books cooks and potatoes

Greetings! How have you all been?
Well? Good.

I'm writing today from the school library. The school library is fabulous. I'm very lucky to have a campus that over looks Elliot Bay. I've lived in Seattle as a young person for almost a decade, but I've never seen Elliot Bay like this, at least not until I went to school. Some times it's a tiny bit hard to focus on anything but the vast blue water and the ferries coming and going. Today is especially hard due to the sun that is so rarely seen here, as I await my meeting with my financial adviser. Much to my dismay, going to a decent culinary school sure aint cheap. To make good food is costly in more than just fine ingredients. For my fellow chefs, all I can say is that I feel your pain.
I have a theories class tonight with Chef Redman. He just won some fancy shmancy award for a piece he had publish in a culinary magazine. I haven't gotten the chance to read it yet. If you can pick up a copy of Contrary Magazine and look for Paul Redman (and a terribly unflattering photo that doesn't look much like the real life version) you should check it out. Perhaps I push too much on how amazing he is simply because I adore his class.
This week, we begin the study of spuds. Spudys... heh. Sorry, I know that was kind of a cheesy one. Anyways, we are about to dive all in on the wonderful world of potatoes. I find them fascinating! So many vitamins and minerals and so many types! Not to mention all the different ways one can prepare them. I haven't taken a class on them yet, but from my chapter reading I already have learned so much.
Oh, that reminds me! For those of you who are interesting in buying a book that is over priced (or checking one out at the book store and not buying it) my main text book is titled "Oncooking, A textbook of culinary fundamentals" and I have the 4th custom edition for the Culinary Arts of the Art Institute. I know that you probably wont be able to find the EXACT book, but you should be able to find Oncooking 5th addition which I have had a chance to take a look at and it is basically the same thing. In that book there are more amazing things than you could put your brain around, and I am sure that I'll use it when I am graduated. There is also a sister book called "Onbaking" which I would also suggest you take a gander at.
Some of my readers may know that I have been vying for a chance to work with Peter Birk at one of Seattle's nicer restaurants called Ray's Boat house. I've been some what of a fan of Chef Birk's for awhile so when I swung though to collect his personal information I'll admit that I did have a bit of sweat on my palms. The building is so beautiful, warm and inviting when one walks in that I felt a bit ridiculous worrying and was shocked when I asked for his personal info, flashed my school ID and was simply handed a slip of paper with his extension. It's funny how we build up challenges in out mind. It all seemed so easy. So I, of course, called him almost the second I got into my car. No answer. So I left a professional message. Who I was, why I was calling, when I called, how to reach me yadda yadda yadda. Well, a day went by and no call. I called again... No answer. I left a message again. Figuring two days wasn't too bad, right?
No call back.
I went back down to the boat house and he wasn't there. I called again. Ring... ring... ring... "hello?"VICTORY! Needless to say, I have gotten in touch with the man, and I will be having my first day on Saturday. I'm very excited.

Well, I must be off. I have neckcheifs to tie and potatoes to whip.

Their terms, mid terms

Well, I've been busy with midterms. Need I say more?
My wonderful boyfriend just finished fixing my aunts computer and eating my mushroom fettuccine alfredo, seems that life is going back to normal and I'll have a little bit of free time to relax. Studying is something entirely different when it comes to culinary school. For example; for me to study a sauce. I must first look it up in my notes and see what my chef told me about it. Then I get to look up the recipe that I got from icook (our schools online resource) and the recipe that I have on notebook paper from my theories professor. I must memorize firstly what it is and what it's used for. Then what's in it and a few variations on how to use it. Along with the temperatures I cook and hold it at.
That is the first part...
The second part?
DO IT! I need to make these things as much as I can. The more I do it, the more I'll remember and the better it'll taste. This is a true thing for more than just my recipes. My knife skills are endlessly frustrating. Ever heard of fluting a mushroom cap? I hadn't either.

(the three little white balls with the lines on them are fluted mushroom caps.)

Those little things frustrate me like nothing else on this planet. haha. It takes me awhile to do one, but once I finish, they look alright... Chef Nash always finds something though. I've grown to quite love him in his own way. He's a fun person to talk to outside of class about things. I love how my school is so little that everyone knows me. There is a strange sense of comradeship when it comes to the school. We're all in this together, and even when we're competing against the clock and trying to beat each other to get samples up to the chef's table in the kitchen, we are still friends. 

Monday I have an interview at Ray's Boat House. I'm hoping to see Peter Birk, wh is a bit of an idol of mine. Hopefully all goes well. Tomorrow I have a lab class with The Dashing Chef Nash, so I should get my uniform, implements and recipes in decent order. Don't want to get sent home!

Before I depart I shall share a recipe with you!

Shirred Eggs With Ham

Yield: 1 Serving

Method: Baking

Utensils: Ramekin, cheese grater

Ingredients:

Whole Butter, melted     as needed

Baked Ham, thin slice    1/2 oz (one piece)

Eggs                                2

Heavy Cream, warm      1 Tbsp.
Salt and Pepper            TT (to taste)

Swiss Cheese, grated      1 Tbsp.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F (160 C)

Brush the interior of a 6 fld oz ramekin with melted butter. Line the ramekin with ham.

Break the eggs into a cup and pour them carefully into the ramekin on top of the ham. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake at 325 until the eggs begin to set, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, then add the cream and cheese. Retunr to the oven until the eggs are cooked and the cheese is melted. serve hot. (don't overload the cheese)