Day 8: Aspic Day!!

First a definition:

Aspic - a savory jelly usually made with meat or fish stock and gelatin, chilled and used as a garnish and coating for meats, sea foods, eggs, etc.

The aspic product we used came in "sheets" that had to bloom in cold water, then melt in hot. Since it was a clear gel we could have colored it with different foods or dyes.  
The goal of today was to make a plate design using the aspic. This sort of stuff is mainly done in competitions or fine dining but it was something fun to try (Plus I'm going to have to do it again in a few months, as a final, so why not practice).  We first had to come up with a plate design, then cut and assemble our designs, then prepare the aspic, and then accomplish the incredibly daunting task of applying this stuff to our plates. Designing the plates and cutting out the shapes from various vegetables was fun. But the aspic...needless to say it was difficult. 

Steps of aspic plate design:
First you lay a base of aspic on your plate and let it set (this way you had something for the pieces to "adhere" to). Then after laying your design on the plate with toothpicks (couldn't touch the plate because you'd get finger prints in the gel), you had to ladle on the first top layer. This is the point where everyone's designs began to move and float around the plate. You only had a few seconds to correct this mistake, and pop any air bubbles, before the gel began to set. From there you added maybe two or three more layers, each time trying to get it perfectly smooth and without air bubbles. Doesn't sound so difficult...but literally 2 seconds after you would pour a layer on it would set. So if something moved or you didn't have enough to cover the whole plate your design was basically screwed. 

But as much as I sound like I'm complaining, I actually enjoyed today. Everyone came up with some awesome designs and although the aspic application didn't always go smoothly (no pun intended haha), we all had some type of plate in the end. =)

My Under the Sea Plate

What is it made of!?!?

"Seaweed" = Blanched green onion
Purple Fish = Blanched turnip skin and eggplant skin eye
Yellow Fish = Lemon peel and eggplant skin eye
Orange Chef Fish = Blanched carrot shaving,eggplant eye, whites of radish for chef's hat
Cool Starfish = Blanched red pepper skin and his shades were eggplant
**All set in clear aspic**

Orange, Yellow, and Purple fish = Same as above
"Pink" Angry fish = Blanched radish shaving, eggplant eye, lemon skin teeth
Mr. Crabs = Eggplant eyes, blanched red pepper skin, and a lot of patience!!
**All set in clear aspic**

One more plate!!

One Paige and I made with odds and ends from our other plates

Everyone Else's Plates!!

Unfortunately, there was nothing to do with the plates once they were all finished. Normally all this hard work would be done on a platter, which would later be displayed on a grand buffet...We got to toss ours into the compost bin. Fun while it lasted =/