A visit to Taste and Technique

Recently, the company I work for started a new fiscal year. And what does that always mean? Time for a team building activity.  This year, our management decided to make us bond over making a meal.  We went to Taste and Technique in Fair Haven, NJ and made a delicious 6-course meal.  Sure, I blew my calorie budget that day, but the good time had and the techniques that I learned made it totally worthwhile!  I'll be going over the recipes in subsequent blog posts but for now I just want to highlight a few of the tips and tricks that I learned. 

Tip #1: The easy way to chop fresh herbs [video]:

Tip #2: Double Burner Grills are awesome! Invest in one.  I got the All-Clad one from Williams Sonoma and I have to say it was worth every penny.  I've heard people complain that the less expensive ones are harder to clean.  This one is a breeze to clean.

Tip #3a:  To prevent sticking when grilling meat, wait until one side is well cooked before moving it around.  If you move it too early, it will stick. [video]

Tip #3b: Once meat is sufficiently grilled turn it at a 45 degree angle and let it cook a few minutes more to get beautiful grill marks.  (Gorgeous!)

I was really amazed by the things that I learned and how much fun I had in this 3-hour class -- which prompted me to look into available cooking classes in my area.  I was surprised to find that the King's (local supermarket) by me has a wide array of classes available.  You should check out your local markets as well if you're interested in classes.

Bon Appetit!