Taking (and making) stock

With the semi-controlled chaos that was Grand Buffet week behind us, our small class moved a couple blocks away to the main hot kitchen facility and began our instruction with Chef Klaus.  There were some immediate changes to our class dynamic as our temporary addition, Daisy, was able to finish her time in the Garde Manger and will graduate next week with her class.  We also seem to have lost another student, Terina, who has been out of the class for two weeks and the office doesn't think she will return.  It's a shame, because this week has been really interesting and fun. 

Our new instructor is Chef Klaus, a tall, Harley riding, former Army Ranger with a calm manner, huge ego, and an endless supply of historical information.  Coming from the same part of the world and with the same 50-some years as a chef, he and Chef Otto seem to get along well.  They are miles apart in their teaching style and kitchen persona, though.  Where Chef Otto is rather dictatorial and wants to do most of the detail work and seasoning himself (or per his specific instructions), Chef Klaus has explained to us that we are essentially his apprentices and as such he expects us to demonstrate that we can accomplish our production without his constant input.  He is a history buff with a wide range of expertise and a very dry sense of humor, so our morning class work gives us not only the recipes and procedures we will need for the day, but always something extra.

The week found us putting the BIG pot on the stove with about 15 pounds of beef bones to make stock, a process that takes about 6 - 8 hours simmering.  Now watching bones simmer is great fun for about 20 seconds, so we moved on quickly to chicken stock, hollandaise sauce and it's variants, vegetable puree`, glazing veggies, knife skills and maintenance, and why Obama is a socialist /closet Muslim - did I mention that Chef Klaus is a staunch conservative and very critical of government? 

Our new kitchen facility is three blocks away from the main school office, so we park at the school and walk to class to avoid feeding the meter on the street.  Our kitchen is normally shared by the patisserie course, but there isn't a class in session right now, so it's nice to have just the five of us in the big kitchen.  Chef Klaus seems to enjoy the fact that everyone in our class is bright and eager to learn, but I suspect that he was something of a ladies man in his day, so it certainly doesn't hurt that 80% of our class are young women that hang on his every word. 

I've decided I should fill you in a little on my classmates, so you might have a better picture in mind when I mention them in the future.  I'll try to talk a little about them all over the next few weeks, starting today by introducing SANDY. 

Sandy is a Michigan State graduate and certified nutritionist who on Thursday of this week used the portable defibrillator at her work to revive a heart attack victim 2 hours before our class started.  She works out of a health club downtown as a personal trainer and nutrition counselor, and is off to the Big Island this weekend to run in a marathon.  Her time in this course is geared to being able to utilize what she learns and combine it with her education as a nutritionist to enhance her ability to offer her clients a healthier way to enjoy really good food.  She is smart AND blond, so go figure.  She also looks like one of those pictures on the cover of Shape or Women's Health magazines, that is to say she is fit, as a personal trainer should be.  Chef Klaus approves.

Things I learned this week:

If my Polish last name ended with -ski, I would be in high social standing in 16th century Poland.

I need a chef's fork.

Fancy pureed vegetables taste a lot like Gerber baby food.

You can't make consomme` with bad stock...it just doesn't work.

Malta and Yalta may sound alike, but they are very different places.

You can cook rice in your oven to avoid bottom scorching.

Chef Klaus is more experienced, wiser, and smarter than me.  He told me so himself.

Have a great weekend, everyone.