Foodie Fetish

I wanted to be clear and focused about keeping this blog just for my FF dinners. But I had to throw this one in. My favorite cake! A year and a half ago or so, I started to produce my own molds that I designed with a friend and Architect Xavier Cobiani. The idea of this design originated from me being a FENCER, of all things. I wanted a cake that was slightly pointed at the tip and narrow just like my foil weapon. Fleuret is the name of my foil in French. After a few designs, it was almost there. Then I said to Xavier, " I want a hole through it". He thought I was crazy. We finally got it. At the time I was working on a milk chocolate mousse combo incorporating salted marcona almond prailine and apples. I decided to make the filling for Fleuret, milk chocolate mousse (Michel Cluizel makes a stellar milk chocolate), Salted Marcona almond prailine, candied lemon peel, caramelized rice krispies cake and creamy Calvados apple gelee.....Just plain goodness!

First I want to send a warm and grateful thank you to the PERSON WHO STOLE MY CAMERA! Good luck without the battery charger.
Plenty of dinners in September, but no photo means by which to capture the kodak moments. I have now filled the camera void and with an upgrade too!
Octobers first dinner was very helpful to me. Like all musicians who go through a "Rutt" of creativity, they eventually rise from this unfortunate prison with new creative life and insight. I'm getting there..
A woman begged me for a Toro tartare with ponzu. I was unamused with this request, so I asked her if she minded if I played with the dish a bit. She didn't, so I did.
A birthday was in order, so naturally a cake was planned for a proper celebration. He liked chocolate is all he said, I had to fill in the blanks.

Amusebouche
MOULES BELGIQUE tempura and soup, malay curry, lardons, chimay gelee, white poppyseed

Course 1
TORO TARTARE, soffrito aioli ice cream, ponzu gelee, Thai chili ginger oil

Course 2
BEET ESCABECHE, hazelnut milk tofu, feta, wheatberry ginger crumble

Course 3
FOIE GRAS ICE CREAM, Tortolli pear, tarragon, coffee oil, walnut prailine puff pastry

Course 4
AGED SHORT RIBS, Black truffle mousse, Tarbais Herbes de provence pistou, artichoke
dumplings, nigella (No photo yet!)

Course 5
NICOISE OLIVE CREAM, roasted thyme caramel, pecan Breton

Course 6
ALPACO CHOCOLATE MOUSSE, cognac cream, orange peel marshmallow mousse,
bisquit de chocolat

Maybe its because of the soon to be holiday season, but I have given 3 classes on "Understanding chocolate techniques", in the last week. Acknowledging the importance of Temperature is crucial. Respect the recipe, work patiently but swiftly, use a thermometer and use a high quality chocolate. It's just like a wine sauce, start with a bad wine, you get a bad sauce.