Thursday, May 5, 2016
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Why French food is best......always.
Is French cooking or French food the best in the world? If it is, then why is it? What is different about French cooking that you can find nowhere else? What is their "secret"?
You have to know I am sold on French food if it is going to be what I want to eat for my last meal. one would think this goes without saying, so I wanted to make sure for clarity purposes. for that matter however, eating it constantly works well too of course.
It is wise at this point to remind ourselves of the movie, Ratatouille. The extreme critic who had somewhat of a distaste for Gusteau's famous quote that anyone can cook, came in to eat and bust their chops with his column.
Since working at Fleur de Sel (Post Falls, Id) chef Zirotti has shared so many special meals and food with me I lost count. (okay, i remember the duck, quail, veal stock, omg the truffle cream sauce....more) what stands out was what he called "peasant food" though. he would take me into history of why a touch of this or that wine was added because centuries ago water was not potable. (safe to drink) the food eaten was already exquisite, but a touch of this or that made a transformation quite unexpected as well as taste bud exploding.
the punch line in the movie Ratatouille was the food critic was astounded by eating a childhood food prepared perfectly that was considered peasant food. the story not known to many was a tale of Thomas Keller, the owner of the French Laundry in Napa Valley considered to be one of the top eateries on the planet if not the top one.
an item that both the sous chef and I are blessed with continually is Chef will share his recipes constantly with us. being a few years older than him, makes sense at least to me, I have been cooking longer. I would like to think I don't get lost in the kitchen, but my food knowledge and specifically cooking knowledge pales, and there is no comparison to what chef knows and already taught me. in the next blog we will visit some of chefs past and find out what it really is to be a "Michelin Two Star" chef. (hint, perfect comes to mind immediately-at least by standard definitions)
So chef tells me what is in his mushroom soup. there are the standard ingredients but I wait for the secret special one thing that no one tells anyone else that hidden item. there are none. (unless its his fleur de sel secret salt seasoning) it is in the cooking. the preparation, the time put into the creation. the fact is, I have now since this telling seen many new food items chef has developed his own techniques of accomplishing food success. methods of cooling an item in a bowl quickly. things like that. who knows about folding in things but not over stirring them so they don't lose the air qualities and change its texture or composition? chef does, that's who.
http://fleur-de-sel.weebly.com/menu.html what we do not see here, are the daily specials. I have spoken in the past posts about this a little, but wish to emphasize the value of such. I do not know why I think I have seen it all or cannot be blown away anymore but find myself continually wrong. as in daily incorrect about food chef prepares. perhaps I spent too much time in prison and forgot how great dining is despite being penniless currently. he made a green pepper soup, as in bell peppers with parmesan cheese. it tasted like a fresh pepper. the consistency and texture was rich and thick. yum. super yum that is.
http://www.fleurdeselcreperie.com/menu.html his soups can now be enjoyed for only $3 a cup should you be in Spokane near the hospital on south hill. this is literally Michelin Star food at a more than modest price without any perceived fine-dining. chef it seems cannot lower his standards of what he achieved in Cannes, France in his career earlier. we all benefit. in fact, i expect people i've never met to one day thank me for sharing about his places when they go there and eat.
So, French food is best due to centuries of traditional preparation. blends of unique methods due to climatological constraints nature placed on areas within France. I was pleasantly surprised reading a Mexican cooking book written by Diana Kennedy, who has been called the "Julia Childs" of Mexican cooking. she speaks in her introduction of some dishes using a complicated and intricate French dish preparation inferring it is the top of the ladder to cook using French techniques.
what i mean about constraints are wines that produced differently due to location. vinegars made when necessary again, due to these conditions. mushrooms. France is the third largest producing country in the world behind the US and China. cheeses. that is a whole blog or two by itself, but no one is better.
Many people believe in karma. if there is a food karma, maybe I am living it now working for chef. in prison we ate food that had labels on it stating the alleged meat was not meant for human consumption. guess we all need to pay income taxes AND go eat good French food. I know I am. since I am at this moment not able to fly to NYC to eat at Jean Georges, or go to Vegas and shop the restaurants there or Napa Valley, I am thrilled both taste bud wise and personally to know Chef Virotti and family to enjoy his life's work of love and culinary skills.
