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Blog Details for "Deglazed"
Deglazed Deglazed Have you ever dreamed of giving up your job to become a professional chef? That is what I did, and this is my blog that chronicles my misadventures as I follow my lifelong dream. Articles
Cheap Beer Taste Test
2009-07-02 00:58:00 Given that I’m not exactly a person who is awash with cash, I have to find ways to save money on a regular basis. Since I don’t like to cut corners on the ingredients I use in my cooking, one of the places I have found I save a few bucks is in the ... More About: Beer , Taste , Test , Cheap
Decisions for the Cookbook
2009-06-23 00:16:00 It’s funny how every day I think about what it is I’m going to work on for my cookbook. Do I make up a new recipe and give it a shot? Do I try a new revision of a previous recipe that dawned on me when I gave it it’s first test run? Or do I just screw it all and eat out instead? (Anything but Italian…) Mmmm… starch. And of course I have to choose between working on antipasto dishes versus pasta dishes versus polenta and so forth. I have to keep all the chapters afloat like an expert plate-spinner if only so I don’t get too tired of one type of Italian food. (No matter what I choose though, my starch intake remains firmly through the roof…) There is the other decision that has to be made whenever I try a new recipe. Does this recipe have potential, and thus just needs a tweaking or slight revision, or is it so far off the mark that is has to be scrapped? As luck would have it, I’ve only had one recipe so far that I felt n... More About: Decisions , Cookbook
The Making of a Recipe
2009-06-11 01:40:00 A lot of the recipes I have for this cookbook are ones that I have made over the years, and I’m practically using the cookbook as an excuse to write them down for the first time. However, there are others that actually seem to come to me from the ether. Recipe s that just appear in my head for one reason or another which need to be worked on and tested, because I think that they may actually show promise. One such recipe came to me while I was taking a brief nap one afternoon. I was lying on the couch, and suddenly the flavors of olives and hot peppers on spaghetti started to come to me, and so I awoke with a recipe idea that I needed to write down right away. I actually ran it by some friends of mine as well, asking for some input as to what the “green” element of the pasta should be. I’m playing with the name “Pasta alla Swan” for this recipe as it develops right now, since that’s the nickname of my friend who came up with the winning ...
My Cooking Weakness.
2009-06-05 21:32:00 Those of you who have been following the story, know that when I was in culinary school, I had to take classes in pastry arts and desserts and so forth. It was fun, but it was hardly my specialty. My carrot cake from culinary school. It tasted OK, but hardly one that should be sold professionally. I tried my best, and the food tasted OK, but I would never think of my making of cookies and cakes as being something I was particularly talented at - nor would it be something I would take up as my full-time profession. It’s not that I think I’m hopeless. With practice, I can work a pastry bag with enough quality, and I know how to apply a crumb coat. I just think it’s that I know the life of a pastry chef is not for me, so I’m not going down that route myself. Getting up at 3 AM (or earlier!) and baking like crazy all day. It’s rough. And worst of all, in a baking recipe, you can make a little mistake at step 2 in a 12 step process, and not kno... More About: Cooking
Philly Food
2009-05-28 17:43:00 Even though I was born and raised in the Washington, DC area, my whole family is from Philadelphia, and thus I grew up in a house considers that city to be the #1 city in the nation. And you know, from a culinary aspect, they might not be far off. Cannolis are an interesting dish, in that they show you what your arteries are about to look like before you eat them… I have wandered the back roads of south Philly many times wearing my tattered old Philadelphia Eagles ski cap that is older than I’m going to all the great small-but-famous eateries that my father indoctrinated into my soul from a very young age. Places like Termini Brothers for cannolis or Marra’s for a brick-oven pizza that will knock your socks off. But before you think the food of Philly is all greasy-spoon hoagies and the like, rest assured that the upper scale dining in Philadelphia is top notch as well. Lacroix at The Rittenhouse, Vetri Ristorante and Morimoto Restaurant are all nationally ... More About: Food
Still Thinking Foreward
2009-05-26 23:16:00 Even in the down economy, I have to think forward to the time when I may be lucky enough someday to open my own restaurant. Sure, I’ve had such flights of fancy in the past, but if I’m going to give it a real go at my own place, I would need to really carefully consider such things as location, menu design/cuisine style, and of course the various and sundry restaurant equipment. I mean, exactly how many of these do I actually need to open a restaurant?… When I was down in North Carolina visiting the (alas, now closed) Starlu Restaurant, the amazing head chef, Sam Poley, took me around and showed me all the things he had done to spruce up the space he had procured. The level of detail - since this was early in my culinary days - was truly astounding. All the things one had to think about from the tables and chairs, to how far apart they would be placed, to the plates, napkins, flatware - it was a dizzying array of items to consider, and the cost was also qu... More About: Thinking
