I have been working the last few days to develop some of the product I will be offering on my website. Both of the products I have been testing are ones that I have been making for years. There are a number of reasons to test the recipes even though I am very comfortable with the recipe performance.
First, in order to get the cost for the product where the operation will be profitable I need to purchase them in bulk and some of the original ingredients are not available in bulk or in a form that makes the recipe less labor intensive. Fortunately with some research I have been able to find higher quality ingredients at a lower cost than the ones I have been using!
Second, once all of the ingredients have been determined I need to have the nutritional information for the products calculated. I am very excited to see the nutritional information, it makes the product so official.
Third I am working on packaging. I need to make sure the product is not damaged by the packaging and that the packaging will insure product freshness when received by the customer.
Last I have started testing how the products ship, what condition the packaging as well as the products are in when they are received. Part of this is also finding packaging and shipping containers.
With a good amount of focus and hard work product should be available soon!
Monday, October 1, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Country Fried Chicken Dinner Tonight!
Tonight I am going to make a traditional mid west dinner of Country Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Vegetable.
I am thinking of making deviled eggs to snack on before dinner then the dinner will start with a mixed green salad with my favorite blue cheese dressing recipe from the Palm Restaurant, tomatoes and radishes.
The main course will be crispy fried chicken (peanut oil is commonly agreed upon to give the best crunch). Rich buttery mashed potatoes with country gravy and a vegetable (probably green beens) will accompany the chicken.
For dessert I am making boysenberry pie using the foolproof pie crust recipe that uses vodka! I will serve the pie with vanilla ice cream.
WARNING: One should not eat like this every meal! This is a special occasion meal.
I am thinking of making deviled eggs to snack on before dinner then the dinner will start with a mixed green salad with my favorite blue cheese dressing recipe from the Palm Restaurant, tomatoes and radishes.
The main course will be crispy fried chicken (peanut oil is commonly agreed upon to give the best crunch). Rich buttery mashed potatoes with country gravy and a vegetable (probably green beens) will accompany the chicken.
For dessert I am making boysenberry pie using the foolproof pie crust recipe that uses vodka! I will serve the pie with vanilla ice cream.
WARNING: One should not eat like this every meal! This is a special occasion meal.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Exciting News For Home Cooks in California
Up until September 21, 2012 it had been against the law in California to sell homemade food products made in one's home. This changed this month when California Governor Jerry Brown signed in to affect California Assembly Bill 1616, The California Homemade Food Act. This act makes it legal to produce food items in the home that do not contain, cream, custard or meat and sell them to retailers, restaurants or direct to the public. Restaurant and retailers may require proof of health department inspections before purchasing the items.
This is great news, while some craft food producers made product and sold them prior to this legislation, they risked being shut down by the health department.
It will be exciting to see the variety of new foods that become available on the market because of this new legislation.
If you go to the link to view the new bill please share it on Facebook so all of your friends get the news.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Camping and Culinary Excursion!
Well it has been a while again but I have had a lot going on since the last time I blogged. I made it through my first season at The Club at Morningside. The season wrapped up for me the week after Memorial Day. Since then I have been working on my website projects, www.CulinaryRoom.com and www.HanoverRoad.com and exploring food! I have been canning and making new recipes, pictures of my projects will soon be available on www.HanoverRoad.com as well as some of my favorite recipes. In addition I will soon have homemade product available for purchase on the site. Well that is the news about what I have been working on and some things to come. Now let me tell you about the delicious vacation we just returned from.
I am not sure I have mentioned this in my blog before but I took my first trip to Oregon about 3 years ago and fell in love with it. Since then we have been back 2 more times. It is a great late summer vacation when you just can't take our heat anymore and you are pining for 70°F. weather. This year the temperatures were a little higher during the day than they had been before but would still cool down to the 50s during the nights.
The vacation was a motorhome trip. It would be a combination of eating in, visiting friends and eating out. In preparation I made several items ahead and froze them so they could be used for the eat in meals. For the out meals we would try new places and favorites from our previous trips.
