eG Foodblog: Malawry - Expecting a future culinary student

[Malawry]

The most dramatic starter was probably the sushi display. Chef Naoki Takahashi of Sushi USA provided massive quantities of jewel-like sushi. He recommended I take a photo using the demo mirror above the sushi so you can see as much of the detail as possible:

I also shot one head-on so you can get a sense of how much of this stuff there was. The boat was quite beautiful, I'm sorry I didn't get a better shot of it...

Unfortunately, due to my condition, I was not able to sample the sushi. It was a strong temptation, though! The kitchen with the sushi was the only room with starters that had a line to get in...everybody was very excited about it, and some of the smarter people made a beeline for the display when the welcoming speeches began at about 6:15pm since the room started to empty at that time.

These two guys own Firefly Farms, which I believe produces some of the best goat cheeses I've ever tasted. The farm is in rural Maryland and the cheeses are just terrific...I often buy them to serve at events I'm catering, and I usually pick up a little extra to keep on hand for household snacking. Unfortuntately, they just stopped selling through Gourmeco, the gourmet foods supplier I normally use for things like cheeses and chocolate pistoles, so getting my mitts on the cheeses at a good price may be a little harder in the future. Pablo Solanet, on the left, is a L'academie alum.

Albert Uster Imports, a company in the same industrial strip as L'academie (I think they own the L'academie building, actually), contributed this display of their specialty products along with some snacks like charcuterie and jams.

This guy is Chef Katsuya ("Kats") Fukushima, a L'academie grad and the chef at the renowned Cafe Atlantico and Minibar...two restaurants overseen by Executive Chef Jose Andres. He had three things to offer: "Oysters and Pearls," a fresh oyster with a "pearl" of tabasco sauce, "Marinated Olives," a sort of perfectly round bead of liquid olive garnished with a tiny piece of orange, and these candied olive oil dropletss (olive oil wrapped in a hard sugar shell and dipped in salt). I couldn't try the oyster, but the olive was absolutely fantastic...the bead broke on my tongue the second it touched, and spread sharp green olive flavor all over my mouth. Mmm.

No L'academie event is complete without a generous platter of Chef Somchet's Thai-style spring rolls, which are longed-for by L'academie graduates all over the country. She shares the recipe and technique with students, so I can (and do) make them myself, but they're never exactly the same as her version somehow. This version had chicken in it. They're good with pork or shiitake mushrooms too. Served with sweet chili sauce. There are also mushroom profiteroles on the platter behind the rolls.

[Malawry]

After I snapped (and snacked) on the starters, I wandered around taking some photos of some showpieces that were on display...

This last one was obviously designed specifically for the anniversary:

I apologize for not getting names to connect with pieces.

[Malawry]

I found this whiteboard that hadn't been erased in one of the demo kitchens.

It amused me quite a lot. I remember making lots of menus like this that I started by copying off of whiteboards before the chef's demo. I'm pretty sure that's supposed to be "pommes de terre dauphin," not "darphin."

[Malawry]

I did not get photos of the entrees, because the entree stations were not open before the speechmaking and group alumni photos were handled, and then once they opened they were mobbed with too many people to get a good shot of anything. I did take a photo of the kitchen where the entrees were staged beforehand, since it's a kitchen that did not exist when I was a student at L'academie. This room is called the Jean-Louis Palladin kitchen, and you can only see about half of it in this photo. This room makes me jealous of current students!

