Surprise in What?

I had planned on devoting more time to this entry, but the forces of nature and a big party tomorrow have conspired to keep it brief. As part of a monthly food bloggers event titled "Sugar High Friday" and hosted this month by St. Louis' own Alanna Kellogg (for SHF specifics visit her blog: (kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blogspot.com/2006/08/surprise-announcement-sugar-high.html). This month's SHF theme was "Surprise Inside" recipes, meaning a sweet treat with a special something under the surface. I actually came up with my recipe for a cooking class I was teaching this week at the local Viking Store. It was a fundraiser for the Clayton Farmer's Market where I was paired with a local farmer- a bison farm to be exact. Suffice it to say my interest in creating a "Bison Pot de Creme" was nil (although what a "surprise inside" that would have made). Instead I adapted this moist apple cake flavored with green cardamom (much less assertive than black) with a molten center of caramel sauce made with apple cider. It's seasonal and a little different, but not as surprising as it could have been.

Cardamom-Apple Cake with Molten Cider-Caramel

Quantity Produced: Makes 12 Individual Cakes

Tart Apples, Peeled/Grated 6 Apples
Light Brown Sugar, Packed 3 Cups
Eggs 3
Flour 3 2/3 Cups
Green Cardamom, Ground 1 teaspoon
Cinnamon 1 ½ teaspoons
Salt ¼ teaspoon
Baking Soda 2 ½ teaspoons
Pecans, Chopped 1 ½ Cups
Vanilla Extract 1 ½ teaspoons
Butter, Softened 3 oz.
Oil, Canola (neutral oil) 3 oz.

Cider-Caramel Sauce (Makes 1 ½ Cups)

Apple Cider 3 Cups
Vanilla Bean, Scraped 1
Dark Brown Sugar ½ Cup (Packed)
Butter, Unsalted ¼ Cup
Heavy Cream ½ Cup

Preparation Procedure for Cider-Caramel Sauce-

Reduce cider by half, add vanilla bean, sugar, butter and cream. Reduce until thick. Keep warm

Preparation Procedure for Apple Cake-

Preheat oven 350d.. Combine softened butter & oil in mixer using paddle attachment. Add sugar, egg and vanilla. Mix until combined. Add dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon & cardamom).
Mix until combined. Add grated apple and chopped pecans, mix until combined. Using greased individual ramekins, spoon cider-caramel into bottoms of each ramekin (at least 1 Tablespoon) and top with spoonful of apple cake batter. Bake 45min. to 1 hour. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm in ramekin.

Paul's Killer Pots

In the close-knit world of farmer's markets, and those who frequent them, it's inevitable that certain farmers become known for their profile almost as much as the produce they're growing. In the St. Louis area markets you have: The Picture Perfect Abrahams of Berger Bluff Farm (known for their tomatoes & leafy veggies), the Hip & Happening Sam and Joanna of Claverach Farm/Vineyard (salad mix & micro greens), Rock Solid Dave H. of Prairie Grass Farm (all things lamb) and renaissance Paul of Bellews Creek Farm (exotic squash & potatoes) to name a few. When I was in need of some potatoes for a party this past week I knew I could count on renaissance Paul at the Wednesday, Maplewood farmer's market. I'm not the first to dub Paul a "renaissance Man", most of the St. Louis food community are familiar with his big personality and broad passions. Paul is just as likely to be building a new house or barn (virtually by himself) as drying his own chipotle peppers or black beans. His farm, out in Jefferson County, is agro-WillyWonka; an eccentric's workshop masquerading as a family farm. You'll find wrought-iron sculptures mingled with homemade farm contraptions, and always a mysterious structure or two in the works. Of all the farmers whose produce I admire, Paul is the only one who seems to do it as a hobby. This is not meant as a slight on his farming, as he clearly knows as much as anyone in that field. It's just that he is as respected for his breadth of knowledge on matters mechanical and artistic as he is for his kick-ass chipotle peppers or Kennebec potatoes. And on this day it was those Kennebec potatoes that drew me to him.

