L’s Anniversary Dinner (file under Timing is Key)

Recently I have reconnected with a friend from high school. When I left high school, not wanting to be put into a little box (see last post) I kind of made myself scarce and basically disappeared.

Well recently, L and I have been speaking via email and of course facebook. It started when she wrote me an email saying that she read my blog. I was touched of course and responded to her email. She had a specific question that I can’t quite recall right now. At any rate, long story short she asked me a couple of culinary questions because she stated that she was not all that good in the kitchen. I told her that I would be happy to help any time. And then I offered after a few more emails to help her with an anniversary dinner by organizing a menu that was workable for her. And that I would even make it easy for her by making them relatively. But not too easy because I have full faith in her abilities.

So yesterday we bounced thirteen or fourteen emails back and forth until we came up with a menu. I’m fully satisfied that my lover, C, would be delighted to have this meal, so I am SURE that her lover will as well.

This is why I became a cook. To make memories and I think this one is going to be great. So the menu is;

Potato Leek Puree with a Crispy Prosciutto and Parsley Garnish
Then a seared Foie Gras in a red currant and fig glaze
Followed by a sumptuous home made tagliatelle with braised short ribs
And the piece de la resistance Crème Brûlée

I have to tell you I am quite proud of the menu. But what’s more I am proud that I am able to help someone with a very special evening which is sure to be memorable.

The last couple of emails have been filled with the joy of knowing and the anticipation of doing. I LOVE IT! I told L that I am excited for her meal and that I can help her any way she needs if she gets stuck. But I have faith that she will do it perfectly. Love is the key to anything in the kitchen and I can tell that she and her man are very much in love.

What’s more is she has promised me that she will take pictures. I haven’t asked for permission yet but I’m hopeful that she will let me post both their responses to the meal and the pictures.

As I said in the title of the post. Timing is key. Her desire to cook a great meal and my desire to help people has helped me to see that I am doing the right thing and that I need to just keep on keeping on. And thus I will.

Carl Lewis once said; “Life is about timing.” And that seems very true…

Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine

SDM

Claire Clark’s “Indulge” (File under I Like French Laundry)

One has to give Thomas Keller a lot of credit. He finds the right people at the right time and a synergistic magic happens that creates what can only be called; “WOW.” I invented a guy a long time ago that I called the Wow Professor. I claim that he is responsible for all the things that make people go Wow. Have you a better idea of what makes Wow?

Rarely if ever do I term a real actual person the Wow Professor. But in this case I think that it must be realized that Thomas Keller is at least partially responsible for the meteoric rise of one, Grant Atchez, of Alinea fame and also for bringing Claire Clark to the French Laundry. If you want to know the official story on Claire Clark go to http://www.frenchlaundry.com/ and look at their staff.

How does one begin to tell you about the absolute beauty of “Indulge.”? Perhaps by saying that I read it from cover to cover, made copious notes and though I don’t really have a sweet tooth have already made one of her recipes and think that it is to die for.

I’m not ashamed at all to admit that I have taken four of her recipes and plan on tweaking them. I tried her recipe for Chocolate Fudge Brownies and nearly melted from the awesome WOW that my palate and my stomach were receiving. Not only that but the instructions were easy to follow and this was a true delight to make. Roommate and my old friend both gave it ten thumbs up.

She has an incredible style which narrows the ingredients to their core necessity. She has an understanding of all the elements of dessert production and truly, for me, is also a WOW.

Anyone out there who has a sweet tooth or just likes great desserts go out and BUY, not borrow from the Library; “Indulge.” I’m certain it will become your constant companion when you want to impress your lover, your guests or just your own secret urges. SATISFACTION GUARANTEED. She has recipes for everything; Chocolate Chip Cookies, Brulees, Caramels and Cheesecake just to name a few (I was going to do the Cheesecake but thought I would wait for this weekend).

Check her out. Not only does she give you her recipes that are used at French Laundry but she also gives you tips and pointers on how best to make them. Conditions. Equipment. Etc. Not for the faint hearted dessert fan to be certain.

I couldn’t find whom this is attributed to but it is the most fitting for this post; “Money may talk, but chocolate sings.”

Are you dreaming big and inspired?

A la prochaine

SDM

Four Course Dinner Party for Forty (file under differences between current and past reality)

This year I have been a piece in the puzzle of joyful occasions for approximately six or seven thousand people. When I do my yearly roundup in middle January I can give you a more specific number but for the purposes of this post I believe that number will suffice.

At Reservation the function or banquet team had delivering happiness down to a science. L and I worked tirelessly to ensure that we made food look and taste good. We knew without thinking because of the number of functions that we worked how to do things and make the show run smoothly. I have to admit, I kind of miss the well oiled machine that was our function team. We could do functions at Reservation for twenty five as well as we did for six hundred or even double that.

So on Friday night at Without Reservation on top of our regular service we had a four course meal for forty, which incidentally, was going at the height of service, which made it rather interesting.

Simple set up, salad, soup, mains and desert. Salad was either a Caesar or house salad. Soup was a tomato herb. Main choices were steak, chicken or salmon and desert was crème brûlée. Chef and I have had experience doing parties like this and have it down to a second nature.

In order to smoothly run a function there are certain things that must be done in order to ensure that the food is good, the service is good and that it goes well. From our end Chef and I and the brigade knew what we were doing and how to do it. The Front of House well that is a whole different matter.

At Reservation it was a well oiled machine. Everyone knew their respective roles and how to fulfill to the best of our abilities. I feel that at Without Reservation the Front of House staff does not necessarily have much experience with doing parties such as this. And it showed.

To my eye, orders did not go smoothly. The count initially was wrong which adversely affects our ability to put out the right amount of proteins in a timely fashion. Naturally Chef and I were able to deal with it but it is my observation. So rather than having a coherent order sheet we had to three separate times try to figure out the front of house notations and in fact walk them through giving us the information in a meaningful way so that we could do our job. It worked out fine though and just took us a few shakes of the tree to get it right with the front of house. THIS IS NOT CRITICISM, it is OBSERVATION and more over is something that Chef and I will be able to correct going forward based on our experience.

The food we put out looked good, tasted great and was well received by the customer. He and his team will be back which is always a nice feeling. Compliments were sent from the client to the kitchen and I felt pretty good about what we accomplished.

Samuel Johnson once said; “Art and nature have stores inexhaustible by human intellects; and every moment produces something new to him who has quickened his faculties by diligent observation”

Are you dreaming big and inspired?

A la prochaine

SDM