In Situ - A Restaurant Celebrating The Art Of Cooking

Many restaurants take pride  in signature dishes. After all , they're what give any eatery, bistro or cafe their reputation and following. Yet a new restaurant in San Francisco is doing the opposite. The chef is taking world famous  recipes from restaurants around the world and putting a new spin on them.

Pete Wells interviewed In Situ's creator and chef, Corey Lee in his A Recipe Lab column in today's New York Times Food section. The concept is unique in an industry where individuality is key to success,The restaurant with the closest ideology is Chicago''s Next, founded by Grant Achaz , which  completely changes menus every four months. Of course Chef Lee also owns a traditional restaurant, Benu where there is only seven main dishes to choose from.In Situ is sort of like a culinary art museum. Even the name, comes from the Latin phrase meaning a piece of art is embedded in its' original location. Its' menus  are folded and fastened with  metal museum admission tags and look like  guides to a gallery exhibition of works that are on temporary loan. One side of the menu depicts  a map of the world tilted on its' axis. The reason for this is showing a dislocation of sorts that hints' that there is a shift from the recipe's original location to In Situ's. Circles on the map show the many dishes many birthplaces.There is a key in the menu's right margin that gives each's ingredients ,it's originator;s name and the city where it was created.

  Chef Lee is so good that he  even earned praise from the famed WD-50 chef  Wylie Dufresne. What he had done with Chef Dufresne's signature dish shrimp and grits is nothing short of amazing.The grits in Chef Lee's interpretation are actually the shrimp repeatedly ground and fried married to pickled jalapeno slices.Another masterpiece is The Forest ,taken from Mirazur in Menton, France,The original dish created by Chef Mauro Colagreco fashioned this vegan dish to look like the woods outside his restaurant on the French Riviera,It involves recreating moss from a parsley soaked sponge cake while the bark is created from fried sunchoke peels. Chef Colagreco gave Chef Lee permission to use mushrooms from Northern California for true authenticity as opposed to ones used from Provence, A dish from the great eatery, Momufuku Ssam Bar is also on In Situ's menu. It is spicy pork sausage and rice cakes. Chef Lee amped up this ragout with sliced rice sticks,  turning it into a mapo-tofu.For dessert Chef Lee honors Chez Panisse,It is a salute to Alice Waters lemon ice cream  dish in a hollowed out lemon shell placed next to lemon sherbert. A lemon flavored cat's tongue or langue du chat shares the spotlight.

Chefs are usually encouraged to create signature dishes, reflecting their tastes and backgrounds Chef Corey Lee breaks away from that by putting his own spin on already famous dishes. The result is stunning and delicious, the perfect homage from a culinary master.

A Vegan's Dream Come True

Does being a vegan come with perks? Yes! The obvious answer is the health benefits but there's also another plus - a new cookbook that features vegan cheese and ice cream recipes. These are fun to make and tasty to eat. Even non vegans will turn vegan just for these recipes.

 The Best Homemade Vegan Cheese and Ice Cream Recipes (Robert Rose Publishers) was written by Marie Laforet, a well known vegan blogger who lives in Paris.. Her blog site is lush salute to all dishes meatless , from savory to sweet.. The cookbook is no different,It is an amazing array of our most popular cheeses, from mozzarella to feta, from  cheddar to ricotta and transformed into healthier dishes by omitting dairy. The second half of the book is dedicated to homemade vegan ice cream and pops.Any home chef can make any of these recipes. They are labor intensive  but with relatively easy steps. The beginning of the book shows the ingredients and fermenting agents that are used along with explanations. It starts with the basic ingredients like soy along with legumes and nuts (cashews figure prominently in most of the recipes).Since cheese is also known for its various textures there are also a page on texturizers such as agar agar , odorless coconut oil and starches,There is also a section on fermentation agents too along with explanations on what tools to use, Cheese makers will recognize the need for cheesecloth for straining along with drying in a hydrator or just in a low heated oven.

