Marcus Girard

So, you want to be a chef?

2012-02-05T09:02:00.000-08:00

This post is long overdue. Not so much because I’ve been neglectful of my blog, but because the opportunity to do this has presented itself and I chose to pass on it. I’ve desired, for quite some time now, to translate my experiences and opinions of the industry into text. It is my hope that I will be able to convey to you an important message about the hospitality industry, and that message is that the restaurant business isn’t fun and games, is very political and is not an easy place to work. I want you to see the dual sided nature of this beast and to understand what you are getting yourself into by investing a career in it. But first we need to define what it is to be a chef and how the word is applied in our culture. What is a chef? According to the food network generation (mostly baby-boomers) a chef is anyone who works in a kitchen in an establishment of some culinary merit. Do you work at a country club or at burger king? Most people don’t honestly believe this, though. This is just something they say when you discuss your occupation with them or when a family member discusses your occupation with other friend and co-workers. Most people believe that the chef is an individual whose primary concern is to create dishes and lead a team of cooks. Both theories are incorrect. The term chef describes a managerial position in the hospitality industry where-in the parameters of set job require writing and arithmetic skills as well as a wide array of food knowledge, the ability to maintain a constant supply chain of products entering and leaving your establishment with the addition of profits and losses. Cooking food makes up about 20% of what a chef does on a daily basis.

I am 23 years old and I would confidently say that few people my age have a tangible vision for their future. Most of us youngin’s care more about what they’re doing next weekend; let alone what they’re doing next year. Everything I will ever do in my career is been geared towards obtaining my objective lifetime goal, and here it is. I want to be a great father, and a great husband. I want to be remembered, not for any superficial reason like for winning an award or becoming a celebrity. I want to be remembered for changing the lives of the people around me for the better through my contributions, input, and understanding in a plethora of different situations. That is my formula for success in life. Translating that into a career setting is a bit trickier in my opinion. The basic formula for success in the hospitality industry is thusly; do the job properly + advertise yourself = success. These tasks will take years to hone and perfect.

I believe that both are equally important but the unfortunate reality is that some of the laziest people in this bizz’ have acquired success simply because they know how to advertise themselves and play proper politics. Some individuals have this uncanny perception of themselves, because of their talented ability to advertise, that they have become more than just an asset to a company/establishment, but a necessity to maintain stability and cohesion within the parameters of set business and they tend to take full advantage of it. I do not care for these individuals, but at the same time I do find advertising oneself to be of importance. So, I will preface this elaborated formula for success by beginning with techniques that will aid you in your “quest” to make people remember you in a good way. It all begins with how you talk to people. Are you outgoing or are you reclusive? Do you contain your personal opinions and emotions on a number of work/ personal related subjects, or do you let them loose on the people who occupy your work space? These factors will shine in the, if I may, “aura” that your personality emanates and intuitive individuals will quickly pick up on it. These are not easy questions to answer and will require deep contemplative reasoning in order to acquire objective answers. Also, what range of communication do you have? Are you bi/multi-lingual? Having a basic understanding of a foreign language can connect you to the people who inhabit your work area. Can you properly communicate with different kinds of individuals? What I mean by that is; do you have an understanding of both proper English etiquette and do you understand slang or individuals whose understanding of the common language is relatively poor. In my experience I’ve worked with people who couldn’t read and/or hardly speak the English language. Being able to understand, or at least pretend to understand, what they are saying will help to strengthen your work relationship with them. These factors are completely interpersonal and, although important, will only take you so far. You’ll need to begin networking in order to establish yourself in a desired region/city. Becoming a stagier (working for free), even if for only a day or two, is a great way to establish your name in a desired field and acquire new employment. If you’re interested in a particular city for employment get involved in that city’s food scene. Pick up a local newspaper or read your local iPhone app (if available) to see what’s happening in the future. Above all, don’t be afraid to talk to people. This is your career we’re talking about. Don’t let someone who has obtained success intimidate you into not pursuing a better tomorrow. This is just advice and I’m only pointing you in a good direction, but you’ll have to walk the route.

Advertising for some is all that is necessary to accomplish their goals in this industry, but I reject that notion outright. If you truly love food, honor and respect the concept of what it is to be a real chef, and live by standards of the soul and not of the purse then there is still more to be discussed. Honestly, I can’t in good conscious tell you what a chef is responsible for to the desired level of detail, because I am not a chef yet and I hold too much respect for the position to claim that I am well informed in this regard. Michael Ruhlman once said to me, after informing him during a book signing that I’m an avid food blogger, “Know what you’re writing about”, and I intend to stay true to those words. Though, something must be said about it. In this business you do or die, succeed or fail. “There is no try, there is only do”, and in this context there are certain expectations a future employer will have and if you are unable to meet those demands you will be let go. It’s just that simple. For instance, if your food cost is too high, because of over ordering or underutilization, there will be ramifications. Or if you are being unprofessional in any way, you could lose your employment. We all know this because these are the realities of lucrative employment, and the higher you go the harder, faster and more likely you will fall.

