Wednesday night's Top Chef Masters produced a sizzling episode, placing four master chefs up against the clock to see who could withstand the heat of this season's burning competition.
The Chefs:
Nils Norén–The French Culinary Institute,New York, NY
Host Kelly Choi announced to the masters they would be working with America's favorite food for this challenge. As silver dish platters strolled in on an elegant cart, the contestants' faces appeared eager to discover the cuisine they were about to encounter. Shockingly, the news did not hit them so well. The contestants finally fell victim to the leading cause of American obesity: junk food.
After the usual drawing of knives routine, the chefs each picked one ingredient—hot dogs, fried shrimp, fish sticks, and corn dogs came out at the fabulous four to receive a true culinary makeover.
Although these experts should have been able to whip up their dishes in a given 45 minutes, not all were able to succeed. Chef Patterson's hot dog turned homemade sausage in a prosciutto tomato stew came out barely cooked when it was sent for tasting. But the worst was without a doubt, Rick Moonen. Admitting to having the intention span of about 5 seconds in the kitchen constantly on the move, and blaming his food passion for his "Chef ADD," it was ironic to see Moonen unable to serve any of his seafood corn dog role with Asian slaw, running out of time before any part of the meal was completed.
A surprise judge and junk food fiend , Flipping Out's very own, Jeff Lewis and his cast, not only were deeply disappointed they were unable to try a promised fourth junk dish, but also refused to give Moonen any stars for poor work in the kitchen.
In the end, Michael Chiarello places first on the junk foodies' list with his fishsticks work of art: swordfish meatballs in fisherman's sauce Jeff Lewis couldn't seem to get enough of.
Elimination Challenge:
Cooking a three-course meal for 100 guests is usually a piece of cake for these masters mainly because they have fifteen plus hands helping them at all times. Now, with only one hand and 300 dishes for a rather large cocktail party, the chef's begin to worry about the next day's events—possibly the hardest elimination yet.
With three hours to cook the day before and one hour on the day of the party, the cast mates have gone a little mad, flinging food and cookware everywhere in order to beat the clock—evidently Moonen's so called ADD came into play once again. Unlike the rest, Clever Norén planned so much in advance allowing for free hands and free entertainment of the other chefs during the final prep hour. Fortunately for Moonen, Norén uses his free time to help the Quickfire's loser plate his appetizers.
Hardcore Top Chef and Food Network fans invade Hollywood's Magic Castle to finally feast , or for some dishes, freak out, on the master's cuisine. Norén may have been king of the first two courses, but both critics and judges turn on him for dessert that included a smoked tea whipped cream that James Oseland said tasted like bacon. Patterson also semi flopped with his first course, a deep fried pineapple along with his strawberry tart which resembled steak tartare, weirding out some top chef fans.
On a tastier note, Moonen's lemon panna cotta was so brilliantly cooked, people questioned the success of the dish under such short time. Chiarello's prawns with rice flour, chili and garlic oil were also a favorite, but Gael Greene criticized the use of a knife at a cocktail party—pretty harsh if you ask me.
This week's victor may have caught the ladies' eyes all night with his flirtatious charm, but also won over the judges with his goat milk basil gelato over balsamic strawberries and chocolate creme fraiche. Although Gail Greene claimed she disliked lawn cuttings in her dessert, Michael Chiarello succeeded in converting the willful critic's mind. He was also able to donate to $10,000 to the Clinic Ole Foundation, which provides dependable and necessary health care to the local and migrant agricultural workers of Northern California.
Finally, as some are calling it, the People's Choice Award of the party went to Rick Moonen, who won the most stars from the diners , tying for second place with Nils Norén, despite going into Elimination with no stars.
Stay tuned weekly to Behind the Burner to read more about the Top Chef Masters experiences.
Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville is no longer the only Jimmy soaring in cocktail clique of the culinary world. Jimmy's No. 43 of New York should really be No. 1, based on it excellent selection of beers and, for once, its tasty and satisfying cuisine. A bar with more than just your typical deep fried, fat dripping bar food? Hard to believe, I know. Although the menu changes nightly, Jimmy's seems to still preserve simple American bar food with a touch of class any stomach can't resist. The mouth watering skillet fried beer sausages were balanced nicely by my pale ale. I spoiled myself with more sausages—lamb sausages with apples and spelt as well as shrimp and grits with a hint of smoky bacon, a New Orleans favorite. Then, I topped off my night off with some cherry cobbler, red sweetness perfected in my mouth.
But now the highlight of my visit, Jimmy's secret treasures—the drink menu. Serving glasses range from goblets to small Pilsner glasses, with an endless selection of succulent German beer. Draught beer brands include the famous Magic Hat, Belgium's Piraat (Amber Triple IPA), Ommegang Witte and the satisfying Brooklyn Brewery, Brewmaster's Reserve with Stumptown Coffee—finally a reason to combine caffeine and alcohol! Green Market pretzels and cider blend is also available for those looking just to snack while indulging in their beer.
