R elpe \11

en
1enu- \1\
Re't.1urant Menus Xt'
Acknowledgments Xt'll
Preface XIX
The Chef as Artist 1
Meet Your Medium 23
Compoing Flavors 37
a Dish 61
Why Food Matches? 87
Food Made in Heaven
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
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 J imi Hendrix, who was known for his
artistic daring.
What Leading Chefs Think
"Cooking is indeed an artistry,"
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 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 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: to cre- -RrchCi'd 0 ey
ate di he that are con tandy on a very le\'el. It' a ,hame you c, n't put
me of them on canvas!"
Wayne 1 1 i .h, who once
"Architecture In the Middle Age
tudled architecture, POint- out that
the mother of the art. In or,ler to he
<I practltloner, you had to he a 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 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 . I e [ha the relatl n hIp eXI t -<: kme (or th publtc I
CI) VI U 1 dl 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
Chefs and Professional Cooking WI hd
i
.
le
thhe fmaJOrity of
ea mg c e s we Inter_
viewed agree on the potential for artistry within the culinary expenen
ce, 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 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 have a ilY in it. Chefs should be flexible."
6
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 who pioneered cuisine in the
1960" repre emed a ,tep wwarJ bringing the culinary wl)r1d into its
own. Once creativity \\'a m French and, subsequently and espe-
Cially, American m the la,t few decade, there was no turning back.
/I y A , I
t
"Before nOlH'elle cuisine hit
America, there was not this 'interpre-
ti\'e' ,pirit. What we learned in
and what all great restaurant Jid, wa
dlshe like duck a l' oranRt' and \"eal
o car. You made the
wouldn't ever have made an or. lOge hoi-
landai e sauce," 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
up til thl ountry, because it allowed young people to come to it and we
Jldn't h.we 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
Important.
,n
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?
Category
Customer Goal
Chef's Intention
Price of Lunch
Who Detennines
Meal
Cbef' Primary
Repertoire
Number of
ens Affected
u tomer
L e a ~ e a 'ng
Trade
"Burger-
Flippers"
Survival
FiliI
Feed
Cu,wmer
("Have It
Your Wa\")
Hamburger5
""m full."
Craft
"Accomph hed
Chcf ..
Enjoyment
-:an,f'iI
Please
Off- BroaJway
Theatre Ticket
Cu tomer/Chef
AT(
"Culinary
Ani.,t,"
Entertainment
Tran cenJ/
Tranport
BroaJ\\IlY
Orehe tTO Ticker
Chef
(Ta ring Menu)
Chef'. own 01 he
) 6
"That wa dehclou." "Llft I wonderful."
,
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
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
de term me \\ h re n fall on the continuum.
\Vhethcr or not they are viewed
Cooking as a Trade that \\ely I) other, certain leading
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 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' . ,
al
,-and If we serve food and someone doesn't like it, whether we or the
.tOn .
. . '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 metllne the m t
d sec nd out of the If S artistic people play with a very \tmlted palclte. Y, U pKk
a'1d olher human bemgs your palate, you pICk your range, you pick what lOter-
Howa d Ga'dn r ests you-and then you cook your heart 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."
Cooking as an Art
What does it take to make the leap into the
realm of artistry? "How do you learn to
become a great piamst? Where does that come from? It' not 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
. '"
It can 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-
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.-
,m argument r Ill, term' the cr,1 t of co 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 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 .... III }be their half W ulJ 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 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
'lint ,-mt, "There are not th,lt many culinary
{I I
aru't'.
nh .1 ,m.1l1 proportion of chef fall Inta that
Cookmg IS at once onf: of the Simplest and rr:o t
gratlfymg of the art" but to COOK well one muc;'
love and respect food
.,
c lteglJr)' -\,/a' : 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
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.
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 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, 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 picking
and eatm,! ,trawherrie' as a child, alarm In ,mother who I' allergic to
berne", 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' Ibdf. The popular cookbook and televi Ion ,how
that have ,erved to catapult leaJmg chef. mto hoU',eholJ have per-
hap, 10 turn, done chefs a db,ervlce. In leading chefs' well-meaning enCllur-
3!!emcnt to home Loob that too, (an Look the chef' three- Ilt four- tar
iood at home, have rerhap, omitted any mentIon ot the Ve,lT of train-
In!? md expenence that are behmd the re Ipe ,md mdeed the (If pro-
lonal cookmo leadm
o
to th I bl'
-, - e genera pu ll: mt gUided VICW that
lxxh c n k .!reat food."
2
heL,lll e e\ crybody edt, <lnd many r
Y
fa
nvesf two hours work hi' h k b
k f k t 55 Ie cook to extent, t ey L nn t t In eVI nd th
5 m nU'es en"oyment but" cookmg 15 P k' f" ,\V I I h "T
tw .' I daily task-ma 'lOg II It, nute:> wayne I, here'
"'''anescent, well so 15 the ballet 1 I h
-Julia Crild simply no reference 10 t 1elr to \\ .It oJ re 11Iv !,'Te t
, ' can do It 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, " " .
k
' 'I ble to the nons killed home cook, he pomts out.
ma e It a\'al a
No book of which we're aware (other than the one you're holding)
I
' I examl'ned how a culinary artist compose, 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 enhances the le\'el of appreciation and
respect the puHic has for such artist,
In the economic hoom uf the 19 __\\, grew increasingl) famil Lar
with gourmet mgreoLenr ,lOll me clming, fI.'suiring in more educated and dis-
criminatmg palare . The grO\nh m 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 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 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 chou e to c ,k, nd their cu toll1crs. '0[ onl} Joe c< obl1!!'
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.
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 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 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 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
to under tand what you're says Miller One h f .
\v .' c e mentioned how
a
r
artl ular cnnc Wished to abohsh the star system for rat'
. Ing restaurants but
not able to do -0 because It sold newspapers!
The LUlinary community includes organizations such Th J
. as e ames
Beard FuundatlOn, .host of The James Beard Awards, the debut of which in
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 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 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 chef Pierre Herme dLCU . "the architecture of taste."
t!nue that cycle, white men po"e sed them and hroke the cycle. Then, at one point, the
Indian anJ back the gift, they'd given the white men, and that's where the term "Indian
came from.
All of thl helped put 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 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 should 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 various 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,
16
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 fwm 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 heavily 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';. ,,(
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
And while it may be O\'crempha ized in modern L okmg, a pIe,
ing visual presentation of a dish can add gre<Jti) to one\ totdi <.Ipprc Iltlll
n
of It.
----- - - --- -
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
I
t
" a bunch <If a,paragus each, request that they' cook I' t and 'd ' h
.: 1<' , , " ' Win up Wit
nwre llr 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

I. Dun,!{eness Crab and Green Asparagus Salad uith MeJer Lemon
2. Grilled Asparagus uith Olit-e Bread Crumbs and Olit'e Oil
3. u'ith Dried Shrimp \
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 . tford the opp rtUnItv t
, ' t'llent th1t Yl)l1 h,\ve, but It s not vle\\cd th t \\ 1\ vet
draw on e\'en ,Ing , '
, J' re ,t' '1 technical e.'pertl,e t)r <l trade, mstead ot the rt form
It S \,Ie\\'e as 1110 t , . ,
I
.. N L ,d\'" pushing the outer 10 terms of v.h,lt It III
t lat It IS, L1f't " ,
about."
Our aim is to exam me the opportunities tor composl tll)nal chOlle pen
to the chef-specifically, the compoitlOn of f/at'ors , the compo<, it ion ot dl h-
es. and the comrosition of dishes into mentis-and how these choice 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.
A Final Word
I'> often in the eye of the beholder. Snme audi-
ence member might be moved to tears while attend-
ing the upera, \\ htle other Hung m the "llne row dre bored to 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! One' con-
ne hm!! n Imp( nant el m nt to ,Ie'thetl( e.perienle-mclud-
mg that f I dm r or hef.
Tl) nke I pullf exampl ,thmk a th' 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 plloture, It plh"lhle
to 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 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.hmldl "You ha\e
to percel\ e a pIcture or a VI Ion of whdt }llU're mg [() ere te, tnt! (hen
,our palette to paint with lin order) to create th It picture I } ur 10 redl
ent and} nur te 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
... 8Dd I "11rina abcM
..... Jefoerated by the actiftdon cl many 1IIft_ "'.
IMlllIOries are created the wne way. 8Dd that
.. ,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 m row. 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:. -=
IdiVate ex catch the attention m all your aemel
one m 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
lot !DOle rhinp man you can [rte 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 ....
the .1,10-, to inner ar; you caD acII.
iD the beckaround the
tdemky 1ft really the
JOc=-M
darlD aa.
, , _ ' h'lme way other art can, the way a good pIece of literature or mu Il
I'm n,)t -lire tooJ can 010\ e ) Oll In t e '< , _ ,
I
-that the ahdlty to really mo\'e reople IS a cntenon of fme art. 0
C'r a raln[[ng can, t 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 comr
o
" , ," '
I
- 'f' d'I' , . to relate to food as tolk art- It s an Identifiable cultural expre .. Ion,
an, real y )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
I
h
' g man" thmk of as clo'>er to folk art. They want to be addressing broader qucstioO!'> If
ClI rure, somet m J -' "
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 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 opera 1 n't an art iorm-thar it ,hllulJ be elimi n, 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 ani,tic LOn-
text of their I came of age 111 the IXUe , \\hen It \\a t hlO!\ahk: to ha h h(lwe 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 the 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 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 ImpressIon on
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
MedIum. A t
24
Cui mary artlsb mu, t under<;tand the nature of th Ir
a
rtS )f eX(lfC"C;lon as dctemmeti f rf
Is medIUm Cookmg 15 dltferent rom pc ume-making
. ,
or the ere
mvC'/vec for example, m that chef don't mix pure flavor
. I boratory test tubes and different from music-makmg in that the
essences m a '
fl
f
. edl'ents aren't as singular as musICal more hke
avors 0 mg
r
natural chords. Not only is an ingredient very often a combmat lon 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
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 engaged. 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 hot , for example,
you might first try to touch it to gauge Its temperature. Will 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.
Mark Miller POint out, "TH te 1 an eXl'otenttal, sensual experience.
We don't really unde tan I it. Language I what We for taste, and yet the
g 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."
, A
COOKING WITH THE SEASONS
*
SPRING

chervil
guavas
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
kes
dandelion greens
nettles sugar snar rea,
asparagus
fava beans
onions, Vidalia vanilla
,l\'ocaJo'i
fiddle head ferns
papa,"as veal
reans, fa\'a
frisee
peas water chestnuts
beet greens
frogs'
potatoes, new watercress
beets
garlic, especially green
:ucchini
blueberries
chervil.
rhubarb
carfish
mustard
.almon
chard
grouper

SUMMER
cherrie Inchl nut hallots
chickpea I 1- It;r hdlfbh
claJru mn
herbet
com min
squashes. summer
) 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
beans. green
pc. rCIO!
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

.... 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)
arrlt' ..
reafi.-
han, !:Teen and lima
hlood or:m!!c'
hoccoh
hx:coh rabe
rru"d- "rout
cJbha:.c
e
capon
balUn
he n, 1--1 ck nd r
mto
broccl It
bru el prout'
hoc \\heat
cabbage
\-1-- "I \ 0,
C n
\ IOU
C Icroy r It
cauliflower
celer' root
cere'

che,mut.'
coconut,
c ranherrie.,
dalkol1
date,
duck
eel.,
fennel
k:
(Ole gras
!!Jme
!.!ari ic
!.!rape'
ch tnut
chlcone
cmu fruits-Hood
oran 'e, r,lp fruit.
kumquat, ie er
lemon
clementme
cod
d,ukon
dned fruit
endive
e ar Ie
rapcfrult
'reen , colllfJ and mus-
t rei
kale
kiWI fruit
kohlral-I
grape" Muscat
herring
leeks
lemons, Meyer
lobster
maple syrup
mushrooms
mussels
onions
papayas
partndges
pears
peppers
persimmons
phea,ams
pomegra na tes
r
ark
leek
lenttb
lobster
mflche
monHI h
mu eI
nut
nut OIl
or m!!c
oran"e hlood
par nips
p Ion fruit
ratt:
pmeapple
tatQC';
rabbit
r dlcchlo
ro cmaf)'
pumpkins
quail
quinces
rabbits
radicchio
radishes
shellfish
squab
swordfish
tangerines
turkey
truffles, white
venison
walnuts
rutar.egas
.. a Is ify

'Col r.'I"
sea urchm
qu,hhc." wimer
quid
tar fruit
sweet potatoes
t,mgermc
Hople,11 fruit
truftlt bl
turnip
"c,ll hank
vms
28
Perhaps no fond I' more stimulat ing to the 'en c, and In
Seasonality such an appealing way than that which I" made irom
ingredients at their seasonal peak. Seasonaltty has emerged .1' the mantrd of
the leading chefs we ll1terviewed.
Gary Danko POll1ts out , "If you are using ingredient> 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 flavor 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 frequently 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, and 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," Alice
Water. "\X'e ne\ er It .my mher [line of ear."
The rea on for Looking e,) on.dl} clre not nnl y [oPted m ,ei:mg ,m
ingredient' peak fI, \or, arl rna, ,Ild teo (Ure, .dthuugh these 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! envtrunmenr, with mter-
nattnnal commerce. it' 1",\ \ for <I rc raur.Il1[ tll Rut l1Ut
boJle to know rhem and to r.we e. n d 1I1f.;redH:nh the ",Hllt' wa\,
we want to wear m the urnrncrtlll1C an I wllolen ... 111 the wmter," "lyS
Romano. "And It' for chef til I the one ttl POlt1t the ,e,l-
_on, out to people. That' )Oll won't tmd me ervinl! pumpkm ra\'11 II
m Au!!ust (r berne m the mtJdle oi WlI\ter, ,mJ } OU won'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 on comp 1'111 ' 111\'(>r c(l(lkl!1,l!
can al (J pro' . 1. h I I
\ lUI: a onclH to CIl lila!) clrtl r the Hill t l.1t -
monlOu 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
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 T as 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 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. 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-
I I
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 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 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 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 !)
me cui lUre have dhtmct \\ 3), of thinking about fllmiliar mgredl-
ent . For example, the ChlOe e culture cia ified certain Is as either
ym or ran!? Ym re er to the p Ive, negatl\'C universal energy force, cncllm-
Halula'!
Valentine' Da
t. Patnek' Day
Easter
Fourth of July
Thanksgiving
Chn tmas
TRADITIO. 'AL HOLIDAY DI HE
T)plcaI DI he
Aphro<h ill like canar, chocolate, loh rer, o} ter
Cabbage, corned beef
Ham, hard-bollL-d gg, lamb
Barbecue, trawberry hortcake
Cranberry auce, rna hed poratl'le , pumrkm pi
tuffmg, \l,eet potae , turkey
Chn tma puddmg, c lOlct ,eggn g ,
phea nt, r t beef, Y; rk hire puJdm
m
Bl0TIVE CONNOTATIONS OF VARIOUS FOODS
"'mOl II tic Pnnu!
Arhr ,d1S1 K :
ChalleHl!mg:
E,uthy:
Femmme:
PLl\-tul :
gnlled ,teak
caviar, champagne, cmnamon, cloves, game, ginger,
lohter, morel>, nutmeg, offal, oysters, pepper, ,affron,
truffles, \'anilla
anchovie,; stinky cheese
creamy mashed potatoes
grilled mushrooms
fruit, tlramisu
thick-cut steak or chops
lamb's tongue with lamb', lettuce
ra\'ioh
foods such as sugar; yang denote the actin!, positive force, encom-
passmg 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,
thl'. Lertall1 food, eem to trigger more uhltmlIlal i tl n.
"Ravlo\t connote a certam pla)fulne , nJ m, \\ Ith them prob-
extenJ tar beyond the fact th tied to eat them d a chtll,"
Wa)ne , 'I h. "It' the Imle ,the urpn e; It' Itke bemg 'I little kid at
Chn trna time, geltlng a little rack mJ eclng \\hat' in Ide."
Food 1 a medIUm rIch \\ Ith potential for Cl.lmmUllIcaun ' In 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 Chee e 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
c:::
well as possible-everything from their h i s ~ ._
en
torical ongms and uses to exactly how
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 h
erve to c ange
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 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 I he with, nly d \.'\\ then
r ectlO the
much
wn. Ea It h I he g(1 I by It elL"
c mmument to > n and th II 111 ,lOd
the I I In redl n , ulmdr}. rtl t Jitter
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 f 1 d I h
tl n to tnl 11e pte. ut 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
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."
~ a r y 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 rtI. 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
rn
.... "
nllllar With
Iff, rent t hnl
I-
um d I r
c UI tn "
I
n r
Ihl
A
k we hav, the nght to enhance or the process of cooking changes the fl avor and textur
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
. 't wtll begin to brown and melt- the process of carameitzatlon
pomt, 1 "
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 onions, 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 gelat inous
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 ug 'e t
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. lob rer I an exp Ive
mgredlent, and makmg a soup with it i a great 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 out th,lt there are more than forty different types
f porat e . "Mt 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 golden color. And I'll use fingerlings [tiny pota-
toe the 'I:e of a fingertip] toralads."
U
tilizing 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
from hiS pices. "That's why we grind all our spices at the restaurant,
u:mg a ,mall coffee grinder." says Kun:.
Peel believe" that using simple tools often results In better food
than b 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 \\ 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 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 ," 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
mill, b It e'd Ie 1\' > m t
ur behtn The burr-IOI In
released a lot of the fl avor from the lobster shells, and then the food mill
meant that we could extract the juice and the larger fibers, yet leave
behind to give the soup density."
Travel provides opportunit ies to learn and be
Global Techniques inspired by new techniques, even for seasoned
chefs. George German experiments with Asian 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 Asian 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 their cooking-which I feel
i5 so close to Italtan-then why shouldn't we be applying the same principles?
Why does something have to be cooked for hours and hours and hours, when
it can be cooked for a much time and have 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\.' on dried chile" and
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 that
range from bitter, like unsweetened chocolate or an almost rohdcco-Itke hirterne.,s, to a real fruitl!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 soaking 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 off er \\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, that the skin becomes really crisp.
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 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 but I don't think o. I think a matter of taste. "
It I important for to hone their knowledge and judgment of tech-
that they can he effectlve 10 ..levI ing new approaches to wiving
cui mary dilemma. One clever 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 The steamed crambled eggs have since
become one \If the retaurant' ;,rectalty Item.
Dieter chorner 3Y, need to thmk ahout what It I,
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 on top. But the drple needs to wlllch
uually the cru,t oggy. 0 I learned to cook the Cfu"t ,eparatel}, wirh
aluminum fot! on top, which re.,ult tn a CTiSP cnlst. An old French chef onLe
a ked me, 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 mn ,I 11 11
night."
A
..
..
Cooking Technique and Altenlati e
\Vhen usmg culinary ca mider alternative to the
usual methods that might result m more flaq)rs or texture:
Breading
Dredging
Skewering
Thickening
Instead of ordinary bread crumbs. consider using:
buckwheat
pecans, crushed
plantains. crushed
Instead of flour. consider using:
cornstarch
Cream of \</heat
rice flake:
water chestnut t10ur
Instead of ,imrie wooden usmg:
rosemary branches
ugar cane
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 ,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 "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
1
"
more I a\'or.
Sue Milliken recalls the process of experimenting with the ingre-
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 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 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 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 French 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 uch a 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
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
carJ.1 1110 111
es

capers
ddl
lel110n
mu,rarJ
Juniper bcrnes
albplce
garlic
mafjoram
pepper. black
ro,emary
h\t;nder
narlic

lemonura s
ch tie,
cdantro
conanJer
garlic
peprer,
,hallDt,
marjoram
ha,11
cilantro
cinnamon
dill
nutmeg
par.,lc\
chyme
mmt
ba'll
(.hocolate
Cilantro
conander
,ulte
p r Ie)
muo;t.lrd
caper,
fennel
honey
turmeric
ni"ella
...
allspice
coriander
savory
thyme
nutmeg
allspice
cmnamon
cloves
cumm
gmger
orange
cumm
oregano

cmnamon
cumm
g<lrlic
par,lt:y
,a\"0f)
thyme
par In
ha,il
hay leaf
cht:rnl
chive,
Jill
garlic
nregano
thyme
r< \"\t'm.lr-y
garlic
oregano
parsley
sage
thyme
saftron
basil
chives
cmnamon
cloves
coriander
cumm
fennel
garlic
glnger
mint
par,ley

anchovy
oarhc
-
par,ley
r cmar)
rhyme
as afra
.I11'plce
anre

pepper, hlack
C iii n
hme
hallut
wme
orrel
chl\lCS
orccano
parsley
thyme
anise
cassia
cmnamon
"zechuan rCpplr
cassia
gmger
tam<lrind
curry
tarragon
chervi l
garlic
oregano
parsley
thyme
thyme
hasil
hay leaf
chervil
dill
marjoram
mint
oregano
parsley
sage
turmeric
mu,tarJ
\ .10 ilia
caramel
chocol.lte
cmn,lm n
c()Conur
n>ffee
rum
lots in it, so that It' aim t
shallot 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 change."
Chns Schlesinger believes
that when experiment ing with
spices, Americans are at a disadvantage. He 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 I and lemon :e [, t} picully erved with vegetahle
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 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
58
Experimenting with Flavors
When leading chef experunCnt
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 something \\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, 1 add 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 In-I'll made a drawing, tllutrating how to di splay 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 if it\ not ri!.!ht."
G 1 tem ay, "I 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.' 4
l
t Lirt'!
bd iI
.:hll
tarra on
aulcrn",
chocolate
Cltru frUi
larrag( n
m t other her
A
\\ mc
,lC1JI C to"J,
rrichokc
d p,lra 'U'

t:ort mdcr
h [, I'l cy food
ICC ere m
M (,
[( matot:
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 lft 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 pt 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... lor of -U with Lt. I
.... - ..... iawAuelH ,
d I Th t dents
wouldn't know where to begm or how to have
gUt e meso e s u
. " G ge Germon "Similarly, cooks say they want freedom In
reaCtion, says eor .
h k
h d ' t akes me chuckle. 1 know they' d fall apart wLthout the
t e LtC en, an L m "
Th truth L
S thev need reference points to build on .
structure. e "
Johanne Killeen agrees. "In the worlds art or 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 t hat 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 going 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 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 charm the Iopirit!
Classic Dishes hen -c<llIed cia ic di he fir.,t came into being
through a tartlng point. As Chris chlesinger
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 creativi t 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 d d rr' ,
ar -pre e to oller Impn vernents upon. Their h.Lvrn
stood the te t of time spe L_ h I fI
alU> to tee egance of theLf form, tn eomhtntng tel-
vors not only harmoniousl b . h
. . Y ut, In many case, ynergi ttcally, uch (hi t t
whole I Indeed greater than the urn f th d d I
e In LVI ua 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 h f h
. n eac 0 t em, 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 the aim when composing new dishes-in Brennan's d "A I
_ wm s, rea
marriage of 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: 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 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 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 "classic Mexican food with contemporary twists in a contem-
porary context." Bur, in hiS opmion, "the most Important thmg we do is
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' \'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 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-
"lutlon 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 c::ln occur.
I thmk it wa" Pa_teur who aid that "Chance fan)f5 the prepared
mmd." There 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 fnod i,
m'l'parahle fwm Imagination." Im.1!!lIution tor me I ,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 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. w ned and lid, "\c 'It [ I m k
th ffltter for 're re Ilh unbeh \ bIe.... he m J th "
t Ibl fritters \\ nh htckp b t[ J h I
I 'r, en c \\ It mlllt- I ntr e.hu n to 1
ue. md I er \\e pur th m n th m nu m l"' ..... u'
J I
n
h r n
[If nl but th \\ nt \Cr rc II bl' n
[
h Chicago where the mo fi r t metl t ugh
ence at Le Perroquet t e . . h
, Id t ke any kmJ of food, mcludmg t ese country_ vie
us was that \\ e cou a . '
. f I d d we could kind of elevate the dish by u tng orne of
fntters rom n la, an , .
. h of handling food, which IS what the French. re bnl-
the fmest tec ntques
!iant at," , h h b
J
G
"ongerichten recalls pagmg t roug a cook ook from
ean- eorges y.
the 1800s by Urbain Dubois and running across a recipe call ing for the unuu-
I b
' . f raisins and capers. "1 knew the combinatlOn would need a
a com matton a , ,
, F' I trl'ed clove which didn t work, but then I tned nutmeg, which
Spice, Irst " ," ,
is kind of 'pals' with ralsms, recalls Vongenchten. I made a puree of the
raisins and capers, which was delicious, even if the color was not very appeal-
ing. In trying to decide what to use the sauce with, I knew that 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 Nancy 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 tan \\ ith the main mgreJient. "Nancy 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 c k d pIC e 01 almon.
For JC r e Jermon clnd J hanne "Iii en, \\ hO'l: rramlng as art b ts pre-
their emf) IOta rofe I n I cookll1g, th tnrting lint is vi Ll,d. "I
think It' tOur trainmg," ay ermon. "We u e (Jur 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 lll cnttn
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 I I
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
t trom the Chicill.!o area], our perception of what is 'cold' h d f' , 1
p. as e mite y
ch.1
n
g<,d. 53 degrees and rainy, and we were thinking 'lamb
l' "
_re\\ '
\\'eather 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 "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.
M th f I t
" As Chris Schlesinger previously
The 0 er 0 nven 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 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 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: 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.
Af,al,mes
Anchones
Ba"s, Sea
Clams-Ra:c,r,
Countneck
Cod
G,d Chccb
Crab
SpIder Crah
Caul Fat
Capon
ChIcken
Chicken WIn_'
Duck:
Mo,wvlte
M<lcrets
Strawberrie,
Rasphrnes
D.lte
Blueberrie
Banana
Hucklehern
GIX hem
Cranberrie
INVENTORY-JANUARY 10, 1996
FISH
Crawfish
Eel
Fk,under
Frogs' Legs
G>educk
Grouper
Hake
Hallhut
Herring
Legs C(m in
01::3rJ
Heart
Kldn 'I-Black. Whit
Foie Gras
Guinea Hen
Ham
BlooJ OrIn
ManJann
Melom
Grapes
KUmyUdt
FI

