IDEAS IN FOOD

Puffed Pretzels

Two years ago Alex went down to Woodberry Kitchen to do a cocktail event. One of the canapes that he and Isiah worked out were these puffed pretzels, filled with a beer cheese sauce. Isiah graciously shared his recipe for the pretzels and we added our own twist by using beer and increasing the butter, ever so slightly. The bones of this recipe are all Isiah so we thank him for being so willing to let us share it with you. When filled with gooey cheese the puffed pretzels are like the best possible rendition of Combos (I had no idea they still existed till we wrote this post). They are light and crispy on the outside, giving way to warm cheesy goodness. Even if the cheese cools, a great filling is still something special and yummy to be enjoyed. Much like pommes souffles, not all of the pretzels will puff. Think of the the flat ones as a treat for the chef. They are also wonderful filled with avocado puree, homemade hummus or chocolate-peanut butter ganache. The possibilities are endless.

 

Puffed Pretzels

 

725 grams AP flour

50 grams sugar

15 grams salt

10 grams active dry yeast

300 grams Asahi beer

100 grams (2 large) eggs

113 grams diced unsalted butter

 

85 grams egg whites

40 grams kansui

 

Put the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook and mix briefly to combine. Put the beer and eggs in a bowl or pitcher and whisk them together. Turn the mixer on low and slowly pour the beer mixture into the flour mixture until it comes together into a rough dough. Turn the mixer up to medium low and knead for 5 minutes, it will become smooth and elastic. With the mixer still running add the butter a few pieces at a time, letting each addition become absorbed by the dough before adding more, until all of the butter has been incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and knead for 3 more minutes until the dough forms a smooth ball.  Turn it out onto a clean counter and knead the dough a few times by hand to finish it. Transfer the dough to a clean bowl and cover the top with plastic wrap. Let it rise 2 hours at room temperature.

 

Preheat oven to 425°F/400°F convection

 

Put the egg whites and kansui in a small bowl and whisk them together until just combined.  Using a rubber spatula gently loosen the dough from the bowl. Dampen your hands with cool water and slide one hand under one side of the dough. Fold that side of the dough into the center and press down gently so it adheres to itself. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the folding process. Do this two more times. After the fourth fold, flip over the dough so the seams are on the bottom.  Cut the dough into quarters. Use a rolling pin or a pasta machine to roll the dough out to a thickness of 2mm. Cut into 2-inch squares and lay them out leaving at least an inch between pieces on parchment lined sheet pans. Brush with egg white-kansui mixture. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for about 10 minutes until the pretzels have puffed and turned a deep golden brown. Be aware that not all of the pretzels will puff dramatically, but they will still be delicious. Let them cool on the pans or transfer to a rack.

 

 

Years Past

June 30, 2011

June 30, 2010

June 30, 2009

June 30, 2008

June 30, 2007

June 30, 2006

June 30, 2005

Mission: Small Business

We just found out about this grant program today and we're a little behind the times. We need to garner at least 250 votes on their website by tomorrow night in order to qualify so we're asking everyone to please take a couple of minutes and visit the Mission: Small Business℠ site and log in with Facebook. (There is no other log in option besides Facebook.) Once logged in, you can search for our business to vote.

In case you're curious here are our answers to the essay questions on the grant application. That way you'll know what you're voting for. 250 votes gets us to the next round to qualify for a $250,000 grant to expand Ideas in Food. If you like what we do here please take a couple of minutes to give us your vote. Thanks!

 

1. Tell us about your business; how successful is it and why is it unique?

Ideas in Food is an education based culinary consulting company. We saw a need to provide continuing education for chefs and cooks and this naturally spilled over to the avid home cooks. We teach private workshops, tailored to the individual and focusing on learning the techniques, understanding ingredients and increasing creativity. We also work with food service companies and restaurants to help improve knowledge and efficiency in order to make better food in different circumstances while adhering to the bottom line. We believe that knowledge allows cooks to be better technicians and be creative and innovative in their own kitchens. In this same vein we bring avant-garde restaurant techniques to the home kitchen, and document it all on our blog. One day it might be breaking down a duck and using all of the parts in different ways and another it might be exploring the use of tapioca starch and guar gum in ice creams.  We stage classes and demonstrations at locations around the country including Le Sanctuaire in San Francisco, El Ideas in Chicago, Astor Wine and Spirits in New York City. We keep a hand in the current restaurant scene by participating in in a series of guest chef dinners working with a roster of chefs that include George Mendes, Michael Voltaggio, Dominique Crenn, David Chang, Daniel Patterson, Tony Maws, Wiley Dufresne, Sean Brock, Alex Stupak, Ken Oringer, and Carlo Mirarchi. We’ve traveled around the world to present at a variety of professional conferences including International Association of Culinary Professionals, Star Chefs, Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, The Arts Institutes, The Experimental Cuisine Collective at NYU and the Food Hydrocolloid Conference.

