Today was a bittersweet day, in that it was our final day of cheese tasting. But before that, we were able to have another chocolate tasting. This was actually my favorite groupings of chocolates we had tasted all month, and they were known as the "best of the varietals." All of these chocolates are from the Amedei chocolate company.
The Amedei 9 was extremely smooth. It was sweet, and the taste lingered. There was almost a nutty taste to me.
The Chuao had a fruitier taste. I did not like it as much as the other ones, but it was still a good chocolate.
Amedei Porcelana was by far the my favorite though. It actually was probably my favorite chocolate I tasted all year. It had a wonderfully smooth and creamy texture, just the right amount of cocoa flavor, without any bitterness or astringency. Just a great chocolate.
Today was also the last cheese tasting day. We tried some more soft, "stinky" cheeses this time. These weren't my favorite, but I could appreciate it.
- Taleggio: smelly, tangy, creamy, didn't particularly like it
- Morbier Raw Milk: similarly smelly, had an almost musty flavor
- Chimay: Really did not like this one, even though I do like Chimay beer. Extremely bitter.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Day Sixteen Indian Cooking
Today was my last day cooking in the church kitchen. I can't believe Interim has gone by so fast, but I have really enjoyed expanding my cooking skills and learning to cook different things. But for my last day in the kitchen, the International team will be cooking Indian food. I was a little apprehensive going into it, because I had never cooked Indian food before. However, I think it turned out extremely well! The dish I mainly worked on was Chicken Korma. It is a Northern Indian dish that has a lot of good flavor, but isn't too spicy, which worked out well for serving the class. I really enjoyed it, and it really wasn't too difficult to make. If I had the right kitchen appliances, I would definitely try and make it again. Other dishes included Aloo Gobi, which was a cauliflower and potatoes dish. It had a little more of a kick, which I enjoyed. We also had basmati rice, naan bread, cucumber salad, and mango lassis. I had never had mango lassis before, but they were a perfect compliment/end to the meal.
I thought the meal overall was a success. There were a few mishaps at the beginning of the day, but once we got going it was a good day. I really enjoyed making something different like Indian food though, as I could really appreciate learning to make and try something new. Overall, it was a great way to end my time in the church kitchen!
I thought the meal overall was a success. There were a few mishaps at the beginning of the day, but once we got going it was a good day. I really enjoyed making something different like Indian food though, as I could really appreciate learning to make and try something new. Overall, it was a great way to end my time in the church kitchen!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Day Fifteen
With interim ending next Wednesday, I try to appreciate each chocolate tasting even more than I have been. Today's class started off with a chocolate tasting with several El Rey chocolates.
-Bucare: 58.5%, even though this was the lowest amount of cocoa, I still think it had a strong flavor. Almost earth.
-Mijao: 61%, the sweetest of the three, extremely creamy
- Gran Saman: 70%, almost fruity taste, astringent, this one was probably my favorite.
The next aspect of our day was a cinnamon test. I never realized that most of the cinnamon we had grown up with was not actual cinnamon, but rather some form of cassia.
Ceylon: Actual cinnamon, spicy, lasting flavor
Chinese Cassia: Very tangy
Saigon Cassia: Extremely spicy, tastes like a Red Hot candy
Korintga Cassia: The smoothest, less spicy than the others
The cheese tasting we did today was by far my favorite. We tried various blue cheeses, which are by far my favorite type.
Stilton: Creamy, my favorite kind, we have this every year at Christmas time, and I always enjoy it
Valdeon: extremely strong, lingering taste, not bad but it almost overpowers everything
American: The least flavorful, creamy, not my favorite
Cambozola: developing flavor, less flavor as well
I enjoyed the cheese tasting a lot, and definitely confirmed my love of Stilton. It was a great day, and I am looking forward to cooking Indian food tomorrow for President Dunlap.
-Bucare: 58.5%, even though this was the lowest amount of cocoa, I still think it had a strong flavor. Almost earth.
