Midcourse Exam Directions -- Final Exam Directions

After you complete Lessons One through Eight, you may apply to take the midcourse exam. The midcourse exam is worth 100 points. The exam must be administered by an approved proctor at an approved testing site. You must choose an appropriate proctor before applying to take the exam. Any nearby university, college, or community college should be able to assist you. If you are in military service, an education officer can proctor your exam. Once you have selected a proctor, complete the exam application form online or use the hard copy in the back of your course packet. You should finalize proctor arrangements by the time you complete Lesson Eight.

The exam will consist of 100 multiple-choice questions, true/false, and matching questions. Below is a list of topics to guide you in your study for the midcourse exam.

Applying to Take the Midcourse Exam
To request a proctored midcourse exam, login to the course portal and choose "Request an Examination." You will need the following information:

• Proctor's name
• Proctor's title
• Proctor's institution
• Institution's full address
• Institution's phone number
• Proctor's email address

When Lessons One through Eight have been graded, you will be given approval to take the midcourse examination.

Midcourse Exam Review
The following topics will be covered on the midcourse exam. The exam will have 100 multiple choice questions.

Introduction material

• technological advances in the kitchen
• chef requirements
• historically how specific chefs influenced cooking today (e.g., Soyer)
• different types of cuisine (grande, et al.)

Kitchen format

• different stations (hot food, cold food, etc.)
• different positions (e.g., sous chef)

Kitchen equipment

• different types of pans (e.g., sauté)
• measuring devices (cups, scales, spoons, ladles, etc.)
• other types of equipment (salamander, griddle, rotisserie, etc.)
• factors to consider when purchasing equipment
• types of knives and what used for

Menu formats (static, cycle, etc.)

• descriptions in menus (e.g., guidelines for truth in advertising)

Cooking principles

• different types of preparation (poaching, simmering, braising, stewing, frying, baking, etc.)
• common temperatures for preparing foods in different ways (poaching, frying, etc.)
• common oil selected for frying and different methods of frying (e.g., which frying method is appropriate for different foods)
• measuring (e.g., volume, mass, etc.)
• when to apply cross-hatch marks to foods

Breads

• standard breading procedure
• different types of flour used to make bread, and their characteristics (gluten, starch, etc.)
• yeast characteristics and other leavening agents
• different types of dinner rolls
• how dough is handled (rolled-in, overkneading, etc.)
• different cooking methods (e.g., injecting steam into oven)

Types of cocoa powder

Recipe calculations

• cost
• conversions

Safety & sanitation

• characteristics of contaminated food
• potentially hazardous foods
• common causes of food-borne illness
• different types of microorganisms
• degree of doneness of different types of food (meat, deep-fried foods, cakes, etc.)
• standards for employees
• standards for washing dishes and other areas of kitchen
• different hazards (biological, chemical, physical, pest, etc.)
• HAACP
• fire procedures

Eggs

• standards
• cooking methods
• common dishes (e.g., scrambled eggs, quiche)

Milk

• types (fermented vs. non-fermented, concentrated, etc.)

Cheeses

• types (fresh, semi-soft, etc.)
• common uses in foods

Desserts

• frozen
• quick breads
• ingredient types (e.g., type of fats used with different mixing methods)
• pastry types (puff, éclairs, etc.)
• crème chantilly
• custard types
• flan
• truffles
• gelatin characteristics
• different ways of preparing ingredients (egg whites, caramelizing sugar, etc.)
• pie types
• best ways of whipping egg whites
• common ingredients in pies
• ways ingredients affect texture, crust, etc.
• St. Honoré
• Napoleon
• cookie types
• how ingredients affect texture, spread, taste
• cake types
• common Ingredient substitutions
• understanding texture and problems with texture (e.g., top of cake cracking after cooked)
• icing choices matched with cake types
• different ways of mixing ingredients
• folding, creaming, blending, cutting

Sauces

• different types (broth vs. stock, mirepoix, etc.)
• ways to add ingredients (e.g., demi-glace) and flavorings (e.g., vanilla bean)
• ways to handle different ingredients (white stock, purifying bones)
• stock clarity
• proper cooking techniques (e.g., consommé)

Salads

• types (bound, tossed, composed, etc.)
• plate presentation
• ingredients (e.g., chicory)

Dressings

• types
• oil types used in dressings

Soup types & common ingredients

• proper temperature for serving different types

Sandwiches

• characteristics
• different types

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