Recently, I had a chance to step out of the kitchen and away from my computer to take part in a networking event for food bloggers in my area. Small Chicks Big Eats partnered with Chef Tech Cooking School here in Long Beach and held a Bloggers Networking and Cooking Workshop last month.
I found out about the event by chance after having a glass of wine one night with my friend Gina at the Willmore Wine Bar, which happens to be a few doors down. Chef Tech Cooking School's bright lights flooded the dark sidewalk and the smell of baked bread peaked our curiosity. We peered in through the storefront window and what a sight it was. It was about 8:30 at night and the baking class students were taking their glorious breads, muffins and rolls out of the oven. Perfect timing.
Chef Teri waved us in. She let us try some of the warm potato rolls with butter. Yum! As we talked, Gina mentioned that I had a food blog and Chef Teri asked if I was coming to their food bloggers event that coming Sunday. In short, I rushed home, signed up and cleared my Sunday plans so I could make the event.
It was an amazing day filled with learning, eating, and meeting some amazing fellow food bloggers. We had bakers, home cooks, teachers, business owners, caterers, food editors and YouTube bloggers each demonstrating our love of food.
Let's take a look at the wonderful food, Chef Teri prepared for us.
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Grilled Chicken Breasts
Shaved Fennel Parmesan Salad
Strawberry Rhubarb Quick Stir Cake
Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Here are some the pictures from the event. Beginning with homemade Vanilla Ice Cream. What's the saying? "Life is short. Eat dessert first."
This was unbelievably smooth and decadent.
Next up, the Strawberry Rhubarb Quick Stir Cake. (I would of posted in process pics but the pics were blurry and all around not good...so let's jump to the finished product! Ta Da! Beautiful!)
Now it's time to get those Chicken Breasts in the brine and get them ready for grilling. I've only brined chicken a handful of times and usually it wasn't chicken breasts. It was legs and thighs that kind of thing. Well... I learned that you shouldn't brine legs and thighs of chicken because they have built in fat between the muscle fibers that naturally keep them moist. Brining meat serves to not just flavor the meat but seal in juices. I have yet to do this at home with chicken breasts but believe me, this will be my 'go to' way to prep chicken breasts because they were delicious.
I didn't get any shots of these lovely ladies soaking in salt water but I did get a post-spa day picture of these hot chicks sunbathing on the grill. :)
AND NOW ON TO MY FAVORITE FOOD...SALAD!
Not only did I get to eat this delicious salad, I learned a few things along the way. I learned the difference between Vinaigrette and Dressing and I learned what that little hole at the bottom of the insert at the top of my Food Processor is used for. It was a full day of salad learning for me! :)
I'll share what I learned when I blog this recipe in an upcoming blog.
Here's a picture of Chef Teri emulsifying by hand with a whisk. Later, she added the vinaigrette to the food processor and emulsified it further. Easy breezy.
(Stay tuned, I will be blogging this salad recipe in the very near future...As you know, I love salad and I love fennel. It's my new favorite ingredient...check out another great recipe with fennel with my Rustic Minestrone Soup with Butternut Squash and Fennel)
At the end of this amazing experience, the one thing I know for certain is that I need to take the Knife skills class. It's a given. I also want to take the Professional Chef 1:Foundation classes at Chef Tech Cooking School in September. Now I just have to save up for it and enroll. :)
Thank you to Small Chicks Big Eats for organizing this wonderful event and to Chef Teri at Chef Tech Cooking School for opening your doors to this home cook with a blog.
For more information about classes and workshops at Chef Tech Cooking School visit their website for their calendar of events.
Check out these amazing ladies:
smallchicksbigeats.com
figsontop.com
Tanayastable.com
FloriCooks.com
Lacooquette.com
Bakingwithmelissa.com
Instagram@juliegoeshealthy
Instagram@cremedelacroom
Instagram@Kel_Shiroma (thefoodcritique.com)
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