Garnishing the moment...

Wednesday, November 1

Or the carrot, onion or apple...

Today was devoted to garnishing with a demonstration on different techniques using a variety of tools mostly in our garde manger set. Then we tried some of the techniques and were allowed to be creative and whimsical as well. We used tools such as the citrus peeler, channel knife, melon baller, turning knife, tourne knife, Mandolin (Japanese and French) , and the French knife to create a variety of garnishes, which included typical tomato roses, radish buds, strawberry fans, cucumber fans, and scallion brushes to more creative and intricate designs such as swans and floral designs. It was like working with wood-working tools and everyone was very quiet as they concentrated on their designs. We also learned about baking and deep frying some garnishes such as frizzled leaks and carrot and squash chips. At the end, each student had to prepare a plate of their garnishes for presentation to the chef. It was fun and a good intro but we're not ready to make ice sculptures quite yet...

The afternoon was spent on the preparation of more complicated salads as the room became more anxious and stressed with the approaching exam on Thursday morning.