Flavors, Food Choices, and Menu Planning - Friday, 4th period

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal waited for everyone to arrive and settle in, then smiled at them. "Welcome back. I realize this week is generally reserved for introductions, but as we all know each other, I believe we can skip that."

He held up a hand. "However, we won't simply jump in, either. I have a syllabus for this class," which he passed out, "but you may notice it's a bit sparser than last semester's. This is intentional. You also may notice that your final project is a collaboration; this entire class will be."

"So." He sat back. "Tell me what it is you hope to learn this semester. I know, for instance, that Miss Rilla is working with planning charitable dinners. And Sparkle would like to do some more flambé. What else would each of you prefer to take away from this class? I can make no promises, but there is a wide range of possibilities. Tell me what you would like."

He spread his hands and waited.

Comments

Sign in!

[never-dull.livejournal.com]

Mmm, food!

Re: Sign in!

[shippedtomaine]

Emma Swan

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[3girls-1core.livejournal.com]

Sholeh Zeela a Zhahar

(Zhari)

Re: Sign in!

[rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com]

Rilla Blythe

Re: Sign in!

[myownface]

Sparkle

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[selfhelphero]

Billy Kaplan

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[sciencesalarian.livejournal.com]

Mordin Solus

Listen to the lecture, contribute your thoughts

[never-dull.livejournal.com]

What do you want to learn? What do you hope to gain from this class?

Re: Listen to the lecture, contribute your thoughts

[3girls-1core.livejournal.com]

Zhari looked thoughtful, taking her time before answering. "I'd really like to learn more about making good meals with limited foods--either because you're on a budget or because there's not a lot of food available. I mean, how do you not slip into a rut when you only have, like, the same ten ingredients and no access to various spices?"

Re: Listen to the lecture, contribute your thoughts

[never-dull.livejournal.com]

"A very good point," Hannibal noted. "Different ways of cooking the same ingredients, then. And ways to impart flavor with a minimum of spice."

He didn't do no spice, Zhari. But he'd consider it a challenge and try.

Re: Listen to the lecture, contribute your thoughts

[3girls-1core.livejournal.com]

Hey now, she wasn't a barbarian! She'd said no access to various spices. Back home, they couldn't guarantee having curry, garlic, and soy sauce to make three completely different flavored chicken dishes.

"It's really nice having a variety of ingredients and spices here to choose from, but I know we're not all going to have that when we graduate," Zhari said with a nod. "But I still want to make delicious food, even if I can't use ingredients that have been imported from half a world away."

Re: Listen to the lecture, contribute your thoughts

[never-dull.livejournal.com]

"That, I hope, is where the improvisation portion of this class will help," Hannibal answered with a smile. "How to determine for yourself what flavors work together. We will definitely cover that."

Re: Listen to the lecture, contribute your thoughts

[rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com]

"I'd like to know what's a reasonable amount of mark-up between the actual cost of food and what a caterer might charge," Rilla said. "For some reason, they seem to be absurdly expensive."

And not just because she was looking at the world through a 1916 lense.

Re: Listen to the lecture, contribute your thoughts

[never-dull.livejournal.com]

"Caterers are largely charging for more than just the food," Hannibal noted. "I prefer to focus on teaching creating meals yourself rather than the economics of hiring people," he told her, "but perhaps a lesson by way of experience."

He looked around at the rest of the class for their opinions, too. "Perhaps we could cater a meal ourselves?"

Re: Listen to the lecture, contribute your thoughts

[myownface]

"Like you said, flambe," Sparkle laughed, because, hey, it was always good when people knew what you liked. "Or, barring that, like Zhari said. Making good food with simple ingredients. Bonus points for affordability."

Re: Listen to the lecture, contribute your thoughts

[never-dull.livejournal.com]

"Affordability is unfortunately flexible," Hannibal pointed out. "What is inexpensive this season may be unaffordable the next, or the following year. But we can certainly cover ways to better stretch whatever money you have."

Killing people for meat was always good.

Eat Hannibal's food

[never-dull.livejournal.com]

Was there food? This was Hannibal.

"Since one focus of this class will be herbs and spices, today's food involves a number of different ones." Including the two most expensive in the world. Because Hannibal.

Slow-braised, milk-fed lamb shoulder with a saffron sauce and cumin roast potatoes (http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/slow-braised_milk-fed_31803)

Lemon-rosemary winter vegetable stacks with lentils and creamy horseradish vinaigrette (http://www.thefirstmess.com/2013/02/13/lemon-rosemary-vegetable-stack-with-lentils-creamy-horseradish-vinaigrette/)

Kheer (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kheer-rice-pudding/)

Re: Eat Hannibal's food

[myownface]

... Oh god. Sparkle needed all of that lamb in his face right now.

Er. That was. He was totally pacing himself, so that he could taste the saffron. Yes.

(He could eat slowly and still forget to breathe while he was doing so, right?)

Re: Eat Hannibal's food

[never-dull.livejournal.com]

But if he didn't breathe, he couldn't smell the food!

Hannibal was always glad to see his cooking appreciated, though.

Talk to the TA!

[never-dull.livejournal.com]

As soon as he pings in.

Re: Talk to the TA!

[myownface]

Sparkle was totally there to be spoken with, looking all proud of himself.

TA, aw yeah. Position of responsibility, or some junk.

OOC!

[never-dull.livejournal.com]

Oy vey is mir. Please, today, get less insane!