Inspirations!

This Empress!

Smells are always good for inspiration.  I'm more often than not triggered by my "smemory"...A scent that reels me right back into a childhood memory.  Somehow, there is that dreaming, childlike scense I never want to lose, and I'm always searching for it or trying to recreate it.  My dinners have often been deemed as magical.  I like that!  Recently I received flowers with a note attached that read, "Thank you, sorcress, I'm still in wonderland."  I love that!  

Pictures also trigger me, a thought or emotion from one photo can create an entire dish...

If you wonder what happens in my head, here are some of my latest inspirations for my upcoming winter menu.

This deer skull.

These antlers and color palate.

This fungus!

Collaboration

This December 12th I will be joining forces with Brandon Baltzey and Crux in a pop-up event, which will donate all proceeds to Inspiration Corporation....I'm so pleased to be doing this event for Inspiration.  Last year I had a party for them in December, which was also a success.  

Brandon and I became friends on facebook when I think I saw his profile picture on my friend suggestions and it was of a nice looking dish, so I added him.  He approached me about this dinner about a month ago when he in return was inspired by the pictures of my food.  This past Friday he worked with me in my tiny kitchen and said, "You're like fucking MacGyver in here.  I can't believe you do this alone."  I'm certainly proud of what I do and it is such a compliment for that to be said by another chef who has worked in some of NY's and Chicago's finest kitchens.  

I'm really excited about this dinner and you all should be too.  I hope that many of you will join us.  The details will unleashed tomorrow!

Food Porn Part 3

More pics by Jennifer Moran of my Fall Menu, which runs until the end of December.

Rough Draft of Winter Menu

Bubble Tea
Bacon, Waffles, Banana, Maple

Salad Sponge
Goat's milk, sunflower, homegrown

Pierogi
Yukon gold potato, truffle, homemade cheese

Cured Fish Centerpiece and Fresh Cut Sprouts-Literally

Hanging
Salmon, paddle fish roe, bagels, cream cheese, onion

Pumpkin Patch
Lobster, fennel flavors

Encapsulated Soup
Black truffle, semolina, quail egg

Your Hand

Oyster Centerpiece
Chartreuse, pistachio, herbs, foraged juniper

Shrimp Noodle
Scampi

Oatmeal Dashi
Chia seeds

1 Pill Makes You Larger, 1 Pill Makes You Small

Scallop Motoyaki
Lychee caviar, perfect potato, lemongrass lobster consomme

Chicken Thigh, Salmon Skin, Truffle Chicken Liver Ragu, Hay Aroma

Hunted Deer Bresaola
Homemade ricotta, items from where the deer roams

Pork In Two
Chinese, Vietnamese

In House Dry-Aged Ribeye
Smoked buttermilk, broccoli, black garlic, tiny fish

Bacon Ice Cream Cone
Koval whiskey, black pepper

Mirepoix
Red onion, celery, carrot

Dark Lord...

Sometimes I'm just lucky enough to look into my refrigerator and think, "what is that darn bottle," and then to pull it out and discover it is a half bottle of Dark Lord that my guests have left from the weekend.  Today I worked in the kitchen at Leopold.  I have a week off and when I have time I like to go into kitchens and stage or volunteer.  I get so use to my own home kitchen it's nice to be in an actual restaurant kitchen and working in spaces with others.  Before I left for Leopold this afternoon I put a Cornish hen in a spiced brine and pulled it when I got home.  I knew I had potatoes and carrots, but nothing really to make a sauce with, that was until I found the Dark Lord.  I stuffed the Cornish hen with marjoram, garlic, thyme, and sage, seasoned the outside and then browned it on all sides in canola oil.  I roughly chopped carrots and potatoes and threw those into the pan with a touch of salt and once they had a little brown added a healthy cup of dark lord to deglaze the pan and the juice of half a lemon.  I tossed it in the oven at 350 and after about 25 minutes turned the bird and baked it for another 20-25 minutes...I wasn't really watching the time however I did check it frequently and pulled it when I had an inner temp of 165 degrees F.  I pulled the bird from the pan and set it aside and then allowed the juices and Dark Lord reduce a touch until it looked like an unctuous demi.  I cut the bird in half and scooped the potatoes, carrots and sauce over the top and I devoured it before I could even take a picture for you.  It was amazing.  My niece ate the other half when she got home from work.  She loved it too.  I suppose it was that bit of Belgium cuisine today which got me thinking of such a hearty meal.  Not everyone is lucky enough to have Dark Lord floating around in their fridge.  You can substitute for a nice dark beer.

Photos of Mushroom Expedition!

Snapped from the artistic eye of Jen Moran...Photos!

What The Fall Menu Has Become...

One Sister Fall Menu 2011

Bubble Tea

Apple Pie, Bourbon

Salad Sponge

Homegrown, goat milk, sunflower, honeys

Hanging

Salmon roe, melon, smoke

Pierogi

Yukon gold potato, white truffle, homemade cheese

Pumpkin Patch

Pumpernickel, lobster, fennel, cashew

                       

Grilled Cheese Soup

Encapsulated, tomato marmalade, garden items

Your Hand

Oyster Centerpiece

Foraged items    

Shrimp Noodle

Scampi

Oatmeal Dashi  and Chia Seeds

1 Pill Makes You Larger And1 Pill Makes You Small

 

Potatoes , Mussels,  and Lobster Consomme

Chicken Thigh,  Livers, Truffle and Hay

  Lamb Prosciutto

Sassafrass, cherry, smoke

Pig

Cheek, pomegranate, king oyster udon

Dry-Aged Ribeye

Tamarind, sardine, celery root

Sorbet

Honeydew, banana pepper, vanilla salt

Ice Cream Cone

Bacon, Koval Whisky

Chocolate Orbs

Egg yolk, berry, gruyere, quinoa