Pavlova Cupcakes

Pavlova is like a cloud, with a delicate sweetness and a soft, marshmallowy center. It's the perfect gluten-free dessert for those looking for something light and airy. Whether you serve it with lactaid-laced cream or on its own with fresh fruit, Pavlova is the ideal sweet ending for any meal, especially when catering for gluten-free, lactose-free, and vegetarian guests.

I first experienced this iconic dessert while visiting family friends in Australia. Pavlova has a crisp, crunchy exterior, but a soft, chewy inside that makes each bite irresistible.

Pomegranate Cosmopolitan—A Festive Twist on a Classic Cocktail

The Pomegranate Cosmopolitan is a trendy and delicious variation of the classic Cosmopolitan, popularized in New York City. Known for its pretty pink color, this cocktail is not only easy to make but also classy and fun to serve, making it an ideal choice for festive occasions like Christmas.

While the original Cosmopolitan recipe calls for vodka, Cointreau (or Triple Sec), cranberry juice, and freshly squeezed lime juice, this version uses POM pomegranate juice to add a smooth, rich flavor that tones down the tartness of cranberry juice. The result is a sophisticated, balanced drink that's both refreshing and festive.

The Cosmopolitan has been around since the 1970s, gaining widespread popularity thanks to the hit television series Sex and the City. Known for its connection to Carrie Bradshaw, the Cosmopolitan became synonymous with Manhattan's cocktail culture.

"A cheeseburger, large fries, and a cosmopolitan please."
— Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City

Today, the Cosmopolitan is loved worldwide for its vibrant pink color and balanced flavor. The addition of pomegranate juice in this version creates a slightly less sweet, more complex profile, making it a refined and trendy twist on the original.

It’s fun to take a traditional cocktail and mix it up a bit. The following variation tastes great and still maintains the integrity of the original cosmo. A complaint (perhaps the only one) of the original cosmo is that the taste of the cranberry juice can overwhelm the other flavors. In this version, the combination of pomegranate juice with the cranberry cocktail, modifies the sharp cranberry taste.

Recipe: Pomegranate Cosmopolitan

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients:

1½ oz vodka (citrus flavored)

½ oz Grand Marnier

1 ounce POM pomegranate juice

½ oz cranberry juice cocktail

Juice of ¼ lime

Sugar, to taste

Splash of orange juice (optional) 

Instructions:

1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice.
   
   
2. Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and pour into the cocktail shaker.
   
   
3. Shake for 30-40 seconds until well-chilled.
   
   
4. Pour into a martini glass and garnish with a thin slice of lime.
   
   
5. Drop a few pomegranate seeds into the glass for an added touch.
   
   
6. Optionally, ignite some orange zest over the drink to enhance the flavor and aroma of the Grand Marnier.
   
   
7. Serve immediately and enjoy the festive, refreshing flavors!

Tasting Notes
The Pomegranate Cosmopolitan offers a balanced and sophisticated flavor profile. The tartness of the cranberry juice is mellowed by the smooth, rich taste of pomegranate juice, creating a more complex cocktail that retains the essence of the classic. Fresh lime juice is essential to achieving the crisp, refreshing finish. Perfect for holiday parties, this cocktail brings a festive twist to the original Cosmopolitan.

Merry Christmas!

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Chocolate Kahlua Shortbread

Chocolate Kahlua Shortbread combines the rich flavors of bittersweet chocolate and a splash of Kahlua, creating a festive and indulgent version of the classic shortbread cookie. Perfect for holiday gatherings, these cookies are a melt-in-your-mouth treat that combines a delicate crunch with the sweetness of chocolate and the warmth of Kahlua. This version of shortbread is a favorite Christmas recipe, but it can be enjoyed year-round for any occasion.

Shortbread is a classic cookie that only requires three main ingredients: butter, sugar, and flour. Once those are perfectly mixed together, the possibilities are endless—whether you prefer a traditional shortbread or one with added flavors and decorations. This recipe is one of many delicious twists on a classic favorite.

The first step in making shortbread, and many baked goods for that matter, is creaming the butter and sugar. I thought it was funny when someone next to me in the kitchen at Le Cordon Bleu asked me where the cream was when she heard that we had to "cream the butter and sugar" for the tuiles we were making that day. We all have to start somewhere: some watch a master Michelin-starred chef in a famous cooking school, some hold onto their grandmother's apron stirring batter alongside, and some watch endless hours of the Food Network and are forever scarred by the perfectionism of Martha.

Fat, flour, and sugar. That's shortbread. Mixing these ingredients properly yields a cookie that is slightly crisp, tender, crumbly and melts in your mouth. Beyond these three ingredients, the variations are endless. Some like traditional, plain shortbread. Others like to jazz it up with decorations and flavors. Some like it baked pale, golden or browned. Others roll the dough and cut it into myriad holiday shapes while some use a time-stained shortbread pan.

To me, shortbread means Christmas. A year doesn't go by where I don't make one (or twelve) dozen of this simple cookie. I love how it crumbles in my mouth, the layers shattering and scattering its sweetness. A little taste of chocolate, a hint of Kahlua (maybe I should add more in next year's batch). Another cookie laden with almonds and orange. Another flaked with coconut. It's hard to stop at one. And why should I? It's Christmas. I can be perfect in the New Year!

