IDEAS IN FOOD

EL Ideas, Chicago

 

Alex will be teaching classes at EL Ideas in Chicago this Sunday January 19 and Monday January 20, 2014. The cost for each 2 1/2 hour class is $125 per person and if you sign up for multiple classes, each additional class is only $100. The collaborative dinner with chef Phillip Foss on Monday evening will be $185 per person.

 

The class schedule is as follows:

Sunday, January 19th
10:00-12:30pm: Gluten Free Baking
2:00-4:30pm: Sous Vide Cooking

 

Monday, January 20th
10:00-12:30pm: Fermentation
2:00-4:30pm: Liquid Nitrogen

 

Monday, January 20th

Collaborative dinner at EL Ideas
2419 W. 14th Street, Chicago, 60608

7:30pm- 10:30 pm
$185/person

BYOB

 

Space is limited, so email your request for any or all of the itinerary to [email protected] or call the reservations line at 312.226.8144

 

 

Years Past

January 15, 2013

January 15, 2012

January 15, 2011

January 15, 2010

January 15, 2009

January 15, 2008

January 15, 2007

January 15, 2006

January 15, 2005

Upcoming June Classes at Le Sanctuaire

Make a Reservation for Classes at

Le-Sanctuaire

May 2nd Classes in Philly

We're happy to announce that we are finally doing a few local classes, at Le Bec Fin in Philadelphia. They will be on Monday, May 2, 2011. The two classes will be 2.5 hours in length. The first class will be an Introduction to Hydrocolloids. It's a good opportunity to learn how to work with this incredibly versatile family of thickeners so you can implement them into your culinary aresenal. The second class will be an introduction to Activa (transglutaminase), our favorite culinary enzyme that does a lot more than glue bacon to filet mginon. Join us to explore the possibilities. The morning hydrocolloid class runs from 10:00am-12:30pm and the afternoon Activa class is from 1:30-4:00 pm. Each class is $100 per person and spaces may be reserved through Le Bec Fin (215) 567-1000. Cash, Check and Credit Card accepted when you arrive.

On Tuesday, May 3rd we will be cooking a 9-ish course dinner at Le Bec Fin. Seats for the dinner are $95 per person for the dinner only, taxes, tips and beverages not included. The dinner and classes open to the public and we look forward to cooking in this incredible culinary landmark.

March Dinner/Classes in Ottawa, Canada

Alex will be in Ottawa doing a guest chef dinner at Atelier Restaurant on March 28 and teaching classes on March 29, 2011. Please contact Atelier Restaurant: 613.321.3537 or [email protected] for reservations.

 

Sous Vide and Controlled Temperature Cooking

Tuesday, March 29, 2011 10am-12pm

Cooking under vacuum at controlled temperatures is one of today’s most popular techniques. This precision approach is an important tool for greater creativity in the kitchen. The key is proper technique. We’ll talk about how to cook safely and go through some examples of cooking times and temperatures for meat, fish and vegetables that work best for us. This class is solid foundation for controlled temperature cooking that will give you the tools to implement it effectively in your kitchen.

 

Activa

Tuesday March 29, 2011, 1pm-3pm

Activa is a game-changer in cooking today. We love the way it allows us to work with proteins by eliminating the use of plastic wrap and butchers twine during cooking and allowing us to create usable portions out of odd cuts and trimmings. We will look at it as a functional ingredient and a catalyst for generating ideas and expanding our horizons in the kitchen. We will demonstrate applications like chicken skin crusted sweetbreads, double cut skirt steaks, fish paves and shrimp sheets. We will also explore its uses in dairy applications from yogurt orbs to ricotta gnocchi.

 

March Classes/Dinner in Healdsburg, California

We'll be in Healdsburg California at Madrona Manor in a few weeks to teach a few classes and do a guest chef dinner. Classes will be Monday March 14 and Tuesday March 15. Each class is $100 per person. The dinner is Wednesday March 16, 2011. There will be five courses and it is $90 per person.  Please contact Madrona Manor for reservations for the classes and dinner: 707-433-4231 or email [email protected]. Dinner reservations may also be made via OpenTable.

 

Activa

Monday, March 14, 10am-1pm

Activa is a game-changer in cooking today. We love the way it allows us to work with proteins by eliminating the use of plastic wrap and butchers twine during cooking and allowing us to create usable portions out of odd cuts and trimmings. We will look at it as a functional ingredient and as a catalyst for generating ideas and expanding horizons in the kitchen. We will demonstrate applications like chicken skin crusted sweetbreads, double cut skirt steaks, fish paves and shrimp sheets. We will also explore its uses in dairy applications from yogurt orbs to ricotta gnocchi.

