Friday, November 21, 2008

I was about to burst! In a good way....

I am part of the Dallas Chapter of the United States Personal Chef Association and this is my first year as a member so apparently each end of the year the chapter goes to a local restaurant to do a food tasting. Wow, I did not know what to expect but I can tell you this, I have never eaten so much food at one sitting in my life!  

Ok so we went to Charlie Palmer on Main and Ackard in downtown Dallas.  So here we go with the rundown of the food and I am sure I will miss something but trust me, it was all good in it's own way. 

lobster corny dog with three mustard cream
surf and swine: carmeized scallops, crisp pork belly with a cassis redcution
sauteed hudson valley foie gras: peach tarte tatin, chili blueberry compote with basil
seared halibut: halibut with melted sweet onion and mushroom soy
grilled squab or sauteed texas quail (there were 8 of us so 4 got one and 4 got the other and we shared*)
dry aged ny sirloin or filet mignon with a blue cheese crust (*)
Sides were: spinach, steak fries, polenta (YUMMY!), fingerling potatoes, trumpet royale mushrooms in toasted garlic, cremini mushrooms with oxtail ragout.

Ok then they brought a pre dessert, chocolate lollypops, dark chocolate rolled in rasberry dust, a choc type rice crispy, a nutty thing, and a choc powder thingy (technical terms I know!) Then we had a peanut butter layer cream cake (YUCKY PB) an apple cheesecake, assorted ice creams and sorbet, candied rasberries and I think that is it...oh we all walked away with a bag of ginger snaps.

Now one thing that was so neat about this all was the chef would come in before each course and tell us chefs what he made for us.  He was a great guy. The pastry chef did the same when it was dessert time.  One other big thing was there was wine paring.  Brandon, our Sommelier came in and talked wine and I was so impressed.  I did not do the wine tasting part but was in awe of his knowledge.  

This was a great experience good food, good company and this is something I would not have done on my own I don't think.  I am grateful for the experience to expand my pallet and foodie knowledge.




Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Cleaning tip

Ok, so last night for dinner I made baked chicken wings, chicken flavored rice, and choyote squash (mirliton, if you are creole!) Dinner was delicious but the clean up was no fun.  The pan that I cooked the chicken wings in was crusted and not very easy to clean.  I knew I needed to soak it.  I remembered a trick perhaps you already know to get on that caked on stuff from pots, a dryer sheet.  Yep, a dryer sheet, soak the pot in hot water and put a dryer sheet in over night and the "stuff" that is stuck will come right out.  Ok, that does sound like Martha Stewart but that is not where I got it from....

What ya cooking tonight?

Saturday, November 8, 2008

ahlalou.com is UP!

My website is up!  I am so pleased with the way it turned out.  Thanks to Van Sneed III at joygazmmm.com  He did a wonderful job!  

One thing you may notice is that the splash page (first page you see) is advertising a service I am offering called "Everything but the bird". This is a Thanksgiving special to help with the side dishes and sweets for that big bird day.  Keep an eye out because gumbo is coming real soon....

ahlalou.com
chefalyssa@ahlalou.com
214.227.2055

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

I am breaking my own rule! I'm doing something Martha.

Ok so I am a chef right?  Well I have a confession to make,  I am NOT a Martha Stewart fan.  Never really liked the lady.  Although, she does good things in the kitchen.  I never watch her show, do not buy her mags, nothing, until now.  Martha Stewart has a book out called Martha Stewart, Cooking Class.  It is good and I must confess I am buying it.  Breaking my own rule to swearing off all things Martha. Not sure this will get me to watch the show or read the mags but I will support this book.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Saigon Mall

There is this new asian market place down the street from my house called Saigon Mall.  Now immediately I got pictures in my head of hanging ducks and those sort of thing and don't get me wrong, it was all that.  Parts of animals I would not think of eating but it is so much more.  There are items that I discovered  living in Japan that I can get there and that made my day.  Also what really made my day was the live blue crabs that they have...and you know why, because it is time for GUMBO!  Well by the time I got there, no more live crabs, they had taken the shell off of them and froze them but nevertheless, whole blue crabs in my famous gumbo saves me the boiling time :-).  Real excited about that.

Reminder....Nov 4th is TOMORROW

Don't forget to vote.  I will be working at the polls from 11-3 tomorrow.  Can't wait.