I left off with Class #7. Here is what happened in that class on Monday, November 1st:
I went to class as usual tonight and thought it was odd when no one else was showing up and class was starting in a few minutes. I had to keep checking my phone to make sure it was the right date and time and I didn’t forget something. Just then our teacher showed up as he teaches a class right before ours with four fellow classmates behind him and said “I see you all didn’t get the email - we’re meeting at the Country Club tonight”. I was surprised and excited – I’ve wanted to go to the Country Club where our teacher is the Executive Chef. So we drove to the other end of town to meet the rest of the students at Twin Oaks Country Club where the monthly ACF (American Culinary Federation) Meeting was being held tonight. This was a rare opportunity for us to be a guest at one of these meetings and to go instead of our normal class (which tonight was a relief for most as our lab assignment was going to be breaking down chickens). We not only got to miss out on cutting up chickens, but we’d be eating some delicious & creative dishes created by the Twin Oaks staff.
ACF Members were present at the meeting as well as guests from all over including Big Cedar Lodge who we had the opportunity to meet and visit with for a few minutes. The meeting began with a reading of the minutes. Then we got to watch presentations by the Twin Oaks Chefs showing us a salad, appetizer, entrée & dessert all prepared table side. The first presentation was the salad which had pears and apples and candied pecans with cayenne pepper which was a nice touch of heat with the sweet. The appetizer prepared was a sweet potato pancake with pulled pork and julienned apples on top with a beet gastrique and sage whip cream (which had us all intrigued). It was topped with a fried sage leaf. For the entrée the Chef prepared a beef stew with tomatoes and burgundy wine and mirepoix vegetables on top. The dessert was cleverly created with dried ice so ice cream could be made table side. Pumpkin ice cream was paired with chocolate ravioli filled with blueberries & cream cheese.
They kept mentioning samples and that we’d get to taste the dishes but I really didn’t think we get but a bite of each. I was very pleasantly surprised when around the corner were all the dishes prepared buffet style and we were told we could help ourselves. The buffet also included fresh rolls with honey butter and roasted potatoes. My favorite dish was the appetizer – I just loved the combination of flavors with the pork and that sage whipped cream. The entrée was my 2nd favorite as I thought the meat was cooked to perfection and the sauce had such an earthiness to it that was perfect for their Fall menu.
I’ve experienced table side dishes before including a Caesar salad and steak Diane but I’ve never had a whole meal served table side nor been served an appetizer or dessert in this way. I was impressed to learn these new dishes and some creative food combinations such as the sage & whipped cream. I plan to whip this one up at home in my own kitchen.
Of course with any great meal comes clean up but even this was a good learning experience as we got to see how an organized kitchen looks and operates. I thought the whole experience was a great opportunity and I am grateful that we were invited to participate.
Next week's class is eggs, at least that's what we're hoping and that we don't have to break down those chickens that we missed doing tonight!