Kennebec potatoes are an excellent all-purpose cooking potato, but I especially love to boil and peel them for warm German-Style Potato Salad. (The quality that makes them the perfect "all-purpose" potato, is a great balance of starch and wax.) Try them with the following recipe.

German-Style Potato Salad (serves six as a side dish)

Kennebec Potatoes* 1 1/2#
Sweet Onion, Sliced 1 Medium
Bacon, Baked 3/4 crisp, Diced** 8 Slices
Bacon Drippings 1 Tablespoon
Olive Oil 2 Tablespoons
Mustard Seed, Brown & Yellow 2 Tablespoons
Celery Seed 1 Teaspoon
Cider Vinegar 1/3 Cup
Brown Sugar, Light 1/4 Cup
Honey 1/4 Cup
Dijon Mustard 2 Tablespoons
Italian Parsley, Minced 2 Tablespoons
Fresh Black Pepper To Taste
Salt, Kosher To Taste

Preparation:

In large pot cover the potatoes (prewashed) with cold water and a few pinches of salt. Bring to a steady simmer for 12-15 minutes, checking regularly. When just starting to become knife tender, and before you see any cracks, remove from heat. Let sit in the water 15 minutes or so (the key to this salad is for the potatoes to be cooked yet still slightly firm). When the potatoes are the desired texture (remember "al dente"), carefully remove to a strainer and let cool. Do not rinse the potatoes with cold water, but when cool enough to handle peel with a sharp paring knife. Cut the potatoes into quarters and cover to keep warm. Meanwhile, sweat the onions, bacon, mustard seed and celery seed in olive oil and drippings for 5-8 minutes. Deglaze with cider vinegar and dijon mustard, honey and brown sugar. Cook until sugar dissolved then add potatoes, parsley and seasoning (salt & pepper). Toss until potatoes are coated. Serve warm or at room temperature.

First Meal Back

After over two months cooking in Michigan, I knew my first dinner back in St. Louis would be important. After all, this meal would be for my number one client, my designer, my muse, my wife: Carol. Now while I consider my wife to be more proficient than me in virtually everything, (quoting movie lines aside, but I'm not exactly going to brag about that) her varied talents have yet to fully include the culinary arts. She's not a bad cook at all, it's just that she doesn't really enjoy cooking so her repertoire stays pretty limited. In fact, her favorite dishes to prepare typically have names like "Girl Scout Tacos" or "Inside-Out Ravioli". Tasty staples from her childhood, but not exactly recipes from Larousse Gastronomique. Which is fine, for as a chef who spends most days cooking food that's inspired by "Haute Cuisine", my wife's signature dishes provide the perfect type of sustenance: comfort food. Some of my fondest memories of working as an Executive Chef would be coming home, after 14+ hours of foie gras, diver scallops and the like, to a casserole dish of shell noodles, ricotta cheese and red sauce: "Inside Out Ravioli" (sorry no recipe, family secret). It's why I'll never understand why people are tentative to invite chefs to their homes for a meal; on those days when we don't have to cook we'll be happy eating just about anything.

So as I was driving back to St. Louis I gave a lot of thought as to what to make for my girl. For I knew that while I was up in the mitten state cooking for 10 to 12 hours a day, never wanting for any food or foodstuff; poor Carol had resorted to her "BK" days (Before Kirk). This meant either eating the leftovers from a mediocre lunch for dinner or rehooking the microwave (for I'd banished it to the basement) and heating-up God knows what. She wouldn't whip-up "Girl Scout Tacos" for just herself, instead she'd bide her time until her "knight with shiny knives" returned. And, frankly, I love this about her. Creative people working in any medium need those who are central to their lives to rely on their work, and more than in just a material way. I had known for a long time that as much as Carol might need my cooking, I needed to cook for her more.

