Adam Balic
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Posts posted by Adam Balic
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"Maybe this is the heart of the matter for me. I can see no positive aspect of ignorance. If somebody has the right to be ignorant, then do I not have the right to educate them?"
Not in a democracy. People have the right to remain ignorant. You might have the right to encourage them to educate their palates, but it's something that is voluntary. That point encapsulates both the good part and the bad of a democratic system. People are allowed to vote the wrong candidate into office and people are allowed to eat their steaks overcooked. But telling people how *they have to* eat their steaks is the same as telling people what books they can or can't read. No mind police here please. And no palate police either. You have the right to associate with like palates, which I guess is why you are on eGullet.
Can you have a democracy that has the right to remain ignorant? Which model of democracy is this? I know of at least several dozen. Ignorance is the death of democracy of any model. Oh, I will not burn steaks, just as I will not burn books
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As to the rights of the dish, they do not supercede the rights of the diner.
Even if the diner is ignorant of what are the inherent qualities of the dish?
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Another point is that there seem to be plenty of restaurants out there serving rare lamb as pink, so the customer gets confused as to what the hell "pink" means.Maybe we need a colour chart on the menu
Certainly a colour chart that points out the difference between pink and blue.
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There is one thing I don't totally understand in this episode. Why would a well done Italian bisttecca be any more "tough, tasteless and dry" than the well done American T-Bone that this table of Americans knows and loves? I'm assuming it is because the European beef has not the marbling of USDA Prime or even Choice, but I would also expect a well done T-Bone to be tough, tasteless and dry in any language.
Oh, I only used this example as that is what I saw. Yes, it doesn't really matter were the meat came from or what nationality the people were, the issue was that they were ignorant of the qualites of meat.
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Well you have shifted gears from a restaurant where they are paying money to your home where they are your guests. You are just saying that in your home there are certain rules that guests must live by and not mixing Montrachet and lemonade is one of them. But to be honest about it, if you had a guest who was insisting on mixing white wine with lemonade, they wouldn't insist on Montrachet. You could go give them buggers wine and they would be happy. This reminds me of a story my friend Gora told me last night. He had bought two cases of 1983 Guigal La Mouline in Switzerland which a friend stored for him at his house. Unbeknownst to the friend, the wife drank the wine up over time. Even giving away bottles to her friends as gifts. So when Gora shows up to collect the wine, she tells him she drank it all and told him she had bought wine to replace it with which turned out to be Gamay. So that is what's wrong with your example. People who mix wine with lemonade, won't insist on Montrachet. And people who know anything about food would have happily kept the steak in all it's rarities. But people who *want to eat and drink what they like* in spite of all admonitions are entitled to. And you have the choice of not inviting them to your home again.
Forget about the location or the actual food item. To take your example, I would say that what that woman did was wrong because she did it in ignorance. On the Flip-side Andre Simon had a crystal tankard that he drank lesser chapagne out of (had stars etched in the bottom, so that the champagne would create streams of bubbles from those points). He did this with full knowledge of the merits of the product he was drinking ie cheap fizz to have some fun with.
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It's a matter of ignorance that the diner doesn't understand the nature of the meat. No one can deny the right to remain ignorant. It is undeniably an American right, but I haven't found another country where it's not a commonly supported principle whether or not it's a right upheld by law.
Maybe this is the heart of the matter for me. I can see no positive aspect of ignorance. If somebody has the right to be ignorant, then do I not have the right to educate them?
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What you're doing, Adam, is to impose your own taste on that of your friend (either way round in your example). You have never in your life tasted Montrachet with lemonade. How do you know it doesn't taste better than Montrachet alone ? Or better than lemonade alone ? Is your problem related to the price of Montrachet, or it's quality, or its inherent esoteric value?
No, I am imposing my respect for the product. At an extreme I may even go as far as to say that even if Montrachet (were ever "Montrachet" is mentioned think "Ultimate expression of an Ideal food -stuff") did taste better with the addition of lemonade, it shouldn't be drank in such a manner.