-Mijao: 61%, the sweetest of the three, extremely creamy
- Gran Saman: 70%, almost fruity taste, astringent, this one was probably my favorite.
The next aspect of our day was a cinnamon test. I never realized that most of the cinnamon we had grown up with was not actual cinnamon, but rather some form of cassia.
Ceylon: Actual cinnamon, spicy, lasting flavor
Chinese Cassia: Very tangy
Saigon Cassia: Extremely spicy, tastes like a Red Hot candy
Korintga Cassia: The smoothest, less spicy than the others
The cheese tasting we did today was by far my favorite. We tried various blue cheeses, which are by far my favorite type.
Stilton: Creamy, my favorite kind, we have this every year at Christmas time, and I always enjoy it
Valdeon: extremely strong, lingering taste, not bad but it almost overpowers everything
American: The least flavorful, creamy, not my favorite
Cambozola: developing flavor, less flavor as well
I enjoyed the cheese tasting a lot, and definitely confirmed my love of Stilton. It was a great day, and I am looking forward to cooking Indian food tomorrow for President Dunlap.
Day Fourteen Cooking with Eggs
Today we went back to the kitchen at the church to cook with eggs. We used eggs in a variety of ways that I never really thought of before. The menu we cooked included frittatas, biscuits, quiche, ice cream, souffle, and tarts. Personally, Kevin and I worked on the frittatas, and a recipe will be soon following explaining the steps. I had never made a frittata before, but after this day I feel like they can become a staple. The frittata we made was a sundried tomato, mustard green, and fontina cheese one. I was a little nervous at first, but in fact it was not too difficult. Next time I will be a little more careful when cooking the eggs in the skillet, so that they will rise more when placed in the oven.
I really enjoyed learning to make the frittata, as well as helping with the chocolate souffle. I particularly enjoyed this cooking day because I feel like I can utilize the knowledge I learned in my day to day cooking life. My favorite foods from the day were probably a tie between the frittata as well as the souffle. A recipe for the fritttata will soon follow.
I really enjoyed learning to make the frittata, as well as helping with the chocolate souffle. I particularly enjoyed this cooking day because I feel like I can utilize the knowledge I learned in my day to day cooking life. My favorite foods from the day were probably a tie between the frittata as well as the souffle. A recipe for the fritttata will soon follow.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Day Thirteen
Once again, it was time to start my day with the usual routine: A chocolate tasting. These were 75% chocolates that differed based on country of origin.
Trinitario from Caracas: Bitter flavor, a bit nutty, slightly sour
Criollo from Madagascar: Extremely smooth. Acidic. Astringent.
Trinitario from Venezuela: Very pungent. Fruity. Bitter.
Indonesia: Coffee taste. Nutty. Not as bitter.
Mystery Chocolate: Extremely bitter that quickly revealed itself to be 100% chocolate. Not a fan, at all.
The next test involved testing olive oils. We did a comparative test in which we tried to apply labels to the olive oils after tasting them, but I did not do so well on this and missed all of them.
Bertoli: Fruity and Fragrant.
L'Estornell: Olive and Peppery
Masserie di Sant'erano: Delicate and Mild
Badia: Leafy and Grassy
I did not get all of these, however after retasting them I could see where the descriptions came from.
After olive oil, we tasted olives. I usually do not enjoy olives, but I actually liked this tasting as it forced me to expand my usual preferences.
Kalamata: wine tasting and very salty
Ripe Black: salty and juicy
Nicoise: Very meaty and fleshy. Not as salty
Queen: Probably the most pickled out of all of them, did not enjoy it.
Manzanilla: Extremely salty as well
My favorite out of these was probably the Nicoise.
Finally, we did a cheddar cheese tasting that I really enjoyed, as I love cheddar cheese.
Kerry Gold: Smelly, very sharp. I enjoyed it.
Cabot: Similar to the Kerry Gold in sharpness, probably even a little more sharp
Boar's Head: Definitely not as sharp as the previous two, with a less developed flavor.
