I finally uploaded the last of our pictures from Japan to our Picasa site. If any of you are still interested, feel free to check it out.
If and when she has some more free time, Michelle will finish her day-by-day recap of our trip. (It's hard to believe it's already been over 3 months since we got back.)
Showing posts with label _By Brian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label _By Brian. Show all posts
Monday, August 24, 2009
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Book Report: "Ambition and Delight"
Henry Bourne was one of my most valued mentors in graduate school. I could always count on him to provide some much-needed perspective, and his advice was always clear and balanced, so I was extremely excited to read his memoirs, "Ambition and Delight". My expectations were pretty high, but I wasn't at all disappointed. I think both scientists and non-scientists would enjoy the book.
For scientists, it's inspiring to read about the rapid progress early in Henry's career when he and others elucidated how information contained in chemical cues traverses the membrane and induces cellular responses. At the same time, he explains how specific relationships and institutional elements helped him along the way (while others maybe didn't help so much) and provides plenty of insight and advice for success in academia. For non-scientists, he nicely explains the process of science, with its inherent frustrating and exciting elements.
The voice is undeniably Henry. There are certainly numerous humorous passages, and Henry is never afraid to point out other people's shortcomings, in addition to his own. In fact, my only complaint is that he is far too modest. He describes himself as an "ordinary" scientist, a label I find absurdly inaccurate. Nevertheless, I heartily recommend "Ambition and Delight" for almost all the readers of this blog (all four of you).
You can order your own copy here.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Random Japan Pictures
As promised, a photo of our sushi breakfast as Tsukiji fish market. We each had a combo plate, containing outstanding botan-ebi (spot prawn) and uni (sea urchin) amongst other things. The anago (second from the left on the bottom row) was a first for both of us: salt-water eel (as opposed to unagi, which is fresh water eel) with sprinkling of pink salt. Everything was so good, we chose to order a few additional pieces: toro (fatty salmon), oh toro (the fattiest tuna), and hotate (scallop) were all as great as you would expect. We also noticed something on the menu we've never seen, so we had to order it: kujira (whale).
It was...interesting, worth trying, but not something I would order again. The texture was not as pleasant as other sushi fish (a bit more like meat than fish), and there wasn't much flavor. After breakfast, we explored deeper into the market, where there were literally hundreds of stalls selling all manner of seafood. Definitely an exciting experience.
We're already nearing 1000 pictures, so here's a couple interesting ones to tide you over until we have time to write more:
Virtually every department store in Japan seems to have an enormous "food hall", typically covering the entire basement. In addition to groceries, there are dozens of stalls selling almost any kind of food you can think of. By far the most impressive we've seen was at Isetan in the Shinjuku neighborhood in Tokyo. I guessed that they had at least 1000 employees covering the assorted stalls. One meat counter seemed to specialize in what I assume was Kobe beef. 12,600 yen/100 g works out to about $570 USD/lb.
After four full days in Tokyo, we spent three days in Kyoto and Nara, which provided an extreme change of pace, especially since we focused on the older areas heaviest in shrines and traditional gardens. At Fushimi Inari, there is a literal avenue of torii, the red gates shown below. They say that there are over 20,000 gates. We took their word for it.
Finally, here's a picture of Michelle standing in front of a 15 m buddha statue at the Todai-Ji temple in Nara. They say that when they clean the statue, you can see up to 5 monks just standing in his hand.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Is That Alton Brown?
Our stolen wireless connection is a bit spotty, so we're going to start with uploading just this one picture. Make no mistake, our first two full days in Tokyo have been amazing, but one thing has made Michelle giggle like a schoolgirl, so let's start here.
This morning we visited the Tsukiji central wholesale market, where they have the famous tuna auctions at 5 AM. We were not able to get up that early (and we had conflicting information as to whether or not we would even be allowed to watch the auctions), but we did arrive around 8 AM. The level of activity was off the charts, and there were long lines for all the sushi stalls. At one point, we saw a parade of Americans (ie, "white people"), which we assumed was a tour group. But towards the back of the group was someone that looked pretty familiar. I wasn't sure, so I pointed him out to Michelle, and sure enough, it was Alton Brown (host of Food Network's "Good Eats" and "Iron Chef America").
So we stalked him. And got a picture.
He was actually very nice ("Hi, I'm Alton, I'm from Atlanta"). Apparently, they're filming a special in Tokyo, but we're not supposed to say anything about it. (We really don't know anything.)
We did wait in line, and had some great sushi for breakfast. Stay tuned for more pictures...
This morning we visited the Tsukiji central wholesale market, where they have the famous tuna auctions at 5 AM. We were not able to get up that early (and we had conflicting information as to whether or not we would even be allowed to watch the auctions), but we did arrive around 8 AM. The level of activity was off the charts, and there were long lines for all the sushi stalls. At one point, we saw a parade of Americans (ie, "white people"), which we assumed was a tour group. But towards the back of the group was someone that looked pretty familiar. I wasn't sure, so I pointed him out to Michelle, and sure enough, it was Alton Brown (host of Food Network's "Good Eats" and "Iron Chef America").
So we stalked him. And got a picture.
He was actually very nice ("Hi, I'm Alton, I'm from Atlanta"). Apparently, they're filming a special in Tokyo, but we're not supposed to say anything about it. (We really don't know anything.)
We did wait in line, and had some great sushi for breakfast. Stay tuned for more pictures...
Friday, May 1, 2009
Weekend in New Orleans
Things have been pretty hectic for us in the last few weeks, so please accept our apologies for the spotty blogging.
We are in the middle of many travels for both of us, as Michelle had conferences in Banff and New Orleans. I joined Michelle in New Orleans toward the end of the conference, and we had a very enjoyable couple of days. Not surprisingly for us, we didn't have much planned in the way of sightseeing, but we did manage to eat a lot. Check out our Picasa Page for pictures and comments. (For the record, we don't normally take this many pictures at restaurants, but Michelle insisted since we were "on vacation". I think she originally wanted to write more, but we just haven't had time.
It's been less than 2 weeks since we got back from NOLA, but we are heading to the airport in less than 2 hours, on our way to 2 weeks in Japan. Stay tuned...
We are in the middle of many travels for both of us, as Michelle had conferences in Banff and New Orleans. I joined Michelle in New Orleans toward the end of the conference, and we had a very enjoyable couple of days. Not surprisingly for us, we didn't have much planned in the way of sightseeing, but we did manage to eat a lot. Check out our Picasa Page for pictures and comments. (For the record, we don't normally take this many pictures at restaurants, but Michelle insisted since we were "on vacation". I think she originally wanted to write more, but we just haven't had time.
It's been less than 2 weeks since we got back from NOLA, but we are heading to the airport in less than 2 hours, on our way to 2 weeks in Japan. Stay tuned...
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Alinea - Courses 19-24
19. Sweet Potato - bourbon, brown sugar, smoldering cinnamon
Picture from Flickr (thefleeg)
The elements of a sweet potato pie were skewered on a smoldering cinnamon stick, and deep-fried like tempura. Although Michelle tasted a bit of baking soda or baking powder in hers, this was a tasty bite. I wasn't able to taste much sweet potato, but I suppose that's not unlike real sweet potato pie. Warm, crispy, and comforting, just like (somebody's) mom used to make it. Kinda.
20. Bubble Gum - long pepper, hibiscus, creme fraiche
Picture from Flickr (jgiacomoni)
There were three elements inside a tube: bubble gum flavoured tapioca, creme fraiche, and hibiscus gelatin. Nope, no actual gum. We were instructed to suck the whole mix into our mouths, and when we did it felt and sounded quite silly in a good way. Although it was quite sweet, this dish was pretty light and playfully contrasted different textures. Needless to say, this is the best version of bubble gum flavor (think bubble gum fluoride) we've ever had.
21. Spice Cake - persimmon, rum, carrot
Picture from Flickr (jgiacomoni)
Here they placed the plate on top of an inflated pillow, which caused the pillow to slowly deflate, releasing aromas of brown spices (cinnamon, nutmeg). The dish itself contained a lot of components: chunks of spice cake, dried crunchy spice cake, dried persimmon, tip of a carrot, and an ice cream (possibly caramel flavored). There was also a sphere of encapsulated rum (like the butter in the king crab dish). Michelle wasn't a big fan of the texture of the persimmon (it was kind of gooey), but she was really pleased that they used what she thinks is the best part of the carrot - the inner core. All of the elements were very well-made and tasted good together or alone.
22. Mustard - passion fruit, allspice, soy
On a small flat spoon was a disk of dijon mustard sorbet topped with passion fruit and freeze-dried soy. The notion of a Dijon sorbet (that's not a typo) sounded a bit strange, but the combination of mustard and passion fruit was actually a pretty interesting. After a few seconds , the mustard flavor became more intense and was a nice, sharp wake up call on the tongue.