However, even if you are successful in your performance there is more to being a great chef than simply doing the job. Even if you’re the best in the world at expediting a hotline or keeping your food cost under 36%, you will still lack that necessary secondary component of what it is to be a great leader in a hospitality environment, which can be summed up in two words; interpersonal communication. Now what does that mean, you ask? Well, it describes your ability to communicate with the people around you, particularly the employees that you manage. Do you fight to strengthen those relationships with co-workers or do you use the people around you to vent your frustrations on? Do you to earn respect through kindness and cooperation or do you demand respect because your title or experience? These are questions you should be thinking about now. Success in this business is received through proper planning. “Life is what happens when you start making plans,” some say, but the life experiences of John Lennon probably won’t apply in your situation. If you want to be successful you’ll need to begin mapping goals for your career. Start with your primary goals. These can include ideas such as becoming an Executive Chef or essentially building a successful career. The next step is to formulate the necessary goals required to obtain set goal. If an EC position is what you’re looking for, helpful secondary goals could include taking your first management position as a way of building the practice experience required to obtain that position. Then you could map tertiary goals (ways of get to your secondary goal/goals) like obtaining a more diversified range of experience at your current level. These are just suggestions but this is a great technique for becoming the cartographer of your future, and you’ll need to stay focused and organized if you ever want to obtain the level of success you desire.

So now you know a bit more about whom a chef is and what it means to be a chef. Now let’s discuss the people who will inhabit your work space. It’s important to note that cooks and servers come in all shapes and sizes. I’ve worked with individuals who range in size from very large to skinny like me, people of all races and ethnicities as well as people of different sexual orientations. To me none of that really matters. I judge a fellow coworker by the content of his/her character. What kind of worker are you? If the answer is, "Who knows, I’ve never had a job before", then the restaurant business is probably not right for you, but who knows? Ladies out there, word of caution. The Hospitality industry, especially in the southern states, is still one of the most behind-the-scenes sexist areas of employment left in America. I am telling you this out of personal experience and not bias. I believe in gender equality and reject the notion that a female can’t do this job at the level that a man can. That being said, I’ve had individuals, who will remain nameless, say such things as and I quote, “Call me old fashioned, but I don’t think woman have any place in a professional kitchen”. Women are not treated well in this industry at a professional level and all I’m trying to do is motivate you to be better than the guy standing at your left and right. I know for a fact that woman can be great chefs; I had the pleasure of working with some incredibly gifted woman at culinary school.

Chefs are not limited in gender and also not limited to small scale restaurants. When you hear the term “corporate” you probably think of something like a Wendy’s of O’ Charley’s, but that is not all this setting has to offer. The term describes a more organized system of employment that embodies resorts, casinos, and clubs just to name a few. There are pros and cons to employment in these establishments over a small restaurant. The money is typically better and 40 hours a week is always guaranteed. Now this will be considerably different if you've obtained a title of sous chef or higher. Chefs and their Sous typically work around 60-80+ hours per week without overtime pay. Unfortunately, there are typically lower standards on food quality and creativity. Creativity is especially hindered in these establishments, because changes in menus have to go through a rigorous weave of bureaucracy. It all comes down to what your means are, but if you valued quality and creativity you may feel that your work leaves something to be desired. Just bear that in mind. Higher establishments such as resorts and casinos area bit different. Especially in a well operated casino, such as L'Auberge du Lac in Lake Charles Louisiana, utilize the income from the casino to make restaurants of merit. It allows the individuals responsible to have a bit more flexibility when coming up with new specials. In my opinion some of the best restaurants in the country operate within a hotel or resort of some kind. The biggest advantage of a corporate system is that there is a much higher respect for professionalism. I've worked in situations, within a small scale operation, where whenever an attractive woman passed by the open kitchen all of the cooks would gather and discuss how they would best fornicate with set individual/individuals. Maybe that's okay with you, but I have higher standards for kitchen etiquette.

Most people skip there education in pursuit of practical experience, which I find to be a method that makes success in this industry more difficult to achieve. I went the culinary school route and had one hell of a time while doing so. I also made valuable connections and valued friends and I can honestly say that it changed my life for the better, but it didn’t start there for me. My very first paying job was at a local sports bar in Midlothian, VA at a place called Mulligans Sports Grille. It was a modest culinary environment in comparison to what I was exposed to in culinary school, but provided me with the appropriate surroundings to formulate and hone the basic skills necessary to do the job properly. Skills like how to clean lettuce, cut vegetables, and cook steak. I was able to learn these necessary skills because of an old-school chef named Gene Smith who I've continued to work with after school. It was because of his input that I was able to view and understand the ins-and-outs of the restaurant environment, not just in the kitchen but in the front-of-house as well. The kitchen is a tough place to work and requires hard working individuals to keep the cogs turning. Out of this environment creates, what I like to call, real-world chefs. A RW chef has certain criteria for which he/she is looking for in an employee. These chefs revolve their search around experience, which is what got them into the positions that they currently hold. They pride themselves on their consistent kitchen performance and are not swayed by a culinary degree and will not trust a fresh CIA grad to be able to compete with the cook whose been doing the same job for 20+ years. This is the kind of chef that Gene is and haven absorbed that mentality, like from father to son so-to-speak, is what allowed me to have the correct mentality/mindset going into a “prestigious” and pseudo-elitist culinary school like The Culinary Institute of America (with all due respect of course).