So here was the entree menu:

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Cabbage Marmalade and Parsnip Puree

(Jacques Van Staden '93, Alize, Las Vegas)

Jerk Shrimp and Lobster with Black Beans

(Jeff Heineman '92, Grapeseed Bistro, Bethesda, MD)

Roasted Veal Ravioli with Parmesan and Red Wine Reduction

(Amy Storey-Brandwein '01, Galileo, DC)

Hearty Green Salad with Red Wine Braised Duck, Smoked Applewood Bacon, Roasted Grapes and Port Vinaigrette

(Janis McLean '93, redDog Cafe, Silver Spring, MD)

Pepper Seared Salmon w/ Braised Cabbage, Caraway Spaetzle and Dijob Sauce

(Damian Salvatore '94, Persimmon, Bethesda, MD)

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

(Kevin Scott '00, New Orleans Bistro, Bethesda, MD)

Braised Lamb Shanks

(Jonathan Krinn '93, 2941, Falls Church, VA)

Veal Blanquette and Rice Pilaf

(Classic L'academie)

I did not get a chance to sample everything--some things just didn't appeal to my palate, like the salmon, while others were too hard to get to for the crowds (like the raviolis, which I am really sorry to have missed). Of those items I sampled, the short ribs were easily the best dish. The meat was pulled off the bone and shredded and wrapped in some kind of thin crust and fried, and the cabbage was sweet but not cloying--the parsnip puree was simply perfect, soothing and smooth. I also liked Chef Krinn's lamb shanks, which came with some innocent and comforting braised white beans.

[Malawry]

The Roland Mesiner pastry kitchen, which also did not exist when I studied at L'academie, was home to an impressive desserts display from various L'academie pastry alums.

I was too full to sample much, but I did try a nice crispy chocolate gianduja by Kathryn Gordon '94, who works at the Institute of Culinary Education in NYC, and some very cute chocolate mousse cones from Clarice Lelle '03 at 2941. I remember Clarice because she was studying pastry at the same time as I was in the culinary program.

Unfortunately, I failed to get good images of the showpieces in this room.

After dessert, I bid adieu to my classmates and headed home clutching my party favor: a L'academie 30th anniversary mug filled with truffles, a sugar cookie painted with the school logo, and a pen printed with the school's name and address.

[Malawry]

So that brings me up to today. I slept long and hard last night...probably all that wonderful French food sent me off to slumberland for a long visit, and I ended up getting about 10 hours in. (Thank gawd, because I really need more than the 7 or so I've averaged this past week. And I didn't wake up in the middle of the night, either!) After I got up, I finished my mashed potato article for the Journal-News and spent more time working over my handout for tomorrow's tapas class...which really oughta go out to my boss for copying posthaste.

I downed a glass of Mom's leftover lemonade this morning, and then I ate some more tater tots for lunch. I just don't feel up for fussing with food after this weekend's wonderful eats. Plus, my back is sore for some reason--maybe I slept in the same position too long last night.

My husband has an evening rehearsal every Monday night, so I usually bring him dinner and keep him company while he eats around 5:30 in his office. I'm thinking he's going to get some turkey burgers, because there's some ground turkey in the fridge that needs to be used up. I have a taste for hot chocolate but am not actually hungry or thirsty right now, but I may make some between now and dinnertime.

[Malawry]

And, you can wait on the car seat for a bit in case you still get one, or get some stuff you want to return!  Have any friends who have one around that you can use or buy?  Hubby have any co-workers that have one sitting around?

Edited to add:  When we were without power for 5 days recently, I was kicking myself for having given the Happy Baby away!

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I'd just like to be sure I have the car seat properly installed well in advance of my due date, just in case I go into labor early (which seems doubtful, but you never know). I'm at 33 weeks as of today and am starting to want to nest, get everything set up and ready.

The Happy Baby does seem to have the benefit of being much cheaper and more portable than the Kitchen-Aid attachment, so now I am considering it more seriously...especially if I can just Cuiz my baby food at home as Tammylc suggested. But, Susan, what would you have been doing with the Happy Baby during your recent power loss? I thought your kids were old enough to be off of baby food...were you having major mashed carrot cravings or something?

[snowangel]

But, Susan, what would you have been doing with the Happy Baby during your recent power loss? I thought your kids were old enough to be off of baby food...were you having major mashed carrot cravings or something?

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As the upstairs freezer started to thaw, we looked at all of those cooked chickpeas and thought hummus. It wasn't nearly as nice a hummus done with a potato masher.

