Potential Gold

XLB - the eating guide & Mei Long Village

One of my favorite foods in the whole wide world is Xiao Long Bao aka XLB.  XLB is a dumpling which literally translates to "little basket bun". 

These are commonly found in the areas of Shanghai and Wuxi, China.  Here in the US, XLB are also referred to as Soup Dumplings. 

These little pockets of love are worldly.  A thin, slightly translucent, unleavened dough surrounds meat which has been steamed.  In preparation, the meat includes a good amount of gelatin that once steamed, turns into soup within the wrapper of the dumpling. 

Most commonly served with vinegar and slivers of ginger, I love to eat my XLB in the following way:

Il Tramezzino

Il Tramezzino - a place I first went to in Beverly Hills is now opening in Tarzana.  The photos above were taken at the location in Sherman Oaks on Ventura Boulevard just west of Coldwater Canyon.

"Il Tram," as everyone calls it, is well known for its light and quick bites and also as a place to see and be seen.  For some reason unclear to me, this place is very IN at the moment.  I remember going there late one night and enjoying a hot croissant filled with Nutella and sliced Bananas. 

Sevan Chicken Rotisserie

This is definitely not an advertisement for this establishment, but merely a public announcement.  If you ingest the garlic sauce...beware of the side effects which may include horrible breath and unpleasant "burps".

I did try this place on one of the first weeks of its existence at the new location off of Lassen and Mason in Chatsworth, CA.  This location was previously a KFC so the fitting for a chicken restaurant was perfect but I gave to ask myself why KFC left the area - maybe the demographic was off?

Chicken & Mushrooms...Plain & Simple

I was home alone the other night - actually, I remember it was a Sunday night.  Limor was out and I was just lounging on the couch.  I stepped over to the kitchen and peeked into the refrigerator.

Inside I found some chicken breasts and a large helping of cremini mushrooms.  Right away I thought this would be a good match for a vinegary and earthy sauce that could use the help of some well rinsed capers and a dab of butter.

I pulled out my day-to-day ingredients.  I reached for my vinegars and came out holding onto a bottle of Sherry Vinegar and a bottle of White Wine vinegar which I picked up at Monterey Market in Berkeley.

I pounded out my chicken breasts and dusted them with a touch of flour.  Into a hot pan they went until golden brown on both sides.  I wasn't too concerned with the breasts being cooked, just that they were golden and delicious.  Later, they went back into the sauce to finish cooking.

Once the chicken was out of the pan,

Just Added

I love this coffee - in Hebrew it's pronounced "ness kahfe" and it is either made using steamed milk or hot water.  This is an instant coffee which is just great.

The second photo is of a Meyer Lemon with two Japanese Yuzu in the back.  Both products were purchased from the Monterey Market in Berkeley while I was up there for New Years.

My Basket

This is what I came back with from the Farmer's Market.

I Found some great Scallops - $18 for the pound (7 Scallops)
I brought back a nice Squash - $1
I brought back a small bunch of Cara Cara citrus - $4 (6 ea.)

Choont

My dad is a great cook, when he wants to be at least.  His specialty always have been soups and hummus but lately he's also been making some great choont.

Choont, aka. Cholent or Chameen, is a stew made primarily of meat and potatoes or grains of wheat but there are numerous possibilities.  There are always hard boiled eggs involved and it is usually eaten on Saturday with a loaf of Challah bread.

This particular one above was okay.  This one was made with beans and I really love the ones made with wheat berries.  The best part is when a Kishke is thrown into the mix.

The Third Night

The Third Night of Chanukah ( Hanukkah) at my place - I love lighting candles...

An ALMOST Beautiful Day

The other day we enjoyed a bike ride along the Malibu coastline.  The day was beautiful except for those horrible Malibu Fires...

 

Technical Difficulties

As you may see, I've encountered some technical difficulties in my last posts which were posted from the road, traveling through Israel.

The photos were not uploaded correctly through the e-mail feature of TypePad.  I am now at a physical connection and I plan to update the site continuously.

Back In L.A.

