Recent Tasks

(Click for Close-up)

One thing good about the winter. It helps when cooling the sushi rice.

My Big Ass Rice Bowl.



American "Kobe" Beef Brisket
Beautiful fat brisket


Dry Rub Applied


Slow Smoked For 18 Hours


Closer View
In my world it doesn't get any better.

Sharpening Single Bevel Knife

The video depicts sharpening a knife to "professional use" standards. For most users a fraction of the steps I took are necessary. Although once you get used to a sharp knife it becomes addicting.

If any locals are interested in learning to sharpen or trying out some Japanese knives and wet stones just contact me through this site at the "Contact Salty" link. There are many shapes and styles of knives. Most are designed for a specific task. Many are single bevel (Like the one in the video, kinda flat on one side) but many are double bevel similar to traditional German or French knives and some are considered all purpose.

If you're serious about food you should be serious about your tools.

If I may suggest getting a few like-minded individuals together and do it as a group. It will be fun and educational.

More Rolls

(Click for close-ups)

Spicy Tuna Roll

Rolls (click for close-up)

I added a couple rolls to the menu to see how they'd play. This is the shrimp tempura roll.

Top Chef

I'd like to stress I don't watch the show or any other Chef competition type show. I did watch the last episode replayed later last night. (There was nothing else on)

Earlier in the evening I noticed a ton of traffic on this site from people googleing "Ballentine". Now I've always been amazed how many from the UK google "ballentine" but last night it was from the U.S. I figured people must be researching for Thanksgiving or something. Then I saw the Top Chef episode with the Ballentine. It had been broadcast earlier. Ahhhh, interesting how that works. Saltyskitchen is always high on the list when you google ballentine or gallentine. I did a post on them a ways back. I also have a youtube video cutting a bird in preparation for the dish.

BTW, I'm not a Fan of that Bocuse Door, D'ore, d'or or however the hell you spell it. I appreciate the talent and discipline it takes to do it but to me, that's not real food.

Also the dishes they prepared for that contest weren't much different than what they normally would prepare. They just just gussied up the preparation. And half of them still screwed it up. I'm sorry, four hours? You can't cook lamb properly in four hours?

I've said it again and again. You have to execute! The recipes and menus are like tactics in a war. They're all sexy and wonderful but it's logistics that wins wars. Logistics = execution.

Robert Hall Winery Dinner

Click for close-ups.

Victor making the cherry "dumplings"


Robert (left) and Victor


Brad cutting the chestnuts before roasting.



Sean did a nice job on the lamb. (Sean is the Chef at Shilling's in Downtown Racine, he was kind enough to take me up on my offer to play with some food.)


Amuse, sweet grape stuffed with Carr Valley Billy Bleu with "Blis" Double Solera Elixer.

Day Boat Black Cod, poached in citrus olive oil, white alba truffle, parsley coulis. The coulis came out nice. Opaque like ink.
Sauvignon Blanc

I didn't get a photo of the beet salad.


Day boat scallop, maple accented sweet potato puree, demi-braised slab bacon, tart beurre blanc.
Chardonnay

Breast of pheasant, cranberry-pheasant jus, beans ala "portobella".
Rhone de Robles

Garlic, mustard, thyme and panko crusted rack of lamb. Thyme infused demi-glace, roasted chestnuts, truffled mashed potatoes.
Cabernet Sauvignon

The lamb came out almost perfect. Not the easiest thing to do timing wise. Beautiful Pinn-Oak Ridge Farms racks. You order on Monday, they slaughter on Tuesday, package on Wednesday, deliver on Thursday. That's pretty fresh. They're about 40 miles away.

Very happy the way these turned out. Never had done them before.
Orange Muscat