Whisk + Quill

Zentan- The Legend of a Master Chef

Special Feature to The Washington Examiner by Jordan Wright – Monday July 12^th, 2010
http://www.washingtonexaminer .com/entertainment/The-legend –of-a-master-chef-98429204.html

Zentan Chef Susur Lee

Master chef Susur Lee glides through space as fluidly as a man performing his daily tai chi exercises. Exuding grace, elegance and economy of motion, he has replaced the traditional sword and sabre of a ninja warrior for the more utilitarian kitchen knife, his weapon of choice to create his tantalizing dishes.

Chef Susur Lee's "Top Chef Masters" highest scoring elimination round Roasted Chicken Curry - photo by Jordan Wright

During his 30-year career, Lee has studied classic French, Chinese and Japanese cuisines and developed his own vocabulary by fusing all three.

With the opening of his first since-shuttered restaurant, Lotus, in Toronto, he parlayed his worldwide notoriety into consulting for the posh Ritz-Carlton and starting his own string of successful restaurants. He now owns the eponymous Lee Restaurant and Madeline’s in Toronto, Shang in New York and Chinois in Singapore. And, thankfully for us, he has opened his latest outpost, Zentan, in Donovan House, just off Thomas Circle, where I found nirvana in his inspired menu.

Lee is on a mission to conquer the world by introducing his guests, dish by brilliantly innovative dish, to his New Asian Cuisine.

Towering Singapore Slaw at Zentan - photo by Jordan Wright

Our evening’s menu began with Singapore slaw, a stunningly beautiful tower of 19 ingredients, dressed with salted plum sauce and topped with toasted hazelnuts, daikon sprouts and scattered with orange marigolds and yellow pansy petals. Black and white sesame-crusted tuna, slightly seared and crowned with chopped egg and Thai mint, was followed by Cantonese marinated skirt steak with shallot brown butter, chili ponzu and crunchy hazelnuts. Many dishes sported two sauces, further ratcheting up the dynamic.

It was around that time that I morphed into a sybaritic diner on overdrive as we dove into Mongolian rack of lamb with chili mint, carrot cardamom chutney and Penang peanut sauce with a foil of sugary glazed bananas. There was a perfect sweet and sour soup with shards of chicken and vegetables, roasted salmon cloaked in yuzu-tarragon hollandaise, topped with avocado wedges and wasabi mashed potatoes, and a lusciously caramelized black cod that benefitted from a miso mustard sauce and Cantonese preserved vegetables, a house version of kimchi.

Black and White Sesame Crusted Seared Tuna at Zentan - photo by Jordan Wright

We tried chicken two ways. The first offering was rolled chicken breast prepared Pekin style. A technique more commonly employed with duck, it is a two-day preparation that requires the chef to blow air between the skin and flesh, and hang it to dry for 10 hours. The result renders the skin sweetly lacquered and the meat tender and moist. I imagined the accompanying delicate shrimp chips as a perfect cocktail snack. The second chicken dish we tried was Lee’s “Top Chef Masters” award-winning roasted chicken with curry. It had earned him the highest “elimination round” score in the show’s history, and it does not disappoint.

In each of the dishes I found the global influences Lee uses in designing his food, and the elements of sweet, salty, spicy, tart, juicy and crunchy that bear his unique signature and complement each dish. His mastery of

Caramelized black cod with a miso mustard sauce and Cantonese preserved vegetables - photo by Jordan Wright

technique, flavor and artistry roared off the plate, and I reveled in the most memorable Asian meal I have had since my last visit to Singapore.

This summer the restaurant has been serving some of Zentan’s nibbles and sips beside the hotel’s rooftop pool overlooking the city, where the bar scene is hot. Friends can lounge and take a dip from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. while enjoying spicy ginger martinis and grilled skewers of curried coconut shrimp, garlic chicken, Korean chili skirt steak, teriyaki pork belly, and miso and brown sugar glazed vegetables. Try the scrumptious sushi, sashimi and spicy lobster roll with shiso and caviar. On Saturday and Sunday, they grill the skewers poolside from noon to 5:30 p.m.

www.zentanrestaurant.com

Original Recipe Rye Whiskey Sold Out at Mount Vernon

Jordan Wright
July 2010

Our first president tipples the good stuff at Mount Vernon - photo by Jordan Wright

George Washington is still entertaining in fine style at his Mount Vernon home with the release of his original recipe un-aged rye whiskey being sold for the first time since 1814. A limited number of the bottles, priced at $85.00, were available for the launch (only 471) last week and I was thrilled to be number 30 in the queue. There was also a commemorative boxed set containing an engraved shot glass and mini bottle of the aged variety, a tempting bracer for an brisk autumn fox hunt.

A magnificent morning greeted eager tasters who toured the distillery and gristmill along the banks of Doe Creek where the rye whiskey is being made and bottled by hand just as it was done two centuries ago and according to the original records uncovered at the estate.

