Our First Critical Review

So blogged just recently gave the site an editorial review, and Gastronomic Guesswork received an 8.2 out of 10 (GREAT). Michael Ruhlman's blog (of which I'm a devotee) received a 9.2, so I guess we're one removed from Ruhlman ... I kid of course. But not bad proximity to real food writers of real caliber, Ruhlman has 12 books to his credit, is on a first name basis with Thomas Keller, and is close friends with Anthony Bourdain for goodness sake! Hey, thanks to Foodbuzz I now have business cards (don't worry wife of Kindageeky, the Steingarten comment and the business cards have not gone to my head). Being candid, this only puts us into the top 200 of over 1300 food blogs they've rated, but would love your honest feedback here. On a related note, Gastronomic Guesswork has shown up in press references for a couple well known authors in the food community (for whom I have the utmost respect) [1] [2].

Italian Beef with Giardinera & Mozzarella di Buffala

My wife tried her hand at Italian Beef tonight and the results were awesome, so good I can't wait for the encore. Italian beef is a regional comfort food which Chicago is known for. Back in my consulting days I'd make routine trips out to Chicago where our corporate headquarters was, and on every trip I'd make sure to take time to grab an Italian Beef sandwich. Finding something that was an even rough approximization in Denver has never happened. So I was delighted to hear that my wife was conspiring to make this after a little coaching from an Italian friend of hers.



The preparation involved a 2lb Tri-tip roast, 1 package of dried onion soup mix and 1 jar of premium pepperocinis including juice. All this was cooked on high in a crockpot for 2 hours, then low for the rest of the day.



When I got home she remarked that it was far too spicy for the girls to eat, and gave me a sample after cautioning me it might be too hot. Ha, I thought, it can't be that hot ... <gulp> ... yah, a little hot, but delicious! I instantly thought that a little cheese might be really good with it, so I grabbed my little sous chef and headed out to the new artisanal cheese store near our neighborhood, Gouda News.

We grabbed a half pound of Dry Jack, an aged monterey jack cheese, and a healty portion of genuine fresh Buffala Mozzarella. When we got back home dinner was about to be served, but before we ate my little sous chef and I had an impromptu cheese tasting. The Mezzo Secco Dry Jack was excellent, very much a unique artisan cheese portraying a slight nuttiness with a crisp acidity, the Buffala Mozzarella was fabulous, like cow's milk fresh mozzarella but about 3 times as good; my sous chef agreed, you should trust her taste as she knows more about cheese at 2 than I did at 20. As we made our sandwiches, I topped mine with the Buffala Mozzarella and a few chunks of the Mezzo Secco Dry Jack, and finished everything off with what turned out to be the best giardinera I've ever tasted, Delallo Giardinera.



Oh my wife sooo made my day with this meal, perfect, absolutely the best Italian Beef I've ever had, sorry Chicago and thanks Wife of Kindageeky!

Penne in Ligurian Olive Oil with Balsamic Onion Confit, Mushrooms, and Sweet Italian Sausage

Tonight I discovered the simplest pasta dish imaginable, no not the final dish described in the title. Rather, the absolute minimalism of pasta with olive oil and sea salt. It would be deceptive to say any old olive oil would work here, indeed I remember trying this with Giachi Primolio, which on its own is the best olive oil I've come across, but it just didn't work (Giachi with bread is another story altogether). On a lark tonight, I tried this with Azienda Agricola San Domiano, the artisanal Ligurian olive oil I came across at Marczyk's recently.



So I won't tell you this is something you should fix for company, but if you happen to be a crazy foodie like me, the simple store bought dry pasta here was a fine canvas for experiencing this exceptional olive oil. My little sous chef approved as she gobbled this up, ignoring most of the rest of her meal. Anyway, this olive oil is subtle, nutty, and earthy with an early austere flavor note, not fruity like Primolio, but exceptional in its own way. While I've conducted or participated in a few informal olive oil tastings with close friends, up to now I would have foregone a formal event like this relegating it to the domain of snobs; oh Steve, you silly silly man.



So back to the fully composed dish at hand, this started off as an excuse to make onion confit and experiment with Martin Lersch's technique to expedite the maillard reaction with the use of baking soda. I minced 4 cloves of garlic, added a healthy dose of olive oil (not the good stuff), sauteed for 2 minutes, then added a little red pepper flake. To this, two yellow onions (small dice) were added along with a couple small pinches of baking soda. In 10 minutes time over medium low heat I ended up with very caramelized onions, a process which usually takes 20 minutes so I must attest to the efficacy of Martin's technique (a very cool addition to the repertoire deserving of more exploration).

From a flavor standpoint, the goal of the dish was to have a relatively simple base of pasta and olive oil, create a confit of onions infused with balsamic vinegar, and combine with mushrooms that were sauteed with rosemary. This was playing in the realm of savory with a light sweetness that I thought would pair well with some good fennel sausage. So in the end, the sausage would be the star, and the confit / mushrooms would be the supporting cast members. The results were distinctly Italian, the anise flavor of the sausage was enhanced by the onions and reduced balsamic flavor, there was a background herbal / earthy note from the mushrooms, and eating the pasta on its own brought you back to the simple pleasure of the Ligurian olive oil.

