I recall that someone, somewhere once said what a long strange trip it’s been. (Of course I know who it is but liked the line.) I also seem to recall about some fear and loathing. Perhaps I should write about that in the sense of the kitchen. Though the reason that I started with the CAC effect is that to some degree that is what the kitchen is fueled on. In some cases far more than others but it is interesting. Even before I started at Reservation I was aware of this (he says dryly as he sips a Tullamore Dew in honour of his Irish Heritage, care of the Catholic Church declaring that today is because of Holy Week Saint Patrick’s Day, I wonder how Saint Patrick feels about that). At any rate I have had a topsy-turvy kind of week. Ups and downs. Successes and failures yet I keep reminding myself that this is my dream and Mama said there’d be days like these. Days like these my Mama said.
I’d also like to give a massive shout out to Mon Petit Oiseau, C, on completing her introductory course at Stella Adler. I am so proud of you you can’t even understand. Way to go and I hope you have a blast tonight my Fendi Phoenix.
Choron Sauce
To make a Choron Sauce is not as easy as it sounds. I think that most people think of a Choron Sauce as something that you just whip together and it is bound to taste good. Au contrare mon amis, Choron can be one difficult guy to sauce. Pardon the humour (save of course on Saint Patrick’s Day when everyone is Irish).
This week I made the Choron four times. Once I had it split on me. Splitting for those not in the know is when the proper binding does not take place. In this case with eggs and butter. The temperament of the sauce is such that if you undercook the eggs it tastes too eggy and is not good (especially when it is meant as a compliment to Lobster Eggs Benedict). If you overcook the egg the butter will not bind. And if you add the butter too quickly and not whisking vigorously enough you might as well let the chickens come home to roost because your sauce is going to be CRAP. I did manage to make two this week that held all through service. Once Exec Chef said to me that it wasn’t too bad and the other time that it was pretty good. In making the sauce all the time now I am beginning to find the right acidity level and approximating the cooking times of the eggs to create the best environment for the butter to bind. By the way, we are not talking about a little bit of butter. I need to convince, cajole and placate the eggs in order to take in a full pound to a pound and a half of butter. Think it’s easy. Feel free to give it a try. Let me know how it works for you. As an aside, all the recipes I’ve seen on the Internet are not the way that we do it at Reservation.
My Hands
My hands have always been my lifeblood. At least in some way. Whether it was writing or delivering garbage bins, I have always used my hands. BUT NEVER like I do now. My hands constantly ache. I imagine that the pain is akin to osteoarthritis. They are consistently sore and I believe that it is because my hands are using muscles they have not used and certainly not to the same degree that they are used now. I peel hundreds of pounds of potatoes each week, at least one hundred pounds carrots, I chop, carve, cut, peel, slice, julienne, brunoise and that is just the tip of the iceberg. Please don’t take what I’m saying as complaining either because it certainly isn’t. It is merely acknowledging openly the pain connected with my dream. I am also certain that the pain will subside as time goes on. As the muscles get stronger. Just for now, it is quite interesting as it even hurts to pick up a pen and anyone that knows my history would know that my life has been riddled by the pain of not being able to pick up a pen. TRUE FACT!
Garde Manger
I WANT TO BE GARDE MANGER ASAP! I work each day paying attention to the Mise En Place. The way that things are done. Plating. Speed. Detail! I know that I am an apprentice cook but I have undertaken a very serious thing here. MY DREAMS! My hopes. My aspirations and I work each day toward them. It is my fervent wish to be the Garde Manger by the time the summer comes. This week I really wanted to get in there and plate some stuff but unfortunately (fortunately though in terms of work) we have a couple of students in for their co-op. In fact it is interesting because S, the Garde Manger, has taken the female co-op student under her wing and it has made it more difficult for me to step up to the plate.
I even remarked to both Head and Executive Chef today that I am itching to get to the line. To contribute even more than I already am. “Put me in the game coach. I’m ready!” Instead this week due to the circumstances I felt more like a Hanson in Slap Shot; “I go to the box, I feel shame.”
Butternut Squash Soup fort 190 People
Tonight there is an event at Reservation. One of the dishes is a Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. I stepped up to the plate yesterday and decided that I was going to make the soup. I didn’t ask nor did I wait for someone to tell me. I assumed the roll as I feel that that is the way that you advance inside the restaurant industry. I did ask how to go about making the soup but not much more. As it turns out I produced about 100 litres and it was a little thin. Ends up that the cream that I added is supposed to thicken the soup. However, as I was worried about volume being given conflicting answers as to the yield that I required I did water it down a bit. C, can tell you that the roasted Butternut Squash Soup that I make at home has an awesome consistency, is thick and much to my surprise is not far from the recipe used at Reservation. And I have never looked at a recipe (until recently). Much of today was spent reducing the soup and thickening it up by J (the Poissonier). Have any of you tried to make 70 litres of soup before?
My Joy and My Dream
Everyday I get better at what I am doing. I understand the concepts and the principles. As I said in an earlier post. I have never been good with rules, but principles on the other hand I have never had a problem with. I am more comfortable with Canapés, the line, prep, receiving and the kitchen environment. I have started to put my head down, nose to the grindstone, whatever you want to term it so that my work speaks for itself. Oh sure I will still laugh with L and others but I want to be respected, taken seriously and acknowledged by my peers as someone that is serious and will eventually own restaurants.
I now know joy beyond anything I have ever known. I wake up each day whether with two hours sleep or sixteen with a Cheshire Cat grin. Confidant in the knowledge that I am in the right place. Working with the right people and for the first time in my life dedicating myself to the right thing. A funny thing happened on the way to my dream. I’ve said this a few times but it is absolutely true. A funny thing did happen to me on the way to my dream. I found myself. I exposed my innards with devoted honesty; I looked myself in the mirror and took great time exploring who I was, what I wanted and what I wanted to be. Not for anyone else but myself. Everyday, I wake with a joy that I assumed was reserved for someone other than me. But no more.
