Culinary Alchemy in Scottsdale

May 3

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The Stetson Salad

The Stetson Salad

There are many elements that might make a dish extraordinary.  It might contain hard to find ingredients or ingredients of spectacular quality. It might be prepared with techniques that require serious skills or significant attention. Often it is the recipe that is the key, suggesting a mix of ingredients that by themselves are fairly ordinary, but when mixed together create a fabulous symphony of flavors and textures.

One dish that particularly exemplifies this is the Stetson Salad at Cowboy Ciao in Scottsdale Arizona. It has been described by reviewers as “life changing”. While that might be a bit dramatic, the salad is wonderful. This almost pedestrian list of ingredients (below) is presented to you deconstructed in beautiful ribbons of color like a Rothko. When tossed they are brought together with a creamy, fresh-tasting Basil Buttermilk dressing. With the first bite you realize that everybody has a role, a role in flavor, texture and color. Bitter,sweet, salty. Rich, crunchy, creamy. Yellow, red, white, green. Each bite is savored in a joyous analysis and adjectives flood the mind (ok, maybe it’s so good you have to be dramatic). You at once taste the individual elements but also the medley. The surprising star to me is the smoked salmon. Its rich texture and smoky flavor add an unexpected yet perfectly paired element.

This is one of the things I love and appreciate about cooking. The creative cook as the Conductor: choosing his players, assigning the roles, creating the balance and directing the presentation.  Simply a salad? Yes, but also an example of the delicious results the daring culinary alchemist can achieve.

Israeli couscous • Arugula • Roma tomatoes • Smoked salmon • Asiago cheese • Toasted Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) • Black currants • Dried corn

 

 

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A Perfect Habitat For Social Creatures

Apr 19

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Clarkes 1940

PJ Clarke’s in the 40s. Same exact bar and crowd tonight

I have a reputation as someone who likes to drink. This is completely untrue. I don’t like to drink, I like to have drinks. There is a vast difference between the two. Drinking is the act of ingesting fluids, having drinks is an ocean of elements. It is a cultural, historical, epicurean and communal activity. The ritual is practiced in many different ways across the globe by the old and the young, the rich and the poor, fashionable and provincial. People have been doing it for thousands of years in big cities and little towns. For me the most important part is the vibe emanating from having drinks. When done right it is an extremely social activity, providing common ground, lowered inhibitions and a mutual appreciation for the present.  I am not a believer in televisions, darts, pool, or other distractions. I am there to interact. Interact with the bartender, the people near me, the people with me, the space around me, and of course, the libations offered.  From the fanciest hotel bar to the sleaziest dive, Cognac to PBR in a can, lovers and strangers, the possibilities are endless.

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Boar and Burrata in Marina Del Rey

Nov 3

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I had an exceptional meal the other day. Actually it seems like I have a lot of exceptional meals so by definition they shouldn’t be
exceptional…but they are.

It was at a charming little restaurant in Marina Del Rey on probably the most horrific stretch of road in Los Angeles, and from what I have seen there is plenty of competition for that title. Once inside however the place was small and warm, like a comforting family owned restaurant in a Tuscan village. After a very warm welcome from the owner, a seat at a corner table and a glass of Barolo I was very happy to spot two menu selections that featured ingredients that are unusual to find.

The first was a salad featuring Burrata and Heirloom tomatoes. Burrata is a cheese originally from Puglia in Southern Italy and is always served very fresh. It looks like a luscious pillow where the outer layer is moist, fresh mozzarella and the inside is a mixture of mozzarella and fresh cream. When made correctly it is so creamy and delicious, no wonder Burrata means “buttery”. When I cut into it the cream flowed out and mixed with the tomatoes and golden olive oil creating the most delicious essence. Combined with the softness of the cheese and gentle crunch of the gorgeous heirlooms it was extraordinary.

