A Palindrome Digest of Guest Chef Bryce Caron's Palindrome Degustation at 610 Magnolia

Last night, Chicago chef Bryce Caron took the helm at 610 Magnolia for a palindrome degustation: six tastes in which key ingredients in the first three savory courses were mirrored in the following three sweet dishes.

Caron, one of Food and Wine Magazine's best new pastry chefs of 2012 and Time Out Chicago's break-out chefs of the year, collaborated on the meal with 610 Magnolia chef de cuisine Nick Sullivan.

"This dinner came out of a lot of late night conversations," said 610 Magnolia's chef/owner Edward Lee. "And some bourbons."

Another idea that emerged from a few bourbons: copying their approach to describe the evening. So behold six observations, with the last three mirroring the first three.

1. Dinner at 610 Magnolia with Edward Lee taking a back seat was as if this month's KFC Yum! Center show had been billed as Gary Clark Jr. and the E Street Band, with Bruce Springsteen off to the side, sipping bourbon, keenly observing and singing back up.

2. Persimmon, chestnuts and caramel go wonderfully with duck.

3. Caron most recently worked as a pastry chef at Chicago's Graham Elliot and Blackbird.

4. Caron said his next gig will likely be with a Chicago butcher.

5. Persimmon, chestnuts and caramel go wonderfully with truffles.

6. Lee has a keen eye for talented guest chefs. And bourbon.

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