Cake and Commerce

Treats from the fancy farmers market in Berlin

I love farmer's markets. Or is it farmers' markets? Well, either way, I really like them and always make a point to visit them whenever I'm visiting a new city.

I went to two markets while in Berlin. The photos below are from both markets.

There was organic cheese from Austria (nothing says Tiroler quite like a cow bell):

Then there was the jelly...all the jelly...

The organic displays were always the best - less to work with, but so well-arranged:

and then there were chestnuts...warmed over fire

The organic bakery had pretzels displayed on sticks

Grilling wursts at the market:

More snacks - wurst and spinach and potatoes

Soup ingredients, bundled and ready to go:

The orange juice lady

There were massive tortes at the torte booth

Breads:

Excellent greens

Dinner at Facil, Berlin Germany

Dinner at Facil started out with one of the best bread plates I have had in recent memory. Pretzel bread, wonderful whole grain and seed bread, baguettes, and two savory spreads that I would never expect to see served in the US: a tuna-based spread and a second bean-based spread. There was also a ramekin of some of the most delicious butter...and of course I forgot to ask where it was from.

Facil is a Michelin one-star located in the Mandala Hotel in Berlin. Chef Michael Kempf was (apparently) one of the youngest chefs in Berlin to receive a Michelin Star. He's definitely got potential for more, but judging from our meal (which was good, not great and not particularly innovative), he needs a little more experience and inspiration before he actually achieves greatness.

The first course, I believe a salmon tartare. Excuse the poor lighting....I don't like using the flash and did the best with the low, romantic lighting at the restaurant:

Next course was a pepper soup with a potato cracker, mozzarella, tomato, and caviar. It was light and somewhat silly. I can't remember exactly how it tasted - a bad sign.

Next there was fish dish #1. Was it Mackerel? That's what I get for waiting a month to write about this meal. It was well-prepared...at least that I recall.

Then there was the foie gras dish. The gels are vanilla, quince and...something else. Again, worst memory ever.

Next course - shrimp and spinach. I had an allergic reaction to the shell, that'll teach me to eat shell. I'm pretty over foam (see sauce).

Then razor clam, some kind of fish I've forgotten, celeriac. Not enough textural contrasts.

At this point I can't believe we haven't imploded. Sturgeon and an unusually amazing couscous. The portion was a little too large for this point in the meal, though.

The course below was something my mom was served - pork, fish roe, etc:

And another course Mom had but I took a pass on. It was brisket with strings of sweet potato, barely cooked. Mom didn't particularly like it:

Last fish course was gigantic. At this point I was close to exploding. And I was getting really tired of the breadcrumbs:

And then the dessert courses began. There was a 'ravioli' made with fruit paste and vacherin mont d'or:

It was good but too much at this point.

And then the actual dessert:

The thing on the left was some sort of raspberry cake that just didn't delivery. I picked around it. The ice cream was quite good, however, and I downed most of that.

And then there was the first round of petit fours...starring cape gooseberries. The ganache was the best feature of this plate:

And then we finally made it to the end, truffles. Well-executed but not exciting or particularly interesting:

All in all it was too much food, portions were too large, flavors were rather blunt. Overall we didn't love our meal, but it was a lovely service experience and the setting was great. Chef Kempf's cooking needs to mature a little, and more thought needs to be put into texture and preparation. In five years he could be magnificent.

Inside Public, NYC

Photo taken 2.4.07

Sydney, Australia: Dinner at Tetsuya's

Today I posted a photo journal of my meal at Tetsuya's to LTHforum.com. Instead of repeating myself here, I'll simply direct you to LTH. There's other good reading there too....

http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=11697

Here's a preview:

Soul Crush: Lunch at Pizza Hut

At 1:15 pm yesterday, I felt as if I had been hit in the face with a saucepan, or that I had just come from visiting puppies about to be euthanized. Lunch at Pizza Hut made me feel that bad.

This wasn't my idea. This was my boss' spark of genius - he wanted us to check them out to better understand the Pizza Hut operation. We chose a location close to the office, but Google Maps gave us the absolute wrong directions and we ended up calling 411 to find a location that wasn't as close but at least easy to find.

