Yup, so I bit the bullet and signed up for the next class in the series: Culinary Techniques 201.

Here’s the Syllabus: CT 201 Syllabus January 2010

Culinary Techniques 201 January 20, 2010 through March 24, 2010

These are techniques that an advanced home cook or professional would use. All classes are both demonstration and participation.

DATE                     TITLE                                   INSTRUCTOR

January 20          Tasting Seminar          Francois Dionot

Chef François celebrates the sensation of taste by guiding students through the four basic tastes of sweet, salt, sour and bitter. This is a breakthrough class for cooks, one that you have never experienced before. The perfect meal begins with the precise ability to taste before all else. Chef Francois has taught this class to chefs and food professionals throughout the United States.

Topics include:

• The Importance of Taste: Development of a defined and refined palate.
• Review of the 4 P’s: Understand the dynamics of food on a plate – contrast, color, texture, and taste.
• Market Basket: Create, develop, prepare, and plate a three-course meal.

January 27         Charcuterie                       Patrice Olivon

Charcuterie is an art and science in itself. Traditionally, charcuterie was limited to the production of pork-based pates, terrines and galantines. However, over the years it has come to include products made with game, poultry, fish, and vegetables. In this class we will use the traditional pork and duck and we will focus on procedures for making common charcuterie items that can be prepared in most kitchens.

Topics include:

• Demonstrate proper technique for selecting and combining appropriate ingredients and seasonings for various styles of sausage and pate.
• Show proper techniques for marinating, grinding and stuffing to ensure good results
• Students will produce country style sausage and foie gras mousse sausage.

February 3          Fish & Shellfish                 Francois Dionot

Always an important food source, fish and shellfish have become increasingly popular in recent years, due in part to demands from health conscious consumers. Many fish and shellfish species are very expensive and all are highly perishable. Because their cooking times are generally shorter and their flavors more delicate than meat and poultry, special attention must be paid to fish and shellfish to avoid spoilage and to produce high-quality finished products.

Topics Include:

• Cutting and Cooking methods for flat fish and round fish.
• Preparation of lobster stock, lobster cream for sauces and soups.
• Handling and cooking of head on shrimp

February 10        International Series – France   Patrice Olivon

Provence

Marseille is the heart and soul of this region located on the south east coast of France on the Mediterranean Sea. Bouillabaisse is the iconic dish of Marseille and is steeped in the history and culture of the area.

Topics Include:

• The proper steps of making and seasoning the broth

• Preparation of the appropriate fish and garnish

• Students will make their own Bouillabaisse

• Discussion of regional wines usually paired with these dishes

February 17    International Series – Italian       Bonnie Moore

Italian Northwest Region

The Northwest region of Italy is home to the regions of Aosta Valley, Liguria, Lombardy and Piedmont. The cuisine of Valle d’Aosta and Piedmont is, strongly influenced by their neighbor France as is much of the food of Northwest Italy. The complex menu and all of the techniques you will learn are important to advance beyond simple, basic preparations

Topics Include:

• Ingredients and techniques from northwest Italy to better understand world flavors
• Discussion of chestnuts and stuffed meat and braised greens
• Study of fortified wine and methods to poach fruit in it
• How to properly make cannolli shells
• Basics of cheese making by making ricotta cheese

February 24      International Series – Spanish     Allyson Lara

Basque Region of Spain

More than just paella and manchego cheese, Spain offers a varied feast of flavors, textures and preparations only now being appreciated as one of the most eclectic cuisines in the world. Because of Spain’s location and the geographic diversity of its 17 regions, the country has a long history of melding culinary influences from Arabic, Irish and French cultures with its varied climates and agricultural traditions.  In this class, we will focus on the cooking of the Basque country (also known as Pais Vasco). Specifically inspired by French “nouvelle cuisine”, the Basque country is now considered the center of Spain’s culinary stronghold and boasts an eclectic bounty of flavors and ingredients.

Topics include:

• The culture of Basque culinary traditions
• Preparation of a selection of pinxtos (or tapas as most of us know them) that span the wide variety of Basque flavors and preparations.
• Exploration of typical Basque ingredients including sweet Piquillo peppers, Chorizo Chistorra, Idiazabal cheese, Bonito tuna, as well as a sampling of Txakoli (Basque white wine) among other ingredients.

March 3       International Series – American     Brian Patterson

Southern BBQ & Grilling

American cooking represents a vast mix of history and cultures, melding the New World bounty with old world traditions. The “local revolution” of cooking with regional products has taken hold almost everywhere in the United States, such that almost every region of the country has its own “culinary identity.” You will understand the traditional styles of the most popular Southern regional classics including Barbeque and Grilling. This class is designed to provide an overview of the basic techniques of cold smoking, hot smoking and grilling.

Topics include:

• Review of the methods of seasoning and curing including dry brine, water brine, and dry rubs.
• Use of modern techniques to enhance traditional barbeque and grilling methods.

March 10        Advanced Pastry Skills          Samantha Burdman

Chocolate Tempering Techniques: Enrobing, Molding, & Décor

In this class, students learn basic tempering techniques that apply to a number of advanced pastry skills, such as enrobing truffles and candies, molding chocolate bowls and cups, and a variety of décor work.

Topics Include:

• The four basic methods to temper chocolate and to use the tempered chocolate in several different applications. Chocolate tempering does not require any specialty equipment, but it does require an intimate knowledge of the inner workings of the chocolate crystal. Because of this, it is something only the most ambitious home cook will attempt.
• Chocolate tempering (seeding method); enrobing hand-formed truffles; flatwork on foil; molding chocolate using balloons; chocolate cigarettes; chocolate curls.

March 17          Molecular Gastronomy          Edgar Steele

Cooking with Precision

Some call Molecular Gastronomy, precise cooking which is a cooking style that involves complete control of what is happening with the food while cooking. This control is noticeable through the finished result, and apparent with each step of the cooking process. Every step of cooking is done for a reason. Every ingredient is used with care and carefully measured.

Controlled cooking allows us to achieve consistency in every day cooking, and is a vehicle for creativity. It helps to create a base of easy to view techniques which can be built upon to create new things in a controlled process. These techniques would not be done in a typical home kitchen.

Topics Include

• The techniques of this class will vary in degrees of complication, but will be easy to understand through thorough explanation and step-by-step demonstration.
• The more control you have over what you are doing, the easier it will be to learn and create.

March 24  Wine & Food Pairing  Brian Patterson/John Peters

Pairing wine with food is more art than science and in this class we will explore the highly subjective and inexact process. The old rules, primarily red wine with red meat and white wine with fish and poultry, don’t take into consideration the complexity of today’s multi-ethnic and subtly flavored foods and the corresponding wide range of wines from around the world.

Now you’re more likely to hear food and wine pairing suggestions than hard and fast rules. There’s significant room for experimentation and expression of your own personality in pairing food and wine.

Topics Include:

• Techniques for pairing specific foods and wines together by incorporating appropriate wines in the preparation of food, serving wines that are particularly compatible with specific foods, and adjusting food to match flavors in wine.
• What foods can be hostile to wine and why.