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Would you put blackcurrant juice into Moet ?
No I would not, unless for a childrens drink. I would use decent Cassis instead, as Moet is by and large pretty dull stuff.
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"Is it correct to mix lemonade with my Montrachet if I wish to?"
It isn't correct but you have the right to do it.
Why? If I was giving a dinner party and somebody did this then I would not offer them the Montrachet again (would you). Ego, I don't think they have the right to do this. This is not simply a case of them being in my home, if I bought the Montrachet to their home and they added lemonade, then I would make sure they didn't get a second glass (I would give them St. Veran instead).
Is this wrong? Is it more terrible to be rude then ignorant?
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Borlolti beans (Pinto beans in the US?), they have "meaty" taste to them, use them as a base. Need texture componant next. Shredded duck breast? No, that's wrong isn't it. Uh, some of fancy Japanese mushrooms (Enoki?), they taste good grilled (with bacon, but that's wrong too right?). Can I use eggs?
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Do the rights of the individual out-weight the rights of the dish?
LOL, let's have a United Nations Dish's Rights Week
Actually, Adam, I think you're talking about the rights of the chef and not the dish.No, no my good sir you misunderstand! Definately the "Dish", not the "Chef". Just because Darwin went all pro-creationist on his death bed, this doesn't mean that his original ideas had any less merit. The Chef may be the creator, but they are not the creation, which is the important bit.
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In my humble opinion certain dishes can be prepared in such a way as to be ultimately detrimental to the final success of the dish and therefore, resulting in a diaspointing experience to the diner. Be that as it may, is it the right of the individual to insist on a faulty preperation? Is it correct to mix lemonade with my Montrachet if I wish to?
Oh, Australians aren't Sly, we are honest salt-of-the-earth types.
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Whilst, in Florence recently I observed an American family (this isn't an American bash, the people in question just happened to be Americans) ordering a Bistecca (Large English cut T-bone). It came to the table in all its juicy glory on a large platter. When the family tucked in they were very distressed as it had been cooked raw, so they sent it back to be cooked well done. They then complained that it was tough, tasteless and dry. Later they mentioned to another American couple that they had this problem a few times and at the last resturant the chef came out and told them to never order this dish again.
Now my personal opinion is that they ruined the dish and that to enjoy it you have to have if fairly rare (this is immaterial, so no "I prefer my steak cooked "X" comments). But, were that family "right" in ordering the dish the way they prefered it, even if it mean destroying what they chef felt was the entire point of the dish? Do the rights of the individual out-weight the rights of the dish?
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Cabrales - there are many species involved and what the French prize may not be the same as what is sold in te USA. I will look at my fish notes tonight to come up with a name for you. In Australia Skate/ray is (mostly) sold as portions of the wings and are about 7 cm thick. In Scotland you get the entire wing, which is rather thin without much meat.
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Jim - you get it from street stalls around Florence, so they move about a bit. On is located outside the Central Market (excellent) on one of the street corners., another is located in a side street , on the near the market with the statue of the wild boar. I went to a left wing/communist Fair in the Fort laast night, they sold Lampredotto there, but is wasn't very good - not enough salt and pepper.
No cardoons or artichokes, too early in the season. You are lucky to have then, even if they are taking over (actually they are quite pretty in a giant thistly type of way).
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On Tuesday I went to a fancy-smacy Chianti Classico tasting (and book launch) in Prato. Much wine, which I will write about later, but excellent food providied by local artisans. Porcetta to die for was provided by the Butcher from Pranzano, who people say is mad. The reason for this is because he served the Porcetta with a sweet chille sauce (similar to the Thai sweet chille sauces). To the locals this is an indication of madness. He also had a fantastic Sopressato (head cheese, brawn etc) made with fennel seeds, orange rind and vin santo, utterly fantastic.
