A QUESTION OF TASTE
~2011~
Paris June 22-25
Asheville July 10-16 and July 17-23
Ithaca October 5-9
Sonoma December 7-10
www.schoolofculinaryarts.org 828-301-2792
Inspiration
The rhythm of our food derives from the surrounding landscape, the cultures and the traditions that give food its beauty,
tastes and aromas…Rhythm requires an appreciation of pleasure, of the harmony of food, its inner meaning. A great
food experience is the result of an art that conceals art, a wonderful synchronicity of the material and non-material
worlds.~IACP
When the French take a bite of cheese or a sip of wine, they taste the earth: rock, grass, hillside, valley, plateau. They
combine gustatory sensation and the evocative possibilities of taste in their fidelity to the taste of place, or gout du
terroir.~Amy B. Trubek
A chef’s role is almost like a conductor’s of an orchestra. He does not play one instrument. Rather, he makes sure the
whole ensemble works correctly together, each instrument doing its part, to create the “music” that wafts into the front of
the house.~Eric Ripert
You want to have an infatuation with the ingredients you cook with.~Michael Anthony
Using your knife and fork can save your life.~Dr. John LaPuma
Eating with the fullest pleasure—pleasure, that is, that does not depend on ignorance—is perhaps the profoundest
enactment of our connection with the world.~Wendell Berry
We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we
are.~Craig Martin
Spring
Velouté de Carottes au Gingembre
(Cream of Carrot and Ginger Soup)
Ingredients :
8-10 carrots
1 knob of fresh ginger root
½ cup heavy cream or crème fraîche
salt
pepper
Préparation :
Peel the carrots, slice into 1-inch lengths and cook uncovered in salted water until soft. Blend with
the fresh ginger juice (squeezed through a garlic press or chopped very fine) and add the cream. Salt,
pepper and reheat gently if necessary or serve chilled, decorated with a swirl of cream and a leaf of
chervil.
Summer
Mme Reboul’s Two-Minute Piecrust
Ingredients for one large pie dish:
10-12 heaping soupspoons all-purpose flour (2cups)
1 heaping soupspoon wheat germ
5-6 soupspoon mild oil, such as sunflower (1/2 scant cup)
5-6 soupspoons water (1/2 scant cup)
pinch or grinding of salt
Preparation:
Spoon flour into mixing bowl, add oil, water and salt, give a quick stir with a fork, turn into pie dish
and pat out to shape with palms. (Can also be prepared with a stick of softened butter in place of
the oil for a more luxurious flavor.)
Optional additions:
small handful of chopped herbs such as rosemary, thyme, oregano; sugar or spices...
~~~~~
Summer Savory Tomato Tart
Ingredients:
One piecrust (Mme Reboul’s Two-Minute version, with herbs added to dough if desired)
4 or 5 large ripe tomatoes
2 or 3 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup grated Swiss-style cheese (emmenthal, comté, or gruyère)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
freshly ground salt and pepper
drizzle of olive oil
fresh basil, oregano (in summer), or rosemary or thyme (in winter) to decorate
Preparation:
Spread piecrust into plate with palms of hands, brush or spread with a thin layer of mustard, cut
tomatoes in half, squeeze out the seeds and juice, slice and arrange in a single layer on top of the
mustard (overlapping slightly as needed to fill in the holes), peel and slice garlic, arranging it on top
of tomato slices, salt and pepper and cover with the grated cheese. Bake for half an hour or until the
crust and cheese are golden. Serve hot or cold, decorated with fresh herbs.
Autumn
French Apple Tart
Ingredients:
one pie crust
4 large apples
1 tablespoon butter
turbinado sugar to sprinkle (1 tablespoon)
very light sprinkling of cinnamon
Preparation:
Pat dough into pie dish with palm of hands, peel, halve, and core apples. Slice thinly, chop up
smaller end slices and spread them over the pie shell, fan out remaining slices and place like flower
petals, overlapping, around the outside edge of the dish. Continue working inward and finish off
with a central rosette. Dot the apples with the thinly sliced butter, sprinkle with a small amount of
sugar and a hint of cinnamon (optional), and place in oven to bake for a half hour or until golden.
Sprinkle with remaining sugar after baking for slight grainy texture.
Winter
Endives au Jambon
(Endives Baked in Ham)
Ingredients:
6 endives
6 slices of ham
sour cream (1 cup or so)
garlic
salt
pepper
nutmeg
grated gruyère
Preparation :
Parboil the endives until tender, drain and wrap in slices of ham. Place in an oiled baking dish and
cover with a mixture of the sour cream and pressed garlic, salt, pepper, and freshly-grated nutmeg.
Top with grated cheese and bake until bubbly and golden. Serve with basmati rice. (Optionally, you
can braise the endives in butter before baking and top with a bechamel.)