What do I do with a new year?

The New Year brings about an interesting time.  We all want to try and accomplish something different, kick a habit, or start a new health regimen.  The problem is, we never stick with it.  I’m not saying it can’t be done and that having a resolution is futile, but let’s be honest, how many resolutions have you kept to?  I think that instead of having a resolution at the beginning of the year, we should try and change something that we don’t like about ourselves once a year, any time during the year.  I understand that this it not a new concept, but it is definitely more approachable.  Mine is (are you ready for it?) to quit smoking.  Shocker, right?  The point is to position myself where I can’t fail.  I need time and support.  That doesn’t happen overnight.  So I figure, if I give myself a year, I can do it.

 My other resolution(s) are food related.  First, I want to eat the smallest amount of industrialized food as possible.  I enjoy a McDonald’s French fry as much as the next person, but do you feel good afterwards?  Second, I need to eat more vegetables. More specifically, green ones.  Although I like broccoli, asparagus, and spinach, I eat them more sporadically than I should.  This leads me to my final food resolution: join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) club.  I think I’ve discussed this before, but here’s a refresher, CSAs are farms that cultivate various different gems of the farm that are then delivered to your door or a specified meeting place.  They are also relatively cheap, about $20 a week.  This accomplishes three things.  It forces me to eat more locally, forces me to eat fresh, and forces me to try fruits and vegetables that I wouldn’t normally try.  Here in beautiful California, CSAs are pretty plentiful.  It is probably harder in other areas of the country, but it can hurt to try and find one.  It accomplishes a couple of things: you’ll eat healthier, eat locally, and try something new.  Plus you are supporting farmers who are supplying directly to the community instead of a large distributor.  If enough of us try and do this, it will increase demand for higher quality, locally grown produce as well as drive down prices of said produce.  It’s a win-win situation.  Farmers get what they deserve and so do we.

I have had a pretty good time cooking for the last couple of weeks.  Since I last talked to you, I was pretty ill, but I rebounded and cooked my ass off.  I made crab cakes, wild mushroom soup, and a sweet artichoke and shrimp dip for Christmas Eve.  For Christmas day, I made prime rib perfection with jus, asparagus and Yorkshire pudding.  I used the leftovers to make some awesome Italian beef sandwiches for my Mom and my Step-

Dad (who deserved much more than that for traveling for some 16 hours that day).  I’ve also made a pretty delicious roasted chicken, figured out a great method for south Indian curry, and made a 5-hour Bolognese sauce.  For our New Years Eve gathering, we made cioppino where everyone brought some seafood to toss in the pot.  Amazing is all I can say.  I think it is now officially a tradition. 

Classes start next week, and I’m pretty excited.  I’ll keep you posted about how they are.  Until then, try cooking something new.  I dare you!

Music:  I just realized I haven’t done this in a while, so the list is a bit long.  The Mars Volta’s Francis the Mute, Cymande’s self titled album, Boyz Noise Power, Slayer’s World Painted Blood, the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, Felt III: A Tribute to Rosie Perez, the Roots’ Things Fall Apart, and Lamb of God’s Wrath.

A few reading notes for the holidays...

So, it’s Sunday morning at around 8 am the week before Christmas.  It’s pretty early for me, but I can’t sleep.  I’ve been pretty ill for the last couple of days and this morning, the cold sweats woke me from a drug-induced slumber.  It’s kind of a bummer, because this is my favorite time of year.  I don’t really subscribe to a religious ideology, but I love the spirituality of gathering friends and family around this time of year to celebrate the company of one another.  Unfortunately, due to this unfortunate ailment, I’ve had to miss out on these gatherings for the last couple of days.  I guess it only makes me appreciate it more.   So what does a sick person preoccupied with food do on a dreary, sick day a week before Christmas?  Look at cookbooks.

