Cook's House

Dinner with friends

First off, Eric Patterson has a cozy place, only seats about 20, and it's bring your own bottle (wich is good, and saves a few $$$)

Eric and partner Jennifer are coming out with a cookbook for the Holidays
"Cooks’ House is more than just a collection of recipes. It’s a book that approaches cooking as an act that can only be truly done in the context of life and living. Cooking is more than putting a list of ingredients in a bowl and mixing. True cooking comes when we follow the seasons, when we learn to listen in on their rhythms. Cooking, at its foundation, is what makes it possible to live life fully, and in the process we can find truth and meaning."

We all went for the 5 course Tasting Menu
From memory:

Silver pumpkin soup
Roasted Chestnuts - Marc had brought them in
Risotto with some fresh sprouts (sorry, but I forget what the base was)
Pork Belly - yum, with some brazed greens, touch of star anise baked over potatoes, onions
Simple salad of fresh greens some soft cheese - did not record the "dressing" (very light, likely vinaigrette)
Eric comped us a cheese sampler, hard to soft, goat and cow's, including Aged Gouda, Manchego, a goat with green peppercorns, along with some shaved Leelanau Raclette, helping of local honey.
All followed by various desserts, chocolates, pumpkin creme brule'

Pasture Raised

A thoughtful piece on being an Omnivore
Animal proteins are OK, but best if they are pasture raised.

The Carnivore’s Dilemma - NYTimes.com:

"It’s true that food production is an important contributor to climate change. And the claim that meat (especially beef) is closely linked to global warming has received some credible backing, including by the United Nations and University of Chicago. Both institutions have issued reports that have been widely summarized as condemning meat-eating.

But that’s an overly simplistic conclusion to draw from the research."

Real quick meal

We couldn't decide tonight, eat in or out.
So I took quick look in the freezer, pulled some frozen "popcorn" shrimp - in hot water they were thawed in about 90 seconds.
Meanwhile water was setting to boil on the stove, ready for White Vita-Spelt Angel Hair pasta.

Angel Hair only takes about 4min when water is ready

Shrimp went into pan, with pat of butter, chopped garlic to suit (cheated with the jarred minced garlic - kept for situations like this), splash of Redoro olive oil.
Pinch (or two) of Tarragon

Less than 5min and pasta was drained, bowled, add the shrimp, tossed with a dash more of the oil then ...Yuzu Juice (Earthy.com of course)

The citrus of the Yuzu brightens up the dish!

Total prep, from figuring out what I had to plating up was well under 10min.
Quick and delicious.

Blackbird

Up Front... Custom House beat Blackbird in our book

Blackbird - Menus - Dinner Menu

But we are now getting into the rarefied atmosphere of truly great restaurants, so coming in second is no big deal. Expectations are high, and it's the little things tha make the difference... some was which night was which place.
Even seating makes a difference... Blackbird we were near entrance, Custom House, we had window to the kitchen.

We shared a Charcuterie plate while we decided on dinner
Then the women went with soups, son-in-law the duck tartar,
I went with Hudson Valley Foie Gras with apple crisp - yum

Dinners - Pork Collar, Short Ribs, Lamb and Sturgeon - all excellent
All chased with some Evening Landing, Seven Springs Chard, wrapped up with some Tawny Port and single malts (of course)

Feeding Frenzy

Back from Chicago, foodie capital

Some recap
Visiting daughter and son-in-law, who made most of the arrangements
Started with Chicago Firehouse menu's here

Not on menu was night's specials
I went with a "sausage sampler" for an appeitzer - would have been a meal in itself
3 different sausages, all delicious.
Lucky for me I had Shirley, daughter and son-in-law to share with.
Daughter tried the Lobster Bisque, son-in-law the Escargot, and Shirley a Pear salad

For the main course, I went with a "flight of filet" 3 3oz filets, each with different finish. Black Peppercorn, Horseradish and Maytag Blue Cheese Crust. Daughter tried the Pot Roast, son-in-law the Lamb Chop, while Shirley tried the Short Rib Ravoili.
Sides of creamed spinach and bacon mashed potatoes
All were great

We enjoyed a bottle of Justin Cabernet (did not record the year)

Tried to keep meals during the day light, save room for the evenings.

