Parmigiano Reggiano

By many this cheese is considered the number one cheese in the world. It dates back to the 12 century, in the Provinces of Parma  and Reggio Emilio primarily. This Cheese has withstood over 800 years of tradition and the recipe has not changed. I would easily have to say that if ever there was a perfect recipe, the Italians have one in the production of this cheese.  There is a reason why this cheese is expensive, due to the fact that there are around 600 producers of this cheese for the entire world. It is a cheese that can only be produced in a specific area in Italy know as the 'zona tipica' and is protected by two consortiums, the DOP and the Conzorzio del Parmigiano-Reggiano. When you purchase Parmigiano, look for the name on the rind, and make sure there are no xxx stamped into the rind as this suggest a flawed product that some times the Italians will sell  this to other countries and keep the perfect wheels for themselves. 

One of the easiest uses for Parm. Is simply eat it by its self. When you want to cook with it always add it last. You will find that when gently warmed it creates a sauce as it melts into what ever you add it to. I love to finish risotto or top pasta with it, as these are some of the most common ways to use Parmigiano, and there is no substitute. Trust me when I say "you get what you pay for". If you buy Parmigiano and it is not a "Product if Italy" and does not have a D.O.P. tag, then you are not buying the right product and save your money, because it will not be worth it. I have tried Wisconsin cheeses, California, even some similar cheeses made in Italy, and none compare to the King of Cheeses.

Storage of this cheese is pretty simple, just keep it dry and wrapped tightly, it could last over a year, but I will be bold to say once you have some in your refrigerator it will not last long, as you will find yourself tasting it every time you open your fridge. Some thing else to note, you can save the rind and simmer it in some cream for about20 min. then cool in your refrigerator and once infused over night, strain and make crème anglaise then turn it into Parmigiano Reggiano gelato, and you could drizzle a little Dark cherry balsamic from Modena over the top, and have a unique experience with what most Americans would never use, and usually always throw out.

I will post some more pics throughout the year regarding this incredible product, and I hope this post answers some questions that you may have had .

Preview of our Valentines day menu

Here are some Ideas for Valentines day.  I was thinking of offering 3 courses for 35 dollars.

Maybe we could offer a wine flight for 15 dollars? My thought is even if only one person orders the  Tasting menu,  we should be able to get the other guest to order 3 courses also.  In addition I think some people like to have a package to order from so they can plan on the costs. It is a tough economy and there has to be some type of deal to bring in the guest without devaluing  our restaurant.

This is a sample of my menu, consisting of a Starter, Entrée and Dessert.    

                                                       

                                           Sexy , Simple and Sweet

Diver Scallop Soufflé  with Creamy lobster broth and caviar garnish.

Alaskan King crab Ravioli with black truffle carpaccio and parmigiano  reggiano.

Bitter sweet  Cordillera Chocolate Truffle cake, with  Illy cappuccino mousse and milk chocolate gelato.

As for the wine pairings I would probably pair the three courses with wines from Italy. I would be hard pressed to think of another country that produces better wine for food pairing, especially  the old world style. I would pair a prosecco with the first, something a little dry, a Pinot Grigio with the second course maybe from the Trentino region, like Terlan Pinot, and definitely a Brunello di  Montalcino from Il Poggione a perfect match for bittersweet chocolate.    

Baby Goat

Free range Goat

I am always looking for different proteins to cook, and one of my favorites is Free range goat. I am looking for classical ideas and resort to Italy when I decide to cook goat. I find that when grilled whole and roasted with EVO, garlic and Balsamic over mire poix, then pulled as the best way to cook this animal.  We can serve it over polenta, or use it in a starter course. The possibilities are endless. We source our goat from a local farm named Moon Star farms. Don and Mary Bub are the owners and they are organic, and produce the best product around. We buy a young goat and its hanging  weight is around 16 to 25 pounds.  If you are looking for some recipes, try using the word Kid, as many countries in Europe use this name for young goat.

