Saturday, February 16, 2019

Travel Break: Great Classes #2 -- Cooking with Sour

Before Christmas I took a cooking class with chef Geoff Russell (HERE). It was such fun I signed up for one of his "Five Flavors" classes, "Sour." (The others: Bitter, Sweet, Salty, Unami.)


Geoff met us with a frothy whiskey sour, which got everyone well loosened up!


Then he began cooking, answering questions as he explained step by step the dishes he was preparing. He started out with ceviche, which uses the acid of lime juice to "cook" the fish.


Geoff used cod and it was delicious. Some of the things I learned from this were to always buy very good fish, then freeze it for three days to kill any parasites that may be within. (You can't kill bacteria with freezing, so get good fish!) Firm fish like cod or seafood like scallops are best.


Also, once you make it, you have a limited "resting time" at which point you should eat it. After a half hour, you may as well toss it because the fish will be too tough to be really enjoyed.


Pickling uses sour too, namely, vinegar. Geoff prepared pickled red onions which he sliced thinly and covered with ___________. It's a fast pickling and within a half hour or so, the onions were just divine!


He used these onions on his super duper grilled cheese sandwich. Let me say I am quite the grilled cheese aficianado and this was hands-down the best grilled cheese I ever had. It also probably had the most calories of any grilled cheese ever because his secret to goodness is not to slather one side of the bread with butter but to melt butter in your pan and SLOWLY grill one side of the bread. Then take it out, assemble the sandwich with grated cheese for faster melting on TOP of the toasty bread (butter side), add some of the pickled onions, add more cheese, top it and then grill both sides of the ungrilled bread in fresh melted butter.


 It is so crispy and crunch and filled with cheesy goodness that I could have died happy right there. And if I ate too many of these, I would. (Do not cook this within a week of having blood tests for a physical or your cholesterol numbers might go off the roof!)


One of the things I love about these classes is that we aren't the ones doing the cooking. We sit very close as he explains every step so we can see and take notes. We aren't distracted by wondering if we are stirring our own sauce too much or too little. So, watching, noting and asking questions, we really are able to learn and focus. It's much easier to bring that home and cook his dishes because we've seen every step.

Source: Ex Culina

He then showed us how to make a shrub -- a mixture of grapefruit peel, sugar and vinegar that makes a bit of a syrup.


After this mixture has sat for a few days, add back in the juice you extracted from the grapefruit and strain it. A shot of that over ice with club soda was fabulous. (Vodka would be good, too!).


Also on our menu was Rock Cornish game hen with a blackberry sauce. The sauce also used a vinegar, along with sugar for a wonderful sweet-sour combo. Geoff takes the backbone out of the chicken and lays it flat to cook, which helps it cook a bit faster. These went about a half hour.


This was served with Brussels sprouts, tossed with shallots and herbs, then oven-roasted topped with balsamic vinegar.



We also had a fun vinegar tasting. We dipped swabs into several different vinegars and placed it on our tongue. It was interesting to note the different qualities of each -- if they felt fruity or salty or too tart.


Then it was time to sit down and enjoy our meal. We'd already been munching on grilled cheese and ceviche and enjoying beverages.


The chicken was so good with the blackberry sauce. I'll be making that sauce again soon for any number of things.


Served up with a glass of wine, our happy band of students were all happy campers!


This has been my second Chef Geoff cooking class and so far I love them all! So, I say...

Source: Ex Culina

...Cheers!

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44 comments:

David M. Gascoigne, said...

I think that you are well and truly spoiled!

Vicki @ lifeinmyemptynest said...

The food looks so wonderful and sign me up for a cooking class that includes cocktails!

Lynne said...

Looks, Sounds, No Doubt About It . . .
WONDERFUL!

My name is Erika. said...

I am going to have to try this grill cheese method as like you, grilled cheese is the best. I have been craving lately with some tomato soup, so I am going to try it. Looks like a delicious and fun time. Happy weekend. Hugs-Erika

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

I was getting so hungry just looking at the photos in thisnpost, Jeanie. Grilled cheese sandwiches are always enjoyed in our home and now I will need to share this technique with my husband who enjoys making them.

eileeninmd said...

Hello Jeanie,

Everything looks delicious. I haven't had a Whiskey Sour in years, they were yummy. The cooking class sounds like a fun time. Loved the photos. Have a happy day and weekend!

Lauren @ My Wonderfully Made said...

My goodness how fun that all looks. I love the idea of a class just devoted to one theme/taste. It all looks so good, especially the grilled cheese!!

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

That sounds like fun! A local restaurant use to do that here, but the chef moved on to another restaurant and they don't anymore.

Karen said...

Those brussels sprouts looks very good. Must try.

Regina said...

Oh goodness I was drooling just looking at those pictures. I would love to take a cooking class someday. I think it would be fun.

handmade by amalia said...

What a fun thing to do, and the food! Everything looks amazing. I am quite hungry now.
Amalia
xo

Valerie-Jael said...

This sounds like a very fine and delicious evening, so yummy! Have a great weekend, hugs, Valerie

DUTA said...

The last photo says it all: well fed, happy, satisfied, great experience.
Fish, red onion, grapefruit are the usual in my kitchen. Vinegar too, but mostly as a cleaning agent :)

William Kendall said...

Quite a meal!

Sandra Cox said...

What fun! The grilled cheese sounds especially yummy.

Yael said...

Uiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii, you made me hungry! :-)

bobbie said...