 

Liquid Nitrogen

Monday, March 14, 2pm-5pm

Liquid nitrogen is fast becoming a staple in restaurant kitchens. This class will discuss the functionality of using it as a tool in your kitchen, covering safety issues and demonstrating the following techniques to get you started:

 

Oyster/Mussel/Clam shucking

Coconut-Yuzu Tablets

Shrimp Grits

Powdered Prosciutto

Finely Ground Spice Blends

Cryo-Blanching

Broken Vegetables

 

Aroma

Tuesday, March 15, 10am-1pm

 

We will examine the use of aroma as a base for adding flavors in cooking. Liquid nitrogen and CO2 are instrumental in allowing us to capture and release aromas at specific times so that food can be more flavorful. We will explore a thoughtful evaluation of taste and smell, and discuss how to layer them with aromas and why. We will look at different techniques to capture and deliver aroma using fats, water-based liquids, and alcohol. Some of the techniques we will be covering are:

 

Essential oils and absolutes

Powdered aromatics

Using the vacuum sealer to capture aroma

Powdered fats with aromatics

Carbonating aromatic cocktails

Quick infusions

Fat washing and aromatic fats

 

Eggs

Tuesday March 15, 2pm-5pm

 

Explore the egg and why it cooks the way it does.  We will examine the egg’s structure, properties, coagulation temperatures, and how to utilize this knowledge to your best advantage. We will take a fresh look at traditional egg preparations bring new insight to the techniques and explore ways to get better and more consistent results. Some of the egg recipes we will be covering are:

 

Hot Spring Egg

Peel-able Soft Boiled Egg

Bacon Chawan Mushi

Scrambled Egg Mousse

Consistent Hard Boiled Egg

Egg Yolk Confit

Salted Egg Yolks

Smoked Eggs in their Shells and other Aromatic Eggs

 

Inside a Workshop

Adam Aschner spent 11 days with us last month. It was a personalized workshop and we had a lot of fun exploring new ideas with him. Amaya basically adopted him as a member of the family and was very sad to see him fly back to Texas. The reason we're sharing this with you is because Adam recorded his time with us and created a website to share it with anyone who's ever wondered what it's like to visit our kitchen and see what will unfold. Adam has generously published his insights, discoveries and experienceces via his digital notebook. Go check it out.

The Ideas in Food Barista and Bartender Experience at Woodberry Kitchen

 

We are headed down to visit with Spike and his team at Woodberry Kitchen. We are doing a workshop on December 7th from 11am to 2:30pm, geared towards those who work behind the bar: both baristas and bartenders. Though focused on beverages, the material being covered will apply to preparations in the kitchen as well. The lessons learned will then be applied at an intimate cocktail party on December 8th.

Topics which we will cover:

Agar Clarification

Utilizing Gellan

Hot Foams

Extraction and flavor

Alcohol and aroma

Carbonation

and a few black box ideas. (you do know they have a wood fired oven...)

 

The cocktail party will feature a number of tasty libations and scrumptious delectables.

These two events are open to the public at a cost of $100/person for the workshop and $50/person for the cocktail party . If you wish to attend both, which we certainly hope you do, the cost is $125. Reservations can be made by calling Woodberry Kitchen at (410) 464-8000.

 

August Classes at Le Sanctuaire

Alex is headed out to San Francsico at the end of the month and will be teaching a series of classes at Le Sanctuaire. They will be held on Sunday August 29 and Monday August 30. Each class is $125. Each class is two and a half hours long with an hour break between sessions. Please contact Le Sanctuaire to make reservations.

 

Pasta

Sunday, August 29, 2010

10:00am-12:30pm

It’s about taste and texture. Discussing the difference between dried and fresh pastas and the best ways to highlight both. Exploring the world of flavors and how to incorporate them into your pasta. Vacuum sealing the dough. Hydrating dried pastas. Discovering new flavors and textures by varying the ingredients used. Some of the pastas we will be working on are:

Buckwheat Pasta

Pumpernickel Pasta

Lime Pickle Pasta

Chorizo Infused Noodles

Onion Soup Noodles

 

Ice Cream and Sorbet

Sunday, August 29, 2010

1:30pm-4pm

The best ice creams maximize flavor and minimize ice crystals. We will be considering different ways to control ice crystal formation without sacrificing taste. In addition to traditional buffers like eggs and sugar we will employ our secret weapon: gellan. We will also be looking at pectin as an alternative for creamy sorbets. Discussing the composition of ice cream and sorbets. Ice creams we will be making include:

White Coffee Ice Cream

Chartreuse Ice Cream

Apple Pie Ice Cream

Yellow Tomato Sorbet

Sweet Corn Sorbet

 

Eggs

Monday, August 30, 2010

10am-12:30pm

Explore the egg and why it cooks the way it does. A closer look at its structure, properties, coagulation temperatures, and the way to utilize it to your best advantage. We will take a fresh look at traditional egg preparations from an onsen egg to scrambled eggs and bring new insight to the results and the process.  Some of the egg recipes we will be covering are:

Hot Spring Egg

Peel-able Soft Boiled Egg

Chawan Mushi

Scrambled Egg Mousse

Consistent Hard Boiled Egg

Egg Yolk Confit

Smoked Eggs in their Shells

 

Aroma

Monday, August 30, 2010

1:30pm-4pm

Examine aroma as a base for adding flavors in cooking. Liquid nitrogen and CO2 are instrumental in allowing us to capture and release aromas at specific times so that food can be more flavorful. We will discuss thoughtful evaluation of taste and smell, how to layer them with aromas and why. We will look at different techniques to capture and deliver aroma using fats, water-based liquids, and alcohol. Some of the techniques we will be covering are:

Powdered aromatics

Using the vacuum sealer to capture aroma

Powdered fats with aromatics

Carbonating aromatic cocktails

Quick infusions

Toasting aromatics

What can we add aroma to?