The walls were wood-grain finish, the windows were vintage 1979, and the banquettes were just as ancient. The only modern touch was the green-tinted pool hall lights hung above each table on a gold-finished chain. An ancient steam table kept the pizza warm on the buffet and a salad bar stocked with iceberg lettuce, cottage cheese and a few composed salads rounded out the selection. Dessert was pizza dough, dusted in cinnamon. As a non-wheat eater (yeah, I'm sticking to the wheat-free thing) I was pretty limited - I went for the salad bar.

One of the salads, a 'three-bean', was fermented. It fizzed in my mouth in a most subtle way. I pushed it aside to eat a mixture of cottage cheese, sunflower seeds, and iceberg lettuce which tasted relatively uncontaminated. My boss ate pizza that had been under the heat lamp way too long, and yelled something about the melt point of the cheese.

The restaurant was strangely quiet. Diners focused on shoveling food down their gullets -- well, except for the table next to us, workers from a nearby office who were picking at their pizza and salads. They were more engaged in chat than the food, and they didn't seem to notice the chips on the ancient plastic composite plates or the graininess of the cheese on the pizza.

Hey, for a $5.99 all-you-can-eat buffet you can't beat Pizza Hut for value. The trade-off, though, is quality. Obviously.

Now I 'get' Pizza Hut, but I really wish I didn't.

As a friend recently stated, "sitting in the Pizza Hut for lunch yesterday was probably a pretty good tip-off that you've sold out..."

Exes with Benefits

No, it's not what you think.

Think, grasshopper, think...what would be considered a 'benefit' by a food and wine-crazed ex-chef?

Something with no strings attached...

Something delicious perhaps?

How about an ex-boyfriend who is now a partner in a lovely wine boutique? A boutique that reflects his interesting, eclectic taste and not the demands of a boss who got a great deal on "something great" and is pushing it on every customer.

Joe has exquisite taste in wine. For years he languished in a chain wine shop where, as the store manager, he was pulled in twelve directions by his MBA boss -- a boss who had no talent for the business, but a degree that he believed allowed him to expertly manage everything and everyone. I'm an MBA, too, but at no time would I delude myself that the degree has somehow endowed me with super powers. Joe's old boss made him miserable -- which was a pity because Joe loved his work and his customers.

Last fall Joe met Amy, who was planning to open a wine boutique. The wheels were already in motion, and when Joe joined Amy's business, she had already hired --and lost -- a wine director who didn't share Amy's vision. Amy hired Joe and they worked night and day for several months. Late January 2006 they opened the doors of the Bottle Shop, a sunny, open, attractive store with wines that Joe loves. There are quirky wines and serious wines. Joe special orders wines for regular customers, many of whom followed him from his old shop.

Every Thursday and Saturday Joe hosts tastings at the shop -- definitely the closest thing in Chicago to going to a tasting room at a winery in the Santa Cruz mountains. It is unpretentious, laid back, and fun. Joe pours wines he loves, odd bottles, and occasionally what his reps feels like pouring. Joe serves in wine glasses, not plastic cups. There are a number of comfortable stools to sit on. On a sunny afternoon, it is the perfect place to enjoy a good glass of wine and wine conversation. And Joe always has a secret bottle, usually the last of a case that has sold out. He's also got a store blog that he keep updated for his customers. Good to see Joe is putting that English major to use.

Yep, Joe is definitely an ex with benefits.

Did I mention that he's single?

I love Alinea

...And for those of you from out of town, I am not referring to the symbol ("the beginning of a new train of thought") or the font, but the restaurant in Chicago, the house of gastronomic and sensory engagement unparalleled within 1000 miles. Nevermind its overhyped opening and the grandstanding on eGullet -- Alinea rocks my world and makes me make audible happy "yum" sounds when I eat there. If only they would get rid of the server who talks as if he's got a really painful cramp in his stomach.

One of the better known aspects of dining at Alinea is the tableware and implements for dining designed by Czech native and accomplished metalsmith Martin Kastner, who calls his studio Crucial Detail. He's now offering for sale some of his wares, although you must contact him directly to find out what and for how much. He recently relocated to Chicago from San Diego, presumably to oversee the commercialization of his products and work more closely with Chef Grant Achatz. At least that's what I presume. Who knows, maybe love has something to do with it, or the price of real estate, or the need for a really good hot dog...

