To Cook Well

Here is the essay I recently entered at  http://bourdainmediumraw.com  If you like it, please take a minute to vote for me.  Thanks!

     UPDATE!  I am hoping this link works to take you straight to my essay.       http://bourdainmediumraw.com/essays/view/1031       

   To Cook Well

   To cook well is to know the “blub, blub, blub” sound coming from the pot means the polenta is almost done.  It is to know by a whiff of still raw bacon that you have four minutes to go versus the slightly acrid smell that comes from pork gone one minute too long. It is the slapping sound of the bread dough coming from the stand mixer that tells you the gluten is ready.  It is the sense of karmic timing that allows you to go deeper and darker into that caramel color and then stop all cooking with a cool liquid only a split second before brown turns to burned.  It is the shake of a fry pan that tells you there is a proper sear.  It is the ability to reach into your mental rolodex of flavors and pull tarragon out as the right one to finish a sauce.  Now try doing all of that while in a  complex ballet done with three tatted up foul mouthed alcoholics, two cousins from Guatemala that have more kitchen experience than the manager but speak little English, and the green kid from culinary school who is still learning the steps in a space roughly equivalent to a walk in closet.

To cook well is a mandate that some feel in their soul.  Anyone can flip a burger.  But to flip a burger with pride, to want to serve the best damn burger not just to one customer but to everyone that comes through your establishment turns the cook into a chef, the restaurant worker into an artist.  It gives you the fortitude to soldier on through your third double shift, to work through the holidays of normals, to survive a night of too much tequila after an especially busy Tuesday left you pumped up with adrenalin making sleep all but impossible.

Cooking well demands that you supreme the orange, not just cut it into pithy slices.  Drives you to carefully sort through a pallet of lettuce for only the freshest bits.  Compels you to spend your rare days off looking for inspiration in farmers’ markets and competitors menus.  It is the animated expression that comes across your face as you talk about your latest version of sweetbread stuffed tortellini.

To cook well is a madness that takes hold of your soul.  Madness that turns scarred flesh into badges of honor.  Madness that turns transitory nourishment into memories of relatives long gone.  A madness that inspires dreams of a delicious future.

5 minute Chocolate Pudding

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 3/4 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ounces 70% chocolate

In a saucepan, stir together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. Place over medium heat, and stir in milk. Bring to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat, and stir in butter, chocolate and vanilla. Let cool briefly, and serve warm, or chill in refrigerator until serving.

This recipe is so much easier and better than pudding from a box.  I like the depth of flavor that the brown sugar gives as well as the addition of dark chocolate at the end which also serves to thicken the pudding.  Pour it into a baked pie crust for a delicious chocolate pie.

Textile Closing

Scott Tycer opened his first restaurant Aries in Houston in November 2000 with much acclaim including “Best New American Chefs 2003″ by Food and Wine Magazine.  His latest restaurant Textile was a brave experiment but the decline in the economy combined with the size and location of the restaurant proved insurmountable as Textile closed it doors on June 26, 2010.  I was proud to be part of the last Chef’s Table to document the event.

Textile was in a former textile mill in a neighborhood full of older houses and the occasional industrial warehouse in north Houston well off the beaten path.  With a maximum of 11 tables and 30 guests, reservations were all but impossible to get when the restaurant first opened in 2008.  I met Lindsey, one of the chefs at Textile, through the Le Cordon Bleu alumni association.  She invited me to visit the restaurant if I was ever in Houston.  A few weeks later when the opportunity for a road trip came, I called and made arrangements to dine on a Saturday evening.    She mentioned she might invite a friend of hers if he was available.  I was a little surprised but pleasantly so when we actually became a table of six including Lindsey’s husband.  There is nothing like good food and wine to inspire new friendships.  

We were warned the air conditioning was on the fritz and the chefs table in the kitchen might be a little warm.  Several of the guests were also chefs and all agreed that the kitchen was the best spot to be.  The wine began to flow as the table became acquainted.  Lindsey worked diligently to entertain us as well as serve a full dining room.

The amuse bouche was a tasty little shot of crawfish chowder.  The smooth puree was ripe with cajun spice and reminded me of an etouffee sauce.

The salad course brought an heirloom tomato with a whisper thin slice of crisped

baguette and fried basil.  Dressed with olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar, the plate was light, clean, and refreshing.

Next came another soup of corn puree and onion stock with a mini grilled cheese and tomato sponge.  The soup sung summer praise to fresh sweet corn.  The mini grilled cheese served as a delicious crouton but I was intrigued with the tomato sponge.  The round bread was used as a sponge to soak up a fresh tomato sauce.  No, it did not taste like soggy bread, more like a savory version of a cake soaked in syrup to moisten.

When I called to confirm reservations with Lindsey the week before, she had excitedly told me about the pasta dish she was working on.  Spinach pasta with a sweetbread filling turned into tortellini, topped with dehydrated carrots, and served with a spoon of the onion broth.  When she brought her proud new creation to the table with tears in her eyes she gave us the sad news of Textiles closing.  Restaurants, it seems are almost as perishable as fresh produce.  It is so sad to see the dedicated staff proudly working their last service here.  Some will move to Gravitas, Textiles sister restaurant and eventually on to Tycer’s new gastropub which is in the works.  I even heard a rumor that some may be coming to Austin to work at the Austonian with David Bull.  The sweetbread tortellini were just as delicious as they sound, the rich filling wrapped in a feather light pasta.  They tasted even richer as we realized that we were the last that would have them in that space.

