Random Musings in the Library

I've just spent the last half hour looking at knife sets. And not just any knife sets, but the sets you would purchase if you signed up for a cooking class. And not just any run of the mill class, that lasts only a few weeks, but a real class, full semester. I even took a peek at their textbook (albiet an old version) and got giddy.

It's always been this dream of mine, to go to culinary school. It seems like a natural progression - I talk about it quite a bit, I dabble in the kitchen. But I never took the actual plunge. It would take up a lot of my time, and money, but I could probably handle that if I save enough. And there's the real job. The real job that unfortunately has me working the occasional overnight or weekend. That does get in the way of school.

But I would enjoy the study. Practice my knife skills, trying my darndest to get the dice to match exactly like the ones in the picture. Follow along with the videos on techniques. Plying M with plates full of my efforts (and I don't think he would complain).

Realistic me knows this won't happen. If anything, I'll buy an old copy of textbook and watch lots of youtube videos. That's what I do now for the most part. And things I've been doing lately have been allowing me to practing my knife skills. So that will have to do for now. Maybe one of these days I'll have the time (and resources) to just do it. But for now, it'll stay a happy dream.

Feed Me: Conferences

One of the upsides in my field of work are all the conferences I can go to. I just graduated and already I've been thrown into the conference loop. Aside from all the networking that I figured I would be doing (and I did my fair share... and lots of me telling people I'd get in touch after I pass my exam), I was curious what kind of food they would be serving.

Initially I planned on bringing my travel mug so I can fill it up with coffee and try my best to stay awake during the morning sessions (this thing started at 7AM and I didn't go to sleep until 3AM) but I forgot all about it when I rushed out the door so I wouldn't be late.

Breakfast/snack was your usual fare- bagels, pastries, juice and coffee. Lots of coffee. The bagel was bland, but no surprise there.

During the little breaks between sessions, there was an exhibit in the dining area. You may not be able to really see it on he pic, but the guy with the white band around his head? If you can't put the pulse oximetry sensor on their hands, you can wrap that sensor around their head.

Lunch consisted of sandwiches/wraps, salad, chips, cookies, and soda/water. I got the grilled veggie wrap, which was really good. I was going to get another and perhaps snack on more cookies and another bag of doritos, but we directed to head into the auditorium for another talk. And somewhere during this move I lost my phone. I got it back, thank goodness.

Lunch led to the itis and I went back to see if there was anything left to snack on. Nothing. Not even coffee. Bah! They should have at least set out coffee to wake us up.

According to some other conference goers, all they had was breakfast and drinks. They had to go out for lunch, and if they wanted to pay a little more could go to a lunch lecture at a really nice restaurant. They don't remember the lecture, but they did remember the food.

This week I have a continuing education class to attend. Let's see how the food is there.