IDEAS IN FOOD

Weed Patch 2013

It is exciting to watch ingredients collide with ideas. We have started putting together this years weed patch. We are planting in pots and barrels this year. I hope to limit the unwanted weeds. And protect the weeds we want. Lovage, garlic chives and traditional chives returned on their own. Anise hyssop, rosemary and chocolate mint weathered the winter. And rose thyme proved much heartier than the roses we tried to grow a few years ago. This year we added lemon verbena, summer savory, globe and opal basil, parsley and lavender. We have planted Black Krim and Brandywine tomatoes along with jalapeno peppers. All that is left is keeping everything alive.

Years Past

May 12, 2012

May 12, 2005

Posted on May 12, 2013 at 08:15 PM in Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

This is Water

It's not what you think but actually it is.

Via Brain Pickings.

THIS IS WATER - By David Foster Wallace from The Glossary on Vimeo.

Years Past

May 11, 2012

May 11, 2005

Posted on May 11, 2013 at 09:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Charcoal BYOB

It's almost Mother's Day and if you're still pondering a gift Alex is doing a guest chef dinner at Charcoal BYOB in Yardley, PA next Tuesday. You can call the restaurant 215.493.6394 for reservations. Charcoal is one of our favorite restaurants and we bring Amaya there on a regular basis so we are especially pleased to be spending an evening in the kitchen. It's a BYOB so you can bring your own wine and/or mixers to go with the non-alcoholic beverage pairings that night or any evening you choose. It's a warm and inviting space with a view of the Delaware River. We'd love to see you next week but if you can't make it then we encourage you to go another night. The Three Musketeers: Mark, Eric, and Jared cook each meal with heart and soul. Once you taste it you'll have a new favorite restaurant too.

Years Past

May 10, 2012

May 10, 2005

Posted on May 10, 2013 at 06:44 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (1)

Olive Oil Cakes

We were looking for a light and delicate way to feature olive oil in dessert. A microwave cake fulfilled our requirements.

Microwave Olive Oil Cake

108 grams (2 large) eggs

200 grams sugar

350 grams milk

100 grams all purpose flour

36 grams powdered egg white

3 grams salt

150 grams olive oil (what other oils can we use?)

Put the eggs, sugar and milk in a blender. Turn the blender onto low and increase the speed to medium high and let it blend until the mixture is homogeneous. With the blender running, sprinkle in the all purpose flour, egg white powder, and salt. Puree for 30 seconds until the egg white powder and flour are fully absorbed and the mixture is smooth again. Pour the olive oil into the mixture and puree for 30 seconds until the olive oil is absorbed. Transfer half of the mixture into a 1-liter ISI whipped cream canister and put the lid on. Charge the canister with 1 N2O cartridge and then shake well to disperse the gas and allow it to be absorbed by the batter. Charge with a second cartridge and repeat the shaking process. The batter should feel and sound fluid in the canister.

Prepare 24 10-ounce paper cups for microwave cooking the cakes. Turn the cups over and use a paring knife to put a small (1/2-inch) incision in the bottom and three small incisions around the sides. Turn each cup right side up. Shake the whip cream canister and dispense the batter into a cup filling it about a third of the way to the top. Put the cup in the microwave and cook on high for 30 seconds. Immediately remove the cake from the microwave and invert the cup onto a cutting board or counter top. Let the cake cool inverted while cooking the remaining cakes one at a time. When the canister empties, refill with the remaining batter and repeat the charging process using 2 N2O cartridges and shaking well each time. Continue cooking the cakes. When they have all cooled run a paring knife around the inside of each cup to loosen the cakes. Gently shake each cup to remove the cake. Alternatively the cakes may be store in the inverted cups in the refrigerator overnight. The cakes will stay moist and keep their shape.

Years Past

May 9, 2012

May 9, 2005

Posted on May 09, 2013 at 05:03 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (6)

R is For

Russian Dressing

Ranch, anything

Ramps

Red Pepper

Ras al Hanout

Rose Hips

Rye, the grain and the beverage

...

