Dreams Can Come True!

When you wish upon a star, Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires, Will come to you
If your heart is in your dream, No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star, As dreamers doFate is kind
She brings to those who love, The sweet fulfillment of
Their secret longing, Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through, When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true

-Jiminy Cricket from Pinocchio (Disney 1940)

Everybody's Cafe on Discovery Travel Channel

Andrew Zimmern visits EveryBody's Cafe. He had crickets and fogs which were really the more exotic selection on the menu. He seems to have enjoyed his feast. He ate everything with gusto! Nagbaon pa!

Kendall College - Winter Lunch Menu

I had a great time working in this class. It really felt like work more than just a class in culinary school.

The Menu:

APPETIZERS
Procini Soup - Chestnut and porcini mushroom soup, duck confit, telaggio beignet - 6

Potato Cakes - Yellow Finn potatoes, House Smoked Salmon, Chive Creme Fraiche, Red Onion Pickle, Mache Salad - 6

Octopus Salad - Charred Octopus, Spicy Saffron Fregula, Preserved Lemons, Micro Celery Salad, Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette - 6

Poached Lobster - Sage Brown Butter Poached Lobster, Kuri Squash "pillows", white grapefruit foam, balsamic syrup - 8

Oxtail Terrine - Red Wine Braised oxtail Terrine, Violet Mustard Mousse, Celery Leaf, Farro, Roasted Shimeiji Musthooms - 7

SMALL SALADS
Wilted Greens - Black Grapes, Grilled Red Onions, French Feta, Sherry Vin - 6

Beets - Roasted Beets, Marinated Fennel, Goat Cheese, Mint, Thyme and Lemon Vin - 6

ENTREE SALADS
Duck - Pan Seared Duck Breast, Winter Greens, Port Vin, Tangerines, Spiced Walnuts -13

Lamb - Grilled Lamb Loin, French Green Beans, Roasted tomatoes, Artichokes and Pine Nuts, Oregano Vinaigrette -13

ENTREE
Spinach Souffle - Rolled Spinach Souffle, Artichoke, goat Cheese, Portabello Mushroom Piccata, pan Roasted Tomatoes, Piccata Beurre Blanc -12

Salmon - Pan Seared Salmon, Horsradish Hollandaise, Roasted Beets, Black Lentils, Lemon Shallot Confit, Blod Orange Jus -14

Bass - Grilld Charmoula Marinated Bass, Spiced Tomato Onion Sauce, Cinnamon and Black Pepper Scented Couscous, Harissa Aioli -14

Chicken - Chicken Breast Saltimbocca, Apple parsely Root Puree, Soft White Polenta, Pamesan Brodo, Apple Salad -12

Pork Duo - Grilled Tenderloin, Espresso Mustard Sauce; Venetian Milk Poached Cheek, Oliv Oil Crusted Potatoes, Roasted Fennel - 14

Beef - Grilled Beef Tenderloin, Red Wine and Gorgonzola Arancini, Roasted Beach Musrhooms, Porcini Consomme - 16

DESSERT
Apple Tart - Chestnut Cream Tart, Warm Spiced Apple Cider, Black Walnut Ice Cream

Cocoa Polenta Cake - Pinapple UpsideDown Chocolate Polenta Cake with Cocoa Nib Ice Cream and Pinapple Compote

Panna cotta - Concord Grape Gelle, Kumquat Panna Cotta with Citrus Sorbet

Pot de Creme - Butterscotch Pot de Creme with Banana Twix and Banana Sorbet

Sorbet and Fruit Plate
Coconut, Lychee adn Passion Fruit Sorbets with Tropical Fruit Salad and Sablee Cookies

*The menu is european inspired, mostly Italian which is the forte of the Chef Instructor, Peggy Ryan. I learned so much in this class. One among many is how to make fresh mozzarella! The best I've ever had!

I Have Great Friends!

I didn't even want to remember my birthday this year. It doesn't seem to make sense for me to celebrate without people I love. I didn't even tell anyone. But thanks to friendster some people found out. I'm really happy that they tried to make it special for me.

Some of them are faraway in the philippines or working in another city. They texted, called or emailed. Thanks Alexeie, Er, Mj and of course my entire family! You all made me so happy that day.

Some are really busy but they tried to celebrate with me somehow. I finish dinner service in school really late. Deric and Kristine surprised me with chocolate cupcakes! Kristine had candles on them too. I thought that was really sweet.

