Serious Foodie Class in Vancouver

[achiu]

I didn't mind the pad thai so much because despite the faults it was better than the overly sweet and ketchupy ones I normally get at the Thai restaurants I go to. A bit of adjustment in the seasoning and it can be good.

I'm looking forward to the dry aged beef tenderloin next week

Alex

[fud]

Mise en place, Wes, mise en place! 

yeah if only I spent 1 minute to find out where all the ingredients were on the table (mise was done but I didn't know where

You really need to "plan" everything before you get started, there's no room for error with those 70K BTUs I tell you.

Great place to watch the high BTU madness I found is a thai place in Seattle called "Thai Tom" on University Avenue. The man "Tom" is certifiably nuts. Working 6 high BTUs at the same time and two drones doing mise contstantly to feed his woks.

Hey Alex made a good point just now. Where the heck is the "drool" emoticon. Isn't this a food forum?

[BCinBC]

[intermission]

Chef Marco made us chocolates!!! mmmm talk about effective advertising!

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Oh yeah Alex and I had the last 2 caramel nut chocolates you see along the 8 o'clock arm. Sooooo good. Ling - the sugar ribbon and apple were pretty impressive.

Next week will be bittersweet - going out with aged beef and fried polenta.

[BCinBC]

Great place to watch the high BTU madness I found is a thai place in Seattle called "Thai Tom" on University Avenue.  The man "Tom" is certifiably nuts.  Working 6 high BTUs at the same time and two drones doing mise contstantly to feed his woks.

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Fud I've been to Thai Tom's as well, he is a dynamo. When I was there he had one drone constantly cleaning woks, one constantly mincing garlic, and one running food. Most of the seats are at the bar, overlooking Tom himself. It is a lot of fun. Plus the swimming rama was excellent.

[*Deborah*]

I liked my Pad Thai... that trick with the chicken was GREAT. I have had several different kinds of Pad Thai, I guess, and this one was less sweet than a lot of them...it definitely needed the Sweet Thai Chili Sauce though!

I didn't have any trouble with the noodles soaking up all my sauce. Is it because I had enough oil in there to coat them before I put the sauce in? my noodles were pretty nice and loose.

Edited November 8, 2005 by *Deborah* (log)

[CanadianBakin']

So the question is....has it been worth it? Did you get your money's worth? I know you've all enjoyed the company but have your skills improved? Did you know most of what Chef Tony taught already and maybe just got some tips to improve, or did you learn totally new things that you never would have tried on your own? Did you find there was enough instruction or were you left "winging" things a bit? I'm seriously thinking of taking this course but due to the 90 minute drive each direction I might start with some of the 2 night pastry courses.

[*Deborah*]

For me? totally worth it.

It has solidified techniques I already had, and explained the reasoning behind things.

It has given me lots of new skills and new knowledge (knife skills, in which I was woefully lacking (and can still improve!), how to make a loaf of bread, how to make pasta--which I had done before but not nearly so well, all that esoteric info re: gluten and whatnot, why you heat your pan before you put your food in) and helped me gain confidence in other things I already know how to do or learned at my mother's knee lo, those many (many, many) years ago...

I mean, honestly, I would have paid $100 just to learn how to cut the stupid onion!

It's not like everything was brand new to me, but the format, with the lecture/demo followed by the hands-on, really helped solidify things for me. I think I had an "Ah!!" moment in each class. Although I can't recall them all for you right this moment

[BCinBC]

^ Good question CanadianBakin'.

Personally I think it was worth it. I cook, I like to cook, I like reading cookbooks and watching people cook - but I learned things in the class that I could not have learned reading or watching (on TV or without interaction), or that I would have had to have learned through a prolonged trial and error process myself.

Because you are most likely a proficient cook already yourself, most likely you already know a lot of what Chef Tony is teaching. The skill level in class varies a fair amount, and he is trying to address the class as a whole. But there are always tips to pick up that you may not have know or thought about previously.

Chef is not going to be able to teach you how to season properly, or how to correctly balance flavours... IMO that really is something that has to be learned through trial and error.

However when I think of stuff that I flat out did not know how to do, the first example I always think of is learning to properly sear. Getting to the point of trusting the heat is just something that I would never have had the confidence to do prior to the class. Now I can produce a nice crusty sear on a halibut fillet. I think the baguette class was a revelation to quite a few people too.

