Category: Chicago Culture

Chocolate Banana Cinnamon Infused Jam and How I Spent my Summer Vacation

1 Comment


I must say this week has been so inspiring and recharging. Rather than take off for Europe or just chill at home doing nothing, I decided to finally to get off my ample derriere and take a continuing education class at French Pastry School. These courses are not cheap mind you and I never really thought it was possible for me to do this.But it is education and where there is a will there is a way.I will take another course in late August as well ,dedicated to Event /Wedding cakes. French Pastry attracts tout le monde as both professors and students. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself sitting next to a student whose family owns a bakery chain in South America or a housewife from Brazil. One student I heard flew in from Singapore for a weekend event at the school with Spanish Chefs Oriol Balaguer and Paco Torreblanca.French Pastry School is first class and we students get spoiled a lot. It would be so hard to condense what I learned a few posts. I plan to write more extensively for EbonyJet.com . In the meanwhile I will start saving my dollars for some more classes. Here is a lineup of future course offerings. I would highly recommend this to anyone. Well worth the experience and money.
My instructor Chef John Kraus was amazing. Its a gift to teach and connect with the students. He told us if a student isn’t getting it, its reflective of the teacher and how hard they tried to work with the student.Not only was his teaching method excellent but he was a great raconteur of stories about work, travel. food history, and his travels as he honed his craft. A fascinating man who has worked with the best of them.He got his first break with Marco Pierre White. Chef Kraus also believes in sharing recipes and info rather than withholding.You can read a recipe but its up to you as a chef to to put your stamp on it. And that’s whats makes your dish different from mine essentially.
Here is a jam I fell in love with. Of course my home version could use some work, but the ones we turned out in class was excellent. The key is using really ripe bananas that are black. Let them sit out for a few days in a covered container at room temp sliced before you start to make the jam. They will start to liquefy and get really going. I experimented at home and added a cinnamon stick and Banana Rum from our trip to the Bahamas. You can really play around with this. I wish we saw Banana Jams more in the US. It really is treat that can go on so many things.

Chocolate Banana Cinnamon Infused Jam
*adapted from French Pastry School by Coco Cooks
makes 6 half pint jars
1 1/2-2 lbs/ 800 grams bananas very ripe( black)
1 cup fresh orange juice/200 grams
1/2 cup dark chocolate/100 grams
3 1/2 – 4 cups sugar /700 grams
1 vanilla bean or 1/2 tsp extract
1 cinnamon stick
2 tbsp rum
In a heavy bottomed sauce pan combine sliced bananas, orange juice,sugar , vanilla( pod split open and scraped), and cinnamon stick. Cook until translucent(make it either lumpy or more refined). Add chocolate( break it up a bit and melt a bit in microwave).Remove from heat and cover and let rest overnight.
The following day bring to a boil. Jam should hit 65 Brix or for us home cooks until it forms like a raindrop on car rather than tar. Place in sterilized jars/lids, seal and turn over. Let rest and cool overnight.
Process according to your canner instructions.
* In class we learned you can process in a dishwasher. Just run it through the first wash cycle( not the complete one). Its an effective method method that has enough heat to seal the jams .

For a prinatble version click here.

The Real Housewives Cocktail Contest Roundup

I’m finally getting a chance to post the roundup for the Real Housewives Cocktail contest. I’m on vacation right now and attending Pastry Camp( all Chocolate ) at the French Pastry School Chicago. Can I just say I am am having the best time and this course is changing my life. Literally! Stay tuned for some Glamh-a-rous pastries coming.

So back to the purpose of this post. Unfortunately I didn’t get many entries. But they were all stellar! I did try to get prizes for the actual housewives and husbands to no avail. But I did find this great prize to give away to whomever wins the poll,The Williams and Sonoma Bar and Wine Guides. A great set of books for any bar.
Judy from No Fear Entertaining gave us this fabu CelloRita. A sinful yet refreshing concoction go Limoncello and Tequila inspired by the Barneys from Orange County.

Chris from Mele Cotte was obviously inspired by the local flavor of peaches and those sassy Atlanta wives with Sheree’s Sassy Southern Stance.

Michelle from Big Black Dogs gave us the Red Patent Leather Swinger inspired by the most flamboyant honorary ‘housewife’, Simon. Need I say more?


And finally my cocktail The Countess’ Cherry Lime Gin Rickey. I will post mine in the polls, but naturally am not eligible for a prize.

On Twitter I got a great recipe from a non Food blogger, Nadiart inspired by the not one of Bravos Housewives, but a a more Desperate one Bree. Perfection in a glass. Rose Lemon Drop Martini in under 140 characters. She then advises how to garnish:

” it looks pretty garnished w/ rose petal, slice lemon & pinksugar rimmer – if I had the ingredients I’d make one and send u a photo”

So here are some great cocktails for the weekend. Enjoy and go vote for one on the left sidebar.