Years Past

May 8, 2012

May 8, 2007

May 8, 2005

Posted on May 08, 2013 at 09:49 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (2)

Stand Out

It’s easy to point out the flaws of others. We all cook differently, that's the point. Some days you need to go in another direction. In our need to make food original we often forget about making it better. Improvement is the game. Cook what you want to eat and make it your own. Don't look for a new angle, look for your angle. Editing is everything.

Years Past

May 7, 2012

May 7, 2010

May 7, 2006

May 7, 2005

Posted on May 07, 2013 at 09:59 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

StRAWberry Jam

We wondered if we could use our rotary evaporator as a freeze dryer. We have an old freeze mobile which is bulky. When we obtained it years ago we bought a few new VirTis freeze drying flasks. The freeze dryer is bulky and not super efficient. We were on the verge of getting rid of it. Then while talking with Joe at Polyscience I noticed that the VirTis flasks would connect to the rotary evaporator. Unfortunately we had 2000-ml flasks which are too long. So I did what any impulsive idea chasing guy would do. I ordered 1200-ml flasks and waited impatiently. When the flasks arrived I ran to Charcoal BYOB to borrow some liquid nitrogen. I raced back home, cleaned some strawberries and froze them solid. I then put them in the flask and fired up the machine. It turns out my flask was not up for being rotated at 190 rpms. Water went flying and the container kicked itself free. I slowed the machine down and watched. My attempt at freeze drying turned out to be a complete failure. And we could not be happier. We ended up with something totally unexpected. The strawberries froze and thawed as in our cryo-blanching technique. The rotary evaporator pulled off excess moisture. and the strawberries concentrated. They became dry, sticky, and vibrant. There was no caramelization or cooked flavors. This jam is all stRAWberry.

Years Past

May 6, 2012

May 6, 2010

May 6, 2005

Posted on May 06, 2013 at 04:28 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (1)

Leftover Fritatta

Sometimes the ingredients dictate the dish. A few braised morels, shredded fontina from pizza night, a handful of freshly snipped chives and a few bundles of prosciutto-wrapped asparagus all came together this morning. Long ago I worked for an Italian family that would make fritattas out of whatever leftovers happened to be around. It's a habit I quickly absorbed and appropriated because anything can taste good in a fritatta. Alex asked me to keep the asparagus whole for presentation. I folded the chives and morels into the beaten eggs and poured them into a hot pan gilded with olive oil. I shook the pan over the heat and stirred the mixture briskly with a silicone spatula until the eggs began to thicken. Then I added the cheese. I continued to stir until the mixture was mostly set but still a bit runny. I added the asparagus bundles, pressing them gently into the eggs. Finally I slid the pan under the broiler in our toaster oven. The door wouldn't completely shut because of the pan handle. This forced me to let it slowly brown and set. Serendipity. What started with lefteovers ended with none.

Years Past

May 5, 2012

May 5, 2005

Posted on May 05, 2013 at 09:43 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (1)

Marinating Softshells

If you can add flavor, do it.

Years Past

May 4, 2012

May 4, 2005

Posted on May 04, 2013 at 05:13 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Iron Man 3

Two important things happen in May. It's the start of movie season and it's Alex's birthday. He loves a good action movie and our opportunities to go see one in the theater are few and far between. It's one of the few activities that actually lets him shut down his brain and relax. So every year I conspire with Amaya's Aunt Peg to arrange for babysitting and spirit off him to see something with great storylines and lots of epic explosions in an IMAX theater. I'm fortunate that his birthday tends to coincide with the first big release of the season and this year is no exception. It's definitely an Iron Man 3 kind of a year. Now I just have to get him to the theater.

Years Past

May 3, 2012

May 3, 2005

Posted on May 03, 2013 at 05:57 PM in Beyond the Kitchen Doors | Permalink | Comments (3)

Lobster and Gnocchi

We made pate choux. We flavored it with black pepper. We poached it in simmering water to make Parisian gnocchi. When they were cooked we added them to a lobster buttermilk beurre monte. We folded in the odds and ends from cleaning lobster knuckles and claws. It was a decadent bowl of food. And it just happened to be gluten free.

