Hot out the oven!

Hello to friends, family, co-workers, customers and just those dropping in to see what's cooking. Come with me on my new journey, my dream come true. 

I'm about to start my sixth week at Western Culinary Institute, the Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Portland, Oregon. It has been a wild couple of weeks so far and the veteran students say it only gets harder. 

By seven a.m. we are lined up for inspection. Chef's coat, check pants, apron, side towel, commis cap, cravat, nametag, student id badge, sharpie, pen, thermometer, no jewelry, no nails, hair tucked under cap. We start our day in demo, chef describes each step while showing you what to do. After demo its our turn to make what the chef has demoed. We get out of class at noon but most of us stay for lab to work on our projects usually not leaving until 2 or if we can get away with it 3 p.m. 

I've burned myself twice, only one of which did I have to go to the doctor for. I've gained about five pounds. (Taste, taste, taste...) I've made dozens of cookies, cakes, muffins, pies, custards and tarts and that's just the intro class. 

Each day is new chaos and discovery. Who knew I could make a cake like the one in the bakery display case or that I'd even think of whipping batter by hand for thirty minutes so that my cake would be the desired texture. 

Monday we start a week of breads (real food opposed to the sugar we've been eating every morning!) This is our final week of Intro to Baking then we go into specialized classes for different subjects. 

I'll post photos along the way of the best work (and maybe a few of the worst!) If you are wondering about the missing piece of each item ... that's how the chef grades you!

Until next time ... sweet dreams.