The saying “Tastes like Sunshine” has to be one of the most clichéd terms in the food writing and TV world and its pretty damn stupid. What does sunshine taste like anyways? Maybe I’ll ask the next food critic who puts it in their review of a restaurant and its cooking. So, I’ll avoid saying it […]
A Superb Pineapple Upside Down Cake Read More »
This Alinea dish combines some classic combinations in a more or less classic presentation. It’s basically a pork with polenta dish with a few twists…and grapefruit. Why not though? The grapefruit is tart, sweet and a little bitter. That makes for a great counterpoint to the pork, rich cornbread pudding and the honey that is
Alinea: PORK, Grapefruit, Sage, Honey Read More »
I enjoy playing with my food a lot, so why not spend some time playing around with drinks. It’s really a pleasure to come home from work and take five minutes or so to make a proper cocktail at home. My regular indulgences include classics like the Old Fashioned, Sazerac, Negroni and a gin Martini (with
Banana Rum and Agar Clarification Read More »
It all started with the honey-yogurt panna cotta. I wanted something light and creamy and had a lot of yogurt on hand so the idea to make this luscious and refreshing pudding was a natural. Panna cotta is an Italian pudding usually made with cream (after all, its name translates to “cooked cream”) and is set with gelatin
Panna Cotta, Pineapple, Pistachio Read More »
Truth be told I am not a huge fan of chicken liver. It’s more of a texture thing than taste. I do not like that grainy mouthfeel most chicken liver (like chopped liver) preparations have. When I cook it, it’s usually part of a bigger picture, like dirty rice. When chicken liver is the star
Pastry chefs have been using this method for making quick sponge cake for years. As far as I know Albert Adria invented it years ago at El Bulli in Spain. I saw him “cook” it in a microwave on Anthony Bourdain’s “Decoding Ferran Adria“. I’ve never managed to give it a shot because until recently I did not have
Instant Sponge Cakes Read More »
I’ve made a lot of ice cream and this one is one of the most memorable and delicious. It’s flavor is very much close to Amaretto but much better. Cherry pits are what is supposedly used to make almond extract and is used to flavor marzipan. It’s nutty and has a complex bitter edge that I
Cherry Pit Ice Cream (Noyaux) Read More »
Anything that has to do with fermentation and yeast fascinates me. That why I love baking bread, brewing beer and even fermenting my own homemade salami. When I first saw a wierd congealed mass in my bottle of vinegar and later learned it was a “vinegar mother” that can basically make vinegar out of wine, I did not
Pistachio Waffle, Yeast Foam, Pear and Banana-Cinnamon Ice Cream Read More »
I still had one shoulder left (I used the other one here) from the deer my neighbor gave me. I wanted to use it in a preparation that capitalizes on the good berries available in stores right about now. On the Alinea-Mosaic site I was reading about a dish they are working on and the chef
Venison, Pommes Maxim, Charred Strawberries, Blueberry Sauce Read More »
The decision was made a while back by my 6-year-old that the cake for Mother’s Day will have lots of strawberries. So that was that. Diana had to choose if she wanted it chocolate mousse based or “something white and lighter”. She went for the latter choice. This delicious cake is a perfect spring time cake and a
A Cake for Mom: Strawberry Ricotta Cake Read More »