Fish Dish Delish...

grilled fresh squid, fried tentacles, black garlic puree

fresh garbanzo beans, white asparagus, piquillo peppers, chorizo

lemon, olives and olive oil powder
~

just a little "spanish fly"(on the)...so-to-speak. Might not persuade you to jump in the sack, but will make you feel good. Bottoms up!

A New Thought...

truffled fava bean martini, fava bean tapenade, creamy potatoes

fava beans and honshimejii mushrooms, truffle nage

"dirty" scallop "olive"

roasted beet salad napoleon, candied walnuts, chevre, blood oranges,

blood orange-elderflower sabayon, arugula
roasted pleasant view duck, black trumpet-robiola grilled cheese
kumquats sous vide, thumbelina carrots, cauliflower puree

white asparagus & pea risotto, green asparagus ribbons

shiitake chips, saba jus

lamb tenderloin sous vide, quinoa & potatoes

caraway braised cabbage, hedgehog mushrooms, barley-apple fritter

~

these happen for me each and every day...without hesitation...without disappointment...and not without question! Ideas run ramped throughout my mind all day long. Hard to keep track of all the ideas. Hard to see them through to fruition. I write them down, text them to myself, send emails to myself, take pictures of notes and objects in which to remind me later. So many things...so little time. I literally have so many folders, notebooks, files, binders and stacks of thoughts it is crazy. So minimal the memory in retrospect compared to the masses of data that gets conjured up...good thing I have a pretty damn good operating system. Windows Cuisinier...only minimally flawed by age and a few good wasted years in my youth. It's all good though my friends. Cooking comes from the heart and from emotion and the drive within...recipe or not, complete dish or just a small gathering if ingredients, pumped of adrenaline or pure instinct. You have it or you simply do not.

Carpe Diem Baby...

silky foie gras mousse, house preserved rainier cherries

grilled challah, saba, duck salad, px-hazelnut vinaigrette
seared foie gras and poached foie gras, gewurztraminer gelee. rhubarb
chocolate pearls, port sauce, compressed apples

grilled quail, apricot mostarda, pears, pecans,

warm bacon-mustard dressing

~

totally do it...whenever you can. I try. I know I need to practice what I type...what I say...what I preach! Pull from life what you can...you never know when it is going to end up in the crapper. Live life to its fullest and enjoy what you have, not be pissed about what you don't. Be thankful for what you have done, not sad for the things you have not. Be overjoyed about the relationships you currently hold close, not empty for the ones you selfishly think you need to acquire. LISDIN~"Life is short, do it now!"

Saturday Night Live...

truffled popcorn, assorted salumi
the line

the stage

grilled quail, apricot mostarda, smoked pecans, apples

arugula, crispy sweet potato, balsamic condiment

seared canadian whitefish, spinach puree, honshimejii

leek pancake, citrus butter

compressed mango, pumello, guava sorbet, micro fennel

loin of beef sous vide & braised bison short ribs

black trumpet mushrooms, malloreddus gratin, truffled parsnips

wild blackberry-shallot jus

chocolate tasting

Live with passion...live with excitement...live with motivation and commitment...live with dedication to the craft...live with driven ambitions of making people happy! That is how it went down. A birthday celebration. A chefs table. A food frenzy of cool tastes and flavors. A gathering of family to toast a wonderful woman. And just to think...I got to be there to cook and to prepare my cuisine in which to do so! This rocks. This was a night where we were closed and so we did up the kitchen in rare form. We turned off the lights, we donned streamers and banners...balloons and favors. I was thinking the whole time; "man, I hope I am this lucky when I turn 70"! Hell...I will be happy just to live that long. Cooking is about passion. I have said it many times in the past, to any who will listen. It is a job sure, but one that can not truly exist without it. For it shows if it is only about the money. Money is cold, unfaithful, impersonal, superficial and will not make you a better cook. What is does though is provide opportunity and luxury. It provides sustainability in the workplace and without it, we are the starving artists in the room. This night was all about the live setting. Unplugged...unrehearsed...unchained...and somewhat understated. It was, without a doubt...Saturday Night Live in the kitchen...

A Day in the Life...

grilled quail, apricot mostarda, smoked candied pecans, compressed apples

arugula, saba
foie gras, chocolate stout cake, rhubarb, hazelnuts, huckleberries

canadian whitefish, herb pancake, micro greens, honshimejii

beef short ribs, bison loin, thumbelina carrots, hedgehog mushrooms

grilled lamb loin sous vide, tomato fondue, bloomsdale spinach

walnut salad

desserts of the moment

just some random shots on a random day with random ingredients. So random, yet so not. What is and what should never be...food is and should be...mundane and lacking inspiration it shouldn't.