The grist mill at work - photo by Jordan Wright

Every part of the centuries-old process is authentic - photo by Jordan Wright

The raw grain ready for processing - photo by Jordan Wright

VA State Senator Toddy Puller, whose efforts cannot be understated in sponsoring Virginia’s new distilled spirits tasting law allowing Mount Vernon a special designation to sell the whiskey, was presented with the first bottle by Dennis Pogue, Mount Vernon’s Associate Director for Preservation, and Dr. Peter Kressy, President of the Distilled Spirits Council (DISCUS), who proudly told of his association’s commitment in leading industry funding for the $2.1 million archeological excavation and reconstruction.

James Rees, President of the influential Mount Vernon Ladies Association spoke of Washington the innovator and entrepreneur, “This was the largest and most successful distillery in the United States, marketing to the West Indies, England and Portugal.”

The handmade process in the distillery - photo by Jordan Wright

Master Distiller, David Pickerell, poses in front of the distillery - photo by Jordan Wright

The Master Miller (center) checks the records - photo by Jordan Wright

Master Distiller, David Pickerell, formerly of Maker’s Mark Bourbon and now distilling his own WhistlePig Farm rye whiskey in Vermont, described the whiskey this way, “It’s nose is slightly floral, earthy and grainy, with a taste that is surprisingly sweet and mellow with a berry taste.” He added, “The whole process was exhausting. Everything was made by hand and we did it in two weeks!”

A rare first bottle of George Washington's original recipe rye whiskey - photo by Jordan Wright

The estate currently has around 50 gallons laid back of the two year-old straight rye whiskey aging in oak barrels. It won’t be available till next spring. But according to Pogue, the demand for the un-aged variety has been so high they are trying to have a new batch ready at the same time.

World Champion mixologist, Todd Thrasher of Restaurant Eve and PX in Alexandria, was so inspired he created a new recipe for Whisk and Quill just for the occasion.

I Cannot Tell a Lie

1 oz. George Washington Rye Whiskey
1 oz. Bourbon
½ oz. Luxardo Maraschino Cherry Liqueur
2 oz. Cherry Vanilla Juice (recipe follows)
Dash of Fee Brothers Cherry Bitters

Cherry Vanilla Juice
Mix together 1 quart of pitted cherries and 1 scooped out vanilla bean. Pass through a food mill.
To serve:
Stir all the ingredients together and serve in a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a Luxardo cherry.
Courtesy of Todd Thrasher

For more information about The Distillery at Mount Vernon visit www.mountvernon.org

For questions or comments on this article contact [email protected]. Visit us on Facebook to see more photos of our stay.

South Carolina – A Food Lover’s Dream

Jordan Wright

June 2010

Lena Mae Brown's Carolina Gold Plantation Rice Pudding at the home of Campbell and Meredith Coxe - photo by Jordan Wright

A quest for the traditional “receipts” of the Old South and the emerging epicurean landscape of the New South drew me to tour South Carolina on a nine-day culinary adventure. Along the way my partner and I sampled pickled cherries, okra, mushrooms and leeks and beheld gleaming glass jars of green beans and purple baby beets. From top restaurants to roadside stands we tasted blackberry, raspberry and tomato jams and jellies and reveled in the fresh fish and shellfish from oceans, rivers, and bays starring on every menu.

We found the art of charcuterie enjoying a revival with chefs preparing their own rillettes, patés, terrines and dry-cured sausages. Here and there refrigerated walk-ins were crammed to bursting with whole pig’s heads, pork belly, fresh sausages from hogs and rabbits and bacon…tender, salty and smoky…to flavor antelope, quail and earthy slow-cooked greens.

We met and dined with chefs whose kitchens were a hive of creativity and experimentation, and whose near-religious devotion to local and sustainable foods was palpable. Notable American cooks from Greenville and Latta, to Charleston, Pawley’s Island and Beaufort are adapting and reinterpreting Southern flavors, adding French Haute Cuisine, Nouvelle French, American Modern, Mediterranean, and Pacific Rim influences to their gastronomic conversation to create a new Southern gastronomic paradigm.

Below I give you some of the most delectably innovative food we feasted on and the historic properties where we were ensconced. Follow my dishes, if just vicariously now, until you can visit for yourself. I wouldn’t want you to miss a morsel.

Upcountry Greenville

Pickled beans, okra, cucumbers, cherries, peppers and turnips at High Cotton - photo by Jordan Wright

Shrimp and Grits at High Cotton - photo by Jordan Wright

Greenville's Reedy River as seen from High Cotton Restaurant - photo by Jordan Wright

Brunch at High Cotton with Executive Chef Anthony Gray: Elderflower Mojitos;Shrimp and Grits with Fried Green Tomatoes, Braised Beef Benedict, slathered in pimento cheese and Carolina sweet onion gravy; Plum Cobbler with peach ice cream. Chef Gray is a font of information about local farmers and growers and proudly turns locally produced Spanish heritage Ossabaw hogs from Caw Caw Creek farm into his own charcuterie.

