I had lots of fun in someone else's kitchen.  Pots and pans like you see on the Food Network (albeit looking like they've seen a lot of use), knives so sharp you have to be extremely careful, and professional chefs to teach us how to turn out beautiful, delicious dishes.

I was invited, along with other bloggers, to join a Discovery Class last Saturday, 10 May 2008, at CCA (Center for Culinary Arts). The Discovery Class is part and parcel of the regular course offerings for new students of CCA to help them decide whether they are inclined to culinary or baking. Personally, I couldn't decide. As some of you know, I love being in the kitchen. I love to cook and I love to bake. And I am all for learning something new.

Fifteen people attended the morning session, majority of whom were bloggers. We were divided into 3 groups of 5 and each of the groups were tasked to prepare the same dish --- Caramelized Salmon with Orange-Shoyu Sauce. We also made sauteed mixed vegetables as a side dish. Our teacher for the morning session was Chef Menoy Gimenez. I had a lot of fun under his tutelage. His teaching technique is efficient, informative, and fun. I was lucky enough to be part of a group that could mostly cook and are OC so our process was also efficient and our work area was always clean AND we were all pretty good at following instructions. Check out what our finished product looked like.



In the afternoon was the baking session with Chef Anne Atanacio and we prepared Saffron Panna Cotta. This session was more casual and personal. Chef Anne showed us how to prepare the dish and then allowed us to make it ourselves. In the meantime, she would chat with us, tell us anecdotes, get to know us, and teach us when we needed guidance and jumped in when we made cooking mistakes. In the afternoon session only 9 participants were present so we were split into 3 groups of 3. My group finished first because we did not make any mistakes (thankfully!) and were eager to taste our finished product.

I, personally, had a lot of fun in this class and I fully intend to make these dishes again at home.  For me, though, the question of culinary or baking was not answered.  I want to do both!

If you are interested in taking the Discovery Class yourself, this is offered every Saturday at CCA.  The class costs P3,800 for a full day session (3 hours in the morning and 3 hours after lunch), all materials included.  CCA is located along Katipunan Avenue across the street from the Ateneo gym. The ground floor of the building is the Cravings restaurant.

I would love to enroll but that will have to take a back seat for now. I'll get Erika through college first, then we will see if there is a chef in me.

My only regret ... we couldn't bring home what we made.    I wonder ... any chance I could sit in on another Discovery Class for free? hehehe  But seriously ... I'd love it if I could.

Like I said in my last post ... I'm grounded.  At least until my face stops swelling.  Which means I am not allowed no go out (because I would most likely go bowling, hehehe ) or go to my kalimasada classes.  Thank goodness my mom can take over my classes in the interim.

So, here I am, at home, and I noticed that I had bananas, oranges, and lemons that would rot if I do not consume them so I decided to bake a banana loaf and orange rum cake (loaves).

Okay, okay ... baking doesn't actually qualify as resting but then, in my defense, I used the standing mixer instead of mixing everything by hand like I used to do.

Now I'm tired.  Time to rest.

Note to self:  Do not bake and bowl on the same day.  It doesn't do anything for my game.   I did make good muffins, though, hehehe.  I started baking at 7:30am and stopped at 3pm.  I rested and slept for about 2 hours before getting ready for bowling.  When it came time to bowl my left arm (elbow and hand specifically) were still sore.  I had no choice.  I definitely had to bowl with my right.

There was a frame or two when I would try to use my left in an effort to improve my score ... no such luck.  Sigh.

So, tomorrow, I will keep my arms rested.

Question: What happens when you bake a multi-grain banana loaf and you forget to add a key ingredient? (baking soda)

Answer: You get great tasting flat bread
Ho boy! I'll be eating these 2 loaves for the next couple (or more!) days, hehehe Thank goodness I didn't miss any other ingredient.

Ok ... so I baked again. I've actually baked so much in the last week that, if I had just gotten around to selling the cookies instead of eating them or giving it away, I would have made back my "investment" a long time ago. I'm considering it, though, 'cause I have been getting some orders. So far these are the flavors I've made:

• cappuccino
• cereal crispies
  
• chocolate chip
  
• oatmeal chocolate chip
• raisin
  
• southern belle (peanut butter with nuts and white chocolate chips)
  
• with candy pieces
  

The cookies I've been making are about 3 inches in diameter. The process is the same (more or less, at least the ones I choose to make) so once you get the hang of it coming up with different flavors is simple.

It's a seasonal thing, though, 'cause I can only bake when I am in the mood. I tried baking once when I was feeling down and most of the cookies (or muffins) turned out bad (burnt, flat, undercooked, etc.) Since then I have learned my lesson. Only bake when the mood is right.

This year I am thinking of giving these cookies out as gifts to family and friends. Store bought gifts are ok but I make these with love so that should count for something, right?

A few days ago was the first time I got to really taste the cookies. Whenever I eat the cookies right after baking them, I can't really appreciate the taste. It is as if my taste buds are disensitized at that point. But when I tasted them a day after I was surprised at the burst of flavor that assaulted my taste buds. My favorite of the bunch so far are the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies and the Southern Belle. I'm on the hunt good recipes for rocky road cookies and butterscotch cookies.