Exam 1: Lessons 1-7

Wednesday evening was my first Culinary Arts exam.  The written exam, covering lessons 1-7 and ½ hour in length, is (per Chef) the most lengthy exam of the Culinary Arts adventure…

On Monday evening, Chef reviewed the important topics of lessons 1-7. Nerd woman (as Michael calls me) wrote down the list, in full.

-          Kitchen Brigade

-          Taillage and why it is important

-          Tournage

-          Binding elements including roux and roux types

-          Stable liaisons and unstable liaisons

-          Anglaise, L’Etuvee, and Glacer cooking methods

-          Types of potatoes

-          Derivative sauces of mayonnaise, hollandaise, and veal stock

Add to that list the list of “Remember this” items that Chef had called attention to during the course of lectures and I had almost every topic in all seven lessons covered.

-          Temperature danger zone

-          Poste de travail

-          Mis en place

-          Types of stocks

-          Why don’t we season stock?

-          Ratios of mirepoix to bones and vegetables in the mirepoix

-          Why do we use cold water in stocks?

I spent every non-working moment studying for this exam. Walking around the apartment repeating names and ingredients of stocks, basic sauces, derivative sauces, and reciting the names and measurements of taillage and tournage. I felt like I was back in Freshman year of college, studying for chemistry or biology, or worse yet Sophomore year studying for organic chemistry.

I finished my work day at 4:45 PM and went to catch the 4:50 PM shuttle to the subway. The shuttle didn’t come… I am sure it was delayed as there was terrible traffic from residual September 11 terrorist threats. At 5 PM I bagged the shuttle and ran from York Ave to the subway station on Lexington Ave.  Google Maps estimates this distance at .5 miles. I was suddenly that person you see sprinting down the sidewalk, totally disheveled.  I am dashing across town in flip flops, carrying a tote bag, an umbrella, and a huge and heavy bag of knives and kitchen utensils. I ran around people. I ran OVER people. I got so many dirty looks. But I got on the train. And I got a seat. I continued rehearsing my answers for my exam.

The train arrived at the Spring Street station. I got off the train and was, again, off to the races. I ran so fast I crossed Broadway (I am supposed to turn left), and made it another whole block before I realized I went too far. I turned around, nearly trampled a six-foot waif model strolling her way through Fashion Week, and made my way down Broadway.  

I arrived at the French Culinary Institute, quickly changed, and went to the kitchen for the exam. My classmates were setting up their poste de travail and mis en place. We are going to take an exam on our cutting board, beside carrots, onions, and salt? This is not the testing environment I am accustomed to. In college I sat front row, center seat in class, and front row, off to the right or left (corner seat) for exams. Neurotic? You got it. To make myself comfortable, I got myself a chair (I was the only one).  I put my name on the exam, flipped through, and nearly laughed out loud.