I knew there would be some nice heirloom tomatoes waiting for me in our home kitchen, I asked a farmer friend to drop some off for Carol as a small anniversary token (What'd you expect me to send..flowers?). But as a result of the big storm that swept through St. Louis in July, and left us without power for days, the tomatoes would be the extent of our larder. Not a lot to work with, but considering I'd be arriving late (after stopping at the John Boos outlet in Effingham, IL for a great deal on their fabulous cutting boards; www.johnboos.com) it would be a great start for what I had in mind.

Every food culture has its means for using old bread. The Italians have panzanella salad and pappa al pomodoro, the French have panade, the Chinese have congee (OK.. that's with rice, but when was the last time you saw a crusty loaf in Tianjin?). My favorite had to be the Lebanese salad with crunchy flatbread, tomato and cucumber: Fattoush. A simple summer salad with a broad range of flavors and textures that's substantial enough to be served as a main course. Yes, this would be the ideal homecoming meal for my wife; a simple affair that would give me plenty of time to catch up with Carol, unpack from my trip and put the microwave back in the basement.

Kirk's Fattoush Salad (serves 4 as main course salad)
I recommend using a variety of tomatoes (for texture), French Feta (not as salty as Greek Feta) and making you own flatbread "pita" chips (it's worth the effort, see asterisk). While ground sumac makes the salad authentic, this version is still delicious without it.

Assorted Ripe Tomatoes, Diced 5 Cups
Seedless Cucumber, Peeled & Diced 1 Large
Pita or Flatbread, Cubed & Toasted* 1 1/2 Cups
Shallot, Sliced 1 Small
Mint, Chiffonade 3 Leaves
Italian Parsley, Minced 3 Tablespoons
Feta, Cubed (preferably French) 1 1/2 Cups (Plus extra for garnish)
Grilled Chicken Breast, Cubed (Optional) 4/6oz.
Black Olives, Oil-Cured (Optional) 1/4 Cup
Bibb Lettuce, Whole Leaves 1 Head

Dressing (Whisk all ingredients thoroughly)
Fresh Lemon Juice 1/4 Cup
Lemon Zest (To ensure you use real Lemons) Pinch
Plain Yogurt (preferably Whole Milk) 3 Tablespoons
Honey 2 Tablespoons
Garlic, Minced 1 Clove
Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1/2 Cup
Sumac, Ground (Optional) 2 Tablespoons
Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper To Taste

Preparation:

Combine salad ingredients with dressing and serve over bibb lettuce leaves. Garnish with extra shredded feta and lemon wedges.

*I highly recommend making your own flatbread "pita" chips. Simply use the pizza dough recipe from the "Weir Grooving" blog. Parbake the rolled-out flatbread (500d, 3-4minutes), let cool and slice into small squares. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake (350d, 12-15minutes) until crisp. These homemade "pita" chips make a delicious, healthy snack food as well.

Weir Grooving

As my summer in Michigan comes to a close, one of the last weekends brought with it the highlight of the season for me: a cooking class taught with the amazing chef, food writer and culinary world traveler Joanne Weir (www.joanneweir.com). The last night of the now legendary Jill Winston Girl's Weekend (this year dubbed the "Bohemian Groove" in the spirit of the seminal Northern Californian male power get-together the Bohemian Grove) consisted of a hands-on class co-taught with Joanne. With her cooking pedigree (stint at Chez Panisse, studying with Madeleine Kamman) it was clear Joanne knew her way around a kitchen, what surprised me was how good a teacher she is (it shouldn't have, she won the first Julia Child Cooking Teacher Award for Excellence).

As a veteran of many cooking classes, I've come to believe the key to a successful class is not to simply show the students how a particular dish or recipe should be prepared but why it needs to be prepared that way. To get the novice cook to look at cooking not just as executing recipes and following measurements, but to understand that a good cook feels their way through the cooking experience. That preparing a recipe at one time of year with an ingredient can produce something entirely different with the same ingredient at another time of the year. In essence, to be a kitchen thinker not a kitchen droid.