Recipe: Chocolate Kahlua Shortbread

Makes: about 30 cookies

Ingredients:

8 ounces (1/2 pound or 1 cup or 2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
½ cup sugar
2 cups flour
pinch salt

4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon Kahlua

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (a low temperature).
   
   
2. In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. You can’t overmix at this stage!
   
   
3. Sift the flour and salt together onto a piece of parchment paper. This ensures the flour is lump-free and easy to transfer into the bowl.
   
   
4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar, mixing just until the dough comes together. If the dough feels dry, gently incorporate more room-temperature butter.
   
   
5. Stir in the chopped chocolate and Kahlua (or skip the Kahlua for a traditional shortbread flavor).
   
   
6. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, knead a couple of times to smooth the edges.
   
   
7. Roll the dough between sheets of wax paper to about ⅜-inch thickness and cut into your desired shapes.
   
   
8. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
   
   
9. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the edges are pale golden.

Tip: You can freeze the dough after rolling and cutting it into shapes. Place the cut cookies on a baking sheet to freeze, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 1 month. Bake directly from frozen.

Variations:

Orange and Grand Marnier:
• 1 heaping tablespoon candied orange peel, finely chopped
• zest of 1 orange, grated
• 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier

Cappuccino:
• 1 tablespoon finely ground espresso coffee
• Dip one end of the cookie into melted chocolate

Hazelnut or Almond Orange:
• 1½ cups hazelnuts (skins removed) or almonds, toasted and processed until fine
• 1½ teaspoons finely grated orange zest

Coconut:
• 4 cups sweetened flaked coconut

Other Shortbread Spottings:
• Luna Café: Cranberry, Pistachio & Candied Ginger Shortbread
• Amanda's Cookin': Dorie's Sables
• The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch: Peppermint Meltaways
• Eat Yet? alfajores dulce de leche

Tasting Notes
The Chocolate Kahlua Shortbread offers a perfect balance of crisp, tender texture with just the right amount of sweetness. The chocolate adds richness, while the Kahlua imparts a warm, aromatic depth that makes this cookie stand out from your traditional shortbread. One bite is enough to make this cookie a holiday favorite.

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Biscuit de Savoie (Sponge Cake): A French Classic for Any Occasion

Light, airy, and subtly sweet, Biscuit de Savoie is a traditional French sponge cake that melts in your mouth with every bite. With a hint of vanilla, this versatile dessert pairs beautifully with chocolate, fruit coulis, or even a classic crème anglaise. It’s also delightful on its own as a mid-morning treat or a satisfying dessert.

This Biscuit de Savoie cake was one of my favorite recipes at Le Cordon Bleu. In fact, after the demo, I helped polish off many hunks (pulling off pieces with my fingers since there were no knives, only dull, plastic spoons). I dipped my pieces into the fresh, sweet crème anglaise the chef had made. I'd made this cake once before, and it was popular then too.

When you take a bite, it makes a squishy, bubbly sound. With its hint of vanilla, it adapts well to dipping into chocolate or fruit coulis, but stands on its own as a mid-morning grumble-stopper.

Kitchen Christmas Wishes

One of the perks of going to Le Cordon Bleu is the $1000 knife kit, supplied as part of the tuition (so really you're paying $9000 for it!). Now I'm the kind of girl who prefers kitchen gadgets over jewellery, so having the knife kit in my possession is pretty cool. In fact, I'm considering bringing it along with me at Christmas since my mom's knives are circa 1960 and dull as my Grandma's knees!

These two blogs list the contents of the knife kit thoroughly, so I won't re-list them here. But I thought I'd list some kitchen tools from the kit along with other items I found useful during my practical classes at Le Cordon Bleu.

Time for Champagne!

I passed!

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Exams are Over

Today, exams are over. I feel raw, going over every detail of what I could have done differently. My shaking hands at the end tell me this is tough. Taking a deep breath. Remembering the charms and good wishes in my pocket from my children...the wishbone that I was too scared to pull in case I didn't get the right end, the rock, the butterfly eraser. Wishes to help me get through a difficult event, to help me remember what's important, to help me be happy.

I learned a lot these past three months. About me, about life, but mostly about food.

I know sauces. I know to brown the bones and parure (leftover cuttings from deboning the pork) in hot fat in a sauté pan until they're so brown, but not quite burnt. I know to dégreaser to remove the extra fat. I know how to sauté the onions until they turn color to add more flavor. Then, I know to singer (add flour) to have a thickened sauce in the end. I know to add the alcohol next, the salted white wine (or better yet the good stuff from home) and let it reduce to remove the acidity. Finally, I know to add the rich, dark, brown veal stock. After this, I know to move this mixture to a smaller pan so that the flavors can marry and not evaporate into the busy, stressful kitchen. Skimming often removes the scum and foam, I know this is important. And then I can let it do its magic, thicken and absorb all the flavors from the bones, onions, wine, and stock. In an hour, this sauce is carefully strained and just needs a little kiss of salt, a spoonful of Dijon mustard, a sprinkle of julienned cornichons, and a dash of white pepper (or black pepper at my house). I've learned sauces.

I also know how to butcher...somewhat. Given a small rack of ribs, I can remove them from its clingy backbone and clean the bones (called manchanner). I can even prepare a pretty paper papillotte to hide the unsightly bone from diners' eyes.

But I can't turn vegetables. And under pressure, I can't assemble two plates for presentation without drips and overlapping veg, my shaking hands failing me. Will it be enough?

