A.P.B.C. Cooking Debauchery

My name is Evan Brady. I graduated from The Culinary Institute of America with a Culinary Arts Degree in July of 2010, and I have returned to the CIA for the MIT (manager in training) program. To be specific, the Apple Pie Cafe M.I.T. I am in charge of expediting, menu development and recipe testing, paperwork (scheduling etc), and the oversight of Chef's quality standards. This was the best decision I've made in my career I feel. I am so very passionate about what I do, and I hope through this blog you see that.

This blog is for my readings, projects, and thoughts about food.

My goal is to have everything I have learned in one place, and to share all of the knowledge I have accumulated with the world.
Yuzu, White Miso Possot Chef’s pastry sous chef taught me how to make a preparation called “Possot”. It has the texture of custard once set, but has no egg product or hydrocolloids giving that texture. Acidity is the key to this preparation. Using a pH meter I increased the acidity from yuzu’s normal 2.3pH to 2.0pH using citric acid. This info is based on our beginning test of making the traditional lemon possot. Once we figured out what the ending pH is expected in the traditional preparation we were able to build and modify to our ideas. The acid coagulates the proteins in the milk, which if left in a mold will set in a few hours. Pretty awesome, and versatile preparation!

Yuzu, White Miso Possot

Chef’s pastry sous chef taught me how to make a preparation called “Possot”. It has the texture of custard once set, but has no egg product or hydrocolloids giving that texture. Acidity is the key to this preparation. Using a pH meter I increased the acidity from yuzu’s normal 2.3pH to 2.0pH using citric acid. This info is based on our beginning test of making the traditional lemon possot. Once we figured out what the ending pH is expected in the traditional preparation we were able to build and modify to our ideas. The acid coagulates the proteins in the milk, which if left in a mold will set in a few hours. Pretty awesome, and versatile preparation!

Foie Gras Mousse piped into three rectangular molds. I taped them together so I could use my mini offset to make them flush. Under the molds is a piece of acetate to prevent sticking. Once it set in the blast freezer I put another piece of acetate on top, then vacuum sealed on high. Plating to come next week.

Foie Gras Mousse piped into three rectangular molds. I taped them together so I could use my mini offset to make them flush. Under the molds is a piece of acetate to prevent sticking. Once it set in the blast freezer I put another piece of acetate on top, then vacuum sealed on high. Plating to come next week.

The finished spread. Took a few times to get the whole sheet perfect, but now it’s perfect and level for dehydrating.

The finished spread. Took a few times to get the whole sheet perfect, but now it’s perfect and level for dehydrating.

Sheet of Sicilian Pistachio. Using the technique from Alinea, where on each side of a nonstick mat or acetate place seven strips of masking tape, then put your purée to dehydrate in the middle and scrape it to a perfect, thin spread. I dehydrated at 155F for 28 hours using an Excalibur Dehydrator.

Sheet of Sicilian Pistachio. Using the technique from Alinea, where on each side of a nonstick mat or acetate place seven strips of masking tape, then put your purée to dehydrate in the middle and scrape it to a perfect, thin spread.

I dehydrated at 155F for 28 hours using an Excalibur Dehydrator.

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I have more coming! I apologize to those who actually read the blog. I have more testing coming up! So stay tuned in please.

Evan

Growth update: left picture wa last week, and the right is what I just took. It’s looking awesome, and soon will be enveloped in white mold. Checked the casings too, and they feel a little moist, but not too much. This shows that the casings have not hardened, and the drying phase is continuing smooth. If the casings harden the inner meat is more prone to spoilage, and if it doesn’t spoil there will be a ring of very tough meat, then soft on the interior.

Growth update: left picture wa last week, and the right is what I just took. It’s looking awesome, and soon will be enveloped in white mold. Checked the casings too, and they feel a little moist, but not too much. This shows that the casings have not hardened, and the drying phase is continuing smooth. If the casings harden the inner meat is more prone to spoilage, and if it doesn’t spoil there will be a ring of very tough meat, then soft on the interior.

A little more mold each day. These are looking great! Two weeks into drying, and from the feel of them I’d say another three-four weeks and we’ll be tasting.

A little more mold each day. These are looking great! Two weeks into drying, and from the feel of them I’d say another three-four weeks and we’ll be tasting.

Full picture of the stained foie gras. Chefs project is awesome! The color is amazing.

