David Ross

Fried foods at State Fairs have become very popular in recent years, moving beyond the days of Elephant Ears, Corn Dogs and huge mounds of twised french fries. Today all manner of sweet and savory, even pickled, foods are deep-fried and served from booths at local and State fairs. Our local fair has plenty of good food to choose from, including bison burgers and wild huckleberry shakes and sundaes. One thing we don't venture into much is a variety of exotic fried delicacies. Fair season is around the corner, so get you stomachs and cameras ready, and show us and tell us what delicious bites you can find at your local fair.

I had a taste for grilling some lamb last weekend. I really don't care for those boned, rolled and tied leg of lamb roasts that you find in the supermarkets. I just have some sort of problem dealing with those darn nets the meat is wrapped into and I often find the meat is broken into uneven chunks. I prefer to buy a bone-in leg of lamb and butcher it myself. Takes some work but then I get two roasts-the one I boned and butterflied and grilled on the barbecue, a bone for the stockpot, then a small bone-in leg of lamb I put in the freezer to roast this fall. I marinated the roast in a mixture of mint, cilantro, basil, parsley, garlic, olive oil and pepper. Just before grilling I seasoned the roast with some salt, that's it. I used regular charcoal briquets and grilled the lamb for about 20 minutes per side over indirect heat. To accompany the lamb I simply cut some heads of romaine in half and dipped them in water to rinse off any dirt, then brushed them with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper and grilled them for about 5 minutes a side. I served the romaine with some of the same, (yet fresh), marinade used on the lamb.

I’ve never considered growing tomatoes. I suppose it’s mainly owing to the fact that I really don’t care that much to eat tomatoes except in pasta sauce. I don’t like raw tomatoes, tomato, basil and mozzarella salad, and I don’t care much for a BLT sandwich. My Father is quite a good gardener, but over the years I’ve watched him struggle with all manner of dusts, sprays and powders to fumigate his tomatoes and fight off crawling, creeping and flying insects. He’s crafted wire barricades and small white picket fences to ward off neighborhood cats and other small creatures, who in spite of his efforts still found ways to burrow under or crawl over his barriers and get to his tomatoes. I’ve watched him launch this never-ending, decades-old war without ever winning. He’s produced hundreds of delicious fruit over the years, but I’ve always thought there had to be a better and cheaper way to grow tomatoes. Then I was watching TV one day….. As a rookie tomato gardener I was looking for the fastest, most economical, maintenance-free method for my first large foray into tomato harvesting. Other than an occasional dose of liquid fertilizer or pre-mixed bug-spray, all I wanted to do was water my tomato plant(s). Nothing else. And given my lack of knowledge into the intricate nuances of the delicate taste variances between the different breeds of tomatoes, I didn’t want to fuss with turning plants at 7am for maximum sun, or setting Italian heirloom tomatoes in Tuscan organic compost or anything complicated like that. Something that “I had seen on TV” would work just fine. I purchased a “Topsy-Turvy Tomato Planter” at my local Home Depot for $9.95. Now if you choose to go the Topsy-Turvy route of cultivation, you are only purchasing the hanging planter device-the nylon hanging planter and the wire hanger and wire hook. You must buy the tomato plants, (2-3 are recommended), the dirt and fertilizer, separately. I purchased 3 tomato plants-1 cherry tomato, 1 yellow tomato and 1 full-size tomato. Unfortunately, I threw out the plastic plant stakes so I can’t report the exact plant breed I purchased. The tough part of the getting started with the Topsy-Turvy is the delicate part of threading your tomato plants through the “bottom” end of the planter. You have to be very gentle and weave the tomato plant through the hole in the end of the planter then secure it with a small sponge. This sponge is what secures the stem of the tomato plant when it hangs upside down. The dirt in the planter, and the weight of that dirt when it gets wet, is what holds the tomato plant “upside-down” and holds it in place-really an ingenious invention. The planter has been up since mid-June and the only task is a daily watering. The planter takes about 1 gallon of water a day. We had record rain in June in Spokane, but the heat came in July and my first blossoms came this week. The plants are growing about 1-2” a day and the stalk is thick and green. Now the tests await. Will the “Topsy-Turvy” produce fruit? Will the weight of the tomatoes pull down the plant and the planter? And the true test. Will the tomatoes taste as good as tomatoes grown the natural way in soil? Do you have a “Topsy-Turvy” tomato planter? Has it worked for you?

"Best Happy Hour?" I do get happy about hamburges, fries and soda, but not really at Sonic--and I thought the term "Happy Hour" involved booze?

I happen to like the "cottage-cut" fries. Maybe that's just an oddball fry that they do at our local franchise. The limeade is good and so is the cherry cola (and sticky sweet for sure). And of course watching their 2010 version of a car hop on roller skates is pretty entertaining. I have to say they were really fast and really adept on those skates at the Sonic Drive-In I went to--albeit I've only gone twice.

Sunny weather has finally decided to come to Eastern, Washington after the third wettest Spring in recorded weather history. And with the arrival of Summer, I thought it might be a good idea to re-generate our discussion of your best Potato Salad recipes. My potato salad starts with homemade mayonnaise. You can find my recipe at the mayonnaise topic here. My potato salad has a Mediterranean accent. I use baby red potatoes, dry-cured Nicoise olives, haricot vert, diced red bell pepper, chives, basil and oregano. I prefer raw red bell pepper because I found roasted red pepper too soft in texture and I didn't like how it turned the color of the mayonnaise red. I toss the potato salad with a good amount of the mayonnaise. This is definately not the traditional mayonnaise and vinegar-based potato salad my Mother made when I was a kid. This potato salad is also good with grilled zuchinni, tuna, grilled chicken and as a side dish for grilled flank steak.

My gosh, I would have flown the 3,000 miles just to get BBQ mutton in NYC! Looked pretty good!

