Soup, soup...and more soup

I think you're starting to see the trend: we are learning soups first.  I guess thats an easy way to start.  Essentially we are learning knife skills because every soup/potage so far has like 5-6 different vegetables.  and the cuts are some small.  I'm talking 1-2 mm!  Thankfully I haven't cut myself yet.  Others have not been so lucky.  Chef calls demo and lets say someone has one cut, by the next demo the same person has like 3 cuts!  too bad.  I'm pretty good with the knife, but still scared of it.  let's call it respect.  I haven't gotten to the point where the knife is up against my knuckles with each cut, but i'll get there.

Here is my week of soups:

Soupe au Pistou (pesto)

This next soup was pretty intense because today was the first day of julienned veggies.  we started with a mandolin (the really scary guillotine looking device for making really thin slices) and then had to make 1-2mm slices from that. (p.s. i would love the metric system if i didn't grow up in america.  so now, even though it make sense, I have to convert back to the US system)  these beautifully cut slices were only used for garnish!  Waste of time?

Mix of Potage Julienne Darblay and Vichyssoise

One was from the green of leeks, the other from the white

There should be a picture here of my Potage Saint Germain aux Croutons...but this is just a fancy way of saying SPLIT PEA SOUP. I can't get away from the stuff! I tasted one spoon just to check the seasoning before I presented to Chef Sébastien. But that was it. I did not even take of picture. Ich!

Sorry to those with weak stomachs, but we made fish soup and I had to gut and cut my own fish and soft shelled crab. Thankfully, I have no problem with the yucky stuff. Years of science labs followed by years in the OR, I have seen just about everything. I heard a few gags across the room but we all will get used to it. I had to use my giant cleaver to cut and I kept closing my eyes! I guess I was trying to keep the bits from flying into my eyes but I forgot how much i love my fingers! Some bits did fly into my mouth, but oh well.

Unfortunately, my uniform smells awful now and has blood stains, and the French are just catching on to the idea of bleach so i'm still scrubbing and soaking trying to get it clean. I thought I would love this soup, thought it would be something like lobster bisque. But the potato leek was actually my favorite. One of the fish had moderately poisonous fins (which I can't remember if I cut off) and we blended everything including scales, bones, and shells. So basically a wannabe-smooth-but-still-sandy texture.

Soupe de poisson (fish)
or as I like to call it, Poisonous Sand soup

I did not get to present this soup because Chef called time when I finally made it to the blender. At least five of us missed out because we all start to cook at the same time, so we are done at about the same time, so there is a line for limited equipment like the blenders. At least 4 others didn't present either so at least I wasn't alone. But I gotta figure out how not to be last in line for next time.