Grant Me

Out of Commission

I just cut my thumb with my chef knife, cooking for you :(. It is a big slice so I won’t be cooking up anything new for a few.  

Once I can type with two hands again I will put up a post on the Paella we made a few weeks back.

Michael Mina Scallops Two Ways

I never knew fresh sea scallops could be so much fun to make and eat. Yes, I have been making them for years and have done them dozens of different ways, but never really took in their full artistic nature and uniquely versatile flavor. Think of it, a good fresh scallop is pretty much a gorgeous blank slate of texture and subtle flavor anxious to be infused with zest and flair. Ok, maybe that is a little over the top, but you know what I mean.

Anyway, the other evening we decided to take scallops to a new level with one of Michael Mina’s many scallop recipes. Yes, he does them as scallops six ways, but given time and the many other delicate dishes we made with them that evening, scallops 2 ways was just fine.

For scallop #1  we marinated in meyer lemon juice for 20min and served it ceviche style (that means pretty much raw). We then plated it on top of a watermelon radish, drizzled a little bit of olive oil, put a dab of nice chilled Sturgeon caviar on top and a bit of lemon zest.

For scallop #2 we sear it. We then place it in a lovely thick sauce of creamy Meyer lemon beurre blanc and topped it with a dab of caviar. We served them side-by-side so we could alternate taking bites of each as we slowly enjoy them both.

Now your turn :) let me know how it goes and if you want pointers you know how to reach me.

The Charbay Experience

Charbay in one word equals fun. They are a fun group of people. They have a fun tasting setup. They make fun spirits. They know fun and do it well!

Yes, they are best known for their boutique flavored vodkas, like their Pomegranate infused Vodka, but they have so many other fun creations worth trying. Recently we had the privilege of doing a “short” 2hr tasting with Mark Raymond, a cool fellow from New Zealand. During this tasting we got to try their whole gamete of aperitifs, wines, and “light”, as in 20% or less, alcoholic concoctions.  Some highlights were their pomegranate dessert wine, it goes great with Chinese food, and their green tea aperitif, a great addition to any gin or vodka cocktail.

The tasting became more than a tasting when Marko Karakasevic, master distiller, joined us for a chat. We talked about the joys of great cocktails, the art of making high-end spirits, and what is next for Charbay. The bottom line - you can get excited for some new Whiskeys, Tequilas and perhaps Vodka in the next year.

If you want to check out some of their products in San Francisco you can find them at fine restaurants like Spruce or Nopa and liquor stores like Cask and K&L. Or, better yet, next time you are in St. Helena schedule a tasting at Charbay, and tell the we sent you :).

6 Quick Steps to Enjoying Fine Food

1. LOOK: Take in all the color, symmetry, and texture of the presentation…. oftentimes the better the food looks the better your mind will think it tastes!
2. LISTEN: No, food doesn’t talk back, and if it did PETA would have a field day, but there is a lot to listen to, so just open your ears for that crunch, mash, or tear of the fibers as you get ready to consume it.
3. SMELL: The one sense we hardly understand and one of the keys to great eats… so follow your nose and elevate your experience.
4. TASTE: The moment we all have been waiting for… so move that taste morsel all around your mouth, taking in the sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami in every bite.
5. FEEL: As you chew, turn, and swallow, feel the textures of the food and let them complete the moment.
6. AFTERTASTE: Relax and don’t eat too fast so you can enjoy the lingering tastes that stick around for a few seconds after each bite. They are often totally different and bring the whole thing full circle.

Thomas Keller at 3am

You heard right 3am was our dessert time! This was because we choose to make a pretty involved French Laundry classic of slow cooked meringue with fluffy chocolate moose inside, surrounded by elegant creme anglaise, and topped with shaved chocolate and hand pressed mint oil.

Cooking highlights: This dessert is involved with tons of steps: whisking, stirring, boiling, freezing, ice plunging, stuffing, etc. It an interesting and fun dish to prepare, because of all the different textures, colors, and flavors you get to generate. It is a great dish to make on a Sunday afternoon when you have a few hours to dedicate to it… probably not the right thing to do in the middle of the night, but hey we are nuts for food.

Eating highlights: Picture a soft marshmallow like cream surrounded by delightful sweetness with a chocolate surprise inside, and looks to match. In other words about 1/4 a cup of sugar and lots of lovely fat… can you say late-night sugar high!

Difficulty: 3.5 out of 5

Time: 3hrs

YES, but only for special occasions

Michael Mina at Midnight

The Valentine’s Day late-night feast continued with steak and potatoes at midnight. We were ready to dive deep into a hard Michael Mina butter poached steak and a  Thomas Keller truffled potato dish, but  it was late so we simplified to butter rubbed steak and oven roasted potatoes with truffle oil.

Cooking highlights: Simple prep and magical Forrest grill marks… oh ya!

Eating highlights: Juicy rare steak and aromatic potatoes always a winner in my book.

Difficulty: 1.5 out of 5

Time:30mins

YES, often and easy