docsconz

It's only selling out if the quality of the original work that got him or anyone else there suffers for it. IMO, Rocco sold out. I don;t begrudge the money and the fame if they can keep doing what got them there in the first place.

I checked today at the two largest supermarkets in my area, Queensbury, N.Y. near Glens Falls, Lake George and Saratoga Springs. At Price Chopper, the smallest ones were $10/lb with the largest at $16/lb. At Hannaford the smallest were $11/lb and the largest $15/lb. I find it hard to believe that they are still trying to move them at those prices right now. Something is screwy. Needless to say, I didn't buy any at those prices. I wasn't buying them at those prices when the economy was better! I will be happy to buy them when the prices are more reflective of reality.

Ok...I can go there, but have to put Milk and Honey and Death & Co on the list. I have been incredibly well spoiled!! ← I have yet to make it to PDT, but the only places I have been to compare for range and quality of with TVH are Tailor and Pegu Club.

Agreed.I'm still wondering if magnetism is used in any way to prepare, cook or otherwise manipulate food. Surely somewhere someone (who probably cooks wearing a lab coat) has tried to levitate an appetizer or something. My curiosity has been triggered, I think, by a colleague who has designed a roof for a hockey rink. This building features an exposed metal roof structure with a thin weatherproof membrane attached to the underside with magnets. Unorthodox, yes, but clever because the roof membrane is continuous without penetrations i.e. not leaky. My point is . . . I'm amazed when a strange solution is successful. ← I believe that induction cooktops are based on magnetism.

For someone dying to have this dish in NYC, it will be served this coming Wednesday at a special game dinner at Daniel. The six course game dinner for $495 also includes a wood pigeon course in addition to the lievre.

Where did you order it from? The elBulli website?

ahem.

Absolutely. I was in last night with a big group, so for the first time did not sit at the bar. Eden took fantastic care of us, was unrelenting in her attention to us and knowledge of drinks. Simply the best place in Chicago for cocktails!! ← ...or anywhere in my experience.

Well I just got a call confirming my resy for tonight, so I'll let you know if it's open when I get there! ← Got this email today: It would appear that they are still in the old Bouley for at least another week. I find it odd that at the bottom they still refer to Danube and not Secession.

I found this bit through ideasinfood.com.

Grant Achatz - New Tools of Gastronomy: Service Ware, Re-Imagined Fortunately I couldn't be at the last day of the 3rd Starchefs ICC, because I had someplace else I had to be that was even more important and satisfying to me personally that day. I had to bring my son to my college alma mater, so that he could begin his own college orientation there. Needless to say I am very proud of him. That was one of the few things that could have kept me away without feeling the sting of missing the culmination of this great Congress. Still there were a number of presentations that were quite disappointing to me to have to miss. Foremost amongst these was the culminating presentation of Grant Achatz of Alinea. Much has been said and written about the comments the previous Sunday by Marco Pierre White and Anthony Bourdain taking potshots at culinary creativity and elaborate tasting menus. Very thinly veiled, White's comments, in particular, attacked Chef Achatz as well as other chefs of a similar bent. Bourdain piled on and Ruhlman, though not an active contributor to the controversial discussion, did little, as moderator, to defend that particular style of cooking. I have not been shy in stating over the past few years, that Alinea is my favorite restaurant in North America and second in the world only to elBulli. Even so, I could not and would not want to dine at that or any other restaurant or eat any one particular style of cooking every day. However, for those rare occasions when I have made it out to Chicago and Alinea, the total experience has always been sensational and special. I spoke to Chef Achatz prior to my leaving the Congress. He told me that he would have a response to the vitriol launched at him and others and that he would share it with me. True to his word, several days later, he sent me a transcript of his remarks, from which I take this quote: Chef Achatz went on through the rest of his presentation discussing many of the functional elements his restaurant has become well known for, including the wide variety of function-specific serving and centerpieces. It was, however, his initial remarks that will likely be most remembered. Somewhat reminiscent of what has come to be known as "santamariagate" in Spain, during which Santi Santamaria attacked the creativity and even food safety of Spain's leading creative chefs, the comments from White and less-so Bourdain, reflected intolerance and a self-centric view of the world. It is one thing for someone to state and acknowledge a personal preference for food or anything else. However, it is quite another for someone to state that if something does not conform to one's personal preference that it must therefore, be no good to anyone else, which is essentially what White said. As such, it was important for someone like Grant Achatz, as Ferran Adria did in Spain, to stand up against culinary totalitarianism and rigid orthodoxy. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the perfectly roasted fish with lemon, olive oil and salt. That can truly be sublime, but then so can a full tasting menu at Alinea. I'm just glad that it is possible to do and enjoy both. This concludes my presentation on the third annual Starchefs International Chefs Congress. Thank you for reading and commenting.

