A Culinary Anthropologist's Perspective

Interior layout

2008-10-18T17:25:00.000-07:00

a tour of Lolita

2008-10-18T17:16:00.001-07:00

First we have Jaime, the executive chef and owner of Lolita. The terraza is on the second floor, as seen both facing the kitchen and facing out to the street. Last is the main dining room with waiter Tony waiting for the guests to arrive.

Escarcha

2008-10-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

Nice compliment to a fruit plate, this is an herb sorbet. Let it get hard and then scrape it out with a fork as you need it.

50 g. Hierba Luisa (lemon verbina)
50 g. Romero (rosemary)
50 g. Tomillo (thyme)
1 g. pimienta negra (black pepper)
2 litros h20
150 g. azucar (sugar)

Semisphera de Foie

2008-10-12T12:55:00.000-07:00

Served as a first course at Senzone, this is foie formed in a half circle mold, with strips of caramelized apple and sliced almonds and Foie ice cream. Apple glaze.

Menu de Mercado, October 08

2008-10-12T12:52:00.000-07:00

4th course

Tocinillo de romero con queso de cabra y caramelo balsamico de frutos rojos.

Named tocinillo after tocino, the belly fat of pork, because of its similar texture. With a delicate flavor of rosemary, it is an interesting combo with the goat cheese ice cream. The sweet balsamic helps to cut through it.

Menu de Mercado, October 08

2008-10-12T12:51:00.000-07:00

2nd course

Fabes verdinas con bacalao confitado.

Simple dish of fava beans, cooked with the veg and jamon, poached in olive oil bacalao with garnish of pil pil.

Menu de Mercado, October 08

2008-10-12T12:48:00.000-07:00

Third course

Lasana de patata crujiente y cordero, setas, aceite de cebollino y espuma de menta.

Layered with dark bechamel made from the pan drippings of the roasted lamb, also shown on plate.

Menu de Mercado, October 08

2008-10-12T12:41:00.000-07:00

1st course

Mouse de Roquefort, fondo de manzana con bastones de apio y grissinis de pipas

Mousse of Roquefort cheese over caramelized apples, arugala, toasted sliced almonds and house made breadsticks. Drizzle of Arbequina olive oil.

Grisinis

2008-10-11T17:58:00.000-07:00

Basically long snappy breadsticks.

380 g. harina de fuerza (bread flour)
1 cucharadita de sal (small spoon of salt)
25 gramos levadura fresca (grams of fresh yeast)
2 cucharas miel (tablespoons honey)
2 cucharas aceite oliva (TBL olive oil)
200 cc agua templada (room temperature water)

mix some batter with black olive paste, some with peeled sesame seeds (pipas de girasol), add anything. 15 min or so at 165°c.

Caldo Perdiz-Kappa

2008-10-11T17:55:00.000-07:00

1 litro caldo perdiz (partridge stock)
4 gramos kappa (bulli powdered sea algae gelatin)

this has added meat of the perdiz (partridge), other reserved meat heated with it, and then spooned on top of a salad in a ring mold to keep it into a solid flavorful shape. When the stock cools just a bit, the kappa kicks in and holds the greens in place.

Simple syrup, rosemary

2008-10-11T17:54:00.001-07:00

2 ramas romero (sticks rosemary)
1 litro h2o
800 g. azucar (sugar)

Crema Calabaza

2008-10-11T17:52:00.000-07:00

Roasted Squash
Strain out h2o
aceite oliva (olive oil)
sal (salt)
cardomomo verde (green cardomom)

spoon on plate and pull

Gelatina - Discos

2008-10-11T17:50:00.000-07:00

We are making gelatin from burned leek stock. Basically we take the leeks and place them directly on the burning fire and let them completely char. Some we take and puree into a dust in the Thermomix, and the rest we infuse into water and reduce into a stock. Strain it several times and then follow instructions. Pour 1/2 liter of stock into each full plastic hotel pan and let set up. Cut out discs and we are using it on the apperitivo this week. Which is served in a small stemmed bowl: steamed cauliflower drizzled with oil of the nora pepper, the gelatin disc on top, a flake of poached cod, minced red pepper, a water soaked slice of spring onion, drizzled arbequenia olive oil, and a smidge of sal maldon (flaked crystal salt).

