Apple - Peanut / Bacon / Parsnip

This course began as a pre-dessert and was first introduced on the evening of our second Anti Restaurant Week engagement. The idea for this was born from my favorite personal snack and one that has kept me fed throughout all of my travels: Granny Smith apple smothered with Skippy peanut butter. From the time I was a kid, I always loved the way the crisp acidity from the apple plays off the fat from the peanut butter. It continues to be a mainstay in my diet today… and yes, I still usually use the butter knife to continue eating peanut butter from the jar long after the remnants of the apple are gone. We started with a Granny Smith apple sorbet and then built a roasted peanut sauce that is seasoned with a bourbon barrel aged soy sauce. Peanut brittle serves as a bed for the sorbet, and I decided to make a marmalade with some parsnips that were being used with another set that had just come off the menu. This was seasoned with honey, sherry vinegar, and a good deal of fresh thyme (which really helped to make a harmonious flavor profile). The idea of bacon came into play as an added embellishment. And as I tell the guests in the dining room as I explain the course, “No, I don’t usually have bacon with my snack… but why the fuck not?” They like that.

apple and nuts (fresh/green)