chadzilla

we can be happy underground

No, it's not G-Force or G-Unit...  I had mentioned cobayas at some point on this blog.  Basically, it's Spanish for 'guinea pig,' and the term was applied to a sort of 'menu advisory board' that we put together of local food enthusiasts by our good friend, Frodesnor.  The premise at the time was to simply hold 'meetings' in our restaurant while these local food bloggers gave us honest critiques and input on possible menu items.  The tone was very casual and friendly, and we always received valuable insight as to 'what the people really want.'

Frodesnor took his Cobaya theme further by using the Google Group to become a launching pad where local chefs cooked off-site (preferrably) dinners of whatever they wanted, and members of the group paid online to later receive email information as to the location of the dinner.  Not quite 'underground,' but a great forum for fusing people with food and ideas (quite a few cities can claim underground dinners, but cobayas are indigenous to Miami).  Nothing of this is original in general, but the idea is fresh in Miami and the initial responses have been a welcoming breath of air in this depressing local economy.  It has shown us that there are markets available where chefs can go no holds barred and hash out their whimsies.  This is never a bad thing.  It mainly proves that the interest is out there.

Our friend, Chef Jeremiah... the one and only Bullfrog Beatz, had the honor of doing the last dinner and took things up a notch.  Much appreciation to him for letting Chef K and I sit in behind the scenes, drinking Heinekens, helping to plate here and there, and mostly just observing the logistics behind putting out such a dinner.  Even on the drive back, we were already brainstorming the details behind putting out a dinner of our own.  We made some good connections, and hopefully we'll be able to promote some of our own branded dinners very soon into the near future.

Bullfrog's dinner was posted on a few local blogs and sites, but I'll mainly direct you to Frodesnor's post which always contain links to the other sites.  Meanwhile, to add to the buzz here are some shots that we took from a kitchen point of view...

straining with Chef K

beef jus dripping in a chemex

 

Jeremiah pouring his crispy creme gel into a siphon

small pig, cool story... Jeremiah's wife, Carla, picked up this baby pig that same morning in Hialeah where it still had an oink.

the tip-off sign... you are here.

72 hour beef shortrib enjoying a re-warming bath before being plated

Jeremiah with Allister, his right-hand man for the dinner

the Bullfrog speaketh... Jeremiah is a showman and proves that he knows how to bring a family element to a dinner.  His wife, Carla, to the right helped out throughout the evening also.  Cool people.

more sous-vide at home

Be the first on your block to own...

I found this link on Eat Me Daily.  It's the new Sous-Vide Supreme which started taking pre-orders yesterday.  It's shape and price make it practical and economical for a spot on any kitchen line, and if I had a disposable lump of cash in the sum of $399 I'd be ordering one right now.  This is just one step closer for those trying to take elevated cuisine to a more accessible level.

low tide

I apologize for the lack of posts lately.  Many changes at hand have put us in a new direction, and my focus has been stretched out in different directions.  As we are pushing ahead, I have not yet found what role this blog will play or what boundaries I must adhere to.  For the remainder of this year, the content will be either very uncertain or simply lacking.  Here's looking forward to a better year in 2010 and hoping that you guys will be around when the tide turns.

hospitality

We all work in the hospitality industry in some form or another.  While in Venezuela, we experienced extreme hospitality from so many people that went beyond any foreigner's expectations.  To say that someone stood out among this is even more rare.  We had the pleasure of seeing a lady whom we met last year who made us feel like familia.  Although she doesn't know us from Adam, she extended an invitation to her home to cook for us.  Because of time restraints, we could not accept but she and her husband showed up everyday with home-cooked food and ice cold beer waiting for us after our presentations.  Her pride in her country and her cuisine came shining through in the Spanish to English translation by her daughter.  On the first day of our demos, she surprised me by getting up on stage at the end singing 'Happy Birthday' to me in Spanish (making a birthday away from home feel special).

Señor Hernandez (sorry, never got his first name), Chef K, Señora Neiza Hernandez, Zilla

Here are some of the arepas (pork and beef) and other tamale-like goodies (can't remember the name of these also) that made up my breakfast on our last day there.

 

It's easy to go into another country and sample foods in restaurants, but to get home cooked food is a blessing.

ron

Ron is Spanish for rum... and if you've never enjoyed Venezuelan rums, then the experience is much recommended.  There is such a history of rum all over the Caribbean and the north coast of South America.  Some of these sugar cane plantations and distilleries have been around for one or two hundred years.  That's a lot of time to perfect a craft.

Last year, we had the unique experience of visiting the Santa Teresa distillery between Caracas and Valencia.  It was my first and only chance (so far) of sipping beautifully aged rum while sitting outside staring at the sugar cane fields that it originated from.

