renovating.. At least it'll be ready before my day! I can start to furnish my room nicely le! Can't wait :) After throwing away so many useless things and old furniture, I realised my house is actually quite spacious :) MH! If your house too noisy can come my house study now.. Haha!
Tonight have ghost whisperer:D But tomorrow have to wake up earlier. 1. working 2. workers coming.. SAD. I'm so deprived of sleep..
Oh. I got "poisoned" by the oyster.. While trying to open the shell, my finger hit against the shell and got a cut. I went to put a plaster and heard that the shell is poisonous? The chef quickly help me clean my small wound before I paste the plaster.. So nice.. Haha.
And I got one of the book from yesterday! One is better than nothing.. I haven't start reading yet though.. Whole day headache.. So tired. But so fun. I wished I can spend longer time in the kitchen :) I wanna make gnocchi this weekend! And use the carbonara sauce left from last week.. :P Hope will be nice~
Tomorrow my cupboard will be tear off.. Then next week whole week I can't use my room.. Will be renovating.. At least it'll be ready before my day! I can start to furnish my room nicely le! Can't wait :) After throwing away so many useless things and old furniture, I realised my house is actually quite spacious :) MH! If your house too noisy can come my house study now.. Haha!
Tonight have ghost whisperer:D But tomorrow have to wake up earlier. 1. working 2. workers coming.. SAD. I'm so deprived of sleep..
Day 28
So I was told that my blog is all about school.. Its true in a way but not exactly.. But now my life really revolve around school. Well, its more about food. The fun of cooking.. :) Hehe. I love food and cooking so :D Bear with me! I will write about something else too (:
Anyway.. Back to "school" again.. Hehe. Today is the last day at fabrication.. The topic today is seafood. The first thing I did when I went into the outlet is open the box that contain the crab. I was extremely surprised to found them gone with 2 legs left behind.
When our chef told us that the crabs escaped and told us to look for them, we all panic. And start to hunt for the crabs only to realised that it was in the sink. -.-" We start by preparing the most important thing.. The prawns for top table event.. It was completed quickly as is easy to do.
Next we move to the main focus of the whole day.. Crab. Live ones. And of course, we have to kill them. First we have a demo on how to kill them.. Differentiating the dead and the live ones. I had problem with the crab right from the start.. I think the main reason is I scare the crab pinch me..
Another reason is.. The crab that I got was the last one, and its hyper active! Extremely scary. I don't dare to take it out of the sink cause it keeps moving and staring at me :( Then my life savior help me take it out from the sink! Yeah~ I quickly take and walk to my board, throughout the short distance.. It kept struggling. (!!!!)
On the chopping board, it tried to run away. I had a hard time protecting myself and keeping it on the board.. We were supposed to kill it in one cut so that it dies fast without suffering much.. But this particular crab that I got, refused to die. Then I have to keep chopping it and asking for help. Due to time constrain, we can't fabricate it after it died. So while its still sort of alive, we remove the shell.. (Its still struggling.. -.-)
After remove the shell, we tear off the legs.. But it moved so many times that I have to keep throwing it on the board to protect myself.. o.o Finally, the crab died. Then I wash it and keep in the fridge.. The battle last very long.. I hope I will not have to kill crabs again..
After crabs, is squid. Chef demo how to remove the mantle from the head, the quill, ink sac, tentacles and remove the skin. Then we were told to show him how to do it. It was fun and quite easy but removing ink sac require a skill as you have to prevent the ink from flowing out.
We also learnt how to cut the squid in such as a way that it looked like a flower after cooked and the squid rings. We tested the flower to see if it curls the right way by blanching it. With the chef special sauce, we taste the squid. Though was cold, it taste good :) Despite the fact that I don't really like squid.. Haha.
Lunch I had maggie soup. I regretted it. I should have mee rebus instead. Just realised that we can actually upsize it! From now on, my lunch will be that.. But next week is school holidays for others, so what if the canteen didn't open? Can we cook for ourselves? ^^
There's a buffet from garde manger, quite alot of variety of food. Finger foods. Taste great except for the goat cheese which I don't really like.. I didn't get to try the tomato cold soup which taste like pasta sauce though..
Right after lunch, we prepare mise en place for the chef to cook chili crabs, black pepper crabs and fried squid! I just realised that crabs is soooo easy to cook. And the recipes is created by the chef! Taste heavenly. I love the chili crab, especially the sauce! You'll be addicted to it too. So we ate at the family table and share our food with the rest of the production students.. I also had a tortilla something that taste like roti prata, ice cream from sugarloaf! (Outer layer - ice cream, inner - shebert) If only I have more time, there's leftover of ice creams! (I asked chef today how much does the ice cream machine cost, she say a few hundreds for family size.. I'm going to save for it!!!) Oh ya, we also had the salmon belly from yesterday, it was very oily, but tasted great when is hot.
Lastly is te oysters. We have to shuck them. The worst thing is, we have to eat them live after we open their shell!!!! I so not into raw food.. Last week had a slice of raw salmon, today oyster.. But I must admit, it smell fresh, the texture is very frim and crunchy in a way.. But I still don't enjoy eating :( With this, it sums up my week at the fabrication outlet. Next week is buffet! Yeah~ Plus lecture.. :(
Anyway.. Back to "school" again.. Hehe. Today is the last day at fabrication.. The topic today is seafood. The first thing I did when I went into the outlet is open the box that contain the crab. I was extremely surprised to found them gone with 2 legs left behind.
When our chef told us that the crabs escaped and told us to look for them, we all panic. And start to hunt for the crabs only to realised that it was in the sink. -.-" We start by preparing the most important thing.. The prawns for top table event.. It was completed quickly as is easy to do.
Next we move to the main focus of the whole day.. Crab. Live ones. And of course, we have to kill them. First we have a demo on how to kill them.. Differentiating the dead and the live ones. I had problem with the crab right from the start.. I think the main reason is I scare the crab pinch me..
Another reason is.. The crab that I got was the last one, and its hyper active! Extremely scary. I don't dare to take it out of the sink cause it keeps moving and staring at me :( Then my life savior help me take it out from the sink! Yeah~ I quickly take and walk to my board, throughout the short distance.. It kept struggling. (!!!!)
On the chopping board, it tried to run away. I had a hard time protecting myself and keeping it on the board.. We were supposed to kill it in one cut so that it dies fast without suffering much.. But this particular crab that I got, refused to die. Then I have to keep chopping it and asking for help. Due to time constrain, we can't fabricate it after it died. So while its still sort of alive, we remove the shell.. (Its still struggling.. -.-)
After remove the shell, we tear off the legs.. But it moved so many times that I have to keep throwing it on the board to protect myself.. o.o Finally, the crab died. Then I wash it and keep in the fridge.. The battle last very long.. I hope I will not have to kill crabs again..
After crabs, is squid. Chef demo how to remove the mantle from the head, the quill, ink sac, tentacles and remove the skin. Then we were told to show him how to do it. It was fun and quite easy but removing ink sac require a skill as you have to prevent the ink from flowing out.
We also learnt how to cut the squid in such as a way that it looked like a flower after cooked and the squid rings. We tested the flower to see if it curls the right way by blanching it. With the chef special sauce, we taste the squid. Though was cold, it taste good :) Despite the fact that I don't really like squid.. Haha.
Lunch I had maggie soup. I regretted it. I should have mee rebus instead. Just realised that we can actually upsize it! From now on, my lunch will be that.. But next week is school holidays for others, so what if the canteen didn't open? Can we cook for ourselves? ^^
There's a buffet from garde manger, quite alot of variety of food. Finger foods. Taste great except for the goat cheese which I don't really like.. I didn't get to try the tomato cold soup which taste like pasta sauce though..
Right after lunch, we prepare mise en place for the chef to cook chili crabs, black pepper crabs and fried squid! I just realised that crabs is soooo easy to cook. And the recipes is created by the chef! Taste heavenly. I love the chili crab, especially the sauce! You'll be addicted to it too. So we ate at the family table and share our food with the rest of the production students.. I also had a tortilla something that taste like roti prata, ice cream from sugarloaf! (Outer layer - ice cream, inner - shebert) If only I have more time, there's leftover of ice creams! (I asked chef today how much does the ice cream machine cost, she say a few hundreds for family size.. I'm going to save for it!!!) Oh ya, we also had the salmon belly from yesterday, it was very oily, but tasted great when is hot.
Lastly is te oysters. We have to shuck them. The worst thing is, we have to eat them live after we open their shell!!!! I so not into raw food.. Last week had a slice of raw salmon, today oyster.. But I must admit, it smell fresh, the texture is very frim and crunchy in a way.. But I still don't enjoy eating :( With this, it sums up my week at the fabrication outlet. Next week is buffet! Yeah~ Plus lecture.. :(
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Day 27
It is a very sleepy day..
Quite a lot of things to do.. Start the day by having a demo on how to fabricate a whole salmon fish.. Note: Never work with meat that is frozen or semi frozen.
Then I helped garde manger clean up their salmon, remove pin bones, scales and fats while others fillet seabass.. After we're done with the fish, we move on to prawns. IQF prawns.. W learnt how to devein, slice and make tempura..
After break, move on to lamb. Demo how to cut the rack, remove fats and back bones.. Removing fats is very fun, just like pork, the fats can be removed just by tearing. However.... Just it comes to removing the back bones and scraping the fats and meat off the bones, it is really -.-" So hard to do.. Chopping off the bones is still not that bad.. The worst thing is the scraping off meats.. 1. Very difficult to scrap cause it won't come off easily (chef spent average 30sec on a bone, we spent more than 10mins!) 2. Hands very pain.. 3. Blood keep dripping from the meat and stuck onto my palm..
When we finally completed the rack, there's another demo on how to remove bones from the lamb leg.. Its just like the way we remove a bone from the chicken thigh.. Same method.. Just that the bones is so much bigger and heavier..
Quite a lot of things to do.. Start the day by having a demo on how to fabricate a whole salmon fish.. Note: Never work with meat that is frozen or semi frozen.
Then I helped garde manger clean up their salmon, remove pin bones, scales and fats while others fillet seabass.. After we're done with the fish, we move on to prawns. IQF prawns.. W learnt how to devein, slice and make tempura..
After break, move on to lamb. Demo how to cut the rack, remove fats and back bones.. Removing fats is very fun, just like pork, the fats can be removed just by tearing. However.... Just it comes to removing the back bones and scraping the fats and meat off the bones, it is really -.-" So hard to do.. Chopping off the bones is still not that bad.. The worst thing is the scraping off meats.. 1. Very difficult to scrap cause it won't come off easily (chef spent average 30sec on a bone, we spent more than 10mins!) 2. Hands very pain.. 3. Blood keep dripping from the meat and stuck onto my palm..
When we finally completed the rack, there's another demo on how to remove bones from the lamb leg.. Its just like the way we remove a bone from the chicken thigh.. Same method.. Just that the bones is so much bigger and heavier..
Next, we cube the chicken thighs and skewer them.. Today's meat structure very funny.. Hard to slice and skewer.. When we're done with everything, just nice time's up. We had a food tasting on seabass.. Then we pack and go to the boring lecture.. Plus I still have apel today..
When I came home, I realised 2 things. 1. The salmon belly is still in the fridge.. We supposed to pan fry them and eat.. But we were so busy that we forgot all about it.. We didn't wrap it up at all.. 2. I don't have the food magazines.. And I wanna read.. So not fair.. Nobody help us take :( Then not enough for everybody..
Seems simple and easy, but when it comes to doing, its a totally different issue.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Day 26
Wednesday.
The crabs have arrived for the ritual on Friday.. We're going to have chili crabs if we're lucky.. There's something funny happened.. We were having a demo when we heard something whistling.. Some people thought is lizard some thought is bird.. Then chef say is crabs. Its only then I realised they're under my feet! Okay, not under, they're in the box.. But still.. We're killing them on Friday.. I scare they run away.. -.-"
Anyway.. This is what we did today.. Skewer the chicken cubes from yesterday.. Then demo on how to remove the bones from chicken with breast meat intact.. And we do it ourselves..
Removing the back bones is quite easy.. But the rib cage is very dangerous.. The bones are sharp, can cut yourself easily. Then remove the thigh and take the bones.. Not a simple task and is time consuming.. After at least 15 minutes of battling with the chickie, all bones are out.. Next, we dice and skewer them..
Next task is pork loin. Basically is just a demo.. We learn about different part of the pork, which I can't really remember now.. And how to truss it. There's two methods, one is the traditional and the other is time consuming.. Haha. Chef show us how to truss using the traditional way, the more common one and told us to demo to him.. It was quite fun to do but as the string is thick, it is difficult to tighten the knot.. Then the loin is being cut into slices and we pound them with tenderizer.. Vacuum packed and freezed.
Then we go for food tasting.. Cream of carrot and ginger with puff pastry.. Love the soup. Reminds me of something my mum cooks.. I like ginger :) and carrot? Then we go for lunch.. I finally found a edible stall.. Malay food! I love mee rebus.. Too bad the serving is too little.. I can't get enough of it.. So sad. Tomorrow I going to try another dish from the stall.. :D
After break, demo on beef tenderloin. There's tornado cut, goulash, and some others I don't know how to spell.. Anyway.. The goulash part was cut into cubes and there's a some sort of steak and we get to pan fry it and taste! We season with the chicken marinate made on Monday.. And chef show us how to pan fry them.. The goulash part quite chewy but taste good. The steak was medium, so tender and juicy. When you bite onto the meat, all the juice flow out..
Following next is the beef strip loin. Chef show us how to remove the fats and explain why we should do that.. Then he cut a sirloin steak for us to pan fry and taste the difference between tenderloin steak.. I can't really tell the difference but I know both taste GOOOOD! Thumb up!
We end the day with forest of mushroom soup with cream. The taste of the soup with and without the cream is totally different. Without, it already taste good, full of mushrooms.. With the cream, the soup taste more complete and has a better taste.. More creamy.. The mushrooms don't taste as raw.. So tired today.. Glad its over.. Tomorrow is a brand new day, a brand new challenge..
The crabs have arrived for the ritual on Friday.. We're going to have chili crabs if we're lucky.. There's something funny happened.. We were having a demo when we heard something whistling.. Some people thought is lizard some thought is bird.. Then chef say is crabs. Its only then I realised they're under my feet! Okay, not under, they're in the box.. But still.. We're killing them on Friday.. I scare they run away.. -.-"
Anyway.. This is what we did today.. Skewer the chicken cubes from yesterday.. Then demo on how to remove the bones from chicken with breast meat intact.. And we do it ourselves..
Removing the back bones is quite easy.. But the rib cage is very dangerous.. The bones are sharp, can cut yourself easily. Then remove the thigh and take the bones.. Not a simple task and is time consuming.. After at least 15 minutes of battling with the chickie, all bones are out.. Next, we dice and skewer them..
Next task is pork loin. Basically is just a demo.. We learn about different part of the pork, which I can't really remember now.. And how to truss it. There's two methods, one is the traditional and the other is time consuming.. Haha. Chef show us how to truss using the traditional way, the more common one and told us to demo to him.. It was quite fun to do but as the string is thick, it is difficult to tighten the knot.. Then the loin is being cut into slices and we pound them with tenderizer.. Vacuum packed and freezed.
Then we go for food tasting.. Cream of carrot and ginger with puff pastry.. Love the soup. Reminds me of something my mum cooks.. I like ginger :) and carrot? Then we go for lunch.. I finally found a edible stall.. Malay food! I love mee rebus.. Too bad the serving is too little.. I can't get enough of it.. So sad. Tomorrow I going to try another dish from the stall.. :D
After break, demo on beef tenderloin. There's tornado cut, goulash, and some others I don't know how to spell.. Anyway.. The goulash part was cut into cubes and there's a some sort of steak and we get to pan fry it and taste! We season with the chicken marinate made on Monday.. And chef show us how to pan fry them.. The goulash part quite chewy but taste good. The steak was medium, so tender and juicy. When you bite onto the meat, all the juice flow out..
Following next is the beef strip loin. Chef show us how to remove the fats and explain why we should do that.. Then he cut a sirloin steak for us to pan fry and taste the difference between tenderloin steak.. I can't really tell the difference but I know both taste GOOOOD! Thumb up!
We end the day with forest of mushroom soup with cream. The taste of the soup with and without the cream is totally different. Without, it already taste good, full of mushrooms.. With the cream, the soup taste more complete and has a better taste.. More creamy.. The mushrooms don't taste as raw.. So tired today.. Glad its over.. Tomorrow is a brand new day, a brand new challenge..
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Day 25
2nd day at fabrication was a breeze.. Nothing much to do.. Just filleting 15 red mullet, cubed 6 packets of chicken thighs and do some demo..
We had lots of time today cause yesterday we did alot of things.. Early in the morning, we spent 1hour or more on learning how to sharpen our knives and sharpening and honing it.. Not as easy as it seems.. You have to get the angle right at all times.. -.-" I did alot of times still don't quite get it.. Dots.
Then we had a demo again on how to fillet fishie.. I asked chef if we can chop away the head and tail first, like will it be easier.. He say is possible and he try.. He had such a hard time filleting after the head and tail is gone, cause not easy to balance.. Feel bad making him do that.. -.-" Anyway.. We spent less than 1hour to complete 15 red mullets and cleaning up. After doing so many fishes yesterday, we sort of get the hang of filleting.. Just that the fish today, its meat is kinda mushy..