Years Past

May 2, 2012

May 2, 2005

Posted on May 02, 2013 at 07:11 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (1)

Rum Parts

We used the rotary evaporator to separate the alcohol and the essence of Goslings dark rum. The rumshine has most of the heady notes and all the alcohol. The essence is made up of the sweet notes and the barrel aged flavors. To make the most of the rumshine we added prunes. After just a few days the taste is amazing. We took the rum essence and built it back up with simple syrup to create something wonderfully delicious. You don't realize how much flavor is contained in a spirit until you remove the alcohol. Without the distraction of the burn you can focus in on nuances and subtleties. Time to make some non-alcoholic boat drinks and Dark and Stormies.

Years Past

May 1, 2012

May 1, 2006

May 1, 2005

Posted on May 01, 2013 at 01:30 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (3)

Saveur Food Blog Awards

Blogging has been a journey. We originally began this looking for a way to connect with other chefs and motivate ourselves to stay current while working in a remote location. In the beginning readers were in the single digits and we wondered whether this endeavor would ever be worth the effort we put into it. Little by little conversations began and our audience started to grow. Nine years later we're still going strong. Over the years we've made changes, adding photography and establishing the tradition of daily posts. Our core beliefs, that ideas are free and that anything worth doing is worth sharing, still hold true. Yes, occasionally we fail to publish recipes, either because we haven't had time to write them up in a standard format (by far the most common reason) or because we're teasing dishes from an upcoming book. For the most part we believe that questions asked should be answered and we do our best to make that happen. Maybe that's why we're still here. It's the stream of queries that we get from our readers and clients that shape our work. It helps us find new directions to explore and motivates us to be here every day. You inspire us.

It's a great feeling to know that we inspire you too. Thank you so much for voting for us. Please check out the list of finalists and winners because there's a wide range of personalities and styles in every category and all are worth checking out. I know we've found a supply of new blogs for our RSS reader and we are sure you will do the same. The very best food and drink blogs are generally a blend of illustrated stories and information presented by people who are passionate about what they do. It's not always easy to find your passion so it feels especially good to know that it's appreciated.

Years Past

April 30, 2012

April 30, 2005

Posted on April 30, 2013 at 06:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Cool Ranch Chilaquiles

In my mind chilaquiles are irrevocably linked with Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. We've been there a few times on family vacations and stayed at an all-inclusive resort because the point of the trip was family and not fine dining. Anyway everyone's favorite breakfast days were the ones that featured chilaquiles. They would alternated between red and green versions, putting out a mildly spicy baked casserole of tortilla chips, salsa, beans, and cheese. You would get your eggs cooked separately on the side and put everything together with guacamole for a breakfast worth making a trip for. In spite of the fact that we loved the idea we never actually made chilaquiles at home. That is until Alex got the urge to make Cool Ranch gnocchi and we had half a bag of Doritos going stale on the counter. I hate to waste and so we mixd them with regular tortilla chips and made chilaquiles, with eggs baked on top, for breakfast. Crispy, crunchy, chewy, creamy (from the soft cooked yolks), even without guacamole--I forgot to plan ahead, it was the breakfast of champions.

Years Past

April 29, 2012

April 29, 2007

April 29, 2005

Posted on April 29, 2013 at 07:22 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Lime Pickle Linguine

Lime pickle is still a fetish. We added lime pickle powder from The Cultured Pickle Shop to durum pasta dough. We use The Extruder to mix and make these noodles. If you don't have one yet, fold the LPP into your own pasta recipes. The first combination on our list is with clams.

Years Past

April 28, 2012

April 28, 2005

Posted on April 28, 2013 at 07:51 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Morels

Remember to soak your morels in a 2% salt brine for ten minutes. Then dry and cook them. The mushrooms will be evenly seasoned. And the salt forces out any unwanted critters.

Years Past

April 27, 2012

April 27, 2005

Posted on April 27, 2013 at 07:55 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

60 Minutes in a Skateboarder's Life

Editing is everthing.