In late July of 2009 I stepped foot onto the campus of The Culinary Institute of America for the long hall. A good two years of culinary exploration awaited me, an opportunity that some only dream of doing. Naturally I hit the ground running. I immediately got myself involved in a number of clubs including Chefs Sustaining Agriculture, The Gourmet Society, and (my favorite) the Avante-Garde Cuisine Society. It was here that I met valuable connects and did extensive networking in my spare time while also learning a wide about a vast array of modern and classical cooking techniques, wine and proper service techniques and etiquette. All in all it was awesome. I met people who I will cherish as strong individuals and even stronger friends. I will go further into the details of my time at school in my next post, but I’d like to talk about how those actions affected me following school. One of the reasons I stayed for so long at my first job was because I lacked the courage to talk to future employers. This is no longer an issue, for sure. I essentially became a man after college and I value that more than words can express. It may be expensive, but worth every penny. It also helped to expose me to the many media outlets that we consumers currently utilize. There are some major flaws in that department I’m disheartened to say.

The realities of the business are unfortunately not properly conveyed in the media outlets. It’s not the Chef Boyardee ( 30 people in pristine white chef coats and poof hats standing in a kitchen separately stirring a 2 quart batch of soup for 2 hours) or Rachel Ray's 30 minute meals (after of course 3-4 hours of prep before the show airs btw). The Food Network isn’t alone in this travesty. QVC has been hawking “Miracle Blades” with the help of oh so FAKE chef who goes by the name “Chef Tony” or as I call him “ChefWOW!” (Kudos if you get the reference). That man is a charlatan who dons a coat he most certainly did not earn. People like him add credence to the proposition that anyone wearing a chef coat is a full-fledged chef. This is an absolute outrage to newcomers like me, but it has its advantages. People like Emeril have popularized and created an atmosphere of respect and admiration to the profession. It wasn’t always this way. For many years a chef coat symbolized that you were a low class blue collar work hand. Now look at us. Food is no longer a chore, it’s an art. This exposure is what sparked my interest in the profession so I can’t be too upset about it.

So that’s it. It’s a tough life but it has its rewards. You get to create art on a daily basis and you can take pride in that hard work. I truly feel, at the end of each shift, that I earned my paycheck. Do you?

Future Travels: India

2011-02-10T16:16:00.000-08:00

Delhi, India

Recently, I've been contemplating the prospect of traveling to India in the future. I am now certain that I must make this idea come to fruition. The interest in traveling to another country has been on my mind for years, but never one particular country. I do want to one day travel to the lands of my ancestral origins; France and Germany, but now I'm getting off subject.

This interest in India began many years ago, when I was going through a time in my life where I was obsessed with The Beatles and their work. I came across a series of photographs of the band playing in white robes in a strange place. I later came to find that they traveled to India to play for the now late guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

Puris (Fried Indian Flat-bread)

Last year I took a cooking class a few weeks before I left for Louisiana called Cuisines of Asia's. The function of this class was to give us knowledge on the culinary culture of several foreign countries in the area of the world we know today as Asia. It was an introduction on the cultures of China, Japan, Korea and many others. Although most people in my class found inspiration from the China and Japan classes, my favorite class days where unfortunately my last 3 days of the class. We studied the food of India, in all its splendor. We were basically given an introduction on Indian food in this class, which was understandable considering the short time span. In hindsight I consider that truly unfortunate, but don't think I didn't get my tuition's worth! I learned how to make dishes like; Tomato Dal Rassam, Pork Vindaloo with Puris, Tandoori Chicken with Mango Chutney, Indian battered fish with nann, Lamb Shorba Soup and many more. We also got to try some amazing Chai tea, (so good). I think my true passion when it comes to Indian food is the bread. I love Indian breads because they are so flavorful and simple to make. I believe that freshly cooked nann is the tastiest bread in the world. This class was a great introduction to the passion that I now share for India and its food.

Chai Tea (Infused Milk Tea)

But that's not all. I would say the main reason why I have recently gained a passion to go and experience the culture of India is do to my good friend Vam, particularly Vam's mother's cooking. Any time Vam would call me to hang out I would go way out of my way to make the hangout session a reality. The reason for that is of course because Vam is a good friend and interesting to hang with. Also, he shares a similar opinion of film that I do among other things. But a big plus for those hang out sessions is getting to eat his mothers home made Indian food. Now I'm hooked.

May I Take Your Order?

2011-01-21T18:37:00.000-08:00

Today I had an epiphany. I am currently serving at St.Andrews Cafe at the Culinary Institute of America, which has casual food and a semi-formal environment. To preface this, I have my reservations about serving. I don't find it that necessary that I pay for and learn a skill that I hate doing and will never utilize in the outer world. I can get by on a whim and if necessary I can preform the job to an ability that is quite professional. That is all the training I need in life, in my opinion. As I was thinking about the happenings of the service today I realized something about our generation. We order our food differently than the previous generations.