Next we have break for 1hour! We went to the production kitchen to have our food tasting on braised beef and seabass? with pesto linguini.. While we are "tasting" (eating), garde manger team brought out a few trays of finger food! And of course, we get to taste them too.. A cheese ball serve with tomato and tomato sauce, the combination is perfect! Goat cheese tart with a sauce, I tried, its not my taste.. Pineapple/honey drew and prawn kebah with unknown sauce, Some puff that look like curry puff with 2 different type of sauce.. Very crunchy :) We ate so much during the food tasting, lunch I only drink fruit juice plus the leftover fruits (wo de mei ren & honey drew)
Back from break, demo how to cut the chicken.. Completed very quickly.. Then we clean up again (sanitation is extremely important).. After that is the demo for how to cut sole, a flat fish.. The eyes actually grow on the same side.. Quite disgusting and weird..
Anway chef demo how to do then he told us to show him.. So I had to fillet one side for him to see.. Luckily it went quite smoothly.. If not quite embarrassing.. We don't have to remove skin for anything, so I can't practice.. I think most likely I'll break them again. SOBS. After the sole demo, we pan fry the both fish and ate them. Delicious.
There's also a interview with chef.. They're trying to collect feedback on the course so far.. I asked about the degree stuff.. But I only know its conducted by the CIA chefs and the degree is culinary arts and there'll be more practical this time round.. So its something like training to be a chef.. Not enough details.. I just know that when I graduate, I can get into that degree already.. And I intend to do so if possible :)) PLUS, this year freshies are very lucky.. Cause when they do practicum next year, the TCA already expanded! But they're also unlucky cause more places to clean.. Haha. But still.. More rooms!
Today's lecture is on some culinary math? Measurements and some recipes calculation.. Quite boring.. I dozed off a few times for a few seconds.. And I'm sitting at the front row.. Haha. Too tired and bored..
We had lots of time today cause yesterday we did alot of things.. Early in the morning, we spent 1hour or more on learning how to sharpen our knives and sharpening and honing it.. Not as easy as it seems.. You have to get the angle right at all times.. -.-" I did alot of times still don't quite get it.. Dots.
Then we had a demo again on how to fillet fishie.. I asked chef if we can chop away the head and tail first, like will it be easier.. He say is possible and he try.. He had such a hard time filleting after the head and tail is gone, cause not easy to balance.. Feel bad making him do that.. -.-" Anyway.. We spent less than 1hour to complete 15 red mullets and cleaning up. After doing so many fishes yesterday, we sort of get the hang of filleting.. Just that the fish today, its meat is kinda mushy..
Next we have break for 1hour! We went to the production kitchen to have our food tasting on braised beef and seabass? with pesto linguini.. While we are "tasting" (eating), garde manger team brought out a few trays of finger food! And of course, we get to taste them too.. A cheese ball serve with tomato and tomato sauce, the combination is perfect! Goat cheese tart with a sauce, I tried, its not my taste.. Pineapple/honey drew and prawn kebah with unknown sauce, Some puff that look like curry puff with 2 different type of sauce.. Very crunchy :) We ate so much during the food tasting, lunch I only drink fruit juice plus the leftover fruits (wo de mei ren & honey drew)
Back from break, demo how to cut the chicken.. Completed very quickly.. Then we clean up again (sanitation is extremely important).. After that is the demo for how to cut sole, a flat fish.. The eyes actually grow on the same side.. Quite disgusting and weird..
Anway chef demo how to do then he told us to show him.. So I had to fillet one side for him to see.. Luckily it went quite smoothly.. If not quite embarrassing.. We don't have to remove skin for anything, so I can't practice.. I think most likely I'll break them again. SOBS. After the sole demo, we pan fry the both fish and ate them. Delicious.
There's also a interview with chef.. They're trying to collect feedback on the course so far.. I asked about the degree stuff.. But I only know its conducted by the CIA chefs and the degree is culinary arts and there'll be more practical this time round.. So its something like training to be a chef.. Not enough details.. I just know that when I graduate, I can get into that degree already.. And I intend to do so if possible :)) PLUS, this year freshies are very lucky.. Cause when they do practicum next year, the TCA already expanded! But they're also unlucky cause more places to clean.. Haha. But still.. More rooms!
Today's lecture is on some culinary math? Measurements and some recipes calculation.. Quite boring.. I dozed off a few times for a few seconds.. And I'm sitting at the front row.. Haha. Too tired and bored..
7 more days to June 2! But I'm not buying yet.. No money.. -.-"
Monday, May 25, 2009
Day 24
First day at fabrication.. I'm the sous chef again.. -.-" Overall I think my group did quite well.. We fabricate the chicken and fishes quite fast, considering its our first day.. I think everybody is fast except me :(
1st thing to do, go to freezer collect chicken. We had a demo on how to truss chicken then truss them ourselves.. Trussing them is easy, the task is completed quickly.. Then I was assigned to make the marinate powder for the chickie.. After marinating, we send 3 to the sugarloaf side and keep the rest.. Then we have another demo on how to cut a supreme cut from the chicken and quarter it..
It definitely looks easier than it seems.. The 1st chicken I fabricate had pules on its feet. So disgusting. Cut the feet, trim nails, cut wings, then make a slit that look like a Y at the back and cut drums and thigh, next is the breast meat.. For me, I think I'm slow because sometimes I can't really find the joint.. And I don't dare to cut fast cause I scare I cut myself or the meat become too ugly -.-" Tomorrow or Wednesday, I'm going to try harder :)
All these cutting took us all the time till lunch time.. We clean up the whole area, send chicken to chiller and bring the fruits (honey drew, watermelon & pineapples) leftovers to lunch :P Lunch is not worth talking about as usual.. Cause its at that same old canteen without any good food. I'm deprived of quality food. Haha.. Missed the pork chop at design!!!
Back from lunch, we had a talk inside the freezer don't know why while waiting for the fishies to arrive.. Then we washed them.. Its kinda scary.. With all the eyes staring at your every move.. I'm talking about fish eyes here by the way.. We washed at least 40 fishes, red mullet and sea bass and salmon.. Then we had a demo on how to portion the salmon..
Removing the pin bones are quite entertaining but can be painful when being poked. They say only have 27 bones but I found more than 29?? Weird.. We have to portion the salmon in pache (straight cut) and tranche (45 degrees cut).. Before that, we have to trim off excess fats and remove the skin.. Both salmon fillets that I handle.. Sad to say.. Its a disaster.. I angled the knife correctly but don't know why halfway through the skin keep breaking.. -.-" I had a hard time removing the skin.. Portioning, the only problem is getting the right weight.. So you have to keep measuring.. But once you get it in the range, you sort of know what you'll get without measuring..
After salmon is done, we move on to seabass.. We had a demo on how to cut using up and around method and another method which I forgot the name.. Anyway, we saw the demo and went to frabricate the fishies.. Its so much easier compared to chicken.. For me anyway.. I did quite fast.. The fish bone poked me, I saw blood on my finger then I thought I was bleeding.. Its only at the end of the day then I realised its actually the fish blood not mine.. -.-" As there's many fishes, we completed the tasks only at around 3.40pm? Oh yes, we also have the opportunity to taste a food made using tortilla dough.. Taste like roti prata! Haha..
Everyday its a new thing to learn.. Things like this you can never get enough of.. However, there's one thing that I really had enough of. The whole day I stinks of fish. No matter how many times I sanitise my hands using the dentol and school detergent, and spraying myself with the dove spray.. I still smell of fish! -.-" And I still have 4 more days to smell like that.. I'm sure I'm not looking forward to that at all..
1st thing to do, go to freezer collect chicken. We had a demo on how to truss chicken then truss them ourselves.. Trussing them is easy, the task is completed quickly.. Then I was assigned to make the marinate powder for the chickie.. After marinating, we send 3 to the sugarloaf side and keep the rest.. Then we have another demo on how to cut a supreme cut from the chicken and quarter it..
It definitely looks easier than it seems.. The 1st chicken I fabricate had pules on its feet. So disgusting. Cut the feet, trim nails, cut wings, then make a slit that look like a Y at the back and cut drums and thigh, next is the breast meat.. For me, I think I'm slow because sometimes I can't really find the joint.. And I don't dare to cut fast cause I scare I cut myself or the meat become too ugly -.-" Tomorrow or Wednesday, I'm going to try harder :)
All these cutting took us all the time till lunch time.. We clean up the whole area, send chicken to chiller and bring the fruits (honey drew, watermelon & pineapples) leftovers to lunch :P Lunch is not worth talking about as usual.. Cause its at that same old canteen without any good food. I'm deprived of quality food. Haha.. Missed the pork chop at design!!!
Back from lunch, we had a talk inside the freezer don't know why while waiting for the fishies to arrive.. Then we washed them.. Its kinda scary.. With all the eyes staring at your every move.. I'm talking about fish eyes here by the way.. We washed at least 40 fishes, red mullet and sea bass and salmon.. Then we had a demo on how to portion the salmon..
Removing the pin bones are quite entertaining but can be painful when being poked. They say only have 27 bones but I found more than 29?? Weird.. We have to portion the salmon in pache (straight cut) and tranche (45 degrees cut).. Before that, we have to trim off excess fats and remove the skin.. Both salmon fillets that I handle.. Sad to say.. Its a disaster.. I angled the knife correctly but don't know why halfway through the skin keep breaking.. -.-" I had a hard time removing the skin.. Portioning, the only problem is getting the right weight.. So you have to keep measuring.. But once you get it in the range, you sort of know what you'll get without measuring..
After salmon is done, we move on to seabass.. We had a demo on how to cut using up and around method and another method which I forgot the name.. Anyway, we saw the demo and went to frabricate the fishies.. Its so much easier compared to chicken.. For me anyway.. I did quite fast.. The fish bone poked me, I saw blood on my finger then I thought I was bleeding.. Its only at the end of the day then I realised its actually the fish blood not mine.. -.-" As there's many fishes, we completed the tasks only at around 3.40pm? Oh yes, we also have the opportunity to taste a food made using tortilla dough.. Taste like roti prata! Haha..
Everyday its a new thing to learn.. Things like this you can never get enough of.. However, there's one thing that I really had enough of. The whole day I stinks of fish. No matter how many times I sanitise my hands using the dentol and school detergent, and spraying myself with the dove spray.. I still smell of fish! -.-" And I still have 4 more days to smell like that.. I'm sure I'm not looking forward to that at all..
Day 23
Last day at production producing stocks and mirepoix.. You can really say that we know the procedures to prepare stocks and mirepoix like the back of our hand.. After doing them for one whole week, it will be really embarrassing not to know how..
Sugarloaf people lack of staff today.. So I went over to help again.. I don't really mind but the others won't get a chance to try? Cause the week we're doing sugarloaf, is buffet.. So no operation.. Oh well.. Its already over..
There's really alot things to do.. Preparing for Monday, new people at different stations.. Chef want to get everything ready as soon as possible.. So we had to prepare mango salsa, minestrone soup, stocks, mirepoix and some others I can't really remember..
Early in the morning, we had a demo on making gnocchi. Its extremely easy to do, you don't need any machine at all! You just need potatoes (mashed), flour, seasoning, eggs, water? Then you mix using a fork gently just like making a dough. Once the dough is formed, cut half and roll into a rod. After that, cut into cubes and press using a fork lightly.. And viola! Its now ready to be cooked! You must ensure that the dough is not too dry or wet and test it in simmering water..
Once the pasta float to the top, wait for 30secs before removing from the water.. You have to get your sauce ready (in this case presto), if its too thick add some liquid from the water that is used to cook gnocchi. Once the pasta is cooked, immediately put into the sauce to cook awhile more.. To let it absorb essence of the sauce.. Now, its ready to be served! And taste it! It taste great, the sauce really complement the pasta..
After tasting, we continue to do some mise en place.. I was running around the sugarloaf area and production.. Multitasking.. Haha. Not quite good at it though.. I end up helping more production than sugarloaf.. Anway, we made the spinach pasta :) We supposed to make 10, we have 5 people in the group, so its 2 each.. However, as due to time constraint and I was helping out at sugarloaf, I only get to do one.. -.-" By the time I went back, they already did it for me.. Sad.
Later part of the day, we learn how to make minestrone soup.. Instead of chef demo-ing, she instructed us as we cook the soup. I was the one stirring the whole big pot.. With all the mirepoix inside, its really heavy.. Especially for a person like me without much muscles.. Haha. But its quite fun too.. I also learnt how to slice shitake mushrooms, fennel and mass blanch pasta.. There's so much things to be done that we can't complete them alone.. People from fabrication completed their jobs earlier and came over to help us.. So nice of them..
1week doing production.. Really learnt alot of things.. Not just how to mass produce, cooking stocks, cutting mirepoix, there's also some other interesting things.. Like the peeling of onions? It also required a certain skill to peel it fast and nice.. Removing fats from chicken bones to cook stocks? Washing ovens? Making the tortilla and eating it.. Never underestimate production, without it, where do you get your chicken stock etc for your food? Haha.
Now that I'm used to doing things fast, it should be easier when going to other kitchen, I hope :)
Sugarloaf people lack of staff today.. So I went over to help again.. I don't really mind but the others won't get a chance to try? Cause the week we're doing sugarloaf, is buffet.. So no operation.. Oh well.. Its already over..
There's really alot things to do.. Preparing for Monday, new people at different stations.. Chef want to get everything ready as soon as possible.. So we had to prepare mango salsa, minestrone soup, stocks, mirepoix and some others I can't really remember..
Early in the morning, we had a demo on making gnocchi. Its extremely easy to do, you don't need any machine at all! You just need potatoes (mashed), flour, seasoning, eggs, water? Then you mix using a fork gently just like making a dough. Once the dough is formed, cut half and roll into a rod. After that, cut into cubes and press using a fork lightly.. And viola! Its now ready to be cooked! You must ensure that the dough is not too dry or wet and test it in simmering water..
Once the pasta float to the top, wait for 30secs before removing from the water.. You have to get your sauce ready (in this case presto), if its too thick add some liquid from the water that is used to cook gnocchi. Once the pasta is cooked, immediately put into the sauce to cook awhile more.. To let it absorb essence of the sauce.. Now, its ready to be served! And taste it! It taste great, the sauce really complement the pasta..
After tasting, we continue to do some mise en place.. I was running around the sugarloaf area and production.. Multitasking.. Haha. Not quite good at it though.. I end up helping more production than sugarloaf.. Anway, we made the spinach pasta :) We supposed to make 10, we have 5 people in the group, so its 2 each.. However, as due to time constraint and I was helping out at sugarloaf, I only get to do one.. -.-" By the time I went back, they already did it for me.. Sad.
Later part of the day, we learn how to make minestrone soup.. Instead of chef demo-ing, she instructed us as we cook the soup. I was the one stirring the whole big pot.. With all the mirepoix inside, its really heavy.. Especially for a person like me without much muscles.. Haha. But its quite fun too.. I also learnt how to slice shitake mushrooms, fennel and mass blanch pasta.. There's so much things to be done that we can't complete them alone.. People from fabrication completed their jobs earlier and came over to help us.. So nice of them..
1week doing production.. Really learnt alot of things.. Not just how to mass produce, cooking stocks, cutting mirepoix, there's also some other interesting things.. Like the peeling of onions? It also required a certain skill to peel it fast and nice.. Removing fats from chicken bones to cook stocks? Washing ovens? Making the tortilla and eating it.. Never underestimate production, without it, where do you get your chicken stock etc for your food? Haha.
Now that I'm used to doing things fast, it should be easier when going to other kitchen, I hope :)
Day 22
Thursday. Day 22.
Back to production side.. Nothing much changed except for the sous chef.. Prepared mirepoix, prepare mise en place for tortilla.. Cook stock, skim, strain, cool, store. Peel whole sack of onions.. For production, basically is still the usual thing..
We had a demo on how to make a spinach pasta. Handmade. The ingredients are pretty simple and easy to do.. But I can't do it at home.. Cause I don't have the pasta machine.. Unless I'm slicing the pasta using knife.. Is possible but will be quite uneven I guess..
There's art to making a good pasta dough.. You can't follow exactly to the recipe when it comes to the amount of flour and water.. Balancing the flour and water is a skill. If the dough become too dry, its too hard.. If its too moist, it is difficult to go through the pasta machine.. The process of making the dough, is extremely fun.. From making the well, to adding the ingredients and mixing them well, to rolling the dough, each step has different level of difficulty and fun. There will be another demo on how to make gnocchi, a potato pasta :) And of course, we get to taste the pasta that chef demo.. Handmade pasta cooked quickly.. So you only required to blanch it for 30secs - 40 secs.. It looks green, of course, its spinach pasta.. Haha. Taste of spinach, quite chewy.. If I have a pasta machine at home, I wanna try carrot pasta? :D
Chef fry more chicken fats today.. Its even crispier than the day before.. Junk food always taste good xP Clean up, throw rubbish and went for apel.. -.-" End of day 22..
Back to production side.. Nothing much changed except for the sous chef.. Prepared mirepoix, prepare mise en place for tortilla.. Cook stock, skim, strain, cool, store. Peel whole sack of onions.. For production, basically is still the usual thing..