Chris, I believe what you describe as the other "pointed butter knife" was in fact a fish knife for an additional fish course. Just an assumption on my part, but that is most likely what the knife was for. The tiny two-pronged oyster fork was probably intended to do just what you did--to separate the oyster from the bottom shell. But I would think at Le Bernadin they had already shucked the oyster from both shells and tenderly placed it back into the bottom shell, no? In any case, all manners aside and with consideration for the decorum of the place (and if Chef Ripert had been standing next to me), I would have approached this sweet little creature as I always do--which is to down the poor little devil with one swift, natural movement of my hand. No utensils or silly sauces needed. A simply squeeze of cold lemon juice would have been the only accompaniment needed. I would have done my best to respect the other patrons at the tables nearby, but I can't guarantee that my slurpy pleasure would not have been heard. A temple to seafood should be a temple of pleasure indeed. You are not a rube if you are respectful but still enjoying your oysters.

I'm still watching and searching for nuggets of shows that I might like and I agree, I also like "Chuck's Day Off." Last week I saw him do a segment with fish that he got from the fishmonger's that supply his restaurant in Toronto. He prepared a couple of dishes and then had them come in and sit down for a meal with him. It was really a quality show-instructive and informative and he's got some class and style in his delivery that I think is attractive to today's audience. Hats off to another quality food show produced and delivered via a Canadian Chef. I've enjoyed some other Canadian cooking shows, (some produced for and aired on Food Network CAN), which in many instances are light years ahead of Food Network US in terms of quality. Hopefully the Cooking Channel will share some more Canadian, (and BBC), cooking programs if they can get their hands on them.

Well, I'm agreeing here...and I never checked in with what the Internet told me--I've just always made "salt potatoes" by taking a good Northwest-grown Russet and packing it with a mixture of wet Kosher salt, wrapping it in foil and then baking it in a 375 oven for about 1-1/2 hours or so. Been doing it long before it was probably trendy in restaurants. Gives the potato a soft skin that takes on the salty flavor. Sort of a classier, and tastier, version of that 60's foil-wrapped spud you got in steakhouses of the day.

I work with a lady who brings me fresh halibut that she and her husband catch out of the Puget Sound waters around the Seattle area. Last week they caught a 42lb. beauty and brought me some beautiful filets. The cost per pound that I paid...priceless, (no cash was exchanged but as the saying goes, nothing beats fresh fish just off the boat). I used a very traditional and simple recipe from the "Le Bernadin" cookbook written by Chef Eric Ripert and Maguy Le Coze. The recipe was written using "Salmon with Buerre Blanc," but I adapted it for Halibut. It's basically fish poached in a court bouillon and then served with a butter sauce. In the recipe Chef Ripert calls for using red wine vinegar in the court bouillon, but I substituted white wine vinegar because I wanted a milder flavor for the halibut and I didn't want the red wine vinegar coloring the natural beauty of the white flesh of the fish. Other than that, I didn't change a thing to the recipe. This technique is very easy--you simply place the filets in a casserole dish and ladle the stock over the top. Then the fish is poached in a 550 oven for about 12 minutes. It is incredibly moist and tender when it's pulled from the oven. The only garnish was a sprig of thyme to accent some of the flavors of the court bouillon and a few steamed English spring peas. Very simple, easy and delicious.

Please do! I liked the idea of adding anchovies to the Gougeres to give them a bit of a salty/fishy taste. I think swiss cheese and marjoram would be a good combination in Gougeres to pair with the gravlax. I've also made the Gougeres with smoked cheddar, but that may be a bit much for the mild flavor of gravlax. But what the heck, you could make four or five varieties and let your guests choose which combination they thought tasted best.

This past weekend I crafted some Salmon Gravlax with the last of the Copper River Salmon I'll use for the season. For curing, some of us in the Northwest prefer the Sockeye because it tends to have a thinner filet and more oil in it's flesh than the King which has a much thicker filet and more fat, (which as I mentioned above, I prefer to grill and roast). I bought this Copper River Sockeye at a local large grocery store. The salmon was fresh and sold for $12.99 a pound on a special. No doubt this large retail market had procured a large contract and was able to buy fresh fish on a large scale at this price. But when it was gone it was gone. I was at the market at 7am on Friday morning, June 4 and the fish had just been brought in the night before. It wasn't in the display case yet and at first the guy wasn't going to bring it out when I asked. I think he thought I was probably the typical stupid shopper who wanted the salmon on special. After a few moments of breaking the ice so to speak, he got the vibe I knew what I wanted and that I know my salmon and so he was more than happy to go in the back. I couldn't belive what I saw. Racks of fresh Copper River Salmon. Whole salmon. And really to my amazement they looked and smelled so fresh. What a pleasant surprise for a large, mass-market fish counter. After the sockeye cures, the natural red color of the flesh deepens to a hue that is almost unbelieveable. You almost think it is soaked in fluorescent red paint the color is so intense, yet it is just Mother Nature taking its normal course. I started with Marcus Samuelsson's recipe for Gravlax out of his "Aquavit" cookbook. The basic cure calls for 1 cup of sugar to 1/2 cup of salt. I found this mix far too sweet for my tastes, so I think next time I'll tinker with it a bit and go with a ration closer to 1 cup sugar and 1 scant cup of salt. The recipe called for 2 tbsp. of cracked white peppercorns but I used a mix of white, green, pink and black peppercorns. I also used a blend of both Aquavit and sweet white wine that I had on hand. Some recipes call for brandy, but I like the anise and herbal flavor of Aquavit. I could do without the sweet flavor of the white wine next time. Rather than the normal "bagel," I served the salmon with tiny little "Gougeres" which are basically a savory puff pastry dough. In this version I added chopped anchovy, chives and grated parmesan cheese. I wanted something light to accompany the salmon rather than the typical accompaniments of capers, red onion and cream cheese so I made a whipped cream and added some Dijon mustard, chopped capers, chives, fresh dill, lemon juice and white pepper. It was light and refreshing and the mustard gave the cream a bit of tang yet didn't overpower the salmon. Copper River Sockeye Gravlax, Anchovy-Parmesan "Gougeres," Dijon Whipped Cream-

