American Regional

It's hard to believe that I am already going on week 3 of this new quarter at school. It is going by so fast. Not only is it going by fast, but I am absolutely loving this class. I am taking American Regional Cuisine, which as you could probably figure out from the name- studies the cuisine across America. I know, you are probably thinking "American food? Doesn't American food suck? Isn't Jaimie Oliver trying to revolutionize our food?" Think again. Our food didn't always suck. Think pre-processed, pre- fast food America. What are we left with? You are about to find out. ( in case you really care ) Here is a little bit of what culinary school is like if you have ever wondered what it is we actually do. This is a clip straight from our class syllabus.
( Blog continues after the syllabus )

Weekly Outline:

                        Week 1

	Lecture:		Overview of the History and Development of New England
Lab:		Day 1, Menu 1:  New England Clam Chowder   Marinated Zucchini & Tomato Salad New England Boiled Dinner Peach and Blueberry Cobbler + clams casino from menu 2 Week 1 Due: Day Two:       Print out the last page of the syllabus, sign it, and bring it to class.       Print out instructions for the Indigenous Food report from doc.sharing, bring to class. Day 2, Menu 2: Cod Cakes with Tartar Sauce Roasted Turkey Roulade with Giblet Gravy Cranberry Sauce Green Beans with Fried Onions Glazed Turnips Mashed Sweet Potatoes Gingerbread
Homework:		Week 1 Homework:       Journal- New England       Quiz on New England       Put together the Notebook/Journal Binder       Prepare Weekly Recipes
		Week 2
Lecture:		Overview of the History and Development of the Mid Atlantic
Lab:		Day 1, Menu 1: Spicy Crab Soup with Crab Puffs Egg, Cucumber, and Tomato Salad Buffalo Chicken Wings Roast Duck with Garlic and Honey (sub doc.sharing recipe for duck with cherry) Roasted Potatoes and Pearl Onions Applesauce Cake and Caramel Glaze (1/2 recipe!) Week 2 Due: Day One:       Journal on New England       Quiz on New England Day 2, Menu 2: Vichyssoise Beets, Belgian Endive, and Feta Salad Scallops with Mushrooms and Asparagus Croquette Potatoes Potatoes Parmentier Green Beans Spaghetti Squash Ginger Pound Cake with Warm Cranberries Week 2 Due: Day Two:       Journal/Notebook Binder
Homework:		Week 2 Homework:       Journal- Mid-Atlantic       Quiz on Mid-Atlantic States       Prepare Weekly Recipes
		Week 3
Lecture:		Overview of the History and Development of the South
Lab:		Day 1, Menu 3: Watermelon & Watercress Salad with Shallot-Citrus Dressing Fried Green Tomatoes with Blue Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Southern Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy Pan-Roasted Butternut Squash and Turnips Peach Cobbler + prep the pork for the pulled pork sandwiches Week 3 Due: Day One:       Journal on Mid-Atlantic States       Quiz on Mid-Atlantic States Day 2, Menu 2: Hoppin’ John Salad with Pecan Vinaigrette Sweet Onion Tart with Roasted Tomato Sauce and Green Onion- Basil Oil Shrimp Perloo Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwich Sandwich Slaw Potato Salad Banana Pudding
Homework:		Week 3 Homework:               Journal on Southern Cuisine       Quiz on Southern Cuisine       Indigenous Food report (due week 4 day 2)       Prepare Weekly Recipes
		Week 4
Lecture:		Overview of the History and Development of the Cuisine of Florida
Lab:		Day 1, Menu 1:  Black Bean Soup Ceviche of Shrimp and Floribbean Slaw Chicken with Tamarind Ginger Sauce Stewed Pink Beans Stuffed Chayote with Tomatoes, Mushrooms and Cheese Candied Sweet Potatoes Week 4 Due: Day One:       Journal on Southern Cuisine       Quiz on Southern Cuisine Day 2, Menu 2: Key West Conch Chowder Hearts of Palm Salad Pan Seared Grouper with Black Bean, Jicama, and Corn Relish Tropical Fruit Salsa Corn Custard Key Lime Pie Week 4 Due: Day Two:       Indigenous Food report due
Homework:		Week 4 Homework:       Journal on Floribbean Cuisine       Quiz on Floribbean Cuisine       Prepare Weekly Recipes
		Week 5
Lecture:		Overview of the History and Development of Cajun and Creole Cuisine
Lab:		Day 1, Menu 1: Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo (sub gumbo recipe on doc.sharing) Tomato and Haricot Vert Salad Fried Fish with Pearly Meal and Remoulade Sauce Crawfish Etouffèe Boiled Rice Smothered Okra Bread Pudding with Whisky Sauce Week 5 Due: Day One:       Journal on Floribbean Cuisine       Quiz on Floribbean Cuisine   Day 2, Menu 2: Red Beans and Rice Green Salad with Vinaigrette Baked Cheese Grits Braised Beef Daube Glazed Carrots Sugar Snap Peas Fried Oyster Po Boy Pecan Pralines
Homework:		Week 5 Homework:       Journal on Cajun and Creole       Quiz on Cajun and Creole Cuisine       Prepare Weekly Recipes
		Week 6
Lecture:		Overview of the History and Development of the Cuisine of the Central Plains
Lab:		Day 1, Menu 1: Wisconsin Cheddar and Beer Soup Beet and Apple Salad with Horseradish Vinaigrette Planked Whitefish with Green Onion Butter Mashed Celeriac and Potatoes Pickled Pearl Onions Sautéed Green Beans and Cherry Tomatoes Brownie Pudding Cake + prep ribs for day 2 & soak beans Week 6 Due: Day One:       Journal on Cajun and Creole       Quiz on Cajun and Creole Cuisine Day 2, Menu 2: Barley Beef Soup KC BBQ Ribs Steak Fries Cannellini Beans with Tomatoes and Basil Roast Chicken with Wild Rice, Walnuts, and Dried Fruit Stuffing Winter Vegetables with Thyme, and Broccoli Florets + Sour Cream Coffee Cake from menu 3