Winter in Wisconsin

One of the biggest challenges to working in Wisconsin is the availability of fresh produce in the Winter. We try to bring in as little as possible, as we are aware that they travel from California or Mexico. The quality is not very good and the price is to high.  Although our guest are educated diners they still want Fresh basil and Tomatoes with there Fresh Mozzarella salad. So we are faced with that challenge and we cope with it  by making fresh pesto and slow roasted Tomato Confit. We will also add marinated garlic and marinated artichokes. This salad is inspired by the Great Chicago Chef, Tony Mantuano  from the only 4 star Italian Restaurant in Chicago, Spiaggia. When I was at Ristorante Brissago I was fortunate enough to have him visit as a Guest Celebrity Chef, not once but Twice, and not only was he there, we also had the Privilege of Mr. Giuliano Bugialli , Visit us at the same time. But that is a story for another day.  So here is a Picture of our Pesto, and I can assure you after you taste this pesto you may never want just a Basil leaf on your salad again.

Foie and Yellow Foot...

Tonight was again fairly busy for just coming off New Years Eve. In the past we would be closed due to lack of business, but that was not the case this year being that it is a weekend. So the new menu is selling fairly well. It was all Grouper and Short ribs tonight. Desserts seem to be doing well also. We have the last of yellow foot mushrooms in the house, and when fully cooked they are delicious. We add them to our Foie Gras, and serve them with dark cherry balsamic and brioche. I love foie gras and it is a pretty classic match with wild mushrooms and acid which is the balsamic. Its important to add acid to balance the dish, other wise it will be a little on the rich side and have one note. We have this dish on our menu and the mushrooms change with the seasons. As a side note a woman who had our Lobster broth and broccoli and brie soup Togo, called back later on in the night to announce that she wanted to marry the Chef.

January, First, Two Thousand and Ten

January 1st 2010, is finally here. I have been waiting this years arrival for what seems like for ever. Now its time to start writing my cookbook,  and get this restaurant refocused on what we can control. Some examples may be, giving the guest a exceptional dining experience, or sourcing out the best sea salt to finish our beef short rib. There are countless  ways, and the point is that we can not control the economy or new taxes or laws that are hurting our small business but we can look for ways to  improve and become more efficient so when we do have business we will be operating at the highest level we possibly can. I think the restaurant industry  has done a good job of weathering this fiscal nightmare and its ready to start growing again. Stronger and better than ever. There have been a lot  of changes in Lake Geneva and it has positioned us in a favorable position in 2010. I am looking forward to this new season and I am excited to see what the fruits of our labor will bring.

Now for the biggest conflict that I have had my entire career. That conflict  is the fact that it is January 1st and that means new years day. Which also means INVENTORY. Now the cook in me hates inventory, I mean it absolutely sucks to have to walk around and count everything in the restaurant and then type it onto a spread sheet while updating pricing and making sure that it is all done before your first sale of the new month. Once more I am guessing that most chefs are hung over from probably one of the busiest nights prior, being New Years Eve. That being said I fortunately do not drink so that part does  not bother me any more, but it is always something as a cook I would rather not do.  Well as a chef I love inventory, It means the closing of one period and the opening of another. I can get a lot of information from taking inventory and I use it to create our menus. It also helps to confirm our Food cost, and tells me if there are any leaks in our cost controls.  So it is something that I have learned over the many years that I have been taking it , to accept and to learn from .

We also started the new winter menu tonight so I will talk a little more about that tomorrow,  as I think that this may be one of our more well rounded January menus, and the response tonight was pretty encouraging.

New Years Preparations

New Years Eve.

It is almost here, the end of 2009. This will be not only the start of a new year, but the start of a new decade. I am preparing for our celebration on the 31st, and I will start prepping the desserts tomorrow. I have always had a theory  that you should always get dessert done first. This gives me a chance to focus on the overall aspect of the night and I do not have to worry about the last course until plate up. I am going to serve 6 courses to 150 people, that’s 900 plates in 5 hours. I am more concerned about our dishwashers than our cooks, because after we prep this will be a fairly easy night. Although we change the dynamic of our kitchen and we go from ala carte to pre fixed, it is a welcomed change and we are always up for new challenges. I will take pictures of each course and give a detailed menu description on New Years day. I think that I have found my book printing company as well. I have been doing a lot of research and I have limited my choices to 4. I am now looking into cost so I can give my self some guide lines and set realistic goals to that of which  I choose to obtain. I am also reading 5 books on self publishing and how to write a cookbook. I am learning so much, and I am starting to realize how daunting a task this can be. I will how ever take it one day at a time. And I will grow and improve from this experience.

So Happy New year, and Prosperity in the up coming decade.