 

2. How is your business involved with the community you serve?

We have a hands-on approach to working with clients and other like-minded individuals. Our website, www.ideasinfood.com is a hub for ideas and information on all aspects of food. We have a constant dialogue with cooks and chefs around the world via the website and Twitter and their questions often lead us to new breakthroughs that we are happy to share. We love the open source aspect of Ideas in Food and have found that giving away ideas in invaluable because the inspirations come back to us a hundredfold.  We have a book, Ideas in Food, Great Recipes and Why They Work, published by Clarkson Potter and another book, also with Clarkson Potter, in the works, to be published in August 2013. In the past year we have written pieces for Gilt Taste, Popular Science, Food 52 and Aroma Magazine. Our belief is that knowledge is empowering and a collaborative community fosters innovation and inspiration. We’d like to take our individual workshops to the next level and offer a set program of larger classes that will appeal to different chefs in addition to the bespoke workshops focusing on individual menus and areas of interest. 3. What would the Grant mean to your business plan and how would you utilize the funds to ensure long-term growth and stability?

The grant would give us the opportunity to expand the business and establish a permanent space where we can host culinary programs from 2-5 days for chefs and cooks to come and learn new skills and increase creativity. Currently we are teaching classes out of our small workshop. The grant would let us move to space designed for slightly larger classes and events, with rooms to offer the participants and their families to stay in. We’d like to establish a diverse, hands-on curriculum of topics including whole animal butchery, flavor pairings, menu development, no-knead baking and food styling, where we include guest chefs and instructors to teach classes based on their specific skill set and professional cooks, chefs and enthusiastic amateurs can come to learn, inspire, and be inspired. Avenues for continuing education in the food service industry are scant and we think that it is one of the most important ways that all cooks can keep their edge and enthusiasm in the kitchen.  It’s a tough industry and time off tends to be devoted to loved ones, so if we can create a family friendly space where chefs can come to learn and their families can be with them, perhaps exploring the area during the day and joining them in the evenings for meals that are the direct result of their classes and culinary activities they will be able to integrate all of their passions into one trip.

Mental stimulation and new experiences are so important for chefs. There’s no way to overstate the fact. We need to stretch and grow in order to stay motivated and inspired. During the course of our workshops we’ve often heard that the experience rejuvenates a chef’s creativity and gets them excited to get back into their own kitchens. Instead of focusing only on smaller, individual workshops, a large space will also allow us to bring people together in a creative environment to learn from one another and become inspired from the group interaction.

 

3. What types of challenges can you identify with your business plan and how will you overcome them?

The biggest challenge will be finding the space and putting the program in place. Through our business we have an extensive network of chefs, writers, photographers, and beverage professionals that we can draw upon to teach classes. Instructors who design their own classes, will be able to share very specific skill sets and will be able to bring their own passion to the venue. It’s a unique opportunity for people in the business to learn from one another and get to know each other.  While there are a few professional conferences where chefs can go to network and learn from each other, there is something special about smaller groups and real conversations that can take place when people are working side by side and sharing an experience.  We like facilitating connections and bringing people together. It’s our hope that these small group classes will allow people to build relationships that they will take back into their kitchens and help foster the culinary community. We may need to start off in a bare bones environment and rely on the students and instructors to create the atmosphere instead of focusing on luxury accommodations and state of the art kitchens. Fortunately we already bring a fair amount of equipment to the table and are not afraid to bargain or exchange skills and services in order to make things happen.

 

4. Describe the talent on your team and how they make your business successful?

Ideas in Food is a partnership run by Aki Kamozawa and Alex Talbot. We both bring our separate and combined passions to the business. We are driven to create an environment where we can share the principles necessary to create the most delicious food possible. Alex is a wonderful presenter; good at making tough topics seem approachable and drawing people into experiments and discussions. He loves to solve problems and culinary mysteries are his specialty. He is very good at negotiating a deal and drawing people into partnerships. Aki is the writer, working slightly more behind the scenes to organize and explain how things work. She is very good at intuiting what people need and moving to provide that extra level of service. We both have backgrounds in restaurants and catering. Additionally we helped open and run a boutique hotel in Colorado giving us intimate knowledge of the amount of work and the level of operations that will be needed to make our dream come true. We both work hard to get the most out of our teams, encouraging them to be better and empowering them to be able to create a great experience for every guest and student. We lead by example and try to inspire those we work with. We continuously ask what is possible and share the process we travel to get there. Our greatest gifts are the abilities to share knowledge and bring people together.

 

5. Anything you'd like to add?

This grant would be a game changer for us. We have steadily grown our business for the last four years and it has crystallized our dream of this culinary center where chefs and cooks can come together in a slightly more relaxed environment to share ideas and techniques and play in the kitchen. It's a chance for food service professionals to recharge their batteries and learn about new ingredients and techniques. We want to a create a learning vacation spot specifically tailored to a group of people who's careers depend on their ability to stay current, well informed and able to inspire their own teams.

 

A big THANK YOU to everyone who voted for us. We made the 250 and are still gathering votes to let the selection committee know that we have the support of our community. We can't tell you how much it means to us that you were able to help us get to the next level. Fingers crossed that the judges like our business plan. We'll keep you posted.

