Ratamacue Stew

From Sous to Top

Results only come with effort, and victory only with sacrifice. Sous-chefs, the lieutenants of haute-cuisine kitchens, working in the shadow of their bosses, know this very well. This evening’s dinner will be prepared by five chefs who served as second-in-command in some of Italy’s most renowned kitchens, where they refined their technique and creativity. Through their dishes, Pierpaolo Livorno of the Albergo dell’Agenzia in Pollenzo, Marco Visciola of Marin at Eataly in Genoa, Federico Zanasi of Principe delle Nevi in Cervinia, Yoji Tokuyoshi of Tokuyoshi in Milan and Marcello Rapisardi of Pasticceria & Dessert in Milan will be telling the story of the skills they learned and made their own. The dishes will be accompanied by wines from Batasiolo from La Morra (Cuneo).

Dinner Menu and Wine Pairing

Amuse Bouche #1 - Tar Tar

Amuse Bouche #2

Amuse Bouche #3

Gyotaku

Finanziera of the Sea (Sea urchin, fish offal, assorted vegetables)

Risotto, rose powder, Salina capers and red fruits

Goat, acid milk, spiced cranberry, and elderberry vinegar

Beet, gianduja chocolate, raspberry, and liquorice

Pastries from Marcello Rapisardi's Pasticceria

Sergey and Ivan Berezutskiy, Two Faces of the Same Rouble

The most-talked-about twins on the Russian culinary scene, Sergey and Ivan Berezutskiy, are in their 30s and with talent to spare. At their Moscow restaurant, Twins, they serve ultra-traditional dishes from their country, with pre-Soviet roots, but reinterpreted with a modern twist. Their vision brings together playfulness and irony, with dishes that marry modern technology and traditional ingredients, sourced during many trips around Russia. The theme of duality, in life and in the kitchen, makes a regular appearance. Each dish highlights the similarities and differences between ingredients, in a philosophical vision of symbiosis.

Dinner Menu and Wine Pairings

Red salmon from Kamchatka Peninsula with 12 herbs in Altai sauce, thin slices of watermelon, and herbed "poppadum"

Nordic shrimp with kefir, gooseberries, and squash

Scallops from the Far East of Russia with millet and pike caviar on cous cous

Beef neck with salted milk mushrooms, Altai cheese and hemp seed

Buckwheat gelato with beet puree and black currant mousse

On the Plate: Chocolate ganache with dried black chokeberry jelly Drink: Black cherry Polugar (traditional Russian bread wine spirit)

We were served Vermouth as an apperitif (also a good appetite stimulant)

Olive Oil with Bread

Amuse Bouche - eel in a bernaise sauce with smoked apple

Excellent Barolo

Poached Egg in a sauce with mushrooms and cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano I think?)

Sweet breads, shrimp, grilled nectarine

Risotto with Clams and a Misting of Japanese Citrus

Scallops with Roe

Lake Trout with Pesto, Radish, Carrot, and Beet

Venison w/Blueberries

Diced apricot with fresh cream and figs (Calvados in the snifter)

Assorted Chocolate Lovelies with Candied Almonds

Dinner Menu and Wine Pairings

Gazpacho of beetroot, tomatoes and grapes

Squash blossoms with ratatouille, diced tomato, and mushroom

Baked pumpkin, citrus, spices, chutney and burrata

White eggplant confit, butifarra (sausage) de perol, wild rocket arugula

Codfish confit without bisulfites, cauliflower, egg 62 degrees, smoked oil

Figs, sage, sweet olives, amaretto ice cream, and sesame brittle

Grant Achatz

Cindee and I do enjoy food.  Cooking it, eating it, the flavors, the variety, the history, the relationship to human cultures, the impact to our environment, and the shared experiences with friends and loved ones when food is part of our life rituals.  We often watch the various food channels, enjoy most of the food related movies, and appreciate the variety of cuisine we experience locally, nationally, and abroad.

As with others forms of art like music, painting, sculpture, and writing, when you have an opportunity to experience someone with immense talent, it is an experience not to be missed.  Savored to be sure, if you'll pardon the pun, as life is too short.  So, it was with great pleasure that Cindee and I had an opportunity this Memorial Day weekend to spend a few days in Chicago where we were able to partake and enjoy the creative mastery of Grant Achatz.

