Archives for May 2008
Shameless Self Promotion.
30 May 2008 | shameless self promotion | 5 Responses
I wanted to write rap song and wear gold chains and shit but instead I’ll just post these images. A little self-promotion never hurts. My faithful readers know, I’m humble as shit. Above is Baking and Pastry North America. I’m in the same magazine as Pierre Herme and Claire Clark, the pastry chef at the French Laundry. I guess I’m in good company. Remember this dessert? Funny how things work themselves out. Really I have my sister-in-law Keri to thank for this. Her picture of those funnel cakes is gorgeous. The other article is from Bon Appetit. Yeah it’s only two sentences. Fucking Bon Appetit!! Thanks everyone. A lot has happened for me at Ten-01. The life of a cookie baker is a wild ride.
Thanks Arturo.
28 May 2008 | Ten 01, squab, chef, people, delicious, pig | 2 Responses
Here’s a pork loin sandwich created by Ten-01 sous chef Arturo Lopez. Brined and slow roasted pork loin with provolone, pickled shallots, and pea tendril salad. Arturo puts such love and concentration into everything he cooks, I love when he cooks me food. For example, on this sandwich, he puts the shallots in between the slices of cheese so they don’t slide around. He thinks about shit like that. He’s got the love, simply put. He always sends extra food my way or over to the dishers. Like Thai-Style Pork Ribs. Lately I’ve been enjoying the new Lamb set, with the ever-delicious goat cheese gnocchi (which Arturo always makes) and artichokes. I watched him cook me one up the other night. He knew it was for me but he still bent over it in concentration, standing up the pieces just right. Arturo is the kind of chef who watches all day. He even observes when I don’t eat, and then brings me some food. “I saw you ate some fries but…” He knows the mise on my station, so he’s always asking me if I need this or that, and if I know about today’s party. He’ fucking on it. Chingon. I’ve learned so much working with this him that I feel like I’ve known him for years. He humbly knows all I know, and if he doesn’t know he can still do it better than me. He’s always got a better way, from the simple to the complex. Chef and he have been working together for a long time, and I can see why. It’s like father and son almost. Also coming off Arturo’s station is Chef’s new Squab Dish (below.) The legs are meticulously de-boned and stuffed with foie-gras torchon. Then they get bacon wrapped. I haven’t eaten this one yet, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
Eating in Zermatt.
26 May 2008 | Europe, delicious, food | 1 Response
We ate twice at the Stockhorn in Zermatt, Switzerland. We arrived in town on the Glacier Express in snow storm. Big flat flakes blew everywhere. An overgrown golf cart picked us up from the station and brought us to the Albatross Hotel. After checking in, we inquired about the local fondue joint. A short walk from our hotel landed us in a stinky cheese cellar. Travel weary and eager to relax, we ordered wine and beer. Shortly afterwards, a salad and charcuterie plate arrived at our table to our delight. The meat was fatty without being greasy and had nice spice. Steaming and stinky, our cheese fondue was delivered next with toasted bread. Garlic and white wine filled the air, and a slight aroma of vinegar. Drool flooded my mouth as it wafted into my face. There was more melted cheese than we could possibly eat but dammit, we had to try. As we dipped towards the bottom, our pores oozed with oily cheese. I knew the best cheese was burned to the bottom of the crock, all crunchy and dark. I chiseled with my fork to get those last few bites. After eating our fill, we waddled back to the hotel in hopes of hot tubs and glasses of proseco. The following day the hotel served a buffet style breakfast. I ate three croissants, scrambled eggs, bacon, cottage cheese, two kinds of dried meat, yogurt , and buttered bread. Afterwards, we frequented swiss bakery fuchs, where the smell of chocolate lured us into to melty heaven. We sat around our hotel most of the day, sporadically venturing out for snacks. We wanted to catch a glimpse of the Matterhorn, but as much as it teased us we never did. We watched old Frank Sinatra movies and BBC sitcoms while drinking and playing cards. Our hotel room in Zermatt was one of the nicest we stayed in. Later that night we wandered down to the StockHorn again. We sat in the upstairs dining room this time, with a great view of the fire place. Here all the proteins were cooked. A server would bring up little plates of raw meat from the kitchen. Dude would then toss them all into a bain of marinade for a few minutes , then throw them on the grill. I ordered beef tenderloin (44 francs,) and sure enough, right into that sticky sauce, then onto the grill. As we watched it leave the flames, a server dished out sides from a chafing dish near the grill. Au gratin potatoes and sauteed veggies met the steak on the plate. It all came to the table moments later with a crock of garlicy compound butter. Kate and I split the perfectly temped beef and side salad. As the night got rolling, dude flew through his orders, a blur of motion. A little intercom on the mantle kept him in touch with the kitchen. This guy cooked fifty or so steaks plus chicken, as we ate and watched. The night winded down and we drank more wine. We walked dreamily back to the hotel for more chocolate and sleep. The following day we would travel to France.