Insalata Caprese - A Classic Reimagined

Insalata Caprese encompasses the simplicity and flavor perfection so present in many classic Italian dishes. This modern reinterpretation of it is both compelling and so elegantly presented as to be about the coolest dish I've come across in the foodie blogospher in many months. Playing with Fire and Water's approach here simply speaks to me as a chef and eater.

Breaking New Ground on the Maillard Reaction

Killer stuff from Martin at Khymos (click the title above). Basically, making something more basic (raising the pH) with something like baking soda (very practical) increases how rapidly the maillard reaction will occur. I've posed a question to Martin about whether this may also improve predictability / completeness with this technique and will probably lead me to some of my own experimentation. If you don't know what the heck we're talking about here, you've undoubtedly tasted foods that rely upon flavors produced by maillard reaction. Martin's mention of the technique he's identified with dulce de leche will surely please my wife, as she is a fool for cajeta ... looks like I'll be making some dessert soon.

French Cognitive Dissonance

There's a movement to have the UN recognize French Cuisine as a world treasure, as highlighted in the recent NY Times article, Time to Save the Croissants. Hmm, so I'd agree that culinary skills can reach an artform, and if there was a Museum of Cuisine History (maybe there is somewhere), the last couple centuries would prominently feature French Cuisine. But on balance, as much as I'd like to see greater culinary art appreciation in the world, this plea to the UN seems to me as an act of denial by some great French Chefs, among the best in the world mind you, but as great as they are, these chefs and French Cuisine in the now are not commanding the same dominant mindshare as days past. I ran across this story through a post on Accidental Hedonist, wherein the conclusion was that this act was one of brazen French arrogance. My view is that this is more likely cognitive dissonance as the culinary world shifts dramatically away from the control of the French.

The last 200 years have seen Carême, Escoffier, mother sauces, demi glace, Haute Cuisine, Classic Cuisine (Cuisine Classique), and Nouvelle Cuisine ... all French. And now, the Slow Food Movement and Technoemotional Cuisine demonstrate there is far more than French food and French technique out there.

It cannot be denied how influential the French have been in codifying culinary method during this time, and how growing up in this as a French Chef could so embolden one with nationalistic pride. So when El Bulli, Mugaritz, Arzak, Fat Duck, the French Laundry (not in France), and Per Se are so prominently featured on the list of the best restaurants in the world (none of which are French restaurants or reside in France), it might cause some sub-conscious panic in the psyche of French Chefs.

The conspicuous omission of mentioning anything happening now in world cuisine makes this plea to UNESCO seem rather arrogant, but my sense is that these chefs really are in denial, and are simply trying to make their world make sense. What is increasingly tough to deny is that the influence of French cuisine is in decline, so if the context of this request was a recognition of the historical significance of French Cuisine (with implication that it had lost its grip, and should be posthumously honored), I might find this to be a semi-plausible request to UNESCO, which is a group that plays a role in preserving historical sites. But after re-reading the NY Times piece, my sentiment is that UNESCO and escpecially the UN have much more important things to worry about, and those French Chefs had better start to take note of what's happening in Spain (El Bulli, Mugaritz), Britain (Fat Duck), and the U.S. (Alinea).

Take Away / Take Out Food Finds in Denver

When it comes to reviewing culinary experiences, most of what you're likely to see here will be places where you can find a dining experience. But sometimes the urge for quick sustinance can reveal great food without the fuss. Below are a few that are on my list when I'm not thinking about volatile food component flavor pairings and just need to eat or feed the crew at work or home. I remember being a bachelor living with a couple buddies, and we'd debate who deserved to be on The List; seldom would a place be good enough to earn a spot on the list. The house rule was that if any one of us was going to somewhere on the list, we had to bring back enough for everyone. What follows is my current list, and a few new or noteworthy finds that deserve a look.

The List - Favorite Take Out Places (Favorite Dishes)
- Bonnie Brae Tavern (#5 pizza)
- Jerusalem Restaurant (baba ganoush, gyro plate)
- Salvaggio's Deli (prosciutto sandwich)
- Bova's (sausage sandwich)
- Pat's (cheese steak)
- Yazoo's BBQ (ribs)
- Bagel Deli (bagels)
- Santiago's (breakfast burritos)
- My Brother's Bar (JCB Burger)
- Tamale Kitchen (various texmex)

Up and Comers - Worth a look
- DeliTech (albacore tuna on rye toast, various NY Deli sandwiches)
- Garbanzo (hummus bowl with beef falarma & green chile)
- Little India (lamb vindaloo, garlic naan)
- Zaidy's Deli (matzo ball chicken soup)

Pork & Hatch Chile Consomme with Green Tomatoes and Red Corn

This was a time-consuming minimalist dish with subtle but clean distinct flavors. The consomme was prepared by simmering a small pork shoulder roast for 3 hours in 2 quarts of water, no salt. Yes, just water. If you incorporate salt, this will inhibit the extraction of flavor components from the pork. After 1 hour, incorporate 1.5 lbs of roasted hatch chiles (medium heat) after stemming and deseeding. After 3 hours total, remove the decimated roast and discard. Strain the chiles, then simmer for another hour, progressively skimming any remaining sediment that collects at the top. Once clarified, adjust the flavor with salt, then add a dice of green tomatoes and fresh red corn about 2-3 minutes before serving. Finish with a squeeze from a lime wedge.



