Petite Pomme

...time to taste

2010-08-20T13:29:00.000-04:00

"Sandita" Gazpacho

2010-08-20T13:20:00.001-04:00

My friends from Spain came to visit and what a treat it is to have them here! We head to the Green Market and Pablo is inspired to make gazpacho. All you need is a cucumber, pepper, ripe tomatoes, garlic, onion, pieces of bread, sherry vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and a little water. Let them marinated over night and give it a good blend the next day.Strain and serve chilled in a beautiful bowl or glass. Thank you Pablo and Bego for giving me a big taste of Spain.

Poulet

2010-08-15T10:00:00.000-04:00

Composition

poulet

potato spere

bell pepper

black sesame

baby greens

Cheesecake in a jar

2010-08-13T18:50:00.003-04:00

There's some creme fraiche I need to use up before it goes bad...decided to make cheesecake in a jar, inspired by Chezpim...cream cheese, crem fraiche, eggs, sugar, roasted nectarine covered in love liquid (calvador and honey) and garnished with lemon verbena.

Roasted nectarine in calvados

2010-08-13T18:47:00.002-04:00

Composition

nectarine

calvados

honey

butter

melon

lemon verbena

Aldea Retaurant

2010-04-13T21:07:00.010-04:00

Sushi at home

2010-02-14T13:07:00.015-05:00

David came home with a bag of goodies from a course he took at the Japanese Culinary Center. Inside are a few seasonal fish from Japan: young snapper, half beak, horse mackerel, sardine, and fluke.

The kasugodai (baby snapper) gets a little torch and what amazing aroma! We didn't do too much to them, except a little salt and vinegar.

Auberge de la Grenouillère

2010-01-15T23:47:00.026-05:00

La Carte

Délices ...... Saveurs

Couverts

Pain au levain

Eponge de brioche séchée

Frites de Polenta, Sabayon à l'estragon

Eau de mer, coquillages...

Pourpier sauvage, tofu.

Cornichons grillé, Tarama & estragon

St Pierre, concombre & fleurs de fenouil

Gnocchis au citron, épinards

Calamars, sang de cochon, fleurs d'ail des ours

Pigeon aux sang, raisins

Vacherin glacé, prunes...

Crème de persil, poudre de banane
Sphère de chocolat, caillé aux épices

Tacos

2010-01-15T02:37:00.008-05:00

Now that I'm living in a new city, I have to start from scratch again...the mission, finding my comfort restaurants...I have yet to find good Vietnamese and Mexican food. It's 3 a.m. and I am obsessing over it. I keep thinking about my favorite taco joint, La Taqueria on Mission neighborhood in San Francisco (between 24th and 25th Street). My mouth is craving for a lengua taco, with two perfectly tortilla, one fried on the plancha, and another soft and warm...then filled with deliciousness fixings....tender-flavorful lengua, guacamole, cheese, sour cream, and their spicy green salsa. Give me two and a cold Modelo please! My devotion will keep me coming back to La Taqueria.

Tasting Menu January 10, 2010

2010-01-11T19:12:00.003-05:00

Dimanche

Maki Maine sweet shrimps, pea shoots, cucumber

Celeri, pear, avocado, coriander

Pickles "fait maison", cucumber, carrots, radish

Fromage-tapioca tuiles, foam of potatoes

Cold udon, yuzu vinaigrette, sango sprouts

Chaud, froid oeuf

Légumes, herbes, Dashi

Epinard, carotte, orange, black sesame paste, lemon confit

Betteraves, oignons doux, emulsion oignons doux coriandre

Poulet, quinoa parmesan, champignons poudre,émulsion persil

Fromage Battenkill Brebis, farmer's apples compote

Soufflé au choclate "Pierre Gagnaire"

Moules - Frites in Cherbourg. France

2010-01-02T17:09:00.011-05:00

Look what I found in my moules et frites! There's nothing better then eating seafood by the sea. Note to self: retire somewhere by the ocean...

Future Grand Chef, David Toutain

2010-01-01T23:32:00.017-05:00

Ladies and gentlemen, may I have the pleasure of introducing to you, Chef David Toutain. I first met David in Spain, while cooking there. He is an amazing chef that understands products and has a tremendous respect for them. The way he touches food, with so much love and attention is a joy to watch. I'm excited to see chef David on the road to success.

Moi: What age did you first start your culinary career and did you go to school?

DT: I start cooking school at age 15 in Granville and La Ferte Mace, in France.

Moi: Where have you worked?

DT: Stages at school Le Manoir du Lys and Bernard Loiseau. Restaurants La bourride, Arpege, Marc Veyrat, Ambroisie, Pierre Gagnaire, and Mugaritz.