We had a demo on how to make a spinach pasta. Handmade. The ingredients are pretty simple and easy to do.. But I can't do it at home.. Cause I don't have the pasta machine.. Unless I'm slicing the pasta using knife.. Is possible but will be quite uneven I guess..
There's art to making a good pasta dough.. You can't follow exactly to the recipe when it comes to the amount of flour and water.. Balancing the flour and water is a skill. If the dough become too dry, its too hard.. If its too moist, it is difficult to go through the pasta machine.. The process of making the dough, is extremely fun.. From making the well, to adding the ingredients and mixing them well, to rolling the dough, each step has different level of difficulty and fun. There will be another demo on how to make gnocchi, a potato pasta :) And of course, we get to taste the pasta that chef demo.. Handmade pasta cooked quickly.. So you only required to blanch it for 30secs - 40 secs.. It looks green, of course, its spinach pasta.. Haha. Taste of spinach, quite chewy.. If I have a pasta machine at home, I wanna try carrot pasta? :D
Chef fry more chicken fats today.. Its even crispier than the day before.. Junk food always taste good xP Clean up, throw rubbish and went for apel.. -.-" End of day 22..
sigh
I wanted to update today, but was too busy working.. Packing my stuff.. And having LOTS of problems with my no longer darling computer. -.-" I almost wanted to send it for service.. The password had some stupid error.. I know I used fingerprint, but after that they still want the password. This never happened before.. I panic like don't know what.. Luckily now is over.. And I'm copying all the things to my external hard disk.. My heart almost stopped beating just now.. I never back up.. Learnt my lesson.. Finally..
Today's work is as slow as usual.. Compared to sugarloaf, this is nothing.. Met some very cute customers, and some nice ones.. Keep smiling at me.. Haha.. One even wave to me when they went out of the restaurant.. So today's mood at work was quite good. I just hope they've raise my pay..
Did lots of things today.. Early morning wake up, pack things.. Compile recipes for commis chef.. (But that one I do wrongly -.-").. Then lunch 5mins and rush to work. Work 4 hours. Go Ntuc donate for the spastic children.. Buy magic clean, pop corn and sweets. Then rush home. Pack more things. Throw more things. Dinner 15mins. Bathe. Then pack things all the way till 11pm. Then had a heart attack when I can't on my computer. So tired. But I can't sleep yet.. Cause haven't transfer finish the stuff to my hard disk.. And now is 12.44am!
Tomorrow onwards till the end of the week, I'll be in fabrication.. I hope I won't cut myself tomorrow.. But chances are.. I will.. :( I'm still not feeling happy.. In fact, I felt worse now.. Sigh..
What to do? I don't have any choice at all..
Found alot of stuff while packing.. You'll be surprised to know that I found some primary school stuff and worksheets. Haha! A few only.. Found some photos, some notes and letters and some gifts.. Remind me of alot of things.. I wish there's a time machine.. Then I can travel back to the time where I still have happiness.. When I still have you..
The people in the photograpghs will never change. But in real life, they changed so much that you almost can't recognise them. People you once knew, are stranger now.. If things remained the same, maybe there won't be so much problems now.. I'm gaining new knowledge by doing things that I want to, but I'm also losing the people I loved. If I can have both world, love and work, I guess I'll be the luckiest girl in the world.. If only..
There's so many things that I wanna do but can't and so many words unsaid.. And the worst thing is I can't do anything about it. Nothing I do or say will change the outcome. It had already been decided, without my approval.. This will definitely become one of my regrets..
I know I can't smile without you, but I can only get used to it.. Cause you left me.. Just when I needed you the most.
Today's work is as slow as usual.. Compared to sugarloaf, this is nothing.. Met some very cute customers, and some nice ones.. Keep smiling at me.. Haha.. One even wave to me when they went out of the restaurant.. So today's mood at work was quite good. I just hope they've raise my pay..
Did lots of things today.. Early morning wake up, pack things.. Compile recipes for commis chef.. (But that one I do wrongly -.-").. Then lunch 5mins and rush to work. Work 4 hours. Go Ntuc donate for the spastic children.. Buy magic clean, pop corn and sweets. Then rush home. Pack more things. Throw more things. Dinner 15mins. Bathe. Then pack things all the way till 11pm. Then had a heart attack when I can't on my computer. So tired. But I can't sleep yet.. Cause haven't transfer finish the stuff to my hard disk.. And now is 12.44am!
Tomorrow onwards till the end of the week, I'll be in fabrication.. I hope I won't cut myself tomorrow.. But chances are.. I will.. :( I'm still not feeling happy.. In fact, I felt worse now.. Sigh..
What to do? I don't have any choice at all..
Found alot of stuff while packing.. You'll be surprised to know that I found some primary school stuff and worksheets. Haha! A few only.. Found some photos, some notes and letters and some gifts.. Remind me of alot of things.. I wish there's a time machine.. Then I can travel back to the time where I still have happiness.. When I still have you..
The people in the photograpghs will never change. But in real life, they changed so much that you almost can't recognise them. People you once knew, are stranger now.. If things remained the same, maybe there won't be so much problems now.. I'm gaining new knowledge by doing things that I want to, but I'm also losing the people I loved. If I can have both world, love and work, I guess I'll be the luckiest girl in the world.. If only..
There's so many things that I wanna do but can't and so many words unsaid.. And the worst thing is I can't do anything about it. Nothing I do or say will change the outcome. It had already been decided, without my approval.. This will definitely become one of my regrets..
I know I can't smile without you, but I can only get used to it.. Cause you left me.. Just when I needed you the most.
I cry silently, I cry inside of me, I cry hopelessly cause I
know I'll never feel your love again. - Westlife, I cry
Sunday, May 24, 2009
dots
I know I haven't been updating for a few days.. But now I'm quite lazy to recall.. Especially since I'm working tomorrow.. At the same old place doing the same old things getting the same old pay.. No choice.. Spent too much money on food recently.. I've been trying to gain weight.. By eating junk food. Dots. I think is more like eating comfort food. Junk or comfort, its still the same type of food. Sweets, chocolates, chips, juices and some others I can't remember.. The only bad thing from eating them is.. Now I got a sore throat. -.-" But I'm still eating chocolates.. I bought one yesterday, with alcohol inside.. Each square has different flavours.. Total 4. Kinda disappointing cause I don't taste any alcohol at all.. $4.80, what kind of flavour I'm expecting?
Counting down 8 more days to release....
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Save me
I'm going crazy with all these things that keep happening to me.
I've done all the things that I could and I dare to say I've tried my best.
But I can't be the only one who is giving in all the time. Its unfair. In relationship, both party must contribute for it to work..
The one thing that I love the most is becoming hell to me.
If someone can resue me from this misery, I'll be eternally grateful.
Why is it so hard to be happy? Nothing good happen to me this year. NONE. And I thought it will be the best year ever..
I'm falling to pieces and you don't care. Keep torturing me..
I'm so tired now that I felt like dying.. Really feel like giving up on every single thing. I'm really tired.
Why no one understands how I feel? Is it so hard to find someone who understand? How come after so long.. You still don't understand? Why is it so hard to understand somebody? I thought I knew you.. But I don't..
There's so much that I have to say.. But you don't listens.. Then what's the point of me saying?
Keeping so many unhappiness inside is really suffocating.. And it doesn't help when more are coming and keep piling.. I'm buried under all these unhappiness..
When will that someone come and make me happy? Unhappy is not what I like to do.. But recently.. It seems to be my best friend..
I don't want to think anymore.. But its hard when its happening almost everyday..
I thought today is one of the rare days this year that I felt happy the whole day. I was wrong. I ended the day this way. Feeling this way.
I've done all the things that I could and I dare to say I've tried my best.
But I can't be the only one who is giving in all the time. Its unfair. In relationship, both party must contribute for it to work..
The one thing that I love the most is becoming hell to me.
If someone can resue me from this misery, I'll be eternally grateful.
Why is it so hard to be happy? Nothing good happen to me this year. NONE. And I thought it will be the best year ever..
I'm falling to pieces and you don't care. Keep torturing me..
I'm so tired now that I felt like dying.. Really feel like giving up on every single thing. I'm really tired.
Why no one understands how I feel? Is it so hard to find someone who understand? How come after so long.. You still don't understand? Why is it so hard to understand somebody? I thought I knew you.. But I don't..
There's so much that I have to say.. But you don't listens.. Then what's the point of me saying?
Keeping so many unhappiness inside is really suffocating.. And it doesn't help when more are coming and keep piling.. I'm buried under all these unhappiness..
When will that someone come and make me happy? Unhappy is not what I like to do.. But recently.. It seems to be my best friend..
I don't want to think anymore.. But its hard when its happening almost everyday..
I thought today is one of the rare days this year that I felt happy the whole day. I was wrong. I ended the day this way. Feeling this way.
Day 21
Today is one of the best day since skills camp.. I'm so happy! ^^ To tell the truth, I haven't been feeling happy since don't know when.. In conclusion, its a perfect day! Lalalas~ Though I'm very tired, so tired that I don't really have the strength to walk home.. But I think its very worth it cause my mood is great! Haha XD
So this is what happened.. Since production today don't really have much to do, and one of the sugarloaf people is absent, when chef asked who wanna go over to help, I raise my hand almost immediately after she complete her sentence.. Haha. This shows how excited I am :)
At first there wasn't much to do cause the mise en place are all done.. The rest of the stuff.. I don't really know how to do.. But thanks to the helpful partners, I am able to learn what they're doing which is soooo fun!
The first task assigned to me was cooking the glazed carrots.. Well, if you do one portion, it is definitely easy. But one whole big pot? Its quite difficult to control.. I added too much water (we replace chix stock with water), then at the end of the day when there's leftovers.. The carrots are really mushy and kind of disgusting.. -.-"
After that, I clean up the area, bring the dirty equipment to the stewarding area.. Then I was told to dice onions.. Only 2. However, you know what? I took almost 1hour! Oh my goodness. Can't believe it. But you know why? The onions are replacing shallots for the boiled beans.. So it can't be too big nor brunoise.. Thus, I have to keep mincing them.. The end result was very satisfying though.. Maybe 2 or 3 times bigger than chopped parsley :) At least my effort is not being wasted..
Next, I watched how B and G make the beer batter.. Clean up and learn how to fry the dory.. It was very fun but painful at the same time.. I kept having oil splatter all over cause the fish is not dry enough.. 1 time it splash on my lips, next my eyes. -.-" Luckily, nothing happen to my eyes nor lips.. If not... I don't know what will happen.. But my hands some parts are red though.. Anyway, frying dory became my full time job today.. So tempting to steal a bite.. Haha.. The crust is really golden brown.. I know we can't describe food using golden brown, but you know what I mean right? Haha..
The next fun thing is plating the food and bringing them down to sugarloaf using hotbox. Take the lift that can't close the door.. Replenish the food downstairs.. The running up and down is actually quite fun.. Hehe. Chef say preparing for sugarloaf is very stressful, but I don't think so.. I think its very exciting and fun :) I don't feel any stress at all nor tired. Just enjoying what I'm doing..
I think I need to practice weight lifting.. 5 roast chicken on a tray with mirepoix and pan gravy, I can't carry it. I not sure if is because I scare I will burn myself while taking it out from oven or afraid that it will drop.. -.-" Anyway, I think most probably is not enough strength..
I saw chef demo how to make the beer batter when we ran out during service.. The speed is a match with machine. Within 5 minutes, its completed. WOW. Late in the afternoon, she also demo how to make pesto.. A sauce using basil leaves, olive oil, minced garlic and parmesan cheese.. The way she do makes it seems very easy, to a professional chef, nothing is difficult.. I don't know if its easy or not cause I didn't do.. I went to do the mirepoix.. Haha.
After we finally serve finish all the food, we start to do mise en place for tomorrow.. 40 carrots, 30 potatoes and some other stuff.. I peeled all the carrots and some of potatoes.. Haha. I realised the peeler that we bought was lousy. The paint actually came off? The blade supposed to be black, but I see mine most is silver.. Sigh. And another weird thing.. Everybody paring knife the pouch is small one, mine is same as other knife.. -.-" So difficult to keep it inside..
Oh. Did I mention that chef fry some duck and chicken fats? So sinful yet so addictive.. Haha:) Then I also sweep the whole area.. Whole kitchen I mean.. That's about all the things I did in the kitchen.. Overall I really enjoyed myself very much. I've learnt new things today! Another step to being a chef! Hehe. I'm glad that I went over.. Cause during debrief that I realised that in week 7, the week where I'll be at sugarloaf station.. Is buffet! So we're having theory lesson and preparing for the buffet instead. So sad! I have tried it today and love it. But others won't get a chance to try it.. Sigh. Its just a buffet.. Why do we need to do mise en place for 2 days and cancel operation?? :( For this reason, I'm not that happy anymore.. We're missing out one whole week of fun! SAD.
Then we went to change and go for the flavours lecture.. We had a test.. Its actually sensory evaluation.. Anyway.. We were given 8 types of unlabeled liquid and we have to guess what is it.. Most are quite digusting.. When you smell and taste later is totally different. All senses are connected.. When you achieve the stage whereby all 5 senses of your customer are used when eating the food you prepared, you're very successful.
This is what we tasted. 1. Jelly beans of random flavour. (I don't like jelly beans, taste plastic) 2. Salt water 3. Red wine vinegar 4. Coffee (Quite diluted) 5. Sugar water 6. Rehydrate shitake mushroom water (1 word:YUCK, cause I don't like mushrooms -.-") 7. Green tea 8. Tobasco sauce. After drinking everything, and making a mess on the table and listen to a 50minutes long lecture, I went home.
Now I had to pack my stuff again.. To keep them all in boxes.. And I'm too tired and lazy to move.. But if I leave it to my mum or sis, I can be sure that EVERY SINGLE THING that they think is useless will be gone. And my stuff to them, I think at least 80% is useless.. Haha! I don't really like to throw away things unless they're really useless.. Even though I don't use them.. Like those cute stuff I received or buy.. Haha. Too cute to use le :P So accumulate over the years... Is like alot.. Haha.. I already gave away alot to my cousins.. Sobs. I get rid of alot of old clothes too..
Anyway. Tomorrow will be back at the production side.. But they say I can go over to help them anytime cause I know how to do the things now.. Yeah~ Think tomorrow will be quite busy.. Need to peel the whole sack of onions again.. Stocks.. And watch demo for how to make spinach pasta! Oh my goodness. Can't wait. Now I really wish I have the pasta machine, ice cream machine and some other cool machines I saw in school.. Sigh. I wish I have enough money to buy if I see them.. :( I have to wait long long for that to happen.. Cause my house kitchen can't fit all those anyway.. Sigh.
So this is what happened.. Since production today don't really have much to do, and one of the sugarloaf people is absent, when chef asked who wanna go over to help, I raise my hand almost immediately after she complete her sentence.. Haha. This shows how excited I am :)
At first there wasn't much to do cause the mise en place are all done.. The rest of the stuff.. I don't really know how to do.. But thanks to the helpful partners, I am able to learn what they're doing which is soooo fun!
The first task assigned to me was cooking the glazed carrots.. Well, if you do one portion, it is definitely easy. But one whole big pot? Its quite difficult to control.. I added too much water (we replace chix stock with water), then at the end of the day when there's leftovers.. The carrots are really mushy and kind of disgusting.. -.-"
After that, I clean up the area, bring the dirty equipment to the stewarding area.. Then I was told to dice onions.. Only 2. However, you know what? I took almost 1hour! Oh my goodness. Can't believe it. But you know why? The onions are replacing shallots for the boiled beans.. So it can't be too big nor brunoise.. Thus, I have to keep mincing them.. The end result was very satisfying though.. Maybe 2 or 3 times bigger than chopped parsley :) At least my effort is not being wasted..
Next, I watched how B and G make the beer batter.. Clean up and learn how to fry the dory.. It was very fun but painful at the same time.. I kept having oil splatter all over cause the fish is not dry enough.. 1 time it splash on my lips, next my eyes. -.-" Luckily, nothing happen to my eyes nor lips.. If not... I don't know what will happen.. But my hands some parts are red though.. Anyway, frying dory became my full time job today.. So tempting to steal a bite.. Haha.. The crust is really golden brown.. I know we can't describe food using golden brown, but you know what I mean right? Haha..
The next fun thing is plating the food and bringing them down to sugarloaf using hotbox. Take the lift that can't close the door.. Replenish the food downstairs.. The running up and down is actually quite fun.. Hehe. Chef say preparing for sugarloaf is very stressful, but I don't think so.. I think its very exciting and fun :) I don't feel any stress at all nor tired. Just enjoying what I'm doing..
I think I need to practice weight lifting.. 5 roast chicken on a tray with mirepoix and pan gravy, I can't carry it. I not sure if is because I scare I will burn myself while taking it out from oven or afraid that it will drop.. -.-" Anyway, I think most probably is not enough strength..
I saw chef demo how to make the beer batter when we ran out during service.. The speed is a match with machine. Within 5 minutes, its completed. WOW. Late in the afternoon, she also demo how to make pesto.. A sauce using basil leaves, olive oil, minced garlic and parmesan cheese.. The way she do makes it seems very easy, to a professional chef, nothing is difficult.. I don't know if its easy or not cause I didn't do.. I went to do the mirepoix.. Haha.