Studying
All of my free time is spent either studying or sleeping. This week I did a couple of experiments and learned from them. I finished Michel Bras’ “Essential Cuisine” and found myself asking all kinds of questions related not only to food but also my future. I read voraciously, as anyone who know me can tell you. I am now applying all the knowledge that my mother rammed into my hard head and yes even some of my fathers too. It is funny how a thought about Plato’s Cave can lead to a realization about Choron, or Veal Stock or Remi. I find that the more I study the more questions I have. The more knowledge I seek the more holes I realize are there and it EXCITES me, it alleviates my fears and drives me ever forward. I know that some are expecting at Reservation that I will break, I will stop being happy, or enjoying what I’m doing but only C and I have a clear picture of what the future holds. And that is because we are active participants in our lives. That and you can make the decision to be happy, to enjoy what you’re doing (as long as it is truly what you want to do). I live for today because I know that thinking the future will be better is stupid. The future is grounded in the steps I take today. AND YOU TOO.
Tonight I am reading Nigel Didcock’s “Capturing the Spirit” (http://www.chefdb.com/nm/275/ ) his plates are gorgeous and I don’t know much more than that at the moment.
Life or something like it
In the past two months I have become a real man. I have found myself. I have realized that first step in the journey to my dream and I have found a genuine happiness that is resplendent with copious amounts of vibrant joy. As I’ve said before my only regret is that I did not start this journey earlier as so many people had tried to get me to do. C, you’ve stood by me and I appreciate it and adore you for your courage, strength and devotion. Get ready when you get home to see what my true joy looks like. I think it will surprise even you. Thanks to my family for being there for me on what seemed like an endless journey. J.M. thank you for your friendship and opening the door of possibility for my future. E, thank you for listening to J.M. Executive and Head Chefs, thank you for your faith, your belief and your chance. I strive each day to honour what you’ve enabled me to do and I look forward to the day I can have you both at my restaurant and I do think that a Petrus would be in order.
That said it is time for me to start studying but I leave you as I always do with a nugget of truth, a kernel of reason to allow you to open your pathway to your dream. Please dream inspired, big and shoot for the stars, they are ours for the taking if you are willing to work.
“There he goes. One of God's own prototypes. Some kind of high-powered mutant never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die.”
Are you brave enough to be too weird AND TO LIVE! Be inspired today and do something that scares the shit out of you.
A la prochaine
SDM
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Mama Said (File under days like these)
First off, last night I completed another experiment. I managed to convince myself that pork tenderloin and Tandoori go together with Napa Cabbage on big old Kaisers. I will admit that I had to cheat and buy a Tandoori Masala powder but I then had to kick it up with a very special smoked paprika that my stepmother gave me. Ohh it is so good. I also added cayenne and chili flake. I have to admit that creating the paste at first I was a little unsure. But nothing that a little olive oil and love (read butter) couldn’t fix. I actually ended up with the right colour and the flavour was bang on for what I was aiming for. My guinea pig said that he enjoyed it thoroughly and again to my mind the only thing that would have made it better would have been to share it with C. Though I can guarantee that I will come up with a better way to do the Tandoori. Including starting from scratch. All in all though a good experiment.
Tandoori Paste
Tandoori Pork
A very familiar shot of me
The end result...
Today was an awesome day. I wanted to reveal to you just how much comes in when we order. Today was light day but all the orders included; a case of olive oil, one case of eggs, a case of plum tomatoes, a box of candy, a case of butter, a case of cream, two cases of various spaghettis. And that was just dry goods. Then the fish arrived. Today we only got about thirty pounds of Salmon, five pounds of mussels and six pounds of 31-40 shrimp. Then came the vegetables, a case of plum tomatoes, five different kinds of fresh herbs (tarragon, Italian parsley, chives, basil and thyme), eggplant, spaghetti squash, carrots, baby carrots, russet potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, onions (each of the last three in 50 pound amounts), zucchini, rutabaga, fennel, gooseberries, micro greens, spinach, romaine hearts, etc. I think you get the idea. When produce comes in it takes me about twenty minutes minimum to put it away. When it is an obscene order it takes me about forty minutes.
I had a short day today but when I was finished my paid work I paid careful attention to how the Garde Manger does things. I asked her to lay out what all the plates are for me so that I could understand. She suggested that it would be better for me to pay really careful attention for twenty minutes. No writing, just paying attention. She told me that she envied me because the passion that I have is obvious. She asked what I wanted to do eventually and I told her that it was my mission in life to have not one but at least two restaurants. She laughed and smiled brightly and it lead me to believe that she understood me at least a little bit more. She explained to me how certain things get done and was happy to answer all of my questions. I paid careful attention to the way that she designed her station. This caused me to start thinking, which then in turn start me asking questions.
I asked Head Chef what the proper way was to set up a station. He answered in his usual manner by using his example. He explained how he sets up his station bit by bit and it made an incredible amount of sense to me. I then asked about the way to set up Garde Manger. He suggested that I look at the way it is set up now. Understand the functionality of it. Build upon it and when the time is right make it my own. I made little scribble diagrams of how it is set up now and made a mental note that I am going to phantom practice. By that I mean set up a fake station and then ask one of my friends to judge me on my performance. I can already see efficiencies that I will set up at my station when the time is right for me to become Garde. I have set a very difficult timeline for myself to get to Garde and it coincides with us at Reservation beginning to get busy. I would say I think I can do it but instead I’d like to say that I KNOW I CAN AND WILL DO IT. Thanks C for teaching me how to believe in myself.
