Rant: New Year's Resolutions Are Selfish!

From Thanksgiving through the end of December, the holidays emphasize togetherness, spending time with friends and family. We sit down at the table, savoring food and drink, with our loved ones. We are in a charitable mood, giving to help the less fortunate. We look outward from ourselves, caring more about the others in our lives. This is one of my favorite aspects of the holidays, and it is an aspect which should be extended through the entire year. It is not something that should be limited to the holiday season.

Yet as soon as New Year's Day arrives, many people forget all of that. That sense of togetherness gets discarded. People start looking inward, starting with their New Year's Resolution. Those resolutions are usually individual changes, which only affect that person. They are often selfish desires and concerns for family, friends and others are pushed to the wayside. That cheery holiday spirit from November and December vanishes, to be replaced with a gloomier look at individual faults.

So why do we start the New Year thinking only about ourselves? That is not a proper pathway to maintain the community spirit we held the previous month. It does not promote a charitable spirit. We should be resolving to maintaining the feelings we cherished in December. We should resolve to maintain that same feeling of togetherness we recently held. There is no reason for selfishness.

There is certainly nothing wrong with trying to better ourselves but do we really need to make it a special resolution? Especially as it seems such resolutions often do not last more than a couple months anyways. Instead, don't start the New Year thinking about yourself. Start it by thinking about others, and then you can also worry about your own imperfections. Continue to act as you did in November and December, and don't change just because January begins.

Rather than worrying about a new diet, share a meal with friends and family. In the end, your family and friends are worth far more than a few extra pounds. If you are going to diet though, then do so with someone else. A joint effort has been shown to be more successful than an individual effort. In fact, almost any individual resolution will be far more successful if you are doing it with someone else.

I will work on my own faults and flaws in 2010, but primary in my mind will be maintaining that spirit of togetherness from the holidays. I won't make any individual resolutions as I see no need. I will share my food and wine with friends and family, and give to those in need. I will try not to be selfish.

Saké in Vancouver

Almost two years ago, I posted about the first Saké brewery in Vancouver. In 2007, Masa Shiroki opened a brewery on Granville Island in Vancouver called Artisan Sakemaker.

There is a new article on Canada.com, written by Joanne Lee-Young of the Vancouver Sun, about Shiroki. He has begun to grow Saké rice rather than import it from Japan. Partially this was done to acquire a better tax rebate, which would significantly benefit his business bottom line. If his business were more profitable, he could also more readily afford to improve it. Shiroki has several different rice plots in British Columbia, looking to expand in the future. This would also help his brewery become more sustainable, always a good thing.

Shiroki currently produces six Sakés, including: Junmai Nama Genshu, Junmai Nama, Junmai Nama Nigori, Junmai Sparkling Saké, Junmai Ginjo Genshu, and Junmai Ginjo Nigori Genshu. He also produces Artisan Kasu. Kasu is the “lees” that remain after the pressing during the brewing process. In Japan, it is used to marinate fish and meat or to pickle vegetables. Shiroki also uses the Kasu to make his own Citrus Dressing and Hot Sauce.

I look forward to tasting his Saké one day.

Culinary Creativity: Chef Denise Baron

(Check out my Introduction to the Culinary Creativity series. I am continuing this series into 2010.)

Burtons Grill Executive Chef Denise Baron was backpacking through Panama in 2004 when she got a call from her older sister, Amy, who was getting married and wanted Denise to return home for the wedding. Baron agreed, a fortuitious turn of events, as at the wedding she met Kevin Harron, who was opening a new restaurant with vetera restaurateurs Kevin Rowell and Pat Gordon. Baron had been been the Executive Chef for Houston’s Restaurants plus earned a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales. Before the wedding day was over, Harron had offered Baron the chance to become the Executive Chef for his new restaurant.

Since then, Baron has created a menu that bridges flavor and presentation and emphasizes honest ingredients and simple cooking methods. The philosophy at Burtons Grill reflects Baron’s wholehearted embrace of using top quality ingredients, classic, fresh flavors and uncomplicated cooking techniques to create a memorable dining experience.

“When I create new menu items for the month, I think about the flavors and how they pair in the mouth and how the guests are going to feel after they’ve eaten them,” Baron relates. “I want people to remember their experience at Burtons Grill and keep coming back for it time after time.”

Now onto the interview--

How important is culinary creativity to you? Why is it important?
I think creativity is important but, creativity takes numerous forms. You can put a million edible flowers on a plate, but if the flavor profiles don’t work you’re not really being creative. Yes, you eat first with your eyes, then aromatics, but let’s not forget taste. To me, creativity is presenting the highest quality product available via my interpretation of the item based on my experiences and training. We as chefs need to keep in mind that people are primarily eating this food…so the flavors need to work well together. Moreover, we need to be conscious of what we put on our customers plate, not only by design but by content as well. This is my sense of creativity.

