Dear Jan,
What a wonderful evening! We were so glad you and Marie could join Wilson, Karen, Brandon, and myself to enjoy Jenny’s capstone project as she finishes up her course in vegetarian chef training at the Natural Gourmet Institute.
Fabulous menu. The food was, too. It looked better than my photos taken in the very low light of the dining room.
Inspired by flavors of Central America, we started with a wild mushroom ceviche. Who knew raw mushrooms could be so refreshing and tender?
I still salivate when I remember that mole sauce with the black beans. The smoky tempeh pupusa filling worked perfectly with the salsa roja, and even Wilson enjoyed the kale. Nothin’ like caramelizing some shallots to make something taste good. And I will do my best to extract the recipe for the vegan sour creme out of Jenny - even better than real sour cream, to my taste.
Still, as good as eating the meal was, the best part of my dinner was the end, when the crowd applauded the chefs (5 students created this meal for a crowd of 100) and Jenny looked so elated and relieved and happy.
Her last class is the 29th and then on to Mendocino for a brief internship before returning to NYC for a little more serving (to earn money) while she stages* at various restaurants to gain more experience and learn more. We couldn’t be prouder of her.
We spent the rest of the weekend enjoying NYC and a few more delicious vegan meals at some luscious restaurants, Blossom and Candle 79. We ate a heck of a lot better than the residents of Central Park’s Turtle Pond, though they had the fun of swimming in their food!
Oh, and did you notice what I was wearing in the above photo? Yes, the sweater I was going to wear for your retirement ceremony did get finished in time for Jenny’s dinner. I’ll post a bit more on that later this weekend.
Thinking about Jenny’s dinner made me hungry, so I’ll sign off.
Love,
Ellen
*Staging is working as a guest in another chef’s kitchen. You do get paid, but in experience, not dollars.
Jan and Ellen are identical twins who have always had an innate fashion sense. Crafting is an integral part of their lives and they stay stitched together sharing their love of knitting, family and community.
July 21st, 2012 at 2:29 pm
Oh, congratulations! That looks absolutely scrumptious. Well done!
July 21st, 2012 at 2:51 pm
Yum! You are very lucky to have a chef in the family. The food looks wonderful, as do the smiles. = )
July 22nd, 2012 at 1:36 pm
Who knew a capstone could be so yummy? Kudos to Jenny…and on to new adventures!
July 23rd, 2012 at 12:55 pm
Oh, Congratulations to Jenny!!! And to you both. Everything looks yummy!
(((hugs)))
July 23rd, 2012 at 8:40 pm
Congratulations, Jenny!! I would be utterly proud of her too, were she my daughter
And those pupusas look absolutely amazing - do you think she might share the recipes for those as well, with people who always always cite their sources? 
July 24th, 2012 at 7:24 pm
Tres chic:both food and the wonderful sweater. You all look so happy - congratulations to Jenny, and to you and Wilson, too. xo