The Chef's Office

Thee Southern Reuben

2010-02-25T22:46:00.004-05:00

Just for the sake of my own sake, I brought the "Kraut" up to a boil (and also to tenderize it a bit more, nest time I will julienne) then wrapped it hot to let steep and mature.

After thinking on the drive in today about what would be an appropriate use for this new staple, I was kinda thinking Sauerbrauten and Kraut, but man I love a good Reuben.

So, the thought process starts. One thing I will miss about working at Seabrook was the time to think during that 45 minute drive down a beautiful moss shadowed drive, time to to really zone out and let your mind wonder to far off places or ask yourself questions to try and answer.

Like: What would make up a new type of Reuben? A southern Reuben?

I think I nailed it. The protein was the hardest thing to come up with. At first I was thinking a pounded flat piece of fried chicken, but then I started thinking about how much pork there is in southern cooking. So, the question started to become answered. Collard Kraut, Lowcountry Island Dressing (a concoction to be divulged later on), Roasted Pork Butt and Pimento Cheese!

The only thing missing from this version is a Cornbread like pullman loaf bread that will come later. I used swirled rye for this practice round. The rye adds a familiar Reuben flavor.

Poor man's pudding

2010-02-08T23:37:00.002-05:00

Trying to quickly read a post in the NY Times, a little side note was on the page that said something in a different language that according to the Times website (I was going to put link here...but what do you know? It won't work!)
Meant: Unemployed Pudding. It was a dish from Canada.
It said: Biscuits, cream and sugar. At least, that's what I was left with in my head. So... I did just that, the way I pictured it along with some cinnamon and maple syrup.

In the oven for 35 minutes and it smelled great. It was still kinda dry surprisingly. Many thoughts come back to it and what could make it better.
Maybe not even bake the cream with it, maybe pour the cream on afterward and let it sit. Or, bake it with milk and then let it sit in fridge for a couple hours to homogenize into a milky dense sweet mass?
Hmmm...there's still something good here. Not over the top skill required, but a quick fix for something sweet, rich and familiar. I mean, a little fruit on the bottom and you have a pretty familiar dessert.

BBQ Consomme

2010-01-29T12:19:00.003-05:00

I just really like doing the gelatin clarification thing.

I think Ranch and Buffalo will be down the road.

Collard Kraut

2010-01-27T23:57:00.004-05:00

I'm from PA. I love Sauerkraut.
My home is SC. I love Collard Greens.

It's only natural.
Salt, Sugar, Worcestershire, Hot Sauce, Red Wine Vinegar, Garlic, Onions......

Time.

We'll see how long everyone can take the smell.

Taking stock/Corn nuts: what not to do.

2010-01-14T23:12:00.002-05:00

Days like today.
I've been working at the same place for a year now. Tomorrow will be my anniversary actually. During this time: I've contributed very little to this Blog of mine, I've read very little, I've created even less, I've taken pictures of what I like to think I had something to do with, I stopped carrying my camera with me so much..., then it broke.
In the past year I left Pennsylvania on an unexpected wave of opportunity. I quit a job in the middle of: cold as shit, one traffic light town, and headed back to what I feel is now my home and f*&%ing sank!

Bitter is the taste of so many things we ingest daily. Coffee, tea, citrus,....
I had in my head that I would be moving forward. I would be sacrificing a couple years in the north in order to get my personal finances straightened out and then come back. I guess that worked....for the most part.
I thought I would be partaking in this job for, the most, four months. Then, I would be steering the wheel of my my own ship. Sailing towards "Rich Land". No, I wasn't that stupid. I did, think I'd have my own restaurant by now though.

I guess.......sometimes, when you have a simple idea in your head of how something should turn out....you glaze over the in between parts.
The in between has been shit. Maybe I haven't done enough to make things happen. But, I don't know what to do in reality! I know what I want to happen and what the outcome to be, but I really have no way to make those thoughts and dreams be forced on to a bank statement right now.

Here I am, a full year later.
I have a job. I have a good income. The country around me is not fairing as well. The state I live in could digest me and poop me out, and put me on the list of unemployed.
My simple idea of how to turn hominy in to corn nuts.......didn't work. So what.

Where do you bury hundreds of thousands of bodies?
Haiti has it worse. There's nothing in my life that will ever compare to what anyone still alive on Haiti is facing.
There are times when you can (very easily) put your life into perspective. This is one of those times. Nothing that has ever happen to you is as bad as what they are going through.

This is a time to give thanks. And hope.
And help.

Starting Early

2009-12-27T19:56:00.001-05:00

So far: Basil, Rosemary, Thyme, Cubanelles, Banana Peppers, and Cilantro.

Christmas Duck

2009-12-26T10:12:00.002-05:00

I kinda messed up the whole drying process. Somehow, while placing in the brine still a little frozen, I missed the fact that the duck hadn't been eviscerated. So, after hanging and drying, I then had to gut and rinse out the cavity.

After a little mixing of flavors and rubbing under the skin....

Donald came out pretty damn tasty.

New Camera!

2009-12-25T13:41:00.002-05:00

It's about time, I've been going crazy taking crappy pictures with my phone.

This one's pretty awesome so far and I'm not even sure what all it can do yet.

It has some sweet features on it, like 10 frames per second if needed, HD Video and a bunch of other stuff.

Carrie got it for me and I can't wait to take some pictures.

Here's some:

This guys been hanging for a bit in front of the fan. Soon to go into the oven.

Christmas diner like in the "Christmas Story"

2009-12-24T23:30:00.002-05:00

This guy is currently soaking in some lovely star anise and cinnamon brine.

$15 from H&L Asian Market in North Chuck. That place is amazing.

Early Christmas

2009-12-24T01:21:00.004-05:00

My brother gave me this.

Bourbon is just "one of those things".

I remember hearing in a movie "a man knows what to order when you walks up to a bar" "There's no hmm hawin or ordering something complicated or fruity, a man walks up to a bar and orders a man drink."

I like and I appreciate bourbon, I usually go for the cheaper Jim Beam but I do that because I like the flavor.

This Evan Williams is so smooth though.

Dale's Pale Ale

2009-12-13T20:48:00.002-05:00

Yes it's in a can.

I think there's something missed about cans. I freakin love a Pepsi or a Dr. P in a can. Ice colder! For some golf tournament at Kiawah when I was there they ordered about a thousand cases of...water in a can. Ech right?

NO! Delish! Cold! We had buckets of ice water packed with cans of water all summer. Imagine the mightiest of thirst quenched by shot gunning a can of ice water.

Dale's is the same way. It's a better Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and it's in a can. Super hopped from Colorado.

I really can't think of any other beers that might come out of Colorado that might be in a can..... hmmm........nope, nothing. At least nothing anywhere near this type of quality. The can is good. The can is good.

Missed Maybe?

2009-12-13T00:58:00.002-05:00

Just found a bunch of older pictures on my girlfriends laptop. I think the mess of having digital cameras that come and go over the years have caused this.
But, this picture reminded me of what I'm not creating right now. I don't really remember what this dish is...but, I'm gonna guess at what I wish it was now. I'm thinking it's a specially seasoned venison leg loin over a chili braised beef and corn stew, masa and savory seasoning braised waffles, with a sauce of Mexican chocolate, natural jus and maple.

It looks like something I'd like to be selling today. Sadly, anything without mashed potatoes is hard to sell right now.

I hate feeling stuck and I hate not being able to create, and man I hate this recession.

Peach roasted chicken

2009-12-13T00:54:00.000-05:00

Ice Man

2009-12-06T18:32:00.001-05:00

Banana Guacamole

2009-12-06T18:24:00.002-05:00

Seared Scallops, Truffled Sweet Potato Puree, Red Hots Pear Crisps and Banana Guacamole.

Pimp yo grill

2009-12-05T00:03:00.003-05:00

Real simple.

Purchase at $30, then charge $100

Blue Cheese Brownies

2009-12-03T22:40:00.003-05:00

Going Back.

It was hard just to find this picture.

Circa: Barely 2005.

The thought of Blue Cheese and Chocolate was given to me as a challenge for the most part.

Something leftover from the former holder of my position at Charleston Chops. (R.I.P.)

A late night conversation about how Jeff always wanted to pair blue cheese with chocolate and the guy before me was determined to do it...

I was more determined, no offense to that guy.

It's still evolving though.

For so long now, I've been watching and reading about all these trendy spots mixing Chocolate with Bacon.............................................Yeah. OK. It's not as weird as it sounds, and if it gets someone into Food Arts WhyTF am I not in it? I didn't know that when I realized that Chocolate worked better with savory foods, that other people didn't know that. Now it's all over the place. I'm not looking for anything, I'm just sayin....

