Week 4: Dairy and Egg Purchasing and Identification | Dry Goods Identification

On Monday, we were presented with a large assortment of dairy products, including different milks and cheeses. We were asked to try and identify each, which I successfully failed at.

This shows some of the liquid dairy products. Skim, 1%, 2%, and even whole milk were used to torture our taste buds. Although a strange process, it was interesting to actually taste the difference in milks for the first time!

This shows some of the less pleasant milk products. This included cottage cheese and even goat cheese. It was great to be able to taste them and have a feel for how they can be prepared, however my mouth hated me afterwards.

I think that the thing that surprised me the most were the milk percentages. I had always thought that I couldn't taste the difference between 1% and 2% milk, however it was extremely noticeable on the table and in the tasting!

The Second day consisted of grains, my favorite day thus far. Chef cooked up a delicious Risotto, and our group made some spicy grits (see video below), which were simpler to make than expected!

Risotto is one of the greatest things of all time. What I loved about Chef's is that he used chicken stock instead of water. Since risotto takes in liquid and releases starch, this made it extra flavorful.

Behold: The ingredients for the magical risotto. I was surprised at the amount of butter and cheese used, but it was well worth it in the end.

Presentation truly is everything. Chef knows this, for he teaches us every step in cooking, from the recipe, to the finale on a plate.

I had no idea that grains like these became the way they are because they absorb the liquid around them and release the starch (if cooked properly, of course). I'm also relatively sure that I thought Risotto was a pasta before today... so we all learned something.

 

This video shows our spicy grits. Grits have a similar property to risotto, however have a different texture. Adding pepperjack cheese was just the right amount of extra pizzazz for this dish.

In previous weeks, Chef has mentioned that salt has a purpose when cooking. It affects your tongue in a way that it is more open to tastes and sensations and sends these signals to the brain, which is why adding salt and even cheese to these grain dishes COMPLETELY changed the overall taste of the dish. It brought out a saltier flavor but also enhanced the natural flavor of the dish itself.