Lab # 9 – Fruits and Vegetables

What a colorful week we are having! We have some very exciting and delicious recipes that show even the most skeptical veggie eater that vegetables can be oh so yummy! After a bit of advice from Chef Kristi about how to get the best out of your vegetables and fruit and how to prolong their life we explored some interesting and unusual fruit and veggies, tasting a few along the way. Horned melon, ugly fruit, cactus fruit, okra, yucca root and passion fruit begin some of the more unusual. We also discussed the issue of buying organic produce and if it was worth the cost. It is a very challenging topic that has many people thinking. Explore your grocery and try out some of the more exotic specimens and see what you think! It will be worth the adventure. Happy cooking – Chef Kristi

Lab #8 - The functional properties of EGGS

This week was egg overload. We experimented with every way an egg can be cooked in this lab. Poached, baked, custards, mousse, meringue…………… What a yummy week it was! Eggs, exquisitely simple, yet enormously complex. Simply a yolk, egg white, and shell. Eggs are known as the “cement that holds the castle of cuisine together.” They can help an emulsification come together and stay together. They provide a beautiful color when you “wash “ them over pre-baked pastries. We learned about how eggs are such an important part of the structure of some seemingly fragile dishes like a soufflé or mousse. The wonderful edible egg is probably the most versatile of cooking/baking ingredients. What would we do without them. Well…..if we had to be without them, there are many alternatives available from Egg Beaters to powdered eggs to vegan “eggs”, but you will always have a compromise of the texture and taste from a real egg. Thanks for the beautiful dishes this week. Nice job everybody! Happy Cooking – Chef Kristi

Lab #7 – Milk and Milk Alternatives

In this week’s “international” lab we worked with many varieties of cow’s milk and some of its “family” members; cheese, yogurt, cream, sweetened condensed milk, as well as alternative sources to dairy products, namely soy and coconut milk. We compared the thickening properties of certain milk products as well as the effects on texture and taste when we prepared several samples of the same recipe with a variety of milks. We also prepared a dish showing the many non-dairy sources of calcium we have in the plant world. During lecture we also touched on pasteurization and raw milk as well as lactose intolerance. Next week is spring break, so have fun and be safe. See you in March! Happy cooking – Chef Kristi  

Lab #6 – Characteristics of Fats and Oils

This week we dove into the world of fats and oils. We cooked with fats and ate a variety of healthy fats in our recipes this week. Good Fats vs. Bad Fats – Good fats/help in fighting heart disease, some cancers/lower cholesterol. Bad fats/ opposite effect, promotes heart disease, bad cholesterol, inflammation and digestion ailments. Pay attention to the oils you use and which oil should be used for which application. The smoke point was a very important topic this week. Never take an oil beyond the smoke point. It is irritating to our eyes and nose, plus not great for you to ingest. If your oil starts burning, throw it out and start over. Make sure you also smell oil to make sure the oil you are using in your recipe is not rancid. To help it stay fresh, try keeping more fragile oils – like nuts oils in the fridge. Have plenty of good fats in your diet – Salmon, nuts, avocados being just a few. Use moderation when you are dining on the French fries and the doughnuts. Next week we will be working with milk and milk alternatives. Thanks for your hard work this week. Happy cooking – Chef Kristi

Lab #5: Starches

This week we learned about starches! Chef Kristi started by showing us a variety of grains, rices, and pastas. We used a wide variety of starches to thicken the food we made today, from macaroni and cheese to stir fry. We had units making vegetarian sushi and roasted cauliflower soup. We also used several grains and beans in our starch demos this week. The lab smelled great! Next week we'll be working with fats and oils – good and bad! Happy cooking – Chef Kristi

Lab #4: Sauces & Dressings

We dove into the complex world of sauces and dressings this week.  We could have used 2 weeks worth of classes to learn about the enormous variety of sauces. These layers of flavor, when prepared well, can satisfy most of our senses – taste, sight, smell and even touch. Enhancing the main ingredient of a dish is the goal here. Chef Kristi demonstrated the process of emulsification by showing the labs how to make a vinaigrette.  First shaken in a bottle, demonstrating a temporary emulsion, and then in a blender, demonstrating a permanent emulsion. Each lab went on to create their own vinaigrettes with their choice of ingredients.  Some very creative and tasty dressings were made.  We sampled all of the leading or mother sauces, except for béchamel which we will hold out for next week in starch lab.  We also had the chance to sample some scrumptious dessert sauces; chocolate, caramel and fruit coulis.  Yummy! Thank you for your enthusiasm this week!  Next week we will carb it out with plenty of delicious starches! 

Lab # 3: Stocks, Soups, and Stews

This week we tried to take off a little of the chill with some nice warm soup. Students were greeted with the delicious smells of simmering stock as they came into the lab. Stock requires time to develop its flavor and create a wonderful base for many soups, stews & sauces. We discussed the use or “stock in a box”, concentrated bases and the “absolutely do not ever use it or Chef Kristi will be mad” bouillon cubes. Too much sodium!! We were introduced to emersion blenders, china caps and many other kitchen gadgets that make stock and soup preparation easier – Don’t forget to add your Bouquet Garni. We tasted many varieties of soup this week from New England Clam Chowder to Vegetarian Vegetable Soup to a Cold Fruit Soup. Thanks to everyone for their hard work this week! Next week we will be learning how emulsions work and creating some fantastic sauces and dressing! Happy cooking – Chef Kristi