As good a cook as she is, Joanne Weir's cooking is matched by her abilities as a teacher. She explains her recipes and cooking in a way that is entertaining but also manages to be incredibly informative yet succinct. She had this group of type-A personality woman focused on the task at hand in no time. Their direct attention came in part because they were all excited to participate in one of her classes but also as a result of her teaching style: excited. She genuinely loves good food and you can sense that when she talks about it. Listening to her talk about pizza dough and what makes a great crust had me wanting to stoke a wood-burning pizza oven and knead some fresh dough. Her teaching methods, going over each recipe in detail before you set foot in the kitchen, caused you to appreciate and enjoy your time in the kitchen even more.

The class itself was a little chaotic initially, partly because I had put together a too ambitious menu. This is a mistake I often make when conducting cooking classes (an honest mistake in that I enjoy the teaching process and want people to experience as many different foods as possible), for I know it is better for students to focus in detail on a few recipes and what makes them great rather than to be bombarded with so many that you don't get to know any thoroughly. Despite a lengthy menu and workload (the menu included: Pan Fried Fresh Artichokes with Rock Shrimp & Zucchini "Pappardelle", Grilled Corn and Arugula Salad with Shaved Parmigiano, Pork Loin Chop with Dried Fruit and Madeira, Summer Blueberry Galette with Chestnut Honey Ice Cream, among others), it eventually calmed down when the participants were able to sit and enjoy all of their hard work. The group was deservedly happy with their fabulous spread and experiencing a symptom that most cooks and chefs have right after preparing a great meal: they were full. They had employed one of the cardinal rules of cooking: taste as you go. And while this rule always results in better food, a side effect is you're not really hungry when you sit down to eat. (I'll go into my book idea for "The Cook's Diet: A True Tasting Menu" in another blog).

As we finished cleaning the kitchen and were saying our good-byes, I thanked Joanne for the opportunity to cook with her to which she responded "We made some great food." For some reason it was the most satisfying of responses, as if our cooking mission were accomplished and we could look forward to cooking another day. A thoroughly enjoyable conclusion to a wonderful summer.

Here's Joanne Weir's great pizza dough and flatbread recipe.

Crispy Flatbread with Tomatoes, Basil and Smoked Mozzarella

1 recipe Pizza Dough
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6oz. yellow cherry tomatoes, cut in half
6oz. red cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated, smoked mozzarella, about 6oz.
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed, cut into thin strips

Make the pizza dough and let rise.

Thirty minutes before baking, place a pizza stone or unglazed quarry tiles on the bottom shelf of the oven and set the oven temperature to 500F.

On a floured surface, divide the dough into two pieces and form into round balls. Roll one piece into a 9-inch circle, 1/4" thick. Transfer to a well-floured pizza peel or paddle. Transfer the dough from the peel directly onto the heated brick in the oven. Top with half of the cheese, distributing evenly. Bake until golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.

In the meantime, in a bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cherry tomatoes and toss together.

When the pizza is done, place on a platter. Top with half of the tomatoes, vinaigrette and basil. Serve immediately. Continue with the remaining ingredients to make a second pizza.

Makes 2 pizzas, 9-inches diameter

Adapted from "Weir Cooking, Recipes from the Wine Country" by Joanne Weir

The Best Pizza Dough

2 teaspoons dry yeast
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons lukewarm water, 110F.
2 cups unbleached bread flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a bowl, combine yeast, 1/4 cup warm water and 1/4 cup flour. Let it stand for 30 minutes. Add the remaining 1 3/4cup flour, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water, olive oil, and salt. Mix the dough thoroughly. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, elastic and a bit tacky to the touch, 7 to 8 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl and turn to cover with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place (75F) until double in volume, 1 to 1 1/2hours.

Alternately you can let this dough rise in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, bring the dough to room temperature and proceed.

Adapted from "Weir Cooking, Recipes from the Wine Country" by Joanne Weir

Kirk also recommends "From Tapas to Meze: Small Plates from the Mediterranean" by Joanne Weir, a literary precursor to the current "small plates" craze. Accessible and broad.

