Silly Me!! - DHM Kitchen Operations - Lesson 9 Practical

Silly Me forgot my Camera and it wasnt until I was sitting on the train and it pulled away from the platform that I realized that I had forgotten it!! Sooooo no photos of what we made on monday morning!! I had to rely on my phone and at that im not sure what the photos look like I need to upload them - though Jude took some photos on his phone....however also a waiting game with me going hurry up hurry up upload the photos!! He also took a photo of me and Zane haha..

Im in the wars - my arm is bandaged up as it is rather sore from when I jammed it last week at work...and I burnt my other hand in class with my soup that was turning into a hot mud pool effect like in Rotorua....it was literally spitting soup up into the air!!

To ease my pain I rang Robbie D and went for a ride with him....I was having so much fun and was relaxed to the point I was close to falling asleep safely in the ven - that he told me I had to go to class...noooooooo!! What a boring class it was at that...we spent half an hour talking about the assessment and then the other half watching videos on You Tube about Spa Baths in the Roman Empire and Greek days...and the Ritz Hotel in France...very pretty....can we go their one day Robbie when we are all super duper rich??

**Update - 10.04.09 - some photos**

These are our meals we made - pics arent that great as they were taken on my phone, Jude has some better ones Im guessing from his phone but he hasnt sent them through yet..

Chick Pea and Kumara Soup

Chicken Tagine

Couscous with Spiced Pumpkin and Nuts

Salad of Cauliflower, Broccoli and Shallots with Honey Dressing.

DHM Kitchen Operations - Practical Lesson 8

Spanish Flat Omelette

What Im Listening To: Chrildren (Eat Me Edit) - Robert Miles

Known Fact: One of the songs Robbie has sent to me over the years knowing I would like it..

Marinated Mushrooms

Thursdays for me is my day of where I have my $3 Cheeseburger Combo with Extra Pickles from McDonalds for dinner before I start my four hour practical in Kitchen Ops...

On this night I tested McD's again, as last week I had trouble with my extra pickles, having had a huge amount of extra pickles put on the week before hand, I had no extra pickles on this one and NO MUSTARD!! So it was a test, I have the same people always serve me, and I informed them of my issuse with the pickles I was asked how many I said whats the limit? I was told it was up to me I asked how many I actually get and I was inform ONE pickle!! Thats one pickle slice and it varies in size...so she put on Extra Extra Extra EXTRA pickles for me and I said it beter have mustard it didnt last week! I got my burger somewhat satisfied - hey its a cheap meal to put something in my stomach to get me through the fours before I eat what i make...!

Prawn Fritters

I went in early and was ready and we were underway with cooking we were so well prepared we struggled with something to do for a whole hour having prepared everything all that was left to do was cook really....and wash any dishes we didnt need.

Zane forgot the mushrooms and beans and we were told off for having our meatballs sitting out for long...lol I got the yelling at more so the rest as Im chef de partie!

Pork Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

We got some really good feedback from the lecturer on our meals again, and we then made our final choice on the final menu - sadly I didnt get what I wanted I really wanted to do the Mezze Platter however the rest liked the Spanish...oh well...

Squid with Gramolata

I need to now work on my requesition forms. time management, price costing... and do up the menus and buffet cards...but the hours seems to have escapsed on me today - I have the paper ready to make them though, I might go out to my scrap room and bring some things in to help me and do them inside, I have work in the morning and dont know how much time I will have to do them tomorrow when I get home...

Parika and Almond Beans

Enjoy.

What Best Friends Are For

What Im Listening To: Out of Space - The Prodigy

I hate it at Uni when I have big breaks between classes and I have that on Mondays - where I have three hours between my classes. Most people would do study during that time and I have done that before and that was the plan on this day to do my assignment that is due in....

But no I wanted something more exciting! And I knew just what I wanted....so I texted Robbie saying I was bored and that I had these 3 hours to spear - well it was 2 at the time I didnt realise we had gone over time in Kitchen Ops....I rang Robbie and he told me he would pick me up from Uni and go for a cruise...and that is just what we did..

My sad face was gone...not that I was fully sad or depressed I had just had a great weekend after all and the rest of last week from when I saw Robbie last was going good...which seeped into my work at my new job..! Anyway yes we drove around doing deliveries...I get majob kicks out of this...Robbie does it for a living and Im sure he gets sick of it after a while, but I love it - I love being with him and having laughs and thats what he is great for...he is the one who makes me extremely happy...I hate saying goodbye always have and always will...

