Musings of a lawyer who'd rather be cooking

End of an Era: The Premier of DomesticEsq

2009-11-30T08:58:00.000-08:00

It's been about a year since LCG first premiered. I had no idea when I started this little experiment whether it would take, but over the year I became pleasantly surprised at the interest it generated as well as my enjoyment of blogging. Unfortunately, it became clear to me that this particular blog has run it's course. So I'm closing the doors on LawyerChefGirl and opening a window to the more ambitious, and hopefully more exciting blogging adventure that I've dubbed DomesticEsq.

Please check out and subscribe to my new blog, www.DomesticEsq.me.

And as always, thanks for reading.

Free Concert: U2 at the Rose Bowl

2009-10-31T16:39:00.000-07:00

Living above the Rose Bowl definitely has its perks. Not only do we receive a heads up once UCLA scores a touchdown when we hear the crowds roar 10 seconds before the tape delay airs the play on TV, but on occasion we're treated to the musical genius of large bands whose fan base can fill the near 100,000 seats. Last weekend U2 picked Pasadena to host the stop on its 360 Degrees Tour that it chose to broadcast to fans around the world. U2 streamed the show live on YouTube, making it the first band to do so in real time on the site. The concert also broke the record, which was previusly set by U2 in 1987 on its Joshua Tree Tour, to headline a concert with the highest attendance record in US history. And this was the concert the band chose to film its tour DVD. Needless to say the stage was set (literally) for a fantastic event. For a full week before the concert we heard workers building the stage and checking the lights and sound system at all hours of the night. About two hours before the show fans started to arrive and U2 performed its final sound check.
By 7:15, opener Black Eyed Peas took the stage, and rocked it, at one point calling on Slash to join them for a rendition of Sweet Child of Mine. By the time U2 took the stage, shortly after 9 pm, the Rose Bowl was so packed they had park the cars on the fairways of nearby Brookside Golf Course.
U2's massive stage towered above the stadium, and though we couldn't see directly inside, we had front row seats for the amazing light show, heard the songs perfectly, and ran into the house to catch the best moments on YouTube. U2 played old favorites, such as "Where The Streets Have No Name" and "Sunday Bloody Sunday," and recent hits including "No Line On The Horizon" and "Beautiful Day." My favorite song of the night was the touching performance of "Walk On," written by Bono for Myanmar's benevolent imprisoned human rights activist Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
To commemorate our first free Rose Bowl concert in the new house, we invited family and friends to join in the fun and listen to the show on our outdoor patio, complete with grilled burgers, beer, and wine. By the time the show ended at 11:30 after the 4th encore, our guests left satisfied, and we chuckled, grateful as we stumbled off to bed enjoying a healthy buzz while 100,000 concertgoers had to sit for an hour trying to exit the parking lot.

Adventure: Wyoming

2009-10-01T21:08:00.000-07:00

Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, is a bittersweet one for me as it marks the day of my mother's death. Rather than wash myself once more in grief, this year I decided to atone for my sins in Wyoming. Autumn is the perfect time to visit the national parks of Grand Teton and Yellowstone, if you can make it before the weather turns icy. In autumn the leaves of the aspen trees turn yellow and red, the animals are all out in force trying to fatten up before the winter, and the air bathes your skin in electricty as you hike through the bush.
Having never visited a national park outside of California, I was surprised to learn that here, the animals are hunted with camera, not rifle. Amateur photographers and tourists scout for wildlife, then pull off to the side of the road, furiously set up their tripods and cameras with the mamajama lenses weighing at least 1/2 a ton, and snap away at the elk or moose or antelope far off in the distance with an intensity to rival any National Geographic pro. Even Big N and I got into the spirit, pulling over whenever we saw a stalled car and asking "whattya got" to tourists already in prime position. Grand Teton did not disappoint. In a span of less than two hours we feasted our eyes on moose, elk, antelope, and bear. Unfortunately, fires closed most of Yellowstone so we'll have to return there on another visit, after I upgrade my photographic equipment and actually learn how to take a decent wild beast shot. Consider it training for the african safari. Here are just a few shots that I hope capture even a glimmer of the majestic beauty of Wyoming.

LCG Is An Auntie: Meet Daniel Paul

2009-09-13T17:03:00.000-07:00

On Monday my adorable sister-in-law gave birth to Daniel Paul. Already a big boy at 8 lbs. 7 oz, Daniel arrived in style, behaving like an angel and making soft cooing noises when Auntie LCG held him for the first time, and showing off his perfectly developed lungs to the nurses when they poked and prodded him, counting up fingers and toes. Little Danny, clearly advanced for his tender age, seems to have no problem expressing his emotions. My older brother is already smitten with his first born, who in my humble opinion has his lips and eyes and his mother's nose and cheeks (at least for the time being). Watching my brother melt as he gazed into Danny's baby blue eyes brought tears to mine. As soon as I held him and caught the first trace of his baby smell, I felt an instant connection, and knew with certainty that I will love this child and protect him just as surely as if he were my own. The miracle of Daniel's birth reminded me, for the first time in a while, how powerful and unshakable is the bond of family.

Meet Daniel, day 5:

Twice as Nice: French Macarons Two Ways

2009-09-06T15:37:00.001-07:00

On my last trip to Paris, I tasted a little piece of heaven in a bite sized cookie: the delectable French Macaron, not to be confused with the coconut macaroon. I love macarons so much I served them at my wedding (along with creme brulee) in lieu of traditional cake. The macarons for my wedding were created by local macaron artist, the very sweet (and very French), Paulette, who custom made them in the colors of my wedding.

I've also tried to master baking macarons so I can enjoy them regularly. But not being a pastry chef has left me somewhat disadvantaged. You see macarons are temperamental. Over mix your batter and they collapse. Fail to use the correct almond flour or proportions of egg whites, and the cookies come out dry and boring. Use the wrong baking sheet, or try silpat instead of parchment paper liners, and the cookies fail to crisp on the edges. In my quest to master macarons, there have been several failed attempts, and I was so disheartened that I stopped trying.

This weekend however, I was inspired to try again. My dear friend "Dolce" is getting married today. She was the one who picked up the macarons for my wedding from Paulette and hauled the delicate cookies all the way to Ojai; no easy feat. Last night I decided to repay the favor by baking macarons as a special treat for her before her wedding. Luck was on my side-- the macarons I created for Dolce, Green Tea with Coconut Cream and Toasted Coconut, were nearly perfect! The cookies came out crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, and the coconut butter cream frosting was sweet, but tempered by the toasted coconut.

I was so pleased not to have messed them up, that I baked another flavor this afternoon to bring to my friends Sage and Turquoise's house for Turquoise's birthday tomorrow: Chocolate with Tahitian Vanilla Bean Frosting and Fresh Raspberries. (I brought the Tahitian vanilla beans back from Tahiti on my honeymoon). Recipes for both macarons follow, but make sure you put on your "patience" cap because speaking from experience, it may take you a few attempts to get these right. Trust me when I tell you however, they're worth the effort.

French Macarons:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
7/8 cup almond flour
1/2 cup egg whites (from about 3 large eggs)
2 tablespoons sugar
For green tea cookies, add 3 tablespoons matcha green tea powder, plus a few drops of green food coloring to the egg whites
For chocolate cookies, add 3 tablespoons of good quality cocoa powder

Sift confectioners' sugar, almond flour, and green tea or cocoa powder, set aside. Whip egg whites until frothy, and add sugar and food coloring if using; whip until stiff. Gently fold in the almond flour mixture, 1/3 at a time, until the batter looks like deflated marshmallows; be careful not to over mix. Place batter in pastry bag with large tip and pipe onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Let sit for 20 minutes (to let the batter dry a bit so it develops a harder shell). Bake at 300 degrees for about 17 minutes.

Frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
For coconut frosting, add 1 teaspoon imitation coconut flavoring
For vanilla bean frosting, add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and scrape one full Tahitian vanilla bean

Using whip attachment, cream softened butter. Add confectioners' sugar and mix. Drizzle in flavorings and mix again until incorporated.

Extras: toasted coconut (toast sweetened flaked coconut in the oven until fragrant and crunchy), or fresh raspberries

Assemble macarons by spreading frosting and "extras" between two cookies. Enjoy!

Baby Shower Cupcakes: Just Nice To Look At

2009-08-23T09:34:00.000-07:00

This weekend I threw a baby shower for my sister-in-law, who is due to give birth to my soon to be nephew in September. Though I would have loved to cater the entire shower, I quickly wised up and realized 30 people requires an entire week of serious preparation so I ordered deli meats for lunch and resigned myself to making just cupcakes for dessert. Making 3 dozen cupcakes only requires one long Friday night of work, totally doable.
I decided to make vanilla (recipe courtesy of Amy Sedaris, she's a hoot) and red velvet with cream cheese frosting. I also cheated a little and ordered baby themed sugar toppers on line.
The cupcakes were darling, and I displayed them on my cupcake tree at the shower (yes, a cupcake tree is a complete necessity in my book). I was convinced before the shower my perfectly decorated cupcakes would be the hit of the party. Unfortunately the attendees weren't quite as excited to eat cupcakes as I'd hoped and they didn't exactly fly off the tree. Perhaps I should have considered that my sister-in-law is a nurse and naturally all of her nursing buddies would ponder their health and their thighs before stuffing their faces with sugar and butter filled treats. My first hint was that most of them passed on the rye bread and pasta salad at the lunch buffet. Only 12 of the 36 were savored, leaving me to fill the to-go boxes I bought for just this contingency and force them on my family members. Next time I'll stick with something healthier, sugar free jello anyone?

Dining in Montrose: Bashan

2009-08-03T11:07:00.000-07:00

Always in search of a great new restaurant, on Friday I consulted my handy KCRW "Fringe Benefits" guide and found reference to Bashan Restaurant, located near the heart of hip Montrose area (but with an unfortunate Glendale zip). The ambiance at this 16-table bistro style restaurant was warm and casual, and staff were friendly and upbeat. Little did I expect that the executive chef, Nadav Bashan, would delight and amaze us with his impressive skills. Bashan got his start working for some of the greats before going out on his own two years ago, after impressive stints as sous chef at Michael's and Providence (see my other posts here and here re the delights of Providence). In his own restaurant he blends french techniques with asian and mediterranean influences.
We started off with a refreshing amuse bouche of papaya and watermelon aqua fresca
before proceeding to our starter of thinly sliced albacore with red and yellow beets and pickled enoki mushrooms. Impressive knife work on this dish, with light and tangy marriage of flavors between the beets and fish. For the main course I ordered New Bedrord Scallops with cauliflower puree, sea beans, soba noodles, crispy pancetta, peas and blood oranges. Big N ordered Alaskan Halibut with pappadew peppers stuffed with eggplant, tahini, sumac, and grilled mini eggplants.

Our plates were beautiful works of art with color and flair, while the fish was seasoned simply so it could shine all on its own. The sides were gracefully paired to personify the cleanness of the fish.

We paired our meal with a non-vintage Conde de Subirats Cava from Spain. Cava is a light sparkling wine without the pukey after taste of some Champagnes. It's fairly dry but crisp and slightly sweet, and paired extremely well with our albacore and fish dishes.

If you're not too aghast to leave behind the overinflated egos and overinjected faces of the Westside scene for a night, then head over to the Eastside for a relaxing walking tour of quaint downtown Montrose and a delightful dinner at Bashan. You'll be rewarded for near-Providence quality food without the annoying Westside crowds.

