[MEEZ ahn plahs]

HEAD CHEESE

2012-02-01T15:16:00.000-08:00

WINTER COMFORT

2012-01-18T17:20:00.000-08:00

OYSTERS

2012-01-13T14:16:00.000-08:00

X-MAS

2011-12-25T21:28:00.000-08:00

[oven roasted hen, butternut squash soup, bacon lardon,

curried acorn squash, blue lake beans, maitake madeira sauce]

SAVORY OATMEAL

2011-12-09T10:37:00.000-08:00

[egg, oats, sausage, greek yogurt, spinach,

onion, cumin, paprika, cracked pepper, sriracha]

JOËL ROBUCHON STAGE

2011-12-07T13:42:00.000-08:00

Last week I was granted the opportunity of a two day stage at the infamous restaurant, Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas. As one of 13 three-Michelin-Star restaurants in the United States, Joël Robuchon stands out as the most prestigiously acclaimed restaurant south of San Francisco. This was an experience that I am extremely grateful for, and a special thanks goes out to my friend Bobby, Chef Claude, and Chef Simon for setting it up for me.

"Winner of Michelin's Three Star, Forbes Five-Star, AAA Five Diamond, and Wine Spectator's Grand Award, Joël Robuchon has redefined Las Vegas fine dining. Joël Robuchon was named France's Chef of the Century by the esteemed Gault Millau restaurant guide. Coming out of retirement to open his first restaurant in the United States, Joël Robuchon caters to a sophisticated palate that features a menu of his finer specialties." - Joel Robuchon @ MGM Grand official site

SRIRACHA APRON

2011-12-07T00:15:00.000-08:00

THANKSGIVING

2011-11-24T21:29:00.000-08:00

SPAM

2011-11-23T12:29:00.000-08:00

FALL

2011-09-04T01:51:00.000-07:00

TEAM BiZCOCHO

2011-08-17T21:57:00.000-07:00

RIVIERA MAGAZINE

2011-08-16T13:12:00.000-07:00

IN THE NEWS III

2011-08-11T22:40:00.001-07:00

KENTUCKY DERBY 2011

2011-08-10T23:08:00.000-07:00

CENTURY EGG

2011-08-10T22:39:00.000-07:00

LIVE CRAWDADDYS

2011-08-08T03:27:00.001-07:00

AMUSE BOUCHE

2011-08-08T03:26:00.000-07:00

KING SALMON

2011-08-08T03:18:00.001-07:00

MOREL MUSHROOMS

2011-08-08T03:17:00.001-07:00

LUCAS THE LOBSTER

2011-08-08T03:16:00.000-07:00

BASTARD

2011-08-07T13:01:00.000-07:00

Restaurant: Bastard

Location: Malmo, Sweden

Chef: Andreas Dahlberg

Photographer: Per-Anders Jorgensen

Bacon Amuse

2011-06-08T23:27:00.000-07:00

[ maple honey glazed tamworth bacon. huitlacoche. corn powder.
grilled compressed pineapple. sesame. micro cilantro.]

Lamb Bacon

2011-06-01T23:49:00.000-07:00

[lamb saddle: side flaps will be used for the bacon]

[cure: kosher salt, pure cane sugar, juniper, pink pepper corn, bay leaf,

basil, parsley, thyme, tarragon, tellicherry peppercorns, corriander]

[48 hour cure]

[45 min soak]

[12 hours in the smoker with some hickory...and wah-lah!...lamb bacon]

BRANDT BEEF TOUR

2011-05-28T00:02:00.000-07:00

The Brandt family has been in the livestock and farming business since the early 1900s and started feeding cattle commercially in 1945. With the onset of consumer concerns regarding hormones and antibiotics in the early 1990s, the Brandt family made a decision to go against the industry standard and raise their animals naturally. Today, Brandt Beef is proud to be feeding its animals a vegetarian corn-based diet for more than 365 days without hormones or the use of antibiotics.

[dry age]

[Eric demoed the cuts]

[accepting or questioning USDA grading]

[13th rib cut, inspected USDA, determines grade]

[packed with love]

[handled with care]

[so fresh you can see the steam]

Brandt Beef received the Master Chefs’ Institute Seal of Excellence for its commitment to producing a superior culinary product. To date, Brandt Beef is the only beef producer to receive the Seal of Excellence.

To obtain the Seal, the Master Chefs’ team put Brandt Beef’s natural products through more than 120 tests, including blind testing versus three competitive brands. Testing focused on Brandt Beef’s primary use as a center-of-the-plate item in an upscale foodservice establishment. Tests were conducted on 22 different cuts of Brandt’s meat utilizing a variety of different preparation techniques and cooking methods. Brandt Beef consistently achieved first place rankings in the all-important categories of taste, texture and tenderness.

Thank you Hugh and Eric!!

STRIPED SEA BASS

2011-05-14T11:17:00.000-07:00

IN THE NEWS II

2011-05-12T12:20:00.000-07:00

[ Helping promote the Veranda Restaurant downstairs and RBI. ]

"GOURMANDS REVIEW" DEGUSTATION TASTING

2011-02-17T11:55:00.000-08:00

Lamb Tartare
Violet Mustard, Micro Salad

Heirloom Beets
Frisee, Candied Walnuts, Fennel, Avocado Pudding, Beet Gelee

Porchetta di Testa
Watermelon Radish, Mache, Fried Shallot Vinaigrette

Asparagus Soup
40 Minute Egg, Black Truffle, Prosciutto, Essence of Chamomile

Foie Gras
Apple Chutney, Pan De'Epices, Huckleberry, Arugula

Scallop
Salsify, Fennel, Bacon Powder, Caramel Froth, Mizuna

Pork Belly
Spiced Guava polenta, Piquillo Pistachio Relish, Olive Crumb

Filet Mignon
Bone Marrow, Asparagus, Golden Beets, Smoked Pommes

chocolate pistachio "creme brulee"

zeppole

Read the full review at The Communal Table

[photos courtesy of Robert Pascucci & Stephanie Savchuk]

BREAKFAST STEEZ

2011-02-01T06:40:00.000-08:00

[baby red potato, spanish chorizo, chantrelle mushroom, sea beans

Hook's extra sharp cheddar, poached egg, parsley chiffonade, pimenton]

IN THE NEWS

2011-01-27T11:46:00.000-08:00

So I tried to get out of it, but ended up having to go on the news and talk about a couple of my Restaurant Week dishes and a special promo. It was actually a cool experience...thanks Chef Nic.

