Week 3 of SP

April 16, 2013 Tuesday

Bistro @ Signatures: Today, I was scheduled to work in the bistro at school from 9am-2pm.  At first, I wasn't excited about it.  But then, it turned out that it's just a class which the Maître d' would show us around the restaurant, Signatures http://signaturesrestaurant.com , and teach us what we needed to know about the dinning room service.  Yan, our Maître d' was very knowledgeable.  We learned to set plates, glasses, and cutleries on table properly.   He also taught us how to gracefully open a wine bottle.  I tried, it wasn't easy.  We also learned to use the expresso machine which I already knew how to operate from Chez Gossip.  Yan showed us the cellar in the basement, and told us that the owner/President of LCB, André Cointreau has a house down the street where many wines were stored in the highly secured cellar.  It was an informative class, I enjoyed it very much.

Lecture #103: Chef Hervé Chabert's Entremet Vanessa (Chocolate biscuit Viennois with vanilla crème brûlée and dark chocolaté mousse); Tarte aux abricots et crème brûlée à la pistache, strussel aux pistache (Apricot tart with pistachio crème brûlée and pistachio streusel)

 Tarte aux abricots et crème brûlée à la pistache, strussel aux pistache plated dessert

 Tarte aux abricots et crème brûlée à la pistache, strussel aux pistache

  Entremet Vanessa

  Entremet Vanessa plated dessert

 Entremet Vanessa; Tarte aux abricots et crème brûlée à la pistache, strussel aux pistache

After class, Jason, Cindy and I went to have chicken shawarma at Shawarma Palace http://www.shawarmapalace.ca

April 17, 2013 Wednesday

Workshop #203: My Entremet Vanessa (Chocolate biscuit Viennois with vanilla crème brûlée and dark chocolaté mousse); Tarte aux abricots et crème brûlée à la pistache, strussel aux pistache (Apricot tart with pistachio crème brûlée and pistachio streusel)

Entremet Vanessa (Chocolate biscuit Viennois with vanilla crème brûlée and dark chocolaté mousse); Tarte aux abricots et crème brûlée à la pistache, strussel aux pistache (Apricot tart with pistachio crème brûlée and pistachio streusel)

Tarte aux abricots et crème brûlée à la pistache, strussel aux pistache (Apricot tart with pistachio crème brûlée and pistachio streusel) plated dessert

Tarte aux abricots et crème brûlée à la pistache, strussel aux pistache (Apricot tart with pistachio crème brûlée and pistachio streusel)

Entremet Vanessa (Chocolate biscuit Viennois with vanilla crème brûlée and dark chocolaté mousse) plated dessert

Entremet Vanessa (Chocolate biscuit Viennois with vanilla crème brûlée and dark chocolaté mousse)

April 18, 2013 Thursday

Lecture #104: Chef Hervé's Nid d'abeille (Honey and fruit dacquoise), and Feuille d'automne (Autumn leaf-Almond meringue cake with chocolate mousse)

 Nid d'abeille (Honey and fruit dacquoise)

 Feuille d'automne (Autumn leaf-Almond meringue cake with chocolate mousse)

 Nid d'abeille (Honey and fruit dacquoise) in glass

Nid d'abeille (Honey and fruit dacquoise), and Feuille d'automne (Autumn leaf-Almond meringue cake with chocolate mousse)

 Nid d'abeille (Honey and fruit dacquoise)

 Feuille d'automne (Autumn leaf-Almond meringue cake with chocolate mousse)

Nid d'abeille (Honey and fruit dacquoise) in glass

Jason, Cindy and I went to have Pho in Chinatown, and I got bubble tea afterwards.

April 19, 2013 Friday

Workshop #204: My Nid d'abeille (Honey and fruit dacquoise), and Feuille d'automne (Autumn leaf-Almond meringue cake with chocolate mousse)

Nid d'abeille (Honey and fruit dacquoise), and Feuille d'automne (Autumn leaf-Almond meringue cake with chocolate mousse)

Nid d'abeille (Honey and fruit dacquoise)

Nid d'abeille (Honey and fruit dacquoise)

Feuille d'automne (Autumn leaf-Almond meringue cake with chocolate mousse)

After today, we will have no more cakes to make.  Basically, just chocolate showpiece, chocolate bonbons, Sugar showpiece (for exam), and petits fours left, before the the final exam.  And next week we'll have 5 days of school.............................................

April 20, 2013 Saturday

Chocolate Techniques Workshop: Today I was assisting in this demo class, Chef Arnaud Bonnefoy showcased and demonstrated a variety of techniques used to create spectacular chocolate garnishes and decorations for your pastries and desserts.  And he made Marquise au chocolat.

