Day Nineteen

Since I started school, the size of my ass has been a primary concern. Taste the hollandaise! Try this French butter! The pastry class has brought pound cake samples! Actually, many of my classmates have lost weight (not me, of course)! Running around a hot kitchen for eight hours obliterates calories.

Today, however, no one lost any weight.

The Menu:
L’ALLUMETTE AU FROMAGE
Puff Pastry filled with Mornay Sauce
L’ESCALOPE DE VEAU VIENNOISE
Veal Scaloppini with Browned Butter
LE GRATIN DAUPHINOIS
Potato Gratin
LE MILLEFEUILLE
Napoleons

I couldn't get enough of the L’Allumette Au Fromage – think croissant filled with cheesy goodness. It was the first time we made béchamel, another mother sauce. Béchamel is generally the base sauce in all heart-attack foods such as alfredo, macaroni and cheese, hot dips and bisque. Mornay is made by thickening the béchamel with additional roux (butter and flour) and then adding cheese.
I tried to make up for the indulgent lunch by volunteering for floor duty. Mopping is the worst cleanup job in town. Even scrubbing stove burners is preferred. Hurling a wet and smelly head of knarly cotton strings back and forth with hopes of sopping up unrecognizable sticky splotches of spill is the pits. If you’re ever in a position to fill a mop bucket from a mop sink, beware of the hot water tap. You MUST turn it on with a towel, otherwise you’ll suffer a serious burn. And the hot water that comes out – look out. I’ve been taking advantage of the steamy spicket with thirty second facials, but that perk is hardly makes up for the massages I’ll be purchasing to fix my lower back from too much mopping motion.

This is a good, blunder proof recipe that can accompany any dinner.

Potatoes Gratin

Ingredients
3-4 Idaho Potatoes
1 c. Cream
1 c. Milk
1 tsp. Nutmeg
2 cloves Garlic, smashed
½ c. Cheese
Salt and Pepper

Slice the potatoes into thin chips on mandolin. This can also be done by hand if you don’t have a mandolin. Combine the cream, milk, nutmeg, garlic and season with salt and pepper. Soak slices in the cream mixture for five minutes. Butter a baking dish, a round 8” dish woks well. Line the dish with layers of potatoes until dish is full to brim. Top with cheese. Strain cream mixture and pour into dish until full. Cover and bake at 325 degrees until potatoes tender and custard is set –about 30 minutes. Remove cover and brown.