Do you have a signature dish?

That's the one. I've jiggered it around slightly, but it's still basically the same. What was a hoot was eating at friends' homes and having it served to me. I remember once, when Hoke was visiting, using this as a way to demonstrate that eggs and red wine CAN pair seamlessly and I think it made my point.

But your second paragraph does cause me to think of a few things that might be signature-esque that I hadn't considered before. The 40 lbs of pork ribs we smoke for the 4th of July every year, for instance, and something we do repeat as often in good weather: five-spice smoked duck. Mine are the only home-smoked meats most of the people in my neighborhood have ever tasted, so even if they've never had my duck more than once, perhaps they've had my whole smoked prime rib, or smoked rare tri-tip, and this would be something they would associate with me as a signature category of food.

That's it! Jenise's signature style is ... the kind of dish that makes people say, "Really? I can't believe you made that at home!"

Thanks, Bill, for your response. Yes, 2-3 eggs is the standard for omelets, but these omelets are often overstuffed and pretty much the meal. A one-egg omelet can be part of a broader array of brunch meat, fruit, and grains offering. It can also be a lot more flavor-focused since one might eat two or even three!

Temperature is crucial. Just about everything else can be prepared in advance, but not the omelets, or they’ll be rubbery. And too high a temperature makes for bubbles or even worse, scorching. We’ve got a bunch of pans and make do with a 4-burner stove. An initial fast swirl of the egg/cream mixture is followed by the ingredient(s) and then the 4-fold process. The results look like miniature burritos. It doesn’t hurt that I learned the physics of cooking eggs from working at The Egg Shop and Apple Press in Berkeley back when.

Some of our closest friends are semi vegetarians and they love the mini omelets with asparagus. For these and most others, we pre-cook ingredients (and make sure we have Gewuertz and sparkling mineral water on hand for the same effervescence—Champagne does not mesh well with asparagus).

Other fillings are just what you might expect, so I’ve come to realize that my “signature dish” is really just a signature free-form offering. But nobody turns down the Champagne.

My family would say the way I fry chicken, but I have a boneless porkchop dish that they and everyone else I have ever made it for just love. We call it Stewart Porkchops, cause the lady that gave me the recipe before she died was named Stewart.
Wonderful, and oh so tender! Let me know if any of you want the recipe!

Temperature is crucial. Just about everything else can be prepared in advance, but not the omelets, or they’ll be rubbery. And too high a temperature makes for bubbles or even worse, scorching. We’ve got a bunch of pans and make do with a 4-burner stove. An initial fast swirl of the egg/cream mixture is followed by the ingredient(s) and then the 4-fold process. The results look like miniature burritos. It doesn’t hurt that I learned the physics of cooking eggs from working at The Egg Shop and Apple Press in Berkeley back when.

I usually do 2 egg when I do a small omelet as a coourse in a dinner (which usually surprises North Americans, but thereis nothing like a small cepes omelet to work with a Burgundy or many Italian reds.

What do you do with your one egg - beaten, with how much of what kind of cream etc.?

Wonderful, and oh so tender! Let me know if any of you want the recipe!

Well, of *course* we want the recipe, Lori!

Bill, when I’m cooking for a brunch crowd, I beat the eggs in a 1-quart measuring cup with some care—I don’t want meringue! I like to just skim the top of the wide-mouthed bottles of non-homogenized milk that we get weekly from a local dairy farmer, but we have supermarket whipping cream (not “heavy whipping cream”) on hand if that’s not enough. But I’ve never measured it. I like them to look yellow, and we get eggs from another local guy who uses moveable cages in rotation so the hens get plenty of grass. The yolks are more yellow than the average supermarket eggs.

I like meat, but not as an omelet filling. You’ve got the right idea, fungi first! We use chanterelles when we can get them fresh or morels this time of year—in fact, I’m visiting my favorite site next weekend. Morels and tree ears are about the only edible mushrooms that grow wild in the arid southern Sierra Nevada. But porcini or oyster mushrooms also work. They all need to be pre-cooked in butter.

