Jenn-Air Dual-Fuel Range

Finally, after dealing with the crappy, original glass-top electric range in our house for as long as possible, I’ve had enough. Generally, modern glass-top electric ranges run the spectrum from crappy to very good. This old battlehorse was probably the very first one ever built, before the technology had progressed, so it had gotten a bit, well, slow over the years.

In fact, if I took your palm and placed it flat on the biggest burner on the range, turned that burner up to high, within 30-45 minutes you’d say, “Gee… I might need to start thinking about moving this hand in a little while”. Yes. It was that slow (well, maybe not really, but it was slow).

So, feeling flush from my recent ongoing adjunct teaching gig at Midwest Culinary Institute, I decided to purchase an upgraded range. And boy, did I!

After careful & considerable research, I decided on a Jenn-Air Stainless Double Oven Dual-Fuel Range. “Dual-fuel” means that the ovens are electric and the 5-burner continuous-surface cooktop is gas (pictured top right of this article). The larger of the two ovens is convection. The cooktop ranges from 600 BTUs to 16,000, so we’ve got a good spread there.

Chris, an guy specializing in such things, came to finish the gas line to the stove and to make sure that the ovens were perfectly level (Wendy had grown tired of lopsided cakes from the old oven). The old oven was quickly claimed by a guy from FreeCycle.ORG (a truly wonderful service if you’ve got stuff to get rid of) and was out of our lives.

The new stove is awesome. I am really, really happy with my purchase, and I got a great deal (and great service) from Bridgeville Appliance in Pennsylvania. Work with Jim there — he’s a nice, honest guy.

Here are some specs on my range…

Control Panel

• Customization options include control lockout and 72-hour Sabbath Mode.
• Bread Proofing protects bread dough from room temperature changes or drafts during proofing.
• Electronic oven controls with keypad entry activate with just a light touch.
• Electronic clock with timer provides a sleek look and easy operation.
• Auto Convection Conversion takes the guesswork out of convection cooking for consistent results.
• Drying feature makes it easy to dry fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers in the oven.
• Favorite Setting makes it easy to program and save the oven settings for a favorite family recipe.
• Cook & Hold setting keeps food warm in the oven for up to one hour after the preset cook time has expired.
• Keep Warm option keeps food warm while you’re waiting for guests to arrive or finishing up the meal.
• Delay-start cooking and cleaning puts your oven to work while you’re doing other things.

Cooktop

• Five sealed gas burners with lift-off burner caps provide easy cleanup and great cooking flexibility.
• Gas cooking surface provides the excellent heating control cooks prefer.
• SureFlame ignition protection prevents flame from being accidentally extinguished by drafts.
• Ultra high performance 16,000 BTU burner offers quick heat-up for boiling.
• Ultra low output simmer burner reduces to 600 BTUs for heating delicate sauces.
• Porcelain-on-cast iron burner grates are durable and stylish.
• Infinite surface control settings provide pinpoint temperature control for gourmet cooks.

Exterior

• Brushed stainless finish control knobs provide a sleek style accent that enhances any décor.
• Extra-large Panaview oven window allows you to see what’s cooking, without opening the door.
• Stainless steel towel bar oven door handle combines form with function for a distinctive look.
• Double oven cooking flexibility in a range that fits in the same space as a traditional range.

Oven

• Electric Two-Speed MultiMode convection oven provides Convect Bake, Convect Roast and Drying capabilities for outstanding results.
• Electric double ovens allow you to cook two different foods at two different temperatures.
• Two ovens allow you to cook two different foods at two different temperatures.
• Create-A-Space half-rack in lower oven converts from a full-width oven rack to provide extra room for a side dish.
• 5.22 cu. Ft. overall capacity provides ample space to cook an entire meal with ease.
• CustomClean self-cleaning oven enables you to match cleaning levels to soil buildup to keep oven sparkling clean.
• Bread Proofing, Drying, Cook & Hold and Keep Warm options expand oven capabilities.
• Upper oven is fully-equipped with bake, broil, toast and keep warm function to meet most of your basic cooking needs.

Performance

• Gas cooking surface provides the excellent heating control cooks prefer.
• Electric double ovens allow you to cook two different foods at two different temperatures.
• Infinite surface control settings provide pinpoint temperature control for gourmet cooks.
• Ultra high performance 16,000 BTU burner offers quick heat-up for boiling.
• Ultra low output simmer burner reduces to 600 BTUs for heating delicate sauces and melting chocolate.

On June 24, 2008, version 2.1 of the hydrocolloid recipe collection edited by Martin Lersch was released. This excellent collection is a useful (and free!) resource for those of us interested in molecular gastronomy. See below for download links for the PDF of the current version as well as the previous two versions. A PDF reader is required to view or print this document. (Please see the note below about printing.)

Lersch describes this new version, excerpted from his blog post:

This new version includes corrections of typos, minor additions to the property tables, plus an important update in the gelatin section and a recipe for agar filtration.

Thanks to feedback from a reader there is also recipe now for agar filtration (based on a Spanish forum post). This works just like gelatin filtration, but is much faster. Apparently you get more or less the same results with regard to clarity, flavor and color.

If printing the collection, make sure the hydrocolloid properties table is rotated so it prints correctly. This table is presented in landscape format. The right most column of the first page is gelatin - if you don’t see it, try printing these pages again. The pages are optimized for printing on A4. If printing on Letter sized paper, make sure you check the “resize” or “fit to paper” option in your pdf reader.

