My Journal for Class

Each week I have to submit a minimum of one type of Journal, per class. Here's one from last week:

The midterms had me shaking last week. I am not a good test-taker and I am not a big reader. I am a “doer”. That is how I learn best. So while I was very nervous at the knife skills portion, the cooking portion had me quite relaxed. It helped that I have confidence in my partner, as there are others in the class that would have not been as great to be paired up with for a mid-term. So is life in the environment of a kitchen, I suppose.

The written test in the lecture portion of the class really had me nervous. We have learned so much information in 4 weeks. Because we had not had a quiz in that class before, I wasn’t very sure what to expect of the midterm, so my studying was a bit strange. What I realized more than anything is that I have to study weekly like I studied for the mid-term. Being my first quarter back in college, I’m just getting myself back into the swing and adjusting to all of these new life changes I’ve chosen to pursue.

I purchased a few different types of prepared broths that I will use instead of bouillon. What a difference! I bought Hearty Vegetable, Vegetable and Free-Range Chicken with no salt. I’d like to open them all at once and taste the differences of them all, but I can’t possibly use that much broth without a plan for a GIANT pot of soup. We’ll see. I made a pilaf with the Hearty Vegetable broth and it was very, very good. I toasted the rice in a little clarified butter and then poured the hot stock in. The rice was fluffy, tender and not sticky, with an amazingly rich but not overpowering flavor. I think I want to go eat more of it right now.