#91 - All clear for exams

(No photos so stop here if you want photos...)


Final hand check
I went for my final check at the hospital yesterday.  As usual, it took an hour to get out to the burn unit at Queen Mary's Hospital in Roehampton.  It's out past Hammersmith so you switch to buses at Hammersmith Station.  There's a little bit of meandering around, then you go over the bridge.  For some reason I had thought it was blue (a la Tower Bridge) but actually it's a pistachio ice cream green color.  Then it's about another 20 minutes or so to get to the hospital which is pretty much right next to a university.


Luckily the appointment was at 8:30 so I had time to get a coffee before I got on the tube.  The physical therapist and plastic surgeon both inspected my hand.  They were pleased with how well the skin had healed - the PT asked what I had put on it and I told her anything anyone gave me:  Vitamin E oil, Vitamin E cream, kukui nut oil, coconut oil, whatever moisturizers I can get my hands on, etc. etc.  Any residual discomfort is because the nerves and ligaments are still healing, which could persist for another 14 - 20 months at which time they can do surgery to release any ligaments which are still catching.


Preparing for exams
For the moment, I am just resting my hand as much as possible in preparation for the upcoming 10 hours of ordered chaos.  Ordered, because there's method to our various madness, chaos because there will be 15 of us in a kitchen and the porters will have to go full speed in order to keep up with the rate at which we use pots.  We have a set of 7 pots and pans at the beginning of the Cuisine final.  I know that I will have to exchange the 3 littlest pots at least once in order to finish glazing my vegetables and to reduce my pigeon sauce, as well as the smaller saute pan and the medium pot.  It would help if we actually had a whole fridge to ourselves instead of only one shelf.  I suppose the school thinks it's adequate space because we have shelves at eye level as well as below the counter, but having experienced the Mock Final, we use all the space and I'm sure people could use more if they were given more.


I'm sure today will be more efficient, but still - you never know what's going to happen on exam day, what with nerves and things.  All kindness of silliness can ensue:  I forgot to put my sauce through muslin last time so hopefully that won't happen this time.  I've heard of people forgetting their parsley chiffonade - it won't change the world but it's a bummer when you've cut it, presented your plate (or plates, this time - 2 servings of everything) and then you turn around and the parsley is just sitting there.


The battle today will be getting the two portions plated.  I didn't manage to plate 2 portions at the Mock so hopefully it will be better today.  For better or worse, the next time you hear from me my Cuisine final will be over.


Until next time, may each subsequent attempt at whatever you're doing improve on the previous attempt.

#89 - Death by tuiles...

Replating the desserts... 
I keep thinking it's Friday night but it's not.  My lattice stencil arrived yesterday and I picked it up from a friend today so that I could have a practice run at my plating with all the decorations.  Yech - another try tomorrow...it's a pain because I don't feel like I have a natural talent for putting the shapes and things together.    Nothing came out quite the way I imagined or hoped except for the white chocolate twirls.  I had to make my own blackberry puree so I had to guess a bit.  It turned my tuile mix purple instead of a dark pink or deep red.  I know part of it is the the tuile batter but still...lavender?  And the pretty tuiles broke because I overcooked them so I had to use the crappy one for the plating.

Had to be kind of ruthless with the chocolate twirls.  Hopefully I'll get the same shape or be able to snap it around the same place during the exam - it's hard to get the angles exactly right and depending on the acetate you get, sometimes it's easier than others to get the twirls to be around the same circumference/curve as what you're aiming for.  Got lucky today with the twirl, but still ended up breaking the long twirls into a better height to go on the plate.

Have been having trouble coming up with a design on the plate where I would have enough sauce and still have something that looks clean and interesting.  This still isn't quite what I was looking for, but it's an improvement over what happened during the exam skills class with our plated dessert earlier in the week.  I've been lucky enough to get some suggestions from friends who did this exam two terms ago.  They had a couple of ideas which I think I can try tomorrow so that I can put photos in the portfolio.  At this point if it takes too much time, I'm not doing it for the exam (except for piping the poppyseed tuile and even that has me whining that it sucks when the batter is melting).

The Anglaise came out this time but the coulis is still really thick even though I didn't boil the sugar as hot as the other day.  The coulis gets this weird skin on top - I think blackberries must have some kind of pectin because the coulis looked like it might set if I left it to its own devices for a while.  In any case, the Anglaise wasn't as runny today and the coulis not as lumpy so I think I've fixed my technical difficulties.  Hopefully there will be time to do them again tomorrow - just in case, and also to try out the suggested platings with the sauces.  We've got a few ideas on the go so hopefully one of them will look good.  I don't want to try anything fancy because I know my hands will be shaking by the time I get to plating the dessert and wobbly hands don't do good piping or other fine, delicate work.