Lersch, from the Forward of the new edition:

A hydrocolloid can simply be defined as a substance that forms a gel in contact with water. Such substances include both polysaccharides and proteins which are capable of one or more of the following: thickening and gelling aqueous solutions, stabilizing foams, emulsions and dispersions and preventing crystallization of saturated water or sugar solutions.

In the recent years there has been a tremendous interest in molecular gastronomy. Part of this interest has been directed towards the “new” hydrocolloids. The term “new” includes hydrocolloids such as gellan and xanthan which are a result of relatively recent research, but also hydrocolloids such as agar which has been unknown in western cooking, but used in Asia for decades. One fortunate consequence of the increased interest in molecular gastronomy and hydrocolloids is that hydrocolloids that were previously only available to the food industry have become available in small quantities at a reasonable price. A less fortunate consequence however is that many have come to regard molecular gastronomy as synonymous with the use of hydrocolloids to prepare foams and spheres. I should therefore emphasize that molecular gastronomy is not limited to the use of hydrocolloids and that it is not the intention of this collection of recipes to define molecular gastronomy.

Along with the increased interest in hydrocolloids for texture modification there is a growing scepticism to using “chemicals” in the kitchen. Many have come to view hydrocolloids as unnatural and even unhealthy ingredients. It should therefore be stressed that the hydrocolloids described in this collection are all of biological origin. All have been purified, some have been processed, but nevertheless the raw material used is of either marine, plant, animal or microbial origin. Furthermore hydrocolloids can contribute significantly to the public health as they allow the reduction of fat and/or sugar content without loosing the desired mouth feel. The hydrocolloids themselves have a low calorific value and are generally used at very low concentrations.

One major challenge (at least for an amateur cook) is to find recipes and directions to utilize the “new” hydrocolloids. When purchasing hydrocolloids, typically only a few recipes are included. Personally I like to browse several recipes to get an idea of the different possibilities when cooking. Therefore I have collected a number of recipes which utilize hydrocolloids ranging from agar to xanthan. In addition to these some recipes with lecithin (not technically a hydrocolloid) have been included. Recipes for foams that do not call for addition of hydrocolloids have also been included for completeness. Some cornstarch recipes have been included to illustrate it’s properties at different consentrations. Recipes where flour is the only hydrocolloid do not fall within the scope of this collection as these are sufficiently covered by other cook books.

All recipes have been changed to SI units which are the ones preferred by the scientific community (and hopefully soon by the cooks as well). In doing so there is always uncertainty related to the conversion of volume to weight, especially powders. As far as possible, brand names have been replaced by generic names. Almost all recipes have been edited and some have been shortened significantly. To allow easy comparison of recipes the amount of hydrocolloid used is also shown as mass percentages and the recipes are ranked in an ascending order. In some recipes, obvious mistakes have been corrected. But unfortunately, the recipes have not been tested, so there is no guarantee that they actually work as intended and that the directions are complete, accurate and correct. It appears as if some of the recipes are not optimized with regard to proper dispersion and hydration of the hydrocolloids which again will influence the amount of hydrocolloid used. It is therefore advisable to always consult other similar recipes or the table with the hydrocolloid properties. The recipes have been collected from various printed and electronic sources and every attempt has been made to give the source of the recipes.

Since recipes can neither be patented nor copyrighted, every reader should feel free to download, print, use, modify, and further develop the recipes contained in this compilation. The latest version will be available for download from this page and will also be announced on Khymos blog. I would like to thank readers for giving me feedback and suggestions on how to improve the collection. Feedback, comments, corrections and new recipes are always welcome to webmaster at  khymos dot org.

Download:

• Texture - A hydrocolloid recipe collection (version 2.1, June 2008) - 1.6 Mb
• Texture - A hydrocolloid recipe collection (version 2, May 2008) - 1.8 Mb
• Hydrocolloid recipe collection (version 1, August 2007) - 433 kB

I learned recently that the IRON HORSE INN, long a fixture in the Glendale restaurant scene, has closed its doors.

I’ve got mixed feelings about this closure. We’ve spent many enjoyable evenings at the Iron Horse over the last 5+ years, from the time we took the Happy Mouth Supper Club there for a great meal, to my working in the kitchens with Chef Jackson, to getting to know Chef Chris and his variety of brulee recipes (Wendy pines for his S’More Brulee).

Sadly, the last several times we dined at the IRON HORSE over the last year or so, we knew something was wrong. The quality of both the food and (especially) the service degraded quickly (we waited an hour for appetizers on Christmas Eve 2007). We could sense the end was coming.

But still, when the end came, we still feel a bit sad. Hopefully, a new owner will take over the IRON HORSE and return the great building to its rightful place on the landscape of Glendale, and Cincinnati’s restaurant scene.

Bon chance, IRON HORSE INN. It was good to know you.

UPDATE (January 10, 2008): I just spoke to one of the owner’s of the IRON HORSE who confirmed that they’re currently “open only for private parties” while they “explore some other opportunities”. Typically, the HORSE closes for New Year’s holiday, but this year they’ve “extended” that closing… indefinitely. The owner said that they’ll email us with any additional news.

Jean-Robert at Pigall’s
Tuesday, September 25, 2007

On Tuesday, September 25, 2007, Wendy & I ate at Jean-Robert at Pigall’s for an amazing dinner to celebrate Wendy’s birthday. The menu with wine pairings is below. Stupidly, I had my suit dry-cleaned and my notes from the dinner didn’t come back with it.

Salutation Cove Oyster with Three Tomatoes: Salad, Puree, and Water
JK Carriere Glass, Willamette Valley, 2005
This was a fun dish since it presented the tomatoes three ways. The briny fresh oyster was a nice counterpoint.