* * * * * * * * ****************

To register for this class email Tatiana Videla info@lacademie.com or call 301-670-8670. You must have already taken the prerequisite classes: Cooking Techniques 101, Advanced Culinary Weekend, Culinary Skills Lab or Intermediate Techniques of Cooking.

L’ACADEMIE DE CUISINE, 16006 INDUSTRIAL DRIVE, GAITHERSBURG, MD 20877

This was the “final” for the class.  Using the techniques that we had learned throughout the class, we were given a surprise “basket” (or hotel pan, as the case may be) of items.  The professional culinary students do this exercise each Friday, oftentimes with Chef making some last-minute changes (removing ingredients, shortening time, making the students work alone instead of in pairs).  He uses it as an opportunity to push the students to be creative, to work quickly and efficiently, and to “face the music” of a tough but constructive review.  There is always an incentive for the professional students to win this from week to week.

For our test, we were given a bit less than 2 hours to prepare two courses using all the items in the basket, plus we had access to the usual pantry staples such as vegetables, spices, and pretty much whatever else we wanted, within reason.  I paired up with Jim since we share a passion for food and good degree of culinary skill.  Being the idiots that we are, we decided to give up the relatively safe basket that was on our table to go after the fame and glory of a GREAT basket…or a difficult one.  Of course, we ended up with the difficult one:

• Frogs’ Legs
• Calf’s Liver
• Pomegranate
• Cabbage
• Black Beans
• Avocado

The Basket

Of course, Chef had to give us the Don Pardo “Let me tell you what you didn’t win…” speech in front of the rest of the class.  The basket that we gave up had frog’s legs, scallops, and endive.  I’m actually kind of happy that we didn’t get the scallops.  I wasn’t interested in confirming my scallop allergy during this class.  The other basket – the GREAT basket – that I didn’t pick (yes, I picked the wrong one) had a nice piece of beef and and big ‘ol hunk of foie gras.  I have no idea what else was in there…just the fact that we didn’t get beef and foie gras hurt enough.

Calf’s Liver with Bacon and Onion Sauce, Roasted Cauliflower Puree

I can honestly say that I’ve never cooked liver.  The only time I’ve really ever tasted liver was at Tempo Restaurant in Alexandria.  One of their specials is Foie de Veau Dijonnaise, prepared with pancetta, onions, mustard, and cream.  The sauce was outstanding, but I’m still not sold on the flavor or texture of liver.  Jim and I discussed our options for about 20 minutes.  It seemed like we had so much time…

So we decided to stick with the classic combination of liver with onions and bacon.  However, we didn’t want it to be completely traditional, so we decided to make a sauce highlighting the flavors of the onions and bacon, but working it into a Bordelaise-type sauce.  Initially, we thought we’d reduce some of the pomegranate juice with the sauce to add some sweetness.  Jim got to work on the sauce and said that he’d take care of the liver preparation.

From what I can remember, Jim sauteed bacon with onions until it was well caramelized.  He deglazed with some red wine and veal stock (Chef was nice enough to share it) and let it reduce.  We strained it, continued to reduce a bit, and then added some butter to help balance out the acidity.

The liver was simply dusted in flour and quickly pan-fried in butter.

We made a side of roasted cauliflower puree.  I cut up the cauliflower, drizzled it in olive oil and sprinkle of salt, and roasted it in a 350°F oven for 12-15 minutes, just until it started to take on some color.  To make sure it was completely cooked and soft, I continued to cook it in a saucepan with some chicken stock and a bit of cream.  Jim boiled some potatoes for added texture in the puree.  The flavor was good, but it was a little looser than we had hoped.

Pan-fried Frogs’ Legs with Pomegranate Cabbage Slaw

I can point to two times in my life that I’ve had frogs’ legs.  The first was at La Maison Troisgros in Roanne, France.  I figure if anyone is going to do them well, it’s going to be a Michelin 3-Star establishment.  If I recall correctly, they were coated in mustard and sauteed.  Mom passed on them which is how she got to try the famous salmon with sorrel sauce.  Mmm.  The second experience with the little critters was at The Brickskeller in Washington, DC, during their 50-year anniversary celebration.  Apparently, they were part of the original menu.  They weren’t bad, but they were kind of deep-fried, bland, and probably not something I would order again.  It was definitely a surprise to get them in the basket.

Jim and I tried to come up with ideas, and the only thing that made sense was to make a cabbage slaw that incorporated some Latin flavors.  We could shred the cabbage, make a light vinaigrette incorporating citrus, toasted cumin, and the beans.  It occurred to me that as long as I was using lime and orange in the dressing, I might as well use the pomegranate, too.

So, I got to work on seeding the pomegranate, shredding the cabbage, and making the vinaigrette.

• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Lime zest (1/2 lime)
• Lime juice (1/2 lime)
• Orange zest (1/4 orange)
• Orange juice (1/2 orange)
• Pomegranate juice (2-3 T)
• Rice wine vinegar (splash)
• Honey (about 1T)
  
• Canola oil (4-5 T)
• Toasted cumin seeds (1/2 tsp)
• Ground coriander (1/2 tsp)
• Cayenne (pinch)
• Salt and pepper

• Cabbage (1/4 head, shredded with mandolin slicer)
• Cilantro (couple leaves, chopped)
• Black beans (a scant handful)
• Avocado (sliced)
• Pomegranate seeds

I whisked together all of the wet ingredients and felt like it was a good vinaigrette.  I added it to the shredded cabbage to allow it to marinate for a bit.  Before serving, I tossed in a handful of cooked black beans.  I would have used diced avocado in the slaw, but it was pretty much brown and rotten on the inside…only a little of it was salvageable.  So, in the final presentation, I just fanned out some slices of avocado.

For the Frogs’ Legs, I salted them, dusted them in flour, dipped them in egg wash, and dipped them in seasoned flour to mirror some of the flavors in the slaw (ground cumin, ground coriander, cayenne, paprika, salt, and pepper).  I pan-fried them in a mixture of butter and olive oil.

Presentation

We drew numbers while we were cooking to determine the order.  So, in addition to our bad luck on the basket selection, I drew #1.  Gah!  The team that was up next would plate while Chef reviewed the dishes of the previous team.  The food was kept in a warming box until plating and presentation.

Group 1: APK and Jim

Frogs' Legs with Pomegranate Cabbage Slaw

It was pretty nerve-wracking to stand in front of the class with a dish that I wasn’t 100% sure about and try to explain what I did and what I wanted to do.  Truth be told, I was thrilled with the slaw and Chef thought it was very good.  I undercooked the legs since I was worried about holding them in the box and them becoming overcooked.  Chef thought the presentation was okay, and that the frogs’ legs needed a lot more salt.  He was right.

Pan-fried Calf's Liver with Bacon and Onion Sauce, Roasted Cauliflower Puree

Chef was generally complementary of this liver dish, but thought the whole thing needed more salt.  Looking at the plate now, we probably should have gone with less puree and we could have incorporated another color component to make it pop a bit more.  In the end, he thought both dishes were well executed, a bit basic, and needed more salt.