Vermont: Very mild like the Boar's Head.
Out of these, my favorite was the Kerry Gold. It was aged 2 years, and I enjoyed the depth of flavor that it developed.
Trinitario from Caracas: Bitter flavor, a bit nutty, slightly sour
Criollo from Madagascar: Extremely smooth. Acidic. Astringent.
Trinitario from Venezuela: Very pungent. Fruity. Bitter.
Indonesia: Coffee taste. Nutty. Not as bitter.
Mystery Chocolate: Extremely bitter that quickly revealed itself to be 100% chocolate. Not a fan, at all.
The next test involved testing olive oils. We did a comparative test in which we tried to apply labels to the olive oils after tasting them, but I did not do so well on this and missed all of them.
Bertoli: Fruity and Fragrant.
L'Estornell: Olive and Peppery
Masserie di Sant'erano: Delicate and Mild
Badia: Leafy and Grassy
I did not get all of these, however after retasting them I could see where the descriptions came from.
After olive oil, we tasted olives. I usually do not enjoy olives, but I actually liked this tasting as it forced me to expand my usual preferences.
Kalamata: wine tasting and very salty
Ripe Black: salty and juicy
Nicoise: Very meaty and fleshy. Not as salty
Queen: Probably the most pickled out of all of them, did not enjoy it.
Manzanilla: Extremely salty as well
My favorite out of these was probably the Nicoise.
Finally, we did a cheddar cheese tasting that I really enjoyed, as I love cheddar cheese.
Kerry Gold: Smelly, very sharp. I enjoyed it.
Cabot: Similar to the Kerry Gold in sharpness, probably even a little more sharp
Boar's Head: Definitely not as sharp as the previous two, with a less developed flavor.
Vermont: Very mild like the Boar's Head.
Out of these, my favorite was the Kerry Gold. It was aged 2 years, and I enjoyed the depth of flavor that it developed.
Day Twelve
We began the day with some more chocolate tasting. I thought I might get tired of chocolate by this point, but I am actually starting to enjoy it as a part of my daily routine. Today's chocolate are from the Santander company
53%: Not bitter at all with hints of fruit.
65%: There was almost a nutty taste to this chocolate, that took a while to develop
70%: Surprisingly it wasn't too bitter, but a strong chocolate flavor.
We continued with a cheese tasting before the end of class, changing it up a little. Today was mainly hard cheeses.
Parmesan: very gritty and dry, dense, with a good flavor that was not too sharp
Pecorino: extremely salty, gritty and dry, almost chalky
Myzithra: tasted like drywall, definitely did not like it
We also did a vinegar tasting. I love vinegar, so this was interesting, even though I've never really thought about tasting vinegar.
Red Wine: This was a good vinegar, and had a pronounced grape flavor.
Balsamic: This was probably my favorite, as I have known that I have liked it for a while. Mellow flavor, and sweeter.
Apple Cider: the most acidic of the vinegars
Finally, we did a very interesting experiment involving the miracle fruit. When dissolved on the tongue, the fruit limited the ability of the tongue to taste sourness. After this, we tried lemons and limes, which was incredible in the way they tasted almost candy like, with none of the puckering that usually accompanies them. Additionally, when I had sweet tea for lunch, it tasted even sweeter than normal. Thus, we ended a busy but interesting day.
53%: Not bitter at all with hints of fruit.
65%: There was almost a nutty taste to this chocolate, that took a while to develop
70%: Surprisingly it wasn't too bitter, but a strong chocolate flavor.
We continued with a cheese tasting before the end of class, changing it up a little. Today was mainly hard cheeses.
Parmesan: very gritty and dry, dense, with a good flavor that was not too sharp
Pecorino: extremely salty, gritty and dry, almost chalky
Myzithra: tasted like drywall, definitely did not like it
We also did a vinegar tasting. I love vinegar, so this was interesting, even though I've never really thought about tasting vinegar.
Red Wine: This was a good vinegar, and had a pronounced grape flavor.
