tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27126906780915233442011-12-06T20:24:25.578-05:00New Virginia Cuisine Chef Matt TurnerMatt Turnernoreply@blogger.comBlogger281100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-88956686378960869772010-03-21T15:42:00.002-05:002010-03-21T15:48:46.813-05:00

Fluffy succulent gnocchi are easy to make, but admittedly also very easy to make poorly. There are just a few things to remember when making gnocchi that will keep them perfect every time. You can request a recipe by emailing me.

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-46512409197928552332009-11-08T16:07:00.002-05:002010-03-19T22:13:12.225-05:00

Camino restaurant is inspired by the old world pathways between southern European cities called "Caminos". These ancient roads zig zag across the country side linking cities and cultures and pass through tiny villages along the way. Along these foot paths one can find little cafes that offer the truly authentic cuisines of their respective cultures, using the only the freshest local ingredients

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-10937247970152542792009-11-08T15:56:00.006-05:002010-03-19T22:27:55.452-05:00

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-56062222587493870812009-02-24T00:32:00.007-05:002009-11-08T18:00:05.958-05:00

The Chesapeake Bay was once home to an enormous oyster population. Beginning in the 1950's over harvesting and devastating diseases nearly wiped them out. I recently discovered a company that holds several farms in our area and the oysters are world class this time of year. The farms are located in very calculated areas around the Bay, and growing different native species at each location, all

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-48215633137709980232009-02-19T17:17:00.009-05:002009-11-08T17:55:44.930-05:00

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-66783647697849587512008-11-30T11:28:00.003-05:002008-11-30T11:50:01.902-05:00

Diver Scallopfennel seed crust, york apple puree, apple wood smoked bacon, brown butterFried Green Tomato"remoulade" of crab, celery, Belgian endive, jalapeno, chives with red onion pickleCedar Roasted Troutmountain trout roasted on a cedar plank with unfiltered cider glaze, smoked trout - potato hash, sweet n sour kaleFork Mashed Butternut Squashsage essence, pumpkin seed oil, pumpkin seed

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-80277910031910008242008-11-19T13:42:00.003-05:002008-11-19T13:54:21.434-05:00

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-63965704562303405732008-11-09T21:36:00.004-05:002008-11-11T22:08:36.939-05:00

Thanks to the Dc Foodies that had the tasting menu last night, you guys made my week. As promised your menu is posted here: <!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-9322912116857118442008-10-28T13:42:00.004-05:002008-10-28T13:50:15.686-05:00

This ravioli is stuffed with Indian Spiced Pumpkin, stuffed again on the outside with blue crab meat, and pumpkin seeds, and then sauced with lemon butter and toasted pumpkin seed oil.

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-67903722736299653972008-09-08T15:32:00.012-05:002008-09-09T13:39:24.617-05:00

This Hlibut filet is inspired by our "Medeterrenean Sea meets the Chesapeake Bay" perspective.

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-15074456150274968662008-03-14T12:15:00.004-05:002008-11-12T23:57:53.229-05:00

Smoked Bacon Wrapped Mountain TroutI paired this trout with sweet-sour kale and an earthy lentil vinaigrette.The lentil vinaigrette is laced with minced green apple, sherry vinegar, and mustard.The kale is cooked in bacon, apple cider vinegar and brown sugar.

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-5333705223967455422008-02-13T13:57:00.011-05:002008-11-12T23:57:53.395-05:00

This soup, a bouride, French in origin, is a garlicky seafood puree. The flesh of the fish itself is the primary thickener. I made this one heavy on the tomato and fennel to accompany the orange-saffron espuma recipe I've been developing. The flavors are basic Mediterranean, and I'm very familiar with them and the way they work together, this allowed me to focus on the experiment at hand. The

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-23302634904833466402008-02-13T12:53:00.013-05:002008-11-12T23:57:53.628-05:00

I made this little fluffy treat, the amuse busce, for the chef's tasting on last night's menu. It made people giggle as they devoured it. It's just apple and a cloud like airy foam heavily seasoned with saffron, garlic, curry, and orange zest. The flavors and textures are subtle, yet impactive.

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-32339065905065171262008-02-10T22:24:00.003-05:002008-02-19T18:26:36.856-05:00

Saturday Feb 9th. I incorporated 4 "New Virginia Cuisine" items into the tasting menu. The dishes were a success. They are listed here: courses 1,2,4, and 5. My favorite is the "New Virginia Ham Biscuit", nothing says Virginia like a ham biscuit and this was an amped up version that even incorporated bbq sauce. Of course this is no ordinary bbq sauce using, apricot preserves for sweetness and

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-64320126075781043872008-02-05T15:00:00.000-05:002008-02-05T17:33:50.561-05:00

One of my local farmers came by with winter shiitakes yesterday, he said they had just suddenly "spurted". The mushrooms showed up at the restaurant late, so they didn't make it on the menu. However, I had an unexpected tasting menu request late in the evening, and the shiitakes made an appearance. Speed and simplicity were the ruling themes, and the result was amazing. I've posted a recipe of

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-71817579486565120142008-01-29T17:38:00.000-05:002008-11-12T23:57:53.786-05:00

I often limit myself to a few ingredients to create a new dish, the results are often surprisingly wonderful. Here is a good example:The new Virginia dish: Braised greens with sweet apple, apple cider, apple cider vinegar, and smoked pork belly.The original: Greens braised with vinegar, sugar, and bacon.The exercise: Take a classic southern preparation and re-think it, replacing not only

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-18654474681817769002008-01-26T12:47:00.000-05:002008-01-26T12:58:07.144-05:00

This dish defines New Virginia Cuisine articulately.Baked Rockfish on sweet corn-lump crab griddle cake, lemon mosto oil, morels, and shellfishThis is a good example of seasonal / regional cooking. The sweetness of the corn, and the sweet freshness of the crab against the citrus of the oil and the mild earthiness of the mushrooms tied together with buttery mussels and salty clams.