I’m shocked at how fast the time went.  We struggled to get everything done in time, and actually went over the time limit a bit.  If it was Top Chef, we would have been eliminated.  I’m not sure what I was doing to fart around so much, but I know I wasted a lot of valuable time.

Group 2:

(L) Salmon with Mushroom Risotto (R) Pan-roasted Lamb Tenderloin

Katherine (who I’ve worked with several times) was part of this team.  They had arborio rice, a piece of salmon, and a lamb tenderloin.  Chef thought the risotto was nicely done, though needed a bit more salt.  The salmon had a nice crust on it.  The lamb was very well cooked, but the spice rub (which included Asian flavors like clove, star anise, 5-spice powder, etc.) was a bit overpowering.

Group 3:

(L) Endive Salad with Orange and Beet (M) Calamari Two Ways (R) Chicken Leg with Sauteed Mushrooms, Beurre Blanc

Group 3 had one guy I’ve worked with before (Moussaka night) and a girl that I never had the chance to work with.  They had endive, calamari, jalapeno, and a two chicken leg quarters.  The woman prepared the dishes on the right and left and she exhibits a lot of skill.  She has an amazing eye for presentation.  Anyways, Chef really enjoyed the salad and the presentation with the Parmesan cup, though it was almost an exact replica of the salad we made in the third or fourth week of class.  The calamari dish was not particularly well-received.  The offering on the left side of the plate was supposed to be a pan-fried calamari with tomatoes and slices of raw jalapeno.  The other was a grilled calamri with leeks.  The chicken dish was very well cooked and the sauce was classic.  His only comment was that a few of the mushrooms should have been cut down a bit.  Otherwise, it was a very successful and tasty dish.

Group 4:

(L) Veal Blanquette with Celeriac Puree (R) Bacon Risotto

Group 4 had veal, celery root, and arborio rice.  I haven’t worked with one girl from the team and the other usually attended the Thursday class.  Chef thought the veal was cooked nicely, but the sauce needed a lot more cream and lot more acidity.  He wasn’t wild about the “L” shaped presentation and thought a bowl would be a better vessel.  The risotto was overwhelmingly bacony, so he called it a bacon risotto.  Despite the amount of bacon, it needed more salt.  Chef also pointed out that serving the risotto in a clam-shell dish indicated that there should be seafood in it.  There wasn’t.  Just another thing to think about – make sure that what you’re serving fits the way it is presented.

Group 5:

(L) Pan-roasted Game Hen with Blood Orange-Jalapeno Gastrique (R) Pan-seared Scallops with Shrimp Bisque and Corn

This team had a game hen, jalapeno, and scallops.  The game hen looked nicely roasted and was cooked well.  Chef thought the sauce was a bit too sweet, but it did have the acidity to balance it out.  The shrimp were not seared correctly and were overcooked.  Chef gave them the shrimp bisque to use as a sauce, so that was good.

Group 6:

(L) Goat Cheese with Honey-Caramelized Pistachios (R) Lamb Tenderloin with Dried Fruit Cous Cous

Group 6 had fresh goat cheese, cous cous, dried apricots, and lamb tenderloin.  Chef thought the presentation of the cous cous was a bit unwieldy, but otherwise the dish was well executed.  The clump of goat cheese with honey was a bit odd as a dessert.  The components worked – the cheese, with sweet honey, and good texture with the pistachios – but the whole was a bit overwhelming.

Group 7:

(L) Pork Roulade with Apricot-Cranberry Chutney (R) Butternut Squash Gratin

Group 7 was Andi and Lauren.  I believe they had either pork chops or pork tenderloin, dried apricots, and butternut squash.  They flattened out the pork, rolled it with some of the dried fruit, coated it in panko, and pan-fried.  Chef thought the idea was good, but that the pork turned out a little dry and there was a bit too much of the chutney.  The butternut squash gratin looked great, though I couldn’t really hear chef’s comments about it.

Group 8:

(L) Pan-roasted Chicken Leg with Polenta (R) Green Salad with Pan-fried Trout

I couldn’t hear much of the discussion about Group 8.  Chef liked the polenta cake, but wasn’t wild about the sauce.  The trout looked nicely cooked.

—-

So, that was the market basket.  It was a good experience and I’d definitely like to try it again.  I think the exercise reveals strengths and weaknesses in everyone.  I’m happy that I could come up with a dish using an unfamiliar protein, but I’m slow and waste a lot of time.  I still want to know how to make things look better.  I’m much more comfortable with basic presentations.  I like food that tastes good more than I like food that looks good.  However, if I can start to figure out how to do both, that will be a big improvement in my cooking.

————————————————–

Next Week: Hors d’Oeuvres

Yes, this is the last class of CT 101.  But fear not, I have signed up for CT 201 starting on January 20, 2010.  So, I’ll get a couple weeks off, then start up again after the new year.

For the most part, we as Americans are so far removed from our food sources that we have little knowledge about what it takes to bring meats and produce to our plates.  How many of us have grown our own food?  Or witnessed (other than on a movie or television screen), the slaughtering of an animal for consumption?  We may know the difference between a top round roast and a New York strip, but do we know what part of the animal we’re grilling, braising or roasting?  Apart from the whole chicken or turkey (which many of us just finished cooking for Thanksgiving), or perhaps fish, we do not purchase whole animals from our grocery stores.  We do not require the knowledge of anatomy that it takes to deconstruct a mammal, nor do many of us like to think that we are eating a being that was once living, breathing, and feeding on the land; we prefer to purchase our meat in conveniently pre-packaged cuts wrapped in plastic.

However, humans domesticated animals more than 10,000 years ago, and we’ve been hunting, killing and eating them for much longer.  And it wasn’t too long ago that many of our relatives had to slaughter their own animals to feed their families or communities.  Many cultures and societies still do this (one day I will recount my experience of watching friends slaughter chickens in Zimbabwe).  Growing and processing food develops within us more of an appreciation for our meals, and we should all strive to learn a little about where our food comes from – how it is grown and raised, what it is fed, how it lived and died.

Until recently, I had not chosen to be involved with the butchering of a whole animal (I had seen a former neighbor dismantle a deer in the back of his pickup and had squeamishly declined to watch him process a whole goose a friend had given me).  That is until Derek and Amanda Luhowiak, owners and operators of Local Sixfortyseven, a mobile farm-to-fork kitchen, invited friends over to process a 51 pound lamb.  (Side note:  Derek and Amanda pull their “food cart” to farmers’ markets, wineries, and special events around Virginia’s Fauquier, Frederick, Loudoun and Fairfax counties.  All of their food is locally and sustainably sourced – even down to the ketchup on the beef burger – and they were recently finalists in the best food cart competition on Good Morning America Weekend.)  That morning, Derek picked up the lamb from Fauquier’s Finest Butcher Shop, where it had been “dressed”:  the head, feet, skin, innards and some fat had been removed. 

