Ready for dinner.

Just flown in time for service.

“Sea Scallop, Osetra Caviar, White Chocolate Fregola Pasta,

Passion Fruit Sherbet, Bacon, Vanilla Bean Emulsion, Whipped Yuzu Caramel”

This is the first time I’ve participated in something like this and I’m not sure if I’m totally following the rules or not but hey..food is food. So, Chadzilla is the host of the TGRWT # 8 and he has chosen the the combination of White Chocolate and Caviar. It’s a strange combination but some chefs have successfully created harmony between the two.

I actually really liked eating this. The white chocolate is subtle but noticeable and really goes well with the brininess of the luxurious Osetra Caviar. The scallop has a natural sweetness that goes hand in hand with the white chocolate and the passion fruit but is balanced out by the bacon. The Yuzu Caramel ties things together with the bitter citrus bite and toasty flavor of the burnt sugar. The fregola pasta (shaped similar to israeli cous cous) is lightly coated in a velvety white chocolate sauce enriched with mascarpone cheese and cream. Again, this really surprised me but I actually liked eating this one.

“Compression of Thane’s Local Watermelon, Textures of Strawberry,
Basil Ice Cream, Crum’s Heirloom Tomato Sorbet, Saba Vinegar”

Do You see that lil’ bop in my step..that lil’ drop to the left…

Damn, I’m ready to have some fun again. I’m back and it’s time to get to business but let’s start with what I’ve been doing since this past summer. It’s late summer and it’s sweltering hot to the point where I can’t keep caramelized sugar still for more than 2 hours in an air conditioned pastry kitchen. Oh, you haven’t heard? Well, maybe you have but I’m dedicating my thoughts and training to desserts. No, I don’t aspire to be a full on pastry chef for the rest of my life. To be honest, I don’t know what I want…I thought I did but I really don’t. All I know is that I need to try to be the best at whatever I do.

Okay, enough of that b.s. This composition of watermelon, tomatoes, basil, and strawberry was made around this past September to really celebrate the season. Thinking about textures and balancing flavors like a weight scale really helps me combine different ingredients into a course that successfully excites the palate. The dessert screams refreshment in the summer with bright and light flavor profiles. The compressed watermelon is full of natural sweetness and is so cold that it’s almost frozen but not. Why just have ice cream when you can have sorbet too? Right? The silky and herbaceous basil ice cream goes above and beyond with another quenelle of tomato sorbet on top. Ah, a double quenelle. Different textures of strawberry are as follows: Sponge, Gelee Droplets, and Pop rocks. A lot of things are going on with this dish but it all some how makes sense especially with a light brushing of some amazing Saba Vinegar.