Our next segment in Culinary School was breakfast. I am not a breakfast person. The fact that I vehemently detest the taste and smell of eggs has never made this all-important meal a favorite of mine. However, almost everyone else in class was extremely excited for this part of the class. So I decided that I might as well learn how to cook an egg, something that I have rarely done. We started out the class learning how to make an assortment of fried eggs: over easy, over medium, over hard, and sunny side up. I learned quickly that flipping eggs without breaking the yolk is something easier said than done. I've always thought that I was a quick learner - but it was a humbling experience to watch others around me flip with ease while I continually broke the yolks. However - my trusty husband came to the rescue! While making fried rice one night (we've recently rediscovered the rice cooker and are using it over zealously) I decided to practice flipping eggs. After watching me unsuccessfully attempt one egg flip, he directed me to change up a few things. For one, I was trying to flip over the stove, and being so short this was not easy. After removing the pan from the stove and trying to flip at waist level - I was finally successful. Thank you husband.
After our fried eggs we also had an entire day of eggs Benedict and poached eggs. I dislike eggs, but that is nothing compared to how I feel about hollandaise sauce. I LOATH hollandaise sauce. So that day was obviously not my favorite. We learned how to make
standard Eggs Benedict - poached egg with Canadian bacon on English muffin with hollandaise
Eggs Sardue - poached egg on artichoke with creamed spinach and hollandaise
Eggs Princess - poached eggs with grilled tomato and asparagus on muffin with hollandaise
Eggs Florentine - poached eggs with spinach on english muffin
Norwegian Egg Benedict - poached egg with smoked salmon on muffin with hollandaise
California Eggs Benedict - poached egg with tomato and avocado on muffin with hollandaise
Eggs Benjamin - Smoked salmon, swiss cheese, poached eggs, muffin, hollandaise
We also had a day where we focused on breakfast breads: pancakes, waffles, crepes, french toast and fried french toast. I was the only one in class who made crepes because making crepes is probably one of my favorite things to do. I love crepes. Since we are going into baking after this class, we didn't do muffins or breads. We also spent a day on breakfast cereal: oatmeal, cream of wheat, parfaits with homemade granola (delicious). And of course we focused on everyone's favorite: breakfast potatoes. We made all different kinds of hashbrowns, potatoes O'Brien (my favorite), potato latkes, homefries, rosti and an assortment of potatoes smothered in cheese.
Despite the fact that I completely hate breakfast, I think this was still a valuable class to have. I've learned how to flip an egg and create the perfect cooking of an egg. After our practical, which I did lower than in any other class (94% - I was marked off for my over-hard egg and pancakes - they were like lead) I was glad we were finished, and even more ecstatic I won't have to taste any more eggs.
Here are pictures of my adventure into breakfast:
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| Crepes with swiss cheese and spinach. |
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| Deep Fried Chocolate Stuffed French Toast with Homemade Whipped Cream |
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| French Toast |
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| Cinnamon and Vanilla Waffles |
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| Pancakes |
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| Spinach and Cheese Crepes with Hollandaise Sauce |
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| Blueberry Waffles |
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| Breakfast Buffet |
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| Parfait with homemade Granola |
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| Fruit Plate |
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| Cinnamon Oatmeal with Berries |
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| Cheesy Cheesy Breakfast Potatoes |
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| Watermelon from the garden |
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| Oatmeal with Berries |
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| Potatoes O'Brien |
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| Breakfast Buffet |
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| Hasbrowns Galore |
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| Omelette with potatoes, spinach and tomatoes |
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| My Breakfast Crepes this morning! Arugula, tomatoes and avocado. |
