Culinary Day 1

I love to create and I love food, so going into the culinary program at school seemed logical. Plus it was free because I already work there. Ok the books weren't free and even with my discount came to $200. OUCH! I don't think I'd sell back the culinary skills book anyway - it's a how to manuel with recipes and lots of diagrams and pictures.

We met the teacher; I think he's like 12 and fresh out of culinary school himself. Sometime in the next two weeks, I have to go buy my culinary uniform - white jacket, black pants and hat. What's wrong with that picture??? Me and white don't work - EVER. I'll spill something on it, cut myself and bleed on it, catch it on fire...white is a bad idea. Black pants...also not a good idea. I have two white cats. There is cat hair every in my house and car. I don't care if I vacuum constantly I'll still have cat hair on those black pants. The hair gets in the dryer; it's on my clothes and so it gets in my car...another bad bad idea.

I never thought I'd say this, but thank you Wendy's. I knew most of the stuff we covered today because of the 12 years I spent working for that company. I had to take various tests to get into management and not a lot has changed in the past 16 years.

This class is going to focus on - cutting! Yikes! To pass the class I have to cut up a chicken - gross. I suppose it could be worse. I could have to pluck and gut it. Let it be known that chicken terrifies me. It's full of really nasty bacteria, it's slimey and it stinks. I don't want to touch it. I'll eat it, if it's breaded in a sandwich from McDonald's or I get a bucket from KFC, but I don't want to be responsible for possibly killing someone.

Another thing we're going to do is cook a banquet featuring a diabetic menu. That will be interesting I suppose or dull. I listen to my diabetic friends complain about what they can't eat - no breads, no sugars, those are my mainstay.

We're also going to focus on soups, sauces and vegetables. Hmmm...I'm just glad I'm not eating this stuff. I'm not a big fan of soup. The only sauces I use are spaghetti sauce and that's easy - go to the store, buy a jar of Ragu and put it in a pan. Voila - the only sauce needed. A for vegetables -gross. I don't eat no stinkin' vegetables - maybe corn once in a while. I hope we don't have to eat this stuff or I'll be vomiting regularly.

I did learn one thing - the broiler is not meant to cook food - only sear it quickly - hmmm...I'll have to remember not to cook my steaks in that.

Next week we have a test over appliances so I'm going to go make some flashcards so I can practice identifying them.