avaserfi

This is why I actually started my blog, to record my cooking, practice plating and try and develop my style more. It has worked very well, I think. I also keep a notepad in the kitchen which I write notes in, if I deem something worthy I might type it up at a later date. When I get a tablet computer I will probably scrap the hand written notes. Once the recipes are typed up I have them categorized based on primary ingredient or what it is. The categories constantly shift as I feel like I think of a better one, examples include beef, pork, desserts, dairy, grains, fruits, beverages etc. Sometimes there is overlap between the categories, if so I just use my best judgment and hope I remember for the future. As far as recording meals out, I don't like taking pictures while eating out. Instead, I always carry a small notebook that I keep around for when ideas pop in my head. I just keep it accessible during the meal if I feel like writing something down. When I peruse through it I often read an idea I had and remember where I was and what I was eating or doing.

I've never been fond of the texture sour cream imparts. My philosophy is make it as good as possible and less often if it is something expensive, thinking of it as rare treat. That said it could probably be added to the formula above, it has been a while since I've experimented with it, but I would probably start with 10-15% and see how it works. Of course that isn't really stretching the recipe too much. You could probably go all the way up to 30% (although this might require some more egg), but I don't think the results are worth it. Curious....what is involved? Dip a raspberry in liquid nitrogen until frozen solid and then hit gently. The raspberry breaks along the natural seams so each fruit aggregate (I don't know their actual name) is separate. They are very fragile after this, so plate while frozen and let them thaw on the plate. This same technique also works on citrus and other similarly structured fruits.

I used my base cheesecake recipe. So I start with cream cheese (100%) and cream with sugar (35%), salt (1%) and corn starch (1.9%). I then emulsify in the whole eggs (20%) and yolks (7.5%). Lastly, I mix in some cream (10%) and whole milk (5%). As far as flavorings go, I do that to taste and they are added at the end, right before bagging. Bag and 80C for 3 hours, pipe, chill and you are good to go. All ingredients should be at room temperature. The other elements were shattered raspberry and chocolate cookie crumbs.

That's a good size pig, but what breed is it? Also, how do you normally use your pork? Are you planning on curing anything, if so, what? Do you want whole muscles or want to butcher it yourself? You can always get the primal cuts and practice your butchery. If you have them butcher it, make sure they remove the tenderloin before separating the mid-section and the ham. Some places don't and waste about 1/3 of the tenderloin cutting it off and leaving it in the ham. I would also make sure they leave the bones in the belly. There aren't too many, but many people scrap them along with their meat. Instead, leave them in and get all that good flavor in your bacon, braise or whatever. As far as offal goes, I would take all of it. Liver is great for pate, kidney is good sauteed, the head is very good for a head cheese, braise or if you are adventurous porchetta di testa (pictured below). The ears fry up deliciously like cracklings and the tail can be treated similarly. The shanks braise very well and as mentioned the trotters add body to a soup. The heart is good for a braise or can be cured. If it is a less hairy breed you request everything skin on (if this is accommodated by the abattoir and butcher). Pork rinds aren't too much work, but are delicious and the skin will protect the shoulders and hams during long cooks, if that's what you are into.

Thanks everyone! ScottyBoy's postings have been a real inspiration for my plating. I also wanted a little of the whimsy that is so common in dcarch platting too.

Inspired by some of the great food I've seen in this thread and somewhere between lunch and dinner I made a couple of these as a planned snack. I've had the idea for a while and wanted to give it a go. The center is a 'nest' of dehydrated enoki and rousong with a 62C quail egg, crispy duck tongue and truffle salt. Surrounding the nest is charred bunapi and marinated shimeji mushrooms along with some shiitake puree.

It is definitely silky and creamy, but my cheesecake always is. It has some of the lightness a cheesecake gets from the bake, but not quite as much. It feels a little more rich than I have experienced in the past. I attribute this to the lack of any overcooked parts. Traditional cooking methods result in the outside being over-baked while the inside is just right. So, in my experience, the outer portions are a bit lighter in texture than the inside. Not the case here. After the project was done, I wished I had made some in the oven to compare more scientifically. Maybe next time.