It is an opportunity to try new stuff, learn about new ingredients, hone skills and techniques you already have, and generally bend the ear of a professional chef - just in case you ever had any burning questions. A little chemistry is another thing he offers, which also IMO is something that is much more difficult to pick up just by reading or watching TV.

Was it worth it? I'm pretty sure that most everyone in the class would say that it was for them, for some reason or other.

BTW, besides the many other classes offered at NWCAV (in series, or as 1 or 2-shot classes) another option that Chef Tony brought up is Quince. Being started up by another ex-Dubrulle-ite and one-time Bocuse d'Or candidate, Chef Andrea will supposedly be offering classes in singlets or short series as well. She is reputedly very highly skilled with the knife.

He also mentioned the possibility of future advanced classes with guest chefs such as our very own Chefs Jeff and Neil. Now that would be a blast.

[fud]

Always the big question.

In short. Yes.

The course I will split the price into 30% fun and entertainment, 70% true transferrable skill value.

Chef Tony is so excited about food and cooking and it shows and it makes the classes so incredible. The format is good with a demo and then handson and then back to demo. I don't know how many times I made something and bit into it and thought "my god it is actually good and I made it!"

I got to learn some new cuts, a billion tricks and some food theory I didn't know before making the whole experience well worth the money. Honestly for $30 some odd dollars an hour it's a bargain considering Audi charges me $30 to change a friggin light bulb!

What Chef Tony told us on day one is really making sense at day 7. He's not teaching us recipes. Anyone can do that. He's teaching us how to be confident in the kitchen. That is truly priceless. Instead of hiding behind what is safe and what we know. We have all learned how to step out of our zones of comfort and really experiement with food. My confidence level has gone up a tonne and I feel like I can hold my own next to old mum who always told me since I was a kid (get out of the kitchen you don't know what you're doing!)

Take that mum! she loved the seared halibut I made over the weekend. Now I don't go over to get fed, I go over to feed my family. That, IMHO has got to be worth more than I paid.

[*Deborah*]

Well said, Wes: confidence! invaluable. And I'd say patience. Reduce till it's "sexy", sear till it's properly browned, knead till it's silky, let it rest till it's ready...takes a lot of patience, but the payoff is definitely worth it.

[Daddy-A]

Hey, I learned to make bread and pasta.

'Nuff said.

A.

[Ling]

Too bad about the fallen souffles. If mine had fallen, I would have taken it out of the ramekin and put it into a dish, then make a quick custard sauce to pour over top, and present it as a homestyle pudding.

Looking forward to the beef and polenta!

[Mooshmouse]

Too bad about the fallen souffles. If mine had fallen, I would have taken it out of the ramekin and put it into a dish, then make a quick custard sauce to pour over top, and present it as a homestyle pudding.   

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Right. And we had the time to do that in class... when?

[*Deborah*]

Too bad about the fallen souffles. If mine had fallen, I would have taken it out of the ramekin and put it into a dish, then make a quick custard sauce to pour over top, and present it as a homestyle pudding.   

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Right. And we had the time to do that in class... when?

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Actually, if that happened at home, I'd probably throw a bit of whipped cream and some toasted coconut on top...

[Ling]

Too bad about the fallen souffles. If mine had fallen, I would have taken it out of the ramekin and put it into a dish, then make a quick custard sauce to pour over top, and present it as a homestyle pudding.   

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Right. And we had the time to do that in class... when?

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Oops I meant at home, not during your class! Yeah whipped cream and toasted coconut...and a sprinkle of macadamia nuts! YUM.

[nwyles]

Too bad about the fallen souffles. If mine had fallen, I would have taken it out of the ramekin and put it into a dish, then make a quick custard sauce to pour over top, and present it as a homestyle pudding.   

Looking forward to the beef and polenta!

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I would have wolfed it down in one bite, destroying the evidence of my failure, yet remaing happy !

[Irishgirl]

It sounds like Chef Tony forgot to tell you the most important rule of souffle making:

You wait for a souffle: A souffle does not wait for you.

You guys should have eaten them fresh from the oven.

I certainly would not have been able to wait.

[fud]

I would have wolfed it down in one bite, destroying the evidence of my failure, yet remaing happy !