Tuna Tartare with Cucumber and Fennel Mimosa and Organic Quail Egg
JK Carriere Glass, Willamette Valley, 2005
I adore the Tuna Tartare that is prepared at the restaurant and think that the egg on top makes a really nice sauce when you topple the tower (the dish is presented in a tower) and mix everything together. The fennel and cucumber mimosa provided vegetal counterpoints to the richness of the fish and egg.

Jonah Crab with Kentucky Caviar Cream, Gazpacho Style with Seaweed Sorbet
Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, 2005
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Jean-Robert knows his way with fish. This Jonah Crab dish was perfectly fresh and included the local Kentucky Caviar Cream. And Seaweed Sorbet is delicious! Whoda thunk it?!

Lobster with Sea Beans, Morels, and Mint Sabayon
Verget Bourgogne “Terroirs de Vergisson”, 2006

Breast of Squab with Oregon Morels, Figs, and Sea Beans
Mystery Wine

Seared Foie Gras, Black Pepper and Sweet Wine, Watermelon and Watercress, Chanterelles and Cauliflower
Kracher Zweigelt Beerenauslese, Burgenland, 2003
Watermelon and Foie Gras are a good pairing. I love seared Foie Gras with a fruit accompaniment. Terrific dish.

Sea Scallop with Duo of Zucchini and Yellow Squash, Heirloom Tomatoes Roasted with Balsamic and Ragout of Snail and Horseradish
Rene Mure Cotes du Rouffach Tokay Pinot Gris, Alsace, 2001

Braised Arctic Char, Beets and Lemon Emulsion, Basil and Goat Cheese Risotto, Compote of Candied Fennel
Joseph Voillot Bourgogne Vieilles Vignes, 2004
The basil and goat cheese risotto was a real standout in this dish.

Short Rib Ravioli with Heirloom Tomatoes, Abbaye de Bel’loc and Tomato Vinaigrette
Pierre Gonon Saint Joseph, 2003
After having produced a ton of these ravioli while working in the kitchen, it is nice to experience the full impact of this dish in the dining room. It was delicious!

Lamb Loin with Thyme-Red Wine Sauce, Eggplant Roulade with Mushrooms, Corn, and Merguez Sausage
Pierre Gonon Saint Joseph, 2003

Assortment of Imported and Domestic Cheeses
Domaine de la Casa Blanca Banyuls, 2004
I so love a cheese course. I think a cheese course adds impact to any meal, and is an elegant stop along the courses. The cheese course at Pigall’s provides tastes of 5 different cheeses (though for Wendy, 5 spoons of Epoises would be enough!). the Banyuls that was poured was delightful.

Variation of Sweets
Jean Lallement Grand Cru Brut, N/V

On Saturday, October 13, 2007, only a couple days after returning from a wonderful week of vacation in Mexico’s Mayan Riviera (report coming soon), I worked at Jean-Robert at Pigall’s.

When I arrived, I was greeted warmly and asked immediately if I was there all night. I said I was, and Raymond told me that I’d be running the amuse bouche and cheese stations since the guy that had been running them (”duh-Rob”) was, um, not coming back to the restaurant.

The kitchen gang had already done most of the preparation for the station (how they find time to finish their own extensive preparation lists — any one of which is more complicated than my little station — AND another station as well, I’ll never know!). I still had some preparation work to do to get ready for service — preparing duck purses (the amuse bouche is currently a duck purse, egg & fish ring, and chilled soup) and finishing a few other things before setting up my stations. I am convinced that if I had a prep sheet I would be able to execute it — do all my own prep — for the amuse bouche & cheese stations and be ready for service on time. They’ve hired a new guy to replace “duh-Rob”, so I may not get the chance to test that theory for a while.

During service, the tickets written by the servers are handed to Chef, who is working to my left side at the pass. He “splits” the tickets — re-writing it onto separate slips for kitchen stations — then gives the server’s original ticket to me, which constitutes a “pickup” order from my station.

I prepare duck purses, baking them for a few minutes in the convection oven until they’re crispy and warm. I draw a line of grainy mustard diagonally across a small square plate. The duck purse goes on one side of the line with a piece of toast, and the fish & egg ring goes on the other side, atop a smear of lemon cream. The fish & egg ring is topped with a lightly-dressed frisee salad. A demitasse cup is filled with the chilled soup (fennel, this evening) and topped with a quenelle of chantilly cream and some chopped chives. When vegetarians or people with food allergies come in, we make special accommodations for them throughout all the stations. The amuse is moved to the pass (I only have to turn around to be at the pass) and given to servers who whisk it away to the guests. I mark the ticket and move it to the ticket hanger. Repeat 100 times.

When a cheese order comes in, I take a long rectangular plate and put 4 pieces of different cheeses on it in ascending order of flavor, bleu cheese is at the far right end. I then take a small silver serving spoon and top it with wonderfully runny Epoisses cheese and add that to the rectangular plate. The plate is dressed with mustarda, a quenelle of fruit compote, and a line of port wine reduction. A nice bowl of three kinds of toast goes out with it.

I found the evening’s pace to be brisk but was able to manage it easily. Any time I asked Raymond for anything — like to replenish my soup or to fire more duck purses — he jokingly (and loudly) announced to the kitchen, “Vogel is weeded!”. There was a clear “half time” as I got to the top of my orders. It was quiet at my station, and after restocking and cleaning up, I was able to track the progress of particular tables as their tickets moved around the kitchen.

