David Ross

I thought I would share some past photos of my Prime Rib. While I have been intrigued by all the cooking methods discussed here-I will probably bore you with how I prepare Prime Rib. My method for cooking Prime Rib is boring. It isn’t trendy in terms of current cooking fads. I don’t use any special equipment. I use a roasting pan that has a rack. No meat thermometer. I don’t sear the meat and then roast it. I don’t fool with the oven temperature-starting at a high temperature and then turning down the heat. I don’t slow-roast and then blast the meat at the end of cooking. Boring is my mantra. The recipe I employ uses these ingredients- Prime Rib Olive Oil Salt, Pepper and Cajun Seasoning Potatoes I rub the meat with olive oil and then sprinkle it with salt, pepper and whatever Cajun spice mixture I have on hand. My favorite seasoning is Paul Prudhomme’s “Steak Magic." I set the oven to 325 degrees. I put the roast on a rack in a roasting pan. I cook it for exactly 22 minutes per pound. That goes for a roast that is 4 pounds or a hefty beast like an 8 pounder-22 minutes per pound at 325. Always. The results, as you witness below, are medium-rare. The last hour and a half, (one hour isn’t enough time), the last hour and a half I put in some Russet potatoes that I’ve peeled and cut into large chunks. The potatoes have to be placed directly under the roast to catch all the beef drippings. After about an hour, I’ll stir the potatoes in the roasting pan so they get thoroughly coated on all sides with the beef fat. I let the roast rest for only 15 minutes once I’ve taken it out of the oven-wait longer than 15 minutes and the roast starts to get cold. I don't particularly care for cold Prime Rib on the "first cut." We'll have cold Prime Rib tommorrow. So as you can see, the number of ingredients is simple. The cooking technique, while calling for some precise indications, is simple. The results, in terms of taste, texture and pure deliciousness, are as complex as the most sumptuous haute cuisine you've ever tasted. A Prime Rib Roast for the incredibly low price of merely $14.99 per pound. From the old-fashioned butchers at Egger's Meats, Spokane, Washington. A thick layer of fat is essential so that it bastes the roast as it cooks-and drips glossy fat down on the potatoes. Good butcher shops respect a layer of fat on a Prime Rib. Do not, under any circumstances, cut the rib bones off the roast and then tie them back on. The bones add flavor, which is lost if you cut them off and then "tie" them back on the roast. The strings you see here are only used to bundle the roast together and to hold the fat cap in place. Now why would we want to fool with cooking this beauty any other way than plain, simple, oven-roasting? Out of the oven-a delicious, caramelized, crispy crust and a roast oozing juices. A thick slab of USDA Prime Beef and Crisp Potato Wedges roasted in beef fat. The gravy, made with pan juices and thickened with a bit of cream and accented with fresh herbs, is only window-dressing for fussy eaters who think Prime Rib should be coated in a sauce. I could care less about a sauce. Just give me the meat-it already has natural sauce. As the family is sleeping off dinner, the true Prime Rib Connoisseur will steal themselves into the kitchen and gnaw on the roasted bones of the roast-the most delicious part of a Prime Rib.

Here are the Brussels Sprouts I did at Thanksgiving-with Applewood Smoked Bacon and Chestnuts. I'm not a big fan of chestnuts, but I had a package in the freezer that was waiting to be included in some sort of holiday dish so they got put into the Brussels Sprouts. A lot of people turn up their noses at the thought of eating an entire Brussels Sprout, so I cut them lengthwise into strips like you would for coleslaw. The result is strips of the vegetable along with some bigger pieces. Texturally that is more appealing to some people and it cuts down on having a big mouthful of what some think is an acidic vegetable. I start by frying up bacon bits in a saute pan and then drain it, reserving all of the bacon grease. I then reheat some of the bacon grease in the same pan and add the sprouts and cook for just a few minutes until they wilt. Then I'll slog in some apple cider vinegar, then add in some chopped chestnuts and the pre-cooked bacon bits. I might add a bit of chicken stock if the mixture looks too dry, then season with salt, pepper and fresh thyme. This isn't going to be the stunning dish on the holiday table, but it's a fairly good take on Brussels Sprouts. Much better than boiling them whole and serving them plain like Mother used to do.

Looks like a pretty classic menu so I might suggest starting with a Shrimp Bisque-a different take on the "perfect shrimp" dish but one that is warm, satisfying and fits within your menu. And it's probably a surprise to a lot of guests these days to see soup served at a meal-harkens back to the days when soups were more a part of home menus. And shrimp bisque is delicious with champagne. I make a somewhat complicated recipe that involves cooking shrimp shells with vegetables, deglazing with brandy and then slow simmering with tomato paste and shrimp stock. There are a couple of stages of straining and a final thickening with butter and flour, but the results are worth it. If you don't want to go to all that trouble, Whole Foods usually sells shrimp bisque. You could garnish the soup with a poached shrimp and serve with buttered toast points and flutes of champagne.