So, years ago this picture comes out of Chops kitchen and is met with luke warm to cold response and duely so, it's hard for someone to wrap their mind around, along with their taste buds and also being 4 to 5 years ago. I might be wrong actually, it was probably longer.

This happens a lot though, someone gets to be well known for their...oh, lets say their "General Tso's so and so item" It's not like you talked to them about this idea while you worked with them, or placed this item on a personal tasting menu of yours, it's more the fact that someone else maybe forgot that you placed that little gem in their brain a year or so prior to them coming up with it. No, it's more about the guy or girl that's in the moment. The one or two lucky ones that hold the limelight and can put on display anything that you haven't read about yet and claim it as their own. Well, nothings new, I know that. There's no Patent on food. There is that one guy that's trying to though.

That is why food is art, it's interpretation. It's the individual human that made it their way that one time that makes it "theirs".

Bygones be bygones (i don't really know what that means really), under the bridge.

I am a little jealous though. I wish my vision and version of savory chocolate would have struck a nerve with someone years ago. And I'm glad it's still gonna live on. I put the word out to Jeff to "add Bacon Fat to the recipe" like replacing the butter!

Chocolate.

Blue Cheese.

Bacon.

That should be on a tombstone.

Really.

Trotter Totters?

2009-12-02T00:22:00.003-05:00

Randy ran the name by me after the fact.
First off, Let me knock the dust off of this website for a minute. PHEWWW.

Still behind on everything I want to do with this career.
My personal life is wonderful though.
The recession "that's the worst in 26 years" (or something like that) is just that, I've been keepin on keepin on. A job is better then no job.

Any who. I was talking about rolling up bbq pork in some leftover mashed potatoes when Randy said " that sounds like something I read about on the new Cypress menu." they called it " Trotter Totters?"
I like the name. Wish I would have thought of the name first. But, still, my current quest for all that is filthy good continues. I just don't own the place in which it will be delivered.

Nor do I own a proper camera at the time.

Smoked Cheddar cream and Sweet and Sour Brussels to complete the other factors of a southern meal all rolled into one. Pun intended.

Floating

2009-07-24T21:13:00.001-04:00

I miss having my own kitchen. I miss the motivation.

I miss the future.

Shrimp and Grits Pizza

2009-06-29T23:11:00.001-04:00

It's real good.

The Lady and Sons

2009-06-14T11:46:00.002-04:00

Again, I haven't been posting much here do to the fact that I haven't been making any of my own food for a couple months now. I do, however, plan on having my own place again. Owning it or not.

For the past month I've been pretty busy helping open two (2!) brand new restaurants at the same time. Last week, my girlfriend's mom was in town and she wanted to go to Savannah and eat at Paula Dean's.

It was a fun trip. Almost picked up a stray dog, got some Peach Cider and we didn't have to wait for 4 hours to eat at PDiddy's.

See, they don't take reservations, it's first come first serve and man do they serve em.

In and out like cattle. The fried green tomatoes where awesome.

But man, talk about "southern hospitality".

They start taking names at 9:30, then they tell you to be across the street 20 minutes prior to your desired sit down time. Then they scream over traffic your name so you can receive a ticket and instructions on where you will be sat.

All I can say it, "ok, been there done that".

Beer, in one of it's glories

2009-05-03T01:01:00.003-04:00

Arrogant Bastard.
http://www.arrogantbastard.com/
Says it all.....well, except for the part about how really well crafted it is.
When it comes down to my personal day to day situations in life, and let me just tell you they have not been normal lately. I had this on draft at http://www.charlestonbeerworks.com/BusTrip.html and it really put me back on the quest for great beer. I mean, all day trying and searching for a beer that was up to snuff....this was it!
It is arrogant, it's meant to be! It's beautiful, it passes all the tests, it's delicious, it's complex, it's.....affordable!
One thing first, I don't like dark beers. I say that, but I accept that I don't really understand "dark" beers.
This beer....Is up top, easily!
Please enjoy!

How it went.

2009-05-01T23:11:00.003-04:00

Well, it went.
If you could see the size of this restaurant, you could feel my pain. Not only that, there was a shift change right in the middle of my tasting. So, new guys coming in where all over my two feet of work space, then trying to do circles around from one end of the line around to the other not to pass right down the line where they were still trying to work. This place is TINE-EEE!
Also, there's the challenge of not trying to do my best....and a little mind reading of course.
One owner asked for specific things and the other owner shot them down as if it was silly to present in the first place. "No one will order Mole" (That's [MOH-lay], I don't want anyone to think I'm cooking up underground blind rats, although.....I would.)
I'm not going to go into details on the items just yet (I still need to get paid for them) maybe when they are put into print with a familiar face logo above them I'll come back to it.
But, here are the pictures in all their down played glory.
"Trust us, it's Mexican"

PS, I sold five! Not bad for the first tasting.

Banana Leaves

2009-05-01T23:06:00.002-04:00

These things are freakin huge!!
I ended up not using them in the final tasting, but they are pretty damn cool, and cheap actually.
Just a matter of finding them. I'm sure your local produce company could get them for you. I found these at a little Mexican market at the intersection of Maybank and Main on John's Island. 5 for $6, not bad, and they freeze.

Sauces

2009-04-29T01:17:00.002-04:00

Talk about what I was meant to ever do.
I was talking to an old line cook of mine who happens to have some Mexican heritage in his blood.
When I told him I was consulting with a Mexican themed restaurant his response was (more or less) " oh yeah, that makes sense, why wouldn't you ask a severely white, Scots Irish guy to come up with authentic Mexican cuisine?"
"Authentic Mexican Cuisine" being the catch there. Any breathing human can come up with Authentic Mexican Cuisine really. Once you read about it, practice it and STEAL it! You are reproducing Authentic Mexican Cuisine.
Or, Someone who cares, can research and practice old school recipes and bring them up to date to fit in with a new restaurants' ideas of what they are looking for.

I've been in love with deep southern cuisine for as long as I remember. And, actually, I didn't realize how much I have absorbed when it comes to it. The bits and pieces are the machine here. Knowing your chilies and how to use them are key. Sauces are the base, let me repeat that, Sauces are the base!
Corn, Chilies, Cheese.
I have a theory that I developed when I was a Saucier for Orient Express, anything can be turned into a Sauce, Soup or Vinaigrette.
When you loosen up your thoughts, it can be so. Actually, anything can be turned into almost anything. But, that's for further posts.
(but really, if you wanted to turn your left over chicken casserole into....say....Ice Cream? Why not? Ben and Jerry's would be salivating at the profit just to hear about it.)

So, Sauces are a part of me. I pride myself on understanding how and why sauces work and why they are necessary. So, Mexican cuisine is right up my alley.

Green Chili, Red Chili, "Buffalo", and neutral Red Chili.

Beef Short Ribs in Mole Sauce.

Everyone shoud know, I love hotdogs!

2009-04-26T19:53:00.002-04:00

A really good friend of mine sent this to me.

http://www.stumbleupon.com/toolbar/#url=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.boingboing.net%252F2009%252F04%252F21%252Ffreaky-food-fun-inse.html

No real purpose for it (yet), but it looks really cool.

Thanks Jane!

Personal note: I don't care what Hotdogs are made of. I hope they do have lips and ears and hoof in them. Those are my favorite parts, all in one package. Genius.

Holy Mole!!!!

2009-04-24T01:17:00.003-04:00

Step one: Don't volunteer your rental home for recipe research.
Household equipment is sometimes not meant for restaurant quality food.
There's a reason you can't get everything the way it is "at the restaurant".

My little Osterizer blender may have been built in Mexico, but it was not meant to puree Mexican Sauces. It smelled hotter then the stove actually. It pulled through though.

When it was done, my little short bus version of Mole Poblano/Negro, came out pretty damn good. (no sesame seeds, no whole nuts, no stock, no lard, no habla espanol)

Now to sell it to El Hombre!

Dos

2009-04-23T13:40:00.002-04:00

Start work on my first Consultant job today.

Well, have been brainstorming for the past week, but am going to put knife to board tonight after work.

It's been really fun so far, a lot of learning. I love to dive into a cuisine and really come up with a better understanding of it. It's something I did a lot when I was at the old restaurant for our wine dinners there. Now I get to do freelance and hopefully stay on in a regular go to consultant guy.

Beerfest

2009-04-18T13:25:00.002-04:00

http://www.geneshaufbrau.com/events.php
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=63987474254&ref=mf

Bacon Stretcher

2009-03-31T22:42:00.003-04:00

A long running joke for sure, but this is how I do it.
Works really well for terrines, meatloaf, fish, or whatever you want to wrap in bacon.

Relleno Roulade

2009-03-30T17:48:00.001-04:00

For mass quantity, Set up overnight and held together.

A note to any possible employers or investors.

