In the animated film Ratatouille, the feared food critic Anton Ego, was won over by a dish that transported him back to his childhood and to a dish made special to him by his mother. This is that dish for me. Bucatini with crab sauce was my favorite dish when I was growing up. My mother would make it for me on my special days, such as my birthdays or when I came home from college. The blue crabs impart a slightly sweet and complex flavor to the long simmered tomato sauce. I still love it more than any other dish. The very first time I ate at elBulli, I had a dish made with crab that reminded me of it. The crab dish made an already incredible meal that much more so, even though it resembled this dish in no other way. Do you have a dish that transports you?
The main theme of the 5th Annual Starchefs International Chefs Congress this past September in NYC was Art vs. Craft. There is no question that cooking involves craft and good cooking involves plenty of it. The more controversial question is whether the craft of cooking can aspire to or ever be considered art. While my personal preconception is to say that some cooking is clearly "art," the question really isn't that simple a one to answer. The dilemma comes from trying to define what "art" actually is. The Free Dictionary offers at least one definition of the word that reads:
"the conscious production or arrangement of sounds, colors, forms, movements, or other elements in a manner that affects the sense of beauty, specifically the production of the beautiful in a graphic or plastic medium."
However, a discussion in The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy suggests that it is actually quite difficult to come up with a universally acceptable definition of what constitutes "art" and that "Whether art can be defined has also been a matter of controversy." It is not clear (to me at least) from this discussion that there really is any clear and universal definition of what art is, even among its more traditional considered areas. Still, thanks to the rise of creativity and new forms and styles of cooking, the question of whether or not cooking can be considered art is a legitimate one.
The organizers of the International Chefs Congress sought to address that controversial question with a discussion of Craft vs. Art involving three of the most prominent chefs in the United States today, Thomas Keller, Dan Barber and David Kinch along with moderator Michael Ruhlman. A detailed account of the proceedings follows. Though much of what is written below are actually direct quotes from the discussants, they are offered as paraphrase rather than in quotes. Once again, I am indebted to my son and assistant, L.J. Sconzo, for his yeoman work in transcribing the discussion. Let's see what they had to say:
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Man, I love Gulf seafood. I love the shrimp. I love the crab. I love the redfish. I love the oysters. I love it all. That's why I do not plan on eating any for quite some time - not from the Gulf.
There is a movement afoot saying that in order to save gulf seafood one must eat it. While I believe that makes absolute sense for farm-raised and grown animals and products like rare heritage breeds, for which a market must be made so that farmers can afford to raise, grow and save them, it is a different story for wild seafood, especially seafood from the Gulf now and for the foreseeable future. The oil spill has been absolutely devastating and not just to the creatures of the sea whose very existences are threatened. Millions of migratory birds and other animals that rely on feeding in the Gulf's many waterways are suffering as evidenced by photos of their oil-saturated bodies. It may be some time before the full environmental effects of the spill are apparent in other parts of the country and the world. If the flap of a single butterfly's wings has the potential to change the world, what about something as egregious as this?
It is also devastating to the many people who rely on the Gulf seafood culture for their livelihoods - the fishermen, the shrimpers, the crabbers, the oystermen and so many more. Important skills and traditions are in great danger of being lost, a tragic possibility.
The problem with wild caught seafood is that the stocks of many of the most delicious sea creatures such as the bluefin tuna are already under extreme pressure. Now with the Gulf environment under unprecedented pressure, there are probably relatively few areas where the wild stocks can still survive, let alone thrive. I believe that for the foreseeable future, these stocks should be allowed to maintain themselves and recover as best they can. If people continue to look to eat Gulf seafood, then they will have to be fished from whatever "safe" areas are left, putting even more stress on an already stressed out system. No, I think in order to save Gulf seafood we must let that which can survive, survive. Unfortunately, the fishing traditions may very well be lost. However, if, through our efforts to "save" them there aren't any fish left in the sea to catch, then said traditions would be lost regardless. Hopefully, if and when the Gulf gets cleaned up, enough fish and skilled people who know how to catch them in a sustainable fashion will still be around. I dream for that day again.