Papa,a,
Corn
Cucumber

fennel
G.rli,
Ginger
Hr
Lemon ra
Leek
Onn
Pearl OnIOn
Lamprey
Lobster
Monk
Llyer
Mussels
Onaga
Oysters
Pef\\nnkl6
PIt-alb
MEATS
Lamb
tarrow
PI,F et
PI' Em
Rabbit
Le<;:
Loin
FRUITS
Prun
RilllJlS
Orange,
r I n Fruit
Pc he>
Arne t
Pear
Appl
VEGGIES
P rln R t
r
p
'n uP
Pepper
Red
Im
Yello"
P taloe
f nn
R
Id.tho
RllCkfbh
Rouget
Salmon
ardInes
Scallops
Sea Urchins
Seaweed
Shad R<1e
Shrimps
quab
Leg'

Veal
Veni on
F,II an
Con fit Gizzard
Per. Hnllum
Pineapples
L .. mnn ..
Lime
Pome 'r. rule
Plum
Quinn"
Rhurlfb
R d, hc
Rut r 'I
Sal Ih
qua h
Zu.:chini
Jcru I! m Art h h
Taro Root
Tomal
Red
'r I
TurnlJK
t r
Skate
oft Shell
Spotted Ttle
Syu\l.l
Sturgel,n
SW<1rdf"h
Tuna
Turbot
Rabbit Saw,age
Bulfal"
BufLtlu Testicles
limgennes
Ugly Fnnt (T1\Lerr,)
S"pore,
Frutt
Yuc\. I R, .. 1
Rdm(
Bo\.: 111
hK.ld
Beet
nc tnut
Pu r 10
r h
HERBS
p.,tI Le"f
Dill Oregano
Epa:ote
Sorrel
Ti Leaf
Bad
Lavender
Parsley
Tarragon
Juniper Berr,es
Cher
nl
IdafJoram
Rosenlary Thyme
Chi,'e'
Sage
Mint
Lemon Leaf
Cd"nrr
e
Savory Shiso (Oba) Leaf
BUTTERS
:'-n
chLw
\,
Coral Enokis Sea Urchin
Tarragon
Black C'he
Coriander Ginger Smelt Roe
Chive
C1per
CUITY Lemongrass Watercress
Chervil
Caviar
Dill Parmesan Basil
SAUCES
Garlic
Hucklebemes
Lemon Meat Juice
Quince
Shallot
lime
Red Wine Rhubarb
SALADS
:\rugula
Green Romaine
BIbb
Mache
Mustard
Coll0fL1
S
'
Red Romaine
Chard
Mesdun
Watercress
Green Oak
Mixed Lettuces
Dandelion
Mlsuna
Heart of Palm
Red Oak
EndIves
Frbee
Trevlse
PREPARATIONS

Basqu 1'"

SMOKED FISH
[e'
:::..Ilm n
"turgeon
Trout
Seaweed Salad
Mussel, :-c"ilops
Hal but
Tuna
OctopUS Sabd
RockfiSh
;:,bte
SOUPS
Corn Eggplaf't
Totr..lto
CiUltfl"wer
OnIOns
M'hrocm
Pem, P 1>
Am hoke
Broccolt
Shallot
Che,tnut Fe\
paragu-
Carrot
Sahify
Loc.lflut Pepper
Bean
Cde ry R.x.t
Crab
TERRINES
Mushroom
Cepe
Fre<;h '.lImon
VeniSlln
Foie Gras
.. ,I-le
Duck
,

FISH EGGS CAVIAR
Alllencan
Be.J
::melt Roe
CoJRoe
Quail Egg,
O$etra
'X'\tug,l
AV1l1,z Fl<h
MUSHROOMS
(
'-hiit"k
WO<.-xI Ear
lobster
H J _
Cepe
Trumpet
Yellow Foot
Mal ut Ike
Fun
Truft1
Morel
&ttmM hr
.' 1 f I which is a trad\t1pnal season 109 for au age. We
came up II It"l lenne , ,
bi d h d
'h and put it on the menu-and that dish on the menu
assem e t e
for thirteen years!" , .
S
' 't's a lack that creates the need to ftnd a 'ultable ub tl-
omeumes I
"Wh . opened Al Forno we started out without a wood-hurnino
rute. en we' "
" II George Germon. "It was a constant source of frustration that
oven, reca s
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.
Composing Dishes
How does the creative proces of developing a
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? Who tever 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 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:
rro
t
10. \ egetable, ,tarch. A lot of tlInes they can all be mixed together or
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
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
Aromas
Coml renC):
Cookt:J
:
Famtltant'(
Flavors:
FlavOf "trength:
MOl tne
f1cme /horne
Temper,l ure
't xtur
Spectrum
Famt/ [Tong
VarieJ
Fany/A,mngent
Cooked/Rim
[nexren IVC/E. pen tile
He,IVy/Llght
Common/Exotic
hy/Bltter
harr/Blancl

Big/Little
SPILl -Hot/Bl.md-Cool
Hot/Col.l
Cnspyl It
Example
Vanilla CU,[, rtl with Ctnn<lmlln
TroPILdl trun .ll.d
n wnh hOf'cr.IJI,h
POtatoc, \\Ith caviar
Lemon meringue rtC
1 1a,heJ pOra[l)e
\1 Ith hwdacoche
p,td That
Lemon ,ole
, teak with hngerltng pOtdtoe,
Wd'<lht on lUnd u,hl
Hot dPple pie \\ Ith
\ .mtlla Lream
GfilleJ chee e .md\\ Ich
. h h ingredients them 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 k ' f h for instance, and apply heat to It, you II end up \\Ith
"It you ta e a IS , . _ .
. f f' h 1'- ing to taste like fish, and It may be hut n )t much
a piece 0 IS . t s go . .
. '. , dded to it from a gustatory po lOt ot Vlew. There' not
other excitement IS a, .
. I Th 'not much from a textural, contrast 109 pOint of \' Iew
much \'lsua . ere s. .
And the flavor is kind of one-dimensIOnal. ,
"If you were to add a sauce to the dish, and either vegerahle or ,tarch.
h
Id
(fer
color flavor contrasting texrure-all of rho<.e dement
es t at wou 0 " ,
would preferably nor cover up the flavor of rhe fish, but would enhance it. For
I comb
inmg the crunchines' of snow peas with salmon woulJ make
ex amp e, .
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 and f;]tty
of the -almon.
"Then, you might grill the ,almon, or pan-roa r it, \)r dust it With
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 ,
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 [In re In.! < de err, a or to :here, I tLl [Ill!.! the
(rUiL ")' u hl\e to knO\\ ho\\ It \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
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 ,. I.
, ,pe,u, ,trawl'erry
( 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
crt', we run experiment ... In the kitchen a lot, recipe . There's a lot
of prc"ure to COI11t' up with ne\\' Jessens, both pressure from our
and ,df-Ilnpo t.'d."
Wht'n compO'In!; a Jbh, Gary Danko starts hy a,king himself, "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 it mast lamb loin With eggplant? 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
, 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 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 0 If I tr;w-
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' eoal \\ hen bUll Ian!:! a n \\ dl Some of the best dIshes m the world have no
":lmpliclt'y," RICk B,,} Ie ," nd \\ holene of tla- more than three major components
\or and 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 meld re ll} \\ell \\ Ith the I a It \\
W 1m 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 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
I h t 1 it j'u,t barely wIlted the l1ap.l It went on th pi It
It (lI: t 1t'" ed ... t '- ,.,
d h h
"t t the cllnlponent, were bUilt on tl 'P 01 that, .1'1' R wlc
1n t en t ere" II
, \Ylh ' " J ne )'llU could eat It and it telt It every thll1g \,<1 111 perf
H ,'\- en it uO ,
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 L ,
b k
d aI
' n't which all these other t1a\'ors and texture, worked th m-
ae groun at.:
I
" t That's '1 good example of how we are able tu build dl' .. he" here, and
se ves ou ' . , . '
\\'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
"A lot of have a ba,e-lIterally, a phy,ieal b,be, "omethinl:! th,lt'
oomo to kind of holJ the di.h up. It'" that' going to accept the t1a-
<0- '"
\'or and pull everything together. For example, we 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 con-
WIth the bltteme and the rll rl.'.dh 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,"
Juggling Flavors
Th _rt: t r the mple.'lt) t lil he ,th m rc
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, In' .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 (ierm,)n recounts an experience that he says he'll f
lJt'llr _ " never orget,
h
h haj d powerful mt1uence on him as a cook. "I was vi 't'
II Ie ' . Sl 109 some peo-
I
n EnglanJ who had a four- or flve-year-old daughter Th '
r (' I " , ' ey weren t
n
1 but I was 111 the kttchen and the little girl pulled a ch '
arL'U l, air over to
the ,W\'e and started heating up a pan, say 109 she was going to make toma-
'ALlr " he remembers. After getting the girl's assurance that her
to 'v ' " 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: oniom, butter, and water, That's it," says
Germon. "And when our cook ' made it, they kert asking, 'What's the
next Johanne Killeen "They found it lmrnssible to
beIteve that anythinu wonJerful CQulJ re ult (wm four mgreJient!"
there are ju,t two. what \ au pair an mgrl.'dlem-.ay,
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 rent from one anoth-
er. If there were many ch.uacter on the L1-e, It m12ht be iI mger-,oy vmai-
With I chicken an i m drame!t: d pbntam , The n!,unance
carameh:ed, _rn ky planwm nd the 0 ' dnd [he pungenq' ( f
(he 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 1 e a common II Cll -
Ion In tht da} ilnd ge, The 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 \ .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)(
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,
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
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
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."
Visual Presentation
"The first way you encounter a dish is
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 alway ea y to
'ate It to those who will have to execute it. "I tind that the mo t
communlL .
difficult dung to do IS to impart the concept of 'tree form.'" 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 hi s 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\\\ has ro be height in a dish,"
argue J lLhlm. pll h, l. "There h 1 to be a 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) 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 bUi ld 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
I
(It autumn,lI-lt, rlotnu', In many respect', and it greenery on a pi t t b
r' 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
s
, rut they re strong pnmary c.olors that the plates Will seem
I,
' electriC In tcrms ot their presentation.
near
"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
"rar
k
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
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 we regan tacking thmg, m a naroleon-Iike
way wasn't really ro pre the phalltc opp 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 your little bit f crunchy I' taW or plantain
chip and your den e meat)' pr tem (r III \ our (I h or 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 opportunity, 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 1 d n't like, oviou ly, for everyth1l1g to
be tall. But, aga1l1, I ltke to rely on 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
"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 1 see 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,"
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 \\,a,n't how It looked but what It tasted ltke. Fllr
example, a floating Island 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
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 '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 te th tll1
a
l
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
he lo\"e, the \'ery, \'ery deltcate taste of turbot ] ' h T
l!" . . ,eremla ,ower can't
lin l"lI1e ramn!! It with anything more complicated th h II d'
, - , " ' an a 0 an alse sauce
an
I ,,)me httle hoIled potatoes. With the hollandaise th' , h
\. , ere s an ennc ment
at
' the thH)r wIthout adding lots of distracting flavors" hAd T
, e says, n ,ower
thmb that pl)rk doesn't need more than a sprinkling of black pepper: HI
strllngly in the marriages of flavors!"
When we asked leading chefs how they knew that certain flavors or
foods would complement each other, the usual response was something along
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-
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
k
"
wor '.
Wondering how we mIght shortcut the process of gaining decades of
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, onal peab dre noted for cert,lIn In aJJition, in some
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 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 how Joe ,I chef uevelop the same
n e of wh t wor - ! refernn!.! [() the 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 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.

en
CI)
.c
u
I ,
ca
:E
*
FOOD MATCHES MADE IN HEAVEN
ALMONDS
apples
apncot,
caramel
chocolate
ANCHOVIES
eggs, hard-h(,iled
odriic
~
APPLES
almmd
IpplCjol k
bacon
bld\..khcrn
l-lue che
l-rand\
bro"n ugar
l-utter
l-utter utch
Calvado
caramel
ca la
eelcn
chee e
hc lOut

coconut
cream
plums
prunes
CIder
cinnamon
cl \"t"
(
(
r mhern
rcam
unmt , hi
u tard
J I t::
'IT h
lemon
ldetr I
nll r
mil'l ru
m )Ia
nutmeg
nut, t: IX'Clall\ aim nd
or pecan
raISin ...
nce
... trdwbernes
()nlon ...
par ... ley
ll.ltmcal
r.ll1!.:i."
pCdr,
pepper, black
pl!:!noit
I Itch III
pmlme
prunc
..jum e
. .
ral ... n!>
n ema!)
rum
au'rkraut
au I 'e
hell")
ur en: 1m
U'H
vanilla
vcnnouth
\In' 'aT
~ a l n u t
"IOC, red
<>gun
(Fall)
Many 0 these combinatIOns are considered clasSIC and are espeoaHy wide prac
bced These are ndtcated by boIdtaw type
ARTICHOKES
aloiI
anchovies
bacon
bast!
bay leaves
bread crumbs
butter
cheese, goat
chervil
cream
cumm
fennel
garlic
hazelnut'
hollandaise sauce
lemon
mayonnaIse
Mornay sauce
mousseline sauce
mushrooms
olive oil
onIons
Parmesan cheese
parsley
perrer, e-pecially black
and red
remolLiade auce
<ait
sausage
thyme
tomatoes
truffle" white
vinaigrette
wine, white
bake
braise
marinate
TOast
steam
(Sprmg)
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
avOCil 1
hurter
carp, eel
chee blu
garlte
lemon
h\c(11
P nne n ehe
r ta
r
pel:dfu
P1Cn(l1t
P( l(,Utle,
r,lvlu!t
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
(Summer)
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
12
BANANAS
(Win
n tnllt
alcohol
cream
cream cheese
pecans
almonds
custard
pmeapple,
apricots

eggs
Armagnac
fruits, especially tropical
raspberne'
bacon
(e.g., mango, papaya.
rum
blueberries
pineapple)
SOllr cream
brandy
strawberries
brown sugar
gm
sugar, brown or whitt:
ginger
butter
honey
vanilla
Calvados
caramel
ice cream
yogurt
cardamom
Kirsch
lemon
bake
chicken
lime
broil
chocolate
malt
poach
cinnamon
maple , yrup
Tat('
coconut
Cognac
nut"
coriander
orange..;
"Rum can bnng up the flavor of bananas 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 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,
cabhage
ham
BASS
almonJ,
anchllvie
artichokes
butter
wpers
A ,
carTOh
chive"
Citrus
cOriander
fennel
p.lr Icy

girlie
glllger
leek
lemon
r)
mint
potatoes
m u ~ h r o o m s
shallots
,llive oil
thyme
oranges
tomatoes
wine, red
peppers
BASS, STRIPED (See also BASS)
eggplant
mustard
olives
basil
cream
dill
BEANS,BLACK
avocados
creme fraiche
bacon
epazore
cheese, especially goat
garlic
chiles, e pecially serrano
ham hocks
chives
jalapeno
cilantro
Madeira
coriander
mint
cumin
onion
bake
braise
fry
griU
Toast
roast
(Winter)
oranges
peppers
nee
salt pork
sour cream
tequila
tomatoe
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
bacon
butter
CIlantro
cream
garbc
ham
Ieeb
lemon
mushrooms
olive oil
pancetta
parsley
Peconno cheese
roeemary
sage
salt
(Sprlng-Summer)
savory
pinach
thyme
vinaigrette
BEANS GREEN
aJmoods
anchovies
bacon
basIl
bechamel sauce
butter
chives
cream
dIll
garlk:
lemon
mmt
BEANS, LIMA
Noon
blown ....
be.,
chreK.
mushrooms
l8Vory
mustard
soureR,m
nutmeg
tomaltCet
nuts, especially hazel
vine"
t
nuts white
olive oil walnuts
onions
WOKelte .. ..
oregano
Pannesan cheese boil
parsley
".".
pimentos Itl II
rosemary
IF lie
SEAN SPROUTS
soy auce
vinegar, especially wine
SEEF
basil
marrow soy
beer
mushrooms
vinegar, balsamic
bearnaise auce
mustard
wine, especially red
hordelaise
aUCe
onions
Burgundy
orange boil
carrot
par ley braise
chiles
pepper, black grill
chive
pepper marinate
corn
potatoes pot-roast
hazelnut
prune roast
horseradish
scallion spit-roast
Madeira
shallots stew
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
horseradish
marjoram
BEEF RIBS
gInger
horseradish
papnka
parsley
rosemary
mustard
potat
bake
I""use
griU
tomatoe
(Winter)
n g 0
BEET GREENS
anchones
r.utter
horseradish
BEETS
allspice
anchovies
apples
bacon
bechamel sauce
brown sugar
butter
cheee
chives
cloves
cream
creme [raiehe
cucumber
curf)
Jill
c
u
" hard-c ~ ~ , ked
mustard
sour cream
fennel
ginger
horseradish
lemon
ma.che
mustard
nutmeg
onton
orange
raprtka
parslev
potatoes
pr 'C1uno
alt
alt rk
hclllor
saute
smoked fish, especially
trout or whitefish
sour cream
tarragon
vinaigrette
vinegar, especially hal-
,amIC, sherry and
white wine
walnuts
walnut oil
watercress
bake
hoil
steam
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)
brown ugar
cream
Framoot
maple vrup
BLACKBERRIES (See also RASPBERRIES)
apple lemon
cmnam n maple yrup
cream mIlle
c lard mues"
honey
( range
A
(Spring-Summer)
our cream
)ogurt
peache
pbern
(Summer)
r ger mum
trawbern
.... n'd .... Umon$1\ JofceGoktllllt
_". PI Pc ... In LMnon CtutI wIIh V8Il .. 8 1 _a ....
,,'1' 1fI ___ Jlmr", SctwNII
._, em'J? ur7l} sa ..
R

,_ .. eciI
. I ,
del", 1811
o,e.w.r. Gruyae or
Pas n
d .... '"
chivet
a..-
crumN
a n
Is m
cream
creme fraiche
curry
prlic
ham
hollandaise sauce
lemon
Momay sauce
mousseline sauce
mushrooms
mussels
nutmeg
nuts
olive 011
parsley
potatoes
shallots
moked lmon
panley
(Fall)
pepper, e pecially hot
tomato sauce
walnuts
bake
boil
deetrfry
puree
raw
saute
steam
sour cream
toast
vodka
(Winter)
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
cuny
diU
fennel
holl8ndail.e sauce
(Summer)
walnu
CELERY ROOT
(Fall
Win
r)
mayonnal'e
\\ lnut,
bacon
mustard
bread crumb'
nutmeg
bod
butter
olive oil
braIse
caraway seeds
cheese. especially
omons
dt!ep-fry
Parmesan and
WI,S
parsley
f0'
cream
potatoes puree
fennel
squash. butternut raw
garlic
thyme saHte
hollandaise sauce
"megar, especially
lemon
white wine
Savory Celery Root Flan and Vegetables a la Grecque, Essence of Sweet
Garlte and Kalamata e Palmef
Celery Root Grattn-A'1ne Rosenzw 9
Celery Root wrth Mustard Mayonnaise-A. ce Waters
CEPES
bacon
bal leave
beam.lI Juce
bre d crum
burrer
che c, pe I II
Gru}ere r P nn
cream
egg
fennel
fl h
[Ole gr
garlic
lemon
lem nth m
CHANTERELLES
bechamel
butter
chef'. II
chIcken
cream
uce
creme frauhe
q:p
an
mu t rd
nu me'
Ih oil
It .. c
pa n
Plrm
par Ie
p td
pepper
pot It
poultry
n
r n
hallot
1 h
game
garlic
herbs
leek
lem n
{fal
n h
(Fall)
our ere.lIn
truftle \\ hlte
vcrmouth
Vlnc .Ir, e peclally wme
\\ <.IIlll[
\\ Inut tI
\\ III
hake
brOil
fry
grill
raw
saule
(Summer-Fall)
ohH: uti
nan
panle
pep r "I
rahhll
h II [
CHICK PEAS
earn [
Cilantro
C0nanJer
ouscou
cumin
garlic
CHICKEN
achiort
almonds
apples
Annagnac
asparagus
_OIl
barbecue sauce
basil
beer
b&maise sauce
blood
brandy
bread emma.
caN! IE
Catvado.
Qa" 1M
MUlE, pcwlly
chal'
lemon
lemon. preserved
mmt
olive oil
onions
parsley
coriander
corn
cranberrie
cream
curry
dill
endive
escarole
fennel
five-spice powder
{oie gras
Fontina chee
garlic
gmger
go chi berrie
grape
herb
honey
horseradl h
lemon
lime
Madeira
mangoes
marjoram
mmt
morels
m brooms
mustard
mussels
nutmeg
olive oil
olives
onaons
oranges
oregano
en
paprtka
Parmesan cheese
(Summer)
peppers. especially red
rosemary
spinach
tahini
tomatoes
yogurt
parsley
peas
pecans
pepper
pineapples
plums
prunes
Riesling
rosemary
savory
sour cream
soy auce
tar ani e
tuffing
weetbread
weet potatoe
tarragon
tenyaki auce
thyme
tomatoe
truffles
vinegar. e pecially red
wme
walnuts
wine, e pecially white
yogurt
bak
braise
broil
fry
grill
marinate
roast
saute
I C()ftlinued OIl nat /lfJfI')
a
LIVERS
M.ieira
IDUIhrooms
onions
penley
pepper
salt
IOUrcteam
$ad CI*"'''' LIver CfOStini-George Germon & Johanne Killeen
,. r 1 1 . ~ ChIcken LiwHs with Apple Raisin Chutney, Spinach, and
It" 111 S S ~ 0r8aIng-ChrIs Schlesinger
,. ext CIfj*-' WingII with Unorthodox Chopped LIVe,. Joachim Splichal
112
6p
bam
DUll
., [ .
" .. I" nile
vinegar
walnuts
1*-.
piltachlOl
rlrfbemes
rum
(WInter)
tea. elfecia1ly Ead 0Iey
vanilla
verbena
""'*1.
walnua
111" MJ PI ,.,.,., ... --
,. __ and,., ...
COCONUTS
apricots
bananas
chocolate
custard
fruits, especially tropi-
cal (e.g., banana,
lime, mango, passion
(Fall)
fruit, pineapple)
nuts, especially tropical
(e.g., Brazil, cashew,
macadamia)
pineapples
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 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
{.otIi dresstng
Madeira
mangoe
mayonnaise
momay sauce
muhroo
m
mustard
nutmeg
onions
orange
parsley
pepper. black
potatoes
rernouiade
rice
scallions
sherry
sour cream
tarragon
Thousand Island dress-
109
Tabasco sauce
tomatoes
truffles. black
vinaigrette
vinegar
wine. white
Worcestershire sauce
boil
poach
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 ~ f r y
diU Pernod
griU
aarlic
pagnoh
""'"
Iia I!r 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
14
CRANBERRIES
apples
cinnamon
cloves
CRAYFISH
avocados
basil
bay leaves
brandy
bread crumbs
butter
carrots
cayenne
cheese, espeCIally
Gruyere and
Parmesan
Cognac
coriander
oranges
pears
cream or milk
dill
garlic
hollandaise sauce
leeks
lemon
mayonnaIse
nutmeg
onions
parsley
saffron
shallots
,herry
sugar
walnuts
sorrel
tarragon
thyme
tomatoes
truffles
vinegar
wine, white
boil
grill
saute
stew
(Fall)
(Spring)
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
ancho\'ie,
ba,t1
burter
celery eed
chervil
chile,
chives
cilantro
cream
cream chee'e
dill
fennel
Feta chee e
garlic
gln!.{t!r
hor eradl h
lemon
lime
man!.,! e
mayonnal e
mint

