I keep forgetting to add this question to the FAQs. I probably answered it five times in the dining room last evening alone.
I think most customers don't realize that for us chef/owners of restaurants, home is the place where we sleep between shifts at the restaurant. One Block West is open five days a week, Tuesday through Saturday, so that leaves just Sunday and Monday when I might cook.
Surely you've heard about the cobbler's children's shoes. Ask the chef's children about dinner.
Most of the time, I don't really want to cook on my day off. Also, I love to go out to eat at other restaurants, to sample different food and to catch up with their owners, so chances are good that we might go out one evening of Sunday or Monday.
But still, I do try to cook at least one night a week at home. The cooking tends to be very simplistic and very quick to prepare and clean up, especially on Mondays when I have been at the restaurant since 7:30am doing paperwork and am beat.
Dinner tends to be a couscous, a pasta, a pasta salad, a composed salad, a soup, fried rice, or something else with a lot of grains and vegetables and very light on the meat, if there is any at all.
Here are some posts about dinner at my house:
Cooking in an Alien Kitchen
What Does a Chef Eat on his Night Off?
Dinner with Chef Ed
Showing posts with label FAQ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FAQ. Show all posts
Friday, September 26, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
What Kind of Knives Do You Use?
Note: much of this information has been published previously on oneblockwest.com.
When I do public demonstrations, the attendees want to know what kind of knife that I use, meaning what brand I use. I almost always reply “one that fits my hand.” There are much more important selection criteria than brand, and here are three very important ones, none of which have much to do with price.
The single most important thing about a knife that you are going to be spending long hours with is fit. The handle must fit comfortably in your hand and you must be able to use it without banging your knuckles on the cutting surface. There is only one way to determine if a knife is comfortable and that is to try one. Try all your friends’ knives and then go to a shop where you can hold many brands in your hand.
Second most important to me is balance, especially in a chefs knife. There needs to be enough weight in the handle to counterbalance the blade, letting the knife rock easily back and forth when mincing.
Third, and something that all the test reports neglect, is ease of sharpening. If a knife is too hard to be readily sharpened, it is useless.
Here's what's on my magnetic knife bar and a little bit about each. Each knife or implement in the photo is labelled with a letter. You'll need to click the small image to the right to open the large photo.
A—First up is my 20-millimeter Econome melon baller from France. I bought this about 20 years ago in New York from Carolynn Bridge at Bridge Kitchenware, the kitchenware mecca for chefs, in their 52nd St. store. Carolynn suggested that if one melon baller was all I wanted, I should use the 20mm one. She was right. I see that son Steven still offers them in sizes from 10 to 28 millimeters. My primary use for the melon baller is hollowing out tomatoes and making cups from squash and cucumbers. It takes some patience to keep the round edge sharp.
B—This is an inexpensive Dexter-Russell 12-inch slicer with a Granton edge, meaning that little air pockets called kullens have been ground into the blade to help food release from the blade. I use this knife for slicing things paper thin, mainly gravlax and hams. This is a very recent acquisition, about two years ago, and is not something you'd need at home. The edge needs babying.
C—This 7-inch flexible boning knife from Henckels is the oldest knife I still use currently. I bought this about 26 years ago and we use it every day here at the restaurant when breaking down meat. Because the blade must be flexible, the steel has to be softer and as a result, this knife takes a great edge very quickly, unlike the rest of the rigid Henckels knives, which are so hard that they are an absolute nightmare to sharpen. I love this knife.
D—Here's my workhorse 8" Wüsthof chefs knife that I bought about 15 years ago to replace a piece of Henckels junk that I had owned since I was 18. This is the extra heavy, extra deep knife that Fred Bridge worked with Wüsthof to develop. I love this knife and my hand knows just how to work it. Truthfully, I rarely use it any longer (for reasons I'll get into below), except for breaking down large fish, rabbits, and chickens. When I was growing up, a lot of chefs thought it was not macho to use an 8" chefs knife. To be a chef's chef, you had to use a 10" knife. What baloney! In a cramped kitchen, what use is a broadsword?