How to Make a Gin & Tonic Properly
2009-05-23 22:13:00 When I tell people I have the recipe for the greatest Gin & Tonic , most people look at me like I’m insane. “Gin…. and tonic… on ice… right?” they say full of haughty skepticism. “No, there’s more to it than that, and you’re a douchebag,” I then reply. There are techniques and volumes and tricks that go into making the perfect Gin & Tonic, and with the heat of summer upon us, I’m going to share them with you now. This recipe was actually taught to me by a TV weatherman in Anchorage, AK of all places. (I’ve lived an odd life to be sure…) They were and are the best Gin & Tonics I’ve ever had. Though I was barely able to say my own name after the party where he taught me this drink, I hold onto the recipe he showed me like it was a cherished family heirloom. What follows is a step-by-step photo display of how to make this awesome summer cocktail properly. First off, the ingredients: ... More About: Make
A Chip Off the Block
2009-05-18 19:53:00 A short while ago, I brought to the attention of my US readers that the UK potato crisp company, Walkers, was having a contest to select their next flavor of potato crisp. Many of you commented on it, and some of you even thought it was funny. An interesting analogy given one of the flavors… Hey, every now and then even a blind squirrel finds his nuts… So as a service to you all, I hereby present to you the winner of the Walker’s “Do Us a Flavor” contest. (Yes, they really called it that…) First, some more info on the contest. The first stage was where they asked the public for flavor suggestions. This resulted in over 1.2 million flavor ideas coming in. Yes, you read that right - the populace of England was creative enough to come up with over 1 million possible crisp flavors. The thing is, that based on the six they actually ended up choosing as their finalists, I shudder to think what else was in that pile. The finalists were: ... More About: Block , Chip
A Natural Benefit to Peanut Butter
2009-05-17 03:39:00 There can be no doubt that I’m huge fan of peanut butter. I’ve loved it all my life, and likely would consider the ratification of PB&J as a food group. (I’m a grape jelly person for the record…) But it wasn’t until recently that I decided I would start opting for natural peanut butter. And that choice has made all the difference. Hard to make a PB&J without the “J”. As I was growing up, natural peanut butter was sort of the “hard too find” item that you found only in country stores or health food shops. I remember having some as a young kid, and it was a batch that was also “salt free” so it was predictably bland. In a way, that sort of scarred my thinking about natural peanut butter for many years to come. I was a Peter Pan man as a result for much of the rest of my life. Aside: To give you an example of how long I have been a taste-testing foodie, my parents actually set up a blind taste test fo... More About: Peanut , Natural , Benefit , Butter
The Gnocchi Taste Test
2009-05-15 22:42:00 It has been a while since I have reported on a test-kitchen scenario on this blog. Heck, I think the only time I really remember doing that here was back when I was working on different varieties of butternut squash soup. But in my continued research as part of writing my cookbook, I came across in my various notes and cookbooks a collection of different ways to make gnocchi. I was astonished. I really thought this was one of those recipes where the culinary jury had handed in its verdict long ago: the potatoes are boiled and you then proceed with making gnocchi. But much to my surprise, I found several sources, all of which I consider to be very trustworthy, that had different methods of cooking the potatoes. Some said to boil, some said to steam and some said to oven-roast them. But what I found most interesting about these differences was the one thing they all had in common - they ALL said, no matter which cooking method they advocated, to cook the potatoes whole, with t... More About: Taste , Test
New Season, New Chicken
2008-06-09 14:05:00 As the seasons change, we have to change how we rethink the menu. I’ve of course mentioned this before. We like to keep the same mix of items on the menu though, we just like to use them in different ways. For example, our grilled tuna salad has now become a light, cool ... More About: Season , Chicken , The Story
12/13
2008-06-03 16:21:00 I guess I knew what I was getting into. There were plenty of warnings that being a chef would be a hard, tiring job. Heck, several people tried to warn me away from becoming a chef if only because it is such an incredible increase in effort. But I ignored those people since I was raised in a family that was always willing to let me know what I wanted to do with my life. While growing up, the most common phrase I heard when I thought up a new career choice (which admittedly was often) was “Oh, you don’t want to do that…” As a result of this indoctrination, I rarely listen to people’s advice on career decisions since that would only keep me from trying out new things. “And as we can see from your career profile aptitude test, you are best suited to be a priest, stand-up comic or lumberjack. Good luck with that.” Once again, it is only fair that I point out that my family was 100% supportive of my decision to become a chef. At no po...