Balsamic: This was probably my favorite, as I have known that I have liked it for a while. Mellow flavor, and sweeter.
Apple Cider: the most acidic of the vinegars
Finally, we did a very interesting experiment involving the miracle fruit. When dissolved on the tongue, the fruit limited the ability of the tongue to taste sourness. After this, we tried lemons and limes, which was incredible in the way they tasted almost candy like, with none of the puckering that usually accompanies them. Additionally, when I had sweet tea for lunch, it tasted even sweeter than normal. Thus, we ended a busy but interesting day.
Day Eleven, Cooking with
Today was a combination of stress and a great time. Cooking for such a large number of people is something that I have never done before, so it was stressful to say the least! However, it was a great experience and I think our meal came out pretty good. Today's menu was based on cheese. Therefore, each part of the meal had some aspect of cheese included.
Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese
While I don't normally enjoy goat cheese, the baked cheese nature of it made it very good and I enjoyed it!
Eggplant Parmesan
This was the dish that I worked on. I had never cooked eggplant before, so I was a little nervous. We had some help preparing the dish, but everything came together and I really ended up liking the result.
4 Cheese Lasagna
While I usually prefer marinara based lasagna, this was a good dish and it was extremely rich!
Cheesy Buns
These were really good, I really liked the amount of cheese they had with a little bit of onion to offset it and make sure it wasn't too cheesy.
Tiramisu
I love tiramisu, and this dish did not disappoint. Hopefully I can learn how to make this for myself.
Overall it was a great experience to cook in the church kitchen for a large group of people. Stressful although it was, I learned important lessons and look forward to our next session!
Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese
While I don't normally enjoy goat cheese, the baked cheese nature of it made it very good and I enjoyed it!
Eggplant Parmesan
This was the dish that I worked on. I had never cooked eggplant before, so I was a little nervous. We had some help preparing the dish, but everything came together and I really ended up liking the result.
4 Cheese Lasagna
While I usually prefer marinara based lasagna, this was a good dish and it was extremely rich!
Cheesy Buns
These were really good, I really liked the amount of cheese they had with a little bit of onion to offset it and make sure it wasn't too cheesy.
Tiramisu
I love tiramisu, and this dish did not disappoint. Hopefully I can learn how to make this for myself.
Overall it was a great experience to cook in the church kitchen for a large group of people. Stressful although it was, I learned important lessons and look forward to our next session!
Day Ten
Today's class began with a tasting of 75% chocolates from the company Pralus. Fortissima is a blend of criollo and trinitario, which had a very subtle flavor at first that developed as the chocolate remained in the mouth. Bresil was a forestario type, which was similar to the fortissima in that it was more subtle. Chuao was a criollo type, which had a wonderful mouthful and a great flavor. Colombie was a trinitario type, which had a sour flavor and a high level of acidity. Out of these, my favorite was probably the Chuao.
The next aspect of tasting for the day was different types of salt. I never put much thought into salt, so it was interesting to try different times.
Maldon: this and the next two we tried on the cucumbers. This salt was flaky and had a strong, lasting salt tasting flavor.
Kavai Guava Smoked: This definitely tasted smoky, and had a good flavor that was not quite as salty as the other salts. It had a brown flavor, and I enjoyed it.
Black Diamond: Had a strong flavor, but not quite as "salty" as the Maldon.
Sel Gris: This, and the next two, were tried on bread with butter. This had a very garlicky flavor.
Molokai Red: Large bite, with salty overtones.
Fluer del Sel: I thought this was salty, but had a sweeter flavor as well.
The cheese tasting ended the day, which included Raclette Raw Milk, Asiago Fresco, and Borough Market Cheddar. The Raclette, extremely creamy, melts well, tangy and strong. The Asiago Fresco was extremely light. The Cheddar, extremely sharp, and it was my favorite.
The next aspect of tasting for the day was different types of salt. I never put much thought into salt, so it was interesting to try different times.
