Cheese
            Cheese is a very good food. Cheese is added into a lot of foods. There are so many different kinds of chesses. There are even cheeses that we don’t know of but actually exist. Cheese is one of the most popular side dishes added into different recipes. For example pasta doesn’t need any cheese to make it taste better but people put parmesan cheese or mozzarella on their pasta to make it taste better. One of my favorite cheeses that I like is the blue cheese. The blue cheese has a very strong taste to it, which many people do not like. Blue cheese is good with crackers and the wet blue cheese is very good with Buffalo wings. The spiciness of the Buffalo wings makes the blue cheese fit right in. Most cheeses are made of mold. Yes, that stuff that grows on your bread after not being touched for a long time is mold and that is what cheese is. The most popular cheese used in the most dishes and recipes is the mozzarella cheese. The mozzarella cheese is the most popular because you can add it into almost anything to make it have that strong blend that actually tastes good. You can add any kind of cheese into any sort of food you like. Cheese is a type of food that can be added into anything because of the way it tastes. Not for nothing cheese is actually healthy for you. There was a study just a couple years back where cheese actually is good for your teeth due to the high calcium in it. Another study done a few years back was that cheese gives nightmares when you are sleeping. About 200 people took a cheese and the study was that certain cheeses gave nightmares when you are sleeping. Cheese also increases salvia flow. 

Tristan P

Our new unit was all about pork. At first I wasn't sure if I was going to
like this unit because I'm not really a fan of pork, but it turned out to be
reallyyy delicious! We made a maple glazed pork loin wrapped in bacon! It
wasn't very difficult to make. We had to make two different types of
marinades and a bryne for the pork. We let the pork soak in the bryne over
night to let all of the flavors really soak into the pork loin. Then, the
next day we poured one of the sauces over the pork and wrapped it in a few
slices of bacon. After letting it cook for a little while, we took it out
and drizzled the maple glaze over it the bacon wrapped pork. On the side, we
made sweet potato mashed potatoes. In the mixture we put marshmallows, brown
sugar, and ALOT of butter. On the top of the cassarole, we also added more
brown sugar covered marshmallows so it would be nice and gooey! The pork was delicious and tender and had an amazing flavor and the potatoes were so good
with all of the brown sugar and butter mixed it. The marshmallows were my favorite part. I think this was one of our best dishes!

 -JB

Streetfoods

I have learned so much this year in culinary. I am especially excited about our last few weeks because we are doing food from different countries. I can’t wait to create food from different places and learn how these different countries season and cook their food. Our sushi unit was fun as well. It was interesting to see how everyone was given access to the same ingredients and yet no two groups made the same type of sushi. I enjoyed the sushi unit because it has such a variety, we were able to put whatever we wanted in our own sushi. This year I have learned about all the different techniques and it gives me a whole new appreciation for the food that I receive when I go out to dinner. We have also started to worked on plating and the presentation of the plates that we put out and this also gives me appreciation for all the work that goes into each plate that a restaurant produces as well as the time that they are given to put out this quality work. I know that time has often been an issue for my group and that is only when have to make and plate one serving.

                                                                                                            -Matt B

As soon as I walked through the intimidating double doors that lead to the enormous room of The Cheesecake Factory at the Danbury Fair Mall, I was immediately struck by the sheer size of the place. Even though there were so many tables in there, every single one was occupied, and there was even a thirty-five minute wait for a table of three. That should have been, my first indication of what was to come, but even when it did it still came as a shock.

            Once we sat down, I realized that the menu was a lot like the rest of the building; mammoth. It was novel sized, and it took me an eternity just to narrow down my possible options. It was difficult to read and really overwhelming. If you find it hard to make a decision on a regular basis, I would not recommend trying to file through that menu. After what seemed to hours of struggle, I decided on the Smokehouse BBQ Burger, which was listed under the “Glam Burgers”. It was a charbroiled burger with melted cheddar cheese, smoked bacon, crispy onion rings, and BBQ sauce on top.

            After splitting a basket of pretty standard fried calamari and another standard fresh Caesar salad, I felt overwhelmed once again when the burger arrived because the portion was humungous. But as soon as I took my first bite I was hooked. The combination of toppings was over the top, but all of the ingredients surprisingly worked together. The smokiness of the bacon, crunch from the onion rings, and sharpness of the cheddar sent your taste buds into overdrive.  After two bites I was stuffed, but I still fought through the rest of the first half so I could feel somewhat victorious with my meal. The rest I had to bring home. Even though it was hard for me to enjoy my burger because of that heavy feeling in my stomach growing deeper and deeper with every bite, the burger was delicious. With crispy sweet potato fries the whole meal was enough to send me over the edge.

            And then, just when I thought I couldn’t take any more, the dessert menu came out. The chocolate mouse cheesecake was decided upon at my table, and of course I could not resist stealing a few bites even in my overstuffed condition. Let this be known, I am not a big cheesecake person -in fact I hardly ever even taste it- but that cheesecake, man oh man I could eat a billion. It was so light and creamy, all in one deliciously delightful bite. If you are looking for a little Italian Trattoria, keep driving past exit three to the Danbury Fair Mall, they do not offer what you are looking for. But if you want a family-friendly restaurant with good food and relatively fair prices, try The Cheesecake Factory. But remember, if you go you have to try the cheesecake.

What is food?

Is it that that drives us, gives us sustenance, no.

Not all that we consume deserves this title so high.

Food is more Food is prepared not made. Any one can fry potatoes, boil Spaghetti, Grill a burger. Food does not come out of a box, Can, or bag.

Food requires grace. it has an elegance that can't be matched. you know when you eat it but you cant describe it.

It has this unintangible essence that leaves you with more that satisfied, it leaves you with the merest hint of a smile.

