Our NYE Menu ... Can you guess the Chef?

[PurplePotato]

So I think we're done. Finally! This is usually done weeks ago. Whaddaya think?

Chef's featured are:

Charlie Trotter
Rick Tramonto (Tru)
Grant Achatz (Alinea)
Michael White (Fiamma)
Thomas Keller (French Laundry)

Here's the plan:

Kalamata Olive and Goat Cheese Tapenade

Angel Hair and Artichoke Frittata*

Yellow Tail Carpaccio with Fennel, Tomatoes and Olives

Smoked Salmon Crepes with Crème Fraiche*

Lobster Bisque with Lobster Ceviche

Celery-Pear Juice*

Charred Lamb with Truffle Oil and Oven-Dried Tomatoes*

Bison with Beets, Blueberries and Burning Cinnamon

Pear Strudel with Chestnut Cream and Pear Chips

*These items are very small, more amuse bouche size than entree size. Oooh, is that a clue?

Can you match the chef to the recipe without Google? Hint...only 1 chef is used more than once.

[Canice]

are the smoked salmon and celery-pear juice the same chef?

Is the bison Achatz?

Is the frittata Tramonto?

Is the tapenade White? Or is he the dessert guy?

[veschke]

I don't have a prayer of guessing, but *wow*!!! That's an impressive array.

We might just do pizza and a movie with the kids again.

[PurplePotato]

Canice is good!

are the smoked salmon and celery-pear juice the same chef? YES.

Is the bison Achatz? YES.

Is the frittata Tramonto? YES.

Is the tapenade White? Or is he the dessert guy? NO and NO.

[kwormann]

I have been looking for a lobster bisque recipe - is it easy to share it?

Thanks

[PurplePotato]

I have been looking for a lobster bisque recipe - is it easy to share it?

Thanks

Um..no. It is about 2 pages of very small type - and I just googled it and can't find it posted anywhere. It is also a PITA recipe. I would try epicurious for a more approachable one. This is probably not one we will make more than once. However, once the guessing is done I'll be happy to point you to the right cookbook if you are still interested!

[Randi R]

No way I can match them all, but if I had to guess I'd put Thomas Keller with the yellowtail carpaccio.

[PurplePotato]

No way I can match them all, but if I had to guess I'd put Thomas Keller with the yellowtail carpaccio.

Nope, sorry.

[Randi R]

I knew it was a wild guess...

[KristiB]

I'm guessing Keller is the bisque because the man loves his long recipes.

[PurplePotato]

I'm guessing Keller is the bisque because the man loves his long recipes.

LOL. Nope. The bisque is actually a signature recipe at the restaurant it is from. It is served every night and has been since the beginning. We will be serving it in tea cups as it is at the restaurant.

Plus there's only 3 recipes to it. A respectable Keller dish has at least 5. ;-)

[kwormann]

Um..no. It is about 2 pages of very small type - and I just googled it and can't find it posted anywhere. It is also a PITA recipe. I would try epicurious for a more approachable one. This is probably not one we will make more than once. However, once the guessing is done I'll be happy to point you to the right cookbook if you are still interested!

No worries

[Canice]

are the smoked salmon and celery-pear juice the same chef? YES.

So those two are Keller's?

Not so good with White - and Fiamma is one of only two of the restaurants I've been to! Must be the carpaccio.

[PurplePotato]

So those two are Keller's?

NO. The juice and salmon are not.

Not so good with White - and Fiamma is one of only two of the restaurants I've been to! Must be the carpaccio.

YES! I figured that would be the easiest because it is a play on a dish traditionally served in Italian restaurants.

[Canice]

NO. The juice and salmon are not.

The juice didn't sound so much like him, but I can't shake the memory of those little salmon "ice cream cones" at FL

[PurplePotato]

How's this for a hint - it just took me about 45 minutes and maybe 10 pears to get 15 perfect pear slices for the dessert --- which were supposed to all be able to come from one pear. Uh-huh....tell me another fairy tale Mr....

I'll post all the matches tomorrow!

[oct2189]

How's this for a hint - it just took me about 45 minutes and maybe 10 pears to get 15 perfect pear slices for the dessert --- which were supposed to all be able to come from one pear. Uh-huh....tell me another fairy tale Mr....

I'll post all the matches tomorrow!

Is the strudel Keller?
ETA and is the lamb Trotter?

[PurplePotato]

Is the strudel Keller? YES


ETA and is the lamb Trotter? NO.

And I am happy to report that my pears (after a couple of hours...) turned out absolutely perfect! They are a thing of beauty.

[Lauren]

Sounds FANTASTIC! Post pics, please.

[PurplePotato]

Pictures? Do you know I've never taken a photo on NYE? I'm always way too busy. LOL.

