Long Away, But An Update

I really do plan to write in this thing more, but I just haven't had the time. So, just for the sake of putting words down on paper (or internet, rather), here are a few things I have enjoyed recently (by recently I mean in the past year): Yuzu Marinated Pork Belly at Crazy Water. -Awesome food. But the space is WAY too cramped. Braised Beef Cheek at Lake Park Bistro -This was actually maybe one of the best things I have ever eaten in my life. It was kind of a play on boeuf Bourguinon. Curried Squash Soup at Braise. -This is a new hot spot in Walker's Point. Overall I thought the place was so-so. That whole farm to table thing can get in the way of the food if you aren't careful. But, to be fair, they haven't been open all that long. Maybe they just need a little time to get everything up and running on all cylinders. Thats it for now. Heading to Florida in a few days. Next update will be about everything I ate there. Later.

Love and Marrow

Anyone who has read Anthony Bourdain's books or seen his show has heard him wax poetic about the joys of eating bone marrow. His "food porn" description of it has always made me want to try it but living in Milwaukee which is a relatively unadventurous town when it comes to such things, has never afforded me the opportunity. However, a recent trip to Roots on Milwaukee's east side, I finally got my marrow. Roots features a lot of locally grown meats and produce and has, rarely for Milwaukee, several vegan options. The night I visited the soup special was a Vietnamese beef broth with bone marrow dumpling. The broth was delicious. The beef flavor was aided by cilantro and a smoky burst of bacon. Cabbage provided a little crunch. And then the dumpling, oh the dumpling. Rich, buttery, with a somewhat pasty texture that reminded me of hummus or bean dip. I understand Anthony. You have never let me down. Well, there was Gabrielle Hamilton's memoir, but thats another post.

Reflections on Vegas

I was in Las Vegas last week. It was the fourth time I had been there and the first time that the occasion was such that I could spend some time exploring the multitude of culinary options the city has to offer. Results are as follows:

Mesa Grill

We were gambling a little bit at Caesar's Palace and decided we were hungry. The only reason Mesa Grill was chosen as our dining spot was that it happened to be the closest place to where we were at the time we decided we were hungry. The place was busy. We had an hour and fifteen minute wait, which was fine, we had no reservation. Our server was friendly and attentive. The table started with the "Cremini Mushroom Quesadilla" which had a cheesy, mushroomy filling and was topped with an over easy egg. When you cut yourself a wedge from the quesadilla, the yolk spilled out, enhancing the dish with all the richness that an egg yolk brings. Spicy salsa verde accompanied the dish, which didn't seem like it would work but did, cutting through all the rich elements without overwhelming them.

My entree was the Fire Roasted Veal Chop, which came on the bone, and was seasoned with horseradish, maple glaze, and sage butter, and was accompanied by a sweet corn and rice tamale. The chop was cooked to a lovely medium-rare. While I found the flavors to be good, the horseradish was a little bit much for me and didn't totally jive with everything else. I'm not implying it was bad, but that horseradish and maple aren't quite a perfect combination for my palette. The tamale was sweet and mild and a perfect compliment to the powerful flavors of the chop.

A dining companion of mine had the New Mexican Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin, which came with a dark, spiced exterior and a moist, pink interior. She ordered it as the waiter recommended, cooked to medium, which some people have a problem with when it comes to pork, but attitudes seem to be changing. The seasoning reminded me a little of Manwich, but in a good way, and the pork was juicy and delicious, but maybe a bit too spicy.


Bouchon

I've wanted to try Thomas Keller's food since I became interested in cooking. Living, as I do, in what amounts to a sparse area for culinary talent, you have to venture out to eat the cuisine of the superstar chefs. So, when people asked me where I wanted to go for my birthday dinner, I was all to excited to pick Bouchon in The Venetian Hotel. Perhaps my excitement is why I still have such a sour taste in my mouth, not from the food, but the service.

We initially had a reservation for 5 at 8:45PM. Two additional people wanted to come, so we called and changed the reservation to 7 people, which we were told was not a problem. We were not seated until nearly 10:00. One person at the table didn't receive his beverage, which finally came after 4 requests and 30 minutes of elapsed time. I realize we aren't high rollers, but that doesn't mean we should be ignored.

Food was, as expected, outstanding. I started with a grilled octopus salad, which was on special that night. The octopus was fork tender, sweet, and paired well with the peppery arugula that came with it. My entree was the grilled sturgeon that came with a fricassee of snails, lardons, baby leeks, and was sauced with a parsley emulsion. The fish had a meaty density that I really enjoyed, and the accessories enhanced the dish without taking it over. Several of my dining companions ordered dishes that included Bouchon's famous French fries, which lived up to their reputation.