2009-03-03T11:47:00.002-05:00

Just some info on why this link is on my resume. There are some personal entries on the blog, some silly things and just for fun postings. But, for the most part, this blog contains a lot of the food I've been doing for the past two plus years. A lot of it being from Wine Dinners that don't necessarily represent what I do on a regular basis, but can give you an idea of how my creative process works along the lines of flavor combinations and playfulness with ingredients and techniques.
I have not been in my own kitchen for a couple months now, so I really haven't had anything current to post. There are a lot of ideas brewing, just no where to work on them and document them. So, maybe you will be providing that place in the future?
I encourage you to look through the older posts for more food related posts and if you have any questions, please email me at sdm_614@hotmail.com

Thank you.

Been A While

2009-02-28T23:19:00.002-05:00

Here's just a little bit that was shared on myspace. It's from a "major movie" director that I've been somewhat a fan of for years. It's interesting to watch a successful movie director do something like this. Maybe not interesting to you, but, it is someone famous just kinda acting normal or doing something normal to me.
Cooking. When I saw "Once Upon a Time in Mexico", the scene when Johnny Depp's Character killed the cook because the pork dish he just had was too good, I knew there was some reason why this was emphasized. Obviously the person behind the movie has a love for food.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO8EiScBEjA
There's a whole series of these I guess.
Just another example of how food and cooking is an art, it makes it's way into the arts. It affects the senses, it makes the heart swoon, it can infuriate, it can simmer the soul, it can cause nightmares, it can bring lives together, it can communicate peace, it can start historical events, it can ignite rage within the minds of those who work in it. What ever it does, it's world wide. "You gotta the rest of your life".

Oysterfest 09

2009-02-12T00:33:00.005-05:00

The Annual Lowcountry Oysterfest is always a good time. The thing is, when you live and work here (in a restaurant), you'll probably have to work while the Chef takes off that day to go to the oysterfest. If you're a Sous Chef that is.

Luckily, I'm just a Line cook for this scenario. So, i was able to attend......and bribe my nephew Kane into going up in front of the main stage and showing off a couple of his "dope moves", what neither of us expected, was the singer from the band calling him back to center of the stage to do a little more dancing for the couple thousand people looking directly at him.

He took it well and just kept on dancing. I guess it's dancing?

Burnt!!!

2009-01-22T23:43:00.003-05:00

Dammit!!
It's hard to figure out how to do this blog when I'm at a restaurant doing someone else's food. (That's hard to do to)
But, I figured I'd find times to play around with something that I may or may not be working on for my own place.
Yesterday I found something.....but today when I had it in the oven for the "low and Slow" treatment, someone turned the oven up to suit their own needs. Fully knowing that there was something else in the oven. They just figured it wouldn't matter if they turned the oven up by 150 degrees when it was only on 150 degrees to begin with!! I don't even want to tell you what this was going to be, cause it was going to be that much of a surprise when and if it worked.

I feel weird taking a camera into a place where I just started working, where people don't know me and where I am doing someone else's food. So, this is a picture from my cell phone.
I'm still on the search for the best deal on the camera I want to buy, that will hopefully, someday make a return on it's investment.

Moving

2009-01-07T11:37:00.002-05:00

Char Siu and I are packed up and ready to go. We're gonna be moving the big items tomorrow, cleaning on Friday, relaxing and spending time with friends on Saturday then off to Elkin on Sunday to visit an old friend then to Charleston to live on Monday. I don't think I'll be moving north again any time soon. It has it's beautiful weather at times, but it's usually just grey and rainy. I miss the people in the south to. I think the sun and sweet smell of honeysuckle in the air just makes most people in the south that much happier.

I'm really sick of moving, I can't wait until Carrie and I get a house for Char Siu.

I'm disconnecting all my stuff today, so, It may be some time before I get to post again.
See you in Charleston!

Christmas 08' / Last day

2009-01-05T15:26:00.003-05:00

This caught me by surprise. When I first pulled back the wrapping paper, I saw the Korin Knife box and was very confused why Carrie would put a gift into my knife box or how she got my knife box for that matter. Then It hit me that this box was slightly bigger then my other Korin knife box. She had it engraved and everything. And, that is Robot Chicken season one underneath it.

It feels weird that this brand new knife is just sitting around my apartment waiting to be packed into my car and finally used once I land at the next place I work at. That next place will be a private island working for my brother, allowing time to work on my own place when it happens.

The last day of work was pretty much a waste of time. I apologize to anyone I didn't say goodbye to or wish them well. It was New Years Eve and only 40some reservations on the books. That's just a bad sign and nothing I really wanted to be a part of. When the main reason I quit that job walked into the kitchen flaunting her owner perfection around, I knew it was time for me to go home for good.
When you quit a job in an upper level management position, all you can really do is hang out and make sure nobody needs anything. You can't (or shouldn't) make any decisions for the company for the future or do anything that will impact the place after you're gone, I think that's why most places just let the person go and pay out there notice. I showed my replacement everything I could think of, whether or not she uses the information is totally up to her it's her place now, but all I could do was just show her what I did.
I missed out on any last day going away party to, I don't do anything involving alcohol on NY Eve, it's too dangerous.
Oh well, maybe I'll see some of them again.

Beer Foods? Tell me your thoughts please.

2008-12-30T15:20:00.002-05:00

I'm compiling a couple lists from different places on the internet. Asking whoever wants to answer: What foods do you like with beer?
Any type of beer any type of food.
Even food that doesn't exist, be creative or tell me your tried and true favorites.
Anything from Pretzels to Pretzel fried Calamari!

Please add your comment below.

This info is going to be put towards a possible future restaurant.

(Anyone in Charleston, your input could end up in your back yard....just sayin, so please comment.)

Finishing up the dinner

2008-12-26T11:19:00.003-05:00

The last courses where: Grouper with Parsnip Ravioli in a Crab Beurre Blanc
Then a Spice Antelope Tenderloin with Sweet Potato and Blue Cheese Souffle, Balsamic Crispy, Endive and Bacon My standard Lamb Dish, that they requested.

And finished off with a Chocolate and Raspberry Mousse, Coffee Ice Cream, Espresso Tuille and Chocolate Powder.

Scallopops

2008-12-25T11:22:00.003-05:00

Third course.I've been playing around with the thoughts in my head for the new concept place that I'm working on. "Bar Food" that's not "Bar Food'. One of the thoughts was trying to come up with a different version of corndogs. What came out of that for this dinner was scallops used like lollipops, but also like those Fun Dip Packets I used to get as a kid. You can dip your Scallopops into different flavors.

The flavors I thought of, when thinking of scallops, where: Pineapple, Bacon, Soy and Banana.

So, with these Scallopops in tempura, you can dip into soy pudding, pineapple pudding, whipped banana or bacon powder.

Beef Confit

2008-12-23T20:55:00.005-05:00

This is a version of a dish that was on the menu a while back Here .

The couple that bid on the wine dinner had made some special request for the evening.

It's surprising sometimes what people really like, and you don't even know it.

When this lady asked me if I could make this dish for her, she told me that her husband was having dreams about it and really wanted to have it again.

"of course", I said.

It's beef tenderloin chain that's been confited and cleaned up, mixed with some veal glace over salty fried fingerlings, with a chocolate and blue cheese sheet and some zested macadamias.

Carbonated Grapes

2008-12-23T20:37:00.003-05:00

I'm still at the Restaurant for the time being.

One of the hardest things and most rewarding things we did at the restaurant was our monthly wine dinners. It was an amazing learning experience for me in so many ways. But, quite trying at times.

It seems like it's been so long since we've done one. One of the main reasons why I don't put up too many postings I guess. That and my heart is a couple miles away looking forward to the next place.

Well, I did one this past week. It was for 4 people. Then 6 people. No big deal. It was fun. There was a fund raiser a couple of months ago and we put up a wine dinner for four as our auction item. It sold fairly well considering the state of the economy. They came in this past week and I think they had a really good time. Little do they know that they were taking part in a farewell dinner for me, or at least that's how I thought of it. The last "wine dinner at the Gables" for me to do. Who knows, maybe I'll stop in for one on one of my trips back to the area.

I started this dinner out with a little amuse of peeled and carbonated grapes in tarragon syrup, garnished with tarragon and pink peppercorns.

