Sensory Tasting Menu - Class of February, 2011

This week, the students in my class and I were invited to a 'Sensory Tasting Dinner', at the Vancouver Island University Discovery Room Restaurant.
The dinner is part of the curicculum and is menat to serve an educational purpose as well as well as the peasure of a good meal.

In a previous post I described the location of the 'Discovery Room Restaurant' and it's unique view overlooking the Georgia Straits. It was a beautiful evening and we could see the Northshore Mountains of the Lower Mainland as well as Mt. Baker (Washington State) in the distance.

We were greeted by our Program Chair, Chef Rogers, who stimulated our brains as we were sensing and tasting our food that night.

The menu for the evening indicated that we would be served an eight course meal, which was designed and prepared by the 'A la Carte' Chef Instructor, Chef Gabler and the Senior Students of the Culinary Arts Program.

The tables were set according to the menu of the evening. For some, this was quite confusing. The instruction for the use of your cuttlery was as follow : "Take your cuttlery from the outside to the inside".

Chef Gabler introduced each course  and pointed out what to look for in texture, colour and taste.

First Course:

• Tuna Carpaccio, Wasabi Aioli, Watercress Salad, Sweet Potato Straw



The tuna was soft in texture and buttery and mild in flavour, which was balanced by the spicy, slightly bitter wasabi aioli and the crunchy texture and peppery flavour of the watercress salad. Beautiful presentation. Very delicious. 

Second Course:

• Blue Cheese Tart, Baby Frisee, Caramelized Walnuts, White Wine Poached Striped Beets

Again there was a balance between creamy texture of the tart and crunchyness of the frisee and the walnuts. The sensory balnace was created by the savory taste of the blue cheese and the fruity sweetness of the compote as well as the caramel flavour of the nuts.

Third Course:

• Chicken Consomme, Game Won Tons, Shikate Mushrooms



 

This was my favorite course. The consomme was crystal clear, with a delicate flavour and it was served nice and hot (I hate lukewarm soup!). There were two kinds of Won Tons. Two were deep fried and crispy where the third one was boiled and soft.

I would have liked to order a big bowl "to go".

 

Fourth Course:

• Tea poached Spring Salmon & Pan Seared Tilapia, Baby Green Pea Coulis, Stinging Nettle Risotto, Purple Baby Carots

The colour, texture and flavour had a nice balance in this dish. The salmon was buttery soft in texture and mild in flavour, where the Tilapia was pan seared and therefore had a crunchy texture with a more strong almoust 'muddy' flavour. The risotto was nice and creamy and seved hot.

Course Five:

• Rhubarb Fennel Sorbet

(You might wonder (as I did), why to introduce a dessert in between two main courses? The answer is, to cleanse your palate, after eating fish. Please note the size of the sorbet.)

The presentation of this small but very effective course was out of this world. The Sorbet was served on a carved block of ice to keep it from melting.
One of the important but often challenging details of serving great food is to serve hot food hot and cold food cold.

Sixth Couse:

• Lamb Chops, Sweet Potato Pave, Asparagus, Rosted Oyster Mushrooms

This was the second main course and though we are taking our time eating and enjoying some good table conversation, I am starting to feel satisfied (not full). I know dessert is still coming...

Course Seven:

• White Chocolate Mousse, Passion Fruit Curd, Crispy Chocolate Base, Raspberry Compote





The dessert was perfect. Crunchy base balanced by the smooth texture of both, the mousse and curd. The rich sweet chocolate flavour was balanced by the tangy flavour of the passion fruit and complemented by the fruity raspberry compote.

By this time I am getting / being full. Unfortunately we were unable to receive a cup of coffee at this time, which would have been my personal 'palate cleanser' and helped me to continue with the last course.

So for me it was seven out of eight. But here is the last menu picture and description:

Eighth Course:

• Mignardises

This is my friend and co-culinary student Laurie and I. We had such a wonderful evening.

Thank you Chef Rogers. Thank you Chef Gabler. Thank you Senior Students...

... for this wonderful SENSORY TASTING DINNER EXPERINECE!

Garde Manger is not a 'Garden Manager' or is it?

I have completed two out of four weeks in my next rotation which is called 'Garde Manger'.
Here we learn about the identification, preparation and cooking methods that are used for vegetables, fruits, starches, salads and dressings.

I got to make among other things:

• Braised Red Cabbage with onions and apples in a braise made of red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, sugar and allspice.

• Eggplant Picatta: where you cut eggplant into 1/2 inch circles, then you soak them in salt water for about half an hour, which draws moisture out of the plant and helps prevent a soggy fried finished product. After you rinse the eggplant you dip it into an egg and parmesan mixture and pan fry the circles golden brown on each side

• Pakoras: (an Indian dish)

We started by cutting a number of vegetables into similar shape. Then we roasted spice seeds (cumin, coriander, fennel, fenu grec, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, black peppercorns and chilli flakes) in a frying pan and ground them after to a powder.

We add chickpea flour, salt, baking powder and water and coat all the vegetables.

Then we deep fry spoon fulls of veggies and batter.

We made lots... because everyone loves pakoras... customers, students, instructors... everyone!

All the food we prepare goes 'on line' to be sold in the cafeteria. We take turns serving.
It makes you feel proud to serve what you (and the others in your team) prepared.

Next week I am on 'starch'. I will get to make:

• Singapore noodles
• Wheatberry pilaf with smoked tomatoes
• Gnocchi Piedmontaise
• Daal with Turka Sauce

I am thrilled.

Culinary Arts at VIU continues ...

