R elpe

1enu-
\11

\1\
en
Re't.1urant Menus Xt'

Acknowledgments Xt'll

Preface XIX

The Chef as Artist 1

Meet Your Medium 23

Compoing Flavors 37

Compo~ing a Dish 61

Why Food Matches? 87

Food ~1atche~ Made in Heaven

~ea'ioning Matche . . Made m Heaven 196

Composing a Menu 223

Common Accompaniment' to Entrees 260

Evolvmg a Cuisine 289

The Evolution of Leading Chef' CUismes 307

De~ert Island lists 323

Culinary Art as Communion 391

Re (lurec, 399

BIOgraphies of Chefs 403

Index 409

Ahour the Authors 425

 B\ krm and heauty, we're not referring strictly to Food IS very much theater
[he IDL.leasmdv popular, and in some cases misguided, - Jam. Be" c;
emphals that Sl'me chefs have placed on the visual presentation of food. In
jetermll1U1g what form a dish will take, chefs have the opportunity to con-
ve\ their own sense of beauty with every decision they make about a dish,
from the selection of ingredients and their pairing with other ingredients, to
Its cookmg techniques, to its presentation on a plate, to its order of presen-
tation on a menu.
Just as philosophers have suggested that art is "about" something, and
conveys feelings toward that subject matter, so does Alice Waters tell us that
"Being a really good cook has to do with having a point of view."
Throughout history, great culinarians have likened the culinary arts
to arts ranging from architecture to painting to theatre. The press has even
used artistic analogies when describing particular chefs. For example, Los
Angeles Times food writer Charles Perry once likened chef Joachim
Splichal to the late rock musician Jimi Hendrix, who was known for his
artistic daring.

"Cooking is indeed an artistry,"

What Leading Chefs Think says Bradley Ogden. "It's a form
of creativity and expression, especially the more defined you become with
your cuisine. The direction you decide to take It In-your per~onal style-
usually depends on your background and your education. I grew up in
Michigan, and my cuisine i more traightforward Amencan. Unheknownst
to me, I wa developing a palate back when I wa five or IX year old, helng
reared on organic blackberrie and wall-eyed pike"
"We are certainly associated With the art," Gray Curnonsky's belief that "La cuisine! Thats when
Kunz agrees. "There's no question ahout that. But the thmgs taste /Ike themselves· IS none other than
affiltatlon hide~ an enormou am unt of hard work. the artist's precept. "Respect your medium
This work I very stressful-hoth phy ically and on the transposed Into the world of food.
mind. What helps the chef is the 'Imph: de~lre to cre- -RrchCi'd 0 ey
ate di he that are con tandy on a very hlf~h le\'el. It' a ,hame you c, n't put
me of them on canvas!"
Wayne 1 1 i .h, who once tudled architecture, POint- out that
"Architecture In the Middle Age wa~ the mother of the art. In or,ler to he
<I practltloner, you had to he a ~culptor, cI p. mter, and a mll Icwn. It \\,h (l

fI.:4Ulrement that you needed to m.hter the e three enJeav r., hef, re you
could bUild. And I've always thou~ht th.n the culm 1) arr \\ ere .10 cxtcntton
o two of th c. Careme y, a frustrated rchlrcct who con [rueted edible
pI ce m nt~ . I e [ha the relatl n hIp eXI t -<: kme (or th publtc I
CI) VI U 1dl clpime "
 by customers, food critics, and the culinary community . How hd edch of th
three considerations played a role m the perception of the Culmary art! e

ile
Chefs and Professional Cooking WI hd . thhe fmaJOrity of
ea mg c e s we Inter_
viewed agree on the potential for artistry within the culinary expenence, a
few express hesitations about the use of the term. This is perhaps not Surpris_
ing, given that chefs have evolved from a profeSSion historically viewed as
domestic labor into one that now boasts celebrity chef-restaurate urs.
Throughout this transformation, they have largely maintained a professional
spirit of modesty and service to the customer, and some chefs still feel uncom_
fortable with the elitist connotations of calling their profession an art.
Michael Romano is one leading chef who has expressed some discom-
fort With the comparison of food to art. "I think there's a danger of getting too
much into the idea that 'I am an artist.' For myself, I like to be in touch with
Cooking is an art that needs to evolve and what I enjoy cooking, and what my customers enjoy
change on the basis of its methods and materi- eating," he says. "It's not just 'This is my artistic cre-
als. its organization-and even of the whole ation-take It or leave it.' A restaurant is about nur.
concept of the role of the chef turmg, about saying, 'Welcome to my home.' It's an
-Pierre TWlsgros mteractive proces~ m which you provide your guests
with something they're gomg to mgest, going to put in their bodies. It's a very
intimate thinu, and they ~hould have a ilY in it. Chefs shou ld be flexible."
Am,try abo carne_ With it the connotation of originality. However, it
took years before chef. dared defy cla"ical tradition to begin experimenting
with their own dt-he. The French chef~ who pioneered nou~'elle cuisine in the
1960" repre emed a ~Iant ,tep wwarJ bringing the culinary wl)r1d into its
own. Once creativity \\'a unlea~hed m French and, subsequently and espe-
Cially, American kitchen~ m the la,t few decade, there was no turning back.
"Before nOlH'elle cuisine hit
America, there was not th is 'interpre-
ti\'e' ,pirit. What we learned in ~chool,
and what all great restaurant Jid, wa
dlshe like duck a l'oranRt' and \"eal
o car. You made the clas~ic saUl.:e'-Y~'U
wouldn't ever have made an or.lOge hoi-
landai e sauce," say~ Chri ~ chle lO!!e r
"But nouvelle cuisine openeJ cooking up
to interpretation. A I ng a yOll ru k to
the fundamental prinCIple of good food,
then y u "ere allowed to expenment
And (ha('s what I think pened c Ion

6
/I y A , I t
 up til thl ountry, because it allowed young people to come to it and we
Jldn't h.·w e to do the same junk that went on before us.
"I 'owelle cUIsine was a movement in France that was a rededication to

the b.l I": fundamentals of good food. The chefs said, 'No more sloppiness-
we're not going to thicken sauces so much because what the thickening does
IS cover up lack of flavor with texture. We're going to really be careful with
our vegetables.' There was a little bit of Japanese aesthetic in there, too--
smaller portions, clearer flavors. They said, 'We're not going to be so con-
cerned about following the classics. We're going to take all the best cooking
fundamentals out of the classics, and as long as we stick to those, that's what's
,n
Important.
Chefs have since embraced the opportunity to be creative with, and
expressive through, food, and American chefs-widely considered to be the
most innovative in the world-are now viewed as world class. Just as the
artistic community has over time shifted its center from Paris to New York
City, so has the culinary community.
Lydia Shire cites the intense "seriousness among American chefs" as evi-
dence that the profession is moving to new levels of respectability and accom-
plishment. "American chefs have really Jumped ahead in the food world," notes

ARE THERE THREE CATEGORIE OF CHEFS?

Trade Craft AT(

Category "Burger- "Accomph hed "Culinary

Flippers" Chcf .. Ani.,t,"

Customer Goal Survival Enjoyment Entertainment

Chef's Intention FiliI -:an,f'iI Tran cenJ/

Feed Please Tranport

Price of Lunch Off- BroaJway BroaJ\\IlY

Theatre Ticket Orehe tTO Ticker
Who Detennines Cu,wmer Cu tomer/Chef Chef
Meal ("Have It (Ta ring Menu)
Your Wa\")
Cbef' Primary Hamburger5 Chef'. own 01 he
Repertoire
Number of ) 6
ens Affected
u tomer ""m full." "That wa dehclou." "Llft I wonderful."
Lea~e a 'ng
 ShIre, "and are conking some of
the most exciting food in the
world todav."
Yet not all American chefs
are culmary artists. We envision
chefs as falling into one of three
categories along a continuum
(see chart on page 7). For the
vast majority of America's three
million-plus chefs and cooks,
this is a trade, typically defined
as "skilled work." We'd place the majority of (but perhaps not all) "burger-
flippers" into thi· category. \Vhile all professional cher by definition con-
icier cooking to be their trade, there are some who also consider it a craft.
As "ktll is developed with care and experience, and the talent for preparing
deliclou food on a consistent basis is honed, "ome chefs elevate cooking to
a craft. typically defined a, "an occupatil1n requinng special skill or art."
And still other chef may emhrace both definitions while alSl) seeing the
potential for arti trvat the hlghe t pr ctlce l t their pfllfesinn. At this level,
in rare but unfor!!ett ble In-tance , YOLI c. n iind chef" whose culinary ~kill.
combmed with unu uallma0tndtlOn an I cre,lt!vtty, truly elevates their pro-
fe "ion to an art. One' level Lompct n e .111 I intention ,h d chef lar~d\'
de term me \\ h re n fall on the continuum.

\Vhethcr or not they thern~e1\'es are viewed

Cooking as a Trade that \\ely I) other, certain leading chet~
preter to \'le\\ c km a tr de.
"In tf) m to un er mnd what .In I , and wh, t a craft is, and what ,j
trade is, I've ah\a argued that I don't thmk co kmg houll be col1'llJereJ
an art, for argument' . ke," ay Chn chle mger. "The rea,,( n I ay th,I[ I
becau e I thmk It' a kill that gro\\ out f cwal human need-everyboll~
need to cook. Pe pIe don't need to create art; it' a choice that people m.tke.
"What' at the heart of cooking for me i that it' a profe IOn. It "d
never omethmg that I chose in order to expre m} elf creatively. I c,m ee
other people argumg that it i , but to me it' more vi ccral and immcJI,lte,
and it importance and mean 109 Ite in area other than ani tic exprtS Ion .
The art or the magic that' involved 10 food I not 0 much 10 it rrepar I-
tlOn, but 10 eating WIth the people you eat It with, The rna IC I the meal-
ttme.
"In the begmntng of Escoffler' Ma CUISIne h write that If the rn m
pnnclple 10 cook 109, the maIO one I to make the per n Whl m ~ )IJ r n

, A
 hlPP ". I alway' read that to mean that, whatever we are , we're profes-
log'
.tOn al .,-and If we serve food and someone doesn't like it, whether we or the
. . 'c'-. think it's the grandest creation, if we don't please the customer, then
cntl
we\'e faded. I don't think artists can fail like that."

C ft Some leading chefs admit that cooking could

Cooking as a ra arguably be called either an art or a craft.
Jimmy Schmidt says, "I think it's safer to call it a craft. To capture the
impreSSion or the dynamics of a certain mood or feeling is a lot tougher in
food than it is in other media. But that doesn't mean that it's not creative."
Other chefs believe that it starts out as a craft. "Cooking is a craft first,"
says Terrance Brennan. "Like a carpenter, we learn our trade through hands-
.' "
00 apprentlcmg.
From its start as a craft, it can evolve into artistry. "The first few years
(cooking] aren't a matter of style," says Jasper White. "I tell all my cooks when
they come to work for me that it's really a matter of learning how to cook.
The techniques and skills are universal, I think, to a certain extent. If I tell
my cooks to make lobster bisque and how I want it to taste, the skill that it
take for them to recreate my dish is the same skill that they would need to
create their own food. So I really feel that before you reach the point of art,
it' a craft. And without being really highly killed in the craft, I don't believe
you can ever attain artistry---even if you get a few write-up in the maga-
zlne ."
Joyce Gold tein i al 0 careful to di tingUi h between tho e who prac-
tice thi prafe ion as a craft ver u an art. he agree that" me chef are
arti t . And then there are lots of craft people. A craftsperson i someone
who rna ter technique and can do a lot of dazzling tuff with technique. And
that comes from practice, which i where school really helps a lot.
"Arti try can come from people with virtually no kill with a knife at
all. That' cookmg in the soul-and some people have that and some people
don't. That you don't learn-that either you have, or don't have. It' like
being a painter-you can be a very competent painter. You can learn how to
grind your pigment and prepare your canvas. You can learn all thi tuff-
but it' not going to give you soul. There are some people who have hitty
technique, but they paint fabulously. The artistic i intuitive-and that
comes from God know where. I couldn't begin to tell you."
How should chef evaluate their impact? "When you cook, do you
reach others with your message?" ask Goldstein. "With lots of technical tuff,
dinm go, 'Ooooh!' But only the culinary artist wants to make food that pea--
pi,e III remember With their mouths, not only with their ey that when
0d1-. taste It, they want to taste It again and again.

T
• c • f •• A t
 o t f t la "I don 't thtnk you have t be remvcntm' th
d Ih objectlv wheel to be creative or a rti~ tlL. metllne the m t
d sec nd out of the If S artistic people play with a very \tm lted palclte. Y, U pKk
a'1d olher human bemgs your palate, you pICk your ran ge, you pick what lOter-
Howa d Ga'dn r ests you-and then you cook your h eart out.
"How do you measure success as a chef? Well. did you get them m the
gut? Did you get them in the heart? And, most importantly. diJ you get th m
in the mouth? These should be your goals."

What does it take to make the leap into the

Cooking as an Art realm of artistry? "How do you learn to
become a great piamst? Where does that come from? It' not ju~t learnmg
how to punch the keyboard." says Bradley Ogden. "It's omething mure than
that. A lot of it is natural ability-it' prohably 75 percent natural ability.
Either you have it or you don't have It. orne of it can be tramed, but a lot of
. can '"
It t.
Gary Danko says, "Cookmg i-, for me, the perfect halance of art and
Clence. There' that creative endeavor within you that can think out the sea-
son~ and the tlavor pr fde . Then there', the cientlfic part-what is actual-
I) gam!.! n with the whl.k. It I'm blanchmg hroccolt, why IS it turnmg brown
10 the pan? A y u tlId) th t, you Ie rn that \lmetime it you conk a lot (t

vegetable, 10 the ,line wat r" n aCI I wlil devt:\op. And If you cnok a green
vegetable 10 th ( odie wJ[cr, It' g 10 to turn ,mny brown. l) these .Ire
thmg you tart to Ie rn throu 'h clenee."
Hubert ' lIer b ·lle,,1:' that creativity i rooteJ in ma. tering the cla.-
SIC~, ,m argument r Ill, term' the cr,1 t of co Jkin~ hefore attempting arti try.
"If yuh \ e a (oundari n, Y u ere 'Ihle to pl'l)' d little 1m," he ays. "When
you're learntnc [fiU ie at the beUtnlltn " y, u I r.. ctlCe calc. Once you Ie, rn,
you tart to play ther pe Ie' ong. An I once you've le.trned th e, If you
get really good. you might ,wn compe II1g, little hir. It' the elme tn co k-
mg. Once ~ou have a lot of tX nence, you might. tart t tnl:lu Ie a c uple
In the hands of a oyal art san cook ng can be of ingrtJient that mIght n t have been mcluded b
very good Indeed In the hands of a great chef [Paul) Roeu e, by [Paull Haeherlm, by fRo' rI Vcr 'C-
ft can be ublme othen.... ~e. III }be their half W ulJ ~t,m I on en I! But I
R - dO" y you're tn ifferent country, with a different udl n c,
and if you fed It' not JU t being done to hock, meume It can.... rk. Yl)U
have to have a gUideline, though- nd thcn ~ou e n go a little bit n 'ht r
little bit left."
In the proce of hecoming a culm f) ftl t, Or ~ Kunz I th;ll th r
I a point that you are not, and a pomt th t you ,lrc. Wh n ~ u'r 1.,1 t on
your feelmg and mtult! m to a di h-the rtl t I nlln U[ t d I[ nr
 li rice ()<:fml n ,md Johanne Killeen are quick Cookmg IS at once onf: of the Simplest and rr:o t
'lint ,-mt, "There are not th,lt many culinary gratlfymg of the art" but to COOK well one muc;'
{I I
nh .1 ,m.1l1 proportion of chef fall Inta that love and respect food
aru't'. .,
c lteglJr)' -\,/a' : ~Ia lJ" p

Part of \\hdt characteri:es culinary artists is their expressiveness and

[heIr dblhn to cook from their gut. "They have their own way of expressing
them,eke,," says Daniel Boulud. "In food, the expression is more phy~ical
and el11l)[[Onal. When creating great food, the taste is always memorable.
Buts sometlme' the best food is not always the result of deep thought.
5ai11etlme~ It Imply falls together."
Killeen and German agree. "We're most influenced-I don't want to
sa\' tntellectually or theoretically, because that's getting a little bit beyond
what It really Is-hy our gut," says Killeen. "It's also very dangerous, when
you ,tart talking In theoretical and philosophIcal terms," adds German. "It
really i, almost like the death of a dIsh." Kdleen continues, "In terms of art
and artl'try and food. it has a lot more to do WIth your gut than your intel-
lect. There are certainly great intellectual artl ts. but there are also artists
who Simply create from their gut. And I think that's more what we do than
an\'thmg ele."

Customers eu'tamer var') greatly In term~ of their knowledgeahility

ahout food and Wine, not to mentlon peronal hl,tPry, !tfe
expenence, :md !tkes and di,ltke', whICh dffect nor only theIr p(ltentlal for
enJOYing a dil11ng expenence but al,o f Ir interpreting \\ hat a chef m.IY he try-
mg to expre,,, in hIS or her food. Food' meanll1!.; lie, a~ mLlch 111 the CLl'>-
tomer's reception as it Joes 111 the chet" II1tentlon. For example, pre,entll1g
four different cu'Swmer, With identical. "perfeC[" trawbern' tart might evoke
four \ery different reactiom: fonJ memone 10 omeone who reLall~ picking
and eatm,! ,trawherrie' as a child, alarm In ,mother who I' allergic to ~traw­
berne", ~ih in a third who may be on a dIet and concerned ahout the Jish\
calone or chole terol count. and e(>t.l'l 10 a fourth who ,pent the pnor
even 109 hem'! fed 'trawherrie' hy a 100'er!
Cu,romers' level of knowledge WIll al,o color their percertLon of the
chef' profe~,ion Ibdf. The ~ame popular cookbook and televi Ion ,how
that have ,erved to catapult leaJmg chef. mto hoU',eholJ name~ have per-
hap, 10 turn, done chefs a db,ervlce. In leading chefs' well-meaning enCllur-
3!!emcnt to home Loob that the~, too, (an Look the chef' three- Ilt four- tar
iood at home, the~ have rerhap, omitted any mentIon ot the Ve,lT of train-
In!? md expenence that are behmd the re Ipe ,md mdeed the p~dCtlCe (If pro-
~ lonal cookmo-, leadm o- to the genera I pu bl'
ll: mt gUided VICW that "an~-
lxxh c n k .!reat food."
 "Perhap~ heL,lll e e\ crybody edt, <lnd many r
nvesf two hours work hi' h k b
k f k t 55 Y fa Ie cook to ~l)me extent, t ey L nn t t In eVI nd th
5 m nU'es en"oyment but" cookmg 15
tw .' I
P
daily task-mak' f" ,\V I
'lOg II It, nute:> wayne
I
Ih, "T here'
"'''anescent, well so 15 the ballet 1 I h
~,., -Julia Crild simply no reference 10 t 1elr I\'e~ to \\ .It oJ re 11Iv !,'Te t
, ' can do It require~ a frequent restaurant-goer to e\en
culinary praCtitIOner .
. h' k about that to any extent.
begm to t m , I' h .
"When you have cooking shows on te eVI,lon t at are reachmg IJut to
, k the" bv necessity eliminate a great deal of skilb in order to
domestic coo s, " " .
' 'I
ma ke It a\'al a ble to the nons killed home cook, he pomts out.
No book of which we're aware (other than the one you're holding) h~,
I ' I·) examl'ned how a culinary artist compose, hi~ or her creations ,
ever case
while scores of books have exammed the creative process of painters, musi-
cians, and \\TlterS, for example-therehy helping the general puhlic t\l aprre-
ciate the level of sophi. ticated thought and COnsCillUS deign that underlIe,
their compo,ition" This ~urely enhances the le\'el of appreciation and
respect the puHic has for such artist,
In the economic hoom uf the 19 __\\, diner~ grew increasingl) famil Lar
with gourmet mgreoLenr ,lOll me clming, fI.'suiring in more educated and dis-
criminatmg palare . The grO\nh m nh.:rnb('r~hlp organi:atillns ,uch as the
American In tLtute of ~ . me n I F, ..I (no The James Beard Fl1lmdatLon,
which pon r edu anonal \'en rangll1g trl m II1gredlent t,lstmg, to'recial
dinner"), rdle t n an rea 100~h phi t1l:.ltcd It\.: ntt.:lc,
Ache h I\e begun to come Into their O\\n, theIr e4ualh ,Ilh'entur-
au eu'tamer h \e enc lUr. 'cd their IOnO\'.It1on, Dmer' Vl)ICe' han'
become louder \\ Jth the, d\'ent )f nn \Imer-poll publtcatll1n ~LL(h a tht'
:ag-at urte) lIld Marcellmo' \\hlCh ummclflze their (lpinl!ln .
There I a tnangular rei t10n hiP' m n J cheh, the tngre lienr \\ nh
whlLh the~ chou e to c ,k, nd their cu toll1crs. '0[ onl} Joe c< obl1!!'
,mbigUlt~ ~ n an tern fr m i 'uttlltanan rOot, hut d lubtle tI 0 tr III
eu tamef u ed w a hha\ e It }UlIf WI}" menta!Jt} \\hen it come to iood.
Thert~ I little r m left tur her' ere t1\ e expre Ion \\ hen thcy'n: re rond-
109 to reljue t fOf uh t1tUtl I1! nd au e "on the ide."
Gl\'en the profe lonalt m dem,mJeJ b} hotel cookmg e peCI til), II !)
Danko admit, "I d m't panicularl~ cook for m} elf .1n}m re, I h ve m\ fll\ r
pnnciple , anJ I ha\ e UI he ea >ned the \\ a} I \\t)uld e,l~on them, Jnd th
gaml he on the dl he are for me. Bur m a hotel re taurant, It I' not unll u II
for people to Come m and tan rippmg our food apart, I Jon't Imlld \\ hen reI -
pic rC\.!uest thtng Itke serving the uce on the .d" but pc ric \\111 rd r
meat dl h I l ffer \\Jth a tarrag n essence md 1 '/ d n't v. tnt t lIT I
there.' Chef reall~ h \e to learn t rem vc them' h per Ik II fr I
food. Wh n v.e 'pened, we'd get cust m rs wh r I red uttl tI

2
 ~u to under tand what you're ~eeing,"
\v . '
says Miller One ch e f mentioned
. how
a r artl ular cnnc Wished to abohsh
. the star system for rat'Ing restaurants but
wa~ not able to do -0 because It sold newspapers!
The LUlinary
. community includes organizations such as Th e James
Beard FuundatlOn, .host of The James Beard Awards, the debut of which in
lu~l made the culinary arts the only non-performing art with its own tele-
\"Ised awards program, a,nd which have played an invaluable role in bringing
recognition to Amenca s leading chefs.

The Art of Composition As previously mentioned, the general

public is probably ill-aware of the level
of thought and care that goes into culinary artists' compositions. In the evo-
lution or elev~tton of food from a strictly utilitarian Composition: the act of composmg, or putting
realm to an epicurean one, such compositions become together a whole by combming parts, an arrange-
increasingly intricate. The moment of composition is ment of the parts of a work of art so as to form a
the point at which a chef has the opportunity for unified. harmonious whole.
expreSSIOn and to largely determine what a customer will receive. It is impor-
tant for chef~ to understand how their decisions Will mfluence the end result.
"There are some cooks who create Just for the sake of creating. But
when it comes down to eating a dish, It has to make sense," Insists Bradley
Ogden. "If one flavor is fighting with another, and too many different things
are going on, it doesn't work."
imilarly, George Germon and Johanne Killeen mention that they
heard Fauchon's pa~try chef Pierre Herme dLCU . "the architecture of taste."

t!nue that cycle, wherea~ white men po"e sed them and hroke the cycle. Then, at one point, the
Indian \~ent anJ ~tole back the gift, they'd given the white men, and that's where the term "Indian
~IVlng" came from.
All of thl helped put ~ome per pective on how our pre ent culture is so damaging to the creative
proce . In term of what chef are domg, 0 often they're trying to figure out what the current trend i
and what dm:ctlon they ~hould go 10 to rlerue a market. They're so husy orienting themselves commer-
Cially that they lo;e touch With what It i- they want to eat. For example, one of my cooks presented for
my cflt14ue a dl h of one fish rolled in another fish with forcemeat ruffed inside, then rolled In some-
thmg el e, erved With nuts and mu hrooms and herbs and lettuce leaves around it, and two butter
uce . I Imply a"ked him, "Would )()u want to eat that?"
I thmk It was Gael Greene [of Nett' York magazine] who once wrote of Aurora [a now-defunct
1 nhattan re taUTant that was opened In rhe mid-1980s by Joe Baum and Gerard Pengo), "Right now
) 're bu y tn 109 to figure out what ew Yorker want to eat. We look forward to their getting over
h rdle nd cooking what they feel like c king and what they would want to eat."

f A
 "He pointed out the idea that
there is--or sh ould be-struc-
ture as well as taste and balance
going on in a dish," they say.
"Even if there are twelve ingre-
dients in a dessert, each should
have a specific purpose-
whether it adds sweetness or
tartness or texture. And all of
them should come together to
work as a whole."
The starting point is a classical foundation: some, and preferably much,
familiarity with ingredients and techniques. Given the intemattonallarder of
ingredients and repertoire of techniques avadable to chefs, the number of dif-
ferent compositions that can result is \'lrtually limitless. History has tamed
this potential chaos through the relentless testing of vario us ingredient com-
binations and the resulting development of classical flavor combinations and
dishes that represent the most ucce . ful marriages of flavors and ingredients.
These can proVIde an I!1valuable starting point for chefs, and are explored In
great detail later in this book.
Cookmg IS for capturing the taste of the food and In adJltlon, a chef's individual preferences will,
then enhancmg It, as a composer may take a over time and in the nght circumstances (of creative
theme and then delight us WIth hIS vanatlons frt:edom), give rt,e to the chef' own personal style of
-FE'r'] nd Po nt cookl!1g. \Vhtle thb i a Cllmplex and probably largely
unconsciou proce" it 1, compn'ed of a chef's reactions to every cooking
technique he or )he ha evcr een u ed or evt:ry combination of flavors he or
he has ever tasted-and I!1stantly accepted for or rejected fw m suhseljuent
use in hi or her repertoire.

Thc work of a chef and the appre-

The Realm of the Senses ciation of a dini ng expenence I'
unique-and uniquely demanding-in that it draw upon eac h of the five
sen es. Whtle the sense of ta.,te i' the one mo't heav ily empha i:eJ, the
sen e of smell is just a , if not more, important. While the tongue can ta te
only four hasic flavors, the sense of smell pruviJe us with many more en-
sory impressions. Similarly, the sense of touch-and one';. ,Irpre~l<ltion ,,(
textures--comes into play not only with the finl(ertip' but ,II,,) fn m the
mouth's own en or5, not to mention the ear' apprc I:lti n (a good
crunch~ And while it may be O\'crempha ized in mode rn L okmg, a pIe,
ing visual presentation of a dish can add gre<Jti) to one\ totdi <.Ipprc Iltllln
of It.

16
 ----- - - -~ --- -

Bringing Creativity and Point of View

to ... Asparagus
It LllokllH! \H' re ne\'er an art, but simply a skill, you would hand five different
" a bunch <If "a,paragus each, request that they' cook I't ' and Win
.: I1<'t, ,
'd up Wit
'h
il\'t~ nwre llr h~" Identically cooked plates of asparagus,
But leadmg chefs bring very different points of view to the same aspara-
gUS spear, If they're skilled at their craft, they'll know how long to cook it so

th,j[ It' Cllmlstency is at its best. But how they choose to cook it, and what
they (hoose to COllk It with-these are areas where their creativity and per-
,onal preferences come into play,
:\eeJ more connncing? Then let's have some fun, Let's see if you can
match the di,he-, with the chefs who have featured them on their restaurant
menu~:

I. Dun,!{eness Crab and Green Asparagus Salad uith MeJer Lemon

2. Grilled Asparagus uith Olit-e Bread Crumbs and Olit'e Oil
3. Aspara~us u'ith Dried Shrimp \ 'inai~etre
4. Watercress Salad uith Gnlled Asparagus and Red Onion
5 , AsparaKus Soup u lth a \l eet Pepper COl/lis
• • •
a. Damel Boulud-Re Ulurant Damel , I eu York City
b, Susanna Foo---Susanna Faa, Philadelphia
c. Mark Ped and Nanc)' llterwn-Campande
and La Brea Bakery, La Angeles
d. Chm chle rnger-Ea t Coast Gnll , Bo ton
e, Alree Water -Chez Pam sr , Berkeley , California

Reade familiar wuh the chef' unique tyle!' of cuisine hould have a
little ea ier time With thi ' than thoe who don't. But there are certainly
enough c1u in the above information to get you tarted. For example, are
th re regIOn, I or ethnic a ociation with any of the ingredients or tech-
nlljue mentioned? Which chef would have the mo t ready acce to them!
P mt of \'lew i not limited to the re tau rant experience, nor to the
rl teo It I e\'en expre ed through the de criprion of a single di h on a menu.

T (I , a A t
 r,Hrtck O'Ctmndl remmd, u' , "Thl . bl1, me~ tford the opp rtUnItv t
draw on e\'en, ,Ing ' l~~ t'llent
, th1t
' Yl)l1 h,\ve, but It s not vle\\cd th t \\ 1\ vet
It ,S \,Ie\\'e Jas' 1110re t,t' ,'1 technical e.'pertl,e .t)r <l trade, mstead ot the
, rt form
L ,d\'" pushing the outer Ilmlt~, 10 terms of v.h,lt It
.. NL1f't reall~ III
t lat It IS,
I " ,
about."
Our aim is to exam me the opportunities tor composltll)nal chOlle pen
to the chef-specifically, the compoitlOn of f/at'ors , the compo<,ition ot dl h-
es. and the comrosition of dishes into mentis-and how these ch oice CUlllU-
lati\'ely evolve into a chef's unique style of cuisine.
Whether the reader is a chef, or a home cook wishing to better under-
stand decision making in the compositlonal process, or a restaurant diner
wishmg to better understand some of what goes into the creatIon of a dmmg
experience, we hope the end result will be the. ame: a stronger appreciation
for the talent-, efforts, and accompli hments of Amenca's treasure of culmary
artists.

B~aut\' I'> often in the eye of the beholder. Snme audi-

A Final Word ence member might be moved to tears while attend-
ing the upera, \\ htle other Hung m the "llne row dre bored to te;\ r~ . Likely,
some uf them hlllg a mOT edu dte I emd kno\\le,lgeable appreciation [0 what
they are xpenen Ill.!, and 0 the e '[ <:nen(e I nllt the same! O ne' con-
~CIOU ne hm!! n Imp( nant el m nt to ,tn~ ,Ie'thetl( e.·perienle-mclud-
mg that f I dm r or hef.
Tl) nke I pullf exampl ,thmk a th' "~!.lgIL Eye" plLture' th,lt ,1ppear
e"cf) \\ here Ir m the und) comll,; to let - ellmf.; hoob, If YUlt IUllk at them
one wa , the} 're merel col rtuluna ( n paper-not otfen lve, hut ,Irgu.lhly
11 t creat an, el her, But If) u knO\\ hl)\\ to 10 k mtn the pllotu re, It I ~ plh"lhle
to ~ee an 1m t maglloal thrcc-dmlen I n II Image .• ot everyone C, IO see the
3-D nnm!e; It take knowl .!c nd pr<1 tl e. But the potentlal to see It I '1!I\3}
there. And JU t hecau>c some pe pIc e It • nJ other lall't doc n't meCln
that It Joc n't eXI t. Imtlarh, 111 ~ , me omer I);IVC nc\ er h \ 1 ,) dmmg
expenenloe that ha moved them on the le\e1 of art. But tho e ,f II who h \e
been 0 mm'c I know that thl potential eXI t .
For dmer , the . ecret I to know th,J[ the potential i th re .1II I (0
oren them elve tll It. For chef, the elorcr lie 10 ~bP lfln y to realoh th Ir
Cutomer in thl manner. "In order ro lore te \\\th (,)00, or to lre, te It ht: ,
you really have to ha\'e the end III mmd," y Jlfnlll) l.hm ldl "You ha\e
to percel\ e a pIcture or a VI Ion of whdt }llU're tr~ mg [() ere te, tnt! (hen
,our palette to paint with lin order) to create th It pictu re I } ur 10 redl
ent and} nur te hnlque~. The mgredlent re the rhmg th t r m t \
Ible, that }oU can ce, and ho\\ you put (hem III nd v. heth 'r th 'r 10 th
 . . . (oE~ 8Dd I "11rina abcM "' -.~1
..... Jefoerated by the actiftdon cl many 1IIft_•• "'.
IMlllIOries are created the wne way. 8Dd that why~_
. .,Ill -life are very VIVid beeauae they've got all cl your . . .""
look al: your food memories, and you can probably rea_a.
.L"""'"_ belt med. you've ever had, you can probably remember._
bed mrow. But tell me whal: you ate thtee weea ... Oft
....., tJJtI.tt.lf it ,.,m'1: somethinI brilliant, you probably doo'l: ten ..
it.1 n it bad? No. II: just didn't create a memory. Bet:. -=
m
IdiVate ex catch the attention all your aemel
m
one the first things that hits. If something. not pIa-
not png to m II a lot. It doesn't mean a diIh aood
.,.a'll: amvare the &enIe c:l si&ht- Smell exaemely auc~·
man
• lot !DOle rhinp you can [ r t e you can only • •
. . (JMouIly. the Ide factor d.erc as well. hut beJlDl ·. . ..
II l!fEilue factor, the c:l fed. Even if you
reD if 104'" thiDe hot or cold to the pall....
.1,10-,
the to inner ar; you caD acII.

iD the beckaround the

tdemky really the ~
1ft
JOc=-M
darlD aa.
 , , _ ' h'lme way other art can, the way a good pIece of lite ra ture or mu Il
I'm n,)t -lire tooJ can 010\ e ) Oll In t e '< ,_ ,
- t h a t the ahdlty to really mo\'e reople IS a ha~1C c ntenon of fme art. 0
C'r a raln[[ng can, It seem, to me ,, • '
L' nent to cooking? Is the eXistence of haute Clilsme, our equl\<llent of flOe
,hC'lIIJ there l'e a tme-art comro " , ," '
- 'f' d'I' , . to relate to food as tolk art- It s an ea~lly Identifiable cultural expre .. Ion,
an, real Iy )U,t1 Ie ' t 5 eas)
But fine art: "
In the world of fine art, most artists don't want to be thought of as sImply a repreentatlon of thelf
ClI Irure, somet h m ' g man"J thmk of as- clo'>er
'
to folk art. They want to be addressing broader qucstioO!'>" If
rOll look at a great rainting, for in'tance, it can mean something rrnfound to people all o\'er the world,
Oc>es food eXist on a comparable le\'el? Is that what fine dining-haltte CltL ine-i~? Or is food Ie" expre,>-
SI\'e and, by necessity, does it ha\'e to stay rooted in the culture that it come from? I'm not ,ure we\'e
come far enough to answer that l/ue"t1on,
Perhars haute cuisine is Itke opera, which e\'el)'one Seem to rec(1l!ni:e a" an art form , albeit not
uni\'ersal or easily accessible, In fact It\ pretty arcane, Though opera can be movinl!, it's an <lrt form you
have to be pretty ver,ed in to appreciate, Rarely can some ne who h,ls ne\'er heard opera heftlre unJer-
stand It right off the bat. You have to know what you're li,remng to, why they're achiennl! t hilt voice
qual in'. Thinkmg about it, I wouldn't a~ opera 1 n't an art iorm-thar it ,hllulJ be elimin,lted-iu'>t
becau e it's nnt easily acce,sible. So I could be cnn\'lnced to a the '.Hne .Ihollt halite cwsmc , thlluf.!h I'm
not totally comfortable with that conelu I n.
I think thee are thm!!. ,rudentJ m culll1lf) - h )!'-c1n) }llung people tnterc'te,1 in the pmie,-
sion-<hould thmk C1hout. They need to unJer t,md the cultuml, hI tl nc.ll, polnic,l!, ,m I an i,tic LOn-
text of their profe~'lon, I came of age 111 the IXUe , \\hen It \\a t hlO!\ahk: to ha h h(lwe Cl~isint? a, e1lt-

that the) clre ell1 .It theIr peak. You c. n have d grt'.lt Idea , find ynu c,m plir .I
hunch of tn!!reJlcn tugether on cI I'll re, lut I lhmk th e key is gcninf.! ,111 01
them down on the plate at the
exact tIme mat \\urk perfectlv.
"Look, for In ranee at
~ ,
ed. It hould bc aged, oreau e
If you ate it nght away it woulJ
be terrible, Even a chicken nced
agmg; it need~ fort} -eight hour,
as oppo ed to two or three
weeks. You don't want to eat a

B y A , t ,
 I t In truth, I don't thmk It has to be-in fact, it won't be-if we continue to talk about these thmgs,
to Jebate. to understand.
F J-because, of the fact that you ingest it and not J'ust look at I't- h as a umque
" , on
ImpressIon
pe~1rl('. Be(ause It goe across your tongue, because taste and smell are the most evocative of our senses
we react in strongly animal ways-these were protective devices for us for so many millenia. Taste and
smell are something we have to reckon with carefully. I mean, we're not going to put out a whole big
plate of bitter stuff for our customers, just so that they can have a strong, negative reaction to it. On the
other hanJ, if you go to a good piece of theater, you might see something incredibly ugly put in front of
you. You are intended to have a visceral, negative reaction to it. We don't do that with food, do we? Do
we have the equivalent of sad or angry or hateful flavors? If we don't, does that make food less an art
than a folk art or craft?
Could It be that bitter flavors are the equivalent of ugliness in literature or theater? Take Campari,
for Il1stance. My daughter tasted it the other day for the first time, and she washed her mouth out over
and O\'er-she thought it was the most vile stuff she'd ever tasted. She couldn't imagine that we could
sit there and drink it. I've come to enjoy that bitterness. Is that equivalent to enjoying a heavy novel or
play?
If food is art, why haven't we developed a sophisticated way of talking about it? Why isn't it stud-
ied in art departments rather than schools that have been historically connected to vocational/techni-
cal schools? Why is there still ambivalence about whether or not it's a desired profession? I think his-
torically, worldwide--except for haute cuisine in France--cookmg has been backroom stuff, out of the
limelight, e,sentially all done by women, Ito., never been celebrated the way other pursuits have, so per-
hap' It's hard to talk about becau e we're not participating in a conversation that's gone on for eons. I
hope that by the time I'm old and gray, we'll have made some progress.

chIcken nght after it's been killed. The) 're terrible. Whether it's chicken or
beef, you want to capture it at the moment in iL cycle when It's the most
palatable-not only for flavor development, but for texture. Likewise, a veg-
etable that', pLCked--especiall'y when you're talking about herbs and such-
the be t pomt I nght then and there, that exact second.
":0, If you can collide the different ingredients you're putting together
at that tlme when they're all at their peak to create your smgular concept of
flavor, hat' the big challenge. Freshness has got a lot to do with It-some-
time. In Other ca e" things should be aged. Everything has a cycle.
"Th ecret i-: gettlng in 5'inc WIth that cycle to get the elements to col-
lid ,"hen it' most advanrageou-, to all of them."

, A
 Cui mary artlsb mu, t under<;tand the nature of th Ir
artS )f eX(lfC"C;lon as dctemmeti f rf
Is medIUm Cookmg 15 dltferent rom pc ume-making
MedIum. A t ~~~~ . ,
~ mvC'/vec for example, m that chef don't mix pure flavor
or the ere ·
. I boratory test tubes and different from music-makmg in that the
essences m a '
. edl'ents aren't as singular as musICal note~-they' re more hke
fl avors 0 f mg r
natural chords. Not only is an ingredient very often a combmatlon of flavor
but it also has other characteristics that must be taken into comlcit!ration
when cooking-its aroma, its color, its texture, and even it common aS~OCI'
ations, such as with a particular holiday or country. It is critical that cooks
become conscious of, and learn to respect, the medium of food.

In any encounter with food, taste IS proba-

Sensory Perception bly one of the last senses en gaged. Because
food is something we ingest, we judge it carefully, critically, and instinctive-
ly. All of our senses are used to evaluate whether to put the food mto Our
mouths, and then whether to wallow It. First, you look at it, and then you
might smell it. Is it safe? Is it appealing? If a food appear~ h ot , for example,
you might first try to touch it to gauge Its temperature. W ill it bum your
mouth? If it pas<;es mu ter and you bite into it, your first experience is one of
texture . Is it oft? Cn,py? If It\ Crl,py, you'll probably hear the crunch m your
inner ear a plttecond before It. Havor hegins to register on your taste buds.
Su, ta ·te h methmg that I expenenced (and, one hopes, enjoyed) only
after the Other en e have ir t been ti,iie I-and it b where our attention
ha the pleasure of IlOgering.
A~ Mark Miller POint out, "TH te 1 an eXl'otenttal, sensual experience.
We don't really unde tan I it. Language I what We u~e for taste, and yet the
bod~' g ~, through thi temper,ll pr ce ; there arc highs and lows, tntensities,
duration, complexitie . Ta te I ,I very, very complex thing in the boJ),
where it unlfle a number of factor ."
Unoerstan ing the magnitude of the fa re experience ha IInport:lnt
impltcattoru. for d 19nmg food .
"When you de Ign [food) for
people, you have to be much
more aware of the body's expert-
ence, and not get caught In
either looking at (he ohject or
thinking of how they experience
it or u ing language," ay Mtller.
"Language I de Crtptlve and
analytical; It i n t about the
expertence Itself."

24
, A
 *
COOKING WITH THE SEASONS

SPRING guavas ~callion

chervil
CitrUS fruit;;, esrecially hali],ut sea bass
bh)od or,mges, Meyer honeydew mek'ns shad and shad roe
lemon, lamb shallots
clams lettuce snl'W peas
cra],s, soft-shell mint sorrel
crayfish mi:uma strawberries
cucumhers morels suckling pig
dandelion greens nettles sugar snar rea,
artich~ kes
fava beans onions, Vidalia vanilla
asparagus papa,"as veal
,l\'ocaJo'i fiddle head ferns
frisee peas water chestnuts
reans, fa\'a
frogs' leg~ potatoes, new watercress
beet greens
garlic, especially green radishe~ :ucchini
beets
blueberries green~-arugula. chervil. rhubarb
carfish mustard .almon
grouper arJine~
chard

SUMMER
cherrie Inchl nut hallots
chickpea I 1- It;r hdlfbh
claJru mn herbet
com min squashes. summer
cra~. ) t- hell mu kmcl n tomatoc
cucumber ncCl.Jrtnc tropical fruit
curr,lnt okra tuna
eggplant peach watermelon
apncots fl peppers zucchini
arugula fr • Ie plums
b-asil garlic pc. rCIO!
beans. green g Jat potatoe • new
bernes g bern raspberrie
blackberrie grapes rataroutlle
blueberries gua\as red currant
canteloupe halibut salmon
celery h(meydew melons sardmes
hantercll Ice cream scallions

•
The.~ .... moat characIeristic of the 88.ea.,. are rtdicated by bol'''' type While many Ingredients are 10 fact
.... , year-round they are I.ed under their MaaOi'lBl peak(S)
 cauliflower grape" Muscat pumpkins
celer' root herring quail
cere' leeks quinces
chJmerelle~ lemons, Meyer rabbits
che,mut.' lobster radicchio
coconut, maple syrup radishes
c ranherrie., mushrooms shellfish
dalkol1 mussels squab
date, onions
arrlt' .. duck papayas swordfish
reafi.- partndges
han, !:Teen and lima eel., tangerines
fennel pears turkey
hlood or:m!!c'
k: peppers truffles, white
hoccoh
(Ole gras persimmons venison
hx:coh rabe
!!Jme phea,ams walnuts
rru"d- "rout pomegra na tes
cJbha:.ce !.!ari ic
capon !.!rape' r ark

leek rutar.egas
ch tnut
lenttb .. aIs ify
chlcone
",all;-.,age~
cmu fruits-Hood lobster
oran 'e, r,lp fruit. mflche 'Colr.'I"
monHI h sea urchm
kumquat, ie er
mu eI qu,hhc." wimer
lemon
nut quid
clementme
nut OIl tar fruit
cod sweet potatoes
d,ukon or m!!c
balUn t,mgermc
dned fruit oran"e • hlood
he n, 1--1 ck nd r mto Hople,11 fruit
endive par nips
broccl It truftlt • bl
e ar Ie p Ion fruit
bru el prout' turnip
hoc \\heat rapcfrult ratt:
'reen , colllfJ and mus- pmeapple "c,ll hank
cabbage vms
t rei tatQC';
\-1-- " I \ 0,
kale rabbit
C n
kiWI fruit r dlcchlo
\ IOU
C Icroy r It kohlral-I ro cmaf)'
 Perhaps no fond I' more stimulat ing to the 'en c, and In
Seasonality such an appealing way than that wh ich I" made irom
ingredients at their seasonal peak. Seasonaltty h as emerged .1' the mantrd of
the leading chefs we ll1terviewed.
Gary Danko POll1ts out, "If you are using ingred ien t> grown in "ea on,
you're going to have the maximum amount of fl avor those products can deltv-
er. Tomatoes grown in the summer have much more fla vor than the one. yllu
get in the winter that have been picked orange , gassed, shipped to their de -
tination, and quite frankly taste like cardboard or cellulose. There\ no flavor
in them whatsoever. A good cook might be ahle to doctor them with a little
bit of sugar to cut the acid, add some salt and some herbs to bring out what-
ever flavor is there, and might be able to make a decent sauce. But there's no
comparison to the flavor you can get out of a seasonal product bv Jomg less
to it, which Will also satiate the palate better."
The rhythm of the seasons IS wonderful. It has While seasonality is mmt freq uently aSSOCIated
inspired pamters and musiCians for centuries. with fruits and vegetables, there IS a season to other
and If does the same for me ingredients as well. "We used to get , almon from all
-JeanLoUiS Pc. ad f) O\'er the place, a nd nnw we know that the local
almon IS the best ta [mg, and we Just ll\l: locell .almon when It\ aV<lllahle-
the sea' n can run from the end of Aprd thwugh ~ eptember," ,ay~ Alice
Water. "\X'e ne\ er 'er\'t~ It .my mher [line of ·ear."
The rea on for Looking e,) on.dl} clre not nnly [oPted m ,ei:mg ,m
ingredient' peak fI, \or, arl rna, ,Ild teo (Ure, .dthuugh th ese re,bon, .tre
mo t llnporrant. C okm!! \\ I[h the e,l on .d (1 h,I" the power to "Hlsfy
mnate or learne I lood cravtng . "In ,I htl! ctt~ envtrunmen r, with mter-
nattnnal commerce. it' 1",\ \ for <I rc raur.Il1[ tll I!~nllre thee <lSlln~. Rut l1Ut
boJle ~eem to know rhem and to r.we e. n d 1I1f.;redH:nh the ",Hllt' wa\,
we want to wear lmen~ m the urnrncrtlll1C an I wllolen . . 111 the wmter," "lyS
~1tchdel Romano. "And It' ~ooJ for chef til I the one ttl POlt1t the ,e,l-
_on, out to people. That' wh~ )Oll won't tmd me ervinl! pumpkm ra\'11 II
m Au!!ust (r berne m the mtJdle oi WlI\ter, ,mJ } O U wo n't ee cI rardgu on
my menu an) tlIne except 'prmg. If )OU II ten to ~ ( ur loel y. It wIiI tell "till
what to c ok."
A, we'll ee in the flllloWIl1l! chapter o n comp 1'111 ' 111\'(>r • c(l(lkl!1,l!
~ea~onally can al (J pro' . 1.
\ lUI: a h onclH to CIl I lila!) clrtl r eeklll~ the Hill t Il.1t -
monlOu ~omhlnatilln. of ingredIent .Ill I flavor. ''Ju t \\ orklllg II It It the C I'
sons, )OU re half \/oay there," pOint Ollt Terr In e Brennan .

Aromas orne expert cre Itt drom. With IInp run 1 nlU h (] tH r
the actual ta te It If. It' Import lilt r <. h f t) lind N J
the role and effeLt uf vanou trom on a d. h. (liven th r IW r r

28
 Culinary Artists on
the Inspirations of the Seasons

Jean-Louis Palladin

pnne
Te7Tine of Smoked Salmon. Spinach, and Anchmry Butter
or Fresh Cream of Pea Soup with Maine Shrimp and QueneUes
Soft-SheU Crab with PancetUl Butcer or Rockfish Sauteed with Basquaise
Farm-Raised Rabbit with Herbs and PortobelJo Mushrooms
or Veal Loin Roasted with Faoo and Ham RagoUt
Coconut Milk Tapioca CrousciUant with Saffron Coulis and Pineapple Sherbet

utntn r
Coconut Soup with Maine Ralar Clams, Vegetables, and QueneUes
Fresh Maine Abalones WIth Pea Fondue and Saffion
Fresh Duck Fote Gras WIth Rhubarb
Fresh Sturgeon WIth Arachoke Barigowle
Farm-Raised Guinea Hen Roasted With HeTbs and Green ~ Rop1t
Peach Tan With Peach Uquewr CoWis and Apricoc herbet

F
Pumpkin Soup With Tas ArvIouille, and ~~s
Sea Scallops ... th SqWd Ink oodk and p~ CowJis
Rd napptT With Lnnon fit, Block DIMs, u.".ers,
T~ , Ba.sil and Lnnon 0lWe Oil
Venuon ...un Fnm Cantu and pmadt- twffed Pear
u.Wt Port and Red W~ EsstnCe
CMcoIow Tart u.Wt Gianduia SJ... btr and ChocoIau COl""

fmIt Ocsulilt Soup . . So4fed Squab l..ep and QwndIa

SetN & If w.« .. MGint Lobst.n and G.nr EmMbion
Fiala o..dc Oral u.Wt Quince
Fiala Tllihoc ..... Enola wlbooms and Enoici CO'cIis
Fed ali. r lib ..,. edt" Rooc RliCc"
MG__ ,..,.w
T_ b ere "..d Wild DL teli' 0.."
 Anne Rosen;:v.:eig

rrll1 '
Pasta with Mint-Cured Salmon, Cucumbers, Lemon, and Cream
Sauteed Duck Fillets with Rhubarb Sauce and Cracklings
on a Bed of Arugula with Asparagus
Macadamia Nut Tarts with Coconut Whipped Cream

Com Cakes with Creme Frakhe and Caviars

Chimney-Smoked Lobster with Tarragon Butter
and Summer Squash and Potato Fntter
Lemon Curd Mousse uith Fresh Summer Berries in Almond Tuiles

hll
Warm FIgs tl'irh Gorgon:;:ola and \'(!alnuts on Greens
Roast Qlwil uith Sm'o), Cahba,ge and Kasha
Chocolate Bread Pudding tl'lch Brandy Custard Sauce

tnt r
W/tld I 111 hroom Tart
Roast Lamb u nh Celery Root Gratm and Tomato/Red Pepper Casserole
Pear Timbales u rh Slick Caramel 'au e and Sugar BIscuits

stimulate and ar u e, It' perhap one of the mo t underutdi:cd tool at the

culinary art! t' dIS 1. An aroma i c JI h' bUIlt-in appetizer.
A ba} leaf drorred lnto a pot of tew pre duce an earthy, w\:ct aruma.
Cinnamon ad a different, but till earthy and wcer, aroma to baked weet
ranging from pa trie to custard. The mel! of garltc advcrti e:. a fOhn t tolll,l-
to -auee. And truffles add a heady perfume that can clcvate even Imple
ingredient5 like pa -ta and potatoes to the realm of the sublime!
Jean-George Vongenchten plans to rap the power of aTOm ,It hi next
restaurant by bringing more mells into thc dining nx)m. "Half the JI he on
the menu WIll be erved tableslde," he a} . Vongenchten belIeve th t !nU h
of the experience of carving a freshly roa ted bird, for example, 1 the (ra-
grance that escapes when it is fir t cut open, and that custome h uld be
alJowed to enJoy chi senso,"} experience.
 Dieter Schomer

"'pnll:
Han'ey's Lemon Tart with Raspberry Coulis
Rhubarb Tart . .dth Cinnamon Sugar

SUl111l11 r
Oeufs a la Neige (Floating Island)
with Lemon Sherbet
Dutch Rice Flan with Berries

F \1
Plum Tart In Brioche Dough
Alsatian Apple Tart uith Vanilla Ice Cream
Tart of Quinces with Lingonberries
Poached White Peaches filled u,!th Chestnut Mousse and Zabaione

~ IOter
Japonaise-Ver)' Cmp and Thin Hazelnut Meringue
filled uith Ha"elnut Buttercream
Vachenn-Menngue Idled unh Blood Oran~e Sherbet
Apple Pie a la Saw)' Hotel-Sened m a Soup Tureen COt ered u'ith
CookIe Dough along «1m Vanilla Ice Cream

The chef we interviewed are hl!:!hl ttuned to the aroma at \'anou

food and take them into can ideratt n v;hen com _lOg a dl,h or a menu, or
even-m Von enchten' Ca5e-a re tauram I elf. Favonte ingredient are
even de enbed a havmg pertume In te d of mere roma!

Textures Even texture can communtcate. Many food thought of a

comfort food have a oft texture to them-rna hed potatoe ,
apple auce, pudding. Food~ with thl texture can be thought of a' h meyand
nurtunng. On the other hand, a lot of na k foods are cri py-porato ChiP,
preuel . Because of the loud crunch they're capable of producmg when eaten,
here c.an be certain informahty, even a n e of fun, to cri py food . A fned
I u r chip add both the mtere t of crunch and of the vegetable' natur-
II
 Anyone who's ever gotten a whiff of (re,h r pbern
Emotions been immediately transported back to one's chtlJh
yard, happily pulling the berries off a bush, knows that food can mJee tng-
ger memories and emotions and other subjective connotations.
Certain holidays are inextricably linked with certain (0 d, lIch a
Thanksgiving with turkey, Christmas with eggnog, and Valentme' Day With
chocolates. Chocolate is one of several foods ranging from champagne to
oysters which have a long history as suspected aphrodiasiacs, credited With
stimulating romantic feelings. The question of whether there IS an actual,
physical effect on the body that takes place upon consuming such food~, or
whether the power of suggestion is enough to stimulate such (eeling , is
moot.
In addition, ingredients may have as ociations that are cultural. Jean-
Georges Vongerichten recalls the time he was cooking at an up~cale hotel
restaurant in Bangkok and tned to add a pineapple tart to the menu. "It cre-
ated a scandal," he recalls. "At the time, pineapple wa· considered food eaten
only by the poor." Vongerichten was a ked to substitute apple tart on the
menu, despite the (act that apple were neither local nor fresh.
(If the above cenarioound- far-fetched, then it should be remem-
bered that at one point in United ~rate history, lob;,ter was considered like-
WI e, leading to the pa .'age of legi,btion regulating how often loh;,ter c(1uld

be forced u n pn oner and ery lOt !)

~ mecui lUre have dhtmct \\ 3), of thinking about fllmiliar mgredl-
ent . For example, the ChlOe e culture ha~ cia ified certain fll~l Is as either
ym or ran!? Ym re er to the p Ive, negatl\'C universal energy force, cncllm-

TRADITIO. 'AL HOLIDAY DI HE

Halula'! T)plcaI DI he
Valentine' Da
Aphro<h ill like canar, chocolate, loh rer, o} ter
t. Patnek' Day Cabbage, corned beef
Easter
Ham, hard-bollL-d gg, lamb
Fourth of July
Barbecue, trawberry hortcake
Thanksgiving
Cranberry auce, rna hed poratl'le , pumrkm pi
tuffmg, \l,eet potae , turkey
Chn tmas
Chn tma puddmg, c lOlct ,eggn g , m
phea nt, r t beef, Y; rk hire puJdm
 Bl0TIVE CONNOTATIONS OF VA RIOUS FOODS
"'mOl II tic Pnnu! gnlled ,teak

Arhr ,d1S1 K : caviar, champagne, cmnamon, cloves, game, ginger,

lohter, morel>, nutmeg, offal, oysters, pepper, ,affron,
truffles, \'anilla

C halleHl!mg: anchovie,; stinky cheese

creamy mashed potatoes

E,uthy: grilled mushrooms

Femmme: fruit, tlramisu

thick-cut steak or chops

PLl\-tul : lamb's tongue with lamb', lettuce

ra\'io h

pa~smg foods such as sugar; yang denote the actin!, positive force, encom-
passmg food~ uch as chiles.
In another example, Asian cultures hd\'e an'lh':ed and c,lteg\lri:ed var-
ious tla\'l)[S and food tuff, relating them [0 the (l\'e ba,1C elemt:nh.
Bmeme s, along \\'ith ingn:dlent' like lpn at , mutton, Lmd ..: Ilion, b a"()-
ciated With the element of fire . nd the ea n f ummer, which rcpre ent,
growth. weeme's, and mgredlent ltk beet an date . I as 0 I ned \\ Ith the
element oi earth and the 1.'.1 on ot In han ,ummer, aid to repr nt tr.1Il for-
mati In. Pungenc\', and ingredient' ranglIlg fr )m OIllon tt: pedche , IS a 1-

ared With the element of metal .md the elan f, lItumn, md to repre t: nt
h<l[\'e,t. Saltine", and such Il1greJllnt b hearn, green, an I pork, I ,\ Jel-
, ted \\ Ith the element of Welter. and the e on ot \\ IOter. a tlml or wrage.
And ,oume " along with ingn:dlem like lee'. lum and ultry, lrC a
clateJ With the clement 01 \\'l I Lmd the e >n f nn', lid to rcpre ent
birth,
Be~ond thl'. Lertall1 food, eem to trigger more uhltmlIlal i tl n.
"Ravlo\t connote a certam pla)fulne , nJ m, t~cmatt()n \\ Ith them prob-
abl~ extenJ tar beyond the fact th t i e d to eat them d a chtll," a~
Wa)ne , 'I h. "It' the Imle pack.d~e ,the urpn e; It' Itke bemg 'I little kid at
Chn trna time, geltlng a little rack I~e mJ eclng \\hat' in Ide."
Food 1 a medIUm rIch \\ Ith potential for Cl.lmmUllIcaun ' In man~ dlf-
ferem \\a \\lth the per n \\h I eat It-I! 1 cullllal) ani t h t learn
nd t k the lan.!u ge'
 Valentine's Day Menu
Februar y 14, 1996

Barbecued Rabbit Turnovers

Smoked Oyster Canapes
• • •
A Demitasse of Sweet Red Bell Pepper Soup
• • •
Two Eggs in an Egg
(Cat:iar and Scrambled Eggs in an Eggshell)
• • •
Natil,:e Rockfish Roasred with Whire Wine, Tomato, and Black Oli'l.'es
on Toasted Couscous
• • •
Grilled Quail With Homemade Blackberry Vinegar
on a Crispy Potato Galerte
• • •
Pear and Pepper Sorber u1th PoiTe \X'ilham
• • •
Rack of Baby Lamb on Roasted. leu PotatOe
ulth Pearl Barle) and \X lid iu hroom
• • •
A MlIlIatllre CroqHe 10nsleur
on Field Greens u rth pled Walnut
• • •
A • 1ascarpone Cheee Coeur a la Creme U1th Ra pberry Sauce
Warm Chocolate Cake U Hh Roasted Banana Ice Cream
• • •
Cojfee or Tea
Chocolate Bonbon
Th c en e f ingredients-which encom,

pas e thelr appearance, aroma, and texture

as well a' their flavor-is the starting point

of all cuisme. Culinary artists go to great

-
lengths to understand their ingredients as

well as possible-everything from their his~

c:::
._

torical ongms and uses to exactly how

en
they're grown or raised.

Only when you under tand and

respect the essence of an ingredient can

you properly come to enhance it- flavor

through cooking. This takes place m two

pnmary ways: through the application of

cooking techniques which erve to c hange

 ould be tl10se of (and, one hopes, enhance) the char cten tiC of n
perfe t mgredlents ingredient, and through combmmg fla\ or h rm -
Ferrand POint mously and even synergistically with other ingredi-
ent whose properties serve to enhance one another.
But the best cooking of all is when ingredients taste like them elve . A
culinary artist must respect the essence of ingredient, and take care to choo e
those of the highest possible quality.
"There's a lot more to it than just learning how to cook well, and then
cooking," says Jasper White. "A lot of what determines the qualtty of the
final product ha to do with buying-what you buy, and what your ::.tan-
dards are."
Jean-LoUIs Palladin agrees. "The products we use are all important-
and we only use top-level products," he say. "When you've got a perfect fi h,
it' a crime to kill it and hide it! However, thi. is nor a 'ushi re taurant,O we
have to do something to it, but we take cme to give it the flavor the fi. h
deserves. "
"Great co lkin!! really ha" a lot to j() With how perfect the ingredient,
are," a) Johanne Killeen. Her hu h.md ,md coukmg partner George
Germon Jump In \\lth an e.'ampl . "T.lkc I Ir ley from the m,Hket, and then
take par I) ut of UT \\ mdo\\ III f cl 1 nt, nd ll"t:~ them Side by Side.
You'll dl ver th dlfi eren e," h \\e r . "After a fe\\ Jay .It the upermar-
ket, It till I nd It till cert 101· h t.l te, ut \\ hen you take It (Iff
a plant nd JU t U It n ht \\ ,th rt:' n mp n n." Ktllecn .d I , "Once
It' I t th til ... ~ U b k uu{ thmg th.lt ha\'c n me. Ll If
Y he with, nly d \.'\\ mgredl~nt, then
I

wn. Ea It h I he g(1 I by It elL"

c mmument to > n Ilt~ and th II 111 ,lOd
r ectlO the the I I In redl n , ulmdr}. rtl t Jitter
much do m th \' ~ th y pro h the pr e f c mp) I-
Otnt of c n III 1 n. There I cer-
taml no c U , of ere ttvlty that I a ch (
neath fr m tl n to f tnl 11e
1 d pte.
I • ut h or,
.... e don't mean t) ug 'e t ne In r enttn Ie dmg eh 'Idea on the [ pi
dl eu d an chron I ~ of our own d \I mg-th t ( tartmg .... tth rh
malic t elemen (the com iuon f t1 "l)r ) contanumg thrt u h their c rn-
hmatlon mto c mposed JI he nd menus-but It' g .... U} ) .... 1m \\
of to tart!

