Sherry vinegar and the last almost fully non-meat dish of lent

(soft shell crab, fingerling potato, maple cured pancetta, capers, carrot emulsion, and a jalapeno sherry vinegar beurre noisette)

So....I got a camera. Well, I got a hand-me-down from the wife. Thankfully she was there for 3 hours during dinner service cause the thing did not want to cooperate. I even took a photo course in high school. Curse you digital technology.

I jumped the gun. Soft shell season is weeks away. Live and fresh is sooo much better......of course I know that it is, but I couldn't wait. It's been a long week. I had half an hour to internet search last night before tickets rolled in and all I could see in my mind's eye was sherry vinegar. Never used it. Ran across the street/parking lot, literally, to Fresh Market, and picked some up. Ran back, drank 1/2 a bullet (about an ounce), shook a bit, and pondered the next move.

Now I had to have soft shells. It's not a perfect world here and now but I adapt and make out as I can. One weekend trial of frozen babes before the main event. I had a whole long and retardedly elaborate sketch profile of how I do things in my kitchen, reasons, excuses, etc., but it's all stupid. Bottom line, limited staff, room, equipment, expenses, leads me at least to find focus on the epicenter of it all, flavor. Without the interaction and stimulus of ingredients in the arena of taste on the palate, all is lost. It is a bridge for all the other elements of cooking and the artistry there of. Harmony of flavors and a bit of intrigue is my main focus.

Tonight was soft shell crab, fingerling potato, maple cured pancetta, capers, carrot emulsion, and a jalapeno sherry vinegar beurre noisette. Wondra flour paired with dehydrated buttermilk made the best and crispest coating ever. As for pictures....I served two jumbos...I love the whales but dipped and fried, two on a plate looks like something out of Long John Silver's super sized blue plate hell. These guys look a little flat but the one's claws look all propped up on a fingerling like"come eat me off this buttery pedestal." Anyways, it was fun. Until next time......