I realize it has been a couple of months since I have written...so sorry. But, good news! I DID GRADUATE FROM LE CORDON BLEU!!!

Graduation was lovely. Dad, Laura Lee, Mom and Mac came up for the occasion. I was so happy they were all able to come and help me celebrate. I just wish the rest of the family could have come, but oh well...they are happy for me as well, I know it.

We walked in with our chef coats and in our classes: basic, intermediate and then SUPERIOR. They called each class, cuisine then patisserie for each basic, intermediate and superior. Then Le Grande Diplome was called. There only four of us. We got called up on stage, given a gold medal, a huge and beautiful diploma and of course a bottle of really nice champagne! It was such a great feeling to be done and to have actually graduated!! After the graduation ceremony, people went to eat little foods and have more champagne. The superior students were toasted to first. We got the first glass...it was great.

After the ceremony and reception, we all went to relax for a bit, then met for dinner at 6:30. Dinner was amazing. We went to eat at a place called eighteen. The food was great and the wine was superb. The next day, I was going home with my diploma and the feeling of being done with culinary school! What a great feeling.

My holidays were spent cooking at home and also getting a non-paying job. I got to work at Bottega, a local restaurant that serves amazing food. The chef/owner owns three other restaurants and I got to help make desserts for all his restaurants. It was great work. A great experience.

Now I am getting ready to go once again out of the country. I am leaving for Africa, Tanzania to be more specific. I am going to work at a children's orphanage. My aunt, Laurie, worked here last year and said it was the most rewarding experience she has ever done. Now my aunt Laurie is an amazing woman, like every woman in our family. She cares and loves all children and does anything and everything she can for them. This is just more thing she does.

I am going to be there for about a month. We are going over a few days early to adjust to the time change. Then I will be at the village for a month, working. A friend of mine, Art, is coming as well to make a film about the village. It's gonna be a great time spent there. I am going to try to blog while I am there, but I am not too sure about the Internet usage...so it might be up later, when I get home. So until then....

It’s been awhile since I have written, so sorry. Life has been crazy and school is winding down. I can’t believe school is almost done with. If I pass my final, I will have completed Le Grande Diplome! It’s taken alittle longer then I hoped, but I am almost done. The feeling is amazing. My sister pointed out, the other night, that I have been wanting this since I was young, I mean like since I was 11 or 12 years old.

Anyways, the weather here reminds me of college at Syracuse. The weather has been constantly changing, from hot to cold and back again. I’ve had more rain here in Ottawa than in London. But the weather has finally settled down. The leaves have fallen from the bare trees and help usher in the winter weather. It’s great. It almost makes me miss the weather in Syracuse, but not enough!

Two weeks ago, I went to New York City to spend time with my aunt Laurie. We got our African visa’s! It’s official! I’m going to Africa. I got the plane ticket and got the visa. The weekend was great, very relaxing. I cooked and spent time in Barnes and Noble, a GREAT place. Then it was back to reality – school.

Halloween, I got to work in the restaurant for the last time. I HAD A BLAST! The chefs were so nice. I peeled vegetables and did the grunt work. But this time I got to talked with the chefs. We were all peeling carrots and just talking. I was trying to educate them about the USA and they were trying to teach me about Canada. It’s so weird that we are so close, but we know next to nothing about each other.

Last Friday, I got my black box list for my final exam. The black box is just like the white box – a list of 20 ingredients with 4 ingredients (chicken livers, salmon fillet, duck legs and squid) we must use. We must make an appetizer and a main dish out of the 20 ingredients, for two. I spent the weekend trying to figure out a menu. I had lots of help, so thank you EVERYONE!!! My menu:

APPETIZER: spinach and salmon tartar stack with calamari and a beurre blanc sauce.
The spinach will be sautéed with garlic. There will also be another sauce, a red pepper coulis to bring color to the plate.

