Foie Gras

This is what we ended with today. Couple things. Will peal the peaches so the color is not so off. Also, wondering how to make the torcheon more attractive instead of looking like a hokey puck. Aware that most restaurants do, but it's really bother me. Anyways here it is:
Hudson Valley Foie Gras with Peaches, Pickled Red Onion and Brioche.

Peach Gellee

For the Peach Gellee:
6-7 peaches pureed with lemon juice, vanilla bean(fresh), pinch sugar and salt. You can peal the peaches if you want a more "white" color but I liked the red. Once puree'd with some water, push through a chinois and measure out 2 cups. Every two cups of this liquid (which is much thicker than water) get's 3 sheets of gelatin. Then once it's all cooled down in a quart, i use a spoon, break it up, place in a pastry bag and again, should be ready to go!
2cups fruit puree=3 gelatin sheets.

Foie Gras

Tonight we are changing the foie gras. Because yesterday I recieved some really awesome peaches and couldnt help to wonder why we dont have more fruits on our menu. Last night i kept thinking about this (actually this is what i fell asleep thinking about) and today we will try it. Some peaches with be made into a gelle with a spicy red pepper infused. With the gelle will be diced peaches, pickled red onion(cold pickle with cinammon and corriander) ancho chili, greens and a brulee'd peach. The brulle works well alaminute because it kind of runs off into the "sauce". I want the entire plate to look like a little garden with a nice beautiful slice of marinated foie gras that has been poached in champagne. Hopefully there will be success and photo's to follow!

Busy

We have been getting busier and busier as the week progresses. These are images of Thursday's service. Last night (friday) was much more composed, yet still busy. Lets see what tonight is like...

Baby Vegetables

These are the baby vegetables we finally have recieved! I saw them last year at a food show and have been searching for them every since. Josh found them through one of our local purveyors. Baby carrots, beets, leeks and turnip. We will use them on the terines right now. We spoke about possibly pickleing them for the burger, but may be holding off on that.

Scallop Crudo

XP last night. Scallops, Lime, Caviar, Olive Oil.

Pig Head

This is what the beggining of my terrine looks like. Have done this before, hoping to be able to leave a detailed procedure for this. Starting with one pig's head, 4 trotters. Rinsed well, cooked with 1 bottle of white wine, mire poix, dry spices and water. Cook 3 to 4 hours until tender.

Service

Is starting to come together. I was really happy with the food we put out last night, some really nice stuff.

new...

Busy

Kitchen staff is always busy. We have been putting in a lot of hours, most people are working from 9a.m.(the last person is in at 12 and leaving around 12a.m.(first person to leave is midnight. So 15 hours per person per day, we work 630 man hours a week. :)

Ideas for the week

We are going to use a lot of pork this week, trying to get ready for the new guys comming in next week. Pork belly and watermelon salad with goat cheese. Pork short ribs with a tamarind glaze, maybe with some nice orange confit. Head cheese terrine! I had wanted to do this orginally, but now have the staff and time. I have a pig's head comming in tomorrow and also 4 trotters. It'd be nice to offer a terrine "board" Only difference between us and everyone else doing this is ours are made in house and awesome. Potato chips with mustard powder. Welsh rarebit, and my croque madame. Finally with all the duck legs confit we have, chef is going to make sausage with them. Sounds great to me, as now they are going to family meal every day. We will see how everything turns out, we start fabrication tomorrow.

Pastry

We haved hired Jamela to come in and help us with our pastry program. She is doing a wonderful job. So far we have: Warm Chocolate Cake that's runny on the inside, a way better lemon tart (shown) with italian mergingue, my original creme brulle with pink peppercorns and finally banana profiteroles! Awesome, they are so good and I love bananas, a perfect breakfast every day!

Eater.com

http://ny.eater.com/archives/2010/06/peeking_inside_rabbit_in_the_moon_opening_to_the_public_friday.php

New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/16/dining/16off.html

STAFF MEAL

Everyday before service we serve staff meal.

Kitchen Staff

Our kitchen staff is finally comming together. Great news since we open next Sunday! Still missing a few spots but they will come together this week. Everyone that we have hired has great pottential and attitudes towards the food we are doing.

Salmon Tartar

This is our salmon tartar dish. Finally! Avacado and Oranges. We are using cucumber to hold everything together that has been sliced thinnly on the mandoline. For the XP's we use caviar on the oranges, for everyone else, potato chips.

Black Bass Ceviche