Sea Salt n Fleur de Sel n Stuff

Over the last 10 years, sea salt has become a national obsession. Once the domain of fine dining restaurants, sea salt has become increasingly familiar as an ingredient in all kinds of foods, from savory to sweet. Chicago's Vanille Patisserie makes an all-American brownie with flakes of fleur de sel, hand-raked French sea salt. Sea Salt caramels have become the upscale alternative for consumers looking for bolder, more “adult” flavored caramels. I'm a big fan of Poco Dolce's salt caramel 'tiles' that are dipped in chocolate and topped with several large salt crystals. I also like the French fleur de sel caramels. At San Francisco's Campton Place, I had a caramel ice cream topped with Maldon Sea Salt. Last time I ate at Alinea the last course was 'dry' caramel with sea salt (although the menu just said 'salt').

Restaurants are placing specialty salt on tables where once lowly generic salt ruled. A friend and I ate at the over-the-top oddball nuevo tapas joint Del Toro the other week. On the table was Cypress pyramid salt -- the shape is a hollow, bottomless pyramid and it is very crunchy and thin. I did something that would horrify germophobes - I picked out perfect pyramids with my fingers and ate them, pyramid by salt pyramid. I really loved the texture.

Only a couple years ago specialty gourmet shops stocked one or two types. Now it is routine for a store to stock 6 or more types of sea salt, in many colors of the rainbow. But do they really taste different? For a number of reasons, including trace mineral content, shape, and sizes, sea salts do indeed taste different. Although in dilution with equal amounts of water, there is little difference in flavor ( in its ‘natural’ form, sea salt can lend an interesting salty flavor –and texture – to a product or dish.  Jeffrey Steingarten wrote an interesting piece on sea salt and dilution in "It Must Have Been Something I Ate,"  essential reading for the food obsessed.

Slate also has an informative article.

To test out the question of "sea salt, flavor differences or not?" for yourself at home, you will need a cucumber and several types of sea salt, along with your usual table salt. Cut the cucumber into slices, and sprinkle one slice with the first sea salt and eat. What do you taste? What is the texture? Repeat again with the other sea salts. You should be able to notice the difference. To take this test up a notch, sauté a piece of steak or a piece of chicken breast. Cut into slices, and sprinkle each with the different types of salt. You will definitely notice a difference. Try to keep the meat as neutral as possible -- avoid other seasonings, and only salt the meat after it has been cooked.

If you cannot find a local source for sea salt, try www.saltworks.us.

Cheese plates for beginners

How to Assemble a Cheese Plate – A Biased Perspective

I put this together for a tasting we held at Bouffe, Libby Bonahoom's gourmet shop in Lincoln Square, Chicago.

Cheese plates are simpler to put together than most people assume. By following a few simple rules, you too can be a cheese plate artist and wow family and friends at your next dinner party or soirée.

Rule #1: Find yourself a reliable Cheesemonger

Not all cheesemongers and cheese shops are created equal! Is the cheese pre-wrapped, or is it cut to order for you? Does the cheesemonger let you taste the cheese before you buy? Is the cheese shop busy, does the cheese inventory turn over frequently? You need to answer these questions when you walk in to a cheese shop before you consider buying. After all, good cheese isn’t cheap: it will cost you anywhere between $9/lb and $30/lb, depending on method of production, country of origin, and scarcity. If you are going to shell out that kind of dough, make sure the cheese is treated well and is at its peak (à point, in French) before you buy.

Rule #2:  Don’t go shopping without a game plan

There is nothing worse than facing a case of hundreds of cheeses and not knowing where to start. Before you start picking cheeses out at random, know what you want. How many cheeses will you serve? Will it be served as a course or as an hors d’oeuvre? You will need much less cheese – 1 oz-1.5 oz per person of each type – if you are going to serve cheese as a dessert course. If it is an appetizer, served buffet style, consider your guests and their appetites.

Rule #3: It is all about odd numbers

Cheese plates should have an odd number of cheeses – 3, 5, 7, etc – rather than even. This is my rule – I suppose you could serve 4 or 6 if you liked but the balance of odd numbers is visually pleasing and is reflected in other arts, particularly Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement.