Maldon: this and the next two we tried on the cucumbers. This salt was flaky and had a strong, lasting salt tasting flavor.
Kavai Guava Smoked: This definitely tasted smoky, and had a good flavor that was not quite as salty as the other salts. It had a brown flavor, and I enjoyed it.
Black Diamond: Had a strong flavor, but not quite as "salty" as the Maldon.
Sel Gris: This, and the next two, were tried on bread with butter. This had a very garlicky flavor.
Molokai Red: Large bite, with salty overtones.
Fluer del Sel: I thought this was salty, but had a sweeter flavor as well.
The cheese tasting ended the day, which included Raclette Raw Milk, Asiago Fresco, and Borough Market Cheddar. The Raclette, extremely creamy, melts well, tangy and strong. The Asiago Fresco was extremely light. The Cheddar, extremely sharp, and it was my favorite.
Day Nine
Today Team A was in the kitchen cooking stocks and other similar dishes. I'm sure they had a good time cooking, and I am looking forward for Team B to return to the kitchen soon.
Day Eight
Today's tastings followed the usual patter, but the with exciting addition of a "coffee cupping." But before we discuss that, let's get to the chocolate tastings. Today's tastings consisted of four different 65% chocolates from the company Guittard.
Ambanja: This criollo variety had a full flavor, with hints of fruit and acidity. It seemed lighter than the other chocolates
Chicuri: This was a trinitario, which had an almost fruity taste and was milder than the other ones.
Quevedo: This was a forastero, which had nutty hints of flavor. It was smoother than the others, and was probably my favorite.
Sur del Lago: This was a trinitario as well, which had a very subtle flavor and was not my favorite.
Next we did a coffee "cupping," which basically is a way to taste coffee. We tasted three kinds from Starbucks.
Sumatra: This was the boldest, earthiest coffee and was what I think of when I think of "coffee."
Guatemalan Antigua: This had a more flowery taste, almost fruity. This was my favorite.
Kenya: Had an almost exotic flavor, bold flavor.
And finally, we concluded with the always loved cheese tasting. Today's cheeses were quite aromatic, if you know what I mean.
Fromage de chevre: Had a very strong scent. Had a very earthy flavor, and was a little moldy tasting. I enjoyed it though
Fromage de chevre le chevrot: Extremely pungent smell like the previous cheese. Creamier than the first though, and was bitter. It was my favorite though.
Robiola: Was the least smelly of the three. It was extremely salty, and was very creamy. Probably my least favorite.
Ambanja: This criollo variety had a full flavor, with hints of fruit and acidity. It seemed lighter than the other chocolates
Chicuri: This was a trinitario, which had an almost fruity taste and was milder than the other ones.
Quevedo: This was a forastero, which had nutty hints of flavor. It was smoother than the others, and was probably my favorite.
Sur del Lago: This was a trinitario as well, which had a very subtle flavor and was not my favorite.
Next we did a coffee "cupping," which basically is a way to taste coffee. We tasted three kinds from Starbucks.
Sumatra: This was the boldest, earthiest coffee and was what I think of when I think of "coffee."
Guatemalan Antigua: This had a more flowery taste, almost fruity. This was my favorite.
Kenya: Had an almost exotic flavor, bold flavor.
And finally, we concluded with the always loved cheese tasting. Today's cheeses were quite aromatic, if you know what I mean.
Fromage de chevre: Had a very strong scent. Had a very earthy flavor, and was a little moldy tasting. I enjoyed it though
Fromage de chevre le chevrot: Extremely pungent smell like the previous cheese. Creamier than the first though, and was bitter. It was my favorite though.