I love cookbooks.  I love the way they hold within them so many possibilities.  Delicious entrees, savory appetizers, and luscious soups, I get a warm feeling just thinking about what to make for myself, or for family and friends.  As I was perusing through my collection, I’ve decided to include a list of my opinion of the must have books in any cooks collection.  Here are a few:

• The Joy of Cooking – This is the ultimate go to book for just about any recipe.  Many of the contents and techniques are kind of old school, but the instructions are easy and the variety is unmatched.
• James Beard’s American Cookery – Classic recipes from the food critic of food critics.  All kinds of great old recipes including great fried chicken and, one of my personal favorites, steak a la Mirabeau.
• Mastering the Art of French Cooking – Julia Child’s seminal work, along with Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck, set the standard for every home cook and every cookbook from that point forth.  Delicious recipes accessible to everyone.  Try the Coq au Vin.  It is worth the time.
• Chopstix – This is a personal favorite of mine, which covers the beginning of the Asian fusion movement of the late 80s to the early 90s.  Hugh Carpenter and Teri Sandison’s book got me to start thinking outside of the box.  The Thai High Chicken is amazing.
• The Classic Italian Cookbook – This is the Italian cookbook to have.  Marcella Hazan’s recipes highlight what is best about real Italian food, simplicity.  The risotto is silky, the ragu is creamy, and the lamb dishes are succulent.  A must have (though a bit strange, since it I’ve only found it in a novel size paperback).
• The French Laundry Cookbook - Okay, this one's not really a practical book for the home chef, but it is an amazing depiction of what food can be.  Thomas Keller's restaurant in the Napa Valley is a mecca for any and all foodies, and the book does it justice.  The pictures are stunning, the writing amuzing, and the recipes are so intricate, it makes you want to be a better cook.
• In the Defense of Food: an Eater’s Manifesto – Michael Pollan’s eating guidebook.  Not really a cookbook.  You already know how I feel about this one.

There are of course plenty more, but these cover the essentials.  After looking them over, I’ve gathered ideas for Christmas Eve dinner.  We are doing a seafood appetizer feast.  I’ve been thinking about crab cakes, lobster bisque, and oysters.  My nephew said he wants bacon-wrapped scallops, so we’ll have to do something with that.  Any other suggestions?

Classes are over for the semester and they were quite a joy.  Legal ended without any fanfare, but I did get an A.  I did actually learn a lot in that class, though I could have done it by reading the book alone.  I took the ServSafe exam and passed.  The certification is good for five years and is needed by at least one cook or more in a restaurant in California, depending on the county. 

My cost control class became a bit of an ordeal.  Our final project involved taking a fictional business, which was not profitable, and, using cost control measures in buying, sales and labor make it a profitable one.  It ended up taking quite a bit of work, and then, in my final moment of glory…I erased a large chunk of it an hour before it was due.  I never freak out, and this was about as close as I’ve come to doing it.  I felt as I had let the group down, but they were quite understanding.  So was our professor, who allowed us to turn in the finished project by the next evening.  I was able to re compile most of the info. And we filled in the blanks.  We have yet to get a grade, but I’m pretty confident that it’ll be okay.

I did register for a few classes next semester.  First, Financing a small business.  My second class is Small business and entrepreneurship.  My final class is beverage operation.  I’ll keep you posted on what these entail as we get closer to the semester.

As the year and decade draw to a close, I find myself in a moment of reinvention.  I am cognizant of who I am and who I’ve been in the years past, and, though I’m proud of who I am, there is always room for improvement.  So, therefore I’m excited to see where the next few years take me.  I want to wish you all happy holidays and hope that we all have a wonderful new year ahead.

Food First.

This little writing thing that I’m doing is about food, right?  I thought I’d actually talk about food up front for once and talk about my classes later.  I’m sure you guys are chomping at the bit to hear all about my educational exploits, but quite honestly, it’s the food that motivates me.

