I started writing this last week, when I was actually still in the class. But I just finished it today, so here it is - only a bit late!
---
It's still mostly dark when I walk to Roth Hall at six in the morning. But a touch of pink shows behind the still bare trees to the east, and the air these past couple days has felt remarkably spring-like. The house sparrows and robins are especially talkative at this hour. Once inside Roth I get my daily bowl of plain yogurt (whole milk, with nuts and fresh fruit) and join the few classmates who have beat me there. (Two kitchens, K-16 and K-11, serve breakfast every morning starting at 5 am. These students come to class at 1 or 2 am.) Over the next half hour another dozen or so of my classmates trickle in, but the other half go straight to class. Besides, lunch is not far off. We then enter the Caterina kitchen, and the sluggishness is over. Knife bags are opened and the required tools brought out, and stations are set up. This usually means a cutting board, waste and compost buckets, tasting spoons, a bucket with sanitation solution, and paper towels, plus all the pots, pans, containers, tools, etc, that will be needed for the day. We have about 25 minutes to set up and gather ingredients, check in the day's food order and order in any ingredients we will need for the day that didn't come in. Then at 7:25 it's time to grab some coffee and head downstairs for lecture. This is Chef Scappin's time to shine. Normally he's very quiet, content to stand back and let the TA Danielle (who is like the sous-chef and basically runs the kitchen) be in charge. Each day he covers another important aspect of Italian cuisine: prosciutto, parmigiana reggiano, Aceto Balsamico di Modena, pasta. I begin to salivate as he rhapsodizes about the virtues of great olive oil and eating freshly sliced prosciutto di parma in Italy. Then we head back upstairs and start prepping in earnest - we have just under two hours to get everything ready for service. My station is Cold Appetizers, so I'll roll and form tart shells, make the filling for the warm onion tarts, wash lettuce and arugula, cook bacon, make salads for family meal, and many other various tasks. Pastry, fish, grill, pasta, hot appetizers, and amuse/cheese are the other stations, plus one team for family meal and banquets. At 10:30 it's time for family meal. Every station prepares three plates of each of their dishes, and family meal team makes additional food - there are about 35 people to feed (kitchen and front of house, plus the instructors). This is a great way for everyone to sample the various menu items - and especially beneficial for the front of house to learn the menu. Unfortunately we have to scarf our lunch and get back to work - just like in every other kitchen. After lunch I set up my station for service - all cold items go in an open reach-in fridge so they are easily accessible - and I organize all the plates, bowls, tools, etc, that I'll need.
At 11:30 the doors open for service, which lasts two hours. If it's a busy day - say 100 customers - I am kept occupied by tossing and plating salad after salad, but most days (50-60 people) allow time in between to work on prep for the next day. As soon as the last ticket of the afternoon comes in, I'm free to break down my station, wrap up everything and store it in the walk-in fridge, and scrub down the counters. And that's it! We usually walk out of there at 2:30.
I'll spend the rest of my afternoon going on a walk, making a timeline for the following day, eating dinner, and going to bed nice and early (plus hanging out with my friends, possibly watching a movie, normal things...).
And tomorrow, I'll do the whole thing over again.
In case you're wondering, we are assigned our stations. Sometimes you end up with an easier job, like mine, or get thrown on the hot line. But we switch from kitchen to kitchen, so it is all equal in the end.
P.S. Chef Scappin was the Italian cuisine consultant for the (great!) movie Big Night.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
Wildflowers
Today was another glorious, 75-degree day. It was a good thing that I brought my camera on my walk, because the first spring wildflowers are in bloom. I ended up sitting on a rock in the FDR field enjoying the last of the day's sun, while several owls had a hoot-off in the surrounding woods. There is no better way to spend an afternoon than tramping around barefoot in the woods and fields during these first real spring days.