 

 

Years Past

June 29, 2011

June 29, 2010

June 29, 2009

June 29, 2008

June 29, 2007

June 29, 2006

June 29, 2005

Hosta Flower

While in Chicago, I learned that hosta flowers are both a member of the lily family and that they are edible. There aroma is sweet and almost melon like. This aromatic cue had me longing to pair them with melon. The melon and hosta flower complimented each other nicely. They were the bright compliment and condiment to our skirt steak and ricotta gnudi. The dish turned out to be a simple and clean summer beef dish.

Years Past

June 28, 2011

June 28, 2010

June 28, 2009

June 28, 2008

June 28, 2007

June 28, 2006

June 28, 2005

Philly in July

Rittenhouse Tavern to host “Ideas in Food” Authors

For a Creative Culinary Workshop and Dinner

Join Alexander Talbot and Aki Kamozawa on Monday, July 23^rd

 

Rittenhouse Tavern will host a creative culinary workshop and special one-seating-only dinner with Alexander Talbot and Aki Kamozawa of the popular website and book “Ideas In Food” on Monday, July 23^rd.

 

Rittenhouse Tavern, which is normally closed on Mondays, will host the six-hour hands-on workshop from 10AM to 4PM allowing access to the entire restaurant (kitchen included) in hopes that participants will be inspired to take innovative and resourceful approaches to food and find a focus when developing dishes. The workshop, which is $250 per person, is geared towards chefs, culinary students and at-home-cooks that are curious to explore and learn more about food, while utilizing Talbot and Kamozawa as resources for refining their ideas. Lunch will also be served for workshop participants.

 

Separately, Executive Chef Nicholas Elmi will team up with the duo to prepare a special 7+ course dinner that evening with one exclusive seating at 6PM for $105 per person (not including tax and gratuity). The dinner will highlight the ideas and techniques utilized in the workshop, guaranteed to pique the interest of chefs and food lovers alike. Reservations are recommended but not required for both the workshop and dinner.

 

“We’re excited to welcome Alexander and Aki to Rittenhouse Tavern,” says Executive Chef, Nicholas Elmi. “I've known the two of them for years and we frequently bounce ideas off each other.  It's important for chefs to never stop learning and this workshop will allow everyone the opportunity to openly discuss their ideas and develop recipes with a new perspective in a creative atmosphere.”          

Rittenhouse Tavern is located on 251 South 18th Street in the Philadelphia Art Alliance. For more information and to secure a reservation call 215-732-2412.

June 27, 2012

ideas in ideas

 

ideas in food

&

el ideas

 

ossetra

brown sugar / olive oil / ice cream 

 

tasmanian trout

asparagus / chervil

 

zucchini blossom

mussel / saffron / tomato

 

seafood salad

pistachio / arugula

 

cherries

umabushi / tosaka / katsuobushi

 

risotto

sunflower seeds / porcini / kombu

 

egg

rabbit / green tomato / purslane

 

chicken

fourme d’ambert / celery root / hot sauce

 

pork belly

onion / beans / shrimp

 

skirt chop

ricotta gnuddi / honeydew

 

lamb
garlic / garlic / garlic / garlic / garlic / garlic / garlic

 

foie gras
blueberries / oatmeal / yogurt

 

donut carpaccio

coffee custard

 

chefs

alex talbot / phillip foss / scott manley / kevin mcmullen / akiko moorman

 

 

Years Past

June 27, 2011

June 27, 2010

June 27, 2009

June 27, 2008

June 27, 2007

June 27, 2006

June 27, 2005

New York City in July

Please join Chef George Mendes 

as he welcomes Aki and Alex 

of Ideas in Food 

to ALDEA on Sunday, July 15th, 

as part of ALDEA's Guest Chef Series. 

 

The evening will begin with cocktails and passed canapes, 

followed by a 5~course menu prepared by the Chefs.   

Dinner is $150 per person and includes wine pairings. 

 

There is limited seating, 

so please call the restaurant directly for reservations: 

212.675.7223 

 

Cocktails and canapes at 6pm; dinner proper at 7pm.

 

We hope to see you there!

 

 

Salmon Skin Roll

We take a pot of water, bring it to a boil and then turn off the heat. Then we take salmon skins, or in this case Tasmanian sea trout skins, and soak them for 1 minute in the hot water. We quickly pat them dry and scrape off any residual flesh, fat and funk. The cleaned skins are laid out, flesh side down, on trays to prevent curling, loosely covered, and refrigerated. Meanwhile we wrap cannoli forms with foil and spray them with pan release. Once the skins are cold, we portion them into strips and dust both sides with Activa RM. Then we roll them around the prepared tubes. We lay the rolls seam side down on a tray, cover, and refrigerate overnight to allow the bond to set. The next day we fry them for about 10-15 minutes in 250°F oil until they are crisp and lightly puffed. We use paper towels to slide the hot skins from the tubes.

Now comes the fun part: filling the tubes and applying the process to other skins from chicken to pork.