The other item was Wild Boar in a Brunello reduction. With more flavor than traditional pork but not quite “gamey”, boar is full of character and complex pork flavor. An ugly beast for sure, but what a wonderful culinary gift (not to mention the shaving brushes). The Brunello reduction added a deep, rich color and flavor. It was beautifully presented with root vegetables and was just fabulous.

The restaurant’s name is Locanda Positano and is very close to LAX. Take a redeye and enjoy.

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London’s Burning But The Steaks Are Just Seared

Aug 10

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MrPorter.com is a fantastic website featuring men’s uber-luxury items (for you ladies see Net-A-Porter.com). This is certainly not a discount site, the items are fabulous and full price. It also offers some wonderful articles on style, fashion, food and drink. The perspective is decidedly British and the writing is Monty Python meets James Bond. Follow the link for an entertaining little tidbit on beef philosophy and a tutorial on how to properly cook a steak. I use this method myself but use a cast iron skillet and finish the steak with black truffle butter.

After viewing the four slides on cooking a steak follow the link on the first page to the Hawksmoor site. The Hawksmoor is a high-end steakhouse in London. Check out the site and then immediately book first class reservations on BA and a suite at the Connaught, then click on the cow on the left side of the site for a nice tutorial on cuts of steak and proper preparation.

how to cook a steak | the knack | The Journal | MR PORTER.

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Old King Cole is a merry old soul because he lives in a great bar

Jul 22

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Lobby at the St. Regis restored to original

I recently had the great pleasure of staying at the St.Regis Hotel in New York.  What an experience! The Beaux Arts beauty of the hotel was only rivaled by the over-the-top service provided by the staff, particularly our Butler clad in Morning Dress. I felt like I was taken back in time to the aristocratic age of Carnegie, Vanderbilt and Rockefeller.

The St. Regis opened in 1904 and was the creation of Col. John Jacob Astor IV (who went down with the Titanic).  The Colonel’s vision was to create  “a hotel where gentlemen and their families could feel as comfortable as they would as guests in a private home.”

In 1906,  Astor commissioned the painter Maxfield Parrish to paint a mural for his Knickerbocker Hotel on 42nd street.  The Mural, entitled “Old King Cole,” was installed in the Knickerbocker, but the hotel closed shortly thereafter.  The Mural bounced around the city before being installed at the St. Regis in 1932.  In 1948, the King Cole Bar opened with the Mural as the centerpiece.  Under the watchful eye of Old King Cole, people like Salvatore Dali, Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio, John Lennon and, least notably me, enjoyed classic cocktails.

The King Cole Bar

Sitting at the beautiful wooden bar (always sit at the bar where you can’t see the sneaker wearing tourons), staring at the Mural, enjoying a drink is a wonderful experience.  The bartenders offer understated exceptional service and the drinks are expertly prepared. The people I meet there are always worldly, interesting and appreciative of the classic surroundings.  On this recent visit,  a financier from Singapore and an 80 year old Park Avenue attorney who was a regular, they were perfect characters for this setting.

The drinks are expensive, but to spend an hour in another age, appreciating the mural in the same way countless others have before me, is completely worth it.

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Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty | The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Jul 10

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I was blown away by the Alexander McQueen “Savage Beauty” exhibit at the Met. His collections are incredibly creative and diverse and reflect an unbeliveable range of materials. His very inspirational philosophies on history, politics and life and death are all reflected in the work with depth and passion. What really affected me was the runway shows. They are more like performance art as the link will show you. Equally as impressive was the exhibition itself and the fantastic way the collections are staged.

Video | Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty | The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

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Italian Hams and Dutch Machinery – The Case for Intelligent Design?

