STUDIOKITCHEN

Remembering "Simple"

Simple reminds us what food is about.

Once a week I cook myself a simple dinner and sit on the roof deck with a bottle of wine.
Basic elemental flavors, not too much of an intellectual statement, just damn good tasting food.
All very easy and attainable by you perhaps with the exception of the applewood smoked shiitakes grilled on Bincho-tan charcoal.
Maybe not simple here but simple in Japan.

Dinner was:
Arrowleaf Spinach, Garlic, Olive Oil.
Celery Root-Jasmine Rice Puree, Lemon mosto Oil.
Smoke Roasted Shiitake, Hazelnut Vinaigrette.
Fingerling Potato Confit, Flash Fried, Anchoiade.
Cremoulin
Peter Michael "Le Caprice" 1999

So what if the wine cost more than the meal and the china.
That is always a "simple" fact.

What are your "simple" meals ?

Black Chefs and Ruhlman

Great Article !
I am still processing it.
Expect a post on my personal experiences midweek.

2 things for the record.

1. Ruhlman rocks.

2. Wierdest compliment I ever got from tipsy Upper East Siders.

"You are pretty good for a black chef"

My response.....

"Indeed as are all the Mexicans cooking *virtually everything* you eat in this town"

Snaaaaap  !

Language

A slight diversion.
I recieved several emails  and comments about a particular use of language in my Joshua Redman post.

This Post.

The line people seemed to find troubling was ........

"There are certainly other anti-social choices such as drugs, alcohol or extremely specifically targeted violence but paying attention to the structure of music redirects  mental energy"

Many including close friends seemed to express concern that I was going to lash out in a fit of rage or that I was espousing violence as a solution to frustration. In fact I was sipping Hendrick's gin on the rocks istening to Josh.
Violence is a broad word and includes words and or actions.
It is possible to be extremely violent without lifting a finger just by toxic thought.

Both conclusions could not be more dissonant from what I was trying to communicate and somewhat blown out of proportion.
I considered editing but I prefer to clarify.

In many ways, my statement only vaguely reflects how different people approach problems.
There are 3 choices.
1. Fix it.
2. Hurt yourself  and your integrity in the process.
3. Hurt someone else in the process.

It is always better to fix it.

We see it in the newspapers everyday.
I am not the conscience of society.

The internet will never do justice to the finer points of "tone" in communication.
Chill out and listen to the music.
We now return to our regularly scheduled foie gras programming.

The Tasting Menu

The last 3 weeks have been challenging. Periods of intense self scrutiny are best relieved with music. There are certainly other anti-social choices such as drugs, alcohol or extremely specifically targeted violence but paying attention to the structure of music redirects  mental energy. Growing up as a young audiophile, I learned to listen to musical pieces in thier entirety and I mean completely uninterrupted. No ridiculous excerpts of the 1812 overture or Carmina Burana. Sequence is an absolutely important part of the vision of the composer.
The use of the word "composer" should be broadly applied to sequential arts, a musician or the evolution of an artist or architect.

What can we cooks learn from this ?

What if a tasting menu was just composed like a really good album, what would it sound and taste like ?
It could taste like so many different things based on cuisine and style of cooking.
It would *definitely* sound like Moodswing.

Moodswing is by Joshua Redman

JOSHUA REDMAN

Think of a tasting menu as an album.
There is a clear history of technical skill by the musician or chef.
He has a great pedigree.
He starts by getting your attention without showing off.
He introduces a slight bit of complexity.
He has some fun.
Next comes some mischief.
He pays homage to those who came before him.
He leaves you wanting just a bit more.

So what if you worked for Ducasse, Adria, Keller and Trotter.
It's just food.

THIS is pedigree

DEWEY REDMAN

Salad

What happened to just a good salad, no nuts, cheese, anchovies, shrimp and lobster supplements. Just solid flavorful leaves with light vinaigrettes. Where did they go ?

Flatlines.

I am not the best chef in the world, that isnt my goal and the competitive absolute aspect is not why I do what I do. I say this because the most common immediate response to criticism is to attack messangers and not listen to the discussion. I have eaten a few meals lately in unnamed places, some really fancy and others very basic but they had a disturbing common denominator, no flavor and I mean not a trace of salt. Artfully arranged, beautifully plated, vibrant colors but if there was a way to attach an EKG to the life on a plate of food, no matter how pretty, how well dressed it was or it's pedigree, it was a continous tone flatline. It isnt suprising, virtually none of the cooking shows I saw on television this sunday put any emphasis on the seasoning of food or  tasting  it thereafter with the exception of Tony Bourdain eating ceviche in Peru. Cooking today is becoming increasingly process without detail. Process without detail has the same result, 6 diners at a table or 6 ER physicians stare at each other and 0.3 seconds later, thier wristwatches.
Lets call it.
9.28pm.
This plate of food has no life and nothing is going to save it.
No need to complain.
It's over.

Depth of Field, Depth of Flavor

Depth of field is the maximum depth of sharpness in a picture and allows a relatively clear view of near and distant objects. Progression of a tasting menu is to some extent a similar concept. Some dishes will always be stronger than others. What we as chefs want to communicate is balance. In photography, maximum depth isnt always desirable. In fact the lack of depth creates an artistic balance. On a tasting menu however, we strive for depth and balance, both in the progression of the meal and in the components of the particular dish. What looks great in photography could be a strong opening with a weak finish. That is the fine line we walk when creating tasting menus.

Blog Photography Answers

You can write large volumes of words like Alex No not this ......