Table in a Kitchen…

COOKING ON THE ROAD. I get a great deal of satisfaction preparing meals for our friends and loved ones. Cooking is our gift to them. We all need to eat…why not make dining on the road an opportunity for interesting conversation and a delight to the senses? It really isn’t difficult. See my post about cooking on the road.  My cooking hobby also gives me a chance to sharpen my skills and create new recipes wherever we may be at the time. So, when I get an opportunity to improve my cooking skills by taking a class, I always take advantage of it. Some classes are better than others but more times than not I learn something and get a chance to have a nice meal without all the work of preparing it at home.

Chef Charlie is caramelizing a split banana for one of the recipes he shared with us. A little sugar on the cut side and a cooking torch is all that’s needed to put a tasty “crackle” on the fruit.

TABLE IN A KITCHEN. At the Wind Creek Resort in Atmore, Alabama, cooking is the main course. And at the resort’s Kitchen Culinary Studio, Chef  Charlie Creelman is eager to please. Wanna be chefs like me and others who just appreciate good food cooking interact with Chef as he and his team prepare a five course tasting of international cuisines right before your eyes. I took Florence and both of us loved the experience. We had a chance to see first-hand that only the freshest and finest ingredients  are used in this dinner experience. Table in a Kitchen is a unique dining experience. And for me, a learning experience. On the night we dined, only four other guests joined the party. They liked to eat but I don’t think any of them had more than a passing fancy about cooking. Good! That gave me an opportunity to engage with Chef and get lots of questions answered without other guests competing for his time and attention. And the best part of the evening is that the Resort comped our dinners. Remember back a couple of months when I won lots of money playing a $5 slot machine in the High Limits Room? Well, ever since in an obvious ploy to get their money back, I’ve been treated like a VIP. I get free hotel stays in the penthouse suite, free dinners at Fire, the resorts fine dining venue and tickets to concerts such as CeeLo Green and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.

FIRST COURSE. LITE ITALIAN FARE: HERB MARINATED GRILLED CHICKEN, TOASTED BAGUETTE, GRILLED RICOTTA SALATA, ARUGLA WITH TOMATO WALNUT VINIGRETTE AND TOMATO CAPER WITH BLACK OLIVES. 

SECOND COURSE. Duck Saltimboca, Grilled Goat Cheese Polenta Cake and Red Onion Confit.

THIRD COURSE. RAMEN BOWL: LUMP CRAB AND SHRIMP RAMEN, YELLOW SQUASH NOODLES, SHIITAKE, PEA, SCALLION AND NAPA BOILED EGG.   

FOURTH COURSE. PORK: Roasted, Glazed Pork Loin, Green Tomato Salsa with Marinated Radishes and Yucca Corn Mash.

FIFTH COURSE. DESSERT TRIO: Cannoli Parfait, Peach Sorbet with Smashed Raspberries and Banana Split.

Florence was impressed with three of the five courses. She didn’t care for the duck. Neither did I. It was rare and not like the crispy duckling I’ve occasionally prepared during the Holidays. If it’s done just right there’s nothing better. And it completes your Victorian Christmas theme to a letter.  

There were only six guests. Here are four of them. By this point in the evening, I was up with Chef Charlie asking him to let me help with prep.

THANKS FOR JOINING US. On the way home the morning after class we stopped at Pat’s Blueberry Farm. I’m going to show you pictures of the farm next time and tell you some facts about blueberries I think you’ll be surprised to learn. So, what did you think about Table in a Kitchen? Do you like the food we watched Chef Charlie prepare? Any suggestions or stories of your own that are related? Use the “Comment” section below to give me your impressions.

I’ll continue my story next time.