Simple, subtle, distinctive flavor pairing. Never thought I'd like green tomato, but very happy with the results; will use this ingredient in salsas in the future, it has a similar bite to tomatillos even though the two are not closely related, but a mouthfeel like apples.

Habanero Pork Tacos with Romesco, Cilantro, and Onion

This would be an example of a pure fusion experiment, admittedly not too daring when the fuse is between Spanish and Mexican / Latin American flavors. The pork tacos with onion and cilantro is a personal classic. The basic recipe involves slow braising a pork shoulder roast in canned tomatoes, chiles, and onions, then serving with raw white onion and cilantro; minus the romesco sauce, a minimalist regional Mexican dish to be sure.



Herein, I punched up the spice by coating the top half of the roast in dried habanero chile powder (dangerous stuff to work with, use gloves and don't let the powder aerate or the whole house will have to be evacuated); more typically I'll use a combination of guajillo and ancho chile powder, which is much tamer.

For the romesco sauce, I sauteed white onion, garlic, and fresh tomatos until reduced by 75%. The mixture was then pureed with a chopped sweet red pepper, hazelnuts, sea salt, and a little Spanish olive oil.

The shoulder was cooked at 250F for 2.5 hours with 32oz of pureed canned tomatoes, a little olive oil, some wedges of yellow onions, Mexican oregano, a dash of epazote, and some coarse sea salt. Using a fork, tear the pork into small chunks after allowing to cool slightly. The tacos are always steamed white corn tortillas (use 2 as these tear easily). Top with romesco, finely diced fresh white onion, and fresh cilantro.

The bridge flavor element among the romesco and classic taco recipe is the white onion actually. Loved the addition of the romesco, which tamed and accentuated the fruitiness of the habanero ... a new personal classic is born.

Rosemary Almond Chicken Salad Sandwiches

This is a staple healthy and quick option in our household. Kudos to cooking light for this one, the recipe is here. We've eaten this one so often, just seemed like we should pass it along.

Sauteed Spinach with Sherry Onion Confit and Crispy Spanish Chorizo Picante

The featured great ingredient here is authentic Spanish Chorizo, the picante or hot variety. This is a very different beast from the chorizo were increasingly accustomed to in the United States.



The onions were sauteed with a touch of Spanish olive oil until well caramelized, then deglazed repeatedly with sherry vinegar. The Chorizo was crisped like bacon in a touch of olive oil, and the drippings were used to quickly sautee the spinach leaves (2 minutes, high heat). This really kicked up the spinach into a little taste of España.

Bone-in New York Strip with Cacao Soy Gastrique

Slightly less adventurous than the Darjeeling Risotto, but nowhere near run of the mill. Concept was well marbled beef ^ Sherry gastrique += (reduced soy sauce + premium unalkalized cocoa powder), or something like that. I've experimented with chocolate and beef before, so there was some history here to inform this experiment.



The preparation involved 1/8 cup golden brown sugar heated in a small sauce pan over high heat to the point of liquification and gentle bubbling, add 1/8 cup sherry vinegar and stir to combine. Reduce by 1/3 and incorporate 1/8 cup pure soy sauce; again reduce by 1/3. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes. Incorporate 1 tablespoon unalkalized cocoa powder (60%+ pure cacao). The steak was separately grilled after a liberal rubbing of kosher salt and a thin coating of grapeseed oil, cooking to medium doneness.

The flavor combination was strong, greatly enhancing the meatiness, working especially well with the distinctive but small nibbles of fat. If you're afraid of a little fat don't try this, but the beef fat and the gastrique was a marvelous paring with astringency / bitterness imparted by the cacao accenting the salty sweet acidity of the other components. I'd recommend serving this as an appetizer, possibly on skewers like beef satay. As an entree this is almost too bold, but the first several bites were delicious.

Darjeeling Risotto with Raw Honey & Hatch Green Chile Flake

It's not called gastronomic guesswork for nothing; on the continuum of experimental uncertainty, this would be verging on true discovery, not quite in the realm of folly. The concept was to take an outside the box broth if you will, ignore traditional seasoning relying solely on the tea to impart spice, and find a balance of tannic and sweet flavors amidst hot and cool palate sensations.



