Cakes and Dessert Plating

There is nothing like making CAKES! So the last time I posted a blog I was in bread class; which was three terms ago. Since then I have taken a cake class and dessert plating.

Cake class started off great, until I got really sick the day after school started. I ended up missing a few days of class which put me behind the other students. L But once I got back into the kitchen, I “rocked and rolled” and was able to catch up with everyone! I learned a lot in class and enjoyed my teacher.

I learned to make cakes I never even heard of, such as Le ‘Opera cake, Stencil cake, and Dubos Tart. They were all great cakes! I even learned how to make carrot cake, which was heavy but the best. I would have to say the only thing I did not like about the cake was that the carrots where made from almond paste. The almond paste was too sweet for me (I never really liked anything that is too sweet).

It’s funny as I write this I am thinking back on to the events that took place during the term.  The one thing I remember most is being “attacked” in the hallways when leaving class because someone wanted a piece of my cake. There would be times in which I would say “Don’t touch!” because I had yet to take a picture of my finished product. It seemed to always happen the most when the cake was chocolate…When I got home from school and I still had my cake I would leave it in the front lobby of the apartment complex. I would always get good feedback from the neighbors who lived there saying they loved the cake (the good feedback mostly came from my neighbor, who goes to LCB as well).

Dessert plating, (the class I just finished) was the one class I like the most. I really liked this class not only because we had the most two outgoing Chefs, it was because we got to be creative. The Chefs would give us a dessert and show us how it could be made, but in the end they would let us choose how we wanted to make it. All they asked was that the main ingredient must be used but we could add in whatever we wanted in the product. The two main ingredients I used the most in my desserts was Nutmeg and Cinnamon, especially in the ice cream we make. MMM….my mouth is drooling just thinking of it!

The main point in the dessert plating class is that we got to learn how to produce fine dining desserts. It starts from designing the plate with sauce, to producing nice desserts. The dessert requires a crunch, two sauces, height, hot and cold, and a garnish. The hot and cold part means there has to be something on the plate that is cold like ice cream, and a hot item such as a cake. I think the difficult part for me was trying to make up a new design for the plate and placing a garnish on the dessert without it breaking on me.

In the last three weeks of class we moved from dessert plating to making candy. We made bonbons, truffles, and even marshmallows. They were no problem for me, up to a point. Things started to get difficult when it came time for us to create a chocolate box. The chocolate and I would get into a fight every day. Who do you think won the fight? Yeah that’s right the chocolate won, it kicked my butt like there was no tomorrow!

When working with chocolate there is a process in which we must take it through called tempering.

Tempering refers to a process of heating and cooling chocolate to prepare it for dipping and enrobing. The tempering process ensures that the cocoa butter in chocolate hardens in a uniform crystal structure.  

Tempering chocolate is not as easy as we thought when we watched our chefs demo the process. It’s twice as difficult when the weather is way too hot outside because then it takes even longer to temper the chocolate because it would be to warm for the chocolate to set.

I really enjoyed my classes and I am looking forward to starting my next two sets of classes! I will be taking Centerpieces and Cake Decoration Techniques and Hospitality Supervisions. I can’t wait to start working with different techniques in putting a wedding cake together.

Well that’s all for now. I hope you enjoyed this and will look to post another entry when I finish my next term!

My Time In Bread Class

It has been a while since I have posted my latest activities. The last time I posted a report I was in Intro to Baking and had talked about Thanksgiving. When I was in Intro to Baking, I had learned the basics of baking. I now know how to make bread, cheesecake, flan, and many other desserts. This time I am in Bread class, where I am learning to make every kind of bread you can think of (well almost every kind of bread you can think of). Chef had us refresh our memory on making Baguettes the first two weeks of class. We then moved on to making bagels, pizza, pita bread, sourdough bread, pretzels and cinnamon rolls.

Ever since I started to bake bread I found that I enjoy kneading dough by hand. We can use the school mixers but I like to be able to feel the dough become smooth and “tough.” The dough is not really tough; the dough is more like a marshmallow. You know when the dough is done being kneaded when it bounces back like a marshmallow would if you lightly press down on it. The one type of bread I enjoyed making would be the pretzels because I am working with a different type of dough. The dough used to make pretzels is a little moister then our everyday dough, which makes it easier to shape it.

Pizza day was really fun! Shaping the dough was twice more fun than mixing it together because we had to make the pizza as round as possible. The only thing I wish we could have done was learn to toss the dough in the air like a real pizza maker would do. J  We were even allowed to cover the pizza with whatever toppings we wanted. I topped mine with roasted garlic, fresh thyme, basil, and oregano. We didn’t have onions, bell pepper, or pepperoni, but that is okay, maybe next time.

