The last time I summoned the sheer chutzpah to propose a list of metro Atlanta’s top 50 restaurants, the year was 2004. Back then many of the best restaurants were also the most ambitious ones. Scouting out the talented chefs who used top-tier ingredients meant going to a lot of places with tablecloths and ice-filled wine buckets. That hierarchy has collapsed, and I have to say it makes this quest a lot more rewarding. Today you can eat great food in scores of casual joints, in bars where you shout over head-banger music, in revitalized neighborhoods throughout the metro area, in farmers...

 I “LOVE” carrots. Back in the days when I was apprenticing under Chef Tony Brunner at Brunner’s Landmark in Jersey he would make these wonderful roasted carrots with coriander.  The aroma of the coriander toasting in the hot pan and the caramelization  of the carrots pair very well with the Oven roasted Red Snapper. Coriander Roasted Organic Baby Carrots 2 Bunches of three Color Baby Carrots 1 Tablespoon Olive oil 1 Tablespoon dry Coriander Sea Salt and Freshly ground Black Pepper Wash and scrub the carrots under cold water. Toss the carrots in a large bowl with the olive...

Where have I been! Well, I’ve been away for a while and would like to explain where I have been since you last heard from me. There have been no posts from my blog in well, months, and maybe ages and I apologize!  When starting this post I had to refresh myself on the updates on WordPress and approve the many comments that I have received.  For the past couple of months I have been very busy at Mckendricks and also out to conquer my fears and lack of understanding of photography. I finished a photography class at Showcase School of Photography, Digital 101,  in late October and then...

I am  so lucky to have such a fine kitchen and such a great staff at Mckendricks steak house. I love to practice taking pictures in the kitchen and today I pulled out a lens that I normally do not use. I thought my Canon EF 50mm f1.4  was only for close shots but I have recently read that it can also be used for portraits. Above is the cooking line in the kitchen. Up front you see Danmon a line chef for about a year or more. Wonderful guy, great attitude and just a great guy  to work with! This is Jacob caramelizing a white chocolate and Grand Marnier creme brulee  with sugar in the...

I am so sorry it has taken me so long to write a post! I have been so busy with my photography that I have not had time to sit and concentrate on writing a post. After two years I  finished my first photography class, photography 101, at Showcase School of Photography last week. The class was  awesome and I loved learning about apertures, F-stops, shutter speed and Iso. Our teacher Vino Wong took us on field  trip to Oakland Cemetery for a photography scavenger hunt. We had twelve different photos  to search out and take. Vino has such a great eye for light and I enjoyed watching him...

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I wanted to do some barbecue this weekend and was thing about trying something different. I needed something light for dinner and decided on cold water lobster tails. These tails are the best money can buy. They are South African cold water lobster tails that are sweet, tender and delicious barbecued and dipped in drawn butter with the addition of cilantro. South African lobsters are different than Florida lobsters or even Maine lobsters because of the frigid waters they are raised in. Florida lobster tails have no claws and because of the warm water they tend to be a little tough and...

Seems like these days when I need a fix for fried foods I tempura them. Tempura is a thin batter that is very crisp on the outside and moist on the inside.  There are many different types of tempura but this one has suited my needs for years. I have tried to tempura many items, King Crab, foie gras, lobster and vegetables, some successful and some not!  The shrimp at the local farmers market were amazing, fresh, large and right from the sea. I picked up a couple of pounds and I still had some vegetables and herbs left from my garden and decidable to make a quick dinner last weekend. My cayenne...

Every summer my wife and I pack up the dogs, Blondie, Muffin and Jolie and head off to Payne Farm and Produce to pick all the fresh blueberries we can handle. We spend the next couple of days making jams, jellies and of course our favorite blueberries and cream gelato. The layers of blueberry sorbet and vanilla bean gelato are so creamy and rich they melt away in your mouth. Payne Farm is located on Salem road off of highway 41 in Calhoun, Georgia The farm is owned by Sam Payne and his wife Ann and managed by Sam and his daughter Carla. For years they raised and produced hogs, cattle,...

    I really only did this blog post because I have to keep practicing photography not because I like eating tenderloin . I was stumped on how to write this blog post because I really do not care for beef tenderloin and after I finshed these pictures my wife  fed on this dish for 2 days but I could only bear one bite. Photographing meat is very difficult and I liked the challenge of trying to shoot beef. I have been working in steak houses for the past 20 years and if anyone loves meat it is me. However, I will tell you why I do not like beef tenderloin. I once was working as a chef at...

I had to do something with this leftover roast beef tenderloin I made and since my wife loved it so much and I did not, I thought I would buy some good crusty white bread from the market along with some heirloom tomatoes. I started by making a Dijon Aioli            2 garlic cloves 1 large egg yolk 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons vegetable oil Mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt using a large, heavy knife. Whisk together yolk, lemon juice, and mustard in a bowl. Combine oils and add, a few drops at a...