Adding Aroma to Cold Foods

Aromatic "Marinades"

Classes at Craigie on Main, Cambridge, MA

 

Our upcoming James Beard dinner at Craigie on Main is sold out, but we are holding a few workshops there early in the week. Each class has 40 seats. Reservations can be made via Craigie on Main and a credit card number is required to secure a spot. Here's what we're offering, hope to see you there...

Ideas in Food at Craigie on Main Cooking Classes

 

An Introduction to Hydrocolloids

Monday, July 26, 2010 9:00am-12:00pm

$100 per person

 Simply put, a hydrocolloid is a substance that forms a gel in the presence of water.

For culinary purposes hydrocolloids are important because at very small concentrations they act as thickeners and stabilizers, which can positively affect the textures, flavors and presentation of food. We use them to enhance great ingredients and create better dishes. In order to make them work for you, a little understanding goes a long way to creating great food in your own kitchens. This class will explore the use and understanding of xanthan gum, agar, locust bean gum and carrageenan for thickening liquids, making consommés  and creating custard-like textures that taste great and look beautiful.

 

Liquid Nitrogen

Monday, July 26, 2010 1:00pm-4:00pm

$100 per person

 

Liquid nitrogen is fast becoming a staple in restaurant kitchens. This class will discuss the functionality of using it as a tool in your kitchen, covering safety issues and demonstrating the following techniques to get you started:

 Buttered Popcorn Ice Cream

Olive Membrillo Crumbs

Powdered Lardo

Finely Ground Spice Blends

Cryo-Blanching

Broken Vegetables

 

Activa

Tuesday, July 27, 2010 9:00am-12:00pm

$100 per person

Activa is a proprietary brand of transglutaminase, an enzyme which allows for the cross linking of proteins. We will be discussing and demonstrating the use of Activa RM, Activa Y-G, Activa TI and Activa GS and how they can improve texture and flavor while increasing efficiency in a restaurant setting. Each one has different properties and understanding how they work will help you use them to your best advantage, whether you use them as a binder in low fat or other non-traditional charcuterie, to make noodles or pasta sheets out of cheese, shrimp or tofu, or simply for beautiful, twine-free meat and fish fabrication.

 

What's Your Number

We had proven results for hot spring, large chicken. eggs. It took a question from a client to spark another query. 

Quail eggs cooked at 75°C

Onion Crisp

For everyone in today's gellan class this is what a bit of time in the oven did for our onion base. The crisp is light, delicate and reminiscent of onion soup. As for uses, perhaps a bit of chicken liver might be nice or a seafood ceviche.

Hydrocolloids at Home

The nesting syndrome has officially settled in and the major construction/reconstruction projects in the house and front yard are finally done. Everything is almost back together again and what that means is the return of group classes here in Forest Hills. We're beginning with Hydrocolloids at Home this Saturday, October 25 at 10am. The class covers a basic introduction to what hydrocolloids are and how to use them properly. After the overview we'll be working specifically with xanthan gum, agar agar, carrageenan, and locust bean gum. It is a three hour class and costs $125 per person. Please email us to make a reservation.

We'll be putting together some new classes for the winter season. If there are any specific topics/techniques that people would be interested in exploring, please feel free to let us know.

Last Call For Activa and Methocel

There are still a few spots open for tomorrow's classes on Methocel and Activa at Astor Center.  As we mentioned before, the companies have generously donated samples of their products, so everyone attending will get to bring home the same varieties of Activa and Methocel that we use in the workshops to continue experimenting with at home.

Activa is at 10am and we will be working with Activa GS, RM, & YG. We will be demonstrating the proper way to hydrate and utilize GS by making whole boneless chickens, which may come in handy with larger birds as Thanksgiving looms on the horizon. We will also be exploring the functionality of RM and using it in both dusted applications and pureed into a mix. Lastly, we will be making our ricotta dumplings and discussing creative uses for YG.

Methocel is at 3pm and in that workshop we will be utilizing Methocels F50 and A4C. First and foremost we will be demonstrating the proper way to utilize the products and make sure that they are correctly hydrated and dispersed in a recipe. We will be making hot whipped cream, reheatable hollandaise, mozzarella chawan mushi, and other Methocel preparations.

