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This past weekend I was a part of something awesome. I finally got to check out The Cookery Dallas! I met Kelly, the owner (and instructor), at The Cookery, back in December. She was talking about her upcoming business concept and I was immediately interested. So when I found out this month's location for @BlogAndBrunchDFW was at The Cookery, I all but invited myself. :P
The Cookery Dallas
1130 Dragon St. #180
Dallas, TX 75207
(469) 400-8514
www.thecookerydallas.com
Price: $95~ per person/class
Along with my fellow food bloggers, we arrived at The Cookery this past Sunday around noon. We had brought our own champagne and orange juice to make mimosas, but usually these classes include a few cocktails. This place is super cute, y'all! Big open space, and there was a nicely set long table at the front. That's where we'll be feasting! And I love all the wall decor. Kitchen goals for sure!
Kelly greeted us as we arrived. We also met Fiona, who is another instructor there. We're all frantically snapping away with our phones and cameras. Everything was very casual. They got the mimosa bar set up and Kelly had prepped some Veggie Crudites (with Green Goddess Dressing). You can also make coffee, tea, or have some orange infused water. That Green Goddess Dressing is no joke... so delicious. I think I overheard Kelly saying it's her secret recipe though.
Once everyone arrived, we got started. We all washed our hands in their very cute sink station and got our aprons on. Then we stood around the main counter and introduced ourselves. Even though we already knew most everyone in the group, it's a good way to get things started. This was their first ever "Best of Brunch" class. There were 3 courses we were making. And this isn't like the type of cooking class where everyone gets a station and does the same thing. It's an open kitchen. Everything is very casual and absolutely no pressure. You can participate as much or as little as you want. Kelly and Fiona would start something for us and pass it off to someone. Then they would move on to another component and pass it off there. So there's constant interaction with the food prep and the people. We had a blast! I'm sure at some point everyone got to get their hands in something. I got to use the blow torch btw. Since I don't drink and the others have all had a few mimosas, they left the fire wielding to me. Muahahahaha. It was awesome. And of course there was just nonstop picture and video taking. It's quite interesting when you get a group of food bloggers together. We make quite a scene. hehe.
First Course:
Grapefruit Brûlée & Cardamom Ricotta (with toasted pistachios). We made everything from scratch, so we got to make ricotta from scratch. It's surprisingly easy. It's basically boiled milk, lemon juice, and then strained. I'm gonna be making ricotta like a mofo once I get some cheesecloth!! :P
We seasoned the ricotta with cardamom... it's so fragrant! And we also sweetened part of it with powdered sugar. For the grapefruit part, we took these juicy segments, tossed them with turbinado sugar, spread them out on a sheet pan and took the blow torch to them. You can immediately see the grapefruit start to blister and char... essentially bruleeing and caramelize the sugars.
Then we crushed up some toasted pistachios. Now, I would've never imagined putting these 3 ingredients together. For one, I've never been a fan of grapefruit. But these were super juicy and the sugar sweetened them. But the sweet/tart grapefruit, layered with the creamy ricotta, then topped with the crunch and nuttiness of the pistachio was just the perfect combination of flavors and texture. It was light and refreshing, and just wonderful. I got to try something new and loved it. I ended up eating two cups of it. There was an extra! I wasn't about to let it go to waste! :P Plus I was starving. haha.
While we prepped the first course, we were also prepping for the other courses... scooping out the cantaloupe for the 3rd course, picking the herbs for the compound butter, etc.
Second Course:
Irish Soda Bread (with herb compound butter). I've had Irish Soda Bread before, but this was on a whole other level. It turned out amazing and it was also very easy. The outside was crusty and buttery, while the inside was pillowy and more buttery!
The compound butter is basically herbs, we used parsley, tarragon, and I think one more herb? and you just put it in a food processor with some butter. Blend it up. Roll it in some plastic wrap and put in the fridge to harden. The two paired beautifully together. This was my favorite. IF I had to choose.
Oven Poached Ham & Sweet Potato Hash Egg Nests. This was the easiest thing ever. You get thin slices of ham and put on the bottom of the muffin pan, to create the "nest". Then you put a scoop of the sweet potato hash, which is basically sauteed onions, bell peppers, and parboiled sweet potatoes. Then top with a raw egg. You bake it in the oven for ~13 minutes until the whites of the egg is firm and, voila, it's done. Topped with chopped chives for some color.