o!tve 011
onions, e,p':cl(lll; rcd
rar,ley
(Spring-Summer)
peprer
alt
.,our cream
strawberries
tomato

vinegar, especldlly
white wme
yogurt
rau
simmer
CURR NTS
Immd
heme
cream
pears
(Summer)
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
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-JreM r Tower
Smoked Salmon Custard W th Fennel Ju ce-Jea'l Georges
DANDELION GREENS
(Spring)
bacon
chee e
garlt
DATES
almond
pnco
bacon
br nd
l. rame!
choc.ol te
lemon
mu t r I
o\t\e II
Clnn,)mon
cream
cream chee e
gmger
nut
orange
omon
vmegar. e"peCially red
Wine
(Fall)
pecans
rum
vanilla
walnuts
DUCK
currants. blKk
cuny
dude hvets
figs
garlic
gin
.
gmaer
Grand Manlier
hoisin sauce
honey
jumper berries
ktmKp
J8
tJ
lemon
lentils
B
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
apple,
bacon
heans, "hit
beets
(Winter)
blue che e
hr J crum
butter
chee e, e peel II
Gru\ r r P rm n
cr ~ m
f.
Ou S do 'ld
Bue Ch
hm
u c
Ins
rt hee e
m h. .all}
1m n r trout
ugar
tangennt
thyme
vin igrettl':
walnuts
watercress
brmse
rau
saute
teu
d Wat rere 5 ~ 'h W. nut Bacon Pe.Jrs 1 d
"0" ",,!I
WIS.'>. App e nd Cre
End v
nd B ue C h e e ~ ; e ~ tn H tAp FrJ'e
ESCAROLE
apple,
bacon
.
cheese, especially
Fontina,
and Roquefort
chiles
FENNEL
butter
celery root
cheese, especially goat,
Gruyere. and
Parmesan
chesmuts
coriander
cream
fruit
garlic
hearrs of palm
currants
eggs
garlic
olive oil
olives
onions
vmegar
lemon
mushrooms
olive oil
oltves
Onions
oranges
pancetta
Parmesan cheese
peppers
Pernod
walnuts
braise
raw
saute
potatoes
sherry
thyme
tomatoes
truffles
vmaigrette
braise
raw
saute
(Winter)
(Fall)
Braised Fennel with Prosciutto and Nor'l1an V(}."1 Aker
Shaved Fennel and Parmesan with Summer Truffles-Alice Waters
FIDDLEHEAD FERNS
bacon
butter
hollandaise sauce
leels
lemon
FIGS
almonds
ant e
hr<>wn ugar
caramel
cheese, e peclally blue
and g t
chOCOlate
cinnamon

oltve oil

,hallob
vinaigrette
cinnamon basil
cients reel, candled
coconut cream
Cointreau
C rnmeal
cream
cream che e
creme ang/mse
p
(Spring)
deep-fry
steam
(Summer-Fall)
creme fralehe
Curai):ao
ginger
honey
la\'ender
lemon
Marsala
(conunued on ""XI page I
" 1

L
119
FI H SMOKED
3H. do,

.:
FLOUNDER
hutter
C,'gn3c
lerncm
rnu,hro,lms
cucumhers
eggs, hard-hoiled
horserad ish
mustard
braise
broil
lemon
onions
grill
poach
Saute
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
port \l'me
hearts grapes
Ljumces
hlooJ t!reen ral,m
handy
lemon
cabbage
lo!- rer shallot
root
Madelf'\ 'tar ani,e
,
mu hroom
cel'es
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 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 .. I 17 I Iftd ra.Slid in "'met'
.......... oil
GOOSE
apples
blrkl
CJhb.1(:':

chestnuts
<,arhc


hl
1
1l<1nJ<llse s<lLlce
h"nc\'
GRAPEFRUIT
hanana'
bnl"cb L1ts
G.lmran
cJ,hew,
Chamrag
ne
cheese, 'l,(t
chICory
horseradish
lemon
mustard
onions
oranges
pepper
plums
potatoes
prunes
coriander

fi"h
gm
Grand Mamier
honey
melon
mmt
nce
sauerkraut
soy sauce
stuffing
turnips
wild rice
roast
pineapple
pomegranate
raspbernes
rosemary
rum
shellfish
sherry
strawberries
(Winter)
cabhage, napa
C1tnl' frUits, other
COll1treau
offal
oran!,."!e
sugar, especially brown
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
brandy
brown ugar
(Summer-Fall)
chee e, e pectally soft
"hlte (e.g., Brie)
GREENS
bacon
butter
cre-dm
garlic
ham
!em >n
lemon
melon
mmc
ra pberne
mmt
mu hroom
mu tard
onion
pancetta
pepper, black
our cream
,traw\)erries
.... '3lnub
wme
,alt pork
,lu>,lgc
<;oy
vinegar
walnuts
D
125
JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES
hollandaise sauce
lemon
btch,lmei ,auce
bueter
cream
garlIc

ha:eln
ut
JICAMA
cayenne
chiles
cilantro
citrus, especially lime
cucumbers
Mornay sauce
Parmesan cheese
parsley
scallions
lime
mangoes
oranges
salt
vinaigrette
(Winter-Spring)
bake
boil
fry
puree
steam
(Winter-Spring)
pan-fry
rau.
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!
hay leaves
hutter
caviar
chives
cream
garlIc
KALE
bacon
cheese
cream
lemon
lemon thyme
mu,hro m'
rar,ley
peppers, red and

,hallm
garlic
lemon
oltve ot!
(h)me
tomatoes
WlOe, e peel,llIy white
poach
saute
steam
0l110n,
potatoe,
(Winter)
KIDNEYS
brandy
butter
cayenne
ceres
CLlgnac
cream
curry
gin
h,)r'erad ish
jU!1lrer berne,
lemon
KIWI FRUIT
appb
bcmana:
cucumber,
h n e ~
Klr h
Icm n
Easte Bas et f Sorb t
Lemon Ba d
CodK
KOHLRABI
behJmel
l'-uner
KUMQUATS
1\ t
II fal
e
Madeira
tvlar,aia
ml)rels
mushrooms
mustard
nutmeg
onions
rancetta
parsley
nee
salt
lime
nut'. e,pecldll) c \,he\\ '.
ha: lnuh .lml
ma I L'Iml1
rlO_
P;: I n frull
,h,lllot
,herry
" lur c.re,ln1
verm()uth
watercres
wine. red or white
broil
fry
smite
PfI.) ellitt,)
rrawherrie
(,lmarillo
(Winter)
Pa son Pru t Blood Orange and Meyer
S g r nd Coo les-Joyc Go d
km
nutm
p r le
m
mertppl
rum
bake
bOIl
team
\ !nllla
\udk 1
(Wmter)
(Fail-Winter)
almond,

am-eed
apple'
.prICo
t
'
artichoke heart
oocon
basil
bJ\ leave,
beans, e'pcclJlly
let:. Teen or \\ hlte
Huebernc
bread rumb
capeT'
,arJam m

chee e, c pe 1.111 F ta
and Parm 111
JneJ ur
h tnut pur
chI!
hl\c
(Ilinn
c,nn m n
\.1
CllU'Cl1U,
crah
cream
cumin
currant,
curry
dalhm
dill
eggplant
endive
fennel
fOie gras
garlic
!:!tn!:!C r
!!rapefruit
Nemolata
h.I:e1nu ted
honey
Jumper berne
lemon
Mademl
mint
m )Tel
muhr m
mu t rd
mu rd J
It .. Oil
0\1\
.
001 n
or 0 'C
lr 1J.O
par 1 ..
pem
pepper. bl
k
HprtJf,a P
pignoli
pimIentos
pineapple
plums
pomegranates
prunes
red peppers
rhubarb
rice
rosemary
rum
sage
soy
star amse
tamarind

thyme
tomatoes
(Spring)
truft1e" e'rectally black
veal ktJney'
vmal!:!rctte
\ me ar, c, LClllly red
\\me
\\alou
"ine, C'Pl' iallv red

ZlI Lhml
bake
br(lJse
brOIL
gn,j
roast
d 0 A ,(. n rYlb 5
a And I tn (. yJU
t Yogurt
Lamb in P
weatring
C t th
eet Potatoes
Paafl:k ()'C-c eU
ATLn'1U1 WASHINGToN
it. _, "'p.
-Iat:: ........ for niDety-eiaht doUan. INrh
Mft IP do me nat bat thiDa- 1 love t.becue
rho II Q .'''., ill &oaa New YcIIk
-, ...... -- die IIIIkxllAl ftavoa "he tbmuah.
1111 km ,.. ... , 4C ID
_IDa Ie. 7lofp'sre
..... ~ .. t:l our .... p:pd. ,e._. rl
""II ...... tee. "W. ""_
cp" 7 ~ 1*17& the m II +lD
Cd." __ rial ,wen poe.
rv."'1
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
2 tea:r )on, tarragon
2 b,l\" leaw.
2 quart chicken lOck or water
,It-erncr 3uvignon
_ (dbl ( melt 1 p",re
1 t Ie I nJ choppe I
nd rc hi Pl'l per to (,lte
lU d r h m
teel hlade. puree the kel.: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
3
\I, me <VII""
ttrrm
tT n
re eep
r 5 ( 6 mmute. tlrrmg ({ pre\ em tI kl .
m r) t rrag n, b Ie l\ ,t k r \I, t r r
t m ( , nJ It nd pepper. Immc:r t r 1 1 <-
II until r d h If dJlt t th
4. F,lr each (UP of 'trained wine sauce, add 2 tablespoons of the barbecue
Thl' may he made several da\Js in advance and ke t f'
1 P re nger-
,lre,1.
[0 cook lamb
I. Preheat the ll\'en to 400
0

1 Sea
Slm
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
flageolets
garlic
LAMB'S LIVER
butrer
cream
LA B'S TONGUE
artIChokes
basil
curry
LEEKS
hacon
bechamel Juce
heet,
bread crumb
butter
chee e, e peel
Cheddar, 0 t, n
Gruy re
cream
fl h
LEMON
almond
card m m
ch late
It
lemon
wine, red
parsley
salt pork
fennel
garlic
oltves

lemon
mOll . e I me alice
mll ard
olive II
P rme an chee e
par le\
pe
po toe
thyme
currant ,bl ck
h ne)
hme
Of CnIOC()/,
braise
shallots
tomatoes
vinaigretre
tomatoes
vinaigrette
wine. red
boil
braise
puree
... team
stell
p ppy eed
ra pberne
trawbernes
(Fall)
(Spring)
WIth Fr('sf> Summer In Almond Tuiles
,
r
E Ir r
Al-
ly
C'
tL 'J1
5
M usse',ne wIth NdtlVC Strawberries and WhIsked Cream
LENTILS
(Winter)
onlOns
spinach
bacon
parsley
bay lea\'es
thyme
cheese, Feta and goat
peppers
tomato sauce
fDle gras
pork fat
tomatoes
garlic
prunes
vinegar, especially sher-
radishes
ham
ry or wine
lemon
sausages
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
anchone
avocado

egg yolk.
garltc
lemon
ma\Onnal e
(Spring)
ITIu't<lrd
vmalorene

oil, c,peclally 11: zelnut,
olive, p anut, ,n I
vinegar, especially bal-
Cider and red
wme
w lnut
ani n
p<:pper
It
braISe
rau
tot 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
LIME
bananas
coconut
LITCHI NUTS
coconut
LOBSTER
anChO\'le'
ant,erre
apple-

aWlC,
bauJIl
basil
h rdclal
oourholl
hrand,
hr..: Id crum!-
butter
.
caVIar
ca)enne
chee L, peo
11\
herm
..:her\'iI
htle

ClJer
ell otT
coc mut
Cogna
lemon
raspberries
cream
coral
coriander
corn
couscous
cream
creme frafche
curry
endiyc
fennel
foie gras
garlic

grapefruit
holland 11 e ,met'
h r era It h
Ie k
lemon
lem m h I Ii
tern ngra
!tOle
11detr I
ma}Onnal,e
M 1I e
mw,hroom
mu tard
tl\e It
nil III
orange
, te
r r
nb
par
perrer, bhlCk
(Summer)
rum
(Summer)
kiwi fruit
PernoJ
pOrCl1l.1
port
portobellos
quinna
n ce
saffron
seaweed
shallots
,herrv
star ,tnise
tarragon
thyme
t, )nhllle),
tomatoes
truffles, h\.lCk
vanilla
vtn,lIgrette
vlmgar, e.,pecially
\\ hue \\ ine
"inc, white
hake
bOIl
brOIl
gnU
pan-fry
pooch
f )(lS(
ute
(tam
- -
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-
rs m a owl and '
l
, tt
C
\\Tap. Allow to cool for 15 minutes Using h cover with
l' . 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.
P
lunge the lobsters headfirst into a large pot of boilin
2. g water and cook for
5
(0 6 minutes. Transfer them to a colander and cool d Id '
, un er co runnmg
'ater Cut the lobsters m half lengthwise and remove th fr
\\ . e meat am the
ta
il< legs, and claws. Keep the lobster claw meat intact in lar' d
., . , ge pieces an
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 until tender. Add the chile
powder and quinoa and cook for about 2 mmute, until hot, stirring to pre-
vent 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. 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 and cook the ri ot-
to gently for bout 2 minute, 1 n,.!er, until the Tl otto is )ltghtly moi t and
cream). 0 ten.
i. Place a generou ervmg 0 fI no m the center 0 each pldte. Take care
t d
'd h I hld ' h et\'lng with a
o IVI e t e td evenl) aml n t p .He an ror eal,; ,
piece of claw meat. (,arnl)h e ch with J. pri' of hasll and
--
-- ---
143
MAHIMAHI
avocados
gmger
tomatoes
chiles
grapefruit
cilantro
lime
bake
coconut
olive oil
broil
cumin
papaya
grill
fruits, especially
parsley
saute
tropical
pineapples
seaT
garlic
soy sauce
steam
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'
MANGOES
almond,
blackberne
clove
coconut
fhh
\ZInger
Kirsch
lemon
MARROW
artichoke heartS

(Summer)
lime
shellfbh

star anise
p _ IOn fruit
pmeapple,
bake

freezing
rum
poach

saute
_iluternc
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
lemon
MASCARPONE
h,mJ), ltyueur
fnll
t
, e,recially
strawberries
mushrooms
polenta
Fresh FrUit Gratin wIth Mascarpone Custard
...{;eorge Germor & Johanne Killeen
sugar
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

mu,cat
wme, espeCially sweet
gmger
nut,
\:rare
fnnt free<.e
Grand Mamie[ pear rau.
hlme\, perr
er
A melon 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

artIChoke
COriander
mushrooms
pamgu
erC'm
olIve uti
bacon
curry
uItves
hutter. e pc 1,111, broy. n
rar.;ky
cnn.:!
canb c
garlic
red'
Ptr;
gmger
perrer,
carrot
leek

er 11
lemon
.;aftmn

'corum'
next
o
145
MONKFISH (continued)
sage
shallots
sherry, dry
soy sauce
thyme
tomatoes
wine
bake
braise
Monkfish Tn Lemongrass and Coconut Broth
-Susan Femger & Mary Sue Milliken
griU
roast
saute
steam
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
egg

omon
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
Mornay sauce potatoeS
cream
mustard
ao_l
d
.",.,.
rosemary
spinach
bake
<ausages, especially
stock
broil
, smoked
tarragon
fry
<:;auternes
thyme
grill
~
tomatoes
shallots
puree
vinegar, especially wine
shellfish
raw
sherry
walnut oil
Saute
sorrel
walnuts
steam
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 WI th 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
capers
mushrooms
tarragon
NECTARINES (See al so PEACHES)
almonds
berries
blackberries
blueberries
caramel
Champagne
NOODLES, EGG
bread crumhs
OCTOPUS
ha,ll
hay leave
chen"il
garltc:
OKRA
ha'll
km n
ONIONS
rrl
bacon
butter
aut
c.hee;e ucc especially
Oleddar r Gn.J)cre
clfin m n
I
cherries
cinnamon
figs
ginger
nuts
lemon
p. rslt."
\me' r
\\ ine. red
nlon
plf d ~
pepper, bbck
pepper. e pectalh
'reen
mu hroom
nutmeg
paprika
Parme n che
par ley
pepper, bl de
ra lfiS
It
thyme
(Summer)
orange
peaches
pepper, black
raspberries
vanilla
tomato sauce
grill
stew
tomatoes
vmaigrette
,
saute
tew
herry
sorrel
thyme
(Summer)
(Fall)
tomat lICe
fry
roast
bJke grill
Saute
/:xlii
rau'
steam
bra1;e
M 'L' yOU use rw or"c;"S but you always wash tnem really well >lfter
, (X,", ... <'r you 1<.;1 th:;om CO",K for fivE' m,nutes In clcldulated w,lter made
LJ eL' ,'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 c'
fhere are all these dIfferent vdnat,ons on working With raw omons
WJte
l
t
'
kt'epm(/ the fresh, rL/W crispness to them On the other hand, we do
of dIshes where we throw whole onions down Into the f/fe and let
8 I 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'"
Oman Wed wilh Spoon of Sdky Macomber Turnip-Lydia Shire
ORANGES
Annag
nac

brandy
cardamom
chipotle peppers
chocolate
cinnamon
coconut
Comtreau
ginger
Grand Marnier
Kirsch
Orange and Armagnac Sherbet- Lnd y S r
Grand Marmer Souffle vlth Orange Custard Sauce-
ORANGES, BLOOD
citrus fruit, especia1Jy
grapefruits and tan-
gerine
OXTAILS
garlic
grapes
gremolata
Madeira
mustard

onions
pepper, black
prunes
haJlots
tomatoe
mangoes
olives
pecans
sherry

vanilla
J 'fT: Tower
(Winter)
(Wi nter)
wine, reJ e pecially
Burgundy
braise
steU'
149
,
OYSTERS
(Fall- Spr n
fennel
5alt
foie gras
sauerkraut
scallions
garlic
sea urchin roe
ginger
horserad ish
shallots
ketchup
sherry
leeks
shrimp
ale, beer, or stout
lemon
snails
lime
spinach
allspice
Tabasco auce
anchovies
mace
thyme
marjoram
artichokes
bacon
mignonette sauce
vinegar, especially
bay leaves
mint
champagne
mustard
wine, white
beurre blanc
bread, brown
nutmeg
Worcestershtre .auce
bread crumbs
onions
.
pancetta
bake
caViar
moil
cayenne
paprika
Champagne
Parme:an chee, e
deep-fry
chiles
parsley
gnU
chive
pepper, black
poach
cilantro
Pemod
Tau.'
cream
porat
roast
cucumbers
- IIltt!
curry
tw
e g ~
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
avocad
C3\ennc
chlclc.en
(Spring; Fall)
chll
CQConUl re m
cori ander
cumlO
gmger
Parma ham
passion fruit
peaches
pineapple
porr
strawberries
sugar
vanilla
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)
almonds
lemon
tarragon
butter
Madeira walnuts
chives
nutmeg
cjnnamo
n
parsley boil
curry
pepper, black deep-fry
garlic
potatoes griU
hazelnuts
sorrel puree
PARTRIDGES
almonds
juniper berries
hallot
appln
lemon
tarragon
t.c:on
lentil
truffles
cOM&"
mushrooms
wme
cCpa
onions
chocolate
oysters
braise
cream
parsley
poach
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
(Fall)
~ " ' d """fdUe MIh Cabbage Pearl Omons, Apple-Smoked Bacon, and
r,..., ....,Joactlim SpichaI
-nu .", and GfHfl peppercoms-Jasper White
g D
PASSION FRUIT
Champagne
chocolate
coconut
kiwi frui t
orange
papaya
(Winter)
PassIOn frUit IS a flavor that wakes you up - 0 ' 5chor'ler
PASTA
basil
bean" especially can-
nel ltm
PEA PODS
almond
hutter
chicken
PEACHES

apncot
b II
berne
blac bern
l-Iuebern
bourbon

brown u r
Calvad
caramel
Ca, I
Champagne
cherne
ClOnamon
ClOnam n b-.l! II
d \e
butter
cheese, especially
Parmesan
chiles
cream
garlic
herbs
lobster
mascarpone
mushrooms
olive oil
p.mcetta
mu hr lOS
( nu
I:
c nut
C"..ognac
Cwntr 1U
cream
red

gm er
Grand 1amler
ha:e1nut
honey
Kirsch
lemon
lime
Madeira
maple 'yTUp
Marsala
Melha auce
pepper, black
pesto
pignoli
potatoes
ricotta
Romano cheese
tomatoes
truffles. especially
white
steam
tiT-fry
oranges
pecan
plums
port
praline
raspberrie
rum
herry
sour cream
strawberries
sugar
vanilla
(Spring)
(Summer)
WlOe, e pectally
Burgundy
poach
raw
pEAS
Jln
10nJs
rtl.:h<,kes
,I
bacon
bLltter
carr<)ts
chervil
chl\"es
cre
arn
fennel
garlic
harn
PECANS
bourbon
hown sugar
butterscotch
leeks
lemon
lettuce
mint
mushrooms
nutmeg
onions, especially tiny
parsley
prosciutto
rice
risotto
caramel
chocolate
com syrup
rosemary
sage
salt pork
savory
shallots
sugar
vinegar
boil
puree
steam
molasses
oranges
rum
(Spring)
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
PEPPERS, BELL

ba.:,ll
Chl1
conander
em
_ rlt
tern
PERSI
brand,
u
tamel
ctnnam n
J
r
0 S
clall, pe r
r
meat, e peCI lly chIck-
en,1 mb nd ve 1
olive oil
11I0n
nee
tomatoe
vme r
gr pefrult
h ne)
IC
Kirsch
nUlm
ru
(Summer-Fall)
bake
brot!
gnU
par-bot!
roast
stew
(Fall)
weet potatoes or yams
vanilla
yams
freeze
puree
raw

neXIpate
PERSIMMONS (continued)
P rs mmon Puddmg wtfh Coffee nd CarcJm , Sa ce
Warm Pers mmon Pudding wIth Creme Chant"ly- l d Y ..
PHEASANTS (Fall)
apples
Juniper t>crne,
bacon
kmnn ,au",,,c
Hackberrieo;
"haHnts
hranJy
,nur (. re,l[n
cabbage
mu, hrooms tuffing
thad
olive
che tout
.
thyme
onion
Lhl
)r)
orange
chi!
0 t r
Cider
pn.an ""lln\lb
cream
pepper
whlskc\
creme fraiche
ph 1 IIH itHr ,nne
endl\
mIte
r

