CSA Alameda is an Award winning Galley in the United States Coast Guard. We had the opportunity to learn from many chefs and professionals in the trade. They taught us techniques in meat and fish fabrication. We also learned how to create the five mother sauces. Additionally, we practiced the preparation of rolling sushi and tempering chocolate. Fine dining plating techniques and much more were also covered, leading to a comprehensive Culinary Review.
At the facility, they sponsored many locally sourced products. They also provided plant-based substitutions and a lovely Charcuterie board. These were for the company Cisco’s marketing and advertising purposes.
Fabricating salmon for sushi and poke
In our first part of this extensive training, we learned how to properly filet salmon. We also learned how to filet tuna for our sushi rolls. The Instructors were quite calm and demonstrated well how to properly fabricate this seafood for our guests. We were assembling sushi rolls with trimmed cucumber, Jicama root, tuna, and white rice. These ingredients were part of our Culinary Review training.
Pasta Production for linguine and ravioli
I worked at Grassa, an Italian restaurant focused on handmade pasta production. Since then, I have had an immense passion for this art. There are many forms in which to prepare this foundational food we all know and love. to learn more on how I make pasta from scratch follow this link to my recipe index. This was another highlight in our Culinary Review.
Fine Dining Plating and our Finished Product
For our final plated items for admirals and captains, we used all of our new ways and techniques. We aimed to deliver a balanced, flavorful, and artistic show of the plated dessert and entree. The result was a fabulous presentation in our Culinary Review.
A Garlic herb Filet Mignon, lemon cream sauce shrimp-filled raviolis, and a vegetable ratatouille was our first course. The Filet Mignon offered the perfect bite of savor. It presented an impactful profile of the Demi- glaze with a well-coated seared top. Fried onions accompanied it as the garnish. The lemon cream sauce acidity accompanied the shrimp-filled raviolis quite well. I thought the ratatouille was the perfect addition to a well balanced plate. not only did it meet criteria in nutritional standards but the plate offered a contrast of color variation. a top as the garnish decor, a fried basil leaf which really brought everything together. Thus making it a memorable part of our Culinary Review experience.
For our dessert, our CS team created a plate that brought dimension and appeal to the guest eyes. We believed the dessert’s rich hazelnut chocolate flavor paired excellently. It intertwined well with the light addition of a fruit tart and a berry compote. We also used a gonoch to prevent the tart from moving on the plate. I thought it was a nifty and well-executed plan shown in our Culinary Review.
I had a blast learning many new techniques. I would have never thought of putting them to use. The symposium was an overall great experience. I have many great takeaways from it. It has been a culinary delight. The United States Coast Guard provided valuable lessons for those in service and rate.
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