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pedro

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    My last -- and anyone's best -- shot at elBulli

    in Food Traditions & Culture

    Posted

    People not meeting that criteria is very --even by elBulli's terms-- unlikely that would have gotten a table this last season. Usual meals at elBulli --I know that's a contradiction-- fare in the high thirties, low forties. But this being their farewell season Adria's stated goal is that everyone who makes it there leaves with the feeling "this is my best/uniquest elBulli's meal ever". And they manage to achieve it.

    PS: I kind of remember the hare blood not having blood at all but some sort of elaborate hibiscus juice. I may be wrong.

    "Modernist Cuisine" by Myhrvold, Young & Bilet (Part 2)

    in Cookbooks & References

    Posted · Edited by pedro (log)

    I missed that throne. How does it look like?

    You can see it in the photo set uptopic.

    Thanks, Chris. I didn't miss it then, simply thought it was a very good packaging to prevent damages on the long journey home --mine, I mean-- but not a permanent case. I was surprised too that it didn't fit in the acrylic box, until "well, the kitchen manual should probably be in the kitchen" occurred to me. I'd rather it'd come with a "proper" and permanent case but I concede that it's a very minor flaw, at least to me.

    My last -- and anyone's best -- shot at elBulli

    in Food Traditions & Culture

    Posted

    I hope we could get Iuzzini's feedback on Roca's desserts. Jordi Roca, the youngest brother, is one of the most talented pastry chefs I know. He, Alex Stupak and then perhaps Albert Adria as a distant third, when he was still playing this game. But then the same can be said about Stupak, I guess...

    Chances are that on a first visit elBulli will rock your socks off. Don't underrate Can Roca, easily the most solid restaurant in Spain right now --and for several years!

    "Modernist Cuisine" by Myhrvold, Young & Bilet (Part 2)

    in Cookbooks & References

    Posted

    I would not say that the blurring the lines of sweet and savory is one of the "main characteristics" of modernist cuisine. Yes, that trend did occur. Very specifically it was a phase that Ferran experimented with during a specific time period. Heston also has some savory ice creams.

    However, these are just a few examples of MANY things that occured in the cuisine, so I would not call it a "main characteristic". We discuss that a bit. However, our book is not a pastry book, so we don't cover modernist pastry.

    I'd argue that it was something that altered for good the menus and the structure of a meal --in Occident-- as we knew them. Also, you can still find it at elBulli as recent as barely a month ago, not to mention places like Klein's or Roca's. It is certainly remarked in one of elBulli's books --one of the first was Albert's "Los postres de El Bulli" (El Bulli desserts)-- in the evolutive analysis section.

    I agree that it's one of the many things that occurred in the cuisine. Certainly not the main one, which to me would be the new look at food, bringing playfulness as well as intellectuality to the plate, being technique a necessary development --and a new degree of freedom too.

    I also disagree that use of pastry techinques is a "main characteristic". I think that it is more accurate to say that pastry has a mindset of careful measurement and strong reliance on technique. Modernist cuisine shares that philosophy. However, modernist cuisine did not simply appropriate traditional pastry technique for savory food.

    No, it did not simply appropriate traditional pastry technique. And probably the transition from pastry to modernist pastry has been as remarkable as the savory. Jordi Roca's or Stupak's creations rapidly come to my mind.

    The modernist revolution section traces the many threads that are woven into what we call modernist cuisine. In terms of chefs the earliest instigator of modernist cuisine was Ferran Adria, and yes he is from Europe - more specifically Spanish, and more specifcally than that Catlan.

    Ferran was a young Catlan chef, cooking under a French chef at a French restaurant owned by a German doctor in Northern Spain (Catlunya). He initally sought to learn French Nouvelle Cusine. When the chef left Ferran started innovating on his own.

    I suppose that makes his cooking European, but then what do you say to the many Asian influences that he has used over the years? Is soy sauce, or Kobe beef or kombu seaweed "genuinely European"? He uses them....

    Mostly his cuisine is deeply original. It draws from European culinary traditions, but not exclusively so.

    Due to Ferran and others, many of the early modernist techinques were developed in Europe. However there were some developments that were done first in the US. Harold McGee championed science in the kitchen with his book in 1984. Sous vide started in a Swedish hospital system, but the first sous vide food served to a restaurant guest was in the US.

    More generally I don't know what "genuinely European" means. It is a strangely nationalistic way to look at this.

    "Genuinely" is --definitely-- a poor choice of word. Originated in Europe and with more followers in Europe would have been a better way to express what I intended. Nonetheless, Europe not being a nation, it's also strange to describe the idea as a "strangely nationalistic way to look at this". Not more nationalistic way than saying that Nouvelle Cuisine started in France. Which I'd say is relevant when talking of history.

    I wasn't referring to European as something directly traceable in the dishes or giving some sort of common background to them, purely a geographical reference.

    I'm curious about the modernist developments which were done first in the States. Not challenging your assertion, it's simply that I don't know them.

    PS: congratulations on the deal with Taschen!

    "Modernist Cuisine" by Myhrvold, Young & Bilet (Part 2)

    in Cookbooks & References

    Posted

    A question that's been going around my mind for a few days. One of the main characteristics of modernist cuisine, from Adriá to Blumenthal, is the use of pastry techniques in the savory realm, and generally speaking, the blurring of well defined borders separating the world of desserts and the savory courses. I haven't received --YET!!!-- my copy, so I can't determine for myself how much this may have caused a negative impact on the perspective offered of modernist cuisine practitioners.

    Also curious about whether the History chapter, specifically its section on "The modernist revolution", portraits this movement as genuinely European.

    PS: Nathan, no PR events in Spain, the craddle of Modernist Cuisine? Shame on you! :-P

    Cooking with "Modernist Cuisine" (Part 1)

    in Cooking

    Posted

    Does MC include an enhanced method to make glace, demi and reduced stocks? I mean, usually these preparations include browning a bunch of bones and vegetables in the broiling. Does MC provide an alternative to this? I was thinking that perhaps they've tried blowtorching like they did with the sv + blowtorch as an alternative for grilling steaks.

    On a more broad note, it would be interesenting to renew the Guide Culinaire or Mastering the Art of French Cooking applying MC's approaches to their recipes.

    "Modernist Cuisine" by Myhrvold, Young & Bilet (Part 2)

    in Cookbooks & References

    Posted · Edited by pedro (log)

    The price tag is completely different, but I'd look at how many copies have been sold of "On Food and Cooking" since its first edition to the present day. And I'd venture that the demand for MC will be significantly higher.

    I just ordered from Amazon.com since I'm tired of Amazon.ca excuses. Any chance that my order would still be fulfilled with the first edition? Or is it too late for that?

    "Modernist Cuisine" by Myhrvold, Young & Bilet (Part 1)

    in Cookbooks & References

    Posted · Edited by pedro (log)

    Response from Amazon.ca's customer support:

    Thank you for writing to us at Amazon.ca.

    We are sorry for the delay in completing your order.

    Sometimes unexpected fluctuations in supply can add time to our original availability estimate. We have learned that "Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking" is now back-ordered, and our supplier is not able to tell us exactly when they expect to have more in stock. I apologize that you were not notified sooner of this change.

    Further, I can assure you that we are working hard to obtain this item for you and we will ship it as soon as we are able to obtain it. This means that we will ship the item as soon as we receive it from our suppliers.

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