Minibreak: VEGAS!

2009-07-31T17:49:00.001-07:00

I LOVE Vegas. The lights, the glamour, the energy, the over-the-top tackiness, the gambling, the shopping, and the food, and the food, and the FOOD. The Vegas of old with its $1.99 prime rib served lukewarm in a dreary downtown bingo room is no more. In the span of a mile you can now find 16 world class Michelin starred restaurants. Vegas has enticed nearly every well-known chef to open a restaurant.
Recently Big N and I decided last minute that we'd crash our friends' H+M's trip to Vegas to visit friends who live there. We booked a room at our new favorite hotel, the Palazzo. The Palazzo, an all-suite hotel, is on a great spot on the strip, sandwiched between the Wynn and the Venetian. It boasts modern (read: not too tacky) design, and a decent offering of restaurants and shops. On our last trip to Vegas, the Palazzo upgraded us to a 1500 sq. foot suite just for frequenting their hotel on a dead weekend; no such luck on an upgrade this time but even the suite for the masses is spacious and decked out in brown marbles and red velvet furniture, with soft linens and 3 flat screens, plus samples of expensive face creams from the Canyon Ranch Spa (for my ladies out there).

For dinner on Friday I attempted to reserve a table at Vegas's only three Michelin starred restaurant, Joel Robuchon in the MGM Grand, but not surprisingly, we couldn't impress the hostess at the best restaurant in town by regaling her with tales of our last minute weekend jetsetting. So we "settled" for one starred Daniel Boulud Brasserie in the Wynn, where I dined on a lovely duo of beef, filet and short ribs, and a crab salad starter. Unfortunately, I got a little happy on wine and neglected to take a single photo, but I do recommend the restaurant. It's upscale but not snobby. They also make a fabulous fig bread (most of mine however ended up on the floor in an unfortunate mishap with the butter).
On Saturday we joined our friends at Hank's, a steakhouse located about 20 minutes off the strip at the Green Valley Ranch Resort. If you dare to drive to Vegas and have a car with you, Hank's is a must-dine. The restaurant is a classy joint with crystal chandeliers and velvet booths, but jazzes it up by pumping live rock music into the dining room. Steaks are cooked to perfection, and the side dishes are phenomenal. My favorite accompaniments to the petit filet were the mac & cheese and creamed corn. Plus the cocktails are pretty fabulous as well. The wine list isn't the greatest but you won't have trouble finding a good cab to go with that steak. We settled on a cabernet sauvignon from the Howell Mountain area of Napa, though the name of the producer is escaping me.

Though I restrained myself on the shopping (even resisting picking up something at the fab Catherine Malandrino store in the Palazzo shoppes), I did manage to leave a winner thanks to my new favorite game: Three Card Poker. Taking advantage of my beginner's luck, I scored a three-card straight flush, which paid me 40 to 1 odds on the bonus. I love that town!

Divine Beef: Wagyu Tri-tip with mushrooms and home grown carrots

2009-07-30T15:08:00.000-07:00

My neighborhood Bristol Farms sells Australian Wagyu beef. Now I know that beef connoisseurs out there love to whine about the kobe/wagyu debate, (what is the real Kobe? didn't the Americans steal bovine sperm from the Japanese? etc. etc.). As for me, I just like good meat, and I'm not particular about where it comes from, as long as it's not riddled with hormones and antibiotics, the cow had a relatively good short life, and grass actually passed through his stomachs at some point. I don't get too caught up in organic snobbiness, because anybody who's read The Omnivore's Dilemma knows that a lot of the "organic" industry is a crock.
Anyway, last night we tried the Wagyu Tri-Tip and as skeptical as I was about cooking successful Wagyu at home, I have to admit the difference was huge. Big N handled the tri-tip, and I provided the assist with sides. He seasoned it simply with my homemade dry rub (created with brown sugar, kosher salt, and a plethora of seasonings in my pantry) and a little olive oil, let it sit for 30 minutes (no overnight marinating required for this beauty) and cooked it to perfection on the grill.
For sides, my mother-in-law blessed us again with home grown carrots from her garden, which I boiled until soft and added a little butter, apricot preserves, fresh nutmeg, lemon zest, a little lemon juice, and parsley. I also sauteed fresh shiitake and oyster mushrooms in olive oil, butter, and garlic, and added white wine and some finely diced greens from the tops of the carrots.
The meat was delicious, perfectly marbled and fatty, and soft and juicy. The carrots tasted fresh as only home grown produce can taste, and the mushrooms were tasty (but I admit I got a little happy with my celtic sea salt).
Big N paired our meal with a Pertimali Sassetti Livio 2003 Brunello di Montalcino, made from sangiovese. The wine smelled of stewed cherries, cedar, and eucalyptus, with a full but approachable palette of licorice, leather, dark fruits, and a little smoke.

Very satisfying for a Wednesday night. Thanks to the fatty Wagyu, this meal was restaurant quality.

LCG's New Toy: Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i

2009-07-30T14:06:00.000-07:00

Since LCG is getting serious about her blogging, my little point and click camera simply wasn't cutting it anymore, so I upgraded to a beginner DSLR. These days, you can get a pretty great camera for less than $1,000. After consulting with my fellow bloggers and photographers, I decided to stick with Canon and bought the EOS Digital Rebel T1i. If you're not into gadgets, then this post really isn't for you, but I have to gush about how sweet this camera is: 15.1 Megapixel Canon CMOS sensor, DIGIC 4 Image Processor, a 3.0-inch Clear View LCD with anti-reflective and scratch-resistant coating, and compatibility with the EOS System of lenses and Speedlites, the EOS Rebel T1i adds remarkable Full HD video capture at resolutions up to 1920 x 1080.
Not that this means much to me now, but it will, one day soon. I'm determined to become a better photographer. Here is my first attempt, with my cantankerous 11-year-old constant companion Kirby serving as my subject:

Monday Night Fish: Salmon with Watermelon Heirloom Tomato Salad

2009-07-28T12:13:00.000-07:00

After a bit of overindulging in the food department in Vegas this past weekend, I knew my body needed to return to eating light. Last night's Monday Night Fish was inspired by the beautiful heirloom tomatoes that my mother-in-law gave Big N and I from her garden.

I sliced the yellow heirlooms and stacked the slices vertically with sliced watermelon, held together by a dollop of fresh ricotta cheese in between each layer. I drizzled a little balsalmic vinegar and olive oil, sprinkled celtic sea salt for flavor, and garnished with fresh basil for fragrance. The mild ricotta went well with the sweetness of the heirlooms and watermelon, and the salt provided flavor and texture to this colorful summer salad.

For the salmon I kept it light and simple, seasoning it with salt, pepper, a bit of olive oil, searing on both sides, and finishing it up in a 400 degree oven.

I placed the salmon on a bed of sauteed sugar peas, seasoned with salt, pepper, and a little sugar to carmelize.

In under 20 minutes we had dinner on the table, complete with a crisp Cottonwood Canyon Chardonnay. A perfect summer meal.

Anniversary Minibreak: Santa Fe

2009-07-08T09:27:00.001-07:00

For our first anniversary Big N and I celebrated with a mini-break to Santa Fe. Santa Fe, if you've never been there, is a completely unique experience. Nestled in the high desert of Northern New Mexico, the town stays true to its rancho roots, with old adobe buildings at every turn, and rich painted landscapes that cross the rolling desert sky. We stayed at the Encantado Resort, a brand new Auberge property just outside Santa Fe in Tesuque.
Upon checking into our "casita", a private bungalow with desert sunset views, I was greeted with a fragrant bouquet of roses and fire lilies sneakily arranged by my husband. (He's good). Our first full day we spent in the old town of Santa Fe, visiting the art galleries. Santa Fe boasts the second largest art market in the US, behind NYC. There are hundreds of galleries around the city featuring local and international artists of paintings, sculpture, and mixed media. I purchased a small modern painting by Katrin Moller, entitled Gemaltes 48, from the Gebert Contemporary gallery. Big N found a few sculptures he's considering, more on that to come. On a friend's recommendation, we ate at The Shed, which features excellent New Mexican cooking and delicious red and green chili sauce.

The next day, after huevos rancheros on the veranda, we drove up to Taos, about 2 hours from Santa Fe. The drive takes you farther north through old rancho villages along the way. We spent some time admiring amazing hand-woven blankets from artisans in the Chimayo Village. For 8 generations these weavers have mastered their craft. We couldn't resist ordering a custom multi-colored blanket for our bedroom. In Taos we visited Native American pueblos, churches, and a couple of fly fishing shops. On the way back from Taos we took the low road along the Rio Grande, ending up back at our hotel to dine at the amazing restaurant, which mixes New Mexican cuisine with seasonal faire.
On our last day, we decided to check out a ranch for sale between Santa Fe and Albuquerque before heading back to the airport. The owner, Dean (a sharp witted Texan whose office is next to Val Kilmer's, the next gubernatorial candidate of New Mexico), drove us by jeep through the backwoods alongside sleepy villages to a 100 acre ranch. Half a mile of the Pecos River runs through the canyon at the bottom of the ranch, 400 feet below a cliff that overlooks the river and thousands of acres of Spanish land grant property. The ranch, while beautiful, is obviously meant for hearding livestock by rough and tumble cowboys, and isn't quite as suited to a couple of city slickers.

Though I wish we had another day or two to spend getting to know Santa Fe and its culture, we enjoyed our mini-break and intend to return in the future. Santa Fe offers a unique opportunity to explore the history of the old and mostly untouched Southwest, but in a luxurious style to which I've become accustomed (thanks to my husband, who knows how to spoil me).

Focus on Santa Barbara Wine Country: Lincourt Cabernet

2009-06-29T09:56:00.001-07:00

Santa Barbara wine country, which sits on the southern part of the Central Coast, is mostly known for its Pinots and Chardonnays, and sometimes known for the raucous throngs of mid-twenties limo riding bachelorette party going sorority chick types looking for a thrilling weekend too far from Vegas. There really should be a name for the whipper snappers that come to wine country to party, during the day mind you, by traveling from tasting room to tasting room, annoying both proprietors and the serious wine patrons. There's no need for anybody to collect signatures with a sharpie on your tutu'd ass. I don't care how much free wine you've sipped!

But back to my point...

Santa Barbara's neighboring Santa Ynez mountains are unusual because they run east-west, and funnel the flow of ocean breezes inland so the fog hugs the hillsides, creating a cooler Burgundian climate in which pinots thrive. The better wines will come from one of three AVAs (American Viticulture Area): Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Ynez Valley, and Santa Maria Valley. Some of my favorite producers are Babcock, Melville, Dierburg, Starlane, Foxen, Black Jack, and Consilience. Consilience is one of the many producers enjoying success with the Rhone varietals, such as Syrah, Viognier, and Roussanne.

This region is still gaining in popularity since the 2004 sleeper hit "Sideways," (mostly likely the culprit for bringing the aforementioned undesirables), but wines here have been steadily gaining respectability all on their own, thanks to the amazing and dedicated producers and a thriving wine community.

Lesser known among Santa Barbara gems is the mighty Cabernet Sauvignon. Big N and I recently enjoyed a fine specimen from Lincourt: the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon from La Cuesta Vineyard.