A MaHer of Taste Both the r t\( n nd th enJ rn nt f

center ar un th p tat Th UT tl3S1C ld~V'
that can be per elve on the ton ue ar we t, It, ur mJ bitt r
 ut. "In Chma, there are five-there's also 'hot.' In southeast
la, th re' .11'0 'aromatic.' There's also 'pungent'-something like fish paste
\\ hlCh I not ur or bitter. but its sour. bitter, sweet, and salty."
~ary Danko mentions yet another "fifth flavor": "It's called umami.
Tne be-t \\ a\' to Illutrate it would be the taste of the combination MSG and
\\ater. Thoe are amino acid-like protems. Or another example would be to
fut a raW O\·ter in your mouth. The feel or taste is of the sort of numbness in
your mouth. It's hard ro describe.
"If 'ou close your nose when you start to eat, those five flavors are the only
things you can taste," says Danko. "A pure taste is something that goes from your
palate to your brain immediately, Without going through your olfactory sensors
and then filtenng up. It' an immediate ensation from tongue to brain."
How can chefs use this knowledge to improve their cooking? "You hear
a lot about balancmg the four points of the tongue," says Danko. "There are
people who ay, 'If you just add more lemon JUICe, you won't need so much
alt.' But I would disagree with that. I look at it more as a balance-you need
a little bit of thi , and a little bit of that, and these are all essential in satiat-
Ing you. You can leave a huge meal 'hungry' if your palate was not atiated.
On the other hand, you can be atl fied With Ie ... food if you've had good, bal-
anced flavor coming Into your m uth."
In thmking about food, cook houlJ 1m to become can, lOU, of what\
going on in a particular dt h. Wlllch 10 rediem r contnhutin J t the dish's
weetne ,or Inne ,or ur on , r bitter n te ? Thr u_h un 1er t,mding
a particular ingredient' fla' r pr r t I . a he can m re exp Ttly h. nJle
that ingredient and c mhme It \\ Ith ther, hem w re ,·he t the ingredi-
ent I contributing to ( dl h.

The natur I ch, nge-

Affec ing Flavors u rmm r \\ mgr It!nt . . m w ~ that m
tml:e n nl fla\'or but en)o ment. Ther • r two pnm r. w } t I thl:
thr u_h the ppltc non 0 tim, I c 10 0 echnt u , n thr u h h r-
m III u mbmatlon 0 tl3\; r. \X'lule It c n be lea ur ble t e t. perfect
ra\\ carrot, for exam Ie, 10 h mtddl winter It n be even m re tI ry-
tn to e t th t am carr t h t, perhap ure or a up. An th wh
en) y he tlav r of \.:. rr t may flO It e\ en m re appealin d ttl n
p t f butter, or« quee:e a lem n or orange.
h f mu take the e n e n 10 re(hent lOt
Idln wh t to 0 WIth It It t \ Ital or che t bc·r n.... " nllllar With
Iff, rent t hnl I-
um d I r c UI tn "
I n r Ihl
 k we hav£, the nght to enhance or the process of cooking changes the flavor and textur
A
avors but we do not have the fight of the ingredients being cooked.
to destroy therr; Take sugar, for example, which 1 a recogntzable
--,Ioel Robuct)OI flavor in and of itself. Yet if it is heated to a certain
.
pomt, 't wtll begin to brown and
1 "
melt- the process of carameitzatlon •
Through the application of cookmg techmques to sugar alone, new flavors
and textures can be created.
The same is true for nuts. Taste a walnut fresh from its shell. Then toast
some walnuts in the oven, or in a saute pan, until they begin to brown slight-
ly, and you'll find that a deeper flavor and crunchine are released. Toa tlng
may also increase the perceived bitterness of walnuts as well as of aromatics
such as caraway or mustard seeds.
Roasting, on the other hand, can increase the sweetness of a dish
through the carmeltzatlon process. "There's omething called the 'Maillard
effect' that occur when the natural sugars in food are exposed to high tem-
peratures in the pre ence of aCid, which reult in a natural carmeli:ation,"
explain Jimmy chmidt. "When you roa t thing like garlic or on ions, it cre-
ates broader flavor with more depth than the mgredlents would have raw or
even cooked at a lower temperatun::. Through roa ring, certain gelatinous
vegetable_, uch hallot and p.1r mp', break down. giving the dish a naw-
rally rich mouth-! el."
Techmqu a tnt nly th ctu I flav r hut abo the perceived fla-
vor of a I h. F rex mpl ,heatln n increa e Ib perceIved weetne s,
whIle chlllm It mak I eeme er eptthle. A a ca c m point, the
mIxture a ut to be poured Into n Ice ere III maker often tastes unbearahly
weer. HO\ ever, once fro:en Into I e cre m, the arne ingredients taste mere-
ly plea ntly weet.
A partl ular mgre Icn n I char tcn ttl: wtll metlme~ ug 'e t u~e
of a particular re hOlque. "If )OU have perfect I h rcr, you prob hly J n't want
to do anythmg m re than bOll r team It," ay J per White. "But If y IIr lob-
ter aren't fabulous, au [TIl ht want to tum them into a bISque. To get the
m t flavor out of the lob ter, I ' not mg to c me fr m the meat, which
might be bland that particular time of year; It' g 109 to c me from I wly Im-
menng the carcasse and makmg a really tron br th With them. And If th
season IS prmg, and it' chilly, wup I appropnate. Plu~, lob rer I an exp Ive
mgredlent, and makmg a soup with it i a great wa~ to tretch It "
Different bnds of fl h lend them lye to different rneth
tion. "You can't gnll black cod, for example, lr Chtlean
fall apart," explatn Mary ue MIlltken and u an Fem cr. "But the 'r rh
great pan- eanng fl h. It' Just that their re ture I n t n hr r h nil nd
you'd I all that JUice, mee the} 're th JUlq fl h. Tun n f h re
 Ir' Import.mt to u,e mgredlents In the way they are most naturally suit-
ed J .1 lum ~rlachal point~ out th,lt there are more than forty different types
f porat e . "Mt ~t cu,wmer are only familtar with Idaho and Red Bliss," he
,3Y- "I u e Yukon Golds exclusively for mashed potatoe" for example,
f:,ecau,e of their texture an~ golden color. And I'll use fingerlings [tiny pota-
toe the 'I:e of a fingertip] tor·alads."

Utilizing Kitchen Tools Even the particular kitchen equipment

used can affect the flavor of the fin-
bhed product. Gray Kun: uses only the freshest herbs, and wants the same
fre~hne~~ from hiS pices. "That's why we grind all our spices at the restaurant,
u:mg a ,mall coffee grinder." says Kun:.
~dark Peel believe" that using simple tools often results In better food
than b po~ible from high-tech gadgets. "If you take exactly the same recipe
and }OU make pesta or an aiolt with a CUI<inart, and then 'ou make it with
a mOrl:ar and pe,tle. they're completely different," explains Peel. "You can
,ee-and ta.'te-the difference.
"In a CUlsinart. when garltc come 10 contact With the air, YllU get bit-
teme '. The air 1 reactm~ \\ ith [he JUIce of the g, ritc, whIch re,ults m a
_harpnc . With a mortar and pc tIc, you're not gcttm!! the heat [fwm the
motor of the CUI mart]. The ~arlic.. tm continual!} C Mred WIth olive oil.
and you're not incorporaWH! • Ir tnto It. In a CUI mart, you're II1Cotl'orating
so much au into It, y u're maklOP a mou .!" For th t rcru n. Illortdr;, and
pestle are t Ie tn Campantle' kit hen. The re tc urant tnrlke till it'> (lwn
mayonnai e, for example, u m' a m rwr nd e tie.
"A lot of tim' pl: pi Will u e burr miXer lu "llendcr-on-a- [J k"l for
pureem thm~ ," y Peel. hit' r II) • t, ,",ut }ou're better oft u ing a luad
mill. It takes lon_cr, and It' I (me ler, but u end up with .1 better pro I-
uet. The food mill \\111 take fiber ut, \\hll the r.urr tnllcer JU l c.hop It up.
When makln!?, for in rance, m.! h d potalOC • cl ~ mill I e erma\. With a
burr mixer, the) . The < nule of t< reh, wlHeh
have been puffed up In the
watcr, re till mra t. If you burr-
mix It, ) ou bre k them 0 en,
• nd it rum (he texture.
"We u e to m Ike a fl h
Up that \\ Imo t L lilli-
.lbal ,c nd \\C \\ould burr-miX
I , then p3 It {hr HI .h ~,oo
mill, b It e'd Ie 1\' > m t
ur behtn The burr-IOI In
 released a lot of the flavor from the lobster sh ells, and then the food mill
meant that we could extract the juice and th e larger fibers, yet leave enou~h
behind to give the soup density."

Travel prov ides opportunities to learn and be

Global Techniques inspired by n ew techniques, even for seasoned
chefs. George German experiments with A sian techniques within the realm
of the Italian-inspired cuisine served at Al Forno. "If something has a \ine-
gar and oil base, generally the process would be to cook it in oil first, and then
add vinegar afterward . But I'll do a flip-flop of that---cooking in vinegar fiN
keeps a real sprightly texture, and then I'll just dress it with oil at the very
end. It gives a whole different spirit to the dish .
"I think that what appeals to me most about A sian technique is lock-
ing in the flavor, and their methods for doing that," says German. "That's
what got me to start thinking, If they can do it in th eir cooking-which I feel
i5 so close to Italtan-then why sh ouldn't we be applying the same principles?
Why does something have to be cooked for h ours and h ours and hours, when
it can be cooked for a much ~horte r time and h ave more flavor to it? We just
try to take different approaches to our food. "

Rick Bayless on Combining Mexican Flavors

BaSically, Mexican flavor fall intll. ourle of Careg me : tho tho t .H\.' ha~ed on dried chile" and tho~e
that are ba ed on fresh chile.

Dried Chile Flavors: Because of the natu[\:: of the drYIng proce .lOd \Ihat it inremifies, a cert.lin kind
of fruitiness is drawn out, thi dned-fruit frultine . TI1en thtlt' balclOccd .Igalmt a lot of other t1a\'()f~ that
range from bitter, like unsweetened chocolate or an almost rohdcco-Itke hirterne.,s, to a rea l fru itl!1e like
the kind you'd get in a dried tomato. When 'ou mix all of that klOd of ,tuff together, you've (!ot really
deep. rich flavor. That's the ba I f.l "hole categol) of MeXican dishe . Almust .l lway' , e\'el)·thll1!.! in
thi categol)' is toasted before tt' used, which add another dimen lon, ,mother level uf compleXity to the
flavor. Clearly, when you're working with dried chile, there are some pretty untamed t1av,m JI1 there I
\\ell, ) you have to work with those and figure out how to balance them or play them down nr JI1 orne
ca ~ eliminate them by, for example, soaking the chile and then thnm ing away the soak ing water.
Becau e thi is uch a major category of Mexican flavor, it's where I pur a lot ot my ,lttentlon,
he au e I want to draw out a much of the flavor as I can from the chile and e1ab< fate on th,H \I Ithout
tf) 109 to und It in any .... ay. I really capture the very pint of the flavor the chile ha to offer \\Ith ut
mpr ml 109 It In an} way. A lot of chef might tl) to elimmate a lot of it flavor th t It bee me
I) untl • hut then J thmk }ou\e reall} mi ed the point of the chile. We try to really let th m he

A
 Jc,hanne Killeen points out that "In Asia, when poaching a chicken,
,omen me' It will be left: out to air-dry, ~o that the skin becomes really crisp.
SOJllerill1e~ thev'll deep-fry it, but we'll do something like poaching it, drying
If bnet1y, dnd then roastmg it-and that produces a really crispy, crispy skin
anci a <UI:culent interim that is really juicy."
Jean -Louis PallaJin says he was inspired by the best duck of his life at
the Empress Room when traveling through Asia. "I ate there five times in a
tl)W," he says. "Unfortunately, I don't have the ovens that they have there,
where they can leave the duck for hours to cook, painting it with sauce until
it turns golden. Then they served only the skin of the duck!"
Living and working in Asia is also what Jean-Georges Vongerichten
credits with "waking up" different flavors for him. While flavored oils have
been around for hundreds of years, Vongerichten says he enjoyed experi-
menting with oils and different spices: "It was new to see parsley oil." When
hL cusromers started watching their waistlines and cholesterol levels more
closely, Vongerichten took the beurre blanc with parsley puree off the grilled
scallops he served, replacing it With a lighter parsley oil.
Gray Kun: credits his multiracial staff at Lespinasse with influencing
his experimentation with flavors and ingredients fmm around the world. "My

what they are but yet, at the same time, put their he t foot forward. And that sometimes comes in the
way that we prepare them-the initial tep~ of preparation are in the toasting and the soaking--or it
might come in the way that we cook them. There' a very tandard method for cooking dried chiles
where a puree i' made out of them, and then that' cooked in a very hot pan with just a little bit of oil
in it 0 you're searing it and reducing it. When it' reduced to a really thick paste, at that point you can
add tock and bring it up to a brothy or auce-like consi tency. That's one of the way we work with that
(category ot] flavor. There' a kind of triumvirate that run through a lot of tho e di he : black pepper,
clove, and cinnamon, although sometime the cinnamon will be replaced with a little bit of cumin.
And then alway garlic.

Fre h Chile Flavors: On the flip ide, the fre h chile flavor are typically associated with things like
lime and cilantro, and they're much ea ier to work with. When they're the really mall chile, frequent-
ly they're not cooked, so you get a lot of gras ine out of them. You're thinking more in terms of heat
and harpne ; obviou ly, if you're balancing them with cilantro and lime, you're ju t underscoring even
more the brashne they can offer. When you get into the larger chile , like poblanos, u ually they're
roasted, which turns the flavor from grassy to more like a deep, rich herb like rosemary or even a hint of
the flavor you get in very green olive oil. It' more a vegetal flavor than it IS a fruit flavor. When you're
dealang with fre h chiles, garlic i usually replaced by raw onion-and it' alway white onion, never yel-
l ,because It has a much cleaner, bnghter flavor than the yellow one do.

g
 so us chef is from India and brings in ideas from traditional Indian cookm!(."
he says.
Terrance Brennan credits his stint at Gualtiero Marchesi, a MIChelm
three-star restaurant in Italy, with teaching him the importance of prepanng
pasta from scratch. "It was there that I learned that if you add more egg yolk
to the pasta dough, it results in a richer-tasting pasta," says Brennan. "Now
we make our own pasta at Picholine, to ensure a fresher taste." Picholine
serves no flavored pastas, except an occasional black pasta made from squid
ink: "All the other flavors cook out in the pasta-making process, and all
you're left with is the color," he explains.
Brennan was also inspired to bring the same perfectionism to his prepa-
ration of risotto, which some consider to be among the best in the city. The
secret to risotto? "When risotto sits around, whether it's half-cooked or not, it
starts to break down. So it's only done to order. And the rice I use IS very
important-it's a semi-fino, as opposed to arborio, which is a fino. So it's a larg-
er grain, with a harder core to it. It's what the Venetians use, although they
make a more soupy risotto and I keep it tighter. I like it because it's very hard
to overcook, ince it has a yery hard center. It's creamy, and I like the way it
stays together in your mouth when you eat It. There's even a larger grain,
called camaroli, which when It cook up ha . the grains stay very separate, but
I Just didn't like the feel on the palate. ~ orne chefs may think it's uperior to
the semi-fino I u~e, but I don't think o. I think tt'~ a matter of taste."
It I important for chef~ to hone their knowledge and judgment of tech-
nique~o that they can he effectlve 10 ..levI ing new approaches to wiving
cui mary dilemma. One clever • \~W York City cafe, trYlOg to devise a low-fat
way to cook eggs, stuck a bowl )f raw, beaten eggs under the node of their
cappucino m, chlOe\ mdk ~teamer. The steamed crambled eggs have since
become one \If the retaurant' ;,rectalty hreakfa~t Item.
Dieter chorner 3Y, "Chef~ need to thmk ahout what It I, neces~ary
to do ro get the effect that rhe} want, or to make thlOg, better. For example,
I make tarte Tatin [carmeltzed apple tarr]. In France, the apple Bre cooked
with rhe cammel, with a cru~t on top. But the drple needs to ~team, wlllch
uually make~ the cru,t oggy. 0 I learned to cook the Cfu"t ,epa ratel}, wirh
aluminum fot! on top, which re.,ult tn a CTiSP cnlst. An old French chef onLe
a ked me, 'Wh~' do you cook the cru r like that? oix)Jy J Ot'5 It Itkc that In
France!' And I aid, 'That's right. But If I c lpy e"erything I ce ex Icrlr. chen
I don't have a hrain!'"
[Ill. in Jean-George:; Vongen hten' piniOn, flavor I p r mount O\ er
"pr per" rechntque. "If my cooks make < Inl t.lke on memtn tel-hOi I. I
clo e m\ }e ," he a} . "But If the} make a Int take ~Ith mn ,I ~ 11 11
night."

A
 Cooking Technique and Altenlati e
\Vhen usmg culinary techni4ue~, chef~ ~hould ca mider alternative to the
usual methods that might result m more intere~tin~ flaq)rs or texture:

Breading Instead of ordinary bread crumbs. consider using:

buckwheat
pecans, crushed
plantains. crushed

Dredging Instead of flour. consider using:

cornstarch
Cream of \</heat
rice flake:
water chestnut t10ur

Skewering Instead of ,imrie wooden ~kewers, c\.)n~ider usmg:

rosemary branches
ugar cane

Thickening In-te. d f t1our, cormtarch. ( r amlwrlxlt. elm,iLler Llsing:

H
l--re. d
butter
(,mot . pureed
c.ream
c ml, hellf. h
e g yolks
garlic, roa ted and pureed
In tant m hed potato flake

. nut, ground
pecans, ground
potatoe , pureed
roux

toes with un-dried tomatoe In order to give a different pm ro (he (Om.lt O

flavor In a di h. The ame pnnciple applie when a iding corn kernel r" corn
bread. or featuring chocolate Jesscn with multiple ch colate .sinKe .
. In the ame vein. Gary Danko illu trate how the tlwOf oi apple (; 10 f,e
Inten. ifled to enhance a duck JI h. "You want to get the , pple , I .:t frUit, [ )
be a little more avo!). That would be accompli hed by Itght1~... ,king [hem
until they tan to caramelize. You want to dc\clop that fl avor ,I \\ ell I ""I.:

..
the aprle dUring thb -rage," he ~a .~. "When they're done caramdi:mg, you
I"ht wire all the fat out of the pan-horefully, it's a nonstick pan-and
me .
then deda:e It WIth a little bit ot Calvados and some apple cider in small
quantl tie ', bnngmg it down to a gla:e. Again, you're gomg to get that next
-reI' of carameli:atlon. With every step of caramelization, you're going to get
more I1a\'or. "
~bry Sue Milliken recalls the process of experimenting with the ingre-
,hent~ tnvolved in making "the world's best £lan," as Susan Feniger describes
it. and achie\'ing exactly the right milky taste. "First we used sweetened con-
den,ed milk. Then we used whole milk. Then we eventually used nonfat milk
reduced 50 percent to which we added sugar," Milliken says. "When we make
the £lan with It, it has the most incredible rich, milky flavor. But we've spent
nine year~ working on it."

Bradley Ogden finds that too many cooks

Enhancing Flavors overreach their abilities when It comes to
combining ingredients. "If most cooks would just try to enhance the natural
flavor that are already there, they'd be a lot better off," he ays. "Some of
them don't have the education or the palate to pull thing, off. Imtead of
keeping thing, implified, they create a mi,hma h of fla\'or~ and tastes and
texture, and countries, and you don't know what you're eating by the time it's
all done."
"Sea oning should not kill the ra~te; it hould enhance the fla\'or of the
mgredient:' ay Dieter Schomer. "If you're eating fi,h, it hould ,mell and
ta te ltke the fish-not, for example, like you're eat 109 Ju,taffron. I found
that in ~ome French kitchen~ there would be .0 much ltqueur u,ed in desserts
that it wa almo,t all you could ta te."
It is often the role of sea. on 109 and herb~, uch a ~alt and lemon, to
enhance the essential flavor of ingredienb. " alt's potency In heIghtening
the ta te of food i. unmatched," wnte Edward Behr in hI book The Artful
EateT " alt deepen' flavor anJ to an extent unite, them, and It balance
aCl(.lity and weetness, helping to re_tore equilibrium when they nre in
exce '."
It b important to u e proper techntque when ea.,onmg WIth alt, which
will affect the flavor. "Different food., call for different method of air 109,"
points out Gary Danko. "For example, with thmg ltke meat and fillet that
have been trimmed down to the bare muscle, I cook them, let them re t, and
w~lle they're re ting [ salt them. [n a I:rraisee, you would ea on your liqUId
ltghtly because thtre I an exchange between the juice of the meat and the
uce, and they eventually become one. [f you're cookmg ay, trout, you're
gomg to salt it fir t, then flour it." '
I!]IO ot parad, e muo;t.lrd r< \"\t'm.lr-y ~tar anise
carJ.1 1110 111 caper, garlic cassia
(ll..~\ es
fennel oregano cmnamon
honey parsley
turmeric sage "zechuan rCpplr
h(lr,cr'ld,~h
thyme cassia
capers
...
ni"ella gmger
ddl
lel110n allspice saftron
coriander basil tam<lrind
mu,rarJ
savory chives curry
thyme cmnamon
Juniper bcrnes tarragon
cloves
albplce chervil
nutmeg coriander
garlic garlic
allspice cumm
mafjoram oregano
cmnamon fennel
pepper. black parsley
cloves garlic
ro,emary thyme
cumm glnger
gmger mint
h\t;nder par,ley thyme
narlic
~
hasil
orange hay leaf
~lge
lemonura s cumm chervil
anchovy
ch tie, dill
cdantro oregano -
oarhc
par,ley
marjoram
conanJer ba~d mint
r cmar)
garlic cmnamon oregano
rhyme
peprer, cumm parsley
,hallDt, g<lrlic sage
par,lt:y as afra
,a\"0f) .I11'plce turmeric
marjoram
thyme anre mu,tarJ
ha,11
chde~
cilantro
pepper, hlack \ .10 ilia
cinnamon par In
dill ha,il caramel
nutmeg hay leaf C iii n chocol.lte
par.,lc\ cht:rnl hme cmn,lm n
chyme chive, c()Conur
Jill hallut n>ffee
mmt garlic wme rum
ba'll nregano
(.hocolate thyme orrel
Cilantro chl\lCS
conander
orccano
,ulte
parsley
p r Ie)
thyme
 lots in it, so that It' aim t
sh allot sauce that'., macera ed In
vmegar With some oltve 011
added and black pepper, and ['1\
spoon that over it. 0 you're
constantly making thoe kinc6 of
considerations and evaluations.
Every day, these thing~ change."
Chns Schlesinger believes
that when experimenting with
spices, A mericans are at a disadvantage. H e says, "We don't have a lot of
experience working with spices. If you go to Mexico, Central America, the
Middle East, India, they use a tremendous amount of pices, and there are
developed ways to use spices, developed combinations of spices, all orts of
precedent. In India, the skill and attention and detail that go into the buy-
ing, handlmg, toring, combining, and cooking of plces IS on a par With a

"Flavor Cliques"

There are ome gr up of "fla\'OT pal" that are . 0 fond of one another that
they hang out w_emer in cltquc, nd the eli IUC have become so popular as
ro ment their O\\!TI nam :

Bagna cauda: It !tan for "hot bath"-a aucc of olive otl, hutter, salt, pep-
per, anchovi and lemon :e [, t} picully erved with vegetahle
I

Bouquet gami: hay leaf, par Icy, thyme

Chinese fit'e-spice J>o«,'der: <:'1 1<1 or cmnamon: clove , fagara,

fennel, tar ani e

Fines herbes: chervil, chive, par ley, aod tarra!! n

Gremolata: garlic, par ley, lemon :c t, anchovie

Herbes a Tortue: ha d, chervil, fennel, marjoram, vary

Mirepoix: carrot, celery, Onton

Spanish picada: garlic, par ley, and (fr n ~round Volth almond or plOenu

Quatre-Epices: cloves, mger, nutmeg, p pp r

Tunisian fi..'c- pice mix: cmnamon, d v, m f p:: r d ,nurm ,pepper

A
 When leading chef experunCnt
Experimenting with Flavors with flavor, ttl hnng Out th
ones that will tantali:e us most, how do they approach the challenge?
Hubert Keller starts with a recipe on paper. "If you think ahout it, }ou
can combine the flavors in your mind and envision how someth ing \\111 ta.:;te ,"
he says, refernng to an ability that comes easier to more experienced chet".,.
Given the direction toward lighter food that Keller sees as having influenced
cooking over the last decade, he also likes to demonstrate that food, even old
combinations, can be updated. "Lamb has traditionally been served With a rich
red wine sauce," he points out. "Now I do it with a Med ot. Today when you
say Medot, everybody jumps! The Merlot has a hint of vanilla flavor in it, and
instead of using butter to add richness and flavor to the sauce, 1add ~ome fresh
vanilla, which empha I:es the \'3Oilla flavor In the Medot."
The next step for Keller is trying out his ideas on the line of hi restau-
rant kitchen. ''I'll prepare the dish and taste it to find out if it works. Then
the eye come~ In-I'll made a drawing, tllutrating how to display the gar-
nishes for the dl,h on the plate. ThL might take four or five , even six, tries.
Finally, I'll tl) it out on orne good cu,Wmer, and see what they think. I've
got cutomer who are open enough w ,l)' to me, 'Well, It'S not my favome .. .'
That\ when It' IInporWnt for a chl.J en be fle.·ible enough to either change a
dl,h or take It off the menu complerel~ if it\ not ri!.!ht."
Jo~ce G 1 tem ay, "I nl~ know methmg\ right when I eat it and
It' complete m m m uth-an i \\ hen other people eat It, they get It. I'm
coming out \nth k c, lie Kitchen Cont'crsatlOn thar will ask read-

"Flavor Enemies"

While fl:.l\or p:.I1 (.an't e t'nou hoc ch other, f1JWlr enernit.: are (lnc that \ Oll
pr b bI} don't want to mVI e m 0 rhe me dl h, unit: YOIl do 0 \\ tth gn.'4l t Lirt'!

bd iI \\ mc
.:hll ,lC1JI C to"J,
tarra on rrichokc
d p,lra 'U'
aulcrn", chO<..ol.m~
chocolate t:ort mdcr
Cltru frUi h [, I'lcy food
ICC ere m
larrag( n M (,
m t other her [( matot:

58
A
 one the '" e cooked a
rec.pe. Are ou there )et? Did
you get what )OU were aiming
for. What were the element you
were playmg with? If you like
bitterne • how do you play it up?
How do you keep the plate in
balance without going over the
edge and getting too bitter? If
you like harpness, or acidity,
how do you keep that in the forefront too tart and
killIng everything else? It help to think about why you like certain dishes.
Why are you playing in this ballpark? Why are you interested in that? Certain
things are texture, certain things are taste-when you play with them, the
whole becomes more than the urn of the parts. That's when you've hit it."
According to Jean-louis Palladin, a chef works exactly like a painter.
"You start with the basics, and build the painting you want," he say. "After
thiry-seven years in the kitchen, I can make matches pretty well." Palladin
adds, too modestly. "I can see in my mind the matching without even ta ting
it. Of course, I alway try it and taste it fIrst. and I may change it a little bit.
But 95 percent of the time. it' a wInner."

Gary Danko on Cooking with Wine

Because we're a restaurant of the caliber that serves expensive wmes, all
the food here has to be more delacate. we'll never do, for example, a
Moroccan dISh In Its authentically hot-bot-hot seuorung, but I'll use the
same flavor principles and balance the dish more delacately so that It can
actually work here.
Wane and artichoka l f t very difficult to match. 1be way you would
deal WIth that to use the artichoka as a gamiIh an a dish, but you would
have a J2 ore that would make the bridte betAUn the dish and the wtne.
AIparaaus and wine aren't the best of frienda. although you can use the
Ii , character of a Sauvignon Blanc to match that il fIt character of the
IPpDI'W Ifl had to march a wme WIth a.1 would put .mcbee CODlpOOetlt
Into the dish. maybe IOQte crumbled p t d r eM', and work &OID chat poult
of III!II1Cb. and thea put a ~ OIl It which would 10ft of lubckatr or
. . 'Itt that diRct ' - '• •iae t It', And, ClUIIe ....aId,t via po'"
wilw doOt m 7 h. But tIwa lie R Jrr Jila Iw csie Wi).
which... -U •- with .....iawAuelH
• lor of .... Lt. I,
 wouldn't know where to begm or how to have
gUtd e Imeso Th e s t udents
. " says G eorge Germon . "Similarly, cooks say they want freedom In
reaCtion,
· h en, and L
th e k LtC 't makes me chuckle. 1 know they'd fall apart " wLthout the
·S thev need reference po ints to build on .
structure. Th e truth L"
Johanne Killeen agrees. "In the worlds ~f art or architectu~e, yo~ alwil)'
have a reference point for whatever it is you re creatmg. If you re bULldlng a
house, for example, and you want it square, there will be one wall that LS your
reference point and you'll take all your measurements from that one wall,"
she says. "Likewise, Italy is our reference point in our cooking."
"And within that structure, we make our own rules," adds German.
"But it's good to have that reference point. It keeps us in foc us. It's extreme_
ly important to have a philosophy in cooking; it even helps build tru t among
your employees, who begin to see that there is a rationale beh ind your cri-
tique of their food, that there's something specific you're goin g after."
Where does a dish originate? It starting point, or reference point, can
be anything! It might stem from the request of a customer to satisfy a partic-
ular craving. Or from the arrival of the ea on's first bounty--of produce, of
wine-which demands a dish that celebrates it. Or from a chef who may wish
to expenment With a particular technique, in a dish that employs it. A dish
can be created to achieve any of the~e ends, and at its best may ach ieve many
ends at once. One created pnmanly for nourishment. for example, wilt ideal-
ly also please the ta te bud~--even charm the Iopirit!

Classic Dishes hen -c<llIed cia ic di he fir.,t came into being

through a tartlng point. As Chris c hlesinger
points out, "Cia Ie dl he. uch a boutllah<ll e and Caesar salad, were not
indi\'idual dL he creared OLlt of people' mind; they were hased on thing,
that were already there, that ther h,ld to work with. The creativit y wa In the
interpretation of the ingredient, not ncce emly in choosing and interpreting
them. Often, creating a dL h L n t a trietly creative process-one hegmnlnf,:
with a blank late-but ne where you've got these ingredLents that you're
H' moving around, and you're re earchlng what work:; together."
IStOry represents the roots of my CUtS Cl-" .
me a LC dl h tYPically con i t of combtna-
-Dar> el Sou ud tions--of flavor, texture even aroma and c 1 r -
that hi tory ha been h·ard -pre e d to oller
rr' ,
Impn vernents upon . The ir h.Lvrn
stood the te t of time spe alU>
L_ h Iegance of theLf form, tn eomhtntng tel-
to tee fI
vors not only harmoniousl b
. .
.
Y ut, In many case, ynergi ttcally, uch (hi t t
h
whole I Indeed greater than the urn f th e Ind LVI dua I p res.
Other cia Le di he range from cas oulet to paella, fr In coq au un t
steak au poll'l"e . "I n each 0 f t hem, all the IngredLent that are tht: re r th r
for a reason-because they work," pomt out Terran e Br nnan Tht t

A
 ,hl)uld b~ the aim
_ when composing new dishes-in Brennan's wmds, "A rea I
~olid , [~oughttul marriage of ingre~ients resulting in high-quality cooking."
RICk Bayless tends to agree. Too many people always worry about cre-
attng something new," he believes. "I'm more interested in perfecting some-
thing for myself, and knowing it's perfect. Only then would I consider tweak-
ing it. 'Mastering the classics' doesn't mean doing the same things the same
way they've always been done-it means making them exactly right for you
today. There's genius in those classic dishes that isn't always appreciated."
Researching classic dishes can inform chefs of those food matches that
history tells us are the most successful of all time and prevent them from hav-
ing to start from scratch. Chris Schlesinger, like other leading chefs, looks to
the past when creating food for the present. "I was reading a book on pick-
ling from the 1950s. These people pickled everything-even grapes! That's
what's so mind-blowing. You could name a decade and I could make a menu
from old cookbooks from that decade, using only those recipes, and customers
today would go, 'Wow-that's so creative! How did you think that up?' When
we first served plantains at the East Coast Grill, not a lot of people had seen
them and customers would say, 'Wow-these are unbelievable!' But plantains
are so common that they're eaten like French fries in a lot of other cultures.
"I was researching Brazilian cuisine and found that the northern part of
Brazd has a lot of diverse influences with the slaves from Africa. For exam-
ple, there's a classic combmatlon of mgredlent.!>-tomatoes, peanuts, and
coconut milk-that's served in a relish, and I served it on some grilled lamb
in the restaurant. Customers went wild over it and asked me, 'How did you
ever think of combining those ingredIents?' I had to tell them that it' a clas-
sic dish of this region that' been prepared for hundred of year -."
Wayne N Ish recalls expenmenting with pasta blankets embedded with
herbs when he cooked at The QUIlted Giraffe. "ImmedIately afterward I came
across a reference of the same exact technique in one of [Giuliano] Bugialli's
books, which was referenced back to fourteenth century iena-l think that
was the first time the technique shows up in any cookbooks or records," says
N Ish. "So here I was, thinking I was domg thIS really neat new thing, only to
fmd out that there had been people rolling the same thing out by hand six
hundred yeac ago."

Where is the lme between

Borrowing from the Classics copying and findmg inspira-
tlon m a cUisine? And how far can that line be pu hed? Chris Sch lesmger
points out, "My food, while not exact dupltcatLOn, is true to the flavors and
mgredient of the culture that inspired It. If a dish i inspired by a dish that
I had m Th Iland, for example, It won't ha\"t:! any mgredients that can't he

c 9 o
 L nder tandim: a~ much as possible about a particular ingredient can
heir 111(, rill \\'h"t ro do with it and which other ingredients to combine it
with. m a kmd of culmary free -association. "If you're working with duck, and
\ou know that ducks eat grains, like corn, then you can serve a corn cake
wnh[Ole gras. because it's part of their environment. Serving grain with duck
goes back ro duck' and wheatfields," says Brennan. "It's game, it's fall, there's
mushrooms. The gaminess of game goes well with squash, because there's a
nice sweetness to it. I lmoe purees in the wintertime; they go really well with
game. So Just working with the seasons, you're half way there."
After startmg with the seasons, "Good taste leads you to combinations
that work," says Lydia Shire. She believes chefs can develop taste through
eat1l1g out in restaurants and experiencing firsthand which combinations are
pleaSlOg and which miss their mark.
}"llchael Romano agrees that "a chef has ro have taste in terms of know-
ing how ro put things together. As in every human endeavor, you can
improve to a certain extent through training and practice," he says. "But
beyond a certain level, you either have it or you don't. You can give two peo-
ple the same budget and send them into a clothing store, and one will come
out looking like a frump and the other will look like a million dollars. The
difference is taste."
Classic dishes raise the questlon of recipe. Do It IS not Just a haphazard affair, a new dIsh. It is a
professlOnal chefs ever follow them? "I think they can pondenng on a new combination of tastes and
be likened to traming wheels," say ' Romano. "If you then a reconcJ/tatlOn with a techntcal base.
follow a good recipe carefully, you ~hould be able to -The Trolsgros Brothers
come up with something good. But as you gain more experience, you can
take off the trainmg wheels. Then you look at recipe~ to get a sense of inter-
esting combmations of ingredients, rather than a teaspoon of this or a cup of
that."

"Most of my
Deconstructionism/Reconstructionism experimenta-
tion is rooted in the past," admits Charles Palmer. "It's involved taking what
I knew--dassic French cuisine-and applying it to great ideas in a modern
American approach. And a lot of the products you find here, from beef to
lamb, are even better than what you'll find m France, 0 it makes the exper-
imentation that much more enjoyable."
Simtlarly, Rick Bayless describes the CUisine he serves at his Chicago
restaurants a~ "classic Mexican food with contemporary twists in a contem-
porary context." Bur, in hiS opmion, "the most Important thmg we do is
und~r rand the soul of what's being done m the CUisine and capture that in
our tOod. Flavor., -hould take you ro the heart of a cuisine." Bayle believes

$ g
 .. Norman Van Aken on Inspiration
In fir tl n Cdn Ll me \\ hen you're ,tuck at a red light. The crea[[ve pwce:,s
I l meth\l1!:' that I ' n~r). \'er) difficult to de5cnbe. In some way" it'; kind

t 'Ike 1 I \ er" quarrel that happen in your mind. I thmk some of the
mt1,t I..reatlye moment~ I've eyer experienced made me a little ick like a
k'ver' qu,lITel-and then suddenh, mcredibly happy, once there was a res-
"lutlo n to It.
It" the marnage between thought and the ingredients-and what a
child ot that marnage \\"Ould produce. I've trained myself to know my
ml!redlent' really well, so that I canhuftle them in my mind. Certain
m2reJlent' or combinatiom might trigger a memory, or trigger a hunger-
the p::l't or the future. I gue s-that wl11 _et me into motion, and then Cfe-
atlve thll1~ c::ln occur.
I thmk it wa" Pa_teur who aid that "Chance fan)f5 the prepared
mmd." There l~ a tremenJou . amount of preparatlon YOU have to ha\'e in
order for thl' creativity to ,pawn, I t'- not jut like wmning the lottery,
Jean-Franc;:oi Revel did. "To a gre,H.1 degree a~ ~exuahty. fnod i,
m'l'parahle fwm Imagination." Im.1!!lIution tor me I Ju~t ,mother \\'llrd for
...rean\ Ity. '\' hen \ ou take the freed m to u > )our mngll1atl n. then the
)rtal of cream'it h.we no lode.
It' one of the true t hm ,m term f che . e ha e to h \ e .m
extraorJlI1ary e1f-e hung pn e need t be IHe t( \\alk 111[0 till n t-
ural ~arden th t CXI t ~ r It )ut ther 111 the \ rlJ- mJ. t e. JUr e, I ht-
Icall) \\C ha\e to hdp prot t that n tuml arden. be au ,chef If \\e
Jdn't, then \\c won't ha\e It-md e( p t ur own pc 11 lhtlc It tlll""
and get \litO tht: <lr 111<1.' anJ the t tur . \X t: h \\ e to hut our mll1 I ott t )
all the Imll' [hm;! . hke the f t that the Hr" nJlti nm umt' hr ken or
whdte\ er, nd I r. moment. the J) f per epn n c. n \\ moen nd
\\ e can mt: up \\ Ith orne \\ J\ pre ntlng xi and maktO th It m m·
Or) of food be omcthmg that p pi n 1m \\ lth them rCHr-Of t
teel t ~ r \ eI) Ie ng time.

111llkcn 110 remember \\hen her partner u to Fem er rerume I

fft m " I all n In India. ~ he w ned and lid, "\c ' I t [ I m k
th ffltter for ~ou-the) 're re Ilh unbeh \ bIe·.... he m J th "
t Ibl fritters \\ nh htckp b I t[ 'r, en c J \\ It h mlllt- II ntr e.hu n to 1
ue. • md I er \\e pur th m n th m nu m l"' .....u' JI
n nl but th \\ nt \Cr rc II bl' n
[If h r n
 ence at Le Perroquet [t h e Chicago. re~taurant where
. the moh fi r t metl t ugh
us was that \\,e cou Id t a ke any kmJ of food, mcludmg .t ese country_
' vie
.
fntters from In d la, an d we could kind of elevate
, . the dish by u tng orne of
.
the fmest tec h ntques of handling food, which IS what the French. re bnl-
!iant at," , h h b
"ongerichten recalls pagmg t roug a cook ook from
Jean- G eorges y.
the 1800s by Urbain Dubois and running across a recipe call ing for the unuu-
' . a f raisins and capers. , "1 knew the combinatlOn
a I com b matton , would need a
, F' I trl'ed clove ~,which
Spice, Irst "
didn t work, but then I tned nutmeg, which
," ,
is kind of 'pals' with ralsms, recalls Vongenchten. I m ade a puree of the
raisins and capers, which was delicious, even if the color was n o t very appeal-
ing. In trying to decide what to use the sauce with, I knew th at capers and
skate were 'pals,' so I tned it." The unusually delicious dish that re ' ulted was
added to hiS restaurant menu.
How do chef-couple' like Mark Peel and Nancy Silverton collaborate
on de\'elopmg di.he? "I did the original menu," says Peel. "And N ancy IS the
one who goes to the farmers' market and get a lot of ingredients, and those
end up 10 dLhe , Tina [\ViLon, Campantle" chdl also comes up with a lot of
di hes, wlthm parameter-,"
The Idea J n't ah\ar~ tan \\ ith the main mgreJient. "N ancy found
some wonderful romed legume • t the farmer!>' market," recalls PeeL
"When the) pr ut, chcml.1 h n ur m,klt: the bean, cau,mg them
to become \\e ter." Peel and Ilv rton de I led t u t: a heJ of the sprouted
legume to ho\\c e a perfectl~ c k d pIC e 01 almon.
For JC r e Jermon clnd J hanne "Iii en, \\ hO'l: rramlng as a rt b ts pre-
dat~ their emf) IOta rofe I n I cookll1g, th tnrting lint is vi Ll,d. "I
think It' ~I tOur trainmg," ay ermon. "We u e (Jur hr<lIn~ a .m empry
cam ." Th } fecclll h nn o the cnp Ion f thin 10 agna, fI layered pa ta
creation I th n ne lOch thick,
la agna I filled \\ Ith mu h P,"} Killeen. "\X/e t Irted expert lllcnttn
wHh thm la dgna that wa till two or three I }cr high, but onl} three-quar-
ter of dn lOch thick. From the mltlal VI uallde ,our mmd cre tcd the dl h
and br ught It to reaht) on the plate--one \\ Ith hechamel lice glazed \\ Ith
Parme an he· e, which \\e n \\ cook to order."
The Jay' weather often di t te the klOd off, pe pi \\ant to CJt-
Cuu/l;mg and mus care alke n that a fmlshed or chef: want to cook. ObVlOU ex mpl mclud
d a p rformance depend on an e ement LfavlOg hot food m coIl we ther, md " 1l.C V r I 'I
at on wh ch are never part of the thmk the weath r I ne f th m t d mm lun t
SCI'Jfe V. nth 5 goes r.ght t re u ts tor 10 term thc m I'm m nd wh u I II
c th t mat cookmg," V rm n Y. n Ak n "8 t
p here [10 MI mil n rI tw m £1\ (
 lan
p .
t trom the Chicill.!o area], our perception of what is 'cold' h as d ef'mite
, 1y
ch.1 ng<,d. Ye~terJar \\'a~ 53 degrees and rainy, and we were thinking 'lamb
_re\\ '
l' "

\\'eather co~ditiO~S can also, directly affect the availability or quality

of certalO mgredlents. We certainly get rained out in terms of tuna or
shrimp bemg available," says Van A~en. "When the moon is full, the shrimp
go down, and the shnmpers Just don t go out." And across the country in Los
Angeles, Nancy Silverton pays attention to the weather in planning her
desserts. "After a recent rainy spell, I took strawberries off the menu because
I knew the strawberries weren't going to be good enough after having soaked
up all that water," she says.

t " As Chris Schlesinger previously

The M0th er 0f Inven Ion pointed out, it's rare that chefs have
the luxury--or challenge!--of creating out of thin air. "Getting back to the
idea of a chef as a profes ional, my job as a chef-re taurateur is to run a prof-
itable kitchen," says chlesinger. "One of the major realities facing cooks
throughout time is that it's a rare thing that a cook gee to create m a vacuum.
I go into the walk-in [refrigerator] In the mommg and I look at what I have
and what I need to u, e. Then I'll call up my pur\'eyor~, who'll tell me that
leeks are looktng great, for example, or thac striped b:h, ,e<lson jmt started.
o I'm ne\'er starting from a bbnk heet of paper-I'm ah\-ay:, tartlng from
omething. I have all the e thing to which I need to apply my experience
and knowledge tn order to [Ie them ogether."
Mary ue Milliken and ~U5 0 Fen! 'er once fouod them,elve with an
abundance of chicken in thelT walk-tn, and u d that Ituauon as an Impetus
to create a way to u e 1[, The re-lIl[ \\'a one of the m t pular di hes ever
on [heir menu: ~[Uffed Rigatoni with hi ken end Fennel. "We had rJered
_ me pasta, and the ri\!3toni had come In really lon o . And I thought, Well,
maybe I can do "omethmg with the p ta and th t chicken. I wa thinking
about Italian ,ausage and pa.-.ta, which we both l ve. But people don't like
pork, and they don't like all that
fat tn U DC. Then we were

talkm o about it, and we deCided

to Qfmd the chicken up and
mea mou , like we u ed to
rna e t Le Perroquet. We deCid-
ed t ta e a P [I)' ba and tuff
the m ltl.Slde the blanched
01. hzed .... e h d to
It methm , nd .... e
 A Chef's Palette of Flavors
Jean-LouIs Palladin

'This list ret1ects exactly what I've got in the refrigerator, or exactly what I'm going to receive," says Jean-
LL1uI Palladin, of those ingredients indicated in boldface. * Palladin would go into his office at 1 P.M. every
afternoon w compose the restaurant's daily specials based on such a list.

INVENTORY-JANUARY 10, 1996

FISH
Crawfish Lamprey RllCkfbh Skate
Af,al,mes Lobster Rouget oft Shell
Anchones Eel
Fk,under Monk Salmon Spotted Ttle
Ba"s, Sea ~l,mk Llyer ardInes Syu\l.l
Clams-Ra:c,r, Frogs' Legs
G>educk Mussels Scallops Sturgel,n
Countneck Sea Urchins SW<1rdf"h
Grouper Onaga
Cod Seaweed Tuna
Hake Oysters
G,d Chccb Turbot
Hallhut Pef\\nnkl6 Shad R<1e
Crab Shrimps
SpIder Crah Herring PIt-alb

MEATS
Legs C(m in Lamb quab Rabbit Saw,age
Caul Fat
01::3rJ • tarrow Leg' Bulfal"
Capon
Heart PI,F et Sweetbread~ BufLtlu Testicles
ChIcken
Chicken WIn_' Kldn 'I-Black. Whit PI' Em Veal
Duck: Foie Gras Rabbit Veni on
Mo,wvlte Guinea Hen Le<;: F,II an
M<lcrets Ham Loin Con fit Gizzard

FRUITS
Strawberrie, BlooJ OrIn Prun Per. Hnllum limgennes
Rasphrnes ManJann RilllJlS Pineapples Ugly Fnnt (T1\Lerr,)
D.lte Melom Orange, L.. mnn .. S"pore,
Blueberrie Grapes r n Fruit
I Lime ~rar Frutt
Banana KUmyUdt Pc he> Pome 'r. rule
Hucklehern FI Arne t Plum
GIX hem ~tangoe Pear Quinn"
Cranberrie Papa,a, Appl Rhurlfb

VEGGIES
Corn P rln R t R d, hc Yuc\. I R, .. 1
Cucumber r rsn.~ Rut r 'I Rdm(
E~lanl p Sal Ih Bo\.: 111
fennel 'n uP qua h hK.ld
G.rli, Pepper Zu.:chini Beet
Ginger Red Jcru I! m Art h h nc tnut
Hr I£m Taro Root Pu r 10
Lemon ra Yello" Tomal r h
Leek P taloe Red
Onn f nn 'r I
Pearl OnIOn R TurnlJK
Id.tho t r
 HERBS
Dill Oregano Sorrel Ti Leaf
p.,tI Le"f Epa:ote Parsley Tarragon Juniper Berr,es
Bad Lavender Rosenlary Thyme
Chernl IdafJoram Sage Lemon Leaf
Chi,'e' Mint Savory Shiso (Oba) Leaf
Cd"nrre

BUTTERS
Coral Enokis Sea Urchin Tarragon
:'-nchLw \, Coriander Ginger Smelt Roe Chive
Black C'he CUITY Lemongrass Watercress Chervil
C1per Dill Parmesan Basil
Caviar

SAUCES
Hucklebemes Lemon Meat Juice Quince
Garlic Red Wine Rhubarb
lime
Shallot

SALADS
Mache Mustard
Green Romaine BIbb
:\rugula Mesdun Watercress
Red Romaine Chard
Coll0fL1S ' Mlsuna Heart of Palm
Mixed Lettuces Dandelion
Green Oak Frbee Trevlse
EndIves
Red Oak

PREPARATIONS
Basqu ·1'" ~i"oi,e
Ban~ouce

SMOKED FISH
Seaweed Salad
"turgeon Trout
[e' :::..Ilm n
Tuna
OctopUS Sabd
:-c"ilops Hal but
Mussel,
RockfiSh ;:,bte

SOUPS
CiUltfl"wer OnIOns
Corn Eggplaf't Totr..lto Shallot
Am hoke Broccolt
M'hrocm Pem, P 1>
Carrot Sahify
Che,tnut Fe\ paragu- Crab
Cde ry R.x.t
Loc.lflut Pepper Bean

TERRINES
Foie Gras
VeniSlln
Mushroom Cepe Fre<;h '.lImon
. ,I-le Duck
, 11~

FISH EGGS CAVIAR

Quail Egg,
::melt Roe
CoJRoe
Alll encan Be.J
O$etra 'X'\tug,l
AV1l1,z Fl<h

MUSHROOMS
WO<.-xI Ear lobster
( Mal ut Ike
H J _ '-hiit"k Yellow Foot
Cepe Trumpet Morel &ttmM hr
Fun Truft1
 came up II.'It"l1 flenne I, which is a trad\t1pnal season 109, for au age. We
assem bied t h e d I~'h and put it on the menu-and that dish w,,~ on the menu
for thirteen years!" , .
Someumes ' 't's a lack that creates the need to ftnd a 'ultable ub tl-
I

rute. "Wh en w . opened e Al Forno

' we started out without a wood-hurnino"
oven, " reca IIs George Germon. "It was a constant source of frustration that
we didn't have the space for one in the original Al Forno, But it was some-
thing that forced us to experiment with different cooking techniques that
would allow us to give a similar flavor to certatO foods, and that experi-
mentation led us to develop grilled pizza. It's our own technique in that it
didn't exist in Italy when we experimented with it, but it was certainly
Italian in spirit." The technique, whereby pi::a dough is cooked on a grtll
to impart a unique flavor and crispy texture to the pizza, has ince been
widely copied.

How does the creative proces of developing a

Composing Dishes new dish unfold?
In coming up with a dish, the ~ tarting point for Anne Ro 'en:weig is the
ingredient' essence. "Then I go into taste memory to see what the ingredient
evokes," he a) . "And I'll either hnng it back-..{)r bring it back in an even
better incaman n." :he cite: a n example the meatinaf offered on her
menu at her econd r t. urant, The Lob,ter luh. "We interviewed cus-
tomer, and talked am ng our eh e , and found that the thmg e\'eryone
remember about tin meatlt 1f ro .... 109 up wa the tomato au e. ~ () we'll
u e different meats, and different c nin, but we alway incnrpl)rate a
tomato au e .... Im It. And mctllne .... e get vel) pldyful!" "Playful" certain-
ly de cribe "Jult I Ie 13' Mother' Me tI at," a fl tional creation incorpo-
rating ro ted pepper and ancho chtle !
Ja per White never h Itat m aym , "The tartmg point i the !Ogre-
dient . What I the focu of the dl h. ] gue I'm tr<1dltional to the extent that
it' u uall) the protem-what I the fl h or meat or caViar? Whotever It i ,
there' memmg that' the re n why I'm c kmg the dl h. And I tT) not
to let the dl h go too far away from that re n.
" 0 the fIT t thmg I do I Identify the product, and that' the theme l,f

the dl h. And I Identi~ the characten ttcs of that particular produ t-\\
the fl h fre hly caught and bled, for example? Then It Will have Itghth dtf
ferenr properti than a fl h that' not. then I go IOto the memory b nk
I already know what thi fl h taste ltlee. And I already lenow whl h t n
ingredIent go best WIth It. And then I would what th t
ent are, and what the se n f, r them. nd th n t rt d d
out of them.
 'I'm tnto k\l1d l t the TV dinner arrroach-the three comrartments:
rrot 10. \ egetable, ,tarch. A lot of tlInes they can all be mixed together or
rht'~ oulj be handled In different ways. But I still kind of stay with that
bec.lll,e, (or me, a r late needs to have those three elements," says White.
"So It st,l[ts with the season. And you also have to take into account
rhe occaSion. !-; It for a restaurant menu, or is it for a special dinner) Is it for
fnend~ at h'1me? Is It caual, or am I trying to be fancy? Or it might have to
d() with the ret of the menu, too," he says.
Jimmy Schmtdt is one of a number of chefs who point out the impor-
tance of deslgnmg food to complement the wine with which it is to be served.
"But in the case when you're not accounting for any kind of beverage mar-

- -
Contrasts Between Ingredients
providing contrasts withm a dish offer rowerful opportunities for heIghten-
ing interest as well as expressmg one's point of \'Iew. Most importantly, it is a
way to achieve an all-important sen.e of balance in a dish:

Characrerutlc Spectrum Example

Aromas Famt/ [Tong Vanilla CU,[, rtl with Ctnn<lmlln

VarieJ TroPILdl trun .ll.d

Coml renC): Fany/A,mngent ~alm n wnh hOf'cr.IJI,h

Cookt:J ~tare" Cooked/Rim

[nexren IVC/E. pen tile POtatoc, \\Ith caviar

Del15t{~ : He,IVy/Llght Lemon meringue rtC

Famtltant'( Common/Exotic 1 1a,heJ pOra[l)e

\1 Ith hwdacoche

Flavors: Sweet/Sour/~. hy/Bltter p,td That

FlavOf "trength: harr/Blancl Lemon ,ole

MOl tne Wet/D~'

Big/Little , teak with hngerltng pOtdtoe,

f1cme /horne SPILl -Hot/Bl.md-Cool Wd'<lht on lUnd u,hl

Temper,l ure ~ Hot/Col.l Hot dPple pie \\ Ith

\ .mtlla IU~ Lream
't xtur Cnspyl It GfilleJ chee e .md\\ Ich
 . h h ingredients them elve~ . The direction f th
. ,e you start \\ It t e . I
nage per. , ds to 'Ho\\ do you tdke these natur In 'fedl nt
thought process then procee ,'"
nd enhance their natural beauty. .' I

a "It you ta ke 'a f·IS h , for instance, and apply. heat to It,_ you
. II end up \\Ith
.
a piece 0
f f'IS h . 1'-
t s go
ing to taste like fish, and It may. be tre~h,
. hut n )t much
.
other excitement '. a
IS , dded to, it from a gustatory po lOt ot Vlew. There'. not
. I. Th ere 'not
much \'lsua s much. from a textural, contrast 109 pOint of \'Iew.
And the flavor is kind of one-dimensIOnal. ,
"If you were to add a sauce to the dish, and either vegerahle or ,tarch.
es t h at wou Id 0 (fer color" flavor contrasting, texrure-all of rho<.e dement
would preferably nor cover up the flavor of rhe fish, but would enhance it. For
ex amp Ie, comb inmg. the crunchines' of snow peas with salmon woulJ make
the flesh of the fish eern ilkier 10 contrast. LtkewI:>e, a more aciJlc;]uce
with the salmon would balance out ,ome of the natural sweetne,~ and f;]tty
characteritic~ of the -almon.
"Then, you might grill the ,almon, or pan-roa r it, \)r dust it With ~rlce)
and sear It. With each one of th()e different techniques, you're qUite able to
bnng out more fla\'of., or potentlall) even c,lr,nneli:e some of the natural
sugar 10 the pre cnce of acid and oudd cll1 ,1d,jltl<lOai flavor profile,"
Lind ey -here belie\ e the me klO f Cl ntrats m,lke fnr ,1 glX>J
de ert. "Our focu I- a\\\, on th f1, \or , teo run.' , and temperatures In ,
de~ ert," he } ...~. e want t let pc pie know \\ hat really good stuft t,l te
lIke, IOLe ~ e\\Cl) [th r ef) t f ch In! eem ro he the tlavor tanJarJ

Ir [ I n re In.! < de err, a or :lin~ to :here, I tLl [Ill!.! the

(rUiL ")' u hl\e to knO\\ ho\\ It b~h \c ," he y. "What hdrpen when It'
cooked or pureed? Does It tum bro\\n? The fruit ta te different (film year to
\earandfr mfanner to (armer. E\ef) }e r\\henapple c on t rt ,wclmn
hack one of ev f) tvpc ot apple. nd then cO{ k and t;I [ th 'm. (lOod c.ltmO
apple. are not ah, a\ eood cookmg applc . Rcd Ddici u < pple , for eXclmple,
don't ha\e a lot oftlavor "hen cooked. We ee whi h on \\e like the tex-
ture of, and which combme well \\ Ith other ,"
'ext come "thmkmg about all the po Ihtlltle for wh It that fruit
could be " h ,,~ . d
' '7 ere, omen me omethmg will come out ( f thc hlu, n
other time H 'II k . Do
.)U \\or at It. vou \\ant to make a tart? What bout ere m
puff~' W . ' f . h l C
. e can t f) ere at hez PanI e) becau e we don't ha\ c .t hood 0\ cr
the pastf), ection, and we don't have a brOiler \\c c n't do thtn' !Ike
gratin. It IImlttng not having thu e p< Inlhue."
b'en though Chez Pani se Joe n't ha\ e a hqu( r h en
IS a 110\\ cd to use hard liquor 10 the kitchen, and here wIll t

that freed m b, sen 109 pear herbet with grappa, r rr

 [lnn her1- t \ 'Ith fr IInbol'C. "AnJ I ilkI.' Kir'>ch un pelch ,. ,trawl'erry
, ,pe,u, I.