Earlier in the week we made cinnamon rolls in class. I was surprised how easy it was to make them because I thought it was going to be difficult. Originally, I thought we were going to have to roll the cinnamon rolls by hand but I was wrong. Instead we rolled out the dough into a giant rectangle, spread the cinnamon filling on to it, roll the dough long wise to make the swirl, and then cut the cinnamon rolls with floss. After that we have to let them go through the same process as regular bread before we can place them in the oven.

This Monday I have a project due in my Bread class. I have to create my own bread recipe. The last couple of days my chef has given us an opportunity to practice our recipe, which gave me a chance to experiment. I have come up with a Mexican Style Bread, which contains, bell pepper, onion, jalapeño, cheese, and at least five different kinds of spices. I hope everyone likes the bread I created when it comes time to walk around and try everyone’s creation.  

In a few days we will be learning to make Danishes. I don’t like Danishes unless there is a lot of strawberry jam in the middle of it. I do enjoy making them though because we can shape them however we want. We will also be making croissants and puff pastry. I can’t wait!  

My First Thanksgiving…as the Chef

            There is nothing like having a great Thanksgiving at home with family! This year my family and I had our Thanksgiving celebration at home with a lovely home cooked meal that I am proud to say I cooked for the first time. Well, kind of.

            You see the last couple of years we would pick up our Thanksgiving dinner from Marie Calender’s; pre-cooked turkey and ham, with vegetables, mashed potatoes, yams, and two types of pies. All we had to do when we returned home was pop everything into the oven and heat it up. Trust me it may not have all been homemade but it still tasted really good! This year I cooked the turkey, the stuffing, mashed potatoes (homemade), vegetables and dinner rolls.

Before I get too far I will like to say this… I did not actually make a whole turkey. I was a bit under the weather and did not feel like getting up at FIVE IN THE MORNING just so I can cook a big juice turkey. Instead we found two turkey breast loaves and half of a ham. This year was the first time I ever cooked turkey and it came out great! I never even cooked turkey at school but I went with the flow and what do you know, I didn’t even overcook the meat. Plus one of the turkey breasts had a thermometer where it’s in the turkey and when it is done cooking the blue ball pops out.

Did I point out that I made homemade mashed potatoes? Yep that’s right! I did everything from peeling the potatoes, to boiling them, to mashing them, and adding some seasoning to them. Just between you and me I improvised one of the ingredients. Instead of using cream I used milk, only because we didn’t have cream but they came out nice and thick.

The stuffing I did not make from scratch it was boxed stuffing. I am looking to make homemade stuffing next year though since I do know how to make that as well. I would like to make fresh gravy too ….but we will see how stressful it is next year.

Speaking of stressful, it was not as stressful like I thought it would be. Then again I did not make a whole turkey. I think the turkey might be the most stressful part for some people. In the future when I decide to make a whole turkey I will let you know if I still feel the same way about Thanksgiving. J

Now for dessert we kept it simple and had pumpkin pie and homemade apple pie. I had made apple pie in class the day before our holiday break and decided to bring it home. I am proud to say that it came out great and had lots of flavor to it. Everyone enjoyed the pie which made me feel really good because it shows that I have learned a lot in school!

MMM….what else? Ah yes, you can’t forget about the football games that go on during Thanksgiving. Otherwise it is not Thanksgiving! I never really did understand why football is so popular during Thanksgiving Day?! Do you?

You know what I remember the most about Thanksgiving other than the food? Is how much fun the family had! How everyone always got together and told stories of their first Thanksgiving as a couple or as a family. I even remember throwing the “pig skin” around, since that is what some people like to call it. But I like to call it a football. We would through it back and forth or chase my cousin around trying to get the ball back from him. We would even throw the baseball around or shoot some hoops. It always depended on where we were celebrating Thanksgiving.

Every Thanksgiving is fun and there are always new memories and stories to tell every year. I had a very great Thanksgiving and so did my family! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving as well and I hope next year is even better!

Restaurant Review

Yard House Restaurant

Dulce Colon

            The Yard House restaurant is a very nice place to eat if you don’t want to attend a formal restaurant or a too casual restaurant. It is the best place to go for game nights, get together and family reunions. I have visited Yard House at least three times with my family and everyone enjoyed the restaurant’s atmosphere. It is a very mellow place during the day but in the evening prepare to have a massive headache when you leave the restaurant. During the evening the restaurant becomes very busy and loud. There is loud music playing and different sport games televised on their TV screens.  With a whole group of people, games and a bar, you are guaranteed to have a lot of noise! There is so much noise, that you can’t hear what the person next to you is saying.