I'm pleased to report that our pickled ramps are quite delicious, so we're definitely going to make more this weekend. On Saturday night I made a wild soup of potatoes, ramps, garlic mustard, chickweed and lots of nettles, finished with cream. Sadly the potatoes and cream are not wild. Super tasty, and very healthy too!
Our Easter celebration basically morphed into a dumpling-fest, as my friends and I made potstickers, empanadas, and pierogies, as well as a whole leg of lamb - grilled - and a bunny-shaped carrot cake. Aren't we festive...
bleeding heart
ramps!
nettles
faux black widow?
trout lily - notice the spotted leaves
will make you vomit!
bloodwort
bleeding bloodwort stem
quite toxic
skunk cabbage
not really edible unless you dry it first
I suppose you could eat this sucker if you really wanted to...
I'm not sure who would win
pink bleeding heart
garlic mustard
very tasty and spicy
glory of the snow
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Happy April!
The sun is shining, it's 75 degrees out, and the world is turning green.
We'll toast the new month tonight with the unveiling of our first pickled ramps!
We'll toast the new month tonight with the unveiling of our first pickled ramps!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Restaurant Row
75 weeks down, 11.5 to go. We're in the final stretch now, with graduation quickly approaching in June. Woo hoo! For culinary students, these last 12 weeks are spent in Restaurant Row, the highly anticipated/grueling/terrifying/highly exciting (? not really sure yet!) kitchen and front of house classes. There are four public restaurants on campus, plus the Apple Pie Bakery Cafe (run by the baking and pastry students). St. Andrews and Caterina de'Medici are the more casual of the four. Everyone spends seven days in each kitchen, and one block (three weeks/14 days) front of house in the restaurant of their choice. Then, we spend one block in the kitchen of either Escoffier or American Bounty, again of our choice. Both of these restaurants are quite sophisticated and upscale, with food to match. The very last class is front of house Escoffier or Bounty.
I am currently in Caterina (lunch), working the cold appetizer station. I'm in charge of four different salads, plus a warm savory onion tart. All nice dishes, albeit simple. But our prep time is fairly short, and we can do up to 70 or 80 or more covers (customers) per service. It's definitely taking a few days for me to get back into the swing of restaurant service - very different from how the kitchens normally work for most classes. I think it'll start being fun in just a day or two!
I am currently in Caterina (lunch), working the cold appetizer station. I'm in charge of four different salads, plus a warm savory onion tart. All nice dishes, albeit simple. But our prep time is fairly short, and we can do up to 70 or 80 or more covers (customers) per service. It's definitely taking a few days for me to get back into the swing of restaurant service - very different from how the kitchens normally work for most classes. I think it'll start being fun in just a day or two!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Saturday Hike
(see the Hudson River in the middle of the valley?)
Several of my friends and I went hiking at Sam's Point (south of the Minnewaska State Park Preserve) this weekend. It was the perfect day for it - sunny but cool - except that we drove up there and started seeing snow everywhere! Although it only covered about a quarter mile of the trail, the remainder of the trail was in far worse condition - either very deep mud (almost like quicksand) or water rushing down the path. AND, we ended up on the wrong path - which meant a 12 mile hike rather 8 miles. We're all a bit sore now!
The native plants were a nice change of pace from the brown and grey of the (still) dormant deciduous forests that I see everyday. Lots of small pines and birch, tons of blueberry bushes (I've been wondering if any will be ready before I graduate. Probably not, which is really too bad. That's one (only one?) thing I'll miss!), small cranberries in the bogs, and wintergreen. Wintergreen is a small evergreen trailing plant whose leaves smell and taste exactly like Listerine and toothpaste (in a good way!). It's nice to chew on a leaf as you hike along, but since it contains methyl salicylate, too much could be harmful.
snow? now?
a snowshell!
the not-quite-a-trail
wintergreen
an oasis at the top of the waterfall
Verkeerder Falls, 150 feet
the "Badlands" of the Hudson Valley
cranberry bog
view of the Hudson Valley
one of many rocks
Sunday and Monday were spent in the rain, picking ramps. They're currently residing in jars of brine in the fridge, pickling to death... Yum!