237 Ears of Free Sweet Corn.

As the summer harvest comes rushing in, it's not just tomato and zucchini plants that produce fruit at a rate that makes it difficult to keep up. Most amateur growers have experienced the joy and stress of one or all of their plantings ripening at just about the same time. The joy comes with the knowledge that you must have done something right to have such a bountiful garden, the stress follows shortly after with the question "what the hell am I going to do with 20 pounds of eggplant?" In rural America most small farmers deal with the same issues, just multiplied.

This past week I ran into Lee and Laurie Arboreal (Eater's Guild Farm in Bangor, Michigan), who I've been buying produce from in Michigan for the last few summers, at the local coffee shop. They greeted me with the seemingly harmless question "want some sweet corn?" Having recently returned from the Saugatuck farmer's market they were loaded-down with their delicious organic sweet corn (not an easy trick, as even corn that's encrusted with every chemical known to man can be littered with worms) and I was the last option before they threw enough corn to their ducks to produce some nice lobes of foie gras. So not as a stand against fattened duck liver, for I love the stuff, but rather because any food-loving person has a difficult time saying no when offered great ingredients for free, I agreed to take four-plus cases of corn off their hands. It was only as I was driving away, my little hatch-back riding low because of a hundred pounds of maize, did I confront that age-old question "what the hell am I going to do with all this corn?"

Hours later, just as I was beginning to think investing in some ducks would be better than shucking all that corn, I had the eureka moment of turning all of that corn into a small token of thanks for my clients. Something I could leave behind to say thanks for using the Traveling Kitchen, appreciation for allowing me to make a living doing what I love: COOK. Some ginger, many dozen mason jars, ground coriander, and a bushel of green tomatoes later I had every space of the kitchen littered with my creation: Organic Sweet Corn Chutney with Ginger, Green Tomato & Coriander. Then, as I was feeling satisfied, reveling in what I felt was a major accomplishment, even though spending all day and most of the night of one of my few free days working on this rather than the myriad things I needed to do for my fledgling company is not exactly accomplishing, a new question came to me. Probably the same question cooks who work with seasonal goods, who are passionate about preserving the ingredients that they love while they're at their best, have been forced to answer for generations: "Where the hell am I going to put...".

Here's a good recipe for sweet corn. Try to purchase your corn from local farmer's markets or farmstands where the corn has seen little or no refrigeration, it'll be much sweeter.

Dairyless "Creamed" Corn Soup serves 6
This soup takes advantage of the natural milk in really fresh sweet corn. By pureeing the soup while warm it will have a delightfully creamy texture, without the fat and calories of cream or milk.

Sweet Corn, shucked and removed from the cob 4 Cups (about 3 ears of corn)
Sweet Onion, minced 1 Medium
Garlic, minced 1 Tablespoon
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 2 Tablespoons
Chicken Stock, preferably homemade 6 Cups
Kosher Salt and Fresh White Pepper as needed

To Serve:
Cherry Tomatoes, halved 1 Cup
Fresh Basil, chiffonade 1 Tablespoon
Avocado, peeled, pitted and diced 1 ripe
Sea Salt to taste
Good Olive Oil to drizzle to taste
Smoked Paprika (Pimenton de la Vera), optional pinch

In a medium pot, sweat garlic and onions in olive oil over low flame until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add corn, cook until aromatic five minutes or so, add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cook for 10-15 minutes, remove from flame and let cool. While still warm, carefully puree in blender, leave slightly chunky. Return to pot and season to taste. Serve in warm bowls garnished with tomatoes, basil, avocado, salt, smoked paprika and drizzled with oil.

A Salami to End All Salami.