You’re also right about the wine. We’ve never served an omelet for an evening meal to guests, but we’ve enjoyed a good red Burgundy (NOT California PN) with morel omelets; it’s also a dish that goes well with white burgundy or a dry Alsatian Riesling. And, of course, Champagne!

I had to laugh at your reference to “North Americans”—last I heard, Vancouver was solidly in North America, so you're surprising yourself!

I had to laugh at your reference to “North Americans”—last I heard, Vancouver was solidly in North America, so you're surprising yourself!

Well I do sometime surprise myself, but I was referring to things that surprise your average North American (including Canadians). People on this continent don't normally do omelettes for dinner, nor salads after the main course, nor a number of other things often done abroad. In fact one of my faves, oeufs en meurette, is a strange idea to most, but a great dinner dish nonetheless.

And the mere suggestion of geziers de canard avec foie gras for a salad would have many in spasms of disgust.

I've been sitting here pondering what exactly defines a signature dish

If a 'signature dish' is one that you always feel proud to produce for people (aka a 'show-off' dish), or one you'd like to be known for, I probably shouldn't claim to have one, as my cooking is a bit haphazard sometimes - I tend to fiddle about with recipes so things are a bit different every time. The closest I'd come to a signature dish is one I often take as my contribution to shared meals and barbecues. People associate it with me because I bring it so often.

GREEN BEAN SALAD

1 kg green beans - trim and clean, cut or break into lengths 2"-3" long
Blanch in boiling water, drain and cool to room temperature.

Fry 1 medium onion, sliced thinly, and a slightly smaller amount of red capsicum, also sliced thinly. Cool, and toss though the beans to distribute evenly.
Also toss through a handful of dried tomatoes, sliced into strips.

Mix up about 3/4 cup homous, about 1 tsp each of ground cumin and ground coriander seed, about half a tsp each of cinnamon and ground chilli powder; dilute with half to 3/4 cup water to achieve a thick pouring consistency. Pour onto the beans etc and toss through.

Garnish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds if you like.
Feel free to adjust any of the amounts above to taste or to suit the number of people.
These measures produce a large bowlful for a significant number of people.
Serve at room temperature.

[Jenise]

The closest I'd come to a signature dish is one I often take as my contribution to shared meals and barbecues. People associate it with me because I bring it so often.

GREEN BEAN SALAD

That sounds fantastic, Matilda. Unlike anything I've personally ever had, but a dish I'd adore. Must try it, so thanks for posting the recipe!

And you remind me that I do too have a salad dish that's somewhat "signature"--my XXX Rated Adult Potato Salad.

[Jenise]

And the mere suggestion of geziers de canard avec foie gras for a salad would have many in spasms of disgust.

Bill, does 'gezier' translate to gizzards?

And the mere suggestion of geziers de canard avec foie gras for a salad would have many in spasms of disgust.

Bill, does 'gezier' translate to gizzards?

You bet. And they make a great salad with foie gras!! I'll make it my new signature dish so I can get a T shirt that reads "You Have Just Met the Gizzard Wizard!"

Now that I think about it, the thing that I am asked to bring to a potluck or family gathering most often is my cornbread salad! Who Knew?

[Jenise]

And the mere suggestion of geziers de canard avec foie gras for a salad would have many in spasms of disgust.

Bill, does 'gezier' translate to gizzards?

You bet. And they make a great salad with foie gras!! I'll make it my new signature dish so I can get a T shirt that reads "You Have Just Met the Gizzard Wizard!"

My favorite fond memory of a Parisian sidewalk cafe lunch is of a salad of arugula with walnuts, blue cheese and poached chicken gizzards. Foie Gras would only make it more incredible!

It used to be fruit-stuffed cornish game hens. Nowadays, I think my home audience would say smoky pumpkin soup.

And you remind me that I do too have a salad dish that's somewhat "signature"--my XXX Rated Adult Potato Salad.

Oh my gosh, Jenise, I have to ask. Why is it X-rated? All the moaning that occurs while people are eating it?

[Jenise]

All the moaning that occurs while people are eating it?

You made me laugh--if only! No, it's because it's full of pickled (the Mexican kind, "in escabeche") jalapeno peppers and dill weed, two flavors that kids typically don't go for.