Robiola: Was the least smelly of the three. It was extremely salty, and was very creamy. Probably my least favorite.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Day Seven
Unfortunately today I was unable to make it class, due to a sickness finally getting the best of me. However, I was able to have a friend bring home some of the chocolates that were tasted in class. I was told that the 4 chocolates were: a 62%, a 70%, an 82%, and a mystery. The 62% was very bitter, and not the favorite that I had tasted so far. The 70% and the 82% were the same unfortunately. For the most part, I attribute this to the fact that I was sick, and my taste buds were not operating at optimal capacity. However, there was no doubting that I could taste the mystery chocolate. The first bite was extremely filled with cayenne pepper. However, that was the only bite that I could actually taste anything besides dark chocolate. I was told banana was in the chocolate as well, but I think a combination of my sickness, the cayenne, and the dark chocolate overpowered this flavor. While I was disappointed I was unable to make it to class today, I am looking forward to another great week starting Monday!
Day Six: Team A Cooks
Today was a great day for eating, as the first of the 2 groups (Group A) went to the church kitchen and made a meal with the main ingredient being chocolate. As I am a member of Group B, I was lucky enough to be able to sleep in, then have a wonderful meal prepared by the members of Group A. Not a bad day if I do say so myself. The menu consisted of Chicken mole, flank steak, eggplant, baked beans, salad, and coca cola cake. The special aspect of each dish is that chocolate was somehow integrated into each dish. This was interesting, as you did not taste the chocolate usually, instead it just let the other flavors develop more. My favorite was probably a tie between the chicken mole and the baked beans. It was a great time and a great meal, and I can only hope that my group can live up the expectations set by Group A.
Day Five
We found ourselves back in the classroom today, ready and excited for some more chocolate and cheese tastings. Today's chocolates were of the white chocolate variety, which I really have not cared for in the past. The four chocolate companies we tried included: Green & Black, Amedei, El Rey, and Cluizel. The Green & Black was overpoweringly sweet, and I really did not like it at all. The Amedei was decent, with a smooth texture and creamy taste. The El Rey was probably my favorite, but this could be attributed to the fact that it seemed to have more cocoa elements in it than the others. The Cluizel was also not bad, but it had a seemingly undeveloped flavor. Overall, I'm not a huge fan of white chocolate, but I would eat the El Rey again.
The 2nd part of class involved another cheese tasting. We had some extremely tasty cheeses to sample this time, which included Havarti, Gouda, Fontina, and Manchego. This was probably my favorite cheese tasting yet, and I liked all of them. The Havarti was very creamy, with a wonderful flavor that I feel would go well with just about anything. The Gouda was alright, but it didn't have as much depth of flavor as the others. The Fontina was harder than the other cheeses, and also had a less intense flavor. The Manchego was grittier than the others, and also saltier. Therefore, my favorite was definitely Havarti.
The 2nd part of class involved another cheese tasting. We had some extremely tasty cheeses to sample this time, which included Havarti, Gouda, Fontina, and Manchego. This was probably my favorite cheese tasting yet, and I liked all of them. The Havarti was very creamy, with a wonderful flavor that I feel would go well with just about anything. The Gouda was alright, but it didn't have as much depth of flavor as the others. The Fontina was harder than the other cheeses, and also had a less intense flavor. The Manchego was grittier than the others, and also saltier. Therefore, my favorite was definitely Havarti.
Day Four: Cookies
Today was truly an interesting day in class, in that we made our first trek to the church kitchen where we will be cooking. The class split up into 10 groups of 2 to make homemade cookies. I've never really baked anything homemade, so I was a little intimidated, but it worked out well. My partner, Kevin O'Quinn, and I made homemade Snickerdoodle cookies. While Snickerdoodle's are usually not my favorite, I actually really enjoyed these. The cinnamon was extremely pronounced, and it was a crisp cookie. The other cookies that were made included the Triple Chocolate, a Chewy Chocolate Chip, a Thin Chocolate Chip, a 1-2-3 Shortbread, White Sugar, Brown Sugar, Oatmeal, Peanut Butter, and Butter Jelly Jewel. Out of these, my favorite was probably the Chewy Chocolate Chip, as that is how I prefer my cookies. It definitely was a learning experience in the kitchen, and I was a little nervous that my cookies would not turn out well as all the others had. But in the end, these fears were unfounded, as I enjoyed my cookies, along with those of everyone else.