I had another experience today which I won’t elaborate on but it taught me a lot about the way that the kitchen functions. The role of the Executive Chef and how it is mandatory that the ship be controlled at his whim. I was grateful to experience what I experienced today and it caused me to reevaluate the way that I will be in the kitchen a little.
In short today I learned how to set up my (not currently but soon) station. Tomorrow I am going to take pictures of all the stations so that I can start internalizing how I would do it. How it is done now and how I can make it better. This is part of the journey and part of the learning and I am excited, as always, to become more than I currently am, through diligence and hard work (not to mention a little talent, passion and drive).
I also had an awesome dream last night about Michel Bras and the food he presents. It involved C and I being invited for dinner. The whole purpose of which was to give me a first hand experience to make my food better. At the end of the dream Bras and his wife asked C and I if we would like to stay with them a while so that I could learn more. We both jumped at it and now I’m left wondering if I am supposed to figure out a way to get to Aubrac. What do you think? C certainly thought so, as did I in the dream. There is no question I will spend some time either in Italy or France next year. The only question is where.
John Wolfgang von Goethe once said; “A really great talent finds its happiness in execution.” And I find happiness each and every day. Do you?
Be inspired tonight. Dream. Live. Succeed.
A la prochaine
SDM
Tandoori Paste
Tandoori Pork
A very familiar shot of me
The end result...
Today was an awesome day. I wanted to reveal to you just how much comes in when we order. Today was light day but all the orders included; a case of olive oil, one case of eggs, a case of plum tomatoes, a box of candy, a case of butter, a case of cream, two cases of various spaghettis. And that was just dry goods. Then the fish arrived. Today we only got about thirty pounds of Salmon, five pounds of mussels and six pounds of 31-40 shrimp. Then came the vegetables, a case of plum tomatoes, five different kinds of fresh herbs (tarragon, Italian parsley, chives, basil and thyme), eggplant, spaghetti squash, carrots, baby carrots, russet potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, onions (each of the last three in 50 pound amounts), zucchini, rutabaga, fennel, gooseberries, micro greens, spinach, romaine hearts, etc. I think you get the idea. When produce comes in it takes me about twenty minutes minimum to put it away. When it is an obscene order it takes me about forty minutes.
I had a short day today but when I was finished my paid work I paid careful attention to how the Garde Manger does things. I asked her to lay out what all the plates are for me so that I could understand. She suggested that it would be better for me to pay really careful attention for twenty minutes. No writing, just paying attention. She told me that she envied me because the passion that I have is obvious. She asked what I wanted to do eventually and I told her that it was my mission in life to have not one but at least two restaurants. She laughed and smiled brightly and it lead me to believe that she understood me at least a little bit more. She explained to me how certain things get done and was happy to answer all of my questions. I paid careful attention to the way that she designed her station. This caused me to start thinking, which then in turn start me asking questions.
I asked Head Chef what the proper way was to set up a station. He answered in his usual manner by using his example. He explained how he sets up his station bit by bit and it made an incredible amount of sense to me. I then asked about the way to set up Garde Manger. He suggested that I look at the way it is set up now. Understand the functionality of it. Build upon it and when the time is right make it my own. I made little scribble diagrams of how it is set up now and made a mental note that I am going to phantom practice. By that I mean set up a fake station and then ask one of my friends to judge me on my performance. I can already see efficiencies that I will set up at my station when the time is right for me to become Garde. I have set a very difficult timeline for myself to get to Garde and it coincides with us at Reservation beginning to get busy. I would say I think I can do it but instead I’d like to say that I KNOW I CAN AND WILL DO IT. Thanks C for teaching me how to believe in myself.
I had another experience today which I won’t elaborate on but it taught me a lot about the way that the kitchen functions. The role of the Executive Chef and how it is mandatory that the ship be controlled at his whim. I was grateful to experience what I experienced today and it caused me to reevaluate the way that I will be in the kitchen a little.
In short today I learned how to set up my (not currently but soon) station. Tomorrow I am going to take pictures of all the stations so that I can start internalizing how I would do it. How it is done now and how I can make it better. This is part of the journey and part of the learning and I am excited, as always, to become more than I currently am, through diligence and hard work (not to mention a little talent, passion and drive).
I also had an awesome dream last night about Michel Bras and the food he presents. It involved C and I being invited for dinner. The whole purpose of which was to give me a first hand experience to make my food better. At the end of the dream Bras and his wife asked C and I if we would like to stay with them a while so that I could learn more. We both jumped at it and now I’m left wondering if I am supposed to figure out a way to get to Aubrac. What do you think? C certainly thought so, as did I in the dream. There is no question I will spend some time either in Italy or France next year. The only question is where.
John Wolfgang von Goethe once said; “A really great talent finds its happiness in execution.” And I find happiness each and every day. Do you?
Be inspired tonight. Dream. Live. Succeed.
A la prochaine
SDM
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Return Too
Last night I made a spectacular four-course meal that was definitely outside of my comfort zone. Vegetarian Cuisine. I mean I like meat so much it might as well be my middle name. But, as it was, I was supposed to have one friend over to do a duck experiment, she had to cancel so I asked my old business partner if she felt like being a guinea pig. It took her all of about five seconds to say; “I’m in!”
I’m using the most valuable resource I have when experimenting. My friends. For two reasons. One they will tell me what they actually think and two they are such a mixed bag that it is sometimes a stretch for me. Vegetarian was a bit of a stretch but I found a way. And I bet that she will return too! Won’t you Beena?
I actually went so far as to create a menu in various fonts to see what she thought. The one that I have posted here we agreed was good for online. But the one that was my favorite seemed to be the big winner and I will experiment with it over time.
The menu consisted of a four-course vegetarian tasting. Soup, Salad, Lasagna and Berry Granite with a Pomegranate reduction. The whole meal took me about four hours to make as I was constantly testing, tweaking, tasting, re tweaking as I wanted it to be the best that I could produce. As I remarked the only thing that would have made it better was if C was here to share it with me. But her turn will be coming soon and often (and more often than not will include MEAT!)