( r rl pl>ern ,herhet," ~ ht're ,IY'. '

\\ hlt about Lhoull.lte 1 "Chocolate i, a real standhy 111 the Winter here
\\hen the IIPllle' ot tnllt ,ue 1(1\\'," ':ly,> here. "In coming up with ne\~
d~, crt', we run experiment . . In the kitchen a lot, te~ting recipe . T here's a lot
of prc"ure to COI11t' up with ne\\' Jessens, both pressure from our cllstomer~
and ,df-Ilnpo t.'d."
Wht'n compO'In!; a Jbh, Gary Danko starts hy a,king himse lf, "What
I' the mam tn(!redit'nt here? What b the center of the plate? b it a roast egg-
plant \\,Ith lamh Ie tn, or I~ it mast lamb loin With eggp lant? Ideally, I wi ll
Lhoo e h the ,ea on.
"When I cook with lamh, because I take all the fat and connective tis-
,ue ott the meat, I have to omehow in,ulate that meat. In the 'prang, I'll take
dried morel mu,hnxlms and powder them, and use that with bread crumbs
and aromatic" omon s , ~arlic, parle), thyme, and make a very delicate crust.
I'll 'ear the lamh in a lIttle bit of hot oil. cool It dO\m quickly, hrush It With
e!!!! white, and then roll it in this cru t. From that, I'll decide. 'What am I
!!OLn!,! to put thi on?' I'll thtnk, 'Well. lamb like to !!ra:e on fennel. and fen-

nel\ jut coming tnto ea on, <;0 I'll make a really Imple ft.'nne! compute ... ·
Danko -ay . "Then I'll thll1k, 'Do I want till to ~o more ;"1ellitcrranean, ur
what ,t ,Ie do I want to take thl m?' In 10) mmd. I'll thmk Ea ter, Ea ter bun-
nie , ham, a para!!u , eggs-the e are cert. In thmg from m) chlllh d th,lt
I remember. Thl I the indl\'ldu I t} Ie 0 the chef omm out here-ba 1-
cally, where you were born, what }our Ii e °penen e .He, et ceter If I tr;w-
0

eI • nd I ee. dl h that' 4ulte 1I1tere tin , .1I1d I lake the phd ph} an I It
blend with mane, then I ml ht In l r rate tho e flavor 0 ( r I'll take a pe-
(lflC CUI me-I love;"1 rocc.an and Indl n f and I \\111 u e the I ve of
tho e pICe In a much m re deb ate manner In the food th, I prep.!re at The
RIt:-Cariton I mm) Room."
What' [h~ eoal \\ hen bUll Ian!:! a n \\ dl h~ Some of the best dIshes m the world have no
":lmpliclt'y," a~ RICk B,,} Ie ," nd \\ holene of tla- more than three major components
\or and textur~. Recent! , I kept en l)Ura 109 a u -Lyd S re
chef [) pull r. ck n n appcmer of !:!nlled all p , and t t.!ke e\ I) thm!:!
aw I} e cept \\ hat \\oull naturan~ meld re ll} \\ell \\ Ith the I a It \\
W1m Thl \ a}, \\ hen the daner tarted at It, there \\ould reall be
( mpleten bout l.allop, nd a counterpoint 0 thl Ib lutel} delaClou
I , nd then me ther element th It \\ ul ta) In the bac !!TOund the
el m m u need d to lie It all to eth r.
h t \ e end d up \\ Ith \\, t Iktng m napa c.lbb ~e and l:Uttlll It
r II thm, h ling a Illet unlliit \\ qUite h )t, putun JU t a tin lit
m ' In that h t klllet, nd then putting th nap (. "b I" m .10.1 JU t
 ~t- I
h ed t ... t1 it j'u,t
tO~'ln,C It (lI: t 1t'" '-
barely wIlted the l1ap.l It went,.,on th pi It
"t t the cllnlponent, were bUilt on tl 'P 01 that, .1'1' R wlc
1nd t h en t h ere" II
, \Ylhen it
' J ne )'llU could eat It and it telt ,l~ It every thll1g \,<1 111 perf
" uO
H ,'\- \\'a~ ,
L I L t ' U dl :In't reall v even know what thdt W,1,,; It Wd" the kmd f
l,a ance, l'U ~ll L ,
'n't which all these other t1a\'ors and texture, worked th m-
bae kgroun d at.: aI •
se Ives" ou t ' That's. ,'1 .good example
' of how we are able tu build dl'. he" here, and
\\'hat our goal is, basically,"
Undersrandmg and always respecting the e,senee of the in[!rediem I
key, Mark Peel says, "Let's say you start with a quaiL A quail is a little thing.
So I would always put something substantial with quail, to kll1d of buiklit up,
It needs more support than, say, a pnme rib. I might put some parsnIp P lta-
toes or mashed potatoes With it, as kind of a ba~e,
"A lot of di,he~ have a ba,e-lIterally, a phy,ieal b,be, "omethinl:! th,lt'
oomo to kind of holJ the di.h up. It'" ~omething that' going to accept the t1a-
<0- '"

\'or and pull everything together. For example, we ser\'t~ sweet Pllt,HI'e, With
babr chIcken, whIch come. with a garlIc cllnnt ,md (",cawle, The sweet pota-
to puree accept the ,harp, hitter t1avOf Ilf the t.: c,lrole and the !;drilC (onflt
and the JUice that. re c mll1g out 1)1 rhe chicken, And the ~weetncss con-
rra~t' WIth the bltteme ~, and the ~. rll rl.'.dh fl)llnJ~ out the tld\,llr of the
,weer t.lto." "And .111 th e ft te tur .1re tCXIlife thelt peopltc re.dly
lo\'e," dd n Ih crt n f the !:!drIlC ,In"l the (lltne
of the tx ItO 11 Iml melt t eth r,"

Th _rt: t r the mple.'lt) t lil he ,th m rc

Juggling Flavors fIa\ or c no
mh 'r propertle that IOU t he Jll ' ,led
In ther, J rm Idm • II nt) ch tllen 'e tor a eh t.
10 (ur h' u," y Jllnm\ c.hmlJt. c. nd \\!th
m..:r dlent , I Ie thtn .' 1 II, I n ' .ood, mo' hetter. threc' gre It,
~ ur' tern I , nd I I nt tt" n I d m't nc e HlI).I 'rec. I thlllk th It
the fILl\ hem n th 10 reJlcnt h< \e to tl t ether. I don't thtnk ,< UT
palate t te them II mdt\ Idu II \X h n ou Jrtn . gb of \\ me, )< u'rc
mg all th \\ me. Y u'n: m on n \ r, e\ 'n though It' m de ur
n n LI \\1: , Ith I lil h, the fld\' r hI uld c me t cth-
T to ere t e 1m I e, th It h\ !:ond 1m g . u need to u e upp Irttn t1-
t rna e that \\ rk.

H \\ to mIke ure u are ahl to I {, lrnplt h thdt! "I remember h tr

mg a lilt ktnd man Ie theoT), \\ hercb I }OU \\ 'r c m!:omm \\010 rt:
olen th t Jldn't re II) , t I ether, u hid t h<l\ e I thlrJ m r d. nt th t
related t , th 111 rJ r t tie the dl h tether, \ lu hI 111 r
Put n th r \\ ,If u I k t 10 r d. or ttk h
mer re tim that m re re tw or n
 _ <'e
lJt'llr _ (ierm,)n recounts
" an experience that he says he'll never forget,
·h haj d powerful mt1uence on him as a cook. "I was vi 't'
Sl 109 some peo-
h
II Ie ' .

r I(' I n EnglanJ who "

had a four- or flve-year-old
,
daughter ' They weren' t
arL'U nl1, but I was 111 the kttchen and the little girl pulled a chair ' over to
the ,W\'e and started heating up a pan, say 109 she was going to make toma-
to 'v 'ALlr '" he remembers. After getting" the girl's assurance that her parents
allo,\'ed her to do so, German says he watched her heat some butter in the
ran, then take out a knife and cutting board and chop some tomatoes. She
cooked the wmatoes m the butter about three minutes, and then added a
httle salt and a little cream. "Would you like some?" she asked German,
\\'ho roltte!y rephed, "Sure!" Once he tasted it, German says he was
abolutely Hoored. "It was unbelievable," he says. "I couldn't believe that
something tasted as good as it did with so few mgredients."
AI Forno's menu features a potato ,oup that's equally simple. "It has
just four ingredients: potatue~, oniom, butter, and water, That's it," says
Germon. "And when our cook ' fir~t made it, they kert asking, 'What's the
next ~ter?'" Johanne Killeen rememher~, "They found it lmrnssible to
beIteve that anythinu wonJerful CQulJ re ult (wm four mgreJient·!"

there are ju,t two. ~o what \ au pair an mgrl.'dlem- .ay, ~inger-\\'ith

derend~ on how many ch raeter are on the t l!!e," t.'xpillm I 'orm.1n Van
Aken. "In the latter ca,e, )oU 101 ht adJ m T to a 'Imple vmm;rette of (lil
and an aCldie component. An Ithe three are quite dlf~ rent from one anoth-
er. If there were many ch.uacter on the L1-e, It m12ht be iI mger-,oy vmai-
gTen~ With ~nlle I chicken an i m drame!t: d pbntam , The n!,unance
betw~en th~ carameh:ed, _rn ky planwm nd the 0 ' dnd [he pungenq' ( f
(he gln~er workmo ,2am ( the meat) Implen of tht: chIcken-I'm thtnk-
In':! of them all ( I '10 _ t _ ther, and \\ hat the} 're , bit: to ay to e ch other.
"I fmd the number 01 10 red lent n pbte to 1e a common II Cll -
Ion In tht da} ilnd ge, The Cah~ mla cod movement really ,celll' to .ay
to It elf, 'Well, Impitclty I reall where (h punt) lte-.' The nu!!ht 10 k
at me 0 m~ re Ipe and ,a), 'Oh, (hi' I' toO omph ated.' But then I'll
100 at a CUI me that I much older than m t of the cui,me, of the world,
It 'C China' or orne Thai Ubme, nd a), Look who t (he) '\'e done after
m n mOTl: Ccntune 0 1\ liI:dtlOn, m tcrlll' of h.win~ the e JI parate

In edlco You'll I k at melr recipe nJ ou'l! ee twelve mgredlent m

And er a pen (tim, )U might thm - that) uu'J get It do\\ n
r three mgrcdlcm no i-c(. me qUite m\l1lm lit tiC, But the
 rt:\er e I' truc III the e 111"re ,U1Llcnt lUI me . And It' n t b ~ 1I It
hodgep()JL!e ...
Br,ILlle) Lll;Jen agrees. "S(lIllCwne )'<1u'l1 h<1\ e ,1 dl h th,1£' too he V}
a nS(ltto th,lt'.; tno nch, or a ~auce that's <1vCrrcduLeJ-and you feel re, 11\ tcr-
nble ,Ifter \'llu\'e eaten Lt. It'.; U'.uaJly l'>ec,lu e It\ one-dllnen Lon, I," he LY.
"If there II'ere two or three dimensions, It would be ~parkll1g up jour t te
buds imtedd. That', why you need the blendmg of flavors that wtll t'lke ,\\1.1)
some of that richness and stir up the taste buds and cleanse the ralate .J latle
bit. That's where a cook can put hLs or her creativity mto rlay. You know
when you ha\'e a had l'>ottle of wine, where the fir~t sir might make you. ,I),
'Wow!' but then it's son of flat after that? It\ llne-dlmensional. And It\ nl)
difference from a meal that'~ one-dimensional. I like to go tor two llr three
dimemiol1S, but yet without getting ton cnmrlex.
"For examrle. I did a fOlt' gYm dl . . h the other night With FUJi apple"
which I'J [(la'ted and marinated \\ Ith a little l'>,llsdmlc vinegar. They Were
,till cn,p, With a bite to them. ,md 1H.!hth c,u.1meit:ed," says OgJen. "The
richness at the [Ole gra~ \ .1' h,II.II1LeLl by the £,Irtncss of the ,Iprle, '0 you
walked ,m'd) fr III the dl,h thmkmg, 'Th,ll \\'.1 re,llly gre,It' instl:.ld l)( 'Th~lt
W<1 really hea\}.' Bctlancm!! t te ,Illd tl.' (UrI:' purb your palate mstcacllJt
Icavln!! It coated nd Hah."
Achle\ 11\ 1 hal n e, \\hatc\cr th p lrtl IIlar Lh,HdCtl'fl tiL ui ,I dl,h,
I the val for RI B. Ie "If I el'\ fn i Ii h, I ill", Y !Ike tl) p,ur It w1th
an aCldK c m nent," he pI lin . "An \\ h n I crvc olllethll1!! CXlltlC, I
ltke t pur It \\lth m thm' \ ell kn wn,"
"I'm lbl t thr \\ III an ,I nt," J} ,tnq Ih I:rtOl1, "hut I c,m'l
al\\d} (m up \\!th the \\h I I h L rk /Peell ,mel Tm,1 /Wtl'on,
Campmd' heO \\111 take It t I <.:ert lin 1'0111£, IIld OlTlCtlllle I'll .ty, 'Wh~
d n't }OU al d thl ' lOd that' m\, l( ntnbutl 11," Pe I char, tt:tlZt:' hi
WIfe' c ntnhutl n "t pacall} tf)'1n to add IIUI crunch (( thmg ." lIo .... !
"Fa\ bean," a\ Pe I' r bre d rumb ," the) }, 11m t Imult, neOl! h,
.. om tim for me, cre lin dl hIS WIt) W m thlll that I rc I-
I, low," 1 Ihenon "Wh n I cillO Ime \\lth the c mblOHlon 0(\\ rm
apple au e and old re m. I Id I \\1 hed that I could el'\c that It the
re taur, nt, but n bod} \\ould bu} It If th } a\\ It next t a pi cc 01 t\\ nn-
(1\ e-la er ch IC late cake. But it' proh hI} one of the most xqui ttl' mht-
natl In 10 the \\orld. a I came up With a de crt that \\ent \\ Ith It, t mbell
I h thl perfect c mbmatt n, nd th t \\a vinegar pie. m bod had m
me \\h t th c II a che pie, \\hl h h \m' r In It, and I hked I[ bit
\\ n't \ In I) en ugh (( r me-but that \\ rtIn ' POInt
I nl' l'r lake J n , c rtalnl n t frUit de rt r n tI
d I 1\\ hk th m t be m \\ h r hetw n sav'Orv I
IO\'e acidIc thing with apples. Cold cream provides a contrast in tempera-
[Ure _)ou don't want ice cream with everything-and is also neutral, in a
sense. it . rt of gives your palate a place to rest."

"The first way you encounter a dish is

Visual Presentation through seeing it with your eyes," points
l)ut Dieter Schomer. "And over the last thirty years, we've seen chefs making
mountain and monuments on a plate-and they're so impractical. I always
hate it when people cover the whole plate with cocoa. Even a little bit of a
I>ree=e when you have a white shirt on, and .. .forget it!
"With nout'elle cuisine, it would take half an hour to decorate the plate,
and by the time you got the food, it was cold," says Schomer. "A lot of pre-
sentation was done just to show off, and I have always been against just show-
ing off."
Nancy Silverton believes that most diners are very heavily influenced
by the elaborate presentation of a dish. "Ninety-eight percent of the popu-
lation probably sits down and ays, 'Whoa! That's incredible! That chef is
o talented!' Tho e are a lot of the chef who get the attention from the
pre and are making the wave the e day aero the country. But because
of that, we're getting a lot of muddled food. People who don't know how to
do a lot of tho e very technical thing correctly are trying, and they're just
falling on their face . It make it difficult for me to find place to eat the e
day.
"The more whim ical or the more complicated you get with your food,
the more you have to do ahead of time, and the more you sacrifice the flavor.
No matter what anybody ay, you can't do it all. All you can do Ii la
minute ... " (" ... you have to be able to do in a minute," quip Mark Peel.)
Silverton continue, "The more complicated a di h, the more spectacular a
dish, the more tale it' going to taste. There' no way anyone can prepare all
the element the arne day."
"I think we've really achieved a great presentation when a dish looks as
though that' they way it ought to be-and hould alway be," says Mark Peel.
ilvenon agrees. "When we do it right, and we've done what we set out to
do, you see the dish and you think, 'Yes, that' how that dish hould always
be and why would anyone ever do it any different?' That's when we've hit the
mark."
George Germon agrees. "I think that food should look as natural as ~
ble. And 1 hke food to look fresh, like it was born on the plate," he says. "I
don't hke tall food, squeeze bottles, drizzles, or sprinkles." In terms cJ the pre.
IentatlOll of food, he says, "Our an backgrounds are the best thinp that ever
hawened to us. Presental:aon coma naturally to us. It' part cJ our vocahuLary. •

Compo. nfl _ D
 E\'en If you know what look you'regomg after, It's ~ot alway ea y to
communlL'ate It to those who will have to execute .it. "I tind that the mo t
difficult dung to do IS to impart the concept of 'tree form .'" s a y~ Patuck
O'Connell. "If you draw something on graph paper, cooks are very comfort_
able and say, 'I can follow this-this goes here and this goes there .' But to
me, that's what we call 'tense' food. So I ,aid to this young man the other
day, 'What we're trying to do here with this plate is to make it look like you
picked the asparagus and you waltzed through the garden, and a little breeze
blew the stuff across the plate.'
"We have dishes where sauces are thrown, and some cooks think that
means splat! No, no, no, no, no. It's a very delicate balance. If you're gOing
to make It look wild and cra:y, you're going to have to have the element of
total and complete control and precision there with it to balance it out. Some
cooks don't understand It yet, what a dish is saying-[that it's] saying a whole
bunch of things," O'Connell says.
"l\.fichel Guerard has a very ltght touch, and since working with him in
France, I've always carried that with me," says Michael Romano. "He taught
me that If, plate loob ruo full, it's unappealing. The presentation of his food
has a ccrtdin airine', and lightness to it, and I try to remain inspired by the
same deltcarene ."
[\'en , mon!.! leaJtn!.! eh ·f" there IS ,1 Wide array of optnion as to what
con mure gre t pn: em tl n. "There ,1\\\ ay~ has ro be height in a dish,"
argue J lLhlm. pll h, l. "There h 1 to be a fllCLl~ In the way It\ placed on the
plate. A dl h hould be a VI ual eXI eflence for the customer. It was with
{Frenh chef Jdcyue J laxlmlO that I Ie rned pre,entation, how to get some-
thing t I - perfect."
n the [her h nd, JO}CC G Id rem ,y, "I don't helieve in tall fooJ.
There arc me cil he th t \OU have to cr.l h In order to eat. I don't helleve
In quce:c hi: nle , an 1 I d n't belteve 111 Imlc lOb of alice dfOunJ the run of
a plate. And I J n't \loam m} cu turner to Ic.lvC With par ley or cocoa on
their leeve be a e omeone In the kitchen' g ne cr<l:Y .rnnklml1 It all
O\er the rIm of a plate.
"I d n't thmk ou houlJ put an) thin~ un a plate that doe,n't rel,ne to
the dl h," he a} . "Wh, would an)one want a r emary branch tantilOg ur
in the middle of their plate? Are you uppo ed to edt It? Pick yuur teeth With
it! If not, then \\, hat on earth I I t dOing there?"
- orne chef feel that the n tural heauty of their ingredient pro\,ld
them \\ ith a leg ur, In tenn of attract!, e pre cnt,ltlon. "I J n't bUild r hi-
tecrural C • but I do look veT} much at dram tl pre enwttun " I)
• onnan \an Aken. "It' kmd of ea h m certam re peet , bell . Wt: W rk
\\ nh uch be utlful olm with the tr >plcaht} ot where I'm It [MI md [
 "t Ifl' r btc - \\ Ith technicnlnr-ltke opportunltie,. II dbl
10' < ] , . ave e I e garnIshes. I want every little p,ece of
· (It autumn,lI-lt, rlotnu', In many respect', and it greenery on a pi t t b
Ir' 11 j a e 0 e there for a purpose
L, nl1dc tIl re more S{l . Anu I can work With three - Alice Wat
CIn ['\: { , Hrs
llr fllur c,1I{1r , rut they re .,uc~ strong pnmary c.olors that the plates Will seem
s

near I, ' electriC In tcrms ot their presentation.

"One {,f my key dishes IS my rum and pepper painted fish, with a mango
m(1h(l, \\hlch b nearly rlack from thiS rum paint that I make, on the fish, in
"rark reltef to the brilliant mango puree-pure, simple color. Then I have this
bright green rorlano that's stuffed, with the stem still coming off of it. So
the~re are reall\' only three colors with a little bit of hme and a little bit of
riPped t1owers, but they're all so different that it allows for an extraordinari-
II dramatic rresentation.
"I can do that becau,e of my raw materials here, which are not affect-
ed by me as the chef. but are affected by Mother Nature and her extraordi-
nary ralette of color,. I can select these thmgs and put them together In very
natural ways that will look very bright to people who are coming from areas
thilt rerhar don't have these thmgs so much Within their larder.
"One of the mo t important thmg s m food is texture," ,ays Van Aken.
"I think that one of the rea~om we regan tacking thmg, m a naroleon-Iike
way wasn't really ro pre the phalltc o pp rtUl11ty but to offer a chance for the
fork, as It deltvers an mtru,ion to .1 pre entan n, to get it 'tratum of textures
that )\1U'1l rush through, a that when }OU get your fmc, you'll have your lit-
tle btt of mashed rota toe and yo ur little bit f crunchy I' taW or plantain
chip and your den e meat)' pr tem (r III \ our (I h o r pork or whatever in one
nice bite, so that when It\ m your m uth, It' like, '\'l/o\\'!' It\ all kind of
bouncll1g around in there and offering thl ch fdal o pportunity, as opposed to
)U5t a note."

"Pre entation h a on Ileran n," admit Altce \X' ter , "I d n't like for
everything to be tlat on a plate-and 1d n't like, oviou ly, for everyth1l1g to
be tall. But, aga1l1, I ltke to rely o n the cl Ie. I hke the look of lime-green
fa\'a beans with a little pl11k pr luna or alami, 1 love those color" And 1
love all the maroon color of (ood, like the radicchIO that look like pnrrot
tuhp ,all tuped, It' iu t fanta t1 . I love all the color' of tllmatoe, together,
mcludmg the unlikely one -the art of brown one and yellow one. There',
a \\ hole palette to be can Idered, and I'm very 1I1fluenced by that, by color.
But, 0 VIOU ly, ta te I number one; I would never use the color if It didn't
tel te ood,"
Mary ue Mllhken agree that her iir,r priomy 111 a di h i ttl teo
thmg I more 1m ftant to me than h w that (ood' g01l1g to ta te," he
"For me, 1 hke my alad to have every ingle leaf covered with exactly
h n 'ht m unt f dre mg. Th leave ren't g01l1g to tand up,"

c p n g 8 o
 "We do lots of great sauces that are very thin," adds Susan Fent~er.
"And they don't look that great on a plate; they don't look nearly a, good a
something that's reduced and sort of demi-glace-like, because they don't coat
the plate as well."
The problem, it seems, comes when taste is sacrificed to appearance.
"Now there are some people, like [Charles] Palmer, who do vertical food
beautifully. But people will always go to see the latest madness," says Jeremiah
Tower. "When 1see an army of peas around a plate, 1 know that they've been
handled and are probably cold. In terms of the appearance of a dish, I find few
things more beautiful than a bowl of sliced white peaches, maybe with some
raspberry cream on top."
Lindsey Shere admits that when it comes to desserts, "I'm a minimalist
at heart. I'd rather see a really beautiful combination of colors, flowers, and
leaves on a plate, rather than fireworks. I find it often detracts from the taste
of desserts. When you put too many things together, not everything can be
perfect. The caramel can get tacky sitting on the plate while the dessert is
constructed, or the cookies can get soft. Another thing I don't like is seeing
an even number of things on the plate; I prefer seeing, for example, three sor-
bets, which 1 think appear, more halanced."
"One of the mo't important things in any dessert is texture," add~
Franr;oi Payard. "There i nothing more bonng than a dish with no texture.
Even in ,\ JI,h like oeufs a III nCI!!C [floating Islands], which emphaSIZes the
softne" of the fluffy egg white, there i" carame!t:ed sugar to add CrISpiness."
Pa\'arJ rec.lll proudly that j leu York Times food writer Florence
Fabncant had p,ud him cl compliment at a recent food event. "She pomted
out that 111 my de erts I wllrk more on tla\,()[ than on structure," says Payard.
"\Xlhen )"llU think aOOm It, you rc,JIi:e that when your grandmother made a
good dl,h, what made it ~OOJ \\,a,n't how It looked but what It tasted ltke. Fllr
example, a floating Island de,~ert ha, no structure. But when your grand-
mother made it, ho\\ wa, it? Perfect!"

A Final Word No matter how many gUldel1l1e, are offered on h"w to

compo. e a Ji,h, In the end m heauty he' ( nil' in the
eye of It beholder--or taster! Knowing this, Rick Bayle, say", "I get re,lll~
fru,trclted with a numher of my cnob rhe,e lay., who want me tlo explain to
them, why? 'Why?' 'Why Jo YOli J( l rhl~?' 'Why Jo you do that?' Wh<1[ I uStl-
Personally, I have ceased countmg the nights ally amwer b, 'Well, just taste it.' And I let them ee If
spent m the attempt to dIscover new combma- they can internalize H. Sometllne chef.., need tort (If
l s when completely broken WIth the fatIgue of commune with the lI1gredlent HnJ then t~ te th tll1 al
vy day my body ought to have been at rest di h to kno\\ whether they've gotten It n 'ht or n t I
-Augu e Escoffer teel very trongly th, t }Oll Jll t ha\e to til t It mJ

A t
 n"Cdll'~ he lo\"e,. the. \'ery, \'ery deltcate taste of turbot ,eremla
] ' h T,ower can't
l!"
lin l"lI1e ramn!! It with anything more complicated th
an a h 0 II an d' •
,- , " '
an \.I ,,)me httle hoIled potatoes. With the hollandaise , t h
at' the thH)r wIthout adding lots of distracting flavors" , h
ere's an ennc
Ad
e says,
alse sauce
, h ment
n T,ower
en
CI)
thmb that pl)rk doesn't need more than a sprinkling of black pepper: HI
re!te\'~ strllngly in the marriages of flavors!" .c
When we asked leading chefs how they knew that certain flavors or
foods would complement each other, the usual response was something along
uI ,
the 11l1es of, "You just know, After tasting so many different foods and food
combinations, you store the ones that work in your head. When you've accu-
ca
mulated enough, you can even get pretty good at predicting which combina-
tions you haven't yet tasted will work, based on the ones you know that :E
work'. "
Wondering how we mIght shortcut the process of gaining decades of
fir~thand experience led to our research and development of the following
charts. Based on our conversatIons with chefs as well as our researching some
of the best respected culinary books (including those written by leading
American chef, and recommended by them as critical to an aspiring chef's
education), we compiled a treasure of food combinations that are known to
work.
How to use them? 'X'hen your wrong pOint for composing a dish is a
particular ingredIent, you may wl,h to can the It [ for inspiration for a pos-
Sible mmrlement or complement', \\'hlle man\' In!:redICnt, are available
vear-round, ~ea onal peab dre noted for cert,lIn Item~. In aJJition, in some
instance~, rreferreLI cookmg technique ,m: mdlcated. You might also he
inspired hy the example , ofhow our chef, ha\ e combined the ingreuients anu
complements on their own menus.
How not to u,e them? Y()U haukl remember that your own palate is
paramount. There may be orne combmati n ll,ted that are not to your per-
onal likmg, anu there are certamly combm:1nom not ll~ted that work as
welJ-or even bener-than tho,e mc1udeu. Your goal should be to cook to
ple<ue your elf and th e for \\ hom \OU co k-and not in conformance with
an) chart m any book!
Jean-L UI Pallaum claim thar fnou ratring j,n't difficult, given the
vellr he\ penr cookmg. "Many combmartom eventually hecome scconu
nature," he clllm~. ~o how Joe ,I le~yexrerienced chef uevelop the same
n e of wh t wor - ! B~ refernn!.! [() the exten~i\'e flavor combintng charb on
the foll \\ mg pa re , whICh brin!.! Into one C(Jnvenient place, for the fir,t time,
he mtulUH' knmdedge \!ained over centune h ~ome of the worlu', greate,t
1m r mm , J culleu from tntcrVIC\\ ,mu menu,> of contemporan chef,
nJ r hi t neal rc e rch.
 FOOD MATCHES MADE IN HEAVEN *

ALMONDS
apples coconut raISin ...
apncot, cream nce
caramel plums ... trdwbernes
chocolate prunes

ANCHOVIES
eggs, hard-h(,iled ()nlon ...
odriic par ... ley
~

APPLES (Fall)
CIder ll.ltmcal
cinnamon r.ll1!.:i."
cl \"t" pCdr,
( pepper, black
( pl!:!noit
I Itch III
r mhern pmlme
rcam prunc
unmt , hi ..jum e
almmd u tard
. .
ral ... n!>
IpplCjol k JI t:: n ema!)
bacon rum
bld\..khcrn nll r au'rkraut
l-lue che au I 'e
l-rand\ hell")
bro"n ugar ur en: 1m
l-utter 'IT h U'H
l-utter utch lemon vanilla
Calvado ldetr I vcnnouth
caramel mil'l ru \In' 'aT
ca la m )Ia ~alnut
eelcn nutmeg
chee e "IOC, red
nut, t: IX'Clall\ aim nd <>gun
hc lOut or pecan

•
Many 0 these combinatIOns are considered clasSIC and are espeoaHy wide prac
bced These are ndtcated by boIdtaw type
 ARTICHOKES (Sprmg)
hollandaise sauce sausage
aloiI
lemon thyme
anchovies
mayonnaIse tomatoes
bacon
bast!
Mornay sauce truffle" white
bay leaves mousseline sauce vinaigrette
bread crumbs mushrooms wine, white
butter olive oil
cheese, goat onIons bake
chervil Parmesan cheese braise
cream parsley marinate
cumm perrer, e-pecially black TOast

fennel and red steam

garlic remolLiade auce
hazelnut' <ait

ArtIchokes, Carrots and ZucchinI WIth Lemon and Dill-Joyce Goldstein

Baby Artichokes Fned WIth Lemon, Roast GarlIC and Shaved Parmesan
-JIMmy 5chrr dt
ArtIchokes Stuffed th Bread Crumbs AnchOVies Garltc and Parsley
-AI ce Waters

ARUGULA (Summer)
avOCil 1 lemon pel:dfu
hurter h\c(11 P1Cn(l1t
carp, ee l P nne n ehe P( l(,Utle,
chee • blu r ta r,lvlu!t
garlte r walnut

Arugu a and Rad cch 0 w th Gorgonzola Pear. and Walnut

--5 sa Fe 9 S "
App e and Arugu a Sa ad With Lemon and Capezzana Olive OJ!
-Geo ge Ge r on 0 e
Arugula Salad With Smoked Pears Sp ced Pecans and Sftlton Cheese
-C Sc I'Ig
Avocado Papaya and Arugu a Salad- Jer a Tow r

Meyer Lemon and Arugula SOup-A Wa! r

 (Win r)
BANANAS pa~lln tnllt
alcohol cream
cream cheese pecans
almonds pmeapple,
apricots custard
pralme~
Armagnac eggs
fruits, especially tropical raspberne'
bacon (e.g., mango, papaya. rum
blueberries SOllr cream
pineapple)
brandy strawberries
brown sugar gm
ginger sugar, brown or whitt:
butter vanilla
Calvados honey
ice cream yogurt
caramel
cardamom Kirsch
lemon bake
chicken broil
chocolate lime
malt poach
cinnamon Tat('
coconut maple , yrup
Cognac nut"
coriander orange..;

"Rum can bnng up the flavor of bananas "-Fran~ols Payard

Banana-Toffee French Toasl-Susan Fenlge r & Mary Sue MillIken
Honey-F(led Bananas WIth Caramelized Gmger Sauce-Susanra Foo
Banana-Rum Ice-chns Sc~ es ng6'

Grilled Sausage Skewers WIth Fresh Apncots, Jalapenos, and Chlpotie

Vmalgrette and Whole Gn/l-Roasted Banana-Ghns Scr'eSJnger
Roasted Banana Kugelhopf Double Dark Chocolate SemI Freddo
-Lydia Shire
Cuban Banana-Rum Custard Tart-Norman V n Aken

BARLEY
almonJ,
p.lr Icy
cabhage
rea~
ham

BASS
almonJ, carTOh girlie
anchllvie chive" glllger
artichokes Citrus
leek
butter cOriander lemon
wpers fennel

12
A ,
 potatoes bake
mint shallots
mu~hrooms
braise
thyme fry
,llive oil
tomatoes griU
oranges wine, red Toast
peppers

BASS, STRIPED (See also BASS)

eggplant roast
basil mustard
cream olives
dill

BEANS,BLACK (Winter)
avocados
creme fraiche oranges
bacon
epazore peppers
cheese, especially goat garlic nee
chiles, e pecially serrano ham hocks salt pork
jalapeno sour cream
chives
Madeira tequila
cilantro
coriander mint tomatoe
cumin onion

Frijoles Refntos: Black Beans Fned with Garlic. Omon and Epazote. Topped
WIth Queso Fresco-Rick Bayless
Habaiiero Black Bean Soup With Avocado-Shnmp Salsa-Mark Miller

BEANS,FAVA (Sprlng-Summer)
bacon mushrooms savory
butter olive oil pinach
CIlantro pancetta thyme
cream parsley vinaigrette
garbc Peconno cheese
ham roeemary
Ieeb sage
lemon salt
 BEANS GREEN
mushrooms l8Vory
aJmoods mustard soureR,m
anchovies tomaltCet
nutmeg
bacon nuts, especially hazel·
basIl vine"t
bechamel sauce nuts white
olive oil walnuts
butter
chives onions WOKelte..•..
cream oregano
dIll Pannesan cheese boil
garlk: parsley ".".
lemon pimentos Itl II
mmt rosemary

BEANS, LIMA
Noon IF lie
blown ....
be.,
chreK.
SEAN SPROUTS
soy auce vinegar, especially wine

SEEF
marrow soy
basil mushrooms vinegar, balsamic
beer mustard wine, especially red
bearnaise auce
onions
hordelaise aUCe
orange boil
Burgundy
par ley braise
carrot
pepper, black grill
chiles
pepper marinate
chive
potatoes pot-roast
corn roast
prune
hazelnut
scallion spit-roast
horseradish
shallots stew
Madeira

Fillet of Beef with Oysters. Black Pepper, and Port Wine-Gary Danko
Gnlled Beef Tenderloin with Onion Beer Sauce, Horseradish Mayonnaise,
and Marble Potatoes-Bradley Ogden
Patma Smoked Beef Tenderloin wIth Horseradish Glazed Potatoes and
Spinach-Joach m Spl chal

BEEF HEART
bacon papnka bake
horseradish parsley I""use
marjoram rosemary griU

(Winter)
BEEF RIBS
gInger mustard tomatoe
horseradish potat

n g • 0
 BEET GREENS
mustard saute
anchones
r.utter sour cream
horseradish

BEETS
allspice fennel smoked fish, especially
anchovies ginger trout or whitefish
apples horseradish sour cream
bacon lemon tarragon
bechamel sauce ma.che vinaigrette
brown sugar mustard vinegar, especially hal-
butter nutmeg ,amIC, sherry and
cheee onton· white wine
chives orange walnuts
cloves raprtka walnut oil
cream parslev watercress
creme [raiehe potatoes
cucumber pr 'C1uno bake
curf) alt hoil
Jill alt rk steam
c u " , hard-c
~~ ked hclllor

We were not th t. rst to do a beet nsollo. but I thmk the nsollo we serve IS
exc lmg We use organ c bets from a farm wh,ch were pIcked that mornmg
The color IS the most ntense fu ch a a vIbrant purple-red I used to hate
beets but I m mad about beets nght now I love the nchness and deepness
of therr f,avor- t s I ke an exp os on Lyd Sh re
Salad of P,C led Beets Oregon Blue Cheese and Walnuts-Gary DanKO
Beet Salad With Watercress and HorseradIsh Vmalgrelle-Mark Pee

BERRIES (See also specifIC berries) (Spring-Summer)

brown ugar Framoot • our cream
cream maple vrup )ogurt

BLACKBERRIES (See also RASPBERRIES) (Summer)

apple lemon peache
cmnam n maple yrup pbern
cream mIlle r ger mum
c lard mues" trawbern
honey ( range

A
. . . .n'd .... Umon$1\ • JofceGoktllllt
_". PI Pc ... In LMnon CtutI wIIh V8Il . . 8 ••1 _a ....
,,'1' 1fI_ _ _Jlmr", SctwNII
. _ , e«m'J? ur7l} sa..
 R
cream
(Fall)
panley
creme fraiche
pepper, e pecially hot
curry tomato sauce
prlic walnuts
ham
hollandaise sauce bake
,_ . .eciI lemon boil
•.£ I ,
Momay sauce deetrfry
del", 1811 mousseline sauce puree
o,e.w.r. Gruyae or mushrooms raw
Pas n mussels saute
nutmeg steam
d.... '" nuts
chivet olive 011
a..- crumN

(Winter)
parsley sour cream
potatoes toast
a n shallots vodka
Is m moked lmon

ffr '1y ,lade Hot Potato Waffles Mth Ounce of Osetra CaVlar-Lydia Shire
Q J. c..w LMnon Mannated Potatoes and Some TradItIonal GamlSh
-IClIChiim spichaI

(Summer)

cuny
walnu
diU
fennel
holl8ndail.e sauce
 (Fall Win r)
CELERY ROOT
mayonnal'e \\ lnut,
bacon
bread crumb' mustard
nutmeg bod
butter braIse
caraway seeds olive oil
cheese. especially omons dt!ep-fry
Parmesan and WI,S parsley f0'
potatoes puree
cream
squash. butternut raw
fennel
garlic thyme saHte
hollandaise sauce "megar, especially ~ream

lemon white wine

Savory Celery Root Flan and Vegetables a la Grecque, Essence of Sweet

Garlte and Kalamata Oltves-~Cnaf e Palmef
Celery Root Grattn-A'1ne Rosenzw€ 9
Celery Root wrth Mustard Mayonnaise-A. ce Waters

CEPES (Fall)
bacon mu t rd our ere.lIn
bal leave nu me' truftle • \\ hlte
beam.lI Juce Ih oil vcrmouth
bre d crum It .. c Vlnc .Ir, e peclally wme
burrer pa n \\ <.IIlll[
che c, pe I II Plrm n h \\ Inut tI
Gru}ere r P nn an par Ie \\ III
cream p td
egg pepper hake
fennel pot It brOil
fl h poultry fry
[Ole gr n grill
garlic raw
lemon r n saule
lem nth m hallot

CHANTERELLES (Summer-Fall)
bechamel uce £1 h ohH: uti
butter game nan
chef'. II garlic panle
chIcken herbs pep r "I
cream leek rahhll
creme frauhe lem n h II [
q:p {fal
CHICK PEAS
(Summer)
earn [ lemon
peppers. especially red
Cilantro lemon. preserved rosemary
C0nanJer mmt spinach
ouscou olive oil tahini
cumin onions tomatoes
garlic parsley yogurt

CHICKEN
coriander parsley
corn peas
cranberrie pecans
cream pepper
curry pineapples
dill plums
endive prunes
escarole Riesling
fennel rosemary
five-spice powder savory
{oie gras sour cream
Fontina chee soy auce
garlic tar ani e
gmger tuffing
achiort go chi berrie weetbread
almonds grape weet potatoe
apples herb tarragon
Annagnac honey tenyaki auce

_OIl
asparagus horseradl h
lemon
thyme
tomatoe
truffles
barbecue sauce lime
basil Madeira vinegar. e pecially red
beer mangoes wme
b&maise sauce marjoram walnuts
wine, e pecially white
blood mmt
brandy morels yogurt
bread emma. m brooms
caN! IE mustard bak
Catvado. mussels braise
nutmeg broil
Qa" 1M
MUlE, pcwlly olive oil fry
chal' olives grill
onaons marinate
oranges roast
oregano saute
en
paprtka
Parmesan cheese I C()ftlinued OIl nat /lfJfI')

a
 LIVERS
M.ieira salt
IDUIhrooms IOUrcteam
onions
penley
pepper

$ad CI*"'''' LIver CfOStini-George Germon & Johanne Killeen

,. r 11.~ ChIcken LiwHs with Apple Raisin Chutney, Spinach, and
It" 111 SS~ 0r8aIng-ChrIs Schlesinger
,.112 ext CIfj*-' WingII with Unorthodox Chopped LIVe,. Joachim Splichal

(WInter)
6p vinegar
bam walnuts

., .
DUll

". I"[

nile

1*-.
piltachlOl
rlrfbemes
rum
tea. elfecia1ly Ead 0Iey
vanilla
verbena
""'*1.
walnua

,.111"
__ and,., •...
MJ PI ,.,.,., . . . - -
 COCONUTS
(Fall)
apricots
bananas fruit, pineapple)
chocolate nuts, especially tropical
custard (e.g., Brazil, cashew,
macadamia)
fruits, especially tropi- pineapples
cal (e.g., banana,
lime, mango, passion

coconut Mtlk TapIoca Croustillant with Saffron Coulis a d P'

Je.:.,-lOLlIS Pc: 3dl,) n meappfe Sherbet

Macadamia Nut and Coconut Tart-L,ndsey Shere

Coconut Flan wIth Mango In Sauternes and Coconut Chiptr-.Norman Van Aken

COD
aioli leeks tomatoes
bay leaves lemon truffles
beans, black, fermented milk vinaigrette
black olive mushrooms vinegar, especiaHy sherry
butter mustard Wine, white
capers oltve OIl
caraway seeds olive boil
Champagne onIOns braise
chervil parsley bruil
conancler leaves pepper fry
eggplant potatoes pan-fry
garlic rosemary poach
gmger ake roast,
hollandabe.auce shallot saute
horseradbh :oy auce steam
juniper berrIes thyme

Sauteed Fresh Codfish with Vegetable Basqualse-Je~f' Lo.) s Pa 3d!1

Eqgpant-Crusted Ma'ne Cod ~ ,h Bay Shnmp Thyme Roasted Vegetables.
ana Port w'''e Essence-C"larl p ... 'Tle-
Pan Fr ed Cod With Tomato-Mmt Yogurt Sauce-Cr- s Scl'Jleslrger
C ' d At a'll c Cod In Proveoyal Tom:.1to. Garlic and Bas/I Broth- A, ce Wale's

111
lettuCe. 81 bb parsley
{.otIi dresstng pepper. black Tabasco sauce
tomatoes
Madeira potatoes
rernouiade truffles. black
mangoe vinaigrette
mayonnaise rice
vinegar
momay sauce scallions
wine. white
muhroom sherry
Worcestershire sauce
mustard sour cream
nutmeg tarragon boil
onions Thousand Island dress- poach
orange 109

Peeky Toe Crabmeat Salad with Avocado and Citrus Vinaigrettes

_Terrance Brennan

portuguese Crab Cake, Avocado, Papaya, Watercress, and Mint with Citrus-
Hot-Pepper Vinaigreffe-Joyce Goldstein
Timbale of Vtrginia Lump Crabmeat and Spinach MOusse-Patrick O'Connell
Mustard-Crisped Crab Cakes on an Acorn Squash Ratatouille
-Anne Rosenzweig

Crab Ravioli with Black Truffles--Jeremlah Tower

Crab Salad with Mango, Cumin Crisps, and Gramy Mustard
-Jean-Georges Vongenchten

Dungeness Crab Cake with Meyer Lemon and Pepper Sauce-AI ce Waters

CRABS, SOFT-SHELL (Spring-Summer)

almonds honey pinach
basil lemon tartar sauce
beaN. black lemongrass tomatoes
butter lime vinaigrette
capen mayonnal vinegar
caJiOb pancetta
cayenne parsley broil
chiv pepper ~e~fry
diU Pernod griU
aarlic
Iia I!r
pagnoh
soy sauce ""'"
SoIr-st.l CnIb with Pancetta Butter-Jean Lou 5 Pa ladin
• • AId SolI Shell Crabs Mth SpiCy Carrot Sauce MIChael Romano
ftM.Cooud SolI Shell CntbB with papaya and Llme--NorJnan van Aken
 CRANBERRIES (Fall)
oranges sugar
apples
pears walnuts
cinnamon
cloves

CRAYFISH (Spring)
avocados cream or milk sorrel
basil dill tarragon
bay leaves garlic thyme
brandy hollandaise sauce tomatoes
bread crumbs leeks truffles
butter lemon vinegar
carrots mayonnaIse wine, white
cayenne nutmeg
cheese, espeCIally onions boil
Gruyere and parsley grill
Parmesan saffron saute
C ognac shallots stew
coriander ,herry

Chilled Crayfish and Cranberry Bean Soup with Ratatouille and Opal Basil
-Dar e Bouud
Warm Salad of Crayfish with Cucumbers and D,II-Jererrlla'1 Tower

CUCUMBERS (Spring-Summer)
ancho\'ie, garlic pepr er
ba,t1 gln!.{t!r alt
burter ho r eradl h .,our cream
celery eed lemon strawberries
chervil lime tomato ~ucc
chile, man!.,! e [oma[oe~

chives mayonnal e vinegar, especldlly

cilantro mint white wme
cream yogurt
cream chee'e nutme~
dill o!tve 011 rau
fennel onions, e,p':cl(lll; rcd simmer
Feta chee e rar,ley

14
CURR NTS
Immd cream (Summer)
heme pears prunes
raspberries
e qUIte often used to rem force th l
a k nd of lemon.-oJ 1'1e G. 9son e favor of other frwt, as if

CUSTARDS
almond, coffee passion fruit
banana, Cognac pineapple
berne Cointreau nee
caramel gmger rum
cherry lemon trawberries
ch colate maple vanilla
cmnamon Mar~ala
coconut orange,

Chocolate Bf/oche Custard Bread Puddmg wdh Chocolate Sabayon

--8nd ey Ogden
Chillea Pmeapple-Moscato Zabaglione---NI ct,ael Romu'1o
Banana Creme BrOlee-L ndsey Shere
Caramel Rice Fla". - aney Silerton
Truffle Custard With Asparagus and Lobster Sauce-J€reM r Tower
Smoked Salmon Custard W th Fennel Ju ce-Jea'l Georges Vongerlc~ten

DANDELION GREENS (Spring)

bacon lemon omon
chee e mu trI vmegar. e"peCially red
garlt o\t\e II Wine

DATES (Fall)
almond Clnn,)mon pecans
pnco cream rum
bacon cream chee e vanilla
br nd gmger
walnuts
l. rame! nut
choc.ol te orange
DUCK
currants. blKk
cuny
dude hvets
figs
garlic
gin
.
gmaer
Grand Manlier
hoisin sauce
honey
jumper berries
ktmKp J8tJ
lemon
lentils
 EGGPLANT (continued)
Soy BraIsed Chinese Eggplant wIth ZucchIni and Mushroom F
Grilled Eggplant with Shallot and OlIve ad Mark M ;er

EGGS
caviar parsley
cheese pepper
chicken livers peppers, green
chives potatoes
crab ratatouille
cream salt
croutons scalltons
fines herbes shallots
ham shrimp
anchovies herb, smoked salmon
asparagus hollandaise auce sorrel
bacon morels spinach
bread mu-hroom tomato
butrer onion' truffles
carer Parm em chee, watercress

ENDIVE (Winter)
apple, hm ugar
bacon tangennt
heans, "hit thyme
beets u c vin igrettl':
blue che e Ins walnuts
hr J crum watercress
butter
chee e, e peel II rt hee e brmse
Gru\ r r P rm n rau
cr ~ m m • h. .all} saute
f. 1m n r trout teu

Ou S do £'ld d Wat rere 5 ~ 'h W. nut Bacon Pe.Jrs 1 d

Bue Ch "0" ",,!I
WIS.'>. App e nd Cre
End v nd B ue Chee~;e ~ tn H tAp FrJ'e

B
ESCAROLE (Winter)
apple, currants walnuts
bacon eggs
garlic braise
cal'er~ .
cheese, especially olive oil raw
Fontina, ~1o:2arella, olives saute
and Roquefort onions
chiles vmegar

FENNEL (Fall)
butter lemon potatoes
celery root mushrooms sherry
cheese, especially goat, olive oil thyme
Gruyere. and oltves tomatoes
Parmesan Onions truffles
chesmuts oranges vmaigrette
coriander pancetta
cream Parmesan cheese braise
fruit peppers raw
garlic Pernod saute
hearrs of palm

Braised Fennel with Prosciutto and Parmesa~ Nor'l1an V(}."1 Aker

Shaved Fennel and Parmesan with Summer Truffles-Alice Waters

FIDDLEHEAD FERNS (Spring)

bacon nutm~ deep-fry
butter oltve oil steam
hollandaise sauce onlOn~
leels ,hallob
lemon vinaigrette

FIGS (Summer-Fall)
almonds cinnamon basil creme fralehe
ant e cients reel, candled Curai):ao
hr<>wn ugar coconut cream ginger
caramel Cointreau honey
cheese, e peclally blue C rnmeal
la\'ender
and g t cream lemon
chOCOlate cream che e Marsala
cinnamon creme ang/mse (conunued on ""XI page I

L 119
p " 1 •
 FI H SMOKED
3H. do, cucumhers
lemon
c~ra' eggs, hard-hoiled
cr~Jm .: h~ese horserad ish onions

FLOUNDER
hutter mustard
grill
C,'gn3c
poach
lerncm braise Saute
rnu,hro,lm s broil

Fiounder IS really, really mild I thmk you've gotto be I

I d v. very careful when you
cook "oun er rOU ve really got to keep It very very si I y:
mask It qu ekly -.Jasper White mp e. ou can really

FOIE GRAS (Fall)

all'pice garbc pomegranates
apples gratn~ port \l'me
artlchok~ hearts grapes Ljumces
hlooJ range~ t!reen ral,m
handy lemo n ~,1It
cabbage lo!- rer shallot
cel~r)' root Madelf'\ 'tar ani,e
,
cel'es mu hroom t rragan
cherne nutmeg truffles
Cinnamon nUb turml'
clovt" OnlOl1s vmegar, especi.llty sherry
Cognac pc he, walnuts
curran pepper, bbc:k wme, espeCialty
eu tard pi t. hi ), auternes
Jalkon polent,l

r: e l ness of 10 e gras s complemented by frUits wh ch add a tart or ae d c

po ent , e served t w th toasted panettone wh ch has candled rmd m

e Fo e Gra Au Po vre w th Organ c Gram Salad Carrot and

nmO"'anate ~na grette-Terrdnce Bre r a
Fo G w th FUj Apples Carme zed Omans VefJus Sauce

Gras n F e h Herb and Back Pepper Gelee served

 1 ounce lleeu lentilt
1/2 11th, blanched
.... 1_
ounce .._ _ n I ted in butter
Ira .. Iftd ra.Slid in
I 17 I "'met'
.......... oil
 GOOSE
horseradish nce
apples lemon
blrkl sauerkraut
mustard soy sauce
CJhb.1(:': onions
(er('~ stuffing
oranges turnips
chestnuts
pepper wild rice
<,arhc
~
plums
gln~er
hl11l<1nJ<llse s<lLlce potatoes roast
prunes
h"nc\'

GRAPEFRUIT (Winter)
coriander pineapple
hanana'
Cura~ao pomegranate
bnl"cb 'rr~ L1ts
G.lmran fi"h raspbernes
cJ,he w, gm rosemary
Chamrag ne Grand Mamier rum
cheese, 'l,(t honey shellfish
chICory melon sherry
cabhage, napa mmt strawberries
C1tnl' frUits, other offal sugar, especially brown
COll1treau oran!,."!e vodka

C ''Us Compote WIth Ruby Red GrapefrUIt Gran'te- -Brad ey Ogdc!l

GrapefruIt and Pomegranate Tart-I.linmy Sct:'Tl d
Pmk GrapefrUIt and Champagfle Sherbel-LlOdsey Shere
Grapefru I-Campan Gramte-... n G:...org Vongenchter

GRAPES (Summer-Fall)
brandy lemon our cream
brown ugar melon ,traw\)erries
chee e, e pectally soft mmc ....'3lnub
"hlte (e.g., Brie) ra pberne wme

GREENS
bacon ,alt pork
mmt
butter ,lu>,lgc
mu hroom
cre-dm <;oy
mu tard
garlic onion
vinegar
ham pancetta walnuts
!em >n pepper, black

125
D
JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES (Winter-Spring)
btch,lmei ,auce hollandaise sauce bake
lemon boil
bueter
Mornay sauce fry
cream
Parmesan cheese puree
garlIc
parsley steam
g!O~er
scallions
ha:eln ut

JICAMA (Winter-Spring)
cayenne
lime pan-fry
chiles mangoes rau.
cilantro oranges
citrus, especially lime salt
cucumbers vinaigrette

Ersalada de Jicama ' Jicama Salad with Cucumber, Pmeapple and Tangy
Orange Dressmg-Rick Bayless
Watercress and Jicama with Lime & O/Jve 011
-Susan Fer geT & Mary Sue Mill en

JOHN DORY
bast! lemon (h)me
hay leaves lemon thyme tomatoes
hutter mu,hro m' WlOe, e peel,llIy white
caviar rar,ley
chives peppers, red and ~ello\\ poach
cream ~dge saute
garlIc ,hallm steam

KALE (Winter)
bacon garlic 0l110n,
cheese lemon potatoe,
cream oltve ot!
KIDNEYS ,h,lllot
Madeira
brandy ,herry
tvlar,aia
butter " lur c.re,ln1
ml)rels
cayenne verm()uth
mushrooms
ceres watercres
mustard
CLlgnac wine. red or white
nutmeg
cream onions
curry rancetta
broil
gin parsley fry
h,)r'erad ish smite
nee
jU!1lrer berne,
salt
lemon

(Winter)
KIWI FRUIT
PfI.) ellitt,)
lime
appb rrawherrie
nut'. e,pecldll) c \,he\\ '.
bcmana: (,lmarillo
cucumber, ha: ·lnuh .lml
ma I L'Iml1
h ne~
Klr h rlO_
P;: I n frull
Icm n

Pa son Pru t Blood Orange and Meyer

Easte Bas et f Sorb t
Lemon Ba d
S g r nd Coo les-Joyc Go d

CodK

(Wmter)
KOHLRABI
behJmel km bake
l'-uner nutm bOIl
p r le team
e

(Fail-Winter)
KUMQUATS
m \ !nllla
1\ t mertppl \udk 1
II fal rum
 (Spring)
CllU'Cl1U,
pignoli
crah
pimIentos
cream
pineapple
cumin plums
currant, pomegranates
curry prunes
dalhm red peppers
dill rhubarb
eggplant rice
endive rosemary
almond,
fennel rum
an(ho\'ie~
am-eed
fOie gras sage
garlic soy
apple'
!:!tn!:!C r star amse
.prICo t '
artichoke heart !!rapefruit tamarind
oocon Nemolata tarra~on

basil h.I:e1nu ,to~ ted thyme

bJ\ leave, honey tomatoes
beans, e'pcclJlly t1a~eo- Jumper berne truft1e" e'rectally black
let:. Teen or \\ hlte lemon veal ktJney'
Huebernc Mademl vmal!:!rctte
bread rumb mint \ me ar, c, LClllly red
capeT' m )Tel \\me
,arJam m muhr m \\alou
ca~enne mu t rd "ine, C'Pl' iallv red
chee e, c pe 1.111 F ta mu rd J yo<~urt

It .. Oil ZlI Lhml

and Parm 111
(hernc~, JneJ ur 0\1\
h tnut pur 001
. n bake
chI! or 0 'C
br(lJse
brOIL
hl\c lr 1J.O
(Ilinn gn,j
par 1 ..
c,nn m n roast
pem
\.1 pepper. bl k

d0 A ,(. n rYlb 5
a And I tn (. yJU

HprtJf,a P

t Yogurt
 Lamb in P C t th
weatring eet Potatoes
Paafl:k ()'C-c eU
"'p.
ATLn'1U1 WASHINGToN
• it. _,

-Iat:: ........ for niDety-eiaht doUan. INrh

Mft IP do me nat bat thiDa- 1love t.becue

-,...... --« rho II Q . ' ' ' . , ill &oaa New YcIIk
die
1111
IIIIkxllAl ftavoa
km ,.. . . ., 4C ID
«"he tbmuah.
_IDa Ie. 7lofp'sre
.....~. . t:l our ....
p:pd. rl ,e._.
""IIcp"...... "W. ""_
7~ 1*17&
tee.
the m II +lD
Cd." _ _rial ,wen poe. •
 Red \VinL Suuce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup chopped white mushrooms
1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
1 shallot, coar ely chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoon · chopped fresh parsley
2 tea ·pOClOS fre h ro~emary

2 tea:r )on, fre~h tarragon

2 b,l\" leaw.
2 quart· chicken lOck or water
,It-erncr 3uvignon
_ (dbl ( melt 1 p",re
1t • Ie I nJ choppe I
nd rc hi Pl'l per to (,lte
lU d r h m

rv."'1 teel hlade. puree the ke£l.:hur,

IU • mu t lrd. 'Tilh, co, IOtl hrown II ',Ir. et
"VlC ; TIll U' m \ rid \ m Itl\, nee ntl kept re Tlg-

d un au
1 In t, he [the II ver m dlUm-hl h
nt n nd hilt !Od cook until the
re eep
r 5 ( 6 mmute. tlrrmg ({ pre\ em tI kl .
3 m r) t rrag n, b l~ Ie l\ , t k r \I, t r r
\I,me <VII"" t m ( , nJ It nd pepper. Immc:r t r 1 1 <-
ttrrm II until r d h If dJlt t th
tT n
 4. F,lr each (UP of 'trained wine sauce, add 2 tablespoons of the barbecue
",lU(l~.
Thl' ~,l\lce may he made several da\Js
1
in advance and ke Pt re f'nger-
,lre,1.
[0 cook lamb
0
I. Preheat the ll\'en to 400 •

1 SeaSlm the lamh with salt and pepper and brush each side with the basic
.' barbecue sauce.
3. Grill L1f broil the lamb enough to crisp and lightly char the exterior on al\
<ides.
4. Place the lamb in a roasting pan and finish baking for about 14 to 15 min-
utes (for medium rare).
5. Remove the lamh, place on a cutting board. and let rest for 5 minutes. Lay
the blade of a sharp knife against the hone and slip the meat off in one
piece.
6. Roll the boneless loins fir,t 10 the ha,ic harhecue 'auce, then in the
pecan. lice each loin into 6 medallion.

To cnc
\. Reheat the harbecue-t1avored red wine auce.
2. Place 3 medallton on each of 6 hot serving plate. Dribble the wine auce
over the plate. Gami h With ,ute d green bean.

hoe tring neet Potatoe

1 large weet taw, peeled

2 qu rt peanut r vegetahle il

1. Heat the oil to 350°.

2. U 109 a mandolme or harp knife, ut the potatoe into very fine julienne
matchsuc .
3. Sprinkle th Julienned potatoes IOta the hot oil and tiro allowing them to
cook for 20 to 30 and .
4. U ll\g a mesh dlpper or lotted poon. remove the potaote from the oil and
dram on paper towels.
5 Ie WIth it to teo
 LMf1B SHANKS
lemon braise
flageolets
garlic wine, red

LAMB'S LIVER
parsley shallots
butrer
cream salt pork

LA B'S TONGUE
artIChokes fennel tomatoes
basil garlic vinaigretre
curry oltves

LEEKS (Fall)
hacon holl,mJal~e ~allce tomatoes
bechamel Juce lemon vinaigrette
heet, mOll . e I me alice wine. red
bread crumb mll ard
butter olive II boil
chee e, e peel ll~ P rme an chee e braise
Cheddar, 0 t, n par le\ puree
Gruy re pe . . team
cream po toe stell
fl h thyme

LEMON (Spring)
almond currant ,bl ck p ppy eed
card m m h ne) ra pberne
ch late hme trawbernes

It Of CnIOC()/,
 WIth Fr('sf> Summer Beme~ In Almond Tuiles
,
r E Ir r
C'
tL 'J1 M usse',ne wIth NdtlVC Strawberries and WhIsked Cream
Al-
ly 5

LENTILS (Winter)
onlOns spinach
bacon parsley
bay lea\'es thyme
cheese, Feta and goat peppers tomato sauce
pork fat tomatoes
fDle gras
prunes vinegar, especially sher-
garlic
radishes ry or wine
ham
sausages
lemon
mint
scallions puree
olive oil sorrel simmer

P stB. f Lent I and Prosc utto Sauce- G 0 q G rl""or & Johanre Killeen
S r L Ilt I TOf71 tv (. nd lobster S lad served ,'/ th Cucumber Vma,grette
Joe

LETIUCES (Spring)
anchone ITIu't<lrd vmalorene
~

avocado oil, c,peclally 11: zelnut, vinegar, especially bal-

chee~e olive, p anut, ,n I ~amIC, Cider and red
egg yolk. w lnut wme
garltc ani n
lemon p<:pper braISe
ma\Onnal e ~ It rau

t o t e p" nc pa fouf'dat on of tf10

el (. h E y'l
R t d Gar c md Roquefort

l tt..;c A 'II
 (Summer)
LIME rum
lemon
bananas raspberries
coconut

(Summer)
LITCHI NUTS kiwi fruit
cream
coconut

LOBSTER
coral PernoJ
coriande r pOrCl1l.1
corn port
couscous portobellos
cream quinna
creme frafche n ce
curry saffron
endiyc seaweed
fennel shallots
foie gras ,herrv
anChO\'le'
garlic star ,tnise
ant,erre
~lnge r
tarragon
apple-
grapefruit thyme
a'p,lra~u'
holland 11 e ,met' t, )nhllle ),
aWlC, Jo~
bauJIl h r era It h tomatoes
basil Ie k truffles, h\.lCk
h rdclal lemon vanilla
oourholl lem m h I Ii v tn,lIgrette
hrand, tern ngra vlmgar, e.,pecially
hr..: Id crum!- !tOle \\ hue \\ ine
butter • 11detr I "inc, white
caVIar
. ma}Onnal,e
ca)enne M ml~ 1I e hake
chee L, peo 11\ mw,hroom bOIl
herm mu tard brOIl
..:her\'iI tl\e It gnU
htle nil III pan-fry
~h i \t:, orange pooch
ClJer , te f )(lS(
ell otT r r nb ute
coc mut par le~ (tam
Cogna perrer, bhlCk
 - -
t:' 3'[ the peppers by placing them whole on a
I. ['.0. · b '1 n open gas flame
11 or under the rol er. Cook, rotating on 11 'd or outdoor
gn ' . a Sl es, for about '
un nl the skms are black. Put the peppe . . b ten mm-
ure~, rs m a owl and '
, tt C \\Tap. Allow to cool for 15 minutes Using h cover with
l' la~ , . your ands, eel ff h
-harred skm. Discard the cores, stems, and seeds D ' h POt e
L 'd . Ice t e roasted peppers
and set a,1 e.

2. Plunge the lobsters headfirst into a large pot of boiling water and cook for
5 (0 6 minutes. Transfer, them to a colander and cool under co Id runnmg '
\\'ater. Cut the lobsters m half lengthwise and remove th e meat fr am the
ta il<., legs, and claws.
. Keep the lobster
, claw meat intact in l a
gerpieces
' and
reserve for garnish. Cut the tall meat into 3 to 4 pieces each. Cover the
lobster meat with plastic wrap and set aside.

3. Put the qumoa into a fine strainer and rinse under cold running water to
remove any residue of its bitter husks. Drain thoroughly.

4. Bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Meanwhile,

heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medIUm-high heat. Add the
onion and garlic and cook for 4 to 5 minute~. until tender. Add the chile
powder and quinoa and cook for about 2 mmute, until hot, stirring to pre-
vent ~tick mg.

i Remove the pan from the heat and arefully ur th bodmg broth over
the qumoa. Return ro heat and bnn to a Immer, tming. ~ ea. on to taste
with salt and a generous do e of hlac . pt:pp r. Coo - or ab ut minutes,
stirnng frequently, unul mo t \ f the Ilqul I ab rbed but the qumoa is
still moist.