It's serving time. I'm one minute late. 60 seconds turns into 80, which turns into 90 and my hands get shakier. I can't dig out the finely julienned pickle from the strainer to display on the plate. Why did I strain it? I'd already strained it earlier. I'm flustered and the chef keeps yelling out "serve, serve, serve". Shhh. I need quiet. I need peace. I want my kitchen.

It's just food. Delicious, nourishing food (but the green beans are a little overcooked, my turned carrots are amateur, and why did I let them burn at the end?). The pork chop may have been overcooked (but better to be over than under or it won't even be tasted). My plate is whisked away to another room to be judged by the mouths that be.

I did my best, but it may not be good enough. On Thursday I may get a phone call that says "I'm sorry to tell you that you've failed Basic Cuisine." But I've learned a lot. No matter what the chefs decide, I will remember this quote from Émile Coué: "Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better." For now, I'll enjoy the relief of having it behind me. I'll toast with a glass of wine and likely a shot of Skinos later. And I'll be inspired by Robert Crawford:

Advice

When you are faced with two alternatives
Choose both. And should they put you to the test,
Tick every box. Nothing is ever single.
A seed’s a tree’s a ship’s a constellation.
Nail your true colours to this branching mast.

 

I will remember to

* dream big
* do all that I can
* grab life
* live big
* say yes
* trust life
* be authentic
* be true
* be strong
* let the wind take you
* you are the mast in the wind, growing stronger every day

It's good advice.

Here is Chef's version of my exam dish: Côtes de porc charcutière, pommes purée (Pork chops with pickle sauce and mashed potatoes):

Recipe for Côtes de porc charcutière, pommes purée (Pork chops with pickle sauce and mashed potatoes)

2 pc Pork Chops
25 ml Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Mashed Potatoes
650 g Potatoes
250 g Milk
50 g Butter

Sauce
1 pc Onion
25 g Flour
100 ml White wine
100 ml Thickened brown veal stock
10 g Dijon mustard
15 g Pickles
15 g Butter

Garnish
2 br Parsley

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Peanut Vermicelli

Peanut Vermicelli is a delightful noodle dish bursting with rich, creamy flavors and a touch of spice. Perfect as a quick side dish or a satisfying main meal when paired with cooked chicken, this recipe combines the nutty goodness of peanut butter with aromatic spices, coconut milk, and tender rice vermicelli noodles.

I once worked beside a little-known, but top-notch take-out café called The Five Senses. Many times a week, I'd wander over at noon to see what the chef was cooking in his kitchen. Even though he worked in the kitchen alone, he was able to create delicious food.

The one thing I ordered anytime it was on the lunch menu was this Peanut Vermicelli. I'd buy extra at noon just to take it home to have for supper. One day, I boldly asked him for the recipe, which he scribbled on a scrap piece of paper for me, without measurements for some of the ingredients.

After some tweaking, I've come up with the quantities that I like. It remains a favorite side dish or even a main dish when I add cooked chicken.

Recipe: Peanut Vermicelli

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

For the Sauce:
1 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
1 (14-ounce or 398 mL) can coconut milk
1 teaspoon curry powder
½ tablespoon fresh gingerroot, minced
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons soya sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 16-ounce package dried rice vermicelli
Peanuts for garnish

Instructions:

To Prepare and Serve Immediately:

1. Heat all sauce ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Stir until well-blended and warm.
2. Follow the package directions to cook the dried rice vermicelli.
3. Combine the cooked vermicelli with the sauce. Garnish with peanuts and serve hot or cold.

To Freeze the Sauce:

1. Allow the sauce to cool completely. Transfer to a container or food storage bag and freeze. (Cook the vermicelli fresh when ready to serve.)
2. Recommended freezing time: 6-12 months.

To Prepare After Freezing:

1. Thaw the sauce overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Cook the dried rice vermicelli according to package instructions.
3. Warm the sauce, mix with the noodles, and serve.

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Beef Dip

Beef Dip is a hearty and delicious dish that’s perfect for gatherings, weeknight dinners, or whenever you’re craving tender roast beef with savory dipping sauce. The secret? A humble package of onion soup mix adds incredible flavor with minimal effort. (Shh...don't tell the chefs at Le Cordon Bleu! They would want you to make French Onion Soup from scratch and dehydrate it yourself!)

Serve with crusty French bread for the ultimate comfort meal.

Recipe: Beef Dip

from Auntie Joyce

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

4-pound beef roast
1 teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 yellow onions, cut into slices or rings
5 cups water
½ cup soya sauce
1 package onion soup mix
1 garlic clove, minced

Insructions:

To Prepare and Eat Now:

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C).
2. Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Rub or sprinkle it with dry mustard, oregano, salt, and pepper.
3. In a large roasting pan, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides until browned. Set aside.
4. Add sliced onions to the roasting pan and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes.
5. Pour in water, soy sauce, onion soup mix, and minced garlic. Stir to combine. Return the roast to the pan.
6. Roast in the oven for 2-2½ hours or until the beef reaches your desired doneness:
   
   Extra-rare (bleu)115-120°F (46-49°C)
   Rare125-130°F (52-55°C)
   Medium rare130-140°F (55-60°C)
   Medium140-150°F (60-65°C)
   Medium well150-155°F (65-69°C)
   Well done>160°F (>71°C)

---

To Freeze:

1. Cook the roast to a slightly lower temperature than desired, allowing it to finish cooking when reheated.
2. Slice the beef and layer it between sheets of wax paper.
3. Freeze the roast and sauce in separate containers. Recommended freezing time: 6-12 months.

