Eric Ripert, chef and co-owner of the four-star Manhattan restaurant Le Bernardin, who has just overseen the opening of restaurants in Ritz Hotels in DC and Philly, has also just put up a very clean, sleek site called aveceric. (The restaurant’s site is brand new as well.)
The site will feature a new video each week on cooking and Eric will blog, he hoped, two or three times a week with the help of an assistant (for those of you who think this is celeb chef cheating, remember that English is his third language, and that despite this, well, it’s rare that I meet an American chef as articulate in their first language as Ripert is in his third).
The videos, he told me last week, “are about demystifying cooking.” They will all feature cooking with, believe it or not, a toaster oven. This toaster oven (available, amazingly, at 52% off—hmm, what does this mean?). He isn’t hawking the oven itself—it doesn’t have his name on it and you can’t buy it on his site—though Cuisinart is a sponsor of the site and his television show, which begins filming this summer. “It’s an amazing tool,” Ripert said. He went on to extol the virtues of a big toaster oven—and he’s right. They’re perfect for cooking or baking or broiling for one or two people, especially in Manhattan. “In New York our oven is storage,” Ripert notes. “We keep our pots and pans in it.”
Watch the beautifully made video, a demo of broiled snapper and an enthusiastic embrace of the toaster oven, reason perhaps to reconsider your own.
Susan
I own that oven and use it for everything -- even bake bread in it!
Shannon
I have a convection toaster oven. The thing is ginormous. It was the only thing bigger than a shoebox and I needed one desperately. I don't know what I'd do without my toaster oven, though. I saw Eric's site this morning. I look forward to what else he'll be posting.
There's nothing deal breaking about his red snapper recipe. It's right up my alley!
JoP in Omaha
Way cool! First that he'll be doing videos and blogging, and also because he's featuring use of a countertop oven. Like Ripert, I use my built-in oven for storing pots and cook exclusively with my countertop oven. A couple of months ago, I got a new larger one that accommodates a 12" pan, a 7 lb. chicken / roast. It cooks beautifully, I love it.
Kitt
Tempting! I'd love to get one, but I'm saving up for a "real" stove first (i.e. a good gas cooktop instead of electric). Plus a vent. Probably will cost a lot more than $200 but I'm tired of playing musical chairs with electric burners.
French Laundry at Home
Videos?!!?!??! Of Eric Ripert?!??!?! On his new web site? Where there are also photos of him? In case the videos just aren't enough??!! Day-um. You know, he could be demonstrating lawn mowers or spleen surgery and I'd still tune in. Ohhhhh goodness gracious, I am SO not getting any work done this week. Le sigh....... 😉
Chris
I am looking forward to seeing more of Eric's vids. He was cool when he helped Bourdain on the season closer of No Reservations.
I have a convection toaster over... 1 or 2 slices of good sourdough, buttered, started in a cold oven set to 425... Set the timer for 15 minutes and it's the best toast you will ever eat. Also great for roasting Cornish hen. Preheated to 425 then insert trussed hen for 15 minutes... I use Keller's method from the opening of Bouchon.
Thanks for helping Mr Keller get that one written.
Gael
When it comes to making things for one person a toaster oven is a great thing. Virtually anything can be made in there.
craig
Michael,
Ripert's blog and video were yesterday's news over at Nick's site (Foodie at Fifteen). I have you to thank for getting me hooked on Nick's site, Carol's stuff at French Laundry At Home and Chris DeBarr's incredible insights. Luckily, I only have you bookmarked in my browser, as your "link-farm" on the right of the page is one of the best resources for all things good to eat.
I really hope Ripert is able to keep up a weekly post. His videos do demystify the process, and his use of my second favorite appliance is reassuring to this amateur. His English is more than enjoyable...but what is his second language (I assume French is his first)? I hope his success as a Cheflebrety doesn't get in the way of his craft. Of all the folks that show up on Top Chef and No Reservations, he is entitled to be snarky, but never seems to be arrogant, even when he is dressed as Santa Claus. Thanks for the pointers to so many great food personalities.