6. AJd the corn, ro.l red perr er , n 10 ter to the uinoa and cook for
about 3 mmute , until heated through. dd th ba~tl and cook the ri ot-
to gently for bout 2 minute, 1 n,.!er, until the Tl otto is )ltghtly moi t and
cream). ~ur 0 ten.

i. Place a generou ervmg 0 no m the center 0 each pldte. Take care

fI

to dIVI'd e t h e I td evenl) aml n t h ld

p .He an ror eal,;' h ,et\'lng with a
piece of claw meat. (,arnl)h e ch with J. pri' of hasll and ~et\'e.
-- - - --

143
MAHIMAHI
gmger tomatoes
avocados
chiles grapefruit
lime bake
cilantro broil
coconut olive oil
papaya grill
cumin saute
fruits, especially parsley
pineapples seaT
tropical steam
soy sauce
garlic

Baked EClJadortan Mahlmah, Stuffed With Shredded Crab and Rock Shrtmp
Sa/picon and Served With Roasted Tomatoes Capers. Olives and Herbs
-R ck Bayle.s
Mahimahl With Pmeapple-CoconJt Sauce- Sl! ...<.r'1a Faa
Grtlled Mah'man, With Summer Bean Salad and Tomato Vlflalgrette
-Brad ey Ogde r
Sauteed Mahmahl wdh Cucumbers Mangoes and Cllantro---Jeremmn Towe'

(Summer)
MANGOES
lime shellfbh
almond,
papa)~
star anise
blackberne
clove p _ IOn fruit
pmeapple, bake
coconut
ra,pbcrric~ freezing
fhh
\ZInger rum poach
Kirsch
~

_iluternc saute
lemon

tt e peppery flavo'" But f Y u Spm·"/\,111

or ke YOiJ Upl And t wakes up th m
y an b fo e It beaut IU "",..,.,h"n::ll';nn

MARROW
artichoke heartS lemon
ca~ennt;
 MASCARPONE
h,mJ), ltyueur mushrooms
sugar
fnll t , e,recially polenta
strawberries

Fresh FrUit Gratin wIth Mascarpone Custard

• ...{;eorge Germor & Johanne Killeen

puff Pastry Strawberry Tart with Mascarpone Cheese-J oyce Goldstein

'
Creamy Polenta wIth MascarpOne-Michael Romano

MELON (Summer)
ba,il Ice cream port wine
berries Ices prosciutto
Champagne Kirsch raspberries
chiles lemon salt
Cognac lime sherry
Cointreau Madeira strawberries
cucumber mint vanilla
Cura~ao mu,cat wme, espeCially sweet
gmger nut,
\:rare fnnt oran~es free<.e
Grand Mamie[ pear rau.
hlme\, perr er

Amelon that was perfect yesterday may be too rtpe today. so we wouldn't
serve It SImply sliced on a plate--we d make It mto a sherbet ~ A, ce Waters
Thai Melon Salad with Cilantro and lim&- Su£:m Fen ger & May Sue Milliken
Fresh Melon-Basil Sa/ad with Habanero-Mark M ar
Charenta s Me on with Beaumes-de- Vemse Sabayon-L 'ldsey Shere

MONKFISH (Winter)
aloh CIder ~Lmala
artIChoke COriander mushrooms
pamgu erC'm olIve uti
bacon curry uItves
hutter. e pc 1,111, broy. n cnn.:! rar.;ky
canb c garlic red'
Ptr; gmger perr er,
carrot leek
ro~emar\

er 11 .;aftmn
lemon next ~,)
'corum'
lemongra~s

145
o
MONKFISH (continued)
tomatoes griU
sage
wine roast
shallots
saute
sherry, dry
bake steam
soy sauce
thyme braise

Monkfish Tn Lemongrass and Coconut Broth

-Susan Femger & Mary Sue Milliken
Roasted Monkfish with Cauliflower Served with Caper-Raisin EmulsIon
Flavored with Nutmeg-Jear-Georges VongerlcNen

MORELS (Spring)
asparagus OOions shallots
bread crumb Parmesan chee e sour cream
butter parsley tarragon
chervil peas tomatoes
chicken pepper truffles
chives potat , watercress
cream POUltTV
cu,tard r emary bake
eggs alt cream
garlic Sautem fry
lemon C 11 ps stew

MUSHROOMS (FaU)
almon creme frafche nutmeg
anchovi Jill nuts
hacon eggplants olive oil
barley •
omon
egg
ba it fl h oranges
bordelalse auce garlic oregano
bread crumbs grape oyster sauce
butter gremolata pancetta
caraway seed ham papnka
cayenne lemon parsley
cheese, e peclally Madeira pasta
Gruyere and .
marjoram peas
Parmesan marrow pepper. black
chervil mascarpone puvapple
chives mIDt plStBChlOl
coriander
cream
Mornay sauce
mustard
potatoeS
ao_l d .",.,.
 spinach
rosemary bake
<ausag es , especially stock
broil
, smoked tarragon fry
<:;auternes thyme grill
~
tomatoes puree
shallots
shellfish vinegar, especially wine raw
walnut oil Saute
sherry
walnuts steam
sorrel
sour cream wine, red or white

A por/obello Mushroom Pretending To Be a Filet Mignon with a Roasted

Shallot and Tomato Fondue---Pa'f'ck O'Connell
W" '1 Mushroom Tarts-Ar"1e Roserzwe'g
potato and Forest Mushroom Lasagna with Ch,ve Sauce---Joachim Splichal
Mushroom Caps wIth Bone Marrow-Jeref"llar Tower

MUSSELS (Fall-Winter)
aioli fennel saffron
anchovies garlic shallots
aniseed leeks snails
bacon lemon spmach
basil ltme thyme
bay leaves mayonnaise tomatoes
beans, white mushrooms vinaigrette
bread crumbs olive oil \'megar
butter onions wine, white
cayenne orange
chervil pancetta brad
chives parsley gnll
cilantro pepper, black pan-fry
Cognac Pemod steam
cream pesta
curry nce

F"rfTI-R3 sed CanadIan Mussels m Tab3sco-Style Escabec ... e (Extra Virgm

o e 0 FrUit Vm.-.ga r Garftc Sweet Spices and AromatIC Vegetables)
y
Mu Sf? S WIth Green Garftc Thyme and Toasted Rye Bread-Mark Pe€'
..Jr d Mu se s With Garl c ar,d Tomatoes--J "T''T Y Sc'lnldt
F '.i Pasta w th Pnnce Edward Island Mussels. M repolX Saffron
\1 nd Crouton-A W t r
'71 d w th WhIte Wme Garlte and Fresh Herbs-Ja ;lE'r W~ •

14
MUTTON
CalvaJos mushrooms thyme
capers tarragon

NECTARINES (See also PEACHES) (Summer)

cherries orange
almonds
cinnamon peaches
berries
figs pepper, black
blackberries
ginger raspberries
blueberries
nuts vanilla
caramel
Champagne

NOODLES, EGG
bread crumhs tomato sauce

OCTOPUS
ha,ll lemon grill
hay leave p. rslt." stew
chen"il \me' r
garltc: \\ ine. red

OKRA (Summer)
ha'll nlon tomatoes
plf d~ vmaigrette
pepper, bbck ,
aut pepper. e pectalh saute
km n 'reen tew

ONIONS (Fall)
rrl mu hroom herry
bacon nutmeg sorrel
butter paprika thyme
c.hee;e ucc especially Parme n che tomat lICe
Oleddar r Gn.J)cre par ley
clfin m n pepper, bl de
I ra lfiS
It
 fry roast
bJke grill Saute
/:xlii rau' steam
bra1;e
M 'L' yOU use r·w or"c;"S but you always wash tnem really well >lfter
,LJ eL' . . ~", <'r you 1<.;1 th:;om CO",K for fivE' m,nutes In clcldulated w,lter made
(X,",,'ft.""
f ' ~ lf71e ,Jr limtgar or you douaJ them redl heavily With sour orange JUIce
II, ' V'I tnem SIt for two hours or you blanch them for fhlfty seconds In
~
'nd ~t1!, c'
fhere are all these dIfferent vdnat,ons on working With raw omons
l
WJte t kt'epm(/ the fresh, rL/W crispness to them On the other hand, we do
8~~:.J~~er ' of dIshes where we throw whole onions down Into the f/fe and let
8I blacken on the outside, becausE' there s a sort of steaming that hap-
tt1e:s on the mSlde. which I:; very different from trying to gnU It or cook It on a
(IE I P or s-)methmg "ke thelt tJlready slIced R CK Bayless
fat 0
.... of Five Oman Soup--Joyce Goldstell"
Crea'"
~'1.:od-RoaS'ed Oman Wed wilh Spoon of Sdky Macomber Turnip-Lydia Shire

(Winter)
ORANGES
cinnamon mangoes
Annagnac olives
coconut
~asil
Comtreau pecans
brandy sherry
cardamom ginger
Grand Marnier strawberrie~
chipotle peppers
Kirsch vanilla
chocolate

Orange and Armagnac Sherbet- Lnd yS r

€'fT: l~'
Grand Marmer Souffle vlth Orange Custard Sauce- J Tower

(Winter)
ORANGES, BLOOD
citrus fruit, especia1Jy pomegran.lt~

grapefruits and tan-

gerine

OXTAILS
wine, reJ e pecially
garlic onions Burgundy
grapes pepper, black
gremolata prunes
braise
Madeira haJlots
steU'
mustard tomatoe

149
 (Fall- Spr n )
OYSTERS
fennel 5alt
foie gras sauerkraut
garlic scallions
ginger sea urchin roe
horserad ish shallots
ketchup sherry
leeks shrimp
lemon snails
ale, beer, or stout spinach
allspice lime
mace Tabasco auce
anchovies thyme
artichokes marjoram
mignonette sauce vinegar, especially
bacon champagne
bay leaves mint
mustard wine, white
beurre blanc Worcestershtre .auce
bread, brown nutmeg
bread crumbs onions
.
caViar pancetta bake
cayenne paprika moil
Champagne Parme:an chee, e deep-fry
chiles parsley gnU
chive pepper, black poach
cilantro Pemod Tau.'
cream porat roast
- IIltt!
cucumbers
curry tw
eg~

Fncasee of Pemmaqu d Oyster to Salsify, Leeks, Fmgerlmg Potatoes

and Pancetta ( th or thoul Osetra Caviar) 1 r !lee Br r an
Glazed Oysters • th Lee Fondue and Osetra Caviar -Gary Dar. 0
Fanny Bay and Po nt Reyes Oysters Wi th Malt Vmegar Dressmg and
Homemade Cae ta Sauce-8 d y Ogd
Kumamoto Oysters 1.' th Champagne M gnonette and Pumpernickel Toast
Mark Pe

Oysters Poached n Champagne-J

Hog Istand Oyster Chowder Wi th New Potatoes and Smoked Bacon
A ce a er

PAPAYAS (Spring ; Fall)

avocad chll cumlO
C3\ennc CQConUl re m gmger
chlclc.en coriander

,
 Parma ham
passion fruit strawberries
sugar
peaches vanilla
pineapple
porr Taw

spinach. Avocado and Papaya Salad with Orange-C· .

-ChriS Schlesmger umln Dressing

Napoleon of Strawberry and Papaya with Passion F 't

saLlces-Jlmmy Schmidt rw and Raspberry

PARSNIPS (Winter)
lemon tarragon
almonds
Madeira walnuts
butter
nutmeg
chives
cjnnamon
parsley boil
curry
pepper, black deep-fry
potatoes griU
garlic
hazelnuts sorrel puree

(Fall)
PARTRIDGES
juniper berries hallot
almonds tarragon
appln lemon
lentil truffles
t.c:on
mushrooms wme
cOM&"
cCpa onions
chocolate oysters braise
parsley poach
cream
curry peppercorns, green roast
fait,. sage saute
.tk sauerkraut

Wid Pattlidge with a Red Cabbage Conf,t and Fall FrUIt Chutney
801 • .,
YOWIg Roe• .., PaJtlidge with Chnstmas Pears of Muscat and Spice

~"'d """fdUe MIh Cabbage Pearl Omons, Apple-Smoked Bacon, and

r,..., ....,Joactlim SpichaI
-nu•.", and GfHfl peppercoms-Jasper White

g • D
PASSION FRUIT (Winter)
coconut orange
Champagne papaya
chocolate kiwi fruit

PassIOn frUit IS a flavor that wakes you up - 0 '£ 5chor'ler

PASTA
butter pepper, black
cheese , especially pesto
Parmesan pign oli
chiles potatoes
cream ricotta
garlic Romano cheese
herbs tomatoes
lobster truffles. especially
mascarpo ne white
basil mush rooms
bean" especially ca n- olive oil
nelltm p.m cetta

PEA PODS (Spring)

almond mu h r lOS steam
hutter ( nu tiT-fry
chicken I:

PEACHES (Summer)
almond~ c nut oranges
apncot C"..ognac pecan
b II C wntr 1U plums
berne cream port
blac bern curmn~. red praline
l-Iuebern frambOl~ raspberrie
bourbon gm er rum
brdnd~ Grand 1amler herry
brown u r ha:e1nut sour cream
Calvad honey strawberries
caramel Kirsch sugar
Ca, I lemon vanilla
Champagne lime WlOe, e pectally
cherne Madeira Burgundy
ClOnamon maple 'yTUp
ClOnam n b-.l! II Marsala poach
d \e Melha auce raw
 pEAS (Spring)
leeks
Jln10nJs lemon
rosemary
,I
rtl.:h<,kes sage
lettuce salt pork
bacon mint
bLltter savory
mushrooms shallots
carr<)ts
nutmeg sugar
chervil
onions, especially tiny vinegar
chl\"es parsley
crearn prosciutto boil
fennel rice puree
garlic risotto steam
harn

PECANS
caramel molasses
bourbon
hown sugar chocolate oranges
com syrup rum
butterscotch

B e Pecan ce Cream with Hot Caramel Sauce-Patr cK 0 Conne"

p.ca Tart W th Caramel Sauce and Van I a Ice Cream- I MMy SchmIdt
p Putt Pastry w 1/1 Chaco ate Sa ce a d Sabayol'} v eM h Tower

(Summer-Fall)
PEPPERS, BELL
meat, e peCI lly chIck- bake
ancho\'ie~
ba.:,ll en,1 mb nd ve 1 brot!
Chl1 olive oil gnU
11I0n
par-bot!
conander
nee roast
em
_ rlt tomatoe stew
tern vme r

(Fall)
PERSI 0 S
weet potatoes or yams
brand, clall, pe r gr pefrult
vanilla
rO~n u r h ne)
yams
tamel IC
ctnnam n Kirsch
freeze
nUlm
puree
ru
raw
J
r ~
neXIpate
PERSIMMONS (continued)

P rs mmon Puddmg wtfh Coffee nd CarcJm , Sa ce

Warm Pers mmon Pudding wIth Creme Chant"ly- l d Y ~h,,,,,..

PHEASANTS (Fall)
apples Juniper t>crne, ~auerkraut
bacon kmnn ,au",,,c
Hackberrieo; ~!aJeir.1 "haHnts
hranJy ~1.lr,ala ,nur (. re,l[n
cabbage mu, hrooms tuffing
thad olive tdn~('nne
.
onion thyme
che tout
Lhl )r) orange tTUffle~
chi! 0 t r VlnL'g~lr

Cider pn.an ""lln\lb

cream pepper whlskc\
creme fraiche ph 1 IIH itHr ,nne
endl\ mIte
r ~rt hrtll
brOil
n
rc~t

s v C

GrpPl'lC;

PIGS EARS
tt r rd
PIGS' FEET
bearnai~e "auce mustard
vinaigrette
bread crumbs onions
Labb.1[!c pepper Vl?egar, especially wine
wine, white
caper!> sauerkraut
<'ariIc tartar sauce braise
hollandaise 'auce thyme broil
mayonnal'e tomato sauce stew

PIKE (Fall-Winter)
bacon hollandaise sauce tomatoes
crayfi5h sorrel vmegar
cream

PINEAPPLE (Winter)
apncots liqueur, especiallv papayas
avocados Cognac, Cointreau, raspberries
b3con Grand Mamler, and rum
banana Kir!>ch strawberries
brandy lime 'iugar
coconut mang vanilla
cucumber mel n
!!rapefrUl 15 mmt
ha:e1nu orang

A W flter compote made With s/Jces of pIneapple kiWI frUIt mango and
papaya W th a I ttle passion fruit flesh and 8 few of Its dark seeds for con-
trast needs only a qrat ng of I me peel and a sprmklmg of rum or Kirsch.
jOSI~" S
Wa m P eapp e Tart TaM th Coconut Ice Cream-Pat' c 0 Con ell
Car bbe n Coconut Wafer f, ed W th Fresh Pmeapple and Pma Colada
Sa ce- ~ ,n-,," P yard
P 3PP £. Sh -rbet Bombe With Ktrsch Mousse- ~dsey S'lere
L

PLANTAINS
and \\alnu deep-fT)'
he n sauce
(t,biak pmeapple
szmmer
b tter rum
Inn m n Uf cr m
(e munued on niXI patt)
nu, Cldlh almond
 PLANTAINS (contin ued)
Plantanos con erema. Sweet Frted Plantains with Homemade Sour Cream
and Fresh Cheese-Rick Bayless
Black Bean DIp with Frted Sweet Plantams-Ct' ris Sch'esinger

PLUMS (Summer)
ginger Sauternes
almonds
grapefruits vanilla
apricots
honey walnuts
bananas
lemon wine, red
brandy
brown sugar Muscat
caramel nectarines poach
nuts raw
cherries
cinnamon oranges stew
custard peaches
fruits, especially citrus rhubarb

Gingersnap Ice Cream SandWiches With Plum Ice Cream-lindsey S"ere

Plum Sherbet Bombe wdh Grand Marmer Moussf7 Ltndsey Shere
Walnut Tart of Warmed Plums With Mascarpone Souff/f7 lydia Shire

POLENTA
burrer e carole pepper
cheese, esp<.:ciaUy oarltc tomato sauce
Cheddar, goat,
Gorg n' la. Monterey
J ck, and Pannesan mu hroom.,

Bo of Cre my Polenta With W, d Mushroom and Goat R' Of

--Brad Ogo
Matzo Po nta wdh Sauteed Mu<;hrooms- Rorr

POMEGRANATES (Fall)
bananas chocolate grapefruit
blood orange cream che yogurt

F, r rt d th IU fr, m I pom
C It /(
 POMPANO
(Winter)
ba,il lemon
shrimp
head crumbs lime
bake (in paper)
coconut mustard Saute

PORCINIS (Summer)
butter olive oil thyme
garlic parsley truffles, white
Marsala sage
Muscatel wine sherry grill

The combmatlOn of porcml and garlic is a perfect combination-when it s

done perfectly. That's when the garftc IS not overpowering the mushroom,
af1d the mushroom IS well caramelized and meaty at the same time, and the
garlic IS bringmg up all the flavor so that it's not Just plain and bland
-Darle: Boulud

PORK (Fall)
apples gmger qUInces
apricots hoisin sauce rosemary
bay leave honey sage
beans, black juniper berrie sauerkraut
beer lemon soy sauce
brandy lime qar anise
cabbage Marsala tarragon
Calvados molasses thyme
.
vmegar
cherries, dried sour mu ' tarJ
clams Onlon walnuts
Cognac orange whiskey
conander parsley wine, white
cream pepper, black
cumin pineapple brme
fennel plum sauce, Chine,e grill
fruit plums TOast
garlic prune~

POr/( and apples IS a claSSIC combmatlon that has been served together for
hundreds of years. Apples cut the fattmess of pork -L.ndsey Shere
Tacos a Pastor' Red-Chlle-Mannated Pork, Wood-Grilled. Thm-Sllced and
served With Charcoaled Pineapple, Guacamole, and Black Beans
R Bay

c o 15
 PORK (continued)
Grillea Pork Tenderlom with Mustard. Sage, and Rosemary Joy E' (;011 n
Pork Tenderlom with Black-Eyed Peas, Braised Onions. and Tomaill/{) S II
Jererrlah Tower

PORK CHOPS (Fall)

apples leeks thyme
bay leaves mint tomato sauce
beer mustard
bread crumbs onions bake
cabbage oranges braise
cream parsley broil
curry pepper, black grill
fennel rosemary pan-fry
garlic sauerkraut saute
ginger sour cream
juniper bernes soy sauce

Gnlled Double-Cut Pork Chop With Braised Cabbage, BOiled Potatoes, 3nd
Stone-Ground Mustard A,ol~ -Sr :J ay OQdtl..,
Pork Lo n Chop Gn ed w 1/1 Gateau of Apple and Cardmeltzed Red On.o!'}
with Rosemary Cider Sauce- J rr'1l S Il tit
Doub/e- ThIck Pork R b Chop \ Ith 5 ge and Applf. S Witi') ROJsted 5.\1[,(_'
Potatoes--" p W t

POTATOES (Fall-Winter)
c.hard hor er,hlhh
chee~e (especi Ily Juniper berric
Cheddar, ~) t, kale
Gru~ere, and leeks
Parme an) lemon thyme
chen II lovage
chlcorv mint
chive mu hrooms
anchuvle cream mustard
bacon creme fra/me nutmeg
basil dill olive oil
butter duxelle olive
cavaar fennel omons
cayenne fenugreek papnka
celery root garlic panIey
cepes ham

•
 (Fall)
PUMPKIN pumpkin seeds
Gruyere cheese
apples rum
honey sage
bacon leeks
bourbon sherry
mace sour cream
brown sugar maple syrup
butter sugar
mint thyme
caramel molasses
cinnamon vanilla
mushrooms
cloves vinegar, especially
nutmeg white wine
coconut nuts
Cognac walnuts
olive oil
cream .
onlOns
yogurt
duck, including confit
pecans
garlic pepper, black
bake
ginger

pumpkin and potato-FINed Free-Form Lasagna With BJacK-Of,v(> Butter

-George GerMor & Jor-anne K sen
Pumpkm fce Cream w.th Caramel Pecan Sauce--v "1rry Sc'nl:1I

(Fall)
QUAIL
leek..- prunes
anchOVies qU;lil egg"
appJe _ lemon
lime 4uml li\'cr
bacon
4l1m~es
ba~11 m, pie yrup
mala< e risotto
bay lea\'e,
mushroom ,age
beets
mu~tard salt
chiles, red
omon calhan
cider
Co~nac orange hllllor,
cranberrie pancetta thyme
par ley truffle, pceJally white
currants, peel 11y bl ck
curry pear waterere
fig pecans wine, white
foie gras pepper Worce ter hire auee
£arlic per tmmon
gm pignoli broil
glnger pmeappl fry
!!rape- port wme gnU
honey POt, toe roast
Jumper berrie

o i "", P fYI ~ "I t Ora

G dBBOO
 CIM.Ii.and Brandied Raspberry Ice Cream Bombe-Undaey Shere
,.rpbI'"Y Gratin-Jeremlah Tower
",."iIIfJ
a:=~goes with a lot of dIfferent kmds of frUIt I lIke It WIth pear, and
;,; IcB cream with chocolate IS ntce.-Llndsey Shere

_~ER

--
bIIil
blY ieaftI re
tpdcbir-
lemon
lime
mustard
olives. black
shallots
tarragon
thyme
tomatoes
vinegar, especially sherry
onions
IJulUr oranges vinaigrette
CJV" parsley wine, especially white
cderY pepper. black
ciJr"O peppers. especially baJce
~ gJeen braise
CIIIlf, -.pee 'ally ted

,.'e ......
dill
d
potatoes
romeKO sauce
broil
grill

...•
1

1M 'f
•
pc· Irr
Pa".esan cheese
ro&emary
saftiOh
lealboOl
pooch
roast
SDJItl
SWIm
.-. me

aUld RIId Snepper willi Garlic and Gmgef-Susan a Foo

Red Snapp« and yeIIowfjn Tuna with Tart Herbal
Aken

(Spriag)
RICE WHITE
almonds custard oranges
basil garlic parsley
brown sugar ginger pignoli
cardamom lemon pineapples
chernes, dried mushrooms raisins
cinnamon nutmeg saffron
coconut nuts, especially tomatoes
almonds, walnuts, vanilla
cream
pecans, and pistachios yogurt
curry

Warm Rice pudding With Coconut Cream Sauce-Susaf1'1a Foo

Cumed Rice Salad-Joyce Goldstein
Caramel Rice Fla~Narcy S.'verton

RICE, WILD
mushrooms pepper
almonds
oranges pign oli
butter
ha:elnut~

RlcenA CHEESE
raham cr cker ,;lIt
almonds
lemon spinach
chocolate
nmme n sugar
cmnamon
nu van illa
cl tVt:""
crt:.lm che e pepper
garlic pignolt

Rlsene
artichokes shellfish
asparagu truffles
c rab veal
mushroom wine
Parmesan cheese
peas
affron
hallo

A
 h nk a great flSOttO IS a dish to be savored It should be about eight bites of
I tbU/O flavor. where you almost hate to take that last bite-and any more
US
~~an that would be gross.-Lydla Shire
Risotto of LobSter. Mussels. and Clams with Sweet Pimientos. Scallions. and
saffron-Daniel Boulud
Risotto of Black Truffle and Fall Vegetables. with Parmigiano-Reggiano
-Gary DankO
Risotto With Butternut Squash. Greens and Prosciutto-Joyce Goldstein
Fricassee of Mushrooms and a Parsley Risotto-Gray Kunz
Risotto With Mussels and Fresh Herbs-Mark Peel & Nancy Silverton
Risotto with Fresh Bay Leaves. Peas. and Pea Shoots-Alice Waters

ROMAINE
chives olive oil
anchovies pepper, black
cheese. especially garlic
Parmesan and blue lemon
(Gorgonzola and
Roquefort)

Ensalada Frontera: Hearts of Romaine With Wood-Grilled Onions. Radishes.

Fresh Cheese. and Roasted Garlic Dressing-Rick Bayless
Moroccan Orange, Romaine. Walnut. and Watercress Salad--Joyce Goldstem
Hearts of Romaine with a Creamy Garlic Dressmg and Oven-Roasted
TomatoeS-Patnck O'Connell
Young Romame with Green Goddess Dressing and Garlic Croutons
-NICe Waters

(Winter)
RUTABEGAS
Natter penley boice
pepper. black boil
....
a
I""
9

sage
IQUrcream
~fry
pwU
thyme TOtISt
... ·el

•
 (Spring- Summer)
SALMON
crab salmon caviar
cream sesame
creme Jrafche shallots
cucumber shnmp
cumin snow peas
curry sorrel
dill spinach
fennel tarragon
five-spice powder tomato
a'ioli
anchovies garlic truffles
aquavit ginger vermouth
artichokes hollandaise sauce vinaigrette
avocados horseradish vinegar, espeCially
bacon juniper berries white wme
basil leeks walnuts
beans, fermented black lemon watercress
beamaise sauce lime wme
beurre blanc ~1adeira Worcestershire sauce
bordelaise sauce maple syrup zucchini
.
mayonnaIse
bread crumbs
capers mint bake in parchment
caVIar moU'"dine sauce braise
Champagne mushrooms broil
chervil mustard grill
chives ollv • bll k pan-fry
citrus par,ley pan-roast
clams pepper. black poach
Cognac pepper saute
conamler pomegran te sear
com rat 10 steam

Sa'mon IS such a fatty flavorful fish It can handle a bIg flavor. I do It In a

horseradish crust And ae d goes we" w th It to cut the flchness of the fish
like some k nd of c trus - ~err. -0 Sen
I love to cook a whole salmon on tne gr 1/ and then cover It completely from
head to foo w th about one Inch of dill and then finish II eJther on the gr or
m the oven thiS way w th some lemon sltces and cracked pepper and 0 /Ve
a I It s I ke cook'ng It In a forest of dill The inside IS Veil' well (,avored dnd
mOIst -Dan e Sou ud
Salmon en Mo e Verde Farm-Ra sed AtlantiC Salmon With Class c Green
Pumpkin-Seed Mole Roasted Potatoes and MeXican Vegetables
-A CI\ Save
Tournedos of Salmon With Horseradish Crust. Cucumbers and Salmon
Caviar T"'rr 'n Sr rman

168 A
, ... AIIIM'IOC Sa mon Baked In a Tender Corn Pancake Topped with Golden
watelCt8SS Sauce-Hubert Keller
IIIII~&I~IG Atlantic Salmon with Horseradish-Black Pepper Sauce, Oyster
III1d Sesame Asparagus-Mark Miller
WII)'S Home-Smoked, Pastrami-Cured, Cilantro-Gravlax,
..... 1JItd PoIChed-Patrick O'Connell
".,.,.,. 2 Md &lImOn with Braised Lentil Salad and Red Wine Vinaigrette
.....,.Ogden

:,t _Seared Salmon Fillet with Grain Mustard,

Md CI sa"'" Potatoe9-Charhe Palmer
Braised Asparagus, and

p& n "., IIIM-Cuted Salmon, Cucumbers, Lemon, and Cream

....,._ AaIDllz.alg
tMIIOI' Pi I. with Smoked Salmon and Caviar-Jimmy Schmidt
au. J2d S toon and Watercress Omelet-Jimmy Schmidt
SsP non wIIh Roasted Beets, Leeks, and Horseradish-Jeremiah Tower

dill melon
eggs plums
gmger. pickled pepper. black
.. apefruit potatoes
horseradish radishes
leeks
Ierocm

lemon

(WInter)
rom..,ee
 'se S uSc1ge Salad Served m Red Oman Cups
'l.. M. 'Y c..je Mill k ~n

p '.l- ~d Saul', qt's and Grapes -George Ge"mon & Johanne Killeen
H'I71.;;rr. de Sausages wIth Gram Mustard, FIve-Onion Slaw, and Stewed
W/l :~' Bean&- M ,rK Miller
Ou HO('1CJ71.1de Boudi" Blanc (WhIte Sausage) with Sauerkraut BraIsed in
v,rq:n a Rieslrng on Apple Coulls-Palr'ck O'Connell
curn Lamb Sausage wIth Compote and Pecan Pancakes-Jimmy Schmidt
ed
Duck Sausage wIth Prunes-Nor mar Var Aken
L,,'bste r Sausage with Savoy Cabbage-Jasper White

(Spring-Fall)
SCALLOPS
endive pumpkin
almonds rosemary
fennel
anise saffron
asparagus foie gras
garlic salsa
avocados salt
bacon gm
gmger shallots
basil sorrel
bay leaves hollandaise sauce
Jerusalem artichoke soy sauce
brandy
leeks spinach
bread crumbs
lemon Taba<;co sauce
butter, especially brown
lemongrass tarragon
cabbage
lemon thyme thyme
cabbage, napa
lime tomatoes
capers
marJoram truffles
carrots
mint vantlla
caviar
Momay ~auce \'crmouth
cayenne
mushrooms vinaigrette
celery
mu~tarJ
vineg~r, especially cider
cheese, e pecially
Gruyere or Parmesan olive oil wine, white
,
chervil OOions
chives oranges broil
cilantro paprika deep-fry
coriander parsley grIll
crab pepper, black marinate
cream peppers, red and hot poach
cucumbers Pemod sauce
curry porcinis steam
dill potatoe
( c.)f1!irwd on next page)

1
SHRIMP rosemary
dill
allspice saffron
eggplant
anchon es Sauternes
garlic
artichokes scallions
ginger
bacon shallots
lemon
basil soy sauce
lemongrass
bay leaves Tahasco sauce
beans, white lime
Madeira tarragon
beer thyme
mangoes
brandy tomatoes
mayo nnaise
butter vinaigrette
buttermilk mint
mushroom, vodka
carro ts wine, e,pecially flee or
can ar mustard
oli\'e oil white
ch ern l
onions, especially red Worcestershire sauce
chiles
chl \'es oranges
parsley boil
cocktatl sauce
peanuts broil
coconut
perrer. ~lack deep-fry
Cognac
com Pernod gnll
cream ptnt.'J rr ie pan-fry
cucumrer" I OmC!!rdn.ltt." poach
currv. e'recl~lh reJ n ce rempura-fry

Fresh Flonda Pink Shnmp In Red Chile Escabeche With Gnlled Red Omons
Peas and Garfcky Wh te R ce- ~ Baye
Sauteed Rock Sh Imp W th Toasted Ancho Chiles SlJvered Garlic and LIme
seNed With Seared Greens and R ce.- Su an Fe ger & Mary Sue M ke
Conander-Crusted Gn f ed Shnmp With Pineapple Salsa and Lime
-Cr's Sc e g
Shnmp Dusted w th Orange Zest Artichoke and BaSil
-Jean Georg Vonne>r

Saffron Nood es w th Ma ne Shr mp Country Bacon and Pine Nuts

-Jaspe e

SKATE
31 It ma~ nnalS(' vinegar. e peclally red
1-utrer. mcludmg 1-r( \\n mmt wine
caper 011\ e 011 wme. e peclally whit
c nander parsley
garih.; pepper poach
h :dnut th~me r )Q.St
II oj lse ce truffl ream
SNAILS
,1I1 Ch,)\"C'
fennel salt
garlic shallots
antS~
lemon thyme
raCll11
basil mushrooms wine, white
b,,\' leaH'" nutmeg
bread crumbs parsley bake
butter pepper, black braise
chcrnl pignoli broil
crc,lIn rosemary sImmer

SNAP PEAS
butter olive oil vinegar, balsamic

SNAPPER
bread crumhs gmger roast
endive mustard saute

SOLE
mmt shallots
almond,
moreL shnmp
anchones
mushrooms Taha,co sauce
bearnaise sauce
mussels thyme
bechamel sauce
mustard tomatoes
butter
nutmeg truffles
capers
ohve oil \'inalgrette
carrOb
omons Y1negar
cayenne
orange, wine. especially white
Champagne
chives oyster,
COriander leaves papnka braIse
Parmesan cheese brtJil
cream
garlic parsley fry
hullandai,e .,auce pepper, black grilt
leeks peppers poach
lemon port wille saute
loh,rer salt steam
}.1ar,ala scallions

Corrpos/og o 175
SOLE, DOVER (See also SO )
vermouth grill
basil
mustard wine, especially red

(Spring)
SORRFL
fish spinach
butter
lentils sugar
celery root
mustard tarragon
chard
chervil olive oil
pepper, black blanch
cream
creme Jrafche potatoes puree
salt saute
eggs

SOUFFLES, SWEET
frUit. , erecially apples, Madeira, Marsala,
arricot~. blueberrie" r ort
peacht:" pears, vanilla
pme pple. 411Il1ce"
r pbem ,,111 ...1
tr.m berne
hazelnut
Itqueu • e peclall\
lot ctte, Comtrt:.lu.
chocollt Cura I ,Gr 10 I
cofke M mlcr, Klr c.h,

SPAETZLE
butter pCpptT. blclck poppy ceds

SPARERIBS
barbecue au e plum mee bake
garlte ro el11drv b(lrbe ue
gm Jer sauerkraut bOIl
h ocy brOIl
1m 0 !'"oe, nee par-bod
(x'Pper .. megar
 SPINACH (Fall- Spring)
anchovies gmger pepper, black
bacon ham peppers, especially red
brains hollandaise sauce raisins
butter horseradish sorrel
cardamom leeks sour cream
carrotS lemon soy
cheese, especially feta, lemongrass sugar
goat, Parmesan, and mint tarragon
ncot ta mushrooms tomatoes
chtles mustard vinegar, especially red
chives nutmeg wine
cream nuts (especially yogurt
cumin almonds and walnuts)
curry olive oil boil
eggs olives puree
fish Onions saute
garlic oranges

The thought of spmach IS pleasure. French cooks, Chinese cooks, Italian

cooks. Indian cooks would all rate spmach the best of leaf vegetables
-..;are Gngson

(Fall)
SQUAB .
[oie gras nce
apricots
garlic rosemary
bacon
grapes sage
basil
huckleherries shallots
beer
juniper berries sour cream
brandy
lemon 50\'
butter
!tme -luffing
cabbage
mu hroom., tarragon
cherne~
olive 011 thyme
che-muts
olives \'inegar
chives
chocolate
.
omons truft1es
wine, especially red
cider orange,
Cognac paprika
braIse
cranbernes parsley
crl'am peaches broil
peas
grill
Cumm
currants pepper, hlack roast
eggplant raspr.ernes
fig rhuharh

,
..
w
sherry truffles, white bake
thyme vanilla puree

SQUASH BLOSSOMS (Summer)

butter garlic bake
cheese, especially goat olive oil deep-fry
saute
forcemeats

(Winter)
SQUID
mayonnaIse vinaigrette
anchovies wine, especially white
basil mint
bay leaves olive oil
onions bake
bread crumbs
parsley cook briefly
cilantro
rosemary fry
garlic
salsa braise slowly
ginger
squid ink grit!
lemon
tomatoes saute
lime

SqUid Salad with Five-Flavor Vmaigretfe-SJsanna Fcc

Marinated Tomatoes and Arugula with Fned Squid-Jasper White

STEAK
chives scallions
Cognac shallots
conander sherry
garlic sour cream
gmger soy
horseradIsh Stilton cheese
Juniper berries tomatoes
leeks truffles
lemon vmegar, espeCIally bal-
~1adeira samic and red wme
avocados mushrooms wine, red or ""h ite
ba~ll mustard ""hiskey
bearnaise sauce olive oil Worcestershire sauce
bordeLu e sauce union,
bourbon parslev broil
brandy pepper, black gnll
!:-uner WIth anchovle , peppe ,~p dally green pan-brOIl
chlv ,garltc, parsley, pI::alOla auce pan-fry
t rragon potatoe (~ on next page)
c.a enne rosemary
179
o
STEAK (continued)
Carne Asada; Charcoal-Grilled. Butterflied Coleman Natura l Rib Eye
Marinated in Red Chile, with Black Beans and Fried Plantains with Sour
Cream and Guacamole-Rick Bayless
Grilled Hanger Steak with Roasted Bone Marrow, Fondant of Winter
Vegetables. and Crisp Shallots-Terrance Brennan
Charcoaled Filet Mignon with Roasted Shallot and Pinot Noir, Country
Potato, FOie Gras-Stuffed Morels . and Crisp Parsnip-Charl ie Palmer
Grilled Adobo-Rubbed SirlOin Steak with Pickled Corn Relish, Tamarind
Ketchup. and "Damn Good Fries"-Chris Schlesinger
Hot Roquefort-Broiled Rib Steak with Chilled Layered Tomato Salad and
Beet Fries-Lydia Shire
Grilled Rib Steak with Yellow Finn Potatoes Mushrooms, and Green
Peppercorn Butter--Jeremlah Tower

STRAWBERRIES (Spring)
coconut oranges
Cognac passion fruit
Cointreau peaches
cream pepper, black or pink
cream chcc,e pineapple
creme {miehe port
Cura<;ao raspberries
currant, blclck rhubarb
flu
~
sambuca
a]mond~ Gran I Mamier sherry
arrtCOb grapefrUit sour cream
bananas guav,l' sugar
ha II Kirsch vanilla
brown u!!ar kiWI fruIT vinegar, balsamic
caramel lemon VIOlets
Cas'l~ hme wme, espeCially red (e.g.
Champagne maple yrup Beaujolais and claret)
cmnam n mascarpone yogurt
clotted crc.lm nut, zabaione

Stra.vberry Shortcake With Cre"11e Ct-rantilly-Lindsey Shere

Strawbemes In BeaUjolaiS Sauce--!l.3ncy S verton
Sauteed Rhubarb With Strawbemes and Vamlla Syrup
",lr G o'ge Vonger chter

A
STUFFING
apples liver sage
bacon mushrooms sausages
Bra:il nuts nutmeg savory
bread crumbs Onions shallots
carrots oysters tarragon
celery pancetta thyme
chestnuts parsley walnuts
cornbread crumbs pecans
garlic prunes
liquor, especially bour- rice
bon, Cognac, whiskey rosemary

STURGEON
mayonnaise braise saute
oysters grill

SUCKLING PIG (Spring)

garlic onions TOast
myrtle rosemary

SWEET POTATOES (Winter)

apples lemon s()ur cream
apricots lime suntlower seeJ,
bacon maple syrup thyme
bananas nutmeg vanilla
brown sugar oranges walnuts
butter paprika
ctlamro pear, bake
cinnamon pecans boil
clove, pepper, black deep-fry
cocnnut pineapple puree
cream rabm, roast
garltc rum SaHte
gmger salt
honey "herry, dry
 SWEETBREADS
app les garlic savory
bacon h a:elnuts sh allots
brand y h ollanda ise sauce sh erry
bread crumbs lemon spinach
butter. espeCIally brown Madeira tarragon
capers Marsala th yme
carrots morels tomatoes
cherries mushrooms truffles
chen' il mustard walnut oil
citrus onions. especially red watercres,
ckwe oysters wine, white
com, pureed Parmesan cheese
cream parsley braise
creme frafche peas broil
curry peppers. red poach
eggs port saute

"Jump In the Mouth" Sweetbreads Sauteed with Fresh Fig and Summer
Savory-Lydia ShIre
Sweetbread Club Sandwich wIth Apple-Smoked Bacon. Fate Gras and a
Good Sauce--Joach m Sphcha
Sweetbread and Potato Salad In a Shallot and Hazelnut Dressing
-Jean Georges Vonge< c tel'

SWISS CHARD (Summer)

chtle- !trnon tomatoes
!! 1flle t,lrr..l,J n \'megar

SWORDFISH
b 11 CUrT) \' inalort'tte
~

BeauJ I,ll gmger \'inef.!.lr. hakHniL

'r lptJrUlt wine. e'r~·ci 'llly \\ hit ...
bet.'t JUI t.'
hutter kmon
L<lper mu,rard bake
Cd\ tar oh\'\: t! &rod
ch,mterelles pdr,ley grill
chi\' pme Ipple wast,
ro cmal) ,aute
c onul
cOriander tarragon
cream roma[Oc

'82
Co d Sword~sh Salad with Basil-Danlel Boulud
Gn eo Sv.ordflsh with Scallion Vmalgrette----SuSiln Feniger & Mary Sue Milliken

Sauteed Swordfish and Osetra Caviar Cake with Caviar Sauce

-Jear LOUIS Pillladr'l
Grilled Swordfish with Tomato and Roast Pepper Compote----Michael Romano
Swordfish with Gmger and Grapefruit-Jimmy Schmidt
Grilled Swordfish with Rosemary Mayonnaise----Jeremiah Tower
Roasted Swordfish with Herbs. Smoked Bacon. and Red Wine Butter
-Norrrar Van Aken
Grilled Swordfish with Basil Butter and Tomato Sauce----Jasper White

(Summer)
TOMATOES
marJoram sugar
anchovies tarragon
arugula mint
mushrooms thyme
basil vinegar, especially bal-
hread crumbs olive oil
olives samic, sherry and
Champagne
omons wIne
cheese, especially Feta,
goat, Mozzarella, and oregano
Parmesan parsley bake
pasta broil
chiles
chives pepper, black ir)'
cucumbers peppers, especially red grill
eggs saffron rau.'
garlic salt sallte
lemon seafood stew
lovage shallots

Summer Crostini With Native Tomatoes, LIttle Compton Corn. Red Onion,
and Basll--George German & Johanne Killeen
Vine-Ripened Tomato Salad With Mozzarella and Roasted Sweet Onions
-Bradiey Ogde'l
SpICY Cold Tomato and Pepper Soup Barcelona-Style-Allce Waters

Compcs,ng a o 183
 TI" ClE
mushrooms thyme
anchovies
mustard tomatoes
capers
olive oil vinegar, espec ially reJ
cherries
parsley wme
chervil
chives pepper, black
port bake
garlic
horseradish rosemary boil
lemon tarragon

TRIPE
allspice mustard truffles
nutmeg vinaigrette
bacon .
onlOns vinegar, especially red
brandy
bread crumbs pancetta wme
Calvados paprika wine
chickpeas Parmesan cheese Worcestershire sauce
cider parsley
cloves pepper, black braise
cumm prunes fry
garlic saffron poach
lemon Sauternes saute
marjoram th, me stmmer
mushroom, tomatoes

TROUT
almonds garlic vinegar, especially wine
anchnvles horseraJ ish walnuts
hacon lemon wine, white
beans, especially t1a!.!eo- mushroom"
lets parsley bake
butter, especially pears brozl
brown pepper, hlack gnU
capers PernoJ poach
cepes purt roast
cher\'il scallions saute
chiles 'iorrel sear
chIves Tabasco sauce steam
cream tomatoes

(c ""mud or f;u:ml'. page I

184 , y A y
Roasted Mam. BrooIc Trout Stuffed with Wmte' Greens, Tomato ConIII..IIIItI
Country-Cured Bacon, WIth Fmgerlm9 Potatoes and Wild M~ wtIh
Ssg6 Daniel Boulud
Saut86d Trout Stuffed WIth GarlIC, Chile, and Toasted pecsns with (3ardfIn
Tomato Relish-Chns SchleSinger

TROUT, SMOKED
horseradish olive oil
bacon IIOU1' c:re8ID
cream lemon

House-Smoked Trout WIth Apple-Chive Fritters and HorseradiSh CtMIfJ

-Bradley Ogden
GrapefrUIt and Smoked Trout with Pickled Ontons and pepper CteIItI
-Alice Waters

TRUFFLES (See also BLACK and WHITE)

chickrn ri·..
CopI8C Pa" nc:hl-
C,'IID iP I

"a-,"I'.,..e
u
 Gary Dan (
THE DIN ING ROOM AT THE RITZ-CARLTON HOT EL
San FranCISco, Calrforma

We've had three or four promotions a year where we've developed special
menus-around caviar, cheese, or truffles, for example-in order to increase
our business. Each would be kicked off with a press luncheon abo ut three
weeks before the menu debuted. For example, we'd serve truffle hors d'oeu-
vres, bring in an expert on truffles from France to provide a slide or video
show and talk about truffles, and then bring the journalists into the kitchen
where they could watch the preparation of the special menu and ask ques-
tions.
With a menu like this, you want to have the truffle speak-not any-
thing else! I started backwards, with a truffle dessert and a truffled cheese
course. Since these were both heavy on the cream, I aimed for lighter prepa-
rations of the other cour e .

Truffle Menu

Trujj1e Suup
La Gitana, Manzanilla
• • •
Seared Scallops u ith Spnng Veot!tables and Truff1es
DOTTUline 0 tertag 1990, Pinot Blanc
• • •
Lamb Mt!dallwn5 u'ith Wild Mu hrooms and Truff1ed Lamb Essence ,
Gratin Potatoes
Tinto Pesquera 1989, RIbera del Duero
• • •
Truffled Bnllat-Sat1arin
Chateau de Trignon 1985, Rasteau
• • •
Truffle Ice Cream
 (Summer)
TUNA
lemon tamarillos
alolt teriyaki sauce
anchovies lemongrass
lime thyme
artichokes tomato sauce
avocados mayonnaise
mint tomatoes
bacon vinaigrette
bay leaves mushrooms
olive oil vinegar, especially wine
beans, especially black .
onlOns wasabi
and white wine, especially white
beets parsley
capers pepper, black
peppers, especially red bake
carrots braise
caViar bell
pineapple broil
chives grill
cilantro potatoes
saffron raw
daikon
scallions TOast
dill saute
garlic seaweed
sesame sear
gmger
leek soy sauce

Roasted Tuna With Black Pepper, Parsnip Puree and Shallot Confll m Port
Wine-Dar lei Bo JIi.. d
Seared Rare Ahl Tuna With Avocado and Soy-Lemon Herb Dress ng
-G2ry Da'lko
Gnl/ed Marmated Tuna With Roasted Peppers Bok Choy, ShIItake
Mushrooms Soy and Gmger-Gary D r 0
Grdled Tuna au POlV'e With Cracked Bl.lck Pepper and Lemon Buttt:lr served
With Shoestnng Potatoes and Spmach- Joyc.e Gold IF!:1
Ahl TU'1a With a Crust of Pmk and Black Peppercorns Enhanced with Lime.
Orange. and Lemon-I-' Jb€"-r+ \(€" er
Lernon-DI/on Tuna Tartare With Rye TOdst and Scall'on O,l. M r~ tI. S'
Filet Mlgl"'o'" of Rare Tuna Capped w,fh Duck FOle Gras on Charred Omans
and a Burgundy Butter Sauce- Pat C~ 0 Cor e
Gni/ed Tuna Steak With PI'::kled Gmger Soy. Wasab,. Liang Pan. and
Jawm.ne RIce Cakc5- Chns Sch E'S ne'
Tuna Tartare MIxed With Cucumbers OnIons. Capers and Wasabl
V·na·grette- ~I 'T'Y SC~r'1I0
Yellowftn Tuna Braised With AnchOVies Tomatoes Omons Garltc and Bay
Leaves- Aile Waters

1 7
VEAL (Spring)
.H1cht, dl'
iDle gYm potatoes
garlic rosemary
,lrr b gmger sage
,lftichl1kes salmon
grapefruit
,lfw.:ula shallots
ham
hlCl1n sorrel
leeks
basil sour cream
lemon
bay leaves spinach
lime
bread crumbs sweetbreads
Madeira
butter Marsala wine tapenade
capers tarragon
morels
carrots thyme
Momay sauce
ceres tomatoes
cheese, especIally mushrooms
mustard truffles, especially white
Gnlyere and
olive oil tuna
Parmesan verbena
onions
cherYll vermouth
papnka
cider wine, espeCIally white
Parma ham
c!O\'es
corn. pureed parsley
pepper, black braise
cream roast
dill pepper,
pistachio, satHe
endive

Everyth ng goes ~ th veal LIke chicken It s a meat w.th a neutral flavor, so

you car) take It m a lot of dIfferent dlfectlons A very earthy direction would be
combm ng It g'andrrere style With bacon mushrooms potatoes, and pearl
omans, Or you car) take It ,n a bItter d rect on W th caramelIzed endive, Or
you can make the dlsn sharp by pamng the veal th capers or mustard
sauce Veals pretty bland on Its own so you need somethmg to gIve It a Mtle
b t of I fe - Te 'ane BrE.' an
Sauteed Vea Medal ons WIth Chestnuts Ce ery Root and Apples With
Potatoes F,fi-Gary Dan 0
Pan-Roasted Veal Steak ~ th Yu on Go d Potatoes Peppers and GarlIc
-Gray I< z
Sand cll of Veal and Vea Sweetbreads th Oyster Mushrooms Country
Ham and 0" on-P urn Con~ ture- Pa 0 Co
Vea Meda ons th W, d Mushroom Can on Tomato Conf t and Essence
of F: esh Sage- J a Pa e

Sa teed Vea Steaks w th Rum Planta ns and Creole Mustard Cream

A

1
VEAL CHOPS (See also VEAL)
Momay sauce tarragon
anchovies mushrooms thyme
bacon oltves to mato sauce
basil vinegar, espeCially rasp-
onion s
bay leaves berry and wme
paprika
bread crumbs watercress
Parmesan cheese
caper, wIne
parsley
chervil
pepper, black
Cognac braise
peppers
garlic broil
potatoes
ginger roast
rosemary
lemon saute
Madeira shallots
morels sorrel

Roasted Veal Chop and Sweetbreads with Rosemary. Winter Root

Vegetables. and Sweet Garlic-Oar:; Boulud
Seared Veal Chop with Parmlglano-Reggiano Spmach and Soft Polenta
-Gary Danko
Veal Chops with Shltake Mushrooms-Mark Peel

VEAL KIDNEYS (See also KIDNEYS)

bacon ~111 par~ley
bean, c pc lall\ \\ hit JUniper berm: h,tllob
brandy lemon wme
hu trcr morel
Co!:!fl<lC mushroom hake
c rdnhe rne mustard moil
cream nurme o grill
Lurry 011111ll! £lute
garlic papn k.l

VEAL SHANKS (Winter)

cd rrOb lemon ro c mary
garlic onion age
gn:mol,n il pa r~ l e} th yme
honc\ pepper, hLlCk wine, white
VEAL SWEETBREADS (See also SWEETBREADS)
d. mushrooms braise
brJn \ onions broil
Cognac tomatoes saute'
cray f j,I1

(Fall)
VENISON port
garlic
apples goat cheese prickly pears
bacon horseradish prunes
bananas huckleberries rosemary
barley juniper berries sweet potatoes
bav leaf Madeira tarragon
bearnalse ,auce thyme
marjoram
brandy mushrooms vinegar, espeCIally red
cherries, especially black wine
mustard
chestnuts wine, especially red
chiles, espeCially ancho Onions
and poblano orange,
parsnips braIse
cider ~ll
coriander seeds pears
pepper, black mast
cream sallte
currants, red pomegran,Hc'

Honey and Cumin Glazed Lom of Vemson WIth Foie Gras EndIVe, KohlrabI,
Orange Zest, and Pine Nuts--Dan el BOIJlud
Medal/Jons of Venison with Purees of Parsntp Sweet Potato and Mushrooms
-Te'rance Brennan
Cervena Venison Pepper Steak With Mushroom Spaetzle Butternut Squash
Flan, and Caramelized Parsnlp-Charles Palmer
VenIson WIth Mustards and Chlles-JlrT'my Schmidt
Roasted Racks of Venison, One of Sweetened Chestnut, the Other of Biller
Chocolate-Lydia Sh fe
(See also Charite Palmer's venison recipe on pages 192-193)

WALNUTS (Fall)
caramel f"h "ddLl"
Lepe mll hrL>Utn ,herry
chee~es, especially pork :ucdul1l
Roquefort and port
tilton ralsm

f
 --- - -
Mignons of Cervena Venison
Charlie Palmer
AUREOLE
N ew York , Ne w York

This recipe, 1 think, represents my style of food-complementary, big flavors;

a bit complex in its preparation in some ways, but really a concentration of
big, strong flavors. It's robust. It's solitude. It's the kind of dish that makes
you sit up and take notice. That's what I really try to do with every kind of
recipe I create.
SERVES 4

For the squash

3 tablespoons butter
2 shallots, peeled and minced
"2 medIum butternut squash. peeled, seeded, and cut into liZ-inch dice
3 1/2 (Ur' chIcken stock
1/2 tetl'pfHln nutmeg
1/2 tea'poon mace

Place the hutter m ,1 medium ~aure Pdn and melt over medium hear. Add the
shallot and '-lute 2 mmute~. Add the yua~h Hnd toss together. ext, add all
the remammg mgredlent'> and cook ~Iowly for ah,)Ut 12 to 15 minute" ,tlf-
nng occa I nail). Hold warm after almo.,t all the srock is absorbed.

For the pOl"tobellos

2 large porwJ-,e1lo mushroom caps

2 taJ-,le.,poons extra virgm olive oil
1 tahlespoon b.tbamic vinegar
 ---------
1 clove garlic. sliced thin
1 tablespoon salt and cracked pepper

ms with olive oil and vinegar. Top with garlic slices. season.
Brus h mus hro O
. an oven preheated to 500 0 for 7 to 8 minutes. Hold warm.
an d roast m

Fm· the "enison and sauce

2 cups Beaujolais wine
2 finely minced shallots
1 herb sachet including thyme. bay leaf. peppercorns
1 1/2 cups good venison glace or veal glace
8 3-ounce mignons of Cervena venison (cut from the Denver leg).
1-1 1/4 inch thick
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil for searing
1/4 cup sun-dried currants (reconstituted in warm water)
4 tablespoons cassis for degla:ing

1. Begin by reducing the wine. shallots. and sachet to 1/2 cup of liquid. Add
the glace and reduce by 1/2 (about 20 minutes at a mediumimmer). Skim
the sauce and strain into a bowl. Reserve.
2. Season the Cervena venison with ·alt and pepper. In a very hot saute pan,
heat the canola oil. Place the mignons in the pan and sear for about 2 to 3
minutes or till almost crusty. Tum the mignom and sear the other Ide for an
additional 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove from the pan to a planer and drain
any grease. Add the cassis to the pan along with the drained currants. Finally,
add the base sauce and bring to a boil. Adjust the seasoning and hold warm.
3. Reheat the -quash and poon into the center of 4 warm dinner plates. Set
2 mignons atop each bed. Slice the warm porrobellos and lay a few pieces
over each mignon. Bring the sauce back to a boil and spoon generously

. __ _-_ _------- --- -----_

over the meat. Serve very hot.
... .. .. _--_ .. _-- - ... ..

