By Jamie Rudolph
As we approach the New Year, we're faced with the task of
reflecting on the past year and also looking forward to make resolutions for
improving our lives in the year ahead. I
was recently asked by my colleagues to describe my most memorable meal of 2009,
which was a pretty difficult task considering all of the amazing meals I have
had. From a set menu served family-style in the private dining room at BLT
Steak NYC for my Grandmother’s 90th, to tasting some of Mathieu
Palombino’s very first pies to hit Manhattan with the opening of his second
Motorino, and trying the trial run of a “dish for two” at Gotham Bar and Grill
– a first in the restaurant’s 25 years, how could I choose just one?
Amazing food combined with the greatest moments make the
best meals. My most memorable meal of 2009 was last January in Alta, Utah,
when my family and I made the annual voyage to the mountains out west. It’s a meal, or I should say a stretch of
meals, that tend to stand out every year.
We stay (and eat) at the Wildcat Chalet, an inn that sits at the base of
the mountain just a catwalk away from the ski lift.
As amazing as the snow and ski conditions are, the true reward
is the meal following an exhilarating day on the slopes. On this particular snowy January evening, we
skiers shuffled in to the Wildcat, peeled off our snow-covered layers and were
welcomed by caretaker and chef extraordinaire, Bob. He was already busy in the
kitchen, squeezing limes for fresh margaritas,
and his homemade salsa was waiting on the table. Mini pork and black bean tortas
emerged soon after, a necessary supplement to tie us over until dinner.
We sat around the fire, watched and listened as pieces of the
meal came together and the pungent smells from the kitchen permeated through
the house. Taking in the food through
all of our senses added to the experience.
The ideal meal after a full day of skiing went something
like this: We sat down around the table
to fresh-baked sourdough bread and a crisp white wine. To start, we had a beet and
farro salad with Stilton cheese and walnuts in a light citrus-balsamic
vinaigrette. Next up was confit quail
legs, pan-seared to create a perfectly crispy skin and finished with an apple
fennel chutney. The main course was a
homemade pappardelle pasta with large shrimp, scallops and fresh herbs. The meal ended with vanilla poached pears,
reduced in a pear brandy.
I have Chef Bob to thank for expanding my palate over the
years. As a kid, he challenged me to try
just a few bites of salad at the start of each meal – a dish I would otherwise
refuse (I was once a very selective eater).
With every visit, Bob pushed my boundaries, introducing me to new
ingredients, flavors and preparations.
Unlike many people’s New Year’s resolutions, I will not be
cutting back my food intake, but instead eating more, trying more, learning
more.
What I’m:
Eating: Latkes with apple sauce
Drinking: Vodka
Gimlet
Reading: New York
Magazine
Watching: Football
Listening to: Kid Cudi
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