Things I've Learned at Cooking School

As I was falling asleep last night I was reflecting on the things I've learned in almost 3 short months in cooking school.

• (mostly) how not to cut myself with very sharp tools (see Ouch!)


• how to make the perfect sandwich


• that brown does not neccessary mean burnt, but black does


• what mise en place means (prep, prep and more prep)


• how to truss a chicken


• how to cut NY steaks


• how to French a lamb rack


• that pot handles are usually hot (see Ouch! #2)


• all about properly creaming butter


• why pastry needs an egg wash


• why you should never mop out the walk in freezer (I didn't do it but someone did and I went skating!)


• that you can freeze iced cakes


• the easy way to dice onions


• grating butter is much easier (and faster) than the old "cut in with knives" method


• prawns and shrimp are the same critter


• veal has fewer primal cuts than a full grown cow


• it's okay to have a few duck carcasses in your chicken stock

This course is by far the most fun I have had in school yet, and the e-comm course was pretty high on my scale of fun and interesting learning. Next week I learn all about being a entremetier cook - basically veg, veg and more veg.