 

Years Past

June 26, 2011

June 26, 2010

June 26, 2009

June 26, 2008

June 26, 2007

June 26, 2006

June 26, 2005

Blasphemy and the Deep Fryer

Back in college we used to play the game "Can We Fry This?" When I first started cooking I learned the deep fryer was very good in emergenicies. For example I witnessed whole filet mignons, sides of salmon and countless pieces of bacon crisped in boiling oil. As I said, these were "emergencie fries." What was interesting to me was the uniform cooking that took place. The chef and sous chef noted that we were doing this as a last resort and acting like shoemakers by doing it. But guests had to be fed and dire times called for extreme measures.

When I moved on to The Park Avenue Cafe, I became further educated in the deep fryer. David Burke had one fryer flavored with curry powder for frying panko, nori crusted tuna, and shoe string potatoes for his lobster steak. We also fried mushrooms and anything else we could for chips and garnishes in regualr canola oil. David understood the fryer and the power it provides in the kitchen. Then I moved to Clio where Ken Oringer also understood the fryer, from lobster antennae to tempura battered lemon confit rings, the fryer was a work horse. And of course we were not shy about frying bacon for a room service burger, only in "emergencies."

What has evolved since these early experiences is the concept that fryers are often evil. Sure we consider frying tempura an art form, but deep frying an individual portion of fillet mignon is shoe making. And I am not buying that kool aid. The fryer, like many other pieces of equipment, is an incredible device. It creates an environment that ensures even cooking. Yesterday we "seared" short ribs in a minute rather than bumbling through the process in a heavy bottomed pan, spattering oil and worrying about burning fond. We deep fried mirepoix and shrimp shells. (yes, we need to be aware of allergy situations so pay attention to what you fry in your oil.) One issue may be that a chef doesn't like the flavor of the oil he fries in. Really, then why are you using it? Change the oil, capitalize on the tool.

I still remember watching an episode of Top Chef a few years ago where someone got chewed out for deep frying bacon instead of using the wood fired oven for maximum flavor. Let's get past our pretensions and work on using our tools and techniques to maximize our time in the kitchen.

 

Years Past

June 25, 2011

June 25, 2010

June 25, 2009

June 25, 2008

June 25, 2007

June 25, 2006

June 25, 2005

Glazed

There is something special about watching the donuts being made at Old Fashioned Donuts in Chicago, IL. The speed and efficiency of the process by which the dough is rolled, cut, arranged, proofed, fried and glazed is a testament to time tested practices. The equipment is worn, like a pathway walked a million times, with small homemade adjustments illustrating the evolution of the cooking process. I was amazed and impressed watching this dance of donut making, a culinary ballet created to deliver delicious. 

Years Past

June 24, 2011

June 24, 2010

June 24, 2009

June 24, 2008

June 24, 2007

June 24, 2006

June 24, 2005

Details Matter

I have been in Chicago for less than 24 hours and it been a notebook filling adventure. The experiences I have had so far have been remarkable. What is even more interesting is that details, the small pieces that we often overlook, are what stood out for me. Every place I have been to has paid attention to the details that are important to them. And that attention made a monumental impression on me. Not every detail matters to everyone. Still, it's the focus of your thoughts and visions that are essential to the delivery of the final product, be it food or a cocktail or a total experience. Make the details your own.

Years Past

June 23, 2011

June 23, 2010

June 23, 2009

June 23, 2008

June 23, 2007

June 23, 2006

June 23, 2005

Stand Out

 

It is not always easy, you may may get knocked around a bit, and in the end you will be quite happy you did.

 

Years Past

June 12, 2011

June 12, 2010

June 12, 2009

June 12, 2008

June 12, 2007

June 12, 2006

June 12, 2005

Maryland Conch

 

 Who Knew? Now we need to get to work.

 

Years Past

June 21, 2011

June 21, 2010

June 21, 2009

June 21, 2008

June 21, 2007

June 21, 2006

June 21, 2005

Grilled Lobsters

Some days you just get lucky. One of the things I've missed since moving to PA is the availability of lobsters. Every so often when we lived in NYC Stew Leonards would have great sales on lobster and so I got my fix on a semi-regular basis. Of course most summers included a week in Rhode Island so I ate my fill there are as well. This summer there's no trip to New England until Labor Day when we're going to Portland for a great event that you will read about very soon (teaser!) and this last couple of weeks I have been quietly jonesing for lobster.

Today, completely out of the blue, Alex came home with lobsters. They were having a sale at our local McCaffrey's and he just happened to stumble upon it while shoping with Amaya. He decided to surprise me and brought home four beauties. It was the perfect gift. He split them open and stuffed them with butter before putting them in the big green egg. I took a few pictures, because that's what I do, and a little while later we sat down to grilled lobsters and a 2005 Jayson, Napa County Chardonnay. They were juicy and smoky and so good. The perfect dinner, soon to be followed by blueberry pie and ice cream. I may not be in New England but I'm definitely feeling the vibe.

