Santa Barbera Wine Dinner

First course: Faygo Red poached Lobster with carbonated Asian Pear and Garlic Mango Relish.

Second Course: Foie Gras with Bacon Gelee, Pinenut Brulee and Bacon Salad.

Third Course: Pink Peppercorn Tuna, Spiced Crackers, Whipped Beets.

Forth Course: Gooseberry stuffed Breast of Veal with Dandelion Greens.

Fifth Course: Table Smoked Lamb with Parsnip puree and Morel Bearnaise.

Sixth Course: Macerated Fruit, Sourpatch Ice Cream.

Gooseberries and Veal

In PA there's not much more to look forward to then spring. Sure you can get fruits and vegetables from hot boxes from around the wolrd for most of the year. But, having developed some what of a friendly relationship with a local farmer and probably one of the only produce destibutors out of Pittsburgh, I do get a "heads up" on what's gonna be available.
Personally, I've never worked and/or tasted Gooseberries. I had no idea what to expect, aside from the husk perspected and was told that "they need to be cooked". I don't agree with that, they were very interesting and tart in the raw state (even more so after dehydrated).


As far as the Veal goes......., I couldn't find Veal breast to save my life. A local grocery store was super nice enough to special order me whole portions. I've only worked with Veal Breast once before , but it's been one of those things that I've always wanted to tackle.
After double stuffing, slow braising thee entire side, chilling and portioning into beautiful little pieces, I can't sing the praises of Veal breast any louder.
Served with Dandelion greens braised in the poaching jus, for our recent Santa Barbera wine dinner.

What da ya know!

It is still around.

Not the little clear flavors from my youth, but the peach goes pretty damn good with bourbon.

Thanks Michele for the Big Lots heads up.

I know someone else who will be glad to hear of this. MmmHm.

Faygo Red Lobster

I really don't drink that much soda (pop for the northerners). I just crave the nostalgic flavors of youth I guess. The fun things in life and food and then trying to make them fun again for adults.
I placed pretty rare lobster tails in the Faygo Red with just a splash of maraschino cherry syrup and a pinch of salt. Let them cook slowly in a steam table.
I couldn't believe the color that was taken on, and the flavor was amazing. It got the "wow" from every ones first bite.

This will be back later this week for our Friday wine dinner.

I just wish I could get ahold of things like NY Seltzer and Sparkles candies. It's hard to believe that some things do go away forever.

FOG menu

"Kimchee"
Pickled Vegetable Salad

Creamy Herb Dressing, Pickled Beet Foam

Mas carlot Rose "Cuvee Tradtion" 2005

Banana Egg Foo Young

Lobster Tempura, Dr. Pepper

Vanilla Onion Relish

Pierre Sparr Pinot Blanc "Reserve" 2004

"Shrimp Pad Thai"

haute Cabriere Chardonnay/Pinot Noir 2006

Char Siu Pork Tenderloin
Curry Carrot Puree, Chorizo Baked Beans

Hoisin Raisin Puree

Yalmba "m/g/s" 2004

Banana Tart

Wasabi-Vanilla Ice Cream, Rum Caramel

Disznoko Tokaji Aszu "4 Puttonyos" 1999

Hear the tuna

Each restaurant at the Flavors Of Greensburg event was to provide thirty hors d' oeuvres to be passed as some initial arrangements were made for the evening. After playing around with carbonated tuna tartar a couple days ago, I decided to do it again to offer an asian inspired staple dish that's been ( in the words of Anthony Bourdain) "been done to death", with a new breath of air (so to speak) given to it.

FOG Dinner second year

This is the second year in a row that the American Liver Foundation has organized "The Flavors of Greensburg" to help raise money for research, treatment and education.

This years event was held at The Mountain View Inn where the owner Vance and Chef Gary couldn't have been more hospitable.

It's so much fun doing this event just for the fact that I get to hang out and talk shop with other culinarians in the surrounding area. We may all have different approaches to food, but we obviously all care about food and the people we serve.

The idea for the event the fist year was for each restaurant to set up an atmosphere for a ten top that represented their restaurant.
This year was pretty much the same except for the addition of an "East meets West" theme, to both the ten top setup and the menu.
Setting up this year seemed a lot easier and with amply amount of room. I would say almost too much room, but anyone that knows me I can never have too much room.

Carbonated Tuna Tartar

Mixed in with a little ginger-sriracha simple syrup.

Topped off with a "Yuzu Mimosa"

Pickled Beet Meringue

Please ignore the left over tomato pieces under the insert.

Bubbler

I saw this technique at the Star Chefs Congress last September and it's been stuck in my head to simply aerate something slowly. Instead of just whipping or hitting with an emulsion blender. It makes sense to let bubbles grow. Let them form the most natural structure that they can, slowly growing on top of each other forming a stronger base structure. I have to say though, I still feel like this will need more coaxing to maintain a plate able bubble.

Paul Prudhomme, Man Of Steel

I met Chef Prudhomme about 9 years ago, I don't think he was made of steel

The "Blind Dinner" part 3

After doing a great fundraiser, or several fundraisers over the years, you tend to find familiarity in the expected parts of certain fundraisers.

The "Blind Dinner" has been an extremely difficult challenge over the past year and a half to produce, for several reason. The biggest being that..everyone was blind folded!

On top of that, the naturally blind.

Well, for some reason, the higher ups decide to relinquish the whole idea (The Whole IDEA) to the center for the blind from Somerset county.

A lot of things have changed.

I no longer am challenged with doing a dinner that's "finger food only". I miss that.

The funnest part of doing this dinner was the challenge!

Do you know how hard it is to come up with food that "newly" handicapped people can eat?

It's a pain in the ass as much as it's a good challenge.
The past two where basically putting together six courses with three courses intertwined into each course. So, 18 courses that can be eaten by hand and not to be scene. The focus being on mouth presence.

So, with this dinner, no one was blind folded! The blind are still blind and the great people that donated $150 per person where able to eat a meal that they could see.

The only problem with that, is that we don't have enough nice plates to do 6 courses for 80 people. So I had to use our horrible banquet plates.

You make do with what you have I guess.

Flavors still being the focus. Just some way to entertain the mouth more then anything.
One of my favorites of the night being: Sezchuan peppercorn powdered sugar for the dessert course.
Along with some other favorites like Balsamic Blueberries and Dr. Pepper to accompany truffle infused lamb carpaccio.
We thought that Lolonis Winery was going to produce the menu in brail, instead they put together a lovely folded menu....with some minor mistakes. But, it was very nice to meet the owner's wife.

As you can tell, the staff was pumped for the dinner.