Mid Term Evaluation: I Don't Suck

This afternoon was my mid-term evaluation with the Chef.  While it’s hard to believe that it’s already the middle of the term, it’s actually not far off.  We’ve completed eight of 25 lessons already, and it’s right around this time that most people are starting to ask the great question:  “Do I suck at this?”

Apparently, I don’t suck.  I’m understanding the techniques and concepts being demonstrated and my knife work is decent.  I need to work on my sauces and tightening up a bit on process, but those will come with practice.  In fact, there’s nothing I really need to work on that won’t come with practice and, in my estimation, I’m doing pretty well for someone who took a two year break after Basic Cuisine. Considering that I've spent my whole adult life dealing with politics and public affairs where a big screw up can send a government into the weeds for days if not weeks, a minor critique of my sauces does not exactly keep me up at night.

I did express a little frustration about Friday's workshop, and how I felt like that Chef had been a little too helpful, particularly with some crumbling pastry.  While I am always reluctant to say that someone else on my team made a mistake, the pastry wasn't my fault because I didn't make it AND I realized the problem immediately, but the Chef didn't give me the chance to re-do it on my own. Let's just call it a lesson learned.

On a rather amusing note, the Chef mentioned (first thing, in fact) is that he’s been reading the blog, which doesn’t really come as a surprise.  Countless people have documented their Cordon Bleu experiences in books and blogs and I’m sure they make some entertaining reading for the Chefs.

So what’s for dinner on this snowy night in Ottawa?  What I will simply call “wreckage pot pie” – pot pie made with my practice puff pastry and my practice carrots, onions, celery and mushrooms, plus a few things I dragged out of the fridge.  And yes Chef, I did taste my sauce – not too acidic, not too much salt, but maybe a little heavy on the thyme.  Don’t worry though – I’ll keep practicing.