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March 18, 2009 - Issue 168 |
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The
Dishrag Newsletter
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1. Letter from the Editor: A Recap of Our Recent Napa-Sonoma Wine Country Trips Over a series of three tasting trips in the last few months, Napa and Sonoma have emerged as a hotbed of artisan craftwork (from charcuterie to cheese-making) and locavore chefs. We'll be announcing our winners soon, but first here are some highlights from this culinary scene, plus a rundown of our current March features. http://www.starchefs.com/features/editors_dish/letter/vol38/ | |||||
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2. The Art and Economics of Charcuterie, Part II: A Multi-Restaurant Operation on a Smaller Scale In the second part of our pig-centric series on charcuterie programs in various restaurant settings around the country, we take a close look at how Sonoma chef John Toulze produces and sells cured meats at his two restaurants, café, and catering operation. Read the interview and learn how to make sopressata from scratch in the five part video! http://www.starchefs.com/features/trends/art_and_economics_of_charcuterie/john_toulze/html/index.shtml | |||||
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3. 10 Business Tips for Stayin' Alive and Remaining Profitable Faced with the challenge of staying open, restaurants all over the country have been forced to re-examine their day-to-day business practices. Based on measures we've seen chefs take across the nation, we've come up with 10 ways to increase your bottom line and help beat the recession. http://www.starchefs.com/features/editors_dish/beat_the_recession/index.shtml | |||||
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4. Technique for Carrot Top Crust with Chef Christopher Kostow of the Restaurant at Meadowood - St. Helena, CA Turning out a portion of crisp-skinned fish should be within any chef's basic skill set, but turning out a portion of fish with a crisp crust made from carrot tops takes some ingenious technique and a good dose of creativity. Learn how chef Christopher Kostow turns a bunch of unassuming (and typically discarded) leaves and stems into a deep green crust that gives a modest fillet of fluke a brand new look. http://www.starchefs.com/events/studio/techniques/christopher_kostow/html/index.shtml | |||||
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5. Five Unfamiliar Ingredients for a New Taste of Japan Japan is known for its enlightening dining experiences, but it's also one of the most exciting places to shop for exotic ingredients. Here is a selection of unfamiliar flavors and textures we experienced during a recent trip through Tokyo and Kyoto. America's kitchens, meet ayu fish sauce, sudachi, obulato, and konyakku. http://www.starchefs.com/features/japanese_ingredients/html/index.shtml | |||||
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6. Featured Star Vintner: Alex Davis of Porter Creek Vineyards-Healdsburg, CA Porter Creek Vineyards has been cultivating grapes in fair Sonoma County since 1977. Its current vintner inherited wine-making duties from his father and is now part of the new generation of Sonoma vintners that are using old school methods and biodynamic practices to produce outstanding wines. http://www.starchefs.com/wine/starvintners/html/alex_davis/html/index.shtml | |||||
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7. Hudson Valley Restaurant Week: Indulge in the Local Produce of Upstate New York From March 22nd to April 3rd, Hudson Valley restaurants will be offering three-course lunch and dinners at an affordable price. Here's a list of participating restaurants, complete with chef information, type of cuisine, signature dishes, and local produce on the menu that shouldn't be missed. http://www.starchefs.com/events/hudson_valley_restaurant_week_2009/index.shtml | |||||
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8. Fill Out a Range Survey for a Last Chance to Win a Six-Burner Range What range do you use? What do you like least about it? What features would you include in your dream-range? Our survey closes soon, so take five minutes to answer our survey and enter for a last chance to win a brand-spankin' new, heavy-duty commercial range for your kitchen. http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/survey-intro.zgi?p=WEB228TEMFGBHC | |||||
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9. Photo Galleries: Napa-Sonoma Round III, Plus NYC's Dirt Candy, Resto, and Death & Co. Photos from our recent California tastings at Diavola, Cyrus, Madrona Manor, Bovolo, Cook, Bottega, Farmhouse, Dry Creek Kitchen, plus veggie heaven Dirt Candy, Belgian bistro Resto, and speakeasy Death & Company in NYC. http://www.starchefs.com/Gallery/Index.shtml | |||||
