CULINARY FOUNDATIONS, WEEK FOUR

February 4, 2013

We discussed herbs, spices, oil and vinegar today.  Did you know dried herbs and spices are only really good for 3 to 6 months?  The Chef asked if any one stored their spices in the cupboard right next to the stove.  Of course I do and of course this is the wrong place to store them.  They should be stored in a cool dry location.  Dry is hard to come by in Florida but cool would be in location away from the stove area.  Unfortunately many kitchen cabinets are designed for the spices next to the stove.  Oils should be stored in a dark location not out  on the counter in an area exposed to light. So those flavored oils with cranberries, herbs or garlic sitting on the counter because they look so good should be used just be for decoration unless stored in a dark cabinet or closet.  This is also why you may see oils sold in dark bottles.  We went into the kitchen where the Chef had put out different salts, peppers, oils, vinegars, and mustards for us to see, smell, and taste.  I tried white balsamic vinegar which I did not know existed.  It tasted like a very strong tangy white wine.  I also tried fruit black pepper with banana. I really liked it.  

February 5, 2013

We discussed vegetables today (or "veggies" as I like to call them) and reviewed all the different classifications of veggies and which family they fit in too. The veggie families included cabbage, fruits-vegetables, gourds and squashes, greens, mushrooms, onions, pods and seeds, roots and tubers and stalk.  We also covered potatoes and grains.  

Efforts continued on the centerpiece and desserts for the Boyscout's charity event.  

February 6, 2013

We had a field trip to Whole Foods today to apply all the things we learned about oils, vinegar, veggies and grains. We were given a worksheet and had to find and complete information on various items, kind of like a scavenger hunt.  It was interesting to see things I hadn't seen before and read different recommended uses for products.  

Each team was asked to pick out an item that we had not tried before.  The chef purchased several of the items and where taken back to class for all to try. My team picked kumquats.  I had to look up how to determine if they were ripe (yellow-orange in color), where they come from (a  fruit-bearing flowering  tree), and how to eat them (wash and remove any stems, rub and slightly squeak in hand to release the oils, put them in your mouth whole, make sure to chew a few times on the skin as this is the sweet part and don't eat the seeds). They taste like oranges a bit, but they are tangy at first and then when you bite the skin they are sweet and it evens out the flavor.  I liked cutting them in half to remove the seeds first and then eating them. They were really good and I will now be buying more next time I am at the grocery store.

We also tried pomegranate which I had never had before.  They are little fruity beads with a seed in them. They were also  good and the seeds give a little crunch.  In addition to fruit, the Chef bought some grass feed beef, bison hot dog and bison ground beef.  All three were cooked and we tried each side by side to see the differences in flavor, texture and taste. The grass feed beef was juicy and delicious.  The bison hot dog and beef were both dry with a thicker texture.  I was not a big fan of it but the chef indicated that most restaurants who make hamburgers with the bison cut the beef with some regular ground beef to add a little fat/moisture to the mix.  Bison is healthier for you than regular ground beef as it lean beef (which is why it is dry) that has less calories and cholesterol and more protein. 

February 7, 2013

Today was the Manager ServSafe test for food safety certification. We completed a practice test, review, and then took the test.  The test took about 1 hour to complete.  It was 90 questions, only 80 count, as put in some test questions for future exams to see how those who took the test would answer the questions. The test was easier than the practice test but you do have to really read the questions as they put answers in the multiple choice that will be incorrect if you read the question wrong.  I know I did get some of them wrong but believe I passed the test.  We will not get the results for 7 to 10 days.

After class, we continued with finalizing desserts for the Boyscout's charity event.  I tempered white chocolate and helped make the red velvet cake pops. We ran out of stick so we also rolled the remaining cakes in white chocolate and toasted pistachios.