Gravlax with Cucumber, Radish and Ginger Threads.
At 8:15 Chef T gave us the orders - make bread now! We all went scurrying towards the flour and yeast at once. My bread came together well despite the fact I was still suffering from whatever is ailing me.
I steady stream of Tylenol got me through this day. I haven't clock-watched in this class, but today I did. And I counted the hours till I could go home and crawl back into bed.
But as Chef T stood at the front of the class today during the opening demo and talked about canapes, I felt happy to be in class. Chef T loves food, talking about food and teaching. His exuberance and passion are hardly containable, and when someone loves what they do that much, it's easy to be drawn in.
Canapes appeal to me. Like little mini-compositions. I like the artistry that's involved, and the systems involved in putting them together. I'm not into searing steaks and flambé-ing fillets, I want to fiddle with dill and micro-greens!
I should probably do my practicum with a caterer.
Some of what we produced today.....
(Disclaimer: Sorry the photos are not the best! We have been told to take any photos quickly and discreetly. So I only have a few seconds to snap. And the light is so bad in the kitchen. Ok, enough excuses.)
Frico, (parmesan crisp) with Herbed Goat Cheese and Honey
(Yes there is a parmesan crisp underneath! look hard!)
Shrimp Waldorf
Smoked Salmon with Fried Capers and Beurre Maitre D'Hotel
The fried capers and ginger were the big surprises of the day. Did you know you could peel the skin off ginger just by scraping it with a spoon? How did I not know that!? We then cut it as finely as we could into hair-like slivers and fried it to golden brown. It turned into ginger frizzle!
And since capers are unopened flower buds, when you fry them, they open right up!
And of course our morning bread was turned into baguettes.... (Mine is the one in front.)
Day 8, and I feel my skills are already miles above where they were 9 days ago!
And they're miles above mine! This is all very impressive. Look at you making baguettes! Is it a different recipe?
ReplyDeleteNo, I didn't know that about ginger.
By the way, I checked out all the bay leaves I could find in the store today and none said where they were from. So where do you get Turkish bay leaves?
I found Turkish bay leaves at a much cheaper price just down the street at my new favorite grocery store. I just look for anything that says "Product of Turkey" on them.
ReplyDeleteThe baguettes were made from what we call the "basic bread recipe", Which we must memorize.
300 ml flour
210 ml water
1T fresh yeast
1t salt
(It's the first time I've used fresh yeast, but we'll also use dry and instant throughout the course.)
SO weird, that's my pizza recipe as well. I don't measure though. What's the difference?
ReplyDeleteThe canapes are very cool looking and the photos are good, don't worry. How'd it all taste? ; ) I still can't wait to see you in baking when that all stats. I have a dream of you am me designing wedding cakes. You making cakes, me being anal with an exacto knife. Sounds kinda bad, but you know what I mean!
XXMElanie