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.

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.

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.

no use for a name

I'm not in a good mood to blog.. So I think I'll update tomorrow..

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.

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

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

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..

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!

:(

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.. ^^

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

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.

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!

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...

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:

"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..

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 :)

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?

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..

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.