Knife Skills...

Yesterday and today we've been going over knife skills. Dicing potatoes... very hard to attempt when starting out. I've wasted a dozen potatoes while getting only a handful of perfect 1/4 inch squares... I'll have to keep praticing. Also, I can now properly sharpening a knife using a steel and a block. There is also a quiz coming up... I have to recognize 100 herbs and spices by sight and smell... good luck. More food... there are two chef instructors in class. I guess they really like to cook... we had pasta and suasages for lunch on Monday... today, she baked chicken and made pasta with mushroom sauce.... tasty! Also this morning... we had fresh banana bread... I'm stuffed!

Nice... Red Rock Canyon

I live next to Red Rock Canyon... I drove around the area until I found parking then walked for an hour. Lots of hikers and mountain bikers... very scenic. I should go every day... good exercise. Kind of dangerous... one slip and good luck.

Relieved... Two Down...

I've just completed my first two courses... Sanitation and Computer Apps. Two A's... easy stuff. Next week I'll begin Culinary Skills I... I guess knife techniques and soups/stock/etc. I'll post photos of my work.

Today was sausage-fest day... they grilled sausages and provided chips, soda and ice cream bars... stuffed.

Ah... there is a Ruby Tuesday across the street from LCB. I've been going there 1-2 times a week for lunch... tasty salad bar. Well, in the mailed weekly coupon magazine, they had a $5 off coupon... so, in my apartment complex, they had a recycle bin filled with these magazines. I went through it and found 24 more $5 off coupons. The coupons expire on June 3rd... I guess I'll try to use them all up.

Espagnole... Flow Of Food!!!

Amazing... who would have thought!!! I had to create a Visio flow chart in class today. This flow chart shows a "Flow of Food" for Espagnole... Brown Sauce! I still have that Visio touch!!!

Ah... also getting some basic BLOG/HTML skills down... able to add the date/time and site counter elements to my blog/page.

Finally...

I went to my Balance and Dizziness appointment this afternoon... a place called the Werner Institute. Very high-tech... I wore a helmet which was wired up to this machine. I shook my head real fast... up & down and left to right a few hundred times. The video showed my eye movements... the doctor indicated I have a right inner ear issue. This issue confuses the left side of my brain... so that's why I'm getting dizzy. I have to go back twice a week for the next 4 weeks... exercises / etc... this sounds expensive to me... $$$.

http://www.nomorevertigo.com/

Professional Cooking Book...

Here is the book I'll be using next week when I begin my culinary skills course. It is very detailed and comes with a companion CD-ROM disc. It is a Le Cordon Bleu edition... costs $90. There are different versions for sale at Amazon's website.

http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471663743.html

Here is a photo...

I'm in front of the school with two other classmates... we have a project to complete. We're creating a restaurant with menus, etc. We had to take this photo for the press release... that apron left on the rail is kind of bothering me.

Easy Week So Far...

Just finished learning about sanitation, foodborne illness and microbial stuff. Next up is the "flow of food"... I've always thought... In your mouth and out your ***.

So every Wednesday after classes, a chef will demo an international meal. Today it was all about tea. The chef grilled jumbo shrimp marinated in tea leaves and oils. He also made candied fennel on some type of tea flavored biscuit. For dessert he made a strawberry soup which had a lychee and a tiny scoop of vanilla ice cream. Samples for all... very tasty. I'll probably attend these demos every week.

I'm Alive... Hot In Vegas...

Well, I feel better today... I was able to see my doctor this afternoon... blah blah blah... possible inner ear issues. I'm being referred to a Balance and Dizziness doctor. Hopefully, they can get me an appointment ASAP.

Ah... at LCB, we line up before class to have our uniforms inspected. The instructor, she told me today that I'm the perfect example of how to wear the uniform, how clean and neat I am... and how perfect my neckerchief is. I told her that I'm available for TV commercials and photo shoot assignments.

Today, they broke out an ice machine... I made myself a giant bubble gum flavored snow cone. It hit the spot... it was 90 degrees today. Last week they had a cotton candy machine... so, I made this purple, pink, blue and yellow cotton candy... excellent. I guess I could work at a circus or flea market now.

Tony Fall Down... Almost!!!

Picture this in class today... trying to stand up... wobbly... couldn't walk... 911... paramedics, abulance, emergency room... blood test, catscan and brain MRI... fun! Question is... during the catscan and MRI tests, why did I have to strip to my underwear? The machine only scanned my brain. Damn it!!!

I haven't been feeling right the past five weeks. I went to the doctor in San Jose before moving... went to a doctor here in Vegas... blood tests, EKG, etc... all good. Today, all tests were good. I'm still goofed up. I have a prescription to get... stops dizziness. I have a follow up on Monday... we'll see.

If you don't see any new posts from me... I'll see you in the next world!!!

Peace / Fun!!!

Eggs!!!

Well, we had a guest speaker from The American Egg Board today... lectured 2-hours on the egg. Basically, eggs are really good for you... protein and nutrients. Eat some... eat more! She handed out egg recipe books and eggcyclopedias. Also, handed out minuture egg whisk keychains. I guess I completed their "Egg Safety and Handling" program... the certificate says so.

Ah... I went to the mall this afternoon. Tons of females in line to purchase jeans with their names stitched on them... butt area... all for $99. Should I get a pair?

Monday... First Day Of Classes...

Well... an easy day today. My first class was Sanitation (contamination, food allergens, foodborne illness, etc). Tons of info with photos... I/you may never want to eat out again. Next was a computer user class. It was pretty amazing to see a few people who have never been on a PC before. Ah... a good deal. I was able to purchase a Microsoft Office 2007 upgrade disc for $25.

I saw two students carrying trays of tiny muffins down the hall... they put the muffins in the library and I was the first in there and had a few.

I need to get use to the uniform. Takes an hour to iron it. I need to iron and fold a cotton napkin into a necktie... pretty stressful stuff.

Some lady told me I have a fat head. I just laughed... I didn't want to do "Tony Time" on her the first day of class.

Long Saturday...

Well... today was student orientation... lots of rah rah stuff. First, we were provided a buffet breakfast... tasty. Then we reviewed policies and received our knives, other equipment and shoes. They kind of require our uniforms to perfect... no wrinkles/etc. Now, I have to go out Sunday and purchase an iron... or maybe a steamer?

I already have homework... ugh. I need to read two chapters tomorrow for Monday's classes... ugh!!!

Fun Day...

Today I met my fellow classmates at LCB... a few from California, some from Florida, Texas, Hawaii... and one from Guam.

We were limo-bused down to the Southern Nevada Health Department. We had to watch a film, get a shot and take a test... then given our health cards. It was a brutal four hours... but, it was very entertaining to people watch.

Back at LCB, we had a 3-course lunch waiting for us... green salad, steak lunch and a chocolate mousse dessert... pretty tasty. Later on in the afternoon, we were given our uniforms... mine fit pretty good... photos to come!!!

A Few LCB Activities This Week...

There are a few things happening this week at LCB...

I'll meet my fellow LCB students this Friday. We'll head on over to the L.V. Health Department and get our health cards. We also have a career service information session back at LCB.

Saturday is a mandatory orientation day. I believe we'll get our chef uniforms and knives/equipment.