November 22, 2009

German’s Sweet Chocolate Cake

Posted by Chef Victoria under Cakes by Victoria, Chef Notes, Recipes | Tags: , , , |
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Truly, by far, out of all the versions of this cake I have ever seen or tasted, the literal recipe, included in the package of Baker’s Chocolate is THE BEST.

Slice of German's Sweet Chocolate Cake

We celebrated Scott’s birthday last night.  We made him a delicious dinner of grilled New York strips.  They could have been the best beef steaks we have had in some time.  Alex seasoned them perfectly with sea salt, garlic and fresh cracked pepper.  He added a light sprinkle and rub of dried basil.  Cooked, by the birthday boy, on the grill to medium rare, they truly were mouth-watering.

We accompanied the steaks with Kirsten’s salad of mixed greens, avocado, dried cherries and bleu cheese crumbles.  She made a simple dressing of balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil.  Phenomenal with the steak!  We pan-friend a  few poached and sliced red potatoes in olive oil, just a scant few teaspoons, until they were crispy on the outside and golden in color.  Lastly, we enjoyed some “melty” double-cream brie with giant, jewel-like raspberries.  Dinner was delicious.  I hope Scott will write a short blog about the wines (yes plural) that we enjoyed.

What has all this got to do with German’s Sweet Chocolate Cake?   Well,  that was dessert, Scott’s favorite cake.  Naturally, we had to make it for his birthday.  Alex did the baking, and the cooking of the caramel-pecan icing, following the recipe on the package.  The original recipe is included below.

GERMAN’S SWEET CHOCOLATE CAKE

1 pkg. (4oz.) Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate

1/2 cup water

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs, separated

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350  °F.  Cover bottoms of 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with wax paper; grease sides of pans.  Microwave chocolate and water in large microwavable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 min.  Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

Mix flour, baking soda and salt;  set aside.  Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium until light and fluffy.  Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Blend in melted chocolate and the vanilla.  Add flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beating until well blended after each addition.

Beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.  Gently stir into batter.  Pour evenly into prepared pans.

Bake 30 min. on until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean.  Immediately run small metal spatula around cake layers.  Cool in pans 15 min.; remove layers from pans to wire racks.  Discard wax paper.  Cool cake layers completely.    Spread Coconut-Pecan Filling and Frosting between cake layers and onto top of cake.  Makes 16 servings.

COCONUT-PECAN FROSTING AND FILLING

4 egg yolks

1 can (12oz.) evaporated milk

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla

1-1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter (or margarine)

1 pkg (7oz.) BAKER’S Angel Flake Coconut (about 2 2/3 cups)

1-1/2 cups PLANTERS Chopped Pecans

Beat egg yolks, milk and vanilla in large sauce pan with whisk until well blended.  Add sugar and butter.  Cook on medium heat 12 min. or until thickened and golden brown, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.

Add coconut and nuts;  mix well.  Cool.

CHEF NOTE: Don’t consider using margarine in this recipe, and I have always doubled the amount of coconut.  Pecans should be toasted slightly before adding to the sugar mixture.  Make sure you have ice cold milk to serve with this cake!

 

March 23, 2009

Sweet Sentiments

Posted by Chef Victoria under Catering by Victoria | Tags: , , , , , , , , |
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This past weekend, we participated in a surprise 70th birthday party.  It was certainly a highlight of my week.

I was contacted by a local professional who wanted to do something special for his wife who would be celebrating a milestone birthday.  He called to gather some information about our catering services in order to make a decision about how best to distinguish the birthday.  He’d thought about gathering their friends and going out to dinner to a nice restaurant.  He’d never actually worked with a catering company before.  When he called and told me about his considerations, I suggested that we meet to talk in greater detail about how we might be able to help him.

When we met, I felt excited about helping him show his wife a special time along with  their closest friends.  They would all be in on the surprise and his son’s who lived nearby would help us pull off the deed.

We talked about menu, decoration, details….  We talked about budget and cost, china, glassware and linens.  We planned a special birthday cake, it had to be her favorite, of course.  “Not a problem,” I told him.  “You can relax about things on my end.   I will see that everything is perfect.  All you need to do is take her away from the house while we set it all up.”

When the time came, we pulled up to the house, and met his son who was there to let us in.  Setting a table, with linens, china, silverware, candles and fresh cut flowers was completed.  Then we setup the cocktail table in the living room with a platter of beautifully displayed antipasti, accompanied with crostini.  Plates, cocktail napkins and shiny forks were at the ready.

Specially selected wine was opened to allow it to breathe and the wine glasses set nearby.  Guests would be able to help themselves while they waited for the guest of honor.  Nearby, the inviting angle food cake was placed on a crystal pedestal.  It was layered with fresh, juicy strawberries and light whipped cream.  This was her favorite cake…details.  The buffet was set with a coordinating overlay and the necessary catering equipment.  Sternos were lit and water pans filled.

