Easter Treats & Sweets...

nuthin but goodness!

a few sweet shots of sumptn' sweet for our Easter Dessert Table...bacon-maple eclairs...hell yea!

Caramelia-White Chocolate Mousse Terrine

Easter Egg Macaron Sandwiches with Chocolate-Mint Ganache

from back to front...
Ginaduja-Caramel Shots, Cherries, Langue du Chat Wafer
Marionberry-Pecan Bars
Dark Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bars
Coconut Macaroons
Lemon-Poppyseed Cakes, Creme Fraiche, Oven Roasted Strawberries

Olive Oil Princess Cake, Raspberry-Basil Gel Filling, Elderflower, Marzipan Icing

Newest Family Addition...

our newest little guy from Julabo...don't you just love how he smiles at the camera?

Always a great moment when something new is brought into the equation and to the family. Almost brings tears of joy to my eyes. We'll call him "Stone" for now, because he ROCKS! Hoping the other kids(2 Polyscience classic brothers and 1 Polyscience professional sister) don't get jealous and offended.

classic "bro"...working hard at setting a good example!

Don't get me wrong...they rock just as well and hard, just not as polished. And, our new baby has a few more bells and whistles than it's siblings. Technology. Gotta love it. Keeping the family growing and the cooking moving forward. Now for the baby shower. No gifts please...

26 Courses to Reflect...

"start"
grilled mushroom-goat cheese, duck confit sandwich
rhubarb soda, whipped yogurt, chia
"cracker jax"..spicy brisket oil laced popcorn, harissa, spiced nuts

 

 

"salads"
dungeness crab salad, radishes, heart of palm, compressed cantaloupe, meyer lemon oil
hot smoked trout, cucumber, creme fraiche, apple, moroccan olive oil
roasted beet salad, crispy duck tongue, walnuts, aged bleu, hibiscus gel

"soups"

caramelized parsnip, duck confit, pears, vadouvan oil

butternut squash, sous vide shrimp, lobster oil

black bean, crispy pork, herb oil

 

"skewers"
cardamom-coriander seared salmon belly, sake glaze, honshimejii
moularde duck breast, sweetbreads, caramelized garlic, saba
albacore tune "nicoise", tomato, haricots verts, 4 hour egg, olive oil powder

"silky"
seared foie gras, blackberry paint, chocolate, coffee, pear profiterole, smoked hazelnuts
foie gras nage, roasted grapes
chilled foie gras mousse, brioche, cacao nibs, apricot conserve

"succulent"
lobster "bolognese", squash agnolotti, shallots, house bacon
roasted wild cod, asparagus risotto, pecorino, truffle oil, spring onion coulis
seared scallop, oxtails, cranberry beans, king trumpet mushrooms

"savory"
bison loin sous vide, celery root pudding, hedgehog mushroom-truffle-tripe ragout, huckleberry
fennel crusted lamb tenderloin, creamed nettles, farmer carrots, crisp polenta
72 hour beef short rib, salsify, cassis onions, marcona almond waffle, chocolate essence

"sweet"
buttermilk beignets, banana pudding, maple-bacon ravioli, salted caramel ice cream
valrhona chocolate-praline silk, rhubarb, strawberry salad, olive oil gelato
chocolate-peanut butter bar, preserved cherries, cherry gel, peanut ice cream

"sayonara"
wild berry pates de fruits, jasmine chocolates, indian curry-chili macaron
salted caramels, mascarpone stuffed eclairs
~

 

26 bites of indulgence, intimacy, enjoyment, savoryness, sweetness, succulent, amazing and incredible reasons to celebrate and reflect the past! Enter a 26th wedding anniversary for two of my most special guests. They are nothing short of inspiring to cook for, and to that of the highest level of inspiration mind you. I have been blessed to do so and have had the wonderful opportunity many times for their special day. I hope that someday i too can experience that. Each year, I add a course to reflect those special times and years. Happy Anniversary Roger & Loreena...

