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Posts Tagged "Stratford"
I have eaten out frequently my whole life and some meals are better than others. Every now and then, I have a spectacular meal either by attending a super nice restaurant or, just by accident, everything collides and a meal unexpectedly astounds me. I thought it would be interesting to try to make a list of my top 10 most memorable restaurant meals. I have placed them in chronological order. Some of these meals we have talked about for years or I have enjoyed the sweet aftertaste of the memory of them over time. For each, I can still remember how the flavors hit my tongue. The impermanence of art as food intrigues me. Sometimes everything just comes together as food and theater – something special happens with raw ingredients being transformed into a completely unique and dramatic experience. These are my top 10 most memorable restaurant meals. 1. The Tower Restaurant, London circa 1984. They served me the best scallops I have ever had–still, to this day. I was 16 years old and with my parents, and this was one of my first experiences with fine dining in a top-notch restaurant. I just couldn’t believe how good the food was. We had grilled scallops and I have been searching ever since for a scallop that comes close to how good they were. 2. Sadie’s Restaurant, Albuquerque, NM, circa 1987 when the restaurant was still in the bowling alley. The margaritas were psychedelic and the food was sublime. After 2.5 hours waiting for a table, I still remember how spectacular the flavors of the food were with the deep dark red chile and the papas (fried cubed potatoes). Sadie’s still has good food but the bowling alley days offered an unparalleled experience. 3. Sushi with Rich, 1992, Evergreen, Colorado. I had never really figured out how to “do sushi.” I was from New Mexico and although I had eaten Japanese food, sushi seemed too foreign and I didn’t really know how to order...
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Last night we had a meal that made my top 10 list. It was a meal like nothing I have experienced. Alexandre Gauthier came to the Stratford Chefs School bringing his front of house manager and his pastry chef. Gauthier is a Michelin Star chef with a restaurant called La Grenouillère. Sela was lucky enough to be the student chef during the dinner we attended last night. It was a snowy night but thanks to some great driving by our friend, we made it. There were 7 of us who added to the festivities, and the meal was a tasting menu that knocked our socks off. I can’t tell you how many courses there were. I can never figure out how to count the amuse-bouche at the beginning and the petit fours at the end. There were 12 distinct dishes that we ate plus delicious dark bread. There wasn’t a menu, just a list of ingredients and we continually got the unexpected. What we had: there was a corn tart, a veal and sardine tartar with cauliflower, scallop and avocado roll, a souffle with crab, beet ravioli with eel, a lobster salad, lamb with broccoli puree and wheat berries, an apple curl with celery cream, butternut squash ice cream with meringue, a strawberry gelée, and a truffle that exploded in my mouth. The pace was faster than any meal I have ever enjoyed and the drama of each course kept me on the edge of my seat. I felt excited each time a new course came out. I couldn’t wait for the description of what each dish contained and had to hold myself back. The colors and textures were striking and the uniqueness of each dish was remarkable. Several of the dishes were a little intimidating–it was a little scary to take the first bite of the blood red eel ravioli. But the flavors in each dish were so deep, rich, balanced and satisfying that the food provided a thrill and a world class...
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We have a big family excursion to Stratford Chef School today to experience my daughter’s first Stratford Chef School lunch. I have prepped everyone that we will leave very shortly after my return from yoga. It feels like I am taking a lot of time for me with yoga. I am not used to having so many activities just for me. It feels good and like I am prioritizing my health. Going first thing in the morning means not having to disrupt anyone else’s day. Also, it is hard to find distractions and conflicts at 6:30 am on weekdays or 8:00 am on weekends. I am feeling successful at setting my practice for the early mornings and sticking to it. I am usually up at 5 or 6 anyway so it really is a great time for me. I enjoy my workout. I am getting bendier. There are many of the poses I am better at but I am still struggling somewhat with Child’s Pose. It is hard for me to sit back on my knees. I do notice that when I am tired and am pushing myself, it hurts more to be on my knees. When I am rested and “fresh”–usually from an hour of Shavasana the previous day, my knees hurt less and I can do more on my knees. I take my towel “donut” every day and use it if I go down on one knee. It works. I am also starting to try to push back and sit further back in child’s pose, stretching out my knee. I have a sense I will eventually be able to sit back on my knees again. It will be a long, slow process, I imagine. Like what you are reading? Sign up for a free membership (Tire Kicker’s Membership) to the Crucible Bookii and be notified about new posts. Want to read all the content on the site and support this project? Sign up here for founding membership ($9.95 per...
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