Rejunvenated at: The Spa at West End with a Volcanic Earth Clay Ritual, Sea Salt Body Scrub and a totally addictive Vichy Shower. In case you’ve not had one yet it is a long horizontal wand with seven large showerheads attached. You lie on a soft shallow bed while a steady stream of warm water pours over your entire body. It is sheer bliss… like a tropical rain forest during a downpour but without the bugs! As soon as it started I hoped it would never stop.

Calamari Salad at The Lazy Goat in Greenville - photo by Jordan Wright

Roasted Banana Pudding at The Lazy Goat - photo by Jordan Wright

Fried Branzino stuffed with crabmeat and preserved lemons - photo by Jordan Wright

Dinner at The Lazy Goat with Chef Vicki Moore: Fresh Blackberry Mojitos; Grilled Calamari with ahi dolce and pickled pepper salad; Fattoush Salad; Roasted Mussels and Chorizo; Moroccan Braised Lamb Shank with plantain chips; Whole Crispy Branzino, with charmoula and shaved fennel; Pan-Roasted Grouper with lobster and rapini risotto, and saffron vanilla sauce; Roasted Banana Pudding; Pecan Pie with whipped cream and caramel sauce.

Last fall Moore was chosen by Esquire Magazine’s food writer, John Mariani, as one of four “Breakout Chefs to Watch”. In September she will create dishes with DC chefs, Bryan Voltaggio of Volt and David Guas, author of “Dam, Good, Sweet” for the city’s “Euphoria” festival, where nationally known chefs pair with local chefs to prepare exquisite gourmet dinners in the town’s finest restaurants. In recent years this food and music extravaganza has featured such top chefs as Thomas Keller and Bobby Flay and artists like Chris Isaak. Check www.euphoriagreenville.com to get this year’s schedule.

Beef Tartare with compressed cucumber and scallion wings at Deveraux's - photo by Jordan Wright

Rare seared tuna, pearl pasta, Honshimeiji, Edamame, sake black beans at Deveraux's - photo by Jordan Wright

Devereaux's in the old tobacco factory - photo by Jordan Wright

Dinner the following evening at Deveraux’s with Executive Chef and Partner Spencer Thomson: Beef Tartare with Japanese mustard; Bison Carpaccio; Hudson Valley Foie Gras with ice wine cherries, marcona almonds and vanilla sunchoke; Sashimi of Japanese Snapper with cucumber, cilantro and peanuts; Charred Beef Filet with portabello-potato hash; Black Grouper with summer succotash, shaved turnip, tomato concassé and truffled corn broth; Pekin Duck on white corn polenta, with duck sausage; Strawberry Shortcake in a white chocolate orb.

Chef Thomson will stage with Guy Savoy in Paris this October, where he will no doubt continue his love of reinventing the classics.

On our road trip across the state we visited owner and grower, Glenn Roberts, at Anson Mills where we learned firsthand the history of rice and its legacy in America.

Mid-State Latta – Quaint with a Touch of the British

Breakfast at Abingdon Manor - photo by Jordan Wright

Italian Breakfast BLT at the Manor - photo by Jordan Wright

The drawing room at Abingdon Manor - photo by Jordan Wright

Abingdon Manor, an exquisite former private estate and gardens made us feel we were at home in England. We loved that it’s a mere five-mile hop off I-95 to be coddled by owners Michael and Patty Griffin. Patty is an accomplished chef who hosts her own local cable TV show and conducts monthly cooking classes for guests in the Manor’s spacious kitchen. The inn’s china and silver grace the damask-draped tables beautifully showing off her dishes.

Dinner by Chef Griffin: Shiitake Mushrooms with Hoisin-chili glaze, Dilled Carrot Soup; Home-grown Tomato Stack; Hypnotiq Sorbet; Seafood in Parchment; Poached Pear with amaretto cream.

Breakfast by Chef Griffin: Italian Breakfast BLT; Fresh fruits; Herbed Biscuits.

Pawley’s Island Coastal Charm

Sunset over Pawley's Island - photo by Jordan Wright

Pawley's Island Firefighters - photo by Jordan Wright

Daybreak at Litchfield Plantation - photo by Jordan Wright

Litchfield Plantation, a quintessentially Southern Lowcountry inn, set on six hundred acres of a former rice plantation, channeled my inner Southern belle. Its balconies overlook an avenue of ancient live oaks dripping with Spanish moss.

