Graduation!

I did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So on Day Ten, my computer would not let me upload photos. I got it fixed a few days before I graduated. For that reason, and because I was back-breakingly busy, I stopped posting. As I head into Level 2 on April 6, I will update you all now. I learned a lot, but one thing was: don't kill myself trying to do this. I stayed until midnight or one a.m. many nights. I ran myself into the ground. The other thing: it was totally worth it. The skills I learned will allow me to create original raw food cuisine. And that is worth it's weight in gold. 

Working backward, these are the two dishes I made for my Video Final Presentation. We were to create original recipes. I did a spin on the Standard American Diet. Burgers, fries, and apple pie. I didn't make the fries, as we were to do two dishes, but talk about the third. A jicama slaw was my take on fries. Above is a burger on wheat bread, pineapple salsa, cheese, pickles, mustard, mayo, and ketchup. It came out terrific. I wanted to create a burger that looked like burger and I did.

I was even prouder of this. It's an apple & pear crisp with creme and caramel. I love apple anything. I have made great baked and raw apple crisps which a rustic. An apple crisp is a homey dessert. Presentation is everything at Matthew Kenney Culinary (henceforth known as MKC). I elevated my homey dessert to something elegant. And after I did my video and cleaned my kitchen, you know I ate this sucker. 

Any of you who want to be raw food chefs HAVE TO TAKE THIS COURSE. I messaged Mimi Kirk before I started. She is a seventy-something year old raw foodist who has written at least five books. When I saw she had taken this same class at MKC Santa Monica, I was like, "What? She's a raw food author!" She wrote me back and said that I had to do this. And she was right. 

If you want to go pro, even if you've been making raw food for years, like I did, do it. I lacked knife skills and flavor knowledge and technique. I have all of that now. If you take this class, you will not regret it. I am so glad I made this decision. 

Love,

Althea

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Graduation!

Day Two and Three

I have been struck down with a severe cold/bug/something. I had to stop halfway through the day yesterday. This puts me behind early in the game. I wanted to share photos from Days Two and Three with you all before I go back to sleep. :-)

Day Two was about plating and presentation. Above is a Red Beet Raviloi. My roommates said it was too pretty to eat!

Tomato Lasagna. Again, it got the WOW factor from my roommates. The taste made me swoon.

Day Three. Almond Milk. One at a time, we added agave, salt, vanilla, lecithin, and lemon. Tasted again each addition. This taught us how to balance flavor.

Blueberry Bee Smoothie. You can't see it but there is bee pollen on top. I am not a huge blueberry fan. I gave it to Raymond and he gobbled it all up.

Knife skills, Day Three. My knife skills suck. My teacher told me to go back and review the video or I'll have to resubmit. Knife skills are everything in the culinary world. I need a lot of practice. I don't know why it's so hard to cut in a straight line...ugh.

That's all for now...coming up are kale chips, kimchi, pickles, and pickled ginger.

A. ◦

Day Two and Three

Teaching a Raw Food Class

I taught a raw food class on Saturday at Pathways to Whole Living, as part of their October Detox month. In the photo above, I am with Pathways Owner and Founder, Tracey Oliver-Keyser. If you don't know her, she is a phenomenal woman.

Tracey made a beet juice, with beets, carrots, and apples.

I made oatmeal, vanilla milkshake, kale salad, and tacos.

It was an interesting mix of people. All the food was great (yea!). I've taught two other classes there this year. Next up is Raw Desserts, most likely in November. When the date is confirmed, I'll let you all know.

Love,
Althea

http://www.pathways-belair.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pathways-To-Whole-Living/407667552625496 ◦

Teaching a Raw Food Class