docsconz

Finding non-seafood real game in American restaurants is quite rare as opposed to finding unusual species. The only time I know that I ate real wild shot game was when I had woodcock prepared for me by a chef friend at his restaurant. That was not on the actual menu. It was fantastic. I definitely seek out wild game when I can while in Europe.

Doc, While you're giving out permission to eat stuff, see what you can do about making bacon Kosher, would ya? ← Unfortunately, that is out of my area of expertise!

This doctor agrees with you, just don't eat too much of it like don't eat too much of anything. What is "too much" is probably different for different people as well as the same person at different ages.

That's a great point, I also eat no packaged/prepared foods. ← I certainly don't eat a lot of these, but I can't say I don't eat any. Sometimes, they are actually pretty good.

But they are being well served if early detection and treatment can help ward off more severe disease and complications. The truth, though, is that those people are rarely started out on drug regimens. They are usually treated with dietary modifications.

Wouldn't Perlow be an example of an undiagnosed case of diabetes? Dude thinks he's healthy, starts feeling crummy, talks to a doctor who says "Surprise, your 400 pound self has diabetes!". How many people like that are walking around under the impression that everything is fine? Perlow has been diagnosed. One can look at a the diagnosis of someone at a certain stage of diabetes and, with the appropriate medical expertise, reasonably say, "this guy has had diabetes for X amount of time, and it should have been diagnosed already." During the time between when it should have been diagnosed and the time it was diagnosed, he was "undiagnosed." One can make reasonable assumptions and projections about the population to come up at a percentage of "people with undiagnosed diabetes." Of course, I suppose there are various meanings of "underdiagnosed." What I have outlined above would be one way of describing "underdiagnosis" -- that there is a X number of people who should be diagnosed with diabetes but aren't. One would like to reduce the value of X to the greatest extent possible. Whether they have visited a doctor and been tested or not is irrelevant with respect to this meaning. A visit to the doctor that should have resulted in a diagnosis of diabetes but didn't would be a misdiagnosis. Another way of looking at it would be, there are people who have tests and are revealed to have a certain kind of blood sugar response. Some people light look at those results and diagnose "not diabetes." If one is making the argument that people with that certain kind of blood sugar response should be diagnosed as "diabetes" but aren't -- that would constitute "underdiagnosis." Similarly, one can take the opposite viewpoint: If the same population is given the diagnosis of "diabetes" and one is making the argument that they shouldn't be -- that would constitute "overdiagnosis." Presumably one would need to have the appropriate medical background, or access to the same, in order to take either position. ← Sam, as usual, you make a very strong argument, with which I fully agree. As for underdiagnosis of diabetes, it occurs because people simply do not seek care or ignore their symptoms until something else occurs. It is not uncommon for me as an anesthesiologist to make the diagnosis pre-operatively on a patient coming to surgery for something unrelated. In that situation, unless the surgical procedure is an emergency, I postpone it until the patient has had the illness worked up and under reasonable control. Denial is a very strong component for this disease and others. people do not want to face the obvious and they put off seeking help. One of the more interesting elements of modern diabetes is that a great proportion of cases, including my own are not classic. For instance, while I have a fairly strong family history, I developed it at a younger age (one month before I turned forty) and without being obese. I have recently lost twenty pounds, reside at my target weight, yet still am diabetic. It is an interesting phenomenon, that really appears to be relatively new. In the past, most diabetics were either juvenile onset type I at a young age or older, overweight adults developing insulin-resistant type II. More and more patients are showing mixed types for whatever reason. As for lowering the standards for normal blood pressure, cholesterol, etc., these are due to perceptions of risk and the likelihood for having complications. Diabetics are nowadays counseled (or should be) to aim for low normal BP and lipids. I currently take lipid-lowering agents and antihypertensive agents in addition to low-dose Aspirin prophylactically - especially because I enjoy food and are less willing to cut as many corners there as perhaps I should.

Not to sound flip...But this is my favorite quote from this whole discussion. ← This is one big reason not to become too obsessive about any single thing. there are risks and there are reasonable risks. Any individual should balance them for him or herself.

Interesting article indeed. I can attest, both personally and professionally that diabetes is not only diagnosed, it is underdiagnosed and a growing problem in so many ways. When I was first diagnosed almost nine years ago, I thought it was the end of the world. Fortunately, I learned that it was not and that I could still enjoy the foods that I like, only not with the total abandon that I used to. I can also attest that what and how much I eat certainly effects how well I do or don't feel. While an ardent supporter of science and the scientific method, one must also understand the basic reality of science. Rarely does it provide hard and fast answers. We expect science to lead to factual truth, while the reality is that it generally leads to more questions. As such, I rarely take the latest study and media pronouncements with anything other than a grain of salt. fat Guy is right that the landscape is ever-shifting like the sands on a beach. That being said, I agree with those who preach moderation as it simply makes sense and I generally feel better when I apply that dictum. I also believe in variety since one can "have too much of a good thing." Food and its enjoyment is simply too important for me to give it up or become too stressed by all the little details. I wish to enjoy my life and seek to find some compromise between excess and responsibility. I have always and still do believe in quality over quantity and try my best to adhere to that goal. That helps me achieve the compromise I am seeking as best I can.