It brings humanity together and is one of the few things on earth that every person can understand. Some say music is the great communicator, but really its food.

So I ask you what is food? Only you can answer that.

Jon V.

I was flipping through the channels while watching television when a cooking competition came on. Two teams of professional chefs went toe to toe in a timed cook-off. I was very surprised at how well their dishes came out in such limited time, but the judges still criticized them for their many mistakes. These mistakes were ones of which they would not have been making if not under a time limit. That’s when it sparked. I realized that chefs cannot be rushed. Customers should walk into a restaurant knowing that their food will take a while to serve because the chef must take his/her time. Only the best quality comes out when the cook does not feel rushed or pressured. In this case the professionals wouldn’t be criticized. Cooking is like art, a painter is not rushed to finish his work, because people understand it is a careful, precise job. As in the kitchen, every person has their own roles to perfect in order to come out with the beautiful piece of work others look for. If you walk into a restaurant and complain on the food service because it takes too long, you are taking paint away from the painter. Unless it takes a long time and still the food lacks quality, then something is wrong. But do not rush a chef when making food for you, its taste will get better the longer you wait. Wyatt Depuy

When I first heard we were making sushi, I was worried, unsure, and nervous as to what the results and procedure would be like. The sushi I’ve seen in restaurants or at grocery stores seemed nearly impossible to produce. The complexity and caliber at which the sushi appeared to be at seemed unreachable. In addition to just the appearance, what the sushi was composed of was also surprising. Since I had no prior relation with sushi, I assumed there were all sorts of Japanese fish, spices, and sauces that I had never dealt with before that needed to be added. However, I was wrong when I discovered that there was no typical sushi and that in reality, there aren’t limits to what you put in sushi. In our sushi, my group and I included rice, carrots, smoked salmon, cucumbers, and breadcrumbs. These ingredients were rather unique, but Ricky Ruot, the informal taste tester, complimented our group and said ours was his favorite. When everything was all finished, and the rolls were cut, I was shocked to see that our product looked rather similar to what is sold at restaurants. I was expecting a modified version of sushi in the sense that it would be less professional. Overall, I was pleased with our outcome and was surprised when I found out that the procedure was relatively quick and easy. -Matthew M.

This past weekend, I decided to make dinner. A couple months ago, for my birthday, my grandma bought me a pasta maker like the ones we use in class. I've been wanting to try it out for a while, but never really got around to it. However, this seemed like the perfect opportunity. I made the dough from a recipe I found and began rolling it out. It wasn't turning out as well as in class, but I'm not sure if it was just because the machine is new. The strips eventually worked out and I used the fettucini cut. When I put them through, for some reason they would get stuck coming out and bunch up. I could pulled them apart a little, but they did not look that appealing. It all tasted so good, but I'm not sure why it didn't come out smoothly. On the other hand, the chicken parmesan I also made turned out delicious and the fresh pasta added a nice taste. I'll be sure to try making it again and see if the second run through goes a little more smoothly. On a side note, I was given a recipe for the best teriyaki chicken wings I've ever tasted, so I'll have to try to make them soon as well. Hopefully they will turn out a little better than my pasta.

-Allie H.

Matt Giorno

5/29/12

Culinary

Blog: May

                                                                       

     I honestly didn’t know what was going to happen when I walked into culinary for the first time this year. I figured it was going to be a good class which it wasn’t because it was great, it was great because I learned many new things like the technique of using a knife and using different methods of dicing and the way to hold a knife. We made different kinds of foods like soup, bread, dessert kind of food and all different kinds of foods that I to be honest barely remember making. The reason I took this class is because I like food and I wanted to learn how to make different kinds of foods, making food is not a future ambition but just way for me to know how to make food along the way so it’s worth it. I am really glad I took culinary because I really enjoyed it and do not regret taking it at all and I found it helpful to learn to make different kinds of foods. I enjoyed going to class everyday because of the food we made and how good the food can taste. I’m glad I took culinary.

Class 3

Ms. Hoagland

            This previous weekend, my family and I took an RV trip up to Maine. It was a very interesting experience for many reasons. I learned a lot on the trip, including all things about lobster. We went on a lobstering boat and learned everything that there is to know about lobsters. I learned that Maine produces 80% of the U.S.’s lobster, and that lobster was served to prisoners as a meal 5 times a week. It was known as the “poor man’s food”. Later on the people realized it was actually not for poor people and they started hiking the prices up because it was a food for “the wealthy”. An unusual fact was that fishermen sell lobsters for about 3 or 4 dollars for a pound of lobster, the stores and restaurants jack the prices up for profit. 

            My experience with lobster was a funny one. While we were at the camp, there was free food at the lobby area. So I go up and I am like cool free food, so I fill up my plate with pineapple, cantaloupe, potato salad, chips and what I thought was a chicken sandwich. It looked like chicken and had a sauce that made the texture the same. So I take a bite and I say wow, this is amazing chicken. I finish the sandwich and go to sleep. The next day as we were walking down the pier, my family was talking about the meal we had the previous day. Then we pass by one of the many lobster restaurants and my dad tells me that what I ate in the sandwich was lobster. I don’t usually eat seafood because it disgusts me, but I was fine with the fact that I had lobster because first, I already ate it, and second it tasted like chicken. It was a confusing way to try lobster for the first time, but I would definitely try it again!

