carrots, carrots, darn carrots, and some mayo too!!!

It has been a few days since i last wrote on this spectacular website that revolves entirely around me! so i aught to catch you all up to what i have been dabbling my time on over the past few days. 

Daily routine this week, has been: waking up at 6, to get to class by 7.45, as we have to be there early to be able to get a good seat, and also have a chance to change into out "protective clothing" ( i will get back to why that is in inverted commas later). then finishing class by about 6pm most days.

So, on monday we had Chef John from canada give us a demonstration on the different varieties of french veggie cuts.... and my my my, it is complicated, until you understand it! firstly he explained the used of all our knives... i don't know if have mentioned before, we have all been given the most beautiful knife set, laden with all sorts of dangerous and potentially harmful goodies if placed in the wrong hands. serious fun!!! 

then he went through and explained all the basic french standard cuts. so there is the julienne, which is 1mm x 4cm, and every single little carrot or leek or celery or turnip or what ever veg you wish to be julliening, needs to be exactly 100% the same. and this goes for all the other veg cuts too... namely: Brunoise, which is a very fine dice 1-2mm x 1-2mm, then the Macedoine, a larger dice, 5mm x 5mm, then the onion slice and dice, emincer and hacher respectively. then there is mincing garlic and a bouquet garni (a really nifty looking cigar shaped parcel, bursting with flavour and aroma.) it is parsley and a bay leaf and a sprig of thyme and some celery leaf all wrapped in a thin layer of leek, tied up with string, and then cut into a 4cm length perfect cylinder. 

it really is so mind blowing watching the amazing speed and precision that the chefs are able to do all this. as they say practice makes perfect, so practicing shall be done!!!

then wen went on to learn about a basic unstable vinaigrette, and various flavourings which one can experiment with. and a french dressing, which is basically the addition of mustard into a basic vinaigrette. but all so simply delicious. Back to Basics really is the key to getting it totally right. 

gosh, i better get a move on to the prac, i could honestly go on and on talking about all of this... there were a few more basic cuts we learnt too... 

so onto our parc with chef david. now, at the beginning of the course, the chefs did warn us that they all have their own opinions on different things, which is understandable, as everyone had their own tastes and style... but we never guessed it would be about things like the size of ones jullienne or macedione! but you cant argue with the chefs... well not yet anyway ;)!! 

so we spend 2 and a half hours chopping up carrots and leeks and celery and making vinaigrette and simple, one ingredient based salads. who would ever think it would take so long to chop up 2 carrots, 1 onion, 1 shallot, 1 leek and a celery stick?  but we have to strive for perfection. 

then we had to have, yet another health and safety training session... which is were we were told all about all the precortionary measures and all that jazz... and hence enforcing us to wear our protective clothing to class... that being chef whites with all the gizmos and gadgets that go with it. 

tuesday, was another demo on veg cutting, but onto a stable vinaigrette... that being a mayonnaise! chef Sonia... but now come to think of it, i have merged monday and tuesday into 1... so that above was with chef sonia and chef john... and now i am so confused as to what was what... and that just gives an example to, even though it doesn't sound like that much, it really is a lot to take in and digest. 

so yesterday which was wednesday, we made mayo... exhausting stuff when you are used to making it with an electric beater... gotta beat and beat and beat, and just when you think your arm is going to fall off, you have to beat some more! made a potato salad and a salade italienne (italian salad) with the mayo we beat our arms off with...

it really all is so exciting and inspiring, and i cant wait to be able to be so experienced  in all these techniques. 

there is much excitement going on in london at the moment because... THE SUN IS SHINING :) and has been for 2 days! it was a whole 21 degrees yesterday, and today too! oh what fun. 

so i am going to go off now and enjoy some sunshine now, you never know how long its going to last. 

I have a patisserie demonstration today in which will be doing creme caramel and creme brule and creme anglais... and all those lovely custardy things!!

please keep me posted as to whats happening at home. i love getting feed back from you!

have a wonderful week!

x