I am in transit returning from a trip to India with Julie Sahni. Her book remains the definitive one on Indian cookery in the US. In addition to excellent recipes, she provides great background.

CORRECTION: From what is highlighted in red above, Daniel Patterson did not give out vials of garlic oil - that was Alfredo Russo. I confused the two given Chef Patterson's topic. CLARIFICATION: Chef Patterson does not make his own essential oils. The production requires special, still-like machinery. He remains, however, a master of their use.

The former would absurd and arrogant, so I'm hoping the latter was closer to the intent. To my mind it's really just a position paper, an expression of attitude and place within the big picture. Good for them. ← I would agree with your assessment.

I believe that the chart really refers to fine dining in the west rather than cooking in all its cultural forms.

Now that's something I can agree with. Personally, I'm on a mission to find under-appreciated good food that's available and affordable and sustainable. Most of the time it's right under my nose, and it's usually just fallen from the mainstream for some reason. How people come to perceive certain foods as valuable is amazing to me. I have any elderly neighbor who tells me his parents used whole lobster to fertilize the garden and kelp to insulate the walls. I should ask what his place smelt like. ← I think that there are a number of reasons that certain products are perceived as having great worth. First, it, in its best state, is probably darn good. What tends to set something apart though,is a relative or perceived scarcity or difficulty in obtaining it. Truffles are certainly wonderful. Good ones are relatively scarce, so they court a high price. Now, in addition to being a great product, it is expensive and has elevated status and therefore sexiness. Potatoes, on the other hand are common and inexpensive. So is a chicken egg. Yet both of those ingredients are absolutely wonderful even though they do not possess the charisma of a truffle.

Beautiful photos, Lenski. Yes, please, I would love to see more!

Thanks for reading it Peter. Referring to number 8. I do not believe that it literally means that all products if of good quality, have the capability to finish equally. What it means is that if one starts with good quality product and the chef has talent, creativity and ability, it is the end result that counts. Common, inexpensive products can have just as much culinary value as rare, expensive ones. In other words, it is not the financial value of the product that matters, but its inherent quality. It is that very issue that is the basis of the Ferran Adria quote in my sig line. I believe that this is actually one of the key tenets of this school of cuisine.

I would suggest contacting Marilyn Tausend. She is extremely experienced with Puebla and all of Mexico and does a great job. Puebla is an amazing destination.

Looks more like 60% Escoffier, 30% Nouvelle and 10% Adria, by my reading of the chart... ETA: That is to say, 1900-1965, 1965-1994, and 1994-2008 are the time periods given. Of course, the closer to "now" on the chart, the more chefs are listed, but I don't think that is meant to imply that Adria has been more influential over the last 108 years than Escoffier. Or maybe it is... ← Chris, I think you are correct with your initial interpretation. One of the reasons that contemporary cooking is so disproportionately represented is that relatively little is documented about the earlier generations outside of the most obvious chefs. In addition, Escoffier's influence was so great that there was little variation from it until Point and especially his heirs leading to Nouvelle Cuisine. This is probably the murkiest part of the chart and the reason the project was undertaken in the first place. Another thing to consider is that the influence of Escoffier is so obvious now. Was it during his lifetime? Were there competing schools? To the victor belongs the spoils. That Escoffier "won out" has essentially erased any other possible competition from memory as they clearly were not all that influential if they even existed. How this chart will look 100 years from now will certainly be interesting. No doubt many of the contemporary names on it will likely not be there and there may very well be some cooking now whose names are currently absent who will be there.

I'm not sure how you draw the conclusion you do from those points. While technology is important to the style of cooking (as it is to any cooking), I believe that you overstate its relevance and understate that of the emotional component, which makes it the opposite of misanthropic. I also fail to see anything that is preposterous. I do appreciate your opinion, though I completely disagree with it. BTW, if you or anyone else knows what the entire world needs at this moment of history, I would be curious as I sure don't presume to know. Please share it -in another topic. This topic is not intended to discuss the merits of technoemotional or any other style of cooking. It is intended to discuss whether Arenós points are accurate for the school of cooking as well as how well his historical chart works. That is not to say or imply that the merits of technoemotional or other cooking styles are not subject to debate. They most certainly are and have been discussed in numerous other topics.

That should be a great event. Though I won't be able to make it (unfortunately), I would urge anyone who can to do so as it should be a great chance to experience two great culinary minds together. Redzepi is certainly familiar with California and its produce from his days at The French Laundry. It will be interesting to see how much of his Nordic ingredients he will bring with him or if he will rely on local California ingredients. Thank you all for reading and the kind words. I had to speed up the end of my report as I am now doing research for my next one on something completely different!

