Skip to main content

The New Journey Begins...


My iGoogle page has a fun countdown widget, and I've found myself using it frequently.  While I try not to live and die by the countdown, I like having the visual of time passing.

This past Monday, I took the next step on the path of major change.  I registered for my fall term classes at the local community college.  About two months ago, I'd been accepted in the school's culinary arts program, and a few days ago, I was able to secure the courses I need for the first term.

I'm 37 years old, and I feel a bit as if I'm starting all over again.  When I chose to go into education nearly fifteen years ago, I did think my choices (at that time) were limited.  And while I don't regret being in the classroom for the last decade+, I'm excited NOW at the prospect of choosing a career again - this time, with my eyes open.

Everyone wants to know if I'm going to be a chef...as if that's the only avenue open to an AAS in Culinary Arts.  I don't know the end game yet, I only know I've just begun.

Luckily, my Bachelor's degree knocked out two classes for fall term (a computer essentials and culture class).  I'm enrolled for eight credits, which I think is a nice number for a old dog like myself.  :)  Without further ado, here's my course load for this coming fall:

Safety and Sanitation: This course introduces the basic principles of safety and sanitation and their relationship to the foodservice industry. Topics include the sanitation challenge, the flow of food through the operation, clean and sanitary facilities and equipment, accident prevention and crisis management and sanitation management.

Food Service Technology: This course offers a broad overview of the food service industry with emphasis placed upon sanitation and safety, terminology, equipment, structure of the recipe, mise en place and basic principles of cooking. The student should become aware of what a foodservice career offers and what a successful foodservice career involves.

Culinary Skills (lab): This course will instruct students in basic culinary skills. Students will become familiar with the safe operation of food processing equipment, develop hand skills and practice proper sanitation techniques. Development of good work habits and effective use of time and work space will be emphasized.

Food Service Lab I: This course allows the student to learn the value of customer service along with the importance of portion control and suggestive selling techniques while applying sanitation and safety practices in a simulated work environment.

Math Principles: This course will use relevant math problems to provide the student with knowledge used in the foodservice industry. The student will develop math skills in solving problems using whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percents and measurement formulas.

Let the next 107 days come apace!   (Well, sort of....let's have a good, leisurely summer first.)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

For You!

I'm torn.  It's 8:40 p.m. here.  I know that I have roughly one hour of wakefulness left before I collapse onto my pillow for the night. My new term of classes start tomorrow.  My backpack is ready to go.  So is my leftover-lunch.  So is my breakfast smoothie.  All important emails has been sent.  I'm caught up on Facebook news. Hm.  How does one spend their last hour of energy before beginning the roller coaster ride of a new term? By watching Downton Abbey, Season 1 again...natch.  Now that there's no more DA until next January, I must watch the old episodes again for that fix.  And that, up until about twn minutes ago, was exactly what I'd planned on doing. Until I popped in here for moment to check on things.  And by things, I mean my "Stats".  And actually, by that, I mean my "Audience".  And I was shocked to see that in the last 24 hours, there have been more looks here at Be Food from France than from the US...

My Week...No Idea What It May Mean

Remember I'd finished reading Gary Taubes's "Why We Get Fat" over a week ago?  Turns out that meat could be good and bread could be bad?  Well, I needed more info.  So, I skimmed Dr. Arthur Agatston's South Beach for some information and then I bookmarked Nutrition Data for handy reference. And after all that, I still had no real idea of what exactly I should be eating.  But, to do nothing still makes me part of the problem... I finally decided to limit my carbohydrate intake to under 100 daily.  Also, I wanted to steer clear of foods high on the glycemic index (high in sugars, even natural ones).  Usually, foods high in carbs are high on the glycemic index...but then you get something like carrots, which are good for you, but high in carbs.  Crazy... Monday's weigh-in was 132.6 lbs.  Breakfast was a bowl of oatmeal and a half cup of blueberries - 34g carbs.  And just like that, one-third of my carbs were used up for the day.  And...

Time to Refocus

Okay.  I know I've got a Cratchit Christmas Dinner to recap and illustrate for you here, and I have every intention of doing so. But, first...something that's on my mind: food. You're shocked, yes? I happen to be on a short hiatus from school and work, and I admit, I have the tiniest desire to be working or studying right now.  I mean, someone to crack the whip at my back.  It is all so easy to fall into a lifestyle of sloth during this holiday season. I spent last weekend at my in-laws house.  They live in the country + painful below-zero temps = no exercise.  There's a fair amount of sitting on the couch, watching hunting shows or basketball games.  I spent a lot of time in the kitchen, preparing the evening meals (and by golly, I was glad to do it).  Also, my husband's mom firmly believes in three hearty, plentiful meals a day...hard to get my crowd excited about stuffed pork loin when they've just gorged on ham balls and cheesy potatoes. ...