Sunday, March 28, 2010
The Last Wines
This past Wednesday was our final tasting in class, of Spanish and Portuguese wines and various dessert wines.
My favorites:
Vinho Verde, Quinta da Aveleda, Minho, Portugal, 2008.
Vinho Verde is one of the lightest whites in the world. Slightly floral, with notes of green apple, grass, and green olive. Very high in acid with a bit of spritz, which makes for a very refreshing wine that is perfect for serving with light seafood dishes and fresh tart goat cheese.
Albarino, Morgadio, Rias Baixas, Galacia, Spain, 2007.
Another high-acid, crisp wine, but this time with richly sweet aromas of honey, cooked apples, and tropical fruits. Light to medium body - would hold its own against more substantial seafood.
Reserva, Alianca, Dao, Portugal, 2006.
Lots of red fruit aromas, especially raspberry, and some vanilla. Medium body, high acid. It was the perfect pairing for an excellent cassoulet (a hearty white bean stew with bacon, garlic sausage, braised lamb, and confit duck).
Gran Reserva, Faustino, Rioja, Spain, 1996.
A prime example of the affordability of Spanish and Portuguese wines. This 14 year old bottle could rival many from Italy and France, but only costs $30. Super-smooth with aromas of dry figs and blackberries and vanilla, a bit smoky. Very full-bodied and meat-compatible.
Riesling, Ice Wine, Cave Spring, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada, 2007.
This was promised to our class if we received at least an 80% average on our first test. I know I studied long and hard after hearing that! Thankfully we did reach the mark. This wine retails for about $60 per half-bottle. It ain't cheap, but it sure is worth it! Imagine the aroma and taste of honey and warm peaches, butter-caramelized apples and warm spice, all swirled in one sweet, luscious yet crisply acidic glass. Serve with rich blue cheese, fruit and cream desserts, or foie gras.
Royal Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos, Tokaji, Hungary, 2005.
Aszu Tokaji is another very sweet dessert wine, produced from botrytis/Noble-rot affected grapes. It's sweet and nutty, like honey and caramel, with bright tropical fruit flavors. Absolutely delicious, and at $35 for 500ml, a bit more affordable than a French Sauterenes or Alsatian Selection de Grains Nobles. The most noticeable difference between an ice wine and a late harvest or botrytis wine is the acidity. Ice wines are extremely acidic, but it's offset by the sweetness (almost a half-pound of grape sugar per liter!). Late harvest and botrytis wines are honey sweet but only a little acidic.
My favorites:
Vinho Verde, Quinta da Aveleda, Minho, Portugal, 2008.
Vinho Verde is one of the lightest whites in the world. Slightly floral, with notes of green apple, grass, and green olive. Very high in acid with a bit of spritz, which makes for a very refreshing wine that is perfect for serving with light seafood dishes and fresh tart goat cheese.
Albarino, Morgadio, Rias Baixas, Galacia, Spain, 2007.
Another high-acid, crisp wine, but this time with richly sweet aromas of honey, cooked apples, and tropical fruits. Light to medium body - would hold its own against more substantial seafood.
Reserva, Alianca, Dao, Portugal, 2006.
Lots of red fruit aromas, especially raspberry, and some vanilla. Medium body, high acid. It was the perfect pairing for an excellent cassoulet (a hearty white bean stew with bacon, garlic sausage, braised lamb, and confit duck).
Gran Reserva, Faustino, Rioja, Spain, 1996.
A prime example of the affordability of Spanish and Portuguese wines. This 14 year old bottle could rival many from Italy and France, but only costs $30. Super-smooth with aromas of dry figs and blackberries and vanilla, a bit smoky. Very full-bodied and meat-compatible.
Riesling, Ice Wine, Cave Spring, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada, 2007.
