Ramps!

Press

So over the next week or so NYmag and Time Out NY will be printing articles about Rucola. Here’s an article and some photos of the place so far….

Off to a cocktail tasting! See you all soon!

 

So where have I been?!

Working has taken up much of my free time, and motivation to keep this blog going, unfortunately.  That was the last year and a half at least…..

Ive left a position at my old place, Gilt, and am currently helping a good friend open up a small restaurant in Brooklyn… called Rucola.

What will I be doing?

 

 

 

 

 

Among other things, Ill be making the bread for the restaurant.  This small obsession a few years back has now turned into a really bad habit.  My freezer can barely close, there’s so much bread in it. I need an outlet for this, so I shall bake at Rucola.

Recipe testing is in full swing over here…. some things Ive been working on:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ill post some more later, as things get moving….

 

James Beard Dinner

We were lucky enough to be invited to the Beard House to do a 5-course dinner.  Here are some photos of that great night. Small friggin kitchen, but then again, there were 11 or so of us.

Jumping on a full bandwagon

As a cook, knives are not only a necessary tool, but an extension of myself.  Literally and metaphorically speaking. The knives I choose to spend my hard-earned money on are extremely special to me, and any cook who has learned how to get his/her knives razor sharp knows how great it feels to slice a tomato or mince a shallot, and then say, FUCK YEA.

So it has taken me awhile to post this up, and I have no idea why. Every one now knows about the Mugaritz fire.  Shitty. Really unbelievably shitty. I’m not going to go on and on here, but my time there was amazingly inspirational, and I look at the team there as one of the finest crews I’ve worked with thus far.

So my bud Greg was there when the fire took place, and beautifully wrote an account of what happened during and after the fire.. After the shock of finding out that the kitchen had burned, there was an added kick in the nuts: complete destruction of all of the stagiers’ knives.

John and Mike set up an account to donate to help these cooks replace a much-needed part of their lives.  Lets help people get back on track.  Then go to Mugaritz’s re-opening.

James Beard Dinner

Tonight. Gilt is cookin for 80 lucky folks at the Beard House in the village. Anybody out there cook at the bead house  before?

If I can get someone to take some photos, Ill post em up here.

Been Workin

So I started a new job here in manhattan at Gilt. Great job, amazing food. Ive had  a chance to get some pictures of some of the food; there will be more to follow.

For Sale

I’ve got 2 aprons from Mugaritz. I bought em for 65 euros. One is still in the plastic, brand new.  The other was minimally used and very clean. $35 each. Email me or leave a reply with yours (millerino at gmail dot com).  He wears them well, no?

End of one chapter, start of another

Well, the farm internship is over.  I’m amazed it went by so quickly, but I’m definitely happy to move on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I now work here.

All I need is a place to live…

Taza Chocolate – Ridiculously Great Chocolate

I was lucky enough to be invited to a Slow Foods meeting the other day at Sheldon Farms, in Salem, NY. It was a wonderful group of people. Made up of food lovers, farmers and friends. One of them, a fellow farmer, runs the Top of the World Farm and restaurant. She mentioned how she managed to get away, while her husband manned the kitchen. She said that one of their new desserts,uses  a new and unique chocolate. Taza chocolate is located in Boston, and their small (and I mean small) operation is exactly what this country needs.   Right down to the batch number on each bar, the process is watched over and perfected. Its stoned milled by hand, which means each bite is different.  The 70% has a mouthfeel that is incredible, and a taste to match. The 80% is for hardcore chocolate lovers… i mean chocolate, chocolate.  It aint nestle, folks.  Not to mention that its organic to boot! Finally a chocolate bar that America can be proud of. Just think of the possibilities…