5 g. kappa
2 g. agar agar
por 1 litro, frio (for 1 liter)
levantar a 85°c (bring to 85°c on the stove)
pour out, 500 ml for a hotel pan
let rest
cut

Kappa para Arroz

2008-10-11T17:48:00.000-07:00

This is a neat trick to set the rice in a mold, just strong enough to break with a fork and it collapses.

1 litro caldo (liter stock) = 5 g. kappa; paint inside of mold with mixture

Caldo Pichon

2008-10-11T17:47:00.000-07:00

Pichon is a wild type of pigeon, tasty and served very med. rare.

Hibisco (hibiscus)
Frambuesas (raspberries)
Agua rosa-drops (rose water)
ajo (garlic)
romero (rosemary)
tomillo (thyme)

Espuma Queso de Cabra

2008-10-11T17:46:00.001-07:00

500 g. nata (heavy cream)
300 g. queso de cabra (goat cheese)
2 hojas gelatina (gelatin sheets)
10 min. @ 60° slow speed thermomix; as not to mount the cream
Sifon

This is served in a spoon on the side of the lamb sweetbreads starter.
Mollejas (sweetbreads) sauteed in garlic oil, add sliced ajo tierno (spring garlic), caramelized onions and lamb demi. Season and place in ring mold, garnish with fried ajo tierno. Some agridulce uvas (grapes marinated in vinegar and sugar).

Agua de Azafran - Xantana ratio

2008-10-11T17:27:00.000-07:00

Azafran (saffron)
H2O
en vacio (in vacuum), 3-4 horas (hours) @ 65°c

4 gramos de xantana para 250 ml liquado (4 grams xanthan gum for 250 ml liquid)
Add xantana and mix well with a burr mixer, hot or cold. Nice plating texture.
This ratio can be used with any liquid.

Mojito

2008-10-11T17:25:00.000-07:00

Sorbete de lima (lime sorbet)
first in glass

Gelatina de Ron, cubed (rum gelatin) on top of sorbet
250 g sugar
900 ml h20
350 ml rum, heat and add:
15 sheets gelatin

Espuma de menta, dispense with isi
infuse mint in water, add 7 sheets of gelatin for each liter.

Sal de lima (dried lime salt) sprinkled on top

Cabrito, what to do with a baby goat?

2008-06-17T10:46:00.000-07:00

Cabrito, en vacio

2008-06-17T10:41:00.000-07:00

Paella, the basics

2008-06-17T10:34:00.001-07:00

Can you smell it?

Paella, what is it all about?

2008-06-17T09:58:00.000-07:00

Sure, I thought I knew how to make a paella. That was back in the old days, living in Orlando, fresh out of culinary school with issued recipe in hand. I even rewrote that faithful diction down in my bible of need to know recipes. Then, in 2002, I went to Valencia and was treated to a true 'campo' paella...at a family's out of the city chill out spot. Amazing...this huge pan with rabbit, vegetables and that ever present Nora pepper in some form or another. Then, on subsequent visits there came the restaurant visits, at the beach or in the mountains. But it was not until I started working over here did I make my first one at home....which are always the best. First at Monastrell and then at Senzone did I learn to make and then get good at making them. Nothing beats a Sunday paella!!!!

finally some peace and quiet at work

2008-01-08T16:18:00.000-08:00

arrived today and it was sooooo quiet. A big change from the last couple of weeks. Tonight I started a veal glace, called either fondo or jugo de carne here. Some big bones today, roasted'em up real nice in the oven, leeks, celery, onions....no carrots used in this one, even though that is what I prefer. Also simmered with champinones, tomate, and shallotas after the initial straining of the bones. On the last go around its infused with rosemary and thyme.

