How the hell am I supposed to include the loads of photos & information I’ve gathered if I’m only posting once a week? Fuck, this is quite the conundrum. I’m obviously still working out the kinks of this whole not posting daily bit…its a puzzle, an annoyingly complex time/schedule/priority puzzle. This whole mess of only having a measly 24 hours in each day is really a gigantic pain in my ass. Maybe Ill post every couple days? Or whenever I find time? Will that be every day or once a week? Nobody knows…all I know is that the last couple days have been full up on wonderful lessons that would be a shame to allow to go undocumented. (more…)

This is killing me. This whole school + posting everyday business, its exhausting me on every level. For the last couple months my weekdays have felt like pure chaos and even so, I rarely get to all that needs to be done. This weekend, I was supposed to make a video as a make up assignment- did I do it? Nope. Instead, I spent my Saturday & Sunday bitterly catching up on all the other shit that escaped my attention during the week.

Ive made a decision…sorry to say it but I’m going to have to knock my posting down a notch. Doing it daily is just too much. I want to get back to doing & posting Chef interviews and now that the weather is improving, farm visits are just around the bend. (more…)

Just realized that Cheriepicked turns 3 years old today. Have I really been doing this that long? Unbelievable.

There’s something really beautiful about making pasta from scratch. Like baking bread or  shaping a pie, the intensive labor in these projects naturally results in a feeling of tremendous “I cant believe I didn’t fuck that up” accomplishment. To take simple ingredients like flour, eggs & water and turn them into something as glorious as a golden spool of noodles or a high loaf of crusty bread- that folks, is pure alchemy.

Today, we were magicians (I know, I know, this is where I should throw in a Wizard of Oz reference)…although none of us was aware of it at the time. In the beginning, I was skeptical myself. Yes, I’ve made fresh pasta in the past but pasta is one of those foods that I don’t quite believe is actually going to turn out until it actually does. (more…)

Gnocchi may very well be the only acceptable form in which to ingest potato. Now, well, that’s probably due to the fact that gnocchi is identifiable more as a pasta and less as a spud. Sure sure…its still starchy and somewhat tasteless but at least it has form. It requires teeth to consume- that, my friends, is key. Be what it may, those tiny tender pillows are just so damn deceptive in their deliciousness. The little fuckers are tricky enough to have me forget that mooshy, good for nothing potatoes are a part of their make up every time.

Potatoes are boiled then peeled prior to passing them through a food mill. Flour and egg is added and a smooth sticky dough is created. The dough is cut and divided, then rolled into long ropes on a floured surface. (more…)

I’m the asshole. I jumped the gun…spoke too soon. Said “hostile” substitute Chef instructor  of yesterday turns out to be alright after all. The guy is good, he really is and his teaching style is, sure, a bit more intense than some of the other Chefs but he’s actually kind, funny and genuinely well intentioned. The best part? His style is very productive- damn do we get shit done! We learn A LOT under his watch and we learn it correctly & thoroughly. That said, I admit, he may very well be the best type of teacher- the type one benefits from most. So…there you have it…foot in mouth. We had him again today and I gained an unexpected appreciation. Figured it best that I step up and confess my flaw in judgement. Yeah yeah…a girl can be wrong once in awhile. Lesson learned. (more…)

Mondays are rough. Especially rough when one is unexpectedly subjected to the slightly hostile and all around contrasting teaching style of a substitute Chef instructor. In hindsight I  should’ve had more coffee this morning or maybe a couple shots of gin (probably both) before turning up for class today.

Three recipes- Black Bean Cakes with Salsa, Masoor Dal & Lentil Salad. All centered around the lovely legume. (more…)

Creamy acorn squash, bright broccoli, crisp celery and sweet parsnips- not a damn carrot in sight. Hallelujah. Well, to be honest, there were carrots available at first but not very many, so parsnips were introduced as the stand in. Great, good, wonderful. Obviously, at this point I would take a parsnip over a carrot any day of the week and funny thing is, I dont even like parsnips. Before I go into foods…can I just tell you what a relief I feel now that it’s finally Friday? Jesus, what a week. Im not sure whether its me, the fucking way the planets are lined up, global warming or what but this week spanked me. (more…)

Ladle by ladle and little by little, I added warmed stock to a shallow pot of arborio rice. This nuisance of a grain seemed only to be taking dainty lil’ sips. What gives? I didn’t want it to “sip”…I wanted it to chug- theres only so many classroom hours and it was creeping dangerously close to days end. My personal low during this whole Risotto saga had to be when I audibly declared “Fuck Risotto…this is bullshit. Mines broken.” Patience…working on that, really, I am. I’ve made Risotto plenty but in a timed classroom environment the atmosphere changes the process a bit. For one, when I make Risotto at home I have a glass of wine in hand at all times….I stir, I sip, stir, sip, sip…its lovely. (more…)

What is it about bisques that make me want to spread them on my skin? It must be the velvety texture, the thickness that reminds me of fresh paint. The lush gloss pleads to swallow my arm completely, up to the elbow if not higher- it takes every ounce of self control not to stick in a limb. Oh and I bet it would feel good too…soft, warm as a womb. And chowder? Thats chilly evenings on the back porch. Its being cozied up in Pendleton blankets, sharing a tall bottle of dark beer with someone worthy while balancing a creamy bowlful on one knee, a crusty chunk of buttered baguette on the other. (more…)