Clarity in Thought...

calm~clear~smooth~optimistic~inviting

Mind over matter. That is what I try to achieve in my daily travels. I seek to find that clarity in all that I do in life...my work, relationships, family, cooking and lovelife. Some dishes do not always show this transparency for some days do not allow for such clarity. They are cloudy, hazy, overcast and even zero visibility. Sometimes, I am just a wreck and can't focus at all. It all provides for an interesting take on the food though. Even in my most shittiest and downest of moods, moments and frame of mind, I have produced some amazing food. And still, even in the best state, I have turned out crap. Clarity is key. It allows one to focus and strive to achieve greatness. It provides the ability to think and see the moment as well as the future, see the path one is on and where they are headed. It tends to keep one grounded and steer the course to smoother seas. It is something I am working on in my life, as a chef, as a father and a person...

penn cove select oysters, honey gel, radish-heart of palm salad, cucumber
apple, honeydew melon vinaigrette, fennel pollen yogurt

sweetbread & beet salad, walnuts, micro arugula, apples, cider-mustard dressing

grilled diver scallop, octopus-cranberry bean "bolognese", squash agnolotti
pancetta powder, red watercress, spring garlic-green olive-marcona almond "caponata"

citrus crusted hawaiian opah, panisse, fingerling potatoes, beet vinaigrette
radish-pumello-fennel salad

seared scallop, harissa carrots, marcona almond relish
alternate version

Immersion in Taste...

riesling poached samish bay oyster, american sturgeon caviar, peppercress
tangelos, yuzu-elderflower-champagne sabayon, citrus olive oil

maine lobster & veal sweetbread "bolognese", truffles, hand cut pasta
butternut squash, lobster essence

seared foie gras, blackberry-onion jam paint, hibiscus gel, fig balsamic
pear stuffed profiterole, chocolate-coffee piping

broiled atlantic fluke, cauliflower "caviar", roasted cauliflower, shaved walnuts
pancetta-squash-beet salad, carrot-saba jus

cacao nib & indonesian pepper crusted american bison sous vide
truffle-tripe-hedgehog ragout, celery root pudding, thumbelina carrots, porcini creamed nettles
huckleberry sauce

mignardise...
indian curry macaron, citrus-chili filling, blood orange olive oil chocolates
salted caramels, raspberry-elderflower pates de fruits, root beer "gummies"

spiced root beer "gummies" up close...
~

Simply put, this is what we have been doing lately. Twists and turns along the road, new ideas, new concepts, and sometimes just a new road and/or different perspective. These last few dishes and posts have been inspired from the cool peeps that have graced us with their presence as well as the tease of spring we have experienced here in the northwest. Hope we didn't disappoint. We all have challenges with personal emotions at times and sometimes hard to get the energy to write, but either way, the food comes out in the form that it does... for better or for worse right?

Judge, Jury and Executioner...

poached samish bay oysters, mango-citrus gel, tangelos, daikon sprouts
black radish-heart of palm salad, micro arugula, ginger-honeydew dressing

seared foie gras, blackberry-onion jam, pears, smoked hazelnuts
chocolate-coffee gel, fig-balsamic dressing

carrot butter poached diver scallop, spring onion-garlic compote, onion blooms
watercress puree, panisse fries, house bacon, saba-carrot vinaigrette

zinfandel braised short ribs, truffle-hedgehog mushroom-tripe ragout
celery root pudding, thumbelina carrots, carrot creamed nettles, huckleberry essence

~mignardise~
raspberry-elderflower pates de fruits, indian curry macaron sandwiches with honey-chile filling
blood orange olive oil chocolates, salted caramels
~

Judge Not...less the be judged! Tonight's gathering of foodies and cooks alike was for a well known US court judge and some guests. Following in the footsteps of one who's left us all, and a wonderful soire last year, I pay homage and tribute to the late Judge R.Beezer. He loved to dine with us. His guests in awe. The cooks stoked. The host pleased. The chef...feeling good about our work yet sees all the areas in which to do better. That's me. Here are a few shots of the moment cooking in the new season upon us in the Northwest. The Judge~ past & present. The Jury~the guests who are waiting to see what the quality of the food, service and wine will bring. The Executioner~ I guess...that would be me and our brigade. We execute. Execute standards, techniques, recipes, service, refinement, good dishes, processes and procedures and above all..we execute ideas. Here are but a few.

