Vladimir Kagan's Blog: September 2015

Patty Cake, Patty Cake, Baker’s Man

Bake me a cake as quick as you can!

"Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man", "Pat-a-cake", "patty-cake" or "pattyc", "Pat-a-cake", "patty-cake" or "pattycake" is one of the oldest and most widely known surviving English nursery rhymes."

What are the two of the most important gifts that the Jewish people have bestowed upon their Christian neighbors (other than the Bible and the Ten Commandments???)

Answer: Bagels and Chopped liver

This is an ecumenical Blog with my friend Caleb Cressman (not Jewish) teaching Vladimir Kagan (Jewish) how to make New York Style Bagels and in the same show, Vladimir reciprocates with a lesson in making chopped liver into a sexy cognac laced paté.

Some of you will recognize Caleb as the accordion player in the Coq Au Vin Band.

Caleb’s Bagel recipe

Ingredients:

1 kg flour. I use King Arthur all purpose.

50 grams of sugar

25 grams of salt

11 grams of yeast

Mix these together

Add a little less than three cups of water.

Preparation:

Mix

knead for five or ten minutes

Let rise for an hour

Separate into 110 gram balls.

Now shape the dough balls into bagels by getting a hole in them and flattening slightly. Be creative.

Let sit for ten minutes.

Now throw a few at a time into the big pot of boiling water you put on at the beginning of this process. But first add a few table spoons of sugar to the water. This give the bagels a nice sparkly sheen. Flip the bagels after about 45 seconds to boil the other side. Scoop out of the water and let dry a bit on a counter. Paint side with an egg wash made from one egg white mixed with a teaspoon of water. Sprinkle on your toppings of choice and bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Kneading the dough and shaping the bagel's hole. This looks easy, but it "aint" (See my results below)

My friend Betsey's and my attempt at making bagels on our own. We labelled them "Really Ugly Bagels by Vladi) and hope to market them. P.S. they really tasted delicious!

Vladi’s chopped liver recipe

Chicken Liver Paté (borrowed from Jacques Pepin's cookbook.

"Everyday cooking with Jacques Pepin)

Ingredients:

1 Pound of chicken livers

2/3 Cup thinly sliced onions

1 Clove of garlic, peeled and crushed

2 bay leaves crushed

1/4 Teaspoon thyme leaves

1 Cup chicken broth

2 Teaspoons of salt

1-1/2 Cups (3 sticks) butter, softened

Freshly ground pepper

2 Teaspoons Cognac or more!

1 envelope unflavored gelatin for aspic

Preparation:

Place the livers, onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, broth and 1

teaspoon salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and cook at a bare

simmer for 7 or 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the mixture sit

for about 5 minutes.

Take out the solids with a slotted spoon and place them in the bowl of

a food processor with metal blade.

Be certain to fish out the bay leaves as they do not chop up smoothly

(Reserve and strain the liquid to make the aspic)

Start processing the liver, adding the butter piece by

piece. Finally, add the second teaspoon salt, the pepper, and a

generous splash of Cognac

process for 2 minutes so that the mixture is very creamy and

completely smooth.

Pour into a mold and refrigerate to set and serve.

To preserve freshness and give a professional look to my paté,

I make an aspic. (this is the fun part of the process as it

makes me look so professional.)

Aspic:

Boil up the remaining broth and residue from the liver.

Add the bag of unflavored gelatin and stir frequently

to dissolve the gelatin.

Next, beat a raw egg into a froth and stir it into the boiling liquid

to clarify it.

Once the broth is clear, strain it through a sieve lined with a layer

of paper towels.

Allow to cool but not harden, then pour it slowly over the cooled paté.

Make certain not to melt the underlying paté with the liquid aspic.

There's nothing like a little handwork mushing the ingredients

into the pot

Stirring the ingredients over a simmering stove

Testing livers to be certain that they are still pink inside

adding just a dash of salt into the Cuisinart

pouring the smooth pate into ceramic bowls

If the Pope had visited NANTUCKET,

he would surely have enjoyed our joint effort!

****

This memorable event was recorded for posterity on video by my friend,

Joanna Hay, who some of you will recognize as the nibbled-fingered

violinist in the Coq Au Vin Band.

These photos are out-take from her documentary film.

I know it will make Caleb and me stars on the cooking network!

Joanna Hay is a documentary filmmaker

and a superb violinist

Epilog:

Kneading Bagel Dough is infinitely more work than chopping liver

in the Cuisinart!

Vintage vs. Classic

I have recently been asked to define the difference between Kagan Vintage and Kagan Classic furniture. I thought that the answer was worthy of a Blog.

In doing my research for this article. The issue of fakes, wannabes and misrepresented furniture begged to be explored. The comparison is amusing and revealing.

To get you started on Vintage vs. Classic 101, here is the Wikipedia description:

“Antique furniture is furniture that is at least 100 years old - plain and simple. This is the definition that is most widely accepted by experts including those on PBS's Antiques Roadshow. The definition has its origins in the Tariff Act of 1930, enacted by the U.S. Customs Office.

Vintage furniture is furniture that is between 30 to 100 years old. Anything more recent would qualify as simply used furniture.”

