Vadouvan

I think this is the case .

Jeff, I discussed this with you over dinner, it's interesting because several people had come to the same conclusion. An inteersting development since my dinner with Diann was word has gotten back to me (in fact sent to me) that the kitchen there is pissed off because they felt I trashed thier food unfairly even though I qualify the post by stating they have only been open for 3 days. I actually just read my review again, it wasnt unfair, just a line item description of what we had, I mean really is this nasty ???????? can one not express an opinion or should we just write up glowing reviews of restaurants despite the experience being the opposite.....??? You know it was interesting a few years ago when someone attacked laban for a bad review and I always question why people focus on the messenger and not the message. Clearly there can be a diff of opinion but I think the fact that you are paying for food entitles you to talk about it honestly.. I have always thought the worst thing you can do to people involved in creativity is to tell them they are doing everything perfectly despite the contrary, I wouldnt wish such evil manipulation upon anyone.....besides, it would be unfair to others on the board to knowingly rave about non rave worthy meals just to be nice...... I mean really does anyone actually do that ? I am curious about other's opinion......Percy, Evan, Phil ???

Johnny, I have 3 scales of various resolutions, the point isnt to brag but to inform you that i purchased them all from Brooklyn.... Great store.....http://www.itinscales.com/ Scales for all applications.

Had roughly 2 cups of Fennel Milk brought to just above a simmer, not boiling 1 used slightly less than 1 tablespoon lecithin, waited about 1 minute and frothed it up. Boiling seem to kill the effect of lecithin granules. There is gram ratio but i go with the rough measure and it works fine, cant exacly be whiping up scales on the line to weigh liquids.....

12 hrs is way too short for pork belly, you should cook it for 24 to 48 hrs at 70 C. You can then ice down the bags, portion it cold and then crisp it up on all sides. When you cook it that long, the lean part is actually confited by the fatty part. I just staged at the Fat Duck a while back and they also do 70C 36 hrs....

1. proscuitto panini / Shotglass of melon soup. 2. Fine dice of melon in the middle of bowl topped with a very thin proscuitto chip (dehydrated), soup around....

1. I use grapeseed oil, this particular brand...about $7.50 per bottle. Downtown Cheese as for spices, based on how frequently you cook, not more than 3 to 4 ounces unless you have a specific preparations that require more volume...ie Indian food ect ect. Keep it airtight, cool place, away from sunlight. I feel the spice terminal in RT does a decent job. It should last 6 to 8 months.... this may be a bit much but I keep all my ground fragrant spices frozen, cinnamon, clove ,allspice, star anise. They last much longer and retain intensity. Things like Bay, thyme, rosemary....buy fresh, the dried stuff is crap. 2 To add to Shalmanese's already excellent comments, the key is just to keep it simple, tight, clean and elegant. In my world, the biggest problem with serving food to the wealthy is that thier perception of elegance is F'd up. They want food to be served on garbage like this.... Ugly huh......ughhhh ! But you really just want to go with plain white bright porcelain. Soups with center garnishes ( I believe the french word is salpicon) draw your attention to the center first so that part of the puzzle should be on point. Use ring molds, they dont have to be expensive, you can even use pvc couplings from home depot. If you center the ring like this...... You can then pack it nicely and press down so it hold together..... Leftover Nicoise and when you remove the mold gently, you get....... and you can pour your soup around afterwards.... 3. Shake Shaq.... Yes Evan, I use methocell all the time, remember that seared hot Potato/ham terrine of many moons past......That is what holds it together. Sort of like a high temperature gelatin. The Alginate stuff is fun, dont get me wrong I am all for all the experimentation and so called molecular gastronomy......but I just find that a lot of people are cooking food that is novel in its conception and lacks deliciousness. Things like Methocel and activa however that help you structurally create interesting Items are great, I have just found alginated caviars to be too salty and dying whispers of the items they claim to be....I am very interested in the science of food, I just hauled my ass all the way to Orlando to attend the IFT convention which was just fabulous, you get all the ino from one source... http://69.36.34.245/cms/ Expect some fun tasty things coming...... Lecithin Foams. Use a hand blender, its more of froth/air with a hint of flavor, i didnt want a heavy dairy presence in an otherwise provencal /mediterranean dish. I also use the BAMIX which is the best handblender in the world. It has changeable tips and there is one that generates tons of foam...... Bamix Puree/Foam/Mix 4 Chefs. Chefs are happy to eat and not cook on tier days off, just make something you do well that tastes good. Keep it simple, what do you feel strongest about, perhaps I can add some tips ?