So we can answer emphatically the simple question of why, or "is" French food/cooking the best there is? Of course it is. The book I am reading is called, "Culinaria France: A Celebration of Food and Tradition".
Tradition itself is one of the main reasons why French food and cooking is best. add
You have to know I am sold on French food if it is going to be what I want to eat for my last meal. one would think this goes without saying, so I wanted to make sure for clarity purposes. for that matter however, eating it constantly works well too of course.
It is wise at this point to remind ourselves of the movie, Ratatouille. The extreme critic who had somewhat of a distaste for Gusteau's famous quote that anyone can cook, came in to eat and bust their chops with his column.
Since working at Fleur de Sel (Post Falls, Id) chef Zirotti has shared so many special meals and food with me I lost count. (okay, i remember the duck, quail, veal stock, omg the truffle cream sauce....more) what stands out was what he called "peasant food" though. he would take me into history of why a touch of this or that wine was added because centuries ago water was not potable. (safe to drink) the food eaten was already exquisite, but a touch of this or that made a transformation quite unexpected as well as taste bud exploding.
the punch line in the movie Ratatouille was the food critic was astounded by eating a childhood food prepared perfectly that was considered peasant food. the story not known to many was a tale of Thomas Keller, the owner of the French Laundry in Napa Valley considered to be one of the top eateries on the planet if not the top one.
an item that both the sous chef and I are blessed with continually is Chef will share his recipes constantly with us. being a few years older than him, makes sense at least to me, I have been cooking longer. I would like to think I don't get lost in the kitchen, but my food knowledge and specifically cooking knowledge pales, and there is no comparison to what chef knows and already taught me. in the next blog we will visit some of chefs past and find out what it really is to be a "Michelin Two Star" chef. (hint, perfect comes to mind immediately-at least by standard definitions)
So chef tells me what is in his mushroom soup. there are the standard ingredients but I wait for the secret special one thing that no one tells anyone else that hidden item. there are none. (unless its his fleur de sel secret salt seasoning) it is in the cooking. the preparation, the time put into the creation. the fact is, I have now since this telling seen many new food items chef has developed his own techniques of accomplishing food success. methods of cooling an item in a bowl quickly. things like that. who knows about folding in things but not over stirring them so they don't lose the air qualities and change its texture or composition? chef does, that's who.
http://fleur-de-sel.weebly.com/menu.html what we do not see here, are the daily specials. I have spoken in the past posts about this a little, but wish to emphasize the value of such. I do not know why I think I have seen it all or cannot be blown away anymore but find myself continually wrong. as in daily incorrect about food chef prepares. perhaps I spent too much time in prison and forgot how great dining is despite being penniless currently. he made a green pepper soup, as in bell peppers with parmesan cheese. it tasted like a fresh pepper. the consistency and texture was rich and thick. yum. super yum that is.
http://www.fleurdeselcreperie.com/menu.html his soups can now be enjoyed for only $3 a cup should you be in Spokane near the hospital on south hill. this is literally Michelin Star food at a more than modest price without any perceived fine-dining. chef it seems cannot lower his standards of what he achieved in Cannes, France in his career earlier. we all benefit. in fact, i expect people i've never met to one day thank me for sharing about his places when they go there and eat.
So, French food is best due to centuries of traditional preparation. blends of unique methods due to climatological constraints nature placed on areas within France. I was pleasantly surprised reading a Mexican cooking book written by Diana Kennedy, who has been called the "Julia Childs" of Mexican cooking. she speaks in her introduction of some dishes using a complicated and intricate French dish preparation inferring it is the top of the ladder to cook using French techniques.
what i mean about constraints are wines that produced differently due to location. vinegars made when necessary again, due to these conditions. mushrooms. France is the third largest producing country in the world behind the US and China. cheeses. that is a whole blog or two by itself, but no one is better.
Many people believe in karma. if there is a food karma, maybe I am living it now working for chef. in prison we ate food that had labels on it stating the alleged meat was not meant for human consumption. guess we all need to pay income taxes AND go eat good French food. I know I am. since I am at this moment not able to fly to NYC to eat at Jean Georges, or go to Vegas and shop the restaurants there or Napa Valley, I am thrilled both taste bud wise and personally to know Chef Virotti and family to enjoy his life's work of love and culinary skills.