To make the soup I first roasted the tomatoes in the oven with a bit of whiskey, water, and garlic. The Cipollini onions I also roasted until nice and tender. I had already started reducing some vegetable stock so as to maximize the flavours. Once the tomatoes and onions were roasted to my desired point I removed them from the oven and let them sit for a while. When ready I incorporated them into the soup. I then allowed the liquid to further reduce until it was at my desired level. I then removed from the heat and allowed it to cool down. Once cool I proceeded to blend the soup in a high-speed mixer until I had the desired consistency. C was the inspiration for my soup. In fact soup in general was C’s inspiration. I never liked making soups before but since being with her I have become excellent at it. While blending the soup I also incorporated some chili flake, coriander seeds and cilantro. I don’t like to use ground coriander as I feel that it is missing a lot of the sweet aroma and lemony flavour if you use the preground stuff. The flavour profile of the soup was pretty darn good. I also included a textural element and topped it with fried red onion and russet potato shoestrings. I feel that this element can be punched up as the battling textures of the soup and the garnish played nicely off each other but left me wanting a little bit more. I made sure that it had a nice kick to it and a lasting heat on the palate, as the next dish was a perfect palate cleanser. As such I wanted the heat of the soup to linger for a while before the next course came out.
The next course was an ABC salad. Asparagus, Beet, Corn and Savoy Cabbage Salad. I used various shapes to bring out the various flavours. I first started by steaming the beets. I find that this allows the beets to open up their natural sugars without making the flavours offensive. At work we roast beets and for this dish I didn’t feel that either the flavour or the texture would have worked in this salad. I used peaches and cream corn that I roasted and then incorporated. The asparagus I braised in a butter braise with a little basil, oregano and cilantro. Fresh! I say fresh because that is exactly what I was after in the dish. I wanted it to wipe off the palate and refresh the mouth getting it ready for the next course.
One draw back with the dish was that I reduced a 15 year old balsamic with some pomegranate juice and red wine. I did not account for the natural sugars well enough and ended up caramelizing it much more than I had intended. It was flavourful but was not exactly what I was after. The caramelization stuck too much to the teeth and palate and while the flavour was great it became a chore and food should not be a chore. Just something to start working on and thinking about. But it did give me an idea for something else. So happy accident produces possibly great dish for desert nonetheless. I’ll let you know when I test it out. The salad did taste great but definitely needs to be tweaked. The ingredients though were lively and stood well both individually and collectively.
The main course was eggplant and parsnip lasagna. It was cooked as close to perfect as I will get and I don’t really cook with either eggplant or parsnip very often. I found that the two played off of each other very well. I had to cook the parsnip off first, roasting it in some olive oil, and seasoning and of course love. I felt that the texture if roasted properly would play off the eggplant as a workable juxtaposition. I used red onion to bring out the natural sugar in both the parsnip and the eggplant and the play was pretty good. Mouth feel was ideal for this dish except for the granulated Parmesan that I sued on top. Next time I would use grated Parmesan with a more pungent nose. I used butter, cream, goat cheese and 12-year-old cheddar for the sauce. It played out nicely but will only get better as time goes on.
Finally I made fresh berry granite. It was much easier than I had supposed and the result was to die for. It was a little tart and sweet at the same time and had I had more time I would have been able to lower the tartness and adjusted the sweetness. I served it with toasted coconut, a frozen (but softened) coconut cream round, a coconut stick, a clarified orange juice stick and some fabulous organic cookies.
Again, the dish was pretty good. But as a starting point it made me smile quite a bit as it was my first attempt and it wasn’t half bad. The wine we had was fabulous and the laughs dear. It was a true experience and made me feel wonderful. It is very liberating to be where I am in life right now. The pain in my hands, back and feet though painful as but reminders that the course I am on is the one I’ve chosen and that I will excel at.
So there it is. My first four-course vegetarian tasting complete with pictures. Love to know what you all think.
To end this post I felt the following was appropriate by Les Brown; “If you put yourself in a position where you have to stretch outside your comfort zone, then you are forced to expand your consciousness.”
Be inspired today! Step outside your comfort zone. Live, love and laugh. What’s your dream? Start living it today!
I miss you C and am so proud of you. Thanks for showing me what it means to be alive, to be loved, to dream. I can never repay the world that you have revealed to me. But I will try every day, one morsel, one kiss and one passionate sensation at a time. I love you evermore and it had to be you.
A la prochaine
SDM
I’m using the most valuable resource I have when experimenting. My friends. For two reasons. One they will tell me what they actually think and two they are such a mixed bag that it is sometimes a stretch for me. Vegetarian was a bit of a stretch but I found a way. And I bet that she will return too! Won’t you Beena?
I actually went so far as to create a menu in various fonts to see what she thought. The one that I have posted here we agreed was good for online. But the one that was my favorite seemed to be the big winner and I will experiment with it over time.
The menu consisted of a four-course vegetarian tasting. Soup, Salad, Lasagna and Berry Granite with a Pomegranate reduction. The whole meal took me about four hours to make as I was constantly testing, tweaking, tasting, re tweaking as I wanted it to be the best that I could produce. As I remarked the only thing that would have made it better was if C was here to share it with me. But her turn will be coming soon and often (and more often than not will include MEAT!)