First, let’s take a trip back a couple of weeks and talk about carnitas.  I LOVE carnitas.  For the uninitiated (which is hard for me to believe), carnitas are pieces of pork shoulder or butt fried in lard until tender.  True carnitas are something to behold.  Chunks of pork the size of your fist fried until tender then shredded or diced.  Did you get that?  FRIED PORK CHUNKS!!!  How can you not love it?  I obviously adore these morsels of goodness, but hate the process.  One needs a giant vat of lard to fry these suckers in and it makes quite a mess.  In the past, I’ve found a way to get some similar flavor without the deep-frying mess that it creates.  Put some cubes of pork butt in a slow cooker with some chilies, garlic, orange, and stock and braise for the day.  Later, when you enter the house and your cat is going wild because of the smells coming from the counter, drain the pork and shred or dice.  Then, fry the meat until little crispy bits form on the edges and serve.  Traditionally it would be served plain with some tortillas and the ubiquitous beans and rice, but you can take the carnitas and make some tacos or other stuffed Mexican-American goodies.

When I made this, I decided to invite some friends over and have a marathon of Top Chef and do the meal potluck style.  I wasn’t able to fry it to my liking (it put too much in the pot at once and wasn’t able to get the crispy bits properly), but it was a great success and we all had a great time talking shit about Robyn and the Voltaggios.  I love this kind of get together and think that they should be done more often.  Unfortunately, I slack on the organization of these types of events and need to get better about it.  I wish we could all have these types of events regularly, but people’s schedules and such get in the way (guilty).  All you can do is try.

I have to take a bit of a side note and talk about the wonderful time I had at my stepbrother’s wedding.  It was at the Loews’s Hotel in San Diego (an exquisite place south of Coronado) and it was astonishing.  The Bride and Groom were gracious, as happy as can be and we all had a fantastic time.  I just wanted to extend my thanks to them as well as their respective families.  I also made some great friends that weekend (apparently I’m going to Armenia in the near future) which is what these events are all about (sorry for not meeting up Weaz, we’ll do it soon).

So my latest cooking exploits have been pretty successful.  Tonight I made a stew of sausage, red lentils, and tomatoes with cumin and paprika.  Soul satisfying.  A couple of nights ago, I made some lamb kofta kebabs with hummus and harrisa yogurt. Absolutely delicious.  It’s getting colder out, so I’m enjoying the spicier ethnic flavors.  Last weekend, however I went for the classic roasted chicken with pan gravy and a wonderful mac and cheese made with stewed tomatoes and sour cream.  It was pretty great, if I do day so myself, and got many complements.  How can you go wrong with classics such as that?

This leads me to a bit of a failure.  I love Indian food.  The depth of spices and flavors enchants me.  I have yet to get it right in my own kitchen, however.  I tried to make a lamb vindaloo (spicy braised lamb with potatoes) a bit ago, and though the flavors were quite good, I couldn’t match the unctuous texture the Indians seem to accomplish.  I’ve made this dish several times before, with the same results.  My family and I went to a local south Indian restaurant, Sher e Punjab, and everything was extraordinary.  I don’t know how they do it.  My sister told me to refer to an older “No Reservations” where Bourdain stood frightened in a corner as the matriarch and her daughter used pressure cookers to make all of their curries and stews.  Maybe I should invest in one.

So, I should talk about my classes a smidge.  The food service law class is still the same.  Blah, blah, blah.  It’s no that it isn’t educational; it is.  It’s just that I probably could’ve learned it from experience more that a class.  Whatever. 

The cost control class has become a bit intense.  We’ve been given our final project, which involves creating a simple restaurant concept that is failing financially.  We must come up with a bad financial statement and devise a strategy to improve it to success.  We have to come up with yield tests and measures that will improve our actual costs to align more properly with theoretical costs.  This will help to improve our financial outlook and make the imaginary restaurant more profitable.  We also have to come up with product specs for our menu items (package size, product origin, package date, etc.) and create recipes based around these specs.  This is daunting for me.  This is where my inexperience has shown.  Though I know what all of these things are, I don’t have an active knowledge of their relationships.  It might be a bit different when I’m dealing with them directly, but for now dealing in theoretical is difficult.  I’m meeting with my group tomorrow and hope to be a bit more in tune with the process.