My son, L.J., just returned from an extended trip studying Geography at Charles University in Prague. During his nearly three months there he seized the opportunity to travel and explore as much as he could. One of the more fascinating places he visited was Istanbul, a city he absolutely loved. Though he did not bring me a t-shirt, he managed to bring something a bit better - Turkish pistachios. These pistachios are different than any I have ever had before. They are smaller, very flavorful and quite buttery on the finish. I'm not sure that I can say that I prefer them to some of the best pistachios I have ever eaten, such as those from Bronte in Sicily, but I can't really say the reverse either. It never fails to fascinate me, how one thing can be so different when it comes from different places. While terroir is certainly a hallmark of great wines, it is less commonly considered in other areas, but it is no less profound. It is diversity like this within a species as much as diversity between species that help keeps life interesting
Crocuses are amongst the first harbingers of spring, the very symbol of new life. This photo was taken this past Saturday, the first official day of spring. Ironically, this symbol of new life was photographed at the very lovely and peaceful Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, N.Y.. We stopped in to visit my parents while in Brooklyn for a short business related visit.
I had never actually ventured too far beyond the entrance, but this was a perfect day to do so with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 70's. There is a lovely mix of scenery, serenity and history there. I very much recommend a visit, perhaps with a picnic packed, for this may be the most unique and beautiful cemetery in the greater New York area. Holding the highest ground in Brooklyn, wonderful views can be had of New York Harbor and Manhattan as well as surrounding areas of Brooklyn. It was also a significant location in the Battle of Brooklyn, one of the most important battles of the Revolutionary War. For those who prefer to dine out, nearby are all the lovely restaurants of Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Sunset Park and Bay Ridge.
It is easy to simply get lost in the beauty of the place, but there are the inevitable reminders that this place is not simply a part of the past. It remains very much of the present as well.
Pieces of a broken up kidney stone - there was still more to come
In the end it is always the little things that matter. For better or worse. It was a little thing that recently made me miss so many other little things I generally take for granted: things like a general sense of well being, lying on one's side in bed, watching tv, missing family gatherings and even eating a simple meal. I'm sure that it is the little things the people in Haiti and Chile miss the most right now as they try to recover from their devastating earthquakes. Things that they had and took for granted and now no longer have.
Little things that offer consolation when one is down. For me, it was the near instant relief of a hot bath or shower, a little yogurt and honey, well wishes from friends, the long awaited passage of a little gas or the caring touch of a loving wife. It is amazing what a thing such as a small, nay tiny, stone can do and the effects it can have. Perhaps the only good thing to come of it, is the reminder of how precious the little things can be, something one really doesn't realize until they are gone.
I had written the following over the weekend in response to the original New York times story saying that elBulli would not re-open as a restaurant after the 2011 season. Since then, Ferran Adria has clarified his position and following that,the Times has clarified theirs. Whether the restaurant re-opens in some limited capacity or not, it will undoubtedly be different than it currently is, with an even greater emphasis on exploration, education and training than it currently has, as hard as that may be to imagine since elBulli already does more in those regards than probably any other restaurant in history. I beleive the sentiment expressed below still applies.
In so far as I know, there will still be at least two more seasons. Along with everyone else, I was expecting the restaurant to re-open as a restaurant once again in 2014, but, while I am profoundly saddened that such a glorious and wonderful era will come to an end, I can't say that I'm surprised at Ferran Adria's announcement that elBulli will not be re-opened as a restaurant after they close following the 2011 season. Sure, once they close I will miss the opportunity to dine again as I have at the restaurant that has so far provided me with the two greatest meals of my life, but at least I have had the opportunity to experience Adria's genius and generosity. I feel bad that others won't have the possibility of experiencing it, at least not directly or in the form in which it has so far existed.
I'm not surprised that the restaurant is closing, because what else does Ferran Adria and his staff have to or even can they prove by re-opening it? Expectations would be iPad like and nearly impossible to live up to, no matter how great the product (though if anyone could, it would be Ferran Adria). I imagine the scene over these last two seasons will be much like an all-time great athlete or a legendary musician on a farewell tour prior to retirement.
