Published: July 19, 2007 11:34 pm            

Brandy Elkins, a perfectionist when it comes to cooking

ANDERSONVILLE, Ga. — She was attending college to practice medicine, but soon found another practice. The practice of cooking.

“I graduated from the Art Institute of Atlanta Culinary Arts,” said Brandy Elkins as she is explaining her passion for culinary arts and how the hustle and bustle of the restaurant business gets her adrenaline flowing.

“My mom and dad always cooked. My foundations for cooking came from them. My mother and her sisters would cook for her family every Friday and Sunday. It was just a family tradition. My mother was Italian and I grew up cooking and eating Ravioli’s, lasagna and manicotti’s,” she said as she explained her love for pleasing people.

“It gives me the most gratification to see people enjoy what I cook and prepare. Presentation is 50 percent of a success preparation of a dish. If you present someone with a dish with a hair in it or a smudge of your finger print, it's like a slap in the face,” she said explaining the need for becoming highly aware of sanitation and presentation of a dish. The other 50 percent of preparation according to Elkins is 25 percent smell and 25 percent taste.

“I can’t draw. But, I can make you a plate pretty enough to make you not want to eat it. I’m just a perfectionist. I love to please,” she said as she described Sunday evenings cooking for the neighborhood in which she lives.

“We all get together and cook and share recipes,” she said.

Elkin also enjoys sharing her art of cooking with her three-year old daughter. “She loves to bake cakes. She climbs up onto her chair and helps me prepare cakes, and she will caution me when I have the knives out. She will say, ‘Watch out Mommy, they will cut you,’” she said explaining her daughter Celani’s love for asparagus and Brussels sprouts.

“She likes chicken nuggets also. ‘Mama can’t touch McDonald’s,’” she said with a laugh.

Elkin said her husband Daniel is truly a natural cook. “I acquired my love for cooking and I practice. He has a natural talent for cooking. He is the one who introduced me to new things. He inspired me to go to culinary school,” she said.

Like most cooks, Elkin enjoys watching the cooking network with Paula Deen and Alton Brown being among her most favorite cooks.

One of her most favorite dishes is Ginger/Vanilla Creme’ Brulee. “It’s French and most of the time if a person can’t pronounce a dish or spell it, they are intimidated by it. But, it is very easy to prepare.”

Elkin’s future goal is to open her own business. She was required in school to prepare business plans and she already has a few ideas of her own. “I have three business plans. I designed them myself. I would like to open a bar/resturant,” she said.

Elkin said she encourages everyone to enjoy what you eat. “It’s OK to watch what you eat. But, spurge every once in a while and eat what you like. It’s most gratifying for me to see someone treat themselves. I love birthday’s and special occasions which give me a reason to prepare something special,’’ she said describing her evenings of cooking for her neighbors and letting them critique her dishes.

“You have to be willing to change and perfect your dishes. You have to have a passion for what you do or you die. You also have to continue learning to enable growth,” she said with a smile.

Elkin, although she enjoys cooking for her family and friends, is presently employed with the Windsor Hotel as a Chef.

“I just enjoy food. I enjoy cooking. It gives me a sense of gratification in which I can’t explain,” she said as she prepares the next dish in which she will diligently hope to perfect.



Ginger/Vanilla Creme’ Brulee



5 egg yolks

2 whole eggs

8 ounces of heavy cream

1 small piece of ginger root

1 vanilla bean

2 cups of sugar



Take your sugar, vanilla, ginger, and heavy cream. Simmer on low until comes to a simmer. You want to pull the favor out of the ginger. Take the eggs and 2 whole egg yolks, beat them. Once the cream comes to a simmer, pull the vanilla bean and ginger out of the cream and throw them away. You can also use vanilla extract or ginger extract instead of the ginger root or vanilla bean.

Pour the cream on to yolks and eggs. Whisk with blender on high. Once it begins to foam. Pull it out and pour the mixture into containers.

Most important place the containers into a 1/4 inch of water. It is steamed until it cooks evenly. Bake on 350 degrees for 15 minutes. The top should turn a golden brown. Let sit 15 minutes after baking. Refrigerate it.

Important after refrigeration, the dish is required to be broiled to caramelize the top layer creating a crust. Top with powder sugar, whipped cream and a cherry.

        

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