New Eye Candy...

For those that have just about given up...here are some recent shots of dishes to ponder. Enjoy.

shrimp,watermelon,fennel,lychee,pea blossom, yuzu

ahi tuna,fennel,pea tendrils,pea foam,crottin de chavignol,salmon candy chip

bison,fig pickled ramps,morels,cocoa-espresso foam,micro celery,manjari essence

robiola,cherries,dukkah,anise hyssop,marcona-px caramel

blackberry-tapioca brulee,pistachio chiffon,kumquats,lemon verbena ice cream

chocolate-caramel,feuillatine crunch

foie gras torchon,ras el hanout,rhubarb,buckwheat,apricot,amaranth,sauternes

Gypsy 3.0...

And so it was...another wonderful, passionate, intense, exciting and high-octane driven excuse to cook great food for a couple handfuls of foodies, hell bent for a gustatory fix! Gabriel and Heidi Claycamp, the owners of this sexy jewel of a "restaurant", albeit secretive and elusive, were gracious enough to invite me back. I was flattered and honored. I was overdue for a fix of my own, and so, with the RC cuisiniers in tow, I busted out a couple thoughts of taste, emailed them over and ventured onward towards our third showing of our craft. Here's how it went down~ the menu; described as current ideas of contemplation, meant to provoke thought in this clandestine locale was in short...a handful of bites, made up of sublime ingredients destined to be treated with love and respect and served to those with a hard-on for a good food experience!


We started with "savory snacks"(prosciutto-parmesan palmiers,salumi-robiola picks,shiitake-goat cheese 'crisps and truffled popcorn) to get the tastebuds working, which was followed by our amuse of the night(rolled maine lobster omelete,tomato jam, smoked paprika-pepper meringue,micro fennel) put forth to tease our thirst for luxury. In consideration of luxury- the next bite(diver sea scallop ceviche,cara cara orange,salmon candy, sturgeon caviar,micro RC greens and lobster oil) ponied up quite well as almost a sequel to the amuse! The Wild Hamachi Toro(hamachi toro,grilled abalone mushroom,soy-honey-shallot reduction,petit arugula,house made sake sabayon) served next, was one of the most exciting of stops we pulled out that evening. Rich, intoxicating and seemingly sinful...a luxurious slab of fatty belly torched to order "a'la Nobu".
Our next offering..."Candy for Chef's"(seared Hudson Valley foie gras, smoked cashews, toasted buckwheat cookies, pears, cabernet jelly, sarba and cocoa foam) or foie gras as it were. Silky and devilish, so tasty it


should be illegal. Oh yea...to some...it is! Hawaiian Ahi Tuna(pan roasted loin, stuffed with lamb tongue-caramelized onion-hedgehog mushrooms, maple glazed pork belly, baby carrot "vinaigrette", fennel froth and micro kohlrabi) paired with the unctuousness of the smoked maple glazed Kurobuta Pork Belly- this was one that was meant to kick ass! It did. Void was the desire to serve a "mezzo" as customary...instead, sheer savoriness was peaking at the onslaught of our olive oil poached American Bison(olive oil poached loin, celery root-parsnip puree, fregola sarda, truffles, demi thumbelina carrots, artichoke chip,argan oil and a black peppercorn essence); meaty and earthy from the Truffled Fregola Sarda...need I say more?!?
And who doesn't love artisan cheese(Old Chatham Camembert, strawberries charred ala plancha, micro celery, pedro ximenez syrup, fleur de sel)? Slightly sweet, pure as butter from New York- Old Chatham Camembert with it's ultra smooth paste

of cow's and barely legal sheep's milk in a slightly acidic, beautiful bloomy rind. The PX reduction was a perfect foil. Another simple course found us plating a playful signature~ the Faberge Egg(hazelnut custard, manjari ganache, fleur de sel, coffee-caramel foam and a bittersweet chocolate "chip"); a delicate Hazelnut custard served "en chemise" with it's tasty accomplices of Rhubarb and Pistachio Gelato.
The "still life" of mignardises(blackberry-lemon verbena vodka pate de fruits, fennel meringue wafer, foie gras "marbre", praline chocolate "silk"), dropped in to close the deal, was a vertical presentation of tastes~ to nibble...to take home...to leave for dead or if desired, used as collateral for some sensual trade later. Isn't that what we as










chef's strive to ultimately achieve??? A meal so sexy, so sensuous that it would lead our diners to a state of ecstasy? Food can be euphoric, intoxicating, even addictive. It is for me anyway!





And so it was...another wonderful evening soire at Gypsy, made possible by my comrades along side me; Rudy Guerrero, Tyler Anderson and Maria Lodyguina who logged time in the cocina, Gabe and the folks from Gypsy, and the now glassy-eyed victims of overindulgence. Until next time~cuisinier

There is hope...

I know I am desperate need of new photos for the gallery! Most of them have been posted on her sister site...cuisinierskitchen. But do not worry, we are doing a uber-cool dinner tomorrow night for gypsy and there are certainly going to be new thoughts, ideas and flavors that we have been working on, tasting and perfecting. Look for those shortly. In good food and cooking...cuisinier

Late Winter Tastes...

These dishes happen to come about from various thoughts, intuitions, ideas, inspirations and whims... all based on one thing, and one thing alone; ingredients. They are the harvest of the time spent(or not) conjuring up notions in one's head about how something or a grouping of things may taste together, how it will feel in the mouth, and taste on the palate. It is that thriving desire to create something good and all that it encompasses along the way, all for the stimulation of our intellect and for the excitement of the guest when they eat it. These are the "stories" of the outcome of a few...

Valrhona Manjari Tart

Hazelnuts/Melted Grapes/Kumquats/Vanilla/Red Wine/Huckleberries/Espresso

Verjus-Lime Soda

Melon/Fleur de Sel/Fennel/Coconut/Bacon

Farro & Truffle Stuffed Squid
Clams/Chorizo Dust/Radicchio/Cinnamon Cap Mushrooms

Foie Gras Charlotte
Quince/"Aztec"Potato Puree/Spice Cake/Gravenstein Apple Gastric

Ahi Tuna "Two Ways"
Seared Pave/Beet Tapioca/Fennel/Beet Sorbet
Tartare/Yuzu Pickled Watermelon Radish/Avocado Ice Cream/Micro Radish

Desserts Anyone?...

I always enjoy working on new dessert ideas and ultimately, creating and launching a new menu with them! I love dessert, plain and simple. And to get more closer to the point, chocolate! In all forms and fashion. It can have a direct sense of precision and playfulness that sometimes is not always obtainable with savory counterparts as things either cool down or heat up and thus makes the dish less than perfect for the guests. But with desserts, there is a place for that. Now do not get me wrong, restaurant pastry has to be served at proper temperatures and within "need-it-yesterday" guidelines as well, and I don't like things that have that sense that they were "played with" or "mis or overhandled". It has to be stellar. Tight. Full of flavor and goodness. If it isn't soigne, then scrap it. It becomes staff meal for sure. A couple of tastes that have left our shop this month. Savor...

Caramelized Pine Nut Tart

Rosemary Poached Pears/Salted Popcorn/Red Wine Syrup/Parmesan Ice Cream

Citrus-Champagne Sabayon

Blood Oranges/Pistachio Financier/Candied Fennel/Fennel Meringue/Chai Sorbet

Banana-Chocolate Charlotte
Caramel/Banana Brulee/Anglaise/Earl Grey Sherbet

Cupid's Sweet...
Manjari-Anise Bouche/Kumquats/Tapioca/Raspberry Polenta/Smoked Hazzelnut
Orange-Olive Sponge/Coffee-Caramel-Hazelnut Egg

Winter is here...

Here we are...in the middle of winter, and as always, we are searching long and hard to find things to inspire us to cook with. There is not a whole lot of new product in the northwest now, that we have not had for the last couple of months. And with nothing in the crosshairs until another couple months, it drives us crazy! We search for little nuances and whisps of ingredients that are perhaps new or overlooked in our repertoire. Something perhaps that a local farmer had forgotton about or was late in harvesting that could spark a new challenge. We start to investigate other sources to bring us the latest of finds from other locales. Are we cheating oursleves out of our own backyard foodstuffs? No, we are just typical cooks... striving and yearning for something more, some new twist and angle on a particular dish, a cut above the competition. But alas, we are all doing it for the most part, so we bare down and get creative with the same ol' same ol'. No worries. These tastes are merely new ideas on old combinations or visa versa. They represent a hibernating passion that has been burning inside which has manifested themselves into new twists of a particular theme or thought. Enjoy, we did.

shrimp/duck mayo/mussels-leek salad/"bouillabaise" gelee/oyster vinaigrette/garlic-potato foam

white chocolate/sturgeon caviar/smoked paprika/daikon radish and sprouts/salsifypreserved ginger branzini/corn/grits/micro celery/leeks/salsify/lobster nage
ahi tuna/lobster/smoked chili syrup/arugula/fennel

Savory and Seductive...

Flavors...seductive and savory abound. Grasps your soul and takes hold. You are in captivity of taste for the duration, and with any luck...for long after you have devoured your dish. And as Hetfield of 'Tallica belts out...the memory remains. Dishes like these touch us in a different way than counterparts of cuisine. They are rich, sensuous and sexy. They are fulfilling to cook and even more so to savor. Enjoy that notion of thought as we travel through the gallery of the moment...

Slow Braised Pork Belly/Smoked Maple/Chanterelles/Squash Blossoms/Micro Celery

Fire Roasted Foie Gras & Spices...Pure and Simple!

Braised Veal Cheeks/Arugula/Caramelized Onion/Crescenza/Olivetta

Rhubarb/Oven Dried Strawberries/Black Pepper/Almond Frangipane/Micro Lemon-Lime Basil

Braised Rabbit/Salsify/Kidneys/Crosnes/Oca/Celery Root Cake/Artichoke Foam

Seared Foie Gras/Persimmons/Chestnut/Pear/50 year-old Balsamic/Diver Scallop/Squash Crouton/Frozen Foie Gras

Rich and Intoxicating...

These dishes are derived out of the need to create goodness. Satisfying flavors to indulge our palates and enrich our souls with lush tastes. Out of these, I find the Perigord Black Truffle Ice Cream the most intoxicating!

valrhona manjari/orange/caramel/sauternes/pear/perigord black truffle

russet potato/chanterelles/leeks/cipolline onions/carrot polenta/onion soubise

smoked duck/spanish white beans/clams/nicoise olives/basil/garlic-potato ice cream

humboldt fog/balsamic sorbet/arugula/winter vegetables/beet tuile

espresso brittle/sao tome pralus/kumquats/cocoa nibs/hazelnuts

diver scallop/foie gras/brasied shortrib/lentils/potato "gratin"/hubbard squash

Tastes from the Atelier...

Respresented here are some dishes that came and went. They are a reflection of the moment, when we were presented with the opportunity to "just cook" for some guests. They became unique in their own right and thus, ended up inspiring us to do new things. All around good flavors and a intriguing interplay of tastes!
ahit tuna/oscetra/mache/riesling/ginger


muscovy duck/escolar/shiitake/pears/green lentils/pinot noir


cabecous feuilles/shiitake "bacon"/grapes/marcona almonds/salsify

ahi tuna/wonton/lemongrass/pineapple/vanilla/chili

australian prawn/basil/smoked pineapple/ginger/citrus

eggs/maine lobster/osetra/creme fraiche

wild mushroom/potato/chestnut/asparagus/winter truffle

carrot polenta/beet cous cous/mushroom quinoa/leeks/beets/balsamic