Washington Wine Month...

braised oxtail & wild mushroom ravioli, roasted onions, salsify, sexy squash polenta,
pecorino, micro arugula and a red wine-foie gras emulsion

seared diver scallops, carrot creamed nettles, artichokes sous vide
toasted hazelnuts, chick pea "fries", roasted beet-pancetta vinaigrette
~

This month we are celebrating and honoring the washington wine month here in..well, washington. Seattle to be specific. Many a restaurant are doing the same. We have killer wines here in this wonderful evergreen state and awesome restaurants and chefs to be the perfect reps to highlight such great jus d' grapes. All over the state we will see wonderful seasonal dishes take form to give homage to these hand-crafted labors of love we call wine. Here are but two of ours we are doing this month. The third is still being sought after for a photo. He's a bit camera shy. Bare with us. More to follow...

Spring is Here...

beautiful spring onion blooms awaiting to be adorned on the blue moki
sea bass special today

duck confit "tart", smoked hazelnut crust, apricot mostarda, micro arugula
fig-honey roasted cipolline onion salad, scarlet turnips, fig balsamic vinaigrette

zinfandel braised beef cheeks, porcini creamed nettles, millet-wild rice griddle cake
baby thumbelina carrots, king trumpet mushroom-tripe ragout
blackberry essence

amongst a few other things in life...spring is upon us here in the Northwest, or at least somewhat. Although we have not seen the likes of fresh asparagus, fava beans, and morels...we have started to see the new season pop it's lovely head up above ground, even if we had to strrrrretch the area of procurement a bit. We are excited to see and be able to cook with things like Nettles. Watercress. Miner's Lettuce. Meyer Lemons. Rhubarb. Spring Onions. and the like. I even caught wind today that fresh green garbanzo beans are on delivery. Get ready amigo's...start peeling. They hate it! Oh well...here is a glimpse of some fresh things to come. Here's to that spring in our step.

Recipe for Mayhem...

riesling poached samish bay oysters, tangelo salad, black radishes, cucumbers
micro greens, heart of palm, sriracha aioli, tangerine espuma

grilled golden spotted bass, oxtails, baby octopus, chickpeas, leeks, lemon confit
citrus dust, micro lemon basil, caramelized orange-lemon sauce

oregon lamb sous vide, lentils, butternut squash with maple and sherry
kale, brussel sprouts, walnuts, blackberry-chocolate essence

~lamb two ways~
truffled tartare, carrot powder, sherry vinaigrette
pan roasted tenderloin, crispy potato, syrah salt

pan roasted monkfish, tagliatelle pasta, oxtail-mushroom ragout, pecorino, kale, roasted hubbard squash

porcini crusted moularde duck breast & seared diver scallop
beets, kumquats, saffron cous cous, fig balsamic reduction, micro celery
~

angst, anxiety, stress, drugs & alcohol, addiction, passion, commitment, dedication, hunger, drive, desire...like love, hate, sex and pain~ all of them make for a very unique, exciting and adrenaline filled environment! One feeds off another with an instinct for more, and so on. They fuel each other...and handled correctly can make for the best kick ass kitchen and cooking experience around. Handled poorly and you've got a recipe for disaster with an appetite for destruction! And so as it goes, the inertia of chaos perpetuates forward with the end-product resulting in the success or failure by the sum of its parts. Good or bad...I'm along for the ride in this crazy life I know as a chef!