I buy Chestnuts online from D'Artagnan. They're pre-cooked and ready to use. I checked the site today and they sell for $8.99 for a 7oz. bag + shipping costs. D'Artagnan will deliver the next day if you order before noon West Coast time. I used them in this dish for Thanksgiving-Brussels Sprouts with Applewood Smoked Bacon and Chestnuts.

Thanks. The Gaja wines were just on display. Poor side dishes can be the death of a great meal. At this level you wouldn't expect that would be the case. I suppose a similar example would be the cast of a top Broadway musical-the star of the show could shine, but if the supporting is cast is off one night, the audience notices and may not give the show a great review. I guess I'm just too particular about details.

Friday, October 24, 2008-“Friday Night Festival Dinners,” “Valentino” at The Venetian- The flight arrived at 2:30 p.m. PST time carrying a very important passenger. VIP travelers are a common sight in the terminals at McCarran International Airport. But on this autumn afternoon, one very precious, very rare VIP went unnoticed when it arrived-a small carton of fresh white truffles from the forests of Alba, Italy. In a few more hours, this expensive jewel box of white truffles would be paired with lobster, veal, crab, quail, pasta, bison and cheese in dishes that would grace our table at Valentino restaurant at The Venetian. But it wasn’t the first box of white truffles that had been delivered to Valentino that week. The first box of white truffles ordered by Chef Luciano Pellegrini had been delivered one day earlier-and the first shipment found a very different fate than the truffles that arrived a day later. Chef Pellegrini later told me that the first shipment of white truffles did not measure up to what he expected for our private dinner. Upon inspection of the first shipment, he immediately called Italy to place another order. (I suppose the first shipment ended up in the staff meal-maybe a risotto with white truffles, a white truffle pappardelle perhaps?). It was an expensive risk for the Chef to take-other than a phone call to Alba, there would be no guarantee that the second shipment of truffles would be up to Chef Pellegrini’s exacting standards. At the time our truffles were purchased in October, they were selling in the range of $3,200.00 for 8oz., or a mere $6,400.00 per pound. Imagine buying not one box, but two boxes of fresh white truffles at that price point. At those prices, a Chef can’t settle for anything but the best. While I can’t tell you for sure exactly how many truffles were showered over our dinner plates this evening-it tasted as though we had been served millions of dollars worth. The window for delivery for the second shipment of truffles had now dwindled to no more than a couple of hours-if the weather over the Atlantic was turbulent, the flight would be delayed and the second box would arrive too late for our dinner. Yet, as fate would have it, the white truffle hunters of Alba didn’t disappoint us and the second box of white truffles, glorious in their size and fragrant aroma, arrived to the welcoming hands of the Chefs and cooks at Valentino in time to prepare a delicious and memorable dinner. Valentino and “The Grill at Valentino” are located just past the casino floor at the entry hall to what is called “Restaurant Row” at the Venetian. The entrance to the restaurants is not flashy by Las Vegas standards-no wine angels hang from the rafters, there isn’t a waterfall spewing fire out front, and you won’t find a bevy of silky young ladies to entice you in. But an alluring entre’ is not necessary at a restaurant that is confident and talented. (And has the James Beard Awards to prove it). At Valentino, the allure is found in the food, not the front door. The more relaxed grill out front has a bar and small dining room that is open to the floods of people wandering to and fro-gamblers, tourists and the seemingly always rushing conventioneers-it is a relaxing oasis to sip a glass of Italian wine and tuck into a comfortable dish of pasta. As is my custom, I was the first guest to arrive. I was met by Mr. Carlo Cannuscio, the hospitable General Manager of Mr. Selvaggio’s Las Vegas operations. Our party of eleven guests included members from the James Beard Foundation in New York, public relations representatives from the Rosen Group of New York, two ladies representing the restaurants at The Venetian and The Palazzo, and Las Vegas Food Writer Al Mancini and his wife. Our first introduction to the white truffles came as we gathered in The Grill for “Aperitivi” served with flutes of ‘Louis de Sacy, Brut Rose.’ The unmistakable, earthy and erotic scent of the white truffle wafted through the room as the waiters entered with silver trays holding forth the following- -Mini Pizza al Tartufo -Fried Lobster Milanese with Spicy Aioli -Veal Tartar with Tartufo -Crostini with Quail Pate and Tartufo Nero I was visiting with some other guests when a waiter approached and asked us if we would like to try the “Crab Cakes.” We all looked a bit perplexed. The menu clearly said the seafood hors d’ouvre would be lobster; the crab would be served in the fish course at dinner. It didn’t taste like crab, it didn’t look like crab, and it was definitely lobster. A few moments later, the same waiter returned with another tray of what he called “Crab Cakes.” At this point, it was clear that the poor fellow didn’t have a clue as to what he was serving. When Chef Pellegrini came over to our group, he asked us how we liked the little bites. We discreetly mentioned to the Chef that the waiter had mistakenly called his lobster “crab cakes.” Chef was not at all pleased. He promptly called the waiter over, and in front of the guests asked, “what is that, exactly, that you are serving?” The man was oblivious to his mistake and proudly stated that he was serving “crab cakes.” The room became very quiet. Chef Pellegrini very firmly admonished the waiter, telling him to “go back into the kitchen and ask your Chef what, exactly, you are serving to your guests.” We apologized for tattling on the waiter, but the Chef was pleased we had done so. “He has had this mistake before” Chef replied, “He is in need of a new passion!” After being dressed down by the Chef, the disgraced sap quickly turned and took his tray back to the kitchen. We never saw him again that evening. After admonishing the waiter, we turned to a more pleasant topic-the arrival of the white truffles earlier in the day and our dinner to come. Sr. Cannuscio ushered us through the main dining room into one of the private rooms at Valentino that would be our home for the evening. The walls of the dining room were lined with vintage bottles of wines held in safe-keeping for preferred customers. I would imagine that Mr. Beard would have loved this room-the host of the repast sitting at the head of the long table, drinking wine and sharing thoughts on the rapture of the white truffle with his special guests. Classic preparations for the evening’s wine services- The wines were masterfully paired to Chef Pellegrini’s cuisine-and the idiosyncrasies of the white truffles. (Pairing a prime grade strip loin is a far easier task than pairing wines that will enhance, yet not overpower, the white truffle). I asked the Wine Director how he approached the obstacles presented by pairing the wines with Chef Pellegrini’s dishes. “I will build the aroma and flavor notes of the wines throughout the menu with the aromas of the white truffles.” For someone who is just beginning to appreciate how wine can enhance foods, it was a prophetic statement. Rather than focus first on the the flavor notes in the wines, his first objective was to focus on the bouquet of wines that would accent the aromas of the truffles. It was a grand success and the best wine pairings I’ve had in Las Vegas. The first course, ‘Fresh Australian “Spanner” Crab Cakes with Porcini Salad and White Truffle’ accompanied by ‘Clerget, Les Chevalier, Meursault, 2000’- The Australian Spanner Crab, also called the “mud crab” down under, has a thick body and large front claws. The meat is tender, soft and mild in flavor-not as sweet as the Dungeness crabs that I am used to in the Pacific Northwest. The shell of the Spanner Crab is incredibly hard and it takes special equipment at the cannery in Australia to crack the shell and extract the meat. As such, only the meat of the crab is shipped to the restaurant trade in America. (A very small trade in fact). Chef Pellegrini said that Valentino is one of only two restaurants in the country that import Australian Spanner Crab meat. The crab stood up to the bold flavor of the truffles and the hearty texture of the porcini. The salad was simply dressed with olive oil, lemon juice and a scattering of roasted garlic and shreds of fresh sage. The second course, ‘Quail Meatloaf on Polenta and White Truffle,’ accompanied by ‘Bergstrom, Cumberland Reserve, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, 2006’- The Quail “Meatloaf” was more of a warmed, country-style terrine with chunks of deliciously tender quail meat studded throughout the ground meat mixture. The meatloaf was blanketed with a sauce of reduced stock and covered with more white truffles than any one person should eat in a lifetime. But my gracious comments about the food at Valentino up to this point must be tempered with some criticism for polenta. It was cold, sticky and gummy. Polenta served in this type of dish should be thick and piping hot, flowing like hot lava yet with enough structure to hold up the meat at the center of the dish. It should be thin enough in texture so that it soaks up the luscious sauce-and it absolutely should not be stone cold-certainly not at a private dinner of friends of James Beard. I recently ranted to a friend of mine who is a prominent Las Vegas Food Writer about the cold polenta-and even colder, gummier, risotto-that I’ve been served this year at private dinners at top restaurants in town. Attention must be paid to the details of technique in these popular, yet tricky side dishes. As a native Oregonian and lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest, I was pleased that the Wine Director paired an Oregon Pinot Noir with the quail in homage to Mr. Beard. Mr. Beard lived long enough to see vineyards planted in the Willamette Valley in Western Oregon. Years later, I think he would be proud that the wine industry is one of Oregon’s largest agricultural commodities. Oregon Pinot Noir’s have won prestigious awards against fine French vintages-and have found their way to the tables of Las Vegas. I can cast away the sins of the polenta in this course because the main focus of the dish, the quail, was delicious. The pasta course, ‘Fontina Stuffed Bucatini with Crescenza Sauce and White