The idea came from walking on a Tuesday afternoon through the Highland Park Farmers's Market where I met The Tiny Peanut Factory that sells Fresh Virginia Roasted Peanuts. I thought of making a lighter version of the traditional peanut soup and thought of creating a fish consomme or rich broth from the roasted peanut itself. I thought this would go great with Maryland Blue Crab because of the sweet and delicate nature of my soup and it will tell a story behind the salty essence of the sea meeting the richness of the land.

Well, this is a calling from my inner soul. Red Fish is one of my favorite fish to cook. I believe the flakiness of the fish compliments the buttery and sticky buerre blanc sauce. The saltiness of the miso combines well with the nuttiness of the peanut to enlighten the flavor of the fish. Adding rice brings the southern influence and staple to all the rich ingredients. The Kumquat Confit is there to help cut through the richness and fattiness of the dish. The balance of salty, sweet, and spicy adds a complex understanding to how I cook in general..

The process of making a dish and collaborating what I can tell will go together is my natural talent. When I create a dish it's based on my basic appetite and my gut feeling. I know pork and apples go great together, so does honey and apple, or maybe I can add sesame and red cabbage. Adding the Hibiscus to Granny Smith Apple reminds me of Sangria. I love the Spanish influence. I believe this dish has potential to be recognized in and out of many cultures and not just being considered low-country american.

Who remember's the patriotic bag of popcorn with a prize inside, sitting in the candy and snack aisle of your local grocery store? "Me...!" The caramel and peanuts on top of popcorn is what I recall. I figure the final course should be a whimsical trace of my childhood and how it can make the peanut shine out. Nostalgia in a dessert is what I know of being fun and exciting to experience. "So, here it is!"...A deconstruction of America's favorite treat.