Finally! A definition of molecular gastronomy that I can understand!
The 'molecular' in molecular gastronomy has the same definition as it does in molecular biology. The similarity is intentional, because chemistry and physics are at the core of this discipline - from Nature magazine
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Show me the money!
Had a pretty great brain storming session today for the culinary club. I would love to raise exuberant amounts of money for the club so that A) we have money to purchase supplies for competitions and entry fees B) can pay for tee-shirts, aprons, etc to help identify ourselves, C) sponsor trips to cool foodie places and D) possibly even start offering scholarships. We are going to host a chili cook-off next quarter, possibly have some knife skills and molecular gastronomy workshops, and do some volunteer work. We earned a little over a hundred with the The Ultimate Cupcake Challenge. My goal is to raise maybe up to $1000 by the end of the year? We'll see!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Evil, Pure and Total Evil
The Japanese madoline is the bane of my existence. I hate the thing, yet I loathe, I mean love the thing. I use it almost daily and without fail, someone always tries to teach me their method for using the medieval contraption. "Double glove it", "use a fork", "count to five then readjust", "ride it along the edge of the board" and several other tips. Perfectly sliced everything each time, except for when it clips your nails and fingertip off with it.
Yea, I screamed some expletives today, but not when I sliced my finger. No, the cursing and yelp of pain came when I put the blood clotting agent on it. Only after I put it on, did I read the little warning: may feel a burning sensation for 30 seconds when applied.
Ultimate Cupcake Challenge!
Got out of work today, almost had to work a double, but Chef Matt came in and basically told me not to come back in after the challenge. Which left me ample time to go to school and help set up for the judging of the Ultimate Cupcake Challenge!
Chef Figarella's (the one the foreground) cupcake was disqualified because he had a student enter it for him. Disqualified, but still delicious!
Interesting selection of cupcakes, below are two of the more intriguing ones.
L-R: maple bacon and fig
Chef Figarella's (the one the foreground) cupcake was disqualified because he had a student enter it for him. Disqualified, but still delicious!
Interesting selection of cupcakes, below are two of the more intriguing ones.
L-R: maple bacon and fig
Monday, August 24, 2009
Accountability
Today was my first full on day working with Chef Michael.
"If it's not labeled and dated, it's going in the trash."
"If you bring up stuff and it is not used by the end of the night, that's when you'll be in trouble."
"Make me a ________."
One of the thing he requested I make for him on a daily basis (which I'm sure he'll soon forget to ask for) was a chicken sandwich. So, I started to make one, got as far as putting the chicken on the grill and he took over from there. Need to coat the chicken with oil and salt and pepper the marinated chicken breast before throwing on the grill. Serve with avocado mash (avocado mashed with olive oil and salt) and chipotle mayo. Oh and he likes his Caesar salads drenched in dressing.
Working for him is not as bad as I had anticipated. He has implemented some good ideas and items in the kitchen are more organized now. You can almost say mise en place!
"If it's not labeled and dated, it's going in the trash."
"If you bring up stuff and it is not used by the end of the night, that's when you'll be in trouble."
"Make me a ________."
One of the thing he requested I make for him on a daily basis (which I'm sure he'll soon forget to ask for) was a chicken sandwich. So, I started to make one, got as far as putting the chicken on the grill and he took over from there. Need to coat the chicken with oil and salt and pepper the marinated chicken breast before throwing on the grill. Serve with avocado mash (avocado mashed with olive oil and salt) and chipotle mayo. Oh and he likes his Caesar salads drenched in dressing.
Working for him is not as bad as I had anticipated. He has implemented some good ideas and items in the kitchen are more organized now. You can almost say mise en place!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Night Class
Ceiling collapsed in the living room today, so I couldn't make it to my normal class. I did make it to the night class for the silence of the lambs (read: my group mate mutilated the lamb chops). They turned out alright.
Another classmate made chicheme. According to Frommer's:
A local favorite in the outskirts of Panama City (mostly sold at roadside stands) is chicheme, a corn-based beverage mixed with water, sugar, and cinnamon. Panamanians tout the drink for its nutritional properties.
My classmate also added coconut milk and condensed milk and served it with the sketchy ice that comes from the black bin of mystery. Yum!
Here's a recipe:
CHICHEME
1 pounded maize (corn kernels)
8 cups of water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tin sweetened condensed milk
1 milk tin cream
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar to taste
The day before serving, soak the corn kernels in 8 cups water.
On the following day, add the salt and cook until the corn is well done. Remove from heat and let cool.
Stir in the condensed milk and cream. Add vanilla sugar to taste.
Another classmate made chicheme. According to Frommer's:
A local favorite in the outskirts of Panama City (mostly sold at roadside stands) is chicheme, a corn-based beverage mixed with water, sugar, and cinnamon. Panamanians tout the drink for its nutritional properties.
My classmate also added coconut milk and condensed milk and served it with the sketchy ice that comes from the black bin of mystery. Yum!
Here's a recipe:
CHICHEME
1 pounded maize (corn kernels)
8 cups of water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tin sweetened condensed milk
1 milk tin cream
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar to taste
The day before serving, soak the corn kernels in 8 cups water.
On the following day, add the salt and cook until the corn is well done. Remove from heat and let cool.
Stir in the condensed milk and cream. Add vanilla sugar to taste.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Money CAN buy happiness
What can $15 buy you in Georgetown? Six fantastic cupcakes that do not disappoint in texture, flavor or appearance. Georgetown cupcakes deserve the hype with their simple and classic cupcakes. These are the cupcakes after surviving a twenty minute hike from Georgetown to Rosslyn in the D.C. heat.
