Day 2, Fine Cooking 1 at ICE

Here is a picture of the kitchen where we have lessons.
The table to the left is where we start the lesson, then finish there by eating what we have prepared.
We made chicken stock, then roasted trussed chickens, did several rice pilafs, arborio rice chicken soup with escarole, several salads, a baked tomato and several different clafouti. The trussing of the chickens was great. There were techniques and steps I had never thought of. Then we made a compound butter (tarragon minced extremely fine mixed with softened butter) to stuff under the chicken skin.

We put them on a roasting rack, then put them in the oven at 450 for 20 minutes. Then we put in the bottom of the roasting pan diced celery, onions, carrots and a cup of chicken stock for the gravy and turned the oven down to 350. On the left is a picture of the teacher, Sandra McLean, showing us how to do stuff.
Then we stared the rice soup and the rice pilafs (one with pine nuts and dried cranberries). Time flew as we ran up and down the room getting ingredients, utensils, washing hands and vegetables, clean side towels, and reading the ingredient lists.
The teacher is great. She is more than willing to share her expertise, and really knows her stuff.

Here is the final array of dishes.
Normally I am not particularly interested in food after I have cooked it, but this stuff was terrific. The chicken was the best I have ever had, the gravy was tasty, the salad was scrumptious. The rices were all interesting. The dessert was dynamite. The soup was delicious.
I have posted a bunch of pictures here, in case you want to see more.