At the end of the school year there is usually a big olympic style event for students to compete with their cohorts. This year the Olympics are virtual, and naturally I chose to compete to the Great Boothie Bake off. Cohorts compete for highest total points for a “complete meal” with 4 members: 1) Appetizer, 2) Main dish, 3) Dessert, 4) cocktail or non-alc. drink pairing.
We were encouraged to make sure that our meal tells a story. So, as Team Phoenix – we chose to share the story of the Phoenix.
Appetizer Round by Esther Kim :
A Phoenix’s life starts with the egg. And so, our 4-course meal starts with the Deviled Phoenix Eggs as the appetizer. The Deviled Phoenix Eggs are made of boiled eggs with mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, little bit of apple vinegar and salt and pepper to season. A sprinkle of paprika on top also makes the yellow color of the yolk stand out. These Phoenix Eggs are nestled in a nest of green kale in a hearth of red fire made of diced red pepper pickled in vinegar, sugar and jalapeños for some kick in the flavor. The pickled red pepper nicely complements the creamy flavor of the mayonnaise in the deviled eggs. For best experience, top some pickled red pepper on the deviled eggs to taste the full flavors of the Deviled Phoenix Eggs.
Cocktail: The phlaming phoenix by Emily Pinnes:
The Phlaming Phoenix is a one-of-a kind summer cocktail. It captures the graceful and sparkling lifecycle of the phoenix. The prosecco’s fruity notes are accentuated by fresh citrus and sweet summer berries. The earthy and peppery undertones of thyme add depth and balance to the drink. Gentle flames create a hint of smokiness, leaving an array of ashes that evoke true magic—the rising of the phoenix and the creation of new life. Just as the the phoenix cyclically regenerates, you will be asking for another round of the Phlaming Phoenix.
Ingredients: Prosecco, freshly squeezed orange juice, lemon wedge, strawberries, blueberries, thyme sprigs, vodka (optional).
Entree Round By Morgan Franklin:
Our entree is the death of the illustrious Phoenix. This chipotle glazed whole roasted chicken lays on a bed of hot coals aka black beans representing the smoldering phoenix as it becomes ash. The chicken is stuffed with an onion and orange and glazed with a chipotle glaze made with chipotle peppers, garlic, orange juice and honey. The black beans are seasoned with onions, garlic, and bay leaves. The rest of the meal is accompanied by tostones with garlic cilantro sauce, avocado crema, and chipotle dip as well as white rice.
Dessert Round by Lauren Fish:
At the end of a Phoenix’s life, it bursts into a shower of golden-red flames so that it may be born anew. Behold, our dessert: the young Phoenix rising from the smoke and flames of its former life. To create this stunningly infinite circle of life, Lauren chose to create a meringue with caramel flames, lemon curd embers, and cream. The Phoenix itself is a red sugar cookie with caramel flame feathers. The light, crispy, melt-in-your-mouth meringue was created using egg whites, sugar, and food dye, whipped to stiff peaks (I did the bake-off “hold it upside down over your head” thing but I forgot to photograph it, damn) and baked until crisp. Heavy cream, sugar, and a bit of red dye combined into the innermost whipped cream, and homemade lemon-and-lime curd (I ran out of lemon juice and thus had to improvise) forms a glistening golden punch of citrus flavor, which cuts through the sweetness of the meringue. The Phoenix sugar cookie is sweet and mild. It was shaped and cut free-hand and thanks to the thickness of the cream, meringue, and curd, stands on its own inside the dessert. The caramel flames and feathers were formed by melting and caramelizing sugar with bit of water; the hot, liquid caramel was spread on wax paper to cool, then formed into flame-like shards for a fire-y, golden effect. effect.
MBA: The Blog 