Thomas Keller once said “If you and I were preparing the same dish and everything were identical: We had the same kitchen, the same crew, the same recipe, but my ingredients were better quality, then I would beat you every time”. After having a twenty-five course tasting at Chef Keller’s restaurant, Per Se, I would pretty much believe anything he says. What bowled me over … Continue reading Local Heirloom Tomatoes with Parmesan-Reggiano Sorbet

In the same batch of cheeses that we received from Ashe County Cheeses was a Habanero Cheddar. When it arrived I cut a slice off and popped it in my mouth. Let me preface the result by saying that I really like spicy foods. I’ll put Tabasco on anything, I love sriracha and I’ve eaten pickled jalapenos. With that said, this cheese is a mean, … Continue reading Petit Pommes Frites with Habanero Cheddar Fondu, Bacon Powder

We’ve gotten some new cheeses from Ashe County Cheese in West Jefferson, North Carolina and I’ve been featuring them on our Chefs Table this past week. Ashe County has a large variety of cheeses, including the Juusto that’s sandwiched between two slices of brioche in the picture. Juusto is short for “Juustoleipa”, which means “bread cheese” in some language or another. Juusto is a buttery … Continue reading Grilled Juusto and Brioche Sandwich with Roasted Tomato Air

Here are some images from the kitchen provided by David Norman of Quality Impressions here in Charlotte, North Carolina. All of the kitchen shots on the blog are by David and his wife, Louise, and all of the food shots are a direct result of his advice. The blog itself is a result of his prodding. Thanks David. Continue reading What I See

This was a nice, fairly simple dish that was very popular when I did it last week. It’s broiled Prime CAB filet mignon with summer vegetables and lobster mashed potatoes. The filet mignon is exceptional, but the lobster whips are the star on this plate. Unfortunately they are fairly hidden on the dish and in the picture, but the flavor and color is powerful and … Continue reading Prime CAB Filet Mignon with Lobster Mashed Potatoes

Alaskan King Crab is a mild, sweet shellfish that is used for its legs, which can often be a couple feet long. The crabs themselves are large, spiny tank-like creatures that now average about ten pounds, but can reach much larger sizes. As documented in “The Deadliest Catch”, King Crab fishing is statistically the most dangerous profession in the United States. Due to freezing temperatures, … Continue reading Warm Alaskan King Crab Terrine with Potato Risotto, Summer Succotash, Bacon and Red Onion Vinaigrette

This dish is very rich and very earthy. Some people balk at the term “pork belly”, I think not realizing that pork belly is essentially bacon. For bacon, pork belly is cured, smoked, hung, sliced and cooked. This pork belly is simply braised for several hours until fork tender. The difference between bacon and pork belly is the difference between pastrami and pot roast. Like … Continue reading Braised Pork Belly, Pappardelle Pasta, Truffled White Bean Puree

After cooking for awhile, it’s rare to run across an ingredient that I’ve never heard of or experienced. The Atlantic Wreckfish was such an ingredient this summer. After working with it for the first time this season, it has quickly become one of my favorite fish. Wreckfish can reach seven feet long and up to two hundred pounds living at the bottom of the Atlantic … Continue reading Pan Seared Charleston Wreckfish with Smoked Buffalo and Barley Ragout, Summer Succotash

At times I tend to have a short have a short attention span, so to spend three days preparing a dish is a big deal for me. I feel like the end result was worthwhile. This preparation of foie gras is called “au torchon”, or “in a towel”. Towel regarding to the final step of the process of preparation. Foie Gras Torchon is a three … Continue reading Apple Cider Poached Foie Gras Torchon with Smoked Raisins, Apple and Fennel Pollen Caviar

We prepare a lot of hors d’oeuvres in our kitchen, thousands of individuals and hundreds of varieties. This is one of my favorite…it’s not particularly refined, but it has flavor for days. If you begin a meal like this then you’d better have something awesome coming behind it. The main component of this hors d’oeuvre is the duck rillette. Rillette, like the name sounds, is … Continue reading Duck Confit Rillette with Braised Red Cabbage and Guiness Mustard on Rye Crostini