JB has been a very good sport and tasted each of the components I made today - a bit of a feat given he was trying to eat dinner and go out while I was plying him with the Anglaise (he wanted to know what it was.  I could only explain it by saying it's kind of like a custard), the coulis and tuile.  He declined the white chocolate - probably just as well, I need the twirls after all so that I can try a couple of more alternative platings.

Dinner

Then it was time for dinner.  I was really craving the goat's cheese and the baby beets I bought last night.  Also the mac 'n cheese.  And I bought some chicken today - baked it wrapped in Serrano ham.  It sounded good in theory but not good in practice.  The bottom part of the chicken  / ham roll kind got steamed / boiled so it wasn't crispy like I had thought it would.  Super classy dinner, non?  I think the best part of dinner was the salad though - the chicken was boring and the mac 'n cheese stopped being nice right around when the breadcrumbs started to go a bit soggy.

Tempering is really taking it out of me.  Somehow managed to get the white chocolate twirls done but my hand has started to peel.  Have decided that I will not cook again before finals after I've turned in my portfolio (well, except to cook dinner or something).  I want to rest everything as much as possible for the big days.

Anyway, it's time to go to sleep.  I've been sitting here trying to formulate a sentence for quite a while now and am afraid I have said something silly further up.  Thank goodness for artistic friends who can make a judgment call as to whether something is pretty or not.  Or clean looking or not.  So until next time, may the suggestions you get from your friends be as good and useful as the ones I have received from mine.  

#66 - Wallowing...

...5 minutes of discouragement
Good news:  my hand is healed, 3 weeks after the burn.  Bad news:  hand won't be ready for me to take finals for another 3 months.  Thus spake the Consultant (cosmetic/plastic surgeon at the burn unit) after I told him what tomorrow's Patisserie final entailed.  For the moment, homework is to moisturize my hands 4 times a day (just to get the burned part used to being touched again and to desensitize the nerves) then to do my hand exercises in a bowlful of uncooked pasta.  Yes, I have hand exercises...so I indulged in a few tears while I tried to figure out what next, then decided it won't do any good until I hear back from LCB administration about what to do for my finals.  For the moment, focus is to get hand working as quickly as possible.  Yes, yes, it takes time.

...in lots of good food and stimulating company
Luckily last week I had planned to go to a supper club thing run by one of the people from class at LCB.  Mrs J makes yummy food and I got to partake!  See this link:  https://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=hp#!/pages/Mrs-Js-Secret-Kitchen/141786465854903.  Also, really good conversation, I'm sorry I didn't have a notepad and pen.  We had some artists and an art dealer at my table so there was lots of talk about what is/not art, preferences, how it reflects the politics and economics of the day (what I needed paper for), etc. etc.  Hearing the artist's point of view, the dealer's point of view and the insurer's point of view in light of my own (shallow) layperson's view was educational and fascinating - that is to say, the other people were.

The artists were quite sweet.  They asked me if it was hard to eat "regular" food given what we had been learning at cooking school.  I don't know about others, but I told them that since I injured my hand, I have had a lot of beans (and cheese) on toast.  Before, I used to eat 2-minute noodles.  At the moment, I can't make them so that hasn't happened.

FYI - Important
Anyway, the point is this - sometimes you just want a quick and simple something to eat.  Also, just because we can cook something and make it look fancy doesn't mean that we don't appreciate something someone made, however simple they think it is.  There's a certain something that is added when a meal is prepared for you by someone else.  Technical skills are an added bonus, but really, maybe it just comes down to the thought put into it, even if it is a cup of tea and a piece of toast.  The fact that someone made the effort into making something just for you makes it absolutely amazing.

It seems to be a common misconception that a chef will not appreciate something you make them because they can do it better.  I have been told by a chef in no uncertain terms that this is NOT the case, so if you are ever tempted to cook for someone but are intimidated, don't be.

But back to the food...
Mrs J, with KA assisting, made us a delicious dinner.  The amuse bouche turned out larger than planned so I just suggested we call it an extra starter instead of an amuse.  I don't know if that was actually done or not - I am a bit sleep deprived and not thinking too clearly at the moment, but I wanted to get this down while it was fresh in my mind.  Anyway - it was coddled scotch quail eggs (I think) - soft boiled quail eggs wrapped in sausage meat, crumbed...and really yummy.  This is from a person who doesn't eat runny egg yolks and doesn't eat pork.

