You think this is chaotic

watching current events, You may think this is chaotic. And, you would be right. Well, today, we have news for you. Today is national Chaos never dies day. What does that mean to you, me, and the countless screaming organisms in the world? Doom? Destruction? Or, just more of the same? Possibly, all 3. It’s all part of the cosmic whole. The word chaos derives from the Greek word chasm, meaning void. Theorists state that the universe exploded from the void aka chaos, into existence. Since we came from nothing (Chaos) we are bound to return to it. So, the concept that chaos never dies is an immutable fact. Of course, some people claim that from chaos comes order. The reverse can be true as well. Out of order comes chaos. Order 5 things each with special instructions at McDonald’s and watch chaos ensue from your order.

Well imagine that on a universal scale. There are people who make careers and entire genres out of chaos. It shows up in science, literature, film, Art, and, more importantly, mythology, from whence the concept entered human consciousness. You’ve probably heard of chaos theory: the concept that even minor changes to a seemingly complex system can have dramatic effects. The butterfly theory in time travel is a good example. And, of course there is always Kaos from Get Smart. But, out of chaos comes life. Or, so the saying goes. Chaos is akin to the yin and yang of everything and nothing. It’s a necessary part of existence, not just here, but, throughout the universe. However, don’t confuse it with evil. Although it can present as evil. It’s not always a bad thing. Just as death is part of life, so chaos is to control.

So, What makes you think this is chaotic?

Chaos comes in many forms. Most people think what they go through on a daily basis is chaotic. Running from errand to errand, juggling responsibilities, dealing with the daily panoply of mishaps like a flat tire or out of order toilet. In the scheme of things, these are minor inconveniences. But, they do take up a lot of time, leading to frustration and a feeling of helplessness. And, there are people who take advantage of that feeling, adding to it for their own personal gain. This can be dangerous to a society, as leaders unleash a barrage of traps intended to confound and engage people they disagree with. When the victors claim victim-hood, it creates a feeling of discontent and dread. Fear begets fear. And, the sewers of chaos reap the benefits. Yet, this is all manufactured chaos. The perpetrators have a plan, exercising an action with a predictable reaction.

While it’s not true chaos, the effect is a chaotic existence, resulting in people on either side of the equation to dig deeper into their side’s attack or defense. They attack people for something they, themselves, are doing; and, reward themselves for the same behavior or worse. Laws apply to certain people, but not them. And, they claim they are keepers of the law, when in fact, law is supposed to impose order. But, it’s not an order they are interested in. They only apply it to those they oppose. In a way, chaos can be very freeing. But, in order to free one group, another usually suffers, especially if you share a zip code, state, country, or planet. We enjoy all the modern amenities of technology, commerce, and transportation. But, many beings suffer for our comfort and convenience (as do many people). So, before embracing chaos, remember the consequences.

Chaos in the kitchen

while waxing philosophical and exploring the plight of all things great and small is a noble pursuit, this IS a food blog. So, understanding chaos’s place in the kitchen is apropos. Much like in society, the kitchen benefits and suffers from chaos at the same time. There are different types of chaos in the kitchen. There is a lack of control inherent in the very ingredients. While people work hard to create consistent products, anything naturally derived will have variation. And, there is a certain fear of kitchens because they require multi-tasking (more correctly, serial tasking). You have something in the oven, while chopping some vegetables and simmering a sauce on the stove. To keep everything straight appears chaotic.

The chaos that scares people away from kitchens and creates mystique is merely a misunderstanding. Yes, you need to perform multiple tasks. But, none are exactly rocket science (although, science is part of the equation). People can become overwhelmed by a lot of activity. So, it looks daunting. But, baking, boiling, and chopping are 3 things to do at once, like a baseball player swinging, hitting, and running, or an office worker reading, typing, and printing. It’s not that difficult when you realize you are already capable of multi-tasking.

Plus, you can impose a modicum of control over your kitchen by keeping it organized. The french have a term that should apply to all facets of life: Mis en place. This means a state of preparedness or a place for everything and everything in its place. So, have a designated spot for all your ingredients and equipment. And, when you prepare a meal, get everything ready. have your ingredients and equipment ready to work with. Easy access makes for less chaos.

You think this is chaotic? Try the food.

There is a trend in the culinary world called Chaos cooking. It’s based on the inventiveness of prior generations of cooks and chefs. Throughout the history of cooking, people have tried to be inventive by trying new and unexpected things. A favorite concept is to blend cultural styles. The so called East Meets west and fusion cooking were examples of this. That’s how we ended up with things like steak and cheese spring rolls and sushi tacos. Chaos cooking is similar to that, but is more focused on unexpected ingredients, like chocolate and avocado or onions and bananas. If you can think of a couple ingredients that appear opposite and figure out how they work together, you’re doing chaos cooking.

The concept isn’t new, it’s just a new use of the word chaos. But, notice that we see order coming from chaos. Lobster ice cream, bacon doughnuts, and olive oil cake are all tasty examples. Of course, some of these are firmly in the love it or hate it category. But, for those who do love it, the result is culinary bliss. We’ll see if any of these modern ideas stand the test of time. But, keep on inventing. Chocolate and peanut butter were once seen as opposing ideas. But, now they are a staple enjoyed by most people. Pears and blue cheese, whether in a dessert, salad, or other medium. That’s another great combination. So, don’t be afraid of chaos. Who knows? You may just stumble on a new classic combination.