My business plan class has concluded and it was very informative.  For the final week, we had to come up with projected costs for the prospective business.  This proved to be way over my head.  I just don’t think I have enough experience to think of EVERYTHING that is involved in starting a food service business.  I had a blast going to the restaurant equipment supply stores and picking out all of the bits and pieces needed for startup.  It was the small things that I was beginning to overlook or not comprehend.  Point of Sale systems, credit card processing, licenses, décor, sanitization, uniforms.  It was all a bit much.  I was able to get a rough estimate, but I have a lot of research, footwork, and phone calls to do in order to get the details ironed out. 

Last but not least, my safety and sanitation class is almost concluded.  Tomorrow I take the official ServSafe™ exam and I will virtually be done.  The only thing I’ll have left is to do a couple of on-site observations of eating establishments and what they are doing right or wrong.  One of them was Sher e Punjab from above (they did quite well).  I’m kind of nervous about the exam as missed six out of 45 on the practice test.  The final is 90 questions long and I want an A.  I think if I focus on the parts I missed, I’ll do just fine.  Wish me luck!!! 

Okay, I know...

...I said I was going to be better about doing posts a bit more frequently.  And guess what?  It's been over a month since my last.  Bummer, huh?  I'm not going to try and come up with excuses, but just say that when it feels right, I write.  Right now, it feels right.

So I'll begin with the education.  The past few weeks have been quite informative.  I began my class on developing a business plan.  It is a six-week course outlining the contents of a business plan, coming up with one's mission and vision statements, market analysis, and financials.  It is actually a great course and has helped me to help focus on what it is I want to do.  Now, before you get on me for actually taking a class when I could just look online for a template or grab a book, this class allows me to discuss things with others trying to start their respective businesses.  It exposes me to different ideas and opinions that I might have not of considered otherwise.  So far, I have developed a mission statement (what I want my business to provide and represent) and a vision statement (where I want my business to be in the future) as well as some rudimentary market and competitor analysis.  This class has really helped me to focus on what I want.  I won't go through the details, as I've stated them before, but I can tell you this: it will be delicious.  I want a market that is fresh, pure, locally procured, sustainable, accessible, and welcoming.  It should encompass everything that is a trend now, but remain planted on what is good about food: the ingredients themselves.  As Thomas Colicchio says in his Diet Coke commercial "just keep it simple,"  (and yes I understand the irony of Tom doing a commercial about simplicity for a product containing aspartame, potassium benzoate, and "natural" flavors), but the philosophy rings true.

This actually brings me to a bit of a side note.  Health is a big issue when it comes to food in this country.  Diets, shakes and miracle cure ingredients are profuse in our society.  It shouldn't be this way.  Why is it that there are exponentially more cases of cancer, type II diabetes, and heart disease in this country than 50 years ago?  I'll give you a hint; it's not due to population expansion.  It is my belief that we don't eat as much FOOD as we used to.  I won't answer this question any better than Michael Pollan (I know I told you to read his essay, but I believe that he his a new food pioneer and should be taken seriously).  READ HIS BOOK In the Defense of Food (Penguin) for the most profound look at our society eats today.  It is short, sweet, and to the point.

Anyhoo, the other classes have been equally as informative.  My legal class has actually taught me a lot about what an owner is and is not liable for.  Ultimately, I'm liable for just about anything that my employees do, known as respondeat superior.  I've also learned quite a bit about different torts, which seems to have been assaulted into me (stupid legal joke).  My cost control class has proven to be the most practical.  I've been well informed about forecasting a budget, figuring out plate cost, and yield testing (or learning how much money a plate is making you and whether it is effective).  We've just begun purchase theory and different inventory styles.  All are things that I've never encountered as a grunt in a restaurant.  This, for me, is the important stuff.  We were given our final assignment in which we are to create a business financial situation where it is not profitable and to fix it in a way where it is.  A daunting task, but I have a pretty solid group to work with.  I'll expand on this in later posts.  Finally, the food safety and sanitation class is equally as informative as the rest.  Equipment, sanitation technique, and pathogen control are the main focus.  The process of hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) has been a bit difficult to grasp in the sense of when to implement them, but I'm getting it.  We were assigned a final project to go to a food establishment and attempt to observe good and bad food handling practices.  That should be great fun.