One Year at Rustico
2008-05-19 17:49:00 Can you believe it my loyal readers? It has been a year since my first day at Rustico. (Actually the anniversary was yesterday, but give me a break, I had to work that day…) As I mentioned before, when I took this job, it was my third restaurant in one year. I was ... More About: The Story , Year
The Real Deadliest Catch
2008-05-13 15:49:00 Sig Hansen is a hero of mine… The show on the Discovery Channel about crab fishermen in the Bering Sea, The Deadliest Catch , is a wonderful reality drama, and beings some perspective to what some people have to endure just so we can have whatever food we want whenever we want it. But being a resident of the DC area, there is another type of crab that we focus on around here - the Maryland Blue Crab. And simply put, they are not doing so well. Click for larger image. The harvest numbers have been declining year after year in the Chesapeake Bay as they are over-fished year after year for crab cakes, crab bisque, crab boils, crab dip and so many other wonderful crab creations. As a child growing up here, I remember the days when a bushel of these crabs were plentiful and cost only about $20. This year, I have seen the cost as high as $220 for a single bushel. But these incredible costs - like our addiction to gasoline - do not seem to be deterring customers. Simply pu... More About: Real , Deadliest Catch
The Long Road to a Perfect Margarita
2008-05-05 15:15:00 Cold, lime-flavored, salt-rimmed glass… as God intended. There is nothing that says “Today is Cinco de Mayo,” to me as much as a nice, ice cold margarita. I prefer them on the rocks - to put that debate to bed early - though I will have one frozen too if that is all that is available. But as for flavor, I am all about the traditional lime. I mean really, what else is supposed to go with tequila but lime? But until recently, a great margarita was something that was only available for me at Mexican restaurants and upscale bars. And even those were frequently disappointing. I’ve tried to make margaritas myself for several years now, and the road has been one fraught with many terrible attempts and nights that (thankfully) I’ll never remember. But with 9 years of persistence and a blending of so many recipes and techniques that I’ve come across, I have finally created what I consider to be the perfect margarita. So great, that I would even d... More About: Perfect , Long , Road
Who Knows What Evil Lies in the Heart of Cheesecake??
2008-04-24 05:48:00 It seems that the consistent need for a “bad guy” in American public has extended itself to the world of food. Just like we need a “Public Enemy #1″ to be scared of when we walk down the streets, we need a “health enemy #1″ to avoid like the plague (pun not intended) to ... More About: Heart , Evil , Cheesecake , Lies , The Heart
Don’t Fear the Nettles
2008-04-21 20:44:00 The fun thing about being a professional chef is the ability to work with ingredients that are not only hard to find, but in many cases are ones I have never heard of. It’s the collaboration with those who are more experienced than me that make my career into a daily learning experience. Sure, I can’t wait for the day to come when I’m the one with all the answers and experience, but in the meantime, I’m of course enjoying the chance to learn everything I can so I’ll be ready. Pretty soon, every garden in Northern Virginia will look like this… Springtime is upon us here in DC, and with the return of greenery on the trees and flowers on the azaleas comes a resurgence of fresh vegetables that are once again available. Even in this modern age we are subject to some degree of seasonality with respect to what ingredients we have to surrender in the winter months. As I squeezed into our management office (read: closet) to begin my daily paperwork ... More About: Fear
My Wife?s Sweet Payoff
2008-04-16 05:00:00 So many of you have been asking, and I’m happy to finally reveal the gift my wife received from me with the “found” $500. You all voted. I then tallied the votes. And I was too stupid to rig the results. First of all, my wife would like to thank all of you, the random ... More About: Wife , Sweet
Vinegar Redeux
2008-04-08 16:13:00 As I mentioned a few weeks back when describing my vinegar class to you all, the class was such a success, that we decided to re-run it. Well, time keeps marching on and yesterday was the day when the “re-run” became simply “the run”. And yes, the class went just fine. (Something ... More About: The Story , Vinegar
Tuesday With Maury
2008-04-06 02:48:00 I know that the main reason that most of you read this blog is for the food-related content and how the story of my career into the culinary world is continuing to evolve day by day. And I promise that eventually this post will get to that interesting stuff. In fact, if you ... More About: Reviews , The Story , Tuesday
Bread Pudding Soufflé
2008-03-25 22:44:00 This is a recipe I just transcribed from my recipe file for a friend. It is from somewhere in New Orleans, but I don’t know where (if anyone does, I would love to credit it properly). Anyway, it is about the best soufflé I have ever had, so I wanted to share it ... More About: Recipes , Bread , Pudding
A Taste of the Forbidden Fruit
2008-03-24 18:22:00 Last Monday, I filled in for a fellow sous chef, which actually was my paying in advance for a day he will be covering for me. (I guess the easy way of saying that is, “We switched days.”) This was the first Monday I have worked at Rustico since my very first week ... More About: Fruit , Taste , The Story
My Very Own ?Big Night? Moment
2008-03-10 16:28:00 A fabulous film, and of course it doesn’t hurt that it’s about Italians… For those of you who don’t understand, “Big Night ” is simply the best film ever made about what it is to be a chef. (Yes, even better than “Ratatouille”) Perhaps I am slightly biased in that it has to deal with Italian chefs, ... More About: Recipes , Moment , The Story
A Surprise Field Trip
2008-02-26 20:48:00 Coming in on Wednesday mornings is always tough since it is my version of a Monday morning. Last Wednesday though I was greeted to an unfamiliar sight, as there was a long table set up in the middle of the dining room complete with little aprons tied to each of the chairs - all with names on them. I stared at this odd site for a minute, trying to process this oddity through the haze of my early morning sleepiness, but soon gave up as I was sure someone would explain it to me soon enough. I went about the rest of my normal morning set-up duties, dodging the questions from the rest of my line staff who all wanted to know what was up with the weird table set up in the middle of the restaurant. I just kept responding with, “I have no idea,” until they stopped asking me the same question over and over. They’re coming… Be ready! Eventually the AM manager showed up and explained that a field trip of kindergarteners was coming to the restaurant at 10AM, and ... More About: Trip , Field
My Wife Wins It!