To Prepare After Freezing:

1. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Reheat the beef slices and sauce in the microwave or on the stovetop.

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Week 5 at Le Cordon Bleu (Basic Cuisine)

Time is flying by so fast here at Le Cordon Bleu. Week 5 seems long ago and was all about soups and compound butters. Well, "soup" is not the right term; "potage" is more accurate. Soup, a type of potage, is derived from the word souper, which means to absorb. To be called a soup, it must contain bread (such as French Onion Soup or Fish Soup). A potage is either thickened (called a lié) or unthickened (clair), such as consommé.

Orange Pumpkin Loaf

This Orange Pumpkin Loaf combines the warmth of pumpkin with the bright, zesty taste of whole orange, peel and all! A recipe straight from the professional kitchens of Le Cordon Bleu, this loaf is packed with seasonal spices, walnuts, and raisins, making it a delightful treat for breakfast, tea time, or dessert.  I was in the kitchen at Le Cordon Bleu to practice filleting a Dover Sole and turning mushrooms, and Chef shared a pumpkin loaf with me. It was so delicious, I asked for the recipe.

It uses a whole orange, making it extra flavorful and perfect for this Fall season. Enjoy!

Week 4 at Le Cordon Bleu (Basic Cuisine)

Taste, turning, trussing, and tears.

Last week, we had a seminar on taste! Spending a morning talking about taste was pretty cool! In many little white tubs, lined up in rows, were a variety of different colored liquids. In groups, we were given a container and asked to think of a memory that went along with it. Unfortunately, many of the tubs contained slightly stale versions of the originals, and too often Grandma's lace or even, in some cases, urinal pucks came to mind! Here's what we had to guess: white balsamic vinegar, lavender, truffle, shrimp paste, bergamot, lime, hazelnuts, sesame oil, anise-flavored alcohol, hoisin sauce, cognac, soy sauce, fish sauce, vanilla, port, rum calvados, pear alcohol, tabasco, chili paste. I found it challenging to deconstruct the aromas, but it was fun.

The next demo was all about Les Fonds Blanc et Brun (Brown and White Stocks), the base of sauces in French cuisine. We covered chicken stock, veal stock, tomato sauce (one of the mother sauces), and fish fumet. Our practical was to fillet a whole Dover sole, use the bones to make a fish fumet, and finish with a dish called Filet de sole de Douvres Dieppoise. This dish must include mussels and shrimp to be called Dieppoise. Not a problem. I've cooked mussels before and the shrimp came pre-cooked. However, the whole Dover sole slowed me down. It was the maiden voyage for my filleting knife and my hands with a whole fish. My filleting needed practice, so I attended an extra practice the next day and bought some frozen ones from the local fishmonger. I can happily say that I now know how to fillet a flatfish. I can't say that about turning mushrooms. Even after turning pounds of mushrooms that night, my mushrooms are more "carved" than "turned".

Here are some of the dishes the chef made during the demo.


Clockwise from top: Chef’s Fond blanc de volaille (Basic recipe for white stock)
Filets de sole Dieppoise (Sole fillet served with a white wine sauce)
Turned mushroom
Sauce tomate (Tomato sauce)
The next demo discussed two more mother sauces (Espagnole and Béchamel) and their derivatives (demi-glace, Sauce Crème, Sauce Mornay, and Sauce Soubise). Trouble came when it was time to truss the chicken during the practical. It looks easy enough. Cut wing tips. Dig out the wishbone. String needle. Poke through cartilage in one leg, through the other leg, flip, through two bones of one wing, under neck, through two bones of the other wing, and tie. With the leftover string, thread through cartilage in one leg, through the pope's nose, and through cartilage in the other leg and tie the legs together. Tuck wings under. Not so hard. But it was for me. After three tries and each time, the chef shook his head saying "Do it again" in his stern, French accent, tears started to fall. I knew this would happen, but I thought it would be over a burnt sauce or charred meat, not over a simple truss. Meanwhile, the other students were getting their chicken broth cooking, but I was still bent over my string with salty tears brining my naked bird. Finally, I plopped my tear-stained and weakly tied bird into the pot and hid it with water hoping I could catch up. Unfortunately, I also seemed to pick the station where the flame kept going out under my pot. This bird did not want to get cooked.

I made my roux and checked it with the chef who with a slight air said I'd added a touch too much butter for the amount of flour. Then, it was onto the rice pilaf. The onions had to be cut in ciseler fashion and were to be the size of a grain of rice. Some were; some weren't. I sweat the onions in butter making sure they didn't acquire any color, then added the rice and cooked until nacré (a pearl color!). A bit of salt, a bouquet garni, the right amount of water, and a lid of parchment paper, and into the oven for exactly 17 minutes.

Back to the chicken. Checking it confirmed my fears: it wasn't cooked yet. And for some reason, I didn't think to remove some of the broth to reduce separately for the sauce. I turned my attention to the roux and mistakenly added the cream before adding the broth, ruining both in the process! This was not my day. So, I was back to making a new batch of roux. I quickly measured 30 grams of flour and butter and hastily set about to cooking it to the required blond, nutty color. By this time, I had the forethought to put some broth in a separate pot to reduce. When the roux was ready, so was my broth. I added it to my roux, thickened the mixture, and let it cook for as long as possible before adding the cream. Everything else came together. My sauce was à la nappe, coating the chicken, my bird was cooked just right (not a second more), and my rice was done with the odd large piece of onion thrown in. And the tears buried in my chicken earlier made it taste even better.