1 3
c p s a D
 (Spring)
WATERCRESS walnuts
oranges
beets oregano
chicory parsley puree
eggs thyme raw
endive vinaigrette
mustard

(Winter)
YAMS (See also SWEET POTATOES)
persimmons maple
apricots
butter

YOGURT
honey radishes
apples
mint raspberries
bananas
nuts, especially hazel- strawberries
blueberries
nuts watercress
carrots
coconut oats
cucumber OnIons
granola peache,

194 A
 (Spring- Summer)
ZUCCHINI parsley
and Ricotta
cilantro pesto
cinnamon pignoli
cloves rosemary
cream sage
dill salmon
eggplant tarragon
garlic thyme
hazelnuts tomatoes
lemon vinegar
anchovies marjoram walnuts
basil mint
bread crumbs bake
mushrooms
butter olive oil fry
cayenne .
omans saute
cheese, especially Feta,
Gruyere, Parmesan, oregano

Tinga de Verduras: An Earthenware Casserole of Grilled Zucchini and

Woodland Mushrooms with Smoky Roasted Tomato Sauce, Fresh Cheese,
Avocado, and White Rice-Rick Bayless
Sauteed Zucchini with Sun-Dried Tomatoes-Susanna Faa
Baked Eggplant, Zucchini and Parmigiano Tort'no-{v1lchael Romano
Parmesan-Fned Zucchini with White Bean Hummus-Lyd a St -e

1
 ---S-E-A--::S:-::O:--:N~I::N:-:G~M;-A;:T;'Cr.:;H-';E~S:MMA D E -, N- H E A VE N

ACHIOTE
meat, white rice
chicken
fish pork

ALLSPICE
beef grains spinach
beets lamb squash
cabbage meats stews
carrots onions sweet potatoes
corned beef pumpkin tomatoes
fruit pies rabbit turnips
game soups

ANCHOVY
Caesar salad pizza puttanesca
pissaladlere potatoe~ tapenade

ANISEED
heet caulitlower melon
breads ... _ert sauerkraut
cabbage fl h seafood
carrOb

BASIL
cheese, e pecially omon~ hellfish, especially crah
Mozzarella and pa ta ~auces and shrImp
Parme an peto soups
chicken pimiento sweet peppers
duck pizza tomatoes
eggplant pork turtle soup
egg potatoes veal
fish rabbit vegetable , especially
lamb salad green , Mt..Jiterranean
liver especially dandelion vinegars
olive oil and rocket zucchini

If I had to choose Just one plant for the whole herb garden I shou d be c •
tent WIth basIl Bast! enhances almost anythmg WIth wh ch t s coo ed
-E zabel Da d

196
y A I
 BAY LEAF
pates soups
reans stews
potatoes
game terrines
risotto
grains tomatoes
shellfish
lentils

BEANS, FERMENTED BLACK

poultry shellfish
fish

CAPERS
omons tomatoes
fish

CARAWAY
bread, especially rye pork soups
cabbage potatoes turnips
cheese, especially sauerkraut
Muenster sausage,

CARDAMOM
chicken lentils rIce
coffee meat qUd,h
currIe, ,wcerme..J{'
duck pea,

CASSIA
apple, cou_cou, peas
chocolate lentil, rewed fruit

CAYENNE
ch ee e JlIce~ fi,h po[,)wes
Corn lob,ter rlU.'
crah
onions ~arJmc
'grlJnt pepper tomatoe
 CEl ERY SEEDS
peas stuffing,
eggplant tomatoes
potatoes
eggs
fish

CHERVIL
fish soups
asparagus spinach
carrots peas
potatoes tomatoes
cheese
salads veal
chicken
sauces venIson
eggs

CHILES
bananas corn pineapple
heans fruit, especially CItrus nce
chutney~ ketchup

CHIVES
... alad~ sole
fl,h hdlfl h 'ours
p(.ratoe)

CHOCOLATE, BITTER
roultr~
game rar! It

CILANTRO (CORIANDER LEAVES)

avocado m,,~unnal'C aha.,
chicken pcpper ,hellfi,h
fhh pork tl101at(}Cs
Ice cream nee Y°l!urt
lamb root vegetable
lentils salads

I ve used fresh leaf conander. which IS vaguelyamsey. m fce cream

w th a fig tart It s a very mce combmatlon
d 6'f S (;r

1
 CINNAMON oranges
coffee
apples custards pears
at'goiemo no fruit compotes rice
berries tea
lamb
chicken mulled wine zucchini
chocolate

CINNAMON BASIL
fruit veal
creme angl aise

I use cmnamon basil to flavor poaching liqUids for frUlf.-Llndsey Shere

CLOVES
lamb tea
apples tomatoes
mmcemeat
beets walnuts, candied
game pumpkin
sausage wine, especially mulled
ham

COCONUT
chicken fruit
orange~
custard

CORIANDER
lamb ~tuffing
curry
fish lentils tomatoe-
ham pork turke~

CUMIN
beans lamb potatoes
chicken lentib nee
couscous peas -ausages
CUlT) pickles soups
eggplant pork tew
fl h

- mud next
 CUMIN (continued)
Anyone who loves the food of MeXICO loves cumm which IS usually com-
bmed with chiles and peppers in that country In Colombia and other parts 1')/
South America, you'll see cumin combined with cilantro and scallion If)
Morocco. you 'll see it with cinnamon. red peppers. and saffron. And In India
you 'lI see it combined with cardamom and coriander.
So one spice can take you to many countries, depending on what you do
with It It becomes a question of where you want to be what country you
want to be m. when you cook with that spice.-Lydia Shire

DILL
beets cream sauces scallops
breads eggs seafood
cabbage fish sour cream
carrots lamb tomatoes
chicken pickles veal
crayfish potatoes
cucumbers salmon

011115 not an herb I m crazy about. so I don't like chopped dill In a dish. But
/'1/ cook something like salmon on a bed of It. and the fragrance It Imparts IS
enough.-Dan e BOJlud

FENNEL
boUillabaz se herring sauerkraut
cabbage lenub sausage
chicken pork sea hass
cucumher mackerel seafood
duck olives soup
eggs pork suckling pig
figs poultry tomaroe~
fish red mullet veal
goose alami

FENUGREEK
chicken legumes rabbit
curries potatoe

A
GARUC beets
rice
cabbage
ehelIftIh
.pnach
chicken to'DatcM'"
eggplant zucc:hini
fish
lamb
lentils
mushrooms
pasta
pork
beans potatoes
beef

GINGER pumpkin
caaOll
ham
ice cream rice
chicken melon tometoe'
cbaco'are onions
fruit
giIiFlbread pork

Each mgredient does a different dance. Each dish das, a .~ dE __

u"iNne anglalS6 with ginger does a soft. dreamY waltz. When , .hlnk d •
spicy pork stir-fry with ginger. I get an IrIJIIgB 01 a big dtInt» IIoof will ,.,.. d

Bach oIher. and suddBnIy breaking out intO their own

HorIIat van Aken
m...
'~Bnts doing a real ensrgstiC danCe with the gtttIiC IIIfd chII. - -
J..~""IkS"

ahuji H.
LAVENDER
lamb stew
fruit
ice creams rabbit

LEMON
fish shellfish
chicken
oysters veal
desserts

LEMONGRASS
chicken pork soups
fish shellfish

LEMON THYME
,
carrots potato puree stews
eggs rabbit stuffings
lamb ;,alad

LEMON VERBENA
dessert up lamb mushrooms
ice cream

LOVAGE
chicken haricot bean oups
cream cheese pork tew
f1 h soup potatoe veal
green rabbit

MAPLE SYRUP
carrots ham pumplcms
desserts omons ribs
fruit
NU MEG sausages, c'ipcClally
broccoli lamb
mutton blood and pork
cabbage souffles
carrots pasta
potatoes spinach
cauliflower stuffings
cheese pumpkin
raIsIns veal
custards
eggs ricotta cheese
fruits nce

OREGANO
mushrooms quail
artichokes
pasta rabbit
beans
peppers sausage
chicken
eggplant pl::a tomatoes
fi"h and fhh 'Oup' pork veal
potatoe· zucchini
lamh

PAPRIKA
cauhtl \\;cr ~ ula h shellfish
chICken 1mb strogdnoff
cr. b veal
fish tC\\ n e

PARSLEY
chi ken mu hr In nee
eggplam mu el ~cofooJ
egg p ta snalb
fih pe romatoe
game pot a toe :ucchinl
lenni poultry

PEANUTS
beef noodle shrimp
chicken
rc PER, BLACK steaks
pork
cheese strawberries
poultry
eggs roast beef tomatoes
fish veal
salad
game sausages
lamb soup
pfefferniiesse

PISTACHIOS rice
leeks
asparagus sausages
pasta
chicken
ice cream
pates

POMEGRANATE SYRUP
game walnuts
beef
duck lamb

POppy SEEDS
fruit nce
breads
curries noodles

ROSEMARY
beans, especially dried lamb poultry
and fava mushrooms salmon
chicken ontons spinach
fish, oily (e.g., macker- oranges steaks
el, sardines) peas veal
game pork suckling pig
grains potatoes

I remember makmg a rosemary and muscat wme sherbet almost twenty

years ago -lindsey Shere

ROSEWATER
cream cheese fruit salad ice creams
cu tard ICe strawberries
SAFFRON
bouillabaIsse mussels shellfish
chicken paella soup
curries nce tomatoes
fish risotto
lamb sauces

SAGE
duck offal roasts
eggplant peas stuffings
fish pork tomatoes
game poultry tuna
goose ravioli veal
liver

SAVORY
beans lamb peas
chicken liver legume- poultry, grilled
egg lentil rabbit
goat chee meat , gnlleJ soups

SESAME SEEDS
bread fi h shellfish
chicken halvah tahini
chickpe lamb
eggplant noodle

SORREL
egg meats soups
fih poultry stuffings
lentil shellfl h

SOUR CREAM
borscht fruit potatoe
caviar

A
STAR ANISE poultry
leeks pumpkin
chestnutS pastry scallops
duck pears shrimp
eggs pork
fish

SUMAC lentils
kebabs
chicken
fish

TAMARIND pears
lamb poultry
chicken lentils
curries nce
peaches
fish

TARRAGON salads
fish, especially salmon
artichokes ole
beamaise sauce lobster
meats, white spinach
carrots stuffings
mushrooms
chicken tomatoes
crustaceans, especially onions
veal
lobster potatoes
eggs rabbit

THYME
goat cheese pork
beef potatoes
carrots lamb
lentlls soups
chicken tomatoes
figs onions
peas venison
fish

TURMERIC
beans lamb paella
chicken lentils nce
curry meats, white shellfish

D 20
V NILLA
fish plums
apples shellfish
fruit
apricots souffles
ice cream
chocolate
custards

VINEGAR, BALSAMIC
strawberries tomatoes
steaks

You can get tIred of balsamIc vmegar-It's one of those overused mgredl-
ents. Many trendy restaurants use a lot more balsamIc vmegar than any
Itahan restaurant ever would.-Mark Pee'

WASABI
sashimi sushi
--- --- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --
AROUND THE WORLD WITH FLAVORS
-
If you'd like to cook with flavors and ingredients inspired by a certain part of the
world, refer to this list:

AFRICAN
garlic peanuts
chiles
grains of paradise
cumin

ARGENTINIAN
chorizo cumtn
beef nce
chiles com

ARMENIAN
parsley yogurt

AUSTRALIAN
shellfi h tropical fruits and
fish
vegetables
meats

AUSTRIAN
cream cheese paprika poppy seeds
omons

BRAZILIAN
beans, black garlic rice
chtles limes scallions
cilantro pineapple~

CAJUN
chll hot ~auce romatoe
eray£: h eafood

209
 CANADIAN
maple

CANTONESE
pork shark skin
ginger
scallions soy sauce
mushrooms
nuts

CARIBBEAN
glI1ger pineapples
allspice
avocad()~ gua\'3S plantains
Jerk pork
hananas
beam, e~peCially red lime.; rum
chile· mace seafood
cilantro mangot.:~ sligar
clI1namon mlI1t sweet potatoes
clove nutmeg tomatoes
coconut okr.l vanilla
curry papa)Ol
garlic pa ton fruit

CHILEAN
cllantw onion seafood
tomatoe~
crn orange
garit plmlent<
meat nee

CHINESE
bll
.
gmger hnmp
bean prout hOI \I1 now pea
bok choV mushroom soy auce
cardamom nce star ani e
c la scallion tofu
conander se ame vlOegar, nee wane
garlic hmake wine, rice

A
o
 Susanna Foo on Cross-Cultural Ingredient
Substitutions/Enhancements
In Americanizing her Chinese cuisine, Susanna Faa learned to make sub-
stitutions of readily available ingredients that were in many cases of better
quality and flavor than the authentic ingredients available.

Substitution/Enhancement
Ingredient
artichoke hearts
bamboo shoots

dried leaf cabbage sun-dried tomatoes

hoisin sauce enhanced with brandy

hoisin sauce
oyster sauce enhanced with onions
oyster sauce

peanut or sesame oil soybean or corn oil; olive oil (in salads)

balsamic vinegar (in salads and stews)

rice vinegar
cider vinegar (in sauces)

nee wme brandy (with rork)

gin (wIth fish)
Madeira (with red meat and game)
vermouth (wIth fbh, shellfish, ;md whIte meat)
vodka (with fi~h, "hellfi"h, ,md white meat)
whIskey (with rork)

S:eehuan peprers t-lexlGm ancho chIles

soy sauce Kikkoman 0\ sauce

COLOMBIAN
coconut ontons
com rlmiento~

CORSICAN
BrocclO cheL'Se o\t\'cs tomatoes
emu frUI

p o
 CREOLE
okra seafood
alcohol spices
bananas pineapples
rum tomato
chiles

DANISH
cream potatoes
butter
dill tarragon
chives

DUTCH
fish seafood

EAST INDIAN
aromatics curry saffron
coconut mint turmeric
coriander

ENGLISH
bacon potatoes
chec e "arne Worcestershire sauce
cucumber mu tan'!
dill 03

EUROPEAN
caraway gmger saffron
cmnamon JunIper heme -esame
clove mu tard \'antlla
coriander nutmeg
fennel poppy eed

FINNISH
milk mushroom

212 A
 FRENCH
cream parsley
apples
eggs stock
butter tarragon
garlic
cheese herbs truffles
chervil wine
olive oil
chives
White wme, cream, and the delicate herb known as tarragon are three of the
foundations for classic French cuisine.--Craig Claiborne

GERMAN
mustard sorrel
caraway seeds thyme
pepper
dill poppy seeds vinegar
juniper berries

GREEK
marjoram parsley
cinnamon
mint nee
clove spinach
garlic olive oil
olives thyme
goat cheese
orepno tomatoes
honey
OUZO yoeurt
lemon

HUNGARIAN
bacon mushrooms
beets onions
caraway seed. paprika
dill penley

IIIiIe f Mel
.e' M ,EM'"
pi
1 ,

...
s-
_, I > 1,
 INDONESIAN
cumin mint
basil peanuts
brown sugar curry
garlic nee
chiles soy sauce
ginger
cilantro sugar
lemongrass
cinnamon
coconut lime

IRANIAN
rice yogurt
almonds
aromatics saffron

IRISH
cabbage oysters rye
oats potatoes

ITALIAN
basil olive oil spinach
cheese, e pecially rna • oregano tomatoes
carpone, Mozzarella pancetta vinegar, especially red
and Panne an pasta wtne
garlic r emary

JAMAICAN
all pice jerk pepper
gtnger

JAPANESE
garlic scallions ugar
gInger sesame vinegar, rice
nce shiitakes wasabi
salce soy sauce wine, rice

14
A
 peanuts
oregano
marjoram

KOREAN soy sauce

sesame
brown sugar
chiles

LATIN AMERICAN potatoes

corn
achiote nee
garlic
beans, red plantains
chiles

LEBANESE
sesame oil
bulgur

MAL YSIAN
chiles lemongrass
cardamom
coconut

MEDITERRANEAN
garlic parsley
anchovies
olive oil tomatoes
coriander

MEXICAN
avocados com pork
beans cumm nce
chiles epazote scallions
chocolate garlic tomatoes
cilantro lime vanilla
cmnamon peppers

21
p n g
MIDDLE EASTERN
fenugreek pomegranates
anise poppy seeds
chiles garlic
h oney saffron
cilantro sesame
cinnamon lemon
mint sumac
coriander tahini
cumin olive oil
oregano tamarind
dill tomato
eggplant parsley
pignoli yogurt
fennel

MOROCCAN
cumm mint
almonds
eggplant olives
chickpeas
fruit onions
cilantro
ginger saffron
cinnamon
harissa tomato
coriander
couscous lemon, dried

NORTH AFRICAN
conander garlic mint
cumm gram of paradise rill el hanout
fenugret:k lemon saffron

NORWEGIAN
cod hernng sour cream
dill almon

PAKISTANI
fruit nce spices
legume

PERUVIAN
chiles lime tomatoes
com omons
PHILIPPINE vmegar
soy sauce
garlic
rice

POLISH sauerkraut
mushrooms
dill potatoes sour cream
fish
kielbasa

PORTUGUESE
potatoes
cod
cabbage nee
eggs
chiles
garlic
chorizo
olive oil
cilantro

PUERTO RICAN
lime plantains
achiote
ginger

ROMANIAN
root vegetables tomatoes
garlic

RUSSIAN
dill potatoes
beets
mushrooms sour cream
cabbage
caraway seeJs parsley

SCANDINAVIAN
butter dill pepper
chives horseradish potatoes
cream mushrooms vinegar

c p s n a 217
SCOTTISH
potatoes
oats

SINGAPOREAN
coconut scallion s
chiles turmeric
onions
cinnamon

SOUTH AMERICAN
allspice chorizo fruits, especially tropical
coriander garlic
beans
chiles com rice

SOUTH SEAS
coconut gmger red curry

SOUTHEAST ASIAN
chtle gmger scallions
curry leaes lemongr turmeriC
garltc nutmeg

SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES

chile clove nuts
amse cumin nce
caJeta fruit • especially tropical age
cinnamon Jumper bernes

SPANISH
almonds coriander oranges
anchoVies cumin papnka
beans prIic: parsley
capers nuts peppen
chtles olive oil pork
chocolate olav nee
cinnamon OOIQI05
 sweet peppers turmeric
saffron tomatoes
seafood vanilla

SRI LANKAN
cardamom cinnamon

SWEDISH
juniper berries reindeer
dill
gravlax

SWISS
chocolate sausages
bacon
cheese meats

SYRIAN
peppers, especially red pistachios pomegranates
pignoli

SZECHUAN
chiles ginger peanuts
fathlaUCC leeb Szechuan pepper
prlic

mint
peanua
....
pewer
,.,.,ind
umeric:
 a single song but rflther the
entire concert. Still, a menu IS
more than merely a hst of <.il hes.
At its best, it communicate a
chef's personality and point of
view, and offers a significant
opportunity for artistic expres_
sion. The writing of a menu can
be approached as poetry or liter-
ature, with the aim of ChOOsing
words that impart meaning to
.
the expenence f the dish or heighten diners'
0 , . '
expectation of it, or amuse
. h h morous or clever twist on looking at It. A menu should eXcite
t h em Wit a u
the palate, starting with the very words chosen to describe the dishes. A
menu can tell a story, just as a theater or opera performance can, such as the
story of an ingredient, a region of the world, or a tlme In history. The phYSI-
cal menu itself should also be aesthetically pleaSing. Menus in history, In fact,
have sen'ed as showcase_ for the artistic talent of the likes of Manet and
Picasso.
However, the art f camp ing a menu i~ too often overiookeJ. For
example, the food media frequently place mllch more emphasis on the recipe
for and pre entation 01 a Ingl I h th n on It, rldce In the pruce '~Ion of a
menu that tll!!h It. And con umen 111 hd re ulre I m "h.lw-it-your-way"
expectatlon on the p rt of r taur nt dmer who now count on ha\'lOg the
freed m to rder \\hat vcr the} "ant whenever the\' want it Unf rtunatelh
diner - ha\e thereb robbed (hem elve 01' th» expeneme of culinary .utl t '
full expre Ion of their ( lent through the coml ed mcnu which ilrc the
be t exem la of (hclr cUlm. Chez Pam e 1 alone among leadmg rbtau-
rants In It pollq of offenn o a 10 Ie menu-"lth lit cholces--tO alii JlII-
er, ahhou h other n: taurant m ffer chef' t rmg menu that I deter-
mmed at the ch f' JI retlon,
The pnnclpl com 10 ' a menu tern from the dire t) m IXlffilZe
[he Impact on both the palate and the per n over contmuum of time. How
can rhe} bes en) ) a ene f ta tc and texture ? The Ide of gradmg i.lnJ
equence-pr gr 109 10 a meal from lighter to hca\ ler JI he and from "hlte
to red .... m ,for example-t\o!\'e from thl de lTe. What the palare hex!' -
nenced 10 the pre\ IOU dl h" III 10 fact ffeet it) enjoyment of (h current n
(A .... eet dl h eaten after a "eeter ne" n't t te W et a .... h nth

e are o;ened 10 the feVe~ rdef, £ rex mple.) And h ).... n

e~penen e he be ten) ) ed' Cenamly It helps ( ha\C Wcl I
t at I ppealmg t ) all the n ,with the )(x! n d n pi

4
 n b.:autt surroundings, perhaps with appropriate music. Of course,
tul
l
-hll1,l,
_
1d 'nurateurs together serve as t11e contro 11'mg rlorces W h 0 ensure t h at
-h.:b ,111 res, 'bl
L - , ' t 1tal experience IS as pleasurable as POSSI e.
t
h.: dm.:r:,
Just asl a frame.
will have a subtle but appreCla 'ble Impact
' on how we
' ting within it, so do the accoutrements of a meal affect our aes-
\.j.:W, t he pam '.:nce of it. The appointments of the table-from the centerpiece
en
rhetl e exr 'are-affect our reception of the food that is served in its pres-
w~g~W I " whICh may range from poltshed ' '
even the eating utenstls, stiver to
d
el1e e, as d achopsticks. (We were once pleasantly and memorably served just a
lacqu ere . '
, h of a fragrant broth in flat Chmese-style white spoons as an amuse-
SiP eae
ule by Manhattan chef Ed Brown!)
gue This is not to say that composing a menu applies only to twelve-course
, gs I'n fine surroundings. Imagine the same level of thought and care
rast tn
applied to a lunch break or a weekend picnic! The art of composing a menu
has to do with making the most of the food experience, no matter how brief
or modest. It has to do with designing the overall food experience-not only
through a series of dishes but through thoughtful attention to each compo-
nent of a menu {which may also include such items as wines, specialty teas
and coffees, bread, and cheese} as well a~ its pre,~enration (whether in a pic-
nic basket or on Bemardaud china~). The purpoe of provlJing some of the
principles of menu composition I~ not to put chef~ into ,tralt)nckct" of rule-
following but to liberate their creath'e Imaginari n through a m re complete
understanding of cui mary C3U"e and effect.

·'\Y./e've I r rh t en~e
The Menu as Shared Experience oi the menu. a com-
position." says Mark Miller. "The Idea of a holt tic exrertcnce, a hared per-
ceptual experience. as opp eJ to 'orJerin u omething'-I think that' part oi
what food has lo~t. 1t\ becl me commercial. Women ch fs In particular are
much more attached to menu:>. The' are, I believe, much more concerned
With creating a eme of family,
the bonding of food and [he
SOCial rroce" and the menu
Itself and how thmgs How from
One thmg to the other. There's
an emotional quotient to food
that I thmk women understand
better than men."
In the earl) day~ of Che:
Pan , M'll
, I er recall, "It wa
mc.e beca use e\ el)one came for

22
p a M
 . h b' l' t order. There wa~ this feeling of shared (intlcl_
I
a mea, without t ea I Ity I n ' t actU:1 II Y know
, '0 t someth ing where they d'd
, 110 eople commg m 0
patLOn- P , " he says, "Looking across the room, you'd ee
h hey were gomg to get, d
w at t ' h thing and everyone be ing surpnse ,and everyone
everyone eatmg t e sa m e , , h h'
'Ch Panisse experience rather t an t elf own expeTl_
being a part 0 f a ez b ' 'Th
' d their own famil y, their own usmess meeting. ey
ence- thelr own ate,
were part of a larger whole."

Menu Planning in World History

China cold hot dishes
France entree salad
cheese dessert
Germany feu: or no hors d'oellvres
Great Britain,S des:ert cheese course
Iud) , U. S. alad entree
Japan mIld spicy dishes

The principles behind menu

The Principle of the Thing compo ition are useful to under-
-tanding how to de ign a meal for maximum effect. Even if doing so involve
breaking the rule put forward, at lea tit' bemg done with con dous inten-
tion In tead of haphazard whIm, with the hoped.for result being the maxi·
mizatlon of plea ure on the part of the dmer.
orne of the key factor underlymg menu compo luon mclude the
season, both for it Impact on the Ingredients that are at thear peak and the
usual daily weatheT/temperature; the guests; the OCCasion or theme; and the
availability of time and other resource . Grading (an ascension of flavors and
texture from Irghter and milder to heaVier and stronger), conmuCS (m
color, texture, and temperature, for example), and the non...,.epttUIO" of
ingredient and gaml hes {unless for COnsciOUS effect} are all Important
Gue ts should leave the table tWled, never hurriedly ruahed nor unc
fortably full.
 Examples of Grading Principles in a Menu
light rich textures
delicate full-bodied consistencies
subtle strong flavors
complex simple flavors
white brown meats
white dark breads
red (more complex) wines
white (simpler)
light dark chocolates

"Menu planning is something that people do

'Tis the Season at home, for themselves and when they're
cooking for family and friends," notes Altce Waters. "It's very, very impor-
tant to understand the principles, I think. And a complex thing to do." For
Waters, there's no question where the process start. The first factu, m ,.,Jttmg together a menu is the
"Obviously, it's what's in the market, what' eason- season. With Its particular produce and style of
a!. That's number one," she says. "I jmt go and look, cookmg the season provides the keynote for the
and I really don't decide before I look. What If what whole meal
I wanted wasn't ripe, or wasn't there! I have orne Currc SKy
ideas, of course; when you get used to domg thl , YOU look through boob
and get Ideas, and then go to the market.
"When I'm doing a menu, I'm thtnkmg about what kind of day It is,
what I feel like eating. If it's cold, do 1 feel like eatmg some w(lrm oup, or If
it's hot outside, do I crave something \'ery ,irople hke a tomato ~alaJ? Then
Immediately I think about what ete need~ to be with that," a):, Waters.

Once cheL know the larder L)f ingredient that are

The Audience availahle and of the bbt quality, they mu~t rrive to
present them in ways that Will be~t plea_e their cu~tomeL. "The compO~ltlon of
a menu should ret1ect who you are aHumg the menu for," ay· Dante! Boulud.
Charlte Palmer belie\'c;s that chefs hould undeNanJ how their client
feel and know \\ hat they like, and not assume that everyone in the arne party
ha Imllar preferences. "For example, one of our good customer lo\'e~ to ~tart
u; With fme gras and Sauterne. It' perfect for huu," say Palmer, "but hi
1 w uld preler
Wile r .
a Imp Iealad, ~erved with ~omethmg aCidIC. . Our .Job.I to
r ea e each cu tamer."
 CHEFS ON THE ORDER OF A MENU

(:arnru- Cumumkv E""fficl' .1 (1/>,l1IC " ~ CicOTgt.? (]enll0n Terrance Terrance

kai"'k, 111<'<11 and Jo/llmnl' Brennan Brennan's
/('{l"cn comments
colJ entrt-c ()y~h' rs or ll1ll ku ~ II kc (1))1II.ll·' · gHl'ltles , amuses, e.g., You want it to be interesting,
(or salad) t:,itv.ar or ( ,11\ ;l SS( 'rlllll' l\l SlIl' h , h pa,'l,LI smoked salmon but nut to take their
slI\oh'd salm - 01 I Illy cl.,b"r- Iwr.l d ' Ol'ltt'Tl" or scallops, breath away.
Iln or hnl ,lIe ,kltea,',,',,) ,'r "C'PI'UllIllO hearts of palm
hors d'0(,IWT(,5 s('f\ '~d 1"11 h s"h~
.. salad
"H'P'
vegetable hot entree IjOIlI' SOliI' :Int'I""'", soup or
soup or soup ....g .. \, ~" hd appctizer,
c.g. , oysters

roasted or I helighter foie gras

braised fillet prep'Harioll uf
of beef with pasta ur rtsotto
lazedvegera
bles or rice
andjILs

rhe heaVIer
preparation of
pasta or risotto

poached or fish fish fish, light (sea You want to progress with
.s "shimi
patineed fish bass, hali but) flavors, serving the more
or fish stew to heavy (cod, delicate fish first, followed hy
salmon, tuna) the stronger fish. YclU could
start with sea has" in a
vinaigrette, follouoeJ by
scallops u'ith black [ruIIk,.
followed bv salmon u'ilh
hOTserLuitsh

sorbet relevc.s
 n. \~'S I ("'..1 knd 111.1111 C. Hlr~l' III (.'111 n.'c:-; grilled Inc..·~'t nl~in cour~e, rneat or
"'u h \-Cl.!cr ... hles I'llUltl \, 1ll\';1f t'.~., rneat If po" ible, 1 like to leave It
galne
lli" g ..tl1h~ up to tile guest to select wltat
tlley want-beef, lamb, (yf
game.
pasr J I n ';1~1 tHt.':\(
lll" g~une

<,II,hl (,,,1.1,1\ ~" la,1

\"'g"t:lhlc~ rill' di.,ll

l' .g. ,,,,,hi

TllI'" '''liP

(,lit I,'IIW!"

, hl'l'~"S cheeses

wrbet May be served in a fruit soup.

d,'$~l:1 t it lilt dessert dessert

(k . .",lt d,'s'l'l t
(/>(11/\$,'11<'. Ill'
c'1l';11lI III hllitl
coffee You want guests to have
Ct .Ik,', j'c'flll t t', \ something sweet with their
petits fours
t~I\OI, .mel coffee.
ell< leI ,1.It"~

chocolates At the very end of the meal,

it's another little surprise
that allows you to surpass
all expectations.

IiqUl'urs and 'flirt!'

In order to meet the needs of his customers, Daniel Boulud ensure~ that
the lunch and dinner menus at Restaurant Daniel provide reduced-calorie
selections, such as the following:

Appetizers

Artichoke Stuffed with Leeks, Beets, and Horseradish VinaigTette

Lobster Salad with Cucumber, Tomato, Romaine Lettuce
and a Yogurt Mint Dressing
Sliced Sea Scallops Steamed v.'ith Lemon Grass and Vegetables

Main Courses

Warm Chicken Salad tlith Young Spinach, Artichokes, Tomato,

and Q Shallot) us
Gnlled Salmon m a Fennel, Citrtls, and Star Anise Broth
Roasted Free-Range Chicken WIth Hcer and Sour Lemon Sauce,
Gla;:ea Carrots. and Yoan,!; Scallions

J c G ld tcm ree that chef: hould try to know who they're cook-
me for. "Bee u th n )OU can e luc them~" he l.mghs. "If you know they
t k ~ nd rfu1 trI to Greece I t ) e.lr, you (em reawaken their memories
b, f\ 10 a Gre -10 plred menu. Or VOU l-cm Imply cook them a favorite
dl h th t u kn (urn them on, nd et It in front of them without saying
a \\ rd. Feedm e pI I h·c ndm them a lo\e letter."
Ih t J ,01 tem h p for in re pon e! "When a plate I set
do~n m front th m, I \\ant their e)e [0 light up and for them to say,
o Joh" he a . AnJ on e the) ta te it, I want them [0 smile and ay,
II

'Ahhhl' "

Th omeflme a particular ingredient serves as the

enu emes theme for an enure menu. Ahce Waters was partie-
ularl m plred by a meal he'd had 10 a Japanese restaurant. "I had a ftsh that
\\a aitve, th t they hUed on the pot," he remembers. "They took the filet
t
ff ne Ide nd grilled It. and the other id was hced for sashlml ri8h on
th c unter And the bone were deep-fried It a great idea for
und tandmg that fISh. and an Inspiration for menu
- Rick Bayless
FRONTERA GRIll and TOPOlOBAMPO
Chicago. llJinOO

M menu works well, I believe, because it unveils snapshots of personalities, histoties, and emotions from a
~ place. There is a vivid Oaxac:m melody that runs throu~ the whole, staning with the brash and smoky
c;hilts pasi/las oamquenos. stuffed With shredded pork, nestled mto tangy greens, and soothed with 80ft and
saUCy black beans· All the fire and tang resolve into the comfort of creamy, luxurious squash blossom soup,
then the flavors begin to swell with the charcoaled shrimp. roasted vegetables, and tender little dumplings, all
<foused with the COOCerltrated verdant herbiness of the classic Oaxaca green mole. Black mole captivates all
the I1C1I8eS with its inky rich complexity over the savoriness of roast lamb and the sweetness of nut-austed
pIanIIIin wrta. giving twO backgrounds against which to enjoy it. Dessert, I feel, after this thrill of t1avon,
sbouId bring you to a restful spot-but not one that is totally recognizable. The homey, comforting texture of
the trifle is perfumed with orange and the almost-known tropical flavor of mamey. Springing from a pool of
ailMOD prickly-pear sauce, the duscrt combines both what we're hoping fot and where we'd like to be.

Quacan Fiesta
I)inner at the Beard House in April 1996
Coctel Marimba A blend of metcal. grapefnm jIda. sangrita. and lime.
~ Oomcan Metcal from Encantado
PaIHround appetUen
...__ de AmIril1o-Cnae" {mit mtIS4 a.movm filled UIida cJoesic ,eh mole,
sIa..Mrd cItiden. and hoja santa
au,.daI en Miniatura Tot1iDas crisped (MJ' an otJen jiTe.
.'1
liffWir:l tuich Oa·.. an serine c:Itt:eK, dtorito. and x....aoIe
~~P.7" g'n pled tuich ,. diIe w,rnbleund"""'" "*" ...
M .. - cAne
Dinner
_~S..,o."'""'''I': d·'rjilW .... sIa,dW,..r-
_M,+hr IS.-",,"'"
iF
. .iHI........... /r8 . . u 'J. _ _
 - - Joadlllll
-
l'liCh,\1
PATIN A
Los Angeles, C altfonua

Both special menu offerings were designed with the tastes and desire5 of
Patina's Los Angeles clientele in mind. When we first opened for lunch, we
had a lot of people who came constantly-they'd have three lunches here in
a row. When you do that on a day-to-day basis, you want to eat light. You
can't just eat things full of butter and calories.
Some customers see angel hair pasta with tomato and basil as light. I
think of broiled fish or vegetarian dishes as definitely light, and maybe more
satisfying. The Garden Menu was developed to highlight the best available
produce, while the Crustacean Menu was a way to offer a lighter menu which
did not rely on vegetables alone.
I've been a consultant to Canyon Ranch, a spa in Tucson and the
Berkshires, and when you're trying to come up with three meals for 1000
calories, that's a big challenge. There's no dairy, no salt, no high-fat dishes.
Most of the meal are chicken, and most of the time you enhance the food
from a pa tandpoint with onion, leek, scallion, lemongrass, vinegar, mus-
tard, and a lot of different herb.
When you're cookmg for a pa, everything you think about cooking you
can't think anymore. But at Patina, 1 do whatever 1 want. There are no
re trictions, so we often enhance the natural flavor of ingredients with a lit-
tle butter and cream.

"I guess that' a lot of what we do at Olez Panisse celebrate one veg-
etable or meat or another," says Waters. "WIth spnng lamb, you'll think about
a menu that goes around that lamb. 111 think about what' growing at the same
time that that httle lamb was, and probably end up With asparagus and spong
onions. I always look up classic prql8f8t1Oll1 c:llamb and how people cook It In
the spring-baking It m the hay, for exampIe-to inlpare what we might do.-
Other malU thanea are inIpired by • c:I place. Daniel Boul..d
recalls a wild game dinner he evolved &om (!CIIIIOIIlIDi to pili
a small game bUd 10 a cI hairY
'7ocontanue
Joach m Spi hal who collects Dlblraoac"f-aI1Cf.l"'!f8
ph og aphy, be leves outltide "*1fW8f11
ng
 . h ther or not it's going to be culturally correct. It turns OUt th
out worrymg w e 'It
. . b i t the table we can break down these fearful sort of ba
It IS ecause 1ere a rfler,
, I' th IDOSt common remark I hear about my menu. Peopl~
among us. t s e . ' ~ >ai',
'This is unlike any menu I'm used to see mg, and 1 can t make up my mind.' And
I'll say, 'Good I Come back again.' "
To begin a menu , Daniel Boulud like
The Pacing of Courses to begin with a soup. "1 love soup," h:
says. "In the summer, I'll start with a cold soup, and in the winter, a hot one.
My restaurant menu will typically have twO or three soups ,~n it, and some.
times I run as many as twO or three soups as dally specials. Next, typically,
might come a salad. "Salads offer an opportUnity for different compositIons
and styles," says Boulud. "In the spring I like doing a crab salad with mango
and cucumber served with mint and coriander dressing and crushed peanuts.
It's healthy and refreshing."
The palate should be e c. h • ~ased "1 certainly have the French and Italian way of
surprised. excited ttJroughoul a mea looking at a menu," says Alice Waters. "I like a llttle
_p. rd 0 ey .omething w begin. I'd put fish before a meat COurse,
probably. But I'm not ngid about that. I could imagine putting an appeti:er of
sliced pro ciuttn and melon before a gnlled piece of fish with an olive sauce or
something. And I \\ould eat a alad hdnre the entree as a first coure, or if I were
hadng a lmle longer meal, I'd eat It ,lttcr. And <;()metimes I eat it with, these
day~. I kind a like the Idea (t ,1,1LI \\ Ith ,1 me, t Jlh. It help~ to prov ide a little
contrast "nd cut the rrdll1e~ of the me t, til ha\'e ""lad with vmalgrett~.
"\ Itke m 11 rnon. Or I Itke people tn he ahle to help themsehel
from a plJtter an I take wha the~ wOllllltke; th,H'~ Ideal for me," ~ays Waters.
"I don't wanr people to end up bcmg tull- ,Ltl~ticd, ye~, but not full. "
L)dia hire agrc:e that the ~Ize of portiun~ can he very unpurtJOl.
"Certam thlOgs hould be erved 10 deb Ite .lmounb," ~a~ Shtrt:. "L fren,
\\ hen \ order head chee e, It come 10 too thIck a slice and 10 e It Jpreal.
Or \\ hen I've had rabbit pace on my menu, ometime , cook \\ ould hce It
too thick, which I hornhle.
"On the other hand, I love thmg that arc meant to l"-e huge," he Cl un-
ter . "Like the ew York teak hou e th, t gnll thrce-pollnd lob re \\hen
they know you'll never be able to fml h them, or the big ~teak the\ e(\e
And [the Manhattan restaurant) Chn t Cella 1I ed to serve .1 whole he J f
broccob!"
me chef control portion ize through the numl"-er f c ur c:
"Our gourmand menu h an extended format-It' nlnc ((llJTC"'--
allow more freedom and flexlblltty In the con tru tlOn t eh f th
e",ay Wayne I h .' The problem Ith three-cou t nn t I rh
 . mming all of the food
·ica
ba;,
II Y Ja
. those three courses.
ps Into
groU have an extended
When yOU
. menu, you can spread
ras tlng( d groupS out over f·lve,
hose rOO h
[ . e courses, and make eac
six nln . I
'..d I course more spec la as
indlVI ua . I.fy
f being able to simp I .
aresutO I .
nice parade, m a luxu-
It's a1so a .
. onment , of luxury mgre-
ryen Vlr d
. hat can be displaye in
d@mt ..
an almost Japanese presentation fashIOn. Sometimes a dinner will have so many courses
"What I mean is that If you get m, say, fresh lan- that it's overwhelming.
. to serve it as an entree, you've probably got It's lIke you're being set for slaughter
oous nne ,
o several on the plate and add a sauce and a -Mar~ Peel
ro put .
nd it all takes away from the speCialness of that langoustine. But in
stare h. A
a multi-course format, you put that langoustine on a plate in its unadorned
beauty, the specialness that it has, that God gave it, and maybe it only
requires a little sauce to complement it, or some herbs. You're no longer
forced to crowd the plate with really extraneous things that are demanded by
the customer," says N ish

Gary Danko say!>, "Sometimes I'll get teamed with other

Contrasts chefs to prepare a meal fOf a "peCial event. In accepting, I
say I'll do so on the condition that we really work on the menu so that It flows
beautifully. I don't want to ha\'e a spicy roo~ter gumbo opening up that meal
when I'm planning to serve a delicate fillet of ,ole, r-ecause you're not going
to taste the sale. Your palate is going to be anestheslzed by all those spices."
Daniel Boulud believes it's important that dishes on a menu not over-
lap in l1avor, taste, or texture. "Each one should have its own identity, its own
character and ta te," he says.
When dNgnmg a menu, Lydia Shire sets the goal of achle\'ing a bal-
ance: "I look to see what can playoff the other elements, whether it's spicy
rer,us sweet, hot versus cold, crunchy ver~m :>oft, astnngent ver'>us fatty. In
transitionmg from one cour'e to another, you probably wouldn't want to
lerVt two meat cnur .. es in a row, or two rich cour es 10 a row. You want one
sensation and tlavor to play differently agalmt the next."
Becau e her eclectic cui,me incorporates "uch disparate influences, she
add, "I don't think I'J do a menu that rook you from France to Japan to
uth Amenca, for eXdmple--dt once, then can be toO much. J think you
hould~alT) through with a whole regional theme, But that doe n't mean you

235
 Examples of Contrast s
Between Courses in a M enu
brown meat/white meat
cold/hot
cooked/raw
creamy/crisPy
dry/sauced
heat'y/tight
mild/spicy
savory/sweet

can ,t mo d ern I
' e:I'·
t' FlJr example
. , "au
I
might
'
serve one Japanese Ji~h, anJ the
next Indian or Thai-but we wouldn't ~er\'e any dishes u~lI1g cream (which
is not native to A,ian cui,ine) a" part of that menu."
Alice \Vater, belle\'e~ that c~)mbinll1g multicultural influence. wlthm a
single menu I, JlffICult, "I thmk it' very hard to put a menu t~lgether when
you have dl he .Ill over the menu th,lt are fr'lIn Llifferent cui,me<' 'lay
Water. "The all m,} be t bt m n I of them,e\ve,. Rut I keep trYll1g tll ru h
the cook- [at Che: Pam eJ, telbng them, ,It y lu're 111 Itdl), 'ltd) in Ital). Make
dL he- the plflt l f the I ubdn ,'"
111

Water iee\ trongl} ahout mtcgrclting ltfferent texture~ within a

menu . "I d n't bke ever} thll1g t I be of( of pureed. If one til h IS "cry
~mllorh, ltke a Ilk) II h \\ Ith, lUCC, I'd mIke the next cour e l:ontra tin ,
like Imle fned p tar erved \\ Ith gnlled duck. I like Juxtapo ltIon . And
alway omethlOg refre hm H the end.
"I ah\a~ thmk ab ut texture and wi r. I thmk that' one thmg I bn
to the menu till-\\hen I'm CTiuqumg the menu here, It alway ends
being a LOlor Call! Ideratlon. I pick that up, where other peapl d n t
much",a) W ater. " And I \\ant them to be very aromatlc. Oth r peop
~hmking about other thlOg , like { te, but I hke a kmd of Itvelan t
tood from one COur to another."
Rick Ba} Ie believe that creatm menu hould
oalance nd parameter "y,ou Want v net f ( xtur
oft, a well a me fre h c mponent
y . Whtle nearly every au e h
me are heaVIer r light rIOt
heat 'Y u want t ) bUIld

236
 something that's very hot, and
then cool down with something
that has almost no chile in it ,
before coming back up to some-
thing hot again. And it's impor-
tant to never put too many fla-
vors on the table-there
shouldn't be more than four
courses served," says Bay tess.
"You want people to leave with
. d memory of the meal. Because these flavors are very bold, more than
a \"1\"1
. tOO much for the palate."
t hat I,
Rules are sometimes meant to be broken, which I think that the repetition of certain tastes withm a
explains the appeal of a menu that features the same menu-corn in the hors d'oeuvres and corn m
ingredient in more than one course or, 10 speCIal or the soup, and the grilled flavor of peppers
whimsical cases, in every course-whether potatoes, or recalled by grilled fish-can be surprisingly effec-
tomatoes, or truffles. "While classically you'd never five and unifymg as a recurring theme
repeat any item in a menu, if an ingredient is in sea- -Alice Waters
son. I don't mmd having or serving it more than once," says Terrance
Brennan. "In corn season, one might ~er.. e two dlshe~ featuring corn, or an
all-com menu."
"It's po.;siHe to create a real array of tcl"te~ with one ingredient," attests
Dame! BouluJ, \\"ho~e restaurant nnw offer a ,electIOn of such ta tings with
ad\'ance notice. "At the Beard Hou,e, I once cooked , ~e\'en-Cl)ur,e menu
based on tomatoes. ~\)metimes cu~tomer" will < k me to come up with a truf-
He menu durmg truft1e season. It':, part f the eXCItement of a great menu to
be able to achte\'e thi,."

\Vlllie it'.- fine to haw fun, one of the mo~t

AWay With Words Important thlOg~ on a menu can be < ccuracy.
Thmk of the times you'\'e heen excited to order a dLh, only to have the real-
It)' ot It provoke dt,appointment. ", h n )oU write a menu, you want to

deli\<:r the food that )oU prombe," ~a\ Terrance Brennan.

Mark Peel add~, "1 ltke for eople to get a httle more than they expect.
A,nu I\e read man') menu~ where omethm!! oundo gre.H, and you get it anJ
It not qUttt! \\hat it ounded ltke. Or It\ le- than It ;,ounJed like. AnJ that's
\ery dISapPOinting. And I \\oulJ rather th, t there be a little morc, that there's
a htde urpn e there. I don't ltke menu th t read like ;"hopping Ii t."
But , '10(\ :'Ih enon point ut that there are thmg that }Oll can't
y e off· MF r example, \OU \\' ulJ ne\er urpn e omeboJ~ \\ith \\alnut,.
J ne\ r urpn e lmebod~ \\ Ith om n, I Jon't thmk." Peel add, "Or
It e \I

2 7
 o~
Marrymg the elements of a meal correctly so as to Lydia Shire believes it's important til hrin
ach eve that eluSive eqUilibnum reqUires an under- humor into a menu . "The way you descrihe a di h
standmg of each separate course and ItS Impor- the menu sh ould be fun !" she says. "I'm proud that We
tance Within the overall structure of the menu. were the first to put on our men u such -anJ-!\uch a JI h
-Alice Waters 'with expensive caviar.' People sh ould have a playful
attitude toward food ." Her menu at Biba h as featured lamb's tongue paired
with lamb's lettuce, a play on both words and flavors.
"Chefs shouldn't hesitate to play with words on the ir men us," encour_
ages Joachim Splichal. As a case in point, his menu features a dish of Chicken
Wings with Unorthodox Chicken Liver. Splichal says, "If every menu read
'Broiled Chicken with ... ,' it would be unbearably boring."
While humor can be an effective device, the goal of menu descriptions
should be to get the customers excited about the food. "Anything on the
menu must sound attractive," says Charlie Palmer. "It sho uld make the eu -
tamer think, 'I've got to try this dish!'"

George Germon & Johanne Killeen

Al K>R 0
Prondena , Rhode I land

Lageder w a vegetanan, we used very little meat on his menu. Also, the
wines had extremely clean, clear flavors, we knew they'd be perfect
vegetable . In the fIrst coo ,the whIte bea add a creamy texture to
salmon, while the grapefruit pICked up the acidity of the wine. The anti..
to was a nes of dIfferent thmgs. mcludmg egplant and zucchml and a
creamy cheese that went well WIth the WIne. whICh
tough match With WIne (althoulh )
the glass of the - -
added aueam
and The
diIh; lOUIe wae . ._
 Even if the table is a tap, and the food aad wine play
tarring roles, the performance of a m:at would not be
che . . . .,uhout its supporting players. If any of the playen are out of sync,
JuIft &he efl'ect of an entire performance. An ill<hoeen first course-
...thIIt 100 spicy, for example can ruin a delicate entree. Mismatched
- .... {ood nun our enjoyment of them both.
... In phlnniDI menus, it's important to consider the special role of various
......lII
.' ....
c
accompaniments. While dearly not every menu one writes will
r#* IoaIt multiple course feast, coming to recognize the flow of well-written
be' .J any 1 _ d . . 'crl • Lr of compOSItion.
..
lJIf"'- 1CI1j. .. cntaou to mastenng tile art

'The pogtzrion c1 wines served during a meal should provide its

QIftI pera1lel. harmonious symphony to that of the food. Wines

• ..,w O • .,.,..,ent me food with which they are served. as well 81 the
giL

. .ao ,.,.. Alaia 1'1 ' .....

S ' IS' ...... ww. BerIns and OrlOfCli ,., VmllCl-

Ptnoc 0: W· .991
 "It's important to pair food to wine, ano not vico
r t
Although few rea Ize J ,
to be complementary
. versa," says Jeremiah Tower. "A bottle of wine (;1"
"
IS in itself a compltment "
_MFK Fisher change like that, but ingred ien ts are more 5table."
Joyce Goldstein agrees. "I always ask for the wines be~~re coming up
.h t: a wine dinner so that I can taste them fIrst, she says. ,,\, .
WIt a menu ror ' . . ' IVI)
, mell'er and wine is important m our famIly. Wmes surprise "ou'
son IS a sam , 1 ,
, change even over the course of a year.
wmes can , '
"Too many chefs don't taste the wines before creatmg a menu for a wine
and food dinner. I was recently preparing a menu for a special event and Was
planning to serve lamb. But after tasting the red wine that was going to be
accompanying it, which was pruney, 1 reahzed It would h ave made the lamb
taste toO muttony," she said. "In the end, 1 decided to revise my menu to serve
beef instead, which was a much better match with the wine, In another case,
one wine I tasted was over-oaked, and I could only pair it with potatoes,
which helped to neutrali:e that, Other chefs' egos are sometimes too big,
thinking that the food IS more important. But wine and food should make
each other look good."
Jimmy Schmidt concurs that when creating a menu for a wine dinner,
the wine them;;elves are the tarting point; he also develops dishes that make
the most of their paIring with the particular wines. "The personality of the
wine will !.!I\'e vou dIrection to ,hare the dish in a way that will enhance the
t1avor of the wine," heay .
Franc;oi P,l)arcl recall, bem o a ked to crecite a desert to be erved with
Ch-teau d'Yquem. "It ,"ould h, ve been a crime to serve it with a chocolate
de~ert," he ay. Becaus of the frultlne ~ of the Chateau d'Yquem, Payard
decided to en e, m, ngo ,oup made with fre h mango puree and coconut
mIlk, "If you know," me, )OU kno," it won't go with chocolate, which is bit,
ter and powerful," a) Payard. "But ometlmes port can go with chocolate.
becau e It' aged and piCler."
A fruit compote can be served with a great de rt wine, as long as the
compote i not too weet. "If It'
too weet, the wme WIll taste
our, " note Jeremiah Tower.
Tropical fruit best lend them,
elve to palTlng with dessert
wines, he add .
On the other hand, "a nch,
weet chocolate dessert will oblu,
erate the wme," accordmg to
Tower. .. WIth chocolate, coffee
hould be served-or nothing."

2
 , .'th wine is the best because In matching food with wine, you
\,\'NkU11l III ,
' .. ncellatlon and reintorcement of flavors. For example:
do <1 !elt 0 t L:1 I

, h 'e a wine that has a lot of tannin in it, you want fats and salts
• It yt1U <1\ .
' d )f rake the edge off the tannm.
to k111 l
, , 'e got a lot of herbaceous qualities, which I'm not terribly fond of
• It yOU \ , , .
, . "ou can use green thll1gs ltke parsley or greener-flavored herbs
In \\'1I1e, I . I
'nto the sauce at the last second to Strip away a lot of those
m'lr Ied l
herbaceous qualities in the wine. You'll associate the herbaceousness as
'no ml)[e from the narsley than from the wine.
C01111 '" t

• If [he wtne i, high in acid. your sauce can come up right to that acid
level; then there wouldn't be much contrast between the two acidity
levels, so it's not going to seem ,'ery acidic. On the other hand, if you
go higher in acid on the sauce, then the wme will seem bnd of Hat, If
you go ron Iowan acid in the sauce, then the wine will seem very acidic,

• In terms of bod)' and fla~'OT. If it's really a \'t'f) light \\me, the cnncen-
tration of the sauce can kIll It if ~ecome. l) powerful th,lt the wme
seems watery.
• In tenm (If [nat leveb, if you've ~ot a I t III [he Wtnt.: and there' none
in the S:luce, the ,auce will be tlat. ~o vou've ~ot to brmg lip 'Clme of
the reJ flavor, m the ~auce-red wme reductlon, the a lditi n llf re I
frult puree hke cranberr). The \\ me will t.1 te frUHler Ii) u've l!ut lOb
of red tlw r in the ~auce than if you don'c Your mmd will read the re 1
in the ~auce .1' part of the wine, \\ hen really It' part 0 the tlll,-e.

• There are ome \\'ine~ thelt ha\'c a lot of!!o d earrh\ ch, factefi~tlcs-
~

they're tlmry anJ -uch. You can u e thc dner 'pice~ like curie nller that
rem to come off a, more of an earrh}-t)'re tlavor or rnmeral-t'ype tla-
vor.

~ 1I
~

can either hUlld eli he, [0 runfofu: them, which i., t" get
)OU
tho'c flavor, c.lo,e, of \UU dn .,epar.lte them qUIre cI hit for contfa r ,lOll
~tnp them. YOli C~1n kill a wme re.llly e.\Stl~, or you can reall~ parallel lip
next to It. With a \\ me, )OU ha\ e ,1 perceIved IT te-then you take out of
the \\ me )Our o\\n perception II the t te of the \\ ine\ Jlfferent flavar"
nd then )Ou de Ign the JI,h ,lfUun I It, With f1<l\,llf that \\ til coar,ltn.lte
r all welL

241
o p M
" 9
 Jimmy Schmidt
THE RATTLESNAKE C LU B
DetrOIt , M ichLgan

This was a real seasonal menu that really captured all the first mgredients of
spring-the asparagus, the wild mushrooms, the scallops and oysters. There
was a real seasonal-regional approach, although obviously not all of the ingre_
dients come out of Michigan. The sauces were really attuned to the Win es.
That's what really made the dinner something special. The flavors in the
dishes tended to enhance the wines by cancelling any of their tougher char.
acteritlc and allowing the real fruit and balance in the wine to Come fo r-
\\ard. Food and wine harmom' is not all ju t trying to pair ingredient togeth-
er, but to match cerram t1a\'or m the wme-whether herbaceous or earthy
or flmty-with _Iffillar characten tiC m the fo d, derendmg on which )'OU
want to be more pred rom nt. Y u - n u ~ d (md wme pamng to reinforce
f1avor~ that ou \\ or to a centuat r hi hit ht, a w II as cancel out things
that )OU \\ f.
nt to et n
Thl p ret ul r pr p rau n mv lye running the potato
thrall h m n 1m rh t mak4;!s cappellim ( t)pe Jf pa ta n -
dIe), nd ppm th 1m n 1m n c cwally h h d hor e·
r dl h nd th r m rt r t m WI pped. It' uteed
n. hI h m th pot to vet) en p)
10 ur . It gl\ It the run hyexte·
n r h It th 1m n come thr u hand
no m·... ...4r..
Th h r II the c mbm (I n I w
er In t"... ,1 .. nut me nd kmd (pI Yfl v r f
th h r than nut per The
pi erwh tmmg-I[ kmd f u
he m whll ert 10 n hn of I wn
I th I t red wme with chocdare The
pear Uflno> "VI'" real I roeethc:r-iOI1:.t fruiu are little ~ U\
me which wh I the P* which filled with
roosted and then ftlIed, and then covered wiIh cbx:olatt
the OUtslide. realIvcnmch me ~~
then more inlkle."fhe
ind
--- -------
Alice Waters
C H EZ PAN 1SSE
Berkeley, CalIfornia

This menu was composed to ce lebrate the arri val of the 1971 vintage f h
. . . .. 0 t e
Domaine Templer wmes. The look of the Wild flce wIth the tiny green e
was a wonderful acco mpaniment to the quail. It was at this meal tha~ :'
decided that creme fWlche is ideally suited for serving with stewed figs. e

The Bandol Wine Dinner

Fresh DelicaCies from the Sea

• • •
A Bouillabaise of Salt Cod made u,lth Garlic, White Wine , Tomatoes, Omons
Potatues, Fresh Basil, Orang-e Rind, Oln'e Oil and Fish Broth '
1973 Bandol. Domame Tempier
• • •
Fre h QUail Roasted Protellfal Styl~ u Ith Branches of Fresh Thyme and
Ollle Oil 'ened ulth \'CllJ Rice and Fresh Peas
197 I Bandol, Domwne Tem/)ier
• • •
G [ (he t: from rh ollth of France
1974 B rulol D mam Templer
• • •
ked ulth H 11 and Band I Wme en d uith Creme Frdlche

In dd,u n t ~ me, hread I flen the only con tant wtthm an

Bread nttre me II. H we\er, I d n't hke the way bread I treated In
m t Am n n re t ur Of , Ahce Waters. "When you get ned a bl
pile bre d ~ lth pi te f butter the mmute y< u are seated 10 a re tau n
It talc a~ th ppetlte And people u e It t) de n up the plate I thmk f,
th m t p " we n ed t get b ck t It ht b guette belOg sen ed With
me 1 And I d I v thm Itke t n n br ds Ned With Indl n dm'~
wh re th pi an lOt Ir I
I I t the br er
irh"'rd Idn t h",., ..
h lUnd If --~.--
 in meals, and American
the gap .
, . some ot whom have the
dlnCf:', '
n spans of three-year-
atr entlo '
ed something to fill the
01 d5, n e ,
. B It I'm never qUIte sure
gaps. l th
't belongs. To eat with e
IV here I
7 To sop up the meat
cheese.
" 7 Ma"be that's why I forget
JUices. I

"
,
It,
Lindsey Shere
b I e ieves
that bread is an important accompaniment to a meal. She observes that
"large flavors often need a background to hold them in place. And I happen
to like the flavor of flour and yeast. I don't have a lot of interest in things like
cheese bread, because I don't think they work well with dinner menus."
In Shere's definition, a perfect bread is "the levain bread at Acme
Bread," she says. "It's got a gutsy flavor, and is good with cheese, butter---or
nothing!" Even leftover bread excites Shere. "I think a delicious crouton can
add a really special touch to a dish," she says. Alice Waters echoes this: "A
lot of our food is served with croutons, whether it's a garlic crouton with a fish
soup, or a crouton topped with grilled leeks served as part of an antipasto."
Shere believes butter or olive oil i~ the perfect accompaniment to good
bread. To heighten the expenence of enjoying La Brea Bakery's wonderful
breads, at Campanile Mark Peel and 1ancy Silverton offer customers an
opportumty to order one-ounce pOrtions of variou, extraordinary olive oils,
ranging from $1 to $2.50 per ounce, to clccompany them.
Silverton believes that there ~hould he a progre~5ion of flavors 10 bread
throughout the course d a meal. "White ~ourdoughs are appropriate for start-
ing out, to be followed by header bread, like rYb," she qyS,
Silverton also gives careful thought to pair10g bread With other cours-
es. She once had to come up With a bread to pair with a fote gras dish by Jean-
Louis Palladm at an e\'ent. "1 selected a fruit amI nut bread, which will work
With the dish If It\ sliced very, very thinly," ,he ,ay . "Duck i~ great With sour
dried cherrie . . , pecans, candied orange, and the,e flavors abo work well with
[ole gras," SImilarly, she's teamed a mu,hroom brea...i made of farro with a
nsotto With chantereltes. and palred a i lormandy rye made wlth fermented
arl'le Cloer with hearr~ f()()d, like cabba~e, Whde Silverton th10b that few
foods can hold up to the strength dnd the ~ourne"s of a pumpernickel, she
ftnds both o'jsten, and moke 1 hh - e jual to the ta~k.
Even ,nd\l.lche can be <.:nhanced by the ~electlon of the right, com-
rlemental) hread "I thmk a ceded ourdoll!.!h goe~ well with turkey, an I a
b " ~'II verton 3)'
Frenc.h h gu ette I de I!CIOUS With pro ciutto .Ind utter, . , "A n d
 Pro?sident and Co-founder
Tht' Acme Bread Company
Bt'rkeley, Cahforma

A., a ru,hl\' and cook at Che: Panbse in the mid-1970s, self-descnbed bread fanatiC teven ulhva n
,tarted baking head for the restaurant. His ll1spiratlon? "The book English Bread and Yeast Cooke h
" who went on to open Acme in 1983. Acme has su"plied t Ba, Y. TYA reaY
 2) Theatre-both in the brea.d itself, and within the restaurant context
.;; dli\'an has enjoyed expenmentmg
_l "
with different shape, of bread. "If bread
'
is d'ff
I erent .In one way.
;1 l
-u,wl11er \I'd I pay more attention to all of Its characteristics"
. • . , .
he argues "And I't'S entlcmg
'. to he I
able to .qy 'We baked It ourselves -espeCially when I was a busboy at Chez Panisse and could t II
customers, '1 made this.' It's theatrically effective." e

3) Heart and soul-what the baker brings to the bread

"You can tell when someone brings an energy and exuberance to bread. In fact, sometimes a funky
bread can work If there IS enough theatre and soulm the bread to overcome less-than-perfect tech-
Olque. "
,

With regard to pairing bread with food. Sullivan cites a few of his favorite combinations. "We
sen'ed rye bread with oysters in the Cafe [at Chez Panisse], which is a traditional combination," he says.
"I like peanut butter on toasted whole wheat bread, and toasted cheese sandwiches on levain bread.
And I like walnut bread with goat cheese. I don't know if that's a traditional combination or not, but
on our honeymoon my wife Susie and 1 really enjoyed it." Does Sullivan prefer hutter or olive oil on
his bread! "I think both are really, really good ways to get your USRDA of fat," he deadpans. "I rec-
ommend both heartily."
Does Acme bake the best bread in the world? At first. Sullivan humbly dodges the question by
usmg It as an opportunity to relate how Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones was once asked to name
the best rock-and-roll band m the world, and Richards' rerlv that lln any r<lrticular night, anywhere in
the world, at some bar, you can find the be't rock-Clnd-roll hand tn the wmld.
But after further proddmg, ullivan fmally ddmn . ", nmetimes the hre<ld we hake is awfully good."

to help the diner feel happy that they'rl' therl'," agrces The hors-d'oeuvre IS the first magisterial move-
Joachim Splichal. "The fiN bite shoulJ ~e amumg, hke ment of a culinary symphony that continues to
a com blini With marmateJ salmon and caviar [an amuse the very end WIthout a false note Just when
Sphchal ,enJs out to Patina's special cu~tomcr J. Canar you've reached the ultImate WIth a particular
IS not cheap. '><.) It's a nice surpri~e to welcome the !!Ue~t course another follows to surpass It
to the restaurant and say hello." -Fer'1and Po.iII
Jeremiah Tower's preferred way of welcomml:! a gue~t is with !>omethmg
,altv. and ch ampagne. W h'Ie h together sen'e to cleanse the 1'a Iate. "I t can he
caVlar
. '
but I't uOe.,n
,) 'h
t ave to he-ham. pork, or air-cured heef can a II he de I1-
CIOUS I J
I' on 't I I'C
k to serve anythmg with butter, because it du II s t I1C
pa ate .... But I w()ulll n 't t urn down hi ml
'" wit h caviar.
. I"
In Sume ca.,e , the fir"t cour,e .en'cd i a oup. "Even if people only
want a few C I I
Ollrse, a ways give them ,oup," says Jean-LouL Palladm.
\I, I ?ut (,f re pect for 1exican tradltton, Rick Baylb> feel the 'arne. "You
au '1 never h i "
ave a mea m ~ lexlco where oup wa' not erved. he expIam.,.

c , I g a M e 247
" p
 A particular favorite at his restaurants is one of fresh com anJ r():\ ted
po blanos, WI"th a handful each of epazote (a fragrant, amse-flavored ' h"ht ... .
herb which "gives the soup a light mouthfeel") and raw masa (the dough
green " " ) "Th" .
used for tortillas, which gives the soup Its creammess . IS soup IS tangy and
tart, light and crunch y," says Bayless. "These ar~, s~ul-satisfying flavor,."
On the other hand, A lice Waters argues, I m a soup-as-mam-di,h ptr.
son. Soup is too filling, and I find it h ard to fit into a menu, unless it's a COn.
somme., "

Nancy Silverton knows exactly what sh e likes in terms of

Cheese cheese after a meal. "Always a blue ch eese," she says, "and
always a goat cheese. If the blue cheese is Stilton or gorgonzola, then a fresh
goat cheese. If it's a mild blue, then I like an aged goat cheese. And I alway,
like a strong-tasting cheese-even a Parmesan."
If only serving one bread with cheese, Silverton would like to see It be
a white bread, such as aourdough batard, while Lindsey Shere might opt for
a whole wheat/walnut bread offering. "It's so good with cheese," Shere says.
And wme I~ a mu -t to properly enjoy cheese, according to Charles
Palmer. "I don't under-rand when people don't drink wine with cheese," he
says. "It's hard to intrude on -omellne ,md mk m'lkmg them feel stupid in the
re~t3urant b} n t urdenng It. But )metllne- I'll send over a little glass of port
If I ee people e ung chee e \\ Ithout reu w1I1e or port."
"I thmk thClt ch<.::e e like drieu J,LLk, lJruy re, emJ harJ sheep' -milk
chee e .Ire the be t to he encd With wme," ay~ Jeremiah Tuwer. "Triple-
creme He much t tT ng ~ r red \\ II1 ."
E\ en Palm r, .... ho I ,I partner 111 a dalr" admits th,1t "cheese i~ often
Cheese IS like the apotheOSIS of a good meal too much for 100 t penple. It' too much t~)r me half
-C y the time' At Chantcrelle lin New York Cltyl, they
h'IVc ,m mcreulhle chee e ui pldY. But
after that, de ert hCl.:ome ,In ,llter-
th ught."
ervmg chee e With '1 meal u u-
ally call for a imple de ert, like a
herbet, according to LmJ e~ hen:
Or m Altce Water' case, "I like chec e
In tead of de ert maybe with a little
candy at the very end. 1 love h e
nd frUIt. Or che e nd ala \. )r
chee by It elf with f, w nut IOJ
drIed frull . But I rcall Ilk h
h
 Roquefort + aprles I
Parmesan + dates
Fontina + rears
I
--- j

Terrance Brennan admits that until he visited three-star

Dessert restaurants in France, "I was not much of a dessert person. But
ail' how sublime it could be." Brennan fell in love with "the perfect
(here. J
mille-fetlille" and other desserts he was served, which he found the perfect
finaJe to a great meal. ''Too often before that time, I was disappointed with
dessertS. But now 1 believe that a great meal should end with a great dessert,"
sayS Brennan. "It also inspired me to make sure I worked every station during
my swges-including pastry."
One of the best desserts Brennan ever had was at Le Bacon, an all-
seafood restaurant in France famom for Its houillabab~e where the windows
opened out onto the Mediterranean. "I wa~ .,en·ed a perfect jraise de bOIS
(Wild mawr-erry) tart. It was just sahle , a Itght, cmpy, airy 'iugar crust-and
a little pamy cream, and fraises des bois ," Brennan rememher~. "It was sub-
lIme. "
The key to a great dessert? "FLnllr. The marrtage of perfect ingredients.
Getting the best chocolate you can buv and the hest fruit you can huy," says
Brennan. "Not having too man\' Jiffaent thing on the plate. Preparing the
dessert a !a minute as much a pl)."lhle,.,p It\ a' tre,h a, po."ihle. And it
,houlJ be focused: it ha.., to make en e."
"De sen should he an equal pan of the meaL" ..,ays Ch,nles Palmer.
"And It ~houlJ he built around craving . . People tenJ tl) have definite feelings
about de sen. Even If I told a customer, 'Thi de"ert i., perfect With what
you're haying,' I'd \\orry about disappOlnt1l1g them! Sometimes you feel like
eattng a specific thing for de'sert."
"I'll De plte ItS t'nopularit\J1 in de"~"rt-
,.J...... oJ,
L
cravinos 1fe not alwa\'~
1""0' 1
for chocolate.
.

go through phase when I don't tat chocolate," says Palmer. "In the wm-
~. n thtng \\11I taste a~ good as a c.lramdi:ed appil: de~'iert." On the other
nd, ~~\ent\-fl\e percent of Cll,romers love chocolate," says Dieter
L h rner. "And they \!tIll be di appomted If there\ not a chocolate de"ert on
tile menu."