The salad was dressed and tossed and placed on the buffet.  The Cambro (temperature controlled food carrier) was popped open.  A pan of elegant potato purée with wild mushroom ragout was assembled and stationed in the chafer.  An herb roasted beef rib roast was place on a cutting board to be carved.  It had been cooked perfectly to medium rare with those nice crusty ends.  The cut beef was layed asthetically into an insert pan, the au jus poured over it and freshly minced parsley was sprinkled.  A dish of zippy horseradish sauce was unveiled and set close by.  Sweet cream butter pats were snugged next to the freshly baked sunflower wheat rolls.  Deatils.

I surveyed the setting.  Water glasses were filled and placed on the dining table.  Candles were lit.  A quick glance around the room reminded me to set a pair of crystal salt and pepper shakers on the buffet.  Again, was everything as it should be?  Oh yes.  It was lovely.  It smelled delicious, warm and inviting.  This scene would be the Greeter of their guests who were due to start arriving in 10 minutes.

Secretly I wished I could stay.  I wanted to see her surprise, her delight.  I wanted to see him beam and he lavished love on his wife in the generous gift.  But of course I couldn’t.  We had to go, take our van and our equipment away, leaving no trace that might give the surprise away.  Tomorrow I would look forward to hearing all about it when I came to pick up the equipment.

These are some of my favorite ways to serve.  I get great joy from helping people realize their vision for their event.   It is important to me to capture their vision, making it my own.  The details cannot be overlooked.  The details are precisely what will personalize it; what will make it theirs.  If I were hiring a professional to perform these serves, I would expect no less.  Consequently, these customers always get my very best.   And that is not something that I put on their invoice…it’s just a given.

When I spoke with the man the following day on the phone, I could hear the smile in his voice.  “She was so surprised.  Everything was delicious!  You didn’t miss a detail.”  (!)

 

February 27, 2009

Street Food is Neat Food!

Posted by Chef Victoria under Caffè Victoria, Catering by Victoria, Chef Notes, Food + Wine = Art | Tags: , , , |
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In South America, where the weather is agreeable, street food is common.  But just because it is plentiful and accessible, does not depreciate its deliciousness!  Touring about in Venezuela, Columbia, Argentina and Ecuador, you might stop into some of these street side carts.  In Ensenada, BC Mexico, many years ago, we had fresh fish tacos from a street vendor.  I’ve never had their equal since…and I have been looking.

Street food is economical, fresh and made from locally accessible ingredients.  Whatever is produced in abundance in the region, this is logically what they serve as “fast food” on the busy pedestrian venues. It’s a great way to get a “taste” of the local cuisine.  Since most folks are eating this food on-the-run, these morsels are typically packaged in a neat-to-eat way.

Street food vendors at night in Rio de Janeiro.

Street food vendors at night in Rio de Janeiro.

At the next Food + Wine = Art event on March 6th, we will be sampling some of this street fare.  One of the menu items is Arepas, from Venezuela.  These are the most common type of food found there from street vendors.  I didn’t quite realize this fact when I decided to put them on our menu.  But last night we made some, and I absolutely understand why.  They were beyond delicious!

We will have empanadas, another street food, which are common in Columbia.  Our dessert is a regional favorite, so it also promises to please us.  Our Argentinean Beef is tender and flavorful, and the barb-b-qued sausages are both items you might find from a street vendor in Buenos Aires.

You can probably tell that I am a bit excited for this menu and this event.  I know the wines (hearty reds and crystal whites)  will be memorable and I expect the food will pair so nicely with it, that it will be remembered also, not to mention craved!

If you have not yet signed up, there are a handful of spots remaining.  We hope that you can join us!  To make your reservation you can click HERE to be forwarded.  Scroll down.

When your chef is excited about the food he’ll be cooking, you can expect that he has passion about what he’ll be preparing.  A chef with passion creates delicious wonders!

~ Annonymous

 

February 12, 2009

What do I love?

Posted by Chef Victoria under Caffè Victoria, Catering by Victoria, Chef Notes, Wine Pairing | Tags: , , |
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If you ask me what I love, I mean REALLY love, when it comes to a special meal, I would have to say steak.  There is something so pleasing and mouthwatering about a medium-rare, grilled steak.  I prefer a rib eye or a New York strip when it comes to beef.  Seasoning is key, but so is not over cooking it.  I love a beef tenderloin wrapped in bacon and garnished with some sauted shiitakes.

However, I’d take a slab of lamb sirloin grilled to perfection hands down.  There is something so delicious and satisfying about lamb.   I think it is the complexity of its flavor.  Pair it with a wonderful red zin and I have bliss.

For the side, I’d take a crisp mixed green salad with a simple dressing, fresh strawberries, some crumbled goat cheese and some toasted almonds.  I little crusty bread and sweet cream butter.

I love a simple meal with delicious flavors.  I want food prepared in a manner that enhances the food, not masks it.  If you prepared this meal for me…I would LOVE you, even more.  Buon appetito!