“I will never forget when I was little I got this Fisher Price activity desk with magnetic letters, chalk, crayons, etc. with the flip top and cool storage places. Silly as it was, I used the shit out of that thing and would probably play with it today! But my favorites are still my family getting together at my folks and my mama’s latkes (my gram’s were great too!).”

Root Vegetable Latkes with Sweet Garlic Applesauce & Roasted Chili Crème Fraiche (yield 8 servings)

The Night Before: Make the crème fraiche. Combine 2 cups heavy cream with 2 Tbl. buttermilk and a pinch of kosher salt. Stir and store in we3ll sealed for 24 hours at room temperature.

After 24 hours, stir and store in refrigeration until use.

Preheat oven at 350F.

The Roasted Chilies : Split 4 red serrano, tabasco or fresh cayenne chilies and remove seeds and veil. Season lightly with kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper. Coast with blended olive Oil or soybean oil and make a “Hershey’s Kiss” around chilies with foil. Roast until peppers are tender. Remove, drain excess oil and finely mince with a sharp chef’s knife (where gloves!) or puree in a processor or blender. Cover and refrigerate.

The Sweet Garlic: In a small bake pan, combine 2 cups cleaned garlic cloves with 2 cups blended olive oil or soybean oil to cover garlic. Cover with foil and roast at 350 until garlic is golden and extremely tender. Remove and strain oil (reserve oil for dressings or aiolis). Reserve garlic for next day at room temperature covered.

The Next Day

Preheat oven at 350F

The Sweet Garlic Applesauce: Core and cut in half 14 Granny Smith apples. Coat with blended olive oil or soybean oil and roast on oiled sheet pan until skin lifts from flesh and flesh is soft (approx 25 minutes). When skins are releasing and flesh is tender, pinch away skins and discard. In a large bowl combine roasted apples, 2 Cups sweet garlic, 1 Tsp. Kosher salt, juice of 2 lemons, pinch of nutmeg and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Mash with a large spoon until ingredients are well incorporated; leave a bit chunky. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Cover and refrigerate.

Roasted Chili Crème Fraiche: In a medium bowl combine 2 cups crème fraiche, 2 Tbl. roasted chili puree (you can add more later if you want some kick). Season with kosher salt, pepper, juice of 1 lemon and 2 Tbl chopped cilantro.

The Root Vegetable Latkes

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and drain off excess liquid. In a large frying pan, coat pan ¼ Inch of soybean or peanut oil and heat. Form root vegetable mixture into small 3-4 inch flat pancakes and fry until golden on both sides and centers are tender. Continue until all pancakes are made and keep warm in oven (around 250F).

On a large platter, form a spiral of warm root vegetable latkes and place a small dollop of the sweet garlic applesauce in center of latke and a small dollop of roasted chili crème fraiche. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and cilantro. Consume happily and open presents!

This holiday recipe was sponsored by Heinen’s. When making these wonderful latkes at home, Ed Thompkins suggests a 2007 Kaleidoscope . He says it’s an engaging white from Monterey County that seemingly goes with everything.  “This unique blend of Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat and Riesling has produced a wine that takes versatility to an art form. From the heady perfumed aromas of peach blossoms and honey to flavors on the palate that show pear and tropical notes, to a finish that is fruity/crisp,  this wine will amaze you with just how many foods it can complement,” he adds.

Fennel & Potato Soup with Smoked Salmon Fritters

In large pot sauté in olive oil:

• 2 white onions, diced
• 1/2 head celery, diced
• 1 heads fennel, cored, diced
• 3# Yukon gold potatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon fennel seed (toast over medium flame in saute pan until aromatic)

Deglaze pot with 2 cups white wine; cook out white wine. Add 1 1/2 gallons chicken stock. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Bring to boil and simmer to reduce until vegetables are tender. Add 1 quart heavy cream and bring to boil; simmer. Puree with 1 bunch of flat parsley; sieve.

Smoked Salmon Fritter

In food processor, combine:

• 1/2# smoked salmon
• 1 egg
• ¼ tsp baking powder

Pulse to make a smooth pink paste. Scrape side with rubber spatula. Slowly drizzle in heavy cream to create a light pink mousse (about ½ cup). Test 1 small teaspoon sized quenelle in 325F frying oil (peanut or canola).

