A Bite of History

I have pastry class this term. I thought it will be such a drag because we won't be cooking in the hot kitchen. The class start at 5am which means I have to be awake by at least 4am to make it on time. Surprisingly, I'm really enjoying it. The class was moved to 530 and I still get to class half an hour before to do my mise-en-place.

I know you can't believe it and I can't believe it myself either. I'm so not a morning person. But I guess it's one thing to have to wake up really early and feel like not wanting to get up because I have to drag myself to another day's work... and it's something to wake up looking forward to something new I'll learn to create. Strangely, that's how I feel everyday. I've only been doing pastry for about 3 weeks now and I've learned so much so far. It's unfortunate that with my accelerated program, we only get to do things once so I just take advantage of other opportunities by volunteering to assist the chef in bread and pastry production for the Cafe. this way, I get to do make some pastries, at least twice.

This week, I learned how to make some cakes from scratch. It's such a novelty to me because it's so convinient to make semi-homemade cakes out of a box and with just a little personal touch, they can pass for someone's personal formula (so I'm not exactly givingi that up).

Fruit Charlotte is one of the cakes we made. It's basically lined with lady fingers, filled with fruit mousee and topped with fresh fruits. It would have been nice making this in the summer time though where the fruits are tastier and juicier and a little more inexpensive. I don't really like those slices of peaches there. For one thing, the peaches during winter are hard as rock and pretty much tasteless. But they did the job of covering the big spot in the middle when I ran out of berries to complete my topping.

We sliced up some of the cakes and it's pretty good. It's so refreshing. The fruit mousse which is made with meringue and fruit puree is very light, the lady fingers gives it a little crusty texture and the fesh fruits gives it some bite. The ribbon looked good on it. It's very traditional.

This cake has so much history to it. Quoting from my chef instructor's notes (Chef Klaus Tenbergen): "The original Charlotte (which appeared at the end of the 18th century, perhaps in honor of Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III of England) is inspired by English desserts. It is made from a thick fruit purée flavored with lemon and cinnamon, poured into a round mould with a slightly flared rim, lined with slices of buttered bread. The dish is baked in the oven, then turned out of the mould and served warm with a cold custard cream. Carême invented charlotte russe. This is a chilled uncooked dish consisting of vanilla Bavarian cream (or chocolate mousse, coffee mousse, a bombe mixture or Chantilly cream) poured into a charlotte mould lined with sponge fingers (ladyfingers). The latter can be soaked in liqueur or coffee beforehand. The preparation is allowed to cool and then turned out of the mould. Carême names his creation charlotte à la parisienne, but this name was changed during the Second Empire, when Russian dishes become very fashionable”. Larousse Gastronomique. Today, anything surrounded by Lady Fingers is called Charlotte."

Speaking of History, another cake we learned how to make is the Sacher Cake or traditionally called, Sachertorte. This is another one filled with a lot of History. Quoting from www.whatscookingamerica.com, "Sacher Torte is a famous Viennese cake, probably the most famous chocolate cake of all-time. It consists of chocolate sponge cake cut into three layers, between which apricot jam are thickly spread between the layers and on the top and sides of the cake. The whole cake is then iced with a velvet-like chocolate and served with a side dish of whipped cream. It was created in 1832 by Chef Franz Sacher for Prince Clemens Lothar Wensel Metternich (1773-1859) of Austria. The prince enjoyed trying new dishes and ordered the chef to create a new cake. Orders were sent to the kitchens where it was instant pandemonium. The head chef was sick and the team of cooks in the kitchen had no idea what to prepare. Franz Sacher, a 16-year old apprentice cook, rolled up his sleeves and created this famous chocolate cake with the ingredients that were available. The Sacher Torte and other recipes made him prosperous, and he operated several cafes and restaurants."

It's interesting to know the history behind something I like to eat and make. It's something I can talk about when making it for other people.

Things like these make getting up early and being in the kitchen creating something special for other people to enjoy... all worth it.

