Gale Gand at Elawa Farm- Backyard Entertaining

On Wednesday, friends and I attended another of  Gale Gand's cooking classes at Elawa Farm in Lake Forest.  For foodies and cooks, taking a class with Chef Gand is a "must do", if at all possible.
She's witty, funny and seriously entertaining, along with the fact that the girl knows how to cook!
This week's class focused on preparing a no-hassle meal for entertaining family and friends in the backyard. 

The Menu

 

Mint Limenade with Bourbon

Sriracha Deviled Eggs

Mustard Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Golden Beet Salad with Sugar Snap Peas

Pineapple Fruit Skewers

 

 

 

A nod to the mint julep with crushed ice and muddled mint

 

 

Chef Gand discussing the day to day challenges of raising teenagers- and wondering

why the bourbon looked a little lighter in color than usual ??????

 

Gale slices the golden beets into little divets- not the usual little squares.

So much prettier too!

 Sliced the blanched sugar snap peas on an angle!

 

Always thinking about the presentation.

 

Golden Beet Salad with Sugar Snap Peas

 

 

 

 

 

Piping the sriracha deviled eggs

 

The technique of peeling a pineapple

 

Imagine this pineapple filled with fruit skewers - cute idea!

Need some of that divine lemon curd from the last class to dip the fruit in-

After cooking the tenderloin in the oven to an internal temperature of 140 degrees and letting it rest,

Chef Gand slices the pork.



The perfect little bite - slightly pink and very  moist.

After class , we toured the organic gardens of Elawa Farm.

 

They grow vegetables and herbs to sell at the weekly markets at the farm.

 



 

Flowers are grown to sell at the weekly garden markets at the farm on Wednesday, Friday and Saturdays.

 

Hollyhocks are in season now and being sold at the market..

 

 

 

Being inspired by the class, I head to the Lake Bluff Farmers market and hope to find golden beets!

 

Success- and a few more goodies.

 

I'll make Gale's beet salad and try my hand at preparing that gorgeous romanesco.

 



 

But before I start on that beet salad -

A Mint Limenade with Bourbon sounds divine!

 

Cheers to Gale Gand!

 

 

Note:  Gale Gand is founding executive pastry chef and partner of the Michelin Star restaurant Tru in Chicago, host of Food Network's Sweet Dreams and the author of 8 cookbooks.  She just opened a new restaurant in Chicago called  Spritz Burger, with the Hearty Boys.  She has a root beer company, Gale's Root Beer and received a James Beard award as Outstanding Pastry Chef.  For more information about Gale go to www.galegand.com