This week I volunteered in production kitchen on Wednesday and Friday (today). On Wednesday I learnt to make a fruit platter for staff and to vacuum-seal meat products, cut and marinade some chicken, and so on. But the highlight was watching the chefs make a beautiful and tasty sandwich platter at short notice for Monsieur A. Cointreau (President of Le Cordon Bleu), who was in town for meetings. I know the sandwiches (made with freshly baked bread, french cheeses, roast chicken and vegetables) were tasty because I got to taste some "offcuts". Lucky me!
This morning I was mainly involved with rolling the bread dough into baguettes (for baking later in the morning), and preparing/assembling all the ingredients required for a Superior Cuisine demonstration class next week, plus a weekend workshop this week. It meant I got a chance to see and touch a range of ingredients, some of which I had never heard of before (e.g. pastis, vermouth, fish fumet, chervil). I spent quite a bit of time rummaging in the walk-in fridge for various ingredients, and it was cold. After all that hard work (a 6am-to-2pm shift), I was rewarded with a slice of pizza fresh from the oven, that was made by the chef this morning. It was simply divine. Best pizza I have ever tasted. Quality ingredients with first-class know-how - you just cannot beat that. Lucky me again! :)