History and Everybody's Cafe: Learning about little things like history behind food brings tingles up my spine. It reminds me about our very own Everybody's Cafe and how it has become a part of the lives of so many people who dined in it throu the last 50 years. It's actually something people has talk about. Perhaps it's high time I research the details and document it. That'll be something good to share.

Shifting Gears

I should have started blogging a long time ago but it seems like there's never enough time to blog. I realized though just as I was reading other people's blog how much I'm missing not being able to express and share my journey through my new life in culinary school.

I guess it's never too late. Perhaps I can write on earlier experiences later as I develop my blog.

For now, my blog will be some sort of a daily (if i can keep up with 'daily' that is) journal to share my journey through my life's transition from corporate to culinary.

The pictures I'm sharing here are pictures from my first 'plated' dish. During the last few terms, I've been formally learning a lot of things: knife skills, methods, and the essential S's (Soups, Stocks and Sauces). Most of our food production in class is 'institutuional.' I guess it's too early for me to create the finer things. I got a chance to take a couple of electives this term so I took one that we probably won't take up in class but will certainly educate me on one of the regions in the world that I'd like to explore someday: North Africa, thus my elective: Cuisine of North Africa (Moroccan basically)

The dish is an appetizer created by our chef instructor, Chef Ami Sananes. He calls it, A Trio of Fish Gazpacho which ended up becoming just a trio because unfortunately, we didn't have the ingredients we needed to complete the recipe. It still turned out pretty though. I like the effect of Basil Oil (which was made by blancing basil leaves, pureeing it with oil and straining it to extract the infusion, this method also applies to other herbs like parseley etc.)

The Trio ended up being composed of Shrimp Garbanzo, Tuna Gazpacho (which looks more like Tuna Tartar because we didn't cut the Tuna right, but it still looked good didn't it?) and Sauteed Lobster and Bay Scallop with supposedly Yellow Tomato Sauce (which turned out to be moss green because we didn't have yellow tomatoes, we ended up using red instead, blended with pureed cilantro and japeño).

I really like this plate because it looks good and it tastes good too. The flavors aren't exactly blended together but rather layered on top of each other than when one takes a bite, the flavors disperse harmoniously that the diner can actually taste each layer (I'm not exaggerating!)

I wish I had better lighting in the kitchen. This dish would have looked better. I guess now I have better motivation to learn food styling and photography.

I've only shifted in the food industry, at least formally, very recently. I've always had this 'what-if' in my head about being a Chef... I'm glad I decided to deal with THAT big what if! It's not easy. It's physically challenging. It's mentally stressful. It requires a lot of discipline, passion and intensity. But I'm loving every bit of it.

From Now On

I noticed that most of what I wrote in my blog so far makes me 2 ugly things. A disgruntled employee or a dissatisfied customer!

I dont' like that. From now on, I'll stay away from all that's negative and write only about better things, best days!

Looking up...

Looking ahead...

Looking forward....

That's more like it.

A Very Long Flight

Zombified. Sleepy but Can't Sleep. Alive but Not Feeling.

I arrive at the airport a little past 4am. That's a little late for a 650am flight at NAIA due to so many security checkpoints but then again, it's no too late to make it to my flight.

Angel arrived a little earlier but the line was just toooooooooooooo long! Apparently the flight had about 500 people booked for that morning. The line also included people from another big flight.

It was harassing enough to line up for check in with a huge heavy luggage containing 'HALF' pairs of shoes! Thanks for pinoy practices they didn't weigh it or I would have been charged some overweight fee.

It took me about an hour to check in. When I got into the airport, I had to go thru 2 more security checkpoints. The last one involving security rummaging thru my carry-on and my hand bag and having me turn on every single electrical gadget I had. I wonder what that would have done. Trigger an explosive maybe? Lousy!

