A Literary Culinary Journal
by Jonell Galloway
Ferran Adrià promises that the La Fundación El Bulli exhibition will cover the entire evolution of what was for 5 years the best restaurant in the world, El Bulli, in Roses in the Catalonia region of Spain. The foundation will serve as an encyclopedia similar to Wikipedia, in that it will cover all the groundbreaking techniques of El Bulli, now closed, as well as of haute cuisine around the world, all free of charge.
Link: Informe21
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by video
If you’ve ever had to the good luck to taste Joël Robuchon’s mashed potatoes, made with the variety Ratte, you probably daydream about them often enough. This here explains how to make them. Click Swiss Info to watch a video that explains how to make them.
Gawker says more than 10,000 tons of potatoes will end up in Swiss troughs this year. The dry spring and warm autumn made them too big to meet the standard sizes that can legally be sold in supermarkets.
Ever wonder how many calories are in those KFC mashed potatoes and gravy? article calculates “680 calories, and an even more shocking 2130 mg of sodium per serving.”
Potatoes from the New World most likely saved Europe from a famine in 18th century. This Smithsonian 
is a fascinating history of the potato and how it changed the world, and full of interesting facts.
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by Simón de Swaan
Good food is in effect the basis for true happiness.–Auguste Escoffier, c. 1912
French chef, restaurateur and culinary writer August Escoffier (1846 – 1935) popularized and updated traditional French cooking methods. He is a legendary figure among chefs and gourmands, and was one of the most important leaders in the development of modern French cuisine.
Three of Escoffier’s most noted career achievements are revolutionizing and modernizing the menu, the art of cooking, and the organization of the professional kitchen. Escoffier simplified the menu as it had been, writing the dishes down in the order in which they would be served (service à la Russe), referred to Russian style service. He also developed the first à la carte menu. His books are still used by culinary students and chefs alike.
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McDonald’s puts calories on the menu – but is anyone counting?, The Independent
Confessions Of A Sriracha Fanatic, NPR
The Role of a Chef: Educating Clients Through Taste Bud, The Atlantic Life
Earl Grey sorbet, The Independent
Taste the spirit of Wellington (spirits), (South African) Times
Hallucinogenic foods, The Guardian
In Defense of Italian Food: Regional, Diverse, and Refined, The Atlantic
A Proper Chef’s Knife, The Wall Street Journal
Call for ban on TV junk food ads before 9pm, The Independent
A taste of modern Indian cuisine, The Times of India
How to Remember the Wines you Drink, The Wall Street Journal
The Melting Pot Just Got a Whole Lot Richer (foreign restaurants arriving in New York), The New York Times
Food Art: Lavender Pistachio Cookies, food photography by Meeta Khurana Wolff, What’s For Lunch Honey
A tour through the stalls of Quito’s central market offers an introduction to Ecuadorean food, Zester Daily
American Wasteland by Jonathon Bloom (a book review), Leslie Loves Veggies
Persian Chicken and Rice with Sour Cherries, Food and Wine
Learning to love durian: why the world’s stinkiest fruit is better than wine, cheese or chocolate, Gadling
American Wasteland: How America Throws Away Nearly Half of its Food, Culinate
Salt Mining: The What, How, and Why Salt is Awesome, Serious Eats
Honoring the Hands That Prepare Our Food, Huffington Post
Watch Your Mouth: When to Taste—or Toss—Your Leftovers, GOOD
Wonderfully seasonal: Watermelon and Fennel Salad, Jenn Cuisine
Raw tomato sauce, Rosa’s Yummy Yums
Honey and cinnamon ice cream, Wonderfoodland
Piquillos rellenos de Ensalada, Recetas de Cocina
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Gordon Ramsay’s Australian Nightmare, The Wall Street Journal
‘The Art of Eating’ from Flemish painters to Ferran Adrià, Phaidon Press
The Art of Picking the Perfect Meal for Beer, The Wall Street Journal
Cargill sees cocoa demand up 1 mln tons by 2020, Market Watch
Food is the ultimate security need, new map shows, The Guardian
How Many Calories Do You Need to Eat Per Day?, The Atlantic
Think outside the box: Top cooks reveal how to perk up your children’s packed lunches, The Independent
Nine Tips for Digging Through Local Farmers Markets, Dallas Observer
Praising farm wives: The spirit can exist in anyone, Culinate
A Cardiac Surgeon on the Glory of Saturated Fat, They’re Good for You, The LRC Blog
Plums – Food of the Month, Health Castle
Potatoes reduce blood pressure in people with obesity and high blood pressure, Eurek Alert
A Classy Model-Egg Chicken Coop (Coupe) (shaped like a Model A),
How the Soaring Price of Bread Will Shake the World Economy, AlterNet
The Famous Anzac Biscuit, Honest Cooking
Red Velvet Crêpes, duhlicious
Melon au citron vert, Ma p’tite cuisine by Audrey
$1 Million Of (Mollydooker) Wine Destroyed In Forklift, Accident, Technorati
Coffee bean owl, Image Shack
The Evolution of Coke, Pete
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by Julia Child
Julia Child would have turned 99 today.