Vintage furniture has inherent value as long as it is untouched. Once you tamper with the original piece of furniture its intrinsic value is diminished. Unfortunately most vintage seating deteriorates over the years and requires new springing, webbing, horsehair stuffing and foam topping in addition to new fabric covering. Restoration of antique or vintage furniture decreases its value. Quality auction houses will have a provenance in their catalog to the effect: “this item has been repaired/restored on the right corner etc.” thus reducing anticipated value.

When to buy a VINTAGE KAGAN:

• IF you’re buying primarily to have a collection of Vintage furniture and you do not intend to restore it.

• IF it has a good provenance and you “must have” the piece.

• IF the design is unique and is no longer in our production.

• IF you happen to find a bargain in a thrift shop or on Ebay and are certain of its authenticity.

RECOMMENDED TO BUY: This is a perfectly beautiful example of one of my architecturally inspired desks ca. 1970. It appears to be in excellent condition. Made in Rosewood, it is reasonably priced at $18,000 Dealer: Adam Edelberger

RECOMMENDED TO BUY: An original Kagan desk chair from the 50s. The base is a sculptured work of art. It looks to be in excellent condition, in black leather. (I can't tell if it has been reupholstered)

$7,800 Dealer: Oliver

WARNINGS:

I have evaluated many, many Internet offerings and found dozens to be fake, mislabeled or outright forgeries.

Some of what is offered as “Kagan Vintage” furniture was produced under license agreements in the late 90s and more recently. These designs do not qualify as Vintage Kagan! The furniture is not made to the quality standards of Kagan Classic furniture. (In the trade this simplified manufacturing process is known as value engineering.)

BEWARE - This is AN AUTHORIZED LICENSED DESIGN: manufactured by Directional - these sofas date from the 90s and do not qualify as Vintage because of their age.

$8,250

BEWARE - NOT A KAGAN DESIGN, it is offered as "designed by Vladimir Kagan for Preview"

$9000

BEWARE - A WANNABE: This knock-off table was "designed" by Adrien Pearsall and is often offered as a Vladimir Kagan design.

THE ORIGINAL: Vladimir Kagan 412 Coffee Table designed in 1950. This photo is a currently manufactured Classic Design available through authorized Kagan showrooms

BEWARE - FAKE: This chair is often offered as a "Vladimir Kagan sculptural Lounge Chair" It is NOT a Kagan design

$9,500

THE ORIGINAL: 175E Contour Side Chair designed ca 1950 available through The Vladimir Kagan Design Group Inc. and authorized Kagan showrooms

BEWARE - FAKE: This table is labeled as a Vladimir Kagan Design. It is NOT>.

$6,975

THE ORIGINAL, 201 Extension Dining Table was designed ca 1956. The photo is of the current Classic production and is available through my company and authorized showrooms around the country

BEWARE - a WANNABE: This cabinet is offered as "extraordinary Italian in the style of Vladimir Kagan" $,800

THE ORIGINAL ca 1950s custom-built ten-drawer file cabinet for an executive's office

BEWARE - MISLABELED: Skyscraper Floor Lamp by Vladimir Kagan IT IS NOT MY DESIGN

ORIGINAL: The Stalagmite floor lamp - also available as a ceiling light: Stalactite

- both variations are available in my Classic Collection.

BEWARE - KNOCK-OFF: Labeled "four Lotus Chairs by Vladimir Kagan"

ORIGINAL: The Lotus chair ca. 1970 Back in production by popular demand.

NOTE: IF you are uncertain of your potential purchase, Vladimir Kagan offers a Provenance Service that will help authenticate an original Kagan. There is a five hundred dollar fee per item, but it is worthwhile to prove your purchase to be genuine. For more information, contact [email protected]

NOTE: A fine quality piece of KAGAN VINTAGE is often more expensive than a new KAGAN CLASSIC piece custom-made to your specifications.

When to buy KAGAN CLASSIC furniture:

• WHEN you buy a Kagan Classic Design through a Kagan authorized representative, you are guaranteed the furniture’s authenticity with an attached plaque, which includes a registered number recorded in the Vladimir Kagan Archives. For information for an authorized dealer in your neighborhood contact [email protected]

• KAGAN CLASSIC furniture is made to the exacting specification of my original Kagan designs and is manufactured under the supervision of the Vladimir Kagan Design Group Inc. No piece of furniture leaves the factory without personal inspection. When you buy a new piece of Kagan Classic, you are assured of an original Kagan Design that will give you years of pleasure and will assuredly appreciate in value over the years.

The Shortie Sofa is under eight foot long and fits into any apartment sized living room. Easy to Deliver. However, a custom made sofa can be eighteen feet long to fit into your client's space. Our craftsmen will travel anywhere to install your custom made sofa.

• KAGAN CLASSIC furniture offers customization of a design that include detailed specifications and, when appropriate, can provide a full-size template for your designer or architect to place into your home.

• PERSONALIZED EXCLUSIVE DESIGNS: Vladimir Kagan offers a consulting service to create one-of-a-kind Kagan original furniture. I will work with you, your designer and/or architect to create unique solutions for your home or place of business. For information please contact [email protected]

A few examples of “by appointment” designs I created for individual clients

Two custom designed back-to-back sofas and a pair of 1947 barrel chairs redesigned on swivel brass bases so that they can face either side of the room