Speaking of fun, who wants to talk about food?  I've had a couple of good ones in the last couple of weeks.  I went to Florida to visit my family and had some amazing pork butt that my cousin's husband made.  Combine that with some collard greens, beans, and cole slaw = amazing.  I know the pic doesn’t give the plate justice, but I'm working on my photog skills.  I had an amazing time with my family, old and new friends.  I can't wait to go back.  Recent ally, I made a wonderful burger stuffed with Cambazola (blue brie) topped with an onion and cherry tomato relish.  Awesome.  I also tried making Indian again since it has gotten a bit colder.  I love the warmth of well-sauced, spicy meat slow cooked.   I found a wonderful recipe for a quick chicken tikka masala.  Try it, you'll like it.  Tonight I made a real simple roast of potatoes, mushrooms and linguica with a bit of olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper.  Serve it with a nice mixed green salad with avocado and you have a delightful and simple meal made in about 45 minutes start to finish.

I just wanted to post a last quick congrats to my stepbrother Chris and my new sister Ali on their nuptials this past weekend.  I had an absolute blast and feel blessed to have been welcomed to be a part of it.  I would also like to thank the families from both sides including the entire Lobus and Bowes clan for having quite the shindig.  I, as well as everyone else, had quite the time.  The location was wonderful, the ceremony was beautiful, and the food was fantastic.  I especially would like to extend a special acknowledgement to the two fathers of the bridal party, John and John, for showing such generosity, style, and grace throughout all of the hijinx.

Let's review.  If you want to make a business plan, I recommend taking a class so you can bounce ideas off of others and take your time with the process.  I believe it is worth the time.  Second, read Pollan's book.  Third, the logistics are intricate yet fascinating.  Finally, pork is good.   I'd like to leave you with a bit of Oceanside fun in the sunshine state...enjoy.

It's been too long.

I've neglected this a bit for the last week.  I know, I know.  This is supposed to be a place for me to talk, but I just haven't wanted to.  It's nothing against you guys.  Really.  I've just been in kind of a funk.  But I promise, I'm over it (although I can't promise it won't happen again).

So anyways, my food education has gained leaps and bounds from my last real post.  I've learned a bit about the legal aspects of the food service industry.  My professor for said class is a bit of a scatterbrain, but he does have some good insight.  I've learned a bit about who controls what, such as immigration, wages, and safety (I actually had a general idea, but it's good to have it clarified).  One of the most informational classes has been the cost control class.  I've learned how to calculate usage, food cost percentage, and even a bit of forecasting.  I won't bore you with the details (unless you specifically ask), but this class is definately been one of the most practical ones I've had during my entire college carreer (which is long and storied) thus far.

This brings me to my final class, food safety and sanitation.  We're learning about bacterias, viruses, and toxins and how they occur in food.  I'll tell ya, knowing some of this stuff may make you never want to eat again.  For instance, have you ever ate something and gotten sick almost immediately (say a half hour or so) but also have had times when it took a few hours.  The quick one is more than likely foodborne intoxication versus the latter which is more likely a foodborne infection.  This link is a quick run-through.  Anyways, it's a bit of an eye opener.  Did you know that there is some 100+ strains of E. Coli in your body at any given time?  They help with digestion, so they're not all that bad.  The part I'm really interested about is the methodology in containing these little bugs.  I've spent many years in kitchens and I'm not quite sure if everything that is done is right.  I'm curious to find out.  I'm sure some of you have some horror stories and I'd love to hear about them (just not when I'm eating please).

