About the Author

UPDATE DECEMBER 17, 2010

INTRODUCTION

This is the first time this biography page has been updated since May of 2010. Since then a great deal has happened. Some really good. Some really bad and most somewhere in between. Celebrations, disappointments, exciting new things and mundane  routine. When I set off for cooking school in early March of 2010 I was facing the biggest challenge and the biggest change in my life since I met my wife Mary in December of 1999. The long over due change from stressed out, anxious, overweight, depressed, unhappy, bored, stagnant “Carl the lawyer” to something else, to anything else actually, was way overdue.

Sometimes thought it is important to be careful for what you wish. Frequently in life what seems like a miracle at first is a mirage. There are unintended consequences that result in the cure being worst than the disease.  As the say, often the chemo does you in before the cancer. The good thing is that I love to cook. I love to work with food and I love my wife and family and my life.

Biography of Chef Calle.

Chef Calle, formerly Carl R. Vahl, Esq. spent 25 years as a trial, divorce and general practice lawyer in New York before retiring in February of 2010. On March 11, 2010, at age 52, he started his formal culinary education at the International Culinary Center in Manhattan, home to both the French Culinary Institute and the Italian Culinary Academy. After living in Hell’s Kitchen and attending classes in Soho, Chef Calle crossed the ocean and landed in Parma Italy in the heart of the Po Valley and the home to signature Italian products such as Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and prosciutto di Parma ham as well as the original and only true, “Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena” (Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena) and “Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia” (Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia) which are aged in wooden barrels for 12-25 years or more. While in Italy Chef Calle toured production facilities for these and other traditional Italian products.

While at la Scuola Internazionale de Cucina de Italiana, commonly known as ALMA, Chef Calle learned modern high Italian cuisine from the finest Chefs and Chef Instructors coming from nearly all 20 Italian food regions. Many either owning or working in Michelin Star restaurants or shunning this French rating system but creating equally magnificent food.

Chef Calle toured numerous wineries, traditional cheese, cured meat and Balsamic Vinegar makers along with farms and organic produce growers tasting the products and meeting the owners and managers. Carl toured the original EATALY location in Torino Italy where the now worldwide Slow Food movement originated.

Calle’s formal training included both Italian and French techniques and literally hundreds of recipes from all 20 Italian food regions. From Sicily, Puglia and Calabria in the South to Trentino Alto-Adige in the North, Liguria and Genoa in the West to Venezia in the East, Rome, Naples, Milano, Tuscany, Campania, le Marche, Abruzzo and Umbria. Each region and often sub-regions having their own microclimates resulting in specialized and exclusive wines, cheeses, meats, olive oils and seasonings native to only a small geographic area.

While very little about the study and practice of law equates to the study and practice of fine cuisine both professions call for precision and attention to detail. Discipline and desire to be and produce the very best product. 25 years of law practice and a good income allowed Calle and his partner and wife Mary to travel all over the world sampling the finest cuisine, wine and accommodations available.

Their travels took them to France, Sweden, India, England, Denmark, Greece, St. Bart’s, Canada, and of course Italy on numerous occasions. To cities such as Copenhagen, New Delhi, Marrakash, Niamey, Amalfi, Positano, Florence, Rhodes, Jaipur, Stockholm, Oslo, Hemsdal, Casablanca and many others.

Calle’s decision to change professions after a lengthy and successful career resulted from his personal desire to work with and for happy people. Calle felt his practice of law drained him of his creativity and inspiration after working with generally unhappy people with huge problems for so many years.

So becoming a chef became his passion and perhaps his obsession. He left his wife, soft-coated wheaten terrier, one hundred and 59-year-old farmhouse, garden, pond, stream, family and moved to Hell’s Kitchen. He took the C or A train from Times Square to Canal and Grand every morning, 5 days a week for 9 weeks. Suffered through a bursting appendix and a night in the St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital on 10 Avenue and 58^th Street and worst of all a cab ride 11 blocks to his rented 200 square foot room in a nice condo building which cost as much as the entire mortgage on his five bedroom home, adjoining office and 50 acres of fields and forest.

For 9 weeks, as Winter turned to Spring and then Summer he chopped, julienned, diced, roasted, braised, baked, blanched, boiled, fried, grated, grilled, kneaded, deep fried, pounded, sharpened, filleted, marinated, shucked, shelled, juiced, minced, whipped, folded,  sautéed, steamed, strained, sifted, simmered, infused, skinned, stirred, stuffed, tempered, trussed, tied, deglazed, deboned, defrosted and from time to time even accidentally flambéed for six or more hours a day and then tried to infuse his 52 year old brain with the Italian language and learning that a 19 year old high school graduated could learn Italian easier than he without half the work.

On October 6, 2010 Calle graduated and after traveling in Italy and France returned to the USA, moved to Baltimore with his wife and business partner Mary and opened Chef Calle’s Baltimore Distinctive Home Dining.

