Seems like just yesterday that I cooked up a Fall flavored carrot puree soup for my Foundations 1 final. No matter, today we revisited the recipe and produced it again for Foundations 2. Granted a little review never hurt anyone but damn am I getting weary of the carrot. I know the carrot too well at this point…its everywhere. I greet it daily in my mirepoix, it rears its ugly orange head in soups and without fail, seems to materialize in all other manner of recipe with annoying regularity. Really, the persistance of this vegetable is unbelievable. I get it, I do…its a necessary building block in developing flavors and whatnot. I know, I know…but still, its become so prevalent in my every day that I half expect to find carrots between my couch cushions or keeping company with my car keys on the counter at home. Read the rest »

Hot damn is it lovely out today. Its so devastatingly beautiful that going to LCB this morning was to say the least, a struggle. Forcing myself to focus, knuckles white from gripping the steering wheel- “Get to class, there will be other sunny days” was what I repeated out loud over and over again en route. It is torture being in a building, let alone a kitchen when Seattle weather is this idyllic. Absolute fucking torture. I did get there…but not before I rode a conveyer belt of emotions. First, there was shock & denial- “Noooo today cant be Monday- theres no way…impossible. Oh it is? Well thats fine then because it turns out I dont have class on Mondays“. Read the rest »

This is where the trouble began, and today, this is where it ended. Emulsions such as hollandaise & mayonnaise…I know them well, too too well. Yep, these have been the thorn in my side, the rock in my shoe, the sand in my eye for weeks now. We went at them again this morning. But today folks, is a new day and today for some odd reason whipping these up was near effortless on my part. No problem at all- it was as though hollandaise had never been my nemesis…as though our relationship had always been pure romance. Read the rest »

Spoon after spoon, taste after taste- I cant get enough. Sauce Espagnole has my heart, or more appropriately it has my tongue, my mouth, my nose. Entranced, I could not help but go back for a third and fourth taste, especially once we branched off to its derivative sauces. Espagnole consists of mirepoix (carrot, celery, onion), butter & flour (brown roux), brown stock (we used veal), tomato puree and a gaggle of spices. The sauce is a delight on its own but really, its only the beginning- Espagnole, like its fellow mother sauces, has more to offer in the way of offspring.

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Oh the wonder of modern medicine! Thanks to its cloaking magic Im feeling much much better today. Yep, I may be high as a kite but at least Im functioning again (slightly damaging & worrisome but good). Theres nothing quite like a Dayquil/Sudafed cocktail to slap the sick right out of you…temporarily anyway. Unfortunately, yesterday I missed more stock making- Fish Fumet + Veal & Chicken based White. Luckily, these are stocks that I have made in the past on my own so Im not too terribly upset. Also, I get to make up the assignment later in the week to earn back the points. Perfect…my sick day didn’t end up being nearly as detrimental as I had assumed it would be. Read the rest »

Drove all the way to school this morning only to turn right back around and head for home. Im full on sick…congested, achy, stuffy, sore, headachey, throat scratchy sick. This is misery. I shouldn’t have even attempted school this morning but I was hoping my cold medicine would save me. It didn’t. I arrived still feeling shitty & immediately knew staying wasn’t an option. Came home…slept, drank a ton of tea/water, ate spicy soup and slept some more. Im hoping I feel better by the morning.

New course, new Chef instructor, new classroom/kitchen. The course is Culinary Foundations 2, the instructor is Chef Wolf and the kitchen is HUGE. Its all kitchen- no more tables & chairs. We re finally at long last going to be cooking on what looks like may be a daily basis. Today, of course, was somewhat about introductions & curriculum review…or at least it began that way. Read the rest »

How do I even begin to describe my James Beard experience? I have not a clue-its just too big, theres too much…the details overwhelming. Start at the beginning perhaps? Seems reasonable. Out of bed at a sleepy 7am early Wednesday morning. Get dressed and grab the days supplies (change of clothes etc.) knowing full well that we wont be returning back to the comfort of our hotel room until well into the night. The five of us (Chef Brian, Trey, Sadie, Vanessa and myself) flag down a couple cabs and off we go. Mind you, its snowing hard at this point- the streets are thick with it, the city is dazzling. Read the rest »

I hate snow. Snow means frigid temperatures, wet socks, slippery sidewalks and of course travel delays. A blizzard hit NYC Wednesday- ugh. While it was beautiful to see the city blanketed in white and actually looking clean for once- the snow inevitably became a gigantic pain in the ass. Yes yes..the dinner went off without a hitch but the notion of traveling home the next morning was shot. The airport is ugly-  plagued with delays, cancelations and general unease. My flight was canceled right off the bat so Im presently at the mercy of the airline. In any case…I shall get home eventually and when I do I plan on posting the details of the other night including a gallery of pictures that span the whole day- from prep to the big dinner itself. Until then, it looks like Ill be camping out at JFK.

We cooked all day long…all day. Woke up, got to the James Beard House and busted our asses like mad for nearly 15 hours. It was hard work but well worth it- Brian’s dinner was a success through and through. Forgive me, the details will have to wait…Im much too exhausted tonight.

* Picture- Trey & I cooking @ The Beard House today.