El Biz on Fox5

PORCHETTA DI TESTA

2011-01-12T02:11:00.000-08:00

Inspired by a video lesson by Chef Chris Cosentino, I decided to make porcetta di testa, which is essentially pig's face salami. Definetely one of the coolest, and most rewarding projects I've done as a chef. Here's how it went, step-by-step.

[step one]

[clean head with knife, razor & torch]

[starting under the chin, butterfly both jowls]

[finish boning out the head]

[remove tongue, lymph nodes & brain]

[brain]

[roast skull]

[make stock with roasted pig skull]

[tuck the fat part of tongue up under snout,

and fold the ears behind through the "eye holes"]

[season: garlic thyme rosmary, lemon zest, salt, pepper blend, espelette]

cover and let sit over night

[roll and tie]

[cryovac]

[cook at 87.5°C for 14 hours]

shock in ice bath. store in refridgeration for 48 hours

[open bag and remove string and excess gelatin and fat]

[cut in half]

[inspect your work]

[mizuna, arugula, fennel, radish, taggiasca olive,

pepper, maldon salt, lemon zest, pistou vinaigrette]

NOMA (BOOK)

2010-11-25T09:18:00.000-08:00

The wait is finally over!!

Noma comes out on Monday!!!

(yes!)

BALUT

2010-11-24T11:17:00.000-08:00

[30 minute boiled balut]

A balut is a fertilized duck egg with a nearly-developed embryo inside that is boiled and eaten in the shell.

[the embryonic sack is filled with fluid]

Popularly believed to be an aphrodisiac and considered a high-protein, hearty snack, balut are mostly sold by street vendors in the regions where they are available. It is commonly sold as streetfood in the Philippines. They are common, everyday food in some other countries in Southeast Asia, such as in Laos and Thailand (where it is called Khai Luk), Cambodia (Pong tea khon in Cambodian),[1] and Vietnam (Trứng vịt lộn or Hột vịt lộn in Vietnamese). They are often served with beer.

[starting the peeling process]

Fertilized duck eggs are kept warm in the sun and stored in baskets to retain warmth. After nine days, the eggs are held to a light to reveal the embryo inside. Approximately eight days later the balut are ready to be cooked, sold, and eaten. Vendors sell cooked balut out of buckets of sand (used to retain warmth) accompanied by small packets of salt.

[almost half way done and I've spotted a few immature feathers]

The age of the egg before it can be cooked is a matter of local preference. In the Philippines, the ideal balut is 17 days old, at which point it is said to be balut sa puti ("wrapped in white"). The chick inside is not old enough to show its beak, feathers or claws and the bones are undeveloped.

[fully peeled balut sa puti with an eyeball exposed]

The Vietnamese often prefer their balut mature from 19 days up to 21 days, when the chick is old enough to be recognizable as a baby duck and has bones that will be firm but tender when cooked. In Cambodia, it is eaten while it is still warm in its shell. It is served with nothing more than a little garnish, which is usually a mixture of lime juice and ground pepper. ~wikipedia

[one of the most gnarly things I've ever eaten...]

BANANA MOLÉ

2010-11-14T02:28:00.000-08:00

Banana Molé

*add ALL of the following ingredients to a Vita-Prep and purée*

2 black garlic cloves

1/2 seeds of 1 vanilla bean

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

1 bunch cilantro leaves

1 lime juiced

1 c brown butter fried marcona almonds

1 Tbs ea. toasted espelette, cumin, and pimenton spices

4 ea. dried guajillo peppers (reserve hydration water to add to mixer if needed)

Fire roast the following ingredients and also add to mixer:

1 red onion
3 garlic cloves (roast the entire bulb and take what you need)
2 pequillo peppers
2 jalepeno peppers
2 serano peppers
2 peblano peppers
2 anaheim peppers
2 white hungarian peppers
1 habenaro pepper (optional for extra heat)
2 shallots
1 red onion
5 bananas
4 tomatoes

[FYI: To "fire roast", simply place ingredient over and open flame or grill and rotate until the entire outside is charred black...then place in container, plastic wrap, let set for 10-15 minutes, then peel off the char with your hands...not under water....we want the natural vegetable oils to stay preserved. Also, wear gloves when you clean the peppers, and remember to remove all seeds and stems.]

Preferred Applications:
Any White Fish
Scallops
Prawns
Tacos
Foie Gras
Tortilla Chips
Pork

WHITE TRUFFLE

2010-11-10T01:02:00.000-08:00

[Chef Ryan Grant with the $3500 white truffle]

[El Biz Family: Travis Schultz, Mikey Reidy, David Martin Garcia, Molly Johnson, Ryan Grant]

~photos taken by me ;)

White Truffle Menu: For a limited time, chef Ryan Grant at El Bizcocho will offer a six-course white truffle tasting menu for $350, including wine pairings. The tasting menu includes Eggs Benii, Hamachi Shirodashi, Diver Scallops with White Truffle Pumpkin Puree, Fettucine a la Albufera, Jidori Chicken, and White Chocolate and Truffle Bon Bon. El Bizcocho is at the Rancho Bernardo Inn, 17550 Bernardo Oaks Drive in Rancho Bernardo. Go to ranchobernardoinn.com/bizcocho or call 858-675-8550.

SUSHI-SU PHENOMENON

2010-10-03T14:13:00.000-07:00

This is an old video of me making sushi-su and phenomenon that occurs. Sushi-su is basically rice wine vinegar seasoned with sugar and a little salt. In my version I was making Chef Chris Powell's simple-syrup version (equal parts rice vinegar and sugar) that he taught me for quick pickling. I can't explain why this happens, but check out how the sugar looks like it's boiling at the bottom of the sauce pan before it dissolves into the vinegar!

FALL SCALLOPS

2010-09-30T12:47:00.000-07:00

My first dish on the El Biz menu:

[scallops: plum puree, saffron/fall spice pickled chantrelles,

figs stuffed with pork cheek farce & wrapped with guanciale,

mizuna, plum foam]

LOBSTERS

2010-09-29T01:00:00.000-07:00

Lobsters are a creature that most people take for granted, and few truly understand. Most think they’re meat is tough, chewy and virtually flavorless. After years of being trained under various chefs, and through my own personal research, I will show you my technique that is guaranteed to produce the most succulent, flavorful and tender lobster you’ve ever put in your mouth.