MAIN: duck two ways. Duck legs braised in apples with an apple Gastrique ( a sweet and sour sauce) duck roulade stuffed with chicken livers, mushrooms and leeks with a mushroom pan gravy.
There will be two vegetables, sautéed asparagus with shallots and a butternut squash puree.

I have two and half hours to prepare the appetizer and another 45 minutes afterwards to present my main dish. It’s gonna be kick ass – I just need to present on time!!!

This past week I had my last class and my last practical. It was fun. My last practical was so much fun! Chef Armando taught us how to carve in vegetables – we carved roses in turnips and beets. I made a fish out of half a butternut squash and made some other cool things. It was so much fun! I took pictures, but I can’t post them yet. I left my cables at home in Alabama, so ya’ll will have to wait.

Thursday and Friday I volunteered for Club des Amis. I worked with another student and chef Armando to put on a lunch. We made shrimp wrapped in a fillet of sole with sautéed vegetables and a beurre blanc sauce for our appetizer. Then for the main, beef tenderloin topped with bleu cheese with a peppercorn sauce, sautéed celeriac and vegetables. It was ok. This week has been a great last week in culinary school!!

This weekend I am going to take it easy and come up with a game plan for my final on Tuesday! Then there will be a couple of days of waiting to see if I pass my final, but the time will fly by since my parents are coming up for graduation. I just hope it’s worthwhile for them to come, meaning I hope I graduate. There have been students who have failed. I hope I’m not one of them. But the dream is almost complete! Think of me on Tuesday and send good thoughts! I’ll report back soon!

The past week has been...well repetitive. My program is just about over, less than a month left. Whose excited?? ME!!! Tuesday I went to a lecture given by a local professor at the University of Ottawa. It was all about hospitality law. It was informative, but most of it I have already had in college. But I got to ask a few questions and just listened to him talk.

On Thursday, I went in early to help Chef Marc, my main chef. He was cooking lunch for a group of ladies, with a few men thrown in there too. I was his assistant for a few hours. It was fun. We made quiche with mushrooms and cheese, coq au vin and creme brulee. It was fun. Then I had a workshop with my class for about 5 hours.

On saturday I went on a school field trip to a local brewery. We took a yellow school bus to the Draft Horse Brewery. We went in and began drinking beer - I mean testing the five beers. They were good. We had a tour of the brewery - a small room - which took about 10 minutes of him talking. Then we went back to drink more beer. Then we had a tour of the restaurant and went back to drinking. We got back to school - probably all alittle buzzed, but it was a good trip.

The week was good. Another week done, a few more to go and then I am finished! I can't wait. The upcoming week is busy and also a four day weekend! I'm going to New York City to spend some time with my aunt and get my African visa. So I will have more to report soon.

Turkey, dressing and mashed potatoes oh my! Here in Canada, the Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving early. Monday, the 8th, was thanksgiving here in Canada. The people I am staying with invited me to eat dinner with them, but then took back the invitation. They didn’t have enough room at the table. Marnie, the woman who runs the B and B, felt so bad. I told her not to worry about it. I just laughed. I know tons of people who would have done that at home! But they brought me a plate of food. It was good. Now I can’t wait to cook the thanksgiving feast at home and eat it with all my family! (since last year I missed it.)

Tuesday, I had demo at noon. Then alittle break between demo and practical I went to the grocery store and did other things, anything to make sure I didn’t fall asleep! At 7pm I had practical. We were making a fancy French egg dish and surprise chicken consommé. The fancy egg dish was poached eggs in red wine with toast and a yummy sauce. It was so good! The surprise chicken consommé was chicken consommé with diced chicken and celery with puff pastry on top – all cooked in the oven. It was pretty good too. I made consommé in about 2 hours and it was perfect! Even made my own chicken stock!!! The chef said I did good, but then again, the critique never really changes.