Because of my proximity to Chef, I had the chance to observe him at work and have a good conversation with him. Earlier in the day, he took me over to the location of his next project — a lounge called TWIST.

It was a fun evening (if your definition of fun is, like mine, working your ass off in a hot, dark, crowded space!) and I really enjoyed working the station. After cleaning up my station, I hung around for a glass of wine with Chef before heading home.

During the early part of September each year, the Bethesda Foundation hosts GOURMET SENSATION, one of their signature fund-raising events. Since 1988, chefs from all around the world as well as local chefs have shared their culinary creations with an ever-growing and appreciative crowd to raise funds for Hospice of Cincinnati. This year’s event was on Saturday, September 8, 2007 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.

My involvment with GOURMET SENSATION is as an appreciative guest, but I am involved with an event that occurs before GOURMET SENSATION — that is the chefs’ appreciation dinner the night before. For more than 12 years, Michael & Kathy Brown have prepared a multi-course meal for the chefs and their guests. For two of the last three years, Michael & Kathy have allowed me to assist them with preparations and service of this meal (I missed helping in 2006 because I was on vacation). This grand meal is presented in the beautiful dining room of the Cincinnatian Hotel, in their Palace restaurant which closes for the evening to allow Michael and his crew to move in and work in the hotel’s kitchens. This year, we served over 70 people.

On Thursday and Friday September 6 & 7, I went to the Brown’s house to assist with preparation of the meal. Several other professional cooks and enthusiastic amateurs show up to work for short or long shifts at the Brown’s house, so their large kitchen is crowded and bustling with activity.

The menu Michael & Kathy designed was as follows:

• Home Cured Wild Coho Salmon and Gazpacho
  2006 Gunderloch “Redstone” Riesling (Rheinhessen, Germany)
• Medallion of Foie Gras, Viognier Gelee and Fig Compote
  2003 Gregory Graham Viognier (Napa Valley)
• Walleye with Braised Artichokes, Artichoke Puree and Lobster Mushrooms
  2006 Four Sisters Sauvignon Blanc (South Eastern Australia)
• Loin of Veal, Sweetbread, Corn and Apple Ravioli, Honey Crisp Apples and Calvados Sauce
  2004 Four Sisters Shiraz (South Eastern Australia)
• Epí
• Couronne Lochoise, Roasted Beets and Pistachios
  2005 Chateau Calabre (Montravel, France)
  2004 Domaine de Pallus Chinon (Loire, France)
• Chocolate Caramel Walnut Tart
  2003 Gregory Graham “Red Hills” Syrah (Lake County)

The gazpacho was novel — Michael used gelatin filtration (as discussed in McGee’s column in the New York Times (registration required)) so the resulting liquid was intensely flavorful and crystal clear with a reddish tint. The home cured salmon was very tasty (though I only had a nibble).

I prefer seared foie gras to cold, but this preparation of the foie in a tourchon was quite nice (when isn’t foie gras nice?!) and very simple to serve, though I didn’t love the plating — I thought it looked a little crowded. Still, the plates were virtually licked clean when they came back, so the crowd must have been happy. The Viognier gelee was tasty and attractive.

The walleye was cooked very well (Keith has been cooking at the Palace for longer than he cares to admit, and he’s got a real master’s touch with fish and meats), and the lobster mushrooms were a very nice compliment to the flavor of the fish.

A personal favorite dish was the veal — it was beautifully prepared and cooked — very tender, and the sweetbread, corn, and apple ravioli were quite tasty.

The cheese in the cheese course — the Couronne Lochoise, a soft and creamy raw goat’s milk cheese from the Loire valley — was absolutely delicious, though before we portioned them, the individual cheeses looked like glazed yeast doughnuts! We cut each “doughnut” (actually, the word “Couronne” means “crown”) into four wedge-shaped pieces, which was a generous cheese course. The roasted beets & pistachios were wonderful together (very earthy) and complimented the cheese very well. This was one of my favorite elements of the meal.

After the cheese course came Kathy’s delicious Chocolate Caramel Walnut Tart, a beauty for the eyes and a delight on the tongue. Even though I am not a “chocolate person”, I certainly appreciated the rich flavors of this dessert. We served it with a squiggle of Syrah reduction to decorate the plate.

Service of the meal went very quickly and smoothly — Gina, Jody, Tarrick, and others made light work of the plating and service. The menu was well planned and well prepped, so there was very little that needed to be done a la minute. Once service was done, we were taken out into the restaurant and presented to the appreciative crowd.

It was nice to recognize many faces from my previous GOURMET SENSATION experience — good to see Juho and othersm and it was nice to connect with new faces like Nancy & Steve from Baltimore! A few drinks were poured, a lot of conversation, and then I went home and sacked out! I heard reports that lots of the guest chefs went out and painted the town red — some reported getting back to their hotel rooms at 4:30am!

The next evening, Wendy & I attended the GOURMET SENSATION and were very impressed with the dishes prepared by the chefs. While every dish was tasty (and we tried them all), standouts included the bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with bleu cheese, the venison burgers, the sticky toffee pudding, the short ribs, the soft-shell crab, and the fish-in-coconut-milk-broth. A nice upgrade this year was the keepsake wine glass and plastic plate (with wine glass holder). It made juggling food, forks, and wine much easier than before.

Wendy & I were invited to go out with the chefs after GOURMET SENSATION and we intended to… We really did! We went home for a bit of downtime between the event and the partying, and never managed to get back up again to go out. So we missed a good time with the chefs, but I’ve made a promise to myself that next year we will make it!