Spicy Lemon Hollandaise. This is hard work, y'all. HollanDAZED for sure! :P haha. Jk. Don't be scared. It just needs a bit of muscle to whisk it all together. But if you don't want to do that, I think you can put into a food processor too. Fiona was a beast! She whisked it all by hand. Added some cayenne and tabasco for that spicy kick!
Apple Fennel Slaw (with citrus gastrique). The citrus gastrique was made using the juice from the grapefruit, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar. You cook it till it's all bubbly and then you test the consistency. They shaved fennel and diced apples into thin slices, and tossed it with the gastrique and some fennel fronds. It's kind of licorish-y if you've never had fennel. It was very refreshing and crunchy.
Just look at this spread!!!!
Third Course:
Cantaloupe Granita (mint). We had to start prepping this course from the beginning. We scooped out the flesh of the cantaloupe, sweetened it with a splash of simple syrup and pureed it in a food processor.
Simple syrup is basically 1 part water mixed with 1 part sugar. Then you pour it onto a flat sheet pan and put it in the freezer. Every 20 minutes or so, you take it out and "fluff" it with a fork to make it light and airy. By the time we were ready to plate it, it looks like this: You can do this with most fruits I think, as long as there's enough liquid. It was super refreshing and light. I was so full after our feasting that I was glad that we didn't have some heavy dessert as the third course. This was perfect. And it's so pretty!
We brought our own booze and juice. But here is what The Cookery's website has listed in the Best of Brunch class. These drinks are included with the class: Champagne Cocktail, and Cucumber Infused Vodka Bloody Marys. Oooooo!
The next "Best of Brunch" classes are on the schedule:
Saturday, March 4, 2017 @ 12PM
Sunday, March 26, 2017 @ 1PM
Book your class today! Or check out some of their other classes. I'm really interested in the "Pasta Perfecto!" class where you get to learn to make your own pastas!!!! One might think the price is a little expensive... but think of it this way. If you go to any fairly nice restaurants in Dallas and get a 3 course meals with cocktails, it'll run you at least $70-100 a person. This means the fun part of the class and cooking is essentially free! :) Plus it's something different, great for your next girls' night out, or date night, or even work team outing!
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We went to the new Lyfe Kitchen in Plano earlier this month for a light lunch. We had just gotten back from our all-inclusive Cancun trip so we didn't want to eat too much. Need to get back in shape!
Lyfe Kitchen
1900 Preston Rd. #111
Plano, TX, 75093
(972) 867-5933
http://restaurant.lyfekitchen.com/
Price: $$
I had been here once before. I thought it was pretty good but slightly expensive. However, they have this awesome brussels sprouts side dish for just $4! And you get quite a bit! I had my eyes set on that one again.
It's a cute place, bright lighting and colors, and an herb garden/shelf thing as soon as you walk into the door. It helps to reiterate their concept of healthy and sustainable foods. They support local farms, promote sustainability, and is overall environmentally friendly. Nothing is fried, and they offer gluten free, vegan, etc. options. I totally love the concept. And I understand their need to price things a bit higher. You order at the counter and they bring the food out to you.
It was my fiance's first time here. I knew he liked flavored water and juices and stuff so I pointed those out to him. They have some interesting waters, juices, and smoothies.
Orange Ginger Chia (fresh-squeezed orange juice, filtered water, lime, raw ginger syrup, lemon verbena, mint and chia seeds) $2.49~
This was quite good! I was surprised I liked it since I'm not a huge ginger fan. It was very refreshing, not too sweet, and the chia added some texture. If you haven't been following the food health news, chia is a recent trend. Supposed to be super good for you.
Roasted Salmon, Tomato & Fennel (sustainably raised salmon served with pan-steamed fennel, red onion, broccoli, zesty tomato sauce) $14.99~
He wanted something with protein so opted for the salmon. The fish was cooked well, but the flavors were quite light. Almost seemed bland at first, but the more he ate, the spicier it got. He can't really handle spicy so it was borderline too much for him. I got the spiciness, but to me it was very slight. It was an ok dish. Definitely light and healthy though.
Quinoa Crunch Wrap (whole wheat tortilla stuffed with quinoa tabbouleh, fresh crunchy vegetables avocado, edamame hummus, fireman’s hot sauce on the side) $7.99~
This was mine. It was very pretty! I loved it. Lots of veggies inside with all sorts of flavors and texture. I liked the combo of the quinoa with the avocado. The edamame hummus was great too! I'd get this again.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Butternut Squash (with dried cranberries, dijon vinaigrette) $3.99~
This is what I came for. Two of my favorite veggies in one plate for only $4!! Delicious! I think I can just order 2 of these as my main meal next time. hahaha.
