Now you’re cooking

We had dinner last night with two friends, prepared by a professional chef, but we didn’t go to a restaurant.

A while ago, Rachel entered a drawing at the gym. It is a franchise operation, with locations up and down the Eastern seaboard. The contest was sponsored by Balducci’s, a New York gourmet food store that has been expanding into the area here. Top prize? A cooking demonstration and dinner for four at your home by Balducci’s executive chef. Turns out this wasn’t just top prize, it was the only prize, and Rachel won!

So last night we got together with our friends Dave and Daria at their home (they have a huge kitchen) and the chef who came down from New Jersey, and we cooked up a storm!

On the menu was encrusted pan fried brie, served with mesculin mix and berry mostard; quail, stuffed with figs and chicken sausage, poached and then braised and served with spetzel and french green beans; and for dessert, apple tarte tartain, served with creme anglaise.

Nothing was pre-prepared — we made it all. Chris, the chef, headed the team, but we all participated in the prep and cooking. It was organized chaos and man was it fun and so good!

One of the more interesting things was the order in which we prepared each piece of the meal. Chris pointed out that when you eat in a restaurant, probably 80% of the food is prepared before you order. It is finished and “reheated” before it is served. Reheated is the wrong word to use, I guess. Elements of the meal are prepared ahead of time and assembled in a Just In Time process that would make any major manufacturer jealous.

Chris joined us for dinner at our request and we talked the night away. We all learned a lot about the realities of culinary school, the career path of kitchen staff, and even some of the economics of running both a restaurant and a gourmet store like Balducci’s.

Thank you Washington Sports, Balducci’s, Dave & Daria, and especially Chris!