Full picture of the stained foie gras. Chefs project is awesome! The color is amazing.

After 72 hours of fermentation, and 12 hours into drying. As you can see the white penicillium is beginning to form on the outside of the casing. The product used to form this is called Bactoferm Mold 600. It is the new mold that replaced Bactoferm M-EK4. After a few weeks they will be completely enveloped in white mold, which protects the inner meat from spoilage bacteria as well.

After 72 hours of fermentation, and 12 hours into drying. As you can see the white penicillium is beginning to form on the outside of the casing. The product used to form this is called Bactoferm Mold 600. It is the new mold that replaced Bactoferm M-EK4. After a few weeks they will be completely enveloped in white mold, which protects the inner meat from spoilage bacteria as well.

Salumi after fermenting at 68F with 87% humidity for a little over 40 hours now. We will be fermenting for 72 hours total before drying. We are looking for a pH drop below 5.3, but for ideal flavor I want it at about 4.8 when we start drying. If it gets below 4.8 too fast the ending product will be more tangy, but I want more of a balance rather than a Seattle Salumi product…get one and you’ll see what I mean. It’s like biting into a piece of salame sprinkled with ascorbic acid.

Salumi after fermenting at 68F with 87% humidity for a little over 40 hours now. We will be fermenting for 72 hours total before drying. We are looking for a pH drop below 5.3, but for ideal flavor I want it at about 4.8 when we start drying. If it gets below 4.8 too fast the ending product will be more tangy, but I want more of a balance rather than a Seattle Salumi product…get one and you’ll see what I mean. It’s like biting into a piece of salame sprinkled with ascorbic acid.

Making salumi in APBC today. What you see are the measured spices, salts, and wine for the two I am making, which are Salame Finocchiona, and Soppressata. The left culture is pH dropping, and listeria controlling. It’s a bioprotective culture, which is why it can prevent listeria, while others cannot. The right is the mold responsible for surface mold formation. The white mold commonly found. The casings are soaked for 20mins in lukewarm water with the culture dissolved within. Ratio is for every 10L water use 25g of mold.

Making salumi in APBC today. What you see are the measured spices, salts, and wine for the two I am making, which are Salame Finocchiona, and Soppressata.

The left culture is pH dropping, and listeria controlling. It’s a bioprotective culture, which is why it can prevent listeria, while others cannot.

The right is the mold responsible for surface mold formation. The white mold commonly found. The casings are soaked for 20mins in lukewarm water with the culture dissolved within. Ratio is for every 10L water use 25g of mold.

Stuffed and tied. Ready to go in the proofer/retarder set at 68F with humidity at 87%. It will incubate for 72 hours, then dry for 4 weeks at temps between 65F-72F with average humidity at 65%.

Stuffed and tied. Ready to go in the proofer/retarder set at 68F with humidity at 87%. It will incubate for 72 hours, then dry for 4 weeks at temps between 65F-72F with average humidity at 65%.

The finished moulard duck breast. Cooked en sous vide at 60.5C for 28mins. I used a technique where I gently rest the fat side only in the fryer to crisp for about 45secs at 375F. The results are spectacular! This makes an easy pickup for a great duck breast at the APBC, where I mostly have bakers cooking savory food.

The finished moulard duck breast. Cooked en sous vide at 60.5C for 28mins. I used a technique where I gently rest the fat side only in the fryer to crisp for about 45secs at 375F. The results are spectacular!

This makes an easy pickup for a great duck breast at the APBC, where I mostly have bakers cooking savory food.

Three perfect quiche. We fold the quiche dough over the edges of the mold so that when we cut off the edges we can get a perfect edge. Pre-bake shell at 325F for 45mins. Then, cook filled quiche at 350F for 1hr, 30mins with a custard thickness of 1in. If there is more custard than filling increase the time by 15-20mins. This particular quiche is Bacon, Spinach, Caramelized Onions, and Goat Cheese…awesome.

Three perfect quiche. We fold the quiche dough over the edges of the mold so that when we cut off the edges we can get a perfect edge.

Pre-bake shell at 325F for 45mins. Then, cook filled quiche at 350F for 1hr, 30mins with a custard thickness of 1in. If there is more custard than filling increase the time by 15-20mins.

This particular quiche is Bacon, Spinach, Caramelized Onions, and Goat Cheese…awesome.