After we finally serve finish all the food, we start to do mise en place for tomorrow.. 40 carrots, 30 potatoes and some other stuff.. I peeled all the carrots and some of potatoes.. Haha. I realised the peeler that we bought was lousy. The paint actually came off? The blade supposed to be black, but I see mine most is silver.. Sigh. And another weird thing.. Everybody paring knife the pouch is small one, mine is same as other knife.. -.-" So difficult to keep it inside..
Oh. Did I mention that chef fry some duck and chicken fats? So sinful yet so addictive.. Haha:) Then I also sweep the whole area.. Whole kitchen I mean.. That's about all the things I did in the kitchen.. Overall I really enjoyed myself very much. I've learnt new things today! Another step to being a chef! Hehe. I'm glad that I went over.. Cause during debrief that I realised that in week 7, the week where I'll be at sugarloaf station.. Is buffet! So we're having theory lesson and preparing for the buffet instead. So sad! I have tried it today and love it. But others won't get a chance to try it.. Sigh. Its just a buffet.. Why do we need to do mise en place for 2 days and cancel operation?? :( For this reason, I'm not that happy anymore.. We're missing out one whole week of fun! SAD.
Then we went to change and go for the flavours lecture.. We had a test.. Its actually sensory evaluation.. Anyway.. We were given 8 types of unlabeled liquid and we have to guess what is it.. Most are quite digusting.. When you smell and taste later is totally different. All senses are connected.. When you achieve the stage whereby all 5 senses of your customer are used when eating the food you prepared, you're very successful.
This is what we tasted. 1. Jelly beans of random flavour. (I don't like jelly beans, taste plastic) 2. Salt water 3. Red wine vinegar 4. Coffee (Quite diluted) 5. Sugar water 6. Rehydrate shitake mushroom water (1 word:YUCK, cause I don't like mushrooms -.-") 7. Green tea 8. Tobasco sauce. After drinking everything, and making a mess on the table and listen to a 50minutes long lecture, I went home.
Now I had to pack my stuff again.. To keep them all in boxes.. And I'm too tired and lazy to move.. But if I leave it to my mum or sis, I can be sure that EVERY SINGLE THING that they think is useless will be gone. And my stuff to them, I think at least 80% is useless.. Haha! I don't really like to throw away things unless they're really useless.. Even though I don't use them.. Like those cute stuff I received or buy.. Haha. Too cute to use le :P So accumulate over the years... Is like alot.. Haha.. I already gave away alot to my cousins.. Sobs. I get rid of alot of old clothes too..
Anyway. Tomorrow will be back at the production side.. But they say I can go over to help them anytime cause I know how to do the things now.. Yeah~ Think tomorrow will be quite busy.. Need to peel the whole sack of onions again.. Stocks.. And watch demo for how to make spinach pasta! Oh my goodness. Can't wait. Now I really wish I have the pasta machine, ice cream machine and some other cool machines I saw in school.. Sigh. I wish I have enough money to buy if I see them.. :( I have to wait long long for that to happen.. Cause my house kitchen can't fit all those anyway.. Sigh.
Life is a experience. You experience life by living it. - ME
random
I've just realised that my blog is full of words.. Haha.. Too bad, I enjoy typing.. Hehe. So those who enjoy reading, good for you! Haha.. I'll try to make it more colourful next time.. XP
I wanna learn as much as I can, so that I won't regret in the future :)
Love music ; cooking ; eating
I'm currently addicted to boys over flowers.. Now at episode 12 only.. Not even halfway through.. Love the OST too!
OH ya, I'm cutting my hair again.. This time you will see HUGE difference.. To tell the truth, I'm not really looking forward to it.. If it turn out the way like sec 2, I gonna cry. T.T But no choice, all the gel and spray I used for the past 1 month plus is really damaging my delicate hair.. If I don't cut, I'll go bald soon from all the hair that I dropped and pluck out after they playfully come out during roll call.. On the bright side, the shorter my hair, the curly it'll be. Who knows when it grow longer, it'll recover its original state! I'll be thrilled.
Time now: 12.14am. T.T
Day 21 is starting.. And I'm still awake.. Haha.
Hope today (day 21) will be a better and happier day!!!!
I wanna learn as much as I can, so that I won't regret in the future :)
Love music ; cooking ; eating
I'm currently addicted to boys over flowers.. Now at episode 12 only.. Not even halfway through.. Love the OST too!
OH ya, I'm cutting my hair again.. This time you will see HUGE difference.. To tell the truth, I'm not really looking forward to it.. If it turn out the way like sec 2, I gonna cry. T.T But no choice, all the gel and spray I used for the past 1 month plus is really damaging my delicate hair.. If I don't cut, I'll go bald soon from all the hair that I dropped and pluck out after they playfully come out during roll call.. On the bright side, the shorter my hair, the curly it'll be. Who knows when it grow longer, it'll recover its original state! I'll be thrilled.
Time now: 12.14am. T.T
Day 21 is starting.. And I'm still awake.. Haha.
Hope today (day 21) will be a better and happier day!!!!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Day 20
We're doing the same thing as yesterday. Thank goodness I'm no longer the sous chef. I'll just briefing go through what happen today.. Or else it will be a very long post again.. Haha..
1. Remove chicken and rack, place mirepoix, arrange 5 chicken on a tray. Wrap.
2. Teach Hs how to remove fats from chickie, then prepare mise en place for tortilla. Sliced 5 onions.
3. Filled containers with water. Peeled 18 potatoes while wm peeled 12.
4. Sliced potatoes using madeline?
5. Cut mirepoix. 16 carrots and 30 onions in 30minutes. (Told you I've master the skill.. Haha. I'm extremely efficient.) Besides, no one bother to help..
6. Did tortilla on my own, again. Without any help from anybody. Except when I ask E about the oil.
7. Stewarding awhile. Unclog the sink.
8. Went to chiller and freezer more than 4 times.
9. Peel onions. A few..
10. No chance to taste food cause I'm too busy. Cause no one helped, as usual. Sad.
11. Make the ice bath. Take 4 giant mixing bowl full of ice. My hands freeze. After taking out from the bath, my hands pain for quite long. Cause I put my hands inside the sink for quite long.. There's something wrong with the rubber thingy..
12. Skim the stocks.
13. Wrap all tortilla and bring to chiller.
14. Cut mirepoix for garde manger..
15. Help chef collect containers and put back to original place.
16. Wash the cloths and hang.
17. Clean the stewarding machine..
18. Mop floor one time. A few floor tiles.. Dots.
19. Take the chilled stock and the stocks just drained into freezer.
That should be all for day 20.. Can't really remember what else I did.. I consulted chef about the life of being a chef cause I don't wanna regret anything.. The one thing that I know and find out is that the stress level is higher than now.. We'll be meeting all kinds of chefs, facing different personalities customers.. At production where there isn't really any time constraint, feeling stress is not a good sign.. I need to find someway to reduce stress.. Eat more ice cream! :P I asked her about executing certain recipes, she told me that I was doing a good job, and that really make my day a better one! I will try my best! To get my dream job :) I'm so glad that I made this my first choice ^^ Kitchen is where I belong~
Stress and injuries are expected in this industry.. For me, I've scald myself quite a few times.. Now my finger hurts and my wraist has a ugly scar.. :( Sigh. Its evidence of training.. Haha. End of day 20. 3 more days to be in the production team..
1. Remove chicken and rack, place mirepoix, arrange 5 chicken on a tray. Wrap.
2. Teach Hs how to remove fats from chickie, then prepare mise en place for tortilla. Sliced 5 onions.
3. Filled containers with water. Peeled 18 potatoes while wm peeled 12.
4. Sliced potatoes using madeline?
5. Cut mirepoix. 16 carrots and 30 onions in 30minutes. (Told you I've master the skill.. Haha. I'm extremely efficient.) Besides, no one bother to help..
6. Did tortilla on my own, again. Without any help from anybody. Except when I ask E about the oil.
7. Stewarding awhile. Unclog the sink.
8. Went to chiller and freezer more than 4 times.
9. Peel onions. A few..
10. No chance to taste food cause I'm too busy. Cause no one helped, as usual. Sad.
11. Make the ice bath. Take 4 giant mixing bowl full of ice. My hands freeze. After taking out from the bath, my hands pain for quite long. Cause I put my hands inside the sink for quite long.. There's something wrong with the rubber thingy..
12. Skim the stocks.
13. Wrap all tortilla and bring to chiller.
14. Cut mirepoix for garde manger..
15. Help chef collect containers and put back to original place.
16. Wash the cloths and hang.
17. Clean the stewarding machine..
18. Mop floor one time. A few floor tiles.. Dots.
19. Take the chilled stock and the stocks just drained into freezer.
That should be all for day 20.. Can't really remember what else I did.. I consulted chef about the life of being a chef cause I don't wanna regret anything.. The one thing that I know and find out is that the stress level is higher than now.. We'll be meeting all kinds of chefs, facing different personalities customers.. At production where there isn't really any time constraint, feeling stress is not a good sign.. I need to find someway to reduce stress.. Eat more ice cream! :P I asked her about executing certain recipes, she told me that I was doing a good job, and that really make my day a better one! I will try my best! To get my dream job :) I'm so glad that I made this my first choice ^^ Kitchen is where I belong~
Stress and injuries are expected in this industry.. For me, I've scald myself quite a few times.. Now my finger hurts and my wraist has a ugly scar.. :( Sigh. Its evidence of training.. Haha. End of day 20. 3 more days to be in the production team..
Day 19
The 1st operation day.
Basically, today, we did nothing but stocks and more stocks. Mirepoix and more mirepoix. And maybe something a little different. We make the tortilla for tomorrow.. And it can be considered a failure. Cause they fall apart after taking out from the pan, if not burnt. -.-"
We made alot of stock and picage.. As we fail the tortilla, we had to make them again on Tues. Sad. But after 2 days, I can say I master the art of cutting mirepoix and cooking stocks. Seriously, besides these 2 plus the tortilla, we didn't do anything else..
Oh yes. How can I forgot? Food tasting! We tried the dory al'ordy or whatever the name is and the pork cutlet. Haha. The dory is cooked just nice. Perfect colour and taste.. Thy pork.. I don't really like it.. Kinda dry and raw? We sat at the family table and share the two plate of one portion food. There's 15 of us. Haha.
Really. Nothing much except the fact that I was sous chef again and got scolded for more than 20times and got called by the chef for more than 30times. I got a new name. Daffine. Haha. At least it sound nice.. Hehe. Never mind, I know its me that she's calling so doesn't really matter? Another chef call my name which sounds like dolphin. Haha! So cute.
Stocks, mirepoix and tortilla sums up Monday. I'm having Monday blues.. Cause that is the day where I become the sous chef. Sobs. I'm so not looking forward to that sous chef part. But I get to learn more than the rest when I got scolded for checking things, ensuring memebers work fast and asking questions that sound a little stupid.. Haha. At least I clear my doubts so ITS OKAY!
Its quite hectic during 10.15 to 2pm.. Cause that is the operation hours of sugarloaf. Chef don't even have time to check on us. From after briefing, we're on our own. I'm in charge, but I not sure what to do.. After lunch, the chef is more free then she spot check on us. And I got scolded for the untidiness of the stations. And for cutting the mirepoix the whole day!
At the end of the day, I wrote down the duties for the sous chef tomorrow on the white board and went to lock the doors..
During debrief, she says that we did so many stocks and mirepoix, even when we close our eyes we can execute them perfectly.. The way she says is really funny.. Haha. But quite true, we really practiced alot.. Haha. She also mention something which makes me very interested in..
The academy is expanding! The restuarant will be bigger by 2times! The skills kitchen will expand out too! So everybody can have a station of their own, most probably.. Then the condo next door, some of the rooms will be converted to classrooms! And there will also be a toilet upstairs! No more going all the way down just to use the washroom. The best part is, next year during October, our course will have a degree course! Yeah! And we, have the advantage and higher chances of getting into it. :) This is the first time you will hear me say that I'm interested to further my studies. Hehe. I was hoping to start work once I graduate.. Hmmm.. There might be a change of plan now..
They also have plans for the students to do their intern in school and get paid! Wow. So if I can't go overseas, doing in school also quite cool. Although we have the advantage, the space is still limited. However, after asking who want to be a chef after graduation, only 5 of us (including me) raise hands. Its kind of a good thing to me cause less competition. Hehe. But chef say to us, can we survive in the industry for 5years.. Later we found a rich guy/girl and get married then forget all about being a chef. Haha! Sound like a fairytale.. Though these kind of thing is really unpredictable, but, I don't think it will happen to me anyway..
This is a long and tiring day.. Although we only do 3 tasks, its not as easy as you think.. Removing fats from chickie, boiling, strain, cool in ice bath, transport to chiller. -.-" Everytime go in, sure feel a little difficult to breathe and when I come out, my specs fog. Once I put a trolley in, then it got stucked. I almost fell. What a day!
Basically, today, we did nothing but stocks and more stocks. Mirepoix and more mirepoix. And maybe something a little different. We make the tortilla for tomorrow.. And it can be considered a failure. Cause they fall apart after taking out from the pan, if not burnt. -.-"
We made alot of stock and picage.. As we fail the tortilla, we had to make them again on Tues. Sad. But after 2 days, I can say I master the art of cutting mirepoix and cooking stocks. Seriously, besides these 2 plus the tortilla, we didn't do anything else..
Oh yes. How can I forgot? Food tasting! We tried the dory al'ordy or whatever the name is and the pork cutlet. Haha. The dory is cooked just nice. Perfect colour and taste.. Thy pork.. I don't really like it.. Kinda dry and raw? We sat at the family table and share the two plate of one portion food. There's 15 of us. Haha.
Really. Nothing much except the fact that I was sous chef again and got scolded for more than 20times and got called by the chef for more than 30times. I got a new name. Daffine. Haha. At least it sound nice.. Hehe. Never mind, I know its me that she's calling so doesn't really matter? Another chef call my name which sounds like dolphin. Haha! So cute.
Stocks, mirepoix and tortilla sums up Monday. I'm having Monday blues.. Cause that is the day where I become the sous chef. Sobs. I'm so not looking forward to that sous chef part. But I get to learn more than the rest when I got scolded for checking things, ensuring memebers work fast and asking questions that sound a little stupid.. Haha. At least I clear my doubts so ITS OKAY!
Its quite hectic during 10.15 to 2pm.. Cause that is the operation hours of sugarloaf. Chef don't even have time to check on us. From after briefing, we're on our own. I'm in charge, but I not sure what to do.. After lunch, the chef is more free then she spot check on us. And I got scolded for the untidiness of the stations. And for cutting the mirepoix the whole day!
At the end of the day, I wrote down the duties for the sous chef tomorrow on the white board and went to lock the doors..
During debrief, she says that we did so many stocks and mirepoix, even when we close our eyes we can execute them perfectly.. The way she says is really funny.. Haha. But quite true, we really practiced alot.. Haha. She also mention something which makes me very interested in..
The academy is expanding! The restuarant will be bigger by 2times! The skills kitchen will expand out too! So everybody can have a station of their own, most probably.. Then the condo next door, some of the rooms will be converted to classrooms! And there will also be a toilet upstairs! No more going all the way down just to use the washroom. The best part is, next year during October, our course will have a degree course! Yeah! And we, have the advantage and higher chances of getting into it. :) This is the first time you will hear me say that I'm interested to further my studies. Hehe. I was hoping to start work once I graduate.. Hmmm.. There might be a change of plan now..
They also have plans for the students to do their intern in school and get paid! Wow. So if I can't go overseas, doing in school also quite cool. Although we have the advantage, the space is still limited. However, after asking who want to be a chef after graduation, only 5 of us (including me) raise hands. Its kind of a good thing to me cause less competition. Hehe. But chef say to us, can we survive in the industry for 5years.. Later we found a rich guy/girl and get married then forget all about being a chef. Haha! Sound like a fairytale.. Though these kind of thing is really unpredictable, but, I don't think it will happen to me anyway..
This is a long and tiring day.. Although we only do 3 tasks, its not as easy as you think.. Removing fats from chickie, boiling, strain, cool in ice bath, transport to chiller. -.-" Everytime go in, sure feel a little difficult to breathe and when I come out, my specs fog. Once I put a trolley in, then it got stucked. I almost fell. What a day!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Weekends
Weekends, nothing much actually.. Just slacking, relaxing..
Lunch I didn't cook cause I'm still asleep. Haha.. This applies to both days. :P
I cooked for dinner on both days..
Sat menu is: Carbonara with honey ham, button mushrooms and minced meat. (My 1st attempt!)
Ingredient
spaghetti <300g>
Lunch I didn't cook cause I'm still asleep. Haha.. This applies to both days. :P
I cooked for dinner on both days..
Sat menu is: Carbonara with honey ham, button mushrooms and minced meat. (My 1st attempt!)
Ingredient
spaghetti <300g>
mushroom, ham, meat, up to you ^^
1 bottle of carbonara sauce
1. Boil the spaghetti for about 4mins or until it is translucent.
2. Cut ham and mushroom into slices.
3. Saute the ingredients until minced meat is cooked, ham and mushrooms lightly browned. You can choose to saute together or separately.