Truffle’ accompanied by ‘Beni di Batasiolo, Riserva, Barolo, 2000’- The Chefs had obviously taken great care and a lot of time hand-crafting the long hollow tubes of bucatini pasta-a combination of tomato, traditional and spinach pastas. This was a tricky dish. Both fontina and crescenza cheeses have a strong, almost bitter flavor. We wondered if Chef Pellegrini had pushed the flavors too far. But once again, the cheese, used in just the right amounts, didn’t overpower the white truffles. It was a masterfully crafted dish and was raised to the upper echelons of pasta creations by, of course, the white truffles. The meat course, ‘Buffalo Medallion with White Wine Demi-Glace and White Truffle’ accompanied by ‘Leone di Castris “Donna Lisa” Salice Salentino, 1995’- Chef Pellegrini procured the buffalo tenderloin from the ranch in North Dakota. It was incredibly tender and slightly sweet with no hint of gaminess. Swirling white wine into the demi-glace gave the sauce a complimentary flavor to the delicate buffalo. (I think a red-wine based demi-glace would have been too heavy for the meat and truffles). It was interesting watching the faces of the diners from New York who hadn’t ventured far enough West to have ever tasted buffalo. We all proclaimed it delicious. The red cabbage to the side of the plate was, sadly, akin to the polenta served with the quail-cold, soft, limp in texture and lacking in the characteristic sweet and sour flavors of this winter vegetable side dish. A small detail, but a detraction no less. The last two courses would be prove, at least in the eyes of the guests, to present the greatest challenge to Chef Pellegrini and the Wine Director-a cheese course with white truffles and dessert paired with white truffles. The cheese course, ‘Cheese Three Ways, Hot, Cold and Crispy with Dried Fruit and Nuts’ accompanied by ‘Schlumberger, Vendanges Tardives, “Cuvee Christine” Gewurztraminer, Alsace, 2000’- By this point in the dinner, I was much more involved in dining, drinking and conversation than I was writing down the specific cheeses in this dish and how they were prepared. I do know that the “crispy” element came in the form of a parmesan crisp. The white truffles were combined with fresh cheese in a form of gelato. I would call it an acquired taste-creamy and sweet yet with a strong, musty aroma and bittersweet taste. It was good, but probably not a dish I would order off a regular dessert menu. The final course, dessert, ‘White Chocolate and Gianduja Truffle with Candied Asparagus, Sautéed Sugar Pumpkin and Orange Zabayon’ accompanied by ‘Ben Rye, Passito di Pantelleria, 2006’- The ‘truffle’ element of the dish was in fact a play on words. We had enjoyed white ‘truffles’ throughout dinner, yet in the dessert course the ‘truffle’ spoke to the sweet focal element of the dish. As you can see from the photo, this wasn’t the small chocolate truffles one is familiar with. This ‘truffle’ was a big as a Christmas tree ornament-a shell of white chocolate holding a plush mousse of Gianduja, (hazelnut and almond pastes mixed with chocolate). The truffle was sitting on top of a crisp chocolate cookie. The candied asparagus was an afterthought-apparently intended to add something to the truffle-that only served as a distraction. It was a concept best left in the kitchen for another dish. And while a bit more successful than the asparagus in terms of flavor, the sautéed sugar pumpkin wasn’t necessary-another small distraction in an otherwise delicious ending to dinner. The ‘Passito di Pantelleria’ was my favorite wine of the evening-it reminded me of the ice wines from British Columbia. The Wine Director said that the vines actually fall to the ground with the grapes still on them. The grapes dry on the vines, concentrating the sugars which results in a thick, almost syrupy wine with aromas of citrus. I had never tasted white truffles prior to dinner at Valentino. I have had the pleasure of tasting black truffles, and while they are certainly one of the most delicious of foods, the black truffle cannot compare to his more sophisticated cousin the white truffle. During dinner, we went around the table and each guest described what the white truffle tasted like. I said the “white truffle is sexy and alluring while the black truffle is bold and heady.” Indeed. I now admit that I am in love-the taste memories of the evening will stay with me forever. The feast of the white truffle was over and the smiles on the faces of the guests pleased Chef Pellegrini and his staff to no end. Mr. Beard had an affinity for truffles decades before most Americans even knew what they were. In “The New James Beard,” cookbook, Knopf-1981, in his recipe for “Risotto with White Truffles,” Beard instructed the cook to “Garnish the top of the cooked risotto with thin shavings of fresh white truffles.” In a voice only Beard could lend to the written word, he went on to say that white truffles “are in season late in the year and are madly expensive, but worth the splurge.” Going back as far as 1949, Beard was teaching America about unique and unheard of ingredients. In the “Fireside Cookbook,” Simon and Schuster, Mr. Beard wrote in part that “A white truffle from Italy has a distinct garlic odor.” As my story unfolds over the course of the next two days, my relationship with Mr. Beard, celebrating American Cuisine and The Fireside Cookbook would come full circle.