Somehow they turned out 16 dishes in a tiny space.  Starter was a seared scallop with cauliflower puree (yum!), some kind of crunchy praline thing with a spice whose name I can't remember and some garnish.

Main was beef wellington with foie gras, vegetables, yummy sauce.  The beef wellingtons were individually sized - a nice touch.  Apparently they were sized that way because of the space constraints of the oven, but I didn't know that until later.  I thought I would want my beef more well done but I really enjoyed it this way - pink in the middle (something else I normally don't do!).  Apparently the logistics of doing individual sized portions was a nightmare and both of the chefs have vowed never to do that again.

We had a little beggar at the table - a very cute and friendly 15 year-old who tapped my hand when he felt that his share of attention was not being paid.  Unfortunately for the cutie pie, I am impervious to large eyes and furry coats and no foie gras was forthcoming his way from my plate.  Or scallop.  Or beef.  Or anything else, actually.  He eventually gave up on me.  Attention is all very nice but what he really wanted was the yummy food.

Then dessert - wow, just the way I like it.  A bitter chocolate tarte with a hint of orange peel in the tarte shell.  Mrs J wasn't satisfied with the tarte shell but I actually preferred it to the filling.  The ice cream wasn't my favorite, but I don't feel bad saying that since it was a stand-in for the one that had been planned (but which didn't work out).  It was really rich though, so I only had part of it which was plenty.  It was possible to eat a bit more of it because it wasn't too sweet (85% cocoa will do that).  They say there's caffeine in dark chocolate, but I am almost asleep so evidently it's not currently effective.

So here are some shots of the kitchen - staff food (chili con carne), mixed veggies, what happens to the sink, stove and kitchen when the dishwasher stops working (I think that's what someone said)...I'm amazed at what they did in the kitchen - it was a regular, domestic kitchen and somehow they managed to turn out a multi-course meal for 16 (?) plus staff food.  There was also a little outside area - I can't remember if they actually cooked outside or if they were just storing some things out of the way there while dinner service was going on.

Also, we had a bit of fun with the paying for the meal.  You make a donation for the cost of the meal (or whatever) and we messed around with her teapot.  Sorry HJ!

Community service warning - Hunter cars (or something like that)


So it was quite late and I wasn't going to take the tube.  We got a quote from a minicab company but when I told the driver my address (the same information we had given the dispatcher, by the way) he told me a different address.  Given we were in the middle of nowhere, it's really cold and I was exhausted, I wasn't inclined to argue.  However, it makes me really cranky when someone says one thing in order for you to choose them, then says something else when it's kind of too late (i.e. you're already in the car).  Maybe it's because I take giving my word seriously, but I take other people's words seriously too and I felt like they had lied.  I paid the driver but I told him he should sort things out with his dispatcher because what they had done wasn't cool.

My suggestion - I haven't tried it yet, but you can bet I'll try it on Friday for graduation - is to use a reputable company (even if they are bit more expensive).  I have a feeling you are less likely to have these last minute changes to fares with lame excuses ("it's 11 miles".  Um ok, except what changed from when I gave the same information to your dispatcher???)  I'll let you know how it turns out with using a larger car service.

So until next time, don't worry, be happy...

#62 - Always look on the bright side of life...

Yippee!
Bulky bandages on hand are off.  Of course this is because they want me to start using it.  Actually, it hurts more now than it did when I burned it because the burned area contracted so I have to keep it from contracting more.  Apparently there's no guarantee that the skin will stretch out so now it's a discussion of when the hand will be back to being able to do what it needs to do (2 more weeks - just in time for Christmas and just in time to require a return visit to London to finish the practical exams - time TBC with school). 

So - using the hand kind of sucks, but the pain is a reminder of being alive - and being grateful that it wasn't worse.  I saw a toddler today leaving the burn unit.  She had put both hands on the oven door just before her mother was about to put her in her high chair for dinner.  Bandages over both hands almost to the elbows - how can anyone feel sorry for themselves when faced with that sight?

The bright side
I would never have gone out to Roehampton if it hadn't been for the burn unit.  To get there, I get on a bus from Hammersmith and you go over the Hammersmith Bridge.  It's blue - looks a bit like the one out of Bridget Jones's Diary.  Due to the hour of my appointments, I get to see the sun shining on the Thames, turning it into a brighter version of what I call the moon path (the silver path you get on the ocean under a bright moon on a still night).  Even better, the mornings have generally been sunny.  If there is rain or if it is overcast, that tends to roll in later in the day so there has been an opportunity to get at least a couple of minutes of sunlight most days.  Hope to remember to take more photos when I go back to the hospital next week.