Lincourt is a sister winery to one of Santa Barbara's most acclaimed producers, Bill Foley of Foley Estates. Named after his daughters, Lindsey and Courtney, Lincourt Estate contains just 30 acres and makes smaller production wines. The La Cuesta vineyard sits on an elevated hillside facing the southeast. With just 8 acres of cabernet grapes, each vintage is carefully nurtured and aged in french oak for over two years.

This bottle was one of the easiest drinking Cabs I've ever tried, completely approachable for the Cab-intimidated. Bursting with violets, sweet tobacco, cedar, and rose petals on the nose and dark fruits like plum and blackberry, tobacco, espresso, and canela on the palate. It's a younger drinking wine, enjoy now, and pair with anything off the grill, from hamburgers to lamb rib chops. You'll find this one for about $30, and it's a bargain at that.

21 Courses of Fantastic: SAAM

2009-05-31T15:47:00.000-07:00

My apologies for taking a blog break. I hope at least a few of you have missed lil ole LCG. Here's one I've been meaning to post for a while now...

For my birthday Big N surprised me with a trip to SAAM, the exclusive chef's tasting room at newly opened SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills. The tasting room is in the back of the bustling Bazaar Restaurant, seats only 40 guests, though when we dined there were barely 15 people there, and resembles a library reading room. I was delighted to discover that I would be feasting on 21, yes 21, courses that evening. Luckily Big N warned me that I should be very hungry for my surprise dinner. Since there's 21 courses to talk about, I'll only hit the highlights, but be prepared to be wowed. We started with a few "snacks" as they like to call them. Memorable ones included the olive oil bonbon, which were liquefied olives in a crystal candy shell, and the cotton candy fois gras, a morsel of goose liver wrapped in cotton candy. Strange I realize, but you really must try them to appreciate these salty/sweet bite size delicacies. For the "soup" the waiter made fresh gazpacho, but brought a canister of liquid nitrogen tableside and actually froze the gazpacho until it was sorbet-like. Fun.
The main courses were mostly items from the sea: sea urchin, bluefin toro, smoked salmon, and a delicious prawn served on a squeezy tube for a skewer. You bite the prawn and simultaneously squeeze the sauce into your mouth. We also had wonderful kobe beef and a lovely Norwegian Lobster, among several others. The courses are so creative and unique, that the waiters have to give you instructions on how to eat them. Another fun use of the nitrogen was the "dragon's breath popcorn," which are caramel corn bits frozen in nitrogen, so that when you bite into them, it's so cold that smoke comes out of your nose. Entertaining to say the least, but a bit gimmicky. With 21 courses you get 2 desserts, but my favorite was the coconut in a "half shell," which was frozen coconut milk that actually resembled a half-shelled coconut, with passion fruit vanilla bean sauce.

SAAM definitely impressed, though it's not for the picky eater.
Chef Jose Andres used to be the soux chef for Ferran Adria at el Bulli in Spain, one of the most famous restaurants and certainly the most renowned chef in the world. If you can't get to el Bulli, you can come close to tasting greatness at SAAM for $120, plus $40 for wine pairings. I'll be going back just as soon as the menu changes for the season, with friends. If you want to visit a hip tapas-style restaurant to start the evening off, you can't go wrong with Bazaar, which shares some of the menu items with SAAM. But if you want romantic foodie heaven, book a table at SAAM and leave yourself at least 3 hours to indulge.

18,000 BTU's of Joy: Filet Mignon Restaurant Style

2009-05-11T21:00:00.000-07:00

Big N bought LCG a new toy for my birthday: a spectacular Thermador gas cooktop with an 18,000 BTU power burner and extra low simmer burners. The gas cooktop replaced the electric cooktop our house came with that was the bane of my chefly existence (the prior owners obviously didn't cook a lick). I can't understand why a person living outside of Florida would ever want to install electric cooking appliances; it's all about the FIRE people. But I rant.

So last night we took the new Thermador out for a spin with some bacon wrapped filet mignon. Ordinarily Big N demands to barbecue any kind of meat but last night I got my way and cooked up the steaks restaurant style (read: sizzling in a vat of butter). For the filets I pierced with a fork, seasoned with salt and pepper, and wrapped them with bacon tied with a bamboo toothpick. I fired up some grape seed oil using all 18,000 BTUs and added butter (clarified is best) when my oil started smoking. I seared the heck out of my filets on both sides, basting them with the juices while searing. After turning to sear the second side I popped them into a 550 degree oven to finish them off. For sides I made some Israeli cous cous with sun dried tomatoes and shiitake mushrooms, and spicy sauteed okra.
We served the steaks with a 2005 Consilience Estelle Vineyard Syrah from Santa Barbara County. The syrah tasted of rich dark fruits, blackberies and plums, slightly jammy and bit of leather. The wine unfortunately was too hot (15.5% on the label but tasted like it was higher in alcohol) and overpowered the filets. Though we love Consilience, it was a bit disappointing. We suspect that Consilience, which only buys its grapes, has been losing some of its prime contracts with growers who have turned to making their own wine instead of selling their grapes(like Star Lane and Dierburg). But we'll still give them a chance because the folks there are incredibly warm and generous (they refilled a 9 liter bottle we bought for our wedding, no questions asked, when we popped the cork by leaving it out in the sun too long). Hopefully next year's wine club shipments will be better.

The steak was a success, tender, juicy, oh so rich and a joy to cook thanks to my new gas cooktop. No more electric crap. LCG is happy in her kitchen once more.

Impressing Your Man: Miso Chilean Sea Bass with Coconut Rice and Veggies

2009-05-08T12:45:00.000-07:00

I dedicate this post to my new protege "Torrance," who recently discovered the divine truth to the adage "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach." She's on her way to becoming a wonderful cook. This dish is sure to wow the pants off her beau. The fish is easy peezy to prepare but requires a couple of days lead time to plan. Unfortunately I can't take credit for the recipe, as it's one of chef Nobu's famous creations, but I sure can steal it and pass it on. Here goes:

For the marinade, heat 1/2 cup of decent Sake (save the rest for the meal), 1/3 cup Mirin (Japanese cooking wine, find it on the asian food aisle), 1/3 cup of light miso paste (same aisle), and 1/8 cup of sugar. Whisk to dissolve miso paste and sugar, bring to just boiling, and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Let cool completely. Throw cooled sauce in ziploc bag and add your Chilean sea bass (2-4 filets). Black cod works great for this recipe as well. Suck the air out of the bag and place in a bowl in the refrigerator. Let the fish marinate for 2-3 days, turning the bag over in the fridge each morning or evening to make sure the fish is being evenly coated.

After 2 days the fish is perfect, or you can wait as long as 3 days. Place fish in a baking dish in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes (depending on thickness), discard marinade. Do not overcook fish, it should be cooked until it's opaque on the edges and still slightly translucent in the center.

Side dishes are easy too. For the coconut rice, add 2/3 can of coconut milk (the light kind works well, less calories) to 1 cup of well-rinsed jasmine rice. Add 1/2 cup of water, a handful of frozen peas, and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer on low for 15 minutes.

For the veggies you can do baby bok choy (blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes, then saute with garlic, olive oil, and ginger), or steamed asparagus or Chinese broccoli. Brussel sprouts are my favorite. Boil sprouts for 5 minutes then rinse in cold water. Slice in half length-wise. Dice two slices of thick cut bacon and cook until nearly crispy, add diced shallots, a little olive oil if your bacon isn't fatty enough, the sliced sprouts, and salt and pepper. Saute until sprouts start to caramelize.

Plate artfully and serve with leftover sake or a good Riesling. Enjoy! I guarantee your man will be pleased as punch.

Modern Art: A Mixed Bag

2009-05-07T13:22:00.000-07:00

Our designer Luis invited Big N and me to a silent auction at MOCA's Geffen Center downtown. The museum is in dire straights due to a shrinking endowment. Over a hundred artists donated works to be auctioned off as part of MOCA's annual fundraiser. The auction closes Saturday.

We're in the market for a couple of pieces to complement our modern house so we decided to peruse the collection. To me modern art is a mixed bag; some works are truly beautiful, while others I simply don't get. Take for example this work donated by renowned LA artist Christopher Williams. The 'art' was half a picture of somebody in a shower, presumably, stuck to a green 8 1/2 x 11" sheet of regular paper with scotch tape, and valued at $7,500. Or this work by Rodney McMillian valued at $2000. Yes, the artist wrote "free beans" using a sharpie, that's it. So call me crazy but, while these types of pieces may qualify as 'art' in the loose sense of the word, they're not what I want to look at on a daily basis.

On the other hand there were several works that I loved, including this abstract Kandinsky-esque painting by Shell Cardon. Or this mixed media piece by Brian Wills which was made by wrapping what seems like millions of pieces of rayon thread around basswood posts.

Or finally the piece below at left by Annie Wharton, a beautiful swirl of pinks and greens on mylar. This is the type of art that I find beautiful because I know I'll see something unique in it every time I look at it. I might try to snag at least one of these.

Of course, art is subjective, and while the pieces above did draw a reaction from me, and maybe that's the point, I don't want to spend my money on something that will draw that reaction just once. I want to know that in the years to come I'll still be able to look at the piece and find it interesting or beautiful. And call me crazy, but to entice me to spend thousands of dollars the piece needs to be something I can't just go out and make myself. Even I can manage wielding a sharpie to write "free beans" or taping an ordinary picture to a piece of green paper. I wonder if somebody would pay me $7500 for such a masterpiece.

Fun with Ring Molds: Spicy Tuna Poke Salad

2009-05-04T22:19:00.001-07:00

I'm really not a salad person. Don't get me wrong, a good salad is healthy, refreshing, and colorful, but I don't find salads satisfying enough to stand alone as a meal. But for health reasons I acknowledge that a meal salad is sometimes necessary. That said, when I do hop on the salad bandwagon I make darn sure my plate is packed to the brim with yummy stuff to satisfy me so I don't feel cheated once the meal ends.

Tonight I wanted to keep it light, as I'm determined to look good for my brother's wedding this weekend. So I grudgingly succumbed to the salad meal thing but decided to jazz it up a bit with some spicy tuna poke.

For the tuna poke I bought a chunk of sushi quality tuna and diced it up, added diced green onions, celtic sea salt, diced avocado, and chili sesame oil for spice (aka "la jiao" for my mandarin speaking peeps). I usually add chopped dried seaweed but didn't have any tonight. I pressed the poke into my favorite ring mold and sprinkled nigella (black seeds) and toasted sesame seeds on top. For garnish I balanced a slice of tangy star fruit on the edge of my poke ring. Pretty!

I kept the salad pretty simple, starting with butter lettuce tossed in a simple miso ginger vinaigrette and added sliced mango, avocado, orange tomatoes and cucumber.

Thanks to the spicy tuna poke the salad did, in fact, satisfy me. However, I'm only posting this 30 minutes after consumption. There's no telling if the urge to snack will hit me before bed time. Will power, ugh.

Guest Chef: Big N's Stoplight Halibut

2009-05-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

My husband has a knack for surprising me. Last night he wowed me with an original creation he dubbed "Stoplight Halibut" (see the red, yellow, and green on the plate). He started with two pieces of belly cut halibut, then created a steam packet out of aluminum foil so he could poach the salmon on the grill. To the packet he added the seasoned and olive oiled fish, lemon juice, and fresh chopped flat leaf parsley. He also grilled up some plain Roma tomatoes, a simple favorite of ours. I provided a small assist with some sauteed baby bok choy with fresh grated garlic and ginger. I loved his presentation, with an artful garnish of lemon and parley.

