L2O Blog

Swiss Chard, Early Spring Season

Filtration

Liquids or ingredients containing natural juices are filtered to clarify them, and separate the liquid from the solid elements. A sauce is strained through a chinois, a cucumber juice through a coffee filter and a consomme through a fine cloth. Or even tomato pulp wrapped in cheese cloth hanging in the cooler over night to get all the juices in the morning. 

You substantially reduce the filtration time using a Buchner funnel with a vacuum pump attached to it. This system also lets you use a finer filter for a clearer finished product. The funnel is ceramic, with holes that lays over a receiving flask. A gasket between the funnel and flask allows the vacuum to pull out all the juice. Of course when the filter clogs it becomes a painful process because the entire apparatus needs to be taken apart and cleaned, but like every else it is all about preventing the problem before it happens.

Cloned Egg, the Dish

Cloned Egg, the Idea

An egg has a beautiful shape. It is a natural statement of perfection. It has softness, roundness and a light color that can match any surrounding. It simply stands on its own and anything else is a distraction, except for bacon, and then only when the egg is scrambled.

I was interested in recreating this shape and using it for a sweet preparation. To describe the process of creating the mold, a real egg was caste and duplicated into two silicon halves, with a hole on one end for filling the mold. 

After, trying several preparations, it turns out that a very light and flavorful filling works best. From honey to chocolate, it took the name of salted caramel. An egg bombe, mixed with a salted caramel and whipped cream became intense and extremely light. We though about trying to recreate the yoke but nothing made it to the final version. After it is frozen, deep into the chocolate, the chocolate shell gets the velvet texture.

Cloned Egg, the Pictures

Distiller, Upgrade in the Mechanics

Distillation is a quite a long process. Learning which liquids are best to distill takes a lot of trail and error at different temperature levels. The entire procedure itself it is also quite an investment of time in your day. When I started working with the distiller I wasn't exactly sure what could be done or what was the best way to do it. Over time I got the results I was looking for and became more efficient. 

I decided it was time to upgrade the system. I added the vacuum pump very soon after, to be able to reduce the temperature of the boiling point, then a cooling system to keep the coil very cold and get the most condensation. I added a bump trap and doubled the size of the evaporating flask to reduce the bumping of the boiling liquid. But I was still regulating the vacuum pressure manually by opening and closing a valve. So I finally decided to add a vacuum controller. It is a small computer with a sensor that finds the boiling point and maintains it all throughout the process with a release of pressure when needed. All this has reduce the time of the distillation process by more than 50%. 

Apple Vol Au Vent

When feuillage is baked until it is crispy on the outside and still buttery in the inside, it has only one reason to be: the pleasure of eating. That pleasure does not come from the puff pastry alone, there is a baked apple, caramelized with butter and sugar, warm inside the feuilletage shell with a layer of vanilla and calvados curd. A cider sauce of baked apple and French cider will be served with it table side. This dessert offers simplicity and generosity to the diner. Even though it is new to our dessert menu, the dessert itself is not. It is a déjà vu of tradition.

Back Stage: Lobster Sphere, Black Trumpet, Foie Gras

Feuilletage

Feuilletage, or puff pastry is to the pâtissier what bread is to the baker. To get the best result, you need experience, understanding and feeling. A recipe gives you a decent result if you have some experience, but laminating the dough every day for many years is what makes you an expert. The temperature of the room, the level of humidity affecting the flour, and the right temperature of the oven are all elements to success. The last step of cutting the dough into the final pieces and shapes has an affect on how the dough will rise. Even a fan in the oven has an impact, the air current can push it to rise on one side instead of standing straight. 

 

At the restaurant we start the puff pastry with the dough; a mix of high gluten flour, water, salt and butter. The ingredients are mixed, then rested in the cooler. We temper the butter with more flour and shape it into a rectangle. The the butter is folded into the dough with five simple turns, giving the dough time to rest between each turn. The dough is rolled out to the right thickness, cut and baked. We bake it early in the evening to serve later that night.

 

Parsley&Parsnip

Parsley evokes the green freshness of an herb. Parsnip evokes winter. It looks like a carrot but is white and stronger in flavor. When the two are combined, it seems like that character of each one stands in a stronger way. They intensify each other to a point that just one bite is enough to satisfy the gustatory senses. So one bite will do. 

We turn the parsley into a liquid that is emulsified to a consistency of  whipped egg white, then dried. The parsnip is steamed and liquefied into a puree. We also juice some fresh parsnip with touch of fresh ginger. 

Once it is assembled you have a bite of the parsley dipped in the parsnip, then drink the fresh juice in the cup. I don't know if they have the same effect as the combination of champagne and oyster, but if yes then it is a way, much cheaper to energize the dinner hour.