Housewarming Party

Well it has been a while since my last post. This is primarily because I have not had my usual Sunday dinner party, but have instead had two housewarming parties. For both of these I catered with the help of my sister.
The first housewarming was for my work colleagues as I could not possibly cook for so many people if I had invited my other friends as well. The menu for the night was:

Chicken Wrapped in Prosciutto w Beetroot Relish








Poached Pear, Haloumi & Pecan Nuts









Zucchini & Haloumi Fritters

 

Sushi

Scallop Ceviche Shots

Rose Mousse w Pistachio Persian Fairy Floss












Eggplant Dip 
Artichoke, Capsicum & Fetta dip
Miso Beef
Roast Hazelnut & Strawberry Mini Pavlovas

Unfortunately I forgot to get pictures of the rest of the menu items. And as my best friend so kindly pointed out, I seriously need to work on my food photography.

Anyways, as you can see this was a rather large endeavour which required lots of preparation. I realised this when I began cooking at 12:30 that day. Upon seeing my frenzied panic, my sister kindly offered to help me cook. There was meant to be Arancini as well but unfortunately I had to scrap that as I was too busy and ended up burning the rice. I started by prioritising what needed the longest preparation time. So I started by putting the risotto on, and then ran around trying to organise the Rose Mousse. Whilst this was happening my sister was baking the eggplant for the dip and then skewering the chicken. She also put the beetroot on to boil. I then made the miso sauce for the beef and started marinating it. Then I poured the mouse into the espresso cups and put them in the fridge to set. After this I grated the zucchini and the haloumi and prepared the fritters. Whilst they were frying I blended the artichoke dip. By this time it was almost 4:30 and we still had lots to do.

I then started on the Scallop Ceviche while my sister skewered the beef and chopped the pears. At this point I realised that I had forgotten about the risotto and it was burnt, so I scrapped the Arancini. Once the Ceviche was made I began making the Sushi. I finished this whilst my sister made the eggplant dip. Then I and started poaching the pears and while they were cooking I blended the beetroot relish. Finally by about 6:00 it was almost done. My sister put toothpicks through the pears with the Haloumi and the pecan nuts whilst I franticly showered and got ready. Then we both frantically tidied up the house and were finished by 7:00. At that point my sister started making the filling for the min Pavlovas. Fortunately no-one arrived until about 7:45 and everything was ready, however it was touch and go for a while there.

What worked well:

• Having help was definitely a life saver
• The beetroot relish was a hit
• The Zucchini and Haloumi fritters were a hit
• The Scallop Ceviche was quick and easy to make
• The Mini Pavs were also quick and easy to organise
  

What didn't work so well:

• The disorganisation and lack of time
• The Risotto for the Arancini - needed more TLC
• I felt (although many disagreed) that the Chicken skewers were too dry. Suggest using thigh fillets next time instead.
• The beef skewers didn’t seem to be eaten (suggest playing around with the recipe more)

All in all it was a lovely night and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

Kids and food

A recent article in the age about Junior Masterchef questioned if the show is good for kids or not. Whilst arguably it isn’t as many of the ingredients are high in fat and sugar, the article indicated that it was in fact doing more good than harm. Many of the kids seemed to understand that the food being prepared was for special occasions and not everyday fare. However what was notable in the article was that kids had been discussing cooking in the playground.

I know that my interest in food began as a child and initially it was all about the sugar. I spent years trying to master meringues. Why? Because I loved to eat them. However as I have grown older and become more health conscientious I have changed what I cook to reflect that. Moreover I now have a good understanding of ingredients and how they interact. So I am able to modify recipe’s to have less fat and sugar then what they would usually.

That’s why I think this article is important as it raises the point that kids now have a better understanding of raw ingredients and how they are used to create a dish. As these kids mature and make more informed decisions about what they ingest, they will be better equipped to cook the foods that reflect that.

Masterchef has indeed helped boost food from “a domestic chore to something quite exciting” (Goodyer 2011). This is true not just for kids but also for adults. It inspires a greater interest in food and cooking. It also teaches people about all the amazing things you can do with food. I think Masterchef has really paved the way for food to be perceived as a skilled art.