The first Copper River King I bought in Spokane was on May 26. It sold at $28.95 a pound at my old-fashioned butcher shop who also happens to sell some fresh seafood. He sources his Copper River salmon directly from a fisherman and doesn't go through any middelemen or processor's-it goes from the river to the airport in Alaska to Seattle to Spokane and then into the butcher shop. Two other local markets in Spokane were selling the King that week. (I'm old-fashioned and still call it the "Chinook"). One upscale market was pricing it at $34.99 a pound on May 26 and the only fishmonger in town was pricing it as high as $45.00 a pound. That's the highest I have ever seen it, $45.00 is really a bit much. Since I only cook the Copper River King once a year I cook it really, really simple and very delicately--quickly sauteed and then finished with a simple roast in the oven. This year I tried a new technique that I learned about from an article in my local newspaper. It comes from from Jon Rowley, a Seattle-based seafood expert who is noted as one of the leaders in bringing the Copper River Salmon to fame in recent years. Rowley recommends searing the salmon in a hot pan for a minute or two and then turning it and placing it in a low oven, 225-250 degrees, for 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of the filet. I was skeptical as I didn't think such a "low and slow" roasting technique would work. But it did, and when I tasted it I realized why. The low oven temperature keeps those unique oils of the Copper River salmon from drying out. I seared the fish in a cast iron pan with a bit of olive oil and then put it in the low oven. I actually put the oven at 275 and since this king filet was so thick, it roasted about 18 minutes for a medium-rare finish. I served it with a basic butter sauces with some chipotle chile powder and spaetzle with brown butter and toasted hazelnuts. Nothing for my tastes like fresh Copper River King Salmon.

This past weekend I crafted some Salmon Gravlax with the last of the Copper River Salmon I'll use for the season. For curing, some of us in the Northwest prefer the Sockeye because it tends to have a thinner filet and more oil in it's flesh than the King which has a much thicker filet and more fat, (which I prefer to grill and roast). After the sockeye cures, the natural red color of the flesh deepens to a hue that is almost unbelieveable. You almost think it is soaked in fluorescent red paint the color is so intense, yet it is just Mother Nature taking its normal course. I started with Marcus Samuelsson's recipe for Gravlax out of his "Aquavit" cookbook. The basic cure calls for 1 cup of sugar to 1/2 cup of salt. I found this mix far too sweet for my tastes, so I think next time I'll tinker with it a bit and go with a ration closer to 1 cup sugar and 1 scant cup of salt. The recipe called for 2 tbsp. of cracked white peppercorns but I used a mix of white, green, pink and black peppercorns. I also used a blend of both Aquavit and sweet white wine that I had on hand. Some recipes call for brandy, but I like the anise and herbal flavor of Aquavit. I could do without the sweet flavor of the white wine next time. Rather than the normal "bagel," I served the salmon with tiny little "Gougeres" which are basically a savory puff pastry dough. In this version I added chopped anchovy, chives and grated parmesan cheese. I wanted something light to accompany the salmon rather than the typical accompaniments of capers, red onion and cream cheese so I made a whipped cream and added some Dijon mustard, chopped capers, chives, fresh dill, lemon juice and white pepper. It was light and refreshing and the mustard gave the cream a bit of tang yet didn't overpower the salmon. I must say, for a special once-a-year salmon, it turned out quite well-- Copper River Sockeye Gravlax, Anchovy-Parmesan "Gougeres," Dijon Whipped Cream-

My version of Rhubarb Crisp. It's actually just my rhubarb pie filling and then the topping is what I use for Italian-style Crostatta's-a mix of sugar, flour and butter on top of free-form tarts. The difference from the Crostatta is that the fruit is baked in the casserole rather than in a pastry and then the topping melts on top. I served it with a Gooseberry Sherbet. Hope to have the photo up tonight. Old-fashioned, somewhat British-inspired and delicious.

The only good thing I saw today was Julia preparing salmon gravlax. What a delight to see how she still leads the standard for cooking on television all these decades after those shows debuted on WGBH in Boston. Following Julia was Graham Kerr, aka "The Galloping Gourmet," doing his rendition of Baba au Rhum. I thought he looked pretty silly but I suppose at the time those shows aired and the height of his popularity it was fun for the audience. I didn't get much out of it. Julia clearly shines above all the others. I saw some show the other night but I quickly lost interest and didn't care to go back and even search for the title. It had hope, but the guys presenting the show and the production and writing was so pitiful I left after about 15 minutes. They were making handcrafted sodas. Again a lot of hope--teaching people how to craft sodas at home with contemporary and unique flavors is a topic that I think would be quite popular today. But the way they presented and edited the show was just awful...

What a wonderful piece, and I am going to print it and mail a copy via post to my dear 86 year-old Mother, Janet Edna Ross. You see, Mother doesn't have a computer, nor does she know the inner-workings of what we call e-mail. She receives mail via the U.S. Postal service with a first class stamp on it. Mother is not familiar with the term "Bechamel" sauce, but she still makes a wonderful "white sauce" every Christmas for our delicious creamed onions. Every December, Mother pulls out the same hand-written recipe card that her Mother, Edna Pink, used for making the white sauce for the onions. I think Mother knows how to make the white sauce from memory, she's been doing it for probably 65 years or so, but there's something special about seeing and touching Grandmother Edna's recipe written in ink with a fountain pen. It's a Holiday tradition that makes a simple "white sauce" extra special. Now I don't know if Mother's recipe is truly traditional or not as she adds a few sprinkles of nutmeg to her white sauce--I'm not sure what Escoffier would call a sauce with nutmeg. In our home we call it just plain good. Thank you Maggie for evoking a special memory from my Mother's kitchen.