As the day's demonstrations ended, the evening segued into the always wonderful Starchefs All-Star cocktail party with cocktails made by the best in the business. This year would be no exception to that rule. I spilled out into the Product Fair, immediately stumbling upon Eben Freeman of Tailor and his "The Waylon", a cocktail of "smoked coke" and Woodford Reserve. Alas, we had to drive three and a half hours home that night, so all I could do was taste and spit! Nearby we found some more tasty nibbles courtesy of Pichet Ong and P*Ong. A short while later, I came upon our very own Alchemist, Toby Maloney of The Violet Hour, who made a tasty cocktail. Unfortunately, the local lighting did not make for good photography! Audrey Saunders of Pegu Club highlighted gin with an alluring "Gin-Gin Mule". Dave Wondrich, of course, concocted a marvelous punch. Junior Merino of The Liquid Chef, Inc. made a variety of delightful cocktails. I wish that we could have stayed...

The demonstration was over, but the pig's aroma continue to saturate and intoxicate the nostrils of everyone present. Fortunately, there was plenty of piglet to be shared as the audience eagerly gobbled up samples. This proved to be by far the most delicious presentation of my two days the this Congress. The suckling pig was simply amazing. The crackling crackled while the flesh remained succulent, moist and hot. This was just so wonderfully good! My son and I even got a taste of Lopez' pig cheeks - mmmm. Taking pictures was starting to get in the way of a very, very good meal!

Lopez and Roca continued... The two Spanish chefs fielded some questions from the audience as the intoxicating aroma of the suckling pig wafted through the air.

Lopez & Roca -The Suckling Pig The first suckling pig was ready to come out of the oven! Cándido Lopez removed it and placed it on the chopping block. Lopez said: In a show of unity and tradition, both Lopez and Roca took plates... ...and cut the beautifully roasted piglet. With the pig perfectly crunched, the two Spanish chefs embraced. to be continued...

Joan Roca continued... Roca narrated a video:

Certainly she has a great reputation, I've just not spent enough time in LA yet to taste her work! You? ← Actually, no. She probably is as well known a pastry chef as there is currently in California. I have met her - she is quite lovely - but haven't had the pleasure of tasting her desserts - largely because I have not been to LA since I have taken a serious interest in food. Another California pastry name of renown, who does some very fine work is Elizabeth Faulkner.

Joan Roca - Sous Vide and Low Temperature Cooking Joan Roca stepped up by saying that no one knows more about the suckling pig in Spain than Candido Lopez. The suckling pig used by the Rocas is similar to those used by Lopez, though they are from a different region and are Ibericos. Roca described in a nutshell, how they handle cooking suckling pig at Can Roca: He continued: He plated the pork on top of a line of glazed pearl onions. Around it he drew a line of jus, another of reduced orange juice and finished with peashoots. to be continued...

Wylie is one of the most highly regarded American chefs amongst the Vanguardists. WD-50 would be on anybody's list of the top technoemotional restaurants in the world who is interested in putting together such lists. WD-50 is in my top 5 of American restaurants and probably in my top ten internationally.

What about Sherry Yard?

How could I forget to add Moto to this list? There are probably others I've missed as well, but that was a glaring omission. ← Great list, Doc. Now I'm really going to put you on the spot and ask you to rank them. Or at least list your top 10. I've been to about half of your list, and am curious to compare. ← I hate to disappoint you, but I'm not sure that I can outside of 1 & 2, which would be elBulli and Alinea in that order. They all have special memories for me and were sources of unique and wonderful meals. I might go so far as to put Ca Sento as number 3. ← As it happens, those are my top two as well! Clearly, if our tastes continue to have so much in common, I'm going to have to consult you regularly on my eating travels:) ← One good thing about a site like this is that over time one gets a sense of how the tastes of others compare to one's own and one can apply that and extrapolate to other restaurants.

I haven't yet eaten at Mugaritz and was disappointed with El Poblet, though clearly it has a place on a list such as this - just not my personal one. Another contender for this list, which I hope to try soon is Paul Liebrandt's Corton. The other restaurants mentioned sound interesting as well.

← Beautiful indeed. Nice photo!

While the prickliness may have been unexpected and perhaps undesirable given what you were aiming for, could it have been an interesting and pleasant "surprise" in its own right? One could conceivably have an "ice cream soda" all in the same preparation. This could be a new version of a root beer float.

Candido Lopez continued... Savory Cookie of Pig Cheek Skin More from Cándido to come when the suckling pigs are finished.