Two Things I Can't Live Without

There are two pieces of equipment that have become so integral to my cooking that without them I would be lost. The first is the Paco Jet. An ultra-revolutionary, high speed, air injecting, "pacotizing" wonder, which basically takes anything that has been frozen solid, shaves it superfine while simultaneously injecting air making it super light and creamy. It has been around for a while now but ask any chef and they will tell you this thing is built like bulldozer. It almost never has to be repaired, has very minimal maintenance and more than makes up for it's cost, which if your wondering can set you back a cool 6K. Of course Ice creams and sorbets are the first order of business but I use it for more unconventional purposes as well making beautiful silken puree's of vegetables, flavored olive oils and infusions of all types. I love this thing so much I once wrote an entire dissertation while in university about the viability and cost-effectiveness of the Paco Jet against traditional Ice Cream Machines. I got an A.

Second, is the Vacuum pack machine, which as the name implies, vacuums air from the inside of plastic bags and seals food in an almost oxygen free environment. While that sounds special the real advantage is that I take those vacuum sealed foods and apply the "sous vide" method of cooking which basically means that I cook the food while in the bag at various temperatures depending on the product inside. This helps in achieving consistent results as well as increased flavors because volatile aromas do not have a chance to escape during the cooking process leaving a result that most times is far better than conventional methods. We use this process in about 40% of the cooking we do at the restaurant in everything from meats to vegetables.

I will be posting more tidbits from life in the kitchen so if you have any questions let me know and I will do my best to answer all that I can. Cheers!!

Teaser

I'm Back

Wow, I think this blogging thing is probably one of the most difficult things to keep up with. It's like going to the gym, at first you are really motivated and excited and then as you get into it you take a day off to rest. One day of rest leads to two and then before you know it, you have been out for a month. In this case like 4 months.

In any event there is always room for reconciliation, an opportunity to get back in the game. So here I write with hopes of turning this thing around. First, some news from the Garage. We will be starting a new promotion called "Fizz and Chips". Pardon the play on words but as you may have guessed we will be featuring Fish and Chips with Champagne and Sparkling wine on Wednesday evenings. In response to our ever popular Burgers and Bottles promotion on Tuesdays, this is a great segway to showcase my obsession recently with the humble fish fry. I have researched, tested and tasted my way through numerous incarnations of the perfect fish and chip and finally have found what I believe will be the standard bearer for all Fish and Chips in Singapore.

The batter is shatteringly crisp and grease less. The fish, pink snapper, flaky and moist. The Chips are hand cut, organic desiree potatoes cooked thrice with a secret method that produces a chip beyond reproach. Of course, we will make our own tartare sauce and provide you with the ubiquitous malt vinegar albeit from a clever serving device.

In my opinion the combination of sparkling wine and fish and chips may be one of the best pairings I have ever had the opportunity to taste. It is quite frankly a match made in heaven. Be it with a special bottle of Krug or a great bottle of Prosecco, the experience of drinking "Fizz" and eating "Chips" is undeniably cool .

The promotion will be running Wednesdays starting the 9th of July with $10 off any bottle of sparkling wine with the purchase of a Fish and Chip. So come down and have some fun. Till next time.....