Very good derserts made by the very famous Biscotti maker (who's name excapes me) of Prato. Got very drunk, woke up the next day surrounded by packages of deserts, which I was informed that when I was very, very drunk indeed, of snuck into the kitchen and stole. I have no recollection of this, but I do have a lot of deserts now.
Offal front:
I have fallen in Love. Lampredotto = King of Offal. I was told it was intestines, but it is really the diaphram. Slowly braised until meltingly tender, it has a layer of meat, then a layer of gelatinized collagen. All this cooked in a peppery broth, sliced and put into bun for you on the street. So good, Tripe is merely the John that Baptist, Lampredotto is the true saviour.
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That was it! He said he sometimes made if for certain guests to enjoy Alsation food, though I don't remember the eggs. Must find out if there's a corresponding web site with recipes...
AHA. It's Tarte Flambee: A rich Alsatian dish of puff pastry, with bacon and onion.
When we were in Alsace we nearly died from eating to many Tarte Flambee. Certain palce serve cheap wine and nothing but TF (made with a yeasty dough base, like a pizza), they keep on bringing them out until you say no more, then they bring out a sweet tart for desert (again a yeast dough base). Have made it myself a few times, but it isn't quite feeling having one at home , even if it tastes the same. Will drink more alcohol next time.
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What is "EVOO"? Have seen it mentioned several times but have been to shy to ask waht the hell it is.
If you would like to stop your boy friend from getting the skinless chicken breast things, just refer to them as "Carnivore Tofu" every time you see them, eventually he will stop buying them, as having to listen this is really rather annoying.
Dinner: Rape/Silver beet and riccotta ravioli, Pumkin flower fritters (not zucchini), grilled ribs and bistecca, cake and Vin Santo.
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From the LA Times:
Solved: The Great Zinfandel Mystery
The birthplace of California's signature grape turns out to be Croatia
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo...ne10jul10.story
[Note: You must register in order to access the LA Times archive; registration is free albeit tedious]
On behalf of my entire race I opollogize for the Zinfindel/Primitivo grape. Gaccccck! Except for that delightful Ravenwood wine, but maybe that is only the cool label talking.
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Jim - thanks for the Cardoon advice, I did wonder what to do with that vegetable public hair stuff that grows on the inside on older stalks. Unfortunately they are not in season at them moment, nor are artichokes (no surprise their). I have recipe for cardoons that involves the blanching step, they you place a veal stuffin in the grove of the plant then fry - again will have to wait. We have a car, unfortunately we had a slight accident comming back from the Opera in Fiesola last night, so car trips will have to wait until a few repairs are made. Will catch the train to Cinque terra tomorrow though
.Marc - I have being eating lardo for the last week, all my Italian friends think that is really funny to offer Lardo to the "stanger", so it has been practically comming out of my ears. I like it a great deal, but think that it is a misatke to grill it as some places do.
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Last night I ate Bottarga with white beans in a local trattoria (in Florence). Quite good, although it needed olive oil added, otherwise it was a little too much like fish food in texture.
The Bottarga I originally ate was made from the Golden Grey Mullet, which is a tupe of Grey Mullet found in some parts of the Med. I have also eaten the tuna version and made a version myself from Cod roe. Is Bottarga from a specific fish or is it a word to describe a preperation of dried, salted fish roe?
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Tomato/basil/buffalo mozzarella and olive oil
ravioli stuffed with either: truffle or ricotta and pumpkin or ricotta with spinach (butter and sage dressing)
roast veal loin smothered with fresh porcini
cannelini beans with garlic and sage, rape (beetroot or swisschard tops) with olive oil and garlic
roasted peaches with amaretti souffle "bonnets", gelati crema.
Cooking in Italy is fun.
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Sandra - Yes, I have read Mr. Root's books (bought them in the USA actually), they are brillant. I have just finished Goethe's Italian journal, which has also been a great way of getting into the mood of things here.
Personal Taste
in Food Traditions & Culture
Posted
Oh, I would never not be polite (more Montrachet for me any how).