E—Another knife in daily use is my 15-year old 8" Wüsthof slicing knife. It comes in very handy for a lot of tasks, but mainly I use it for skinning and portioning fish and portioning meats. This is the knife I use to cut tenderloins into filets mignons, for example.
F—Cheap and extraordinarily useful, this offset handle F. Dick serrated bread knife is the best value knife I own. It does everything from slicing tomatoes to rough chopping. I probably use this knife more than all the others put together. This one is about three years old and is getting to the end of its life. Time to get a new one and give this one to one of the newbie line cooks.
G—Here's a little 3.5" F. Dick paring knife. Everyone should own one for those pesky little tasks such as hulling strawberries or fluting lemons. I buy cheap ones as they tend to disappear because of their small size. Pesky tasks aside, I never use a paring knife.
H—I break down a lot of fish and nothing is better at pulling the pin bones out of filets than a pair of needlenose pliers. For wet work, you do not want to go to your local hardware store to purchase cheap pliers that will rust. These are expensive stainless steel ones from Messermeister.
I—One of two steels that I use at work, this one is a very light, very fine one from Dexter-Russell that I use daily to keep my blades aligned.
J—Up next is my santoku from Shun, a knife that is pretty new to me and one that has all but replaced my chefs knife in daily use. I bought it about three years ago, looking for a lighter weight knife that could motor through standard prep tasks. When buying the knife, over the course of an hour, I tried about ten similar knives and my selection quickly narrowed the Shun or the Wüsthof. I chose the Shun because the blade has more rocker (more curve) near the tip, letting me use it more like a chefs knife when I want to. I think if I were to do it again, I might choose the lighter and straighter Wüsthof: that little rocker up front on the Shun means that for certain things, I have to chop a bit further back on the heel of the knife than I want to. I am really happy to have a santoku in my arsenal: I use it constantly.
K—Also hanging in my office is my Matfer offset handle icing spatula that is useful for all kinds of applications from serving desserts to spreading batters to turning scallops to lifting tuiles off baking sheets. Matfer is expensive, but it will last my entire life.
L—Finally, you can just see the handle of my Wüsthof diamond-coated heavy steel. I use this steel when I really need to tweak a blade, rather than just touch it up. You must be careful in using such an aggressive steel.
That's my arsenal. As you can see, my hardware comes from a lot of different manufacturers. If I had to recommend one brand, it would be Wüsthof: they make great steel. But don't get hung up on brand.
Over the past 30 years, I've used all kinds of knives from Masamoto sashimi knives, to classic mild steel Sabatiers, to the really slick Global knives, to the ceramic Kyocera knives. And I can summarize this experience with the old maxim: it's not the arrow; it's the archer. That is, practice will make you better with a knife, a better knife will not.
When I do public demonstrations, the attendees want to know what kind of knife that I use, meaning what brand I use. I almost always reply “one that fits my hand.” There are much more important selection criteria than brand, and here are three very important ones, none of which have much to do with price.
The single most important thing about a knife that you are going to be spending long hours with is fit. The handle must fit comfortably in your hand and you must be able to use it without banging your knuckles on the cutting surface. There is only one way to determine if a knife is comfortable and that is to try one. Try all your friends’ knives and then go to a shop where you can hold many brands in your hand.
Second most important to me is balance, especially in a chefs knife. There needs to be enough weight in the handle to counterbalance the blade, letting the knife rock easily back and forth when mincing.
Third, and something that all the test reports neglect, is ease of sharpening. If a knife is too hard to be readily sharpened, it is useless.
Here's what's on my magnetic knife bar and a little bit about each. Each knife or implement in the photo is labelled with a letter. You'll need to click the small image to the right to open the large photo.A—First up is my 20-millimeter Econome melon baller from France. I bought this about 20 years ago in New York from Carolynn Bridge at Bridge Kitchenware, the kitchenware mecca for chefs, in their 52nd St. store. Carolynn suggested that if one melon baller was all I wanted, I should use the 20mm one. She was right. I see that son Steven still offers them in sizes from 10 to 28 millimeters. My primary use for the melon baller is hollowing out tomatoes and making cups from squash and cucumbers. It takes some patience to keep the round edge sharp.
