We did ice carving in my Garde Manger class last weekend and my team, the girls team, made this butterfly and a swan, but the chef accidentally decapitated the swan with the chainsaw.

There is one thing I need to mention and that is that I am so happy I am taking THIS class because Chef Nick said at the beginning of class that we would be required to do plate presentations from now on. This means all that artistry that I didn’t learn from class last semester will have a chance to enter my brain this semester. I nearly hugged the chef when he said it and of course had to explain to him why I am so happy. He wasn’t very pleased when I told him what happened. But we get along so well. I was nervous he is pretty acclaimed and a bit of a celeb around Lansing but he is funny and smart.

In my class there is one other guy that has been through the program and this is his last class, everyone else is new. It feels weird to be the 2nd year know it all sometimes but hey I know where everything is and little secrets, and I don’t mind helping anyone so it makes it fun. So far there is only 6 or 7 people in the class though. its nice its not crowded! I think my favorite, aside from cooking PRETTY food again, is the fact he is teaching us authentic recipes.

Without further ado I will just go ahead and share what we made. As a class we each had to make 2 dishes for a total of 12. I made the Caprese..

and Tiramisu. I have made Caprese before but Tiramisu was completely new for me, I hadn’t even TASTED it prior. It is SO good!!’ My caprese has olive oil, this one has balsamic vinegar.

(Caprese Salad, Peach Cobbler, Risotto, Spaghetti Squash with lime and basil, Prosciutto Melon, Three Pasta, Tiramisu, Seafood moule (stew), Potato Gnocchi, Pasta Carbonara)

I can’t even find the word for how much I love my Garde Manger class. The kicker? it was only the first class! But its pure artistry. And the best part is there is no sweating involved. Well that might not be true we have ice carving in a few weeks and I might work up a sweat under the winter gear! Tonight we did some beginning carving and I found it all to be fittign of a tropical island. Or maybe I just wanted to be on a tropical island. you see, I woke up to this:

And also today is my 16th wedding anniversary. Carving some fruit was a nice escape!

Today we carved:

Pineapple Fish

Tomato Rose

Cucumber Bowl

Carrot Palm Tree

(radish flower there in the background)

Apple Bird

Lemon Basket

And this is just the beginning folks. I can’t express how happy I am that I HAVE CHEF BACK!!!

For all intents and purposes, before you read any further, I need you to understand 2 things; 1 – These are my opinions, I am not getting paid to speak them, I am not a lobbyist and I am not going to earn extra credit in class even. I am writing my feelings, my own feelings, one sided. 2 – I am not a nutritionist, activist, biologist, environmental scientist, and technically I am not a certified chef, I am not an expert. I am a culinary student who is forever learning every day and these last few semesters opened my eyes to an entire world of things I didn’t know both good and bad, but all things I am grateful to have learned a little more about. Without further ado, I watched these movies and they moved me, I hope you might watch them too and if you feel compelled to do something, that you will reach out and volunteer to make a difference.

1. The Cove : This is a tear jerker, especially for animal lovers and dolphin lovers. It is about the mass murders of thousands of Dolphins in Japan. I threw up in my mouth a little when they sold dolphin meat illegally and tried to pass it off as shark meat. I’ve never been to Sea World and after this movie I never ever will.

2. Dirt – This one is about how something so simple and natural, DIRT, has been replaced by modernization and how its impacting the environment. A couple things I noted as interesting, the amount of asphalt on the earth absorbing heat from the sun is pretty high, and also the stupidity of people, who will say “If there is no concrete, where will the children play?” Um, I have a driveway and all for bike riding and basketball its fine but my kids play in the yard where the DIRT is. Dirt is an amazing life giving thing.

3. End of the Line – This one shocked me, I had absolutely NO idea that the oceans were being over fished. Entire species are being wiped out at alarming rates. We don’t eat a lot of fish because my son is allergic to fish, his skin breaks out badly in eczema patches and when he was a very little guy, he couldn’t be around when it was being cooked because his throat would start to close. He grew out of that but we still eat very little fish. At any rate if something doesn’t get done about people taking fish and not putting any back to replenish, there won’t be any left.

