We are less than one week away from opening for what is my 6th winter in the White Mountains. I can't believe that I have been in the same position for over five years...especially when I am part of one of the most transient professions on earth.
This is an exciting year ahead of us. Discounting the Mayan calendar...2012 holds much promise and excitement. Our mandate in the kitchen, our directive, our raison d'etre is to purchase and cook the finest ingredients that we have access to. It is a chef's dream to hear his/her boss declare this as the directive going forward.
Now, on top of this kid in a candy store approach, we are also borrowing some pages from the playbooks of Heston Blumenthal and David Chang, (not bad company to borrow from). We are embracing indigenous and historical foods/preparations of New England. We are also contradicting ourselves inasmuch that while we are trying to be true to our terroir, we are not afraid to make substitutions for some of those indigenous foods. As Private Joker said, "It speaks to the duality of man, Sir!"
Let me explain: we like risotto. Risotto is popular, and we have spent much time and effort in researching starches in various short grain rices, cooking times, methods, etc.
Rice is not historically grown in New England.
Rice is a grain. What grains are native New Englanders? OATS!!! So...take oats, treat them as you would carnaroli rice, substitute locally produced aged/super sharp cheddar cheese for Reggiano...and there you have it! A preparation that is true to the technique and respectful of the philosophies of Italian cooking, yet is redolent of New England touches. It holds many reference points and similarities to the original dish of risotto that keep the dish comfortable...and within the realm of peoples' "flavor memories," while being "different" and authentic to regional ingredients found in New England.
The flip-side: New England Clam Chowder. Salt pork is regarded as one of the distinguishing characteristic staple ingredients of a REAL New England Clam Chowder; most modern kitchens have taken to using smoked bacon/pork in their chowders.
Enter bonito flakes; dried smoked skipjack used in traditional Japanese cuisine to make dashi, (which is one of the foundations of Japanese cooking). What if you were to substitute smoked fish for smoked pork in chowder? Does this make it any less authentic? Some may argue that the use of seafood with seafood is actually a much more sound technique, i.e. using clams in a sauce for cod.
Whatever the case may be...it looks to be a fun year of culinary exploration and refinement!