Day Three
Today's class began with what is quickly becoming one of my favorite way to start a day: chocolate tasting number three. In this tasting we tried chocolates from several difference companies: Green & Black, Michel Cluizel, Amedei, and El Rey. For this tasting, we tried milk chocolates from each of the companies. While I am not a huge milk chocolate fan, I did think there was a significant improvement for these chocolates over one's such as Hershey's. The Green and Black was the sweetest and most buttery for me. The Cluizel had a stronger cocoa flavor than the others, which I enjoyed. The Amedei was probably my favorite, as it had a very smooth and creamy texture, with an enjoyable chocolate taste with a hint of vanilla. The El Rey was also extremely good, and was my second favorite. It was different than the others, and probably had a different formulation of cocoa butter.
The second tasting we did was cheeses, my favorite. The cheeses we tried today included feta, goat, and farmer's. I am a big fan of Greek salad's and other food like that, so I enjoyed the feta cheese. It was crumbly with a distinct, almost sour taste that I liked. The goat cheese was extremely creamy, but I did not enjoy it as much as the feta. And finally, I really like the farmer's cheese as well. It was dense and sharp, and I could have eaten a couple more slices.
We also did a Coke, Pespi triangle taste test. I was correctly able to identify which one was Pepsi, but I overthought it and messed up the other two cups. It was interesting, because I definitely consider myself a Coke fan over Pepsi. Overall, it was a very interesting class, and I am looking forward to tomorrow.
The second tasting we did was cheeses, my favorite. The cheeses we tried today included feta, goat, and farmer's. I am a big fan of Greek salad's and other food like that, so I enjoyed the feta cheese. It was crumbly with a distinct, almost sour taste that I liked. The goat cheese was extremely creamy, but I did not enjoy it as much as the feta. And finally, I really like the farmer's cheese as well. It was dense and sharp, and I could have eaten a couple more slices.
We also did a Coke, Pespi triangle taste test. I was correctly able to identify which one was Pepsi, but I overthought it and messed up the other two cups. It was interesting, because I definitely consider myself a Coke fan over Pepsi. Overall, it was a very interesting class, and I am looking forward to tomorrow.
Day Two: The Adventure Continues
The second day of class started in another great fashion: a chocolate tasting. Featuring dark and milk chocolate, we tasted the differences in taste resulting among a wrapped piece, an unwrapped piece, and a warmed piece. It was surprising in the way that the presentation affected the flavor. For the dark chocolate, the biggest difference for the melted version was the texture. I really liked the way it made it creamier. Additionally, the bitterness was not as prevalent as compared to the unheated versions. The unwrapped dark chocolate was also less bitter than the wrapped dark, which had the most pronounced bitter flavor. This could be attributed to the fact that the flavor is sealed it with the wrapping. For the milk chocolates, I found a similar result to the dark, in regards to packaging. The heated milk was extremely creamy. However, I did not notice much difference between the unwrapped and wrapped versions.
We also had the wonderful opportunity to taste some cheeses. Personally, cheeses are one of my favorite things to taste. Two class members made homemade ricotta cheese, which I enjoyed but was a little too salty. The store bought ricotta, on the other hand, was a little too bland. I would prefer something in between the two flavors. The marscapone cheese we tried had a very smooth texture. We also tried two forms of cream cheese, which I found really flavorful and a smooth, enjoyable texture. This isn't surprising considering I like cream cheese.
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We also had the wonderful opportunity to taste some cheeses. Personally, cheeses are one of my favorite things to taste. Two class members made homemade ricotta cheese, which I enjoyed but was a little too salty. The store bought ricotta, on the other hand, was a little too bland. I would prefer something in between the two flavors. The marscapone cheese we tried had a very smooth texture. We also tried two forms of cream cheese, which I found really flavorful and a smooth, enjoyable texture. This isn't surprising considering I like cream cheese.