Well - after about 450 days of bieng a "Nor-Cal" resident, I am back in sunny (and hot) Los Angeles. 

I left Fra' Mani Handcrafted Salumi in good hands with Jasmine Smith, a past co-worker from the CIA, as the Production Supervisor and Erik Soderholm second in command. 

It's nice to be back in LaLa.  I have plenty of challenges on my plate and there is a pretty tight schedule of events from now until our (Limor & I) departure to the "mother-land".

Our trip is open for three months and it starts mid-July.  I can't wait.

Until then I will be trying out a new industry, something I am completely unfamilliar with, and I hope to gain knowledge and respect for the field (primarily construction if you're interested in knowing).

I am looking forward to having time for myself, my family and my friends and most of all I am looking forward to cooking again, writing again and having fun.

Ciao,

Ore

I Won, I Won!

I never win anything...ever...but I guess when the cause is a positive one then luck is on my side.  Pim and a great group of bloggers have done it again. 

This year we raised over sixty-thousand dollars to help the UN World Food Programme.  People from all over donated gifts and prizes to those who donated.   I tried to give a salami but I didn't make the deadline.  There's always next year to give back.

So, I won a dinner for two at Manresa in Los Gatos care of Pim's Blog and the staff at Manresa (I think!).

Thanks!!

Another Extreme Makeover

I really need to get back into this.  It's such a large part of me.  I am making an effort.  What do you think of the new design?

More Photos

That's a Sow!

The Niman Ranch Sign

Niman Ranch Hogs

Coleman Natural Farms "Social Friendly"

Some Photos

Old House in Iowa

Sun Setting Upon the Prarie

The Sky's On Fire

(all taken steps from Paul Willis' farm in Iowa)

Iowa & the Mid-West

I'm on my way to Iowa today.  I'm traveling with PB and we are going up to visit some of the farmers that raise hogs for us here at Fra' Mani.  This trip should be extremely beneficial to fully understanding the process in which our meat is raised and ultimately, how our Salumi is supreme!

The culmination of our trip will take place in Chicago where I will be attending the Pack-Expo / Process Expo on Monday and Tuesday. 

Sounds fun!

Look forward to some cool pics.

NY Times Mention

This isn't so bad!

A Stepping Stone

We had a tasting earlier this week where I had the pleasure of meeting the world famous chef, Thomas Keller.  Him and his Bouchon team including a friend from school, Gary, came by from Las Vegas for the day.  Very Wild!

Have you tasted Fra' Mani yet!?!

An Update

To all the somewhat normal viewers of PotentialGold.com  I have been very busy since my move up to Berkeley. Working very hard to make the most superior salame in Cali, and most likely in all of America is no easy job.  I have been working directly with Paul Bertolli and a great crew and we are slowly making it happen.

Our Fresh Sausage has been in the market for almost two months now and a few weeks ago we started releasing our first lots of dry salame. 

Our product line is available online at www.FraMani.com and you can learn about the company from that link as well.

I am going to leave you with some great Rum and E's Banana Walnut Cake.

Ciao

 

Berkeley...My New Home

I just found out that I won the draw for my apartment...great news as I was staying in Crocket (15m north of work).

I've been in Berkeley for a week and so far I am adapting to my surroundings well.  The people I work with are awesome and I hope to grow with them in the near future. 

I've been to this great place called Cesar (i think) which serves very delicious tapas style plates and great drinks (next door to Chez Panisse).

When I get more time and an internet connection I will write more.

Ciao

It's Been TOOO Long...

More then a month has passed since my last posting on PotentialGold.  I have been keeping my self so busy with special projects and living a life that PotentialGold seemed to get overlooked.  Things are now calming down and life is taking shape yet again.  The future looks promising with Alibi Private Dining & Catering as my outlet for food and other business opportunities are always around between what my father and mother do professionally.

Last weekend I went to Mammoth and enjoyed Snowboarding for the first time.  Unfortunately there wasn't much snow on the mountains...or NO SNOW at all (other then man-made) but nonetheless I learned and had a great time doing it.  My girlfriend and Ben showed me the ropes but I can't leave Christy out - so Thanx!!

