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Kitchen Archive

Rhode Island School of Design · Providence · 1982

Cooking class, 1982

The spiral notebook James Lantos kept in a 1982 cooking class at RISD: 88 recipes in his own hand, from the 5 mother sauces to Junior's Cheese Cake.

Each recipe has its own card, shown beside the handwritten page it came from. The quantities are the class's, and many are written for a crowd, like 3 gallons of stock or 5 pounds of onions.

The storyIn James Lantos's words

In 1982, during my sophomore and junior year in high school, my mother came up with a novel idea. Rather than helping me to learn how to cook, she sent me to cooking school. I still can't figure out if this was her being too lazy or not having enough time, or just pure genius. I'll err to the latter in honor of her memory. (Thanks, Mom.)

I was sent to the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island, just a mile or two away from where I was living in Wayland Square on the East Side of Providence. Who knew RISD offered cooking classes?

The class was 6 weeks. The first 3 were spent learning entrees. The 2nd half we learned baking. We prepared food in bulk, and it was then served to students for lunch each session.

My clear memories of this were of learning how to cook chicken in the Kentucky Fried Chicken manner (hint: LOTS of salt), and all the different sauces. Great course! It has certainly helped me through much of life.

The notebookAll 22 spreads, page by page

Part 1: EntreesWeeks 1 to 3 · 71 recipes. Click a line to open its recipe card.

Kind of dishClick a line to open it
TechniquesRoux · notebook page 2
SaucesBéchamel · notebook page 2
SaucesSoubise · notebook page 2
SaucesMornay · notebook page 2
SaucesCheese Sauce · notebook page 2
SaucesVelouté · notebook page 2
Side dishesSpätzle · notebook page 2
TechniquesVegetable Cuts · notebook page 3
Main dishesEggplant Boston · notebook page 3
Cakes, cookies and piesCrème Brûlée · notebook page 3
SaucesSauce Creole · notebook page 3
Main dishesStuffed Breast of Chicken · notebook page 3
Main dishesChicken Mandarin · notebook page 3, 4
SoupsPepper Pot Soup · notebook page 4
SaucesCurry Sauce · notebook page 4
SoupsVichyssoise (Cold Potato Soup) · notebook page 4
Main dishesSaltimbocca · notebook page 4
Cakes, cookies and piesBananas Foster · notebook page 5
Main dishesChicken Tetrazzini · notebook page 5
SaucesHollandaise Sauce · notebook page 5
SoupsOnion Soup · notebook page 5
SaladsBrussels Sprouts Salad · notebook page 5, 6
SaucesRené Sauce for Pasta · notebook page 6
Main dishesPot Pie · notebook page 6
SaucesMarinara Sauce · notebook page 6
Main dishesVeal & Peppers & Mushrooms · notebook page 6
SoupsCream Broccoli · notebook page 7
Main dishesManicotti · notebook page 7
Main dishesCoq au Vin · notebook page 7
AppetizersSpinach Dip · notebook page 7
SoupsCold Peach Soup · notebook page 7
SaucesBroccoli Sicilian for Pasta · notebook page 8
Main dishesFilet of Sole Mornay · notebook page 8
Side dishesStewed Peppers · notebook page 8
BreakfastEggs (McMuffin) Benedict · notebook page 8
Main dishesAmerican Chop Suey · notebook page 8
Main dishesBaked Fish · notebook page 8, 9
Main dishesChicken Fricassee · notebook page 9
Main dishesEggplant Florentine · notebook page 9
Main dishesFilet of Sole Meunière · notebook page 9
Main dishesDélice de Sole Parmesan · notebook page 9
Main dishesArroz con Pollo · notebook page 9
Side dishesRatatouille Niçoise · notebook page 10
Main dishesMacaroni and Cheese · notebook page 10
SoupsCabbage Soup · notebook page 10
Main dishesVeal Entrisa [?] · notebook page 10
Main dishesSouthern Fried Chicken (Colonel Sanders) · notebook page 10
SoupsVegetable Soup · notebook page 11
Cakes, cookies and piesMonte Cristo Soufflé · notebook page 11
Side dishesTomato Provençale · notebook page 11
Side dishesGnocchi di Patate · notebook page 11, 12
Main dishesSeafood Creole · notebook page 12
Side dishesBroccoli Romanoff · notebook page 12
Main dishesBeef Stroganoff · notebook page 12
SoupsCream Spinach · notebook page 12
Main dishesStuffed Cabbage · notebook page 12, 13
Main dishesChicken Cordon Bleu · notebook page 13
Main dishesBelle Vista · notebook page 13
Main dishesQuiche Jambon · notebook page 13
SoupsGazpacho · notebook page 13, 14
Side dishesRisotto Milanese · notebook page 14
SaucesCalabrese · notebook page 14
Main dishesStuffed Squid · notebook page 14, 15
SoupsChowder · notebook page 15
Main dishesItalian Pepper Steak · notebook page 15
Main dishesBroccoli Calzone · notebook page 15
SaucesBéarnaise · notebook page 15
SaucesAioli Sauce · notebook page 15
AppetizersCheese Log · notebook page 21
AppetizersStuffed Clams · notebook page 21
AppetizersClams Casino · notebook page 21

Part 2: Baked goodsWeeks 4 to 6 · 17 recipes. Click a line to open its recipe card.

Kind of dishClick a line to open it
Breads and doughsRoll Dough (6 Loaves Bread) · notebook page 16
Breads and doughsBlueberry Muffins · notebook page 17
Cakes, cookies and piesSC (Sour Cream) Dough · notebook page 17
TechniquesBrown Sugar · notebook page 17
Cakes, cookies and piesChocolate Cake · notebook page 17
Breads and doughsItalian Dough (6 qts) · notebook page 17
Breads and doughsScones · notebook page 18
Cakes, cookies and piesRoyal Icing · notebook page 18
Breads and doughsPan Pizza · notebook page 18
Cakes, cookies and piesChocolate Chip Cookies · notebook page 19
Cakes, cookies and piesCheesecake · notebook page 19
Cakes, cookies and piesAngel Food Cake · notebook page 19, 20
Cakes, cookies and piesPie Crust · notebook page 20
Cakes, cookies and piesRich Dutch Cheese Cake · notebook page 20
Breads and doughsCrescent Rolls · notebook page 21
Cakes, cookies and piesUncle Ray's Cheese Cake · notebook page 22
Cakes, cookies and piesJunior's Cheese Cake · notebook page 22
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