Here's what happened: there was an elderly couple who came in today and gave me nothing but trouble. They were the quintessential annoying guests. So overly needy about every little aspect of their self important food eating experience. To start, I had the misfortune of having turnover multiple times in my section, so that made me extremely busy, while my partner and many other people stood around and watched me shuttle from table to table getting drink and food orders, setting up new silverware, refilling bread and drinks, etc. To my defense I did my best, I was dead tired from running around for my guests and I couldn't keep up...fuck day 1's. Whatever mistakes I made to anger the couple were the result of my busyness and relying on a partner who will remember to give a table their food, but not remember the silverware. However, the occurrence that really elevated the bad situation was the following; The gentleman asked for a dessert menu for him and his wife. I brought over the menus and let them look at them. I then proceeded to get so busy dealing with another asshole who doesn't know what a mussel beard looks like that I forgot to ask them couple about their dessert order. Now, this shouldn't have been a problem. I told my partner to ask for their orders, but apparently he is still afraid to talk to the guests, come on! I then proceeded to jumble my words while asking them for their orders. So...here is where the heart of the problem lied. The gentleman proceeded to tell me that he wanted a bread pudding, [but] he was so stuffed that he would have to eat it at home. He then said that he was not going to enjoy the dish unless he ate it here. All the while I'm thinking, "Just fucking order already, it should take you 5 seconds to order this!". He then said that he would like one for his wife, so I put in an order for 1 bread pudding, sounds reasonable right? Well, apparently the gentleman wanted that bread pudding and was waiting for it to be produced for like 25 minutes. He then came up to me and I told him my perception of his words to his disdain. Did you're Alzheimer's kick in and you forgot that you didn't want the dish or did that jumble of words equal "i want this" to you? At this point I was furious with him. I just busted my ass to make your experience as pleasant as possible. It was my first day and you should have known that. You've only been coming to the school to eat for the last 50 years!

Long story short this experience has made me think about my young and culture and how we order our food. Chefs are so proud they will never admit they eat at McDonald's. We all do, their is nothing to be ashamed of, because we are all in on it. The reason why is a completely different issue that involves food politics and one company's ability to market their products to a child market who would then grow up on that product. We eat at McDonald's because it is inexpensive, quick, and the portions are large, it's as simple as that. I have grown up eating fast food and have learned the science of ordering meals from these companies. I know off the top of my head that at McDonald's; a #10 is Chicken McNuggets, #1 is a Big Mac, #11 is Chicken Selects, etc. "Welcome to McDonald's, may I take your order?" "Yes, I'd like a number one large with a coke..." The number system is standard in the 21st Century, and so are the ironically named "value meals".

In a southern diner they say, "Hey hun watcha want?" and we young people will respond something like this; " I'll have three pancakes and a glass of OJ, please". Not old people however. Their response will go down something like this, "Yes, I have a question about the wheat used in your famous pancakes..." You catch my drift? We are and impatient generation, respectively. We don't need to ask questions about simple food. Unless your a REAL celiac or have some serous REAL allergy you are basically an asshole to the server. I cannot emphasize REAL enough, because there are people who claim to be allergic to beef out there because they are jackasses.

Last Year's Travels

2011-01-21T15:10:00.000-08:00

Until recently I hadn't paid any mind to the increase in travel I had been doing the previous year. I have honestly covered a lot of the US in just the past year. It all started when I traveled to New York for school July of 09. I spent over 4 months away from my family, the longest extended time period without seeing them. Last March I traveled from New York back to Richmond and then to Lake Charles Louisiana. While I was in LA I was doing a culinary externship at a Casino Resort called L' Auberge Du Lac for about 20 weeks. While I was in the area I visited New Orleans often. When all of that ended I flew to Palm Springs, California to visit my Uncle. On the trip we drove to Ocean Beach, San Diego, California and stayed there for a week. I came back home in July and went back to school in New York in August. In September I drove to Washington DC so with a friend so he could visit another friend. It's been really exciting making so much progress.

....And at this rate it doesn't look like it's gonna be any different this year.

Wines Class: Week One

2010-12-11T20:31:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone. I wish I had the time to write more entries, so for that I apologize. Now, a lot has happened since my last entry. I have returned to school and I am currently learning about wine in Wine Studies class at The Culinary Institute of America. My professor's name is Steven Weiss, A highly knowledgeable sommelier, who makes classes fun and interesting and makes me want to learn more about the subject. I just want to make note of a few things that we have been doing in class this past week.

So far our main focus up to this point is learning about all of the various wine terms, understand how to pair wine, and have knowledge of the many New World wine regions and understand what wines work well in each region. Terms to understand include; battonage, fermentation, lees, must, Brix, phyloxera, still wine, tannins, vitis labrusca, trellising, vitis vinifera, carbonic maceration, malolactic fermentation, botrytis, chaptalization, rootstock, terroir, crossover wines, decanting, priming, among many others. We learned about Heat Summation, Meritage & Rhone Rangers, Method Champenoise, Transfer Method, Charmat Method, x Brut, Brut, x Dry, Sec, Demi-Sec and Doux. We also learned about the various AVA's for the 2 major coast of California, and other inportant regions including, Oregon, Washington, New York, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand. We learned about wine laws for these areas.

Learning terms isn't the only activities involved in this class. Every day we do anywhere from 8 to 11 tastings of wine. To name them all would be madness, but there were a few that really stood out for me. Friday we paired our wine with a meal from any of the kitchens open. I got the Trucha a la Navarra de Fabada from Chef Zifcheck's "Meds" class. The wine I believe best paired with my dish was a Rose du Mas, Mas de la Dame, Estate Bottled, La Boux de Provence, France 2009. An absolutely wonderful Rose! I felt that the backdrop of light tannins, found in the rose, helped to cut the fat of the serrano ham on the Trout.