60 Minutes in a Skateboarder´s Life from Sebastian Linda on Vimeo.

Years Past

April 26, 2012

Posted on April 26, 2013 at 06:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cool Ranch Cavatelli

We wanted to see if we could make cavatelli with Cool Ranch Doritos. It turns out we can. We used the inspiration to flavor the dough. The flavor of the Doritos is very intense. We ground them into a powder and blended them with semolina and all purpose flours. We boosted the tang in the dough with powdered buttermilk. And we bound the dough with ricotta. Now we have a baseline. We can begin to build our own version blending our ranch with toasted corn.

Years Past

April 25, 2012

April 25, 2011

April 25, 2008

Posted on April 25, 2013 at 08:54 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Skewered Flat

We do not like chasing asparagus all over the grill. Grill baskets don't do the job well. We use thin flat skewers to coral vegetables. We found ours at Mitsuwa a few years ago. The flat skewers secure the vegetables preventing unwanted twists and turns. They allow us to flip ingredients easily. We can maneuver them around the grill. We are able to baste them off the heat and return them to the grill efficiently. The simple tool has transformed our process.

Years Past

April 24, 2012

April 24, 2005

Posted on April 24, 2013 at 08:50 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Twist

We featured Tim's soft serve ice cream machine during the dinner at The Granary. We had one savory and one sweet ice cream. In the middle was the opportunity to try them as a twist. The union of two thoughts is where great ideas blossom. We missed the opportunity. In the heat of the kitchen we never pulled a twist. This is a regretful reminder to slow down. Try the opportunities in front of you. Make sure to at least try the twist.

Years Past

April 23, 2012

Posted on April 23, 2013 at 07:52 AM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (1)

Blending Parts

The combination of ingredients and processes allows for unique creations. The results vary depending on who is blending what. The Lillet essence sparked many thoughts. It is delicious on its own. We have drizzled it on fruit. We have discussed using it to make ice cream. And we blended it with buttermilk. The tang and richness of the buttermilk is complimented by the sweet floral notes of the essence. Initially I was thinking a savory sauce for fish. Aki tasted the mix and voted for a panna cotta. We will make both and more.

Years Past

April 22, 2012

Posted on April 22, 2013 at 06:08 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rhubarb Lillet

We separated lillet. We ended up with an incredible essence and a floral alcoholic distillate. I was after the essence. The distillate showed promise. We took sliced rhubarb and added it to the distillate. After 24 hours the rhubarb had whitened. The lillet had blushed and picked up a new perfume. We strained out the rhubarb. And we repeated the process twice more. Now we have a rhubarb lillet. And we have the essence of lillet. We found that flavor seems to transfer faster and more efficiently in the alcoholic distillate. We have the opportunity to use them individually. We could put them back together. What's more interesting is seasoning the rhubarb lillet with the essence and vice versa.

Years Past

April 21, 2012

April 21, 2009

April 21, 2005

Posted on April 21, 2013 at 07:57 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (1)

Spring Blossoms

There's something so inspiring about Spring. It's not my favorite season, perhaps I've spent too many years out West where spring means mud season in addition to everything else. Still, as I look out the window to see sunlight pouring from the sky and the wind slipping gently through leaves of grass I wonder why it's not. Everything is green and gold with hints of color peeking out everywhere as blossoms threaten to burst forth from the bushes and trees. It's a moment of anticipation as we watch the magic of nature waking up from her winter hibernation. In some places blossoms are already lying heavy and full along tree branches that have yet to find their leaves. Suddenly there are freshly snipped herbs garnishing our dishes and the riot of color and light makes us itch to get cooking. It's a wonderful time of year. What inspires you today?

Years Past

April 20, 2012

April 20, 2005

Posted on April 20, 2013 at 06:45 PM in INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Griddled Sourdough

We took The Lightest Sourdough Ever and griddled it in melted butter. The griddled surface was thin, lacey, crispy and buttery. It added a defining texture to the cloud like sourdough. We now have a new indulgent bread service benchmark.

Years Past

April 19, 2012

April 19, 2006

April 19, 2005

Posted on April 19, 2013 at 09:06 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (3)

The Lightest Sourdough Ever

We started with some very good day-old sourdough bread. You can use whatever bread suits your fancy. We blend crust and crumb together and then make a new batter. Using the microwave to cook it allowed us to make the bread ethereally light. Each bite is full flavored, it's like eating the very best sourdough you've ever had only different.

