As we start with class first things first, the foundations.
Bright Cooking is here to get you out of recipe mentality and get you cooking the things you crave for. Cravings most often are messages from your body telling you what it needs. When you ask yourself what do I want to eat your asking what is my body craving. Have a think, is it fresh and crunchy, rich and nurturing, light and simple, exciting and big flavor, what is it? Also, take note of those ingredients you have to work with, those that you have on hand, your finds from the market that you just had to have, or go shop for those items that fit your budget or those that max out when you want to splurge. You may also take note and ask, am I feeling motivated or lazy. As we move through mastering the elements you’ll be equipping yourself with a smear of this, a sprinkle of that, a tart vinaigrette here, a umami blast there. The idea is to freestyle your way into dishes that make your world a better place.
These Elements are items that make a dish. Usually we have a star, a support, a sauce and a finishing. We will be learning what they all are, each week we will go through one element at a time, defining it and working on a recipe.
The Elements:
Modern Mother Sauces
Pickles, Ferments, and Cures
Stocks, Broths, and Dashis
Flavor Pastes
Fruit Sauces and Tonics
Finishings and Flourishes
Within each category there are many variations but also a Master Recipe that allows you to create even more. I hope you’re up for the challenge.
Lastly, with all classes there are rules.
Be responsible in your sourcing. Lets face it, we Americans are spoiled. When we want our cherries we want them now. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the middle of winter and they are coming in from another country, a whole other climate. Eating and shopping like this is unsustainable to our bodies and the planet and most of it has no flavor. I get it its hard but just try buying from your coast, your country or your hemisphere. Buy organic when possible, we have to continue to build that foundation until eventually all produce is without harmful cancer causing pesticides and grown in soil that harness big flavor. Studies show that the less something has flavor the less vitamins and nutrients it has.
New week we will start with the Modern Mother Sauces. Hope to see you there!
Homework:
-Buy the text book.
-When you go shopping next do a little research, on the sticker check where your produce is coming and check the codes.
Four-digit code in 3000 or 4000 series signifies that it was grown with synthetic fertilizers and/or pesticides.
Five-digit code starting with 9 signifies its organic.
Five-digit code starting with 8 signifies its GMO.
