ButterLove&Hardwork

The Color Purple

Mother nature is amazing. For the past week while working on a concord grape dessert, I've had purple vision. Whether it be grape consomme or eggplant awaiting the walk-in, it's impossible to not stop and appreciate the beauty in the food we work with everyday. I love my job.

Amish Apples

The Amish farmers have brought a preview of the upcoming apple season. The quality and freshness of this collection of apples is really beautiful. Pretty cool when the inspiration comes to your work station, now all I have to do is start planning!

Macaron Porn

Chocolate, thats it. 

Favorite New Product

Not only my new favorite company but their products are great. PreGel is a company going strong since 1967, providing high quality flavoring and pastes for gelato and pastries.  Its hard to find a great quality pistachio paste/puree that is not 90% artificial colors and flavors. 100% pistachio, thats it. I have not tried the whole line, but from what I have tasted thus far its a great company.

Competition

" Competing at the highest level is the greatest test of one's character. "
- Russell Mark 

Me vs. 19

So I will be competing in the first annual Starchefs.com International Pastry Competition. I am going up against 19 other very talented pastry chefs from around the country. I have never done one of these so this will one of those moments to always remember. I hope to be updating from the congress, trying to snap a photo or a hundred from the three days. I never thought in a million years I'd be on the main stage at the annual chef's congress, very exciting. Hard work has paid off yet again...Wish me luck!

StarChef's.com Pastry Competition

Green

One of the newest dishes during the menu remodel:

Pistachio

pistachio parfait . crushed oreo . bittersweet chocolate sorbet

The inspiration for this came to me as a picture in my head. I wanted a disc of creamy frozen pistachio creme, sitting as if it fell from the sky onto the oreo. 

The Last Raspberry

Utilizing the last of summer's beautiful raspberries. A soft lemongrass cream sits on the bottom surrounded by various forms of raspberries. Frozen shattered raspberries, freeze dried, raspberry sorbet, raspberry seeds, fresh raspberries and raspberry meringue. All throughout is the licorice noodle, infused with star anise and vanilla. The tartness of the sorbet against the bright lemongrass is pretty amazing, with the fat of the cream balancing it all out. Lastly a little poppyseed is sprinkled around to add a small texture and contrast. 

I think this is a great way to end summer and start the fall. The raspberries highlight the best of summer and the star anise and lemongrass are little previews of the season to come. If I had to pick a dessert that featured every texture this would be it, a beautiful mix of them all. So long raspberries...

 

Macaron Porn

Butterscotch Coffee. I love my job. These beautiful guys symbolize butter, love and yes...hard work!

The Noodle

To noodle or not to noodle? Not a new idea at all, but we're slowly trying our hand in incorporating this on the menu. Licorice noodles with raspberries and lemongrass. We're using regular tubing with just a syringe to blast the noodle out. Its definitely a new texture and a beautiful addition on the plate.