(Ridin' the bunny slopes!)

I guess when I go back to Mammoth in January my snowboarding experience will be much better.  Snowboarding on ice isn't very fun and everyone says that on fresh powder it will be much more enjoyable.  You think as enjoyable as a great creme brulee compared to an awful one!?!

While in Mammoth we ate at Berger's.  Berger's is known for their amazing hamburgers and I too thought mine was delicious.

During our lunches we would eat at the Ski Lodge on the mountain.  Mommoth is known for their amazing Chili served in a bread bowl.  Once back in Los Angeles the first thing I made was some chili.  Mine came out really well with the help of my brother but different then the chili at Mammoth.

Keep Cooking!

Time's Up

I gave my notice to Chapter 8 last week.  I will be cooking there until Nov. 19th.  I am going off on my own and will be doing private parties and catering.  I looked into leasing a place on my own, but there are too many 'grown-up' decisions to make and I just don't feel like dealing with them yet.  I do know that my Sallie Mae Student Loan is up to 7% (Bloody Hell) and that damn thing is killing me slowly...so, I am off to try and make more money...we'll see how far I get!!

I've been keeping myself busy though.  My friends from Itlay sent me a bottle of Mostarda (mustard essence, the real stuff too...) and I have been playing with the idea of supplying some local cheese shops and maybe even some restaurants with Mostarda of Quince for now, and maybe other ingredients later.

Rasta Porc...UPDATE

So...now that we know the Rasta Porc will be transformed into Cicciolata, the kind Sous Chef and his gang over at Al Vedel sent the follow-up photos. 

Like I mentioned in previous posts, the Cicciolata is a form of 'head cheese' which is specifically famous in the area around Parma, Italy.  Sure, there are literally thousands of variations on any given recipe, but in the area of Parma, they will be close to this version.

(please click on photo to enlarge)

As you can see, this block is formed in layers.  The meat from the pig head (Rasta Porc!) along with the tongue, heart and skin is cooked for hours.  It is then all chopped up and spices are added, including Bay Leaf, but no zest in this recipe, or nuts (see for yourself in the photo).

The meat from the parts mentioned above is the red/gray color in the 'head cheese'.  The yellowish pieces within the block or Ciccioli, the close equivalent of what the US would call Pork Rinds.  The Ciccioli are large pieces of pork fat that also are cooked slowly.  After many hours the large pot is drained, the liquid fat, the lard, is packed for the nearby bakery which makes the bread for Al Vedel (see photo again for Panne Parmigianna).  The chunks of rendered fat are pressed and made into Ciccioli by adding salt and spices after pressed. 

These Ciccioli are added into the chopped head, heart and tongue to make the Cicciolata.  Follow!?!

Good!

Here, the gang from Vedole is saying hello...be nice and say hi back!

Rasta Porc...

From the guys out in Vedole at Ristorante Al Vedel.

The coolest thing is, after that 'Porc' gets high, it will slowly be transformed into Cicciolata (hahahahaha), cooked slowly for five or six hours, the meat/stuff, shaken away from the skull and jaw bones, then mixed with spices and formed into the equivalent of 'head cheese'.  Yummm!

Fighter Jets over LA Tonight...

Anyone else hear or see them...If not, then I might be going insane!

Cool                    ;-)

12:58 AM (Thursday late night)

Cigar Dinner

At work the other night we hosted a Cigar Dinner with Far Niente and Hennessy, among other sponsors.  It was on a Tuesday night and it went very well.

The menu started off with passed appetizers including a Spicy Grilled Shrimp on a Rosemary Skewer, a Potato Pancake with Smoked Trout, Creme Fraiche and Osetra Caviar, and Wonton Cones stuffed with a Ruby Red Ahi Tartar.

The first course was a Beet Salad, which will be on the new menu, next week.  Roasted Beets with a Charred Fig Tapenade, Humboldt Fog Chevre, Micro Herb Salad.