Darjeeling is known to tea connoisseurs to have a muscatel flavor with a cooling effect apparent in the aftertaste. I'm a tea novice, a challenge soon to be rectified with a tea journey or two with a friend and tea afficianado. Nonetheless, happening upon darjeeling and knowing a little about it from the most basic of research caused me to dream up a daring pairing. The darjeeling (2 bags) were steeped for 10 minutes in 3 cups of boiling water. After tempering 1/2 cup of arborio risotto in olive oil, I added the darjeeling, covered, and simmered for 20 minutes. At this point, I raised the heat to high and continuously stirred to get the characteristic risotto sauce formed. This was then plated in a cylindrical mold, coated with raw honey, and sprinkled with a fine dusting of dehydrated hot hatch chile flakes.

I really like Jeffrey Steingarten's litmus test for dishes: in this instance, I would eat it again and I would pay for it, so a successful dish by this measure. Different, a semi-savory dessert with a kick might be the best way to explain it, and the hot / cool mouth effect worked like a charm.

Blued Hangar Steak Loins, Urfa Potato Chips & Horseradish Potato Puree with Shoestrings

Sometimes you just have to remind yourself that you're a carnivore (or omnivore, whatever). Anyway, blued hangar steak fits the bill (grilled very hot for a very short amount of time). This preparation met what was in the ballpark of a 700F grill for about 3 minutes. The rest of the meal is me playing with both mandolines.



Star of the show: urfa chile flakes, one of those incredibly unique flavors that makes you say, "How did I live this long and only now taste this".

Seafood Landing in Denver

Given the landlocked semi-arid surrounding of Denver, it's rare to encounter a fishmonger, especially a great one. Seafood landing recently moved to it's 3rd location in Denver, after well over 20 years providing locals with superlative seafood. The owner Bruce Johnson is like a trusted advisor when planning a meal, his selection is always cognizant of seasonality, people's desire for variety, and the importance of providing the freshest product at the best price. To top all that, Bruce is maybe the kindest most polite retailer I've every met.


Happening in on a sunny holiday afternoon, the selection included escolar, walleye, halibut, and grouper among many others.


Walleye to me is about the best freshwater fish you can find, and it's rare to see it.



Escolar? Just forget about finding that anywhere else.

Seafood landing is a Denver icon, humble, little known outside its North Denver / Highlands surroundings, but very appreciated. I've made many 30+ mile trips with a cooler when I wanted something special and it had to be good - Seafood Landing never disappoints. You want to know how good seafood landing is - my wife's parents shopped there all the time when she was a kid; I discovered it a mere 5 years ago, and don't have anything to compare it to in Denver. If you're in Seattle you go to Pike Place Market; if you're in Denver you go to Seafood Landing, period.



A great example of how borderless cuisine is available to each of us, despite how landlocked we might be.

Marczyk's in Denver

There is no more deserving foodie retailer to receive praise, admiration and awards than Marczyk Fine Foods.




Where else can you find duck fat ...

rosehip preserves ...



artisinal single crop Ligurian olive oil ...



a miniature version of the Savory Spice Shop ...



the famous single floral New Zealand honeys next to the infamous Marmite ...


escargot ...



local organic meat aging on-site ...



a stellar wine & spirits shop ...



replete with three selections of Hangar One Vodka ...



no, really ...



a wall of foodie casual wear ...



and a picture of your grandma partying ...


... nowhere but Marczyk's. I'm pretty familiar with the foodie haunts of San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, and New York ... not an expert mind you, but nowhere have I found a corner store like this that just riles the foodie id so. Apart from Le Sanctuaire, you'd be hard pressed to find a more discernable foodie experience than a visit to Marczyks. This is the good life ... this is Marczyk's.

Kind of disappointed in Bourdain

And Marco Pierre White is a fossil of the early Nouvelle Cuisine movement, who can hurl insults from his ivory tower of yesteryear's culinary wisdom. But pay it no mind, the Menu Degustation is not for the meek traditionalist, but rather the daring foodie.

A gourmand knoweth no greater injustice in dining than a chef that is satisfied.

I'm Floored

The culinary world is a small one at times, totally humbled here that Mr. Steingarten would read, lest he should reference my opinionated comment in any manner. I am but a pock on the buttocks of good taste in comparison. Thanks Jeffrey.

Something Anyone Curious about Molecular Gastronomy should read

Timeless post on the fear and reality of food science, postmodern / technoemotional cuisine, and great ingredients.

Grilled White Peaches with Blueberries, Ceylon Cinnamon Caramel & Grains of Paradise

Peaches and blueberries work great together, and in this preparation, both are elevated with two exceptional spices.



The cinnamon was fresh ground from Ceylon cassia sticks, and the grains of paradise were finely ground. After quickly grilling the peaches for four minutes, turning 90 degrees once, these were topped with a quick caramel of unsalted butter and brown sugar. The dessert was then topped with the cinnamon and grains of paradise. While previously new to grains of paradise, I'm an instant fan of the cardamon / pepper austerity, an interesting contrast that reminded me of the flavor of black pepper and peaches, and an improvement really on the excellent cinnamon.