Derek peeks into the cavity, checking for cleanliness and...

...GOODIES! Kidneys, heart and liver.

We got to work quickly, using a bonesaw (similar to a hacksaw but the teeth are larger and deeper) to break down the beast into its primal and sub-primal cuts.  The primal cuts include the shoulder, rack, loin and leg, and the sub-primals include the neck, foreshank, breast and flank.

The neck has been removed, and Derek cuts into the spine where the tenderloins end.

After breaking the animal down into primal and sub-primal cuts, we proceeded to cut and trim those pieces into smaller, more manageable cuts.   

Splitting the hind quarters. (Photo by Amanda Luhowiak)

Removing the hip from the leg. (Photo by Amanda Luhowiak)

Several of the larger cuts, including the ribs and shanks.

Two Barnsley chops, taken from the loin (or saddle) area of the lamb. This is a "double" chop that is more common in Britain than the U.S.

We also produced stew meat and ground lamb that we made into sausage and patties.  We aimed for about 30% fat content in the ground meat.  We cut the shoulders, one leg and many of the trimmings into large chunks, and Derek mixed in an amazing spice paste, similar to ras el hanout, that he had made.  Then the meat was sent to the freezer to rest and chill before grinding.  In order to prevent a “mealy” or coarse texture in the sausage, it is best to chill the meat so the fat does not begin to separate during grinding.

Derek grinds the meat for sausages.

Using the 85 pound meat grinder to produce spiced ground lamb.

Carefully turning the sausage stuffer - it's not easy trying to get the correct amount of meat moving through consistently! (Photo by Amanda Luhowiak)

Derek turns the giant sausage into individual 4-5 inch portions. Extra air in the casing is removed by poking it with a sharp object.

The finished product.

When everything was said and done, we had spent approximately four hours from whole lamb to final cuts and products.  From a 51 pound lamb, we estimated that we got 41 pounds of meat.  Not bad for a half day’s work!  The major reward?  Derek cooked up some fiery lamb curry, and we enjoyed some IPAs and great conversation to end the evening. 

Fiery lamb curry stewing away on the stove.

One of the best curries I've ever eaten!

If you are interested in learning how to butcher different animals, Derek and Amanda plan on hosting more events such as this.  Join the Local Sixfortyseven Facebook group for more information.  Thank you guys for an amazing experience!

Well hello again friends!!!  It’s been a while eh?

Hope everyone is enjoying this nice, long extended weekend (it’s only Saturday whoop whoop?!) 

I feel like I have totally left you guys hanging since Turkey Day, but I needed a lil’ technology break & decided that time with my family & boyfriend was in order… I know ya’ll understand! 

Gotta share with ya’ll the highlights of yesterday’s eats though…

Shredded turkey BBQ - in a barbecue, red wine & balsamic vinegar sauce blend that was a superfab way to reuse the turkey day feast!

Also some homemade peanut butter cookies featuring this guy & agave nectar (we ate them before the camera found them I’ll make ‘em again soon, promise!)

So onto today, which has started off fantastically as well   It’s sunny & chilly out which made for a perfect morning to spend at Lavendar Fields Farm, a local farm that also offers different cooking classes and the such.  They have fantastic herbs, 250 types of USDA certified organic to be specific…. and the farm is only about 15 minutes down the street (so weird that I live 15 minutes from both a city and a farm right?)

This morning I met Mom & Sis there for a Cooking with Herbs Class!

It’s such a cute place friends, the family has been on the farm for 6 generations and some of them are Australian so their accents are to die for!  They literally open their house up to everyone and have a huge indoor/outdoor garden, shop, etc.  It’s absolutely lovely

So onto the class, where I learned SO MUCH about herbs that I never knew. 

They really are such a fabulous way to add fantastic flavor to your cooking with no fat and with added health benefits… did you know that parsley is one of the healthiest herbs you can eat fresh – 1 cup offers more beta carotene than a carrot, more calcium than a glass of milk, more iron then 3oz. liver (ew), Vitamins C & K?  WOW!

We also learned how to do a tarragon infused vinegar (easy peasy friends) and the smell of this was FABULOUS.  I want to make this very soon (it would make a lovely gift too!) and use in on salads, veggies, etc….

Hello sista!

We sampled some absolutely yummy deelish Lemon Balm MiniMuffins topped with cream cheese & (get this) lemon flavored sugar!

Lil’ sis got the recipe and has announced that she will be making these for the holidays (she’s the baker of the family!)….  I will of course ensure this happens by not allowing her to come home from college if she doesn’t haha

There were also some fresh herb butters and cream cheeses to be sampled… what an easy fun way to fancy up the norm right?!

It was a fantastic way to spend the morning, and I know that I will be heading back there very soon!

Afterwards I did a little shopping for Christmas Tree goodies (p.s. If you are in Richmond, Ben Franklin is having some fantastic sales!)… I’ve never had my own tree before and The Man & I are so excited that we get to share one this year in our very own home!  <3 We have a certain theme we are going for, which will of course be revealed once we get it all together

Lunch eats needed to be easy, light & healthy… nothing Ukrops couldn’t handle!  Veggie Bean soup + Salad topped with everything under the sun.

Ahhh felt good after all that turkey day food to get back to some normalcy!

This afternoon’s plans include the week’s meal planning, WORKOUT (I’ve been a bad fanatic ) and picking up any needed dinner supplies…

…. once The Man gets off work we are spending tonight Christmas Tree decoratin’ and having a cozy dinner by the fire which is scheduled to include Pork Tenderloin (no more turkey please haha).

See you friends tonight and have a most wonderful Saturday

HEY FRIENDS!! 

Sorry to leave you guys hanging, but it’s been a serious shopping & relaxing day around here with some great leftover eats included… however my camera is currently on it’s Turkey Day vacation but we’ll be back tomorrow!

• Turkey, Cranberry Apple Chutney & Cream Cheese Sammies
• Shredded Turkey with red wine barbecue sauce

Check back in tomorrow friends… because I am headed to a special Cooking with Herbs Event and you know there will be recaps!!

Hope to see my girl @EatingBirdFood there too

Have a wonderful Friday night friends (ummm best Friday night ever right?!?!?!)

I attended my first cooking class last Sunday. It felt good for a Sunday morning to be joined with other fellow bakers having a ball of a time in the kitchen. We made some macarons and oh my goodness, what a science it is! But I am so proud of myself nonetheless cos at least mine didn’t come out half bad at all! I am like a proud little kid bringing back the A-s and showing it off. My bf loved it and my friend finished it (well,almost all of it), I barely had 2! Here’s some photos:) For all who wanna take part in some cooking fun, remember to check out palate sensations.

Badly piped ones, oops! As compared to the cooking instructor’s…

Yeah I know

But after adding on the chocolate ganache, they didn’t look so bad…

Oh so proud!