4. When the spaghetti is ready, portion it.
5. Heat the sauce.. Add spaghetti to it. Mix well so that will absorb the sauce..
6. Place the spaghetti onto a plate. Add ham, mushroom and meat, mix well. (reserve some for garnish) *Using a tongs will be easier
7. Garnish and serve while its hot!
This is my carbonara with extra sauce.. :P According to the response, I've execute it well :)
For sun.. Dinner was like breakfast..
I made pancakes, served with honey.. Then sandwich with ham and egg.. Haha! There wasn't anything left in the fridge and I was lazy to go out to buy more ingredients.. I've spent the whole day watching boys over flowers.. XD I'm addicted to the show as well as the songs ^^I also make potato chips but shallow frying slice potatoes.. Quite successful but not crispy enough.. So have to use fork to eat. Haha.
I'm so excited about the operation day that I couldn't fall asleep until 1am in the morning.. Oh ya, I went to bed on sat at around 4am in the morning.. Too busy watching the show.. Hehe XD
Day 18
This morning my parents left for M'sia and will only be back on Monday morning.. Three days not at home.. Sigh. It means more things for me to do.. -.-"
This day is to prepare mise en place for Monday.. As usual, we gather outside the culinary theatre for our roll call.. After that, we're divided into our groups.. I'm in the production team!
The skills kitchen which is now known as production kitchen, will be the place I'll be spending the next 3 weeks in. I'm quite excited about what I'll be doing.. The moment we step into the production kitchen, we're being brief of what to do..
Just like the real working industry, there's roster. However, this is slightly different.. This one shows who is the sous chef for the day.. Guess what? Actually no need to guess.. Its quite obvious.. I'm the first one on the list. I'm in charge on every Monday when there'e tons of things to do than normal days.. Sigh.
And you know what? Chef say "let's pretend today is Monday, so the sous chef for Monday will be the sous chef for today too".. My reactions are "!!!!!" and "-.-" After that, she told us what to do for the day.. For my group, the whole week we'll be doing stocks, soups and sauces.. You think is fun? Easy? You'll see.. I'll show you how fun it is. -.-"
Today we just have to cut mirepoix and cook chicken and beef stock. Sound easy right? Are you sure? They might be simple tasks, but its not easy if you are doing production. Which means doing things in bulk. Chef first demo how to cut all the things in production mode then we start on our "simple" tasks.
1st, she gave us the chicken bones and beef bones for the stocks. Total chicken bones: 30 for 30litres of chicken stock. Total beef bones:20kg for 20litres of beef brown stock. The mirepoix, we have to cut 2 giant inserts. And this is just the beginning..
So we have to remove all the fats from the chicken so that the stock won't be too oily. I must say, I really enjoying poking myself with the bones and exercising my arms and fingers by pulling the fats. 30 chickens? Wow. After removing the fats, we divide them into 2 giant pots and fill the water up to near the brim and boil. Note: This is step one.
Next, take 2 giant inserts, put all the beef bones inside and place into the "mother" oven for 1 hour. This is considered half done. Or maybe not even half..
Then we cut the mirepoix for picage? I forgot how to spell it.. Anway, its mirepoix plus tomato paste and red wine. For 20litres of stock, the mirepoix is not what you can imagine. So different from what we experienced during the skills camp. This had to be saute in a huge pot cause those normal ones can't fit. Yeah, we really exercising our arms alot. Its so hard to stir cause its very heavy. My whole arm cramp after the whole thing.. And yes, this is still the beginning. Oh ya, those who will be in production later on, I can teach you the art of removing fats from the chickie and the art of saute-ing mirepoix. -.-"
While one person is saute-ing, the others are cutting mirepoix. Note: Now is only cutting mirepoix. Mirepoix is for roast chicken, stockS, and some other things.. Then we went to wash the chicken bones at the stewarding area to remove impurities and blood so that on Monday, the stock will not turn sour.
1st step: Wash the sink with detergent.
2nd step: Rinse, ensure no soap remains.
3rd step: Take out the chickens and put into the sink.
4th step: Tilt the pot against the sink to pour the water with the help of 2 strong people.
5th step: Rinse the pot. Put back to trolley.
6th step: Wsh the chicken bones. Put back into pot.
7th step: Bring back to stove, add 3/4 water or more. Boil then simmer.
8th step: Add mirepoix plus sachet.. and keep skimming..
Now that I've told you how to do it, it should be easier for your.. But never underestimate the power of CHICKEN. Especially their bones.. My hands smell like chicken the whole day.. -.-"
OH ya, we're still cutting mirepoix. Haha. Then the beef bones are ready. After putting them all into a pot, yes, big one, picage is added to it. Then deglaze the tray with lots of red wine and pour them in. We used up 2 bottles of red wine! Wow. We practically use the wine like water.. Since we can't let the brown stock simmer over the weekend, we wrap and keep it for Monday.
Then, a giant basket of onions appear... I bet it is more than 30. I won't be surprised if there's 50 of them.. Well, we, have to, peel them all. So exciting eh? However, I didn't do it. Instead, I was blanching almost similar amount of tomatoes. And peeling them and cutting them. This is so fun. -.-" So now, my hands not only smell of chicken, there's also tomatoes. Tomato chicken.
We also help the other group to do mise en place as we thought we were supposed to do them. Haha. With a blur sous chef like me, this is not surprising.. Hehe. The above summaries the mise en place for Monday. Simple? Try it yourself.
I almost forgot to mention, there's a demo on tortilla espagnola today. Its the french national cuisine. Made of mainly potatoes. Looks great and taste great too! Especially for a potato lover like me :) The best thing is, we're allowed to finish every single thing cause we're the only one there.. Hehe. Just a little unhealthy cause large amount of oil. However, the oil is olive oil. So.. Healthy or not, you judge ^^
The pre-operation day is already so hectic, despite the fact that we move quite slowly, its hard to imagine what will happen during operation.. Anway, I'm just in charge of stocks all these, so there's isn't really any time limit.. As long as I completed all the tasks the day before..
My parents are away for the weekend. This means, nobody cooking.. Unless I'm cooking.. Luckily, my sister went to buy dinner which give me a break from the kitchen.. We had burger for dinner.. I have no idea but the burger is cold, fries are soggy. So I fried the fries again to eat while watching ghost whisperer.. But then.. I fry them a little too long that they become too hard -.-" Had a hard time eating.. Or even biting.. Sigh.
This day is to prepare mise en place for Monday.. As usual, we gather outside the culinary theatre for our roll call.. After that, we're divided into our groups.. I'm in the production team!
The skills kitchen which is now known as production kitchen, will be the place I'll be spending the next 3 weeks in. I'm quite excited about what I'll be doing.. The moment we step into the production kitchen, we're being brief of what to do..
Just like the real working industry, there's roster. However, this is slightly different.. This one shows who is the sous chef for the day.. Guess what? Actually no need to guess.. Its quite obvious.. I'm the first one on the list. I'm in charge on every Monday when there'e tons of things to do than normal days.. Sigh.
And you know what? Chef say "let's pretend today is Monday, so the sous chef for Monday will be the sous chef for today too".. My reactions are "!!!!!" and "-.-" After that, she told us what to do for the day.. For my group, the whole week we'll be doing stocks, soups and sauces.. You think is fun? Easy? You'll see.. I'll show you how fun it is. -.-"
Today we just have to cut mirepoix and cook chicken and beef stock. Sound easy right? Are you sure? They might be simple tasks, but its not easy if you are doing production. Which means doing things in bulk. Chef first demo how to cut all the things in production mode then we start on our "simple" tasks.
1st, she gave us the chicken bones and beef bones for the stocks. Total chicken bones: 30 for 30litres of chicken stock. Total beef bones:20kg for 20litres of beef brown stock. The mirepoix, we have to cut 2 giant inserts. And this is just the beginning..
So we have to remove all the fats from the chicken so that the stock won't be too oily. I must say, I really enjoying poking myself with the bones and exercising my arms and fingers by pulling the fats. 30 chickens? Wow. After removing the fats, we divide them into 2 giant pots and fill the water up to near the brim and boil. Note: This is step one.
Next, take 2 giant inserts, put all the beef bones inside and place into the "mother" oven for 1 hour. This is considered half done. Or maybe not even half..
Then we cut the mirepoix for picage? I forgot how to spell it.. Anway, its mirepoix plus tomato paste and red wine. For 20litres of stock, the mirepoix is not what you can imagine. So different from what we experienced during the skills camp. This had to be saute in a huge pot cause those normal ones can't fit. Yeah, we really exercising our arms alot. Its so hard to stir cause its very heavy. My whole arm cramp after the whole thing.. And yes, this is still the beginning. Oh ya, those who will be in production later on, I can teach you the art of removing fats from the chickie and the art of saute-ing mirepoix. -.-"
While one person is saute-ing, the others are cutting mirepoix. Note: Now is only cutting mirepoix. Mirepoix is for roast chicken, stockS, and some other things.. Then we went to wash the chicken bones at the stewarding area to remove impurities and blood so that on Monday, the stock will not turn sour.
1st step: Wash the sink with detergent.
2nd step: Rinse, ensure no soap remains.
3rd step: Take out the chickens and put into the sink.
4th step: Tilt the pot against the sink to pour the water with the help of 2 strong people.
5th step: Rinse the pot. Put back to trolley.
6th step: Wsh the chicken bones. Put back into pot.
7th step: Bring back to stove, add 3/4 water or more. Boil then simmer.
8th step: Add mirepoix plus sachet.. and keep skimming..
Now that I've told you how to do it, it should be easier for your.. But never underestimate the power of CHICKEN. Especially their bones.. My hands smell like chicken the whole day.. -.-"
OH ya, we're still cutting mirepoix. Haha. Then the beef bones are ready. After putting them all into a pot, yes, big one, picage is added to it. Then deglaze the tray with lots of red wine and pour them in. We used up 2 bottles of red wine! Wow. We practically use the wine like water.. Since we can't let the brown stock simmer over the weekend, we wrap and keep it for Monday.
Then, a giant basket of onions appear... I bet it is more than 30. I won't be surprised if there's 50 of them.. Well, we, have to, peel them all. So exciting eh? However, I didn't do it. Instead, I was blanching almost similar amount of tomatoes. And peeling them and cutting them. This is so fun. -.-" So now, my hands not only smell of chicken, there's also tomatoes. Tomato chicken.
We also help the other group to do mise en place as we thought we were supposed to do them. Haha. With a blur sous chef like me, this is not surprising.. Hehe. The above summaries the mise en place for Monday. Simple? Try it yourself.
I almost forgot to mention, there's a demo on tortilla espagnola today. Its the french national cuisine. Made of mainly potatoes. Looks great and taste great too! Especially for a potato lover like me :) The best thing is, we're allowed to finish every single thing cause we're the only one there.. Hehe. Just a little unhealthy cause large amount of oil. However, the oil is olive oil. So.. Healthy or not, you judge ^^
The pre-operation day is already so hectic, despite the fact that we move quite slowly, its hard to imagine what will happen during operation.. Anway, I'm just in charge of stocks all these, so there's isn't really any time limit.. As long as I completed all the tasks the day before..
My parents are away for the weekend. This means, nobody cooking.. Unless I'm cooking.. Luckily, my sister went to buy dinner which give me a break from the kitchen.. We had burger for dinner.. I have no idea but the burger is cold, fries are soggy. So I fried the fries again to eat while watching ghost whisperer.. But then.. I fry them a little too long that they become too hard -.-" Had a hard time eating.. Or even biting.. Sigh.
lalalas~
I'm so happy that my parents are back :):) Today, I can say I really try my best.. But since, it still continues, I'm not going to care anymore. No one can make me unhappy unless I allow them to. So sorry but your little plan is not going to work. I won't be affected by you anymore.
As for the updates on school.. You'll know later (o.<)
Although forgetting is not the best option, sometimes it is the best solution.
As for the updates on school.. You'll know later (o.<)
Although forgetting is not the best option, sometimes it is the best solution.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
will be updating soon
I'm still not in a very good mood to blog.. Sigh..
I just realised.. Forgetting someone, the things he or she did and the things you've done with him or her is so hard to do.. After so long, I still can't forget.. What a waste.. All the time gone to waste..
Crap. I think I'm emo-ing again... :( Sobs.
From now on, I think I'll just be like the 3 monkeys.. See no evil, hear no evil and say no evil. Don't talk, don't see, don't hear. If I can't help myself, no one else could..
I thought at least I still have you.. But I was wrong.. I only have myself.
I just realised.. Forgetting someone, the things he or she did and the things you've done with him or her is so hard to do.. After so long, I still can't forget.. What a waste.. All the time gone to waste..
Crap. I think I'm emo-ing again... :( Sobs.
From now on, I think I'll just be like the 3 monkeys.. See no evil, hear no evil and say no evil. Don't talk, don't see, don't hear. If I can't help myself, no one else could..
I thought at least I still have you.. But I was wrong.. I only have myself.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Day 17
Kitchen orientation plus lecture on garde manger.
Today is really a bad day. I'm in such the bad mood. I can only say my patience has exceeded its capacity and I had enough after 1 month.
Start the orientation by visiting the garde manger outlet, then the butchery, lunch, baking and pastry then the asian kitchen, lastly the top table.
Nothing much during the orientation.. Just some talks and stress from the chefs.. However, at the baking and pastry segment, we prepared some cookies. Slice the cookies from the mixture.. The dough was very hard as it was frozen. When its hard, you had to exert a lot of strength.. But when its soft, it become difficult to cut as it is sticky. We were also taught of how to turn the tray around. I tried and thought I was successful, then I burn my arm on the side of the oven.. And I dropped a cookie because of that.. Sigh.
There's this funny thing.. I tripped inside the kitchen at the same spot continously 3 times.. I think I tripped on someone boots, then I keep falling.. Can't get my balance.. So embarrassing.. I even almost fall onto the chef.. -.-"
Today is really not a good day. Start badly, end badly. So much to do, under so much pressure, so much to think. TIME IS LIMITED. VERY LIMITED.
Today is really a bad day. I'm in such the bad mood. I can only say my patience has exceeded its capacity and I had enough after 1 month.
Start the orientation by visiting the garde manger outlet, then the butchery, lunch, baking and pastry then the asian kitchen, lastly the top table.
Nothing much during the orientation.. Just some talks and stress from the chefs.. However, at the baking and pastry segment, we prepared some cookies. Slice the cookies from the mixture.. The dough was very hard as it was frozen. When its hard, you had to exert a lot of strength.. But when its soft, it become difficult to cut as it is sticky. We were also taught of how to turn the tray around. I tried and thought I was successful, then I burn my arm on the side of the oven.. And I dropped a cookie because of that.. Sigh.
There's this funny thing.. I tripped inside the kitchen at the same spot continously 3 times.. I think I tripped on someone boots, then I keep falling.. Can't get my balance.. So embarrassing.. I even almost fall onto the chef.. -.-"
Today is really not a good day. Start badly, end badly. So much to do, under so much pressure, so much to think. TIME IS LIMITED. VERY LIMITED.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
sad
I'm feeling and acting weird lately.. I don't know why..
So tired..
Understanding me is difficult..
Cause I don't even understand myself.. Sigh..
我想我会一直孤单
这一辈子都这么孤单
我想我会一直孤单
这样孤单一辈子
天空越蔚蓝
越怕抬头看
电影越圆满
就越觉得伤感
有越多的时间
就越觉得不安
因为我总是孤单
过着孤单的日子
喜欢的人不出现
出现的人不喜欢
有的爱犹豫不决
还在想他就离开
想过要将就一点
却发现将就更难
于是我学着乐观
过着孤单的日子
当孤单已经变成一种习惯
习惯到我已经不再去想该怎么办
就算心烦意乱
就算没有人作伴
自由和落寞之间怎么换算
我独自走在街上看着天空找不到答案
我没有答案
当孤单已经变成一种习惯
习惯到我已经不再去想该怎么办
就算心烦意乱
就算没有人作伴
自由和落寞之间怎么换算
我独自走在街上看着天空找不到答案
我没有答案
天空已蔚蓝
我会抬头看
电影越圆满
就越珍惜伤感
有越多的时间
就越习惯不安
因为我总会孤单
过着孤单的日子
我想我会一直孤单
So tired..
Understanding me is difficult..
Cause I don't even understand myself.. Sigh..
我想我会一直孤单
这一辈子都这么孤单
我想我会一直孤单
这样孤单一辈子
天空越蔚蓝
越怕抬头看
电影越圆满
就越觉得伤感
有越多的时间
就越觉得不安
因为我总是孤单
过着孤单的日子
喜欢的人不出现
出现的人不喜欢
有的爱犹豫不决
还在想他就离开
想过要将就一点
却发现将就更难
于是我学着乐观
过着孤单的日子
当孤单已经变成一种习惯
习惯到我已经不再去想该怎么办
就算心烦意乱
就算没有人作伴
自由和落寞之间怎么换算
我独自走在街上看着天空找不到答案
我没有答案
当孤单已经变成一种习惯
习惯到我已经不再去想该怎么办
就算心烦意乱
就算没有人作伴
自由和落寞之间怎么换算
我独自走在街上看着天空找不到答案
我没有答案
天空已蔚蓝
我会抬头看
电影越圆满
就越珍惜伤感
有越多的时间
就越习惯不安
因为我总会孤单
过着孤单的日子
我想我会一直孤单
Day 16
BAKING AND PASTRY TODAY!!!!!!!!