NYC in October

Just a brief reminder that we are doing two workshops at Astor Center on Saturday, October 18, 2008. At 10am we will be Cooking with Activa and at 3pm we will be Exploring Methocel. These are hands on workshops limited to 14 people per session. Our readers can use the promo codes ACTIVA and METHOCEL respectively, to get a 10% discount on each session.

We will also have Activa and Methocel parting gifts, thanks to Ajinomoto and Dow Chemical, for each attendee so that everyone will have some ingredients to go home and cook with.

Also this month we will be speaking at the October meeting of the Experimental Cuisine Collective on Thursday, October 16, 2008 from 4-6pm. The meeting is free and takes place at the food studies department at NYU. We will be discussing cooking, the creative process, and the impact of the internet on both. Please contact the ECC for more information or to RSVP.

More About Our Workshops

For anyone who's curious about what our classes are like, Cathy, from the blog Not Eating Out in New York, joined us for a recent workshop and has a detailed write up, complete with photos, on her site. It's always interesting for us to see what we do from a different perspective.  So if you're curious about what goes on in our kitchen classroom, go check it out.

Hands on Classes

We are really excited to be teaching two hands on classes at Astor Center on October 18.  These classes are each three hours in length, limited to 14 participants and will allow everyone to get their hands dirty.  The first class, from 10am to 1pm will center around Activa products, which utilize transglutaminase, an ingredient which is now a staple in our kitchen and which continues to reveal new possibilites on a daily basis.  The second class is from 3pm to 6pm and will revolve around Methocel products, which have been used for creating hot gels and whipped toppings.  We will start there and then move into other arenas with this incredibly functional ingredient. A ten percent discount for our readers is offered for each class with their respective codes: ACTIVA and METHOCEL.  We look forward to seeing you there and discovering some new uses for what have become incredible kitchen staples for us.

*Also for those of you who are in New Orleans, this coming Monday, September 22, 2008 we will be holding a demonstration class at the Savvy Gourmet from 7pm-9pm. We look forward to meeting you there...

August 26, 2008

Just a reminder that next Tuesday evening we will be at Astor Center teaching a class on liquid nitrogen. The session is $125.00 per person, although if you use the promo code: nitrogen, you can get a 10% discount. Who could resist a deal like that?  So please join us at Astor Center for an evening of ice cold inspirations in the kitchen.

Cold Cooking with Liquid Nitrogen at Astor Center

There are certain ingredients that are just fun to play with. Liquid nitrogen is one of them. We've found that when there are tanks of it in the kitchen an infinite number of possibilities unfold. Somehow playing with nitrogen and it's smoky reactions tends to bring out the inner child in chefs and cooks everywhere. Over 78% of our atmosphere is made up of nitrogen. It is colorless, odorless, non-toxic and non-flammable. Liquid nitrogen is the chilled, condensed version of the gas and boils at temperatures of -324 degrees Fahrenheit or -210 degrees Celsius. It is prized for its ability to freeze things instantly, a surprisingly useful technique for preserving and manipulating the flavors and textures of food across the entire spectrum of sweet and savory, liquid and solid.

On August 26, 2008 at 6:30pm we will be teaching a demonstration class on liquid nitrogen at Astor Center in New York City. We will talk about what it is and how to safely use it. We will be exploring several different techniques, from cryo-blanching vegetables to creative cocktails, and how the application of liquid nitrogen can refine ingredients, improve textures and help create great food. The class costs $125 per person and our readers may use the promotional code: nitrogen to get a 10% discount on tickets. 

Ribeye at Stir

It will probably surprise no one that three services became five. Here's the menu from the July 2, rib eye class at Stir.

Thyme Roasted Ribs

Steak and Cheese Tartare
porcini mushrooms, parmigiano-reggiano, celery leaves

Slow Poached Center Cut Salad
stone fruit, watercress, jalapeno

Tea Smoked Center Cut
rutabaga puree, roasted porcinis

Roasted Rib Eye Cap
pak choy, shrimp and mascarpone ravioli, fermented black bean barbecue sauce

Figs and Strawberries
sweet corn sauce

For those who need visual stimulation, there was a photographer present. Justin Ide already has a slide show, with music, up on his site.

Stir

We are headed back to Boston.  Funny, we had not returned to the Boston area for about seven years and now we'll be back twice in two months.  We are still talking about the incredible experience we had working with Tony and his team.  The exposure to new, different, and better techniques, approaches to food, ingredients and ideas is always inspirational.

This time we are headed back to spend a day in the kitchen with  The no9 Park team and then an evening at Stir.  What is stir?  One would almost call it exactly the kind of space Aki and I have been looking for.  It is small and cozy, 300 square feet, with a cooking suite surrounded by 10 seats.  There are tall windows looking out onto the street and the walls are lined with cookbooks to be read or bought.  This tiny space certainly caught our attention and when we were given the opportunity to do a dinner class we simply had to say yes.