-cam m 

 Steak is one of my favorite meats to eat. Steak is a meat that I eat about 3 days a week for dinner. My family and I love it so much. It tastes amazing. Most steak is cooked on the grille, in the oven, or cooked on the stove with a pan. It tastes the best when it’s cooked on the grille in my opinion. It gets the most tenderness and it gets very juicy when it’s cooked on the grille, which I like. Steak also tastes great when it is marinated before you actually cook it. It gets all these spices inside the actual steak. It should be marinated in a bag for at least 2-4 hours so all the spices you added gets in the steak. The most tenderness pieces of meat come from the loin or rib of the animal you are getting your meat from. Steak can be cooked to a level of very rare, rare, medium rare, medium, medium well done, or well done. I like my steak medium well done because it’s the juiciest like that. If you really wanted to go get a nice steak you should go to New York City. There is a lot of good food there, especially steak. Steaks that you buy at restaurants tend to be extremely expensive. A steak in a restaurant is about 3 times the amount it would be if you were to buy that steak at a super market and take it home and cook yourself. That’s how restaurants make their money. It is nice to go out and get served food yourself and paying that cost instead of bringing the steak home and cooking it by yourself. Once in a while it’s nice but that price adds up. 
Tristan P.

          Almost a year ago, I decided that I’m going to be a vegetarian. Well actually, I didn’t just decide. There is a story behind it, but that’s really beside the point. Anyways, ever since then, my diet has obviously dramatically changed. At the beginning, I tried doing that whole eating like a stereotypical vegetarian; tofu, tons of beans, weird organic food, making my own veggie burgers and the such. But after a couple months, that became too much of a hassle. Now I find myself eating way too much pasta and eggs, separately of course.

           Choosing to not eat meat also give me quite the hassle. I’m the type of person who likes to eat a real meal instead of snacking on things. I like a good hearty meal that will hold me down. Finding something like that to eat when going out is really difficult. You would think that there would be more options for people like me. Like come on people, we’re in America here! There are plenty of people with ‘uncommon’ diets. There should be more a variety! With the numbered choices, I have found that I have opened my mind to many new foods. A year and a half ago, you would not have caught me dead eating a veggie burger, or tofu. But here I am not, telling people that give me she’s insane looks, that it really isn’t all that bad!

Gabby K. 

Matt Giorno                                                                           Food in general   I like food, after getting my tonsils out, I appreciate food even more. I couldn’t eat for more than a week, it was tough. I missed all of the foods that I normally ate. It just comes to show of how much I rely on food; it’s amazing of how much you miss food. But I can finally start eating normally again, It was a tough road but I think it’s almost over. The foods that I appreciate more than ever are meats which I love, when I was going through my tough time I couldn’t eat meat and it was tough because thinking about meat and other foods as well, it was tough but finally I can start eating meat again, and I really appreciate meat more than ever and foods in general and how important food is my well being and just plainly how much that I have missed over my sickness after getting my tonsils out. It was tough but I am almost better and I know in about a week I will be able to eat normally again an I know after getting my tonsils, I appreciate food more than ever.

I have recently discovered a recipe online that I’m determined to try. I was browsing around when I saw a cake that would look incredible if I could successfully make it. The cake has fading pink layers on the inside, moving from dark to light. On the outside, frosted to perfection, were rows of spirals that faded perfectly from the bottom up, corresponding with the inside. This cake seemed to be an amazing surprise. From the outside, it seems to be a pretty, well-frosted cake. However, when you cut a slice for your guests, a matching and professionally looking interior will be such a pleasant surprise. I haven’t had the chance to attempt this challenge, but I’ll be sure to report back with the disastrous details or if I’m lucky, pictures of a success.


-Allie H.

Wyatt Depuy

Mrs. Hoagland

Culinary II Period 3

Blog 4

The dinner table is a place for sharing your day’s adventures, talking about the sports game you played, and just spending time with the family. But what some people seem to look past is the true beauty of the food they consume.  Making dinner much more than throwing things on a plate and into the microwave, each dish needs to be sculpted. Chefs are artists in the kitchen and the pencil is each and every ingredient. To truly enjoy the food, one needs to respect the thought and effort put into every inch of the dish. In this country, we have lost the value to food. Thousands of years ago, a man would kill an animal to feed the village and they would celebrate. Distribute portions so carefully and thank the earth for its gifts. Now we each fast food to save time and stay in the car. This would be like looking at an art museum through the computer screen instead of going and seeing it with your own eyes.  Millions of people devote their lives to perfect each and every little aspect of the menu just to please us. The earth provides us with plentiful food and over thousands of years we have learned to bring out the beauty of such presents, yet now they are lost. Few really respect what has been given to us and more need to do so.  A dish is more than something to quickly scrap up in minutes, it needs care and effort to bring out the elegance it can bring. Food has the power to fulfill our hunger and serve as one of the most important and beautiful pieces of artwork given to us.

A couple of days ago, Gabby and I were very hungry. So… we decided to make Mac and Cheese. We checked the cabinet as a last resort for a box of Annie’s, but there were none. So we racked our brains for the recipe from class. Only this time it came out better then in class. When we followed the recipe in class, we did not wait for the rue to thicken before we put in the cheese. We realized our mistake and corrected it the second time over. Once the rue had thickened, we put in the cheese. We used mozzarella, parmagiano reggiano, swiss, and cream cheese. We also added lots of salt and pepper and a pinch of dried basil leaves to make the mac attack taste amazing. The mozzarella made the sauce really stringy and gooey. The parmagiano reggiano gave it sharpness. And the cream cheese made it super creamy and delicious. The swiss cheese was just there because I couldn’t find any chedder and we definitely needed more cheese.

The whole combination was so good that Gabby couldn’t help herself but eat the extra with a spoon. To top off the delectable mixture, we combined breadcrumbs and butter and crumbled it on top. The mac attack was put in the oven for about 15 minutes, until it was golden brown and super gooey.  We took it out of the oven and scarfed it down.