The second course was a split Australian Rock Lobster (Spiny Tail) Tail sitting on a Vanilla and Saffron Poached slice of Pineapple with the reduced poaching Syrup as a sauce.

The third course was a Kurobuta Pork Loin, roasted bone on, and crusted with Fennel Seed overnight.  The Pork sat on a bed of Cardamom braised Red Cabbage.

The fourth course was sliced Beef Tenderloin on Super Buttery Truffle Mashed Potatoes with Cippolini Onions and a Chantrelle Demi-Glace.  All of this was topped by thinly sliced fried onions.

For dessert, a house baked Peanut Butter Cookie with Mascarpone Amaretto Creme and Vanilla Ice Cream.

Charcuterie Lives...

At work I help butcher all the meats that we use on the menu.  A lot of these meats have an immense amount of usable trim.  The most yielding item is the 'deconstructed' Kobe Rib-Eye.  This item is just the center eye of the rib, so all the parts around the eye are trimmed away.

In the beginning of August I decided to start saving the trim for sausages.  My plan sounded good to the chef (Eddy Shin) and so it was.  By then end of August I had the lower shelf in the freezer packed tight with little packages of trim.

I had Kurobuta Pork trim, Australian Lamb trim, Kobe Lean Meat, and Kobe Fat.

Last week it was finally time to get something going.  Chef ordered some Sheep and Pork casings and I was off.

The casings I rinsed well and let sit in a bath of vinegar, white wine and garlic.  We don't have a sausage stuffing machine at work so I used our 20 qt. Hobart to grind the meat, and then my small (home) Kitchen Aid sausage attachment on works Kitchen Aid.

The process was extremely slow and the result of my first run, a bit on the fatty side, but these sausages were practically free...

For the first run, I made three variations.
I made an Italian Style - I'm not calling it anything more than that.
I made a Merguez style &
I made a sausage with Dried Fruits and Nuts

My first taste was the Merguez style...of the three, my favorite.  The Lamb fat adds a great dimension to the mix.

My biggest problem was figuring out a safe way to cook and use these sausages at the restaurant.  We tried to straight grill one of the merguez and the thing basically exploded on the grill into a huge fire ball...you should have been there!

Yesterday I cut all the sausages into portioned links and individually froze the whole batch.  I am hoping to pull out a few per day and roast them in the oven until done.  That, I have noticed, is the safest way.

These are some Merguez style, in Sheep Casing.

A Face Lift

It was time - change is good - but change is ever evolving.

Let me know what you think.  I will be trying new designs throughout the week.

Thanks!

Here is a great piece of street art aka. graffiti that I saw while in Italy.

My Meez...

Starting at the Burger and working our way down...

The 12 ounce SRF Kobe Burger
The USDA Prime 10 ounce Filet Mignon
The USDA Prime 6 ounce Petit Filet
The huge USDA Prime 24 ounce Bedrock bone-in Ribe Eye
The 8 Bone Australian Rack of Lamb
The USDA Prime 22 ounce Porterhouse
The 14 ounce Veal Chop
The USDA Prime 16 ounce New York Strip
The USDA Prime 12 ounce Rib Eye
- The bellow the Ribe Eye, and working down and around -
The 10 ounce SRF 'Deconstructed' Kobe Rib Eye - Center Eye only
The USDA Prime Skirt Steak - part of the Mixed Grill
The USDA Prime Sirloin
The Kurobuta Pork Loin - part of the Mixed Grill
The Duck Apple-Brandy Sausage - part of the Mixed Grill
The 12 ounce Bison Ribe Eye from the Dakotas
The Double Bone Kurobuta Pork Chop

And for The Sea -

The 2+ Pound Live Maine Lobster
The 12 ounce Nova Scotia Lobster Tail
The U-10 Prawns for the Cocktail
Fresh Yellowtail
Fresh Salmon
Fresh Ahi
Fresh Arctic Char (as a special that day)

I want one of these...

With one of these I can get from home to work and back reeeaaallllll quick!!  I am sure it is the same price as opening a small restaurant/cafe!!