Presentation: Fry 3 quenelles of smoked salmon batter per serving. Place in center of soup and garnish with lemon olive oil or even a dollop of caviar.

This post was sponsored by Heinen’s. When making Herschman’s soup at home, Mark Chonko, the wine specialist for the Brecksville store recommends a sparkling wine or champagne because it would cut through some of the spice and enhance the salmon. His picks include Gerard Bertrand Cremant ($14.99) or Veuve Clicquot Brut ($56.99).

The former owner/chef of Mojo, a personal favorite of mine, is right around the corner from where he first started cooking in 1993. Herschman is the head chef at Menu6, the food-forward restaurant (as he describes it) which sits in the former Boulevard Blue space.

“We’re not a theme,” explains Herschman as he talks about his new digs, which also include the owners of Bodega on Coventry. “We’ll have a down-to-earth, killer feel that’s part of a great neighborhood. My neighborhood.”

Fans of Boulevard Blue won’t recognize the space. He shares the room is warm and deep with silver, black, chocolate and wood. Extremely contemporary and modern. There will even be a VIP area and a large communal chef’s table.

As for the name, the chef says they looked at the fundamentals of design and creativity and came up with Menu6. “Six is sexy and cool and is our foundation,” he said. “And then we broke up the menu into six elements, and thought – wow, this works.”

What are those six elements? For the menu, it’s: raw / hot, cold, small / green / water and feathers / land / sides, etc.

The dessert six: Chocolate, vanilla, fruit, coffee, sweet tooth, cheese. For wine, it’s bubbles / lighter, dryer, crisper whites / rounder exciting whites / lighter bodied reds / bigger structured, vivacious reds / medium bodied, juicier reds.

He adds that he’s focusing on market-driven dishes dictated by skill, seasonal ingredients, local whenever possible and lots of big, bold flavors. Finally he jokes, “There ain’t no comfort food here – or chicken. People don’t go out to eat for chicken.” Though he did add Kentucky “foied” chicken as a small plate.

Other dishes include:

• iced raw platter (assorted sashimi, crudo, oysters, clams, caviar) cocktail, old bayoli, pink mignonette, wasabi, caviar-crostini

• thai beef, potato noodle, red curry vin
• rare tuna & foie, uni butter, tangy radish, sticky rice fritters
• crispy skin whitefish, red chili miso broth, udon, choy, lobster dumplings
• duck, seared & roasted, scallion flatbread, soy glaze, winter salsa
• meyer family ranch 14 ounce ribeye, salt roast, root vegetable, foie bordelaise
• new zealand lamb rack, roasted, sweet potato chutney, mint salsa verde

If you’re like me, you’ll also be happy to know that his famous calamari, those sweet and sour bits of goodness, will be on the menu, too. He adds that there will be a nice mix of some old faves, but that they’ll really be pushing the envelope and just trying to have fun.

When does all this fun begin? Herschman said they are planning for a very soft opening first for the neighborhood hopefully around Valentine’s Day, and then open big. He explains that they want to grow into this and not rush it.

He may not want to rush it, but I can’t wait to check it out. Personally, I’m thrilled this talent is back in the kitchen. Mojo’s was my restaurant. I spent many nights at the bar and on that patio. Here’s hoping 6 has that same welcoming environment. And based on my chats with him, it sounds like it will.

1. What are the top 5 spices every home chef should have? Kosher salt (but that can’t count, c’mon), good black peppercorns in a good mill, cumin, fennel seed (my favorite spice), cinnamon, and most importantly, Old Bay.

2. What is your philosophy in the kitchen? Know your basics, keep it simple and evolve from there. It is easy to have successful dishes by not trying to be so complex. By combining a few simple well-prepared items together, a balanced, composed dish will result.

3. What is your favorite thing about Cleveland and what drives you nuts? My favorite thing about Cleveland is it is home. My family is from here and most still remain, or like myself, have returned. Home is home. Accessibility is Cleveland’s biggest asset. What drives me nuts is this perpetual inferiority complex and lack of leadership. Culpability, accountability and credit where credit is due because there is so much out there, yet so few, “go for it”.