hrtll
n brOil

s v C
GrpPl'lC;
PIGS EARS
tt r
rd
PIGS' FEET
"auce
bread crumbs
Labb.1[!c
caper!>
<'ariIc
hollandaise 'auce
mayonnal'e
PIKE
bacon
crayfi5h
cream
PINEAPPLE
apncots
avocados
b3con
banana
brandy
coconut
cucumber
!!rapefrUl 15
ha:e1nu
mustard
onions
pepper
sauerkraut
tartar sauce
thyme
tomato sauce
hollandaise sauce
sorrel
liqueur, especiallv
Cognac, Cointreau,
Grand Mamler, and
Kir!>ch
lime
mang
mel n
mmt
orang
vinaigrette
Vl?egar, especially wine
wine, white
braise
broil
stew
(Fall-Winter)
tomatoes
vmegar
papayas
raspberries
rum
strawberries
'iugar
vanilla
(Winter)
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.
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- L S'lere
PLANTAINS
he n
(t,biak
b tter
Inn m n
nu, Cldlh almond
and \\alnu
pmeapple
rum
Uf cr m
deep-fT)'
sauce
szmmer
(e munued on niXI patt)
PLANTAINS (continued)
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)
almonds
ginger
Sauternes
apricots
grapefruits
vanilla
bananas
honey
walnuts
brandy
lemon
wine, red
brown sugar
Muscat
caramel
nectarines
poach
cherries
nuts
raw
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
cheese, esp<.:ciaUy
Cheddar, goat,
Gorg n' la. Monterey
J ck, and Pannesan
e carole
oarltc
mu hroom.,
pepper
tomato sauce
Bo of Cre my Polenta With W, d Mushroom and Goat R' Of
--Brad Ogo
Matzo Po nta wdh Sauteed Mu<;hrooms-
POMEGRANATES
bananas
blood orange
F, r
rt
chocolate
cream che
d th IU
fr, m I
C It
Rorr
pom
/(
grapefruit
yogurt
(Fall)
POMPANO
ba,il
head crumbs
coconut
PORCINIS
butter
garlic
Marsala
Muscatel wine
lemon
lime
mustard
olive oil
parsley
sage
sherry
shrimp
bake (in paper)
Saute
(Winter)
(Summer)
thyme
truffles, white
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
cherries, dried sour mu ' tarJ
.
vmegar
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
p r u n e ~
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 -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
(especi Ily Juniper berric
Cheddar, t, kale
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
apples
Gruyere cheese
pumpkin seeds
bacon
honey
rum
bourbon
leeks
sage
brown sugar
mace
sherry
butter
maple syrup
sour cream
caramel
mint
sugar
cinnamon
molasses
thyme
cloves
mushrooms
vanilla
coconut
nutmeg
vinegar, especially
Cognac
nuts
white wine
cream
olive oil
walnuts
duck, including confit
.
onlOns
yogurt
garlic
pecans
ginger
pepper, black
bake
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
QUAIL
anchOVies
appJe _
bacon

bay lea\'e,
beets
chiles, red
cider

cranberrie
currants, peel 11y bl ck
curry
fig
foie gras
arlic
gm
glnger
!!rape-
honey
Jumper berrie
leek..-
lemon
lime
m, pie yrup
mala< e
mushroom

omon
orange
pancetta
par ley
pear
pecans
pepper
per tmmon
pignoli
pmeappl
port wme
POt, toe
o i "", P fYI "I t Ora
G dBBOO
prunes
qU;lil egg"
4uml li\'cr

risotto
,age
salt
(Fall)
calhan
hllllor,
thyme
truffle, pceJally white
waterere
wine, white
Worce ter hire auee
broil
fry
gnU
roast
CIM.Ii.and Brandied Raspberry Ice Cream Bombe-Undaey Shere
,.rpbI'"Y Gratin-Jeremlah Tower
",."iIIfJ
with a lot of dIfferent kmds of frUIt I lIke It WIth pear, and
;,; IcB cream with chocolate IS ntce.-Llndsey Shere

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

CIIIlf, -.pee 'ally ted
gJeen
braise
potatoes
broil
dill
grill
,
d
romeKO sauce
Irr
Pa".esan cheese
pooch
.'e ...... pc
...
ro&emary
roast
1
saftiOh
SDJItl

lealboOl
SWIm
1M
'f
.-. 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
cream
almonds, walnuts, vanilla
curry
pecans, and pistachios yogurt
Warm Rice pudding With Coconut Cream Sauce-Susaf1'1a Foo
Cumed Rice Salad-Joyce Goldstein
Caramel Rice S.'verton
RICE, WILD
almonds
butter

RlcenA CHEESE
almonds
chocolate
cmnamon
cl tVt:""
crt:.lm che e
garlic
Rlsene
A
mushrooms
oranges
raham cr cker
lemon
nmme
n
nu
pepper
pignolt
artichokes
asparagu
crab
mushroom
Parmesan cheese
peas
affron
hallo
pepper
pignoli
,;l It
spinach
sugar
vanilla
shellfish
truffles
veal
wi ne
h nk a great flSOttO IS a dish to be savored It should be about eight bites of
I tbU/O
US
flavor. where you almost hate to take that last bite-and any more
~ ~ a n 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
anchovies
cheese. especially
Parmesan and blue
(Gorgonzola and
Roquefort)
chives
garlic
lemon
olive oil
pepper, black
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
RUTABEGAS
Natter penley
boice
a
9 pepper. black
boil
....
sage
~ f r y
I""
IQUrcream
pwU
... el
thyme
TOtISt

(Winter)
168
SALMON
a'ioli
anchovies
aquavit
artichokes
avocados
bacon
basil
beans, fermented black
beamaise sauce
beurre blanc
bordelaise sauce
bread crumbs
capers
caVIar
Champagne
chervil
chives
citrus
clams
Cognac
conamler
com
crab
cream
creme Jrafche
cucumber
cumin
curry
dill
fennel
five-spice powder
garlic
ginger
hollandaise sauce
horseradish
juniper berries
leeks
lemon
lime

maple syrup
.
mayonnaIse
mint
moU'"dine sauce
mushrooms
mustard
ollv bll k
par,ley
pepper. black
pepper
pomegran te
rat 10
(Spring- Summer)
salmon caviar
sesame
shallots
shnmp
snow peas
sorrel
spinach
tarragon
tomato
truffles
vermouth
vinaigrette
vinegar, espeCially
white wme
walnuts
watercress
wme
Worcestershire sauce
zucchini
bake in parchment
braise
broil
grill
pan-fry
pan-roast
poach
saute
sear
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
li ke some k nd of c trus - -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
A
,. .. AIIIM'IOC Sa mon Baked In a Tender Corn Pancake Topped with Golden
watelCt8SS Sauce-Hubert Keller
I I I I I ~ & I ~ I G 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
_Seared Salmon Fillet with Grain Mustard, Braised Asparagus, and
:,t Md CI sa"'" Potatoe9-Charhe Palmer
p& n "., IIIM-Cuted Salmon, Cucumbers, Lemon, and Cream
....,._ AaIDllz.alg
tMIIOI' Pi I. with Smoked Salmon and Caviar-Jimmy Schmidt
. J d S toon and Watercress Omelet-Jimmy Schmidt
au 2
SsP non wIIh Roasted Beets, Leeks, and Horseradish-Jeremiah Tower
dill
eggs
gmger. pickled
.. apefruit
horseradish
leeks
Ierocm
melon
plums
pepper. black
potatoes
radishes
lemon
rom..,ee
(WInter)
'se S uSc1ge Salad Served m Red Oman Cups
'l.. M. 'Y c..je Mill k
p '.l- 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
ed
Lamb Sausage wIth Compote and Pecan Pancakes-Jimmy Schmidt
Duck Sausage wIth Prunes-Nor mar Var Aken
L,,'bste
r
Sausage with Savoy Cabbage-Jasper White
SCALLOPS
(Spring-Fall)
almonds
endive
pumpkin
anise
fennel
rosemary
asparagus
foie gras
saffron
avocados
garlic
salsa
bacon
gm
salt
basil
gmger
shallots
bay leaves
hollandaise sauce
sorrel
brandy
Jerusalem artichoke
soy sauce
bread crumbs
leeks
spinach
butter, especially brown
lemon
Taba<;co sauce
cabbage
lemongrass
tarragon
cabbage, napa
lemon thyme
thyme
capers
lime
tomatoes
carrots
marJoram
truffles
caviar
mint
vantlla
cayenne
Momay
\'crmouth
celery
mushrooms
vinaigrette
cheese, e pecially
especially cider
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
allspi ce
dill
rosemary
eggplant
saffron
anchon es
artichokes
garlic
Sauternes
bacon
ginger
scallions
shallots
basil
lemon
bay leaves
lemongrass
soy sauce
beans, white
lime
Tahasco sauce
beer
Madeira
tarragon
brandy
mangoes
thyme
butter
mayonnaise
tomatoes
buttermilk
mint
vinaigrette
carrots
mushroom,
vodka
can ar
mustard
wine, e,pecially flee or
chern l
oli\' e oil
white
chiles
onions, especially red
Worcestershire sauce
chl \'es
oranges
cocktatl sauce
parsley
boil
coconut
peanuts
broil
Cognac
perrer.
deep-fry
com
Pernod
gnll
cream
ptnt.' Jrr
ie
pan-fry
cucumrer"
I OmC!!rdn.ltt."
poach
currv. 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 Gnf 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
1-utrer. mcludmg 1-r( \\n
caper
c nander
garih.;
h :dnut
II oj lse ce
nnalS('
mmt
011\ e 011
parsley
pepper

truffl
vinegar. e peclally red
wine
wme. e peclally whit
poach
r )Q.St
ream
SNAILS
,1I1
C
h,)\"C'
a n t S ~
raCl
l11
basil
b,,\' leaH'"
bread crumbs
butter
chcrnl
crc,lIn
SNAP PEAS
butter
SNAPPER
bread crumhs
endive
SOLE
almond,
anchones
bearnaise sauce
bechamel sauce
butter
capers
carrOb
cayenne
Champagne
chives
COriander leaves
cream
garlic
hullandai,e .,auce
leeks
lemon
loh,rer
}.1ar,ala
fennel
garlic
lemon
mushrooms
nutmeg
parsley
pepper, black
pignoli
rosemary
olive oil
gmger
mustard
mmt
moreL
mushrooms
mussels
mustard
nutmeg
ohve oil
omons
orange,
oyster,
papnka
Parmesan cheese
parsley
pepper, black
peppers
port wille
salt
scallions
salt
shallots
thyme
wine, white
bake
braise
broil
sImmer
vinegar, balsamic
roast
saute
shallots
shnmp
Taha,co sauce
thyme
tomatoes
truffles
\'inalgrette
Y1negar
wine. especially white
braIse
brtJil
fry
grilt
poach
saute
steam
Corrpos/og o
175
SOLE, DOVER (See also SO )
basil
mustard
SORRFL
butter
celery root
chard
chervil
cream
creme Jrafche
eggs
SOUFFLES, SWEET
chocollt
cofke
SPAETZLE
butter
SPARERIBS
barbecue au e
garlte
gm Jer
h ocy
1 m 0
(x'Pper
vermouth
wine, especially red
fish
lentils
mustard
olive oil
pepper, black
potatoes
salt
frUit. , erecially apples,
blueberrie"
peacht:" pears,
pme pple. 411Il1ce"
r pbem ,,111 ... 1
tr.m berne
hazelnut
Itqueu e peclall\
lot ctte, Comtrt:.lu.
Cura I ,Gr 10 I
M mlcr, Klr c.h,
pCpptT. blclck
plum mee
ro el11drv
sauerkraut
!'"oe, nee
.. megar
grill
(Spring)
spinach
sugar
tarragon
blanch
puree
saute
Madeira, Marsala,
r
ort
vanilla
poppy ceds
bake
b(lrbe ue
bOIl
brOIl
par-bod
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
ncotta
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
SQUAB
(Fall)
.
[oie gras
apricots
nce
bacon
garlic
rosemary
basil
grapes
sage
beer
huckleherries
shallots
brandy
juniper berries
sour cream
butter
lemon
50\'
cabbage
!tme
-luffing
c h e r n e ~
mu hroom.,
tarragon
che-muts olive 011
thyme
chives olives
\'inegar
chocolate
. truft1es
omons
cider orange,
wine, especially red
Cognac paprika
cranbernes parsley
braIse
crl'am peaches
broil
Cumm peas
grill
currants pepper, hlack
roast
eggplant raspr.ernes
fig rhuharh
,
..
w
sherry
thyme
SQUASH BLOSSOMS
butter
cheese, especially goat
forcemeats
SQUID
anchovies
basil
bay leaves
bread crumbs
cilantro
garlic
ginger
lemon
lime
truffles, white
vanilla
garlic
olive oil
mayonnaIse
mint
olive oil
onions
parsley
rosemary
salsa
squid ink
tomatoes
bake
puree
bake
deep-fry
saute
vinaigrette
(Summer)
(Winter)
wine, especially white
bake
cook briefly
fry
braise slowly
grit!
saute
SqUid Salad with Five-Flavor Vmaigretfe-SJsanna Fcc
Marinated Tomatoes and Arugula with Fned Squid-Jasper White
STEAK
avocados

bearnaise sauce
bordeLu e sauce
bourbon
brandy
!:-uner WIth anchovle ,
chlv ,garltc, parsley,
t rragon
c.a enne
chives
Cognac
conander
garlic
gmger
horseradIsh
Juniper berries
leeks
lemon

mushrooms
mustard
olive oil
union,
parslev
pepper, black
peppe dally green
pI::alOla auce
potatoe
rosemary
scallions
shallots
sherry
sour cream
soy
Stilton cheese
tomatoes
truffles
vmegar, espeCIally bal-
samic and red wme
wine, red or ""h ite
""hiskey
Worcestershire sauce
broil
gnll
pan-brOIl
pan-fry
on next page)
o
179
STEAK (continued)
Carne Asada; Charcoal-Grilled. Butterflied Coleman Natural Rib Eye
Marinated in Red Chile, with Black Beans and Fried Plantains with Sour
Cream and Guacamole-Ri ck Bayl ess
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

arrtCOb
bananas
ha II
brown u!!ar
caramel

Champagne
cmnam n
clotted crc.lm
coconut
Cognac
Cointreau
cream
cream chcc,e
creme {miehe
Cura<;ao
currant, blclck
flu

Gran I Mamier
grapefrUit
guav,l'
Kirsch
kiWI fruIT
lemon
hme
maple yrup
mascarpone
nut,
oranges
passion fruit
peaches
(Spring)
pepper, black or pink
pineapple
port
raspberries
rhubarb
sambuca
sherry
sour cream
sugar
vanilla
vinegar, balsamic
VIOlets
wme, espeCially red (e.g.
Beaujolais and claret)
yogurt
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
bacon
Bra:il nuts
bread crumbs
carrots
celery
chestnuts
cornbread crumbs
garlic
liquor, especially bour-
bon, Cognac, whiskey
STURGEON
mayonnaise
oysters
SUCKLING PIG
garlic
myrtle
SWEET POTATOES
apples
apricots
bacon
bananas
brown sugar
butter
ctlamro
cinnamon
clove,
cocnnut
cream
garltc
gmger
honey
liver
mushrooms
nutmeg
Onions
oysters
pancetta
parsley
pecans
prunes
rice
rosemary
braise
grill
onions
rosemary
lemon
lime
maple syrup
nutmeg
oranges
paprika
pear,
pecans
pepper, black
pineapple
rabm,
rum
salt
"herry, dry
sage
sausages
savory
shallots
tarragon
thyme
walnuts
saute
(Spring)
TOast
(Winter)
s()ur cream
suntlower seeJ,
thyme
vanilla
walnuts
bake
boil
deep-fry
puree
roast
SaHte
'82
SWEETBREADS
apples
garlic savory
bacon
ha:elnuts shallots
brandy
hollandaise sauce sherry
bread crumbs
lemon spinach
butter. espeCIally brown
Madeira tarragon
capers
Marsala thyme
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
chtle-
!! 1flle
SWORDFISH
b 11
BeauJ I,ll
bet.'t JUI t.'
hutter
L<lper
Cd\ tar
ch,mterelles
chi\'
c onul
cOriander
cream
!trnon
t,lrr..l,J n
CUrT)
gmger
'r lptJrUlt
kmon
mu,rard
oh\'\: t!
pdr,ley
pme Ipple
ro cmal)
tarragon
roma[Oc
tomatoes
\'megar
\' inalort'tte

(Summer)
\' inef.!.lr. hakHniL
wine. \\ hit ...
bake
&rod
grill
wast
,
,aute
Co d 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
TOMATOES
(Summer)
anchovies
marJoram
sugar
arugula
mint
tarragon
basil
mushrooms
thyme
hread crumbs
olive oil
vinegar, especially bal-
Champagne
olives
samic, sherry and
cheese, especially Feta,
omons
wIne
goat, Mozzarella, and
oregano
Parmesan
parsley
bake
chiles
pasta
broil
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
184
TI"
ClE
anchovies
capers
cherries
chervil
chives
garlic
horseradish
lemon
TRIPE
allspice
bacon
brandy
bread crumbs
Calvados
chickpeas
cider
cloves
cumm
garlic
lemon
marjoram
mushroom,
TROUT
almonds
anchnvles
hacon
beans, especially t1a!.!eo-
lets
butter, especially
brown
capers
cepes
cher\'il
chiles
chIves
cream
, y
A
mushrooms
mustard
olive oil
parsley
pepper, black
port
rosemary
tarragon
mustard
nutmeg
.
onlOns
pancetta
paprika
Parmesan cheese
parsley
pepper, black
prunes
saffron
Sauternes
th, me
tomatoes
garlic
horseraJ ish
lemon
mushroom"
parsley
pears
pepper, hlack
PernoJ
purt
scallions
'iorrel
Tabasco sauce
tomatoes
y
thyme
tomatoes
vinegar, especially reJ
wme
bake
boil
truffles
vinaigrette
vinegar, especially red
wme
wine
Worcestershire sauce
braise
fry
poach
saute
stmmer
vinegar, especiall y wine
walnuts
wine, white
bake
brozl
gnU
poach
roast
saute
sear
steam
(c ""mud or f;u:ml'. page I
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
bacon
cream
horseradish
lemon
olive oil
IIOU1' c:re8ID
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)
" u
a-,"I'.,..e
chickrn
CopI8C
C,'IID
ri ..
Pa" nc:hl-
iP I
Gary Dan (
THE DINING ROOM AT THE RITZ-CARLTON HOTEL
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 about 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
TUNA
(Summer)
alolt
lemon
tamarillos
lemongrass
teriyaki sauce
anchovies
thyme
artichokes
lime
avocados
mayonnaise
tomato sauce
bacon
mint
tomatoes
bay leaves
mushrooms
vinaigrette
beans, especially black
olive oil
vinegar, especially wine
.
wasabi
and white
onlOns
wine, especially white
beets
parsley
capers
pepper, black
bake
peppers, especially red
carrots
braise
bell
caViar
pineapple
broil
chives
grill
cilantro
potatoes
daikon
saffron
raw
dill
scallions
TOast
garlic
seaweed
saute
gmger
sesame
sear
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 tI. S'
Filet Mlgl"'o'" of Rare Tuna Capped w,fh Duck FOle Gras on Charred Omans
and a Burgundy Butter Sauce- Pat 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
Vnagrette- 'T'Y
Yellowftn Tuna Braised With AnchOVies Tomatoes Omons Garltc and Bay
Leaves- Aile Waters
1 7
VEAL
(Spring)
.H1cht
,
dl'
iDle gYm
potatoes
,lrr
b
garlic
rosemary
,lftichl1kes
gmger
sage
,lfw.:ula
grapefruit
salmon
hlCl1n
ham
shallots
basil
leeks
sorrel
bay leaves
lemon
sour cream
bread crumbs
lime
spinach
butter
Madeira
sweetbreads
Marsala wine
tapenade
capers
carrots
morels
tarragon
ceres
Momay sauce
thyme
cheese, especIally
mushrooms
tomatoes
Gnlyere and
mustard
truffles, especially white
Parmesan
olive oil
tuna
cherYll
onions
verbena
cider
papnka
vermouth
c!O\'es
Parma ham
wine, espeCIally white
corn. pureed
parsley
cream
pepper, black
braise
dill
pepper,
roast
endive
pistachio,
satHe
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 C o n ~ 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)
anchovies
Momay sauce
tarragon
bacon
mushrooms
thyme
basil
oltves
tomato sauce
bay leaves
onions
vinegar, espeCially rasp-
bread crumbs
paprika
berry and wme
Parmesan cheese
watercress
caper,
chervil
parsley
wIne
Cognac
pepper, black
garlic
peppers
braise
ginger
potatoes
broil
lemon
rosemary
roast
Madeira
shallots
saute
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
bean, c pc lall\ \\ hit
brandy
hutrcr
Co!:!fl<lC
crdnherne
cream
Lurry
garli c
VEAL SHANKS
cdrrOb
garlic
gn:mol,nil
honc\

JUniper berm:
lemon
morel
mushroom
mustard
nurme
o
011111ll!
papn k.l
lemon
onion

pepper, hLlCk

h,tllob
wme
hake
moil
grill
lute
ro cmary
age
thyme
wine, white
(Winter)
VEAL SWEETBREADS (See also SWEETBREADS)
d . mushrooms braise
brJn \ onions broil
Cognac '
f I
tomatoes saute
cray j, 1
(Fall)
VENISON
apples
garlic
port
goat cheese
prickly pears
bacon
bananas
horseradish
prunes
barley
huckleberries
rosemary
bav leaf
juniper berries
sweet potatoes
bearnalse ,auce
Madeira
tarragon
thyme
brandy
marjoram
cherries, especially black
mushrooms
vinegar, espeCIally red
chestnuts
mustard
wine
chiles, espeCially ancho
Onions
wine, especially red
and poblano
orange,
cider
parsnips
braIse
coriander seeds
pears
~ l l
cream
pepper, black
mast
currants, red
pomegran,Hc'
sallte
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
caramel
Lepe
c h e e ~ e s , especially
Roquefort and
tilton
f"h
mll hrL>Utn
pork
port
ralsm
"ddLl"
,herry
:ucdul1l
(Fall)
f
--- - -
Mignons of Cervena Venison
Charlie Palmer
AUREOLE
New York , New 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 Pdn and melt over medium hear. Add the
shallot and '-lute 2 Add the Hnd toss together. ext, add all
the remammg mgredlent'> and cook 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
h
h O
ms with olive oil and vinegar. Top with garlic slices. season.
Brus mus ro
d
. an oven preheated to 500
0
for 7 to 8 minutes. Hold warm.
an 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.
. __ ... _-_ .. _------- --- -----_ .. _--_ .. _-- ... - ..
c p s
a D
1 3
194
WATERCRESS
beets
chicory
eggs
endive
mustard
oranges
oregano
parsley
thyme
vinaigrette
YAMS (See also SWEET POTATOES)
apricots
butter
YOGURT
apples
bananas
blueberries
carrots
coconut
cucumber
granola
A
persimmons
honey
mint
nuts, especially hazel-
nuts
oats
OnIons
peache,
walnuts
puree
raw
maple
radishes
raspberries
strawberries
watercress
(Spring)
(Winter)
ZUCCHINI
(Spring- Summer)
and Ricotta
parsley
cilantro
pesto
cinnamon
pignoli
cloves
rosemary
cream
sage
dill
salmon
eggplant
tarragon
garlic
thyme
hazelnuts
tomatoes
anchovies
lemon
vinegar
basil
marjoram
walnuts
bread crumbs
mint
butter
mushrooms
bake
cayenne
olive oil
fry
cheese, especially Feta,
.
saute
omans
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
196
A D E -, N- H E A V E N
ACHIOTE
chicken
fish
ALLSPICE
beef
beets
cabbage
carrots
corned beef
fruit pies
game
ANCHOVY
Caesar salad
pissaladlere
ANISEED
heet
breads
cabbage
carrOb
BASIL
cheese, e pecially
Mozzarella and
Parme an
chicken
duck
eggplant
egg
fish
lamb
liver
olive oil
meat, white
pork
grains
lamb
meats
onions
pumpkin
rabbit
soups
pizza

caulitlower
... _ert
fl h

pa ta
peto
pimiento
pizza
pork
potatoes
rabbit
salad green ,
especially dandelion
and rocket
rice
spinach
squash
stews
sweet potatoes
tomatoes
turnips
puttanesca
tapenade
melon
sauerkraut
seafood
hellfish, especially crah
and shrImp
soups
sweet peppers
tomatoes
turtle soup
veal
vegetable , especially
Mt..Jiterranean
vinegars
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
y A
I
BAY LEAF
reans
pates
game
potatoes
grains
risotto
lentils
shellfish
BEANS, FERMENTED BLACK
fish
CAPERS
fish
CARAWAY
bread, especially rye
cabbage
cheese, especially
Muenster
CARDAMOM
chicken
coffee
currIe,
duck
CASSIA
apple,
chocolate
CAYENNE
chee e
Corn
crah
'grlJnt
poultry
omons
pork
potatoes
sauerkraut
sausage,
lentils
meat
pea,
cou_cou,
lentil,
fi,h
lob,ter
onions
pepper
soups
stews
terrines
tomatoes
shellfish
tomatoes
soups
turnips
rIce
qUd,h
,wcerme .. J{'
peas
rewed fruit
po[,)wes
rlU.'