So before you get the directions for my technique, here’s a little info so you know why you’re doing this my way to begin with. Lobster meat is saturated with an enzyme liquid called hemolymph. In fact, the hemolymph surrounds every cell in the lobsters being, and is one of the main causes that leads to rigamortis…which in turn produces tough meat. Well, after a lobster is dead it’s muscles will continue to micro-spasm for up to 12 hours saturating the meat with the hemolymph…thus causing a chewy worthless piece of meat. So here’s how to perfect the lobster step-by-step:

1. Purchase live lobsters - purchasing live guarantees that you control every aspect of the process.

2. Make a brine and set aside - use enough water to completely submerge all the lobsters you have….then add some kosher salt…enough to make it taste like the ocean, where the lobsters came from. If you’ve never tasted the ocean, here's a recipe: 15 liters water to 750 grams salt.

3. Kill the lobsters - drive a knife through the center of their head and twist…it’s the most humanely way possible.

4. Remove the “poop chute” - you do this by creating micro cuts on each side of the center fin, and then breaking it off side to side and slowly pulling it out while the lobster tail is held flat… if done correctly, the entire digestive track will follow.

5. Skewer the tails - using something strong enough to withstand spasms, skewer the tail through the spot where you removed the center fin. We’re trying to prevent as much movement (spasms) as possible to prevent rigamortis via hemolymph contamination.

6. Remove the tails - grab on and twist…they’ll come off.

7. Remove the claws and knuckles

8. Place tails in your brine solution.

9. Let soak for 1 hour then add claws and knuckles and soak everthing for another 1/2 hour- as the muscle tissue continues to contract and spasm on a micro level, the hemolymph is released and replaced with your brine.

10. In the meantime brake down the remains - heads for stock, and the bodies and tamale (the coagulated looking stuff) for soup. Save the coral (incased green crap that some chefs call roe) for another project…like lobster fries.

11. After 1.5 hours, remove lobsters from brine and rinse thoroughly under cold water.

12. Place lobster tails and knuckles on a sheet pan lined with towels, wrap in cellophane, and let-be for another 10.5 hours, or the next day.

13. Make lobster stock, then lobster soup - use your favorite recipes…but it wont beat mine ;)

14. 10 hours later - cook the tails for 2.5 minutes and the knuckles and claws for 4.5 minutes in seasoned blanching water.

16. Shock - place in ice bath immediately after removing from blanching pot.

15. Shell

16. Make lobster beurre monte - using your uncreamed soup as a base and thicken with guar gum…you may have to add some water to stabilize the emulsion.

17. Sous vide lobster tails and a desired claw and knuckle meat with some of your beurre monte

18(a). Cook in immersion circulator bath for 15-20 minutes (depending on size) @ 53.5°C

18(b). (You could also skip all the fancy kitchen sous vide cooking and just poach it in your lobster beurre monte :)

19. Drop your sous vide bagged and cooked lobster in boiling water for 10 seconds

20. Season and enjoy - serve with your favorite garnish and impress everyone you serve…seriously!

BIG SUR

2010-09-24T12:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of wild fennel growing off the coast of Big Sur, in central California. The shot was taken by my friend, artist and garbage enthusiast, Gabriel Brown. I found the picture personally captivating as it ebodies three of my passions: art, the ocean, and food...all in the blink of an eye.

[click to view full size]

MISHIMA ISLAND WAGYU BEEF

2010-08-26T13:07:00.000-07:00

Wagyu is the name of Japanese beef cattle - wa means Japan and gyu means cow. While Kobe beef is the most well-known type of wagyu outside of Japan, there are actually many different kinds of Japanese beef and some of them are giving Kobe a run for its money. Mishima beef is a rare type of wagyu beef that comes from the small island of Mishima Island of the tip of southern Honshu. Unlike Kobe beef, which came from crossing Japanese cows with European breeds, Mishima cattle are pure-bred from the original strain introduced to Japan via Korea over 2,000 years ago. One reason local farmers have been able to prevent interbreeding is because of the isolated location of the island. Some regard Mishima as the best beef in the world (it's definetely the most obscure), and the Japanese government designated Mishima Island cattle as a national natural treasure in 1928.

Why is it so good?...

The most important characteristic of Japanese beef is the white parts of fat in the meat, known as sashi in Japanese. The sashi is interspersed between layers of red meat and gives the beef a marbled pattern. This marbling is the most prized aspect of Japanese beef and cattle farmers go to great lengths to create intense patterns that make the meat literally melt in your mouth. In fact, the beef grading systems in most countries are directly related to how much marbled fat is present. In the US, prime beef must have 6-8% of marbled fat to qualify for the highest USDA grade. In order to achieve the highest quality grade for wagyu (A5), on the other hand, meat must be at least 25% marbled fat. While it may make the meat more tender and flavorful, high fat content is bad for you, right? Wrong. Fat in Japanese beef is primarily monounsaturated, which is known to lower 'bad' cholesterol! Monounsaturated fats also have a very low melting point, making the beef literally melt in your mouth. A steak of top quality A5 grade wagyu can cost $500 or more in Tokyo's fine dining scene.

Great care is taken to produce marbling, and apart from the being killed and eaten thing, cows in Japan are said to live a king's (or emperor's) life. They are fed high quality grains, and each farmer has their own blends and secret ingredients, such as soybeans and okara (a byproduct of making tofu). Water is also an important part in the cattle diet, and local mineral water is often used to ensure the best quality product. The cows are raised in stalls to help create fatty marbling, so they are taken outside for leisurely walks in the afternoon to get some sun and fresh air. Some farmers will also spit sake on their cows and rub it in with a straw hand brush, which they say helps balance the distribution of marble content, in addition to keeping the lice and ticks away. In order to ensure their cows stay as relaxed as possible, some breeders are rumored to even play soothing music for them!!

* I copy-and-pasted all this info from about 20 different sources,
so you didn't have to search to find all the most interesting facts.

XIAO LONG BAO

2010-08-25T22:27:00.000-07:00

Tonight Ryan and I made xiao long bao, also known as Shanghai soup dumplings, for the amuse bouche. They are quite tricky at first, and it took me a couple dozen attempts before I finally achieved the Chinese standard of 18 pleats...and even then, mine were still far from spectacular. We served ours with chicken albufera sauce (foie, truffle, madeira...) and a kimchi brussle sprout slaw that Chef Ryan made.

[sous vide chicken confit albufera xiao long bao]

LIVE SOFT SHELL

2010-08-15T15:51:00.001-07:00

[blue crab]

ROOTS

2010-08-11T23:31:00.000-07:00

Having been born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, I was constantly exposed to hunting, fishing, and gathering. Today I received beautiful Rainbow Trout, Golden Trout and Geoduck. Your probably thinking "Sure, everyone's caught rainbows, big deal, but what in the hell is a Geoduck?" Well quite frankly, Geoducks (pronounced "gooey duck") are nothing more than giant phallic clams. In fact they are the largest burrowing clam on our planet, as well as being one of the longest living organisms (up too 160 years!).