I'd like to segue from the nasty little bits to the good stuff.  I went away this weekend with a couple of fellow gourmands (including the Renaisance Couple) to a little cabin in Twain Harte, located in the Sonoran foothills.  On the way I passed the Davis Ranch on Jackson highway (those in the area may know, if not it's just before Ranch Murietta heading east).  There you will come across some of the most tasty vegetables in the world, among them Sloughouse corn.  It is so sweet and juicy, you wish you could make an essence of it and wear it around so people would ask why you're so awesome.  DELCIOUS.  I also picked up a purple and red pepper as well as a couple of zucchini.  I arrived to the cabin and found out that Dr. Huxtable had brought some duck and squab he shot himself.  Yum.  He marinated them with some red wine, garlic, and seasoning salt then skewered them with some sweet peppers, onion and pineapple.  We grilled them over charcoal while his GF, KT made a simple caprese salad with some cherry tomatos and ciligiene sized mozzerella balls and basil.  These items, combined with some french bread an brie that we obtained at the market, made for a perfect meal for the concert we went to see later that evening in the park.  It was a fantastic time.  Good music, friends, and food.  A couple of glasses of the local libations later, we found ourselves onstage dancing with the back up girls.  The rest of the night...well... you might have to ask the locals.

You might be wanting to hear about the Davis Ranch goodies, huh?  Well here you go.  We went to the market once again (I couldn't stay away from the green olives stuffed with Pt. Reyes blue cheese and mixed with a fig chutney), and picked up a bit more local wine as well as some smoked chicken and sun-dried tomato sausage.  We proceeded to grill the sausage, corn, peppers, and zucchini and mixed it with some linguini, garlic and olive oil.  The pasta was finished with some fresh basil and parm and voila!!!!  A fantastic, mostly local meal.  It is always great to hang out with good friends to make food in beautiful places.  Shouldn't we be doing this all of the time?  I highly reccomend it.

This brings me to a good point.  Local produce DOES NOT have to be expensive.  Although Whole Foods supplies some great produce, you end up paying a premium for it.  Sacramento alone has about a dozen farmers' markets occuring weekly.  From Davis Ranch I obatined 8 ears of corn, 2 peppers, and two zucchini for about 3 dollars.  I dare you to go to Whole Foods or another third person reatiler and find that deal.  I can almost guarantee that the produce is probally more fresh at the farmer's market's as well.  Find one of these markets and try them out, if even it is only once a month.  It will do your mind, body, and soul a great service.  Click on this link to find one near you (in CA only).

So, in the greater scheme of things, I leave you with a small mission.  Go to a farmer's market or co-op near you and introduce a local produce to someone who has never tried it.  A tomato.  An onion.  An ear of corn.  Some lettuces.  Prepare it simply and sit back and enjoy the fruits of someone elses labor.  We need to support our local farmers.  Period.  They deserve the accolades.

Music:  I've been listening to a bit of everything lately.  I have been getting into Band of Horses and My Morning Jacket.  Of course there's always Tool playing.  If you're in the hip-hop mood, check out Murs and 9th Wonder.

Something you should read.

I just stumbled across an article written by Michael Pollan about the decline of the American home cook in the New York Times. Read it here. If you're not familiar with Pollan, you should be. In the opinion of this humble cook, he has written some of the most profound and thought provoking books and essays about food in recent decades. Pollan's philosophy surrounding the preparation of our daily meals and how it affects our society's health, both mentally and physically, is very near and dear to my heart. If you don't agree with it, maybe you should stop reading this blog. Never mind that last statement, but feel free to debate with me if you take issue with it.

And the Learning Begins.

I had a good day. I talked about food today. All day. I talked food with others on their own path to food enlightenment. Today I began my classes at the local community college, and I feel confident about my choice. Before I go too far into the classes, I'm going to reminisce about some of the culinary experiences I've had over the last few days. This drooling will be a major part of this blog, so get used to it.