249
a M
 A pastry chef has the unique chal-
lenge of making desserts that complement
a chef's creations. Lindsey Shere has
faced that challenge under a long line of
chefs at Chez Panisse, from Jeremiah
Tower to the restaurant's current chef,
Jean-Pierre Moulle. "I still create based
on my own inspirations, but I also try to
keep up with them and to understand
where they're coming from," sh e says.
"Jean-Pierre is the most classic ch ef we've
had in a while , probably since Jeremiah .
His interest is more French-oriented , and
since he started out in pastry, it's great because h e knows the kinds of things
he'd like to see with a particular menu as dessert, whether it's a cake or pas-
try or sherbet. That's a big help !"
Shere contrasts h is style \-vith that of former Chez Panisse chef Paul
Bertolli: "Paul was more interested in Italian cuisine and simple desserts. But
he liked fireworks-he once came back from New York City, where he'd
eaten at Le C irque, and was talk in g about a dessert he'd had with planets and
swirlmg "auce,. He loved that. A nJ 1 J o think that Je~~ert is the one place
where you can have fun and occa ionall y do.1 whimsical garnish that i illy."
Too often, dessert IS a sugar fiX rathar than a h ere u e choLolate when the chef sugge t that
little touch of sweetness as a change from the It' appropri lte. "J e~m-Pierre knows the richness of his
savory, the salty or the piquant men u-,'· . y .... here. Getting the green light recently
-A ce W m plred her to erve a trio of chocolate desserts: a
£lourie,s ch ala te cake, a chocobte-orange herber. and chocolate-almond
bark. "~o me pe pIe like chocol te nv time," he admit, "but after some-
thing n ch, [ prefer clean and hght f1av r . A tangerine sherbet with liqueur
poured over It can be the be t . emu herbet and pear herbets are desserts
[alwa) ltke. And they're alway served here With accompamments hke
cookie ."
While here thmks it "impos Ible" to name the be t de sert he' ever
had, one particular dessert doe rand out in her memory. "Timbales EI',Ysks-
a de sert with a cookie cup, a scoop of ice cream, berrie , and sauce an a
caramel cage," he say . "It is such a wonderful combmation of textures and
fla\ or ."
But an extraordmary dessert can also be qUIte Imple. Ahce Wa-
recall, "One of my favonte, favome dessert ever was after a kalSeki meal III
K),oto. We had had seventeen fam tiC cour ,wIth ten peopl In
 'h cooking for five people at the counter. It was Very rich desserts should follow only the simplest
kIte en.ing experience. And at the very end, we were of meals; on most menus, something light and
an ama.
a little glass of the most sweet and delicious playful in spirit IS best. Lots of air, in the form of a
(lffereJ , e J'uice that was not too cold or too warm- souffle or a mousse, is usually apprecIated, ices
wngen n
. the perfect temperature. And you just drank it, are refreshing,
Just hat was it. It was ,teenh d' -and Just
. so nice
. to be -Richard Olney
an d t h 1 I "
able to punctuate t e ~ea pr~per y. .. ,
In Susanna Foo s opmlOn, tradmonal Chmese desserts "aren't very
They're typically either very heavy, based on pureed walnuts or red
d
gOO .
'ust fresh fruit. Even there, Western-style bakeries are popular." Foo
beans, 0 r J . , '
akes some liberties from tradmon WIth her desserts, such as serving poached
t flavored with star anise and ginger, or creme m-u!ee flavored with ginger
pears . .
If he chooses to serve multtple desserts to end a meal, Franc;:ois Payard
might start out with a small fruit soup-"just two or three bites," he says-
before serving a tiny fruit dessert, perhaps followed by a chocolate dessert. "I
don't make smaller chocolate desserts, because they're a lot of work,"
explains Payard. "And dessert is like food-you have to take the time to
,
appreCIate ."
It.
Charles Palmer enjoys presenting a table of six with a combination of
desserts. "I'll send twO, two, and twO of three different desserts. People love
passing them back and forth, trading tastes-it becomes party time!" says
Palmer. "Dessert is the time to festively finishing things off in a mea!."
Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken agree. They recall a $250-a-head
dinner for which they were asked to provIde the des en. "We erved ice
cream sandwiches made with mocha chip Ice cream." ~1tlliken remember
WIth amusement.
Some chefs make a pomt of extending the pleasure at the end of an elab-
orate meal through petit fours and chocolates. "I love petit fours ," ay' Terrance
Brennan. "In the European style, e~preS50 -hould be ~en'ed after dessert, and
it's mce to have a sweet to go WIth your espresso. I sen'e a plate of petit fours
\\'l[h the coffee. followed by a plate of chocolates to end you on your way."
Franc;:ois Payard believes there 5hould even be an order to the .ervice of
the chocolate" "They should be con.umed from the ltghtest to darke. t. Just
like wme," he .av, ,

Coffee, Tea? Joachim Splichal. whoe restaurant Patina already

offers chamomIle and thyme-lemongra,s "infu~ions"
after a meal ,I now expenmentlOg
. , WIth c.tate co ffee~. to he -erve d '10 10 d'1-
VIdual plunger- tyle coffeepot, Our coffee L a blend of four different type
t c.. ffe e we came up with "IX year ago after trYlOg more than fift) different

t
 rr ..he says ' "and we've learned that now people know their c(l~.
ff
Cill,e9, .
Coffee has taken on the importance of the ~alet ~arkmg . guy who open th~
door for the customer- it can be a customer la t Impre slon of a re taurant "
ieter Schomer recalls the standard for tea at one of the f tne. t
D
taurants where he once worked. "There was never granulated UPr
re
rved with it--only brown sugar cubes or cry tal sugar.
. The tea fl aVor
se
ome out better with raw sugar, as oppo ed to pulven zed, bleached ugar,"
C
says Schomer.

A opposed tc wntmg a set

Writing a Restaurant Menu menu for a ingle meal, WrItIng
a re taurant menu i all about giving one' customers choices on that are
likely to please them, and one that the restaurant will be able to fulfill, In
most case , for an entire season.
It' mostly the latter constramt that promp Daniel Boulud to ~
"If It were up to me, I would not havana fa ctII'te menu. I would Just cook
every day whatever I could buy, and ha a hmated menu rna four appe-
tizers, four mam courses, and four ha them change II the
time." The varied 1
tare a much lorIaoer mer.... wl'lMft'l
tty," Boulud adnUtl.
 , t" g together a menu, we'll make a roster of sauces fir t
1)When we re put In . . '
'nitely from the sauce as the starting pOint.
We work very defl . '
rants we have the sort of protem categones pretty well
2) Li ke most re t au ,
fixed. You've got to have poultry, you've got to have fish dishe and
staceans and that kind of stuff.
3) ~ew days after we've come up with that, we'll sit down and talk about
the way we're going to put it on the plate. That usually will dictate or
give rise to a number of idea for accompaniments and garnishes and
that sort of thing.
4) After we've got that sort of ketched out, we'll live with that for a few
days, and then we'll come back and really fine-tune it. We're just get-
ting ready to make a menu change at Topolobampo next week. We'd
gone through thi whole proce and last night I wa doing the final re-
write on the menu, and I realized that we had too many things coming
from one tation. We'd been thinking more in term of all the flavor,
in the di hes, but we didn't get it right in term of the logi tics on our
line, so we had to go back and re-vamp me thing this morning.

And the t Clng proce hould be thorough. "Before you put something
on a menu, you houldn't JU t ta te it with your finger," 'ay Jean-George
Vongerichten. "You mu t eat a whole plate of it fir t."
"I could write a menu an an afternoon," ay Lydia hire. "But to do
It right, we pend week developang and te ting idea , reading, tJlkln b,
researchmg angredien ,and ma)ung ure each di h i great. We cllulJ JU t
put a curry d h on the menu and leave tt at that. But in tead, we go to the
Indian market and get me edtble tlv r leaf to put on the plate. And u Ie
[RegL5, Shtre' second-tn-command at Blba] wtll develop a poem-a puffed
Indtan bread to serve WIth tt. ow he make the be t poon in the
orld!"

WnClng a
restaurant menu
II a pm::ell that ladq typically undertake Ie8lO11lally-<>r even m< re
frequendy. e Uchanae the menu a tn order to tncorpor te
inpedlel\ at their peak m the e a r l y " y Daniel
Bo.,hwl
Oil cook IeMOM .. Terran Sr nn
·118-. wir11ter•• alona tth a lor m Ie I
 cooking and rustic cooking. It lightens
up in the spring, and in the summer it
goes really light-more geared toward
fish and lighter preparations."
r ;

~
Brennan points out that it's pro-
duce that changes the most from season
to season. So while he has certain non-
seasonal dishes, such as risotto with
wild mushrooms, that are always on the
menu, he'll change the garnish with the
seasons. "The same risotto dish I serve
with a pumpkin garnish in the fall
might be served with a squash garnish
in the winter, an asparagus-and-fava-bean garnish in the spring, and a corn
garnish in the summer," he says.
The startIng point? Daniel Boulud says he gathers books, prior restau-
rant menus from the same season, and a list of previously-run specials from
the same season in order to come up with a "repertoire" of ingredients for that
season.
"The most important thing here IS to focus on the products I know and
the quality and reliability of the supplier~ I use to get them in. When there
are ingredients that I can only get in ~poradlcally, I'll feature them as dally
specials instead of putting them on the menu," ~ay~ Boullid. "Thmg, like frog
legs, which I can only get in on Monday~ or ThurdaY'-lf I'm gomg to put a
dish on my menu, then I have to l">e certc1m thrtt the supply and quality I can
get is consistent."
Johanne Killeen says that seasonabty is probably the most Important
thing when commg up with a menu. "In the summer, (Jur menu is just loaded
with com and tomatoes. In the fall, we go into 'quashes. In the wlllter, cab-
bage. and sweet potatoes and a lot of pumpkin, and now [in the spring] we're
beginnmg to see some green again," ~he -ay . "But going to the market IS a
big influence. We market every day, and when we vi it our wholesaler occa-
sionally we come l">ack loaded with tuff to experiment with."

Variety Once the basic menu has been established, chefs J~lIb,~e-check
to ensure that their offerings mclude enough diverSity. I hke to
gIve my cu tomer a broad varlet\'," ,a\'s Joachim Splichal. "You have to have
h:ef, chICken, and veal on the menu; it's
expected at a place like thiS. About
four ~ear agO, \\e
. add ed '
vegetanan .
and eafood offerings to t h Ad
e menu. n
a couple of year' ago we added the category of 'Odd Things,'" whIch include~
rhchal' beloved offal.

255
M
c rn p
With one week's advance notice, Restaurant Dan iel offer peciai ta tlng
menu and classic dishes that can be ordered for the entire tabi e.
These include:

US Menus sur un Theme

New York State Apple Menu
Black and White Truffle Menu
North Atlantic Seafood Menu
Wild Mushroom Menu
Wild Game Menu
CHEZPA 1 E
~ CAJ;fomia
 'Remember that dish we had
" Can you imagme if AI
3t.·· .
Forno took gnlled piz:a off their
1 I v,Jould cry. When I go to
men· U
A.I Forno, I'm having grilled pizza.
; have tWO pizzas, and it's great and
that'S part of the identity of the
restaurant. But you can be sure
that George has got to be a little
. I"
tired of making those PIZZas.

. ht "The best compliment you can get is when a cus-

When It's Rig tamer is leaving the restaurant after a several-course
meal and says, 'I feel so good!'" says Hubert Keller. "The food doesn't lie."
As we've seen, how chefs accomplish that feat is through applying
basic principles of menu composition to achieve their desired affect on a
customer, just as great composers and playwrights can hit the right buttons
that they know will make us laugh or cry.
Joyce Goldstein believes that as a chef, you must design the way a menu
will affect the customer. "You have to figure out, with finger food and a three-
course meal plus dessert, how many orgasm do you have in a meal? You don't
want to have four! Nothing Will have any meamng, because they'll all be the
same," she says. "So it's, How do you want to play It? Do you start quiet and
build to the second course, and then lay l(m and build to the third? Do you
start quiet, quiet, quiet, and build? Do you hit them the first time, and let
them recover? You have to choose where you think your big gun is, or the one
that's going to cause silence at the table. And you can't do it at every course.
So you Just have to plot your attack. Which dish is the killer? WhICh is nice?
WhICh is another little crescendo? And where's the surpnse?"
Norman Van Aken sa'-'s J ,
"Durin a"' a wine dinner there's an Inherent
probability of gomg from light to rich, interposing It occasionally WIth a lit-
tle preview of a little bit of richness before you get down to the very rich,
and then a relief somewhere In the mIddle.
"1 think of composing a menu a a lot like putting together a four-act
play," Van Aken ays, before providing examples of the roles various ingredl-
e~ts and di he, can enact. "Every now and then, the villain's got to jump out
ot the do et and scare the -hit out of everybody. The 'villains' are only m the
Wording, in the 'Co,tumlng.' I might de,cnhe ~omethlng 'chile-rubbed and
rO~ted brea t of squab on a habanero sal~a'-but when it's eaten, It's not
gOing to be VillainOUS. And at the end, the little girl comes out with a flower
In her hand. he's afe, we're all safe-we've had chocolate!"

• n M r 259
m p
 . ,.
COMMON ACCOMPANIMENTS TO ENTREES

O ver time, certa in accompaniments h ave become familiar companion to

various entrees-liver and onions, meat and potatoes, pork chops and apple_
sauce, turkey and stuffing. This list includes other combin ations that, while
perhaps not as well known, are similarly time-tested matches.
Given that toda y vegetables are co mmonly incorporated as part of a
dish itself rather than simply served as a side dish , there is some ambiguity as
to whether the match should be included under "C omposing a Dish" or her e.
Readers may wish to refer to both lists, whether co mposing a dish or a men u,
for different inspirations.
While this list provides suggested matches, a chef's poin t of view will
inspire how they will be applied (or whether they will be rein terpre ted or
ignored!). For example, the classic combination of meat and potatoes is open
to interpretatlon as:

• Pot-Roasted Beef Fillee tt'ieh ~fashed POtatoc8

-George Germon & ]ohanne Killeen

• Grilled Fillet of B.:ef u lth Cracked Black P.:J)pcr and Cognac Mustard Cream ,
send u-ith Shoestrmg Potatoes and Gla"eJ Carrots and Beets
-]o)ce ()old tem

• Brazsed hort Rib of B 4. Leeks , and Potato l'-follssdine-Gray Kun:

• Unlled C A.B Rlh·Eye teak lmh Red age teak Satlce and Ttdce-Baked
Potato km -.1Jrk .1tller
• PaLma moked BeejTenJerlom «11th liar eradl h'(Jlazed Potatoes and
pmach Jo. chlln 'phchal

BASS
broccoli endive po tar .
e.cgpl mt

BEEF
elm"h Ike he. r morel ratatuull ie
bru eI prout mu,hroom, red cabbage
celet) mot r<trsm~ plll.lch
e Lamie po tatoc tomato~
fennel
•
Many of Ihese combinations are claSSICS these are rndlcated In boldface typ

260
A t
 eE EF BRISKET
parsnips potatoes
beetS pasta sauerkraut
cJbbag e

SfEF SHANKS
potatoes, especially
l'0le nta mashed and roasted

BRAINS
tomatoes watercress
rice
salad

BUFFALO
carrots potatoes
cabbage

CAPON
omons potatoes. especially
celer\'. pureed
parsmps pureed
cher"nuts. pureed
stuffing
mushrooms

CATFISH
cole slaw potatoes tomatoes
hush puppie-

CAVIAR
blmi egg~, hard-bOIled sour cream
bread, dark lemon vodka
Champagne onions, raw

261
 CHICKEN parsnips
celery root
artichoke hea rts peas
crayfish
asparagus dumplings potatoes
beans, {ava rice
egg noodles
beans, gree n spinach
eggplant
beans, lima turnips
mushrooms
broccoli wild rice
onion s
brussels sprou ts zucchini
orzo
carrotS

COD
escarole potatoes
beans, green
kale tomatoes
broccolI
eggplant

CORNED BEEF
beets carrot" potatoe"
cabbage ool\1n.., turnip,

CRAB
.1raragll pea cr en radicchio
cab age

CRAYFISH
wle la\\

DUCK
apple ch rnut potatoc
apnc It corn rhublTb
barIe} enJ,,,e nee
beam. fa\3 e ar Ie rut, b 19a
beans. \\ hlte. pureeJ fig ~allcrkr.IU[
be k cho~ green allion p mc h
broccoli gnt pact:lc
brussel pr ut lenni pmach
bulgur mu broom IUd h. buttt:rnu[
cahba e par nip "eet potatoe
cabbage. reu pa I n fruit turnip, e ,Ill !-
carr t pears wild ri e
c I ry pe
c lery r t polcot
 ham sausage
potatoes toast

FiSH chips pasta

~rrichokes coleslaw ratatouille
~sp3raguS cucumbers nce
beans, (3\'a endive spinach
broccoli fennel
cabbage leeks
cepes

FISH, WHITE sorrel

potatoes
cole slaw
parsnips

FOIEGRAS
grapes toast
cepes
lentils
compote

FROGS'LEGS
celery root mushrooms

GAME
apples grapes rears
hommy rotatoes
cabbage
lentib sweet rotames
cabbage, red
celery fOut, pureed parsnip:' tlIrn i r s
chestnuts, especially
pureed

GOOSE
arrles chestnuts, esrecially sauerkraut
brussels srrouts rurceJ wild rice
cabhage, red

M , '
263
p g
 GOULASH spaetzle
rice
noodles

GUINEA HEN
carrots risotto
apples sausage
brussels sprouts lentils
potatoes
cabbage

HALIBUT
beans, green cabbage potatoes
broccoli eggplant spinach

HAM
apples corn pudding sauerkraut
apricots gnocchi spinach, especially
beans lentils pureed
biscuits peas, especially pureed spoon bread
cabbage potatoes, e,pecially sweet potatoes
carrot creamed or pureed turnips
chestnut

HARE
che tnU porCini squash
cranberne

HERRING
apple leek potatoes
cabbage

KIDNEYS
cepes mushr m pota toes
coleslaw noodle al J

LAMB AND MUTTON

aioli bean , flageol ts/white bru eI pruu
apnco beans, green bulgur
artlch k beans, white c rr ( ,c pe I \I~
aspara brocc )It r am d
MACKEREL potatoes
gooseberries
apples
eggplant

OXTAILS nee
parsnips
noodles potatoes
onions

OYSTERS, FRIED
potatoes
coleslaw

OYSTERS, RAW
toa t wine, white and dry
ale, beer, or stout
bread. dark (e .g .•
pumpernickel, r)e,
wheat)

PARTRIDGE
endl\e lent rapp\e
fritters
green nce
pasta u rkr ut

PHEASANT
apples gn 1 pumpkm
brusse prout h mm
cabbage lentil
cabbage. red muhrooms uerkr ut
carr noodl u h, peCI II l-u'
celery root. especially omons (ernut
pureed orzo turnIp
celery parsmps
c:batnu • tall peas
~ polen
[Ole gras pota
 PORK
cepes q UInces
apples
ch estnuts, espec ially n ce
beans, fava
pureed salad
beans, hma
lentils sauerkraut
broad beans
brusse ls sprouts pears sn ow peas
cabbage po tatoes, especia lly sweet potatoes
cabbage, red mash ed turnips

PORK CHOPS
apples e ndive spinach
J-.eans, e peCla ll y pinto h o miny, espec ia llv fried squa<;h , especiall\,
and refried p,)tatoe, mash ed .
heet' nee wa terc ress
eaJ-.ha~e, reJ alad
cole,l<lw 'dllerkrdllt

POT ROASTS
CaITu •e peel Ilh rraJ ed pot toe , C P 1111\ r,)matoe,
Jumplm b cd IT P IOcake turnip
endl\' lid
(mon In h

POULTRY
pplc che tout e peel 11\ polent.1
be n f \ pur ed P ltatoe
bru cI pr ut f, nn I r Hat Utile
Glbb c 1 poon bre d
uhf! \\ r rapc~

QUAil
aru ul pear hread
hea gr n IX I ora weethread
brussc:~ls pcrtJe weer IX rar -.e
hard
ch tn t

m h,f'OOIllI
RABBIT greens rice pilaf
bad e\" " II d noodles spinach
e<lbh1ge • ",peCta Y re pasta turnips
c<~lef\' roor . potatoes
chestnuts. ",peClally
pureed

RED SNAPPER
eggplant zucchini
broccoli fennel
cabbage

ROASTS potatoes
com, especially creamed
broccoli grits salsify
brussels sproutS shallots
onions
carrots parsnips turnips
celery root

ROAST BEEF
onions turnips, mashed
bean. green Yorkshire pudding
brussels sprouts peas
potatoes
cabbage

SALMON
cucumber, GOlan,
asparagus
eggplant peas
beans, fava
Jeru~akm arrichoke, potatoes
cabbage, red
lentils ljumoa
com
mushrooms ,pinach
couscous

SAUSAGES
pmaroe,;, e,peclally
apples che,tout
bean, mashed
fennel
brus,el, ~rrout' leeks nee
cabbge lenni, sauerkraut
cabbage, red [Omatoe" e'rectally
union,
Cllul1f1o\\er fried
rea,
cdery polema

69
SCALLOPS watercres<,
radicchio
escarole rice
kale
potatoes. especially
mashed

SEA BASS
fennel potatoes. especially new
beans. black. fava. and
white

SHANKS
rice
noodles root vegetahles. e~pe ­
polenta .
clally pureed
potatoes. espeCIally
mashed or wasted

SHELLFISH
pea rhuharb
fennel
grdin~

SHORT RIBS
bean • pureed 01 1.1\\ P t, toes
beer lee flee
broccoli noodle ~ uerkraut
bru I prout pa r tomat Ie
cabbage pc

SHRIMP
gram pea greeru n e
pasta radlCchl alad

SKATE
bean. e peclally whne eggplnr weer pc. t we

SMOKED SALMON
bhnJ
rye br t [

A
 L)dia Shire and Chef de Cui ine Daniele Bali.lni
PlGNOLl
B",wn . Massac htl ,~tt\

W I'h h I' ~ menu , we didn't look a t a r artlCular regio n of Italy so much a~ We

vv It t
tned to do thing~ that were bo th s~asonal and based on traditional fooJ,
served during the winter in Italy, U smg claSS IC m gredlents more than actual
recir es , we came up With our own dishes and mterpretatlons of them that
were roo ted 10 tradition-WIth a little tWist ,
The Antlra,to Giuliano was a combination of abo ut a dozen plat e, 0 f
all sorts of marinated vegetables and calamari-typical Venetian gnlled
seafood and marinated vegetable ',
i 'ext, we en'ed a mini-pancttonc (Italian Christmas brioche bread)
filled With cl po t ItO ' o ur laced with oxtail and beef marrow. The soft and nCh
marnm JU t melt J mto the our and ',1\ e added richness to the soup, as the
po t.l roe' \\ere Jll t a de H ,md imrle ha e. It's \ ery Italian to serve douhle
't.lrche It~e th bre.ld mJ p )[,1£0 here. In faLt, a lot of the rasta course, In
It,ll -e peCll1l 10 Tu m}-fcature I )lIhle tcHches like rasta with chick-
pea or hean ( r I nul. That' \ eI) urnm In, a wally .
hI , hac ala r air od, I \\ hlpred With pl)tatoe , the way
• orm II 10

the Fren h d Rut 10 dll hilled md heed It pclper-thm,

I , nd r. it[ Hth 1 he t lad md heer \ lOaigrette. Beet are
11th th the baccala.
u 11 h red til lind 10 Emtlia-Romagna, "hilI..' trae-
I I (h rhl I p ut IOto hee _ The ea urchm
th It It n 10 well a what' local and
pn tm tr m r \1."0,''''''':
hlO t t the fl h m t c mmon
I COllSIO r red pper The Ide was to p Ir th t With
SPI(:Y.• rd frul r J t that th 're
y . . . . . ,. . .

preserved 10 mustaro
and th m tard £nut re W
lance With the bran
h were stuffed 1m the
ltk
 ,wet the dish a sort of re~al ~ouch., ~is dish keeps to our theme of
":e
pe whole
us~ thoee
animal, because In hIgh CUISine a lot of the time we tend to
lower-caste cuts, which actually have a lot of flavor. For the
d' _ did a classic rabbit jus with port and !oie gras melted in at the end.
sauce. served it with some fried polenta.
~
I tfUnk strangle~e,
priest's typically served in Italy right
Lent. They're litde pastry dough tied In the form of a knot or a noose
beforefried. The Italians call them "priest's stranglers" because typically in Italy,
and urch is known to eat very well, so there's always a bit of a sarcasm and
the ch coward the fact that people of the cloth are supposedly living a life
resenanen'existenee, and yet they're known as having the best meals and the
ci hU:";rau,d palates. In Italy, there are a number of dishes like that
~ • san;IIItically to the Oturch. We warated to pair the pastry with a
which and rich flOzen mousse, which serves as something to dip the hot fried
::::Y intO- I believe we served it with a little blackberry sauce.
Ioc:"
VIe did a work on this menu, preparing it for more than 100 guests.
But they told US that it was one " the better Ouaine dinners that they'd had.

La Coat,&ie de Ia a..i. des R6tiueun

Bamia. de Bolton
February 5, 1995

•••
o 7d . . Mra,uw ~ in RoeI,_ BteGd
III 8 lUI, -r.. Vi&M MbiI,· Marsala Supewriot-!
••

-.'_)MA_
1992

a.99J.'
 . painter cue 0 well known for their
S llOlC

eristiC ,tyles that e,'en the occasion-

•
(harae r

..eum-goer can iJentify a Picasso or a

en
.-
aI tu ll.

Mondrian. imilarly, certain writers, such as

the poet e.e. cummings or the novelist John

Irving. have unique style which dl tingui-h =

their writing from that of other writer. But •
c:
do chef have recogni:able 19nature t 'le

of their own?

MIt would be imere ting to hlmd 01 i

ten food crm and a k them to tel te the

cl ten leadmg chef: t 1 ee it the'

idermfv the chef." y Daniel BouluJ.

I the c uld? "Ye . I

 think so, if th e dishes were ones they'd tasted before," he says. "The CfltlCS
would have to know the traditional dish es of th e chefs."
Boulud cites as examples his own dishes of scallops, pea soup, anu tuna
tartare with radish and curry as ones that would likely be recognIzable to
experienced criticS as his and his alone. "And they'd know Jean-Georges
Vongerichten's shrimp in carrot juice at Jo jo, or Gray Kunz's braised short nbs
at Lespinasse. In order to recognize the dish , it would h ave to be a very dIs-
tinct dish-not a complex dish with a lot of fried stuff on top. Sometimes the
most memorable dishes are the simplest.
"I believe you can recognize the subtle nuances in other chefs' COoking.
Some cook with more acidity, others with more saltiness, and others with
more sweetness. You get to know these styles after a while," says Boulud.
Jasper White also belIeves that cntics could pass the test. "But I think
you'd have to let themee the dishes, because I thmk the look of the plate
has somethmg to do with rer onal style as well," he says. "In my own per onal
style. I like food to ta~te great, and I like textures. The entire focus is nn ta~te
and textures, not on looks. The look that I want happens naturally. I don't
want fooJ to look artihciall . beautlful; I want It to look like it tastes good.
That'., my pomt of view. Ho\\ loe' It look ltke it tastes good? It has little
'peck ' of repper and h rped herb 1< nd kinLI of ,I rustic st') Ie to it. It's ,ome-
thmg rh t I k like the \\ holl f, U' \\ a In Ikmg s Hnething that taste, real-
Iv good. I

Thr ugh the myriad

What Distinguishes a Chef's Style? dcu,lOn .I chef
mak '. mcluJm th related t the c( mr Itt n of tla\fH~ and dl he~ and
menu a per n 1 p) Ie e .. oh e • reflectmg I chef' particular romt of VICW.
I

My c s ne S not nte ect a t 1 rk Mill r dl tillgUI he between two proml-

ore so sat sty ng em a s nent h >1 He \, "J 1I t a th re ar \\, flter \\ ho
ess u e w rd \ cry cr 1tl\ I~ nd re rna ter of lan-
es U ee. nd ther \\,Tlt r \\'h are hetter at tellLO 1 t -
DJnMlIlns
fie , I thmk there re hef who are rna ter of th
Ian uage f fla\ r nd ther chef: \\, ho c n tell 're t
t fie .
"I \\, )Old y that the te hmcal pe pie. th n
\\, h) tm e ~ r dr mati ,are rnetlme the one who under land the\\' r
an d the u f the w r Th c h e f w h t h 10k hout m nu and Irf) m
ItI n re m re mtere ted 10 the lOt rpl y betw n the \\, r th
nd th erall feelm f t f) r. th r th n IU t th t) h
r ul h r u f rm t I nd m nm t
m n
 "C('rt.11!1 chef, h,we a
"Ie' kremiah [Tower].
e H" (\ ' .
c r [\Xlater~). Joachim
.1, IILI'
. ~ I -hal) Charlie Trotter-
["pIL' _
- " II have a lot at personal
[hey c 1 . "
their tood. Sometlmes a
,(ye I In
c"I11.' ( \\'ho has a lot of style IS seen
" m')re unportant chef.
as a '
[,eca u"-e he does dishes that have
L

a t1 air. Per~onallv,. I would rather

eat RI'ck Bayless's . food. He
understands and can interpret the culture, in a way, through the tech-
nique-and he also creates something in his own right. Rick creates
Mexican meals, and hl~ restaurant is a reflecnon of Mexican hospitality and
the way he thl!1ks about life-his artwork is in the room. He represents to
me an mtegnty in food."
As for Bayless, he agrees that a chef's cUisine tastes of more than its raw
IOgredients. "Fla\'or, commltment--customer ta~te all of thi~ in the food,"
says Barless. "They're tasting the fact the t I pent year- 10 Mexico learning
from really great cooL how to do all of rhi', and that I Web ahle to pull it
tOgether mto rhe C<lokmg rhat we do here. I thmk rhey ta"re culture and his-
tory. basically, 111 dl,hes the r have been refme -whICh I don't mean 10 a
negative 'eme, hut in a good.en,e---o\'er generation. TheH', the ftn-or that
I thmk IS on our plate. here."
o v. hat IS It that (Teate~ a hef' ,t) 1 ? "Chei,' A chef should be free to express hIS own
cUisine) are a re,ult f rhelr hve'," expl,lln' Cary md,vldualJty
Danko. "And It'.; imponanr fm che to be han t WIth -tdo ... 3rd ~ gnor
themsel\'e~.lf you're h 'ne~t \\ ith your elf, there will be reW, led to you a pilth
in hfe, and cooklO~ happen, to b my mantfe ration of rhb ltfe. I de,crihe a

ryramlJ that repre ent, the heare, mmd. an~l hand of cooktn~. The heart
need, to be the ba)e emotion-then you need the mmd to cancel\ e the JI"h
anti the hand to execute it. It\ that p)T3mlJ that I try to reflect m my food.
and my Coukmg i a dIrect r(,~ltlt oi m~ life.
"That' why It' '0 critical for che , to tTavei , nJ tu ,tud) hiswry, art,
and culture," ay [}emko. "The re~ult i rhi Journey IS ,ometlmC S the le",1n
that hfe i really 0 unple, and that 'Ilnple rhm~'-\O co\)km~. 'Imple tho
vors--can be vcry rewardmg "
Gra) 'un! ,lgree . He en"ourar:e chd ro un 1 r,rand theIr 0\\ n per·
nal "food c.onte t" "HO\\ ')ou\ e been e.ltll1r: ,[ home all y ur !tIe Will
::aunt y U In V )ur lIfe ,chef," he 1\ '. "r u'll h,1\·<: Ima~e and (eehn!!
ullt tn trom 11 ur experlenc.e ."

1
 C harlie Palmer says he tells his young cooks to concentrate on wh~t
£ I d what they know when they cook. "I tell them not to J'ust ,I
tI1.ey lee an , , ' ,U{j a
, f what I'm doing or Mark MIller s do mg or anyone else IS dOing" h
versLOn 0 ' e
says. "I tell them, It's got to be you. It can't be me." ,
"Developing a personal style h as to do wIth developmg a point of view,"
Jasper White explains. "I think it takes years todevelop that. And it never
really stays quite the same . But I thmk at a certam pom t you know what it IS
and you become yourself."
"There are many different ways to do things ," Danko says. "You need to
go out and see everybody's style, and then look inside yourself and ask, 'What
feels and wor ks best £lor me.7'"

Because chefs' cuisines are a

Influences on Chefs' Styles direct result of their experi.
ences, their use of certain ingredients or offering of particular dishes can often
be traced back to ~pecific culinary influences.
After opening her fir t restaurant with partner Susan Feniger, Mary Sue
Milltken admit" "For a few months, we basically just copied things that we'd
done before that we'Ll liked the most. Mostly, they were the more peasanty,
country.,tyle JI he ." FeOiger Lkk "When we first opened, we were dning

Mark Miller on the Influence of Richard Olney

When we talk ahour my OWIl hCI!!htent-d c,)n I u ne ,thl;: e\ ent or people or chef that have been
mfluence in my hfe-It' pe,)ple ltke RI h rd Olne,. He I not cl chef; he i basically a cook. He's a
pamter. And hb knl)wleclge of CUI'lOe I unl aralleled, e\'t;~n 10 France. He is respected as the mo t knowl·
edgeable per I n in ooJ and WIO prub bl) 10 the Eng!! h or Fren h language today. Whenever you men·
tlon Richard Olney 10 th~H mJe, he' revered nJ he' re pected- nd thl i amazmg, because hes
Amencan and come, trom 10\\a!
Here' a pl:rson \\ ho IOt1uenced J me Beard. He".1 probahly one of the greate t Influences
Altce Water, m) eli, Jeremiah To"cr. enallll) The French Menu Cookbook but more Importan
SImple French Cooking \\hen It c me ut, really did re\olu[\onlze CalifornIa CUI me From Elizllldl
Da\ld through Richard Olne} thr ugh A"ce Water , ~ou can see there' a direct dellCelldenct
phil ph).
The French Menu Cookbook-I thlllk we cooked everythmg m that book at (lj.~ ft.~',~
)OU kno" "hat' Thc publIc "ked e\cq 109 Ie dl h, whether It w the kI
The f, d It elf reflect a certam plflted ment Itt It the hoiftcstY
nted It" a c mm L ut d the 19605, when people _nrl'td
"n " nJ their wn lxxlie and their wn n ron!men
 ff Th at
,t (lmtlt Qt duck, pot-au-fell, lamb stews-all that kind 0 f stu.
~ l. .......lU lL ,
C' tluenced a lot by rhe restaurant where we met [Le Perroquet tn ,
\\ ...
' 111
l ..
ChIC,l~c1J" ' ,
\\'hile Hubert Keller can ImmedIately point to two dishes he learned
to hI~', t'I'r't J,)b which he cont111ues
"
to serve to this day (an onion t art, an d
. ' as tenine with "toasted bnoche), he belIeves that young chefs sh ou ld -
jiJ1C gr
n't \\'a,'re their time 111 top restaurant kitchens trying to get the resta urant 's
, . "It's more important to understand their message ' thel'r ph'lI oso-
recIl'e;.
hI'," he say,· "You want to try to understand the underlying concept and
r , '-ation that makes the restaurant successfuL Because if it's successful )
oraan1..
rh:re's somethmg behind it-and It's not likely to be simply a recipe for fish
sauce. "
Keller crechts his time cooking at L'Auberge de I'Ill in France as improv-
in" his techmque and teaching him the details of execution. "And the time I
5 :nt in the south of France with [French chefs Roger] Verge and Dacquesl
r
MaXImIn was a rea I eye-opener, " he says. "H'
aV111g grown up 111, Alsaee, it fol-
lowed me more, and I was more receptive to It. In the south of France, we
cooked WIth o\t\'e oil and basil, which we'd never used at L'Auberge."
(JoachIm SplIChal IS another Maxlmm alumnus who CUlsme has the image of he who made it.
cites the French chef as the _ingle per m who' had the -Charles Barner

Hi food ha, uch an 111ten it) nd u h a ImpltCity. 111e perfection of it is unparalleled. The meals
I've had at Richard' hOll e were meal that are memorahle f ecau,e YllU cnuld not maximize the taste or
the dIsh <lny more. A gnlleJ lam \\ lth Prm en ~I herb, a p. ~ta WIth orre\, a salad with rocket flowers
In It, 'orne chee,es, d grt:ar old Bard ux, m white Rurgundle, . \)Ine fig~-I remember the meal like
it I'.a \e terJay, and It \\a t\\cnt) ~ear' ago. It \a~ tho~e t1a\or .
What Rich mJ Olne\ dlJ wa look at French cUl,me 111 the c unt1)'~ide and say, "It isn't just this French
classIC cui me eXI ting 111 re tdurant.'! j rt:all\ the I' of It, underneath it, is thi" great spirited food and the
unple food that came from mgredlent; that ere pure, 'uong ingredient ." The analogy would be that he
brou"ht about Dhf rnla CUl5me through h~ mterpretanon of regIOnal, SImple foods with strong tlavors-
Inth lad, an empwi on her '\ Ithout that, there probably \\ould not have heen California cuisine.
RIChard Olne) lone of tho e 0e11lU e who really changed the way French people think about
their I'.n toad, taught Ameri<.:an ab lit food •• nd created what we thrnk of as modem food. I would say
Jam Beard I the founder i regIOnal Amen ~111 food. but certainly not modem American food. Olney,
re th n n}lxxl~ el e. ~ the per n mo t re pon iHe for changing .l h)t of what we eat today--everv-
th fr m Altee and Jeremiah to Call~ rnid Plz:a Kitchen.
WIth RI hard, the ripple at hi mfluen eon even'one from leadmg chef to bread baker to W111;
t ry f r. Th e pe pIe re at the top cf their c. reer • and then underneath It all. there
lit. And that' RIChard Oloe,.
 most mfluence on hb style. "H.e w,,, Very
Mediterranean m his use of uitve oil lInd
fresh h erbs," Splich al remember .)
O penmg the re taurant Cui tnt dt
Solei! m Brazil for Roger VergE, while
serving to expand his cUisine in n\!\V
directions, was , Keller says, a little Itke
cooking m the south of France . "Again
we were cooking with olive Oil, garhc'
omons, and tomatoes," Keller recall ' ,.
"And cilantro, which we used there, had
never been used m an y of the French
three-stars. I found myse lf PUtting
coconut into fish stew, and u 109 Cor ian-
, der. Ju~t tastmg all the local Ji,hes, plu,
a cla" 1 wllk in Bra:ili:1I1 cuisme while
hving there, wa a real edUCatllm of 01) eye ,1Od pabte."
Rick Bayle, recall, that he taught co kmg da~,es in his early twenties
Junng graduate, hool at the Unlver Ity 0 , 1lchlgan. "~1y whole \\" Ir\J wal
ac.1demlc, <lOd becau e I pored over cookbo k , 1 fanclcll th.lt I knew ( 1,lt
about cookmg," a Ba -Ie . ": meone on e IIl1 to me, 'I you travel with
311me knmded e u h we 10 }our he, 1, you'll probe hly hnng hac.k Imo t
nothing. But If U \\ Ith) Ie n I te, th n you'll probahly bnng back
mountam fin rm tI n.' I rem mhere th t the following year \\hen I \\
able to take IX \\eek nJ go [ I ','lot )U t [U Iy food, and I took that
ad\lce \\Ith me \\ hen I \\ ent,
" I t at tim , I e th 10 Ill) f lIow chet \\ hen they travel to
1exI o--e pe lalh the ne \\ h ) \ nt to Ie m I little bIt d~( ut 11cXIC nih-
\ onng and ) rth to 10 rpor.lte lOt their \\ n \ e IOn f \\ hate\ er CUI tOe
[he\ 're \ rkm 10, r th Ir )\\ n CUI me- nd the) gt) with [h Ir mind all
full 01 10 rm Itl n, nJ th 're I km. ~ ran} (hm • that the\ l: n kmd I lip
10 bet\\een the u k 0 m~ rm HI nth t th ) alread) ha\l~. trel\u nth I
thmk th t th \ ml II 0 the bl~ tuff, th re II ood ruff, \\ h n the dv
th t.
. "There \\ere a number 01 time th t I \\a tra\elmg through. 1 I~
domg re earch f r our fIr t book th It I \\()uld JU ( top be use I r (11t:eJ th [
I \\ I JU t httm • e\ e f}t h In mto m~ f ramc\\ork I \\oulJ
' to Ol) I1 'I J n't
under tand nqhln1 g alx ut \\ h at thl pc n I reall) dolO •
But 1m) t
t 1\\ l[ch. nd I'm JU t g )lng tI (a ( and I'm In to wnt It II J "0
then I'm • In t) m Ie thl dl h, JU t thl w m uO(l11
fl ure ut \\h th per n \\ d )In J( th thin t rm t:1'1 r
 ' \\"lS the way Bayless managed to learn so much about M' eXlcan CUI-,
rl11' <
"rhe real cuisine of Mexico is not a cuisine of restaurants and chefs"
,'Ineue'
, . B. ·Iess, "I t 's rea II y t h e CUISine
<1}
' ' 0 f th e women who have b
een In' t h' e
Jrg
k'tch en 0
t' r centuries doing this stuff. There's a name for them-the'
, y re caIIed
[he .' de'J, and they re the holders of
I major ,
the whole tradition ' Unfo rt unate Iy,
e male chefs, when they go Into that role in the hotels go 'I 'h
any 0 f th ' n WIt
III ,J that if they cook the cuisine of the majordes they're cookl' "I
his attltUU e , n g glr
[ d' S they want to show that they know what 'real' cuisine is all ab t
foo, 0 au .
unfortunately, I think that they generally miss the mark, because they're not
'II' to onen their eyes and say, 'This is it-this is what tastes good this is
\1'1 mg t '
. should be, I understand what the cuisine is all about and I'm going
what It , "
, k with it instead of trymg to somehow dommate the scene.'
ro"m"Similarly, I like [French] CUlsme ." bourgeozse much better than I do most
of the haure cuisine, In fact, when I eat haute cuisine that is really satisfying to
me in France, I always think that it tastes very much like good home cook-
, It satisfies in that same way," Bayless says.
mg·
Bayless describes his
How Have Their Cuisines Evolved? current food as being
"much more confident" than the food he cooked when he first opened
Frontera Grill. "Now I'm much more willing to really listen to my own heart
and do what I know 15 nght. ThiS is in spite of the fact that With every issue
of Art Culmaire I get, I go into. ome immediate panic or derre~"ion because I
can't cook food that looks like that. I Llsu,tlly can come out of it very quickly
and say, 'You km)w, my fOcKl IS the food that really ati"ftes me.' And I'm
thankful that other people react to It ,1ml can relate to it and seem to really
Itke it, too-.. . . that it doesn't have tn be all that fancy, fussy stuff to be good.
"I think the tnmg flavl1r profile elf, Jih makes it satisfying from the
fim bite tll the last. In ~ lexican tll(lLI, it \ much mure c)f a homogeneity of fla-
vor; you're looking for thl~ rlmnd, nch tlavor [hat :-peaks of one thing, and it'
the name of that dish. whatever it \\ ,luld ~e. I think when you eat one of our
di,he' from t-eginntng to end now. you ",til notice thelt all of the components
on the rlate are m harmom, that we\'e got the right accompantments, the
rtght g3rnt~ht.' • that e\'erything ]u ... t ,eem~ rh~ht ahout it. That has always
been purred on by my cunfidence in the ti1Ct that when you get everything
taken 3way from a cit' h anLI ,nil have .I perfect dish-then it's fight," says
Bayle . "I"t not d matter ot how much Cdn \'l)Ll put on, Lput h ow Glue h ca n
~ou take I\\a)' from It that h the 4 ue ,ulln YOU should always ask."
• orman Van Aken de,cribe hi' 0\\ n proce's of e\"oluno n a<; a chef: "I
nl JtJ .... hat I w told I \\.1' ,uppo eel to d,).l a chef, unnl there was a ce:-
t m Itttle rart uf me that aid,' '0 \\ a~ am I g LOg 111 do that!' That \\,,1, 197 I,

295
n a
 We cont nue lettmg the mgredients speak for and I'd been cooking since 1971 . Then I neeued .1
t
t emse ves-and contmue fighting our cooks and educate myself. So the biggest change has b ()
. een th
chefs not to try to complicate them process 0 f se If-e d ucatlon and growing up and I e
__ emlah Tower so much more about food." earntng
Even A lice Waters admits th at wh en she first opened Chez P .
. " a n ~l
197 1, "I didn't know an ything about seasonaltty. I really thought th n
e season
for green beans lasted from the spring to the fall ! But there's a mom
ent for
those, and everything else-and you have to catch it. And you have t "
". " " 0 reSiSt
using those Ingredtents at other times of the year.
Waters believes, "We've uncovered a whole range of ingredl"ents, a
whole range of tastes, that we didn't know an ything about twenty-ft""e , years
ago. That's significant. I think we were ort of working with the prtmary col.
ors when we opened. We had a little fennel-something so exotic as that, at

Mark Miller on the Importance of Pushing

People a} the} 're pu hlng the envelope, but I don't really thmk they are.
I see u turning wa from food and becoming more selective about what
we eat and wh we eat It and wh n we eat It and with whom we eat it.
And oun ch f r n't pu hlng th Ir own palate pa t the point of where
me 'r ut m t1
Iw r If ch f re d In en uhf, r themselve to actually under-
t n what m} h uld be dolO f, r the . Or do they alway go to the
n w h t r taur nt thmlun that they h uld create the new hot re tau-
r"dnt, r th new h t d h Or th JU t w nt to be 10 Art Culi7U1lre? Is
mm t 1r nl 1 If th are their r I models, If that' what they want
t d mg m America
chefs are II on that road today. But t Ch
Pan the ide and do bl dmners and
Thanksglvina toeerhcr. I cookmg turkey an the fi
place I than HI ~
enq~ms and put them
California. I would
 > And we rut nastur-
Ie tIln~,
[ 1 ,[edible flll\\'eni] in a salad,
[lul11' ,. , '
'l[ \\',1" exotiC, But no\\ we
lIld [ I1< ,J f WI'Id
< . 'en[een kmus 0
hJ,'e ,e'
'I 1olll', and an equal nUlTI-
nlU' lrl
' heirloom tomatoes, and
ber 0 t
, , that I could never have
[urIlI\,'
, ed the shapes and colors
illlag tn
, me for beets, And, of
0, f 5J
'lll the potatoes-russet
(Our,e, '
r, roes o and tred a ones,were as much as I knew about potatoes back th en, N ow,
wlth yellow fms and ruby crescents and fingerlings ' It's J' us t fantastlc
'
\I'e ell1 lk
the pOSSibilitieS, To ha\'e watercress back then was exotic, and now we hav~
upting cress and ancho cress and ,tiny little watercress-a whole world of
ta''te-"' I think at Che: Pai1ls::,e we ve learned a lot of things about pu tt'mg
together a menu, but even more in terms of ingredients,"
Gary Danko believes his food at The Ritz-Carlton Dining Room (San
FrancisCO) was much different from the fooJ he served prior to that at
Chateau Souverain in Napa Valley, "And my next restaurant Will again
ret1ect a different ,tyle of food," he qy , "A lot of the principles and tech-
nique, Will 'tal', ~uch a~ hO\\ I make my ,tocks or bh fumes. But sav mv next
knchen has fifty burner. and i" a ~ 1en:euec-Ben: of kttchen~-Itke Gray Kun:
has~-then my ,tyle uf cookmg b goin~ to change becall e I'm 1I1 a different
ennwnment .
"Say, tor example, I left an Franci co .mel moved to 1 'e\\ York. There
would be an additional change a" I went intO d new cit) anJ adopteJ to what
the ,{'ecific~ are-'er\'lng dll1ner I.Her, lookm~ at different pmdllce,
.-\lthough {'eople ',1\' we ha\'e better pwduce m Cahfornta. I think. 'ew York
ha, a whole n~\\' lea!!ue 0 pw\.!u e ~ecau e It ha- Europe a~ it~ market and
Cahfornl3 ha- A,ia. Very little ire h rrodll\..t~ cumes in from A'la--t.l
uite
irankl), Cah~ mid I_ not gom!.! to It:t < n~ citrll" in from any part of the
worIJ-\\ herea I e\\ York gL'[- oran!!\: frmu Spam or clementln~' anJ that
kmd of thm:!. nJ I thmk the ft,h and the ,elecnon of fi-h 1 better m . 'ew
York :01'.1 ha\'e a very different m.ukd ba ket," ~a" Danko.
"It\
E\0 I"In'.:! a ache o\er [he Cl)Ur e 0 a ar~er h a, It' c haII enge ..
ne\er been In e.1 ) proce,"" ,,1\ Patrick l)' nnd\. "You're continually frll~­
trated \\Ith wantln.! [0 be more mVt:ntive and more creali\''; and have more
Ide than \OU J . And \llU hlve lit) penod-, tOO, when yuu feel you're in ,\
lern"'le rut. Wh t [' ve 1 arneJ
. d h J
I that after \ u 12 t e rut t!ep t:
>nllu"h
~. at the
r nt .... her \ JU t ee I \\ here h ' no \\ .\) l tit, e\.e.,- "uu
ere' , - kinJ of keer
)u-r

n nJ th n U nd tip e 'plodm~ Ollll)t It."

297
c S
 ' h e"en the most seasoned chefs keep pushtnl:: them I
Th at s w Y • . ". eves.
.I enu we tn, a new technique, says Lydia hire. In l'lred l
"\X'lt 1 every m , .1 . ' . ('~
· hefs like Jean-Louis Pall adm , hire and her chef ' 11 BL
other Iead mg c . • Ina,
'e prepared many speCialty foods from scratch. "We'v
Susan Regis, h a\ . ". e an·
. d
dfie our own
beef and made our own proSC
, .IUttO::', Shire reports With l'rt'J·e
"And I recently made a wonderful cot~chmo sausage ,~v lth a recipe 1 got froll)
Lidia Bastianich of Felidia re tau rant m Manhattan ,
"If you stand still, it becomes boring," agrees Joachim Splichal. "And
we are not factory workers-we are artists."

For culmar)' artl t~ whme pasion for c ooktn~

The Chef as Owne b greater than t~elf passion for runntng a
busme~ , It can he difficult balance the t\\"l. "It you're a chef without ~ our
tl)

own husme ,5, then you can concentrate m\)fC on the cooking , But If you have
your own re~taur(lI1t, then ,·ou have to be more of .l C lllaborator," say~ Daniel
Boulud. "I won't let m) bu'me~ or my co km~ go entirely into () ther~' han,b,
I have a lot of pe pie worklll ' wnh me, but I .lIn the epicenter of ,Ill of it."
ann n Van Aken POlllt ut the Itfferencc, in his stylem e becom-
109 a chef· "ner, op d t r"lll d the hef f omeone el,c' re t,m-
r,lI1r. ". mu h hI r re t Unlnt. [At A Mana). I cooked )me-
time ut cl n f lpe; It haJ a tran 1 hold on me be au c I \\ n't
the o\\ner nd I " ) mu\:h t ) be orne the owner of the re taurant.
There \\ere urn \\h n It \\ mor ed ,I 'U . Wherea now, It' ltke ~tng
m m) o"n h m , nJ I cd mu h m re m~mahle WIth my fexxl It' more
b Ian ed, l\ er 1I
When u're n t the wn r, ou're gOIng to take the opportuntty
reach he nJ \\ h re )U hould r h)m tim hecau you're hell-bent on
fmdm out tI all that ou nt t fmd out tn the creattve proc
the "'ner, th re enatn rt c Imn th t com tn that allows
t feel m lr bal nced about everythm ," Van Aken.
RI k Sa I found that
the p ures r tauranr own·
ershlp tnltlall had an Wlden••
able tnflu nc on h food
"When you put your entue •
tnp and muemtnt
money
 " "When I opened, I wasn't quite sure where A chef S '
B'l\' Ie'" CUISine sWings on h t G
,ell" ng to ha\'e to end up for financial reasons ·the dolo Ih " W a ray Kunz calls
lI'ere gO! . , ' n e I faclor "GeW .
\I'e h I "IS very much commItted to trusting my nght is wh t ' , ng every detail
h lUg \\, . a gives CUIsine its g I "
,1 It l ,J instincts about what good food really is. I says Kunz 'Olh ' ,. rea ness,
' 1 gut an c ' ' erwlse, II s Just good"
,1\' I I "frer we were open lor SIX or eight months I relaxed int .
h'k t1ar " ' omyown
(Ill d I knew that ir was something that people could appreciate."
(yle an r aspects 0 f ace
sOh h f'S cUlsme
" may Iik e Iy change over tim e. Jean-
r e
" 11gerichten clearly moved consciously toward a less formal "
Georges vO , CUlsme
f
t his hotel kItchen at the Lafayette to open his own French b'
II,hen he Ie . ' . Istro,
'0 "In the beginnmg, the menu was a lot lIke It was at Lafayette, incorpo-

JOJ' , etables juices. It was a lower-key restaurant, but the same food W
rating \ e g . . e
h d rhe same cooks, the same walters, but at a more casual price and atmos-
3
re," he says. "But five years later, the menu IS totally different. There are
peh tural flavors, an d far Clel\er
. '
mgre d'lents-m ' some cases only three-
more na ,., . . '
on a r lat . e" Vongerichten descnbes JO)O s cUIsine today as "VerT loose We
., .
might serve something one way one day, and it might be as much as ten per-
cent off the next day, "
Still, Vongerichten admit~ that he misses the style of cookim~ demand-
ed of a high-end restaurant. "I miss the rrecisene~, of things," he says. "At a
high-end restaurant, the customers expect even more. And the more pressure
you have, the hetter the recipe,." Vnngerichten announced plans to return to
[hIS style of CUIsine with hl~ next re tau rant, scheduled to open In
Manhattan's Lincoln Center area.
Another one of hi, g()al, I hlnfllr1g b. ck '!fand erYlce. "LIke the
19305," he says. "When you're In the kitchen, ,ou have all the e great .,melb,
but the customer doe,n't. I want the ell tamer to he dble to hedr the ~1::le, to
see the fooJ as It \', cut into." He creJIt' <1' m plratlon a dinner at Tatllevent
in Paris, to which hi, parent took hlln f( Ir hi' el~hteenth birthJa). "It was
rery sen'ual," he rememl>ers. "Everyone wa 0 excited before a dl,h drfl\·eJ.
I thmk the appetite develop' more \\ hen, ou eat thl w"a)."
VongenLhten ay' he plan, to cr'\'e hal the dhhe~ table, ide at hb next
re taurant. "If we have a luhter aLld n the menu, a tech11lcal cook wtll
cook the lobster, l>Ul It Will be Cut dt the table and to ed With 'pinach," he
says. "AnJ then the people at the next tahl \\ til -.ce the lob ter, or the Juck
be/lng carved. I'm not talkmg ahout h.W\11g t1ambe or putting on .how:'>.
We're )U~t gom~ to hnng aroma~ hack intO the ,!tntng ro m anJ have people
rartlClpate rna re m t he ·tOO\.l1 expenence.
. "

, bJla hire de cnbe Blba a .m ede tI Amencan re raurant "where

\\e re free t ) do an} thing we \\ \11t," he. ,"Plgnoh, on the other hand,
t
It itd\t n re t IUram, penod. And \\ e d )Oft ba,rarJl:e or Amencant:e.
J n t e t pa ta fir t cour e, 0 W don't ofter I t . one.
A mericans are used to hav ing all. appetize r und all. entree, but Italians tat
three :, maller courses: antipasto , then risotto or pas ta, then a sm<lll entrEe
It's the bes t way in the world to eat- that way, yo u get to try th ree thing,
instead of two!"
Shire adds, "O ur customers are pay ing us to put some interesting flaVor
combinations all. a plate. They want to see things that they can't recreate at
home. "
Hubert Keller agrees. "When customers come into Fleur de Lys, the
are expecting a gasrronomica I expenence. ," he says. "Very sImp
' Ie dishes canY
he very good, but I believe that if all. average customer can recreate the same
dish at home, then the restaurant and the chef have missed something. Anu
I know that there are many chefs who don't agree with me a ll. this. But I
think we should go heyond what a home cook would do. After all , thb ISOUr
profession. "
Vongerichten recount:, how Picds:,o once gave a demonstration on h olV
to make a lot of money in a short tllne: "He slapped some paint on a canvas
and signed hIS name to It, and claimed he'd created five million dollars In
minute,. 'It\ hulbhlt, but It selh,' wa~ his Clll11ment," says Vongerichten. "In
fooJ, that 1I ed to h,lpl'en more ilnll I11pre-hut thcre\ no hullshit (\nym\lf~.
You can't get ,1\\,1' \\ nh It. People n:c( !.!ni:e n,l\'or and freshness now."
Often evolutIon re ult tn lI11pllflc.ltlon. Je,m-Louis PalLldll1 hdieve
that LU ramer \\{ n't be ble to" md the td te " un the plate If there ,ITe wo
mam mgredlent n \\dm..! It." em, I'm tr}tng to he a~ simple as p(lssihie,"
"l} Pallidm. "I J n'l Itk to put more lh, n three elements on ,I plate."
• 'onn m III ken gre . "E\ I') )eaT, I know [hat it'~ going to ~e a
further tnprmg WIV h, Lk md fmull1g ()ut what' es~el1tial,"
nd peclmg
he 3}", U Irma} be Impler, or \\ h It \\ e feel to be [Tuer. And [h,lt's [he lIlt!-
m. te goal."

Global Cuisine CUI me I con t<mtly bemg haped and re haped by

ever-chan m J int1uence : customer demanJ , the
3\ ailabl!'t) If mgredlent. chef' expenmentatlon, even meJla pi
"Unt: rtunatcl}, the c )kmg of a lot of ountne I di mtegratmg," oh rv
Altce Water. "It' hard to get thl e really Imple and perfeet dl he 3(1)ffi

E\erybody' embr Idenng all kmd (f thmg II over."

