NE Highlights and Challenges | Week #5

This is a class assignment that I write about at the end of each week called Highlights and Challenges. If you are new to my blog I am enrolled at The Natural Epicurean Culinary Academy in Austin, Texas and this is my online journal (among other things!).

HIGHLIGHTS

1. Describe: What did you find especially exciting, interesting, inspiring, satisfying and/or fun this week in the kitchen?

Hoorah! I passed my written exam, product identification, knife skills test, and my first practicum! Just to clarify, I really do need more knife practice. There is no way to learn knife skills over night unless you are a r-o-b-o-t, and I am not a robot. So practice, practice, practice!

This week's cookery consisted of soups, salad dressings, appetizers, tomatoes and peppers, and my favorite the potato!

I realized that dressings are better when you make them yourself and require little time or effort. Appetizers may be something that I can expand upon because I rarely eat appetizers so I don't ever think to cook them. 

Did you know that Tomatoes and peppers are part of the nightshade family? Nightshade. What a fun name. It's like this group is part of an underground superhero team that doesn't reveal it's true identity, but you see them everyday! Just image a tomato with a mask and his sidekick Pepe the jalapeno :P Anyhoo, there are other members of the nightshade family like, potatoes, eggplant, and goji berries just to name a few. 

It was a good and challenging week mentally and physically, and without further ado here are this week's food pics:

Green salad with sesame ginger dressing, winter greens with fennel and pears, and a spicy no mayo coleslaw.

Here we have potato leek soup, coconut lentil soup, cold corn soup, and a mock clam chowder! The pretty white designs were made by Chef Inge.

On Wednesday we made bruschetta, stuffed chilies, classic gazpacho, tomato jam, and a vegan chili. 

And on Thursday we made an eggplant stacked tower, gnocchi, potato pancake, roasted fingerling potatoes, and a scalloped potato gratin with fresh herbs.

2. Reflect: In what ways have you begun to apply, develop or incorporate this and/or how does this influence your professional goals?

This weekend I am planning on practicing for my upcoming practicum. 

We are being asked to make potato leek soup, potato pancake, and a no mayo coleslaw. This one will be interesting because all of these items need to be served at the same time. Which if you really think about it that's what normally happens when you make a meal for someone. Everything is ready at the same time, right? I think so. I'm going to be fine. 

CHALLENGES

3. Describe: What did you find especially challenging or difficult in the kitchen this week?

This week we had an instructor that I found just a wee-bit challenging to follow. The teaching methods and demonstrations were very unique and interesting, but required extra effort to follow. I liked the passion and experiences about this person and I learned some new things to consider (i.e. growing a garnish garden). Good nuggets of information was given and I am grateful.

4. Reflect: What might you do to meet and overcome these challenges or difficulties?

I'm thinking that I need to loosen up my frame of mind and go with the energy of the class and focus on the learning objective for the day, but still ask for clarification (maybe more that I usually would). I'll go in with a calm frame of mind and be open to where this teaching style takes me :)
All is well.