Jose Andres

Thanks Patrick in your answer you clarify everything....................But Harold McGee also has a whole chapter on it.......And explains the reason behind it........

Yes if you give me few hours/days I can take you through it slowly........

← Well, When I was 14, I started making Paella with one of the best chefs I've ever known: quick, intuitive, amazing nose.............At a restaurant called L'Antull in the town of Roses, north Barcelona. I learned from this chef, many of the basic techniques that will help you achieve a proper Paella. And in my book (sorry for the publicity) that will be release in November few recipes are given.......with easy to follow suggestions to achieve a great Paella time after time. For the last years I have chefs friends of mine coming to DC to do PAELLA FESTIVALS. I believe that Paella is very misunderstood in USA. There are many reasons. But is changing, quickly. At Jaleo, 10 years ago, people will complaint about WHY THIS RICE IS NO YELLOW? almost never is; WHERE ARE THE SCALLOPS? never has scallops in the traditional way, can be added, but don't tell me this is the real paella, please; WHY THE PAELLA IS HALF WAY EMPTY? a paella pan is only 1/3 to 1/2 full to the rim....NEVER HIGHER...etc......Today people will try ARROZ NEGRO Black rice with fresh squid ink........PICHON CON HONGOS Squab with mushrooms and ETC, ETC, ETC....AND PEOPLE UNDERSTAND MORE AND MORE WHAT IT IS AND WHAT TO EXPECT. FEW very general POINTS: 1.POT Paella is the pan used to cook the dish and gives name to the dish. In Levante, and Catalonia we use many names to refer to a rice dish. ARROZ is one of them, it is the name in Spanish to say RICE. But it is much more than that. IS the name used to describe a dish ( Arroz de conejo) will be ARROZ of rabbit, and etc....But they are many pots used to cook rice dishes and no everything is in a Paella pan. Terracotta, DEEP iron pots for juicy rices, etc..... 2. ARROZ Well I'm sorry. But the only, ONLY rice you can use to do a proper Paella is short grain like CALASPARRA or BOMBA or alikes..ALWAYS from Spain. And from the Levante region.IF you are not willing to go through the trouble (C'mon is plenty of stores across the USA that carry this rice, and if not the web!) you don't really want to see how amazing this rice is. Why this short grain rice?. Well my friends Rice is like a giant molecule with the properties of absorbing liquid and flavor like a sponge. No other rice is like that. Asian rices, Uncle Bens are great for what they are, sushi and other dishes, but not for Paella. The only, ONLY good substitution and only if you are on the top of EVEREST mountain, and you have nothing else is arborio. More to come....

Yes YEs and Yes...America has amazing products plus we can get anything we want from Europe.......Yes DC can support a HIGH end restaurant like the one in San Sebastian and Barcelona........Small and unique............And will be coming in a year or two.....My word

One day a restaurant will be call " Joe Smith Microsoft".................You know.... look at my Minibar....Is a very unique...a very special thing...Everyone around the world is coming to eat( At least important people to me Adria, Keller, Bouley etc) ...only 12 customers per day.......6 to 8 cooks working during all day to make it happen! ...........Has to be paid by someone...Not necesarily by the customer 100%.................... Why I will not let a corporation to be a sponsor?...................The last few centuries we have seen rich monarchs or rich people supporting plays, paintings etc.....Why not cooking?................... One day very soon.........You will understand what I'm talking about....... Jose

It's tough to wake up on a saturday and, even before you've had your first cup of coffee, find out that you've made an ass of yourself. My apologies, Chef. ← Thanks Charles....

[ "...Jose Andres, of Washington D.C., who since signing up with the California Avocado Commission has increased the number of dishes with avocado in them on his menu to eight from two." I will write for first time on egullet. More than 2 Years ago the California Avocado Comission asked me to cook on an event in Baltimore. Because I was a speaker during a Conference there in a panel I agree to do it. They pay me $500......for 2 long hours of work with 2 of my best guys, Money I used as always to take my cooks for dinner to a new restaurant or used in a trip to Spain..........I never signed any long term contract with them. Was a one time thing.So when the WSJ was writing this story last week they try to listen what they want it to listen. They asked me if I have more avocado dishes than before and I said probably yes............Yes because I love avocadoes not because I get paid to include them.......I have a Latin American restaurant. I have a Mexican restaurant. Avocadoes belong there. Do you see avocadoes in Jaleo or Zaytinya or in my incoming cookbook?......Anyway I'm in an Spanish Olive oil promotion......If you know me you know that I have two loves...Olive oil and Spain....Jaleo is full of both things so is a natural match for me to be part of a promotion that involves the country I love so much..no?..........And as you imagine Monday I will write the editor of WSJ for such an inacurate piece...........Gracias