Four Seasons Burger Cooking Class

What luxury hotel chain invites bloggers and related media writers to an evening of cooking, eating and drinking in their kitchen under the tutelage of the executive chef? Why, that would be the Four Seasons, specifically the warm and friendly Kristan Fletcher, Director of PR and the amazingly generous, super fun and down to earth executive chef Brooke Vosika. But this wasn't just any cooking class, it was actually a complimentary burger cooking class in honor of the upcoming month of May being National Hamburger Month.

What's all the fuss about a burger anyways? The Four Seasons Bristol Lounge just so happens to serve up, arguably, one of the best burgers in the city. The Bristol Burger is two time winner of the Boston Burger Battle and the biggest selling item on the menu. I'd say that's reason enough to celebrate all May long! Several local bloggers and I (some of whom I was finally meeting for the first time, others with whom it was fantastic to catch up!) were given the opportunity on the evening of Tuesday April 5th, to create our very own burger. Here's a look at what went down:

A warm welcoming from the Chef included a run down of the evenings agenda - we're creating our very own burgers! and what goes into the makings of The Bristol Burger. Wines were filled promptly upon arrival to encourage creativity. Refills were plentiful.

The burgers are made of fresh ground chuck (a ratio of 80% meat to 20% fat.)

The patty is coated in olive oil and seasoned with fresh salt and hand ground pepper, and grilled to order. Chef Vosika believes strongly in a simple preparation with house made ingredients.

Back in the front of the kitchen we were given an explanation of the toppings available to us. Cheese galore, bacon, mushroom, onion and house made pickles were among them.Roasted garlic, house made ketchup, mustard, pesto, mayo, balsamic vinegar and fresh vegetables round out the bunch.
Decisions, decisions. We were not limited to the ingredients that sat before us, either. The kitchen stressed that they could provide more ingredients upon request and they certainly came through with whatever we needed. In an organized fashion we were each given a number 1-10 (in the order we were standing, I was 10!) to choose our toppings wisely and invent our burgers. We were instructed to create one large burger and then chef would replicate mini-burgers for the group to sample and share. So, what did we do in between our turns? Drink more wine, encourage burger topping creativity and eat amazing appetizers like Buffalo Brussel Sprouts which are crispy fried with house-made hot sauce and served with creamy Berkshire Blue Cheese.

Avocado Fries are served with shaved jalapeño, aged cheddar and cilantro dipping sauce. I've basically died and gone to heaven. Fried Brussel Sprouts and Avocado Fries? What incredible transformations to happen to my favorite green vegetable and fruit, respectively. French fries at The Bristol Lounge come in three forms (left to right) BBQ, Sweet Potato and Truffle Parmesan. Outstanding. They might also have the best fries in this city.

Did I forget to mention there were house made salt and pepper chips?

I watched as "sous chefs" (hey, that's what our aprons said!) went to town mixing aiolis and requesting more ingredients; topping burgers with everything from prosciutto and tomato, to bacon and avocado, mushroom and onion, jalapeños, house made pickles and even french fries.

It was definitely a lot of fun to taste what everyone else created.

Eventually, it was my turn. On an instinctual whim I chose my ingredients: Fennel Slaw, Goat Cheese, Sauteed Mushrooms and Lettuce on a Grilled Bun. 
Chef encouraged my choices (maybe he could tell I was a bit hesitant) stating that the goat cheese and fennel will work really well together. When I inquired about the addition of lettuce he responded that the lettuce would balance out the strong fennel taste. Perhaps trusting my instincts paid off so far. Even though the mash up of ingredients sounded good in my head, the chef affirming my choices made me feel confident in my burger.  I put it together, fennel slaw down first as the base, then the patty layered with the melted goat cheese, next the sauteed mushrooms and finally two leaves of lettuce. The verdict? I felt like I used a little too much goat cheese, but I did enjoy how well all the ingredients tasted together. So did Adam when I brought the big guy home for him to feast on! I was stuffed, but later I managed to enjoy some macaroons from the Four Seasons parting gift-bag.

We were delighted to learn that each of our burgers will be featured on the menu for one day in the month of May. My namesake burger will served on Tuesday May 3rd! (Soo I guess I'll get to dine out and be my own food critic, weird!) Care to join me?

Did I mention the Four Seasons is a gorgeous Boston landmark situated overlooking the Public Garden? That the Bristol Lounge features elegant living room-esque dining with big couches and floor to ceiling windows? If you come in and order my burger it would also be the perfect excuse to try the avocado fries and buffalo brussels sprouts.

