While I didn't get to go around taking pictures, there were several professionals who were invited in to the kitchen to document the experience that was LudoBites 007.
There will be a LudoBites book coming out sometime next year... perhaps I'll make an appearance? who knows.
One guy named Wesley came in for a couple of days, and shot hundreds of pictures. It's funny looking at the whole photo stream - looking at the experience I lived through from another person's perspective. I also get a glimpse of the magic that happened in other parts of the kitchen - things I never got to see.
If you're interested, please take a look... some of the photos are simply gorgeous. There's one in particular of Chef joking around with me just laughing. This picture makes me happy.
Chef was tough to work for ("I may be an asshole, but i'm not a monster"), but he joked around a lot. It was fun. It was intense at times. And if things were going wrong, it got scary. But in the end, he got the results he wanted: the diners were served some beautiful, inventive, and delicious meals...
I just love food. I love being around people who appreciate good food. Food should be enjoyable, and fun. I consider myself lucky that I got to experience working at Ludobites. And if I could do it again, I definitely would.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Where The Magic Happened
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| Add caption |
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| The "punishment jam" was cooked in that lovely copper pot |
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| The mayo on the ceiling after Chef "expressed" his anger by slamming the container down on the ground. |
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| Doughville |
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| Pistachio financier with berries and marscapone - it was a lovely deep green, but the picture doesn't do it justice... so good. |
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| Foie gras, creamed corn & popcorn - plated, and ready to take out for service. |
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| The outline of where the mayo was on the ceiling... I'm sure the glops of mayo fell to the ground that night, but the cleaning staff at Gram & Papa's still didn't clean the ceiling... ewwww. |
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| yes, it's The Fred Savage - from the Wonder Years. He interned a couple of nights. Chef had him peel grapes that night. And he did it. |
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| Rosanna, the pastry chef during the last 2 weeks. Such a sweetheart. |
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| Me, sauteing the coins of fingerling potatoes that I'd sliced on the mandolin. I look happy there, but I was always worried and nervous when using the "plancha" or flat-top. |
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| Erika, Rosanna & Joon (the machine) |
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| Greg, moments after the sink handle fell into his hand again, and Grace totally cracking up, again. Yep, it was a fucking miracle that we got anything done in that kitchen |
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| Me & Ila - line cook, blogger, doodler extraordinaire |
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| The Mise en Place for the Tropezienne dessert - strawberries macerated in sugar, black currants, powdered sugar, lavender blossoms |
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| Sabel! I adore this girl! she always had the best disposition - always happy to be there, she also got assigned "standards"... and she taught me how to clean squid. she liked that task. me? not so much. |
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| The oxtail entree - closing night... it was really good |
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| Ludo Lefebvre - with his intimidating glare... this is him in a good mood. |
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| Chef & Joon |
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| Scallop & Prawn ceviche - the leftovers plated for the after service final staff gorge-fest. I took a deli-cup of this for take away |
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| Brioche for the Tropezienne, with the creme patissiere & black currants - these were the leftovers for the staff |
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| Now I get to wear a big red coq on my chest. |
I probably would have lost it if he'd told me to use nice long strokes...
All of the equipment French Chef brought into Gram & Papa's need to be treated with lots of care. Many items - like the giant wood cutting board below, are very expensive...
Chef: You see that Paco Jet machine (it spins the ice cream)?
Me: Yes, chef?
Chef: you be careful around it - it's more expensive than your car.
Me: (ouch, that's a low blow!) yes, chef.
That wooden cutting board is also probably more expensive than my car. And it needs to be conditioned. With oil.
Chef: Tonight, Sharon, you are going to oil the cutting board. Scrub all the dirt off of it first.
Me: (using a scrubbing pad & soapy water, I clean it off, and wipe away the soap with a clean towel).
Chef: (squirting a cutting board mineral oil generously over the surface) Now you need to massage the oil onto the wood...
"Be sure to use enough oil... rub the oil into the wood... use both hands, Sharon! Like you're massaging the wood... that's right... don't forget the sides, they need it too..."
What's a kitchen without some innuendo?
He is French, after all.
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| This wooden cutting board is 24"wide x48"long x2" thick |
Me: Yes, chef?
Chef: you be careful around it - it's more expensive than your car.
Me: (ouch, that's a low blow!) yes, chef.
That wooden cutting board is also probably more expensive than my car. And it needs to be conditioned. With oil.
Chef: Tonight, Sharon, you are going to oil the cutting board. Scrub all the dirt off of it first.