           

This weekend was a good weekend of food for me. For my dads birthday my family went to the cheesecake factory and we got a bunch of food. Appetizers consisted of chips and guacamole, corn dogs, and mini tacos, and I had a filet mignon as my main meal! The kitchen there is so big and I always wonder how they have such a gigantic menu with such variety and How all the food is such good quality. There's diners out there that have big menus but the quality of the food is nowhere near the cheesecake factory! The steak was delicious served with crispy fries. Finally to top off the meal came a nice Oreo cheesecake for desert with a carmel cappuccino. I couldn't finish It since I was so full from all the appetizers and my steak, but it was a great meal. The following night I went to peach wave and basically every topping they provide, with a mix of cookies and cream and peanut butter frozen yogurt. Those two days were quite a great experience of food for me.

Sorry to whomever s reading this I do not know how to add a title to my post., anyways you ever get one of those late night cravings for food that seem to be more intense than any other craving you’ve ever had? Because I do every night and that usually leaves me with a bowl….or two of mac and cheese in me. I eat mac and cheese everyday of my life, it’s what I know best and the sad thing is that it really is what I know best. Trust me; I make a mean bowl of mac. Anyways as you all know we had break just the other weak and I thought it would be a good Idea to have some friends over. They are Phill and Devin who thoroughly enjoy food as much as I do. Upon the arrival of 1 O’clock the cravings sprung upon us and we had some sort of an epiphany, that being to make Ramen. So we gathered our materials and went to work. When the moment came to add the flavoring, a life changing thought struck me. “Why not strain the water and add milk and butter just like mac and cheese” I thought to myself. And so I did, then six Ramen Packets, a stick of butter and X amount of milk later, we had ourselves a masterpiece. Ramen is a great invention itself, but this new twist created a sensation my taste buds could not resist. The only down side to this whole operation is that it was all gone in a matter of minutes. Christian M

This past week I have been spending a lot of my time with one of my best friends since his grandfather was in really critical condition and his parents were in Florida. A common bond that we have is through cooking. On Monday we made Tuna rolls (sushi) and a salad with mandarin oranges, dried cranberries, chopped pecans, and balsamic vinegar. Wednesday night we made this Shrimp thing that is one of his families traditions, that starts with a roux, then you add about two cups of heavy cream, and a lot of cooking sherry to taste. After that cooks down add in the shrimp, give it about 30 seconds and you're done! Then last night (Friday) was pizza night for all our friends. Nick helped me make the dough: one packet of yeast, a tablespoon on honey, and 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (proof it before adding dry ingredients) then add 3 tbsp olive oil, and about 4-5 cups of all-purpose flour just until it barely sticks to your finger. Let the dough rise for about two hours, beat it down, and start rolling. For toppings, we did a broccoli and bacon for Blake, a pulled pork for Katie, and smoked capricola for Nick. They all had a roasted garlic tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. We all had a great night cooking and eating together! ~Georgia

The new topic for this unit was cheese. We spent one period of class time tasting many different types of cheeses and figuring out which ones we liked, and which ones we did not like. A lot of the cheeses were unusual and had odd textures, smells and were not any of my favorites. However, there were a few that were really good and I liked a lot. After our day of cheese, we made cheese puffs. They had this puffy golden pastry part to it and this delicious creamy filling in the middle. It took about two classes to make and in the end they turned out amazing! I would say that our cheese unit was a success! -JB.

Grace Hubbard Culinary II Over break I went to Burlington. I love Burlington mostly for the culture and shopping but also for the food!! OMG theres so much yumptious food in burlington, it has a legit ben and jerrys shop which is so cool because you can watch them making the waffle cones which has a dash of cinnamon which is soooooo delicious. I got cookie dough ice cream in a waffle cone, it was creamy and delicious but I felt bad that I was getting a boring flavour when they have so many unique flavors! It was almost a waste but it was still delicious!! Also, my favourite restaurant Three Tomatoes is up there. You have the choice to eat out on church street which is the open air market up there which usually has musicians playing guitar or some other exotic instruments. I like eating out there but it was raining so we went in the restaurant which is in the basement of a building. It reminded me of new York, how restaraunts can really be anywhere. I got a margherita pizza with fresh basil chifonaded on top and sweet tomatoe sauce. Before the food even got there they brought out bread, which was soso and fresh homemade olive oil which was soooooo good, it had some garlic pieces in it too to give it flavouring. The pizza was also really really good. The next night we ate at RiRas which is a very irish restaurant, sometimes their waitresses are studying abroad from Ireland so they have legit irish accents which is so cool. Im really not a fan of irish food but I got a pot pie which was actually pretty good, but im still hoping there wasn’t like lamb in it or something.

My favorite place to eat is New Wok; they have the best tasting Chinese food. Anything you order there is just purely amazing. When I go there I like to get the general chow chicken, it’s the best tasting chicken I have had, and I’ve ordered from new main moon, dynasty, and many more. The chicken is indescribable it has a spicy flavor with the nice crunchy sweet taste, and its not over the top, (being drenched in sauce). There food is like my soul food and whenever I get the chance to eat there I will order it and pick it up. I’ve tried multiple items from the menu and I can honestly say anything you order there is off the carts flavor wise. The spicy mango chicken is a mix of intense flavors that is just irresistible it has the taste of the sweet mangos and the salty chicken makes the flavor just amazing. I wish I could eat there everyday, its just the most incredible food I’ve ever tasted. There wonton soup is even better, they hand make the wonton and they use these green herbs, and they make the soup soft and crunchy at the same time, and the broth is perfect, not too salty and not too bland, the soup as a whole is just amazing. I could go on all day about how good this place is, but I think if you haven’t tried it, you should just go there and try it out yourself, I can assure you that it will be the best Chinese food you will ever have.

                                                    Mike K.