23. Chocolate - prune, olive, pine
Picture from Flickr (jgiacomoni)
The main component of this dish was a sheet of Valrhona dark chocolate ganache, which was served with a variety of accompaniments: pine ice cream, prunes, drops of prune puree, dried olives, cocoa nibs, and pine-nut soup. There was also a mysterious cream underneath the sheet of chocolate that they didn't describe. The pine ice cream was another element that sounded strange but actually tasted quite good, and it worked nicely with the prune and chocolate. Otherwise, there was a bit too much going on, so this wasn't a completely successful dessert.
Birthday "Cake"
Photo from Flickr (moonrat42)
Michelle had told the restaurant that we were celebrating my 30th birthday, so they brought a small surprise just for me, which at first was a chocolate dome on a small dish. Then the server poured a hot vanilla cream onto the chocolate, melting and opening the dome revealing the cake (which was more like a cookie) and some vanilla ice cream. The elements were simple, but the presentation was quite neat, and it was a nice addition.
24. Dry Caramel - salt
For the last course, we were served a powdered caramel in a shot glass and instructed to shoot all of the caramel and hold it on our tongue for a few seconds. What resulted was a really interesting transformation into a chewy caramel. There was some salt sprinkled into the shot glass, which added a nice dimension to the caramel. A great ending to a fantastic meal.
*********************************************************************
That's it's, folks! Thanks for following along on our lengthy, tasty journey. If you're ever in Chicago for a visit, and you want to thank us for putting you up, I think you know what to do. :)
Picture from Flickr (thefleeg)20. Bubble Gum - long pepper, hibiscus, creme fraiche
Picture from Flickr (jgiacomoni)There were three elements inside a tube: bubble gum flavoured tapioca, creme fraiche, and hibiscus gelatin. Nope, no actual gum. We were instructed to suck the whole mix into our mouths, and when we did it felt and sounded quite silly in a good way. Although it was quite sweet, this dish was pretty light and playfully contrasted different textures. Needless to say, this is the best version of bubble gum flavor (think bubble gum fluoride) we've ever had.
21. Spice Cake - persimmon, rum, carrot
Picture from Flickr (jgiacomoni)Here they placed the plate on top of an inflated pillow, which caused the pillow to slowly deflate, releasing aromas of brown spices (cinnamon, nutmeg). The dish itself contained a lot of components: chunks of spice cake, dried crunchy spice cake, dried persimmon, tip of a carrot, and an ice cream (possibly caramel flavored). There was also a sphere of encapsulated rum (like the butter in the king crab dish). Michelle wasn't a big fan of the texture of the persimmon (it was kind of gooey), but she was really pleased that they used what she thinks is the best part of the carrot - the inner core. All of the elements were very well-made and tasted good together or alone.
22. Mustard - passion fruit, allspice, soy
On a small flat spoon was a disk of dijon mustard sorbet topped with passion fruit and freeze-dried soy. The notion of a Dijon sorbet (that's not a typo) sounded a bit strange, but the combination of mustard and passion fruit was actually a pretty interesting. After a few seconds , the mustard flavor became more intense and was a nice, sharp wake up call on the tongue.
23. Chocolate - prune, olive, pine
Picture from Flickr (jgiacomoni)The main component of this dish was a sheet of Valrhona dark chocolate ganache, which was served with a variety of accompaniments: pine ice cream, prunes, drops of prune puree, dried olives, cocoa nibs, and pine-nut soup. There was also a mysterious cream underneath the sheet of chocolate that they didn't describe. The pine ice cream was another element that sounded strange but actually tasted quite good, and it worked nicely with the prune and chocolate. Otherwise, there was a bit too much going on, so this wasn't a completely successful dessert.
Birthday "Cake"
Photo from Flickr (moonrat42)24. Dry Caramel - salt
For the last course, we were served a powdered caramel in a shot glass and instructed to shoot all of the caramel and hold it on our tongue for a few seconds. What resulted was a really interesting transformation into a chewy caramel. There was some salt sprinkled into the shot glass, which added a nice dimension to the caramel. A great ending to a fantastic meal.
*********************************************************************
That's it's, folks! Thanks for following along on our lengthy, tasty journey. If you're ever in Chicago for a visit, and you want to thank us for putting you up, I think you know what to do. :)
Alinea - Courses 13-18
13. Yuba - shrimp, miso, togarashi
In this dish, a stick of fried yuba (tofu skin) served as an edible utensil. Gulf shrimp was wrapped around the yuba, and everything was seasoned by light pepper flake (togarashi), some citrus, black and white sesame. The stick of yuba was served standing in a small dish containing a miso mayonnaise dipping sauce. This was quite a neat construction delivering a familiar-tasting yuba in a different format. The shrimp and crispy yuba provided a nice contrast in textures.
14. Alaskan King Crab - popcorn, mango, curry
This was a relatively large course that was described by the server as being inspired by butter, so it was quite rich (maybe even too rich). The left and right sections contained Alaskan king crab (Michelle swears hers was lobster, which has also been used in this dish), fresh corn, corn tortilla chips, pieces of popcorn, and some curry. On one side, there was a sphere (which looks like an egg yolk in the picture) that was self-encased butter (melted butter held within a membrane), and on the other were some thin pieces of toasted coconut. In the middle of the dish, there was a cube of mango gelee and a citrus component that provided an acid counterpoint. Across the whole dish was a strip of popcorn puree, and the dish was served with coconut toast.
The combination of corn (in many forms), crab, and curry worked really nicely, and the crab (or lobster) was well cooked. The popcorn puree was a neat idea, but we couldn't really tell that it was made of popcorn. It ended up being kind of superfluous, just an extra, creamy layer that wasn't particularly notable.
15. Iberico Ham - salsify, hazelnut, smoked paprika
Sometime after the wagyu beef course (with the aromatic vase), they brought a new centerpiece that displayed slices of Iberico ham frozen in liquid nitrogen hanging from a stand. When it was time to serve this course, they brought a plate with roasted salsify over an intense hazelnut puree. The gently draped the ham (which has now thawed) over the other components, and drizzled everything with a smoked paprika vinaigrette. As a final touch, they garnished the ham with a single sprig of tiny oregano.
The warm plate, along with the salsify and hazelnut, slightly melted the ham, giving it a very pleasant texture. This was a relatively simple course, but everything worked together to showcase the ham, which was really quite delicious.
16. Lamb - lemon, fennel, coffee aroma
This dish was served on a long plate stretching away from us (instead of side to side). At the top of the plate was a dish containing a hot rock warming coffee and fennel seeds to produce an aroma. Below, there were a number of small pieces of lamb (different cuts) along with a variety of accompaniments. From top to bottom:
- A braised, fattier chunk of lamb (perhaps shank or shoulder)
- Tongue and poached fennel
- A coffee sauce with fennel foam
- A leaner cut (possibly tenderloin) with lemon gel
- Sweetbread with a raisin-coffee leather
Of the different lamb preparations, Michelle's favorite was the tongue, while I preferred the sweetbread. Unfortunately, we felt this was the weakest of the larger courses (possibly the weakest overall). It doesn't help that I'm not a big fan of either lamb or coffee, but this was the one course where all the distinct components were so separated, and it felt too deconstructed.
17. Black Truffle - explosion, romaine, parmesan
This is probably Chef Achatz' signature dish, something he has been serving since his previous restaurant. The ravioli contained a molten black truffle broth, similar to a shanghai soup dumpling, and was finished with cooked romaine (which added color but not much flavor), black truffle, and parmesan. One word: delicious. I could pop dozens of these like candy. Michelle's one word: ohmagodummaummayeahcanihaveanother?
18. Chestnut - quince, chocolate, baked potato
Picture from Flickr (jgiacomoni)
At this point, we started transitioning to dessert courses with what the server described as a savory parfait. The components were brought to the table layered inside a clear tube, which was then removed, allowing everything to mix.
There was a mix of savory and sweet components: a very savory baked potato ice cream (which Michelle thought was too salty, but I thought was really good), potato chips, sweet and sour chestnut, chestnut puree, and cookie pieces. All of the individual components were quite good, but there was maybe too much going on. We appreciated that they were trying to bridge savory and sweet, but the combination wasn't completely successful.
Around this time, we were also served the last part of bread service, an apricot and molasses cookie.
In this dish, a stick of fried yuba (tofu skin) served as an edible utensil. Gulf shrimp was wrapped around the yuba, and everything was seasoned by light pepper flake (togarashi), some citrus, black and white sesame. The stick of yuba was served standing in a small dish containing a miso mayonnaise dipping sauce. This was quite a neat construction delivering a familiar-tasting yuba in a different format. The shrimp and crispy yuba provided a nice contrast in textures.
14. Alaskan King Crab - popcorn, mango, curry
This was a relatively large course that was described by the server as being inspired by butter, so it was quite rich (maybe even too rich). The left and right sections contained Alaskan king crab (Michelle swears hers was lobster, which has also been used in this dish), fresh corn, corn tortilla chips, pieces of popcorn, and some curry. On one side, there was a sphere (which looks like an egg yolk in the picture) that was self-encased butter (melted butter held within a membrane), and on the other were some thin pieces of toasted coconut. In the middle of the dish, there was a cube of mango gelee and a citrus component that provided an acid counterpoint. Across the whole dish was a strip of popcorn puree, and the dish was served with coconut toast.
