One more week....

So I spent the weekend going over my course notes and writing up the entries on the exam recipes.  It's "get 'er done" time, and the scariest thing is that one week from today, I'll be back at my real job!  The past month has flown by so fast I can hardly breathe.  I really should have taken next week off, and compounded with Thanksgiving, I woulda had an extra 8 days off.. but I was already pushing it with work taking 5 weeks off straight.  <insert mandatory butt-kissing here> Thanks boss!!! <end>

Saturday night I went out for Chinese with a classmate and work colleague.  We actually ordered ONLY vegetarian dishes, which is completely unlike me.  For one or two weeks after, I am going to have to detox with some heavy-duty salad eating.  I've had more different meat than in the last 5 years.  Veal (and knuckle), beef (and knuckle), chicken, duck, fowl, rabbit, frog legs, various fish, lobster, shrimps, scallops.  All smothered in some sort of butter, cream and veal stock!

Being the keener that I am, I looked ahead to lessons 27-30, and I'm confident that I could do them right now, without watching the demo.  Even flipping through the earlier lessons, where during the demonstration the Chef did some crazy dishes that will be done in intermediate... I understand at least conceptually how they are to be cooked.  The basic techniques have been hammered into my brain: emincer, ciseler, saisir, raidir, rotir, frire, emonder, epepiner, concasser, hacher, pocher, braiser, nacrer, etc. It's just a matter of getting my body to do them.  My knife technique has improved, but it's going to require a lot more practice (which may or may not happen).  I also understand the cooking theory of concentration, expansion and mixte.  So this big blur has left it's mark (or scar) on me already.

So today is double demo day, with lessons 27 and 28.  Which means tomorrow is the final double practical day... Lesson 30 on Wednesday is a non-exam dish I believe.