L-R Top: red velvet, vanilla, key lime Bottom: chocolate^2, chocolate^3, mixed berry (yes, I ate all of them today, I am an infinitepig after all)
The light streaming through the windows was so nice I had to post a picture of it.
I've never had a morel, but they have to be good at these prices! $300.00 per pound at Dean and Deluca's!
L-R Top: red velvet, vanilla, key lime Bottom: chocolate^2, chocolate^3, mixed berry (yes, I ate all of them today, I am an infinitepig after all)
The light streaming through the windows was so nice I had to post a picture of it.
I've never had a morel, but they have to be good at these prices! $300.00 per pound at Dean and Deluca's!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Jaded? A little bit...
Chef Matt lent me yet another book! This one is by Anthony Bourdain, who I think is absolutely hilarious in his expression of misery. The first couple pages already had me busting out laughing like a crazy on the Metro today. I look forward to the rest of the book.
Chef Cirello (of the Art Institute) mentioned her dislike of that book and instead recommended the book about Mario Batali called "Heat," which will be my next pleasure reading conquest.
So, after the disappointing chocolate cake experience I had yesterday, I was very reluctant to try the cake at the POV Terrace. Chef Matt egged me on to try it...and boy am I glad I did! It was soooooo good! The warm dark chocolately interior just oozed out of the delicate cake. Then paired with creamy vanilla ice cream. This was the best dish I've had off of Jean George's menu thus far. I also learned that he was credited with inventing the molten chocolate cake dish in 1987. No wonder it was so perfect (oh, that's a Kulfi dessert in the back, haven't tried that one yet).
I found the recipe at Martha Stewart's page:
Ingredients
Makes 4 individual cakes
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for molds
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting molds
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, preferably Valrhona
2 large whole eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
Directions
1. Butter and lightly flour four 4-ounce molds, ramekins, or custard cups. Tap out excess flour; butter and flour them again, and set aside.
2. In the top of a double boiler or heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, combine butter and chocolate; heat until chocolate has almost completely melted.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together eggs, yolks, and sugar until light and thick.
4. Add melted chocolate mixture, and beat to combine. Quickly beat in flour until just combined. Divide batter evenly among the molds.
5. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place filled molds on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until the sides have set but the centers remain soft, 6 to 7 minutes.
6. Invert each mold onto a plate, and let rest 10 seconds. Unmold by lifting up one corner of the mold; the cake will fall out onto the plate. Serve immediately.
Chef Cirello (of the Art Institute) mentioned her dislike of that book and instead recommended the book about Mario Batali called "Heat," which will be my next pleasure reading conquest.
So, after the disappointing chocolate cake experience I had yesterday, I was very reluctant to try the cake at the POV Terrace. Chef Matt egged me on to try it...and boy am I glad I did! It was soooooo good! The warm dark chocolately interior just oozed out of the delicate cake. Then paired with creamy vanilla ice cream. This was the best dish I've had off of Jean George's menu thus far. I also learned that he was credited with inventing the molten chocolate cake dish in 1987. No wonder it was so perfect (oh, that's a Kulfi dessert in the back, haven't tried that one yet).
I found the recipe at Martha Stewart's page:
Ingredients
Makes 4 individual cakes
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for molds
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting molds
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, preferably Valrhona
2 large whole eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
Directions
1. Butter and lightly flour four 4-ounce molds, ramekins, or custard cups. Tap out excess flour; butter and flour them again, and set aside.
2. In the top of a double boiler or heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, combine butter and chocolate; heat until chocolate has almost completely melted.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together eggs, yolks, and sugar until light and thick.
4. Add melted chocolate mixture, and beat to combine. Quickly beat in flour until just combined. Divide batter evenly among the molds.
5. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place filled molds on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until the sides have set but the centers remain soft, 6 to 7 minutes.
6. Invert each mold onto a plate, and let rest 10 seconds. Unmold by lifting up one corner of the mold; the cake will fall out onto the plate. Serve immediately.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Shriveled Hearts
We have a new sous chef in town, Chef Michael. I don't know his background yet, but I'm sure it's something impressive. Anyway, he took a look at my station today and saw that my celery hearts were dried and sad, so now I have to store them in water like the radishes. Ehh...not too big a deal, until Chef Matt told me that Chef Michael has a reputation for giving people the axe. Up oh... The celery is now in water and will be until otherwise noted.
UPDATE: Storing celery slices in water turn them clear, but they do stay crunchy.
UPDATE: Storing celery slices in water turn them clear, but they do stay crunchy.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Deserted Dessert
Chef Matt went MIA today for a little bit and we were all wondering how to plate a chocolate cake. So, after that incident because the chocolate cake was 20 min in before it got plated (our goal is appetizers within 3 min of ordering)....he showed us how to plate a cheesecake plate (which is extremely soggy).
I also dropped by Firehook Cafe today to buy a slice of chocolate cake. I pass it everyday on my way to work and I have to say that I am not incredibly impressed. Here's the lady slicing up the beautiful cake.
The cake was a little dry and the icing was too buttery. It was like eating a stick of butter, not much flavor at all.
I also dropped by Firehook Cafe today to buy a slice of chocolate cake. I pass it everyday on my way to work and I have to say that I am not incredibly impressed. Here's the lady slicing up the beautiful cake.
The cake was a little dry and the icing was too buttery. It was like eating a stick of butter, not much flavor at all.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Dinner in a Movie
Willette and I saw Julie and Julia today. It was really cute, but a little long. It made me want to go out and buy The Joy of Cooking and Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I would love to have a nice kitchen, unlimited food budget, unlimited time and unlimited stomach space to try out the recipes.
During Rick's visit we went to the Julia Child exhibit at the American history museum. She had every knick knack known to man stored in that kitchen. Love the color! It's like Tiffany's. ;)
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