Conjuring Food

Smoked-Chocolate Compound Butter

• 120 g butter, room temperature
• 70   g dark chocolate, smoked

Melt the chocolate over a bain-marie.  Take off the heat and emulsify butter into the chocolate.  Freeze the compound butter until needed.

Smoking Chocolate

The smoking gun is a great tool from Polyscience.  With it you can apply smoke to anything that might not normally have direct contact with fire or smoke.  Today, I smoked chocolate.  It brings memories of S’mores around the camp fire.

• Lamb with porter and honey, smoked chocolate compound butter, rhubarb, mint
• Rabbit consummé, apple bacon custard, black truffle
• Avocado ice cream, watercress ice, grapefruit, serrano ham chip
• Sweet pea ice cream, carrot, vanilla mascarpone, mint
• Grilled corn incapsulating cayenne butter, Morrells, lime
• Black butte porter ice cream, smoked chocolate rum gelée 
• Using potatoes to smoke
• Pork Belly and watermelon
• Mint sponge
• Brown butter poached scallop and caramelized cauliflower
• Mushroom noodles (mushroom flower)
• Whiskey and smoked chocolate

Avocado Ice Cream, Grapefruit, Serrano Ham Chip, Watercress Ice

I started working on this dish yesterday.  I still want to make some improvements on some of the techniques presented.  I am toying with the idea of grapefruit caviar instead of just the flesh. The flavors and textures worked out very well together.

When I was much younger I wanted to be a magician.  I dedicated myself to learning how to use magic as a tool to astonish people.  Magic can take people right back to the bliss of early childhood.  A time when one was utterly amazed by the things in life that many of us grow up to take for granted.  Food can can inspire the same awe.  It can be an extraordinary experience whether one is enjoying a rustic homemade meal or eating at one of the finest restaurants in the world.

What is the intention of this site?  

To inspire, provoke, create, and share a new realm of possibility with food.  To establish a medium in which people can share ideas and learn from others.

Thank you to everyone who is and will be keeping that intention alive.

Anchovy and Pistachio Brittle

We were making brittle in class today and it inspired me to do something a little different.

Putting bacon in brittle has become a big thing because of the salty deliciousness it brings to the sweet candy.  I thought of what else could bring in that salty flavor.  Anchovy.  Anchovy’s and pistachios go well together.  The idea was not flattering to say the least so I had to try it.  It ended up working incredibly well.  A great snack for anyone who likes anchovy.