Phil
That looks interesting. I have a large convection toaster oven that I've been using for over a year and you can have quite a bit of fun with it.
Camille
I really could have used this a couple of months ago, when I was living in a Parisian studio equipped with a toaster oven and a couple of hot plates. Now I'm lucky enough to have a real oven (although it's still small by American standards...), but I'm definitely interested in what Ripert has to tell us.
Natalie Sztern
when are u going video? i think the written blog is on its way out,,,,,
(hey maybe then we can all get to see Anthony Bourdain cook a meal in ur kitchen?! ok i know he can't really cook.....with a 'punim' like his, he's just for show) LOL
suzysf
With our son off at school and our daughter not far behind,I find myself cooking for just one or two people. This was great fun to watch and I can't wait to see more. Although I have the Advantium Oven from GE, it doesn't broil. That toaster oven could be just the ticket for our tiny kitchen. Big birthay coming up in about 6 weeks, perhaps I'll start dropping hints.
Joseph Bayot
Awesome. Thanks!
marlene
I have that toaster oven as well, and it's amazing. I can bake a full pie, or roast a pork or beef roast, and it does decent toast as well.
Bob delGrosso
I liked zee video too much and Chef Reepert is zo charming. But why cannot we do zee zame sing in a sautoir weeth ze lid? Would that not be much cheep-pear?
sygyzy
Thanks for the heads up about Chef Ripert's blog, but is the affiliate link really necessary?
Charlotte
I don't have that one, but as a single chick, I use my toaster oven *all* the time. Especially in the summer, when I don't want to heat up my oven, and as Eric says in his intro video -- with judicious use of tin foil, you can have everything cleaned up in 3 minutes (which is good as my drains are backing up today and of course, these things only ever happen on Sundays).
Vincent
Bob - did you really want to channel the guy from laugh in? Not henry gibson - the other guy with glasses. He did a german - "very interesting"...ziss vas very funny, as was your post. Just giving you shit because it came out german sounding.
Darth Ritis
I love the way it sounds when he says Snapper. When I get some extra money maybe I will give that oven a try. The fish looked delicious and I am actually not a fan of seafood too much either.
arundathi
i use my toaster oven for everything - baking bread, broiling, cakes - everything!
parkbench
Thanks for this. I was looking over my counter space just today, thinking of what to get rid of, and my long-neglected toaster oven very nearly got the call. Very cool of Chef Ripert to do this. I'll be checking it out.
--parkbench
Bob delGrosso
vincent
Nah, I wasn't trying to channel that guy (I can't recall his name either). I just screwed up the phonetics. I suppose "zee" should have been "see" or "tsee"
Tags
No, no, zee is vairy Fronche. You have nothing to worry about from Arte Johnson.
Tags
I'm a lucky man. Eric's new restaurant is 5.5 miles from my house.
Natalie Sztern
hey there honeys...when you talk like that and look like that you can do it, I mean anything, any way you want!! lol:)
luis
The toaster oven Ripert is using fits the format of the video perfectly and is less intimidating to the average joe than the comercial kitchens we see on television.
Poking your chin with a metal skewer to determine the level of doneness of the protein is something don't do.
Use a thermopen with instantaneous digital read and get it right. A must have when doing multiple proteins medium, medium rare...well etc..
Master seasoning and heat control and you are 50% of the way home.
Why does it always seem that great chefs are always overseasoning everything on camera?
Ripert answered one of my burning questions regarding the use of white pepper vs black. Bravo! Another Zen riddle put to bed.
michelle @ TNS
i wish i had the counter space for a toaster oven, it would be so nice not to have to use the regular oven in the summertime.
alas, i choose to live in a city where i can not afford said counterspace.
Badger
Awww, man, how cool is that?! I'm cooking for four so my toaster oven (which is slightly less tricked-out than the one Ripert is using) is relegated to actually making toast and heating up leftover pizza 95% of the time, but I'm so excited about these videos! Great little tidbits of info and technique there.