We set out in the motorhome on a Friday after work and made our way to Gustine, CA (Santa Nella area). Since it was going to be hard to predict when we would get in and get set up I purchased prepared food from Bouchée Fine Foods in La Quinta. I bought their meatloaf and gorgonzola twiced baked potatoes both of which could be microwaved and accompanied them with a salad.
The next day was going to be an early start and a hard push to get to our friends in Bend. Breakfast was fast easy and we were on the road. We made it in to Bend early in the evening and after getting set up were treated to delicious tri-tip sandwiches by our friends. We would spend 3 days with our friends, getting caught up, laughing and playing games. Sunday morning we cooked up a package of bacon so we could use it over the course of the trip and had a hearty bacon and egg breakfast. Later in the day we set out to see some sights in Bend and enjoyed a late afternoon salad at Croutons. Sunday evening was spent having fun with our friends and enjoying some homemade fig bars that I had brought along. On Monday our last day in Bend I baked cinnamon rolls that I had made and frozen before baking so I could bake them off as wanted. We took another trip into Bend to check out Sparrow Bakery which I had researched online. It was a wonderful bakery in a rehabilitated area of town in a wonderful little building. We bought some delicious quiche and salad to take home for lunch. Monday night we made dinner for our friends. Appetizers were chips with roasted corn salsa that I had canned and homemade guacamole. I had made enchiladas verde and frozen them, to accompany them I made chorizo spanish rice and served both with re-fried black beans. Dessert was homemade dark chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream.
Tuesday morning against the urging of our friends we headed west through Sisters and McKenzie Bridge ending up in Sweet Home. While town was not completely representative of it's name, we were in a beautiful RV park across from Foster Lake. Dinner was a short walk down the lakeshore to The Point Restaurant with views of the lake.
Wednesday morning I baked off croissants that I had made and froze before the trip, I served baked eggs with spinach and bread crumbs along with them. I took out a achiote marinated tri-tip to grill once we reached our next stop in Gold Beach. I baked potatoes on the grill and roasted locally grown yellow sweetcorn and made a salad with tomato and homemade vinaigrette. Dinner Thursday night was the long awaited treat of Tu Tu Tun Lodge. Just a short walk from our campground, appetizers were served on the veranda overlooking the beautiful gardens and Rogue River (image above). They consisted of fish cakes, corn fritters, crostini with mushroom remoulade and polenta cakes with aioli. The dinner bell rang at 7 and we were seated family style in the dining room. Dinner started with a beautiful mixed green salad that had bleu cheese from the Rogue Creamery in the Medford area. The main course was a whole rib eye rubbed with cumin and perfectly grilled, sliced and place on the lazy susan along with fingerling potatoes and cumin popovers. Dessert was an amazing blueberry and goat cheese tart on basil oil with blackberry couli and house made vanilla ice cream, WOW! This was definitely a highlight of our vacation. Friday was a simple breakfast and lunch, for dinner I had made homemade duxelles and chicken mousse ravioli, I made a white wine butter sauce and sauteed asparagus to serve them in and served it with a fresh green salad.
Saturday morning was time to head home so we had a simple breakfast, broke camp and took off for Gustine again. It would be another long day. We decided to take the 101 down to San Francisco and head east on the 580 back to the 5. Thanks to modern technology I was able find a highly recommended sandwich shop in Arcata, California called the Hole in the Wall. It was in a very cute old building and the sandwiches were huge and delicious. I had the hot pastrami, yum! It was a long but beautiful drive and we got in about 7:30 in the evening. I had taken out the Wild Mushroom and Sausage Lasagna with Red Pepper and Tomato sauce Friday night before going to bed. When we got in I fired up the oven put the lasagna in to bake and baked some garlic bread and made a fresh green salad to go along with it.