We went up to Mt Eden....shared a few more memories from the old days....and grabbed some Macca's for lunch...$5 BBQ Bacon Combo! Personally I would have enjoyed it with some pickles and tomato sauce...and as much as I tried to hint at Robbie to remove my BBQ Sauce from my burger he wouldnt lol...yes opposites do attract very much with us...as well as having things in common - I will always be the salt and Robbie the pepper man....me the Tomato and him the BBQ....(though in saying that I wont forget how I converted your mom to Tomato sauce one weekend in Taupo!)

Once again - thanks to my bestest friend in the whole wide world for making me happy....and being one of the highlights to my week again..until next time my partner in crime!

x

DHM Kitchen Operations - Practical Lesson 7

Baba Ghannouj and Pita Wedges - (Eggplant Puree)

What Im Listening To: Slap My Bitch Up - The Prodigy

Well Ok yes sorry been slack on the write up for what we have been doing in class - things are getting pretty heavy and Ive been full on with assessments all due in at once - I guess one good thing about their not being anything on at work and not having any shifts is that I can get all this stuff done this weekend...so I can hand it in. The only down fall in leaving it last minute is of course I cant ask if Im doing it right or not, and the only down fall in not having any shifts at work is that I will not have much money next week!

Spinach and Feta Filo Pies

Anyway Monday was another lesson - Monday was a good day. We got to pick our final teams for the final assessment - our lecturer all gave the chef de partie's a spoon with a number on it - what ever number we had was the order we picked in, and the person we picked had to pick the next person and so on..good system kinda..I mean you get one person you like they get one person they like and so on...and you get a variety but you also run the risk of working with people you wouldnt want. I knew who I wanted in my team sadly most of them were chef de parties also! But I pulled out #2 in the spoons..meaning I went second I prayed like made that Zane wasnt picked by one of the other chef de parties I had it all sorted and told him I wanted him in my team...and so I go that. He was a bit thrown off at the fact he had to pick someone...and thought I was picking them all...I was worried he would pick one of the girls that are always clinging to him and coming up and hugging him in class and stuff while we are cooking...but he didnt...but end of the story is I have a good team and Im happy...and the bitches who have a thing for Zane are in their group all together and jealous that I have Zane...and as a result are causing trouble...but little to their knowledge none of the lecturers like them..and have complained to me about them...hehehe

Ladies Thighs with Tzatziki

Chicken and Lemon Kebabs with Red Hot Smoked Tomato Relish

So yes we got into our teams and I let Zane take control of things as I was feeling completely up to it...and I wanted to see how he worked some more - he assigned task and meals to everyone..and we worked very well and got our meals out together- I let him decided how to do the buffet (with my guidance and agreement) and we got some good feedback...

We all agreed to what till the next lesson to decided on the full final menu...so this is what we made for this lesson..

Tabbouleh Salad

Sunchyme - Dario G

I love this song!! Ive been hunting around for it for ages!! And when we were out in the delivery van, Rob had it on a CD and OMG!! I was so happy...though I think this is a different version to what he had - so many remakes but I love the African Theme to this song and the video is awesome - I remember watching it as a kid...!

Im kinda growing on the music by Dario G...I get this whole urge where I listen to House and Techno music and want to go clubbing...of course with Rob cause he is like the king of party animals...lol! But then I remember my big fear of crowds and that I hate talking in places with loud music...! I struggled at work on Saturday night doing a wedding and having live music playing really loud....and people asking can I have a Sav...and can I have some more Pinot Gris....another Chardy please!! And then losing them once you had their drink for them...story for another day!

Resignation...

Goodbye G.P.K Restaurant Group

Hello The Relish Group!

DHM Kitchen Operations - Practical Lesson 6

Apple and Date Cake with Coconut Topping

We made desserts tonight.....and once again we made that darn cake to try and master is for the final assessment - Ive almost got it nailed...Ive figured out that I need to get it made fast and in the oven as fast as possible and then out of the oven and straight into the chiller for as long as I can to get it chilled enough that when its cut it doesnt cave in the centre....as not only will one piece of the cake be presented but the whole cake also so it has to look really good with no centre bit missing.

Poached Apricots

We worked pretty well with just three of us in the team. This is my first time working with Zane and Im hoping to have him in my final team for assessment - I was informed today that I am one of the chef de parties - but I had already guessed that.

Apple and Blueberry Crumble

We also practise Chocolate Run Outs....and designs of plates...all of this is to add up in the final assessment.