2008-02-16 03:16:00 Thanks to all of you who voted to see what I should do with the $500 of “found money” I came across a little while back. You all voted, and my wife was the big winner. Here are the results: What should Chef Matt do with the $500? Votes Save it! This is money to help fund your future restaurant! 22% 33 Spend the money on your wife as a reward for sticking by you. 35% 52 Go out to an amazing meal at a fabulous restaurant you 21% 32 Buy yourself a new set of top-notch knives. 22% 33 150 votes total So while I thank you for all the votes, my wife thanks you for all the votes for her. Now all I have to do is figure out how I am going to spend it on her, but I assure you, I’ll keep you all posted on that as well. Chef Matt More About: Wife , Wins
A Brief Smile on My Day Off
2008-02-16 03:06:00 My days off are usually something I treasure for the fact that I can actually spend more than 20 minutes sitting down at a stretch. That, and I can watch shows like The Price is Right and Maury, and not worry that there is a soup somewhere that we are running out of. In short, it is a day I can forget about the worries of the restaurant and just enjoy a nice, relaxing day. Honeybees are now practically extinct in the wild in North America. Do what you can to help protect them. Though on this past day off, I was called twice for work-related issues. The first call was from my meat vendor to tell me that he was out of rabbits for now, but hoped to have them in the next day. The next call was from an apiary I have worked with in the past who wanted to know if I wanted any other specialty honeys for the restaurant. Now I’m just not the type who says to calls like this, “This is my day off, don’t bother me.” It’s not in my nature. So I too the call... More About: Smile
The Big Game
2008-02-05 17:47:00 Enjoy the game people?… So, did you all enjoy your Super Bowl Sunday? Have a nice relaxing time watching all the pre-game hoopla? Maybe you made a run to the store for more chips and dip or called up for a pizza to be delivered while you sat on your comfy couch watching the ... More About: Game , The Story , Big Game
Don?t Vote for Me, Vote for Alejandra!
2008-02-05 16:34:00 window.document.getElementById('post-575' ).parentNode.className += ' adhesive_post'; Mmmm… chocolate. I have asked you all in the past to vote for me for certain contests, and you have all come through huge for me. But this time, since I’m not in the contest, I ask that you vote for one of my good friends, Alejandra, and her awesome blog, “Always ... More About: Vote
Death in the Kitchen
2008-01-28 16:23:00 No, please rest assured dear readers that all of my kitchen staff is alive and well. Nor is this title in reference to the many animals that are killed in order to bring about the delicious food we serve. If you want that type of propaganda, please go visit some other silly site. The death in question is rather in reference to some of my beloved equipment that has shuffled off this mortal coil after incredible service to me and my restaurant. First, there are my shoes. If you can still call them that. I bought a pair of slip-resistant work shoes back when I was working at Vero that were light weight, comfortable and really affordable. I have worn them every day since. Sure the leather coating was starting to peel a little here and there, but as is the case with all shoes, the more I wore them, the more comfortable they got. I just couldn’t bear to give them up. Yeah, I actually wear these out in public… The other day, chef looks down at my feet and says, &ld... More About: Kitchen , Death
Another Restaurant Week Gone By
More articles from this author:2008-01-22 16:16:00 Since I live near a major metropolis, I?m able to partake of the grand tradition of restaurant week. It?s a wonderful tradition that allows people like me - who live on a chef’s salary or it?s equivalent - to enjoy three course meals on the cheap. Lunches for $20 and dinners for $30 ... More About: Reviews , Restaurant , Week 1, 2, 3, 4 |