B—This is an inexpensive Dexter-Russell 12-inch slicer with a Granton edge, meaning that little air pockets called kullens have been ground into the blade to help food release from the blade. I use this knife for slicing things paper thin, mainly gravlax and hams. This is a very recent acquisition, about two years ago, and is not something you'd need at home. The edge needs babying.
C—This 7-inch flexible boning knife from Henckels is the oldest knife I still use currently. I bought this about 26 years ago and we use it every day here at the restaurant when breaking down meat. Because the blade must be flexible, the steel has to be softer and as a result, this knife takes a great edge very quickly, unlike the rest of the rigid Henckels knives, which are so hard that they are an absolute nightmare to sharpen. I love this knife.
D—Here's my workhorse 8" Wüsthof chefs knife that I bought about 15 years ago to replace a piece of Henckels junk that I had owned since I was 18. This is the extra heavy, extra deep knife that Fred Bridge worked with Wüsthof to develop. I love this knife and my hand knows just how to work it. Truthfully, I rarely use it any longer (for reasons I'll get into below), except for breaking down large fish, rabbits, and chickens. When I was growing up, a lot of chefs thought it was not macho to use an 8" chefs knife. To be a chef's chef, you had to use a 10" knife. What baloney! In a cramped kitchen, what use is a broadsword?
E—Another knife in daily use is my 15-year old 8" Wüsthof slicing knife. It comes in very handy for a lot of tasks, but mainly I use it for skinning and portioning fish and portioning meats. This is the knife I use to cut tenderloins into filets mignons, for example.
F—Cheap and extraordinarily useful, this offset handle F. Dick serrated bread knife is the best value knife I own. It does everything from slicing tomatoes to rough chopping. I probably use this knife more than all the others put together. This one is about three years old and is getting to the end of its life. Time to get a new one and give this one to one of the newbie line cooks.
G—Here's a little 3.5" F. Dick paring knife. Everyone should own one for those pesky little tasks such as hulling strawberries or fluting lemons. I buy cheap ones as they tend to disappear because of their small size. Pesky tasks aside, I never use a paring knife.
H—I break down a lot of fish and nothing is better at pulling the pin bones out of filets than a pair of needlenose pliers. For wet work, you do not want to go to your local hardware store to purchase cheap pliers that will rust. These are expensive stainless steel ones from Messermeister.
I—One of two steels that I use at work, this one is a very light, very fine one from Dexter-Russell that I use daily to keep my blades aligned.
J—Up next is my santoku from Shun, a knife that is pretty new to me and one that has all but replaced my chefs knife in daily use. I bought it about three years ago, looking for a lighter weight knife that could motor through standard prep tasks. When buying the knife, over the course of an hour, I tried about ten similar knives and my selection quickly narrowed the Shun or the Wüsthof. I chose the Shun because the blade has more rocker (more curve) near the tip, letting me use it more like a chefs knife when I want to. I think if I were to do it again, I might choose the lighter and straighter Wüsthof: that little rocker up front on the Shun means that for certain things, I have to chop a bit further back on the heel of the knife than I want to. I am really happy to have a santoku in my arsenal: I use it constantly.
K—Also hanging in my office is my Matfer offset handle icing spatula that is useful for all kinds of applications from serving desserts to spreading batters to turning scallops to lifting tuiles off baking sheets. Matfer is expensive, but it will last my entire life.
L—Finally, you can just see the handle of my Wüsthof diamond-coated heavy steel. I use this steel when I really need to tweak a blade, rather than just touch it up. You must be careful in using such an aggressive steel.
That's my arsenal. As you can see, my hardware comes from a lot of different manufacturers. If I had to recommend one brand, it would be Wüsthof: they make great steel. But don't get hung up on brand.
Over the past 30 years, I've used all kinds of knives from Masamoto sashimi knives, to classic mild steel Sabatiers, to the really slick Global knives, to the ceramic Kyocera knives. And I can summarize this experience with the old maxim: it's not the arrow; it's the archer. That is, practice will make you better with a knife, a better knife will not.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Where Did You Train?