Trio of Ice creams at Bistro 217 on Pawley's Island - photo by Jordan Wright

Chef Adam Kirby at Bistro 217 - photo by Jordan Wright

Asian Salad with SC Pink Shrimp at Bistro 217 - photo by Jordan Wright

Lunch at Bistro 217 with Chef Adam Kirby: Tomato, Crab and Jalapeno Soup; Pan Sautéed Vermillion Snapper with lobster sauce; Trio of Homemade Ice Creams, Mint Chocolate Chip, Strawberry and Pistachio. Chef Kirby grew up on the Island and has a strong relationship with its watermen who provide him with the freshest seafood in the area.

Eminence blueberry detox facial preparations at Stox & Co. - photo by Jordan Wright

Rejuvenated at: Stox & Co. A beautiful salon and day spa in Litchfield Beach with a stunning yoga and Pilates studio. I enjoyed a Blueberry Detox Firming Peel using Eminence skin care products, a line of natural organic skin care developed in Hungary and made from fresh fruit extracts. It was almost good enough to eat!

Blackberry Cobbler at Frank's - photo by Jordan Wright

Softshell Crab at Frank's on Pawley's Island - photo by Jordan Wright

Chef Pierce Culliton of Frank's - photo by Jordan Wright

Dinner at Frank’s with Chef Pierce Culliton: Tomato Pie with Four Cheeses; Grilled Watermelon Salad with balsamic vinegar, goat cheese and arugula; Soft Shell Crab with whole grain mustard sauce; Sautéed Flounder with Shrimp and yellow stone ground grits; Blackberry Cobbler.

Charleston – Le Grande Bouffe in the Lowcountry

Wentworth Mansion in Charleston - photo by Jordan Wright

Charleston street scene - photo by Jordan Wright

Tiffany glass windows at the Wentworth Mansion in Charleston - photo by Jordan Wright

We had posh digs in the Wentworth Mansion, a glorious property and one of the nation’s premier historic hotels. Built in 1886 as a private home for a local cotton baron, we found elegance, distinction, luxurious appointments and deluxe service.

Charleston Chews, Lemon Chess Bars and Sweet Potato Cornbread from Dixie Bakery - photo by Jordan Wright

Breakfast snacks on the run from Dixie Bakery and Café: Charleston Chews; Lemon Chess bars; Sweet Potato Cornbread.

Sous Chef, Jill Mathias, in the kitchen at Carolina's - photo by Jordan Wright

Chef Don Drake of Magnolia's - photo by Jordan Wright

Magnolia Plantation - photo by Jordan Wright

Nibbles and Sips: At Magnolia’s with Chef Don Drake, Pimento Cheese; Shrimp and Grits; at Carolina’s we quaffed Carolina Sweet Tea; at Cypress with Chef de Cuisine Garrett Hutchinson, in-house patés and dry cured charcuterie; at Tristan with Chef Jesse Sutton, House-made Mozzarella.

Pork, Pine, Morels and Green Garlic at McCrady's in Charleston - photo by Jordan Wright

SC Crawfish, Sweetbreads, Sweet Onions and Artichokes at McCrady's

Seared Grouper with Courgettes, Cucumber and Bonito at McCrady's

Dinner at McCrady’s with recent James Beard award-winning Chef Sean Brock: Stone Crab with orange, coconut and sour mix; Seared Grouper with courgettes, cucumber and bonito; Crawfish, sweetbreads and artichokes; Pork Pine, morels and green garlic; Beef Marrow and carrots four ways; Banana Puddin’; Chocolate Hazelnut, Chewy Caramel and Malt.

Chef Frank Lee of S.N.O.B. - photo by Jordan Wright

Fried Chicken Livers with Cheese Corn Grits - photo by Jordan Wright

S.N.O.B. Restaurant - photo by Jordan Wright

Lunch at S.N.O.B. with Executive Chef Frank Lee: Gazpacho; Corn Bread; Fried Chicken Livers with Cheese Corn Grits; Southern Crab Salad with fresh fruits; Shrimp and Black Beans. The charming and self-effacing Lee is a mentor and guru to many nationally known chefs who cook in the Lowcountry style.

Countertop pies at the Carolina Cider Company - photo by Jordan Wright

Tasting room at Firefly Distillery and WInery - photo by Jordan Wright

Third generation tea grower and taster, William Barclay Hall at Charleston Tea Plantation on Wadmalaw Island - photo by Jordan Wright

Breakfast at the Wentworth: Fresh orange juice, Rabbit Sausage, Waffles with piles of fresh berries, and Eggs Benedict.

Rejuvenated at: The Spa at Charleston Place with a relaxing Swedish massage and dip in the saltwater pool overlooking old Charleston.

