While working at the National Pastry Competition I met Matt Stevens the editor of Dessert Professional magazine and he asked me if I had the time to shoot a portrait of 2011 Hall of Fame Honoree, Chef Jacquy Pfeiffer for a potential cover.

Sure….I can make that happen.

Thanks Chef for taking the time.

I was fortunate this year to be hired by Carymax, LLC to photograph the competition plates for the National Pastry Competition in Scottsdale, AZ.  There were some breath taking platings and show pieces but Team Wressel led be Chef Donald Wressel, Chef Scott Green and Chef Joshua Johnson turned in the gold medal performance and will represent the USA at the World Pastry Championship in 2012.

Day One: Keri and I started up Route 87 North up through Payson and onto Winslow to stand on the corner and enjoy the hospitality of the La Posada with a dinner at John Sharpe’s Turquoise Room.

Day Two: Took 1-40 West briefly to visit the Meteor Crater and then East on Route 66 through Holbrook and the Petrified Forest before finding a pillow in Gallup, NM.

Day Three: I-40 West to Thoreau and Hwy 371 North to HWY 57 and 20 miles of dirt road into Chaco Canyon.  After a few hours with ancient ones we took the northern exit from Chaco Canyon onto Hwy 550 then onto Hwy 96  onto Hwy 74 and final Hwy 68 into Taos and Hacienda Del Sol B&B.

Day Four: We were up early on the Rio Grande for our rafting tour.  The morning work out well but the afternoon had me joining the Rio Grande Swim Team and being stranded on a rock and having to be rescued while trying to master the inflatable ducky.   That evening the Hacienda Del Sol hosted a 4th of July Bar BQ and we later strolled over the gorge bridge.

Day Five: Breakfast at the Hacienda Del Sol and then onto Santa Fe to find the secrets of the Loretto Chapel staircase.  Later we stumble upon Cafe Pasqual’s and had the best meal of our journey.  Chef Katharine Hagel can throw down with the best of them. This place was outstanding.  I’d probably eat there every day if I lived in Santa Fe.  After lunch we stomped and steered straight home right into the aftermath of the Haboob with Keri reading Malcolm Gladwell’s “Outliers” to me.

This is The Grind’s “SWEET & SPICY BURGER”. Chef Matt McLinn has created a delicious monster with candied jalapenos, fried ratatouille & watercress.  Spicy yet sweet with a slight crunch from the fried ratatouille. There is definitely 1000 degrees of separation between it and all the other ground meat pretenders in the world.

Seven courses at Binkley’s seemed like a good way to end the year and begin a new.

Caviar osetra • golden trout • sake • cured steelhead • crème fraiche • beets • pancake • smoked trout • avocado • crab salad • lavash

Butter Poached Lobster whipped potatoes • Perigord black truffles • leeks • wild mushrooms

White Truffle Risotto parmesan • perfect egg yolk

Duck Consomme’ seared breast • five spice dumpling • strawberries • sugar snap peas

Beef Stew braised short ribs • mireproix • button mushroom

Goat Cheese Cake pomegranate • Arkansas black apple • pecans • black pepper pie crust • port

Pineapple En Papillotte pineapple • braised macadamia nuts • rum caramel • chocolate sauce