Blog

[ To continue our Guest Blogger series, the spotlight now shines on Bay Area personal chef Paul Foxx and his great account of a recent dinner featuring our “Rock Star” pear, the Warren Pear.]

By Paul Foxx

OK, I’ll admit it right off. In 8 months cooking for the Rolling Stones on a tour of America, through every major city including stadiums, arenas and clubs, I never once saw Mick, Keith, Ron or Charlie eat a pear. Mushy peas, bangers and mash, steak and kidney pie, bacon and butter sandwiches, yes. Pears or fruit in general, no. And as long as I’m starting out with a confession I’ll also admit I wasn’t THE chef for the Stones. I cooked white fish and rice for Mick, made Sheppard’s Pie for Keith, a salad or two for Charlie and opened at least one pack Camels for Ron but there were nearly a dozen of us pumping out food for the band, the wanna-bes, hangers-on and the 15-20 friends we would sneak back stage each show to add to the festivities. But technicalities aside, when good fortune sent me a couple dozen Frog Hollow pears on the same weekend I was doing a benefit for The Reed School in Belvedere, California, I was ready to swear on my copy of Sticky Fingers that the Stones and every last person backstage was a fanatical pear lover just so I could feature them in my “Rolling Stones Chef” dinner. And feature them I did.

For hors d’oeuvres Keith’s must have bacon and butter sandwiches sans crust became apple wood smoked pork shoulder on brioche toasts with pear chutney. I also served a hot pear soup with a hint of cardamom and clove and a dash of cream in espresso cups. Bacon wrapped prawns with pear glaze rounded off the starters.

Salad course was a fairly straightforward toasted goat cheese over mixed greens with pear lightly poached in port, apple juice, ginger and cinnamon. I cooled the reduced the sauce and chilled the pears in the poaching liquid overnight. They were a great balance for the warm goat cheese.

The entrees saw a lull in the pear extravaganza. I served two small plates making for a drawn out surf and turf. The first was seared Alaskan Halibut with Mediterranean tapenade, baby carrots and braised bok choy. Mick generally ate white fish if he was hungry at all after the short helicopter ride from the Ritz to the venue. The second small entrée was roast beef with a port wine crimini mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes and a cannel of mushy peas. The crew, like this night’s guests, loved roast beef. Then it was on to dessert.

Chocolate cake was a tour favorite so I whipped up individual warm center cakes with pear sauce and a dollop of cream. These were served on clear plates with Rolling Stones LP’s as plate liners. The hostess, who’s silver go-go boots made it really seem like I was back stage again, went all out with the décor. Finished off with a leopard skin print tablecloth and the sun setting over the Golden Gate everyone’s senses were piqued. The guests were fed, the kitchen was sparkling and it was time for me to take my leave. With Sympathy for the Devil playing in the background and the guests in a combo wine and food daze, I made for the door. Finally at home after a long day I sat down to my own personal pear favorite, slowly cutting of slices with a knife and enjoying the best of the season. I can chalk this one up as one more successful day as a chef including great ingredients and great people. Bon appetite.