Now I'm Cooking!

Yesterday I wrote about how weird pressure can be. Little did I know.

I got to class later than normal. I had arranged a field trip for another class and met my ServSafe Chef, Chef Haines at Arrowhead Water, my old company, to tour the facility. But it took a bit longer than usual, so I was running a bit behind. Walking up a moving escalator at my last train stop, I tripped and gouged open my thumb at the base of my right hand. No sweat, but a little blood. I'll use a band-aide and glove up during my cooking. I get to class 5 minutes before the test starts. I get all my stuff (mize en place) and start par-boiling the carrots that I have to Tourney for the Glazed Carrots I mentioned yesterday. I'm in a groove and trimming my last carrot when the carrot slips out of my hand and the paring knife goes halfway into my left thumb. No sweat but lots of blood. I have to get another bandage and re-glove both hands and wait for the bleeding to stop which takes about 15 minutes. Now Chef Wang is feeling a bit sorry for me and gives me an extra 5 minutes to make my window for presentation. BullSh*t! I say to myself, I'm making that window. And I did, but my carrots were a bit under cooked. Still three more entrées to make.

The Green Beans and Roasted Peppers come off without a hitch. I make that window too. I get the rice pilaf going and start to rice my potato for Potato Duchesses and I'm doing really well. Next dish up is the pilaf. I take it out of the oven, I burned the heck out of it. Damn! Someone asks me a question as I'm reaching down to pick up the pan I just took out of a 350 oven, I burned my left palm. Damn, Damn! I present about 2 tablespoons of rice which is supposed to be 1/2 cup. Damn! Last up, the Potatoes Duchesses. Mashed potatoes piped out of pastry bag into little star shapes and browned in the oven. I take them out of the oven with two minutes to spare, plate them and they come out PERFECT!

The final tally reads; four entrées done on time, one burnt, one undercooked, two perfect. A gouged right thumb, a cut left thumb and a burned palm.

After the practical, Chef Wang comes to check on my thumb. I tell him it doesn't hurt, but the burn on my palm is really stinging. He laughs! "Now you know you're cooking".