Foie Gras and Frozen Pizza

Major Fire at Hudson Valley Foie Gras: Marion Burros at Diner's Journal reports on last Tuesday's electrical fire at Hudson Valley Foie Gras that killed 15,000 breeding ducks. Animal rights activists are coming out of the woodwork with complaints on crowded conditions, but in reality, the 15,000 were only a fraction of the 300,000 ducks the company comfortably and humanely raises. The real tragedy is that the fire generates more negative press for an already unfairly targeted industry. Luckily, Hudson Valley is the one company must likely to weather the storm. HVFG is the largest producer to foie in the United States and a major supplier to restaurants and consumers across the nation. Ruhlman has comments as well.

Food Recall Hits Close to Home: Hey, this isn't funny. This latest recall -- of Jeno's and Totino's frozen pizza -- hit a little close to home. It hit my own freezer! Yes, I know, Totino's is the ultimate low-brow frozen pizza but I like it. And I also had it for lunch yesterday. (I pulled the box out of the garbage to match the recall numbers.) So far, so good. No e.coli here!

Top Chef, Chicago, and a few Updates

Report on Grant Achatz: Via Michael Ruhlman:

"I was able to have breakfast with Grant Achatz on Saturday and was delighted to see him looking strong and fit. You’d scarcely know he was battling anything at all, let alone going through chemo to treat squamous carcinoma of the mouth. He was at ease, confident and determined. As he always is. And he ate one of Nookie’s enormous omelets. Best news of all: doctors say treatment is exceeding expectations."

Top Chef Sightings: Oh, so sad to see Tre go. I've long loved Abacus in Dallas. However local-connection Brian Malarky, Ryan Nelson's counterpart at The Oceanaire in San Diego is still doing well in the competition. But where are they now? Bourdain reports that Tre is trailing with some major restaurants in NYC as he well deserves to be. This professional and creative chef will land somewhere great. Also, Ted Allen reports Dale is currently working at Sola on N. Lincoln in Ravenswood (Chicago) where chef Carol Wollack is reportedly doing a great job with the food.

Where is Gail? Loads of fans are asking where Gail Simmons has been on the show in the past few episodes. On her blog, she reports the show was filmed in April and she was slammed at Food and Wine magazine with the Best New Chefs awards as well as planning for the F/W Food and Wine Classic in Aspen. (Aspen is one of the premier food events in the use with experts, fans, wine makers, chefs, and foodies from across the country eating, drinking, learning, schmoozing, and partying for a week.)

One Year for Foie Gras Ban: And as long as we're touting Chicago, yesterday marked the one year anniversary of the city's ban on foie gras. NPR reports only one restaurant has been cited and the health department (under whose enforcement this falls) has openly stated they have better things to do. It's readily available at many restaurants if you just know who -- and how to ask. And at least one local chef has likened the ban to prohibition calling these restaurants that serve the underground delicacy "duck-easies". Twenty Three Skiddoo!

All Around the Blogosphere (or Day of Miscellaney)

Lots going on in the food blog world outside Indianapolis. Here are a few posts and issues of interest to local foodies (or, hey, just me) as we usher in a beautiful summer!

And Make it Snappy: Over at Frank Bruni's blog (Diner's Journal at the NY Times) Marian Burros has a lovely tribute to one of my favorite summer vegetables -- asparagus. Ms. Burros and I see eye-to-eye on cooking this odd looking summer treat which is *just barely*. In my steamer, it needs less than 1 minute to turn bright green and have a crunchy, sweet quality that screams fresh. Perfectly cooked asparagus makes you remember why it's OK to eat it with your fingers. Yum!

Defending the Midwestern Palate: I meant to post about this at the time but was looking for a suitable local tie-in. It never came up, but I know enough people here enjoy ethnic and cutting edge cuisines to appreciate Michael Bauer's post (from his Between Meals blog at SF Gate) and comments. Is there a "midwestern" palate? Whether or not Bauer believes it exists, I'd wager some local chefs believe it. I've often heard local chefs can't serve food as they'd like as they either have to limit spice or unusual ingredients. However, in tasting and judging for competitions like Dine magazine's "Best of", I've also noticed that many chefs aren't afraid of spice and flavor (although they don't always get it right) while others have no idea of the concept. (I was so depressed after we tasted so many bland chicken salads, I didn't even want to post about it.)

Do chefs in Indianapolis feel limited by what dishes they can create based on the spices, flavors, and ingredients their diners will eat? Is there a difference between cooking for your clientele (what sells) versus what your more educated customers believe really tastes good (palate?) Do even our best chefs (like Oakley, Brown, Hardesty, and Benko) have to place limitations on themselves? Is there a midwestern palate?