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Neil,

We're on the same wavelength. What Souffle? Huh? We made souffle? [mmm]

Irishgirl: oh man I would have loved wolfing it down while making the pad thai...what an image that would be!

Edited November 9, 2005 by fud (log)

[fud]

BTW, besides the many other classes offered at NWCAV (in series, or as 1 or 2-shot classes) another option that Chef Tony brought up is Quince. Being started up by another ex-Dubrulle-ite and one-time Bocuse d'Or candidate, Chef Andrea will supposedly be offering classes in singlets or short series as well. She is reputedly very highly skilled with the knife.

Hey is Quince a restaurant/school or catering company? The web site confuses me.

[BettyK]

Sounds like some nice cooking class. I was very impressed by those long pasta sheets.

What kind of flour did you use? Any tips about making fresh pasta would also be welcome.

[BCinBC]

BettyK,

We used all purpose in class, but were also informed that pastry/cake flour would work well - this is favoured by some Italians (the 00 grade flour).

Here is a link to more tortellini-making adventures. In there you'll see the cake vs AP going head-to-head.

[Mooshmouse]

And so we have the last hurrah, our final instalment of this term's Serious Foodie class. Chef Tony certainly had us exit in style.

First off was an opportunity to freestyle a bit and spice at will, using a classic cream of [insert vegetable here] as our starting point. Half the class did a roasted butternut squash soup, and our group was part of the other half that cooked parsnip and potato. The soups were then simultaneously ladled into bowls; Wes'll have some great shots of that.

Classic Cream of Roasted Butternut Squash and Parsnip/Potato Soups

Wine Pairing: Dancing Bull 2004 Sauvignon Blanc

We chose to flavour our parsnip/potato soup with crushed cardamom pods, crushed coriander seeds, allspice, Granny Smith apple, apple cider vinegar and a splash of lemon juice. Topped with a tiny sprig of thyme. What really made the soup's flavours sing, however, was Chef Tony's addition of a chunk of smoked kipper. Never in a million years would I have imagined that parsnips, potatoes, apples and smoked fish all puréed together would taste so damn good.

From here, we moved onto our main course. Roasted vegetables en papillote was first into the oven: purple onions, shallots, tomatoes and garlic all tossed with a spring of thyme, olive oil, pepper and some fleur de sel. Polenta came next which was flavoured with sage, garlic and half a red chili pepper, then finished with butter, cream and blue cheese. Very low cal. The primary component was pan-seared ribeye steak that Chef Tony had been hanging to age since last Wednesday. Here's Wes making the first few cuts of the finished product.

Steak was very simply seasoned with nothing more than olive oil, fleur de sel and cracked pepper. For the reduction sauce, we sautéed some wild mushrooms in the steak pan, then deglazed with red wine and sexified with a sizeable pat of butter to add a beautiful sheen.

Seared Ribeye Steak in a Wild Mushroom/Red Wine Reduction Sauce

Accompanied by Roasted Vegetables en Papillote and served over Blue Cheese Polenta

Wine Pairing: Mission Hill 2003 Shiraz

At the end of these 8 weeks, our class had come to achieve a great synchronicity which was readily evident in our group's preparation of this dish. It's great to be able to cook with two other people in a kitchen other than your own and have things go like clockwork. The end result was delicious. Perfectly creamy polenta and beautifully aged tender beef, all drenched in (to borrow a 'Chef Tonyism') a very sexy sauce.

Last, but certainly not least, was dessert.

Ricotta-stuffed Pannetone, French Toast Style

I'm lamenting the fact that I forgot to turn on my camera's macro mode as this blurry photo doesn't do this dish justice. We cut rounds out of pannetone slices and stuffed them with a mixture of ricotta cheese, toasted walnuts, freshly ground nutmeg, cinnamon and sugar before dipping them into an egg/cream/milk/sugar/Frangelico wash. However, the berry sauce was out of this world: butter, mixed berries, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar with pinches of cinnamon and pepper. The vinegar's tang accented the tart berry flavour without overpowering it, a lovely foil for the ricotta's creamy sweetness.