On Friday, July 13, 2007, I dined at Victoria & Albert’s in Disney’s Grand Floridian Hotel in Orlando Florida.

Victoria & Albert’s is an elite, intimate and elegant eatery recognized by the nation’s top food critics. This very-special-occasion romantic Victorian retreat offers nightly harpists, lavish décor, personalized menus and a long-stem rose for each lady. An exceptional prix fixe menu paired with world-class wines is prepared daily. Luxury ingredients and sheer artistry make any meal here a memory to cherish.

After nearly an hour’s worth of travel via Disney cartage (trams, buses, and monorails (oh my!)) in sweltering heat and humidity from my resort, I arrived at the stunningly-beautiful Grand Floridian Hotel about 15 minutes before my reservation, so I refreshed myself in the beautiful, cool, and comfortable lobby and let the worries of my journey ease before heading up to the second floor and the discreet entrance of the restaurant.

Upon entering the restaurant, all outside noises ceased and there was a dramatic decrease in the lighting level (don’t be fooled by the picture above or those on the website — it is dimly lit). After waiting for a brief moment in the lobby, I was greeted by one of the hosts. “Good evening, Mr. Vogel,” he said, without consulting the reservation book. Color me impressed, though in analysis, the arrival of a solo male diner at the appointed hour makes it fairly easy to guess my name as the solo male diner who was scheduled to arrive. Still, it is impressive. I was shown immediately to my table near the center of the large comfortable main dining room, close to the floral arrangement in the picture above.

I was greeted by Allen, my server for the evening who inquired if I would be enjoying the wine pairings tonight, and I said I would. He returned moments later with a glass of Heidsieck Monopole “Blue Top” Brut Champagne NV, which was light and delicious. The amuse included a special element — a taste of Chef’s house-smoked Buffalo Tenderloin, Braised Fennel, Radishes, and Blood Orange Vinaigrette, and it was outstanding — very tender with a perfect smoky flavor that wasn’t overpowering.

After discussing the menu with Allen (who was very knowledgable), I decided on the following dishes and pairings.

Prosciutto Wrapped Gulf Shrimp with Melon Coulis and Argula was a forgettable dish, not really rising above the watery flavor of the shrimp. The prosciutto didn’t contribute anything except chewy-ness. The wine and pairing, King Estate Pinot Gris, Oregon, 2005, were good.

Pondichery Peppered Quail with a Four Grain Pancake, Georgia Peaches, and Corn was an unexpected gift from the kitchen, and I thought it quite tasty. A bite containing a bit of each of the components demonstrated balanced flavors and textures. The wine, Dr. Zenzen Valwiger Herrenberg Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2001, was outstanding as was the pairing.

Pan Roasted Foie Gras and Fuji Apple Tart with Mostarda di Cremona ($15 upcharge) — this presentation won the award for “most confusing plate of the evening” — the plate on which the food was presented looked like upturned wings (if you imagine a manta ray in mid-flap, with wings fully extended up, this resembles what the dish looked like — the food was placed on the ray’s back). The plate was set down with one of the upturned “wings” nearest me (the manta ray would be travelling perpendicular to me) and I turned it 90 degrees but quickly realized that the original placement was the best (in fact, only) way to get to the food. I had an “aha!” moment when I realized that the “wing” provided a bib to keep the delicious foie gras from hitting the front of your clothing when it fell off your fork, and I decided that I liked the plate. This was a very nice presentation of foie gras, and I especially enjoyed the larger chunks of Fuji Apples in the tart. It went beautifully with the paired wine, a Royal Tokaji Azsu 5 Puttonyos, Mad Tokaj-Hegyalja 2000.

Seared Wild Turbot with Toasted Capers and Meyer Lemon ($25 upcharge) — I was of two minds about this dish. The wild turbot was very subtle (and, though prepared well, tasted just okay), but the Meyer Lemon buerre blanc was wonderful, and the toasted capers added another layer of flavor. Still, in the final evaluation, I don’t believe it was worth the significant upcharge. Graff Family Vineyards Pinto Blanc, Monterey 2004

Herb Crusted Lamb with Heirloom Tomatoes and Vegetable Ratatouille Ravioli — This was a very nice dish — the lamb cooked a perfect medium-rare, with tiny roasted heirloom tomatoes with a garlic carmel (delicious!) were placed around. The Ratatouille Ravioli was good, and I reflected that we’re seeing a lot more ratatouille in fine dining, no doubt owing to the success of Ratatouille! It went very nicely with the Cesari “Mara” Vino di Ripasso Valpolicella 2004.

Comte Saint Antoine, Fourme D’Ambert, and Pierre-Robert — a nice cheese course, though I am used to (and was therefore expecting) more than 3 cheeses on a cheese plate. However, the Pierre-Robert cheese (a lovely, runny, triple cream) was outstanding — a real highlight. Cockburn’s 10 Year Old Tawny Porto

Caramelized Banana Gateau — the most ‘architectural’ dish of the evening, it was presented as a large tower with banana and cream inside, surrounded and held together by the “gateau” (more of a large touille). The flavors were just okay… The Michele Chiarlo “Nivole” Moscato D’Asti, Piedmont 2005 was very nice.

I sat back for a moment, finished my wines, settled up, and went to the kitchen to greet Chef Scott Hunnel, who was very warm and engaging. As it turns out, he knew of Jean-Robert de Cavel because Chef Hunnel had recently been invited to GOURMET SENSATION, an annual foodie fund-raising event, so we talked about that a little bit. As I was leaving, Allen gave the personalized menu to me, thanked me for joining them this evening, and I was on my way back to my resort via Disney transportation (trams, buses, and monorails (oh my!))…

Once I got back to my resort, I checked my voicemail to learn that two of my students (who were attending the same conference I was) were in the nearby bar, so I joined them for a nightcap. Fortunately, they were tired from their day of travel, so after a quick drink we called it a night.

