Some new ideas flowing in the pastry kitchen at Ten-01.  Having recently obtained the invaluable tome Frozen Desserts by Francisco Migoya, I have been dying to try out his praline gateau, pictured above.  A praline crust topped with a layer of frangipane, then a rich mascarpone and praline mousse.  It’s finished with a shiny caramel glaze and a sprinkle of Maldon’s sea salt. Served with a creamy strawberry ice cream, this dessert evokes summer without being light, satisfies without being too heavy.  Pictured below is what I believe will be the final incarnation of our chocolate bombe dessert; a milk chocolate mousse with a banana caramel core.  Glazed with tempered chocolate and served with a brown butter creme anglaise, is decadent richness speaks for itself.  As good as these desserts look, I’m anxious to get my hands on some local summer produce; bring on the berries!!

That’s right, house made andouille sausage, creamy polenta, sauteed savoy cabbage and sunny side up egg.  The perfect snack to enjoy with a frosty beer on a rainy afternoon.  Chef grinds, stuffs, and smokes this sausage all in house; the whole restaurant is blanketed in a rich effluent smoke, and heads turn yearning.  Pictured below is a little taste of what Chef can do for a special event, in this case a during a dinner to benefit Morrison Children’s  Hospital,  held in our private dining room.  A citrus fennel salad with braised baby fennel, dungeness crab salad, piquillo pepper bavaroise and pickled red onions.  As I helped plate this course, I was really excited to see all the components come together, a delicate and crisp balance of bright flavors.

The latest lamb shank set from Chef Mike includes a winter bean cassoulet, tomato concasse, and red wine reduction and crispy shallot rings.  The combination creates a paradigm of comfort food; the braised shank glistens atop the savory stew of beans.  Another top seller is our charred octopus; with sofrito, parsley oil, and niçoise olive-lemon gremolata.  Our Sous Chef Eric Suniga is regularly seen in the midst of the rather involved process of this dish, the butchery and cooking of the cephalopod being an hours long process.  Coupled with the popularity of this item at our hopping happy hour, Eric seems to always have a batch in the works.

Pork rules. The other white meat has been one of my favorites since I was a kid, and not just because of bacon, the king of smoked cured meats.  I love loin, chop and cheek alike.  Trotters, jowl and snout as well top my list of tasty treats.  Our latest pork dish at ten01 has solidified pig as prince of palatable protein, as champion of choice cuts for carnivores.  Here we have our friend the pig plated in two preparations; luscious loin and beautiful belly, both handled with care to cater to your tongue’s taste for pig.  The loin is brined and then painstakingly wrapped in bacon, lightly poached, then portioned and seared to serve.  The belly is cured, seared, cooked sous vide, then rendered before it is portioned and glazed at pick up.  The rendering/basting portion of this preparation is food porn at it’s finest.  The smell of thyme and garlic grabs me, guides me over.  The clacking sound of spoon on metal mingling with the sizzling sounds of succulent fat call to me, soon I’m standing near with glazed eyes and smacking lips.  As if all this weren’t enough, these two mouthwatering meats are masterfully mounded onto waiting warmed plates with caramelized apples, turnips and red wine braised cabbage and then drizzled with honey vanilla gastrique. A dish like this takes a lot of careful preparation and practiced technique.  Below the video are some recipes which will hopefully inspire the artisan chef in you.  The cure recipe is used to flavor and tenderize the pork belly before it is rendered and then cooked at a low temperature.  It would also work to cure duck legs before doing a confit. The brine recipe is used to for a similar purpose with the pork loin.  Two techniques as building blocks in a truly outstanding dish.

Pork Belly Cure. by Sous Chef Eric Suniga

6 each star anise

4 each cinnamon stick

8 tsp black pepper

4 tsp coriander

2 tsp fennel

1 tsp clove

1 cup sea salt

4 tsp ginger

2 tsp garlic

1.  Butcher the protein you are going to cure.

2.  Place all the above ingredients into a food processor and process to a fine powder.

3.  Place the meat into a container and pack in the cure.  The meat should be totally covered with the cure.  Cover and refrigerate for twelve hours.

4.  Remove the meat from the cure and rinse it off with cold water.  Remove all cure.  Pat the meat dry. Proceed with cooking.  In the case of our pork belly, this means rendering then vacuum bagging with duck fat and aromatics.  The bellies are cooked in an immersion circulator for twelve hours at 82 degrees Celsius.

