SCHOOL IS IN...AT THE KITCHENS BOUNTY

We know the school year is ending most everywhere....but certainly not here at the Kitchens Bounty.  It may be hot outside...but we are cool and collected planning our Summer Classes (and Fall) and queuing up to host our friends with new exciting menus.  We are so fortunate to have two immensely talented college interns to work with us this Summer... Kathleen Wheeler (aka Alex) is from BGSU/Firelands - a creative force, while Nathan Carr hails from Baldwin Wallace, with great experience in Event Planning ( Theatre will do that to you!).helping streamline communications and working in the launching of our new Gourmet Product Line. Our plans are that as of the middle of June - a click of a button will deliver amazing treats to your door.  So stay tuned on this!

In June - check out the Trio of Grilling Menu, featuring Leaping Frog Chicken, after experiencing this dish done in the "Argentine Tradition" you may just believe that you have never really tasted Chicken before - spicy, highly aromatic....a true experience.  So from Grillin...to Lobster...to Chillin,  it is all right here.  Join us in the quest for the perfect meal.....or just have fun trying!  New Class schedules are posted...

Look who is in the kitchen.....

What a fabulous time I enjoyed with my guest this past Saturday evening...featuring the "Art of the Sauce".  It was an amazing mix of people - and again proves how food, the preparation and dining just bring people together.

Okay - I do realize that we always enjoy a kick off with an Aperitif... so yes, that helps.  I loved how all hands were on deck including two engineers (Pete and Craig) that are used to producing order and giving orders!!!  It was fun to have both of these gentlemen on the other side of the "table" so to speak!

We prepared amazing polenta rounds and you have to laugh at how perfect this tray appears....but not entirely!  At the end of the evening, experiencing rounds of much perfection, I sit back and think that it is often the things that didn't go perfect that create memories too...So - I will take the round at the top...and love it!
Equally delicious...maybe a little more so!  Stay tuned - new class schedules hit the website on Thursday...

READY .....SET......GET SAUCED!

Wow, had a super night of cooking and creating with the guest at the Kitchens Bounty in the ART OF THE SAUCE EVENT...here it is in a nutshell.

Lined up at the Piano Bar (no really - a piano bar!)  Start your engines with a signature Aperitif....Hilltops' *Pink Tree Martini, frozen glass with mini Chambord shot, colossal citrus ice round, finished with sparkling raspberry wine... AWAKEN THE PALLET..
In the kitchen all hands were on deck...the skills of Dr Lowell Johnson and the ever lovely Linda Armstrong helped in preparations....Leak Tart, Slivered Carrot Salad, Chicken Scallopini with three sauce choices...(butter - butter everywhere) and the finale... A fruited meringue dream served with ......listen to this....toasted meringues, plated on a bed of orange caramel, Blueberry haze ice cream *(from www.pinktreestudio.com), whipped cream with almond essence....and fresh berries.

 A finish from heaven..enjoyed with wonderful guests!...

These photos from our talented Summer Intern, Alex Wheeler....

Morel Mushrooms....caviar of the woods!

Woodland Morels...the caviar of the woods!

As a mushroom lover and cook...there is a special magic in the air when we arrive at "Morel" Season.  As any good treasure hunter will swear, I cannot disclose the location of my finds!   As I have heard constant comments on the extremely rainy Spring we have had...I discovered a wonderful bonus.   The Morels love it!  So I have gone a hunting, cooked as many incredible Morels as a body could (should!) consume and dried the rest.  So I will be planning on using the dried Morels and their wonderful essence (reconstituted broth) in my Sauces classes for May.  I had not expected to have these delicate treats so available - but here they are and we are going to enjoy the treasures together.  I did a test recipe using a classic Bechamel sauce, slowly cooked for 20 minutes, velvety smooth - incorporated some Morel essence with a little white wine....no,  I am not done - added a little finely ground Parmesan cheese...and a chase of butter to finish.  Give me something to put this sauce on quick- because I love it all by itself!  Happy hunting my friends...but if you are headed to any of the May Classes in Ohio or South Carolina  (www.kitchensbounty.com) you are in for a delicious extravagance! ( I shall post this recipe on line to share with everyone...after the Month of May.)