Michael R mano ha observed that all the MlChelm three- taT r t
rant seem to ha\e bee( me \ery Fr n h ven tho 10 Italy "It' prlltl,llllY
all p rt f th dnve f, r Mlch 1m ta 'he peculate J hann Kille n
n {tee that 'the m re IMI helm) t r t ur nt h
Fr n hlfled It I It' MI hellO h UI m
m fit nd Jud ev urant accolrdtn I
 difficult to find food th '
of Italian food has be at s pure. A lot
.h come muddled
Wlt no dear flavors , n 0 clOCUS. There'
are too many acrobatics too h
. . h ,muc
Jumpmg t rough hoops."
Rick Bayless says he "b'
nst1es" at
the new-style cuisine in M .
"Th eXlCO .
. er~ are ~ few people who are doing
a fme Job wlth it. But most of them are
hotel-trained chefs, and when they
start doing this modem version of
L __'" it comes out looking like bad nOlltleUe cuisine-there's !ittl
~~~ e
. bias cI stUff all over the plate. And sometimes they try to tone it down.
onY theY do that, I feel like they're taking out the guts of the dish and all
~ ldt trith is a kind of hollow shell," he say .
~ "Mexican CUISine is a robust and very elegant cuisine, but it' elegant in
. silllf'licitYo itS naturalness, its pontaneous feel. When you tan making a
~ with uteen garnishes and little things dropped around the plate, it' not
~.. It'I m' w the point of Mexican food, in my book," says Bayless.
'1bar'. why my food' much more immediate and much more traightfor-
.-. We work With big. bold trek . We don't put too much food on the
pt.. ~ I 1 at IDtdfera ,th our ' abihty to really appreci•
., your palate can get confused really quickly with
th...
noIIeI Danael Boulud. "The French
food. I have been learning about
France to team. and when they
IQPI1li1ticat.ed and refined enough to
 nine herbs and tomato coulis. I'm proud of it, and people love It. AnJ I d"n't
think there's an Italian who could make it as good !
"And I love risotto, and like to offer it to my customers. Risotto is won_
derful for providing a stage for th~ flavor of ingredients, wh ich can give m~ny
dimensions to it. For example, I 11 serve a lobster n sotto made with lob,ter
stock, or a squab risotto made with squab broth, or a sh ellfish risotto made
with the juice and water of shellfish. I like to 'French-ize' my risotto.
"One of the last risottoS I came up with was inspired by my vacation in
the Pays Basque [near the border of Spain and France) last year: a seafood
risotto with a puree of pasilla peppers and a saffron broth," says Boulud. "\
love this dish very much-it's like French Tex-Mex."
Some chefs are well respected for their ability to merge a wide array of
culinary ingredients and techmques. Lvdia Shire describes her cuisine as hav-
ing both eclectic (involVIng a mixmg and matching of courses with varying
influence,,) and fusion (representing a melding of the ingredients and/or
techniques of twO or more regions) elements. She h astens to add, "But with
re~traint~ I won't do thin gs just for shock value; there are certain things we'd
never, e\'er do." he cite" a~ an example a fi,h dish served with couscous and
wa'abi, wluchhe was once t, ken ab,\Ck to see on another restaurant's menu.

Norman Van Aken on New World Cuisine ' .,.' .

One of the wrche that I carry l one eh It we t Illuminate the type of cooking that ha nllt heenu
well known yet in mo t of . 10rt h Ameri 1, \\, hlch I the regl mal CUI me of the Caribbean, Central Jnd
outh Amenca, and the mother ~ ountne that affected the cUI me that were brought to those areas,
such as Africa and to a lesser degree Fran e nd ltal~, of course 0 even though I might read ahout or
taste a great di h m ew York made hy Gra~ Kunz ur meone hke that, I have to tell myself, "That'
not my tor\. M~ _to~ i a regional to~ that need to echo the Immigrant pattern that are south
Flonda." 0 that' a ver) Important fact r behmd why I cOOk what I'm gomg to cook.
People a k if the e\\, World CUI me I c k means the arne thmg to me as It doe to other ch
Well , I don't thmk rock and roll meant the me thang to Jerry Lee Lewl a It did to Elvi
However, there' a certain reference that' hared, a parenthetical opportUnity to express a cerratn
of probability. And I \\'elcome the fact that there are different deftnltlons that would be e paused by
\an Oll people \\'ho \\- ould ay that they're practlt10ners of ew World CUISine
I comed the term fusum CUISine a response the metdmg together of dISparate cutll\l
alth u h I \\, a not much Initially talkang about tnarrymg French and Thai, for example. I
mg alx ut marrymg rustiC CUlSme. With I and cu ine with I intc~
It~ That t me I what I desc when I
But ery umbret And t\IAI)Il o...~
 (j~"
r", Kun: :,a),s,
. "A' good" friend told me, 'What yo'
u re d' , takin
Otng IS
edge oft ethmc cooking. I knew what he was t ' g
[he rL1U~, h rytng to say. I do see
· , ' incorporating flavors and fragrances, but in a b1
11lpe It Jo , ' , very su t e way.
, . 'uccessfully has a lot to do with finesse. You want to k
Dcllng sO :, , ma e sure that
[he conte.
xt I, still approachable and not go overboard an d sh oc k cus-

[Om ero-r." keep cuisine f

rom '
gOing " overboard ," Jean-Georges Yo ngenc
'h ten
jO
, . there should be boundaries in food. "The 1990s should not b I
believe,,, " e a me t-
'ng pot, " he asserts. Now everyone has ginger In their kitchen . I n twenty
I I don't want to see 'universal cooking.' I think people should go back
years, ' rJotS and keep tra d'mons
, gOing.
' Dal11e
' I Bou Iud is from Lyons and
[0 thelr l , " " . ,you
. 'II find thtngs ltke tnpe and pork WIth lentils, whICh he grew up 'th
can ,tl WI ,
on hiS menu. . .
." wdl ne\'er put star al11se In my choucroute. If someone else finds some-
thing new to do with cabbage, great. But it hurts me to see things on a menu
like 'Thai Bouillabaisse.' They should call it a "Thai Fish Soup' instead of
ruining something great."
Norman Van Aken believes that It's important for chefs in various parts
of [he world to honor thelf regional bounty. "As much as possible, they

to VancoU\'er to New York to FlonJa, becau e of chef~ tclkmg dl~parate cuismes and welding them
together in hopefully a harmnmoll' we ldmg.
New Wllrld cui5ine wa~ the term thelt I came lip with to de cnbe what takes place in southeastern
Florida and to a degree will hegm t tclh piale 111 other plelce, ,I, well. much the same way as the
Southwestern food movement t()ok .mJ marned clas'lcal technique an,l methodology WIth Mexican
produce and, e\'entually, Mexican methoJulog\ or pre-Columhtan Il1Lltan methudlliogy. With us here in
iouth Florida, the varil)u~ mtluence are Latll10 ro < great degree, with all the different paWLS of the
Canhhean offering all thee \\ ild tWI t anJ rum'.
If you go into a market or a lltrle gr ery rore or cl lIttle cafe, whether It' Jamaican or NIcaraguan
or Argentinian or Cuban or Bohemian, }ou'll ee the ~lifterence m the cui~mes, It'll take a while w
understand the Jifference~, but a )Oll pend more and more time ~ou'll bl?gm tl) lInderqand the nuances
among them. Bemg from none of the e traditions, [ don't ha\'e .. ny clllegiance to a particular (ui~ine. It
allow me the freedom to go in and \ bit n,1 put my own quilt together. .
orne of my coworker' < re na([ve of the~e place;,; they respond to my experimentation by hetng
SOrt of tanl d dh If I · h "How 1oe, ",'ur gr,1n,1-
e an appy and, metime a little .hy ahout It. '.ly to t em, L 1 '
m ther work h th' , h h ouoh of thl? ianguJge
h' Wit I particular tuberr' or wh<ltever, once I \'c gotten t roug en ,~ ,
arner, I think they feel a part of It-It make them teel harp\,. It tn.lke, me feel harrY, bt.·C(}u,e It (cr-
talnl~ I IU t h' I" d 1 the,e place, them-
h as Important to me a reading h k by peorle \\ho have per dP' I\e \I

03
should glorify and celebrate the cuisines of their regions, 10 that as We t
from city to city, and suburb to suburb, and little hick town to little ~Vtl
town, that th ere StloIl IS a great reglona1 opportunlty.
0 0 0 " lelt
In a graduation speech Van Aken delivered at Johnson &. Walea
University a few years ago, he says he told students, "Don't go back
Virginia and cook New World cuisine. Don't go home to southern Calif: ~
and do that either. I think what you should do is go back and find out ~
what your ttongest sense is of the people who are in that community at tha~
point in time.
"And I don't mean cook 'museum food,'" Van Aken says he emPUll- L

sized. "If you're in Dallas now, I think. you should embrace some Vietnam
flavors, becau.... there,s a suong V·Ietname5e community. But I hope that est

omer chefs ·U do what 1did in terms c1 reacting to where I live by reacting

1O.m e they lave. lOat would be honoring tt-honoring the ttadition but
...".......~ dwOUllJa cnau and the IUllUI8l inclination we have III
 --Chefs' Styles Personified in Their Menus
'ous leading chefs around France created dinners honoring the centenary
Vafl e birth of the renowned gastr~nome Cumonsky. Twelve examples were
of th ed as reflecting the personalities of their creators as follows:
claSS lfi
Femand Point: Classicism
Cfulrles Barrier: Harmonious Simplicity
FrCD1fois Bise: Tradition Revived
Paul Bocuse: Vitality and Generosity
Alain Chapel: Supreme Inventiveness
Michel GuiTard: Subtletie of Taste
Paul Haeberlin: The Strength of Tradition
Louis OwthieT: A Delight for the Eyes
Jacques Pic: A Spread of Independent Creation
Raymond ThuiJier: Epicurean Delight
Troisgros Brothers: Aavors Close to the Land
Roger Vnxe: Exuberant Onginahty

the man who cared for the birds had a garden With herbs like garlic chive
and wild onIOnS, and I truly believe It brought a lot of flavor to them."
The partridges were killed and bled and hung with the guts in as well.
Btcao. cJ all the DOUble he'd gone to making sure the partridges had flavor,
Paimerdidn't to destroy their taste dunng the cooking proc . "I made
aJIG faa the which tJ«e
finished With de Wznde and herbs that
played on had been eating, and then, m the traditional
'"'_ th the partridges' blood," says Palmer. The
- ......ltedrare Ith the sauce, the fmely minced
cb8l\tClrel and some caramelized turnips,
ord_1X ..:ull d ha e been too overpowenng,"
DiODt DOlI' perfect."
rechnoloIY m the United
 to Palmer adIIlliu.
ndant tlJBt s not so much
e squid, sham and'" life.
nd change it into stull that Plople
would c;ons;1Ir , .Ii".

better ones. Peal-

hlrN
able Are mere bedll _ ••-
 George Germon and Johanne Killeen
ALFORNO
PT!Jt'idence. Rhode Island

. any other 'cultural phenomenon, is a living. thing. It naturally goes through a seamless, a\mOSt
Food'like
imperceptible evolutIOn. Perhaps there are more chOIces on our present menu-and the choices are co .

c\ear~bo~~
tinually being refined and Simplified-but our basic philosophy has the same clarity of vision. Our al n
is acute, aggre ively clean in taste, and our style is grounded in reality. It seems our signature is
plaLtt€:rs, not and in celebratory moun~
 Roasted
' dHalf-Ch
G 'k - -
Ie en on a Nest ofVermiee1ti with
M Ixe reeens
Oven-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Herbed Crust,
Roasted Potatoes, and Pear Mostarda
Pvot-Roo:ted Beef Fittet with Mashed Potatoes
mtner s Steak
ked in the Pink with Fresh Herbs, Cream, D ' Veal Tenderloins with Grilted P
Gritled IP
0 enta, an
posta Ba nppings, and Fennel-Infused Onion
nd Fife Cheeses
a Bak'd with l'v1tlShrooms, Pancetta, Rapini, Clam Roast with (HOT!) Spicy Sausage, Endive,
Pasco c Tomato, and Mashed Potatoes
Cream, and Fit'e Cheeses
Tagliatelle uith ;\1ascarpone and Oven-Cured Pink- Gritted Veal Chop with Gremolata-Mashed Potatoes
and Pickled Onions
Prosciutto Cotto
Grilled Brine-Cured Pork Chops with Mashed
Spaghetti tl'ith Tuscan Meat Ragu ,
Pumpkin and potato-FIlled Free-FonTI Lasagna wIth Potatoes and Mixed Greens
Rosemary-Infused Veal Spareribs with Aged
Black Olit'e Butter
Rolled Mushroom Lasagna with Bechamel, Tomato, Balsamic Vinegar and Roasted Garlic-Potato
Cake
and Parmigzano
Fresh Little Compton Tilefish in Aqua Pazza
Fresh Little Compton Cod Roasted in a Caper
~lay()nnaise u'ith Roasted Potatoes
Grills, Roa,L, and BrJi~e~ For Ltttle Appetite

Small Plate of Roa ted Seasonal \'egetahl

De ert~ (all, except fir~t two, made to order)
Pepper-Gnlled ChIcken Pm/lard u ith . 1rxed Greens,
Shat't'd ParmlRIano, Caramel!~ed Onions, and
Tirami~lI
SpICed Olzw
Frc)h Fnut ulth Cannoh Cream
Tuscan Veal Stett U1th Bwternllt • lashed Potatoe
Tartufu Gelato u'lth Baby Baci
Tuscan Roasted au: age) and Grap s with t 1ashed
Oranrre and Fre h Fig Gelato
Potatoes Lemon Gra1Hta tllth Hazelnut Biscotti
Maho"any Otic k Le!! U Hh RIce and • 1 dun Salad Coffee Granzta u ith WTiupped Cream
Toasted Cocontll lee Cream Sandu'ich
Grand CookIe Finale
GnU, Roa ~, and Bral e- t r At Forno Appeme-
Fresh Plum Tart
Fresh Blwcberry Tart
Gnlled and Roasted \ e&gIL Entree tllCh lash d
Fwh Blackben)' Tart '
POtatoes Black ~tlS ion Flf: and Blueberry Deep-Dish Pie
(jnued ChICken Breast u Ith Wood-Roast d tuffln"
Fre.h Blu beny e1rLltin
and itxed (Heens
Fre h Plum (,nlClll
G <. hICken Breast U1th (mUed Porwb Ito Fre h Black Ii SlOn FI" Gmnl1
u. hr nd R ted Potat
 Jo 'ce Goldl>tein
SQUARE ONE
San FranCISco, California
( 1984- 1996)

Smce the time quare One . opened,

. . . our cuisine. came to sh.ow a' deeper understanding of the trad ltlonal
.
cui me . Rather than bemg slmphhed for Amencans, we tned to give them greater authentiCIty. Aho a
ourktlls and our sense of orgam:atlon improved, we were able to take on a little bit more and have ~h
plate'- re a little more complex. But I thmk the key really is that rather than giving customers a e
ver IOn of the. iedlterranean, we gave them the long-hand-we really tried to give it to them a If
were there. 'V.'e eliminated a lot of mternatlonal thing - and thmgs from other culture as people wanted
know what kind of food we prepared. with the word "internatlonal" ternfying and bewilden ng them,
l)

not wanting to call It "Californla cUI"me." whatever the hell that b, we became more and
Mediterranean and more and more true to the _ urce. That's m ' ·tory ... Tl1mght' Ollr laot night ... (July 13, 1

Dail\" pecial
la 15, 19 4

lmonel Cake tilth (Janache and Rum Huttercrecml

Fedebm U Ith Tuna, Omons, Caper and lit
Pu P try trau-berry Tart Ulith iascarpone
Fettucane aUa Genotese ulth pmach Pmen\l[
Lemon Rind, Golden Rat Ins. nd Cr am he
n bet erved with Tegole ~ookle
Gnlled Veal Chop U1th :11 crum and E lam ratm
Pineapple lee Cream erved ulth Tegole Cookie
Pork Scalwpptne tilth 4ar ala \ m ar and Cr m
sened u~th Red 'UI Chard and ( om Fmter
ChIcken Fncas ee U Ith Meatballs hr and
Thyme en-oed U Ith Rl e
 Daily Specials
Weekend of May 17, 1996
ffron Rice u:ith Lobster, Prawns, Clams,
Pae1/LJ-SaJ)' ,
ChIcken Chorizo, Arnchokes, Favas, Peppers,
and TomatoeS
, I Scaloppme ulth Mushrooms, Shallots, and
\eaHa~elnHts, sen'ed WIt'h T1 ag/"zann! U:lt'hAsparagus,
PrOS ClHtto , and Peas
Roast Halibut u'irh an Armenian Sauce of Roasted
Peppers, Roasted Onions, Basil, Allspice, and
Cmen ne , send with Cracked \Vheat Pilaf,
Grilled Eg;;piant, and Sauteed Spinach
Greek Mixed Grill-Lamb In SOIH laki Marmade,
send u,zth T -zatziki, Quail u ith Oregano,
Thyme, GarlIc, and Lemon, VJTapped III
Vine/earl's, arui Loukalllka (Pork at age lmh
Marjoram, Corutncier, range:e [, AllspIce, and
\X'ine) en cd ut!h Rlct' Pilaf tmh Eggplant,
Tonwroc.l, and Pinen!l!s, Spanakopita, and
ZUCChlru tllth Tomaroe and Dzlt
Grilled Fillet of Beef with Red-W'me- Gla ze d Sha [lots
served with Potato
, and Ce/.e ry Roat G ' and '
ratm,
Green Beans with Chives
Grilled Sonoma Squab in a Moroccan Marinade of
Cumm, Cinnamon, Honey, and Sesame Seed,
served u,tth Couscous with Raisins and Orange,
and Carrots and Beets with Orange, Mint, and
Ginger
Grilled Swordfish alla Puttanesca with Tomatoes,
Capers, Olit'es, Garlic, Hot Pepper, and Basil,
sen'ed u'ith Oven-Roasted Potatoes and Broccoli
and Caulzf/oU'er Gratin
Tagltarnu u'lth Asparagus, Mushrooms, Favas, and
(1Tt~molllta (Lemon, Garlic, Parsley)
Vegetanan Paella u'ith Artichokes, Favas, Green
Beam, ZHcchinz, Peppers, and Tomatoes
- --------
 1996
First Course
Hot Lobster Vich,ssoise
with Melted Leeks and Potato Crisps
open Ravioli of Srrwked Capon and Wild
Mushrooms in Sweet Garlic-Infused Pan Broth
Trio of Mullard Duck Preparations
Foie Gras Roulade, Confit and Chicory, Smoked
Duck Sausage
Sea Scallop Sandwiches
in Crisp Porato Crusts and Citrus Juices
A Service of Petrossian Ossetra Caviar
in the Traditional Fashion
Salnd of Seasonal Lettuces and Herbs
CitTUS-Dijon Vinaigrette
Saoory Celery Root Flan and Vegetables II la Grecque
EsJenCe of Sweet Garlic and Kalamata Olives
Mar/cet Select O,SteTS Over Shaved lee
with ShoUot Mignonette and Caraway Crisps
Oak-Smolced Salmon with Vegetable-Citrus Salad
SmoIctd Salmon Mousse and Michael's SouTdough
Toasts (or sen.oed naturally)
Seared Fait Gras Escalope with Roosted Plums
Wild Mldlaoum Cripe and Baby Aruguja
Main Course
Eggplant-Crusted Maine Cod with Ba, Shriml>,
Th:yme-Roasted Vegetables and Port-Wine
Essence
Pepper-Seared Salmon Fillet with Grain Mustard,
Braised Asparagus, and Roasted Creamer
Potatoes or Simpl, Grilled with Select Steamed
Vegetables
Sesame-Glazed Tuna Steak with Roasted Fennel,
Braised Boo, Bok CIury, and Potato-Onion CGIce
Wood-Grilled Maine Lobster with Fragrant Truf/le
Oil, Tiny Green Beans, and &sil-Essenced
Potato Puree
Garlic-Crusted Chicken with Sfow..Roasted
Artichoke, a Puree of Barlitto Beans, Tomaro
Oil, and Fresh Rosemary
Veal Medallions with Wild Mushroom CarmdIoni.
Tomaro Coofit, and Essence of Fmh S.
Cervena Venison Pepper Steak with MusmOOln
Spaettle, Butternut Squash FIdn, and
Caramelized Parsnip
Braised Pheasant with ChantereDe Risoao. Rodser'
Cipollini Onions, and Sauce ofXiNnet SLilt
Grilled Dtu:k Escalope with PreKrwd fill. CriIt
Leg "Beicnet" and Gm,er..Qaw.IIiQI,J .!,,;,:
charcoaled FiIlr Micnon ....
Pinor Nair, eo..rur, Poe-. l'UIIIIi,,"
Mortis, and Crisp p....
 C luis Schlesinger
THE EA:-.T COAST (JRILL
C wnr.ncigc, \l,,,,achmctt'

I traye\ed to diverse places-from Mexico to Thailand-and found that 1 really liked a lot llf the ,1"pect~
,~f the fo,~d. \Vhen I opened the East Coast Grill, I tried to come to an understanding of what thifl\:' ,,1\
these di\'erse foods had in common. When I look at my cooking, I think there are three major themes:
1) Mv love of h 'e fire-woad-burning stuff. The dynamic of going into the kitchen every day and cook-
ing with ,omethmg that is as uncontrollable as fire, as opposed to just going in and turning the oven
on to 350 or 375, is a constant challenge to me. Roasting whole pigs, grilling fish, or trying to keer
something from sticking-that dynamic IS ~o soulful and extends so much character into the food.
2) My other love as a cook that I de\'eloped while cookmg with )lInmy Burke at the Han'est [In
Cambridge, MAliS discovering and learning abnut new things all the time-getting a new food In and
learnmg about It and readmg about it.
3) The ,)ther aspect develored out of 111\ travel..; I' a deqre for J..:cply'f1at'orea food. \X1hat 1 ,tarted tn
work out was that, for a lot of Jlfft.'rent red dn,. cui. ine, th,lt are cb..;er to the equatm are m,lre fla-
vorful; they have deeper flavor' or c\earl.:f tllvor or u..;e ll1l1re ~rlce~.

There are different ll1utatl\. n at the Ea t Co.l,r l~nll \'1: r ll' The Rille Room. The Grill i, mme
traight-ahead eyuatonal cUI-ine-\\arm-\\c, h r UI me, {led together h their concentratlnn llt tla-
\,or--wlth a Itght barbe ue onent.HI m. The Blu R 111 h ! )mc \ t th,lt, hut WdS prubably grounJed
more In !t\·c fire, anJ loukm!.! It It\\: fife, r m r)t1 erie to h It tonc to 111.'. nh tll ~mllkt:r'! 01' .1 LOrn-
monallty among cUI-me.

Original Menu Item.,

cl (I: mber 1 5

SpICY Black B an mtp tt1th Satt a c r ram <'"n p, u uh hTlln/J (lnd Monkfish
kl

and Scallions 11 un Barb!: u d Pork [klrenh

Stared Rau 'Irlom ulth Gmger and \Xa.sarn hrcdded. arch ( arulilla Pork BariJecHc
Green alad ulth Cold 1annaced egctablc Hlt.:kory, maked Duck ulth (;nlled PmeL pple and
Cold Gnlled Eggplant alaJ ulth (JI11 er and Tangy CllTI( ,Cilantro Ulaze
aUzan e ame \'malgrette (mlled Lamb With lin/led Vegetable and <.inlled
u eet POU1CfJCS

keuer d Gnlled f nkflsh uuh mlthfield Ham and

( mentlne R " h 6,Proof ChoCl late Cake
,,'''''' P d 1i hnmp u th ( hl/X tie Ma'i and Apple crudel
UIU<~1I. B ah1 MI 15 IPPI Mud ( ake
;nll.o>,i 1i u th (Jr (IuL auc.: Br ad Puddm ulth Pear Brand
~----- ------- - - --- ~~

February 1996

Coriander-Crusted Grilled Shrimp with Pineapple Wasabi. Liand Pan. and Jasmine Rice Cakes
Grilled Skewered Leg of Lamb with Saba Ganoush.
Salsa and Lime
Fettuccine Pasta with Oven-Dried Tomato Sauce. Roasted Red-Pepper-Cucumber Salad. Preserved
Fresh Herbs. and Asiago Cheese Lemon, Pomegranate Dressing. and Grilled Pita
Blltrermilk-Fried Chicken Livers with Apple-Raisin Grilled Adobo-Rubbed Sirloin Steak with Pickled
chutneY. Spinach. and Warm Bacon Dressing Com Relish. Tamarind Ketchup, and "Damn
Grilled Sausage from Hell and Cornbread Salad with Good Fries"
Hell Sausage. Lava Soaked Pineapples. and Lime- Spit-Roasted Herb and Lemon-Rubbed Chicken with
Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Seared Kale
Guava Dressing
Middle EasteTTI Sampler Plate with Grilled Eggplant.
Raisin Couscous. OUves. Feta. Orange Cumin
Sides
Dressing. and Grilled Pita
House Green Salad
Arugula Salad with Smoked Pears. Spiced Pecans. Apple-Raisin Chutney
Spanish Rice
and Srilron Cheese
"Damn Good Fries"
Ume and Chicken Soup with Com Tortillas
Seared Kale
Vegetarian Rice and Beans
Grilled Salmon Fillet with White Grape-GarUc Grilled Banana
Grilled Pineapple
Sauce , Ume Tomato Rioja, and Spanish Rice
Caribbean-Style Spit-Roasted Pork Loin with West Pineapple Salsa
Fried Plantains with Banana-Guava Ketchup
Indies Beans and Rice. Jamaican Slaw. Grilled
Cordiro
Fennel, and Mango Marmalade
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Grilled TIAM Steak with Pickled Ginger, Soy.
 -----

Selected Main Courses

The Rattlesnake Club
Spring, 1996

Capdlini (Thin Angel Hair Pasta~ with Tomatoes,
Garlic, and Basil or wIth Sauteed Rock Shnmp
Cratt'fish Risotto uith Roasted Red Pepper, Garlic,
Su:eet Com, and Basil
Collection of Vegetables and Grains Grilled or
Steamed as a Mam Course
Herb-Crusted ?v1ahi Mahi, Ot'en-Baked u'ith Fennel
and Tomato, Saffron, and Balsamic Essence
Freshu'ater Pickerel with Pinenut Crust, Lentils, and
Tomato Sauce or Broiled with Fresh Herbs and
Lemon
Crab and Salmon Cake with Maine Crab SpnnR
Roll, Yellow Pepper Cream, and SpIced Chtle 011
EscalDpe of Sterling Salmon CrisP)-\':'rapped In Potato
Crust ttith SheTTl' Mustard Sallce and Potato Crisp)
Striped Sea Bass Pan Seared with Oriental-Style
Vegetables and Chile Mashed Potatoes
Lobster and Mixed Grain Risotto-Barley, Arborio
Rice, and Quinoa with Saffron, Basa, and Red
Pepper Sauces
Breast of Free-Range Chicken, Garlic-Mashed
Potato, Crimini Mushrooms, and Roasted Pepper
Herb Glace
Medallions of Veal with Roasted Vegetables and
Gorgonzola Polenta
Black Angus Filet of Beef Grilled with a Rhubarb
and Cipollm! Onion Compote, Red Wine
Essence or Grilled with Garlic-Peppercorn Butter
Rack of Lamb Roasted tvlth a White Bean,
Asparagm, and Eggplant Ragout

3'7
r
( V / r I d
 Je liah Tower
STARS and J.T.'>
San FranCIscO . California

~';;0 _Cllled
<
Caltfomia
'
cuisine at its worst, .made by the people
, '
who'd imitate it.
without
'
understand In g It In
the first place, just got incredibly confusmg. At Stars, we ve always trled to fight agamst that "starch anU
three \.egetables on every plate" mentality. There's certainly an instinct for chefs and cooks to want t () 'If)
I

that all the nme. At J.T.'s, since it's small and it's got my name on it, 1 can really do my vision of wha 1
like to do with food-which is to take the "with" off the menu. So, it will be lobster, braised lamb shan~
and black truffles. I don't say "with," "with," "with"-l've taken everything else off the plate. So it's a per-5
fect sauce, perfectly braised lamb shanks, some big slices of spring garlic, some black truffles-and that,>
enough. I'm tired of seeing so many ingredients on the plate. That's where I came from in the first p\ace,
so I think I've come around full circle.
Stars
July 1984

Salads and l)UP

Specials of the Day
Mixed Grct!n Salad with Vinaigrette and Tomatoes
First Course.
I hxed Green Salad tt'ith Blue Chec$e Vinaigrette
Texas Ham uith a Japanese E{!RPlant Salad
(Inca Fe-Balboa Cafe (Jarden ~1ixed , alad tt'ith
Smoked Salmon with Gnlled Herb-Orl Bread
Ha~elntt!
011
Malpeque O)'sccr Sceu ULth Ancho hIli Butter awl
(larhc o"p with LlIJ'C LeaH and Herb Proficcrules
Chenzl Puree

Pasta uith Alaskan Blue Praum, Red B Its P 1 ta an I Fl h

Tomatoes, Bmrl, and Garlrc ubJcct tothe \X hIm uf the Chef. rrict:~, Weacher,
Grilled almon t.lith \ 'egetable Brochette awl and FI hmg CnndW{)l1
Ro emary MayonnaIse
Frllet of Beef m Broch u rth a Hor eradl h. Mil card
Tarragon Cream • (m II nd 11 1I1 Com t.:

ChI ken \lith Tarragon. ,ream, Mu hr Jom . and

Appctt:er RadIcchIO
Gnlled ueetm-eads \lIth Am hoke and a \"(Ild
Iced Oyster u1ch Pley Lam b au age
Mu hroom Butter
~Illetles of moked FI h uuh Bitler Greens alad
Gnlled Aged eu York teak ulth Fne and a
I h Pro liard u~th Tomatoes. Cllancro. and Chl\:e

BrIOChe U Ith Marroo, Lnb leT Sauce Poached Tarrag m Colbert Butler
(wruc and Chenil Blanqueue f\ al ulth Summer \. e Ilble and
TUJI U Ith Ham -r Crlt"tfl h auce
LIL
nau()15 J arra n and
(haT na
 J.T.'s
Week of February 27-March 2, 1996

Choice of Main Course

!-lors d'Oeuvre
B~d ~merican Snapper with Herb Vegetable Salad
Choice of First Course
Pnme Fillet of Beef with Duxelle Potatoes and
Pecan-Herb Salad
Block rruflk Cusrard with Sunchcks C~ Breast with Morels and Lobster Essence
Lirntswnt lettUCe with Ma,tag Blue Cheese and BraISed Lamb Shank with Fava Beans and Stwift ..
BrioChe Crouwns Garlic Y"''6

Warm Foie Gras Sandwich Saddle of Venison with Truffled Celery Root and
Osetra Caviar SenIice with Iced VodJca Cippolini Onions
Crab Ravioli with Block Truffles
sceamed Mussels in a SheU{ish Tarragon Sauce
Choice ofJ.T.'s Desserts

•
 - - -----
Alice Wlters and Lindsey Shere
CHEZ PANISSE
Berkeley . Callfornw

Week of November 14,1971

Thursday
Sunday
Hors d'Oeuvres Varies
Hors d'Oeuvres Varies
Steak au Poivre
Daube d' Agneau
Salade
Salade
Profiteroles
Lemon Mousse

Monday Fnday

Hors d'Oeuvres Varies Tartcleues aux Poissons

Manicotti and Meatballs Can-oe and Orang-e Soup
Salade RIS de \leaH or Swffed Lamb

Biscuit Tortoni Salade

Frozen Chuw/atc Marquis

Tuesday
aturday
Hors d'Oeuvres Varies
Pork Roast with Plums Pate Matson
Salade Cream of \Vatercre.ls soup
Vanilla Bean Custard Puulet Valle d'Aug-e
Salade
Fruit a l'Occitanienne
Wednesday

Hors d'Oew.:res Varies .

A la Carte
Lapin Saute Proven~al
Salade
Dessert, Coffee, Estrresso, Steaks and Chops
Fruit and Cheeses

320
y A r I
 --
Rick Bayless
FRONTERA GRlLL and TOPOLOBAMPO
Chicago. Illinois

INGREDIENT S:

1. Beans. In my cooking, that's kind of my meat. I live on them.

. d I Idn't Il','e without making tortillas, so I'd really need that.
.'3. Ancho chiles. Ancho has a deep sweetness to it.
7 D ne corn. cou

4. Guajillo chiles. Guajillo has a really brIght spiciness and high acidity to it.
5. poblano chiles. Poblano is my fa\'orite of all the green chiles; it's got a trflemendous complexity of fla-
\'or, and I can turn it inside and out, doing e\'erything from using it as a avoring to using it as a veg-

etable.
6. Greens. I like greens in just about any \\'ay, and if I chose something like chard, I could use it raw,
braised, or mixed in with the corn or the beam and cooked that way.

7. Garlic. Garlic gives me a lot of different l1ptlOm fllr tlwor, whether It's raw or cooked or roasted. That
is one of the things that i~ ab'oluteh' t'"entlal With the cht!e~, tll add a lot of depth.

8. Onions. I could do a\\'av With ol1lom bdore I coulJ ~arl!c, but I \\'anteLI ~\.llne fresh fla\'\.)[S and (0 he
abl~ to add crunch and !I,'e!lne" to a cil h, '0 thdt' where {he onion, come in.

9. Sugar. I lm'e s\\'eet5, I h,I\'e to ha,'c uoar. And I ,-oull even turn ~ome of these things into sweet
'0
dishe<; that would reall} san,ty 111) weet tooth. I coulJ !I1dke cornhre,ld-hke rhln~s with the corn.
There are e\'en ,\reet hean dt-he In -:-'Iexlco a welL

10. Salt. Mexican food tend, to be fairly lW2h 10 oJlUm, bee mel he corn .m.! the he<m~ really need a fair
amount of ,;alt to ~et rhem to il place where the~ 're really tLl't).

TU.H lut f :

1. Grilling. It'- one of tho,e thing I wuldn't \i\'e wlthollt. I love mob, flavor, And they gu re,llly, real-
Iy well with the re t of [hI' tuff.

1 Boiling. You\e 00[

~ t0 coo k lorn dn d Ll'ean, il loni.! time_
3. Shallow-frying. ['m rdernng
. to when you cook omething lowly tor d long time, In Ju,r ,I [IllY bit of
01 I, and It kinJ of '
get em t~'an
J you crare It all up.
" ' - - - _ ..
-.------~-.- .. ----- -------

324
a y A r I y
 Ver<lCru:, Stvle Greens and Beans with Red Chile and Dumplings
by Rick Bayless
M,-\t;b AflOLJT 10 curs, "ERVI~G 6 AS A MAlt-< CnL:R,,~

1 pound (about 2 1/2 cups) dry black beans

4 stemmed, dried chipotle chiles (or canned chipotle chiles en adobo)
3 medium (1 1/2 ounces total) dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 small white onion, sliced
4 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil or rich-tasting lard
1 cup (8 ounces) fresh masa for tortillas
OR a generous 3/4 cup dried masa harina mixed with 2/3 cup hot water
salt, ahout 2 1/2 teaspoons
3/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) crumbled MeXican qucso fresco or pre 'sed salted farmer's cheese
6 cups stemmed, thickly sliced ~turJy green (such as lamb's quarters-quelites, chard, collard,
or practically any other-if you're cooking 10 texIco. try the Veracru: xonequi or quintoniles
or Yu atecan cha)'a)

1. The beans. Rin e the bean, then coop them mto a large (6-quart) pot (preferably a Dutch oven or a
Mexican earthenware olla), and add 2 \.juart of water and remove any bean that float. Bring to a boil,
reduce heat to medium-low, and Immer, partially covered, until the beans are thoroughly tender (they
will ta te creamy, not chalky), about 2 hour~. You'll need to ·tir the bean regularly and add water as
nece ary to keep the level of the liqUid a generau 1/2 inch above the level of the beans.

2. The chiles. While the bean are cooking. make the chile puree. On an ungrea ed griddle or heavy skillet
over medium heat, toast the dried chipotle , turnmg regularly and pre ing flat with a patula, until they
are very aromatic and a little toa ty mellmg, about 30 econd. (Canned chipotles need no prepara-
tion.)

On the same hot urface, toa t the ancho : open the chile out flat and. one or twO at a time, pre flat
for a few secoods' With a metal patula until they tart to crackle. even send upr · WI. porno
a Tamt f ke.
thenfl
h Ip and press down to toast the other ide. In a mall bowl. cover both km . d 0 f toast ed c h'lI es Wit
.h
Ot water and let rehydrate 30 minute tirring frequently to en ure even soaking. Drain and discard the
Water. •

v v g a c u •
(cantl"uLd from precedmg page) - the chiles with garhc,
• onion,
• and about 1/2 cup water (YOU
In a food processor or blender, pureething freely moving through thebl ad es. ) Press t h rough a mediu.
need a little
. more
. water
b to I Iget every
I ucepan heat 2 tablespoons 0 f th e 01'1 or Iard over me,dium_},i"';
mesh stramer_ mto
II a ow. nda t'arge sa
nearly '
constantly r about 5 minutes
as it sears and t h'IC kens lor
Add the puree a at once an s chile Ir .
puree into them, stir .
well, and simmer 30 . mmutes. longer
the beans are tender, scrape the .
3. The masa dumplings. In a large bowl, knead together (your hand works best here) the fresh or rec(lt\StI
tuted masa with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil or lard, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 cup of
chopped cilantro, and the cheese until uniformly mixed. Form into about 48 balls, each the size of a
marble. Cover and set aside.
4. Finishing the dish. Check the consistency of the black bean stew; there should be a good amount of
in the beans (you have to add the dumplings and greens and still come out with a stew-like corlSist:l!l
cy, so add additional water if necessary) and the broth should be as thick as a light sauce. (If it's not
thick as you'd like, puree a cup of the beans in a food processor or blender and return to the pot as
ening.) Liberally season the stew with salt, usually about 2 teaspoons (the beans themselves will
tinue to absortb the salt for quite a while after you season them).

With the pot simmering over medium, add the dumplings one at a time, nestling them into the RUrvlil
broth as they go in. Simmer 5 minutes, then add the greens; sur gently 50 as not to break up
dumplings, and simmer until the greens are fully cooked (about 7 mmut for tender greens like
10 to 12 minutes for tougher ones lake collard and lamb' quanen).

Ladle .into wann bowls, spnnkle laberally WIth the mnalrung chopped CIlantro, and serve with plenl11
steaming tortillas for a really satisfymg meal.
 Daniel Boulud
RESTAURANT DANIEL
Neu York . New York

I~GREDlfNTS:

Onions. They come into many dishes in my hometown ... if I'm thOmk'mg about survlva
. I, I' d go back to
1.
my fllotS.
? Tomatoes. I can eat them every day.
o ·

3. A whole pig. It would carry me a while-I love ham, saucisson, confit, boudin! (See Daniel Boulud's
recipe t~)r Braised Spiced Pork Belly on pages 328-329.)

4. Two rabbits, one male and one female. In a few months, I'd have five hundred rabbits! And I could
live on just pig and rabbit.
5. Olive oil. You can cook anything with it; you can barbecue or stir-fry or make a dressing with it, and
it always tastes great.
6. Sea salt. I use fleur de sel, which is the top of the cru t when the sea dries. It's the most sophisticated
and refined salt-I u e it more for fini hing dishes.

i. Potatoes. I love potatoes-the \·ariation in cooking potatoe ' is endless.

'. Truffles, white and black. If lite i going to be tough, you might a well have it with truffle. And you
can do anything with truffle. You co uld put the black truffle with a baked potato ....

9. Cheese. Aged goat chee e. I'd want it to be the kind I ate growing up in Lyon, like my grandmother
used to make.

10. Wine. Red wine, like a great Burgundy or MedoL

TE H IQl E :

1. teaming. It' healthy, and can alway be prepared with implicity. When you team something, the
idea i to flavor what you team in order to preserve the purity of the di h. I'd use this for seafood, fish,
hellfi h.
2. Braising. I'd use thi for roast and meat mostly, serving them with a basic jus.
3. Grilling. That' how I live and cook in the ummer. I love vegetables and whole fISh, like salmon.
cooked on the grill.

•
 Braised Spiced Pork Belly
by Daniel Boulud

The ingredients
. list may appear long, but any unavailable herbs and spices can be omitted or repIaceu With
o t h er~ .

SER\ EO; 6-8

one 4 lb. slab fresh, very lean pork belly

Spices

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 tea~poon black peppercorn.
1/4 tea'p n whole ck)n'~
_ plece~ ~tar ;111l-C

1 three-lOch I ng LlOnal11ll!1 t1l.:k

Herb

6 rt.! roem I)

_ ba lea\c
aoe
6 prt rh\me

28
 Tcrr.lOce Brennan
PICHOLlNE
Net<' York, Net<' York

L (; RHll Io T 'i:

1. Olh·e oil. That's what 1 cook with-It reigns in the kitchen! It's healthy and tasty.

2. Garlic. I love garltc-it' very gutsy.

3. White truffles. Especially o\'er pasta.

4. Porcini. The greatest mushroom, In terms of flavor and texture.
5. Tomatoes. I love tomatoes, but only dunng the summer. (See Terrance Brennan's recipe for Poached
Halibut with Tomato Confit on page 331-332, whteh he says he devised "in order to extend the toma.
to eason!")
6. Bread. A good, crusty campa~e bread.
7 Cheese. With hread, chee e, ami wtne, you'd have a nice lunch. I'd want to take a basket of cheeses-
Bnn d'Amour, Cabralle- (a ~r m h blue hee e). Reblollchon, and Parmesan. which is arguably the
!!rearest chee. e 10 the w rid. It' the nl hee e \\ Ith n enme cuisine behind it.
L

- Wine. I love \\ onderful, bH!, mcel 3g red \\ me

9. Peache .. Perfectly" In -np ned pe he - he 're pre t \\ nh blueberrie .

1 . Chocolate. I 1m chocollte.

r .
1. auteeing. It' the medIUm r lx ut percent f m cook mg.

2. Roa ting. I like the texture n 'I\e . Ilk the cn r) km n chicken.

3. Grilling. FIr the fla\or It \\e thr u h th "ood u ed, and for I lighme
 - - - - - - --
--------
.h d Day,Boat Halibut with Tomato Confit and Aged Balsamic Vinegar
PO~l e
by Terrance Brennan

1 With this dish in the early {all, in order to extend the tomato season a little more-I like keep-
I CJI11e Uf . on the menu as Iong as pOSSlU ' LI e, smce
. we are a Frenc h -Mediterranean restaurant. Proven<;:al
. wIl1nW e, . . . . .
109 . evident throughout the dish-olive 011, balsamiC vmegar, eggplant. While halibut is fine
th\,or,
, ' Jare J think poaching IS. one 0 { t h e better ways 0 f "
cookmg It and that it results in the best texture. This
. ,
,~utee
" 'entntive 0{ I 0 f CUlsme,
my stye .. .m t h at It
. ,s l'Ig h t yet f1 avorf u1 an d respectful of the fish itself,
re
dish 15 rer , ,
SER\E~ 6

2 large eggplants (about 3 pounds),

split lengthwise
1 whole egg
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
salt and pepper to taste

6 ounce' extra \'Irgin ohve oil

I. Brush cut surface of eg["rplants with oltve oil.

2. Place cut surface down nn roa~t111\! r,Kkj place m < roa~tln~ pan.
3. Roast In a 325 0 o\'en for 1 hour anJ 15 ll111111tC', l\f until eggplant kin colbr es when touched; remove
irom lwen.
1. \X'hen Wl)l en,1ugh to handle, ,coop t1e,h out of eggpl,mt inro fme mesh ~tra111er; allow to drain one
hour.
5. Place dral11ed eggplant 111 {Ol)J rrece .. or, puree, and remove ro a mixl11g buwl.
6. Add eg~, tlour, garlic, .,alt, and perper.
-I Blend t"'lether,
~ . Place I Ounce olive 011 in 1 ")-mch tetlon pan and hear.
9 Place 1 tablespoon of eggplant mixture In a medium-hOt pan and ,allte until edge: begtn w brown,
12, Turn over, lower heat, and cOl.k throu!:!h.
1\. Rttnnve and dr,lIn on rarer towel, place on bdk1l1g ~heet, and c ntinue untd all the 11llxture IS cone.
You houlJ ha\ e 1 to 2\.. pII.'Ce"
12, Place un a baking heet and heat [hem in ,I ,::)C O\'en when you are ready to sen·e.

331
 ~---------------~~~------------------­
Gary Danko

INGREDIENTS:

I£'s the basis of life. It would satiate my palate.

I. SaIt.
7 Olive oil. It's the healthiest oil in the world .
..
love the flavor of bread.
3. Wh eat. I
4. Maple syrup. I even eat it with yogurt. It's a childhood thing.
5. yogurt. I eat it every day. I love a good yogurt, like Nancy's (which is made in Oregon).

6. Basil. I love basil.

7. Tomatoes. Another childhood thing-I love tomatoes.
8. Duck. It's plain, flat-out simple and delicious. There is no comparison to a beautifully roasted duck that
you've rubbed with salt and lemon juice-to me, that is like heaven.
9. Raspberries. I love them, and they've typically got more flavor than strawberries.

10. Butter. It's one of the gifts of nature-and no animal died to make it.

TECH IQVE :

I. Roasting. It' imple and efficient and delicious. Some of the best foods are done that way from duck
(0 vegetables.
2. Braising. It's another way of developing flavor, and a treamlined way of preparing a dish and sauce at
the same time.
3. Grilling. Proper grilling is done when the flames are imply glOWing emhen. not big licking flames that
leave carbon deposits on the meat.
 Duck Prosciutto
by Gary Danko

This is a delicious dish, made with an ancient method of preservation. You can hang it for 15 to 30 da
depending on how dry you want it. I make them 40 at a time! I like serving it in the traditional manner~
with half of a peeled ripe fig, some melon or slices of pear, shaved fennel and arugula, or drizzled with fen-
nel oil.

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 bay leaf, ground

1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds, cracked

1 teaspoon black peppercorns. cracked

1 large Barbarie or moulard duck hrea ·t. abl1L1t 1 pound

1. Combine salt with sp\Ce~ anJ herb.

2. Trim duck breast of exces~ kll1, tenderloin. and Ille\\ . Ruh pice mix into hre, "t. Place on a plate and
wrap with plastic wrap. Cure for 24 hour or Ion d. Bm hoff e l.e rub, \\TdP Ill. Lhct' ec10th anJ hang
in cooler for 15 Jays. Trim exee ,tat. ltee \el) thlll. Th pro Ilitto may h trll:en anJ cut on .J meat
slicer.
 - -- - --~~

Su~an Feniger
BORDER GRILL
Santa M()nIca , California

INC.RFDIENTS:

1. Olive oil. I love the flavor of a really strong, fruity olive oil-over cheese, over vegetables, on bread.
. egar'
2, Vto I'd need
. an acid of some sort. I love vinegar with olive oil ' and wh en I rnake stews, ll'k
I e to

finish them with an aCid.

3. Cheese. A great feta, I love a great cheese-I can always eat it.
4. Avocados. Really satisfying to eat again and again, like artichokes, (See Susan Feniger's recipe for
Avocado Corn Relish on page 336.)
5. Tomatoes. As a side. I need some balance--everything so far is too rich.
6. Green beans. I need a vegetable. I'm thinking of combinations of things. I could stew them with toma-
roes and feta, or have them with olive oil and vinegar.

7. Salt. Avocado, olive oil, and salt. I can't think of a more perfect dish.
S. Bread. A great bread, like a great sourdough, with a lot of crust.
9. Olives. Dry-cured black olive - of some !>ort. I hke :nackmg food, I like to pick like that-some olives,

some feta ...

10, Chocolate. ometimes you need ~omethmg weet, even ju ·t a little bit. I'd take a high-quality semi-
sweet chocolate.

After being told which of their mgredient were the ~ame, usan Feniger went on to correctly guess
each of the re t of her partner Mary ue Milliken' Ii t!

TECH ' IQVE :

1. Grilling. You can do anything on a grill. I like to grill; you can bake in the charcoal, you can grill or
saute or boil on a grill.
2. Sautee·mg. I would want to be able to cook thing quickly.
~. Stewing. I love soups--l think they're comforting. A one-pot meal is easy and can last for day.

a
 Avocado Corn Relish
hy Su~an Feniger

In thi, refre~htng relish. corn, kernels .are lightly cl)oked just to develop their
. flavor and then mixed. w h
chunks of smoky roasted chiles. lUXUriOUS, avocodo and crunchy . sharp
. scallions.
' Such a fabulo us re I'I h It
ea 'i\y take the. place
. of a cooked sauce with casual foods liked gnlled
" brt steak or fish and it .ga~~L. can
buffet tables stnce It complements so many foods. We have been known to eat this relish off the on
with nothing more than tortillas and be quite content. Poon or

3/4 cup olive oil

4 cups fresh com kernels (about 5 ear)
1 table 'poon salt
3/4 tablespoon fre hly ground black pepper
2 avocado. peeled and seeded
I large red bell pepper. cored and seeded
4 poblano chile. r a ted. peeled. and seeded
4 scallion. whIte and ltght green pan ,thmly It ed on the daagonal
1/2 cup red wme vm r

1. Heat 1/2 cup of the olive otl In a large kill t ver medIUm heat ut~ the com wiIh
per. about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large mlxmg bowl and t asKIe t.

2. Cut the avocados• bell pepper. and r 1

With the scallions red me v a n - i n c h
utes to blend the flay megar. and mnammg 1 .. cup 01.

3 at room temperatuIe. Com rei

nsb 2 to 3 an advance
.... DUX
 Roasted Chicken
by Jllhanne Killeen and George Germon

SER\E~ 6-8

2 whole chickens (about 3 pounds each). washed and dried

1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 head garlic
2 large onions (I pound), peeled, cut in half lengthwise and sliced thinly
2 cups ripe cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup virgin olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
2 heads fresh watercres • wa'hed and trimmed

1. Preheat the oven to 450°.

2. Liberally salt the in ide and au Ide of the chIcken. Lay them hrea t ide up in a casserole with a tight-
fitting lid. Break up the head of garbc, lea\'ing the kin on, and catter the garlic cloves around the chick-
en. along with the anton ltce. Add the cherry tomatoe and pour over the olive oil and wine.
3. Cover the casserole and roa t the chIcken for 1/2 h ur. Tum the chicken breast lde down and,..
another 1/2 hour. Uncover the ca ser Ie and ru t about 15 minut until the skin has browned; tum the
chicken brea t ide up and roa t an additional 15 mmut to brown. t the chick
place to re t for 10 minute.
4. Lay the watercre out on a large. warm rving platter, top wlth the chlCkens and IOIIWl
the watercress wilt. and serve at once WIth the remalmng uce pared in aiel."
 ,....- -- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - -
JO)'Le Goldstein

JOyce Gol dstein agreed to answer our question on one condition'. "It's got to be aM ed't . 1 din
I erranean IS an .

INGREDIENTS:

I'd want to make pasta, bread, pizza.

I. Wheat.
l . potatoes.
3. A tree that growS both lemons and oranges. Citrus is one of the great balancers in my food-it adds
sparkle.
4. A cow or a goat. For milk, cheese, yogurt.

5. Grapes. Wine enriches your life.

6. Spinach. One of the most satisfying vegetables 1 know. (See Joyce Goldstein's spinach salad recipe on
page 340.)
7. Chicken. For eggs, soup.
8. Olives. For olive oil-plus 1 like them hy themseh-es.

9. Mushrooms, They're like meat . And they're vcry \er~atLlc.

10. Vegetables. Asparagus, peas, eggplant!

Tl:.CH IQt b:

1. Sauteeing, I'm a line cook-l lo\'e the energy of keeping all the hurner~ going!

2. Braising. There's nothing like the smell when ,omethtng's braistng.

3. Grilling. llove the smell and the crunch ( f the texture and the char. The power of the gnlll' pnmative,

339
f " I II n 9 a c u 5
 Hubert Keller
FLEUR DE LYS
:illn Franmco, CalIfornia

I (:HrrllTNTS:

I. 'aniIla ice cream. Thi,. IS a flavor I, love from chilJhood ' My father used to rna k"
e It In h'IS pastry
\
, l when I \I'm, grow\I1.g up, and I d always be nearby with a spoon an U" a bow,I You h ave to eat
h lr
\<Indla ICe cream right from the machine, three minutes before it's done, so it's just a little under.
Vnndla i, a fla\'or that's great for creme anglaise, sorbets, or anything! It's absolutely the best,
desr lte all the complicated flavors out there.
1 Caviar. Not because it's expensive- I Just love to eat it with a spoon, as long as it's fresh and not

-' ovwalted. Irs creaminess and texture are unique. (See Hubert Keller's recipe for Cauliflower
puree with Caviar on pages 342-343.)
3. Rose hip jam. My father still sends it to me! It's an elegant confiture. My grandmother used to
make a syrup of rose hip, and we would add water and make it into a drink like lemonade when
we were children.
4. Caprin a [the Bra:ilian national drink]. My wife and I sen'e it at home at the start of parties. It gets
a rarty going in a hour!
5. Limes. Lime goes with the Caprina!
6. Champagne. It's festl\'e, and great for 'pecial occa,ion,. In a recent article about what chefs have in
their refrigerators, all of us had champagne~ Mme 31,0 h,lll r e hip Jam-and chocolate, for my wife.
7. Rack of lamb. It\ the meat I eat the rna t. L1rnb i very Imrie; imply roa~t it and add some roast
garltc and a simple, uncomplicated auce .
. Wild strawberries [fraises des bois]. It' a fancy thing. A • kid, my parents had a house in the
mountains, and we would pick them In the wood . Their t1avor cannot be beaten. They're like the
ultimate Jewel, or diamond - 0 full f flavor! And I could put them on my ice cream.
9, Oysters melon triple-zero). They're big, but not owrp wenng- 0 delicate, you could eat one
or twelve.
\" Truffle. It' an ingredient that I a mira Ie. With all the money,cienti t ,and technology, these
are onl~' a product of nature. And With crambled egg, they're the ulttmate!
TELH IQlE :
I. Roasting (with a convection oven). We TO t percent of ollr fl h thi way. It seal in the juices
and flavor. We de everything thi \\"ay-small cur- of flh and meat, even scallops--and let it re t
for three minutes, Just like meat. And all our cooks have mall pray bottle of oil, (0 pray the meat.
2. Braising. liVing in a fa t-paced world, there i no time (0 cook anymore. Thi take longer, but
~ou get to use cheaper cut of meat that have a lot of flavor. We'll do braised lamb next to lamb
3 10m or chop, for c mtrast n the plate. It' a forgotten techniyue that has great delicacy.
Pan-frying. It' a technique ou'd u t r veal medallion or thin cut of meat. Or for vegetable
or potat , to gIVe them cn pne .

1
c
 ----------
h a second sheet of rarc~ment paper with olive oil and place on top of the potato slices. Bake them
s
4. Bru~~ n for 15 to 18 mmutes. The potato chips w1l1 turn into a beautl-ful dar-~oomID
k bl I d be
1[1 slucent. Remove from the heat and set aside in a dry spot.
Jhnos t tran

Cauliflower Puree

. he outside leaves of the cauliflower. separate it into florets. and wash it. Cook the cauliflower in
(t
Take ,1 . ('t htly salted L[1m'1-mg \\.ater. Wh en It
. IS- a bso Iute Iy sof t. dram
. It.
. Place the cauliflower in a medium-
J rl1 [ 01 Ig , f d - h' . .
,i:e saucepot. Add 3 ta.blesp~ns 0 ~ream an • usmg a w I.sk. mash It mt~ a puree over medium heat. Go
, _. ~)r 4 to 5 mmutes to elimmate any excess of mOlsture--otherwlse when blended the puree will
l10 surTIng l _ • •
be [(10 runny. Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until you obtain a very smooth texture. Season
Transfer the puree to a small pot and keep hot.
w taste.

Watercress Sauce

I. Wash the watercres and trim off the leave . Di 'card the terns. Cook the leaves in a pot of boiling salt-
ed \\'ater just until tender. about 3 to 4 minute. Drain in a 'trainer. Save 1/2 cup of cooking liquid.
Refresh the leave under cold running water. In a mall aucepot, heat one teaspoon olive oil.
2. Add the chopped hallot and cook to a light golden color. Deglaze with white wine and reduce to
almost dry. Add 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and one table poon cream; season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a immer for 2 minute . then add the cooked watercress leaves.
Tran fer to a blender. blend the mixture for one mmute. and you will obtain a light and very tasty water-
ere auce. Check the seasoning.

Fini hing and Pre entation

Carefully divide the cauliflower puree in the center f four plate. Top the puree with the caviar. Spoon the
a.terctess sauce all around the cauliflower. Decorate with the potato chip by ticking them around the
cauliflower puree. prinkle with chive and chopped egg yolk.

d:-
N . The blue potato chips definitely add a dramatic look to thi deliciou di h. A an option, but a
matte one, red potatoe can be u d for chip; so can blanched asparagu tip.
!ess
~t blue potatoes or purple potatoes: they have a deep blue kin. The fle h i bright blue and the flavor
texture are lmlhar to russets. They originate and are very popular in the South American Andes.

n _
• c •
 Gray Kunz
LESP1NASSE
Net!' York, Neu: York

I CREDlE"ITS :

I----f. Potatoes, carrots, leeks, onions. I'd want to bring some nourishment, first.

). Coriander.

6. Bay leaves.
-I . Coconut.

Sugar cane.

9 Salt.

lL. \\'ater.

Kun: ratded off hi. list with the a~ urance ,,f ~omeone who had just finished thinking about exactly
thl question. '0 meat? Kun: claims, "1 woukln't miS, It ~\) much." And he says he'd look for fish and
other local ineredlenc to cook with.

TE H lQl E :

1. Brai ing.

2. Simmering.
3. Steaming.

Kunz expl In mat all of th e t hmyue ,-on emr te the fLlVor of the ingredients heing cooked into
the hqUld. - ~-----.---------
.----~--
~--------------------~~~-ry-:S~u-e~~~l='ll~ik~e-n--------------------------­

BORDER GRILL
Santa Maruca. Ca/ifomia

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1JIack pepper. I love it.

()live oiJ. It's tOO hard to make from scratch.
2.
I need it to flavor everything.
3. V'anegar·
4. s-a-ti rice. I adore it. It has such a fabulous aroma-l could eat it every day.

5. Salt. I don't want to get it out of the ocean.

6. T()IIIIltoeSo Ripe and beautiful ones.
n_-..J..,rftes. Perfectly ripe, they're my favorite fruit.
7. I\PI'"""
8. Cheese- Vacherin. It's only available around my birthday (which is in February).

9. ArugUIa. A good source of calcium.

10. Red wiDe- A really incredible one, to go with the cheese.

Milliken rook some coaxlng to answer the questlOO. ". want to have anything. want whenever I want
it," she complained. But then her ingenuity Jumped into action. "Can you fish there?" she asked h0pe-
fully.

TE H IOllE :

1. r. II ' •• If yoo pm_ m the pan and can make a sauce. I lib the ar....diIIlda..
2. BI 'r' I I In 73He CUD ci meat--thev have more flavor, more character.
1 Bel' .la . ..n.5 I worked-on ~~ m a bakery.
......Ie. PI
" $
 Wayne Nish
MARCH
New Yorlc. New Yorlc

I REDlENT:

1. 0Ii oil (Mosto).

2. t. When I went to Barbados twO months ago. I rook a bottle of olive oil and a bag
thole are far and away my pnonnes.
quid claIM'" that can be used effecnvely m buildma up layen of flavor
3. V. ..-1b.1

__
... am...
~~--dM~~
thin the dish. You imply make a dilh. more COIlI_
 Patrick O'Connell
THE INN AT LITTLE WASHINGTON
Washington. Virginia

. hink I'd bother with anything but water. I'd regard it as a great cleansing, to rise above food. Why
I dondt It want food on a d esert'IS Iandl'T . I Wh y would I want to survive on a desert island? I just
. 10 survive.
wo~Ibeing thirsty rather unpleasant. I think I ~ould fast and die. And transcend. Certainly one wouldn't
fln ook for God's sake! For myself!! I can t relate to that.
want (0 C , . r .
I think I'd be perfectly content eating raw rOod, and foraging, or whatever. 1 think there's going to be
ed in the next hundred years about why we do what we do to food even though very often it's
rnU Ch Iea rn .
essary. Why we cook food, why we replicate tastes from childhood, why we go through the whole
nec
un hen raw food would be fine. Obviously, it's doing it for others. It's doing it to express love and cod-
ess
rroc w . . , .
dling and all of this. But It Isn t something that I would ever feel I needed to do for myself. I'm looking to
get beyond it.
I recognize that food is a focus--it' a way of manipulating and controlling people into a sort of
hei htened state and it' a vehicle that provides them with a connection. And it is powerful. But there's a
di;ension and a level beyond it. There' sort of a high without it. And even fasting is a fabulous high. But
food is a fabulous anchor, too-food, and working with food. And that's what it's done for me, as a person-
it's kept me from flying off. Or being shot down.
What on earth do people ay they'd bring to a desert i land? Butter? Olive oil?
I would welcome the experience of tarting fre h-{)f going to a desert i land not having any idea of
what was there, and looking upon it as dropping all the old baggage and developing an entirely new palate
and new mode of survival.
 Bradle) Ogden
LARK CREEK INN
ONE /--IARKET RESTAURANT
'sdn FrancIsco , California

I <.;lHJ)IlNT~:

1. Corn . There 's nothing better than fres h corn, right off the stalk. I still remember sitting in a corn patch
on my grandmothe r's farm, eating it nght off the stalk.
2. Tomatoes. T here's nothing better th an vine-ripened tomatoes, with a sprinkle of salt. When I Wa
grOWll1g up, we llsed to eat them in movie theatres. (See Brad ley Ogden 's recipe for Chilled Fre,~

Tomato Soup on page 349.)

3. Beluga caviar. I love It with warm bl mi~.
4. Fraises des bois (wild strawberries). Right off the vine, they have the mllst intense flavor.

) . Lobster. Maine lohqe r, nght out of the water.

6. Free-range chicken.
7. Basil. If 1 haJ to ,"0 to "Ieep WIth all herb, thl I' the one. It'... my t,1\'orite to conk with.

Chiles. T hey enhance and add pice ,md ltfe to m re II n .

9. Artichokes. They're one of O1} fl\ome gelable; I u e them with ,dmo't anything.

10. Balsamic vinegar. It" 01, ail-tim ,\\( nt \IIlC ·ar.l\e be n a II ed lIt <tITyml( ,lTl\\md ,I hottle In my
rack pocket.

Ogden t-alb at not bemg able [0 \ II t ke all n .lprle, blud 'rrte ,('herrie , IlII1~k !Il('!\l\b, ,m,j mUfek
"When the} 're 111 ,ea on, there' n thin ~et er!"

E H lQl E :

1. pit-roa!>ting. It' a clean \\ a~ 0 (,00 In'

2. Grilling. Yuu don'( hd\'e to ucaI (0 fit, anJ )U un gl.:t thin' n r on the out Ide.

3. teaming. It alhm ,ou to retam all the nutnenb md d rth 0 lolor.

 --- -------~- --------- -~-----

-------
Chilled Fresh Tomato Soup with Pepper Relish
by Bradley Ogden

SER V ES 4- 6

2 pounds firm, ripe tomatoes

1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup minced yellow bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

1. Cut the tomatoes into I-inch chunk . Puree them through the fine blade of a food mill to extract the
juice and pulp and leave the kins and seed behind. (A food processor or blender should not be used
for this step a tOO much air i incorporated into the puree.) Cover the puree tightly and refrigerate for
2 hour.
2. Just before serving, mince the red onion and yellow bell pepper and chop the fresh basil. Toss together
in a small bowl. tir the balsamic vinegar. olive oil, alt. and pepper into the chilled tomato puree.
Adjust the seasoning with more vinegar. olive oil. alt, and pepper if necessary.
3. Serve the soup in chilled soup bowl and place a heaping table poon of the relish in the center of each
bowl.

E o " ng /I
 Jean-Louis Paltadin

INGREDIENTS:

1. poultry. I'd bring duck.

2. Foie gras. I'm addicted to foie gras, (See Jean-Louis Palladin's foie gras recipe on pages 351-352,)

3. Bananas. They give you strength.

4, Salt. I'm nuts about salt.

5. Spices and herbs. llike tlert/eine (verbena) so much that 1 named my daughter after it.

6. Olives. likewIse, 1 named my son Oliver.

7. Wine. When 1 smell it, it's so fantastic ...

8. Grappa or Armagnac.

9. Dried cod.
10. Water. I'm addicted to water-l drink four or five liters of Evian a day!

TECH IQL f :

1. Grilling in a fireplace. I've done It all my bfe.

2. Braising in the oven. In the wimer...

3. Sauteeing. It gives food a nLce color-an:lI ltkt: ha\'m~ a cn"pi' top and a moist bottom,

Palladin aLo admit:, to lovmg pot all fe[(-"thmt:~ that arc cooked n I-o-n-g time." He'd also want to
hnng a Cuisinart and a HendeL "Ilovc maktn!! concoction~ of herh." when the raw juice tastes just of
the herh. You can u~e herh juice~ for, many thing ." :\ cookmt: techntque he could do without?
"Poachmg-l hate it when the fooJ dlime~rate into the \tquld."
--- - ---------

350 A
 ---- - --~ ~

Braised Foie Gras with Rhubarb

by Jean-Louis Palladin
SERVES 4

Sau ce
1/2 cup sugar
twelve 1/2 ounces trimmed rhubarb stalks (seven 5 1/2-inch stalks)
I cur meat or \'egetable consomme (preferred) or meat or vegetable stock (liquid and clear broth)
1/4 cup unpeeled chopped carrots
2 tablespoons chopped celery
2 tablespoons of chopped leeks (mostly white part)
1 tablespoon chopped onion
2 tablespoons unpeeled chopped turnips
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
1 cup of fond de t'cau (veal stock-thick in consistency)*
About 4 to 6 tahlespoons bratsmg liquid
(re~er\'ed from bral,ing fmc gras)
1 whole fresh uncooked duck or goose foie gras (Grade A: ahout 1 pound)
fine sea 'air and (re,hly ground black pepper

B ra ise d bed
1 cup unreeled chopped carrot-.
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped leeks (mo,t1y white part)
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup ch ppeJ unpeeled chopped turnips
1/4 cup choppedhallots
1 very leafy thyme sprigs
3 medlum-si:e bay leaves
1 tea -poon fine -ea ~alt
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 table poon vegetable oil
1/2 cup meat or vegetable consomme (preferrred)
or meat or vegetable stock
1 cup of port wine
/ wnnru.ed on ",.., ptItt)

~~~----------------------------~--~~~==~==~
.it I~ I made ft
the
t a re
1m
d « f I r te. \''"''etdhle • and ,,"ter. It thIck in conslStencv. cvmrar~
nil the ,eet n \'ea. lnmal a
UCtll -"
IS

c >m~ Th fand rk ....au IS used to fmlSh the Sduce-

c usn e 351
 Start the sate< e

' ,. 4 ,'uart S3ucep3n and cook over high heat until a nch caramel c(llm 3 to 4
PIa e t h e ugar m a h ea\ \ -" .'
L . ' min-
'tantl\' with '1 wooden spoon; be careful not to let It burn. Add the rhuhtrb
ute,. tlrrmg a Im ('~ t co n ~ . L _ < • tlr-
' '1 e well coated then promptly add the consomme (not fond de 'l.'eau) , carrot,. celery leek
nnc untl I p\t~ce~ r . . '.
~tlrnnCl
L

allots' cook until mixture reduces to about 1 cup, about 20 mmutes, {V'c
onion .. turnip . and sh ' " "- a-
'e from heat and stram through chino is, using the bottom of a sturdy ladle to force as mu h
, Iona II '. Remo\ ' C
, ' bl Return to saucepan and cook over medium heat untll reduced to 1/2 CLIp ahout 15 m'
t h rough a, p OS I e. " In-
, 'de (Thl's rna" be done LIp to two days ahead; keep refngerated.)
utes. an ci ~et aSI . 1

To fini h the dish

Heat oven to 350°. With a sharp thin-bladed knife. carefully trim away any green spots on the faie gras
cau_ed by contact with the gall bladder. eason both sides of the foit? gras \'ery generously with salt and pep-
per; et a'>lde.
In a medium ~i:ed bowl. combine all the mgredlent for this bral ing bed. Place the oil in a heavy
13 x 9-mch roasting pan and heat oyer hl\.!h heat on top of the ,rove (lbout 1 minute. Add the braising-
bed mixture and .aute until It tart to brown, about 1 mll1utc". tining frequently. Add the consomme
and continue cooking and ,nrnng ab ut ,mmute more, tht:n mOllnd tht:., vegetables in the center of the
pan and place the fOle,g-ras on t p_ Rem \e rom heat nd c. I pm \\lth aluminum foil. pierce foil 2 or 3
time With the tiP of a p mted kmfe te me me dp dunn' ) kmg. Bdke In the preheated oven for
mmute i then m mentaril~ n:m \ cpo fr m th )\ o. un )\ cr, <md turn fUle gras I ver with two turdy
rubber patuia to prc:\'t:nt marring th fi I m )th uri ',b 'lOg \ CI) .ireful to keep It mtaer. Cover
the pan and contmue bakmg until do, mmu c m rei do oot overcook, or the foie gras will
10 e It untque butterv texture. ("f, t t Jon , pi r \\!th I thm wood ( r metal kewer; then
pre very gent!) ar,lund kc\\t'r hi. I JUIC. run It hd pmk, not clear and not hloody, it' done.}
Tran -fer [ore gra to a plate and 0\ r I 1 \\ Ith f, II t ke p \\ Inn \\ hI! flO I hlOg the aUCe.
To fml h the au e, pia e th r tin p n \\ Ith he br 1m' "quid n i vc et,lhle~ in it over high
heat n t p f the t \e and bnn t II A d the nd return to a hod; then continue bot I109 until
hqUld redu ed to about _ 3 cup. u mlOut m reo Hmo' ace Ion lty. tram brai ing It4uld through
the chm I mt bo\\i I, u m the bot m turd 1 much through po Ible. lum all
fat fr m urfa e and add rem 10m hyUld th r ned rhuh rb u e Reheat auce and. if needed, let
It reduce t a thm auc COl ten n t t te \\ Ith It od pepper od erve Immediately

To cnc
t the gras cr \\ilse mt i-m h-thlck he uceon h
n the dlag mal. IX n 2 to 3 table poon
ni ng pl te and arr n e a lice f fi gras n t p f uce.
 Charlie Palmer
AUREOLE
IVeu )()rk, N~u York

. h' 'ifically tuna. It's \'ery universal. You can do a lot of different stuff with tuna .
I. Fis ,spe~
1 Guinea fowl. AgalO, it's universal-and I'd get tired of eating chicken .
. '

I ((1uld live without rice or pasta, but not without potatoes.