Ok, so far we know:

Kalamata Olive and Goat Cheese Tapenade
NOT White

Angel Hair and Artichoke Frittata*
Rick Tramonto / Tru

Yellow Tail Carpaccio with Fennel, Tomatoes and Olives
Michael White / Fiamma

Smoked Salmon Crepes with Crème Fraiche*
NOT Keller

Lobster Bisque with Lobster Ceviche
NOT Keller
NOT Trotter

Celery-Pear Juice*
NOT Keller

Charred Lamb with Truffle Oil and Oven-Dried Tomatoes*
NOT Trotter

Bison with Beets, Blueberries and Burning Cinnamon
Grant Achatz / Alinea

Pear Strudel with Chestnut Cream and Pear Chips
Thomas Keller / The French Laundry

[oct2189]

Is White then the tapenade?

[oct2189]

Trotter is the bisque,right?

[PurplePotato]

Nope, sorry Jill.

[oct2189]

Nope, sorry Jill.

Does Apple have an app for this?

[PurplePotato]

Ok, ready for the answers? Does anyone still care? LOL.

Here goes...

Kalamata Olive and Goat Cheese Tapenade
Charlie Trotter from "Trotter Cooks at Home"

Angel Hair and Artichoke Frittata*
Rick Tramonto from Amuse-Bouche

Yellow Tail Carpaccio with Fennel, Tomatoes and Olives
Michael White / Fiamma

Smoked Salmon Crepes with Crème Fraiche*
Rick Tramonto from Amuse-Bouche

Lobster Bisque with Lobster Ceviche
Rick Tramonto from Tru

Celery-Pear Juice*
Rick Tramonto from Amuse-Bouche

Charred Lamb with Truffle Oil and Oven-Dried Tomatoes*
Rick Tramonto from Amuse-Bouche

Bison with Beets, Blueberries and Burning Cinnamon
Grant Achatz / Alinea

Pear Strudel with Chestnut Cream and Pear Chips
Thomas Keller / The French Laundry

[oct2189]

Ok, ready for the answers? Does anyone still care? LOL.

Here goes...

Kalamata Olive and Goat Cheese Tapenade
Charlie Trotter from "Trotter Cooks at Home"

Angel Hair and Artichoke Frittata*
Rick Tramonto from Amuse-Bouche

Yellow Tail Carpaccio with Fennel, Tomatoes and Olives
Michael White / Fiamma

Smoked Salmon Crepes with Crème Fraiche*
Rick Tramonto from Amuse-Bouche

Lobster Bisque with Lobster Ceviche
Rick Tramonto from Tru

Celery-Pear Juice*
Rick Tramonto from Amuse-Bouche

Charred Lamb with Truffle Oil and Oven-Dried Tomatoes*
Rick Tramonto from Amuse-Bouche

Bison with Beets, Blueberries and Burning Cinnamon
Grant Achatz / Alinea

Pear Strudel with Chestnut Cream and Pear Chips
Thomas Keller / The French Laundry

Rick Tramonto is busy tonight! Looks amazing - kudos to you for taking it on. Thanks for the puzzle. Enjoy!

[oceanjasper]

Add me to the group of people who would love to see pictures and read reviews! Wish I was coming to your house tonight!

[Canice]

Two cooks and HOW many guests?? I can't imagine! And then there's the house cleaning, table-setting, etc.
Oh, and it's a pyjama party so there's brekkie to consider -- what's on the menu for that?

[PurplePotato]

I didn't take any pictures. Sorry. Way too busy.

People got VERY into guessing the chef. There was quite the competition for a couple of hours. I had to get pens out for everyone to make notes. LOL. They figured it out right before the bison was served.

2 cooks and 10 people. Though we do have a server come - she arrived at 4 and helps with all the last minute stuff then helps plate, serve, clear, etc. Makes all the difference.

House cleaning - I have a cleaning lady and she was here in the afternoon on Thursday. I did all the sheets before she arrived so she could make up fresh beds. Then I just have to go around and put out guest towels, extra blankets, etc in the guest rooms.

Setting the table - I set up all the crystal/silver/china on the dining room table (we serve this meal in the library, not the dining room) in order of service so that as each course is ready we can easily get what we need. With each course we do a fresh glass, plates, silver and then clear after each course. So when people sit down all that is on the table is a napkin, menu and water glass.

It went really well. I have no idea how but every single thing turned out exactly as it was supposed to! Amazing. We even had the plating down to an art this year. I think after 6 years we've finally got this figured out. We did have to doctor two recipes - the lobster bisque and the chestnut cream both were modified to taste. I think it takes a certain amount of confidence to modify recipes from Tru and TFL! We rock!

But then a frozen pizza was needed around 3am. It tasted really good.

Breakfast - The general plan is I have oj, english muffins and bananas - anything else people want they bring. We have one guy who usually cooks a huge and elaborate breakfast but this year he just got back from vacation the night before. One guest made yummy scrambled eggs for everyone around 11 or so. The last guests left at 2 today.

And now I just have a ton of crystal to wash and dry. *sigh* Luckily our server kept up with the china and silver. I also have a few dishwasher loads to run.