Mystery basket

[charles schulman]

Has anyone done a mystery basket before,if so any advice?

[Daniel Kangiser]

Hi Charles,
I have done quite a few of them. In school they called them black boxes and they gave us a protein, a starch and a vegetable with the run of the pantry. In competetion they usually expect an appetizer, entree with sides, and a dessert, I even participated in some that want you to match wine with each coarse, including dessert, but these are rare. Don't forget to think outside the box, I won a competition once by presenting a manderin beef salad as the entree. We all had the exact same ingredients, flank steak, romain hearts, manderin oranges, almonds, and fresh green beans. There had to have been about 15 versions of London Broil and mine was the only salad entree. It set me apart from the others. My appetizer was beer battered Steak fingers with a wasabi aoili, very simple but great tasting. Don't forget the sauce, the ingredients probably won't be in your basket, so utilize your pantry ingredients. If you can produce a sauce out of your basket ingredients all the better. Try to utilize everything they give you, this is very important. If they give you a whole fish try to utilize the head and bones in a stock or sauce. Time will be your shortest commonity in most competitions, so don't try to do more then you can complete in the time alotted. I hope this helps.

[edward eugene massey]

I have done several for job positions, and they can be intense. Relax and have fun. be mentally prepaired and let the food talk to you. Research some of the ingredients you think you might get, usually seasonal items, something that will click when the interview or competition begins. Never let them see you sweat.

[David Crabtree]

Review the pantry list of ingred. closely. You can find that on the ACF web site competition manual. Find out if the local chapter will use that list. Plan a recipe that will work with several protiens ,and then practice your recipe in the same time frame that the rules state. Once you start cooking pretend your in your own world and stay focused. Practice and being on top of the local guidelines is crucial. I have found many a chapters that create their own list for the pantry. All contestants should be given that pantry list prior too the surprise protien you select from the mstery basket. Then PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!