Minta Eats

Although I am not a real fan of hip molecular cuisine and I prefer food in as simple form as it is possible, where You can see and feel it real color and texture, Alinea in Chicago is a place I’d really like to visit. Maybe (or even surely) a better choice to confront with molecular cuisine would be award winning and worlwide famous Ferran Adria’s El Bulli. But there is something in Alinea which really makes me go there and visit it. Maybe it’s the fact that Grant Achatz, the Alinea’s chef, likes and does pierogi sometimes? Maybe it’s about the beauty and minuteness of dishes served there, which still look like tiny edible jewelery, not as medications? Maybe beacouse I have some irrational feeling that You’d feel in Alinea more comfortably and easy than in posh and “very famous” El Bulli?

Well, maybe someday I will write here about my experiences from Alinea. Or Heston Blumenthal’s (who I really admire for his distance, imagination and smile, and the Alice in Wonderland dishes:-) Fat Duck.

VIDEAO: Alinea/Crucial Detail – Tokyo Taste Intro from 2061wc on Vimeo.

Alinea's tasting menu

Alinea's tour menu

"Food for Thought, Thoght for Food" cover form Amazon.com

And for dessert – some pieces of Ferran Adria’s new book called “Food for Thought, Thought for Food”. If You’re curiouse about El Bulli’s Chef new book, You can check on some pages at Wallpapers* web site. The new title is looks quite simmiliar to the “A Day at El Bulli” and on the cover you’ll find Adria’s portrait created by Matt Groening – the father of The Simpson.

Here’s a book description from the Amazon.com, where it is already available for pre-order: he

“Product Description
A thought-provoking, inspiring look at artistic and gastronomic creativity through the world s most revolutionary chef, Ferran Adria (elBulli).
Ferran Adria has revolutionized the world of gastronomy and elBulli is recognized as the world’s best restaurant. So original and poetically sensible is Adria’s approach to cooking that he is considered to be the greatest “artist of the kitchen.” Food for Thought explores the essence of elBulli s creativity with hundreds of color photographs of Adria’s creations, including, for the first time ever, every single dish ever created by elBulli.
Inspired by Adria’s controversial participation in Documenta 12, this seductive volume features lively dialogue between the most potent critics and creators of the art and gastronomic worlds, including Heston Blumenthal, Bill Burford, Jerry Saltz, Massmiliano Gioni, Anya Gallaccio, Peter Kubelka, Antoni Miralda, Carsten Holler, Bice Curiger, Adrian Searle, Davide Paolini.
“Professionally, I can die after this book.” –Ferran Adria”

Estrella Damm Inedit @BevMo.com

Some time ago I have written that Ferran Adria, the famous chef of Spanish El Bulli is planning to launch…a pizzaria. Simple, NORMAL pizzeria with regular margheritas and quattro stagionis. The idea is said to came from Ferrans big love to this Italian specialite. (Adrias brothers have even spent some time travelling across the Italy in search for secret methods and techniques of pizza-masters). But IMHO a pizzeria signed with name of famous chef paced in the middle of tourist-loaded Barcelona would also be a good investement, far more profitable that El Bulli.

But – ad rem. Here’s another newidea – beer.

The new beer called Estrella Damm Inedit has been created by Adria himself, El Bulli’s sommeliers and the Estrella Damm brewery. Adria says it’s meant specifically to enjoy with food. Ofcourse this beer isn’t sold in cans or even regular glass bottles – instead You will get it in big, sark and elegant wine-like bottle, marked with golden star. Inedit is ought to be served chilled in white wine glasses. It has golden colour and light, a bit sweet and honey taste

You can buy Inedit via BevMo for ca. 9 USD per bottle. Quite bugdet way to have some Adria’s creation for dinner

One of the most frequently technique used in moleculary cuisine is spherifictation, meaning – turning fluids in smal size balls, which are crispy on the outside and liquid inside.The result is simmilar to the capsules with vit A+E, if You wish.

So made tiny spheres are called caviar. You wish apple juice caviar? No problem.
To find out how to make beautiful apple droplets check this post on the great food blog BonBini. BonBini was created by Thip – an ex-accountant working in Bangkok (but born in SF) , who decided to became a pastry chef (meanwhile she has run a B&B on Netherlands Antilles with her husband) and who currently works in two restaurants in San Francisco).
Luckily Thip has some time to run very inspiring blog which shows that great pastry pieces of art are only a bit difficult to do