 

Years Past

June 20, 2011

June 20, 2010

June 20, 2009

June 20, 2008

June 20, 2007

June 20, 2006

June 20, 2005

The Things We Do

Some days it's hard to find my happy place in the kitchen. I love to cook and bake and usually it's the room here I'm most at home. Because I cook for a living and not just for pleasure, some days it's harder to enjoy the process. Recently we've heard from a lot of people who have cookbooks and almost universally they talked about what a wonderful process it was to create them. I envy that point of view. For me every book I work on is a struggle. You are working with a team of people who have a common goal, a great book, and sometimes very different views of what it takes to get there. It's a process. A good team can create a great book but there has been a measure of blood, sweat and tears that went into each of the three books that I have a hand in. It made them each better in the end but not always fun to work on.

This third book is in the wringer. That's my own private term for the editing process. We are doing the writing and the photography so it's a double dose of constructive criticism and defense. It's going to be a great book, I know this. But sometimes I need to step away from it. Amaya's been asking for a blueberry pie and today I finally made it for her. Because I love her. And because it made me happy to bake something just for the fun of it for a change.

Love what you do, just realize that you may not love it every day.

 

Years Past

June 19, 2011

June 19, 2010

June 19, 2009

June 19, 2008

June 19, 2007

June 19, 2006

June 19, 2005

Creativity: Inspired by Our Environment

  

Take the time to sit, relax and watch this Ted talk by Rodney Mullen. It will open your eyes and have you itching to create.

 

Years Past

June 18, 2011

June 18, 2010

June 18, 2009

June 18, 2008

June 18, 2007

June 18, 2006

June 18, 2005

Scrambled Egg Noodles

I am not sure what is a bigger fetish for me, eggs or noodles. The folks over at Modernist Cuisine demonstrated quite eloquently that omelets can be flat and striped. Looking at eggs through this lens allowed us to leapfrog to noodles. We took the idea of flat scrambled eggs and made them thin.  We added a little tapioca starch for the strength and flexibility we needed to gve our noodles a little bounce in the mouth. The results were delicious.

Scrambled Egg Noodles

110 grams/ 2 large eggs

54 grams/ 3 large egg yolks

10 grams/ 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons tapioca starch

1 gram/ 1/6 teaspoon fine sea salt

 

Put the eggs, yolks, tapioca starch and salt in a medium bowl and use a whisk to gently stir them together until the mixture is smooth. Strain it through a fine mesh sieve. Set a steamer over medium high heat. Line a flat 6 x 9 inch stainless steel sizzle pan (or other flat, heatproof dish) that will fit into your steamer with plastic wrap and pour one third of the scrambled egg mixture onto the pan. The mixture should be about 1-2 mm thick. When the steamer is hot, put the pan with the egg mixure inside and cover with the lid. Steam for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the steamer and let the egg sheet cool to room temperature. Repeat with the remaining egg mixture in two more sheets. When the egg sheets are cool cut them into noodles or other shapes according to your preference.

 

Years Past

June 17, 2011

June 17, 2010

June 17, 2009

June 17, 2008

June 17, 2007

June 17, 2006

June 17, 2005

Oven Envy

(pizza oven from Delancey in Seattle)

            
We spent the evening cooking up another version of pizza dough modified from the no-knead recipe in our book. This version added some sourdough to the smoked flour variation. I am coming to the conclusion that we will be "needing" a pizza/wood burning oven. Sure, our tricked out grill with fire bricks is making some incredible pizzas, but I am looking for more speed, volume and the introduction of wood. The more we travel, taste and read the more its spot on the wish list rises. During my searches for ovens I came across this really cool set up of a pizza oven built onto a trailer. Not that we need a mobile pizza oven, but think about how this could be parked in your driveway, parking lot, loading dock wherever. Imagine wood fired on demand with relatively few hassles and plenty of return.

 

June 16, 2011

June 16, 2010

June 16, 2009

June 16, 2008

June 16, 2007

June 16, 2006

June 16, 2005

A Few Things

We've got a new piece up over at PopSci about blast chillers. We've been working with one in our kitchen for the last six months or so an we've been impressed by the number of different ways it has come in handy. We're always looking for new tips so if you have any great uses that we haven't thought of please leave a comment below.

We've got a few upcoming events that we waned to mention. We'll be at El Ideas in Chicago teaching classes on June 24-25 and doing a guest chef dinner with Phillip Foss on Tuesday, June 26, 2012. We will be doing a guest chef dinner with George Mendes at Aldea in New York CIty on July 15, 2012. There is more information in the Events box on the left sidebar with links to both restaurants for reservations.

