stir your senses
January 2006


contents

welcome • events & news • seasonable feasts •
corporate events • kid-chefs • teen-chefs •
our favorite recipe • contact us
 

welcome


dearest most honored culinary bon vivant's --

be still my heart!

it seems trés natural to introduce our fresh newsletter 'stir your senses' at the jumping off place for february.  the sweetest month -- is darn near impossible to imagine without chocolate and flowers -- sometimes in the same dish -- but I have learned what what is a sumptuous feast for some is mere pittance on the palate for others.  so, read our news, let the cold wind blow -- at c'est si bon! we welcome you warmly into the kitchen -- whatever your skills -- to stir a feast, just for you!

merci beaucoup for all your participation in the past -- we are bursting with news and we'd love to see you soon!

 Rich and Dorette

 

 events & news


c'est si bon! is expanding this spring! enclosing the porch to create more space. stay tuned for photos and more.

intimate culinary journeys - adults

tuscan sun tour -- fall 2006 -- register now!
click here to receive more information

napa and sonoma wine tour (feb-march 2007)
click here to receive more information

danish delights (partnership with viking travel of chapel hill) -- tba
click here to receive more information

one-to-one cooking sessions - new european pastry basic series and american or european bread basic series, as well as our extremely popular 'basics of cooking' series.  these are perfect for private lessons for one.
 

seasonable feasts


seasonable feast classes available in march, april and may -- sign up now!!
 

corporate events


c'est si bon offers corporate groups of 8-35 the space to build a team and a repast.  choose a scenario -- collaboration, iron chef competition or give your team the biggest challenge of all:  the 'gourmet basket' -- that models the master chef exam from our nation's top culinary school.

add on a blind wine tasting led by c'est si bon's! own sommelier, rich snover.  he will make suggestions to match the tastings to your group's level of expertise.  will they be challenged by tasting terroir?  how grenache varies from region to region?  primativo grape and zinfandel, what is the connection?
 

kid-chefs


upcoming kid-chef events:

come chat and pick up a brochure for our kid-chefs "put a little south in your mouth" summer 2006 programs.

saturday, february 4 (10 am - 2 pm) -- university mall day camp fair, chapel hill

sunday, february 12 (noon - 4 pm) -- cary academy day camp fair, cary

see you then!  you can register online also!

kid-chefs are:

  • eager to learn!

  • 8-14 years old with culinary skills considered beginning to intermediate 

  • learning knife skills

  • learning basic recipe patterns and proportions

  • more comfortable following recipes than interpreting

  • infinitely curious about the culinary world and have a desire to experience both new tastes, new dishes and ingredients

  • able to play well with others

  • able to take direction and be responsible for their actions

join us for these week-long programs.  all camps run from 9 am - 3 pm.  tuition is $325/week.  read below for the fabulous dishes we'll be learning (and eating!) during these weeks.

  • june 5, june 26, july 17, august 7 -- southern france
     

  • june 19, july 10, july 31 -- southern italy
     

  • july 3, july 24 -- american south

southern france – dishes of langue d’oc and provence: provencale omelette, salade niçoise, beef daube, seafood chausson, coq au vin, chicken catalan, steak hache – frites, pasta pistou, quiche du jour, crepe fourree, courrones, croque monsieur and croque madame, pistou soup du jour, soupe a l'oignon gratinee, mushroom risotto, aioli provencale, vegetable gratin, poulet a lorange, homemade herb gnocchi, crème brulée, mousse au chocolat, french vanilla ice cream, tarts, profiterolles, and tarte tatin (upside down apple tart)   

southern italy – dishes of puglia, campania, apulia, sicily, calabria, and basilicata: 
some desserts to tempt you – i dolci della tradizione natalizia napoletana – neapolitan christmas traditions including struffoli, susamielli, and roccocò. fantastical layer cakes, or dolce alla napoletana and babà (babà was supposedly invented by the chef of an exiled slavic king who settled in nancy – france. word of the man's voluptuous creation rapidly got around, and someone took it to naples, where it the pastry shops adopted it with an enthusiasm that continues today , the chef artusi says, "this pastry wants to look its maker in the eye. in other words, it requires care and patience. caggionetti: fried pastry with chopped chestnuts, cocoa powder, citrine fruit, and a little anise for flavor. zeppole – san guiseppe is the day for zeppole. neapolitan ricotta pie – torta di ricotta, zuppa inglese, and sweet stuffed cannoli – cannoli farciti

american south – dishes of new orleans, charleston, louisville, colonial williamsburg, and key west:
conch fritters, fried green tomatoes, christiana campbell tavern’s peanut soup, crab cakes, pickled shrimp, fried grits, fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, okra and tomatoes, blackened red snapper,  creole sausage gumbo, ambrosia, peanut brittle, key lime pie, poundcake, fried peach pies, and so much more!!
 

teen-chefs


upcoming teen-chef events:

come chat and pick up a brochure for our teen-chefs "put a little south in your mouth" summer 2006 programs.

saturday, february 4 (10 am - 2 pm) -- university mall day camp fair, chapel hill

sunday, february 12 (noon - 4 pm) -- cary academy day camp fair, cary

see you then!  you can register online also!

advanced teen program:

in chapel hill:  june 12 -- featuring james parker of food tv for more thai fruit and vegetable carving!

in europe:

tuscany:  july 28 - august 5, 2006

provence:  august 11 - 20, 2006

*** because summer is peak travel season to provence and tuscany, it is imperative to jump on this ship now if you want to travel with the group.  we have a lovely and eclectic, spirited and welcoming group forming -- joined by their love of culinary arts and travel and friendship, they want you to join in, too! ***

advanced teen chefs (for chapel hill week) are:

12-17 years old and have received the ok* of owner/chef dorette to participate

how to receive the ok*:

  • have been a kid-chef for a minimum of one week

  • have had a one-to-one session with chef dorette to determine their skill level

advanced teen chefs have:

intermediate to advanced level of culinary skills / experience – defined as:

  • basic knife skills (and their names!) firmly squared away

    •

  • basic vinaigrette and sauce recipes by heart – or can be proactive to learn hollandaise sauce – a level of maturity to brainstorm dish ideas and communication skills to speak clearly in their description and process

  • unquenchable thirst for culinary knowledge

  • maintain a clean and orderly kitchen

  • work closely with a small team during the week's artisanal visits

  • own a level of participation which contributes to the day

please note:  not all teens are teen chefs.  some will better fit the kid-chef category because of their experience.
 

our favorite recipe


this month featuring -- melokhia (egyptian herb soup) . . . so soothing for January.
 

contact us


For more information or to register for any of our classes, please contact:

Dorette Snover
C'est Si Bon! Cooking School
Chapel Hill, NC
919▪942▪6550
www.cestsibon.net

©2006 c'est si bon!  all rights reserved.