Thanks so much to everyone at the Four Seasons, especially Kristan and Chef Vosika, for hosting such a memorable and more importantly a super fun evening in the kitchen. Can't wait to see you in May!

Cooking with Big Red Wines @ Rialto

Reading though the daily Red White Boston email has become a highlight of my mornings. Getting the inside scoop on the Boston wine scene and participating in RWB sponsored contests has since lead to some pretty great opportunities, like the Port Tasting at Federal Wine and Spirits last month and a cooking class with James Beard award winning chef/owner Jody Adams of Rialto this past Saturday. A local celebrity chef in her own right, you might recognize Jody from her appearance on Season 2 of Bravo's hit TV show, Top Chef Masters. As instructed in the RWB email sent a couple weeks back, I submitted my favorite recipe using red wine and much to my surprise and excitement, won a spot at the Cooking With Big Red Wines class which includes a multi-course lunch with expertly paired wines valued at $125, free of charge. Saturday morning it was off to The Charles Hotel in Harvard Square, home of Rialto Restaurant + Bar where Chef Adams takes a regional approach to Italian cuisine using New England ingredients. The class began with a spread of coffee and some tasty orange scones. The scones were soft, delicious, crumbly bites of sweet orange coated in a sugary vanilla glaze. As people filtered in and I introduced myself to some of the women around me, I learned many of the class goers are regulars who have been attending these sessions together for years. They raved about what a treat me and some of the other newbies were in for. Chef began with an introduction, letting us know her classes are very informal and we should feel free to ask questions and interrupt at any time. She also introduced her sous chef, Steve Mills and the PR & Marketing Manager, Rebecca Fetner. It became clear right away Jody doesn't take herself too seriously, and even goes so far as to describe herself as immature; but I'd just call her fun. Her easy going, super laid back demeanor is evident in the way she carries herself, laughing often and cracking jokes with the class. Her wealth of knowledge combined with an openness to learn new things in the kitchen is refreshing. She is as unpretentious as they come. During the demonstration, with recipe packets to follow along, we learned to make dishes Chef would describes as unusual ways to use red wine. Normally "we" choose to cook with white wine (truth), so her idea to showcase reds was smart. I really appreciated her thought process behind choosing the wines - I go for wines that are available, nothing fancy or particular, but nothing too sweet, definitely something you'd want to drink. She also pointed out the flavor of the wine is altered dramatically after cooking, but to still pick something you'd want to drink anyways.
[Preface: I'm not going to list out the full recipes because I'd be here re-typing my packet all night long. (If anyone is interested in obtaining them, please let me know.) Instead I'll share tips and tricks on how to prepare, and interesting details learned about the ingredients Chef was working with.]

Course #1: Escarolle, Romaine and Prosciutto Salad with Anchovy dressing, Fried Onions and Red Wine Poached Egg.
She started by preparing the anchovy dressing. -Purchase anchovy fillets raw, salted and soaked. The paste has been cooked and pureed so go with the real thing.
-Create a garlic paste by dicing the garlic and mixing it with salt.
-Shallots are commonly used in dressing because they are sweeter, drier and more intense than onion. -An emulsion is created by suspending oil in liquid, adding a little bit at a time. Big flavors require more oil. Her standard ratio is 4:1 (olive oil to vinegar.)

-Normally when you poach an egg in water you would add vinegar. Using red wine takes care of the acid component, so no vinegar is necessary.

-Poach eggs at a simmer, not a roaring boil.
Note: Chef's original red wine of choice was Woop Woop an Australian Shiraz (coincidentally a wine I enjoyed not too long ago!) We learned right along with Jody today, wines like Shiraz and Zinfandel have a high sulfur / sulfates content and cause the eggs to turn gray. Jody explained she tried this out earlier and thought it very odd when her egg turned gray, as this had never happened to her before. Once Tara, the wine expert, explained the issues poaching with wines high in sulfur, Jody switched to a Pinot Noir which stains the egg red and looks much more pleasant versus the gray counterpart. -The type of wine does matter. ;)
-Escarole tends to be really dirty, so wash it in room temperature water to remove the dirt (cold water only keeps the dirt sticking).
-Escarole was chosen because it is a hearty lettuce that holds up to the bold flavors of the umami lent from the anchovies in the dressing.

