Last year’s Dole California Cook-Off was a little on the traumatizing side. It was supposed to be a cushy gig serving as sous chef to one of the finalists, but my partner Harold from Florida proved to be quite a handful (and then some). Needless to say, it was the longest hour of my life. Even though I was paired with a less than ideal partner, I still managed to have a really good experience thanks to my friend Alice and the team at Dole.
This past weekend, I was invited back to participate in the annual cook-off. This time around, I was promoted to the judging table and didn’t have to chop nothin’ for nobody. Woo hoo!
Fellow judge and Dole culinary ambassador Chef Ben Ford kicked off the event with a cooking demonstration. He prepared a grilled pork tenderloin with a Mediterranean-inspired fruit chutney. Chef Ford imparted a plethora of tips upon the crowd as he worked through the recipe. I learned that brining meat not only keeps it moist, but speeds up the cooking process as well.
After the dish was finished and plated, The Astronomer and I each had several slices. We really liked how the spiced pear and apple chutney paired with the pork. It tasted a little like Christmas time.
Continue reading ‘Dole California Cook-Off 2011: Less Trauma, More Bobby Banana’
