Chef at Home

Archive for February, 2010

Greg Kuzia-Carmel recounts the horrific fire at Mugaritz from the viewpoint of an enthusiastic cook ripe with passion.

John Sconzo understands the world of cooking and expresses the hardships of cooks who have lost their knives.

High Pressure Processing in action. (This is the same video we were shown in Brugge at the Flemish Primitives to compliment the presentation.)

Team Alinea makes edible tea.

Whose making better popcorn?

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On some evenings we serve a slice of tart, cut table side, after the meal with chocolate and coffee. 

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Here at the resort where we’re staying we’ve learned that menu descriptions are interpretive. It’s an interesting twist that tends to throw people off because what you order may not be what you get. At dinner one night when someone was asked what he had gotten for dessert he replied “I have no idea.” This is sometimes good and sometimes not. On the other hand as long as you know what you’re getting into you can approach each meal with an open mind and a sense of adventure. You never know when you’re going to stumble across something great.

As we were discussing the broad interpretations of the menu descriptions I realized that it wasn’t so different from what many chefs in the States do. We ourselves are often knocked for our tongue in cheek menu descriptions that can seem disrespectful, if not downright sacrilegious, to others. We defend our right to creative expression but catch ourselves occasionally raising our eyebrows at others, especially when we don’t enjoy the food offered. It’s an interesting double standard and one that I hadn’t realized that I possessed. The words “you can’t call that a cannoli.” came out of my mouth one night. But the truth is they can and they did. Certainly we’ve stretched classic culinary descriptions much further than that slightly soggy confection that resembled a taquito stuffed with barely sweetened cream cheese. Does being delicious make it any less disrespectful? And is it even about respect at all?

Philosophy at the table. I don’t suppose there are any concrete answers although it did give me pause. We defend our use of classic culinary terms because they are a point of reference, giving the diner a sense of what they are about to receive even when what is on the plate is far removed from the original intention. In many cases we are paying homage to a well loved creation. If we lose the original definition then we also lose the analogy. On the other hand classics change with the times. Today’s confit is not the same one that was created to preserve meat through the winter in France so many years ago. We can’t shy away from evolution. Acceptance of change means acknowledging that everyone has a right to employ it.

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One of the nice things about being in Cabo is the seemingly endless supply of guacamole. It is a favorite of ours and one that tends to be doled out in somewhat stingy and expensive portions in restaurants back home. When made with spicy jalapenos, ripe fruit, sharp lime juice and a judicious amount of salt, guacamole can make many things better. It's like Mexican butter except that I can tell myself that its made with a fruit and eat as much as I please.

Avocados are a shippers favorite type of fruit because they are picked hard by necessity and only soften after harvest. Like pears they must be mature before they are picked if they are to ripen into something delicious. Interestingly the oil content of the fruit increases with maturity, which is why some avocados still taste grassy and watery and soften without developing the smooth, supple texture of a mature avocado. As oil volume increases, water content decreases changing both the texture and the flavor of the developing fruit. Once it has been harvest the avocado will soften but it will no longer mature. The easiest way for growers to measure the maturity of the avocado is by determining the percent of dry matter. The dry weight is determined by weighing the fruit and then removing the water content and reweighing, this second number is considered the dry weight of the fruit. Growers have minimum dry weight standards that must be reached before they can be sold. These are generally measured by standard size and weight requirements which vary based on the variety.

Although there are well over twenty different cultivars, by far the most commonly found avocado in the United States is the Haas. They are popular for their smooth, creamy flesh. They change color from green to black as they ripen, making it easy for home cooks to identify ripe fruit. They are easy to peel with a small to medium-sized seed. They are grown in California, Mexico, Chile, the Dominican Republic, and New Zealand, ensuring that they are available year round in the United States. Although avocados are relatively high in calories with 250 calories per medium sized fruit, they are rich in unsaturated fats and contain many different vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients vital to human health. They also help the body absorb fat soluble nutrients.

Frankly the best thing about avocados is that they taste good. I remember the first time I had a really ripe avocado sandwich. It was in the summertime at a cabin with friends. The sandwich was made with homemade white bread and the avocado slices were liberally salted and spiked with lime juice. There was a thick slice of ripe tomato and a touch of mayo to hold everything together. I had been a bit skeptical when my friends came back from shopping with nothing but bread, avocados and tomatoes. I had always though avocados were kind of boring and bland. I was proven wrong. That sandwich was delicious in the way that fresh seasonal produce can be when the stars are all in alignment. After that avocados joined my list of favorite foods and I've never looked back. Admittedly a bad avocado is a sheer waste of calories. A good one…I'll leave that to your imagination.

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The terrine itself has a beautiful aesthetic. The shrimp and fennel flavors go wonderfully together and the harissa spice blend in the mix makes eating the terrine a delight. The issue arises when we look at serving the shrimp. A large block of shrimp is just not that easy to eat and certainly not something we want to serve. Consequently, we have hit a road block. The key is finding the proper balance between shrimp and the rest.

Often times stepping away from the subject and writing about the issue will spark ideas and reveals pathways. A salad of ripe and green mango and a puree of pine needle yogurt is one interesting avenue.Thinly slicing the the terrine like traditional charcuterie and serving it with a touch of mostarda fruit is another. Cutting the terrine into a large dice as the foundation for  small bite is an intriguing idea. The more we ponder, the further we get.

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When I was in Brugge, speaking at The Flemish Primitives, I became re-energized in my pursuit for exploring the uses of high pressure in cooking today (Download HPPFactSheet) . I have had conversations with a number of individuals prior to this event. My initial thought was using pressure as a cooking method for fruits and vegetables. We were only able to speculate on the topic and soon the idea grew dust on the shelf.  In Brugge I was finally able to eat the results first hand backstage and as part of the opening presentation. The seafood tasted, all raw, was plump and vibrant. The cockles were amazing while the mussels left me a bit hesitant. I had never eaten raw mussels before so that may have had something to do with squeamish feeling I got. High pressure processing is not new, what we can do with it is.

Currently we know of some folks using high pressure machines to remove the shells from King crabs and lobsters to produce an ingredient with more viable paths. One hesitation about high pressure processing is the results. The technology has been around for a long time although the refinement of it and the desired applications: from texturization, to infusing aromatics to enabling control in an exact cooking method are now not just coming into play. These reasons and results are some of the driving force sbehind creativity and execution in the kitchen.

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How do you show people that you love them? Alex does it by walking tirelessly up and down beside the pool where we are on vacation while Amaya sleeps peacefully on his shoulder. We're not much for Valentine's Day in terms of gifts and spending lots of money. Instead we simply take a breath and a moment to appreciate the ones we love. Less marketing and more communion makes Valentine's Day a holiday worth marking on the calendar.

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There is an opportunity in every ingredient used and in each step along the way to heighten or diminish flavor. Making informed and calculated decisions in the processes, preparations and presentations allows for the seemingly simple and incredibly delicious to magically appear. In order to express any given flavor at any given time we must focus on what we are doing and why we are doing it. 

The programmed answers of intuition, inspiration and creative impulses are no longer adequate. Now we must have concrete knowledge to truly excel. Sure, at times it feels like we are just bringing ingredients together effortlessly in the same way that musicians appear to perform on stage. There is a feeling of wonderment when something comes together before our eyes. We forget how much time and effort goes into creating that experience. In most cases the simpler a great dish or an experience feels, the more work went into editing and refining to achieve that harmonious end.

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