NE Highlights and Challenges | Week #14

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?

This was our last week with Ayurveda and we went on a field trip to the Natural Gardener and the Ghandi Bazaar. So those were fun! 

I also enjoyed the demonstrations given by Chef Rachel. She made a variety of desserts and I really liked the vegan caramel/chocolate dip served with fruit. I have to make that recipe soon!

Here are some photos:
This one is called suspended fruit. I used a vegan gelatin (agar flakes), soaked goji berries, and lychee fruit. It was a lightly sweetened dessert that firmed up really well. I garnished it with dried rose petals.

The other two photos below are a vegetable layered dish and we used an almond/herb ricotta as well as a sunflower/herb filling. 

Here is a photo of the vegan caramel/chocolate dip that I enjoyed:

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

I will take what I found to be inspiring this week and use it in my own special way. I've got to go back and sort through all the recipes to see how I can make a menu out of them. That's always fun to do.

CHALLENGES

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

Not a lot to mention here because I feel I have already mentioned in my previous post. 

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

Since this was our last week in Ayuerveda we had the opportunity to give feedback in class so I felt good about my notes. I enjoyed the class overall, both chefs have so much experience, and I felt fortunate to learn from them. 

Next week is culinary business!

Thanks for stopping by and see you next week!

NE Highlights and Challenges | Week #13

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?

This was my second week in Ayurveda and we learned about herbs, spices, curries, grains, processing yougurts and curds, dal and beans, finger foods, chutneys, soups, salads, and dressings! 

I really liked the curries, dal and beans, finger foods, and the dressings.

Here are some photo of this weeks cookery:

Oh, and I really enjoy assisting and getting recipes prepped. I assisted Chef Liz in a public class called Meatless Mondays. I also assisted Chef Rachel a couple of times this week and I will be assisting this Saturday in a public class called Vegan Baking at the school. We have so many great public classes that you can sign up for and maybe I'll see you at one of them! Here is a link to get you started - Natural Epicurean Public Classes. 

Here are photos of the food from the Meatless Monday public class:

The menu consisted of chickpea quinoa burgers in lettuce wrap, portobello mushroom bacon, vegan mayonaise, tahini curried carrot salad, kale and brussels sprout ceasar salad with smoky checkpeas, and kelp noodles with Thai peanut sauce.

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

There are some recipes this week that I'd like to incorporate into my routine and I think others will enjoy them as well. I'll probably change a few of the ingredients, but that's what you are suppose to do! Make a recipe into your own creation.

CHALLENGES

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

This week I noticed that we were behind schedule more than usual and that stood out to me because our class is known to be efficient when it comes to cleaning time. 

Maybe it was the new rearranged schedule, too many recipes, longer recipe reviews that cut into to our actual cooking time, or maybe it was just one of those weeks that everything was out of kilter. Perhaps it was a combination of all of the above. There are no hard feelings about this week at all just an observation as a whole. 

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

I'm sure whatever the cause of this will get sorted, these things happen from time to time and it's good to have some self reflection to see what role you played into this situation. Today's class went well and I bet next will be better! 

Thanks for stopping by and see you next week!

NE Highlights and Challenges | Week #12

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?

After a two week Summer break I was happy and excited to return to culinary school! Don't get me wrong, I did appreciate the break, but after a week and a half I was ready to get back into the program. 

The interesting thing this week was to learn about Ayurveda and to find out what my dosha is and doing my best to wrap my mind around it all. I've got two more weeks of this class and there is so much to learn and absorb. 

The other thing that I was happy to find out about was our upcoming final event. We all learned what job roles we are assigned to and I am one of the kitchen managers! I am happy to be working with my classmate, Rae, who is the other kitchen manager! She's great and I feel we can knock this even out of the park. Our team is pretty solid and I believe it will go well.

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

Keeping a positive, but realistic perspective for the remainder of this quarter will be good for me. 

CHALLENGES

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

The challenging thing for me is learning and memorizing the different characteristics of each dosha and all of the new spices/herbs that I have not been exposed to before. 

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

I've got to start studying sooner! I have already begun making my flash cards and I find those are helpful. I'm not in a state of panic, but I am aware that I will have to foucs more on this subject matter. 

Overall, it's been a great week!