The flight was delayed too because they were waiting for volunteers who have flexible schedules and are willing to text the next available fight, which will obviously be next week since all flight are booked... I don't understand why they overbook weekend flights. That is so not a good practice since there are rarely no shows on weekend flights. Everybody would want to take advantage of the weekend to travel! Aaargh!

We boarded the plane finally. We weren't THAT late but we ended up sitting in the very last row of the plane. ROW 65! Imagine how many people are on board that plane! I was so excited to sleep so I dozed off even before the plane took off.

When we got to Nagoya, we were seated closer in front. Row 25. I was seated between a nice lady from Saipan and a Matt Damon looking guy from Detroit but was in Nagoya for work. The lady was very friendly, she'd tell me about Saipan and Guam and how they have excellent weather between 80's and 90's the whole year round and that the islands are surrounded by White Sand. Mr. Matt Damon look alike was friendly too. He was nice enough to give me his pillow because he brought his own. He showed interest too to me and Ms. Saipan by asking us where our islands are on the map. I think that was nice of him to try to make conversation... but I was just toooooooooooooooooo sleepy. I just wanted to sleep!!!

Mr. Matt Damon look alike tried to be Mr. Nice Guy and said that it's ok if I lean to his side because I looked really tired and that I seem to need more space. I'm just too lazy to socialize to I covered my head with the blanket and closed my eyes and tried to sleep. I just said thanks but i'm ok and just didn't mind him!

I woke up a few minutes after we took off because a little girl started to cry. She was practically screaming off the top of her voice. I took the blanket off my head and OH MY GROSSNESS! Mr Matt-Damon-look-alike turned Mr. Nice Guy tuned Mr. Pervert. His hands were inside his pants! PANTS! Ms Saipan didn't care, she had her head covered with the blanket as well. I didn't know what to do but I didn't want to make a scene out of it. This time, it seems that my seat wasn't so safe. The guy scared me but I didn't show it to him... When he asked why I'm not asleep though I seem sleepy, I just said this seems to be a very long flight... with such an unpleasant scene beside me and a baby crying from Nagoya to Detroit!... oh and guess what, when I said this seems to be a very long flight, he asked me, why? "How long is the flight from Manila to Nagoya?"

Like DUH???

From then on, I just couldn't sleep. Like the little baby who kept crying, i just wanted to scream. But unlike her, I have no excuse to keep the entire flight awake. I put on my ear phones and watched everything that they showed. I can't remember Movie1 because I just pretended to be watching but I wasn't because I was trying to be on guard from the guy beside me, Movie2 was Shall We Dance. After the movies, I read the magazines including first aid and evacuation instructions in case of emergency. I got a drink from every attendent who would offer coffee, water or tea from time to time. I opened the window and tried to watch the horizon appear, turn blue, turn orange and blue, turn orange and finally turn white.

Thank God we're almost at Detroit. Breakfast was served. I had soba noodles. NW food sucks! We landed and I rushed out of the plane. I didn't even get to say bye to nice Ms. Saipan.

The lines to immigration was really looooooooooooooooong. And so was the line for customs. Thank God we didn't get into extra trouble for bringing so many shoes. We were cleared without getting our bags into the Xray. Thank God for Angel too. She's such a great companion :) She too didn't get to sleep because of the screaming baby.

After we went past Immigration, Security and Customs, we were so famished we stopped by for a big bite at Mc Donalds! We both had Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Large Fries and a Large Diet Coke! HEAVEN.

We took the express tram to gate A8, 30 gates away from where Mc Donalds was because we wanted to catch our flight. When we got there, the flight was DELAYED! Goodness! It was overbooked so they had to look for a couple of volunteers again to give up their seats. An hour after, we finally boarded. I was just too tired I fell asleep. I woke up 2 hours after and guess what? WE WERE STILL IN DETRIOIT - 2 FRIGGIN HOURS AFTER!!! They said there are some mechanical problems on the plane! Oh my!

