JWU RI Trimester 2 Week 3

[KateW]

I ended up getting a B in beverage service, with an 11.5 out of 15 on the practical. Kind of disappointing but I am happy I still came out with a B. I am now in nutrition and sensory analysis. Our time is split up between an academic setting and a cooking setting and we have a different professor for each. It is a little bit odd. I have had two classroom days and one cooking day. Sadly we broke for winter break in the middle of this class. I am on break now until the monday after new years. I like the classroom work because it is a nice break from cooking. I am absorbing the information well and I really like the computer program we use to convert recipes. We usually start out with this really empty-calorie recipe and then convert it to something more healthy. It really interests me and I love playing around with different ingredients and seeing what it does to the nutritional value.
I have some homework to do over break--I need to find a couple articles that have to do with nutrition--I suppose they can vary greatly from food to vitamins to substitutions and the like. We have to give summaries of the articles and provide our own thoughts.
We don't get to go to dinner during this class either, so we get out at 5:30 while we're in the classroom and 6:30-7 while we are in the cooking lab. It is a nice perk, but I miss the fancy meals we used to get served in the dining rooms.
I am looking forward to going back to school. Yesterday I got a chance to make a soup and practice my depouillage (skimming of fat and impurities). I really enjoy depouillage. I find it soothing. I think I do well with it too.
Until next time!

[Suzanne]

Kate -- enjoy your break. And we all look forward to your return to class too. Keep up the good work, and keep posting, please.

[ALynch]

Hello
Happy New Year
I'm writing this post in my nurtition class, so I hope I don't get in trouble. I got a 14/15 on my beverage exam, but a B as a final grade, I was kinda disoppointed. In Nutrition we have to do a final project of creating a three course menu and then alter it to make it healthy. All we have to do is punch numbers into a computer and it does everything for us, so there is really no work for us to do.

oh don't forget to depouillage your remiollage(spelling???)

Have a nice day?

[Suzanne]

ALynch: no chef is ever going to ask you what your grades were. If you worked hard and learned everything you could, and will go back over the stuff you didn't learn so that you will later, that's all that matters. The same goes for you, too, Kate.

[kuan]

That's it. It's all over for both of you. Might as well do something worthwhile like become an accountant!

Kuan

[KateW]

We have a similar final--we have to do the three course menu. But I think it involves a little work--after all, we have to come up with the alternative ingredients to make a bearnaise sauce healthy, for instance...
I think it should be fun though.
We also have a project due for the cooking portion of the class but it's fairly simple, and due tomorrow. We had to find two articles to do with nutrition and write about them. The trick was the fact that it was given to us to do over break, so of course everyone is scrambling to do it...tonight.
Today a bunch of people decided not to show up, creating a lot of work for the people who were there. We got out "late"...7:00ish instead of 6:30, but I'm not complaining because everyone else gets out at 7:30!
Break was fun but I'm glad to be back.
That's all for now, more at the end of the week.

[kuan]

Originally posted by KateW
come up with the alternative ingredients to make a bearnaise sauce healthy

You want hints Kate?

Kuan

[KateW]

Actually we just did it today. We have yet to cook it but here is what we came up with for one serving of mock bearnaise sauce:
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 T shallot minced
1/4 t crush black pepper
1/2 oz. white wine
1/2 T tarragon vinegar
1 oz no fat sour cream
1 oz no fat plain yogurt
1 t mustard
1/2 t honey
1 t lemon juice
1/4 t tumeric
1/2 T chopped tarragon
pinch of salt

combine first 5 ingredients and reduce by half
combine remaining ingredients
whisk in reduction until blended
for service, heat to 140

It's a little frustrating doing this project with three other people. I would much rather whip it up all by myself. But hey cooking is all about teamwork unless you are a one-person show. So I am dealing with it.
What were your tips, kuan? Anything like what we did?

[kuan]

The mustard is key. Acutally, my hint was to figure out an emulsifier which you have in the mustard. You also have modified food starches in the non-fat yogurt and sour cream which helps. Looks good, a little complicated, but looks good.

Kuan

[ALynch]

Today in class we made an incrediable mayoniase using silken tofu and yogurt. We put a little wasibi in it and served it on grilled portabello sandwiches. Quite Tasty.

Also, What is the difference between aioli and mayoniase?
There is a debate on this among the JWU chef-instructors, some say there is no difference, some say that an aioli is a mayoniase flavored with garlic. My response was that they are the same, you can just charge more for aioli.

[KateW]

We did the same thing.
I don't know the difference between aioli and mayonnaise. =(
I'm a little nervous about making that whole meal on monday for our practical. I can't imagine 18 people each making a 3 course meal when 6 groups of 3 barely have room. We shall see! I'm doing well so far I think. Probably another B. I seem to have a knack for getting B's.

[Suzanne]

Can either of you post that recipe for tofu/yogurt mayonnaise? Pretty please???

Kate, a hint for your practical: stake your claim to a space as early as possible and make it impossible for anyone to move your stuff. Of course, you won't take more room than you need, just enough to establish a beachhead. If you're really organized and keep working at a good pace, you'll make the best use of the space you can get. Best of luck!

[KateW]

Im not worried about table space, im more worried about having burners, pots, pans and oven space. And utensils.
Here is the recipe, it says Adapted from Canyon Ranch Cooking by Jeanne Jones.
It is 4 servings.
1/2 cup silken tofu
2 oz plain nonfat yogurt
1 T honey
1 T Balsamic vinegar
1 T wasabi paste
1/2 T fresh lime juice
1 t dijon mustard
8 each arugula large leaves
2 each roasted peppers, about 1 cup

Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth =)

[ALynch]

I had the same problem with space during my stocks and sauces final, fortunally the school is loaded with portable gas burners, so I grabed one, and did my whole final on that one burner

[KateW]

Thats pretty cool =) I dont know if our school has those.
Which meal are you doing/did you do for your final? I am doing the one with chicken and mock bearnaise sauce.