braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaains!

Whenever I'm talking to people about weird and unorthodox foods the topic of brains always comes up. Specifically, live monkey brains. I'm sick of hearing about this so called delicacy that's eaten in parts of East Asia. The consumption of brains as food is not uncommon. However, the belief of eating the brains from a live monkey is down right absurd.

The myth of live monkey brains was likely made popular by the film Faces of Death which staged the eating of live monkey brains. However, there also have been written accounts by people who have eaten or witnessed the eating of live monkey brains. I'm skeptical of these accounts as people can tend to embellish, alter or even fabricate events. A very good example of this is the 2003 memoir A Million Little Pieces written by James Frey.

Another, more familiar, example of monkey brain being served as food (although not live) is in the film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Chilled monkey brains are served as dessert to Indy and his companions by their Indian hosts. Two very important things should be noted:

1. Hindus are Lacto-Vegetarians.
   
2. The monkey is a sacred animal to Hindus.

Never the less, this film was banned in India for its negative portrayal of Indian people and their culture.

I can admit that there may be a possibility of eating cooked monkey brains. Cooked brains is not unusual as it is part of the fifth quarter of meat (offal). Recently, I stumbled upon Chef Chris Cosentino's blog Offal Good. In one entry he details his preparation of calf brains. In another entry he has photos of a market in Turino selling brains right next to testicles and other offal.

Offal is important part of meat and I'm nearly convinced it's responsible consumption of an animal. Brain could very well be good eats when cooked properly. However, the idea of strapping a monkey under a table, opening it's head like a tin can, and then trying to eat its brains all the while the poor monkey kicking and screaming is very unlikely. Just think of the mess...

All myths and urban legends have a deeper theme and underlying meaning. My interpretation of the myth is an underlying fear of the cuisine and practices of Eastern cultures. This myth likely started in the early to mid 1900s when Eastern cultures were being viewed as uncivilized and filled with ancient mysticism and superstition. Anyone from North America or Europe would obviously view Eastern cuisine as strange and unorthodox.

If you want to believe in eating live monkey brains then you may as well believe in the alligators living in New York sewer systems. Heck, I think Bigfoot has more physical and convincing "evidence" than monkey brains do.

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red neck advice.

Last night I was watching King of the Hill on television, it's one of my favourite series. Last night's episode was about organic food and Hank's quest to eat organic after buying tasteless meats and produce from his local supermarket. In the beginning of the episode Hank is grilling steaks for his friends and family. He offers this bit of advice to his son, Bobby Hill.

Hank Hill: Firm but with a little give. Yepp, these are medium rare.
Bobby Hill: What if somebody wants their's well done?
Hank Hill: We ask them politely yet firmly to leave. With great meat, son, comes great responsibility.

I've watched this show a long time and have heard plenty of good lines and bits of "advice". This is probably the best advice I've ever heard.

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Ratatouille

Disney Pixar released a brilliant film this past summer, Ratatouille. It tells the tale of a rat in Paris, Remy, who dreams nothing but to be a chef. The film follows the adventures of Remy as he forms an unusual partnership with a garbage boy, Linguine, in a famous restaurant. Combined, the duo come together to create some of the most outstanding food in Paris.

I love Pixar films. I had first year about this film in early 2007 and anxiously awaited its release In June. I watched every trailer, preview, interview, and behind the scene featurette I could. Ratatouille came to theatres June 29th but a sneak peak viewing of the movie occurred two weeks earlier. I eagerly attended the sneak peak and adored movie, I haven't watched it since the viewing in the theatre but I recently received the DVD as a gift from a close friend.

I love the script, the characters, the attention to detail, and the food. The film shows the importance of following one's dreams and being true to ourselves. We have to do what we love and not give up on who or what we are. Shakespeare expressed this very simply as, "To thine own self be true."

When Pixar Studios create a movie they immerse themselves into the world of that movie as to do the characters and story justice. For this film animators were given cooking lessons and even worked in a restaurant. Chef Thomas Keller was also taken on as a consultant for the film and allows animators to work in his restaurant the French Laundry. The pinnacle dish in the film was created and stylized by Chef Keller which was then animated.

Upon hearing the news that Chef Keller had a part in the creating process I knew this film was to be special. Thomas Keller has been something of an idol to me ever since I first heard about the French Laundry and read about it in Michael Ruhlman's novel The Soul of a Chef. Keller has won numerous awards for his work at the French Laundry and the restaurant has been acclaimed by a wide array of people to be one of the top restaurants in the United States and even the world. I will dine there one day.