Last night started with grilled spring onions with a smoked tomato vinaigrette. I got the vinaigrette recipe out of our local newspaper. It comes from a local restaurant that serves the Vinaigrette with Copper River Salmon, Grilled Cheddar Polenta Cakes and Braised Red Chard. The article caught my eye because we are in the first weeks of the Copper River Salmon season here in the Pacific Northwest. I was interested in reading how our local chefs were going to serve the salmon this year, but I decided that the dish with the polenta, chard and tomato vinaigrette was a bit much for this special salmon. I do love smoked tomatoes, so I chose to serve them as a dressing for simple grilled spring green onions. I use a stove-top smoker to smoke tomatoes and this time I used hickory chips. I smoked the tomatoes for about 15 minutes, then peeled them and addded them to the blender with garlic, salt, lime juice and zest and white wine vinegar. The puree was strained and then I blended that with olive oil, cilantro, basil and chives and stirred in a teaspoon of liquid smoke to boost the flavor. I cut the spring onions lengthwise and then soak them in water so they basically steam and grill at the same time. And the beautiful Copper River King Salmon. The season started this year very early. It showed up in our local markets in Spokane on Friday, May 21. Taking the cue of what I read in the newspaper article, I used a new technique this year for cooking the salmon. It's based on a technique from Jon Rowley, a Seattle-based seafood expert who is noted as one of the leaders in bringing the Copper River Salmon to fame in recent years. Rowley recommends searing the salmon in a hot pan for a minute or two and then turning it and placing it in a low oven, 225-250 degrees, for 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of the filet. I was skeptical as I didn't think such a "low and slow" roasting technique would work. But it did, and when I tasted it I realized why. The Copper River Kings have so much oil and are so incredibly juicy that you don't want to sear the heck out of the salmon, (and why would you when it costs upwards of $28.00-$48.00 per pound right now?). Searing and roasting at a high temperature can tend to dry out those essential oils, so Mr. Rowley's technique of a quick sear over high heat to seal in the juices and a low heat to roast and finish the fish to medium-rare is a more reliable way to preserve the unique characteristics of the Copper River Salmon. Next week I'm going to do a three-step cooking method of lightly smoking the salmon first, then searing it and then finishing it in the low oven. I wanted to stay true to a Northwest themed dish, but I couldn't find the wild rice in the market that I was looking for so I served the salmon with spaetzle with toasted hazelnuts and brown butter. The sauce was a simple Buerre Blanc with a dash of chipotle chile powder added for a bit of spice.

That's a very good question and thank you for pointing it out to me. I make the cake with both types of canned pineapple and I often go back and forth-canned in syrup or canned in natural juice-so that's why I get lax in interchanging the words in the recipe. Thanks for the reminder of an important detail. Of course, it's a matter of taste. I agree with you on the point of using pineapple canned in syrup, it's very sweet. A 20 ounce can of pineapple slices canned in 100% pineapple juice with no sugar added has 14 grams of sugars. The same size can of pineapple slices in heavy syrup with added sugar, has 22 grams of sugars. The cake in the photo above was made with pineapple slices in heavy syrup. If we did a side-by-side photo comparison of two cakes-one made with pineapple in juice and one made with pineapple in syrup-we'd probably not see as much sticky caramel bubbling around the edges of the cake and out the sides of the cast iron skillet than we would with the juice version. The caramel from pineapple canned in juice is going to be more "runny." Using pineapple in juice won't make a sticky, caramel that seeps down into the cake, leaving the cake a bit more dry than the syrup version. And finally, if I use pineapple canned in natural juice it won't have as much of that gooey caramel clinging to the Maraschino cherries on top of the finished cake. I guess for me in the end if I had to make a choice I'd go with pineapple canned in syrup. Mind you, I only make this cake maybe two, three times a year. It's very, very sweet, but oh so worth it to taste something so wonderful if only a few times a year.

I wanted to share my recipe for Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. While I don't use the prize-winning recipe from Mr. Dole's canned pineapple contest, I use a "retro" recipe from a time-tested, classic cookbook-the 1968 edition of the Better Homes and Gardens "New Cookbook." The byline inside the red and white checked front cover of the cookbook reads "The New Cookbook has sold 13 1/2 million copies-America's favorite by far." Fourty-two years later no doubt millions more American home cooks have discovered the delicious results of the recipes within the metal rings and tabs of this beloved cookbook. Section four is where the "Cakes, Frostings, and Fillings" reside in the "New Cookbook." Behind the yellow tab, residing on page 70, you will find recipes for Applesauce cake, White Cake Supreme, the regal Lady Baltimore cake and a favorite of farm families, the Buttermilk Cake. Yet the prime space on the page, the upper-left corner, is reserved for the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Recipe. Of course, one must carry on the tradition of Mr. Dole's legacy by starting with a can of Dole pineapple slices. In terms of a cooking vessel, I use a cast iron skillet. Cast iron is perfect for any type of cake where you are making a caramel-be it a Pineapple Upside-Down Cake or an Apple Tarte Tatin-it retains heat consistently without letting the caramel burn. And, even more importantly, a well-seasoned veteran cast iron skillet is naturally "non-stick." In other words, you don't need to buy an expensive, high-tech, non-stick pan that may not endure the rigors of your kitchen. A cast iron pan is reasonably cheap, hearty, heavy and will last a lifetime. Now I do make a few slight variations from the printed recipe. I double the amount of caramel, (the syrup on the "bottom" of the cake), yet I keep the amount of "cake" batter true to the recipe. This way I have a greater ratio of "sticky" caramel and pineapple on the "bottom" to the amount of "cake" on top. At least that's what we start with. The Caramel, pineapple and cherries- 1 20oz. can sliced pineapple, save the juice (you will have some juice and pineapple leftover) 6 tablespoons butter 1 cup dark brown sugar Maraschino cherries Heat the oven to 350. Heat a 9" cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and melt. Add the brown sugar and 1/4 cup of the reserved pineapple juice. Stir until the brown sugar melts and begins to gently bubble. Cook for about 8 minutes, then add the pineapple slices, covering the bottom of the skillet in one layer. Stud the center of the rings of pineapple with Maraschino cherries. Note: this is a matter of taste, I happen to love lots of cherries, so I stud each ring of pineapple with two cherries and place cherries in the spaces around the pineapples slices. Turn off the heat and as you prepare the cake batter. The Caramel- The Cake- Reserved canned pineapple syrup to make 1/2 cup 1/3 cup Crisco shortening 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 egg 1 tsp. vanilla 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt Cream together the shortening and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking salt and then add to the creamed mixture. Add the reserved canned pineapple syrup. Note: If there was note enough leftover pineapple syrup from the can, add water to make 1/2 cup). Spoon the batter over the top of the pineapple slices in the cast iron pan. Smooth the batter so that it seals over the top of the pineapple. Bake in the 350 oven for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. The Cake- Remove the skillet from the oven and let it cook about 8-10 minutes on a wire rack. Don't let the cake cool too much or the caramel will start to set and it won't easily release from the skillet when you turn it "upside-down." Place another rack over the top of the "cake," then gently invert the skillet, turning the cake "upside-down." The cake should gently release onto the rack, revealing the "top" of pineapple slices, caramel and cherries. "Upside-Down"- Pineapple Upside-Down Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream-