Me: (using a scrubbing pad & soapy water, I clean it off, and wipe away the soap with a clean towel).
Chef: (squirting a cutting board mineral oil generously over the surface) Now you need to massage the oil onto the wood...
"Be sure to use enough oil... rub the oil into the wood... use both hands, Sharon! Like you're massaging the wood... that's right... don't forget the sides, they need it too..."
What's a kitchen without some innuendo?
He is French, after all.
She Noms things - and blogs about it
Another co-intern at LudoBites, Ila, has a pretty awesome blog.
You should check it out. Her comic strip drawings are the most adorable things - and she totally nails it.
She refers to herself as a doodler extraordinaire - and she is!
Go and visit. now. just click here.
and her comic for LudoBites 007 can be found at the link below. Maybe you just had to be there to get it... but it's true - what we did there was a miracle. She called it 99 problems (but I think there were more).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/inomthings/6143261024/
I'm gonna miss her. She got us all laughing a number of times.
Too bad she had another job at this Gastropub down in Orange County - so she couldn't be with us daily. At least we can always keep in touch on Facebook and via our blogs.
You should check it out. Her comic strip drawings are the most adorable things - and she totally nails it.
She refers to herself as a doodler extraordinaire - and she is!
Go and visit. now. just click here.
and her comic for LudoBites 007 can be found at the link below. Maybe you just had to be there to get it... but it's true - what we did there was a miracle. She called it 99 problems (but I think there were more).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/inomthings/6143261024/
I'm gonna miss her. She got us all laughing a number of times.
Too bad she had another job at this Gastropub down in Orange County - so she couldn't be with us daily. At least we can always keep in touch on Facebook and via our blogs.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Just Make Happen
LudoBites 007 has come to a close.
Some people didn't think I would last.
Sometimes I thought I wouldn't last.
I'm a stubborn girl.
I wouldn't give up.
Kinda like that marathon I completed back in 2004... I'd had food poisoning two nights prior... That was a miserable marathon... couldn't eat... could barely drink... took me 7h 14min to complete (some people can complete 2 marathons in that time)... but I didn't give up. After all that training & raising money for AIDS Marathon, I wasn't going to return to LA with any excuses... I finished it...practically doubled-over in extreme discomfort... but I did it.
What was I thinking as I crossed the finish line? If I can do this, I can do anything I set my mind to.
And I completed the 6-week run of LudoBites 007... It was an honor and a privilege to work under such an inspiring and accomplished chef, and with such a fabulous crew.
There was blood.
There was sweat.
And yes, there were tears.
As Chef likes to say - Never give up, and Just Make Happen.
Just like on the day of the marathon, I wasn't having my best personal day (a fever? why? thankfully there's Advil)... but I didn't want to miss the final day of the run. Which was tougher? Ludo Bites, by far.
... pictures and fun stories to follow.
Some people didn't think I would last.
Sometimes I thought I wouldn't last.
I'm a stubborn girl.
I wouldn't give up.
Kinda like that marathon I completed back in 2004... I'd had food poisoning two nights prior... That was a miserable marathon... couldn't eat... could barely drink... took me 7h 14min to complete (some people can complete 2 marathons in that time)... but I didn't give up. After all that training & raising money for AIDS Marathon, I wasn't going to return to LA with any excuses... I finished it...practically doubled-over in extreme discomfort... but I did it.
What was I thinking as I crossed the finish line? If I can do this, I can do anything I set my mind to.
And I completed the 6-week run of LudoBites 007... It was an honor and a privilege to work under such an inspiring and accomplished chef, and with such a fabulous crew.
There was blood.
There was sweat.
And yes, there were tears.
As Chef likes to say - Never give up, and Just Make Happen.
Just like on the day of the marathon, I wasn't having my best personal day (a fever? why? thankfully there's Advil)... but I didn't want to miss the final day of the run. Which was tougher? Ludo Bites, by far.
... pictures and fun stories to follow.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
LudoBites - week 5
What a crazy week!
I got the new recipe for the new tart - the Choucroute Tarte Flambe. With it came a whole slew of new responsibilities. And a very valuable lesson:
Joon: "never trust anyone in the kitchen."
What Joon was telling me was more of a guidance of not relying on anyone else - be sure you know your own inventory, and know what you need. I had been relying on Elodie too much for my own good. But now that she left for France, it's up to me to be sure I get my one dish done. And help out with desserts when I can.
