How was Ava Genes?

So Ava Genes was rated 5th best restaurant in the country by Bon Appetite. 

That is pretty huge for Portland.

This was the Best meal I have had in a long time.

Not only was every single item we ordered delicious, The Service was terrific too.

With a month long reservation list its quite difficult to get in, but once you do, dont hold back.

Boulvardier: Rye whiskey, Vermouth, Campari
I was expecting super sweet from the candy red color, but it was strong, and a little bitter.
A delicious Cocktail

Burrata, Sesame, watercress

2007 Babera D' Asti 

Beef Crudo, Calabrian chilis, Bottarga

Carrots, Fennel, Sunchokes, Pistachios, Fiore Sardo

Bread plate

Pork, Calcots, Hazelnuts, Aleppo

Pork

After dinner espresso

This was quite the experience, Great Food, Great Drink, Great Atmosphere.

This is an example of a Great Restaurant.

And with an ever changing menu, it will stay consistently exciting.

Are you Wineing enough?

Red wine, in moderation, has long been thought of as heart healthy. The alcohol and certain substances in red wine called antioxidants may help prevent heart disease by increasing levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol) and protecting against artery damage.

While the news about red wine might sound great if you enjoy a glass of red wine with your evening meal, doctors are wary of encouraging anyone to start drinking alcohol. That's because too much alcohol can have many harmful effects on your body.

Still, many doctors agree that something in red wine appears to help your heart. It's possible that antioxidants, such as flavonoids or a substance called resveratrol, have heart-healthy benefits.

(quoted from Mayo Clinic)

2014:

A new study questions whether light to moderate drinking is good for your heart. So where does that leave us? Pretty much where we started, sorry. No matter how much wine or ink or resveratrol has been spilled on the subject over the past few decades, no one really knows if wine is a super-drug that keeps Mediterranean people alive for centuries or a poison that’s slowly rotting us away from within. If someone comes up with a miracle anti-aging drug, you’ll probably hear about it, but until then, feel free to ignore the wine science. As with most things food, you’ll probably be fine if you drink in moderation, drink mostly with meals, and, most importantly, enjoy yourself while you’re doing it. (quoted by bon appetite)

I think red wine is delicious, it is vital in cooking.

Also keep in mind when you are cooking with wine that if you wouldn't drink it why would you cook with it.It is an art to be able to beautifully pair a meal with wine.

Sure if you drink a ton of wine every night its not only going to be hard on your liver, but your wallet as well.

Cool Ideas For Your Recycled Wine Bottles

I have seen some really cool ideas for recycling wine bottles in cool ways. It has sparked my interest in starting my own projects. I have not started yet but here are a few ideas that I want to attempt.

Basically the only skill you need is to be able to cut glass, and have some creativity. 

Food Porn!

Food Porn is a term used for food photography, or short clips of nicely arranged food.

I Feel like the introduction and popularity of Instagram, and pinterest have really influenced

people to be addicted to food porn.

When your on the train or bus or just killing time, why not drool over some sexy hot buns fresh

out of the oven, or some juicy chicken breast, so tender you can almost taste it.

There are blogs that accept different peoples pictures, so that they have a constant flow

of fresh raw material. That nobody except the photographer has seen.

Sure these food pornographers dont make as much money as a real porn photographer, but they probably have a clear conscious.

So do you have an addiction to food porn, do you need therapy.

Its not healthy for relationships.

It creates cranky hungry moods.

It takes up your spare time.

It also is bad for your attention span.

So you should get some therapy.

Headed to Chez Panisse

In a couple weeks I am going to intern at Chez Panisse, one of the most influential Restaurants on the west coast. In the college town of Berkeley California, on shattock avenue sits this 2 story restaurant, that was transformed from a house. Alice Waters, the owner of the restaurant opened it in the 70's with the help of a lot of her friends, she was successful. With no formal experience working in any kitchens there were definitely some bumps in the road, but with her travels to europe, and passion for fresh local food, she started a food revolution.

Now

Then

Since then, there has been many restaurants that have followed in chez panisse's footsteps. I hear it mentioned in so many books, always talking about Alice as a front runner in the food revolution.


I ate at Chez in high school 2010, I vividly remember walking through the kitchen, seeing the walk in refrigerator and meat cooler, It was really amazing. The food was amazing, but what is so cool is that I told myself I wanted to work there someday, and now here in 2 weeks I am going to be.

The Essential Tools

Every new culinary student gets a full knife set with a big fancy bag. In this bag there is a 10 inch chefs knife, 6 inch vegetable knife(Santoku), a serrated bread knife, a slicing knife, paring knife, peeler, and some other little gadgets for the kitchen. 

In my personal bag I have a 8 inch chefs knife, 6 inch utility knife, bread knife, paring knife, sheers, and thats basically it, besides my small tools.

Then a lot of my coworkers just have a towel wrapped around a chefs knife and a serrated knife, and a rubber band to hold them together.

The most important part is that you will be ready and prepared for a task that is given to you. whether its peeling 15 pounds of fingerling potatoes, or turning 20 pounds of artichokes.

Here are some good knifes for someone who wants to start there own kit.

Chefs Knife:

A chefs knife is going to be the most vital tool to your knife bag.

F Dick 8 inch or 10 inch

Wustof 6, 8, or 10 inch

Togiharu 8, 9, or 10 inch

Victorinox 8, or 10 inch

Bread knife:

A Bread knife is going to do your tough cutting. 

If you use your chef knife on bread it will dull your blade so fast.

Victorinox

Henckels

Messermeister

Paring knife:

This little guy is going to help with the tedious things.

Victorinox

Birds beak paring knife:

For intricate carvings and vegetable cuts 

Wustof

Filet/ Boning knife:

If you are trusted to filet fish or break down any proteins, you will need one of these.

Wustof

Togiharu

Masamoto

Utility/ Petty:

Petty knifes are very versatile like a chefs knife but smaller.

Togiharu

Suisin

This is a basic kit that will make you ready for any task the chef asks of you. 

Next you are going to need to get yourself a sharpening stone!

You can go to a local sharpener or save money and do it yourself.

Have any suggestions for a good beginners kit?
post in comments!