eG Foodblog: johnder - Bouncing Around Brooklyn

[johnder]

Thanks for the heads up n the bitters. Exactly what I was looking for as a gift for a dear friend. I took a look at these auctions and the seller says they are not for consumption but collectible bottles. Can that be right? Or is that an export/import sort of disclaimer?

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They are selling the bottle as a collectors item. It just happens this item has it's full contents intact as well as the factory seal. Of course ebay assumes you are buying for the bottle, which you are correct?

[johnder]

So I got up at the literal crack of dawn (by my standards) to get to the market before it got crazy. Of course it seems everyone else had the same idea.

While I writing this, I am having an espresso with the last of last weeks beans.

First stop, Bread alone. Picked up a loaf of brioche, rasin walnut and sourdough.

I didn't get any of the breakfast danish... was waiting for a bagel.

Flying pigs farm... unfortunately Mike or Jenn weren't there.

Ronnybrook farms, where I picked up 3 qts of creamline milk, and 1 qt of Coffee Milk

Grapes on the vine, I picked some up to use in either the cheese course or the desert.

This is the Arch at Grand Army Plaza

Terrace Bagels, the line was out the door almost.

The bread and milk back at home

Picked up a flying pigs chicken as well.

Bagel time, they were very hot, the must have just come out of the over 15 minutes before I got there.

Had it with just a schmear of cream cheese.

Sorry for the terse replies, much cooking to be had. Given I need to do the cooking and remember to take the photos, I am getting nervous about the time.

[Rebecca263]

Ronnybrook Farms! Nice thick crema on that shot, too. Good boy!

[Kouign Aman]

Water baths -At work I routinely run a Lauda at 62C for 25 hours. If its covered (with its own lid or foil) its ok for water level. Uncovered drops alarmingly in a couple hours. The cover also helps it maintain even temp, and use less power so the equipment will last longer.

Lauda covers come in flat or peaked shape. Since you are working with a complete immersion process, the cheaper flat one would work fine. And of course, to repeat myself, a sheet of foil works well too.

We run them at 42C for ~5 days with about a 1" depth loss to evaporation, tho we do cover them for about half that time.

re burning the house down, does your water bath have an 'over temp' setting? If so, it should turn itself off if it reaches that temp. That might ease concerns about a fire.

[Daniel]

Hi John,

This is such a fun blog and you have covered food from so many sides.. What have are you doing with those cucumbers? Those guys are so cool.. Good luck with dinner tonight, it sounds like its going to be amazing.. And show us that pork already!

[racheld]

I was totally inspired!  Unfortunately it's a bit of drive for me.   

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Me, too, Anna!!! I'll pick you up on the way.

[H. du Bois]

Good luck with tonight - should be one stellar occasion!

[Sneakeater]

a concord grape, ginger, and key lime variation on a gimlet.

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Holy. Fucking. Shit.

[johnder]

Water baths -At work I routinely run a Lauda at 62C for 25 hours. If its covered (with its own lid or foil) its ok for water level. Uncovered drops alarmingly in a couple hours.  The cover also helps it maintain even temp, and use less power so the equipment will last longer.

Lauda covers come in flat or peaked shape. Since you are working with a complete immersion process, the cheaper flat one would work fine. And of course, to repeat myself, a sheet of foil works well too.

We run them at 42C for ~5 days with about a 1" depth loss to evaporation, tho we do cover them for about half that time.

re burning the house down, does your water bath have an 'over temp' setting? If so, it should turn itself off if it reaches that temp. That might ease concerns about a fire.

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I have seen on a website where you can use what looks like pingpong balls that will float on the top of the water to prevent evaporation. I am sure they are "special" ping pong balls, but it seems like it would work.

Yes, I have an overtemp cutoff.

[johnder]

ok, another bulk upload

ragu, when it started way early this morning. Venison, Carrot, Onion, Thyme, Bay, Tomato Puree, splash of red wine.

parsnips poaching in some Ronnybrook Farms milk

pureed in a blender, pushed through a tamis.

done. (btw, this only took me 6 different bowls and things to clean. If I had a thermomix, I could have had one.)

gorgonzola cheese Donbert picked up for me.

beaten with a paddle with a big tablespoon of french butter. Going to be part of the cheese course.

lobster mushrooms, diced for the risotto.

cooking down the mushrooms, salt, butter, thyme. thats it.

ragu after cooking for 9 hours

ragu completed.

pasta dough being made.

ravoli being stuffed.

completed ravioli

[Margo]

I feel as though I've had a brush with greatness, johnder. Terrace Bagels is where I go to pick up breakfast when I stay at my aunt and uncle's on 16th Street. Happy to know it has the eG seal of approval.

[Chufi]

John, I'm catching up and flying through the pages, but this is a lovely blog.. you eat and drink well.. Oh and I've been repeating your sig line to my husband every day since I first saw it!