Nilgai Antelope Filet with lentil and foie gras stew, heart of palm, crispy leeks and baby carrots at Circa 1886 - photo by Jordan Wright

Jelly Doughnuts, house made strawberry and peach jellies, John's Island honey and peanut butter milkshake at Circa 1886 - photo by Jordan Wright

Carolina Flounder with crab and shrimp pilau, grapefruit sabayon, candy striped beets and basil lacquer - photo by Jordan Wright

Dinner at Circa 1886 at the Wentworth Mansion with Executive Chef Marc Collins: Vichysoisse with toasted haricots verts; Crab Cake Soufflé with mango purée, pineapple relish and sweet potato frills; Foie Gras “Cherry Coke Float”; Nilgai Antelope Filet with lentil and foie gras stew, crispy leeks and baby carrots; Country Ham-wrapped Angler Fish with black-eyed pea “baked beans”, fennel pollen onion ring and apple cheddar slaw; Carolina Flounder with crab and shrimp pilau, grapefruit sabayon, candy striped beets and basil lacquer; Jelly Doughnuts with house made strawberry and peach jellies, John’s Island honey and peanut butter milkshake (Oh yes, he did!); Pan Fried Vanilla Bean Angel Food Cake with fresh berries and honeysuckle ice cream. The notoriously shy Collins never peeked his head out of the kitchen to accept kudos or give up his honeysuckle ice cream recipe. One can only swoon with the memory.

After dinner: Port, sherry and an assortment of liqueurs are offered to guests of the Wentworth, and taken on the veranda.

Beaufort – The Sea Islands

Beaufort Inn in the Sea Islands - photo by Jordan Wright

Beaufort - photo by Jordan Wright

Beaufort in the Lowcountry - photo by Jordan Wright

On our final evening we lodged at the charming Beaufort Inn, a pink and white Victorian home built in 1897 in one of the most beautiful towns in America.

Pink Shrimp at Gay Fish Company - photo by Jordan Wright

Stone Crab at Gay Fish Company in Beaufort - photo by Jordan Wright

Gay Fish Company in Beaufort - photo by Jordan Wright

Here in the Lowcountry, where Daufuskie Island Gullahs still speak their West-African patois, we found a thriving seafood industry with Bulls Bay oysters, stone crab, pink and brown shrimp and restaurants that reflected the local catch.

Brick oven Spinach and Sausage Pizza at Paninis Grill - photo by Jordan Wright

Cinnamon Pillows with Creme Anglaise at Paninis Grill - photo by Jordan Wright

Chef/Owner Nick Borreggine at Paninis Grill in Beaufort - photo by Jordan Wright

Lunch at Panini’s Grill with Chef/Owner Nick Borreggine: Buttered “Coosaw River” little neck clams; Italian Sausage Panini; Almond Crusted Calamari with spicy aioli and burnt honey; Rosemary-infused Crème Brulée and Cinnamon Pillows with crème Anglaise. Borreggine was the former pastry chef at The Inn at Little Washington under chef/owner Patrick O’Connell.

Saltus River Grill - photo by Jordan Wright

Fricasseed lobster tails with creamed corn - photo by Jordan Wright

Executive Chef Brian Waters at Saltus River Grill - photo by Jordan Wrigh

Dinner at the Saltus Grill with Executive Chef Brian Waters: Raw Bulls Bay Oysters; Seviche of Dorado; Crispy Fried Lobster tails with cream corn and pea tendrils; Pommes Frites with truffle butter; Braised Pork Belly with soy glaze, bok choy salad and pineapple sambal; Pecan pie.

During our madcap epicurean escape we relished sweet potato butter on biscuits, tomato pies, and Hoppin’ John salad with country ham at a small private luncheon cooked by Lena Mae Jackson whose Carolina Plantation Gold Rice Pudding with blueberries sent us into a chorus of hallelujahs. We fell hard for fried peanuts, pork BBQ at Mama Jean’s, blackberry cider, rice grits (pronounced as one word) and cowpeas, real pimento cheese, and “Charleston Chews” from the Dixie Bakery and Café. To hold our memories close, we slowly made our way back north with treasured family recipes, Low Country Winery’s Blueberry Wine, Firefly Sweet Tea Bourbon, the Mast Store’s Toasted Pecan Syrup, Breakfast Tea from the Charleston Tea Plantation, and sacks and sacks of Carolina Plantation Gold Rice, without which no self-respecting Southern hostess would dare serve her guests.

Sweet Potato Butter from Lowcountry Produce - photo by Jordan Wright

Soda pop for sale - photo by Jordan Wright

The road less traveled - photo by Jordan Wright

Already we hear the clarion call to revisit the chefs, watermen, tea and rice growers, dairymen, farmers and innkeepers of South Carolina whose generosity of spirit and indomitable passion to share their journey have inspired us to further explore America’s culinary roots. I hope you’ve been inspired too. May your travels be as delicious and memorable as ours!

For questions or comments about this article or to tell of your best experiences in the Palmetto State, contact [email protected]. Visit us on Facebook to see more photos of our stay.

