The Musuem, the Perfect Anchovy

Like the movie “The Perfect Storm” but with a gastronomic twist, thanks to the ambition of one person, something simple has been amplified to something much more.  Javier Cruz has selected personally the prime material of anchovies in Cantabria, specifically Santoña.  The process has been developed with the business, Coronil.  But, it could not be any more Andalusian.  They clean with great care each loin, and conserve it in salt until the optimal point of consumption.  If you appreciate the excellence of anchovies, your jaws will drop with these.  Imagine: each fillet, delicate and clean, ready to take those who taste it to heaven.  Worthy of a museum. 

Santo-EME, Abantal, and Primavera-Ser, Stars of Sevilla

Salomón Hachuel is featured in a photoshoot for the magazine, Primavera Ser (of the radio station, Cadena Ser), that is distributed throughout Sevilla at the start of Semana Santa (Holy Week).  I want to show a bit of what is in the magazine: of the work of the restaurants that have earned the regards of the Michelin Guide.  My photos are featured in the round-up article, a great honor.  Balta and Julio prepared for the magazine two plates reminiscent of Sevilla, like the smell of the orange trees in the streets.  The plate prepared by Santo EME is “Milkshake, Orange Marmalade of Sevilla, honey ice cream with jasmine and a touch of lemon-lime.”  Julio plays with chocolate and orange in his “Carpaccio of strawberries with a gelatin of lemon blossom and chocolate of bitter orange.”  The pictures of each are presented above.  The color and construction of each one gives us an idea of why they are premier professionals with the highest knowledge of their craft.  I want to send thanks to Salomón Hachuel, to Cadena Ser, to Sonsoles Ferrín and José Vicente Dorado of the program “Ser Viajeros.”

Kulit Manis: The Taste of Terengganu’s Heritage

At last I can speak of this phenomenal book.  It was the winner of the Gourmand awards in the category of local restaurant, in competition with my book.  May Chua was the designer who in a span of three years coordinated the project and gave me a fantastic edition.  The Rosita family, the cooks who inspired this grand anthropological study, has to be more than proud of the result.  It is a work of art that connects customs, kitchen equipment, drawings, and last but not least, recipes.  Infinite recipe suggestions with hundreds of ingredient combinations from the region of Malaysia.  I want to share in this blog this book.  If anyone wants to buy it, you can welcome to contact me through email, and I will pass your interest along.  It is wonderful, something you have to add to your collection.  And it is thanks to a creative team to presenting us to it.

The Chefs of Manolo Mayo

Ángeles and Loli are two professionals with drive and ambition, who have demonstrated that traditional Spanish cuisine can evolve with grace, realized with great technique.  As I have already said at various gastronomy conferences, these women enrich whatever they contemplate and learn whatever they find interesting.  This recipe, although old, should be tried because of the textures and tastes that mix together and surprise you. This recipe contains all ingredients from the land, none from the sea.  Mushrooms, Goat Cheese, Foie, Cream.

A Tower of Mushrooms and Paté with Cheese

Ingredients:

1 jar of sautéed mushrooms

1 Brie Cheese

1 Goat Cheese

1 tin of duck liver or pig liver paté  

Circular Mold

Sweet Smelling Wine

White Sherry

To begin, fry the mushrooms with half of the brie and half of the paté.  In the mold, put a slice of goat cheese, a slice of paté and fill the rest with the sautéed mushrooms.  Once the mold is full, cook it in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes at 180 degrees C, turning once. When we take it out of the oven, we put it on a plate and decorate it with a sauce.  To make the sauce we reduce the white wine with the sweet wine.