It's All About the Garnish!

Two First Place Ribbons!

It was a Family First Place Sweep at the Napa County Fair Grilling Contest in Calistoga this past weekend! I'll have photos for you soon, but here's a quick rundown of the day's events.

Upon arriving at the fairgrounds with the loaded-down truck, we saw that there was one team there already, who had been there since 4am smoking pork for their entry. The main man behind the grill looked tired, oblivious to the waves of heat emanating from his smoker. I didn't see any plates, garnish or other implements that would distinguish his entry, so didn't give him another thought.

We set up our family 'compound', consisting of Dad's mobile cook table (with inverter for the margarita machine) and my two camping tables and baby Weber. Beer Juice was poured (beer and orange juice, quite tasty in the morning), bacon was grilled and we ate breakfast as we slowly started to prep our dishes.

Aly, the coordinator came around checking us in, giving us our time schedules. I noticed that my arch nemesis, Doug Wattson (a professional chef and the one to beat every year) had entered THREE categories! When I questioned him about it (in a friendly manner, I assure you), he said that he had heard I was entering two categories and figured he'd enter three just to be safe. All of a sudden, I was a bit worried. This was a guy who regularly wins Best of Show! I beat a quick retreat back to my area to make sure my dishes were properly prepped.

However, speaking of Best of Show, last year's winner, Alan Von Der Mehden, had staged himself next door to our area and was busy prepping a beef dish. Of course he would enter one of MY categories!  This guy was a culinary instructor at a school in Chico, so I was a bit concerned about him, as well. I waved hello and got back to work. I was entering my Sweet and Spicy Seared Ahi Tuna in the Fish category and Filet Mignon 'Burgers' in the Beef category. I knew these dishes were awesome, but also knew I had some stiff competition.

Among the competition? My Dad! He was entering the Lamb category with grilled lamb plated with baby potatoes and a mini Caesar salad. The presentation was beautiful and after I had a bite of his lamb, knew he was a serious contender for the Best of Show award. 

After all of the dishes were turned in and the judges had tasted everything, the awards were handed out. I won First Place in both the Beef and Fish categories, beating Doug AND Alan! Dad also won First Place for HIS dish as well! Next came the announcement for the Best of Show winners. I was the only person with more than one First Place ribbon, so I was SURE I had Best of Show in the bag. Imagine my surprise when Dad was awarded Third Place Best of Show and I was given SECOND! The winner turned out to be the guy who got up early to smoke pork! I was sort of devastated! Then, my wonderful husband went up to the judges and inquired as to the reason I was not awarded the grand prize. They said first place was pretty much even, but they decided to give it to Pork Smoker Guy because this was a BARBECUE contest, not just a cooking contest, and he had barbecued more than me. I was livid at first, then remembered this is a county fair after all. My ribbons hang proudly in my kitchen and will serve as inspiration for next year's dishes.

Dad and His Buffalo Roast

Last night the family gathered for another of Dad's famous Standing Rib Roasts. He does this a few times a year, most notably on my birthday, and it's always legendary. But what made this night stand a bit above and beyond the rest was the fact that this was no ordinary roast...it was buffalo! Specially ordered, cosseted in a dusting of herbs and spices then lovingly draped with peppered bacon, this roast would emerge from the fiery depths of the oven to be the pinnacle of all things meaty.

 
It was so tender, it made the steak knives on the table seem superfluous. The flavor was savory with just a hint of lightness that betrayed its prarie orgins. When all of the plates were virtually licked clean, it was decided that he needs to do this again...soon. A close-up is definitely called for here:

 I should also mention that this was accompanied by caesar salad, potatoes au gratin and cornbread topped with butter, vanilla and sugar. You know, just an ordinary night at the Brown's. Thanks, Dad!
 
 

Amuse Bouche: Garrett's Spanish Tapas

My brother Garrett brought back a bit from his recent travels to Spain:  tapas! He divided his square plates into four quadrants:  two appetizers and two tapenades. On one corner, he presented a Spanish tortilla, which is like a potato-based quiche with spinach. Diagonally opposite were fried gnocchi. He topped both with different cheeses and meats, two of which were manchego cheese and serrano ham. Opposite corners held pepper and olive tapenades. We love the plating, the flavors and the colors, and everything paired beautifully togther, yet didn't get muddled even though there was a lot of variety:

Napa County Fair Grilling Contest: I won! (mostly)

