Everything Right Is Wrong Again

So the other update last weekend never happened that's what happens when you work all weekend I suppose. In Ala Carte we were showed how to plate a large variety of the lunch items (such as this lovely Salmon Tartine, actually looking at the definition of tartine shouldn't this be served open face?) and in Protein we fabricated chickens, there now everyone is up to speed. That brings me to tonights main topic: chickens.

So last week Chef Oystein (I seriously hope that is spelled right) showed us his way of fabricating a chicken, which as we noticed, was totally different from the way in that weeks lecture. He described it as being easier and like many things it was the way he was taught so it is the way we would be taught. His way seemed logical and was very similar to the way I butchered a chicken last summer with the help of Alton Brown (on YouTube, not in person). Everyone seemed to be getting it pretty well but I noticed there wasn't much talk of the "oyster" which I have long thought to be one of the prized chicken bits. Didn't think much of it until tonight when we were scheduled to have our practical on the 3 proteins we have gotten our hands on so far (pork, fish and chicken). When Chef Garvey stepped in during Team Chicken to show them how to fabricate it most everyone was caught off guard because it was pretty different from t

he way we were showed last week and this time much was made of the oyster.

With such wide spread confusion thankfully we were not tested tonight on our chicken skills. Everyone got a chance to break down one or two birds with a practical to come I'm guessing. I did the first one just the way Chef Oystein showed and while Chef Garvey remarked that it looked very nice, basically none of the oyster was intact on the thigh. So I grabbed another one from the cooler and decided to try a combo method of the two Chefs in an attempt to get the oyster while still doing it how it makes sense to me. It turned out to be a complete success (except for leaving the damn wishbone in until only the breasts remained). This little experiment is the proof of what I have heard time and time again in culinary school: take all the best information and technique that you learn from the instructors and distill it into your own method.

A post on my triumphant consomme practical in a few hours when I'm bored at work!