Cabin Fever

Days 97-101

In the ultimate culinary student move, I just took my temperature with a meat thermometer.

I spent the second day of Level 6—the final chapter of culinary school—in bed. I spiked a fever of 101 and decided it was best to stay home. Unfortunately, students are docked five points from their grade when they miss class. This is tricky, I think, because students don't want to miss in fear of a lower grade when, really, they shouldn't be serving food if they can contaminate it—and other students.

I'm pretty sure I got sick from someone at school, so I'm staying home because that's what they should have done. (Does this sound bitter?) Maybe it will mean one less person getting sick.

Either way, adios, zero absences.

On top of my fever, my back is on the verge of going out. So not only am I sweating profusely, I can't walk.

OK, enough of my sob story. Here's some good news: I found out that I aced my menu project. That put a smile on my face. The overall winner will be announced during graduation.

Writing this consumed most of the energy I had today. I'm going to kick back and watch some "Top Chef All-Stars."

Goat for it

Days 95 and 96

I'm not one to gloat. Today, however, I'm gonna gloat about goat.

On Tuesday, I decided to go for it. With limited pastry knowledge, I presented a special dessert to be served during lunchtime. The highlight was my rosemary goat cheese ice cream—a recipe I concocted for my menu project that turned out amazing. And with a much better machine in school than my $99 KitchenAid Stand Mixer attachment at home, the ice cream had an even creamier consistency.

Per the chef's suggestion, I served the ice cream with a butter cake, dunked in rosemary simple syrup, as well as pomegranate seeds and orange supremes. (For my menu project, it stood alongside cabernet sauvignon-poached pears and a reduction of the red wine.)

I'd say it was a hit, considering the pastry chef asked me for my recipe. That's not every day that happens.

Tomorrow I'm trying my hand at another lunch menu special—this time an entree. I can only hope that it goes half as well as the first.

Home for the Holiday

Days 85-90 and Everything in Between

In case you're wondering—I'm still alive.

I've been a busy bee the last week. I just wrapped up my biggest undertaking in culinary school: the menu project. For the last few months, I've been planning a multi-course menu, complete with food photos, recipes, a costing breakdown, an essay on my theme and so on. I turned the project in today and am happy with my work.

I'm also happy that it's over, which is why I celebrated tonight with some culinary school friends at Wondee Siam. A Thai classmate and friend took us to the amazing restaurant in Midtown. She says it's the closest food to home in New York.

Because of the menu project—as well as Thanksgiving—I took a mini-sabbatical from my blog. The holiday was amazing; I was so grateful to see my parents and brother in Ohio. We cooked our butts off and ate so much that my pants are definitely not buttoning like they were before. But it was worth it.

Besides the turkey my dad deep-fried, my mom and I cooked most of Thanksgiving dinner. Appetizers comprised butternut squash soup, a foie gras torchon and rabbit sausage; the turkey and gravy, leek bread pudding, sweet potato casserole, green beans, mashed potatoes, a ribbon salad, cranberry sauce and Brussels sprouts with homemade maple bacon were the main entrees and sides; and two pumpkin pies and a caramel apple pie were for dessert.

As if that wasn't enough, my mom and I made my uncle's Polish sausage the next day. I've eaten the dish a thousand times during the holidays, but I've never seen how it's made. I now know the family secret (and am willing to share it with anyone who favors garlic and pork).

After the sausage making, our family headed to chef Michael Symon's flagship, Lola, located in downtown Cleveland. I've been there several times, but it was a first for my husband. He loved it. We (not surprisingly) gorged ourselves on beef cheek pierogies, pork belly, crispy bone marrow, ribeye steak with bone marrow garlic butter, pork chops with cheesy polenta and several desserts. Not to mention the wine and drinks—but how can you pass those when the menu is on an iPad?

I headed back to New York missing my family and feeling as stuffed as a turkey.

Fish Tackle

Days 73 and 74

Give me that fillet o' fish, give me that fish.

I spent the first two days of production cleaning, filleting and skinning cod, branzino, steelhead trout and monkfish. My arms were definitely open to the task at hand; I need work in that arena. I've never been big on buying fish—especially whole—so I'll take any aquatic creature thrown my way.

Of all the fish, cod was the most challenging. It's massive. On Wednesday, the fish was more than half my height. Pretty freakin' awesome—except for the worms. The fish often has a parasite (the cod worm) that crawls in its flesh. I'm not sure I'll ever order cod again after plucking those guys and watching them squirm.

No more fish tomorrow. Production works like this: Each person spends two days on a rotation, comprising filleting, butchering and stocks. I believe stocks is next. It's the rotation I'm least looking forward to due to all the horror stories of burns and back aches.

I better stock up on sleep 'cause tomorrow is gonna be a long one.