May 28

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Berkel Slicer Circa 1930

I was in Chicago last week and was having cocktails at Oseteria via Stato on a beautiful night.  Behind the bar near a wood burning pizza oven, I spotted a vintage Berkel.  For those not familiar with the Berkel, it is truly a functional work of art, very good at doing one thing: slicing meat very thinly.  In the late 1800’s, a Dutchman named Welhelmus Adrianus Van Berkel worked as a butcher outside of Rotterdam.  The guy was also very interested in engineering. Needing something to do in his garage at night, he set out to invent an automated meat slicer, and he was not willing to sacrifice quality for efficiency.  After much trial and error, he created two innovations: a convex blade that simulated hand slicing and a moveable tray that precisely fed the meat to the blade.  In the process, he created a beautiful machine.

San Daniele

I got to thinking about how cool it is that this machine from 19th century Holland made it possible to improve on an Italian work of art that dates back to before Christ.  That work of art is prosciutto (dry cured ham).  True prosciutto uses thighs of very specific pork varieties. They are salted and left to age in the open air for 8 months.  This is when the magic happens.  The climate and natural surroundings help give the meat distinct character. For my favorite from San Daniele, the Adriatic Sea air filled with ocean fragrances blows up the Tagliamento river and mixes with the cold mountain air off the Dolomites.  This creates a fairly dry climate with gentle winds which are ideal for aging meat. The meat is rich and luscious and has a certain sweetness as compared with hams from Parma.  The heat from your mouth melts the fat and the flavor is awesome.

A gift from San Daniele


So where am I going with this?  These ancient hams are absolutely best sliced paper-thin.  There’s another challenge… the fat runs in strips and too much friction in slicing can cause it to melt.  Enter the Berkel.  The precise adjustment of the table allows for mega-thin slices and the convex blade reduces friction because the only part of the blade touching the meat is the edge.  Coincidence, or was the Berkel crafted by divine decree to caress the beauty out of the Prosciutto?  Either way, these two artisan products seem destined  for each other, and the epicurean world reaps the rewards of the marriage.

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The Negroni Cocktail -An Italian Classic

I chose the Negroni Cocktail for my first post because it embodies so many of the qualities I hope to write about. It contains very old and unique ingredients,  a very distinctive acquired taste,  a colorful history and  a great story.

Statues freeze time in the Piazza Navona


One chilly evening in Rome almost 4 years ago I was strolling through the Piazza Navona with my wife. Being in the Piazza at night always makes me feel like I have been taken back to ancient Rome. The way the  fountains and surrounding buildings are lit is somehow transformative, you can feel the history. So with that mindset I set out looking for a drink before dinner. On a narrow winding street we spotted a warm inviting place, dimly lit with an almost gold tone hue. Wanting to say something in Italian I confidently said “Negroni per favore”. The bartender delivered a tall glass filled with ice and a red liquid. The first sip was a huge surprise, the red color made me expect something sweet.  It was bitter, very bitter, but after the initial shock I was amazed at the depth of flavor and the texture. The first word that came to mind was “luxurious”.  This drink became one of my favorites and every time I taste that unique flavor I am back in Rome.

The main ingredients of the Negroni are Gin and Campari. Not favorites among casual drinkers. Campari was invented by Gaspare Campari in Novara, Italy around 1860. It reportedly contains 60+ ingredients including fruit peels, herbs, spices and barks infused with alcohol and water. What fun he must have had doing R&D  to come up with the final recipe!


Fast forward to Florence in  postwar Italy. There’s a dude named Count Pascal Olivier de Negroni. Well the Count liked to frequent the bars and certainly liked to drink. He spent some time in America as a cowboy/gambler and was no lightweight.  At the time the Americano was the popular cocktail in Italy containing Campari mixed with vermouth and soda.  Soda? The Count needed something stronger. Having spent time in England he had some experience with Gin so he replaced the soda with Gin. Well the Florentines went wild (relatively speaking) and started ordering the Americano the “Negroni “way. A classic was born.

Preparation:

  • 1 1/2 ounces sweet vermouth
  • 1 1/2 ounces Campari
  • 1 1/2 ounces gin
  • 2 or 3 ice cubes
  • Twist lemon peel

Put all ingredients except lemon peel in an Old-fashioned glass and stir. Garnish with peel.

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