-
The most challenging ingredients in
the black box were the marrons which
are fresh water crayfish. He treated them as if they were live lobster.
The other was a fish called "whiting". To him it had a mild
flavour like
our trout, and so that is how he treated them!
- For him the most difficult part was the fact that he came down with
the
flu, which was the worst on the day of the competition. The hospital
told
him it was a serious virus and gave him some antibiotics. Then he crashed
for two or three days after the competition. He was sorry to miss out
on
some of the fabulous 8-course dinners! But he now feels well enough
to
celebrate with other competitors.
- The tensest part of the experience was when he heard them call the
2nd and
3rd place competitors and then he didn't really believe it when he heard
them call his name for first!
- He did not find any major differences between Australia and Canada
in the
format of the competition; in fact, the national and international
competitions are run on the same lines so that competitors are fully
prepared.
- Dan is going to take a well-deserved vacation, then work for a year
in
Australia, and is not returning to Canada until August 2007. His Paris
scholarship is open until January 2008. While he would like to be at
home
and enjoy the accolades, he feels he should reap the benefits of this
incredible experience.
- He has had an enormous number of job offers; even the Cordon Bleu
School offered him a job and to get his visa extended!
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First Course
Citrus Baked paupiette of whiting
with butter poached medallion of Marron,
braised leek and enoki mushroom ragout,
Marron essence, with sherry wine gastrique.
~~~
Main course
Juniper roasted saddle of lamb with basil and mint
Kipfler potato and carrot terrine
lemon scented broccolini, roast shallot reduction.
~~~
Dessert
Mango and lime Bavarian "bombe"
minted mango salad, blueberry balsamic syrup
with crisp almond cookie.
Mandatory ingredients were
Marron, whiting fish, lamb saddle,
SA mangoes, enoki mushrooms, Leeks,
almonds, kipfler potatoes
other ingredients included ,
shallots, veal sweetbreads, coconut, bush tomatoes, various wines and
spirits,
and the staple ingredients salt,
pepper sugar, flour etc.
Dan Craig
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