Lets not get technical...

After checking that my alarm was set, and that absolutely nothing barring a natural disaster would prevent my being in class on time, I was able to get some sleep. And luckily, everything went incredibly smooth today! One of those mornings when the temperature is perfect, there aren't many people on the street, green lights at every intersection, and the subway line you want pulls up as you arrive. So far, off to a MUCH better start! Today we started with a two hour lecture on food sanitation, led by a chef turned nutritionist, turned instructor. I really enjoyed his lecture, and not just because I'm nerdy and get excited when someone mentions botulism-which by the way-is a pretty sweet little toxin producing bacteria! I had a bit of trouble though, as the lecture contained phrases such as "I'm not a scientist," and "you aren't training to be doctors" were repeated. Usually followed by some inane drawing depicted a "bacteria" which has some "stuff in it," and (puts a dot on the board) a "brain." Oh no. I know, I know, MOST (OK-all but me) people here have little to no science background. But every time the lecture got interesting the instructor would stop, and apologize for getting too technical...This occurred for example after the statement "virus are much like bacteria in terms of causing food-born illness, but they are not alive." I love the technical bits! And while I may be alone in that interest, it was none the less, frustrating. I've found myself research disulfide linkage between glutenin and gliadin, which comprise gluten in flour based pastries. As well as the chemical interactions that inhibit, or aid gluten production through various additions (acid breaks down! Eggs build up!). I worry my inability to take statements such as "and this alters the electrical chemistry of the custard" at face value, without knowing the specific micro-interactions may cause me time management issues later. I could easily spend far too much time researching unnecessary information. But to be honest, thats what I love! The science behind food fascinates me. I now know the difference between cake, all purpose, and bread flour (gluten content), and why you would choose each, and what causes something to be crumbly or flaky (very different states by the way), and much more. Yes, I love to bake, but what I really love is knowing whats happening on a chemical level while it's baking, and how we can alter simple aspects to create an entirely different product. No longer do recipes seem like a random list of ingredients, they're now precise protocols primed for manipulation by science. I am such a dork.
On another note, my first attempt at Pate Aux Pommes (apple tart) was a great success. Much more technical than I would have anticipated, the precision and attention to detail was demanding. Slicing 5 apple halves in precisely 1/8inch think slices wound up causing slightly blurred vision and a bit of a concentration headache. Pictured above with an apricot nappage glaze, filled with apple compote.