I also made potato leek soup that week, and we like it not toally pureed, but with some of it pureed. The potato masher just didn't do as nice a job.

BTW, I still occasionally puree food for Heidi, depending on texture because of all of her sensory needs and oral motor issues.

[Shalmanese]

After I got up, I finished my mashed potato article for the Journal-News and spent more time working over my handout for tomorrow's tapas class...which really oughta go out to my boss for copying posthaste.

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Are you allowed to post your mashed potato article or handouts on here? I would love to see them.

[eJulia]

Malawry:

I just finished re-reading your blog on cooking school... it's really amazing to see how much you've grown. I had to chuckle at all your references to maintaing a vegetarian kitchen at home, given that Erin is now doing low carb!

I totally understand the transition... I kept to a strict VEGAN lifestle for almost three years... in a midwestern town, no less. It just was too difficult. I added dairy (some) and it got a little easier, but once my eGullet days began, I got so interested in some of the subjects discussed, I just had to start experimenting. I still have a number of veggie favs I make on a regular basis (eg. eggplant parm, ratatouille, hummus plates, crostini with olive tapenades/other veggie toppings, certainly a number of soups (although I often use my homemade chicken stocks.))

Thank you so much for blogging again. If your fellow eGulleters have not read your previous threads, they should do so without delay - but a warning!!! They are addictive!

Best of luck on Colin's arrival, you know we want to see pics of mom and baby as soon as you can manage! (If you're comfortable with that, of course!)

[Kouign Aman]

baby food...my main hobby for the past year.

I was given the cool little grinder and found it useful as it made a very fine puree, but coarser than commercial babyfood. I didnt want our kid to get too used to the very fine texture, so we made our own puree as soon as we figured out a favorite food, and started 'texture training'. My friend used hers as SnowAngel did - travel, meals out, family dinners etc. (The angelmonster eats much more nutritiously than I or Mr KA do, so grinding family dinners didnt seem like a good idea (pureed potato chips and dip, anyone?.) I was more likely to pack frozen pre-made puree and a hotpack for warming. But for extended road trips, that doesnt work and the grinder is a godsend for a critical few months.

note: the grinder really struggles with meat - its ok for a single serving, but not much more at a time.

I made most of our baby food at home - either foodprocessor-pureed or hand-chopped, then frozen in "plops" on a cookie sheet lined with plastic wrap. The frozen plops were transferred to long term storage in ziplock freezer bags. As baby aged, the plops got bigger and the texture coarser. Eventually we were freezing sticks or tiny cubes of food to allow for picking-up practice. (I found 'plops' easier in many ways than icecubes).

The funny thing to me was that babies start with puree, then go to finger food, then they want to use spoons "allbymyself" and its back to sticky pureed food that will grip the spoon! Then the fork comes into play and its back to those soft practice chunks.... sort of deja vu.

babyclothes... these get obsoleted every couple months by the stores, so if you want to make returns, do so ASAP or you'll only get credit for clearance price which would be a huge shame if the giver spent full price on them.

Car seat - if you know which make and model you want,there would probably be time for your husband to run out and buy it after you start labor & before you are admittable at the hospital. O'course, you may not want him running out at that time..... and you almost certainly wont want to be selecting one at that time. :eek:

[Malawry]

Are you allowed to post your mashed potato article or handouts on here? I would love to see them.

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The newspaper owns rights to my columns, so I wouldn't be comfortable reprinting them here without permission--and my editor is certainly long-gone for the day by this hour. (And this blog is slated to end tonight!) However, my columns usually appear online and stick around for a week or so when they are published. This Wednesday, go to the Journal-News site and click on "living" on the left sidebar. Hopefully, you can read my article then.

As for my handouts...somebody asked about that earlier and I never got back to them, sorry. I use a combination of my own recipes and copyrighted recipes from books in my handouts, and I credit the books I use on the handout itself. So I can't paste my whole handout right here, but I can paste some of it.

