salt and rock roe

it was looking good until kate got a hold of it.. oh well, we’ll try again next year, right chef?!

last week, chef mark otis hosted a crew of cooks at his place. a great, late night meal served to a raucous crowd. bravo mark, a job well done!

a pretty cool tradition we seem to be falling into. thanks for all those who have hosted, contributed, and shared their passion with us… cheers!

wish i remembered to take a pic after i cooked it...

there are few things that get chefs as fired up as arguing over which breeds of pork taste the best… thanks to my old friend and colleague nathan anda, chef/proprietor of www.redapronbutchery.com , “chef’s night” last night included a taste of some locally raised ossabaw pork that he is working with from bev eggleston of ecofriendly foods. a breed of pig that was let loose on ossabaw island georgia in the 16th century by spanish explorers, it has an unusually high fat to meat ratio, and is exceptionally succulent, moist and delicious… coming soon to a restaurant near you!

i was proud to be involved in this awesome event. i met some great people. i heard some great stories. i tasted some great food. i can’t wait to do it again next year…

a little bit about the event: http://hartkeisonline.com/food-politics/report-on-farm-food-voices-2011/

a little bit more: http://www.examiner.com/dc-in-washington-dc/washington-dc-area-chefs-set-up-shop-on-capitol-hill-support-of-local-farmers

for more info: www.nicfa.org

it was a pretty cool feeling walking the halls of the russell senate building at the close of the event. seeing the former offices of kennedy and nixon… it was nice to visit again (think high school us gov’t class field trip), and be old enough to appreciate what i was seeing, clearly, foR the first time. REALLY COOL.

 We tried to show him some of the best foods of the central virginia region…

as usual, i forgot to get a picture of the dessert…

warm banana bread pudding, maker’s mark hard sauce and caramel

many thanks to all who attended and helped along the way!

finally getting a chance to upload these pics to share, and realizing i missed my two favorite dishes from our valentine’s prix-fixe menu… bummer.

not pictured: pan seared sea scallops, housemade lomo, harvest thyme’s “lucca” beans, garlic jus. truffled potato raviolini, braised polyface farms beef shortribs, red wine jus, crispy parsnips.

crispy pork belly

crispy pork goodness, velvety, creamy fat, succulent meat, what more could you possibly ask for?

crispy pork belly, sweet potato bar-b-que sauce, sweet potato chips, crispy kale, creamy and puffed grits.

You want crispy skin, and rendered so it isn’t all fatty? Start with a COLD pan! Sauteed breast with duck fat roasted fingerlings, cabbage, country ham, butternut squash, red wine sauce.

"wintery" scallops

this is an old standby that i go back to time and again, but i think we improve it every time we revisit it… creamy “risotto” of potatoes and celery root, crisp roasted brussels sprouts, fricassee of black trumpets and hedgehogs, garlic jus and of course perfectly seared scallops. “wintery” goodness…

a few times a year, as a chef, i get the opportunity to step out of my own kitchen and work with some of my peers in a collaborative effort to raise money & awareness for a local charity. last night was one of those occasions where i was one of three guest chefs at keswick hall club and estate here in charlottesville. the event was a fundraiser for women’s health virginia, a local non-profit dedicated to the health and wellness of women & girls here in our state. it was a great time for everyone involved, and i was honored to be included. it’s always a great feeling when as cooks, we can use our craft to bring enjoyment to guests while doing a little good in the community along the way. many thanks to executive chef dean maupin, chef de cuisine amalia scatena, and sous-chef curtis shaver, and catering manager adam donovan-groves, of keswick hall; alex montiel chef-owner of brasserie montiel; and jenny peterson chef-owner & personal trainer (!) of paradox pastry (that’s right, she a workout queen), for a great event! i look forward to taking part again in the future…

homemade local heirloom pumpkin ravioli, hen of the woods mushrooms, crispy parsnips, sage & parmigiano

tuna

phil & deirdre’s vegetables truly make this dish what it is… mustard-fennel-espelette crsuted tuna, heirloom cranberry beans, baby fennel, stewed tomatoes, roasted fingerlings, black olives. yumyum!

badass new range...

foie gras & pickled peaches

tim henley is a third generation farmer who brings us the best apples, peaches and occasionally berries that you just can’t beat… when he brought me the last of this season’s peaches, i made a big batch of pickled peaches so we could enjoy the taste of summer for just a little while longer. this dish is a result of that: foie gras, pickled peaches, peach preserves, corn bread pudding, balsamic vinegar, and roast chicken jus. the foods grown for us by great people like tim is what makes my job that much more fun…

red snapper, tomatoes, cornbread & buttermilk