His fish creation was perfect-- fresh, juicy, flaky, and light. It paired nicely with the wine Big N picked out-- the Fiddlehead Cellars 2007 "Goosebury" Sauvignon Blanc from the Santa Ynez Valley. The wine was bright and cheerful, with notes of meyer lemon, melon, and a little grass, and on the palate more lemon, lychee juice, and of course, goosebury.

We joked about our day, listened to some Pandora radio, sipped our wine, and then retired. Simple pleasures. I'm a lucky girl.

Is there such a thing as Too Rich: Al Waleed

2009-04-22T12:31:00.000-07:00

I have been obsessed with Prince Alwaleed bin Talal since I learned about him from our B&B hosts at Pencarrow in Queenstown. Bill and Kari, the owners of the B&B, lived in Saudi Arabia and worked as Alwaleed's personal pilot and flight attendant, flying him around the world on his various supped-up aircrafts for 12 years.

The man is one of the wealthiest in the world, is known as the "Arabian Warren Buffet," and keeps company with George Bush and the leaders of every county in the middle east. We're talking uber rich.

Here are just a few little tidbits that have me utterly fascinated:
At one point, he was the fifth richest person in the world.

His $100 million dollar 317-room palace is nearly 500,000 square feet, and every square foot is ornately decked out. See a french video of his palace, here.

Apparently the man can't find a big enough plane. Bill flew him around in a 737, but he bought a 747 after Bill left his employ. Now he's going to be the first and only private owner of the largest jet available today, the Airbus 380. Airbus had the unfortunate task of telling Alwaleed that, no, you can't put a swimming pool in a plane. See pictures of his jet, here.

He owns 300 cars.

He purchased his old yacht from Donald Trump for the bargain price of $40 million, who in turn bought it from the Sultan of Brunei. But it is far too shabby for this prince. So he's building a new $500 million dollar yacht that will look like this:

He spent a week with a Forbes journalist for the sole purpose of proving that he's richer than Forbes reports he is.

How must it be to live like that? Would I even want to? Bill reports that Alwaleed is constantly surrounded by people who want something from him and he uses just 2 of the 317 rooms in his palace, his office and a small TV room, and is pretty lonely most of the time. It's easy to condemn a man that lives this much in excess, but he is also something of a philanthropist: he believes in equality for women (and has only 1 wife as opposed to the usual 4 for other Saudi princes and allows his female employees to dress in designer western clothes bought with their $60,000 clothing allowance instead of the traditional abaya and veil), he routinely takes to the streets to deliver envelopes filled with money to those in need, he donated $10 million to WTC Victims Fund after 9/11 (though Giuliani ultimately rejected it), and he's been a major investor in Citi and hasn't pulled his investment, preferring to go down with the ship. The man also is relatively self-made (not resting on his oil trust fund laurels). So there's as much to admire as there is to criticize.

Saudi succession experts doubt Prince Alwaleed will become King, but I think the world could do much worse. One thing's for certain, this Silicon Valley educated prince has a lot invested in our little country and let's hope he continues to spread the wealth.

French Cuisine in Agua Dulce: Le Chene

2009-04-13T11:14:00.000-07:00

Our very good friends H+M reside in the Santa Clarita Valley and while we enjoy wining and dining with them, we have to do a little digging to find non-chain restaurants on their side of town that meet our admittedly snobby foodie expectations. This weekend we were blown away by Le Chene, a nearly 30-year old french bistro on Sierra Hwy in Agua Dulce.

The restaurant resembles a large stone wine cellar, fitting considering the spectacular wines we found within. For starters, H & I split the tongue vinaigrette while the boys had crab cakes. I haven't had tongue in years but this tasted better than I remember. It was served cold with a tangy tomatillo vinaigrette, and was tender and tasty. As long as you don't think too much about what you're actually eating, it's quite good. Next I ordered creme of lettuce soup, which resembled split pea in color and thickness. The soup was rich and perfectly seasoned.

Back to the wine, Le Chene's list is worth the trek to Agua Dulce. It boasts hundreds of french bottles spanning decades, including Ch. d'Yquem, a few Margauxs, and several Ch. Lafite-Rothchilds, among other notable bottles. Best of all the mark-up is nearly non-existent. Here you can try amazing french wines rarely seen outside of private libraries at reasonable prices. We decided to stay in Bordeaux, and started the evening with a 1995 Ch. Moulinet-Lasserre from Pomerol (a very good year for the right bank Bordeauxs, think Petrus!). Our timing was perfect, as this find was tasting beautifully. Merlot dominant, on the nose we picked up rich earth, mushroom, violets, and dark chocolate, while on the palate we experienced mostly dark, ripe fruits including black cherry and plum, and a little clove and cinnamon. Gorgeous.

By the time our dinners arrived (filet au poivre for me and H, ostrich medallions for Big N, and buffalo steak for M), we were so thrilled with our right bank beauty we ordered a 2001 Ch. D'Assault Grand Cru Classe from St. Emilion (yes, the same D'Assault that makes airplanes). This wine, also from the right bank and merlot dominant with cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc, was more fruit forward on the nose, with bing cherries, ripe blackberries, white floral, and wood, and lush ripe deep fruits and cardamon spice on the palate. It paired beautifully with my perfectly cooked filet and rich buttery au poivre sauce.

Dessert of chocolate covered poached pears and vanilla ice cream was good but not memorable, but I forgive them for it.

We had a wonderful time, and can't wait to return to raid Le Chene's wine cellar again.

Adventures in Sushi: Matsuhisa

2009-04-04T10:37:00.000-07:00

Since Big N and I don't brave the Westside traffic very often (not that we're complaining), when we do we like to make the most of it by trying a new restaurant. After our whirlwind shopping trip the other day, we decided to try Matsuhisa, the original restaurant that started the Nobu sensation (thanks in large part to Nobu Matsuhisa's partnership with Robert De Niro).

The restaurant itself lacks the flair of the trendy Nobu establishments and resembles your typical neighborhood sushi restaurant, except for a few autographed movie posters. Specials are written on a white board and the sushi chefs playfully flirt with customers at the bar. We decided to go for the tasting menu. (I know, another tasting menu. But I make the sacrifice for you dear readers, as it is the easiest way to try the best the restaurant has to offer so I can report back to you all). Matsuhisa offers 3 tasting menus: each consists of 7 courses, but the 3 price ranges dictate the quality of the fish you receive. We went big, natch.

Our meal started off with an eggroll topped with cavier in an artful martini glass, then proceeded quickly to a nicely presented four-dish appetizer consisting of toro tartare, salmon with dried miso, a japanese oyster, and kampachi with a spicy chili gelee. Next we were served a sushi salad with leeks instead of lettuce and single pieces of king crab, octopus, and other types of fish.

We moved into the hot dishes with a delicious lobster and enoki mushroom number in a soy based sauce. Next was the piece de resistance: kobe beef. Now I've had both kobe and wagyu before, at reputable establishments too that swear it's the real stuff from Japan, but I've never tasted anything like Matsuhisa's kobe. We were served 4 small slices of very very fatty tenderloin. The meat was marbled throughout and literally melted in my mouth. It was seared ever so slightly and served in on a sizzling clay plate with mushrooms and vegetables. I've never tasted anything like it. It was so rich I gave Big N the rest of mine after a few bites. After the kobe we had another plate of sushi consisting of eel, blue fin tuna, yellow tail, and a couple of others. Finally they sent out two desserts. The first was a trio of creme brulee: mocha, vanilla bean with black truffles, and coconut. The second was molten chocolate cake with ice cream and raspberries.

The entire meal was first class, no doubt. We left feeling full but not overstuffed. For the money though I must admit that I'd rather go big at Melisse or Providence, or my San Francisco favorite Gary Danko. At those restaurants for some reason the tasting menu feels more special because each dish is a work of art. Here, though the food was great and it displayed some talented knife work, for me it didn't quite live up to the price. If you go I recommend having a few choice pieces of sushi or the kobe. No need to do the tasting menu. But do try Nobu's home made beer, a refreshing and slightly tangy complement to the meal.

Cheating with Bacon: Seared Grouper

2009-04-01T22:53:00.001-07:00

Query: is it cheating to make a dish fantastic by adding a little bacon? Possibly, but who's keeping track?

Tonight I made seared grouper (a thick mild white flesh fish, similar to sea bass) with a bacon and hot house tomato sauce. I served that with steamed artichoke with roasted red pepper aioli.

I seasoned my grouper with salt and pepper and seared it in grape seed oil. Once I got a nice brown crust I popped it into a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes to finish it off due to the thickness of the fish. I didn't have much on hand for my sauce, so I threw a few ingredients together just for fun. I fried up some thick cut bacon and shallot, and to that I added fresh thyme, white pepper, a few capers, and hothouse tomatoes. I also reduced some good aged balsamic vinegar for a little zing.

The spicy aioli for my steamed artichoke was made by blending roasted red peppers, mayonnaise, white pepper, red pepper flakes, salt, and a little garlic with my stick blender.

I served my new creation with 2007 Curtis Heritage Blanc, a Rhone style blend from Santa Ynez consisting mostly of Viognier, with a little Roussane and Marsanne. The Viognier made the wine especially aromatic but with a creamy viscosity, with notes of guava, lanolin, vanilla, and ripe peaches, and peaches, melon, and key lime on the palette. The wine stood up to the spiciness of my aioli but didn't overpower the lightness of the fish. It also had enough acidity to complement the bacon sauce.

Big N especially liked my fish, which he described as a "rib eye", because it was big and meaty but also tender and flavorful. Satisfying. I was pleased with this one. Two words: Ba Con.

Interior Design: Buying Good Taste

2009-04-01T12:31:00.000-07:00

Though Big N and I purchased our home in September, it wasn't until recently that we decided to buy some furniture. So we devoted a whole Saturday to the task, naively thinking that we'd score the perfect sofa, bed, or dining room table in just the day. Of course we realized pretty quickly that we were *way* out of our league when we spent most of the day just trying to find a store that didn't sell the Tuscan/Euro/Revival furniture that really isn't what we're going for (e.g., above at right, no offense if you love this stuff).

As two busy professionals who don't want to spend every weekend scrounging for furniture, we gave up and hired a designer. We interviewed a few but knew instantly that Luis Ortega was the one for us: he's experienced, Cuban, and oozes effortless style. He implicitly understood our vision of starting with contemporary furniture with clean lines in neutral tones to complement our modern home but to add natural organic elements to create warmth and comfort. (Eg., this brilliantly designed NYC flat by Rose Tarlow, architect Richard Meier, from last month's Architectural Digest). Plus, Luis said he'd take me shopping, HIRED!

Yesterday Luis took us on a speed shopping trip around Beverly Hills and in the Pacific Design Center- Awesome! We met Luis at his Beverly Hills studio where he showed us pictures of some of the ideas he has for pieces in our home; then we hopped in his car for a whirlwind tour of 8 showrooms in under 2 hours. The man was *efficient*. We saw countless tables, chairs, sofas, rugs, and pieces of art. We found inspiration in a store called D.A.O (Design Around Objects, love the double entendre), which had very cool wood pieces including petrified wood end tables and tree root coffee tables. We also saw original Eames loungers and a few rare impeccably designed Brazilian chairs from the early 60's. And we saw a few sofas with the clean lines in neutral tones that we'd been envisioning. I realized that designers make their money simply because they know the right places to go to get the stuff, that and their wholesale discount.
Convinced that Luis was the right choice, we gave him the go-ahead to put a design plan together. With a little luck, we should have a brand new home in 3 months. I'll post before and afters for your viewing pleasure.