History of me, Part 1

2008-12-07T12:16:00.004-05:00

I started out: a week at Burger King in Belle Vernon, Two days at Pizza Hut in Charleroi, sporadic shifts as a bus boy at Rego's in Charleroi then hired as a bus boy at a place on the Monongahela river called Snooter's Galley and Pub. I was fired the first day because the owner didn't like the tattoo on my leg (the uniform required shorts). Well, I wasn't really fired, I was given the option to work in the kitchen. 1993, I started out as a prep cook at Snooter's (I got to skip that all important roll as a grunt in the dishpit, I've made up for that since then) after the summer season passed there was really not much business at all. Most of the higher paid employees where let go and I started being trained on the fry station. Dano Whyle and Mike DiMarco where the chefs at Snooter's, Mike taught me something new every day even when he didn't know that he was. Before long, he and I and a fellow cook we nick-named Tool, where doing 50 to 100 covers a night along with banquets off the line as the summer started to roll in. 1994. After graduating high school all I wanted to do was work and try to figure out what I was going to do for the rest of my life and what I was going to go to college for. I spent that summer working 60 hours a week and not thinking much of it, it just seemed natural, I worked hard and I played hard. I usually wouldn't get home til 4 in the morning and then go into work at 1 or 2 and do it all over again. I was having a blast! I thoroughly loved what my life was.
Before the summer season swung into full effect, Mike left to open his own place in Uniontown and I was moved up to Sous Chef. I was 17 and on salary and left alone by the Chef a lot to run a fairly large kitchen and a staff that was all older then me.
I was the king of the saute station, I loved getting my ass kicked (at least that's how I remember it now) and we had so much fun doing it, we sang along to Weezer's first album and Ill Communications from the Beastie Boys, we would stop in the middle of a rush to do a synchronized guitar solo at the same time. Tool and I where both out of high school and pretty much running some one's restaurant. That someone was a raging drunk.
There was a boat showroom and repair shop attached to the restaurant. One day the owner asked me to help direct him with a forklift to put a boat up, he almost killed me. Then one day he accused me of stealing 5lbs of shrimp, I quit. I've never stolen anything and I don't lie. I don't put up with anyone accusing me of anything like that.
I then enrolled in Johnson and Whales university in Charleston SC, I moved there a couple months early to get a job and just get out of PA. I worked in a fry shack for a couple weeks then got a job on Kiawah Island working for a guy named Jeff....something. There were J&W students working in the same kitchen I was and the Chef, Sous Chef and the GM, Mo Sussmen just tore them apart for how they worked. I was treated very well by all of them. I was young, not in college yet, and was preferred by the Chef over the student workers to work grill. He bought me a beer one night and sat me down and told me about his school, he told me about the CIA in Hyde Park and asked me not to waste my time at J&W. Soon after that I was moving back home for mostly personal reasons, but his talk and my experience with culinary students of J&W, pushed me in a new direction. I couldn't afford the CIA and I didn't want to be too far away from my girlfriend at the time. So, I went to IUP Academy of Culinary Arts and graduated with High Honers in the summer of 1997.
Then, I moved south for good.

2008, today, I've quit my job, I'm getting on a plane to go to Charleston in 5 hours. I have a job lined up that starts in just over a month. I'm going to show a possible investor the city that I love more then any other. I'm going to meet with other possible investors and look at possible restaurant locations.
This path of mine feels like it's been a long one, and really really hard at times. But, I've met some of the most incredible people just by cooking. I get to go to work and do something I love to do every day and meet people that are like me that have the same interests as me and care about what I care about. We're all so different and the same. They have been my rotating family. They have been closer to me then some of my own real family members. Most of these people I will never see again. It's an amazing field.
The family I am leaving now has stood up with me and pulled through some amazing services against some of the worst conditions I've ever worked in. They have made me a stronger person and a better leader. They softened my heart to understand what it's like to work with myself from 1993 and give guidance, support and knowledge. I'll remember them forever as people that cared about me and would work hard for me because they did. I will miss them.

This blog started to document the job I started over two years ago, it will be taking a new direction now.

Pig Candy

2008-11-24T13:54:00.004-05:00

Real quick one. I've been out of town. Back from LA. A lot of things should be happening in the next month. I'm very excited about the future in many ways.

There's a place out there that has "pig candy", what a wonderful idea and treat. The place is called Lou. The pig candy is so thick and sticky with brown sugar it's like salty, crunchy sticky buns.

House Made Bacon

2008-11-10T19:39:00.002-05:00

This might be one of the more rewarding things I've ever done. In a previous posting, I noted the three different cures we put on the fresh pork belly. A regular cure, and to that cure one part of the belly had many more spices added and the other had blue cheese added. The smell on the blue cheese one, when the food saver bag was opened, was so amazing. It's such a natural mixture in my mind, pork and blue cheese.After a rinse, a soak and thoroughly dried, the cured bellies where put into our smoker and slow smoked for several hours. It was a cold night. Bringing these steaming, smoking slabs of love into the kitchen was a pure moment of absolute pleasure. First by just the aroma filling the room, then admiring the color and the beauty of each piece. The fat cap was quivering and almost completely see-through. The flavors of each where extremely distinctive and special. Salty. But, each very special and hope for future pork belly adventures. The blue cheese cure worked so well, I can't wait to apply to other cuts.One lucky customer got a piece freshly cut from a slab, still hot from the smoker and added to their appetizer of Scallops and Bacon with Toasted Blue Cheese Polenta, Balsamic Braised Red Cabbage, Candied Pears and Poblano Honey.

Whipped Mustard

2008-11-10T13:46:00.003-05:00

This really simple mustard broth whipped up nicely, but the volume just dropped out of it.

It did leave behind some nice crispy waffers to go with some mustard crackers and smoked pork loin canapes.

Giant "Tater Tots"

2008-11-04T14:28:00.005-05:00

Potatoes are peeled. The peelings are roasted and infused into milk and cream mixture to give a baked potato flavor. The potatoes are cut into thick slices and allowed to come to a simmer for 4 minutes, they are then rinsed in cold water and covered with cold water, salted and returned to a simmer until tender. This removes starchy gelatinous texture that come from mashed potatoes.
The milk and cream mixture has gelatin sheets added before it's pureed into the potatoes.

The potato puree is allowed to set before it's breaded in shredded potato and panko.

After being fried for 5 minutes, the center is molten and fluid again.

There have been some problems with the crust bursting in the fryer, I think the addition of methocel will help this issue.

Providence Acres Farm

2008-11-01T00:08:00.002-04:00

In another attempt to work with local farms, I came upon a farm in Friedens that listed a lot of items on the PASA website. I called and got a list of what they had. I was really excited to get some fresh pork belly. It turns out they only slaughter pigs once a year and that was this past week.
Oh well, I got a side of fresh pork belly at least. I may get 32 lamb shanks in a month also, but then that's it until next year.

The belly was divided into three pieces for experiments.
One large piece for straight up curing and bacon reasons. One with many added and wonderfully smelling toasted seasonings.
The third, well, this one goes back to a conversation several years ago and talking to a chef/friend of mine about curing pork with blue cheese flavors. So, the third piece of belly has a curing rub and danish blue cheese rubbed into it.
All vacuumed and ready to wait.

Jamison Lamb

2008-10-28T10:46:00.007-04:00

It's funny that I first heard about Jamison Farm when I was in South Carolina and read that Thomas Keller was using their lamb.

Now that it's 30 miles away, well it's still taken me awhile to get around to it.

I tried before, but was afraid to spend the money and It seemed like a hassle to get the product to us, but that was just me being a penny pincher. I opted for one of the cheaper cuts of the animal, but by far one of the favorites. Everybody loves slow cooked food that's really been given personal time and love to make it wonderful.

I rubbed these guys down with Garam Masala and braised for four hours in a stock filled with Eucalyptus leaves and a sachet of Ras El Hanout , served with Feta Orzo, Carrots and Parsnips and a dried Niciose Olive Gremolata.

Duck and Rabbit

2008-10-14T20:23:00.003-04:00

Just a couple new dishes.
We've entered into our really slow period, so that makes it hard (and easy) to put certain things on the menu.
During the summer I've found it necessary to put simpler items on the menu for the pleasure of the clientele we get during this time (mostly theatre goers that have already spent a 40 or so dollars on a ticket and want to eat quickly)and to ensure speed coming off the line.
But now, is usually when we get a little more creative and daring trying to keep the diner coming back week to week to try something different.
Coming off of a lite and fresh Salmon/ Fillet Mignon thrived clientele and menu, it's fun to play around at this time.
Fig En Croute, Walnut battered Rabbit Loin, Balsamic Braised Cabbage, Carrot Emulsion and Chocolate Pretzel.

With smoker now out back, I've been smoking some of my favorite items.
Smoked Duck salad with warm Beets, Goat Cheese, Cress and Juniper Puree.
The duck was cured in a mixture of Pink Salt, Brown sugar, soy powder, Fennel and Coriander.

Alinea The Cook Book

2008-10-14T20:06:00.003-04:00

When Grant Achatz stated at the StarChefs.com congress that his book would be out by early October, everyone was very excited. It was mentioned many times during the three day event. It was explained that the shipment was being unloaded as we sat and listened to him speak.
He also explained to the ones that pre-ordered over a year ago that they may see copies on shelves or on the internet , but those who had the patience would be rewarded on October 13th with Signed copies of the book.
I've waited over a year, I just opened it today and I haven't really looked at it yet. I've waited this long, I can wait until I have enough time to sit down and read the whole thing. I know that starting it will turn into getting no sleep.

