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

Two Cold Dishes...

Spicy Coppa, Smoked Venison Salami, Tuscan Wine Cured Salumi
Duck Prosciutto and Wild Boar Landjager(all made in house)
with Artisan Cheeses, Nuts, Mustards and Jams

here are a couple shots of dishes put together over the last couple days. One for a chef's table (ahi) and the other for a sort of Oktoberfest sort of inspiration (and based upon our award winning salumi) see post at cuisinierskitchen.
Seared Ahi Tuna, Penn Cove Select Oysters, Tomatoes, Fennel
Sesame-Soy Aioli, Papaya Jus, Sweet Cicely

Late Summer~ Early Fall...

Seared Foie Gras/Vadouvan Spices/Pickled Nectarine/Curried Spinach

Salmon Two Ways/Cauliflower Puree/Konbu/Dill Powder/Golden Caviar

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes/Organic Chicken Sous Vide/Truffles/Melted Shallots

shots of food. New tastes and perspectives on ingredients. A couple chef's tables...one in which I did and the other Alex was in charge of.

Grilled Duck Breast/Roasted Turnips/Spiced Pumpkin/Choucroute

Fall Salad of Braised Celery/Chestnut/Apricot-Truffle Conserve/Truffle Coulis

Black Bass/Brussel Sprouts/Chanterelles/Short Rib "Debris"/Braised Salsify

Grilled Matsutake Mushrooms over Douglas Fir/Pine Nuts/Mayonnaise/Bamboo Bed

Lemon Brulee/Raspberries/EVOO Gelato/Lemon Jus