            The restaurant had really good service and is well run. Their food is really good and there are lots to choose from on the menu. The three times I have attended Yard House I ordered something different.  For example, I had their Mac and Cheese, Angel hair pasta, and their Classic Cheeseburger.  Everything I had was well put together and I enjoyed what I had. I would order them again if I went back to the Yard House and would recommend these dishes to someone who would be visiting the Yard House for the first time.

            What I like the most about the restaurant other than the great food is that there are windows along the kitchen so you are able to stand there and watch the cooks prepare the food. It is more interesting for those who have never been in a professional kitchen and experience what goes on behind doors. Another thing that I like about the restaurant is that it is always busy which normally means that they get a lot of good business throughout the day.  The one thing I dislike about the Yard House is that their prices are very expensive. This makes it hard for me and other people to go to Yard House as often as we please.

            The restaurant’s sanitation is in tip top shape that it makes you feel clean yourself.  When you walk into the Yard House there are only one or two tables that are dirty but they are always cleaned up within a “blink of an eye”. I have yet to have a bad experience with the restaurant and hope that I never do.

            If I was a food critic I would give the restaurant an A because they are always on the ball. They have really good food, good service, and it is a great restaurant all together. I would recommend the restaurant to those who are looking for some where new to eat.

 

A Culinary Memoir

My First Time in the Kitchen

Dulce Colon

            As a kid you are always interested in everything around you. My interest was in food and the kitchen. It started with me watching my dad cook our family meals. Then one day I found myself standing in the kitchen learning how to cook.

Every time my dad was in the kitchen, he would be standing over the stove stirring the sauce for the pasta or reaching into the oven pulling out a very nice looking New York steak. I always found it fascinating watching my dad chopping vegetables for the chicken noodle soup or plating the finale product. My father, born in Puerto Rico and grew up in California, made meals ranging from a nice American cheeseburger, to Mexican tacos, and Italian pasta. I had always enjoyed the different variations of foods my father always made.

I was seven when I finally stepped foot in the kitchen and started the learning process of getting to know a kitchen. My responsibility in the kitchen at the time was to set up everything that my dad would need to make dinner. I would set up the sauce pots or the sauté pan and the cutting board if there was cutting involved. I was pretty much his assistant. If it was not my dad in the kitchen, it was my mom. With my mom I would help her make boxed Easy Mac and Cheese or boil hot dogs. I always enjoyed helping both my parents in the kitchen!

Over time I worked my way up in my parents’ kitchen and was responsible for cutting the vegetables. Note that when I started cutting vegetables I used a regular steak knife. At the time I never complained that it was a “crappy” knife to cut with but, I was eventually able to use a kitchen knife to cut up our vegetables. I remember when I was cutting vegetables I thought it was so much fun until I met the onion. The first time I cut into an onion I was taken back on the way it made me cry. Even five minutes later I would be standing at the counter blinking like no tomorrow trying to get my eye sight back. Ever since then, I have dreaded cutting that evil onion.

The first meal I ever learned to make was beef stew, our family recipe that was passed down from my Abuelo, grandfather. I remember how I browned the nice tender, fresh cut meat and chopping up all the different vegetables of carrots, celery, potatoes, green bell peppers, golden onions and cilantro. The smell of fresh cilantro was always my favorite ingredient to use. It has an earthly smell and works great to season the product that I am cooking. It was not easy at first when I learned to make beef stew but I have now accomplished the steps to “assembling” the dish that I can do it in my sleep. I have accomplished the dish so well that it is the most popular dish I make for my family.

By the time I reached the age of twelve I was left to be in the kitchen cooking without having to need my dad stand by my side and guide me. I had learned everything that I need to learn to make the same meals that my dad had made but I make them better, even though I let him think that he does. My dad is a really good cook who learned how to cook from his dad. It is kind of like a family tradition; learning to cook from your dad.

To this day I am still learning how to cook. I am not perfect as I still make mistakes in the kitchen, whether it’s forgetting to add an ingredient into the dish or I will over cook the meat. I have received so much support from my family but most importantly from my parents. There is so much support that I am now attending Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena; the best school there is to learn how to become a chef. I am learning how to make everything from scratch and I have also learned how to make a new version of beef stew. I will have to say compared to how I used to make beef stew to how I learned to make it today, there is a lot more flavor to the dish.  

I also have to say that learning to become a chef is not as easy as people think. There is a lot to learn that I did not learn before. I went from a house kitchen, the only kitchen I have ever worked in ever since I learned to cook, into a professional kitchen in which everything works at a different level. I have never worked in a professional kitchen and never worked in a restaurant but that did not stop me from going to school and producing the best dishes I can.

Thank you to those who believed in me and helped me get me to where I am now. I am a person who loves cooking and learning new things that will help me succeed in my future career. And when I retire many years from now I will retire happy and proud for doing something I love to do and that is cooking and becoming a chef in the future.  