Audi Coast to Coast

2008-10-08T01:00:00.004-04:00

We mostly do weddings.

There's nothing wrong with that, except that I come from former jobs that cater to the rich.

So, I'm used to the week and a half of feeding the NY Knicks, the Week when the Jeep Liberty was introduced, The Spoleto Festival , you know, these type of things.

But, for the past two years (that's right, friday the 10th will be my second year here at the restaurant and in PA) I've been mainly doing weddings.

It was such a nice change to think that other people know we exist. Sure they were all speaking German and where here for the free buffet on their way to their free dinner in Cleveland, but it felt like we had a chance to reach out to another group. People that would in no way have imagined they would have been pulling off at that one red light in a town that has only one red light off of one of the oldest highways in America and eating in our restaurant.

I'm ashamed to say it, but I know in my heart it's true, I put more into this little buffet of theirs...I cared more. But, I think they cared more. There was no one women in that one hugely expencive gowns their for her perfect night that her family put themselves into debt for. There was no drunken grandmother of the groom that wanted to bitch about her prime rib being bloody. No shit faced best man trying to give a speach while eveyone's food is getting cold.

No, just 1.7 million dollars worth of Audi out my kitchen back door.

The Daily American

2008-10-05T21:45:00.003-04:00

In finishing up the "Come to Where Fresh Is" dinner,
I get my chickens from a local farm, Myers Poultry , Diane is awesome at getting me birds pretty much any time of year and any time of day really. On the current menu I have some southern roots remnants with fried chicken and collards. For this evenings dinner I did Diane's chicken two ways, I took my favorite part of the thigh (the larger mussel from the outer side) and gave it a traditional buttermilk, egg, and hot sauce brine over night then breaded it with our own breading mixture. Nothing special really, but who doesn't love fried chicken? Especially if you're like me and a thigh man. I served the fried thigh over my favorite collards. The recipe for the collards is a combination of what Jeff and I used to make at Charleston Chops and what Chef Bob Wagonner used to make at Charleston Grill.
There's a swipe of smoked acorn squash puree (I can't tell you how amazing this puree smells, like smoked buttered popcorn on steroids).
I slow poached the breast in some brewed tea, sliced and served on top of the chocolate ancho sausage.
When trying to utilize local farmers, I finally got in contact with a local bison farm....only too late for the dinner. But, I have them on hand to use in the future. In doing these ribs, I wanted so bad to have the resources of other chefs, it's hard not to want all the latest gadgets to do these amazing things you read about with amazingly expensive pieces of equipment. But...then I realized, I have what some may remember...an alto-sham. A very familiar oven for cooking and holding prime ribs for steak houses or banquet facilities. Well, these ribs where braised at a constant 180 degrees for 22 hours in birch beer. The braising liquid was then turned into a fig bbq, the plate finished with smoked cauliflower, raisins and brussel sprouts. You can't see it here but there's a caramel spoon bread under the rib.
The last course was a bitch.
It came down to crunch time (we also had about 800 ppl in banquets before this dinner was to take place, time to play and experiment was extremely limited) and still no dessert. I wanted to do two, but damn we didn't even have enough plates to do everything I wanted to do. This was going to be an introduction to fall, Pumpkin Pie Noodles with Spiced Apple Gelee and vanilla ice cream from a local supply. Valley Dairy honestly has some of the best ice cream I've ever had and their original factory is about five minutes from my house.

Another hard part about this dish was something coming from the Starchefs congress in NY last month. Watching Heston Blumenthal pour scented liquid over dry ice for the whole audience to enjoy got the idea just stuck in my head. It's such an easy and fun addition, except for finding the dry ice that is. Ed, my sales rep from Reinhart always comes through...60 pounds worth through.
So, dry ice was placed in the outer bowl and in front of every diner was a "light bulb" with our logo on it filled with Chai tea and other spices. It was placed there prior to them ever sitting down, so as the last dish was served I was explaining to the room what to do with their party favor.
It worked out pretty well. It's hard to fit dinners like this into a tight schedule and small staff, but damn if doesn't feel good when it all comes together. It's a rewarding life to feed others.

A recap of the evening can be read here: http://www.dailyamerican.com/articles/2008/10/05/news/news/news221.txt

Wascilly Wabbit

2008-10-04T22:20:00.003-04:00

The Third course for the "come to where fresh is" dinner came from a conversation with Carrie while channel surfing and stopping on the Cartoon Network. I can't help but think about watching Woody Wood Pecker and Bugs Bunny on the wall of my Mom's parents house on Reel to reel with no sound, just cartoons and their nemisis.

So, when I thought of this dish, I had Bugs Bunny on my mind and Elmer Fudd.

This is Rabbit Tenderloin wrapped in cabbage (rabbits eat cabbage), Bugs Bunny always had a carrot in his mouth....so, carrot reduction (painted on the plate), Potatoes cooked in carrot juice (fresh carrot juice), carrots cooked in carrot juice,........the Hassenpheffer was an issue.(Elmer Fudd always wanted to make it.)...it was pretty strong.

I took White, Black and Pink Peppercorns and pressure cooked them in Brandy, veal stock and cream then pureed it.

The finished dish got two dots of this puree.

Hot Guacamole

2008-10-02T18:30:00.002-04:00

The second course for the "Come to Where Fresh is" dinner was focused on salsa. When I think of a true example of what "fresh" is, I think about salsa. I remember the first time I had fresh salsa, it was at a fellow cooks house during a party he was throwing.

I may have been a little behind when it came to trying new foods when I was younger. I grew up like most kids, eating a lot of foods out of cans, boxes, freezers and nearby pizza shops.

My dad had a garden from time to time and it produced fresh produce, but we didn't know about cilantro or cumin.

So, now, when I think about freshness I can't help but go back to picking up a familiar tortilla chip and scooping up what was "salsa" (not like the salsa I was used to from a jar), and just being completely blown away. Something as simple as salsa had me completely lost for words and feeling very ignorant to what I was being exposed to. When I asked Bill (I think that's what his name is) where he got the salsa, he said "from my back yard". It was the freshest of anything at that point that I had every tasted. It was amazing, like it was just mixed minutes before hand with all the flavors at their absolute peak.

My interpretation is a little different.

There's a hot Guacamole cube on top of a fresh slice of Lambert Farms heirloom tomato, topped with whipped clear salsa and a dehydrated heirloom tomato, along with a "tortilla chip" (toasted tortilla mixed with Isomalt) and some cilantro puree.

The flavors are there and familiar to mostly everyone, hopefully by now, but the textures are different and altered to give the brain a new reference when thinking about the familiar.

Some may think this silly and completely unnecessary, and I've been battling myself to these same reasons and thoughts, but I do think it's important to connect with diners on new levels. To introduce new ways of thinking about things. What limits do we put on ourselves forever if we don't alter what has always just been accepted?

I personally like to think that a dish, any dish, can be ripped apart to it's core ingredients, textures, techniques, flavors and put back together to represent an option a new approach.

Beet Consomme

2008-10-01T23:19:00.008-04:00

So, alot of people know this one by now.

I just thought the after picture looked like a crime scene.
After adding gelatin to the beet stock, letting it freeze and then thawing it over a cheese cloth trampoline the stock is

(not as clear as this one)

The stock oxidized pretty quickly. But still tasted really good, so I put some beet noodles and goat cheese noodles.

Holy Smoker!

2008-09-30T16:41:00.002-04:00

So, I got a smoker.
I like it a lot.
The bad thing about it, is the restraint that I need to put forth to not smoke everything on the menu.
I've been smoking the home made chocolate and ancho sausages for 5 to 7 hours and they are awesome.

Chocolate Ancho Beef Sausage. Recipe.

2008-09-24T23:36:00.006-04:00

Sometimes...you just want to, make something.
Regardless of what you know about the subject or cooking style.
I feel like I haven't given enough attention to the art of charcutirie and know it's do to intimidation and the constant urge to just jump right in.
Patience is not a characteristic of mine.
For instence, I didn't want to spend $100 on a sausage stuffer so that I can learn more about making sausage. Instead, I melted down the size of a plastic attachement ($10 Gander Mountain ) and attached it to our existing Hobart mixer. It worked.......kinda. It seemed to puree the sausage too much as it was trying to force it through the tube.

