A New Mountain Cookery

Thanks

This blog is a little over a year old now, and I just want to thank anyone who reads it and has offered me any sort of insight and help over the past year in my culinary pursuits.  This whole project started off when I was basically squatting in my ex-girlfriend's apartment following graduation and had nothing better to do. 

The fact that it has evolved into something else had been incredible, so thanks again to everyone, especially the following people...Tucker, Mikey, Josh, Chad Scott, John and Karen, Chadzilla, Red Hen staff, and so many others.

NYC

Just had a killer trip to NYC for the Fourth, met up with old friends and had some killer food.  Thanks to Punit and Ferg for the place to crash. 

Coney Island for the hot-dog eating contest and some 42 ounce beers.  A large order of these bacon cheese fries in 1364 calories.  Pictured above is the regular size.

View from the rooftop in Tribeca where we spent most of the day before a extremely hazy meal at Lupa.  We had not one, but two, tartufos between the two of us and about a gallon of prosecco.  Sorry about the glasses.

Best brunch ever with some killer food, pastries, and cocktails.  And even with that "awful" sea salt on the table, we were able to enjoy everything.  Read this link to see the reference. 

Question

What's more important...buying a product that is better than what you could make?  Or making it yourself, even though it might not necessarily be as good? 

Yes, we could buy, let's say some really nice high-quality chocolates, to hand out as mignardises that we don't have the capabilities to create ourselves, but isn't it better to make things yourself?  I know as a diner, I would always rather eat things created in-house, even if it's not always incredible. 

And I hate eating baguettes at dinner.

Soy Sauce Futures?

Maybe?  Gotta find a place to ferment it...

Lamb Pepperoni

Chef Tucker is so awesome, he made this super dank lamb pepperoni in like two hours, cured and everything.  He just looked at it and it was done.

The word "dank" might be appearing in this blog's lexicon for a while thanks to a dishwasher we once had who may have smoked too much marijuana, as in, "do you have any more of that blueberry syrup, that was sooooooo dank". 

Charcuterie

Finally...

Two types of coppa, saucisson sec, head cheese, pickled ramps, turnip kimchi, breakfast radishes, and some black garlic puree.  We've got a whole lot of pork curing right now, come in and check it out in a few weeks when everything is finished.

Oh would you look at that?

Hmm, I guess someone else likes flowers on his station...

Apologies...

...for the lack of posts.  My internet has been out at my house for a few weeks now.  I've got lots to post once it's back up, including a 20 course meal at Town House.  For now, watch this video of Luther Vandross singing "A House Is Not A Home".

Scrapple

How has it taken me so long to try this?  So good for breakfast, lunch, dinner, late night, any time. 

 

Yogurt

I've been eating a whole lot of yogurt recently.  We served this flexible yogurt custard with earl grey cake, walnut nougatine, and local honey.  The custard turned out pretty well, needed some gelatin.