Next up was Roy's Hawaiian fusion
Roy’s Restaurant - Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine - Roy’s Classics
son-in-law and I split a "canoe" appetizer sampler, Shirley went for the Lobster Dim Sum, daughter tried the night's special - Chicken Soup

Fire Grilled Szechuan Spiced Baby Back Pork Ribs were a big thumbs up

Then for main course, son-in-law and I went with sampler again:
Hibachi Grilled Salmon, Blackened Ahi tuna and Misoyaki Butterfish
Butterfish was standout, modest portion on black rice with butter and yuzu juice
Shirley and daughter tried the Macadamia Mahi and Opakapaka
Couple bottles of Duckhorn Sav Blanc matched well and we broke down and went for the Bread Pudding - yum

Light the next night as we went to Blue Man Group - much laughter and fun.
Went for something "lighter" with Red Light
Red Light - Menus

All shared
Shrimp, pork dumplings, lobster rolls, and spiced ribs (good but Roy's were better)
Mee Gha Ti and Biryanis worked well for all, there was plenty for take home.
Washed down with some Tsing Tao and Tiger beers

Then on to Custom House - best of the visit
custom house restaurant • chicago

Well, this was just plain awesome
Started with a couple orders of Wagu Beef Tartare - just W-O-W
Daughter took the mushroom soup - great, and I added the Werp Farm beet salad
Since Cherry Capital Foods works with Mike Werp - had to go for it - very very nice
That opened the door to drop an Earthy business card and more conversations - positive feedback shortly

The rest of the dinner was sharing of
Short ribs, chicken, skirt steak, apple streudle, potato gratin, pommes anna, raviolo, and glased carrots.
Sue (owner) came by to visit, talked 'shrooms
We were comped a foie gras dessert and the apple streudle ... awesome

All was chased with some Seven Hills Cab, various single malts, and some port

more to post

Breakfast

If only two are going, you need to decide on what to share - portions are huge

Menu

I went for the "Zamboni Crepes" while Shirley tried the "West Coast"
Zamboni:
Scrambled eggs, ham, and spinach folded into two sweet crepes and topped with hollandaise sauce. Served with red diced potatoes or fresh fruit and toast, pancakes, or english muffin.

One was more than enough ... and hey, it was $9.99 for the pair

West Coast :
"Fresh sliced avocado and mushrooms blended with scrambledeggs and melted cheddar & jack cheeses... then folded into twosweet crepes. Served with red diced potatoes or fresh fruit andtoast, pancakes, or english muffin."

also $9.99

Good thing we scheduled a late dinner ...

Considering vegetarianism

The author wanders back and forth into and out of vegetarianism.

The Food Issue - Why Jonathan Safran Foer Chose to Give Up Meat - NYTimes.com

Note that I'm an omnivore, and all things in moderation.

Sauce

Local grocer had some filet's on sale (they'd had a power outage earlier this week.
Well, a beef fillet, buy itself needs some help (flavor), so I pulled up :
Morel Sauce I @ Earthy.com

But, as I like to experiment, I made some changes
First off, I only used the proportions as suggestions - I add stock and cream by eye. Also, I used up the last of my dried 'shrooms (morels reconstituted with warm water).

The to give this sauce some "kick" I added several tablespoons of Boursin Cheese (garlic of course) ... yum.

Fillet was only about 10 oz, prepared by searing both sides, then finishing in oven at 450 for about 10 min. Then rested, sliced thin and fanned on the plate.

Par boiled a package of baby 'taters, purple, redskins and yukon golds, then quartered and saute'd with teaspoon of olive oil and teaspoon of bacon fat.
Served up with the 'shroom sauce, side of steamed broccoli.

Don't forget - the reconstituting water get's saved.
I've reduced it about 50% and it will be starter for the next sauce.