Author Archives: David

Per Se (Slight Return)

My dinner at Per Se ended with a tour of the kitchen, which was huge thrill for me. Now you can experience the tour – only better – with Thomas Keller himself as your guide. This video includes all of … Continue reading

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In the Basement Mixing Up the Medicine

Until my recent birthday dinner, I used to tell people that the best birthday present I ever received from She Who Must Be Obeyed was a house. We signed the closing papers on November 28, 1995 – my birthday – … Continue reading

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The Pancake Project

It’s not enough that my friend Michael Goudeau is a juggler, writer, and radio host. He had to up the ante in the kitchen by making cool pancakes for his kids. His new blog, The Pancake Project, documents his breakfast … Continue reading

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Birthday Dinner at Per Se, Continued

After eating heavenly amuses, appetizers, and fish courses, we were only halfway through our meal, which continued with the meat courses. “BLT”: Salmon Creek Farms’ All Day Braised Pork Belly, “Pain de Campagne” Melba, Violet Artichokes, San Marzano Tomato Marmalade … Continue reading

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Birthday Dinner at Per Se

For my 50th birthday present, She Who Must Be Obeyed moved heaven and earth to obtain a reservation for two at Per Se, the New York City sister restaurant of Thoma Keller’s The French Laundry. I don’t know how she … Continue reading

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The iTerrarium

I thought that my Macquarium was the finest example of what could be done with a Macintosh that had reached the end of its useful life. Then I saw the iTerrarium constructed by Paul Riddell of the Texas Triffid Ranch, … Continue reading

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Fettuccine alla Carbonara

When life gives you guanciale, make fettuccine alla carbonara. Not the Olive Garden crap with cream and bacon, but the real stuff made with egg and home-cured pork. Since I had just retrieved a slab of piggy goodness from the … Continue reading

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Guanciale

At the end of the post about my first attempt at curing meat, I wrote: I found two hog jowls in the Belm Research Kitchen Deep Storage Facility. Guess what’s next? What was next was making guanciale, which is done … Continue reading

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Momofuku “Chicken and Egg”

Because I don’t live in New York city and because I have no connections in the New York restaurant scene, I have not had the pleasure of eating at any of chef David Chang’s Momofuku restaurants. If I could figure … Continue reading

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How Not to Make a Pumpkin Pie

I don’t bake pies; I am explicitly forbidden from doing so by article seven, section four of the non-alignment treaty I signed with She Who Must Be Obeyed when we were married. Crisps, refrigerator pies, tarts: all of these are … Continue reading

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