Always on the look out for new food products, I had the pleasure this week to try some salami from Paul Bertolli's new company Fra'Mani out of Oakland, California. WOW...if you're a cured meat connoisseur read no further, log onto Fra'Mani's website (www.framani.com) and order some of their amazing sausage (do it quick because as a new company making a handcrafted product the availability fluctuates). For those of you who can wait until after lunch, here's a little more info. Bertolli is the former chef/owner of Oliveto Restaurant in Oakland and a longtime advocate for traditional Italian foods. His great cookbook "Cooking by Hand" documents his methods for making real balsamic vinegar, prosciutto, pastas and of course salumi. His new company, which released its first cured meat in March, is a labor-of-love for Bertolli and has been in the works for almost four-years. Coupling a state-of-the-art facility with traditional methodology, Fra'Mani if positioned to become the premier producer of world-class salami in this country. If their Salume Gentile is any indication, they may already be the premier producer. It is without a doubt the best of its kind I've ever had (that includes Salume I've eaten in Italy), meaty but subtle, with an almost buttery consistency, and not at all leathery or too salty. The purveyor I bought it from thanked me for taking some of it off his hands; not because he couldn't move it, but rather because he couldn't stop eating it. For those of you reading this in St. Louis who don't necessarily want to purchase a 3# stick of salame right from the source, check with Simon at the Wine Merchant in Clayton. I'm sure he's either carrying Fra'Mani sausage or will be happy to get some in for you. For those of you who think it's a little weird for someone to be this excited about a piece of meat, you need to know that years ago when I was a wayward vegetarian visiting France, my siren's song was a hunk of saucisson sec at a market in Aix-en-Provence. As a vegetarian I never had a chance, and it has been a meaty ride ever since.

A Good Sign.

As a native of Southwestern Michigan, albeit one who hasn't lived there in over a decade, I've recently discovered something in the corner of my home state more rare than a patch of morels in August: a couple of really good restaurants. Now considering my mother owns and operates a wonderful restaurant in the area (Bistro 120 in Paw Paw), her establishment is excluded from my criticism, in fact for over a decade it has been one of the few eating places in hundreds of square miles worth paying to eat at. But like much of the rest of rural America, Western Michigan has been over-run by chain restaurants and, just as bad, independent restaurants serving chain restaurant food (everything out of a Sysco Foods box, into the deep-fat fryer). However, last week I came across a shimmer of hope for the residents of this area who are interested in food that is actually made by the people cooking it, rather than in a processing facility hundreds of miles away. The Journeyman Cafe and Su Casa Cantina in Fennville, Michigan are doing something special for an area of Michigan that desperately needs establishments cooking genuine food.

The Journeyman is a small cafe in the heart of this struggling town, just 15 minutes from the more vibrant Saugatuck-Douglas. It's not unlike the kind of place you'd expect to find in a recently gentrified area of a large city; the first enterprise of a risk-taker who by starting small and running it tight can create the kind of business they want. The really special thing about The Journeyman is that while the space is spartan and utilitarian, the ingredients they use are as special as they come. In fact, I first heard about it from a local organic farmer who sells The Journeyman's artisanal bread at the Saugatuck Farmer's Market (the seedy salt loaf is especially delicious). They've accepted the additional expense of using organic produce and naturally-raised meats while catering to an audience that largely doesn't appreciate them, or more importantly, want to pay for them. And they're doing it serving dishes like housemade braunschweiger and guanciale (cured pork jowl) from the salumeria of Armandino Batali (Mario's father), hard-core stuff for an urban audience let alone one in a town with a single traffic light (which only flashes yellow).

Just on the other side of that flashing yellow light, is the second-part of Fennville's restaurant row. A place more authentic than a lot of the restaurants in Mexico. The market in the front of Su Casa, an antique building that seemingly hasn't been worked on since they painted faux Aztec murals on the walls to cover the cracks, is packed full of Latin necessities like pickled jalepenos, fresh churros, and warm flour tortillas. If you navigate through the tiny store-front, past the coolers full of tripe and pig's feet, past the shelves of freshly baked Mexican pastries and crisp corn chips you come across a diamond in the rough, the restaurant at Su Casa. With a small, open kitchen serving authentic Mexican staples like cow's tongue and menudo, as well as delicious pork tacos with salsa cruda or huge chicken burritos with salsa verde. The last time I visited, Mexico was about to play Argentina in the World Cup, the staff was plating up their comida and preparing to feast and watch the game, the atmosphere was as authentic as the food. The most amazing thing about Su Casa, and almost every other underappreciated ethnic restaurant, is you can get an incredible meal for about the same price as a McDonald's Happy Meal. In a perfect world, Su Casa would be our fast-food option.

