Penelope Casas Cooking Demonstration

Thursday night, the 26th, I went to Chef Central on Route 17 in Paramus, to see and hear Penelope Casas of Spanish food fame give a demonstration based on her new book of Spanish homecooking. She mentioned that in Spain these days it's all about experimenting scientifically with food, started by Adria at El Bulli. All sorts of experiments are taking place such as change liquids into solids. The kitchen has virtually turned into a laboratory and the restaurant into a source of entertainment. But where do the chefs themselves eat? They go home to their mothers cooking.

She demonstrated some simple tapas: Pequino chiles mixed with garlic, parsley, raisins and pine nuts - not even salt and pepper added; Chorizo sausage minced with garlic then wrapped in phyllo and deep fried; shrimp (vein left in) sauted in Spanish olive oil, garlic, and a small amount of Amontillado sherry.