Menu Project

I have finally made it to level 5: working in a restaurant kitchen. With affordable upscale French fare, the school's restaurant, L'Ecole, has gained considerable popularity in the SoHo area. Students in levels 5 and 6 prepare all of the menu items, plus additional specials which has been really exciting. Each week we switch our respective dishes, so that we are able to learn every station in the kitchen, from meat to pastry. Although I felt well prepared from previous levels, there is really nothing like hands-on restaurant experience to get you comfortable in a kitchen. 

Our final project was also due in level 5, which incorporates all of the skills learned throughout our time at FCI. We created our own unique menu following an overarching theme, paired it with wine, calculated costing, and wrote a paper on the history of ingredients. For mine, I made a course for each region of Italy that I visited while I was studying in Florence and attempted to recreate the best dishes I had in each respective region. Show these Frenchies whose boss. 

TUSCANY: toscano piatto
prosciutto san danielle, framani salami toscano, finnochiona
pientino (pecorino fresco), pecorino aged in walnut leaves
crostini toscani (chicken liver mousse)

ROMA: ravioli di carciofi
artichoke ravioli, red wine "caviar,"
smooth artichoke barigoule vinaigrette
carciofi alla guidia (jewish-style fried artichoke petals)

AMALFI: pescatore lasagne nero
squid ink lasagne with steamed calamari, cockles
with a lemon reduction

SICILIA: trippa classico
tripe slowly braised in tomato sauce
with arancini (rice ball) and freshly made ricotta crostini

"Meatballs 3 ways"
1. veal scallopini and beef rollatini
wrapped in crisped prosciutto with parsley oil
2. veal, beef and pork country paté
3. classic family recipe over tomato tartare

Torta di Fichi
fresh fig tart with aged balsamic caramel
olive oil ice cream
candied basil 

<3 lisa, the little foodie.