Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Dinner at McCrady's Charleston, SC

I have been wanting to eat at McCrady's for about three years now. I had an awesome meal and truely respect what Chef Sean Brock and his team do.
House Cured Charcuterie Plate. Mortadella from a 28 day aged grass fed cow, Smoked Pistachio Salami, Coppa, Pork Rilletes, Lardo, Pickled Fennel, Carrots, Green Beans and Grain Mustard. They have an awesome charcuterie program here. This is the perfect amuse for a chef.

Charleston Stone Crab with Lime, Watermelon Ponzu and Frozen Coconut.....Coconut Sponge, Stone Crab, Watermelon Ponzu "Blanket", Watermelon Foam, Liquid Nitro Frozen Watermelon and Coconut. A dish with alot of components but everything worked beautiful with one another.


Probally my favorite dish of the night. Seared Scallop w/ Crispy Pork Belly, Grilled South Carolina Peaches, Creamed Kimchee and Kimchee Ketchup. I want to eat this again RIGHT NOW.



Seared Carolina Wahoo, Pistou, Farm Vegetable and Red Pepper Foam. Beautiful fresh dish.




Sous vide pork loin from their recently killed 600 pound hog. Butter Beans, Cream Corn, Porcinis, Sauce Perigord and Black Truffle Puree. Beautiful dish these guys raise their own pigs and this thing tasted like a top notch hog from some of the best farms in the country.





Sorry about the blur on this one. NY Strip cooked sous vide with glazed carrots from their farm, "potato crusted potato", bbq jus and smoked hollandaise. A wonderful dish but i didnt finish it all because i was getting full. The best part of this dish was the bbq jus, tasted like awesome bar b que sauce but had the consistency of a beautiful passed jus. Brilliant idea.






"Banana Puddin" Banana Panna Cotta, Nilla Wafer Ice Cream, Bananas Foster and Banana Marshmallow Cream Bruleed on the plate. This was one my favorites of the night, tasted exactly like homemade banana pudding. This dish is what I love about food to take a super traditional dish and completely deconstruct it and change the textures but keep overall flavor the same. AWESOME.







Flexible Chocolate w/ Toffee Ice Cream and Hazlenuts. Sorry this was the last course so I forgot to snap the pic before I dug in. This dish was really good suddle flavors and awesome textures.








Thursday, June 18, 2009

Stoked about my stage!!!!!

I'll be leaving Sunday for Charleston, SC. Having dinner at McCrady's that night and then beginning a stage on Monday morning. I Will try to post as many pics as I possibly can. These guys need to be known about......

Tuna Crudo

Tuna Tartare: Watermelon: Dill Flowers: Black Garlic Coulis

Watermelon Sorbet

Align Center Watermelon Sorbet: Lime Curd: Sweet Basil Coulis: Frantoia Olive Oil Powder: Basil Seeds

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Our Salumi Plate of the Moment.

Clockwise: Bressaola, Finnocchiona, Proscuitto, Flavors of Bolognese Salami, Lonza, Lardo, Porchettta di Testa and Guanciale. (All Cured in House) Served with pickled cauliflower and fennel, Hartman Farm's radish, house "dijon" and smoked paprika mustards.

Texas Peaches and Vidalia Onions

What says late spring- early summer like Vidalia onions and awesome local peaches. This salad was inspired by something I saw chef Linton Hopkins from Restaurant Eugene during my stage there last summer. Charred Vidalias, Texas peaches, candied house smoked bacon and honey vinaigrette.

The Good Things in Life!

Some pork parts I picked up at a local Asian market the other day. Tongues, hearts, livers and blood. I see Blood Sausage in the near future.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Cold Poached Scallop

Cold Poached Sea Scallops
Basil Coulis
Yellow Pepper-Scallion Salad
Preserved Meyer's Lemon
Garden Blossoms

RFN

Just a random pic of my boy, Chef Robbie Nowlin taking a lovely rice crispy treat from the Wiseman House to the face. RFN is the Chef de Cuisine at The Lodge Restaurant of Castle Hills. One hell of a cook at a real deal restaurant here in San Antonio. Link posted to the side check it out.

This Place is Real Deal. Small town Texas




Wiseman House Chocolates is located in a very small town called Hico, TX. The talent of these guys is amazing. A old house, everyroom more artisinal chocolate. It's beautiful when a place is so damn good it can survive in a town of what can't be more than 200 people.


Suckling Porchetta di Testa

Italian head cheese from a suckling pig. Call me crazy but those ears say b7.