tomatoe
1
CEl ERY SEEDS
eggplant
eggs
fish
CHERVIL
asparagus
carrots
cheese
chicken
eggs
CHILES
bananas
heans

CHIVES
fl,h
p(.ratoe)
CHOCOLATE, BITTER
game
peas
potatoes
fish
peas
potatoes
salads
sauces
corn
fruit, especially CItrus
ketchup
...
hdlfl h

rar! It
CILANTRO (CORIANDER LEAVES)
avocado
chicken
fhh
Ice cream
lamb
lentils

pcpper
pork
nee
root vegetable
salads
stuffing,
tomatoes
soups
spinach
tomatoes
veal
venIson
pineapple
nce
sole
'ours
aha.,
,hellfi,h
tl101at(}Cs
Yl!urt
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
CINNAMON
apples
coffee
oranges
at'goiemo
no
custards
pears
berries
fruit compotes
rice
chicken
lamb
tea
chocolate
mulled wine
zucchini
CINNAMON BASIL
fruit
veal
creme angl
aise
I use cmnamon basil to flavor poaching liqUids for frUlf.-Llndsey Shere
CLOVES
apples
beets
game
ham
COCONUT
chicken
custard
CORIANDER
curry
fish
ham
CUMIN
beans
chicken
couscous
CUlT)
eggplant
fl h
lamb
mmcemeat
pumpkin
sausage
fruit

lamb
lentils
pork
lamb
lentib
peas
pickles
pork
tea
tomatoes
walnuts, candied
wine, especially mulled

tomatoe-

potatoes
nee
-ausages
soups
tew
- 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
breads
cabbage
carrots
chicken
crayfish
cucumbers
cream sauces
eggs
fish
lamb
pickles
potatoes
salmon
scallops
seafood
sour cream
tomatoes
veal
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
cabbage
chicken
cucumher
duck
eggs
figs
fish
goose
FENUGREEK
chicken
curries
A
herring
lenub
pork
mackerel
olives
pork
poultry
red mullet
alami
legumes
potatoe
sauerkraut
sausage
sea hass
seafood
soup
suckling pig
t o m a r o e ~
veal
rabbit
GARUC
beets
rice
cabbage
ehelIftIh
chicken
.pnach
eggplant
to'DatcM'"
fish
zucc:hini
lamb
lentils
mushrooms
pasta
beans
pork
beef
potatoes
GINGER
caaOll
ham
pumpkin
chicken
ice cream
rice
cbaco'are
melon
tometoe'
fruit
onions
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
doing a real ensrgstiC danCe with the gtttIiC IIIfd chII. --
Bach oIher. and suddBnIy breaking out intO their own m... J ..
HorIIat van Aken
ahuji H.
LAVENDER
fruit
ice creams
LEMON
chicken
desserts
LEMONGRASS
chicken
fish
LEMON THYME
carrots
eggs
lamb
LEMON VERBENA
dessert up
ice cream
LOVAGE
chicken
cream cheese
f1 h soup
green
MAPLE SYRUP
carrots
desserts
fruit
lamb
rabbit
fish
oysters
pork
shellfish
,
potato puree
rabbit
;,alad
lamb
haricot bean
pork
potatoe
rabbit
ham
omons
stew
shellfish
veal
soups
stews
stuffings
mushrooms
oups
tew
veal
pumplcms
ribs
NU MEG
broccoli
cabbage
carrots
cauliflower
cheese
custards
eggs
fruits
OREGANO
artichokes
beans
chicken
eggplant
fi"h and fhh 'Oup'
lamh
PAPRIKA
cauhtl \\;cr
chICken
cr. b
fish tC\\
PARSLEY
chi ken
eggplam
egg
fih
game
lenni
PEANUTS
beef
chicken
lamb
mutton
pasta
potatoes
pumpkin
raIsIns
ricotta cheese
nce
mushrooms
pasta
peppers
pl::a
pork
potatoe
~ ula h
1mb
n e
mu hr
mu el
p ta
pe
pot a toe
poultry
noodle
In
sausages, c'ipcClally
blood and pork
souffles
spinach
stuffings
veal
quail
rabbit
sausage
tomatoes
veal
zucchini
shellfish
strogdnoff
veal
nee
~ c o f o o J
snalb
romatoe
:ucchinl
shrimp
rc PER, BLACK
cheese
eggs
fish
game
lamb
pfefferniiess
e
PISTACHIOS
asparagus
chicken
ice cream
pork
poultry
roast beef
salad
sausages
soup
leeks
pasta
pates
POMEGRANATE SYRUP
beef
duck
POppy SEEDS
breads
curries
ROSEMARY
beans, especially dried
and fava
chicken
fish, oily (e.g., macker-
el, sardines)
game
grains
game
lamb
fruit
noodles
lamb
mushrooms
ontons
oranges
peas
pork
potatoes
steaks
strawberries
tomatoes
veal
rice
sausages
walnuts
nce
poultry
salmon
spinach
steaks
veal
suckling pig
I remember makmg a rosemary and muscat wme sherbet almost twenty
years ago -lindsey Shere
ROSEWATER
cream cheese
cu tard
fruit salad
ICe
ice creams
strawberries
SAFFRON
bouillabaIsse
chicken
curries
fish
lamb
SAGE
duck
eggplant
fish
game
goose
liver
SAVORY
beans
chicken liver
egg
goat chee
SESAME SEEDS
bread
chicken
chickpe
eggplant
SORREL
egg
fih
lentil
SOUR CREAM
borscht
caviar
A
mussels
paella
nce
risotto
sauces
offal
peas
pork
poultry
ravioli
lamb
legume-
lentil
meat , gnlleJ
fi h
halvah
lamb
noodle
meats
poultry
shellfl h
fruit
shellfish
soup
tomatoes
roasts
stuffings
tomatoes
tuna
veal
peas
poultry, grilled
rabbit
soups
shellfish
tahini
soups
stuffings
potatoe
STAR ANISE
chestnutS
duck
eggs
fish
SUMAC
chicken
fish
TAMARIND
chicken
curries
fish
TARRAGON
artichokes
beamaise sauce
carrots
chicken
crustaceans, especially
lobster
eggs
THYME
beef
carrots
chicken
figs
fish
TURMERIC
beans
chicken
curry
leeks
pastry
pears
pork
kebabs
lamb
lentils
peaches
fish, especially salmon
lobster
meats, white
mushrooms
onions
potatoes
rabbit
goat cheese
lamb
lentlls
onions
peas
lamb
lentils
meats, white
poultry
pumpkin
scallops
shrimp
lentils
pears
poultry
nce
salads
ole
spinach
stuffings
tomatoes
veal
pork
potatoes
soups
tomatoes
venison
paella
nce
shellfish
D 20
V NILLA
apples
apricots
chocolate
custards
VINEGAR, BALSAMIC
steaks
fish
fruit
ice cream
strawberries
plums
shellfish
souffles
tomatoes
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
chiles
cumin
ARGENTINIAN
beef
chiles
ARMENIAN
parsley
AUSTRALIAN
fish
meats
AUSTRIAN
cream cheese
omons
BRAZILIAN
beans, black
chtles
cilantro
CAJUN
chll
eray: h
garlic
grains of paradise
chorizo
com
yogurt
shellfi h
paprika
garlic
limes

hot
eafood
peanuts
cumtn
nce
tropical fruits and
vegetables
poppy seeds
rice
scallions
romatoe
209
o
CANADIAN
maple
CANTONESE
ginger
mushrooms
nuts
CARIBBEAN
allspice

hananas
beam, red
chile
cilantro
clI1namon
clove
coconut
curry
garlic
CHILEAN
cllantw
crn
garit
meat
CHINESE
bll
bean prout
bok choV
cardamom
c la
conander
garlic
A
pork
scallions
glI1ger
gua\'3S
Jerk
lime.;
mace

mlI1t
nutmeg
okr.l
papa)Ol
pa ton fruit
onion
orange
plmlent<
nee
.
gmger
hOI \I1
mushroom
nce
scallion
se ame
hmake
shark skin
soy sauce
pineapples
plantains
pork
rum
seafood
sligar
sweet potatoes
tomatoes
vanilla
seafood

hnmp
now pea
soy auce
star ani e
tofu
vlOegar, nee wane
wine, rice
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.
Ingredient
bamboo shoots
dried leaf cabbage
hoisin sauce
oyster sauce
peanut or sesame oil
rice vinegar
nee wme
S:eehuan peprers
soy sauce
COLOMBIAN
coconut
com
CORSICAN
BrocclO cheL'Se
emu frUI
Substitution/Enhancement
artichoke hearts
sun-dried tomatoes
hoisin sauce enhanced with brandy
oyster sauce enhanced with onions
soybean or corn oil; olive oil (in salads)
balsamic vinegar (in salads and stews)
cider vinegar (in sauces)
brandy (with rork)
gin (wIth fish)
Madeira (with red meat and game)
vermouth (wIth fbh, shellfish, ;md whIte meat)
vodka (with "hellfi"h, ,md white meat)
whIskey (with rork)
t-lexlGm ancho chIles
Kikkoman 0\ sauce
ontons

o\t\'cs
p
tomatoes
o
212
CREOLE
alcohol
bananas
chiles
DANISH
butter
chives
DUTCH
fish
EAST INDIAN
aromatics
coconut
coriander
ENGLISH
bacon
chec e
cucumber
dill
EUROPEAN
caraway
cmnamon
clove
coriander
fennel
FINNISH
milk
A
okra
pineapples
rum
cream
dill
seafood
curry
mint
"arne
mu tan'!
03
gmger
JunIper heme
mu tard
nutmeg
poppy eed
mushroom
seafood
spices
tomato
potatoes
tarragon
saffron
turmeric
potatoes
Worcestershire sauce
saffron
-esame
\'antlla
FRENCH
apples
cream parsley
butter
eggs stock
cheese
garlic
tarragon
chervil
herbs
truffles
chives
olive oil
wine
White wme, cream, and the delicate herb known as tarragon are three of the
foundations for classic French cuisine.--Craig Claiborne
GERMAN
caraway seeds
dill
juniper berries
GREEK
cinnamon
clove
garlic
goat cheese
honey
lemon
HUNGARIAN
bacon
beets
caraway seed.
dill
IIIiIe
.e' M
mustard
pepper
poppy seeds
marjoram
mint
olive oil
olives
orepno
OUZO
mushrooms
onions
paprika
penley
f Mel
sorrel
thyme
vinegar
parsley
nee
spinach
thyme
tomatoes
yoeurt
,EM'"
1 , _, I > 1,
pi s-
...
14
INDONESIAN
basil
brown sugar
chiles
cilantro
cinnamon
coconut
IRANIAN
almonds
aromatics
IRISH
cabbage
oats
ITALIAN
basil
cheese, e pecially rna
carpone, Mozzarella
and Panne an
garlic
JAMAICAN
all pice
gtnger
JAPANESE
garlic
gInger
nce
salce
A
cumin
curry
garlic
ginger
lemongrass
lime
rice
saffron
oysters
potatoes
olive oil
oregano
pancetta
pasta
r emary
jerk
scallions
sesame
shiitakes
soy sauce
mint
peanuts
nee
soy sauce
sugar
yogurt
rye
spinach
tomatoes
vinegar, especially red
wtne
pepper
ugar
vinegar, rice
wasabi
wine, rice
marjoram
KOREAN
brown sugar
chiles
LATIN AMERICAN
achiote
beans, red
chiles
LEBANESE
bulgur
MAL YSIAN
cardamom
coconut
MEDITERRANEAN
anchovies
coriander
MEXICAN
avocados
beans
chiles
chocolate
cilantro
cmnamon
oregano
sesame
corn
garlic
plantains
sesame oil
chiles
garlic
olive oil
com
cumm
epazote
garlic
lime
peppers
p
peanuts
soy sauce
potatoes
nee
lemongrass
parsley
tomatoes
pork
nce
scallions
tomatoes
vanilla
n g
21
MIDDLE EASTERN
anise
chiles
ci lantro
cinnamon
coriander
cumin
dill
eggplant
fennel
MOROCCAN
almonds
chickpeas
cilantro
cinnamon
coriander
couscous
NORTH AFRICAN
conander
cumm
fenugret:k
NORWEGIAN
cod
dill
PAKISTANI
fruit
legume
PERUVIAN
chiles
com
fenugreek
garlic
honey
lemon
mint
olive oil
oregano
parsley
pignoli
cumm
eggplant
fruit
ginger
harissa
lemon, dried
garlic
gram of paradise
lemon
hernng
almon
nce
lime
omons
pomegranates
poppy seeds
saffron
sesame
sumac
tahini
tamarind
tomato
yogurt
mint
olives
onions
saffron
tomato
mint
rill el hanout
saffron
sour cream
spices
tomatoes
PHILIPPINE
garlic
rice
POLISH
dill
fish
kielbasa
PORTUGUESE
cabbage
chiles
chorizo
cilantro
PUERTO RICAN
achiote
ginger
ROMANIAN
garlic
RUSSIAN
beets
cabbage
caraway seeJs
SCANDINAVIAN
butter
chives
cream
soy sauce
mushrooms
potatoes
cod
eggs
garlic
olive oil
lime
root vegetables
dill
mushrooms
parsley
dill
horseradish
mushrooms
c
p
vmegar
sauerkraut
sour cream
potatoes
nee
plantains
tomatoes
s
potatoes
sour cream
pepper
potatoes
vinegar
n a 217
SCOTTISH
oats
SINGAPOREAN
chiles
cinnamon
SOUTH AMERICAN
allspice
beans
chiles
SOUTH SEAS
coconut
SOUTHEAST ASIAN
chtle
curry leaes
garltc
potatoes
coconut
onions
chorizo
coriander
com
gmger
gmger
lemongr
nutmeg
scallions
turmeric
fruits, especi ally tropical
garlic
rice
red curry
scallions
turmeriC
SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES
chile
amse
caJeta
cinnamon
SPANISH
almonds
anchoVies
beans
capers
chtles
chocolate
cinnamon
clove nuts
cumin nce
fruit especially tropical age
Jumper bernes
coriander oranges
cumin papnka
prIic: parsley
nuts peppen
olive oil pork
olav
nee
OOIQI05
saffron
seafood
SRI LANKAN
cardamom
SWEDISH
dill
gravlax
SWISS
bacon
cheese
SYRIAN
peppers, especially red
pignoli
SZECHUAN
chiles
fathlaUCC
prlic
sweet peppers
tomatoes
cinnamon
juniper berries
chocolate
meats
pistachios
ginger
leeb
turmeric
vanilla
reindeer
sausages
pomegranates
peanuts
Szechuan pepper
mint
peanua
pewer
....
,.,.,ind
umeric:
4
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
. f the dish or heighten diners' expectation of it, or amuse
the expenence 0, .'
h
. h h morous or clever twist on looking at It. A menu should eXcite
t 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 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 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 rdef, rex mple.) And h ).... n
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
n b.:autt
tul
surroundings, perhaps with appropriate music. Of course,
-hll1,l, 1 1 11' r h h
l _ d 'nurateurs together serve as t 1e contro mg lorces W 0 ensure t at
-h.:b ,111 res, 'bl
L - , 't 1tal experience IS as pleasurable as POSSI e.
h.: dm.:r:, l . 'bl '
t Just as a frame will have a subtle but appreCla e Impact on how we
h
' ting within it, so do the accoutrements of a meal affect our aes-
.j.:W t e pam
\ , '.:nce of it. The appointments of the table-from the centerpiece
rhetle exr
en
I
'are-affect our reception of the food that is served in its pres-
" ' '
d
even the eating utenstls, whICh may range from poltshed stiver to
el1ee, as a
d chopsticks. (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 its (whether in a pic-
nic basket or on Bemardaud The purpoe of provlJing some of the
principles of menu composition not to put 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
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 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) of Che:
Pan M'll
, , I er recall, "It wa
mc.e beca
use e\ el)one came for
p a M
22
. h b' l' t order. There w a ~ this feeling of shared (intlcl_
I without t ea I Ity 0 d'd ' II k
a mea, , ' t something where they I n t actU:1 Y now
, 110 eople commg m 0
patLO
n
- P , " he says, "Looking across the room, you'd ee
h hey were gomg to get , d
w at t ' h thing and everyone being surpnse ,and everyone
everyone eatmg t e same, , h h'
f
'Ch Panisse experience rather t an t elf own expeTl_
being a part 0 a ez b ' 'Th
' d their own famil y, their own us mess meeting. ey
ence- thelr own ate,
were part of a larger whole."
Menu Planning in World History
China
France
Germany
Great Britain,S
Iud) , U. S.
Japan
cold
entree
cheese
hot dishes
salad
dessert
feu: or no hors d'oellvres
des:ert cheese course
alad
mIld
entree
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
delicate
subtle
complex
white
white
white (simpler)
light
rich textures
full-bodied consistencies
strong flavors
simple flavors
brown meats
dark breads
red (more complex) wines
dark chocolates
'Tis the Season
"Menu planning is something that people do
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 Then
Immediately I think about what ete 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 rrive to
present them in ways that Will plea_e their "The 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 to
u; With fme gras and Sauterne. It' perfect for huu," say Palmer, "but hi
Wile w uld r . I . ..
1 preler a Imp ealad, with 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 J o/llmnl'
Brennan
Brennan's
/('{l"cn
comments
colJ entrt-c 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 1"11 h
..
salad
"H'P'
vegetable hot entree IjOIlI' SOliI'
:Int'I""'",
soup or
soup or soup ... . g .. \, appctizer,
c.g. , oysters
roasted or I he lighter 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 .s"shimi
fish, light (sea
You want to progress with
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. I ("'..1 knd
"'u h \-Cl.!cr ... hles
pasr J I
<,II,hl
(k ....",lt
111.1111 C. III
I'llUltl \, 1ll\';1f
lli" g ..
(,,,1.1,1\
(,lit I,'IIW!"
,
d,'s'l'l t
(/>(11/\$,'11<'. Ill'
c'1l';11lI III hllitl
Ct .Ik,', j'c'flll
.mel
ell< leI
IiqUl'urs and 'flirt!'
(.'111 n.'c:-;
n tHt.':\(
lll"
la,1

t
grilled
rill' di.,ll
l' .g. ,,,,,hi
TllI'" '''liP
it lilt
t t', \

rneat
dessert
rneat or
galne
cheeses
wrbet
dessert
coffee
petits fours
chocolates
I f po" ible, 1 like to leave It
up to tile guest to select wltat
tlley want-beef, lamb, (yf
game.
May be served in a fruit soup.
You want guests to have
something sweet with their
coffee.
At the very end of the meal,
it's another little surprise
that allows you to surpass
all expectations.
In order to meet the needs of his customers, Daniel Boulud 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 he l.mghs. "If you know they
t k nd rfu1 trI to Greece It) 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 hc ndm them a lo\e letter."
Ih t J ,01 tem h p for in re pon e! "When a plate I set
m front th m, I \\ant their e)e [0 light up and for them to say,
o Joh" II he a . AnJ on e the) ta te it, I want them [0 smile and ay,
'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
ff ne Ide nd grilled It. and the other id was hced for sashlml ri8h
t
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 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.
liffWir:l tuich Oa .. an serine c:Itt:eK, dtorito. and .'1
x
.... aoIe
g'n pled tuich ,. diIe w,rnbleund"""'" "*" ... M .. - cAne
Dinner
d'rjilW .... sIa,dW,..r-
_M,+hr IS.-",,"'" iF
.. iHI ........... /r8 .. u 'J. __
- -
-
Joadlllll l'liCh,\1
PATINA
Los Angeles, Caltfonua
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
. . bit 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.
among us. t s e .' >ai',
'This is unlike any menu I'm used to seemg, 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 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 "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
I kind a like the Idea (t ,1,1LI \\ Ith ,1 me, t Jlh. It to provide a little
contrast "nd cut the of the me t, til ha\'e ""lad with
"\ Itke m 11 rnon. Or I Itke people tn he ahle to help themsehel
from a plJtter an I take wha wOllllltke; Ideal for me," Waters.
"I don't wanr people to end up bcmg tull- but not full. "
L)dia hire agrc:e that the of can he very unpurtJOl.
"Certam thlOgs hould be erved 10 deb Ite .lmounb," 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 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" W h ,ay ayne I .' The problem Ith three-cou t nn t I rh
II
. mming all of the food
b
ica Y Ja
a;, . those three courses.
ps Into
gr
oU
have an extended
When yOU
. menu, you can spread
ras
tlng
f
( d groupS out over lve,
hose rOO h
[ . e courses, and make eac
six nln . I
'..d I course more spec la as
indlVI ua . I.fy
I
f being able to simp I .
aresutO .
1
nice parade, m a luxu-
It's a so a .
. onm
ent
, 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 Peel
ro put .
h
A
nd it all takes away from the speCialness of that langoustine. But in
stare .
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 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 :>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
through with a whole regional theme, But that doe n't mean you
235
236
Examples of Contrast s
Between Courses in a Menu
brown meat/white meat
cold/hot
cooked/raw
creamy/crisPy
dry/sauced
heat'y/tight
mild/spicy
savory/sweet
, d ' e I' t' FlJr example "au might serve one Japanese anJ the
can t mo ern I: . , I '
next Indian or Thai-but we wouldn't any dishes cream (which
is not native to A,ian cui,ine) a" part of that menu."
Alice \Vater, that multicultural influence. wlthm a
single menu I, JlffICult, "I thmk it' very hard to put a menu 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- 111 the plflt l f the I ubdn ,'"
Water iee\ trongl} ahout mtcgrclting ltfferent within a
menu. "I d n't bke ever} thll1g t I be of( of pureed. If one til h IS "cry
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 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" W "d
,a) ater. An I \\ant them to be very aromatlc. Oth r peop
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
oalance nd parameter "y,
ou Want v
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
menu hould
net f ( xtur
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
h
. tOO much for the palate."
t at 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 .. e two featuring corn, or an
all-com menu."
"It's po.;siHe to create a real array of with one ingredient," attests
Dame! BouluJ, restaurant nnw offer a ,electIOn of such ta tings with
ad\'ance notice. "At the Beard Hou,e, I once cooked , menu
based on tomatoes. 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,."
A Way With Words
\Vlllie it'.- fine to haw fun, one of the
Important 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," Terrance Brennan.
Mark Peel "1 ltke for eople to get a httle more than they expect.
A,nu I\e read man') 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 \\ith \\alnut,.
J ne\ r urpn e \\ Ith om n, I Jon't thmk." Peel add, "Or
It e \I
2 7
Marrymg the elements of a meal correctly so as to Lydi a 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 o ~
standmg of each separate course and ItS Impor- the menu should be fun !" she says. "I'm proud that We
tance Within the overall structure of the menu. were the first to put on our menu such-anJ-!\uch a JI h
-Alice Waters 'with expensive cavi ar.' People should have a playful
attitude toward food." Her menu at Biba has featured lamb's tongue paired
with lamb's lettuce, a play on both words and fl avors.
"Chefs shouldn't hesitate to play with words on their menus," 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 should 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' 1_ d . . 'crl Lr of ..
lJIf"'- .J any 1CI1j. .. cntaou to mastenng tile art compOSItion.
'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
2
"It's important to pair food to wine, ano not vico
r t to be complementary "
Although few rea Ize J , . versa," says Jeremiah Tower. "A bottle of wine (;1"
IS in itself a compltment "
_MFK Fisher change like that , but ingredients are more 5tabl
e
."
Joyce Goldstein agrees. "I always ask for the wines coming up
. h t: a wine dinner so that I can taste them fI rst, 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 have 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, bemo 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
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 eremiah Tower. " J
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."
, .'th wine is the best because In matching food with wine, you
\,\'NkU11l III ,
t
' .. ncellatlon and reintorcement of flavors. For example:
do <1 !elt 0 L:1 I
, h 'e a wine that has a lot of tannin in it, you want fats and salts
It yt1U <1\ .
k
' d )f rake the edge off the tannm.
to 111 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
I d l
'nto the sauce at the last second to Strip away a lot of those
m'lr e
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 If it's really a \'t'f) light \\me, the cnncen-
tration of the sauce can kIll It if l) powerful th,lt the wme
seems watery .
In tenm (If [nat leveb, if you've a I t III [he Wtnt.: and there' none
in the S:luce, the ,auce will be tlat. vou've to brmg lip 'Clme of
the reJ flavor, m the 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 than if you don'c Your mmd will read the re 1
in the .1' part of the wine, \\ hen really It' part 0 the tlll,-e.
There are ome thelt ha\'c a lot of!!o d earrh\ ch,

