Hone your Knife Skills with Chef Tony Pisconeri

Hone Your Knife Skills at
Buckeye Creek Farm 

with Chef Tony Pisconeri

Classes Scheduled soon. Check my blog for upcoming details.

For information email Chef Tony Pisconeri – chef@pisconeri.com

I will contact you to register you for the class. Credit Cards accepted.

One of the first things every beginning culinary student learns is how to execute various basic knife cuts and shapes, like the julienne, dice, brunoise and others. But even if you're not a culinary student (or a professional chef), mastering these knife cuts can still improve the quality of the food you cook, for two reasons:

Uniform cooking times

Large pieces of vegetables take longer to cook than smaller ones. So if you're sautéeing carrots that are cut to different sizes and shapes, you'll either overcook the smaller pieces by the time the bigger ones are done, or you'll cook the smaller pieces properly but leave the bigger ones undercooked. Consistent cutting technique ensures your food is cooked to a uniform degree of doneness.

Enhanced visual appeal

Again, it's the art part of the culinary arts. Of course, no one's going to take out a ruler and measure your knife cuts — unless you're in culinary school. But sloppy knife work makes for a sloppy-looking dish.

Learn how to use one the most important kitchen tools, your Chef’s Knife. Our Class will Explore:

•  The anatomy of the Chefs’ Knife
• The proper use and care of your knife
• The easiest way to sharpen and maintain your knife blade
• Basic knife cuts used in all culinary kitchens

• Large Dice
• Batonnet  
• Medium Dice
• Allumette – Matchstick Cut  
• Small Dice  
• Julienne
• Brunoise
• Chiffonade

This is a hands on class. Please bring your favorite Chef’s Knife and a small cutting board.

For information email Chef Tony Pisconeri – chef@pisconeri.com

I will contact you to register you for the class. Credit Cards accepted.

Garden to Table with Chef Tony Pisconeri

Garden to Table Pasta
with Chef Tony Pisconeri

Join us at Buckeye Creek Farm – 2115 Jep Wheeler Road, Woodstock, GA

Saturday August 22, 2015

from 10:00am until 1:00pm

Class Cost: $45.00 per student

To register email Chef Tony Pisconeri – chef@pisconeri.com

I will contact you to register you for the class. Credit Cards accepted.

Fresh from the Garden to the Table Pasta

It all starts with a walk through the garden to explore what is growing and is ready for harvest.

Then we will move to the kitchen to create three pasta/sauce recipes based on the produce and fresh herbs we gather. You can’t get any fresher than that.  We will see how fresh, handmade pasta is created and how easy it is to make delicious, healthy sauces from the seasonal garden bounty.

Our Garden to Table Class will Explore:

·         The garden at Buckeye Creek Farm and the seasonal vegetable and herbs available

·         Handmade pasta making techniques

·         Fresh sauces using in season produce and herbs harvested from the garden

This is a demo lecture class. We will have a tasting of the pasta recipes created in this class.

To register email Chef Tony Pisconeri – chef@pisconeri.com

I will contact you to register you for the class. Credit Cards accepted.

Summer Time is Pickle Time

Summer provides a bounty of cucumbers for pickling and here is the most delicious and easy to make fresh bread and butter pickles that you have ever eaten.

No fancy equipment needed, well maybe a knife that cuts the pickles into the traditional waffle pattern. 

You can make your pickles hot and spicy with the addition of a hot chili pepper or habanero pepper; just put it in the jar with the rest of the ingredients.

Once you have tasted them, just try to keep from eating them all.

The Best Bread and Butter Pickles

Yield: About 4 cups of pickles

Ingredients:

5½ cups (about 1½ pounds) thinly sliced pickling cucumbers

1½ tablespoons kosher salt

1 cup thinly sliced sweet onion

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup white vinegar

½ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup light brown sugar

1½ teaspoons mustard seeds

½ teaspoon celery seeds

1 teaspoon pickling spice

1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric

Chili pepper or Habanero pepper (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine cucumbers and salt in a large, shallow bowl; cover and chill 1½ hours. Move cucumbers into a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Drain well, and return cucumbers to bowl. Add onion to the bowl and toss with the cucumbers.

2. Combine the granulated sugar, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, pickling spice and ground turmeric in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Pour the hot vinegar mixture over cucumber mixture; let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.