Eight of us went back to St. Andrew’s this week to sample a student inspired meal at the College. With students from Canada, Mexico, and Chile the menu promised tastes from these three cuisines. I was hoping that some of the Chinese students would bring their tastes to the evening but that was not to happen.
I am usually energized by the enthusiasm of the students at the Lady Dunn venue but that seemed missing Thursday night. There was no spark, few smiles, and a lack of understanding of our dining culture.
Empanadas
Meat filled pastries are a staple of many cultures and empanadas are found throughout Central and South America. My disappointment with these was not in the pastry but in the presentation. Suddenly two plates of empanadas appeared, each containing four pastries with neither a side plate nor serving utensil. I realize these are meant to be eaten from the hand, but the phyllo was soggy and hot enough to make it difficult to handle. Tasty, but difficult to eat.
North and South Breads
Bread baskets and plates of dip appeared without side plates, which we had to request. The flatbreads were dry and the dried tortillas were indescribable. The hummus was dull and lifeless. (Hummus is made with lemon juice, garlic, and red pepper flakes!) The corn-Guajillo dip tasted more like a squash puree with none of the sweet spicy heat expected.
Beta Beta Beta Soup.
This roasted red pepper soup was a delight to my eyes and from the first spoonful, made me smile. It was a perfect balance of spice, heat, and roasted red peppers with a delightful crunch from the pepitos. Full marks.
Pescados
Billed as a hot and cold fish dish, it lived up to its name. Poached sole was placed over a small mound of quinoa in one corner of a square plate and in the opposite corner was a piece of halibut ceviche. Joining the two corners was a trail of wonderfully spicy salsa. Full marks for taste, creativity and presentation.
Silvestre Sorbet
A very pleasant palate refreshing sorbet based on Margarita flavours. Crystalline sugar sprinkled over the top added a nice touch and mimicked the salty rim of a margarita.
Tortiere-Carnitas
The strangest of the evening’s dishes was this combination. The tortiere was a mound of ground beef, pork and veal that was strangely dry and tasteless. Deconstructing tortiere should have included the gravy made by the meat juices, potatoes, onions, thyme and savory and other spices, and don’t forget pastry. Tortiere is a pie. Fusion could have added some heat or spiciness.
The Carnitas was a pork puree wrapped in a tortilla. It had a very strange mouth feel for a meat dish – more like a pate than the pulled, braised pork shoulder which is common. Again there seemed little flavour in the concoction and no condiments to make up for that lack.
Neither meat dish was hot.
The lack of vegetables was a strange touch. Potatoes and corn are endemic to South America and would have balanced the meal somewhat.
Maple Poached Pear and Leche Nevada
A pleasantly refreshing dessert of poached pear, Maple Ice Cream, and “Snowy Milk” nicely presented.
Dulce Trio
We finished with Candied Orange Peel, a candy made from beans, and Empolvado candy - interesting sweet treats that were new to us and a nice finish to the meal.
I don’t want to seem overly critical about the meal, but students are there to learn and the best learning comes through real experience. Sometimes that means falling flat on your face. It’s one thing to cook a meal for friends and a completely different experience to cook in a restaurant. I know the pressure is tremendous, but the rewards are exhilarating. I’ve enjoyed the experiences we’ve had at the Lady Dunn Dining Room over the past two years. I won’t let this dampen my enthusiasm for the wonderful meals we’ve had there and the fun we’ve had meeting the students and teachers. Don’t give up experimenting and don’t quit just because someone critiques your efforts. And, for goodness sakes, don't lose the enthusiasm.
Harvey
