Cooking For Pleasure...

When passion's a pleasure, it is hard to resist the temptation to pursue it. Such is the case when I am blessed with the opportunity to "just cook" for our guests. It is a unique and wonderful thing when a guest places their trust in you as a chef to just perform what one does...to cook with your heart and soul without restraint and regard for anything but goodness. We should all be so fortunate. Here is one of our last chefs table dinners in the kitchen before the close of the year.

"rabbit salad:
confit terrine, matsutake salad, celery, veal emulsion, micro celery
seared loin, figs, hidden rose apples, walnuts, saba, maple gel

broiled spanish mackerel, brussels, black trumpet mushrooms, pumpkin
turnip greens, pumpkin agnolotti, vermouth essence

grilled idaho sturgeon, truffles, lentils, bacon, crosnes, chanterelle-px sauce

buddahs hand, fennel, finger limes, citrus gelee, orange-tea ice

spice crusted moularde duck breast, seared foie gras, beet, oca,
gingerbread potatoes, smoked persimmons, pecans, glazed parsnip tips
pomegranate sauce

chocolate tasting...
deconstructed white chocolate napoleon, cranberry, pistachio, cinnamon ice cream
triple chocolate torte, caramel, pears, pear sorbet,
chocolate-foie gras bon bon, cherries, fennel gelato
manjari-banana pave, red wine jelly, banana, banana-peanut butter ice cream