# New Modernist Cooking Website for Noobs



## Mucho Bocho (Oct 22, 2012)

So I've had the Modernist Cuisine for Home book for about a week now. I've only cooked a few recipes out of it. 

Beautiful book, full of lots of new ideas and nothing that requires a commercial centrifuge or paco jet. 

Some recipes are, just cause you can as opposed to must try. 

It doesn't cover many of the new modernist ingredients. I've already had to solicit the feedback from Bienik. Man know kitchen science and is a artist at plating. 

But I found a new site looks like it dedicated to helping noobs explore this modern gastronomic approach to cooking. 

Hax--nobody's talking to you ;-) save your stories of herecy and the like. 

http://www.modernistcookingmadeeasy.com/


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## eaglerock (Oct 22, 2012)

Very nice website, thank you for sharing.

I'll add ideas in food blog. they always have some cool ideas. i also own their book.


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## Mucho Bocho (Oct 22, 2012)

Eag, Back at ya. Thanks for sharing. How would describe the books approach? I love trying out moderns recipes but I just thumbed through the Volt Brothers book. Oh Man, I bet even Naxamy--Neil wouldn't attempt these at home. Like I'm going to make a sauce that cost $100 and ounce, takes all day to put three drops on the plate. Uh, no thanks.

I'm waiting for my isi thermo whipper to come. Very excited about that.


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## hax9215 (Oct 23, 2012)

Mucho Bocho said:


> Hax--nobody's talking to you ;-) save your stories of herecy and the like.
> 
> http://www.modernistcookingmadeeasy.com/



Mr. Bucho, you misunderstand. I never suggested that the sous-vide is useless, as I recall someone on here was able to effectively oil the scales on a wooden handle with one. I don't mind lose students to show me something only new, when they had added to the sum total of culinary knowledge that they have made it as a chef. Just don't try to smoke pork with one; that profanes my religion. And btw, its HERESY, you heatheren. Good Carolina boy like you should know better! :wink:


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## Mucho Bocho (Oct 23, 2012)

LOL Hax, you're a funny guy. I live in Raleigh and i can't tell you how hard it is to find decent BBQ (of any of the flavors). so I make my own, using an electric smoker. I'm sure that you appreciate those devices too. I also inject them with phosphates but do buy Step 4 pork or pasture pork. that makes all the difference. I'm going to smoke a whole bacon slab this weekend. Pics to follow


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## eaglerock (Oct 25, 2012)

The book is simple and easy to understand.

They have a lot of cool ideas too. here is an exp:


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## makanouchi (Nov 19, 2012)

Very nice website, thank you for sharing


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## quantumcloud509 (Nov 21, 2012)

Mucho Bocho said:


> http://www.modernistcookingmadeeasy.com/



(creepy vampire voice)yes, charcuterie, yes. tell me more, little computer, tell me, what else do you know?

Thanks for sharing.


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## bieniek (Nov 23, 2012)

hax9215 said:


> I never suggested that the sous-vide is useless, as I recall someone on here was able to effectively oil the scales on a wooden handle with one.



Sous vide as a technique doesnt involve packing under vacuum. 

You got that wrong.


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## Deckhand (Nov 24, 2012)

Nice link Mucho Bucho.


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## Deckhand (Nov 24, 2012)

bieniek said:


> Sous vide as a technique doesnt involve packing under vacuum.
> 
> You got that wrong.



I remember some of those discussions relating to eggs since they weren't vacuum sealed but just slow cooked in water bath like a poach,but called sous vide. I know the term itself means under vacuum. What is your source on this. Do you have a link to a discussion on egullet? Just trying to refresh my own memory.


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## quantumcloud509 (Nov 24, 2012)

David Chang turns packaged ramen noodles into gnocchi. For me, thats modernist.


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## Deckhand (Nov 24, 2012)

quantumcloud509 said:


> David Chang turns packaged ramen noodles into gnocchi. For me, thats modernist.



For me it was anything done by Ferran Adria.


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## bieniek (Nov 24, 2012)

Deckhand said:


> I remember some of those discussions relating to eggs since they weren't vacuum sealed but just slow cooked in water bath like a poach,but called sous vide. I know the term itself means under vacuum. What is your source on this. Do you have a link to a discussion on egullet? Just trying to refresh my own memory.



The term doesn't mean under vacuum. Packing under vacuum eliminates air from packaging, which improves heat transfer, as water conducts heat better than air. Bags then drown, resulting in water surroundings.
You can easily skip this by rolling produce in plastic wrap.
Of course due to lack of oxygen 
I have info from Modernist Cuisine books, many different websites and other older books, and Thomas Kellers "Sous Vide", where he prepares duck breast without vacumization. 

Funny thing Nico Ladenis mentions sous vide in his book[1984 or so], saying he doesnt like it and a Roux's are fanboys [they wanted to open a chain of restaurants with food prepared sous vide at one main kitchen and just reheated in restaurant on order, the concept never worked out.]


