Cookin' in the kitchen....

Sorry that I don’t write more blogs. I sort of feel that if I’m forcing a topic, the whole thing is just going to suck. And I really don’t want to bore everyone. Although…I’ve been getting a lot of…”update your blog…I check your blog for new ones and nothing!....etc”

So…here goes.

We’re taking a cooking class out of our house. My roommate’s friend’s boyfriend was a chef for a number of years and now works in sales. Well, his passion is food (see blog #1 – I hope to find this passion one day). Anywho (yes I meant anywho…not anyhow), somehow he agreed to teach a bunch of amateur cooks to create dinner a little more exciting than rice-a-roni and shake and bake.

Our first class took place at Central Market. For those of you not from here, it is one of best grocery stores in Houston. (Well…if fresh produce, organic food, and a fresh meat market is your thing). We started in the produce section and he basically walked us around, showed us new things, and explained the best way to cook them. Meanwhile, we, apprentices, feverishly took notes. As soon as we walked in, someone who shall remain nameless, asked a question and I was sure it was going to be a LONG night. Here goes the question, “Umm…so what’s the difference between this and that?” Tim (the amazing teacher) explains, “Well, that is a zucchini and that is a cucumber.” Oh lord….I hope this isn’t an omen of future questions to come….

But, it ended up being great. We all learned what a shallot was…it’s an onion….but not the long, green onion (which we all assumed was a shallot), but instead they are like normal onions, but smaller with a weird shape. We learned that leeches (the asian fruit not the blood sucking bug) are aphrodisiacs (I’ll be buying those more often). We learned about different types of fish and how much we should order for different amounts of people. And the list goes on…

Last night was our first official, hands on cooking class. It was GREAT! Tim came to our house and brought over his special pans and knives that he knew us novices would not have. We learned how to cook Tilapia, Salmon, and Tuna Steak. Umm YUM! WE learned how to bread the fish and pan fry them, broil the salmon and to pan sear the tuna steak. Did anyone know you go – Flour, then egg, then breading??? I always thought the egg was first! (well not that it ever mattered because I had actually never attempted cooking fish, but if I had, it would have been ALL wrong). Tim brought some previously made couscous (which I had no idea was supposed to be served cold) and we also learned the best way to cook broccoli. He emailed us the recipe for the couscous…so we can try it ourselves next time!! The best part was we got to laugh a ton, drink some great wine and enjoy the food with each other in the end!

I can’t wait to learn how to cook some more amazing dishes!!