My partner in crime, born 175 miles away from me in Illinois, showed me that beer tasting can be just as fun, and rewarding, as wine tasting—an atmosphere of vines and grapes was replaced by dark wood, candlelight and a New York crowd that enjoys food comparable to its beverages. Only this time, the drafts have got some serious competition.
—Divya Gugnani
Jimmy's No.43
43 E. 7th Street
New York, NY 10003
212.982.3006 www.jimmysno43.com
After a week hiatus, the fourth episode of Top Chef Masters was "eggstraordinarily" magical. Silly choice of words I know, but true in a literal sense. Four more chefs have been brought to the Top Chef kitchen to prove that they are "top," but this time with one arm behind their back.
Mastering the cooking techniques of an egg may seem simple, but it is really quite difficult. This is why in most culinary schools there is one lesson dedicated to just that, cooking eggs. The Quick Fire Challenge for this week put the chefs to the test asking them to cook one egg dish but with one arm behind their back.
Considering Chef Peel's father was a chef himself and ironically had one arm, Peel showed the judges that he could not only cook an egg with one arm, but could roll pasta as well.
Chef Besh on the other hand (no pun intended) prepared what he called a "slow cooked egg." Basically an egg cooked, or uncooked in this matter was garnished with nothing but a greasy flavor.
The winner however was Chef Anita Lo who created a simple egg scramble with a truffle oil and shiitake mushroom twist all served in the shell of the egg. Her version of an upscale scrambled egg with a pretty presentation would win the hearts for anyone looking for an outstanding brunch table.
Elimination Challenge
This elimination challenge really had the chefs thinking outside of the box or the hat so to speak. Each was given the opportunity to pick a card, any card each containing one of four words: mystery, surprise, spectacle and illusion. With this word they were to prepare a dinner (with the usual $250 budget at Whole Foods) for the former Dr. Howser (as in Doogie), Neil Patrick Harris and his friends. Neil Patrick Harris has grown up and his palate has grown to "foodie" proportions.
Chef Peel (Mystery): has the bright and brilliant idea of cooking en papillote (cooking in a paper bag). The mystery is clearly, "what's in the bag?" Solution: a clean and simple presentation of a Thai snapper over garlic mashed potatoes. He did a pairing with a nice sake that won the judges over, but not enough.
Chef Besh (Surprise!): embraces the magic theme stating, "Food can be just as entertaining as magic," and this thought is reflected by his own magic show of sorts. He prepares a three part dish of salmon roe salad, tuna tartare, and tempura fried lobster. Topping the salad he uses Neil Patrick Harris as his assistant in creating a horseradish sorbet (with the use of liquid nitrogen). The judges rave over the presentation and the effort, but find the sorbet not so sorbet-y.
Chef Lo (Illusion): prepares a dish for the judges that is a trick to the eye. They believe they will be dining on a single scallop, but it's not even a scallop at all. Chef Anita manages to concoct the superb idea of stuffing a daikon radish with steak tartare, giving the diner the illusion of a scallop. Bravo Chef Lo, bravo!
Chef Rodriguez (Spectacle): presents a dish of duck four ways, and lights a portion of it on fire. The flames are quite a spectacle so to speak, but not spectacular enough. The judges enjoyed his variations of duck, but they didn't provide the number of stars that he needed to blow them out of the water.
Chef Anita Lo's culinary magic is the clear winner of episode four, allowing her to advance to the next round of Top Chef Masters. With only two more first round episodes to go, stay tuned to Behind the Burner for weekly recaps of Top Chef Masters.
When visiting Washington, D.C. for the first time last weekend, I expected the usual from such a historic city: monuments, museums, the metro, and of course, a good time; for once everything except food was on my mind. Yet, little did I know, one of the most remarkable places I would be encountering would in fact deal primarily with food. It wasn't the tourist obsessed Maryland crab or Virginia ham, nor did it compare to the luscious metropolitan cocktails or the famous Pizza Paradiso . Rather, what I stumbled upon was unique in its own sugary way —a tiny cupcakery and D.C.'s first, booming in the heart of the celebrated city. This establishment was no other than the delectable Georgetown Cupcake .
After some research, I came to understand that Georgetown cupcake was founded in February 2008 by two sisters, Katherine Kallinis and Sophie LaMontagne that traded their career in fashion for life on the sweeter side. Still, what could be so great about a shop that only served cupcakes I thought? Across from Georgetown shops, nuzzled between a Greek Gyro hut and an overly priced dress shop, you may easily pass the bakery if you don't know what you are looking for. Yet what my eyes could not avoid was the line of cupcake craving people almost wrapped around the block on this hot July afternoon—you would think they were serving ice cakes. But my D.C native friend insisted she would not let us go back to New York without trying these treats.
I found it funny that only a handful of people could be in the shop at once. A sign announcing "Please keep the door closed at all times to keep our cupcakes fresh," slowed down the progression of the line, but we all waited, eager to taste this mysterious collection of notable cupcakes America seemed to rave about.
