School cookery lesson ---Young Chefs.

I was meaning to write about cookery lesson in schools as soon as I read the announcement from Education Secretary, I was very pleased to hear that U K Government finally realise how important to be able to cook from young age.

Now Prime Minister Mr Cameron made commitment ( promise) saying, every school will have a kind of cooking lesson. it is a fantastic news ! (if he keeps his promise)
Cooking skill is needed to us all not only to survive also to be healthy  .  I do not know why they  got rid of cooking lesson in first place, I wonder.
I truly recommend not make as a subject to have test and exam, just cook anything, make a fun, they will all learn in the end.

My recommendation for the school cookery, Must to learn.
1. Egg dishes, ( soft boiled, fried, scrambled, omellet, poached  and Scotch egg)
2. Pasta dishes
3. Salad ( salad dressing)
4. Roast chicken with stuffing, roast potatoes and how to cook vegetables.

Today, I received the information about Children's cooking program by ITV.  they invite children ( for age 9-12), who loves to cook, to participate program. It sounds fun to be involved.
If any my Blog readers are interested in for family and friends do apply.

CALLING YOUNG CHEFS

For age 9-12 years old
Email by Sunday 18th August
Email: themunchbox@cactustv.co.uk 

12 course Meal at BO restaurant

I have heard about another up market Chinese restaurant  BO, in London, Mayfair,  originated in Hong Kong by Alvin Leung and got 2 Micheline stars there. Tasting menu is a modern trend in London these days, now a few Japanese and Chinese restaurants are following this trend.

Now Hkk and Bo is taking to Chinese meal experience to the different level.
I was a guest of Harpers & Bazar review by my daughter, Catherine.
It is conveniently situated in heart of west end, Mayfair for us, the interior is smart and very simple, nice grey , not too big, quite cosy feel to it. we were ushered to the chef's table, in front of chefs who are artfully assembling  the dish. It was fun to watch, it would have been more fun to watch cooking but it was very interesting to see how assembling the dishes like an art.

We were offered Boju drinks made with weed and served in special cup, a replica of a royal court drink cup, fun to drink from this cup but drink itself was very strong for me.

1st course was White garden, served in a little wooden box, small grain measuring box in olden days in china and Korea. it was lime, avocado moose topped freeze dried morel( looks like soil) and dehydrated Enoki, ginger powder, it was very smooth moose with grainy morel was just look like garden without grass ( as oriental garden)

2nd, Bed and Breakfast, it was one of my favourite dish , bacon wrapped jasmine smoked quail egg, taro crust topped with caviar and gold leaf. how decadent !  caviar with egg who wouldn't like this?
3rd : Cloud

4th was Steak and Kidney, it was Chinese style of Steak & kidney pudding, absolutely delicious, I would loved to have had  2 rather one. it was a clever dish, flavour of English Steak& Kidney and soft beef was in the tiny dim-sum, like a Shanghai Bun, when you bite clear meat juice is coming out , flavour was just like Steak & Kidney pudding at home. ( actually I make a mean S&K pudding at home with oxtail meat Hah!!!!)

Boju drink cup

White garden

Bed & Breakfast

 

5th, three tomatoes, they are delightful to look, tastes even better. My favourite was  green tomato in the middle of  marshmallow,  How cool is it! colour contrast was clever but taste was fresh with hint of fresh tomato and soft marshmallow was melting in my mouth , If I can make this dish at home it would be a dreamy tasting starter!

3 Tomatoes

 

6th; English Mustard.

7th: Hawthorn

8th: Toad in the hole.  I love this play on very English children's favourites with Chinese twist but frog sausage !! how funny, are they make a fun with English or French, I wonder.

Steak & kidney Dim-Sum

 

9th: pigeon.

10th : Beans on Toast.

11th; Coconut. I loved this, Palm sugar crème brulee was so delicious, I loved that they made so shallow brulee.

Because I liked the size ( very small) ,I can finish, crunch top was so good, sour cherry comport was reminding me my childhood. I love sour cherry.

 

12th: Petite Dim Sum. Served 3 tiny dim sum in the bamboo steaming basket and chocolates on a bird cage, it is very Chinese ! Bird in bird cage are associates in Chinese culture for a long time, literature and specially in Poem!, what a nice thought.

However the sweets are too sweet for me, hope they do use a lot bitter chocolate in the fried sticky rice flour ball. I love in Chinese style but this is too sweet !!

 

Extra dessert: Sex and beach. this was not in the menu but suddenly arrived with a big beam from the sommelier, I knew this infamous dish. I was talking about  this with him, how this dish got a shock value, he might have mentioned to the head chef, Condom with sand and breast with breast cancer appeal red ribbon !!  How cheeky !!

