I still remember my first batch of wasabi mashed potatoes, wayyy back. The slightly spicy, green-hued potatoes represented the big trend of the day; Asian Fusion, a culinary movement of the 90s defined by its East-meets-West mix of ingredients and techniques. Some restaurants that had been around for years had to include ingredients like soy, ginger or wasabi or install five woks to stay really contemporary and popular; the same way that a restaurant today must nod to sustainable ingredients to be trendy.
Wolfgang puck is credited with starting the culinary food style at his Chinois on Main in Santa Monica in 1983. Before long, every chef was dumping sesame oil on this, and infusing lemongrass with that... oftentimes with silly, and overly complicated results. Though the culinary trend appeared promising in the hands of a capable chef, it overall was an epic fail for most.
By the late 90s, Asian fusion had become a culinary punch line, not "fusion" but "confusion". Well guess what? It's back man! This time around, it's less about gimmickry and more about cleverly combining traditional Japanese, Korean, and Chinese flavors with local ingredients.
My mother and I were watching the cooking channel the other night, and we saw a prime example of this; kimchi quesadillas from Los Angeles food truck Kogi, and the roasted brussels sprouts with Benton's bacon, apples and bonito from New York's Momofuku. Today's chefs would never describe what they're doing as Asian fusion (it's a freggin dirty word these days man)... but rather, American Cooking; a melting pot of culinary traditions, a fusion of global flavors.
This past weekend I had the chance to produce some fusion dishes at Santangelo's. Some amazing items were sold like; Philly Cheesesteak on bao buns with sriracha, curry chicken pot pie, soup dumplings with sweet onion and Gruyere, sake mussels with miso, braised lamb cannelloni with chili garlic sauce, honeycrisp apple, and mizuna... and my favorite, crab wonton tacos... nomnoms of the month in my book. And they all sold great, Fusion is back... DUDE... ;)
Question of the week:
"Dear ChefMez, I'm from a generation that grew up thinking draft beer was the way to go. It was supposed to taste fresher, and had a certain snob appeal. Now, though, I'm hearing canned is better. Is there a definitive answer?" signed, BEERGOGGLES
Dear Beer,
Remember when beer, unlike that oh-so-fancy beverage, wine, was the "easy" drink of choice? One went to the supermarket, chose a six pack or a case, stuck it in a koozies, and gulped brew down with little thought as to aroma, flavor, or texture. If it was ice-cold, it was good beer. Today, there's a beer on the market from just about every country and state, American craft brewery is on the rise, and consumer knowledge is growing. Those are all good things. As for the best container to enjoy beer from; can, bottle, or keg... well, there's no short answer. Cans may look unsophisticated, but they are eco-friendly and keep out light, the cause of skunky, stinky, dank beer. That's not to say that bottled beer is bad, but that storing it out of direct sunlight is crucial. Then there's beer on tap. Kegs are impervious to light and air, which is why people say key beer is fresher than the stuff from a can or bottle. However, the plastic line that runs from the keg to the spout can be a problem. Over time, those lines can grow bacteria and become lined with "beer stone" (aka calcium buildup), which results in nasty tasting beer. Keg lines should be cleaned at least once a month; more often if beers are being changed up routinely. You can't really know how often people are doing this unless you ask.
Sincerely,
ChefMez
Post your questions in the comment section below or send them to my email @ Mezmerizer03@hotmail.com ... If I chose your message I will come up with a funky nickname for you when I post the answer on the blog to keep you anonymous. (because, well... there may not be millions of followers here but there are potentially many viewers of this blog)... If you don't care and want your name up on my blog, just let me know in your message.
Restaurant review of Santangelo's by the Post Standard
Overall an excellent review, and I was in the tall grass all weekend because of it. Thanks Denise!
follow all of Denise Owen Harrigan's local restaurant reviews by clicking here.
See you guys next week... Just to update you guys on the wedding plans, I've been researching and looking through the available caterers for the Arrowhead Lodge. The date is set to December 27th, 2011. My fiancee has been doing amazing, her and I have gotten our invitations squared away, centerpieces, and we've been narrowing down the honeymoon search. Post your favorite idea for a honeymoon location and we'll check it out! It's also my woman's birthday this week, so you can give her a "happy birthday" here and I'll pass it along to her.
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