The recipes will make any cheese and ice cream lover drool. Ms. Lafloret has recipes for the classics that are made with just raw cashew nuts, soy, almond and rice milk Home chefs can delight in serving guests homemade vegan  Gouda or Parmesan.There is also the plus of unusual cheeses such as kimcheese - a cheese made with Korean kimchi ! or tofu cheese with two peppers that resembles a Boursin. With the cheeses come recipes such as Nacho cheese sauce, perfect for outdoor parties or even topping a vegan chili.Vegans who gave up fondue will rejoice in a recipe for one made with white wine and cashew butter. As for the ice cream, Ms. Lafloret gives us mouth watering recipes that include home made cones. There are ice cream and sorbet recipes perfect for these sultry summer days.  Try the tomato, strawberry and basil sorbet or pineapple lime sorbet to cool down on a sweltering night. There is the classic vanilla ice cream made with just soy and rice creams along with light cane sugar and vanilla pods.Pistachio lovers ill love the non dairy version. Ice cream lovers will go mad for  the chocolate mint straticella packed with flavor, .There are also ice pops and palletas in mouth watering flavor combos such as orange mango, fruity rocket pops and peach pie. Other desserts include home made and healthy ice cream sandwiches and a Neopolitan log made with coffee, chocolate and vanilla

 The Best Homemade Vegan Cheese and Ice Cream Recipes is a great book for vegans and non vegans alike. They can have their cheese and ice cream too, in yummy flavors and recipes. It's a great book full of healthy and fun treats.

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An Easy Summer Birthday

Everyone loves a home cooked meal for their birthdays.Even summer babies are excited over a favorite dish that's been lovingly made. Unfortunately the season brings about hot days when no one wants to be in the kitchen. The solution? Keep it cool!

If the honoree wants a home cooked meal, then think  barbecue.Grilled chicken or salmon with grilled vegetables is a nice treat. If you have a Weber egg  grill, you can roast an entire chicken. A birthday party needs a festive dish so why not grill beer can chicken? This is easy to make.It's taking the chicken , rinsing it and then patting dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and any kind of rub.It's then plunking the bird down on an open beer can . The can and the legs will act as a tripod as the bird is being cooked.It usually takes about an hour and fifteen minutes. Serve with a fiesta salad that has cooked corn niblets mixed with diced red and green peppers along with halved grape tomatoes. Sirloin burgers are another celebratory  meal. To grind the meat, first cube the steak and grind in batches in your food processor or meat grinder. You can add egg for richness or butter. The burgers can be served Piedmontese style with bagna calda  sauce on them. Use flattened toasted Italian bread instead of the usual buns for this. Grilled salmon Oriental style with soy and ginger or Mediterranean style is also a lovely birthday lunch or dimmer.. The last can be served with a fancy couscous studded with almonds and raisins.

Nachos are always a fun party food no matter what time of year. The dish outside is extra fun, especially at a pool or even beach side party.Make it really luxurious  with  layers of steak and chicken or fresh roasted pork. For color have both black and green olives along with extra helpings of  guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo. If  you're hosting a large crowd you may want to try a taco or quesadilla bar where guests can pile on a variety of toppings. A cool idea is a salad loaded with tasty bits and pieces. A taco salad can be fun, It's just a quick cook of and then the meat or soy fake meat can be added to iceberg lettuce along with crumbled tortilla chips and shredded Monterey jack cheese. Buffalo chicken salad is a nice birthday lunch or dinner meal. Making the chicken is the most labor intensive. It's just creating a spicy , chili infused marinade and letting it marinate for a few hours  before cooking and adding it to  a salad , full of  diced celery and Romaine lettuce. Serve with a cool blue cheese dressing.One of the most luxurious and perfect for a birthday lunch or dinner is a seafood salad, chock full of lobster crab and shrimp.Use butter lettuce as a base and also toss in cherry or grape tomatoes. Dress with a simple vinaigrette which will accentuate the sweet flavors of the shell fish. Serve with crusty rolls and  chilled champagne.

Cooking for a summer birthday honoree is actually a cool and easy idea. Try a lush salad or a rich sirloin  burger for a sumptuous meal. It's a great way to celebrate a summer baby's special day.

The Perfect Ice Cream Cake

A summer birthday or a summer party deserves a good ending namely an ice cream cake. Most people usually head to their local ice cream shop to get this treat. However an ice cream cake is easy to make and assemble. What  is great about a home made one is that it can be customized with favorite fillings.

The first step is deciding is how elaborate you want to make it. There is one recipe that just calls for layering ice cream sandwiches in a nine by thirteen baking pan. Hot fudge and Cool Whip is slathered on between layers. The icing is another layer of Cool Whip with a heavy dusting of shaved chocolate.It is then covered and frozen for an hour before serving.Caramel sauce can be subbed in for the fudge for a different spin. Another idea that takes a little more work but has a lot of flavor is one that takes inspiration from those Dairy Queen and Carvel cakes. It's easy but has a lot of steps. The recipe involves first placing a springform pan in the freezer for fifteen minutes.  Vanilla and chocolate ice cream is used, however you can vary the flavors. Try chocolate and mint chip for mint lovers. Coffee lovers should have layers of coffee ice cream. The filling is crushed Nabisco chocolate wafers mixed with that hard shell topping (although you could use a fudge sauce as a binder too.)  The three layers are frozen for two hours and then iced with whipped cream. Multicolored sprinkles are then scattered on it.You can also pipe whipped cream rosettes  around the bottom and top or even make buttercream roses if you're feeling ambitious.

