Simply Sinful in Australia!!

All the world’s a Stage!

Stage (pronounced like the word mirage)::Staging is when a cook or chef works briefly, for free, in another chef's kitchen to learn and be exposed to new techniques and cuisines. A stage normally is used to see how a new chef or cook can adapt to the current environment in the kitchen. When a future chef is seeking an internship, often the stage is the next step after the interview.

Now that we’ve got all that out of the way…I had the opportunity last night to stage in the pastry kitchen at Spago Beverly Hills.

But wait! How did I accomplish this you ask?? Welllll Last Saturday I got to work an event at LA Live for  Los Angeles Food and Wine. What event you ask?? It was Decadence! LA’s sweetest afterparty! It was all desserts, pastries and chocolates. I was in heaven! And if that wasn’t enough I had the honor and privilege to work with the woman who hosted the entire event Ms. Sherry Yard, the High Priestess of Pastry  for Wolfgang Puck!!  She and her staff were wonderful and I had a blast! It didn’t hurt that ?uestlove was the DJ and it was a full blown party when they opened the doors! This event was $125.00 to get into and I got to check it out for nothing AND meet a lot of cool celebrity chefs! Duff Goldman, Zac Young and Lincoln Carson to name a few. I was exhausted after the event but it was well worth the energy. I got Chef Sherry’s number and it took me 3 days to work up the nerver to call her and the rest is history!

 Now back to last night. I was absolutely terrified going in but once I got there it was great. and not difficult at all. They started me out dicing strawberries and juicing lemons. Easy work I know but I did it with a smile on my face. I was in Wolfgang Puck’s kitchen! If they had asked me to babysit boiling water I would have done it! After I got finished with the fruit I got to assemble little date cakes and make toffee sauce…I was thrilled! All the while I was watching the other pastry chefs assemble cakes for birthdays and whip up bases for sorbets and ice cream. I asked as many questions as I could and made sure I paid close attention to the all of the instructions I was given. It paid off when I was allowed to help plate desserts for a large party and then, I was moved up to the line to plate individual desserts for patrons in the restaurant.! Buy the end of the night I was plating desserts by myself and calling tickets.! Wooooo Hoooo!! I killed it all and I’m ready for more. Patiently awaiting the call back and in the meantime I’ll just keep reliving this night in my dreams. Well back to the mundane, stay tuned and until next time remember,

Make Life Delicious!

Michelle

Simply Sinful Dining episode 3

Bread!

As you all know( if you’ve been paying attention) I’m back at school. I’m in introduction to baking which basically means we make a little of everything dessert or bread related under the sun. It’s so exciting! I love love love to bake! I thought it was just desserts but it’s bread too. Oh bread, I’ve been so unfair to you in the past. Turning my nose up at you at dinner tables and say “oh no I don’t eat bread like that, I don’t really like it” This class has made a liar out of me. A happy, slightly worried liar. First the happy. Fresh baked bread is so so very good. so good in fact that I don’t mind eating it at all. I enjoy it. immensely, which brings me to the worried part. I’m not anti carb but I’m pretty sure consuming large amounts of freshly baked breads is detrimental to the waistline. I’m learning a new kind of self control. Wish me luck.

With all the new things I’m learning to make and master my head is brimming with ideas for new items on my menu. My first project will be a cinnamon roll made with brioche dough.

Brioche.., quite simply some of the best bread I’ve ever eaten. It’s rich and buttery and yeasty and I know it’ll go very well in a cinnamon roll. Traditionally it doesn’t but I think this small improvement will be welcome. I made brioche loaves in class and wow oh wow., with some cinnamon and sugar it can only get better. 

I’ve also made French bread. Hand rolled baguettes! And again I'd like to say that before this class I DID NOT eat bread by itself, but I ate this one. And it was goooood!

And Cinnamon rolls

Pizza dough with yummy toppings (my classmates kinda swooped in and devoured it, note the pizza cutter)

As the weeks go by I’ll be sharing my class work with you and some of the projects I’ve been inspired to make at home. I hope you enjoy because I sure am!

Until next time remember,

Make Life delicious!

Michelle