Microwave Sourdough Bread

120 grams day old sourdough bread cut into cubes

350 grams whole milk

108 grams/ 2 large eggs

36 grams powdered egg white

12.5 grams sugar

3 grams salt

Put the sourdough bread, milk and eggs in a blender. Turn the blender onto low and increase the speed to medium high. When mixture is fluid sprinkle in the egg white powder, sugar and salt. Puree the mixture for thirty seconds until the egg white powder is fully absorbed and the mixture is smooth again. Strain the mixture through a fine meshed sieve. Put the mixture into a 1-liter ISI whip cream canister and put the lid on. Charge the canister and batter with one N2o charge and then shake to disperse the gas and allow it to be absorbed. Charge the batter with a second cartridge and repeat the shaking process. The batter should feel and sound fluid in the canister. Prepare 12 10-ounce paper cups for microwave cooking the sourdough. Turn the cups over and use a knife to put an incision in the bottom and three incisions around the sides. Turn each cup back over. Shake the whip cream canister and dispense the batter one third of the way up the sides of the cup. Put the cup into the microwave and cook on high for 30 seconds. When the time is up immediately remove from the microwave and invert the cup onto a cutting board or counter top. Let the bread cool inverted while cooking the remaining bread. Let the sourdough rest until the cups are no longer hot to the touch. Use a pairing knife and run it around the inside of the cup. Gently shake the cup to remove the bread from the cup. Use a pair of scissors to cut the bread in half. Alternatively the bread may be stored refrigerated in the inverted cups overnight. The bread will stay moist, tender and keep its light airy shape.

Years Past

April 18, 2009

April 18, 2005

Posted on April 18, 2013 at 04:10 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (3)

The Idea of a Roast Pork Shoulder

It started with trying to capture the essence of an Italian roast pork shoulder. We cut many small incisions in half of a boneless pork shoulder. We made a marinade of egg white, soy sauce, smoked red pepper flakes and dried oregano. We vacuum sealed the shoulder and marinated it overnight. Then we cooked the shoulder in a circulating water bath for 24 hours at 57°C. When it was cooked we cooled it in an ice bath. We sliced the chilled shoulder into a variety of thicknesses. The thinnest ones we used as taste testers. We pan roasted the thicker pieces. All were full flavored, tender and succulent. This approach to the idea of a roast pork shoulder now provides us with flexibility and consistency in using it.

Years Past

April 17, 2005

Posted on April 17, 2013 at 08:38 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (3)

Amanda Palmer

The Art of Asking.

Life is about making connections and we all have to find our own way.

In this Ted talk musician Amanda Palmer shares her story.

Years Past

April 16, 2011

April 16, 2005

Posted on April 16, 2013 at 05:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

A Glimpse

Years Past

April 15, 2012

April 15, 2010

April 15, 2006

April 15, 2005

Posted on April 15, 2013 at 08:50 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Diamont Grain Mill

We discovered the Diamont Grain Mill while strolling through the King Arthur Flour store. I saw the aquamarine flywheel from across the store and was compelled to investigate. I turned the wheel and watched the grains transform into fine flour. The mill is easily adjustable and can go from the finest flour to coarse cornmeal. As I searched for the mill I discovered Lehman's, a contemporary hardware store that I'm sure I will be browsing often. It looks to be an incredible resource for the home. The mill is now on our need/wish list.

Years Past

April 14, 2012

April 14, 2005

Posted on April 14, 2013 at 05:59 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (1)

Maple Cotton Candy

We have made all kinds of cotton candy from foie gras to pistachio. We missed this combination. It has been in front of our faces for years. Thanks to an impromptu visit to a sugar shack our eyes were opened. I asked the syrup maker if they used straight maple sugar in the cotton candy. It turns out they blend the maple with cane sugar. It is delicious and light with a full maple flavor. Time to dust off the cotton candy machine and get to work.

