Author: CuisineWriter
Alfred Portale
The relationship between form and content is one that artists working in every medium must come to terms with, and cooking is no exception. Alfred Portale, once a jewelry designer, now an American uber-chef, completely revolutionized modern food presentation when he built a lettuce salad that literally towered above the rest. With each verdant leaf […]
Chef Eberhard Muller – Lutèce (NYC)
Photo by WNYC When he took over as Executive Chef of Lutèce, Eberhard Muller was in an enviably uncomfortable position — how to retain the aura of Andre Soltner’s famous restaurant while concurrently incorporating his own personality. Muller admitted that following Soltner’s legend was an uphill battle. Devoted customers expected to find their Lutèce unchanged, […]
Chef Gray Kunz
Subtle is not a word one would use to describe the menu at Lespinasse, Gray Kunz’s four-star restaurant in the St. Regis Hotel. With its seemingly flagrant use of Asian, Middle Eastern, and Indian ingredients (white beans, mung bean, pink lentil and spiced leek emulsion) and bizarre sounding juxtapositions (like watermelon and tomato fondue), outlandish […]
Marie-Antoine Carême : Profile of a Genius Chef
Marie-Antoine Carême, a detailed profile. A French chef born in 1784, Carême revolutionized the culinary world with his emphasis on presentation, sauces, and French cuisine. His influential cookbooks and notable patrons solidified his legacy as a master chef and culinary pioneer.
Bonito
Photo by BocaDorada Bonito is a type of tuna, which is a member of the mackerel family, and one of the most important fish in Japanese cuisine. Rarely eaten fresh, the dark, oily meat is dried into very hard cubes, which must be ground or shaved with a special tool before use. Bonito shavings form […]
Achiote and Annatto and what Sprouts from the Seed
Photo by Bill Gracey The small yet seemingly impenetrable achiote seed, which is often commonly named the annatto seed, is available worldwide both as a whole seed and in ground form. It is a highly-regarded ingredient in both Hispanic and Indian cuisine for its subtle bitter and earthy flavors along with its gorgeous burnished copper […]
Amira
Reported as Closed 590 Valencia Street, San Francisco, California 94110-1115 ph: 415.621.6213 When you are in the mood for virtuoso belly dancing and delicious Turkish food, wander into Amira and feast on both. The atmosphere is all pillows, throw rugs, silky music and darkened corners. Start with the delicious hors d`oeuvre of walnut spread, and […]
Candle Café
1307 3rd Avenue, New York, New York 10021-3301 ph: 212.472.0970 fax: 212.472.7169 An organic, vegetarian haven whose farm-fresh food will give you the glow of health. Polished apples sit on each table, and recommended dishes include a crunchy sprout salad, a vegetable casserole with mushroom gravy, and a grilled portobello mushroom sandwich on sourdough. The […]
Candy Corn: Your Friend and Mine
by Marjorie Ingall Shut up, it is not disgusting. It is appalling and addictive and seductive, the rock cocaine of the confectionery world. Teenagers and adults may turn up their noses in favor of the Hershey’s Fun Size chocolates (which, you’ll excuse me, would be infinitely funner if they had more mass), but the little children […]
Breakfast Cereal Beginnings
Today, many of the products that line the breakfast cereal aisle contain artificial colors and flavors, processed flours, and sugar, all pressed into novel shapes and promoted by cartoon characters. But this wasn’t the way it started out. The breakfast cereal industry came into being as a result of late 19th century America’s fascination with, […]