Thanksgiving Musings

So here I am, sitting at my computer, deep in food coma. I'm back where I was last year, and the year before- asking myself if I really needed that extra helping of pie. As I contemplate Thanksgiving, the holiday comprised of my two favorite things, cooking and eating, I determine the answer to be yes. My life wouldn't be the same without that gooey mess of fat and sugar that is pecan pie.

I watched a chef at Lacroix make gravy from scratch. I don't get paid at Lacroix. I go to learn. I love it when the chefs take time to teach me. The chef browned turkey bones and bacon in a rondeau. Duck Confit was warming up on the side. I proclaimed "We should eat duck confit instead of turkey on Thanksgiving." "Why?" he responded. For lack of a better answer I said "cause it's sooooo good." He told me he could only eat one duck confit leg, but he could eat a whole turkey. "I've accepted duck confit. I know it, and I'm over it" he said. "I guess I don't know it, I could eat five duck confit legs" I said. "Yea well you're 15, you still get hard-ons in math class." I told him I get hard-ons when I eat duck confit. Every time I think that I know and understand food so well, I get a slap in the face.

Stock cooling in the sink.

I feel like this Thanksgiving was special. Last year I just made bread pudding. This year I was much more involved, much more in tune with the holiday. I prepared some broccoli, I baked some bread, I candied nuts for an appetizer, I made an apple pie, I made chicken stock from frozen bones, and I brined and am about to cook a turkey (separate one for my immediate family). The day before Thanksgiving however, I found myself rubbing a cure on pork belly that will not be ready for weeks and today I found myself making eggnog to be aged until Christmas. Thanksgiving is about being thankful for the food we have, and these two acts, like Ruhlman says, put me more in tune with the holiday than roasting any turkey could.

Pork Belly, 1/2 to be made into pancetta, the other to be made into bacon.

The Fam

I love being with family for Thanksgiving, but when I think about my ideal Thanksgiving, I see one with just a distinct bunch of my closest buddies. Everyone has come over my place, and they are sitting by the fire. We're stuffed to the brims, and are reminiscing about that time we left a team building day to go to Chipotle, but our band teacher pulled up at the same time and caught us. Or about the time we put a pita round in some jerk's pumpkin pie before the custard had set while it was baking. Or just about nothing at all. I spent all day cooking, and no one else brought anything, and I was happy, cause cooking is my equivalent to video games. I made sweet potatoes, cornbread, shitake mushroom stuffing, butternut squash soup, fork-mashed red bliss potatoes (none of that swank, french potato puree), brioche rolls, roast duck, apple, pumpkin, and pecan pie, and most importantly turkey leg confit. We would drink pumpkin spice lattes into the wee hours of the night and as the fire died down, we just kinda fell asleep. Next morning I wake up early and prepare sweet potato waffles for breakfast, then give everyone a turkey, avocado, and bacon fat mayonnaise sandwich to take home.

Holy god it's 2:30. My food coma is dying down. Goodnight.

Keller and Ruhlman at the Free Library

"Finally the day had arrived," I thought in science class. It felt like forever from the month or so ago that I had gotten my tickets. Buying these tickets was like making a reservation for Per Se, the time between making a reservation and actually eating there feels like forever. I got back to my test on polar and non-polar substances. I had been daydreaming about tonight for at least 10 minutes. I'd be lucky to finish my test.

I felt my phone vibrate in my pants pocket. I sit in the back, next to a window, a prime spot for both texting and daydreaming. I opened up my phone. My Mom, who had been workin the connections for me, trying to somehow allow me to meet Keller, wrote, "Possible 10 minute interview with Ruhlman and Keller at 7:10." I nearly squealed in my seat, like a pig that Keller might sous vide. I went back to daydreaming. At 4:30 however, I got an e-mail saying that Keller and Ruhlman were running behind schedule, and that I wouldn't be able to get my interview.

My heart drooped, but that wouldn't stop me, or my mom, who seemed to have a plan to get me that talk time. We arrived at the library two hours early, a whole hour and 15 minutes before the doors would open.

At once my mom found out the location of the office of the event coordinator, and before I knew it we were in an employees only area. I crept across the wall, as if I were James Bond, and we eventually found our way to the office of the event coordinator. We explained to him our situation and he promised to find us, if I would be able to talk to Keller.

So I sat outside the library's auditorium doors like a loner, for about 30 minutes before anyone else arrived, and about an hour before they opened the doors. My dedication paid off however, when I got front row seats.