To make the soup I first roasted the tomatoes in the oven with a bit of whiskey, water, and garlic. The Cipollini onions I also roasted until nice and tender. I had already started reducing some vegetable stock so as to maximize the flavours. Once the tomatoes and onions were roasted to my desired point I removed them from the oven and let them sit for a while. When ready I incorporated them into the soup. I then allowed the liquid to further reduce until it was at my desired level. I then removed from the heat and allowed it to cool down. Once cool I proceeded to blend the soup in a high-speed mixer until I had the desired consistency. C was the inspiration for my soup. In fact soup in general was C’s inspiration. I never liked making soups before but since being with her I have become excellent at it. While blending the soup I also incorporated some chili flake, coriander seeds and cilantro. I don’t like to use ground coriander as I feel that it is missing a lot of the sweet aroma and lemony flavour if you use the preground stuff. The flavour profile of the soup was pretty darn good. I also included a textural element and topped it with fried red onion and russet potato shoestrings. I feel that this element can be punched up as the battling textures of the soup and the garnish played nicely off each other but left me wanting a little bit more. I made sure that it had a nice kick to it and a lasting heat on the palate, as the next dish was a perfect palate cleanser. As such I wanted the heat of the soup to linger for a while before the next course came out.
The next course was an ABC salad. Asparagus, Beet, Corn and Savoy Cabbage Salad. I used various shapes to bring out the various flavours. I first started by steaming the beets. I find that this allows the beets to open up their natural sugars without making the flavours offensive. At work we roast beets and for this dish I didn’t feel that either the flavour or the texture would have worked in this salad. I used peaches and cream corn that I roasted and then incorporated. The asparagus I braised in a butter braise with a little basil, oregano and cilantro. Fresh! I say fresh because that is exactly what I was after in the dish. I wanted it to wipe off the palate and refresh the mouth getting it ready for the next course.
One draw back with the dish was that I reduced a 15 year old balsamic with some pomegranate juice and red wine. I did not account for the natural sugars well enough and ended up caramelizing it much more than I had intended. It was flavourful but was not exactly what I was after. The caramelization stuck too much to the teeth and palate and while the flavour was great it became a chore and food should not be a chore. Just something to start working on and thinking about. But it did give me an idea for something else. So happy accident produces possibly great dish for desert nonetheless. I’ll let you know when I test it out. The salad did taste great but definitely needs to be tweaked. The ingredients though were lively and stood well both individually and collectively.
The main course was eggplant and parsnip lasagna. It was cooked as close to perfect as I will get and I don’t really cook with either eggplant or parsnip very often. I found that the two played off of each other very well. I had to cook the parsnip off first, roasting it in some olive oil, and seasoning and of course love. I felt that the texture if roasted properly would play off the eggplant as a workable juxtaposition. I used red onion to bring out the natural sugar in both the parsnip and the eggplant and the play was pretty good. Mouth feel was ideal for this dish except for the granulated Parmesan that I sued on top. Next time I would use grated Parmesan with a more pungent nose. I used butter, cream, goat cheese and 12-year-old cheddar for the sauce. It played out nicely but will only get better as time goes on.
Finally I made fresh berry granite. It was much easier than I had supposed and the result was to die for. It was a little tart and sweet at the same time and had I had more time I would have been able to lower the tartness and adjusted the sweetness. I served it with toasted coconut, a frozen (but softened) coconut cream round, a coconut stick, a clarified orange juice stick and some fabulous organic cookies.
Again, the dish was pretty good. But as a starting point it made me smile quite a bit as it was my first attempt and it wasn’t half bad. The wine we had was fabulous and the laughs dear. It was a true experience and made me feel wonderful. It is very liberating to be where I am in life right now. The pain in my hands, back and feet though painful as but reminders that the course I am on is the one I’ve chosen and that I will excel at.
So there it is. My first four-course vegetarian tasting complete with pictures. Love to know what you all think.
To end this post I felt the following was appropriate by Les Brown; “If you put yourself in a position where you have to stretch outside your comfort zone, then you are forced to expand your consciousness.”
Be inspired today! Step outside your comfort zone. Live, love and laugh. What’s your dream? Start living it today!
I miss you C and am so proud of you. Thanks for showing me what it means to be alive, to be loved, to dream. I can never repay the world that you have revealed to me. But I will try every day, one morsel, one kiss and one passionate sensation at a time. I love you evermore and it had to be you.
A la prochaine
SDM
Monday, March 10, 2008
The Professional Chef by the Culinary Institute of America
I spent a few hours yesterday reading “The Professional Chef” by the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). It opened my eyes a bit to the mathematics behind the culinary industry.
Reading through it I started thinking to myself how much I hated math as a child. It wasn’t so much that I hated math as I hated the way that it was taught. The numbers themselves were meaningless to me. I had always said that if they somehow related to money that maybe it would be easier. I understood math. I could do quick calculations. I just, plain and simple, did not like the way I was taught it.
So as I read yesterday about Recipe Conversion Factors (RCF), converting weight to volume, As Purchased Cost (APC), Edible Portion Quantity (EPQ), Yield Percentages, number of servings, Edible Portion Cost (EPC) and total costs.
It is good for me to be exposing myself to this at such an early stage. It gives an appreciation of the business of the industry. At this current time though I’m less interested in the math of it and more interested in the creative aspects. However, a year from now I can see how the financial aspects of the industry will play into what I am thinking, experimenting, trying, doing and becoming.
Nonetheless I felt it important to let you all know that for anyone serious about the kitchen and the restaurant industry in general, the CIA’s “Professional Chef” is a must read.
A la prochaine
SDM
Reading through it I started thinking to myself how much I hated math as a child. It wasn’t so much that I hated math as I hated the way that it was taught. The numbers themselves were meaningless to me. I had always said that if they somehow related to money that maybe it would be easier. I understood math. I could do quick calculations. I just, plain and simple, did not like the way I was taught it.
So as I read yesterday about Recipe Conversion Factors (RCF), converting weight to volume, As Purchased Cost (APC), Edible Portion Quantity (EPQ), Yield Percentages, number of servings, Edible Portion Cost (EPC) and total costs.
