Things That I Love RIGHT NOW.

It never ceases to amaze me how life can change so drastically in just a couple of weeks (or days or hours or minutes).  In particular, I will write about how this relates to my current school/work situation.  My first block of courses at Le Cordon Bleu are now finished.  It all went very well, I left all of my classes feeling confident in my skills and knowledge level.  Also, I felt validated by the chef instructors who I have become very fond of.  This second block of classes only includes one: Culinary Foundations II.  This runs Monday-Friday, 7am-10:30am.  A typical day looks a bit like this: present converted recipes to our chefs, listen and take notes on lecture, watch a demo, get into groups and replicate the demo (last week: SAUCES), clean the kitchen, and get instructions for homework.  It is non-stop and there is a lot of (negative) pressure from the chefs. I am truly exhausted (probably more emotionally than mentally) at the end of every class.  That said, today was our practical on sauces and I can confidently say that I did well (at least, I am pleased with my work).  We made Buerre Blanc, Robert, Bechamel, Mornay, and Hollandaise.  One thing that is most difficult for me (but, also the thing I am excited to finally be understanding) is how to properly season a sauce.  "Season slowly and taste often" says Chef Lentini.  I always taste my sauce before seasoning, and then  probably about ten times before I get it right.  BUT - I can really taste the change once the sauce finally gets THERE ("there" being that elusive perfect taste of a properly seasoned sauce). This week: SOUPS.

There may be some of you who know this and many others who do not, but I have a somewhat addictive personality.  I find something that I love - and then I proceed to love it with all of my being.  It tends to overcome my thoughts.  This blog is one of the things I love right now and have what I would consider a small obsession.  It gives me an outlet for some other things I am addicted to (i.e. cooking and writing).  I thought it would be fun to give an update of my life simply by telling you what I am loving excessively at this point in my life. Here goes!

The Decemberists

We will start with music.  Probably the thing that keeps me MOST sane throughout my day.  Now, I have loved The Decemberists before.  Their new album though, The King Is Dead, is something I want to listen to constantly.  Greatest reason?  The harmonica of course!  I am such a sucker for the harmonica.

Clover Fast Food

This is where I work.  Above is a picture of our seasonal sandwich, the Sweet Potato (with jicama slaw).  It's an awesome little company.  When I got to Boston I read about Clover in a magazine and said, "I want to work there."  The company is growing, it has a great mission, the food is fresh and delicious - read their blog.  Funny story, the first 6 week block of school included about 4 hrs of work per week at Clover.  About 2 weeks ago I got the call: Monday-Friday 1-7pm.  Hello FULL-TIME!  What?  I can actually afford my life now?  What?  I leave my apartment when it's dark and get back when it's dark?  Yes, I am exhausted, but it is a welcome and productive exhaustion.  Oh, and I now work on the truck.  It is very cold, but totally worth it.  I am far more fortunate than words can describe here.

Love Soup

Oh goodness, I love everything about this book.  Mostly, I have been making gigantic pots of delicious soup. Plus, these so-much-fun trail-mix cookies.  A blog to follow, dedicated to some recipes from this book.

Lindy Hop 

It has been a bit on and off since getting to Boston (right now, OFF because of this crazy schedule I am juggling), but swing dancing has been such a joyous addition to my life!  Every night of the week you can find swing dancing in Boston (which still has an active Lindy Hop scene).  I prefer to do the FREE lessons and dance at MIT on Wednesday nights when I can.  Also, on Friday nights there is a live band at Boston Swing Central.  They have twinkly lights and a room crowded with dancers.  Dancing is so freeing and social; just a wonderful time all around.

Gabrielle Bernstein

This girl taught me how to meditate.  Meditation has changed me.  I have never seen life - its situations, my relationships - with so much love and peace; until now.  I found her lectures on a podcast by mistake at what was a difficult time for me.  I recommend this book with my whole heart not because it picked up my spirits one day, but because the tools I have learned and applied to my life (meditating, journaling daily, releasing negativity) are lasting.