Years Past

June 15, 2011

June 15, 2010

June 15, 2009

June 15, 2008

June 15, 2007

June 15, 2006

June 15, 2005

Beet. Watermelon, Ricotta Salata

The combination of beets and watermelon is not necessarily one I would have thought of. Yet, when I had watermelon vacuum infused with beet juice at a dinner made by the Seattle Food Geek and Jet City Gastrophysics I began to think. As I recall the dish was topped with feta and mint. It was intentionally funny because it combined 2 ubiquitous salads in one dish: watermelon with feta and beets with goat cheese. In a conversation with Scott I mentioned wanting to vacuum seal the watermelon with hibiscus. Once I got home that is exactly what I did. I cold brewed some hibiscus tea and then vacuum sealed it with slabs of watermelon. Then I made the tastiest beets ever and glazed them in a blend of the steaming liquid and red wine sweetened with honey. To finish the dish we shaved ricotta salata into ribbons and picked anise hyssop leaves and flowers from the weed patch. It's early summer on a plate, our way.

Years Past

June 14, 2011

June 14, 2010

June 14, 2009

June 14, 2008

June 14, 2007

June 14, 2006

June 14, 2005

Little Hands

Watching Amaya's little hands investigate the world is invigorating. At times they are shy and others they are bold and brash. They can be quick and nimble while performing familiar tasks and equally awkward in a new environment. The use of utensils, often insisted upon by adults, is optional and looked at only when really necessary (in the presence of hot and wet food and when a drum solo is required). Her hands demonstrates her curiosity as she takes time not just feed herself but to learn about the food before her.

(salumi plate at Delancey)                  

 

 

 

Years Past

June 13, 2011

June 13, 2010

June 13, 2009

June 13, 2008

June 13, 2007

June 13, 2006

June 13, 2005

Pesto Steaks

We take a simple pesto and dose it with a few dashes of fish sauce. Then we slather the hangar steaks in this marinade and let them do nothing for a few hours and up to overnight. When the hunger hits we pull the steaks out of the refrigerator and let them temper. If it's not raining or if you have a large umbrella please cook the steaks outside, giving them a nice char. Otherwise heat up a cast iron skillet and smoke the living daylights out of your kitchen. Ideally turn on ceiling fans and open the windows before you start as a sign of good faith for whomever you are cooking for. The charred pesto mimics the charred herb marinades and condiments we have been favoring lately except here we cook and char all in one step.

Years Past

June 12, 2011

June 12, 2010

June 12, 2009

June 12, 2008

June 12, 2007

June 12, 2006

June 12, 2005

"Buffalo" Oysters

We were at Elliott's Oyster House for lunch yesterday for our oyster fix. The plan was to consume a series of raw oysters. When I saw oysters Buffalo style on the menu I could not resist because it sounded so crazy that I knew it just might work. And boy does it. These oysters were meaty and plump and perfectly cooked. Crisp on the outside with a meltingly rich and creamy interior. They were lightly coated in a tangy buffalo sauce that wasn't too hot and arranged next to a thick blue cheese dressing. These oysters were awesome. I look forward to playing around with variations in our kitchen.

 

Years Past:

June 11, 2011

June 11, 2010

June 11, 2009

June 11, 2008

June 11, 2007

June 11, 2006

June 11, 2005

Sorrel Ice Cream, Kasu Curd, Rhubarb Glass and Smoked Roe

This is the recipe for the dish we prepared for the 15th Anniversary dinner at Clio. When we served the dish at the dinner we extruded the ice cream base from an iSi cansiter into liquid nitrogen. The details on this process are the same as for the popcorn gelato from our book. The sorrel ice cream was tart, creamy and green in both color and flavor. The kasu-meyer lemon curd was funky and slightly fermented, balanced by the floral sweetness of the lemon. The rhubarb was intensely rhubarb and added a crisp texture to the dish. FInally the smoky roe from Blis was briny and clean and the small eggs popped against your teeth. It was a dish that was delicious and fun to eat.

The idea of caviar and ice cream is a signature approach that we developed while at Keyah Grande in Colorado. The elements for this dish provide the structure, allowing us to mix and match flavors according to season and pantry.  

 

Sorrel Ice Cream

 

220 grams liquid glucose

140 grams egg yolk

90 grams sugar

6 grams salt

470 grams whole milk

 

210g sorrel leaves and short stems

 

Puree the liquid glucose, egg yolks, sugar and salt in a blender. When the mixture is thoroughly blended add the milk and blend to combine. Pour the mixture into a vacuum bag and seal. Cook the mixture for thirty minutes at 82.5 degrees C in a water bath. When the mixture is done cooking, remove it from the water bath and cool the bag in an ice bath. When the mixture is ice cold, put the sorrel in the blender and pour the ice cream mixture over the top. Puree the ingredients together for one minute until the mixture turns green and the sorrel is completely combined. Strain the ice cream base through a fine meshed sieve and cool in an ice bath. Reserve the mixture overnight and then freeze in an ice cream maker.

(Here is the dish before the addition of the sorrel ice cream and the placement of the rhubarb glass on top)

 

Rhubarb Crisps

 

450 grams rhubarb

90 grams liquid glucose

100 grams grenadine

3 grams fine sea salt

 

Combine the rhubarb, glucose, grenadine and salt in a pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the rhubarb is tender and bright, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until silky smooth. Strain into a metal bowl to remove any rhubarb fibers and cool in an ice bath. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Spray 24 (1x 4-inch) acetate sheets with cooking spray and wipe them lightly with a paper towel to remove any excess. Use an offset spatula to spread the rhubarb base as thinly and smoothly as possible on the strips of acetate. Place them in a dehydrator and dry for 1 hour. The rhubarb should be completely dry and come off the acetate cleanly and with only a little help from an offset spatula.  Reserve the cooled crisps in an airtight container.

