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Darrell Jensen
I’m finally on my way to Portland, Maine. I’ve waited a whole year to take this trip and couldn’t be more excited. I’d thought a lot about receiving this opportunity from the Jean-Louis Palladin Foundation, I’m older than the others who have received grants and a bit more established in my career. The main reason I wanted this was to get a little excitement back and to learn how to take my food to the next level by seeing where the best chefs buy their product. This week provided me all that and much more.
Saturday May 5, 2007
I arrive in Portland and am greeted by a good friend of mine, Ken Beaudoin, who is starting an all natural farm in nearby Saco, more on Ken later. He gave me a tour of Portland and the waterfront and pointed out several places I need to see during my stay. After a quick meal, it was off to the hotel to get ready for my first day.
Sunday May 6, 2007
I arrive at Browne Trading and am greeted by Sarah the floor manager. She gives me a quick tour of the facility and introduces me to Andy. He is a buyer and one of two who buy fish at the local auction. He shows me what he needs to buy at the auction today and away we go. Our first stop is one of the local lobster companies where we pick up some lobsters that need to be shipped out today. After dropping the lobster at the shop, we head next door to the auction and preview the fish that has come in this morning. Andy looks at the eyes and gills to see how fresh the fish is, he explained that just because the boat came in this morning, they might have been out for several days and the fish could be several days old. We get an auction sheet which shows us all the fish which is separated by fish and lot size, each is given a number and weight. The fish is also sized so you can choose a size depending on the chef’s specifications. Andy explained that most of the clients prefer the large or jumbo size fish. Today he bids on Cod, Dabs, Monkfish and Hake. There are several brokers all bidding for lots and Browne is usually willing to pay a premium but not excessive price for the best fish available. If the quality is not up to their standards they also use other auctions to get the fish they need. Once the fish is bought, it is picked up and taken to the shop and processed for delivery, some of it that day. We then head over to another shop and pick up some fresh uni. Sea Urchin is very expensive and most of it is sent to Japan. We also get some whole urchins that a few sushi restaurants like to sell as specials.
Monday May 7, 2007
I’m going to the caviar room today. I meet Richard who is the caviar man. He buys the caviar and establishes relationships with caviar producers from around the world. The caviar is bought in kilo packages and repackaged into smaller containers. All the containers are labeled and dated with the lot number and an expiration date so they can be tracked. All the tins and pails of caviar are recorded when they are received, opened and when the last is portioned into smaller containers. Richard gave me a wonderful tasting of several kinds of caviar with the history behind each. There is very little wild sturgeon caviar on the market today with most coming from farm raised species. This is due to over farming and the depletion of most sturgeon. We started with some American Paddlefish, he describe who he bought it from, the season and government regulations which vary form state to state. He buys from one source that he knows well and trusts his product. It is very important to establish relationships so as to ensure a great consistent product. We then tried some Iranian Caviar. Richard has procured the exclusive rights to distribute Astara Iranian Caviar. It is the only wild sturgeon approved for continued international trade. Iran is noted for its efforts to maintain a sustainable fishery and holds some of the highest standards in the world for harvesting its caviar. It also makes it some of the most expensive, but it is well worth the price in both taste and texture. We then tasted some Desietra, farmed raised in Germany. Next up was a farmed raised Italian caviar, Calvisius. It is farm raised in one of the most eco-friendly farms in the world. Wow, it was amazing to see how the purchase of an ounce of caviar can have such wide reaching effects and how Browne Trading holds itself to such high standards. They really set the bar high in its standards and practices.
Tuesday May 8, 2007
Today I start the day in the production meeting. The staff meets and discusses the day’s orders and what is in inventory and what has been bought for the coming days. They also talk about what they think will be needed for the next few days and what the availability of certain fish. Rod will then go to the fish room and personally select what fish will be given to which chef depending on their specs. I was then off to the smoke room. I met Ken the Master Smoker. He had already started smoking some trout fillets and we took a quick reading of the smokers temperature. He explained to me the difference in hot and cold smoking and what is entailed in each procedure. While salmon is the most common thing smoked, they also smoke trout, scallops, haddock, sable fish, shrimp and mussels. He uses two kinds of brine, dry or wet brine. All salmon used is Scottish farmed raised salmon. The salmon receives a dry brine consisting of salt and sugar, in the case of Daniel Boulud’s salmon, seaweed is added to the brine mixture. He went to explain that by using a finer sea salt, which increases the contact area on a microscopic level, he has been able to decrease the brining time by almost half. They also use a high quality cane sugar in the brines. The salmon is brined for about 13 hours and is rinsed well. It is then left to air dry in the refrigerator over night to dry the flesh. He said this is very important that the flesh is dry so the smoke will stick to the meat. Next was the difference in hot and cold smoking, it all has to do with temperature. In cold smoking, the chamber temperature must never get above 90° while during hot smoking, the chamber temperature is brought up slowly until the internal temperature of the fish is 150° for 20 minutes. These are the guidelines set forth by the FDA and the smoke room is routinely checked by them for cleanliness and proper temperatures since the fish is shrink wrapped for resale. The smoker is hooked up to his computer so the FDA can check the entire process of each batch of fish smoked. After the salmon is smoked and chilled, it is skinned and put on the slicer. The slicer is an awesome machine which perfectly slices the salmon at an angle that we all know. I then put the sliced salmon side on a board and slipped into its sleeve to be shrink wrapped. It is then weighed and labeled with an expiration date and lot number for tracking in case of any problems. There are subtle changes to each kind of smoke salmon which change the flavor and make them unique. We spent the rest of the day discussing brining recipes and procedures of smoking meat and fish. I learned more in one day with Ken than a weeks worth of research on the art of smoking.