Sunday morning dawned cold and foggy. I packed my cooler, secured my equipment box and packed it into the waiting truck full of my Dad's barbecue table. We were the first entrants to arrive on site and quickly set up our compound, with a table for each person's entry. I cooked breakfast burritos and shivered while waiting for the sun to come out.
More contestants arrived, and I said hello, even throwing a friendly greeting to my nemesis, D.W., the professional chef who should really be a judge.
Before I knew it, it was time to get grilling. Mom went first, stacking thee differently topped slices of chocolate-covered bacon around a wine glass filled with zinfandel. The judges gave a chuckle and dug in. Next, it was my turn. My burgers came out perfectly, with the cheese oozing in just the right way (pictured above). The judges' eyes bugged out a bit when I listed the artery-clogging ingredients, but my presentation plates came back as clean as if they had licked them. Then, my Dad began plating his ribeyes:  beautifully cooked, drizzled with a shallot red-wine reduction sauce and topped with sauteed portabellas and a basil chiffonade. The judges looked quite impressed.
When it came time to hand out the ribbons, I was fairly sure that each family member would get one, but worried about Best of Show. That's what I was here for. That, and to best my arch rival, D.W. Alas, I was only to have half of what I wanted. D.W. only placed second in his category, while I went on to win mine. Mom won Second Place in Pork, and Dad won First Place in Beef.
As for Best of Show? It was between myself and a rookie, only decided by a coin toss... in his favor. Next year, my friend. Next year.

Competition: Napa County Fair Grilling Contest - T Minus 24 Hours!

I'm about 24 hours away from an even I've been waiting for all year and, even though I'm 90% packed and prepped, I'm nervous.
I don't usually let nerves get to me when competitive cooking, but a couple of factors are keeping me from being fully relaxed this Fourth of July:
1)  My dish is a last-minute switcheroo. As you know, I've been practicing my Poke' of Seared Ahi since February, taste-testing with friends and family, tweaking it this way and that in the hopes of creating that one dish that will wow the judges. After I entered a burger grilling contest at work and impressed the crowd, I knew the burger was the dish to bring to Calistoga. But, I have only made it three times, which keeps the variable factor high.
2)  My dish is Bison, not beef. Because Dad has the beef category, I had to choose the Wild Game section in which to compete. Bison is tricky to cook, and I'm using some ground beef fat to help, but it's still scary to cook. 30 seconds too little, and it's raw. 30 seconds too much, and it's a hockey puck.
3)  I've got my eye on the prize:  Best of Show. This year, it's not enough to win first place in my category, and I feel a little cocky in assuming it's possible. BUT, my track record lends credence to the fact that I could walk away with first place in Wild Game. What I want, though, is Best of Show and one person (besides my Dad's and his awesome steak dish) stands in my way:  a professional chef who enters every year and beat me out of the grand title last year.
So, things are a bit sketchy this year. Let's just hope the judges palates see fit to reward my family with ribbons!
Wish me luck! I'll post the results when I get home tomorrow afternoon!

Trading in the Ahi for Bison - a revelation...

After the grilling contest at work concluded, I was asked by many people, "Are you going to enter the burgers in your upcoming grill-off in Calistoga next month?" I always said no, because I couldn't enter the beef category this year, as it was Dad's turn. I kept thinking about it, though, and knew deep in my soul that the burgers may be the key to the Best in Show prize. The reaction I got for the burgers completely overshadowed any compliments I got on my various attempts at the Ahi tuna dish. The Ahi dish was good, very good, but I wasn't 100% confident it was a showstopper. Then I made those burgers. The burgers that were marinated in wine, covered in bacon-studded brie, topped with caesar salad and crowned with grilled brioche. Those burgers.
So, while talking to my brother about it earlier this week, the problem was solved. Garrett, my brother, asked, "Why don't you just use Bison meat and enter the Wild Game category?" Aha! Yes! I could totally do that! I've made quite a few Bison burgers and am well versed on how to cook them. The only thing, though, was the fattiness issue. Bison is lean. So lean, in fact, that it has less fat than boneless skinless chicken. That's a problem when you're going for taste, not health. Fat is flavor, baby!
I came upon what might be a solution when visiting my local grocery store yesterday, Browns Valle Market. Devin, the meat guy, told me the secret to juicy, flavorful, less 'gamey' Bison was to mix in bits of beef fat. He carved me up a nice little package of it and I'm going to road-test it early this week. I'll let you know how it turns out, but I'm pretty sure this dish will outshine the Ahi.

Competition: Retribution Chili

(In case you were wondering, PETA stands for:  People Eating Tasty Animals)

The Chili Cookoff is over, and while Dad didn't emerge victorious with a prize, he was at least satisfied in accomplishing his nefarious goal: burn the tastebuds off the judges' tongues.

As I explained in the previous post, Dad entered this year's cookoff with a mission to get even with the wrong he felt he was dealt last year. In my (and the crowd's) opinion, Dad made the best chili in the place and the judges passed him over for the hottest, spiciest stuff entered. So, this year Dad's chili was indeed spicy. I broke out in a mild sweat after finishing my bowl. Fine, I thought, go ahead and get crazy with the spice. That'll show 'em!

