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  • Market Basket Day Tips Please!

    Posted by Adam Julian Redoblado on September 26, 2024 at 18:30

    Hi everyone!

    My class will have a market basket day exam for our midterms next month. I was wondering if you have any tips and advice for our exam?

    We have no idea what will be provided on the day of our exam except for the available spices and equipment available like the stove, oven, pans, etc.

    I was wondering what should we study and consider in preparation for this type of exam? Should I focus on frying / grilling more since these are pretty universal with whatever meat / seafood is available? I’m open to any advice or techniques.

    Thanks in advance!

    Sol Damiani replied 1 week, 4 days ago 5 Members · 12 Replies
  • 12 Replies
  • Sussan ScoolinaryTeam

    Administrator
    September 26, 2024 at 21:43

    Hi Adam.

    When I was studying culinary arts, we used to call it the “mystery box.” It usually consisted of vegetables, proteins, and some type of dairy (cheese, milk, etc.) or liquor.

    What I learned was that I needed to have three mother sauces memorized—one that could work with fish, beef, or chicken so I wouldn’t waste time deciding which sauce to make. Although you don’t always have all the ingredients for a base sauce in this type of exam, with knowledge, you can improvise and get close to an acceptable sauce.

    Next, I had to be clear on which side dishes could pair with any type of meat. Roasted vegetables, vegetable purée, or ratatouille are great options for those moments.

    If you have good skills and knowledge of grilling, beef, chicken, or fish can be cooked without any issues. Otherwise, go for simpler cooking methods like braising, frying, or roasting.

    These exams are known for showcasing your creativity and speed in the kitchen.

    Good luck with your exam!.

  • Sol Damiani

    Administrator
    September 27, 2024 at 15:18

    I love to be a witness of this conversation. 😊

    Thanks for helping our partner, Su. Let’s bring our dear @Enzo.ryan.finney & @orsolya-csernak to this thread to see if they have any other advice.

  • Sol Damiani

    Administrator
    September 27, 2024 at 15:19

    Of course, please tell us how it went, Adam😉

    • Adam Julian Redoblado

      Member
      September 27, 2024 at 16:01

      Sure thing. I’ll keep you posted after our midterms is finished.

      • Sol Damiani

        Administrator
        September 27, 2024 at 17:07

        👍 Wishing you the best!

  • Ryan Finney

    Member
    September 27, 2024 at 17:51

    Hey Adam. I had a mystery basket for my culinary school final. I’ll try to keep my advice simple. Don’t try to do too much. Self edit and keep a focused, cohesive dish in mind. Don’t rely on any techniques you’re not comfortable with and worry about which ones to use when you get your basket. Note which ingredients are easiest to transform into a sauce or side with minimal cooking or production. Keep in mind how long all your methods take before you commit to a plan or idea. Whatever you decide to cook, do what takes longest and whatever you can knock out that can rest until plating first. Don’t worry about impressing your instructor, worry about the ingredients and making them shine. Remember to build and layer flavors. Everything on the plate should be there for a reason, if something doesn’t really fit, scrap it. Taste and taste again. A great sauce can make a dish but it can’t hide poorly cooked food. Balance fat and acid. Taste one more time. Pinch of salt? Okay it’s perfect. And we know you’ll make it look great! A+!!! Good luck bro!

    • Sol Damiani

      Administrator
      September 27, 2024 at 18:01

      I’m possitive Adam will be very grateful for this 😊

      Thanks, my friend

  • Orsolya Csernák

    Member
    September 27, 2024 at 22:41

    Hi Adam,

    We had “4 ingredient baskets” at the culinary exam in my school. Each basket had a variety of ingredients, and we had to prepare four 4-course menus per basket, write down all the recipes, and illustrate them with our own pictures.

    Scoolinary helped me a lot in my preparation, from plating to learning techniques. The courses that were especially useful to me were: Basic Stocks and Broths, Plating Techniques, Olive Oil, Basic Sauces… and there was a French chef explaining chicken preparation, though I can’t remember which course that was.

    A side effect was that I became more and more interested in other courses, so I ended up learning all the available Italian courses, the American Hamburgers course, and much more.

    Every course added something valuable to my exam preparation.

    Good Luck, Adam 🙂🙂

    • Sol Damiani

      Administrator
      September 30, 2024 at 17:29

      Thank you so much, Orsi! I shared your lovely comment with the entire Scoolinary Team, and they are so happy to know that we’ve been a day-to-day companion of yours.💖

      • Orsolya Csernák

        Member
        September 30, 2024 at 18:48

        ❤😌 It is all true, @Sol!! And remember that I have just started the Pastry Chef course… a new school year 😌

        • Sol Damiani

          Administrator
          September 30, 2024 at 20:31

          I do remember! There’s an upcoming Bachour Course that I’m sure will blow your mind!

  • Ryan Finney

    Member
    September 28, 2024 at 07:05

    Just something I thought of later, I’m not sure what it’s like at your school but I made sure I got all the pots, pans and tools I needed immediately. It was a little cut throat in my kitchen!😄

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