Basic culinary arts skills? We're ready to be tested

Chef Tony Marano's Culinary Foundation I class is ready for the practical exams on the fundamental skills. Wednesday will be knife skills, and Thursday mayonnaise and gazpacho, both to be made without the aid of blender or food processor.

Today was all practice, and everyone was energized and on the right track.

Photo shows the results of the 10 knife cuts I practiced today. Clockwise from upper left: tournée of potato; tomato concasse; minced parsley; minced garlic; chiffonade of spinach; cisseler of onion; brunois of carrot; julienne of carrot; batonnet of potato; small dice of potato. In the center is the curve-bladed paring knife that I use for tournée, at right the regular paring knife. Most of the cuts are done with a 9-inch chef's knife (not shown).

T.G.I.F.? Not this week

"So, are you feeling good about Friday?"

Chef Tony Marano of the California Culinary Academy asked me that as he watched me parboil a tomato for concasse as part of my preparation for his upcoming knife-skills practical exam.

Minutes earlier the man critiqued my tray -- skin in the onion ciseler, unevenly cut potatoes battonet, carrots julienne still cut larger than the specifications (1/8 of an inch gets smaller and smaller as we get older, no?).

After that, how could he ask the question? Here's how: It was meant purely as encouragement from an educator who loves his profession and wants to see his students come to that affection, too. And I do, Chef, I do. I just wish there were one, maybe two extra days in the week for practice before Friday.

(Photo: the soon-to-be victims and the weapons of my kitchen mayhem.)