Tonight On the Menu

Crab Cakes

with

Pineapple Scallion Rice

drizzled with

Patron Silver Tequila Lime Dressing

My first official fancy dinner, pre culinary school was delicious. I do love to make crab cakes, and they are so very easy. Preparation was so effortless and quick that I did the dishes, put together the sofa end tables, and watched a little cable before my guest of honor arrived.

Instead of using bread crumbs I substituted Japanese panko crumbs. I know this may not be so terribly gourmet, but the end product was lighter, and had a crunchier texture. Next time I will add crushed pineapple to the crabcake mixture. I think that's what will make them truly unforgettable.

I do believe my presentation skills will improve greatly once I have taken that class. For now I have to rely on the oversized plates I hand painted six years ago. I wanted to stack everything in tower of sorts, but then I thought perhaps I should have gotten frissee, or endive, instead of the mystery roughage pictured here.

Here they are. My browning beauties. Tanning nicely in the broiling Florida oven. Oh how I already miss my gas stove in Astoria, but soon enough I will be basking in the fiery glow of culinary school glory, and all that Le Cordon Bleu Orlando has to offer... I am so excited.

Dinner was served, and scarffed down in a matter of minutes. I of course was thinking of little things here and there that would make it all so so much better, I am my worst critic, well except for that food critic guy in Denver, who used the Exxon Valdez oil catasrophe, and the Dead Sea to describe a couple of items on the menu of a restaurant I used to work at. He was a fool. But a talented word smith of a fool none the less.

Well that's all folks. Time to enjoy some wine, and think about tomorrows menu. Ciao!

Hello, hello, hello. Florida life is wonderfully slow and laid back. I thought I would regret my move here, and leaving all that New York has to offer. Things like crowded stinky subways, teeny tiny over priced apartments, and freakishly weird grocery stores with no rhyme or reason. Don't get me wrong. I do miss the everyday hustle and bustle of people with things to do and places to go, the local watering holes, and the fact that NYC is open until 4 am. But I have truly found a new home here in Orlando, and adventure is right around the corner...

The new digs are great, and so close to everything.

My kitchen is small, but not nearly as small as the last one I had, which had absolutely no counter space what so ever.

Once again my metro shelving units have come to the rescue.

Here is a birds eye view of my 20 minute ride by bike to the school.

Here is where I will be spending the next 2 years.
This stretch of the school is called the red mile. The long hall that connects all of the kitchens is made up of some super cool non-stick surface that is...Red!

More to come soon!