Freezing allowed me to unmold them without damaging the cake. I compared some that was frozen to some that wasn't and couldn't detect a textural difference.

Sous vide cheesecake works very well. I bagged the custard and cooked at 80C for 3 hours then piped into molds. The pictured cheesecake I gave a dusting of sugar and bruleed. My recipe uses a mixture of whole eggs, egg yolks and corn starch. I believe time/temperature will change based on egg scalling relative to the rest of the liquids.

I just recently made some sous vide cheesecake and the results are great. I bagged the custard and cooked at 80C for 3 hours then piped into molds. The pictured cheesecake I gave a dusting of sugar and bruleed. I talk about it a little more on the link below, but the end result was a resounding success for me. http://www.consumedgourmet.com/2011/10/low-temperature-sous-vide-cheesecake.html

I love a good heart tartar. The last time I made heart tartar, I used veal. Recipe here. The recipe I used would work with lamb, but I might go a different route and use flavors common with lamb such as cumin, lemon and mint maybe topping with grated cured egg yolk rather than a egg yolk sheet.

I just rebrewed the Sakimidori tonight with very different results. As a note, I was in a poorly lit environment so I can't comment on colors. First infusion, 60C for 30 seconds - milky, slightly sweet and vegetal with a pleasant bit of funk at the end. Second infusion, 60C for 30 seconds - same as above, but more intense Third infusion, 60C for 60 seconds - For some reason I didn't take notes here, but remember a slight (pleasant) astringency with similar flavors from above. Less body. Fourth infusion, 60C for 90 seconds - again it has a milky consistency, with veg upfront and funk in the back. Fifth infusion, 60C for 120 seconds - tasted like sweet water with a dry finish. Slightly more body than water. Sixth infusion, 63C for 90 seconds - fairly similar to the last brew. Seventh infusion, 63C for 120 seconds - not much going on. This time there was much less astringency, but the tea was less complex. With the last brew I am hoping to find a middle ground.

I didn't have time to get a second go at the Kamairchas this weekend, but did try the Oolong which was delicious. I used 3 grams for the gaiwan again. First infusion, 90C for 30 seconds - golden/straw colored with a milky consistency, sightly sweet and subtle veg flavors. Second infusion, 90C for 30 seconds - more mustard colors with a more intense veg flavor. More milky and slight floral notes. Third infusion, 90C for 45 seconds - same color, but slightly more opaque. Very smooth, richer body and sweeter, but the veg flavor reduced. Fourth infusion, 90C for 1 minute - slightly darker and more astringent with a subtle metallic flaor. Still milky with some sweetness and veg notes. Fifth infusion, 90C for 1 minute - lighter yellow and more mild texture and flavor. Slight metallic notes persist. Sixth infusion, 90C for 2 minutes - darker yellow again, more floral and sweet. Heavier body. Metallic note persists. Seventh infusion, 90C for 3 minutes - Same yellow, very subtle flavor, mostly metallic sweet water. Any ideas on what was causing the metallic flavor? I assume it was an off flavor, but have no clue what could be causing it.

You could take the oil the anchovies are packed in and blend with n-zorbit tapioca maltodextrin to get an anchovy powder, which would make a great seasoning for popcorn. Use about a 60% fat to 40% n-zorbit.

That is how most braises/stews work. You over cook a tough cut the meat until the connective tissue, such as collagen, starts to break down and re-lubricate the dried out meat.

Did you find your second experience with the Sakimidori had less astringency? If so, what do you attribute to this?

I occasionally make a terrine of hot dog, rather than stuff the forcemeat into a casing. This allows for some great sandwiches, lardon of hotdog and other interesting presentations that aren't too traditional.

I thought I already posted this, but maybe I was tired and forgot to hit the post button. Due to work, I won't be able to get another tasting done until Saturday. I hope to do the Oolong Saturday and follow up with brewing both Kamairicha on Sunday. Does anyone have any thoughts on how to tone down the Sakimidori?