Of course, along the way, there may be some truly awful experiments. But, embrace the failures as building blocks to the future. For, chaos never dies. And, this is the day to remember that.

Here are some recipes with unexpected twists to pique your chaos interest:

Bleu Cheese Mousse tart with Port Poached Pear

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Print Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Course Appetizer, Dessert

Cuisine American, French

Servings 24 Mini Tarts

Ingredients

  

• For tart shell:
• 1 Cup Flour
• 1/2 Cup Chilled Butter
• 1 large Egg yolk
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 2 Tbsp Cold Water
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• For Blue Cheese Mousse
• 1/2 Lb Soft Blue Cheese
• 1/2 Lb Cream Cheese
• 1/4 Cup Honey
• 1 Tbsp Sour Cream
• For Poached Pear:
• 2 to 3 Medium Fresh Pears
• 1 Bottle Port Wine
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 2 Each Cinnamon Sticks
• 1 Each Fresh Orange
• 2 Tbsp Sliced Fresh Ginger
• 1 Each Vanilla Bean, split

Instructions

 

• Make the tart shells: Chop the butter into pea sized pieces. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Then mix the butter in with the flour mix until it begins to form a dough. Add in the water and egg yolk. Continue kneading until a solid dough forms. Allow to rest for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Then, roll out and place the dough into miniature rounds. Place in tart baking pans. You can do minis or a large. For our purposes, we prefer mini. Poke the bottoms of the shells with a fork. Bake the shells for about 20 minutes until golden brown. You may want to blind bake by lining the shells with foil and weighing that down with dry beans or rice. When baked, remove from oven and allow to completely cool.
• Poach the pears: Peel and core the pears. Cut them in half for the poaching. Place all ingredients except pears into a pot and bring to a boil. Allow the sugar to completely melt. Then, place the pears in the liquid and bring to a simmer. Allow the fruit to soften, yet maintain a bit of a crunch. Check after about 15 minutes. They should be done. Give a little more time if necessary. Remove the cooked pears from the liquid. Then, continue cooking the liquid down until it becomes a thick syrup. You will drizzle this on the final tart.
• make the Mousse: Puree the bleu cheese until smooth, with few chunks. This can be done in a food processor or mixing bowl. Whip the cream cheese in a stand mixer and fold in the remaining ingredients. It should be fluffy. Be careful not to overwhip or it will become too loose.
• Assemble: Cut the pears into appropriate size for the tarts. Pipe the mousse into the shells using a pastry bar with or without a tip. Top with the poached pears and drizzle or brush on the port syrup. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later use.

Keyword Appetizer, Bleu Cheese, dessert, Mousse, pastry, Pear, Poached, Port, red wine, Tart

Grand Marnier Blueberry Consomme with Oven Cured Grapes and Mint

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Print Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Soaking and draining time 2 hours hrs

Course Dessert, Soup

Cuisine American, Vegan

Servings 4 People

Equipment

• Cheese cloth and/or large coffee filters.
• Sheet pan and non stick pad or parchment paper and pan spray

Ingredients

  

• 2 to 3 Lb Fresh Blue Berries
• 1 Lb Organic Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Grand marnier
• 1/2 Cup Sweet White wine like Reisling
• 1/2 Cup Lime Juice
• Zest of 2 limes and 2 lemons
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Mint Sprigs, plus extra for garnishing
• For Grapes:
• 1/2 Lb Seasonal Grapes (preferably something unique like muscat or champagne grapes)
• 1/4 Cup Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 200.
• Toss grapes in sugar and oil to evenly coat. Then spread out on a non stick pad on a sheet pan. Slow roast at 200 degrees for about an hour. They should shrivel a bit. You don't want raisins. But, you do want them relatively firm to the touch. The purpose is to intensify the flavor. Allow to cool naturally. Refrigerate until service.
• Make the "consomme": Rough chop the Berries. and toss in a bowl with all the ingredients. Mix well. Allow to macerate for at least 2 hours in refrigeration. You can even do this overnight to get a really intense flavor.
• Carefully strain the liquid from the berries through cheesecloth or coffee filters for a really clear broth. The liquid is the soup. Don't press too hard on the mix or the liquid can get cloudy. Try to extract as much liquid as possible. This process can take hours. When you have enough to serve your guests, take the solids and cook them over low heat. Add a little more liquid. This will become a blueberry syrup you can use for a dessert topping. Blend it until smooth. You can use some to garnish the soup today or save it for future use.
• Serve the "Consomme in glasses so the color and clarity show through. Garnish with the grapes and syrup if desired or serve with other fruit. This goes well with a light cookie like a tuille also.

Keyword blueberry, Consomme, Grand marnier, Mint, Oven Cured Grapes, vegan

Lemon Basil Vodka Martini

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Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Course cocktails, Drinks

Cuisine American, Italian, Polish

Servings 4 Cocktails

Ingredients

  

• 8 Oz Good Quality Vodka
• 2 Oz Limoncello
• 2 Oz Fresh Lemon Juice
• 2 Oz Sugar
• 2 Tbsp Fresh Basil Leaves, plus extra for garnish
• 4 Each Lemon Wheels For garnish
• Ice

Instructions

 

• Muddle the Basil and Sugar in a Large Pitcher to Extract the flavor, Stir in the lemon juice and mix will. Add the ice, Limoncello and vodka and stir well. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with basil leaves and lemon wheels. Drink, and repeat.

Keyword basil, Lemon, martini, Vodka