Friday, June 29, 2007
Thoughts on Saveur Agenda section
Each issue of Saveur starts with a section entitled Agenda. For some reason, I am unable to remember a single highlighted event after reading it. I find it difficult to focus because the listings are on the left side and there is additional, unrelated text to the right. The section, like the magazine itself, is visually appealling.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Bouley
Happy Birthday to my lovely pregnant wife Tracy. We celebrated by embarking on a $48 lunch tasting menu at Bouley.
As you enter, you are hit with an immediate smell of apples. My wife loved the effect. However, I was a bit suprised with the choice because apples aren't in season.
We arrived at approximately 1:15 pm without a reservation and were seated immediately. Anyway, the food was well presented, complex and technically flawless. The food was very trendy i.e. King salmon with foam, an amuse of tomato contrasting warm tomato essence on top with a tomato sorbet on the bottom. The deserts were excellent.
As you enter, you are hit with an immediate smell of apples. My wife loved the effect. However, I was a bit suprised with the choice because apples aren't in season.
We arrived at approximately 1:15 pm without a reservation and were seated immediately. Anyway, the food was well presented, complex and technically flawless. The food was very trendy i.e. King salmon with foam, an amuse of tomato contrasting warm tomato essence on top with a tomato sorbet on the bottom. The deserts were excellent.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Rethinking Grilled Chicken Breasts- Cook's Illustrated July/August 2007
Sunday was another beautiful, sunny day on Long Island. Perfect grilling conditions. The Webber was out again, despite my wife's disdain for "burnt food." I am still trying to overcome the various food aversions that were ingrained from birth from her mother.
The goal of the night's meal seamed simple, to create a juicy grilled chicken breast. For those who watch America's Test Kitchen on PBS, the first segment stars the editor of Cook's Illustrated who provides a worst sample of the star food attraction. Last week, my brother in law's version of grilled chicken breast would easily fit the bill. The outside of the breast was dark brown. He cut into the bird on a few occasions while cooking to check the if breast was finished. He made sure to push down on the breast so that all the juices would end up on the grill. The final result: chicken as hard as a rock. Needless to say, my wife didn't eat the chicken.
Fast foward to Sunday. This time, chicken breast at my house. The final result, very good, but not great. The reason, according to my wife, too much flavor. According to her, there was too much marinade. In her opinion, the meal took too long. I really liked the breast.
Grilled chicken is suppose to be fast home cooking. This version took over an hour from start to finish. FYI, my daughter liked the chicken.
On the side, grilled summer squash from the latest issue of Food and Wine, simple made with oil, thyme, lemon, salt and pepper. As the starch, oven baked potatoes from the Cook's Illustrated family cookbook, which is always a winner.
The goal of the night's meal seamed simple, to create a juicy grilled chicken breast. For those who watch America's Test Kitchen on PBS, the first segment stars the editor of Cook's Illustrated who provides a worst sample of the star food attraction. Last week, my brother in law's version of grilled chicken breast would easily fit the bill. The outside of the breast was dark brown. He cut into the bird on a few occasions while cooking to check the if breast was finished. He made sure to push down on the breast so that all the juices would end up on the grill. The final result: chicken as hard as a rock. Needless to say, my wife didn't eat the chicken.
Fast foward to Sunday. This time, chicken breast at my house. The final result, very good, but not great. The reason, according to my wife, too much flavor. According to her, there was too much marinade. In her opinion, the meal took too long. I really liked the breast.
Grilled chicken is suppose to be fast home cooking. This version took over an hour from start to finish. FYI, my daughter liked the chicken.
On the side, grilled summer squash from the latest issue of Food and Wine, simple made with oil, thyme, lemon, salt and pepper. As the starch, oven baked potatoes from the Cook's Illustrated family cookbook, which is always a winner.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Shrimp (salmon trout) Boil Hobo Packs- July Food and Wine 2007
Seafood boil hobo packs are apparently popular in the south. Unfortunately, I have never consumed one in a proper restaurant.
This is the second hobo pack recipe that I have prepared and it was excellent. Last year I reproduced a version from Cooking Light which I remember being pretty good. I am a sucker for seafood/wine combos. The Food and Wine version was simple, quick and tastey.
For this rendition, I substituted salmon trout for the shrimp, as my wife was not feelin' the shrimp. I added a few minutes to the recommened cooking time as salmon take longer to cook. This version was especially delicious due to the arrival of the first summer corn.
Anyhow, I placed salmon trout, mussles, corn, keilbasa, fresh thyme, vermouth (as per cook's illustrated in place of white wine) and butter in foil and slapped it on the grill. Turning once, after 12 minutes the meal was complete.
As the foil was placed near my 2 year old daughter, she said oooooooo... as the steam consumed the air. She went straight to the keilabasa. Anyway, a satisfying meal.
N.B. I noticed Marcus Samuelsson's latest cookbook about African cuisine on the remained rack at a bookstore in Huntington, N.Y. Does this bode well for Marcus' new restaurant based on the same theme?
This is the second hobo pack recipe that I have prepared and it was excellent. Last year I reproduced a version from Cooking Light which I remember being pretty good. I am a sucker for seafood/wine combos. The Food and Wine version was simple, quick and tastey.
For this rendition, I substituted salmon trout for the shrimp, as my wife was not feelin' the shrimp. I added a few minutes to the recommened cooking time as salmon take longer to cook. This version was especially delicious due to the arrival of the first summer corn.
Anyhow, I placed salmon trout, mussles, corn, keilbasa, fresh thyme, vermouth (as per cook's illustrated in place of white wine) and butter in foil and slapped it on the grill. Turning once, after 12 minutes the meal was complete.
As the foil was placed near my 2 year old daughter, she said oooooooo... as the steam consumed the air. She went straight to the keilabasa. Anyway, a satisfying meal.
N.B. I noticed Marcus Samuelsson's latest cookbook about African cuisine on the remained rack at a bookstore in Huntington, N.Y. Does this bode well for Marcus' new restaurant based on the same theme?
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
From the latest issue of Cook's Illustrated
On Bringing Gyos Home:
Tonight I made that Greek-Style Lamb Pita Sandwiches with Tzatziki Sauce from the latest issue of Cook's Illustrated. I am normally a very big fan of the magazine. However, in my humble opinion, this recipe was a miss. Ms. Wue promised a restaurant style Greek Gyro that you can make at home. It tasted like a new rendition of hamburger. The pita bread was mushy. Perhaps this was due to the fact that my pita was initially frozen. They should have called for more tzatzki sauce.
Tonight I made that Greek-Style Lamb Pita Sandwiches with Tzatziki Sauce from the latest issue of Cook's Illustrated. I am normally a very big fan of the magazine. However, in my humble opinion, this recipe was a miss. Ms. Wue promised a restaurant style Greek Gyro that you can make at home. It tasted like a new rendition of hamburger. The pita bread was mushy. Perhaps this was due to the fact that my pita was initially frozen. They should have called for more tzatzki sauce.
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