WHAT A DAY!!!! It was so hard for me to sleep. I had to get up really early so that I could pick a couple of nasturtium leaves and flowers for the exam, and sadly walked straight out into a downpour. It was completely dark, so I walked around in my PJs, my iPhone flashlight, and an umbrella. I was trying to play it cool while everyone else was freaking out, but in the end I also gave in to my nerves. Surprisingly, my exam went really really well!! I was so pleased with how everything turned out!! We had a chance to pick out all of our serving plates before the 3-hour countdown began, so that made life a little easier.
Here's was my menu...
And now here's how the morning went...
I got in at 8:00 sharp and spent a couple minutes getting my bits and pieces in order. I started off with the brown yeast bread so that it could have enough time to rise and such. It felt like I was already behind after 30 minutes had passed, but once I really got comfortable I was able to move pretty quickly. I made the pastry first, so that it could chill for as long as possible, then went about prepping everything for the soup and started boiling the beets. The lattice I made for the tart turned out to be spectacular, though it cost me a bit of time. After the tart was done (thank goodness!), I moved on to full prep for the soup - peeling jerusalem artichokes is no easy feat. I actually cut myself pretty badly on my knuckle, so that was annoying. Blood kept getting everywhere, but at least it didn't hurt that much. I guess the adrenaline helped me not think about it and keep pushing on.
When the soup finally got to a place where I could leave it alone, I turned to my tiny fish - a sea bass. I had fully expected a gutted and cleaned haddock, but I think due to the stormy weather they could only get a handful of mismatched fish for students. I had to take out the guts and wash away all the blood and grime before I could start filleting. Luckily that didn't take as long as I had expected! I put the fillets and filling into little scallop shells, with the whole entire fish only filling two, and popped it into the oven. At this point, with my bread and fish in the oven, tart finished, soup to be liquidized and beets to be chopped, I had about 20-30 minutes left.
Somehow I managed to finish everything up, as well as make the hazelnut salsa for the soup, whip cream, cut my homemade sourdough and butter, plate my tart, cut up beets and sauté with some cream, and make a green salad — all in 30 minutes. I have no idea how on earth I did that! I was like a machine!! It took me 20 extra minutes to clean up and plate everything, but that was okay. I was very pleased with how my presentation turned out! If we went over 3 hours and 15 minutes, then we'd start to have points docked, but I only finished 5 minutes over that so I don't think it'll be anything monumental.
It felt so weird to be done. It all happened so quickly! The instructors who had seen my food (not the tasters though) told me that it all looked really really great! Pam even said it was the best Bakewell Tart she had seen in years - and she said she was being completely serious! I felt so proud of myself and surprised, looking back at how uncertain I had felt with my cooking skills at the beginning of the course. After that, I didn't know what to do with myself. It took me a little while to breathe and get some much-needed food into me.
I couldn't fully relax until my friend, Nan, had finished as well. She started 30 minutes before me, and wasn't done for a REALLY long time after I was done, so I was getting worried for her. Every time a new student walked into the cottage I would perk up and yell down, but it never was her. She said she was able to go at her own pace and fully enjoy preparing the meal once she accepted the fact that she would be late. She also cut herself while she was jointing the chicken, but she said it wasn't too bad.
I can't believe that was my last time in the kitchen! :( At least I can say that I wouldn't want to have done anything differently - I am so happy with everything I made! :)
Here's was my menu...
- BREAD: Brown Yeast Bread (thank goodness - it's one of the easier ones!)
- STARTER: Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Roasted Hazelnut and Parsley Salsa, Homemade Butter and Spelt Sourdough Toast
- MAIN: Seabass Gratin with Mustard and Cheddar, Piquant Beetroot, and Winter Green Salad.
- DESSERT: Bakewell Tart with Myrtle Berries, and Homemade Raspberry Jam and Ground Almonds.
And now here's how the morning went...
I got in at 8:00 sharp and spent a couple minutes getting my bits and pieces in order. I started off with the brown yeast bread so that it could have enough time to rise and such. It felt like I was already behind after 30 minutes had passed, but once I really got comfortable I was able to move pretty quickly. I made the pastry first, so that it could chill for as long as possible, then went about prepping everything for the soup and started boiling the beets. The lattice I made for the tart turned out to be spectacular, though it cost me a bit of time. After the tart was done (thank goodness!), I moved on to full prep for the soup - peeling jerusalem artichokes is no easy feat. I actually cut myself pretty badly on my knuckle, so that was annoying. Blood kept getting everywhere, but at least it didn't hurt that much. I guess the adrenaline helped me not think about it and keep pushing on.
When the soup finally got to a place where I could leave it alone, I turned to my tiny fish - a sea bass. I had fully expected a gutted and cleaned haddock, but I think due to the stormy weather they could only get a handful of mismatched fish for students. I had to take out the guts and wash away all the blood and grime before I could start filleting. Luckily that didn't take as long as I had expected! I put the fillets and filling into little scallop shells, with the whole entire fish only filling two, and popped it into the oven. At this point, with my bread and fish in the oven, tart finished, soup to be liquidized and beets to be chopped, I had about 20-30 minutes left.
Somehow I managed to finish everything up, as well as make the hazelnut salsa for the soup, whip cream, cut my homemade sourdough and butter, plate my tart, cut up beets and sauté with some cream, and make a green salad — all in 30 minutes. I have no idea how on earth I did that! I was like a machine!! It took me 20 extra minutes to clean up and plate everything, but that was okay. I was very pleased with how my presentation turned out! If we went over 3 hours and 15 minutes, then we'd start to have points docked, but I only finished 5 minutes over that so I don't think it'll be anything monumental.
It felt so weird to be done. It all happened so quickly! The instructors who had seen my food (not the tasters though) told me that it all looked really really great! Pam even said it was the best Bakewell Tart she had seen in years - and she said she was being completely serious! I felt so proud of myself and surprised, looking back at how uncertain I had felt with my cooking skills at the beginning of the course. After that, I didn't know what to do with myself. It took me a little while to breathe and get some much-needed food into me.
I couldn't fully relax until my friend, Nan, had finished as well. She started 30 minutes before me, and wasn't done for a REALLY long time after I was done, so I was getting worried for her. Every time a new student walked into the cottage I would perk up and yell down, but it never was her. She said she was able to go at her own pace and fully enjoy preparing the meal once she accepted the fact that she would be late. She also cut herself while she was jointing the chicken, but she said it wasn't too bad.
I can't believe that was my last time in the kitchen! :( At least I can say that I wouldn't want to have done anything differently - I am so happy with everything I made! :)
I spent the rest of the day studying as much as possible. Tomorrow's exam is going to be an absolute nightmare! We have to fill our brains up with all of the knowledge we have received in the past 11 weeks and regurgitate it in a matter of 5 hours or so! As a way to clear my head from a cooking exam and about 4 hours of straight studying, I went on a lovely run. I hadn't realized how much it had been raining during the day. When I passed the stream, it had almost flooded over the road! It looked like a river!!
After my run, a couple of us went to the Ballymaloe shop to get some last minute gifts for people, seeing as we wouldn't have the opportunity to do so again. Also, I realized after the run that it was to be my last run here in Ireland. So sad!!! I'm really glad I went on it, despite the puddles!
Ah, what a day. I can't believe it came and went so quickly. And I can't believe I only have a couple more days here.
Love,
Livvy
Ah, what a day. I can't believe it came and went so quickly. And I can't believe I only have a couple more days here.
Love,
Livvy