We had two very different dinners at two of Grant's restaurants - Alinea and Next.  Both restaurants are in Chicago.  Alinea is known for preparations and deconstructions of classic flavors.  In 2010, Alinea became one of only two restaurants in Chicago to receive the highest rating of three Michelin stars.  Alinea was closed on January 1, 2016 for five months of extensive renovation and reopened on May 20, 2016.  I was ecstatic when I received an email from Alinea announcing its reopening and limited availability of reservations which coincided with our trip to Chicago.

Next is Grant's second Chicago restaurant.  Next has an interesting "ticketed" format where unlike a traditional reservation system, Next sells pre-priced tickets for specific dates and times like a theater, concert, or sporting event are sold.  As to the food at Next, rather than stick with one type of cuisine, Next completely changes its style every few months, focusing on a different time period, parts of the world, or various abstract themes for each "season" of its menu.  The theme for our visit was South America and on the night we ate there, our menu was based on the country of Peru.

So enough talking, it's time for the pictures.  Below are both our menus from Alinea and Next along with the wine pairings for each course.  We thoroughly enjoyed both restaurants and will go back again when we have the opportunity.  Buon appetito!

Alinea Dinner

Trout Roe, Banana Coconut Creme Fraiche Pairing: Bollinger "La Grande Annee" Champagne, France 2004 (The bowl is actually a chunk of ice!)

Scallop "Paper", Corn Butter Consume, Shio Kombu Nori Pairing: Domaine Gerard Duplessis "Montee de Tonnerre" Chablis 1er Cru, France 2013

Sweet Potato, Curry, Yolks Pairing: Billecart-Salmon Demi-Sec Champagne, France NV

Pea Parmesan Lavender, Apple Yuzu Lemon Verbena Pairing: Hirtzberger, 'Honivogl" Gruner Veltliner, Smaragd Wachau, Austria 2011

Icefish Kumquat Radish Pairing: Robert Weil "Kiedrich Turmberg" Reisling Rheingau, Germany 2010

Morel Blueberry Lapsang Souchong Pairing: Jamsheed, "Beechworth" Syrah, Yarra Valley Australia 2014

Onion Purple Allium Black Pepper

Fire Bowl - Mezcal wood with Star Anise Pairing: Mezcal, Del Maguey "San Luis del Rio Azul" Mexico

Chicken and Palo Santo Pineapple

Plum, Almond, Cinnamon Bon Bon Pairing: Domaine de Chevalier Pessac-Leognan Blanc Bordeaux, France 2009

Cloche - Beef Cheeks (Under Leaf) and Chamomile Melon

Bone - Wagyu Rice Myoga

Lamb Blackberry Black Garlic Pairing: Robert Biale Vineyards "Black Chicken", Zinfandel, Napa Valley, California 2014

Strawberry Helium Edible Balloon

Rhubarb Campari Anise Strawberry with Anise Cotton Candy Pairing: Antonelli Sagrantino di Montefalco Passito Umbria, Italy 2009

Cherry Chocolate Bourbon

Next Dinner

Raspadilla - chicha morada, cassia, leche

Pisco Sour

Ceviche - banana & passionfruit, corn & chocolate, aji, lime & orange

Tiradito - mackerel, kombu, peanut, cactus fruit Pairing: Leche de Tigre

Hanging above every table was a basket with goodies

Basket deconstructed - corn nuts, pico de gallo, bottle of Chicha de Jora

Picanteria - casabe, canchita, solterito de queso, empanada, rocoto relleno, anticucho Pairing: 2013 Louis-Antoine Luyt, Clos ouvert Carmenere, Maule Valley, Chile

Chicha de Jora - corn based "beer"

Alpaca Wool - escabeche de camaron Pairing: 2014 Familia Zuccardi, Emma, Bonarda, Mendoza, Argentina

Frita - dorade, aji, orange, plantain, aloe, char roe, quinoa Pairing: NV Bodega Chacra "Mainque" Pinot Noir Rose

Pachamanca - gallina, humita, pina, salsa criolla Pairing: 2012 Luca, "G" Lot, Chardonnay, Mendoza, Argentina

The type of chicken in this recipe has all black meat. Even the bones are black.  Very interesting.

Dulces - guava & picarones, chocolate, rhubarb, dulce de leche Pairing: 2010 Susana Balbo, Late Harvest Torrontes, Mendoza, Argentina

Yerba Tea served in traditional yerba mate tea gourd

Straw is also the tea strainer