What are your most significant inspirations for your culinary creativity? What makes those matters so inspiring?
It’s a complicated question. When something is a hobby you have other distractions. But, when it is your job, I feel like it is always front-of-mind. I find inspiration everyday through the people I interact with (customers, other Chefs, Purveyors etc.) The places I’ve traveled, and every other sense I have. I can be walking through a fresh market and a smell can give birth to a dish; or I can simply think of trying a new flavor combination. I am always thinking of food and what my next creation will be.

Where do you get your ideas for new recipes/dishes?
Everywhere! I myself am not only a Chef, but a “foodie” – I love to eat. I love seeing what others are doing and researching new trends and techniques. I can never get my hands on enough cookbooks, food magazines etc. I also love researching online trends and “the why” they begin e.g. – Small Plates Communal Dining, Gluten Free etc. Every dish has a history, it came from a “need” , “desire” or “movement” spurred by something rooted in our culture. In my case, my ideas come from my travels, my peers, my desire to create and my innate need to see our customers smile!

What is your process of creating a new recipe or dish?
The first step is right outside your window, seasonality. When I create specials or menu changes they are usually a month in advance so I am always thinking ahead. I think about what is in season in my region and if there are gaps in our menu presentation. Should we have more hearty dishes, go lighter etc. Once I answer those questions then I brainstorm ideas. I speak with my vendors to see about availability, quality and pricing. If all that looks good then I go ahead and start developing a recipe. I am a self proclaimed perfectionist, so once I enter the kitchen to begin development it can be a lengthy process until I am satisfied. Next, I call in my tasting team and I present a food show of proposed specials. We look, eat and evaluate what I have made and decide if it can be better, easy to execute in a busy restaurant and how prep intense it is. If all those are a green light then I go to the store level and roll out the new recipes to my chefs and prep cooks in each location.

Do other members of your staff assist with creating ideas for new recipes/dishes?
Yes- I offer a $100 bonus to any person employed by our organization who creates a recipe that gets put on the menu! I can’t tell you how many of the bonuses I have racked up! (That was a Joke I am exempt). Seriously, in our organization we believe that people are more involved when they help to create something or take ownership and pride in what they do. We really advocate the flow of information both ways. I am always soliciting ideas from others.

How do you test new recipes/dishes?
I will pick a store and make a recipe batch and verbalize it. Once I show the new items to the wait staff I can get a good sense of if it is going to sell or not. If they don't like it or are not behind it then I need to figure out why and how I can make them believe in it. We also strive for 100% table visits especially when there is a new item on the table so we can get our guests feedback as well.

What is the most difficult part of culinary creativity?
Simply put, trying to please everyone as well as myself with the work I have done.

Do you ever experience “writer’s block,” an inability to be creative, and if so, how do you deal with it?
Yes- When that happens I look back at what I have already created and this may help create a new idea or spur a twist on a previous version of a recipe. If I am in a real slump then I take a mini food vacation. Yes, I go to Boston and New York City, but I also travel everywhere. Sometimes the biggest ideas come from the smallest corners of the world.

Relate an unusual or interesting anecdote about the creation of one of your dishes.
Last spring I planted some snap peas. As they were growing I snipped the tops from a few and ate them. My mouth lit up with the first taste of Spring. I thought that the pea tendrils would add a unique flavor for our first Spring salad. I started thinking about my other specials and at the time they were focusing around Cinco de Mayo, so I wanted the salad to be both bright and match the other flavor profiles on my menu. I chose to pair the pea tendrils with some baby spinach so there was a leafy green. I added mango for a sweet and almost “puckering” flavor, avocado for a creamy texture and to complement the mango. I decided to add more texture with both fried tortilla strips and toasted pepitas. The pepitas also added a different level of creaminess that only a nut or seed carries. I then added grape tomatoes for “pop” and acidity - tossed it all in a mustard vinaigrette which I felt would complement all the ingredients and tie together the sweet, tart and creaminess. In the tasting phase with my team, everyone loved it but, nobody could put their finger on the pea tendril taste. In turn, it became the most popular salad of the season in our restaurants. And all this from a simple Spring snip of a plant.

The Manga Cookbook: From Onigiri to Karaage

The typical American who saw the above book would assume it was only for children because of the cartoon figures on the cover. Many Americans still feel that comics are only for children though some graphic novels have acquired a degree of acceptance and respectability. That is not the case in Japan, where their comics, manga, are quite respectable and read by millions of adults.

