Flower Power!

The grounds right now are amazing, the sunshine has really given the place life! Wendy went out again a took a few more pictures of the gardens for our new brochure. The Buliding if you have never seen it before is out of this world inside and out. I will try and get some views of the dining rooms, I was out picking flowers for an event and was caught on camera...looks pretty good if you ask me ( and yes I have a new look, again!) Keep in touch guys, lots more to come :)

VEGANS RULE!!!

Jonny and I had a big challenge today at work. As usual we had to cook lunch for a few people, but thing was... They were vegans :0
We had a great time putting our minds togther for this one. We could have just givien them veggies and fruit but we experimented a bit and came up with a few other ides too...

Salad of Chefs Garden Greens
Shaved Baby Radishes, Snap Peas
Marcona Almonds, Almond-Sherry Vinaigrette,

Spinach Shoots

Chilled Soup of Summer Squash
Cherry Tomato and Ice Lettuce Salad
Thai Basil and Mint

Ragout of Baby Vegetables,

Creamy Polenta, Green Onion Oil

Creamy Tapioca (Rice Milk, Coconut Milk),

Gooseberries, Currants

Strawberry Sorbet, &
Micro Anise Basil

THE FRENCH LAUNDRY?!?

This Past week Scott Bogg came to The Culinary Vegetable Institute. Usually Jon and I are very excited to meet new chefs and look forward to learn...Scott was a bit different!! If you haven't heard of The French Laundry in CA, I ask you to look it up before reading on: http://www.frenchlaundry.com/

Scott, 27, has worked at The French Laundry, for about 3 years now, and was sent by the amazing Thomas Keller to learn more about The Chefs Garden and The Culinary Vegtable Institute. Jon and I were able to spend time with him for an entire week. During the day he worked the farm, driving tractors, and harvesting produce, by night he was answering many questions from us and honestly just having fun...MOVIES, MEXICAN DINNERS, CEDAR POINT the amusement park. We all had a blast and we hope to see him in the future.

The pictures are when he was asked to do a mystery basket, of course Jon and I jumped to the occasion to cook and astist him throughout it.
1: Salad of Baby Lettuces, Carmellini Beans, Marcona Almonds, and Almond, Sherry Vinegrette
2: Sous-Vide of Chicken breast & Root Beer Leaf, brasied Asain Greens, Baby Leeks, Kohlarabi and Ice Lettuce
3: Seared Magret Duck Breast, Cauliflower Puree, Roasted Baby Squash & Cauliflower, with Julienne of Squash Bolssom

Cooking with CANNED VEGGIES!!??

Look at our dishes for the Second Harvest Benefit Challenge!!! And the best part, we won Most Original for the Ice Cream!! Yeah for us :)

Browns Dish:

Canned Corn Ice Cream

Corn Pop Cone and Green Pop Corn Shoots

Blacks Dish:

Campbell's Tomato Soup Gelée

with Dried Olives, Toasted Pine Nuts

Genovese Basil Purée, Parmesan Foam and Micro Opal Basil

We are both very proud how they turned out, and we both had a blast...more information about the event is in the past blog posted beneath.

MAKING OUR MARK IN OHIO!!!

http://www.chroniclet.com/2007/06/22/from-simple-to-super/

First Interview in Ohio, check it out!!

Jon and I will be competing today against other chefs in the area. The event is a benefit for Second Harvest Food Bank. We had to make 200 portions of a tasting using canned items! The gave us a choice of 6: Cereal, Canned Tuna Fish, Peanut Butter, Vegetable Soup, Canned Vegetables, or Beef Stew. It was a challenge for both of us!!

Since we are representing The CVI we both chose Vegetables. Jon will be preparing Tomato Soup Gelee, Chefs Garden Micro Opal Basil, Parmesan, and Canned Olives. Of course he made it look stunning and the flavor is well...Campbell's tomato soup! I made Canned Corn Ice Cream, and Homemade Ice Cream cones using Corn pops the cereal, the garnish will be Chefs Garden Pop Corn Shoots!

Wish us luck, we will need it... the article made us look like cocky people from NY. We need all the luck at this point, I think that upset some of the locals Ohioans!

COLORS OF SUMMER!

Rhubarb Sorbet, Sweet Wild Strawberries, Vanilla Anglaise, Micro Lemon Basil, and a yellow eatable Viola Flower!

I went out and picked the Rhubarb & Strawberries from the Gardens, and prepared it for a few people for a Garden Tour...BOY were they happy! Wouldn't you be?

I love that Jonny and I have a supermarket in our back garden :)

AMOUNG THE CABBAGES ...

Jonny and I went out and played in the Garden this past week and had our buddy/ Saviour Wendy ( she has all the answers, when you need them) take some awesome photos of us! Finally some great pictures to go with our Bios :) Jonny and I are doing really well, life is busy yet exciting for us here. Please keep in touch, we love to hear what everyone is doing these days. BY THE WAY.... We are coming home to Virginia June 14-18 for our birthdays, give us a call!

COOKING WITH AN AUDIENCE :)

What great food huh? Jonny and I just finished a surprise birthday party cooking class. A lovely gentelman called up for a cooking class for all of his wife's friends and family to come togther to celebrate her 60th birthday! They all gathered her at The Culinary Vegtable Institute and she came about 30 mins later...what a great joy for her! She was so happy. 25 people showed and gathered around the kitchen. Jonny did demos for two dishes, the first was a Crispy Filet of Salmon with Red Ribbon Sorrel Salad and Creamy Chive Dressing, oh and Roasted Beets! The second was an Herb Roasted Chicken with Garlic and Parmesan Polenta, and Spring Vegetable Ragout. Finally I came in and wowed everyone with a demo on Creme Brulees...I went with Garden Basil, and Chocolate Mint ( the herb, no choc. at all). We had a blast and so did they. At the end of it all we were invited to join the couple on their boat to go to the islands on lake Erie!