Brine for Pork Loin by Chef Micheal Hanaghan

3 Liters water

1/2 cup of kosher salt

3 grams clove

3 grams star anise

1 bunch rosemary

3 ea cinnamon stick

1/2 cup honey

1 knob of peeled fresh ginger

1.  Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil.

2.  Thoroughly chill the brine before using it.  This is a good time to butcher your pork loins.

3.  Add the meat to the brine and cover and refrigerate for four hours.  This is enough brine to completely submerge four pork loins.

4.  After four hours, remove the loins from the brine.  Discard the liquid, do not reuse.

5.  Pat the loins dry and lightly season with salt and pepper before bacon wrapping, poaching, and searing.

Ten 01 was proud host to the Greenville Project dinner last night (August 6th, 2009).  Greenville Project is an organization committed to restructuring traditional strip malls and buildings into eco-friendly, energy efficient spaces.  Chef Benjamin Parks crafted a vegetarian menu for the occasion, and organic and local wines paired by Sommelier Erica Landon were served.  Among the attendees were Eva Longoria Parker, an investor in Greenville Project, and Mayor Sam Adams.  See the video coverage on KGW Channel 8 here.

The Mayor and Eva Longoria Parker outside Ten 01.

When I first started at Ten-01 over a year ago, Didier (DeeDeeAY) was still waiting tables.  What first struck me about him was his uncanny sense of timing.  I would be putting the finishing touches on his dessert order and suddenly he’d be there, “Can I go?” in his heavily French accented English.  He also seemed to know right when I would have bread pudding scraps available, or when I was taking butter cookies out of the oven.  After befriending Didier, I learned that he once worked as a chef; that his food knowledge went beyond a loose understading to an intimate embrace.  He knows what it takes to be a chef, how hard we work.  He’ll throw down and shucksome beans (pictured.)  He not only understands the tastes of food, but the preparations.  Shortly after I became used to Didier’s pastry radar, he was promoted off the floor and into the office as our event planner.  He has embraced this positon with a passion; constantly on the phone or emailing and forever typing up event orders (EO’s.)  His love of food and wine comes through in every transaction.  He helps our guests through every decision, molding and shaping each event into a truly unique expierience.  He works closely with the Chef, Sommlier, Bartender, service staff, everyone to create one of the finest private dining programs in the city.  And he still is able to sense when I’m pulling those cookies out of the oven.

We had photographer Ryan Ribary come in and shoot some amazing pictures of our food this Tuesday past.  He had this high tech set up, a light popped from above and below.  He had a tiny laptop where we could instantly preview the images, our faces glowed in the PDR’s subdued afternoon light.  The images are to be used for upgrading our websites flash, to get some images of Chef Benajmin’s food out there.  It was fun to see all the new food, glimspsing tantalizing images made me hungry.  Adam was rotating and wiping plates.  The food runners ferried messages to the kitchen, letting us know which plates were working better.  A restaurants website is the first glimpse that people get into our world; these stunning pictures will no doubt intrigue and entice future guests.  Damien ran the floor for a sunny lunch service that day, front doors flung wide on a the welcome warmth of Couch. A couple of nice days this week has gotten us all excited for summer, the spring produce is slowly staring to show itself at the farmer’s market.  Soon we’ll have our tables set outside no doubt, summer will be in full swing!

At the corner of Tenth and Couch in Portland’s Pearl District, you’ll find truly amazing thai style pork ribs.  I’ve heard comments from “finger-licking” to  “I feel like I saw god.”   You’ll also find an accessible and multifaceted wine list, appealing to beginners palates and connoisseurs alike.  The atmosphere has a subtle warm energy, like visiting  a beloved wealthy relative.  Smart cocktails are audible, elegant tinkling of ice and spirit.  The bar pulses, a low-key base line just below the senses, libations reach hands as high notes; the melody complete.  Smiles meet smiles in the dining room, servers and diners engaged in an elusive subconscious dance, an exchange of understanding and steaming plates.  When I first walked into the place to apply for a job, I was struck by the coin-flip from inside to outside, quiet simplicity to grandiose; the eye drawn up with the spirit.  Since then I’ve settled into a love affair of devotion to another happy customer.  A back and forth of good food and good moods between talented staff and satisfied guest.  In the kitchen you’ll find more smiles,  people doing what they love and doing it well with others like them.  Most overheard conversation is about food, but usually heads are down and hands are moving.  On the line you’ll witness another dance, this one a speeding jostle of spinning and bending, tasting and plating; a frenetic blur until that final instant.  That instant where hand is poised eyes are locked and delicious is cradled lovingly onto each plate.