Finally a white-bearded man went up to give an introduction, and said something along the lines of "Michael Keller uses this method to get the most out of his food." Yes, he said Michael Keller. Many from the audience, including me, quickly corrected him, and soon Keller and Ruhlman were on the stage. I'm sure most of you don't need me to describe either of them, but I will nonetheless.

They walked out smiling, and are both strikingly tall. Ruhlman seemed more at ease with the crowd. He is blond with wavy hair and very laid back- a potential surfer dude. My mom later told me that his aura surprised her. Ruhlman is one of the most admired authorities in the food world, he's "strikingly handsome," and he's book touring with Thomas Keller, yet he isn't the least bit condescending or egotistical (from what I observed). Keller seems to still have a little chef in him, meaning he's not as comfortable in the public (out of the kitchen) as Ruhlman is. Ruhlman is more at ease with the world, Keller seems more perfectionist. What Keller has said about cooking ("perfect is only an idea, once you reach it, it disappears") seems to translate into aspects of his life.

Ruhlman gave an introduction. He talked about how Keller had failed every cooking job up until the French Laundry. He talked about how when he was at Rakel, he was asked to serve Caesar salad, but refused and left, because he wouldn't compromise his standards. All of this I knew, yet I listened intently to every word. Ruhlman is the one of the greatest food writers today, not because of the information he gives (which is top notch), but because of the way he tells the information. Ruhlman's more than a writer, he's a storyteller. He turned Thomas Keller's journey through the restaurant industry into an epic.

The presentation was Keller answering Ruhlman's questions about sous vide cooking (its history, its use at his restaurants, safety, application for the home cook, future of sous vide). The presentation was interesting, though I'd heard most of it before. The introduction was my favorite part, I prefer stories to fact books.

The audience asked questions as the presentation concluded. I debated whether or not to ask a question I had been pondering. Would I sound stupid? Would my heart start beating fast? I felt like I was about to talk to a really hot girl for the first time. The first question was asked-something about sous vide in grocery stores, "ah what the hell, you only live once right," I thought. I raised my hand. "You in the front" said Ruhlman. The library worker nearly gave the mic to someone in the next row. I let him know it was me. Early in the presentation Ruhlman had said something about a Vegas Steakhouse having sous vide bins filled with steak cooked at rare, medium rare, medium and well done. I asked him and Keller about this, "Do you believe sous vide will turn restaurants into production lines?" I have no recollection of Ruhlman's response, I was trying to suppress the butterflies in my stomach. As Keller began to answer, my butterflies receded. He told me that places like steakhouses are kind of already production lines, that they are doing large volume cooking each night, and that they need that consistency that sous vide bring. "For places like steakhouses, the production line aspect isn't necessarily a bad thing." I could accept that. Someone else asked if Keller would open a Bouchon in Philly. He responded "I like Philly so much, I wouldn't wanna have to work when I come here." Smooth Keller, real smooth. The presentation ended.

Stay Tuned for part 2, which includes a lil one on one time with me and Keller.

I met Thomas Keller and Michael Ruhlman

I met Thomas Keller and Michael Ruhlman. The first part of my life is complete. The 2nd? Creating a restaurant to equal his.

More on the event after I get some sleep.

Thomas Keller at Free Library

Thomas Keller and Michael Ruhlman are coming on Monday to the Free Library in Philadelphia. Don't be a moron, get your tics!

Check this post out

If you get a chance, check out the post I wrote about chefs and society. My favorite foods to cook are the ones that require a thought process, the ones that you can't just throw together. Same with blog posts. The ones I enjoy to write most have some deep thought behind them. So skip over that last one I wrote about pumpkin fudge and read this.

Pumpkin Fudge

-Possibly the best pumpkin dessert I've ever had.

Wait! Broccoli can be good without bacon wrapped around it?

Thank you Amateur Gourmet. I may never cook brocolli another way again.

-For the best broccoli you've ever had, simply take off the stems, make sure they're real dry, toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and crushed garlic cloves.
-Place in a 425 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes.
-Remove, top with grated lemon zest and parmesan cheese and chopped pine nuts if you got em (if you don't no biggie they will be delicious no matter what).
-Dig in
-Eat more
-And more
-And more

Honestly, the parmesan and lemon zest only enhance the broccoli, if you don't have either on hand (though you prob should), simply roast the broc with the salt pepper and olive oil. It's that good.

Oh yea, and thank me, actually Adam Roberts, later.