Pastry Exams

Practice Exam :)

How different an exam could be in a pastry school? Would it be difficult when they provide you the recipe and it is the same dish to be prepared for the whole class? So many questions and the only answer is your preparation and confidence. At times , disaster may be in the form of a poor candy thermometer. I should be able to write another page about my candy thermometer as it is very unpredictable :P My last week exam was for 2 days with around 7 recipes that we learnt already. After a group study in the apartment, I was confident enough to face it. And you know, when your first basic recipe Pate du fruit collapses, your confidence level too goes for a toss. My confidence dropped like my degrees in the candy thermometer. Composing yourself , relaxing yourself are very important in this kitchen industry . I spoke to myself, pulled me back and made the other recipes. Though the recipes screwed up, your work style, adaptability, cleanliness of the workstation plays  a vital role in the Grading.

GRADING:

You are graded for everything you do and don’t in the kitchen. At times, it reminded me of the master chef shows in TV, where chefs talk about the person’s temper and able to stand the pressure of the kitchen. When it comes to recipes, the presentation, texture and at times the methods you used to fix a screwed up recipe matters. When someone was trying to fix the dark chocolate glaze after pouring on top of the cake, chef told that the grading is for the way you glazed it and not fixing it. When you try to have a clean work desk, half of your problems are solved in the kitchen. It gives you space not only to work but also to prepare for the next task you think back in the head. My chef always says ‘When you don’t need it, it is off the bench’. The speed and time are crucial not only for the grading but also for your confidence to complete the tasks required. When I have to cook for a minute, instead of a stop clock, I count a minute in my heart while stirring the sauce pan . This does save time and effort to set a stop clock.

Pate du Fruit

JUDGING:

My chef always says that always ask questions to yourself about what you made. That helps. No matter how people criticize on the product , you know where you stand and how you progress in the kitchen. At times don’t be too hard on yourself and give a pat on the shoulder. The chefs here in my school, give a honest feedback and encourage me in things I do well. I hardly felt that in my schools in India. I was judged randomly for no reasons and I lost the confidence to ask questions in the school. I get to ask questions here and also I learn better though I self-criticize.

CONFIDENCE:

I panic for no reasons in the kitchen. I am happy with my friends cum classmates around who say ‘Namaste’ to just make me laugh and feel better. These are things that connects us though we don’t speak same language and belong to diverse culture. Writing this brings  a smile on my face too  . The pate du fruit collapsed, I cooked the caramel thrice and had fat on top of Gianduja but completed my exams very well with good grades as I believed it is not about how you start but how you finished. Also being a movie buff helps :P As in the Batman movie ‘ We fall so that we can learn to pick ourselves up’