The Raw Food Finale...

Well, my 105 Degrees culinary course has come to an end. It's a bittersweet feeling because I finally get to be with my family for the holidays (Until my hubby gets back from his deployment on the 18th!), but I really miss everyone at 105 Degrees, my classmates (Elizabeth, Alyssa, and Brad), and all the experimenting with raw food that I've been able to do the last month...  

Here is Alyssa, Brad, and I at the end of our very loooong last day. Elizabeth had to take off a few days early before our final menu presentation, but she was very missed! 

For our final menu we were required to put together a 3 course menu that incorporated all the knowledge and techniques we acquired over the month as well as some personal touches of our own.  I wanted my menu to use local seasonal produce, draw from the spirit of the holiday season, and be chocked full of warming comfort food. It was as follows:

Thankfully... I PASSED, and everyone loved the raw stuffing! Here is the final product... Second Course, First Course, and Third Course (left to right).

I definitely struggled with plating my 1st and 2nd courses, and our instructor Ladan really helped me to pull it out at the last minute! She made the plates look AMAZING! 

This was some of the craziness before the FINAL HOUR... 

I've learned so much the past month and am still trying to digest everything! I have been making recipes for my family non-stop since I arrived for Thanksgiving.  Even my VERY carnivorous younger brothers have been impressed :)

If nothing else, my 105 Degrees experience has helped me more thoroughly understand the basics and nutrition of raw food and made me more comfortable taking on recipes in my own kitchen, but it has also encouraged me to start looking for ways to incorporate what I've learned into my career...  We'll see... 

Tomorrow I'll post all of the recipes I developed for my final! I think they went over fairly well...