Followed up with the Okumidori tonight. I tried to keep the same quantities and infusion times as with the Sakimidori to get a good comparison. I really liked this tea, extremely smooth and great flavor. First infusion, 60C for 60 seconds - Bright yellow green with a milky texture. Vegetable heavy (corn) with a slightly sweet backbone, a touch of tannin and a floral nose. Second infusion, 60C for 45 seconds - Darker green with a stronger tannic flavor. The flavor reminded me of roses and apricots. Third infusion, 63C for 90 seconds - At this point, I notice that there are many fines in the leaves making it hard to pour without bits falling into the gaiwan. Same color with a nice milky texture. The apricot falls back to a subtle floral flavor. Fourth infusion, 63C for 90 seconds - More green color and much more smooth than the past infusions. A heavier milky body with a strong apricot flavor. Fifth infusion, 63C for 120 seconds - Same color, subtle sweetness, apricot and grassiness. Sixth infusion, 65.5C for 90 seconds - More yellow and a thinner more watery texture. Grass predominates. Seventh infusion, 65.5C for 120 seconds - Lighter yellow, close to straw. Sweet and milkier than the previous infusion. Apricot is back. Eighth infusion, 65.5 for 120 seconds - Light yellow and no real flavor left.

I just did a tasting with the Kamairicha Sakimidori. This is the first time I have had any tea like it. I used a small gaiwan which holds about 3oz of water, so I used 3 grams of tea. Overall, I thought the tea was very interesting. The first few infusions were a little challenging with the tannin coming to the front, but the tea develops in a very interesting way. First infusion, 60C for 60 seconds - The tea was a bright yellow-green, almost neon. A slightly milky texture and light vegetal flavor, most notably, corn with hints of winter greens. Second infusion, 60C for 45 seconds - Similar color with slightly less green. The milky texture disappears, but the tea still retains some body. It is much more tannic than I expected with just a hint of vegetal flavors and aromas. Third infusion, 63C for 90 seconds - The color is getting more muted. The tannin is subsiding, but is still the dominate taste. Vegetal flavors coming through more almost reminding me of collards. The body has remained constant. Fourth infusion, 63C for 90 seconds - The color is mostly yellow and has lightened some. The tannin has balanced with the vegetal flavors and now it really reminds me of winter greens. The body has increased slightly. Fifth infusion, 63C for 120 seconds - The tannin has nearly subsided which makes the vegetal flavor taste more like a spinach than a collard. The body is slightly heavier than water. Sixth infusion, 65.5C for 90 seconds - Lighter yellow in color with a milky texture similar to the first steep. A pleasant vegetal flavor follows the milkiness. Seventh infusion, 65.5C for 120 seconds - Straw yellow with a slightly less milky texture. Not much going on in this cup, just a hint of veg. Eighth infusion, 65.5 for 120 seconds - Did this just in case and we were happy we did. This was lighter in color, but had a slight citrus kick and had a very subtle sweetness. Very surprising. Ninth infusion, 71C for 120 seconds - I was hoping to get more of the citrus kick, but ended up with pale tea that had little flavor.

I just got one of these for a dinner I'm doing soon and had a question. I know the non-insulated ISI whips can be kept warm in a bain marie. The thermo-whip manual states not to keep the unit in a bain marie, presumably because the insulation will keep the mixture warm. Say I make a foam that I want to serve hot ahead of time, how do I reheat it for service? Same question for if I make something, but have left overs I don't want to toss. Can I make the mixture hot, as I normally would, let it cool and refrigerate over night then rewarm carefully in a bain marie? The manual says no, but I don't see why not. Pressure shouldn't be an issue because it was made warm and rewarmed back to the original temperature, although it might take longer considering the insulation.