Sunday morning we were able to take it a little slower as the drive back home was half what we had done the day before. Once we packed up and headed out we planned on stopping at Harris Ranch for breakfast. We arrived about an hour later. I had the 8 oz. sirloin and eggs for breakfast and soon we were on our way again. We would soon be home!
It was a wonderful vacation, lots of time to unwind from daily life and spend time with friends, spend time together and with little Erin who loved playing with our friends dog Crave. It was her longest stay in the motorhome and she settled right in after we got on our way. One of the things I enjoy about vacations is the chance to find places to eat that are unique to the area you are in, going in the motorhome also allows you to have some nice homemade meals along the way.
Stay tuned for another culinary excursion soon!
I am not sure I have mentioned this in my blog before but I took my first trip to Oregon about 3 years ago and fell in love with it. Since then we have been back 2 more times. It is a great late summer vacation when you just can't take our heat anymore and you are pining for 70°F. weather. This year the temperatures were a little higher during the day than they had been before but would still cool down to the 50s during the nights.
The vacation was a motorhome trip. It would be a combination of eating in, visiting friends and eating out. In preparation I made several items ahead and froze them so they could be used for the eat in meals. For the out meals we would try new places and favorites from our previous trips.
We set out in the motorhome on a Friday after work and made our way to Gustine, CA (Santa Nella area). Since it was going to be hard to predict when we would get in and get set up I purchased prepared food from Bouchée Fine Foods in La Quinta. I bought their meatloaf and gorgonzola twiced baked potatoes both of which could be microwaved and accompanied them with a salad.
The next day was going to be an early start and a hard push to get to our friends in Bend. Breakfast was fast easy and we were on the road. We made it in to Bend early in the evening and after getting set up were treated to delicious tri-tip sandwiches by our friends. We would spend 3 days with our friends, getting caught up, laughing and playing games. Sunday morning we cooked up a package of bacon so we could use it over the course of the trip and had a hearty bacon and egg breakfast. Later in the day we set out to see some sights in Bend and enjoyed a late afternoon salad at Croutons. Sunday evening was spent having fun with our friends and enjoying some homemade fig bars that I had brought along. On Monday our last day in Bend I baked cinnamon rolls that I had made and frozen before baking so I could bake them off as wanted. We took another trip into Bend to check out Sparrow Bakery which I had researched online. It was a wonderful bakery in a rehabilitated area of town in a wonderful little building. We bought some delicious quiche and salad to take home for lunch. Monday night we made dinner for our friends. Appetizers were chips with roasted corn salsa that I had canned and homemade guacamole. I had made enchiladas verde and frozen them, to accompany them I made chorizo spanish rice and served both with re-fried black beans. Dessert was homemade dark chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream.
Tuesday morning against the urging of our friends we headed west through Sisters and McKenzie Bridge ending up in Sweet Home. While town was not completely representative of it's name, we were in a beautiful RV park across from Foster Lake. Dinner was a short walk down the lakeshore to The Point Restaurant with views of the lake.
Wednesday morning I baked off croissants that I had made and froze before the trip, I served baked eggs with spinach and bread crumbs along with them. I took out a achiote marinated tri-tip to grill once we reached our next stop in Gold Beach. I baked potatoes on the grill and roasted locally grown yellow sweetcorn and made a salad with tomato and homemade vinaigrette. Dinner Thursday night was the long awaited treat of Tu Tu Tun Lodge. Just a short walk from our campground, appetizers were served on the veranda overlooking the beautiful gardens and Rogue River (image above). They consisted of fish cakes, corn fritters, crostini with mushroom remoulade and polenta cakes with aioli. The dinner bell rang at 7 and we were seated family style in the dining room. Dinner started with a beautiful mixed green salad that had bleu cheese from the Rogue Creamery in the Medford area. The main course was a whole rib eye rubbed with cumin and perfectly grilled, sliced and place on the lazy susan along with fingerling potatoes and cumin popovers. Dessert was an amazing blueberry and goat cheese tart on basil oil with blackberry couli and house made vanilla ice cream, WOW! This was definitely a highlight of our vacation. Friday was a simple breakfast and lunch, for dinner I had made homemade duxelles and chicken mousse ravioli, I made a white wine butter sauce and sauteed asparagus to serve them in and served it with a fresh green salad.