While I do not in any way agree with any of your statement, I can understand how some, especially if they feel the way you do about that style of cuisine, may view the exercise as "Idiotic. useless, masturbatory, techno-cultish and nonsense", however, I fail to see how this can in any way be considered "misanthropic." The world is a large place with a wide variety of approaches to food and other things with many people who are tolerant and respectful of the variety present even if they do not personally prefer or enjoy each and every aspect of that variety. For some, it is also fun to enjoy thinking about food, history and the human condition. For some, not. This topic is not designed to be a referendum on whether this or any school of cuisine is worthwhile, but given people's experience and knowledge of recent culinary history, whether the classifications are valid or complete. Thank you, Chris, for adding the pdf. Studying this is essential for any meaningful discussion of the topic.

Raul Aleixandre Aleixandre of the Restaurant Ca Sento in valencia is another of my favorite chefs based on the amazing meal I had at his restaurant last spring. His is also the last demonstration that I will present from Madrid Fusión 2008. Ably assisted by Rafa Morales from La Alqueria at the hacienda Benazuza in Sevilla, Aleixandre focused on his method for grilling fresh seafood. Both he and Morales simultaneously grilled various crustaceans with and without salt crusts. Without exception, the salt crusts preserved the moisture of the product and enhanced the flavor. The last view was supported by Ignacio Medina, who, lucky man that he is, got to taste everything! Rafa Morales Ignacio Medina I am not one to argue with Aleixandre's technique as the salt encrusted grilled langoustine that I had at Ca Sento may have been the single most delicious piece of shellfish that I have ever eaten! This concludes my photo essay on Madrid Fusión 2008. It was an overwhelmingly wonderful experience as I got to meet many great people and reacquaint myself with a number of others, eat great food and soak up the entire experience in a fantastic city. I hope that I was able to convey a sense of that experience here.

Bo Bech Bo bech of the restaurant Paustian in Copenhagen continued the line of impressive Scandinavian chefs (unfortunately I would miss Rasmus Kofoed of Restaurant geranium in Copenhagen) to present at this year's Madrid Fusion. bech prepared a number of dishes. Although not every component was strictly nordic, each dish incorporated strong Nordic elements. Bread is important to Bech. Avocado is an external product that he used. He is enamored of the Scandinavian seafood. preparing a dish of vegetables and Jerusalem artichokes. An interesting angle. Goat cheeks in a mushroom broth with grated fresh chestnut Thinly sliced avocado, caviar and almond oil Puree of potatoes poached in mustard oil Brussel sprout leaves on radish foam Jerusalem artichokes with juniper and oyster leaves "Aesthetic shrimp" in fir needles with smoke perfume. The photo shoot. I must get to Copenhagen!

Andoni Luis Aduriz Aduriz, whom I'd heard speak several times before, this day spoke about being "On the verge of being insipid." He talked about not overwhelming the diner with bold, deep flavors, but instead of painting the diner's palate with subtlety. This subtlety helps elevate the diner's other senses and brings each and every one into play in the dining room. It is Aduriz' aim to affect the diner emotionally. Aduriz initially showed his Peruvian clay coated potatoes, only this time, he gave samples to the audience. The flavors were indeed subtle, though the experience was aided by the retained heat of the potato and the texture of the clay coating. Gerry Dawes sampling a potato. Ewe's milk and hay curd cheese seasoned with burnt fern leaves. Pumpkin glazed in a non-sweet syrup. The recipe should be available through the link. Aduriz' beet juice bubbles Beef Carpaccio? No. Although the woman and everyone else nearby who saw it closely thought that is what this was, in reality it was oven-dried watermelon! This product had the look and feel of thinly sliced carpaccio, but not the taste. Andoni Luis Aduriz remains one of the absolutely most intellectually stimulating, provocative and thoughtful chefs in the world.

David Muñoz David Muñoz of the restaurant DiverXo, a tiny 20 seat restaurant in madrid featuring Muñoz' original styling of Chinese and Spanish fusion cuisine, was another fascinating presenter. This young chef who has worked in kitchens as diverse as Viridiana, Hakassan and Nobu amongst others ws all the rage at this conference. It was impossible to get a seat at his restaurant and he received numerous awards. His presentation gave some indication as to why. Spanish Toltilla The toltilla is a very clever blend of the Spanish tortilla or omelette and Chinese dim sum. The dish incorporates eggs, saffron, potatoes, shaoxing wine, adzuki beans and red chiles amongst other ingredients. The top is laced with Ito tagarachi chili. Ray with XO Sauce "Iberian Style" This dish is another clever blend of traditions. The XO sauce is particularly important to Muñoz as he has incorporated it into the name of his restaurant. His version replaces jinghua ham and Chinese dried fish with the Spanish Iberico ham fat and grated, dried, salted tuna. Muñoz' is a restaurant I will be sure to make plans well in advance for next time I find myself heading to Madrid.

I didn't get any photos from the lunch put on by Extremadura, however, here is the crew who prepared it.