Thread: Vocational Education - My First Culinary Class

The Culinary Institute invited me to attend a demonstration class at their new school last Saturday. I arrived a few minutes early and noticed some other people waiting in the lobby. One of the ladies I talked to was a line cook who wanted to become more polished in her preparation of food. A guy named John told me that he had worked in the computer industry as a technician for several years. A married couple introduced themselves as two retired people who were now pursuing a lifelong dream. Nearly everyone in the lobby was enrolled as a culinary student in the new class that begins in January.

The director of student relations took us to a large kitchen. We sat around a countertop as we watched a master pastry chef teach us how to make some holiday desserts. The chef made pecan tarts with an apricot glaze and pumpkin bread pudding with caramel sauce.

The cooking demonstration was reminiscent of some of the more professional cooking shows I've seen on t.v. The chef walked us through the techniques of preparation but then had ready made dishes to show us so we wouldn't have to wait for the desserts to bake.

The recipies he used were similar to ones I've used in my home - but the manner of presentation ... oh my goodness ... a little whipped cream topped with a coil of spun sugar that was made by twisting carmelized sugar around the handle of a wooden spoon ... a dash of raspberry sauce around the side for added color - a sprinkle of powdered sugar and voila - all of the sudden you had desserts that a good restaurant could charge $9.00 per serving.

And best of all - we got to EAT the desserts the Chef made.

It was absolutely wonderful.

I think I'm going to enjoy culinary school.

David