Here are two of the dishes the chef made during the demo.


Chef’s Sauce Espagnole and
Poulet poché sauce Suprême (Whole poached chicken served with a white creamy sauce)
The final demo last week was about emulsion sauces including hollandaise and Béarnaise. I love these two rich sauces. The first step in the Béarnaise is a reduction. Easy enough, but you need enough liquid after the reduction to make the sabayon. For the sabayon, which contains two yolks, you need two half-egg shells full of liquid. I thought I had enough, but it became apparent while whisking my sabayon that I was lacking a few drops! The chef came over, frowned, went to the sink dribbled a few more drops of water expertly in my bowl, and warned that it might break on me in no time flat. I whisked and whisked and whisked. Although it never broke, it was a little thick. Again, when the chef came over, and saw me whisking in the clarified butter on the "cold" side of the station, he grimaced and suggested I move to the stove side, again warning that my sauce would break and that it was saturated with butter! Funny because I had started clarifying more butter since I didn't have as much as the recipe called for. We also had to turn some potatoes à l'Anglaise (a specific size that is three fingers long) and grill some salmon. Again, I finished on time, but a critique of my plate was all critique. School is tough, but I'm learning a ton, even through my tears.

Here are some of the dishes the chef made during the demo.


Clockwise from top: Chef’s Saumon Grillé, sauce Béarnaise (Grilled Salmon with Béarnaise Sauce)
Sauce Rémoulade (Sauce derived from Mayonnaise) & Hollandaise
Sauce Tyrolienne (Béarnaise sauce made with oil) & Sauce Moutarde (Sauce derived from Hollandaise)
Sauce Grebiche (Emulsified cold sauce based on cooked egg yolk) & Mayonnaise
. . . . . . . . . .

Here is a link back to the recipes as I did them last year (although they aren't exactly the same as what we did in class):

Class 10: Les Fonds Blanc et Brun (Brown and White Stocks)
Fumet de poisson (Fish stock)
Filets de sole Dieppoise (Sole fillet served with a white wine sauce)
Fond blanc de volaille (Basic recipe for white stock)
Fond brun clair de veau (Basic recipe for brown stock)
Sauce tomate (Tomato sauce)

Class 11: Les Sauces et Liaisons (Mother Sauces and Liaisons)
Poulet poché sauce Suprême (Whole poached chicken served with a white creamy sauce)
Sauce Espagnole and Demi-glace (Basic brown sauces)
Sauce Béchamel (White sauce): Crème, Mornay, and Soubise

Class 12: Les emulsions (Emulsion sauces)
Sauce Hollandaise (Warm emulsified sauce) and Sauce Moutarde
Sauce Béarnaise (Warm emulsified sauce derived from Hollandaise sauce)
Sauce Mayonnaise (Basic emulsified sauce) and Salade Messidor (Summer Harvest Salad)

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Whisk Wednesdays—Beignets aux Pommes, Sauce Abricot (Apple Fritters with Apricot Sauce)

This recipe completes my goal of working through the Basic Cuisine curriculum on my own, in my own kitchen. I started my blog as a way of documenting my progress working through this Le Cordon Bleu curriculum, not knowing that I'd actually be attending 20 months later!

Fresh Pasta

One of my favorite kitchen gadgets is my KitchenAid Stand Mixer (affiliate link). I’ve thrown some tough dough its way and it has yet to fail me. Recently, I was pleased to receive the pasta attachment as a gift. The KitchenAid Companions Gourmet Pasta Kit came with the following items:

• a metal pasta roller
• a metal fettuccine cutter
• a pasta server and slotted spoon
• two boxes of Ecco La Pasta flour (egg and spinach)
• a cleaning brush

The timing of this gift was fantastic since we had just covered fresh pasta dough in Lesson 6 at Le Cordon Bleu and practicing making pasta at home was the perfect way to test out this attachment.

Now, in the Basic Cuisine course, no kitchen machinery is allowed and all work must be done by hand to develop a sense for the feel of the dough at various stages. So I decided it would be fun to do a "bake off" so to speak: half of the pasta I hand rolled and cut and the other half I made using the mixer attachment. As an extra experiment, I made one batch with just yolks (and added extra water) and the other with whole eggs. The chef had suggested we try this to see if we preferred one dough over the other.

Using the attachment was twice as fast as without. Within the hour, I had fresh pasta ready for lunch. Not only that but it was easy enough to use that my 10-year-old daughter quickly figured it out and had fun putting the dough through, each time moving the dial to a thinner setting appropriate for fettucini. Hand rolling took a lot of effort, but eventually, after much rolling, I rolled it to the proper thickness. My daughter found it difficult to get it thin enough, so I helped her. Even so, our dough was uneven and squaring it off to cut even lengths meant re-rolling. Though not impossible to hand roll, we both preferred the attachment, which makes pasta making a breeze.

As far as the eggs are concerned, no one could taste a difference between the two so I would use whole eggs next time, just for the sake of convenience.

All in all, we're looking forward to making more pasta and using the roller to make lasagna noodles (a family favorite). Clean-up was also easy! My daughter just wiped it with a cloth and used the small brush to get any bits out. She was so pleased with her homemade pasta that she took it to school the next day in her lunch. With this pasta-making attachment, I'll be making homemade pasta often! Or maybe my daughter will be making it for me!

