Knife Skills and Life Skills

As promised, CA102 started today. RECAP: CA100- terms, equipment, techniques (in theory). CA101- soups, sauces, stocks, breakfast, pasta. CA102- MEAT!!!!, composed plates (protein, veg, starch, sauce). I'm so excited! This class (and garde manger) are the reason I signed up for culinary school.

TODAY: We got the rundown about our Chef Instructors for the next 6 weeks. Chef Clif has wanted to be a chef since 5th grade. It's all he knows. It's all he wants to know. Chef Maroon has worked his way from dishwasher to executive chef to general manager. He used to run the House of Prime Rib in San Fransisco. Yea. Between the two, they have over 50 years of experience.

After the formalities, Chef Clif showed us how to break down a 40 pound steamship round (leg of cow).












It was glorious. There was blood and sinew flying all over the place. It was glorious! Then he broke down a beef short loin - that's T-bones- which then became New York strips and tenderloins.

After the beefy goodness, Chef Maroon took the reins to show us how to break down a leg o lamb. First, he removed the shank and then we (in teams of two) went and took off the shank. Then we watched him remove the H-bone (hip bone) and then we (alternating partners) went and took off the H-bone.













Then he took off the flap steak and horesehoe and then we did. Then all that was left was the sirloin, gooseneck, and top round. What a great day.

Each and every day will be very exciting. We will cook meat 7 different ways over the next six weeks. Fish, beef, lamb, chicken, duck, and who knows what else. Stay tuned!