The Kings of Pastry

The film, Kings of Pastry offers the first ever look into the kitchens of the Meilleur Ouvrier de France - Pastry competition. It expertly captures the essence of great pastry chefs. The dedication, discipline, emotion and the insatiable drive for perfection is on display throughout the film. If you ever wondered what those blue, white and red stripes on the collar of some French Chefs are for, than this film will explain it. 

Friday Dinner

After receiving an outstanding recommendation from a rep at Kermit Lynch, we enjoyed a fun bottle of wine last night with our hanger steak and pommes darphin. The 2009 Beaumes-de-Venise rouge, Domaine de Durban lived up to its billing. With good fruit, earthiness and silky tannins, the wine married very well with the rich flavor of the onglet. If you are fan of Rhone style wines then you'll welcome the nuanced sophistication of the Beaume-de-Venise rouge. 

This concludes our salute to the artisans who have risen above the big box retail, cookie cutter world of the twenty-first century and practiced their craft to their self imposed standards of attempted perfection.

Chateau Haut Brion

For the Bordeaux lover, like me, Haut Brion is a benchmark in the finest wine producing regions in the world. Obviously not to every ones taste, but the care and exacting standards employed there from harvest to crush to barrel to bottle, represents an intrinsic desire for sublime greatness. 

A Voice Bigger Than Life

Dave Brubeck

The master. Passion, absolute dedication to his craft...timeless

DANIEL

For a true foodie, the name Daniel is all that needs to said. He has been one of the top Chefs in the world for many years. He actually graded my final exam at the French Culinary Institute and I had the honor of doing a stage at Restaurant Daniel during my stint in NYC. I can't fully describe the experience, other than to say perfection personified.

Pastry Chef

Jacques Torres MOF is a leading pastry chef in the world. After many years leading some of the best pastry kitchens on the planet,  he  now devotes his energy solely to chocolate. Having had the pleasure to do a stage under Chef Torres at the famed Le Cirque 2000 in NYC, I can attest to his passion and almost effortless execution of pastry technique while imparting an expectation of perfection in all those around him. He is an unbelievably gifted Chef and teacher.

An American Institution

If you are a fan of handmade classic men's shoes, then you'll enjoy this video of the Alden shoe factory in Middleborough, Massachusetts. Another example of old style artisan dedication to creating something of quality.

There is always more to it than you think....

Read a much needed and interesting article Here about the artisans behind the artists of the culinary world.

Flexing the Culinary Muscles

Every once in a while it's fun to challenge yourself in some non-profession related endeavor. Whether it's playing golf from the back tees, riding your bike with current elite racers....up hill, re-reading War and Peace or The Prince; whatever the challenge may be, the challenge is. So, last Saturday I set out to replicate a meal I once routinely executed as a professional cook. Souffle au fromage. 

Using the same technique I learned the hard way, everything worked out great. The height was perfect and the internal cheese and egg mixture was perfectly cooked(airy and flavorful with good texture). Chef's truc- Correctly preparing a well seasoned base of roux blanc, egg yolk, comte cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg then carefully combining it with stiff peaked egg whites is paramount.  Baking the mixture in a buttered, cheese dusted mold, while hoping the oven temperature is consistent,  renders an outstanding souffle. Served with a salad, baguette and high quality french butter (Isigny Ste. Mere) made for an outstanding occasion. 

Give it a try. A few hours challenging your self has got to be better than reading and sending text messages, face booking ad nauseum or fretting over work related emails. I know...I know we are the busiest, most time crunched people on the planet ; thats what the "experts" tell us anyway. Even if the "souffle" falls theres still your dinner-mate, the experience....and the wine. 

Wine of the night:

2009, Domaine Costal, Les Truffieres, Chablis France.  I think I did taste a hint of truffle this time. I'll continue to pull corks to verify though. 

Friday Reprieve

Last weekend seemed to be surrounded by France. After work on Friday we dashed off to view Woody Allen's new film: Midnight in Paris. Great fun. The cinematography was outstanding and the acting ...very Allen-esque. We then dined in La Jolla at one of our favorite restaurants: Tapenade where Chef Jean-Michel Diot  expertly prepares classically inspired modern French fare. We enjoyed the summer classic; Lobster Risotto along with escargot, braised pork belly, duxelles stuffed pork tenderloin and concluded with a duo of lemon : sorbet and tarte. Outstanding.

Saturday evening found me flexing the culinary muscles. 

Stay Tuned.

WIne of the night.

2006 Bourgogne, Cuvee Potel.

Preview of Midnight in Paris

God's Country

Traveled to North Carolina recently to attend a family gathering that included a high school graduation. Great trip. Saw family and experienced that comfortable feel of the southeast. 

Of course the highlight, sorry JQ, was the pig... North Carolina Bar-B-Que. In the south Bar-B-Que is a noun. Out here in CAL, it's a verb; as in "why don't you come over Saturday we're going to Bar-B-Que some chicken." Well where I'm from, Bar-B-Que is slow cooked pig over hickory wood and served with hush puppies, cole slaw, beans and in eastern NC; Brunswick Stew. Washed down with Coke, beer, sweet tea  and or Bourbon.  Now,  Bar-B-Que sauce is a sticky issue. In NC there are two types. A vinegar based sauce with a little kick from red pepper flakes and is a very nice complement to the rich, moist pulled and chopped pork. The other NC sauce is a thick sweeter option that also is very nice with the pork. Both are totally a personal choice. I enjoy both. On our most recent trip the vinegar based sauce was served and was outstanding. Books have been written and much scholarly research has been done on the subject, so I'll refrain from providing too much information on the virtues of the pig. Except to say: NC Bar-B-Que permeates the social fabric of the state. From black-tie affairs to college parties and family gatherings, NC bar-B-Que can not be duplicated anywhere else. Any true blooded Tarheel will have Carolina in their mind when the slightest whiff of hickory smoke and pork enters the atmosphere. 

Click below to view a performance from another homesick Tarheel.

James Taylor - Carolina in My Mind