Furthermore the article mentions concerns about obesity as a result of the ingredients that are used on Masterchef. However there are many articles that indicate that fast food is a leading cause of obesity. As stated in my last post, the slow food movement (which inspires my cooking) is very much against fast food. Having a better understanding of how to make food and what goes into food encourages people to make more informed choices about what they eat. Therefore whilst the chosen ingredients on Masterchef may not be healthy, I feel that long term they do encourage healthier living.

References

Goodyer, P. (2011). Kids in the kitchen. Retrieved from http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/kids-in-the-kitchen-20110929-1kxu8.html

Why cook?

“To escape the tediousness of "fast-food", let us rediscover the rich varieties and aromas of local cuisines.” – The Slow Food Manifesto

How many times have you ordered a dish in a restaurant and asked for a certain ingredient to be omitted? I know I have countless times. One of the entirely selfish benefits of cooking is that you get to control what goes into your food. I don’t have to use ingredients I don’t like. I can customise every dish to suit my palette. Life is too short to spend time eating something simply for the sake of eating. I would rather make something that I know I’m going to enjoy. I also control how much fat, sugar and preservatives go into my food. This helps me to stay healthy, or not. Whatever I want is my choice.

In today’s society when we think of food there are an enormous variety of choices available to us. We can grab a burger from a fast food store, we can go to a cafe, reheat leftovers or perhaps make something new. Now being no stranger to fast food I must say that when I eat it I am instantly sated, however, I find shortly after that I am hungry again. Not only that but I haven’t really taken the time to enjoy the meal. This is what the Slow food Manifesto is all about, choosing to create a great meal rather than grabbing a burger.

Now a cafe does indeed change this, as now I am able to slow down and enjoy my meal, have a glass of wine and spend the time chatting with friends. And those that know me will know how much I love a good cafe.

However often I find that I walk away from a café meal thinking, ‘I could make that’. So then I think well I could make the same thing for me and my friends; it would cost less and I get the added benefit of making something beautiful and sharing it.

This philosophy is part of the slow food movement which encourages people to slow down, enjoy their meals and take the time out to spend with friends and family. It affirms the return to the family home and the use of food to bring people together.

This is why I think cooking is so important; it allows us an opportunity to create the food that we eat as well as memories with friends and family.

Why I love cooking

Why I love cooking

Cooking has always interested me. For me it is an all engrossing activity that engages all of my senses and provides a great outlet for my creativity. I have always found that my mind is more settled when I am cooking. It relaxes me completely and allows me to simply enjoy something as mundane as kneading dough or stirring a pot. I particularly enjoy watching a dish with lots of complicated components come together and take shape.

Creating & Adapting

For me cooking is often about creating something new. Sometimes I find myself inspired by a recipe but when I try to recreate it, I will always put my own twist on it. However I find that more often I am inspired by dishes that I have seen or tasted rather than recipes. Then I will use these dishes as inspiration to create something of my own that is loosely based on the original dish.

Back to Basics

I also like to be self sufficient. Often I find myself thinking, ‘I could make that’ when eating something. This has led me to making my own bread, pasta, olives, with aspirations to try and make jam one day. I take a lot of pride in my cooking, and enjoy being able to create an entire meal from scratch. This is not to say that all of my attempts work. Often they flop, however this just sparks a fierce determination that eventually I will get it right.

 

Eating

Lastly the reason I love cooking, has a lot to do with the fact that I love eating! For me eating is part of cooking. Often I will taste something spectacular and try and ascertain how it was created. There is something special about seeing a dish and appreciating how much work has gone into creating it.

Engaging

Cooking is a way for me to create something that engages people completely. Food is something that touches all senses, whether it’s hearing the crack of a Crème Brule, smelling the tantalizing aroma’s from the kitchen, appreciating the beauty of a well presented dish or simply experiencing the layers of flavors and textures in a tiramisu. So for me food is something that we should take the time to enjoy and experience. For this reason I love cooking as it gives me a way to share a part of me with others.