My only "smoking" Obsession

When I turned 25...I began "smoking" for the first time...Thank you polyscience, I love you for that.

"Revisiting"

Took my favorite shallot potato cake and paired it simple seared diver scallops. Made a simple saffron beurre blanc and whipped up a preserved lemon truffle foam. It's always fine to revisit the arsenal you've built through the years...if it works, it works

"Jamon and Melon"

This is my homemade Muscovy duck prosciutto and did a classic culinary pairing to melon. Compressed honey dew and watermelon. Made a cantaloupe gel with fresh cantaloupe juice using agar. Then paired it with truffle dwarf peaches and a white balsamic air. Olive oil powder as a finishing touch. Perfect pairing with the citrus notes of a nice Belgian ale. In this application I used blue moon.

Simplicity...Success...Basics

Though I take interests in trends of the current culinary world...ie. haute cuisine, "molecular gastronomy", "food science", Grant Achatz, and Ferran Addria's...i still resort to basics. My philosophy is if one can't cook good food in the first place...there is no room or worth in trying new modern techniques. Stick to the basics and grow from there....baby steps.

My cleaner version of new england clam chowder..omitting the cream.


This is my halibut en brioche, clam and shrimp mousseline(under brioche) manila clam consomme, rainbow marble potatoes, king oyster mushrooms, and compressed leeks...straight cooking...no fluff

Liquid Mozzarella: Inspired by a Day at El Bulli and The Bazaar

This was the first time I ever picked up sodium alginate and calcium lactate..and experimented with reverse spherification...recipe taken out of A day @ el bulli. Ironically I was successful...Took a puree fresh mozzarella and incased it in itself. What happens is, when sodium alginate touches calcium rich liquids it develops strands in which a liquid incases itself in the same liquid. When eating it's an explosion of flavor in the mouth (no pun intended)...

Heirloom tomato and baby beet "caprese"...liquid mozzarella, micro basil, brioche croutons, and sherry vinegar...

1st Experimentation with 4mular Agar: Braised Pork Belly Bruschetta, Aged Balsamic, Brussel Petals, Apple Cider "Pudding"

I did a nice 12 hour brine on this pork belly courtesy of snake river farms ...Shallots, garlic, sea salt, apple cider vinegar, granny smith apples, brown sugar, mirepoix, peppercorns, Thai basil and lemon grass. Seared the belly and then slow braised in a 250 degree oven for 4 hours. Chilled then pressed. Sliced and crisped. Accompanied by aged sweet balsamic vinegar, brussel petals, and a "pudding" made with my house made cider as pork and apples are a classic pairing in American cuisine. Fresh grilled baguette and a drizzle of good olive oil..success

For the agar pudding, i made a flavorful cider and sprinkled my 4mular agar in...gelled in the refrigerator and then blended the gel to make a "pudding"...fun stuff, my obsession with gels begin.

Agar is derived from algae or seaweed...it forms rigid and brittle gels..get it, good beginner when experimenting with hydrocolloids

Compression of Pears: Old for you, New for me

Most things have been done before so this was my first time earlier this year using compression for fruits and vegetables inspired by the late 2008 release of "under pressure"...Fresh hamachi , compressed Asian pears, micro red shiso, preserved lemon vinaigrette, and olive fleur de sel.

For those who don't know what compression is: Taking a fruit ie. watermelon or pear and cryovacing at high pressure to compress the fruit. Changing the texture of a fruit and also in some cases making it almost transparent.