Menu:

Tomato Bread with Anchovies

Breadsticks with Serrano Ham

Asparagus with Romesco Sauce

Spinach with Pine Nuts and Currants

Tortilla Espanola (Potato Omelet)

Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp)

Manchego Cheese and Quince Paste

Tomato Bread with Anchovies

6 tomatoes, Roma

3 cloves garlic

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

12 generous slices Crusty country-style bread

Anchovies, preferably Italian or Spanish ones packed in olive oil

Slice tomatoes in half. Cut out any white or green core areas and press out most of the seeds with your thumbs or a small spoon. Arrange the tomatoes, cut side up, in a shallow baking dish. Mince the garlic and distribute evenly among the tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil. Bake at 400 degrees until lightly browned around the edges, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool till just warm.

Toast the bread slices lightly. Rub each slice with one roasted tomato half, pressing the pulp into the bread without tearing the bread. Discard the tomato skins. Drizzle with more oil and top each slice with one anchovy. Serve.

Romesco sauce

[from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison]

Spinach with Currants and Pine Nuts

1 lb baby spinach (the pre-washed sort is easier to work with)

2 tbsp Spanish olive oil

¼ cup dried currants

¼ cup pine nuts

Salt and pepper

Boil 1 cup of water and pour over the currants. Let rest until room temperature. Drain. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add spinach in batches, cooking until each batch wilts. Season with salt and pepper. Add currants and pine nuts, stir well, and sauté until spinach is deeply green and fully wilted. Serve.

Tortilla Espanola (Potato Omelet)

3 medium Idaho-type potatoes, peeled and sliced very thinly

1 large onion, chopped

6 eggs

1 cup Spanish olive oil

4-5 saffron threads (optional)

Salt

Peel and slice the potatoes very thinly. Chop the onion and place together with the potatoes in a frying pan. Cover completely with olive oil and fry slowly over medium heat until soft (20-25 minutes), turning them occasionally and gently breaking the potatoes with a fork. Drain the potatoes in a sieve, reserving one tablespoon of the Spanish olive oil in which they cooked. The rest of the olive oil can be stored and reused next time you make a potato omelette.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs (Option: infuse a pinch of saffron threads in a cup with 2 teaspoons of boiling water for 10 minutes, then add to beaten eggs). Add the fried potatoes, mix well and season with salt. Leave the entire mixture to rest for a few minutes. Heat the reserved tablespoon of olive oil in the same pan over medium-high heat until it is very hot. Add the egg mixture, lower the heat, and cook for 5 minutes. Use a plate to carefully turn the omelette, and continue to cook for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Spanish tortilla can be served hot or at room temperature.

Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp)

[From Tapas by Jose Andres]

I did not include a recipe for the serrano ham and breadsticks (just wrap pieces of ham around breadsticks, drizzle with olive oil and scrape some pepper over it and you're done) or for the manchego with quince paste (which is about as complicated).

Here is the brownie recipe from last week's chocolate class:

Brownies:

18oz dark chocolate (64% is perfect, or “bittersweet”)

1 pound butter

21oz sugar (weighed on a scale)

8 eggs

10.5oz all-purpose flour (weighed on a scale)

Prepare a “half-sheet” pan (13”x18”x1”) by greasing it thoroughly, adding a piece of parchment paper cut to fit the bottom, and greasing the parchment paper. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.

Chop chocolate into small pieces. Cut butter into small chunks. Combine chocolate and butter in a metal bowl. Set the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the surface of the water). Stir periodically until the chocolate has melted; remove the bowl from the pan and carefully wipe any condensed water off the bottom of the bowl.

Combine the eggs and sugar in a mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed until the eggs are very light in color and fluffy. Add the melted chocolate-butter mixture and mix on medium speed until well-blended. Add the flour and mix just until smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a knife inserted into the brownies comes out covered with moist crumbs, about 30 minutes. Let cool about 20 minutes, then invert onto a cutting board, cut and serve.