Since we arrived in Baltimore a mere 6 weeks ago we have set up a beautiful apartment. 2 floors, fireplace, granite countertops, hard wood floors, large windows, 2.5 baths, a small deck off our bedroom with a view of the inner harbor and the city skyline and a roof top deck, shared with others but with a truly amazing view of the inner harbor and the city skyline which is really beautiful at night. We have had amazing weather. Copious amounts of sun; way warmer than what we are used to in Olean and the best part  of all of it is the life that is everywhere. Not wild life like in the woods or a dangerous bar scene, but parks and people, quality restaurants, usually several on each block and things going on all the time. Mary and I have done a great deal of exploring. Farmers markets, ethnic deli’s, Italian markets, Thai, Mexican, Italian restaurants and of course “The world Famous” Lexington Market which is pretty good but which could be “world class” not just world famous with a little work.

In the kitchen I have recreated the Kaldomer. Roasted an amazing turkey. Made fig gelato, vanilla gelato and peach gelato. Made some amazing fresh egg pasta. Tinkered with awesome greens and salt roasted a whole Rockfish like a Branzino to amazing success. I made a roasted Butternut squash puree that was to die for and since we were cooking a roast chicken I made a liver pâté and instead of using cream, or carrot or butter I mixed some roasted squash with the chicken liver, added a little salt, fresh ground pepper, a pinch of nutmeg and some Pulian Extra Virgin Olive Oil and wow. I have  tried some things with the local favorite, the blue crab, but  have decided that I am not going to force a crab recipe just to say I have one. The locals have the most amazing crab cakes I have ever eaten and also do creative and artistic things with the tiny lumps and shreds of blue crab meat that come from the local waters. Until I have something really special in the way of a crab recipe to offer I am going to enjoy eating what the experts already do really well.

 

OLD VERSION MAY 2010.

Carl R. Vahl is 52 years old and until a few months ago had been a full time attorney for 25 years. After starting in a small law firm in 1984 and then being officially licensed to practice law in 1985 he went to work for a large 90 + lawyer firm in 1986. In 1991 he opened his own firm and by 1996 he owned the largest law firm in Cattaraugus County New York with 4 full time lawyers and a total of 10 staff  including paralegals, secretaries and bookkeeper.

In 1998, after suffering severe burnout from the stress and long hours Carl left the practice of law for a year. He opened a mediation practice in 1999 and went back to practicing law. In 1999 he met his wife Mary and was married 4 months later. Again his law practice flourished but he never really enjoyed it. In December 2009 after modifying the nature of his practice several times Carl decided to make a new start and decided to study Italian cooking at the Italian Culinary Academy in NYC. The ICA is the Italian component of the International Culinary Center which also includes the French Culinary Institute.

This blog is designed to chronicle Carl’s metamorphosis from a stressed out, vocationally unhappy and unhealthy lawyer to a happy, healthy culinary professional.

Carl isn’t sure yet whether he will be a professional chef, restaurant owner, a food and travel writer or something else entirely but he knows one thing. He will not go back to being a full time lawyer.

“I am essentially a creative person at heart. The practice of law has drained me of creativity and essential energy for the past 25 years. Still, the practice of lawyer has had benefits. I have led a fabulous life. Since marrying Mary in 2000 we have traveled all over the world; drilled 22 water wells in Niger in sub-Saharan West Africa; purchased  a summer home in Sweden on land that has been in the Vahl family for over 400 years. We own a farm house that was built in 1850 which we have restored. For years my motto has been “I do what I have to do so I can do what I want to do.”

“While I am amazingly thankful for the life I have led so far I have been yearning for a change for many years. When I married Mary I took on the responsibility of 4 teenage stepchildren. While we have had a pretty rough time, 2 have graduated from college. One has dropped out and one will be a junior in college next year. The time is right and I decided to take the leap. Sort of like when I learned to para-glide  12 years ago. Standing at the edge of a cliff getting ready to jump is frightening at first, however the thrill of the ride in the sky literally floating on the wind, hundreds or thousands of feet above the ground, with a minimal amount of control, quickly pushes the fear aside and is replace by exhilaration and excitement.”

There is a saying that goes something like…. “jump and the net will appear”.

I really believe that to be the true. I have made several jumps in my life and this one will work out great.”

“I have been a very successful attorney and I have pretty much hated the practice what I do for the past 20 years. Just think how successful I can be if I love what I do each day.”

“Life is meant to be lived to the fullest and disliking what you do for 8-12 hours each day is not healthy”

“Mary and I are making this change together and we will never look back.”

Carl and Mary with the Swedish winter sunset in the background. 2006

“Fear less, hope more, eat less, chew more, whine less, breathe more, talk less, say more, hate less, love more, and good things will be yours.” ~ Swedish Proverb.

Mark Twain said

Happiness is a Swedish sunset — it is there for all, but most of us look the other way and lose it.

My new mantra:

– written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s —

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Life is GOOD.

One of my favorite places. Lake Animin. Vastra Kosybn Dalsland.