It seems that almost every new table that comes into the restaurant wants to know where I trained. I'll take this as a compliment, but I don't really see how it matters. Either I can cook or I can't. I think this question is just a polite conversation opener anyway.
Short answer: nowhere.
Long answer: I've been cooking a long, long, long time. Seriously cooking for almost thirty years now. Going to restaurants, reading cookbooks, and turning out better food than most restaurants. And culinary schools in America are of a very recent vintage; certainly there were few if any such schools when I was thinking about college. And if the truth be told, cooking professionally was not even a remote thought back then, even if there were back then the cooking school opportunity which everyone seems to take for granted now.
I learned a lot from watching my mother, her mother, her sisters, and my father cook. I've always gravitated towards the kitchen and I learned how to make a lot of things by watching. When it came time to make the dishes, I just did what I saw done.
I don't really know how to say this without coming off wrong, but I don't know how to say it otherwise. Cooking for me is intuitively obvious, as easy for me as breathing is for most people. I guess I'm just doing what I was born to do.
I've never worked for another chef or in another restaurant. One Block West is my first and likely only restaurant.
Short answer: nowhere.
Long answer: I've been cooking a long, long, long time. Seriously cooking for almost thirty years now. Going to restaurants, reading cookbooks, and turning out better food than most restaurants. And culinary schools in America are of a very recent vintage; certainly there were few if any such schools when I was thinking about college. And if the truth be told, cooking professionally was not even a remote thought back then, even if there were back then the cooking school opportunity which everyone seems to take for granted now.
I learned a lot from watching my mother, her mother, her sisters, and my father cook. I've always gravitated towards the kitchen and I learned how to make a lot of things by watching. When it came time to make the dishes, I just did what I saw done.
I don't really know how to say this without coming off wrong, but I don't know how to say it otherwise. Cooking for me is intuitively obvious, as easy for me as breathing is for most people. I guess I'm just doing what I was born to do.
I've never worked for another chef or in another restaurant. One Block West is my first and likely only restaurant.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
What Kind of Food Do You Serve?
I hate to be pigeonholed by such a question. While my menus are firmly rooted in what is seasonal right here in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia right now, the treatments of these ingredients can be very far ranging indeed.
I have studied many, many of the great cuisines of the world and I bring those influences to bear on my menu. You should not be surprised to find an Indian dal paired with your local Virginia lamb chops. Nor should you be surprised to find a classic Thai fried rice paired with grilled Hawaiian king prawns. Nor should you be surprised to find a braised pork shank on a bed of silky Anson Mills grits and paired with wilted mustard greens. I can cook downhome Southern with the best of them.
I like to think that as I have matured as a chef, I have come to value simplicity in my food. My approach is clearly market driven. Those baby carrots that I found at the market this very morning will be on tonight's menu, although I haven't yet thought about how. What I do know is that there is very little that I as a chef can do to improve on beautiful, sweet, baby carrots, so I won't do much to them or mix them with a bunch of other ingredients. That's what I mean by simplicity.
In addition to local ingredients and a menu that favors simplicity of flavor versus complexity, I also reach out to find great game, amazing seafood, and artisanal products. I have an awesome game broker, several seafood suppliers, and countless suppliers of amazing ingredients ranging from hams and smoked sausages to honey to handmade cheeses. And from these people, all of whom are invested in their own small businesses and who have a profound respect for quality, I buy the best. My conversations with them never revolve around price. It's always a question of what's the best product you have right now.
As for the menu itself, it changes every day in response to what we have in stock and what we find at the markets. The composition of the menu itself is half first courses (appetizers in US restaurant-speak) and half second courses (entrées), with a balance that is about equal between seafood and game/meat. We always have or are happy to custom craft vegetarian offerings.
You can view typical menus on the restaurant web site.
I have studied many, many of the great cuisines of the world and I bring those influences to bear on my menu. You should not be surprised to find an Indian dal paired with your local Virginia lamb chops. Nor should you be surprised to find a classic Thai fried rice paired with grilled Hawaiian king prawns. Nor should you be surprised to find a braised pork shank on a bed of silky Anson Mills grits and paired with wilted mustard greens. I can cook downhome Southern with the best of them.
