Friday 18 March 2011
How cool is this?
The Whitepod skiresort are 15 igloo style huts. Each hut has a king-sized bed, a wood-burning fireplace, a raised floor and cosy alp furnishing. A large window provides a sweeping view of the valley below, and a nearby common building provides entertainment, food and drink for WhitePod guests.
Thursday 10 March 2011
Like in all aspects with food the most important thing is good quality ingredients. In my theory if you find top quality ingredients more then half the job is done. At B.E.D we take hamburgers PRETTY seriously, well at least I do.Here is our take on the perfect burger.
My quest for the perfect burger has now entered its second decade. In october 1999 I decided to try and find the ultimate mouthwatering delicious super burger out there. I can tell you now nearly 12 years on that Im further from reaching an answer then I have ever been.
The problem is not to find good burgers but to determine which one is the best, theres just too many and the more I try the more I like. Comfort food has really boomed in the last years and Super Chefs like Daniel Boulud and Joel Robuchon have all put their magic touch on the burger using everything from Foi Gras and truffles in their recipes.
Through my greasy travels of fast and comfort food I have been sketching on My perfect burger and have decided I want to make it as classic cheese burger. Heres the results of 12 years research. Use egg as a binding agent instead of bread crumbs. It’s more natural and isn’t as dry as introducing bread into your meat. Binding the burger is important because its very important you follow the 1-flip rule. For those who don’t know what this is I will explain it for you: You only flip the burger 1 time. Pretty easy.
Ok, heres how to prepare.
1. Find the best ground meat available. If you have a good butcher ask them to grind a nice piece of Sirloin. If its Wagyu beef its even better. You will need around 1 kg.
2. Put the meat in a bowl. Let it rest for a while. While the meat rests dice up 250 grams of bacon and fry in the pan. Save the juices from the fat that are in the pan.
3. Add 2 egg yolks, the bacon, BBQ Sauce (Tabasco if you like spicy) and the excess fat you saved from the frying pan to the meat, add a pinch of salt and pepper. Use your hands (Yes wash them first) to mush everything together. Its important you don’t over mush! It can not get too creamy or sticky. When you feel the texture is right and everything is well mixed up grab a handful of meat (like making a snowball), try to get the ball as solid as possible so it doesn’t crack up when frying it. Once you have the ball you start flattening it out against your cutting board.
4. Thats the hard work done. I usually wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and put them in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Just for them to keep together better.
5. Couple of hours go by. Important you take out the burgers from the fridge. Let them reach room temperature. Turn your oven on to 200 degrees.
6. Prepare the lettuce, tomato, the cheese and the red onions. Its important everything is ready once the burgers come out of the oven.
7. Heat a cast iron pan to the maximum. You want to get a charred surface on the outside of the burger.
8. At the same time heat another non stick pan over low heat, add a chunk of butter and throw in the red onion. Add a generous amount of brown sugar (the onion will caramelize itself but this makes it easier and tastier). Leave it on low heat for about 20 minutes, give it a toss every now and then.
9. The cast iron pan should be super hot now so lets get to work. Add butter, Depending on the size of your pan place the burger in the sizzling hot butter. I usually put in max 2 patties at a time, it easier to control. Oh, don’t forget to salt the patties before putting them in the pan. Do NOT salt earlier though, right before they go into the pan will do.
10. Let the burgers sear 2 minutes on each side. Take out and place them in a oven roaster. Use a meat thermometer and push it into the thinnest of the patties. I usually take mine out on 55c but I like it rare. Its up to you. Keep checking on the temperature. When you feel the temperature is right take them out and let them rest for a couple of minutes.
11. Back to the onions. They should be beautifully caramelized by now.
12. As a bread I usually use a lighter bun. But you can use whatever you like. I like to toast mine a little.
13. Put the burger on the base bun. Add the cheese and then add the caramelized onion.
Thats it! Serve the burgers on the bun and let the guests choose their toppings.
Thursday 10 February 2011
For all you foodies out there we have some great news for you. The legendary Chef of El Bulli has opened a Tapas Bar in Barcelona together with his brother. If you are one of the thousands of people trying to get a table at El Bulli without any success. Now you can sample the same style tapas in Barcelona at Ferran Adrias new Tapas Bar Ticket. “A peaceful revolution of the tapa” is how the brothers describe their new idea. For those who need to quench their thirsts after enjoying Mr. Adria’s creations there will be a cocktail bar called 41 degrees right next door. No reservations are taken which is a big plus for us mortals. The rumor has it that 41 Degrees has already opened its doors for business and Tickets is very close.
Tuesday 8 February 2011
It was well overdue. Our old website needed a change and we finally found the time to do it. Together with two brilliant guys, Ferdinand Kjellin and Magnus Widén at Kjellin & Widén Design, we have put together a whole new website for Bengt Ek Design. On this site you will be able to find all our products, info, News and something very new to us our BLOG. The idea of the Blog is to write about things, places, people, restaurants, recipes or just anything that inspires us and that we hope will inspire you as well. Now that you have heard a little about what we intend to do lets get started:
FRANKFURT
Well its that time of the year again. The Ambiente Household fair starts this friday 11th february in Frankfurt.
Frankfurt is a really nice city if you know where to go. Food-wise I have devoted allot of time in finding good restaurants since I spend minimum 20 days per year there. For all you going to Frankfurt here comes a list of my favorite places in Frankfurt
Zarges (Fressgasse, 069 29903-0): A small Bistro / Patisserie in the centre of town. There is a Bar /Tearoom upstairs where I personally prefer to sit.. Food is excellent, especially the Burgers and the Viennese Salad. (Also nice for a coffee and piece of cake in the afternoon or a very very quiet drink) (Not open on Sundays!)
SnackPoint “Best Worscht in Town” (Grüneburgweg): Definitely the best Sausage in the world. They serve it with spicy curry sauce, which is the way German Men love it most. Don’t order anything that is more spicy then level 2 or 3. Enjoy.
DINNER:
Scuderia (Feuerbachstrasse 23, +49 69 725480): Excellent Italian Food. Very good restaurant.
Ivory Club (Taunusanlage 15, +49 69 7706-7767) “Contemporary Colonial Cuisine” , yes and great steaks. Great atmosphere, and a fun place to be.
Garibaldi (Kleine Hochstrasse 4, 069 / 21 99 76 44) Great location, very decent food, with decent prices. Good atmosphere… Never empty..Therefore reserve a table..
Osteria Divino (Zimmerweg 5, 069 / 72 13 08): Small Italian neighborhood place, with great food and wines.
Sushimoto (Westin Grand Hotel, 069-298-1187): Best Japanese place in Frankfurt. It’s pricy but they do great sushi and great hot table food… Don’t go there for the atmosphere, but the food. Try the YakiNiko..
Micro in the Cocoon Club (+49 69 900 200). Fun place with experimental food. It’s a bit out of the way, though.
Fichtekraenzi (069 612778, Wallstraße 5) My favorite regional food place.. Great humble atmosphere with all the good things you get from pork, Apple wine and other Frankfurt dishes… When you go there you need to try the Apple wine (Aeppler)..
DRINKS:
Bar at the Roomers Hotel.
Le Bar. Very fun and packed..
Bar at the Bristol Hotel. Don’t go there unless it’s really late.. Its not a great place, but its ok.. However it is the only 24-hour bar in Frankfurt. And they serve a pretty good club sandwich all day and all night.
Kingkamehameha club: Good club on a Thursday. With live band.
Apartment club: right next to Kingkameamea..
Cocoon Club: In case you really like Techno…