Week 14, Home and the World of Flavor Conference

Week 14 of Euro went pretty well. We made food from Eastern Europe, so lots of goulash, and stews and quick pickles. The food was good, although Chef was in quite a bad mood. On Friday we had decided that we wanted to make breakfast foods, so what better time to do it than breakfast time (which is pretty early, in case you didn’t get the memo). I arrived at school on Friday at 3:45am for class at 4am. I was all prepared to pop in my overnight cinnamon rolls, which I had made the night before and let raise in the fridge. Chef then announced that we was embarrassed that no one wanted to make eggs Benedict, so I decided to make it to pacify him, although that meant that I got to make hollandaise at 5:30 in the morning. The hollandaise came out perfectly, as did my poached eggs. The chef instructors all wanted the eggs benedict, and Chef Stephen who was the pastry chef at the French Laundry said that the eggs benedict was done perfectly. What a compliment! So we had fun making breakfast, although we were all soo sleepy. I have a new appreciation for guys and girls who are working at Denny’s and Perkins making 20 omelets at a time at 5am.

At the end of breakfast, 9am, we all went to the classroom and chef announced that he would be leaving to go back to New York at the end of the World of flavor conference. He said that he couldn’t sell his house, and his teenage daughter didn’t want to leave her high school so he is going back. I have to admit no one was very sad. So no more Chef Mike, who thinks I’m swell, but I’m convinced others think I’m swell too.

After Euro I went home to Shawano for a few days (Sunday-Tuesday). It was nice to be home and hang out with mom and dad. Mom and I shopped Shawano, we all had dinner with Chris and Stacey at Luigi’s…yummy ravioli. The next night we went to the Launching Pad, and had yummy burgers. On the way to the airport, Mom and I had lunch with Dave’s mom Barbara. It was so nice to see her and catch up a little bit.

Wednesday was the start of the World of Flavors conference at school. Which was pretty cool to be a part of. I saw a ton of celebrity chefs, the owner of the Slanted Door in SF Charles Phan, Morimoto from the Food Channel, and Martin Yan from PBS “Yan can Cook”, among a ton of others who non food geeks would not be excited about, but I was super excited. The school looked beautiful, the theme was Asia, and there were huge paper birds and dragons hung from the three story stair well. The barrel room, which where all the wine was produced when the building was the Christian Brothers winery, became an Asian Market, with huge silk multi color awnings, and bamboo food stands. It was too cool. I helped Wednesday-Friday, and then spend Saturday cooking and cleaning for a little dinner party we were having. When I was in Shawano mom and I got a bunch of food together that I cant get in CA, and we shipped it out. Dave and I thought it would be fun to have Joel and Victoria over for a little Wisconsin feast. We had cheese spread, and summer sausage for an appetizer (with old fashioneds), which they both loved and had never had before. Then we had been cheese soup with kielbasa, again something they had never had before. Then we made brats on the grill with our homemade sour kraut, and German potato salad, again things they had never had. For dessert, a family favorite, Grandma Yeager rolls, which are kind of like butter horn cookies, but they have meringue and cinnamon in the middle. Victoria wanted to help, so she came and we made the rolls, as David made the soup. Here we are making the rolls.


Both Joel and Victoria loved the meal. David premiered his latest beer, “Napa Red” which was a hit as well. We played games after dinner and had tons of fun. It was nice to have people over for a grown-up dinner.

Lots of love to everyone
Abby