Wednesday was different. Instead of seafood we made venison in a salted/dough crust. I had demo at noon and then the practical straight after. The chef in demo broke down a whole side of the deer. It was so cool. However there was no way we would be able to do that. And that sucked! The dish was pretty easy, but he said I cooked my meat to well done. He cooked his extremely rare. I didn’t want it that way – oh well, to each it’s own. We also took a class picture. How lame. We took the picture outside, with the school in the back round. The photographer actually arranged us, the girls sitting in the front and the boys stood according to height. It was pretty goofy. I’m not getting a picture, not because it was lame, but because we have to pay for it, 20 dollars! It’s a rip off! In Paris, they gave it to us, built into the tuition. In Australia and London, there was no picture.

Thursday was the best day! I got to work in the restaurant again! I spent the day in a local coffee shop doing work. Then at 3 pm I went to the school and get ready for my shift. 3:30 on the dot I was up in the restaurant! I got to work the viande station, meat and fish. I worked directly with the chef of the station, this time. The other time, I was working entremetier and I was pawned off to the viande station, but I didn’t care. I got to do things!
I spent the first hour or so with duck. I didn’t mind. I was taking the silver off of the duck fillets to make duck confit – duck pieces are slowly cooked in their own fat and it turns out this most fantastic meat. The chef de partie I think felt bad making me do that, so he let me play with him. I got to cook – sauté onions and make canapés with him. I had a blast. He taught me about his sauces – telling me and showing me things as he did it. He was trying to teach and involve me. He let me help.
It’s been such a long time since I have worked for the public, helping to turn something out for people, other then the chef we cook for in practical. I forget the feeling of being in the kitchen. It’s a rush, something I can’t really describe. Butterflies return to my stomach, my palms get sweaty, my forehead and nose develop sweat beads, knots form like the ones you get before a first date, but I am focused and ready to work. The intensity, the pressure, the heat – I love the feeling. Pain, hunger, thirst, everything goes away except for the food, the passion for the food. I finally remember why I love this. The excitement on the line – it’s like home.
We all know that I have been unhappy the past year or so. I can contribute that to many obstacles that have been in my way, but it wasn’t until I was leaving the 3 star, 5 diamond restaurant at Le Cordon Bleu, that I felt I have really made the right choice. The passion for my cooking/baking came back alive. And I am so thankful for it. Come my graduation, November 16th 2007, I will keep learning but by experience, not by constant book learning. I will be in the field and working in kitchens and helping to prepare food for the public. And I can’t wait! It’s gonna be one hell of a ride, so hold on!

Friday was our practice for the final and our midterm. We had two hours to prepare our appetizer and 2 ½ hours to prepare our main course. We had come up with our own recipes out of a list of ingredients we were given. We had four ingredients we had to use. When making our menus we had no idea we had only 2 ½ hours to cook. But somehow it got done. My appetizer was Pistachio Crushed Paupiettes of Snapper with Scampi Mousseline, Asparagus Spears with Creamy Leeks and Red Pepper Coulis. My main course was Poultry Two Ways: Seared Duck Breast and Potato Puree with Orange Sauce and Roasted Cornish Hens with Vegetable Risotto. I was alittle late with the appetizer, but I got it done!
After everyone turned in their dishes and cleaned up, the chef graded our dish in front of everyone! I got good reviews. My appetizer was too big, but good flavors. My main dish, the duck was too rare and I served too much hen. Otherwise, it was good. My risotto was cooked perfectly! I thought it was good. It needed alittle more color, but good flavors. My dishes were completely different. He like that I served the two meats together, the duo! The guys like my appetizer dish – I let them eat it. They liked the Mousseline. Not bad for the first time making the dishes! They just need to be tweaked alittle more. This week was great!

I forgot to tell ya'll, last Friday, I got interviewed by an Asian magazine from Toronto after Friday's Club des Amis. It was fantastic! The school wants me to write down what I said so they can have it. It's very exciting. I hope they send me a copy! That would be cool.

Anyways, this past week has been good. Monday we made scallops and a endive tatin. My tatin came out perfectly! The tatin was sauteed endive, goat cheese and puff pastry on top. You bake it in the oven and then you flip it out onto the plate. It was so good and I don't even like endive.