Recipe: Fresh Pasta

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

250 grams flour

5 grams salt

10 ml olive oil (you may need more)

2 eggs

10 ml cold water

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Dough:

• Sift the flour onto a clean countertop. Whisk in the salt. Create a well in the center.
• Add olive oil, eggs, and water into the well. Using your fingers, gradually mix the wet ingredients while slowly incorporating the surrounding flour to form a paste.
• Once the mixture becomes crumbly, use a pastry scraper to gather and knead it into a smooth dough. Add extra olive oil or water if the dough feels dry.

2. Rest the Dough:

• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. This step ensures elasticity and easier rolling.

3. Rolling the Dough:

• By Hand: Roll the dough to a 1–2 mm thickness with a rolling pin. Square the edges with a knife, then fold the dough into even layers (approximately 5 cm wide). Slice into fettuccine strips and dust with flour to prevent sticking.
• Using KitchenAid Attachment: Attach the pasta roller and start at the widest setting. Pass the dough through, folding it in half and repeating until smooth. Gradually reduce the roller thickness to the desired setting. Use the fettuccine cutter attachment for even strips.

4. Cooking the Pasta:

• Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook the pasta for 3–5 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and serve immediately with your favorite sauce.
  
  

Tasting Notes
Freshly made pasta offers a soft, silky texture that elevates any dish. Whether hand-rolled or made with a KitchenAid attachment, the difference in flavor and quality is unmistakable. Pair with a classic tomato sauce or creamy Alfredo for a satisfying meal.

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Whisk Wednesdays—Carre d'Agneau (Rack of Lamb)

This rack of lamb, a signature French recipe that’s both elegant and delicious, is the second-last recipe as part of the Basic Cuisine curriculum that I've been following. The hardest part is preparing the rack. Watch this video to see how to "French" a rack of lamb. Then, it's just a matter of searing the meat and vegetables and finishing it in the oven. The sauce is made from the pan juices and water, seasoned with salt and pepper. Not too many dishes this time either!

Week 3 at Le Cordon Bleu (Basic Cuisine)

After last week, I was glad to leave the white pepper on the shelf for a bit. During week 3 at Le Cordon Bleu, we turned our attention to desserts. Crème anglaise and charlotte were the first tests of our dessert skills. These desserts are light, called "entremets", which translates to "between meals".

The first practical had us making old-fashioned apple charlotte. Fourteen students were cooking down the apples slowly, caramelizing them only after they were cooked, and the aroma was heavenly. We all lined the charlotte molds with bread, first cutting the bottom pieces into raindrop shapes to form a circle. Lastly, we made crème anglaise to a thickness called à la nappe. Everything was going along perfectly until the unmolding stage when I forgot to trim the excess length of my bread pieces, which in turn caused the apple compote inside to travel to meet the plate making the whole thing fall apart slightly. One miss-step in the kitchen, and everything is quickly ruined (except in this case it still tasted sweet)!

Here are the desserts the chef made during the demo.


Clockwise from top: Chef’s Poires au vin rouge (Pears cooked in red wine)
Crème renversée au caramel (Reversed caramel cream or Crème caramel)
Charlotte aux pommes, crème anglaise au Calvados (Apple Charlotte served with Calvados custard sauce)
Sabayon aux fruits (Fruit Zabaglione)
The next day was all about frozen desserts: ice creams, glace, granité, sorbet, and frozen soufflé. During the practical, we made frozen orange soufflé and tuiles. The soufflé is composed of whipped cream, Italian meringue and sabayon all made by hand using only a whisk. Click click click. Whisks were dancing in the bowls.

First up was the whipped cream. Next was the meringue where the trick was to get the sugar syrup to the soft ball stage (without a thermometer) at the same time that the egg whites were at the soft-peak stage and ready to accept the sugar syrup. Since we weren't allowed to use thermometers for the sugar syrup, we had to get a bowl of ice water ready to dip our fingers in before dipping into the 235°F syrup! Although a little scary, we all did it and now know what soft ball feels like. Meringue is like a Dairy Queen blizzard. Once you've slowly added the hot sugar syrup to the egg whites and whisked until it's cooled to room temperature, you should be able to flip the bowl upside down without any of the mixture falling out.

The next component was the sabayon. Only two ingredients (yolks and orange juice) form one of the most magical sauces you can make. The trick is in the whisking and the heat. Over a simmering water bath, you whisk and whisk and whisk some more. Never stopping in case it falls. About fifteen minutes later, you have a thick, rich, sweet sauce that you must whisk even more off heat just to cool off before folding in with the meringue and whipped cream. At least there's some exercise in the kitchen!

Here are the desserts the chef made during the demo.



Clockwise from top: Chef’s Crème glacée vanilla (Vanilla ice cream) and Glace au café (Coffee ice cream)
Soufflé glacé à l'orange (Deep-frozen orange soufflé) with Cigarettes aux amandes (Tubular almond biscuits)
Granité au Calvados (Calvados sorbet)
Candied Orange Slices
The last class was about salads and during the practical we made Niçoise salad. Parts of the salad needed to be cooked (potatoes, eggs, and green beans) and cooled. The rest of the ingredients just needed to be chopped uniformly. Finally, we made a simple vinaigrette to serve with it.