3. potatoe..S
1. Artichokes. There'~ a lot you can do with th~m-se~ve them with a \'inalgrette, or braised in broth
\\Ith ream, l1r roasted. or mannated, And their flavor 5 great-they're almost sweet.

j Butter. From Egg Farm Dairy [the dairy in which Palmer i~ a partner], of course.

6. Spinach. It'~ wrsatile-I like it raw and cooked,

i. Chives. I'm era:y about chives,

S. Eggs. It Ilwlld be hard to li\'e without egg',

9. Apples. I could do without them, hut I'd have to ha\'e apple, for my two ~om., who love them.

10. Foie gras. hery tIIne AliCIa [Palmer\ wife) ha~ [Ole gras, It put her 10 a good mood,

Charhe Palmer commenb, "I could make ~alr from the ocean, 0 I wouldn't h,l\'e to bring it. The island
II'QulJ probably ha\'e eoconut~" I could get milk from them. And there'd probably be some source of
.;;ugar."

C s r e 353
E v " I n 9
l.
 --- ----- -- Fran~ois Payard
RESTAURANT DANIEL
Neu' York. Neu York

l\IAKING DESSERTS ON A DESERT ISLAND

lr-;GREDIENTS:

1. Meyer lemons. They're ama:ing to eat whole, skin and everything!

_.
1 60-70 percent cocoa-not extra-bitter [over 70 percent] (S
Dark chocolate. Chocolate that's aboutffl
Fran~ois Payard's Warm Chocolate Sou e recipe on page 355.) . ee

3. Coffee. I dnnk about ten to twelve cups a day.

4. Nuts. I Io\'e pistachio nuts and macadamia nuts, which we don't use in France.

S. Red wine. A Burgundy or Bordeaux-I've only started to lo\'e white wine.

6. Armagnac. 1v1)' grandfather u~ed to eat prune" soaked in Armagnac.

7. Cognac.
8. Black figs. I prefer rhem to green fig .

9. Strawberries.

ll. Raspberries. 1 low t-erne!

------------_ -- -- .. -.--...-. --_._- ._-_.- -. -- ---

• )I A t
 Warm Chocolate Souffle
by Fran~ois Payard
10 IN[)IVI[)UAL SOUFFLES

10 ounces sweet butter

7 egg yolks
6 ounces granulated sugar
12 ounces extra bitter chocolate. cut in small pieces
7 egg whites
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 ounce granulated sugar
ten individual souffle cups. prebuttered and dusted with sugar

LIn a small pot over medium heat. melt butter and keep warm on the side. In a bowl. whip firmly the egg
yolks and the 6 ounces of sugar until it become whiter and foamier {about 6 minutes}. Pour hot butter
over the chocolate. mix well with a whip until chocolate is melted and then blend with the yolles and
sugar mix.
2. Whip 7 egg whites with the lemon juice. When they become tiff. add 1 ounce of sugar. Whip for a few
more minutes and then incorporate the chocolate and yolk mixture into the whipped egg whites. Gently
fold the two together with a spatula to keep the preparation light and foamy. Transfer the mix into the
cups.

3. Preheat the oven to 3500 • Place the cup in a pan of water and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove and
unmold onto the serving plate. The souffle can be served with whipped cream or ice cream on the side.

, . •
 - - - - - - -Mark
- Peel
- - - - - -- - -
CAMPANILE
Los Angeles , California

INGREDIENTS:

1. Salt.
2. Bread. [After first saying, "Definitely salt and pepper-you need some seasoning," Mark later gave up
pepper in order to bring bread.]
3. Greens. Everything from spinach to arugula ro collard greens-I love their flavor, their bitterness, the
sharpness you get from their acid. In a diet, you need their vitamms and fiber.

4. Olive oil.
5. Potatoes.
6. Lemons. I'd take lemons over balsamic vinegar. Lemon is such a ba,ic flavor, and is so versatile; you
can use it on a salad, on a piece of chicken, on fi h.
7. Chicken. I 100'e ic \'er~atlhty. An I 1(\ gT<:dt roa~ted \\ lth a cn~pv ~kin! (See Mark Peel's recipe for
Hert-ed Baby Chicken nn page' 357-35 .)
8. Thyme. I love thyme. It\ not an e l)(eTlC herb. It'- ul\Iver ,I. It cern to enhance the flavor of just
about everythmg-any cihh, exc pt f. r de ert: fl h, chicken, me It, p,l~td~, pl)!entas.

9. Onions. [Again, },1ark eltmm Ited III n'm I h,)IC of cho l Idte In order to bring onions.) You haw
to have oni,ms!

10. Red wine.

"Remember, you're on a de ert 1 land, 0 ~ou're !:Otng to have ,lit ,w,lilahle because it's m [he sea,"
~1ark commenL, "And pre umably 'ou can get fl h."

T~( H IQL Eo :

I. Grilling.
n
2. Roasting: I like [he navor of gullmg and roa,tmg. There are ,omt: thm!?' that It:nJ thern,el " co
gnllmg, ltke gnlled wh'lle fi~h ••mci other that lend [hem eke to ru,btlnt!, like roasteJ ChlLken.

3. Steaming. It\ a gentler methou of cookll1g thelt', rerfe t fur tt h, Vl:l!etahle" pot.HOC'.
-- ----~

356 A
 --- -- -~- -~----- -~-

Hcrbcd Baby Chicken (Poussin) with Lemon~ Thyme Butter

by Mark Peel
SER V ES 4

, -i came about backwards, I had a wonderful, crisp, buttery potato galette and wanted a tender and
Thl) Tel pe, k d' -h to complement It. A poussm (a slx-week-old chicken) has the tender texture that 1
, 'I chIC en IS _ ' ,
t13\l1r!U 'd' h but it isn't all that full-flavored, so a qUICk splash of lemon thyme butter IS tossed on to
i IT thiS IS "ent. To butterfly the chickens, the backbone must removed, but with
\\;ln t l
" ' .
a little practice, It
~dd an inten e acC
.. dfficult procedure.
"n t a I
Herbed Baby Chicken

4 baby chicken, about 1 pound each

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley and thyme)
kosher salt
fre hly ground black pepper

Lemon Th)1ne Butter

6 table pt)()n (3 ounce ) butter

2 large garlic clove, peeled and chopped (2 table poons)
ze t of 1 medium lemon, fmely chopped
2 table poon fre h lemon thyme leave
ko her -alt
fre hly ground black pepper
2 table poon fre h lemon juice

(conrmwd on ""Xl poetl

c •
... anutd m Pt \ lOU_' p.1g~
'fe remove the backbones and ribs from the chickens. Place each h'
1 U,mg a large, \'ery sh arp k nl , . . ' c tcken
. _, - . board' in ert the tip of the kmfe Into the cav ity as far as It will go L
breast side up on a cuttmg , . . ' . tne the
.- II I th backbone and cut through the nbs on both sides of the backbone R
knife blade up para e to e . . ' emove
. d h b kb s of all the chickens. Spread each ducken out on the cutting board a J
and dlscar t e ac one . ' n pres,
· th the heel of yotlr hand, until the breastbone cracks, and the chicken '111'
down on eac I1 m turn WI . . , WI Ie
· k over and using your fmgers, pull out and discard the nbs.
flat. Turn eac h ch IC en ,
. . g bO\id marinate the chickens, refrigerated, with the olive oil and the chopped he b f
2 I2 to 3 hours. Remove 'the chickens from the refrigerator about 15 minutes
. n a Iarge mlxm, . r S Or
before cooking. Just prior to
cooking, season the chickens lightly With kosher salt and black pepper.

3. Start a fire m the grill and allow it to burn to medium-high temperature.

4. Grill the chickens skin-side down until the . kin is browned and cnspy, almost charred, about 6 to 8 min-
utes. Turn the chickens and place them on a parr of the grill that gives off only a moderate amount of
heat, so as not to burn them. Continue to grill the chickem lIntil they are firm to the touch all the way
through, about 15 to 20 minute longer. \X'hen the thH!h i rierced and the juices run clear, the chicken
is done.
5. In a casHron skillet melt the hutter O\'cr medium heat. \X'hen the hutter beginS to sizzle and foam, Just
before it browns, tir in the garltc and lemon :e t, rem ve the p n tmm the heat, add the lemon thyme,
and Wlr! bnefly. Correct the ed omg t te \\ Ith k her ,h, blcl k perper, and up to 2 tablespoons
of fresh lemon juice.
6. To serve, put one chicken, km Id up, 0 h plat nd pi h cl little lemon thyme hutter over the
chicken, and ~er\'e ImmeJldt l~ \\ Ith p t lien.

A
 ------
Michael Romano
UNION SQUARE CAFE
New York . New York

INGREDIENTS:

1. Olive oil. It'; what greases good cooking. You can take a can of mediocre soup, drizzle it with olive oil,
and it becomes a wonderful thing.

2. Bread. I have a hard time eating without bread near me-it's so basic.

3. Tomatoes. Only in the summer months.

4. Eggplant. It's close to home for me, and it's like meat in terms of what you can do with it.
5. Bitter greens---chard, dandelion, kale, mustard. I eat them daily. They're like a tonic-they make me
feel so good.

6. Wine. Both my grandfathers made their own wine, so we grew up with it as a part of our life. It's a
miraculous thing-it's incredible what can be made from grapes!

7. Lentils. There are so many different ones.

8. Salt-kosher or sea salt. Table salt has a sharp, stingmg, acrid taste.
9. Pepper. I love what It does for food, the warmth It hrint.:~.

10. Arborio rice. (Romano first cho~e basm;m rice. then SWitched when he realized he couldn't make a
menu with the other mgredlent") Ba~ic to any cui;me IS some sort of starch and protein. And I'd
choose rice over potaroe;. (See Michael Romano\ reClpe for RLo[to d'Oro nn pages 360-361.)

Romann said, "I would give up all manner of meats and fi~h b:fore I'd give up vegetables." And he
appeared heart-hroken when he realt:ed he'd omlttcJ garlic from his list. He also wished aloud to have
taken herbs like hastl, chervtl, parsle " and rarra!,!on, anel 'pices like black cumin, cardamom, and nut·
meg,

TEC.H lQL E :

L Sauteeing. It's the quicke;t wa\ to clll11hne ingreJienr'o, heat them throul!h, and get them nn a plate
qUICkly wlthnut altering them ~oo much.

2. Deep.fat frying. It h,b a homey kinel of feeling, yet done currecrly. it em be exqui,ire {,)r things like
calamari •
. potatoe" tntter~.
1. tlrais' I' f
_ mg. t homey. It harken back to d tnne when pe\)ple cooked WIth le~, expenSI\'e rYl'e~ 0 meat.

E v n g c u e 35
 Risotto d'Oro
by Michael Romano

SERVE~ 4-6

This golden-colored risotto looks convincingly like risotto alia Milanese, the saffron-infused Lombarl1,) C\..
,h-

IC. But appearance is where the similarity ends. Substituting fresh carrot and celery juices for the standard

chicken stock adds a gentle sweetness to this summery, alh'egetable risotto. A vegetable juicer makes thi
recipe convenient to prepare, but fresh vegetable juices are widely available in health food store . Ch nose
a white wme with lots of fruit to stand up to the sweetness of the carrot and celery Juices. Rlne
t Chardllnnavs
from Australia and California \vill do the trick.

3 cups carrot jUice

3 cur~ celery JUICe
1/4 cup ohw Oil
1 3/4 LU arb rl nce
1/_ [e~asJ:)()()n mm ed rllC
1/2 cup \\ hlte \\ me
1/_ cup peeled. pllt len thw I .' nI carrot

1/2 cup 1-10 h riC e gre n h n

1/2 ur rltt len th\\1 e and !tced zucchml
1/2 cup I/Z-mch piece ,1 P ra u • l )U 'h end dl carded
-------------~-~~~
 1/2 cup liced red bell pepper
1/2 cup fresh shelled peas
1/3 cup liced scallions
4 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup finely grated Pannigiano-Reggiano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon fre hly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

l.ln a saucepan. combine the carrot and celery juices and bring to a immer.
2. In a 3.quart skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the rice and garlic and stir together until
the nee IS coated with the oil. Add the white wine and bring to a boil, tirring constantly until the W6le
is absorbed by the rice. Add the carrots and the green beans to rice.

3. Ladle 1/2 cup ci the hot juice mixture into the saucepan and tir until it is absorbed. Continue wi·.
rest c:i me juace, addmg more liquid. The constant tirring allows the rice to release its starch into the
COIl.... liquid, resulting m the characterIStIC nsono creammess. When 3/4 of the juice has been wed,
abwt 15 to 20 mmutes. stir in the retnamlng vegetables. Contmue ladling and tiffing in the remainiaI
JUICC, about 10 additional mmutes. The grains of nee hould be al dmte.

4. Swirl m the butter, 3/4 of the Pailillgtano, and season with the salt and pepper. Serve the ruotto ....""
k1ed with panIey and the retnamlng PanmguU\o.
 Anne Ro ... en:\\cig
ARCADIA ,mel THE LOBSTER CLUI'>
.\i~u \ink. Neu York

I C;RlIllE T":

1 Chocolate-covered pretzels. It', the perfect food-yin and yang, sweet and salty, crunchy and
creamy-all at once.
2 Milk. It's the perfect drink with the perfect food.
3. Butter. \X'hy? I'm the butter queen of New York. It's an essential thing for good cooking.

4. Kasha. From my rootS-It'S a homey, ethnic thmg.

). Onions. Like hutter, It's a basic, es~entlal ingredient-and there are Itlt~ of ways to eat them. You can
lise them (or f1an)r, or as a vegetable.

6. Lobster. It's my favorite protein nght n \\'.

7. Corn. I Just had ~ome roOl'ted corn •.H a 'treet ('Hr, ,lOd It \\'a~ gre,H~

Pasta. Eventually you'll get ttred (f eve!) hing e1,e, anJ ,all c, n h,we It With jw,t butter.

9. Tomatoes. I'll needome vegetahle , and the e r~ health} ,lOti Dood.

10. Steak. h\ my . econd-i. \orne protem.

Ro en:weig aid ,he\ neak .11 n It nJ perper, too--"llldtlen 111 1l1} OOion !"

1 EUI IQl f :

L Sauteeing. It' the mo~t fun, and} u In u (: a I [of flO c. It'- ver~ Inllliecir,ltc.

2. Roasting. It' a techOlque that bnng lit fla\OT .

3. Grilling. It' e \. and It' fun

 --- Chris Schlesinger
THE EAST COAST GRILL
Cambridge. Mas.sachusetts

INGREDIENTS:

1. Salt. You can't make food taste good without salt.

2. pepper. I love pepper-salt, pepper, and ginger make things taste good.

J. Lime juice.
4. Hot sauce. I like it to spice up food-I'm not really impressed with subtlety in food. I'd take EI
Yucateco (hot sauce].

5. Baron. I could make a salad with the bacon fat and lime juice-and some tomatoes.
6. Gnens. I like leafy greens, like baby collards and kale. I use it as lettuce as well as in cooking.
7. Ginger. It's a nice, fresh spice.
8. Oysters. It's my favorite type of seafood. I like the East Coast variety, which are salty and briny, as
opposed to West Coast oysters, which are more ubtle.
9. Tomatoes. I like really nice, fresh tomatoes. I'd make a salad to go with the oysters.
10. Sweet potatoes. They're versatile and tasty, and you need a tarch to balance dinner.

Schlesinger also commented that if he caught, for example, a beautiful striped bass out of the ocean,
"It's good to just cook that with salt and pepper and put a little bit of lime on it. A lot of food is good
just as food; we're not obligated to do a lot to it. And if I had fish, I'd wish I had some mangoes, which
are my favonte &uit, to go with it."

TECH IQUE :

1. GriD; ........ 15 k • 1 love it. To me, grilling means cooking. I love the connection to live fire.
Esco&ier def4w::a1ril1ina • "the remote starting point of our art."
2. %t+fa 1"-__ _____L'_ _ J .
or ~ fried fcoJi apecially the crispy <.:JUI1I;IIUKaD UI tt.
a..
3. in hia pi ita b --
_ .b..L.. -'lent wnen
anulUl mpcu .L he rea1'--..l
ucu he hadn't L-...l.t
u ........
beer, and offered to trade
..... 1IcJ. . . ·Any kind of cold herr but paddably Samuel Adams."
 ,
Chili-Ginger ,IUce
YIELD: 1 CLP

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

juice of 3 limes

1 tablespoon fresh hot pepper (your choice), finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
2 tomatoes, finely chopped

Cook all ingredients O\'er low flame for 5 minutes, Let cool.

Wilted Greens with moked Tomato, Bacon Bit., clOd Lime Dressing
1/2 cup bacon bib (fry 'em up)
Juice of 2 lim mixed with n little leftover bacon fat

alt and pepper to t, te

1 head wa hed chicory

1 head wa hed kale

6 plum tomato , moked over low fire on grill and cooled

H,eat bacon fat with lime juice, salt, and pepper. TO_5 hot dre 109 over washed greens and tosS greens until
slightly wilt d
e, erve
'h
Wit smoked tomatoe and bacon bit-.

A h-Roasted \\ eet Potatoe

4 5wet!t potatoes, washed and wrapped in foil
Plac e POtatoe
In coals and cook until they are oft. Cut up large or mash to eat.
---~--------~ ----=- - "-- --

365
f • '""ng t1 Lv 5 "
 Jimm'l chmidt
THE RATTLESNAKE CLUB
DetrOIt. Michigan

INGREnJE. TS:

1. Chile seeds. Chiles are really adaptive; you can use them for coloration, heat, spiciness. You can coo-
sume them fresh or dried. With the peppers, you wouldn't need as much salt in the food-and 1 hate
bland food.
I Grape seeds. You've got to have wine. While you'd have to find a variety that would do well in that cli-
mate, llove pinot noir. You can make white or red from pmot noir pretty effectively. And at the second
dosage, you could ferment It and ha\'e Champagne!
3. \\~eat. Obviously, you'd need wheat for breadmaking, and pasta. 1 think that's a very important staple.

4. Com. 1l00'e com-you ha\'e to love com if you grow up m Illinoi. Com' a good storage food; it grows
really qUickly, and it's very high Yield. And you can roast it, boil it, bake it-you can do a hundred dif-
ferent things to it.
J. Tomatoe . They're very adaptable-you can m ke a alice l)ut of them, you can eat them raw, you can
dry them and put them into .alad- and auce- They've £ t \.;0 d, high <Kid.

6. Potatoes. Thev're a great staple. You n I11cch them, you can u l: potato rarch for thickening, you can
make gratm~, ()f fry them- au can d ) ton of Ifferent thma to them.

7. Citrus- limes. For \,iramin C. I like them ill, but 1\.1 probabl~ take Illne . I thmk they're the most adap-
tive i0r hemg blended with other thmg . I Itk bmes better tho n lerm m, .lOd I think they gll better with
the chtle', They add d char eten-tlc th t I be}ond cmu It elf. Or.mge. are not that concentrated,
\\ hlCh b why I pa~,ed over th m.
- - - - . . . . ...
 ;+ ...... it • a salad or as a vegetable, or for fillings in ravioli, or for .... AaIlJI:W..
S. !lP » k't p 10m cl iron. And it grows very quickly.
• b r.e .",10 have prlic. Besides .that, it's good for you. It's a great flavor enhancer Oft . , . .
9. G __ It ..., very arable. And It protects you from vampires'
~~- .
.... In • .FOCI ovaall herb. I wouldn't say that it's my favorite-Ilike cilantro, llik.e thyme . . lie II
10• ...,.liaIfe .'0Il' (love them all. But you can tum basil into a sauce, whereas you can't
!he ........
"WhIP- the ' , Ad?" Schmidt asked. "You could get salt from the water, so that rakes C8Ie eX _ AIIII
you CDII&t '*D ... OC I'''' Since I grew up 01\ a farm, I'm covering all my blm h l _ __
......... 1do"'" And I love coriander, even though I don't have it 01\ my list."

TECH IQUE :

I. .... cleYelqaEnt: You get a lot cl flavor off the wood on what you'1e
k'I .............
In_ And ~lleIDperabR ml _ cl mIn and hee '
1 do lib the hich:temperature effcca cl_iDg ml"......
cI • ....,
 -----.--- ~ .--..--- - '- --~----
Lind ey here
CHEZ PANISSE
Berke/c)'. Cahfrmua

INGREDIENTS:

1 Sheep. For (hee~e and meat.

, Wheat. It'> a ~taple of one's diet-I could never live without hread or cereal.
-'
3. Corn. \'m an Italian. and I like my polenta.

1I &. 5. Apple tree and pear tree. I love them hoth. And they're comtantlv1 usabl e,. I cou Id eat th e frUlt.
ire'h. or cooked. or even make liqueur from them.

6. Grapes. To ha\'e wine.

i A pig. I love pork.

S. Salad greens. A \·ariety. or any kmd .

9. Chickens. I love egg .

10. An orange or tangerine tree. It' a tla\'or I really lm'e a lot.

When reminded that .he could brmg al ng ea mn o , Shere re ponded, "I don't need ~eas()l1ings. If
you have omethmg that'.; wonderful, you don't need to da a lot to It."

TE H IQLE :

1. Baking. How could you have brc. d If you couldn't bake, not to mention the oc(a.,ional apr Ie tart. fruit
ens!" and cake?
1
-. tovetop pot-cooking. I'd want to be dble to make cu.-tard and ~oup- and stocks.
3 Cook' f h . h ' '( tOO hot to cook inside!
. mg over ire coal. F r vanet . and flavar-and t ere are time ( at It ~ JU"
-

369
Cu s ,,6
v n 9 8
E " 0
 L dia Shire
BIBA and PIGNOLI
Boston. Massachusetts

I ' (,REUlE! T":

1. Garlic. Ilo\'e garlic. It's my fa\'orite thing in the world. (See Lydia Shire's recipe for Crab Fldeo with
Broken Garltc O il on pages 371-372, which she characterizes as "major garlic!")

2. Olive oil. Garlic and olive o il go h and in hand.

3. alt. I cannot eat food Without -alt-it has :ero flavor. Salt might actually be my number one choice.

4. Bacon. I IO\'e good bacon . I love fat.

5. pasta. paghetti gc'es great with o!i\'e o il and garhc-it's my comfort food.
6. Mavonnai e. I'm a closet mayonna i e eater. I can eat mayonnabe sandwiches.

i. pinach. I crave pinach.

~ Broccoli rabe. I crave !,!reen - I lo ve their bmeme

9. Lemon. I u e lemon .. hke alt- flav r enh ncer.

h .. Beef. To have a creat tea , With t-n thmOel e qUite r'~.oC It ~ rOle.

mmel u e.
If gl\ en

Tl: H 10\..1: :

c()()km th t 1Ote~ IfIe the fla\'or on the seared ide.

1. aut eing. It' a gr at, qUic

2 Frving. \x'hat' bert r th n I m m the ummer?

e f the top mells m the world.
3. Roa ting. Th meH a hi ken r.UdC~l1O_ 10 ur h use I

the char \ £la\ r Imparted by gnllmg, he admit, "I'm not much of

'lute htr he
te mm per n."
t Break 1 pound Goy.l fideos into approximately 1- to2-inch pieces. Toss in 1/4 cup olive oil and bake 11\
35 0 oven until lightly golden. This should take 5 to 8 minutes. Be careful not to let the noodle get too
brown.

4. Boil fideo in crab stock until al dente. Drain in colander. Set over bowl. Reduce 4 cups of liquid to 1 cup.
Re erve.

5. Rub a hallow ca serole dish with a cut clove of garlic and butter lightly. Arrange the cooked noodles
tossed with the picked-over crab meat to a depth of 1 inch. You may need two casseroles. It is ill\portant
that the noodle only be 1 inch high.
0
6. Drizzle the noodle with the reserved cup of tock and bake in a 400 oven until the top is crispy and the
rock absorbed.

7. The beauty of thi di h is the contrast of the crisp noodles on top, and the soft and somewhat dty under·
neath.

. Pass the broken garlic oil separately, as your guests will want different amounts.

Bn*m Garlic Oil

1 ancho chale
c priac, peeled
1 cup tra VlfIUl olave oal
1 t

1 black pepper

• pan for S minuta till

a._ Rea.
101. sL:JWlv for 45 manures-
0"
.,...&ld. Slowly drizzle into the
c1q1Pinl wkh • knife. Add
 Nancy Siherton
CAMPANILE
Loss Angeles. CalifornIa

L (;RE.PH T~:

1 Salt.
1 Pepper. I real'"I think that, to make something good, you don't need anything more th an a goo d .mgre-
-' jlent and salt and pepper.

3. Arugula.
4. potatoes.
j. Olive oil.
6. Bread. [Silverton gave up her original choice of balsamic vinegar in order to bring bread.]

7. Parmesan cheese. Everything about a baked potato, olive oil. Parmesan, and arugula with salt and pep-
per is so satisfying that I always say I could eat thi· every day for the rest of my life.

8. Dried pasta. I love dried pata. I love the texture, the toothines . I love fresh ravioli, but too many
tlme fresh pasta is gummy. It' not alway a benefit ro make it fre h.

9. Coffee. I have to have coffee. (..,ee! ancy ~ilverton' recipe for Coffee Ice Cream on page 374.)

10. Red wine. I need red wme.

St!verton asked, "b It a HawaiIan i land? Do I ha\'c ro bnng .ugar, or I there sugar cane there?"

Tf H IQl f :

l. Sauteeing. It's very quick and it' very Imple-and the re ults can be delicious.

2, Boiling. I love pasta-and coffee.

3. Braising. I love the cuts of meat that lend them -elves ro being brai ed, and the results.

"I
I can eas'lI Y I'Ive Wit
. h out deep frying. Grilling .IS Olce,
. butI d on 't ha\' e to h'e
a\ it . And I could easily
.
~ve Without SWeet. For obviou reason, I love baking because of what I do--but not necessanly
ecau e of what I eat."
--- - -- -.~--.----

373
(. J'
E
 Coffee Ice Cream
by Nancy Silverton
YIELDS 1 QUART

A coffee flavor at the end of a meal can be doubly pleasing; it can satisfy the desire for both coffee and
dessert. Our coffee ice cream has an intense coffee flavor, much more so than traditional coffee ice cream
because we use no eggs and less cream. It may not be quite as smooth, but I find it more refreshing.
Crush the coffee beans with a rolling pin or with the back of a pan. Do not use a grinder or food
processor because the resulting grind is too small and it causes the ice cream to take on an unpleasant
gray color. I find that decaffeinated beans produce a smoother ice cream than regular coffee beans.

41/2 cups whole (4%) milk

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 table poons com syrup
1/2 cup decaffeinated coffee bean~, e .. pres,o roa"t, crushed
1 1/2 tea poem, coffee extract or instant e'pres,ll

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, brmt:! the mIlk, ere. m. !;ranulated ~ugar, com syru[" and cof-
fee beans to a bod. Bod gently. ttrrint:! cantm u Iy u lOt:! .1 mbber ·p.Hula. reducmg until the mixture
ha_ thickened very ,lightly, about _ to 2 ~ ITltnUtl: \\ Ith ufflclent bo Iy to provide an envelopmg nch-
neo;'i, as 0['1'0 ed to a water~ mdkme ,In )ur m uth.

2. Remove the ~aucer<l!1 from the heat, dJ the c ttce extr trIO t. nr (1re"o, and mix just to cnmhme
U-ing a fine me h (,l1nlt: 'teel tramer, trclln the mIxture Into a 1.lrge mlxmg howl and .dlm\' w coni
at lea t 15 mtOure , then refn ...er te or t lea t; mmute. 1)1 ard the cotfee beam.

3. Remove the mixture (rom the re rt(!e tor. If km h ormed on (he CTC<lITl, ,imply tJr it bclck lI1to the
mixture. Pour the cooled cream mixture lOt the contamcr of n I e cream freezer. Fn:eze ( cor:lm J to
the manu(Clcturer', 10 tru tiM . Re rVe {he I e cream 10 thc Ice cre.tm to hll1c Lont.lln r until nee J-
ed.

4 en e the Ice crcam \\ Ithm 1 r 2 h ur ( ree:m .... 1- per nail made Ice cream doe not keep \ ell to
the freezer-It become ( hard nJ r. m .

4
 Joachim pliehal
PATINA
Los A~les, Ca/iforrua

I GREDIE TS:

choa,..re IltJCe.
aood for me. I like to eat them just seared, with salt and pepper

WIlleD makmg a coulis. It's a nice taste.

• , 1'_ wilb -Bt pepper, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and onion.

E I

_ _d. It thear natural flavor.

wbIII ~ aIllbOliJt.
~~~t ..... _ndIlolDI-diaco)lJ'q a bis pIeCe d meat or a suckling PII
 -- - -
- -
---
Potato and Forest Mushroom Lasagna vith Nage Butter auce
by Joachim Splichal
I thmk this dish can challenge any lasagna made from conventional pasta, and the technique of making
· II ite easily mastered once you have done It two or three times. The recIpe
tender potatod'sh eets 15t rea y fqumushrooms but in a pinch you could use 3/4 pound of one kind of mush
r r
li
ca IIs lor lour lllerent ypes a ' -
room, although, of course the flavor will not be as rich. You could cook the potato layer earlier in the day
and leave them, covered with the parchment paper, until just before assemblmg the dIsh.

SERV ES 4

Potatoes

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

salt and freshly ground white pepper
2 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and trimmed into approximately 3-inch by 2-inch blocks
(reserve the trimmings in a bowl of cold water ro make mashed potatoes, if desired)

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and brush them with some of the
melted butter. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper onto the paper. With a mandoline or a sharp knife, cut the
potato blocks carefully crosswise into 1/ -inch-thick rectangles (each potaro should yield 9 to 10 slices) and
arrange them in a single layer on the baking heet'" Brush the ,lice~ well With the butter and sprinkle with
a little more salt and pepper. Co\'er with another heet of parchment paper and bake for 12 to 15 minutes
or until fork-tender. Set aside, on the hakiof.: hee~.

Mu hrooms
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (3 ounce) thinly ~ltced white mushroom, stems removed
1 1/4 cup (3 ounce:) thinly ltced ,hlltake mu,hroom" ,tems removed
1 1/4 cup (3 ounce,) thinly heed oy~ter mu~hrooffi'~, tems removed
1 1/4 cups (3 ounce» thinly heed chanterelle or porcini mushroom~, If available
1 large ,hallot, finely chopped
1 tahlepoon finely chopped chl\'e:>
air and fre hi)' ground white repper

A
 ---
Jeremiah Tower
STARS and J.T.'s
San Frannsco. Cahfomia

INC,REDIE . T<;:

1. Potatoes. They're so flexible-sugared, with milk, 1 could even make a dessert of them. And I could

make vodka.
2. Turbot. It's my favorite fish, and makes a fabulous stock. It's very, very delicate with a very pure taste.

3. A cow, pregnant with a male calf. For milk and beef.

4. Sugar. [ could use it to cure pork and to make rum.
5. Olives. 1 could make olive oil from them and use them for flavoring. I love them-and they're very
nutritious.
6. Seed packet: a Burpee "Grand Slam" cornucopia of seeds. \Vith seeds for thyme, beans, citrus, tar-
ragon, parsley, lettuces, chile pepper~, and. orne kind of grain (hke buckwheat).

7. Lamb. It's the meat I can eat the mo t and not get tired of. PiLL I'd have wool and lanolin.

8. Mangoes.
9. Grapes. I could make wine, anJ Jry them [0 m ke ral,lru. And I could make vmegar.

10. Pork. I couldn't live without a pi\!. I ad re ham and bacon < nJ thing~. ( ee Jeremiah Tower's reClp~
for Roast Pork Lom on page " 379-3 l.)
Tower commented that he coulJ m k III wn lr.

TH. H \(Jl E :

1. Grilling. Over hvc fuel-then I could 1 0 cook b) pi -roa tin '.

2. Boiling/poaching.

3. Braising. In a pot in a fire.

78 A
 Roa t Pork Loin Stuffed with Ham and Rosemary
hy Jeremiah Tower

ed from Ja ne Gngson\ excellent hook

. on charcuterie that if you brine pork fur a day he fore cookmg
[learn 'e a sure way to guarantee mOl~t and very flavorful pork, as long as you do not overcook Lt.
I[ yt)U h~~ that pork can be very slightly heige-pink and still he safe in terms of trichinosis, the trichinae
me01
Re. biled at .a meat internal temperature of 137 degrees. This dish could be served with a warm veg'etable
being d e pers, black-eyed peas, or red cabbage salad.
)[e ll', roaste r p

ERVES 5

3 pounds center-cut pork loin

1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup ~ugar
2 liuart· water
2 bay leave
I table poan all pice berries
1 tabl poon dried thyme
2 clove gariJc, left whole
2 large hallot , finely chopped
, tahle p n oltve OIl

1/2 pound country ham or prosciutt ,fmely chopped

2 tabl poon fr h ro em.try leaves, finely chopped
ait and fre hly round pepper
1 cup chicken tock
2 table poon D1)On- tyle mu tard
4 table poon butter

1. Trim the loin so that there i only 1/4-inch fat on top. Mix the alt, ugar, water, bay leave, all ~ice'l and
thYme'In a pan and heat until the alt and ugar are dl. J 1ved j let I P ut the loin in a pan JU t arge6
coo.
~ough to hold it and the liquid and pour the brine over the pork. Let marinate overnight or at lea t
Ur In the refrigerator. (conanud "" ntxt ~I

379
 Norman Van Aken
NORMAN'S
Coral Gables. Florida

I NG REDI EN T S:

.........m.. Plantains were theIIfirst fruit I had in Key West that caused me to marve1
1 ..... at " . and
this cUISine
. to (eel trUSt that there were a -new avenues for me to experience.

Z. MIl s er ~th~elY're. the right kind, and at their juiciest, they're the most perfect fruit I've ever
~ an elr USClousness.

J. BlIck. P....
•. CCIC IlL All d the ~dients I'm mentioning are part of such a welcomeness I felt when I first got
here- It made my cookmg accelerate and become distinguished from cooking from anywhere else in
AJDerica.
5. SnIt cod, or lNIcafoo. It's such a part of the Caribbean tradition, probably because it's the absolute
oppoaite ri the fresh fOO it would be so impossible to choose among.

6. O· ••
7. a 'rs I'd want the pungency and bite that ginger and chiles would provide. And there's such a broad
... ri &a,a. in c:hilea. One ci the most common chiles that we would use here [at Norman's] would
be ScM b bonnets or habet\ero&, which are definitely distinct from jalapenos or serranos, in that the
&aIiry and incredible aroma they have is so much different from the other chiles. Ginger and chiles
wM:tclemer. well as raonate with each other in a very clear way. The flavors bounce quickly back
... iJnb bee.! m each other. They're sort of standing on the side like a little chorus that provides a
iJiws'tr ~ to "rock the boat" or the dish.
8. One ci the key thangs that creates the opportunity for a sauce or a dish to work is the
to provide relief from the meaty richness of the dominant protein or the BOftening
IIIiiCh. 1be benefit ci citruS on the island is that I could also drink. it. I'd have a hard
• tJ.lIIIlic YiN pro
est, like my son was, are called conches· When I first got here, I ask~,
L ___ ..L..___ . used . --'-ina To this dav one d the
becaule ci I aDUlJlUilll~' It got an CVIRY ... ·--e· " .
my menu is a conch chowder. It's become emblematic d my cookinI· (See
' -_elDeb Conch Q,owder on pages 383-385.)
u:e
hit favorite animal d all. I gueII that' because you can 10 many
L... _ _ and ribI and ......Ir tendmotn-
......twJe between ~. .,..,....
 cracked..Hacked Conch Chowder with Saffron , CI)CO t an d 0 ranges
'- nu,
by Norman Van Aken

YIELD 10 8·0UNCE PORTION~

For the shellfish broth/cream and garni sh

1/4 cup olive oil

1 Scotch bonnet, stem and seeds discarded, minced
6 shallots, peeled and sliced thinly
4 clove of garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
12 mall clam , scrubbed
12 mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
1 star anise
1 table poon roughly cracked black pepper
3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 scant table poon affron
1 quart heavy cream
1 cup coconut milk

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed aucepan over medium-high heat. Add the Scotch bon-
net, ballots, and garlic. Stir. Let vegetable flavor the oil (about 1 minute). Then add the clams, mus-
sel , star anise, and black pepper. tiro Then add the orange juice and cover the pot. Remove the clams
and mussels as they open to a colander set over a bowl to catch the liquid. (They start opening after
about 3 minutes; just take them out a they open and cover the pot again and keep checking for more
open ones.)
2. Allow the orange and shellfish juice to reduce, uncovered, until about 1 cup 0 fl"d
IqUi remams,. about
~~minutes: Now add the saffron, heavy cream, and coconut milk. Allow ~o .boil.. s~irring occasionally.
hac careful, cream can boil over in a plit second.) Reduce the cream until It will JU t barely coat the
c kofaspoon (about 15 to 20 minutes ).Tum off and strain. Discard the solids and reserve the flavored
:;:n0
MeanWhile, take the cooled mussels and clams out of their hell, reserve the meat, and tOSS the
_ Ua. (conUnutd on ntxt ".".)

--------------------------~----

(I /I C •
 -----
For the \peg t"hle 5 Irni h
6 new potatoes, scrubbed and diced medium
1/2 cup of pure olive oil
2 ounces smoked slab bacon, rind removed, about 1/2 cup
4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1 poblano chile, stem and seeds discarded, minced
1/2 red onion, peeled and diced medium
2 large carrots, peeled and diced medium
1/2 bulb fennel, cored and diced medium
2 celery stalks, cleaned and diced medium
1 red bell pepper, stem and seeds di carded, diced medium
1 ear com, kernels cut off the cob
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
2 bay leave , broken
air and repper to ta~te

1. Put potatoes to a small saucepot of It!!htl~ alted water. Bnn~ to a boil and tum down heat; simmer till
Just underdone (this only take~ a few minute", inee [he potaroe are <0 small).
2. In a large heavy soup pot, cook the bacon With [he ohve 011 over medium-high heat until bacon is half-
way cooked. Add the garlic and chile and <tir bndly. Add the re t of the vegetables except the poratoesi
stir to coat, add salt and pepper; Cilantro, and bay leaf. Cook until firm, smnng occasionally (ahout 8
mmutes). Add potatoes, saffron cream, clams, and mussel,.
-

384
A
 ;/4 p' HIIllI cl '~lIled, pounded (linch
~,lIr ,lilt! Pl'I'lwr, til r,,"ll'
1/4 LlIl' fllllli
2 egg~ Iwarl'11 with 4 te:"p()on:, of half,and,half
1 1/2 (111'" panko crtllnh..

I. S,'N,ll till' l,lIll h \l'1t h ,II r :111,1 l'lJ'per, Nil\\' dre~lge the (on( h pil'\.:l-' in t he nom, then thl' l' 'g. , :md
thl'lll11 till' p.1tl k" , Pl,ll"e them ,111 :t I.uge (,Life, 'Iou (an layer Ihem t! you 'l'p~lrate the hreaded pll'ce
\\lth II'.IX p,II'l'r ,H 1'1.1 I iL 11m!"

10 fini h the dish

I. [kit till' IIntii qUite \I,mll Nf)\\ heell ,I Llrgl' bllet ,l1\d S,llItl- the c()nch until nlldy culmed on
stiliI'

I",th 1,le, !\l'tll<l\l' It) p,,, C'r t()wd lInlil all the ,meh t look"d, N,,\\' qllKkly c!h)1' thl' c()uked lllnch
IIlt"I'leu'" I_I,IIL' till' ~oup Int,) " .. trill I owl ,\Od ,l(!cr the ('\loked e,l!) h ll\'C'r thl' "HIp,

~ote: AIl\ lI11cook d, brlelded ('ooch rt k turnmg (.olm o\'crmght It I hc t to lonk :my l"!lnlh t1ut 1ll.IY
1'e,I,'elllcJ L! tr,\ ,l1ld "dd II to till ollk ,d <lUI or ,nc for leftl)\' r , AI 0, for all' chock·!llll·oi. tufi ( lip,
l'tlll,an "II ,Illll' llr II ,Ii h, \t·,md·halt an I ed n ,\g, In to t,) te,

uanmhNotc 11th· til g,\r!1\ h dl\~ (UP \11th Or'.lO p • tI 11 ,to, tcJ ( nl1llt, (\\lc\, Clll\l'IIIIW, "ltron ('I'

Ilk

f •
 Alice Waters
CHEZ PANISSE
Berkeley. California

I GREDIENTS:

1.8~
2. Olive oil.

3. Garlic·
4. TomatoeS- (See Alice Waters' recipe for Pasta with Tomato Confit below.)

5.}{erbe Basil or rosemary, perhaps.

6. Salad greeo.--Wild rocket or chicories.

7. NoodIet-Any kind. I had great soba noodles recently, and I love Italian pasta.

8. CitnJI. I like citruS a lot-everything from limes to blood oranges.

9. Pip. I like them fresh. I like baking fish in fig leaves, which give it a coconut-like flavor and is very
aromatic. And I like cooking over fig wood.

10. Nuts. It's hard to choose probably almonds or walnuts.

TECH IQLE :

1. Cooki.. over fiftlpminB- I'd cook over a fire all the time. It feel somehow fundamental.

2. Wood -uiua 0¥eD. I love the flavors it imparts.

1 Seut~I! .Inpediena can come together very quickly; you can marry things in a hurry.

Pasta with Tomato Confit

by Alice Waters

: -about two n"-l ea pu aerving. Make a bed of basil leaves in the bottom of an ovenpr~ dish that
Ihe hold .. " 'll ea ....,. an one layer. Peel and core the tomatoes and place them core-slli~ down on
tot...... J 'jlcIy and pep-Jer. Pour in enough extra virgin olive oil to come halfway up the sides ofl:
....--IIIfQ...... '1 the are soft and lighdy carame
aQd..... L......"-
....11/2 hours an a pretw .ted 3SOO oven, untl tomatoes cooked and drained
oil with their perfume. Son on to taSte and .erve spooned over

.,
, . cu' •
 L_-mint or basil or thyme. It would make my food have some extra dl' ,
9. tleru-r- .-- mens Ion.

10. Corn· 1l
ove com. 1grew up eating com; it's a very satisfying vegetable for me It's k' d f
. hI
10 0 a starc veg-

etable.

"I can make my own. salt; I could .boil ocean wat,er in a pan. My mind is racing now-I'm thinking
about ginger and garlic. I guess Pekmg duck doesn t fit. And you can tell I'm not a dessert person," says
White.

TH.H IQlE :

1. Grilling. I love the flavor of the grill-that wood flavor. I like what the intense heat can do, the way
it caramelizes the fat on the outside of meat and kind of chars the hells of shellfish. It's not just the
flavor that the grill adds to the food, but it' the way it brings out the flavor in the food, too, and kind
of seals it in.
2. Pan-frying. It' a good way to seal m flavor. The other good thmg i it' a technique I can use to intro-
duce fat into the food.
3. Boiling. You need a versatile way t c Ie. food . You can make oup and broths.

- --~--~---------
 I think of food as an experience,
not as an entity or a product, and
.,s gIve
It . n me a tremendous edge.
I think of it as performance art,
and of every detail as bemg
equally important. The whole
expenen. ce has to be conscIOUS.
So the chef needs to emerge as
the controlling influence from
the kitchen and direct the entire
production, keeping it all on the
same level."
O'Connell observes that more people are regarding the restaurant
experience as theater. "And it's either a good play or a bad play. It's fresh or
it's tired. And it's genuine or it's fake. More and more, it seems to boil down
to that for me," he says. "It's either right or it's wrong. And you're continual-
ly aiming for that right-on feelmg."
Certain chefs belteve that some of food's expressiveness has been lost
due to its abstraction from it~ meaning in ltfe and Its meaning in society.
"What we've done i: demeaned It by crcatmg celehrity chefs anJ hot restau-
rants,"ay Mark ~1iller. "\Ve\'c tnpped it of ~()me of its po. ~ibilities, and
some of It humanne " and ~ me of Ib 'ensuallty-it~ simplest level of an
expenence. Too many y ung chef: .ue t cerllng what the meJia has pro-
moted food and the re taurant inlu,try hem' ahour."
Cuimary C:lrt~t ,on the Other hand, un ler t, nJ the multifaceted potcn-
tial wlthm th dinmg exp ncn e. "AI Forno t , comhmatlon of things-I
don't thmk YOll can pm mt any parr I ular a peer of the expertence. We
started with the front door, an gave thought to the entrance ,md working
your way through the re tauram-the VI 1I, I ,the mel!, a tlvdting all the
:en e .• " ay George German. "J thmk we h ve everythmg workmg tn the
same ireellon, 0 chat we try to m ke the pI ture complete."
Johanne KIlleen poin out, "George de igned everything In the re tau'
rant, mclu mg the equipment. There' a umt)' to the look of the re murant
and the look of the food. We've h d toral control." Germon add, "And
beeause we are el -contamed. In that we d about 99 percent of e\er,'
thmg our:,ch'e • It really I a pure vi Ion."
:usan Femger ) that at Border Gnll With partner Mary ue Mllirken,
"We've aIwa) been huge believer that eVeT)thtng matte~\el1thm tr}(ll
the \'aIet to the bathr m to the busbo) t the wbl' ttln It' n t that th
ha\e to be f ncy, but there IS a cuttmg cd t th m. In the be tnnlng ~ "r
reall extreme bout e\el)thmg that \\ P n f th tual t ng perLeno,t:

A
 h: covel. hut you go in the bathroom and it's The art of the t bl
, a e goes beyond merely putting
'C'J 10 II
""1\''' ~ It <'r.
uTIlere 's t h IS
' contll1uum
. even recipes Into pra r
c Ice; It embraces good manners
/ill hI'' I" e restaurant. that you need to ha\'e at' some the balance of the menu, the skills of being a '
. hln t 1 "
lIlt 11" srnelb and t10wers and chll1<l and texture h ost and of best ' that privileged
·yei--'- . b orgamZlng
Il "lis ~ltrrors are Important, ecause they moment when a
1 \'I'U. .' mea I IS' shared With guests or
In' he -,ociabtlity back-people looking at other family.
bong t
, InW each ot h er. " - Curnonsky
~llr It, , . ' . .
r .....'t Its" best, a restaurant tnes to commul1lcate somethin g about wh 0 and
, is-and that It cares about the people who are d" h
\rhJt It . . ' ll1Lng t ere.
''£I'en'one ' coes. about It m a different' . 0f
way, but it's ultimately a question
')U e10 mantpulate [a dmer] mto a state of euphoria using a broad
hl'\\' \ l ' ,spec-
[rum, the complete palette," say~ .Patrick O'Connell. "I think young c h ef s Ln .
rarticular feel limited to the ~onfmes of the plate. I have been astonished at
[he Impact that mmuscule thmgs will have on the press and on chents-just
bemg a htde playful in the wording of the menu, letting them know that
we're not stuffy. They want to feel that the people behmd the restaurant are
harlng fun, wo. Once agam, they're seeing a personality. That's basically
what the publtc IS :,eeing on a plate, hut they may not be adept enough to see
I[ 10 it~ broadest dimensIOns. If a chef or owner i pas ionate about something,
anymtn!?, they hould weave that into the experience ~omehow-that's a
dirnen,ion that the public crave.

Every tIme \\e plan a tril ' the day after we pay a nonrefundahle depOSit on it, there's a call from
someone for whom you simply c.mnot ~c awa} for their arrival-an important chef, an Important jour-
nabt. And you don't dJ.re ever ay anythino. I have fl\'e brother -they all got married on a Saturday.
I couldn't go to any of their weJdmg . \Y./e belte\'e that alma t 10 percent of our clientele is eIther tn the
!'usmes 0r writing a Crttl al pIece. If you con ider all the !!ulde~-the Mobil guide has four anonymous
VL'ltsa rear, the AAA guide ha four unannounced \ I It a year. Almost every I1lght there's a single per-
n 10 the room w.kmg note, It' tre fu!. It' not ed Y to pray the piXie du~t anJ have them succumh!
hen th ugh our tatf 1- large. nd capable, you'll fmd that thing wtll go better if you're pre~ent And
e en If ome Ine get a perfect meal, they expect orne interaction al 0, With a key person.
\X,ben y u do re ch omebody, often u' \'el') powerful, the energy tramfer. And YOLI have a great
Jt~ faCti n tn mclktng that connection. It reaffIrm thJt what you're doing I' important. We open the
IT\JII e\er, da\, anJ there arc .lbout rnenty letter -and ,ome of them JLI t make Yl)U bawl! And they
il'lldlh' \, "I hJ\ e never \HUten to .1 re taurant m ffi) enme hfe for .my rea,on, hut I feel Cllmpelled to
\\TI!e U clN>ut the expenence." It' often JU t tiny,llttle actS of human ktnJne ,for the mo t part, that
t< htn o to them-ho\\ the~ were treated ~y the t. ff, or how the taff went OLlt of theIr way
tn' h IWy about It to accommoJate them.
It Iml'< n tnt tv rem m~er that tht: I not d bu me . It' a ltfe' work.

3
A
 "A, a hlzarre examrle. our dng Rllse [d dalmaulln} I III the re t ur nt
at th~ twnt d1111f. Sl1metlme' it's .llmnst clllnical-you think, H ven'r th
people ever , een a dog hefore, for GIld's ,ake? ~Of cour~e he' pretty md We
love her to plece~ and all this. But they get ur trnm their dinner .10 \ the, roll
on the flollr with her in their little Chane I "uit. . , and the next thing YOll kn W
she \; got a string of rearls on. It's entertainment! It's novel.
"Chefs and restaurateurs could ask themselve~ whether there are one or
two l1lwel ideas about how they could communICate a broader dimenSion of
themselves to their clients-whatever it might be. They would pmhahly he
a toni shed by the imract that might create." says O'Connell. "It's all inside
\'ou-if you wdl Ju~t take the ~andbag, off."

In her fascmating hook A

An Opportunity for Community Natural History of the ense~.
Diane Ackerman romt - Ollt th,1(. "The other senses may he enjoyed in all
their he, ut \\ hen one I.~ alone. hut taste I~ largely acia!. Humans rarely
choo e [U Jtne II1 !HuJe. ,mJ (0(1\.! has" powerful 'ocwl component."
Leadll1!:! Lht:f.- !!ree. "F 1 h\)uld ,dw.lYs be eaten m company," say
Dieter - h mer. ''t eat It alan bring, on! half rhe rlea'lIfe. Being With
other pe pi I \\h ( m lk I d be llHlfu!." LtnLI~ey Shere concur.. "Food
h uld be n) \ lhl , md "nno p Ie together omeho\\'. It people ate
t Ja ,thm \ uld be dlt ert:nt. n I It people cite and cooked
{ uld re \ It t rem."
r re [ ur tnt thell re o!.!nt:e the IInporrance ot
1 h It tl pr h t th 1010 I erlt:n e. "I think th,lt Patrick
[ )'Conn 11) nJ RelOh r j IL~ n hl h VI: b n there h r .llml) t twenty year~
ut In (h mll.l I the wIIJ me (I The Inn .il Little W,I htngt t n in
the be t Amen 10 h PltcllH) and the ~e t ot
rt:n't en u h pc pIe Itkc [hem \\ ho .Ire pIOneer.
\\h) re rn\lO~ t re te th If 1\\'l1 m loe. It' !:!1\Jcn Amefl<.:an food anJ
re t lin nt nd IOn nd h el c mple It) rhat \\C uldn'r be (here \\ Ith ur
th m
But e\ n O'umnell him I .lckno" ledge, "Thl I I h rd HOle t be a
h . It remmd me t the cr tn \\hl h Fr nch CUI me \\, horn That' the
pen xl "hen the rear chef: had to pIe the bng , lOci rhe court. and the
"ere the m( t J Jed pe pIe In the \\orld-h cau e they c,)uIJ h \e lO~(htn
the 'J tried It all, the 'd d ne 1t all. Thl I H:ry Il1U h like the Am n In p b
a 9 est e yo e f It t 1. Th re h \\ond nt
p 9 as he s [I) In
beflR.r.lth ",."" roof I t It
ed I:x lit rl He n ht n \.
 -In Culinary ArtistrY... Andmu ~ and Karen ..........
food and Jb!or pairinCS as a kind of ~ for the . . .~ f f 17 « I
coc*... TMr Iq1e is rhat once :YO" Icnow the scala, ,oK . . . . . . . . lit
WitifOl' a J1'ftI1horr1...
-MoLLy O'NEILL. The New yorit TII'IItS Macatine

AadlUy is .. at..."......" landmark boc*... J., rM IN",?

SI 71 _ .... Oft dte as't., JCGIe today. "
$' All IQi AND GI!oJtOE 8EN8C»l, DIdio hom. ~ Eelit'''n OIl NPll

-0. ef'" ... a"t% , 6wks 11/ .. ,.,-... :n. is Jhe aJ ,. .,'s.. wi
• J i Fef ~b1. heA' .. DUll'" Iud ';'" 11/ - eM at ..dJ C #Dr ...
n. tCb dll- . . . " sea Iii .dr .... b I J .. dLb'" F • ...,
... , .. .., £lieu umn. "
~