Week 10: More Special California Imports!

This week was another week where I was able to take a personal trip to California and bring the exclusive seasonal produce back to Salt Lake. I went to an amazing market in Petaluma where already there was: apricots, plums, nectarines, cherries, herbs and more! I tasted some of the best plums since last summer and decided to share the wealth with my students at the Savory Palate. I also brought some "bacon" avocados which were a new item for me. Although these avocados taste nothing like bacon, they have an very unique green skin and a creamy meat on the inside. Fact of the day: There are over 100 varieties of avocado out there~
Here is what week ten looked like:

AMUSE: Taste of Cheese and California

BREAD: Hazelnut-Stout Beer with Hazelnut Butter and Cherry Jam

SOUP: Chilled Mango with Bacon Avocado with Basil Powder

SALAD: Alligator Confit with Crispy Sunchoke

Pasta: Squid Ink with Crab and Garlic Scape

ENTREE: Halibut Cheek Duo: Sous Vide and Baked over Creamy Maple Polenta

DESSERT: Carnival Delight: Cotton Candy, Milk Shake, Doughnut, Fizzy-Pops and Ice Cream Sando

Week 9- Coming off the Holiday Weekend~

This week we only had one day to prep and then serve the following day. It's nice having a two-day service because you are able to work out all your kinks during the first day...this wasn't the case this week!
We had to make sure everything was done and ready to go. I really wanted to try a "gnudi" this week. Gnudi is a cheater gnocchi. Making gnudi involves ricotta and semolina flour and that's it~ Because it looked so easy we took it a step further and used fresh mozzarella, not the best idea! In the end we did more of a mini fried mozzarella bite, but most people don't complain about fried cheese. Here is a look at some of our other great dishes from week nine:

AMUSE: Puff Pastry Basket, Smoked Salmon Mousse, Sorrel, Peppadew Pepper

BREAD: Steamed Hong Kong Duo

SOUP: Chilled Melon with House-Made Bacon

    
SALAD: Ahi Tar Tar with Sea Beans and Edamame

 

   

PASTA: Fried Mozzarella

                                                  

ENTREE: Buffalo Flank Steak with Barley Buzzed Gratin and Radish

DESSERT: Celery Confit, Bleu Cheese Mousse, Fried Strawberry Sauce and Rhubarb Tuile

                                            

Week 8 "It's Not Your Mamma's Fried Chicken"

The menu this week really is beginning to show the talent of my students in Spring Restaurant. We played around with vegetable noodles (daikon), haute fried chicken and an amuse that sparked the palate. We are getting more amazing Spring vegetables including: ramps, green garlic, chive blossoms, radishes and peas! Here are some great dishes from week eight~

Amuse: Potato Chip with Chive Blossom, Black Garlic and Fennel

SALAD: Pineapple Carpacchio with Tangerine and Buttermilk Panna Cotta

PASTA: Daikon Fettuccine with Coconut Alfredo, Spring Peas and Tiger Shrimp

ENTREE: Mo's Fried Chicken                                                                                                                    

DESSERT: Textures and Flavors of Coffee with Blueberry Buttermilk Coffee Cake