Mistura (Lima, Peru)

This past week my classmates and I reunited for Peru’s Mistura Festival. We all earned our masters Restaurant Management and Innovation at San Sebastian’s Basque Culinary Center last year. This adventure was an opportunity to reunite to discover and share Peru’s rich gastronomy and mull over the regional techniques and flavours.

pork

snowcones

emolientes

emoliente

cebiche

leche de tigre

ice creams

cebiche

tasting

cuy on a stick

cuy

macerating drinks

sacha inchi punch

mazmorra

mazmorra (rice pudding with stewed fruit)

happy cuy

fried cuy

Hawthorne Valley Farm

Traveling up the Hudson on an early spring day

Concept Video

I found an old video I made for my application to the Basque Culinary Center. This is my attempt in transmitting the natural elements, colors and textures for the restaurant concept.

Slate, Stone, Wood, and Herbs mixed with photos of food and landscapes from my travels. I wish for my restaurant to be invigorating, and keep true to the root of the word restaurant: a place where one goes to be restored.

CSA Harvest

Joining a local CSA is a great way to have fresh, local veggies all summer. I joined Hawthorne Valley Farm‘s CSA program for the biodynamic vegetables and fruit.

By planting biodiverse fields, including animals in the fertilization, and by being sensitive to the rythms of the plants; Biodynamic farming nurtures the soil, animals, and people.

I make sure to clean and prep the veggies as soon as I pick them; this allows for easy use and gets me familiar with the vegetables coming in season.

On Egin!
-Andrés

København and MAD ’13 (part 2)

the journey covers an expanse of space and time,

while the memory of the destination, is limited in time and in space.

Early morning arrivals,

calm breeze in the air,

lots of hay.

København (part 1)

This past summer I visited Coppenhagen for the MAD ’13 conference: GUTS

I ventured to Scandinavia to have my first taste of Nordic Cuisine and here I experienced the beginnings of the New Nordic Diet.

Denmark is located in the northernmost point of the European continent, bordering Sweden and Norway by ways of the Baltic Sea, this Sea is also know for being one of the areas with most biodiversity on the planet…under water of course.

herring smorresbrod

My first taste of the local cuisine was at Aaman’s, a restaurant that offers Danish classics alongside more modern Nordic dishes… writing this I discover Aaman’s actually ventured to NYC in TriBeCa .

Two friends and I shared the different smørrebrød. I got the typical Danish The Chrisitansøs Girl’s Spiced Herring w/ potatoes dill, pickled mustard seeds, capers and red onion. The herring and pickles blend and cut through the cream sauce. I think it’s delicious. A filling dish for the cooler weather that isn’t heavy and cloying.

Alquira – Tordesillas, España

A principios de la primavera hicimos un viaje a visitar nuestro amigo Cristobal, compañero del máster, a su restaurante el Alquira de Tordesillas.

Tordesillas, a 25 km de Valladolid, se encuentra junto al río Ebro. Una ciudad llena de historia, arquitectura, y cultura gastronómica.

Recipe: Sprouted Lentils

This quick soup combines a range of different vegetables, each with their own important health benefits.

Some fresh herbs, extra virgin olive oil, and sweet chili sauce are great to season the dish with.

Recipe: Tuna Caldillo

This recipe draws from many influences. It contains the same basic ingredients as a Marmitako, a typical dish originating from the Basque Country. It consists of tomatoes, potatoes, onions, green peppers, and of course, tuna. Inspired by the warm weather, I switched up some spices and created something very different.

Recipe: Cashew and Greens Snack Bowl

This is a great way to get your dark leafy greens in, and also a healthy snack with plenty of energy to keep you going. All you need is a few ingredients, a pan, and a spoon!

Collard Greens is scored as one of the best foods on the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI), giving you the most nutrients per calorie! Healthy oils and fats (organic butter and cheddar cheese : P) help you absorb all those minerals, nutrients, and proteins (cashew nuts). Certain herbs aid in digestion, have calming properties, and are anti-microbial and anti-bacterial. This is meant to be a synergistic recipe, satisfying your taste buds and body.