On May 24, 2003, Randy Diaz hosted the first meeting of the Serene Lakes Cooking Club. It was a success. A dozen people sampled three delicious desserts that are high altitude proof, and Randy provided additional tips for high altitude preparation. After the desserts, the ‘piece-de-resistance’ was a demonstration on how to prepare Peking Duck.

Similar to wine tasting, desserts were presented from lightest to heaviest. We started out with Tiramisu. Randy discussed preparation and presentation techniques with emphasis given to beating the eggs at high altitude. Most ingredients (e.g., mascarpone) can be acquired locally in shops such as Florians.

Our second treat was Randy’s Easy No-Bake Summer Fruit Tart that included a cream cheese filing with kiwis, strawberries, blackberries and other summer fruits. We also learned how to vary the filling and the tart crust according to taste.

The last dessert was Easy Chocolate Mousse Tort. According to Randy, "the beauty of this recipe is that it used no flour. Not only is it kosher, but you don’t have to worry about it deflating or being dry." It is also very rich and would delight the most serious chocolate lover.

The highlight of the afternoon was the "blowing-up" of the Peking Duck. Using a standard electric tire pump, yes, you heard it right, Randy showed us the special secret of perfect Peking Duck by using the pump to separate the skin from the fat; thereby, allowing more fat to drain. The other secret to perfect Peking Duck is to dry the skin by hanging the duck in a cool dry area, which is easy in Serene Lakes. This technique allows for a crispy tender duck that is not greasy!

Attendees received recipes for all the prepared dishes. Wine and champagne were served and future cooking club meeting were discussed. Jennifer Montgomery will host the next SLCC event. A notice providing the time, date, and address will be sent in June. We hope that you can attend.