Another idea is baking a cake and filling it with ice cream. If you don't have time buy the mixes. There are some good ones such as Red Velvet  and German Chocolate. You can also make scratch cakes too, and make them a bit healthier by using whole wheat flour. These can be made in layers or as a sheet cake, depending on the size of your party. The ice cream can also be homemade if you have an ice cream maker. You can try different fruit varieties here too. Think a vanilla sheet cake with a peach, blueberry or strawberry ice cream along with a topping of fresh fruit too. A fun idea is a "naked" ice cream cake , one without icing. Bake three scratch cakes, try a marble or chocolate chip one  and then  as you would with filling, cover the layers with about an inch of softened ice cream. You can even blend in candy, fruit or cereal for some texture and more flavor.Just "ice" the top most layer with a thin layer of ice cream and decorate with sugar gel or with sprinkles. Some home bakers recommend using a "dense" cake like pound cake because it holds better than the lighter , more crumbly cakes. It's up to you with what kind of cake to use..Any ice cream cake can be served with chocolate or salted caramel sauce.

An ice cream cake adds so much to a summer party. Making one and customizing it is a real treat  because it's full of favorite flavors.It's a nice way to welcome a warm summer night.

The Best Of Nice

One of the best cuisines is from Nice, that sun drenched city perched on the southeastern corner of Southern France. It has the best seasonings and spices along with a variety of seafood and vegetables. Blend all these together for an amazing array of main dishes and desserts. This is French cooking with panache.

One of the most satisfying dishes is the salad named after the city, salad Nicoise. This is an easy  yet fancy dish any home chef can whip up.The key ingredient is tuna, and not the typical one in canned in water. It has to be in olive oil or tonno en olio. It makes for a richer flavor with the salad. Fresh tuna is also preferred as well. Hard boiled eggs are another ingredient that add not just flavor but protein.The salad also needs boiled new potatoes along with capers. Adding a burst of freshness is Roma tomatoes along green beans and onions. The dressing is a pert lemon vinaigrette.Some add anchovies for more authenticity but if they're too salty , they can be omitted. Petit farci or stuffed vegetables are another Provencale or Nice dish that's perfect for the summer. This is a combination of different veggies , green peppers, tomatoes, zucchini and eggplants that are stuff with a blend of chopped veal,onion, garlic, bouquet garni and herbes de Provence This last is a blend of different herbs and even lavender, a staple in soaps and sachets from the region. The stuffing is partially cooked first  and then put through a mincer before being stuffed inside the veggies. They're browned in a 400 degree oven before being served with tomato puree.

Garlic is a standard in this sunny section of France and the locals make a delicious creamy mayo with it called rouille. It's simply taking three cloves and combing them with two egg yolks and olive oil. The mixture is spiced up by adding two teaspoons of cayenne pepper and a quarter teaspoon of saffron. It's usually served with fish or seafood such as lobster or shrimp but it can also be used for tomatoes or even chicken.Squash is a big part of the Nicoise garden and cooks there use the veggie  at every stage of its' development.They take the delicate squash flowers , dip them in batter and then fry them in butter or olive oil. The batter is a combination of flour, yolks and water along with a tablespoon of olive oil. The whites are beaten to a froth and then added later to it. The flowers are cut along a vein to open them and the pistils are removed. It's a quick but mouth watering fry up. Nicoise home chefs , never ones for waste , add diced zucchini to it to make zucchini fritters. dessert is usually fresh fruit , either, figs , apricots or pears. Adults enjoy an after dinner glass of pastis while les enfants get an ice cream from the local shop.

Nicoise cuisine is the perfect summer cuisine, It bursts with garden fresh veggies and fresh caught seafood.followed by fresh fruit. It is tres belle et tres delicieux.

For all the people of Nice, stay strong stay brave. You are an inspiration to the world right now.

A Hawaiian Treat ShaveH Ice

Hawaii knows how to do summer right. They're kings at creating the perfect outdoor luau, or outdoor party. They have excellent konkatsu along with other street foods. They've taken shaved ice or as they put it shave ice to a whole other level. Hawaiian ice is what other ices should aspire to be.