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-80646287230099409612008-01-25T13:04:00.000-05:002008-01-26T12:53:53.813-05:00

I'm thrilled that Virginia photographer Kimberly Frost is on board for this project. Her enthusiasm is encouraging and her talents are going to be a incredible asset. I think Kim's sense of color, composition, and avant-garde style is a perfect match for this concept. After all the focus of this book is to bring a fresh "new" approach to Virginia Gastronomy. Kim's web page is linked below,

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-42780635036808049902008-01-24T13:37:00.000-05:002008-01-24T14:13:17.129-05:00

Another busy chef bar, odd that the rest of the restaurant was empty.FENNEL SEED CRUSTED SCALLOPapple puree, star anise-duck confit, micro mustardnew OYSTER STEWlocal oysters. melted and crispy leeks, fried oyster, caviar, serrano ham chipKALEbraised in smoked VA bacon, apple cider, apple cider vinegar, andraw sugar with lentils and pork bellyRARE HAWAIIAN TUNAcrab-olive oil mousse "brandade",

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-74336556704797541062008-01-23T16:02:00.001-05:002008-11-12T23:57:54.121-05:00

Our customers nearly do back flips over our oyster stew. The reason for this is quite simple: it's the oysters and our simple approach to delivering their goodness. We get our oysters from Captain Tom who is a quality dedicated waterman. Because the water is cold this time of year, and Tom harvests in an ideal water salinity our oysters rival any. For the stew we keep the recipe very clean, the

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-79329414154581857072008-01-19T23:25:00.000-05:002008-11-12T23:57:54.299-05:00

A snowy night in our quaint, Chesapeake Bay getaway town in Virgina, my small crew and myself cooked for about 70 people. There was a particularly interesting calm in the restaurant tonight, it was safe and warm in the room with snow, ice, and sleet falling outside.Had a busy chef table, the tasting menu was especially well received, a wintry menu:French Onion Soupbroth from short ribs, onion -

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-207581936605393672008-01-15T16:29:00.000-05:002008-01-15T16:35:30.260-05:00

Tobacco creme brulee worked. The tobacco flavor came through with an earthy start, a nutty middle, and a spicy finish. The first batch was a little strong and the finish actually burned the throat a bit. I pulled back considerably and supplemented with vanilla. No other flavors were needed. The sugar balanced the tannins well. It's actually a very interesting experience, the nicotine enters the

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-37276938609150385402008-01-15T15:21:00.000-05:002008-01-26T12:50:08.906-05:00

I operated a restaurant outside of Charlottesville, Va, named Jarman's Gap. It was nestled at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains.To the south of that area is a huge swath of Virginia peidmont. This area is an incredible source of Virginia produce, alternative culture, horse farms, fruit and berry farms, vineyards, and genuine heritage. Often people would drop by with homegrown and foraged

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-73338584317825859642008-01-15T12:32:00.000-05:002008-01-15T15:46:27.573-05:00

It's January, big striped bass are in full swing, crab has slowed down a bit but still strong. Shiitake mushrooms show up now and then, but aside from some greenhouse goodies Virginia produce is hibernating.As I often do, I used the cuisine of the Mediterranean Sea to inspire this new Chesapeake dish for winter, the oiliness of the brandade bodes well in a brothy sauce:SALT BAKED ROCKFISH ON

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-52224326845552029742008-01-14T16:07:00.000-05:002008-01-20T18:03:36.607-05:00

I was eight years old, at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore with my immediate family, we'd just finished the aquarium tour and were mingling around harbor side. My grandfather took me by the hand and said, "boy it's time you became man". I'm sure I had no idea what this meant, or how I was going to make this journey, but I'm quite sure I liked the idea. After all I still remember that moment

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-10352758989487808922008-01-14T00:50:00.000-05:002008-01-14T01:14:11.300-05:00

What is more Virginian than tobacco?As a former smoker I can say, "what is better than a smoke after dinner?"I've decided to combine these two truths into a dessert:Tobacco infused creme brulee.The idea is to infuse the nicotine, and flavor of the tobacco into the cream, elevate with cinnamon and then balance the tannins with citrus (my instincts say orange), vanilla and sugar. I'll need all

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-41732938406013549422008-01-14T00:34:00.000-05:002008-01-26T12:55:59.150-05:00

With this book I'd like to have a culinary impact on people that can't afford to eat in my restaurant. Which brings me to the dilemma that I'd only have an impact on the people that can afford the book, so if we are fortunate enough to actually publish this book and generate profits as a result,I will donate a portion of profits to charity, I've done some work for the anti hunger organization

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712690678091523344.post-68105331503802288642007-04-17T00:24:00.000-05:002008-01-14T00:58:00.887-05:00

I discovered the Country Style Doughnut Shop on Williamsburg Road, in Richmond today. Their doughnuts are the real thing, fluffy yeasted pastries full of texture and balance, not the puffed sugary goo impostors that we see every day from the chains. I'll not name names. Also of note is Spudnuts in Charlottesville.Country Style Doughnuts4300 Williamsburg RdRichmond, VA 23231(804) 222-2466

Matt Turnernoreply@blogger.com0