Roscón de Reyes

2008-01-07T04:03:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my first Reyes, or Kings day here in Spain.....so Mette and I got a Roscón de Reyes, a special cake for the day. Inside there were three surprises, a king figurine which Mette found, making here king for the day :-), and I found the dried haba, meaning that I had to pay for the cake :-(. The other surprise was truely a surprise, a little Maggie Simpson figurine. Good cake, dipped in hot chocolate....I like some of these spanish traditions. The night before there was a huge parade in the city, on Alfonso el Sabio; unfortunately I decided to go to El Corte Ingles and got caught on the other side of the city for over an hour, trying to find a place to cross and get back home. The parade had a lot of floats with kids on them, throwing candy and small toys out to the thousands of people lining the street.
Now, we are enjoying a pleasant 3 day weekend at home together, after a long holiday 10 day seguido work week. Things should slow down a bit now, but we are also in for some interesting changes at the hotel next month, when Carmen the exec chef is going out on maternity leave for 4 months.

another day of prep for noche vieja

2007-12-27T16:38:00.000-08:00

Another day at the restaurant, everything is really falling into place for me there. It is the days after christmas, leading up to holy kings with new years eve in the middle. My first in spain. Now at work we are getting good business in the gastronomic restaurant, and every day the chef Carmen leaves me a healthy list of things to do for the dinner on noche vieja. Today it was to cook the cabrito (yes more) that my assistant, gloria, deboned and vaccumed up for me today. I also started some kind of weird stock that carmen asked me to do....the same recipe for jugo de carne (or glace de viande as I know it) but instead of animal bones, I was to use the rodaballo carcasses from the day. Hmmm a 24 hour stock with fish bones that is something new to me, but i am not one to judge before seeing what the heck she wants to do with that. I also started a cabrito stock as well. It seems I've asserted myself as the saucier there, which is fine with me cause I like to make that stuff. Care.

cabrito

2007-12-19T16:39:00.000-08:00

tonight at the restaurant it was lots of cabritos to debone, 8 more in addition to the 8 last week. their little smiling faces as they go into the stockpot, but they taste so good. It's for the dinner of new years eve at the hotel.

working as a chef, my first paid job in spain

2007-12-18T16:35:00.000-08:00

what has it been, 5 months since I posted? well time flies and I intended to do much more with this. After being on the beach all summer and enjoying all that Alicante has to offer, I couldnt resist and got back in the kitchen. I'm working as the chef of the Senzone gastronomic restaurant in the Hospes hotel here in the city. Its going great and I'm just starting to settle in. Here is the link to the Hospes website, http://www.fuenso.com/index.php?seccio=seleccio_hospes&idioma=en

Croissanteria Quintana

2007-06-28T06:22:00.000-07:00

Usually I am making a daily visit to here, my croissanteria, just up the street from the sausage place. So many delicious things to be had here, starting with their chapata bread. It is the best one that I've had in Alicante, for me anyway. Overall, I do not enjoy the bread of Spain as much as from some other places in the world. Just the proper crust on the top, flour dusted, just a nice Italian style roll. Then for breakfast, there are an unlimited amount of muffis, pastries, donuts, whatever you want. I could not find a link for here, but the address next store is 68, and it is on the Calle Quintana, just in from General Marva.

Salazones Quintana

2007-06-28T06:17:00.000-07:00

For sausages, meats, jamon, lomo, mojama, just about anything like this you want, the place to go is Salazones Quintana. Just a block behind our place, dont forget to take a number when you walk in, and the people that work there are more than happy to help you out. The best in Alicante as far as I am concerned, and the proximity does not hurt as well.

Salazones Quintana
C/ Quintana, 4003004 AlicanteTelf. 965 21 48 42Atencion al Cliente 900 71 31 55
Especialidad en Jamones, Quesos, Productos Ibericosy Salazones.

Denton for dinner

2007-06-28T06:14:00.000-07:00

What I thought was a very large and peculiar snapper was in fact Denton, a fantastic fish. Bought from Jose Zaragoza, the best large fish supplier in our Mercado, I put it with a cold salad of asparagus, green beans, orange supremes, julienne red pepper, along with some oh so special seasonings. It was delicious, and filling. Here it is as it hit the pan.