Years Past

April 13, 2012

April 13, 2005

Posted on April 13, 2013 at 06:44 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Get to the Point

Flavor is the goal. Technology allows us to get more out of what we are working with. Utilizing the rotary evaporator from Polyscience we are able to focus on flavors. We started with bourbon. We separated Old Weller. The Old Wellershine has the aroma of the bourbon with a fruity, clean alcoholic burn. The essence has flavors of wood, vanilla, age and tannin. We used the essence to make a close to non-alcoholic version of our bourbon caramel. By using the essence in place of bourbon we were able to add more flavor to the sauce. And the heat and sharp notes of the alcohol no longer distract from the sauce. The Old Wellershine is being re-aged with fresh and dried strawberries. We shall have to wait for those results.

Years Past

April 12, 2012

April 12, 2006

April 12, 2005

Posted on April 12, 2013 at 10:02 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (1)

Lime Pickle Lobster

We season prepared lobsters with lime pickle powder. Then we saute them in butter. The combination is greater than the sum of its parts.

Years Past

April 11, 2012

Posted on April 11, 2013 at 08:12 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

A Dinner and a Workshop, What Happens

Over the past three days I have been learning, cooking and teaching at The Granary, in San Antonio, Texas. Two brothers, Tim and Alex Rattray are the pulse of this restaurant. Barbecue and brewing are their creative platforms. We get asked what happens at our Dinner and a Workshop. We connect ideas. We explore techniques. We ask questions. We take notes. We build and dismantle. The driving force is delicious. These are the results of using barbecue and beer as building blocks.

Deviled Egg, Pimento Cheese, Cornbread

Coleslaw Sherbet

smoked trout, coffee mustard, sweet pickle caramel

Burnt End Bolognese

smoked rigatoni

Surf and Turf

ranch poached grouper, beef cheek pastrami, German potato bread salad

Smoked Pork Shank

cornbread grits, collard greens, kimchi Q

Sweet Tea Cake

buttermilk soft serve ice cream, bourbon caramel

Spent Grain Cookies

Years Past

April 10, 2012

April 10, 2006

April 10, 2005

Posted on April 10, 2013 at 08:44 AM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (2)

German Potato Salad Bread

We took Tim Rattray's buttermilk bread recipe and folded in German potato salad.

Years Past

April 9, 2012

April 9, 2005

Posted on April 09, 2013 at 08:56 AM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (2)

Shandy

I thought I was onto something new. Mixing really good beer with really good soda to make a refreshing and lightly alcoholic drink. I said "look out Arnold Palmer, there's a new drink in town." It turns out my brilliant idea already exists, and it has a name, Shandy. What we were able to quickly bring to the table was the combination of incredible beers with unique sodas. For instance the first one we mixed at The Granary was a coffee IPA blended with house made root beer. The combination was incredible. Hoppy and clean, sweet, spicy and rich. Our second Shandy out of the gate blended a strawberry-preserved lemon soda with the Saison. And I needed a non-alcoholic version. We blended Fever Tree ginger ale with Beck's NA beer. It was striking how delicious these marriages were.

Years Past

April 8, 2012

April 8, 2005

April 8, 2005 (2)

Posted on April 08, 2013 at 06:17 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Gluten Free Pappardelle

We use our What IiF Flour in these noodles. A 50-50 blend with Batch 2 Flour is also fun. We make our hand mixed pastas in a bowl. The ingredients stay together. The flour does not go all over the counter. The sides of the bowl provide resistance to push the forming dough against.

Gluten Free Pasta Dough

230 grams What IiF Flour

104 grams/2 large whole eggs

38 grams whole milk

Put the flour in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs and milk in a separate bowl. Pour the egg mixture into the center of the flour. Bring the dry into the wet. Use your hands to bring the dough together. Turn the dough out onto the counter and knead without any additional flour until the dough becomes smooth and silky. Wrap with plastic and let it rest, at room temperature, for at least 30 minutes before rolling out the dough. Alternatively vacuum seal the dough to expedite the hydration.