New Zealand Footnote: Tallest. Burger. Ever.

2009-03-28T13:25:00.001-07:00

We picked up this "Works Burger" at the only place to eat (literally) in a sleepy fishing village called Ngawi at the southern tip of the North Island near Cape Palliser. It contains, from bottom to top: bacon, tuna steak, ham, burger, chicken patty, onion ring, fried egg, and trimmings. It cost NZ$12 (about 7 bucks). Big N ate the entire thing, without dropping a single topping. Talented. He tells me it was delicious, but my hands were too small to hold the thing together so I had to take his word for it.

New Zealand Part 3: Our Best Day

2009-03-28T11:13:00.000-07:00

Fisherman everywhere flock to NZ's lakes and streams searching for the biggest trout in the world. It's the fly fisherman's Mecca because the fish are huge but challenging to catch. The waters are so clear they can see you coming from a mile away. Big N and I had been practicing for weeks on our fly casting. We were ready.

Most of the trip we spent wine tasting, bike riding, hunting for restaurants, visiting quaint sleepy towns, enjoying the expansive vistas, hiking in the bush on "tracks" as the kiwis like to call them, and just enjoying the gorgeous scenery. But our best day by far was the day we chartered a helicopter (a Eurocopter/Aerospatiale AS350 or a "squirrel", which I know well as Eurocopter was a former client) for some heli-fishing.

We hooked up with our guide, Simon, a kiwi with intimate knowledge of the local streams and the local trout. He picked us up from our B&B and whisked us off to the heliport to meet our pilot, Carrey. There the adventure began. We put on our waders, then took the helicopter to our first stream.
Simon would spot the fish ("got a fish, got a fish, got a fish"), then Big N would carefully stalk the fish upstream and cast to it at Simon's direction. Keeping his line tight and even, the fish would do one of three things: nothing (not hungry), bite, or spook and swim upstream. Throughout the day we had a few bites, but the crafty fish would wiggle off Big N's hook. So the helicopter would pick us up and we'd press on, looking for the next stream and the next big trout, often spotting our prey from the air.
During our trip we saw some of the most beautiful terrain on this earth, including hanging glaciers and turquoise tarns (or small lakes made from glacial waters). We ate lunch at a tarn only accessible by helicopter and dined on delicious sandwiches, homemade breads and chocolates, and of course, sauvignon blanc, supplied by Simon and his wife, and then made a final stop at a breathtaking glacial waterfall.

It was a gorgeous day. And, while I didn't catch my giant trout, Big N caught a majestic 4 1/2 pound beauty on the fly on the Greenstone River. The fish put up a nice fight, and was rewarded for his efforts when we let him go. I've never seen Big N happier. He was downright giddy. Thanks to Simon and Carrey, it was a day we will never forget.

Tight lines my friends, tight lines.

(Check out the quick video, below).

New Zealand Part 2: Foodie and Wino Heaven

2009-03-28T00:48:00.001-07:00

So what about the food and wine you ask? During our trip we visited 4 major wine regions (Auckland/Waiheke for Bordeaux varietals, Martinborough for Pinot and Sauv Blanc, Marlborough for Sauv Blanc and some Pinot, and Central Otago for mostly Pinot) and tasted until our teeth were purple. We dined on freshly picked produce from local farms, freshly caught fish from nearby seas, and freshly slaughtered lamb from neighboring ranches (they're cute but too delicious to pass up, I make no bones about being a carnivore). We splurged and ordered the decadent tasting menus with regionalized wine pairings at nearly every restaurant in which we dined. And best of all, we did this all at $.53 to the dollar thanks to the delightful exchange rate these days. What could be better?!?

I must admit I had low foodie expectations thanks to Big N's stories about the awful food he ate a decade ago on a trip to Australia. Thankfully, we were dead wrong. New Zealand food is awesome, wine too, which is good because NZ wine is all you're getting there so you best enjoy it. We found wonderful and unique restaurants in every city we visited. Here were a few highlights:

Lamb three ways (below left) and pork belly with blood sausage and grilled peaches (below right) at Mudbrick Restaurant on Waiheke Island

Razor thin Blue Fin tuna with apples and duck liver ice cream at Herzog Winery (left)

The favorite wine pairing menu was at the Tirohana Vineyard restaurant in Martinborough.

As for wineries we visited, the favorite cellar doors were:

Ata Rangi in Martinborough, for having the best overall portfolio, especially Pinot and even a fantastic Chardonnay, plus very friendly service (below, right)

and Te Whare Ra in Marlborough for being a daring husband and wife team and staying true to their ideals on just 25 acres, plus the awesome wine, of course, especially the aromatics

And the favorite bottles:

Tirohana Pinot, Martinborough, 2006

Ata Rangi Chardonnay, Martinborough, 2006

Te Whare Ra Gewurstztraminer, Marlborough, 2008

Huia Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2008

Chard Farm Sauvignon Blanc, Central Otago, 2007

Felton Road Pinot, Central Otago, 2007

New Zealand Part 1: Breathtaking Country

2009-03-27T22:17:00.000-07:00

It's difficut to summarize how amazing New Zealand is with just a few photos and a blog post, but I feel compelled to try. From the moment we stepped off the plane we knew there was something special about the land, the people, and the culture that make up New Zealand. Auckland is a bustling but pristine city filled with kiwis anxious to introduce you to newly crowned knights (we met a "Sir") while insisting that you join them for a pint at the pub. Just a short ferry ride away sits Waiheke Island with its up and coming warm weather vines and amazing restaurants and scenery.

(Mudbrick Restaurant and Vineyard on Waiheke above at left; looking back at Auckland from Waiheke at right; click to enlarge)

Martinborough was our second stop, just inland off the eastern shore of the North Island. A sleepy town with world class pinot vines and wine country restaurants, we stayed in a lovely bungalow at Parehua in between cow pasture and vineyards, and rode our bikes from winery to winery filling our baskets with the best of new world pinots.

(Riding bikes outside Parehua in Martinborough above left; view from our bungalow above right).

After that we drove (on the left side of the road mind you) to Cape Palliser, at the southern tip of the North Island, getting stuck behind a flock of a hundred of New Zealand's 40 million strong sheep, and spent a quick night in Wellington, the capital.

We then took a ferry to the South Island where New Zealand really shines. Our first night was spent in the Bay of Many Coves located within the Marlborough Sounds. The Sounds are hundreds of coves, inlets, and peninsulas within the Cook Strait between the South Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea. The Bay of Many Coves Resort was remote as can be, it only accommodates 34 guests and is accessible only by a 30 minute water taxi ride. Our villa was hidden within the bush but still on the crystal waters that make up the coves. See here for YouTube travel video.

Another short drive (keep left) to Marlborough, which produces Sauvignon Blanc that rivals Bordeaux. Here we stayed at Old Saint Mary's Convent, a lovely Victorian convent turned B&B with its own chapel and vineyard. More wine tasting (see Part 2) and bike riding among the vineyards. (Convent, below)
Finally it was off to Queenstown in the Central Otago region, which is arguably NZ's most beautiful area, nestled between glaciers, crystal turquoise lakes, streams containing massive 10 pound trout, more vines, and yes, several Lord of the Rings filming locations. Here we stayed at our favorite place, Pencarrow B&B, owned by a Texan husband and wife team who once travelled the world as the personal pilot and flight attendant for Prince Al-Waleed, the Saudi Arabian Warren Buffet. They were warm, gracious, and generous, and we spent most of our days marvelling at the sights and our nights sitting drinking wine and listening to the stories of our hosts.
(View from our room at Pencarrow of Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown, below left; and hand feeding fallow deer on Lord of the Rings film site [Two Towers, Rohan battle scenes for your nerds out there], below right)

Our trip was nothing short of epic. I wish I wrote down the name of our cabbie in Bermuda from five years ago so I could thank him for planting the seed to travel to this glorious country. New Zealand is the last place on earth that we humans populated and in this case the cliche about saving the best for last is very much true.

New Zealand Adventure

2009-03-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

On our first trip as a couple nearly five years ago, Big N and I visited Bermuda and while there we encountered a very cool local cabbie who had traveled the world and visited over 100 countries. We asked him which trip was his favorite and he responded unequivocally and without hesitation, "New Zealand" (in a cool British/Caribbean type accent). Ever since then Big N and I have planned to go down under to kiwi land and tomorrow we're finally going to where the sun rises (it's in the first time zone after the international date line).

We start our trip in Auckland on the North Island, then head to Martinborough to taste New Zealand's finest pinots, and hit up the capital city of Wellington. After that it's off to the South Island to take in the majestic sights of Marlborough Sounds, ride our bikes through the vineyards of Marlborough where they make primo Sauvignon Blanc, then head south to New Zealand's adventure capital, Queenstown, where a helicopter will drop us off in nature heaven for some fly fishing action. I've been practicing my fly casting on our pool so I'll be prepared to catch the 6 pound trouts, naturally.

All that separates us from this amazing adventure is the longest airplane ride imaginable. Do you still need a prescription for Ambien?

Best. Burger. Ever.

2009-02-25T13:11:00.001-08:00

I'm admittedly way behind on my posting --it's been a busy month-- but before I get to those I must interject with this: There is nothing like a fantastic burger. Many restaurants claim to have a killer burger, and some try to entice you with promises of angus or kobe beef, and funky aiolis and arugula. For me it's all about the toppings, and apparently, the more the better.

Big N and I took a mini-break to Santa Barbara wine country this weekend and what we were looking forward to most was the Hadsten House "all the way" burger. We first had this god of a sandwich a few months ago and have been dreaming of it (literally in Big N's case) ever since.

Picture this (except the picture really isn't doing this one justice):

Juicy tender burger on brioche bun topped with, and I kid you not: spinach, roasted red pepper, sauteed mushrooms, sliced avocado, grilled onions, cheddar, jack, goat, and swiss cheeses, bacon, and the creme della creme: fried egg. It is nothing short of genius.

We paired our "all the way" burger with Epiphany Cellars 2005 Rodney's Vinyard Petite Sirah made right in Santa Barbara County. Strong, juicy, and a bit chewy, it paired well with the richness of the burger. Man it was good!

Next time you find yourself in Solvang, stay at Hadsten House (a nice boutique motel that isn't throwing up Scandinavia like the rest of Solvang) and order the burger "all the way." I promise you'll agree... best. burger. ever.

For a Clear View

2009-02-15T18:20:00.000-08:00

I love Los Angeles after it rains. The rain washes away the dirt and dinge and allows the beauty of this city to shine through. Sometimes you have to look hard to see it, but it's always there. El-El took these pictures from our outside patio with her very cool camera. She's turning into quite the photographer (check out her Photojourna.lists)

The first is a view of La Canada looking out over our pool with Mount Wilson standing tall and proud in the background, and the second is a view of downtown Pasadena and beyond.

Dinner Party Was A Dud But We'll Always Have Fried Chicken

2009-02-15T17:58:00.000-08:00

It's always a shame when work gets in the way of your hobbies. The past few weeks I've been working non-stop and had to cancel my beloved dinner party as a result. I felt terrible because friends Eagle Eye and El-El flew out from St. L to hang out with us, especially in time to attend. Dinner party aside, we did find time to indulge in some serious foodie behavior by dining at both Melisse and Osteria Mozza (more on that in separate posts).