The combination of corn (in many forms), crab, and curry worked really nicely, and the crab (or lobster) was well cooked. The popcorn puree was a neat idea, but we couldn't really tell that it was made of popcorn. It ended up being kind of superfluous, just an extra, creamy layer that wasn't particularly notable.
15. Iberico Ham - salsify, hazelnut, smoked paprika
Sometime after the wagyu beef course (with the aromatic vase), they brought a new centerpiece that displayed slices of Iberico ham frozen in liquid nitrogen hanging from a stand. When it was time to serve this course, they brought a plate with roasted salsify over an intense hazelnut puree. The gently draped the ham (which has now thawed) over the other components, and drizzled everything with a smoked paprika vinaigrette. As a final touch, they garnished the ham with a single sprig of tiny oregano.
The warm plate, along with the salsify and hazelnut, slightly melted the ham, giving it a very pleasant texture. This was a relatively simple course, but everything worked together to showcase the ham, which was really quite delicious.
16. Lamb - lemon, fennel, coffee aroma
This dish was served on a long plate stretching away from us (instead of side to side). At the top of the plate was a dish containing a hot rock warming coffee and fennel seeds to produce an aroma. Below, there were a number of small pieces of lamb (different cuts) along with a variety of accompaniments. From top to bottom:
- A braised, fattier chunk of lamb (perhaps shank or shoulder)
- Tongue and poached fennel
- A coffee sauce with fennel foam
- A leaner cut (possibly tenderloin) with lemon gel
- Sweetbread with a raisin-coffee leather
Of the different lamb preparations, Michelle's favorite was the tongue, while I preferred the sweetbread. Unfortunately, we felt this was the weakest of the larger courses (possibly the weakest overall). It doesn't help that I'm not a big fan of either lamb or coffee, but this was the one course where all the distinct components were so separated, and it felt too deconstructed.
17. Black Truffle - explosion, romaine, parmesan
This is probably Chef Achatz' signature dish, something he has been serving since his previous restaurant. The ravioli contained a molten black truffle broth, similar to a shanghai soup dumpling, and was finished with cooked romaine (which added color but not much flavor), black truffle, and parmesan. One word: delicious. I could pop dozens of these like candy. Michelle's one word: ohmagodummaummayeahcanihaveanother?
18. Chestnut - quince, chocolate, baked potato
Picture from Flickr (jgiacomoni)
Around this time, we were also served the last part of bread service, an apricot and molasses cookie.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Alinea - Courses 7-12
7. Six Flavors - frozen
This course was a very fun palate cleanser and quiz: 6 teeny balls of frozen concentrated flavors on a pin. We were told to let them melt on our tongue (they were frozen together in one piece) and to try to detect what they were, which came first, etc. The colors were indicative of the ingredients, and you might guess that the 6 balls represented the 6 tastes. This was quite a fun and creative break, and we got most of them with some prompting from the server. We both had different experiences, probably due to where we had placed it on our tongues, etc. I found the strongest flavor to be the umami taste, and neither of us discerned the spicy one. Amazingly, the chef recovered from tongue cancer last year (you could imagine how devastated he must have been initially). As a result of his treatment, he temporarily lost his sense of taste, and tastes reportedly came back one by one (for a while, he could only taste sweet). We thought this course might have been inspired by his recovery and subsequent testing of his taste buds. In hindsight, we really wish we had asked for another serving so we could try it again (next time, next time...)
Clockwise, from the top left (we think...): mango (sweet), overbrewed matcha green tea (bitter), yuzu (sour), seaweed (salty), cayenne (spicy), and dashi (umami).
8. Wagyu Beef - powdered A-1, potato, chips
This was both of our first tastes of wagyu beef. As you can tell (that's not our picture, but a good representative), there was a lot of marbling (let's call a spade a spade... the meat is mad fatty). It came on a plate alongside small piles of salt and pepper. At the top of the photo, you'll note the small, clear packet, that held powdered A-1 sauce. The ingredients comprised anchovy, tamarind, raisin, and clove. It was nice that we could try to wagyu just as is, and then adjust the seasoning as we saw fit. I (Michelle) have just started to eat steak again (after swearing off of red meat in junior high), and this was so rich I was quite glad the portion was small. (In the photo, there are two pieces, but we only had one.) To complete the "meat and potatoes" theme, the beef was accompanied by a cube of potato custard encrusted in potato chips. This was creamy, salty, and utterly delicious.
Earlier in the meal, the servers had brought out a "centerpiece" which was a small black vase. We could tell it had dry ice in it because some frost formed on the outside of it. When the wagyu was brought out, they also poured some hot water in the vase. The white smoke that came pouring out was a nice visual effect, but the real purpose of it was revealed when it hit our nostrils. Strong scents of rosemary and beef (rendered beef fat) perfectly complimented the wagyu. Dinner and a show!
This course was served with a knotted "dinner roll."
9. Yogurt - pomegranate, cassia
10. Bacon - butterscotch, apple, thyme
11. Transparency - raspberry, rose petal, yogurt
Next we were presented with 3 individual courses served simultaneously, which we tackled in the order suggested by the server. We started with a 'shot' of yogurt, which was actually a ball of thin sweet yogurt encased in a yogurt shell (with a texture similar to the chocolate ice cream topping that turns into a shell), floating in a pomegranate juice. 'Cassia' was also included but we aren't really sure what that is/was. This was nice and light, and made us wonder how the yogurt ball is made. We were sure to keep our mouths closed for this one!
Next was a thin, crisp-chewy piece of bacon hanging from a metal trapeze contraption, with a drizzle of butterscotch and thin ribbons of dried apple. You can't really go wrong with these flavors together, and a lovely, delicate presentation doesn't hurt. At this point I asked the server about the serveware, as we found the pieces beautiful yet functional. He said that the metal pieces and some of the ceramics are designed by and made specifically for Alinea, a collaboration between the chef and this artist.
Lastly in this trio, was a glassy sheet of yogurt powder-dusted raspberry candy, held by yet another cool contraption (kind of a round 'clothespin'). The candy cracked when we bit into it, and melted quickly on the tongue. I liked how the sweet and savory bacon was bookended by two 'red' fruit flavors.
12. Hot potato - cold potato, black truffle, butter
The next course has been an Alinea staple, so it was one of the few that Brian knew about going into the meal. A small, round dish held a cold, creamy potato soup. A pin was threaded through a hole in the dish, and suspended on the point of the pin were small cubes of parmesan and butter, and a hot potato sphere topped with a large shaving of black truffle. We were instructed to pull the pin out "like a grenade," which introduced the hot potato to the cold potato. Downing it all in one slurp, it melded together in my mouth like a rich, creamy, earthy mushroom chowder. I loved the flavor, but after the potato and cauliflower custards that we had enjoyed earlier in the meal, I was a little disappointed that the potato sphere wasn't creamier (Brian thought it was just fine). However, the juxtaposition of temperatures was an interesting and creative touch.
Bottom line (and this would be reiterated later): black truffles rock.
This course was a very fun palate cleanser and quiz: 6 teeny balls of frozen concentrated flavors on a pin. We were told to let them melt on our tongue (they were frozen together in one piece) and to try to detect what they were, which came first, etc. The colors were indicative of the ingredients, and you might guess that the 6 balls represented the 6 tastes. This was quite a fun and creative break, and we got most of them with some prompting from the server. We both had different experiences, probably due to where we had placed it on our tongues, etc. I found the strongest flavor to be the umami taste, and neither of us discerned the spicy one. Amazingly, the chef recovered from tongue cancer last year (you could imagine how devastated he must have been initially). As a result of his treatment, he temporarily lost his sense of taste, and tastes reportedly came back one by one (for a while, he could only taste sweet). We thought this course might have been inspired by his recovery and subsequent testing of his taste buds. In hindsight, we really wish we had asked for another serving so we could try it again (next time, next time...)
Clockwise, from the top left (we think...): mango (sweet), overbrewed matcha green tea (bitter), yuzu (sour), seaweed (salty), cayenne (spicy), and dashi (umami).
8. Wagyu Beef - powdered A-1, potato, chips
This was both of our first tastes of wagyu beef. As you can tell (that's not our picture, but a good representative), there was a lot of marbling (let's call a spade a spade... the meat is mad fatty). It came on a plate alongside small piles of salt and pepper. At the top of the photo, you'll note the small, clear packet, that held powdered A-1 sauce. The ingredients comprised anchovy, tamarind, raisin, and clove. It was nice that we could try to wagyu just as is, and then adjust the seasoning as we saw fit. I (Michelle) have just started to eat steak again (after swearing off of red meat in junior high), and this was so rich I was quite glad the portion was small. (In the photo, there are two pieces, but we only had one.) To complete the "meat and potatoes" theme, the beef was accompanied by a cube of potato custard encrusted in potato chips. This was creamy, salty, and utterly delicious.
