H...is for Hell Week.

Week 6 is what is affectionately called, "Hell Week". It is the final week of basics and consists of 5 exams in 5 days and an oral report. Also 6 homework assignments. Pretty intense!

My written exams went really well. I got high A's on both of them. The three practical exams were much harder for me. I did well, but it just demands a lot more out of me. 2 of the practicals were plating exams, where you are given a menu and you have 2 hours to make everything and present on a plate hot, like in a restaurant. The timing can be a little tricky to make it all come out at the same time. For example: Chicken Consomme appetizer, Frenched chicken leg & thigh stuffed with Mushroom Duxelle in caul fat, Mushroom Supreme Sauce, Dauphanoise potatoes, and glazed carrots. (That was my 2nd plating). It feels a little Iron Chef-ish racing against the clock, and running around like a crazy person. Chef was a pretty tough critic, but it went pretty well and I'm really glad that it is over.

We also had a practical knife skills test. Basically taking different vegetables and cutting them extremely precisely against the clock (see image above for reference). We had 45 minutes to concasse 2 tomatoes, med dice a potato, cut 2 ounces of julienne carrots (1/8"x 1/8"x 2"), 2 ounces of brunoise carrots (1/8" cubes), and 4 tourneed potatoes (7 sided football-like shapes, 2" in length, 3/4" thick). 45 minutes may sound like a long time for all of that, but it really isn't. Especially because 2 ounces by weight of little tiny cubes is a lot of freaking carrot. And the tournes are really quite difficult. Chef even got out a ruler and measured each little piece. Time really got the best of me and I wasn't very happy with my exam. I did a lot better than most people, but I was disappointed with myself. Oh well, it's only one test.

The dreaded Tourne...striking fear in the hearts of culinary students the world around!

Overall, I felt like the week went pretty well. I'm fairly certain I'll get an A and I'm really excited to move on to the next class. I won't be the new guy anymore. And I can't believe I'm already a quarter of the way done with my classes!! (6 months of class, 3 months of internship).

Tomorrow I start Bake Shop!!!!! : )