Outstanding in the Field

Class tonight was short as Chef Debbie was sick with a cold and needed to go home and sleep (she works a full day at Glendale HS followed by 5-10 pm with us college students two nights a week - she had to be exhausted!!)

However, we did go over some safety hints...  For instance it's an old wives tale and a VERY WRONG old wives tale that you put butter on a burn.  Please don't ever put butter on a burn.  Cold water only.  And don't pop a blister if it forms.  It's there for a reason.  Also my favorite hint - if you are in a heated argument with another chef - please put any instruments (especially sharp ones) down before continuing...

We handed in our homework from Tuesday: "tell me about your most memorable restaurant experience."  I talked to Chef after class about mine.

It was June of 2009, just shortly after I was laid off from my job and I was getting ready for around 5 weeks of travels to San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Boston, Western MA and CT.  I figured I should try and see everyone I can because who knew when I'd be able to afford to travel again!

The weekend in Half Moon Bay was a great kick off to my adventures in travel.  My sister Jenn, her husband, Nat and I decided to drive up to Northern Cal to try out an Outstanding in the Field  event. It is truly an amazing organization - I hope you will click on the link and check it out.  Every year around the first day of spring they send out to their followers, and post to their website a schedule of their "roving farm dinners."  Their mission (taken directly from their website) is: "to re-connect diners to the land and the origins of their food, and to honor the local farmers and food artisans who create it."  That is it in a nutshell and oh, what an experience!!

The photo behind my blog name at top was taken at the event.  So you can see just how amazing the location was.  Chef Mourad Lahlou of Aziza in San Francisco, cooked his delicious Moroccan food using mostly BBQ grills set up under tents.  For Northern California it was actually pretty warm so I commend the waitstaff and the "back of the house" for doing such a great job in such warm weather.  We sampled local wine and fresh fish and delicious, freshly picked cherries.  The menu is shown below:

We had a great time with a bunch of people we hadn't met before and some of us at the tables even ate the eyes of the whole grilled rock fish!  Not I! Some food pics are below.  I truly hope I can do this again this year.  It's so important to eat locally and understand where your food comes from.  If you can find one of these events in your neighborhood I HIGHLY recommend attending.  It's expensive but SO worth it. 

Chow for now!