Earlier in the meal, the servers had brought out a "centerpiece" which was a small black vase. We could tell it had dry ice in it because some frost formed on the outside of it. When the wagyu was brought out, they also poured some hot water in the vase. The white smoke that came pouring out was a nice visual effect, but the real purpose of it was revealed when it hit our nostrils. Strong scents of rosemary and beef (rendered beef fat) perfectly complimented the wagyu. Dinner and a show!
This course was served with a knotted "dinner roll."
9. Yogurt - pomegranate, cassia
10. Bacon - butterscotch, apple, thyme
11. Transparency - raspberry, rose petal, yogurt
Next we were presented with 3 individual courses served simultaneously, which we tackled in the order suggested by the server. We started with a 'shot' of yogurt, which was actually a ball of thin sweet yogurt encased in a yogurt shell (with a texture similar to the chocolate ice cream topping that turns into a shell), floating in a pomegranate juice. 'Cassia' was also included but we aren't really sure what that is/was. This was nice and light, and made us wonder how the yogurt ball is made. We were sure to keep our mouths closed for this one!
Next was a thin, crisp-chewy piece of bacon hanging from a metal trapeze contraption, with a drizzle of butterscotch and thin ribbons of dried apple. You can't really go wrong with these flavors together, and a lovely, delicate presentation doesn't hurt. At this point I asked the server about the serveware, as we found the pieces beautiful yet functional. He said that the metal pieces and some of the ceramics are designed by and made specifically for Alinea, a collaboration between the chef and this artist.
Lastly in this trio, was a glassy sheet of yogurt powder-dusted raspberry candy, held by yet another cool contraption (kind of a round 'clothespin'). The candy cracked when we bit into it, and melted quickly on the tongue. I liked how the sweet and savory bacon was bookended by two 'red' fruit flavors.
12. Hot potato - cold potato, black truffle, butter
The next course has been an Alinea staple, so it was one of the few that Brian knew about going into the meal. A small, round dish held a cold, creamy potato soup. A pin was threaded through a hole in the dish, and suspended on the point of the pin were small cubes of parmesan and butter, and a hot potato sphere topped with a large shaving of black truffle. We were instructed to pull the pin out "like a grenade," which introduced the hot potato to the cold potato. Downing it all in one slurp, it melded together in my mouth like a rich, creamy, earthy mushroom chowder. I loved the flavor, but after the potato and cauliflower custards that we had enjoyed earlier in the meal, I was a little disappointed that the potato sphere wasn't creamier (Brian thought it was just fine). However, the juxtaposition of temperatures was an interesting and creative touch.
Bottom line (and this would be reiterated later): black truffles rock.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Alinea - Courses 1-6
Alinea offers a wine pairing with their menus, but Michelle asked if they had any interesting non-alcoholic beverages, and we ordered the one option that was made in-house: a cherry soda flavored with thyme and balsamic. This sounds like an odd combination, but it was a really tasty and complex drink, lightly carbonated and quite savory with a strong thyme flavor. The server told us that this soda was made by the baker, who apparently experiments while he's waiting for the breads to bake (in the middle of the night). He also makes beer, which isn't served to the public.
Although the menu is primarily a surprise, they asked us if we had any dietary restrictions or allergies. We were more than happy to eat whatever they prepared, so we didn't make any requests. As we were waiting for the first course, Michelle mentioned that she hoped that we didn't get anything with a strong licorice flavor. So, it was kind of funny when they presented:
1. Char Roe - parsnip, licorice, ginger
Arctic char roe is lightly cured, and plated with 3 round drops (coconut cream, parsnip puree, maple-ginger gelee), parsley sauce, and licorice foam. This was a light starter, but with an interesting and complex mix of flavors. A good warmup for what was to come.
2. Lemongrass - oyster, sesame, yuzu
This was the first course that really showcased the emphasis the chef places on aroma and flavor going together. Though the actual dish was just one small bite, it was presented in a large white bowl that came to the table with its lid on. When the server removed the lid, we were bathed in the menthol-y smell of eucalyptus, which lined the bowl. Resting on a spoon above the eucalyptus was a drop of olive oil resting in a small morsel of pear, encased in a eucalyptus gelee. A sprinkle of black pepper added some bite and crunch. Brian tasted salt, as well. It melted on the tongue, and the aroma wafting up from the bowl really enhanced the taste of the gelee. (It did not, in case you're wondering, taste medicinal, but refreshing.)
5. Pork Belly - turnip, shiso, sudachi
For this course, we were each given a small bowl with a round bottom. The server instructed us not to put them down, as it would tip over if we did before removing the fork, which was resting in a little cutout. On the fork was a small piece of pork belly topped with paper thin slices of pickled turnip and kimchi turnip, and a cute little piece of micro-shiso leaf. The pork belly was very tender, and I thought there was a 'turnip gelee' - which was actually just the fat from the belly. The turnip slices offered a nice textural and acidic counterpoint to the pork. Neither the shiso nor kimchee flavors were very strong - mostly we came away with a greater appreciation for the unctuousness that is slow-and-low cooked pork belly (and really, we were pretty appreciative to begin with!) Underneath the fork was a foamy turnip soup with shiso and sudachi accents (the latter is a Japanese citrus fruit) - a warm, salty chaser.
6. Wild striped bass - chamomile, shellfish, celery
This was another rather complex dish with many components. The main ingredient was a small piece of perfectly cooked bass, covered with a shellfish mousse, draped in a 'sheet' of chamomile tea. Arranged on top of this was thin strips of mild-tasting celery (probably blanched), celery leaves, two different kinds of unidentified shellfish, saffron-flavored tapioca puffs, and a generous sprinkle of saffron threads. There were a lot of different textures (delicate fish, creamy mousse, chewy clam, crisp celery and crunchy tapioca) that played well together. The shellfish pieces, while adding a dimension of texture, didn't really bring any noticeable flavor to the dish. We quite liked the tapioca puffs, and thought the tea sheet was a really interesting, subtle flavor that combined well with the shellfish mousse to make an interesting sauce for the fish.
Served at the same time as the bass was a nice olive brioche roll.
Although the menu is primarily a surprise, they asked us if we had any dietary restrictions or allergies. We were more than happy to eat whatever they prepared, so we didn't make any requests. As we were waiting for the first course, Michelle mentioned that she hoped that we didn't get anything with a strong licorice flavor. So, it was kind of funny when they presented:
1. Char Roe - parsnip, licorice, ginger
Arctic char roe is lightly cured, and plated with 3 round drops (coconut cream, parsnip puree, maple-ginger gelee), parsley sauce, and licorice foam. This was a light starter, but with an interesting and complex mix of flavors. A good warmup for what was to come.
2. Lemongrass - oyster, sesame, yuzu
Alinea places a strong emphasis on aromas. In this case, lemongrass was both the aromatic and the serving utensil. Components included two types of seaweed (which even in this one bite were quite distinct), black sesame paste, and yuzu gelee. Michelle enjoyed her oyster, while mine was not that strong in flavor.
As if 24 courses weren't enough, we were also served a number of different house-made breads, with two butters (one from goat's milk, one from cow's milk made in-house). The first bread, a napa cabbage rye, tied in nicely with the next course.
There were 5 cubes of cauliflower custard, each with a different crust. The gels were made with horseradish, vanilla, and possibly nutmeg (come on, we can't possibly remember all the details). Also, there were some crunchy extras: cauliflower florets (which I liked but Michelle didn't enjoy) and stalks. After it was brought to the table, the server poured a hot, creamy apple soup into the bowl. He told us that each coating was different, but he would only tell us two (smoked ham and caraway), and that we should be able to identify the others based on everything working with ham. Between the two of us, we were able to get the remaining three (white cheddar, onion, almond), which suitably impressed the server. This was a very complex dish, but all the flavors worked really nicely, and it ended up being our favorite course. It was a good mix of technique, whimsy, and taste.
4. Pear - olive oil, black pepper, eucalyptus
4. Pear - olive oil, black pepper, eucalyptus
This was the first course that really showcased the emphasis the chef places on aroma and flavor going together. Though the actual dish was just one small bite, it was presented in a large white bowl that came to the table with its lid on. When the server removed the lid, we were bathed in the menthol-y smell of eucalyptus, which lined the bowl. Resting on a spoon above the eucalyptus was a drop of olive oil resting in a small morsel of pear, encased in a eucalyptus gelee. A sprinkle of black pepper added some bite and crunch. Brian tasted salt, as well. It melted on the tongue, and the aroma wafting up from the bowl really enhanced the taste of the gelee. (It did not, in case you're wondering, taste medicinal, but refreshing.)
5. Pork Belly - turnip, shiso, sudachi
For this course, we were each given a small bowl with a round bottom. The server instructed us not to put them down, as it would tip over if we did before removing the fork, which was resting in a little cutout. On the fork was a small piece of pork belly topped with paper thin slices of pickled turnip and kimchi turnip, and a cute little piece of micro-shiso leaf. The pork belly was very tender, and I thought there was a 'turnip gelee' - which was actually just the fat from the belly. The turnip slices offered a nice textural and acidic counterpoint to the pork. Neither the shiso nor kimchee flavors were very strong - mostly we came away with a greater appreciation for the unctuousness that is slow-and-low cooked pork belly (and really, we were pretty appreciative to begin with!) Underneath the fork was a foamy turnip soup with shiso and sudachi accents (the latter is a Japanese citrus fruit) - a warm, salty chaser.