Chicken perfumed with Grapefruit, Tarragon, and Rose Wine

Another flavor pairing inspired by The Flavor Bible, herein used as a subtle perfuming for the chicken.



The whole chicken was first coated in olive oil and roasted for 20 minutes at 400F to slightly brown the skin. It was then coated in the juice of 2 grapefruits, 4 sprigs of tarragon were laid on top, and the pan was filled to 1/2 an inch with rose wine from the South of France along with the grapefruit rind. After covering, braise the chicken for 40 minutes (5.5lb young chicken used here). Remove the lid to crisp the skin after coating in a touch more olive oil. At 160-162F for the deepest part of the breast, remove from the oven and finish with sea salt and black pepper. The chicken ended up being perfectly moist, and the essence of the grapefruit and tarragon delicately flavored the chicken.

Tomato Watermelon Gazpacho with Basil Chiffonade

Trying to cling onto a little bit of summer, if but for a moment longer. A chill is in the air as of late, the leaves on the grapevines are beginning to turn red, autumn is soon upon us. Let us to the gastronomy of lively and vivid aesthetics of summer. A fleetingly warm day brings us to seek a cool and savory sweet soup enlivened with a fresh herb; an awakening from and farewell to the estivation of summer.

Nothing says summer more than fresh basil, watermelon, and beefsteak tomatoes. Such seasonal ingredients are never better than right now. This astounding flavor pairing was in part inspired by a quote from José Andrés in the just published Flavor Bible by Karen Page and Anrew Dorenberg. This Spanish style soup highlights a small glimpse into the genus Alimentos de España.

For this preparation, coarsely chop 6 large beefsteak tomatoes at the peak of ripeness. Finely chop a red onion, toss all in Spanish extra virgin olive oil and kosher salt. Saute for 10-12 minute on high heat, turning frequently until reduced to a slight suspension of the natural tomato juices. Puree in a bar blender and adjust seasoning; the result should be a thin partially cooked tomato soup with a fruit-forward representation of fresh tomatoes. Puree one small seedless watermelon and stir to combine. Pass half the mixture through a chinois to yield a consomme. Recombine the sediment from the straining with the original mixture. Chill both the consomme and gazpacho for 1 hour. Plate by first partially filling with the consomme and then ladel in the gazpacho in the middle. Top with a chiffonade of fresh basil.

The Omnivore 100

So check out the list below from Very Good Taste. Don't ask me, it's a little slanted to the English palate, but a fun list. I scored an 80, how many things have you sampled? Comments inline...