Kim Severson got the lucky chance of reporting about these treat  for yesterday's New York Times Food section. It is also the subject of a doctoral thesis written by  Hi'ilei Julia Hobart who was born and raised on the eastern shore of Oahu. Ms. Hobart left paradise for N.Y.U. where she is one of the nine doctoral students earning a doctorate in food studies. The program there is a lot more interesting than other doctoral programs with past thesis exploring the cultural and historical importance of bourbon, bottled water and even the masculinity of cooking. What is interesting about shave ice's history is that it was always mentioned in numerous trade agreements.It  seemed odd that the US would protect it but ice signified status along with providing comfort to settlers who preferred chilled drinks and ice cream.over the sour tepid foods that native Hawaiians were used to eating.. Yet it wasn't the Americans that brought shaved ice to the islands.We have the Japanese to thank for the treat that's now being sold across the mainland United States.They  brought it over when they were hired as sugar plantation workers.

The Japanese shave ice is called kakigori and dates back from the Heian period , from around 794 to 1185 AD. Japanese immigrants opened up small stores in the early 1900's to serve the plantation workers, some of which sold shaved ice. By the 1950's it was sold at many Japanese mom and pop stores like the M. Matsumoto Grocery store on Oahu's north side.Now it's just Matsumoto's Shaved Ice where there's a half hour wait at times. How is shave ice different from those Sno-Cones or Italian ice that we're so used to here in the summertime? It starts with shaving ice from a huge block of ice, usually a machine does it  (although it can be done by hand as well). The ice itself should be slightly melting with a sheen. The goal is to create soft , fluffy flakes that can accept generous pours of syrup. Sno cones , on the other hand are nothing more than ice pebbles that are so hard the syrup runs off them and into the bottom of the cone. Italian ice is ice that has the syrup already  mixed in and then frozen, There is also an art to shave ice, with the shaver catching the ice as it falls from the blade and then mounding it into a  firm dome. The dome must be sturdy enough to hold the syrup yet soft enough to yield to a spoon. There can be one flavor or several together as President Obama likes his.
sometimes there's a scoop of ice cream underneath or sweet condensed milk drizzled on top.

Shave ice is a Hawaiian treat with an interesting history. It is also a  light and fluffy cooler on a hot summer's night. If you can get it. It truly is a treat.

Chicken Salad : A Classic Revisited

One of the most classic summer dishes is chicken salad. It has graced luncheon and brunch tables for decades.It is a tasty favorite  both as a sandwich and on its' own. It's also an easy enough recipe that novice home chefs can make as good as any experienced one.

It was the subject of Julia Moskin's Recipe Lab article in today's New York Times Food section. It's a classic in the South where it has been served at luncheons for decades.Unfortunately it's been relegated to a tired deli standby by us Northerners. We usually serve it between two slices of  blah looking white or rye bread,It should be either served in a iced, crisp lettuce  cup or in another kind of cup, one made out of crisper , thin toast. The last is from the Swan Coach House in Atlanta where it's been served since 1965.Sadly the salad came about from the over abundance hens that stopped laying eggs and had to be killed in the summer. The salad has been elevated to a high art with two versions, one being served on weekdays while a chunkier, nuttier version was made solely for luncheons.  The everyday version featured finely chopped meat along pickle relish.This is usually served on crackers or in a sandwich. The more formal version has slivered almonds and even pineapple for some sweetness.A combined version of both is called the Bridesmaid's Chicken Salad and is a staple of Junior League cookbooks.This can be tried at home but Ms. Moskin's recipe is the more desirable one, adding some French flair with tarragon.

Before any chicken gets diced up, it first best to consider what kind to put into the salad. Home chefs looking for a shortcut may want to get an already roasted one from their supermarket. Ms. Moskin advises against this. Freshly roasted rotisserie birds will have dry and stringy meat, along with dark meat. which has no place in a true chicken salad.Instead use leftover breast meat from a poached chicken. She employs the Chinese method of using a heavy pot , then slipping the chicken into boiling water, then turning the heat off and leaving it to cook for two hours. Do this in the morning when the kitchen is at its' coolest. The meat should be then  hand shredded instead of being cut up by knife.They could be cut into chunks and then hand massaged so they absorb more mayonnaise. The mayo itself should be homemade. The store bought variety is laced with acidic components such as vinegar and citric acid, added to deter the growth of bacteria.A dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche can also be thrown in to fluff up the salad's texture. Along with tarragon there is minced scallion for bite  along with broken walnuts and pecan halves for crunch, Celery and onions are also added for texture and color. Serve it in a lettuce cup with a pretty side array of radishes and grape tomatoes.

The South's version of chicken salad is what a summer lunch should be. It's a nice refreshing change to the usual summer fare and has a certain elegance to it. Enjoy this summer classic either as a sandwich or on its' own.