Finally we took off and arrived at Logan Ariport in Boston. 3 NW flights were delayed. i.e. our luggages all came out of a tinny tiny carousel. It took about an hour to get our bags. It costs 3 bucks to use a cart. And guess what now, the dispenser was busted so we just had to drag our heavy bags to the waiting area.

That was quite a flight!!! Right now, I can't wait to log on and file a complain! It was quite a "LONG" flight!

Angel's friend Ricky picked us up fromt he Airport. Thanks to him we didn't have to pay a 30 dollar cab to James's house. We met up with James and their other Phil-Boston Friends at Victoria where we had the best Salted Spicey Squid and Salted Fish Fried Rice at their favorite Chinese joint called Victoria on Common Wealth street.

Salt was good. Victoria saved the day.

A Very Long Day

Friday, 25/02/2005
I had a long relaxing lunch with Tito Jojo and Tita Ging. We had a pleasant late lunch at M Cafe. We had Cod Kofta skewered in Lemon Grass, Laksa with Salmon and Oriental Mushroom Risotto. For dessert, we indulged in heavenly creamy Lanka Sansrival, sinfully delicious Choco Nut Chocolate Cake and exotically refreshing Ice cream sandwhich with had guava sorbet and ginger gelato squeezed between choco coconut cookies! Yum.

And then my long day starts.

I ran errands at National Bookstore to get supplies we'll probably need for our Boston trip. I got some folders and papers for our corporate portfolios as well as a couple of balik bayan boxes for the shoe samples we'll transport.

Afterwards, I went to the internet cafe in Greenbelt to check my email for other things that Brian much need for Boston or New York. I also did a little bit of Market Research on the Footware Industry in Japan and in the US. It's frustrating though that I coudn't find anything useful. The good ones are either for sale or had non working links... aaargh.

I just went home to rest. Can't move.Stressed out. Can't sleep. I was just staring at the ceiling the whole time thinking what else I might need to prepare. I can't think of anything. I felt aweful enough that I couldn't help Angel much on our financials because, one, I don't much about finance, and even if I want to help her with the balance sheet at the very least, i'm totally disfunctional without a notebook. Having one for 4 years made me develop some dependency on the machine.

Thank God, Dan finally called for dinner. Another thing that was stressing me out was that I felt I didn't have enough money for the trip because 1-I really don't have much to spare without putting a dent on my savings, 2-i spent some of my savings to put together some capital for our shoe company, 3-I had plans of getting a notebook while in the US. Thus, the state of feeling-i-don't-have money.

I had a fun dinner with Alba and Jack, Lao and Lazy :) We went to Hap Chan, ONE of our favorite Chinese food place (along with North Park, Next Door and Tianenmen Square) where we would typically order Soy Tofu, Brocolli and Garlic Fish Fillet. This time, we had Salted Spicey Tofu and Salted Spicey Squid, Prawns with Brocolli and Fish Fillet of course. That was a good change. I had a good meal. We all headed home after. In as much as I wanted to hangout with the gang. I had to pack.

ta-di-da-di-da, ta-di-da-di-da... I seriously didn't know what to pack. I know it's gonna be cold but I didn't want to bring too many clothes. To stressed out I decided to rest.

At 1030 pm, I asked Dan to help me pick up the shoes from Angel's house in Pasig. One of our suppliers couldn't make it on time, as expected, we waited till after midnight to get the shoes.

I got home at about 130 am already. I barely prepared the stuff I needed to pack. Considering I had to arrange my stuff among the shoes we'll be brining. We're bringing approximately 30 pairs of shoes. Angel and I had to split the left shoe and the right shoe in order to declare them as samples with no value.

My flight was at 650 am which means I have to be at the airport at 350 am which means I had to be ready by 330 which means I didn't have time to rest anymore.

Whew! I did a marathon packing not sure if I brought enough warm clothes for the tail end of winter which will still bring quite a lot of snow. I was rushing too much I forgot the stuff I was to bring for other people. Good grief