Sonia Gonzalez Fall 2016 Blog
by Sonia Gonzalez, December 12, 2016
I am towards the end of my block 3 quarter and it has been a challenging but rewarding quarter. Block 3 is considered the toughest quarter for Accelerated Students, since we’re in class from 6am to 6pm for almost the entire quarter. The courses consist of Garde Manger, Meats and Sauce, Fish and Sauce, Advanced Skills and Modern Cuisine. These classes individually provided me the skills to become a better cook. The classes also helped me understand some of the culinary skills I learned in Block 1 and helped me with my plating skills.
I learned in Garde Manger how to prepare force meats, mousseline, canapés, hors d’oeuvres and pate. I also applied these skills to make an aspic plate out of gelatin and how to plate Charcuterie.
In Meats and Sauce class, I learned to fabricate beef, pork, venison, lamb and poultry. I learned the parts of the animal which helped to determine the cooking method and the sauce that accompanied the cooking method.
In Fish and Sauce, I learned about the different species of fish and how to fabricate a whole fish. I also learned how to open clams and oysters and how to cook a lobster and crawfish. It was amazing how I made a shell fish sauce from the lobster shells. What I mostly learned from the class was regarding fish harvesting, farming, sustainability and seafood borne illness.
In advanced skills, I was able to apply all the skills that I acquired to date to prepare a three course meal. I was amazed on how much I learned and how much I improved in plating. This class was the most challenging because every other day we had knife skills that were timed and individually days of cooking that were also timed.
One of the highlights of the quarter was working the Fried Chicken & Champagne Event for the Kendall College Trust. I had the opportunity to work alongside a reputable chef and he allowed me to cook his food. I learned so much and he helped me to be confident in my skills.
Lastly, I am again grateful to the Kendall College Trust, I have learned so much and I am able to apply my skills in my classes and the various event opportunities at Kendall College.