Nibbles and Sips – At Puro Café’s Georgetown Patio Opening

Guests at Puro Café - photo by Sara Mosqueda

A steamy night at Puro Café in Georgetown last week was enlivened with bracing spirits and sublime hors d’oeuvres. Stunning Euro stylistas in tiny shorts teetering on 4-inch heels mixed with chic localites for the opening of the new all-white trellised patio. It was easy to keep our cool under a draped pavilion replete with comfy lounges and twinkling lights while sipping “Copper Fox Bayou Cooler”, created and served by Alembic’s Chief Mixologist, Jon Arroyo. The soothing summer punch recipe, given to me by Arroyo, consists of Wasmund’s Single Malt Whiskey, agave

sweetened iced tea, fresh lemon juice, Grand Marnier, Peychaud’s Bitters and Angostura bitters. A few pitchers of this magical elixir and the blazing heat will be a fleeting memory.

42˚ Catering, who does special events around town and for Puro Café’s private parties, created heavenly savory and sweet delicacies for the evening’s guests. Here’s what Chef Frederik de Pue prepared for the guests. I wouldn’t want you to miss a bite!

Seared Sea Scallops with a minty ginger miso mustard sauce - photo by Sara Mosqueda

Menu of Savory Treats

Carpaccio of Foie Gras with a remoulade of celery root and coffee liquor dressing; Hearts of Palm Vol-au-Vent with little cilantro pesto jellies; Grilled Baby Octopus rolled into in a phyllo cigar with tapenade of kalamatas and pine nuts; Seared Sea Scallops with a minty ginger miso mustard sauce; Muscovy Duck Breast in a spicy mango cube with balsamic vinegar and Thai basil; Crisp Arctic Char with Steamed Leeks with apple cider coulis and parsley chips; Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Tempura with black trufﬂe soy sauce and chervil salad; Confit of Rockfish Filet with Creole salsa, Peruvian aji pepper and watercress cream; Queso Blanco Tequenos topped with avocado cream and scallions; Black Pepper Chicken Spring Rolls with rice vinegar dressing; Beef Tenderloin Marinated with Chardonnay and soy sauce.

Sample of Sweet Treats

Sweet Treats from 42 Catering - photo by Jordan Wright

Sweet – Single-Origin Venezuelan Chocolate; Saigon Caramel Mousse; Chocolate Caramel Mousse with vanilla sponge cocoa liqueur; Mango Cilantro Bavarois; Goat Cheese with Dark Chocolate Mousse and fresh raspberry; Cherry wrapped in Single Origin Tanzanian Dark Chocolate.

The gracious Chef de Pue was kind enough to provide this recipe for his crazy delicious crab tempura.

Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Tempura with Black Truffle Soy Sauce and Chervil Salad

1 lb of fresh jumbo lump crab meat
2 cups tempura flour
1 teaspoon curcuma (turmeric)
¼ bunch chervil
3 TB mayonnaise
2 TB truffle juice
1 TB soy sauce
Salt
Pepper
Frying oil

Mix mayonnaise, truffle oil and soy sauce with a pinch of ground black pepper. Depending on saltiness of soy sauce you might need to add little more salt. Add one tablespoon of chopped chervil to bring color to sauce.

Place whole pieces of crabmeat gently on a paper towel to dry the crab so batter will stick.

In separate bowl mix tempura flour and curcuma with a little water to create a thick, smooth batter. Add several ice cubes to batter (the ice will cool down batter and will create a nice crispy tempura).

Preheat frying oil to 320˚. Place spoonful size pieces of crab into the batter and then into the oil. Give them enough time to create a nice crispy outside and once golden, remove and place on paper towel. Serve immediately with dipping sauce on the side.

Visit Puro Café at www.PuroCafe.com

For private parties www.42CateringServices.com

For cocktail catering www.DrinkAlembic.com

For questions or comments on this article contact [email protected] or visit www.WhiskandQuill.com.

Interview with Luca Guadagnino, Director of “I Am Love”

Jordan Wright
June 2010

Tilda Swinton in I AM LOVE - photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

Italian film director, Luca Guadagnino’s latest film, “I Am Love” (“Io Sono L’Amore”), starring Tilda Swinton, is a social melodrama, written in the tradition of writers such as Henry James and F. Scott Fitzgerald. An elegant cinematic foray into the private lives of the Italian aristocracy, it is both an exploration and exploitation of the triumphs and foibles of its characters and their enduring mystique. Designed with voluptuous attention to culinary detail, the film uses the preparation of food and its cultural significance not only as a vehicle to define love, control and betrayal, but also as a means of self-expression, epiphany and passion.

Food from I AM LOVE - photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

Before the filming, a labor of love taking a decade to bring to the screen, Guadagnino tapped two-star Michelin chef, Carlo Cracco, to teach the actors how to cook. Cracco, a progressive Italian chef whose Milan restaurant, Cracco-Peck, was selected for S. Pellegrino’s list of “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” in 2009, delved into the characters’ psyches to divine their individual aspirations and spirit, a practice he employs with all his customers.

