Fish kitchen has been such a crazy experience. I have learned to identify and list characteristics of so many fish, but here are just the ones we got to use in class:
- Atlantic Salmon
- King Salmon
- Steelhead Trout
- Rainbow Trout
- Arctic Char
- Mahi Mahi
- Spanish Mackerel
- Wild Striped Bass
- Hybrid Striped Bass
- Golden Tilefish
- Vermilion Snapper
- Lane Snapper
- Red Perch
- Wall-Eyed Pike
- Branzino
- Barramundi
- Red Grouper
- Atlantic Cod
- Haddock
- Hake
- Cusk
- Pollock
- Sea Bream
- Monkfish
- Skate
- Sable
- Yellowtail Flounder
- Dover Sole
- Rusty Dab
- Turbot
- Halibut
- Littleneck Clams
- Top Neck Clams
- Wellfleet Oysters
- Hog Bay Oysters
- Squid
- Jonah Crab
- Maine Lobster
- Blue Mussels
- Bay Scallops
- Sea Scallops
- Black Tiger Shrimp
- White Shrimp
- Langoustines
The list of other seafood I can now identify and describe would probably be larger than the list above.
I didn't get to cut everything that our class fabricated, because some people took care of some things while others had different jobs. I did fabricate a fair amount, though. I think I gutted Branzini, Rusty Dab, Yellowtail Flounder, Barramundi, Hybrid Striped Bass, Rainbow Trout and Sea Bream. I know I filleted Rainbow Trout and Wild Striped Bass. Also, I fabricated White Shrimp, Black Tiger Shrimp, Jonah Crab, Squid, and Maine Lobster (I also killed the lobster). Not nearly as impressive, but I also scaled Atlantic Salmon, Wild Striped Bass, Hybrid Striped Bass, Vermilion Snapper or Red Perch, Steelhead Trout, and Sable.
I got quite a good amount of experience, but I was always reluctant to try cutting something I hadn't cut yet, or to use a cutting method I hadn't yet used. I still haven't used the flat cut method, which is used with flat fish; subsequently meaning I haven't filleted any flatfish. I also haven't butterflied any fish yet. I definitely had the opportunity to try them, but my teacher was just so damn scary. I was being courageous doing as much as I did.
Next, I will list all of the seafood we tasted.
- Yellowtail Flounder
- Dover Sole
- Halibut
- Turbot
- Atlantic Cod
- Haddock
- Hake
- Cusk
- Pollock
- Atlantic Salmon
- King Salmon
- Arctic Char
- Steelhead Trout
- Wild Striped Bass
- Hybrid Striped Bass
- Tilefish
- Wall-Eyed Pike
- Vermilion Snapper
- Yellowfin Tuna
- Swordfish
- Wellfleet Oyster, Raw
- Hog Bay Oyster, Raw
- Littleneck Clam, Raw
- Topneck Clam
- Blue Mussel
- Bay Scallop
- Sea Scallop
- Jonah Crab
- Blue Crab
- Maine Lobster
- Black Tiger Shrimp
- White Shrimp, Peeled and Deveined
- White Shrimp, Shell-On
- Langoustine
- Smoked Shrimp
- Smoked Atlantic Salmon
- Smoked King Salmon
- Smoked Wild Steelhead Trout
- Smoked Wild Spanish Mackerel
- Iranian Osetra Caviar
- American White Sturgeon Caviar
- Sevruga Caviar
- Pressed Caviar
- Paddlefish Roe
- Trout Roe
- Salmon Roe
- Whitefish Roe
- Flying Fish Roe
- Sea Urchin
Chef Clark hasn't screamed at me since day two of class, but he has made me an example of what not to do a couple times. Once, I was taking the pinbones out of a butterflied rainbow trout that my roommate fabricated. I was helping him move faster since he had a lot left to do and I was done early. The trout wasn't fabricated exactly the way Chef wanted it to be done, but I was just focused on taking out the pinbones. I was holding the trout open the wrong way, so Chef came over to me when I asked how to properly position it. He told me I had to lay it out flat, and said, and I am not paraphrasing at all, "Well, you didn't take out the backbone well enough."
I immediately thought that it might reflect on my class grade, so I said, "Oh Chef, I didn't do this one." He went right to getting the class's attention by telling me at a bit of a higher volume that it doesn't matter who did it, it still needs to be fixed.