Esther and Paula

My bestest friends in Boston.  I also happened upon them as a fluke.  Let's not call it a fluke, it's more like fate.  Truth be told, I wouldn't still be in Boston if it wasn't for these two beautiful ladies.  You know when you meet a person and you instantly know them?  I love that feeling :)

Gilead: A Novel by Marilynne Robinson

A recommendation that I am glad to pass on.  The language is so beautiful that I want to read it out loud (and don't think that I didn't).  Its flow is enough to cause an emotional connection to the book (not to mention the story).  Most of you know that I am not a fan of inspirational movies (for example: Remember the Titans or Seabiscuit.)  At first, I thought this book was headed in that direction, but it wasn't so.  The energy of hope that the book expresses was so simple and lovely.  Please read.

Were you wondering when I would get to the FOOD?  Yeah, okay.  This one you will all love.  Some people love coffee, some people love tea.  I am not into coffee, I am mildly into tea, but I adore hot chocolate.  In the beginning of the winter I was ordering hot chocolate from coffee shops.  Then, I was buying the little packets at the store.  A little later I was making the packets with coconut milk, whole milk, and adding chocolate syrup. FINALLY - I decided to stop messing around.  Below is the recipe I have softly nestled into.  You can't call this stuff hot chocolate.  It is so thick that you actually feel like you are DRINKING. CHOCOLATE. (Oh, and HAPPY (belated) VALENTINE'S day to you all!  Sending you lots and lots of love via chocolate!)

Short and sweet notes:

1.  Sooooooo chocolate-y.

2.  As always, use the BEST ingredients that you can afford.  For me, best right now means the Ghirardelli brand chocolate chips (bittersweet and milk).

2.  Remember: it's all to your taste.  (And don't get carried away with the cayenne.)

Drinking Chocolate with a KICK!

Yield:  2 cups

Difficulty:  Easy

Prep time:  Under 10 minutes (seriously, it's that fast)

Ingredients:

2 cups half and half or whole milk (or 2% milk or soy milk or coconut milk - go WILD)

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 oz milk chocolate, chopped

Salt, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat about 1/3 of the milk with the chocolate and salt, on low heat, until melted.

Whisk in the remaining milk until the mixture is nice and hot.

Season with cinnamon and cayenne.

  

Serve warm with homemade whipped cream (remember, Santa is watching for naughty - from the can - and nice - whipped by you, for you).

Afterthoughts:

1.  Try not to burn your whole, entire mouth.  I have been there and it isn't pretty.

2.  Oh man, save this stuff and heat it up later on the stove.  It is so good the second and third time around!

3.  Nutrition disclaimer: kids (and adults who cannot control themselves when chocolate is around), you can't drink this every morning, like coffee or evening, like tea.  Whole milk and melted chocolate?  It's tempting.  You know who you are :)

It has now been two weeks of full-time school and work.  I have always wondered what it would be like to do this, and now I know.  Finally I am standing back on my feet after a little insanity.  This morning I even packed a lunch and I exercised between school and work.  This past weekend Aunt Liz came to visit and it was fabulous.  We explored cold, cold Boston, ate yummy food, saw some sweet live music, and had lots of visiting time.  Speaking of things that I love to obsession...it's my favorite thing - to share my life with my loved ones, which I am attempting to do here.  Thanks for reading, I hope you did so with some drinking chocolate in hand!

Say Hey-O to the Mayo(nnaise)

And here we are at the end of my first 6-week term.  This whole "accelerated" schooling program is really different from the traditional way you would earn a degree.  It feels like only yesterday I stepped into Le Cordon Bleu in Boston to take a tour.  Yes, that was months ago, but it is hard to believe that I have already completed three courses (and already learned so much).  This week is "finals" week - and boy do they know how to do this!  I have a test every day in my Culinary Foundations I course.  Today was the written exam on Les Cuissons.  Tomorrow we will do herb, spice, and knife kit identification....and, mayonnaise!


Notes to start:
1.  I could have sworn that I had half of a lemon sitting on my counter, just waiting to be used.  Alas, it was not there today when I went to make my mayo.  Had to settle for the lemon juice out of the cute little lemon shaped bottle, humph! 
2.  Caution: your wrist will get sore.
3.  Was feeling a bit mellow/mellow-dramatic (couldn't really tell which one) today when I woke up from my much needed nap.  John Mayer it is!