So we can answer emphatically the simple question of why, or "is" French food/cooking the best there is? Of course it is. The book I am reading is called, "Culinaria France: A Celebration of Food and Tradition".
Tradition itself is one of the main reasons why French food and cooking is best. add
simplicity, butter, cheeses, and regional specialties of food and its preparation techniques that have lasted centuries that still live today that we get to enjoy here in the Pacific Northwest. Lastly, one of the biggest secrets is the salt. Fleur de Sel, or flower of salt is key. Chef then takes this foundation and added his own special blends of seasonings for an amazing enhancer of flavor. I will continue to try to get him to package this special seasoning and sell it on the open market. keep your fingers crossed food lovers.
There are pages and pages dedicated in this book of each of the items just listed. What chef tells us often in local publications is his chef mother who handed him down many recipes he uses today. Thanks "mom" is all I can say!
When you come to Fleur de Sel please tell your server you read this blog and please tell chef he needs to treat you to a homemade caramel topped with chocolate or a Parisian Macaron with pumpkin cheesecake filling and homemade caramel sauce. by the way, if you have never eaten it before, you must try the duck. there is nothing peasant about it. perhaps a cup of soup to start, followed by panna cotta, (foie gras), your bird mentioned, and homemade caramel tart for dessert. Bon appetite, le plongeur.
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Tuesday, October 27, 2015
What will you eat for you last meal........???
If you knew tonight's meal was to be your last, what would it be? While this is not intended to be some kind of "bucket list" question, I suppose it could be. We used to play this game often when traveling with the kids. Alexa, my youngest daughter since she could talk always wants a steak. A good one. cooked medium rare, seasoned expertly, perfect marble, and of course all the other side dishes to go with. Chandler my oldest daughter would wait a half minute, look up like she could see into a crystal ball, and we would hear her "mmmmm", I want duck at Jean Georges. Which is in NYC right across from central park on the SW entrance in the bottom of Trump Tower Hotel.
If I had to say, the reason without thinking too deeply about a "last meal" for me would easily be French food because of the sauce. while there is SO much more, for me, food is simply an excuse to eat something with exquisite sauce. as I alluded to in the earlier post I have eaten French food on several continents. I was and still am chasing the next sauce I haven't had yet. (thanks to Chef Laurent I don't have to go far right now either)
For me, going out to eat at a French restaurant, I want to see one of two things on the menu. Lamb or duck. That said, I truly don't care what kind of bird is there. something exotic is quite fine for me. Quail, squab, pheasant, goose, grouse, partridge, there are so many more to choose from. Of course if they are smaller I can/will eat two of them no problem.
So, what am I really going to eat? Foie Gras, seared with a reduction sauce (veal) with wild fruit berries, paired with a vintage Sauternes. I must have escargot. if this is my last chance to dance food wise, then it must be cooked in some type of brioche. if I were to have traditional escargot then I would eat the brioche in something else, but you know I must have it. Despite coming from Mexico, I would like a made from scratch Caesar salad, yes, with anchovies and raw egg, and homemade croutons perfectly seasoned. I have to throw out a curve ball to suggest how lucky we are to eat Michelin 2 star French Food in Post Falls Idaho that is available price wise to all. http://fleur-de-sel.weebly.com/ if by chance you do not know what it means to have Michelin 2 stars, we will discuss this rare rating for the best of the best. we are very lucky to have these two bright food/service stars locally. (Laurent/Patricia Zirotti) other chefs who come to Fleur de Sel to eat tells us so.
let us remember, this is our LAST meal. of course we are going to eat the best caviar available. either Beluga or Petrossian will fill this bill nicely and yes, paired with a champagne that tickles more than taste buds. lets share the vintage for another perfect pairing.