Hi Kim-I use a version of what is termed "Beurre Monte"-basically butter mixed with a small amount of water at a low temperature. In very non-scientific terms, the water keeps the butter from separating. If you happen to have the French Laundry cookbook the process is described on page 135. You simply need a saucepan, butter, water and your chosen seafood. My recipe below calls for Prawns, but I've done the recipe with lobster, scallops and Dungeness crab in the shell. When I've done it with lobster I used lobster tails. I bought the tails frozen and let them thaw. Sometimes I remove the raw meat and cut it into chunks before butter-poaching. Other times I've just cut the tail into large chunks, leaving the meat in the shell. The results are fabulous-very tender meat with a buttery coating. And don't throw out the butter poaching liquid. You've just created a buttery seafood stock that you can use in all sorts of other dishes-or save it to poach another day! Prawns 8 large prawns, shelled, tails left on 1 stick unsalted butter 1 tbsp. water Heat the water over medium heat until it begins to simmer. Add the butter and move the pan in a circular motion to incorporate. Add the prawns and poach just until tender, about 4-5 minutes, again moving the pan in a circular motion.

Prelude- “Was it the White Truffles Chef Pellegrini asked?” “Yes Chef, it was the white truffles, but that’s merely part of the reason why I’ll be dining with you at Valentino on Friday night.” “Owing to the fact that you are a James Beard Award-Winning Chef-and our dinner is in celebration of the Beard Foundation-and given the impressive reputation of Mr. Selvaggio, I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to join you for a private dinner at Valentino at The Venetian.” Now you don’t honestly believe that I was that suave in my reply to the Chef’s ominous question do you? I wasn’t’ at all suave. The reality of the moment is that I was tongue-tied, my palms were sweaty and my hand melted when it met the rigid grip of Chef Luciano Pellegrini’s strong hands. Adding to the scene of the nervous, lip-twitching Food Writer was the fact that Piero Selvaggio, (owner of Valentino restaurant and a James Beard Award-Winning Restaurateur in his own right), was standing just to my right. Yet the Italians have a certain relaxed aura which helped my nerves fade away. I could have fumbled my words terribly and said something like-“um, Chef, I know you are famous for cooking spaghetti and I knew you won some awards so I thought your dinner would taste great”-and Chef Pellegrini and Mr. Selvaggio would have still been composed and gracious. The occasion for my meeting Chef Pellegrini and Mr. Selvaggio came at a reception at the Wynn hotel sponsored by the Michelin Guide. (Lady luck was on my side and I snared an invitation from a friend who lives in Las Vegas). It was a monumental week for the Las Vegas restaurant community-the “Rising Star Revue” sponsored by Star Chefs was held on Tuesday, October 21, followed by the Michelin reception on Wednesday, October 22, followed by the Taste America Events beginning on Friday, October 24. And so the stage was set, (and I can thank the white truffle hunters of Alba, Italy, for breaking the ice), for three days of dining, imbibing and spirited conversation in celebration of James Beard and the efforts of the Beard Foundation. Next-A "White Truffle Dinner" at Valentino........

The Northwest-themed Thanksgiving turned out pretty well. Below are some photos of the finished dishes along with a few comments- -Smoked Pacific Turbot, Smoked Sea Scallops, Flying Fish Roe, Olive Oil, Lemon, Radish Sprouts. The Turbot and Scallops were from Gerard Dominique's Seafood of Woodinville, Washington. -Apple, Pear, Parsnip Salad with Bleu Cheese, Toasted Hazelnuts and Apple Cider Vinaigrette. The apples and pears were from Washington, the bleu cheese and hazelnuts from Oregon. -Roast Turkey with Cranberry-Gooseberry Relish. Darn turkeys today don't have enough fat. I have a heck of a time getting a good pool of turkey drippings in the roasting pan. Seems like my Mother used to get all kinds of dripping fat out of her turkeys. Makes it hard to get a good gravy going. (That's a whole appled stuffed into the turkey). I was originally going to add apple cider to the cranberry sauce, but I remembered this huge bag of frozen gooseberries I had in the freezer. I bought them this Summer at Bauman Farms of Salem, Oregon. We should all use more gooseberries-they are tart and fragrant-unlike any other little fruit. -Brussels Sprouts with Applewood Smoked Bacon and Chestnuts. I'm not a big fan of chestnuts. I don't think they have much flavor and they tend to get soft during cooking. Next time I'll try a harder nut like a hazelnut, but the chestnuts do seem to say the "Holidays" when they appear on the table. -Sausage "Dressing" with Currants and Pecans. I put the word "dressing" in quotes because I don't "stuff" my turkeys. For some reason as a kid I developed a distaste for stuffing that mixed with the inner juices of the turkey. This dressing was too moist-I put too much stock into it. I'll need to tamper with the recipe again during the holidays-I'll leave out the currants and pecans and I need to chop the celery and onion into bigger pieces. I cut corners to save time and processed the celery and onion in the food processor-bad move because I let the pieces get chopped too finely. When the dressing was cooked, you couldn't taste nice bits of crunchy celery and onion. -Mashed Potatoes. I always use huge Washington "Baker's" (Russets) when I make mashed potatoes. I use an old fashioned ricer to mash the potatoes and add lots of butter, milk and cream. -The Thanksgiving Dinner plate. -Northwest Cheeses with Fruit and Nut Crostini and Blackberry Honeycomb. The cheeses came from Oregon and Washington-Crater Lake Bleu (OR), Tillamook Dairy Cheddar (OR), and Trailhead Tomme from Mt. Townsend Creamery (WA). The Biscotti is from Anjou Baker of Cashmere, Washington and the Honeycomb from Bauman Farms of Salem, Oregon. I love cheese plates at restaurants but had never done one at home. I sure will again-this was the highlight of dinner. I was skeptical of the honeycomb and wasn't sure how to eat it. Visiting various websites didn't give any definitive answers-so I just slurped the raw honey out of the honeycomb. It was delicious-a bite of soft cheese on a crunchy biscuit then finished with this sweet blackberry honey. -Mince Pie with Rum Whipped Cream. The pie was from Cyrus O'Leary's bakery of Spokane. It was very good, but not "traditional" mince pie. Mince pies today are a mix of fruits to satisfy today's softer tastes. The traditional pies were of course called "Mincemeat" because they included meat into the mixture, very often game meat. For you mince pie aficianados, I'll be sharing a photo of a traditional mince pie later during the Holidays. I have some true mincemeat (with Venison), in the freezer. I made a big batch last year and it's been frozen in booze ever since. In a couple of weeks I'll bring it out and make a pie. -Apple Pie with Pumpkin Ice Cream. I used organic "Pinova" apples from the Yakima Valley area in Central Washington. The Pumpkin Ice Cream is from Tillamook Dairy in Tillamook, Oregon-the same dairy where the cheddar came from. I had read a piece in The Oregonian newspaper that the Pinova was the top scoring apple in their testing of baking apples. They liked the pure apple taste and the fact that when the apples are sliced they hold their shape during cooking. I put the newspaper to the test and found them absolutely right-the Pinova's performed beautifully during 50 minutes baking in the crust at 400 degrees. More importantly, they have a delicious apple flavor-not too tart, not too sweet. I hope you notice the flakiness of the pie crust-it was a big success. I use a mixture of Crisco and butter along with sugar, flour and cake flour. When I add the ice water to soften the dough I sprinkle in about a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. On to Christmas dinner!