[ rainbow. golden . geoduck ]

As a young boy, I used go to the Puget Sound during the summers to vacation on my grandfather's yacht. We would pack enough food for two days and for the remainder of the trip we would "live off the land." Crab, cod, clams, oysters, kelp greenling, rock fish, sea bass, sole, mussels, scallops, shrimp, Moon Snails, and of course the Geoduck...just to name a few. It never mattered if it was Red Tide or not. PSP (paralytic shellfish poisoning) was a myth as far as gramps was concerned, and if he ate it and survived then it was good enough for me. My summer vacations on grandpa's boat are some of my most cherished memories.

MODERNIST CUISINE

2010-08-09T13:26:00.000-07:00

Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking

In Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking, Nathan Myhrvold, Chris Young, and Maxime Bilet--scientists, inventors, and accomplished cooks in their own right--have created a massive, five-volume 2,200-page set that reveals science-inspired techniques for preparing food that ranges from the otherworldly to the sublime. The authors and their 20-person team at The Cooking Lab have achieved astounding new flavors and textures by using tools such as water baths, homogenizers, centrifuges, and ingredients such as hydrocolloids, emulsifiers, and enzymes. It is a work destined to reinvent cooking. Check out the Modernist Cuisine blog too!

Here are the book jackets for each of the five volumes:

"This book will change the way we understand the kitchen." --Ferran Adrià

“The most important book in the culinary arts since Escoffier.” --Tim Zagat

“The cookbook to end all cookbooks.” --David Chang

"A fascinating overview of the techniques of modern gastronomy." --Heston Blumenthal

"Amazing! Unparalleled in its breadth and depth." --Wylie Dufresne

BARRACUDA

2010-08-05T23:28:00.000-07:00

POISSONNIERE

2010-08-04T00:03:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day I've worked at El Biz without Nate (friend/poissonniere) being there. Natuarally it is my job to work his station until it gets filled.

Here was my fish order for today...

[clockwise starting at six o'clock: whole squid, hamachi,

ahi, copper river salmon, black-striped sea bass, Halibut,

monkfish, and two live alaskan king crabs]

...it was a shame the scallops and lobsters didn't arrive :)

HASH HOUSE

2010-08-03T23:35:00.000-07:00

I finally gave in to all the recommendations I've received to go to the Hash House. This place has been featured on every major news station, The New York and LA Times, and even the television program Man vs. Food. After waiting an hour outside on the sidewalk, Jenny and I were finally escorted inside. The interior decor and music were somewhere between dive bar and fine-dining. I felt like I had entered a circus tent. Everywhere around me were people gorging their faces with food. To my left was a stout woman shoveling vigorously at a four pound pile of chicken 'n waffles, and to my right was a kid forking his chubby face so full of food that he couldn't even close his mouth to chew. In front of me, as the host escorted us to our table, a server whizzed by with some eggs benedict that filled a plate that was at least two and a half feet wide. I had just crossed into the culinary twilight zone and I was soaking in every detail.

We sat. In front of us were our menus and the weekly specials, and around us was total consumption chaos. I browsed over my menu and eventually decided upon the "Meatloaf Hash with roasted red peppers, spinach and mozzarella" and the house version of a bloody mary. When my five pound meatloaf mound finally arrived with a quart of sausage gravy on the side I was so hungry I felt like "I could eat a horse." (When you sit in a small room surrounded by people eating like their lives depend upon it, huger becomes you and thoughts of food consume you.) And anyone who knows me, knows that I can eat...I mean really eat. In fact more than anyone I've ever met (quite a disgusting accomplishment, i know).

All I have to say is that this was the first meal I've ever encountered that I literally could not finish without having my body reject it because I was too full...and trust me, I tried. Here's my guarantee: A morning at the Hash House in Hillcrest will be the best 12 bucks you'll ever spend on a breakfast that you can't finish, in your life.

GUMBO BITE

2010-07-29T08:25:00.000-07:00

[fried sweetbread, gumbo aioli, verjus compressed pepper brunoise,

cognac and fennel crayfish, spot prawn head liquid-gel, tangerine lace, candied lemon]

COTTON CANDY

2010-07-25T00:31:00.000-07:00

Today I mastered the art of making cotton candy with oils and fats.
I made three variations today: olive oil, black truffle, and foie gras.
I can't wait to make bacon cotton candy!!!

[foie gras cotton candy]

200g isomalt,
50g glucose
3g sucro
2g salt
90g fat/oil
3g glice

Combine the isomalt, glucose, sucro and salt in a pot and cook to 160 degrees C. In a separate pot warm the fat or oil with the glice to 50 degrees C. When both liquids are at their appropriate temperatures, whisk the fat slowly into the hot sugar. Be careful, sputtering will occur. An emulsion will be created and the result will be a foie gras caramel. Pour the hot sugar on a silpat to cool. When the sugar is cold, grind it into a fine powder and sift it to remove large particles. Put the powder into a cotton-candy machine, and WAHLAH!

HONSHIMEJI

2010-07-23T11:14:00.000-07:00

[bunashimeji]

SUMMER IDEAS

2010-07-22T23:31:00.000-07:00

[vegan amuse: beet, compressed/marinated melon, coconut water gelee,

kumquat & orange blossom, cilantro, micro anise hyssop]

[cucamelons filled with finger-lime "caviar"]

[santa barbara spot prawn, coconut water gelee,

fingerlime cucamelons, marinated coconut meat "noodles",

freeze-dried pineapple, micro sorrel, prawn head juice,

hibiscus flower sea salt]

LIVE UNI

2010-07-22T00:47:00.000-07:00

Well, today was my first experience with the infamous urchin. As intimidated as I was, I was so surprised how ridiculously easy these spiny sea-bugs are to fabricate...and how much better they taste when they are fresh (live). "Boxed" uni tends to have a slight muddy flavor in comparison. Urchin embodies the flavor of the ocean more than anything on this planet. You take a bite... swallow...close your eyes...breath in, and exhale...with your eyes still closed, time and space disappears...for that single moment you are at the beach and you can sense it. This stuff is seriously that magical.

PRESS SHOTS

2010-07-15T11:35:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of the 50 press shots (from the Spring '10 menu) that didn't get used in Riviera Magazine.

