Eye Candy...

Striped Bass "Cocktail"

citrus, mint, golden caviar, marcona almonds, honeydew foam

warm morel-asparagus salad, scallop, mustard creme fraiche, px dressing, "kat's herbs", bacon

"flash torched" copper river king "sashimi", fava beans, fava-artichoke ravioli
apple-radish salad, avocado oil, duck rub, smoked eel

just a few shots of late. Some good, some so-so. All in all, quite tasty.

Salumi...

smoked molasses cured prosciutto

making various types of salumi and charcuterie is how we roll. I have been doing it for quite some time, and though it never ceases to amaze me that we can still get some sort of shitty bacteria in there and screw up the whole process. After speaking to many a different authorities, such as Armandino Batali, Michael Rhulman, the folks at Sausage Maker or other sources of intel, it seems that this is par for the course in some degree. This is nature in it's purest form. It is a reality that there will always be obstacles, even with the greatest of notes and environments. As one professional put it..."the only difference in what we(large corporate salumi manufacturer) are doing and what you are doing is that when you lose product, it is merely a few hundred dollars...when we lose product, which we do, amounts to tens of thousands." I guess I feel better. Onward!

~in action~

tuscan spiced salumi

ready for slicing

Making of the Mole...

a shot in the making of the "liquid orgasm"; aka the mole sauce! It was like sex, harnessed in a liquid state. Enough said.

Food Porn of the Moment...

a handful or random shots of my passion...

foie brulee, duck breast sous vide, pea pancake, ice cream and warm salad, pea boisson

chilled duck breast salad, oranges, compressed rhubarb, lovage, hazelnuts

brebirousse d'argental, preserved cherries, hazelnuts, truffle oil

scallop ceviche, cucumber-lime gelee, grated marcona almonds,

compressed cantaloupe, crisp shallot

lobster-orange mojo, pineapple sage, roasted monkfish, king trumpet

~beef two ways~

grilled tenderloin, caramelized onions, morels, salsify

braised short ribs, artichokes sous vide, claudio corallo chocolate essence

duck 2 ways...
salad with rhubarb, oranges, hazelnuts, pea ice cream
honey bunches of oats crusted foie gras, cacao nibs, pears

duck breast sous vide alternate angle

Creamy and Good...

Luscious. Unctuous. Surreal. Wicked-Good. Those are expletives and descriptors that describe the dish, but further so, the cheese...or the fromage as we say in the kitchen. This is a double cream goat's milk cheese, slightly aged and ripened to an almost obscene and illegal level. It is called Chevre des Cremiers from France. From the central-eastern region, this cheese that has been bestowed upon us via our cheese monger, has been a great find. Simple in nature, but profound and sexy in taste and texture. The mouth-feel is sublime. Let it gently warm to right above room temp, and you have something ethereal. We paired this with morels, baby white asparagus, green local asparagus, truffles, bacon, creamy potatoes, brioche and olive oil. Awesome to say the least.

A New Panini to Savor...

one of our newest additions to the lunch menu is a new panini, amongst others. Very tasty to say the very least. Brined and Smoked Pork Loin...Pickled Wild Ramps...River Valley Cheese Pepperjack...Ramp Aioli...Wicked Mojo...all served with a pile of Buttermilk laced Onion Rings. Americana you say...perhaps. Tasty...Hell yea!

Random Ideas in Taste...

A few more recent images on food and cooking from the heart. Spring is fun! Flavor is imperative and aiming towards mastery is paramount, even if one knows they can not reach it.

Seared Sea Scallop & Shortrib Ravioli
peas, king oyster mushrooms, watermelon radishes, miners lettuce and beef juices

a few more images of ideas on food and cooking. Spring is fun!

Grilled King Blue Prawns

fiddlehead ferns, miners lettuce, chickpeas, ramp dressing, mango-lemon aioli, bacon

Branzino & Quail-Scallop Roll

ramps, shiitake chips, nettle-potato puree, scallop juices

Quinoa Studded with Peas & Morels

Baby Turnips Sous Vide, Ramps, Lacinato Kale, Compressed Rhubarb, Pea Jus

Vegan Dinner of the Moment...

Here are but a few shots of the vegan tasting menu we were charged with to serve as a welcoming for a wonderful couple celebrating their engagement...I don't care what any chef says about hating vegetarians or vegans...it was cool.

Beet Ravioli, carrot-pear-marcona almond tapenade, 30 year balsamic

beet tapioca "caviar"

Vegetable Crudo

avocado, citrus, mango gel, fennel ribbon, daikon, pummelo vinaigrette, crisp beet

Yellow Foot Mushroom & Asparagus "Antipasti"

radishes, crispy shallots, ramp vinaigrette, savory mushroom-truffle "cappuccino"

Roasted Cipolline Onion "Farcie"

artichokes, hazelnuts, cacao nibs, bucatini "risotto", apple "gnocchi"

and a asparagus juice broth

additional courses not photo'd but not forgotten...

~Yuzu-Ginger Slushy~

~Potato-Vegetable "Tortina", Wild Mushrooms, Ramps, Fiddleheads, Roasted Garlic and Nettle Puree~

~Fruits & Sorbet...Blood Orange-Pear Composure, their Sorbets~

~Dark Chocolate-Hazelnut Pave, Turbinado Sugar Caramelise, Soy Milk-Abbamele-Chocolate "Shake"~

~Grapefruit Confit, Chocolate Dipped Dried Apricots~

Of Wolf and Man...

Seemingly appropriate, a label of which this vicious looking aquatic species fell under the knife in our kitchen only to be laid to rest on various plates of passion. Ugly, but worth every penny. Meaty, full flavored, and texturous, it paired well with the hearty fare of the end of winter/beginning of Spring. Wolf fish...a scavenger well worth the investment.

Grilled Foie Gras...

a dish of a slightly different preparation of the luscious self-indulgence driven ingredient...

grilled foie gras, brioche, mangoes, chorizo, marcona almonds, chorizo fat, balsamic vinegar, crispy shallots

A Dish of Duck...

tasty preparation stemming from the crispy skin.

creamy potatoes and carrots...black trumpet mushrooms...tombe of carrots...huckleberries

In the End...

In the end, after a long flavorful dinner at the chef's table...it's all good!

Vegan Offering...

a recent shot of a request for a vegan dish from a guest. Simple, savory and warm flavors of winter. Truffles, Walnuts, Walnut Braised Celery, Apples, Shaved Midnight Moon, Parsnip Puree and Herbed Quinoa.

Our Bresaola...

a photo of our house cured bresaola. One a simple northern cure of juniper and herb and the other, a much better flavor in my opinion; the pink peppercorn infused. Both quite good in their own right, one funky and pungent, the other a bit more rich and sweet.

A Toast to the New Year...

I wish you all a very prosperous and enjoyable new year in 09' and hope that in some small way, whatever I have posted, written, described or suggested otherwise has inspired you even in a minute amount in your day to day cooking, or more importantly, the way you contemplate your thoughts about food in general. Happy holidays...

Fire Roasted Foie Gras Terrine...

After our "uber-soiree" for the financially elite crowd, dubbed as the "distinguished fellows" of Microsoft, we had some fire roasted foie gars left over with a "what-to-do" question lurking in our minds. So, before refrigerating the lobes that night, we decided to give it a touch of seasoning, and press them into a terrine mold and then left to set up overnight in the cooler. We served them the next day for a special wine luncheon. Served with some Cocoa Nib-Hazelnut Financier, Figs, Red Wine Syrup and fleur de Sel, we had a great appetizer to start the meal with.

Alternate Eye Candy...

here are some alternate shots of the dinner I cooked for a guest posted on cuisinierskitchen recently...

tasting of dessert...

short rib terrine...

anti griddle yogurt lozenge, fir sorbet, apples, grated smoked salmon

triple cream, quince goodness, hazelnuts

truffles & pigs feet...oh ya, branzino too!

two birds~ one dish~ lots of flavor

Halloween Chef's Table Dish...

just a glimpse of a seared scallop and muscovy duck dish executed by our team Friday night. Beets, both red and gold, scallops, duck breast, and various other foodstuffs all in a row. Can't wait to unveil the rest of it.

More Eye Candy...

Maine Lobster Salad

Mango, Heirloom Tomatoes, Avocado, Golden Caviar, Anise Hyssop, Yuzu Dressing

Seared Foie Gras Tart

Caramelized Onions, Figs, Vadouvan Braised Bananas, Fig Puree, PX Vinaigrette

call it eye candy, call it food porn, call it a visual orgasm. Whatever the case, this was some damn tasty food of late. Very exciting to be a part of something great. Enjoy!

Garlic Crusted Lamb Loin

Chanterelles, Pumpkin, Cipolline, Valdeon, Roasted Grapes

Smoked Tomato Essence

Seared Diver Sea Scallop & Pork Belly

Quince Puree, "Bacon & Eggs", Leeks, Micro Celery, Quince Nage

Grilled Spanish Mackerel

Butter Braised Mussels, Beet Tapenade, Leeks, Rosti, Licorice Emulsion

Syrah Braised Short Rib

Anson Mills Grits, Truffled "Mac & Cheese", Chanterelles, Lobster Mushrooms

Mustard Cuisson

"Brandade Terrine"

Tomato Jam, Fennel, Boquerones, Sherry Syrup, Smoked Paprika Aioli

What a Ham...Iberico Style

"Queso & Chocolate"

Chocolate a'la Taza, Buneulos, Manchego and Bruleed Nectarine, Olive Syrup, Olive Brittle

Lemon Verbena Ice Cream and Olive Oil Chocolate