More fun with molecular gastronomy: Caption this photo

[Robin Garr]

<table border="0" align="right" width="460"><tr><td><img src="http://www.wineloverspage.com/graphics1/oak_tread.jpg" border="1" align="right"></td></tr></table>Okay, let's have a little more fun with molecular gastronomy here. I don't mean to pick on the Oakroom gang - these guys really understand flavor, and their combinations can be heavenly. But some of this molecular gastronomy stuff seems to me to succeed more on the palate than it does on the eyes.

In this dish from their five-course vegetarian menu - Curried Chick Peas and Ricotta Salata with Flavors of Pomegranate Martini - the schmear of chickpea puree running down the oddly shaped white china bowl inspire jokes that almost write themselves. Care to take a shot at it, Stuart?

[Jenise]

I'm not Stuart, but I cannot resist commenting that whoever it was who invented the smear would be rather appalled to see THAT smear in THAT shape bowl. Looks like a public toilet.

[Robin Garr]

Looks like a public toilet.

I honestly wonder whether the chefs chose that as an inside joke on the dining public. How could they not <i>know</i>?

"Eugene has only been cooking here for a couple of days so please bear with him"

and one for Otto
"Well sir did ask for a dish to match with Chateau Musar"

regards

Ian

I can't help seeing the resemblance.

That is a gross presentation.....a total turn-off! Ick!

Well, there goes my appetite. Guess I'll just work through lunch.
FWIW, I originally thought it was squid-like, but now can't get the public toilet image out of my mind. Yaaack.

The horrifying thing is that this had to look even worse in person.

It does give me an inspiration for a chocolate and corn dessert...

This has to be the shittiest thread ever.
Redwinger

Oh. My.

I'd say that is completely vile and disgusting, but that somehow doesn't convey the appropriate level of horror.

A smear of chickpea! The photo doesn't show the relief very well, which is why I though it looked like a geoduck. Now that's one provocative food.

If I hadn't of known it was chickpea...I would of thought it was Huitlacoche (fungal infected corn). Sort of the botyris of the maize family, I suppose. Looks a lot like it.

Again, though...I have to taste it before I judged it. Though they probably could have done a better presentation. Still...you have to wonder, as Jenise pointed out..whether they did it on purpose.

Probably whooping it up in the kitchen while they observe, on the sly, whoever orders it.

Richard

[Jenise]

Caption contest entry:

One hospital nurse to another, "Here, I just changed Alfred's bed pan."

[Robin Garr]

Ryan, I hope you don't mind, I took out the link to that one really wide picture - it was stretching the forum page and made the buttons on the right-hand side very hard to find.

I've decided that the dish really should be presented with an edible toilet-brush-shaped thingy made from shredded phyllo dough and pasta. I'll work on that next week. Where do I find bowls with that shape (other than at the plumbing supplies place)?

Obviously, none of you have any appreciation or true understanding of molecular gastrointestonomy.

Mike

A smear of chickpea! The photo doesn't show the relief very well

To the contrary, I thought it looked EXACTLY as if someone had relieved themselves.

Or, as already pointed out, like a dead squid, if nobody's pointed out the porcelain chamber effect.

-Paul W.

I've decided that the dish really should be presented with an edible toilet-brush-shaped thingy made from shredded phyllo dough and pasta. I'll work on that next week. Where do I find bowls with that shape (other than at the plumbing supplies place)?

When I was in grad school, I had a friend in medical school who took a perverse pleasure, when he hosted a party, of serving the drinks in authentic urine specimen jars.

This molecular gastrointestinal-onomy thing is right up there with the kitty-litterbox cake. Except that nobody charges over $100 a plate for the litterbox cake (which probably also tastes better).

-Paul W.

OK, this has gotten too gross. I'm going to stop watching this thread.

[Robin Garr]

Except that nobody charges over $100 a plate for the litterbox cake (which probably also tastes better).

Let's not lose perspective here. First, this is a pricey restaurant, but it's in the range of $65 to $90 for a five-course dinner, not $100 a plate. Second, it's an outstanding restaurant, and the chefs are making serious moves on a national level. They've been to James Beard House twice in the past year, and they've got an Iron Chef America episode (allegedly against Bobby Flay) in the can for broadcast later this year.

I posted the two gross photos because I thought it would be a useful commentary about both the edge-pushing nature and the weird extremes of molecular gastronomy. But it's getting a little silly to attack the chefs and the perceived quality of their food when you haven't tasted it. In fact, they have an incredible mastery of flavors, regardless of what these two dishes may look like in photos.

When I was in grad school, I had a friend in medical school who took a perverse pleasure, when he hosted a party, of serving the drinks in authentic urine specimen jars.

Beer in urinals is always good.

I posted the two gross photos because I thought it would be a useful commentary about both the edge-pushing nature and the weird extremes of molecular gastronomy. But it's getting a little silly to attack the chefs and the perceived quality of their food when you haven't tasted it. In fact, they have an incredible mastery of flavors, regardless of what these two dishes may look like in photos.

If the food is so visually revolting that I have to wear a blindfold to summon up enough courage to taste it, I don't care how pleasing it might be on the palate.

This is the culinary equivalent of post-impressionist art, or all too much of modern symphonic music. It's gotten self-indulgent to the point where it's lost sight of the original objective of the discipline.

This food trend has left me behind. And frankly, I'm not sorry about that.

-Paul W.

This food trend has left me behind. And frankly, I'm not sorry about that.

I'll march in your parade, Paul. I'll stick with an eye-appealing, classical presentation.

Did you get a new lens for your camera, or are you just having a mid-life meltdown?