It started out with power point presentation of attractive pastries and CHOCOLATE!
Then we move on to the introduction lecture.. Which involves chemistry, one of my worst subject in secondary school.. We had a short break after that..
Next in the schedule, plate dessert. We learnt all about the plate dessert. Chef demostrate how to make cream anglaise, crepe with green apple and apple chip with caramel sauce and cinnamon ice cream and sugar hazel nut. There's also apple wine in it! I thought we will only be able to take a bite to taste, just like what we did the last 3 weeks.. To my surprise, they gave us a portion each! Talk about about production.. Anyway, the combination of all those apples ingredients, the taste is so perfect. I'm addicted to it. In fact, everyone couldn't get enough of it! After eating the crepe, lunch doesn't seem that appealing anymore...
Right after lunch.. Guess what? We had a delicious lecture on chocolate :) We learnt about how the cocoa beans are harvested, the process of making chocolate and the types of chocolates ^^ We can't wait for the lecture to end.. Cause after that, is the demo for chocolate making! This means we'll have chocolate to eat!
Placed on the table were 5 small containers. Each of us get to smell and taste how different types of chocolate taste like.. 1st one: White chocolate. 2nd: Milk. 3rd: dark. 4th: cocoa mass (unsweetened cocoa, used to make chocolate) 5th: compound chocolate (cheapest, does not uses cocoa butter). I like dark chocolate the most :)))
1st, chef shows us how to crystallise the chocolate (agitate it). Then how to mould it.. And fill it up with more chocolate! We also get the chance to try 3 different type of chocolate container.. (I forgot its name) They are produced by the most experienced chocolatier.. Its a egg-like chocolate with a hole on top, which enables you to fill it up fillings and later close the hole with chocolate.
The chocolate making process is looks simple yet complicated to explain.. I took home some of my chocolate for my mum.. And of course, I took a picture of them. Not all of them cause most are already eaten in school :P The ones that chefs made for us, some are filled with alcohol. The flavour is strong and lasting. After today's class, I'm stucked. I can't decide what I wanna do anymore.. Western/Asian, Ice cream, pastry or chocolate? Which path should I take? All are so fun and exciting.. Oh my..
Before I end, here's a picture of the chocolates! You can see but you can't eat! So sad.. WAHAHAHA! XD
It started out with power point presentation of attractive pastries and CHOCOLATE!
Then we move on to the introduction lecture.. Which involves chemistry, one of my worst subject in secondary school.. We had a short break after that..
Next in the schedule, plate dessert. We learnt all about the plate dessert. Chef demostrate how to make cream anglaise, crepe with green apple and apple chip with caramel sauce and cinnamon ice cream and sugar hazel nut. There's also apple wine in it! I thought we will only be able to take a bite to taste, just like what we did the last 3 weeks.. To my surprise, they gave us a portion each! Talk about about production.. Anyway, the combination of all those apples ingredients, the taste is so perfect. I'm addicted to it. In fact, everyone couldn't get enough of it! After eating the crepe, lunch doesn't seem that appealing anymore...
Right after lunch.. Guess what? We had a delicious lecture on chocolate :) We learnt about how the cocoa beans are harvested, the process of making chocolate and the types of chocolates ^^ We can't wait for the lecture to end.. Cause after that, is the demo for chocolate making! This means we'll have chocolate to eat!
Placed on the table were 5 small containers. Each of us get to smell and taste how different types of chocolate taste like.. 1st one: White chocolate. 2nd: Milk. 3rd: dark. 4th: cocoa mass (unsweetened cocoa, used to make chocolate) 5th: compound chocolate (cheapest, does not uses cocoa butter). I like dark chocolate the most :)))
1st, chef shows us how to crystallise the chocolate (agitate it). Then how to mould it.. And fill it up with more chocolate! We also get the chance to try 3 different type of chocolate container.. (I forgot its name) They are produced by the most experienced chocolatier.. Its a egg-like chocolate with a hole on top, which enables you to fill it up fillings and later close the hole with chocolate.
The chocolate making process is looks simple yet complicated to explain.. I took home some of my chocolate for my mum.. And of course, I took a picture of them. Not all of them cause most are already eaten in school :P The ones that chefs made for us, some are filled with alcohol. The flavour is strong and lasting. After today's class, I'm stucked. I can't decide what I wanna do anymore.. Western/Asian, Ice cream, pastry or chocolate? Which path should I take? All are so fun and exciting.. Oh my..
Before I end, here's a picture of the chocolates! You can see but you can't eat! So sad.. WAHAHAHA! XD
Day 16
Despite the fact that I ended school early and reached home early, I was lazy to blog.. Haha. Plus I had so much problem which the microsoft office that don't works.. Sigh.
That's nothing much to say about day 15.. We had lecture the whole day about western cuisine.. And fabrication of meat and fish..
It started with the fabrication lecture whereby the chef demonstrate how to skin a tuna and cut it, follow by the chicken. After the fish and chicken are skinned and cut, they're were cooked :) And we "tasted" them.. Hehe.
The western lecture after lunch was very loooong.. Chef knew that we're all very tired.. So he kept giving us breaks to rest.. He even off the light so that we can sleep.. So nice of him! What is that word for sleeping after lunch? Siesta?
I realised that every time I sit at the front row, I will end up falling asleep.. However, its I'm at the back row, I'm very energetic and able to see everything.. Next time I must fight for the back row at the center.. Haha..
That's nothing much to say about day 15.. We had lecture the whole day about western cuisine.. And fabrication of meat and fish..
It started with the fabrication lecture whereby the chef demonstrate how to skin a tuna and cut it, follow by the chicken. After the fish and chicken are skinned and cut, they're were cooked :) And we "tasted" them.. Hehe.
The western lecture after lunch was very loooong.. Chef knew that we're all very tired.. So he kept giving us breaks to rest.. He even off the light so that we can sleep.. So nice of him! What is that word for sleeping after lunch? Siesta?
I realised that every time I sit at the front row, I will end up falling asleep.. However, its I'm at the back row, I'm very energetic and able to see everything.. Next time I must fight for the back row at the center.. Haha..
Monday, May 11, 2009
Day 15
Today is one of those days where I really wanna study.. Woke up feeling tired, cause i got a shock thats why I woke up.. Today's whole day is lecture.. About Asian cuisine.. The chef who lectured us was very entertaining.. Which is the most possible reason for me not falling asleep despite my tiredness.. In fact, I felt very energetic and was paying full attention throughout the whole lecture.. And the tutorial after school.. I'm such a hardworking student.. HAHA!
However, the class today was different from the past 3 weeks.. Many people are absent from school.. And the class is surprisingly noisy. Hello~ We're lucky enough to have a chef like him teaching us, if your don't want to pay attention, people like me wants to. Besides, those things that he said, will come out in test. Count me out if your intend to fail. -.-" This also shows me something.. I didn't concentrate enough to block out all the disruption. Sigh. But at least I copied now most of the things he said and on the slides, so I still gain :B
Anyway, back to the lecture. We learnt about Asian cuisine today.. China, the "mother cuisine", Vietnam & Thailand for seasoning and balancing taste, Japan for the konbu and umami, India for her spices. The way the lecture goes, its fun and yet educational.. We learnt the "stir fry dance" and watch the chef demo a stir fry dish.. It was delicious! UMAMI! Haha. The sauce is really addictive.. The chicken is very tender, so does the onions. I'm not sure how to describe the taste, but its great! Its hard to forget the taste, once you tried this, others is not so satisfying. Haha.
Then the lecture continues to Japan with its konbu (seaweed) and umami (deliciousness), we learnt how to prepare a dashi (Japanese stock) which is pretty simple.. It taste of konbu? Haha.. We also tried bonito flakes which is dried sliced tuna.. It is also one of the ingredient for making a dashi, the backbone of Japanese cuisine :)
After a short break and some lecture on Thailand and Vietnam cuisine, we tried to balance our fish sauce using sugar, lime juice, garlic and chili. Believe it, the process is not what you can imagine.. First, we dump all the garlic and chili into the fish sauce. Taste: Salty and spicy. Then we add 1/2 tsp of sugar. And we were told to taste. Sweetness? NO WAY! It tasted more salty but less spicy. It turned out that the more sugar we add, the more salty it become. How to balance? Then we add lime juice. Saltier, less spicy and a little sour. Still no sweetness.. We were told to adjust the taste using lime juice and sugar till we get the taste that we want.. (Which is very long later)
We went to visit India next. We've identify some spices and the chef prepared a standard Garam Masala for us to taste. It was spicy and hot. But not to the extend that you will breathe out fire.. Haha. After "visiting" the Asian countries, we'll be "going" to the western countries tomorrow.. And we'll also be learning about fabrication. Looks like there are more food to be eaten! YEAH~
Well, as today's lesson plan is only the lecture, we ended quite early.. 1 plus close to 2pm.. We thought of pushing the tutorial at 5pm forward but we couldn't reach our tutor.. So we went to the computer lab to play the game for basic entrepreneurship. The only challenge that I see is looking for a computer in the lab.
The game is not challenging enough, the story is quite meaningless. Wait, is there even a story? I think is just selling the product you chose.. You really just sit there and click buttons. And you can actually don't do anything at all just skip the whole day. You'll still earn money that way.. As long as you have enough supplies.. How fun can that be? We have to complete at least 30days.. I've reached day 56 in 1hr plus? Oh, I sell ice cream by the way.. Haha. Its expected from me :) Compare to all those time management games that I played, this don't really seems like a game to me.. They should improve on the game play.. And the graphics.. Its like you don't see anything besides numbers, a computer, calculator, fax machines, clock, ice cream, table, graphs and some shadows with words who is your customers. -.-" Luckily, I've already completed more than what is required. This means that I no longer have to touch that "game" again. YEAH~
You've come to the end of day 15. I'm going to complete my report for basic entre now.. :)
PS: People you have to submit your menu for commis chef challenge in 14days time. WAHAHAHA~ 9 different recipes, no repetition of ingredients!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
:(
I'm back without the ingredients required. Which means I can't bake or cook anything today. SAD. But I bought quite alot of food to fulfill my wants for eating.. Haha.. Spent quite alot today plus I bought $30+ worth of present for my mum.. She's worth every penny.. :)
In any case, tomorrow my lunch will be mocha pound cake plus passionfruit and mango bar! I tried the soyjoy bar today, I prefer uncle toby.. And I just found out that soyjoy is a diet bar which obviously I don't need. I need to be fatter not thinner.. Haha.
After the skills test, now I feel so relax.. Its really fun cooking and not to mention eating :) Mixing around with those other people in my course which most I never seen before.. It was great to know more people.. I'm really glad that I made this course my first choice and get into it.. SO LUCKY! And so much fun! What we going through now is so different from year 1.. More fun and excitement XD
The menu for the top table is out! We'll be open for business on MAY 18! I wonder which kitchen I'll be posted to first.. ^^
In any case, tomorrow my lunch will be mocha pound cake plus passionfruit and mango bar! I tried the soyjoy bar today, I prefer uncle toby.. And I just found out that soyjoy is a diet bar which obviously I don't need. I need to be fatter not thinner.. Haha.
After the skills test, now I feel so relax.. Its really fun cooking and not to mention eating :) Mixing around with those other people in my course which most I never seen before.. It was great to know more people.. I'm really glad that I made this course my first choice and get into it.. SO LUCKY! And so much fun! What we going through now is so different from year 1.. More fun and excitement XD
The menu for the top table is out! We'll be open for business on MAY 18! I wonder which kitchen I'll be posted to first.. ^^
lack of ingredients :(
After looking through the baking and pastry book, I found out that there's alot of unknown ingredients in each recipe.. Even if I know what are they, I can't find it! So I think I can't bake today.. However, I can make sweets if I managed to find all ingredients :) No sure if will work though.. Hopefully it will!
Here's the recipe for those who are interested :D
Here's the recipe for those who are interested :D
Hard candies
Ingredients:
300ml water
765g sugar
156g glucose syrup
1g cream of tartar
colouring as desired
flavouring as desired
Yield:
120 pieces
Methods:
1. Lightly oil 1cm frame (20 by 30cm)
2. Combine the water and sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir in glucose syrup and cream of tartar and, if using, add powdered or liquid colouring as desired. Return syrup to a boil.
3. Continue to cook, without stirring, occassionally washing down the sides of the pan using a wet pastry brush, until the mixture reaches 145 degrees celsius.
4. Immediately pour into the prepared frame. Allow to cool for 3mins, then add paste colouring, if using, and the desired flavouring and fold into the sugar.
5. While still hot and pliable, pull out and twist the sugar until satiny in appearance (twisting multiple colours is also possible). Snip into small candies with sharp scissors. Allow to cool.
6. Store in an airtight container.
Note: Add the flavouring according to the manufacturer's instructions.
* This recipe can be found in CIA baking & pastry pg 736. For more recipes, either purchase the book or borrow from library.. Hehe. *
I'm not trying to promote anything, I just feel that this book is great for those who are interested in going into the pastry line.. Cause besides recipes, there's also how to identify ingredients, equipments and more.. School library should have at least 1 copy.. Please don't ask me to bring to school.. My bag is heavy enough.. Haha..
may 9
1st thing.
Woke up at 11.30am today.. Ate a bread and start packing stuff.. My room is going to be renovated! Which means I'll get a totally brand new furnitures :) Like a bigger wardrobe more cupboards and stuff :) YEAH! However, the packing is really a hard work.. -.-"
I cleaned up my wardrobe by keeping those clothes that I think I won't be wearing recently.. And packed my CDs. This took a few hours.. Maybe cause in between I slack a little, eat lunch and play games.. Haha..
Thats my agenda for the whole afternoon.. Then I played wandering willows which takes up half the night. So fun! I watch over the hedge at channel 5 for 1hr then I changed to together :) Last episode! It was a interesting show.. Ending kinda funny though.. But at least its a happy ending..
The show ended at 11pm then I went to take a shower. It was then I realised my cupboard collasped. -.-" After so many it faithfully accompany me through my childhood.. It died.. Sigh. But its okay. Cause I'm getting a new one soon! Haha. For the time being, I shall endure.
Tomorrow, which is now, I'm going to shop! To get a present for my mum, and buy ingredients for my attempt to bake and hopefully, a new bag! If I'm successful in baking something nice, some of you will get to try it if I've have enough.. Its my lunch for Monday so don't snatch kay.. Haha.. Qh, if you're reading this, don't pout cause I'll save for you some to share with the rest if I have enough.. :P If not, next time you will get it..
I realised I've been eating quite little for the past few weeks.. Approximately 1 meal a day. Soon I'll really become skeleton. Oh my. Breakfast, I don't have the practice to eat. Lunch, you know, not nice so usually just some finger food. Food that I cook can't eat. So everyday proper meal is only dinner. The pastries that I make tomorrow, or rather today, must be successful so that I can eat more and be fatter! :)
PS For those who wanna eat, wish me luck!
Happy birthday LMH! My bff :) Haha...
Woke up at 11.30am today.. Ate a bread and start packing stuff.. My room is going to be renovated! Which means I'll get a totally brand new furnitures :) Like a bigger wardrobe more cupboards and stuff :) YEAH! However, the packing is really a hard work.. -.-"
I cleaned up my wardrobe by keeping those clothes that I think I won't be wearing recently.. And packed my CDs. This took a few hours.. Maybe cause in between I slack a little, eat lunch and play games.. Haha..
Thats my agenda for the whole afternoon.. Then I played wandering willows which takes up half the night. So fun! I watch over the hedge at channel 5 for 1hr then I changed to together :) Last episode! It was a interesting show.. Ending kinda funny though.. But at least its a happy ending..
The show ended at 11pm then I went to take a shower. It was then I realised my cupboard collasped. -.-" After so many it faithfully accompany me through my childhood.. It died.. Sigh. But its okay. Cause I'm getting a new one soon! Haha. For the time being, I shall endure.
Tomorrow, which is now, I'm going to shop! To get a present for my mum, and buy ingredients for my attempt to bake and hopefully, a new bag! If I'm successful in baking something nice, some of you will get to try it if I've have enough.. Its my lunch for Monday so don't snatch kay.. Haha.. Qh, if you're reading this, don't pout cause I'll save for you some to share with the rest if I have enough.. :P If not, next time you will get it..
I realised I've been eating quite little for the past few weeks.. Approximately 1 meal a day. Soon I'll really become skeleton. Oh my. Breakfast, I don't have the practice to eat. Lunch, you know, not nice so usually just some finger food. Food that I cook can't eat. So everyday proper meal is only dinner. The pastries that I make tomorrow, or rather today, must be successful so that I can eat more and be fatter! :)
PS For those who wanna eat, wish me luck!
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Day 14
8.15 am Woke up. Feeling quite refresh.. Drink some cereal then I work on my game plan again..
9++ am Practice cutting carrot and onions, get ready for school
10++ am leave school.. Took taxi cause raining and is lazy :P
11am reach school, changed
11++ am tally ingredients list and went to kitchen, know that my dish is roasted chicken
12++ pm waiting cause previous group delay..