I like to think that as I have matured as a chef, I have come to value simplicity in my food. My approach is clearly market driven. Those baby carrots that I found at the market this very morning will be on tonight's menu, although I haven't yet thought about how. What I do know is that there is very little that I as a chef can do to improve on beautiful, sweet, baby carrots, so I won't do much to them or mix them with a bunch of other ingredients. That's what I mean by simplicity.
In addition to local ingredients and a menu that favors simplicity of flavor versus complexity, I also reach out to find great game, amazing seafood, and artisanal products. I have an awesome game broker, several seafood suppliers, and countless suppliers of amazing ingredients ranging from hams and smoked sausages to honey to handmade cheeses. And from these people, all of whom are invested in their own small businesses and who have a profound respect for quality, I buy the best. My conversations with them never revolve around price. It's always a question of what's the best product you have right now.
As for the menu itself, it changes every day in response to what we have in stock and what we find at the markets. The composition of the menu itself is half first courses (appetizers in US restaurant-speak) and half second courses (entrées), with a balance that is about equal between seafood and game/meat. We always have or are happy to custom craft vegetarian offerings.
You can view typical menus on the restaurant web site.
Frequently Asked Question Index
I launched One Blog West reluctantly in March of 2008 after much encouragement from my customers at One Block West restaurant. I resisted blogging for years because I couldn't see what purpose a restaurant blog could possibly serve. But now that I am firmly in the blogosphere, I see that not only does my blog serve many purposes, but those purposes seem to be evolving over time.
On a personal level, blogging fulfills my need to write; I like to write. And after a stressful day, venting on the blog can be therapeutic. Also, I continue to meet fantastic people and other bloggers from all over the world. Many customers read the blog to stay apprised of the goings on at the restaurant. Other people from all over the world read to learn about food and to see recipes, even though they'll probably never visit the restaurant. A bunch of chefs are lurking out there, reading about my tribulations and knowing that we all face the same issues; for them, I am a something of a spokesman. Others read to get an inside view of the restaurant business, living the life vicariously through the Web. For all these purposes and others as yet undiscovered, I blog.
So, now that I have tackled the question "Why One Blog West?", here are other questions that I am asked very often.
Why is your restaurant named One Block West?
Where did you train?
What kind of food do you serve?
What kind of knives do you use?
Do you really shop locally?
How do I sell to One Block West?
Do you cook at home?
On a personal level, blogging fulfills my need to write; I like to write. And after a stressful day, venting on the blog can be therapeutic. Also, I continue to meet fantastic people and other bloggers from all over the world. Many customers read the blog to stay apprised of the goings on at the restaurant. Other people from all over the world read to learn about food and to see recipes, even though they'll probably never visit the restaurant. A bunch of chefs are lurking out there, reading about my tribulations and knowing that we all face the same issues; for them, I am a something of a spokesman. Others read to get an inside view of the restaurant business, living the life vicariously through the Web. For all these purposes and others as yet undiscovered, I blog.
So, now that I have tackled the question "Why One Blog West?", here are other questions that I am asked very often.
Why is your restaurant named One Block West?
Where did you train?
What kind of food do you serve?
What kind of knives do you use?
Do you really shop locally?
How do I sell to One Block West?
Do you cook at home?
How Do I Sell to One Block West?
Several times a week, I get phone calls from interested people asking if I would like to buy something from them. I'm always happy to talk about what you have to sell because I like to source products locally.
In general, I'm looking for a long-term relationship and a commitment to deliver product year-round or all season long, as appropriate. If, for example, it is the end of July, and you happen to have two bushels of cucumbers that you want to unload because you planted too many, I'm not going to be terribly interested. But, if you want to bring me nasturtium blooms, leaves, and seeds all through the summer, I'm going to be happy to do business with you.
And, I need delivery. Running my restaurant takes all my time, so I can't get away.
Also, if you sell meat, understand that it is very rare that I can take a whole animal. Part of my commitment to freshness is that I don't have a big freezer. If you can't sell me cuts of meat in quantity every week, it's going to be tough for us to do business. Not impossible, but tough.
By all means, if you have a great product that you think would fit with our menu at the restaurant, come in and chat. Bring a sample if you can. Even if we can't do business, I'd still like to meet you.
