My Other Studio

I have another studio that has nothing at all to do with glass. In this other studio I work with colors and flame to change, rearrange and transform an organic material into something all together different. Wait, no that is what I do in my glass studio. Well, maybe the two are not so different after all.

My other studio is my kitchen. It is one of my favorite places to be. I enjoy making people happy with what I cook and I love the process so much. For me, cooking is like glass, it is part science, part art and all passion. Previously I worked as a chef and although I do not do it full time anymore, I still love it.

I am catering a gourmet dinner for four this weekend and today I am playing in my “other studio”. I am doing some prep work for the dinner. Things that have to be made ahead of time for the best flavor. I am making soffritto today and I am making garlic comfit. The garlic comfit is not so time consuming but a good soffritto takes about 4 or 5 hours. By the time Saturday comes both of these should have full flavor and enhance the dishes I am using them for.

As with glass, in cooking the process is a huge part of what draws me in and keeps me intrigued. I love to watch glass as it reacts to the heat, to the flame chemistry, to items like silver and to other glasses that you mix with it. Today, with the soffritto I am making, that is what I am doing as well. The process is what is important and there is a reaction happening.

I am creating a reaction by applying slow heat, very slow heat so as not to burn it. Moisture is getting slowly driven out and sugars, acids and other flavors are getting concentrated and mixing together. I can see a very gradual change as the heat begins to caramelize the sugars. Heat control is of vital importance today.

I am also making an aioli with the garlic comfit I made. Again it is the process that intrigues me here. An aioli is an emulsion made basically with egg, oil, lemon juice and garlic (a mayonnaise). The acid in the lemon juice will help de-nature the proteins in the egg and that will allow the water in the egg and lemon juice to get caught up in the proteins of the egg and it will bind together with the oil. Sounds complicated but it really isn’t and it is very tasty.

The color pallet is also a natural draw for me. The stark contrasts of red tomatoes with the pale yellow and whites of onions or the earthen muted tones of garlic cloves against a sprinkling of deep green chives. There are so many possibilities.

The flavors again are part science and part art. I like to layer flavors so you get hints of different tastes as you eat. I like contrasts in flavor, texture and temperature. Of course you take the science, the art, the colors and the flavors and then add fire and who wouldn’t love it?

So, today I will play in my other studio and maybe go play with glass later. Somehow though I know they are both related. Creativity is often where you allow it to be.

Otter

Otter is a glass artist who blogs from The Pacific Northwest.