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.
The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison --> definitely prefer Elk
2. Nettle tea --> ok
3. Huevos rancheros --> still hunting for a haunt for these
4. Steak tartare --> with superb tenderloin
5. Crocodile --> twice, tastes like chicken
6. Black pudding --> not a fan
7. Cheese fondue --> eh
8. Carp --> so technically, no, but I've had pike which is pretty close ... no wait, cafelta fish qualifies
9. Borscht --> many better things to do with beets
10. Baba ghanoush --> a staple for hungy DU students at Jerusalem cafe
11. Calamari --> many, many ways
12. Pho --> good pho u, good pho me
13. PB&J sandwich --> I was a kid once
14. Aloo gobi --> dunno, maybe
15. Hot dog from a street cart --> sure, in a pinch
16. Epoisses --> incredibly stinky and good
17. Black truffle --> <drool/>
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes --> strawberry, and blackberry ... friend made jalepeno wine
19. Steamed pork buns --> mmm good
20. Pistachio ice cream --> Viva Italia!
21. Heirloom tomatoes --> whenever I can find them
22. Fresh wild berries --> with the seasons
23. Foie gras --> OH YAH, with rubarb confit, candied ginger and coco nibs most recently
24. Rice and beans --> kids like this stuff
25. Brawn, or head cheese --> on accident
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper --> regrettably
27. Dulce de leche --> brilliant in desserts
28. Oysters --> on the first date with my future wife
29. Baklava --> at Pete's, on a rare visit when the sun was up
30. Bagna cauda --> anchioves are just misunderstood
31. Wasabi peas --> eh, we don't really know good wasabi
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl --> classic
33. Salted lassi --> who?
34. Sauerkraut --> excellent examples in Freiberg and Zurich
35. Root beer float --> favorite things as a kid, how about a reverse root beer float (see Second Home in Denver)
36. Cognac with a fat cigar --> yes, back in the Dot-Com-Boom
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O --> lived in a frat house, this stuff was treated like an appetizer
39. Gumbo --> Bayou Bob's version is good, not great
40. Oxtail --> yep, underappreciated
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects --> yes, in chocolate
43. Phaal --> very hot, Americanized version not that bad
44. Goat’s milk --> yep
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more --> McCallan 25 among others, Dot-Com-Boom again
46. Fugu --> scares me
47. Chicken tikka masala --> only once when I enjoyed it
48. Eel --> freshwater many times, sea once
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut --> eh, great the first time, but I'll take Dunkin Donuts
50. Sea urchin --> yep, but still not conviced I've had the "good stuf"
51. Prickly pear --> a couple times in the fruit form, many times in a sports drink
52. Umeboshi --> in a sauce, not sure I really know the taste though
53. Abalone --> couple times, not sure I really can differentiate it from other shellfish, available fresh (farm-raised) from H-Mart
54. Paneer --> not bad
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal --> I live in the US right?
56. Spaetzle --> love it
57. Dirty gin martini --> once, prefer Vodka
58. Beer above 8% ABV --> Sammy's Triple Bock anyone?
59. Poutine --> no and I think I might dive into the Fugu first (chancing death by Fugu might be more appealing, but ya know, don't knock it before you try it)
60. Carob chips --> long time ago
61. S’mores --> prefer just roasting the marshmallows
62. Sweetbreads --> good, though probably undeserving of it's lofty place in cuisine
63. Kaolin --> yikes, reminds me of dogs eating grass
64. Currywurst --> seriously? This sounds similar to the culinary inspiration behind olive garden making carbonara a cream sauce
65. Durian --> not sure my wife will forgive me if I bring this stinky bastard into the house
66. Frogs’ legs --> yep, beter than chicken wings
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake --> beignets rock
68. Haggis --> I'll eventually eat this, but only as a foodie right of passage
69. Fried plantain --> versatile
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette --> in France
71. Gazpacho --> many versions
72. Caviar and blini --> only once, not traveling in THOSE circles yet
73. Louche absinthe --> now that it's legal in states, sounds like a good way to kill brain cells
74. Gjetost, or brunost --> vakker
75. Roadkill --> Appalachian Cuisine? Think I'll pass
76. Baijiu --> looks like fuel alternative
77. Hostess Fruit Pie --> really tough to admit this one
78. Snail --> eagerly, most recently at Brook's Steakhouse
79. Lapsang souchong --> don't think so
80. Bellini --> made them for my wife after we came home from the maternity ward with Twins
81. Tom yum --> missed this one
82. Eggs Benedict --> oh yah
83. Pocky --> Akira and Pocky, both scary propositions
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant --> nope, hoping El Bulli is my first
85. Kobe beef --> yes, just before the ban, wagyu many times but not the same
86. Hare --> better than boneless skinless chichen breasts
87. Goulash --> as a kid, probably never had the authentic Hungarian stuff
88. Flowers --> mostly decorative, but rose is interesting
89. Horse --> eventually hope to have some real horsefat French frites ... hmm maybe I have had it
90. Criollo chocolate --> a la Swiss Chocolatier
91. Spam --> yes (under my breath)
92. Soft shell crab --> spider rolls baby!
93. Rose harissa --> interesting
94. Catfish --> Grandfather was good at cooking this, most recently from Lake Mac
95. Mole poblano --> eh, still waiting for something memorable here
96. Bagel and lox --> overrated, but some that's stellar
97. Lobster Thermidor --> nope, had the opportunity but this was during my lobster aversion (after indulging far too much for two weeks in the bahamas)
98. Polenta --> often, some of the best coming at our wedding reception
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee --> overrated
100. Snake --> rattlesnake cakes at The Fort

Fusion Cuisine, Fusionists, & Borderless Cuisine

A while back I posted an article that attempted to provide a pathetically brief explanation of macro movements in culinary history. At the end I was hypothesizing about a micro movement, fusion cooking, and was looking for input. What is fusion cooking? Well Fusion Cuisine seems to come in three flavors:

1. The Intersection of regional cuisines wherein one region's tradition dominates and another region's ingredients dominate (we'll call this Fusion here)
2. An eclectic combination of traditions and ingredients across regions
3. The form of one region dominates, and the culinary tradition and ingredients from another dominate

In my interpretation, and due to my basic need to classify things to form a mental model (as many software architects spend their life doing), I would only consider #1 to be fusion cooking in the purest sense. As to the others, #3 seems to me to be bordering into the territory of Trompe-l'œil Cuisine, or simply, the practice of manipulating food form, while #2 is what I would call Borderless Cuisine (as that practiced by Rokusaburo Michiba, Masaharu Morimoto, and many others).

For our purposes here, let us say Fusion is the practice of having two dominant regional influences go into innovative dishes, often influenced by the traveling, family immigration, or culinary curiosities of a chef. After some initial analysis, here is the start of a codification for fusion cooking (as in primarily #1 above, though #2 is inescapable as it is so broad), listing notable chefs and the regional / stylistic fusions which are ascribed in part to them. It is horribly incomplete, and dominated by celebrity chefs, so I welcome your input to expand the list.