The class we have planned is rib eye in three services.  We have adjusted and tweaked our approach to serving three meat courses over the years and this will be its most recent incarnation.  The class starts a shade earlier than the usual Stir classes since we are going to do the whole presentation live, from start to finish.  It will be an evening of food and conversation.  Guests will get their hands dirty and their bellies filled.

The class/dinner is being held at Stir at 6:00 PM on July 2nd.  In order to make a reservation please call 617-423-Stir.  As we said there are only ten spots available so you'll have to move quickly if you want one. We look forward to this hands on event and to meeting some of you in Boston.

Classes in San Francisco, June 14-15, 2008

We will be doing four classes over one weekend at Le Sanctuaire in San Francisco. Each class will be two and a half hours long, including a Q&A session at the end of each demonstration.

The classes are:

Exploring Methocel
Methocel is an extremely versatile hydrocolloid that comes in many different varieties. It is most notable for the characteristic of being liquid at cooler temperatures and gelling at higher temperatures. This class will explore some of our favorite types of Methocel and demonstrate a myriad range of applications from reheat-able hollandaise to warm custards and hot sabayons.

Pectin
Many people are familiar with high methoxyl pectin, which is often used in home canning to create jams and jellies. In this workshop we will be discussing low-methoxyl pectin and amidated low methoxyl pectin and their various innovative culinary applications.

Activa
Activa is a proprietary brand of transglutaminase, an enzyme which allows for the cross linking of proteins. We will be discussing and demonstrating the use of Activa RM and Activa YG and how they can improve texture and flavor while increasing efficiency in a restaurant setting.

Carageenan
Carageenan is derived from red seaweed and is very useful as a vegetarian hydrocolloid. It comes in three varieties, iota, kappa, and lambda, which can be used in different combinations to achieve a variety of sols and gels. We will be focusing on iota and kappa and utilizing their different characteristics in various culinary preparations.

The classes are $125 per session for one, $100/session to attend two or more classes. The exact time slots for each class will be available shortly, there will be two classes each day, one at 10am and one at 1:30pm. For more information or to make a reservation, please contact Le Sanctuaire directly at (415)986-4216.

May and June Classes

The schedule for classes for the end of May and June is now up in the side bar.  Private workshops may also be arranged.  You'll notice that we've added a few more weekdays because our weekends are filling up with other projects.  Our journey to find another space is taking longer than we'd planned on, fortunately we're enjoying the array of new opportunities that have opened up for us.

By the way, this picture was taken in Maruyama Park in Kyoto yesterday. The weather has been absolutely beautiful and the landscaping nothing short of amazing.  More to follow when we get to the ship.

A Brief Reminder

If you're still looking for something to do this weekend, we have room in our classes. More Hydrocolloids at Home on Saturday, March 29 at 10am and an Introduction to Activa on Monday, March 31 at 10am.  What could more fun than learning some new techniques and tasting some of our creations? You know you want to join us...

Upcoming Classes

Cooking Classes
*Each class is a single session running from 10am-1pm unless otherwise noted and costs $125 per person. Classes take place in Forest Hills (Queens), NY.

Introduction to Activa

Transglutaminase in the kitchen. Transglutaminases are a family of enzymes that are used for cross linking proteins in culinary preparations essentially working as a natural glue. They can be used to create flourless gnocchi, chicken skin crusted fish, mozzarella noodles and a variety of other delicious and unusual creations.

Sunday, March 23, 2008
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008

Exploring Methocel

An in depth look at the family of Methocel products which are used to create thermoreversible gels, foams, and a variety of sweet and savory crisps.

Saturday April 5, 2008

Gelatin and Pectin

These are two commonly found and often overlooked hydrocolloids with uses ranging from gelatin clarification to pectin encapsulation. Sometimes the easiest answers are right in front of you.

Sunday, April 6, 2008
Saturday, April 12, 2008

We will be traveling for the second half of April/beginning of May so the next round of classes will begin in mid-May. Schedule will be posted in the second half of April. Private lessons may be arranged by individual appointment. Please email us for more information.

March Classes

Since March has already begun we are clearly a bit behind this month. We're juggling a few different things and so it's not always easy to plan ahead. Here are our offerings and we hope you can join us for one of the classes.

Hydrocolloids at Home

Monday, March 10, 2008 10am-1pm
Saturday, March 15, 2008 10am-1pm
$125 per person

This course is designed to give cooks and chefs an understanding of what they are and how to work with them. We will be working with xanthan gum, agar agar, carageenan, locust bean gum, Methocel A15C & F50, and gellan.

Getting to Know Activa

Saturday March 8, 2008 1pm-4pm
Sunday, March 29, 2008 10am-1pm
$125 per person

The endless possibilities of working with tranglutaminase from chicken skin crusted fish to flourless potato gnocchi.

More Hydrocolloids at Home

Saturday, March 22, 2008 10am-1pm
Monday, March 24, 2008 10am-1pm
$125 per person

This class will be designed for people already comfortable using hydrocolloids and will focus on complete dishes and recipes utilizing items like the false egg or the pectin encased soup.