And I'm with Carol, I'd happily watch a video of Ripert reading the phone book. The fact that he's imparting actual cooking wisdom and sharing recipes is just a bonus.
drfugawe
Can't speak for that TO, but the Oster we now have is the best I've ever used - recently made biscuits and they've never risen so well in my big oven! It does everything well.
Perhaps I am not worthy of this critique, but if I were cooking that snapper dish, I'd put the rack up closer to the heat so it could get a bit more char on top - but who am I to say?
eriq
"If the skewer is very hot and you burn yourself, it's well done; you're punished for it."
I love it.
I also like that the video and blog text are complementary, and not just a transcript.
luis
drfugawe , If he did that then he would need to use the blackpepper? subtle, but the Ripert is consistent. Watch it again and you will see what I mean. But I agree your way might taste better.
Dick Black
I think Bob Del Grosso's post was real lame if you ask me. What was the purpose ? You a comedian now Bob ?
Natalie Sztern
Please do not write about the James Beard Awards...if i read one more article or blog on this i will puke!!! Michael Ruhlman be bigger than that please....
Vincent
LMAO Natalie - Michael Chang, blah blah blah, Wylie gets robbed, blah blah blah.
kanani
Charmeur
The only problem I have with watching him on a regular basis is soon I will speaking with a faux French accent as I cook. It's not like the cat or dog gives a hoot, but my kids will tease me mercilessly. It's an affliction --picking up accents.
I just thank god Jim Nabors never had a cooking show while I was growing up.
Claudia (the Original)
Bob eez a comedian naturel, Deek Black. Cracks up heez amis on a regulaire bay-sees.
And Craig, I think Ripert's second language is Spanish (although it's possible it's Provencal). He was born in Antibes (on the French Riviera) and raised in Andorra (just over the border, between France and Spain). It's equally possible his second language is Catalan, though. Michael?
Man, I'd watch Ripert in ANY language!
Terrence Madden
Well, there is that hotlink for purchasing the toaster oven. So, I guess while it seemed very altruistic, in fact Cuininart probably mentioned the product to the producers before they started shooting.
Terrence Madden
Well, there is that hotlink for purchasing the toaster oven. So, I guess while it seemed very altruistic, in fact Cuininart probably mentioned the product to the producers before they started shooting.
amber
we're finally moving to a place with more counter space and i promised my husband a toaster oven (besides the coffeemaker, it's the only appliance he cares about) once we get settled in. thanks for the heads up for this!
Darcie
Growing up in an area where over half the people spoke English as a second language (German being the first), I have no problem understanding Chef Ripert. His accent is very charming.
If Bob vere doink Gerrrman, it vood look like dis. Herr Bob's French typink verry goot, ya.
I use my toaster oven a lot. It's a hand-me-down Krups that a wonderful lady who worked with my husband gave us because the knobs were too hard to turn and too small for her to read. Scarily, although she couldn't turn knobs or see well, she was still driving. We were the lucky recipients of the oven because my husband parked her car for her every day, thus saving the doors and bumpers of all others in the parking lot.
Natalie Sztern
Bob, i think your accent is very funny and even more so...i can read it exactly how it sounds!!
sarah
Before my son was born, most of my life in the city was spent cooking for myself in a small non air conditioned apartment. I consider myself a decent cook and I ate at a couple meals a week that were made in my trusty toaster oven. Love Eric for doing this! Super cool!
Flaime
America's Test Kitchen just did a test of toaster ovens. An amazingly large number of them couldn't make good toast...
Anyway, they said that the average cook is better off with their oven and toaster than a toaster oven due to inconsistent heat and heat control.
Oleskoo
I like toaster ovens. I like Eric Ripert.
But come on -- let's not apologize for his shilling for Cuisinart! The series is called "Get Toasted." The recipe for snapper is not exactly stretching Mr. Ripert's skill (season, broil, eat). I can buy the oven from strategically placed "Buy Now" link -- and I just might (nice oven).
