[lost meals] Binkley’s [2], Cave Creek AZ

The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.

Olive Oil and Potato Soup

Bacon Donut with Bacon Butter

Sourdough, Brioche, Honey Grain with Mixed Nuts and Fall Spices, Herbed White Bread, Local Butter

Cosmic Purple Carrots with Ginger Honey from New River, AZ

Pommes Soufflé with Purple Peruvian Potatoes – Red Pepper Aioli, Truffled Ketchup, Sauce Vert, Honey Mustard

Sandwich Trio – Sloppy Joe, Bahn Mi, Compressed Muffaletta

“Chips n’ Dip” with Lotus, Taro, Steelhead Salmon Skin, Beet Greens, Crispy Grits

Lamb Bolognese with Garlic Bread Pudding and Fresh Parmesan

Carbonated Pineapple with Passionfruit Mayo and Fried Prosciutto

Flash Frozen Mandarin Creamsicle – Mandarin, Fresh Fennel, and Crème Fraiche Dots

Sauerkraut Caraway Crème Fraiche, Andouille Sausage, Shishito Peppers

Truffled Potato Skin with Cheddar Cheese Foam and Fresh Chives

House Cured Salmon Caviar with Smoked Horseradish Apple Cider

Foie gras Beignets with White Truffle Cream, Blackberry Whipped Cream and Foie Gras Milkshake

Sweetbreads Blanquette de Veau – salsify, button mushrooms, green cauliflower, fines herbes

Roasted Baby Beets – rosemary ricotta panna cotta, charred red onion, shaved fennel, apple, Meyer lemon vinaigrette

Arugula Salad – crispy prosciutto, clementine, pomegranate, spiced pecans, Banyuls vinaigrette

Bacon Vol au Vent – Truffle Egg Center, Lardon, Bacon Powder

Mango Bombe – White Verjus and Fresno Chili

Chestnut Soup – yellow curry apricot pate de feuille, maple chestnuts, pancetta, broccolini, coconut, shitake mushrooms

Crispy Seared Foie Gras – Five spice cranberry bread puddin’, sweet ginger baby bok choy, spiced persimmon tea, rum

Roasted Seckle Pear – blue cheese, lamb bacon, mizuna, strawberry port reduction

Coconut Lime Soda

Venison “Stew” – loin, braised shoulder, mirepoix, radish, juniper

A11 Japanese Wagyu – wild mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, braised daikon, Mexican bulb onions, star anise veal consommé

Whole Roasted Squab – blackberries, sugar snap peas, cipollini onion, rutabaga, spicy hibiscus infusion

Black Truffle Fondue (Emmentaler, Gouda, Gruyere) accompanied by: Brioche croutons, popcorn, purple potato, celery, dried apricot, raisins, craisins, bing cherry

White Chocolate Liqueur with Chocolate, White Chocolate, and Gianduja Lava Lamp

Peanut Butter and Jelly Souffle

Dark Chocolate Temperatures – puddin’ pop, pannacotta, moon pie, hot chocolate

Gingerbread Pudding – candy canes, sugar plums, gingerbread men, hazelnuts, cranberries, eggnog

Butterscotch Parfait – brown butter pound cake crumble, white chocolate, caramel corn, butterscotch mousse

Chocolate Macaron with Espresso Buttercream

Mulberry Num-Num (Sansho Button) and Candied Nuts (Take Home Gift)

Had I never decided to interview in Arizona I’d have probably never visited Binkley’s in Cave Creek and yet, aside from Pizzeria Bianco, it was the number one place on my list when I originally interviewed for the job in Scottsdale and likewise the first place I thought to visit for a special meal when my mother and aunt visited at Christmas 2012.  Given the unique back-story to my first visit (and even more bizarre meeting with some of their staff beforehand – https://endoedibles.com/?p=881) it should be noted that the meal on 12/30/12 was denoted by a *VIP* annotation on our bill and while others may not receive quite as many courses or such gratuitous service, what our table experienced that evening can only be described as three-and-a-half hours of beautiful food, chef driven culinary conversation, excellent service, and – most of all – fun.

Like the first visit it, and all the better enjoyed with family, Binkley’s is a culinary destination on the level with the best in the country and without taking itself as seriously as many other “fine dining” establishments it is truly a unique experience unlike any other in the Valley and a place I really should visit more often, or at the very least any time I have visitors.