2.24.2011

This Week in Culinary School: Steak, Popovers and Donuts

Steak Au Poivre made three ways
Not having a nose that is functioning properly and taste buds that are not on their game makes for a rather frustrating week.  Perhaps I should back up a bit.  I have been sick all week.  This past Sunday, I was inexplicably exhausted.  Usually I'm like the energizer bunny - I seriously keep on going and going.  Not this week.  Although no one likes being sick, I find that I get seriously frustrated when it happens because that means that's a couple of days that I can't smell or taste anything, which to someone who is constantly trying to create new recipes is a rather important.  Sigh.

Lemon- Thyme Popovers

Since I'm on this self-pitting rant, let me further say how sad I was that my nice little head cold happened to arrive just in time for steak day and rich dough day (i.e. donuts and cinnamon buns, etc). And I couldn't taste a thing all week.  It's so sad to look down at a plate of beautiful steak slices, nicely colored with a bright pink sheen and a puffy lemon-thyme popover and to not be able to taste a darn thing.  Oh woe is me.  

 My Sour Cream Poppyseed Bread
Anyway, while I putter off to take another round of cold medicine, I'll leave you with pictures from this week at school and some cool take-aways of what I learned.  Hopefully I can shake this thing soon...I have high kitchen aspirations for this weekend!

Jess's Glazed, Sprinkled and Boston Cream Pie Donuts

Key takeaways from this week:

1. I learned how to breakdown a chicken a couple different ways.  The coolest by far was learning how to beak it down using the "glove-cut method" which is exactly as it sounds: using your gloves and just the slightest bit of help from a knife to totally debone a chicken.  I think someone's going to be attempting a Turducken at some point soon..
2. I made popovers.  I love, love, love popovers and their delightfully crispy crust and soft airy center.  I had never made them before and they aren't all that tricky either.  What took me so long?
3. I also learned how to "tourne" potatoes, which is a really long and complicated cut of taking a regular Russet potato and whittling it down until it sort of resembles a small football that has seven even sides.  If you are ever presented with a plate that has tourned potatoes on it, you should walk back and give the chef a high five or even a hug because man did he work for that..
4. There's a whole big world of bread out there and I'm just scratching the surface.  This week a lot of our breads were stuffed with all sorts of delicious things and then shaped into things of beauty.  Who says food isn't art?
Sophie's Cinnamon Buns

14 comments:

Olga @ MangoTomato said...

ugh, being sick sucks. feel better!!!

everything looks so good: especially the popovers and doughnuts.

Emily @ A Cambridge Story said...

omg, they need to graduate you asap -- all this food looks perfect! The steak and those doughnuts especially. I love making popovers at home - sweet or savory!

Fun and Fearless in Beantown said...

Hope you feel better soon!

Delicious Dishings said...

Hope you feel better soon!

I got a popover pan about a month ago and have been making them way too often. Ha ha. They are so easy and so buttery and delicious!

Dale Cruse said...

That all looks delicious! More importantly, I hope you feel better. Some night you can go nuts cooking & I'll bring the wine!

In and Around Town said...

Hope you feel better! Popovers are one of my requests whenever my mom is cooking for me...hard part is allowing them their own oven time for 45 mins! Totally worth it though :)

Kristen said...

being sick bites. feel better soon.

the food pictures are looking as gorgeous as ever.

Amy Davis-O'Malley said...

The funny thing about popovers is that once you realize how easy they are you do make them all of the time. I know my preferred method (never cleaning the pan, heating it in the oven, buttering or spraying right before pouring in the batter, not over-mixing, - years of practice - and then changing the temp and timing in my gas-convection oven, etc...) I'm wondering what your method was?

Elizabeth said...

Gah! Donuts and cinnamon buns!!! So jealous. I totally wish I'd met you after class for those. Feel better!

The Small Boston Kitchen said...

Thanks for the well wishes! I'm starting to be able to smell things again so that's progress!

Alicia said...

feel better! such a shame - that spread looks delish!

Nancy said...

So sorry to hear you aren't feeling and sniffing good. Everything looks delicious and I so want to eat those cinnamon buns. I think I can smell them from here!

Feel better soon. You really are a trooper though. You never even skipped a beat! Excellent lifelike pictures.... Absolutely love your blog!!

Kerstin said...

Oh no, hope you're feeling better now! I want to learn how to break down a chicken - it seems intimidating, maybe you could do a tutorial for us? :)

Jen said...

What a horrible week to be sick! Hope you're feeling better.

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