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

1I )OU can either hUlld eli he, [0 runfofu: them, which i., t" get
tho'c flavor, c.lo,e, of \UU dn .,epar.lte them qUIre cI hit for contfa r ,lOll
them. YOli kill a wme re.llly or you can 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
o p
" 9
M
241
Jimmy Schmidt
THE RATTLESNAKE CLUB
DetrOIt , MichLgan
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 for-
\\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
f 1 a v o r ~ that ou \\ or to a centuat r hi hit ht, a w II as cancel out things
that )OU \\ nt to et n f.
Thl p ret ul r pr p rau n
thrall h m n 1m rh t mak4;!s
dIe), nd ppm th 1m n
r dl h nd th r m
10
n r h It
no m ... ...4
r
..
Th h
er In t" ... ,1 ..
n.
mv lye running the potato
cappellim ( t)pe Jf pa ta n -
1m n c cwally h h d hor e
rt r t m WI pped. It' uteed
hI h m th pot to vet) en p)
ur . It gl\ It the run hyexte
th 1m n come thr u hand
r II the c mbm (I n I w
nut me nd kmd (pI Y fl v r f
h r than nut per The
erwh tmmg-I[ kmd f u
th
pi
he
m whll ert 10 n hn of I wn
I th I t red wme with chocdare The
pear
the OUtslide.
then more
ind
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
realIvcnmch me ~ ~
inlkle."fhe
---
-------
Alice Waters
CHEZ PAN1SSE
Berkeley, CalIfornia
This menu was composed to celebrate the arri val of the 1971 vintage f h
. . . .. 0 t e
Domaine Templer wmes. The look of the Wild fl ce wIth the tiny green e
was a wonderful accompaniment to the quail. It was at this meal :'
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 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 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
wh re th pi an lOt I r 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
'
d
e
ed something to fill the
01 5, n ,
. B It I'm never qUIte sure
gaps. l th
h
't belongs. To eat with e
IV ere I
h
7 To sop up the meat
c eese.
" 7 Ma"be that's why I forget
JUices. I
, "
It, b I
Lindsey Shere 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 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 he a of flavors 10 bread
throughout the course d a meal. "White 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 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 f()()d, like Whde Silverton th10b that few
foods can hold up to the strength dnd the of a pumpernickel, she
ftnds both d -
o'jsten, an moke 1 hh e jual to the
Even ,nd\l.lche can be <.:nhanced by the of the right, com-
rlemental) hread "I thmk a ceded ourdoll!.!h well with turkey, an I a
Frenc.h h gu d I h db" . "A d
ette I e !CIOUS Wit pro ciutto .In utter, I verton 3)' , n
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
,tarted baking head for the restaurant. His ll1spiratlon? "The book English Bread and Yeast Cooke h
n
" who went on to open Acme in 1983. Acme has su"plied Ba . TYA Y t , Y rea
2) Theatre-both in the brea.d itself, and within the restaurant context
.;; dli\'an has enjoyed expenmentmg with different shape, of bread. "If bread is d'ff .
_ l " ' I erent In one way.
-u,wl11er \I'd I pay more attention to all of Its characteristics" he argues "And 't' '. h
;1 l .. ,. I S entlcmg to e 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 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 J. Canar you've reached the ultImate WIth a particular
IS not cheap. '><.) It's a nice to welcome the course another follows to surpass It
to the restaurant and say hello." -Fer'1and Po.iII
Jeremiah Tower's preferred way of welcomml:! a is with !>omethmg
,altv and ch h' h I "I h
. ampagne. W Ie together sen' e to cleanse the 1'a ate. t can e
caVlar but 't ,) 'h h II h d I
. ' I uOe.,n t ave to e-ham. pork, or air-cured heef can a e e 1-
CIOUS I J ' I k II I
I' on t I'C to serve anythmg with butter, because it du s t 1C
pa ate .... But I w()ull 't t d hi '" h . I"
l n urn own ml wit caviar.
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 hi"
ave a mea m lexlco where oup wa' not erved. he expIam.,.
c
" p
, I g a M e
247
A particular favorite at his restaurants is one of fresh com anJ r():\ ted
bl
"th a handful each of epazote (a fragrant, amse-flavored h"ht
po anos, WI ' ... .
herb which "gives the soup a light mouthfeel") and raw masa (the dough
green " ") "Th" .
used for torti llas, which gives the soup Its creammess . IS soup IS tangy and
tart, light and crunchy," says Bayless. "These fl avor,."
On the other hand, Alice Waters argues, I m a soup-as-mam-di,h ptr.
son. Soup is too filling, and I find it hard to fit into a menu, unless it's a COn.
, "
somme.
Nancy Silverton knows exactly what she likes in terms of
Cheese cheese after a meal. "Always a blue cheese," 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 a mu -t to properly enjoy cheese, according to Charl es
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
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," 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 often
Cheese IS like the apotheOSIS of a good meal too much for 100 t penple. It' too much 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 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
I
Fontina + rears
---
j
Terrance Brennan admits that until he visited three-star
Dessert restaurants in France, "I was not much of a dessert person. But
h
J
ail' how sublime it could be." Brennan fell in love with "the perfect
( ere.
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 where the windows
opened out onto the Mediterranean. "I .,ened 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 "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 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."
De plte ItS nopularit\J in cravinos 1fe not for chocolate.
"I'll t' 1 ,.J...... oJ, L 1""0' 1 .
go through phase when I don't tat chocolate," says Palmer. "In the wm-
n thtng \\11I taste good as a c.lramdi:ed appil: On the other
nd, 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."
a M
249
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," she says.
"Jean-Pierre is the most classic chef we've
had in a while, probabl y since Jeremiah.
His interest is more French-oriented, and
since he started out in pastry, it's great because he 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 his style \-vith that of former Chez Panisse chef Paul
Bertoll i: "Paul was more interested in Italian cuisine and simple desserts. But
he liked fi reworks-he once came back from New York City, where he'd
eaten at Le Cirque, and was talking about a dessert he'd had with planets and
swirlmg "auce,. He loved that. AnJ 1 J o think that 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 here u e choLolate when the chef sugge t that
little touch of sweetness as a change from the It' appropri lte. knows the richness of his
savory, the salty or the piquant menu-,' . y .... here. Getting the green light recently
-A ce W m plred her to erve a trio of chocolate desserts: a
lourie,s ch alate cake, a chocobte-orange herber. and chocolate-almond
bark. pe pIe like chocol te nv time," he admit, "but after some-
thing nch, [ 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
kIte en
.ing experience. And at the very end, we were
an ama.
J
a little glass of the most sweet and delicious
(lffer
e
, e J' uice that was not too cold or too warm-
wngen
n
. the perfect temperature. And you just drank it,
Just , h d' d . . b
d
hat was it. It was teen -an Just so nice to e
an t h 1 I "
Very rich desserts should follow only the simplest
of meals; on most menus, something light and
playful in spirit IS best. Lots of air, in the form of a
souffle or a mousse, is usually apprecIated, ices
are refreshing,
-Richard Olney
able to punctuate t e y. .. ,
In Susanna Foo s opmlOn, tradmonal Chmese desserts "aren't very
d
They're typically either very heavy, based on pureed walnuts or red
gOO .
r
J
'ust fresh fruit. Even there, Western-style bakeries are popular." Foo
beans,
0
. , '
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." 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, -hould be 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
after a meal . , ff h d ' d'
,I now expenmentlOg WIth c.tate co to e -erve 10 10 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 ff
Cill,e9, ' .
Coffee has taken on the importance of the who open
door for the customer- it can be a customer la t Impre slon of a re taurant "
D
ieter Schomer recalls the standard for tea at one of the f .
tne t
r
taurants where he once worked. "There was never granulated
e UPr
se
rved with it--only brown sugar cubes or cry tal sugar. The tea fl
. aVor
C
ome out better with raw sugar, as oppo ed to pulven zed, bleached
ugar,"
says Schomer.
A opposed tc wntmg a set
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
Writing a Restaurant Menu
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 . . '
k
d
fl
'nitely from the sauce as the starting pOint.
We wor very e .'
k
t
rants we have the sort of protem categones pretty well
2) Li e most re au ,
fixed. You've got to have poultry, you've got to have fish dishe and
staceans and that kind of stuff.
3) ~ e w 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 somet hing
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, tJlklnb,
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 lad
q
typically undertake Ie8lO11lally-<>r even m< re
frequendy. e U chanae the menu a tn order to tncorpor te
inpedlel\ at their peak m the early" y Daniel
Bo.,hwl
Oil cook IeMOM
118-.
.. Terran Sr nn
wir11ter alona tth a lor m Ie I
r ;
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."

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 I use to get them in. When there
are ingredients that I can only get in I'll feature them as dally
specials instead of putting them on the menu," Boullid. "Thmg, like frog
legs, which I can only get in on 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," -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
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 a . dd d' . hAd
gO, \\e a e vegetanan and eafood offerings to t e menu. n
a couple of year' ago we added the category of 'Odd Things,'" whIch
rhchal' beloved offal.
c rn p
M
255
With one week's advance notice, Restaurant Daniel offer peciai ta
b d d
tlng
menu and classic dishes that can e or ere 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
U
1 I v,Jould cry. When I go to
men
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
k
h
. I"
tired of ma ing t ose 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 "Durina a wine dinner there's an Inherent
J , "'
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-
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 'chile-rubbed and
brea t of squab on a habanero 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!"
M r
m p
n
259
260
. ,.
COMMON ACCOMPANIMENTS TO ENTREES
Over time, certain accompaniments have become familiar companion to
various entrees-liver and onions, meat and potatoes, pork chops and apple_
sauce, turkey and stuffing. This list includes other combinations that, while
perhaps not as well known, are similarly time-tested matches.
Given that today vegetables are commonly incorporated as part of a
dish itself rather than simply served as a side dish , t here is some ambiguity as
to whether the match should be included under "Composing a Dish" or her
e.
Readers may wish to refer to both lists, whether composing a dish or a men
u,
for different inspirations.
While this list provides suggested matches, a chef's point of view will
inspire how they will be applied (or whether they will be reinterpreted or
ignored!). For example, the classic combination of meat and potatoes is open
to interpretatlon as:
Pot-Roasted Beef Fillee tt'ieh 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 RlhEye 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
e.cgpl mt
endive
potar .
BEEF
elm"h Ike he. r
bru eI prout
celet) mot
e Lamie
fennel

morel
mu,hroom,

potatoc
ratatuull ie
red cabbage
plll.lch

Many of Ihese combinations are claSSICS these are rndlcated In boldface typ
A
t
eE
EF
BRISKET
beetS
cJbbag
e
SfEF SHANKS
l'0le
nta
BRAINS
rice
salad
BUFFALO
cabbage
CAPON
celer\'. pureed
cher"nuts. pureed
mushrooms
CATFISH
cole slaw
hush puppie-
CAVIAR
blmi
bread, dark
Champagne
parsnips
pasta
potatoes, especially
mashed and roasted
tomatoes
carrots
omons
parsmps
potatoes
e g g ~ , hard-bOIled
lemon
onions, raw
potatoes
sauerkraut
watercress
potatoes
potatoes. especially
pureed
stuffing
tomatoes
sour cream
vodka
261
CHICKEN
artichoke hearts
asparagus
beans, {ava
beans, green
beans, lima
broccoli
brussels sprou ts
carrotS
COD
beans, green
broccolI
eggplant
CORNED BEEF
beets
cabbage
CRAB
.1 raragll
cab age
CRAYFISH
wle la\\
DUCK
apple
apnc It
barIe}
beam. fa\3
beans. \\ hlte. pureeJ
be k
broccoli
brussel pr ut
bulgur
cahba e
cabbage. reu
carr t
c I ry
c lery r t
celery root
crayfi sh
dumplings
egg noodles
eggplant
mushrooms
onions
orzo
escarole
kale
carrot"
ool\1n..,
pea cr en
ch rnut
corn
enJ,,,e
e ar Ie
fig
green
gnt
lenni
mu broom
par nip
pa I n fruit
pears
pe
polcot
parsnips
peas
potatoes
rice
spinach
turnips
wild rice
zucchini
potatoes
tomatoes
potatoe"
turnip,
radicchio
potatoc
rhublTb
nee
rut , b 19a

allion p mc h
pact:lc
pmach
IUd h. buttt:rnu[
"eet potatoe
,Ill !-
turnip, e
wild ri e
FiSH


beans, (3\'a
broccoli
cabbage
cepes
FISH, WHITE
cole slaw
parsnips
FOIEGRAS
cepes
compote
FROGS'LEGS
celery root
GAME
apples
cabbage
cabbage, red
celery fOut, pureed
chestnuts, especially
pureed
GOOSE
arrles
brussels srrouts
cabhage, red
ham
potatoes
chips
coleslaw
cucumbers
endive
fennel
leeks
potatoes
grapes
lentils
mushrooms
grapes
hommy
lentib
parsnip:'
chestnuts, esrecially
rurceJ
p
sausage
toast
pasta
ratatouille
nce
spinach
sorrel
toast
rears
rotatoes
sweet rotames
tlIrni r
s
sauerkraut
wild rice
g
M , '
263
GOULASH
noodles
GUINEA HEN
apples
brussels sprouts
cabbage
HALIBUT
beans, green
broccoli
HAM
apples
apricots
beans
biscuits
cabbage
carrot
chestnut
HARE
che tnU
cranberne
HERRING
apple
cabbage
KIDNEYS
cepes
coleslaw
LAMB AND MUTTON
aioli
apnco
artlch k
aspara
rice
carrots
lentils
potatoes
cabbage
eggplant
corn pudding
gnocchi
lentils
peas, especially pureed
potatoes, e,pecially
creamed or pureed
porCini
leek
mushr m
noodle
bean , flageol ts/white
beans, green
beans, white
brocc )It
spaetzle
risotto
sausage
potatoes
spinach
sauerkraut
spinach, especially
pureed
spoon bread
sweet potatoes
turnips
squash
potatoes
potatoes
al J
bru eI pruu
bulgur
c rr ( ,c pe I \ I ~
r am d
MACKEREL
apples
eggplant
OXTAILS
noodles
onions
OYSTERS, FRIED
coleslaw
OYSTERS, RAW
ale, beer, or stout
bread. dark (e .g .
pumpernickel, r)e,
wheat)
PARTRIDGE
endl\e
fritters
green
pasta
PHEASANT
apples
brusse prout
cabbage
cabbage. red
carr
celery root. especially
pureed
celery
c:batnu
tall
~
[Ole gras
gooseberries
parsnips
potatoes
potatoes
toa t
lent
nce
u rkr ut
gn 1
h mm
lentil
muhrooms
noodl
omons
orzo
parsmps
peas
polen
pota
potatoes
nee
wine, white and dry
rapp\e
pumpkm
uerkr ut
l-u'
u h,
peCI II
(ernut
turnIp
PORK
apples
beans, fava
beans, hma
broad beans
brussels sprouts
cabbage
cabbage, red
PORK CHOPS
apples
J-.eans, e peClall y pinto
and refried
heet'
reJ
cole,l<lw
POT ROASTS
CaITu e peel Ilh rraJ ed
Jumplm
endl\'
(mon
POULTRY
pplc
be n f \
bru cI pr ut
Glbb c
uhf! \\ r
QUAil
aru ul
hea gr n

ch tn t
m h,f'OOIllI
cepes
chestnuts, especially
pureed
lentils
pears
potatoes, especi ally
mashed
endive
hominy, especiallv fried
p,)tatoe,
nee
alad
'dllerkrdllt
pot toe , C P 1111\
b cd IT P IOcake
lid
In h
che tout e peel 11\
pur ed
f, nn I
1

pear
IX I ora
pcrtJe
n
qUInces
nce
salad
sauerkraut
snow peas
sweet potatoes
turnips
spinach
squa<;h , especiall\,
mashed .
watercress
r,)mat oe,
turnip
polent.1
P ltatoe
r Hat Utile
poon bre d
hread
weethread
weer IX rar -.e
hard
RABBIT
bad
e
\" " II d
e<lbh
1
g
e
",peCta Y re
roor .
chestnuts. ",peClally
pureed
RED SNAPPER
broccoli
cabbage
ROASTS
broccoli
brussels sproutS
carrots
celery root
ROAST BEEF
bean. green
brussels sprouts
cabbage
SALMON
asparagus
beans, fava
cabbage, red
com
couscous
SAUSAGES
apples
bean,
brus,el,
cabbge
cabbage, red
Cllul1f1o\\er
cdery
greens
noodles
pasta
potatoes
eggplant
fennel
com, especially creamed
grits
onions
parsnips
onions
peas
potatoes
cucumber,
eggplant
arrichoke,
lentils
mushrooms
che,tout
fennel
leeks
lenni,
union,
rea,
polema
rice pilaf
spinach
turnips
zucchini
potatoes
salsify
shallots
turnips
turnips, mashed
Yorkshire pudding
GOlan,
peas
potatoes
ljumoa
,pinach
pmaroe,;, e,peclally
mashed
nee
sauerkraut
[Omatoe" e'rectally
fried
69
SCALLOPS
radicchio
escarole rice
kale
potatoes. especially
mashed
SEA BASS
beans. black. fava. and
white
SHANKS
noodles
polenta .
potatoes. espeCIally
mashed or wasted
SHELLFISH
fennel

SHORT RIBS
bean pureed
beer
broccoli
bru I prout
cabbage
SHRIMP
gram
pasta
SKATE
bean. e peclally whne
SMOKED SALMON
bhnJ
A
fennel
rice
root vegetahles.
clally pureed
pea
01 1.1\\
lee
noodle
pa r
pc
pea greeru
radlCchl
eggplnr
rye br
watercres<,
potatoes. especially new
rhuharb
P t, toes
flee
uerkraut
tomat Ie
n e
a lad
weer pc. t we
t [
L)dia Shire and Chef de Cui ine Daniele Bali.lni
PlGNOLl
B",wn.
W I' h h ' menu we didn' t look at a r artlCul ar region of Italy so much
vv Itt , We
tned to do that were both and based on traditional fooJ,
served during the winter in Italy, Usmg claSSIC mgredlents more than actual
recir
es
, we came up With our own dishes and mterpretatlons of them that
were rooted 10 tradition-WIth a little tWist ,
The Antlra,to Giuliano was a combination of about a dozen plat f
e, 0
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 pot ItO ' our 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
pot.l roe' \\ere Jll t a de H ,md imrle ha e. It's \ ery Italian to serve douhle
't.lrche th bre.ld mJ p )[,10 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 .
orm II 10 hI , hac ala r air od, I \\ hlpred With pl)tatoe , the way
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,''''''':
I
hlO t t the fl h m t c mmon
COllSIO r red pper The Ide was to p Ir th t With
SPI(:Y . y ..... ,... rd frul r J t that th 're
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 dish keeps to our theme of
pe ":e whole animal, because In hIgh CUISine a lot of the time we tend to
thoee 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 priest's typically served in Italy right
Lent. They're litde pastry dough tied In the form of a knot or a noose
before fried. 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.
VIe did a Ioc:" 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
S
. painter cue 0 well known for their
llOlC
r
eristiC ,tyles that e,'en the occasion-
(ha
rae
I
.. eum-goer can iJentify a Picasso or a
a tu
ll
.
Mondrian. imilarly, certain writers, such as
the poet e.e. cummings or the novelist John

en
.-
Irving. have unique style which dl tingui-h =
c:
their writing from that of other writer. But
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 the dishes were ones they'd tasted before," he says. "The CfltlCS
would have to know the traditional dishes of the 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 Jojo, or Gray Kunz's braised short nbs
at Lespinasse. In order to recognize the dish, it would have 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 great, and I like textures. The entire focus is nn
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
What Distinguishes a Chef's Style?
Thr ugh the myriad
dcu,lOn .I chef
mak '. mcluJm th related t the c( mr Itt n of and dl and
menu I a per n 1 p) Ie e .. oh e reflectmg I chef' particular romt of VICW.
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
es
DJnMlIlns
u e w r \ cry cr 1tl\ nd re rna ter of lan- ess d
U ee. nd ther \\,Tlt r \\'h are hetter at tellLO 1 t -
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
d
mati ,are rnetlme the one who under land the\\' r
an the u f the w Th h f h h
r c e w t 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" '.
r c Joachim
.1, IILI'
. I -hal) Charlie Trotter-
["pIL' _
- " II have a lot at personal
[hey c1. "
I
their tood. Sometlmes a
,(ye In
"I ( 'ho has a lot of style IS seen
c 11.' \\
" m')re unportant chef.
as a '
L -e he does dishes that have
[,eca
u
"
t1