Cindy's gifts! :-)

After the workshop, we went up to see Jocelyn, Lisa and Daneet in the kitchen.  They just finished practicing for the upcoming Skill Competition.  Their products looked amazing.  No pictures allowed, sorry.  Of course we sampled some of their goodies.  Then, Jason, Cindy and I went to ByWard Market.  Jason wanted to get a #12 round piping tip, and I wanted to get a small off-set spatula.  After that, we went to eat at Fatboys Southern Smokehouse http://fatboys.ca I personally preferred wet sauce on my ribs over dry rub ribs.  I still love the all-you-can-eat ribs in Montana's Cookhouse http://www.montanas.ca in Toronto.

Today, my friends Rita and Winnie from HK sent me a picture of hot sizzling plate steaks in Salami Restaurant http://www.开饭啦.net/english/restaurant/photos.htm?shopId=10106&page=8   I LOVE their food there! Catherine told me that they just opened another one in a new location also in Tsuen Wan.

Long Weekend :-)

April 13, 2013 Saturday
VIA to Toronto: Since I had 3 days off, why not took a trip to Toronto, so that I could get some tools for practice and hung out with friends.  I took a 6:40am train this morning, and found that the train was quite packed.  I usually sat alone, but today, someone was sitting besides me.  I preferred taking train than greyhound bus due to more space and free wifi in the train :-)  Mandy came and picked me up with her car.  We first dropped off some cakes at her place, so that her dad could try what I made from school.  Then we went to have Thai food on Bloor Street (Annex area), I ordered green curry chicken and it was spicy which I loved, but Mandy didn't enjoy her food at all.

Then, she made me drive..... all the way to Golda's Kitchen Retail Store http://www.goldaskitchen.com in Mississauge.  At first, I was excited to see all the kitchen stuff they sell, but after spending almost an hour there, I didn't find many tools that I wanted.  I guess I could have ordered stuff from their website and have them delivered to me instead.  Then, we went to my storage to see if I had any baking tools packed in boxes.  Guess what I found? Ice-cream maker KitchenAid attachment!! Yay!! We just made ice-cream in class last week.... wait, where can I buy stabilizer???? Then, we went to Bulk Barn to get some ingredients for baking, originally.  But ended up, we bought some funk snack like dried pineapple, nuts, wass'up...etc.  I was craving sushi, so we went to have Japanese food in Kokyo Authentic Japanese Cuisine http://www.kokyo.ca/menu.php Loved their sashimi and sushi :-) I wish I could share with you guys.... mmm.... yummy....

Then we went back to Mandy's place.  I called it a day, I only had 3 hours slept last night.

April 14, 2013 Sunday
Reunited: I made sure I had enough sleep today, didn't get up until probably around 1pm.  On my way to Bathurst subway station, I saw someone familiar in the streetcar inside the station.  I walked in (illegally) to check and to confirm it was George (we were in the same training class in Roncesvalles Streetcar Division years ago).  We chatted for a bit, it was always nice to see my ex-colleagues.  We understood each other 'cos we went through the same shit working as streetcar operators.  After that, I went to get a knapsack in Outfitter, was happy to find one I liked.

Then couldn't resist the temptation of Popeye fried chicken.... but felt gross eating it afterwards....

Then I went inside Eaton Centre, and luckily me, Zara was right in front of me.  Not only that I was happy to find a pair of black pants for working in Bistro this Wednesday (and for my graduation), but also to have a smaller size than what I usually wore.  Now I know I lost weight :-) I supposed to meet Mandy and Jennifer in Sheppard and Yonge at 6:30pm, since I had nothing else to do, I decided to take the subway train to Sheppard station early, and walked around Sheppard Centre.  I used to live in the buildings above the station.  I remember one day I was counting how many places I had lived in Canada since I first came.  It was 10 different places before I moved to Ottawa.  Time flies! Mandy picked up Jennifer and me, then went to have hot pot in Hipot Hot Pot on Hwy 7.  We enjoyed our reunion very much, chatted, laughed... I wish we could do more of this together.

Then we went to drop off two video tapes at Siu On and April's.  Siu On was looking for a tape of swimming with stingrays from their wedding cruise where I attended. He wanted to show it to his kids.  I happened to have it stored in the storage.  It's always nice to April and Siu On.  We don't see each others often, but they are always in my mind.  Siu On's mom was there, and she said she didn't recognize me and Mandy (of course, she wouldn't.  Siu On and April have tons of Asian friends!!), but I told her that it was okay not to recognize us, but she would remember the birthday cake that we made for her in year.  Then, she remembered (the cake)! If I came back to Toronto after finishing school, I hope I could make more cakes to my friends.  Then, before driving Jenn home, we went to get bubble tea.  Now our night was completed! :-)

April 15, 2013 Monday
VIA to Ottawa: My last day of long weekend! I got up real late, purposely.  I went to get some Korean buns in Korean town and also had a quick lunch (Chicken bulgogi) in Um Ji Bun Sik.

Then went back to Mandy's place to grab my luggage and knapsack, took a cab to Union Station, and waited for boarding.

That's how I spent my long weekend! :-)