6. Wild striped bass - chamomile, shellfish, celery
This was another rather complex dish with many components. The main ingredient was a small piece of perfectly cooked bass, covered with a shellfish mousse, draped in a 'sheet' of chamomile tea. Arranged on top of this was thin strips of mild-tasting celery (probably blanched), celery leaves, two different kinds of unidentified shellfish, saffron-flavored tapioca puffs, and a generous sprinkle of saffron threads. There were a lot of different textures (delicate fish, creamy mousse, chewy clam, crisp celery and crunchy tapioca) that played well together. The shellfish pieces, while adding a dimension of texture, didn't really bring any noticeable flavor to the dish. We quite liked the tapioca puffs, and thought the tea sheet was a really interesting, subtle flavor that combined well with the shellfish mousse to make an interesting sauce for the fish.
Served at the same time as the bass was a nice olive brioche roll.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Alinea
We celebrated one of us becoming old with an amazing dinner at Alinea Saturday night. We had been looking forward to this event for quite some time (the reservation was made on December 1st), and we're happy to report it didn't disappoint. This meal set a new record for most expensive dinner, but there's no question that it was worth it. Fortunately, it was generously subsidized by our friends Angi, Nathan, Ben, and Erin, who gave us a gift certificate as a wedding present - thanks guys!
There are only two options at Alinea: a 12-course "Tasting" or a 24-course "Tour". Knowing that this would likely be our only visit, it was a no-brainer: go all out with the Tour. Most of the other diners in the room that we were in (which held 6 other tables) had the Tasting, so we spent a lot of time either trying to ignore their dishes (so we wouldn't be spoiled for ours) or trying to figure out the differences between their Tastings and our Tour.
So as you can imagine, it is no small feat to describe 24 courses in a way that does the meal justice, especially when each course comprised several ingredients/techniques/sensations. For that reason, we are going to break up our recap into several posts, so that we can try to wring out all the goodness that we remember (for your and our mutual benefit) and include pictures of each dish. (Hopefully. We do not generally take photos of food, so we'll try to cull good representations from the internet.)
To whet your appetite for the next few posts, here is the specially printed menu that we received at the end of the meal. (They described each course as it arrived, but we didn't see the full menu until the meal was over.)
The circle in the middle of each course name has many meanings, and helps to show the progression of the meal. The position of the circle denotes how savory (left) or sweet (right) the course was. The larger the circle, the larger the course (the smallest courses were just one bite). And the darker the circle, the more intense the flavor of that course.
SPOILER ALERT: If you are planning to go to Alinea yourself in the next 6 months or so, 1) lucky you!, and 2) you may not want to go any further with these posts. While we usually study up a fair bit before going to a new restaurant so we know what to order or expect, we purposely kept ourselves in the dark about Alinea, and that was a good thing. We didn't want our experiences to be tinted by having specific expectations or being overinformed about anything.
So, napkins on laps, forks at the ready, and awaaaaayyy we go!
There are only two options at Alinea: a 12-course "Tasting" or a 24-course "Tour". Knowing that this would likely be our only visit, it was a no-brainer: go all out with the Tour. Most of the other diners in the room that we were in (which held 6 other tables) had the Tasting, so we spent a lot of time either trying to ignore their dishes (so we wouldn't be spoiled for ours) or trying to figure out the differences between their Tastings and our Tour.
So as you can imagine, it is no small feat to describe 24 courses in a way that does the meal justice, especially when each course comprised several ingredients/techniques/sensations. For that reason, we are going to break up our recap into several posts, so that we can try to wring out all the goodness that we remember (for your and our mutual benefit) and include pictures of each dish. (Hopefully. We do not generally take photos of food, so we'll try to cull good representations from the internet.)
To whet your appetite for the next few posts, here is the specially printed menu that we received at the end of the meal. (They described each course as it arrived, but we didn't see the full menu until the meal was over.)
The circle in the middle of each course name has many meanings, and helps to show the progression of the meal. The position of the circle denotes how savory (left) or sweet (right) the course was. The larger the circle, the larger the course (the smallest courses were just one bite). And the darker the circle, the more intense the flavor of that course.
SPOILER ALERT: If you are planning to go to Alinea yourself in the next 6 months or so, 1) lucky you!, and 2) you may not want to go any further with these posts. While we usually study up a fair bit before going to a new restaurant so we know what to order or expect, we purposely kept ourselves in the dark about Alinea, and that was a good thing. We didn't want our experiences to be tinted by having specific expectations or being overinformed about anything.
So, napkins on laps, forks at the ready, and awaaaaayyy we go!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Go Vertical Chicago
The first few years I was in grad school, my lab was on the 12th floor. One day, we somehow ended up in a discussion about how long it would take to get to the 12th floor using the stairs. One of my labmates, Roby, claimed that it could be done in a minute. As most of us were expressing our skepticism, Roby disappeared and returned about a minute later slightly out of breath. Sure enough, he had just climbed the stairs and proved his point.
I was thinking about that recently as I was training for Go Vertical Chicago, a fundraiser for the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation (which supports my postdoc fellowship). The premise of Go Vertical is pretty simple: climb the stairs to the observation deck of the Sears Tower. 103 floors, 2109 steps. Luckily, we live in a high-rise building (55 floors), so it was very easy to prepare for the race.
My main goal for the race was not to embarrass myself. I was also hoping to finish in around 25 minutes, so I was happy with my final time of 25:38. That was good enough for 522nd out of 1952 finishers. Among the people that beat me were the top male (13:55), top female (15:45), a ten-year-old girl (21:05), and a 71-year-old man (20:51).
It was great to see all the participants and supporters at the Sears Tower. There were a number of teams with homemade t-shirts and a few firefighters that climbed the stairs in full gear. I think next year Michelle may even climb as well!
There was an "official" photographer at the event. I can't put the actual photos here, but here are some links:
Before the race. (Michelle wanted me to kiss my bicep, but it looks like I'm eating my shirt.)
Beginning of the race.
Floor 101 or 102.
Also, if you're interested, there was a story about the event in a local magazine. Click here.
I was thinking about that recently as I was training for Go Vertical Chicago, a fundraiser for the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation (which supports my postdoc fellowship). The premise of Go Vertical is pretty simple: climb the stairs to the observation deck of the Sears Tower. 103 floors, 2109 steps. Luckily, we live in a high-rise building (55 floors), so it was very easy to prepare for the race.
My main goal for the race was not to embarrass myself. I was also hoping to finish in around 25 minutes, so I was happy with my final time of 25:38. That was good enough for 522nd out of 1952 finishers. Among the people that beat me were the top male (13:55), top female (15:45), a ten-year-old girl (21:05), and a 71-year-old man (20:51).
It was great to see all the participants and supporters at the Sears Tower. There were a number of teams with homemade t-shirts and a few firefighters that climbed the stairs in full gear. I think next year Michelle may even climb as well!
There was an "official" photographer at the event. I can't put the actual photos here, but here are some links:
Before the race. (Michelle wanted me to kiss my bicep, but it looks like I'm eating my shirt.)
Beginning of the race.
Floor 101 or 102.
Also, if you're interested, there was a story about the event in a local magazine. Click here.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
NO on Prop 8
May 17 was the happiest day of our lives. We had planned to have the wedding in Banff for a while, but we easily could have gotten married anywhere in Canada or in any of the 50 states. Moreover, it was trivial to have our marriage recognized when we came back to Chicago. (When I registered Michelle for my Northwestern staff benefits, I didn't even need to show a marriage certificate.) Of course, things are only this easy for some of us.
If you live in California, you know that your vote in the presidential election is essentially meaningless. But please don't let this stop you from exercising the privilege to vote on Tuesday (if you haven't already). This should be the easiest choice you'll ever have to make on a ballot, unless they put a proposition to revoke women's right to vote on the 2010 ballot. It's really that basic: maintain equality or take away rights for a segment of the population. There's simply no logical reason to ban same-sex marriage.
I know I'm preaching to the choir. The two or three readers of this blog have probably already voted. But the latest polls suggest that the race will come down to the wire. Tell your friends and coworkers. Vote NO on Prop 8.
If you live in California, you know that your vote in the presidential election is essentially meaningless. But please don't let this stop you from exercising the privilege to vote on Tuesday (if you haven't already). This should be the easiest choice you'll ever have to make on a ballot, unless they put a proposition to revoke women's right to vote on the 2010 ballot. It's really that basic: maintain equality or take away rights for a segment of the population. There's simply no logical reason to ban same-sex marriage.
I know I'm preaching to the choir. The two or three readers of this blog have probably already voted. But the latest polls suggest that the race will come down to the wire. Tell your friends and coworkers. Vote NO on Prop 8.
