Vacation almost over

I have been anything but Idle on my Vacation. I've been a busy boy. Doing you ask...well...

My previous post talked about my great opportunity to work with a caterer's kitchen and loved it...this week...I got to cook dinner for the Elks and I volunteered to help at a fundraiser event.

The Elks Lodge in Redlands was hosting a dinner event for all the lodge heads for the Inland Empire...One of our students, is a member and cooks for them and she offered some of the students an opportunity the help her with this formal dinner event. Several of us went in to help out and have some fun in the kitchen...boy did we have a great time.

The menu:

Side salad...yeah...nothing to exciting there...I mean, we made it pretty and all...but really...its lettuce and stuff.

Entree - We made rice pilaf, that had more of a risotto consistency...very yummy, with an apricot glazed chicken breast with grilled asparagus.

Dessert - chocolate cake with a vanilla Grande Marnier filling, with a whip cream frosting with ground pecans and orange Zest.

I mean...it wasn't too fancy...but for us...it was a blast to make and plate. We had the young marines come in and take the plates and server the guests and bus as we kept the flow going in the kitchen.

It was non stop busy once they sat down but it was a serious blast!!! the Elks members all loved it and we have an open invitation to come and cook for them anytime...WE WILL BE BACK!

Also, today ACF had the honor of making some small appetizers for a fundraising event to help underprivileged kids with a foundation that focuses on providing training in the Culinary field. Its called the Axis foundation. Great people and the fundraiser seemed to be a success.

I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying this...even if some of these events are free...I'm meeting lots of people and learning a lot that will help me later in life as I get my career started.

Monday is coming...and I can't wait...time to get started on my next semester...I really need to get practicing on my knife skills...that and invest in lots of bandaids...LOL