The sausage came out pretty good though for a second attempt

8# Beef chain, cleaned of silverskin and cut down
3# Beef fat
2 Ancho Chilis, Cleaned of seeds
.5 ounce Curing Salt
1 Tbs Chili Powder
.5 Tbs Curry Powder
.5 Tbs Ground Cumin
.25 tsp Ground Nutmeg
.25 cup Coco Powder
.25 Chocolate Chips
.25 cup Brown sugar
.25 Cup Salt
1 Tbsp Black Pepper
1 Small Onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed
These items are mixed together and covered allowed to marinate over night.
Ground through medium dye, fed into natural pork casings, poached at 72 degrees C then pan seared.
Ironically, the texture given to the sausage from the make shift stuffer was almost perfect, pate like, but the time given to force it through the extruder is unforgiving.
I purchased a real sausage attachment for a smaller kitchen aid and have also purchased an upright smoker.
So, many things will be smoked from now on.
Like everything maybe.

Korin Knives

2008-09-22T23:05:00.005-04:00

I've written before about purchasing a new knife, how there are very few things as great as a new knife. Things like: clean sheets day, new car smell, new socks, that kind of stuff.
Well,....nothing compares to this knife. For so long, so long, I've wanted a real sashimi knife, a knife that would slice with 2% effort from me, a knife that wants to give perfection in it's movements, a knife that has it's own goal and purpose already built into it.
Wilson had a Misono knife last time he was in my kitchen and we talked about how important a good knife is, I mean a really good knife. He told me about a store in NY that had an old man that sat on a plank of wood with another plank in front of him and wells of water around him, in these wells where sharpening stones that he would use to personally put an edge on your knife.
Korin is the name of that store.
"The oldest known Japanese chef knife is over 1200 years old. However, even 1200 years ago, individual knives and special cutting techniques were employed for cutting different types of food. Today’s Japanese chef knives are fashioned by techniques that were originally developed for making katana or traditional samurai swords. The shift from sword-crafting to knife-crafting began in the mid-nineteenth century in response to Commodore Perry’s forced opening of Japan’s borders to Western trade. After World War II, General MacArthur totally banned Japanese sword-making, which forced large numbers of highly skilled craftsmen to turn their skills and attention to the fashioning of kitchen knives. So, for inspiration, the dedicated sword craftsmen began to look to the ambitious creations of creative chefs. In this way, they soon elevated Japanese knives to a state of universal renown. Many centuries later, the "unforgettable sharpness" of the katana is still the distinguishing mark of the Japanese knife." (source: korin.com)

New York, New Life

2008-09-21T16:47:00.002-04:00

We got back from www.starchefs.com congress on Wednesday night. The whole experience is just amazing and completely reinvigorating.
I'm still having huge problems with my computer and have no time to fix them, I've given up on trying to fix it myself and am taking it to a shop on Monday.
One of the seminars I went to was on Food Blogging. I really want to make this site work and get some traffic through it. I've been slaking really bad over the past couple months, but I am going to work harder at this once my home computer is fixed. I even have plans to buy a better camera to help with the over aesthetics of the page.
So, stay with me a little longer and hopefully this will become a great source of information sharing, with feedback and an openness for all things food to evolve with everyone involved.

"Come To Where Fresh Is"

2008-09-09T21:15:00.002-04:00

We hired a new PR company about three months ago. It's a good thing I'm sure. It's just hard when someone else starts making the ideas for you. It's hard to be given an idea to finish or to be redefined by someone that really doesn't know you. It's a blow to the ego. I know that's not the intention, but they don't know me and how I perceive things and how I conceive things. Ideas from my mind are hard enough to get to the bottom of and get onto a plate and into someones mouth with wondrous enjoyment.
I tend to take a lot of time, a lot of time, coming up with what I want to serve. So much time, due to research and learning about new ideas and new approaches, time to establish what could go wrong and what could go better. But, there never seems to be enough time (nor space) to get it perfect. Perfection can be so far away sometimes it hurts.
When that feeling comes on, it's really hard to get and stay motivated. It seems to be a vicious cycle I fall into, when I think that this career will kill me, drive me mad, or keep me from a life of family and time to spend with them I start looking at my options. "What else can I do?" "What else can I make a living at that will allow me the life I want?"
I always come back to cooking, it called to me at a young age and even though I'm getting older and may never reach the fame that so many people associate with it now, I still love to cook and get my ass handed to me on a busy night.
The creative aspect to it is what can drive me crazy and reward me at the same time. I walked around for a week (that's all the notice and time I was given) with a little light bulb in my pocket, looking at everything food oriented around me and trying to figure how to get it inside the bulb and how this item would stand up to being mailed out to 20 or so members of the local media. And, how to represent our new tag "Come To Where Fresh Is" in a vessel that absolutely requires a 2-3 day shelf life.

It's a marketing Ad Lib.

Basil and Banana Bubble Gum.
That's all I could come up with. Nothing else was clicking. Not that I'm unhappy with the gum, I'm just a little worried that nothing else (nothing) was coming to mind. Nothing that I thought I could complete and package within one week.

If you received this gum, I hope you enjoy it. It was fun to make and I think it taste pretty damn good. The Basil and Banana thing's been on my mind for months now.
And as far as what else I can do to make a living? I think I'm ready to start thinking about owning my own place. It's a process, one that can put me into debt for my grandchildren to pay off.
But, the Basil and Banana will have a place on the menu, I'm thinking "Smashed Banana, Basil, Bacon and Peanut Butter Paninnis".

Dead Computer

2008-09-06T14:41:00.002-04:00

So, in the process of trying to install a new security program, my computer was completely corrupted. To the point that (I think this is connected) my bank account was hacked into and my Internet is not working at all.
I can't even install the security program now, it just freezes up and I can't get online help with it unless I'm on thee infected computer.
Non of my pictures are available on my work computer, so the blogging may be stalled for a while.
Thank you to everyone for reading and your comments.

Juniper Berry Puree

2008-08-28T23:31:00.003-04:00

USFoods (a food purveyor that many are familiar with) uses an outside source for many food items. This outside source has many different rules and guidelines that, when combined with the thousands of other rules and guidelines in life and work, may be forgotten at times.
But, who would really need FIVE pounds of Juniper berries ? Aside from a Gin distiller of course.
So, as the saying goes (and I've learned to love and adapt this saying in so many ways): "When life gives you______, you make_______"
Not lemonade in this case. But a wonderful concoction non the less. Placed in the pressure cooker along with some toasted Cumin, Honey, White Balsamic and water. These, almost fresh, dried berries took on such an amazing burst of full fledged flavor. Just making the mouth come alive with floral sweet bitterness, truly amazing points hit on the taste buds.
I think most of us are used to that one "restaurant sized" container of Juniper Berries sitting on the shelve with actual dust on it cause you really only need about twelve a year depending on how many you add to your duck confit recipe. One of my servers was determined to find a use for my five pound of Juniper and came up with very little on the Internet as far as recipes are concerned.

The power of flavor behind this pine driven herb may be it's downfall, but there are so many foods that can bare it's addition to highlight their very own existence.

The Washington Post

2008-08-18T21:56:00.002-04:00

It's not a huge article about the restaurant...but, it's still a mention in the Washington Post !
In case you don't feel like reading the whole thing, here's what it says about us "Ligonier's summer nightlife, we decide, ends at sundown. Aside from those decorous bandstand concerts, there's high-decibel drag racing at the Jennerstown Speedway and a multiplex 12 miles west. We opt for a lighter alternative at the lakeside Mountain Playhouse, which bills itself as the oldest summer theater in the state.
Near the summit of Laurel Mountain, we turn at an 1805 gristmill, moved here in 1939 and flanking the area's best restaurant. The pairing was no accident: The owner of a former sandwich stand put a theater in the gristmill to lure Pittsburghers to his eatery next door. Now the elegant Green Gables overlooks the same lake as the theater, and most patrons, including us, stroll from their dinners to their seats. The straw-hat fare hasn't varied much since that first season: no irony, no angst, just "Unnecessary Farce," a new comedy played for belly laughs. Outside at intermission, the skies over the lake are clear; an hour later, they open. We creep back down Laurel Mountain in a downpour, braking for a steep descent to the Ligonier Country Inn. "
Pretty cool.

Also, check out Table Magazine for a little more mentions. You can click on the retailer link to find a copy.

Benjamin Snyder AKA: Jammin'

2008-08-12T22:45:00.004-04:00

Before.

After.

And how he got this way.

Several times in my Culinary life I've been a participant in an age old practice of "pie-ing", whenever a valued member of a team that has been with the team long enough, he or she was given a grand send off. This send off could be: a cake, presents, shots, a night out drinking with co-workers, a free dinner in the restaurant, antique-ing (a water battle followed by a dousing of flour), or in this case (video doesn't show the approach) me hiding everyone behind an extra sheet of paneling. When dropped, everyone comes out of the wood work to give Jamin' a farewell pie-ing.

Some comments from Jammin' "That may have been a bit much, I couldn't breath at one point", and " I can't get the smell of sour milk out of my nose".