But, no, Dad hadn't even gotten started! When it came time to ladle a few cups of chili into the jar that would be given to the judges for tasting, Dad had other plans. Dark, evil plans. Just before scooping chili into the jar, he sprinkled the insides with pure, unadulterated, dried, concentrated habanero flakes. After dishing up the chili, he topped it off with a few more sprinkles and then took it inside the judging building. I have no idea what the reaction inside was, but I can bet they were still reacting the next morning, if you catch my drift.

What did we learn from this? Yes, you can cook with revenge in your heart and it can be quite cathartic. But you don't win the prize that way. It really just depends on what's important to you. Hopefully, next year, Dad will cook his true best effort. And, if he doesn't win? I'll help him find another cookoff!

Competition: Dad's Chili Cookoff

As I write this, my Dad is already standing before a hot grill, stirring his batch of Competition Chili. Today is the day of the Annual Moose Club Chili Cookoff, and as my family members usually are, Dad is in it to win it. He always makes great chili, but this year he has a plan.
You see, last year, Dad made the best chili there. Every person who came by his booth and had a taste remarked that it was the best batch in the bunch. I walked around as well and had a taste of the other entries and concurred that Dad's was superior. Of course it was!
But then, it came time for the judging and the winning chili was also the hottest chili, with virtually no flavor profile. That got Dad wondering:  should he just make a batch as hot as he can, not caring about building layers of flavor, only intent on searing the judges' taste buds so they have no choice but to award him the prize.
I'm of two minds on this one. Yes, I think it's a great strategy and it might even work. BUT...it's not being true to his culinary beliefs and he's making something that's not really 'his'. I'm interested to see how this pans out. I'll post results when we return later today.

Upcoming Cookery: The Tuna Trials

I really wish this fish didn't go by the Tuna name. When I think of tuna, I think of tin cans of shredded stuff you mix with mayo and stuff between two slices of bread, usually served with soup and a glass of milk on a rainy afternoon. No, THIS tuna is nothing of the sort. THIS tuna is deep red, carved at the butcher shop, sushi-grade and beautiful. You can serve it steak-style and the texture is a soft/firm presentation of delicate flavor.

The first time I made this dish at home, I decided to be faithful to the classic recipe:  chop the raw tuna into small cubes and marinate in a mixture of dijon, hot Korean chili sauce, vinegar and herbs. I served it on a bed of chopped romaine accompanied by fried wontons, and it was great:

But, we knew it could be better. First of all, the marinade was too strong and took away from the subtle flavor of the tuna. Secondly, the fried wontons felt a little greasy and needed to be crisper. Lastly, the romaine lettuce didn't hold up texturally to the rest of it. That's when the grilling idea hit me:  what if we grilled the tuna? With lots of spices rubbed in first? And, what about grilling the wontons? And, what about changing the marinade amount/time? AND, what about changing a few ingredients in the marinade?
Stay tuned for the next round in Team Tuna!       

Upcoming Cookery: Prepping the Poke' of Tuna

The Fourth of July may be a far way off for most people, but it's looming close enough for me that I'm already thinking about this year's Grilling Contest at the Napa County Fair. Here's the deal:  three years ago, I won First Place in the Fish category with my Spicy Grilled Shrimp, and also took Best of Show. It was a triumphant day, because not only did I beat a professional chef and loads of burly men with giant slabs of meat, it was the first food contest I had won entirely on my own. I skipped a year (due to camping) and returned last year to win First Place in the Beef category with my Deconstructed Beef Wellington, but lost the Best of Show title to the aforementioned professional chef. If I were a superhero, he would be my Arch Nemesis.
So, I need to step it up this year. Because I snagged the Beef category last year, Dad gets it this time around, and he also gets the Pork category because he's discovered some crazy Chocolate-Covered Bacon situation that sounds scary yet tasty. I'm not brave enough for the Wild Game category, Chicken is boring and it goes against my beliefs to enter the Vegetarian category. Fish it is!
For a few years now, the Husband and I have been enjoying Tuna Poke'. It's raw Ahi Tuna marinated in all sorts of yumminess and served with fried crisps. I've been making it based on a classic recipe and it's very good. But, I've always thought it would be better done my way:  grilled! I know, it' sounds strange, but you'll get the idea. From now until July, I'm going to make it once a month, serving it for friends each time and soliciting critiques. Taking notes, I'll tweak the recipe each time until it's perfect. I guess you could say I'm in training.
In the next post, I'll share my first round of adjustments, and chronicle the process.