Plate Writing

[Holly Moore]

Plate painting has been around for quite a while, to the point that I have even encountered versions in Jersey diners.

However the chef at Boothbay Harbor Maine's finest, Christopher's Boathouse, has devised an approach I have not seen even in the finer New York City restaurants.

I am unsure of the purpose of labeling the dish.  Perhaps to help our server distinguish between lamb shanks and grilled salmon, perhaps to reassure this diner that he was indeed receiving the lamb shank as ordered.

I used a tine of my dinner fork to change the "H" in shank to a "P" but I suspect my jocularity was lost on the dish machine operator.

[Liza]

Why does that remind me of a horror movie?

[Jinmyo]

Redrum. Redrum. Redrum.

[Liza]

Anyone remember the 60s b-movie "Horror Hotel", which dissolved from a demon about to impale a blade into a young woman's head, to  a blade about to dissect a birthday cake. Great suffix, though.

[nyfirepatrolchef X]

Sounds like something out of the Rocky Horror Picture SHow.

Only in that case the plates would be labelled EDDIE.

What a waste of a perfectly good MEATLOAF.

[talentedone]

NYC based pastry chef Heather Carlucci did that once at a restaurant I ate in.  She did it for a birthday dessert.  Amazing script, great plate.

[tommy]

NYC based pastry chef Heather Carlucci did that once at a restaurant I ate in.  She did it for a birthday dessert.  Amazing script, great plate.

at nobu in NYC, the pastry chef wrote "happy birthday alan" on my plate.

[Bux]

Handwriting on the plate seems another case of food following the visual fine arts.

[tommy]

at nobu in NYC, the pastry chef wrote "happy birthday alan" on my plate.

i just want to take this opporutunity to remind everyone that my name is not "alan."

[Jaymes]

at nobu in NYC, the pastry chef wrote "happy birthday alan" on my plate.

i just want to take this opporutunity to remind everyone that my name is not "alan."

Makes you wonder what Alan got for HIS birthday.

[MaggieW]

at nobu in NYC, the pastry chef wrote "happy birthday alan" on my plate.

i just want to take this opporutunity to remind everyone that my name is not "alan."

Makes you wonder what Alan got for HIS birthday.

Probably a plate that said HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMMY!!

[Jaymes]

at nobu in NYC, the pastry chef wrote "happy birthday alan" on my plate.

i just want to take this opporutunity to remind everyone that my name is not "alan."

Makes you wonder what Alan got for HIS birthday.

Probably a plate that said HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMMY!!

Perhaps.

But perhaps the chef, having been alerted beforehand that this particular birthday dinner was in honor of Tommy, an internationally-known food writer (which he certainly is, writing daily about food to a worldwide eGullet audience), decided instead to prepare a croquembouche, "choux" (or creampuffs) filled with crème patissière and strategically "glued" together with cooked sugar to form a mountain, and then, before adding the final spun sugar strands, to frost it with meringue at the top and a pale brown chocolate ganache at the bottom to resemble Mt. Vesuvius, and decorate it with small “trees” of candied rosemary, oregano and thyme, fronted by deep-aqua-coloured marzipan in an exact replica of the Bay of Naples, complete with small chocolate fishing boats, then to drizzle it with the traditional spun sugar strands and finally, to top it off with a jigger of warmed brandy shoved down into its lofty peak, which the chef, in a grand flourish and, being careful to avoid his toque, he then lighted, and proudly presented to a stunned Alan.

[Jinmyo]

at nobu in NYC, the pastry chef wrote "happy birthday alan" on my plate.

i just want to take this opporutunity to remind everyone that my name is not "alan."

Makes you wonder what Alan got for HIS birthday.

Probably a plate that said HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMMY!!

Perhaps.

But perhaps the chef, having been alerted beforehand that this particular birthday dinner was in honor of Tommy, an internationally-known food writer (which he certainly is, writing daily about food to a worldwide eGullet audience), decided instead to prepare a croquembouche, "choux" (or creampuffs) filled with crème patissière and strategically "glued" together with cooked sugar to form a mountain, and then, before adding the final spun sugar strands, to frost it with meringue at the top and a pale brown chocolate ganache at the bottom to resemble Mt. Vesuvius, and decorate it with small “trees” of candied rosemary, oregano and thyme, fronted by deep-aqua-coloured marzipan in an exact replica of the Bay of Naples, complete with small chocolate fishing boats, then to drizzle it with the traditional spun sugar strands and finally, to top it off with a jigger of warmed brandy shoved down into its lofty peak, which the chef, in a grand flourish and, being careful to avoid his toque, he then lighted, and proudly presented to a stunned Alan.

Surely, surely.

[tommy]

Makes you wonder what Alan got for HIS birthday.

probably a punch in the mouth!

[Jinmyo]

Makes you wonder what Alan got for HIS birthday.

probably a punch in the mouth!

Perhaps, perhaps.

[Jaymes]

Hope Rachel has the plate writing logo of eGullet (complete with dancing mouse-in-tummy guy) down pat.

