At ICE (Institute for Culinary Education, before when it was Peter Kump’s) we got lectures, demos and had to go to the cutting boards and stoves and prove ourselves.
Allen, our first instructor/chef, assigned vegetables a la Greque.” Which is Greek vegetables poached in a fennel-scented broth. He told us to salt the water. “NO! Not enough salt. It must taste like the sea!”
Later we made our own curry powder and had to toast it in a dry pan for the dish we were making. “NO! It must smell like you are walking down a street in Calcutta.”
Well, our place smells like Calcutta tonight as I finish cooking a curried, roasted acorn squash and carrot soup. Since soup and a retro lettuce wedge aren’t enough for Jim, I’ve a good wheat baguette and some sandwich fixings.
Looks like it’s time to puree and see if I need more Calcutta in the soup! Dee
Cooking with Dee 