Here’s a New Dessert.
18 May 2008 | Ten 01, plated dessert, dessert | No Responses
Actually, it’s an one that Tony taught me, I give it a little spin with caramelized banana’s and creme anglaise. It’s a brownie base, peanut butter crunchy layer, and milk chocolate mousse. Peanut florentine cookie garnishes. I’m also doing Bailey’s Creme Brulee with double chocolate cookies. Fucking Fantastic! A weird and interesting dessert was Melon in Lime Syrup with Crispy Phyllo and Black Pepper Ice Cream (below.) It was an adaptation of one of David Lebowitz’s ideas from his book the Perfect Scoop. Damn Tasty. As we roll into summer I’m trying to get more frozen treats on the menu, y’know ice creams and such. I made a Mint Chip the other day that was probably the best ice cream I have ever made. Fresh and minty, I ate it right from the machine. Soon I will unleash it on the public. I also saw some good berries at the farmer’s market this saturday. Hopefully I can get some soon to make short cakes. Hey, check out this web comic I found today: Obscene Cuisine by John McDowell. It’s all about restaurants and written by an actual disgruntled chef. Funny shit.
A Kick Ass Meal in Paris.
14 May 2008 | Europe, delicious, food | 6 Responses
In the 6 th arrondissment of Paris, a stone’s throw from the hotel where we stayed, sits Le Comptoir. This tiny little bistro offers some of the best food I have tasted in my life. It was so good, Kate and I ate there twice. The first time we had simple bistro food, She the Tuna Salad, me the Foie Torchon. Our cheese plate arrived with a big honkin’ slab of raw milk butter, sprinkled with sea salt. The cheese and butter where at a perfect temperature, and all melted in out mouths like…well, like butter. Butter Rules!! We enjoyed our outdoor seats with cheap carafes of red wine, despite the chill air. The bistro provided snugly blankets and strong heaters were installed in the awning above us. Peopled strolled by peeping our cheese and our silly grins. Paris!! Afterwards we hit up the close by Bar Dix, where we drank sangria until we where ready to stagger over to our hotel. We knew we’d be back to both these places. A few days later we got up early and walked almost forty blocks for an American breakfast before taking the train out to Versailles’ regal palace and it’s acres of gardens. A thirty minute ride from our area of Paris put us in walking distance of this gigantic estate. We mainly went out there to see the expansive gardens and sculptures/fountains. Unfortunately, in spring time, nothing is in bloom and the fountains are turned off. We did go out on the lake in a row boat, and push our way through the crowds of people in the palace and see some really cool stuff. When were done…we were getting hungry. We hit th
e train back to Paris and headed straight for the bar. On the way we made reservations at Le Comptoir, the five-course pre-fix menu started seating at 7:30. Good wine and cheese were in the forecast. We sat down and cozied up under the warm blankets again and watched passersby and ordered a bottle of pinot noir. The scene was set for the best meal of our trip. The bread they put out was crusty and fresh. The first was a Cremeux de petit pois et perle du Japon Chair de tourteaux. It tasted like a split pea soup with tasty ham and a warm, foamy texture. On the plate were two cheesy gougeres, ideal for dipping. The sun started to set and traffic slowed on the street. The wine flowed as we awaited the next course. Soon came a steaming bowl of clam and truffle risotto topped with grilled asparagus and parm chip. Holy shit, dude…that was money. I licked the bowl. The pace of the meal quickened as our next course wafted up to the table. The first artichoke of the season was nicely charred over breaded veal. The sauce was an a jus pistou, which tasted like veal demi and pesto. A thin cracker was the perfect garnish: deliciously functional. I was proud of Kate, she almost cleaned her plate. We caught our breath for a minute while our server cleared. More wine was poured and we giggled and chatted. Suddenly, there was enough cheese for 30 people. Seriously. A huge silver platter of assorted fromages, jams and house made jellies. There was no way two people could eat this cheese, and just the idea of it was one of the greatest dining experiences of my life. Gluttony in it’s highest form. The cheese was at perfect temperature, from stinking logs to thick chunks from hard wheels. We gorged ourselves on unpasteurized cheesiness. We ate until I thought I would burst. People on the sidewalk gawked at the display. If I ever have to die one day, I hope it happens while eating raw-milk cheese. I could go out like that. Reluctantly, we finally waved the platter away, our server spun it around and put it on the table right next to us. Viva la France. Incredibly, they then brought dessert. A tall wedge of Valrhona milk chocolate mousse cake with a minty sorbet and an impossibly thin cookie. The Chef, Yves Camdeborde, popped out onto the sidewalk and asked about our meal. We smiled and nodded and thanked him for the best one we’d had in Paris. We headed back to Bar Dix and it’s Nirvana playing jukebox. We drank sangria and laughed at ourselves until we got sleepy.
