Edible flower pastes are a great way to distill the flavors and colors of edible flowers into a form usable in simple syrups (how to make flower simple syrups), sorbets and compound butters (flavored butters).  Below you’ll find recipes for pansy paste and rose paste. Flower Paste Recipes: Pansy Paste Recipe Pansies have a delightful …

Searing scallops is one of the simplest methods to prepare them.  The goal is to get a golden brown, flavorful crust on the outside while leaving the inside exquisitely tender.  Below is the method we use for our fresh sea scallops. Drink Pairing (with below side): Pinot Gris Directions: 1. If they’re still attached, remove …

Dry aging beef  allows naturally occurring enzymes to break down molecules within the muscle into more flavorful & tender forms.  While you probably want to leave extended dry aging to experts with specially built facilities, it’s easy to dry age beef for short periods in your refrigerator.  Here’s how: What Cuts to Dry Age: When …

These thin, firm sheets of baked parmesan cheese are an elegant, flavorful garnish for all sorts of savory dishes.  They can even be formed into very delicate cups if you’re quick when they come out of the oven. They’re already full of flavor (especially if you use real parmigiano reggiano, which we highly recommend for …

Whole Fish Terms Whole/In The Round: Whole fish or fish “in the round” are being sold completely intact, exactly as they were caught. Examples: Whole Rockfish, Whole Fresh Sardines     Drawn/Gutted: Drawn fish are whole fish that have been gutted…i.e.  had their viscera (stomach, roe sacks, other guts) removed.  Gutted/Drawn fish generally last longer …

When you buy whole lobsters, you’re getting more than just the tail and claw meat.  Within the body and legs can be found a lot of good flavor, as long as you know how to extract it. Here’s the technique for taking the cleaned lobster bodies (minus their claws, tails, and innards) and turning them …

What’s more decadent than lobster?  Lobster poached in butter! Here’s the basic recipe for lobster poached in beurre monte/beurre fondue, an emulsified blend of butter and water.   See how to make beurre fondue for more process photographs and technique tips. Once poached the lobster can be tossed with pasta, added to salads, added to finished …

Some spices (such as hibiscus flowers and fennel pollen) can be used whole, but to use most whole spices you will have to grind or grate them first. Using a Grater: For whole nutmeg you will need to use a nutmeg or Microplane grater.  Simply drag the whole nutmeg nut across the surface of the …

Like the American meat grading system (Select, Choice, Prime) the Japanese system is based on an examination of fat marbling (called intramuscular fat) in a given piece of meat.  Fat not only carries flavor, but when distributed properly in tiny veins throughout the meat it melts during cooking, resulting in a more tender and moist …

Fresh wasabi rhizomes (colloquially known as fresh wasabi roots) are a rare and precious culinary commodity prized by high level sushi and fine dining chefs. Fresh grating is key with fresh wasabi rhizomes.  Below are instructions for how to get the best flavor out of fresh wasabi.  How to Use Fresh Wasabi: 1. Rinse the wasabi …