I just have to say "how delicious!" Thanks for sharing. And keep sharing photos of furry little creatures ready for the pot. Wonderful.

I recently modified my recipe and found the results even better than the above. I changed the apple variety from Granny Smith to Pinova. The Pinova seems to be less tart than the Granny Smith and needs less sugar. It also holds it's shape better than the Granny Smith. Instead of laying the apples halves down lengthwise per the above photo, I stacked them on end. It gave the Tatin more height and filled the skillet with more apples. I added about 1 tablespoon of corn syrup to the butter and sugar mixture to help in the caramelization of the apples. In my previous recipe I called for a non-stick skillet. This time I went back to the old tried and true black, cast iron, 3" deep skillet. Worked like a charm with no problems turning the Tatin out of the skillet. Sorry, didn't get any photos this time around, but that only means I'll have to bake another Tatin just to show off. I want a slice of Mr. Hatfield's Tatin. Looks delicious.

The last plan was for Chef Theo Schoenegger to open "Theo's," an Italian cuisine restaurant at Encroe. That was the plan up until about two weeks ago. Now the plan is for Theo to be the Chef at Sinatra. That's the latest plan. Hopefully Mr. Wynn won't micro-manage the arrangement and it will be a succesful venture for both the hotel and the Chef.

As we speak, I am holding two very precious Christmas gifts on my kitchen counter-two "Great Northern Fruitcakes" that are vintage 2006. The little jewels have been wrapped in brandy-soaked cheesecloth for three years. I have lovingly doused them with a shower of brandy every three months during their slumber in the pantry. And in just a few more weeks I will wake them from their liquor infused dreams and we'll eat them for Christmas. These are photos of their cousin, Fruitcake 2005, which we ate last year: I use a recipe, (posted in the link below), that was created by the bakers of the Great Northern Railrod company. In a bygone era, Fruitcake regularly appeared on holiday menus on Great Northern passenger trains like the "Empire Builder" and the "North Coast Limited." But the days of grand dining aboard regularly scheduled passenger trains is all but gone, replaced with passable Amtrak diners that do not serve fruitcake. I suspect those of you who are reading these pages join me as a lover of this delicious, (often-derided), little bundle of fruit, nuts and cake. You may be interested in reading a piece I once wrote about fruitcake: http://www.themediadrome.com/content/artic...s/fruitcake.htm I'd love to see photos of your fruitcakes.

Thank you, that helps me a bit. I'd say a touch of a liver taste, along with the flavors of grass and herbs, a bit more sweet than salty, and bordering on "gamy." I think it's an acquired taste. But for me, not really worth the extra cost. The hamburger I bought was $12.99 a pound.

From a technical standpoint, the grass-fed beef did not shrink during cooking and it didn't seep out water like you find when cooking with the basic, "10% solution added" hamburger you buy at the supermarket.

