Finally. Eleven weeks into the semester. We did something I’ve never done before in my life. We scaled and filleted a whole fish. I was on cloud nine, ten and eleven.
The menu:
Potato and Leek Soup (pureed soup, thickening method)
Salmon en Papillote with vegetables julienne and couscous (parchment technique, filleting, knife skills)
Some students had to leave – they were thoroughly disgusted, gagging. But the fish guts didn’t seem to bother me. I was more interested in how this beautiful thing was about to be deconstructed.
Chef went over signs of freshness (and decomposition) — more nuggets of knowledge I had been craving for weeks. And showed us how to scale, fillet, skin, and portion the fish — salmon in this case.
Sigh. I wish every class could be this exciting and full of great information.
And three seems to be the magic number. We’ve experienced the group without Cool Girl, and we’ve experienced the group without Know-it-All Girl. It didn’t matter who was absent; our group functioned better with three rather than four in each case. We had more room, and less opinions.
Next week we focus on stocks and sauces. I’m hoping we go deeper into the mother sauces and small sauces — we’ve only briefly touched on a few.
Only five weeks left to the semester. I’m torn about what to focus on for spring term. I’m only able to take one or two classes each semester…I’m thinking about Classical Cuisine, along with the competition class, where Chef will kick my butt into honing my cooking skills.
it was a demo? we actually butcher flat and round fish as well as beef and pork and lamb at school. I have learned how to break down poultry and game meat and can break down a chicken or duck in 5 to 7 miniutes with precision. our chef in that class is a CEC and is a first rate competitor in many culinary competitions. we have made fresh kilbasa and smoked sausages. The meat and seafood fabrication class in our school breaks down all the meat for the other classes and the school restaurant. that is how we learn about butchery, by doing it. you should probably check out the LCB in Miami at least you would have the education that you want and wouldn't have to fight for it. It will cost a considerable amount more but at least you would get what you pay for. I am at poverty level and a single parent but I saw the value in going to a real culinary school verses a tech school. I will come out with an advantage that you wont have if you don't change gears and quick.. consider it.. it could change your life for the better...