“Cooking is, above all, communication, because it is where the magic of interchange may take place. It ties people together and unites them with this very fine and magical thread that is food,” Cracco elaborates.

The film, releasing this week, has already garnered recognition as the Official Selection of both the 2009 Venice Film Festival, the 2009 Toronto Film Festival and, more recently, the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.

In a conversation with Guadagnino, we spoke of food and its role in the film and in his life.

Jordan Wright – What are your earliest remembrances of food?

Luca Guadagnino – I have two memories about food. The first one is that of my father in the kitchen. I learned a lot about male identity from seeing my father cook. He’s 78 now and still cooks. He is an amazing cook. So good! And whenever I’m in Rome I go to my parents’ home to enjoy his cooking.

Pea soup shooters on the set of I AM LOVE - photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

And then I remember when I was a kid I didn’t have cars to play with, I had little pans, and in Ethiopia, where I was raised, we had a garden. One day I was picking peas and I brought them in the kitchen under the surveillance of my mother. I asked her to put the peas on the fire because I wanted to cook. Later when I returned to the kitchen nobody could find the pan and I never knew what happened to the peas. This mystery of the disappearance of the peas is haunting me since.

JW – What do you miss or crave the most when you travel?

LG – First I miss my bed. Well, basically my house is a plane…always! But I miss tranquility and the routine. I love routine, even food routine, like when you know what you want to eat, where you will purchase it and you know how to cook it. The most enjoyable thing for me is to wake up, to do breakfast and then to go in the market to find the right groceries, the right vegetables, and cook. When I’m home I shop every day or twice a day…once for lunch and again to prepare dinner. But mostly, I miss my father’s food.

JW – What is your favorite dish?

LG – I like simple food. I like a piece of fresh fish grilled with lemon. And I like latte di mandorla. You make a paste of the almonds and then dilute it with water. It looks milky and it’s so sweet and refreshing.

Food from I AM LOVE - photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

JW – I want to talk about Emma’s loving preparation of the very complex fish soup, “ukha”, from her native Russia and the erotic nature that food plays in your film. What did the “uhka” mean to you? Was it a dish you were familiar with?

LG – We did a lot of research and discovered that the Russian cuisine was very much influenced by the French haute cuisine of the 18^th and 19^th centuries. There are very few complicated and specific Russian dishes and this is one of them. I love the idea of the transparency of the broth and Emma is transparent, translucent and intense…like that broth.

JW – What do you consider the most sensuous foods?

LG – Maybe I’m being very parochial. But for me, prawns are, and also the silkiness of some vegetables.

JW – Why did you choose the great Italian chef, Carlo Cracco, to design and prepare the food for the film? Were you familiar with his restaurant and cuisine before you brought him on?

LG – I am a gourmet, so if I have money I go often to eat in great restaurants wherever I am. I knew Carlo and I had been to his restaurant five or six times before asking him to do the movie with me. I really like his food. There is a great sensuality about his cooking and he is one of the most interesting European chefs.

This interview was conducted, condensed and edited by Jordan Wright. Or questions or comments contact [email protected] or visit www.WhiskandQuill.com.

Whisk and Quill Talks with Anthony Bourdain

Jordan Wright
May 2010

Anthony Bourdain author and host of Travel Channel’s “No Reservations” is the consummate dinner guest.

As the host of Travel Channel’s “No Reservations”, Anthony Bourdain is the consummate dinner guest. An endearing enfant terrible, with a peripatetic wanderlust to rival Darwin and a puckish swagger that would make Bluebeard seem as docile as a clam, he slurps and sups the world’s melting pot in dogged pursuit of ethno-gastronomic delicacies. With cheerful I’ll eat-anything-you-put-in-front-of-me sangfroid, he lustily relishes fish brains, ant larvae, pig’s eyeballs, or sparrow liqueur and the like on his adventures to far-flung locales. For his endless curiosity he has garnered a devoted audience, three Emmy nominations and penned eight bestsellers, including the deliciously lurid ”Kitchen Confidential”.

In his latest memoir, “Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook” (HarperCollins), due out next month, he threatens to yank the delicate scrim off noted chefs. Alice Waters, David Chang, and “Top Chef” winners and losers will feel the sting of the provocateur’s barbs.

The gritty and endearing Bourdain, appears at the Warner Theatre on May 21st for one night only with cohort and chef/restaurateur, Eric Ripert of DC’s Westend Bistro and famed NYC’s Le Bernadin for an evening of tale-swapping and secrets of restaurant skullduggery.

In a recent interview he spoke to me about his life, his new book and his upcoming appearance in Washington, DC.

Jordan Wright – You take inordinate pleasure in poking the prevailing food fashionistas, uncovering the raw underbelly of restaurants, and snubbing the establishment. What propels you on to your next adventure?