 

Kasu Curd

 

4 large eggs

200 grams sugar

125 grams kasu

 Zest and juice of 4 meyer lemons (110 grams of juice)

3 grams salt

0.5 grams cayenne pepper

113 grams unsalted butter

 

Heat a circulating water bath to 75°C. Combine the eggs, sugar, kasu, lemon zest and juice, salt and cayenne in a blender. Puree the mixture until it is smooth and pale yellow, about 1 minute. Pour the mixture into a vacuum bag and seal, removing as much air as possible. Place the bag in the water bath and cook for 30 minutes.

 

Pour the egg mixture into a blender. Turn the blender on low and slowly add the butter allowing each piece to be fully absorbed before adding the next. When all the butter is incorporated strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and cool down in a metal bowl in an ice bath. Reserve in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to freeze. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions or using liquid nitrogen.

 

 

To Finish

Wood sorrel leaves, pods and flowers if available

Smoked Wild Char Roe (from Steve Stallard)

Rhubarb Crisps broken into shards

Kasu Curd in Squeeze Bottles

Sorrel Ice Cream (we extrude from isi canisters into liquid nitrogen)

 

Make sure everything gets on the plate/bowl

 

 

 

Years Past:

June 10, 2011

June 10, 2010

June 10, 2009

June 10, 2008

June 10, 2007

June 10, 2006

June 10, 2005

Smoked Sweetbreads & Swiss Chard

We take sweetbreads and soak them in milk seasoned with 3% salt. We then remove them from the brine and cold-smoke them for 45 minutes. Then we put them in whole milk flavored with fennel, lemon zest, black pepper and nutmeg and poach them in the oven at 250°F for 2.5 hours. We cool them down in the milk. Then we strain them, reserving the milk, and trim away any sinew, damaged pieces, veins or dark spots and then break them up into bite-sized pieces. We put the sweetbreads into a fresh container and strain the milk over them to cover the nuggets. We store them in the refrigerator until we are ready to finish the dish.

At mealtime we use some of the poaching milk to make creamed Swiss Chard. Then we fold the pieces of sweetbreads into the mixture to warm through. The creamed Swiss Chard is a delicous accompaniment for fish or meat. The surprise inside is the bounty of smoked sweetbread nuggets. What is equally exciting is thinking about what else we can do with the smoked sweetbread nuggets.

Years Past:

June 9, 2011

June 9, 2010

June 9, 2009

June 9, 2008

June 9, 2007

June 9, 2006

June 9, 2005

Pushing Boundaries in Food Blogging

This was the title of today's presentation. Our plan was not to have any pictures or flow charts, just a good conversation about why we blog, what makes a great blog post and how to push ourselves to do it better. What's striking about being with a large group of bloggers is how very individual we all are. We all blog in different ways, for different reasons and the very fact that we blog is the thread that weaves us all together. I really believe that creating a great blog, however and for whatever reason you do it, is a real accomplishment. There are millions of blogs out there, it's a crowded field and those that are able to build a name for themselves and create a following have done something to be proud of. It's hard to encapsulate almost eight years of work into a few talking points and yet that's what we were there to do.

 

For us Ideas in Food is about being true to ourselves. It was created as a digital notebook, chronicling our adventures in food and will remain as such for as long as it is in existence. No one would call us an overnight success and we freely admit that we are always looking to do more and reach more people. We talked about different approaches to blogging and what we realized is that the only rule is that there are no rules except for the ones you make for yourself. This is your platform to present your stories and ideas in your own fashion with no one but your readers to answer to and you should own it, enjoy it, and do it however it makes you happy. It's hard work and it won't always be fun or easy. Trolls are out there in large numbers and naysayers delight in taking us all down a peg or two. On the other hand, if you embrace it you will create something special of your very own, possibly building your own brand, and definitely finding your own voice and learning something about yourself in the process. That is always something worth working for.

 

Years Past

June 8, 2011

June 8, 2010

June 8, 2009

June 8, 2008

June 8, 2007

June 8, 2006

June 8, 2005

Hello Seattle

 

June 7, 2011

June 7, 2010

June 7, 2009

June 7, 2008

June 7, 2007

June 7, 2006

June 7, 2005

Mint

 

An ingredient which grows like a weed is overlooked and dismissed needs to be examined more closely and from different angles.