You can have my Brussell Sprouts, but everything else looks delish!!

Tammie Lee said...

That really sounds lke a wonderful class with a mix of great dishes! Fun fun!

Iris Flavia said...

You sure have me drooling over that cheese sandwich!!!
Yes, that is why I love cooking shows, you don't do, you can concentrate, take notes...
The Brussels Sprouts look sooo yummy!!!
And especially the last pic made me smile very big, so many happy faces :-)

The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen said...

How fun to enjoy a cooking class and learn new techniques! Everything looks delicious. Have a lovely weekend. ♥

Misadventures of Widowhood said...

What a wonderful way to learn and dine at the same time. The chef had me at whiskey sours.

Julia @ Vintage with Laces said...

The grilled cheese sandwich makes me drool for sure and the grapefruit shrub sounds sounds so delicilous as well. 😋 It must have been a fun class again.
Have a happy Sunday, Jeanie!

Joanne Huffman said...

Looks like a great, and delicious, time.

Sandra at Maison De Jardin said...

How much fun this must have been as well as to learn so much. All the dishes sound wonderful. I love to cook, especially French dishes.

Have a lovely day and week ahead, Jeanie.

thepaintedapron.com said...

Sounds like a fun and tasty time! The grilled cheese sounds over the top! Not sure about the vinegar tasting, but I do want to try pickling red onions! I am going to a Surf and Turf class at Sur la Table in a few weeks, can't wait!
Jenna

Pam said...

Chicken and brussel sprouts look GREAT! Not a big fan of fish. You stay on the go doing and doing you wear me out.

Decor To Adore said...

Yum, yum! I would love this class. My mister makes ceviche as it is a staple in Panama where he was raised. Happy Sunday!

Olka said...

Your cooking classes are awesome! I'm totally hungry after reading your post, haha!
I think I should go with Adam for some cooking workshops - it could be nice idea for a date :D

Carol @Comfort Spring Station said...

You attend fascinating classes lady. I've never made cevice but I did enjoy it at a work party made by a lovely coworker from South America. Good stuff! Everything looks great starting with the whisky sour, my mother's favorite drink. As a child she would give me the cherry from the drink. My first taste of alcohol was in those cherries!

Lowcarb team member said...

This looks and sounds so good … the food looks wonderful.

All the best Jan

KONULOJÄ° said...

very good :) my site follow please

Karen @ Beatrice Euphemie said...

Oh, what fun and looks so delicious, too! The blackberry sauce looks wonderful. So nice to be able to sit and enjoy someone cooking a fabulous meal while learning! Hugs xo Karen

Kitty said...

Another wonderful post. Fortunately I ate dinner before getting on the computer or I would be ravished by now! Looking forward to cooking class 3.

Red Rose Alley said...

It sounds like you had fun taking this cooking class. My son used to want to be a Chef, and even though he didn't choose that for his profession, he still cooks from time to time. The Cornish hems with blackberry sauce.....DELICIOUS. Looks like a fun group of students too.

~Sheri

Pam Richardson said...

Jeanie, I loved the first class and this one was just as good. I can just imagine the grilled cheese with the pickled onion! This has to be so much fun, thanks for sharing!

The French Hutch said...

How fun this class looks. I would enjoy it like you, without making anything and only listening. The dinner looks delicious. I love Brussels sprouts cooked this way, the taste is so good. Drinks and snacks makes this even better. Sign me up!

Sami said...

Love ceviche but I've only had it in Japanese restaurants.
That toasted cheese sandwich sounds delicious too.
What a great cooking class Jeanie.

fix schema blogger said...

Sounds amazing and Fun, Keep it going

Tracy said...

Oh, my goodness... Wait, I must mop up my drool... because this post is OUTRAGEOUSLY DELICIOUS!! I want to eat all of it... now! haha... Wow... what a great experience! I've never taken a proper cooking class--would love to some time. What a great menu and flavor focus. I really like this watch-and-lean method too. I tried making ceviche once, and it didn't turn out fantastic. Fun to learn the tips you picked up. The ultimate grilled cheese... I'm dying here! haha... I've not had/made a shrub before--sounds wonderful. What a nice flavor surprise for the chicken--the blackberry & thyme, what a great way with fruit! This was HUGELY inspiring, Jeanie! :))) ((HUGS))

Marilyn Miller said...

OH this class!!! I would love it so. I do pickle red onions and love them on all sorts of things. They are often in my refrigerator to spice up a good sandwich for lunch. Yummm!

Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...

YUM! This is my kind of meal as I love sour foods. Pickles are one of my favorite foods. I ate so many when I was pregnant. Ha. I love vinegars so the tasting would be right up my alley. And I buy a shrub from a local booth at the farmer's market that's a combo of beet, szechuan peppers (sp?) and something else. I can't remember! But it's so good! I mix a shot of it with tonic water and it makes me feel like I'm having a cocktail. It's good with vodka, too, of course!

That whole meal looks good from start to finish. The grilled cheese sounds especially delicious!!

Joyful said...

The dinner looks fab! I like the tips about making ceviche as I made it once many years ago. It was very tasty I might add, lol but it would have been good knowing about what to do with the fish first.

Curtains in My Tree said...

So pickling the red onions he just pours vinegar over? there was a blank there ? LOL on instructions
I hadn't heard of a whiskey sour for years? since wine is the drink of most people now I always liked volka and grapefruit juice.
I could really enjoy just sitting there and admiring the cook doing his thing

Jeanie said...

This is a test!

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