Le Chef Mobile

I know everyone has heard about Improv Comedy, where actors ask the audience for ideas, then spontaneously perform whatever the troupe improvises. So what about Improv Cuisine, where Chef Pierre Jenatton shows up with a variety of ingredients, spices, herbs and oils and makes whatever students ask? We’ve been trying it at the Boston Center for Adult Education, and it’s great fun. Here’s a picture of shrimp and strawberries, one of the most popular dishes of the class.

As Chef Pierre explains, most people think you have to have every ingredient in a recipe for it to come out right. But that’s where the fun begins! Try putting strange combinations of food together and see what happens. Obviously, you’re not going to hit the jackpot every time, but you’d be surprised what goes together. Some of the most famous accidents have become world-renowned recipes, like Blackened Catfish and Tarte Tatin (an inverted apple tart).

Some of the other unusual combinations that came out of the class were Haddock au Parmesan (shhh, don’t tell the Italians, who say that fish can never be served with parmesan), and turkey breast with an orange sauce and also a bordelaise sauce.

So if you’re tired of the same old recipes over and over again, invite Chef Pierre into your home and he’ll help you find some fun combinations–and learn quite a few time-saving tricks in the process. Classes are typically for six people or more, and can be customized to your cooking level and preferences. No kitchen is too small, no student too unskilled! Afterwards, you may not even need recipes any more.

I just remembered about this wonderful gem of a company, Tennessee Truffles that contacted us several years ago,

I distinctly remember the phone call, because I received a message with a very distinct Tennessee drawl, asking, “Would you like to try our Tennessee Truffles?” Being the consummate chocoholic, I immediately thought, oh sure, why not? I love good chocolate.

Little did I know that she was actually talking about truffle mushrooms, aka, black gold, those coveted French nuggets from the Perigord region that can only be unearthed by specially trained pigs or dogs. I excitedly replied that we would love to try them, so would it be possible to order just one to sample it?

“Of course”, his wife and marketing director replied! Believe it or not, the truffle arrived the very next day, shipped overnight in a plastic box encased in rice. We enjoyed that truffle in every possible way–with an omelette, in a truffle sauce over beef tenderloin, and even just fresh on toast. With the rice, we made one of the best risottos I’ve ever tasted!

The founder, Dr. Tom Michaels, was involved with the art of growing mushrooms and truffles literally his whole life. Growing up on the family mushroom farm in Naperville, Illinois, he fondly remembers his mom’s homemade portabello mushroom soup. In 1999 he came full circle to truffle cultivation in the foothills of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in eastern Tennessee. Perfect climate, hospitable soil, science, intuition and years of caring all came together, and in 2007 Tom produced the first commercial quantities of Perigord truffles grown in America.

I can still taste the amazingly fresh morsel right now. So get your truffles today, as there are still a few available, as the season ends in mid-February.

Bon Appetit!

I grew up eating apple pie with a slice of sharp cheddar, but never knew why. Turns out it seems to have its origins in England, in Yorkshire, to be exact.

English apple pie recipes go back to the time of Chaucer. A 1381 recipe lists  ingredients as good apples, good spices, figs, raisins and pears. The pie was then encased in pastry, colored with saffron.

A traditional way to serve apple pie, particularly in Yorkshire, is with cheese to add a deep flavor. This is commonly a hard crumbly cheese such as Cheshire, served separately or Cheddar, cooked as a layer within the pie.
This makes sense that it would become a New England tradition; however, it seems to be a tradition of an older generation.

In Commonwealth countries, apple pie is a dessert of enduring popularity, eaten hot or cold, on its own or with ice cream, double cream, or custard. I even found some recipes with cheddar baked into the crust! I would recommend just adding a slice on top to try it, and then removing it if you don’t.

History of Pie

Pie, whose origins date back to 1303, and which varies according to the country or even to region. The derivation of the word is thought to come from the magpie, shortened to pie because it collects a variety of things, same as early pies that also contained a variety of ingredients. Pie has become the American symbol of home, tradition, and plenty.

The early New England settlers had a more practical reason for making pies, especially in the harsh and primitive conditions endured by the first colonists. A pie crust used less flour than bread and did not require anything as complicated as a brick oven for baking. It also lasted longer than bread and could be stored in the cold New England winter climate.

So, the next time you enjoy a piece of pie, with cheddar or without, remember what your New England ancestors endured for you to be here today!

I’ve been following the trends of how companies are communicating their message to their clients, and it seems that most are going the route of a blog. It’s much easier to communicate more regularly, and I’m able to give you immediate feedback on new food or wine tidbits I come across. It will follow a similar line of reasoning as my e-newsletter, which everyone seems to enjoy. I’ll include information about gourmet food, wine, travel, France and relevant content. If there’s a category you would like to see that I don’t now include, please let me know!

Since Pierre considers himself a Renaissance Man, and has even been called this by a Colorado newpaper, I chose this theme which has a Renaissance look and feel. I hope you enjoy it!