South American Presentation

Mexican Class Travels To South America For Inspiration


Today's class featured some of the most iconic South American preparations, including:

• Vatapa
• Fejoida Completa
• Empanadas
• Papas Relleno
• Carne Asado with Green and Red Chimichurris
• Escabeche de Pescado

South American foods feature a varied blending of influences, including Spanish, African, Native (especially Incan), and, more recently, Italian, German and Asian.

Common Ingredients include, beef (particularly in Argentina), corn, beans, quinoa, cassava, coconuts, chili peppers, and is the original home to potatoes.

Cuisine of Veracruz Mexico

Cuisine of Veracruz

Ensalada Noche Buena

Tilapia Veracruzana
Arroz a la Mexicana

Tiburon Acapulco

Principles of Cooking - Poaching

Moist Heat Cooking - Poaching

The concept of moist heat cooking is simple - cooking food in a moist (wet) environment.

These methods include poaching, simmering, boiling and steaming.

Today's focus was on the two variations of poaching; shallow poaching and submersion poaching.

In submersion poaching the food is completely covered with liquid (between 160 and 180 degrees F)

In shallow poaching the food is placed in just enough flavorful cooking liquid to come up to half way up the sides of the item. With shallow poaching you gain the added benefit of using the poaching liquid (cuisson) to prepare a sauce that can be used to accompany the dish. When shallow poaching you often finish the cooking in the oven after covering the pan with a parchement paper circle (cartouche) as shown above.

Even More Cookies

Another Sweet Day in the Bakeshop

Today's Cookie Menu:

• coconut macaroons
• chocolate macaroons
• diamonds
• raisin spice bars
• checkerboard icebox
• double chocolate macadamia nut
• "Langues de Chat" cat's tongues
• tuile basket

Cookies and Tarts Oh My

Classic American Fruit Tarts

• Pate Sucre Dough w/
• Creme Patisserie Vanilla
• Glazed Fresh Fruit

Assorted Classic American Cookie Tray

• Sugar Cookies
• Chocolate Chip
• Peanutbutter Dipped in Chocolate Ganache
• Oatmeal Raisin
• Oatmeal Caramel

Tableside Presentation

Into each Chef's life a little tableside work will fall

Some operations feature food that is finished or even fully prepared at the diners table. This results in increased anticipation and curiosity to say nothing of the entertainment factor. Many of us need to overcome our initial fear of "being onstage" and join the culinary stage production.

Garde Manger Platters 6-20-08

The next class of Garde manger students and their platter presentations.

Food has been coated in aspic gelee and arranged with an eye towards balance of colors, shapes and textures.

Petits Fours

The term petit four can be used for most any small cake or pastry item as long as it is small enough to be eaten in one or two bites.
In French:

"petit" = small

"four" = oven

Most, though not all petits fours are baked

Two Categories:

Petits Fours Secs

(dry) includes cookies, baked meringues, macaroons and puff pastry products

Petits Fours Glaces

are iced; eclairs, tartlets, filled meringues and cakes