This year, we participated in a 'rum tasting' and introduction to the fine rums of Diplomatico, which is the largest producer of rum in Venezuela.  True, larger does not equal better, but Diplomatico produces some truly fine rums.

 

We learned about column distilling and were able to smell the unique transformation of aroma and complexity throughout the process.  How can food liquids benefit from multiple distillations?  The lecture continued into explanations of the depth brought on by American oak barrel aging (thanks to Ramone and Ricky for the translations).

Señor Tito Cordero is the master rum-maker for Diplomatico and conducted the seminar along with owner, Alfonso.  Despite the language barriers, passion for an art is easy to recognize.

They also showcased an aged white rum (6 years), while not availabe in Venezuela due to lack of a market, is ready to release in the USA.

I am now left to wonder why, with all of the sugar cane fields I grew up with in south Louisiana, we do not have a big tradition of producing artisanal rums.  Perhaps the aging process and lack of patience for a sip has something to do with it.

home sweet home

We're back.

Venezuela was incredible.  We have already been invited back to the Trilogia en Fusion for next year.  Travelling is great, but coming home is better.  We've met many new friends, some great chefs, and seen some familiar faces from last year.  The one thing that stands out about the people of Venezuela more than anything else is the hospitality.  It is overwhelming and gratifying.  It serves as a constant reminder that a country is represented by it's people... not certain heads of government.  This is what's real.  We came to cook, to learn, and to share ideas.  Having reached that goal to levels beyond our expectation is a true confirmation of what life is all about.

Many thanks to Eli Nora and all of her family and staff for making this event bigger than the previous year.  I will write more soon, but for now it's time to readjust and rest.

down and out but feeling good

For the last 2 years at the ICC, we've made a point to eat at a 'nice' restaurant.  This year we decided to hit as much casual food as possible.  This wasn't due to any current industry trends, but more of a reflection of our finances and having to fund our entire journey out of our own pockets.  No matter how small or uncomfortable our hotel room was, no matter the fact that we became more subway savvy to avoid cab fares, and no matter what big name chef's food we didn't get to try... this was one of my best years ever.  I felt lucky, moreso than before, to be in attendance and for the chance to get the information firsthand.  The chefs that attend the ICC aren't full of ego.  The vibe is incredibly friendly and everyone seems happy to meet new chefs and make new friends.  I just wish we could have found that Will Goldfarb BBQ truck also.

Here were my 'down and out' casual food memories...

Best pizza ever in my life.  Guillermo at Motorino in Brooklyn gave us the hook-up, but for a short subway ride from Manhattan and a fair price, I highly recommend the visit.  We (our group of 6) dined out back with olives and amazingly fresh salads before moving onto Guillermo's brick oven baked flatbreads, calzones, and pizzas.  The best pizza was... brussel sprouts and speck.  The flavor of the char on the edges of each brussel sprout leaf balanced out the flavors perfectly.

The hands-down best way ever to make pizza.  There's something about a wood-burning brick oven.  I've been obsessing about building one for some time now.  Hopefully, I will have the time, motivation, and money to fulfill this destiny once we close on our house.  The backyard is screaming for one... ok, maybe I'm the only one who can hear it screaming, but it keeps me up at night.

The late-night subway crew (2 Argentinians & 3 gringos)... Guillermo, Zilla, Chef K, Fabian, Mark.  Guillermo used to be our friend Alberto's (with us but not in the picture) pastry chef in Miami.  He moved back to NY to become one bad-ass pizza-meister.  If you want to open a brick oven restaurant, it only makes sense to hire an Argentinian to run the oven.  These guys learn to manage a fire before they can walk.  Being a pastry chef on top of that just makes him even more perfect for the job.

BBQ at Fette Sau.  Although someone said it's been rated among the top 10 BBQ joints in the US which seems ridiculously outrageous to claim, it's not bad.  This place was fun.  Get your meat by the quarter pound on a half sheet pan, pick your drink up at the bar, and live the dream in Brooklyn.

Baoguette at the Congress.  Although I don't know where the original store is, the word in NY is that this place is hot.  $8 for a banh-mi seems like Vietnamese blasphemy, but I can say from experience that this slightly untraditional sandwich is the best banh mi I've ever eaten in my 15 years of banh mi-eating history.

Di Palo's Italian Market.  We met the coolest NY Italian behind the counter at Di Palo's.  Aside from the incredible porchetta, focaccia, and asiago that made for our last NY meal, he shared a few other tastes with us in his shop.  Check out this gigantic Swiss crucolo that we were lucky enough to watch being cut during our stop.

Here's a close-up of that rip.  The cheese is being crushed by it's own weight.

Golden King Bakery.  A Chinatown hole in the wall.  Being an early riser and having this place right across the street equals coffee and congee every morning.  After nights of heavy alcohol consumption, a light congee with pork and thousand year egg gets you ready for another run.  I'd love to stay in Chinatown again next year, but for a much cheaper room rate... thanks, UN convention!

