cocinando with carolina 

Which unit was your favorite and why?

My favorite unit was the Northeast Unit because although I live in the U.S., I tried many different types of recipes that I’ve never been able to taste before. For a example, the cheesesteak and the boston cream pie were my favorite labs because they tasted the best to me. Those are probably the only two recipes that I will recreate one day. It was a bummer that we weren’t able to finish the U.S. region because I was really excited to try food from the Southern part of the U.S. Soul food is really good, and I was really hyped to cook recipes from the South. Other than that, I’m glad we got to cook food from the Northeast.

What country do you wish we studied?

I wish we could’ve studied food from Italy. I really enjoy Italian food because it’s very flavorful. If were to study Italy, I would really enjoy making Alfredo pasta, different breads, calzone, and even Italian soups. Not only Italy, but I think other countries in Europe such as France would be really fun to study and recreate. It would also be really cool if music from that country played in the background while we were cooking to really set the vibe. I really hope to be able to come back to class to keep moving forward and finish the year off well.

What is one challenging aspect of cooking recipes from other countries?

One challenging aspect of cooking recipes from other countries is trying to find out it you’re doing it right. Sometimes I find myself questioning if this is the way that country does their specific recipe. Another challenging aspect is that different countries have different likings that I’m not so used to. For example, I’m not used to eating lamb, but in Greece, lamb is a popular meat to use in dishes. I’m not a big fan of feta cheese and that is also very popular to include in a Greek dishes. Overall, I’m just a pretty picky person, so when it comes down to trying new foods, I can be a little hesitant.

What have you most enjoyed about cooking recipes from other countries?

Although I’m a really picky eater, I still enjoy having the experience of cooking new foods. I still try out new foods just in case, and I use these recipes as ideas for anything that I would like to try out in the future at home, and make for my family. I also enjoy discovering different seasonings and toppings to every recipe. Some times, things that you thought wouldn’t go together, actually mix together well and taste good. I think having the freedom to pick our summative lab recipes is also fun because we have a choice in picking what we want to cook and eat.

Are you happy with your grade?

Yes, I’m pleased with my grade. It’s not that hard to be able to keep a good grade in this class, because all you have to do is show up to class on time, follow directions, follow the recipe, and maintain a positive attitude. I feel like your attitude plays a big role in your performance. When you have a good attitude, things go by easier. When you don’t have a good attitude, things can seem harder and you might not put in your best effort in the recipes. Being able to cooperate with your teammates also helps you maintain a good attitude.

What could you do for the rest of the semester to maintain your grade?

To be able to maintain my grade, I plan on coming to class in a good mood and cooperating with my teammates in a respectful manner. That means letting everyone have a chance to participate in the lab and communicating with my teammates as well. I plan on becoming more creative with my plating presentations and planning ahead of time so that way I don’t get stuck when it’s time to take a picture of my final plate. Being able to manage my time more will also help improve my grade.

What was the most challenging aspect of the summative lab?

This lab was pretty easy, the only thing I would say was being able to roll the sushi was tricky at first. My group and I tried following the video we saw in class, but when we tried it, it didn’t really work. Instead of using the bamboo mat to roll the sushi at first, we folded the nori over, rolled it a few times, then used the bamboo mat to cover it and secure it for a minute. Another challenging aspect was having to cut the sushi with out having the filling fall out. We had to be very gentle with the sushi. Other than these small obstacles, the lab was pretty fun and easy.

What did you use from your experience last time, and what did you do differently this time?

As you can see in the picture, I placed my sushi on the plate with some veggies next to it, so it wouldn’t look so lonely. This was just like how I did with my egg roll. What I did differently for this lab, is that I place a piece of cucumber to make it look like a leaf on top of the sushi. I also created a design on the back of the plate using Hoisin sauce to enhance the presentation and make it look cooler and presentable. What I also noticed this time, was that I was able to manage my time more and complete the summative lab with out any stress. It was a calm lab.

Which learning method did you like better?

In my opinion, I enjoy the method where each group researches one topic and presents to the class a lot better because I feel like it goes by quicker and not everyone is repeating the same thing over and over again. I didn’t really like the first method because since everyone researched every topic, many groups tended to end up having the same facts, so hearing the same thing over and over again got annoying. With this method, everyone learns something new and it is just way more functional. I feel like when each group has one specific topic, there is more creativity and everyone is able to take their time and not rushing to finish up the project.

What was the most challenging aspect of this summative lab?

The most challenging aspect of this summative lab was time management. I didn’t want to just have a side of sauce, I wanted to make the egg roll look presentable with another plate. Making the chow mein consumed a big chunk of time because you had to add other ingredients such as chopped vegetables and sauces into the plate. It was also difficult sharing the stove with my teammates because all of us had to cook three different things on the stove top, plus fry the egg rolls. Although I would say my plate looks presentable, multitasking by cooking the chow mein and drying the egg rolls was difficult.

What would you do differently during the next opportunity?

I would definitely say that during the next opportunity, I will choose a side that will collaborate well with the plate presentation and the time that I am given. Going all out for the presentation is a good thing, but using your time wisely is more important. During the next opportunity that I have for our next lab, I plan on looking for a side that is quick but creates a good impression and looks great with the main dish.

What are your overall thoughts of our first unit?

I really did enjoy this unit because Chinese food is one of my favorite foods. The different flavors used in every dish is great. The use of vegetables and incorporating them in dishes is mind blowing because they always taste so good. I really liked the creativeness in this unit, each recipe was different. I liked how these recipes were actually pretty quick and simple, yet so tasty. The only thing I would change is maybe look for recipes that require less frying because after class I always ended up smelling like the oil LOL.

Why did you decide to take Foods of the World?

One of the biggest reasons I decided to take Foods of the World is because I really enjoy cooking, eating, and learning about different types of dishes created all over the world. I am fascinated with the culture and traditions that each country has. In addition to this, I am a senior, therefore I thought it would be a cool way to end my high school years with one of my electives. This class is a great way to start my mornings because it really wakes me up and gets me going. Finally, I get to have fun with my best friend as well as create new friendships with my other group members.

What are you most excited for in this class?

The thing I am most excited for in this class is being able to work on my skills and become more advanced in cooking. I am excited to be able to work with my best friend and learn about cultures and traditions that I have never really learned about at all. Not only that, but since I am Mexican, I am also excited to cook dishes from Mexico because it is my favorite. I can learn how to cook these different recipes and help my mom in the kitchen, or possibly even introduce new recipes that she has never done.

Which unit sounds the most interesting to you and why?

Personally, the unit that sounds most interesting to me is the Greece unit. This is because I’ve never really heard about Greek food. I have at least some idea about every other unit, but I can’t really imagine what Greek food is like. I’m really excited to learn about the Greek culture because once again, I don’t really hear about it. Of course I’ve learned about some Greek history back in my freshman year Global Studies class, but since then, I’ve never really looked into the Greek culture or traditions. I can’t wait to be able to learn about their culture, traditions and especially their food and being able to cook and taste some cool recipes.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton