Prix Fixe

From The Vault: Of diplomas and externships.

It was about this time last year I was finishing up school and trying (right until the 13th hour I might add) to lock down a externship. I wasn't sure what I was going to do once Simpatica Dining Hall had turned me down. 

Finally I was able to serve my externship at the now defunct Carlyle under the direction of Jake Martin - who is now at Fenouil in the Pearl. 

One of our first discussions was an interesting one.

On my first day, while prepping - Jake (executive Chef) asked me what he thought my 'degree' would get me in the culinary world. Maybe I responded to quickly with "Most likely nothing", though I'm pretty sure I'm right. While it'll be somewhat nice to have the Le Cordon Bleu stamped on my diploma I know that it's not a ticket stamped to chef-dom. 

I of all people should know, even with 'credentials' you have to start at the bottom - no degree is going to land you an Executive Chef's job out of the gate, though some at school would beg to differ.

I know that (just like radio) I'm going to have to work my ass off from the bottom of the heap to work my way up the ladder. This isn't something I'm not afraid of; hard work and dedication to get where I want to go - I did it in the radio biz and I'll sure as hell do it here. What school gave me is a solid foundation of techniques to work from.

That really seems like forever ago. Things (so far) have worked out far more awesome than I had imagined when I was done with school.

My son is visiting for part of his spring break, and brought up to me the fact that this time last year I was still in school and we were there during spring break to get ready for the ACF Western Regionals - insane.

On The Fly: 03/27/08

“Context and memory play powerful roles in all the truly great meals in one's life.” - Anthony Bourdain

On The Fly: Comin' at ya like a spider monkey!

Just found this one this morning thanks to Fenouil Pastry Goddess Kristen Murray. Gotta give credit where credit is due right? According the Wall Street Journal, the customers are starting to return to the fine dining scene. 

Not only that but specialty ingredients are far less expensive than this time last year.

Oregon Mushrooms, which ships wild mushrooms to restaurants around the country, says it is selling morels, a wild mushroom harvested in the spring, for $20 a pound wholesale, compared with $33 a pound last year. Restaurateurs in California, where spring hits first, are paying even less.

Ever thought about adding a pinch of salt to your coffee? I had seen another article a while back, or was it on TV? I don't remember because frankly I've slept since then. Anyways, once you think about it - it's almost a no-brainer. We add salt to thinks every day to bring flavors out. Why not coffee? 

I get grief all the time about my soda intake at work, I'll admit I'm pretty addicted to Mt. Dew (I can hear you rolling your eye's), but honestly I'm trying to cut back and hopefully cut it out entirely.

I almost didn't want to click the link to read this article, but in the name of the blog - I clicked. If I didn't have enough motivation in the first place, this is going to give it a push in the right direction.

Of course the corn people are going to have something to say about this, as High Fructose Corn Syrup is something they've been pushing on us for years.

A Princeton University research team has demonstrated that all sweeteners are not equal when it comes to weight gain: Rats with access to high-fructose corn syrup gained significantly more weight than those with access to table sugar, even when their overall caloric intake was the same.

Ever heard of brown jasmine rice? Nether had I until I read this in the New York Times.

Want to step into the future, and see some kickass kitchen gadgets (let me quantify that with: restaurant kitchen gadgets. Don't think you'll see it in the home...)? Step through the wormhole my friend.

FF: Save The Foie!

My lucky weekend shirt. 

Actually, I have two 'lucky' shirts I wear on the weekend's this is one of them. If you haven't heard of Stove Monkeys, then you need to go check them out as they're the ones behind the shirt. 

Rabbit Shenanigans.

Rabbit Pate
Pickled Carrot
Pickled Pepper Gelee`
Rocket
Hazelnut Espuma
Toast Points 

This was a special we've ran in a couple different forms, while having rabbit on the menu. This shows how you utilize an entire animal. While using the hindquarters and saddle we needed to do something with what we had left over - so we made rabbit stock, and what you see above.

And I can't even explain the joys of using rabbit butter.....  

NFTL: Time to be Debbie Downer...

Action's speak louder than words, we all know this right? 

This isn't like some foreign language that you need some sort of secret tablet to decode. Recently I read a post over at Eggbeater (if you're not reading her, you should be!) , that should be required reading.  

Shuna is a pastry chef in New York, she's also worked the savory side - and has years of experience, so it's not like she's talking out of her ass. 

"Chef Advice, or when cooks say ".", Chef's hear ".""

But if you want to be a better cook one day. If you don't just want to be a shiny happy tv chef. 

If you want to learn from the good ones. If you don't want to be fired. 

If you like your job/kitchen/crew/paycheck/menu.

May I make a suggestion? 

Think hard about your actions before taking them.

There's more of the post, and I'm not going to quote anymore because you need to go over and read the post from start to finish. 

When you're done, print it out: if you're a Chef - post it where all us line monkey's can see it, if you're a line monkey do like Ingrid did (she has a blog and is a line cook at a top PDX restaurant, one I have yet to dine at.) print it out, show it to your chef and he will most likely post it for you with the note "Good Read".

He's right.

I'm humbled by cooking every single day; no other job I've has humbled me on a daily basis like cooking has. I spent half my life behind a microphone, whether it was in the clubs or on the radio. Those jobs feed into your ego on a daily basis, and after a while you begin to believe your own press.

Not in the kitchen though, she is but a fickle bitch. 

Just when you think "Yeah, I've got it" - she takes a cast iron skillet to your junk and stands over you laughing her ass off.  You pick yourself off of the deck and proudly declare "Thank you ma'am! May I have another!?".

And she is more than willing to grant your request.

And now for something completely different.

On The Fly: First Day Of Spring

Welcome to the first day of spring people! I really should be at the farmers market as today marks the first day of the PSU Market. But alas, I'll head out next weekend to hit up the market, though I can't wait to get my hands on things like morels, ramps, spring onions and the like. 

On The Fly: It's like a monkey humping a football, only not.

The big story this week was/is a depressing one: a proposed trade ban on Atlantic Blue Fin Tuna was shot down. They're damn near at extinction levels now, and yet Japan says "kiss our ass" and would continue importing the prized fish even if a ban did go into effect.

Stay Classy Japan, stay classy.

This is just disgusting, end of  story.

There was rumors that once the Obama's took office, they would install Top Chef Master and all around world class chef Rick Bayless as Executive Chef of The White House - that didn't happen. But, whenever they're in Chicago, you can bet they'll be at one of Bayless' restaurants.

The city of Pittsburgh thinks it's a good idea to crackdown on Urban Farming. There's one quote that just rubs me the wrong way, and I'm not sure why.

"Anytime you see something growing and expanding and there are no rules, you need to regulate it," she said.

Oh that's right, everything and everyone must be regulated!

And last but not least, Eater National Writer Greg Morabito runs down a top ten list of "Restaurant Design Trends That Needs To Go". I only disagree with one, being chalkboard menus - if it's in the right place it's fine. Like Bunk is a good example, they used that chalkboard paint on an entire wall.

Whats interesting are the comments, and I get a laugh out of most of them. If you want a really good chuckle and you're in the industry, please do yourself a favor and read the comments.

FF: "What is thy bidding, my master?"

Everyone meet, Vader. He replaces R2, who gave it his all for the first 3 or so months of operation - a little fryer like the one before this was never meant to be put through the abuse we gave it. Vader, too is a home fryer but is doing a bang up job so far in his early life. Only thing that bugs me about this particular fryer is that it has a 'safety' power cord, not unlike Mac Books come with.  

But you budge it in the slightest and it comes unplugged in the pack, and you have to set the time on it at all time for it to stay on: timer only goes to 60 mins. So as I'm sure you guessed it has to be reset every hour, so it doesn't go cold. I'll take the downside to it's upside any day of the week.

Blue Fin Ban Smackdown...

That's right boys, girls...Daniel - today a vote was taken on a international ban on Blue Fin tuna while I'd love to report that this was voted in, I cannot. Today at the international wildlife summit in Qatar, it was voted down.

Only the United States, Norway and Kenya supported outright a proposal set forth last year by Monaco to the 175-nation Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES). Monaco had sought an Appendix I listing for the species, which would have suspended exporting. 

The measure was defeated after scores of poor fishing nations joined Japan and Canada in opposing the measure, which they argued would devastate their fishing communities.

The European Union asked for a delay until May of next year to be able to address their fishermen's concerns and impact on their fishing. Japan of course said that it would take a reservation if the ban passed and would continue to import the species. This of course comes to no surprise to me, they have a thing for endangered species anyway.

If your not sure of the toll fishing is taking on the blue fin, peep this:

Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea have fallen by as much as 75 percent in recent years due to overfishing.

Remember what I said above about Japan:

Approximately 80 percent of all bluefin tuna landed in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea ends up in Japan to supply its sushi and sashimi restaurants. Bluefin tuna is one of the most sought-after seafood species, both in Japan and around the world, largely for the high price that it fetches from wholesalers and distributors.

Emphasis' above are all mine. 

Do I really need to say anything else? I guess I can leave it with this (for the time being anyway): Japan is going to do, what their going to do period., but as: chefs, restaurateur's and consumers is stop buying, eating or otherwise blue fin tuna. Support the ban, and to keep working until this gets done.

More Information:

Seafood Source 

Big Marine Fish

Seafood Watch

NFTL: Attention restaurant customers: Testicles.That is all.

Do I really need to tell you what that quote is from?

And now, with absolutely no fanfare....

Notes From The Line... 

McGee

If you do not have Harold McGee's "On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen" on your bookshelf, I highly suggest you add it to your library. I originally got my copy with all the text books they gave us at the beginning of school. Of all the books I've got from school - it's the one I reference most.

I'll be the first to admit that my pastry abilities are very limited, but I've been charged with making white chocolate mousse on the regular, for our two desserts (Lava Cake & Deconstructed Lemon Meringue Pie) . It wasn't until a few times into making it, that I noticed how different brands of white chocolate acted different with the ratio I was given at the outset. 

1 cup of heavy cream whipped, three egg whites whipped to 8oz of white chocolate.

One brand it would be turn out the perfect mousse, then other times (I can tell just by the way it is in it's melted state as I fold in the whites and whipped cream) it would look fine, but would go on to be grainy once the mousse had time to set back up in the pantry low boy.  First I looked at McGee, while I didn't find exactly what I was looking for, it lead me to things I didn't know before and now are in my culinary arsenal. 

But back to the elusive white chocolate mousse, because of the different brands - they differed in fat content which would throw the ratios off. Problem has been solved, just have to make adjustments for the different types of white chocolate we get, and it case you're wondering - chips are the worst of the lot.

Just like baseball, you constantly need to make adjustments.