Jammin' is heading off to Bob Jones university to further his Culinary future (then hopefully to the CIA for more learning), he's already way ahead of the pack though. When I hired him he was fresh out of Burger King as an ass kicking record holding Whopper maker. I put him in the dish pit well over a year ago and he kept asking me for a chance at pantry... after a week I had to ask him to slow down. I couldn't get entrees started before he would have the entire tables first course sent out the door.

I moved him onto Saute with no problems then let him settle in to Grill for the summer, I figured he would need to get used to the heat. The south gets pretty warm.

I plan on working for Jammin' some day. He's one of those people you meet in your life that's meant to be doing what he's doing. He will master every part of cooking at some point, if only because he wants to. I'm not even sure if he enjoys it or not, I think he does, he smiles after a good ass-handing so he must.

I wish I knew what he knows now about food when I was his age.

Good luck buddy, and you know to keep in touch.

Charleroi PA

2008-08-11T23:15:00.005-04:00

Carrie and I took a drive back to my home town. I've been here for almost two years now, and it hits me every now and then, that craving for spaghetti. I may make it at home every now and then, like my parents did with Prego Traditional, ground beef and extra touches from the spice rack.

But three places have a special place in my heart and memory when it comes to Americanized spaghetti, 1. The American Legion in Belle Vernon and their home made pasta 2. My Grandmother's house (sadly no longer available) and 3. Rego's, where I had my first job as a bus boy and every night I got a plate full of spaghetti with meat sauce.

I haven't had it over 16 years and it's still as great as I remembered. There's just something about it. It may be just that it's a memory that can be returned to.

I never order spaghetti anymore because the memories of what's good and what I like are already in place, and that's what I want when I eat spaghetti. So, I wait until those time are possible. It's been tough living a little over an hour away from Rego's and waiting until recently to get a fix, but man was it worth it.

On the way out of town we stopped across the river to see a really great friend of mine, who just a happens to manage a pizza shop that is known for another favorite food memory of mine.

She insisted on making one for us to take home. With a belly full of spaghetti, I had to have a slice after about five minutes smelling it in the car.

"The Red Top" is what makes Armando's what it is. And the people that love making pizzas the right way.

"Quality ingredients, quality flour, quality craftsmanship in making the dough", I think that's how Mandy put it.

Thank you again Mandy.

Local Patty Pan Squash

2008-08-11T23:13:00.000-04:00

I've never seen them this big before.

That's my chef knife, not a pairing knife.

Finishing the Burgundy Dinner

2008-08-01T09:12:00.003-04:00

This wasn't really how the dish looked, it was the left overs after I realized that I forgot to take a picture of the actual dishes.
Duck Breast with Lavender, Mango and Peanuts
Served with: Domaine Gabriel Billard Pommard 1er Cru "Les Charmots"2005 Cote De Beaune
I cooked the peanuts in water and Jasmine extract, really exciting with the mango and the lavender poach on the duck. Also, we placed cylinder vases full of fresh lavender, orange zest and a tiny bit of Menthol in front of fans in the dinning room after the course was served.
The combination of just a little bit of Menthol Crystals with anything is so intense and can completley fill a room.

Dessert. After tasting through twelve wines, Ben, the sommelier, decided on this wine for the last course. Jean-Luc Joillot Bourgogne "Hautes Cote De Beaune" 2005 Cote D'Or, my notes on the wine where "Onion, Shallot, Fried, Sour braised, Cabbage, Meat, stew?, Would need cream on palate, gherkins, butter."
And I had to take those thoughts and direct them towards a dessert.
Watermelon and Feta Granita with Kalamata Ice Cream and Basil Crumble.
I was happy with it. Along with everyone else.
A little Chocolate Balsamic and Sweet Basil Syrup.

Courses 4 and 5

2008-07-31T10:37:00.002-04:00

Oyster Cog Au Vin
with Oyster Mushrooms, Scallop and Rhubarb Mignonette. Served with: Domaine Jean-Claude Belland Santenay 1er Cru "Comme" 2002 Cote De Beaune
Baer and Jamin' hard at work.

Pork Bourguignonne a la French Onion.
Red wine braised Pork ribs, shredded and mixed with truffle stewed Maitakes and carmelized onions over top french onion broth and a crouton loaded with Primma Donna cheese.
Anytime I think of French Onion soup, I think of two people: Wilson and Randy, Wilson freakin loves french onion soup and Randy makes awesome French Onion soup. All I can say, is that I truely believe they would both have loved this dish.
Served with: Domaine Tortochot Gevrey-Chambertin "Les Jeunes Rios" 2005 Cote De Nuits

Seabass Civiche

2008-07-29T10:23:00.001-04:00

Third Course, Burgundy Wine Dinner

California Sea Bass Civiche with Chorizo, Sopresatta and Truffle Fingerling Confit
Served with two wine pairings: Domaine Alain Patriarche Meursault Vielles Vignes 2006 Cote De Beaune
and: Domaine Jean Touzot Macon Villages Vielles Vignes 2006 Maconnais

I really enjoy doing wine dinners this way. We sit down and taste a bunch of wine before the food is perceived, as I taste I just try to place what smells and flavors I get and the dish can come to life at that second.
The smells off the two wines really made the dish here. The Touzot gave of smells of truffle and grapefruit while the Meursault reminded me so quickly of cured meats and anti pasta platters.
So, I just put the two together.

Roasted Peach and Lobster Thermidor

2008-07-28T11:08:00.002-04:00

Course two for the Burgundy Wine Dinner.
Served over Carrot Chow Chow and served with: Franciois Servin Chablis 1er Cru "Montee De Tonnerre" 2005

Burgundy Wine Dinner

2008-07-26T09:03:00.002-04:00

Course One.
Beets and Beet sheets with Goat Cheese and a Raspberry Lemon Butter Foam, Flur De Sel Pop Rocks.

When Smelling the Sparkling Wine, the first thing you get is Raspberry and Citrus and hints of sweetness. The Pop Rocks added a little bubbly of their own.

Beet Leaves

2008-07-24T00:16:00.000-04:00

From Lambert Farms.
Of course with Goat Cheese.

Sausage

2008-07-23T23:07:00.003-04:00

Jamin' and I decided to play around with some charcuterie. I think we need a little more practice. The flavors were there for the most part....
but, the texture of the final product just isn't right. It wants to just crumble apart.

Good Combo

2008-07-17T23:28:00.001-04:00

Ajowan seared Tuna, Truffle curry carrot puree, basil syrup, Pea shoots tossed in wasabi honey olive oil with a roasted corn hash. Not the prettiest thing, but damn tasty all together.

Randy's Last Day

2008-07-12T23:27:00.002-04:00

Randy's been at the restaurant for three years or so. He was the dishwasher working on the night I flew in to do my tasting interview almost two years ago. I fed him a couple things he never had before, told him that my brothers name was also Randy, he smiled slightly and nodded. All he ever wanted to do was listen to music, play drums and clean. You gotta love that. He would walk around tapping the bottom of the mixing bowls just to hear the different pitches just before he put them away clean on the shelf. Everything was an instrument in some fashion.
He had a couple things he wanted to do on his last day, hell, some of the things done in the past should have been saved for 'last day antics" but what fun is that.?
Prior to working with Randy, my dishwasher experience was mostly in the world of crack heads, ex-cons, the mentally challenged or mentally unstable, work- release, or the "one paycheck" guys. At this point, Randy could do whatever he wanted to......and I knew he wouldn't take advantage of it. He just like doing dishes.
I've seen this guy scrub the grout in the kitchen with a toothbrush...........without being asked!

Randy's now enrolled at a college in Gettysburg to learn more about sound and music.

He has a job whenever he needs one here.

Ideas In Food Dinner

2008-07-03T07:58:00.006-04:00

Anyone who reads my blog knows that I'm a huge fan of http://www.ideasinfood.com/ and have been for several years, around the time they started blogging. They recently did a dinner in Charleston at a restauraunt I used to work at (and in a town I miss greatly) McCrady's , so as soon as I heard about the dinner I knew this was my chance to eat some of Alex and Aki's food along with Sean , the Chef of McCrady's.

After months of antisipation the menu was finally in front of me, as I read it trying to imagine how these items will be presented on the plate and how they were prepared.

A brief introduction to a room of mostly familiar faces from the food and beverage industry and then it starts.

Very interesting note, the dinner had two choices of wine pairings to choose from, a $50 option or a $100 option. Being somewhat frugile and actually liking some of the choices being represented on the $50 option, that's what both my brother and I decided on.

Toasted Farro Ice Cream

Wild Char Roe, Cucumber, Honey jelly

Paired with: Sherry "cream" Pat Aragon

My favorite pairing of the night easily.

