IN THE CLASSROOM -- Now o7 that’sf7 Italian!

Danette Goulet

The aroma of fresh garlic and olive oil permeated the air as the

thunderous crunch of 30 sets of teeth tearing into fresh bruschetta

filled the room.

Despite having just finished their lunch period, students were eager

to rip into food that was created for them as a demonstration by George

Poston, the executive chef from Maggiano’s Little Italy in Costa Mesa.

In Janet Dukes’ culinary arts classes, students are often cooking and

sampling their own creations. But a lesson with edible benefits from a

professional chef is always a welcome treat, Duke said.

That treat began with Poston showing students in Dukes’ health and

nutrition class at Newport Harbor High School how to make real Italian

bruschetta, demonstrating the proper way to slice the bread and cup the

tomatoes.

He showed students how simple it is to create a healthy appetizer sure

to impress any guests.

The main course he prepared, farfalle aglio, was also chosen for its

simplicity.

Creating the dish of bow tie pasta with chicken, asparagus and

sun-dried tomatoes in a light yet sumptuous garlic sauce took him less

than half an hour.

Poston worked behind a demonstration counter, little glass cups of

chopped and measured ingredients laid out before him.

His instructions were clear and concise and the sort of things people

really need to know.

“When you’re cooking any kind of pasta, you always want to use four

times the amount of water as pasta,” he said.

He also told students that having everything prepared beforehand

allows one to saute the chicken using a high-heat setting to brown it,

which is what gives it flavor and creates a wonderful aroma.

Another interesting technical tidbit that surfaced through

conversation was that broth is made from meat while stock is made from

bones -- not something most people need to know, but that may be the

winning answer in a trivia game one day.

After his demonstration, students were left with few questions.

“How long is your hat?” asked freshman Francisco Quijano, 14,

gesturing above his head to indicate a chef’s hat.

Chefs at Maggiano’s, however, wear baseball caps in the kitchen.

FYI

WHO: Janet Dukes’ health and nutrition class

WHAT: Cooking lesson from George Poston, executive chef at Maggiano’s

Little Italy

WHERE: Newport Harbor High School

MENU: Bruschetta and farfalle aglio