This is completely true, but in this kitchen I am NOT going to be the kid who questions Chef Clark, or tries to correct him. This is referring to what happened the next day. During lecture, Chef referred to the dialogue we had. He said that he didn't remember who did it, but I know that he was genuinely being nice and protecting me from further embarrassment. He started making fun of the person who said ".... but IIII didn't do it!", when he said, "This isn't butterflied correctly."
The key reason I defended myself in the first place was to clarify that I didn't make the mistake, so that I wouldn't get marked off for it. He described it the next day as if he was just talking about it, not accusing me, and I tried to escape any responsibility. Of course it makes sense what his instructions are, and it doesn't matter who made the mistake, but oh well. He would discretely look back at me during his reenactment, and I would just smile wider than anyone else and nod my head, telling him in a way that I knew what was really going on in his head.
I didn't want to correct him. No way. People in my class had tried to debate things with him, and no matter what, Chef always defeats his opponent. He's one of those people who won't admit loss in an argument, and my classmates always end up withdrawing. In general, I wouldn't want to question my superior. Sure, I'll comment if I feel I might have information he isn't aware of, but I won't try to act like I know more. I just listened to his reenactment and let it fade.
This happened one other time. He was explaining what his thought process was after the washing of the fish fillets. If you don't remember, read my last post. I rinsed fillets off with water (I wasn't thinking), when he'd previously explained why flesh shouldn't come in contact with water. The next day, he was telling the class how one student replied to "What did you just do?" with a frail, frightened, terrified, "EEEK I don't know!!" He told the class again that he didn't remember who'd done it, and he kept looking back at me during the whole thing. Everyone in the class knew it was me he was talking about, and they looked at me, too. He explained that he was just trying to make sure the person knew what they'd done wrong, so they wouldn't do it again, not that he was mad.
Once again, he tried to keep me from being singled out. I'd been told numerous times by numerous people that the way Chef Clark teaches is very complex. He will yell at people who don't work, because they should be trying harder. He also will yell at people who work hard, so that they work even harder. People always said that he pushes the people who work hard as far as he can possibly push them. From all of these incidents, I have deduced that he can tell that I have been serious, efficient, and sincere in his class. This is why he has been making an example out of me. Just like everyone said, he's trying to make me want to work harder. It's worked, too.
By the way, it's not a huge thing that everyone knows about, but in Chef Clark's class specifically, there's always someone who has to kill a lobster. Generally, people don't like this job. I don't care. Lucky me, I was the only taster (student of the day who sets up the food for the class tasting), so he didn't have to choose who would kill the lobster. He just said, "Where are my tasters?" I said, "Just me, Chef." He said, "Ok. (pointing to the lobster on the table) Kill it."
It was pretty fun.
Here's something else that's fun. I jotted down some of my favorite quotes from Chef Clark throughout my time in his class.
- (Referring to liking trains over planes)
"It's a nice ride! Sleep when you want, eat when you want, drink when you want, and you look at shit."
- (Referring to conversing with someone about the state of Ohio)
"What are you gonna say about Ohio? It's flat. Yup."
- (When you die)
"You grow plants good"
- "Tilapia... is a piece of shit fish"
- "Why don't I like to fly? What's the building you go to to get to a plane? Terminal. Doesn't sound that safe does it? Would you go to the Terminal Diner to eat?"
- "Small conch has no flavor. You have to do something to it. Putting it in a fritter is STUPID. You might as well spit in a hurricane."
- (In 1970)
"If you had shrimp, you told people. 'What did you have for dinner?' 'We had shrimp!' 'WHOA SHIT'"
- "Are you always called by your full name by your parents? Well if they can't remember your name, why the hell should I?"
- "That's entirely different than what you're gonna hear by the anti-growing shit people."
- (Referring to being alone and doing chores)
"When my wife leaves, it's great for a day. Then you gotta do shit!"
I enjoyed his lectures.