*As always, the classes take place in Forest Hills, NY. Please email us for more information or to make a reservation. Private classes are available by request.

A Glimpse at Hydrocolloids at Home

For anyone interested in the view from the student's seat, here's a link to a brief synopsis of one of our recent hydrocolloid classes by Ratha over at Food and Wine.

Evening Classes: Cheese

Our dinner series of cooking classes has finally taken flight.  It seems cooking and eating in the evening is a tougher sell than we thought.  Last night we had an incredible group who openly facilitated our improvisational cooking.  We had initially planned a four course menu.  Four turned to six quite easily and did not include the hors d' oeuvre of chicken liver and gizzard pate with Brie de Meaux which helped tame the hungry appetites upon arrival.

The dishes came together, as did a plethora of ideas.  One dish which we served was a variation on the classic Waldorf salad.  The chicken was poached in blue cheese buttermilk.  We used leaves of mache, Berbere spiced walnuts, compressed celery batons and Chermoula  spiced grapes.  A final grating of frozen Smokey Blue  from Rogue River completed the dish.  Last night the dish looked a bit different.  After sleeping on the dish, we looked at the ingredients and were able to focus its aesthetic for this shot.

We were very fortunate that Tyler was able to drop by and join us. He came with a bounty of black truffles, white spring truffles, and black trumpet mushrooms to share with the class. It's always a pleasure to hang out with him and the various goodies were just (rather decadent) icing on the cake.

And for Barbara and others, who couldn't join us and wanted to know, here is last evenings menu:

Brie de Meaux and Chicken Liver Crostini

Apple and Dakin Farm’s Cheddar Soup
apple sabayon, black truffle, cheddar cubes, apple-onion pickles

Pumpernickel Crusted Scallop
radish ribbons, bitters, lime pickle goat cheese

Mozzarella Noodles
black trumpet mushrooms, jalapeno, Benton’s country ham

Crispy Veal Breast
smoked mozzarella polenta, cabbage leaves, white spring truffles

Gorgonzola Poached Chicken
Waldorf Salad, Smokey Blue

Piccoli Piaceri di Montagna Pantaleone
Dr. Pepper

Cooking Classes February 2008

At the moment this is a partial schedule, please bear with us and we'll fill in the blanks over the next day or two...If you have any suggestions please feel free to leave a comment or send us an email.

Sunday February 10, 2008
Skirt Steak: This is one of our favorite cuts, prized for its richness and incredible flavor.  We will clean and butcher the steaks, leaving some as is and using transglutaminase to glue some together for double thickness. After butchering we will create several different dishes such as classically grilled with watercress salad and béarnaise sauce, steak and “eggs”, Gaucho style with chimichurri sauce, and

Monday February 11, 2008
Hydrocolloids at Home

Sunday February 17, 2008
What’s Possible Under Pressure: Pressure cookers are amazingly useful and adaptive pieces of equipment for both the professional and home kitchens. In this class we will use them to prepare sunflower seed risotto, turnip and Comte cheese soup, braised pork shanks with Dr. Pepper and lime pickle, warm beet salad, and creamy Indian pudding for dessert.
 
Monday February 18, 2008
A Passion for Potatoes

Sunday February 24, 2008


Monday February 25, 2008

Classes run from 10am-1pm and cost $125.00 per person. All classes take place in Forest Hills, NY (Queens).  For more information on any of these classes or to make a reservation, please email us at:
akiandalex(at)ideasinfood(dot)com.

Two Spots...

Still available for tomorrow's hydrocolloid class at 10am. So if anyone else would like to join us, drop us a line this afternoon.

Dinner Series Update

We just wanted to mention that we have moved two of our Wednesday classes to Friday evenings to make it a bit easier for people to attend. The Pasta class has been moved to Friday, January 18 at 7pm and the Almost Down Home Class will now be on January 25 at 7pm. Cheese remains on Wednesday, January 30 because I can't think of a better way to end the month. There is a link in the sidebar on the right side of the page for more information or you can email us with questions or to make a reservation.

January Classes

Wednesday Dinner Series

This January we decided to try something different for the new year. We are going to offer a series of Wednesday evening classes that revolve around a set menu.  These sessions are designed to be less hands on the stove and more fork in the mouth, if you know what we mean.  The menus published are guidelines, they may grow in length and be altered by inspirations, though their base content will be as written.  These evenings will be limited to eight participants, prices include canapes and wine with dinner and yes, you can BYOB if you wish.

