la Tranche

Gazpacho

chef — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 19:20:38 +0000

This new idea came to me a while back. I’ve had some experience creating spheres of liquid by using algin (sodium alginate) and calcium chloride. The calcium chloride is a pretty hefty salt. Used a bunch as a desiccant or drying agent, not to mention ice melting & in food packaging, I’m not 100% on ingesting it in any large amount. The taste is a bit bitter and yes, really really salty. That being said, the additional use of the algin is really the fun part. The two when used in specific application have the property of creating a thin jelly membrane. Ok, so now you’re probably wondering, “do you really sit around and thing about this stuff??”

Yes. Yes I do. To be accurate, I’m usually standing or pacing, working on another project when something like this will more or less dawn on me.

You see, I love the flavors of summer and gazpacho is just about to get amazing here in Michigan. As our tomato crops really start pushing out the goods, we’ll see everybody with a gazpacho cocktail/appetizer/soup/main course, what ever. I love the classics in cooking, but even after some serious refinement and focus, an element of surprise at a new mechanism of delivery is kind of fun too.

That, and this really tastes awesome.

Back to the algin. Derived as a gum from brown algae, this is the thickening agent that really reacts with the calcium. Added in an undetectable quantity to the fully seasoned and ready to go tomato portion of the gazpacho, frozen into a mold, then added to a bath of water, sugar & the calcium chloride. The precise amounts of all of this are just that; precise. It’s not exactly something that most home cooks will want to try or maybe it is… I know a few that would run out and spend the bucks just to try it, but let’s be honest, it’s a pain in the ass to test, retest, tweak & refine just to get something that tastes like the original, but in a very very cool way.

Then again, just as Rex has said to me on many occasions, “If it’s more of a pain in the ass, more work, harder to execute and tastes even marginally better than before, looks like that’s what we’re going to do.”

So, sphere away, intrepid home cooks and burgeoning chefs alike, I wish you all good luck. That being said, cautionary tale and all, you can’t really deny that this isn’t really cool.

An Amazing Wine Dinner

chef — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 18:38:34 +0000

Courtesy of the always kind and very generous host Max Hutton, TDV was asked to cook for his very special guest, Laurence Feraud.

The name Pegau (old Provencal word for a wine jug found in the excavations of the 14th century Popes Palace in Avignon) was created in 1987, when Laurence Feraud after her wine studies went home to help her father Paul Feraud at the domaine.

Paul always talk about Laurence as “le chef”, but he is an experienced winemaker himself. The property has belonged to the family for several generations. From 1986 Paul Feraud started bottling of wine and sold it under the mark Domaine Feraud.

Father and daughter have made Pegau to one of the best wines in Chateauneuf du Pape. They have 17 ha. with red varieties and 1 ha. with white grapes. The 11 parcels are spread around the appellation and gives different wines, which after the blending result in a very distinct wine, a true classic Chateauneuf du Pape. In the fields organic methods are used.

Our wine selections for the evening included some really astounding bottles, carefully chosen by Max. With the additional bottles brought by one of his guests, this list was, well, see for yourself.

A wonderful menu of food and some really amazing wines. Paired with careful attention, I must say that this evening is one we’ll all remember for a very long time.

Cinco de Circa

chef — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 20:24:41 +0000

Having had a great evening of good friends, great food & wine, I can’t say enough about how nice the Pot & Box location is. This was a great fundraiser for Growing Hope and for most of us an excellent introduction to Circa Estates Winery.

Brought to you by the wonderful people at Everyday Wines

Here’s a few of the photos from the evening.

Pulled Pork- al pastor

Chef — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 02:02:31 +0000

This recipe is a good jumping off point for any dish you want to serve pulled pork as a part of.

I’m not gonna lie about this: I absolutely love pork. So this is a great dish to me by default.

Favorite applications:

Cuban bread sandwich with pickles and mustard; coleslaw and a hoagie bun; serve it with a tostada & blackbeans at your favorite local food breakfast salon; tacos, of course, with fresh lime & avocado.

The possibilities are endless.

Enjoy!

Selma, Local Food and Record Breaking

chef — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 23:42:59 +0000

I really can’t believe it either. Set a while back by the wonderful ladies of Bona Sera at a lofty 130 guests served, the record stood unchallenged. Until March 26th. Thanks in large part to Vanessa Sly, acting TDV Sous Chef, we were able to shatter the record and set the bar at 150. That’s right, you heard it, 150 people came in the door, had breakfast, left a donation and then were on their way. Unreal.

Spinach and Mushroom Pupusas / Braised Pork Shoulder Tostadas

There is much more to this story, as you might guess. The staff of FM @ Selma really are what made everything go so well. Done with everything by 11AM, cleaned up and sipping coffee, I was blown away at how well organized and supported this benefit event has become. From the first days, just over a year ago, until now, they have done amazing things for local food, hoop houses & local food service professionals.

Hat’s off to another amazing breakfast….. Thanks again for inviting me back, Jeff & Lisa, into your home and to be a part of this whole endeavor.

Vintage Hollywood

chef — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:21:10 +0000

Great friends, cold weather and a burning desire to get out and dress up. Add a bit of booze, some food and you’ve got a great party!!

Annarbor.com put the total number of people in attendance to 25o and included this very nice link to their photo set:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/annarborcom/4388511821/

Organized by a group called freNZ and hosted at the Michigan Theater, this was an awesome benefit to support the Neutral Zone, Ann Arbor’s youth-driven teen center dedicated to promoting personal growth through artistic expression, community leadership and the exchange of ideas.

Not to mention, who can resist a chance to wear a tie, rock a fedora and have the ravishing JLR as company??

Tomato Tartare

chef — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:51:13 +0000

So, this is one I’ve seen done a number of different ways, with the skins on, cooked to hell then peeled. Overnight in a oven with the pilot on (around 130ish degrees F), a lazy guys’ favorite. This procedure / recipe is probably the best in my opinion for two reasons: 1. you control every stage and have a hand in every stage’s exactness 2. it’s the most annoying. Annoying and you get a bunch of tomato skins that are ready to be used in tomato powder! Gotta love it when the garnish is included in the recipe as part of the ‘waste’. At any rate, sorry if this particular recipe seems curt of not in normal detail, but it is one of many. Dig.

-Chef

Sundried Tomato / Spinach / Leek / Ricotta Tart

Chef — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:11:57 +0000

OK, so I am known to blur the lines between a tart, tartlette and tatin, although the last is really just an upside-down version of the first. At any rate, I’ve made this, it’s really tasty and I think you’ll dig it too.

Sausage & Cheese Strata (uber breakfast)

Chef — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:07:20 +0000

And no, it’s not a fucking quiche. Really. DIY tip, don’t spend 1/2 the day making your own sausage for this. Buy some chorizo or really whatever Bob Sparrow likes at the moment.

Herb Grilled Flank Steak

Chef — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:01:28 +0000

As my beef bff, flank is by far and away the most ready-to-rock cut. I like others for steaks, but this one does two really important things for me: 1. reacts very well to marinading 2. tastes like you are eating meat. I’m not kidding, it’s got the texture, flavor and unbeatable crust. Try eating a well trimmed flank steak after being able to gum your way through a filet. The difference is almost carnal.