Was this class worth the money? Absolutely, especially the segments on bread and pasta which were my personal epiphanies. Aside from adding to my kitchen skill set and increasing my recipe repertoire, my primary motive as a Mom for taking this class was to have some dedicated time for cooking the way that I used to during my life before child. It was better than I had expected, particularly with the social aspect of cooking as the members of our Monday-night class really seemed to click. The Pro-Class students who assisted us each session were invaluable, both for their guidance and their encouragement. And Chef Tony? His nuggets of wisdom, his genuine passion for cooking and his ever-present ridiculous wit were the glue that brought it all together.

If you have the opportunity to sign up for a future instalment of the Serious Foodie course, don't miss it. Like the rest of my classmates, I know I'll be going through some significant Monday-night withdrawal until the Advanced classes roll around at the end of April. I'll be there. That's for damn sure.

On behalf of this motley crew of rabblerousers, this is Mooshmouse, NWCAV food-geek correspondent, signing off. Good night and good eats.

Edited because this post was missing a proper ending.

Edited November 15, 2005 by Mooshmouse (log)

[Ling]

Aww...I loved this thread and it's sad to see it come to an end (until April...but I do hope that other Egulleters will keep this thread going in January!) The menu for today's class looks delicious...blue cheese polenta and ribeyes, how can you go wrong?

[fud]

Beautifully written Joie. I will merely provide some pics and maybe a few additional words. Let me first say THANKS to the amazing helpers who really dedicated their time and sage counsel to a bunch of out of control home cooks. My hat's off to you all! Dan, Lori, Hugh, Betty and all the others I have forgotten the names to but remember your faces!

It was a geat last class and Chef Tony was as animated as ever. You really have to SEE him in action. Today he talked extensively about "developing a relationship" with your steak. When you put it in the fridge for 3-4 days you develop a relationship and an anticipation with your meat. You just don't have that kind of bonding with meat from a store...

First pic is Joie ladeling out parsnip soup which consisted of an amazing array of ingredients. I asked Chef Tony "uhh, I never eat parsnip...what does it taste like". He said "Carrot, sorta and it I really DON'T KNOW what it likes <finger pointing to Cardamom>, NO IDEA <tapping cardamom jar>, yeah good luck". That guy cracks me up. Funnily Joie had already selected that spice so we were on the right track...

Second Pic is Joie masterfully ladeling the two soups (Brian's group made the butternut squash soup - feel free to tell us what you put in it!)

Here is a GOOD pic of Brian, hey look at that am I excused now? and he's adding the garnishes to the dishes. The butternut had a brilliant roasted squash in butter and spices (?) really added texture and depth to the dish

And voila, the finished product. Our side had a minimalist approach with a small sprig of thyme. Yes I controlled my Jackson Pollock urges.

Plating our ribeye steak. Yumm! We made a simple sauce with red wine and the 'sucs' from the steak frying and some butter to monter. Earlier in the class we actually roasted our pepper on a pan till they 'pop' and then crushed them with a pot to make a very nice black pepper crust. We seasoned the meat with fluer de Sel and the roasted black pepper (that's it!).

We cut the steaks on a bias and I was reminded of "Hanger Steak" and then placed them on top of the polenta and Joie added the Veggie's in expert fashion. Drizzle some sauce and perhaps pull with a spoon for 'flare'

Now off to dessert-land, we made a french toast style dessert with Pannetone, Ricotta (mixed with nutmeg, almonds, sugar) and some eggs. Joie and my pannetone looked like they had 'lips'.

After frying top and bottom we 'roll' the sides on the pan to cook them too! My pannetone lips were smooshed at this point.

mmmm butter and brown sugar, together at last...

One more shot of our 'lips' pannetone.

And the finished product. I had to rescure my 'lips' so I could build my masterpiece!

It took some work and the shaking heads of Arne and the gang but it was complete. Can anyone guess what it is? No guesses from class members!

I also have a group shot of the 'gang' and the chef helpers plus Tony (in the back). I'm sure we were the most out of control 'freaks' he's ever had the pleasure to teach and I am so happy he has the kind of energy needed to really get us going. I'll be sad next monday when I have no class to go to but I am really happy with what we've accomplished in the past 8 weeks.

Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back in April.

[Ling]

And the finished product.  I had to rescure my 'lips' so I could build my masterpiece!

It took some work and the shaking heads of Arne and the gang but it was complete.  Can anyone guess what it is? No guesses from class members!

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It's a frog holding a berry with his saucy froggy arms?