Wednesday January 9, 2008
Not So Classic Dishes 7:00pm $125.00
Seared Scallop with Reuben Ravioli
Broccoli and Cheese Tapioca
Skate Frites with Lime Pickle Ketchup
Dried Cherry Tartlets with Violet Ice Cream

Wednesday January 16, 2007
Pasta 7:00pm $125.oo per person
Hand Cut Miso Noodles with Razor Clam Sauce
Ricotta Gnocchi Gratin with King Oyster Mushrooms
Pekin Duck Two Ways: Sous Vide and Sausage Stuffed Tortelloni with Celery Root Vinaigrette
Afogato: espresso and vanilla ice cream

Wednesday January 23, 2008
Almost Down Home 7:00pm $125
Mussels with Hazelnuts and Chartreuse
Beets with Beaufort and Eel Sauce
Pressure Cooked Pork Belly with Dr. Pepper, Persimmons and Smoked Barley
Brownie Sundae with Malted Ice Cream

Wednesday January 30, 2008 7:00pm
Cheese 7:00pm $125.00
Aged Cheddar and Apple Soup
Mozzarella Noodles with Crabmeat and Chili
Blue Cheese Braised Chicken with Waldorf Salad
The Runniest, Stinkiest Cheese we can find with market accompaniments

Hydrocolloids at Home

This is undeniably our most popular class. It is an introduction to what you can do with textures in cooking. It is more of a demonstration class, with lots of tasting, so that cooks can become familiar with a range of hydrocolloids and how to use them.

Monday January 7, 2008 10am-1pm $125.00
Monday January 14, 2008 10am-1pm $125.00
Saturday January 19, 2008 10am- 1pm $125.00

Valrhona Chocolate, Sweet and Savory

This class will begin with a tasting of different Valrhona chocolates from white to dark. The we will utilize the different types of chocolate in a range of sweet and savory dishes intended to highlight the different flavor profiles of the various chocolates.

Saturday January 26, 2008 10 am-1pm $125.00

All classes take place in Forest Hills, NY (Queens). For more information on any of these classes or to make a reservation, please email us at:
akiandalex(at)ideasinfood(dot)com.

Hydrocolloid Class

I think we forgot to mention that although the class on Saturday, December 15 is closed, we have added a class on Sunday December 16. It's an opportunity for interested cooks to familiarize themselves with some new techniques before the holidays.  Email us using the button on the sidebar if you'd like to make a reservation.  We have had a couple of no-shows and as a result we do require a phone number in order to hold a spot in the class. Each class has been a little different, dictated by the personalities attending on that particular day.  If your curious about what can be done with hydrocolloids and how good it can taste, please join us.

Upcoming/December Classes

In case you were wondering what the plan is for this Saturday's Pasta class, we will be making smoked tagliatelle, new-style  bacon and egg yolk ravioli, blue cheese cavatelli, Chinese egg noodles, pumpernickel farfalle, and miso orecchiette. It's a fun combination of flavors and doughs to play with and we're looking forward to seeing what new twists our companions come up with.

Personality has been a definite factor in these cooking classes. The students have been varied and we've truly enjoyed getting to know some new people and being exposed to different perspectives and ideas.  Challenging questions stretch our boundaries and we have a plethora of new ideas to work with at the end of every session.

The Hydrocolloids class has been popular and we are adding a couple to the schedule for December. This class is really an exploration of texture. The goal is to familiarize student with various hydrocolloids and show them what they are capable of achieving with them. This way people can take that information into their own kitchens and extrapolate to express their own inspirations and ideas. We'll be very curious to hear or read about what everyone comes up with over the coming weeks and months. It's a familiarization process because sometimes you just need to see and taste something for yourself in order to really understand and reproduce the effects. In this beginning class, Hydrocolloids at Home, we will walk you through examples of what can be achieved with xanthan gum, carageenan, agar agar, Methocel A15C, Gellan (high and low acyl), and Versa Whip.

Construction caused us to cancel the Benton's Ham class last month. We are re-scheduling it for December 1, 2007. It is celebration of great country ham and what you can do with it. County Ham is one of the original significant food treasures of the United States. Clearly smoking and hanging meats is an apreciable form of preservation and it also does amazing things for the flavor of the meat. We will have a smoked ham, an aged country ham and some beautiful slab bacon to work with and we will be creating dishes that allow the pork to shine, such as shaved country ham paired with home made garganelli, "ham cured" fish, oatmeal carbonara, and a compressed ham and apple terrine.

Pasta
10am-1pm Saturday, November 17, 2007

Hydrocolloids At Home
10am-1pm Saturday, November 24, 2007
10am-1pm Saturday, December 15, 2007

Benton's Ham
10am-1pm Saturday, December 1, 2007

Steak and Eggs, darn near edible

The steak and eggs cooking class proved to be quite inspiring.  With ingredients like pork porterhouse, cod steak, zucchini steak, rib eye in multiple parts, chicken eggs, quail eggs, and fish eggs; and cooking methods from sous vide to oven roasting to a controlled evaporation (C-Vap) to simply raw and uncooked we proved that improvisation in the kitchen produces stellar and often times unexplored or unexpected results.

We made:  Rib eye in four parts--basil-soy infused, truffle scented, tartare with tequila roe and a pan roasted cap; cod steak larded with jalapeno and galangal; pork porterhouse with butter roasted apples and dill; fillet mignon carpaccio with egg yolk-walnut sheets, jalapeno and Parmesan; Onsen eggs with squash blossoms and smoked roe; fluffy scrambled eggs and custard eggs (both with minced onions); smoked cheddar cheese omelet souffle: compressed zucchini steak with basil, tequila roe and butter steamed quail eggs.