That's it for now. I'll be studying the next 2 days for my first test on Tuesday. Wish me luck!

2010 Chefs To Watch Dinner, New Orleans

2010-09-03T09:23:00.000-07:00

Hey! It's been illegally too long since my last post, before my culinary externship actually. I spent 5 months in Louisiana learning modern french, creole and Cajun cuisine and I must say, It was a blast. Actually the purpose of this post is to tell y'all about what I did during my last visit to New Orleans. My externship site bought me a plane ticket, a 4 1/2 star hotel room and dinner when I returned to Louisiana to help chef Matthew Beaudin with his honor: The 2010 Chefs to Watch Dinner. Chef Matt was named one of the top 5 chefs in Louisiana in Louisiana Cookin' Magazine. Each of the 5 chefs brought there crews and they all had to produce 2 dishes: a passed appetizer and a course. The courses had already been determined before the photo shoot 2 months prior. We did a passed app of crawfish grilled cheese with sourdough and Havarti cheese, and a Vietnamese/Creole Pho with broth, greens and sausage. We worked individually to prepare our dishes, but come time for service we all worked collectively to get the food to the dinners. It was cruel fun and I would love to do it again!

2010 Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off

2010-06-01T20:02:00.000-07:00

Époisses de Bourgogne

2010-03-20T10:44:00.001-07:00

Époisses de Bourgogne is a traditional perennial French raw milk cheese with a characteristic orange exterior, strong odor, and runny interior. Époisses cheese is considered the second smelliest cheese on earth, second to only the infamous Vieux-Boulogne. The odor emitted from this wash-rind cheese is so strong that reportedly it has been banned from French public transport. To the average consumer the intense smell can be overwhelming, while to the cheese connoisseur it is considered culinary gold. The cheese gets its name from the region of France that it originates from. Époisses is located in the commune of Côte-d'Or in Bourgogne région of Central France, halfway between Dijon and Auxerre. The cheese has been made there since at least the 1700s, and is said to have been a favorite of Napoleon's. Many other famous French food critics and personalities have been fans of Époisses cheese. Jean Brillat-Savarin, the famous epicure and gastronome, classed it as the "king of all cheeses". In Burgundy, France the cheese is often compared to two well known French historic personalities. Époisses has the bold flavor and force of Charles le Téméraire (Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy), and has the mild sensibility of Madame de Sévigné.

Époisses cheese is one of several washed-rind cheeses with monastery origins. At the start of the sixteenth century, the village of Époisses was home to a Cistercian community, or Christian monks, at L'Abbaye de Citeaux that began production of the cheese due to a need to supplement the flavors of meat into their diet without consuming flesh. Over a period of two hundred years the monks perfected the process, adding unique techniques to the process. Fearing German occupation of France, the Cistercian community fled the area. When the community fled, they left local farmers their recipe and techniques which would continue to develop over the next century. Although popular at the start of the 20th century, with over 300 farms manufacturing the cheese, production had all but died out by the end of the Second World War.

In 1956, a cheese-maker name Robert Berthaut and his wife began to make Époisses, as well as other traditional cheeses. Certain traditional French cheeses, such as Époisses, had practically vanished and he was concerned about their well being. After years of improving the product, while still maintaining traditional integrity, Berthaut Époisses is one of the best in the world. Today the Berthaut label is associated with Époisses cheese made in the traditional style. The company also makes a version which is acceptable for sale in the United States, since the milk is heated enough to kill potentially harmful bacteria. Some producers also label the cheese Époisses de Bourgogne, to indicate that it is an authentic Époisses cheese from Burgundy. In 1991, the cheese was awarded an Appellation of Controlled Origin, to preserve its history and integrity and to codify it as a uniquely created cheese.

Just as important as how the cheese is made are what species of animal was it made from, what kind of milk was it made from, how it was extracted and how it was handled. The cows that produce the milk responsible for the terroir of Epoisses are Brune cow and/or the Montbeliarde Simmenthal French cow. These cows are typically raised on the farms with the milking cows. There are all made to graze for the months on burgundy soil. This is what gives the cows of Burgundy that unique terroir. The cows are feed on a diet of hey a Burgundy grass until they are ready to be milked. Once old enough to be milked, the cows begin the milking process. They will continue to be milked until they reach a certain age, where there milk is no longer the quality desired. Typical farms let the cows graze with there offspring until they die. Once the milk is extracted it is taken to the manufacturing center to be processed into delicious Époisses cheese.

