Brests, Brests, and More Brests

Thanks to my tech-savvy husband and various tools like Google analytics, MyBlogLog, 103bees, etc., I am able to track the number of visitors to this site, what they clicked on, and examine the ways people find this blog. We chuckle every time we notice that poor spelling pervs are finding my site using the search term "brests", which happens to be quite often. This is due to my past post titled Paris Brests. Here are the results of various search engines: Live Search, DogPile, Windows Media, you'll also find it using Google, it's just not on the first results page. Search results fluctuate frequently so my site could have been knocked lower by the time you read this.

Okay, I admit it could be a little misleading so I thought it is only fair that I show them what they are really after. Here you are – boobs!!

Tagged as: [ brests paris pastry ]

Dessert Menu Development Project at NWCAV

The past two weeks in class have been spent on plated desserts. We made over 45 different recipes for the following: ice creams, sorbets, sherbets, sauces, puddings, soufflés, marshmallows, panna cotta, parfaits, compotes, salsas, sabayons, molten cakes, pate d'fruit, jellies, sponges, tuiles, crepes, tarts...the list goes on and on and on.

To wrap up the series, we each had to create a 5-course dessert menu (with sketches) and calculate the food costing for one of the items. We began on Thursday morning, preparing what we could and had to present our first plated dessert that afternoon. Nothing could be done in advance of Thursday. No chocolate decorations, no garnish – nothing. Today, we had to present our second item. Here is the menu that I created for the imaginary "Pique" restaurant.


I enjoyed the project. In our discussion at the end of class today I had commented on how much of a challenge it has been to beckon that creativity within. After not really allowing it to come out for so long, it is a bit testing. As with everything I have said in this blog, it will just take practice, experience, and exposure to different things to build up that database in the brain. The basic techniques are always the foundation. Take ideas from various things that you see and like and put them together to create something new. What becomes unique is how you can put different components together and apply modern spins on classic desserts. Nobody is expected to reinvent the wheel.

The first dessert I presented yesterday was a Fresh Orange Cake with Raspberry Mousse and a Grand Marnier Sabayon. I liked the flavors but I shouldn't have made my cake 4 layers – it should have been just two. It looked a little messy and the serving wound up being too big. Plus I didn't think that when you put your fork into the dessert that the first layer of cake would squash everything underneath it because the mousse could not withstand that much pressure from above. Whoops – that is where I should have practiced more.


Today's dessert turned out better. I made a Chocolate Pomegranate Molten Cake with Pomegranate Jelly and Grapefruit Sherbet with a Tuile Cookie. I thought the colors on the plate were vibrant.

Tagged as: [ caramel chocolate dessert development menu mousse nougatine nwcav pastry pomegranate tuiles ]

One Year Ago Today

It is insane how quickly time goes by. One year ago today, I left my administrative job of 16 years. One whole year has passed. I remember feeling excited and relieved, yet a little unsettled that I didn't have the entire future mapped out. There were so many unknowns. Even though I was filled with anxiousness, no longer did I have to daydream about a change. A new chapter was about to begin.

If I look back one year ago today and think about the fears that I had, I did not need to worry as much as I have. (Note to self: Stop worrying.) Everything works out and I had experiences beyond my expectations. I saw new parts of the world, met more members of my gigantic extended family, met exceptional people through that gem of a school, and learned so much along the way. There was no need to be as serious as I was, and it's important for me to remember this for the future.

There certainly have been times when I thought it would have been so much easier to have just stayed at that secure job...but then I delve into that thought just a little further and I shudder. When creativity is stagnated for the sake of a paycheck it is harder to maintain a balanced and happy life.

School is coming to an end but the learning doesn't stop. There are still lots of unknowns and I will be taking on new challenges. I am patting myself on the back though for leaving a profession, which didn't make me jump for joy every morning when I got out of bed. There are so many options for the future; now the task is to sort out which one to take on first, and have fun with whatever it is. I have some ideas that I'm working on...

Congratulations you if you have taken the same step or if you are about to venture out and do something different.

Tagged as: [ career culinary nwcav pastry school ]

Donations for Water Health

Since many of us think about donating around this time of year, I would like to highlight GlobalGiving. In connection to my previous post on water, our friend, Steve Rogers, who is the Director of Engineering at GlobalGiving, commented that there are numerous water-related causes out there and we all can make a difference in a variety of ways.