Thanks Jeff, we all benefit from understanding ....some people behave badly in restaurants, some restaurants treat patrons terribly, we just have to meet halfway. In fact i got a book deal a few months ago, detailing little tricks that restaurant use to sucker you... My working title is .. "Dumas party of 4 , your table is ready"......

jeff you can find Carnaroli at Dibrunos and Bomba at Downtown cheese. Arborio just lacks the textural delicay of Carnaroli which cooks better. I actually used Bomba rice out of neccessity a few months ago and now I use it almost exclusively for all risotto, cooks perfectly...is sometimes labelled "calasparra rice". In the biz, we actually refer to it as "Arboring rice"

Dinner Tonight......Nicoise 101 Repeat after me......Knee-swas...... Ok here goes, this whole thing of cooking your dinner and shooting 50 photographs is getting tiresome quickly but this one actually is good, basically the same dish done 2 ways, one for the lazy or time constrained, the other for the ambitious, good thing is they both basically taste the same. There is minimal skill needed here so hopefully this is easy....... Diann, Shaq, Uncle Phil, Bill...... Red Snapper "Nicoise" I basically bought everything for the Nicoise relish out of the bulk containers at whole foods and chooped them up. First off...Fish Red Snapper Reading Terminal....... The fish was pretty fresh but the butchering was a bit on the lame side, you would think Dr Mengele worked there....but since we are getting our rustic on tonite, its OK. REST of The Ingredients..... Roasted Tomatoes Divina Peppadew Oil cured Olives Capers Bouquerones Basil Not that anyone needs to be reminded what basil looks like.... Cilantro Olive Oil Pastis or pernod Chop it all coarsely, leave the capers whole and combine.... You get Zees.. Nicoise Relish NEXT..... get a Fennel Bulb Finocchio Shave it really thin so it cooks.... Speaking of shaving.....if you dont own a japanese mandoline yet, buy one.....best 30 bucks you ever spent.... Benriner Lazy/time sensitive way out.... Layer everything "en papilotte"...actually "en aluminium foil" as it provides a better seal.... Splash with pastis, olive oil, white wine,, Crimp the edges and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 mins... Open it..... Trasnfer to a warm plate with all the juices, serve with crusty bread..... and in my case tonight.......some Albarino... Quite tasty for a bunch of supermarket stuff, one could in fact make the Nicoise a day ahead and the flavors would blend even better......also makes a banging bruschetta. The "less easy" way out. 1. Saute the fish and crisp the skin. 2. Put the fennel scraps in a pot..... add milk, pastis, salt sugar to taste and infuse for 20 mins..... Seperately warm up nicoise relish slightly... Saute the shaved fennel and serve on a plate topped with fish and a nice scoop of the relish Froth the strained fennel milk with lecithin..... You get......zees At the risk of appearing foam obsessed, the fennel foam actually enriches and cuts though the saltiness of the nicoise components. Version 2 actually tastes better due to crispy skin and contrast/caramelization with sauteeing...although version1 is pretty solid and perfect for a weeknight quick dinner.... and no dishes...... Fata paper is a good alternative to foil and much less ghetto than bringing foil packages to the table.........sorta like 400 degree saran wrap.... Gnight all... easy enough ? You want easier ??.....

making Vinegar isnt easy....but you should have no problems if you listen to you MOTHER.....

p.s. You really can't get good wasabi in Philadelphia? Powder Yes of course. The actual root like horseradish.....No. similar to the diff between using fresh and powdered ginger.... night and day.

