Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Provence est savoureux!

Ahhh....Provence. If only I could meet you. We would have so much fun, strolling in the park, hand in hand, enjoying the night music and the exquisite food. Breathing the intoxicating air, while sipping on a glass of locally crafted wine.

Yeah, I'm dreaming, I know. But, hey I did get to try a minuscule sampling of Provencal food last night at my second Williams Sonoma class, so I'm allowed.

I have to say a few things first. I was in a super bad mood when I left for the class. My children have set out to destroy me, piece by piece, and yesterday proved they are masters at that skill. Other issues with different things throughout the day added to my mood, plus it was darn hot.

So, I left in a huff, and walked into the WS store, signed in, and sat down. Within minutes my mood was lifted. The first sampling of Provence was a tasty little bread stick, dipped in pesto. These were not the doughy, gigantic kind you find at a pizza joint, but thin, crispy sticks that had been coated in pepper, salt, or herbs. The pesto was made with basil and pine nuts, as usual, but also with an added dimension provided by unexpected cashews. I could have just scooped the pesto out and ate it with a spoon.

Next up was a traditional French Tart, made with Maytag Blue cheese, tomatoes, and fresh thyme. The crust was light and flaky, and the blue cheese was by far the best I have ever had. I can't wait to make this for our next dinner party. Very impressive looking, but easy to prepare.

A Chicken Salad Provencal was our third selection. And this was no ordinary salad. Seriously. This was a taste bud tantalizer from beginning to end. Lots of roasted chicken was partnered with cooked red potatoes and blanched skinny green beans, raw red onions, tomatoes, fresh basil and Nicoise olives, all on a bed of butter lettuce, and tossed in a lovely light and tangy mustard vinaigrette. The heat from the cooked vegetables combined with the crunch of the fresh ones, was surprising and the saltiness from the olives, with the tang of the vinegar and mustard just sent your taste buds on overload. And I wasn't complainin'.

To cap things off, we had a nice, dark chocolate mousse with white chocolate shavings. The mousse was light, yet had some texture to it and a hint of cinnamon, and the Guittard bittersweet chocolate used as the base was just the perfect, not too sweet end to the meal.

I will be signing up for a Summer Pie class, and hopefully others, because after all was said and done, I left that class on cloud 9 and it cured all the bluey blues I left the house with. I should take a class every night...might save some lives around here.

If you get a chance, I highly recommend these classes. You learn a lot about tools that help in the kitchen, but you also get to hear what the chefs prefer and other tips that come in handy. And listening to people who enjoy food as much as I do...now that is the cherry on top. There's nothing like a foodie conversation. The oohs and aahs that came from a small jar of pink sea salt and the moans at just the mention of a ricer used for smooth and fluffy mashed potatoes indicate you're in good company.

I didn't get the gastric side effects like last time either, which makes me think it was the liquid smoke that was in several dishes in the last class. Or, maybe it's just my body's way of saying, "Alimentaire français est bon pour moi." (French food is good for me.)

No comments: