Hey Everyone! I know its been awhile since I've last posted but we've been pretty busy out at the Inn so I really haven't had much of a chance to write. But now here I am delivering an interesting blog post to you!
So the last concept I've really been into and learning about at work is the idea of flavor development. Its interesting to dig deep and start to learn about the palate and how people see and perceive food. I think this becomes even more interesting because we do both a three course pre fixe menu and 5 and/or 8 course tasting menus at the inn. So its this idea of trying to balance out the palate of a customer through out a meal so it doesn't become overwhelmed at any given time but following flavors in a progressive order so the palate stays interested. For example, I don't want to lacquer on heavy sauces from start to finish because the mouth would be coated and all that would stay with the mouth is the flavor of the sauce and nothing else would on the plate would be represented.
To start this explanation we are going to start out with a list of courses and go through flavor profiles and why they match up for said course.
Bar Snacks - Sent out to guests while at the bar, typically a combination of sweet/salty or salty/spicy flavors. This gets the mouth started and while eating foods like that its pushes for guests to start the evening with a cocktail or a aperitif.
Examples of Bar Snacks: Popcorn, Kale Chips, etc.
Amuse Bouche 1 and 2: We typically serve two amuses, one hot and one cold (don't get me wrong sometimes its one cold and one cold but lets continue). So the purpose of the amuse is to open the palate up for the meal. Offering a small bite to get the palate churning. Nothing complex about the flavors, we simple and striaght forward. The purpose is to open up not overwhelm. And typically one of the amuses we do is a small bite that can be picked up with the hand and one small composed. To be able to use the hands "breaks the ice" so to speak for a fine dining restaurant.
Examples of Amuse: Cold Amuse - Gelled Borscht with pickled beet, creme friache, trout roe
Hot Amuse - Smoked Trout Brandade with Hot Potato Foam and Espallete Pepper
1st Course: So now we are going to start the formal courses, the 1st course is typically an all cold course. At the inn we like to highlight different textures/preparations of an item so we'll show this now and continue on with that idea. Here we'll start playing around with acidity and sweet flavors. Get the palate working, keeping elements very simple but putting little twists. For example we have several different varieties of heirloom tomatoes growing on property and each tomato has its own flavor profile. So yellow tomatoes are typically sweet and tart, red tomatoes are high in acidity. So to make the tomatoes more interesting than just adding olive oil and salt to them we incorporate different flavor profiles through vinegars, etc to rise them to a new level. So for red tomatoes to make them not so acidic and add just a touch of sweetness, a drop of Cabernet franc syrup we might use. To add just a drop of acidity to the yellow tomatoes and tone down the tart, we might use balsam bianco. Its all about exciting the palate further and hitting interesting tones on the palate.
Example of 1st Course: Variation of Heirloom Tomatoes, Mozzarella Cheese, Tomato Madeline
2nd Course: Developing flavor profiles through Sweet and Acidity
Example of 2nd Course: Cucumbers with Cucumber Gazpacho and Crab
3rd Course: The fish course, profiles of sweet, acidity and spice.
Example of 3rd Course: Miso Sable Fish with sweet peas and wasabi
4th Course: Main protein course, this is were we start to bring all the major flavor profiles together hitting an overall balance on the mid palate.
Example of 4th Course: Texas Prime Beef with Onion Soubise, Agire Doux, Rosemary Crust, Beef Jus and Pomme Puree
Pre-Dessert: This is meant to cleanse the palate after the meal and for us is usually fruit driven.
Example of Pre-Dessert: "Kir Royale" - Dewberries, Dewberry Sorbet, Champagne Foam, Dewberry Gel
Dessert: Typically we follow up with a chocolate dessert, because its a good way to end the meal, most people expect it at the end of a meal to follow up with a chocolate dessert.
Example of Dessert: Mint Ice Cream with Mint and Chocolate Mousse, Chocolate Crumble
I didn't want to long draw out this blog post so I started to shorten it up the way I did. But in all honesty, the idea and practice of flavor development really makes me interested in developing style of cooking from chef to chef. Its a subject that can be dug in more deeper which really allows for further thinking. But go off, think, develop, test and work with what you have through the seasons and see what you can do.
-Garrett
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Respecting Your Food
Hey Everyone!
I'm alive and well just for the record. I got settled in down here in the great state of Texas and started working and so far I am having a blast! I hope to keep it that way but its so nice to be in an environment with professionals and a team that strives and is pushing hard to produce the food that they do. It's challenging and I'm walking in everyday and being challenged and asked questions, forced to think and at the end of the day, I learn much. It's literally this process of me learning new things constantly, every single day.
That's where I want to bring up a topic to talk about, respecting your food. I'm fortunate enough to have the opportunity at the Inn that we have a farm. And part of me getting to work onsite is that I get to work on the farm. I get to harvest from our farm. The other day I was helping replant the shade houses with herbs. It's the feeling that when you get to get your hands in the dirt and see what your getting, food is life. And that food should be respected, it all should be respected, because food is something we take for granted sometimes. Its about seeing the value of everything from a carrot to a lobe of foie gras. They should all be treated with care to maintain quality, freshness so that they are at their full potentinal when served. But with taking care of food comes with the knowledge and learning how to properly store vegetables, how to ice down fish properly, keeping proteins fresh, etc, etc. So give some thought and care about your food, and care about where it came from and who harvested it, essentially making a full circle of the flow of goods from start to finish.
-Garrett
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Future of Food
Hello Everyone!
Chef McCue is a chef-instructor at the Culinary Institute of America, he teaches a class called Quantity Food Production. Chef McCue has a group Facebook page and the other day he had a very thought provoking wall post. I reached out and asked if it would be ok if I used his post to open up a blog response. This is what Chef McCue said:
"I have always stated that a Chef, a true chef is the custodian of the earth. We take life to give life. Our's effects our environment more through use of resources and creation of refuse than most other industries. We also employ more people (food service) than any other. With so much on our plate already (pun intended), politics is deciding the "Future of Food" ? We are where the rubber hits the road...how will the dollars you spend on food vote on our future...Ladies and gentlemen...what is the future of food ?"
That let alone is a great question which I really feel that needs attention. Being a graduate already and have seen so much happen within our industry in the past two years has been incredible. Look back at past events, last year the huge egg recall, the rise of Monsanto, the current "pink slime" case, the USDA labeling pizza as a vegetable. So much has defined our industry in current events its beyond crazy. Being a recent students and to those in school now, to those wanting to pursue a career in our industry, to those just starting out, we can do a lot to have an impact on everything going on with food. I'm not trying to downgrade those generations proceeding us but as the generations in front of us are moving out and we are moving in, these problems, issues are going to be on our shoulders. So first I really, really want to say that now is the time for us to become involved, we the newer generations of future Chefs, industry leaders, etc, we need to become informed, stay up to date on all the happenings going on.
If you look at food, its one of the bases of life in the world along with water, sunlight, oxygen, etc. Food is a building block for civilization, it brings people together, its wholesome, it nourishes. But what makes me question is that how will my tomato so to speak look 2 years from now, then 5 years from now and then 10 years from now and so on and so forth. Will the tomato I grew up with be the same tomato my children will have? The reason why I ask is that because we have had the huge....massive decline in farmers in the United States and we had the rise of the huge, mega farms processing a genetically modified tomato so everyone can go to the big box store and enjoy them year around. When those of us know that the best tomato is grown in the summer and if lucky able to taste that of a heirloom tomato grown down the road and if done right, taking those tomatoes and preserving them by canning so summer's splendors can be enjoyed in the winter. But then what is canning? Does the average American household know how to can? How to preserve? Quite honestly, canning and preserving though its making a comeback, most people haven't found a need for such a thing because one can go to the big box store and pick up a can of diced tomatoes. Then another question that arises is what happens to that farm down the road that's been family owned for years, will it still be standing in the years to come or will the worst come and they will be forced to sell for commercialization, will the economy stand up so they can continue the hard work they do to provide a service to the community, will the seed soon become genetically modified? Those are all questions that come up.
Then we need to look at these ongoing and "new" trends that keep popping up. Using organic, local ingredients, etc. Whats mind boggling is that these are the so called "new trends" of restaurants, is that process of using local and organic ingredients used to be the way of life. "Back in the day" you used to have to resort to using what you had and what was in season or use the food one had preserved or canned. The farming industry back in the years used to be one of the largest sectors of industry in the United States, the amount of local farms was high and even then the major jump in home gardens soared in World War Two because food needed to be sent to support the troops so "Victory Gardens" we planted and used. But then after the war was over and industrialization was on the rise, these "convenience foods" and we fell to the ability to go and get a can of tomatoes from the big box store and the need to have a home garden or the need to can.
This is where I want to look at education. How do you teach a concept like food, good healthy food, eating well? We as future leaders in our industry we can do that through our place of work but going in to the educational system and teaching children, teaching teachers, teaching parents. Its reaching out and making the extra mile but how do you do such in a economy that is questionable in stability. Where school district are making huge budget cuts to make it by and the government has say on where money flows to. But then it goes even higher into the ranks, the USDA, the FDA, etc in where honestly members of large corporations sit like from Cargill, Monsanto, etc. Literally to change the future of food your talking about possibly changing the American life and changing some of the largest producers of food know to date.
How do we do that? What do we need to do? Honestly, I feel fortunate because where I'm going with my job all our produce is sourced right on our farm. Not only that but the staff goes out and we participate in planting, taking care of the fields, picking for service, etc. But what do we need to do, support our local economies yes it sounds great but what if you cant 100% fully commit to local produce? Those are the questions that do get brought up. There's lots of what ifs, and conditions that occur, but I think what we need to do being future industry leaders and professionals is come together. Speak as a whole, we want a change then we need to come together and make that change happen. But before we make a change happen we need to be educated, we need to see the inner workings of all aspects of our industry and we need to come together to educate those in our communities and promote better eating and promote use of better food and ways to preserve that food. Then as a whole, take a step forward for what is better, in what could honestly bring a lot of people closer. It is hospitality we are talking about, and food is one of the great things that brings people together.
-Garrett
Chef McCue is a chef-instructor at the Culinary Institute of America, he teaches a class called Quantity Food Production. Chef McCue has a group Facebook page and the other day he had a very thought provoking wall post. I reached out and asked if it would be ok if I used his post to open up a blog response. This is what Chef McCue said:
"I have always stated that a Chef, a true chef is the custodian of the earth. We take life to give life. Our's effects our environment more through use of resources and creation of refuse than most other industries. We also employ more people (food service) than any other. With so much on our plate already (pun intended), politics is deciding the "Future of Food" ? We are where the rubber hits the road...how will the dollars you spend on food vote on our future...Ladies and gentlemen...what is the future of food ?"
That let alone is a great question which I really feel that needs attention. Being a graduate already and have seen so much happen within our industry in the past two years has been incredible. Look back at past events, last year the huge egg recall, the rise of Monsanto, the current "pink slime" case, the USDA labeling pizza as a vegetable. So much has defined our industry in current events its beyond crazy. Being a recent students and to those in school now, to those wanting to pursue a career in our industry, to those just starting out, we can do a lot to have an impact on everything going on with food. I'm not trying to downgrade those generations proceeding us but as the generations in front of us are moving out and we are moving in, these problems, issues are going to be on our shoulders. So first I really, really want to say that now is the time for us to become involved, we the newer generations of future Chefs, industry leaders, etc, we need to become informed, stay up to date on all the happenings going on.
If you look at food, its one of the bases of life in the world along with water, sunlight, oxygen, etc. Food is a building block for civilization, it brings people together, its wholesome, it nourishes. But what makes me question is that how will my tomato so to speak look 2 years from now, then 5 years from now and then 10 years from now and so on and so forth. Will the tomato I grew up with be the same tomato my children will have? The reason why I ask is that because we have had the huge....massive decline in farmers in the United States and we had the rise of the huge, mega farms processing a genetically modified tomato so everyone can go to the big box store and enjoy them year around. When those of us know that the best tomato is grown in the summer and if lucky able to taste that of a heirloom tomato grown down the road and if done right, taking those tomatoes and preserving them by canning so summer's splendors can be enjoyed in the winter. But then what is canning? Does the average American household know how to can? How to preserve? Quite honestly, canning and preserving though its making a comeback, most people haven't found a need for such a thing because one can go to the big box store and pick up a can of diced tomatoes. Then another question that arises is what happens to that farm down the road that's been family owned for years, will it still be standing in the years to come or will the worst come and they will be forced to sell for commercialization, will the economy stand up so they can continue the hard work they do to provide a service to the community, will the seed soon become genetically modified? Those are all questions that come up.
Then we need to look at these ongoing and "new" trends that keep popping up. Using organic, local ingredients, etc. Whats mind boggling is that these are the so called "new trends" of restaurants, is that process of using local and organic ingredients used to be the way of life. "Back in the day" you used to have to resort to using what you had and what was in season or use the food one had preserved or canned. The farming industry back in the years used to be one of the largest sectors of industry in the United States, the amount of local farms was high and even then the major jump in home gardens soared in World War Two because food needed to be sent to support the troops so "Victory Gardens" we planted and used. But then after the war was over and industrialization was on the rise, these "convenience foods" and we fell to the ability to go and get a can of tomatoes from the big box store and the need to have a home garden or the need to can.
This is where I want to look at education. How do you teach a concept like food, good healthy food, eating well? We as future leaders in our industry we can do that through our place of work but going in to the educational system and teaching children, teaching teachers, teaching parents. Its reaching out and making the extra mile but how do you do such in a economy that is questionable in stability. Where school district are making huge budget cuts to make it by and the government has say on where money flows to. But then it goes even higher into the ranks, the USDA, the FDA, etc in where honestly members of large corporations sit like from Cargill, Monsanto, etc. Literally to change the future of food your talking about possibly changing the American life and changing some of the largest producers of food know to date.
How do we do that? What do we need to do? Honestly, I feel fortunate because where I'm going with my job all our produce is sourced right on our farm. Not only that but the staff goes out and we participate in planting, taking care of the fields, picking for service, etc. But what do we need to do, support our local economies yes it sounds great but what if you cant 100% fully commit to local produce? Those are the questions that do get brought up. There's lots of what ifs, and conditions that occur, but I think what we need to do being future industry leaders and professionals is come together. Speak as a whole, we want a change then we need to come together and make that change happen. But before we make a change happen we need to be educated, we need to see the inner workings of all aspects of our industry and we need to come together to educate those in our communities and promote better eating and promote use of better food and ways to preserve that food. Then as a whole, take a step forward for what is better, in what could honestly bring a lot of people closer. It is hospitality we are talking about, and food is one of the great things that brings people together.
-Garrett
Sunday, March 25, 2012
A New Chapter
That's the truth really, the page turned and now its a new chapter. Me along with my fellow classmates graduated from the Culinary Institute of America on March 23rd. Its really weird to think that I have my Associates degree already (I'm honestly trying to grasp the concept still, it will come around to me in due time). But for now I'm back home for a couple weeks and I'll be moving down to Houston, Texas at the end of the month and starting my job.
I know I've thanked friends, family, classmates through status updates and such but I really want to take the time and thank them by writing here. I feel that I'm not so limited to how many characters I can fit in a box.
To my friends and family, thank you for everything. For the massive amount of support I've received. From moving away from home for the first time to dealing with the stress of everyday problems and more. I can't thank you enough for being there, supporting me through the good, bad, ugly, etc.
To my CIA Family, I will miss you all greatly. I'm not all that sure what I wouldn't have done without y'all. I have extremely great memories of school and it makes me so happy that I had my home away from home and great people surrounding me. I couldn't ask to have such great people as my friends and seriously I will miss you all so much and all the great and sometimes crazy things we did.
To my fellow classmates/colleagues, its been a pleasure getting to work alongside great people with great ideas, minds, and work ethics. Also thank you for being able to bring a humor side into the kitchen when needed. Though we've had good times, bad times, ok times; its that through it all we took from each days experience, pushed, improved and strived to learn and excel. I've had the pleasure to work with some incredibly passionate people and being around that has made class a great experience. I want to thank you all for helping me develop as a leader to the best of my ability and show me my strengths and weaknesses as to how I can improve. I wish everyone the best of luck with their careers, future education and endeavors. I hope that we stay in touch and down the road encounter each other in such a great industry.
I'll be keeping my blog and updating as I'm here at home and working but I want to thank everyone again.
It's going to be a good life tater.
-Garrett
I know I've thanked friends, family, classmates through status updates and such but I really want to take the time and thank them by writing here. I feel that I'm not so limited to how many characters I can fit in a box.
To my friends and family, thank you for everything. For the massive amount of support I've received. From moving away from home for the first time to dealing with the stress of everyday problems and more. I can't thank you enough for being there, supporting me through the good, bad, ugly, etc.
To my CIA Family, I will miss you all greatly. I'm not all that sure what I wouldn't have done without y'all. I have extremely great memories of school and it makes me so happy that I had my home away from home and great people surrounding me. I couldn't ask to have such great people as my friends and seriously I will miss you all so much and all the great and sometimes crazy things we did.
To my fellow classmates/colleagues, its been a pleasure getting to work alongside great people with great ideas, minds, and work ethics. Also thank you for being able to bring a humor side into the kitchen when needed. Though we've had good times, bad times, ok times; its that through it all we took from each days experience, pushed, improved and strived to learn and excel. I've had the pleasure to work with some incredibly passionate people and being around that has made class a great experience. I want to thank you all for helping me develop as a leader to the best of my ability and show me my strengths and weaknesses as to how I can improve. I wish everyone the best of luck with their careers, future education and endeavors. I hope that we stay in touch and down the road encounter each other in such a great industry.
I'll be keeping my blog and updating as I'm here at home and working but I want to thank everyone again.
It's going to be a good life tater.
-Garrett
Friday, March 9, 2012
The Next Step
Well graduation is near (more like March 23rd, at the end of the month near) and everyone is in the position of what is the next step, what is the future beyond graduation. I finally figured out that step and it feels nice to know that after I'm done here at the Culinary Institute of America I have found what I feel is the right choice for me.
Over the past three day weekend, I ended up flying down to Houston, Texas and drove out to Washington, Texas (about 45 minutes away from Houston, 25 minutes away from College Station) to meet up with my Executive Sous Chef Zach for whom I worked with over my externship in Colorado Springs. He moved out to the Inn at Dos Brisas while I was on externship and had wanted me to come down and visit to see if it would be the right fit for me, it was just a matter of time before I got down there. It just so happened after the Executive Chef drove me to the airport, I was offered a position at the Inn and accepted.
The Executive Chef, Raj had me research a dish out of Ma Gastronomie by Fernand Point. It was called Becasse Pyramide or Woodcock Pyramide. Now, first a woodcock is a type a game bird. Not only that it is considered the "king" of game birds. I have to say, it was soooooo good. The birds themselves only have a certain season and are quite expensive. But for this dish, there is no substitution for this bird, nothing could match up to the flavor. After now giving everyone insight on the bird, now the recipe. Fernand Point was a chef in Lyon, France who was the father of Nouvelle Cuisine (meaning focus on vegetables, use of purees, etc.). Well, in his book a great deal of recipes don't have measurements because unlike Escoffier where everything was by the books and this was the procedure, Point believed that perfection was achieved through trial and error. It was up to you as the cook to determine what was perfect, what was of highest quality.
So the recipe is comprised of the roasted woodcock with all the organs except the gizzard. After roasting, the organs are reserved and combined with seared foie gras and mustard, chopped and passed through a sieve to create a pate. The woodcock is then broken down into four pieces, shallot is sweated in the leftover foie fat with thyme, deglazed with brandy and the bones are then added to that and a sauce is formed with game stock and red wine reduction. Then you take brioche, toast and spread the pate on top of it. Strain your sauce and arrange your roasted woodcock on the plate.
The photo ontop is the unsauced plate and the second one was sauced. The plate is meant to look like the bird itself, so the middle talon on the feet are kept and one of the wings was kept for the plate presentation. This dish is a huge classic, this was something I'd never seen before and I was amazing getting that opportunity to work with a product such as woodcock and see a classic dish come together. Chef Raj and I put the dish together and it took us about 30 minuets from start to finish to do. Then Chef told me, now do that whole dish a la minute, on the pickup in 12 minutes. I was shocked but its been done and was done. This was such an amazing dish and its hard to put words to how good it was.
Other than getting that opportunity to cook that dish on Tuesday, I saw many other things. Sunday I walked into brunch service and got to try two dishes.
Over the past three day weekend, I ended up flying down to Houston, Texas and drove out to Washington, Texas (about 45 minutes away from Houston, 25 minutes away from College Station) to meet up with my Executive Sous Chef Zach for whom I worked with over my externship in Colorado Springs. He moved out to the Inn at Dos Brisas while I was on externship and had wanted me to come down and visit to see if it would be the right fit for me, it was just a matter of time before I got down there. It just so happened after the Executive Chef drove me to the airport, I was offered a position at the Inn and accepted.
The Executive Chef, Raj had me research a dish out of Ma Gastronomie by Fernand Point. It was called Becasse Pyramide or Woodcock Pyramide. Now, first a woodcock is a type a game bird. Not only that it is considered the "king" of game birds. I have to say, it was soooooo good. The birds themselves only have a certain season and are quite expensive. But for this dish, there is no substitution for this bird, nothing could match up to the flavor. After now giving everyone insight on the bird, now the recipe. Fernand Point was a chef in Lyon, France who was the father of Nouvelle Cuisine (meaning focus on vegetables, use of purees, etc.). Well, in his book a great deal of recipes don't have measurements because unlike Escoffier where everything was by the books and this was the procedure, Point believed that perfection was achieved through trial and error. It was up to you as the cook to determine what was perfect, what was of highest quality.
So the recipe is comprised of the roasted woodcock with all the organs except the gizzard. After roasting, the organs are reserved and combined with seared foie gras and mustard, chopped and passed through a sieve to create a pate. The woodcock is then broken down into four pieces, shallot is sweated in the leftover foie fat with thyme, deglazed with brandy and the bones are then added to that and a sauce is formed with game stock and red wine reduction. Then you take brioche, toast and spread the pate on top of it. Strain your sauce and arrange your roasted woodcock on the plate.
I had to de-feather the woodcock.
Other than getting that opportunity to cook that dish on Tuesday, I saw many other things. Sunday I walked into brunch service and got to try two dishes.
Local Yonderway Farm "Scotch Eggs"
Red Ace Spinach, Broken Arrow Ranch Venison Ham, Savory Crumble, Red-Eye Gravy
Traditional Cassoulet Touloussain
Southern French stew of white beans, lamb, duck, sausages, garlic and thyme
Later that night I stayed with Zach to help put out a dinner and I got a snapshot of one course he sent out.
Fresh Asparagus Salad with citrus, black truffle, asparagus puree and poached egg
And this was a leftover slice of truffle I got to enjoy.
Below is a picture of the restaurant at the Inn from afar and the rest is going to be a photobombing of the property.
Now, the rest of the photos are from the property. I forgot to mention that the Inn has about two dozen acres of land and greenhouse space that is USDA Certified Organic in which they source all there produce from and if its not from there, its sourced locally. I got excited taking my tour of the property, I spent two hours eating vegetables and it was amazing. Its seeing produce like that, that gets me excited about work and my career and food! As well all the food is taken care of, its respected, everything on a plate has the same respect and if not, the vegetable is showcased more than the protein. Thats how the food is treated at the Inn and everything is done in a correct manner and has to meet a high quality and standard set by Raj and Zach. Honestly, I'm excited for the next step, I know its going to be alot of hard work but I know I'm going to grow and learn so much where I'm going. I made the right choice and I'm really looking forward to it.
-Garrett
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Making It Yours - Concepts and Ideas
My friend Jesse and I were talking food while we were drooling over our delivery containers of Chinese food the other night and we had started talking about alot of different things. I woke up this morning and was checking over other blogs and emails and decided that restaurant concept would be a pretty good topic to write about. I've been in a super good mood and have been wanting to write because its something I've missed doing so much.
Jesse has the set of Modernist Cuisine in his room and I was flipping through the book on equipment and techniques because I was brainstorming a post to write about new cooking techniques and we got on the topic of Sous Vide and Jesse had come across a recipe for steamed mussels done sous vide and no offense to anyone who loves the concept of sous vide but we thought that was so stupid!
This recipe we came across spawned into food we like and we would serve if we owned our own restaurant. Jesse knows and along with even my own family, I love French food. Also going with that I love the practice of French technique and even so along with that I love the idea of trying to bring forth French practice in a new light that doesn't follow so close to a heaviness of Haute Cuisine, trying to get bring it in a contemporary light. But as much as I find all these ideas of looking at a fine dining restaurant doing so, what I truly love is the idea of following close to a contemporary side of French cuisine but sticking close to just making it good. If i go to a restaurant and they offer Moules Frites, chances are I'll get it, Steamed Mussels with French Fries....Its simple, its straight forward, its good and thats the side of French food I love. Steak Frites, Steak and French Fries and don't get me wrong I'd take it further with a simple bone marrow compound butter, and properly made jus lie, Bearnaise sauce made to a high standard its all about sticking close.
But here's where the question came up, I want to own a Bistro and don't get me wrong French food is good but there are some amazingly simple things in this world that are not French. I asked Jesse, would it be acceptable for a Bistro to reserve a spot on a menu for risotto. Jesse said it would be because its your place. You can make it yours, and then I thought if I can indeed put risotto on the menu, what truly matters is that it is delicious and properly made, the grains of rice are cooked to perfect al dente, "the wave" or alla onda is present, the risotto doesn't form a concrete block in the bowl, just a simple bowl of properly made risotto fit enough to present to that of an Italian mother and not be exiled from the country for disgrace.
Jesse did make a great point though, he said that if he only opened a an Italian restaurant featuring only everything he could get from Italy (i.e. produce, pasta, etc.) it would make him limited. Yes he would be following strict guidelines to a certain area of cuisine but it takes away from all the great things that could be found local. He would have no way to support his local economy through buying local and he wouldn't be showcasing all these great items from around his establishment.
In reality its your restaurant or establishment and your ideas, its just what can you do to make it good. Its all your ideas and concept. So do what you love and cook with passion, I think you'll be sure to have a smiling customer sitting at table 42.
-Garrett
Jesse has the set of Modernist Cuisine in his room and I was flipping through the book on equipment and techniques because I was brainstorming a post to write about new cooking techniques and we got on the topic of Sous Vide and Jesse had come across a recipe for steamed mussels done sous vide and no offense to anyone who loves the concept of sous vide but we thought that was so stupid!
This recipe we came across spawned into food we like and we would serve if we owned our own restaurant. Jesse knows and along with even my own family, I love French food. Also going with that I love the practice of French technique and even so along with that I love the idea of trying to bring forth French practice in a new light that doesn't follow so close to a heaviness of Haute Cuisine, trying to get bring it in a contemporary light. But as much as I find all these ideas of looking at a fine dining restaurant doing so, what I truly love is the idea of following close to a contemporary side of French cuisine but sticking close to just making it good. If i go to a restaurant and they offer Moules Frites, chances are I'll get it, Steamed Mussels with French Fries....Its simple, its straight forward, its good and thats the side of French food I love. Steak Frites, Steak and French Fries and don't get me wrong I'd take it further with a simple bone marrow compound butter, and properly made jus lie, Bearnaise sauce made to a high standard its all about sticking close.
But here's where the question came up, I want to own a Bistro and don't get me wrong French food is good but there are some amazingly simple things in this world that are not French. I asked Jesse, would it be acceptable for a Bistro to reserve a spot on a menu for risotto. Jesse said it would be because its your place. You can make it yours, and then I thought if I can indeed put risotto on the menu, what truly matters is that it is delicious and properly made, the grains of rice are cooked to perfect al dente, "the wave" or alla onda is present, the risotto doesn't form a concrete block in the bowl, just a simple bowl of properly made risotto fit enough to present to that of an Italian mother and not be exiled from the country for disgrace.
Jesse did make a great point though, he said that if he only opened a an Italian restaurant featuring only everything he could get from Italy (i.e. produce, pasta, etc.) it would make him limited. Yes he would be following strict guidelines to a certain area of cuisine but it takes away from all the great things that could be found local. He would have no way to support his local economy through buying local and he wouldn't be showcasing all these great items from around his establishment.
In reality its your restaurant or establishment and your ideas, its just what can you do to make it good. Its all your ideas and concept. So do what you love and cook with passion, I think you'll be sure to have a smiling customer sitting at table 42.
-Garrett
Sunday, February 12, 2012
The Little, Simple, Forgotten Things - Meat and Fish Part 3!
A closing to this post series (for now atleast!).