The fresh asparagus in Eastern, Washington keeps coming. I've never seen a season like this-week after week after week of fresh asparagus. Thank you Mother Nature. This past winter I sure didn't miss the 4' of snow we had in the winter of '09, and I sure like the spring crop of asparagus in '10. The price is now down to 99 cents per pound. Last night I did a simple Cream of Asparagus Soup. The garnish is Steamed Asparagus Spears and a few threads of Spring Onion-

Sunday May 9- L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, MGM Grand- Champagne, White and Red Wine, Monbizillac with the Sweet Course As we waited for the earlier seating to finish brunch, we were ushered into the intimate setting of the formal Robuchon restaurant at the MGM. As you enter, there is a small bar to the left of the reception foyer. To the right, we were given entrance into the private dining room, an exclusive table that I would imagine is rarely seen by the public-a small room really, with a long black table seating no more than 12 very lucky guests. The décor of the dining room is currently in the “Spring” theme with bright greens, yellows, orange and crimson colors with vintage bird cages decorating the small room. To the right is a small terrace with brick and flora and fauna-a very quiet oasis you would not imagine is planted next to the very busy MGM casino and "KA" Cirque du Soleil showroom just next door. The Manager noted that Robuchon is noted for their legendary cart services and while they are offering a variety of menu options with limited options of courses right now, the most popular menu is still the sixteen course menu “degustation” currently priced at $395.00. The restaurant is full nearly every night of the week and is typically booked three months in advance. The best seats at L’Atelier are always at the counter where one can watch the army of Cooks, Chefs, Servers, Managers, Sommeliers and Hostesses scurry through and around the tiny confines of the kitchen and behind the counter. I counted upwards of 25 team members tending over the preparation of our brunch plates. In the center of the team, hovering over each plate and quietly dictating service was Chef Joel Robuchon himself. Before the first plate arrived, I reached into my pocket for my camera and to my horror, I realized that I left the battery recharging in my hotel room. I wouldn’t have a photographic collection of my brunch at L’Atelier. I was crushed. But later I realized that photos of the brunch dishes wouldn’t harm this final Vegas Uncork’d report in the least. A few photos of cookbooks would do just fine. The servings at L’Atelier were not large-each plate offered skewers of no more that two or three bites-but one doesn’t need an excessive amount of food when you are experiencing such rich, natural flavors. Each plate was precisely sculpted yet without pretense, inviting the customers senses to say “I am not so fussy, please, go ahead and enjoy tasting this delicious morsel of French cuisine.” And so we begin- Assortment of Breads and French Butter First Plate- Tomato, Olive Oil, Basil Second Plate- Maine Lobster, Sherry Vinaigrette, Romaine Third Plate- Zuchinni, Tomato, Mozzarella Fourth Plate- Scallops, Sugar Snap Peas, Black Pepper, Chives Fifth Plate- Scampi with Tumeric Oil, Peppers, Carrot, Espelette Pepper Sixth Plate- Dover Sole, Scallion, Dill Oil Seventh Plate- Frogs Leg, Garlic and Parsley Purees Eighth Plate- Foie Gras Teppanyaki, Tomato Confit, Arugula Ninth Plate- Grilled Asparagus, Artichoke, Tomato, Maitake, Zuchinni, Spiced Carrot Sauce Tenth Plate- Quail, Asparagus, Sweet Teriyaki Sauce Eleventh Plate- Duck Wrapped in Smoked Bacon, Bitter Orange Marmalade, Twelfth Plate- French Angus, Confit of Peppers Sweets- Cup of Chocolate, Fresh Berries, Pineapple, Nougat, Confection, Cookies, Marshmallow, BonBon, Truffle As brunch was ending, Chef Robuchon came into the dining room and met with each of the guests to give us a personally signed copy of his new cookbook, “The Complete Robuchon-French Home Cooking for the Way we Live Now.” Chef Robuchon has a bit of difficulty with English, so he was escorted by the Manager who had given us the tour of the formal restaurant. As I shook his hand, I asked the Manager to remind Chef that one year earlier when we met in Las Vegas I had the occasion to have Mr. Robuchon sign my copy of “Simply French,” written by Paticia Wells many years ago. Robuchon’s recipe for “Puree de Pommes de Terre” went on to spark a revolution throughout restaurants in America, yet few are able to duplicate the silky, lush texture of the original rendition to this day. Suddenly, Chef Robuchon’s eyes lit-up, “Ah, Oui, Oui, Yes, Yes, David, David, I remember, I remember,” he said in his broken English. “Pommes Puree, Pommes Puree.” I must tell you it gave me chills. The French Master and the man from Spokane, meeting again in Las Vegas and remembering this simple potato dish. It wasn’t about Michelin stars, it was about cooking a potato puree at home and Chef Robuchon remembered. I was thrilled. From our “Klatsch: Popping the Cork in Vegas,” report of 2009, “David, the condition of these pages show that this recipe can be made by the home cook for the family. A pleasure. Joel Robuchon. Las Vegas, May 8, 2009.” When one travels into the culinary unknown of Las Vegas and the week we call “Uncork’d,” we don’t know how the story will turn out. It may start with a wondrous dish of “Foie Gras Custard Brulee with Salted Brioche,” at Sage. It then turns to a quiet conversation over lunch with Alain Ducasse about Oregon Morels and spills into a raucous Friday night with 2,500 people crowding around the pools at Caesar’s, scrambling to see Bobby Flay. We found ourselves stirring, and stirring, and stirring a pea risotto and packing salt around a whole Sea Bream at the Wynn. Vegas Uncork’d offers different experiences for different tastes. For me, the week of Vegas Uncork’d isn’t just about the food, it was also about customer service at dinners not formally associated with the events. I encountered a delicate service touch when I sat down to dinner at MOzen bistro at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. A place card was put at the table setting with a rarely seen, old-fashioned custom-“Welcome David Ross” hand-scribed in ink with a fountain pen. Yet we also suffered the indignity of inexcusable service at RM Seafood, a restaurant whose Chef should be setting a far better standard regardless of the night you dine at his restaurant. Such are the highs, and the lows, of an incredible week of food, dining and learning that we take away from our week in Las Vegas. And then, in the end, on a quiet Sunday afternoon after most of the attendees-the editors of Bon Appetit, the press, the PR people, the photographers, the “beautiful people” and the like, have all left the environs of Las Vegas and “Uncork’d,”-I once again found myself chatting with a French Chef about a cookbook he wrote intended for the home cook. Aside from the ornate trappings of Robuchon’s formal dining rooms, the crystal bottles of cognac in the bar, the mahogany bread trolleys and the Michelin Stars, these two cookbooks, “Simply French” and now “The Complete Robuchon-French home cooking for the way we live now,” are symbols of why I go to “Vegas Uncork’d,”—to learn about food, flavors and cooking. “For David, For Delicious simple and tasty French cuisine With friendship, Joel Robuchon, Las Vegas, May 9, 2010.”