During the production of the cheese, whole milk is heated to around 30°C/86°F, with the milk's coagulation being performed by lactic acid, and continued to cook for 16 hours. Epoisses is one of the few cheeses with characteristics derived from the slow coagulation of 16 hours or more. This slow fermentation process allows for the development of lactic acid. The fragile curds are drained in moulds, and the whey is then allowed to run off. A technique called hand-ladling the curds into the moulds gives the cheese its unique texture. Around 48 hours later, after the curd has firmed, the cheese is removed, salted with dry salt, and placed on racks to dry. Once dry, they are moved to cellars to mature. Each is rinsed up to three times per week in a mixture of water, saline (optional) and Marc de Bourgogne, a pumice wine brandy praised by the local Bourguignon over the finest cognacs. The brandy gives the rounds of Époisses unusually delicate flavors and scents, and is the primary source of the cheese’s strong pungency. This is due to the bacteria reacting with enzymes found in the cheese. It is then brushed by hand to spread the bacteria evenly over the surface of the cheese. As the cheese ages, over a required period of at least 6 weeks, the bacteria and yeast cause the exterior of the cheese to turn a reddish-orange color. After the six weeks of aging the cheese is packaged in small round wooden boxes. The cheese can be sold in two forms: a smaller size (Weight of 250 to 350 grams, diameter 95 to 115 mm and height 30 to 45 mm) or a larger size (Weight of 700 to 1,100 g, diameter of 165 to 190 mm and height 30 to 45 millimeters). The cheese is covered in perforated plastic to allow the cheese to breath. Once opened, the cheese will keep for 30 days in a cool area. In the United States, where raw milk cheeses are banned unless they have been aged for at least 60 days, a pasteurized version of Epoisses cheese is available with a much less vibrant flavor.

The smell of Époisses is quite something to behold, a scent that can easily overpower the strongest wines. Caution must be made when indulging in this cheese. Not just with the eating of the cheese, but also the storing of it. If you left this cheese uncovered in a refrigerator, your entire cooler will permeate of Époisses. All smelly cheeses should kept in an airtight container, and if possible in a separate storing facility. This permeating stench has made quite a fuss in France, where is has been banned from transport in public transportation. Epoisses is a champion among smelly cheeses. Wine and Spectator Magazine listed it among their top ten stinky lists. During an experiment on the smelliest cheeses at Cranfield University Dr. Stephen White, the senior research officer at Cranfield University, said, “The smelliest cheeses were washed rind cheeses”. During this study Sylvain Gaugry of Laiterie de la Côte described as being: “intriguingly complex in flavor, with an elusive, buttery, sensuous fragrance that is like white truffles in the mouth”.

The crust of Époisses is smooth or slightly wrinkled, shiny, ivory-colored orange to brick red depending on the maturity of the cheese. This color is due exclusively to the pigment surface bacteria, and no dyes may be used to alter the color of the exterior. The dough is light beige, soft, smooth, and slightly salty. This texture is due mainly to the 50% fat content this cheese contains. A good Époisses cheese will smell pungent, and will resemble a gooey paste when cut open. A ripe Epoisses smells of mushrooms, meat, and garlic. The cheese is often served with spoons, so that consumers can spoon the cheese out onto hearty artisan breads served with fruits. The cheese may also be paired with strong red wines and spicy white wines. The rind itself is perfectly edible and it is suggested that you indulge in the crunchy rind to contrast the creamy interior.

The freshness of the cheese is determined by a few factors. The exterior should be firm but not brittle. Once cut, the cheese should maintain its structure and slowly begin to run, somewhat like the texture of egg whites beaten to soft peeks. If the cheese smells strongly of ammonia or is intensely runny, it is no longer good to eat and it should be discarded. This could be a sign of improper craftsmanship, over fermentation, or old age.

Époisses cheese is best indulged in with the help of breads, wines, fruits, and nuts. While the smell of the cheese can be overpowering, the flavor is quite mild. Époisses should be spooned on firm breads like fresh French baguette or firm Sourdough slices. When considering wines you have to take into consideration the intensity of the odor, which will make pleasant wine flavors and nuances nearly undetectable to the untrained palate. A Pinot Gris or Riesling from Alsace is said to have the intensity to stand up to the strong pungency of Époisses. Staying with the local theme, many people enjoy this cheese with a Red Burgundy, even though the cheese easily overpowers it. Sauternes, a popular French dessert wine, is also said to go really well with the wine. Others enjoy this delectable cheese with a nice Chassagne-Montrachet, which is said to perfectly balance the flavors. Fruit is also essential in the pairing process. Somewhat acidic fruits such as figs, pears or apples perfectly cut the odor of the cheese and add a great balance to the pairing. Nuts such as walnuts, pecans, almonds or hazelnuts add a certain earthiness to the pairing.

Unfortunately, if you live in the United States you will not be able to experience the complete flavor of an Époisses de Bourgogne. In the U.S. there are strict laws prohibiting the sale of cheeses made from un-pasteurized milk, which is to the detriment of the consumer. When you pasteurize the milk you remove so much from the cheese, it’s like rinsing with water a recently roasted pepper. When you eat cheeses with un-pasteurized milk you are taking a gamble with your health that many people are willing to take. It’s the gamble of flavor of health; you decide which is more important. At this point in time the nearest producer of tradition Époisses is Fromagerie du Marché Atwater in Montreal.