On Wednesday, July 11^th, 2007 Wendy & I were joined by Karin Bergquist and Linford Detweiler of the Cincinnati-based band Over The Rhine for a landmark dinner at Jean-Robert at Pigall’s. Karin & Linford have not dined at the restaurant before, and are rather new to fine dining in general. Jean-Robert is a fan of their music, so he pulled out all the stops for us.

We arrived at the restaurant for our 7:00 reservation, were warmly welcomed by Richard Brown, maitre’d, and enjoyed Pigall’s Martinis in the cozy bar area before heading to our table, a four-top in a corner near the front of the restaurant.

Before settling in, we all went back to the kitchen to say hi to Chef and staff. Wendy, Karin, and Linford hung out and talked with Chef while I went and said hello to the kitchen staff — my co-workers when I am there (welcome back, Luke — I hope California was fun!).

Karin & Linford presented Chef with a collection of their CDs in Karin’s “pre-iPod” music storage case — a lovingly-used case in which she used to store her CDs, headphones, and personal CD player (before iPods came along) when they were on the road. They added an Over The Rhine t-shirt and stickers. Chef was incredibly pleased with the gift, and was rendered speechless (a rare feat!).

We went back to the table, and the incredible feast began under the watchful eye of Angie, our server, with outstanding paired wines from sommelier Jason Price.

Our amuse bouche was a Salutation Cove Oyster with Tomato and Basil finished tableside with tomato nage and paired with Andre Tissot “Pigall’s Label” Cremant du Jura, N/V. The richness of the oyster and the acidity of the heirloom tomatoes were nicely countered by the sparkling wine.

Next, we enjoyed a lovely Tuna Tartare with Summer Slaw, Avocado, and Hibiscus Sorbet. The summer slaw had fennel in it, which is one of Karin’s favorite flavors. The pairing with the Alain Normand Macon La Roche Vineuse, 2005 was gentle and lovely. The hibiscus sorbet was light and elusive, sweet and bright.

A wholly gorgeous dish, Lobster with Cucumber, Trio of Melon and Quail Egg followed. The beautiful little melon balls added bright colors and sweet flavors to the perfectly prepared and thinly sliced lobster and cucumber. During this course, we encountered one of our favorite wines of the evening, the Robert Weil Keidrich Graffenberg Reisling Spatlese, Rheingau 2003. Oh, did we love this wine!

During our meal, Karin & Linford kindly played the role of our students as we jokingly ‘tutored’ them on the ins-and-outs of fine dining, including when to go to the restroom (”Ask your server first”), how to walk to the restroom without wobbling once you’ve been extensively served (”Walk fast and with conviction”), how to kiss the Chef (”Aim for his right cheek first!”), and more (”Drop your fork? Leave it!”).

Piling delight upon delight, the next course was Zucchini Blossom with Pea Puree and Summer Truffle. I have stuffed tons of these fragile zucchini blossoms, so I doubly appreciate them for their delicate flavor. These were stuffed with delicious peas. Each dish was topped with two perfect (giant!) slices of gentle summer truffle, and finished with a hot truffle juice poured tableside. As generally happens when truffles appear at a table, all four of us leaned over the dishes, heads down, inhaling the wonderful aroma. Wendy & Karin are considering developing and selling truffle perfume. Our pairing for this course was a refreshing Joseph Viollot Bourgogne Vieilles Vignes, 2004

Somewhere near this point, Linford said, “I think we’ve found our new favorite restaurant”.

One of our favorites is always the foie gras course. Chef knows this well about us, and did not disappoint with Seared Foie Gras with White Peach, White Grits, Arugula and Bleu Cheese. The generous serving of foie gras was seasoned and seared beautifully, topping a tower based with white grits, and white peach, surrounded by a brick dough ring. An amazing combination. Perfectly counterpointing the dish was the Robert Weil Keidrich Graffenberg Reisling Spatlese, Rheingau 2003

We had an energetic and enlightening conversation about the responsibility — real or perceived — of artists (like Bono and others) to use their fame/access to further their causes.

Following was Scallop with Chanterelle, Corn, Creamy Leeks, and Bordelaise — perfectly cooked scallops with a sort of puree of corn around creamy leeks, topped with a couple large pieces of Chanterelles. The pairing, actually a double-pairing, with Chateau Cotes de Lacoste Cotes du Castillon, 1998 and Verget Arbois “En Chante Merle”, 2004 were both very good.

Our next course was Poussin with Morels, French Wild Asparagus and Consomme paired with Verget Arbois “En Chante Merle”, 2004 (though Jason had originally intended to pair it with Domaine de Barroubio Muscat Sec, Langeudoc-Rousillon, 2005 until Chef added the Wild Asparagus. Jason gave us tastes of both wines for comparison.). The tiny birds (generally weighing approximately 1 pound each) were delicate and delicious, and the morels and asparagus made this a very fresh seasonal dish. The tiny poussin leg garnish made us appreciate just how tiny the birds are.

A brilliant Lamb Shank Ravioli with Sugar Snap Peas and Pommery Mustard was presented next. The lamb shank was delicious and incredibly balanced with the green crunch of the sugar snap peas and the warmth of the mustard cream. Lake Chalice Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2005.

