Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Foster Farms 1st Annual Chicken Cook Off




This morning I got the privalage, however bittersweet it was...more on that later... of getting to cook the Washington Semifialists for the Foster Farms 1st Annual Chicken Cook Off .  It was only so bittersweet because we were hosting the judging of the finalists I could not enter said contest.  10,000 buckaroos is the final serving for a lucky home cook.  The recipes were all really well put together, each was a little different, each one pushed the envelope a little as far as creativity.  My prize for most surprising was a chicken drumstick recipe that calls for caramel ice cream topping, I was skeptical but in the end it was paired with tart crunchy slaw and it worked. As a professional it seems like the biggest difference between home and professional cooking is an inherent fear of seasoning.  Everyones recipe would have been greatly imporved by a further dusting of salt and pepper on the the chicken or a dash of acid in the dressings.  But that one difference is what keeps me in a job.


The winners by he way were a very fresh and light Chicken and Brown Rice Salad and a upscale and ready for the home cook version of a balsamic glazed chicken with honey and goat cheese. 

Try any of the recipes at home.  The finalist recipes are here.

Good luck to the rest of the finalists... check back because when the winners are announced we'll be doing the photo shoot of the winner.
And beware the Foster Imposters!!!