Stage 4 Clinger

What's got two thumbs and aced it's first quiz?













This guy! Yea buddy. Now, granted, we did do a review of pretty much the whole quiz right before the quiz, but still. I was spoutin' off answers during the review and even some extra stuff that's not in the book (that's 1). I breezed through the quiz, double checked my answers twice, and was still the 3rd of 42 to turn it in. Nice. I get the official grade tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure it's coming back with a 100 on it. Probably with little smiley faces inside the 0s.

After the quiz, and a discussion with finisher's #1 and #2 about how easy the quiz was and where they (not from Austin) could get good and/or cheap beer, we went right in to Chapter 3: Contamination, Food Allergens, and Foodborne Illness. As you've read, we already covered Biological foodborne contamination in Chapter 2 (See "Ew"). So today's focus was on Chemical and Physical contamination.

During the Chemical portion, we talked about Toxic Metal Poisoning - which is a great name for a band. We talked about lead in ceramic platters (check that pretty plate that you bought from Mexico that you use to serve chips and salsa, prooooobably lead-based paint). During the copper portion, we talked about what sort of equipment you might have in your professional kitchen made of copper. We talked about how when acid is introduced to copper, it can become very hazardous to your health and so on.

Then she starts one of those leading questions that teachers do: "So you've got a big beautiful copper bowl. You put that in the fridge. You've got eggs. You put that in the fridge. You get a wisk. You're going to make a......." So I expect the whole class to go "MEEERRRIIINNNGUE!" So I go "MEEERRIII...." - it's here that I realize I'm all by myself - "ngue." And she points to me and with great enthusiasm says, "YES!" (that's 2). For some scientific reason, copper creates stiff peaks when whipping egg whites faster and better than any other material, but DO NOT use that copper bowl for pretty much anything else.

We continue on to "Accidental Introduction of Foreign Objects" - metal shavings, staples, glass, fingernails, hair, bandages, etc. "Naturally Occurring Objects That Pose a Hazard" - bones, seeds, scales, etc. And then to "Food Defense". She mentions the Visine myth. It is here that several classmates ASSURE us that it works (not going to their restaurants) and she asks, "What's that movie". I reply (again alone), "Wedding Crashers". Again, with a point and great enthusiasm, "YES!! I love that movie! Stage 4 clinger, that's hilarious!" (and that's 3)

Three what? Three points in today's class that I managed to single myself out in a positive manner. That is to say without being like the girl who regaled us with the story of her pregnant sister being purposely poisoned at a Sonic (tmi). Or the guy that answered "diarrhea" to every review question before the quiz - funny the first 3 or 4 times. Not so much the 10th or 12th time.

I am cementing my position in the class as a teacher's pet. The plan is going according to plan.