As a guest of the GE Monogram Designer session, I gained new knowledge of what I thought was Louisville, KY. Until recently, bourbon, thoroughbreds and "The famous Louisville Slugger" were the only things that I associated with the southern charmer. Well, I know better now. Louisville is a cultural city with a strong artistic presence. Home to 21C Museum Hotel, one of the most highly regarded boutique hotels in the country, Louisville has a chic pulse that beats loud and clear. Currently the hotel is hosting the "Cuba Now" exhibit in addition to other featured artist. I was particularly drawn to the work of Guerra de la Paz and his mixed media sculpture "The Four Seasons," 2004. All four representations were made of assorted cloth to symbolize the changing seasons.
"THE FOUR SEASONS"
WINTER
SPRING
SUMMER
FALL
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"THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE"
Ann Peabody also grabbed my attention with her incredible installation "Wheel Of Fortune, " an aerial sculpture that hangs above the atrium overlooking the lower gallery. On April 3rd, 1974 a tornado leveled Louisville and this is her artistic expression of the event. Ironically, a tornado came eerily close to the hotel during our stay in Louisville. Do you think the "Wheel of Fortune" dabbles in performance art?
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New Friendships
The welcome reception was a highlight for me. I finally had a chance to connect, share laughter and converse with this great group of home experts I have come to call friends. It was a great time had by all, filled with many memorable moments and inspiration.
Yes, there was time spent in the classroom learning all about what GE Monogram had to offer. However, those moments were flanked by hands-on cooking sessions led by Chef Joe and Chef Brian . I found this to be the most effective tool to showcase GE Monogram's quality and high performance. When you can experience the end result and it is in the form of a delicious meal, you know that GE is putting their money where there mouth is. And just to keep it real, we also prepared some of our own meals to gain a full understanding of product capability. I must say, the Advantium Speed cooker has my vote. I fell in love with this wall oven. I didn't think that could be possible. The browning capability and speed blew me away!
What do Chef Joe and Chef Brian like about the Advantium oven?
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The Menu
The first dinner by Chef Joe and Chef Brian was absolutely brilliant!
Beautifully prepared dishes that were cooked and paired to perfection.
The meal was beyond memorable. I didn't want it to end...
Cobia with Salad of Cucumber and Celery
Curry Aioli
Joel Gott Chardonnay, 2008
Grilled Tenderloin of Beef with Braised Gnocchi and Tomato Fondue
Veal Jus with Parsley
Saldo Zinfandel, 2009
Capriole Farms Goat Cheesecake
Roasted Plums and Caramel
Banfi Rosa Regale, 2004
AMAZING!
The bottom of our menu's read:
"Good wine is a necessity of life for me."
-Thomas Jefferson
(I wish I could show you all the dishes, but a camera was the farthest thing from my mind.)
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Then it was our turn!
Our cooking team and I had a blast whipping up meals. "The Brooklyn Contessa" - Nicole Dufour, Michelle Drenckhahn of "Spacial Adapt", Architect Sean Culman and Building Moxie's (he's the one behind the camera:) JB Bartkowiak.
Breakfast anyone?
Breakfast salad!? Yes! And it was amazing!
This salad was so yummy there was no time to take a picture...so this one is courtesy of GE:)
By Measure
1 - 8oz Containers Strawberry Yogurt
1/4 Cup Honey1 Tbs Cider Vinegar
1 1/2 Cups Crunchy Granola
1 Cup Berries
2 Bananas: Sliced
3/4 Greens
Preparation
- Mix the yogurt, honey and vinegar together in a large bowl
- Just before serving add the remaining ingredients and toss well with the yogurt dressing
JB prepares the pan on an induction stove top. Fast cooking, easy clean-up and quick cool down. Great for a house with little ones!
Presto!
Image courtesy of Jeremy Parcels.
Duck gumbo!
The Chef's made desserts that were mouth watering. Yummy rhubarb and berry cobbler...delish!
Mixed berries and cobbler crunch all at the same time!
I really wanted to bring them home with me:)
Thank you so much GE Monogram for an amazing week! Sending big hugs to Paula and Nancy! XO
Chine! Chine!