In general, I'm looking for a long-term relationship and a commitment to deliver product year-round or all season long, as appropriate. If, for example, it is the end of July, and you happen to have two bushels of cucumbers that you want to unload because you planted too many, I'm not going to be terribly interested. But, if you want to bring me nasturtium blooms, leaves, and seeds all through the summer, I'm going to be happy to do business with you.
And, I need delivery. Running my restaurant takes all my time, so I can't get away.
Also, if you sell meat, understand that it is very rare that I can take a whole animal. Part of my commitment to freshness is that I don't have a big freezer. If you can't sell me cuts of meat in quantity every week, it's going to be tough for us to do business. Not impossible, but tough.
By all means, if you have a great product that you think would fit with our menu at the restaurant, come in and chat. Bring a sample if you can. Even if we can't do business, I'd still like to meet you.
Why is Your Restaurant Named "One Block West"?
The quick answer is that the restaurant was already so named when I bought it back in 2002 and I decided not to rename it. That decision was a 50-50 proposition: there were equally valid reasons for changing the name as for keeping the name. The deciding factor was that keeping the name proved a lot less expensive.
One Block West indicates that the restaurant is located a block west of our main pedestrian mall in Winchester, Virginia. It's a catchy name and one that helps our many guests locate us.
One Block West indicates that the restaurant is located a block west of our main pedestrian mall in Winchester, Virginia. It's a catchy name and one that helps our many guests locate us.
Do You Really Shop Locally?
I'm not sure why customers ask me this over and over, as if they don't really believe that I shop locally.
Really, I do shop locally and I was into farm-to-table before the phrase ever came into common usage. This recent locavore trend is something that I have been doing forever.
Freshness is paramount for great flavor and so I try to source as much as possible locally. I also like the connection between grower and restaurateur—it’s a symbiotic relationship and we’re both striving for excellence. I also like that if the ingredients are not organic, I know exactly how they have been raised and treated. And, my restaurant is helping to create a market for the products that our local farmers raise. Buying locally is good for all of us.
You can find me shopping at our local Freight Station Farmers Market when it is open, in season Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. I also do cooking demos at this and other local markets throughout the year to show customers what they can do with the products that they purchase at the market.
In addition, we grow herbs and edible flowers in our window boxes, planter boxes, and on our deck.
Here's an idea of what we source locally:
Meat—lamb, some Kurobuta pork, hams, bacon, and sausages
Poultry—pastured chickens, organic chicken eggs, quail eggs
Dairy—cheese, some cream
Wine—lots and lots
Foraged items—mushrooms, wild asparagus, pawpaws, ramps
Grains—cornmeal, flour, grits, pasta
Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs
Other—honey, shiitakes, maple syrup, root beer
We receive a lot of phone calls from people who want to sell us local goods. This is the subject of another FAQ.
Really, I do shop locally and I was into farm-to-table before the phrase ever came into common usage. This recent locavore trend is something that I have been doing forever.
Freshness is paramount for great flavor and so I try to source as much as possible locally. I also like the connection between grower and restaurateur—it’s a symbiotic relationship and we’re both striving for excellence. I also like that if the ingredients are not organic, I know exactly how they have been raised and treated. And, my restaurant is helping to create a market for the products that our local farmers raise. Buying locally is good for all of us.
You can find me shopping at our local Freight Station Farmers Market when it is open, in season Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. I also do cooking demos at this and other local markets throughout the year to show customers what they can do with the products that they purchase at the market.
In addition, we grow herbs and edible flowers in our window boxes, planter boxes, and on our deck.
Here's an idea of what we source locally:
Meat—lamb, some Kurobuta pork, hams, bacon, and sausages
Poultry—pastured chickens, organic chicken eggs, quail eggs
Dairy—cheese, some cream
Wine—lots and lots
Foraged items—mushrooms, wild asparagus, pawpaws, ramps
Grains—cornmeal, flour, grits, pasta
Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs
Other—honey, shiitakes, maple syrup, root beer
We receive a lot of phone calls from people who want to sell us local goods. This is the subject of another FAQ.
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