I'm a BLUE CRAB fool these days... First it was Myrtle Beach, and now I'm in Ocean City MD. Gotta love the local flavor!

Cooking Demo Memories

The best part BY FAR of my weekend as host/emcee of the Taste! Gourmet Food & Wine Expo was having the honor -- not to mention the best seat in the house -- of introducing three extraordinary chefs to the crowds on hand. It was first time witnessing up close what goes into a live cooking demonstration, and I was left with a true understanding of the teamwork and talent of the headliners as well as the good people behind the scenes who make the magic happen.

It should be noted right off the top, that these three gentlemen are all as different as could be, but they share one thing in common that sets them apart, and has placed them in the positions they hold: equal parts cooking chops and personality...

First up was Guy Fieri. Just a few minutes listening to this guy do his thing and you know exactly why he is the reigning rock star of TV chefs. He keeps it real; knows how to engage an audience, and stays true to his culinary sensibilities. The crowd was eating him up, much like the food he prepares. In this case, the food was a twist on a shrimp cocktail. He used avocado and cucumber to brighten and freshen up the presentation and flavor, and he replaced traditional cocktail sauce with his "grilled ketchup," who's base was fresh-grilled veggies, along with the more standard fare of cocktail sauce ingredients (Worcestershire, mustard, garlic, etc.)...

"Big Daddy" Aaron McCargo took the stage the next day, and the promise of his main dish had my mouth watering in advance: Filet Mignon Sloppy Joes. Big Daddy's all about big, bold flavors, so there was more than a fair shake of hot sauce, but with all due respect, his side dish of potatoes stole the show. Nothing too fancy, but sensational in its simplicity. Sliver-thin sliced fingerlings heavily seasoned with S&P and smoked paprika and flash fried. Some people in the crowd gasped when Aaron sprinkled a more than healthy does of salt over the chips, and I loves his reply: "The difference between a little and a lot is opinion." You could grab these crispy, glistening chips by the mouthful and not get bored until you crushed an entire baking sheet of 'em!

Fabio Viviani was the final celebrity chef to demo. This guy is the embodiment of Don Juan in Italian shoes. He maxes out every last bit of his image as a charmer... and makes no bones about his cooking being nothing but simple. As he told the adoring crowd, in his somewhat broken English, "You cannot reinvent tradition."

My only issue with Fabio's dish, Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi, was that it was not really gnocchi at all. No potatoes; no pasta. He said it's name is due to the shape, and I guess that's up for discussion. Just call 'em dumplings and be done with it. It did please the crowd, though, and from being there to witness it, he coulda served this group shit in a shoe and they woulda asked for seconds...

The food was solid if not spectacular across the board. But what really stuck with me afterwards was just how talented these guys are as entertainers. I stand in awe of their multifaceted skills as both cooks and comics. And I take with me a better understanding of what it takes to make it to that level of notoriety...

A Taste of Taste!

Just completed my first weekend as host/emcee of a food and wine expo in Myrtle Beach. Been a long time coming... this has been in the works for over a year, so I'm glad to see it through. The experience was most definitely a memorable one, and it all started with an amazing 7-course extravaganza on the eve of the show...
In a quaint little town just outside of Myrtle Beach called Little River (does it get any more quaint than that?!), the organizers brought us all to The Brentwood Restaurant (http://www.thebrentwoodrestaurant.com/), a converted house that is resided over by chef Eric Masson, and his wife, Kim. The guests included Guy Fieri and Aaron McCargo, and it was quite a kick to get to hang with these two TV chef celebs. Guy really knows how to command a room -- within moments he was leading us downstairs and out onto the front porch to sabre a bottle of champagne!
After much chit-chat, we began our tasting journey. The Amuse-Bouche was an oversized thimble of Black Truffle Vichyssoise, with Creme Fraiche and Toasted Pecans. Amazing how much more common truffles are becoming. This was a textbook definition of amuse-bouche: truly a fun, little taste (albeit not a bite)... creamy, rich, and just enough to get your palate ready for what was to come...
The Appetizer: Seared Foie Gras, Crispy Sweetbread, Duck Confit, and Toasted Brioche. This trio was the most experimental of the courses: certainly foie and sweetbreads are not for everyone, but, as the printed menu stated, "It's not a meal, it's a journey." I happen to enjoy both, and everything on the long, slender plate was presented nicely, and prepared to a tee. Crispy in the right places; succulent in others. Served with a 2006 Sauternes Bordeaux...
The Seafood Course: Pan Seared Diver Scallop atop Maine Lobster Risotto, and Sweet Corn a L'Anglaise. Come to find they take the seafood pretty seriously around here (mostly blue crabs and shrimp), but you could tell a lot of care was given to the getting the scallop just right. It's one of the most basic, yet most difficult to master tasks -- getting just the right amount of sear on the scallop so it's browned on the outside and still the right balance of firm and tender inside. The rissoto was so tasty, too. Each component could've stood on its own, but made for a delicious bite when harmoniously on the fork all at once. Served with a 2006 Loire Sauvignon Blanc, which gave just the right bright, citrus note to counter the richness of the rissoto and corn...
After a wonderful Trou Normand (intermezzo) of Mango and Spicy Run Sorbet with an Almond Tuile (which I could've easily devoured as a dessert), the Main Course was served: Grilled Dry Aged Tournedos of Beef, Crispy Rosemary Scented Grits Cake, Sauteed Pleurotes and Sauce Bourguingnonne. The epitome of French cuisine meeting Southern sensibility. The grits were made into almost dumpling form and deep-fried for a unique twist on a down-home classic. Paired with a 2008 Bourgogne (the only red served at the meal, save for the Port to come)...
The surprise course was the addition of a Cheese Plate: Roquefort, a Toasted Baguette, Poached Pear, and Honey Candied Pecans. The pear was drowned in the port, and a welcome balance to the pungent blue cheese. A shot of port accompanied the plate, which led to ... dessert:
Fondant au Chocolat and Raspberry Coulis. A crispy, coated sugar "cage" surrounded it. The mousse-like texture and density of the chocolate was a decadent capper to this over-the-top dining adventure. We toasted on last time to the journey we just shared, raising our glasses with a Louis Perdier Brut... a meal I will not soon forget... and that is immediately nominated for Understatement of the Year for me!...

Just writing about this has put me in food-coma-like state... I will return again with thoughts and commentary on the cooking demos I was lucky enough to witness and partake in shortly....