The trickiest part was cooking the eggs to the perfect point. We were told to bring water to a boil, put a room temperature egg in for 10 minutes ensuring it was covered with boiling water. If the egg was fridge temperature, it needed to stay in the boiling water for 12 minutes. I chose to leave mine in for 11 minutes since it was in-between room and fridge temperature. When my timer beeped, I pulled it out and set it under cool, running water for several minutes. Unfortunately, my egg was very slightly under-cooked, according to the chef's masterful eye. As well, my potatoes were too cold and hidden on the plate. Otherwise, taste-wise all was good and well-cooked.

Here are the salads the chef made during the demo.


Clockwise from top: Chef’s Salade Niçoise (Vegetable salad Provençale, garnished with tuna, anchovies and egg)
Frisée aux lardons (Warm chicory with bacon)
Salade Francillon (Potato and mussel salad)
Salade des nonnes (Rice salad with truffled chicken)
Well, that was week 3 at Le Cordon Bleu. I enjoyed preparing some desserts this week, but I'm looking forward to getting back to the fundamentals of cuisine next week.

Tools you must have in your kitchen: a whisk and an ice cream maker
Tools you don't need: a candy thermometer

. . . . . . . . . .

Here is a link back to the recipes as I did them last year (although they aren't exactly the same as what we did in class):

Class 7: Les Entremets (Basic Desserts)
Part 1 - Charlotte aux pommes, crème anglaise au Calvados (Apple Charlotte served with Calvados custard sauce)
Part 2 - Crème renversée au caramel (Reversed caramel cream or Crème caramel)
Part 3 - Poires au vin rouge (Pears cooked in red wine)
Part 4 - Pruneaux au vin blanc (Prunes cooked in white wine)
Part 5 - Sabayon aux fruits (Fruit Zabaglione)

Class 8: Les Entremets Glacés (Frozen Desserts)
Part 1 - Cigarettes aux amandes (Tubular almond biscuits) with Crème glacée vanilla (Vanilla ice cream) and Glace au café (Coffee ice cream)
Part 2 - (Granité au Calvados (Calvados sorbet)
Part 3 - Sorbet au citron vert (Lime sorbet)
Part 4 - Soufflé glacé à l'orange (Deep-frozen orange soufflé)

Class 9: Les Salades (Salads)
Part 1 - Frisée aux lardons (Warm chicory with bacon)
Part 2 - Salade Niçoise (Vegetable salad Provençale, garnished with tuna, anchovies and egg)
Part 3 - Salade des nonnes (Rice salad with truffled chicken)
Part 4 - Salade Francillon (Potato and mussel salad)

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Whisk Wednesdays—Pets de Nonnes (Choux Pastry Fritters with Apricot Sauce)

This recipe, literally translated, means "nun's farts"! Choux pastry is deep-fried and sprinkled with confectioners' sugar much like a doughnut. The story is that a nun accidentally dropped a ball of choux paste into a kettle of hot oil. Instead of throwing it out, the nun watched the choux paste bubble and brown and upon tasting it named it Pets de Nonnes.

Week 2 at Le Cordon Bleu (Basic Cuisine)

Clockwise from top: Chef’s Flamiche aux maroilles et poireaux (Leek tart from northern France),
Pâté Pantin (Pork pie without use of mould),
Getting Ready to Taste
Week 2 at Le Cordon Bleu was full of flour, fraisage, and finger injuries.

I’m thoroughly enjoying the demos. It’s almost as if the secrets of the culinary world are being whispered in our ears, passed down to the next generation as grandparents would for their grandchildren. The demos are full of helpful tips that are best shown live: watching the chef make pâte brisée, showing us how to flour our tables (fleurer), how to gently work in the flour without over-mixing the dough, and demonstrating the technique of fraisage where you take just a bit of dough and rub it between your palm and the marble countertop to form a dough, repeating this for all the dough. Although I’d read about fraisage before, to watch it makes more sense. And I was surprised by the texture of the quiche that the chef served us. It was more like custard with salt, cheese and lardons (we’re not allowed to use the word bacon!) and less like scrambled eggs.

Feast of Fields—Ballotin of Ferme aux Saveurs des Monts Organic Chicken

Feast of Fields was an Ottawa event held this past weekend that brought together the talents of organic farmers and chefs and allowed hungry guests to sample all their tasty treats. Chefs were paired with area farmers to showcase this season's harvest. And what a feast it was!

There were 25 teams set up with tables along each side of a huge tent. The weather was perfect, with a slight cool breeze, and the diners were clamoring to get their plate and sample the local organic food. As we walked around tasting, we were amazed by the variety of options. From mini bites of cornbread and smoked pork and apple sausage to goose terrine garnished with a delicate edible flower and gingersnap cookies, I soon realized my eyes were bigger than my stomach.

The winner of the Best Farmer-Chef Team was Sylvain Bertrand of Ferme aux Saveurs des Monts and Executive Chef Serge Jost and Executive Sous Chef Timothy Wasylko from Fairmont Le Château Montebello.

This team set the bar very high for upcoming Feasts. With a pastry brush, they painted the bottom of each plate with port wine caramel. Then they carefully assembled each part of the dish starting with the rolled slice of chicken, followed by the apple ginger compote, some micro greens for color, and a Balsamic Tuile carefully placed on top. It was a work of mouth-watering art showcasing the best of local and organic ingredients in one dish.