Julia Child brought French food to post-war America. When her husband Paul was posted to Paris, she studied at L’Ecole du Cordon Bleu, and went on to form her own cooking school with fellow students Mastering the Art of French Cooking and Louisette Bertholle. The threesome went on to write the 2-volume classic Coq au Vin , which covered all the basic techniques and dishes of classic French cuisine.
And indeed she proved to be right. It is only now, 60 years later, that cooking has established itself as gastronomy, and only when referring to a few great American chefs.
This is Foodista’s list of their favorite Julia recipes.
Rooster cooked in red wine is a classic Burgundian dish made with red wine, mushrooms, onions, bacon and herbs.
Vichyssoise is actually the base of almost all French soups. This simple base — made of potatoes, leeks, and salt — is elaborated on in countless ways to make an endless variety of soup. When served cold in summer and cream is added, it is referred to as Vichyssoise.
Ratatouille brings all the flavors of the Southern sun together: red ripe tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, garlic, onions and Provençal herbs. Today there are many other versions, many of them even in the oven, but this is the classic recipe.
The problem with duck is always the same: the fat spews all over the place and it is difficult to digest. The acid of the orange in this classic French dish helps digest the fat, and makes it tasty too. This is a favorite Julia Child recipe.
Boeuf Bourguignon is a fancy version of our classic beef stew. What makes it different is that it is cooked in red wine, and pearl onions and mushroom caps are added to it.
Not surprising that Julia loved Martinis. She added vermouth to just about any sauce she could work it in to.
Not all French pies are made with custard, but you often find this version in Normandy, the land of cream and butter. It can be served either cold or warm.
Clafoutis can be made with many different fruits, but plus and cherries are all-time French favorites. This tart has a custard-like consistency, but also contains ground almonds, giving it a salty edge.
Sabayon is a a cousin of the light, egg-based Italian dessert zabaglione. It is light and custard-like, and a standard in French as well as British cuisine.
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I always say to build a recipe you have to know how to think with your tastebuds. Here’s a video with a thorough explanation of the process by one of the best in the world: Grant Achatz, chef at Alinea in Chicago, Illinois, in the U.S. He approaches it in an intuitive, yet logical manner. I strongly advise up-and-coming chefs to watch this. It holds lessons for life.
Click here to watch video.
Image courtesy of Caroline. Grant Achatz in center.
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by André Cis
Click here to read this article in English
Als logischen oder zumindest Konsequenten Schritt kann man Silvio Nickol‘s Wechsel vom Wörthersee in die Österreichische Hauptstadt nennen. Nachdem sich die Zeichen mehrten, dass das einstige Flaggschiff der mit Fanfahren ins Leben gerufenen “Capella-Hotelgruppe” im Sinken begriffen ist, war es nur eine Frage der Zeit, bis Nickol zu neuen Herden aufbrechen würde.
Palais Coburg. Eigner Peter Pühringer schien nach dem jähen Abgang des begnadeten österreichischen Paradekochs Christian Petz – just nach der Vergabe der 4. Haube im Herbst 2008 – keine Intention mehr zu haben, einen 2. Versuch ob eines Gourmet-Restaurants zu starten. Im Gegenteil, schien es doch gar ins Bild der so trüben Wirtschaftslage zu passen, dünnte sich in den vergangenen Jahren die Wiener Spitzengastronomie sukzessive aus – unlängst mit dem unerwarteten Paukenschlags der Nicht-Eröffnung des Shangri-La Hotels und dem somit arbeitslosen Spitzenkoch Joachim Gradwohl.
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by André Cis
Click here to read the original German version
You may consider Silvio Nickol‘s move from Lake Wörth to the Austrian capital as a rather logical step, or in any case a significant one. After more and more signs emerged showing that the luxury hotel chain Capella’s flagship was sinking, it had only been a question of time when chef Nickol would accept the chance for a new challenge.
It seemed that Palais Coburg owner Peter Pühringer had no intention of revitalizing the gourmet restaurant in his luxurious Viennese hotel venue after the sudden departure of Austrian master chef Christian Petz at the end of 2008, right after the restaurant was awarded its 4th toque by the GaultMillau restaurant guide. Far from it, the situation fit the economic crisis well, due to a considerable drop in fine dining in Vienna over the past few years. This recently culminated in the cancellation of the new Shangri-La Hotel,leaving master chef Joachim Gradwohl unemployed.
Try the new kitchen at Coburgbastei Nr. 4 — and let’s be honest: One of the world’s best wine collections deserves a fine restaurant as companion.
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by Jonell Galloway
from “Word of Mouth Blog,” The Guardian
We eat with all our senses and we are shorting ourselves if we’re not aware of the multi-sensory aspect of the eating experience. If something “looks” good, we have a tendency to think it “is” good. Of course we all know that can be true, or it can lead to disappointment if quality ingredients and craftsmanship have not gone into the final product. Just like with people, looks are not all that counts. What’s inside really does count.
This article from The Guardian of London explores this.
“We know that our enjoyment of food is about more than how it tastes…On the contrary, much research suggests that it is in fact our eyes leading the way, our tongues merely follow. ‘People’s perception is typically dominated by what their eyes see,’ writes Charles Spence, Oxford professor of experimental psychology.”
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Meet Jonell Galloway, a freelance writer and editor specialized in French cuisine. 