[toro BLT]

[crayfish, chicken, truffle/foie albufera]

[beet salad, pear donut]

[Chef de Cuisine, Ryan Grant]

"ANGELED EGG"

2010-07-03T01:25:00.000-07:00

Chef Ryan had the idea to do a play on traditional deviled eggs. His idea was called "angeled eggs," and we each set off to make our own unique versions of the same idea, after conceptualizing together. Here's what I came up with:

[white truffle brittle, egg white, parmesan foam, chive, isomalt threads, yolk halo, espelette]

MELON PEARLS

2010-07-01T00:50:00.000-07:00

[cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon]

VEGAN "CAVIAR"

2010-06-28T00:50:00.000-07:00

"The Australian Finger Lime has been recently popularized as a gourmet bush-food. Because of its globular Juice vesicles, the finger lime has often been referred to as "the caviar lime." The vegan "caviar" can be used as a garnish or added to various recipes. The fresh vesicles have the effect of a burst of effervescent tangy flavour as they are chewed. The fruit juice is acidic and similar to that of a lime. Marmalade and pickles are also made from finger lime. The finger lime peel can be dried and used as a flavoring spice. There is a wide range of different coloured variants of finger lime fruit, including green, yellow, orange, red, purple, black and brown. Finger lime is thought to have the widest range of colour variation within any Citrus species."

[australian finger lime "caviar"]

LOBSTER FRIES

2010-06-26T00:14:00.000-07:00

[lobster fries]

Take internal lobster coral (the nasty green stuff) and put it in a blender with corn starch, h2o and egg whites. (As you may know, lobster coral changes from dark green to a vibrant redish-orange when cooked) Also add any other seasoning or flavor you may want. Blend for a few minutes. Cook in a teflon pan as you would cook a crepe. Cool on sheet pan. At this stage you can even use it as the skin to make a lobster egg roll or a lobster spring roll. Cut into desired shapes. Fry until crispy and season.

FYI: You can substitute modified corn starch to make these little babies puff up like crazy!

SALMON TARTARE AMUSE

2010-06-23T23:30:00.000-07:00

[salmon tartare, smoked steelhead roe, salmon skin croquant, purple shiso]

Salmon Tartare

salmon belly

chive

toasted pine nuts

meyer lemon zest

lemon vinegar

sake

espelette

evoo

salt

Salmon Skin Croquant

Salmon skin

kosher salt

isomalt

tapioca maltodextrin

nori (dehydrated and powdered)

bonito bouillon (ground)

[Isomalt is a sugar alcohol made from beets and is less sweet than granulated sugar. Tapioca Maltodextrin absorbs fats and oils and when heated becomes hard and can be ground into dust or powders. In this recipe it is acting as a starch that will bind the fat with the sugar.]

De-skin one salmon and remove all flesh from the skin. Lay skin out on a metal sheet pan with parchment paper and cover with blend or canola oil. Bake in a 350F oven until crisp, about 10-15 minutes. Drain on paper towels, pressing lightly to remove excess fat and allow to cool. When cooled, fry the skin in the deep fryer until it puffs up a bit and gets even more crispy. Remove excess fat again, and cool again. When cooled grind skin in a spice grinder. (It will be greasy as hell, but will still be a powder like consistency)

Weigh the ground salmon skin and weigh out an equal amount of Isomalt. Place the Isomalt in a saucepan and melt over medium high heat until fluid. Pour out onto a silpat and allow to harden. Break Isomalt into small pieces and grind in a spice grinder.

Combine the ground salmon skin with the Isomalt and weigh it. Add skin/isomalt mixture to Robot Coup. Add 30% by weight of Tapioca Maltodextrin. Add a little nori powder and even less bonito powder. Combine well. Sprinkle a thin layer on a silpat for a freeform shape that can be broken into shards. For more defined shapes, sprinkle evenly over a stencil. Bake at 300F just until melted and fused. Allow to cool, then peel from silpat and break into abstract shapes. Walah, you made little Japanese fish crackers... :)

ZEN ON A STICK

2010-06-22T23:29:00.000-07:00

[ 禅/禪 ]

BONSAI

2010-06-14T10:28:00.000-07:00

Inspired by my Aunt's wire crafts, I created this bonsai tree:

[wire, beach stone, wasabi peas]

OCTOPUS ROULADE AMUSE BOUCHE

2010-06-13T00:45:00.000-07:00

[octopus, ramp, sofrito, radish, cilantro]

octopus: glued together with Activa RM, cooked en sous vide, frozen, sliced thin

ramp: pickled in saffron asian liquor

sofrito: yellow heirloom tomatoes

radish: french-breakfast

micro cilantro

OCTOPUS

2010-06-09T23:28:00.000-07:00

Cooking has become one of the most challenging things I've ever faced. No matter how much a chef thinks he knows, he eventually realizes that he barely knows anything. Cooking as a craft is about evolution, adaptation and creativity. To help facilitate this cycle some chefs order bizarre, or less common ingredients, then challenge their apprentices to produce a miracle. Today we received a whole octopus...

GAZPACHO AMUSE

2010-06-03T23:35:00.000-07:00

[gazpacho consomme, serrano crisp, micro-cilantro,
jasmine & elder flower gastrique, hibiscus salt]

Green Gazpacho-Consomme Gelée

yellow onion

fennel bulb

cucumber

celery

green pepper

green heirloom tomato

radish

lemon juice

minus 8 vinegar

h20

garlic

sea salt

agar agar

gelatin

Jasmine & Elder Flower Gastrique

jasmine flower extract

elder flower water

minus 8 vinegar
isomalt

h20

NOTEBOOK

2010-05-30T14:58:00.000-07:00

This blog is one of my many culinary notebooks. It is far better and more organized then the little scraps of paper I constantly jot recipes and ides on and tuck away in my pockets, eventually to end up in a drawer or shoe box. It shows where I've been and where I'm going within the culinary world. It shows my evolution within the craft. This blog helps to keep me motivated and somewhat organized with my thoughts and ideas. It helps me vent about the hard days and gleam about the good ones. Although I may evolve substantially past some of these posts, I will never delete any of them. Each post shows where I was at, mentally and creatively, during a given time and helps myself and others grow. My failures and short-comings will eventually be the stepping stones I surpass and conquer on my conquest to become a successful and admired chef. The journey is long and tiring, testing one's own willpower and determination, but through self-awareness, learning and guidance anyone can become a chef. This is my culinary enterprise, comprised of every moleskine, ticket paper, and sticky note I have ever jotted on. If you follow this little blog for long enough, you will see how success evolves as I rise to the top of the game to achieve the pinnacle of culinary success. MEEZ ahn plahs is the only the beginning. Anything is possible. Just you wait and see...

BLACK GARLIC IDEAS

2010-05-29T23:37:00.000-07:00

FYI: Black garlic is a type of fermented garlic used as a food ingredient in Asian cuisine. It is made by fermenting whole bulbs of garlic at high temperature, a process that results in black cloves. The taste is sweet and syrupy with hints of balsamic, molasses, and even tamarind. Black garlic's popularity has spread to the United States (introduced to US in 2008) and has become a sought-after ingredient used in high-end cuisine. [wikipedia]

Black garlic romesco, saffron pickled ramps (yuzu, sugar, seasoned rice wine vin), english peas with pistu, herbs (thyme, basil, tarragon) and golden balsamic sous vide lamb rack, dehydrated chorizo chip, micro cilantro, lamb jus w/black garlic brunoise and a little banyuls or minus 8, chorizo lecithin foam?

Black garlic and fig jam w/elk or venison?

Black garlic and basil ice cream?

Black garlic nitrous foam w/halibut or sea urchin?

Black garlic/herb rub?

Black garlic and corn puree w/squab?

Black garlic infused oil?

Black garlic chips?

Black garlic pesto?

Black garlic vinaigrette?

Black garlic tomato sauce?

Black garlic and winter truffle mac and cheese?

Black garlic caviar (spherification)?

Black garlic powder?

[PS Thx for the inspiration, Chef Ryan Stoy]

POPCORN AMUSE

2010-05-28T11:40:00.000-07:00

Amuse Bouche yesterday and today:

~ Bacon-infused sous vide pork loin, popcorn puree, caramel green-apple poprocks.

~ Ice cream sandwich: buttered popcorn ice cream and caramel serrano-ham tuile.

[evolution]

NEW KNIFE

2010-05-14T02:26:00.000-07:00

I've been using my 10" Shun for over two years...

...the time has come...

[$150 @ Korin.com]

RE: ANONYMOUS

2010-05-12T13:25:00.001-07:00

Last night someone posed the following comment on my blog:

"Anonymous said:

I think you should watch this: Foie Gras: Culinary Cruelty "

Dear Anonymous,
You have brightened my day and gave me a good laugh this morning. I've seen similiar videos before, and yes they are cruel, unethical and depressing. But, in America industrial foie gras production, as seen in numerous activist and PETA videos, isn't reality. Almost all foie gras produced and purchased in America comes from the Hudson Valley Foie Farm. Here's a link to an article that an investigative journalist wrote after visiting the farm:

"Is Foie Gras Torture?" [I suggest you read it]

France is the largest producer and consumer of foie gras, but only a small percentage comes to the US. American foie farms supply most of the domestic US market where foie gras is sold predominantly through restaurants. Foie gras is produced by two companies in the United States: Hudson Valley Foie Gras (NY) and Sonoma Foie Gras (CA). Within the United States production or sale of foie gras may be limited in some jurisdictions. For example, a ban on the force feeding of ducks and geese has been signed into law in California and will take effect in 2012.

Sounds to me like you've watched one too many PETA videos. Let me guess, you don't eat veal either, or lamb, or suckling pig. But most likely you are fine that a good majority of seafood, including various species of crab, lobster, and prawns, are distributed and kept live until you cook and kill them yourself. Are you afraid of your vegetables as well?...because you should be. I assume you don't realize that growing vegetables with chemicals, pesticides and by means of bioengineering can all still be labeled as "organic." Did you know that there are huge corporations that have patents on certain vegetable seeds, thus controlling the production and genetic manipulation of such vegetables?

Here's the point: If you do enough research about ANY food product you, as an intelligent person, will not desire to consume anything that you do not personally grow or slaughter yourself.

Here's the problem: Our population of advanced and gluttonous humans has decided that everything should be available all the times. I ask, Why should summer vegetables be available during the winter? That doesn't make much sense does it? Why should grocery stores be required to pack their shelves with a never-ending supply of every meat and food variety? That too doesn't make much sense. We are the cause of our own problems when it comes to food. Our unrealistic demand and growing population have created the corrupted food industry we consume within today.

Here's my solution: The food industry in its entirety should be sustained by local farmers. All meat, seafood and vegetable products should be region-specific and be available only while they're in season and produced in limited quantities that reflect what local farmers can realistically grow in an ethical and truly organic manner. It should be expected and acceptable for grocery stores to run-out of any given item on any given day. We as humans should not have the luxury of unlimited food selection...unless we are farming and hunting/slaughtering for ourselves.

Although my response seems black-and-white, I assure you that I am aware that things are not so simple and my solution is far from conceivable reality. Furthermore it's unrealistic, not because it's impossible, but because we as humans are greedy by nature and consequently every aspect of our society is controlled by monetary profit, capital gains and gluttony.

Lastly, I am a chef, and as a chef I will eat and utilize all food ingredients that I personally deem ethically acceptable and appetizing until laws prevent me from doing so. In the meantime do yourself and our species a favor by purchasing locally and seasonally. As I've pointed out there are much bigger problems within our food industry, and I think we need to start addressing those issues before we become overwhelmed by some abused ducks. How can we treat animals ethically if we fail to treat ourselves with that same dignity first?

Think about it.

Ciao,
Travis

[bon appetit]

SHEPHERD'S PIE

2010-05-09T22:50:00.000-07:00

Today is Jenny's birthday, and I asked her what she would have for supper if she could have anything. Without even a moment of hesitation she exclaimed, "If I could have anything today, it would have to me my mom's Shepherd's Pie!" Well, I had never made the infamous peasant's pie before but I have eaten it a few times so I was familiar with the basic concept of the recipe before I started out. Originating from 18th century England, Shepherd's Pie, formerly known as Cottage Pie, consists of minced-meat, vegetables and some form of gravy or sauce, with a mashed potato "crust." It wasn't until the introduction of lamb meat into the recipe, circa 1870, that it became known as Shepherd's Pie. The pie was invented as a way to utilize leftovers from the weekend's traditional "Sunday Roast." Tonight it was somewhat suiting that Jenny requested her mom's Shepherd's Pie for her birthday because coincidentally today also happens to be mothers day. Start to finish the meal took less than an hour. Here's my interpretation of Shepherd's Pie:

[shepherd's pie]

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

1tsp EVOO

12oz 85% lean beef

2 medium sized carrots

15ea blue lake beans

2 ears of corn

1C tomato sauce

1Tbs worcestershire

4 sprigs thyme

4 sweet red potatoes

4 yukon gold potatoes

1C heavy cream

2Tbs unsalted butter

1/4C sour cream

parmigiano reggiano

scallions

S&P TT

[serves 4-5]

LAMB

2010-05-03T22:48:00.000-07:00

[honey & pistachio crusted NZ lamb, pearl potatoes, globe carrots,

honshimeji mushrooms, tarragon & english-pea puree, balsamic-truffle reduction]

PIERÓGI SUNDAY

2010-05-02T00:59:00.000-07:00

My aunt and uncle had some unfortunate events take place last week and I wanted to do something to brighten their spirits. I thought to myself for a bit and decided I'd go over to their house on my day off to chat and make them a nice dinner. Already knowing how much my uncle loves pierogis was a perfect excuse for me to teach myself how to make them.

I did some research and read dozens of pierogi recipes on the internet. Eventually I wrote my own recipe and made some pierogis for a dinner appetizer-special at work on Friday. The pierogi special turned out delicious and ended up selling out. My recipe was a smash hit with the local patrons, so I figured it was safe to assume my family would enjoy it equally as well.

Early this afternoon, with a bin of gadgets and knives, I made my way to my aunt and uncle's house to start preparations for the evenings meal. My time spent cooking barefoot in their kitchen was a relaxing and enjoyable way to spend my day off, and I wouldn't have changed a thing. There's no better feeling then giving someone you care about a gift for their senses and seeing the joy it brings them. The power of food is amazing, and I love sharing it.

[yukon potato & brussel sprout pierogis, asparagus, dehydrated prosciutto,

locally-ground italian sausage, spanish onion & parmesan mornay, micro-cilantro]

ZOMBIE CHEF'S SPECIAL

2010-04-30T00:16:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but sometimes when I go to bed hungry I start dreaming about food and end up awake in the kitchen making late night snacks. This particular zombie chef special was made around 3:30 in the morning and put me into a food induced coma.

[CHEEZY PB & PICKLE SAMMY]

1. Switch on a dim light in your kitchen for ambiance.

2. Lay out your finest white paper towel to collect crumbs.

3. Grab two slices of the freshest honey-oat wheat bread you have available.

4. Carefully caress the bread on your work station.

5. Generously slather globs of Skippy creamy peanut butter on one slice.

6. Cut four extra fat chunks off your favorite block of extra sharp cheddar cheese.
7. Flop that cheese out on the dry slice of bread.
8. Cut one Claussen pickle lengthwise into four double-extra fat slices.
9. Slap those pickles onto the peanut butter.
10. Put the sammy together and quietly enjoy in secrecy.
11. Meticulously fold an ancient origami dragon out of the napkin.
12. Discard the evidence by flushing the dragon down the toilet.
13. Brush your teeth and get back in bed before anyone notices.

MISE EN PLACE

2010-04-29T00:16:00.000-07:00

Even from the very first day of my employment with Bernard’O Restaurant I was skeptical about whether or not it suited my needs as an aspiring chef. Now, the time has arrived. Last Saturday night I handed in my formal letter of resignation, thus putting in my two-weeks notice. I am now mentally preparing to embark on my next journey. Another journey to find myself within the small fine-dining community of San Diego. Many of my previous chefs and former culinarians have moved on to new and exciting upscale restaurants within the local dining scene, so I am planning on doing somewhat of a stage-tour. On my so called stage-tour I will prepare and cook foods in elite kitchens while working for no pay. Although staging is customarily used as a hiring tool to determine whether a prospective employee is a proper fit within a given kitchen, staging can also be utilized voluntarily by culinarians for learning and experience purposes.

Tonight as the final touches were being put into the closing of the kitchen, I sat back and looked around at all the hard work I have put into such a stagnant cause. Over the course of the last five months I have managed to keep most of my aforementioned skepticism at bay by organizing, deep cleaning, preparing the occasional daily special, and creating new methods for day-to-day standard procedures. As I looked around the kitchen tonight I came to the realization that this was my kitchen too. These were my ideas and thoughts put into action. This is the same floor that I got down on my hands-and-knees and cleaned when the grout was filled with sludge resulting from years of neglect. I also realized that this kitchen, that I have bled and sweated my ass off in, is a part of me whether I‘d like to admit or not. My new sense of awareness somewhat saddened me, but ultimately I knew deep within myself that it was a part of me I desperately need to leave behind.

As a result of my current situation I have also been doing a lot of contemplation regarding what it takes to be a true and proper chef. Yes, a chef is the one who is charge of the kitchen and makes sure that everything is ordered, costed, and ran efficiently, but to me being a chef requires much higher demands. A proper chef has the ability to effectively juggle all aspects of kitchen management while mentoring his cooks to be the best they can. It is a chefs responsibility to the culinary world to push his cooks further then they ever thought possible. To achieve the unachievable and imagine the unimaginable. Nothing should ever be good enough for a true chef and consequently everything can be improved upon. It’s about having a complete awareness of the kitchen environment. It’s about having total control over those surroundings and constantly seeking to improve upon them. It’s about a state-of-mind. To me being a chef is about mastering the single most basic of all culinary fundamentals. It’s about mise en place.

CERTIFIED O.G.

2010-04-25T01:38:00.000-07:00

Check out this shirt I ordered this morning! It's called "The Gut Bomb"

I'm not sure who the artist is but the shirt is distributed by Chef Chris Cosentino.

"This is a one of kind image only for Offal Good.

Modeled after a WWII bomber this tasty fella drops his bomb on the plate.

Right where it belongs!! Check out the Offal Good shop to purchase."

QUICHE

2010-04-20T21:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my first time making quiche,

and I had to make six for a party of 40 that came in for lunch today.

After reading through a bunch of recipes on the internet,

I finally decided to make and test some dough [pictured above]

quiche lorraine

[eggs, flour, butter, milk, creme fraiche, leeks, ham, swiss]

DINO-DINER

2010-04-19T12:58:00.000-07:00

I sure didn't expect to see this in the middle of the desert.

[cabezon, ca]

COMFORT FOOD

2010-04-15T23:04:00.000-07:00

Here's a tasty treat I made the other day.

It is far from gourmet or original, but tasted delish.

[ 1/2 lb angus burger, thousand island, swiss, canadian bacon,

red onion, heirloom tomato, butter lettuce, house bun]

Papa T-Rav's 1000 Island deluxe:

best foods mayo

heinz ketchup

gherkin

lemon juice

shallot

garlic

caper

cajun seasoning

roasted red pepper

s&p

TANGENT [revisited 4.18.10]

2010-04-12T23:58:00.000-07:00

Most people outside of the culinary industry don’t realize what being a chef is actually like. Television programs and celebrity chefs have glamorized and sensationalized the industry. Professional cooking day-to-day really isn’t that fun or interesting, and quite honestly it’s not fulfilling to anything other than a Chef’s ego. It’s not clean and pretty like you see on T.V. The professional kitchen is a subculture like no other. In just a few words the culinary industry is: sweaty, greasy, foul-mouthed, mundane, grimy, repetitive, uneducated and exhausting. It’s a circus-cesspool contaminated with mental rejects, and I am one of the ringmasters.