Saturday morning was time to head home so we had a simple breakfast, broke camp and took off for Gustine again. It would be another long day. We decided to take the 101 down to San Francisco and head east on the 580 back to the 5. Thanks to modern technology I was able find a highly recommended sandwich shop in Arcata, California called the Hole in the Wall. It was in a very cute old building and the sandwiches were huge and delicious. I had the hot pastrami, yum! It was a long but beautiful drive and we got in about 7:30 in the evening. I had taken out the Wild Mushroom and Sausage Lasagna with Red Pepper and Tomato sauce Friday night before going to bed. When we got in I fired up the oven put the lasagna in to bake and baked some garlic bread and made a fresh green salad to go along with it.
Sunday morning we were able to take it a little slower as the drive back home was half what we had done the day before. Once we packed up and headed out we planned on stopping at Harris Ranch for breakfast. We arrived about an hour later. I had the 8 oz. sirloin and eggs for breakfast and soon we were on our way again. We would soon be home!
It was a wonderful vacation, lots of time to unwind from daily life and spend time with friends, spend time together and with little Erin who loved playing with our friends dog Crave. It was her longest stay in the motorhome and she settled right in after we got on our way. One of the things I enjoy about vacations is the chance to find places to eat that are unique to the area you are in, going in the motorhome also allows you to have some nice homemade meals along the way.
Stay tuned for another culinary excursion soon!
Friday, April 6, 2012
Culinary IQ: Friday, April 6, 2012; Where to Start?
So Much Fun!
You know what they say, time flies when you are having fun. I decided I had time tonight to sit down and finally blog again and saw that it has been two whole months since my last attempt to blog!
Looking back, my last blog was about the stress of making chocolate lava cake for 120 and have it lava. Since then I have tackled chocolate lava for 210! I am actually amazed at the amount of chocolate I have gone through in the two months that I have been on this job, well past my own weight I am sure.
Other items I have accomplished are individual flourless chocolate cake for 80 on Valentine's Day. 90 key lime pies in margarita glasses with graham cracker crumb rimmed glasses, trio of cheesecakes for 100 and maybe the most stressful but also most rewarding were the 15 beautiful dark chocolate soufflés I made for the Board of Governors annual dinner that they had right in the kitchen where I was making them! In addition to all of these special events I have made birthday cakes for members and 1000's of desserts for the many banquets and buffets that have been held throughout the last 2 months.
This weekend is big, tonight was an Italian night buffet which I prepared tiramisu, cannoli and biscotti for. Tomorrow we have a number of Seder dinners totaling 180 guests in all and they will be having flourless chocolate cake with raspberry couli and fresh raspberries. Sunday is one of the two biggest days of the season, Easter which will be a buffet that includes pastries, cheesecake, carrot cake, chocolate cake and numerous other mini desserts and decorated cookies for the children.
I am very excited that at one point the club had a very elaborate pastry operation with equipment that some of the most successful shops don't have, like a dough sheeter and chocolate tempering machine! I have had a few opportunities to use the dough sheeter so far but has been tucked away in a basement storage area so I have to move it out and into the kitchen each time I want to use it. It looks like the club is going to rearrange things so I can have the equipment out where it is convenient to use, I am very excited.
Well I just wanted to take a few minutes to get you up to speed, I am dropping some pictures in here of my work space and some of the desserts I have done since I have been on the job. I will try to get back to you sooner next time!
You know what they say, time flies when you are having fun. I decided I had time tonight to sit down and finally blog again and saw that it has been two whole months since my last attempt to blog!
