Break a leg....

Last week an entourage arrived at the Liaison Hamilton campus like a ceremonial procession behind a sacrificial lamb. Well, actually, it was a leg of veal, and the occasion was not a celebration or a right of passage. The visitors were from Delft Blue Veal, delivering not only the week’s meat supply but also an educational exchange of sorts.

Vito Giglio makes quick work of a leg of veal.

While Carol Gibbons (retail merchandising director for Delft Blue) and Ross Blaine (Director of Innovation and Sustainability) snapped photos and kept the video camera rolling, Vito Giglio, the production manager from their Cambridge packing facility rolled up his sleeves and set to work. While Cook Basic and Advanced students watched, he broke down the leg into roasts, steaks and scaloppini, answering questions as his razor-sharp boning knife made quick work of the leg and flank.

Chef Bill shares his preferences for cooking various cuts.

Though our chef-instructors are no strangers to the process of breaking down sides and quarters into manageable cuts of meat, the speed at which Vito worked demonstrated his considerable skill and experience. Once the major cuts were off the shank bone, Chef Bill broke it open, exposing the soft marrow to illustrate where it should be cut for osso buco. He shared his own experience and preferred methods for cooking the various cuts – valuable information for the Delft Blue personnel that accompanied Vito to the Liaison Hamilton campus. Chef Dan got in on the action, grilling the flank steak, slicing it thinly across the grain and dressing it up with a monter au beurre sauce that would make any foodie weak in the knees. He barely had it plated before it disappeared to the clink of a dozen forks followed by lip-smacking groans of approval.