Kites Virginia Ham

Growing up in Madison County, Virginia makes you appreciate the small things in life. There are a few things I will never forget about my hometown- Blue Ridge Mountains at my heels, miles and miles of beautiful rolling hills, Friday night football games and Kites Country Hams. Jim Kite inherited the recipe for his special cure from his father--and he’s kept it in the family ever since. Compared to other hams on the market, Kite’s hams tend to be meatier and leaner.
When you start with a fantastic product like Kites ham you don’t want to do much to it. When the meat is picked off the bone it is not over yet, you can still utilize what is left. I use the bone and scrapes to make a rich delicious broth that I used as a component in this clam chowder dish.

Kites Ham Bone and Scrap
Carrot
Garlic
Onion
Celery
Bay Leaf
Thyme
Black Peppercorns
1% by weight of gelatin sheets

Put all the ingredients in a large stock pot and cover with ice. The ice helps draw out the gelatin from the bone to make the broth rich and thick. Simmer the stock for 8 hours, skimming as you go.  Strain and transfer to a smaller pot. Simmer the broth until it is reduced by half, skimming as you go, season with salt. Once you get to this point take it off the heat and let the broth cool for 20 to 30 minutes. Mean while get the desired bowls you want and place them on a level surface. Weight out, in grams, the desired amount of broth you want and set it to the side. Take that weight in grams and figure out one percent of gelatin that you need. Bloom the gelatin and stir it into the broth. Pour the broth into the bowls and let set for one hour. If you don’t want to use this broth in this application, this broth makes a great base for any type of soup or sauce that you want.

Kites Ham Gelee
Kites Ham
Broken Egg
Poached Clams
Chives
Preserved Lemon
Garlic Chips
Clam Crème Poured Tableside

Pasta Dough

2 1/2 cups flour
4 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon salt

Pour the flour onto a work surface and shape into a mound. Form a deep, wide well in the center and add the eggs, sprinkle with the salt.  Beat the eggs lightly with a fork, then gradually work in the flour, moving from the inside of the well in a circular motion.
Set the dough aside, clean and flour the work surface, then knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.  Shape the dough into a ball, dust with more flour and wrap with plastic wrap. Let rest for at least 30 minutes.  Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and cover. On a floured work surface, flatten 1 dough piece. Using a pasta machine, feed the dough through the widest setting, then feed through the same setting 3 more times. Change to the second-widest setting and feed the pasta sheet through twice. Repeat this pattern until you reach the thinnest setting, lightly dusting with flour as necessary, then feed the pasta sheet through once; lay the pasta sheet on a lightly floured kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces.  Let the pasta sheets dry, about 10 minutes. Set the pasta machine to the flat noodle or "tagliatelle" setting and feed the sheets through the machine. Transfer the cut pasta to kitchen towels. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, 3 to 5 minutes

Butter Poached Lobster
Lobster Cream
Chive
Red Vein Sorrel
Picked Parsley

Heirloom Beets, Meyer Lemon Curd, Black Garlic

What does heirloom mean: Heirloom varieties are open-pollinated, meaning that unlike hybrids, seeds are collected from one year will produce plants with most of the characteristics of the parent plant.

Meyer Lemon Curd
200g sugar
3 Meyer lemons zested
250g Meyer lemon juice
3 whole eggs
250g cold sour butter
6g salt

Mix the sugar, zest juice and eggs in a small pot and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently so the mixture doesn’t burn.  Don’t be afraid when it curdles, it’s just fine. Remove the pot from the heat source and let stand untouched for 5 minutes. With an immersion blender blend in the cold butter and salt until the mixture is emulsified. Pass the Meyer lemon mixture through a chinois then cover with plastic and chill overnight. It will be thick and read to use in any application you imagine.  

 

 

Heirloom Beets in Verity of Ways

Meyer Lemon Curd

Blood Orange

Nitrogen Sugar Beet Sorbet

Perigord Truffle

Perigord Truffle

Impossible to describe, amazing to experience the most prized truffle in French cookery is the black Perigord truffle, which is said to have first enchanted diners in the 15th century.

Winter black truffles are often called the "Diamonds of Perigord." They are simply exquisite, and from December to March, delectable Perigord black truffles characterized by a subtle aroma and an earthy flavor reminiscent of a rich chocolate. They reach their pinnacle of fragrance and flavor in January and February.

