Categories of Soup

In Soup dishes there are two different categories. The two categories are a Clear soup and a Thick soup. In a clear soup there is a clear soup and a consomme. In  a thick soup there are creme soups and puree soups.

Clear soups are basically a broth or a stock of some sort. It is clear and very light. Clear soup are made with flavorful meat and vegetable broths.

A consomme is like a clear soup but it is much more rich in flavor and it is very clear. It is developed using a technique called a raft. This soup is in the category of a clear soup but it is also known as it's own soup.

Thick Soups are soups that usually have a thickening agent in it. There could be things such as heavy cream or milk in it. A potato creme soup is an example of a creme soup. Creme soup is mixed with a roux which is made from a fat and flour mix. Cream soups have a thicker base then Puree soups.

The puree soup is when a soups ingredients are blended and then pureed into a thick sauce. It is added with other ingredients to make a puree soup.

Clear soup Categories

Clear soup

Consomme

Cream soup

Puree Soup

Stuffed Mushroom with Shrimp and Bacon

Stuffed Mushroom with Shrimp and Bacon consisted of fried bacon and shrimp mixed with onion, bell pepper, basil and salt/pepper.

The first thing to do is to fry up the shrimp and bacon in seperate pans.

The shrimp should be fried in butter and not oil. That way it has a melting and flavorful taste. Then we sauteed the vegetables to make them a bit crunchy.

Then we mix the ingredients and stuff them in the mushroom.
We let the mushroom fry in the bacon fat untill its tender.

 This recipe is unique because it is made up based on our own knowledge and it is both flavorful and good looking.

I believe that if we had put less oil and butter in it and less salt and more black pepper it would be better.

Your Local Market

I did a little research about the population and economic growth in Stevens Point and i found out that there are more family restaurnats and quick serves than fine dining. I believe it's because there are more middle class men and lower people working here. There is also more pubs as well.

If i were to open my own restaurant I would chose a family restaurant becaue it would do much better here in Stevens Points.

Stevens point isn't a big city so there will probably not be as many fine dining. Of course if I were to open a fine dinning there would be less competition but not alot of people would come either.

Thats why I chose to open a family restaurant. Stevens Point is a neigborhood friendly city as well so there will be lots of kids and thats why family restaurants for people who want a good meal would be a good addition.

Delicious Burgers

Creating a burger from scratch did not take much effort.

The burger i made is called the flavorful burger. It consists of a chicken breast flavored with salt and pepper.

 It is fried and topped with fried onions, spinach, tomato, bacon and a dalop of garlic rosemary mayonnaise.

 It was a delicous burger that was juicy, crunchy and mouth watering. It is unique because of the sauce it had. It was very tastey.

My marketing plan for this burger would consist a very good burger joint that is bright and full of people.

The presentation is basically the burger itself. It appears to have a wanderful toasted bun with melting cheese comming out and wonderful ingredients.

We would advertise it with a commercial with peopel hustling and bustle to get a bite of the last Flavorful burger in the world. That is my marketing plan.

Making Eclairs

Making an Eclair was not as tough as i had thought. The process was simple so long as you followed the directions. Each part had its own unique way.

The first part was the dough, it doesn't have a leveling agent but is cooked in a sauce pan until it sticks to the bottom.

The second part is the pastry cream. It seemed simple and very creamy.
The third part was the ganache, it was very easy to make. All it needed was heavy cream and some chocolate.

Overall the recipe was easy to follow and the dessert was delicious. Though I believe it would have been better if it was fresh out of the oven and then filled with the pastry cream.

The dough was definitely different from different doughs created for pastry. There was no leveling agent and it was cooked over heat. The dough rose when it was baked but some of them collapsed.

 The dough was not soft and fluffy, it was much harder and flaky. Next time if i had the time to remake this I would fill the Eclair as soon as possible so that it is still moist and has it's beautiful texture on the inside.

Sauce examination?

YUMMY CARAMEL?

I was able to make a caramel sauce that was rich in color and very tasty.
I followed an easy and simple recipe that called for sugar, heavy cream and butter.
 I thought that the caramel was pretty easy to make, it needed constant attention so that it wouldn't burn but if you are attentive it will not burn.
 It depends on the thickness of your pot.
If its thick you did not need to add water, if it was thin then you needed to add some water to stop it from burning.
The scary thing about a caramel sauce is that it can burn very easy so a tip i would give is to just keep an eye on it and to have all of your ingredients ready to put in when it's needed.