One-Yolk Mayo

Yield: 1 cup

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Egg yolk

1 cup oil

Mustard

Lemon juice

Salt

White pepper

Water (optional, if needed)

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together a squeeze of lemon juice, a small spoonful of mustard, and the egg yolk.  season with some salt and pepper.

Begin incorporating the oil by gradually dripping and whisking it into the egg yolk mixture.  Make sure to pour directly into the area where you are whisking.  Once the oil begins to emulsify with the egg yolk, you may begin to pour it in a slow and steady stream until the mayonnaise is thick and yellow in color.  Season to taste.  (I even added a bit more mustard.  Some people add a splash of hot sauce - the popular choice is Tabasco.) 

Tips:

If you accidentally pour too much oil in at once, stop pouring and keep whisking until it is combined.

If you just cannot get the yolk and oil to come together, taste and try adding a bit of lemon juice or water.

Afterthoughts:

1.  There are no real measurements for the lemon juice or mustard in this recipe.  It's fun to experiment!  I would guesstimate about 2 tsp of each went into my mayo.

2.  I had to add about 1/4 cup more of oil to get the thickness I desired in the mayo.  The general rule is 1 cup  oil to 1 egg yolk, but depending on the amount of lemon juice or what you are using the mayo for - you may need more.

And there you have it!  So much mayonnaise!  It tastes a bit different, I would say, tangier than the store-bought kind.  I really enjoy getting so up close and personal with my food; it makes me appreciate my relationship with it a bit more.  Plus, whisking is a workout!  Any ideas on what to do with it?  My roommate, Alex, suggested potato salad.  I thought spinach and artichoke dip, but that will only make me miss Jenn!  Oy!  The possibilities are endless!

Enchiladas Gone Wrong Can Be So Right.

Sometimes there is a day when you set out to make a delicious meal to satisfy an intense craving.  Your tummy begins to anticipate the food which is certain to come, your mouth waters, then...you make: THE LIST.  I am a big fan of THE LIST.  The pleasure of deciding on a basic recipe, going through what I already have in my kitchen, writing down each ingredient that I will need to purchase - I love it!  It is sort of similar to the planning of a trip that you are looking forward to; you even paint a picture of it in your mind.


One day in particular comes to mind (a.k.a. two days ago).  I was feeling a bit funky, homesick, aaaannnnd hungry (as per usual).  Something quite unfortunate about Massachusetts is the lack of Mexican food available.  I have yet to find GOOD Mexican food here.  (No, Chipotle does not count. Neither does Anna's Taqueria or any of the other wannabe Mexican food restaurants around here - can we tell that Sara is bitter?  Prove me wrong, and I will admit fault gladly and buy you a taco.)  The simple fact is that I believe that I can make better Mexican food here in my own kitchen.  Once I decided on Mexican, I almost instantaneously hooked onto enchiladas.  So saucy, so cheesy, so delicioso!  I made THE LIST and headed to the store.


FAILURE.  I have chalked it up to punishment for forsaking my native California for Massachusetts.  I had planned on making my own sauce - the canned stuff is no competition for the real deal.  I vigorously searched my cookbooks and multiple online recipes for a sauce to try and decided on this one from a sweet Mexican food blog.  So what could possibly go wrong you may ask?  There were NO ancho chiles, chiles de arbol, actually - no chiles AT ALL on sale.  Mexcian oregano? Nope! And when a girl can't even get some yellow corn tortillas, well, I just don't know what this world is coming to.  My basket was already full of the other ingredients needed for these enchiladas I had become so intent on making.  So, I swallowed my pride, bought the white corn tortillas, two cans of canned enchilada sauce, and sulked my way home.

Some notes to start:

1.  I made chips and guacamole to make my meal complete and amazing.  Yes, I made my own tortilla chips - I am such a snob, I won't even touch the ones bagged in the stores.  Making your own = SOOOOOO worth it!

2.  If possible, make your own sauce. ALWAYS the first choice (but if not, these are still pretty darn good).  

3.  Of course, after the disappointment at the grocery store, I needed some seriously awesome tunes to lift my spirits :)

Saved by the Goat Cheese Enchiladas

Serves:  4-6 (How hungry are you?!)

