Algabar, A Tasting

There is a new tea house in town, Algabar Home and Life. It is one of the most beautiful places you will step your two little pieds. It is co-owned by my friend Gail Baral and her business partner Robb Wain, and is truly a classy place.

Gail knows her tea after having traveled to China and Japan on many occasions, she makes the best cup of tea I've ever had. If you stop by the shop, she will ask you a few questions and brew a special cup just for you while you browse. If you have tea questions (does it have caffiene, brewing temperatures, or even recipes for tea cocktails) she will be happy to oblige.

I attended the first tasting that was held at her store jointly with (alas!) my favorite preserver/chocolate canner/syrup making purveyor, Robert Lambert. The food was exquisite, composed by chef Crispin Kitto and menu designed by Kim. The event was just lovely, and everyone involved is quite talented.

I have been working with an importer to develop recipes with her products and the product that I have included in almost every recipe is, of course, Roberts. Today I offer my favorite recipe thus far.

Brioche French Toast with Blood Orange Glazed Foie Gras

1 whole Cardamom Pod
1 Egg
2 T Cream
2-3 Slices of day old Brioche, 1" thick
10 oz Foie Gras, sliced into scaloppini’s (1/4" slices)
Robert Lambert Blood Orange Syrup
Mascarpone, whipped (optional)
Raspberries,
glazed with a little bit of the Blood Orange Syrup
Butter for frying

- Beat the egg with the cream and then grate 1/4 tsp of the cardamom
into the mixture. Pour in 1 T of Robert Lambert Syrup and set aside.

-
In a hot sauté pan, melt some butter and caramelize each piece of foie gras on
both sides.

- While the foie gras is caramelizing, heat another
sauté pan to medium high heat. Once it is hot, place some butter in the pan and
dredge the brioche through the egg mixture. Cook the pieces of bread on medium
high heat until caramelized on both sides.

- While the brioche is cooking, pour in Robert Lambert's Blood Orange syrup (enough to cover one side of all of the pieces of foie gras) and glaze the scaloppini’s for 30 seconds.

- Plate the french toast and place the foie gras pieces on top. Dust
with a little powdered sugar and serve with a dollop of whipped mascarpone
and raspberries tossed with a little of the syrup.

This is not low fat. In fact if you have heart issues, this is the dish that will stop the blood flow. This is the dish to eat before you fast. I would like to think Gandhi ate a plate of this stuff before he stopped eating. I would like to think it but am sure he didn't as Gandhi would never eat foie gras.

This is the meal I would request at my hanging.

If I could only eat once a month, this is the dish I would eat.

If I had to come back as a meal, this is the meal I would come back as.

Please eat responsibly (like perhaps with a glass of champagne).

.:tt:.