My lemon batch wasn’t so bad..well at least I thought they were a big improvement from the chocolate ones

But my batter was over-beaten, so they turned out slightly harder in texture

But like they always say, practice makes perfect! Definitely gonna try baking these babies again. And some behind the scenes pics for your little eye

Have you signed up for your baking class yet?

sign up

more information

At this time of year we’re in full swing festive mode. It’s getting busy and with all the holiday soirees and get togethers, we let down our guards and embrace the festivities with good food, sharing and of course a few extra indulgences. I myself have already started!

When I’m planning to attend a dinner party or event where there will be a plethora of delicious treats, I prefer to keep my preceding snacks and meals moderate and healthy so I can enjoy new foods and tastes at the party. This is what the holidays are all about, isn’t it!?

One of my favourite healthy snacks is a chick pea hummus. This is my Indian version. It can also be a nice, fresh and healthy addition to your holiday table too.

Indian-Style Hummus

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups chick peas, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup cilantro

1 tbsp. Arvinda’s Curry Masala

1 tsp. lemon juice

3 cloves organic garlic

1-2 fresh green chilies

1/2 tsp. sea salt

Method of Preparation:  In a food processor or blender, add all ingredients. If necessary, add 1/4 cup of water to thin out if hummus is too thick. Process until smooth. Garnish with a sprig of cilantro and serve with fresh cut vegetables.

Speaking of holiday parties, don’t miss our Merry Masala Cookie Exchange on December 1st in Toronto, Ontario. Click here for details. It’s our sweet twist on tradition. Hope to see you there!

Again, I managed to misplace the notes.  I’ll post the pictures for now.  I really have something against pastry…

• Terrine du Chocolate (flourless chocolate torte)
• Buche de Noël (Yule Log)
• Les Bananes Flambées

I’m sure the notes are on my kitchen table, but I just haven’t looked very hard.

Pictures

Chef's Terrine du Chocolat

Chef's Terrine du Chocolat with Basil Creme Anglaise and Raspberry Coulis

APK and Jim's Terrine du Chocolat. Came out a little more crumbly than Chef's...and still not as good as Neal's.

Chef's Cake for the Buche de Noel, Chocolate Ganache

Chef dusting his Buche de Noel with Powdered Sugar

Chef's finished Buche de Noel, garnished with fondant holly leaves and berries, fondant candle with an almond sliver wick, and meringue mushrooms.

Another angle of Chef's log.

APK and Jim's Buche de Noel, in progress...

APK and Jim's Buche de Noel. We made an Irish Cream flavored buttercream frosting.

A slice of the Buche de Noel before bed. Bad idea...too much sugar.

Chef's Bananes Flambees

Jim's Bananes Flambees

Recipe for Romesco Sauce

Romesco sauce is a Spanish favorite. Roasted peppers are combined with ground almonds, hazelnuts, olive oil and vinegar to make a smooth, rich sauce.

Yield: 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

4 Medium-size ripe tomatoes, Cored (1.75 lb total)
1 Head Garlic, Sliced in half crosswise
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 ounces Blanched Almonds, (1/4 cup)
1 1/4 ounces Peeled Hazelnuts, (1/4 cup)
1 Dried Ancho Chile, Cored, seeded, slit, and opened so it lies fairly flat
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, To Taste
3 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
2 tablespoons Red Wine
1 slice Stale White Bread, Torn, if needed

Directions:

1.  Heat the oven to 375°F. Put the tomatoes and one half of the garlic head in a baking pan. Drizzle about 1 Tbs. of the olive oil into the cored tomato wells and on top of the garlic half. Roast until the tomatoes and garlic are well caramelized but not burnt, about 90 minutes. From the remaining half head of garlic, coarsely chop 1 Tbs. garlic and put it in a food processor.

2. While the tomatoes roast, heat about 1 Tbs. of the olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Toast the almonds and hazelnuts in the pan, shaking the pan or stirring so they don’t burn, until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Cool the nuts on a paper towel and then put them in the food processor.

3.  If using a dried chile, sear it in the same small pan over medium-high heat (keep it flat with a spatula or a fork) until a smoke wisp appears, about 10 seconds per side. Soak it in 1 cup hot tap water until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain and put the chile in the food processor.

4.  When the tomatoes and garlic are caramelized, let them cool. Pinch off the tomato skins (discard them) and squeeze out the garlic pulp. Put the tomatoes and garlic pulp in the processor. Add the salt and start the processor, pouring in the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil in a slow, steady stream, as if making mayonnaise. Add the vinegar, pulse to incorporate, and taste; the sauce should have some zing, so add more if needed. Add salt to taste. Process the romesco until it comes together as a sauce but not so much as to lose its coarse, nutty texture. The sauce should be thick and creamy. If it seems too thick, add 1 or 2 Tbs. red wine. If it’s too thin, add bread, pulsing a few more times.

RECIPE FOR TORTILLA ESPANOLA (SPANISH OMELETTE)

The Spanish tortilla is a ubiquitous dish that can be eaten at any time of day or night. When properly done, it should be creamy on the inside and done on the edges. It is best savored a few hours after making it when it is at room temperature.

Recipe by: The International Culinary Center

Prep time:  15
MAKES 12 servings

INGREDIENTS:

8 large eggs
Salt, to taste
Olive oil
6 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 Large Spanish onion, peeled and thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Break the eggs into a bowl, season with salt, and beat the eggs with a fork without aerating them. Set aside.
2. Heat approximately 11/2 T of the oil in a 9-inch sauté pan. Add the onion and sauté it over medium head until soft and golden. Season lightly and, with the aid of a slotted spoon, remove the onion to the bowl with the eggs.
3. Add more oil to the pan and heat until almost smoking. Add enough potatoes to cover the bottom of the pan. Cook the potatoes, turning them occasionally, until they are golden and crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Season lightly before removing them from the pan.
4. Drain the potatoes, reserving the oil, and add them to the bowl with the other ingredients. Make sure the vegetables are covered with the eggs, and let them sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Place the pan back over a medium heat, and heat oil until it almost smokes. Pour in the eggs and begin to shake the pan immediately to ensure the product does not stick. Reduce the heat and cook for about 3 minutes until the bottom is golden.
6. Invert the mixture onto a plate and set aside.
7. Return the pan to the heat and add more oil. When hot, slip the mixture back in the pan and continue to cook over low heat until the bottom is golden and the entire tortilla is still somewhat soft in the interior.

Recipe for Stuffed Piquillo Peppers

This classic tapa is commonly made with piquillo peppers.

INGREDIENTS:

12 piquillo peppers
1/4 c raw orzo
4 tbsp olive oil
1 med red onion, chopped

2 1/2 oz kale, washed, dried & torn into 1-2 inch pieces (~2 cups)
kosher salt and fresh pepper
4 oz goat cheese

1 tsp chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
12 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
grated zest of 1/2 lemon
1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/12 c dry white wine or water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring med pot of salted water to a boil. Cook orzo till al dente. Drain and cool. You should have about 1 2/3 c cooked orzo.
3. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in large saute pan over med-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until tender, about 5 minutes. Add kale and cook, stirring, until wilted and tender, another 5-7 minutes. Season w/salt and pepper.