Friday, October 17, 2008
B-Roll
A few years ago, Michelle did an interview for a Discovery Channel series called "Most Evil" where she talked about some of her research from grad school. Yesterday, I discovered that they now have a bunch of clips from the series on their website, including part of Michelle's interview. So, if you're interested, you can check it out here.
During her brush with stardom, Michelle learned about "B-roll", the extra footage they sprinkle in with the main interview. (The clips of Michelle walking down the hall, opening the door, etc. are B-roll.) We thought it was interesting that they give it a name.
Anyway, if the clip interests you, you can also read Michelle's paper on the topic here
During her brush with stardom, Michelle learned about "B-roll", the extra footage they sprinkle in with the main interview. (The clips of Michelle walking down the hall, opening the door, etc. are B-roll.) We thought it was interesting that they give it a name.
Anyway, if the clip interests you, you can also read Michelle's paper on the topic here
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Last Two Bacons of the Month - Aug/Sept 2008
Our last two bacon selections each offered something unique:
Swiss Sugar Cottage Bacon - August 2008
Apparently, "Cottage Bacon" is bacon made from the pig's shoulder, so the shape is very different from bacon made from pork belly. Not surprisingly, the Swiss Cottage Bacon was considerably leaner than any of our other bacons, but this particular variety did not have a lot of flavor, so it ended up being much more similar to a ham or back bacon ("Canadian-style" bacon). In fact, I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've ever added salt to bacon.
Edwards Cinnamon Apple Smoked Bacon - September 2008
You read the title correctly, our last bacon was cinnamon apple flavored. There was definitely a cinnamon aroma to the uncooked bacon, but the cinnamon flavor was quite subtle in the cooked product. Nevertheless, this was an outstanding variety of bacon, and made really good BLT's, especially with the heirloom tomatoes we received in our CSA box. This is an example of bacon that's best eaten as whole strips (rather than being chopped up as an ingredient in a larger recipe).
To compare, here's a picture of the uncooked bacons (Cottage Bacon on the top and Cinnamon Bacon on the bottom):
Before we get to the final bacon ranking, I just want to say that it's been really fun trying a different type of bacon every month. Thank you very much to all of the people who contributed to this gift. It's going to be difficult going back to Oscar Meyer and Farmer John's.
Final Bacon Ranking:
1. J. Samuel Whiting Hickory Bacon (Apr 2008)
2. North Country Cob Smoked Bacon (Oct 2007)
2. (tie) Edwards Cinnamon Apple Smoked Bacon (Sept 2008)
4. Vande Rose Farms Applewood Smoked Bacon (Dec 2007)
5. (tie) Hudson Valley Smokehouse Smoked Country Style Bacon (Feb 2008)
5. (tie) Burgers' Pepper Bacon (Mar 2008)
5. (tie) New Braunfels Smokehouse Comal County Smoked Bacon (June 2008)
8. Swiss Sugar Cottage Bacon (Aug 2008)
9. Jim Oliver's Hickory Smoked Bacon (Jan 2008)
10. Tripp Country Bacon (Nov 2007)
11. Loveless Cafe Country Smoked Bacon (May 2008)
12. Scott's Country Bacon (July 2008)
Swiss Sugar Cottage Bacon - August 2008
Apparently, "Cottage Bacon" is bacon made from the pig's shoulder, so the shape is very different from bacon made from pork belly. Not surprisingly, the Swiss Cottage Bacon was considerably leaner than any of our other bacons, but this particular variety did not have a lot of flavor, so it ended up being much more similar to a ham or back bacon ("Canadian-style" bacon). In fact, I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've ever added salt to bacon.
Edwards Cinnamon Apple Smoked Bacon - September 2008
You read the title correctly, our last bacon was cinnamon apple flavored. There was definitely a cinnamon aroma to the uncooked bacon, but the cinnamon flavor was quite subtle in the cooked product. Nevertheless, this was an outstanding variety of bacon, and made really good BLT's, especially with the heirloom tomatoes we received in our CSA box. This is an example of bacon that's best eaten as whole strips (rather than being chopped up as an ingredient in a larger recipe).
To compare, here's a picture of the uncooked bacons (Cottage Bacon on the top and Cinnamon Bacon on the bottom):
Before we get to the final bacon ranking, I just want to say that it's been really fun trying a different type of bacon every month. Thank you very much to all of the people who contributed to this gift. It's going to be difficult going back to Oscar Meyer and Farmer John's.
Final Bacon Ranking:
1. J. Samuel Whiting Hickory Bacon (Apr 2008)
2. North Country Cob Smoked Bacon (Oct 2007)
2. (tie) Edwards Cinnamon Apple Smoked Bacon (Sept 2008)
4. Vande Rose Farms Applewood Smoked Bacon (Dec 2007)
5. (tie) Hudson Valley Smokehouse Smoked Country Style Bacon (Feb 2008)
5. (tie) Burgers' Pepper Bacon (Mar 2008)
5. (tie) New Braunfels Smokehouse Comal County Smoked Bacon (June 2008)
8. Swiss Sugar Cottage Bacon (Aug 2008)
9. Jim Oliver's Hickory Smoked Bacon (Jan 2008)
10. Tripp Country Bacon (Nov 2007)
11. Loveless Cafe Country Smoked Bacon (May 2008)
12. Scott's Country Bacon (July 2008)
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
L2O
I've wanted to go to L2O since I heard about the chef's blog, where they talked about the process of setting up the restaurant, the products they were using, and had pictures of potential dishes. So when Michelle chose it for her birthday dinner, there weren't any complaints from me.
We decided to go "all-out" and opted for the twelve course (+ extras) tasting menu. (The other option is a four course prix fixe where the categories are raw, warm, main, and cheese/dessert.) Overall, the dishes were all technically impressive with really attractive presentations and some innovative touches.
(We chose not to take pictures during the meal, but I have linked to pictures on flickr or on the L2O blog.)
Amuses: a clam (I don't remember the name, but it was similar to geoduck in texture) with cucumber and jalapeno, and a kampachi tartare in bonito gelee with lime foam
M: The jalapenos in the clam amuse were minced into the smallest cubes - maybe a square millimeter! All of the ingredients were treated with care, cut into perfect cubes or formed into perfect rounds.
1. Fluke. Sashimi with grapefruit, shiso and ossetra caviar. Really nice, but too bad it was only a single bite!
2. Tuna. The cubes of tuna were arranged like a checkerboard (similar to this) with some "squares" replaced by olive and olive oil emulsions.
3. Tofu. Housemade with red miso, bonito flake, and tomato.
M: I really enjoyed this, it was light but flavorful.
4. Shimaaji. Rubbed with red miso, with tiny radishes, and "soy salt". This was definitely an innovative variation on a raw dish. One of many gadgets they have in the kitchen is a freeze-dryer, which they use to freeze dry soy sauce to make the soy salt. (Similar to this)
5. Halibut. This was by far the standout dish of the meal. According to the server, the halibut was steamed, but I suspect that it was cooked sous vide because the texture was incredible. It was served on a jamon clam chowder, with a tiny frisee salad, and a ginger-parsley "cracker". Apparently, the cracker is made from a meringue which is piped into a circle and freeze-dried. The final texture is really light (almost like cotton candy). Altogether, this was an amazing and memorable dish.
M: The cracker was immensely cool. It tasted quite like lobster tomalley to me (in a good way), so much so that I was surprised to hear that it contained no such thing. The frisee salad included the tiniest chopped micro chives (seriously, I was won over by all the lilliputian ingredients in the meal. You could say it was all very cute, but that would undermine the detail and care that went into all the preparation).
6. King Salmon. With corn and jalapeno purees. Definitely well-cooked, but a bit of a letdown after the halibut. At the outset of the meal, Michelle wasn't too jazzed about salmon, so she asked for the substitute. They gave her skate wing with bordelaise sauce and asparagus (including these ridiculously tiny spears of white asparagus).
M: Again, with the tiny. We thought they might be strands of enoki mushroom at first, but upon closer examination and taste, they were definitely tiny asparagus. I was glad I got the skate wing, as it had an interesting, not unpleasantly stringy texture and a nice caramelization.
7. Lobster-Chanterelle. Lobster quenelles (like a dense mousse with very intense lobster flavor) in a lobster foie-gras broth with chanterelles.
M: I was disappointed that this dish was not "real" lobster but it was very interesting, rich, and very lobster-y indeed.
8. Cod Fish. With green olive, meyer lemon, white grits. Unfortunately, the first plates they sent us were overcooked, but they promptly sent us another plate that was much better.
M: It just goes to show that you should not be intimidated about sending something back if you know it's not right. The second rendition was SO much better than the first, I was glad we got the dish the way it should be made. I was just sad that I didn't eat all of the super-yummy grits from the first plate before we complained!
9. Pork Belly. Black truffle sauce, and caramelized potato (see here). Really rich with a very crispy skin.
M: The potato cylinder was piped with a potato cream that was really delicious. And the roasted pork belly, well... it was like a deluxe bacon and Chinese roast pork all in one...