King Salmon with Ratatouille and Balsamic Reduction — a generous square of King Salmon graced half the rectangular plate and a roll of ratatouille counterbalanced it on the other half. The balsamic reduction tied both halves together in a seamless fashion. The flavors of the ratatouille were distinct and bright, and the knife work on the vegetables was tight and clean. Paired with the Lake Chalice Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2005, this was a very nice fish course.

One of the stand-out courses for the evening was the Porcelet, Potato Galette stuffed with Goat Cheese, Duo of Haricot Verts, and Rosemary Jus. The porcelet (very young pig) was simply the most tender pork I have ever had, and it was seasoned and prepared to perfection. The potato galette stuffed with goat cheese was a delightful contrast in textures — the crispy potato yielding to the smooth, soft goat cheese… This was a dish I’d never seen at the restaurant before, and it shows that with great ingredients and great skill, amazing things happen. It should go without saying that the Les Closiers Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 2004 was both an exceptional wine and pairing.

Owing to previous experiences at Jean-Robert at Pigall’s, Wendy & I have come to love cheese courses, so we were delighted when an Assortment of Imported and Domestic Cheeses appeared, with instructions to enjoy them from mildest to strongest along with the Domaine de Rancy Rivesaltes Ambre, 1990.

Chef came out to say hi to Karin and Linford and spent a few minutes chatting with them about their meal. They indicated that they’ve eaten all over the world and had not encountered food as good as this, and declared that Chef is a treasure to the city of Cincinnati.

I went back to say hi to the kitchen staff to find that most of them had left for the evening (since we closed the place, this wasn’t a huge surprise). Only pastry chef Karen was in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on our desserts when I walked in. Karen yelled at me (in a friendly way) to “Get out of here! Go back to your table so I can serve these!”. So I went back out to enjoy our Variation of Sweets with La Spinetta Moscato d’Asti.

As dessert was ending, Chef came back looking a little shy. He approached the table, complimenting Karin & Linford on their great music, and then asked if they would sign the case that they’d given him. Of course, they were thrilled to comply. I happened to notice that the Sharpie he had for them to use is the one used in the kitchen for marking orders as they move through the stations — interesting the things one notices.

Finally, Chef heard directly from Karin & Linford what I’d been conveying to him to a long time: They want him to attend one of their shows! Chef works incredible hours and is devoted to his family and restaurant, but I hope that sometime, he’ll be able to enjoy a live show from Over The Rhine.

On Saturday, June 23, 2007, Wendy & I dined at Jean-Robert at Pigall’s. It had been a while since we’d eaten there (once in February with the HAPPY MOUTH SUPPER CLUB; before that, the last time Wendy & I dined there alone was September 2006), so we were very excited to get back. We arrived just in time for our 8:00 reservation and were immediately shown to a private booth near the center of the restaurant by Richard Brown. “This is a very romantic booth; very private,” we were told as we sat down.

Soon, Renee (the sommelier for the evening since Jason was away at “Pinot Camp”) came back with two glasses of bubbling Andre’ et Mireille Tissot ”Pigall’s Label” Cremant du Jura, N/V, a nice welcome from the Chef. Angie (our new server since Tammy left) told us that Chef wanted to select our meal that night. We agreed that it was a fabulous idea (always accept this if you’re offered!) and settled in for an epic meal.

Salutation Cove Oyster with Fresh Horseradish and Carrot Broth. The sparkling wine was a great foil for the rich, fatty, briney flavor of the oyster. There was a perfect balance of fresh horseradish to get your mouth awake and watering, ready for the courses to come.

The next course was Warm Indiana Goat Cheese in a Golden Crust with Scallions, French Green Beans, Almonds, and Black Currants served with Baumard Savennieres Chenin Blanc, 2002.

Next up was Rabbit Loin Confit with Basil, Cauliflower, Cherry, Endive, Avocado, and Pinenuts served with Baumard Savennieres Chenin Blanc, 2002. A few small slices of rabbit roulade surrounded a small mound of confit in the center of the plate, enclosed in three small pieces of endive. The contrasting flavors of all the items in the dish melded together beautifully, highlighting the flavor of the rabbit.

Tuna Tartar and Smoked Salmon, Quail Egg, Purple Potatoes, Arugula, and Onion Compote served with Marsannay Rose, 2004. This was a favorite of the evening. Jean-Robert at Pigall’s does seafood courses extremely well. They are usually among our favorite courses of the evening, and this was no exception. The tower was topped with a warm, over-easy quail egg. Once you pierced the egg’s yolk, it oozed down over the rest making a delicious sauce.

Jonah Crab with Beet and Avocado, Fennel Sorbet, and Kentucky Caviar served with Huber Gruner Veltliner, 2005. Another standout course. Wendy particularly likes the cold sorbet topping the tower, so the experience of eating this dish involves not just texture and flavor but also temperature. The Kentucky caviar (from paddlefish) was briny and firm, popping in your mouth with just a bit of pressure from your tongue.

Local Zucchini Flower Stuffed with Spinach, Mushroom, Olives, Goat Cheese, and Served with a Lobster Cream Sauce served with Alain Norman Macon La Roche Vineuse, 2005 and Lancatay Malbec, 2004. Renee thought we’d like to try an alternate pairing — a red pairing — with this dish, and it turned out to be a favorite. The lobster cream sauce was amazing — it had us clammoring for bread so we could sopp up every delicious drop!