Based in Washington, DC, GlobalGiving was initiated by two former World Bank executives. Using current technology and the Internet as their working platform, they are able to keep their overhead very low and transfer donations quickly and directly to important and life-changing organizations and projects.

There are specific projects dedicated to bringing clean water to millions of people around the globe. If you are interested in donating this year, visit their site to obtain further information.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our American friends. Travel safe and best wishes for a peaceful and tasty holiday.

Tagged as: [ globalgiving water ]

Water Awareness

Greater Vancouver's water supply system has recently been affected by the rain storms along the West coast. Due to high turbidity levels, locals are being advised not to drink, brush their teeth, or use tap water for washing produce. When things like this happen, everyone's awareness is raised about the necessity for water.

Over the course of the program at school, I have taken note of people's water habits. Dishes, utensils, and tools definitely need to be cleaned properly but some people leave the tap running forever, on full blast, just to wash and rinse one little thing. Sometimes the tap is left running with nobody standing there tending to it. It is one of those things that drive me crazy. I then imagine how many restaurants there are in the world...and how much water is needed to complete nearly every task every day. I hate to imagine what would happen if the water would ever run out.

I was reading some of the local articles today about the people who are fighting to get the last case of bottled water and how stores are completely sold out of it. Sure, it makes it easier if you happen to get your hands on it, but it's not like we are going to die of thirst here if we don't get it. The tap water can still be boiled and safely used. Think of the places on this earth where it is difficult to get water! When these small inconveniences occur in North America, I think they are a blessing. It is a reminder to be more conscious of water consumption. Think about how much you may waste and how little you actually need to get by. Water is precious and deserves so much respect.

During the Christmas holidays last year, we met a friend of ours for breakfast that is very passionate about water. She gave us a book called The True Power of Water by Masaru Emoto. That breakfast discussion brought me to a greater awareness of how much we take it for granted. For instance, have you ever thought about all of those water glasses that are automatically filled when you go to a restaurant even if you plan to drink it or not? Or when waiters/waitresses top the glass off just before you are about to leave without asking if you'd like more. The unfortunate part is that customers let them, not thinking that it winds up down the drain. Can you imagine how much water gets wasted just like that every day?

Masaru Emoto's book is fascinating. He has studied water since 1987 and discovered how to photograph water crystals. He has done numerous experiments whereby love and gratitude are sent to water and beautiful crystals form. When water is ignored or given negative energy, crystals do not form. There are amazing stories of the healing effects of water and since the adult human body is 70% water, it is obviously a key subject to be conscious of.

The next time you dine out, have your waiter/waitress pour the amount of water that you will actually drink. Turn the tap off while brushing your teeth. Give thanks for every ounce of water that you drink and use.

Tagged as: [ emoto wasteage water ]

Very Cool Photo

It is always interesting to hear what previous classmates have been up to. I recently was in contact with a student who took the part-time pastry class with me at L'Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Brian Noyes, the Art Director for the Smithsonian Magazine, was busy taking photos of each student during the program. As a farewell gift to Chef Mark Ramsdell, he had superimposed each one of us onto a street in Paris and made it into an adorable imaginary issue. Brian also gave each student a hard copy of the photo. It is a fabulous memoir to have from that particular class!


Since that program in 2004, Brian enrolled in an intensive café breads and pastries course at the CIA's New York campus. He also had the opportunity to travel to Oaxaca, Mexico with Rick Bayless for a CIA class on the foods of Oaxaca, where he raved about the cooking! Brian hopes to take his part-time passion, the Red Truck Bakery, and launch it full-time.

Best wishes, Brian, and thanks again for the fantastic photo!

Tagged as: [ bakery l'academie pastry school ]

Chicken Linguini with Tequila-Lime Cream Sauce

Every time I prepare my version of a similar dish that I had in DC, I am tempted to divide it into 2 servings instead of 4 and devour it! It is extremely tasty. Even though a bit of cream is used, it isn't overly rich. I love the zesty-lime flavor with the hint of tequila.