The Journeyman and Su Casa are restaurants that, if they were located in St. Louis, I could find myself happily eating at on a regular basis. But seeing as they're 400 miles from where I live, a long commute for even the most committed foodie, I'll simply have to enjoy them when I visit the restaurant mecca that is Fennville, Michigan.

Christmas Comes Early.

Every once in a while a food person gets the opportunity to work with some of the best kitchen ingredients out there. Whether it's from cooking at a foodie friend's house who stocked their pantry just for your cooking pleasure or working with a gourmet gift basket of culinary goodies presented to you as congratulatory gesture, when you get to cook with the GOOD stuff it's a real treat. I recently received a varied order of food exquisites (really amazing food) as part of my job up here in Michigan. This culinary teasure came from my friends at Great Ciao in Minneapolis, where they must take those long, cold winters to think hard about great food and what goes into it. This order had some really special items: Ames Farm Honey, Blu del Moncenisio cheese from Italy, Pastificio Marella pastas, Wild Tuscan Pine Nuts, Etc.. As a cook it's not every day you get to work with as varied and unique a pantry as this when cooking, so you appreciate it when the opportunity presents itself. The key is to not lose what makes these ingredients so special (and often-times expensive): the people who make these products are perfectionists about their craft. And their ingredients typically have a complexity and nuance that are best appreciated when they're used in dishes that allow them to shine. This is the perfect time of year to be working with these food jewels, when local produce is in full-swing and at its best. So for the time being I can do without the candycanes and chestnuts, but bring on the sea salt flavored with flecks of white truffle sprinkled over perfect creamer potatoes.

As a recipe for the season (when delicious berries and fruits are prevalent), and with an emphasis on simple recipes to accompany great ingredients, here's my Vanilla Bean Ice Cream recipe:

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Milk 1 1/2Cups
Vanilla Bean (split) 1
Sugar 1/2Cup + 1 Tablespoon

Egg Yolks 5
Heavy Cream 3/4Cup


Preparation: Scald milk, split/scraped vanilla bean and half of the sugar. Steep for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cream remaining sugar and egg yolks. Boil milk and temper egg mixture, combine in double boiler while whisking steadily, cook for 10-20 minutes until thickens to custard-like consistency.

Refrigerate immediately with vanilla bean (preferably over night). Before mixing in ice cream maker, remove bean and add cream. Follow manufacturers instructions on churning. Makes approximately 4 cups.

A Promised Recipe.

A new client of mine requested this recipe after an anniversary dinner I cooked recently for she and her husband. This piquante pepper sauce is great for full flavored fish (wild salmon, tuna, etc.) or roasted chicken, and especially delicious with fried shrimp or calamari. The key ingredient, pappadew peppers from South Africa, are available in the deli section of Schnucks. Here it is, enjoy:

1 cup pappadew peppers
1 small onion, diced
1 large red pepper, seeded & diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 medim carrot, shredded
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
salt & pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, minced
pappadew pepper brine, as needed

Preparation: Saute peppers, onions, garlic and carrots until soft. Deglaze with white wine, simmer until absorbed, add chicken stock. Cook 5-10min.. Puree in blender or with stick blender, return to sauce pan and add parsley and brine until desired consistency. Serve warm.