Also, since I can't cook (and going to class is torture because I want to cook so I don't go unless there is something specific I am trying to learn/review) there's time to do some of the things I haven't had time to do.  Like get a haircut!  And more laundry. I got behind because I was always washing my uniform, but now there's time to do regular stuff too.  (I miss my dryer!)

Last demo/practical
This afternoon was the last demo with an associated practical class (exams don't count).  It was also the last one with Chef FJ.  It's debatable whether he will miss us - certainly he won't miss us annoying him on a Friday afternoon, but perhaps he'll miss other aspects.  Hard to tell - note to self:  follow up when I come back to take the final exams.

The demo involved monkfish - not one of the most attractive fish out there and definitely not one I like to prepare as much as some of the others we've done in the past.  However, it was delicious so I will be thinking whether I can try this dish with substitutes.  I think it would be really nice with some of the local fish we get at home.  It kind of has teeth and it's kind of slimy looking.  You get a very nice not-fishy taste from it though, which is good if you are introducing someone to fish or if you are cooking for someone who's not fond of fish.  Generally I stay away from salmon or other oily fish unless I know that the person I'm cooking for likes it.

Finals
Written exams are over and a collective sigh of relief mingled with depair have wafted down the streets of Marylebone.  There will be some rejoicing as of Thursday, then more buckling down as people prepare for the 6-hour marathon that is thePatisserie final.  I think it terrifies people more because unlike cuisine, generally you can't fix something if it goes wrong because you usually find out too late (i.e. the sugar sculpture broke and you have half an hour left (we budget about 75 minutes for it) or your cake sponge was too dense or whatever.  Of course this depends, as some things are easier to fix than others.

And yes, I still have to discuss the schedule with school but I intend to return to London to take the final exams. It was too much work to let go without at least attempting the exams (although it will be beyond a bummer if I fail, the possibility of which is always present). Graduation will be a chance to see everyone and say goodbye, but my group will finish without me. Watch this space for photos of newly minted chefs with their tall hats and a couple of medals.

Must go - things that used to take just a little bit of time can now take up to 3 times as long.

So until next time, may the bright side of life be easy to find.

#61 - Good news...

Burn update
Well I won't be ready in time for my Cuisine final and mostlikely for the Patisserie final.  Can't discuss dates with school yet for the exam as hand has begun to heal but still has a way to go (some skin has started to grow back - cause for much rejoicing on Friday).  This has resulted in having fewer dressings applied so that I can do my exercises.  Tradeoff for being unable to do schoolwork:  homework assigned by the PT/OT.  And a joke by one of the nurses when I asked how often I should do the exercises ("oh, every half hour or so").  I couldn't see her face when she said it, so it took half a sec to figure out she was having a little fun.  Also, I hadn't had my coffee yet.

Hand is much better although we had had to make arrangements for my theory exams - both (written) exams are tomorrow and the hand is still somewhat out of action.

Have had some entertaining classes.  Chef FJ occasionally "lets" people assist him during demos (i.e. shelling shrimp) or sometimes has people do something not necessarily related to his demo but related to things we had in class that people may have trouble with.  On Friday it was more of an assistance - and possibly just to speed things up a bit.  PB was drafted to heat a couple of things and to cook a couple of things in preparation for Chef's plating and service.  I was too slow to get him in full flight, but he reheated a couple of different veggies, sauteed the spinach and cooked the duck breasts while the rest of us watched (and possibly silently judged).  He did a very nice job on everything.

Other happenings
One of my girlfriends from Sydney, EN, is in town.  We happened to miss each other due to various reasons, so managed dinner and a movie (The Tower Heist - relatively entertaining with Ben Stiller at his unobnoxious best and a rather good cast) in Leicester Square last night.

Today was an exhibit called the Heart of the Great Alone, a part of the Royal Collection and held in Buckingham Palace.  It was about various Antactic expeditions by UK explorers about 100 years ago.  I thought it would just be photoraphs.  On the surface it was, but it was put together extremely well and I was unexpectedly touched while listening to the audio-guides.  Of course I am a sucker for good music and Elgar's Nimrod Overture was used very effectively during some of the commentary.

Must run - time to study a bit more and try to focus.  So until next time, may your distractions be few but welcome.