Ranking Ice Cream Makers: OK, *if* I was going to get another kitchen gadget (and believe me, I don't need one) it would be an ice cream maker! I've had a hankering for a long time to be able to whip up housemade sorbets and trendy ice creams to add an even more elaborate and geeky touch to desserts and dinner parties. But lately, I confess to having peeked at a couple just to get a feeling for how price, size, and capacity are related. (They're not all your mother's wooden tub with the electric motor requiring tons of ice and ice cream salt anymore, thank goodness.) And wouldn't you know it, Slate has beaten me to it with a handy review of 7 models from the low-end Rival Treat Shop ($25 at Target) to the $600 Musso. My choice? The $50 Cuisineart seems like a nice middle-of-the-road solution. You know, *if* I were to decide I could make room for one more appliance. Well, I do have a birthday coming up. (Hint, hint)

Evil or Useful? The Reign of Food Blogs: Adam at Amateur Gourmet has a book coming and early press is focusing on the phenomenon of food blogs and how restaurants react to them. ABC News has the latest article on where food blogs fit increasingly in more prominent roles. Bloggers quoted in the article make some great points (which we've often discussed here): Foodies make their own choices about the critics or bloggers they listen to. If they think you know something they'll listen. If they think you're full of it, they won't. Every blogger is a customer. A food blogger just happens to be a customer with a wider reach and an ability to share their experience. Of course, if you have customers who have a negative experience who *don't* have a blog, don't fool yourself for a second. They're still sharing it with friends.

As for Mario Batali's anti-food blog approach? It's not surprising given Batali's attitude in Bil Buford's book Heat. At one point as Buford interviewed Batali, Mario was stressed due to an upcoming review and negative word of mouth. The word of mouth he was so angry about? A regular (a writer and occasional food journalist) who had had a bad meal/experience and was telling people about it. "This is what happens with regulars," says Joe, Mario's business partner. "They all self-destruct. They expect too much. They forget it's a business. You can never make them happy. All regulars crash and burn." Buford goes on to describe how angry Joe was.

I am still mystified by this attitude (although I know at least one local chef who seems to share it.) Is Mario so driven by the formal review process and so controlling of Babbo's image that he is upset when a *regular* talks about a bad meal? He, dude, it was a *bad meal*. Any customer you have has a right to talk about it. Your regular has even more perspective on the situation. If it was bad enough that he felt compelled to share it, it must have been awful. (All regulars have occasionally off experiences and let them go in the big scheme of things.) I can only imaging how nuts Mario would go over a justifiably bad blog review like the one Adam gave to Le Cirque.

As a chef and owner, either you care about doing great work and serving your customers or you don't. Blogs just give more of your customers a voice. Via Kate at Accidential Hedonist (and her rebuttal.)

A Moment of Silence: Let's all observe a moment of silence today over our breakfast cereal for Pamela Low, the creator of the Cap'n Crunch cereal who died last week. Whether you love the distinctive taste or the unique scrape-the-top-of-your-mouth-off texture, Cap'n Crunch is one of the best of the sugary morning kids creations. Thank Low, who also worked on the flavors for Mounds and Almond Joy. (No word on whether she was responsible for the horrid crunchberries.)

New Books Coming: Ruhlman has a run down on quite a few new food and cooking books coming this summer. The only one I see missing is the new cookbook just out from Clotilde at Chocolate and Zucchini. If beautiful food and food writing is your thing, you'll like this one. And for a completely different take on one of the most difficult culinary schools in the country? Try this: The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry: Love, Laughter, and Tears at the World's Most Famous Cooking School . Maybe all those writers training up there now are starting to hit the market. (Accomplished CIA chefs across the country find themselves oddly twitching in their kitchens not knowing why.)

Bourdain Brouhaha

In a recent post on Michael Ruhlman's blog Bob DelGrosso (My Gastronomy Professor at the CIA in 1995/1996) reviews an anthropological view of Food Celebrity, focusing on Tony Bourdain. It is a very interesting read, what is even better are all of the comments in response (currently 53 comments). The blog brought up several things that I find top of the mind in many culinary professionals, i.e. Cost of Education, Salaries, Professionalism.

Without a doubt many culinary schools are overpriced. I see schools, even in the Midwest that are charging over $40,000 for a 2 year culinary degree. It is insane for me to think about a recent high school grad going to these schools. They will graduate thinking they are going to be the next Emeril and end up making $10.00/hr working a line. They will wash out of the business in months. As the person mentioned on Ruhlman's blog, go to a community college and spend the $2,000.

Check out the NY times article that was just sent to me on this subject.

Now, this may seem very odd coming from someone sitting in a dorm at the CIA. But before I attended CIA, I had worked in the business and knew it was my passion. 10 years ago when I came here, I knew after I graduated I would be making more money because I had a CIA degree and experience. Today, probably 1/2 of the students in my class have told me they do not want to work in a kitchen after they graduate! I was sitting at dinner with a student last night from Korea. When I asked her what her plans were after graduation she said that she realized being here, she does not want to cook. "What, I am not sure I heard that right", was my response. She travels thousands of miles for an expensive eduction to realize she doesn't want to cook! She is going back to Korea to learn how to teach. Wow

Anthony Bourdain's tales in Kitchen Confidential were great stories that sold books. He knows what to say to push buttons and get people comin' back for more. Believe it or not, all chefs aren't behind the dumpster screwing the bride. Culinary professionals are, well, professional. They are people that manage people in a difficult environment who are under paid. They are people that love food. They love to create. They are perfectionists that take what they do VERY seriously. They wear a uniform with pride. I'll admit, I love to read Tony's books and watch his shows. He is entertaining. But, like watching professional wrestling, you know things are sometimes planned for the audience.

As a side note, I was looking through the bookstore last night and found 2 of his books in the bargain bin. Kitchen Confidential and Bone in the Throat were bundled together for $9.99. I wonder what the Bad Boy thinks of his books being discounted at his own school.

Michael Ruhlman's Blog

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