Sitting on Top Of The World… Election Night From Chicago

Wow! What can I say that anyone else hasn’t about the historical evening last night? The whole world waited with baited breath. You could not have planned a more perfect evening. The weather was perfect, the crowds were orderly, but packed, and all of Chicago was on stage for the worlds to see. Never has a election impacted worlds order such as this. And talking back with some friends,family, and colleagues, who would have thought this everyday man, Barack Obama would one day become president! We all have stories of making small talk and encounters with him in his family whilst living in Hyde Park Chicago. Even as his star rose, he was humble and accessible. Unbelievable. I’m proud for my country and I’m proud for this remarkable achievement for my race. You cant ignore the racial milestone this is being black. All the more so for me having an African father and American mother. I am fortunate to work in a place that was and still is trailblazing in civil rights and media and goods catering to people of color. Our headquarters are located right across the street from Grant Park. Certain Someone and our guest from Austria, Christoph were my guest . We had rally tickets for two, and I got Christoph tickets for the raging party going on at the next door Hilton sponsored by Jesse Jackson Jr. Ironically we all chose to stayed perched in our comfortable surroundings on the 10th floor balcony with a view to kill for. We could see and hear it all. At that moment I felt I was in the center of the world. Occasionally we would go down to street level to gage the pulse of the crowds. Our companies lobby was a beacon to all the well wishers who were drawn to all the Obama magazines, and products.
This is not Certain Someone! But our houseguest Christoph.
Taking pictures from the height and in the dark with all the city lights was difficult. But Certain Someone took some passable ones.But here’s are some from our view. I wish my departed loved ones had lived to see this. And I pray for Obama on this long hard road ahead. But I am so grateful I could witness this once in a lifetime miracle.

This Pie Made It To The Semi Finals at the Bucktown Apple Pie Contest

I mentioned last week that I was working on my pie for the Bucktown Apple Pie Competition. I have been so busy, but unexpected time opened up and allowed me to devote all Saturday to this pie. I started the prep at 10:oopm so it would fresh for morning, but set. I had a last minute inspiration to dust cinnamon powder with my Chinese long life vegetable cutter.It worked! And notice the center with a full Star Anise pod. Here is my recipe. I based my crust on Dorie Greenspan’s Good for Almost Anything Crust, but changed the shortening aspect to my trusted Atora. This tasted way better than my previous attempts. But what a lot of butter and grease that seeped out while baking. But better it seep than stay in, but still give me a flakier crust.

On Sunday Morning I arose at dawn and popped the pies back into the oven at a low 200 to warm up for an hour . I was the Contestant #2 and had my photo taken. I got some compliments on the appearance and left. All the contestants were to return at 2pm . At 2:30pm the finalists were announced. While waiting and listening to some band called Tangleweed that played bluegrass/ country, I saw my name on the ribbon board on a list of Semi Finalists!

I made it that far. Maybe there was hope for finalist?92 contestants, 27 Semi Finalists, 5 Winners.

All this year in particular of obsessing, blogging, learning, Daring Bakers, reading, etc was starting to pay off in improvement.But that’s as far as I got. The finalist seemed like familiar names in the competition.Neighborhood locals, repeat contestants,etc. This was my second year and I think I’m miles ahead from last years entry.The celebrity judges including Gale Gand , and Stephanie Izard( Top Chef Chicago winner) went to work on the finalists table and the mob was directed to the Pie Room to ‘buy’ a taste.

We were packed liked sardines , but I found my pie and waited patiently for a clear view. One of them was practically gone and people in line were asking for a slice. Now was the time to really taste and see how it measures up. I was pleased. The crust was not soggy , but flaky even on the bottom. The fruit gelled nice. A lot of pies looked like they had bigger chunks of fruit, but not that gel like sauce. The only thing I would change is bigger chunks of fruit and more fruit, as the winning pies seemed to be high in fruit. One of the finalist told me she only uses 4 ingredients in her crust, one of them being milk! Hmmm, I have to try that one day.I didn’t stick around to 4:45 for the winners. The place was packed and a line went through to outside. I heard a volunteer turning non contestants or people who hadn’t already been inside away because they running out of pie. The contestants pies were being sold off in slices and the winners auctioned. Sounds like it was a succes. I will be back next year, God willing.
Coco’s Asian Apple Pie

Makes 1 9inch double crust pie

INGREDIENTS:

Filling
1 12 fl oz can of Frozen Apple Juice concentrate
1 cinnamon stick 2-3 Star Anise ground to make 2 teaspoons of powder
1/4 teaspoon mace
pinch of black pepper
5-6 Golden Delicious apples peeled ,cored, and chopped
1/2 cup King Arthur’s Pie Enhancer ( for thickening)
1/2 cup sugar
Pastry Crust
3 cups all -purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 sticks frozen unsalted butter cut into small pieces
1/3 cup Atora ( cold) a shredded dehydrated suet available in the the UK or online
1/2 cup ice water
Egg Wash
1 egg beaten
1 teaspoon cream
INSTRUCTIONS:

Take a heavy bottom sauce pan and heat the frozen concentrate with the ground star anise, cinnamon stick( intact) , and mace until mixture is reduced by half. It will form a dark syrup. Set aside. Discard cinnamon stick when cool.
Make Crust. mix flour , sugar, and salt in your Stand Mixer. Gradually in stages add the butter and Atora until mixed into the flour. Do not over mix! Chunks of butter and Atora are fine. Gradually add water by tablespoon until all is combined . Just enough until it holds together. Take the dough and place on a lightly floured work surface . I use wax paper for easier clean up. Divide into 2 balls. Take a ball and between two sheets of wax paper roll out to fit into pie pans.Place rolled discs in refrigerator until ready to use.
Peel, core , and chop apples. Toss into a bowl with syrup/ concentrate mixture( discarding cinnamon stick). Add the sugar and pie enhancer. Toss until evenly mixed.
Preheat oven to 350 .
Line pie tin with crust. Pour in fruit filling. Cover and seal edges with second layer of dough.Slash dough to vent.Brush with egg wash mix( egg beaten with cream).
Bake at 350 for 30 -5 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil, and reduce heat to 200. Bake an additional 1 hour.* Place pie pans on a baking pan with lips to catch the excess butter, etc. that bakes out of the pie. Take out and allow to cool on wire rack with foil cover for a few hours to set. Serve at a cool room temperature.

I’m sending this over to Ivy, for her Sweet Pies Event.