Wednesday May 9, 2007
Today started again in the production meeting. I was then introduced to Scott who is in charge of picking all the orders. He confers with Sarah and Rod as to any special orders and who gets what in terms of individual fish such as the whole halibut that is coming in. Scott took me to the changing room and geared me up for the day. I was given rubber boots, bright orange overalls and a water proof hoodie to put on along with a pair on insulated gloves. They keep the fish room 38° so it is quite cold to work in there all day. They bring the orders in and away we go, I found myself picking fish for some of the best restaurants in the country! We pick the fish and weigh each and record the weight and lot number on the order sheet. The whole fish is put in bins and along with the order and put in line for the packers while any special requests, such as scaled or fillets, are labeled and sent to cutter for processing. The room was much smaller than I imagined, I came to find out just how fast they turn the product around, nobody wants old fish. They also ice all the fish to preserve its quality, even the ice is special, they add salt to the ice as it is made so if it does come in contact with the fish it doesn’t degrade or dilute the quality. He showed me what to look for when judging the quality and age of the fish. Firm flesh, bright eyes and the ring around the eye should match the color of the skin. The gills should also be bright red, there is one exception to this rule. I noticed the gills of the farmed raised salmon were a bit brown, he explained to me that farmed raised fish is sometimes killed by adding carbon dioxide to the tanks of the fish and thereby suffocating the fish. This produces much less strain on the fish but does lead to the browning of the gills. I learned it is very important to look at all signs for freshness and not just one or two. Scott then took me around and showed me all the kinds of fish they had, the variety was impressive and the amount of fish moved in a day was also quite impressive. At the end of the day, we changed all bins and placed fresh ice on all the fish and made sure the quality was still great. If the fish was getting old it would be processed and frozen.
Thursday May 10, 2007
Today I am back in the fish room. I get suited up and start picking fish. Thursday is the busiest day of the week. Chefs are ordering for the weekend and the orders are a little bigger since it is the last order for a few days, on top of that, it is Mothers Day, a very busy restaurant day. Rod comes in and wants to show me something. He takes me to the packing room and shows me a delivery of fresh scallops. He plucks one up and gives it a quick thump with his finger, the scallop contracts with the hit. He gives me a look and says that is the sign of a fresh scallop. He then proceeds to plop it in his mouth and eats it with a big grin. He gives one to me and I quickly do the same, heaven, it is both sweet and wonderful. It tastes like I’m eating a bit of the best the ocean has to offer. I’m then told a story of how a local chef, Rob Evans, will take a slice of the scallop and sprinkle a little lemon juice on it and watch it dance. I’ve never seen or tasted such fresh seafood before, sushi takes on a whole new meaning when the fish is this fresh. I’m again shown the halibut that has come in this morning, it is hand picked by Rod for each chef to receive and he shows me how to tell how fresh the fish is by touch and physical appearance. Scott then says we need to butcher some cod. He shows me how to fillet the fish to get the perfect fillets. A local fisherman then brings in a load of Maine Steamer clams. Rod shows me how to tell how fresh they are and what to look for on the shell and in the appearance of the clams. Steve, one of the buyers, grabs one of the clams and squirts Rod with it, just to prove that he is telling the truth. They then pull me aside and show me a special fish they bought at the auction. They got a great price on it because nobody but Rod knew what it was. This is very impressive considering that most of the fishermen have grown up here fishing their whole lives. Rod tells me it is a Wreck Fish Bass. They are from the Mediterranean and live among the ship wrecks, hence their name. They tell me it is the first of its kind to be caught off the coast of Maine in 50 years. We clean up and reice the fish as the day comes to an end.
