Category Archives: Culinary School Adventures

The cat ate my homework

   When you’re in culinary school, you can say, “The dog ate my homework.” There’s a good chance she has. I brought home some honey wheat rolls the other day and made the mistake of leaving them on the kitchen … Continue reading

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Fruit tart as a Rorschach test? It’s all about perspective.

  Presentation is a big part of what you learn in culinary school. How food is designed and plated is nearly as important as how it tastes. Some might argue it’s just as important, since food has to look appealing … Continue reading

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Pro baking tricks for home cooks

  One of the fun things about culinary school is picking up tips and tricks to share with friends. Last week, I completed week one of the Intro to Baking course, in which we focused on yeast breads. Like so … Continue reading

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Onion confit is easy

Anyone who has cooked for awhile knows the culinary world is rife with conflicting information, and there are often several (sometimes many) ways to achieve the same outcome. I used to work at a food magazine where the technique to … Continue reading

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It’s the towels

  When you start culinary school, your tuition covers a tricked-out knife kit, which includes, of course, various knives, a whisk, a fish spatula, pastry bag tips, and other tools. You’re also given five sets of uniforms–chef’s jackets, checked pants, … Continue reading

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Ravioli, R.I.P.

  Food is an ephemeral pleasure at best. It’s made specifically to be consumed, and you certainly don’t want to even look at food that’s been around for awhile. (Unless, of course, it’s the groovy, kitschy plastic variety used to … Continue reading

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Consomme. It’s a metaphor for life!

One of the many cool things about culinary school is the Saturday skills-enhancement workshops. They’re included in the tuition, and a great opportunity to work on whatever you want. You sign up midweek so the school can have the ingredients … Continue reading

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