Next course brought seared ahi with 3 kinds of caviar and a salad with haricot vert and ribbons of fruit.  The ribbons were a cross between a gelee and a fruit leather, not too sweet and an interesting addition to the side.  The ahi was perfectly seared and the fish eggs brought a pop of flavor as well as a beautiful garnish.

One more savory course of pork served with an apple puree and onion straws.  The pork was moist and flavorful but quite honestly the details as well as the photography are getting a little fuzzy as the free flowing wine began to catch up to me.  I wish I had the fortitude to soldier on with the staff to a final night out but the wine along with the finale of 4 dessert bites put the velvet hammer on me that sent me to bed soon after.

Plinio Sandalio is the creative genius behind the desserts at Textile.  Because pastry is my background, I was excited to get a taste of his work.  Perhaps because it was closing night, the desserts were more mainstream than the corndog dessert with mustard ice cream I had heard about but perhaps if he comes to Austin with David Bull to the Austonian as rumored, we will get to try his more playful side.  First bite was a donut hole with a spoon of fresh berry jam, next a crisped square of pound cake with a refreshingly tart grapefruit campari granita, then a smoked chocolate brownie with spicy peanuts and decadent bacon ice cream, finally a truffle and in house made marshmallow.  A fabulous end to a one of  kind meal.  

Beer Dinner at Parkside 7/18

parkside with Shawn Cirkiel

Shawn Cirkiel has been a star of the Austin restaurant scene since 2002 when he took over the wildly popular Jean Luc’s Bistro and made it his own.  His commitment then as well as now to local ingredients and creative presentation have garnered him legions of fans as well as critical acclaim including two trips to cook at the James Beard house.

Shawn’s latest restaurant, parkside, is a casual gastro pub intended to showcase his take on the New American Cuisine on 6th street in the heart of downtown Austin.  A recent trip for a celebratory dinner in honor of my friend Michelle was a delicious reminder of why parkside was named by Bon Appetit magazine as one of the “Hot 10 New American Taverns.”

First course was a sumptuous bite from the raw bar.  Instead of flowery descriptions, parkside lists this appetizer as:

madai, cherry gelee, toasted pistachio, fried basil

Madai, by the way, is a Japanese fish similar to snapper.  The slight sweetness from the gelee brought out a brightness in the firm white fish.  Notes of green from the basil and crunch of the pistachios rounded out the delightful first bite.

Next came a dozen oysters of three different varieties.  I should mention now that Wednesdays are my favorite night at parkside because the oysters and champagne are half price.  The raw bar offers a selection of at least half a dozen different oysters.  My favorite this trip were the Blue Points, very buttery and briny.

The gnocchi were light, little melt in your mouth pillows of a dumpling with an earthy mushroom medley and sauce.

Chef Cirkiel taught a class last fall at Central Market that included his recipe for a savory sweet potato soup topped with, wait for it——-  BACON MARSHMALLOWS!  The marshmallows were toasted brown on top so they melted into the soup and gave a little textural crunch.  It was probably one of my favorite bites of the year.  But new seasons bring new soups and Chef did not disappoint.  

Velvety corn chowder with bacon and chive fritters tasted like summer in a bowl.  The corn soup was pureed smooth and topped with lightly fried bacon fritters and a dash of chive oil for color.

Sides for the meal were 2 huge platters of fried okra and brussel sprouts.  The okra were lightly breaded and fried to a delicate balance of past golden brown but not overcooked to achieve a crispy perfection without even a hint of okra slime.  The brussel sprouts were heavily studded with chunky bits of bacon that gave a smoky flavor to the bright green sprouts.

Entree was the pan seared halibut pictured at the top of the post.  This lovely chunk of fish was perfectly cooked and fell into beautiful flakes with the touch of a fork.  Honestly, I was falling rapidly into a food coma but being a pastry chef, I had to forge ahead!

We had a nice goat cheesecake topped with fresh strawberries.  There was a plain tuille cookie on the plate that seemed like an afterthought but the standout was the basil ice cream.  It was the palest of green with a slightly herbal flavor.  My favorite was the warm chocolate brownie with toffee ice cream and pecan tuille.  Sweet, crunch, soft, cold, warm, chocolate all in one bite.  A perfect end to an orgy of food.  Thank you, Chef!

Grilled Artichokes from Moonshine

Grilled Artichokes from Moonshine

Originally uploaded by christy111luv

Larry Perdido from Moonshine is a genius with the upscale comfort food. This simple grilled artichoke was delicious and beautiful.

Wines.com

Did you know Wines.com is housed here in Austin?  That’s Buckley Wineholt on the right  interviewing a winemaker about his pinot noir on wines.com TV.  Got an email from Buckley today announcing a big clearance sale TODAY May 14 from Noon-7 at 5005 Commercial Park Dr Austin, TX 78724.  I have gotten some great bargains from the VIP list including a beautifully deep shiraz from Two Hands that was #14 on Wine Spectator’s top 100 last year.  This wine normally retails for around $60-$80 and I got it at a STEAL for $30 during one of Buckley’s sales.  I will be there this afternoon.  Hope to see you there!!