Tuesday was another seafood dish with scallops and swordfish. I'm getting kinda sick of seafood, but at least I am getting practice in it. Today's practical was about spices. So I played around with a combination of spices - cumin, cardamom, nutmeg and such. I love the smells. It reminds me of home and Fall. Every Fall, Mom puts a pot on the stove filled with oranges, cinnamon and cloves. The smell rings in the Fall and it is the best smell.

On Wednesday I got to go into the 5 diamond restaurant, Signature. I was there to observe the chefs in action. I arrived by 3:30 and left by 6:30. I arrived and was thrown into the mix. I did prep work, grunt work. I peeled beets, peeled onions, diced mushrooms, died leeks and whatever else they wanted me to do. It was good experience to watch them and just see the restaurant in action. The chefs were so nice. I had fun, even doing the grunt work.

Thursday was a seafood workshop. It was long and boring. The chef made us present our food by 7:30. We began our workshop at 3:30. That is 5 hours to make three dishes. A few of us had nothing to do for about an hour, except to just wait until we could cook to present our food. Luckily, the chef let us present by 7! So we were out by about 9. Long day. It was ok.

This weekend has been ok. I have developed a stye in my right eye, so I have been trying to fix that. Hopefully it will be ok in time for my practical tomorrow at 7. It hurts so much! But I think it is better. Today, Monday, is the Canadian Thanksgiving Day. The family asked me to join them for dinner. It was so sweet. And I must say, I welcomed the invitation. I was craving real home cooked food! Unfortunately there was not enough room at the table, but they brought me a plate of food. It was so sweet. And I cannot thank them enough! What do you know, I will have two thanksgiving meals to make up for last year!

Well this week at school is going to be good. Friday is a practice of our final. We were given last week a list of ingredients and told to make a menu for an appetizer and an main dish. There were four ingredients that we had to use and other ingredients we could choose to use. I think I came up with a good menu. I'll let you know soon. Wish me luck! talk to ya'll later!

I have been on the run, constantly. Everyday I been at school for many many hours, but it has all been worth it. Monday school began at noon, lasting until about 10. I had a practical and then a workshop. The workshop was interesting. We used fish and quail for a main and appetizer with only a few vegetables. I did a seared fish with leeks fondue and a balsamic reduction. Them a stuffed quail with peas, carrots and shallots with a julienne ginger fruit salad and roasted pepper with a sauce. It was an ok workshop. I just wasn't into it. Oh well, no one really was.

The next day was a slow day, with only a practical. I made a yummy pumpkin soup inside of a pumpkin. And then veal sweetbreads with puff pastry, an assortment of autumn vegetables and a nice sauce. It was good, minus the sweetbreads!

Wednesday, I woke up early to go to the superior patisserie class at 8:15 to see chocolate! The chef showed the class the assembly of a show piece. It was pretty cool to watch. I enjoyed it.
Then I had a demo and a few hours later a practical. I made two dishes with fish and vegetables. One dish had roasted fish with vegetables skewers. The other dish had roasted fish with layers of vegetables. It was great! It even tasted pretty good.

Thursday was the first day of Club Des Amis. We were at school by 7:15AM!! That part was not fun, but the day was great. Prep work began by 8 and we were off. The chef had picked my appetizer of butternut squash ravioli with a sauce and pistachios. I was so excited! The chef picked Andre's main dish of Florentine quail with sweet potatoes and a mix of mushrooms with onions. It was a great meal. For dessert, on Thursday there was an apple meringue with apple ice cream and hazelnuts. It was fantastic. For Friday, the dessert was a spicy chocolate molten cake with pumpkin ice cream. Everything was good.
Service went so fast. It began at 12:30 and lasted only for about an hour. We only served 6 people, two tables of 3. My dish got great reviews. I served it in a huge bowl dish. For Thursday I reduced chicken stock in sage butter then added cream and reduced it even more, whisking in butter at the last minute. The ravioli was huge, with sauce around it, then crushed pistachios, a drizzle of pistachio oil, micro greens and a sprig of chervil to decorate. It was gorgeous. Hopefully I will have a picture soon.
After service we went upstairs to meet our guests and say thank you. The head of the school was eating lunch with two other people. She could only say good things about the appetizer. She loved our meal. Everything was perfect! She loved the ravioli! I was so happy!!! Then we stayed around for a bit longer to eat and to devour the ice cream! We were out of there by about 3:30. It was a good, long day!

