WEST BRATTLEBORO — I recently had the opportunity of traveling to New York City and interviewing Chefs Thomas Keller and Roland Henin. The article will run in Mise en Place, the Culinary Institute of America's seasonal magazine.
For those of you who remain in the woodwork (I include myself in this category), Chef Keller has earned his place among the ranks of a new strain of culinary expert: the Celebrity Chef. He is the owner of the French Laundry and Per Se - two highly regarded restaurants, both earning the coveted three-star Michelin Guide rating.
The Michelin rating works on a three-star system. Earning even one star is a daunting methodical task. Earning three stars is a rare and exacting feat, demanding consistent excellence. Chef Keller is outstanding as the only U.S. chef to own not one, but two 3-star restaurants.
How did I secure this interview? By doing what all great successes do: I ignorantly asked, without thinking it through. I don't know. Maybe I've read one-too-many self-empowerment memes on Facebook. Those fuzzy kittens climbing Mt. Everest really inspire me.
Chef Keller and his mentor, Master Chef Roland Henin (another celebrity chef), were flown in from the West Coast for the Super Bowl, cooking for some big shots at MetLife. Since they'd both be in the neighborhood (comparatively speaking), I thought it'd be fun to ask: would they be available to meet for an interview to discuss their mentoring relationship?
No one gave them the memo that I'm a podunk from Brattleboro, and they agreed. (You might recall Master Chef Henin from my book excerpt that ran in these pages last year. He coined the term “scraps equals soufflé.”)
I recalled early voyagers' arrivals from foreign lands and felt it wise to offer a variety of gifts, honoring our local heritage. Charged with the task of representing quintessential Vermont to this culinary titan, I reflected prudently. No cheesy magnets or cow potholders - we are talking about the real Vermont.
Chef Keller prides himself on serving only select artisanal products in his restaurant. Diane St. Claire of Animal Farm in Orwell produces butter almost exclusively for the Keller Group's restaurants. As the proprietor of two three-star restaurants, culinary gifts offered to Chef Keller must not only be artisanal, but exquisite - some of the finest food & drink representing our local bounty.
Luckily, representing Vermont and the surrounding region with fine food is an easy task, as our state is blessed with a cornucopia of artisanal goodies. The great thing about being from Vermont is ... being from Vermont. The 802 is the coolest of all the states - even cooler than Oregon. Nyaah.
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Here is the list of goodies for Chef Keller that made the cut. Most of these products are available at local food cooperatives, farmers' markets, and directly from the purveyor:
• Whetstone CiderWorks, Marlboro; artisanal hard cider: “On the banks of the Whetstone Brook, a tradition has been revived. Inspired by wine's agrarian roots and food-friendly finesse, we source the finest cider apples from local orchards. Pressed from a rack and cloth press, the sweet, honey-colored juice ferments to dryness, yielding a sophisticated, complex beverage.”
• Champlain Orchards, Shoreham; ice cider: “Champlain Orchards' award-winning ice ciders are made by slowly, naturally freezing flavorful Champlain Valley apple cider during the Vermont winter, resulting in a rich, sweet, naturally concentrated cider that is best served like a dessert wine.”
Jasper Hill Farm, Greensboro; cheese: “Harbison is a bark-wrapped bloomy-rind cheese with woodsy, sweet, herbal, and bright flavors. We named our newest cheese after Anne Harbison, seen by many to be the grandmother of Greensboro, Vt.”
Jan's Farmhouse, Stowe; crackers: “The crisps are a healthy alternative cracker full of delicious ingredients, such as cranberries, flax seed, and pistachios, sesame and pumpkins seeds.”
• Big Picture Farm, Townshend; goat milk caramels: “Big Picture Farm is committed to making the finest, most delicious caramel in the world using fresh goat milk from our own herd.”
• Green River Ambrosia, Greenfield, Mass.; Ginger Libation: GRA's popular Libation “is somewhat like a spicy alcoholic ginger soda. Sweetened with cane sugar, pineapple and citrus juices, it's fruity, bubbly, and delicious.”
• Maine Beer Company, Freeport, Maine; India pale ale: “'Another One' has a very clean malt palate, leaving little but hoppy resins on the tongue, and finishes dry and crisp.”
• Bragg; liquid aminos: Not a local product but my favorite seasoning. “Bragg Liquid Aminos contain a complete protein - all 18 essential and non-essential amino acids are included, so using this product is like eating meat. It's got a meaty flavor, too. Bragg's is gluten-free and candida-diet friendly.”
• Matt's Maple Syrup, Brattleboro: And, of course, syrup. I always buy fancy grade maple syrup from David Matt's “small family owned and operated enterprise. We have been making maple syrup on the old family farm here in Southern Vermont since 1979. Each spring we tap about 1800 maple trees and gather the sap that flows.”
“The sap is boiled on a wood-fired evaporator to remove the excess water and produce maple syrup in much the same way that it's been done on our farm by past generations since before the turn of the century.”
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We finished the list with a few goodies from home:
• Gilfeather turnips from our garden. Harvested in October, we still had about 5,000 left, so off they went to the Big City, hairy legs and all. (Me and the turnips. Ba dum ssst.)
And! The surprise gift! Some of my stale chips-turned-No-Recipe-sauce-turned-Vermont Mole! How many brown-nosing admirers give a celebrity chef compost sauce? This gal, that's who. (Hey, I talk the talk, so I better walk that walk.)
Finally, I included several copies of The No Recipe Cookbook, so all of his finest chefs and waitstaff will read it, love it, and spread the word so it will sell a million copies. And then, I'll be a celebrity chef!
If you're looking for the perfect gift to give me, I have just the list.
Fare well.