Rule #4: If you are going to serve a cheese plate, have a theme

Actually, there is no hard and fast rule about a theme, but it sure makes it easier for cheese novices to choose from the dozens, if not hundreds, of cheeses available at the cheese counter. Country, milk type, texture, producer, cheese type, rind, matching a wine you are serving – all of these are potential themes for a plate. Alternately, a non-theme will work too. Picking one cheese each from the category of milk types –sheep, goat, cow – can create a cheese plate with textural, flavor, and visual variety. If you are totally lost, ask your friendly cheesemonger for advice – that’s what they are there for!

Rule #5: Arrange your cheeses mildest to strongest if you are serving cheese as a course

Arrange your cheeses with your mildest cheese at twelve o’clock on the plate, and place the rest of the cheeses – mildest to strongest – clockwise, down and around. Your mildest cheese will end up next to your strongest cheese, if you have a sizable cheese plate. Blues are almost always the strongest cheeses on the plate, followed by washed rind cheeses. Oh yeah, and in the US, it doesn’t matter when you serve cheese, as long as you enjoy it!

Rule #6: Accompaniments are awfully fun

Other foods can intensify and even change the flavor of cheese. Serve cheeses with a variety of accompaniments like toasted nuts, quince paste (membrillo), slices of pear or apple, dried fruits, wine jelly, Italian mostarda, fig cake, or date cake (and any number of other treats available today). Crackers are good if they are to be used as a palate cleanser, but bread is far more interesting as a vehicle for cheese. Try a bread with nuts and fruits, like a pecan-raisin loaf or cranberry-walnut bread.

Rule #7: Water is nice, but wine is finer…but if you are going to do blue, go Port or….

If you are serving cheese at the end of the meal, the last wine you serve with the entrée can be served with dessert if you don’t want to fuss too much. You can also choose a wine to pair with your cheese course, if you really want to create a dazzler (ask your cheesemonger for advice if you have a broad range of cheeses). With strong blues, nothing beats dessert wines like Port, TawnyPort, Muscat, late harvest Zin, Sauternes, etc. Milder cheeses can be overwhelmed by syrupy dessert wines, so avoid them if you are not serving strong cheeses.

Rule #8: Enjoy!

Relax and enjoy. Cheese courses should be fun and eye-opening. Don’t stress. If you don’t want to do the work, your cheesemonger will be more than happy to help you out.

Here are a few of my favorite mail order resources for great cheese in the US:

Murray's Cheese - 50 years and going strong! They have an aging cave that competes with the best of 'em...and their direct import program is great!

Zingerman's - What can I say? A relatively limited selection of great cheeses, aged well

Formaggio Kitchen - One of the shops that started it all. Expensive and worth it

igourmet.com - They have it all. One stop shopping, and reasonable prices. Can't vouch for the quality, but they certainly have quantity.

esperya.com - If it is Italian and artisan, you will find it here.

Coffee and stuff

Okay, so it has been forever since I've posted. I've been wasting my time over at LTH Forum (great for Chicago food chit chat as well as shopping info) and trying to get a little better at my job (which, not-so-incidentally, is food related). I'll save that for another post.

I started drinking coffee again -- I quit for about 6 months until my nutritionist banned just about everything else from my diet. I find great solace in my 1-2 cups per day and try to make the best cup I possibly can. I've been enjoying coffee from Terroir, which is the company founded by George Howell. For those not from Boston, George Howell is the visionary who founded Coffee Connection, which was later bought out by $tarbucks. Howell uses antique roasting equipment and purchases small lots from single estates. He pays fairer than fair trade prices for his coffee - so it isn't inexpensive. But the care he puts into every batch makes Terroir one of the best boutique roasters out there. I can't comment on the espresso roasts since I don't have a machine chez moi, but I can say that the single estate drip coffees are delicious -- Las Termopilas is one of my favorites.

I also discovered the Kona coffee council's listings -- a great place to discover tiny estate coffees from Hawaii. It is a primative site but will link you to just about every ranch selling green and roast coffee. My favorite has been from Rancho Aloha - roasted a little too dark for my taste but absolutely delicious. Kona is generally very mild, so to make it more assertive, some roasters tend to take its color to full french -- losing the subtleties in the process. No mind, Rancho Aloha is great coffee, light (I presume) or dark.

If you get into roasting your own (I don't drink enough to justify the investment) Sweet Maria's, named for Harvard classmate Maria Troy (who is married to the owner), has the best green coffee beans available in small quantities.

Recently I've been getting requests for recipes -- once I start posting regularly, I promise to include recipes.