Anthony Bourdain – I have a restless and curious mind, and as much as I might not like to face it, I’m probably becoming the food establishment at this point. But I do it because I can. It’s my nature. I get angry when I see abuse, and ecstatic when the experience is great.

I enjoy traveling. I like chefs and get paid to do what I like doing. And, thankfully, I’m not expected to behave or be diplomatic. I’m clearly very lucky and very foolish to do what I do and thankfully I can benefit from low expectations. With Eric [Ripert], he and I have a lot in common, but he has the burden of a reputation to protect and I don’t.

JW – Your independent take-no-prisoners style of writing is delightfully anarchic. What makes for a good food writer in your opinion?

AB – Certainly a willingness to step out of one’s comfort zone. If you’re writing about food, it’s very, very important to like and appreciate the people that make your food…also a lack of snobbery, definitely honesty, and to not be willfully disingenuous. If you really enjoy eating food I don’t think you have to know about food. That will come. But you should be passionate about it. Be an honest broker with an open mind and an open heart. I think some of the most dynamic writing on food is obviously coming off the blogosphere.

JW – The chimera is a fabulous fire-breathing monster with the head of a lion, body of a goat, and tail of a serpent. Would you eat it and how would you prepare it?

AB – If I were surprised by it as a guest in someone’s home in a developing country, I would accept it out of politeness, rather than offend my host. Though if I were to prepare it, I’d cook it low and slow with a bottle of good wine.

JW – You’ve eaten your way throughout the four corners of the world what fusion would you create that hasn’t yet been done?

AB – I’m generally not a fan, I think it’s dangerous territory. But two of my favorite restaurants are in New York, Momofuku Ko and Momofuku Saam, which use French, Southern American, Italian and Korean fusion. It’s utterly fantastic, perhaps because it breaks all the rules.

JW – There have been three books written about Louise Brooks. One is her autobiography in which she speaks of my grandfather as her greatest paramour. You said that Louise Brooks would be a preferred dining companion at your last supper? Why did you choose her?

AB – I enjoyed her autobiography “Lulu in Hollywood” and saw two of her films. I think she was a fascinating, and an extraordinarily forward-thinking and independent woman, especially for her times. She struck me as someone with interesting things to say and who would be a powerful presence at the dining table.

JW – On to the more mundane… What are your favorite restaurants in DC?

AB – Any restaurant that Jose Andres is associated with. I love Minibar! I love Michel Richard and Bob Kinkead’s place! Oh my God! Who am I leaving out? Oh, and El Pollo Rico! And Eamonn’s too in Alexandria!

JW – What do you cook at home?

AB – Cooking pasta makes me happy. Maybe a steak, but I like to use one pan and keep it simple. I have so little time to spend with my family. In NYC I just pick up the phone and I can order Japanese, Thai, Chinese, and French…or a human head delivered!

JW – What foods would you like to see more of in the US?

AB – I like bottarga very much and jamon Iberico. And I know it’s a dream, but more unpasteurized raw milk cheeses, especially really stinky ones from France and Italy…and artisanal sausages from Sardinia.

I’m a sushi slut, so, I’d say more high quality sushi…though maybe not, because of the over-fishing. As an institution I would like to see Singapore-style hawkers’ centers. That would be a great development for our country.

JW – What importance do you accord to ambiance, food, and service to define a successful restaurant?

AB – These days I like ambiance and service as unobtrusive and informal as possible. What I really appreciate at Momofuku Ko is you’re getting two-star Michelin food over a counter, directly from a cook who’s wearing a dishwasher’s shirt. That’s awesome!

I don’t need flowers and china and expensive silverware, unless you’re talking about French Laundry or Per Se. I am breathless with admiration for those two. But more often then not it’s about the food. If I’m comfortable without a tie, I’m more likely to be enjoying my food. I’d just as soon be in cut-offs and bare feet.

JW – You’ve experienced foods from cultures that no outsider will ever taste. Please choose from the following answers. If an ivory-billed woodpecker was struck by a car and lay by the roadside, as I was on my afternoon stroll, I would:

A) Try to revive it
B) Call the local bird rehabilitator
C) Fire up the grill
D) Go for the eyeballs first

AB – Call the bird rehabilitator.

JW – Oh my, you are a romantic!

AB – I like cute animals.

JW – What can you tell me about your new book?

AB – I am living in a state somewhere between suspended animation and mortal terror. It comes out June 8th and I have no idea how it will be received. I’m pretty sure there are going to be people pretty angry with me, but it’s too late to stop it now. Talk to me in two months! Right now I’m really looking forward to coming to DC to do this rare gig with Eric.

For tickets to “No Reservations: An Evening with Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert” visit www.WarnerTheatre.com

This interview was conducted, condensed and edited by Jordan Wright. For questions or comments contact [email protected].

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