Good Ole Michigan

I've been up in the mitten state for almost a week now and besides the lack of humidity and urban living the big difference is the incredible availability of fresh berries. Everywhere you go up here you run into a farm or a market peddling fresh spring strawberries (small purveyors selling their berries out of the back of a pick-up truck is a common site along the county roads of Western Michigan). Cooking for the Winstons this week I've been using strawberries for everything (they've been good sports about it for they're blueberry people): salads, coulis for ice creams, tarts, glaze for chicken, etc.. Those of you who are forced to shop among those plastic pints of "cardboard" Driscoll's strawberries at Schnucks, Straubs or Dierbergs know what I mean when I talk about the allure of berries for sale mere hours after they were picked. I'm a sucker for those make-shift farmstands of locally grown produce, I'll almost always buy some of everything (provided the quality is there) and figure out what to do with it when I get back to the kitchen. The great thing for those of us up here in Michigan is that we have local blueberries, raspberries, sweet corn, apricots, peaches, etc. to look forward to. Missing all of you but not the humidity. Cheers.

The Near Future.

I leave in a couple of weeks to spend the summer on the West-coast of Michigan to cook for my good friends, the "first family of food", the Winstons. I'll be updating the Traveling Kitchen blog regularly with stories, market reports and, of course, recipes. I'll be returning to St. Louis in late August to begin building Kirk's Traveling Kitchen in earnest. I'm finishing this post with a recipe for a great, light summer canape (and the final Amuse Bouche from my tenure as chef at Savor). Enjoy.

Kaffir Lime-Melon "Shooters" with Coconut Cream and Sesame Wafers
(makes enough for 12 canape portions)


Cantaloupe, Peeled/Seeded/Diced 1 medium
Fresh Lime Juice 4 limes
Simple Syrup, (1/2 water/1/2 sugar) 1 1/2 cups
Kaffir Lime Leaves (fresh or frozen) 2
Coriander Seeds (cracked) 15
Green Cardamom pods (cracked) 5


Coconut Milk 1 cup
Heavy Cream 1/2 cup

Spring roll wrappers 4 sheets
Eggs, beaten 1
Soy sauce 1 Tablespoon
Sesame Seeds (Black and White) as needed

Preparation Procedure: Preheat oven to 325.

Bring simple syrup, lime leaves, coriander and cardamom to boil. Remove from stove and allow to steep 30 minutes to one hour. Strain and chill.

Meanwhile beat heavy cream in mixer until peaks start to form, fold in coconut milk and mix until thick. Refrigerate.

When syrup is cold pour over melon and lime juice in blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate.

Brush springroll wrappers (cut in an appealing shape) with egg wash mixed with oyster sauce or hoisin or soy. Sprinkle with sesame while still wet.
Lay out on silpat or parchment lined sheet pan, cover with sheet of parchment or another silpat. Bake 10-15 minutes until brown.

Fill shot glass 2/3 full of melon soup, top with dollup of cold coconut chantilly and garnish with sesame wafer.

How I got here.

As I wrap-up my last few weeks at Savor, I've been taking a little time to reflect on how I became a chef and lover of great food. The food part is relatively straight forward, how was I not going to be a food person with a father who exposed me to great restaurants and unique ingredients since I was a toddler (an Indonesian-style rijsttafel [rice table] comes to mind), and a mother who is an incredible cook, restaurant owner and notorious portion monster (I still remember how impressed my friends were in grade-school when they came over to our house in the winter to find our back-porch transformed into a makeshift walk-in cooler and loaded with 50-quart stock pots of various delicious soups and stews my Mother had made for us as an after-school snack). Becoming a chef didn't come as naturally. Even though I loved cooking and working in restaurants, I'd always thought of professional cooking as a means to get through film school. Two things happened to help change my mind. The first occured during my first year of graduate studies, while taking a hiatus in St. Louis, my car was broken into and all my film equipment stolen. About the same time I received a copy of A. Dornenburg & K. Page's inspirational "Becoming a Chef" an incredible book that outlines the amazing world of prefessional cooking through interviews with some of the world's best chefs. I took these events as signs, left school (which I wasn't enjoying anyway) and committed myself to learning everything I could about cooking and food. Many incredible meals and unforgettable food experiences later I'm about to embark on another food adventure: Kirk's Traveling Kitchen.