January 23rd, 2010
Cooking Class…Big Fish Grill…Rehoboth Beach…Delaware Beaches…A Glimpse into Big Fish Grill’s Behind the Scenes…
One of the nicest things about the second season, here at the beaches, is the laid back attitude we all get. Not lazy but really relaxed because it is quiet; being able to park anywhere, and no waiting lines, it’s such a treat. Don’t get me wrong, I love the visitors to our beaches and the energy they all project, but at this time of the year, I am really enjoying this.
You know, “Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.” By Harriet Van Horne.
With that in mind, the Usual Suspects, signed up for a cooking class at Big Fish Grill. I wrote about this very popular restaurant back on December 11th. You can click on the left hand side of this blog, on that particular month and scroll down to that date in order to see it.
Inside Big Fish on our way to Cooking School
Big Fish Grill is located on 20298 Coastal Highway, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971. Tel. is 302-227-9007. The website is www.bigfishgrill.com.
The Usual Suspects above mentioned are a group of my friends that are ready to do anything on a moment’s notice. Debbie, Roberta, another Debbie and Brennan have accompanied me kayaking, to breakfast at Crystal in Rehoboth Beach, and to Liquid Assets in Ocean City, Maryland.
Besides being good friends, we all have a strong interest in food and decided to go to this class, make the best of it, learn, and savour every mouthful of the coming feast. And, that’s exactly what we did.
A busy kitchen with Expediters
Big Fish Grill is one of those restaurants that is busy all the time. Summer season, second season, hurricane season, nor’ easter season, you name it; no rest for this group. I like it best in the fall and winter. Susan, their manager, said today, you can kick back in their casual atmosphere and the restaurant is more subdued. In the summer it is busy. People coming and going; enjoying their food and out the door to explore whatever the beaches are offering.
Big Fish Grill has been offering cooking classes and they have been well attended. Today’s class had about 22 people. Some of them had already been to these classes in the past year.
Our Chefs were Marcus and Joe. Susan was non-stop. She knows every aspect of the restaurant and its food preparations. They would attempt to give us the ins and outs of a very well run and organized operation; their techniques and suggestions.
Marcus on the left and Joe on the right
We all gathered in the main part of the restaurant and had coffee and baked goods. The agenda was as follows: An introduction, with a tour of Big Fish Seafood Market and the proper fish cutting technique. It was harder than I thought, but Fidel made it look so easy.
Fidel and the Red Snapper
Learning to Fillet Fidel's Red Snapper
We entered the seafood market where already every fish was perfectly displayed for the week-end. The only fish that is received frozen is the Chilean Seabass since it comes from Chile. Everything is made in-house with the exception of the candied nuts that go into some of their salads. Spices and dips are available for purchase. A favorite of mine is their smoked fish dip.
Ready to Go Items at the Seafood Market
Then, the appetizer demonstration with a Tuna Tartar with a Crispy Chip, Oysters Rockeffeler and an Arugula Salad with Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette. Heaven was near.
Marcus ready for Tuna Tartar
Ready for Oysters Rockefeller
A discussion of pairing wine with food and cheese; then a wine and cheese tasting. Susan told us that Big Fish wants to offer wines that complement a meal. They are not looking for mark-ups. Some of the ones sampled today were the Sauvignon Blanc called Saint Supery from the Napa Valley. A Chardonnay called Natura from Chile. A Cabernet called BV from the Napa Valley that was one of their heavier reds. And, a Pino Noir called Carmel Road. She suggested drinking the wine with cheese and enjoy the sensation it would produce. One of the cheeses that I really liked was called Morbier. This is a semi-soft cow’s milk cheese from France and it is named after the Village of Morbier in Franche-Comte in Eastern France. The color is ivory; it is soft and slightly elastic. You can recognize it by a black layer of tasteless ash separating it horizontally in the middle. Aging time for this cheese is 45 days to 3 months.
Susan explaining wines
Wine & Cheese Tasting
The entree demonstration was the culmination of the class with 4 dishes; Mojito Marinated Snapper with Pico de Gallo. Yes, that was the fish I fillet. Citrus Rubbed Salmon from the Summerhouse menu, Pan Seared Rib Eye with Horseradish Cream and the ever popular Big Fish Mashers. All fantastic dishes that were quickly devoured.
Mojito Marinated Snapper with Pico de Gallo
Citrus Rubbed Salmon
The sweet ending was sinful. At the beginning of the class, Sandra made the brownies from scratch so they would be ready for dessert. Sandra also handles the crabmeat for Big Fish. Can you believe this restaurant uses 600 lbs. of crabmeat per week in the summer?
Sandra preparing the Brownies
Sweet Endings at Last!!
Big Fish Grill said that they are passionate about creating consistently good food everytime. They will tweak, improve, and develop recipes that will keep us asking for more. Their commitment to superior quality of ingredients, a dedicated staff and a friendly disposition made us really enjoy this day.
Gracias a Sandra y a Fidel por su ayuda en este dia. Los “brownies” estaban deliciosos y aprendi como limpiar el pescado. Buen maestro, Fidel.
Note: Please check the website for more information. The schedule for the 2010 Cooking Classes is posted, as well as information on their other restaurants; the Summerhouse in Rehoboth Beach, the Big Fish Grill on the waterfront in Wilmington. Soon, another restaurant will be unveiled; Firestone, also on the waterfront in Wilmington. Be on the look-out.
The information on Morbier was taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morbier_(cheese).
We were given all the recipes taught in this class. As soon as I make some of them I will share them with you. And by the way, the following are some of the kitchen gadgets that you should not live without.
The Essentials
Robot Coupe is a Hand Mixer
A Couple of Blenders will Do
Well, this post was a long one but how else could I have described it? See you soon….
Tags: Cooking Class, Cooking Classes, Delaware Beaches, lunch and dinner, rehoboth beach, Restaurant, Restaurants, review, Reviews, Seafood Market, seafood restaurant, Things to do at the beach, What to do at the beaches
I am so jealous! Looks like a wonderful and delicious learning experience at Big Fish. Would have loved to have been with you, maybe next time. I will definitely be sending the information to some friends up here, sounds like a girls trip to Rehoboth to me!
Thanks for your comments. They say that tomorrow Monday, the 25th it is a day when people are more depressed because maybe their New Year’s resolutions are going by the wayside. This class was the perfect place to overcome that. It was fun, delicious and nutritious. See you,
Thanks for your comments to the blog. The cooking classes are on again. Check the dates on the website.
Are these offered all the time ?