You'll probably be wanting to do that exact design for all upcoming festive dinners in Jason's honor, right?

[MaggieW]

at nobu in NYC, the pastry chef wrote "happy birthday alan" on my plate.

i just want to take this opporutunity to remind everyone that my name is not "alan."

Makes you wonder what Alan got for HIS birthday.

Probably a plate that said HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMMY!!

Perhaps.

But perhaps the chef, having been alerted beforehand that this particular birthday dinner was in honor of Tommy, an internationally-known food writer (which he certainly is, writing daily about food to a worldwide eGullet audience), decided instead to prepare a croquembouche, "choux" (or creampuffs) filled with crème patissière and strategically "glued" together with cooked sugar to form a mountain, and then, before adding the final spun sugar strands, to frost it with meringue at the top and a pale brown chocolate ganache at the bottom to resemble Mt. Vesuvius, and decorate it with small “trees” of candied rosemary, oregano and thyme, fronted by deep-aqua-coloured marzipan in an exact replica of the Bay of Naples, complete with small chocolate fishing boats, then to drizzle it with the traditional spun sugar strands and finally, to top it off with a jigger of warmed brandy shoved down into its lofty peak, which the chef, in a grand flourish and, being careful to avoid his toque, he then lighted, and proudly presented to a stunned Alan.

Jaymes, I have been thinking about that :

Spectacular Dessert!

I have friends who are going to Italy and I want to make it for them. Can I have the recipe??????

[researchgal]

Not to stray too far off topic, but how was your meal at Christophers, Holly? We ate there last fall and had a really nice dinner. I don't, however, recall any writing on our plates--I would've remembered that.

[Jaymes]

at nobu in NYC, the pastry chef wrote "happy birthday alan" on my plate.

i just want to take this opporutunity to remind everyone that my name is not "alan."

Makes you wonder what Alan got for HIS birthday.

Probably a plate that said HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMMY!!

Perhaps.

But perhaps the chef, having been alerted beforehand that this particular birthday dinner was in honor of Tommy, an internationally-known food writer (which he certainly is, writing daily about food to a worldwide eGullet audience), decided instead to prepare a croquembouche, "choux" (or creampuffs) filled with crème patissière and strategically "glued" together with cooked sugar to form a mountain, and then, before adding the final spun sugar strands, to frost it with meringue at the top and a pale brown chocolate ganache at the bottom to resemble Mt. Vesuvius, and decorate it with small “trees” of candied rosemary, oregano and thyme, fronted by deep-aqua-coloured marzipan in an exact replica of the Bay of Naples, complete with small chocolate fishing boats, then to drizzle it with the traditional spun sugar strands and finally, to top it off with a jigger of warmed brandy shoved down into its lofty peak, which the chef, in a grand flourish and, being careful to avoid his toque, he then lighted, and proudly presented to a stunned Alan.

Jaymes, I have been thinking about that :

Spectacular Dessert!

I have friends who are going to Italy and I want to make it for them. Can I have the recipe??????

SURE!!!

First: Get map of Bay of Naples

Second: Get bottle of brandy for "flaming volcano"

Third: Peruse map while sipping brandy to throughly familiarize yourself with it.

Fourth: Throughly familiarize yourself with map, as well.

When you've completed these steps, get back with me and I will tell you how to proceed from there.

[MaggieW]

[quote name=MaggieW' date='Jul 10 2002, 12:58

Jaymes, I have been thinking about that :

Spectacular Dessert!

I have friends who are going to Italy and I want to make it for them. Can I have the recipe??????

SURE!!!

First: Get map of Bay of Naples

Second: Get bottle of brandy for "flaming volcano"

Third: Peruse map while sipping brandy to throughly familiarize yourself with it.

Fourth: Throughly familiarize yourself with map, as well.

When you've completed these steps, get back with me and I will tell you how to proceed from there.

You're kidding, right?

[Holly Moore]

Not to stray too far off topic, but how was your meal at Christophers, Holly?  We ate there last fall and had a really nice dinner.  I don't, however, recall any writing on our plates--I would've remembered that.

Christopher's was fine, especially by summertime Maine Standards. After two weeks I needed a break from seafood and Christophers came through nicely.

One thing I remember is ramp on the menu. I asked if it was Maine ramp and it was, which surprised me as I think of the southern Appalachians for ramp.

[Jaymes]

Jaymes, I have been thinking about that :

Spectacular Dessert!

I have friends who are going to Italy and I want to make it for them.  Can I have the recipe??????

 

SURE!!!

First: Get map of Bay of Naples

Second: Get bottle of brandy for "flaming volcano"

Third: Peruse map while sipping brandy to throughly familiarize yourself with it.

Fourth: Throughly familiarize yourself with map, as well.

When you've completed these steps, get back with me and I will tell you how to proceed from there.

You're kidding, right?

I AM kidding about the "exact replica of the Bay of Naples" part....

It's unlikely anyone will notice if it's just off by a degree or two.