I had to work all day Saturday and was trying to figure out what to do that evening. I didn't feel like going out, so something at home was in order. I chewed over the idea with my fellow gourmand Logan, and we decided to have a food T.V. watching extravaganza and cook some good food. The plan: watch Anthony Bourdain in Thailand, the final of Top Chef Masters, and the premiere of Top Chef: Las Vegas. Straight food porn. He and his girl, Amanda, arrived and we worked over what we would cook. Since Sir Bourdain (he should be knighted by now) was in Thailand, we went with Thai. I was in Thailand last year with one of my best friends, Sophia, last year, and enjoyed every culinary experience (mmmm, chicken feet).

We decided to marinate some chicken Thai style with fish sauce, soy, ginger, chili paste, and cilantro then grill them. This was combined with some grilled squash and red bell peppers then served on jasmine rice cooked with a bit of coconut milk. We topped this with a green curry sauce made from my homemade paste (I'll put this in a later post), coconut milk, sherry, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and lime. It came out pretty delicious, if I do say so myself. I love hanging out with those who have the same love for food that I do. This may be a reoccurring theme, so, once again, get used to it. We had a grand time watching the shows, drinking wine (one a Rhone Valley style in a plastic bottle that was pretty darn good, gotta love Trader Joe's) and shooting ideas off of one another.

The next day I went to a picnic held by Logan and Amanda (the Renaissance Couple, I will now dub them) with some co-workers and friends. It was a great time with wiffle ball, cold beer, and eating, everything a picnic should be. I made a Thai peanut noodle salad with shitakes, bells, and some of the leftover grilled chicken. It turned out tasty along with all of the other things that folks brought. GTs.

So, anyhoo, back to the education phase of this process. I was wait listed for two of the four classes that I'm taking this semester and, thankfully, I was added to both (albeit one that incurs a potential fire hazard). My classes for this semester include: legal aspects in the food industry, cost projections in food service, food sanitation and safety for a ServSafe certification (required in the state of California for running any food business), and writing a business plan, which is a six-week course later in the semester.

I try not to generalize on the first impression, but these classes are exactly what I need. The classes are full of information that I have always wanted to learn, but have never been in the direct position to acquire. Quite frankly, I'm not sure that all of those whom I have worked under knew these things, either. So it's good. Very good. So far.

One of the most interesting parts of the classes are my fellow classmates. They run the full gambit; from current industry professionals, to aspiring ones, to those who are taking the classes just for the hell of it. The best part is talking out the process with others who are going through it. Many of the attendees have been in the Culinary/Hospitality program for a couple of semesters (or years). This gives some helpful insight. Even though we might not see eye to eye on our approach, we all are united in our love for all things culinary. It is, in a strange way, energizing.

Since it was the first day of class, I didn't learn much. It was mostly syllabi's and calendars. I did learn a few things (disclaimer: quite gross). It only takes two food borne sicknesses of the same type from the same origin to classify it as an outbreak by the CDC. And (this is the gross part) the average human consumes roughly five pounds of feces throughout their lifetime. Sorry, I warned you.

Shake your head a bit and get away from that last paragraph. It's not as bad as it seems. Continuing education on food safety is there to limit this and potentially keep people from getting sick. This is what (most) culinary professionals strive for. Zero percent. The technology and safe practices are getting better. This is why the preventative education is now required in all food service locales.

Sorry about all of that. I told you it would be a learning experience for all of us, good or bad. I'll try and limit the grossness factor in future posts.

Summing up, education is always good. Especially if it involves the thing that occupies your mind. I highly suggest that you go out and take a class at your local CC about something you love. Music, pottery, history, or yoga. It is a great way to open your horizons.

Cheers.

P.S. I'm goiong to take a bit of inspiration from the author of a couple of my favorite blogs French Laundry at Home and Alinea at Home and include some of the music that I have been listening to over the past few days. Right now it's Modest Mouse's new EP No One's First and You're Next and Radiohead's Kid A.