Years Past

April 7, 2012

Posted on April 07, 2013 at 08:46 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Attention to Detail

We aren't much for politics on this blog but recent events have given us pause. President Obama recently signed into law the "Monsanto Protection Act". It was slipped into a larger bill and passed many of us unnoticed until it was too late. It is a sobering reminder that our country is often more interested in protcting corporations than it is the consumers. We may not like politics or want to be involved in them but there is no denying that they impact our daily lives in ways we are not even aware of. As parents we are realizing that we need to pay more attention, yes it's a cliche, but it's also a great motivator. Maybe it's time to stand up for the food we want in order to make sure it's still available for our children in the future. We need to take responsibility, and by "we" I me mean me, for paying attention to the larger picture because if we don't take responsibility we cannot expect anyone else to either.

Years Past

April 6, 2012

April 6, 2006

April 6, 2005

Posted on April 06, 2013 at 07:28 PM in Beyond the Kitchen Doors | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pasta?

There's this video below. Alex sent it to me a few days ago and as I started to watch it my first reaction was frustration because it's in Italian and I don't speak Italian. This passed quickly because the point is actually watching this woman make pasta by hand. She mixes the dough and stretches it, much in the way you see Chinese chefs making noodles. And then she stretches it over a disc like a web, cuts off the edges and restrings the remaining dough. It's quite beautiful to observe. FInally she breaks up the dried pasta into pieces, packages it and sells it. I have no idea if you cook it or eat it like a cracker, again with the frustration, though she does talk about different preparations, which I sort of got from my menu-Italian. And then I realized that I don't need to understand how she serves it because I can use my imagination and make it my own. At least I can once I figure out how to construct this beautiful pasta creation.

SU FILINDEU from Pj Gambioli on Vimeo.

Years Past

April 5, 2012

April 5, 2006

April 5, 2005

Posted on April 05, 2013 at 05:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Signs of ...

Ramps 2012

We are always looking for signs. Signs of spring, summer, fall, winter. We grasp for the earliest ones. Ramps and morels are Puxatony Phil’s of the kitchen. They are the neon sign for fresh, spontaneous and light cooking. Too often the sign is a mirage. And they cost a fortune. First of the season morels can be upwards of 60 dollars a pound. Ramps are in the neighborhood of 30 bucks a pound. And chefs need to have them. Diners look for them. If you are not serving these ingredients in spring you are falling behind. What if you waited? Use know how to cook with whats actually abundant. And wait for the signs of things to come to actually arrive.

Years Past

April 4 2012

April 4, 2005

Posted on April 04, 2013 at 08:38 AM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (1)

Potatoes in the Pot

Potatoes have potential. Their versatility in cooking makes the initial fermenting an exciting step in the creative process.

Years Past

April 3, 2012

April 3, 2005

Posted on April 03, 2013 at 09:08 AM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sea Truffles: The Tastiest Scallops Ever

These are what we call sea truffles. We learned the technique from Gerard Craft at Niche. We added the preliminary step of brining the scallop. We brine U-10 scallops for 10 minutes in a 5% salt water solution. We brine the muscles as well. We remove them from the brine and cold smoke them for at least an hour. Then we put them into our dehydrator and dry them for 36 hours. The concentrated scallop flavor blends with the smoke. The salt brine seasons the outside. The dried scallop muscle is great in sauces. The scallop itself has unlimited uses from seasoning vegetables to flavoring breads. We have found that using a microplane to grate the scallop works best. A bonito shaver may also be interesting. This preparation arrived to our panty late. Fortunately it is here to stay.

Years Past

April 2, 2012

April 2, 2005

Posted on April 02, 2013 at 09:18 AM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (6)

Pasta Peeps

This is small version of cresta de gallo. We extruded them through die number 143. The smaller shape lends it to a complementary role in a composed dish. We're thinking roasted chicken with lemon chicken noodles. We can make a lemony pan jus to dress the noodles, finishing them with fresh peas and grated parmigiano cheese. It will be a side dish and gravy all in one. The shape and size spark ideas. The trials and errors determine what actually works.