However, the saving grace, is that Ferran Adria is not actually retiring. The restaurant may not exist as it has anymore, but the influence of elBulli will still be exerted where perhaps it most matters - the education and inspiration of chefs, who can spread the Gospel according to Ferran much farther and wider than the restaurant itself ever could. That Adria and company will basically devote themselves to teaching and exploring, if I understand what is happening correctly, eases my disappointment and profound sadness at the loss of this wonderful dining establishment. Adria is a great teacher and has lots to teach. The setting of elBulli in Cala Montjoi is a magical one for the restaurant. It should be an equally magical one for the academy he is planning, too. So, rather than bemoan the loss of this great restaurant, I am excited to see what will come from it. I expect great things... and with some luck may yet be able to experience the genius of Ferran Adria again.
I like my condiments just as much as the next guy. I never met a mustard that I haven't been able to find some use for. Real mayonnaise adds creaminess and depth and hot sauces like sriracha or cholula provide balance and heat. There is, however, one condiment, immensely popular, that I simply don't get - ketchup. Now, I don't dislike ketchup. It has its place, I suppose, but as far as I am concerned its place is very limited. Some people smother french fries, some people pour it on scrambled eggs and some people even put it on hot dogs! Not me. As far as I'm concerned, ketchup has only two uses. The first is on a cheeseburger with mustard, lettuce and tomato and the other is as a base for cocktail sauce.
Now, I'm no food despot, so if you, my reader, happen to like ketchup on anything and everything, I have no desire to stop you. Pour away! I don't get it, but then so what? I enjoy and go out of my way for plenty of foods that other people scratch their heads at, but that is what makes food so much fun and makes it so difficult to calibrate one's culinary opinions to another's. It is impossible, or nearly so, for any two people to have perfectly matched palates, but that isn't really important. While I am not a huge fan of ketchup, my wife and each of my children are. Despite that, our tastes generally align when it comes to food (thank goodness!).
What is important, is having an open mind and tolerance for others tastes. Of course, if palates are totally out of sync, those individuals may not get along very well if food is the least bit important to them. So long as the big picture of tolerance and values is present, the small details of individual food peccadilloes is unimportant. If my wife and kids adore ketchup and I don't, what does it matter?
Some very good friends are visiting us this weekend from the Philadelphia area. In addition to themselves, they brought a number of lovely things with them including some beautiful cheeses, crackers and Dalmatia fig spread that they brought from the Ardmore Farmers Market. Amongst the cheeses were the creamy, smooth and delicious Delice de Borgogne and the rich, blue St. Agur. Each cheese served atop La Panzanella Rosemary Croccantini was marvelous. The Delice was also lovely with a dollop of the fig spread. I'm looking forward to sampling some of the other delights they brought as well.
I'm still scratching my head though, as to how these lovely foods from France and elsewhere, as wonderful as they are, can come from a place outside of Philadelphia that calls itself a "farmers market." I fear that the term "farmers market" is being co-opted, like so many other terms that start off meaning something specific and wind up becoming relatively meaningless. While that has yet to become commonplace where I live, it appears to be all too common elsewhere. In my point of view a "farmers market" is not a "farmers market" unless it is selling only foodstuff directly from the farms from which they were grown or raised. That definition can be stretched to the production of artisanal food products so long as they are sold directly by the artisan. Anything else, though it may be a wonderful market, is quite simply not a "farmers market." This opinion in no way is meant to disparage The Ardmore "Farmers Market" or other markets that sell items like the wonderful ones our guests so kindly brought. It is a fine market, however, It should call itself something other than a "farmers market," lest the term continue to lose all real meaning.
Mingo, Mando, Juice and Sconz
The old adage goes that one can pick one's friends, but not one's family. While I have certainly been extraordinarily lucky with my family, I have been no less fortunate with my friends. My wife, three sons and myself just spent a fabulous long Thanksgiving weekend visiting Phoenix, Arizona for a reunion with my three closest friends from high school and their families, all of us staying at the home of one of those friends. We have periodically met up with our families or sometimes just amongst ourselves either all together or in smaller divisions, but as we are all spread out around the country, not nearly as often as we would like.
I'm a practicing Anesthesiologist and family man who enjoys all things culinary.
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