We'll venture into the side of poultry and seafood. Poultry in alot of ways is so incredibly utilized. Think about it, you get a whole chicken and break it down into eight pieces (or whatever your heart desires) and in the end your left with a carcass. So you cut some mirepoix, through that carcass in a pot with water and make stock. But move towards a duck per say and your yield is less just because of the animal. A ducks structure is different than a chickens and its hard to use a whole duck because of how much fat is on one animal. If your good, you'll render all the fat and have duck fat laying around in house to cook with. You can roast the bones and make brown stock, but I found a tasty treat with duck. Duck wings, now it might sound odd since every American is used to a typical hot wing being that of a chicken but duck wings. Yes you get alittle less meat on the bone BUT you have a powerful, flavorful crispy skin when fried and not only that, but a pound of them starts at 80 cents. The real question is do you have the customers who would eat that, etc, the list could go on but duck wings I've found to be a hidden gem.
Seafood is something that I love alot and a properly cooked piece of fish can be outstanding and beautiful. We talk here at school about fish sustainability, and eating fish that are in full populations and leaning away from tuna and such but also really crappy fish like farm raised Atlantic Salmon and such. But out there, there are some fish that are amazing (getting a customer market to go outside to try them is another story but you can always try). Skate isn't really a fish, its a ray and the cut itself looks like a ray (the only edible part) and when cooked correctly, its amazing, soft, tender, moist, like a greatly cooked piece of fish should be. Last time I checked from Foley's Fish, uncleaned skate was 95 cents a pound and cleaned was 1.50 a pound so its super inexpensive. Looking at some fatty and oily fish, sardines are delicious. Not a fish I would have every night of the week but they are inexpensive and taste good but it all comes back to selling them to your customers. But a cut I find amazing, fish collar. Now they typically come off of yellowfish and over in Japan, they are like our chicken wings, they are once again inexpensive and the name is call Hamachi. Literally all you do is grill them and then crisp the skin in the oven, enjoy with rice wine vinegar and grated dikon and its a snack, its bar food! If your a home cook its easy for you to make this but in a restaurant operation, its all about whether your customers would eat it.
That wraps up this blog series (for now like I said) and I'm always game to talking about concepts so leave a comment or if you have a question do the same!
-Garrett
We'll venture into the side of poultry and seafood. Poultry in alot of ways is so incredibly utilized. Think about it, you get a whole chicken and break it down into eight pieces (or whatever your heart desires) and in the end your left with a carcass. So you cut some mirepoix, through that carcass in a pot with water and make stock. But move towards a duck per say and your yield is less just because of the animal. A ducks structure is different than a chickens and its hard to use a whole duck because of how much fat is on one animal. If your good, you'll render all the fat and have duck fat laying around in house to cook with. You can roast the bones and make brown stock, but I found a tasty treat with duck. Duck wings, now it might sound odd since every American is used to a typical hot wing being that of a chicken but duck wings. Yes you get alittle less meat on the bone BUT you have a powerful, flavorful crispy skin when fried and not only that, but a pound of them starts at 80 cents. The real question is do you have the customers who would eat that, etc, the list could go on but duck wings I've found to be a hidden gem.
Seafood is something that I love alot and a properly cooked piece of fish can be outstanding and beautiful. We talk here at school about fish sustainability, and eating fish that are in full populations and leaning away from tuna and such but also really crappy fish like farm raised Atlantic Salmon and such. But out there, there are some fish that are amazing (getting a customer market to go outside to try them is another story but you can always try). Skate isn't really a fish, its a ray and the cut itself looks like a ray (the only edible part) and when cooked correctly, its amazing, soft, tender, moist, like a greatly cooked piece of fish should be. Last time I checked from Foley's Fish, uncleaned skate was 95 cents a pound and cleaned was 1.50 a pound so its super inexpensive. Looking at some fatty and oily fish, sardines are delicious. Not a fish I would have every night of the week but they are inexpensive and taste good but it all comes back to selling them to your customers. But a cut I find amazing, fish collar. Now they typically come off of yellowfish and over in Japan, they are like our chicken wings, they are once again inexpensive and the name is call Hamachi. Literally all you do is grill them and then crisp the skin in the oven, enjoy with rice wine vinegar and grated dikon and its a snack, its bar food! If your a home cook its easy for you to make this but in a restaurant operation, its all about whether your customers would eat it.
That wraps up this blog series (for now like I said) and I'm always game to talking about concepts so leave a comment or if you have a question do the same!
-Garrett
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