Fun and Frolic with our Restaurant Week Ambassador
Published:Tuesday | October 4, 2016 | 12:00 AMTickoya Joseph
Our Restaurant Week ambassadors know good food, and they also know how to have a good time. Before they dig into the deliciousness that is The Gleaner-sponsored Restaurant Week, we spent a day with each to give you a peek into who they really are. Today, we hang with Tristan Alvarado.
"Come, let's go! I am ready." The Gleaner team was welcomed into the beautiful home of Tristan Alvarado, one of The Gleaner's Restaurant Week ambassadors. "Today, I am going to cook three things for you and I hope you will enjoy," he beamed.
By this time pre-prep was well on the way, and there was a mixture of fresh vegetables and spices that tickled the nostrils and awakened the sensory glands in preparation for a feast.
Chopped tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, garlic, a pinch of salt and a dash of pepper, and, of course, a little olive oil. Bet you think we are about to sautÈ our ingredients as the base to a dish. No! Tristan is making a Spanish soup called Gazpacho.
Very excited, Tristan loads his blender and starts to blend. The room was filled with a buzzing sound but there was no motion from the blades.
"Oh! Nothing will happen if you do not add the olive oil," he instructed.
There it was, all the ingredients coming together perfectly to make a thick, smooth soup, but placed in the fridge to be served cold.
"Numero dos!"
It was time to make the second dish. There was a lot of activity in the kitchen as Tristan moved from one station to the next, to ensure everything was in place for his dishes to be successful.
Despite all the action, the atmosphere in the kitchen was joyful and warm, and one could feel the happiness in a place where meals are often prepared for his family. There was no form of physical discomfort that normally comes with being in the kitchen for a long time as the open concept of the home allowed for the calm wind from the sea to pass through gently.
With guidance from his lovely wife, Laura Mazabel, who was dubbed sous chef for the day, Tristan prepared Tortilla de patata and Garbanzos con chorizo. Dishes made to perfection that had persons asking for seconds and, of course, the recipes.
The dessert was melted dark chocolate, spiced with pimento, paprika and red pepper, and, of course, a splash of olive oil and almond milk that created an orgasmic feeling as it made contact with the palate.
Our Restaurant Week ambassador just proved his mastery in the kitchen.