Chop, Chop Chop...

Another tiring day, today with our best friend the Chef or French knife and chopping, chopping and more chopping with precision and focus. I have to say that my yoga and meditation practice are coming in handy with cutting so far as before I start I try to focus, breathe deeply and really be present, which you just have to be for this type of work.

The French style chopping is very precise and meticulous with some cuts that are 1/8" and diced from there into equally sized pieces and we have to learn the names of all the different cuts such as brunoise, batonnet, chiffonade, julienne,etc. Also, we're going to have to develop the eye for 1/4", 1/8" and other cuts as they will be measured and tested at some point. Even now, the chef comes around to review our cuts and let's us know if we're ok or not.

The tourne means a potato slice that is carved into the shape of a football and must have seven sides that are evenly spaced and smooth. Parsley leaves are selected, washed, dried, chopped and then minced over and over until they are very fine, and then dried again. There were only two minor cutting injuries today in our class after a few hours of intensive chopping.

Our instructor quickly and creatively made up something for lunch with the results of all our efforts (cabbage, collard greens, onions, garlic, tomatos, parsley, etc), complete with wholewheat nan-type bread grilled over the flame.... yum!

The afternoon was spent on fruit identification... reviewing and tasting lots of new and exotic fruits and discussing their properties, in addition to other products such as olives and olive oil.

So, we were all quite full upon leaving school. I took a walk to Bryant Park where the famous Olympus Fashion Week is taking place under a large tent and just took a look around and watched the glamorous people coming in and out for awhile. I didn't recognize anyone, as I'm not familiar with the fashion industry icons, but there were lots of photographers taking photos.

Then home and to my new gym/yoga studio/pilates studio/spa in the neighbourhood. Thought I needed to keep my body in shape while eating all day and it would be a good place to relax and energize on a regular basis. It's a great place with a positive energetic vibe where Broadway dancers instruct some of the dance and aerobic classes, as apparently there are lots of dancers in this neighbourhood, and the membership includes a free session with a trainer, private pilates session, and passes for my friends. Tonight I watched Project Runway and Grey's Anatomy while I worked on the cross-trainer and then went downstairs to work with weights and do yoga on the rubber floor mat.

Night...