Discombobulated

Talk about an identity/inspiration crisis... This is the menu for an upcoming dinner.

Cuitlacoche and Goat Cheese Chausson
Chipotle Hollandaise

Indio Beer and honey Braised Spare Ribs
Manchego Polenta
Oyster Mushroom and Chorizo Sauté

Chai Leche Frita
Rhum-raisin and pine nut sauce
Caramel-apple Ice cream.

Hopefully my wife will be around to take pictures this time as I always neglect to do so...

It's BACK!

Martin from Khymos is back with TGRWT! Since it's been a while, I'll re-cap it briefly. TGRWT or "They go really well together" is a blogging event where two items are paired into a probably unsual combination, based on flavor pairings via volatile compound similarities... Sounds complicated. Basically it means that those two items have similar chemical compounds and thus, should be able to be paired with good results.

This time, it's banana and cloves. While it doesn't sound too alien for me to have these two together, it's now up to me to "play"...

Menus of the Week

Two diferent events this week. One was a wine tasting, second was a dinner for a group of ladies.

Wine Tasting Menu:

Tuna Tartare
Citrus-Honey Dressing
Bagel Toast
Doña Paula "Los Cardos"
Chardonnay
Argentina

Cold Roast Beef filet Crostini
Red Onion Compote
Chive
Olive Oil
Chateau Sygnac
Côtes du Rhône

Angus Sirloin Hamburger on Brioche
Sautéed Mushrooms
Winsconsin Blue Cheese
Doña Paula Estate
Cabernet Sauvignon
Argentina

Duck Confit and Tomato Tatin
Thyme Jus
Valduero
Ribera del Duero

Dinner Menu

Mesclun
Bacon
Blue Cheese
Peanut Praline Vinaigrette

Oyster Mushroom and Escargot Aumoniere
Roast Garlic Polenta with Goat Milk Butter
Beet Coulis

"Strawberries and Cream"
Balsamic Strawberry Crumble
White Pepper Ice Cream

Studiokitchen

Is it down? I can't seem to get into the page. It's a shame.

1.5 million pesos

That's roughly what it'd take to have a place up and running in what I've estimated would be less than two months. The most time consuming issues would be getting a team together and tweaking some previously existing concepts.

Too bad I don't have that kind of cash lying around... Probably if I did I'd use it to buy a House.

Any interested investors?

Injury

(AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

There goes the Super Bowl hopes... I wonder if Daunte's phone is ringing...

It's about the chef... dummies.

I may be going out on a limb here, but I think that amongst the many flaws in the "gastronomic culture" that people around here like to boast, the worst one is the lack of respect for chefs. Whenever I read the ghastly reviews in the one paper that cares enough about this, it's almost tragic to see that it's mostly the owner who takes the credit. People assume that if the owner from succesful restaurant A is opening B, it'll be just as good.

Of course, that a lot of the food that finally gets put on plates is either decided by owners or some consulting chef they hired for a while. And the "chef" is just some guy hired to execute said recipes. While this is logical where the figure of the Chef-owner exists, there is still no recognition for the guy on the line.

Jean-Francois Piege, is one of the examples of what a Chef de cuisine becomes in a cultured environment. He was, after all, just the chef under one of the culinary gods of our era: Alain Ducasse. For a while there, I thought he was one of the best in Paris. One day, he surprises us all by leaving ADPA to take the kitchens of the Crillon, where he's striving to reach the third macaron.

In our town, there's no way in hell that Chef John Doe, who simply mans the stoves at Restaurant X, will ever get lured out of his succesful cuisine to take charge of a new place. Experience running a restaurant will just make you an able cook to run another kitchen somewhere else in the eyes of employers. Why hire a chef, why pay big (not really) money to someone for a job that's not even necessary.

Food here isn't about the epicurean, organoleptic or intellectual experience. It's about the social part of the meal, about being seen in the trendy spot in town. So why even give a damn about what I'm eating, how I'm eating it and much less, about who created and prepped? There is no place for the culinary artist here, even in the better restaurants. I have to get out of here