In order for the cheese to receive the title of Époisses de Bourgogne, and be certified by the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (controlled term of origin, AOC), the cheese-maker must follow a strict set of production guidelines. Milk production, manufacture and ripening of cheese must be made within the geographical area that covers the territory of the following townships: Arnay-le-Duc, Bligny-les-Beaune, Liernais, Pouilly-en-Auxois, Dijon, Gevrey-Chambertin, Grancey-le-Châtearuneu, Is-sur-Tille, Seine-Saint-l'Abbaye Selongey, Sombernon, Aignay-le-Duc, Chatillon-sur-Seine, Laignes, Montbard, Saulieu Semur-en-Auxois, Venarey-the-Laumes , Vitteaux, Auberive, Prauthoy, Avallon, Guillon, and L'Isle-sur-Serein. Also, the milk must be produced from weaned heifers and dry cows, particularly the species Brune cow and/or the Montbeliarde Simmenthal French cow. The milk must be coagulated with the use of lactic acid for around 16 hours. The bacteria must be spread by hand to ensure even coating. The cheese must be washed with a mixture of water and Marc de Bourgogne, while washing with saline is optional. The A.O.C. also regulates the amount of daily intake the cows can take in on a daily basis, as well as what they are allowed to eat.

Production aside, the most important element to this cheese, and not to mention most foods in the world, is its terroir. The term terroir basically refers to the origin or soil of the place. An item that grows in the soil of France is going to taste different than something grown in Spain. Similarly, the milk that is used to produce Époisses de Bourgogne comes from cows that graze on Epoisses soil, which uniquely alters its flavor profile. The region is characterized by vibrant lush meadows with seasons of excessive rainfall during the spring and early summer. Meadows of lush greens and reds paint the landscape. The soil of the area is rich in “barrier reef” deposits, which is what adds the characteristic salty flavor of this pronounced cheese. The milk is also protein rich which makes the cheese so hearty and delicious. All of these factors are key elements in producing the cheese as it was meant to be, producing it in a manner that monks of L'Abbaye de Citeaux knew for so many years, as well as in the manner that Robert Berthaut lived for and perfected.

A Feast of Friends

2009-10-23T08:17:00.001-07:00

This is yet another overdue blog, but I've been busy lately. I hope to make emends with this. So far I have yet to have a teacher who didn't spark my culinary curiosity in some shape or form. One chef in particular had a very stern impact on how I view food. Chef Gerard Viverito was my Seafood ID & Fabrication instructor and he not only introduced me to the proper techniques of fabricating fish, but something a bit more political. You see, chef Viverito is a man who strongly supports sustainability, thinks the sea is the ultimate harbinger of sustainable food, and is strongly apposed to the consumption of mammals. He introduced me to the situation regarding the over fishing of the majestic Bluefin Tuna. He also introduced me to the film Our Daily Bread, a movie difficult to explain. I say see it for yourself. It is a real life horror film, and the humans are the villain. What we are willing to do for food is deplorable. Alas, that is the human philosophy. The belief that any minute convenience is worth the immense suffering of others.

Biltmore Express!

2009-08-23T17:02:00.001-07:00

Although my I won't be externing until spring of next year, I have taken the liberty to research and hopefully secure an externship site now. Of course, I have already found the site where I have to go. I am planning to extern at the Biltmore Estate in Ashville, NC. i believe that by taking the initiative i can extern where i want, instead of doing what most of my classmates do and wait until the last month before their extern date. i have my reasons for wanting to go here as apposed to some Michelin stared restaurant. Hey, if I had the cash in my pocket I probably would, but this is just too good of an opportunity to pass up for someone like me. You see, it's not so much that they pay well, and that they provide housing, or that they have one of the most beautiful locations in America. Well, I'm being disingenuous. Those are important reasons, but the main factor that pushes me in this direction is that they will rotate me through 4 different restaurants. Each restaurant will provide me with ample opportunities to learn, that I couldn't get by staying with one restaurant that will just pimp me out for 4 months. That plus they have one of the best wine selections in America, and youz know how much I lovez me some wine.

The making of a Ruhlman

2009-08-20T20:43:00.000-07:00

Recently after class the famed culinary author Michael Ruhlman graced our presence at the Culinary Institute of America. He was here advertising his new novel Ratio, and I was bale to pic up one of his books and get it signed by the man himself. I picked up The reach of a chef, which talks about his experience at the French Laundry and about his time at the CIA. I literally had to stand in line for 2 hours. When I got my turn to get a book signed I asked the man, "What advice would you give an aspiring food writer?". He paused momentarily and said, "Know what you're talking about, and write every day." Gotcha buddy! It was so nerve racking asking the man a question like that. I left with my head held high.

Benmarl Winery & Tasting

2009-08-17T11:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took a trip, with my fellow classmates, to Benmarl Winery in Marlboro, NY. Benmarl is the site of the oldest winery in America, I would later discover. Located in the heart of the Hudson Valley, which can easily be considered the Napa Valley of the east coast, this beautiful winery stands grand upon a hill of green, purple and blue. The Gm took me, and my classmates on a tour of the facility. We began with a tour of the grapes. Due to the heat we opt to see the grapes graced by shade. The gentleman gave a brief history of the small area and the grapes grow in house. This particular vineyard specializes in growing Baco Noir grapes, which have a high acidity level. This high level of acidity makes wine making a difficult process, but after years of careful cultivation, the wine makers here are able to make lovely wine with that "kick". We then saw the vats where the grapes are crushed, then the room where the fermentation process takes place, then the bottling and labeling areas. The most exciting part of this was seeing the french oak barrels, which is where the wines are let to sit to pick up oak flavors and to continue fermenting. And then we taisted. We began with the ’08 Pinot Grigio, which tasted of pears. Next, we tasted the ’08 Traminette, which tasted of peach. Next, we tasted the ’08 Estate Baco Noir, which was acidic, but enjoyable. Next, we tasted the ’08 Zinfandel, which had a nice finish. Next, we tasted the ’08 Riesling, which was sweet and acidic. I of course had to bring with me a bottle of the Traminette, it was just too satisfying to leave in the valley.