 The story and humour are acceptable but everything on that plate were so so!! sweet, I LIKE TO SHOUT.  Please easy on Sugar CHEF!!

Sex & Beach

The wine were superbly selected with every dish, finally sommelier brought Ice wine from China, it was so delicate and delicious, I had no idea China makes Ice wine (?) let alone even just wine? you really learn something everyday.

B O London : 4 Mill street, Mayfair.

Petite dim sum

 



Meeting Ferran Adria, the most creative Chef in the world ever.

Ferran Adria at the press conference.

 

How often you meet your hero in your life time? I met 2 of them at once, how cool is that !!

4th of July 2013 is the day to remember in my life !

 

I was looking forward to seeing  elBulli ; Ferran Adria and the art of Food exhibition at the Somerset House as soon as I read in the paper.

For a few years I tried to book his restaurant elBulli but failed miserably, now he closed restaurant and open Culinary School . I would love to have had an experience tasting his wonder foods. 

  

I was invited by Catalan Culture institute to the preview on 4th, July. how nice!!

Left house to catch 7:30 train with excitement and expectation. 

Finally after coffee we were ushered to the Embankment Gallery, covered with Ferran Adria's photos .

Ferran arrived , looked much slimmer than  photo , before the speech I had a chance to talk to him as I was standing in front of the line. well I just said, I am a Korean food writer ( Being not a famous person, this was the only option ), his reply was oh! Korea (Corea) has good Foods ( I was shocked by this) and I am asking do you know Kimchi? he said ,I love it!  ( he can not speak English well)

I was so  delighted to hear that and shocked at same time by his quick reply as soon as I said the word, Kimchi! which means he really love it.

 I knew he loves Japanese food and he seemed implement Japanese foods( ingredients) in his recipes a lot .

I wonder how he will do with kimchi if he use in his restaurant ? It would have been very interesting to know.

Kimchi is truly recognised by the most creative chef in the world ever , how good is it?

 

elBulli had trained 1800 chefs from all over the world during he was in charge, he famously told the stuff, get rid of cook book and not copying the recipes just invent new recipes in his restaurant. 

When I read his book,  A day at elBulli, I could not believe what I was reading, just like a magic !

looking at all the photos, and creation , I could not take in , my brain is so over worked by this.

 

I found a Dessert box in the middle of exhibition , like a oriental jewellery box, , one dessert called  white chocolate air, it just looked like my favourite Korean rice sweet called yewgua(유과), it is made with sticky rice flour, hollow in the middle, light as air. how funny!

 I did wonder how his idea  of the Chocolate air come from?

Black sesame rock looks so realistic just like a small rock . It is true,  they are the Art of  Food.

White Chocolate air (top left)

Dessert Box

 with Artist, made elBulli model ( below) with egg white



elBulli, made with egg white

 

The exhibition contains all kind of information include name of chefs , who had been trained at elBulli, how create the dish, all kind of gadget used in the kitchen. video are showing step by step how can make a dish. But I could not take in , thinking I have to visit again , at least twice.

One thing is clear to me, since elBulli's creation  , world food by any chefs has changed , there are before Adria and after Adria in western restaurant food.

Adria and elBulli has made a history of how create modern cuisine .
 Looking at his exhibition, his foods are truly  the art with science, and theatre !!
Shame! I didn't have a chance to taste his food.
 

Photos of elBulli's dishes

Albert Adria ( Ferran's brother)

 

I just had a chance to talk Albert ( Ferran's brother) who create elBulli dishes with his brother, I knew he is still running his own restaurants in Barcelona. But I have not had a chance to visit yet. We were talking about kimchi again, he told me, he serve with octopus & kimch in his restaurant!! ( how wonderful and I was so proud)

 

Kimchi is  the dish at the moment for the chefs in London, as fermented foods seemed all chefs favourite subject, Kimchi fit in so well in this movement, as strong but kind of delicate flavour is became the dish for the London culinary world at the moment, some chefs are serving kimchi hollandaise with skirt beef steak.

 

I thought I have to taste Albert Adria's Kimch& Octopus soon.

Hope he makes good rightly fermented kimchi .

 

Talking about Kimchi, I am looking forward to have work shop with young chefs in London soon, I will do demonstrate kimchi making, taste and introducing  my home made seasonal kimchi, mooli,  stuffed cucumber, watery (non spicy ones)kimchi to the young chefs and kimchi lovers as well.

 

 4th of July is the day I met my food hero! truly the day to remember in my life.

 

Looking forward to revisit this exhibition and soak in this wonder creation and his ( and team) thought behind.