Every now and then I make a homemade hamburger for dinner. Nothing I've found locally from a restaurant comes close-although I do prefer restaurant fries over the fries I attempt to make at home. Two weeks ago I travelled to Oregon to visit family. On the way home I stopped at a Whole Foods market South of Portland. Unfortunately, we don't have a grocery store on the level of Whole Foods in Spokane. I bought some "Organic, Grass-Fed Hamburger" because I've been interested in this current debate as to the merits and taste of Grass-Fed beef over traditionally raised beef-ie. pasture-fed and then fattened on grain and/or corn in a feedlot. I found these beautiful brioche hamburger buns from a bakery in San Francisco. Sorry, I can't give the bakers their due credit because I ate all the buns and the wrapping went in the recycling bin before I got the name of the bakery! I dress my burgers with shredded iceberg lettuce, dill pickle chips, thousand island dressing and cheddar cheese. Instead of my normally feeble attempt at fries I made passable homemade potato chips. The minute the burger hit the pan it smelled very "beefy"-just like I remember the hamburgers my Grandmother cooked on our family cattle ranch many years ago. I was anticipating becoming a "Grass-Fed" fan. Then I tasted the burger. It was good-very juicy and very flavorful. It wasn't sweet like buffalo, but it didn't have the beef flavor I'm used to. I wouldn't describe the taste as "grassy" or "herbal," it just seemed to taste a bit off. I'm usually not at a loss for words when describing foods, but in this case I can't really find the exact words to convey the taste of this beef. Let's leave it at I'm not going to buy more grass-fed beef. Organic, probably. Naturally-raised, yes. But good or bad, maybe my taste buds are numb to grass-fed beef. I think I'll stay with cattle who graze on grass, then are finished with corn and grain. Enjoy the picture.

How beautiful. I am at work today, so won't be having Thanksgiving until Saturday. But oh how you've made my day-at-work-on-a-holiday so much better. I think I can actually sense the steam coming off those delicious rolls, (and those wondrous, golden, puffy tops-perfect). Thank you indeed.

I'm planning a Northwest theme Thanksgiving with a focus on local products. I'll take pictures for everyone of each dish. Here's the menu so far: -Smoked Pacific Turbot, Smoked Sea Scallops, Flying Fish Roe, Olive Oil, Lemon, Radish Sprouts. (The Turbot and Scallops are from Gerard Dominique's Seafood of Woodinville, Washington). -Apple, Pear, Parsnip Salad with Bleu Cheese, Toasted Hazelnuts and Apple Cider Vinaigrette. (I'll be using Bartlett Pears and Pinova Apples from Washington, Oregon Hazelnuts and Bleu Cheese). -Traditional Turkey, Sausage Dressing with Apples and Pecans, Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Walnuts, Cranberry-Apple Cider Compote, Mashed Potatoes. (The only Northwest products will be the Apple Cider and Idaho Russet Potatoes). -Northwest Cheeses with Fruit and Nut Crostini and Blackberry Honeycomb. (The Cheeses are from Oregon and Washington, the Biscottie from Anjou Baker of Cashmere, Washington and the Honeycomb from Bauman Farms of Salem, Oregon). -Apple Pie with Pumpkin Ice Cream. (The apples are from an Organic orchard in Central Washington). -Mince Pie with Bourbon Whipped Cream. (The pie is from Cyrus O'Leary's bakery of Spokane). Lots of good food and I hope lots of leftovers for wonderful lunches.

All I have to say is delicious, delicious, delicious. And I'll be trying the method next weekend........

Last night dinner was "Casarecce" Carbonara with Applewood Smoked Bacon and Fresh Oregon Chanterelles. Lots of Parmesano-Reggiano, Eggs and a touch of cream. I will easily forsake meat for dinner if I can have a big bowl of this pasta.

Wonderful Chicken Cordon Bleu Percyn. I'm going to put that on my 'to do' list. A couple of weekends ago when the weather turned very cold, I did a slow-braised beef served over polenta. I had a craving for polenta ever since I got back from Las Vegas-due to being served a side dish of cold, tasteless, polenta at an Italian restaurant. I use this basic recipe for all my braised beef dishes. Next time I'll share some prep photos. I start with basic chuck roast and dust it with flour and brown it in oil. Then I saute carrots, onions, celery and garlic. I'll sprinkle in some flour to thicken the braising sauce. Then deglaze with red wine and beef stock. Believe it or not, I've found that your basic Campbell's Condensed Beef Stock gives the best flavor and isn't too salty. I add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste, along with these spices-juniper berries, black peppercorns, bay leaf, allspice and orange peel. That combination gives the beef a subtle aromatic flavor. I put the beef and the vegetable mixture in a heavy casserole dish and braise it in the oven at 300 for about 6 hours. Then I'll strain out the vegetables and return the beef and strained sauce back to the casserole. I usually make the dish a day in advance and let the beef chill in the sauce overnight before reheating it about an hour before serving with the polenta. I usually make my polenta with chicken stock rather than plain water because it gives a bit of a flavor boost. Usually I'll add a small amount of cheese to the polenta, but this time I just served it plain since the beef sauce adds so much flavor to the polenta on the plate. And it sure was nice having a hot dish of polenta!