Years Past

April 1, 2012

Posted on April 01, 2013 at 06:00 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Follow the White Rabbit

It started with a white, chocolate, rabbit. It would be fun to change things up this Easter. We caramelized a few bunnies. With the rabbits a success I scavenged Amaya's basket. White chocolate M&M's caught my eye. I put them into a vacuum bag. I pressure cooked them for 30 minutes and then chilled them. Their color faded. The shells fragmented. Their flavor exploded. Caramelized white chocolate M&M's are the future. We expect Mars to get in touch with us shortly.

Years Past

March 31, 2012

March 31, 2005

Posted on March 31, 2013 at 02:58 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Spruce White Chocolate

Spruce has been in our kitchen for a few years. This year we infused white chocolate. The citrus notes penetrated the chocolate. The pine aroma penetrates the chocolate. The richness of the fat balances these sharper notes. For a test run we will use it in our white chocolate-yogurt ice cream. From there: pudding, cake, custard, ganache and molten.

Years Past

March 30, 2012

March 30, 2009

March 30, 2005

Posted on March 30, 2013 at 03:59 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Put the Paint Back in Cans

The finished product is a wonderful place to begin creating.

Years Past

March 29, 2012

Posted on March 29, 2013 at 07:46 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Potted Leeks

We finally have our pickle pot in balance. T rial by error helped us focus on the process. It allowed us to understand the happenings of the pickle pot. It enabled us to search for what we wanted as a result. We left these leeks buried for 2 days. The outer layer is still salty. When we remove it the inside is a balanced pickle. The acidity is bright. The leeks are crisp. The allium notes are tamed. The pickles are building blocks. And they are equally delicious sliced and savored.

Years Past:

March 28, 2012

March 28, 2009

Posted on March 28, 2013 at 09:32 AM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Grilled and Marinated Lobster

We started with our complete lobster process. Once the lobsters were prepared we were free to deviate and explore. We scored the underside of the lobster tail so that it would lay flat. We put the claws onto a pair of skewers. We blended smoked paprika, soy sauce, lime juice, ground ginger and olive oil on a tray. We coated the lobster in the marinade and started grilling. To control the heat and layer flavor we took the lobster off the heat and back onto the tray for a quick cool down and marinade. When the lobster was finished cooking we tore into it dragging the crustacean through the blended juices.

Years Past

March 27, 2012

March 27, 2010

March 27, 2006

Posted on March 27, 2013 at 07:00 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Galley Proofs

This is a temporary cover but the information inside is true to form. It seems as though we've been working on it forever, though to be honest we're already building the next one. It's an amazing feeling to hold so much work in its first bound form. It looks so small compared to the amount of effort that went into it. It's not perfect, the cover will be different, we've made editorial changes since this went to print, and the photos are mostly black and white but it brims with promise. Maximum Flavor, Recipes That WIll Change the Way You Cook, October 8, 2013. It finally seems real.

Years Past

March 26, 2012

Posted on March 26, 2013 at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Gluten Free Gougeres

We started with our basic pate choux recipe. We subsituted What IiF Flour for the all purpose. We folded in black pepper. After we piped the batter onto sheet pans we topped each puff to be with sharp provolone cheese. Perfect little mouthfuls. Light and crisp on the outside with a tender, eggy interior. There's a little heat from the pepper and a salty bite from the cheese. We eat them out of hand, though if you need something a little fancier you can stuff them with smoked salmon or deviled ham, truffled egg salad or guacamole. The possibilities are endless.

Years past

March 25, 2012

Posted on March 25, 2013 at 02:53 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Smoked and Dried Roe

We spent the past few days working with lobster. The roe is always a battle ground for idea development. Since we had the smoker going it went there first. After 45 minutes we put it into the dehydrator. We felt the moderate heat of the dehydrator would cook and dry the roe. The roe became vibrantly red. It was a color red we had not witnessed in lobster roe before. It has us thinking that like chicken eggs, the temperature we cook roe at is essential to the end result. The roe is moderately smoky with an ocean air flavor. As a base seasoning it has transformed gnocchi. As an ice breaker for ideas it has cleared a new path. Time to taste and explore the possibilites.

Years Past

March 24, 2012

Posted on March 24, 2013 at 11:59 AM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (1)