Pre-Christmas Party

Welcome Back.!

So I may be a little late, but these pictures are totally worth it.!

A quick introduction: On December 22, 2008, I held a mini Christmas Party for close friends.

The menu was as follows:

Balsamic Chicken with Glazed Pears Over Couscous And Sauteed Green BeansI have had dinner parties before, but I have NEVER had anyone ask for three servings of food. Even myself (being a pseudo-vegetarian) had a total of two servings.! If that does not sound (and even look good), I dont know what does.
I paired the meal with a 'Mistletoe Kiss' cocktail. Its simply a perfect mix of pear nectar, champagne, and fresh mint leaves.! To add that extra flair, I made sugar stirrers.!!!

A party is not a party (well at least not for a newly graduated Culinary Student) without centerpieces. Isomalt is my new best friend.!

The party was a blast.!!! I wish you all could have enjoyed it with us.
Until later... Happy New Year all.!

"Tres Fresas"

The long awaited final/signature project for my Classical Pastries class. After many DAYS of stress trying to conceptualize my tastings, and plan out the plating. I present to you Tres Fresas, which translates to Three Strawberries.
Concept: I knew that I did not want to do a "traditional" cake or torte. With my love of food science, and more contemporary food applications, I knew that I wanted to do a triple tasting plate, but of what.? Strawberries.

Application:
So you start off with two carbonated strawberries, which mimics the experience of drinking a strawberry italian soda.
Your next tasting brings you to strawberry sorbet with a chocolate "powder" that reconstitutes into creamy chocolate in your mouth. A chocolate cigarette and leaf of lemon balm tops the sorbet off as a garnish.
Your last, but not final experience takes you to a delicate strawberry caviar with vanilla bean essence in every pearl. Drizzled on top was a sweet spanish wine reduction (name to be added later) and a dried vanilla bean for garnish.
Also there are leaf shaped spongecake on the plate to be enjoyed alone, or used as a tea cookie to be eaten with the sorbet and caviar.

Outcome/Judging: Just the sheer joy of making my own recipes/formulas, and having not only all of the pastry chefs taste my dessert, but to also have the Certified Master Pastry Chef try my plating, and actually enjoy it.! I was in awe. On top of all of that, the chefs said that if they were in a restaurant, and saw that on the menu they would buy it. If I was not so excited and nervous at the same time, I could have shed a tear or two. From this project, it reassures me my love of working with desserts to be eaten as an experience and not to be eaten just because it is the last part of a three-course meal. When the chefs bit into the carbonated strawberry, and the look on their faces of not expecting such an experience of fizzing strawberries made my day, and instilled in my head that I must always push the envelope in everything that I do. Sure traditional is good, but take traditional and make it an artistic experience to be enjoyed. Until later........ As I said to the chefs after explaining my dessert, and before they began their tasting, ENJOY.!