4. If you could cook for one person, real or dead, who would it be? My wife, Marilyn. She has the best palate in town, and is not biased by bs. Either she loves it, it is ‘whatever’ or here comes the frown. Oh yeah, Jerry Garcia or John Lennon, too!

5. You’re having a dinner party, top 5 songs on your play list? Unfortunately, I only go albums (old school) but definitely 1) Tomorrow Never Knows – Beatles (get this room bumpin’ and open up some bubbly), 2) Naima – John Coltrane (loosen up folks and mingle), 3) 70’s Bowie goes great with food and company (cheeky and a little lusty so I would have a small set from Heroes or Hunky Dory), 4) anything of Mars Audiac Quintet by Stereolab (not so pulsy but circulatingly applicable background that is mostly French so people can’t necessarily sing a long, though the tunes are still catchy and make great wallpaper) and 5) any solid loud Paul Weller blast of “There is No Drinking after You’re Dead” off of Heliocentric (completely suggestive for the remainder of the evening after food, libations, discussion and the transition to keep the evening alive).

6. Favorite restaurant in Cleveland? Unquestionably, Siam Café. Haven’t had a bad meal since it transformed from a dilapidated Red Barn (miss my Barney Buster). Service is very hospitable, great to my family, able to knock out large parties and take out is never messed up. The beer is always ice cold and the Tod Mun is always hot. Plus, where else can you go immediately when you are in the mood for Frog?

7. What restaurant do you miss? Little Vietnamese takeout joint on Euclid Heights and Lee Road in Cleveland Heights which was only around for two years, but man, was it awesome.

8. What place(s) have Clevelanders yet to discover? I am looking forward to Jonathon Sawyer’s new place on 4th [The Greenhouse Tavern] and would like to check out Chrissie Hynde’s place in Akron [The Vegiterranean].

9. What’s your last meal on Earth? Sushi from Ebisu in San Francisco, Duck at Chinois on Main and my mom’s Matzoh Ball soup, but will she be pissed when she finds out it’s my last meal (am I dying or is there a death penalty situation here, because that changes everything!).

10. Most unusual food you have ever tried? Chocolate covered salted crickets from Japan. Take hair, salt and shrimp legs, fry them up and then coat with melted bittersweet chocolate. Echhh, then you eat another!

11. Most famous person you have cooked for? Phil Lesch and Bobby Weir – dinner for Vogues 50th Anniversary (everybody who is anybody amongst a few hundred folk).

12. If you weren’t a chef, what would you be doing? Who knows? Maybe producing music or playing it, or most probably teaching… even though school and I didn’t always get along.

13. Do you cook at home? Yep! Most requested meal from your kids? BBQ, BBQ, BBQ

14. What do you miss most about Mojo’s? The awesome crowd and late night hit. All the folks in the business would come in late for a nosh and the music. Will it ever be back? You can make that check out for……..

15. If you could be any other chef for one day, who would it be? Jean Louis Pallidin, RIP. Cooked for everybody – traditionalist and innovative, a total individual yet so disciplined and knocked over walls at the right time.

16. If you could visit any restaurant in the world, which one would it be? I want to go back to San Francisco and spend the entire day sitting out front of Zuni and start with oysters, work my way to a burger, a couple salads, the ricotta gnocchi and then a couple desserts later and a few bottles of anything Helen Turley has on the list and have a perfect espresso and be kindly asked to leave because they have to lock the doors.

17. What book are you currently reading? Some old David Morrell novel. I need to escape to where people get shot up and spy and stuff. Nothing you would find in the Oprah’s list.

18. Favorite TV show? Simpsons!

19. What kitchen gadget can you not live without? 12-inch tongs.

20. What is the best plate of food you have ever had? Lunch at Rastfali in Amsterdam and Sushi in Toronto (the uni melted and melted and melted).

21. Favorite meal from your childhood? Deli to go on Sundays…how can you not stick your tongue out at the tongue in the glass case?

22. What local farmers and vendors do you rely on most? Honestly, I have to rediscover local agriculture, but truly will always count on Tom and Wendy from Killbuck.

