Colorado chef's degustion: course seven...

Course seven of our Colorado chef's degustation event was the first of two composed cheese courses. Here at orenji, we feel that plated cheese courses are an important moment in an event, signaling the transition from savory food to sweet food near the conclusion of the meal. Of course, in this case, we still had a few tricks up our sleeves, and three more courses!

This cheese course, the first of two, highlighted white Stilton cheese (technically a "blue cheese," although in this case, the mold is white) from England packed with dried Turkish apricots. Using the cheese as a base, we prepared a savory cheesecake with a rice cracker and seaweed crust-- perfectly marrying the sweetness of the apricots, the richness of the cheese, and the saltiness of the seaweed into a well-balanced bite.




The cheesecake was accompanied by a salad of baby rocket, caramelized pistachios, and toasted sesame with a light sesame vinaigrette. An apricot gastrique finished the dish, providing a much needed hint of acidity to the otherwise rich course. As vibrant and pretty as it was beautiful, this course was the perfect way to begin winding down the evening.

Tomorrow, the second of two composed cheese courses. We'll see you then!