It is good for me to be exposing myself to this at such an early stage. It gives an appreciation of the business of the industry. At this current time though I’m less interested in the math of it and more interested in the creative aspects. However, a year from now I can see how the financial aspects of the industry will play into what I am thinking, experimenting, trying, doing and becoming.
Nonetheless I felt it important to let you all know that for anyone serious about the kitchen and the restaurant industry in general, the CIA’s “Professional Chef” is a must read.
A la prochaine
SDM
Michel Bras, Spiritual Awakening and Culinary Nirvana
I hope this finds you all in good health and spirits. Smiling after three gorgeous days of sun. Spring is in the air. I can smell it and feel it. This spring is again special as my love returns from her fabulous voyage in NYC. So yes I guess you could say that I love the spring. I start the post this way because Michel Bras is hyperaware of his surroundings and it shows in the work that he does.
I came to the conclusion that I wanted to be a Chef because I wanted to be honest. For a variety of reasons I had felt that the last fifteen years of my life were lived according to others desires and wants. Rarely if ever did my concerns take that front seat as I was wholly motivated by others needs, wants, desires, fears, etc. I came to start my journey as an expression of self. An expression of inwardly realized conclusions that I needed to do something for me. Honestly.
Michel Bras says very early in “Essential Cuisine” that; “What matters is to be who you are… No cheating.” I stepped away from the book when I read this line. I only came to realize who I truly was in November of 2007. I had fought myself especially and others trying to conclude who I was when all along it was in front of me at least four times a week when I would get into the kitchen and fall into a zone. It was the one place that I felt like me… Honestly. And without cheating.
Now that I have spent almost two months at Reservation I realize that I am being who I am without cheating. That is a great feeling to have and it makes getting out of bed in the morning that much easier.
Ultimately, Bras is concerned with simplicity and truth. While his dishes may reflect a degree of difficulty he allows the food to speak for itself. Each flavour, aroma, texture, etc is part of the whole that speaks for itself but as a whole there is a harmonious symphony for the senses. This to me is the true mark of a Chef. Someone who can bring the ingredients to life individually and then collectively. In that exact syntax. Individually and then collectively. It is what I strive toward and I know I will get there.
Bras has an eye for detail and the personal skill to make a dish what he wants. He is exacting but thoughtful, careful yet with abandon for the rules. His rule I believe is the one that I quoted above. His food represents who he is… without cheating. If you can get your hands on a copy of “Essential Cuisine” you will see exactly what I am talking about.
While reading I had asked myself the question (and written it in my notebook); how does he arrive at dishes? Well, the universe will answer your questions if you ask them. Later in the book I came across the following quote; “Each moment I let myself be guided by the sounds, tastes and images. I feed on them. The nourish me for future adventures.” This attitude, this careful interpretation of life in every respect is at least one of the things that allows him to arrive at his dishes. Specifically he states about one dish (Gargouillou http://www.michel-bras.com/francais/index/fiche/gargouillou.htm) that it is; “the fruit of my maturity as a man and as a chef. I see it as an act of bravery with which I am fully aligned, from the most inner part of my being to my most acute sense of gourmandise.” Take a minute to internalize that quote.
This specific dish as you can see from the site I sent you to is stunning. It is also an interpretation of Aubrac where he resides and works. It is amongst the most beautiful dishes I have ever seen and given his description I can see how much more there is for me to work on outside of the cooking world. It is exciting and also harrowing. It also clearly demonstrates how Bras gets his influences. Nature being the largest without question. I can hardly wait for my next Georgian Bay or Algonquin Park adventures. They will be even more spirited than the last.
In reading Bras I came to the conclusion (as I have before but this time a bit differently) that for a Chef to succeed (according to his own definition obviously) he must be willing and able to step outside himself and enter the netherworld of uncertainty. He/She must be willing to get outside the comfort zone, mixing flavours, textures, sounds, etc in order to arrive at culinary Nirvana. It is a process that is just as difficult as arriving at spiritual nirvana. It is a gut wrenching, soul searching awakening that can only take place from a place of honesty and personal awareness. As Bras says; “No good work can be produced without proper methodology and knowledge of the ingredients. I firmly believe that technique must serve cooking and gourmandise and certainly not the other way around.”
I agree completely with Bras in his assertions. I can understand cerebrally what he is saying but still do not have the practical experience to be able to fully comprehend. I will over time come to appreciate more fully what Bras means but in the meantime it certainly gives me a sense of pride that I have chosen to enter into a noble profession, an honest profession, which has at its core the understanding of self and your surroundings. I longed for this my entire life. And now that it is before me I am beside myself with joy.
You’ll remember that a while back I wrote a post about playing with your food (http://newbieintheweeds.blogspot.com/2008/02/dont-play-with-your-food-file-under.html ) Well Bras says that for him; “The relationship between cooking and mischief has always been a part of me.” I use this to frame what I said in the earlier post because playing with your food is in a way a little mischievous. And yet, playing with your food may help you to arrive at whom you are and why you are here. The fact that he mentions mischief warms my heart as I have always been willing to try something a little different. Some turned out good, some great and others just pure crap. But how can you ever know if you don’t try? And this relates to the broader world as well.
I can understand why Bras inspire Executive Chef. I will get into a conversation with him about it when I understand the techniques a little more so that I can get the most out of the conversation. I can see little elements and components of Bras’ style reflected on plates that we produce at Reservation and it truly does bring a massive smile to my face.
Bras also helped me to confirm another of the things that I have been thinking for a while. That I should always trust my instincts. All Chefs should trust their instincts. And all people should trust theirs as well (except in paranoid delusions… then just take a deep breath). A few times in the past week I have had first hand experience of this in the kitchen. Once I held back and the next few I did not. Instincts are a very powerful resource in the toolbox of humanity but also for anyone truly desiring to become a great Chef.