4. Fresh : this one is about how farmers and companies have started to come together to try and change the model. its become industrial and chemicals, when it should have stayed pure and organic, and sustainable. It touched on monocrops and how bad they are because if one pest learns how to penetrate and infect a crop it will take the entrie thing out. I enjoyed the section that talked about sustainable farming that used hydroponics with fish to create an all inclusive biosphere. Ok it wasn’t a biosphere but this guy created a way to water and get the plants nutrients without using chemicals. And he also talked about how dirt is so important and the worms. It was fascinating.

5. Vanishing of the Bees – This is another one that completely shocked me! We don’t consume honey here at home but I know I use it in cooking classes with some sauces. I was just shocked when I watched this one, then realized that we don’t have ANY honeybees around us we have hornets and even a couple orange and black ones came around which I suspect were the African bees that are killing the honeybees. I cried at this one too because one of the men cried about the state of the bee crisis.

Many people don’t realize that this stuff is happening. They don’t know the reason why honey costs a fortune at the store they just pay it and complain. I know this because that was me at one time. I think the thread that ties all of these movies together for me is that we are living beings, on a living planet, and we are abusing ourselves with what we eat, we are abusing the planet with the changes we are making to the soil and the oceans. I think that the Earth is getting pissed off and its starting to fight back, judging by the amount of Earthquakes this year alone. We are all given the gift of life and the right to live on this planet but abusing that right by taking power over the animals and plants and air is going to kill us eventually. it might not happen for 100 years, but it will because we as an advanced life form have no fear of any living organism except other humans. If we could all try a little harder to respect ourselves, the Earth, and the plants and creatures on it, we might just have a longer existence on this planet.

I know I saw some disturbing things in these documentaries but I am glad that my eyes were opened to these things because I had no idea. I won’t become a vegan overnight and I can’t commit to flying around the world at the drop of a hat to protest but I do have this blog and if i can change one person’s way of thinking by sharing what was shared with me then I know I helped.

But the best part is that I can register online I don’t HAVE to go to the campus. Even brand new students don’t have to march down to campus to register. So for you moms out there who think you won’t have time to register and you have been wanting to go back to college, I assure you it is painless. After I was accepted into my college and took my assessment exam I did everything online. As a matter of fact my entire first semester was online. I’ve had an online class in nearly all of my six semesters too. They are convenient but you HAVE to be strict about taking the time to do the work on the days you aren’t at campus.

I’m about halfway through my 3rd year of college, my 2nd year in the culinary program. My first year was spent getting pre-requisites for an associates degree and a couple classes here and there that don’t quite work with my major now but I did switch majors in the middle of my 2nd year. I am trying as hard as I can to finish the program because the college closed us down. The kitchen is closing in May 2012 and the culinary arts will be gone at my college. Right now I have to start gathering my resources with big companies online and try to make a miracle happen so I can continue my education after LCC. I will always know we needed a better kitchen but I will forever hate them for closing us out and not investing in a million dollar a year program. My only wish is that the people I have spent this last year working my tail off for, volunteering, being there, being responsible for, will remember me and utilize me and the hard work I do! College politics suck but in our school, the culinary program is tight. We help each other. We have fundraisers for families who fall on hard times.

As one of my instructors told me, this college is never meant to be the end, its a stepping stone on the way to something else. And he said for me I am meant for something much bigger. The man is truly impressed with what I do with this blog knowing I have kids at home and a husband too. I am blessed and I work very very hard at everything I do so when I feel like I am overwhelmed with my classes or feeling mad about the program closing I will remember that tonight, one person told me he believes in me and I am destined for something much greater than Lansing Community College. He is right, I know it. Its time to take this bull by the horns and start becoming a leader. To make a difference instead of sitting and being mad at the college. They are stupid for dropping culinary but its going to open MY DOORS to something much better. I just hope I get to work with my favorite chefs a while longer before they move on too.

And in case you are wondering the difference between an appetizer and an Hors d’ oeuvres is the size, an appetizer can be small or big, shared, but the Hors d’ oeuvres is one or 2 bites. They are also surrounded by space on the platter. Uniform in look, they are meant to be perfectly executed so that the last Hors d’oeuvres looks just as beautiful as the full tray. Appetizers on the other hand can be many bites. And the appetizer is also related to the menu where the Hors d’ oeuvres is outside of the meal, meaning it starts the palate and isn’t completely related to the main dish but its meant to wake up your palate to work it up to that main dish. I learned in one class, that making a menu is like composing a symphony. Everything has to go together to give the diner the best experience. The menu’s this week had a very mexican/latin flavor in my opinion. Interesting tastes and not too hard recipes but many were very involved and nine recipes is a lot for a two hour limit. (maybe its not a lot but since I still have problems with my timing I hate it rushing makes me nervous)

So I am just going to show you what the girls team made, the guys made the same things but plated them a little different. We also had to modernize 2 recipes to make them more current.