Rosanna joined the team on Tuesday to take over desserts from Elodie. As they worked together on getting the recipes down, I was learning the components of my new recipe.
I still start the day in Doughville
next I have to slice 5 pounds of Russian Fingerling Potatoes into thin coins on the Mandolin (yes, I already skinned my knuckle on it). Rinse well, pat dry - then sautee them in clarified butter... Pommes Sautee a la cru. It takes me forever to sautee 5 pounds of potato coins - so I've been moved to using the plancha.
Some time in between, I need to cook the bacon & slice onions... and make the creme melange (with mustard). And be ready with my "Mise en Place" by 5:30.
Well - this is how it went:
Tuesday: I got help from Elodie - and the tarts were fine - no snafus.
Wednesday: Miserable. I still hadn't taken charge of the inventory for my recipe, or the techniques for getting it all assembled. But I tried to get it all done on my own... Somehow I still earned the scornfull wrath of Chef. It was Elodie's last day (sad face). I also left in tears. Next stop, The Burgundy Room for a much needed drink and hugs from friends.
Thursday: I was so nervous and anxious about getting everything done, that I over-prepared the components for the Mise-en-Place, leaving me with plenty of extra for Friday. I knew what ingredients needed to be ordered, and put them on the shopping list in time. We also had a full house in the kitchen with extra interns who were helping with the tarts. I found myself standing around with nothing to do.
Friday: We were short-handed in the back kitchen. It was just Joon (3 different entrees), Rosanna (3 desserts & an appetizer), me (Choucroute Tarte Flambe - and helping out Rosanna & Joon). I had a bit of help from Sabel to get a few tarts assembled before service started... but then she had to go to the front to help Grace, Sam & Greg. And you know what happened? Everything went right!
Chef: Sharon! How many tarts do you have in ze oven?
me: 2 chef!
Chef: ?? (confused for a moment)
me: one that's on order, and one is par-baking
Chef: ok, good. Well done, Sharon.
No mistakes... well, one slight mistake of a torn crust - that I gave to Mike (owner of Gram & Papas)... but no missed orders, no late orders, and I had just the right amount of ingredients for the Mise en Place. And after the appetizers were done, Rosanna & I helped Joon. When desserts were being ordered, I helped Rosanna. And then the appetizers again... Just the 3 of us back there - we worked well together... no time to just stand around twiddling our thumbs - we were constantly moving. And to see Joon work - it's like a well-choreographed dance.
Best. Night. Ever.
I got the new recipe for the new tart - the Choucroute Tarte Flambe. With it came a whole slew of new responsibilities. And a very valuable lesson:
Joon: "never trust anyone in the kitchen."
What Joon was telling me was more of a guidance of not relying on anyone else - be sure you know your own inventory, and know what you need. I had been relying on Elodie too much for my own good. But now that she left for France, it's up to me to be sure I get my one dish done. And help out with desserts when I can.
Rosanna joined the team on Tuesday to take over desserts from Elodie. As they worked together on getting the recipes down, I was learning the components of my new recipe.
I still start the day in Doughville
next I have to slice 5 pounds of Russian Fingerling Potatoes into thin coins on the Mandolin (yes, I already skinned my knuckle on it). Rinse well, pat dry - then sautee them in clarified butter... Pommes Sautee a la cru. It takes me forever to sautee 5 pounds of potato coins - so I've been moved to using the plancha.
Some time in between, I need to cook the bacon & slice onions... and make the creme melange (with mustard). And be ready with my "Mise en Place" by 5:30.
Well - this is how it went:
Tuesday: I got help from Elodie - and the tarts were fine - no snafus.
Wednesday: Miserable. I still hadn't taken charge of the inventory for my recipe, or the techniques for getting it all assembled. But I tried to get it all done on my own... Somehow I still earned the scornfull wrath of Chef. It was Elodie's last day (sad face). I also left in tears. Next stop, The Burgundy Room for a much needed drink and hugs from friends.
Thursday: I was so nervous and anxious about getting everything done, that I over-prepared the components for the Mise-en-Place, leaving me with plenty of extra for Friday. I knew what ingredients needed to be ordered, and put them on the shopping list in time. We also had a full house in the kitchen with extra interns who were helping with the tarts. I found myself standing around with nothing to do.
Friday: We were short-handed in the back kitchen. It was just Joon (3 different entrees), Rosanna (3 desserts & an appetizer), me (Choucroute Tarte Flambe - and helping out Rosanna & Joon). I had a bit of help from Sabel to get a few tarts assembled before service started... but then she had to go to the front to help Grace, Sam & Greg. And you know what happened? Everything went right!
