#gbcconed

[mark9049]

Food Styling HOSF 9073 ✅ and I’m one step closer to my Food and Media Certificate 👩🏾‍🍳#foodstyling #gbcchca #gbcconed #gizzysparkles (at Toronto, Ontario)

[hellofromwendy]

culinary arts I, vegetable cuts

week 2 - it’s salad week in the gbc kitchen. we discussed herbs, spices, and vegetable cuts. chef demonstrated three recipes: pacific rim beef salad, cucumber onion salad, and tuscan bean salad. we chopped up our own tuscan bean salad to take home for the lab portion of the class.

it’s pretty great to actually be using fresh herbs in our recipes.  I’ve been generally too skeptical to buy them because too much goes to waste, so it’s a refreshing change. 

notes on herb storage:

leafy herbs (parsley, mint) should be kept in a bag with water, or a wet paper towel

woody herbs (rosemary, thyme) can be taken out of packaging

basil should be unwrapped and placed in a dry paper towel as it is very sensitive to water

notes on peppercorns:

white pepper is stronger than black pepper, and is often used when the dish is meant to be light in colour

white peppercorn is the centre of black peppercorn

green peppercorn is the same as black peppercorn before it is dried and roasted

sichuan peppercorn is a different family, more floral

gives a stronger flavour the longer it sits inside a dish

notes on different vegetable cuts:

julienne allumette = shoestring (like shoestring fries)

batonnet = matchstick

paysanne = rough cut, natural shape of vegetable

tourné = football shape, with 5-7 even sides

creates a lot of waste and not commonly used anymore

notes on pacific rim beef salad: spiced beef and pineapple, served with fresh herbs in the pineapple. old school presentation, super tasty.

the recipe calls for beef tenderloin but it can be substituted with any steak meat

shallots can be subbed with sweet onion

slice green onion on a bias for the looks

when juicing citrus, use a reamer over a strainer

oyster sauce contains no oysters

sub oyster sauce with hoisin for a spicier, five spice taste

when cutting the pineapple, cross hatch and slice in a perimeter to slice out the core and remove the flesh

mince = slice thinly against the grain

searing must be done on very high heat

grapes oil is most commonly used in kitchens

smoke point = smoking

flashpoint = it’s on fire!

separately sauté shallots, chillies, ginger in sesame oil until just softened, not browned

layer salad, then shingled meat in the pineapple to serve

notes on cucumber and onion salad: simple recipe, seems like it would be great for a summer picnic.

salting veggies = pulling out water content

not commonly done in winter as there is less water content in the vegetables

more water content in local vegetables in the summer

after letting it sit, rinse the salt off and pat dry

sub the acid in this recipe (cider vinegar) with any vinegar that is light in colour

any soft herbs (not woody) can be used in this recipe

quick pickle onions by squeezing them

sub red onion with any kind of sweet onion

make a couple hours in advance at most, between 30min to 2hrs

notes on tuscan bean salad: pretty substantial dish involving a lot of chopping. I think I used a bit too much asiago in my dish and it brought up the total salt content too high. a recipe worth revisiting in the summer when we can get fresher, local vegetables. 

proscuitto can be subbed with salami, capicola

soppressata is not recommended as the spice is overwhelming

slice peppers skin side down to keep the knife from dulling

whisk the oil and vinegar together first and set aside

to chiffonade basil:

pile the leaves from larger to smallest

roll into a small cigar

chop

regarding parsley:

flat parsley has a better flavour

curly parsley has more texture

to make a spice bag or sachet, place spices in a piece of cheesecloth and tie it together with butcher’s twine

simmer the beans for at least an hour minimum

[hellofromwendy]

culinary arts I, stock

week 1 - started up a new course today at george brown, culinary arts I. this is my first class at gbc and I’m so excited to get started. and super happy to have sandy do this with me. (we’re gonna cook all the things!)

it was a short class because it’s the first week and we don’t have proper gear yet. in the demo lab, we received a uniform voucher and a course handbook. the handbook lists the kitchen rules and contains all the recipes that will be demonstrated over the entire 12 classes. the demo lab is set up like a small lecture room, with the front containing a sink and a fridge, facing a big island for chopping, the stove, and the oven. there are mirrors over the chopping area so you can get a different angle of what is going on, and there are cameras facing the stove and prep area so you can monitor the action from the screens.

chef went over the general list of gear we’ll need for the course. she made additions to what was listed in the handbook.  

uniform (jacket, pants, hat, apron)

black safety shoes (protected toe)

french chef’s knife (handbook says 10″-12″ but chef recommended 8″ instead)

boning knife, flexible

paring knives

toolbox / knife bag

wooden spoons

metal solid serving spoon

metal slotted spoon

rubber spatula

fish spatula

tongs

vegetable peeler

ladle (3oz) 

pastry brush (not silicone)

dessert spoons

side towels (2 from the uniform kit, plus extras to handle hot pots and pans)

insulated cooler bag for storage

measuring spoons

measuring cups

liquid measuring cup (plastic, 1 cup)

rasp (microplane)

bbq lighter (for the gas stove)

metal ramekins (pinch pots for spices)

small strainer

drawer liner (to keep the cutting board from slipping)

citrus reamer

deli containers (for mise en place and food storage)

we went over rules and safety too. she said a student sliced his thumbprint off the other week and she had to send him straight to st. mike’s to get it stitched on. and he didn’t even cook anything... cool!

we watched a stock demo. some notes to sum it up:

stock vs. broth: stock is made from bones while broth is made from tissue and bones

stock ratio: 50% bones, 10% mirepoix, filled to the top with water

chicken stock: chicken bones + mirepoix + spices + acid, simmer for 2-3 hours

mirepoix: 2 parts onion, 1 part carrot, 1 part celery

acid: wine, tomatoes to help break down the protein

beef stock: veal bones + mirepoix + spices + acid, simmer for 6-8 hours

fish stock: fish bones + white mirepoix + spices + acid, simmer for 25-30 minutes

white mirepoix: 2 parts onion, 1 part leek, 1 part celery (white parts to keep the colour light)

sweating: heating vegetables in a bit of oil or butter so they begin to release liquid, but not to the point they brown

lastly we took a tour around the building to check out what was on each floor and what the different kitchens looked like. I found it interesting to see the design details that made certain rooms more suitable for one thing than another. back at it next week.