• East Meets West - Ming Tsai


• French & Italian - Wolfgang Puck


• French & Japanese - Hiroyuki Sakai


• French & Japanese - Tetsuya Wakuda


• French & Korean - Hiroyuki Sakai


• Japanese & American - Masaharu Morimoto


• Central American & French - Inaki Aizpitarte


• Egyptian & French - Inaki Aizpitarte


• Spanish & Southwest American - Bobby Flay (ironically "Southwest American" is itself a fusion, such as TexMex)


• Inter-Regional Mexican Fusion - Rick Bayless

It's interesting to me how some chefs are relatively strict about preserving tradition (like Mario Batali's cooking of Italian, Spanish, even Vietnamese cuisine) on the basis of being true to the tradition and creating authentic dishes, or at least dishes very inspired by a single regional theme. This makes sense, there's some honor to it, probably, and it gives the eater a sense of exploration in a geographic sense. Others are fusionists, that similarly attempt to pay homage to a region within the framework of their present environment. And at the end of this spectrum would seem to be those not caring to make regionalism a theme, meaning somewhere in there are the Eclectics, or the Borderless Cuisine practitioners.

While some have decried the evils of borderless cuisine, personally I like to seek the good in the situation, and find Borderless Cuisine (in the forms of Fusion and Eclectic Cuisines) inspiring and a celebration of life. It's mystical to be able to cook with ingredients from, or in the style of, another culture, and therein learn from those who've perfected techniques years even centuries before, people whose language I do not even speak ... Borderless Cuisine just makes the world seem smaller, if only for course of a meal.

The Death of French Cuisine?

If you watched Anthony Bourdain's 2nd investigative visit to Spain in the series No Reservations, and you trust Bourdain's opinion as much as I do, you'd be convinced French cuisine was all but dead in influencing the next generation of chefs. While El Bulli and Ferran Adria were barely mentioned in the episode, I felt that the whole context for Bourdain for even being in Catalonian Spain was to explore the undercurrents created by the Adria tide. Even the notably regional Basque influences of Arzak, which Bourdain treated as this sentimental and timeless gem amidst the Spanish culinary innovation, demonstrated the unmistakable El Bulli influence that has permeated Spain when they served the accoutrement of freeze dried olive oil. So in one episode, it seemed French Cuisine had been proclaimed dead. While the prospect of this, as we will see, is a complete hyperbole to American and French perceptions, I decided to suspend forming my own opinion until I had time to do a little research; in other words, do like google ... the data never lies.

Search trends for Nouvelle cuisine, Spanish Cuisine, and Molecular Gatronomy ... Molecular Gastronomy now commands equal prominence with Nouvelle Cuisine

Search trends for the same, adding in French Cuisine ... French Cuisine is in mindshare decline

Search trends for the chefs of the 5 best restaurants in the world Adoni Aduriz (Mugaritz, and formerly of El Bulli) is not yet a household name despite having a restaurant so highly regarded that it seems to threaten the Adria brothers (El Bulli) for future influence

Trends for Ferran Adria, Paul Bocuse, Eric Ripert, Daniel Boulud, and Alice Waters Worldwide, the influence of Adria is evident. But look at how the U.S. sees the world through Nouvelle Cuisine glasses; and while Bocuse is huge in France, in America most of us would say "Paul who?"

Trends for El Bulli, Arzak, Mugaritz, Fat Duck, and French Laundry restaurants While Adria, Blumenthal, and Keller's influence is established, the world is only beginning to feel the influence of other Spanish masters at Arzak and Mugaritz

Trends for Ferran Adria & Julia Child If you aren't convinced already, Adria worldwide is as popular as the beloved Julia Child (save the recent hype that Julia was a spy).

While the data above backs up Bourdain's notion that Spain is where the young chefs are going, it also reveals a few other interesting points for hypotheses:
- only in the U.S. and canada is Julia Child drastically more popular than Ferran Adria
- French cuisine mindshare is being progressively eroded or discounted in favor of something else
- The French are still in love with Paul Bocuse as the Americans are still in love with Julia Child, but among chefs, Thomas Keller, Heston Blumenthal, and Ferran Adria are known the world over

In my own exploration of gastronomy, when I first became serious about cooking and attempting to become an accomplished home chef, I sought and found advice from the French masters. Therein, I worked through the teachings of Jacques Pepin and gained an appreciation for Classic French cuisine. In watching series like Top Chef and The F Word, my eyes were opened to what I already intrinsically understood as Nouvelle Cuisine. And in the past 24 months, my American eyes have sleepily been awakened to Technoemotional Cuisine and Molecular Gastronomy. What's heuristically obvious at this point is that Ferran Adria and other members of the Technoemotional school of cuisine are at the reigns right now. The Classic French cuisine gave way to Nouvelle Cuisine, and Nouvelle is begrudgingly making room for Technoemotional Cuisine. While it's an oversimplification to single out any one trend here as the only trend, it seems pretty obvious that Technoemotional / Molecular Gastronomy has gained significant mindshare. It will be curious to see if one day my non-epicurean friends come to learn even one of the names Adria, Blumenthal, McGee, Keller, Achatz, Aduriz, Arzak, and Dufresne, but I won't hold my breath for them to hear through the noise.

