GOODSTONE BLOG

2010-08-26T14:10:00.001-07:00

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2009-09-16T15:20:00.000-07:00

My time at Goodstone has come to an end. I have enjoyed every second I had here and I'm going to miss it deeply. I wish the best of luck to the people there ,I'm going to miss you all very very much. Here are a few images of concepts that were never posted. Thanks to everyone who followed us on this blog we had a great time doing it. Also a special thanks to Steve Plotnicki for the nice things he said on OAD and all the people who wrote about us on open table and trip advisor as well as the magazines like northern virginia (thanks again) ,southern living and all those who blogged about us. We accomplished allot in just a few months with the help of all of you. Until next time.....

2009-09-04T17:56:00.000-07:00

FORAGE

WILD CHICORY ROOT

chicory root,tobacco "magic shell",hazelnut sponge cake(thank you Albert Adria),banana,hazelnut soil,hazelnut powder,cocoa nib. This dish has been a project for a while now and will be going on the menu next week.

inside the magic shell is liquid chicory cream.

The aroma of Mocha pipe tobacco at the table.

2009-08-26T18:45:00.000-07:00

BEEF ON A STONE

The beef is smoked with maple wood, vincotto,dates,bacon,pumpernickel porridge(try saying that ten times fast),parsley, fennel pollen. The guests always love this one. We had one that said it made them feel like a caveman in a suit. ha ha ha

2009-08-26T18:33:00.000-07:00

FROMAGE DE TETE, BRAWN, HEADCHEESE, SALESON, TESTA IN CASSETTA, CABEZA DE JABALI,SCHWARTENMAGEN, Ect Ect

Whatever you call it I call it delicious.The evolutions of Link the pig.

2009-08-23T22:08:00.000-07:00

OUR FIRST PIG!!

He was 350 pounds after slaughter. He is absolutely delicious!! Some of the best pork I've ever had. Ever ounce of him is used from nose to tail. He is (was) massive!!
Here he is in three forms. Shoulder, loin, and crispy ear. Sweet potato leaves, cranberry beans, chillies, sherry vinegar,cumin, grapefruit, onion flowers

The aroma of toasting cumin seeds on a hot stone accompany the dish

2009-08-21T19:16:00.000-07:00

HOT MELON--COLD MELON

These melons come from an amazing farmer down the road named Johneve. First is a watermelon compressed with a little sake and frozen,puffed Jasmine rice,lonzino,African blue basil,black garlic,ginger,lime gastrique,garda evo, and sea saltNext comes a musk melon compressed the same way sizzling on slate. The server marries the two at the table.

2009-08-16T19:58:00.000-07:00

CORN SOUP

Bacon ricotta,raw baby corn,wood sorrel,agave nectar,charred tomatillo,popcorn,d'espellete
corn soup charged with co2 for a super silky texture

2009-08-05T19:26:00.000-07:00

ESTRELLA DAMM INEDIT

Ferran Adria has created a beer that is AMAZING!! It is made with barley malt and wheat with hop, coriander, orange peel, liquorice, yeast and water. It is designed to pair with food and does it ever. We had it with grilled octopus and it tasted light and acidic, we had it with apricots and cheese and it tasted creamy and mellow, we had it with cod and it was perfect. It goes so many ways and it amazing on its own. It comes in 750 ml and I had two for lunch. It comes out for full sales in the fall but if anyone can find it please, PLEASE let me know .The restaurant that we had it in wont tell me were to get it . Were searching like maniacs but its not looking good. Help!!

2009-07-26T19:08:00.000-07:00

SNACKS

this image is for two

From left to right: Crystallized ham and cheese
Yolk noodles with nasturtium pesto
French onion soup gougère
Almond croquette with lomo, and piquillo pepper
Banyuls vinegar arancini
Puffed buffalo wing crackers with celery/Stilton jam
Pizza palmier
Yellow haricot vert tempura with mignonette gel

2009-07-24T18:02:00.000-07:00

LOCAL CHEESE

pipe dreams chevre,peach mostarda,lyo peach powder,cinnamon,hyssop puree,crystallized hyssop,vegetable ash,lapsang tea burst,crispy lapsang tea foam. There's no silverware on the table so the burst of lapsang/ginger tea gets eaten first and then the flavor lingers through the rest of the dish. At the table is a stick of smoking Cinnamon that brings out the flavor of the lapsang tea.