#60 - No, I am not giving the world the finger

Went to the doctor for my hand because it didn't feel right.  Got sent to the Burn Unit at Queen Mary's Hospital (an hour away)...can't cook for 2 weeks, possibly longer.  Blister is now gone but there were a few tears during cleaning.  Hoping surgery not needed to fix burns.

Went back to school.  Unsure re rate of recovery but they will let me prepare as though I will be able to take final exams, albeit with a couple of concessions for handicap (a couple of extra days for Pat portfolio, someone to help me write for the 2 written exams, both on Monday coming.

Have been fed due to kindness of classmates.  Plating might not be fancy but it was delicious.  Chef FJ had me tasting presented dishes, so hopefully palate is workin a bit better.  Amazing how things can taste so different using same ingredients and recipe (although seasoning plays an important role there).

Until next time, may your life be as filled with the kindness of everyone as mine has been today.

#58 - A day off, followed by ER (minus George Clooney, Noah Wylie et al)

Day off and confusion reigns for 10 minutes...
Monday was a day off.  I assumed it was a public holiday - it wasn't.  I called school to make sure I had read my schedule correctly - we never have a day off during the week!  Ok, we did...

So it was mostly a nice day. I'm skipping the not nice bits - because it hurts to type.  Afternoon tea in St James's Place followed by a walk to Covent Garden and the Royal Ballet.  Graduation present (belated) for LM.  Found out later it was her first ballet, so glad we did it right.  Fun girly day / night out.


ER (don't look if you are squeamish)
So yesterday was another day of sugar.  My sugar leaked a little out of piping bags...got some spectacular burns - put my hand in water / ice periodically, but wanted to finish class.  I think the smart thing would have been to go to the doctor right after, but I had another class so I stayed for that one too. Finished the centrepiece but still have a few kinks to work out for the final.  Pretty safe to say I will avoid piping sugar for the final so will need to consider alternate technique which minimizes potential to come into contact with sugar.

After class, before ER

Unsuccessful attepts to blow sugar during second session. May have had a little to do with the fact that my dominant hand was useless.  Blown sugar will break if you blew it thin enough and then don't pick it up gently enough.  Definitely no apple of discord in my batch of misshapen fruits.  Finished with a practice rose so class wouldn't feel like there was nothing to shoe for it.

Finished early so got a book and went looking for the nearest ER when my fingers started go feel numb.  Surely that can't be good...Google said there was one about 10 minutes' walk away.  Turned out it was some kind of meeting group organizing thing, which is good.  It was in a building where I expected lunatics to come barreling out from nowhere (I pressed a button to get in, the door buzzed to let me in, reception was closed and no one seemed to be around.  Just saw a lot of empty rooms...).  Eventually found someone who gave me directions to the hospital (you go along this road, then turn right).

24 hours after injury...

Temporarily crippled
Eventually got to hospital where I had to ask for directions for the entrance, then directions to the ER. When I finally saw the triage nurse, she asked why I had waited so long to come in. I told her I had class, then got lost. Eventually saw the doctor. One look at my hand and she went to get a more senior doctor. Left hospital a little after midnight with note so I can miss class while my hand regains some functionality. Hmmm, might be while, today is worse than yesterday. Can't be good when the chefs freak out after they see my hand.

Had a pretty walk to class this morning, then yummy dinner near St Paul's - Gordon Ramsay's Bread Street Kitchen - although I didn't know it was Gordon Ramsay's when I picked it or might have boycotted it (you know, general bad language, personal attacks on people, etc etc).

So food:  seared scallops with apple and bacon, short rib burger, green beans with shallots, mac 'n cheese (all of which LM and I shared);

then dessert:  pineapple upside down cake for her and another mac 'n cheese.  The waitress laughed when I ordered my dessert, then laughed a little more when I told her it was the best dessert in a while.

Took forever to wash hair with one hand unable to do anything.  Need more painkillers but afraid to take any.  Dinner was a while ago and you have to take these with food...

Have mock exams coming up but hand is out of commission for at least 7 - 10 days.  Need to do the practice but don't want to damage hand further with exams just over a week away.  Can't hold a pen or spoon, much less a knife so will have to figure something out.  Silver lining - can't fake this kind of injury.  Tiny lining, but there nonetheless.  Going to sleeep now, hopefully some healing will begin to make itself felt because it's starting to hurt a bit now.  Any mistakes are due to exhaustion and pain, but apologies anyway.

So until next time, please stay safe and may you not need to search for silver linings.