What's this? a small flame of passion re-kindled?
so there are tons out outlet malls around here. half in hour in any direction. So everytime we go to one, I head over to the book store, and straight to the cook book section.
On my last visit to the outlet mall. I picked up an Italian cookbook called "Cooking By hand." by Paul Bertolli. He's the executive Chef of Oliveto restuarant.
The opening introduction is "Good cooking is trouble." as soon as I read that I realized that I would love this book. He goes on to say that any food with lots of love in it, is just a hard, laborious, time consuming thing. But the end result is so often so very worth it.
This is exactly the philosphy I've adopted as a chef. Cooking is hard, intense, unforgiving, low paying, brow beating, painful work. But when someone comes up to you after a 12 hour day, and says it was the best meal they've had in their life, and they shake your hand and thank you. That is an awesome feeling. Or just finishing a banquet for 500 people, and they give you a standing ovation, cheer, and some of the older ladies wink at you and smile. Also one of the best feelings in the world.
Anyways, back to the book. It's freakin amazing. There is an entire chapter on tomatoes. It goes on for a page and a half on the acidity of them. I've learned more about cooking from reading the first 2 chapters, then I have in the entire time I've been down here so far. It has a chapter on making your own pasta. On choosing the right flour for the job, on grading and evaluating flour. If you're making a very clear sauce for your pasta noodles. Choose a flour that has a bit more color to it, to give you those bright yellow noodles. How to mill your own flour. (I wanna buy a home flour mill now) It goes into great detail on all the subtle subtle differences between ingrediants. How an heirloom tomato may not have as great of a yield as a field tomato, but that's because it's not as watered down, and therefore more concentrated. And a million other things to consider when you purchase produce.
Theres 2 pages on the importance of picking something ripe, in season. When it's at it's most natural and beautiful. Some of the most beautiful delicate flavors can be gotten from just slicing your mushrooms (fresh picked) as thin as possible, instead of sauteing them with a ton of butter, garlic, onions, and just reducing them until they're dark and shapeless. (which is still a tasty way of doing it, but heat Dramatically changes the flavor and texture of mushrooms) He talks about pears for one of those pages. How a perfectly ripe pear is a bite of heaven. But waiting for them to ripen is an extreme test of patience and judgement. (Pears tend to rot from the inside out) You can have a pear on your tabletop for 4 days, and it'll be hard as a rock still, then you can leave for 4 hours, and come back to it a black mass of ugly.
It's books like this, thoughts, ideals. That make me want to travel, to see Italy. See this freshness of produce, of these values, brought to life on my tastebuds. See the people who came up with this wonderful view of food and life. Eat with them, laugh with them. Then bring it all home and share it with those I love.
By the way, nothing gives a Chef a bigger boner than sharing his passion with someone who will bounce it back at him. Teaching someone how to make the perfect risotto, then sitting down with them, tasting it, talking about it. What was done right and what was done wrong. What other flavors could be added. But still enjoying the meal, fully enjoying it. Eating to taste, instead of eating to satisfy. That is a truly wonderful experience.
gah, I'm gonna go make something to eat. Something beautiful.
On my last visit to the outlet mall. I picked up an Italian cookbook called "Cooking By hand." by Paul Bertolli. He's the executive Chef of Oliveto restuarant.
The opening introduction is "Good cooking is trouble." as soon as I read that I realized that I would love this book. He goes on to say that any food with lots of love in it, is just a hard, laborious, time consuming thing. But the end result is so often so very worth it.
This is exactly the philosphy I've adopted as a chef. Cooking is hard, intense, unforgiving, low paying, brow beating, painful work. But when someone comes up to you after a 12 hour day, and says it was the best meal they've had in their life, and they shake your hand and thank you. That is an awesome feeling. Or just finishing a banquet for 500 people, and they give you a standing ovation, cheer, and some of the older ladies wink at you and smile. Also one of the best feelings in the world.
Anyways, back to the book. It's freakin amazing. There is an entire chapter on tomatoes. It goes on for a page and a half on the acidity of them. I've learned more about cooking from reading the first 2 chapters, then I have in the entire time I've been down here so far. It has a chapter on making your own pasta. On choosing the right flour for the job, on grading and evaluating flour. If you're making a very clear sauce for your pasta noodles. Choose a flour that has a bit more color to it, to give you those bright yellow noodles. How to mill your own flour. (I wanna buy a home flour mill now) It goes into great detail on all the subtle subtle differences between ingrediants. How an heirloom tomato may not have as great of a yield as a field tomato, but that's because it's not as watered down, and therefore more concentrated. And a million other things to consider when you purchase produce.
Theres 2 pages on the importance of picking something ripe, in season. When it's at it's most natural and beautiful. Some of the most beautiful delicate flavors can be gotten from just slicing your mushrooms (fresh picked) as thin as possible, instead of sauteing them with a ton of butter, garlic, onions, and just reducing them until they're dark and shapeless. (which is still a tasty way of doing it, but heat Dramatically changes the flavor and texture of mushrooms) He talks about pears for one of those pages. How a perfectly ripe pear is a bite of heaven. But waiting for them to ripen is an extreme test of patience and judgement. (Pears tend to rot from the inside out) You can have a pear on your tabletop for 4 days, and it'll be hard as a rock still, then you can leave for 4 hours, and come back to it a black mass of ugly.
It's books like this, thoughts, ideals. That make me want to travel, to see Italy. See this freshness of produce, of these values, brought to life on my tastebuds. See the people who came up with this wonderful view of food and life. Eat with them, laugh with them. Then bring it all home and share it with those I love.
By the way, nothing gives a Chef a bigger boner than sharing his passion with someone who will bounce it back at him. Teaching someone how to make the perfect risotto, then sitting down with them, tasting it, talking about it. What was done right and what was done wrong. What other flavors could be added. But still enjoying the meal, fully enjoying it. Eating to taste, instead of eating to satisfy. That is a truly wonderful experience.
gah, I'm gonna go make something to eat. Something beautiful.
posted by ThePassionateChef at 8:51 PM
2 Comments:
I was with you until you got to the boner, couldn't you have called it a turn on instead. ewww, bad picture.
is this really my Josh? I think you've matured a little, along with that book of yours.
P.S. ( take me to Italy )
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