Day 6: Quite the Learning Experience

Well, today was a great day (Every day at work I take as great, I learn something new every single day)

But though today was a great day and I learned a lot of new things.....I got to really run my saute station today.....and to be completely honest, I got my ass handed to me. Running a saute station is still very new to me and its going to be work. I don't expect to get it in three days, I know this will quite honestly take time but I feel that its that I'm taking something from it everyday and I know what to improve on, what will make my set up better, what will help me be more successful. It will all come with repetition and more experience. But my Executive Sous Chef told me I did a good job for only working my station 3 days. Like I said it will take some practice and lots of learning, thats what externship is about but I'm loving everyday I go into work and learning.

On the other hand we are doing some test runs for the spring menu which I'm really looking forward to, its looking pretty awesome so far but soon I will have some pics and descriptions as soon as it all gets up and rolling.

There are two things I discovered today that are completely amazing (theres a few more things but I'll stick to these two for now)
Those two things are:
-Rendered Veal Fat
&
-Garlic Confit that is then turned into Garlic Paste and Garlic Oil

Now rendered veal fat is all the fat taken after roasting veal bones for brown stock, reserved and literally you add it to anything (a big tip, roast mushrooms in veal fat.....heaven) and it makes it amazing.....you could use the liquid fat like butter and put it on hot bread (not that I didn't do it today at work)....its so GOOD!

As for garlic confit, peel a few heads of garlic, pour oil over to cover them, throw on a burner LOW AND SLOW! Allow to cook until the garlic is nice and tender. Strain the oil from the garlic. Now you have garlic infused oil which is also amazing on hot bread (not saying I did it at work) and take the garlic and run in a VitaMix or food processor until a paste, pass through a chinoise or tamis and now you have garlic paste that is so delicious, smells so good and gives such an amazing flavor to items. I put the paste in sauteed spinach along with a shallot confit we do at work.....so good!

But these three things I'd stash in my fridge at home to have, it would be so worth it. Ive got an amazing sauce recipe but I'll talk about it later in another post. But its time to go to bed so good night all!

-Garrett

P.s. - The night sky out here is flipping amazing!