12.20 pm went in, set up station
12.25pm start knife skills
1.00pm present 5555578
1++pm start preparing chicken, saw chef took quite a lot picture of me doing the chicken. I think I will be embarrassed on the big screen next week..
After that I couldn't keep track of the time what I'm doing what.. I didn't follow my game plan.. Haha.. Anyway, was quite organised.. In a way.. This is what I did.. I collect ingredients, wash chicken, season it, stuff the thyme and rose mary inside its body, truss and oil. Put mirepoix under the rack under the chicken and put inside the preheated oven at 200 degrees celsius for 40mins.
Then I boil the potatoes for the whipped potatoes. Prepare mirepoix for cream of carrot. Cook the mirepoix, add all ingredients, leave it on the stove. Cut broccoli nicely, set it aside. Prepare mise en place for glazed carrots. Drain the water of potatoes. Heat the milk & cream. Mash and season. Boil water. Wrap the potatoes and put on the boiling water. Season soup, heat cream. Blend soup. Add cream, season again, garnish with chopped parsley, served. (Remarks: Too thick, more like puree of potato then cream.. -.-")
Check on chicken. Take out, rest. Make pan gravy. Glazed the carrot. Put broccoli to steam. Strain gravy. Crave chicken.. Plate. Canal potatoes, glazed carrot, steamed broccoli, half chicken breast with thigh and drum. Gravy around chicken, served. (Appearance: good, taste [veg: good] [chicken: a little overcooked], temperature: can be hotter) Chef said I should have a craving lesson with him someday.. And asked if I don't like him anymore cause the food is turning cold. SOBS. Of course I like him, he's so nice.. Haha..
After that is the cleaning up. Whole place is in a mess. Seriously. Lucky my buddy for the day finished earlier than me, so she already start washing up. As she's very organised (which is a good thing), she told me what to do. So I wipe the plates and equipment dry and wash the oven. The way we do things, is so different from what I did in the past. So fast that everything is disappearing and soon the whole station is clean and we're free to go..
As yy is at the next station, so I went to help her a little.. I've completed the be nice to her task.. Haha.. Anyway, without helping her to clean I also nice to her so ya.. Haha. I helped her clean the oven and some others cause she's already finishing.. Then we went to change.. While walking out of the kitchen, we were laughing so loudly that we didn't realised a teacher was in front of us.. Luckily everybody is in a good mood today..
In the locker room, while sitting down to pack my stuff, my back bang onto the locker. Extremely pain. SOBS. Then I wait for mj for more than half an hour.. -.-" Cause she's one of the last so have to wait for the oven to stop. I went to the window and talk to her using sign language. During the whole time, the rest of the people who are inside the kitchen which includes the chefs, were laughing like mad. This is so embarrassing. While waiting, we saw chef R in t shirt and shorts went to the reservoir to jog? And chef K pushing his bicycle out.. Which reminds us of Hq.. Haha..
I transferred to 28 in order to get home earlier.. BUT I waited for that bus for more than 15mins. During the journey, the bus is moving very slow. So slow that the next 28 went past it. No wonder I waited for it so long. Its bad enough for them to charge the poly students expensive fares due to the perception that poly students are rich. Which is not. They should at least make our travel a pleasant one so that it won't be that bad and they won't get fined for providing low quality service. -.-" Restaurant have mystery diner, bus should have mystery passenger too. To prevent unpleasant journey on the bus and unhappy passenger like me.
Spoil my mood for the whole day. As I've told my mum that the test end 3plus. Supposedly. Thus, when I get home close to 7pm, she was fuming. -.-" Sigh. And because of that, after school, I can't wait anymore. I've to go back first if you're not ready yet.. Sorry girls. She's really mad at me..
At night, watched ghost whisperer. Extremely nice. Cheers me up a little.. Then I forgot what I did.. Either play computer awhile more or I went directly to bed (which is less likely) Haha...
9++ am Practice cutting carrot and onions, get ready for school
10++ am leave school.. Took taxi cause raining and is lazy :P
11am reach school, changed
11++ am tally ingredients list and went to kitchen, know that my dish is roasted chicken
12++ pm waiting cause previous group delay..
12.20 pm went in, set up station
12.25pm start knife skills
1.00pm present 5555578
1++pm start preparing chicken, saw chef took quite a lot picture of me doing the chicken. I think I will be embarrassed on the big screen next week..
After that I couldn't keep track of the time what I'm doing what.. I didn't follow my game plan.. Haha.. Anyway, was quite organised.. In a way.. This is what I did.. I collect ingredients, wash chicken, season it, stuff the thyme and rose mary inside its body, truss and oil. Put mirepoix under the rack under the chicken and put inside the preheated oven at 200 degrees celsius for 40mins.
Then I boil the potatoes for the whipped potatoes. Prepare mirepoix for cream of carrot. Cook the mirepoix, add all ingredients, leave it on the stove. Cut broccoli nicely, set it aside. Prepare mise en place for glazed carrots. Drain the water of potatoes. Heat the milk & cream. Mash and season. Boil water. Wrap the potatoes and put on the boiling water. Season soup, heat cream. Blend soup. Add cream, season again, garnish with chopped parsley, served. (Remarks: Too thick, more like puree of potato then cream.. -.-")
Check on chicken. Take out, rest. Make pan gravy. Glazed the carrot. Put broccoli to steam. Strain gravy. Crave chicken.. Plate. Canal potatoes, glazed carrot, steamed broccoli, half chicken breast with thigh and drum. Gravy around chicken, served. (Appearance: good, taste [veg: good] [chicken: a little overcooked], temperature: can be hotter) Chef said I should have a craving lesson with him someday.. And asked if I don't like him anymore cause the food is turning cold. SOBS. Of course I like him, he's so nice.. Haha..
After that is the cleaning up. Whole place is in a mess. Seriously. Lucky my buddy for the day finished earlier than me, so she already start washing up. As she's very organised (which is a good thing), she told me what to do. So I wipe the plates and equipment dry and wash the oven. The way we do things, is so different from what I did in the past. So fast that everything is disappearing and soon the whole station is clean and we're free to go..
As yy is at the next station, so I went to help her a little.. I've completed the be nice to her task.. Haha.. Anyway, without helping her to clean I also nice to her so ya.. Haha. I helped her clean the oven and some others cause she's already finishing.. Then we went to change.. While walking out of the kitchen, we were laughing so loudly that we didn't realised a teacher was in front of us.. Luckily everybody is in a good mood today..
In the locker room, while sitting down to pack my stuff, my back bang onto the locker. Extremely pain. SOBS. Then I wait for mj for more than half an hour.. -.-" Cause she's one of the last so have to wait for the oven to stop. I went to the window and talk to her using sign language. During the whole time, the rest of the people who are inside the kitchen which includes the chefs, were laughing like mad. This is so embarrassing. While waiting, we saw chef R in t shirt and shorts went to the reservoir to jog? And chef K pushing his bicycle out.. Which reminds us of Hq.. Haha..
I transferred to 28 in order to get home earlier.. BUT I waited for that bus for more than 15mins. During the journey, the bus is moving very slow. So slow that the next 28 went past it. No wonder I waited for it so long. Its bad enough for them to charge the poly students expensive fares due to the perception that poly students are rich. Which is not. They should at least make our travel a pleasant one so that it won't be that bad and they won't get fined for providing low quality service. -.-" Restaurant have mystery diner, bus should have mystery passenger too. To prevent unpleasant journey on the bus and unhappy passenger like me.
Spoil my mood for the whole day. As I've told my mum that the test end 3plus. Supposedly. Thus, when I get home close to 7pm, she was fuming. -.-" Sigh. And because of that, after school, I can't wait anymore. I've to go back first if you're not ready yet.. Sorry girls. She's really mad at me..
At night, watched ghost whisperer. Extremely nice. Cheers me up a little.. Then I forgot what I did.. Either play computer awhile more or I went directly to bed (which is less likely) Haha...
Day 13
Here I am again, recapping.. Haha.. Quite lazy on Thursday to blog.. Too busy worrying myself over the skills test..
I realised I used alot of so and but in my posts.. Haha.. Anyway.. The following is what we have prepared on day 13. Poached salmon with bearnaise sauce, served with boiled parsley potatoes, boiled beans and steamed broccoli.
This dish is very important because it will be tested on skills test the next day.. Everybody paid attention to how it is being prepared during the demo.. The first thing to do when step into the kitchen.. As usual, wash your hands, set up the station and be brief by the chef in charge..
After that, collect ingredients and prepare mise en place.. Start by making the court bouillon which is used to poach the salmon. In order for the salmon to be cooked perfectly the temperature of the liquid must be 60 degrees celsius. Once you are able to control the temperature, the time is not a problem.. My thermometer almost spoilt due to the constantly checking of temperature.. Only until the end of the session then I know, never put the thermometer in a pot that is on the induced stove as the magnetic force will spoil it.. -.-"
Another difficulty is the bearnaise sauce. It involved from hollandnaise sauce which I failed terribly the time I made it.. Luckily, I understand what went wrong, the temperature.. So this time round, I've succeeded in making the sauce in first attempt! YEAH~
The others not very difficult.. I also realised that my time management is very bad.. I was late again.. Almost. 20 more seconds to the closing.. So I rushed. Without waiting for my potatoes to be cooked completely, I served it.. And I got 0 for that. Sad. Others was quite alright so kind of depressing.. My 2nd 0 and I'm absolutely not proud of it. :(
The knife skills session after lunch went fairly well.. Completed within the time given.. Still not very nice.. Rectangles.. Only some of them are perfect square.. Anyway.. I improved.. By a little bit.. Better than nothing.. Haha..
Then we went to change and went for the apel class. Apel class is really like the cme lesson in secondary school.. -.-" The topic for the week was relationship. The task given by the tutor to be completed by next lesson is: do something positive for the person you picked. And that lucky person is none other than the girl sitting next to me. YY! Haha..
The quote I picked was not easy to understand:
Interesting quote isn't it? That sums up the whole day in school.. After I reached home, it the same old routine. Eat, watch tv, bathe.. Then I did something different.. I picked a carrot and practice.. One word, ugly. -.-" Then I made my game plan for the test and went to bed at around 12plus.. Finally I can sleep late without worrying about getting up late :D Cause my shift start around 12 plus so I don't need to reach school that early :)
This is the end of day 13.. Friday, day 14, last day of skills camp week 3, skills test waiting..
I realised I used alot of so and but in my posts.. Haha.. Anyway.. The following is what we have prepared on day 13. Poached salmon with bearnaise sauce, served with boiled parsley potatoes, boiled beans and steamed broccoli.
This dish is very important because it will be tested on skills test the next day.. Everybody paid attention to how it is being prepared during the demo.. The first thing to do when step into the kitchen.. As usual, wash your hands, set up the station and be brief by the chef in charge..
After that, collect ingredients and prepare mise en place.. Start by making the court bouillon which is used to poach the salmon. In order for the salmon to be cooked perfectly the temperature of the liquid must be 60 degrees celsius. Once you are able to control the temperature, the time is not a problem.. My thermometer almost spoilt due to the constantly checking of temperature.. Only until the end of the session then I know, never put the thermometer in a pot that is on the induced stove as the magnetic force will spoil it.. -.-"
Another difficulty is the bearnaise sauce. It involved from hollandnaise sauce which I failed terribly the time I made it.. Luckily, I understand what went wrong, the temperature.. So this time round, I've succeeded in making the sauce in first attempt! YEAH~
The others not very difficult.. I also realised that my time management is very bad.. I was late again.. Almost. 20 more seconds to the closing.. So I rushed. Without waiting for my potatoes to be cooked completely, I served it.. And I got 0 for that. Sad. Others was quite alright so kind of depressing.. My 2nd 0 and I'm absolutely not proud of it. :(
The knife skills session after lunch went fairly well.. Completed within the time given.. Still not very nice.. Rectangles.. Only some of them are perfect square.. Anyway.. I improved.. By a little bit.. Better than nothing.. Haha..
Then we went to change and went for the apel class. Apel class is really like the cme lesson in secondary school.. -.-" The topic for the week was relationship. The task given by the tutor to be completed by next lesson is: do something positive for the person you picked. And that lucky person is none other than the girl sitting next to me. YY! Haha..
The quote I picked was not easy to understand:
"Everything that I understand, I understand only because I love"
Interesting quote isn't it? That sums up the whole day in school.. After I reached home, it the same old routine. Eat, watch tv, bathe.. Then I did something different.. I picked a carrot and practice.. One word, ugly. -.-" Then I made my game plan for the test and went to bed at around 12plus.. Finally I can sleep late without worrying about getting up late :D Cause my shift start around 12 plus so I don't need to reach school that early :)
This is the end of day 13.. Friday, day 14, last day of skills camp week 3, skills test waiting..
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Day 12
Day 12, finally my luck is changing. It was a almost perfect day.. After so many days of unluckiness.
Woke up at 3.44 am for no reason. Went back to sleep. Wake up again at 4 plus then 5 plus.. I don't know why.. Only after I get up to get ready then I realised it is raining very heavily.. Thunder and lightning filled the sky.. Curtains flying around, doors slamming and wind chimes ringing like mad, wind is so strong that you can hear it blowing.. This shows how heavy the rain is.
I get ready as usual and went out even earlier as I think there will be jam. So I carry all those stuff plus the umbrella.. Luckily, by the time I went out, the rain lighten.. I thought of taking taxi to school but they either busy or refuse to stop.. -.-" Anyway 59 came at the usual timing, in fact 2mins earlier so I board it.. Transfer and reach school around 7.15am.. So far so good..
Back at the theatre watching demo.. Eyes keep closing.. Due to that "good" night sleep, I'm extremely tired.. I pinch myself to stay awake, until my arms red.. -.-" Demo recently cast a sleeping spell on me.. Thank goodness the dishes today are not that complicated..
The cooking process went quite smoothly.. Pork cutlet with coleslaw and charditiere sauce, saute Dory a'la meunie're which later became my lunch (^.^) All 9s and 10s.. Best score so far.. Yeah~! However, we still got deducted 9marks for being late.. And my 10marks that fly away yesterday.. (This reminds me that I forgot to ask chef about my mayo grade.. -.-")
Right after lunch is knife skills which went smoothly too.. 40mins to complete batonnet, julienne, tomato concasse, diced onions, sliced onions, minced garlic, chopped parsley. First time I completed them with minutes to spare.. Everything quite nice except.. Batonnet which is overweight. Yeah, fat. -.-" I wonder how I cut.. Tomorrow will be a even better day! Last day to practice before the skills test on Friday, have to make good use of it. Since today no homework, I will try to fall asleep earlier.. Haha.
When cleaning up the asian kitchen, me and yy were told to refill the soap. We had to carry that whole basket full of bottles of soap. Extremely heavy. When going down to skills kitchen to refill still quite okay cause half full.. After that, we had a hard time bringing them back.. My hand turn purple for awhile due to the weight.. -.-"
When school end, went to bookshop at the other side of the school to get apel book.. After much consideration, I bought the baking and pastry book again.. Haha.. The auntie didn't recognise me.. Lucky. I'm going to try the recipe on weekend so that my break next week can have something nutritious to eat.. Haha.
I was walking out of the school with my heavy bag plus knife set and uniform then I saw 8 from a distance.. I ran like mad. And caught the bus of course.. So tired today.. Alot of exercise.. -.-" Tomorrow sure muscle ache.. Sigh.
This is all that went on today.. Very long winded.. But food is nice.. :D You gain something, you lose something.. In this case, you gain knowledge on how to cook and lose marks for being late.. Haha.. I just anyhow say, don't take this seriously.. Hehe.
Everybody JIA YOU for skills test! (I can wake up late.. Lalala~)
I LOVE WESTLIFE! I'm addicted to their songs again.. My all time favourite :)
Woke up at 3.44 am for no reason. Went back to sleep. Wake up again at 4 plus then 5 plus.. I don't know why.. Only after I get up to get ready then I realised it is raining very heavily.. Thunder and lightning filled the sky.. Curtains flying around, doors slamming and wind chimes ringing like mad, wind is so strong that you can hear it blowing.. This shows how heavy the rain is.
I get ready as usual and went out even earlier as I think there will be jam. So I carry all those stuff plus the umbrella.. Luckily, by the time I went out, the rain lighten.. I thought of taking taxi to school but they either busy or refuse to stop.. -.-" Anyway 59 came at the usual timing, in fact 2mins earlier so I board it.. Transfer and reach school around 7.15am.. So far so good..
Back at the theatre watching demo.. Eyes keep closing.. Due to that "good" night sleep, I'm extremely tired.. I pinch myself to stay awake, until my arms red.. -.-" Demo recently cast a sleeping spell on me.. Thank goodness the dishes today are not that complicated..
The cooking process went quite smoothly.. Pork cutlet with coleslaw and charditiere sauce, saute Dory a'la meunie're which later became my lunch (^.^) All 9s and 10s.. Best score so far.. Yeah~! However, we still got deducted 9marks for being late.. And my 10marks that fly away yesterday.. (This reminds me that I forgot to ask chef about my mayo grade.. -.-")
Right after lunch is knife skills which went smoothly too.. 40mins to complete batonnet, julienne, tomato concasse, diced onions, sliced onions, minced garlic, chopped parsley. First time I completed them with minutes to spare.. Everything quite nice except.. Batonnet which is overweight. Yeah, fat. -.-" I wonder how I cut.. Tomorrow will be a even better day! Last day to practice before the skills test on Friday, have to make good use of it. Since today no homework, I will try to fall asleep earlier.. Haha.
