Wednesday, December 15, 2010

The Ride!

I took my final exam today.  I can't believe I missed Sesame Seed Oil on the product ID.  I knew what it was, but just wrote down the wrong ingredient.  Shoot!

We mized out for our four dishes and were able to prep as much as we could do today.  So, tomorrow, I only have to brown my chicken for the Mole Poblano with Chicken, add the ham hock to the Split Pea Soup, make my Spanish Rice and my Gnocchi.

After 7 months, it's coming to an end.  This has been without a doubt, the best of times for yours truly.  From the Blue Line and Red Line train rides to the walk down Vine St. from Hollywood Blvd to Sunset.  To knowing the free samples guy at Trader Joe's to greeting the same pan handlers every day.  I do admit, I submitted and gave them loose change on occasion.

Walking down Vine St. for seven months, there are stars names on the sidewalk along the way to Sunset.  Names like, Art Linkletter, Michael Jackson, Julia Louis Dreyfus, the three astronauts who first went and landed on the moon (Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins).  The Three Stooges, the Beach Boys, Michael Landon and so many more.  One name always made me grin.  I didn't know who the person was. I'm wasn't even sure if it was a man or a woman.  But, like all the well known stars and entertainers on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, this person has their name forever entered on that famous walk.  The name reminded me of my sister, Toni and nephew, John who live in Yakima, Wa.  I saw it every day. The name is Yakima Canutt.

The Internet being what it is, I looked up the name.  He was a rodeo rider back in 1920's.  Seems he got into movies as a stuntman and did stunts for John Wayne in the movie Stagecoach and for Charlton Heston in Ben Hur.  He actually staged the entire sequence of the chariot race in Ben Hur and received a cut chin as his stunt double when Heston's chariot jumped over a crashed chariot.  He received an honorary Oscar for his career as a stuntman.

Why is this important?  It isn't.  It was just a part of the experience of going to culinary school that had nothing to do with cooking and everything to do with the ride.

What a ride its been.

1 comment:

Erin said...

Thanks for taking us all along on the ride with you! What a ride it was too!! I am so proud of you and all that you have learned and I can't wait to learn from you! Even though I might act like I already know everything...hahaha!! I've never seen you happier in my life than I have the past 8 months. I can't wait for phase 2 of your culinary journey! Now THAT'S gonna be a ride!! Love you Daddy!! XOXO