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10. Featured Cookbook: Aliza Green's Field Guide to Meat Field Guide to Meat: How to Identify, Select, and Prepare Virtually Every Meat, Poultry, and Game Cut The terms "cervelat," "scrapple," and "blockwurst" will become part of your daily vocabulary once you own the Field Guide to Meat. This handbook is an invaluable asset to chefs of any level of experience, offering detailed descriptions on nearly every type of cut, as well as alternative nomenclature and suggested preparations for each. The Field Guide to Meat is broken down by animal and provides over 200 full-cover photographs covering everything from veal hindshank to bison short ribs. Other useful information for each entry includes storage instructions, selection tips, and suggested flavor pairings. | ||||||
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11. Top 10 Jobs from StarChefsJobFinder.com Sushi Cook - Bar Masa/Shaboo Modern Japanese Cuisine CityCenter Las Vegas Nevada http://www.starchefsjobfinder.com/js-jobinfo.php?s=-1&t=j&v=252216&positionid= Independent Contractor Provide Catering Services for our "Spirited" Events! Brown-Forman, DBA Woodford Reserve Distillery Kentucky http://www.starchefsjobfinder.com/js-jobinfo.php?s=-1&t=j&v=252280&positionid= Back of the House - Pearl Food-Obsessed Staff for Asian-Influenced Restaurant Boarding House & Pearl Massachusetts http://www.starchefsjobfinder.com/js-jobinfo.php?s=-1&t=j&v=252161&positionid= Pastry Chef Share Your Expertise With the Next Generation of Chefs Don Ignacio Culinary Arts School/Restaurant Florida http://www.starchefsjobfinder.com/js-jobinfo.php?s=-1&t=j&v=251840&positionid= Chef de Cuisine Seeking Motivated Chef with Interest in Molecular Gastronomy The Institute California http://www.starchefsjobfinder.com/js-jobinfo.php?s=-1&t=j&v=252220&positionid= Helper- Cafe Centro Great Starting Position in Friendly Kitchen CityCenter Las Vegas Nevada http://www.starchefsjobfinder.com/js-jobinfo.php?s=-1&t=j&v=252210&positionid= Garde Manager Chef Take Our Culinary Department to New Levels of Innovation Starfish Brasserie Pennsylvania http://www.starchefsjobfinder.com/js-jobinfo.php?s=-1&t=j&v=252005&positionid= Gourmet Food Sales Reps Are You Passionate About Food? Oasis Outsourcing District of Columbia, New York, Maryland, Nevada http://www.starchefsjobfinder.com/js-jobinfo.php?s=-1&t=j&v=252282&positionid= Butcher Must Love Meat! CityCenter Las Vegas Nevada http://www.starchefsjobfinder.com/js-jobinfo.php?s=-1&t=j&v=252203&positionid= Pastry Cook Pastry cook for fine dining restaurant in luxury hotel The Setai Florida http://www.starchefsjobfinder.com/js-jobinfo.php?s=-1&t=j&v=251680&positionid= | ||||||
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12. Featured Chef to Know: Pastry Chef Marika Shimamoto Doob of Charles Chocolates - San Francisco, CA Excerpt taken from the 2nd edition of the StarChefs.com Chefs To Know: A Guide To Chefs for Chefs available for $24.95 through http://www.starchefs.com/shopping/ Marika Shimamoto Doob Pastry Chef at Charles Chocolates 6529 Hollis St. San Francisco, CA 94608 Phone: (510) 652-4412 Restaurant Facts Kitchen Staff: 15-25 Chef Facts Cuisine: Clean, familiar, and well-executed pastries Born: 1972 Began Career: 1996 Culinary School: The California Culinary Academy, San Francisco, CA Grad Year: 1999 Work History: San Francisco, CA: L'Auberge Hotel and Resort, San Francisco's Waterfront Restaurant, Hawthorne Lane, The Fifth Floor Awards: 2005 StarChefs.com Rising Star Pastry Chef San Francisco Fast Facts Restaurant Recs: Kirala in Berkeley - it's not quite off the beaten path though. I like the sashimi, especially salmon toro. Kitchen Tool(s): My favorite pastry tool in the kitchen is the silicon mat. I can't imagine attempting to make a tuile or do sugar work and decorations without it. Flexible silicon molds are great as well. Interview Question: Why should we hire you? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Culinary Travel: Italy for the gelato and Switzerland for the chocolate | |||||
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 13. Scallops with Cauliflower from Chef Richard Corbo of Ducca-San Francisco, CAAdapted by StarChefs.com Yield: 4 Servings INGREDIENTS: 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon honey 1 pinch ground coriander 1 cup pumpkin seeds 4 tablespoons butter 2 pounds U10 diver sea scallops 1 quart cauliflower florets Salt and pepper 1 teaspoon lemon juice 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill METHOD: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a bowl, combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, honey, coriander, and pumpkin seeds. Bake on a baking sheet in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet. Add the scallops and saute until cooked through. Remove from pan. Add the remaining butter and the cauliflower. Cook 7 to 8 minutes or until cooked through. Season and remove from heat. Add the scallops and toss with lemon juice. Drizzle with the remaining oil and garnish with the dill and pumpkin seeds. | ||||||
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