Sunday, May 9- After the embarrassment displayed by the staff at RM Seafood on Saturday night, I returned to my hotel wondering if this dreadful experience was going to ruin what had otherwise been another memorable trip to Vegas Uncork'd. Yet there was one more event to follow on Sunday morning that would redeem my faith in Las Vegas and its wondrous culture as one of America’s great restaurant cities. Hundreds of creative, talented Chefs, restrauteurs and staff members ply their trade every day throughout the city. One off-night at one restaurant is not going to mar my long history as a supporter of the dining scene of Las Vegas or take away from the achievements and hard work of these talented professionals. A year ago at an Uncork'd event, I had the occasion to meet a genial Frenchman and spend just a few moments chatting with him about a cookbook he wrote in 1991, far beyond what anyone was thinking about in Las Vegas at Uncork'd last year. On Sunday, May 9, 2010, precisely one year after visiting with him about a humble dish of “Puree de Pommes de Terre” last year, I again met with this kind French craftsman and we sat down and talked about simple home cooking just as we did one year ago. It was delightful and that was the moment that brought my week at Uncork’d full circle. I won’t reveal the full depth of the story, but I think you have an idea of where the story will lead. Now mind you, this kind man has won upwards of 25 Michelin Stars—the third of the French Masters that I dined with during my stay in Las Vegas during Uncork’d.…