10. Medai. A butterfish served shabu-shabu style with a very intense chicken-kombu bouillon. A very elaborate production.
M: This was really nice, as the fish was good both raw and lightly cooked. The best bite involved wrapping a piece of fish in a shiso leaf and dunking it in the broth for a few seconds. I was sad that the broth was taken away and not returned to us, and confused when the server explained that it only comes back when it is part of the 4-course meal, not the tasting menu. What a strange waste!
Pre-desserts. A chocolate truffle with soy salt (a really nice combo actually), and a canteloupe shaved ice with agave syrup.
M: I. Love. Fruity. Ices.
11. Mango. Sorbet (more like a frozen pudding) above chopped mango with a tropical fruit soup and soft "marshmallows". This was really refreshing and tasty.
M: I. Love. Icy. Fruits.
12. Praline. A ridiculously tall souffle (like this).
M: Swooooon, this was so incredibly good. Light and eggy, nutty and caramelly.
Post-desserts. An amazing pistachio macaroon (the green one in this image) and a chocolate ganache.
I also have to mention their standout bread and butter. Both the bread and butter are made in house, and they offered us 6 different kinds of breads (including tiny little baguettes and a bacon pain d'epi), all of which we ended up trying.
M: I loved all the extras. The breads really were just amazing, both because they were adorable replicas of larger artisanal loaves (my love of all things mini strikes again) and also because they were just plain tasty (there was also an anchovy brioche). And the pre- and post desserts and migniardises were all really good, not just thrown in as filler.
Overall, it was a great experience, but also the most expensive meal we've ever had. The most obvious comparison is to our engagement dinner at Cyrus in Healdsburg, CA, which I've previously described as our best meal ever, but it's a difficult comparison, especially if you consider that Cyrus was close to half the price. The service at Cyrus was much more polished and the individual dishes were stellar, but L2O was certainly more original. Luckily, there's a place for both!
We decided to go "all-out" and opted for the twelve course (+ extras) tasting menu. (The other option is a four course prix fixe where the categories are raw, warm, main, and cheese/dessert.) Overall, the dishes were all technically impressive with really attractive presentations and some innovative touches.
(We chose not to take pictures during the meal, but I have linked to pictures on flickr or on the L2O blog.)
Amuses: a clam (I don't remember the name, but it was similar to geoduck in texture) with cucumber and jalapeno, and a kampachi tartare in bonito gelee with lime foam
M: The jalapenos in the clam amuse were minced into the smallest cubes - maybe a square millimeter! All of the ingredients were treated with care, cut into perfect cubes or formed into perfect rounds.
1. Fluke. Sashimi with grapefruit, shiso and ossetra caviar. Really nice, but too bad it was only a single bite!
2. Tuna. The cubes of tuna were arranged like a checkerboard (similar to this) with some "squares" replaced by olive and olive oil emulsions.
3. Tofu. Housemade with red miso, bonito flake, and tomato.
M: I really enjoyed this, it was light but flavorful.
4. Shimaaji. Rubbed with red miso, with tiny radishes, and "soy salt". This was definitely an innovative variation on a raw dish. One of many gadgets they have in the kitchen is a freeze-dryer, which they use to freeze dry soy sauce to make the soy salt. (Similar to this)
5. Halibut. This was by far the standout dish of the meal. According to the server, the halibut was steamed, but I suspect that it was cooked sous vide because the texture was incredible. It was served on a jamon clam chowder, with a tiny frisee salad, and a ginger-parsley "cracker". Apparently, the cracker is made from a meringue which is piped into a circle and freeze-dried. The final texture is really light (almost like cotton candy). Altogether, this was an amazing and memorable dish.
M: The cracker was immensely cool. It tasted quite like lobster tomalley to me (in a good way), so much so that I was surprised to hear that it contained no such thing. The frisee salad included the tiniest chopped micro chives (seriously, I was won over by all the lilliputian ingredients in the meal. You could say it was all very cute, but that would undermine the detail and care that went into all the preparation).
6. King Salmon. With corn and jalapeno purees. Definitely well-cooked, but a bit of a letdown after the halibut. At the outset of the meal, Michelle wasn't too jazzed about salmon, so she asked for the substitute. They gave her skate wing with bordelaise sauce and asparagus (including these ridiculously tiny spears of white asparagus).
M: Again, with the tiny. We thought they might be strands of enoki mushroom at first, but upon closer examination and taste, they were definitely tiny asparagus. I was glad I got the skate wing, as it had an interesting, not unpleasantly stringy texture and a nice caramelization.
7. Lobster-Chanterelle. Lobster quenelles (like a dense mousse with very intense lobster flavor) in a lobster foie-gras broth with chanterelles.
M: I was disappointed that this dish was not "real" lobster but it was very interesting, rich, and very lobster-y indeed.
8. Cod Fish. With green olive, meyer lemon, white grits. Unfortunately, the first plates they sent us were overcooked, but they promptly sent us another plate that was much better.
M: It just goes to show that you should not be intimidated about sending something back if you know it's not right. The second rendition was SO much better than the first, I was glad we got the dish the way it should be made. I was just sad that I didn't eat all of the super-yummy grits from the first plate before we complained!
9. Pork Belly. Black truffle sauce, and caramelized potato (see here). Really rich with a very crispy skin.
M: The potato cylinder was piped with a potato cream that was really delicious. And the roasted pork belly, well... it was like a deluxe bacon and Chinese roast pork all in one...
10. Medai. A butterfish served shabu-shabu style with a very intense chicken-kombu bouillon. A very elaborate production.
M: This was really nice, as the fish was good both raw and lightly cooked. The best bite involved wrapping a piece of fish in a shiso leaf and dunking it in the broth for a few seconds. I was sad that the broth was taken away and not returned to us, and confused when the server explained that it only comes back when it is part of the 4-course meal, not the tasting menu. What a strange waste!
Pre-desserts. A chocolate truffle with soy salt (a really nice combo actually), and a canteloupe shaved ice with agave syrup.
M: I. Love. Fruity. Ices.
11. Mango. Sorbet (more like a frozen pudding) above chopped mango with a tropical fruit soup and soft "marshmallows". This was really refreshing and tasty.
M: I. Love. Icy. Fruits.
12. Praline. A ridiculously tall souffle (like this).
M: Swooooon, this was so incredibly good. Light and eggy, nutty and caramelly.
Post-desserts. An amazing pistachio macaroon (the green one in this image) and a chocolate ganache.
I also have to mention their standout bread and butter. Both the bread and butter are made in house, and they offered us 6 different kinds of breads (including tiny little baguettes and a bacon pain d'epi), all of which we ended up trying.
M: I loved all the extras. The breads really were just amazing, both because they were adorable replicas of larger artisanal loaves (my love of all things mini strikes again) and also because they were just plain tasty (there was also an anchovy brioche). And the pre- and post desserts and migniardises were all really good, not just thrown in as filler.
Overall, it was a great experience, but also the most expensive meal we've ever had. The most obvious comparison is to our engagement dinner at Cyrus in Healdsburg, CA, which I've previously described as our best meal ever, but it's a difficult comparison, especially if you consider that Cyrus was close to half the price. The service at Cyrus was much more polished and the individual dishes were stellar, but L2O was certainly more original. Luckily, there's a place for both!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Michelle's Doppelgangers?
We've been watching a lot of the Olympics the last two weeks. (As an aside, we really wish we could watch CBC coverage, but we have to live with NBC refusing to show many events until many hours after they've happened. Usain Bolt's world records would have been much more exciting had I not already known about them.)
Anyway, during the gymnastics coverage, Michelle thought that one of the chinese gymnasts looked like a "little Michelle". To be honest, I don't really see it, but you can decide for yourself. (Just in case you're wondering, Cheng Fei is the only gymnast whose age is not being questioned.)
Of course, she's not really serious, but since then, she's also found "big Michelle" on the Chinese volleyball team.
Who knew Michelle was so self-centered?
Anyway, during the gymnastics coverage, Michelle thought that one of the chinese gymnasts looked like a "little Michelle". To be honest, I don't really see it, but you can decide for yourself. (Just in case you're wondering, Cheng Fei is the only gymnast whose age is not being questioned.)
Of course, she's not really serious, but since then, she's also found "big Michelle" on the Chinese volleyball team.
Who knew Michelle was so self-centered?
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Scott's Country Bacon - July 2008
I have to apologize for taking so long to write about the July bacon. The last month or so have been quite busy with trips to Toronto (conference), Ithaca (Scott and Sonya's wedding), and Tucson (Michelle and Jesse's wedding). In the middle, I also attended a 4-day workshop that included a couple 12 hour days. All that being said, I probably would have posted sooner had we been more excited about the Scott's Country Bacon.
This was another example of overly salty bacon. Unfortunately, Michelle also detected a relatively prominent metallic taste. I didn't notice it at first, but after she pointed it out, it started to dominate the flavor. Needless to say, this quickly became a bit unpleasant.