Difficulty:  Easy

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients:

4 oz Goat cheese

2 oz Romano cheese

10 oz Monterey Jack cheese, grated

10 corn tortillas

1 small can red enchilada sauce

1 small can green enchilada sauce

3 tbsp oil

1 clove garlic

Cilantro

Cayenne Pepper (if you like things spicay :)

Salt

Cooking Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl (or blender), combine goat cheese, romano cheese, garlic, and cilantro, cayenne pepper, and salt to taste.  If using a blender, puree the mixture.  If you blender is preoccupied with, say, a green juice...mince the garlic and mix thoroughly with a fork.

Prepare your baking pan by pouring enough red and green enchilada sauce just to cover the bottom.  On a separate plate, pour a small amount of each sauce and mix together.  Heat oil in a small pan.  Once the oil is heated, give each tortilla a quick fry (about 10 seconds on each side), until the tortilla is warmed and sturdy around the edges.

Using tongs, place the tortilla onto the "sauce plate" to lightly coat it with sauce.  

Then, I like to place the tortilla into the baking pan, fill it with about 2 tablespoons of the cheese (or other) filling, and roll it up.  At home we form a sort of assembly line which works really well.  Making enchiladas alone requires a bit of a balancing act - there is no right or wrong way - just don't burn the oil.

Once all of your enchiladas are rolled up, pour the rest of the enchilada sauce evenly over the top.  Then cover with the grated monterey jack cheese.  

Pop into the oven, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the enchiladas are heated through.  The cheese will be gooey and bubbly and you will be oh so happy!  These are also good the next day (and the next and the next.....)

Quite a few afterthoughts:

1.  If I were to do it over, I would not have put the cilantro in my goat cheese mixture and just used it as a fresh garnish at the end.

2.  I used both red and green enchilada sauce because they both have great flavors and I wanted both!  ::I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it NOW::

3.  Especially with this dish - it's all to YOUR taste.  If you don't like goat cheese, maybe a mild Mexican cheese would be better for you (however, if you live in Massachusetts, this may be impossible).  Enchiladas can be filled with almost anything - chicken, beef, or pork/cheese, green chiles, and potatoes - mmMM!

4.  You can CERTAINLY fit more enchiladas into your pan.  I did ten, you could squeeze in twelve, FOURteen, SIXteeen!

5.  Why is goat cheese so expensive?  WHY?!  I have asked myself the same question many times. Conclusion: it is cheese sent straight from heaven above.  No lies.  I checked the label.

Clearly, I have decided not only to post my successful cooking, but my somewhat challenged cooking.  Mistakes help me to learn important lessons about things from technique to flavor to how to to keep my cool when things do not go as planned.  Thanks for allowing me to vent about the whole Mexican food deprivation thing - it feels great to get that off of my chest.  I forgive you Boston, I forgive you.

The Search for a Non-Broken Hollandaise: Eggs Florendict

This is week number the 5th at Le Cordon Bleu.  Only one week left in this term - OH MY!  How time flies.  By this time I have pretty much mastered my classical knife cuts.  For vegetables: batonnet (small dice), julienne (brunoise), and julienne fin (brunoisette).  For potatoes (same sizes, different names - way to make things difficult): pont neuf, migonette, allumette, and paille.  Oh yes, and I currently have about a 50% success rate with the tourne potatoes and turnips. Yipee!  For onions and shallots I have the emincer (sliced) and ciseler (minced) cuts down.  A special cut we learned in class was the Dent de Loup meaning "Wolves Teeth."

It's like a little lemon basket!  So silly, but Chef told us that it is just important to have knife time.  Other than knife cuts we have covered measurements and conversions pretty thoroughly - still my least favorite part.  We watched demonstrations on how to make Les Fonds (basic stocks), a roux (used for thickening), and the five Les Sauces Meres or "Mother Sauces."  These sauces are the basis for all of the other sauces you would make in the kitchen. They are veloute, bechamel, tomate, espagnole, and hollandaise.  Right now we are in the midst of learning Les Cuissons.  There are seven classic cooking methods: rotir, griller, poeler, sauter, braiser, frire, and pocher.  Luckily, the English names for these methods do not differ much from the French ones - so you can plainly see that we are learning the basics here.  