As the pastry chef here at Ten-01 and a lover of good food, I occupy a unique position.  A position where I can observe and learn, and report my findings.  I’d like  to share these experiences with our guests.  I envision our quests walking through the door with a virtual ear to the ground, a finger on the pulse of what it is we do here, and why, and how.  This blog will be a web based birds-eye view of our day to day happenings and well as special events, catering missions, and no small amount of information.  Instructional videos, pictures galore and recipes, all made available to you, the diner.  Visit this site often food lover, you won’t want to miss any exciting detail.

History, Soil, Producers and Style…..

The Oregon Wine Industry has grown from its humble beginnings in the 1960’s!!  And just as you thought you understood the producers and had some favorite vineyards in the Willamette Valley you start hearing about these new “AVA’s”!  What are the AVA’s?  Where are they located and what makes them different from one another?

Join Sommelier Erica Landon for an in depth look at the geological history of the Willamette Valley and how millions of years of volcanoes and floods have shaped our wine country as we know it today.  You will talk through some comparative tastings and learn about regions that you might not be as familiar with….

This seven class series will give you the knowledge and confidence to take your next trip to the Willamette Valley to a new level!

Each class starts at 7:00 and is 40.00 per person.  They will include a presentation on the topic and then a tasting paired with food prepared by Chef Jack Yoss.  Please contact Erica directly if you are interested in attending.

elandon@ten-01.com

Willamette Valley AVA Class – Friday January 9^th

This two hour class will cover the geological history of the Willamette valley and describe the differences between each of the sub AVA’s.  Sommelier Erica Landon will take you through a comparative tasting with wines from the region as well as from the sub AVA’s

Dundee Hills AVA Class – Friday January 23^rd

Come join Sommelier Erica Landon for a two hour class and tasting which will take you through the history of the Dundee hills.  How did the Red Hills of Dundee become the center of the Northern Willamette Valley?  Who planted first and why!?!  How were the hills formed? Then taste through some amazing single vineyards and learn why the red Jory soil helps create those world class wines!

Chehalem Mountain AVA class – Friday February 20^th

One of the most complicated AVA’s is the Willamette Valley will be explored and tasted through.  Not only is this AVA large but it hosts a plethora of different soil types…  Including the Ancient soils of the Ribbon Ridge!  Let’s compare and learn…

Yamhill-Carlton AVA Class – Friday March 6^th

This AVA is made up of some of the oldest soils in the Willamette Valley; Come learn why winemakers are flocking to this ridge and planting grapes.  The buzz is there helping to make Carlton one of the best stops in wine country today!

Eola-Amity Hills AVA Class – Friday March 20^th

This series of ridges just North of Salem are the undiscovered gem of the valley, with some amazing vineyards and the development of tasting rooms, visiting the Eola-Amity hills is a quiet, scenic experience!  Come learn about the history and producers that have made this area one to reckon with!

Tasting Panel Magazine and Anthony Dias Blue held their 8th Annual Awards Dinner last night in Temecula, California at the Pechanga Resort and Casino. What a night!  They honored BevMo, a California based Wine and Liquor retailer with their Lifetime Achievement Award.  Also honored were a selection of “New Leaders” from around the West Coast, including Bartenders, Wine Directors and Sommeliers!

So between the awards ceremony and the Election the energy was high…  The evening was perfect!  Honorees included Jason Smith MS from the Bellagio in Las Vegas (Yes, he runs ALL the wine for the entire resort!), Susan Naderi Johnston and Lissa Doumani from Ame in San Francisco and Amanda Washington, from Rye also in San Francisco (one of the best bars in the city)!  What an honor to be included in such a group!

After the dinner, I went up and watched the acceptance speech.  It was such an amazing night that I ordered a half bottle of champagne and celebrated!  The only thing that could have been better was having my friends and family there….