Years Past

June 6, 2011

June 6, 2010

June 6, 2009

June 6, 2008

June 6, 2007

June 6, 2006

June 6, 2005

Clio: 15 Years in the Making

15th Anniversary Tasting

 

Caviar “Bon Bons”  - (Ken Oringer / Douglas Rodrigues, Clio)

White Orchid Root, Allium Blossom, Black Cocoa

 

Sorrel Ice Cream  - (Alex Talbot and Aki Kamozawa, Ideas in Food) 

Smoked Wild Char Roe, Kasu Curd, Rhubarb Glass

 

Chilled Yellow Tomato and Watermelon Gazpacho  - (Todd MacDonald, Villa Pacri, NY, NY) 

Peekytoe, Avocado

 

Craigie Plankton Conchiglie Pasta  - (Tony Maws, Craigie on Main, Cambridge, MA)

Sea Urchin, Guanciale

 

Ruby Red Shrimp  - (Alex Stupak, Empellon, Empellon Cocina, NY, NY)

Crispy Masa, Sea Urchin Mousse, Lettuces

 

“Ode to the Cassolette”  - (Sam Gelman, Momofuku, Toronto, CAN)

King Crab, Kalamansi, Chili

 

Hearts of Palm  - (Phillip Kirshen Clark, Demi Monde, NY, NY)

Artichokes, White Anchovy, Bottarga-Preserved Lemon and Pecorino Vinaigrette, Chickweed

 

Salsify and Laitue De Mer Porridge  - (John Paul Carmona, Formerly of Manresa, Los Gatos, CA)

Chicken Jus, Brown Butter, Crispy Farro

 

Abalone Sunomono  - (Chris Chung, AKA Bistro, Lincoln, MA)

Hon Shimeji, Pickled Ramps, Freeze Dried Shiitake, Sukiyaki Gelee, Tosa Bonito Powder

 

Island Creek Oyster Stew  - (John Critchley, Urbana, Washington D.C.)

Black Roux, Coconut, Kumquat Kosho

 

Hudson Valley Foie Gras Torchon “Sandwich”  - (David Varley, Mina Group, San Francisco, CA)

Strawberries, Chartreuse, Wild Herbs, “Inspired by Clio 2001”

 

Black Sea Bass  - (Jason Hua, The Dutch, NY, NY)

Crispy Rice, Nameko Mushrooms

 

Veal Breast and Sweetbread Parmentier - (Andres Grundy, A. Juli & Ebru Restaurant Consultant, NY, NY)

Braised Fava Beans, Nasturtium

 

Mango Sticky Rice 2.0  - (Inspired by Rick Billings, José Andrés Think Group, Chris Cordeiro, Clio)

 

Bomba Di Ciliegia  - (Renae Herzog, Marea, NYC)

Malt Crema, Poached Cherries, Birch, Amaro Gelato

  (photograph by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt)              

 

Years Past

June 5, 2011

June 5, 2010

June 5, 2009

June 5, 2008

June 5, 2007

June 5, 2006

June 5, 2005

Broccoli Marrow

A number of years ago we wrote with great glee about vegetable marrow, specifically from Brussels sprouts stalks. Since, as we are all aware, nothing is really new we were pointed in the direction of Michel Bras who had been looking at vegetables the same way many years before we even thought of thinking about it. Still, a good idea is worth working with and tasty is tasty. So, when we were working with our broccoli necks we also revisited broccoli marrow. We steamed the broccoli stalks and then charred the outside of them on the Egg. When they were cooked through we split them down the middle and covered them with red pepper flake infused brown garlic butter. A squeeze of lemon juice finished them off.

Years Past

June 4, 2011

June 4, 2010

June 4, 2009

June 4, 2008

June 4, 2007

June 4, 2006

June 4, 2005

Happy Anniversary

 

12 years of Marriage

15 years of Love

Only the Beginning

the whole is greater than the sum of its parts

Years Past

June 3, 2011

June 3, 2010

June 3, 2009

June 3, 2008

June 3, 2007

June 3, 2006

June 3, 2005

Neil Gaiman

 A great writer, a great speech.

 

 

 

Inspiring.

 

Years Past

June 2, 2011

June 2, 2010

June 2, 2009

June 2, 2008

June 2, 2007

June 2, 2006

June 2, 2005

Raisin Vermouth Concentrate

A year ago we took some golden raisins and a bottle of vermouth and put them together in a milk jar and tucked it away. When we had Toronto Food Lab down for a visit we were fortunate that he brought along his rotary evaporator for us to work with. One of the ingredients we put through the machine was our raisin infused vermouth. What was key about this and really all of our explorations with the rotary evaporator was that we were concerned about what was left in the still pot. We wanted a controlled reduction, removing the alcohol and leaving a flavorful liquid behind. We were rewarded with our patience. The raisin-vermouthshine (forgive my typo on the labels) was a bit acrid and woodsy. The raisin-vermouth concentrate tastes like an intense sherry with the sugars of the raisins blending with the herbal notes of the vermouth. Would we have been able to get these results without a rotary evaporator? Unfortunately not. We do believe that controlled temperature evaporation allows for unsurpassed flavors, but the current cost of the equipment to achieve it is daunting for our kitchen. For now we will continue to work with the kindness with others until the rotary evaporator fairy leaves us one in the workshop.

 

June 1, 2011

June 1, 2010

June 1, 2009

June 1, 2008

June 1, 2007

June 1, 2006

June 1, 2005