Inside Ch. 8

Going behind the scenes of my new job with me, you will see that when it comes to quality, we don't mess around!!  So I work the grill station - something I have never done before, and it is going very well considering the amount of volume we do.

All the beef is prime, all of it.  There is now also a dry-aged Kansas City steak - bone on strip loin that gets ppicked up off of the saute side though.  I pick up about 19 items with my grill and double infrared broiler.

The kobe beef we use is SRF and has some very nice marbelling, although if I were to dine in, it would be the Prime Ribe Eye that would fill me up.

Tips for the one who wants to check out Chapter 8...come for the food during the week.  The earlier the better.

The weekends get insane, three hundred covers easily.  Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights are club night and the place gets packed with fun-seekers and bar-goers.  Bottle service challenges some of the hottest clubs in Vegas and NYC, puts LA clubs in it's pocket.

If you come by, say hello!

Chapter 8

Chapter 8 is the name...

So....I'm finally back to work at a new Steakhouse in Agoura Hills/Calabasas called Chapter 8.

I can tell you one thing for sure - opening a restaurant is not easy, nor much fun!!  Chapter 8 is the second restaurant for the owners with P6 being the first place off of Lindero Canyon Road in the same area.

Chapter 8 is a Steakhouse Lounge with amazing decor.  The restaurant seems to belong more in Las Vegas, Miami or NYC then Calabasas and that is why for both pre-opening nights we served 240+ guests.

All the meats I butcher and grill are USDA Prime.  My prep/butcher list includes some fourteen different items.  I hope to get some photos up soon but I have to ask mngmnt first.

Stop by if you like, just don't ask for any favors yet - I am still working on my temps at the all wood grill.

It's funny - I was relaxing, working here and there with family and friends for the month and a half after Italy, then BOOM - back pains, hand pains, dirty fingernails etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.

Water Buffalo

That's what one looks like if you have yet to see one for yourself.

These amazing creatures yield the all-knowing Mozzarella di Bufala among many, many, other products.  Another favorite of mine is Ricotta di Bufala, best when in the center of a Roasted Squash soup like the soup served at La Maschera in Avellino.

The buffalo here are all part of a farm that belongs to an Agriturismo I stayed at while on a trip in the Campania region with the Slow Food School in Jesi.

These calfs are seperated from the rest of the herd and are fed a differing diet then the adults that already produce the milk.

These buffalo have plenty of room to wander around.  The thing is, they were actually really nice.  A lot of the younger calfs would actually come up to meet us, and they were quite friendly.

I am sure you want to see what these are capable of - so here is a quick taste...

At Masseria Lupata we took a quick tour of the production of Mozzarella di Bufala, and other cheeses.

The milk from the buffalo above went into almost all of the cheeses on the list above.  Note that the prices were for the summer of 2004 and the weights are Kg.

Last photo is of the cheesemakers working the buffalo curd into mozzarella - enjoy...

Time to Get Back To It

It's been too long now since I have paid attention to PotentialGold.com

I am ready to get back into the swing of things here.  I guess this can be a wake up to all the loyal readers.  Sorry that I have been dormant for sooooo long.  You should have helped awaken me.

The photos below are from a recent roadtrip from LA to SF. 

I am almost sure that these grapes are for eating purposes, or maybe for raisins.  Miles and Miles of vines - puts Napa to sleep.

The reservoir off of Hwy 152 going west from the I-5 to the 101.  A first time for me - now the only way I drive to San Francisco.  The 152 ends for me at Gilroy, Garlic's true home, and a place perfect weather wise for my salumi adventure.

Finally - the new season's growth in Napa Valley.  This bunch of future Love was found next door to the Red Hen Antique Store on the main road in Napa.

La Terza & Nancy's Tavola

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting two online friends that are now real people friends.  I finally met T and R at a meeting at La Terza last Tuesday evening.

The meal we shared was excellent.  As you most likely know, I don't know LA restaurants well and La Terza is supposed to be one of the better Italian spots.  The chef is Gino Angelini.  He and some of his FOH are very reputable in the LA scene from what I hear.

We started the night off with some glasses of wine.  The