Every morning, we come into the kitchen and have to choose an “island” to work out with a partner. Depending on what time you come in will determine who you are working with for that day. If you are late, your options are limited and if you are early, you set your things down and can choose who you want to work with according to who walks through the door next. Well, today… I’m scooping out the room and my eyes lay on Lashandra (lah-shawn-drah). I’ve pretty much worked with everyone else and decided to give this New Orleans flavored mama. Lashandra is currently pregnant with her 3rd and got the most prestigious scholarship to attend the school on a full ride. No dad I did not apply- buttttttt, Lashandra would have beat me to it with flying colors anyways, if that makes you feel better.
Lashandra is one sassy little gurl- she don’t take nothing from nobody. If the chef says add this amount of garnish or that amount of stock, homegirl says she doesn't measure anything, she "eyeball things". I enjoyed working with her because she was real and says it like it is, I appreciate that. Best line of the day- Lashandra at lunch is talking about how they make iced tea every day for lunch and goes…. “ When we’re up there in level 4, I’m going to making us some Kool Aid everyday. In fact, I need to start doing that now”. My buddy Jack and I almost fell to the ground laughing.
When I am in the kitchen, I liked to look around at what everyone else is doing and compare myself with them. I do my own thing, but I guess I just want to make sure that what I am doing is the correct way. Lashandra kept telling me not to worry about anyone else because all of our foods aint supposed to taste the same way. Ugh, Lashandra honey… if we are ALL following the SAME recipe… yes it is supposed to taste the same boo. She doesn’t care if chef likes it or not because if she does then it doesn't matter. Well, see you see Lashandra, it kindof does matter because in school the way it works is that the chef gives you your stinking GRADES! Hello! I said add more stock- she said “ no girl, we good”. I said we need more horseradish in the sauce “ Gurlll- I don’t like no horseradish… I think you added too much already”. I said “Lashandra- we need at least two bones attached to our beef because that’s what chef says”… what does she do “ I don’t see the point” and cuts the bones off. I never started a quarrel, I just laughed when chef came over and criticized us for everything I said we should do, but Lashandra opted not to. Lashandra is a very sweet girl and although she is one stubborn lady in the kitchen, I wouldn’t mind working with her again.
We made two dishes today (I know right- finally getting to the food)- a Pot-A-Feu also known in America as a beef stew and also a veal blanquette with rice pilaf. First of all, we had to make both of these dishes simultaneously. We were doing our talliage (cutting veggies) while blanching our meat, making our roux (cooked butter and flour used as a thickening agent for sauces), and adjusting our sauces etc. Both dishes were superb and even though Chef Dom had some minor critiques, Ms. Kool Aid Queen and Ms. Drama Queen were leaving that kitchen with smiles on our faces (cue the song- “Can’t Hold Us” by: Macklemore and Ryan Lewis). The Veal was made in a Veloute sauce with rice pilaf, pearl onions, chopped parsley, and mushrooms.
You don’t even know what happened to me while I was pulling out the stupid rice pilaf from the oven. I was following the proper precautionary procedure by wrapping the handle of the pot with a kitchen towel. I guess the handle was SO hot and the towel was SO thin that the heat went straight through the towel and sizzled directly into my index and middle finger. OOOOOUUUCHHHH. Holy Moly- I literally used every morsel of my body NOT to drop the rice even though I was DYINNNNNG and in so much agony. All I kept thinking of was the flat top is just inches away- whatever you do DON’T DROP THE PAN (with an urgency that people tell other people about to go to jail… don’t drop the soap). Well- for the rest of the day… I was pretty much crying/out of commission/ had my hand permanently in an ice bath/ haha had to cocette an array of veggies (shape them into footballs to refresh your memories)/while wearing a glove and finger condoms/ applying burn cream every 5 seconds. I was definitely probably putting on a bigger show than it needed to be, but Drama-mama was in pain and needed some TLC from the ice.
Our beef stew was splendid and the perfect consistency especially dipped into the horseradish sauce. I took a bite and gave the rest to Candido (dishwasher guru). Made another friend in level 1- she is 20 from Venezuela dating a 40-year-old Italian diplomat. He’s paying for her whole schooling—ugh should I be moving to Venezuela? Is there something I don’t know…I want a sugar daddy (oh wait, I have one in Miami- Hey D!)…. (Bet you are all wondering who D is. Hello- my dad! D is just a nickname he doesn’t really like… sorry ‘bout it). Well tomorrow we move onto RABBIT! And hopefully some Kool Aid to drink made by the one and only- Lashandra.
Besos!
E