Looking back, my last blog was about the stress of making chocolate lava cake for 120 and have it lava. Since then I have tackled chocolate lava for 210! I am actually amazed at the amount of chocolate I have gone through in the two months that I have been on this job, well past my own weight I am sure.
Other items I have accomplished are individual flourless chocolate cake for 80 on Valentine's Day. 90 key lime pies in margarita glasses with graham cracker crumb rimmed glasses, trio of cheesecakes for 100 and maybe the most stressful but also most rewarding were the 15 beautiful dark chocolate soufflés I made for the Board of Governors annual dinner that they had right in the kitchen where I was making them! In addition to all of these special events I have made birthday cakes for members and 1000's of desserts for the many banquets and buffets that have been held throughout the last 2 months.
This weekend is big, tonight was an Italian night buffet which I prepared tiramisu, cannoli and biscotti for. Tomorrow we have a number of Seder dinners totaling 180 guests in all and they will be having flourless chocolate cake with raspberry couli and fresh raspberries. Sunday is one of the two biggest days of the season, Easter which will be a buffet that includes pastries, cheesecake, carrot cake, chocolate cake and numerous other mini desserts and decorated cookies for the children.
I am very excited that at one point the club had a very elaborate pastry operation with equipment that some of the most successful shops don't have, like a dough sheeter and chocolate tempering machine! I have had a few opportunities to use the dough sheeter so far but has been tucked away in a basement storage area so I have to move it out and into the kitchen each time I want to use it. It looks like the club is going to rearrange things so I can have the equipment out where it is convenient to use, I am very excited.
Well I just wanted to take a few minutes to get you up to speed, I am dropping some pictures in here of my work space and some of the desserts I have done since I have been on the job. I will try to get back to you sooner next time!
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Culinary IQ: February 11, 2012; Plated desserts
For 120!
Two weeks into my new job, my first job out of culinary school, I have to plate desserts for 120 honored guests at an 85 year old member of the country club's birthday party! And no, not just any dessert but chocolate lava cake!
Making chocolate lava cakes for 2 is stressful enough in the fact that you never know whether they are going to lava. Without any further baiting I will tell you that I had complete success, 120 chocolate lava cakes came cleanly out of the pan and they oozed!
So here is how I pulled it off. Immediately after arriving at work I began making the florentine cookie bowls for the ice cream to go in on the plate. While they baked I buttered the individual pans for the cakes. When I had finished the pans I started making the raspberry sauce to go on the plates for garnish. Then when all of that was done I started the batter for the cakes. First I melted the butter and chocolate, 5 pounds of each. Then cracked the 66 eggs, measured out the sugar (3 pounds, 11 oz.), flour (2 pounds, 7.5 ounces) and 2¾ teaspoons of salt. Then left the butter and chocolate mixture to cool.
I then began plating the components for the dessert, the florentine cookie cup went on first followed by the garnish of raspberry sauce and then mint tops.
Back to the kitchen to mix up the batter and portion it out into the pans and wait for the signal to bake them the short 10-12 minutes required to get the desired flowing lava affect.
Go! And in they went. I kept a watchful eye on them for just the right amount of doneness and when they were done I pulled them out of the oven to wait for time to plate them. And then it came, all hands on deck. I had help from every direction to get the cakes inverted onto the plates and the ice cream put into the florentine cookie cups.
Off they went to the tables for all to enjoy. Everyone was pleased, but none more than me as I had been nervous about this lava extravaganza from the moment I heard about it. And then it was time for me to go home and I left with the satisfaction that I had pulled off my biggest baking feat to date. I can sleep well knowing that I won't have to do anything like this again until Tuesday! Valentine's Day desserts for 140, flour less chocolate cake.
I am knee deep in chocolate, who could ask for more?
Two weeks into my new job, my first job out of culinary school, I have to plate desserts for 120 honored guests at an 85 year old member of the country club's birthday party! And no, not just any dessert but chocolate lava cake!