Chef: Sharon! How many tarts do you have in ze oven?
me: 2 chef!
Chef: ?? (confused for a moment)
me: one that's on order, and one is par-baking
Chef: ok, good. Well done, Sharon.
No mistakes... well, one slight mistake of a torn crust - that I gave to Mike (owner of Gram & Papas)... but no missed orders, no late orders, and I had just the right amount of ingredients for the Mise en Place. And after the appetizers were done, Rosanna & I helped Joon. When desserts were being ordered, I helped Rosanna. And then the appetizers again... Just the 3 of us back there - we worked well together... no time to just stand around twiddling our thumbs - we were constantly moving. And to see Joon work - it's like a well-choreographed dance.
Best. Night. Ever.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
From Doughville to Tartlandia
**note: update Sept. 13 - pictures added. and the recipe changed from onion tart to a sauerkraut/bacon tart... so some of the details for "tartlandia" changed in the last two weeks of LudoBites...
I've finally made peace with my role of being the person in charge of this appetizer dish I've been making for the past 4 weeks.
You need to cook happy. You can't be angry while preparing food. It'll somehow reflect in the outcome.
Hence the names.
I arrive at 11:30, and start working through "Doughville".
Step 1: gather the equipment, measure out the ingredients, and start mixing away using my Sea Foam Green Kitchenaid (which always makes me happy). Then I set the giant balls of dough into the fridge to let them proof while I clean up my station and prepare for the next step.
Step 2: Cut up a giant dough ball into 11 portions of approx. 80 grams each. since I'd been scolded for not having even sized dough back in week 2, I started weighing the portions to get them as even as possible.
Step 3: Knead the 12 portions and then gently coax them one-by-one into soft pillow-y balls, with as few lines/seams as possible.
Step 4: In order to keep them from drying out, I line the balls up on a sheet tray and cover them with a humid kitchen towel.
Step 5: Pass each ball through the pasta machine 5 times - to get it stretched out enough, and close to the correct size.
Step 6: Using a rolling pin, further roll out the dough to the correct width & length. (the pasta machine has a fixed width which is too narrow)
Step 7: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, dust it with flour, lay out the rolled out sheet of dough, dust the top side with flour, lay another sheet of parchment on top. Then repeat with the remaining balls of dough. I top the stacks with another sheet pan to help prevent the dough from shrinking back - wrap the sandwiched dough with plastic wrap. label it, and place it on a speed rack in the fridge.
Then repeat steps 2 through 7 at least 1 more time, sometimes 2 - depending on how many sheets of dough we need.
It's methodical.
It's time consuming.
It's a helluva workout!
My arms are getting some definition now (happy dance!)
And it's my assignment. I gotta do it.
There are no shortcuts.
But I've learned how to manage my time better and get consistent results.
After exiting Doughville, I am free to work on other projects.
If I have time to do Step 1 the night before, then I can potentially finish by 2pm.
This doesn't apply for Tuesdays.
If there are any leftover sheets from the night before, I might get away with only doing the recipe 2 times instead of 3.
Again - it doesn't apply to Tuesday, as we don't keep leftover dough from the previous Friday.
At approximately 5:30, I enter "Tartlandia".
Tartlandia is where it all comes together.
Step 1: Organize the "Mise en Place"
Step 3: apply the creme melange onto the dough - not too thick, not too thin - close enough to the edge without getting on to the pan.
Step 4: spread the caramelized onions atop the dough - again, not too heavily - allow enough room for the hot air to move around the onions to cook the tart.
Step 5: par-bake them for about 5-7 minutes in order to keep the dough from getting too soft which leads to sticking on the pan.
The real stress comes when the order tickets start feeding through. Because if there are more orders than prepared tarts, it's a scramble to get more into the oven. And then after they bake, there are still several steps before the tart is finished to go to the customer...
Step 1: remove the tart from the pan (sometimes it's not that easy)
Step 2: grate the Bottarga evenly on the tart. sometimes the bottarga is very gummy and hard to grate. This is the most time consuming of the finishing steps.
Step 3: sprinkle the thyme leaves, a small pinch of fleur de sel, and several grindings of white pepper.
Step 4: slice the tart into triangles with the mezzaluna.
Once the tart looks good and is ready to serve - it needs to get "run" out to the front for the server to take.
