just one fix

i really like when people order the tasting menu.  not only because the diner trusts enough of the chef to just cook for them, and not just because it allows the kitchen to show off a little by sending a lot of food out,
mostly i like the tasting menu format because within the many courses, the portion sizes are reduced and the dishes become minimized.
there is no longer the need to make a substantial portion.  most times i feel that a dish is lost or muddled because the chef needs to "supersize" the dish in order to make the diner's experience worth the money.
a few components, various textures, three bites at the most, only what is necessary

rhubarb sherbet, coconut water tapioca, powdered white chocolate, aromatic herbs

obstacle 1

currently i am making way too many items without doing anything with them.  previously there was the rhubarb consomme. 

now its strawberry tapioca. 

with a surplus of strawberry jus, i add agar and dropped them into cold oil.  they have a slight chew (like tapioca) with a strawberry perfume. 

i should just pour that consomme over them with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.  i am too dumb to do something that simple......

nude (big ideas)

agar clarification.  first try.  rhubarb juice. the one on the left is clarified.  hope you can tell.  taste is the same.  rhubarb juice and a little simple syrup.  not too bad.  there is still a little bit of solids when you look really up close.  what to do with it now? 

spring vegetable dinner

tonight we had a dinner celebrating spring vegetables. the cool thing was that there was no protein involved. not quite vegetarian. just letting the spring vegetables take center stage. i do enjoy this way of thinking. for most savory chefs i think it throws them for a loop. in my experiences, chefs tend to organize their menus/dishes around what meat/fish/poultry they have. probably the fault of the diner thinking they are going to eat either steak, veal, duck, tuna, etc. instead of all the other elements that make up a wonderful dish. do you start the dish with radishes or beef, asparagus or chicken, frisee or lobster. i guess these questions hold importance to me being the pastry chef because i face this question everyday. the strawberries or the cake, the apples or the tart. rarely has the cake or tart or other pastry product been made without first consulting the fruit or vegetable and seeing what they want to accompany them. maybe it's because i have always cooked in areas where great produce prevails.

so in the tradition of our dinner tonight i made a "strawberry and rhubarb salad" with a celery sorbet. i really just wanted to put as many things on the plate as i could.

compressed strawberries, strawberry gel, poached green rhubarb, rhubarb gelee, vanilla pudding, celery sorbet, celery ribbons, basil puree, basil seeds, dried black olives, olive oil powder, celery leaves and basil leaves, strawberry croquant, warm olive oil cake.