Dr. Ruhlman, the way you dance around the shill-factor in your blog is quite telling.
Now, off to zee market for zee feeeshe for zee toaster.
Messy
I now covet a toaster oven, but I have to make a choice to accommodate it in our pitifully sized kitchen. Do I get rid of the monster heavy duty Gaggia espresso maker, or the seldom used, but effective and cool PastaMatic?
Enquiring minds and all that. Frankly, the stovetop espresso maker works nicely...
luis
Terrence , sure you are probably correct. The unit is nice and the price is very affordable. A while back I put a great old pizza stone inside my oven and voila! fantastic results. The moderating result on temperature and the heat retention the pizza stone provides is amazing. Yesterday I put sweet plantains on a pizza pan over the stone until they caramelized then I placed a fresh, never frozen catfish filet next to the plantains and back in the oven again. I think the oven baked catfish with caramelized plantains and a dash of lemon was SPECTACULAR. My oven runs off a 250 VAC outlet. This means I can heat the oven pretty well in a shorter amount of time than the toaster oven can. I am pretty sure the cuisinart unit powers off the std 115 vac wall outlet. So lots more current is needed to achieve the same result. It's all about current going through a heating element loop. More voltage,less current higher heating power capacity.
One thing the cuisinart model has, is a fan to recirculate the hot air. This is important if you are cooking for a long time like ribs or turkey etc. I have to offset the lack of circulation in my oven by moving the dish around the oven for evenness. I even flip the proteins as in the galantine to insure the skin is evenly done all the way around cause I like placing the proteins over veggies for roasting.
luis
From the Product Description
"Product Features:Capacity of 0.90 cu. ft. 1700 watts of power and 500 degrees F Brick inserts permanently built into the sides of the oven PLUS a removable baking stone to intensify brick oven cooking Industrial style stainless steel housing Bake, broil, and toast 2 racks for multi-level cooking Tinted glass oven doorNonstick coating covers the interior where there are no bricks, to make cleaning easy and quick Includes: Baking tray, Broiling pan, and Instruction/Recipe booklet Limited 3-year warranty "
Exerpt from product description is a nice read. If you read the whole description this is a nice unit. AT 1700 WATTS 500 degrees I think you are pushing 5 amps through your 15amp wall outlet. Still a lot of current to push through any wall outlet for an extended period of time. This is where they lined the walls with stone which is a nice feature for it retains heat during extended cooking and doesn't cycle that much. So I think they did a nice job with this unit when you think about it.
That poster that is thinking this oven will work out better over the summer... hmmm... heated brick takes a looong time to cool all that heat into your apartment. This particular oven Ripert is using should remain hot on the counter for a long time.
Frances
Cuisinart BRK-200 Brick Oven Deluxe, Stainless Steel: ~$200.00
Seeing Top Chef Stephanie Izard hover over Eric Ripert while he fillets her fish: Priceless
Frances
Oops. "Fillet" is what you do to bar steel. I need to step away from the 3d workstation. 🙂
jen
i just checked the site and there is a new post up, a little ode to the virtues of salt and pepper - i love the back to basics theme from my favorite French chef!
luis
Jen, thanks for the heads up on seasoning from Ripert's blog. Seasoning is KEY to a great meal. Salt draws out flavor and pepper adds heat. Riperts insight blows up a lot of urban legends and home cook puzzles....again.
Chef Ripert's seasoning insight is very helpful. Perhaps if I seasoned or reseasoned the birds after brining and let them rest for an hour as someone suggested on the http://www...I wouldn't be struggling to get them roasted so much. This is good...It answers a lot of questions I have. Big day today I am beaten and bruised from it. Tomorrow I will visit avec eric again and try to think about his ideas on seasoning but I am sticking to kosher salts for now. Sea salt doesn't seem to agree with me... to be revisited in the future.
luis
Again Ripert shows a feel for what the home cook is grappling with...
On sea salt from Riperts blog ...