Little did I know that Friday was going to be even longer! We were at school by 7:30AM! Things were great! Prep work was easy, since most of the work was done yesterday. We all did our work and had time to do nothing. Service began by about 12:30 and we were done by about 1:30 or so. We went to meet out guests again and we were out by 2. I changed my dish alittle. It was still a huge ravioli, but it had a beurre blanc sauce and all the decorations were the same. Except I added a black pepper foam to the top - SO COOL!!! Service was great!
I had an hour and a half to waste before the next class at 3:30 - workshop. So I went to get food with a friend. Then we all hung around with people in the lounge and waited for class to begin. The workshop went well. I made half a chicken - seared and then braised in the oven - served with vegetables and a potato gratin on the side. For the app, I made seared scallops with wild rice and beet slices with a beurre blanc sauce. It looked great!
The chef is hard for me too read. It's hard for me to take what he gives me and improve on it. I like to cook simply and keep it simple. I don't want to change the food by being so intricate. I think simplicity is perfect, just make sure it tastes great, which it always does! I think the chef wants me to be more intricate on my dishes, almost over the top. So I checked out some books and I am doing research this week - hopefully it will improve my dishes. Right now, no one is failing, but no one has great grades. It is extremely hard to get a good grade - a 4/5. So hard. I want to pass, I want to do good. I guess I will have to study. We will see.
This weekend I am just lounging and doing some work. Next week is alittle easy going. All classes begin at 12 or after!!! WOO-HOO

This past week has been easy. It’s been great. Only three days of actually going to school and two days off, PLUS the weekend! Pure bliss.

The seminar on Monday was boring, but I got through it.

Tuesday was spent in demo and then a practical a few hours later. The practical was turkey roulade – filled with eggplant, tomato and basil. It was pretty good. I got a good review from the chef. The sauce however…not so good. I have to work on the sauces – jus (natural juice) and a real sauce. The consistencies, I never really get them right. Oh well, I still have the chance to improve on them.

Thursday was spent in another workshop. This time I was more prepared! I rocked it, well almost. Escargot salad. It kind of freaks me out looking at a snail and knowing what it is and I am about to eat it. I just couldn’t bring myself to eat it. I remember my first time eating escargot. It was with my father at Chez Fon Fon. He and I went out to dinner and he wanted me to try them. So I said ok. I’m willing to try anything, well almost, at least once. So he ordered them and I ate one. It was covered in a garlicky, parsley butter with some buttered toast. I ate it and it burst with butter in my mouth. All you can taste is butter, which is not a bad taste. It helps mask the escargot and the thought that you are eating snails, an animal you find in your garden.
You probably should know that snails or escargot can be from the garden. Before you eat them, the people preparing them take weeks cleaning them before actually giving them to consumers. It’s sort of like eating mussels or clams. People feed mussels cornmeal and salted water to clean them before consumption.
My second dish was all vegetables. I was in the process of plating, when I messed it all up! I forgot to grease the ramekin so the eggplant would not come out! It made a huge mess and I did not try to fix it.

The weekend was spent doing errands and just hanging out. I went to the park and read and wrote to enjoy the sun. It’s been extremely sunny here with light breezes. It’s been perfect weather. The cool temperatures I was experiencing earlier have now vanished. It is definitely not as hot as in Alabama, but you can work up a sweat and it will still be there. Hopefully the fall temperatures will be coming soon…I do miss the cold weather from the north. But I don’t know if I miss the constant pouring of snow. We will wait and see.