I decided that maybe, just maybe, I might have something valuable to add to this large space known as the Internet; or blog-o-sphere.
Hopefully, this blog turns into one about food, recipes, restaurants and maybe some travel. My profession lies in cooking, creating, and enjoying food. I am allowed to dabble, in my current position, with pretty much whatever I can get my hands on food wise. Sometimes creating a menu can be a challenging and difficult because the creativity just isn't always "ON". So I try to rely on print and online resources, past eating experiences, and new ideas that have been floating around.
For example, my most recent "project" is a book club luncheon. The challenge is everyone is served the same meal. This one will be 3 courses with an amuse bouche to be served prior to the meal; possibly at the bar with a class of wine or cocktail. But, this can be a difficult task when dealing with food restrictions: No seafood (allergies), no pork (religious), and low fat (women are always worried about weight). This usually leads me to chicken since it is leaner then beef and lamb.
In addition to dietary restraints I also have to consider textures, cooking techniques, and flavors so that there is some variety of the courses. Currently, I have planned these courses as follows:
Amuse bouche: Roasted Lamb Kabob with Yogurt dipping sauce
First Course: Mixed Green Salad with Shaved Apples, Meyer lemon-honey-herb vinaigrette, Shaved Manchego cheese and Candied Walnuts
Main Course: Moroccan spiced Chicken "pie", Crispy phyllo, with roasted Cauliflower and Cilantro oil
Dessert: Homemade Ricotta cheese with Nut Crackers and Port Poached Figs
This menu definitely has a Mediterranean twist to it and I think it will satisfy any pallete. I hope that by keeping the portions tight and trim, that even with some rich ingredients, this won't be too indulgent and rich. For this event I try to use ideas that I have made before, however, I have not made homemade ricotta before and look forward to the challenge.
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