by jbfauthor on March 02, 2010
After apprenticing with renowned JBF Award winner Georges Perrier (Le Bec-Fin), Carlo deMarco set out on his own in the Main Line area of Philadelphia. After opening 333 Belrose and Firecreek Restaurant & Bar, he quickly attracted his own fans and accolades (including a coveted “Chef to Watch” designation from
Esquire). We’ll get a taste of his contemporary American cuisine to the Beard House on Friday, March 5:
Apple Trio > Apple Cider Bisque with Crisp Apple Chips; Green Apple, Bibb Lettuce, and Maytag Blue Cheese Salad with Candied Walnuts; and Chicken Livers with Spiced Apple Compote
Pan-Seared Copper River Salmon with Warm Black Lentil Salad, Lobster–Tarragon Sauce, and Micro-Arugula
Coffee and Macadamia–Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Slow-Roasted Yams and Mango, Lime, and Ginger Salsa
Candied Bacon–Crusted Squab Breast with Anson Mills Grits, Molasses-Spiked Collard Greens, and Jus
by jbfauthor on March 01, 2010
Mike Davis of Terra in West Columbia, South Carolina, served this classic New Orleans shrimp rémoulade at the Beard House last month; he made the dish extra special by adding fried green tomatoes and Benton's country ham.
See more photos of his Southern menu here.
by jbfauthor on February 26, 2010
WHAT? Japanese potstickers. Like many Japanese culinary traditions—chopsticks, noodles, and soy sauce, to name a few—gyoza, or pan-fried pork dumplings, were borrowed from the Chinese. Even the Japanese name is derived from the Mandarin
jiaozi. A relative newcomer, it's believed gyoza arrived in Japan sometime in the 1930s, after the Japanese invasion of China, and were popularized around the country during the 1940s. Today, the Japanese dumplings have a more heavily seasoned filling and thinner dough than their Chinese cousins. Fried on one side until crisp then steamed until tender, gyoza are one of the few non-noodle dishes found on menus in ramen shops in Japan, where they are served with a dipping sauce of soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame or chili oil. There are also gyoza restaurants. True gyoza lovers should find their way to Ikebukuro's Sunshine City complex where part of the Namco Namjatown amusement
by jbfauthor on February 25, 2010
Lorenzo Polegri—chef at the famed Zeppelin in Orvieto, Italy—served these tiny cornmeal and rosemary focaccia rounds with gorgonzola mousse and chives during the reception of his Beard House dinner. You can see more photos of the Italian feast by
clicking here.
by jbfauthor on February 25, 2010
WHAT? Chewing the fat. Though Corby Kummer described lardo as "heaven on bread" in a 2005
New York Times article, this porky product is actually made from the layer of fat located directly under a pig's skin, which is then seasoned and cured. For most Americans, a slice of pork fat wasn't always the most appetizing antipasto, but in recent years this delicious Italian delicacy has been winning over fans on this side of the Atlantic, thanks in part to celebrity chefs like Mario Batali, whose lardo pizza at his NYC eatery Otto has become a favorite of critics and diners alike. After all, what self-respecting carnivore can argue with paper-thin slices of seasoned, glistening, translucent fat delicately draped over pizza dough—or any other carbohydrate for that matter? But in Italy, long before it was the ingredient del giorno, lardo was traditionally peasant fare, made from the fat that remained after the pig was butchered
by jbfauthor on February 24, 2010
WHAT? Rehashed hog hodgepodge. Though a packed loaf of pig scraps and offal may not entice those with squeamish stomachs, scrapple has been enjoyed in the Pennsylvania Dutch region since its first settlers set up shop there. (According to the
Habbersett company—which has been slinging scrapple since 1863—the product was invented in Chester County, PA, home to the state’s oldest colony.) Similar to black pudding or German
panhas, scrapple was an invention born of frugality, a delicious way to use up every last piece of the pig after slaughtering. To the leftover porky parts New World pioneers added buckwheat and cornmeal—two crops indigenous to the area—and seasonings before setting in loaf-shaped molds. Sliced and fried until golden brown, scrapple has a crispy texture and well-spiced flavor similar to that of a country sausage patty. You can still find it in
by jbfauthor on February 23, 2010
Jason Weiner of Almond served this deluxe French toast at his Beard House brunch last month. Made with banana bread, the dish was topped with candied walnuts, dried cranberries, and malted anglaise.
See more photos of chef Weiner's brunch here.
(Photo by Joan Garvin)
by jbfauthor on February 19, 2010
Here’s what happening at the Beard House next week:
Tuesday, February 23, 7:00 P.M.
Another Taste of Perfection
From its perch on the 24th floor of the Grand Pequot Tower at Foxwoods Resort Casino, Paragon lives up to its name—literally and figuratively—with Scott Mickelson’s French- and Asian-inflected cuisine. An apex of sophistication and a standard-bearer for fine-dining restaurants, Paragon reaches great heights.
Wednesday, February 24, 7:00 P.M.
Toujours Le Bec-Fin
Georges Perrier ushered in Philadelphia’s dining renaissance when he opened his now-iconic restaurant, Le Bec-Fin, in 1970. Four decades later, with the help of extraordinarily talented executive chef Nicholas Elmi, Perrier’s
by jbfauthor on February 19, 2010
Pastry prodigy Pichet Ong served three desserts at our Valentine's Day dinner. One of them was this
malted kulfi, which was topped with caramel popcorn, spiced chocolate sauce, and muckwa confetti. (Kulfi is India's answer to ice cream; muckwa is candied fennel seed.)
See more photos of the seductive dinner here.
(Photo by Bobbi Lin)
Brian Cartenuto (center) and his staff from Cantinetta pose under James Beard's portrait after wrapping up their Italian dinner at the Beard House. Click here to see more photos from the evening.
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