when I would host seminars in Vegas I would often choose the Monte Carlo hotel so I could eat at one of my favorite French restaurants nightly. that really was the reason for the venue. we may sit down at the table with 6 or 8 (or 28) of us and start with an order of Abalone,
So the question is, could I or would I go eat at Fleur de Sel for my last meal? Easily. What we don't know is Chef Zirotti has special items nightly we simply don't know in advance unless you spoke to him quite recently. at work last Saturday I had some dry-aged buffalo that was perfectly marbled and perhaps the best "beef" I've ever eaten. I know Alexa would have loved it. he also shared some "skate", Skates have a mildly pronounced flavor, firm flesh and a high collagen content which gives it a unique texture when cooked. The flesh is light beige to pinkish in color but becomes off-white when cooked. Their taste is similar to scallops. as previously stated, the sauce he prepared with the perfect cooking design with a light "breading" which was more of a seasoning lightly enhancing the mild flavor of the fish with the delicate sauce which did not overpower anything, was simply divine.
lets remind us too, that when I was asking my girls about this adventure, our wallet was able to handle any restaurant prices in the world for anything on the menu. if I could do it, I would simply order one of everything chef has or even better, call him and tell him I am coming in for my last meal, okay, for a meal, in say, 2-3 weeks and I would like to treat 7 others and we will have 7 courses and let him cook it. whatever "it" is. of course for me it only makes sense to eat what is in season at any time anywhere. the fall menu at Fleur de Sel is in place.
due to the fact that I am taking insulin now for 40 years, I quit eating sweet items decades ago. desserts have simply not been my thing. when I go out in NYC or Vegas and go eat French, I usually spoil myself for dessert with a second order of seared Foie Gras. If I were you, I wouldn't let anything stop me from having Chef's homemade chocolate tart. Chef Laurent includes patisserie mastery in his
repertoire for all you dessert lovers.
Friday, October 23, 2015
Welcome to All Things French!
I can say this easily. When I listen to Laurent speak English, he makes it sound great. I have never heard "our language" spoken so eloquently. that said, I am not an eloquent person whatsoever. nor do I wish to be. see, I've already stopped using proper punctuation.
this blog is dedicated to amongst most things, food lovers. for most of my life I had not eaten exquisite food unless I had worked in that restaurant. such was the life of a paycheck to paycheck person who loved food and yes, worked in the food service industry. what I didn't know was, that I was a career entrepreneur who used the flexibility of the food industry to support my "habit", but that is another story.
French food. have you truly eaten any of it? yes? where? when? please lets not talk about fries either as pommes de terre frites, but more commonly pommes frites, patates frites, or simply frites, is French.
Wikipedia has a good history of fries article.
http://fleur-de-sel.weebly.com/ here is where you can experience French at its best locally and for more than reasonable prices. this literally undiscovered gem sits in a "destination only" location. I have driven right past this spot for almost 2 decades not knowing it was there. who knew Post Falls hid such treasure! less than 2 minutes off of exit 7 off I-90 in Idaho.
as someone who had spent decades in the food industry, I know quite a bit about food, service, cooking, but then I realized, not about the industry itself. how did it come into being? how long has it been in existence? you must know our country is not too old to begin with and of course our ancestry stems from Europe.
while wars and history are not my strongest subjects, okay not even close, the revolution and our history have much in common hence. food. yum. what a wonderful piece of life that ties so many binds into our relationships of life.
I am currently reading about France and its food history. who knew there was so much to learn when it comes to cheeses, champagne, food, cooking, restaurants, and so much more.
my life changed in the later 90's when a business I started as an independent contractor (sales rep) resulted fairly quickly into seven figures. this was done so from having nothing too. I had never been to vegas and soon was finding myself down there on business as we were in the seminar industry. to this day, vegas to me is great meal and a good show. the hotel I first stayed at has a French restaurant in the front of it. a classic one at that. the food was what I always thought French food would be. more than off the hook.
skipping forward to today. my business ventures progressed into my own ventures with incredible results by most persons standards. I have seen several continents and over 25 different countries. flying from 1997-2007 I eclipsed 1 million miles in the air. I tried French food in the Caribbean, south America, Italy, and all over the united states. mostly NYC and Vegas. corporate tax evasion took this adventure into my own "misadventure" for the last 3 years.