I would rather
a air. .
RI
'ck Bayless's food. He
eat .
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 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 all of 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 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
you're h \\ ith your elf, there will be reW, led to you a pilth
in hfe, and happen, to b my mantfe ration of rhb ltfe. I de,crihe a
ryramlJ that repre ent, the heare, mmd. hand of 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. I t\ that p)T3mlJ that I try to reflect m my food.
and my Coukmg i a dIrect oi life.
"That' why It' '0 critical for che , to tTavei , nJ tu ,tud) hiswry, art,
and culture," ay [}emko. "The i rhi Journey IS ,ometlmC
S
the le",1n
that hfe i really 0 unple, and that 'Ilnple '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\<: and (eehn!!
ullt tn trom 11 ur experlenc.e ."
1
Charli e Palmer says he tells his young cooks to concentrate on
I
I d what they know when they cook. "I tell them not to J'ust ,I
t 1.ey lee an , , ' ,U{j a
, f what I'm doing or Mark MIller s domg or anyone else IS dOing" h
vers LOn 0 ' e
says. "I tell them, It's got to be you. It can' t be me." ,
"Developing a personal style has 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 pomt 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
k b
7'"
feels and wor s est lor me.
Influences on Chefs' Styles
Because chefs' cuisines are a
direct result of their experi.
ences, their use of certain ingredients or offering of particular dishes can often
be traced back to 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, 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 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 , can see there' a direct dellCelldenct
phil ph).
The French Menu Cookbook-I thlllk we cooked everythmg m that book at
)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
l
,t (lmtlt Qt duck, pot-au-fell, lamb stews-all that kind f ff Th
l. ....... lU L , 0 stu. at
C' tluenced a lot by rhe restaurant where we met [Le P ,
l
' 111 erroquet tn
\\ ...
J
..
" ' ,
\\'hile Hubert Keller can ImmedIately point to two dishes he learned
h
t
'I'r't J,)b which he cont111ues to serve to this day (an onion t d
to " art, an
. ' as tenine with toasted bnoche), he belIeves that young chefs h ld
jiJ
1C
gr " s ou -
're their time 111 top restaurant kitchens trying to get the resta '
n't \\'a, urant s
, . "It's more important to understand their message thel'r ph'l
recIl'e;. ' I oso-
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 I " h "H' ,
MaXImIn was a rea eye-opener, e says. 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 herb, a p. WIth orre\, a salad with rocket flowers
In It, 'orne chee,es, d grt:ar old Bard ux, m white Rurgundle, . \ )Ine remember the meal like
it I'.a \e terJay, and It \\a t\\cnt) ago. It t1a\or .
What Rich mJ Olne\ dlJ wa look at French cUl,me 111 the c 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 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 food. but certainly not modem American food. Olney,
re th n 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 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 herbs," Splichal remember .)
Openmg 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 any of the French
three-stars. I found myself PUtting
coconut into fish stew, and u 109 Cor ian-
, der. J 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 in his early twenties
Junng graduate, hool at the Unlver Ity 0 , 1lchlgan. 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
311 me 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 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 rm HI nth t th ) alread) trel\u nth I
thmk th t th \ ml II 0 the 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

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 h f ' I 'I J n't
f}t In mto ramc\\ork I \\oulJ to Ol) 1
under tand nqhln lx h
1 g a ut \\ 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 h t:1
)In J( t thin t rm '1 r
rl
' \\"lS the way Bayless managed to learn so much about M' ,
11' < eXlcan CUI-
"rhe real cuisine of Mexico is not a cuisine of restaurants and chefs"
'Ine, I ' II h ' ' f h '
, . B. Iess, " t s rea y t e CUISine 0 t e women who have b ' h
ue' <1} een In t e
Jrg t' r centuries doing this stuff. There's a name for them-the' II d
k'tch
en
0 , y re ca e
I .' de' and they re the holders of the whole tradition Unfo t I
[he major J, , ' r unate y,
f
th
e male chefs, when they go Into that role in the hotels go 'I ' h
any 0 ' n WIt
III ,J
e
that if they cook the cuisine of the majordes they're cookl' "I
his attltUU ,ng 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 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 rlmnd, nch tlavor [hat :-peaks of one thing, and it'
the name of that dish. whatever it \\ ,luld 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 that e\'erything ]u ... t 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" L h h n
. t not d matter ot how much Cdn \'l)Ll put on, put ow Glue ca
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 \\ am I g LOg 111 do that!' That \\,,1, 197 I,
n
a
295
We cont nue lettmg the mgredients speak for and I' d been cooking since 1971. Then I .1
neeued t
t emse ves-and contmue fighting our cooks and educate myself. So the biggest change has b ()
f If d
. een th
chefs not to try to complicate them process 0 se -e ucatlon and growing up and I e
__ emlah Tower so much more about food." earntng
Even Alice Waters admits that when she first opened Chez P .
. "
1971, "I didn' t know anything 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 anything 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
I w 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
m t m 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
Thanksglvina
place I
the ide and do bl dmners and
toeerhcr. I cookmg turkey an the fi
than H I
and put them
California. I would
> And we rut nastur-
I e
[ 1 ,[edible flll\\'eni] in a salad,
[lul11' , . , '
I
'l[ \\',1" exotiC, But no\\ we
lIld [ 1< ,J f 'Id
< . 'en[een kmus 0 WI
hJ,'e ,e'
'I 1olll', and an equal nUlTI-
nlU' lrl
t
' heirloom tomatoes, and
ber 0
, , that I could never have
[urIlI\,'
, ed the shapes and colors
illlag
tn
f
5
, me for beets, And, of
0, J
'lll the potatoes-russet
(Our,e, '
, roes and red ones were as much as I knew about potatoes back th N
rota, en, ow,
1 lk
wlth yellow fms and ruby crescents and fingerlings It's J' t f '
\I'e ell ' us antastlc
the pOSSibilitieS, To ha\'e watercress back then was exotic, and now we
upting cress and ancho cress and ,tiny little watercress-a whole world of
'te- I think at Che: Pai1ls::,e we ve learned a lot of things about p tt'
ta' "' u 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', hO\\ I make my ,tocks or bh fumes. But sav mv next
knchen has fifty burner. and i" a 1en:euec-Ben: of Gray Kun:
my ,tyle uf cookmg b 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 are-'er\'lng dll1ner I.Her, at different pmdllce,
.-\lthough {'eople ',1\' we ha\'e better pwduce m Cahfornta. I think. 'ew York
ha, a whole lea!!ue 0 pw\.!u e e It ha- Europe market and
Cahfornl3 ha- A,ia. Very little ire h cumes in from A'la--t.l
uite
irankl), mid I_ not gom!.! to It:t < citrll" in from any part of the
worIJ-\\ herea I e\\ York gL'[- oran!!\: frmu Spam or 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," Danko.
E I
h
h II
"It\
\0 "In'.:! a ache o\er [he Cl)Ur e 0 a a, It' c a enge ..
ne\er been In e.1 ) proce,"" ,,1\ Patrick l)' nnd\. "You're continually
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 Wh [' . d h J >nllu"h at the
rut. t ve 1 arneJ I that after \ u 12 t e rut t!ep t:
r nt .... her t I h h' . - "uu )u-r kinJ of keer
\ JU ee \\ ere ere' no \\ .\) l tit, e\ e., , -
n nJ th n U nd tip e Ollll)t It."
c S
297
Th
' h e"en the most seasoned chefs keep pushtnl:: them I
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 .' .
I d
hefs like Jean-Louis Pall adm, hire and her chef ' 11 B L
other ea mg c . Ina,
R
h
'e prepared many speCialty foods from scratch. "We'v
Susan egis, a\ . ". e an
d
. d beef and made our own proSCIUttO::', Shire reports With 'J
fie our own ,. l'rt e
"And I recently made a wonderful sausage 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 whme pasion for
The Chef as Owne b greater than passion for runntng a
, It can he difficult tl) balance the t\\"l. "It you're a chef without
own husme , 5, then you can concentrate m\)fC on the cooking, But If you have
your own then ,ou have to be more of .l C lllaborator," Daniel
Boulud. "I won't let m) or my co go entirely into 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
m m) o"n h m , nJ I cd mu h m re 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
I
" "When I opened, I wasn't quite sure where A chef S '
B'l\' e'" 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'er
e
gO! . , ' n e I faclor "GeW .
\I'e h I "IS very much commItted to trusting my nght is wh t' , ng every detail
I
h lUg \\, . a gives CUIsine its g I "
,1 t 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 f h f' " I k I
sOh r aspects 0 ace S cUlsme may i e y change over tim J
r e e. ean-
" 11gerichten clearly moved consciously toward a less formal "
Georges vO , CUlsme
h
I
f
t his hotel kItchen at the Lafayette to open his own French b'
II,hen e e. ' . 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 \ eg. . e
h d rhe same cooks, the same walters, but at a more casual price and atmos-
h
3
re," he says. "But five years later, the menu IS totally different. There are
p e d f C . ' d' '
tural flavors, an ar lel\er mgre lents-m some cases only three-
more na ,., . . '
lat
e" Vongerichten descnbes JO)O s cUIsine today as "VerT loose We
on a r . ., .
might serve something one way one day, and it might be as much as ten per-
d
"
cent off the next ay,
Still, Vongerichten that he misses the style of demand-
ed of a high-end restaurant. "I miss the 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 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 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' 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 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 to hnng hack intO the ,!tntng ro m anJ have people
rartlClpate rna h 1 . "
re m t e tOO\.l 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,
It t 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 It. one.
Ameri cans are used to having all. appeti zer und all. entree, but Italians tat
t hree :, maller courses: antipasto, then risotto or past a, then a sm<lll entrEe
It's the bes t way in the world to eat- that way, you get to try three thing,
instead of two!"
Shire adds, "Our customers are pay ing us to put some interesting fl aVor
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
I
. " h "V ' I Y
are expecting a gasrronomica expenence, e says. ery sImp e dishes can
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 IS OUr
profession. "
Vongerichten recount:, how Picds:,o once gave a demonstrati on on holV
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,' his Clll11ment," says Vongerichten. "In
fooJ, that 1I ed to h,lpl'en more ilnll I11pre-hut thcre\ no hullshit
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 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 going to a
further tnprmg W IV nd peclmg h, Lk md fmull1g ()ut what'
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 c '
, 0 lOCUS. There
are too many acrobatics too h
. . h ,muc
Jumpmg t rough hoops."
Rick Bayless says he "b' 1 "
nst es at
the new-style cuisine in M .
"Th eXlCO .
. e r ~ 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 flavor of ingredients, which can gi ve
dimensions to it. For example, I 11 serve a lobster nsotto made with lob,ter
stock, or a squab risotto made with squab broth, or a shellfish 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 hastens to add, "But with
I won't do things just for shock value; there are certain things we'd
never, e\'er do." he cite" 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 . 1
0rt
h Ameri 1, \\, hlch I the regl mal CUI me of the Caribbean, Central Jnd
outh Amenca, and the mother that affected the cUI me that were brought to those areas,
such as Africa and to a lesser degree Fran e nd of course 0 even though I might read ahout or
taste a great di h m ew York made hy Kunz ur meone hke that, I have to tell myself, "That'
not my tor\. i a regional 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
\anOll 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
That t me I what I desc when I
But ery umbret And t\IAI)Il o ...

Kun: :,a),s, "A good friend told me, 'What yo' d' ,
r", . ' " u re Otng IS takin
h
edge oft ethmc cooking. I knew what he was t ' g
[he rytng to say. I do see
I
, ' incorporating flavors and fragrances, but in a b 1
11lpe t Jo , ' , very su t e way.
, . 'uccessfully has a lot to do with finesse. You want to k
Dcllng sO :, , ma e sure that
xt I, still approachable and not go overboard d h k
[he conte. an s oc cus-
"
[Om
ero
. f' " b d "
-r keep cuisine rom gOing over oar , Jean-Georges Yo 'h
jO ngenc ten
, . there should be boundaries in food. "The 1990s should not b I
believe,,, " e a me t-
" he asserts. Now everyone has ginger In their kitchen I
'ng pot, . n twenty
I I don't want to see 'universal cooking.' I think people should go back
years, d' , 'D' I B I
h
' rJotS and keep tra mons gOing. al11e ou ud is from Lyons and
[0 t elr 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 tclkmg cuismes and welding them
together in hopefully a harmnmoll' we ldmg.
New Wllrld cui5ine 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 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 m the It'll take a while w
understand the but a )Oll pend more and more time bl?gm tl) lInderqand the nuances
among them. Bemg from none of the e traditions, [ don't ha\'e .. ny clllegiance to a particular 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 place;,; they respond to my experimentation by hetng
SOrt of tanl d d h 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-
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 ~ V t l
ha
h
oIl 0 0 1 0 " lelt
town, t t t ere Stl IS a great reglona opportunlty.
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 t h a ~
point in time.
"And I don't mean cook 'museum food,'" Van Aken says he em L
PUll-
sized. "If you're in Dallas now, I think. you should embrace some Vietnam
there
, V est
flavors, becau.... s a suong Ietname5e community. But I hope that
omer chefs U do what 1 did 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 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
a JIG faa the which finished With tJe 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 .. :ul ld 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
Food like any other cultural phenomenon, is a living thing. It naturally goes through a seamles \
'. ' . s, a mOSt
imperceptible evolutIOn. Perhaps there are more chOIces on our present menu-and the choices are co .
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
B
ked in the Pink with Fresh Herbs, Cream,
posta a
nd Fife Cheeses
a Bak'd with l'v1tlShrooms, Pancetta, Rapini,
Pasco c
Cream, and Fit'e Cheeses
Tagliatelle uith ;\1ascarpone and Oven-Cured Pink-
Prosciutto Cotto
Spaghetti tl'ith Tuscan Meat Ragu ,
Pumpkin and potato-FIlled Free-FonTI Lasagna wIth
Black Olit'e Butter
Rolled Mushroom Lasagna with Bechamel, Tomato,
and Parmigzano
Grills, Roa,L, and For Ltttle Appetite
Small Plate of Roa ted Seasonal \'egetahl
Pepper-Gnlled ChIcken Pm/lard u ith . 1rxed Greens,
Shat't'd ParmlRIano, Onions, and
SpICed Olzw
Tuscan Veal Stett U1th Bwternllt lashed Potatoe
Tuscan Roasted au: age) and Grap s with t 1ashed
Potatoes
Maho"any Otic k Le!! U Hh RIce and 1 dun Salad
GnU, Roa and Bral e- t r At Forno Appeme-
Gnlled and Roasted \ e&gIL Entree tllCh lash d
POtatoes
(jnued ChICken Breast u Ith Wood-Roast d tuffln"
and itxed (Heens
G <. hICken Breast U1th (mUed Porwb Ito
u. hr nd R ted Potat
Roasted Half-Ch' k - -
M
' d G Ie en on a Nest ofVermiee1ti with
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
Gritled Veal Tenderloins with Grilted PIP
D ' 0 enta, an
nppings, and Fennel-Infused Onion
Clam Roast with (HOT!) Spicy Sausage, Endive,
Tomato, and Mashed Potatoes
Gritted Veal Chop with Gremolata-Mashed Potatoes
and Pickled Onions
Grilled Brine-Cured Pork Chops with Mashed
Potatoes and Mixed Greens
Rosemary-Infused Veal Spareribs with Aged
Balsamic Vinegar and Roasted Garlic-Potato
Cake
Fresh Little Compton Tilefish in Aqua Pazza
Fresh Little Compton Cod Roasted in a Caper
u'ith Roasted Potatoes
De (all, except two, made to order)

Frc)h Fnut ulth Cannoh Cream
Tartufu Gelato u'lth Baby Baci
Oranrre and Fre h Fig Gelato
Lemon Gra1Hta tllth Hazelnut Biscotti
Coffee Granzta u ith WTiupped Cream
Toasted Cocontll lee Cream Sandu'ich
Grand CookIe Finale
Fresh Plum Tart
Fresh Blwcberry Tart
Fwh Blackben)' Tart '
Black ion Flf: and Blueberry Deep-Dish Pie
Fre.h Blu beny e1rLltin
Fre h Plum (,nlClll
Fre h Black Ii SlOn FI" Gmnl1
Jo 'ce Goldl>tein
SQUARE ONE
San FranCISco, California
( 1984- 1996)
Smce the time quare One opened, our cuisine came to show 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
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. l) with the word "internatlonal" ternfying and bewildenng them,
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 lao t night ... (July 13, 1
Dail\" pecial
la 15, 19 4
Fedebm U Ith Tuna, Omons, Caper and lit
Fettucane aUa Genotese ulth pmach Pmen\l[
Lemon Rind, Golden Rat Ins. nd Cr am
Gnlled Veal Chop U1th :11 crum and E lam ratm
Pork Scalwpptne tilth 4ar ala \ m ar and Cr m
sened Red 'UI Chard and ( om Fmter
ChIcken Fncas ee U Ith Meatballs hr and
Thyme en-oed U Ith Rl e
lmonel Cake tilth (Janache and Rum Huttercrecml
Pu P try trau-berry Tart Ulith iascarpone
he
n bet erved with Tegole
Pineapple lee Cream erved ulth Tegole Cookie
Daily Specials
Weekend of May 17, 1996
S
ffron Rice u:ith Lobster, Prawns, Clams,
Pae1/LJ- aJ)' ,
ChIcken Chorizo, Arnchokes, Favas, Peppers,
and TomatoeS
, I Scaloppme ulth Mushrooms, Shallots, and
\ea d 'h
T
/" 'hA
sen'e WIt 1 ag zann! U:lt sparagus,
PrOSClHtto , 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' Gla d Sha
me- ze [lots
served with Potato and Ce/.e R G' '
, ry oat ratm, and
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
(Lemon, Garlic, Parsley)
Vegetanan Paella u'ith Artichokes, Favas, Green
Beam, ZHcchinz, Peppers, and Tomatoes
- --------
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
1996
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
Cwnr.ncigc, \l,,,,achmctt'
I traye\ed to diverse places-from Mexico to Thailand-and found that 1 really liked a lot llf the
the \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 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'f
1at
'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
There are different ll1utatl\. n at the Ea t Co.l,r \'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 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
and Scallions
Stared Rau 'Irlom ulth Gmger and \Xa.sarn
Green alad ulth Cold 1annaced egctablc
Cold Gnlled Eggplant alaJ ulth (JI11 er and
aUzan e ame \'malgrette
keuer d Gnlled f nkflsh uuh mlthfield Ham and
( mentlne R " h
,,'''''' P d 1i hnmp u th ( hl/X tie Ma'i and
B ah1
;nll.o>,i 1i u th (Jr (IuL auc.:
<'"n p, kl u uh hTlln/J (lnd Monkfish
11 un Barb!: u d Pork [klrenh
hrcdded. arch ( arulilla Pork BariJecHc
Hlt.:kory, maked Duck ulth (;nlled PmeL pple and
Tangy CllTI( ,Cilantro Ulaze
(mlled Lamb With lin/led Vegetable and <.inlled
u eet POU1CfJCS
6,Proof ChoCl late Cake
Apple crudel
MI 15 IPPI Mud ( ake
Br ad Puddm ulth Pear Brand
~ - - - - - ------- - - --- ~ ~
February 1996
Coriander-C
rusted
Grilled Shrimp with Pineapple
Salsa and Lime
Fettuccine Pasta with Oven-Dried Tomato Sauce.
Fresh Herbs. and Asiago Cheese
Blltrermilk-Fried Chicken Livers with Apple-Raisin
chutneY. Spinach. and Warm Bacon Dressing
Grilled Sausage from Hell and Cornbread Salad with
Hell Sausage. Lava Soaked Pineapples. and Lime-
Guava Dressing
Middle EasteTTI Sampler Plate with Grilled Eggplant.
Raisin Couscous. OUves. Feta. Orange Cumin
Dressing. and Grilled Pita
House Green Salad
Arugula Salad with Smoked Pears. Spiced Pecans.
and Srilron Cheese
Ume and Chicken Soup with Com Tortillas
Grilled Salmon Fillet with White Grape-GarUc
Sauce , Ume Tomato Rioja, and Spanish Rice
Caribbean-Style Spit-Roasted Pork Loin with West
Indies Beans and Rice. Jamaican Slaw. Grilled
Fennel, and Mango Marmalade
Grilled TIAM Steak with Pickled Ginger, Soy.
Wasabi. Liand Pan. and Jasmine Rice Cakes
Grilled Skewered Leg of Lamb with Saba Ganoush.
Roasted Red-Pepper-Cucumber Salad. Preserved
Lemon, Pomegranate Dressing. and Grilled Pita
Grilled Adobo-Rubbed Sirloin Steak with Pickled
Com Relish. Tamarind Ketchup, and "Damn
Good Fries"
Spit-Roasted Herb and Lemon-Rubbed Chicken with
Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Seared Kale
Sides
Apple-Raisin Chutney
Spanish Rice
"Damn Good Fries"
Seared Kale
Vegetarian Rice and Beans
Grilled Banana
Grilled Pineapple
Pineapple Salsa
Fried Plantains with Banana-Guava Ketchup
Cordiro
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
-----
Selected Main Courses
The Rattlesnake Club
Spring, 1996
Capdlini (Thin Angel Hair P a s t a ~ 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)
( V / r I
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
d
r
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 an
three \.egetables on every plate" mentality. There's certainly an instinct for chefs and cooks to want t I
U
() 'If)
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
and black truffles. I don't say "with," "with," "with"-l've taken everything else off the plate. So it's a 5
per-
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\ac
e,
so I think I've come around full circle.
Stars
July 1984
Specials of the Day
First Course.
Texas Ham uith a Japanese E{!RPlant Salad
Smoked Salmon with Gnlled Herb-Orl Bread
Malpeque O)'sccr Sceu ULth Ancho hIli Butter awl
Chenzl Puree
Pasta uith Alaskan Blue Praum, Red B Its
Tomatoes, Bmrl, and Garlrc
Grilled almon t.lith \ 'egetable Brochette awl
Ro emary MayonnaIse
Frllet of Beef m Broch u rth a Hor eradl h. Mil card
Tarragon Cream
Appctt:er
Iced Oyster u1ch Pley La b
m au age
of moked FI h uuh Bitler Greens alad
I h Pro liard Tomatoes. Cllancro. and Chl\:e
BrIOChe U Ith Marroo, Lnb leT Sauce Poached
(wruc and Chenil
TUJI U Ith Ham LIL -r
nau()15 J arra n and
(haT na
Salads and l)UP
Mixed Grct!n Salad with Vinaigrette and Tomatoes
I hxed Green Salad tt'ith Blue Chec$e Vinaigrette
(Inca Fe-Balboa Cafe (Jarden , alad tt'ith
011
(larhc o"p with LlIJ'C LeaH and Herb Proficcrules
P 1 ta an I Fl h
ubJcct to the \X hIm uf the Chef. Weacher,
and FI hmg CnndW{)l1
(m II nd 11 1I1 Com t.:
ChI ken \lith Tarragon. ,ream, Mu hr Jom . and
RadIcchIO
Gnlled ueetm-eads \lIth Am hoke and a \"(Ild
Mu hroom Butter
Gnlled Aged eu York teak ulth Fne and a
T arrag m Colbert Butler
Blanqueue f\ al ulth Summer \. e Ilble and
Crlt"tfl h auce
J.T.'s
Week of February 27-March 2, 1996
!-lors d'Oeuvre
Choice of First Course
Block rruflk Cusrard with Sunchcks
Lirnt
swnt
lettUCe with Ma,tag Blue Cheese and
BrioChe Crouwns
Warm Foie Gras Sandwich
Osetra Caviar SenIice with Iced VodJca
Crab Ravioli with Block Truffles
sceamed Mussels in a SheU{ish Tarragon Sauce
Choice of Main Course
Snapper with Herb Vegetable Salad
Pnme Fillet of Beef with Duxelle Potatoes and
Pecan-Herb Salad
Breast with Morels and Lobster Essence
BraISed Lamb Shank with Fava Beans and Stwift ..
Garlic Y"''6
Saddle of Venison with T ruffled Celery Root and
Cippolini Onions
Choice ofJ.T.'s Desserts