So you still wanna be a chef after everything I‘ve said so far? Fair enough, but expect to be working on every holiday, doing the same exact thing everyday, getting disrespected, over-worked, under-paid and don't forget to say goodbye to your life and loved ones forever. Even if you have a college degree from the best culinary school in the world, you will still start out working as a line-cook making as little as eight dollars an hour for 2-5 years until you qualify to be a sous chef where you'll be working up to 12 hours a day, six days a week, with no overtime pay.

By now you’re probably wondering something along the lines of “Why the hell are you a chef if you hate it so much?” Well, that’s the same question I ask myself every single day. I suppose it’s because I don’t feel as if I would find fulfillment in any other profession significantly more than cooking. Being a cook has become something natural that I am good at and can make a decent living doing. So for now I’m here, as a chef who loves cooking but hates the industry...or maybe just the current restaurant.

“Every noble work is bound to face problems and obstacles.

It is important to check your goal and motivation thoroughly.

One should be very truthful, honest, and reasonable.

One's actions should be good for others, and for oneself as well.

Once a positive goal is chosen, you should decide to pursue it all the way to the end.

Even if it is not realized, at least there will be no regret.” ~ Dalai Lama

NEW FILET?

2010-04-06T21:15:00.000-07:00

This is a dish I served to the owner and chef of my restaurant today,

as a possible replacement for our current filet mignon dish.

[filet mignon, soubise, creamed spinach, fiddlehead ferns,

pearl potatoes, micro chard, bordelaise, shaved tarragon-escargot]

MEATLOAF MONDAY

2010-03-22T23:24:00.000-07:00

[herb-crusted meatloaf, olive oil smashed-potatoes, brussle sprout,

cippolini onion, parmex carrot, whiskey demi glace, creme fraiche]

TONIGHTS SPECIAL

2010-03-15T23:36:00.000-07:00

[salmon, romesco, gnocchi, ratatouille gratinée, meyer lemon, parsley]

QUOTE

2010-03-10T12:00:00.000-08:00

"Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels.

The trouble-makers. The round heads in the square holes.

The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules,

and they have no respect for the status-quo.

You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them.

But the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things.

They push the human race forward.

And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius.

Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world...

...are the ones who do."

~Jack Kerouac

VALENTINE'S DAY

2010-02-19T00:50:00.000-08:00

For most people, Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate love and attraction. For me, and every other chef, it is one of the busiest days of the year. This year the holiday fell on a weekend, so it drew even more business. After thousands of dollars of food ordered and prepped out, we ended up serving about 400 people over the two-day holiday weekend. Not bad for a four man line :)

I didn't take any pictures of the plated food unfortunately, but here are pics of a couple items I prepped in bulk:

[244 lbs seabass!]

[100+ portions veal chop!]

FRIED CHICKEN

2010-02-10T23:01:00.000-08:00

My first dish on the dinner menu is a chicken entree.

It's nothing fancy, but it tastes damn good! Thanks Chef C. Powell for the inspiration.

[jidori chicken, haricot vert, pearl potato, butternut squash,

bacon, sweet pickled fennel, calvados & caramel pear sauce]

BERNARD'O

2010-01-23T00:52:00.000-08:00

Ten days ago I embarked on my next culinary adventure: Sous Chef at Bernard'O Restaurant. If you've ever seen the TV show Kitchen Nightmares, then you know exactly how my last ten consecutive days of work have been. My Chef, Will, and I have been working 12 hour days, busting our asses to get our new kitchen in order. Will just started recently as well, and was my old Sous Chef at El Bizcocho.

I had no idea how bad the condition of the kitchen was, and how accustomed my new cooks had become to being completely lazy and filthy. Honestly, I have to admit that I really didn't know what we were in for and after a few days, I wanted to run away and go back to my old job. In fact, I called my old Chef, Judd Canepari, and asked him what options I had open still.

All it took was a few solid words of encouragement and an experienced finger pointing me in the right direction. When I went to El Biz to pick up my last pay check yesterday, I sat down with my prior Chef's and asked for advise and opinions. I'm not sure they will ever realize the impact that conversation had, but I have a feeling it changed my life.

So here I am now, completely exhausted, 10 days and 115+ hours at work without a day off, almost a thousand covers, and you know what? I felt surprisingly uplifted tonight when I walked away from the kitchen tonight because I have a plan and the means to achieve it.

JOYEUX NOËL

2009-12-30T14:57:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a time when families get together to express their love and appreciation for each other. Every year on Christmas Eve my Dad makes a giant batch of his infamous cioppino [chə-pē-nō]. Cioppino is a seafood stew consisting of various types of shellfish, salt-water fish, wine, tomato, and herbs. The stew originated in San Francisco, and was traditionally made out at sea by fishermen on their boats. The fishermen would gather at night and chip in a bit of their days catch to contribute to the soup. Eventually making it's way to Italian restaurants in Bay Area California, cioppino has become known around the world.

A few months ago my Dad went hunting in Wyomming with my Grandfather, and they bagged some nice antelope and deer. When I arrived in Spokane for the holidays I decided that I would make an appetizer for the great cioppino feast. I choose to prepare pistachio crusted antelope loin, served with wine poached pears, ricotta crostini, and fried sage.

HOT ICE CREAM

2009-12-09T23:29:00.000-08:00

Throughout my entire life I've never had much of a sweet tooth, and consequently have rarely indulged in desserts. After making that "ahi" dessert the other day, I began to conceptualize a modern banana split. Here is my first successful attempt at making "hot fudge ice cream" to go on it.

306 g whole milk yogurt
230 g cream cheese
80 g agave nectar
154 g chocolate consommé
pinch of sea salt
11.55g Methocel food gum SGA150 [methylcellulose]
[source: ideas in food]

[FYI: Methylcellulose, which is derrived from the celulose in vegetables, is a powder that is used for gelification. It has the unique property of gelling when it is heated, rather than when it cools. As the Methocel gel cools, it melts/liquifies.]

My "hot ice cream" turned out very well texturally and somewhat aesthetically, but lacked in color depth and overall flavor. I really missed the mark on achieving the hot-fudge flavor I had aimed for. Fortunately I like a challenge, and I will be attempting this again using a different technique for the chocolate consommé, or perhaps by substituting chocolate pudding in place of the yogurt. Modern banana split your days are numbered! Once I get this down I can put it all together: hot-fudge "ice cream," banana foam (from the other day), cherry sphere, and those fun little hazel nut malto-pebbles.