2009-07-23T20:12:00.000-07:00

HARDER THAN I THOUGHT
I've had animals raised for me before. I pet them, fed them, and saw them a few times before they were slaughtered. But this time its different. We see these guys every day, pet them every day. Watch them eat, watch them play. I've realized just how smart pigs are. Its been amazing! But there time is coming to an end. I've tried looking at them like Huge Fearnley Whitingstall says by looking at there bellies and thinking bacon, looking at there legs and seeing hams so on and so forth. Its definitely helped but......ah maybe I'm just a wuss who knows. I'm not saying that I'm writing this with a box of Kleenex beside me or anything but it defiantly makes you think. So from here on out Its a new perspective. We love all of our animals very much So in turn we will repay out debt to them by treating them with the utmost respect and love before and after death. Like my girlfriend/Goodstone pastry chef says "if as humans we chose to eat meat than we must know where it comes from." That said we've isolated this pig shown in the pic above and started to gorge him on nothing but Virginia peanuts to fatten him up, and give him a good nutty flavor. Every last gram of him will be cherished and very carefully prepared.

2009-07-15T19:00:00.000-07:00

SAME FLAVORS NEW CONCEPT

"Charred Tuna" puffed anchovy,haricot vert,fennel pollen,basil,grey shallot,banyuls,creme fraiche .
The tuna is seared then rolled in a black basil pesto. its a mind twist that makes you think its burnt but its not.

2009-07-10T21:52:00.000-07:00

The tuna are running past the coast of virginia!!

Tuna,fennel pollen,puffed baby anchovy, basil, banyuls vinegar, grey shallot, garda olive oil

2009-07-08T21:38:00.000-07:00

The box of bread

From left to right:butter/wakame terrine(umami blaster),pork butter(whipped pig fat),il de re salt smoked with hay,garda olive oil "butter"

inside is the bread surprise,country white, and wheat rolls

2009-07-04T20:33:00.000-07:00

SCALLOP

coddled scallop,parsnip,Benton's bacon,hollandaise,green tomato marmalade,

toast crumb,bergamot

2009-07-04T20:06:00.000-07:00

OLIVE

navet turnip,crispy squash blossom,black olive oil,honey,yolk,basil,lemon,thyme

2009-06-24T19:11:00.000-07:00

Local Bing cherry,pistachio,fennel,black pepper

whats actually inside:pistachio genoise soaked in rum,pistachio butter cream,cherry jam, crispy pistachio meringue,pistachio powder,bronze fennel sorbet,black pepper,cherry foam, and bronze fennel fronds. looks so simple at first glance but every bite is a surprise!

2009-06-24T19:04:00.000-07:00

OUR GARDEN

Thanks to Airynee, Paco, and Armondo for doing the best they can can and making it happen. Its the best part of my morning coming out here and picking all the ingredients for that night.

2009-06-20T22:19:00.000-07:00

FREEZY POPS!!!!!!

Rhubarb-pineapple sage

Oh......my.......god these are so cool, they make you feel like a little kid!People laugh when we bring them out.

2009-06-20T22:07:00.000-07:00

New nine embellishments for the polenta

from left to right:honey,onion confit,sherry vinegar,puffed Parmesan rind,radicchio marmalade,truffle,black garlic,smoked date,lemon

2009-06-20T21:55:00.000-07:00

FORAGE

SASSAFRAS

dark chocolate "custard", elements of root beer.

candied fennel seeds,pop rocks,sassafras root ice cream,orangette,vanilla cream,mint
We pair this with Rouge brewery's chocolate stout

2009-06-12T21:22:00.000-07:00

FORAGE

WOOD SORREL
Humbolt fog,country ham,swiss chard jam,smoked nuts,toast,vegetable ash,sorrel,vincotto

2009-06-10T15:18:00.000-07:00

BICYCULAR GASTRONOMY

Check this rig out!!!!!There is a human being named Julien that is a pure genius. Click on the image to see the inner workings.

