CCAP

Careers through Culinary Arts Program had its annual fund raising event at Peir 60 in New York Tuesday night, and I got to go.
Several top chefs from New York were there managing thier stations along with several familiar faces in the crowd.
Lidia Bastianich was the Honoree this year, Tim Zagat was a speaker, and Al Roaker was the mc for the night.
The Food and the experience alone was amazing.
Restaurants such as Morimoto, and

Fig Tuille

With Smoked Chocolate, Ancho Tuna, Chocolate Broth and Masa Meringue

YUZU

In lemon Grass Sheet.

Best use of a "Post-it note" to date

Amuse with help from 3M

Safety Baer (Matt)

All blow-torching, welding and thermo-nuclear experiments should be approached with the most sophisticated and modern facial protection.

Veal Breast

No picture, sorry.
I purchased a 3lb bone in veal breast today. It was delicious.
November 2004, Louis Osteen is at the table next to me at the Embassy Suites convention center, for some benefit, he is serving Veal Breast. Everyday since then, when I see or hear of Veal Breast, I want to tackle this ingredient.
I've been looking at a supply of Veal Breast at the local supermarket for the past couple days. I have no idea really (nor do they, I'm sure) why they have this product. Not the most common cut of meat to see in these parts. But, as I pass by it, time after time all I can think about is the Veal Breast that Chef Osteen handed me years ago and how familiar yet foriegn it was to me.
I truely love braising. Taking a cheap, disregaurded piece of meat, that is tough and most people don't want to deal with and turning it into something incredible. Bringing it to it's most important place in the world it's currently in. The world of survival of the fittest. Eat or be eaten. What better way to treat an animal that has been sacrificed to our consumption than to try your hardest to make it the best it can be?
Simply, tonight I cooked myself dinner at home. Three pounds of bone-in Veal Breast, Seared, Onions, Garlic, Soy sauce, Chicken stock, tomato sauce, some extra seasonings. Then just let it Braise. Beauty. True Beauty. After Four and a Half Hours, just wonderful flavor and texture. Now to work on my own versions of utilazation with this cut.
It's soft and stringy at the same time. Takes on flavor. Retains it's shape for the most part. I can still taste it and so many things that will go with it.