The film touches me on a personal level because I can see parallels with the story and my life. I'm working towards doing something I am passionate about. In the past it has felt like there were forces against me and hindering me. I've now accepted what/who I am and what I love. To thine own self be true...

Oh yeah, I also like the film because of this guy:

Horst, one bad ass Sous Chef. He's killed a man with his thumb.

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moving market.

This weekend I'm having dinner with friends. Everyone is chipping in a bit of money and I'm making the food. I've decided not to make a meal but instead do finger foods. I like how finger foods allow everyone to just grab what they want, offer variation, and eat small bites through the night. I'm not doing anything especially unique and creative, I more just want to see my friends and have a good time.

I set out to buy some of the groceries for the event and visited two of my local Chinese supermarkets. I've never expressed this before but I love visiting Chinese grocery stores even if I'm not buying anything. I come from a Chinese family so going to these markets isn't new a thing, it's still always a welcome experience.

Walking through a Chinese market there's so many different things to experience, experiences which can't be found in the average supermarket or grocery store...

In the produce section there are dozens of vegetables that look the same but all have different tastes, characteristics, and even methods of cooking. There's an ample supply of exotic fruits and vegetables which have only begun to make their way into the common grocery stores. The prime example being pomegranate which is now all the rage and has become common fruit in every market. Ten years ago I only found it at the Asian grocery stores.

Every Asian supermarket always has a giant seafood section, often filled with still live animals. Multiple tanks swimming with fish, basins filled to the brim with bivalves and mollusks, and crustaceans crawling everywhere. The one notable crustacean I always see in every Chinese supermarket is the feisty blue crab. I always believed that they were ill tempered creatures that will pinch at anything be it a neighbouring crab, pair of tongs, or finger.

Another truly unique section is the meat department. The Asian culture is a true fan of head-to-tail eating. There's cuts of meat you don't find anywhere else and offal of all kinds. Intestines, Tongues, Stomach, Hearts, Lungs, Livers, and more. The one unique feature of the meat department is the smell; it's offensive, harsh, and oddly welcoming. It's hard to describe the smell other than it's not exactly pleasant, it does however let you know that you're buying meat. It was once an animal that was alive and was slaughtered so you purchase its carcass and eat it.

Overall there's something very organic and alive about the Asian market. There's a real reminder of life and food. Things aren't always as clean, there's always a lot noise, and always a sea movement. It shows life as it really is, things aren't always as polished as we think. And food can be the same way.

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I'd like that well-med-rare-done

The wedding reception was at a small inn, the food there was surprisingly good. For dinner there was an appetizer, entreé, and dessert. The appetizer consisted of a selection between a soup (leek and potato with stilton) or a basic salad with vinaigrette. For the entreé we had a selection of either Chicken, Beef, or Fish. Being a red meat lover I opted for the Beef.

Grilled Tenderloin of Beef
Topped with Wild Mushroom in a merlot sauce
Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans

Mushrooms, Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans are hard to screw up. The only complaint I do have about the three of these sides is that the roasted Green Beans were not tender, they were well undercooked. I like vegetables cooked to be fork tender or al dente, whoever cooked the beans should have tasted and checked for doneness before plating.

I'm always wary whenever I order red meat, I like my red meat medium rare and I seldom receive it this way. Harold McGee's book, On Food and Cooking, defines medium rare as:

• Meat temperature: 130°F/60°F
• Doneness: Medium Rare, 135-145°F
• Meat Qualities: Resilient to touch, less slick, more fibrous, releases juice when cut, opaque, ligther red.

The problem that arises is that the USDA defines meat doneness by the following scheme:

• "Rare": 135-145°F
• "Medium Rare": 145-155°F
• "Medium": 155°F
• "Well": 170°F

For all except well-done the suggested cooking temperatures by the USDA are approximately 10-15° degrees higher than the proper cooking temperature. I suppose this is for the safety of the general public but it's still a giant pet peeve of mine. There's nothing worse than paying $30 for a steak, ordering it medium rare, cutting into it, and then seeing a pink or grey-brown centre.

There's nothing I really have to say about the dessert they served. We had my father's wedding cake served with vanilla ice cream and a raspberry coulis.