Cinco de Mayo Weekend.
11 May 2008 | chef, beer, food, jeff | 4 Responses
On Saturday I rolled into work and found out I’d be doing an off-site catering event. I scrambled to get my prep done so I could be off to the Portland Indie Wine Festival. We were serving Chef’s delicious Cauliflower Panna Cotta with Dungeness Crab Salad and Trout Roe. We got there a little late and by the time we set up our table, throngs of people surrounded us. The panna cotta was flying off our display at such a rate at first we were totally going down, even though we had brought about six hundred of them. It was all we could do to keep up. After the initial rush, we noticed people
were setting our little appetizer cups into their wine glasses so they could walk, talk, and eat. There was some cool stuff at this event, but the general consensus was that we had the best food. Some folks came back three or four times. We sold every single one we brought, and after cleaning up, we took a quick cab back to the restaurant to help with a busy night of service. Kate and her friend showed up for happy hour, and I knew Jaybill and Keri were coming in for his birthday dinner. With 80 something on the books we were in for a fun night. While the boys cooked their assess off, put up a multi-course (eight?) tasting dinner for my brother and his wife, I played gopher-boy for the line and plated desserts. I brought Kate a dessert sampler platter, and my brothers table had three dessert courses. They were gushing with satisfaction at thier meal. The following day, Chef threw a party at his house for Cinco de Mayo. I got up early and made empanadas with sausage and cheese. I started drinking PBR early and by 4:00, I was completely shnaukered. The sun was out, Salty Dogs were poured, and I made a dipping sauce from all the available items on the buffet. Guac, , sour cream, ceviche, bean dip, and who knows what all went in there. I got hella sick and stunk out the bathroom. It was a nightmare of clogged sinks, overflowing toilets, no paper, and people were pounding on the door!! I was embarrassed, but party kept on, and among friends all was well. We’ll remember this party. I fell of early, and Kate picked me up and we hit up Kennedy School for burgers and cheesecake.
Google Search: Jeff McCarthy
8 May 2008 | jeff, news | 1 Response
Faithful readers, I am number TWO on the first page of Google search : Jeff McCarthy. I’ve finally made it onto the first page and that theatrical performer Jeff McCarthy better watch his ass. Seriously folks, I’m blowin’ up!! The Olive Oil Beignets were mentioned in Bon Appetit, and Pastry and Baking North America is doing a regional showcase on me this month. Jaybill also uninstalled Windows Vista from my laptop, and with XP, I’m blogging extreme!! Actually, I’m busy as shit and haven’t had much time to sit in front this machine. I’ve got a couple things in the works however so stay tuned!!
Eating in Italy Part I.
2 May 2008 | pastries, Europe, food | 7 Responses
In Malcesine (Mal-CHEE-see-nay,) Italy, we had the most amazing pastries. I think technically they were cookies, made from some kind of short dough, but there they called them Balls of Snow. Sure I had pizza and pasta, but it wasn’t until I ate these things that I knew I was in for some really interesting food. Balls of Snow are apparently only available in Malcesine, and can be a little tricky to eat. From what I could taste, this was a butter cookie of some sort, that while still warm from the oven was slathered with a filling and rolled into a ball. Then once cooled, a topping or glaze was added. After I started stuffing my face, it didn’t matter, they were brilliant, and fun to eat. I had other pastries in Italy, none that really stick out in my mind. Eating there was all about showcasing fresh ingredients, and this really came through on the savory side of things. In Limone, I had pizza that was so simple, yet so perfect, it left me speechless. Well, more like slurping, but you get the idea. One of our best meals was in Bellagio, at a little place called Barchetta. We walked up this little stairway/sidewalk, sat in the sun and had the lunch of a life time. We had bruscetta, then I had the Gorgonzola Gnocci, and Kate Spaghetti Carbonara. We washed it down with a 4 euro carafe of wine and were absolutely sated. I went inside to pay the bill and tipped the cook directly for an amazing meal. It was so good, that night we went back for dinner. At 7 pm, the dining room above the street opens up, and they serve even more good food. We shared a plate of Pan Fried Lake trout over Parmesan Rissotto, and of course more cheap wine. Our dessert was creme brulee (below,) but not in the traditional presentation. The custard was quenelled onto the plate and bruleed in a free-form way…on the black plate it looked sharp. Kate looked at me with that special look she’s got, and we knew we’d had another great meal. It was just enough to push us into a full fledged food coma. We slept like babies that night. Fat babies.