Gmorning..yesterday was a day without computers, brain needs a vacation now and then. On to your questions. 1. You cant find wasabi in philadelphia. Depending on which tunnel you are rolling into Manhattan with.... Lincoln.........MITSUWA in NJ Holland........SUNRISE MART......Broome/West Broadway or St Marks Place. 2. Pantry staples. The biggest 2 problems folks make with buying staples are 1. They dont buy enough of a variety of stuff to cover more than two cuisines. 2. The succumb to marketing and buy overpriced garbage instead of actual ingredients. VARIETY You just want to get the 3 or 4 basic ingredients that allow you to cook, Italian, Japanese, Frenchie stuff ect ect so you have variety if you supplement with a reasonable spice collection and the proteins of choice, salad greens and herbs. MARKETING I am all for free enterprise but if you are buying food ingredients based on the fact that there are famous faces on the bottles or jars, you are missing the boat........in fact you are at Chelsea Piers and the boat's in Madagascar. Famous people sell grapessed oil in 8 oz bottles for like $12 when you can buy a gallon of it for $15.............so dont waste your money, buy quality artisanal products, store them well and use them wisely, a little goes a long way. Someone PM'd me yesterday saying they liked this thread but i should make it less "preachy". To which I say first of all "preachy" is NOT an Adjective and people come to church on thier own free will, those who dont want to can stay home and watch Stephanopoulous.......but you cant come to church and complain about the preachers tone....... With that said......here are a few goodies.... PANTRY STAPLES Any serious home cook should at least have.. 1. Olive Oil (s) A good basic oil for cooking and more specialty oils for finishing dishes. On the low end, the basic house brand at whole foods for example is great for marinara sauces and cooked applications for $7 and a pretty substantial amount. There are good crossover oils in the mid range (around $15 for 16oz bottles) like Frantoia and Aguibal... More special oils with pronounced Character for salads, uncooked food, finishing dishes. My current favourites.... http://www.olissrl.it/en/oil.html http://www.marquesdevaldueza.com/ A fabulous arbequina..... and of course.... http://www.manni.biz/w2d3/v3/view/mannibiz...e--0/index.html BALSAMIC Villa manodori is my favourite balsamic vinegar. You can buy at Reading Terminal downtown cheese, it is expensive but lasts about 4 months, roughly $9 per month. Second favourite is actually the balsamic at the Olive oil store on Bleecker street in the West Village......and a fraction of the price....... O and CO Flavored Oils and Vinegars are also good. Best flavored Vinegars are by.. Perel, Unio from catalonia and Gegenbauer. Gegenbauer makes some killer flavors as you can see... and then supplemented with other basics. Apple cider vinegar (braggs) Shery Vinegar (any jerez from spain) Rice Vinagar (Mitsukan) Verjus white wine red wine madiera port Brandy. Depending on how serious you are....... The only flavored olive oil I use is lemon scented, currently bartolini Dibruno Cold pressed nut oils are delicious in vinaigrettes and vegetable purees Keller Oil and Montegottero... I would refrigerate these..... Basic japanese staples.. Miso Shoyu Mirin /sake Sansho Togarashi... Sometime I make Dashi....... Most of the time for non actual miso soup dashi needs, I use Shiro -dashi.. Hahn Ah Rhuem...NJ I always have risotto rice, Ferron is my favourite, Vialone and carnaroli. Montsia's BOMBA rice is fabulous too...... I never use arborio rice.... More to come later... Perhaps I shall upload my dinner tonight using all grocery store items and no fancy ingredients... Toodle--oooo Oh percy...your Gazpacho recipe seems right on but I use lightly toasted bread and almonds in mine and then chinois it......just gives it good body and adds that spanish-ish twist.

Bill, Chambolle was definitely not a miss, good stuff indeed I have only used vadouvan with game, specifically squab and partridge. It's very garam masala-ish. Dont laugh but remember that spontaneous trip this spring to Paris on the Eurostar chunnel ? I got it from .......Maison Thiercelin........ in Paris. So far, no luck in the USA, even the dudes at kalustyans were looking at me like I just fell out of the sky..... I became exposed to it while eating at this place.... http://www.sketch.uk.com/downloads/lecturecarte.pdf It was with a squab but no longer on the menu. PG uses a lot of exotic spices. So far the only two restaurants with Vadouvan on thier menus I have seen so far are Bastide in LA / Ludovic Lefebre. Gilt in NYC / Paul Liebrandt. I suppose one should just call and ask them but I wont expect success since Lefebre is French and Liebrandt is English, they probably bought it overseas too. Obviously Liebrandt is influenced by PG.

Speaking of Inspiration..... Here is an example of how everyone benefits. There is probably no 48hr period when I am not on the phone at some point with Alex Talbot. A brilliantly inspirational friend, within a 10 minute phone conversation, the seeds of 20 ideas could be sown, shuffled into the notebooks to be attempted later...... Some even spark old thoughts that have been forgotten and never executed.... Case and point : Alex Talbot and Aki Kamozawa created .... http://ideasinfood.typepad.com/ Recently he posted a topic called "My friend the freezer" inspired by..... http://phatduck.blogspot.com/2006/07/perfecting-purees.html I have always thought about intensely flavored fruit or vegetable consomme's, perhaps served cold as a pure essence of the base flavor. Purees were too thick, juices couldnt be clarified without a centrifuge ......? I just forgot about it. So taking Alex's spark...... I simply pureed 2 peeled seedless cucumbers and 1 ripe green fleshed melon yesterday, buzzed in a pinch of wasabi and froze it overnight....solid. Today I popped it out of it's tupperware, placed the frozen block in a chinois lined with fine kitchen muslin and let it melt undisturbed. The result was a bright vivid green but clear liquid bursting with the taste of melon and cucumber. Simply garnished with some chilled fresh crabmeat, basil oil and some young basil, it made an excellent light cold summer soup for a 98 degree day. Cold Cucumber Melon Soup. Delicious with Gruner Veltliner.. The more we share, the better we all eat......

