Small pleasures.....

Sonic commercials and a request from a wise one has had me wandering the boundaries of what a hot dog could be.  Call me silly but if every topping u can imagine was produced not only from scratch but from a higher level of respect than things canned, where is the end?  So far I have sourkraut, 2 mustards, coleslaw, chili, easy cheesy sauce, relish, pickled banana peppers and jalapenos, peppers and onions, and then bypassing the ketchup.  A previous attempt on the fly at work weeks back leaves me to nod fondly to Heinz and let them have their moment.  Sweet and hot Italian sausage, kettle chips, yukon fries, corn dogs, and arepas......gotta throw in something Mexican.  One more day of prep....after a little shrimp fest!

"You have to work to get better...It doesn't just happen"

.......my brother humbly said at our chef's meeting today. The words stuck with me throughout the day. Although it's human nature to want to make things easier on yourself, choose a tv show or a video game instead of a cook book after a 12+ hour day. Anything that doesn't take anymore brain energy. I've found that you have to constently recommit yourself to this business to avoid slipping into the complacent "going through the motions" phase. It's not always easy or fun at times, but a great chef once told me that what you spend all your money and time on is what you eventually get really good at. It's time for me to recommit myself to the necessary homework this business demands to avoid stepping sideways for too long. It helps when your surrounded by people who share the same goals of moving forward. Sometimes you just have to hear said from someone else. Thanks for saying it Chris. And in case I haven't said it yet, I'm glad your back.

Live and let live............

So I am finally doing something cool again.  Catering a birthday for my best boss'ss 3 year old son Carter.  I wanted to make my own hot dogs.  They sucked.  No self respecting 3 year will eat a dry as dirt, wrinkly, grey member that was a result of my 1st test.  Hopefully I can kill it on the condiments..............luv u people and bye bye

Changing the Way We Think

I have been salivating uncontrollably over the Modernist Cuisine Series. In a big picture sense, I feel that chefs should constantly try to manipulate the way we think about food. This series illustrates this in a very real time vision. Adding, Subtracting.....adding by subtracting....nothing is ever set in stone. If you look at roasting a red pepper and say, "this is how its done and there is nothing else to discuss" then I'm sorry but I cant work with you my friend. Sure there are rights, wrongs, and in-betweens but one should always allow new thoughts to enter the arena of thought. I remember years ago when I was first asked to roast a red pepper, in all honesty, I didn't even like to eat peppers much less care about the subtleties of cooking them. Brennan was there and I thought I was going to just throwing some chopped peppers in the oven and roasting them that way, but to my everlasting shock I watched Brennan drop a pepper right into the inferno of a lit stove top burner. As I watched the skin blacken I think I had an awakening of sorts, the whole pepper was completely black with shades of carbon gray. "What next?" I asked, the answer was putting said peppers in a bowl and covering it with plastic wrap to complete this cooking process. That was a real big step forward from working at Hooter's(that's right, I was a Hooter's Master Chef). Fast Forward a couple of years later...... I'm reading Rick Bayless, I've had a couple of hard years growing as a chef and I have just started to really understand this world we live in. Skimming through one of his recipes and read over him describing how to roast a pepper, the whole procedure was more involved but the thing that struck me the most is that he suggested covering the pepper with a kitchen towel instead of plastic wrap......? He claimed that plastic wrap would almost certainly overcook the pepper and you know what.......its a bonafide fact. This epiphany only comes from someone who truly understands that you are never done learning...... I know that I dont have it all figured out yet, but I wont stop the reinventing myself to get there....gotta scratch up the coin to to get these six volumes, if you didnt know the price tag is around 500 clams.....yikes!

Buzz Buttons

Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile

Ocean Grill Tasting

So, yesterday I did a four course tasting with an amuse for the Ocean Grill Chef gig here at Omni Amelia Island. The brief explanation is, I came on as the supervisor but the chef above decided to move on within the first two weeks I was there, so naturally I applied and was granted the opportunity to cook for the Executive Chef, F&B Director, Assistant F&B Director, and......wait for it.....Brennan! For me tastings are always rewarding learning experiences. This the amuse, house made brioche toasted with foie gras butter, scallop, and radish salad.

Here's a copy of the menu I printed out....

First course, Point Reyes Blue with Heirloom Tomato, Fig Vin Cotto, and Micro Kale....I think I was probably a little off on the ratio of blue to tomato, and originally I wanted fresh figs but the one's we received didn't make the cut.....

Next, Duck prepared three ways with pistachio. Seared breast, Duck Confit and Farmer's Cheese Agnola and Powdered Duck, I really liked this one......

Butter Roasted Halibut, Candy Stripe Risotto with Goat Cheese, Baby Fennel and Fennel Butter....This was a solid dish, but I feel I could have used regular beets and that it was a mistake to not showcase the unique look of the candystripe beets...I always keep that fennel butter in my back pocket, a little thing I picked up at the bluezoo....

Last, Hanger Steak with Turnip Greens and Tabsco Foam, there was a little Maderia glaze for some sweetness.

And that's that, its always fun to challenge yourself and would encourage young cooks to do the same given the chance.....till next time....