Juniper Berry Puree

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

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'

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

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

I've never seen them this big before.

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

Finishing the Burgundy Dinner

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

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

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

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

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

From Lambert Farms.
Of course with Goat Cheese.

Sausage

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.