Like other varieties of truffles, the Perigord black truffle, Tuber melanosporum, grows beneath the surface of the soil among the root systems of specific types of trees and develops a symbiotic relationship with those trees, which primarily consist of oak, but also beech, hazelnut, chestnut, birch and poplar. With the exception of the white Alba truffle, Perigord truffles are scarcer, more desirable and higher-priced than other truffles. Within the last 100 years production of these almost incomparable delicacies has significantly diminished from previous levels, but demand among discerning epicures remains justifiably strong

Not only are Perigord truffles amazing to eat, truffles are amazing to look at the outer structure and the vein interior. It is like looking at a diamond catches ones eye, captivates,  intrigues and leaves you breathless.

Perigord Black truffle
Prime Beef Carpaccio
Deviled Egg
Toasted Brioche
Olive
Shallot
Red Pepper
Herbs
Espelette

Food Photography

After Reading a lot about food photography-background, tabletops and lights are the three most important aspects of taking a good photograph. Ever since I was a kid food was my only huge passion, now that I have discovered the art digital photography I have grown to love it and made it my second passion in life.

Background:
I like to shoot with a black background it makes all the colors pop in the picture. What you need is about 3 yards of black felt and a lint roller. Play around with the lighting you will get your favorite positions very quickly.

Tabletop:

Very inexpensive sheet of black Plexiglas will elevate every picture taken. With the sexy reflections and popping color your photography will turn heads. What you need is 4’x4’ black Plexiglas and Windex. Keep your glass clean and shoot some amazing pictures.

Lighting:
I like to use three LED lights at various angels to show different shadows, textures and color. It’s easy to play around with the technique of positioning and buffering the lights, put your own twist with every photograph to make them your own unique art.

Butter Poached Lobster
Salsify
Hearts of Palm
Lobster Corral
Picked Herbs

It's Only A Sandwich!

Truffle Brie and Black Forest Ham Sandwich, Kettle Ribbon Chips, Port Poached Figs

Sandwiches are one of the most versatile foods on the planet. Every culture has a sandwich Cuban from Cuba, Doner from Turkey, Banh Mi from Vietnam, Grilled Cheese fron United States, the list could go on forever. Anyone of us has made and eaten a sandwich in our life time. When you have great ingredients and passion about food anything is possible, like an awesome sandwich. Crunchy bread, gooey warm cheese, salty black forest ham with super crunchy chips and sweet soft poached figs will make anyone a sandwich lover. And it is as easy as this....

Grilled Cheese

12 ea. 1 oz. sliced Brie
24 ea. 1/2 oz. thin sliced Black Forest Ham
12 Whole Grain Seeded Bread
6 each 1 oz Soft Truffle Butter
 
Heat a nonstick sauté pan. Butter both side of the whole grain bread place into the hot pan. Lay the brie cheese on one side of the pan and the sliced ham on the other side. Toast the bread and once the cheese is melted sandwich the two sides together. Place on cutting board and cut in half. Serve with chips and poached figs.

Ribbon Chips with Smoked Maldon Sea Salt

3 Large Idaho Potatoes
6 each 1oz portion of melted butter
TT Smoked Maldon Sea Salt
 
Wash the Idaho potatoes and dry. With a spirooli slice the potatoes into ribbons. Immediately put the ribbons into a 300 degree fryer and fry until crispy. Place the chips into a stainless steel bowl pour melted butter and toss while seasoning with the smoked Maldon sea salt.
 
Poached Black Mission Figs

24 black mission figs cut in half
1 c. sugar
16 oz. port wine
4 oz. red wine vinegar
TT Salt and Pepper
 
Place the cut mission figs in a pot with all the other ingredients season with salt and pepper. Simmer the mixture on medium low heat until the liquid becomes a glaze. Cool and adjust the seasoning if needed.

King Crab, Bergamot Orange, Black Trumpet

I Ordered some products from Hunt and Gather this past week- Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Yellow Foot Chantrelles, Hedgehog Mushrooms, Finger Limes, Bergamot Oranges, Huitlacoche every product was awesome and so fresh the best mushrooms I have ever used. I back Hunt and Gather 100%. This dish features Black Trumpet Mushrooms and Bergamont Oranges, with such great products you don't have to manipulate them to much.

 Hunt & Gather is a specialty food distribution company based in Denver, Colorado. Our focus is to provide quality, wild foraged ingredients to restaurants and local retail locations. We carry a large variety of wild mushrooms and seasonal produce. We work closely with foragers across the country to provide the freshest product available. If you would like to place an order or would like more information on what we currently have available, please email us at huntandgathercolorado@gmail.com.

King Crab
Black Trumpet Mushrooms
Bergamot Orange Preserve
Bergamot Orange Supremes
Bergamot Orange Creme
Bergamot Orange Vinaigrette
Nitrogen Sesame Pudding
Breakfast Radish
Finger Pepper
Pressed Avocado
Maldon

What I Think About In Motion