The best part of the unit was being introduced to Chef Kir Rodriguez. He is a former monk and brings an incredible calming energy to the kitchen...not to mention a great sense of humor! Here is a picture of Chef Kir frying English Muffins...
Our exam consisted of croissants, pain au chocolat, petite pains, and currant scones. We also got to have some fun with pizzas to relieve the test stress. I made a prosciutto, mozzarella, and basil pizza.Yum! I did pretty well if I do say so myself!
We finally got to move on to one of my favorite things...petite fours! In French it literally means tiny ovens. These beautiful little treats are meant to be the one perfect bite...and they are! So far we have done raspberry and chocolate macarons, passion fruit tarts, financiers, Sarah Berhardts, and rum raison cookies...and got to plate them all beautifully.
We also did traditional Opera cakes that are filled with coffee buttercream and chocolate ganache. Decadence!
Being in a kitchen and baking every day, one would think that I would be sick of food...but this is not the case. We all are aspiring chefs because it is a passion. So on our free time, what do you think we all do? Eat, cook and talk about food! We love to try new restaurants together, swap recipes, and go to food demonstration.
Last week, one of my classmates, Angela, generously invited us to her family's trattoria. We walked into this beautiful, rustic restaurant that felt just like home! Her father greeted us and then brought out the most delicious food...and it just kept on coming! I wish I had taken more pictures for you but we were so ensconced in the food I completely forgot :) I did, however, take a shot of the magnificent pizza oven...it was brought in from Italy and the center stone rotates. If only I could fit one in my 250 sq foot studio....
FCI gives us great opportunities by bringing in top chefs to do all different types of demonstrations. We can see Chef Jacques Torres demo a Bûche de Noël or Chef Ron Ben-Israel demo his stellar cake decorating skills...but we also can see savory chefs at work, which is a nice change of pace.
Last week we were honored by the presence of Dario Cecchini, the infamous butcher from the village of Panzano in southern Italy. We watched him butcher an entire cow leg that was brought in by the butcher from Eataly! It was one of the cooler things I have ever seen...I never thought I would say that about someone hacking up a 250 lb piece of beef...
Just when you think you can't get enough of food...think again! On Sunday I spent hours practicing piping. I made really cute sugar cookies in the shape of the Eiffel Tower. I am getting better everyday!
When you find your passion, whether its a thing, or a spouse, or a friend, or a child...its something you will never get sick of. There are days that it makes you so happy, days that it makes you furious, days where it makes you laugh, days where it makes you cry, and days when you just can't figure it out...but everyday, it inspires you. I am so blessed to have found my "thing."
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