Friday, January 29, 2010

Breath

It has been a very long 2010 already.

My madness has increased out of pure necessity at this point.

I am doing my job plus the catering directors job and this week has just been the razor's edge for me. I am not actually complaining.. It isn't all that bad  except I haven't a clue what I am doing.

Plus it seems that we are just getting inundated with more and more catering plus doubling up on days which normally isn't all that bad except they are 400 people functions each....makes the head spin . And any chef who says it doesn't make theirs, is a fucking liar.

Right now all my weekends in February are full with the weekend of Valentines wiped out completely with catering.

Then there is of course my work with the two dining halls. My office is located in the newer one and the other suffers for this. I don't have a desk or even a stool to sit on when I am there. But when I am there I do enjoy the company of the staff and of my production manger ,who GOD BLESS HER...is a godsend right now.

Then there are the upcoming ,ongoing, I know they are coming events that i need to write menus for....22 in all I think right now. And these are my B&B...these make me happy. I can pretty much offer what I want and hope they go for it. 99% they do.

One thing in my life I know I am good at and which nearly no one can make me feel stupid is cooking. I am not a genius and I am not world famous or all that sort of thing. But I do make really good food and I am pretty creative when it comes to actually writing a menu.

Of late though, I have felt like people have been purposely tearing me down...to basically prove how unintelligent I am. And somehow..it has been working. And it SUCKS.

I am not a typically girl..I do process my information quick and I speak from the hip. And I am wrong...But I am also right at times. I just chose at times not to care  when people seek to prove me wrong in order to prove how smart they are.

But right now...I just don't need it or going to engage in it. It makes me cry and brings on a kind of depression that last way to long and I have no time to get into that sort of mind set.


So the bad week of chef is just that...bad week but not really.

Things are coming together for me and thank god I am anal and OCD with my organization...go me.

Tonight I am going to an Equestarian Center on Campus to grill ribeyes outside in -3 degree weather.....



yah...I do lead the glamorous life.

Friday, January 8, 2010

AUGH

I want to SCREAMMMMMMMMM right now!!!

Bitch and Moan time:

I usual don't give two hoots about my work hours cause it comes with what I have chosen to do.
But when I have to drive in for 3 dinners....3 dinners on a Sunday !! We aren't even open on Sundays!!!!!
I work long weeks and don't get any extra $$ for my troubles or extra time off(well sometimes i do...but I just take a day off if I need it.)
 But I can't do that much anymore as I am responsible for catering and my own shit.

I am tired and getting sick more often than I usually do. Plus I am losing weight...which is a plus but still . I am tired and feeling tugged in many directions. I have a family too and I like that to be considered. I can't work 74327329743284324 hours. And I am sorry , these chefs...male... that have families and do YOU ARE A FOOL!!! to think your kids wont throw that up in your face when they are teens or older.

I have been careful for a long time to make sure I had balance...hence why I am not one the cover of Food Wine New Chefs etc etc. My career suffered but fuck it..I had kids cause I like kids and wanted me to raise them.

So that's my cold induced I am tired and such rant.



cause its funny

Saturday, January 2, 2010

A case of WTF???




WHO !!!!!!!!!!

that's all I am saying.



And of course......
*from seriouseats.com***

cause we are way to lazy to mix water or milk to a dry mix!!!
But it is organic and gluten free...wooohoooo"insert eye roll"



Ok this isnt exactly ....icky to me...lol Bacon and chocolate....mmmmmmmmmmmm



Then there is the weird crap McDonald's sells:




 
 


 




















***

Friday, January 1, 2010

And all that Jazz

So 2010....."looks around kitchen"

Nope  Baby New Year  didnt leave important part to cusinart....bastard!!!!


Well anyway, not like i expected it.

Made a bit of sweet treat lst week at the request of son:




so step by step for
                                                                   Tiramisu(well sort of)

I used Ghirardelli chocolate chips  just for a nice touch.
And I made a doublish batch.
Basically 12 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
18 oz mascarpone cheese
1 cup espresso made super strong
2 packages of LadyFingers ...should have used like 3
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon real vanillia( dont fudge and use crappy imitation...makes a difference)
1 cup Ghirardellie chips..milk chocolate.
                                              Made in a 2 inch 1/2 hotel pan i borrowed from work.




Instant Espresso...double the dose  i.e extra extra strong. Yummy.





My son duncan separating the egg yolks from the whites





Whipping the egg yolks and sugar together (till pale)then adding mascarpone cheese  and some vanilla





 
Duncan assembling....dipping lady fingers in cooled espresso





 


 Layering mascarpone cheese mixture then adding more ladyfingers




Whipping Cream for top layer




Final outcome...topped with Ghirardellie Chips...mmmm
2hrs to Chill and eat away!

Another key is to add sugar to the heavy cream as you whip it...but not to much otherwise your head with break off from rot.


Was very very good.