23. What’s your signature dish? Calamari, I guess.

24. And current food-related trends happening right now? I want the French Asian thing back! It tasted good, wasn’t expensive and was a great creative outlet with the discipline. I do not need to hear the biography of every ingredient on a menu or eat every part of the animal. Good restaurant equals good ingredients. I do not need to know that the Lah Dee Dah Farms chicken was spoon fed from the manna of the cherubs, died of natural causes with its entire family present and then had a burial at sea…oy.

25. You have owned a restaurant and been the head chef at many restaurants in Cleveland. What are some of the lessons you’ve learned from these experiences that others starting out could learn from? Listen to everybody but go with your gut. Do not hurry; life is not a credit card (you cannot borrow time and pay for it later). Set reasonable standards – help the team reach them, then reach higher. Cut labor when necessary but do not try to disguise shotty work or use crappy ingredients. The customer is always right…because they pay your rent. If you are a talented chef then you are also the best pushover. Just make the frickin’ Caesar with chicken at 10 pm… it will afford your foie gras, dumass!

It’s been easily 3.5 years since we last ate at Metropolitan Cafe. And truthfully, if it weren’t for Herschman taking over the kitchen, in wouldn’t cross our mind to go anytime soon.

I like Herschman. I think he has a lot of talent and have always been happy with his dishes, from Mojo to Vivo. I just wish he would stay put. He’s a flight risk for restaurant management, and I’m not sure why. All I know is he changes jobs – a lot. So hopefully he found a restaurant where he can set some roots, which will make his fans happy.

Here’s the recap of our visit for Metromix. Overall, it really was a good meal, especially the calamari. In short, as long Michael is there, we won’t wait so long to go back.

Terra Madre
This year’s class has been selected to attend the food extravaganza in Torino, Italy. I remember Dominic Cerino talking about his experience a few years ago and sharing his memories. It sounds like an amazing food journey. Here’s more from Slow Food Northern Ohio:

In October 2008, farmers, producers, chefs and educators from around the globe will gather in Turin, Italy for Terra Madre 2008, the third biennial meeting of the Terra Madre Network organized by Slow Food International. The Terra Madre event will bring together food communities, cooks, academics and youth delegates from around the world to work towards increasing small-scale, traditional, and sustainable food production.

The following delegates have been selected by Slow Food USA to represent our region at Terra Madre 2008:

Farmers & Producers
Aaron Miller, Miller Livestock, Kinsman
Cindy & Terry Smith, Goatfeathers Point Farm, Peninsula
Abbe Turner, Lucky Penny Farm, Garrettsville
Adam & Jennifer Gidlow, On the Rise Bakery, Cleveland Heights

Chefs
Matt Harlan, Lolita
Paul Minnillo, Baricelli Inn & Baricelli Cheese Company
Jonathon Sawyer, Bar Cento & Greenhouse Tavern & Restaurant
David Uecke, Anthe’s Restaurant (Akron)

On Monday, July 14 at 6 p.m., head to Bar Cento to help raise money for the event. For $40, the event will feature food and wine of past attendees. Congratulations, Chefs, and safe travels.
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Speaking of Dominic Cerino, he will be heading to Cordova, Alaska next week, along with Regan Reik of Pier W, to not only cook but discuss the eco system and what makes Cordova so special for 100 media and chefs.

“It kind of cracks me up that they are flying in two chefs from Cleveland to cook a seafood dinner for media and chefs from the west coast, but hey I’ll take it,” shared Cerino.

He also added that he will be taking some of Cleveland with him, including his own guanciali, Lake Erie Creamery goat cheese and possibly blue eggs, a favorite of Cerinos.
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I had heard last month that Chef Michael Herschman was leaving his post at the Cabin Club in Aurora. I admit, the first thing I thought when I heard this was, where else can he go? I don’t know if it’s pretty common in the chef world to constantly change kitchens, but in my professional world, you would be labeled a flight risk. You can now find Herschman at Metropolitan Cafe.

Regardless of why he moves around so much, one thing remains constant – his incredible talent! Aside from Cabin Club, I have tried to follow him throughout the city since he (unfortunately) closed Mojo in Tremont. And this latest move will actually get me to go back to Metropolitan this fall.