I always like trying different foods especially when I go away and the food is unique to the location. One summer I went to visit family in England and I knew that the food would be different from here but the only British thing I had ever eaten was fish and chips. While in England I tried many different foods and of course some fish and chips. When I went to visit some family in Blackpool dinner for that night was going to be toad in the hole. I didn’t know what to expect when I was told I would be eating toad in the hole and to be honest it didn’t sound appealing. I was puzzled by the name and wondered if it really meant that I would be eating toad. I was pleased to find out that it was not really toad and that it was just some bangers (British sausage) in a Yorkshire pudding. I also had cottage pie which is sort of like a pot pie but better. A lot of people don’t know this but there actually is a difference between cottage pie and shepherd’s pie. The difference is that shepherd’s pie is made with lamb while cottage pie is made with beef. I wasn’t brave enough to try the shepherd’s pie but the cottage pie was not a disappointment it was still very good. The desserts are also unique to the place. One that I had while in England was trifle. It is a sponge like jelly roll with fruit and custard. This is the favorite British dessert by everyone else in my family but I prefer the Cadbury chocolate.  I can’t wait to travel somewhere else and experience different foods.

-Matt B

Just the other day, for the first time, I partook in a taste-testing event. I’m not usually one to try an abundance of different foods, but because it was an assignment, and a grade was on the line, I had no alternative. When I first walked in the classroom I could visually see that something was different. In addition to the visual uniqueness, the room had a distinct odor coming from where Ms. Hoagland and Mr. Miller were standing. When a student alarmed me of what we were doing, I was somewhat anxious and somewhat worried. I knew that since it was only cheese, there couldn’t be any catastrophically concerning foods, but when I glanced over at the cheeses on the table, it only increased my worrying. The looks of some of the cheeses weren’t the most appealing. Some looked moldy, but in contrast some looked like universal cheese. Every time Mr. Miller or Ms. Hoagland would pass out a plate, I would hope that the appearances were pleasing. For the most part they all were, however a few caught my eye as peculiar. When the ones served in front of me were odd looking, I knew I had to embrace the fact that I was going to have to try it. So with everyone cheese, I did. Even if it meant breaking a small specimen off, I still tried ever one. Some nearly made me gag, while others were surprisingly good. Out of the 17 presented,my favorite ended up being smoked mozzarella, which I had never had before. My group and I ended up using it in our Mac-n-Cheese and it came out really well. I’m glad I tried every one because it allowed me to find a new food that I enjoyed. Matthew M.

Class 3 Ms. Hoagland Last class we made cheese puffs. Well at least that’s what I called them. My group’s food turned out amazing, like it always does, but we did not exactly follow the directions correctly. My group usually does not follow the directions, but we always end up making the most amazing flavored food. When we made the cheese puffs, we followed the directions up to the part where we were supposed to make the cheese sauce. Our cream puffs were in the oven getting baked, while we got our ingredients for our cheese sauce. What makes our food so good is we usually mix steps. For example, instead of adding the dry ingredients in one bowl and the liquid in another, we add them together and blend them. It saves steps and gives the food delicious flavor. It might not give the ending result, look-wise, but it tastes awesome. This step adds not only flavor but, depending on the food, texture, consistency and taste. If you perform different steps, then your food will turn out differently. If you decide to separate your dry and liquid ingredients, then it will taste and look different than if you mix them together. I am not sure why, but I believe it is because the certain ingredients mix with each other and combine their flavors, then u will turn out with something that has a few less flavors than if you mix everything together because then all the flavors will combine and create multiple flavors into one. -cam m.

Mac and cheese or rather lack of it there of is what this post is about. This week our culinary class culminated in the famous cheese unit. This unit is highlighted by the production of homemade mac and cheese using exotic foreign cheese previously sampled in the unit. Understandably, I was excited. This dish was perhaps the very thing I had been waiting for the entire year. Sitting through the dull health and safety unit was all starting to look like it was worth it. The day was quickly arriving and anticipation was growing in the class. We all wanted it the be Wednesday for that was mac and cheese day. All looked bright than the language department threw a wrench into the entire plan. Tango day normally haled as one of the best times in Spanish class a Newton student can have suddenly became the very thing that would destroy the best laid plans of mice and men. It was scheduled for the very day and time mac and cheese was set to cook off. Attendance was mandatory; the dream of culinary class mac and cheese for me at least popped like a balloon. Sure I learned to tango but what is that compared to the cheese tango that could have been. Jon V.

Can we talk about breakfast, please? I don’t mean 6:00am still asleep, got to make my coffee fast kind of breakfast. I mean Sunday afternoon, just woke up at 1:30, lets get some food in my stomach for my lazy day ahead. I want the kind of breakfast where you have time to let your coffee steep before pouring, where English muffins can be toasted to perfection, and bacon becomes crispier by baking it as opposed to frying. I would eat this way everyday if I could, but unfortunately I just don’t have the time and energy.
My ideal breakfast? I don’t know, maybe waking up to the sound of waves crashing up against rocks. A glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, steaming coffee, a big stack of buttery blueberry pancakes, crunchy bacon, and a mound of hash browns to top it all off. All waiting right beside me. In reality, extra-cheesy scrambled eggs with tarragon is one of the easiest, and most delicious breakfast items I make on a regular basis. Sorry to be random, but I wish that my household had chocolate milk as a staple. I really, really love chocolate milk with any type of breakfast, any type of meal, and any type of food really. Instead of having instant access, I have to wait to get my fix from school. It does the job I guess, but man oh man I wish it was in my fridge right now…
Hayley N

