I actually gave a glowing review of the program during my mid term interview, because really I had so far had a good impression of the school. I am so lucky because I am in the BEST group, my group mates are lovely, I love our chef, our lab is brand new, I am learning a lot and what I like the most is that I'm learning to become a professional and that's exactly what I want.
But then I was asked if I had anything to add and I then expressed my displeasure that I didn't appreciate the fact we have 8 labs coming up without our chef. So that took place the past couple weeks, time flew by as usual and for once though I didn't mind so much. The sub teacher was ok, honestly he wasn't bad at all and he was very nice and polite but it was just different let's put it that way.
The fortnight started with a Monday public holiday, and on Tuesday we were with chef and we made 3 different kinds of gateaux de voyage and all three were good! I only took one home but I tried all of them. The next day, we made another 3 different cakes but even though they were pretty good and all looked quite pretty, I'd rather not put on more weight!! My birthday is coming and I just want to feel good about myself. Mid life crisis you say? Maybe....
On Thursday we started working with chocolate, our little project was to make a chocolate bonsai and sub teacher was quite organised, at the end of the day we had the pot and tree bark ready. Working the chocolate and shape it into a bark was HARD! Honestly I think my bonsai bark was one of the smallest because it was just bloddy difficult, it kept breaking and falling apart. Regardless what I just said, maybe because it's all new to me... I am completely fascinated by chocolate right now. I love to temper, I like that there is a science to it, that you have to be precise, that when you make a mistake... chocolate forgives, you can remelt and start again. What a magic substance!
We finished our masterpieces on Friday, and all day we had visitors who came to admire our work, sub chef was very happy and proud and we too were happy. It was an uplifting Friday. I was kind of looking forward for the following week which was just the week past, a very busy week! On Monday and Tuesday we made 4 large chocolate eggs, they weren't easy to make and my eggs were far from perfect.
Then we spent two days to make a lapin cretin. We made it out of different sized egg moulds and round mould for the eyes, it was very DIY and I don't know... difficult as it was, surely it shouldn't have taken so long to make ? I did enjoy making this piece but it was really like heart attack central in the oven room when we had to spray our lapin and our chocolate structure. I now look at chocolate show pieces on Instagram with a different pair of eyes... Amazement, because honestly... it's not easy peasy to make at all! On Friday we finalised the piece and I was just glad that I managed to not break my lapin nor my chocolate structure. At least 4 of us broke their lapin and had to patch it all up.. if that happened to me it would've probably been really difficult for me to catch up because I am still a bit slower than others.
Having said that though, I think I could pat myself in the back for having finished in the middle pack the past couple of weeks. My chef said to me during the interview that I think too much! I never realised that maybe I had been umming and aahing for a tad too long before I do something but so I consciously have been trying not to. So it's been like oh you have to attach both halves of the eggs together I was like ok bang bang bang. In the end one half got stuck onto a wrong half, the (not very) delicate dentelle should've gone with the roughly brushed half and I used a smooth egg half. I didn't stop to think but the job gets done and it wasn't the end of the world that I made a mistake HAH normally I would definitely get upset! Oh we have to cut the bunny's face for the mouth ok, let's cut.. normally I would stop and stare at the eyeless mouthless head for a few minutes to decide where I will cut the mouth where the eyes will go etc. In the end I think I was happier to have finished in good time rather than stressing out at the end trying to not be the very last and finished the piece poorly and gets disappointed in the end. So, well done me hehe.
Next week, our chef is back and a month to the day... it would be our last day at school. I am officially sad because I get along really well with my group buddies and we spent many hours everyday 5-6 days a week I will definitely miss seeing them everyday... (I think as for my cold hearted chef though... we would be replaced by a new batch of Anglo students and forgotten BOOO!!!).
You cross path then you say good bye. I hate that, mais c'est comme ça la vie.
Melinda xx
ps. I miss you Sydney friends xx
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