We are entering the home stretch. It's New Year's Eve Eve and I'm planning on finishing several courses today in order to make my tomorrow bearable. Anything that can be finished ahead of the big day will be finished today. On the schedule today … [Continue reading]
This recipe was inspired by chef's tasting at the Clifton Inn in Charlottesville, VA. The chef made a maitake mushroom broth and topped it with chicken livers creating a pseudo cappuccino. I've taken Heston Blumenthal's recipe for Mushroom Stock, … [Continue reading]
This is a very good vegetarian side dish adapted from Heston Blumenthal at Home that is especially nice in the heat of summer. It takes a significant amount of time since you need to ice filter the stock, but the presentation is definitely worth the … [Continue reading]
Ice filtration is a way of removing nearly all the solids within a liquid so that you achieve near brilliant clarity. It is often used when making consommes or when making any liquid whose clarity would greatly enhance the presentation of a dish. A … [Continue reading]
Mushroom Ketchup is not actually ketchup in the way Americans traditionally think of it. It's more similar to a Worcestershire sauce that's been flavored with mushrooms. It's very popular in England (and extremely so in the 1700's) so finding it in … [Continue reading]
Today is another easy day. All I really need to do is work on the dessert and check on those pesky edible wrappers. First I'm working on the apple flavored cake. This is the second time I've made the cake so I'm not worried about technique. … [Continue reading]
Today should be a rather easy cooking day. I planned well enough that I have 4 different elements that all need to be cooked sous vide at around the same temperature for about the same amount of time. Once I get everything prepped and in its bag, … [Continue reading]
Isomalt is a sugar substitute with very similar properties to sugar but with half the calories. It is a sugar alcohol composed of glucose and mannitol and is produced naturally by beets. In cooking it can be used instead of sugar in a 1:1 ratio, … [Continue reading]
This recipe was originally featured in a blog from Modernist Cuisine (you can read about other cooks' experiences with this dish here). It can be done with many types of fruits assuming you adjust the cooking time as necessary. Softer fruits like … [Continue reading]
This recipe, adapted from Modernist Cuisine, elevates the standard carrot soup to something extraordinary. Pressure cooking the carrots caramelizes them giving the soup a rich nutty aroma and leaves your entire kitchen smelling warm and homey. … [Continue reading]