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What I’ve enjoyed recently …
In Bloom, Saint Paul sports
the largest open hearth in North
America. Everything is cooked
in the hearth or wood-fired oven.
Order the venison tartar and
pheasant boudin blanc. Cocktails
are amazing.
928 7th St W
Saint Paul MN 55102Favorite Places, Barcelona
Favorite Places, Bourgogne
Favorite Places, California
Favorite Places, New York
Favorite Places, Paris
- 142 Crêperie Contemporaine
- Ambassade d'Auvergne
- Aux Merveilleux de Fred
- Benoit
- Bread and Roses
- Breizh Café
- Café Constant
- Chez Janou
- Chez Loulou
- Chocolate Directory, Paris
- Christian Constant
- Du Pain et Des Idées
- Jean-Charles Rochoux
- Jean-Paul Hevin
- La La Pâisserie by Cyril Lignac
- La Maison du Chocolat
- La Tuile a Loup
- Le Chardenoux
- Le MaZenay
- Paris Flea Markets
- Patrick Roger
- Popelini
- Pozzetto
- Stohrer
- Thiercelin
Favorite Places, Provence
Favorite Places, Twin Cities
Favorite Links
- Alice Medrich
- Andrew Zimmern
- Artisan Bread in Fine Minutes a Day
- B.T. McElrath Chocolatier
- Baking Obsession
- Cannelle et Vanille
- Chocolate & Zucchini
- Cookography
- Curious Cook
- David Lebovitz
- David Schmit Photography
- Dorie Greenspan
- Eat the Love, Sweets for the Mouth and Mind
- Eat Well Guide
- eatwild
- Far North Spirits
- Farmette
- French Food and Cook
- French Word-A-Day
- Gale Gand
- HiP Paris Blog
- Hiroko's Kitchen
- Hunter Angler Gardener Cook
- Julia Usher
- Le Pétrin
- Nick Malgieri
- Not Without Salt
- Olli Salumeria
- On Rue Tatin
- Paris Breakfasts
- Purple Pitchfork
- Raghaven Iyer
- Robin Asbell
- Sake Story
- Slow Food
- Smitten Kitchen
- Steamy Kitchen Modern Asia
- Suvir Saran
- Taste Spotting
- The Daily Meal
- The Paris Kitchen
- The Perennial Plate
- These Peas are Hollow
- Wedge Community Co-op
- White on Rice Couple
- Zoë Bakes
Fundamentals of Charcuterie – The Final Cure!
It’s amazing how fast the month of June has gone by. I shouldn’t be surprised, as I took a charcuterie class at Saint Paul College. It was held Monday through Thursday, from 6:00p – 9:00p, for the first 4 weeks of June.
Part of the final week included a couple of projects for each team. These included a preparation for pork belly. Each team was also given a “Black Box” of ingredients.
Our team used the pork belly in two preparations. For the first preparation, we cut the belly into 1 x 3 inch pieces, placed it in an oven proof pan, tucked black peppercorns, thyme sprigs and bay leaves in around the pork, and covered it with warm duck fat. Then it was cooked, covered for about 2 1/2 hours at 275 degrees. After it was cooked, it rested under refrigeration overnight. The next day, I deep fried it in canola oil and served it with a grainy mustard and a dollop of orange marmalade. It was absolutely delicious!
We layered a terrine mold with the remaining bacon. Then, using the other ingredients, we fabricated a layered terrine. It also included dried figs and apricots that had been reconstituted in Sauternes. For a first attempt using rabbit and sweetbreads, it turned out quite good I think.
Overall, the class was a tremendous experience. I would recommend anyone who has an interest in charcuterie to sign up for the class next year, as Chef Sartin is planning on offering it again.
The school is also kicking around the idea of offering a couple of week-long classes with topics including Pasta Making and Fabricating Pastries and Sweet Breads. I’ll be the first to sign up for one or both of these classes next summer as I had such a great experience.
This fall, the restaurant associated with the culinary school will be open again to the public. Running this restaurant offers students a hands-on experience in both the back and front of the house. Chef Sartin will let me know when the restaurant opens and the hours of operation. I’ll pass on the information via my blog as soon as I get it.