2009-05-28T19:47:00.000-07:00

FORAGE

BURDOCK
MULLIGATAWNY SOUP

The soup is made with Burdock root,parsnip,carrot,sake,curry,ginger. Then charged for a super light texture.In the bowl is a burst of coconut milk,lime,puffed jasmine rice,fried onion puree,hyssop,cilantro flowers, and Garam Masala. At the table we give you a lime leaf to smell to engage the senses.

2009-05-25T20:32:00.000-07:00

TOWNHOUSE + GOODSTONE

Thirty seats

Three tables

October

2009-05-25T20:13:00.000-07:00

One day we put a coffee cup on its side and it all made sense

Dark chocolate,caramel,vanilla salt,fried peanut ice cream,raspberry,chocolate mint,orangette.

2009-05-20T22:01:00.000-07:00

Aged Cardona cheese, asparagus from the garden, puffed lemon cracker, kalmata olive, pine nut, thyme, olive oil "hollandaise", chive flowers.

2009-05-20T21:38:00.000-07:00

To buy new plates we've been selling our stinging nettles to local chefs near by. Thanks to Chris Carry from the Wine Kitchen, Ed Mathews from One Block West, Peggy from the Locke store, Hillary and Justin from the Home Farm, and Scott from L'Auberge Provencale. We got this one for the radish course I posted earlier.

2009-05-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

Had lunch the other day at the Red Hen!Really really good! Thanks to Tucker, and everyone else for hooking it up. Looking forward to doing something together in the future. Check out there link to see what there up to.

2009-05-01T21:33:00.000-07:00

FORAGE

stinging nettles
stinging nettle,potato stuffed morrel,breseola,toasted parmesan,pea shootsstinging nettle "beer"
more like a soda with a little alcohol
made with nettles,yeast,sugar,lemon,cream of tartar

2009-05-01T20:51:00.000-07:00

goats cheese and honey with almonds

honey gelee with toasted almonds a little sea salt
three drops of vegatable rennet
heated local goats milk
two minutes later-GOATS CHEESE!!

we do this at the table so the guest can see cheese being made right before there eyes!
inspired by Jordi Cruz

2009-04-23T21:36:00.000-07:00

escargot "Rockefeller",spinach,bacon,worcestershire,horseradish,parmesan in different forms

2009-04-23T21:20:00.000-07:00

Young radishes from the garden,miso crickle,pistachio,quinoa,cured yolk,white balsamic vinegar sorbet

Speaking of "from the garden" Airynee just started her blog. Check it out and see what were growing! I put her on the list of links. Neal's is coming soon with the wine blog.

2009-04-10T19:12:00.000-07:00

rockfish,radish,buttermilk,scallop gnocchi,shellfish custard,lonzino

the rockfish is brined with lemon. the shellfish custard is made with carragennen for a super light and creamy texture.the aroma of citrus, and flowers is perfumed at the table

2009-03-29T23:12:00.000-07:00

SNACKS

to start the experience (this image is for two)

-Lonzino "lolly pops"- saffron mustard,sage,grissini

-spruce skewers,creme fraiche,salmon, lemon
-Risotto "mcnuggets" Parmesan, sherry

-White lentil puree,fennel,feta,raisin,verjus

-Extra virgin peanut oil "drops", sea salt

2009-03-26T21:18:00.000-07:00

pastrami on rye part two

rockfish pastrami(corned then rubbed with smoked pepper,fennel,juniper then hung to dry) Fried vinegar,onion,celery,cornishon,rye emulsion,salt and vinegar chips,tonnato,rye toast

2009-03-24T21:51:00.000-07:00

cream of mushroom soup

Highly concentrated mushroom gelee, almonds toasted in brown butter, mittake mushrooms, robust henbit leaves, and flowers. into the bowl is poured hot cream that has been infused with thyme. The gel melts and in the bowl it becomes cream of mushroom soup.