While the meal was excellent, I'm still a bit irked over the hour wait time after our reservation and my friends AWOL beverage. When you go to a place like Bouchon, you expect to spend a lot of money, but you also expect to be treated right.

Finally Foie

Despite my culinary ambitions, I am somewhat limited by geography. Milwaukee isn't exactly known for its high-end cuisine. I imagine most people, when asked about Milwaukee, will refer to cheese, beer, and Happy Days. Although thats not really fair, its not like we are a world travel destination or anything. The point of all this rambling is that when I do get the opportunity to try something exotic, I feel the need to jump on that opportunity.

Such is the case with foie gras. This French delicacy is not without controversy. The name translates to "fat liver" and is an accurate description of what foie gras is. A duck or goose is force fed a corn mixture through a tube in the final months of its life. This causes the fat content and size of the liver to increase. Many animal rights activists consider it cruel to force-feed the birds and efforts to ban the practice have met mixed success.

I, however am not an animal rights activist. So when I saw foie gras on the small plates menu at a recent visit to Bacchus, I had to give it a try.

What arrived was a seared square of foie gras about 2 inches by 2 inches. On top was a bit of peach compote. Also on the plate was a small circle of french toast, topped with a quail egg and a sliver of bacon. Maple syrup was drizzled on the plate. The waiter also poured me a glass of sauternes, a sweet French wine traditionally paired with foie. It was everything I expected it to be. The foie is rich and delicate, not really "livery" at all. Paired with the sweet wine, egg, bacon, and french toast, it was like eating a very rich dessert with your breakfast.

I would recommend this to anyone who likes gourmet food. Especially since I wouldn't be at all suprised to see it banned in my life time. Better get while the getting is good.

Dry Rub

Okay, so I have become pretty famous (at least amongst my circle of friends) for my BBQ ribs. The reason is a dry rub that I apply to all of my slow cooked pork products. I have decided to share my recipe with the world. Here you go...

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 tsp ground mustard seed
1 tsp ground cumin seed
1/2 tsp very finely ground medium roast coffee
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp "Mural of Flavor" - a dry herb mixture available at Penzy's Spices
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp ground juniper berry
1/8 tsp ground allspice

Apply to ribs or pork shoulder and let cure at 4 hours (overnight is better) before slow roasting or braising. The coffee is key. It adds a nutty/earthy component and the caffeine helps to tenderize the meat.

I've also recently done a reimagining of this rub that adds 1/4 teaspoon of yellow curry and 1/8 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Yellow curry is loaded with turmeric and adds a subtle sweetness as well as an interesting flavor profile.

This mixture could also be applied to vegetables. I think it would work really well with mashed sweet potatoes or pureed carrots.

Anger and Appetizers

For the last time, bruschetta is pronounced "broo-sket-ta" not "broo-shet-ta".

Its an Italian word. Not a French word.

Got it?

Thanks.

La Merenda

A month ago I had never heard of La Merenda. Not sure how it snuck by me. It was just one of those times when I was seemingly the last person to find out about something. Situated on the east side of the Walker's Point neighborhood, just south of downtown, La Merenda serves up spanish style tapas with a global theme. For those unaware, I guess the best way to describe tapas is a smaller serving with a narrower focus than that of a full entree. This, plus dessert, is all they have on the dinner menu at La Merenda. The best thing about this style of dining is that you can basically create your own tasting menu, with as few or as many courses as you please. This gives the diner flexibility not found when one goes to a traditional restaurant and must commit to a single entree.

Some of my favorites included Sambal Goreng Udang, which featured beautifully cooked shrimp sauteed in coconut milk accompanied by the spicy sambal and served on a bed of mashed potatoes made ultra-rich with more coconut milk. I also enjoyed the steamed mussels. They were screamingly fresh and and served in a slightly spicy tomato broth that was spiked with sherry. It reminded me a little of a wonderful bloody mary I had over the summer that was made with clam juice. Fried polenta was four savory golden corners situated around a chunky mushroom ragout. The combination of those two elements was nothing short of bliss. The almond flan I had for dessert was also fantastic. The only thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the coriander beef, which I found to be a little underseasoned. Service was good, although slightly detached.

La Merenda recently made the Milwaukee newspaper's top 30 list. I definitely agree. In my opinion, the quality of the food is right up there with Sanford.

3.5 stars out of 4