I also found some time to make fried chicken, a first for me. I bought a whole fryer and butchered it, (wielding my cleaver was especially gratifying) then marinated the chicken in buttermilk overnight to keep it moist and tender. I then dredged it in well seasoned flour and plopped it into my fry pan, doing my best to keep the temperature at an even 300.

Unfortunately I misjudged the done-ness of my chicken before I took it out so it ended up being twice fried, but it was tasty, tender, and very juicy. To keep with the southern theme I made some fried okra, Big N's favorite.

For a first attempt it wasn't half bad. I had so much fun making it that I plan to experiment next time with my hefty duty deep fryer. KFC ain't got nothing on me.

Dinner Party Preparations

2009-01-25T19:05:00.000-08:00

Preparations for the wine pairing multi-course dinner are well underway. If I neglect to blog in the next couple of weeks it's because I'm going to be a busy little bee planning the menu and experimenting with the dishes. I'm also forcing Big N to act as a guinea pig as I perfect them in advance of the dinner. I can't very well blog about the dishes I intend to serve as it would quite obviously ruin the surprise. The trial run helps me to leave as little as possible to chance. I also need to carefully plan the timing of each dish, especially because the menu now stands at 6 courses plus an amuse bouche and cheese course, all with intended wine pairings. Timing is everything (that and just not screwing it all up).

Friends Eagle Eye and El-El (aka Lickity List) are coming in from St. Louis specially for this dinner and I'm determined not to disappoint. Mousseux will also be in the house so the wine pairings better be spot on. The guestlist now stands at 14 but may reach 16 as we get closer to February 7. My goal is to keep it simple but delicious, and to make it as enjoyable for our guests as the last time we hosted one of these shindigs. Wish me luck.

Sunday Night Romertopf Roast

2009-01-20T10:58:00.000-08:00

For Christmas Big N's sister Star gave me a Romertopf- an unglazed clay pot with a dome lid that seals in the juices and nutrients while it roasts. I decided to try it out with a simple preparation of cornish game hen and vegetables, au-so-French. As recommended in the Romertopf cookbook, I prepared the hen by seasoning it inside and out with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and parsley. Then I mixed sour cream, lemon juice, and water and poured it into the pot (which I already soaked in water for 20 minutes) to provide the moisture. The vegetables were simple carrots and parsnips, Big N's favorite.

As promised, the dish could not have been easier to prepare, and in 1 hour we had delicious roasted hen, moist and tender. I think I can get used to the Romertopf and will experiment with other recipes. One thing to note- I highly recommend not buying the cornish hen at Whole Foods. The organic mini-bird was about a third the size of a whole chicken roaster and 3 times the price ($15). Luckily, it fed both Big N and me, barely, but I'm not sure the organic tradeoff is worth $15 bucks for such a munchkin.

We paired our mini-hen with a lovely easy-drinking Burgundy, the Bouchard Aine & Fils La Maziere, from the Fixin AOC (a lesser-known AOC near Marsannay) on the north end of the Cotes de Nuits. Wines from Fixin are known to be good value Burgundies. It had a nice Abba Zabba candied nose with some vanilla notes from the oak, and smooth spices and easy tannins on the finish. Very drinkable. We gobbled it up.

What LCG's Lusting After Today

2009-01-16T12:41:00.000-08:00

You've already heard me lusting after sous-vide meats. They are soft, tender, delectable. Veal, beef, and, I'm told, even eggs and fois gras come out delightfully delicious when they've been sous-vide. I simply must try this technique for myself.

Essentially it works like this: you place your seasoned meat or other food item in a vacuum-sealed bag, then in a water bath. The water is heated to a very precise but low temperature to cook the meat slowly, consistently, and tenderly. So if medium rare meat is delicious at 135 degrees, you'd cook your meat somewhere near that temperature for hours and hours. The fat stays in the meat and does not render off, giving the meat better texture. The danger of course, is bacteria, because low temperatures do not kill it off, so that's an issue, but well worth the gamble in my opinion.

I'm dying to try the technique myself and have been lusting after this immersion circulator, the tool required. It's not cheap, so it may have to wait until I decide once and for all that my destiny is to become a chef.

Providence Redux

2009-01-16T10:53:00.000-08:00

Last night we joined our sommelier friend 'Mousseux' for another round at Providence. Mousseux had dined at the bar before, but wanted to do one of the tasting menus with her foodie friends. Since nobody in their right mind would turn down an offer to dine at Providence, we happily accepted.

Once again the meal was flawless. This time we ordered the *modest* five-course tasting menu with wine pairings.
We dined on amazing hamachi, scallop, cod, veal, cheese, and more. For the most part the wine pairings were lovely, including the always amazing Sean Thackrey Pleiades (we simply must have more!!!), though there were a couple of misses where the dishes had citrusy sauces (see meyer lemon foam --> ), which are understandably hard to pair.

Over dinner we chatted about Mousseux's new job selling boutique wines to the best restaurants all over the country, while I thought to myself that I really am in the wrong business.

Spicing Up Monday Night Fish

2009-01-12T21:38:00.000-08:00

For our usual Monday night fish dinner, Big N and I decided to spice things up. We were inspired by the great find Big N picked up at Whole Foods: 2007 William Fevre Champs Royaux Chablis. This viscous citrusy gem, made from 100% Chardonnay, had notes of pear, green apple, and plenty of minerality, with pomelo, grass, asian pear, and meyer lemon on the palate. The wine was crying out for spicy food and I was happy to oblige.

Big N grilled up salmon filets brushed with dijon, lemon, and red pepper sauce, and added some spicy pasilla peppers stuffed with parmesan to the mix, while I cooked up some okra with indian spices on the stovetop. For the okra I started with maui sweet onions, a bit of garlic, and olive oil and cooked until the onions were soft. Then I added my spices, including mustard seeds (my new favorite after all), cumin, curry powder, fleur de sel, pepper, tandoori spice, and a bit of coriander, then added the okra for a few minutes and cooked until just browned. Next I added some water to create a thick sauce and to steam the okra until it softened. When the okra was nearly ready I added diced roma tomatoes and a bit more seasoning, including red pepper flakes to kick up the spiciness a bit.

To cut some of the spiciness we grilled up asian pears. I think we got a little carried away, because by the middle of the meal both Big N and I were sucking in air to cool our mouths off. Thankfully the wine stood up to the spiciness, so we just drank some more. Not a bad tradeoff. We're definitely heading back to our Whole Foods to buy a few more bottles of the Chablis. The acidity in the wine means we can lay it down and enjoy it over the next few years. Another great start to the week.

New Years at the Cabin

2009-01-07T10:50:00.000-08:00

The Core spent 5 amazing days at the cabin in Arrowhead over the New Years holiday. This was our 4th New Years in a row and each year gets better and better. We all arrived at the same time, slipped and slided on the black ice to get to our parking deck, marveled at how much snow there was this year, threw our bags down, examined all the new changes to the cabin (our contractor has been working overtime), changed into comfy clothes, and then--- we settled in and let the pure sensation of ultimate relaxation wash over us.

For five days I think I left the cabin twice, once to go grocery shopping (2 carts filled to the brim, oh yeah), and once to cruise around Arrowhead village for a little bit. The rest of the time I spent reading, playing games, enjoying the snow, drinking, and, of course, cooking.

I made all the comfort tummy-warming foods I could think of, including braised short ribs, roast chicken, carnitas, apple pie, baklava, cinnamon rolls, etc. etc.

Sage made a legend-wait for it-dary 15 pound prime rib. He cooked it the way his father used to by toppling it with kosher salt so it would stay moist and tender in the oven. It fed the 8 of us, plus my parents and brother who were staying over for the night.
We had a wonderful time, and enjoyed having a few visitors come up, including my family, Kerouac, and Big N's friends Hagen (5 points for anybody that can guess why I'm calling E "Hagen"), Hagen's wife Cyprus, and their 3 year old twins Qing and MeiYu. Qing and MeiYu had their first experience sledding. They were adorable. I marveled at their adventurous spirits as they went down the slope again and again without fear.
Already we're looking forward to next year.

Monday Night Fish

2008-12-29T23:05:00.001-08:00

This Monday night we had our usual fish for dinner, except tonight I made Nobu's famous miso black cod, which I'd been marinating in a sauce of miso, mirin, sake, and sugar for nearly three days. That's the only way to do it right. The fish came out flaky, buttery tender, and oh so yummy. Our friend 'Eagle Eye' would have been jealous (it's one of his favorites). I went a little out of the ordinary and paired the fish with braised collard greens, which I boiled in chicken stock, then sauteed with mustard seeds (which I've decided is my favorite seasoning of the hour), red pepper flakes, pepper, and proscuitto. The combo was a little unusual, though I think it worked despite the mixture of soft and savory textures. We paired our meal with Justin 2006 Chardonnay from Paso Robles. The Chard had just enough oak to stand up to the greens, with orange blossom honey and green apples on the nose and a lingering finish of vanilla, pineapple, and a bit of grass. I have to say that I'm rarely as excited to eat fish as I am to tear into a juicy steak, but the Nobu cod really is a treat.

Christmas Tart

2008-12-29T22:37:00.001-08:00

Big N and I spent Christmas with his family, which has sort of become a potluck tradition. N's sister 'Star' started the meal off with roasted pumpkin raviolis with browned butter and sage sauce. The raviolis were soft and tantalizing and the sage sauce ensured they weren't too heavy.
N and I contributed the meat with an amazing hunk of horseradish and mustard crusted beef tenderloin. I paired that with celery root puree, a first attempt for me. The tenderloin was to die for, red and soft inside and savory on the outside with all that horseradish and herbs. While I shouldn't have been surprised, the celery root puree actually tasted like whipped celery, not all that enticing considering I don't like celery but at least the texture was perfect.
For dessert I made a Pear and Almond Creme Tart. Big N received a box of Harry & David pears for the holidays. They were big and beautiful and juicy and we have no idea who gave them to us. The pears were gorgeous in my tart, and my crust was flaky and crisp, but I have to admit the almond creme was a little mushy and kind of ruined it for me despite my in-laws claiming they liked it. Big N's brother 'Keroac' saved the day by bringing rich cheesecake from Portos. By the end of the night we left with our arms full and our tummies fuller.

Nothing wrong with Pork

2008-12-24T21:30:00.000-08:00

I'm admittedly not the most observant Jew, nor am I observant in general, truth be told, but that's another story. I happen to love pork. Bacon, ham, carnitas, I love it all. I take great pleasure in eating and find nothing wrong with enjoying the other white meat on occasion. Getting wrapped up in the holiday spirit I decided to make Big N a nice Christmas Eve Eve dinner. So I made dried persimmon stuffed pork tenderloin and his favorite asparagus.

For the pork tenderloin I diced dried persimmons (apricots work too but I didn't have any) and shallot and stuffed the seasoned pork tenderloin, then tied it shut with kitchen twine. I roasted it at 450 for 20 minutes.

Halfway through I added the asparagus tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper. For a vinaigrette I mixed capers, more shallot, olive oil, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar, and finely diced hard boiled egg and whisked to emulsify. When the pork was done I sliced it neatly and poured the vinaigrette over the roasted asparagus. We tried to pair that with Black Jack Cellars Pinot, but alas the cork was moldy and the wine was bad. It happens to the best of them. At least my pork was tender and juicy and I don't feel the least bit guilty.