It was practically hours before the deadline of major ramifications for students, teachers and administration at Vancouver Island University, that job action by the Faculty Union came to an end.

It had been exactly a month since I last attended classes and during my break from school I contemplated if I could really go back and add the extra responsibilities to my life.

Well, it did not take a day for me to realize again, how much I enjoy what I learn and how much I appreciate the top instruction that makes this program so successful.
I am also getting to know the other students in my group and it is starting to feel a bit like family.

Max and Tasha

Scott

Kailem

Tyler and Jacob



I believe we work well together as a team and this week I was in their debt, because Roland (my husband) was out of town and I could not come into class on time. So every day these (super) students did my prep work in the morning.

On Friday, to thank them from the bottom of my heart, I brought in my (other places famous) cinnamon buns.

I think they liked them (judging by the offers to do my prep work again anytime I bring in some more cinnamon buns).



After being back in school for a few days all the students and instructors of the culinary program got treated to 'order in' Chinese Food.

Free food, for close to 100 culinary students, which we did not have to make ourselves, was fantastic. It was also a super nice gesture from our Program Chair, to show appreciation and support for the difficult time the labour dispute had on all of us.

I also got to attend one of the senior classes in the food lab this week.

Vegetarian cooking and menu planning:

Mauricio had a little dicing competition going with the chef.

The vegetarian lab was very interesting, and I must admit that there are many ingredients that I am not familiar with yet.

Everything was very tasty. A variety of flavours and textures.

Thank you 'seniors', thank you chef, for allowing me to join your lab this week.



Fairmont Empress Scones

It is a beautiful Spring day today and as I am walking home from school, where I was dropping Sophie off this morning, I feel like baking some scones to go with my second cup of coffee.

At home, I am looking through my Culinary Arts textbook in the 'quick bread' section. Each section of the book concludes with recipes by Canadian Chefs and some of them are accompanied by a brief biography, highlighting the chefs training and achievements.

On page 713 I find the recipe of 'Fairmont Empress Scones':

As I look to the right margin of the page I see a picture of my pastry chef, Ken Harper, from university.

It almost feels like I am back in the classroom. Wishing I was anyways...

I make the scones...the kitchen smells delicious,

and before I  sit down with my second cup of coffee and eat one of these delicious scones, I send off an e-mail to the chef to thank him for the recipe.

May be because it feels like Spring, or may be because Easter is not far away, or may be because I miss my girls today... I make some bunny scones as well.



I am thankful for the sun. It gives me new energy...

Happy Spring day everyone!

Trussing and Fabricating Chicken

Since I am still not back at school, (after more than 3 weeks) due to a labour dispute at the university, it is becoming more difficult to stay focused on school work.

Regular life just has a way of taking over again and since I am busy as it is, taking care of a home and family, I sometimes wonder if I can go back to school, once the labour issues are resolved?

A couple of times since being off, I went to the local butcher shop to buy a whole chicken. In my training so far, we have 'trussed' and 'fabricated' a couple of chickens and I thought I might as well practice what I learned.

Trussing a chicken:

 

Trussing is tying a bird into a more

compact shape using string or butcher's

twine.

This allows the bird to cook more evenly,

helps the bird retain moisture and

improves the appearance of the

finished product.

Fabricating a chicken:

To fabricate means to further process a chicken by cutting it into pieces, de-boning it and taking the skin off, if so needed.

Dark meat: wings, thighs, drumsticks

Meal #1: Fried Chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy

Light meat: breasts and tenders

Meal #2: Butter Chicken and Rice

Chicken Bones

Meal #3: Chicken Stock for Soup

I have been trying to study ahead, read my textbook, spend time on the Internet researching ...all with the intention to make the most of the time away from school.

This week I will focus on some spring cleaning, visiting with friends and watching the birds... to keep my sanity.



Labour dispute, strike action - and - a time to catch up.

For the last 10 days the University of Vancouver Island has been closed.
The members of three of the unions that are represented on campus have been without a collective agreement for almoust a year.
I am part of CUPE 1858 as an employee in the cafeteria of VIU. I am also a student and therefore a member of VIUSU. My instructors in the Cullinary Arts Program fall into the category of ' Trades, Vocational and Adult Basic Education, which is represented by BCGEU which leaves the instructors of the academic section on campus, which are represented by the VIUFA.

Information about the job action is posted on the VIU website http://www.viu.ca/ as well as on the sites of all the unions.

This last week was also Spring Break for my girls and I have been trying to take each day as it is ( a gift). When I am in school, life at home is very busy and scheduled. It has been a nice break.

Some of the things we did, while being off:

• play dates, play dates, play dates for Sophie
• Pool
• Movie and the Mall for Rachel
• Baking, cooking
• studying: math for Rachel, culinary arts for mom
• dad has to work (sorry)
• friends, friends

 I made Spaetzle (german pasta) this week. It went one day with Schnitzel or breaded tenderized pork cutlets and gravy and the next day it went with Gaisburger Marsch, a soup with broth, spaetzle, potatoes and meat or european wieners.

   We made Cinnabon Buns for a birthday party and Hefezopf, a sweet bread, on Saturday. 

I also had time to give both my girls a pedicure. Sophie did her own nail polish and Rachel did not want any nail polis; but they both enjoyed getting a food massage.



I would call this last week 'little blessings in disguise'. Not to mention the extra sleep I got, which felt wonderful.

The latest update on the labour front is as follow:

A tentative agreement for the BCGEU, which includes my instructors.

No agreement for the VIUFA, no further scheduled talks and therefore continued strike action for this coming week.

I'll take one day at a time.