Saturday, May 8- RM Seafood, Mandalay Place, Mandalay Bay- The formal event at Vegas Uncork’d on Saturday night was billed as the “Fashion Feast Gala: A Delicious Evening of Style and Taste,” at the Bellagio. I have not been a fan of past banquet events at Uncork’d, so I decided to pass on the banquet this year and join Jeff for dinner at RM Seafood and my plan, (more on that story later), would be to attend the after-hours Uncork’d event at the pools at the Palazzo hosted by Restaurateur and Winemaker Joe Bastianich, “Crushed: Wine That Rocks,” a combination of wine, food and music. Now I did hear later that the “Fashion Feast Gala” delivered on the promise of ‘style,’ (e.g., Las Vegas style that is), in the form of Cat Cora and Olympic Figure Skater Johnny Weir in ‘fashion’ on the ‘catwalk.’ Honestly I don’t think we missed anything, but those in the banquet hall said they had fun. As I mentioned in my last post, Chef Moonen is currently quite popular for his appearance on Top Chef Masters on Bravo. You can read about Top Chef Masters here. For this report we’re going to focus on our dinner at Chef Moonen’s Las Vegas restaurant, RM Seafood. Let me begin the review of RM Seafood by starting with a little background. Earlier in the week, we had planned on dining at the informal RM Café downstairs. The menu features a raw bar, sushi and more casual seafood grills and fry-ups, fish and chips, chowders and steaks. There is an extensive list of wines and micro-brews. We made the decision to change our plans mid-week and dine at the more formal restaurant upstairs. The upstairs restaurant area includes a large bar and the menu in the dining room includes both ala carte selections and a tasting menu. The service is intended to be more formal than the service downstairs. While the focus of the report is our dinner and the food and service, it’s important to give you some background history so you can weave it into our report and you can be thinking about this introduction as we go along. In the end, I think you’ll understand how this piece of the story fits into our experience. That afternoon there had been an event associated with Vegas Uncork’d at RM Seafood hosted--“Culinary Theater-All the Kitchen’s a Stage with Rick Moonen, Hubert Keller and Susan Feninger.” The event was hosted by Andrew Knowlton, Restaurant Editor of Bon Appetit. Attendees had the opportunity to meet the Chefs and taste their dishes while listening to their adventures on “Top Chef Masters” and other forays in the restaurant business. While I am sure it was great fun, there were customers to serve that evening in both RM Café and RM Seafood Upstairs, so after the event the staff had to go to work. When I arrived, the hostess was unable to find our reservation. I explained that we had made prior arrangements to change our reservation from the Café to the upstairs dining room. She was unable to locate the reservation, but was more than kind in accommodating our request for a table for four. I had noticed the Café was busy, but the upstairs bar was virtually empty at 7:15 pm., and the dining room was not full. The hick-up with the reservation was minor, (at that point), and after a brief meet and greet with Chef Moonen we went to our table. The dining room currently offers a five-course tasting menu for the quite reasonable price of $65.00. Were you to ask me the price of the tasting menu at RM Seafood three years ago before it closed, (and re-opened earlier this year), I would have probably quoted you a price at least double that amount. However, I should forewarn you, it would serve you well to go online and review the tasting menu as four of the courses have a “supplemental” choice with an additional price tag attached to it. Were you to choose four of the “supplemental” choices it could bring the cost of your tasting menu to $120, (still a reasonable price point considering the quality of the food). There is a wine pairing available matched to the tasting menu you choose for an additional $55.00. Diners have three choices within each of the five courses on the tasting menu. I've listed just a few of the choices in my review-the choice of at least one in our party and then my selection off the tasting menu. Chef Adam Sobel is the Executive Chef at RM Seafood. For a young man he has an impressive resume, having worked in Las Vegas at Company American Bistro, Guy Savoy and Bradley Ogden. He is venturing somewhat into the creative aspects of molecular gastronomy. His plates can be whimsical and precise, the food playful and the texures interesting. Yet attempts at whimsy can often be confusing to diners that may not be informed as to what a Chef is intending to do with trends. Such was the case with our Amuse-the kitchen’s interpretation of a “BLT.” (I apologize for not offering you photos, the lighting of the dining room didn’t provide me the ability to portray the food in the manner that would do it justice). The waiters came to the table with oddly shaped bowls and placed them on the table. We actually thought they looked like they were going to fall over, so we bent down and turned our heads, thinking the bowls were placed on their sides. (They weren’t, they were intended to sit on their sides). The bowl held a spear of romaine, a cherry tomato spiked with a thin slice of bacon and the dressing was a “foam.” The bacon was crisp and smoky, it just was so paper-thin there wasn’t much taste to it and cherry tomatoes in May don’t have much flavor-nor do “foamy” salad dressings. Another waiter brought warm rolls and a can of what appeared to be caviar. Knowing that Caspian Caviar would not be served at a restaurant that stakes its reputation on serving sustainable seafood, I didn’t expect he would open a can of sturgeon roe. It was a foil for the butter receptacle. The butter tasted as if it had a tangy cheese added to it. It was a nice touch to see a restaurant serve warm rolls throughout dinner. We had been wondering why there was a large glass in the center of the table filled with herbs and what appeared to be a stalk of sugar cane. A waiter came to the table and poured in some black tea and left, not explaining what he poured in or why. (Another attempt at some sort of creative gastronomy I supposed). We would find out at the end of the meal what this brew was all about. First Course- We ordered all three of the first course offerings on the tasting menu- -“Black & White” Diver Scallop, Black Garlic, Young Coconut -“Spider” Crab Artichoke, Sunchoke, Ruby Red Grapefruit -Steak and Potatoes A5 Japanese Wagyu Beef Tartare, Untraditional Garnish ($15 supplement) I had the “Spider Crab,” served in a porcelain crock. The waiter removed the top of the crock to reveal a rim of Dungeness Crab and a thick layer of Spider Crab and Sunchoke beneath. (I was pleasantly surprised to see the Dungeness being a Pacific Northwesterner). The small supremes of tart grapefruit perfectly accented the sweet, rich crab meats. Second Course- We ordered two of the three second course offerings- -Onion Soup 3000 Caramelized Onion Chip, Gruyère Custard, Onion Velouté -Bacon and Eggs Crisp Jamon Serrano, Andraki Farm Egg, Crispy Chinese Noodles, Asparagus Three Ways I chose the bacon and egg dish which was presented in a deep bowl with the fried egg on top of a thin layer of fried noodles with the bacon mixed in a custard of asparagus. At first I wasn’t sure what to make of the dish—I only saw a fried egg on top of crisp noodles—then I broke through the soft yolk of the egg into the crispy noodles and dove into the asparagus custard studded with asparagus spears, mixing the soft, gooey and crispy textures with the different flavors. It was delicous. The food to this point had been good, but the first lapses in service were beginning to become apparent. There were different waiters serving the courses and the waiter that took our order only appeared sporadically. One waiter brought the bread and uncovered the caviar tin of butter while another waiter poured in the mysterious tea elixir. The wait between the Amuse and first and second courses started to become apparent and the Sommelier who introduced himself and crafted the wines to serve with each course of our tasting menu rarely appeared. Most of the wines were introduced by different waiters. At the table next to us, a party of three ordered a plate of Sushi and then waited, and waited, for what seemingly was an endless amount of time for their next course. One of the Managers appeared, and after numerous hand gestures and handshakes, a tray of martinis appeared, then more handshakes and martinis, and apologies, and their dinner