Getting Cheeky!

I love cooking events.

After attending Cheeky Food Group’s marvellous Masterchef Live flambé class, I jumped at the opportunity when invited by the lovely people there for an evening of food!

The Cheeky Food Group hold lots of corporate and team building events, and also cooking classes that you can sign up for. They’ve got great, easy recipes, and you get to cook everything that you eat!

Now you know that I’m “a bit” partial to the eating side of things, and that I’ve gone home and cooked recipes that I’ve learnt from them both times tells you how good the food turns out! Easy as pie.

Mmmmm pie.

Speaking of eating, there were lots of munchies when I got there, and wine and sangria if you were so inclined. =)

Then on to the cooking.

Leona – the same Leona whom I met at Masterchef Live – showed us the correct techniques to cutting and chopping. While it may seem like a really basic skill for all food enthusiasts, you’ll be surprised at how useful her tips and tricks are!

For example, you’re meant to KEEP YOUR FINGERTIPS AWAY when cutting food. (Refer to above picture.) Use the midsection of your fingers as a glider, and keep them in contact with the flat side of the knife.

Also (something that is often neglected or forgotten by many) USE A SHARP KNIFE. Like Leona said, “A sharp knife is 10 times safer that a blunt one.” A blunt knife can cause you to slip (rather than cutting the food as you should), and you could really hurt yourself.

That’s why a good knife is so important in the kitchen. It’s not a gourmet thing, it’s a safety thing!

We were all using Santouku knives from Chef’s Toolbox that night, and they’re really handy! Great for chopping as the blade of the knife is flat, and not too curved, so it connects with the chopping board really well and doesn’t leave last little bits still connected on the bottom. (If I’m making any sense.)

I also automatically associate Cheeky Food Group with flambé, and they certainly didn’t disappoint.

I just love watching that pan catching alight with the bright fluid flames that seem to float just atop it. If you’re going to try this at home, just remember to hold the pan away from you and OFF THE FIRE when you add the alcohol! Then just let it bubble and tilt the pan slightly to allow the evaporated alcohol to catch alight.

Of course, when there’s cooking, there’s always eating!!! Half the joy is in eating the finished product don’t you think? =)

A BIG THANK YOU to the Cheeky Food Group and the PR Group for such a fun evening!! Try a class, I guarantee that you’ll have loads of fun!

Cheeky Food Group
1/65-67 Foveaux Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
(02) 8217 6900

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