Yes, it’s that time again – study time. All of us have our noses in our books, memorizing recipes. Last week we endured the written exams for pastry and cuisine. This week we have our two major finals. Two weeks ago, the school gave us a list of the 10 possible cuisine dishes and 8 possible cakes that may be on the exam. We won’t know what we’ll be making until we walk into the room.

But this time around, I’m not too stressed. I know what to expect, and I feel pretty comfortable with the recipes. As I was studying this weekend, looking at the list of ingredients, I could figure out what needed to be done in what order. We only have two and a half hours to make our dish and complete the technical portion of the exam – béarnaise sauce for cuisine and writing Opera for pastry. Béarnaise is like hollandaise except instead of being flavored with lemon and salt, it is flavored with a reduction of chopped shallots, herb stems, vinegar and white wine. I’ve been practicing at home, and so far, I’ve been pleased with the results.

And then there’s Opera of course. At home, Ashley and I have been using Nutella to practice, practice, practice. We both take turns examining each other’s work and making suggestions for improvement. We’re both pretty happy with our piping skills, and we each have very different techniques.

By Wednesday at 11:00 AM, I will be finished with my finals. I’m so ready for a vacation from my vacation. I need some down time and some time away from Paris to prepare me for superior. I’ve heard the next level is very intense, so I want to return refreshed, renewed and invigorated.

Wish me luck!

3 Comments  Leave a Comment