melair

So, I forgot to take my camera to my first cooking class.  Bummer.  But I can still tell you about it, then remember to take pictures when I go to the next one.  Deal?

There is a culinary arts school in Laguna Beach called Laguna Culinary Arts.  Clever, title, don’t you think?  They have a whole series of “Home Chef Classes” and the first one I signed up for was called “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.”

We made:

Gougeres Sauce Mornay (cheese puffs with gruyere cheese sauce)

Thon a la Provencal (marinated, seared tuna with garlic, tomato, and herbs)

Riz Pilaf (rice pilaf)

Timbale au Epinard (spinach custard)

Souffled Crepes with Orange Sauce

My friend Tonya also took the class, but since she was running late, we didn’t get to talk too much even though she was stationed right next to me.

I did really like some of the other ladies, but worried it would be too forward for me to ask for their phone numbers or whatever.  Making new friends is so much like dating it is nauseating.  I’ve even been through one break up already, and it felt way messier than any relationship I’ve ever had with a man.  Which reminds me…I need to make some guy friends.  My estrogen-testosterone levels are at a serious imbalance.

The cheese puffs and the spinach custard were my favorites!  So yummy.  We paired the cheese puffs with a French Chardonnay.  The tuna…eh.  If I recreated the recipe I would definitely use a meaty white fish.  The tuna was overcooked for my taste, but the tomato, garlic topping was pretty good.  The rice was just rice, but you know…we cooked it in the oven (which I never even knew was possible) and the texture was perfect.  I’m not sure why it is I usually screw up rice, but the next time I make it, I’m definitely using the oven method.  The spinach custard was so good.  It was a lot like a crustless quiche, only not quite so eggy, more spinachy.  We paired this with a nice, dry French rose.  The crepes were a bit of a disaster as far as cooking method and presentation go.  Our teachers had not tested the recipe before class (I bet they’ll think twice before they wing a recipe again) and so many of the students were stationed at saute pans trying to scrape burned crepes off the pan.  Some were burned, some were over cooked, but the ones that made it were yummy.  Delicious in fact, but nothing pretty to look at.  We paired these with an Asti Spumante.

The set up was very cool.  A big kitchen space where we all (about 10 of us) had our own little stations with knives, cutting boards, etc.  All the ingredients were laid out around the kitchen and we all have a stack of recipes which were all from Julia Child’s book: The Art of French Cooking.  The teachers walked us through each recipe and we all took turns chopping, mixing, etc.  After the appetizers were ready, we all filed out to a dining room table and sat and ate together like a big happy family.  Then, back to make the entree and sides, then back to the table to enjoy the food, then back to the kitchen for dessert.  So much fun!  It felt like a big dinner party with 10 or 11 girlfriends.

I am definitely going back.  My next class is called “Eggs Anytime,” and we’ll be making a frittata, poached eggs, a souffle, and creme brulee.  Now, my philosophy about these classes is that when reading the menu we are creating I have to feel that the recipes are something that I feel like I couldn’t make on my own just by reading the recipe.  And since I cook alot, I can make most things just from reading the recipe.  I took the French cooking class because I’ve never made crepes or any kind of pastry dough, which is pretty easy after all.  The egg class may seem like an odd choice, but I am taking it for three reasons: 1) One of the same teachers as last time, and I really liked her. 2) I cannot poach an egg.  I’ve watched at least 5 youtube.com videos on the topic.  I’ve read suggestions that include, stirring the water, adding vinegar, using fresh eggs, etc…  None of them have worked.  I’ve bought egg poaching devices.  I’ve used the microwave.  Jim has even joined in the process and tried it plenty of times himself.  Still, we come up with less that perfect poached eggs every time.  Most of the time in fact, they are barely edible.  and 3) Creme brulee.  I’ve made that 3-4 times now.  And on the last try, I finally got it to set up.  But it wasn’t without over cooking the tops.  So…I’m hoping this woman has some magic egg making secrets to share.

Also, in continuing to take classes at the same place, I’m very much hoping to run into some of the same people.  May even make another new friend or two   Man- friend dating sucks.  But, the pay off is worth it when you get some that stick.