I am now out of prison and living in a halfway house. in doing so we must all get a job as part of our "programming". Laurent was kind enough despite my past felony to give me a chance at rebuilding. his generosity with his staff and food is practically legendary. he cooked us some treats and asked me what I thought. I couldn't help it. as I am eating this exquisite version of "foie gras", which I have eaten not only in the big city restaurants earlier mentioned, I have ordered it in and cooked it at home many times. as I was eating the food, (Foie Gras Panna Cotta) that was paired expertly with homemade rhubarb preserves, I thought I was rich again. it took me back to all the times I had eaten in NYC and vegas and all over the world. of course it delighted my taste buds to no end at that moment especially after a 3 year absence of real food and prison diet. I would not wish that upon anyone.
cheers to Laurent and his lovely wife Patricia who grace us with their love and mastery of food, service, and hospitality. ultimately it is a cheers to us who are able to celebrate culinary delights so modestly so close to home. if you have not eaten here, now is the time to come join us before it becomes a missed opportunity.
Stay tuned as we will discuss all things French in its history and present soon.
Au revoir. le plongeur. (please feel free to comment or question about this wonderful place)
I can say this easily. When I listen to Laurent speak English, he makes it sound great. I have never heard "our language" spoken so eloquently. that said, I am not an eloquent person whatsoever. nor do I wish to be. see, I've already stopped using proper punctuation.
this blog is dedicated to amongst most things, food lovers. for most of my life I had not eaten exquisite food unless I had worked in that restaurant. such was the life of a paycheck to paycheck person who loved food and yes, worked in the food service industry. what I didn't know was, that I was a career entrepreneur who used the flexibility of the food industry to support my "habit", but that is another story.
French food. have you truly eaten any of it? yes? where? when? please lets not talk about fries either as pommes de terre frites, but more commonly pommes frites, patates frites, or simply frites, is French.
Wikipedia has a good history of fries article.
http://fleur-de-sel.weebly.com/ here is where you can experience French at its best locally and for more than reasonable prices. this literally undiscovered gem sits in a "destination only" location. I have driven right past this spot for almost 2 decades not knowing it was there. who knew Post Falls hid such treasure! less than 2 minutes off of exit 7 off I-90 in Idaho.
as someone who had spent decades in the food industry, I know quite a bit about food, service, cooking, but then I realized, not about the industry itself. how did it come into being? how long has it been in existence? you must know our country is not too old to begin with and of course our ancestry stems from Europe.
while wars and history are not my strongest subjects, okay not even close, the revolution and our history have much in common hence. food. yum. what a wonderful piece of life that ties so many binds into our relationships of life.
I am currently reading about France and its food history. who knew there was so much to learn when it comes to cheeses, champagne, food, cooking, restaurants, and so much more.
my life changed in the later 90's when a business I started as an independent contractor (sales rep) resulted fairly quickly into seven figures. this was done so from having nothing too. I had never been to vegas and soon was finding myself down there on business as we were in the seminar industry. to this day, vegas to me is great meal and a good show. the hotel I first stayed at has a French restaurant in the front of it. a classic one at that. the food was what I always thought French food would be. more than off the hook.
skipping forward to today. my business ventures progressed into my own ventures with incredible results by most persons standards. I have seen several continents and over 25 different countries. flying from 1997-2007 I eclipsed 1 million miles in the air. I tried French food in the Caribbean, south America, Italy, and all over the united states. mostly NYC and Vegas. corporate tax evasion took this adventure into my own "misadventure" for the last 3 years.
I am now out of prison and living in a halfway house. in doing so we must all get a job as part of our "programming". Laurent was kind enough despite my past felony to give me a chance at rebuilding. his generosity with his staff and food is practically legendary. he cooked us some treats and asked me what I thought. I couldn't help it. as I am eating this exquisite version of "foie gras", which I have eaten not only in the big city restaurants earlier mentioned, I have ordered it in and cooked it at home many times. as I was eating the food, (Foie Gras Panna Cotta) that was paired expertly with homemade rhubarb preserves, I thought I was rich again. it took me back to all the times I had eaten in NYC and vegas and all over the world. of course it delighted my taste buds to no end at that moment especially after a 3 year absence of real food and prison diet. I would not wish that upon anyone.
cheers to Laurent and his lovely wife Patricia who grace us with their love and mastery of food, service, and hospitality. ultimately it is a cheers to us who are able to celebrate culinary delights so modestly so close to home. if you have not eaten here, now is the time to come join us before it becomes a missed opportunity.
Stay tuned as we will discuss all things French in its history and present soon.
Au revoir. le plongeur. (please feel free to comment or question about this wonderful place)
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