School has started and it's a bitch. I won't even begin to tell you how much is being asked of me this semester, because a)it's ridiculous and would take forever, and b) no one really wants to hear about it. Suffice it to say, I'm not the only one...poor G. actually cried during class because our schedule is so demanding and overwhelming.

Anyway, despite all that...I'm still completely confident in my choice of career. I'm not confident that I'll make it or that I won't be homeless and broken by the end but whatever. The reason I'm so confident is actually two-fold. Today I actually went out to observe one of the sites where I'll be doing my practicals and I was actually able to answer a client's question that even the dietitian couldn't. Also, I'm sitting here tonight with the Food Channel on in HD, and a laptop in my lap watching Mark Bittman on the Times website. Because I CANT GET ENOUGH.

So, moving on....I stumbled across another blog started by a woman who decided to cook her way through Thomas Keller's French Laundry cookbook (ala the Julie/Julia project). I, of course, am familiar with Keller and have seen the cookbook but I thought "Hm, I should look at that again" so I picked it up today at Barnes & Noble and started looking through it...and I was like, "Damn."

Keller is smart, and really is an artist. One of his quotes "Respect for food is really a respect for life" I can't agree with more. But..Damn. His stuff is just so....involved. For example, several of his recipes require resting times of hours or days, for several parts of an individual recipe! ...I completely understand WHY but most of his stuff is just so beyond my means/abilities/desire. I want to touch food, prepare food, but I don't want to turn it into art - refine it to the point of making it ...I don't know...inaccessible? I'd love to eat at one of his restaurants someday though...Bouchon, Per Se or the French Laundry. I won't be able to sit still in my seat. Cornets with Salmon Tartare and Red Onion creme fraiche...someday you will be mine....

Where was I going with all this??