". Using French sea salt is an old habit with me. But if you’re not used to cooking with it, pay attention at first–a little bit goes a long way; "
This what blew me away when I tried to use sea salt in the past. Too concentrated. I feel I may try it again.
How a chef can use different kinds of salt and get it right is a riddle to me. It's like going back and forth between a heavy tennis racket and a light one in a match without the compulsory warm up practices....answer YOU DON'T DO IT! unless you practice it. It's funny you watch all these to chef types packing their blades into battle when in reality what they should be packing is their spice racks and seasoning kits.
Again, Ripert offers insight in his blog. when he says...
" Using French sea salt is an old habit with me"
Basically I am thinking learn to season predictable and precise using one type of salt and same goes for the pepper and spices or you will never become consistent and precise in the kitchen. How can you? Unless you taste and adjust and taste and adjust on and on and on....which I find ok in soup but in fish? or steak? you just can not do that.
Ripert is clear on that point when he suggests you need to season fish/other from the git go, right through the cooking proces in order to draw out the flavor.
Seasoning at the table so to speak is only to adjust/correct the flavor after the fact.
Tana
I got a convection toaster oven about three years ago, and it was life-changing in the best way. It's big enough to roast a chicken, and I've expanded my creativity to come up with meals that fit into 9" Pyrex pans. I LOVE MY TOASTER OVEN. I use the big oven maybe twice a year now.
I wrote about it here, in a blog post called "Thinking Inside the Box":
http://preview.tinyurl.com/44medr
And now, to go and watch Mr. Ripert caress the English language.
luis
Tana, oh I know!...like when you were in college and your room-mate was another poly-sci type. Forgive me.. whatever makes you a happy gal is good. I am just searching you understand. I posted my guts out and you come up with that? Hell who am I to say you are not dead on right 1000%
Anne
I just read Ripert's blog post, to myself, entirely in his French accent. Merde. It's contagious...
Don Luis
You should get a commission for this post. I just ordered the Cuisinart BRK-300 from Cutlery and More (Amazon won't ship cookware to Puerto Rico for fear we'll try to attack the Pentagon with it).
And Luis, isn't all salt sea salt? I thought that the differences in salt came from the crystal structure, and not the origin or mineral content.
But salt and pepper (never white, of course), are my favorite seasonings. If that's not enough for your steak, get a better steak.
luis
Don Luis, I am with you bro.... a brick oven with convection has to be a great addition to anyone's kitchen. But I am a 16 inch pizza type guy. Just means I am drooling but not enough to cut a check...on this one. Let Rippert blog some more and who knows?
On salt... not all salt is equal man. If you can not discern that as of yet then give yourself more time... use different salts and come back and blog me about it. And Tana forgive me... Friday the 13th.. I shouldn't have been blogging at all... The lame post I posted you was not really for you... more like me thinking out loud. I love you and respect your love for a toaster oven.
Don Luis
Luis, dude. I didn't say all salt was equal. I use kosher salt on raw food, like salads, because I prefer the texture. Kosher salt has larger crystals than most, and I like the crunch.
In cooked food like soups and stews, the salt dissolves: I doubt that there is a significant difference in taste because of kind of salt.
If one salt tastes different than another, it's because there's more than just salt in it.
luis
Don Luis , I agree with everything you said. But I am nothing if not practical. My analogy to tennis holds. If you use a lighter and a hevier tennis racket with properly preeping and practicing on either one you lose.
Stick to one ingredient and hit it out of the park. Life rewards folks who make choices and stick to them.
Nicole
my RSS just told me that there is another Eric Ripert post -- this time fancy plated zucchini carpaccio - his slicing is mesmerizing
yank283
Not fine dining, just what I've been eating at lunch lately...I went to an Asain market the other day and bought some ramen noodle type packages that aren't ususaly available in American grocery stores. They all have the nirmal salty soup base you see, but they also have a little packet of cayenne pepper and a type of garlic paste. Not bad at all...my favorite was a brand called "Mama"...