Movable Beast Farm & Pot Luck

2009-08-10T11:04:00.000-07:00

I really do love this school. Where else would I have just easy access to places like this. I recently visited Movable Beast Farm in Accord, NY, where they raise grass fed beef. After reading Michael Pollan's An Omnivore's Dilemma and learning about sustainable agriculture, I have changed dramatically in my understanding and opinion of the food business. In it he talks about how words like "organic" refer to the care of animals in a much less respectable light. Organic, as it were, is just a word that business men use to sell produce, and that the animals do not benefit form these words. So it's a breath of fresh air to see some cows that get to be cows, and that they are treated humanly. The family, who own the farm, live in a large beautiful house in the center of the farm. The family consisted of a man and a women of Sicilian descent, which was quite the trip because one of the Chef's Sustaining Agriculture board member's parents are from the same village of Sicily as the residents. They are lovers of food and animals and they allow Francesca and her husband to care for the animals. Francesca talked to us about the breads of cow they raise, and how they raise them. After the tour we all sat down and had a meal. We each brought some seasonal produce or dish to the pot luck and shared it with the others. 2 teachers from the school were there as well. Professors Raider and Vergilli came along, and Vergilli brought some of his Chateau Vergilli wine. The day ended spledidly and good times were had by all!

An Omnivore's Dilemna

2009-08-08T15:41:00.000-07:00

"It's the evocative pros as much as anything else that makes this food really special elevating an egg, or chicken breast, or a bag of arugula from the realm of ordinary protein or carbohydrates to a much headier experience, one with complex aesthetic emotional and even political dimensions. Take the "range feed" sirloin steak I recently eyed in the meat case. According to the brochure on the counter it was formally part of a steer that spent his days living in beautiful places, ranging from plant diverse high mountain meadows to thick aspen groves and miles of sagebrush filled flats. Now, a steak like that has got to taste better than one from Safeway, where the only accompanying information comes in the form of a number. The price I mean, which you can bet will be considerably less, but I'm evidently not the only shopper willing to pay more for a good story." - Michael Pollan

My Arrival

2009-07-28T08:33:00.000-07:00

I have arrived. I recently got settled in my dorm at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and I love it here. Plus, my dorm has a beautiful view of the Hudson River and all of the mansions across the river. That is completely apropos considering the air of luxury that this institute embodies. From its beautiful scenic location to the Ivy League quality education, this place seems right for me.

I want to be a great chef one day and considering that the majority of the great American chefs went here it was a no-brainer that I had to come and study here. I've only been here a few days and they're already pumping that "best Culinary school in the world" jive right down my throat, and I don't blame 'em. This school is not only beautiful, it also has the largest staff of master chefs in the world. Not to mention that some of the best produce passes through these lovely halls of amber and stone. What a treat.

Let me give you a somewhat brief tour of the facility. The picture above was not taken from my camera, because my camera doesn't exist at the moment, lol. What you're looking at, in the foreground, is the Anton Plaza. I am lucky enough to be here not before or during it's construction, but after. It was only finished about 4 years ago, so that's cool. In the background is the front of the Roth Hall, our main building. Yes it is big. This school, located on the Hudson Valley, was once a Jesuit monastery. It's even more compelling from the inside. Unfortunately, unless I sneak a picture I won't be able to show you what it looks like. Just take my word for it, it's amazing. Also, the pic above, with the gold and crimson red restaurant is one of 5 on campus restaurants, called the Ristorante Caterina De' Medici. It has one of the best menues, not to mention an artistic brick oven with flames on it. Cool!

First Wine Purchase

2009-07-06T22:53:00.000-07:00

I love food but I also have a strong interest in wine and how wines pair with food. The only problem with liking wine is it's hard to appreciate something your government doesn't what you to have. So when I turned 21 this past week my first endeavor was to go and buy my first bottle of wine. So exciting, right?

Now, recently a local market full of fresh, and in some cases rare, ingredients has opened near my home. I mean, at what Food Lion can you get fresh wild salmon? They also have a very nice selection of wines, so that's definitely where I'm going to get my produce. So last Friday I took my ma, who is also an avid food & wine enthusiast, to this wonderful place. I told her, "Ma, I'm lookin' for wine today." In the store the wine is kept on large dark oak cabinets tilted back to show off the wine. It was all completely level so no worries there. We passed by some strange looking wine with a flame on the bottle. Maybe I'll review that one some time. But, that's not what I wanted, not this day. I had always pictured wine in a more traditional sense, so that's how I wanted my first wine to be. Ironically that's not what I got, but to my advantage I passed by a wine with a very peculiar name. Fat Bastard Shiraz, yeah. So of course I got it, hah.

I'll be honest, I don't have any idea what a "full bodied" wine means, but when I go off to school soon I certainly will. Hopefully as I assert myself into the fray of the culinary world I will become an expert on wine. This blog isn't my pundit opinion the matter. I just want to tell you my raw feelings on it. I liked it and I recommend it to anyone. I picked this one up for only $8.99, what a bargain!