Some I didn't even know all that well.

Creon, one of my very good friends and very talented classmates made me a cake! It was a simple one. He probably just got stuff from the mise chiller of the pastry department. But he came up with a not so good looking but very great tasting butter cake with nutella italian butter frosting! It was delicious.

Jose, a friend I just met very recently, picked me up after school. He took me out for some tapas at sangria at Cafe Iberico then we walked to Clark and Division for some clubbing. The clubs didn't have crowds because it was a weekday but they did have drink specials! I think we hopped on two or three bars, had a shot or two and just danced away! It was great! I had a lot of fun! I wasn't dressed up for the evening. I was in jeans, sweater and my work clogs. For once I didn't care. I just danced and had fun! I really had a great time!

When I got home at N. Hamilton, Aunti Prescy had roses for me. She even put them on a vase so they'll look good for a longer time. That was really sweet! I haven't received roses in a long time.

My birthday wasn't as crazy and as big as the celebrations I had before. But the little celebrations here and there really made my day. I know I have great friends and they are the greatest gifts

Back to School, Back to Work

Finally... I always look forward to first day of school. Now I look forward to it even more since going back to school is like going back to work.

We started Dining Room Dinner class last Thursday. It's like simulating work in a restaurant except that... it's a real restauran, The Dining Room at Kendall College. We had our opening night yesterday and it was very exciting.

Dinner Menu, Winter 2007

Served Tuesday through Saturday 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM (8:30 PM on Fridays and Saturdays) - January 11^th through March17^th

First Courses

Crispy Kumamoto, cardoons, prosciutto, foamed “mignonette” 11

Roasted, beet “carpaccio”, beet pave, chevre fritter, red wine-beet emulsion, dill soda 9

Truffle- stuffed squab, cauliflower-Calypso bean gratin, squab jus, sage oil 12

Smoked sturgeon, eggplant ”cannoli”, pickled mushrooms, “battered” quail egg 9

Butter- poached alligator, creamy brandade, lardons, alligator vinaigrette 8

Roasted, seasonal squash, foraged mushrooms, shell beans, sherry bubbles, micro arugula 8

Soups

Lobster “Rockefeller”, lobster consommé, watercress puree, celery foam, lobster-Pernod gel 9

Roasted duck “gumbo”, duck confit, Andouille, dirty rice, pickled okra, “cracklins” 8

Entrees

Pan-seared sturgeon, braised veal cheeks, Brussels’ sprout puree, horseradish-potato “noodles”, red wine foam, Brussels chips 22

Kobe short rib, sunchoke “paint”, caramelized onion-Fingerling “Truffade”, black truffles, braised sunchoke, short rib gelee, truffle vinaigrette 25

Butter-poached, lobster, brandade “Atchafalaya”, celeriac ”paint”, Tasso Choron, lobster foam, lobster dust 26

Porcini-crusted, rack of lamb, smoked cheese grits, lamb “grillades”, cauliflower “hush puppy” and puree, lamb nage 26

Pacific Cod, crispy Kumamoto, eggplant “caviar”, smoked oyster “pain perdu”, red chili beurre blanc 23

Muscovy Duck, duck confit “sausage”, sweet potato puree, stewed figs, calypso bean Cassoulet, duck-fig jus 22

Pan-roasted Salmon, crab galette, potato-saffron “soup”, foraged mushrooms, saffron foam, citrus candy 22

Berkshire Pork, spiced walnuts, “candy apple” –potato puree, celeriac salad, lardons, Trois Pistoles foam, caramel-pork gelee 24

Grilled, house made Paneer, sultana Jasmine rice, spinach puree, ginger-carrot foam, Honey pea shoots 19

Chickpea crepes, Sardinian ricotta, winter squash “jam”, mushroom salad, coconut “milkshake” 19

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It can be a little overwhelming because there's a lot of prep work and there's a lot to learn considering we only get to run the station for about 3 days to 1 week. It's pretty intense for a 17-day class but it's a good exposure to real kitchens and new methods (note the 'foams', 'caviar' and 'ice cream').

Opening night got a little crazy because there was no plate up prior to opening. We only got to see the plates, or rather make the plates right when they are already called for pick up. Stressful!

I had a lot of fun and learned so much... and realized that there's still so much to learn.