Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July to all of our American friends! Have a great day everyone!

(The 4th of July on the National Mall in DC is spectacular - a must see if you have never been.)

Tagged as: [ american holiday ]

Sumptuous Shops | La Grotta Del Formaggio

Being new to the city, we're always asking where the tastiest places are located to eat and shop. I created another category of the places that we're visiting to serve as a future reference for friends, family, and anyone interested to check out.

I'm sure this is a well-known spot for the locals of Vancouver but anyone who visits and is strolling down Commercial Drive has to try out La Grotta Del Formaggio. We went in to buy some quality Italian ingredients and could not leave without ordering one of their made-to-order sandwiches. We split (thank goodness) a large hot capicolo and spicy salami sandwich which was stacked with provolone, pickled eggplant, roasted red peppers, marinated artichokes, hot banana peppers, green olives, lettuce, tomato, basil pesto mayo, dijon mustard, and balsamic and olive oil. I was shocked at how many toppings and how much meat was put on this sandwich - all for the bargain price of $6.50! The picture below shows only 1/2 the sandwich.



We sat outside at one of the few tables there and savored every single bite of this monster. There are even larger-sized sandwiches on focaccia but be warned, two of us shared a large one.




This will definitely be a regular spot that we visit.

Tagged as: [ commercial deli italian sandwiches vancouver ]

Happy Canada Day!

Happy Canada day to my fellow Canadians!

Enjoy the weekend - hope you get the chance to sit back, relax, and share some delicious food with your family and friends!

Tagged as: [ canada day holiday ]

Week No. 2 Menu Development on Italian Cuisine at NWCAV

One of the big concerns I had prior to entering culinary school was whether I could be creative enough when the time came to put dishes together. I would get stuck in just trying to figure out what to make for our dinner parties with weeks of notice -- how on earth could I come up with different things with more frequency?

Kalimar, a good friend of mine, attended the full-time culinary program at L'Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and he would share stories of the work involved and the tasks expected of the students. Creating a menu was a part of those tasks. I found him to be a great source of information, which helped me prepare mentally for what was to come. It is my hope that prospective students entering culinary school can benefit from my postings here -- the same way I benefited from hearing Kalimar's stories and insights.

This was the second week of Italian cuisine at NWCAV and on Wednesday we were asked to produce a 3-course menu along with a bread. So, were my fears valid? Is culinary school and the industry only for those that are just born with the talent of putting dishes together easily? No! It wouldn't be school if everyone already knew everything! I am understanding that this all takes time, lots of experience, and lots of patience. One step at a time and it will come.

Don't get me wrong; I have not become comfortable with this process overnight but the difference between cooking at home and getting an education on the topic it is that you are exposed to so many different things on a daily basis. At home, I would get frustrated and drained when I searched through recipes hoping to find the one that excited me. I relied on recipes HEAVILY! What is changing for me is that we are learning the fundamentals. Once you understand them, it brings you to a comfort level where you can then take those basics, add or subtract ingredients to make your own dishes unique.

Think about our mothers and our grandmothers. They had the basics instilled in them. They weren't hovering over the kitchen stove producing "roasted apricot and basil foams" or "chambord infused scallop lollipops"...they produced nutritious and tasty, comforting food. They mastered the basics and, of course, this is where we, as emerging chefs, need to start.
 
At NWCAV, we change partners almost every week. I like it because you are exposed to different ideas, different personalities, and you learn how to adapt to work well with the new person.

During the Italian Menu Development assignment, simplicity was emphasized. The Chefs didn't want to see 10 different flavors going into a pasta dish. They wanted us to have some fun with the menu but remember to let the few flavors speak for themselves and not over-complicate things. I'll admit, it is hard to restrain yourself from wanting to add "just a bit more'.

My partner and I put together a pretty good menu. The thing you'll want to hear is that it isn't as daunting as you might imagine. The Chefs provide some guidelines for us which made it a bit structured. For example, we had to produce one to two antipasto items, a type of bread, one pasta dish, and a main course that incorporated rabbit. Somewhere in one of those dishes, we had to use portabello mushroom and bocconcini cheese.

The menu that my partner and I developed consisted of:

• grissini (bread sticks) infused with chill oil
• a "Leaning Tower of Pisa" which consisted of marinated and grilled portabello mushroom layered with roasted red pepper, bocconcini cheese, and a roasted tomato with a basil leaf in between each layer, drizzled with a balsamic reduction
• a cheesy risotto cake with crispy pancetta
• tortollini stuffed with fontina & ricotta cheese, spinach and toasted almonds, topped with a lemon scented cream sauce (we threw in a tiny bit of roasted red pepper that we had left over from our pisa tower which added some nice color)
• for our main, we made a rabbit stew where we marinated the rabbit over night in red wine and herbs and then cooked it for 3+ hours and served it over creamy polenta

Overall, we really enjoyed the process and everything that we made. However, I'll see how relaxed I am when the menu development for our final exam comes...
 

Tagged as: [ cuisine development italian menu nwcav ]

Ricotta Pancakes

This is one of our favorites! Serve these with some freshly squeezed orange juice or a small fruit salad. Every guest will want the recipe! This batter will make 12 small (approx. 3" round) pancakes.

2  eggs, separated  3/4 cup  ricotta cheese  1/3 cup  all-purpose flour  1/3 cup  milk  3/4 tsp.  baking powder  pinch  salt

Collect all of your equipment and measure out all of the ingredients. Pre-heat a non-stick frying pan over medium (+) heat.

In a bowl, combine the egg yolks, cheese, flour, milk, baking powder and salt. Mix until smooth. Beat the egg whites until they reach a soft peak. Fold them gently into the egg/cheese mixture.

Lightly grease your pan checking that the temperature is not too hot.  For each pancake, ladle about 1/4 cup of the batter onto the pan. Cook until your pancakes bubble in the center and then flip over and continue to cook them until they are lightly golden brown.

These pancakes have a very tender, light and fluffy texture. Serve immediately with a thin slice of the compound butter (recipe follows) and warmed maple syrup.

A few notes: Make sure you purchase a good quality maple syrup. (Pleeeeease do not use any of that Aunt Jemima crap.) Buy pure maple syrup that is "B" graded. This syrup is very dark and has an intense flavor. A little goes a long way!

Do you know how maple syrup is made? The sap of the maple tree is collected each spring. Each tree produces around 12 gallons of sap per season. 30 - 40 gallons of sap are boiled down to make just 1 gallon of maple syrup. Now you can understand why it is as expensive as it is. BUT IT IS WORTH IT!

Finish off your pancakes with what is called "compound butter". Compound butter is basically softened butter with any flavorings added into it. Once you gently incorporate your flavorings (fruit, citrus zest, herbs, spices...the options and combinations are infinite), you can shape this into a log using foil or plastic wrap and chill it in your fridge (this can even be frozen if you don't wind up using it all or want to have it on hand at any time). When needed, slice a piece off and use it on top of your pancakes or in many other sweet or savory dishes.

Combine 1/4 cup of softened, unsalted butter with the zest of 1/2 a lemon or orange (hey, you could even try a bit of cinnamon if you fancy that). Shape into a log and refrigerate. Slice into rounds and serve on top of your pancakes.


Enjoy!

Tagged as: [ breakfast pancakes recipes ricotta ]