FRUIT SYRUP AND FRUIT COULIS

The two different fruit sauces was a fruit coulis and a fruit syrup.
The difference between the two was the ingredients.
The coulis called for a much more acidic taste. there was lemon juice and sugar and other ingredients.
The consistency was also different.
 It was much thicker.
 The fruit syrup was mixed with fruit and sugar and then strained to get the seeds and such out.
It was more like a thick watery substance. Overall both sauces were really good!

What are the differences between Syneresis and Curdling?

:P :D :( :) :P :D :( :)

Syneresis – When a custard is left overnight or as it ages, the watery liquid leaks from the gel structure and forms Syneresis. (it is edible) Cooking custard too fast and too hot can affect the water held in the structure.

Curdling – When cooked eggs or egg yolks in a sauce or custard coagulate, it is called curdling. It effects the quality of the food. (it is edible) Overheating stirred cooked custard can cause curdling problems

Bavarian Crème, Pastry Creams, and Crème Anglaise can be curdling examples because they all have a custard like base to it because they are very creamy.

 Sabayon is a sauce that can start to syneresis.

It has egg yolks in the sabayon and if it isn’t cooked right it would start to curdle or syneresis.

Dessert Sauces

My favorite dessert is probably cookies, it's easy to make and super delicious.

Chocolate Chip cookies are my favorite, I could eat so much in a day.

Chocolate chip cookies does not have a "sauce" to it but if there were i would probably make a caramel sauce to put on top of it as a decoration or give it a zing.

I dont really picture Chocolate Chip cookies with any other kind of sauce but i think it would be a very creative way to make a new recipe.

Communication Style

After taking a communication quiz, my results were a Buddy kind of person.

This means that I tend to like to be friendly with everyone and I like to share everyones ideas.

 I do agree with this result because I do like to get to know everyone and I like making friends and making sure everyone gets along.

Poached Pears

Never had i made Poached Pears and it was a great experience when I did.

The recipe that I used to make poached pears used about a cup or two of pomagranite juice with a pinch of
clove, sugar and cinnomon.

This recipe was easy to follow and was delicious.
It had easy to follow directions.

Poached pears are made by pealing the pear completely and leaving the stem.
Then it is put into the simmering pomagranite juice.

After 12 minutes the pear is pulled out and set to cool.
After wards you may add any other topping you would like.

It was a great experience for me and it was also a fun lab to do. :D

RECIPE:

Pomegranate Poached Pears

Prep + cook time: 25 mins

Serves: 4

When choosing your pears, go with ones that are on the firm side over really ripe ones. You will have plenty of juice left over after poaching, so you can always reuse it to make another batch of pears. Best if eaten within 48 hours.

You need:

• 2 firm bosc pears
• 11 oz. all natural pomegranate (POM) juice
• 2 teaspoons sugar

• A few drops of red food coloring
• Pinch ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Peel pears, leaving stems intact. Bring pot of POM juice to light simmer. Add food coloring, sugar and spices.
2. Gently lower each pear into juice using a slotted spoon. Reduce heat to med-low and let pears cook until soft (about 10-15 mins), turning with spoon every so often so they cook and take on color evenly. You can also spoon liquid over exposed fruit during cooking.
3. Once done, transfer to a large bowl, pour juice overtop and let cool. Slice in half and serve with a small scoop of ice cream or whipped cream in the center or just as is!
4. Be sure to plate according to elements of meal appeal and take a photo prior to your first bite!

Key Lime Pie, YUM YUM?

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/key-lime-pie-recipe/index.html

Everytime I tend to roam to the bakery section, and what I always end up picking up with me is a Key Lime Pie. I absolutly love the savory and lime flavor that it has. I wanted to find a good recipe to follow to make but I haven't found one that will fit my taste. I had never tried to make one from scratch either so I'm a bit worried that I might screw the whole thing up. Luckily i found this recipe but i was wondering if it is good? No worries the best way to know if something is good is to try it right?...

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick butter) melted
• 2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup key lime or regular lime juice
• 2 whole large eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon lime zest

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter with your hands. Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie pan, and bake until brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before filling.

Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

In a separate bowl, combine the condensed milk, lime juice, and eggs. Whisk until well blended and place the filling in the cooled pie shell. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Once chilled, combine the sour cream and powdered sugar and spread over the top of the pie using a spatula. Sprinkle the lime zest as a garnish on top of the sour cream and serve chilled.

Key Lime Pie

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2002

ENJOY!