Flying out to Venezuela on Thursday for 3 demos over 3 days.  Looking forward to every bit of the trip except for the kitchen we had to prep in last year... not ideal at all.  It's like some Top Chef nightmare.

mental digestion

Just got home from New York last night for the 4th annual (and my third) International Chefs Congress.  Many thanks to Antoinette, Will, and staff for putting on another greatly inspiring and motivational show.  Many thanks to all of the people out there who keep making me think.  I just want to run through some of the random things running through my head and basically shout out to so many cool people.  It's impossible (and probably boring) if I posted everything so if I forgot something or someone, it's just that my head is still spinning for many various reasons.  Here we go in no particular order...

Still after so many years being amazed at the insight and intelligence of Charlie Trotter.

4 mornings of coffee and congee to wake me up in a tiny Chinatown bakery... awesome.

4 nights of 4 guys crammed into the smallest hotel room in the world in Chinatown... not awesome.  Just more reason to sleep less and stay out more.

Seeing modern science and ancient tradition fused together through Japanese umami in Chef Yoshiro Murata's demonstration.

Still wondering why 'fusion' as a concept is still being debated when it already exists in 99% (or more) of the world's culinary dishes in some form or another.

Having Pierre Gagniare and Juan Mari Arzak remind me to always be humble.

Witnessing the organic genius of Pierre Gagniare.

Eating on a budget in NY is difficult.  Drinking on a budget is impossible.

Eating the best wood brick oven pizza I've ever had from our new friend, Guillermo, at Motorino in Brooklyn.  Great food, great company, and great hospitality!  That just built up my already burning brick oven fever.

Meeting up with new and old friends... our friend Chris Windus and his sous chef Danny, Linda from Food Player, Alberto Cabrera from here in Miami, Jeremiah Bullfrog, talking to Kevin Sousa who is always a step ahead of us, saying Hi to Alex from Ideas in Food (thanks for sharing your personal notes from the demo's with everyone), Kostas from Just Food, Tyler Teass of New Mountain Cookery, Chef Richard and Peggy in DC, Howard from Winston Industries along with Jill Conklin, meeting the guys from Elements restaurant, Dirk Flanigan from Gage, meeting Craig Deihl from Cypress in Charleston (awesome charcuterie!  thanks for sharing), having the privilege of meeting Jeremy Fox from Ubuntu, Scott Boswell from NOLA, Jacquimo from NOLA, meeting Judy Shertzer from Terra Spice in person instead of through many emails, talking to Akiko Katayama. 

Seeing Sean Brock blow it all out of the water with his highly theme-relevant demo on Low Country Cuisine.  Thank you for so much ecological and cultural insight and for reminding everyone that while America is crying over polar bears sitting on melting icebergs, we also need to focus on the many disappearing treasures right in front of our faces.  You rocked it like no one else did!

Getting to have an actual conversation with Grant Achatz.

Getting on the subway, getting off the subway, getting on the subway, getting off.... etc.

Seeing Alex Stupak constantly evolve his cuisine ahead of everyone else, and staying true to creativity.

Eating some surprisingly great BBQ in Brooklyn at Fette Sau.

Watching Charles Phan demonstrate how to make rice paper (and his assistant, Lien).

Hearing practically every chef for 3 days give recognition their chef teams and how it takes collaboration to make it happen.  There was definitely a lack of ego when it came to acknowledging the ones who make the wheels turn.

Meeting Asbel Reyes in person, and hopefully we will get to converse someday.

Paco Torreblanca... nothing else can be said about this genius except "Wow."

Seeing Michael Laiskonsis again, and having him invite us to help him again at the next SoBe W&F for Daniel Boulud's tribute dinner.  There is no chef out there with more class than Michael Laiskonsis.  It's always an honor.

Rick Tramonto might be known as a hard chef, but he comes across on stage as being humble and true to cuisine.  Chef K reminded us that he (more than any other well-known chef there) sat in the front row for every single demonstration and diligently took notes the entire time.  That's respect.

Watching Nathan Myhrvold and Chris Young put an entire crowd in anticipation over their upcoming book... and wondering how to employ a staff of 15 people for 4 years on a project that has not generated revenue.  Their efforts will more than pay off.

Jose Andres is like a culinary evangelist.  He really knows how to work a crowd.

Morimoto... the God of Thunder in the culinary world.

Seeing the incredible synergy of Dave Arnold and Nils Noren in action before me, and finally getting to skoal.  Hoping they will visit us in Miami sometime.

Witnessing countless evidence that the dirty south will rise up in the near future.

Meeting up with our old friend, Antulio.

Realizing that as great as New York city is to an outsider, it's not America.

