I got TOYS!!

Today at school we got our knife kits..or tool kits...or culinary goodies. Whatever you want to call them. It was like Christmas all over again. They are GREAT knives and other utensils and a special cutting board, and well, everything we will need for the next fifteen months.

Chef Paul called us up to the front kitchen area of the classroom and showed us how to cut membraneless segments out of a Grapefruit. We then all did this for the next hour or so. It was something I've never done before, but was pretty darn good at. Or was it the knife? Maybe it helped. So if anyone ever wants a demo, I got the knife, you bring the citrus fruit. ;-)

This whole morning felt more like school, like we were all settling in a bit more. Getting ready for greatness one day at a time. Starting with Grapefruit segments!! Before class was over, we gathered around the front of the room again and did a salt taste test. We tried 10 different salts. Kosher, iodized, popcorn, sea salt, fleur de mare (sp), grey sea salt, smoked grey sea salt, rose and hibiscus sea salt, Hawaian sea salt (rusty), a spanish sea salt called Mardol or something and a regular smoked sea salt. Amazing differences. My chef instructor said that he would cook all the time with the Fleur de mare if it didn't cost $9.50 for 4oz. I hear that! Ouch!

English class was fun. Elizabeth read us a short story by Alice Walker called, 'My mothers blue bowl.' It was an awesome story. I suggest you all read it.

The suggested journal topic for the day was from the following quote: (here Mom, don't think about what you would say to this for too long!)

"You're only given a small spark of madness. You musnt lose it."

Ok, I'm off to study for a good hour or so.

Miss you all!