Making chocolate lava cakes for 2 is stressful enough in the fact that you never know whether they are going to lava. Without any further baiting I will tell you that I had complete success, 120 chocolate lava cakes came cleanly out of the pan and they oozed!
So here is how I pulled it off. Immediately after arriving at work I began making the florentine cookie bowls for the ice cream to go in on the plate. While they baked I buttered the individual pans for the cakes. When I had finished the pans I started making the raspberry sauce to go on the plates for garnish. Then when all of that was done I started the batter for the cakes. First I melted the butter and chocolate, 5 pounds of each. Then cracked the 66 eggs, measured out the sugar (3 pounds, 11 oz.), flour (2 pounds, 7.5 ounces) and 2¾ teaspoons of salt. Then left the butter and chocolate mixture to cool.
I then began plating the components for the dessert, the florentine cookie cup went on first followed by the garnish of raspberry sauce and then mint tops.
Back to the kitchen to mix up the batter and portion it out into the pans and wait for the signal to bake them the short 10-12 minutes required to get the desired flowing lava affect.
Go! And in they went. I kept a watchful eye on them for just the right amount of doneness and when they were done I pulled them out of the oven to wait for time to plate them. And then it came, all hands on deck. I had help from every direction to get the cakes inverted onto the plates and the ice cream put into the florentine cookie cups.
Off they went to the tables for all to enjoy. Everyone was pleased, but none more than me as I had been nervous about this lava extravaganza from the moment I heard about it. And then it was time for me to go home and I left with the satisfaction that I had pulled off my biggest baking feat to date. I can sleep well knowing that I won't have to do anything like this again until Tuesday! Valentine's Day desserts for 140, flour less chocolate cake.
I am knee deep in chocolate, who could ask for more?
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Culinary IQ: Wednesday, February 9, 2012; After the Assessment
What Happened Next!
It has been a while since I last posted. And for good reason, after completing my first baking assessment I was offered the position, and I took it! I am now the pastry chef at The Club at Morningside in Rancho Mirage, CA! I interviewed with the executive chef on a Monday and did my baking assessment the next day, when I was done he offered me the job. I was to start the following Monday.
So I had time to think about the job ahead of me, preparing all pastries for the clubhouse, including menu desserts for the restaurant, desserts for special events, card club refreshments and much more. I started to worry, was I ready for all of this responsibility? The excitement about the position outweighed the worry fortunately. One exciting thing about the position is that it is seasonal, September to May. Lots of time off for R&D and R&R!
So Monday came and off I went to my new job. The first two days were stressful, but fun stress. I needed to get familiar with the working environment, the equipment, the people and the responsibilities. While I was having a blast, I didn't know how I was ever going to get myself around everything. Not only were the desserts for the restaurant low, I didn't have any recipes to stock them from so I had to come up with my own versions of them. Friday nights are bistro nights so I needed four unique desserts for dinner, so I sit here trying to recall what the four were. First I did an individual Carrot Layer Cake with Candied Walnuts and Rum Caramel sauce, Lemon Meringue Tart with Raspberry sauce, a Blonde Bombshell Brownie Sundae and since it was my first week the chef suggested that I use a Chocolate Coffee Creme Brûlée tart that was in the freezer. I am sure the look of panic on my face is what prompted him to suggest I do so. Truth is I am having an absolute blast so I would be curious to know if that shows on my face in the heat of things. With a little luck and a lot of help, I made it through bistro night, next comes steakhouse night.
For steakhouse night chef wanted traditional steakhouse desserts. Based on my favorite steakhouse and research of other top establishments I decided to do Chocolate Stout Layer Cake, Mile-Hi Cheesecake, Tiramisu and Fresh Northern Berries with Vanilla Creme Anglaise and a Tuille Cookie. All made by me! Fruit was the number one choice of the night followed by Tiramisu.
Two great days off, I did have to go in for a few hours my first day off to make sure everything was in order for the next week.
