Pickling project ( pickled watermelon and candied rinds)

Don't throw your watermelon rinds away! Pickle them and save them for a rainy day!

The start of my root beer sugar bottle

Ric's root beer bottle mold

Why?

I started this blog because I wanted to use it as a way to journal my recipes so when it came time I could recreate my recipes flawlessly. I think now it has turned into something else! I now use my blog as a way to show family and friends what I'm up to and to let them be the critic!

The most important thing about Molecular Gastronomy (whatever you want to call it) is to document what you do, because if your water is to hot or to cold or your off a gram here and there isn't so forgiving as if you were following a normal recipe! 99% of the time you have to start all over, but it's all about experimenting and learning from mistakes. Right now for me it is a hobby and not something you learn easily, but I have the passion for food that will help me get through it! And the Internet.....when they said you can learn anything on the net they weren't kidding! the net has not only text or video they have PDF files, if they had this much information when I was in high school I might of been an A+ student! Well I failed at that, but I will not fail on the new techniques and skills that I have been mastering and fine tuning. So Stay Tuned!

Bouillabaisse W/ Yellow Pepper Rouille

TGRWT #11

Khymos does this they go really well together or(TGRWT) on his blog where he does different flavor combinations and you can either use a recipe that already exists or you can create a new dish. So his new flavor combination was banana and clove. Well I'm always trying to be creative so I decided to try something using some new techniques so I did a banana mousse using agar and anginate caviar using clove. It turned out alright but I would have strained the mousse mixture because the mousse was kind of grainy from the banana, and I also would have changed the mold because it was to "cookie cutter" for me. The clove caviar turned out great wasn't over powering and folded into the mousse had a tapioca texture and a great aromatic aroma. I thought about putting some kind of garnish to add some color but I thought I would just stick to the banana and clove so I garnished with a caramelized banana dusted with ground clove and spun sugar. All in all I thought the flavor combinations worked out well together and of course it tasted great.

Banana Mousse and Clove Caviar Recipe

Banana Mousse

Three Bananas (Sliced)

250 grams-Heavy Cream

200 grams-Milk

2-Vanilla Beans (Split)

8 grams -Agar

70 grams-Egg Yolks

50 grams-Icing Sugar

Slice bananas 2cm thick. Boil cream, milk, and vanilla. Once it comes to a boil pull out vanilla beans add agar and blend, cook for three minutes constantly stirring. Next mix in eggs and sugar to cream mixture. Then let rest for two minutes and then fold in clove caviar. Last pour into molds or souffle cups and refrigerate over night.

Clove Caviar

200 grams-Water

2 grams-Sodium Alginate

1 Tsp Freshly Ground Clove (or to taste)

Blend one tablespoon of ground clove with 200 grams of water strain. Then add 2 grams sodium alginate and blend.

Setting Solution

500 grams-Water

2.5 grams-Calcium Chloride

Blend 2.5 grams of calcium chloride with 250 grams of water.

Procedure

Fill syringe with clove and alginate mixture then squeeze syringe drop by drop into calcium chloride solution. After a few minutes, strain and rinse clove caviar in cold tap water.

Grilled Lamb Rack W/ Blackberry Tandori (served in a clay pot)

I did this special because we have interns at the hotel that are from India a thought I would put a American twist to a Indian dish. They liked it except it wasn't hot enough for them. Dam Americans! LOL I will upload some pictures of some of the guys soon.

Grilled Blue Marlin W/ Mango Ginger Gastrique

Seafood Trio (The Dinner Special that almost Killed Me)

Actually this special could of killed me a couple of times! First the Sea Bass was stored next to the Salmon and not thinking I tasted it and had an allergic reaction(I'm very allergic to Salmon come to find out) and had to be rushed to the hospital by ambulance . Second this special had about nine components to it and Some of those components came off grill, saute, pantry. Since I was rushed to the hospital I was not there to execute this special, So when I returned to work a couple days later My Chef was pretty angry. He was angry because he was the one that had to execute this special and if I would of been there he would of probably killed me!

Mission Accomplished

I started out with caviar because I think it will lead me to noodles and raviolis. I look forward to my next mission and my next accomplishment.(Picture isn't very clear but I'm working on it)

Sweet Soy Caviar (Recipe)

200 grams-Water
2 grams-Sodium Alginate
2 Tblsps Sweet Soy (or to taste)
Blend two tablespoon of sweet soy with 200 grams of water. Then add 2 grams sodium alginate and blend.
Setting Solution
500 grams-Water
2.5 grams-Calcium Chloride
Blend 2.5 grams of calcium chloride with 250 grams of water.
Procedure
Fill syringe with sweet soy and alginate mixture then squeeze syringe drop by drop into calcium chloride solution. After a few minutes, strain and rinse under cold tap water.

Sweet Soy Caviar (First Attempt)