I went over ganache verbally, but did not give a written recipe since proportions tend to change depending on how you will be using the ganache.

Here is the text of the handout from last Thursday's "Basics of Cooking" class. I make my students learn to write their own proportions on their handouts rather than giving measurements for ingredients.

Homemade stocks transform the simplest dishes into gourmet fare. Learn how as we prepare fresh chicken stock and use it for creamy tomato soup. We’ll finish with a lemon tart.

Chicken Stock

Onions

Carrots

Celery

Parsley

Bay leaves

Black peppercorns

Thyme

Chicken: either bones, parts (dark meat is best) or whole chickens

Fresh cold water

Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot and add enough fresh cold water to cover. Bring to the boil over high heat, skimming off any scum that rises to the top of the pot. Once the stock is at a full boil, cut the heat back to low and simmer for 3-4 hours, skimming the surface clear of any impurities periodically. (If you are using parts or whole chickens, you can remove them when they are cooked, let them cool, pick off the meat, and then return the bones to the pot to simmer the rest of the time.) Strain out and discard all the solids. If desired, reduce by boiling the strained stock until it’s at the desired concentration. Keeps refrigerated for about 5 days or frozen indefinitely.

Creamy Tomato Soup

Onions

Carrots

Celery

Butter

Canned diced, peeled tomatoes

Chicken stock

Salt and pepper

Sugar, if needed

Heavy whipping cream

Sweat onions, carrots and celery over medium-low heat in butter until translucent and softened, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, stock and seasonings. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cut back to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for about 20 minutes until vegetables are completely soft. Puree in a blender and return the soup to the pot. Taste and add a small amount of sugar if needed. When ready to serve, warm the soup and finish with heavy whipping cream. Serve with croutons or a chopped fresh herb if desired.

Lemon Tart

Pate sucree

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

8oz sugar

3oz butter, melted

3 lemons, zest and juice

Bake pate sucree shell (see recipe below) at 350 degrees until lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Beat eggs and yolks in a mixer using whisk attachment on high speed. Slowly add sugar while the mixer is running, and mix with eggs until they become ribbony. Add zest and juice and whisk by hand. Pour butter over the back of a rubber spatula and use the spatula to fold the butter into the mixture. Pour into prebaked crust and bake until set in the center, 15 minutes at 300 degrees. Chill and serve with whipping cream.

Pate Sucree:

½ pound butter, room temperature

4oz sugar

1 egg, room temperature

Vanilla

1 tsp lemon zest

12oz flour

Combine butter and sugar in mixer; beat on medium speed using paddle attachment until light but not fluffy. Add egg and mix. Beat in vanilla and lemon zest. Slowly add flour while mixer runs on low speed. Sprinkle additional flour on table and turn out dough. Knead gently. Form dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes. Roll out and bake in tartlet pans as needed.

[Malawry]

Malawry:

I just finished re-reading your blog on cooking school... it's really amazing to see how much you've grown.  I had to chuckle at all your references to maintaing a vegetarian kitchen at home, given that Erin is now doing low carb! 

...

Best of luck on Colin's arrival, you know we want to see pics of mom and baby as soon as you can manage! (If you're comfortable with that, of course!)

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My spouse still doesn't eat much beef, and he won't touch a hunk of beef in the form of something like a steak...he WILL eat corned beef, and anything made with ground beef is ok. He snarfed the leftovers from the braised short ribs I wrote about for the Journal-News last month. I have a hard time figuring out what he will eat sometimes so I just have to ask him about it. He's been the driving force behind a lot of culinary housekeeping for the last few years...when I started eating meat again, I respected his preference for maintaining a vegetarian kitchen.

As for updates on me and Baby Colin...there probably won't be much posted about it here on eGullet, as it's not really germane to food. However, if you want to keep up with me and my family on a level beyond our culinary life, I maintain a personal blog at LiveJournal. Feel free to check in there. There are some other eGullet folks over on LJ too.