Chilled Scallop

Chantrelle Mushroom, Apricot Puree, Arugula

Paired with: Viognier, La Paradou 06

Stone Crab Claw

Vaudovan, Pototo Links, Kimchee Ketchup

Paired with: Reisling, Monchof estate, mosel 06

The Vaudovan was a curry butter mixed into some more crab meat that had some staying power. All very good, although I just didn't get the potato links.

Local Shrimp

Cattails, Gin and Juice

Paired with: Txkoli, Gurrutxaga, Bizaiko, Spain 06

Never had cattails before, always saw them in the swampy areas growing up, but until this night, didn't know they could be eaten.

Crowder Peas

Austrailan black Truffle, Brown Butter Puree, Parmigiano Reggiano

Paired with: Corvina, Allegrini, Palazzo della Torre" Veneto 03

I love Crowder Peas and mixed with the Parmesen, that's really all I needed.

Foie Gras Fragments

Butternut Squash, Sandy Olives, Cornbread Struesel

Paired with: Muscat de Rivesaltes, Ey, "Vigne Lo Clavell" 05

Easily one of my favorites of the night, the julienne squash had an amazing role in this flavor heavy dish. All the textures worked together to balance one another, except for one that was way too hard almost like raw grits, but was forgivable do to the rest of the dish and the pairing.

Crab Tail

Corn Blanket, Chow Chow, Wood Ear Mushrooms

Paired with: Victory, Hop Devil IPA

Just a great dish, in flavor and presentation, my first time having Crab Tail reminded me of Sea bass a little.

Root Beer braised Short Ribs

Stewed Garden Tomatoes, Garlic Whistle Sauce, Chives

Paired with: Dolcetto d'Alba, Cantina del Pino 06

No root beer flavor left after the long slow poach, but the remaining flavors paired with the incredible stewed tomatoes was just awesome. The Plancha sear gave this dish an amazing smoked rib flavor and the wine added so much of the braising nose back to it.

Pork Loin

Desirre Potato Puree, Sun Gold Tomatoes, Pickled Watermelon Rind

Paired with: Syrah, Domaine Serene, "Rockblock-SoNo" Oregon 05

Trefoil Cheese

Chrentias Melon Marmelade, Nasturtium

Paired with: Tawny Port, Rosemount, Australia

Awesome pairing. Melon done on a sheeter and filled with a semi firm jelly like marmalade

Raspberries

Eucalyptus Sorbet, Clear Whey

Paired with: Brachetto d'Acqui, sparkling Dolce, banfi 05

Another great pairing. Dippin dots and whipped whey.

Butterscotch and Peaches

Paired with Sauternes, Chateau halliet 05

Six hours later, I'm sad to say that I couldn't hang out and talk to old co-workers and pick the brains of the Chefs that prepaired the meal, it was just to late in the evening.

New stuff

2008-06-28T23:25:00.002-04:00

Let me just say, the Menthol Crystals are intense!

The bubble gum is yet to happen.

Beet sheets

2008-06-28T23:14:00.002-04:00

So, Gary Lambert brings me a lot of Beet Tops with my usual lettuce and Tomato order. Over at www.ideasinfood.com they recently cryovaced some beet leaves. So I thought, why not use the freezer poach method in addition to rolling them out with some goat cheese. Beets and Goat cheese go so well together.

And the control on the shape is my favorite part.

Cherry Bombe

2008-06-26T10:02:00.003-04:00

Some dessert items got a little messed up. In my kitchen we're always looking for some sort of eating competition, all it takes is a little money and some challengers.

It helps to add the stipulation that all food, or food like products, must remain down for at least 30 minutes.

Gas Out!

2008-06-25T21:53:00.003-04:00

"Um....is it possible we're running out of gas?"

"Well...., actually...yes it is. We ran out of gas during a busy brunch last summer. Why do you ask?"

This turned into an interesting Saturday night.

We have a gas delivery system that is based on what any other company is based on I guess, employees. Let's say you have a bad employee that's given a job, he or she may or may not perform that job as well or as often as they should. Supposedly, the employee with the gas company that was supposed to deliver our gas last week....well, he wasn't a good employee.

Luckily we only had about 20 covers left hanging on the window. At our restaurant every entree must be out by 7:30 at the latest so the theatre can start on time. The bad news was that the 7:20 wedding for 120 some people was still in the process of being cooked.

Out come the creative ideas.

40 Filets on the neighbors grill.

15 Filets on an electric Panini press

another 20 or so on a sheet pan with 8 sternos directly underneath it.

Pan seared everything to finish up the restaurant orders., thanks to ONE butane burner.

The gas showed up later that night. But, these type of hurdles are no fun.

Although, I couldn't help but laugh. When things are completely out of my control and shouldn't happen, what else can you do?

And yet still, one person in particular thinks that this should be on the list of things to keep an eye on.

Wine Distributors Tasting

2008-06-17T01:00:00.003-04:00

The Piggy came out pretty damn good and well received to my surprise. I wasn't sure how our guest would feel about a whole pig.
But, the day marinade took, the meat was full of flavor moist and juicy, and the skin was super crispy.

Some baked salmon and some really great cheeses from NY where some other items available.

We don't do to many buffets of this type, I wish we would. We really have a beautiful lawn to spread out on, although we do need more appropriate tools to provide a more sophisticated experience. But, we're working on that. Sourcing is still a major issue.

Bison Ribs

2008-06-12T09:35:00.001-04:00

Brown sugar rubbed.

Going to finish the sauce today.

Pigtastic!

2008-06-11T23:17:00.003-04:00

Previously I've written about whole pigs. There's just something disturbingly honest and humanly realistic about them.

We all know that they are used in ballistic testing as a way to gauge bullets on humans.

There's an Erie feeling about when working on a whole pig. Although it's educational for the most part. It puts everything in perspective. You can see where everything comes from. More then a diagram, more then me explaining it to the best of my knowledge. There it is. In its flesh and bone, there it is.
Seeing what we all ingest on a regular basis sprawled out on a table in its entirety can and should bring a sense of respect to every consumer.
I've had whole roasted pigs in the past. And maybe it's just me, but I thought there could be so much more love given to them.
I spent some time with the marinading process with this guy and making sure that every part was used properly.

Sure, I realized later on that he wouldn't fit in the oven, but I'm not throwing away the head.

Seafood

2008-06-02T22:28:00.002-04:00

It's been a challenge finding the freshest seafood this far in from the coast and this far away from any big cities. Luckily Paragon Monteverde delivers this far out. Bay of Fundy Salmon
North Carolina Wreck Grouper

Philly Mac N Cheese Steak

2008-06-02T22:21:00.002-04:00

It's like a mishearing mixed with a mixspeaking.

Of course it led to Chimis
Thanks to this man.

Garden started

2008-05-20T16:57:00.002-04:00

Not the biggest lot in the world, but it's a start. This plot is for fruits and veggies, there's another smaller spot right outside the kitchens backdoor for fresh herbs.

Now if the sun would only come out.

Local Customers

2008-05-16T10:58:00.002-04:00

These pictures where taken just behind the restaurant property.

Just an idea of how far out we really are.

And I think I want a pet cow.
I saw one do something that actually took some thought a couple weeks ago while driving into work, and I thought for a split second "maybe I shoudn't eat them", but then I thougt about how tasty they are and I was quickly over it.

What a differance a year makes.

2008-05-14T17:06:00.003-04:00

Last Mother's Day was insanely different from this year's.
Last year I had two teenage employees working the line, I had just lost two sous chefs and two seasoned line cooks.

This year was quite opposite. I finally got a sous chef after a solid year and over the past summer and slow season I've trained and gained some awesome cooks, whom I'm very proud of.

We exceeded our usual numbers with almost no problems, one little snaffu with a dessert rush, but that will be fixed by the time the theatre opens up for the summer.

I didn't realize this at the time, but we were all toasting right under our kitchen mascot.
....I wonder if anyone remembers the mascot from Turtle Point? Willy? Randy?

Santa Barbera Wine Dinner

2008-04-29T10:01:00.005-04:00

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

2008-04-27T22:22:00.002-04:00

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!

2008-04-22T23:53:00.002-04:00

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

2008-04-21T12:22:00.002-04:00

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

2008-04-15T18:48:00.005-04:00

"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

2008-04-14T19:25:00.004-04:00

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

2008-04-14T17:25:00.004-04:00

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

2008-04-12T23:50:00.004-04:00

Mixed in with a little ginger-sriracha simple syrup.

Topped off with a "Yuzu Mimosa"

Pickled Beet Meringue

2008-04-12T23:46:00.001-04:00

Please ignore the left over tomato pieces under the insert.

Bubbler

2008-04-09T23:50:00.006-04:00

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

2008-04-08T12:00:00.001-04:00

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