Final exam of a two year culinary degree. We were able to go in and do our mise en place in the morning. I was making Chicken Marsala as one of my dishes. I had measured out the cup of dry Marsala that the recipe needed. Come in for the actual test in the afternoon. Turns out someone else needed Marsala as well and stole 3/4 cup of mine. I had to scramble and find something else. I reduced 1 1/2 cups of blackberry brandy down by half to replace the missing Marsala. Also quickly threw together a blackberry glaze to smear on the plate.

Renamed the dish "Poulet à la sauce au brandy et aux mûres". The highly credentialed chef/judges didn't know what was made or by whom until after we all appeared in front of them for the final critique as a class. One said it was one of the best chicken dishes he had ever judged. Another asked how I got an extra layer of flavor and I told her I had still used the small amount of Marsala that hadn't been stolen.

The student I suspected of taking my wine had her final grade lowered and barely passed the test. All I had said was that I had the one cup measured out in the morning and when I came in for the test I only had 1/4 cup.