[Malawry]

I caved and took some pix of my three existing "daughters"--the cats that own us--since there was demand and it seems like an obligatory component of the foodblogs. They are extremely camera-shy while eating (except for Diana, who would only show her ass since her head was buried in the food bowl), but they submitted while at rest on three different couches in our household...

I can tell them apart, but you might have trouble. Maggie and Snuggles are sisters from the same litter, while Diana is about 3 years younger than the other two. The sisters were my husband's cats, while Diana is my Jewish American Princess kitty...they get along okay or at least live under an uneasy truce most of the time.

Snuggles:

Magnificat (aka "Maggie")

Diana (aka "Gump"--not the brightest bulb)

[hathor]

I love the pussycat tradition!! Thanks for blogging and hang in there....one day you won't have a big belly and you will have Colin!

[Malawry]

Oh yeah, and here's what will probably be my last photo of this blog. I made my husband dinner as I usually do on Monday nights...he has an evening rehearsal at school on Mondays and normally doesn't have time to come home to eat. Tonight's dinner was some turkey burgers, celery sticks with leftover spinach dip, a few slices of leftover cheddar from the shower for a snack later on, and a little dish with ketchup and relish to spread on the turkey burgers.

I have still eaten very little today, though I am considering going upstairs and noshing on the last of the comice pears Abi brought to the house this weekend. I should probably eat something with protein, but I suspect a PB&J sammich on whole wheat is about all the culinary energy I can muster at the moment. I'm in a sort of stasis, conserving my foodie reserves for tomorrow night's class.

[Kouign Aman]

As for updates on me and Baby Colin...there probably won't be much posted about it here on eGullet, as it's not really germane to food

You could keep track of how Colin responds to what you eat. Does he like it when you eat spicy foods, etc.

Thank you for blogging. I've enjoyed reading your writing. I am stunned at your energy level.

[eJulia]

Thanks for indulging us (me) with kitty pics - they all look so similar - even Diana! Magnificat (great name!) looks like she doesn't miss many meals... (BTW, that's a compliment... I don't look like I miss many meals either!)

I've been pet-less due to living circumstances for two years, and while my two "boys" are in good and loving households, I miss them to distraction some days. Again, thanks for the kind indulgence!

Best of luck!

[Malawry]

We keep the cat food on the ground level and the litter boxes upstairs and in the basement, so the cats have to get at least a LITTLE exercise, but yes, Maggie is rather...corpulent. Lately we've been taking bets on who has the bigger belly, me or her.

I ended up eating PB&J and a comice pear for a late dinner, as predicted. I'm starting to crave another hot dog and might have one for dinner again tomorrow before my class. You're not missing much by my blog ending, because this week is pretty much a repeat of last week with a midwifery appointment thrown in.

I'm off to write my MEP, shopping and pack lists for the tapas class to round out my somewhat lazy day. Thanks for being so responsive to my posts, ya'll! Time for the next blogger to take over...

[mizducky]

Oooooooh, kitties!

Many thanks for such a terrific blog, and Mazel Tov in advance on Colin.

[helenjp]

Thanks for your blog, have a good rest, and all the best for class tomorrow!

[Rebecca263]

Thank you for blogging for us during this busy week. My calico cat is so fat, I thought all 3 of yours were slender! Be well, I hope that you can get a lot of rest before the baby arrives, and have time to keep your feet up!

[Jenny McClure]

Thanks for the blog. I'm amazed that you find the time and energy to do all these things being pregnant. I have several pregnant friends that don't work and find a trip to get groceries a huge undertaking. All the best in your remaining weeks of pregnancy and take advantage of any sleep you can get in preparation.

[bleudauvergne]

I loved seeing the many ways food is a part of your daily life and the way you share it with others.

[Malawry]

Even though my blog is officially over, since it is still open I wanted to share my Mashed Potato story with you all. Thanks for everybody's help with it!

Comfort in a Bowl