2009-03-19T21:24:00.000-07:00

wild onions

chick weed

henbit
Spring is coming and foraging has begun!!!!!

2009-03-19T21:10:00.000-07:00

lamb on a stone,chic peas,pickled feta,maitake mushrooms,panisse,chickweed,spiced sugo

The stone is from a stream on our property that's heated. then the guest can cook for themselves at the table. The aroma, and sound of cooking meat is a exciting main course experience.

2009-03-11T20:09:00.000-07:00

salsify cooked like bacon with sweet and sour flavors

The salsify is "cured" with brown sugar and salt. Then cooked, and smoked with maple wood. Also we shaved, cured, smoked, and crystallized salsify for a crispy texture. Its garnished with misoyaki, medjool date, honey vinegar, toasted oats, oat froth, and a smoked salsify/honey vinegar gelee.

2009-03-08T20:01:00.000-07:00

pickled black cod,black olive oil,raisin puree,verjus,radish leaves,potato,pine nut

2009-03-06T21:45:00.000-08:00

local polenta with nine embellishments

This dish is so fun to eat! It's like being on a roller coaster. You go up, you go down, left, right, over, under, etc, etc. It starts with maple gel then continues with endive marmalade, honey vinegar, parmesan, sherry vinegar, salted yolk, ponzu, roasted garlic, then lemon. You might think that a wine pairing would be difficult...............it is(Neal is the man!) he found a couple that are perfect.if you've ever tasted a wine then eaten a cracker and tasted again and found the flavor different then imagine it happening over, and over again.very fun to eat!

2009-03-05T19:12:00.000-08:00

spruce sorbet,coconut,spruce froth,lime

a liquid burst of spruce tea,lime,pistachio

We found some spruce trees growing on our property so for the past week we've been doing some testing. It has a subtle flavor of pine with a pleasant sourness ,and the aroma of the forest. Spruce is also a great digestive. So it can help cure you of the feeling of being full! The pics are of the concepts being done as amuse, and to finish. Like book ends.So far so good but the tests continue. We did a spruce-grape sorbet with carbonated grapes, and crystallized mint that was very good.

2009-03-02T18:56:00.000-08:00

THE PIGS HAVE ARRIVED!

WE'VE GOT PIGS!! Airynee brought these little oinkers last Friday night.they are a cross of Yorkshire, and Duroc. Make no mistake these pigs are for eating ,but were going to have fun with them while we can.The white and black one loves potatoes!!!!!

2009-03-02T18:46:00.000-08:00

Barely cooked tuna ,Salt and Vinegar chips.Flavors of rye ,celery ,pickles.When eaten all together it tastes just like a tuna on rye sandwich!

2009-02-11T19:47:00.001-08:00

piquillo pepper,brandade,chorizo,garlic,pine nut crumble

2009-02-09T13:46:00.000-08:00

I remember when i was a little kid and in school we grew rock candy on string in mason jars with blue food coloring. Probably not the best idea for little kids since the sugar buzz was quite intense(poor teachers), and my lips were stained blue for a couple of days(poor mom). But now the idea is reborn. The image on top is cinnamon, and the one underneath is licorice root. They are one of the projects we are working on for take away treats, or for mignardise. They take about three weeks to make and i cant wait for the sugar buzz!

2009-01-29T20:16:00.000-08:00

sumac. found wild on property.it has a lemon-pine flavor that is truly exquisite.this is the smooth stem variety.there also a fury stem that is also good. we used this batch to make jelly. the next will be dryed and ground to use as a citrus flavored spice perfect for fish, sweetbreads, ect..

