msmemory_archive (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
msmemory_archive) wrote2006-03-13 09:35 am
msmemory_archive) wrote2006-03-13 09:35 am
Test feast
Test feast went well. Everything was edible -- though we identified a few tweaks to make. No psychodrama either, yay. I don't think ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
learnedax really meant to have let himself get drafted into a full kitchen afternoon, but it was great to have his help.
Spot feedback:
Preset -- garlic needs to be kept more moist. Bake covered, probably, and likely more olive oil.
First course -- change the herbs on the carrots. Thyme and tarragon were not quite it. Oregano perhaps.
Chicken worked excellently well.
Ember day tart had too much onion, not unusual. I would put more egg/cheese and less onion, buttpau is in charge of those and I'll defer to her opinion.
Cook the frumenty just a tad longer, another 5-10 mins.
Second course -- the lamb was unevenly cooked, perhaps because I had to buy a shank roast with bone, instead of boneless, for the test feast. The people who like rare were happy, the people who like well done thought there should have been more well-done bits. Everybody liked the garlic-rosemary crust.
Mushroom tarts were just fine.
Sauces -- it would be hard to make too much garlic sauce. Eliminate the apple sauce, it's dull and modern.
Pea soup worked for those who like pea soup. Of course it would be better with a nice chunk of bacon, but we're trying for vegetarian.
Watch the timing. Because we were at home, with just one table, we got sloppy about the flow between courses.
learnedax really meant to have let himself get drafted into a full kitchen afternoon, but it was great to have his help.Spot feedback:
Preset -- garlic needs to be kept more moist. Bake covered, probably, and likely more olive oil.
First course -- change the herbs on the carrots. Thyme and tarragon were not quite it. Oregano perhaps.
Chicken worked excellently well.
Ember day tart had too much onion, not unusual. I would put more egg/cheese and less onion, but
tpau is in charge of those and I'll defer to her opinion.Cook the frumenty just a tad longer, another 5-10 mins.
Second course -- the lamb was unevenly cooked, perhaps because I had to buy a shank roast with bone, instead of boneless, for the test feast. The people who like rare were happy, the people who like well done thought there should have been more well-done bits. Everybody liked the garlic-rosemary crust.
Mushroom tarts were just fine.
Sauces -- it would be hard to make too much garlic sauce. Eliminate the apple sauce, it's dull and modern.
Pea soup worked for those who like pea soup. Of course it would be better with a nice chunk of bacon, but we're trying for vegetarian.
Watch the timing. Because we were at home, with just one table, we got sloppy about the flow between courses.
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I am reminded that Brasserie Jo does a really yummy herbal marinade on their raw carrots. Sadly, I will not be able to do a research trip to refresh my memory before the event, but if you'd like to, I recommend their lunch menu. Also their Croque Monsieur.
I wasn't thinking about presentation until I saw the beautifully presented lamb, and then I thought the frumenty looked a little...frumpy. Tasty, though. I think you're right, too - a boneless lamb will mean no one frets about carving.
I'm looking forward to eating it all again! (And so, so pleased that I feel like we can check this off our list and free up the brain space to worry about other things. ;)
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*waves*