Duck Fat Pork Chops, Maple Ginger Carrots, Cassis Glazed Pancetta Stuffed Dates with Goatsmilk Bucheron, and Arugula with Tangelo Primolio Vinaigrette

After a busy day, I was given the edict of something good and quick for dinner ... for quick, this meal nipped at the heals of "perfetto". First, pork chops are quick, and there's always my personal classic to fall back on, but I decided to add a twist by pan frying the pork chops in duck fat.


This added a poultry background note, the taste of duck fat if you know it, that simply made this classic BETTER, and kept the pork chops exceptionally moist.


The carrots were braised in 3 cups of water with 1/2 a cup of brown sugar, 1/4 maple syrup, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, a touch of kosher salt, and 1/3 cup of chopped fresh ginger at 425 for 45 minutes. For the dates, these were pitted and stuffed with pieces of cruchy pancetta that was separately roasted, then tossed in a little butter and deglazed with a splash of cassis that caramelized and coated the dates. For the salad, the vinaigrette was prepared with the juice of 1 tangelo, juice of 1/2 a lemon, and ~1/4 cup of Giachi Primolio olive oil (the best and fruitiest olive oil I've ever tasted). The arugula was tossed with the vinaigrette and fresh shavings of parmigiano reggiano.


The meal was built around a 2007 Don Miguel Gascon Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina. The dates and bucheron were uncanny when followed by a sip of the Gascon. Nothing more to say than, happily and somewhat accidentally, quite close to perfection.

Piquillo Peppers with Manchego & Scallion Vinaigrette

While it's not much to look at (since all of us ate these too quickly to allow me a good picture) this is a little Spanish number I picked up on Jose Adres' show Made in Spain. I procured the piquillos through The Truffle, which was so kind to order these on my behalf. Piquillos are like little bird beaks, slightly piquant but very sweet with a lingering smokiness. It was immediately obvious what a staple this is in Northern Spanish cuisine.



My little sous chef helped me put thin manchego triangles into each pepper, these were quickly heated in a little Spanish olive oil to melt the cheese and slightly brown the edges of the pepper. The peppers were garnished with a vinaigrette of sherry vinegar, Spanish olive oil, shallot, scallions, salt and pepper. A total tapa treat that was a big hit at a gathering with our friends. The only regret is that Andres' version made use of Queso Roncal from the Navarra region of Spain, which I was unable to locate despite significant effort.

Something Totally Vegan (G^2 Mystery Dish Challenge #1)

So the vegan challenge had perplexed me for a bit. I was committed to offering something that was not a "risotto only cop-out", so I researched the vegan food pyramid and found that calcium was a difficult thing to incorporate from non-animal sources. This lead me to some research on calcium rich vegetables, the most preeminent of which are various types of greens. Greens are such a good source of calcium in fact that they have been cited as one of the reference examples of the recently discovered 6th taste: calcium. No really, while the recent discovery has only been validated on mice, there is a strong probability of people having the same taste receptors as calcium rich foods have a tendency to seem bitter in a specific way (dairy is not identifiably calcium-y in taste due to the binding with fats).

My goal was to make something flavorful, eye catching, and satisfying. Since I felt compelled to incorporate calcium rich foods, I decided to seek a balance among bitter / calcium, sweet, acidic, pungent, and piquant elements, while also having a base and an element with a substantial mouth feel. What I arrived at is pictured below.



Let's call it a vegan tart, and while I did not add a binding element, I could have bound this with a combination of xanthan gum and guar gum. What you're looking at is a base of mustard greens poached with a touch of sherry vinegar, yuzu soy sauce stir fried peppers and onions, and sauteed mushrooms with aleppo chile flakes and sweet smoked paprika, paired with garlic risotto. While the tart is a harmonious circus of nutritional and flavorful elements, the risotto is the base that ties everything together.

To prepare, I chopped onions and red peppers into a medium dice, sauteed in spanish olive oil, and deglazed with organic 100% soy sauce (wheat free) and yuzu juice, finishing with a hint of salt and black pepper. The mustard greens were just poached in a quart of water and a tablespoon of sherry vinegar. The mushrooms were sauteed in spanish olive oil and tossed with aleppo chile flake and sweet smoked paprika. Finally, the risotto was prepared by placing three topped garlic bulbs into a quart of water and a little kosher salt, bringing this to a simmer, tempering the arborio rice in spanish olive oil, then combining and cooking for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. At the last moment, the garlic bulb were removed, and three cloves were passed through a garlic press and incorporated into the risotto. The risotto was finished with artisanal olive oil from the Abruzzo region of Italy.

I was the happy diner to this vegan mystery dish, and I enjoyed every bite. I shared a little with my little ones and the verdict is that Anthony Bourdain would be proud, as neither of my girls would touch this, but I must say that my eyes have been opened to vegan cuisine, and my tongue is happy that they have.