Eating a brown bag lunch of porchetta, asiago, and focaccia that we bought at Di Palo's in Little Italy while waiting to go through security at LaGuardia.

Coming home to re-coop before work tomorrow.

Last but never least, hanging out for 4 days with our great friend, Mark Majorie.  It was a good run.

simmering

Apologies for the long gaps in posts, but just utilizing the time for other purposes.  It has mostly come down to questions over what has been post-worthy lately... showing the same basic things over and over or rethinking all aspects of what we are doing.  Cooking is the combination of many acts (and thinking processes), and sometimes it's necessary to rotate the pots around the burners and let certain things autopilot on simmer.  Life isn't all about the quickfire.

We've been keeping ourselves busy in the kitchen, but haven't done any Paradigm dinners for awhile.  These were purposefully put on hold due to the slow season, each one of us taking extra days off, and well... also simply because we've been doing Paradigm for just over a year now so a mental break to adjust our ideas and thoughts seems in order.  There's no shortage of 'other tasks' to focus on in our kitchen, so don't think we haven't been pushing ourselves for better efficiency... just adjusting our operation to a different economy.  This isn't a trend.  It's just reality.  When you're Thomas Keller, you can afford to continue on with the same menu and prices.  When you're a 2nd floor restaurant in a hotel trying to achieve a decent capture rate and generate a finicky local following as well, adjusting is sometimes in order (this was long overdue anyway).  We have been very diligent and creative with seeking ways to achieve what we want.

We've also been persistent in doing wine dinners every few weeks to a month in conjunction with our local Cellars Wine organization.  Last night, we welcomed our friend, Sean Bernal (executive chef of the Miami Oceanaire restaurant), for a seafood-biased dinner for New Zealand Maude wines (some photos and dishes should get posted soon).  This and our push for a regular brunch crowd for our new Sunday afternoons on the beach have been showing very promising results.  Everything is a stepping stone to something else.

Travelling soon also... this Saturday Chef K, Fabian, and myself will be flying to New York for the StarChefs ICC (their 4th year, my 3rd).  Shortly after our return, Chef K and I are headed towards Valencia, Venezuela again to participate in the Trilogia en Fusion culinary congress.  We had a great time last year, and look forward to some good times.

Aside from business, my wife and I are getting closer to getting a house here in the area (so I can finally become an area man).  The market has really been crazy... especially in this real estate-driven market.  True, there are some great prices and it's a golden opportunity, but the processes of actually getting the keys in your hand are the most bizarre anyone in realty has seen in their lifetime.

Of course, my time (what sadly is left of it) is consumed by my baby girl who is 7 1/2 months now.  She's growing fast, and I don't want to miss any great daddy moments.  My priorities are definitely in place.

So, just need to put some of those juices set to 80ºC and let them simmer for a minute.

pump daddy

We love the strategic use of froths for plating... especially with intensely-flavored liquids that benefit from being dispersed lightly on the tongue such as high acid and high salt solutions.  Gael Greene may have referred to airs and foams as 'the current culinary trend least deserving of hype' (hope she doesn't like cappucinos or whipped cream), but they arguably perform the same function as a Reidel glass to wine (allowing the tastebuds on the tongue to receive the stimulus in a 'friendlier' fashion).  We do, however, understand critics of the 'froth' because they can become overused or used when unnecessary.

Sometimes the procedure of incorporating air with an immersion blender and scooping with spoons seems tedious (and also messy) during large plate-ups or busy moments on the line.  A few months back, we had the idea of putting a solution with lecithin into an air foam pump bottle (like the ones used for soap) to see if the liquid could hold the air forced into it by the patented pump system.  It didn't work, and after tweaking the viscosity with xanthan the experiment wasn't going anywhere and the idea was abandoned... temporarily.

Yesterday, I tried it again with sucro (from the Texturas line) in an empty soap bottle (which I flushed out 4 or 5 times) and the results were different.

This was soy sauce with 1% Sucro, and it foamed out evenly and nicely... remaining stable for a good period of time.

The beauty of this for us will be using the foam pump bottles to apply to foams during large dish-ups and also for more ease and consistency on the line.  Good quality pumps offer a bit of control as well, possibly being dispensed right onto the plate bypassing the extra vessel.  Just to play around with the idea, I ordered a dozen 7.5oz bottles.  We'll see how it goes during our next wine dinner this month.  What would the reaction be if we applied foam via soap bottles to the guests' plates tableside?  "This is for sanitizing your hands before eating, sir."

Where can the foam pump bottle foam go from here?  Pre-packaged flavorful foam liquids that can be sold to chefs or home cooks (sorry, Mr. Ruhlman)... ready to apply to the plate?  Foam pump bottled tomato lime froth on the condiment table at your favorite taco joint?  Hot sauce froth ready to pump sitting on every guest's table in any restaurant?