'Allo 'allo! =] It's December already! How fast...ha! Yes, yes...2012 has gone by so quickly. Maybe it's because I had already been studying here in Subang since October 31st 2011, so 2012 meant that I had spent almost (excluding the times I'd gone back to JB to visit family and relatives) a FULL year here...living on my own...
Sometimes I look back at this year and wonder where (most of) the time has gone. I mean, I started this year still in the midst of completing foundation in my culinary course, and BOOM! I am now almost going to complete my diploma course! And in between that period of time, I have gone through so much. So many people I've met, so many places I've visited, so many things I've learnt, basically. I must admit, most times I felt like giving up on this course and move back home to help my dad in his line of work. It would have devastated my parents to know that they had spent so much for me to come here to get a diploma, only for me to quit when I was almost reaching the finish line. Maybe the fact that I didn't want to disappoint my parents further was why I have persevered till today. But with me not obtaining any kind of qualifications, who was I kidding? Who was I to 'quit' and move home to search for a job? No one would hire me! So I've come to realize that since I chose this path, I have to continue no matter how tough. I made my bed; now I have to lay in it (figuratively speaking)...
Okay.....back to reality. I've been kept quite busy the past few weeks with preparations for the 'final exam', which is the (dreaded) 4-course meal exam. I have spent the last two weeks planning two menus for the two sessions which every diploma student has to complete. My sessions fall on these respective dates: 16th January 2013 and 6th March 2013. Menu planning was tough! I (obviously, who doesn't want to choose the 'easiest' dishes to prepare??) chose 'simple' looking dishes to include on the menu. I didn't see the need to complicate my style of cooking, maybe for the fear of not being able to fulfill my duties on my two sessions! Ha!
Today was BLOODY tiring! It was my class' first 'food tasting' session ('food tasting' means mock-preparing the dishes selected by the students to allow the chef in charge to taste and give feedback and make important amendments in order to improve the certain dish(es) for 4-course). Today's first day was the food tasting of soups. We had to prepare the two soups from both menus. I chose pureed Curry Carrot Soup and Cream of Tomato Soup. I did the carrot soup first; that went well, though I had to keep adding more water to dilute it as it was too thick. Thankfully, the chef in charge of overseeing our soup session said it was decent enough... Next, I did my cream of tomato soup. The recipe I got from the Internet required tomato juice, which due to budget limitations I couldn't buy, so I got a can of whole peel tomatoes, which also had some 'juice' in it. I followed the recipe accordingly, and to my disgust it turned out badly! The melted butter and flour didn't mix together as smoothly as the recipe indicated! Frustrated at my failure, and seeing my friends doing well with their soups, I chucked the failed 'soup' away and gave up. Yes, you read that correctly: I. GAVE. UP. Despite me having to present two soups, I didn't bother to go looking for more ingredients to create my second soup. Thankfully, my friend Sam happened to be doing the same soup (albeit with a different recipe), so I had a great idea: why not ask him to cook extra, so I could get some to 'pass off' as my own creation? No one said I couldn't do that, so that's what I did! Worryingly for me, our soups had to be photographed! I thought that my 'copied' soup would be found out, but thankfully it didn't get caught...though the chef did notice how similar it was to Sam's..... Hehe...what a relief! *phew* After practical class was barista training. Wah lau eh...! Already so tired from kitchen work, still got some more things to study! Two hours of learning about the responsibilities of the restaurant manager, bla bla..... Couldn't absorb any information whatsoever. Damn tired.....
Tomorrow will be another day of food tasting. Will be doing both my desserts. First is No-Bake Cheesecake with fruit topping, and the second is Panna Cotta with berry sauce. Actually, this food tasting will be the whole week long. Yes, you read that right: A WHOLE WEEK'S WORTH OF FOOD TASTING. A WHOLE WEEK OF COOKING SOUPS, APPETIZERS, MAIN COURSES, AND DESSERTS. Bloody hell! But got no choice...such is the course, such is the syllabus..... Haiz... Hope this week will be kind to me...
Apparently I heard that the whole December will be a busy month for my class. That means I may not have a chance to go back to JB to celebrate Christmas. Man, that would suck big time! Here's hoping that I can go back at least once for December.....
Right then. I'm done here for today. Got to get in a right frame of mind for tomorrow. Goodnight! xoxo
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