Just call me Chef V!

It's official!..... I'm a classically trained and certified Chef!  WOO HOO!!!!  Trading in my floppy for a stiffy (and that refers to my toque/chef hat!  LOL)  My first Bucket List item checked off.  I am beyond thrilled with this accomplishment.  My goal was to not only earn my Chef certificate, but to do so with a 4.0 GPA..... I DID IT!!!!  WOO HOOTY HOOT HOO!!!!!!  This was a very self empowering journey... sooooooooooooo glad I did it!

This past Wednesday was finals for Baking 1, my last class in my quest to earning my Chef degree.  I hunkered down for a week studying and baked 3 batches of eclairs in this week as well to practice, and it all paid off quite nicely!  I made a 99.1 on my written final and an A on my practical final.  We had to make eclairs, pastry cream and chocolate ganache as the practical final and we also had a weights and measure obstacle course to complete as well.  Wednesday was one of those 'PERFECT' days!

Now what am I going to do with my degree?  That is the question I get asked a lot, as well as suggestions on what kind of restaurant or business I should open up.  I'm very touched that so many people in my life think my culinary skills are worthy of running a successful business... but... I feel like I still have lots more to learn before I even consider opening an eatery of any  kind.  A breakfast/lunch shop is the suggestion I get the most.... I think that has a lot to do with my last baking class and all the yummy pastries I have learned to make, and because many of my family and friends had to eat their way through all my practice batches of pastries... willingly I might add..... actually quite willingly!!!  LOL  I think my kitchen has a permanent smell of pastry cream from all the eclairs I have made in the past week..... the only bad thing is.... the minute you walk into my kitchen you start drooling and looking for the sweet treats your nose is telling you are there!  LOL

For the rest of the winter months my plan is to continue my education through Julia Child, Ina Gartner, Giada De Laurentis, and Paul Bocuse from their wonderful cookbooks I have collected.  In the spring if my schedule permits, there are several more culinary/baking classes I would like to take just for the fun of it.  And I also have several cookbooks from our abroad travels that I would like to learn from and cook from as well.  The cooking and learning isn't over just because I graduated, and as I try out and learn new recipes, I will post any and all of them on my blog for all my blog readers to try as well.  We will continue to learn and cook together!

Thank you to all my blog readers for all of your support!!  I always enjoy it when my blog gets mentioned in a conversation, especially when someone has told me they tried a recipe I posted and their thoughts about the recipe.  I hear from several of you that you would like to comment on my blog, but can't figure out how to do so..... wish I could help with this issue because I would love to hear your thoughts.... but I'm clueless... I have no idea how to post comments.  If anyone figures it out and can post a comment on how to post comments I would deeply appreciate it!  Because I too would love for bloggers to be able to post their recipes for me to try as well.

Happy Cooking!!!
Chef V