2009-01-29T19:59:00.000-08:00

oyster x3. hot and cold sake shooter,poached with miso espuma & puffed rice, fried with ponzu fluid gel

2009-01-22T18:51:00.000-08:00

pig foot stuffed with chicken liver parfait,crusted with baguette,textures of mustard,radicchio marmalade,cornishon puree

2009-01-21T18:52:00.000-08:00

The first real snow at the Goodstone.Sure its only a couple of inches, but its the winter season that I've missed for a long time. As a chef there's something truly inspiring about the change of a season. winter in particular evokes the urge to be nourished by something hearty, comforting, something soul warming. click on an image and tell me that a hot bowl of pot au feu, or a cassoulet, or a warm mulled cider would not be a tasty thing to eat. In the winter there's not much as far as food from the garden, or wild in the woods. So when the garden is covered in snow, it's time to pull a ham from the barn, or some confit thoughtfully preserved from the months before and feed not only the belly but also the soul.

2009-01-14T21:09:00.000-08:00

creme brulee,toasted pistatios,blood orange-vanilla fluid gel,caramel,

2009-01-14T20:48:00.000-08:00

fried pork belly,san marzano tomato relish & reduction,parmesan bubbles & crumbles,cumin,polenta

2009-01-14T20:33:00.000-08:00

A5 kobe "crudo",garlic confit,black olive oil,rosmary,arugala,pine nut crumble,black pepper

2009-01-11T19:15:00.000-08:00

chicken liver parfait,vincotto,huckleberries, red miso,toasted oats

2009-01-11T07:23:00.000-08:00

sweet potato custard,ginger crust,sage marshmello,maple froth,candied hazelnuts

2009-01-11T07:09:00.000-08:00

centuries ago eggs were preserved by coating them in butter as soon as they were laid, and still warm. if egg shells are porous, and butter is such a flavor and aroma "grabber" what if say garlic and onions were in the box with the eggs. or maybe hay smoke, or maybe truffles, or maybe duck fat instead of butter to boost the poultry flavor, or good lard for a porky scotch egg. Testing has begun!!! We'll see what happens in a month!!

2009-01-09T16:26:00.000-08:00

FIELDS OF ATHENRY FARM

Fields of Athenry farm! this is where we get our lamb, pork,and turkeys for thanksgiving. Elaine Boland has been a great friend to us at Goodstone, and a great freind to her critters!

The lamb with black faces are Dorsets (very good breeds for meat) and lucky Obama, Alice waters will be using her lamb for the inaugural dinner!

Elain's lamb are also kept on our property so we can se them in action and see what they eat. They are garded by our lama named Stretch(because he looks like a big sheep with a stretched neck!)

2009-01-04T18:42:00.000-08:00

click on the image to get a closer look.

2009-01-04T18:37:00.000-08:00

one of leslie's christmas desert courses,

whiskey cake,maple,stone fruit compote,egg nogg ice cream,currant glass

2009-01-04T18:30:00.000-08:00

beef and barley soup,roasted carrot puree,red wine gel,horseradish,barley,short rib. a thrice fortified brodo gets poured in table side(20%pork,30%chicken,50%beef) .This dish makes me want to wear a tweed jacket and sit next to a fire with a book.i dont have a tweed jacket..........but if i did..........well...you get the idea.

2008-12-28T19:27:00.000-08:00

Our bread service. the box is made of cypress.inside is a mini baguette of sourdough made with a starter made from Norton grapes which are indigenous to this area of Virginia, and mixed with a four year old starter named "lilly". on top of the box is il de re sel gris (grey sea salt from off the coast of France)smoked with hay, and a butter terrine layered with a dust of wakame seaweed, and pepper. the seaweed has big levels of glutamic acid for a big umami hit on the back of the tongue. beautiful flavors!!!!!!!!!(patent pending!)

2008-12-28T19:25:00.000-08:00

chocolate peanut "crunch", extra virgin peanut oil, coffee gastrique

this is to die for!!!!!

