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 James Haller’s career has spanned not only restaurants but television, books, magazines, and the lecture circuit. A founder of the famed Blue Strawbery Restaurant in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, James is an international award-winning chef, known for his imaginative American cuisine. His theme became: “Throw away the rules! No recipes!” James has appeared on PBS, the BBC, and was guest chef on WCVB Boston television for ten years. A popular lecturer, he offers programs that are educational and enlightening, and cover not only food and cooking but also history, health, and plenty of personal anecdotes. James is the author of seven books and has contributed to Newsweek, the New York Times, the New Yorker, Gourmet magazine, and Bon Appetit magazine, among others.
Where did you train? Actually, I’m completely self-taught. Where did you learn your craft? Opening night at The Blue Strawbery! It was November 18, 1970, and forty people came to the opening at 8:00 p.m. I’d never cooked for more than seven or eight people before, and here I was opening a restaurant! At 1:15 a.m., dessert came out and the guests applauded. I wasn’t sure if it was because they liked the food or because the evening was finally over! I think I pulled the evening off because I felt confident—I never took the event too seriously. I just cooked food that tasted good to me. I never got caught up in recipes or rules. I love French and Italian cuisine, but it’s too regimented. I like to get in there and improvise. I was also savvy enough to do things that I knew I could cook well. Finally, I was lucky in that I had two great partners who never said “no” to me. They believed we would succeed. What or who inspired you? The Shakers inspired me. I had eaten at their restaurant [at Canterbury Village] and was intrigued by their cooking. I got to know several of the Shaker ladies, and we collaborated on a cookbook, along with Jeffrey Paige, Cooking in the Shaker Spirit. The Shakers were excellent cooks and sophisticated for their time. They were the true new American cooks. What are your favorite foods to cook? Everything is wonderful to me except for okra and eels. I encourage people to learn about new foods and not be afraid to experiment. For example, if you want to learn about herbs, make some mashed potatoes and try adding different herbs to them; this way, you’ll learn what you like. Mashed potatoes are the perfect medium for trying out new flavors.
I came up with some of The Blue Strawbery’s creations just by experimenting. I was one of the first people in the area to cook with lavender; no one was doing it at the time. I had read about using lavender in an English cookbook and decided to add it to a custard. It was a hit; so I then kept playing with it, creating lavender chocolate cake, lavender chocolate ice cream, and so on. People loved the flavors. If I hadn’t taken a risk, a lot of great dishes wouldn’t have happened.
I think The Blue Strawbery was popular because the food was unique and we never served the same thing. I changed the menu every week for sixteen years because there were always new things to try. I see food as art. I think of myself as Jackson Pollack in the kitchen. I’m not a painter but a designer, which is what he was. Cooking is like designing; I design a dinner around each piece, and I never repeat flavors—except for maybe in the use of garlic. Where do you like to eat? I like a number of Portsmouth restaurants. The Wellington Room is excellent; Chef David Robinson is wonderful. I like Evan Mallet at The Black Trumpet; he’s perfect to take over the old Blue Strawbery space. And Doug Johnson at The Rosa does great food. Jumpin’ Jay’s [Fish Café] is very interesting. Mark Segal at The 100 Club is excellent, and Derek Sarno at Mizuna Catering and Tea House is one of the most talented chefs I’ve ever known. There are really too many great chefs to name. What was your biggest cooking disaster or most embarrassing moment? From 1975 to 1985, I was a regular on The Good Day Show on Boston television. I was asked to make chartreuse of vegetables, which I had done before. You have nine vegetables and place them in a soufflé dish with mashed potato. Then, you bake it. The dish looks beautiful when done. I had to create this dish at 4:00 a.m. for filming; I had just lifted it out of the oven, with the soufflé dish upside down, when disaster struck. The dish held up for about four seconds, then collapsed. I said, “Get my check and the car keys, ’cause I’m outta here.” What new projects do you have going on? I’m working on a book called The Kitchen at 29 Ceres Street, which covers all the great food from The Blue Strawbery, Lindbergh’s Crossing, and The Black Trumpet. Evan from Lindbergh’s and The Black Trumpet is working on this with me. I’m also working on a novel called The Granite Riviera, which will be a comedy/murder mystery with a healthy dose of food included. It’s set in this area, and locals will recognize some of the characters. I’m always busy with lectures and cooking classes, and am currently teaching a series of classes at Attrezzi in downtown Portsmouth on Saturdays. I cook a four-course dinner and tell folks what I’m doing as I go, then we all enjoy a nice meal when I’m done. I’m also painting cheese boxes. After I turned seventy, I decided to get into crafts. I have an Eastern European heritage—my mother’s family came over from Poland in the 1800s—so these have kind of a Russian/Polish feel. The boxes will be sold at Attrezzi [in Portsmouth, NH] as gift boxes. Chicken-Wrapped Duck Breasts in Fig and Orange Whiskey Sauce
Serves 4 - 4 chicken thighs
- 2 duck breasts
- 1⁄3 cup of whiskey
- 3 cups Fig Orange Jam
- 1⁄4 cup Dijon mustard (Maille or something even better)
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Pound the chicken thighs to flatten them.
2. Cut the duck breast into four pieces and wrap the thighs around the duck. 3. Place the chicken and duck in a baking dish, cover tightly, and bake for about 30 minutes. 4. While the thighs and breasts are cooking, make the sauce by mixing together the whiskey, jam, and mustard. 5. Remove the chicken and duck and pour the sauce over them. 6. Return the dish to the oven for another 10–15 minutes, then serve. Chef Profiles Summer, 2007
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