Portland Meadows

This weekend, I was able to work at one of my favorite places, Portland Meadows. It's a great old place, filled with history.

I have been attending culinary school since January. Since I am doing the management track, I have only had one kitchen class. The rest of the classes have been management. I've been fortunate enough to be able to volunteer at different venues for some kitchen experience, and I've been loving every minute of it.

A past graduate of OCI is now the Food and Beverage Manager at Portland Meadows. She was looking for volunteers from OCI for the Kentucky Derby. I worked the event and really enjoyed it. I've been back a couple of times, just to help out and learned a great deal and have gotten very comfortable with their kitchen and staff.

I like working there, even though I try not to eat the food because it's concession food; a lot of fat and fried foods. I usually get to cut fresh fruit, which of course I taste for quality control purposes. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

This weekend, I cut myself, not once, but TWICE. Ugh. What a rookie!! The first time, I was washing my knife and my wet hand slipped over the blade. The second time, I was retrieving a knife from a drawer and caught my finger on another knife. Ugh. Both times, my hand bled like I nicked an artery or something. Literally, 30 minutes to stop bleeding. Nothing can suck the wind out of your kitchen confidence like a cut finger.

The glove of shame

But, you know what? I donned the 'glove of shame' and kept going. I didn't let it stop me. I laughed about it and moved on.

I ended up having another great time out there, all "cutting up" aside (see what I did there?), I can't wait to get out there again!

If you're in the Portland area, you should check it out. They do simulcast racing every Wednesday and Sunday through February, with live racing some weekend. It is really a visit to times past.