Albondigas En Salsa Chipotle {Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce} – My contribution. The meatballs are half beef half pork and the sauce is spicy but not burning. Served on a fried tortilla “bowl”

Cucumber stuffed with Roquefort Cheese and Hazelnuts – Also one of mine. Neither team liked this dish at all, its that cheese! I am not a fan of cheese and the “stinky” cheese makes me hate it more. If I could have I would have used some parm and romano anything but the Roque. That is strong cheese!

Fancy ham-Wrapped Fruit. Sort of like the ham wrapped pickles and onions you see at get-togethers only with fruit. The garnish is orange zest.

Crunchy Chicken Bites with Mustard Sauce – Good but she forgot to season the chicken prior to cooking. Chef Paul said our sauce was better than the guys though!

Hazelnut, Brie and Apple Appetizer – This one both teams made modern. The other team spread their stuff on a round apple slice. Our team went further and turned it into a Monte Christo sandwich with apple compote dip. This was my favorite even though chef Paul said the Brie gets lost in it. I think its better that way since I hate Brie too lol.

Filo Prawn Shrimp Fingers with Wasabi Soy Dip – Had to use shrimp, no prawns. Darn. This was super savory but I can’t have soy without a reaction, I think I am allergic, so I skipped the dip.

Eight layer Torte – our play on a mexican layered torte. Savory. We made it into canape’s. These were so good! We think it is much more modern than the original.

Kreatopitakia {Baked savory pastries with seasoned meat, in this case, lamb.) Tomato rose by yours truly. The girl that made this was so patient with her phyllo! these were different tasting. Maybe because I am not a fan of lamb. there is also cheese inside too.

Sweet Little Things – A very basic pastry filled with a cream cheese mixture. These were tasty, but would have been better wit a little lemon flavor in the filling but they were sweet and yummy.

Here is the rest of my team they cook so freaking awesome, The Rat Pack!

Kaitlyn, Simone and Mellownie

Not sure what next week holds but I know working with the girls this week was awesome!

By the American Culinary Federation
With Edward Leonard, CMC, WGMC, FSP, AAC;
Brenda Carlos; and
Tina Powers, CEC, CEPC, CCE, CMB
Publisher: Prentice Hall
Copyright: 2012; 912 pages
Published: February 2011
$104, www.pearsonhighered.com
ISBN-10: 0131182196; ISBN-13: 9780131182196

St. Augustine, Fla., October 10, 2011—The American Culinary Federation (ACF), the nation’s largest professional chefs organization, is pleased to announce its newest textbook, Garde Manger: Cold Kitchen Fundamentals (Prentice Hall, 2012, $104), a companion to Baking Fundamentals (Prentice Hall, 2007) and Culinary Fundamentals (Prentice Hall, 2006). Written for the garde manger chef, culinary students and educators, the 912-page book focuses on techniques, provides an overview of the cold kitchen and features more than 400 recipes.

“Garde Manger: Cold Kitchen Fundamentals is ACF’s comprehensive guide to the cold kitchen,” said Michael Ty, CEC, AAC, ACF national president. “We hope chefs, students, educators and culinary institutions nationwide utilize this valuable resource.”

Garde Manger Overview
Garde Manger: Cold Kitchen Fundamentals is organize
readers to build on a strong foundation as they progress
· Section 1: History of the Cold Kitchen and Basic F
· Section 2: Ingredients
· Section 3: Starters
· Section 4: Sandwiches and Cold Soups
· Section 5: Salads
· Section 6: Dressings, Dips and Cold Sauces
· Section 7: Fabrication
· Section 8: Buffets and Catering
· Section 9: The Craft
Special Features
Garde Manger: Cold Kitchen Fundamentals highlights include:
· More than 400 recipes, from artichoke and pimento salad to grilled salmon slices on arugula
· More than 600 illustrative photographs
· Learning activities
· “Chef’s Tips”
· Educational objectives and key terms
· Summaries and unit reviews
· Appendices containing useful charts
· Bibliography for additional related books, magazines, blogs, etc.
· Glossary

“Garde Manger — Modern, large production kitchens refer to this area as the pantry section, cold kitchen, or garde manger. This is the area in the kitchen where all cold foods are prepared and stored. It can be as small as a one-person station or as large as a separate kitchen the size of half a football field.”

