Survival of the Fittest.

My very first week is done! I just got home and I can't even explain how much I've learned in 4 days. (I didn't go to school on Tuesday because of the funeral.) Nerves were eating me alive before Monday, but I somehow I found the energy to wake up at 4:30 am on Monday, February 14th. I was planning on writing a long winded recap, but I thought it might be cool to make a list of everything I've learned this week and then hopefully compare it to a list I'll be writing 21 months from now when I'm graduating!

This is my current schedule:

• LCBC 100 - College Success & Career Portfolio (Thursdays, 7:00 am - 9:15 am)
• LCBC 105 - Food Safety & Sanitation (Mondays-Fridays, 9:25 - 10:30 am)
• LCBC 110 - Culinary Foundations I (Mondays-Wednesdays & Fridays, 7:00 am - 9:15 am)

•  At 6 am, the sun has not risen yet, so Ray Ban's are not necessary.
• A white chefs coat easily becomes covered in black fuzz if worn while driving a car with black seats.
• You can indeed feel totally naked when you're not wearing any jewelry or nailpolish.
• Tying a neckerchief is insanely difficult. 
• Opening a brand new knife's kit is like Christmas morning.
• Raw milk (non pasteurized milk, straight from a cow) is deadly, like playing Russian Roulette deadly.
• Old people also go to culinary school.
• When attendance is called, a student responds with, "Yes, Chef." (I was quite used to saying "Here")
• How to hold a big scary 10 in Chef's Knife.
• How to properly wash and sanitize cooking equipment. 
• Drive in your Toms and tank top instead of clunky shoes and Chef's coat. You'll be so much more comfortable.
• How to sweep an entire kitchen.
• Always bring 90 cents in change, because nothing in the snack machines is less than that except for Doublemint Gum...
• How much fun taking notes really is!!
• All about FBI (Food Borne Illness)
• How to properly taste food.
• The five tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami.
• My Chef instructor was once held at gun point by the Secret Service and was Miss Spring 1955.
• When not in lab, you don't have to have your hair up or under your Comi cap. (YES YES YES!)
• Don't wear Valentine's socks, or on your first day you might be called out by your chef instructor in front of the whole class.
• Getting to know you games and partner interviews will never ever be fun.
• It is extremely awesome to talk to people who share your insane passion and love of being in the kitchen. 
• I don't like the idea of cooking with things that have eyeballs such as Pufferfish or goats...
• My love of cupcakes isn't unique in a room full of aspiring pastry chefs.
• Cutting with knives is actually really difficult and requires practice outside of school.
• Most people in culinary school get cut with vegetable peelers than actual knives.
• The taste of dried shitaki mushroom juice stays in your mouth for WAY too long.
• Putting salt in coffee grounds prior to brewing reduces the bitter taste.
• The importance of networking always.
• The HOV Lane rocks!!!
• Billy Joel is a cure all when you're exhausted.
• The History of French Cuisine that dates back to the 1300's.
• Facing your fears is a must or else you will not succeed.

This is quite amazing. I reread this list and I probably didn't even get it all, but it's amazing. 4 days and I am learning a lot and I love it. Here's a few more pictures of things from this week!! Have a wonderful Friday, dolls. :) I hope you had a great work week.

 (Wonderful notetaking, seriously I think it's so fun!!!)

 (My monogrammed knife kit, my mommy got this done for me because she loves me so much!)

(Practicing knife cuts on potatoes for homework!)