Clockwise from top:
Executive Sous Chef Timothy Wasylko, Executive Chef Serge Jost,
Ballotin of Ferme aux Saveurs des Monts Organic Chicken,
Winning Team #11
I had a chance to talk to Executive Sous Chef Timothy Wasylko during the event, and after telling him about my recent events at the cooking school, he provided some well-needed tips about how to turn vegetables! I asked if they use turned vegetables that much at Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello, and sadly he said “sometimes”. His tips included using an egg to practice dragging a knife along the outside to get the muscle memory of turning into your hands. He also suggested dipping the egg in wax, which is a great idea! Later in the week, I contacted the chefs to ask if they would like to share their winning recipe, and they were happy to. Thank you!

Recipe: Ballotin of Ferme aux Saveurs des Monts Organic Chicken
with roasted pumpkin, sundried cranberries and pine nuts, apple compote and port wine caramel

from Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello Executive Chef Serge Jost and Executive Sous Chef Timothy Wasylko

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

1 whole organic chicken, deboned
1 breast of organic chicken
200 g pumpkin
3 teaspoons organic extra virgin olive oil
2 organic egg whites
100 ml organic 35% cream
Salt and pepper
1 g cinnamon
1 g ground clove
1 g ground ginger
1 g ground nutmeg
4 organic cloves of garlic, roasted
3 organic onions, sliced and cooked until well caramelized, then cooled
6 large leaves of Swiss chard
10 g pine nuts, toasted until golden brown
10 g sundried organic cranberries

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Drizzle pumpkin with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 45 minutes or until very soft, allow to cool. In a food processor, purée pumpkin and chicken breast until smooth. Add egg whites, cream, spices, roasted garlic, and caramelized onions. Season with salt and pepper. (Cook a small amount to taste seasoning.)

Blanch Swiss chard in boiling water for 30 seconds and immediately submerge into ice water. Remove and dry very well.

Stuffing is basically like making sushi. Using a sushi mat lined with plastic wrap- first spread the Swiss chard so it is an even thin layer. Spread 4 tablespoons of pumpkin mixture completely over the surface of the Swiss chard. Sprinkle with pine nuts and dried cranberries. Gently roll as tight as possible and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate.

Place deboned whole chicken skin side down. Cut in ½ lengthwise between the breasts. Cover with plastic wrap and pound until meat is thin and completely covers the skin. Season with salt and pepper. Spread 3 tablespoons of pumpkin mixture completely over chicken. Place Swiss chard roll in the center and roll up chicken with skin on the outside. Wrap very tightly in plastic wrap. Continue with the other ½ of the chicken. Poach in water for 25 minutes. Then allow to cool. Remove plastic and roast in a 400°F oven for approximately 35 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165°F (74°C.)

Apple Ginger Compote
2 organic Apples, peeled and cut into wedges
10 ml Japanese white pickled ginger, finely chopped
10 g organic butter

Cook apples in butter until soft. Add ginger.

Balsamic Tuile
30 ml balsamic vinegar
30 ml organic sugar
10 ml butter
40ml flour

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix all ingredients together. Pour into the desired shape on a Silpat-lined sheet pan. Bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Port Wine Caramel
750 ml port wine

Boil port wine and allow to reduce until 100 ml, about 20 minutes.

To Assemble
Paint port wine on the plate. Top with a slice of ballotin. Add 15 ml compote and garnish with the Tuile and a little bit of micro greens.

. . . . . . . . . .

Here are some other notable tables at Feast of Fields that I enjoyed...


Clockwise from top:
Potato and Leek Soup,
Arctic Char Bruschetta,
Cherry Tomatoes,
Carrot and Beet Salad
The Red Apron & Sweet Meadow Farms
A creamy potato and leek soup was being served by Jennifer and Jo-Ann of The Red Apron with heirloom potatoes from Sweet Meadow Farms. The display of the many varieties of potatoes by Sweet Meadow Farms was awe-inspiring. Red Apron’s arctic char on a crispy herb biscuit was another delightful bite.

Epicuria & Bryson Farms
Tracey Black from Epicuria was paired up with Bryson Farms and served a beautiful vegetable medley of carrots and beets drizzled with a citrus vinaigrette. It was almost too pretty to eat.


Clockwise from top:
Smoked Pork and Apple Sausage,
Grilled Bison and Cucumber Mint Salad,
Beau’s Beer,
Pascale’s All Natural Ice Cream
Thyme and Again Catering & Ashton Naturals
Thyme and Again Catering served smoked pork and apple sausage in little bamboo boats. The bun that the sausage was served in was a favorite part of this serving with its seeds and wholesome taste.

Sweetgrass Aboriginal Bistro & Battle River Bison Co.
Warren Sutherland from Sweetgrass Aboriginal Bistro along with Battle River Bison Co. dished out a grilled bison and cucumber mint salad with a sesame dressing that was a refreshingly crunchy mixture of vegetables. The Asian-inspired vinaigrette surrounding each bite made for a perfect salad.

Beau’s All Natural Beer
Everyone was enjoying the beer from Beau’s, voted Best Craft Brewery in Ontario. Their beer is golden, crisp and finely balanced and deserves all the awards they’ve been receiving.

Pascale’s All Natural Ice Cream & The Pickle Patch
For the whole afternoon, Pascale was dishing up her All Natural ice cream, and the line never stopped growing. We enjoyed tasting Peanut Butter Pickle, Sour Cream Strawberry, and Beau’s Chocolate. All were creamy and refreshing.


It was a fine feast to celebrate the end of summer!

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