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Thursday, January 5, 2012
First Tasting Day (1/5/12)
Today was the first day of Interim 2012, during which time I will be participating in the "Expanding Your Culinary Palate" class. Over the course of January, the class will be trying and tasting a number of different items, especially chocolate, so I am definitely looking forward to this experience.
Today's tasting involved a plate filled with several different items, most of them related to chocolate and the chocolate making process. The first tasting aspect we did was to do a blind taste test of three different chocolates. The first chocolate I found to be sweet and creamy, with a good feeling in the mouth. The second chocolate I found to be more bitter, with hints of fruit, but with an acidic taste. Finally, the third chocolate seemed to be nutty and dense, and not as acidic as the second one. Overall, my favorite amongst the three was the first one, and was surprised to find out that it was actually the least expensive one out of the three.
The next tasting aspect was to taste a variety of chocolate bars as well as various components of the chocolate making process. We tried a 100% chocolate bar, which I found to not be very good at all. It was overwhelmingly bitter, and obviously needed some sugar to be enjoyed. We then tried a dark chocolate bar, which was extremely good, especially in comparison to the 100% chocolate. Next, we tried roasted cocoa beans. While you could tell they would eventually be manipulated into chocolate, it wasn't good on its own. We also tried cocoa nibs, which where ground up cocoa beans. Likewise, these were very bitter and not that good on its own, but I could see how they could be used in the cooking process. We also tried two forms of cocoa powder, regular and dutched. Which I could not tell a huge difference between them, they were extremely dry and not that pleasant when tasted on their own. However, once sugar was mixed with them, they became much more tasty.
Finally, we also tried several other items. The white chocolate bar was good to taste, but it was almost too sweet for my tastes. It did have a pleasant mouth feel to it though. Also, trying the coriander seeds was a great experience, and I was surprised how much the sense of smell played a role in the true "taste" of them when eaten. And finally, the jello tasting was very interesting. Even though it was actually lemon jello, the red coloring tricked my mind and convinced it that it was strawberry.
Overall, the first class was extremely interesting, and flavorful. I am looking forward to seeing what additional aspects of taste will be experienced as the month goes on.
Today's tasting involved a plate filled with several different items, most of them related to chocolate and the chocolate making process. The first tasting aspect we did was to do a blind taste test of three different chocolates. The first chocolate I found to be sweet and creamy, with a good feeling in the mouth. The second chocolate I found to be more bitter, with hints of fruit, but with an acidic taste. Finally, the third chocolate seemed to be nutty and dense, and not as acidic as the second one. Overall, my favorite amongst the three was the first one, and was surprised to find out that it was actually the least expensive one out of the three.
The next tasting aspect was to taste a variety of chocolate bars as well as various components of the chocolate making process. We tried a 100% chocolate bar, which I found to not be very good at all. It was overwhelmingly bitter, and obviously needed some sugar to be enjoyed. We then tried a dark chocolate bar, which was extremely good, especially in comparison to the 100% chocolate. Next, we tried roasted cocoa beans. While you could tell they would eventually be manipulated into chocolate, it wasn't good on its own. We also tried cocoa nibs, which where ground up cocoa beans. Likewise, these were very bitter and not that good on its own, but I could see how they could be used in the cooking process. We also tried two forms of cocoa powder, regular and dutched. Which I could not tell a huge difference between them, they were extremely dry and not that pleasant when tasted on their own. However, once sugar was mixed with them, they became much more tasty.
Finally, we also tried several other items. The white chocolate bar was good to taste, but it was almost too sweet for my tastes. It did have a pleasant mouth feel to it though. Also, trying the coriander seeds was a great experience, and I was surprised how much the sense of smell played a role in the true "taste" of them when eaten. And finally, the jello tasting was very interesting. Even though it was actually lemon jello, the red coloring tricked my mind and convinced it that it was strawberry.
Overall, the first class was extremely interesting, and flavorful. I am looking forward to seeing what additional aspects of taste will be experienced as the month goes on.
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