After my team’s victory in the school wide volleyball tournament, we enjoyed our prized gift card at Sal & PePe’s restaurant. As an appetizer, I enjoyed myself to a splash in the sea with the fresh calamari. Doused in red sauce, the crispy seafood flashed a spark in my mouth right as the spices of the peppers came into play. Once I dug my teeth into a crispy layer, an entire new world was brought to my taste buds. The white, tender meat sunk into my teeth and exhaled a juicy moistness with tons of flavor. I thought to myself, “Not too bad for the first dish!” Not long after, the waitress finds me lapping up the last of the rich sauce with the spongy bread, and switches the empty plate with the entrée. I peered down to see a glistening white pizzette lying in front of my eyes. It must have been beautifully sculpted by the hands of a true chef to create a masterpiece like such. I tear a slice from the pie and take a bite only to find my eyes popping in excitement. It danced with such color on the plate but the real party was in each delectable bite. The tomatoes clashed with the white mozzarella and the fresh basil rested on top of the spongy bed. Finishing this plate as well was not difficult for me as I rest on the back of my chair with full satisfaction. To say the least, this outing was foodtastic! These are experiences that let us know that food can be overlooked at points in our life, but if you take a moment to realize it, the kitchen is an art museum when put to use and it is wonderful to enjoy the artwork. This restaurant is one I would recommend after this fantastic encounter and a time to remember.
Wyatt Depuy

Our class made two sets of bread. We started by making the dough for bread that we were going to eat that day. We did not let the dough rise for a few days in between which caused the the bread to turn out very dense and unappetizing. However, we had set dough aside to let it stay in the fridge for a few days and rise. When that came out of the oven it was much better than the first time. The bread was not as dense, it was softer on the inside and overall, to me, tasted better. I ate more of the second bread we made and ending up throwing out the first set of bread. After putting a little raspberry jelly and ALOT of butter on the soft inside of the bread, it tasted amazing!

-Jen B.

This past Sunday, my family and I went on our weekend-ly search for a restaurant with great food and some bonding time. After a few suggestions, we decide on Kolam. In case you guys don’t know, Kolam is this little Indian restaurant on 25 that doesn’t look like much on the outside, but even before you step out the car, the aromatic spices fill your nose and make your mouth water. As we sit down, we all think about how we have lived in this town for almost eleven years now and only decided to venture in a couple months ago. It’s amazing how much we’ve been missing out!

As per always, my brother gets the spiciest thing on the menu, my father gets some kind of lamb, and my mom vehemently sticks to her usual chicken. I settle on palak paneer, a traditional vegetarian dish made with pureed curried spinach and paneer, Indian farmer’s cheese. When the dishes come, everyone digs in, putting spoonfuls of each dish on their plate.

After we are all stuffed with dinner, I decide that dessert is necessary. While there is not a whole lot to choose from, it is not what we come in contact with everyday. Making a decision was hard but we all decide that rose ice cream will do. I wasn’t planning on it being anything special, but man was I wrong. The coldness was enough to put our flaming taste buds to rest. The sweetness of the rose cut right through the spicy dinner and maybe even complimented it, leaving you begging for more!

Gabby K.

Amongst the last few units, one particular instance stood out well over the others. The unit involved was when we made pastries or bars. Chosen by our group, Matt Baldino, Logan Puleri and I planned to take on the task of producing peanut cookie dough brownies. We knew well going into the procedure that it was a time consuming process, but I didn’t fully understand just how difficult and tedious of a task it was until we began. While I worked on the peanut butter cookie dough layer, Matt worked on a chocolate layer, and Logan worked on creating the brownies. After the previous day of strenuous mise en place, as a group, we were prepared to work as soon as we arrived. In order to complete the task, we worked extremely hardly the entire period. The full fifty or so minutes was just enough time to finish what we needed done. Once all the creating was complete, we still weren’t ready to enjoy our product. It took time in the freezer and time to bake before they were ready for enjoyment. The amount of time needed for preparation was much too long for us to stay and wait. We were forced to return a few periods later. When the brownies were ready, we pulled them out of the freezer and began attempting to cut the rock solid masterpiece. Using nearly all my strength, I struggled to separate the large dessert into individual pieces. Mr. Neumeyer saw my struggles and easily cut the brownies. The whole experience simply taught me two things. One, how cooking something good takes a lot of hard work and effort, and two how through experience, practice, and training, you become comfortable with any dilemma cooking or baking may present to you. Neumeyer’s assistance proved that true.
- Matthew M

Ever since I was little, I can remember my grandfather cooking. He is the stereotypical portrayal of an Italian, his father coming from Italy as a boy. It’s safe to say that our loud family gatherings have centered around food. Growing up, he would have an abundance of food prepared, far more than necessary for the small group of people it was intended for. You are expected to eat as must as possible, and it was never enough for him. Multiple variations of each dish is made, various pastas, meats, and vegetables (always with plenty of sauce and butter). Over the years, he has become increasingly unstable and is now confined to a wheelchair. However, this has not stopped him. On his visits to the doctor’s each week, he watches the Food Network and copies down recipes for later use. A couple weeks ago, my whole family took a Saturday to be together for dinner. While some of us spent the day New York City, he spent it preparing what can only be referred to as a feast (he can be somewhat unrealistic about the amount of food to make). We returned home to three types of homemade pizza on thick bread, fresh sausage and peppers, and an elaborate antipasti platter along with the traditional dishes: pasta. He has always been able to maneuver around the small kitchen and cook from a wheelchair, a difficulty anyone who has made any meal in his or her life would need to appreciate. Since he learned I am taking a culinary class in school and occasionally make dinner for my mom, he has been creating a stockpile of recipes to make together. Personally, I think this shows the ability cooking has to bring people together as well as become a passion that is impossible to let go.
-Allie H.