[edsel]

That buchner filter funnel is so cool! (yeah, I just ordered one for myself).

I had to search for Hess House Bitters to see what it was that you were filtering. Did you use the same recipe that eje posted in the bitters thread?

Off to shop for gentian...

[johnder]

40 minutes until cocktails start, 1:40 for dinner. Here are the final photos until after the dinner is over.

Plates for each course are setup. Cheese garnish is ready, Tomato salad waiting to be dressed. Weinoo, here is the espresso machine. You were correct, it was next to the fridge.

Stocks simmering on stove for quick sauces, pot of water waiting for pasta. Started sweating onions for the risotto.

Mis en place for fhe fois, chutney, toasted brioche. [notice the small squeeze bottles with the blue tape? I am trying Vadouvans tip.]

All set.. I need a cocktail before takeoff.

[johnder]

That buchner filter funnel is so cool! (yeah, I just ordered one for myself).

I had to search for Hess House Bitters to see what it was that you were filtering. Did you use the same recipe that eje posted in the bitters thread?

Off to shop for gentian...

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I used the recipe from Drinkboy's (Robert Hess) site. Here is the link. The site appears down now, so I am not sure if it is the same as eje's post.

John

[eje]

Did I mention that I am jealous of your kitchen?

Are you sure you don't want a six month sabbatical in San Francisco to redo mine? I'd pay you in cocktails!

Good luck with your dinner party!

I'm looking forward to the pictures.

I found the recipe I used on one of Robert's posts on webtender. The changes I made were to halve the recipe, except for the gentian, and add allspice.

It's also in the link below from the DrinkBoy Forums:

DrinkBoy House Bitters

edit - spelling

Edited October 1, 2006 by eje (log)

[edsel]

I used the recipe from Drinkboy's (Robert Hess) site.   Here is the link.  The site appears down now, so I am not sure if it is the same as eje's post.

John    ←

The Drinkboy main site is up, but the bitters recipe is on another site that's down right now. The Google cache shows a recipe with some of the same ingredients listed, but somewhat different proportions. The recipe that Erik (eje) used has more gentian than the one in the cache, so it's interesting that he thought the gentian should be upped in relation to the spices. Please report how your batch turned out.

Drinkblog

Edit: Cross-posted with Erik!

There are some interesting comments in that post. particularly this, re. the Pegu Club:

But since the batch they have right now is aged two years in oak, their next batch probably won't be quite the same!

Great. Now I have to find some oak casks and wait two years for the results.

Edited September 30, 2006 by edsel (log)

[weinoo]

Bon apetit!

[mizducky]

Oh dear. Can computer keyboards be shorted out by a puddle of drool?

So much I could comment on, but I'll just content myself with these:

Terrace Bagels, the line was out the door almost. 

I like how the Terrace Bagel "mascot" bears a sartorial resemblance to Mr. Peanut.

Bagel time, they were very hot, the must have just come out of the over 15 minutes before I got there.

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Now that's what I call a serious bagel.

Enjoy your party!

[Kim Shook]

So after a fun night at Pegu I needed to come home and devein and cure the fois for the torchon.   First was make the cure.

Demerra sugar

Salt

Pink Salt

White pepper.

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Hmm, I just realized somthing this morning. I woke up in the middle of the night and havd a cold sweat moment. The recipe for the fois cure called for pink salt. In my Pegu haze last night I used pink LAVA salt, as opposed to pink CURING salt (which I happened to own as well)

Oh well, crap.

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Only on egullet.

[Susan in FL]

I've been extra busy this week and so I've been following your blog more quietly than I do most. However, I can't go without saying that I'm blown away by how good it is! I'd probably be speechless if I did have the time to make comments. Right now I'm so impressed by your advanced preparation and seeming coolness and calmness in entertaining, with such a menu! I could never, ever pull it off, what you're doing. Thanks for the added time-consuming task of blogging throughout it all.

[tammylc]

40 minutes until cocktails start, 1:40 for dinner.  Here are the final photos until after the dinner is over. 

Plates for each course are setup.  Cheese garnish is ready, Tomato salad waiting to be dressed.  Weinoo, here is the espresso machine.  You were correct, it was next to the fridge.

Your square and rectangular plates are great. I adore square plates. Where did you get yours? Anybody have any reasonably priced suppliers?

Great blog, BTW - I'm so full from dinner I could burst, but you're still managing to make me salivate...

[johnder]

and this was before desert.

[johnder]

I am so tired. I can't possibly post all the photos we took tonight. I am going to post two photos of the pork because I know I have been withholding them from everyone.

If I didn't post these tonight, I wouldn't hear the end of it.

Tomorrow will be a huge picture day.

After coming out of the sous-vide, 46.5 hours.

Portioned out, ready for sear.

[Rebecca263]

OhMyLittlePiggy.