This time was better than the first. I enjoyed my food a lot more. Guess you just have to order the right thing here... If you are into healthy food and/or have a special diet, this is definitely worth checking out. I'm totally digging this new trend of more local foods, healthy, sustainability. I really hope it continues down this path. :)
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This past Sunday was St. Paddy's Day! We went for a late brunch at Whiskey Cake. I've only been to Whiskey Cake for brunch once and I remembered it being really good. And I just love this place in general... they frequently change their menu because they use seasonal and local ingredients. So I get to try new things from time to time.
Whiskey Cake
3601 Dallas Pkwy
Plano, TX 75093
(972) 993-2253
http://www.whiskey-cake.com/
Price: $$
My bf has never been there before and it's one of the main places in Plano I've been meaning to take him. I hope I didn't hype it up too much!! haha.
There was a line waiting when we got there... It was almost 2PM! Crazy.. But we lucked out and they had tables outside. It was a little chilly but a table opened up under the heat lamps and they gladly let us move there. We also had the fireplace on the side. :)
They changed all the brunch items since I've been there last. I wanted to try everything!! Guess I'll have to go back again soon. hehe.
French Toast Switch-Up (a new creation whenever the mood strikes us) $11~ Their creation that day was French toast with fresh nectarines, pistachios, whipped cream cheese sauce, and maple syrup.
He had been craving French toast for a long time now so immediately decided on that. It was an awesome choice. So delicious and nice to look at. I liked how they presented the plate. I also loved the fact that they put the sauce/pistachios/nectarines in every layer instead of just on top! Everything tasted so fresh. The nectarines are in season and were just the perfect sweetness and very juicy. It was a very filling dish but surprisingly not too heavy. And all the flavor combos worked together beautifully. I'd have to say it's one of the best French toasts I've had in a long time!! Now I'm curious what they're going come up with next! :)
Skillet "Reuben" Hash & Eggs (sweet potato corned beef hash, melted fontina cheese, up eggs, hollandaise Louie) $12~
I got the eggs over medium. Since we got a sweet dish, I decided on a savory dish. I love hash AND sweet potato AND eggs. haha. There was nothing wrong in this combo. It was served on a cute square skillet. It didn't look very big but was a hefty dish. The salty corned beef hash with the sweetness of the sweet potato paired very well together. It had tons of flavor in every bite! The egg was just runny enough when I cut through it. And the hollandaise Louie added another depth of flavor. It was a little oily, but overall super yummy. The perfect compliment to the sweet French toast.
I just wanted to mention that they use Farm fresh eggs from Noble Family Farms in Greenville, Texas. I really like the whole seasonal/local approach and I'm glad to see that trend gaining popularity in Dallas.
To go with our meals we had ordered some drinks.
I got Grow a Pear (Freshly juiced bosc pear, fennel, ginger, local honey, lemon juice) $5~ The name was pretty funny. haha. It was interesting. Very light and refreshing. I can definitely taste the fennel and ginger. I wished it was a bit sweeter though. I wouldn't order it again though. Once the food came, it overpowered the drink.
He got an Irish Coffee (Jameson Irish Whiskey, cinnamon simple, spiced bitters, Oak Cliff Roasters coffee, hand whipped cream) $9~ It IS St. Patrick's Day after all! Can't go the day without something Irish! It was pretty with the whipped cream on top and I loved the little handle on the glass. I'm not a whiskey or coffee fan, but it was pretty good. And he loved it. It was a good start to Sunday brunch.
We were pretty full after the entrees but since he's never been here before he HAD to try their whiskey cake! That's the whole reason I wanted to take him there! The whiskey cake is one of my favorite cakes in Dallas.
Whiskey Cake (with fresh whipped cream) $8~
We got a corner piece! YAYYYY! I love the slightly caramelized edges. :) Topped with the candied pecans and freshly whipped cream...it's always yummy. He loved it. Good! I did not disappoint. hehe. And he liked the fluffy inside more so I got all the edges I want. :D
It was an awesome brunch. I think the brunch menu options at Whiskey Cake is my favorite there. I mean the regular menu is fine, but I rather try everything on the brunch menu more! Our waitress was pretty good too...very friendly and timely. Definitely need to make it back soon and try something new. I highly recommend brunch there if you haven't been. Keep in mind they don't take reservations though. And they're very busy most of the time so there might be a wait... It's worth it!!
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