Friday May 11, 2007
The weather is looking bad today so my trip out on the water is not going to happen. I then take the opportunity to revisit with all the wonderful people I had met with over the past few days and to give my thanks to them for all their time in teaching what they do and how they are a part of the Browne Trading family. I then leave and get ready for my next adventure in Portland. They’ve arraigned for me to work at Hugo’s restaurant. The chef/owner is Rob Evans, he was in New York earlier in the week as a nominee for the James Beard Award as best chef in the North East. I feel very fortunate to be able to work with such a great chef. I arrive at Hugo’s and am greeted by Rob. We sit down and talk for a few minutes and then it’s in to the kitchen to start working. I start by helping Kevin in the pantry do so prep and then over to pastry and to do a few things for Bill, the pastry chef. I think I did more note taking than actual work the first few hours I was there. The small staff was amazing, Chad and Melissa, they never hesitated to answer my questions and Rob was more than willing to share with me any question I had for him. He asked about what I had done and what I had learned at Browne and we talked as much as time allowed. I was elated when they said I could come back again tomorrow.
Saturday May 12, 2007
I woke up and did some sight seeing and shopping for my wife and daughter before heading back to Hugo’s. Rob again allowed me to roam the small kitchen and help everyone and absorb all I could in a short amount of time. He never failed to stop and talk to me about the whys and hows of all his dishes and had no secrets. He is a great example of someone who Jean-Louis would love, he uses small farms, local produce and seafood and produces some of the best food I’ve ever tasted. I was able to see and help produce all dishes being served that night. Melissa was very excited to show everyone the Wreck Fish Bass they had bought, she was impressed that I knew what it was, I did tell her later that I had seen it at Browne Trading. This was a great experience. I even helped to plant and care for the micro herbs he grows himself! I can’t thank Rob and his partner, Nancy Pugh, enough for allowing me the opportunity to work with them.
Sunday May 13, 2007
After calling my mom and wife to wish them Happy Mothers Day, I was picked up by my friend Ken Beaudoin. He took me to his farm in the nearby town of Saco. Ken has a regular job but is starting to raise all natural pigs and chickens on his farm, Midnight Meadow Farm. He buys piglets and raises them all natural and sells them to locals. He also raises several kinds of chickens, some for eggs and some meat birds. The meat birds he buys as chicks and raises them in an enclosed pen until they are big enough and then lets them roam in the pasture until they are ready for slaughter. He keeps two kinds of laying hens. One is all natural and the other is organic, pastured hens. He has built a movable cage on runners so he can move the cage on a daily basis so the chickens always have fresh grass to feed on, he supplements their diet with organic feed. The laying nests are built above the ground so they have a place to lay their eggs and to roost at night with a door to keep them safe. Their water is hung below the nests so it is easily accessed and off the ground.
I spent three days with Ken and his family, Kristin, Cove and Paige and help to feed the animals and odd jobs around the farm. We even plant some vegetables in his garden for the family to feast on during the summer months. We had some pork one night for dinner from one of the pigs he raised, it was the best piece of pork I’ve had that I can remember.
Wednesday May 16, 2007
My trip is over and Kristin takes me to the jetport. I thank her for the hospitality and am on my way back to Vail, Colorado. I bring with me a new sense of excitement for my work. I’ve also established some new relationships with Browne Trading and Rob Evans at Hugo’s, and this is how I can take my food to the next level. I’ve seen what the best chefs in the country order, how they order it. I’ve now worked with who they order from. I’ve seen the areas in which I lacked experience in and know how to correct them such as simple things like ordering the fish. I used just to say I want 20 pounds of halibut. I’ll now be very specific on the size I want with all my orders. When people think of Jean-Louis, they think of a great chef who sought out the best products and translated those ingredients into great dishes, but he also cultivated great relationships with people. People who shared his vision of doing things to best of their abilities, not just once or twice, but as a way of life; they committed themselves to a standard which others try to achieve. I’ve always had high standards for myself and will continue to do so, but with a change of focus. We try too hard sometimes to create dishes that will land on the cover of a magazine, now I will try to create dishes that I am proud of for their integrity, made with great ingredients from great people. This is what I believe the spirit of Jean-Louis Palladin intends for us to do.
As I was on the plane to Maine, I took time to write down some menu ideas for the coming summer. They consisted of several things I’ve done in the past and a few new ones from my research. I revisited them on the plane ride home and realized how much I’d learned. The past dishes lacked the sparkle they had just a week ago and I quickly began changing them with products I’d seen and new ingredients I’d learned about. While these were not huge revelations, I’d learned that it is the small details that change a dish from a good one to a great one, like buying fresh day boat scallops instead of dry packed ones. The flavor and integrity of the dish change when you use great products like these. It is very common today for chefs to say they buy fresh and local products, but it is another thing to understand the product and who and where it came from. It makes the food more personal and I believe that people can taste the difference.
I’d like to thank the Jean-Louis Palladin Foundation, Ann Brody Cove, Rod & Cynde Mitchell @ Browne Trading, Rob Evans & Nancy Pugh @ Hugo’s and Ken Beaudoin @ Midnight Meadow Farm for making this an unforgettable experience for me. I can’t wait to show people what I’ve learned.
Best Regards,
Darrell Jensen
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