Percy, apologies.... I just read your question, probably a bit late to add any suggestions at this point but I get the point of the larger question. This thread wasnt devised to turn everyone into a professional cook, it more to illustrate the thought process and mechanics involved in concieving dishes. Great question uncle phil, in fact I have absolutely no professional obligations for the next 9 days and I shall walk around philly and come up with some simple stuff starting tommorow. I love the question of pantry staples, this is key because if one can put together a list of "basics" you should have for baseline deliciousness, it simply leaves picking up your proteins and a few veggies for a tasty dinner...... John, Thanks, its not about any one person, it's about food, the more people know the better. Consider it another phalanx of soldiers in the war against mediocrity. Information is free, knowledge should be too, the more we are inspired by each other, the better we all eat.....

Simple deliciousness ? How about some Ideas, what do you want to learn to make..... Give up a few examples......

Dinner was simple but tasty. I think the dish works, salmon was just barely meduim rare. Untimately served with oxtail and russian porcinis. Without porcini for mushroom allergy girl... and Ultimately, we chose red wines, twin Torbrecks from the Barossa valley and a Molly Dooker "Enchanted Path". Torbrecks rocked.......The Factor is 100% Shiraz and The Descendant is 92%Shiraz,8% Viogner.........very odd....but solid wines to go with the fish and oxtail. Molly Dooker was young but interesting, Parker seems to like it. Read more on thier sites..... http://www.torbreck.com/default.asp http://www.mollydookerwines.com.au/index.html Ok Diann...what's next ?

Daniel Boulud is quoted as saying...."the difference between a good chef and a great chef is the seasoning palate" Seasoning is the biggest culprit in well intended ambitious dishes these days, here is a tip for all cooks home or otherwise..... "Liquid seasoning for minute flavor adjustment" Squeeze bottles. 1. Rice wine vinegar. 2. 30 degree simple syrup. 3 Highly concentrated salt solution. Most F'd up dishes (assuming texture and temp is correct) suffer from sweet salt or acid deficiencies. At the end of most purees or liquid mediums (sauces dressings ect ect.) I adjust flavor with 1 drop of liquid from the squeeze bottles (if needed). It's a great way to make micro adjustments without waiting for salt or sugar to dissolve. 1 drop......and PING! (the sound submarines make when they are looking for other submarines)....... How many times have I seen people adding kosher salt to mashed potatoes and tasting it immediately or in less than 45 seconds and declaring it needs more salt when the salt hasnt even dissolved yet....... Philadelphia is underrated, i just dont understand why all the great meat and produce here gets shipped away...... One other great thing about this city for serious cooks is.......while we dont have the depth of restaurants and celeb chefs as other cities..... We do and they dont have......the serious cooks best friend.... http://www.monell.org/

Update..... Loooooking goooood.... Hierloom Carrots "Chantenay" peeled, chopped, cooked sous vide 90C till soft. Transferred to thermonix, heated with carrot juice, pureed with butter, 1 drop of orange (steam extracted) essential oil. Flavor adjusted with salt, mirin, rice wine vinegar. Almost the same color as the feesh......

Saturday July 29 What to eat tonite .....? Hathor's discussion of pairing her spicy orange powder with pureed vegetables is brilliant, just have to find a way to tie it all together with some dish. I went back to this thread... http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=86937 I think spicy orange dust would be delicious tied into a slow roasted salmon. After bouncing around town from the Italian Market to Reading Terminal to Whole Foods, Whole Foods had the best King Salmon but it was insanely overpriced. As luck would have it however, I had a friend driving into town today from Manhattan so I scored some fish from Citarella on 6th Ave. After using the cure in the Copper River thread.... I got this..... Wild Pacific King Salmon The fish as you see is amazingly fresh and incredibly vivid in color. Though conventional wisdom is to reflect contrast in color plating food, I decided to do carrot puree. Carrots work with orange. Orange works with Meat Salmon works with Lemon. The citrus elements should tie it all together..........hopefully. I intend to use some braised oxtail meat and jus in the dish. I envision a... Slow Roasted Salmon Braised Oxtail Orange Scented Carrot Puree Sherry Vinagar jus. Pretty straightfoward and not too heavy for a hot day. Here is the fish after curing... We shall see how the dish works out tonite.... It's only a 1 course dinner....

oops and I forgot the toast to good friends before dinner..... and there you have it. Fantastic wine, good enough food and a smashing time had by all.

Rest of the food Foie Gras served with.... 89 Zind Humbrecht VT and 2000 Climens Pork Belly served with.. and 90 Hermitage BEEF served with.. Haut Brion was the best overall......Pichon with croquette.

Aunt Stella sounds like someone I should be afraid of.... Especially with you tempestous Italian chicks...... While we were chit chatting, I made a dish to go with your spicy orange dust..... Chilled Tomato Soup Butter Poached Lobster Planeta Olive Oil Orange Dust How's that for quick thinking and plating.....

Interesting Judy....the immediate classics are red wine beef daubes and provencal shellfish stews sort of like the Orange/esplette combination. would be great dusted over marshmallows as a mignardise. What kinda wine ? recioto soave or vin santo ?