4     tsp.	olive oil
1/2  lb.	chicken tenders, sliced*
1/2	red onion, thinly sliced
1     medium	red pepper, thinly sliced
1     small	yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1/2  cup	button mushrooms, sliced
3	cloves garlic, minced
1	jalapeno, minced
2	limes, zested and juiced
1/4  cup	tequila
3/4  cup	cream
1/2  cup	parmesan cheese, grated
1/4  cup	cilantro, chopped
8    oz.	dry linguini, boiled
	salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of cold, well-salted water to a rolling boil to cook your pasta when you are ready.

2. Heat a stainless steel pan over medium (+) heat. Add 2 tsp. olive oil and when heated, toss in thinly sliced chicken tenders. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Let the chicken lightly brown (about 2-3 minutes) before turning over to brown the other side. Remove from the pan when it is just cooked. Set aside in a bowl.

3. Add another 2 tsp. of olive oil to the pan and heat. Sprinkle in the red onion and a pinch of salt and sauté for a couple of minutes until it starts to soften. Add the mushrooms, sliced peppers, and another pinch of salt and continue to cook until everything is softened.


4. Add the minced garlic and jalapeño and cook, while stirring, for about 1 minute to release the flavors (be careful not to burn your garlic). Remove the pan from the heat and deglaze the pan with the tequila. Return to the heat source and let it cook out until it mostly evaporates. Add the lime juice and zest and let it reduce for a couple of minutes. Turn down heat down to medium-low and let it simmer gently.

5. Return the chicken to the pan. Pour in the cream slowly and continuously stir to combine. Let the sauce simmer gently to thicken. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.


6. In the mean time, have the linguini boiling. When it is almost al-dente, remove it from the water and place it directly into your saucepan. Continue to cook the pasta and the sauce for a minute or so longer until the pasta is cooked perfectly. If the sauce is too thick, you can add a little of the hot pasta water to loosen it.

7. Divide the pasta into 4 bowls, topping each with a drizzle of olive oil, parmesan cheese, and chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!

* If you want more chicken in this dish, use up to 1 pound.

Tagged as: [ cream culinary lime linguini pasta recipes sauce tequila ]

Obscene Sugar Work

Last week we were introduced to sugar work. This is the first time that I have worked with sugar, pulling it, stretching it, blowing it, and trying to manipulate it into many shapes. Surprisingly, I found it to be a lot of fun. We are exposed to many things during this course and unfortunately there isn't a lot of time for repetition. Repetition is our homework. In class, we are absorbing as much as we can.

For our very first sugar "showpiece", my partner and I decided to do a tropical theme - a tiny island with a palm tree and some rocks. As the pieces are put together, you can sort of see the showpiece taking shape...although our showpiece was the center of attention for many giggles and jokes. The culinary students passing through the pastry kitchen were full of snickers and we ultimately had to put an unfinished sign on the piece. It really was meant to be a palm tree...it just needed its fronds which we weren't able to attach until the next day. Once they were attached, the piece got broken before a picture of the final product could be taken :(


We also were able to work on individual projects. I tried to create a honeycomb showpiece with bees and flowers. For Day 2 of sugar work, it looked alright. Burns are a big hazard when sugar is cooked to 154°C . One little droplet on your skin causes an immediate blister and tonnes of pain. I fortunately only got one blister and some of the molten sugar landed on one of my nails. Owwwwie!

Sugar is beautiful and very interesting. Once you start pulling it and stretching it, the color changes. It goes from a bolder color to a lighter, silkier color with a silvery and shiny sheen. When a ball of sugar is created, you need to work quickly under a heat lamp so that you can form it into various shapes before it hardens.
 

Here is a picture of my bee showpiece along with a ribbon and some sugar that I had blown into a hollow ball.

Tagged as: [ blowing nwcav pulling ribbon showpiece sugar ]

Picking Up Momentum Again

Having had my laptop and camera stolen, my posts have not been consistent since I raved about the chocolate series. It is an unfortunate interruption. It's just stuff, after all - I can live with that but I lost a lot of good photos, recordings, and blogging information. While the memories are still in my head and my heart, it is a bit of a bummer and quite the task to organize once again! Too bad crooks can't just take stuff and leave what is sentimental behind.

 

The Amateur Gourmet

I often read the Amateur Gourmet and today he's got an exceptional post. Aside from being a very entertaining entry, there is a hidden lesson in there. Be bold and just ask! You just never know who is going to say yes.

Tagged as: [ blogs gourmet ]