Im not usually hungry during class hours. The morning schedule has me feeling like the breakfast I ate at home barely has a chance to settle before cooking/eating/sampling at LCB begins. Today was a different story, although Im unsure whether it was just me or the food we were cookin’ that made my belly growl in anticipation. Chef prepared a thick hearty puree of split pea, a rich cream of mushroom soup and a sweet carrot ginger concoction. We’re moving into the whole soup stretch- consommes, creams, purees, bisques, chowders.

On to considerably more troublesome and pertinent matters- finals. Since Ill be in NYC the 8th through the 11th, I have to take my exams tomorrow instead of mid next week. This whole final business is intense. Really…Im not just saying that because I suck at a certain sauce and tests send me into hysterics. Honestly, its tough through and through. Students are required to individually produce a soup (consomme, cream or puree), a mother sauce (bechamel, hollandaise or veloute) plus mayonnaise- no recipes allowed. And if thats not difficult enough- we dont get to pick/know exactly which sauces/soups we will be asked to put forth- so basically we have to know them all and know them well. Following the practical exam  there is a written final which will cover the history of the profession, stations within the brigade system, knife cuts & the knife, mother & secondary sauces, cooking techniques, weights/measures, conversions and soups.

Tonight will consist of Indian take out and maniacal studying. Hopefully all goes well tomorrow…wish me luck.