SAUCE READY!!

Mini Meatballs....Maxi Taste....all yours!

Hey Friends - after meeting with my Web designer today (the amazing Amy) we have decided to tweak the website and add more value to students, friends and family....Calling all foodies.  We will be adding an online recipe book that will be a rolling accumulation of favorite monthly recipes.  Usually these would have been included in the event theme for the Month...however to kick this game off I have decide to include favorite original recipes, so the collection has some instant appeal.  So here is where I come to the Mini-Maxis.  I failed to take a picture of these goodies the last time they were prepared so I was into photo op mode....What a delicious excuse to prepare food.  I will be posting the recipe for Mini Meatballs, the recipe is beef based - however tonight I decided to cook up a batch with ground turkey. WOW, just amazing....and of course served with rigatoni and a light but delic marinara sauce....it was really special.  Easily prepared and on the table.  My cooking partner tonight was Spencer and we both agreed (tasting partner as well) that the taste was wonderful with the ground turkey, but a lighter texture. 

So the survey says....download recipe, prepare - enjoy!  And do look for the additions and changes to the website, and sign up for the Monthly newsletter. Inspired cooking my friends!

Forbidden Fruit makes Adam and Eve...

Okay, as many of you know I am a fan of all things french.  Combine that with a true love of brandy, cognac and the search for the perfect Apertif, well here is where the story get interesting!  As a part of the Kitchens Bounty Cooking Lessons, I like to start the class off with a review of what we will "create" and what better way to do so than with the appropriate Apertif.  My favorite Apertifs have been those cordials that have been created right here in our own Kitchen....but alas, the wonderful Cranberry Cordial that we have been featuring is total extinct and we must wait for the Fall...and the abundant crops of fresh Cranberries.  So I have been searching for interesting and delicious recipes for additional cordials creations.  I have found our new summer cordial...

Forbidden Fruit, according to my readings was a great grapefruit based cordial that was popular in the early 1900s, and professionally produced until the last 10 years.  The additional fuel for creating this cordial (outside of being a lover of all things citrus, and especially grapefruit (my ode to husband Pete!), is that there is a marvelous sounding cocktail called the "Adam and Eve", made of course, with the "Forbidden Fruit" cordial.  So with a little help from Pete, we now have a marvelous very large vessel with a ripening "Forbidden Fruit".  We used an old recipe we researched, a little personal preference in citrus, a little creativity and voila!  If this cordial taste as wonderful as it did on the day or making (yes, it had to be sampled) then my friends, we are all in for a seriously delicious adventure.  So here is to a future toast with friends and students at the Kitchens Bounty...I think this should be just perfect in June 2011....reason enough to schedule your classes now!  See you in The Kitchen....

Four Star Menu should get five stars********

Hello friends,....wow, just finished up the Four Star menu classes in South Carolina and had a fabulous week.
We had lots of fun with the 5 course meal preparation which actually included 8 dishes (recipes).   At one point I was sweating so furiously that I think I appeared to be one of the dishes - not a good look!  But there were two star dishes of the evening and I am going to post them here, the wonderful Crown Caesar Salad...virtually a very traditional Caesar Salad but with such an attitude, and then there was the melt in the mouth Chocolate Souffle with Chocolate Carmel Sauce and triple cream....should someone just make this illegal?  Had a great time with my friend Suzanne Galloway owner of the Hobnob in Harstville South Carolina who continues to fill her house every evening I am in town.  I look forward to many more of these evenings and meeting new fellow foodies.  Have to mention that while in SC I experienced my first BBQ cook off, no I didn't cook.  It would be a little ridiculous for this frenchie to try and compete in the arena of the "Pork Butt" but the melt in your mouth delicious taste that I experienced will not be forgotten.  Stay tuned...