Seared Foie Gras with Rhubarb, Glazed Onion, and Turnip Tart served with Duval Leroy Demi-Sec, “Lady Rose”, N/V. We adore foie gras, and this was an exceptional preparation. The rhubarb was a perfect foil to the fatty richness of the foie gras.

Lemon Butter Puffer Fish with Fennel, Wild Asparagus, and Morels served with Domaine Viollot Bourgogne Vielles Vignes, 2004. We were delighted to see puffer fish (no relation to fugu — which is a poisonous puffer fish) on the next plate. It was whole and pan-fried, deliciously crispy and very mild in flavor. There’s not a lot of meat on a puffer fish, but the wild asparagus, fennel, and (especially) morels more than completed the plate. We love dining at Pigall’s during morel season!

Braised Walleye, Truffle Nage, Fiddlehead Fern and Peas, Piopini Musrooms, and Pinot Noir Risotto served with Lake Chalice Pinot Noir, 2005. The walleye was attactively presented, skin side up. I love fiddlehead ferns — they’re fun to say and fun to eat. The fresh peas were very sweet, and the risotto was appropriately wine-y without being overpowering. No one does seafood & fish better than Pigall’s.

Lamb Loin with Tarragon Sauce, Blue Cheese Stuffed Potatoes, and Fondue of Ramps, Duxelles of Wild Mushrooms served with Les Closiers Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 2004. When this dish was served, Angie ‘quizzed’ me about the components, and I did well except for identifying the ramps. The lamb was perfectly medium-rare, and the wild mushrooms added a beautiful earthy-ness to the dish.

Assortment of Domestic & Imported Cheeses served with Rivetti Moscato d’Asti N/V. Renee knows we love Moscato d’Asti so laid some in for our meal tonight. It was perfect with the selection of cheeses!

Variation of Sweets, cookies, and truffles. And a nice gift from Karen to enjoy the next morning! Wendy managed to find room for some coffee; I just sipped my Moscato d’Asti.

An amazing — absolutely amazing — night at Jean-Robert at Pigall’s!

On Saturday, June 16, 2007, I worked in the kitchens of Jean-Robert at Pigall’s. It was a good evening to work — the Chef de Cuisine and one of the line cooks were both out. Adequate plans for coverage were made, though — the sous chef from one of Jean-Robert’s other restaurants worked the “middle” (between fish and meat), I was there, and there were two high school-aged girls volunteering as well. It’s rare to see volunteers there because the kitchen is so small, but the girls stayed mostly out of the way.

Before service, I assisted with general prep. When Chef arrived, he pulled me downstairs to assist him (it was fun for me in a weird way to re-assign my mise en place to the high-school girls) with butchery & fish mongering. I worked my way (slowly, Chef would tell you!) through several skate wings and beef tenderloins. I enjoy butchery and fish mongering and have some skill at it (though I am a little bit slow, Chef would probably point out again, poking me in the ribs with his finger), and it was nice to give these skills a workout — not something I get to do often. An added perk was that Chef worked with me for much of the butchery. We had a good conversation while we worked, a rare luxury in such a busy kitchen.

After cleaning up from the butchery, I moved upstairs and shadowed Abby on Hot Appetizers for service. I helped with the soup and ravioli dishes, and helped Abby wherever I could. I didn’t start out the evening very helpfully — the first thing I did was drop a sizzle plate loudly to the floor (”it’s going to be that kind of night,” I thought). I messed up a couple other things that put Abby in the weeds, but she was cool and collected through the first turn. Or perhaps she was just relishing the quiet because she over-celebrated her 25th birthday the night before… I got my shit together for the second turn and feel like I contributed. Since morel mushrooms are in season, we sold a bunch of them — more than 20 orders, I think.

At one point during service, we ran out of prepared skate so Chef pulled me from Hot Apps and sent me downstairs to fabricate a few more. I busted them out, brought them up to Chef, and cleaned up. After service, Chef said that he was impressed that I jumped out, did what was necessary, and jumped back in.

After service, Chef asked if I wanted a soft-shell crab, which is currently on our menu. I said sure (it is bad form to say no when a chef offers you food!). The fish guy (Rob) told me that he’d cook it but I had to prep the crab. So, I followed the instructions Abby told me: “Step 1: Cut off the face with these scissors. Step 2: Lift up the skirt and cut out the gills. Step 3: Pull the tab (near the crab’s butt) and cut it off”. Abby has a hard time getting past the “cut off the face” part, but that doesn’t give me a problem. In culinary school, I went around behind the chef-instructor’s back and dispatched the lobsters of squeemish classmates. On Valentine’s Day (we call it amateur night) at the restaurant, I had to prep, dispatch, and par-cook 75 lobsters. The prep involved inserting a “booty stick” in the lobster’s, well…, booty (to keep the tail from curling when cooked) before dropping it in boiling water. After a few minutes, they were shocked in icy water and I broke down the bodies and cut their faces off for garnish.

Rob pan-fried the crab and served it with sauteed vegetables including fennel & fingerling potatoes and a caper buerre noir over top. It was delicious! I noticed that any time I’d turn my back on the plate, bits of the crab would disappear as my co-workers snuck samples. Fine with me.

After service was over, I helped everyone break down their stations and prepare to shut down the restaurant for their “weekend” — no service on Sunday or Monday. I was ready to go out for drinks, but owing to the over-celebration the night before, no one wanted to indulge, so I headed home, tired but happy to have helped out.

Upon reflection on the night, I feel like I passed a threshold in the restaurant with my participation during prep and service. I am not currently able to articulate what threshold it was exactly, but it feels like something very positive. I really enjoy working at Jean-Robert at Pigall’s.