Of course the order tickets come in randomly, and sometimes 3 tarts are ready at the same time. Or while I'm in the process of finishing 1 tart, the next one that was fired into the oven is ready to pull out. This is where I need the assistance of either Elodie, Erika or Sabel.
Some nights, I can do most of this alone. But most nights, I need the extra set of hands.
Doughville is my place of zen - and I'm on my own there. But I can't linger too long.
Tartlandia is all about adrenaline and speed - I must have that sense of emergency to get the orders out in a timely manner. It's usually crazy from 6:10 to 6:50 - then it dies down as the diners are eating their entrees. Then after I help Elodie with her desserts, the second seating comes in and I again get that rush from about 8: 30 to 9.
All this for one appetizer that will set you back $10.
Chef is thinking of changing the toppings next week, and tested it on Friday. If we switch to that new recipe, Steps 2 & 3 of the finishing will be eliminated. I'd probably get those tarts out faster.
On Thursday, I'd expressed to Joon how I wanted to take part in working on caramelizing the onions - so that I can truly say that I worked on 90% of each tart that I sent out... So Friday, I tended to the onions on the stove - visiting every 10 to 15 minutes to give them a good stir to make sure they weren't sticking. Thanks Joon, for chopping the onions for me... I'd have been a teary-eyed mess as I didn't have goggles for protection.
Another good thing about this role... how can I snack on raw dough? eww... It's definitely helped me get muscle tone and definition on my arms, and I've lost weight.
I used to really hate this assignment, and wished I had a different part of the menu to work on. Especially because Chef would get so angry that they went out so slowly. But I've gotten faster, and finally earned some praise. When Chef got mad at me the other night for something about the tarts, it seemed for a moment he would re-assign me. I almost didn't want that to happen. I've grown to like both Tartlandia and Doughville - they are polar opposites... but I'd miss them.
I've finally made peace with my role of being the person in charge of this appetizer dish I've been making for the past 4 weeks.
You need to cook happy. You can't be angry while preparing food. It'll somehow reflect in the outcome.
Hence the names.
I arrive at 11:30, and start working through "Doughville".
Step 1: gather the equipment, measure out the ingredients, and start mixing away using my Sea Foam Green Kitchenaid (which always makes me happy). Then I set the giant balls of dough into the fridge to let them proof while I clean up my station and prepare for the next step.
Step 2: Cut up a giant dough ball into 11 portions of approx. 80 grams each. since I'd been scolded for not having even sized dough back in week 2, I started weighing the portions to get them as even as possible.
 |
| Giant dough ball - proofed overnight in the walk-in fridge - ready for slicing |
Step 3: Knead the 12 portions and then gently coax them one-by-one into soft pillow-y balls, with as few lines/seams as possible.
 |
| this is what you are going for on the underside - the seams are shallow |
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| This is the top side - nice and smooth. kinda satisfying in its velvety surface feel. |
Step 4: In order to keep them from drying out, I line the balls up on a sheet tray and cover them with a humid kitchen towel.
 |
| I get in early so I can "spread out"... my work station is rather tight. |
 |
| sometimes i go from 1 to 3 to 5... sometimes i have to do 1-2-3-4-5... and before I got my pasta machine back from my friend Joan, I didn't have a clamp to hold the machine in place... I almost got carpal tunnel syndrome in my left hand because of holding the machine steady! ouchie! |
Step 6: Using a rolling pin, further roll out the dough to the correct width & length. (the pasta machine has a fixed width which is too narrow)
 |
| This task helped give my arms some definition |
Step 7: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, dust it with flour, lay out the rolled out sheet of dough, dust the top side with flour, lay another sheet of parchment on top. Then repeat with the remaining balls of dough. I top the stacks with another sheet pan to help prevent the dough from shrinking back - wrap the sandwiched dough with plastic wrap. label it, and place it on a speed rack in the fridge.
Then repeat steps 2 through 7 at least 1 more time, sometimes 2 - depending on how many sheets of dough we need.
It's methodical.
It's time consuming.
It's a helluva workout!
My arms are getting some definition now (happy dance!)
And it's my assignment. I gotta do it.
There are no shortcuts.
But I've learned how to manage my time better and get consistent results.
After exiting Doughville, I am free to work on other projects.
If I have time to do Step 1 the night before, then I can potentially finish by 2pm.
This doesn't apply for Tuesdays.
If there are any leftover sheets from the night before, I might get away with only doing the recipe 2 times instead of 3.
Again - it doesn't apply to Tuesday, as we don't keep leftover dough from the previous Friday.
