bistro cooking
Did I ever mention to you this week that our firm was hosting another cooking class?
I didn’t?
Ooops. My bad.
I blame spring cleaning. I feel like I’ve been playing in a live version of Tetris these past three days, and every time I need a green block only a yellow block drops. Frustration may be an understatement at this point.
I digress.
As I mentioned above, we hosted another private cooking class at Cook Street this evening for some prospects and existing clients. The last class we hosted was back in July so I was eager to get back in the kitchen. I am a HUGE fan of this culinary school. Every time we do an event with them, whether it’s hosting a large cooking class like tonight or a small private dinner, they always do an impeccable job.
I arrived early to help with some of the setup and to take pictures. I also ran through the evenings schedule with Chef John to make sure we were all on the same page. Chef John is one of the coolest chefs I know (besides my Aunt Joan of course!). He is hysterical and I always enjoy picking his foodie brain.
As guests arrived, they were offered cocktails and appetizers.
Last time they served almonds that had been fried in duck fat (OMG), and I was secretly hoping they would make another appearance. Guess what? They did! Booyah!
After everyone chatted for a bit, Chef John began his speech on what we would be cooking, and safety in the kitchen.
And then we were off!
The first course we cooked: savory crepes with herbed chevre, grilled baby leeks, and wild mushrooms
I thought crepes were crazy hard to make, but in fact, they are quite simple. You just have to be quick because the batter cooks up in 2.2. nano seconds. The secret…use less than a 1/4 cup of batter.
The second course: spicy chicken “diavolo” with rosemary, pepper, lemon, and dinosaur kale.
Have you ever tried dinosaur kale? Yeah, me neither until tonight. Basically it’s a larger version of regular kale that takes a bit longer to cook.
Also, Chef John used mustard seed oil to cook the chicken breasts instead of EVOO. You have to order it online, but the flavor is off the charts. Just order it. You’ll thank me later.
The third and final course: strawberry mousse with lemon shortbread cookies
Party! I loved this dessert. Fresh, light, and the perfect way to the end the evening.
The class was another huge success and I can’t wait for the next one!
Bon Appetit!
Conclusion: Embrace the charm of bistro cooking and elevate your culinary repertoire with flavorful dishes that capture the essence of French cuisine.
I LOVE Cook Street. I've taken their bread classes and their pastry classes, and Chef Brain is awesome. I've pseudo met Chef John before, and he seems really cool and knowledgeable. He helped us grill our pizzas in the wood oven. I would love to take so many more of their classes if I could afford it. Lucky that your firm does it! Can you bring a guest next time? 🙂
Emily – Yay! I love that you in Denver! Cook Street is amazing and I have always wanted to take their bread and pastry classes. Any secrets to share when baking at high altitude?
I've found that pretty much everything cooks/bakes normally except for cakes and cupcakes. For those, you want to increase your liquid by a couple of tablespoons, increase your oven temp by 25 degrees (which will make your baking time shorter), decrease your chemical leaveners, and add an egg or an egg white. It's tough up here with cakes sinking and drying out, but it's a lot of trial and error. I have a couple of high-altitude recipes on my blog, with more to come. It's a pain to figure it out. If I'm doing a half-sheet cake, I give up and use box mixes. I know they'll come out without falling and I won't have to rebake them umpteen times, which can be very annoying…yet tasty!
Great tips! Thank you for sharing. And I always have a box mix on hand too!
okay, my bad for not keeping up on your blog. For some reason, oh five thousand trips to Wichita recently….am just trying my hand at kale chips. will definitely order the mustard oil. hubs is a HUGE fan of mustard (we have about 10 varieties in our pantry). Aren't cooking schools just the ulitmate joy??? Keep up the good work. Jomer