I was impressed enough with the food that I spoke to the sales manager, Franklin, about possible employment. Once I finish university in December I want to get into a decent restaurant. I'm looking for a place that will allow me to learn and pick up the basic practical skills necessary to work and survive in a public kitchen. I chatted with Franklin for 5 minutes about my situation and what I wanted to do. He smiled at me, shook my hand firmly, and told me to apply when I'm ready. This place looks hopeful.

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duck, duck, wonton.

This past weekend was my father's wedding, we threw a miniature cocktail party at my house before the reception. I threw together a bunch of things that I thought people from both sides of the family would like. The food was passable but could have been a lot better if I had more time, I had to prep a lot the night before which lowered the quality of the food as it had to sit overnight.

Clock-wise from the top:

1. Roast Beef with cream cheese, parsley, and horse radish
2. Bruchetta Pomodoro
3. Smoked Salmon with cream cheese, dill, and capers

The one canapé I'm really proud of creating was an open-faced duck wonton. I had deep fried wonton skins to make a cup which I then first filled with caramelized Bartlett Pears and then shredded braised Duck leg. I didn't manage to get a picture of it but I will be definitely making it again in the near future. At first I originally wanted to do an Asian Mango Salsa with the Duck but was unable to find any Mango. Switching to Pears was a last minute decision. This was the most difficult canape to make and I was really worried, but I was fully satisfied with the results. There was a crispiness from the wonton skin, sweetness from the Pear, and a savoriness from the Duck.

This cocktail party was a good opportunity to flex my culinary muscles and work on creativity. I love cooking with Duck.

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starting from scratch.

I'm an aspiring cook that has never worked in the food industry and has yet to have any formal training. Right now, I'm a 22 year old student in university that's two months away from obtaining a Hons. BSc in Physical Sciences (Physics). When I tell people what I want to do in life I'm usually given a perplexed look followed by the condescending toned question, "why?" Here's why...

I grew up as sheltered and lonely child who watched a lot of TV. When I was 10 or 11 years old the afternoon television program I took a liking to was The Urban Peasant with James Barber. It was a simple 30 minute cooking program hosted by a man who had a passion for making wholesome and honest food. Watching that show made something inside me just turn on, food was suddenly important. I saw food as a way to be creative, a way to express myself, and a way to entertain and impress others.

I was left home alone a lot and started to play in the kitchen. I would cook the foods I saw on TV cooking shows or even attempt to recreate a dish I tried at a restaurant. I usually didn’t have all the ingredients, tools, or skills to make the food I wanted to but I was happy in the kitchen. It’s probably the first place I knew I was really happy.

At 11 years old the other kids in school would say they’d want to grow up to be things like a police officer, teacher, scientist, animator, or actor. The first thing I said I wanted to be when I grew up, “I want to be a chef.” I was teased, laughed at, and thought to be weird but I didn’t care. I was going to be a chef, I would go to culinary school, write cook books, be on TV, and own a restaurant.

Being born into an Asian family I was discouraged to grow up to be a chef, I should be a doctor, lawyer, dentist, or another high paying job. I eventually pushed/forced cooked aside and pursued the sciences. In my final years of high school I settled on the idea of being a teacher, which is how I got to be where I am now.

In the beginning of third year at university someone suggested several books on cooking for me to read (but that’s for another entry). Reading them, I started to seriously think about food and going to culinary school. Since that time I’ve gone back to my love and passion for food. Food is life and important.

I was happy in the kitchen, I always was, and I want to go back to that. I’d also like to think I have some natural talent at cooking and a somewhat decent cook. If I don’t try and live this dream I’ll regret it for the rest of my life, and I can’t live with regret that large. In a way I’ve reverted back to my 11 year old self where all I want to do is think about food and cooking.

This is this is my passion, this is how I define myself, this is love...

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a warm plate.

I’ve been thinking that I have needed something to help motivate my cooking as well as a place to write down my thoughts on all things food. I’ve had a journal for seven years but it has never been solely dedicated towards my passion of gastronomy, the culinary arts, and food. This will be place to express my thoughts, feelings, and ideas on food as well as present my own creations.

I’m still just beginning to learn this craft of cooking. I want to push myself to learn new skills, try new flavors, take risks, push boundaries, and grow creatively.

Here’s to a new beginning, cheers and bon appetite.

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