A healthy sourdough starter can take a couple weeks to really get going. It sounds like you had some activity, but the starter still needs some nurturing before you can really bake with it. From what I have read, bacterial growth occurs first creating the environment wild yeast need. Eventually, a balance between the wild yeast and bacteria is reached and the starter is ready to work. Of course, the baker can control this balance to some extent through feeding intervals, hydration, flour and other additives. I would also avoid adding dry yeast to the starter, there is no purpose. Instead encourage the growth of wild yeast and bacteria by feeding regularly. Once it is healthy you can store the starter in the fridge between uses, just make sure to feed it once or twice before trying to bake with it. In my experience, once a starter doubles in size four hours after a feeding it is pretty healthy. A very healthy one will quadruple in size in the same time. I also suggest you read this post on sourdough starters by Peter Reinhart. It discusses one potential issue with making a starter that plagued me when I first made mine a few years ago. In the end, the problem is just a bump in the road, but it is good to know about because it can slow the growth of your real starter as you culture an unwanted bacteria which masquerades as yeast. Eventually, the bacteria kills itself allowing for the proper microbial growth, but it can add a couple weeks to your process.

Another interesting option is Ideas in Food 6 minute risotto. They pre-soak the rice to hydrate the starch, strain, toast and finish with stock in a pan last minute to gelatinize the rice, so it is ready for service. In the original rendition they soaked in one liquid and cooked in another, but I tend to use my soaking liquid as the cooking liquid to utilize as much starch as possible. With this method I have made extremely creamy risottos and less creamy ones depending on my mood, application and rice varietal. Obviously, there are many similarities between the two techniques, but the Ideas in Food version saves cook time which is great for service. The biggest problem I have found with this technique is that the short cook doesn't allow as much concentration of the stock flavors. If using the 6 minute technique, I tend to start with extremely concentrated stocks to prevent this from happening. Their original post: http://blog.ideasinfood.com/ideas_in_food/2010/12/6-minute-risotto.html My rendition (this version was a slightly less creamy, more liquid in the final cook changes the end consistency): http://www.consumedgourmet.com/2011/07/risotto.html