This was promised to our class if we received at least an 80% average on our first test. I know I studied long and hard after hearing that! Thankfully we did reach the mark. This wine retails for about $60 per half-bottle. It ain't cheap, but it sure is worth it! Imagine the aroma and taste of honey and warm peaches, butter-caramelized apples and warm spice, all swirled in one sweet, luscious yet crisply acidic glass. Serve with rich blue cheese, fruit and cream desserts, or foie gras.
Royal Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos, Tokaji, Hungary, 2005.
Aszu Tokaji is another very sweet dessert wine, produced from botrytis/Noble-rot affected grapes. It's sweet and nutty, like honey and caramel, with bright tropical fruit flavors. Absolutely delicious, and at $35 for 500ml, a bit more affordable than a French Sauterenes or Alsatian Selection de Grains Nobles. The most noticeable difference between an ice wine and a late harvest or botrytis wine is the acidity. Ice wines are extremely acidic, but it's offset by the sweetness (almost a half-pound of grape sugar per liter!). Late harvest and botrytis wines are honey sweet but only a little acidic.
The Answers
1. The best pairing for a spicy shrimp curry would be...
a. Brut Cremant d'Alsace, France
b. Chassagne Montrachet, Cote de Beaune, France
c. Cote Rotie, Rhone, France
d. Entre deux Mers, Bordeaux, France
Sparkling wines make an excellent pairing for spicy foods - the bubbles reduce the perception of heat, and the high acid and hint of sweetness in this wine would also be very refreshing. You would definitely not want to serve an oaked Chardonnay (Montrachet) or a red (Cote Rotie), as the tannins emphasize the spice in a bad way. Entre deux Mers is one of the four lightest French whites, and would simply be lost.
2. Ullage is...
a. the empty bottle space between the cork and the wine
b. the time wine spends aging on the 'lees'
c. the addition of sugar and yeast to make champagne-method wines
d. the point when grapes transition from green to red
Ullage can be a problem in older bottles - as they age some of the wine will evaporate, allowing more oxygen to get into the bottle and oxidize the wine.
3. Which of the following is impossible to find in a store?
a. Rioja, Gran Reserva, Rioja, Spain, 2002
b. Brunello d'Montelcino Riserva, Tuscany, Italy, 2007
c. Chateau Margaux, Margaux Premier Grand Cru Classe, Medoc, France 2008
d. Vinho Verde, Minho, Portugal, 2007
Some wines have specific regulations as to when they can be released. Brunello d'Montelcino must be aged four years before release; a Riserva is aged an additional year. This wine won't be in stores until 2013.
4. Which of the following is a DOCG red grape from Southern Italy?
a. Taurasi
b. Aglianico
c. Corvina
d. Connanou
DOCG stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita - the equivalent of an AOC in France. These grapes and wines must be grown and produced in specific areas under specific guidelines. The "G" guarantees the overall quality and importance of the grape/wine. Aglianico is used to produce Taurasi, a red wine from Campania.
5. Which of the following is NOT a Grand Cru varietal from Alsace?
a. Riesling
b. Pinot Gris
c. Chenin Blanc
d. Muscat
Four varietals may be grown and produced under a Grand Cru label in Alsace: Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gerwurtztraminer, and Muscat. Other grapes may be grown but the wines won't be granted Grand Cru status.
6. Which of the following would NOT be served with dessert?
a. Brachetto d'Aqui, Piedmonte, Italy
b. Reciotte della Valpolicella, Veneto, Italy
c. Gerwurtztraminer, Selection de Grains Nobles, Alsace, France
d. Muscadet Sevre et Maine, Loire, France
The first three are all sweet wines. Dry wines and sweet foods do not mix. The Muscadet would pair best with seafood dishes.
7. Which of the following would go best with a braised lamb shank and creamy polenta?
a. Steen, Stellenbosch, South Africa
b. Bairrada, Beiras, Portugal
c. Rias Biaxas, Galicia, Spain
d. Romanee-Conti Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, France
Steen and Rias Biaxas are both white wines, and too light bodied for such a rich dish. Romanee-Conti is produced from Pinot Noir. Though it is a red wine, Pinot Noir is one of the lightest reds around and would still be overshadowed by the lamb. Bairrada, however, is a very full-bodied, tannic red that would pair perfectly.