Moi: Who has influence your cooking and why?

DT: Marc Veyrat, Alain Passard, and Andoni Luis Anduriz. Marc Veyrat is new cooking, new ideas, new techniques. He uses a lot of herbs. I can never be bored there. With Alain Passard, I fell in love with vegetables to treat nature and season with respect. Andoni Luis Anduriz is a combination of both chefs' philosophies.

Moi: What goes into creating a dish?

DT: With beautiful products, inspiration comes naturally and I can begin to play with textures, taste, techniques.

Moi: What is the secret of cooking a perfect potato?

DT: In salted water with rosemary and cook slowly.

Moi: What advice would you give to young cooks?

DT: Push push! To cook with passion, to have purpose and to set goals. Everything is possible if you believe and work hard.

Moi: What will your last meal be?

DT: Eat a platter of seafood with mayonaise, by the sea cooked in court bouillon.

Moi: What five must have ingredients are in your refrigerator?

DT: Eggs, vegetables, salted butter, shoja sauce, and citrus.

Moi: What's your favorite ice cream?

DT: Passion fruit sorbet.

Moi: Favorite cookbooks?

DT: Too many. Some in different languages. One of my favorite is L'Encyclopédie de Marc Veyrat.

Notebook

2009-12-30T17:02:00.015-05:00

Restaurant Sushi Ran

2009-12-30T10:20:00.010-05:00

Kinki, oboro konbu

Megikari, kinomi

Toro, yuzu kosher

Katsugodai

Kohada

Chef Mitsunori Kasukabe, one of the best

Miyazaki beef

La Canebière, Marseille France

2009-12-29T17:55:00.003-05:00

Kisu konbujime by moi

2009-12-29T12:41:00.002-05:00

Composition

Kisu
vinegar
salt
shaved bonito flakes
konbu

Maquereau by David Toutain

2009-12-29T12:23:00.002-05:00

Composition

Mackerel
Lemon
Verbena leaves
Rosemary flowers

Composition

Tomato
Berce herb
Berce liquid
Mackerel jus
Chive

Composition

zuke mackeral
smoked eggplant
bitter prune compote
mackerel jus
wasabi
marjolaine

Restaurant Mirazur

2009-12-29T11:17:00.006-05:00

Night view

Server
Chef Mauro Colagreco and David Toutain

Piglet

Garden squashs in its own juice
Apples

Menton, France September 2, 2009

David and I arrive at Mirazur kitchen to "work" for a "day." The cooks report to the kitchen 8 am sharp in the morning and stay for two services. A whole piglet is being broken down by a petite Japanese commis...crack the front leg came right off. An intern mop a wet spot by the stairs. Tomatoes are being slowly cooked in it's own juice. Sous chef check over menu. There's no joking around, only serious cooking, and what a beautiful thing to watch.

The next day we are sitting outside, sipping on champagne and enjoying the warm air. David and Chef Mauro are speaking in French...catching up on old times when they worked together at l'Arpege. Note to self, need to learn French! I knew I was in a treat for something special and hold back on the bubbles. I especially adore the perfectly, crisp brunoise green apple with mint, shallot cream, and soda of seaweed. Give me more please! Crudo shrimps scream oceanny (is that a real word...) accompany with sweet-crunchy slivers of peaches. Varieties of squash from the garden cooked to perfection with a lovely broth. The young piglet are gorgeous, glistering in its own juice, seducing me to take another bite. And then there was dessert. I couldn't resist the adorable macaroon. Everything is simple and delicious. Bravo to the chef and his staff!

Restaurante Mugaritz

2009-12-28T17:16:00.010-05:00

The beautiful dining room

Huerte

Apple in calcium

Milk fed Veal

Fossilized salsify, wild herb and huevos de pescado

Carpaccio of watermelon

Gisantes in katsuobushi broth

Carnation petals in squid broth

Potato rocks and perfect aioli

The sign in lounging room

Errenterria, Spain May 21, 2009

After many emails back and forth (all in Spanish) I finally got the chance to stage at Mugaritz Restaurant. For those of you who don't know what stage is, it is basically a term used in the kitchen meaning to apprentice. I didn't get pay, but they were gracious enough to feed and give me a place to stay. Looking back, I couldn't believe it, somehow I am here in Spain. I work, chefs yell, (good things I didn't understand 100% Spanish), I cry, I get myself into heated arugments with my chef de partie, but I laugh and I learn to appreciate. It is the most wonderful experience; the people, the green hills, the pintxos, the beer, the culture, the respect for nature, the way of life. Mugaritz holds a special place in my heart, thank you for a delicious and most memorable time. Enjoy the pictures.