The Most Creative Cooking Class Ever with Gourmand Breaks!
Monday, March 8, 2010 was not only memorable for the incredible snow storms and winds which devastated Catalunya in Northern Spain and enormous snowflakes, which put surprised faces on the residents and tourists of Barcelona alike.
It was indeed a very memorable day in the life of 16 chefs, graduating chefs and guests from Harrisburg Culinary Arts School, who had arrived in Barcelona (on a private culinary tour) from a snow-filled Pennsylvania in the USA, expecting sunshine and springtime in Spain! However, their surprise at the weather was soon forgotten when they piled into a cooking school to enjoy a Gourmand Breaks cooking class in the Gothic Area of Barcelona, sat down and commenced to view something quite innovative and amazing.
Gourmand Breaks, together with Spanish Chef Eduard Bosch, who has been a member of the team at El Bulli Restaurant for the last 20 years, had put together a very special private cooking class for professionals and semi-professionals in the culinary business. The class was to explain some of the complexities of “Spherification” and “Foams” and additionally to point out the major differences between Truffles.
Sixteen pairs of eyes sparkled in anticipation as Spanish Chef Eduard commenced with an explanation of Siphons, Foams and the Creams which go into the Siphons to make the Foams. Continuing on, the different creams, sweet and savoury, were freshly made, “ensiphonised” and retained in either a bain marie to keep warm or in a refrigerator to chill. Later the levers on the siphons were pressed and the finished results exploded into mousseline type creams onto plates of asparagus, lentils and almond sponge cake.
There was however, more to come, when the Spanish Chef´s “magic” spherification methods were unfolded and everyone had an opportunity to try the flavour explosion which had commenced as a very strong stock and evolved into a rounded sphere of encapsulated aroma and taste which would, once in the mouth, immediately melt and exude its contents to the surprise and delight of everyone´s taste buds.
The final part of the lesson was a fascinating introduction into Truffles and the manner in which they can be identified, used, and preserved, which was rounded off by everyone tasting the good, the bad and the ugly of Truffles.
To complete this memorable cooking class, all the dishes which Chef Eduard had explained during the evening were completed, plated up and consumed by all those present, with many a Cava toast to what was certainly a very exciting and unforgettable cooking class.
Fancy learning how to cook like el Bulli style in Spain ? our private Barcelona Modern Culinary Tour introduces you to the best of modern Spanish cuisine as well as a range of culinary delights such as Michelin starred dining, exquisite wine tastings and authentic gourmet tapas tours.