8. Which label is impossible?
a. Seyval Blanc, Walla Walla, Washington, USA
b. Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
c. Pinot Noir, Carneros, California, USA
d. Late Harvest Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada
Seyval Blanc is a hybrid, a cross between the traditional European Vitis vinifera and the North American grape, Vitis labrusca (think Concord grapes). Hybrids like Seyval Blanc are grown to thwart the phylloxera parasite that only affects vinifera, and to stand up to the cold growing regions in the northern states. However, it is illegal to produce and sell non-vinifera wines in Washington State.
9. Which wine would not be served chilled?
a. Jerez Fino, Jerez, Spain, nv (non-vintage)
b. Beaujolais Nouveau, Beaujolais, France, 2009
c. Vernaccia di San Giominano, Tuscany, Italy, 2007
d. 15 year Malmsey, Madeira, Portugal
Dry fortified wines (Fino Sherry), super-light reds (Beaujolais Nouveau), and whites (Vernaccia) should all be chilled to some degree. A sweet fortified wine such as Malmsey Madeira should be served at room temperature.
10. What would be the appropriate label for a wine comprised of 75% Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Rutherford Cabernet Franc, and 5% Redwood Valley Merlot?
a. Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley, California
b. Meritage, Oakville, Napa Valley, California
c. Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California
d. Meritage, North Coast, California
Every wine-producing area in the world has its own label laws. For most of the US, a wine must follow the 75/85/95 rule: that 75% of the grapes in the bottle are of the specified varietal (ie. a "Pinot Noir" from California must contain at least 75% Pinot Noir; the other 25% can be whatever you want); 85% of the grapes must come from the labeled area (unless it is estate-bottled, in which it must be 100%); and 95% must have been harvested in the specified vintage year. Please remember that there are exceptions to all these rules, especially in WA and OR.
For this specific wine you will need to add up the percents. The required 75% is Cabernet Sauvignon (true, it could be labeled "Meritage" (a blend of Bordeaux varietals) but a Cabernet Sauvignon label would be more profitable). 95% of the grapes come from Napa Valley, so it should be labeled "Napa" for maximum profitability. The more specific your label is, the more you can charge. So why call it North Coast or California Meritage when you can say it's Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley?
a. Brut Cremant d'Alsace, France
b. Chassagne Montrachet, Cote de Beaune, France
c. Cote Rotie, Rhone, France
d. Entre deux Mers, Bordeaux, France
Sparkling wines make an excellent pairing for spicy foods - the bubbles reduce the perception of heat, and the high acid and hint of sweetness in this wine would also be very refreshing. You would definitely not want to serve an oaked Chardonnay (Montrachet) or a red (Cote Rotie), as the tannins emphasize the spice in a bad way. Entre deux Mers is one of the four lightest French whites, and would simply be lost.
2. Ullage is...
a. the empty bottle space between the cork and the wine
b. the time wine spends aging on the 'lees'
c. the addition of sugar and yeast to make champagne-method wines
d. the point when grapes transition from green to red
Ullage can be a problem in older bottles - as they age some of the wine will evaporate, allowing more oxygen to get into the bottle and oxidize the wine.
3. Which of the following is impossible to find in a store?
a. Rioja, Gran Reserva, Rioja, Spain, 2002
b. Brunello d'Montelcino Riserva, Tuscany, Italy, 2007
c. Chateau Margaux, Margaux Premier Grand Cru Classe, Medoc, France 2008
d. Vinho Verde, Minho, Portugal, 2007
Some wines have specific regulations as to when they can be released. Brunello d'Montelcino must be aged four years before release; a Riserva is aged an additional year. This wine won't be in stores until 2013.
