Monthly Archives: June 2010
Seafood
| June 29, 2010 | Posted by admin under Uncategorized |
With the weather warming I find myself craving more seafood. The beauty about seafood is the simple fact that there are so many different species that yield way to a variety of flavors and textures. My problem is that when dining we only come across only a standard offering such as salmon, ahi, bronzino, grouper, halibut, rock fish, sea bass, scallops, shrimp, calamari, lobster, mussels, clams and a few others. I will first say that all of the aforementioned fish and shellfish are delicious and should be consumed, but these are a very small minority of the vast count of edible species that exist. It will be my mission moving forward to bring a constantly evolving seasonal catch to our restaurants.
Some items I have served in the past but that I rarely come across on restaurant menus these days. There’s Gurnard, which when prepared gives way to a firm medium flavored tender meat. This fish is traditionally used in bouillabaisse but I served it on a compote of fresh shelling beans with cured ham and fenugreek, heirloom tomato water. What about the king of all fish as far as I’m concerned, wild European Turbot or Brill, these two are members of the flatfish tribe, fluke, flounder, but the meat, rich and robust flavor of wild turbot is light years ahead of the rest. I also haven’t seen much abalone on menus, when prepared correctly abalone are a special treat. Another favorite is rouge or red mullet, I love this fish it has a pronounced flavor that pairs well with braised mustard greens ravioli and charred lemon emulsion. Don’t forget about cuttlefish, a little spice some acidity, green beans and crispy tempura herbs, now that’s a winning dish. Monchong now this is a fish that when poached and butter and served with a rock shrimp compote that is slightly sweet and salty brings your experience to another level. Suzuki is not just an automotive company it’s also a great eating fish from the shores of Japan. Barramundi from the northern coast of Australia gets a great crisp skin and broad, flakey flesh that delights the palate.
Here are a few items that are more common that would be nice to see more often on local menus. Walleye Pike, John Dory, Hebi, Loup de Mer, Spanish mackerel, yellow tail, robalo and sardines. The previous fish are among a very short list of items that I long for. There are many others that I don’t know about and if someone is so kind to introduce them to me I would be very appreciative. So start demanding more of a variety from the restaurants you frequent.
Food and Wine 2010
| June 25, 2010 | Posted by admin under Uncategorized |
Mid-June has become my favorite time of year these days. Simply put, this is when the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen is held. Since I spent my younger days working in Aspen, I have experienced this unbelievable festival at many different levels. Early on it was all about getting your hands on a pass so that you were able to get into the grand tasting and drink great wine all day long. As time goes on it became less about drinking and more about learning as much as I could. Each year there are dozens of informative seminars, as well as demonstrations and cook offs. After 19 years of maturing, I finally discovered what I like to call the “correct approach”. This involves get up early for a quick work out, try really hard not to die, then attending the trade seminars. I have learned that you must drink tons of water during these! Once the trade seminars are over get a quick preview in the Grand Tasting Tent. This time is mostly used to visit with old and new friends, sipping on juice. Once the tent fills up, I head to Ajax Tavern for truffle fries and champagne.
At this point there are choices to make either head back to the room for a quick nap and to sober up a bit or continue sitting at a restaurant or poolside sipping champagne until dinner. I find I always choose the latter. Dinner choices include Cache Cache, Syzygy, Matsuhissa or the best new chef’s dinner. After great food and wine it is time to explore one of the many parties. These usually last at least until three or four in the morning. Then home to bed if you can make it there and wake up the next morning and repeat until Monday. At this point you can see why that morning workout is oh so important, because without it you will never survive this rigorous routine.
My Food and Wine experience this year played out almost exactly as described above. I only missed one day of working out, but that was truly unavoidable. Here are some of the details that makes this weekend so special. I was able to eat Wagyu beef carpacio, wild king salmon tartar, live scallops, crispy uni, miso cod, tempura king crab, Japanese unagi, Muscovy duck, arctic char with watermelon, house cured salumi, pates, artisanal cheeses and some fabulous pork tacos. I was also able to get going early enough on Sunday to make duck confit hash with poached eggs and aged gouda hollandaise for breakfast. Billecart salmon brut rose was amongst my favorite champagne consumed. Patron Tequila hosted a party on Friday evening. This event is what pushed me over the edge. The wine all day, the tequila all night, and my dear friend Hendricks at closing caused my downfall. I was off kilter for most of Saturday morning but was able to regain enough composure to kick back a few buckets of coronas with friends before heading into the tent and out to the best new chef’s dinner at Aspen Meadows. It was nice to see a couple of Virginians and an old pal from Denver receiving the nod this year.
After all of the food and wine have been enjoyed the real fun and appreciation of this weekend rings clear in the fact that I was able to spend time with many of my friends who I don’t see often enough and meet new chefs, winemakers and entrepreneurs from around the world. This is the main reason that the Aspen Food and Wine Classic is so great. I’ve already set up my accommodations for next year’s event!
