eGullet Foodblog: ScottyBoy (2011)

**djyee100** · September 27, 2011

I'm salivating over the foie gras gnocchi and the dim sum. I'll have to make it out to that restaurant. At first I googled "East Ocean restaurant" which took me to some place in Alameda, and that made no sense with your pic of the view. Then I looked again at the pix, oh...Hong Kong East Ocean restaurant, in Emeryville. That makes sense. The pic is worth a close look, too.

The Port of Oakland on the left (container apparatus), and a very famous bridge on the right side of the pic (two little uprights visible, the right-side upright partly obscured by the hill, which must be...the Marin headlands). The big bridge is the Bay Bridge, leading to San Francisco across the water.

ScottyBoy · September 27, 2011

Oh yeah, we always just say East Ocean. Bay Bridge under construction, the new one should be awesome.The picture doesn't do the view justice, and imagine the sun setting behind the Golden Gate, in every sense of the word EPIC.

Tri2Cook · September 27, 2011

Lobster mushrooms are in full swing right now.

Yes they are. I foraged some nice ones along with a few chanterelles over the weekend. Still waiting for the matsutakes to show up (I found one so it shouldn't be long). The chanterelles are fading now but they were crazy this year. I've been using them like crazy and still have about 10 lbs. that went in the freezer. Hated to do that to them but it seemed better than tossing 'em in the compost.

avaserfi · September 27, 2011

Lobster mushrooms are in full swing right now.
Yes they are. I foraged some nice ones along with a few chanterelles over the weekend. Still waiting for the matsutakes to show up (I found one so it shouldn't be long). The chanterelles are fading now but they were crazy this year. I've been using them like crazy and still have about 10 lbs. that went in the freezer. Hated to do that to them but it seemed better than tossing 'em in the compost.

Most mushrooms dehydrate very well, if you happen to have a dehydrator or need an excuse to get one.

ScottyBoy · September 27, 2011

In the freezer they go to be pureed or thrown into a soup.

I used to have a friend who foraged mushrooms for me, used to come to my house with 25 lbs at a time. Can't complain though considering every season chanterelles are $7.95 at Berkeley bowl.

Back to work, it's gonna be fun tonight, the new dishes I'm making and the dinner is for a return customer who is a HUGE foodie (jealous of the restaurants/countries he gets to eat in). He has a great eye for photos so it should be a good send off for the blog tomorrow with his pictures.

Edit: Ah yes, dehydrating is an excellent route.

Edited September 27, 2011 by ScottyBoy (log)

Tri2Cook · September 27, 2011

Most mushrooms dehydrate very well, if you happen to have a dehydrator or need an excuse to get one.

Yep, I have a dehydrator. I just prefer to freeze them. The texture is messed up either way compared to fresh and the frozen retain a much closer to fresh flavor than the dried.

ScottyBoy · September 27, 2011

Yeah, frozen shrooms are good for soups, stocks and puree, never roasted and presented whole. Speaking of which I've got some bluefoots to sear for this dish I'm going to plate...

**andiesenji** · September 27, 2011

Most mushrooms dehydrate very well, if you happen to have a dehydrator or need an excuse to get one.
Yep, I have a dehydrator. I just prefer to freeze them. The texture is messed up either way compared to fresh and the frozen retain a much closer to fresh flavor than the dried.

I don't use a dehydrator for mushrooms. I just put them in a wide, shallow wire basket, or sometimes, if I have a lot, one of the three-tiered hanging baskets, and let them dry at room temp.

I've found that they retain more flavor that way and they don't shrink as much.

I've had some that after drying, looked exactly like they did when fresh - particularly the smallish portobellos (crimini) and cepes or porcini.

ScottyBoy · September 27, 2011

New one for tonight,

12 hour kobe top sirloin cap, port syrup, sunburst squash, yukon golds and arugula. Damn, I hadn't checked the bluefoots my friend gave me though, no good...

Edited September 27, 2011 by ScottyBoy (log)

**nickrey** · September 28, 2011

New one for tonight,
12 hour kobe top sirloin cap, port syrup, sunburst squash, yukon golds and arugula. Damn, I hadn't checked the bluefoots my friend gave me though, no good...

That looks spectacular.

_john · September 28, 2011

if you haven't had the carrot and beef soup that is served with a Vietnamese baguette at pho ao sen then you are missing out.

LindaK · September 28, 2011

Back to the mushrooms...I've never heard of lobster mushrooms. Does the name reflect their flavor? They are beautiful.

The prices on your specialty mushrooms are stoking envy here. Those lovely lobster mushrooms and chanterelles for under $10 a lb?

Your mushroom soup looked delicious. Any other favorite uses for them? I'd cook with mushrooms more often if I could buy them at those prices.

ScottyBoy · September 28, 2011

The mushroom soup is still solid using buttons.

Lobster mushrooms just get their name from the red color they have. Early in the season I like to roast the small ones but later when they get big I dice them up.

Phew! Back to work, every dinner is 1000 miles per hour!

barolo · September 28, 2011

NYT story on chefs using chicken skin: Chicken’s Attraction Is Truly Skin Deep. Looks like you are in good company.

Jenni · September 28, 2011

The lobster mushrooms look really great. Btw although dried mushrooms are obviously different to fresh, they are quite useful. My Dad grinds some up in a coffee grinder to add to various sauces for extra mushroomy-ness!

Oh, and I just want to say that I'm really lusting after that potato and argula dish.

dcarch · September 28, 2011

One word:

supercalifragilisticexpialidelecioussrumptiousfabulous!!!

dcarch

percyn · September 28, 2011

Scotty,

Every meal and pic has been awesome and I just wanted to say that doing this while cooking such intricate meals for work can be very challenging, so thanks a million for sharing these with us.

And do not worry...when the blog is over..you can have a cheese-steak with fried egg for breakfast :raz:

ScottyBoy · September 28, 2011

Well everyone it' time to wrap up and say farewell. I've had an awesome time this past week and a half (thank you for extending it) and thank you all for the nice comments!

I'll leave with some photos of last nights dinner. My friend Dave Lu takes some awesome pictures every time he attends one of my dinners, this was the first time at his place. Another great group of people that I'll look forward to cooking for again! As you can see, a first time kitchen and plating for 12 it gets a little crazy sometimes...

Thanks all!