When it was finally my turn to enter, I stood in awe for about five minutes. For such a tiny place, it could have been compared to Harry Potter's cupboard under the stairs. But the smell was literally breathtaking. It felt as if sweet chocolate morsels, freshly picked strawberries, streams of raspberry, splashes of vanilla, and sprays of lemon lime all trapped you in a wave of sweetness the moment you stepped foot inside the cupcakery. Pink and black designs adorned the four white walls, as Georgetown Bakery merchandise flooded the shelves on the wall near the windows.
Yet what caught me most off guard was the endless selection of cupcake flavors to choose from. For only $2.75 per cupcake, my choices ranged from the simple chocolate and vanilla to the more intensified flavors such as luscious lava, chocolate ganache, lemon blossom, key lime, carrot, red velvet, coconut, chocolate hazelnut, lemon berry, lava fudge, chocolate peanut butter and much more. I decided I had to try everything, but realized that was not exactly possibly financially for me at the moment. I decided to go with an even number, four—four out of the multitude of beautifully decorated cupcakes that seemed so perfect I almost couldn't imagine eating them. After speaking with the expert sellers, I chose the famous red velvet, a chocolate hazelnut, one lemon blossom and one original vanilla. I knew my stomach couldn't handle all four at once, but I figured some cupcake sampling couldn't hurt. If wine lovers can taste for hours the many different varietals, as a cupcake devotee I should thoroughly explore sweet variety.
Let's start with the red velvet, a maroon colored cake so sweet and so moist, I almost felt sinful eating it. Next I took a dab, or should I say mouthful, at the chocolate hazelnut—chocolate lovers this one's for you. Try to imagine rich hazelnut beans drowned in a dark, sugary pool of richness all compacted into a single fluffy cupcake. As one who can't get enough of strawberry shortcake in the summer time, this one was my favorite. A strawberry flavored cake filled with fresh strawberries inside and topped with strawberry icing that dissolved in my mouth—I could not get enough. Finally, before my stomach was about to explode, I had room for one more—the simple, but classic vanilla. Although the cupcake seemed like the typical cupcake birthday treat, it was pretty clear this was not something anyone could just whip up at home. It was pure vanilla bliss.
I think what struck me most was how fresh the cupcakes were. Baked daily, these workers literally slaved in the kitchen to produce hundreds of smiles throughout the day in Georgetown. The cupcakery produced a menu of specified cupcakes for each day, their usual flavors, and their monthly specials. It also sold a variety of beverages such as lattes, flavored coffees, and cappuccinos. I found it adorable how customers were purchasing a dozen cupcakes as they would donuts, all perfectly packed in a pastel pink box and sealed with Georgetown's Cupcake logo sticker. The establishment even caters to special events, personalizing cupcakes upon advanced requests.
On this lovely afternoon, I forgot my diet and enjoyed an afternoon flooded in rays of sweetness, reminding myself how the little things in life, such as cupcakes, could make any day ten times better.
—Joanna Weinstein
Georgetown Cupcake
1209 Potomac Street NW
At the Corner of M Street and Potomac Street
Washington, DC 20007
202.333.8448 www.georgetowncupcake.com
This summer I have been completely stoned, stone fruit that is. Though I love my vegetables, I am not one to grab a piece of fruit to snack on, much less one that I have to use my front teeth to bite into (My front tooth was chipped in the fourth grade by a tennis racket, and I fear that its filling will fall out...)
But stone fruits or "drupes" are a different story. I have managed to keep a bowl of peaches, plums, and my favorite, nectarines ready for regular snacking in the kitchen. I don't like to keep the fruits in the refrigerator. Keeping them at room temperature allows the fruit to ripen faster. Plus, the warmer temperature gets the juices flowing inside already ripened fruit, making for a slightly messy but scrumptious refreshment.
If you have read any of my previous blogs, you will know that my family is completely obsessed with grilling (literally every night). The perfect bite that I have encountered thus far is a forkful of grilled steak (preferably skirt steak) paired with pieces of grilled peaches and tomato. The sweet and savory flavors conclude that opposites do attract even in the food world.
The versatility of the use of any stone fruit doesn't have to stop there. Add stone fruit to any dessert spread and you will have the sweet taste of summer to lick from the corners of your mouth. One of my favorite desserts to eat and make is a super simple "crumble." I typically prepare this dish with plums and peaches, but apricots or even cherries would make an acceptable alternative.
The recipe is as follows:
14 plums or 10 peaches, depending on size, cut into 6 wedges
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 whole vanilla bean or 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup regular oats
6 tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. orange zest
1/2 tsp. salt
5 tbsp. butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine fruit, sugar, and vanilla and toss together. Place mixture into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, coated with butter or cooking spray
3. Using the same bowl if you wish, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, zest and salt. Cut in chilled butter with pastry blender or with two knives until the texture of a coarse meal is achieved
4. Sprinkle crumb mixture over the top of the fruit and place is preheated oven
5. Bake for 45 minutes or until juices are bubbly and the top is lightly browned
This recipe can be served warm or at room temperature. I highly recommend pairing it with vanilla ice cream!
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