Finally, Bras wrote two things that resonated with me wonderfully. WOW would be an appropriate word. The first is that Bras says; “My vision of the world is drawn on the plate. So… The taste! Here it is! Your plate is a fragment of the universe. It is a leaden stormy sky with a gap of light.” This is precisely how I look at the food I make. It is a microcosm that engenders all the elements of food such as flavour and texture but it is also filled with the most wonderful hues of human emotion and feeling. I want to invoke a feeling in you. I want you to see what I am presenting. I want you to feel the earth in what you are eating. I want to broaden your awareness of your plate and give you an experience unparalleled before or since. I aspire to this. And I will arrive there.
The next thing he said which also resonated well with me was; “When I travel, all my senses, sharpened by long practice, capture, here and there, the worlds extravagances, as well as its finesses, inventions and its countless gifts.” When traveling I; “gather fleeting smiles, flowers, deserts and cities; bring them back and hold them together in a bouquet of sensation, testimony and meditation.” Yes please. May I have some more. This is exactly the way that I approach my life. It is weird for me to read someone who is for many one of the paradigm shifts in culinary attitudes. When reading this book questions started mounting that are not easy.
What is my food philosophy?
How will it be reflected on the plate?
What is my focus?
How will I express my purpose on a plate?
These and so many more questions arise from reading Bras’ clear, concise and truthful representation of both self and the food he creates, not to mention the world he lives in. As I traveled last year I ate things that I would not have normally eaten. I tried things that exposed me to a new and wondrous world that I now incorporate into my daily repertoire. Ireland for me was a homecoming and seeing the rolling green hills and it stark beauty caused me to think that there has to be a way to enliven traditional Irish cooking in a way hitherto unseen. I will use my family as guinea pigs on that one. I bring this up because I believe that one of my motivations is to honour those that have come before me. First within my family, thus my heritage, then in my chosen profession (read dream).
Bras says that in order to have vision in the kitchen you must be able to do three things.
Looking
Connecting (being in tune with your ingredients)
Preparation
These three things represent the enactment of an idea for a chef. This is the basic approach that I will use to work on dishes. Its simplicity is actually disarming though its practice is to my mind more complicated than building an atomic weapon.
As you can tell I am truly inspired by Bras. He has given me a deeper understanding of preparation, insight into vision and enactment of ideas. He has given me hope for the future and a sense of pride in what I’m doing. Not to mention humbling me. Which to me is also something very important. I can also see how Bras has inspired Executive Chef and that gives me a deeper insight into his desires as a Chef and the form and function that he utilizes.
All in all I say to anyone that wants to be a chef read Bras. Internalize him! Let Bras’ experience, technique and style permeate your soul and lift you to heights you didn’t even know were possible.
Thus, I leave you this post by quoting a true original thinker in the pantheon of American thinkers, Arthur Erickson; “Only when inspired to go beyond consciousness by some extraordinary insight does beauty manifest unexpectedly.”
Be inspired today and dream big. Ask the universe whatever you need to know and it will answer you.
A la prochaine
SDM
I came to the conclusion that I wanted to be a Chef because I wanted to be honest. For a variety of reasons I had felt that the last fifteen years of my life were lived according to others desires and wants. Rarely if ever did my concerns take that front seat as I was wholly motivated by others needs, wants, desires, fears, etc. I came to start my journey as an expression of self. An expression of inwardly realized conclusions that I needed to do something for me. Honestly.
Michel Bras says very early in “Essential Cuisine” that; “What matters is to be who you are… No cheating.” I stepped away from the book when I read this line. I only came to realize who I truly was in November of 2007. I had fought myself especially and others trying to conclude who I was when all along it was in front of me at least four times a week when I would get into the kitchen and fall into a zone. It was the one place that I felt like me… Honestly. And without cheating.
Now that I have spent almost two months at Reservation I realize that I am being who I am without cheating. That is a great feeling to have and it makes getting out of bed in the morning that much easier.
Ultimately, Bras is concerned with simplicity and truth. While his dishes may reflect a degree of difficulty he allows the food to speak for itself. Each flavour, aroma, texture, etc is part of the whole that speaks for itself but as a whole there is a harmonious symphony for the senses. This to me is the true mark of a Chef. Someone who can bring the ingredients to life individually and then collectively. In that exact syntax. Individually and then collectively. It is what I strive toward and I know I will get there.
Bras has an eye for detail and the personal skill to make a dish what he wants. He is exacting but thoughtful, careful yet with abandon for the rules. His rule I believe is the one that I quoted above. His food represents who he is… without cheating. If you can get your hands on a copy of “Essential Cuisine” you will see exactly what I am talking about.
While reading I had asked myself the question (and written it in my notebook); how does he arrive at dishes? Well, the universe will answer your questions if you ask them. Later in the book I came across the following quote; “Each moment I let myself be guided by the sounds, tastes and images. I feed on them. The nourish me for future adventures.” This attitude, this careful interpretation of life in every respect is at least one of the things that allows him to arrive at his dishes. Specifically he states about one dish (Gargouillou http://www.michel-bras.com/francais/index/fiche/gargouillou.htm) that it is; “the fruit of my maturity as a man and as a chef. I see it as an act of bravery with which I am fully aligned, from the most inner part of my being to my most acute sense of gourmandise.” Take a minute to internalize that quote.
This specific dish as you can see from the site I sent you to is stunning. It is also an interpretation of Aubrac where he resides and works. It is amongst the most beautiful dishes I have ever seen and given his description I can see how much more there is for me to work on outside of the cooking world. It is exciting and also harrowing. It also clearly demonstrates how Bras gets his influences. Nature being the largest without question. I can hardly wait for my next Georgian Bay or Algonquin Park adventures. They will be even more spirited than the last.
