Multicultural Imbibing

  • March 6, 2005
  • Categorized: Savory   Tagged:

Here’s a serious drink recipe, compliments of Bouchon LV. Be forewarned, this clean, bright, mildly sweet, herbacious drink is not for the light of heart. The salt and brininess of the cornichon kick the flavors up a notch.

The name refers to a variety of nationalities hanging out together– something that often happens in the modern-day bistro and the French Foreign Legion Military.

Foreign Legion

Ingredients
Grey Goose
Tanqueray 10
Drambuie
Splash of Amaretto
Generous pinch of Fleur de Sel

Method
1. Combine all ingredients in a pint glass. Shake vigorously with ice. Pour into Martini glass and garnish with a cornichon. Designed for serious cocktail drinkers.

Kitchen Spanish

  • March 6, 2005
  • Categorized: Las Vegas   Tagged:

Esas son algunas palabras �tiles para cocineros. The Hispanic guys I worked with in Vegas taught me these words, none of which are in any of the Spanish-English dictionaries I own, so I can’t be sure of their accuracy, but I used them on a daily basis and everyone seemed to understand what I was saying. Perhaps they’ll be useful to you as well!

mantecida; mollete- muffin
panquecitos- little pastries
jarabe- syrup
raspada- sorbet
garapi�era- ice cream machine
tapadera- lid, cover
fiebra- scrubbie
charolla- sheetpan
espatula- spatula
chaparito- little one (i.e. short little guy)
orno- oven
cocer- bake
gorra, cachucha- cap/hat
tabla- cutting board
bascula- scale

Winter Refresher

Ground control to Major Tom. Less than two weeks until departure. Commence with packing, race is on. If you haven’t checked out Toothsome lately, you’d better do so.

I’ve been working a lot the last couple of weeks–reworking the dessert menu at the Rio. Getting home late and going for short jogs with the dog. It’s very cool outside in LeRoy right now. We have sooo much snow, and between the plows and people shoveling, the snow’s in drifts of six feet in some places! Hotness. I love it, and don’t even mind having to clean the driveway and front steps every morning. It’s so brisk and refreshing outside. When Minnie and I cruise the town around midnight, there’s nobody awake. I feel this is the optimal time to enjoy a new snowfall–before everyone else messes it up with footprints. The snow silences everything–even the traffic on Main Street! (And at twelve o’clock on weeknights, let me tell you, LeRoy is bustling with traffic). The thing I love the best aobut this winter is that if you walk for a while your cheeks get so cold that snowflakes landing on your nose don’t even melt! It’s sparkly and magical. Minnie and I feel like snow princesses.

But that snow princess glow is gone in the morning when it’s time to get in the shower. Oh Lord, that’s the worst (okay, okay I can think of several things that are eight million times worse than standing naked on an ice-cold tile floor waiting for the water to heat up, but I think you’ll agree that early morning frigidity is not a great feeling).

I’m going to make a big fat snow angel tomorrow.

During the midnight walk, not the morning shower…

On Becoming A Culinarian

  • February 28, 2005
  • Categorized: Savory   Tagged:

There’s an old Italian saying that I came across the other day;
Bisogna mangiare per vivere, e non vivere per mangiare.
(One should eat to live, and not live to eat).

And I thought to myself, e non vivere per mangiare–but that’s what I’m dedicating my career and life to right now–the discovery, understanding and appreciation of FOOD! This saying goes against my profession entirely!

Then I stepped back for a moment and came to the conclusion that I’m not living to eat for my own enjoyment (though I will certainly sample and enjoy as many tasty morsels as I can get my hands on!), but rather, I am living to help other people enjoy their food more. I think there’s an important difference there.

Confucius taught that “A man should not eat so much that his breath smells more of meat than of rice”, but he didn’t say anything along the lines of “A man should not dedicate his life to preparing meat and rice so others can not help but surrender to their tastebuds and beg for more.”

Now, if I can just figure out how to not get reincarnated as a duck on a foie gras farm I’ll be all set…

Infused Simple Syrup

  • February 28, 2005
  • Categorized: Sweet   Tagged:

Sonoma Syrup Co. Here’s a company marketing specialty infused syrups. Syrups that can be used for all types of things from cocktails to cakes! And they’re nice syrups–all natural, no weird preservatives added–I’ve tried the lemon and lavender varieties and was very pleased with the results. But people, it’s so easy to make your own infused simple syrup. And I guarantee you that it will cost a lot less than $10.95 for 12.7 ounces.

The ingredients for making simple syrup are simple: water and sugar. Increase or decrease the amount of sugar depending on the desired viscosity and sweetness needed for your particular application. The basic simple syrup is a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water. The method: combine in a pot; bring to a boil and turn off the heat. That’s it! it’s really not difficult people. Want orange simple syrup? Substitute orange juice for the water. Want pomegranate? Do the same thing. Lemon…I think you get the idea.

“But what about herb-infused syrups?,” you ask. Same process. Bring your sugar and water to a boil and throw in your desired herb, chopped up a little to release the natural oils. Turn off the heat and let the herb sit in the syrup while it cools. Then strain through a chinois to get the little particles out. If you’re looking for a more potent syrup, turn down the heat after the syrup comes to a boil and let it simmer until it reduces a little bit. Or put more herbage in!

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