4. In a bowl, combine onion and kale w/the cooked orzo, feta, herbs, olives, lemon zest and 1 tbsp of lemon juice. Toss gently until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and add more lemon juice if necessary.
5. Slice off the top 1/2 inch of each pepper and reserve tops. With a paring knife, cut away the white ribs inside the peppers. Turn the peppers over and tap out the seeds. Divide the orzo filling among the peppers and replace the top of each pepper.
6.  Stand peppers in med baking dish and sprinkle with remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil and salt and pepper. Pour white wine into pan and cook peppers in the oven until the peppers are very tender and slightly blackened on top.

I was giving a young friend who is trying to become vegetarian/vegan some nutritional and cooking advice and they asked me to teach them how to make a few simple things. Oh yeah, one challenge is, they dont know how to cook anything!

So on the menu was:
1) Roasted Root Vegetables
2) Simple Daal with Spinach
3)  Quinoa (which oddly enough, I had never made before, but I had a package in my pantry)

It turned out pretty well, and it was fun! Wonder if I should start my own cooking classes?

We started tonight’s class – Herbs, Spices, and Grains – with a pop quiz, spice and herb identification.  We could only look and smell, no tasting.  See how many you can get right without peaking at the answers below.

a. Cumin, b. Cardamom, c. Allspice, d. Lavender, e. Turmeric, f. Nutmeg, g. Poppy Seeds, h. Clove, i. Gumbo File, j. Anise, k. Black Mustard Seed, l. Dill, m. Fennel, n. Caraway, o. Coriander, p. Sage, q. Juniper, r. Celery Seed, s. Mace, t. Saffron

After spices, we moved on to herbs.  Again, we could only look and smell, no tasting.  See how many you can get right without peaking at the answers below.

1. Curly Parsley, 2. Mint, 3. Dill, 4. Rosemary, 5. Sorrel, 6. Basil, 7. Sage, 8. Cilantro, 9. Oregano, 10. Flat Leaf Parsley, 11. Thyme, 12. Winter Savory, 13. Marjoram, 14. Chive, 15. Tarragon

In Vietnamese and Thai cooking, fish sauce (nuoc mam) is as what salt is in Western and soy sauce in Chinese cooking. It is included in practically all recipes. Prepared from fresh anchovies and salt, layered in huge wooden barrels, the manufacture of fish sauce is a major industry in Vietnam. The factories are located along the coast to assure the freshness of the fish to be processed. After about 3 months of fermentation in the barrel, liquid drips from an open spigot, to be poured back into the top of the barrel. After about 6 months the fish sauce is produced.

The first draining is the very best fish sauce, lighter in color and perfectly clear (kind of “Extra Virgin” fish sauce). It is relatively expensive and is reserved for table use. The second and third draining yield a fish sauce of lower quality and lower cost for general- purpose cooking. The two towns most noted for their fish sauce are Phu Quoc and Phan Thiet in Vietnam. Phu Quoc produces the best fish sauce, some of which are exported. On the label, the “nhi” signifies the highest quality.

In my Asian cooking recipes involving fish sauce, I use the brand “Golden Boy” (Thailand) for seasoning and marinade. For salad and dipping sauces, I use the brand “Three Crabs” (Vietnam) that is nearly three times more expensive than the one used for cooking.

Hi! Sorry for not posting this morning, but I didn’t end up eating anything else last night so there was nothing to report. I didn’t skip dinner, or punish myself for indulging yesterday. I was just full from the happy hour and went to bed pretty early so eating again just didn’t seem necessary.

I did manage to hit the gym for 40 minutes of cardio. Then I came home and did 10 minutes of abs and 20 minutes of arms. It was a better workout than I’ve had in awhile, even though it was nothing to write home about.

Breakfast was another bagel and more coffee.

I overslept this morning, so I didn’t have time to make oats or a smoothie and I have no bars or anything fast at home right now. I actually love bagels, but these were not so great so I wasn’t thrilled to eat them twice in a row.

The older gentleman that bought me the wine last night must be trying to fatten me up or something, because he brought me a homemade cordial cherry from one of the booths in the other room. Yes, I ate it. He just stood there and stared at me, and I just wanted him to go away. (I also took an awkward iPhone pic whilst he stared… cuz that’s how I do.)

It was actually very delicious. Even better than the brownie yesterday I could have done without the actual cherry, but the chocolate and the filling were both super luscious.

The trade show really should not have continued today. There was hardly anyone there, and all I wanted to do was get back to work because I had several deadlines to meet.

Luckily, I got my way and got to leave at around 11 a.m. Unluckily, I didn’t have anything to eat for lunch since I was planning on eating there again.

So I used the hot spot feature on my car navigation and found a Greek restaurant to grab some grub from. However, I was not impressed. I should have run away screaming when they informed me that they didn’t have hummus (what kind of Greek establishment doesn’t have hummus?!?) but I was in a hurry. I ordered the Greek Salad.

It was not good. There was hardly any feta (the essence of the Greek salad), and it only contained two cucumbers and two tomatoes. And the dressing tasted like bottled Kraft Zesty Italian. I tried to eat it, but eventually gave up and had some almonds.

I’ve been looking for these Salt and Vinegar almonds everywhere and finally found them at Walgreens the other day. They were delicious!

The nuts kept me full for quite a while (please fill in the ______ ), but eventually I had an apple as well.

This evening, I am going to partake in a very exciting cooking class! I’m going with my sister-in-law and I’m super pumped. We’re learning to cook Thanksgiving food!

However, this takes me to the title of this post (bet you thought I’d never get there).

It’s funny because I can remember a time not too long ago when I was complaining about how I never really had anything to do and feeling bored by my routine. But now, my life is bustling and going non-stop and all I want in the world is to have my routine back. Funny isn’t it?

I’m a stress-eater and, in general, I just don’t have that much natural discipline when it comes to eating right and working out regularly. It’s something that I have to get in the habit of doing, in order for me to realize how good it makes me feel. But it seems like every time I fall off the bandwagon, it just gets harder and harder to climb back on.

It’s not like I’ve been doing anything terrible, but I haven’t been trying as hard as I could be to get to the gym. And while I’m at the gym I haven’t been doing enough to make up for the time I’ve had to miss. And I’m still eating like I would if I was kicking butt in the gym 5 or 6 times a week.

Also, being off my routine (and not buying groceries regularly) causes me to eat things that I know I don’t really want and make rash decisions (like bad Greek salads) because of a lack of a solid plan.

I know I can’t expect things to go back to normal until… well probably until I get back from Mexico on January 5th (woo hoo, that’s a happy note!), but I really want to start trying to maintain as much of my routine as possible until then, when I’ll hopefully develop a new routine that involves:

• working out with my new workout buddy near my new home
• working out in my workout room in my new apartment
• and grocery shopping at all the kick-ass places near the new abode

So yes, the grass is always greener on the other side. But until I get to that other side, I’m going to keep dealing, with my tried and true methods, and just focus a little more on what I’m eating and how much activity I’m getting. If I’m really tired, or not feeling well, or insanely busy, or studying to be the next Julia Child – then hey, to hell with the workouts. But if it’s just because I don’t feel like it – I’m going to go anyways! And I’m going to make it count!