El Trestellador

2007-06-27T04:13:00.000-07:00

This place was visited by us and friends back in April, and is located near the town of Guadalest. The rice dishes were superb, and it is a beautiful and peaceful location to really enjoy. I was jonesing for some rabbit, that is in the picture below. A true paella....rice, garbanzos, red pepper, garlic...yum! Our friends ordered the Arroz, which as you can see is baked in the traditional ceramic dish instead of a paella pan. Great also! Look at that meat, the whole dish is just ooozing with flavor.

Address: Benimantell
Phone: 96 588 52 21
Directions: It is located just outside of Guadalest on the road to Benimantell,at the entrance of this village you can see a sign on the road with the name of restaurant to the left. About 1 KM from here.

Ca L'angeles

2007-06-27T03:56:00.000-07:00

Ok, to backtrack a bit, in April we went for a drive up to Polop, in the mountains surrounding Alicante. This is a Valenciano area, where said language is spoken. We just love it up here....and on our day trip, we went to this restaurant. It was Fantastic! Love it. The cuisine reflects the area, they have much more of an earthy mixture of food, where the sea is left behind. Pictured here is our roasted vegetable plate, spinach empanadas with quail egg on sundried tomato, and roast baby leg of lamb. The lamb pic is a bit blurry, I was so excited when it was put in front of me....and was Delicious. I can still taste the succulent juices on the plate.

Ca L'Angeles

País: España
Localidad: Polop (Alicante)
Dirección: Gabriel Miró, 12. En la carretera de Benidorm a Callosa d'En Sarriá
Teléfono: 965 870 226
Cierra: Martes

Katagorri

2007-06-27T01:46:00.001-07:00

It was a fairly normal day yesterday, foodwise, with the American breakfast of eggs over easy, bacon and toast with Camembert and jam. For lunch it was duck pate on toast, from our favorite sausage place.....Dinner....well I went shopping during the day, and got asparagus, green beans and a red bell pepper for a salad, along with lemon for the vin and oranges for segments. Also got 2 nice steak cuts of el pescado Denton....but alas after the beach and shopping around for a table for our tv, dinner at our favorite Pinxo restaurant, Katagorri, sounded just great. So the fish waits for tomorrow.We started off with some Pinxos....sliced baguette....one with a small amount of shredded lettuce, slice of tomato, slice of manchego, jamon, and a fried quail egg. Another with tuna salad and an anchovy on top. We also ordered some hot tapas, 2 sausages wrapped in a slice of zucchini with red pepper sauce on top, served with a few sliced potatoes and basil oil on the plate. Delicious! Also we shared a small concoction of tuna salad with tomato, sandwiched with a few white sardines (bocarones) on each side, baked in the oven. Tasty. Then we had lomo, wrapped around a stick of gouda cheese and a pimiento de padron, then itself wrapped in a slice of zucchini and served with same red pepper sauce. Then Joshua (sorry I dont remember how to spell your name properly!!) was working on a new dish of albondigas, made with some foie inside. He brought them out complimentary and that was a pleasant surprise. Served with mushroom cream sauce and a chive.Our shared entree was the striploin from buey, or a castrated ox, served over wedge sliced potatoes, pimientos de padron, roquefort cheese sauce on the side, garnished with basil oil (or chive oil). A fantastic finish. I think that I am going to work here for a bit after the summer.

They have another location in the Golf area of Alicante, but my favorite is the downtown one.

KATAGORRI C/ Portugal,29.Tlf: 965 926 008

http://www.katagorri.com/

Ok lets begin

2007-06-25T09:04:00.000-07:00

Not the best day to begin, but I have put this off long enough, its time to get down to business. Why not the best day? Because it is the first day after Hogueras, and I have forgotten to shop for today. Therefore the dogs are a bit hungry tonight, only half portions, and I went to the RESTAURANTE EL POLLASTRE ALICANTI that is just on the next block. Whole chickens, on a spit turning and turning, cooking and dripping fat onto the half potatoes below.....yum! Don't forget the alioli, it is not a complete meal without it. http://www.elpollastrealicanti.net/