I just got back from a trip to Minneapolis visiting some family. Saturday night: Travail Kitchen and Amusements This restaurant has been getting some good press lately and their food looked interesting. Saturday night was the only night they were opened during my stay so it I quickly decided to eat here our first night. This was especially easy considering their 10 course meal is just $70 per couple. Travail opens at 5pm and don't take reservations so we got their for an early dinner at 5. There was a line waiting to get seated. We just missed the first seating by 5 tables, so we got our name on the list and sat outside drinking, chatting and watching the kitchen work through the front window. It took about 2 hours to get seated. I think it is important to note that there is no host and waiters are sparse too. It seemed like the bartenders and cooks take care of everything from running food to taking names. This wasn't a problem with getting any food, but some patrons had trouble getting their name on the board. The table ordered the 10 course meal, rather than going al a carte. Each course is served on a platter shared between two people, so there is no option for a 10 course for one. By my count we got 14 dishes by the end of the meal (we were stuffed). On to specifics, after the meal I tried to write down all the courses we had in order, but was a little fuzzy on the exact order of everything. No list was given, instead each dish was described as it was brought out. I think this is close, but won't have the exact descriptions offered by the people bringing our food: Amuse Bouche: Chicken consomme with potato gnocchi Course 1: Composed beet salad Course 2: Tuna carpacio with XO sauce Course 3: Duck liver mouse with radishes Course 4: Pork Tartar - interesting and delicious. The pork was pink, but not raw. Instead, I think they cooked pork loin low temp to pasteurize it and then over did the low temp cooking to give it a softer texture, more like a raw meat. The meat was tossed with mozzarella and topped with fried capers. Other dressings surrounded the tartar. Course 5: Brown butter cotton candy pumpkin soup - this was the best pumpkin dish I have ever had. The cotton candy was a fun touch. The bowls were filled with it and soup was poured over top table side to melt the cotton candy. Course 6: Foie pierogi with radish and lemon foam Course 7: Mushroom Agnoletti with truffle sauce and foam Course 8: Corned beef tongue Course 9: Scallop with beet and cauliflower puree Palette Cleanser: Grapefruit and basil chill Course 10: Hanger steak (I can't remember the components). Course 11: Chocolate chip cookie, orange cream soda and pineapple meringue - the orange cream soda was intensely creamy and delicious. Course 12: Pumpkin pie and fried ice cream Everything ranged from good to great. I don't think there was a single dish that failed or came close. A couple times I thought some of the pickles were a little to potent relative to the other items on the plate, but this was a minor quibble. Service was very good, and the wine and beer list was short but well suited to the meal. I would gladly go back to this restaurant and would encourage others to go too. For the money this place is a steal. Inventive modernist cooking with Midwest flare. For the most part, they don't play up the use of modernist techniques as gimmicks, which is nice, they do it for quality. As a side note, the kitchen is small. It is very impressive to see this level of food from such a small space. They had such little room, one of their circulators was running in the back of the bar. After Travails we went to Bradstreet for some cocktails. A modern atmosphere that was very comfortable. Knowledgeable bartenders who know how to mix a great drink. They aren't cheap with the average drink running about $12, but it was a very good time. If you take mixology seriously, this is a fun time to spend some time. Sunday night: 112 Eatery I made reservations for 112 Eaters about two weeks before the trip based on some recommendations I saw on eG. Two of the people at the table made a meal out of sides and apps. So we had quite a bit of food at the table. Service was very good, as was their wine list. Sautéed sweetbreads in porcini & clam sauce: This was supposed to be an appetizer, but didn't come out until just after my main. The sweet bread was prepared very well, and the sauce was delicious. My only problem was I didn't get any clam flavor, it tasted more like a porcini tomato sauce. Pan-fried gnocchi w/ parmesan reggiano: light and fluffy as gnocchi should be. A few had was felt like a thing film around them, as if they were unevenly dried. I think the gnocchi should have been crisped up a little more in the pan. I thought these were just okay. Butternut squash with blue cheese and maple: This was great. The maple brought out the squash flavors and was tamed by the funky blue. Everyone at the table enjoyed this dish. French Fries: They were very good. Nice and crispy and well flavored. The tarragon aioli was phenomenal and paired wonderfully with the salty crispy fries. Tagliatelle w/ foie gras meatballs - another very successful dish. The foie meatballs were tender and lightly flavored. The pasta was perfectly cooked and sauced in a way that didn't overpower the meatballs. Bacon egg & harrisa sandwich - a really great breakfast sandwich. Very well balanced with some nice spice and a perfectly cooked egg. Gougère & fried mortadella sandwich - again a great job here. Well cooked gougère (I hate when they aren't properly/fully browned) and delicious fillings. Nancy silverton's butterscotch budino - perfectly cooked and great flavor. I loved that the custard was a salted butterscotch, but they sprinkled some salt on the top of the dish which occasionally overpowered everything else. Raspberry brioche tart w/ vanilla meringue - This was a top notch dessert. Overall we were happy with our experience at 112 Eatery. A few missteps, but that happens occasionally. Monday night: Saffron We were leaving Tuesday morning and the rest of the family left, so it was just my and my wife for an early night out Monday. We weren't too hungry, but wanted to grab something and maybe a couple cocktails. I can't remember how I heard about Saffron, but it is right across from 112 Eatery. We made it in right before happy hour ended. While there we each got a couple cocktails and a few small plates. The cocktails were very good. I let the bartender make me whatever he felt like, so he was making drinks up on the spot, which was very fun. The cocktails weren't on the same level as Bradstreet, but were a different beast. On to the food. Lamb Bacon BLT: Lightly charred brioche style bread with a arugula, and tomato jam that nicely balanced. The bacon was great, well cured and had an intense lamb flavor which I like. Lamb Brain: Poached, then fried. Served with stewed tomatoes and roasted garlic. Very good and balanced flavors. A great way to get someone to try brain for the first time. Crispy Potato Chips: Slightly thick and very crispy with well balanced dipping sauces. Bastirma: Their house cured beef. A fairly fatty beef cut that was cured. Great flavor, but I thought it needed a bit more salt to really get it going. Overall we had a great time and very good food at Saffron.

I tried about 5 pairs of different shoes designed for kitchen work. I wasn't comfortable in most of them and I actually ended up loving the cheapest of them all, the croc kitchen line. I regularly wear them for 14+ hour days and get home without my feet hurting at all. At less then $30 a pair these things are a steal.