The Cheesecake Factory

For Orientation I decided to treat myself and my main squeeze to a dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. I took the opportunity to go all out, including appetizers, dinner salads, a main course, and of couse, cheesecake. The overall vibe of the restraunt was wonderful. It was elegant yet laid back enough to where jeans were just right. Servers all matched and seating was plentiful. The servers never wrote anything down which is impressive as a guest to see a busy waiter or waitress accomplish in a busy, rather large restraunt like this one.

After drinks were ordered and bread was served we ordered a small plate of fried cheese, due mostly to the fact that they used fontina cheese and the person I was with has a slightly limited palate. Regardless it was delicious. The fried cheese was served with marinara sauce. Once the dinner salads arrived I took notice at the temperature of the plate. It was a chilled plate keeping my well dressed salad fresh and crisp.

Now starting to fill up, the main course finally arrived, my Chicken Bellagio was delicious and eye appealing. The dish consisted of a lightly breaded chicken breast atop a bed of angelhair pasta in a light basil pesto and a cream sauce. The dish was finished off with an arugala salad lightly dressed in lemon and olive oil.

I didn't eat much at the restraunt because I was saving room for the finale. We ordered their fresh strawberry cheesecake. It was a New York style cheesecake served with whipped cream and glazed fresh strawberries. It was also delious.

Overall my opinion of the Cheesecake Factory was wonderful. Its a successful business that brings good food that is well prepared to people at a slightly high rate but the overall experience and service made up for the price of the meal. Its a great place to go for a special occasion for sure.

Deep Fried Deliciousness

Last week I was in Michigan to support my family because my grandmother had suffered a severe stroke. I was put in charge of cooking on one of the nights that we were there so I decided to make sliders with homeade french fries. It was delicious to say the least.
So, I whipped up some small beef patties mixing in a little worchester's sauce and a few seasonings that I cannot recall right now. I was rummaging through my grandmother's pantry. Then I pan-fried them. I caramelized onions that I had lyonnaised first, telling my family in the process that these were sexy onions.
I toasted rolls that I sliced in half in the oven as well. I then made the french fries with russet potatoes. at first my oil wasn't quite hot enough and I was getting slightly impatient. But once the oil was hot enough to properly cook the french fries I cooked them using the twice cooked method we learned in class and lightly salted once done. Everything was delicious.

Risotto

For the rice dish that we were instructed to make I decided to make risotto. We had most of the ingredients already in my house so it was an easy decision. I used Carnaroli rice for the dish. First I collected all of my ingredients including: onion, garlic (which was to be roasted), a little lemon zest, parmesan cheese, button mushrooms, asparagus, chicken stock, and the rice.

I heated the chicken stock adding a bay leaf and marjoram for some extra flavor and popped the garlic in the oven at 350 to roast. After dicing the onion and slicing the mushrooms and asparagus, I added a little fat to the pan and began to sweat the onions without browning. Once the onions became translucent I added the mushrooms and let them also saute. Then I added the rice and browned it. Once fragrant I added about half a cup of sherry and let it cook down a little before I began adding stock.

Meanwhile, I took some paremsan and made a parmesan crisps for each serving in the oven and let them cool on a cooling rack. I also made a salad consisting of mixed greens, gorgonzola cheese, homeade candied pecans, cucumber and a homeade raspberry vinaigrette. To make the candied pecans I toasted them in a small nonstick saute pan; added a small pad of butter, some brown sugar and a sprinkling of cinnamon and cooled them on waxed paper. The whole process took about seven minutes.

When the rice was just about done I added the asparagus. I added it with about 6 minutes or so left before the rice would be done giving the hot stock time to cook the asparagus. Finally I added the cheese, lemon zest, and garlic and it was done!! I plated it in black bowls with a little chicken stock, parmesan crisp and a blanched piece of asparagus.

Bananas Foster: Homemade

Last night for dessert for my family I attempted to make Bananas Foster. I chose to make this dessert basically because I would be able to flambe and we had too many bananas. First I collected and got all my ingredients ready to go because I figured if I was lighting things on fire I should be well prepared. In a saute pan I combined dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Once the butter had melted and sugar dissolved I added my bananas. The bananas were hard to flip because they softened more than I had anticipated them to. After browning the bananas it was time for the rum. I used a dark rum that, actually, my dad got as a gift. I added the rum and lit it up. I had to use a stick lighter because my house is, unfortunately, without a gas stove. Once the flames subsided I placed the bananas and brown sugar rum sauce atop of vanilla ice cream (that quickly began to melt) and a blondie I had made early in the day.

The blondie itself was made from scratch as well and thought it might be a good sponge for the delicious sauce that I was going to make with the Bananas Foster. The blondie was composed of melted butter, flour, baking soda, baking powder, brown sugar, vanilla extract, an egg and some mini chocolate chips. I only made half a recipe of the blondie because I wasn't going to need very much for the dessert. The batter looked and smelled like chocolate chip batter aside from the brownie-like consistency of the batter. I made these ahead of time so that I could easily cut and plate them in time for the hot bananas foster that was to go on top after our meal.

For the presentation of the dessert I cut neat squares of the blondie and scooped 2 scoops of ice cream on top. After I paced four banana slices on each serving and topped the ice cream with the sauce from the pan. I then garnished with some powdered sugar and a sprig of mint.

Steak and Potatoes

Steak and potatoes, a classic combination that I can now make well (well good for me. I was taught well)!! In class this past Thursday we learned to Grill, pan fry, broil, boil and Pan roast steak. While I was nervous to try my steak medium-rare I was even more frightened to undercook my steak and then have to eat it rare. However I cooked it ok and the different potato dishes we made were DELICIOUS.
We made several classic potato dishes including: twice baked potatoes, pommes frites, pommes Anna and pommes Duchess. Some of the potato dishes were harder and more complex than others so I tried to help the people who needed help as best I could. I personally was responsible for the pommes Duchess dish for our group. After I got my mis en place and my potatoes boiling I began cutting up vegetables that needed cutting and washing what needed washing.
Because I have a background of piping work the pommes Duchess was an easier recipe for me as I could easily pipe out delicate potato peaks with my large star tip. I brushed the tops with clarified butter and baked them for about ten minutes until they began to brown.
When we were just finishing our potato dishes we warmed our plates and headed for the grills. I was uneasy due to my lack of grilling skill but threw my steak on with my fellow students and began to watch as our steaks began to brown. When my steak was nearly finished I used my thermometer to check the temperature and plated it with my creamed spinach and twice baked potato. In the end the medium-rare steak wasn't that bad and creamed spinach is actually really tasty.

The Perfect French Omelet

For my very first homework assignment as a culinary student I was to make the perfect french omelet. Unfortunately, I did not have a pan in good enough shape to complete this task so off to buy a pan was my first step.

Making the omelet itself, at home, was a completely experience for me than it was at school. My confidence level was different at home and it made it easier to focus more on the cooking process of the egg rather than flying around other people like a chicken with its head cut off. I think that after this assignment cooking in the lab will not only be easier for me but I will have more confidence in the kitchen.

For breakfast on Sunday I made my parents and younger sister a two egg french omelet with chives, jack cheese and tomato for those who liked it. In class, my omelets could have used cooking on the heat a little longer than they got. However after a throwaway omelet (that my dog loved) my omelets were looking better and better inside and the egg was fully cooked, fluffy and a lovely pale yellow shade.