When cleaning up the asian kitchen, me and yy were told to refill the soap. We had to carry that whole basket full of bottles of soap. Extremely heavy. When going down to skills kitchen to refill still quite okay cause half full.. After that, we had a hard time bringing them back.. My hand turn purple for awhile due to the weight.. -.-"
When school end, went to bookshop at the other side of the school to get apel book.. After much consideration, I bought the baking and pastry book again.. Haha.. The auntie didn't recognise me.. Lucky. I'm going to try the recipe on weekend so that my break next week can have something nutritious to eat.. Haha.
I was walking out of the school with my heavy bag plus knife set and uniform then I saw 8 from a distance.. I ran like mad. And caught the bus of course.. So tired today.. Alot of exercise.. -.-" Tomorrow sure muscle ache.. Sigh.
This is all that went on today.. Very long winded.. But food is nice.. :D You gain something, you lose something.. In this case, you gain knowledge on how to cook and lose marks for being late.. Haha.. I just anyhow say, don't take this seriously.. Hehe.
Everybody JIA YOU for skills test! (I can wake up late.. Lalala~)
I LOVE WESTLIFE! I'm addicted to their songs again.. My all time favourite :)
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Day 11
Today I'm also very unlucky.. But compared to yesterday.. Its slightly better.. Not a perfect day.
Egg day. Everything we made associate with egg. Mayonaise, Hollandaise, fried egg, egg bennedict, poached egg, hard boiled egg. High cholestrol.. -.-"
If I managed to submit my hollandaise sauce with the poached egg and egg bennedict, I won't have a 0. Can't believe it. My sauce failed 3 times, poached egg; egg yolk flow out once I place it on english muffin, bacon too hard, muffin too dry, sauce too bitter. AHHHH! And the weirdest thing is my mayo score is different from my buddy even though its a pair work. 7 & 10 difference is ..............! I hope I see wrongly.. Oh my goodness.
If not because of the egg incident, I think today went quite smoothly.. With my fried egg scoring full marks and hard boiled 9, the rest if were almost the same, I'll be flying.. I forgot to mention that the sink clogged again due to all the egg white.. And I've wasted a few eggs.. Sort of.. If skills test, I'm doing the hollandaise sauce, I think I will cry.. *Touch wood*
Lecture nothing much.. I was wide awake, surprisingly.. Ended school quite early.. Finally earlier than the other group.. However, my mood is not great. 0 plus minus 25 for being late.. I got negative again I think.. How am I going to be eligible to go for intern overseas in this state? And I'm still quite lazy to start being hardworking.. I need motivation!
At least I start by polishing my shoes.. And going to do some planning which I most likely will not follow.. Haha. Tomorrow there's knife skills.. I hope I will show great improvement.. Possibilities? Not too high.. Hopefully will be high enough to ensure that my grade on Friday will at least a B. I'm not very greedy.. Just a B, I'm happy enough :)
That's all for today.. Oh ya, I'm still not showing the ugly picture.. Haha! And my eye is getting much better.. Just one problem.. My ear starting to have the weird thing too.. Am I unlucky or what?
Egg day. Everything we made associate with egg. Mayonaise, Hollandaise, fried egg, egg bennedict, poached egg, hard boiled egg. High cholestrol.. -.-"
If I managed to submit my hollandaise sauce with the poached egg and egg bennedict, I won't have a 0. Can't believe it. My sauce failed 3 times, poached egg; egg yolk flow out once I place it on english muffin, bacon too hard, muffin too dry, sauce too bitter. AHHHH! And the weirdest thing is my mayo score is different from my buddy even though its a pair work. 7 & 10 difference is ..............! I hope I see wrongly.. Oh my goodness.
If not because of the egg incident, I think today went quite smoothly.. With my fried egg scoring full marks and hard boiled 9, the rest if were almost the same, I'll be flying.. I forgot to mention that the sink clogged again due to all the egg white.. And I've wasted a few eggs.. Sort of.. If skills test, I'm doing the hollandaise sauce, I think I will cry.. *Touch wood*
Lecture nothing much.. I was wide awake, surprisingly.. Ended school quite early.. Finally earlier than the other group.. However, my mood is not great. 0 plus minus 25 for being late.. I got negative again I think.. How am I going to be eligible to go for intern overseas in this state? And I'm still quite lazy to start being hardworking.. I need motivation!
At least I start by polishing my shoes.. And going to do some planning which I most likely will not follow.. Haha. Tomorrow there's knife skills.. I hope I will show great improvement.. Possibilities? Not too high.. Hopefully will be high enough to ensure that my grade on Friday will at least a B. I'm not very greedy.. Just a B, I'm happy enough :)
That's all for today.. Oh ya, I'm still not showing the ugly picture.. Haha! And my eye is getting much better.. Just one problem.. My ear starting to have the weird thing too.. Am I unlucky or what?
Monday, May 4, 2009
updates on hw
I spent approximately 30mins to do my homework.. I've tried my best with the "help" of my swollen eye. Anyway, it looks kinda uniform after some trimmings.. Hehe.
So this is how it looks like.. Uneven. Too bad, can't do anything now that I've cut it. -.-" I'm not proud of it but today I really can't do anything.. Sniff sniff.. Blame it on the eye.. Haha.. Just kidding.. If everything is the eye fault then I'm too unreasonable.. Haha..
By the way.. The eye is getting better.. Hopefully tomorrow it will be gone.. If not, it is really irritating to see things with that obstacle blocking the view and that feeling of something expanding..
Oh ya, today we took some picture in uniform! But not very nice... I think I look very weird.. I shall consider if I wanna post it for people to laugh.. Tell me if you need to be cheered up, I think that picture will works fine.. Haha. Nahz. I don't think its that bad but not very nice..........
Day 10
Just as I expected. A day of disaster. Today is Daphne's series of unfortunate events. You will understand what I meant once you read this post. Just for your information, I'm typing this with one eye open cause the other one is swollen. (Told you I'm unfortunate today..) SOBS If you're wondering why am I still blogging is because it is easier than cutting carrots now.
I shall start by stating the list of my unfortunate events today..
1. Woke up early in the morning, lots thunder, start raining, have to carry all the heavy stuff with umbrella to school. (this is small matter, you will see what happen later)
2. Walk halfway to the bus stop with all those stuff to realise that I forgot to bring my homework ONIONS. Went back to take, saw the bus from a distance, run marathon. (too much exercise for early in the morning)
3. Due to the rain, jam. I transfer bus, waited very long. Reached school close to 7.20am. Panic, cause my neckerchief usually will give me lots problem..
4. Took the stairs up to as it is faster than lift. Halfway, I almost slipped and roll down the stairs. Lucky my shoe have the hook thing.. If not, you most likely won't see me for at least a few days.. -.-"
5. Finally reached the 3rd storey, panic again. Nobody is there at all. Hurry went to change, and my neckerchief, as expected, problems. I think my neck too skinny.
6. During roll call, my baby hairs keep dropping out. Then just nice when teacher come, one of them fall onto my shoulder. Lucky never deduct marks. But after that need to take temperature due to the swine flu, then I realised I left mine inside my bag. To think I'm the one who reminded others to bring.. -.-"
7. My stomach keep aching throughout the whole duration of demo and half the day for no reason.
8. Polenta makes things worse, so not nice to taste. And I have to keep trying it to ensure that the season is good. (You won't wanna know how it taste like.. >.<)
9. I got alot of stain on my apron. Even from sanitiser. Can't believe it.
10. I was removing the fats from the ribs then the knife slice my finger. It turned out that I used the wrong knife, it is very flexible.. Plus, first use = very sharp. Surprisely, I didn't felt much pain.. Just numb.. Maybe I'm used to myself cutting myself?? Dots. But this is only the 4th or 5th times?
11. Going home, transfer bus. Jam. Get down to transfer, waited for 28 for 19mins. And it moves very slow.. I already feeling very tired plus I waited for it for so long..
12. Take lift, Got a few people get in, stop almost every level. How unlucky can I get?
13. Eating dinner halfway, suddenly felt my eye very weird. Go look into mirror, swollen. Oh my goodness. I put some medication then continue watch tv. 5mins later, felt weirder, like something blocking my view, half of my eye is swollen. Can you believe this? Now I can hardly open my right eye, even if I open, its hard to see too..
14. And I haven't done my carrot homework yet! How to cut in this state? I will cut myself more than the carrot.
15. I just heard the news that 30 states got swine flu now. The earth is really deadly now. Plants and animals extinct, ice caps melting, deadly diseases everywhere.. Some people still don't care, killing earth even more. I hope I'm dead by the time human kind extinct.. That will be fortunate in a way I guess..
Now that you have read till this point, do you agree with the above statement, I'm extremely unlucky today? Now the swollen part is not getting bigger anymore, at least I hope it is not.. Think will start chopping my carrot at around 9.30 or 10pm..
Back to day 10. We made braised beef short ribs with polenta (that not nice grainy yellow thingy) and roasted vegetables. I've no idea how the short ribs taste like cause its not cooked yet and will only get to taste it tomorrow if I go to school. Polenta is definitely not something I would say nice. Roasted vegetables was not bad.. I learnt something today, you can replace brown stock or demi glace with red wine. It will make the ribs tasted even better :)
Lunch had 1hr30mins, surprisingly long. Went to design school but I ate my banana with walnut bread with mushroom soup and tea. Weird combination but who cares? My stomach already pain, no difference. After that is knife skills.. Batonnet, julienne, sliced onions, diced onions, minced shallots, minced garlic, chopped parsley and tomato concasse.. Managed to complete everything on time.. Got praised by teacher so makes my mood slightly better..
That's all for today.. I actually wanted to play the game I got yesterday.. But due to this stupid swollen eye that I can't play! Or cut my carrot.. No choice, just that I don't think it will be of good quality.. (Blame the bug or whatever mysterious object that make my eye swollen) I'm going to attempt now.. Wish me luck! And pray that I won't cut myself again. I lost too much blood already..
PS If I made any spelling error, please let me know, I'll correct it once my eye recover (if I remember).. But I don't think have any.. Haha..
I shall start by stating the list of my unfortunate events today..
1. Woke up early in the morning, lots thunder, start raining, have to carry all the heavy stuff with umbrella to school. (this is small matter, you will see what happen later)
2. Walk halfway to the bus stop with all those stuff to realise that I forgot to bring my homework ONIONS. Went back to take, saw the bus from a distance, run marathon. (too much exercise for early in the morning)
3. Due to the rain, jam. I transfer bus, waited very long. Reached school close to 7.20am. Panic, cause my neckerchief usually will give me lots problem..
4. Took the stairs up to as it is faster than lift. Halfway, I almost slipped and roll down the stairs. Lucky my shoe have the hook thing.. If not, you most likely won't see me for at least a few days.. -.-"
5. Finally reached the 3rd storey, panic again. Nobody is there at all. Hurry went to change, and my neckerchief, as expected, problems. I think my neck too skinny.
6. During roll call, my baby hairs keep dropping out. Then just nice when teacher come, one of them fall onto my shoulder. Lucky never deduct marks. But after that need to take temperature due to the swine flu, then I realised I left mine inside my bag. To think I'm the one who reminded others to bring.. -.-"
7. My stomach keep aching throughout the whole duration of demo and half the day for no reason.
8. Polenta makes things worse, so not nice to taste. And I have to keep trying it to ensure that the season is good. (You won't wanna know how it taste like.. >.<)
9. I got alot of stain on my apron. Even from sanitiser. Can't believe it.
10. I was removing the fats from the ribs then the knife slice my finger. It turned out that I used the wrong knife, it is very flexible.. Plus, first use = very sharp. Surprisely, I didn't felt much pain.. Just numb.. Maybe I'm used to myself cutting myself?? Dots. But this is only the 4th or 5th times?
11. Going home, transfer bus. Jam. Get down to transfer, waited for 28 for 19mins. And it moves very slow.. I already feeling very tired plus I waited for it for so long..
12. Take lift, Got a few people get in, stop almost every level. How unlucky can I get?
13. Eating dinner halfway, suddenly felt my eye very weird. Go look into mirror, swollen. Oh my goodness. I put some medication then continue watch tv. 5mins later, felt weirder, like something blocking my view, half of my eye is swollen. Can you believe this? Now I can hardly open my right eye, even if I open, its hard to see too..
14. And I haven't done my carrot homework yet! How to cut in this state? I will cut myself more than the carrot.
15. I just heard the news that 30 states got swine flu now. The earth is really deadly now. Plants and animals extinct, ice caps melting, deadly diseases everywhere.. Some people still don't care, killing earth even more. I hope I'm dead by the time human kind extinct.. That will be fortunate in a way I guess..
Now that you have read till this point, do you agree with the above statement, I'm extremely unlucky today? Now the swollen part is not getting bigger anymore, at least I hope it is not.. Think will start chopping my carrot at around 9.30 or 10pm..
Back to day 10. We made braised beef short ribs with polenta (that not nice grainy yellow thingy) and roasted vegetables. I've no idea how the short ribs taste like cause its not cooked yet and will only get to taste it tomorrow if I go to school. Polenta is definitely not something I would say nice. Roasted vegetables was not bad.. I learnt something today, you can replace brown stock or demi glace with red wine. It will make the ribs tasted even better :)
Lunch had 1hr30mins, surprisingly long. Went to design school but I ate my banana with walnut bread with mushroom soup and tea. Weird combination but who cares? My stomach already pain, no difference. After that is knife skills.. Batonnet, julienne, sliced onions, diced onions, minced shallots, minced garlic, chopped parsley and tomato concasse.. Managed to complete everything on time.. Got praised by teacher so makes my mood slightly better..
That's all for today.. I actually wanted to play the game I got yesterday.. But due to this stupid swollen eye that I can't play! Or cut my carrot.. No choice, just that I don't think it will be of good quality.. (Blame the bug or whatever mysterious object that make my eye swollen) I'm going to attempt now.. Wish me luck! And pray that I won't cut myself again. I lost too much blood already..
PS If I made any spelling error, please let me know, I'll correct it once my eye recover (if I remember).. But I don't think have any.. Haha..
Sunday, May 3, 2009
bored. very bored. extremely bored!
I NEED ENTERTAINMENT!!!!I just got the new game, restaurant empire! But what time is it now? 11.10pm. -.-" You know what that means? Of course you do.. I have to get ready for school tomorrow.. Which means.. I can't play the game! And i've been looking forward to it for MONTHS.
Yeah, I'll be cooking in a kitchen tomorrow preparing another main course, beef short ribs.. But this kitchen and that simulated kitchen is totally different.. I can't do things at my own pace, I can get food burnt more quickly, I can't multitask as well, the sink will be clogged (again), my station will be messy (as usual), my food is not warm enough (as usual).. You see! So many problems.. I know about these problems and had been trying my very best to solve them since the third day.. Cause we start cooking on second day.. Anyway, those who know my situation, will know that I'm really trying my best (not to vomit blood). So ARGH. I still don't know what to do. SOBS.
Oh ya, you know what? I lost my name tag. For the past 25mins, I've been looking for it high and low. I've SEARCHED EVERYWHERE for it. Don't worry, I've found it now.. But you wanna know where is it hiding?In my suit cover! And I've search inside during the first 5mins, don't know why I didn't feel its presence.. -.-" Stupid name tag. They should have gave us 2 instead. Make me sweat so much.. (This will be my exercise for the night! Haha.. But I'm still not sleepy yet..)
My printer went insane, crumpling all the paper.. -.-" I still can't print that lecture notes.. Hopefully, we don't need it tomorrow.. I still don't felt like sleeping now.. I bet most of my classmates are in lala land by now.. Sad me. Insomia. Help! Need bang my head against the wall..
Thinking of school tomorrow, I'm thinking about how am I going to endure through that terrible lunch. Thinking of that canteen makes me lose my appetite already.. The worst thing is, we can't bring lunch box! Why must the swine flu appear now.. I heard that if the signal became red, we can't go to school.. Which means our lessons will be delayed = graduate even later, however, it also means that we no need to go school = slack and sleep at home.. I'm deprived of sleep but I'm not sleepy now.. I need sleeping pill...
Commis chef challenge is round the corner. So does skills test. I don't even wanna think about it. Pray for me, I really need that.. SIGH.I think I will try to knock myself to sleep now.. You will be kept updated about what disaster happen tomorrow.. You'll be surprised. (Hope it will be a pleasant one!)
homework!
This is my onion homework. Sliced onions and diced onions.
I think my sliced look better than my diced.
I also helped my mum prepared the mise en place for fried rice.. Medium diced carrot, potatoes and onions.. So I've practiced my knife skills for the week! Haha.. Only awhile.. And they don't look nice at all.. So I don't even bother showing you how they look like.. Not uniform, out of shape, this is how I describe them.. From here, I think I going to have a hard time for my skills test. SOBS. I wasn't looking forward to it nor failing it.. AHHHHH! I'm going to die.
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