"Johnny Iuzzini" news and stories

Every cook has 'em. And there's a story behind every single one -- the burns, the cuts, even (deep breath) the missing digits. Over at the New York Times, writer-illustrators Leanne Shapton and Ben Schott ask the likes of chef Johnny Iuzzini, of Jean Georges (arm shut in oven door) and Andrew Carmellini (close encounter with a red-hot counter) about their battle wounds, and then they drew them. Head over to the Times to view the damage.

Black sesame seeds, long a staple of Chinese and Japanese cuisine, have become the darlings of top pastry chefs around the globe, ranging from New York and Los Angeles to Barcelona.

I've had the privilege of tasting them atop such dim sum items as chicken pies in New York City. To be honest, I didn't detect any peppery, smoky flavors. Maybe my palate wasn't sophisticated enough at the time.

All I know is I'm going to have to bring my big wallet if I want to taste these shiny, black nuggets of flavor as deployed by the world's best pastry chefs. In my hometown, Johnny Iuzzini, pastry chef at Jean Georges blends, them into the ganache for his chocolates.

At temple of molecular gastronomy El Bulli in Barcelona, Chef Ferran Adrià's brother, Albert, has found a use for them, too. He's concocted a spiral of black sesame brittle, dehydrated raspberries and lime gelatin, capped with coconut ice cream. Back in the States, Ron Mendoza, pastry chef at Sona in West Hollywood, uses black sesame for a brittle and an ice cream.

Here's what I'd like to know: Have you tasted them, and can I borrow your credit card? Seriously can anyone who's tasted black sesame in a high-end restaurant chime in? Even better, can anyone tell me how to use these little gems at home?

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