Newspaper and E-Clippings
John Eats Stuff August 2009
John Eats Stuff August 2009
Whole Roasted "Dressed" Squab, Foie Gras and Crisp Potato Cake scented with Armenian Rose Petal Marmalade and Licorice Root, Preserved Cherries, White Icicle Redishes, Pink Peppercorns, and Watercress Flowers.
When I ordered this, the waiter leaned in close, like a concerned relative, "Sir, are you aware this comes with its talons, I just thought you should know". Hell, yea! And I ordered a few pairs of extra talons, two for dipping and one to toss later into a boiling cauldron and cast a spell that would vanquish my enemies or win the lottery.
The squab's skin was lacquer crisp, the succulent meat wild and flavorful, with not a trace of that blanched factory chicken white noise taste. (Domestic pigeon, go figure.) It would have been delicious on its own, but what pushed the dish through the roof was the flower power of the Armenian Rose Petal Marmalade. Could it have careened into an ‘Essence of Grandma' abyss? Certainly. But it didn't. The roses were not cloying and their notes played well against the savory. (Also, it made for the presentation, injecting a shot into the color palette.)
It was, for me, a gutsy ingredient and it edged the meal toward the exotic, a sultan's repast, a valentine on a plate.