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## slowtyper (Nov 25, 2012)

bieniek said:


> The term doesn't mean under vacuum.



Might want to check a french dictionary


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## Deckhand (Nov 26, 2012)

bieniek said:


> The term doesn't mean under vacuum. Packing under vacuum eliminates air from packaging, which improves heat transfer, as water conducts heat better than air. Bags then drown, resulting in water surroundings.
> You can easily skip this by rolling produce in plastic wrap.
> Of course due to lack of oxygen
> I have info from Modernist Cuisine books, many different websites and other older books, and Thomas Kellers "Sous Vide", where he prepares duck breast without vacumization.
> ...



Thanks for your opinions. Interesting. I like the idea of vacuum infusion,less air floating the bag,and less concern about aerobic activity. I think it is a good system for steaks and steakhouses to cook to order with a sear before serving. I thought that was having success. I appreciate your thoughts on the subject.


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## bieniek (Nov 27, 2012)

No worries. Bacteria are a different subject, imfo aerobic are the least problem, if I could say so. Most of them is on the surface of the food, so when I prepare a pastrami or any kind of slow cooked meat actually I first have a bath at 80 degrees centigrade and I drown the meat for 1 minute [Boil water and mix with cold water to get around 80 degrees] to decontaminate the surface

Now, the calpain [in newer [or more scientific] publication than Modernist Cuisine its pointed out that cathepsin have nothing to do with tenderization - its bound in lysosomes and theres no data suggesting that it is released after animals death] as an enzyme works best at 25 degrees centigrade [and pH 7.2-8.2]
But I dont want to keep my meat [even under vacuum] within the 10-50 degrees range for over four hours, that is where the spores [as far as I remember spores is the product of bacteria like ecoli when stressed and are extremely difficult to get rid off?] of anaerobic bacteria are happiest. 

So after that time I finally have my last, actual cooking, phase. 
Or almost cause I like to sear the meat after cooking anyway 

But I cannot stress it enough, most crucial part for me is to keep hands clean, bags well sealed and disinfect working surfaces. And not to think "yeah yeah it supposed to be easy so I dont have to wash hands after scratching my arse" 

I think the concept is a little off...Maybe cause the passion is not there, where you have cooks actually just serving food.


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## Deckhand (Nov 28, 2012)

True true. In a restaurant setting the typical worker isn't infatuated with the concepts you were just discussing. I know I wasn't back when I was working in a restaurant. I love the type of information you are discussing. I used to read lots of threads over at Egullet. Lots of interesting info.


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## brainsausage (Nov 28, 2012)

Deckhand said:


> Thanks for your opinions. Interesting. I like the idea of vacuum infusion,less air floating the bag,and less concern about aerobic activity. I think it is a good system for steaks and steakhouses to cook to order with a sear before serving. I thought that was having success. I appreciate your thoughts on the subject.



Cooking to order is unrealistic- unless people are willing to wait over an between 40-50 minutes for a steak, and thats if its a first course.
Sous vide to temp( just below rare has always worked for me ), chill, and then searing/raising the temp from there is much more feasible. You've already tenderized and and gotten past that first bump of cooking, which is more efficient in terms of service, and doubly so as you're producing a 'better' product in less time. 
Controlled vaccum packaging is hot topic in the food service industry nowadays in terms of food safety. Some states are requiring a HACCP plan to utilize said techniques. I've come to realize, that once again, the smart have to suffer due to the ignorant.


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## slowtyper (Nov 28, 2012)

brainsausage said:


> Cooking to order is unrealistic- unless people are willing to wait over an between 40-50 minutes for a steak, and thats if its a first course.
> Sous vide to temp( just below rare has always worked for me ), chill, and then searing/raising the temp from there is much more feasible. You've already tenderized and and gotten past that first bump of cooking, which is more efficient in terms of service, and doubly so as you're producing a 'better' product in less time.
> Controlled vaccum packaging is hot topic in the food service industry nowadays in terms of food safety. Some states are requiring a HACCP plan to utilize said techniques. I've come to realize, that once again, the smart have to suffer due to the ignorant.


That's what he meant.


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## brainsausage (Nov 28, 2012)

slowtyper said:


> That's what he meant.



That was the beer talking. I disavow all knowledge of that post:whistling:


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## Deckhand (Nov 28, 2012)

brainsausage said:


> That was the beer talking. I disavow all knowledge of that post:whistling:



Lol


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## franzb69 (Nov 29, 2012)

thanks for the link


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## slowtyper (Nov 29, 2012)

I just picked this up for 30 percent off during the Barnes and Noble Black Friday sale!


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## Deckhand (Nov 30, 2012)

slowtyper said:


> I just picked this up for 30 percent off during the Barnes and Noble Black Friday sale!



Good score!


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