Chicken Brutality

Chicken Brutality

Dulce Colon

            There are more than eight billion chickens that are raised in brutal farms. In comparison, there are a fewer amount of chicken that are raised in free range farms. These brutal farms are factory warehouses, where up to four chickens, also referred to as hens are placed in a four inch cage. At free range farms chickens are allowed to go outside and are not kept inside the cramped cages.

            You know how when you are sleeping and having a nightmare you can just wake up from it?  Well here is a nightmare in which you cannot wake up from. In our world there are billion of chickens that are constantly being abused at factory farms, in ways you never thought of. These chickens are being abused by health situations and in the way they are handled. From the moment the chickens hatch, the end of their beaks are cut off and are done without the use of anesthesia. I want you to picture yourself as a chicken. Now picture yourself having the end of your nose removed. Can you feel the blade cutting through the bone, cartilage and soft tissue? It’s painful! The farmers have the chicken’s beak removed to reduce the injuries from the chickens’ over-pecking, based on boredom. Once the chicken’s beaks are removed they are placed in extremely cramped cages that allow little to no movement. These cages are stacked and lined up in a very huge room, rows after rows of caged chickens. These chickens are kept in cages 24-7 and are not able to engage in their normal behavior.

            Being kept in an extremely small cage is not the only thing they have to suffer from. Their living environment is the dirtiest place you can imagine where the chickens are becoming sick from living in the un-kept cages. If you think about it they are eating each others feces because when they poop their feces drop down to the cage below landing in the other chicken’s food. If the chickens are eating each others feces they are bound to get sick, which they do. If one chicken gets sick they all get sick, right? Eventually the diseases spread from one chicken to another because the farmers don’t take the time to remove the contaminated chicken from the others. Some chickens also suffer from heart failure and the lack of lung development. The sad thing is the farmers don’t want to waste money on hiring a veterinarian to take care of the sick chickens. Instead they are forced to slowly die from injures and illness. According to an investigation completed by the Mercy for Animals, chickens also suffer from, “raging eye and sinus infection, mechanical feather damage, pasturela, paralysis, vitamin deficiency, enlarged vents, wing hemetones, and blindness.”

            Once the chickens have reached their potential size and / or can no longer lay eggs they are sent to the slaughter house. When the chickens reach the slaughter house alive, they are shackled and hanged by their feet. They are then taken to be killed by having their heads cut off by hand or by machine and then are placed in tanks of scalding water. What you don’t know is that some of these chickens are place in the tanks of scalding water alive. At the slaughter house 8,400 chickens are killed every hour!

            Free range chickens have a healthier life compared to factory chicken because they are not kept in cages. These chickens can freely enter and leave their hen house, into a vast opening of a green field. Free range chickens are handled with care and are in a cleaner environment. Unlike caged chickens they are not eating each others feces so they have less chances of becoming sick. If you went to a free range farm you will not see chickens with missing wings or legs. You will not see dead chickens in a cage with three other chickens or their hen house covered in each other’s feces or clustered of feathers littering the floor.

What I wonder is why can’t all chickens be raised in free range farms? If chickens where always raised in free range farms we would not be seeing a lot of chickens on the shelves of our food markets. But the most important question I have is why can’t the Animal Cruelty Law also apply to farm raised animals? Last I checked the animals that end up on our plates still have a right to be treated with care!  

My Guitar

My Guitar

Dulce Colon

My most important object in my life would be my gorgeous guitar.  The sounds that it makes will make you stop in your tracks to listen to the light weight strings make music.  For those who have never seen a guitar, it is a hollow instrument that has six strings, and has a tan body of wood while the back side is made from a darker part of wood.  It is like a medium sized violin that is played in front of you on your lap and not on your shoulder.  Each string plays a different note that consists of C, D, E, F, G, A and B.

            How does a guitar make such a glorious sound? It’s simple.  All the player has to do is stroke the strings with a delicate force while holding the strings in place along the neck of the guitar. To make such a glorious sound you also have to make sure the guitar is tuned to play the right note.

            There are different types of guitars such as acoustic and electric. The difference between these two is that an acoustic is mellower and gentler, where an electric guitar has a very winy note to it. But if you think about it, the electric guitar only sounds winy when it is plugged in, which is another difference between an electric and acoustic. Personally I prefer playing an acoustic guitar because it is more peaceful to learn how to play without getting a giant headache. I also prefer an acoustic because I don’t have to worry about annoying the neighbors or anyone else who is around me when I am practicing on my guitar. For anyone who needs an activity to calm their nerves I would suggest picking up an acoustic guitar and strum away on those strings.