Sunday
Hors d'Oeuvres Varies
Daube d' Agneau
Salade
Lemon Mousse
Monday
Hors d'Oeuvres Varies
Manicotti and Meatballs
Salade
Biscuit Tortoni
Tuesday
Hors d'Oeuvres Varies
Pork Roast with Plums
Salade
Vanilla Bean Custard
Wednesday
Hors d'Oew.:res Varies
Lapin Saute
Salade
Fruit and Cheeses
320
- - -----
Alice Wlters and Lindsey Shere
CHEZ PANISSE
Berkeley. Callfornw
Week of November 14,1971
Thursday
Hors d'Oeuvres Varies
Steak au Poivre
Salade
Profiteroles
Fnday
Tartcleues aux Poissons
Can-oe and Orang-e Soup
RIS de \leaH or Swffed Lamb
Salade
Frozen Chuw/atc Marquis
aturday
Pate Matson
Cream of \Vatercre.ls soup
Puulet Valle d'Aug-e
Salade
Fruit a l'Occitanienne
.
A la Carte
Dessert, Coffee, Estrresso, Steaks and Chops
y A r I
Rick Bayless
FRONTERA GRlLL and TOPOLOBAMPO
Chicago. Illinois
INGREDIENTS:
1. Beans. In my cooking, that's kind of my meat. I live on them.
D
. d I Idn't Il','e without making tortillas, so I'd really need that.
7 ne corn. cou
.'
3. Ancho chiles. Ancho has a deep sweetness to it.
--
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 ab'oluteh' t'"entlal With the tll add a lot of depth.
8. Onions. I could do a\\'av With ol1lom bdore I coulJ but I \\'anteLI fresh fla\'\.)[S and (0 he
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, '0 I h,I\'e to ha,'c uoar. And I ,-oull even turn of these things into sweet
dishe<; that would reall} san,ty 111) weet tooth. I coulJ !I1dke cornhre,ld-hke 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 really need a fair
amount of ,;alt to rhem to il place where 're really tLl't).
TU.H lut f :
1. Grilling. It'- one of tho,e thing I wuldn't \i\'e wlthollt. I love
Iy well with the re t of [hI' tuff.
1 Boiling. You\e 00[ t k d L
0 coo lorn dn l'ean, il loni.! time_
mob flavor, And they gu re,llly, real-
,
3. Shallow-frying [' .
I
. m rdernng to when you cook omething
01 , and It kinJ of ' 'J
lowly tor d long time, In Ju,r ,I [IllY bit of
get em an 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, 6 AS A MAlt-<
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 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 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 ods' dr . f k
seco With a metal patula until they tart to crackle. even sen up a Tamt WI porno e.
thenfl and . d f ed h'l . h
h Ip press down to toast the other ide. In a mall bowl. cover both km 0 toast c I es Wit
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) d bo 1/2
bl
d
- the chiles with garhc, onion, an a ut cup water (YOU
In a food processor or en er, puree h h bl d ) P h thing freely moving throug tea es. ress t rough a mediu.
need a little more water to get every f h '1 I d . . b I I I ucepan heat 2 tablespoons 0 t e 01 or ar over me,dium_},i"';
mesh stramer mto a ow. n a arge sa' d h' k r bo
_ II d t' nearly constantly as it sears an t IC ens lor a ut 5 minutes
Add the puree a at once an s Ir ....
d
the
chile puree into them, stir well, and simmer 30 mmutes longer
the beans are ten er, scrape .
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

1
Onions. They come into many dishes in my hometown ... if I'm thO k' b . I '
. m mg a out survlva , I d go back to
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 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 could 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 re I
h
. p aceu With
ot
28
SER\ EO; 6-8
one 4 lb. slab fresh, very lean pork belly
Spices
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 black peppercorn.
1/4 tea'p n whole
_ ;111l-C
1 three-lOch I ng LlOnal11ll!1 t1l.:k
Herb
6 rt.! roem I)
_ ba
lea\c
aoe
6 prt rh\me
Tcrr.lOce Brennan
PICHOLlNE
Net<' York, Net<' York
L (; RHll Io T 'i:
1. Olhe 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 c a m p a ~ 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 L n enme cuisine behind it.
- 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.
1. auteeing. It' the medIUm r lx ut
r
.
.
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
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 I ' LI . F h
. on the menu as ong as pOSSlU e, smce we are a renc -Mediterranean restaurant. Proven<;:al
. wIl1nW
e
, .... .
109 . evident throughout the dish-olive 011, balsamiC vmegar, eggplant. While halibut is fine
th\,or, are . { h b f"
, ' J J think poaching IS one 0 t e etter ways 0 cookmg It and that it results in the best texture. This
, {I f .. . h . , l' h f1 f 1 d
". 'entntive 0 my stye 0 CUlsme, m t at It s Ig t yet avor u an respectful of the fish itself,
dish 15 rer
re
, ,
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 r,Kkj place m < 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 allow to drain one
hour.
5. Place dral11ed eggplant 111 {Ol)J rrece .. or, puree, and remove ro a mixl11g buwl.
6. Add 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 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 sene.
331
~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ ~ ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Gary Danko
INGREDIENTS:
I
I's the basis of life. It would satiate my palate.
I. Sa t.
7 Olive oil. It's the healthiest oil in the world .
..
Wh
t
I
love the flavor of bread.
3. ea .
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
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 anJ herb.
2. Trim duck breast of 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.
- --
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.
V
. egar I'd need an acid of some sort. I love vinegar with olive oil and h I k ll'k
2, to '. ' w en rna e stews, 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 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 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 I
mg. 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 Feniger
In thi, 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 I' It , . . ' us re I h
ea' i\y take the place of a cooked sauce with casual foods liked gnlled brt steak or fish and it . 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
per. about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large mlxmg bowl and t asKIe
2. Cut the avocados bell peppe and r. r 1
With the scallions red me van-inch
utes to blend the flay megar. and mnammg 1 .. cup 01.
3 at room temperatuIe. Com rei
nsb 2 to 3 an advance
.... DUX
the com wiIh
t.
Roasted Chicken
by Jllhanne Killeen and George Germon
S E R \ 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
Gol
dstein agreed to answer our question on one condition' "It's got to be aM d't . 1 din
JOyce . e I erranean IS an .
INGREDIENTS:
h
I'd want to make pasta, bread, pizza.
I. W eat.
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
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 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:
\
' niIla ice cream. Thi, IS a flavor I love from chilJhood My father used to k" h'
I. a . , ' rna e It In IS pastry
h lr
when I \I'm, grow\I1.g up, and I d always be nearby with a spoon an" a b I Y h
, l U ow, ou ave to eat
\<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 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 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 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
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 .
c
1
----------
h a second sheet of paper with olive oil and place on top of the potato slices. Bake them
4. Bru
s
n for 15 to 18 mmutes. The potato chips w1l1 turn into a beautl-ful da k bl I d be

1[1 slucent. Remove from the heat and set aside in a dry spot.
Jhnost tran
Cauliflower Puree
(t
. he outside leaves of the cauliflower. separate it into florets. and wash it. Cook the cauliflower in
Take ,1 t d L '1- . Wh . - b I I f d . .
. (' htly salte [1m mg \\ ater. en It IS a so ute y so t. ram It. Place the cauliflower in a medium-
J rl1[ 01 Ig , f d - h' . .
,i:e saucepot. Add 3 0 an usmg a w I.sk. mash It a puree over medium heat. Go
, _. 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
w taste.
Transfer the puree to a small pot and keep hot.
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.
N .
d:- The blue potato chips definitely add a dramatic look to thi deliciou di h. A an option, but a !ess
matte one, red potatoe can be u d for chip; so can blanched asparagu tip.
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.

c

n _
Gray Kunz
LESP1NASSE
Net!' York, Neu: York
I CREDlE"ITS:
I----f. Potatoes, carrots, leeks, onions. I'd want to bring some nourishment, first.
).
6.
-
I .
9
lL.
Coriander.
Bay leaves.
Coconut.
Sugar cane.
Salt.
\\'ater.
Kun: ratded off hi. list with the urance ,,f 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.
-


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 ...... Ie. PI . ..n. 5 I worked-on m a bakery.
" $
1. 0Ii oil (Mosto).
Wayne Nish
MARCH
New Yorlc. New Yorlc
I REDlENT:
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.
3. V .. .-1b.1
quid claIM'" that can be used effecnvely m buildma up layen of flavor
... am... thin the dish. You imply make a dilh. more COIlI _
__ ~ ~ - - d M ~ ~
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 don t t d' I dl'T . I Wh
d I want food on a esert IS an . 10 survive. y would I want to survive on a desert island? I just
thirsty rather unpleasant. I think I 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
h
I
rn
ed in the next hundred years about why we do what we do to food even though very often it's
rnUC ea .
essary. Why we cook food, why we replicate tastes from childhood, why we go through the whole
un
nec
hen raw food would be fine. Obviously, it's doing it for others. It's doing it to express love and cod-
rroc
ess
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
1. Corn. There's nothing better than fres h corn, right off the stalk. I still remember sitting in a corn patch
on my grandmother's farm, eating it nght off the stalk.
2. Tomatoes. There's nothing better than vine-ripened tomatoes, with a sprinkle of salt. When I Wa
grOWll1g up, we llsed to eat them in movie theatres. (See Bradley Ogden's recipe for Chilled
Tomato Soup on page 349.)
3. Beluga caviar. I love It with warm
4. Fraises des bois (wild strawberries). Right off the vine, they have the mllst intense flavor.
) . Lobster. Maine lohqer, 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. They 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.
1.
Ogden t-alb at not bemg able [0 \ II t ke all n .lprle, blud 'rrte ,('herrie , !Il('!\l\b, ,m,j mUfek
"When the} 're 111 ,ea on, there' n thin er!"
E H lQl E :
pit-roa!>ting. It' a clean \\ 0 (,00 In'
2. Grilling. Yuu don'( hd\'e to u c a I (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
SERVES 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: a cn"pi' top and a moist bottom,
Palladin aLo admit:, to lovmg pot all that arc cooked n I-o-n-g time." He'd also want to
hnng a Cuisinart and a HendeL "Ilovc maktn!! of herh." when the raw juice tastes just of
the herh. You can herh for, many thing ." :\ cookmt: techntque he could do without?
"Poachmg-l hate it when the fooJ 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
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
Braised 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
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 made ft d f I r
a
te. \''"''etdhle and ,,"ter. It IS thIck in conslStencv.
t the 1m a re UCtll nil the ,eet n \'ea. lnmal -"
c Th fand rk .... au IS used to fmlSh the Sduce-
c usn e
351
Start the sate< e
h
h
' ,. 4 ,'uart S3ucep3n and cook over high heat until a nch caramel c(llm 3 to 4
PIa e t e ugar m a ea\ \ -" .' L .' min-
I
n
' tantl\' with '1 wooden spoon; be careful not to let It burn. Add the rhuhtrb
ute,. tlrrmg a co . L _ < tlr-
I
' '1 e well coated then promptly add the consomme (not fond de 'l.'eau) , carrot,. celery leek
nnc untl L r . . '.
and sh
allots' cook until mixture reduces to about 1 cup, about 20 mmutes, {V'c
onion .. turnip . ' " "- a-
II R
'e from heat and stram through chino is, using the bottom of a sturdy ladle to force as mu h
, Iona '. emo\ ' C
h
h
, ' bl Return to saucepan and cook over medium heat untll reduced to 1/2 CLIp ahout 15 m'
t roug a, pOS I e. " In-
ci
,'de (Thl's rna" be done LIp to two days ahead; keep refngerated.)
utes. an 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 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 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 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 I 109 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
t the
gras cr \\ilse mt i-m h-thlck
ni ng pl te and arr n e a lice f fi
To cnc
he n the dlag mal.
gras n t p f uce.
IX n 2 to 3 table poon
uceon
h
Charlie Palmer
AUREOLE
IVeu )()rk, York
. h' 'ifically tuna. It's \'ery universal. You can do a lot of different stuff with tuna
I. Fis .
1 Guinea fowl. AgalO, it's universal-and I'd get tired of eating chicken .
. '
S
I ((1uld live without rice or pasta, but not without potatoes.
3. potato
e
..
1. Artichokes. a lot you can do with 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 a partner], of course.
6. Spinach. 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 who love them.
10. Foie gras. hery tIIne AliCIa [Palmer\ wife) [Ole gras, It put her 10 a good mood,
Charhe Palmer commenb, "I could make from the ocean, 0 I wouldn't h,l\'e to bring it. The island
II'QulJ probably ha\'e I could get milk from them. And there'd probably be some source of
.;;ugar."
E v
" I n 9
C l.
s r e
353
--- ----- --
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 Dark chocolate. Chocolate that's about 60-70 percent cocoa-not extra-bitter [over 70
_. ffl percent] (S
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 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 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 350
0
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 An I 1(\ gT<:dt \\ lth a (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. I t cern to enhance the flavor of just
about everythmg-any cihh, exc pt f. r de ert: fl h, chicken, me It, 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 !:Otng to have ,lit ,w,lilahle because it's m [he sea,"
commenL, "And pre umably 'ou can get fl h."
H IQL Eo :
I. Grilling.
2. Roasting: I like [he navor of gullmg and roa,tmg. There are ,omt: thm!?' that It:nJ thern,el
n
" co
gnllmg, ltke gnlled wh'lle 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 Thyme Butter
by Mark Peel
SERV 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 " " ' .
\\;ln
t
l ent. To butterfly the chickens, the backbone must removed, but with a little practice, It
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
c
(conrmwd on ""Xl poetl
... anutd m P t \ lOU_'
h
k
'fe remove the backbones and ribs from the chickens. Place each h'
1 U,mg a large, \'ery s arp nl , . .' c tcken
. _, - . board' in ert the tip of the kmfe Into the cavity 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,
I
th the heel of yotlr hand, until the breastbone cracks, and the chicken '111'
down on eac 1 m turn WI . . , WI Ie
T
h h
k over and using your fmgers, pull out and discard the nbs.
flat. urn eac c IC en ,
2 I
I
. . g bO\id marinate the chickens, refrigerated, with the olive oil and the chopped he b f
. n a arge mlxm, ' . r S Or
2 to 3 hours. Remove the chickens from the refrigerator about 15 minutes 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 ImmeJldt \\ 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
10. Arborio rice. (Romano first basm;m rice. then SWitched when he realized he couldn't make a
menu with the other mgredlent") 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 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 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"
1. tlrais' I' f
_ mg. t homey. It harken back to d tnne when pe\)ple cooked WIth expenSI\'e 0 meat.
E v
n g c u e
35
Risotto d'Oro
by Michael Romano
4-6
This golden-colored risotto looks convincingly like risotto alia Milanese, the saffron-infused Lombar 1, \ ..
l) 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 Chard
t llnnavs
from Australia and California \vill do the trick.
3 cups carrot jUice
3 celery JUICe
1/4 cup ohw Oil
1 3/4 LU arb rl nce
1/_ mm ed rllC
1/2 cup \\ hlte \\ me
1/_ cup peeled. pllt len thw I .' n I
1/2 cup 1-10 h riC e gre n h n
carrot
1/2 ur rltt len th\\1 e and !tced zucchml
,1 P ra u l )U 'h end dl carded

1/2 cup I/Z-mch piece
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'>
\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, ingredient-and there are 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 roOl'ted corn .H a 'treet ('Hr, ,lOd It
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 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 fun, and} u In u (: a I [of flO c. It'- 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.
3. a.. pi ita b _ .b..L.. -'len .L he rea1'--..l he hadn't L-...l.t beer, and offered to trade
in hia -- anulUl mpcu t wnen ucu u ........
..... 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 ' h
e, erve 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.
- - - ~ - - - - - - - - ~ ----=- -- "-- --
f '""ng t1 Lv 5 "
365
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. 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 ()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 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 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 ........
I.
"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 hl __ _
......... 1 do"'" And I love coriander, even though I don't have it 01\ my list."
k'I .............
TECH IQUE :
.... cleYelqaEnt: You get a lot cl flavor off the wood on what you'1e
In_ And ml _ cl mIn and hee '
1 do lib the hich:temperature effcca cl_iDg ml" ......
cI ....,
1 Sheep. For and meat.
Lind ey here
CHEZ PANISSE
Berke/c)'. Cahfrmua
INGREDIENTS:
-----.---
.--..--- - '-
, Wheat. It'> a of one's diet-I could never live without hread or cereal.
-'
3. Corn. \'m an Italian. and I like my polenta.
I &. 5. Apple tree and pear tree. I love them hoth. And they're comtantlv usabl . I Id h f .
1 1 e, cou eat t e rUlt
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 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 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
E " 0
v n 9
8
Cu s ,,6
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
Broken Garltc Oil on pages 371-372, which she characterizes as "major garlic!")
with
2. Olive oil. Garl ic and olive oil go hand 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. paghett i gc'es great with o!i\'e oil and garhc-it's my comfort food.
6. Mavonnai e. I'm a closet mayonnai e eater. I can eat mayonnabe sandwiches.
i. pinach. I crave pinach.
Broccoli rabe. I crave !,!reen -I love their bmeme
9. Lemon. I u e lemon .. hke alt-
fl av r enh ncer.
h .. Beef. To have a creat tea , With t-n thmO el e qUite It rOle.
If gl\ en
1. aut eing. It' a gr at, qUic
2 Frving. \x'hat' bert r th n
mmel u e.
Tl: H 10\..1: :
c()()km th t If Ie the fla\'or on the seared ide.
I m m the ummer?
3. Roa ting. Th meH a hi ken 10 ur h use I
e f the top mells m the world.
'lute htr
he
the char \ la\ r Imparted by gnllmg, he admit, "I'm not much of
te mm per n."
t Break 1 pound Goy.l fideos into approximately 1- to 2-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 c
up.
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.
6. Drizzle the noodle with the reserved cup of tock and bake in a 400
0
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
101. sL:JWlv for 45 manures- Rea.
a._ .,...&ld. Slowly drizzle 0" into the
c1q1Pinl wkh knife. Add
1 Salt.
Nancy Siherton
CAMPANILE
Loss Angeles. CalifornIa
L (;RE.PH
I
real'" think that, to make something good, you don't need anything more th d .
1 Pepper. I an a goo 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 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 can eas'l I' . h . . bId 'h' h'e it And I could easily
I I Y Ive Wit out deep frying. Grilling IS Olce, ut on t a\ e to a\ . .
Without SWeet. For obviou reason, I love baking because of what I do--but not necessanly
ecau e of what I eat."
--- -
--
373
E
(. J'
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 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 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 mdkme ,In )ur m uth.
2. Remove the 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
1
Joachim pliehal
PATINA
Los A ~ l e s , 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
d
h
II ite easily mastered once you have done It two or three times. The recIpe
ten er potato s eets 15 rea y qu
II
r r d'
li
t f mushrooms but in a pinch you could use 3/4 pound of one kind of mush
ca s 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.
SERVES 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 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.:
Mu hrooms
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (3 ounce) thinly 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 tems removed
1 1/4 cups (3 ounce thinly heed chanterelle or porcini 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 F rannsco. 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 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 ( ee Jeremiah Tower's
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. I n a pot in a fire.
78
A
Roa t Pork Loin Stuffed with Ham and Rosemary
hy Jeremiah Tower
f
Ja
ne Gngson\ excellent hook on charcuterie that if you brine pork fur a day he fore cookmg
ed rom .
[learn 'e a sure way to guarantee and very flavorful pork, as long as you do not overcook Lt.
I[ yt)U that pork can be very slightly heige-pink and still he safe in terms of trichinosis, the trichinae
Re
me01
d . meat internal temperature of 137 degrees. This dish could be served with a warm veg'etable
. bile at a
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
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 and
thYme' . 1 d lIP t the loin in a pan JU t arge
In a pan and heat until the alt and ugar are dl J ve j et coo. u 6
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
379
Norman Van Aken
NORMAN'S
Coral Gables. Florida
I NGREDI ENTS:
..... m.. Plantains were the first fruit I had in Key West that caused 1" .
1 ......... II me to marve at this cUISine and
. to (eel trUSt that there were a -new avenues for me to experience.
Z. MIl s er 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 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
L ___ ..L..___ . used . --'-ina To this da
v
one d the
becaule ci I 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.)
hit favorite animal d all. I gueII that' because you can u:e 10 many
L... __ and ribI and ......Ir tendmotn-
...... twJe between .,..,.. ..
cra
cked .. Hacked Conch Chowder with Saffron CI)CO t d 0
, '- nu, an ranges
by Norman Van Aken
YIELD 10 80UNCE
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 and fl"d . bo
orange shellfish juice to reduce, uncovered, until about 1 cup 0 IqUi remams, a ut
minutes: Now add the saffron, heavy cream, and coconut milk. Allow .boil .. 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
1. Put potatoes to a small saucepot of alted water. to a boil and tum down heat; simmer till
Just underdone (this only 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 pounded (linch
,lilt! Pl'I'lwr, til r,,"ll'
1/4 LlIl' fllllli
2 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\\' 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 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' stiliI' IIntii qUite \I,mll Nf)\\ heell ,I Llrgl' bllet ,l1\d S,llItl- the c()nch until nlldy culmed on
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' Int,) " .. trill I owl ,\Od ,l(!cr the ('\loked e,l!) h ll\'C'r thl' "HIp,
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!lllloi. tufi ( lip,
l'tlll,an "II ,Illll' llr II ,Ii h, \t,mdhalt an I ed n ,\g, In to t,) te,
uanmhNotc 11th til g,\r!1\ h (UP \11th Or'.lO p tI 11 ,to, tcJ ( nl1llt, (\\lc\, Clll\l'IIIIW, "ltron ('I'
Ilk

f

Olive oil.
2.
3. Garlic
Alice Waters
CHEZ PANISSE
Berkeley. California
I GREDIENTS:
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 0eD. I love the flavors it imparts.
1 .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 dish that
Ihe hold .. " 'll ea ....,. an one layer. Peel and core the tomatoes and place them down on
tot. ..... J 'jlcIy and pep-Jer. Pour in enough extra virgin olive oil to come halfway up the sides of
l
:
.... --IIIfQ...... L......"- '1 the are soft and lighdy carame
aQd..... ....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.
1 l
ove com. 1 grew up eating com; it's a very satisfying vegetable for me It's k' d f hI
10. Corn . 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
., . n me a tremendous edge.
It s gIve
I think of it as performance art,
and of every detail as bemg
equally important. The whole
. ce has to be conscIOUS.
expenen
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 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 "\Ve\'c tnpped it of of its po. and
some of It humanne " and me of Ib 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 ,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 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
J 10 II uTI ' h' .
'C' ""1\''' It <'r. lere s t IS contll1uum even
hI' " '
/ill ' I e restaurant. that you need to ha\'e at some
. hln t 1 "
lIlt 11" srnelb and t10wers and chll1<l and texture
I
yei--'- . b
l "lis are Important, ecause they
1 \'I'U. .'
In' he -,ociabtlity back-people looking at other
The art of the t bl
, a e goes beyond merely putting
recipes Into pra r
c Ice; It embraces good manners
h
the balance of the menu, the skills of being a '
ost and of best '
orgamZlng that privileged
moment when a I '
mea IS shared With guests or
family.
bong t h "
I
, InW each ot er. - Curnonsky
t, ,.' . .
r 't Its best, a restaurant tnes to commul1lcate somethin b h
..... " g a out w 0 and
, is-and that It cares about the people who are d" h
\rhJt It . . ' ll1Lng t ere.
'one coes about It m a different way, but it's ultimately a . f
''I'en '. ' question 0
')U e10 mantpulate [a dmer] mto a state of euphoria using a broad
hl'\\' \ l ' ,spec-
the complete palette," Patrick O'Connell. "I think young h f .
[rum, . c e s Ln
rarticular feel limited to the 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 broadest dimensIOns. If a chef or owner i pas ionate about something,
anymtn!?, they hould weave that into the experience 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 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 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 anJ have them succumh!
hen th ugh our tatf 1- large. nd capable, you'll fmd that thing wtll go better if you're 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
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\\ were treated 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 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 twnt d1111f. Sl1metlme' it's .llmnst clllnical-you think, H ven'r th
people ever , een a dog hefore, for GIld's ,ake? Of he' pretty md
We
love her to 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 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 take the off."
An Opportunity for Community
In her fascmating hook A
Natural History of the
Diane Ackerman romt - Ollt th,1(. "The other senses may he enjoyed in all
their he, ut \\ hen one alone. hut taste 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!." 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 n hl h VI: b n there h r .llml) t twenty
ut In (h mll.l I the wIIJ me (I The Inn .il Little W,I htngt
t
n in
\\h) re t
re t lin nt nd IOn
th m
the be t Amen 10 h PltcllH) and the t ot
rt:n't en u h pc pIe Itkc [hem \\ ho .Ire pIOneer.
re te th If 1\\'l1 m loe. It' !:!1\Jcn Amefl<.:an food anJ
nd h el c mple It) rhat \\C uldn'r be (here \\ Ith ur
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
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 1
7
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 8EN8Cl, DIdio hom. ~ Eelit'''n OIl NPll
-0. ef'" ... a"t% , 6wks 11/ .. ,.,-... :n. is Jhe aJ , .. ,'s.. wi
J i F ef ~ b 1 . heA' .. DUll'" Iud ';'" 11/ - eM at .. dJ C #Dr ...
n. tCb dll- .. ." sea Iii .dr .... b I J .. dLb'" F ...,
... , .. .., lieu umn. "
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