Please note that this is not me body bashing myself, or trying to say that I should eat perfectly – I never want to eat perfectly because that would mean giving up some things I really love. I’ve actually become so much more self confident over the past few months than I ever have been – and I’m far from my lowest weight. I just like being the best me I can be, and that me is one that gets heart-healthy exercise and eats fresh, whole foods.

Okay, enough yaddayadda – I’m off to cooking class

Hello blog world!  It feels like it’s been a while

I hope everyone had a better start to their week than this fanatic, but I won’t bore you with the details of spending the morning at the doctor, trekking to work and then having an allergic reaction to the antibiotics I took… yea, just picture no fun and you’d be right on target. 

Let’s just say I am hoping they can get me on a new meds tomorrow so I can keep feeling better without the adverse  effects :/

But anywho, I did go into work for a few hours bc I had some meetings that just couldn’t be cancelled…. praying that I didn’t infect anyone

Let me get to some fun stuff already, geeeeeze I am such a Debbie downer today!

This guy.

Round 2 with Stonyfield yogurts included this guy – blueberry flava though.  Apparently Stonyfield just acquired Brown Cow… either way this stuff was superb!  I am really loving both Oikos/Stonyfield & Chobani… I don’t know that I could choose a favorite at this point   Crazy, right!

Also, look what the UPS guy dropped off today!! (golden halo? haha)

Ummm if this couldn’t cheer me up then I don’t know what will?!  Jenna, you are an amazing bloggie friend, thanks so much for lifting my spirits today

And tonight, after  trying not to panic about the allergic reaction mustering up some energy I headed over to Whole Foods with my favorite lady (hey heyyyyy Mom!) to attend a Holiday Cooking Class!!  The class was focused on a healthier eating lifestyle, and it was A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!! 

Before class the chef proceeded to take a dagger in ye heart when I was told I couldn’t take pics… for realz?! 

Ah well, just image gorgeous food and it tasting even better.  There, good enough right   Sorry friends

However you gotta check out the menu, it was good stuff:

• Puff pastry w/ sharp white cheddar & apricot preserves — take that brie!
• Dried cranberry relish w/ granny smith apples, cinnamon & orange
• Crab  and artichoke dip
• Clementine jicama salad
• Field roast with wild mushroom grazy
• Parsnip puree

Umm the puff pastry & cranberry relish made me want to do a happy dance, holy yum!!!  You will be seeing these very very soon friends  

The parsnip puree was also divine, I had never had parsnips before?  The field roast was actually a vegetarian meat product stuffed with butternut squash and some other goodies… it was decent in my book but nothing special.

Overall it was awesome, I had a blasty with my mom and met some new friends (the chef got my blog address – shout out hey hey!!!)

I also learned some really cool new cooking stuff while I was there, that’s what is so great about food and cooking – you can NEVER know all there is to know, there is ALWAYS something to learn and that is just amazing

You think I’m kidding eh?

One thing I wish I didn’t learn about haha was Icelandic butter, which was amazing when used in small portions through some of the dishes (higher butterfat content, clocks in at 100 cals and 11g fat per tblsp) but I couldn’t resist buying some!  Moderation, right?

Yea, my thighs are cursing me right now…. sorry buddies!

Alright friends, gotta XOXO outta here.  It’s been a long day and I’m just hoping everything gets better overnight, but you know I’ll keep you posted!

See you tomorrow friends, I hope ya’ll have a fantastic monday night

P.S. Don’t forget to check out this week’s Blogger Secret Ingredient contest, I am totally looking forward to seeing your yummy bleu cheese recipes peeps, I know ya’ll have some awesomely awesome tricks up your sleeve !

This is more of a placeholder…I managed to misplace my notes.  I’m sure they’ll show up at some point.  We made:

• Gâteau de Savoie with Buttercream Frosting
• Soufflé (both Chocolate and Grand Marnier)
• Madelines

If the notes turn up, I’ll post ‘em.  If not, it’s no big loss.

***Updated***

Chef's Gateau de Savoie

The PDF of my notes and the pictures are after the jump.  That’s the extent of my enthusiasm for pastry.

Pastry

The PDF of my notes can be found here: Pastry I

I may feel compelled, at some distant time, to add some detail to the notes.  There were a couple tricks that Chef suggested, but I’m not a pastry chef and I don’t aspire to be a pastry chef…

Chef's Gateau de Savoie, dusted with powdered sugar

Chef's Madelines

Chef's Souffles, half chocolate-half Grand Marnier

APK and Andi's Souffles

Andi and I didn’t frost our cake.  It was already 10:30pm and I didn’t want to think about carrying a cake on the Metro.  So, here’s a 4-tier version from a classmate.

Some Madelines (not ours)

Anita's Souffle (I've worked with her before, and she's good!)

Mini Pumpkin Pie

As I mentioned, three of my sisters and I spent this past weekend in Healdsburg to surprise my Dad for his b’day.  As part of our plan, each us chose part of the day Saturday or Sunday to do something one on one with him.  For my time, I took Dad to Relish Culinary Adventures to learn from a pro how to make pumpkin pies and apple galettes from scratch.

The class was tought by Kathleen Stewart of Downtown Bakery and Creamery in Healdsburg.  Kathleen is an alumnus of Chez Panisse and was part of the original Bakers Dozen organization lead by Marion Cunningham.  Kathleen’s demonstrations and the information she imparted throughout the three-hour class were really valuable.  Even my Dad, who learned how to bake over 50 years ago and is a great cook, learned a lot from Kathleen.  Plus, we received her recipes for pie dough and pastry dough. 

The hands-on portion of the class was pretty basic.  The class was larger than I expected for a hands-on class, 22 people to three tables.  What this meant was that for the pumpkin pies, 8 of us collectively mixed up one batch of pumpkin pie filling (the pumpkin puree had already been made, which was too bad because I’ve never done that part before) and poured it into premade parbaked pie crusts.  While the ingredients were of organic quality, baking wise it was the equivalent of mixing up the Libby’s pumpkin pie mix and pouring it into a Pillsbury crust. 

We each then rolled out one mini pie crust from pre-made dough to make our own mini-crust.  Kathleen demonstrated the pinch and push method for making the crust edges – my Dad’s turned out perfectly.  Mine?  Not so much.  It was pretty pointy.

My crust on the left, Dad's crust on the right

Next up, apple galettes.  We rolled out our premade pastry dough (super-elasticky) placed 1 tsp of flour, 1 tsp of sugar in the middle of the dough, covered with sliced and peeled apples, added 1 TBSP sugar and a pinch of cinnamon and wrapped it up – attempting to “pleat it” like Kathleen showed us.  Once wrapped, brush with melted butter and apply a bit more sugar.  Easy, simple and delicious.  Even though my “pleating’ job was poor the end product looked professional and tasted wonderful.  So wonderful, that it was long gone before I thought of taking a picture. 