continued, and continued…… Third Course- For the fish course one person at the table ordered the supplemental menu item- -Roasted Turbot with Saffron Chorizo Congee, Mussel and Rice Cracker, ($15 supplement) -Baked Alaska King Salmon, King Crab, Yellow Endive, Salmon Roe, Orange Carpaccio I chose the Salmon. Baked salmon is not a preparation that you would typically see in a fine-dining restaurant, but Chef Moonen had properly trained the kitchen to cook the fish to a perfect medium-rare so that it retained moisture-a refreshing alternative treatment from the typical seared and roasted salmon. The bitterness of the endive and orange carpaccio was the perfect accent to the rich salmon, and who would refuse the crisp, refreshing texture of King salmon roe? Up to this point the superior food had overshadowed the inattentiveness of the service staff, but the beautiful plate presentations and delicious flavors could no longer mask the lack of attention to detail. We waited so long between the third and fourth courses that the Sommelier, who we hadn’t seen in a very long time, came around with a second glass of the wine he had poured in anticipation of our fourth course, the red wine for the meat course. It was apparent that the second glass of wine was in deference to the long wait for the meat course to arrive at the table, yet no apology was offered. Fourth Course- Three in our party ordered the lamb dish while I ordered the supplemental rabbit dish- -Rabbit Trio-Rack, Crispy Rillette, Morel Risotto, Fried Quail Egg, ($15 supplement) A “Rack of Rabbit” is a cute little thing. I referred to it as eating a nice little “bunny” at the table, definitely an unpolitical thing to say I am sure. It was a delicious tidbit I can assure you. The most delectable part of the dish was the Crispy Rillette--the tender meat wrapped in smoky bacon cuddling next to the morel risotto, made all the more buttery with the rich yolk of the quail egg. Now the ultimate service mistake would happen next. An error that is inexcusable and unforgiveable. After an interminable wait for our fifth and final course of desserts, the waiters paraded up to our table with………..another set of main courses. Yes, displayed at the table were four sets of dishes and the waiters proceeded to announce, “And here we have for you Gentlemen, the Lamb and the Rabbit………….” You can only imagine the looks on our faces, and the faces on the waiters at that moment. We looked at each other, they looked at each other, we looked at them. They looked at us. “Er, excuse me but we already had the Lamb and the Rabbit…………….” I cannot tell you, (nor do I remember as I was too stunned), to even think if an apology was offered. I honestly think the embarrassment was probably too much for the poor fellows to muster up anything to say. They removed the plates as quickly as they could and whisked them back to the kitchen. And then we waited, and waited, and waited. For dessert. Fifth Course- Jeff chose the Italian style dessert and I went with the Tropical theme- -Italian Citrus Lemon Mascarpone Cannelloni, Olive Oil Ice Cream -Tropical Crème Brûlée Passion Fruit Curd, Marinated Pineapple, Papaya-Aloe The Tropical Crème Brulee was simply presented in a large bowl. The brulee was proper and the passion fruit curd and pineapple sweet. The papaya and aloe had a bitter and metallic taste not to my liking, although I have a friend who apparently likes aloe gelee so who am I to judge aloe desserts? At this point the wines apparently had been forgotten, but Jeff made a valiant attempt to ask for the wine that had been intended to be served with the dessert course. It came, at least I think it did. I forgot the vintage. At times the cuisine at RM Seafood can be confusing, a struggle between simple preparations showcasing the beauty of the bounty of the open sea and the freshwater seafood the restaurant is known for and the trendy, molecular gastronomic creations of Chef Sobel. Sometimes the phrase less is more is noted by the example of our opening BLT. Yet that is a minor point in terms of the food at RM Seafood. The food overall was superior. The stunning dishes I tasted were the Rabbit and the King Salmon. And that is as it should be. The King Salmon should be the best dish at RM Seafood-“The King of Alaska,” the title of the PBS show that earned a James Beard Award for Chef Moonen. We would come to find out later that the spotlight shown on the event that afternoon would throw both the front of the house and the kitchen staff into a frenzy that evening--and we had become the unsuspecting victims, (along with at least three other tables), of their confusion. Apparently the event had thrown the reservations into a twitter, causing the Café and the restaurant to have additional customers they had not planned for. That’s certainly a symptom, not an excuse. The Uncork’d event had been planned months in advance. One should assume that an event like this would in turn inspire attendees to choose to dine at the restaurants, which in turn would cause the staff to be prepared for the dinner rush and staff appropriately. And following on that thought, one would make more than every reasonable effort possible to insure that the seamless service the restaurant performs every night is offered to the guests on this special night, including having extra Manager’s on the floor. For us, the expectation of a wonderful evening of exceptional food, (and some of the dishes were quite good), and exceptional service fell far short of the mark. And due to the four-hour length of dinner at RM Seafood, the event at the Palazzo was nearly over by the time I got in the cab line to leave RM Seafood. Long waits between courses, a primary waiter that wasn't primarily overseeing our table, a Sommelier that didn't seem to be overly concerned with attending to our table after the initial pour, multitudes of waiters serving plates at all the tables, confusing, confusing service, nary an apology in the house and then the ultimate horror of the second serving of the main courses. Should there ever be a chapter written on how not to perform fine dining service this will be included in the course. So it begs the question, was the experience at RM Seafood so far off the mark as to cause me to not dine there again? That’s not a question I can necessarily answer with a simple yes or no. As you’ve read through the review, you’ve seen that the food was superior, the salmon and rabbit dishes were exceptional. I’ve dined at RM Seafood in the past and it was exceptional, both the food and the service. Does one off-night of service scar a restaurant for life? No. Does this poor experience mean that the restaurant deserves another chance? Probably. Will that chance happen the next time I travel to Las Vegas? Probably not. There are far too many new and current restaurants in Las Vegas that serve equally stunning seafood and cuisine at this level along with attentive service that I’ll be more willing to patronize before I return to RM Seafood. As you’ve seen in our reports so far, we’ve dined at new restaurants like MOzen Bistro and Sage, with rising Chefs and innovative cuisine and detailed service. We cooked with Paul Bartolotta, who continues to offer the freshest seafood in the stunning settings of the Wynn. Those are restaurants I won't hesitate to dine at again on my next trip to Las Vegas should the opportunity allow. No question. As the economy very slowly improves in Southern Nevada, the dining scene in Las Vegas is again moving forward. In the coming months, Chef Scot Conant will open Scarpetta and Chef Jose Andres will open one of his highly popular restaurants-both will find a home at the new Cosmopolitan Hotel and Resort. These restrauteurs are no doubt keenly aware that the combination of their cuisine and the experience of their guests must be flawless the moment the doors open lest they lose those customers to their competitors. Exceptional food is just a part of the equation, but another element has to be an attention to focusing on the details of superior customer service. Lackluster service will only leave a restaurant behind when the market is moving forward. And that silly little glass of tea? After dessert a waiter came to the table with a dish of Petits Fours, three small confections actually. He brought forth a small pot filled with liquid nitrogen, (more of the molecular experience) and proceeded to pour it into the tea glass. The brew began to spew white smoke and he instructed us to pour some of the steaming tea into our small glasses as it was intended to end the "dining experience." It had, indeed, finally ended our "experience."