In reading Bras I came to the conclusion (as I have before but this time a bit differently) that for a Chef to succeed (according to his own definition obviously) he must be willing and able to step outside himself and enter the netherworld of uncertainty. He/She must be willing to get outside the comfort zone, mixing flavours, textures, sounds, etc in order to arrive at culinary Nirvana. It is a process that is just as difficult as arriving at spiritual nirvana. It is a gut wrenching, soul searching awakening that can only take place from a place of honesty and personal awareness. As Bras says; “No good work can be produced without proper methodology and knowledge of the ingredients. I firmly believe that technique must serve cooking and gourmandise and certainly not the other way around.”
I agree completely with Bras in his assertions. I can understand cerebrally what he is saying but still do not have the practical experience to be able to fully comprehend. I will over time come to appreciate more fully what Bras means but in the meantime it certainly gives me a sense of pride that I have chosen to enter into a noble profession, an honest profession, which has at its core the understanding of self and your surroundings. I longed for this my entire life. And now that it is before me I am beside myself with joy.
You’ll remember that a while back I wrote a post about playing with your food (http://newbieintheweeds.blogspot.com/2008/02/dont-play-with-your-food-file-under.html ) Well Bras says that for him; “The relationship between cooking and mischief has always been a part of me.” I use this to frame what I said in the earlier post because playing with your food is in a way a little mischievous. And yet, playing with your food may help you to arrive at whom you are and why you are here. The fact that he mentions mischief warms my heart as I have always been willing to try something a little different. Some turned out good, some great and others just pure crap. But how can you ever know if you don’t try? And this relates to the broader world as well.
I can understand why Bras inspire Executive Chef. I will get into a conversation with him about it when I understand the techniques a little more so that I can get the most out of the conversation. I can see little elements and components of Bras’ style reflected on plates that we produce at Reservation and it truly does bring a massive smile to my face.
Bras also helped me to confirm another of the things that I have been thinking for a while. That I should always trust my instincts. All Chefs should trust their instincts. And all people should trust theirs as well (except in paranoid delusions… then just take a deep breath). A few times in the past week I have had first hand experience of this in the kitchen. Once I held back and the next few I did not. Instincts are a very powerful resource in the toolbox of humanity but also for anyone truly desiring to become a great Chef.
Finally, Bras wrote two things that resonated with me wonderfully. WOW would be an appropriate word. The first is that Bras says; “My vision of the world is drawn on the plate. So… The taste! Here it is! Your plate is a fragment of the universe. It is a leaden stormy sky with a gap of light.” This is precisely how I look at the food I make. It is a microcosm that engenders all the elements of food such as flavour and texture but it is also filled with the most wonderful hues of human emotion and feeling. I want to invoke a feeling in you. I want you to see what I am presenting. I want you to feel the earth in what you are eating. I want to broaden your awareness of your plate and give you an experience unparalleled before or since. I aspire to this. And I will arrive there.
The next thing he said which also resonated well with me was; “When I travel, all my senses, sharpened by long practice, capture, here and there, the worlds extravagances, as well as its finesses, inventions and its countless gifts.” When traveling I; “gather fleeting smiles, flowers, deserts and cities; bring them back and hold them together in a bouquet of sensation, testimony and meditation.” Yes please. May I have some more. This is exactly the way that I approach my life. It is weird for me to read someone who is for many one of the paradigm shifts in culinary attitudes. When reading this book questions started mounting that are not easy.
What is my food philosophy?
How will it be reflected on the plate?
What is my focus?
How will I express my purpose on a plate?
These and so many more questions arise from reading Bras’ clear, concise and truthful representation of both self and the food he creates, not to mention the world he lives in. As I traveled last year I ate things that I would not have normally eaten. I tried things that exposed me to a new and wondrous world that I now incorporate into my daily repertoire. Ireland for me was a homecoming and seeing the rolling green hills and it stark beauty caused me to think that there has to be a way to enliven traditional Irish cooking in a way hitherto unseen. I will use my family as guinea pigs on that one. I bring this up because I believe that one of my motivations is to honour those that have come before me. First within my family, thus my heritage, then in my chosen profession (read dream).
Bras says that in order to have vision in the kitchen you must be able to do three things.
Looking
Connecting (being in tune with your ingredients)
Preparation
These three things represent the enactment of an idea for a chef. This is the basic approach that I will use to work on dishes. Its simplicity is actually disarming though its practice is to my mind more complicated than building an atomic weapon.
As you can tell I am truly inspired by Bras. He has given me a deeper understanding of preparation, insight into vision and enactment of ideas. He has given me hope for the future and a sense of pride in what I’m doing. Not to mention humbling me. Which to me is also something very important. I can also see how Bras has inspired Executive Chef and that gives me a deeper insight into his desires as a Chef and the form and function that he utilizes.
All in all I say to anyone that wants to be a chef read Bras. Internalize him! Let Bras’ experience, technique and style permeate your soul and lift you to heights you didn’t even know were possible.
Thus, I leave you this post by quoting a true original thinker in the pantheon of American thinkers, Arthur Erickson; “Only when inspired to go beyond consciousness by some extraordinary insight does beauty manifest unexpectedly.”
Be inspired today and dream big. Ask the universe whatever you need to know and it will answer you.
A la prochaine
SDM
The Bar from Above
This is what the bar looks like from the terrace.
I will be catching up with two blog posts today. One about Michel Bras and the other about my experimentation last night.
More Images
The Omelette Station Ingredients for brunch
Salad Table
More pastries
Hmmm Brunch
The View from above
Where I work in Images
This is the historic disctrict that I work in. At one time it was the biggest distillery in the british empire.
This is one part of the dining room. There is another part upstairs.
This is the entrance from the inside. Notice all the snow outside.
This is the pastry table.
More coming in a minute
SDM
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