About the Authors
Edward Leonard, CMC, WGMC, FSP, AAC, is vice president and corporate chef for Le Cordon Bleu Schools of North America. He is past president of the American Culinary Federation and past vice president of the World Association of Chefs Societies. He served as team manager of ACF Culinary Team USA, the official U.S. team for national and international culinary competitions, from 1998 to 2008.

Brenda Carlos is owner of BC Editorial Services. She has served as publisher and managing editor of Hospitality News Group, and has authored numerous articles focusing on all aspects of the foodservice industry, event management and running a business. In addition, she has co-authored three textbooks.

Tina Powers, CEC, CEPC, CCE, CMB, is a culinary instructor at Oregon Coast Culinary Institute, Coos Bay, Ore., where she teaches baking and culinary classes. In addition, she owns a restaurant and bakery consulting business that serves the U.S., Eastern Europe and Russia. She has received numerous awards and has coached several student competition teams.

About the American Culinary Federation

The American Culinary Federation, Inc., established in 1929, is the premier professional organization for culinarians in North America. With more than 20,000 members spanning 225 chapters nationwide, ACF is the culinary leader in offering educational resources, training, apprenticeship and programmatic accreditation. In addition, ACF operates the most comprehensive certification program for chefs in the United States, with the Certified Executive Chef® designation the only culinary credential accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). ACF is home to ACF Culinary Team USA, the official representative for the United States in major international culinary competitions, and to the Chef & Child Foundation, founded in 1989 to promote proper nutrition in children and to combat childhood obesity. For more information, visit www.acfchefs.org.

What I am still lacking however is time management. I do fine until its time to plate and I hit that OCD perfection zone and I am always the last one done. Its driving me crazy I am not slow I am doing the same thing at the same times as others just one element I am messing up. One single thing I am not doing at the right time and it throws me off and I am the last one done. I think I still need to take more time gathering my mise en place because I am still running too much. Next class I am going to visualize the attack, I am going to think about every item I need from pots to measuring cups to knives. I’m seriously going to let people run around as I gather everything and start only when I am ready. Its easy to do this with one recipe but trickier with 5 recipes. At any rate even in the chaos, BEAUTIFUL plates were assembled. Maybe not all at the same times but nonetheless they were made.

The Dish:Rack of Lamb with Vegetable Ragout, Mustard Spätzle and Thyme Reduction

Here is mine,and some of my classmates below:

And it was delicious. I’m glad we got to eat this stuff, because it makes knowing we are doing Salmon Tartare. That’s raw, ya’ll. I am skeerd!

I was watching Junior Masterchef Australia earlier today and these KIDS..they were told they had to cook something and were putting together 3 and 4 star dishes and plates. KIDS. And there are plenty of people that I work with all the time that can just look at mystery pile of ingredients and know EXACTLY what they are going to make with it. Am I a defective cook? I can keep up in class, my food in general tastes good but when am I supposed to automatically KNOW and create?

I think its an artist trait, someone who has literally spent endless hours doing nothing but being creative. Or someone that has spent so many hours working in food service that its almost second nature to just know what to make. AND make it beautiful. I haven’t had either of those I have been a stay at home mom most of my adult life thus far. I am not trying to be someone I see on Iron Chef, I am going to evolve into my own chef. I am not going to be anything that someone TELLS me I should be. I am going to ride on my confidence and know that in time I am going to be awesome.

But at the same time I feel like something is missing in this culinary equation, and I am beginning to think its because I need to be out working or volunteering somewhere. Maybe its because I really do crave that praise when I have done well. I do like to impress with my cooking and lately its lacking motivation and inspiration. I’d blame personnel at school but really I am cooking for ME not them. I should put n my big girl panties and kick my confident stubborn streak in high gear and prove that my passion is worth witnessing. Its really funny that a group of 50 little junior chefs in Australia inspired me to work harder. To take in more. And to determine what parts of my life is taking the time away from reaching the point of knowing exactly what to make. And I WILL know what to make. One day…