Here's what I ate before grand buffet today:
 |
| Muffaletta Sandwich with Assorted Meats, Provolone, Mozzarella, and Olive Relish on Focaccia with Potato Salad and Fries (K16) |
 |
| Napoleons with Berry Coulis |
 |
| Spaghetti and Meatballs (K16) |
 |
| Latte du Jour - White Chocolate and Peppermint (APBC) |
 |
| Inside Cuisines of Mediterranean |
 |
| Pan-Fried Sweetbreads with Tourné Potatoes in Beurre Blanc with Capers and Peas (Cuisines of Med. - France) |
 |
| France Sides: Puff Pastries, Assorted Olives, French Fries (Cuisines of Med. - France) |
I was going to go to K16 today for dinner, but when I got there, I realized it wasn't open for the day. So I was stuck with no kitchen opening until 5:30 (a half hour later). I decided to go to Apple Pie and get something warm, because it was pretty cold outside. I got the latte, and it was just perfect. I asked the guy behind the counter to suggest something for me, and he did a really great job. At 5:30 I went back to see what was going on, and noticed that Americas had a huge line that wasn't worth it, and Meds had a short line, but wouldn't open until 6:00. I decided to wait for Meds, even though I didn't know what day it was.
It turned out to be France, and I thought I'd go crazy and order sweetbreads. I'd never had sweetbreads, but I knew very well what they were. They aren't breads with a sweet flavor, they're a calf's thymus gland. Supposedly they can be really tasty, and I was feeling adventurous, so I went for it. They turned out to be really odd. They had barely any flavor to speak of, and were really soft and mushy. I liked it, but there wasn't much going for it. I wouldn't really order it in a restaurant, but I'm glad I've got that experience under my belt. The potatoes were a bit undercooked, too, but they were cut really well. They were a tourné cut, which is a football shaped cut that is tedious and widely hated to produce. The sides that were available were pretty damn good, too. The french fries were better than the ones given at K16, the olives were the same that are used as tapas during Spain days, and the puff pastries were light and tasty.
The spaghetti and meatballs were phenomenal. I loved that meal. It's gonna be such a great day when I find spaghetti and meatballs at K16 again. The napoleons were terrible. I got two because they were incredible times incredible last time. The cream was a little off, and the pastry was chewy, somehow. The sandwich was quite good too, but halfway through the first one I had to scrape off the olive relish. The Apple Pie Bakery Café makes a muffaletta just like this, but they serve it with olive aioli. This was a vinegar based relish, and I did like it, but I didn't want it. Great sandwich overall.
After the spaghetti dinner last night, I decided to use a swipe at the Apple Pie Bakery Café. We can use swipes there, and I was feeling in the mood to try some desserts. Both times I visited the school, I ate at the café, but I hadn't tried any desserts.
I pretty much opened up a whole new world of CIA food. It's all incredible in every aspect, and I can get two or three things with one swipe. I had no clue what to get, and I was feeling pretty open, so I asked the student behind the counter to give me a hand picking stuff out. She pretty much picked for me, and they were such good choices.
 |
| Acacia Honey and Goat Cheese French Macaroon |
 |
| Salted Caramel Apple Danish with Salted Caramel Marscapone and Caramel Apple Jam |
 |
| Container for the French Macaroon |
 |
| Take-out containers |
 |
| Pastries on my desk |
 | |
| Inside the pastries |
These were just the best things ever. The French Macaroon was gray on the outside and blueberry-colored on the inside and soft as hell. The outer layers were sweet like honey, but not too strong. The goat cheese layer was sweet, and had the very bare minimum goat cheese flavor for someone to be able to notice it. You pretty much had to be looking for the flavor to notice it. But, if you like the flavor, you will notice it, and you will love it. It was perfect. I just got it because it sounded so weird.
The caramel apple danish was crazy. The outside was puff pastry, which tasted exactly like an excellent croissant. The inside's caramel marscapone was like a light, but at the same time rich, caramel flavored butter. It was heavenly. All of it.
The third pastry was a "Pumpkin and Ginger Muffin with Spiced Marscapone Filling." It was basically a pumpkin flavored muffin with a very light and creamy middle layer. It wasn't anything outstanding, like the others, but it was still godly.
Last night, I attended my third grand buffet, and it was definitely my favorite one so far. It seemed like most things I chose were fantastic. Usually there are things that sound ridiculous, so I get them for fun. Some of them turn out to be winners, while other usually aren't. This time, I struck gold. Plus, I got lots of desserts. It was pretty slow this time for some reason. There were a lot of people there, and I didn't arrive when it first started, but for the first time I was easily able to find an empty table and to actually look at the dessert table that gets consumed by a line of hungry students.
