posted by Dave Arnold For years Nils and I have maintained that pressure cooking stocks and broths is the way to go. We’ve always said that the high temperature in a pressure cooker gives better extraction and meatier flavors than normal cooking. Turns out we were wrong. Sort of. While I hate being wrong, this particular error […]
posted by Dave Arnold In the 1880’s western scientists figured out that chewing the leaves of the tropical Indian plant gymnema sylvestre completely obliterates your ability to taste sweet. It was known in India long before then — they called it gurmar, “sugar destroyer.” The active ingredients in the plant are gymnemic acids. They don’t mask sweetness – they actually block the ability of […]
posted by Dave Arnold I love puffed snacks. Everyone loves puffed snacks. I thought it was time we posted on them. Why do things puff? In the snack food industry, most puffed snacks are made from starch passed through an extruder. A screw inside a long barrel mixes, compresses and cooks via friction all at […]
posted by Dave Arnold The weather’s getting chilly again, so L’Ecole (The FCI’s restaurant) asked me to start thinking about this year’s crop of Red Hot Poker drinks. (If you don’t know about the poker and our modern take on 18th century drinks, look here.) I brainstormed with Alexis Kahn, who, along with many other duties,  runs L’Ecole’s beverage program. She […]
posted by Dave Arnold with Nastassia Lopez About a month ago, Chef Toshio Suzuki from Sushi Zen in New York (our ike-jime sensei) and Chef Noriyuki Kobayashi of Megu Midtown came to The FCI to demonstrate cutting a whole Kindai bluefin tuna. The event was sponsored by the Gohan Society and Sona Seafood (the guys who […]