My dad is always experimenting with his food whether it be adding some strange unheard of sauce to his dish or mixing drinks that put him over the edge. A few weekends back he decided to make deep fried eggplant parmesan and I honestly have to say it was amazing. I was never really open to vegetables and the different ways to cook them however this changed my point of view. Had this not happened I probably never would have even considered deep frying a vegetable or in most cases eating one.

Eggplant was always foreign to me and trying it deep fried for the first time was a great introduction to me, and since then I have even deep fried broccoli and got quite an interesting taste out of it. It kept its greeny taste but had a crisp to it which I found to be pretty appetizing. My dad taught me to never overlook veggies and the great sensation they bring to my taste buds, and hopefully to you to. -Christian M

Food. Everyone comes in contact with it every day in some form or another. Sometimes people eat just to eat, and in this society, I don't think that people actually sit down and enjoy quality food anymore. It's like that coffee commercial; a great cup of coffee can put you in a great mood. This is exactly what can happen with food as well. This class has taught me a lot about that, like a couple days ago for example. I was in an extremely sour mood but after the chopping of the tomatoes and the sizzling of the onions and the general rush of the kitchen, there was a beautiful plate of roasted peppers with tomatoes and orzo sitting in front of me, and I couldn't help but relax. Eating that dish brought me to a whole new level. There is a great deal of stress release that I get when cooking, and sometimes that's what people need! Not only do you get to forget all your petty problems for a while, you get a great meal out of it too! More people need to realize that, and I bet you that we'd be happier and meet happier people!

Gabby K.

Last weekend I went up to Boston and went to a restaurant called Giacomo's. When I went to this restaurant little did I know that it would soon become one of my favorite restaurants. This was the first time that I had ever been to this restaurant. When I arrived at the restaurant I was overwhelmed by the options that I had on the menu. After deliberating for what seemed like forever I decided to order butternut squash raviolis. I was unsure if this was a good decision or not because it was the first time that I had ever ordered butternut squash raviolis. I was not disappointed by my decision to order the raviolis. This later became one of my favorite dishes and I would order it again if I ever got the opportunity to go back.
Another one of my favorite places to eat is at Louis’ Lunch. I was able to go to Louis’s Lunch while I was at a soccer tournament. Louis’s Lunch is the birthplace of the hamburger. This was the best burger that I had ever had. When you go to Louis’ Lunch you have to have an original burger to truly appreciate the taste of the burger. One of the most important things to know about Louis’ is to know that you cannot ask for ketchup. Louis’ burger is served on two pieces of toast rather than a traditional hamburger roll. At first I did not know how it would taste on two pieces of toast but then I realized how great when I took my first bite of the burger. I hope you get an opportunity to visit both of these places as they are among my favorite restaurants.
-Matt B

I was in New Hampshire, starved from a day of snowboarding. We drove along side snowy tree tops and white tailed deer. Looking for somewhere to fill our stomachs, we came among a restaurant called Canoe. To our liking, we walked straight in and were seated. Maybe it wasn’t the most appealing restaurant, but when I ordered my Shrimp Alfredo, all but the food was out of sight. This dish was practically alive! The smooth pasta slithered through the plate as the fresh shrimp lay with its vibrant colors. The Portobello mushrooms hide in the soft bedding of the red peppers. When I took a bite, all of the colors light in my mouth. Clashing flavors between the shrimp and peppers threw me away. The sprinkled pepper on top gave just the extra kick it needed when my teeth sunk into the thick pasta. Just when that sounds like the whole plate, a nice chunk of garlic bread was added to the side. I drenched it in the cheesy Alfredo sauce and it melted away in my mouth. When the plate stood empty, I sat back in my chair with a full belly and satisfied needs. This was not just a plate of food; this dinner was a piece of art. Work crafted by the hands of the artist with nothing but the utensils in the kitchen. This restaurant is one to remember, and I wouldn’t think twice about passing this dish up!

Wyatt D.

Whoever thought of meatloaf is a genius. I mean really, its just some pork, beef, turkey (or virtually any type of ground meat) in a loaf pan. Throw in some spices and vegetables like carrots and celery and you have what some people would call dinner. Now I think meatloaf deserves a little more respect then people tend to give it, its highly underrated. A common thought is, its just meat in a loaf shape, that's really special. But the truth is that meatloaf is special. If you add an egg and some breadcrumbs you may find that your special meatloaf has transformed into something beautiful. And just like any other type of food you have to give it some loving and attention. You have to care and nurture what you eat, and if you do you will find that it will truly make you happy (while lying in your stomach).
Nachos on the other hand, those are already treated with some fine respect by society. Think of all of the variations that different people and cultures have come up with! The cheese on the crunchy chips alone is enough to send somebody over the edge. There’s chedder, montery jack, and according to Bridget whatever kind of cheese you want. Then on top of that there’s topping’s galore! Chili, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, tomatillo sauce, hot sauce, beans, chicken, rice even, and wayy too many more for me to try to list right now. Anyways nachos can go a long way, and the best thing about them is that they are so versatile. Someone could eat them every day for a week and never have the same ingredient twice (except for the chips of course). Nachos and meatloaf are just two special foods in this world we call Earth.
Hayley N

In culinary, we are now making foods using vegetables. We learned about the different categories such as fruit vegetables, roots, tubers, bulbs, stems, etc. We took that knowledge that we learned and tried to apply it to vegetables. For example, my group chose carrots to prepare. We were given frozen, canned and fresh carrots and had to decide how to cook them. Unfortunately, my group did not choose the correct ways to cook the vegetables. We took the frozen carrots and sautéed them, the fresh carrots we roasted and the canned vegetables we boiled. After we made our mistakes we realized that the canned carrots should have been used for sautéing because they are already soggy from the can. The frozen carrots should have been used for boiling or steaming and the fresh carrots actually turned our pretty good because carrots have a lot of natural sugars and when we roasted them, the carrots caramelized.
As we continue working with vegetables, each group in the class had to pick a recipe using at least two vegetables. My group and I chose a recipe called Spinach and mushroom lasagna roll-ups in gorgonzola cream sauce. Today, 2/29/12, we started to make our mise en place. We decided who would prepare the different parts of the recipe. For example, Georgia made the pasta dough while Allie and I chopped up the vegetables. Along with spinach and mushrooms in the recipe, there was also onion and garlic. We also added zucchini and red peppers. After all of the vegetables were chopped, we sautéed everything together so now the next time we have class we just have to roll out the pasta dough and fill it with the sautéed mixture of vegetables. Hopefully it will be delicious!

