Ratamacue Stew: September 2016

Terra Madre Dinner 25Sept2016

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

Terra Madre Dinner 24Sept2016

Posted by Scott Dresen Sunday, September 25, 2016 6:31 AM 0 comments
Labels: Champagne , italy , russia , slow food , sparkling wine , torino

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)

Les Petites Madeleines

Posted by Scott Dresen Saturday, September 24, 2016 1:10 PM 0 comments
Labels: barolo , italy , torino

Cindee and I had a free night from our Terra Madre dinners and chose to try out a restaurant down the street from our flat in Torino. The name of the restaurant is Les Petites Madeleines and is part of the Turin Palace Hotel. We had a very enjoyable dinner with a bit of mystery as we chose the Chef's Tasting menu. It was seven courses and we had no idea what was coming at us. Below is the result. Also, given there was no menu for the Chef's Tasting to follow, I am going by memory as to what each dish is composed of and likely am missing some details.

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

Terra Madre Dinner 22Sep2016

Posted by Scott Dresen 12:27 PM 0 comments
Labels: italy , terra madre , torino

Xavier Pellicer's Céleri: The Place to Be in Barcelona

Winner of two Michelin stars for Àbac, successor to the late Santi Santamaria at El Racó de Can Fabes, Xavier Pellicer has now recently opened Céleri, in the upper part of Barcelona, where he flawlessly interprets the world of vegetables, revisiting traditions and experimenting with textures and cooking techniques. But Xavier’s true masterpiece is conceptual: overturning the relationship between plants and animals on the plate. While he does occasionally use meat and fish, they are served as accompaniments to the vegetables, and not vice versa. At this dinner, you’ll sample some of the creations that have become the talk of Barcelona. These will be paired with a selection of wines from Les Caves de Pyrene, who’ve been specializing in the finest French and Italian estate wines for over 25 years.