Course #2: Red Wine Risotto with Figs and Radicchio.
-Onion in a risotto should melt into the background, so be sure to dice as finely as possible. Note: Watching a chef dice onions, shallots, garlic, etc will never get old. This is purely my opinion but I find it mesmerizing to watch, especially in person. Probably because this process takes me 5x as long and never looks as clean or seems to go as smoothly.
-Chef uses dried Calamara figs which are Greek. Turkish figs also work well. Mission California figs tend to be overly dry and mealy.
-The preferred rice is Canaroli for its short grain and its starchy consistency which allows it to absorb more liquid.
-If the onion browns before it is tender, add water to soften and continue cooking.
Jody explained as she stirred, risotto goes on the menu at Rialto only once a year because it is one of the most frustrating things to make and to make well. So many factors influence how the risotto behaves and you really have to do things slowly and carefully. Some restaurants cheat and add cream which speeds up the process, but this is no good. I have never made risotto, but all too often I read about how it is soo easy to make (and I'm always super intimidated) so hearing this perspective from a chef was rather insightful!
We learned so much more. We had a knife discussion (yes she brought her own to Top Chef, but isn't one of those chefs who has to have her own knives when she travels.) We discussed cutting boards, wooden spoons, induction burners (she loves them and they happen to be very energy efficient), olive oil (when to use what quality), even cheese grating techniques. All were very informal conversations sparked by audience intrigue and fostered by Jody's knowledge and willingness to share all she knows.

Course #3: Scallops with Red Wine Lobster Sauce and Chanterelles.
-The sauce uses the lobster body and legs. You don't usually eat the body but it proves useful to freeze. To use, cut it into chunks and sear. -Fish fumet = fish stock. Use a white fish. Note: At Rialto they make their fish stock in house.
-Chanterelles can be very dirty (hers were.) Scrape the outside dirt off as opposed to rinsing underwater. They are moist like sponges and will absorb the water which isn't a texture you want. - Jody used diver scallops from the deep colder waters which have a firmer consistency. Scallops found in warm water tend to be floppier.
-When cooking scallops don't wiggle them around or they will steam rather than sear. You want a golden crust and that is achieved by letting them stand still.
-Because the scallop is so simple it welcomes the intense reduction. You could substitute a white fish like swordfish, bass or halibut.

Once the instruction and demonstration portion were over we were invited into the back dining room for lunch. This is my kind of class - all the benefits, none of the work! Fresh rolls accompanied by olive oil and coarse sea salt were waiting for us as we chose our seats.
The first wine was poured to pair with the salad, as we got to know our fellow classmates and lunch companions. I sat across from Katrin, a researcher at the MGH Cancer Center who moved to the U.S. from Germany about six year ago. We just so happen to share a love of dining out at Boston restaurants, so we had a lot to chat about. Rebecca was thoughtful enough to offer up the wine bottles for photos after the meal, pictured in order of tasting.
The first is Cannonau di Sardegna, Sella & Mosca, Reserva 2006. Tara described this as a nice bright wine with a light body, revealing rich ripe plumy flavors and intense scents of violet.
The salad offered an eclectic range of flavor and texture. You've got bitterness and acidity from the mustard and red wine vinegar in the dressing, saltiness from the prosciutto, a sweet crisp from the onions, a sharp bite from the pecorino cheese, creaminess from the poached egg and even umami (the fifth taste) from the anchovy. The purple red wine stained egg blends in so well, you could almost mistake it as a piece of dark colored lettuce.The second wine was an Oltrepo Pavese Rosso, Zaffo 2006. Indigenous to Northern Italy, the wine is light on the nose with sour cherry flavors and high tannins. The red wine risotto photographs simple but the taste is bold. The lusciously sweet figs compliment the slightly bitter radicchio flesh, topped with just a few crumbles of stinky blue cheese - this ended up being my favorite dish of the three.
I befriended a sweet couple celebrating their anniversary, Elle and Ford. Ford shared his secret talent - balancing wine in a glass on its side!
Our final wine pairing of the afternoon was a Cesanese del Piglio Colle Ticcio, Corte dei Papi 2008. In this wine deep sweet berry flavors prelude hints of tobacco. The finish is earthy and mineraly.The plump diver scallops had a nice golden brown sear just as Chef explained they should. Accompanying the scallops were wilted spinach greens and earthy chanterelles. The smooth red wine lobster sauce added intense flavors while chopped fresh tarragon lent some bright herbal notes. What a fantastic way to spend a Saturday. An engaging and informative class taught by an approchable, down to earth and talented chef; then a enjoying a three course meal in a relaxed and tastefully designed setting. It doesn't get much better. Thanks so much to Chef Adams and the generous staff at Rialto for putting together a wonderful class and especially to Cathy at Red White Boston for offering me this unique opportunity.