20 February 2006

The DP approaches

'DP' being the big dinner party on 23rd February. Otherwise known as Chefette's First Ever Paying Gig. (Cue drumroll.)

Turns out I'll be cooking for 10 people. Not quite so nerve-wracking as the originally planned 12, but still more than a little daunting.

Menu I'll be doing is:

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Bruschetta with slow roast tomatoes & prosciutto

ooo

Rack of lamb with a herb & mustard crust
Sauce Bordelaise
Garlic roast potatoes
Fine green beans

ooo

Chocolate pots laced with brandy

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Please, please send your messages of support for Chefette as the big day approaches. She'll welcome all the positive vibes she can get on this one!

Meanwhile, in class, presentation continues to be a struggle for quite a few of us. The Scotsman now wants us to be visualising our presentation of each dish before we even come into class. His new requirement is that we all have to make a little drawing every day on our timeplans showing how we are going to present each dish. Seeing as I'm rubbish at drawing (and not particularly gifted in terms of 3-D visualisation) I'm not wild about this new edict, but I'm willing to try anything if it will help me improve.

Best experience of the week last week was a demonstration by Peter Gordon, the head chef of The Providores in Marylebone High Street, and big-time advocate of 'fusion' food (using flavours and ingredients with a global perspective). Personality-wise, he was incredibly down to earth and generous with his advice to us students, even if he was somewhat shameless about plugging his new cookbook. He gave us some great recipes, including quite a good venison tataki and a very tasty saute of snails with sherry jus.

But his funniest advice was that, if he really hated something, he always tried to put it on the menu. I'm still not sure I can figure out the logic of this, unless it is just to push yourself into conquering a food phobia. Good advice or no, friends can rest easy that I have absolutely no plans to put andouillette on any of my menus in the near future! (Apologies to the husband, who loves andouillette....)

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good luck with the dinner party Margaret...I know you'll be fab.

Emma

Anonymous said...

You'll have a great dinner party Margaret, we are so much enjoying your blog site.
Jean and Ian Munro

Anonymous said...

Hey Margaret, well done now you've got through the DP.
Having already sampled your delicious chicken liver paté and fruit & nut biscotti, I'm sure you handled it with aplomb!
I had the biscotti crumbled over a fruit salad with creme fraiche and nutella, lovely, if a bit unorthodox.
Let me know when you want to scout Old Street Food Hall.
Annalisa XX

Anonymous said...

I would love to have your biscotti recipe...do you share?

Michaelene