At approximately 5:30, I enter "Tartlandia".
Tartlandia is where it all comes together.
Step 1: Organize the "Mise en Place"
- Scoop some ice into a rectangular tub, and sprinkle it with kosher salt.
- Gather the deli cups of the Creme Melange, Caramelized Onions, Thyme leaves, Bottarga (fish roe pods) and place them in the tub to keep cool. (weeks 1-4 was an onion tart; weeks 5 & 6 were sauerkraut/bacon tarts - so the mise-en-place changed)
- Hopefully there are some half-sheet pans available (I try to start hoarding them around 5 so I have enough to start - at least 6)
- Have the wood cutting boards (for serving) stacked and wiped clean
- Place the white cutting board at my station with the tools needed (spatula to lift any stuck dough off the sheet pan, mezzaluna to cut the tart, Chef's special rape to grate the bottarga & this bamboo tool to scrape any stuck bits of bottarga off the rape)
- White pepper mill & fleur de sel
- Have a dry kitchen towel for removing trays from the oven, and a wet towel to wipe the station clean
Step 3: apply the creme melange onto the dough - not too thick, not too thin - close enough to the edge without getting on to the pan.
Step 4: spread the caramelized onions atop the dough - again, not too heavily - allow enough room for the hot air to move around the onions to cook the tart.
Step 5: par-bake them for about 5-7 minutes in order to keep the dough from getting too soft which leads to sticking on the pan.
 |
| Par-Baked "Choucroute Tarte Flambe" ready to be fired as the orders come in |
The real stress comes when the order tickets start feeding through. Because if there are more orders than prepared tarts, it's a scramble to get more into the oven. And then after they bake, there are still several steps before the tart is finished to go to the customer...
Step 1: remove the tart from the pan (sometimes it's not that easy)
Step 2: grate the Bottarga evenly on the tart. sometimes the bottarga is very gummy and hard to grate. This is the most time consuming of the finishing steps.
Step 3: sprinkle the thyme leaves, a small pinch of fleur de sel, and several grindings of white pepper.
Step 4: slice the tart into triangles with the mezzaluna.
Once the tart looks good and is ready to serve - it needs to get "run" out to the front for the server to take.
Of course the order tickets come in randomly, and sometimes 3 tarts are ready at the same time. Or while I'm in the process of finishing 1 tart, the next one that was fired into the oven is ready to pull out. This is where I need the assistance of either Elodie, Erika or Sabel.
 |
| Ryan is rad. He totally took charge - but he was only around after 6 on Wednesdays & Thursdays - and on the final night |
Some nights, I can do most of this alone. But most nights, I need the extra set of hands.
Doughville is my place of zen - and I'm on my own there. But I can't linger too long.
Tartlandia is all about adrenaline and speed - I must have that sense of emergency to get the orders out in a timely manner. It's usually crazy from 6:10 to 6:50 - then it dies down as the diners are eating their entrees. Then after I help Elodie with her desserts, the second seating comes in and I again get that rush from about 8: 30 to 9.
 |
| this was what the onion tart looked like - served on the cutting board... it's missing a couple of slices - sometimes we had to do quality control checks ;) |
All this for one appetizer that will set you back $10.
Chef is thinking of changing the toppings next week, and tested it on Friday. If we switch to that new recipe, Steps 2 & 3 of the finishing will be eliminated. I'd probably get those tarts out faster.
 |
| Choucroute Tarte Flambe - mustard creme melange, sauerkraut, pommes saute a la cru - or thinly sliced potatoes sauteed in clarified butter, bacon, onion. |
On Thursday, I'd expressed to Joon how I wanted to take part in working on caramelizing the onions - so that I can truly say that I worked on 90% of each tart that I sent out... So Friday, I tended to the onions on the stove - visiting every 10 to 15 minutes to give them a good stir to make sure they weren't sticking. Thanks Joon, for chopping the onions for me... I'd have been a teary-eyed mess as I didn't have goggles for protection.
Another good thing about this role... how can I snack on raw dough? eww... It's definitely helped me get muscle tone and definition on my arms, and I've lost weight.
I used to really hate this assignment, and wished I had a different part of the menu to work on. Especially because Chef would get so angry that they went out so slowly. But I've gotten faster, and finally earned some praise. When Chef got mad at me the other night for something about the tarts, it seemed for a moment he would re-assign me. I almost didn't want that to happen. I've grown to like both Tartlandia and Doughville - they are polar opposites... but I'd miss them.
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