Overall, it was nice hanging out with Dad doing something we both enjoyed.  Even though the class wasn’t as hands-on as I had expected, we still learned a lot (the freezing and resting info alone!), and I’m now excited to make my own pie and pastry dough instead of resorting to crust in a box.

Samosas are one of India’s most loved appetizers and is probably the most known out of the immense variety of Indian snack foods available in the world.

Always a triangular shape, samosa filling ingredients and pastry type can vary greatly depending on which part of India you are in. With that in mind, the recipe below is not your typical samosa. Baked not fried, this recipe uses a simple and easy phyllo so you don’t have to fuss too much with the pastry — making it easy yet impressive for holiday entertaining season!

If you want to learn how to make the ‘real deal’ be sure to visit Arvinda’s Savoury Samosa Workshop in Oakville on Monday, March 1, 2010. Back by popular demand! Register early as this class is limited to 10 people only.

Ingredients:
1 pkg. phyllo pastry
2-3 medium potatoes, finely cubed
1 onion, finely chopped
½ zucchini, finely cubed
5-6 broccoli florets, finely chopped
2 tsp. oil
2 tsp. Arvinda’s Curry Masala
½ tsp. sea salt
¼ cup goat cheese
¼ cup cranberries
¼ cup cilantro
Arvinda’s Garam Masala, to garnish
oil

Method of Preparation:
In a pot, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add potatoes, onion, zucchini, and broccoli. Fold in Arvinda’s Curry Masala and sea salt. Cook with lid on for 10-12 minutes, until potatoes are cooked and tender. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375F.

Arrange four layers of 8 ½” x 11″ phyllo pastry onto work surface. Brush oil in between each layer. Cut phyllo into three equal columns.

Add filling mixture. Crumble goat cheese on top and add a few cranberries. Sprinkle cilantro and a pinch of Arvinda’s Garam Masala.

Fold phyllo to make a triangle. Continue with remaining mixture.

Arrange on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until phyllo pastry is golden in colour. Yield = 10-12 pieces.

Serve with chutney of your choice or tomato ketchup with a dash of Arvinda’s Garam Masala.

I did a private cooking class at the Hilton Suite Winnipeg Airport a week ago. The event is one of the spousal program of a meeting orgainzed by a company in Winnipeg.

In the Taste of Thai program, I demonstrated the preparation of three dishes, Spicy Shrimp Salad, Golden Cups and Red Chicken Curry.

The following shows the description of the spousal program pasted on top of the invitation card.

Coconut milk is made from diluting the liquid pressed from grated coconut meat with water. It should not be confused with the liquid in the center of the coconut that is called coconut water or juice. Nowadays, the pressing process is done in factory and coconut milk is canned or made into powder for convenient use.

Full coconut milk is approximately 20% fat. About 50% of the fatty acids in coconut fat are lauric acid, which is the same fat found in abundance in mother’s milk. Lauric acid is known to promote normal brain development and contribute to healthy bones. It also has important anti-carcinogenic and anti-pathogenic properties and is less likely to cause weight gain than polyunsaturated oils.

When cooking meat and seafood in my recipes, I use the Aroy-D brand (from Thailand) “for cooking” coconut milk. It has more rich taste and aromatic flavour than the general purpose canned milk or milk powder that I would normally use in dessert and drink.

I’ll teach this dish tonight in the Asian Cuisine III cooking class.

We want to give you an update on the specials and events happening here at the Rivertown Inn. We are now in our Quiet Season, open only Thursday-Sunday and we are offering a great special, along with some fantastic events for those willing to venture out this winter to visit us! Here are the details:

This special can be used with any of our rooms with the exception of the Agatha Christie and the Oscar Wilde Suites. Not valid with any other offers, coupons, or certificates.

Not valid for a Friday or Saturday night.
This offer excludes New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, and Easter.

If you have any questions or concerns about this special,
please call Rivertown Inn at (651) 430-2955.

Win a One-Night Stay at Rivertown Inn!

Help Rivertown Inn reach 200 fans on Facebook and be entered into a drawing to win a certificate for a one-night stay at Rivertown Inn! Once we reach 200 fans, all Rivertown Inn Facebook Fans will be entered into a drawing to win a certificate for a one-night stay. A value of up to $300! Expires one year to date of drawing.

The winner’s name will be posted on our Facebook Page. Check our Facebook Page regularly to see if you are a winner! Become a fan of Rivertown Inn and encourage your friends to become fans. Help us reach our goal and be entered to win!

This one-night certificate excludes New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day.

Not valid for a Friday or Saturday night. Not valid in the Agatha Christie or Oscar Wild Suites.

To become a Fan of Rivertown Inn on Facebook, Click Here or Text “fan rivertowninn” to FBOOK (32665) from your mobile phone and you will be added as a fan instantly. Standard charges may apply.

]]> http://mopsgreentreerolla.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/some-time-together-some-time-apart/ Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:58:48 +0000 mopsgreentreerolla http://mopsgreentreerolla.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/some-time-together-some-time-apart/

I know you all love your kids and I know you all need some time to just be yourself without them.  This week, we’ve got two back-to-back activities.  On this Thursday, from 9-11am at FCC we’ll be having our Monthly Fun Visit (MFV) – we’re going to be helping our kids make gingerbread cookies.  This started out as making gingerbread cookies, and then evolved to making the ones that are ornaments but after a scheduling conflict, I think we’re back to just decorating them again.  I can tell you for sure that we will be having fun with our kids and that gingerbread of some sort will be involved.

On Friday, we’re having our Mom’s Night Out (MNO) – a cooking class with our very own chef (for real)  Christy!  Meet at FCC at 7pm for a night of instruction, demonstration and yummy, delicious food.  She’ll be showing us foods that are easy to make for the holidays but will wow your crowd.  She is always willing (and very able) to answer any question you might come up with for all things kitchen related.  This is always a really fun and relaxed night and you’ll probably leave with a full tummy and a wonderful packet of all the things she’s done.  Even if you don’t like to cook, you’re not going to want to miss this night.  There is no childcare for this event.

If you have any questions about some time together with your child or some time apart for yourself, please leave a comment or e-mail me at mopsgreentreerolla@gmail.com

Recipe for Grilled Autumn Vegetables

INGREDIENTS:

2 yellow squash, halved, seeds discarded, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick rectangles
1 butter nut squash, halved, seeds discarded, sliced into triangles
1 eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch-rounds
3 red bell peppers, seeded and halved, sliced
4 plum tomatoes, sliced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pre-heat the grill to medium-high (or a grill pan)

2. Arrange squash on a steamer rack in a saucepan and steam over boiling water, covered, until tender, about 15 minutes.
3. On a big platter brush the sliced vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.

4. Place the vegetables on the grill. Cook for 5 minutes, turn over with tongs, and grill for 5 more minutes, or until they are lightly charred with grill marks. Remove from the grill.

5. Serve warm with the phyllo squares, goat cheese & olive tapenade.