Carving Ice

     

  In culinary skills 1 class, we helped Chef Ray carve ice for the first cuisine night this semester. We used many different types of tools to carve with. The main tool we used was an electric chainsaw. Many of my classmates used the chainsaw, but of course I was too scared because electricity, ice, and water don't mix well with me. I did help chip off the ice with some of the smaller ice picks. If you went behind the ice sculpture, it looked like Minnie and Mickey Mouse with a conjoined ear. The ice sculpture is supposed to look like the Olympic Rings, and I say for beginners we did alright. 

Pickling Cucumbers With Whipped Cream Chargers

       Today in my Culinary Skills I class we had a Chef from Google, John, show us how to pickle cucumbers really quick with whipped cream chargers. The picture above is a whipped cream charger, but when you use the charger you do not need the little white nozzle for pickling or infusing things. My instructor, Chef Keith, volunteered me to pickle the cucumbers with Chef John, and I was nervous the whole time but my classmates helped me out through the demo. I really appreciate how helpful my classmates and instructors are. Oh, get this!!! You do not use Co2 canisters, instead you use nitrous oxide (N₂O). Some of us in class thought we would use Co2, and we were all pretty much surprised. Come to find out I love these pickled cucumbers!!! Very refreshing! 

What you need:

• Cucumbers ( 1/4 in plank cut)
• Tub of water 
• Gallon sized Ziploc bag
• Fleur de sel 
• Rice Wine Vinegar
• Whipped Cream Charger
• 4 (single) N₂O canisters (Called Whippets) 

FIRST place your cut cucumbers in the ziploc bag (single layer), and lay them from the bottom to the opening, but only put four slices in the bag. The reason for that is because after the third step you need to roll the bag to fit into the charger. 

SECOND pour rice wine vinegar into the bag barely covering the cucumbers, but make sure you do not use too much vinegar, and while you pour the vinegar into the bag make sure to keep the bag flat on the table so it can get between the cucumbers.

THIRD lift the bag up and close the opening very well, but leave just a tiny opening so you can let the air out. Dip the bag into the tub of water and push the bag down into the water and let the water level reach the zip line of the opening area of the bag. Make sure the water does not get into the bag! Close the bag.

FOURTH Roll the bag from bottom to top and slip it into the charger. Fill the charger with water to the fill line and screw the top on tightly.

FIFTH Place a filled  N₂O canister into the screw valve charger holder, and quickly screw the holder onto the charger so the Nitrous oxide does not get lost. Shake the charger gently. Then unscrew the valve charger holder and replace the notrous, and screw back on quickly. 

WAIT 2 to 3 minutes...

SIXTH Squeeze the handle gently, but make sure the air releases away from you. After the air has been fully released repeat the fifth step.

WAIT another two to 3 minutes...

SEVENTH release the air gently once more, and pull the bag out.  Place the pickled cucumbers on a plate and gently sprinkle Fleur de sel on the the cucumbers. 

ENJOY! 

I hope you all like this because the whole class sure did. You will probably want a salad after eating the cucumbers because we all did! 

Facebook Users Unite!

     

      All Facebook users who want to be able to access my blog other ways and see what is going on in my life day to day... You now can follow me on my Facebook page! Why should you? Because I will have more recipes (that are mine or not mine) shared to inspire more lives, and you can watch future videos of me dealing with culinary events or possibly cooking videos!

       I just created my Facebook page today, and I need more likes and followers to spread the word about my blog! You can also message me if you have any questions on Facebook, and get creative with your own versions of the recipes I post!

     So please unite, and let the world know about life in a cooking fanatics world!

My Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/thelifeofacookingfanatic

New Me!

Illustration by Jesse Philips

I did not make many posts in 2013, but 2014 as well as the future years will be filled with thousands of posts!

I am no longer going to be going to school for nutrition. You ask why? Because I changed my major to culinary arts! Cooking is my passion, and it is what I want to do for the rest of my life! This blog will keep going till my time on this planet has ended! I will be posting recipes that have inspired me or I have created, reviews on restaurants, cooking shows, my life in culinary school, and gardening. Once in a while I will probably have a surprise post that is a type that I did not list.  

I hope you all will like my future posts, and I hope you guys enjoy reading and partially experiencing my life voyages!