–Jen B

The egg cookery was definitely interesting it was interesting to learn of how many kinds of eggs you can make, some are good, some are really good, and some are not so good, it was definitely hard to make the over easy eggs because you had to flip them and avoid it to be completely ruined, which I did several times but I eventually got the hand of it and it turned out better. I liked making omelets because you had to make it a certain way and when it’s usually perfect it’s yellow, you usually want to avoid a brownish color, that’s when you know it’s overcooked. But my omelets turned out the way it should have been and it was very good. Fried eggs were definitely interesting but to be honest it was kind of nasty in a way because the taste just didn’t seem right to me. Hard boiled were pretty cool but were not that good tasting, but interesting to make as well. Poached eggs were pretty good I didn’t mind the taste at all but it’s the kind of egg where you would usually dip toast into.\The quick breads were good as well, I definitely liked making the homemade biscuits which had buttermilk in it and it turned as really good biscuits. I liked making pancakes which are almost always good; I also liked making muffins, which were my favorite of the quick breads, the muffins were called grandma’s muffins and they were really tasty, they were definitely one of the best muffins I have ever had. Quick breads were great as well as egg cookery; I have learned new things about those certain foods.

Matt G.

Last class we had to pick a vegetable and prepare it two different ways. I chose artichokes. I had some background because my mom is a vegetarian and always makes vegetables for us and loves artichokes. So I was very familiar with the taste and prep for artichokes. However I have not made one myself, and my mom only used the microwave to make them. So, with the fresh artichoke’s my group decided to grill them and with the canned artichoke hearts, we decided to sauté them. I have never made or seen artichoke’s being made this way, so it was a new experience. We started out sautéing the hearts, and started out by melting butter, adding salt and pepper, garlic and onions. The problem was that we cooked them for too long and the butter became brown. It gave the artichokes a different flavor, which was delicious, but did not look very appetizing. The fresh artichoke’s we used the grill, but did not have much time to prepare them. So, we brushed them with canola oil to speed up the process and cook the artichoke faster. What we did not know was that we needed to cut it in half before we put it on the grill. So what ended up happening was the artichoke was hardly cooked on the inside, and fully cooked on the outside. We then decided to cut it in half so the inside cooked. I went home and asked if we could make artichokes for dinner so I could practice making them. I did not grill them, but I put them in the oven and they turned out really well. I decided to put them in a medium-large dish and cut the stem off and put a layer of butter under the artichokes, so they soaked in it. It was much more successful and now I know what works and what does not with artichokes.

Cam M.

I’ve learned a lot from the vegetable cookery over the past couple classes. The activity where each group had to cook their differently stored vegetables in various ways was very interesting to me. Since there was no set directions or recipe, many of us made mistakes. However, I felt this taught us that it’s important to dig deeper than a recipe and use your own knowledge of food and cooking to prepare it. When we were cooking carrots, we didn’t think ahead that the canned carrots would be extremely moist and didn’t plan a cooking method to counteract this, resulting in mushy and unappetizing carrots. Although fresh vegetables are the obvious choice, since they are not always practical it’s also important to know how to work with what you have.

Another important aspect we learned is time management. Now, we’re making our vegetarian dish and had an unexpected shortened period due to the early dismissal. We had to decide what to do today in order to ensure we would be able to finish tomorrow. Although we got enough done, we didn’t have time to make a sauce we wanted to have ready for tomorrow. I think learning to deal with shorter times than what you expect is also important because you are forced to alter your plans and work within a time frame. A lot more focus is needed and again, trusting yourself. You can’t spend too long deciding your next move, you need to get the dish done.

Allie H.

As a food fanatic, I will eat pretty much anything you put in front of me, but my favorite food of all time is sushi. Just the texture alone is enough to hook you for life. Every time I have an option to go out for dinner I always suggest Empire Szechuan, my favorite place for sushi. Sometimes I even order the Maki Combination (12pc) take out and eat it for lunch by myself! I'm glad that my friends all like it because that’s where I go out to eat with them. I think the best part though, was when I found “Sushi Cat” (the game) on i-Tunes freshman year. It’s this big blobby cat that bounces around and eats sushi. That got me through a lot of lonely study halls…

I have made my own sushi a couple of times, each time producing a better product than the last. The most recent time I used thin slices of cucumber to wrap the outside of a reverse-roll with avocado, tuna, and cucumber on the inside. It was absolutely delicious and I can’t wait to use the new nori sheets that I picked up a couple weeks ago.

Since I have no life, I decided to do a little research on food blogs, and I found out that sushi was supposed to be the Japanese version of a sandwich.. that doesn’t sound right but if you think about it, it’s meant to be popped into your mouth with no mess. I knew that sushi was created kind of by accident, from trying to preserve fish under rice, but I didn’t know that it actually caused a fermentation process to occur. They then replaced the dried fish with raw, and added sugar and vinegar to create what we know as modern sushi.

PS : sushi does NOT mean raw fish, in fact, there can be no fish at all.

Georgia C.