Week two has gone much more smooth. I am getting a handle on the things that need to be done regularly and planning ahead for the special events. So far this week we have had an Italian themed lunch for the men, we served Cannoli, Paula Deen's recipe, who would have thought. We also served cheesecake and tiramisu. Today was the big day, lady's guest golf, the ladies of Morningside invite the ladies from surrounding clubs to breakfast, 9 holes of golf and lunch. The theme was western and so was the lunch, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, cornbread muffins and for dessert I made peach cobbler, Dutch apple pie and blueberry crumb pie and triple chocolate cookies. The peach cobbler was gone!
Tomorrow is bistro night again, this week I am making Banana Cream pies, Chocolate Brandied Mousse, Louisiana Bread Pudding and Poached Pears with Mascarpone. Saturday an 85th birthday party, Chocolate Lava Cake for 120!
Well I have more on my calendar but I don't want to wear you out with it all. I will check back in another time and get you up to date.
It has been a while since I last posted. And for good reason, after completing my first baking assessment I was offered the position, and I took it! I am now the pastry chef at The Club at Morningside in Rancho Mirage, CA! I interviewed with the executive chef on a Monday and did my baking assessment the next day, when I was done he offered me the job. I was to start the following Monday.
So I had time to think about the job ahead of me, preparing all pastries for the clubhouse, including menu desserts for the restaurant, desserts for special events, card club refreshments and much more. I started to worry, was I ready for all of this responsibility? The excitement about the position outweighed the worry fortunately. One exciting thing about the position is that it is seasonal, September to May. Lots of time off for R&D and R&R!
So Monday came and off I went to my new job. The first two days were stressful, but fun stress. I needed to get familiar with the working environment, the equipment, the people and the responsibilities. While I was having a blast, I didn't know how I was ever going to get myself around everything. Not only were the desserts for the restaurant low, I didn't have any recipes to stock them from so I had to come up with my own versions of them. Friday nights are bistro nights so I needed four unique desserts for dinner, so I sit here trying to recall what the four were. First I did an individual Carrot Layer Cake with Candied Walnuts and Rum Caramel sauce, Lemon Meringue Tart with Raspberry sauce, a Blonde Bombshell Brownie Sundae and since it was my first week the chef suggested that I use a Chocolate Coffee Creme Brûlée tart that was in the freezer. I am sure the look of panic on my face is what prompted him to suggest I do so. Truth is I am having an absolute blast so I would be curious to know if that shows on my face in the heat of things. With a little luck and a lot of help, I made it through bistro night, next comes steakhouse night.
For steakhouse night chef wanted traditional steakhouse desserts. Based on my favorite steakhouse and research of other top establishments I decided to do Chocolate Stout Layer Cake, Mile-Hi Cheesecake, Tiramisu and Fresh Northern Berries with Vanilla Creme Anglaise and a Tuille Cookie. All made by me! Fruit was the number one choice of the night followed by Tiramisu.
Two great days off, I did have to go in for a few hours my first day off to make sure everything was in order for the next week.
Week two has gone much more smooth. I am getting a handle on the things that need to be done regularly and planning ahead for the special events. So far this week we have had an Italian themed lunch for the men, we served Cannoli, Paula Deen's recipe, who would have thought. We also served cheesecake and tiramisu. Today was the big day, lady's guest golf, the ladies of Morningside invite the ladies from surrounding clubs to breakfast, 9 holes of golf and lunch. The theme was western and so was the lunch, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, cornbread muffins and for dessert I made peach cobbler, Dutch apple pie and blueberry crumb pie and triple chocolate cookies. The peach cobbler was gone!
Tomorrow is bistro night again, this week I am making Banana Cream pies, Chocolate Brandied Mousse, Louisiana Bread Pudding and Poached Pears with Mascarpone. Saturday an 85th birthday party, Chocolate Lava Cake for 120!
Well I have more on my calendar but I don't want to wear you out with it all. I will check back in another time and get you up to date.
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