Cooking For Pleasure...

foie gras torchon, house preserved cherries, chocolate financier

cherry gastric, micro greens, fleur de sel
honey bunches of oats crusted foie gras, cacao nibs, hazelnuts,
apricot-truffle conserve, compressed asian pears, cocoa foam

seared diver scallop, quid ink risotto, chorizo, octopus

marcona almonds, chickpeas, pedro ximenez

moularde duck, walnut mased potatoes, truffles

orange scented beets, baby carrots, honshimejii, blackberry essence

sous vide chicken breast, same as above

syrah braised short rib of beef, polenta, artichokes,

black trumpet mushrooms, crispy beets, peppery balsamic jus

dessert symphony...

jasmine pot de creme, bacon bombolini, honey ganache, dark chocolate bars

ice cream sandwiches, faberge eggs

Cooking is fun. Isn't that what it should be after all? Even though for many it is a chosen profession. We should all be so lucky that we are able to do what we love and what we are passionate about. Some unfortunately can not attest to that. I can honestly say that I am one of the few.Thank god...cause' I don't know what I would do if I hated my job. One of the cool things that takes place from time to time, is that we have the honor, good fortune and cool opportunities to cook for those that are close to us, or at least those that are maybe not as close, but important and into the food we present to them. Either way, it inspires us to really connect with our craft and cook from our hearts. Here is one of my last encounters of such a treat...

You Make Me Smile...

there are a good handful of things that truly make me smile...being with my boys(priceless), a good friend's company, rich dark chocolate, a loud and aggressive heavy metal show, a beautiful serene sunset, a cool kick-ass sleek kitchen, skiing some wicked snow on a wicked steep run, and silky, smooth, sensual foie gras! In various forms...pan roasted, poached, fire roasted or in a luscious chilled sexy torchon such as this, they all are a huge delight. This shot is like an addiction...for those that love it...they cant get enough of it. For those that don't, they don't get it. Isn't it just beautiful???

The Day After...

local albacore tuna crudo sandwich, potato ribbons, golden caviar

togarashi, ginger, spicy aioli, micro greens
moroccan spiced foie gras torchon, cocoa sponge, house preserved cherries
apricot conserve, candied pecans, red wine gastric

seared diver scallop, squid risotto, spinach puree, octopus

bacon jam, almonds, cassis sauce, carrot oil

pink peppercorn laced carrots, blood orange chai sorbet, tea foam

moularde duck breast, black trumpet mushrooms, truffles

baby turnips, candied walnuts, walnut potatoes, blackberry essence

syrah braised short ribs of beef, semolina gnocchi, hedgehog mush

caramelized garlic, bloomsdale spinach, chestnut "bordelaise"

pearl jasmine pot de creme, blood oranges, fennel, guava sorbet

sexy snickers bar, creme fraiche, pears, bacon bombolini

madelines, peanut milkshake

mignardise

matcha green tea macaron sandwich, pb&j spoons, salted caramels

juniper-tarragon chocolates

This select set of shots would be from the dinner we did the day after Valentines Day... It was for a good friend and foodie who gathered round for a smothering of bites with a handful of buddies to celebrate good times, good friendship and the many years of a business relation together...good times indeed! All of this was to take place centering around good food and wine. He always rocks a good feast amongst his peeps and he tends to call upon me often when such an occasion presents itself. It is an honor, a pleasure and a total rush of passion and inspiration to be able to cook for him and his guests when I can. Throughout my many years cooking where I do, we have had many a great time cooking and eating. The memories will be forever embedded in my brain~ way cool. Here is how it went down...

Playing Catch Up...

foie gras torchon, ras el hanout lacing, saba

cocoa-saba sponge, cherries, pecans, cherry gastric, truffled apricot marmalade

tarragon-pumello butter, syrah sea salted butter
roasted eggplant dip

amuse
lobster salad, cara cara orange, avocado, lobster-vanilla dressing
golden whitefish caviar

seared scallop salad
yam-brown butter puree, hearts of palm, lentil vinaigrette
pancetta, leeks, micro greens

pan roasted striped sea bass
semolina gnocchi, bacon jam, chanterelles, baby carrots, turnips
cassis jus & carrot butter

beef loin sous vide & braised veal cheeks
black trumpet mushrooms, celery root puree, bloomsdale spinach
chestnut "bordelaise"

"sexy snickers bar"
honey ganache, caramel, pears, bacon bombolini, peanut milkshake
chocolate madelines, huckleberry syrup
maple-bourbon chantilly
~

I honestly can not figure out where the time goes. I try to post right after a cooking event, but...it seems to slip away...elusive...aludes you...then in a breath...it's gone. Fortunately for a trusty camera, an android phone, a good memory, hand scribed menus on backs of beo's, and some late night contemplation deep in thought...I am able to re-enact the soiree as it went down for you on this humble blog. Enter Valentines Day 2012...hopefully, you will find enjoyment in what you see just as lovers were laid.