While we left steak and egg sauces for another day, we were able to flesh out numerous techniques during the class and expand upon what is possible with ingredients that are often considered ordinary. Our students learned that it takes just a small adjustment to make the leap from ho-hum every day preparations to extraordinary ones.

Hydrocolloids at Home

Due to popular demand, we have added a second hydrocolloid class on Sunday, November 11, 2007.  The Saturday class is now full, although if you are unable to attend on Sunday we can put you on a waiting list for the Saturday class.

November Classes

Benton's Ham
Saturday November 3, 2007
10am-1pm $125 per person

Old fashioned cured hams and bacon from Benton's Smokehouse in Tennessee. These products are the real deal, incredibly rich and flavorful, and a wonderful addition to any kitchen. We'll be using them in a variety of ways from simply sliced to crispy, from salads to grits. If you love smoky, salty hams, this is the class for you.

Hydrocolloids at Home
Saturday November 10, 2007
10am-1pm $125 per person

There's been a lot of talk about food science and hydrocolloids in the food world. This class will act as a primer for people interested in using commonly available hydrocolloids in their home kitchens.

Pasta
Saturday November 17, 2007
10am-1pm $125 per person

This will be a hands on class exploring a variety of pastas such as cavatelli, ravioli, and pappardelle. We will make the different pasta doughs using both traditional and modern recipes. In addition we will create seasonal accompaniments for each pasta using a variety of different cooking mediums.

Classes are limited  to six students. Private lessons for groups of 4-6 may also be arranged. Please email us at akiandalex(at)ideasinfood(dot)com if you would like more information or to make a reservation.

October Classes 2007

We're pretty excited about these upcoming explorations and want to remind everyone that these classes are really just about having fun with food. Given that premise, we wanted to expand a bit on what we will actually be doing in the individual classes.  The concepts are still somewhat fluid and will be defined more clearly by what's available at the markets the day before class begins and the people in each session and their individual tastes. Presently we still have spaces available in each class, we will remove them from the side bar as they fill up. Please email [email protected]  to register.

Pork and Apples
10am October 6, 2007
$125/per person

We will begin this class with a tasting of apples. By October there should be a wide variety of apples available in our local green markets and the best way to learn how to use them is by tasting. For the pork portion of this event we are going to get in a small pig to work with. This will probably be supplemented with  a few cured pork products to really accent the contrast of porkiness of it all.  We'll have an assortment of produce, grains, legumes and spices  available to accent the main ingredients and use a variety of techniques to help round out the dishes and accent the contrast between the crisp, juicy apples and rich melting pig.

Steak and Eggs
10am October 13, 2007
$125/per person

What is a steak? Is is a beef steak, salmon steak, ham steak or a watermelon steak? By our definition a steak is something that is at least 1/2-inch thick, with a texture that you can sink your teeth into and an intense flavor that requires a very simple pairing to accent all that mouth watering goodness. Eggs can be of many varieties from chicken to fish and showcased using an array of techniques from coddling to custards, from hollandiase to sabayon. We're going to mix and match these versatile components to create unusual and delcious dishes that can easily be recreated at home.

Scallops
10am October 20, 2007
$125/per person

This class will be a celebration of this bivalve mollusk with the beautiful fan shaped shell.  The meaty and sweet texture of the scallop is not only a standout on its own, it is an incredible vehicle for textures and tastes. From small to large, from raw to cooked, our plan is to enhance the scallop's inherent velvety sweetness and pair it with a variety of late fall ingredients to highlight it's versatile nature.

Cooking Classes

Now that we're finally settling in, we are ready to start playing with our food. Over the years we have taught cooking classes in a variety of venues and have evolved our own style for getting the most out of each session.  Our method of choice is to highlight a single ingredient or combination of ingredients and extrapolate ideas for that particular item into a three course menu, i.e. mushrooms in three services. We provide basic recipes and we then allow the season, pantry and participants to fill in the blanks. That way we can tailor each class to the individual participants. Each class is small, no more than eight people, and hands on.  There will be some demonstration of techniques, although we feel that people learn by doing. So be prepared to get your hands dirty and come ready to taste. No prior experience is necessary, this is a learning environment and we adapt to many different skill levels.

Saturday morning classes take place from 10am to 1pm at our home in Queens.  We will spend the majority of the class creating dishes and exploring ingredients and techniques, then everyone will sit down to dine on the fruits of their labor.  Non-alcoholic beverages will be provided for the morning classes.

Current class schedules will be listed in the side bar. You can email us for more information or to register for a class.

 

October Class Schedule

Saturday, October 6, 2007 :     Pork and Apples    $125.00 per person

Saturday, October 13, 2007:   Steak and Eggs    $125.00 per person

Saturday, October 20, 2007:   Scallops    $125.00 per person