I cannot believe that Charlie Trotter has passed on to the next life. He was an inspiration to many and I was one of them. Charlie Trotter made an impact when he stepped into the culinary spotlight. Though I never met him, I made many of his dishes and practiced his commitment to excellence in service. The thoughtful way that he and pastry chef Michelle Gayer put together their cookbooks taught me much. So, to say that he was influential in my culinary journey would be an understatement.
I remember two things vividly:
I made the poached pears filled with milk chocolate custard recipe from Charlie Trotter's Desserts. It seemed to take forever to cook the custard, but when it was done, OMG. That was the best stuff in the world. It was so silky and the flavor was subtle and exquisite. Paired with the poached pears, it was a combination I would never have put together, there was incredible depth of flavor and the presentation simply beautiful. I still dream of it and crave it to this day.
The business I worked for at the time was a small, off-site, upscale catering company. I was given the task of designing and cooking a menu for a small party of eight. That was easy as most of our gigs were for 50+ guests. Only later did I find out that the party was for Julie Andrews (yes, THAT Julie Andrews!). The compliment that she and her guests sent back sent me soaring. What was it? "This was the best meal we've had, it even beats Charlie Trotter's." Holy crap! Huge compliment and it sent me over the moon for days.
The ripples that Charlie Trotter made will have effects on us for years to come. He was a trail-blazer and will be sorely missed.
Charlie Trotter's Death
No comments:
Post a Comment