Dreaming of Arrowhead

2008-12-23T18:01:00.001-08:00

For the fourth year in a row the Core is spending New Year's Eve at our cabin in Arrowhead. We look forward to it all year long. Not just because we get to spend the entire long weekend in our pajamas and slippers eating rich saucy foods and drinking cases of wine (yes, we go through a lot of it), but because we can relax, take naps, goof around, play games, take hikes, go sledding, build snowmen, sip mulled beverages, warm our feet by the crackling fire, and just enjoy each other's friendship. What do I like best? I get to spend eons of time in the kitchen playing house. Hooray!

This year I've planned all sorts of deliciously fattening foods: homemade cinnamon rolls, braised short ribs, slow cooked carnitas, apple pies, etc. etc. It's going to be a five-day feast! We're even going to dine on prime rib cooked by guest chef and Core member Sage. (Author's note: I've been told I need pseudonyms to identify my friends because initials are "drab and annoying." So from this point on, all friends will be renamed in a way that I feel suits them best).

Arrowhead is waiting for us, with snow-capped trees and glistening blue water. I'm ready to ring in the new year with amazing friends, great food, tantalizing wine, and a sense that all is right in my world.

Winter comfort foods: Herbed Roasted Chicken

2008-12-20T20:54:00.000-08:00

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the biggest chicken fan. It can be dry, tasteless, and boring. But there is something special about juicy roasted chicken. I once knew somebody who couldn't be near chicken if it was still on the bone. It reminded her too much of the chick when it was alive. Me on the other hand, I prefer chicken on the bone and have none of the moral qualms of eating an animal that still resembles its living self. (Except perhaps pig's head-- even a year in China couldn't get me used to seeing, much less eating, roasted pig's head).

Anyway, the idea of roasted chicken sounded comforting given the chilly weather lately. Plus it gave me an opportunity to try out my new chicken roasting dish (cute, innit?); this month's free gift from our favorite wine club, Robert Sinskey in Napa. The following is Maria Sinskey's recipe for juicy chicken.

I started with a 4 pound chicken and gently pulled away the skin from the meat. I chopped up sage, rosemary, and thyme in my handy mezzaluna, added olive oil, salt and pepper to my herbs, and rubbed the herb mixture underneath the skin. I filled the cavity with salt, pepper, onions, garlic, and herb sprigs. I rubbed oil and a little more salt and pepper over the entire bird, then roasted for about an hour and twenty minutes at 425, adding carrots and more onions to the roasting dish.

For side dishes I made herbed saffron rice and fennel with mustard seed. For the fennel I quartered the bulbs. On the stove I heated mustard seeds until fragrant and popping, added chicken stock, white wine, a bit of honey, salt and pepper and the fennel bulbs and simmered for 45 minutes.

Our libation of the evening was Robert Sinskey 2005 Los Carneros Merlot. Lots of cedar and spice on the nose, earth and smoke on the palate. Fruits were dark but muted, plum, some violets, with soft leather and semi-sweet cocoa on the finish.

Sometimes it's nice to stay in, even on a Saturday night.

Monday Night Dinner

2008-12-16T16:26:00.001-08:00

On Monday nights my trainer beats me up for an hour and then makes me feel extra special at the end of our session by putting me on the scale. By 8:30 pm I'm guilted into trying to start off the week by eating a light healthy dinner. Last night was no exception. I made pistachio encrusted tilapia with spaghetti squash. Now I know what you're thinking, pistachios are fatty, but the truth is they're one of the healthiest nuts, high in potassium, magnesium, and B6. For the tilapia I pulsed pistachios, italian parsley, garlic, and a little olive oil in my food processor to make a pesto. I smothered the pesto over lightly salt and peppered tilapia and baked at 425 for 12 minutes. For the spaghetti squash, I halved the squash and cored the seeds, microwaved for 10 minutes (cheating, I know), then boiled until soft. I scraped the inside flesh with a fork to get the nice spaghetti-like noodles, then added salt, pepper, and grated asiago (parmesan works too). Big N paired our dinner with a 2001 Cottonwood Canyon Chardonnay. Crisp, clean, light on the oak, just the way I like it. Last night we enjoyed our dinner next to the fireplace, watching the stormy skies and first signs of snow off the San Gabriel mountains. A perfect way to start out the week.

Palazzo Las Vegas

2008-12-16T15:55:00.000-08:00

This weekend Big N and I celebrated our 6-month anniversary. Acting on a whim, we decided to celebrate in Las Vegas. We drove up Saturday morning, and were pleasantly surprised when upon arrival the Palazzo upgraged us to a 1500 sq foot suite. I guess Vegas really wants to treat their fewer customers right these days.

For the first time ever I didn't gamble once while there. All we did was shop and eat -- my kind of fun!! (Incidentally I bought a gorgeous Miu Miu bowler and Louboutin boots, both on sale of course. Every now and again a girl's gotta splurge). For the eating part, we decided to make it a Mario Batali weekend- dining at his new restaurant in the Palazzo called Carnevino for dinner, and Enoteca San Marco in the Venetian for lunch on Sunday.

Carnevino, as its name implies, is all about meat and wine. Our sommellier hooked us up with a fantastic 2005 Sandrone Barbera d'Alba from Piedmont to go with our appetizer of Proscuitto di Parma Riserva (aged 18 months) wrapped around gnoccho fritto (think puffed up dough squares). The Barbera was bursting with floral notes, cassis and violets, sweet but spicy. For dinner I had the most fabulous Osso Bucco with saffron orzo and Big N had the tasty crusted filet. Our bottle of 2001 Terralsole "Riserva" Brunello di Montalcino set off both plates very nicely. It was spicy and dark, with wonderful earth, cassis and tobacco hits on the back palate. By the end of the night we were stuffed and satisfied.

At Enotecca San Marco the next day, in St. Mark's square in the Venetian, we ordered salads, wine and cheese. The format of the restaurant is very cool, allowing you to choose wine and cheese flights, and to sample plates of traditional Italian light fare. None of the whites we had were spectacular, but it was fun to pair them with the cheeses we sampled. The Robiolo Bosina cheese was phenomenal- a cow and sheep milk blend that is soft with a light edible rind. It was so good I asked the waitress to jot down the name of it for me.

Driving home we both realized we need to be spontaneous more often. So I made a list of all the places we can go for a weekend minibreak when we're feeling spontaneous. And no, I don't see the irony of that at all.

Humble Beginnings: The Dinner That Started It All

2008-12-10T09:20:00.001-08:00

I guess you could say that I got my "calling" in Spring 2007, when I planned an eight course wine pairing tasting menu for 15 of our closest friends. I was completely wrapped up in the planning, preparing, cooking, and hosting and it was one of the most magical nights I can remember (after my wedding, of course). Each course was artfully paired with wines Big N and I selected, and on the back of the menus the guests tried to guess the varietal, appellation, and price point of each wine (which of course became more difficult the more wine you drank!).

Here was the menu:

amuse bouche: selection of cheese and pates
soup: cream of cauliflower with roasted croutons
and black truffle oil
starter: smoked salmon crostini with capers and creme fraiche
first: miso, mirin and sake glazed chilean sea bass
with baby bok choy
second: pancetta and shiitake ravioli with sun dried tomato bechamel sauce
intermezzo: blackberry sorbet
main: braised beef short ribs with wild mushrooms and polenta
dessert: kiwi strawberry napoleon with mascarpone and raspberry sauce
finale: selection of truffles

My friend A remembered to take pictures and sent me this lovely montage of the evening's greatest hits.

After that night I was hooked. I felt completely at home, passionate and creative for the first time in as long as I can remember. I decided that one day I will be a proper chef. Then I can plan, cook, entertain, and drink gobs of delicious wine with impunity. One day.

Recreation: Green Apple Rosemary Sorbet

2008-12-09T17:45:00.001-08:00

As promised, I attempted to reverse engineer the Green Apple Rosemary Sorbet we had at Niche in St. Louis last month. My friend A at LickityList originally experienced this delightful treat with me, and we both formulated a plan to try to recreate it ourselves.

Here's how I attacked it: boiled rosemary in simple syrup until my entire house smelled like a Christmas tree. Grated 6 granny smiths (unpeeled) and the juice of one lemon in my food processor (because I broke our blender making bisque on Thanksgiving, boo), then pulsed until I had juicy puree. Strained the juice in my chinois, then added just a hint of the pulp back into the mix for texture and color. Then I added the juice mixture to the rosemary simple syrup and threw all of that into my ice cream maker. Unfortunately, my impatience got the best of me (as usual) and I made two critical errors: 1) I didn't freeze my ice cream maker bowl long enough to bring it down to freezing temperature, and to make matters worse, 2) I didn't chill my simple syrup enough before pouring it into the ice cream maker. You can guess that freezing the solution into a lovely sorbet consistency was pretty much a lost cause. Also, waiting around for the mixture to freeze caused me to lose some of my lovely green color, making my sorbet look more like pea soup, a problem also experienced by A at Lickity List (because as we all know, apples brown: polyphenols + oxygen = rust colorations).

Determined not to forfeit, into the freezer my concoction went. It froze as expected, I scraped and scraped the rock hard green mass with a spoon, and voila: Green Apple Rosemary Snow Cone...minus the cone.

The verdict: the texture was all wrong (because it wasn't, afterall, a sorbet), but according to Big N, the taste was actually better than Niche's. Mine had more rosemary flavor, which gave it a refreshing minty quality, but it wasn't too sweet. I may try this one again, sans Ice Cream maker mishaps. It'd make a lovely intermezzo for the wine pairing tasting menu I'm planning for late-January. More on that later.

Wine Pairing Dinner: Pinot Noir and TBA

2008-12-07T10:44:00.000-08:00

Big N and I took a trip to our cellar to drop off some wine and pick out a couple that have come of age. Last night we invited friends H & M over for a wine pairing dinner featuring two of our favorites: Pinot Noir and late-harvest Trockenbeerenauslese (this one was of the Ortega grape varietal, a Müller-Thurgau hybrid similar to Reisling), or TBA for those in the know.

We started off the evening with Penner-Ash 2006 Willamette Valley Pinot, paired with two sheeps milk cheeses, Dante- a hard cheese, and Guilloteau Berger de Rocastin- think brie but with more barnyard qualities. The pairing was beautiful. The Pinot was spicy, earthy, with plenty of terroir typical for the dark volcanic soil of the Willamette Valley, more old world style. The spiciness was complemented perfectly by the creaminess of the Guilloteau.

For dinner we did a surf and turf: ginger sake glazed grilled salmon, ginger garlic and soy marinated flank steak, sweet potatoes with clove, cinnamon and maple syrup glaze, and sauteed spinach garnish. We paired that with a Pinot from one of our favorite Central Coast producers: Cottonwood Canyon 2001 Elizabeth's Vista Pinor Noir from the Santa Maria Valley. This pinot had some age to it, so it was a beautiful crystal clear garnet color, with strawberries and cream, soft leather and scented tobacco notes and a touch of gaminess, and dark fruits on the lingering finish. Not as spicy or earthy as the Penner-Ash, but the ginger and clove in the meal complemented the wine well.