Their manga cover a huge range of topics, including food and wine. Some of them have been translated into English, and others, their best ones, hopefully will be translated in the near future. I have previously raved about Oishinbo, a food manga, and The Drops of God, a wine manga which has yet to be translated into English. I have now read the above cookbook, done in a manga-style, and it certainly is not just for children.

The Manga Cookbook is presented by The Manga University Culinary Institute and illustrated by Chihiro Hattori (Japanime 2007, $14.95). It is a 160 page trade paperback featuring 27 recipes created by certified nutritionist Yoko Ishihara and the Manga University Culinary Institute. The actual content though is only 129 pages with the additional pages consisting of blank, lined pages for your own "Cook's Notes."

This cookbook was created for both novice and experienced cooks, the manga making it easy to understand for all. The recipes generally range from the easiest to the more difficult. A significant number of the recipes epitomize mitateru, a Japanese term which often refers to "food arranged to look like something else." Do you know those cleverly designed fruit/veggie "flowers" you see on your plate at Japanese restaurants? They are examples of mitateru.

The book does more though than just present recipes. It also starts with some introductory information on Using Chopsticks, Setting the Table, Before Cooking and About Ingredients (descriptions of common Japanese ingredients). Plus, after many of the recipes is additional information, often quite fascinating, about the dishes and ingredients. You will learn plenty of Japanese culinary terms as well as elements of Japanese culture. Overall, you get a nice introductory lesson about Japanese cuisine.

The recipes are broken down into several chapters including Appealing Appetizers, Obento Basics, The Main Course, and Welcome to Wagashi. Each recipe starts with a list of ingredients and then there are a series of manga illustrations and diagrams to show how to prepare the recipe. You will learn to prepare items including Onigiri (rice balls), Oshinko (pickles), Miso Soup, Tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet), Karaage (Japanese-style fried chicken), Teriyaki sauce, Okonomiyaki (Japanese-style pizza), and Anko Paste (sweet red bean paste). There are plenty of delicious and varied choices, many of the same items you will find at any Japanese restaurant.

I think the directions are very easy to understand and it should be simple for even novice cooks to make many of the recipes. The illustrations certainly are a benefit and the manga-format is fun. The most difficult thing might be finding some of the Japanese ingredients. Though most of the ingredients are fairly common, there are a few which might be tougher to find like adzuki beans and shiratamako.

But if you have a Japanese/Asian grocery store near you, the ingredients should be easy to find. I know that the Boston area has several such markets where the ingredients can be found. Plus, even many large supermarkets are now carrying some Japanese ingredients.

My biggest complaint about this book is that it is not long enough. The 25+ blank pages for notes seem unnecessary and I would have preferred to see more recipes. Though the recipes cover plenty of ground, there are plenty more recipes they could have added. But the recipes in this book will still keep you busy for many weeks.

Don't be fooled by the cover and think this book is for children only. For any cook seeking to learn the basics of Japanese cuisine, this should be an easy and fun introduction. I give it my recommendation and look forward to creating some of the dishes, especially the Onigiri as the latest Oishinbo whetted my appetite for rice balls.

Troquet: Early Winter Menu

“Food’s more fun in the wintertime,” says Executive Chef Scott Hebert of Troquet.

Troquet is one of my favorite Boston restaurants, with excellent French-American cuisine and a top-notch wine list. Besides their skilled chef, they also have a very talented pastry chef. With the start of winter, Chef Hebert has designed an intriguing menu.

Highlights of the early winter menu:

Nantucket Bay Scallops Tempura with hearts of palm, dashi broth, miso and red jalapeno vinaigrette

Hudson Valley Foie Gras with heirloom apple confit and Pain D’Epices

Short Rib Canneloni with aromatic vegetables, smoked bacon and parmesan broth

Line-Caught Atlantic Cod with black truffles and Swiss chard in a potato shell

Herb-Roasted Branzino with Sardinian couscous and fennel in a citrus broth

Rare Cote du Bouef with Gorgonzola rosti and Vidalia onion compote

Slow-Roasted Vermont Lamb (Chef Hebert buys whole animals and uses virtually every body part on this platter, including neck, tongue, heart & liver, breast)

Horseradish-Crusted Alaskan King Salmon with baby leeks and fingerlings

Candied Walnut Croissant Bread Pudding with Grand Marnier ice cream (This sounds delicious!)

Black Mission Fig Tarte Tatin

Apple Crumble Souffle’ with bourbon-caramel sauce

I'll make sure to stop by for dinner to check out this menu. But do I choose the Rare Cote du Bouef or Slow-Roasted Vermont Lamb?

Troquet
140 Boylston Street
Boston, MA
Phone: 617-695-9463