Yesterday on my way home from school, snow blowing into my face, dragging my suitcase filled with books and my knife kit through the middle of the slushy street, and knowing that today would most certainly be another snow day - I made a stop at the store.  For one: I would NOT want to be going out in a storm to pick up food.  For two: mayonnaise (an emulsion sauce) will be a part of my final exam next week - and I STILL have not practiced my emulsions.  I decided to make Eggs Benedict which would include my hollandaise sauce (an emulsion) and a poached egg; two things I have never attempted before! 

A couple of notes (you know how I love notes):

1. I did not ACTUALLY make Eggs Benedict.  No Canadian bacon on this creation.  Instead I substituted spinach.  To this you may say, "That's Eggs Florentine!"  Wrong.  Eggs Florentine: forget the muffin and bacon, throw the egg onto the spinach, and cover with Mornay sauce (a friend of Mr. Hollandaise).  Do not fret - I had no idea either.

2. Hollandaise requires that you place a stainless steel bowl in a bain marie (container with simmering water), in order to keep it warm, but not TOO warm.  Well, I do not have anything that remotely resembles that.  Look at what I did instead (and it worked):

3. Another song to rock out to in the kitchen :)

Eggs Florendict 


Serves: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Cook time: Approximately 30 minutes


Ingredients:


4 English muffins
32 oz uncooked spinach
8 eggs
Butter
Vinegar
Salt


Hollandaise
2 oz water
8 to 10 crushed black peppercorns (or a few shakes of pepper)
4 egg yolks
8 oz (1 cup or 2 sticks) melted butter (if you are ambitious enough, clarify it!)
Salt
White Pepper
Cayenne pepper
Lemon juice


Cooking Directions:


Bring the water and peppercorns to a boil in a small saucepan and reduce by about one-quarter. Strain this water into a clean saucepan through a sieve or some cheesecloth.

Separate the yolks of 4 eggs and whisk into the water.  Place the saucepan over a bain marie (water simmering) and begin to whisk the eggs.  The eggs will first become frothy - keep whisking!  Once the egg mixture begins to become dense and stick to the whisk when lifted, remove the saucepan from the bain marie.   

Here is the tricky part: very SLOWLY begin to pour the butter into the eggs.  Continue to whisk.  Start with a  few drips of butter, then work into a gradual and steady stream.  If you accidentally pour too much butter, STOP POURING, continue to whisk the mixture until that butter is incorporated, and then you can start adding the butter again.

Once all of the butter has been incorporated into the sauce - you have an EMULSION!  Hooray!!! :)  Now you may season your sauce with a squeeze of lemon, salt, white pepper, and a bit of cayenne pepper.  To hold the hollandaise on the side, set it upon a very low simmering bain marie.

Warm some butter in a pan and saute the your spinach.  Set aside

Broil your English muffins, spread a bit of butter on top.  Top the English muffins with a small bed of spinach.

Bring a small saucepan of water, vinegar, and salt to a gentle simmer.  Once simmering, poach your eggs (one at a time).  To do this, crack the egg into a small bowl or container.  Then gently pour the egg into the simmering water.  Use a spoon to nudge the whites over the yolk (also, you may have a fancy ring to make your poached eggs perfectly shaped - go for it!).  

Use a slated spoon to remove the egg and place it on top of the spinach.  Once you have the two muffin halves, complete with spinach and poached eggs - ladle the hollandaise on top. Yummmmm.......

Afterthoughts:

1. Let's be real - I don't have white pepper.  For the look of the hollandaise sauce you are not supposed to have black specks (I won't tell if you won't).

2. I took a RIDICULOUS amount of time adding the butter into the egg yolks. I really did not want this sauce to break.  So if it's your first time, you will be successful if you are a bit neurotic.

This was my first try at an emulsion. This was my first shot at hollandaise.  I did NOT break the sauce!  I was on a high for the rest of the night....or maybe it was all the butter :)