Here are my photos.
 |
 |
| Créme Brulée, Mini Cream Puff, Pistachio Cream Chocolate |
 |
| Venison Hot Dog, Foie Gras on Sliced Baguette, and Duck Thingie with Duck Mousse, Roasted Duck Breast, Gelatinous Duck Consommé, and Puff Pastry |
 |
| Seafood Crisp with Seaweed, Wild Striped Bass, and other fish |
 |
| Miniature Falafel Sandwich, Roasted Pork en Croute, Two Kinds of Sushi Rolls, Trout and Shrimp Galantine |
 |
| Peanut Butter Ice Cream in a Tart Shell, Blackberry Sorbet in a Chocolate Cup |
 |
| Baked Alaska with Chocolate Syrup and Candy Rocks |
 |
| Inside the Baked Alaska (Vanilla Ice Cream and Sponge Cake) |
 |
| Another Mini Cream Puff, Orange Fruit Slice, Guava Sorbet in a Tart Shell, Miniature Brandy-Filled Chocolate Bottle |
 |
| Inside the Brandy-Filled Chocolate Bottle |
 |
| Tamale with Pork |
This spread was insanely good. I took advantage, as you can tell, of being able to even get any dessert. The peanut butter ice cream was incredible and had tiny little chunks of frozen peanut butter in it. The blackberry sorbet was spot-on, and the chocolate shell definitely made it more fun. The cream puff was the best cream puff I'd ever had, so I got another. The pastry was soft and flaky, and the cream was abundant and the perfect flavor. I thought that the brandy-filled chocolate was just about the coolest thing ever. It was only a tiny chocolate, but it was packed with liquid. It wasn't even brandy flavored this or that; it was just brandy. The guava ice cream was pretty impressive. I've had a few guava juices and drinks before, and apparently the fruit is so ridiculously pulpy that drinks cannot help but have pulp in it. This, however, was the finest textured pulp I've found in a guava concoction, and it was great.
The fruit slice was like the fruit slices you'd be used to seeing, except it tasted less artificial. I didn't know what baked Alaska was. I'd heard of it, but had no idea what it consisted of or looked like. I saw this weird-looking thing last time I went to grand buffet, and I have a picture of it on its respective post. I saw it, asked what it was, had it explained to me, and grabbed a plate. I thought it was a pastry on the outside. No. It was a lightly whipped, cream/marshmallow substance with vanilla ice cream and sponge cake inside it. It was magical. The rock things were just fun in general, but tasted awesome. They were like pieces of fruity candy canes you find during the holidays.
When I was on the line for more desserts, my friend ask me if I had the tamales. I said I didn't and didn't exactly know what they were, so he left and got me one. He insisted, and I indulged. It was fantastic. It tasted like pulled pork on top of cornbread. The sushi was some of the best I've had, and was one of my favorite foods from the meal. The seafood crisp was really interesting. It tasted like cooked fish inside a fried shell. I hadn't had falafel before this, so I didn't know what to expect. It had the consistency of a tiny burger, but the flavor of pesto. It was actually really refreshing. The fish galantine was just odd. The roasted pork en croute was another of my favorites. It was basically roasted pork loin and pork mousse in a puff pastry. It tasted just like it sounds, and I loved it.
The duck thing was just really weird. It had a bottom and side layer of puff pastry, topped with a duck mousse, which was topped with a gelatinous consomme (clear broth) of duck, and topped with sliced duck breast. It was a lot of duck. The mousses tend to not taste that great, so if it weren't for that, I would've loved it. It was still good. The foie gras tasted the same as last time, not like it can really vary that much. If you don't remember, foie gras is that enlarged liver of a goose or duck through force-feeding. The venison sausage and the bun it came in were both exceptional. There was no trace of it left on my plate. The last desserts were the créme brulée and the pistachio chocolate. The CB was intensely creamy and delicious, and the pistachio thing was addicting as hell. I really liked this meal.
So, I finished fish kitchen today, and I feel like celebrating. It was such a relieving feeling to be done with Chef Clark's class. He had tons of chefs, students, and alumni come knock on his door during lecture to say hello, and he always was so welcoming and friendly. I feel like I can now be one of those people. I can say, "Hi" to Chef Clark without worrying about getting yelled at, except, I suppose, if I tell him I'd choose a Honda over a Harley.
I got an 85 on our fish identification test, a 100 on our yield test, and a 92 on our written test. I don't know which tests counted more, but in general I had good scores. Here is a class picture I had taken.
There's the infamous Chef Clark. It's not the best picture, but I wasn't manning the camera, was I?
I start Skills 1 on Monday, which is also my birthday. I hope it goes well.
Until the next post,
Eat well, then eat more
No comments:
Post a Comment