Fade to Black...

Life it seems will fade away...
drifting farther every day...
getting lost within myself,
nothing matters...no one else...
I have lost the will to live...
simply nothing more to give...
there is nothing more for me...
need the end to set me free!

Excerpt from Metallica's  FADE to BLACK

sometimes i find myself here. Not necessarily literally, but in the moment per se. I love the song. I really do. I feel it in so many ways. No escaping it. My life seems to fade itself in and out of this song, its lyrics and its meanings in various interpretations. I'm surprised I didn't write it. What does it have to do with my food and my cooking one might ask? Nothing. Other than just having an effect on my emotion, which I as I have written about in the past, does have a strong effect on my cooking...for good and for bad.

Fun Inspires Passion...

Fun inspires passion...
Fuels creativity...
Revitalizes the soul...
Rejuvenates inspiration...
Cultivates Ideas and thought...
Promotes happiness...
Stimulates positivity...
In a word...evolutionary.
And...in a blink of an eye, it can be gone.
Don't take anything for granted! LISDIN...life is short...do it now!

Dungeness Crab Salad, plums, avocado, lobster-vanilla dressing, golden caviar
elderflower infusion

seared foie gras, peach-lemon balm relish, muscovado streusel, micro arugula
truffled apricot conserve, 30 year balsamic condiment

local spot prawns, corn agnolotti, baby heirloom tomatoes, anise hyssop
chili potatoes, watermelon radish-melon-almond salad

sous vide cooked lamb tenderloin, fingerling potatoes, king oyster mushrooms
zucchini, artichokes, caramelized farmer onions

spice crusted moularde duck, morels, black caps, garlic pancake
duck egg custard, favas, pineapple sage jus

Epiphany of Taste...



chilled foie gras torchon, poached rhubarb, peanut butter powder, candied walnuts
apricot-truffle conserve, aged balsamic

pan roasted diver scallop, pea-morel raviolini, house bacon
morels, peas, shallot-mustard jus

seared scallop & foie gras, rhubarb, muscovado, chervil

copper river salmon, pea-morel raviolini, spring onions, black garlic
farmer zucchini, morels, rosemary essence

grilled albacore tuna, honshimejii, olive-black garlic pancake, garlic scapes, sherry
corn, hazelnuts

tale of two sodas...
roasted corn with jalapeno & grape-lavender

compressed summer melon, basil gel, watermelon salad, frozen yogurt

braised beef short rib, corn, fava bean puree, baby turnips, honshimejii
sweet corn agnolotti, wild berry-chocolate essence

braised short rib, foie gras, truffled grits, zucchini, fava beans, pine nuts, artichokes
syrah braisage

sous vide lamb loin, quinoa, asparagus, tomato fondue, caramelized garlic
aromatic jus

sometimes, that is what takes place in our humble kitchen...a thought becomes a more in depth idea. An idea morphs into some scribble on a notebook over coffee and some jostling of ingredients together on a plate when figuring out the days dishes. That scribble finds it's way onto a list which transcends to a working pad and board that then becomes live in queue. Those ingredients in which to craft that idea are procured and solidified, or perhaps already on hand. It is communicated as to what is to be prepared and we start applying heat, refrigeration, technique, technology, science, imagination, passion, commitment, dedication, ingenuity, experience, wisdom and memory. Many other things happen as well, but those are the most on the forefront. The ingredients are ready, then the magic begins. It is seasoned, tasted individually, contemplated and applied to the canvas. Swipe this puree there, lay the fingerlings there with the artichokes on top...no wait, let's strew them around and place the artichokes under...lay the fish to the side with the salad next to it to show it off...don't like it..scrap it! This looks like shit. Start over...how about fry the salsify? Need a crisp element...build the meat, foie and fruit as one to create complete harmony of taste...wow...an epiphany! Didn't see that coming! Cool.."What do you think?"..."did you taste it?"...right on, this rocks!...next...

Brandi-licious...

copper river salmon belly, sumer melon, basil, aioli, togarashi
chilled spring pea boisson, lemon creme fraiche, chives

farmers salad, shiitake-cabecous feuilles "truffle", radishes, peas, micro greens
silky carrot soup, macadamia nut emulsion

seared pleasant view farms foie gras, rhubarb puree, poached rhubarb, saba
gewurztraminer gel, peanut butter powder, muscovado crumble

scallop "bolognese", tomato, morels, truffle, lobster foam
lobster essence, purple basil crepe

seared tilefish, house cured chorizo, green garbanzo beans, baby octopus
olives, polenta, black garlic, oca, quince jus

corn ice tea soda, jalapeno gelee
grape-lavender soda

spice crusted duck breast, fava beans, honshimejii, kumquat sous vide
smoked pecan-apple mustard pancake, huckleberry-chocolate jus

syrah braised shortrib, king trumpet mushroom, walnut potatoes, celery
walnuts, caramelized onions, bourbon-maple vinegar black peppercorn sauce

I am hopeful that this is what our wonderful, delightful, fun and honored guests were thinking by the end of the soire, or at least somewhere in that stratosphere! Sometimes, we notice that our guests are overwhelmed at what we do and yet we are barely stimulated based on the flaws we see in our own work. Other times, we are stoked as hell and our diners seem less-than-excited~maybe they didn't get it perhaps. Then of course, there are those unique and breathtaking moments when everyone involved is so enamored and thrilled with what is created in front of them that it is almost too amazing to comprehend. In the realm of professional cooking in our kitchen, this is what we strive for constantly. When things are firing on all cylinders and the adrenaline is racing through our veins, palates exploding with excitement and emotions of extreme passion running ramped. That is when things are really cooking and at their best. I know the kitchen this night was very proud of what we did, we almost pleased ourselves completely, but actually, we really never do! We always have room to do better! But tonight things tasted great... flavors were exciting... ingredients shined...energy was flowing...passion exuding...and the juxtaposition of it all was like a concerto of cuisine! I truly am hinging on the faith that our guests enjoyed the degustation as much as we we honored and enjoyed cooking for them all. Here lies excerpts from the soiree. Like a night of some cool impromptu music performed by an amazing local music artist...a work of art in it's own right...