For dessert I cooked a recipe from The Wine Lovers Dessert Cookbook. 'Tis the season for Quince! I made individual Quince Pot Pies, spiced up with cloves and cinnamon, and added a little TBA to the mix because cooking with wine never hurt anybody. We paired it with the TBA of course, Villa Palatina 2005 Ortega Trockenbeerenauslese from the Pfalz region. This wine was a beauty- it can be aged 40 years! Amber golden color, peachy notes with stone fruit and molasses on the palate. The wine is so viscous it reminds me of maple syrup. The apple/peachy quality of the quince and the buttery flaky topping brought out the creaminess and tempered sweetness of the wine.

My tummy was satisfied and my palate was quenched. Not a bad way to spend a mellow Saturday with friends.

Hearst the Collector

2008-12-05T13:48:00.001-08:00

Last night Big N and I attended LACMA's exhibit Hearst the Collector. The exhibit displayed several works collected by William Randolph Hearst, including knight armor, pottery, charcoal drawings, drawings of Hearst Castle from the architect that designed it, antiquities, and paintings. My favorite piece from the exhibit was the Canova sculpture of Venus. The sculpture was flawless. It didn't dawn on me until later that the reason it appealed to me is because I adore another of Canova's famous sculptures, Cupid and Psyche, which I gawked at for nearly an hour at the Louvre.

Another amazing piece was this one of Santa Barbara. A smaller sculpture in person but equally captivating.

The exhibit inspired me to save money to buy art. According to KCRW art critic Edward Goldman, who gave a lecture before the tour began, buying art makes you live longer and healthier. That's reason enough for me.

Providence

2008-12-03T10:57:00.001-08:00

Last night I took my husband, Big N, to Providence for his birthday.

The two-starred Michelin restaurant occupies the old Patina space on Melrose. Warm and spacious inside, with high ceilings decorated with artsy barnacle looking thingees (the restaurant specializes in seafood).

So, we splurged by ordering the 9 course tasting menu with wine pairings, and since that wasn't exactly enough food for our foodie palates, we simply had to order the wagyu beef too.

I have to tell you, I never thought I'd be so pleased dropping so much dough on a meal, but hot damn that food was good. I wouldn't want to spoil it for you by giving you a complete list of the dishes we had, which are simply too numerous to mention, but I can tell you that I was amazed by the amuse bouche (above, please forgive the iphone picture), which had, starting from left, a gin and tonic gelee, a mojito bubble, which burst in your mouth with minty goodness, and a fennel saffron shot. What a bonus- my mouth was truly amused. Highlights also included the scallop with a generous portion of shaved truffles, the cheese plate course (we chose 4 from about 25 cheeses offered), the veal tenderloin tournedos sous-vide with chanterelles and celery root puree, and of course, the wagyu ribeye. The wine pairings were atypical and surprising. Gems included the Sean Thackery vxi blend of petit sirah and syrah and the Casa Rivas 2006 carmenierre from Argentina that was served with our wagyu ribeye.

My husband and I had to hunker down to make it through our 10 lovely courses, but I'm happy to report that nothing went uneaten. Even the dessert (coconut tapioca with kfir lime and shiso lichi sorbet) and the petit fours were gobbled up.

This restaurant ranks up there with my favorites, and I cannot wait to have an excuse splurge there again!

Kudos to Providence. I'm a fan.

And thanks to our friends at lickity list for the recommendation.

Post Thanksgiving Wrap Up

2008-12-02T15:45:00.000-08:00

Well, Thanksgiving was a success, by my standards of course. The house was lovely, my food was well received, and breaking bread with family and friends reminded me how much I have to be thankful for and what a truly amazing year this has been.

The only hitch- rookie blogger that I am- I forgot to take pictures! I was so wrapped up in being the hostess that I completely forgot to memorex the holiday so I could brag about it to you all. Darnit! The only picture I have is of the picked over Turkey carcass, which should at least prove that my Turkey rocked (thank you Martha Stewart brining recipe). Will post that one for kicks later. Here it is:

I guess I'll have to prove my holiday entertaining prowess at New Years. We're heading up to the cabin in Arrowhead and I plan to spend my days in the kitchen! More on that to come.

Eating in St. Louis

2008-11-25T12:54:00.000-08:00

This weekend my husband and I went to visit friends in St. Louis. Not to bore you with details of my mini-break, I'll simply tell you about a few of the delectable things we ate.

After arriving late (thanks to my blunder not leaving enough time to check our bags and being bumped on standby, twice), our friends D & A took Big N and I to a charming Scottish pub called the Scottish Arms. I had lamb shank with Bubble & Squeek (potatoes), A had the Steak & Stilton Pasty, and Big N, had the Sheppherd's Pie. But by far the winner of the evening was the Cock-a-Leekie pie that D ordered, a take on chicken pot pie with creamy soup, leeks, and puff pastry sealing in all the steamy goodness. It was delicious, and warmed the belly in the 25 degree St. Louis weather.

Night 2 we ate at a hip restaurant called Niche. The chef there is Gerard Craft (voted by Food & Wine this year as a best new chef). We each ordered the tasting menu. Winners on that menu were the scallops with popcorn jous, the "Reuben", which consisted of Rye flavored gnocchi, pickled cabbage, and beef tongue, and the lamb sous-vide with cauliflower puree. For dessert we had a the coconut kulfi, a first for me. I'm told that "kulfi" is a type of ice cream made from sweetened condensed milk. This one had a toasty coconut vanilla flavor. Needless to say it was rich but fantastic. Sweetened condensed milk tastes better than chocolate to me. We all enjoyed every one of the five courses, which were just the right portion size, however it was the sorbet served before the final course that especially caught my attention. The flavor was granny smith apple with rosemary. It was a beautiful shade of frosty green, was nice and thick, and had almost a minty apple quality to it. Wonderful. Both A and I decided to try to duplicate the recipe in our respective kitchens and report back. More on that to come.

Despite the cold, we had a wonderful time in St. Louis. We especially enjoyed D's home made Chai lattes. D made them by adding carefully measured quantities of cinnamon stick, cardamon pods, clove, and black peppercorns and mixed them up in his mortar and pestle. He added the spices to water flavored with fresh ginger, let those boil for a while, and finished it all off with black tea and milk. The chai made my belly warm and soothed my aching lungs. I will be sure to make D's chai concoction in our home this winter.

Thanksgiving: Monday

2008-11-25T12:43:00.000-08:00

Last night began my week of Thanskgiving preparations. I came home from a weekend trip to visit friends in St. Louis with bronchitis. Determined not to let my illness and germs affect my Thanksgiving holiday, I hightailed it to my doctor and asked for the heavy meds. I also asked the nurse for a face mask so I can cook without worrying about hacking germs into my bisque. By last night I was feeling better and ready to cook.
Went grocery shopping and picked up all the fixin's. Last night I started things off by making Acorn Squash Bisque, minus the cream, which I will add on T-day. The bisque came out a little chunky, having used just my stick blender, so tonight I will pour it into my blender in batches to try to thin it out, and if that doesn't work I'll press it through my chinois to get it nice and creamy.
Tonight I'll make the ginger-cranberry chutney and buttermilk biscuit rounds to freeze until I can pop them into my oven on T-day. I'll also press my table cloths, polish my silverware, and set up the tables.
One last minute substitution to note. I was planning to make a pumpkin layer cake, but decided that every time I make something for dessert with pumpkin, my family usually neglects it and goes for the store bought cream pies instead. This year I'm giving up all pumpkin pretense and have decided to make triple chocolate cheesecake (with creamy chocolate ganache on top) along with my apple crumb pies for dessert. This year the pumpkin will be implied.

Thanksgiving Preparations

2008-11-18T10:30:00.001-08:00

My husband and I invited our families over to see our new home for Thanksgiving. So it'll be the first time we're "entertaining" and I plan to go big. 25 guests, 4,000 blessed calories for each of them is my goal! Typtophan be damned. The best part is I get to do my favorite thing: PLAN!

So here's my Thanksgiving week plan:
Monday: grocery shopping, start thawing my bird (if frozen is the best I can find)
Tuesday: make the Acorn Squash Bisque, set the tables, assign seating, freeze raspberries and mint leaves in adorable fish-shaped ice cube trays from Ikea
Wednesday: start brining the bird, make the pumpkin layer cake, prepare bread and vegetables for stuffing, make the ginger-cranberry chutney, purchase and arrange flowers for center pieces, make fruity ice tea
Thursday: beer-braised brisket in my dutch oven by 9:00 a.m.; complete the stuffing and stuff my bird, place bird with roasting vegetables in the oven by 10:00 a.m., make Dutch Apple pie, make a vegetable (either artichoke heart casserole or cauliflower gratin of some sort), make buttermilk biscuits, heat the Bisque, find time to shower, greet arriving guests, collect the green bean casserole, jello mold, and mashed potatoes from my aunts and step-mother and arrange in serving dishes--lovely, uncork the wine, greet more guests, set up the buffet with my new chafing dishes, and serve the soup garnished with croutons and truffle oil, then wow them with my Thanksgiving extravaganza.
Thursday night- awake from food coma and clean up
Friday: recover, maybe make a Turkey/cranberry sandwich with leftovers, if I can stand to eat any more.

I love the holidays.

Halloween: Caramel Apples

2008-11-03T17:57:00.000-08:00

My brother threw a raging Halloween bash this weekend. Mostly it was a ruse to provide him with a means to propose to his lovely girlfriend (now fiance). For my part I decided to bring candied caramel apples.

I went a little crazy loading up on candy including caramel, apples, oreos, butterfingers, toffee, Reese's peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, white and dark chocolate. After covering the apples in thick caramel, I rolled them in crushed candy and cookies in various combinations, then drizzled the apples with melted milk and white chocolate. The result was a coma inducing sugar fest. The Halloweeners were quite pleased, though I have to say they were a bit too chunky.

Notes for future attempts: buy enough caramel to allow for dippage all the way to the stick, and crush the candies in my food processor. Lazy me.

Failed Attempt: Cheesy Churriscaria Rolls

2008-11-03T17:30:00.000-08:00

This weekend my cooking adventure was to try to duplicate the delicious cheesy doughy goodness dinner rolls that I've devoured at the local churriscaria. The restaurant itself is so-so, but the cheese dough balls are to die for. I fantasize about having these rolls daily-- opening the flaky crust and digging out the warm gooey center. Heavenly.

So I started with a simple choux (1 cup flour, 4 eggs, 1 cup water), the same kind of dough used for profiteroles. I added fresh thyme and parsley, and grated in pecorino and gruyere, plus salt of course. I baked for 40 minutes at 400 and the result was tasty, but the texture wasn't quite right. The crust was flaky and slightly crunchy, but the inside was too eggy, and not nearly enough doughy goodness. Alas, weekend craziness did not permit another attempt, but I intend to nail these by Thanksgiving.

Churriscaria rolls will be mine to cherish any time I want. I'm determined.

Random Musings of a Lawyer Who'd Rather be Cooking

2008-10-31T15:13:00.000-07:00

Today starts a new adventure, really more like an experiment. You see I've been practicing law now for about five years. And while I'm proud of my career, and good at it if I can be perfectly candid, what really excites me is cooking. And eating. And baking. And wine.

My passion for food began early, but it wasn't until recently that I discovered I have an uncontrollable urge to feed people. Maybe some day I'll pursue another career in the food arts but for now I intend to keep things simple. Lawyer by day, aspiring chef by night.

In the meantime I intend blog about my adventures with all things food and wine, and maybe throw in a few of the more interesting legal adventures, though as it happens all the really juicy stories are privileged. Boo.

Onward...