As part of my assimilation into my new environment, I joined a social club that organizes a luncheon each month, at a different venue. Well, May’s selection could not be resisted – a limited-seat engagement at the Arizona Culinary School in Scottsdale, Arizona.
I am so sorry I didn’t take pictures – but then my camera is really lousy with close-ups, and I was very preoccupied with enjoying the food. The students cooked and served – for many it was their first experience serving, and you could tell they were a little nervous. But as it is with all things when people have passion for what they do, nervousness transforms into positive energy and it is all good. Our menu offered four appetizers, four entrees, and three deserts.
Everyone started with a gazpacho shooter – one hit down the hatch. Fun. Even with the crouton. Nice hit of spice without overpowering the flavors.
Bread was served in baskets – three kinds: A standard baguette, a brown grain, and a rye.
The appetizers were Salade Grecque, New England Clam Chowder, Sauteed Sea Scallop Romesco, and my choice, which was the Caprese Salad – a fresh mozzarella stuffed with sun dried tomato tapenade, prociutto and basil fresh greens and a balsamic reduction. Can I spell Heaven for you on that one? The mozzarella could have stood on its own, and I didn’t want to eat anything after that to spoil the taste. (Ok, I admit to filling in the spaces with the Montepulciano La Fiera, Abruzza, Italy). The prosciutto was rolled into the mozzarella, and the presentation included three young romano leaves.
The chefs-in-training were buzzing from table to table, checking this and that, answering questions and making sure everything was in its proper place. They were so serious about getting things right!
For the entrees, I passed on the Poitrine de Poulet Grille Chasseur and the Boef Roti a la Perigourdine. I can’t rave enough about my entree “Le Fletan Maltaise”, which was a pan seared, butter basted halibut served with potato corn ragout, fruit salpicon (that would be mango with red beets thrown in) and a blood orange hollandaise. For being flown in from Boston, the halibut was so tasty and fresh – I would have thought they caught it on the boat that morning (oh wait – Arizona is a land-locked state…..). And the blood orange was not overpowering – just enough sweetness to balance the hollandaise (which is usually not my favorite, but this version can make me change my mind). One of the ladies at my table of four had ordered the Strozzapreti Aglia e Olio, and there was so much of it that she couldn’t finish it – so we all got to taste that and the pasta was as light as air, yet flavorful at the same time. Again, heaven! (At this point I am not embarrassed to admit that when my plates were collected, they were wiped clean. Who cares about appearances? When it’s good, it’s good!).
Now I could have picked the Chocolate Mousse Torte, or the Creme Brûlée. It’s summer (or feels like it at 96 degrees outside) so I went with the Fresh Fruit tart with vanilla pasty cream. Again, light as air, went down the hatch smooth as silk. One of the ladies at my table was laughing because she could still hear my “mmmm’s” from across the table. Oh well, you can dress me up, but have to watch where you take me out, I suppose.
Another fun part of this was that all this cost only $20!!!! In our area of town, these days, it’s next to impossible to find a halibut entree that is less than $25. Of course, at the school, these kids are paying to be there, so labor costs (technically) don’t figure into the price. The gratuity add-on was well deserved, because they all stood up to the challenge. I know that culinary school can be pricey – here it is a nine month rotational program, for the fine sum of $28,000.
Afterwards we had the option of a student-guided tour of the facilities, which I jumped on and enjoyed the presentation. Our guide, Mary, was very enthusiast and made sure we got to see everything. The “go-to” gal (administrator, if you want to get technical) assured us that it was not a “restaurants from hell” environment. But I have heard and seen that working in the back can be a harrowing experience, and is not immune from the challenges that women face in the work place at large. Power to those with the passion to survive.
These lunches are sponsored by the school every week, and there is even a dinner once a month. Best to call, there is no set schedule and of course if a group like ours uses up the entire dining room then it’s better luck next time. I fully intend to find another opportunity to check it out again. This first experience was well worth the expense! If you have a culinary school in your area, I highly suggest checking it out for lunch and dinner programs. After all, their main objective is to feed you!
Vairarenbeth's Blog 
There’s Something about a Root Beer Float…
Living in Arizona, the heat is just going to be what the heat is. Right now there is a heat wave on the falling side of the crest. Enough to keep the quails and bunnies in the shade and out of view. Even the birds are pretty quiet. And then the old childhood memories of hot humid east coast summer days flash back. The kind where everything stuck to you no matter where you sat, and there was only an air conditioner in one room. It would only be put on at night. The windows on the shaded side of the house would be open, and a fan would be running a breeze through the house so you could keep breathing. It was those kind of days that when your Mom suggested a soda float, you would scream thanks to heaven and rush to help make and devour it. We always had a vanilla ice cream and orange soda version – liquid creamsicle, our favorite. Uneven scoops of ice cream mashed into 8 ounce glasses, and then the volcano eruption of orange soda that didn’t always stay in the glass. It was a rush to try and suck up as much of the molten orange sea foam as quickly as possible. Of course this led to the most outrageous burp contests afterwards. I quietly suspected that my brothers set this chain of events purposely – a tradition that could not be neglected.
Well, today I was looking for something other than water to quench my thirst. On these kinds of days I do a floating of my own, from project to project, not exactly finishing one but getting one more step done on another to assuage the guilt of faithlessness. My weaving was sacrificed to my spinning, which was then sacrificed to my new sewing project (like I needed another unfinished thing to do). And I avoided all that by going through some old pictures and then scanning and uploading them. A mint ice cream sandwich, devoured earlier, made me more thirsty than not. Then I spied that can of root beer lurking in the back of the top refrigerator shelf. Hmm. There was the Safeway Select Cherry Marscapone ice cream pint. I had sampled it the other night. It had promise but a funny aftertaste, which was even less appetizing after reading the ingredients list. But with the root beer – the lightbulb went on, and in short order I had root beer float in a frosted glass (we keep them at the ready in the freezer). What a burst of alka-seltzer joy on the pour!
Anyone up for a burping contest?
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