I don't think there was any special celebration on the 2 year anniversary of Guy Savoy at Caesar's Palace. At least not like the one-year anniversary party/dinner I went to in May of 2007. Chef Savoy does come to Las Vegas but I'm not sure of his schedule. I did exchange greetings with Frank Savoy when I was in Las Vegas in October and the restaurant is doing well. He's especially proud of the "Bubbles and Bites" menu that they introduced this year in the small bar area at the front of the restaurant. Customers can taste some of the restaurants signature dishes with a glass of champagne without having to take the time to enjoy the full, formal experience of dining in the main restaurant. Savoy is quite worthy of the two star rating from Michelin.

Unfortunately, following on the news that he had closed Fish Camp, Chef Osteen has closed Louis's Las Vegas, (as first reported at ELV.com). The restaurant became the victim of the horrible economy-but a few other factors sealed its fate. Louis's was located at the Town Square shopping center on the South end of the strip. The shopping center is still opening up, slowly, so the newness of the place didn't get word out to the strip for the tourists to come on down and shop and dine there. With so many wonderful restaurants in the hotels on the Strip, I think visitors tended to dine closer to home instead of driving or taking a taxi down to Louis's. A restaurant not associated with one of the big hotels has a rough go of it in Las Vegas and the business from the locals is vital. Unfortunately, I don't think Louis's or Fish Camp ever got the numbers of local/repeat business necessary to see them through rough times. Prices are down at many of the nice restaurants in Las Vegas right now, so I don't think you'll have problems finding something good in your price range-especially if you have a $50 credit to use each day at The Venetian. Just go on the web or tour the hotels when you get in town and you'll see posted menus and prices outside the restaurants. The grill/cafe at Valentino is good, and Boulud at the Wynn has a pre-theater menu that offers choices of three courses for a reasonable price. And another tip on cabs, the prices have come down recently. While cabs are still of course the most expensive means of transportation, they're the quickest and most convenient. In May I was paying an average of $20 for a one-way fare, including tip, from the airport to Treasure Island on the Strip. In October, I paid $12 for the ride including tip. So like the economy in general, cab rides and restaurant prices in Las Vegas have come down. That exludes the prices at the high-end restaurants like Guy Savoy, Robuchon, Restaurant Charlie and Alex-which continue to be terribly expensive.

The not-so-secret announcements of which Las Vegas restaurants garnered stars in the 2009 Michelin Guide were “formally” announced at a private reception at The Wynn on October 22. (The “informal” announcements of who won a star in Las Vegas were leaked to the press nearly two weeks before the event). I don’t particularly care who wins Michelin stars or why, (I happen to put more faith in my personal taste tests rather than solely relying on the opinions of Michelin in determining whether or not a restaurant is worthy). But I felt lucky and blessed to be invited nonetheless because it afforded me the opportunity to be among some of the top chefs of the day-(Chefs with and without stars). The party was held at The Wynn in a private, outdoor pool and garden setting. Surrounding the pool were food stations from the restaurants at The Wynn-each serving small bites of some of their signature dishes. Looking back from the pool garden to the entrance to the hotel- Michelin and Wynn set up a photo backdrop and red carpet so the “star-winning” Chefs could be interviewed and photographed as they entered the party. (Note that the backdrop has “Wynn” printed on it. Steve Wynn never overlooks an opportunity to catch some press). I found it quite amusing when a Chef who isn’t employed by Mr. Wynn at his palace came forward to accept his star, only to be photographed in front of a backdrop with the competition’s name splattered all over it. Pure Las Vegas one upmanship indeed. Some of the beautiful PR people who promote the restaurants of Las Vegas, (always with their notebooks and press kits in hand), waiting for the Chefs to arrive- The camera crew- From left to right, Jean-Luc Naret, (Director, Michelin Guides), Mr. Steve Wynn, (rich guy who owns the pool garden), and Chef Julian Serrano, (Chef at Picasso at Bellagio, a place Mr. Wynn used to own but sold for a few billion)- The “SW Steakhouse” station, headed by Chef David Walzog. The Kobe Strip Loin with “Bacon Ice Cream” was especially good- The menu at the Wing Lei station. (One of the few Chinese restaurants in America to garner a Michelin star)- Chef Richard Chen, Wing Lei, a Master when it comes to showcasing the flavor of duck- Mr. John Curtas, KLAS, KNPR, ELV.com and bon vivant-about-town, standing next to the talented young Chef Anthony Amoroso, awarded one-star for his delicious work at “Michael Mina” at Bellagio- Daniel Boulud, (we’ve lost track of how many stars he’s won), plating some of his impressive charcuterie. Boulud and crew displayed a table of charcuterie the likes of which had never been seen or tasted in Las Vegas. I’m quite sure all local pigs in Clark County-and their feet, tails, ears and innards-had been bought by Chef Boulud. Naturally, the Chefs in attendance all congregated at Boulud’s porcine celebration-

Thanks-an important clarification. We have delicious peaches in the Northwest, but the Frog Hollow peaches were the absolutely best I've ever tasted-juicy, sweet and with so much peach flavor. I don't know what a Chef pays for them, but I would gladly pay big bucks just to have one of these juicy beauties in my kitchen. They were amazing.