Fourth Term Done, So What Have I Learned?

I can't believe it but I have completed my four term at The Midwest Culinary Institute.  I can remember it was just a year ago when I made the decision to attend culinary school and become a wanna be Chef.  So nervous and wondering if I will even make it through the first term more less one year.  It was not what I expected, and exactly what I expected to be honest.  I can still remember my first class when the instructor asked what every ones culinary aspirations.  Almost half of the people said they wanted to be a celebrity chef of some sort on the Food Network.  To be honest I don't think most of them even made it through Cooking 1.  Myself I believe I said,  "That I hoped one day long time from now I hope I can feel confident in  calling myself a Chef."   That is still a long way away, don't let the chef hat fool you, because I think it will be years before I will ever feel ok with calling myself a Chef.

So what have I learned in one year?  Well I  have learned how to make homemade mayo, how to make a perfect Bearnaise sauce, and how to roast a chicken.  I have also learned how to accept the fact that you will cut yourself and it will hurt and you will burn yourself and that will also hurt.  This is a reality when you surround yourself by fire and knives. But it was fire and knives that attracted me to cooking as a kid, it made me feel grown up and it made me feel powerful.  I would have to say I still feel that power when I hone my knifes or flambe so high I don't have eyebrows for a week.  

It has certainly been a journey so far but I am making sure to enjoy the ride.

Now go cook something.

Fire Up The Coals

So its about 1:30am let's talk grilling. With summer here I figured it was time to start talking grilling and tips for grilling.  I want to say this loud and clear, grilling is not just a man thing.  Girls get out there and grill, its not hard guys just try to make it seem hard so you think we are doing something special, we are not.

First and foremost, do you have a grill?  In order to grill food you need a grill.  Prices and models vary you can get a nice one for a few hundred or you can go totally old school and purchase a charcoal Weber and spend less then eighty dollars.

Next decide what you like to eat?  Fish, Cow, Pig?  Then find grill specific recipes for those items.  Yes there are specific grill techniques that will apply to grilling versus cooking in an oven or stove top.  I will get into a few of them in a later post, today I just wanted to give you a 30,000 foot overall view.

After you have a grill and know what you want to eat the next step is the most important so listen.  BE SAFE!!  I am serious it is easy to be careless when grilling, and not give it the respect it deserves.  Be mindful on the attention the grill needs, which means keep the cooler of beer close at hand.  Finally, understand that when you grill to involve the family and use it as a tool to entertain and enjoy the summer.

Stay cool.... Be safe.....Have fun.

My Hump My Hump My Fatty Man Humps

So I am sorry I haven't posted much lately.  Ever since I started school I have not really wanted to write, I am serious I am writing a lot of papers.  School is going well and I am very happy to say I am in my forth term at The Midwest Culinary Institute.  I know I am surprised also.  Didn't know I would be able to survive in the college environment.  Although at my age I still act like I am 20 something so I tend to fit in just fine.

Enough about my boring life,  what about the food you ask huh?  Well what about the food?  I still love it and unfortunately it still loves to take refuge on my gut. Yeah I am not doing so well of getting rid of the artist formally known as the Lunchbox.  The saga continues and it seems it may be reaching critical mass because it put up or shut time with me and my Trek bike.  Soon I will embark once again in training for the Livestrong Challenge in Philadelphia in August.  Yeah after punishing myself last year I am back at it and it looks like I will need to start learning how to eat healthier.  Yuck I know I hate that word, healthier, its such a cop-out.  It is what people say while they are eating ice cream and watching biggest loser on the couch.  Yeah that was me last night.  Seriously it was.  I don't need to eat healthier, I need to discover what my body needs to properly function, and then figure out how I can incorporate ice cream into that plan.

So over the next few months I will be sprinkling in some training updates and also talk about how you can help me fight Cancer.  So don't worry I plan on talking food and why I love it, I will just be trying not to pound down a bag of chips while doing it this time.

The Perfect Mint Julep

1 liter Maker’s Mark Bourbon
Lots of fresh spearmint
Distilled water
Granulated sugar
Powdered sugar

Directions ~

First, prepare the mint extract. Gather about 40 small mint leaves, wash them and place them in a small mixing bowl. Cover with 3/4 cup of Maker’s Mark. Allow the leaves to soak for 15 minutes. Then gather the leaves in a piece of cheesecloth and wring the mint bundle over the bowl of whisky. Dip the bundle again and repeat the process several times, then set aside.

Next, prepare the simple syrup. Mix 1 cup of granulated sugar with 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Heat to dissolve the sugar. Stir constantly so the sugar does not burn. Set aside to cool.

To prepare the Mint Julep mixture, pour the remaining Maker’s Mark (about 3-1/2 cups) into a large pitcher. Add 1 cup of the simple syrup to the bowl.

Now, begin adding the mint “extract” a tablespoon at a time to the julep mixture. Each batch of mint extract is different, so you must taste and smell after each tablespoon is added. You may even have to leave the room a time or two to clear your nose. The tendency is to use too much mint. You are looking for a soft mint aroma and taste – generally about 3 tablespoons total.

When you think the mixture is right, pour the entire quantity back into the empty Maker’s Mark bottle and refrigerate it for at least 24 hours to “marry” the flavors.

To serve the Mint Julep, fill each glass (preferably a silver Mint Julep cup) half full with shaved ice. Insert a sprig of mint, and then pack in more ice to about an inch over the top of the cup. Then, insert a straw that has been cut to one inch above the top of the cup so the nose is forced close to the mint when sipping the julep.

When frost forms on the cup, pour the refrigerated julep mixture over the ice and add a sprinkle of powdered sugar to the top of the ice and serve

Never Second Guess

Movement of dream is depended upon how much you are willing to push yourself relentlessly towards it everyday.

Ever since I started Culinary school I have enjoyed every second of it, even when I nearly cut my figure off.  It has opened up to me so many opportunities and possibilities that I could never imagine.  It has already allowed me to meet some of the nicest and most talented people in food.  Despite that there seems to be a problem, something that is haunting me, a feeling that I can't seem to shake away.

If you know me or have read this blog for any length of time you know that I have a slight confidence problem. Even though most of the time I tend to hide it behind my sarcasm and humor it is still very much still with me everyday. Now I am no psychiatrist but this certainly can not be healthy.   Lots of times I can't see myself doing anything in the culinary world good enough to be accepted or liked.

This is a problem because confidence is everything, without it you will just always fail. Strangely that seems to be what consistently has happen in my life.  I find something I love and end up destroying it before I even get a chance to do anything worthwhile.  So how can I prevent this from happening this time at Culinary School? At this point I am not sure, I don't have an answer but to say I plan to not go down without a fight.

This concludes the incoherent babbling bull crap....