2008-12-24T19:12:00.000-08:00

shrimp risotto, coconut, wakame, sesame, coriander

shrimp infused Acquerello risotto ("ala minute" homage to Nathan Whiting )made by cooking whole shrimp in the pressure cooker without liquid to extract pure shrimp juice, then used to cook the rice. whipped creme fraiche, wakame puree(pureed with the pure shrimp juice)toasted coriander, sage, and a crunchy mixture of puffed basmati rice, toasted coconut, and sesame seeds. this dish is visually stunning, and absolutely beautiful in flavors. it has a profound sense of the ocean, with flavors that make you think of Thai food. the texture of the puffed rice, coconut, and sesame is the perfect balance to the creamy risotto, and smooth wakame. creamy, and crunchy the best texture partners.

2008-12-22T07:47:00.000-08:00

veal short lion (free range from ayrshire farm), Stilton (potted), pickled currants (pickled in malt vinegar), black walnuts(foraged from property), burgundy carrot, malt("steak sauce" some of you know what I'm talking about, only this time with more malt in it.)this dish is an umami over load. i spent to much on a digital camera but check out the glisten on the veal!!!!

2008-12-19T08:23:00.000-08:00

golden trout(local) "pee wee" potatoes,Charles Henry grey ham(the original smithfeild ham!, razorback pig gorged on peanuts for the last month before slaughter. Cured, smoked ,and hung for three years) medjool dates, pine needle infused fume' poured at the table. the skin is as crispy as a pringle potato chip! Thank you Wondra flour thank you!

2008-12-13T21:24:00.000-08:00

pecan butter powder,70% valrohna, croquant,gelled custard, and chantilly cream. tastes just like a pecan pie!!!!!

2008-12-13T20:06:00.000-08:00

roast lamb loin on the bone, braised lamb heart, chick peas, oyster mushrooms, pickled feta (pickled in white balsamic vinegar), cinnamon consome thickened with crab apple skins, and seeds.

2008-12-13T19:53:00.000-08:00

pecorino de pienza, bouche noir, thommasville tomme, apple mostarda, pommery grand reserve mustard, walnuts smoked with pine cones, sour dough, and pretzel crackers. the box is patent pending!!

2008-12-13T19:36:00.000-08:00

acorn squash veloute, licorice, maple, puffed wheat, creme fraiche, oak smoke. The soup is poured in at the table with the aroma of oak wafting up from under the bowl.

2008-12-11T16:49:00.001-08:00

took a visit to Ayrshire farm today. these guys don't mess around. they have tested the effects of dry aging per day, per animal, and per cut of beef. the pic. on top is a heritage breed, the middle is a Gloucestershire old spot( also known as a orchard pig since they were let loose in the orchards to eat all the fallen fruits from apple orchards). the beauty in the picture on the bottom is an ancient white park. this breed was requested by Julius Caesar, and is an extremely rare breed of cow(under 800 cows in north America today). Not to mention extremely tasty. They are very marbled, and as result they age perfectly. the flavor is robust, nutty, and very beefy. the bones are hard, have thick marrow, and make very good stock. The animals at Ayrshire are loved, and cared for very well, and i love to eat them

2008-12-10T19:05:00.000-08:00

local trout "invertabrate"(homage to Heston), caper stock thickened with pectin for a bigger flavor release(like eating a m-80) burre noisetee infused with foraged wood sorrel, parsley burre noisette powder, fried caper & panko "crunch". the caper adds acidity to make the mouth water and percive juiciness, but it has a sense of somthing missing intended to be found in the perfect wine paring of Mary Edwards Sauvignon blanc 2007. this was the second course of the december wine tasting. Rave reviews!!!!

2008-12-09T14:48:00.000-08:00

foraging for watercress in the creek behind the kitchen at twilight. All of life's worries seem to disappear................then i saw a black bear staring at me!!

2008-12-09T14:29:00.001-08:00

Black Angus cattle. Cared for by our farmer Sam. they are fed naturally on grass and have almost no stress at all(except for when they get there ears pierced!)

2008-12-08T12:16:00.000-08:00

Javier the rooster has his work cut out with fifty five chickens to keep track of. He stands almost two and a half feet high!

2008-12-07T19:32:00.000-08:00

This spinach almost tastes like meat!!!