Homework:		Week 6 Homework:       Journal on Cuisine of the Central Plains       Quiz on Cuisine of the Central Plains       Begin Menu Planning Project       Prepare Weekly Recipes
		Week 7
Lecture:		Overview of the History and Development of Tex-Mex Cuisine
Lab:		Day 1, Menu 1: LBJ Pedernales Chili Jalapeno Cornbread Crab Quesadillas with Green Chili Chutney Lone Star Chicken-Fried Steak with Cream Gravy Mashed Potatoes Black-Eyed Peas Mexican Wedding Cookies Week 7 Due: Day One:       Journal on Cuisine of the Central Plains       Quiz on Cuisine of the Central Plains Day 2, Menu 2: Caldo de Res (sub recipe from doc.sharing) Pork Flautas Guacamole Pico de Gallo Shrimp Tacos with Green Chili Sauce Cheese Enchiladas Arroz a la Mexicana Refried Beans Flan
Homework:		Week 6 Homework:       Journal on Tex-Mex Cuisine due       Quiz on Texas and Tex-Mex Cuisine       Menu Planning Project (due week 8 day 2)       Prepare Weekly Recipes
		Week 8
Lecture:		Overview of the History and Development of the Cuisines of the Southwest and Rocky Mountains
Lab:		Day 1, Menu 1: Tortilla Chips, Salsa Fresca, and Tomatillo Salsa Poblano and Potato Soup with Tortilla Chips Marinated Quail on Spinach Salad Pumpkin Seed Crusted Trout Calabacitas con Maize Annatto Rice and Queso Fresco Tres Leches Cake + sopaipillas recipe from doc.sharing (not from the book) Week 8 Due: Day One:       Journal on Tex-Mex Cuisine due       Quiz on Texas and Tex-Mex Cuisine Day 2, Menu 2: Grilled Vegetable Gazpacho Spicy Pork Empanadas with Marinated Dried Bean Salad Colorado Lamb Shoulder with Cilantro Pesto and Jalapeno Preserves Broccoli with Candied Pecans Fingerlings with Parsley-Basil Dressing Lemon Chess Pie Week 8 Due: Day Two:       Menu Planning Project
Homework:		Week 7 Homework:       Journal on Cuisine of the Southwest       Quiz on the Cuisines of the Southwest       Prepare Weekly Recipes
		Week 9
Lecture:		Overview of the History and Development of the Cuisine of California
Lab:		Day 1, Menu 1: Chilled Avocado and Cucumber Soup Warm Scallop Salad with Tomato, Mind, and Lime Dressing Sautéed Duck Breast with a Port Wine Reduction Monterey Jack and Green Chile Polenta Fried Fennel Creamed Spinach + Strawberry Shortcake from Menu 2 + make sponge for the focaccia Week 9 Due: Day One: (drop box them)       Journal on Cuisine of the Southwest       Quiz on the Cuisines of the Southwest Day 2, Menu 3: Dilled Carrot Soup Caesar Salad Hangtown Fry San Francisco Cioppino Kiwifruit and Grape Rice Pudding + Rosemary Focaccia (from “other recipes”- California chapter)
Homework:		Week 9 Homework:       Journal on California       Quiz on California       Prepare Weekly Recipes
		Week 10
Lecture:		Overview of the History and Development of the Cuisine of the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii
Lab:		Day 1, Menu 1: (The Pacific Northwest) Red Lentil Soup with Sweet Onion Marmalade Mussels in Thai Curry Coconut Broth Pear and Hazelnut Salad with Oregon Blue Cheese Sautéed Halibut with Warm Apple and Dried Cherry Compote Gai Lan and Crispy Garlic + Chocolate Flourless Cake with Coffee Crème Anglaise from Menu 3 Week 10 Due: Day One:       Journal on California       Quiz on California Day 2, Menu 1: (Hawaii) Ahi Poke Spam Musubi Daikon Cakes with Salad Greens and Spicy Plum Dressing Saimin with Teriyaki Meat Sticks Char Su Deep-Fried Calamari Salad Pineapple Fritters with Maui Mango Sauce
Homework:		Week 10 Homework:       Journal on Pacific Northwest & Hawaiian Cuisine       Quiz on Pacific Northwest & Hawaiian Cuisine       Prepare for Final Exam- recipes and timeline       Prepare Final Notebook & Journal- print, organize, and professionalize
		Week 11
Lecture:		FINAL EXAMs
Lab:		Final Practical Exam Individual Student Cooking Test 4 Courses – 2 portions Soup, Salad, Entrée, Dessert – Chef assigns from the Textbook –
		Lab Cleaning

If you actually looked at the syllabus ( unlike a real student ) then you will see that not only does America have amazing food, but we also have real homework. Who knew culinary school was more than just cooking? Well it is, but I love it.
Another awesome detail about this class is that our chef instructor is awesome. She is way more relaxed than our last instructor--who loved to single people out in front of the whole class for things that we really didn't know any better. I narrowly escaped ever being singled out in front of the class but that doesn't mean that I didn't want to vomit just thinking about the possibility. I am not afraid of this instructor, and her food critiques are a lot more detailed and attention oriented. She has a way better pallet and has a taste for things other than salt. ( For our lass instructor you had to salt things according to how you would eat it, and then salt it some more. ) I guess you could say she is a tougher grader, but I like that--it is necessary for improvement, and it is always done in a constructive way.



So who's coming over for dinner?