A Great Day

Today was a great day at school. Chef Bingley had us make special platters for the Friday buffet at JJ's. Tyson and I were assigned to the cheese platter. However, our first duty when we got in the class was to make our daily entree salads. I was on the seafood pasta salad today and Tyson made the greek. We both had our salads done by 8:30 and then it was upstairs for our cold sauces and salad dressings test.

After break, it was on to our cheese platter. How I wish we had taken pictures because it was ever so beautiful. All I can do now is describe it. The platter itself was a large round mirror. At the back of the platter we built up a pile of cascading grapes, plums, nectarines, and gooseberries. In front of that, at the centre back, there was a small bowl of garnet coloured cranberry orange relish to pair with the cheese. Along the left side of the of the platter were curved rows of gruyere, marbled cheddar, and provolone. At the right back side there was a pyramid of blue cheese, cranberry balls that had been rolled in toasted walnuts. In the centre was some beautiful panko-crusted fried brie. Along the front we had two rows of alternating sesame crusted and poppy seed crusted cheese coins. And in the very front we made some lovely canapes with red pepper studded chevre on toasted lavash with little tomato triangles on top.

It looked very decadent and quite fantastic. When Chef Bingley saw our work he was well chuffed and he said we had done a "top job".

After class, Kris, Andrea, Tyson, and I went to Nuba for some very tasty Middle Eastern Food. We also picked up some off sales from the 340 bar. We took it all to Victory Park and had a relaxing after class celebration.

All in all . . . it was a GREAT day.