We've also received the August bacon, but the packaging was broken, so they are sending us another package with the September selection. Stay tuned.
Bacon ranking:
1. J. Samuel Whiting Hickory Bacon (Apr 2008)
2. North Country Cob Smoked Bacon (Oct 2007)
3. Vande Rose Farms Applewood Smoked Bacon (Dec 2007)
4. (tie) Hudson Valley Smokehouse Smoked Country Style Bacon (Feb 2008)
4. (tie) Burgers' Pepper Bacon (Mar 2008)
4. (tie) New Braunfels Smokehouse Comal County Smoked Bacon (June 2008)
7. Jim Oliver's Hickory Smoked Bacon (Jan 2008)
8. Tripp Country Bacon (Nov 2007)
9. Loveless Cafe Country Smoked Bacon (May 2008)
10. Scott's Country Bacon (July 2008)
This was another example of overly salty bacon. Unfortunately, Michelle also detected a relatively prominent metallic taste. I didn't notice it at first, but after she pointed it out, it started to dominate the flavor. Needless to say, this quickly became a bit unpleasant.
We've also received the August bacon, but the packaging was broken, so they are sending us another package with the September selection. Stay tuned.
Bacon ranking:
1. J. Samuel Whiting Hickory Bacon (Apr 2008)
2. North Country Cob Smoked Bacon (Oct 2007)
3. Vande Rose Farms Applewood Smoked Bacon (Dec 2007)
4. (tie) Hudson Valley Smokehouse Smoked Country Style Bacon (Feb 2008)
4. (tie) Burgers' Pepper Bacon (Mar 2008)
4. (tie) New Braunfels Smokehouse Comal County Smoked Bacon (June 2008)
7. Jim Oliver's Hickory Smoked Bacon (Jan 2008)
8. Tripp Country Bacon (Nov 2007)
9. Loveless Cafe Country Smoked Bacon (May 2008)
10. Scott's Country Bacon (July 2008)
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Bacon of the Month - May/June 2008
The May bacon was scheduled to arrive the week we left for the wedding, so we asked them to delay the delivery. As a result, we received two packages in relatively close succession. Unfortunately neither one was really much to write home about.
Loveless Cafe Country Smoked Bacon - May 2008
When I opened the shipping box (not the package itself), there was already a strong smoky smell. Indeed, the cooked product was both smoky and salty...incredibly smoky and salty. Quite a disappointment after the strong April showing.
New Braunfels Smokehouse Comal County Smoked Bacon - June 2008
The best thing I can say about the New Braunfels bacon is that it wasn't at all objectionable. Other than that, however, there wasn't much to make it stand out. Solid, but certainly not exceptional.
Bacon ranking:
1. J. Samuel Whiting Hickory Bacon (Apr 2008)
2. North Country Cob Smoked Bacon (Oct 2007)
3. Vande Rose Farms Applewood Smoked Bacon (Dec 2007)
4. (tie) Hudson Valley Smokehouse Smoked Country Style Bacon (Feb 2008)
4. (tie) Burgers' Pepper Bacon (Mar 2008)
4. (tie) New Braunfels Smokehouse Comal County Smoked Bacon (June 2008)
7. Jim Oliver's Hickory Smoked Bacon (Jan 2008)
8. Tripp Country Bacon (Nov 2007)
9. Loveless Cafe Country Smoked Bacon (May 2008)
Loveless Cafe Country Smoked Bacon - May 2008
When I opened the shipping box (not the package itself), there was already a strong smoky smell. Indeed, the cooked product was both smoky and salty...incredibly smoky and salty. Quite a disappointment after the strong April showing.
New Braunfels Smokehouse Comal County Smoked Bacon - June 2008
The best thing I can say about the New Braunfels bacon is that it wasn't at all objectionable. Other than that, however, there wasn't much to make it stand out. Solid, but certainly not exceptional.
Bacon ranking:
1. J. Samuel Whiting Hickory Bacon (Apr 2008)
2. North Country Cob Smoked Bacon (Oct 2007)
3. Vande Rose Farms Applewood Smoked Bacon (Dec 2007)
4. (tie) Hudson Valley Smokehouse Smoked Country Style Bacon (Feb 2008)
4. (tie) Burgers' Pepper Bacon (Mar 2008)
4. (tie) New Braunfels Smokehouse Comal County Smoked Bacon (June 2008)
7. Jim Oliver's Hickory Smoked Bacon (Jan 2008)
8. Tripp Country Bacon (Nov 2007)
9. Loveless Cafe Country Smoked Bacon (May 2008)
Au Pied de Cochon
As I said in our previous post, the only thing we planned in advance for our trip to Montreal was dinner at Au Pied de Cochon. It has received a fair bit of press (even in the US) for its meat-oriented dishes and its audacity to put foie gras on poutine. Looking over the menu (and numerous reports on food blogs), we were definitely excited and the restaurant did not disappoint. As you can tell from our previous post, Michelle decided to take pictures of almost everything we ate, so there will be more food porn below.
We started with "Foie Gras Cromesquis" and "Pickled Bison Tongue". The cromesquis (sorry, no pictures) were basically deep-fried croquettes with molten foie gras inside. Think shanghai soup dumpling, only deep-fried and enhanced by foie gras. Pretty outrageous start to the meal. The pickled bison tongue was very good, but we realized that it wasn't the dish we ordered, which was actually "Tarragon Bison Tongue". Luckily, we still got to try the tarragon bison tongue, which was even better:
Next, we shared the "Plogue a Champlain":
We had read about this dish on food blogs, and I have to admit I was a bit worried that it would be "too much": buckwheat pancakes, potatoes, bacon, and foie gras. But wait there's more! The whole thing was covered in a thick maple glaze. My worries were completely misplaced. This was definitely the best dish of the meal. You know when you have pancakes and bacon? Whether it happens accidentally or intentionally, the best part is the bacon-syrup combination. So take really good bacon, a maple glaze (i.e, real maple not "Log Cabin"), and then add foie gras, and how can you possibly go wrong?
Entree: "Stuffed Pied de Cochon with Foie Gras":
So they take the bone out of the leg of a pig, stuff it with more pig. Then they deep fry the whole thing and top it with mushrooms and fiddleheads and a seared chunk of foie gras. The whole thing is served on garlic-cheese mashed potatoes. And it really was as big as it looks in the picture. This is definitely an entree for two people, and we still only ate about 2/3 of it (and you all know that we're not shy about putting the food away). Maybe part of that was to save room for dessert, "Pudding Chomeur" (basically a biscuit-cake on top of maple soup:
The service was great, but we noticed an interesting quirk about their staffing. The server who took our order did only that, and deliver the bill. There seemed to be about three people of this position in the restaurant. Meanwhile, there were two guys that ran all the food to the tables (these guys were working really hard), and two or three people to refill water, bring bread, etc. I'd be interested to know how they split the tips here.
So that was definitely a pretty spectacular meal, and the prices were quite reasonable. Next time, we'll have to try one of their enormous seafood platters...
We started with "Foie Gras Cromesquis" and "Pickled Bison Tongue". The cromesquis (sorry, no pictures) were basically deep-fried croquettes with molten foie gras inside. Think shanghai soup dumpling, only deep-fried and enhanced by foie gras. Pretty outrageous start to the meal. The pickled bison tongue was very good, but we realized that it wasn't the dish we ordered, which was actually "Tarragon Bison Tongue". Luckily, we still got to try the tarragon bison tongue, which was even better:
Next, we shared the "Plogue a Champlain":
We had read about this dish on food blogs, and I have to admit I was a bit worried that it would be "too much": buckwheat pancakes, potatoes, bacon, and foie gras. But wait there's more! The whole thing was covered in a thick maple glaze. My worries were completely misplaced. This was definitely the best dish of the meal. You know when you have pancakes and bacon? Whether it happens accidentally or intentionally, the best part is the bacon-syrup combination. So take really good bacon, a maple glaze (i.e, real maple not "Log Cabin"), and then add foie gras, and how can you possibly go wrong?
Entree: "Stuffed Pied de Cochon with Foie Gras":
So they take the bone out of the leg of a pig, stuff it with more pig. Then they deep fry the whole thing and top it with mushrooms and fiddleheads and a seared chunk of foie gras. The whole thing is served on garlic-cheese mashed potatoes. And it really was as big as it looks in the picture. This is definitely an entree for two people, and we still only ate about 2/3 of it (and you all know that we're not shy about putting the food away). Maybe part of that was to save room for dessert, "Pudding Chomeur" (basically a biscuit-cake on top of maple soup:
The service was great, but we noticed an interesting quirk about their staffing. The server who took our order did only that, and deliver the bill. There seemed to be about three people of this position in the restaurant. Meanwhile, there were two guys that ran all the food to the tables (these guys were working really hard), and two or three people to refill water, bring bread, etc. I'd be interested to know how they split the tips here.
So that was definitely a pretty spectacular meal, and the prices were quite reasonable. Next time, we'll have to try one of their enormous seafood platters...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)