4. Which of the following is a DOCG red grape from Southern Italy?
a. Taurasi
b. Aglianico
c. Corvina
d. Connanou
DOCG stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita - the equivalent of an AOC in France. These grapes and wines must be grown and produced in specific areas under specific guidelines. The "G" guarantees the overall quality and importance of the grape/wine. Aglianico is used to produce Taurasi, a red wine from Campania.
5. Which of the following is NOT a Grand Cru varietal from Alsace?
a. Riesling
b. Pinot Gris
c. Chenin Blanc
d. Muscat
Four varietals may be grown and produced under a Grand Cru label in Alsace: Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gerwurtztraminer, and Muscat. Other grapes may be grown but the wines won't be granted Grand Cru status.
6. Which of the following would NOT be served with dessert?
a. Brachetto d'Aqui, Piedmonte, Italy
b. Reciotte della Valpolicella, Veneto, Italy
c. Gerwurtztraminer, Selection de Grains Nobles, Alsace, France
d. Muscadet Sevre et Maine, Loire, France
The first three are all sweet wines. Dry wines and sweet foods do not mix. The Muscadet would pair best with seafood dishes.
7. Which of the following would go best with a braised lamb shank and creamy polenta?
a. Steen, Stellenbosch, South Africa
b. Bairrada, Beiras, Portugal
c. Rias Biaxas, Galicia, Spain
d. Romanee-Conti Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, France
Steen and Rias Biaxas are both white wines, and too light bodied for such a rich dish. Romanee-Conti is produced from Pinot Noir. Though it is a red wine, Pinot Noir is one of the lightest reds around and would still be overshadowed by the lamb. Bairrada, however, is a very full-bodied, tannic red that would pair perfectly.
8. Which label is impossible?
a. Seyval Blanc, Walla Walla, Washington, USA
b. Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
c. Pinot Noir, Carneros, California, USA
d. Late Harvest Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada
Seyval Blanc is a hybrid, a cross between the traditional European Vitis vinifera and the North American grape, Vitis labrusca (think Concord grapes). Hybrids like Seyval Blanc are grown to thwart the phylloxera parasite that only affects vinifera, and to stand up to the cold growing regions in the northern states. However, it is illegal to produce and sell non-vinifera wines in Washington State.
9. Which wine would not be served chilled?
a. Jerez Fino, Jerez, Spain, nv (non-vintage)
b. Beaujolais Nouveau, Beaujolais, France, 2009
c. Vernaccia di San Giominano, Tuscany, Italy, 2007
d. 15 year Malmsey, Madeira, Portugal
Dry fortified wines (Fino Sherry), super-light reds (Beaujolais Nouveau), and whites (Vernaccia) should all be chilled to some degree. A sweet fortified wine such as Malmsey Madeira should be served at room temperature.
10. What would be the appropriate label for a wine comprised of 75% Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Rutherford Cabernet Franc, and 5% Redwood Valley Merlot?
a. Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley, California
b. Meritage, Oakville, Napa Valley, California
c. Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California
d. Meritage, North Coast, California
Every wine-producing area in the world has its own label laws. For most of the US, a wine must follow the 75/85/95 rule: that 75% of the grapes in the bottle are of the specified varietal (ie. a "Pinot Noir" from California must contain at least 75% Pinot Noir; the other 25% can be whatever you want); 85% of the grapes must come from the labeled area (unless it is estate-bottled, in which it must be 100%); and 95% must have been harvested in the specified vintage year. Please remember that there are exceptions to all these rules, especially in WA and OR.
For this specific wine you will need to add up the percents. The required 75% is Cabernet Sauvignon (true, it could be labeled "Meritage" (a blend of Bordeaux varietals) but a Cabernet Sauvignon label would be more profitable). 95% of the grapes come from Napa Valley, so it should be labeled "Napa" for maximum profitability. The more specific your label is, the more you can charge. So why call it North Coast or California Meritage when you can say it's Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley?
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