The Restless Chef

Sunshine in a jar

2012-02-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

There are far too many Meyer lemons hanging from the tree. And lemon curd is too easy to resist.

Key tip: have the eggs at room temperature.

Pour one half cup of fresh lemon juice over 3/4 cup sugar. Let steep and dissolve a bit, stirring it along.

Beat two eggs well, in a medium saucepan. Add lemon mixture, blending well. Cut one stick of butter into pieces, add to mixture.

Set saucepan (or double boiler) over (OVER, not IN)
simmering water, adding water as necessary. Stir gently and occasionally as the mixture warms up, monitor it more closely as you go along, 15 minutes or more. At some magical point it will turn from soup to custard, and you will have a very fine lemon curd indeed. (What's the clue? It will now coat your spoon, rather than slip off). Mix in a teaspoon or two of finely grated zest. Cool. Slather it onto scones, biscuits, muffins, top off your non-fat Greek yogurt, spoon into pre-made tart shells. I like it for breakfast. And lunch. And dinner.

For the Weekend, Or, Weekend Recovery

2012-01-30T09:00:00.000-08:00

My friend Robin and her friend Robin came up with a twist on the martini:

One part vodka
Two parts blood orange juice

Shake well and pour into cocktail glasses.

Splash one part ginger ale, garnish with freshly grated ginger.
Bloody delicious.

SOPA

2012-01-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

Yeah--late to the party.
First off, I could not connect. Where I come from, this is what sopa is:

Heat a little oil in a sauce pan. On medium, saute half a pound of vermicelli or coiled pasta until lightly browned or toasted. Feeling wild? Saute a half cup of frozen carrots and peas as well. Crumble in a cube of instant broth, chicken, veg or beef, add a quarter cup tomato sauce. Add a cup and a half of water. Cover saucepan, simmer on low until the broth is absorbed by the noodles.

This was a go to dish when I was raised, an instant hit with my son when he was younger, and comfort food to my grandparents. Long ago, after traveling to Europe and arriving in France, worried about what they would find to eat, they were delighted to be served this dish.

Pork Tenderloin

2012-01-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

This is an easy piece of meat, one that I have often sniffed at, skeptically, and avoided.
Was it the cost? The strange shape?

For some reason I slipped it in my shopping cart.

Season a pork tenderloin (1-2 lbs) or two with garlic salt, pepper, sprinkle with dried or
chopped fresh rosemary. Grate the zest of one small lemon over it. Let sit on your counter for
an hour to absorb the seasonings. Place, fat side down, on a tin foil lined roasting pan, in a 400 degree oven for thirty minutes. Remove from oven, turn fat side up, return to oven and bake until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.(Five to fifteen minutes).
Remove and let rest, another 5 to 10 minutes.
On your platter or cutting board, slice cross-wise to thickness you deem fit. Serve with whatever delights you, macaroni and cheese, ratatouille, roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes. A dream in seasoning and tenderness.

Slow cooking

2012-01-16T09:00:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you have the centerpiece of a feast that deserves special treatment. Like a lamb roast, donated by an occasional carnivore, in search of the perfect approach. And yes, you have to risk a new approach will turn out delectable, despite misgivings and a suddenly unreliable oven.

Gigot a la cuillere
Which is French for lamb tender enough to eat with a spoon.

Heat your oven to 210 degrees.
In a Dutch oven, heat a tablespoon of olive oil. Take your four pound lamb roast, shank or shoulder and brown on all sides. Remove lamb, pour out oil and fat. Add a bottle of plonk (white--if, like some you have an aversion to $2 Chuck, find a $4 bottle at the grocery story) and deglaze, scraping up any bits and pieces. Add a cup or two of chicken stock, bring to a simmer. Add browned lamb, five crushed garlic cloves, a bay leaf, a sprig of parsely, a sprinkling of dried rosemary or a sprig of fresh. Cover and place in oven, for 5-7 hours, (that is correct, not a typo) turning the lamb hourly. If the stock seems overly reduced, add a half cup of water as necessary.

What's great about this slow cooking is that it allows you plenty of time to check your email, write a few chapters of your novel, set the table, take a nap, chat on the phone, all the time not worrying at all at all about what's in the oven. Unless you're mildly neurotic, like me, and you spend your 5-7 hours fretting (baselessly) about how it will turn out.

Remove from oven, let rest fifteen minutes or so. Serve sliced or shredded, with your choice of sides, (creamed spinach! roast potatoes!) to general acclaim.

When Life Gives You Turnips

2012-01-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

Few things are more "local" than a nearby friend offering you the bounty of her own garden. I've eaten turnip raw (peeled and salted), oven roasted, added to mashed potatoes (oh, my children still mock me for that effort), but no experience with turnip greens. Up till now.

So, if you, too, find yourself with a bushel of greens, here are my recommendations:

Slick a low and wide saucepan with olive oil. Add a two cloves garlic, one meaty shallot, and saute briefly, until tender. Sprinkle in a half teaspoon of chili pepper flakes, and whisk around. Add your cleaned and chopped greens (a pound or so) and stir until covered with oil. Cover and let simmer on low heat for 5 minutes. Stir at your leisure. Remove lid, add a half cup chicken stock, sprinkle with salt, and cook, covered, on low, for fifteen minutes.

You'll be glad you did.

Does this REALLY all go together?

2012-01-10T17:00:00.000-08:00

Shotguns and Skeet, BBQ + Whiskey Tasting

Color me very, very concerned.

New Year's Wishes

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

My definition of civilization is below.

"The country of Bhutan’s emphasis on GNH, or 'Gross National Happiness,'dates back to 1972 when King Jigme Singye Wangchuck coined the term. And they back it with a Gross National Happiness Commission set up in 2008 to guide public policy. Here are a few examples of how the commission reviews public policy proposals. Do proposals:

Increase or decrease levels of stress in the population?
Discourage or encourage physical exercise?
Increase or decrease “economic security within the population”?
Increase or decrease “material well-being within the population”?

Their prime minister explained to a reporter from The Guardian:

'In the end, the development must be about furthering human civilization … to increase and improve the level of human well-being and happiness. We are talking of happiness, not of a sensory kind. The human being has material as well as emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs.'"

What would the US capitalism look like if these were our guiding principles? How truly civil-ized.

May Bhutan's conception spread.
Thanks, Karen, for pointing the way.
Read the entire article here, and happy new year!

Favorite Things

2011-12-20T10:00:00.000-08:00

Traditionally, the day after Thanksgiving I blast the Christmas carols. Traditionally, a week before Christmas my family is ready to crucify me.

In any case, each December we choose and test-run a new album. Last year we invested in and were disappointed by Annie Lennox's. This time we bought and fell in love with KiHo'alu Christmas, Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar. My favorite quirky album has got to be the one pictured here. Listening, you may find Martha Wainwright's "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year," incorporates all the wistful angst of scattered adult Christmases, while Rufus Wainwright's dark and dismal "Counting Stars," from its first dissonant notes makes my daughter and me giggle uncontrollably. What are your seasonal music traditions?

Sweet Somethings for shipping

2011-12-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

In case you need gift ideas for shipping off, a few ideas spring to mind. The first time I tasted pears courtesy Harry and David, it was as if I had never tasted a pear before--recently I found a great promotion slipped into the pages of Sunset magazine. Need chocolate with a twist? Senor Murphy's, based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is wonderful, and I'm always sorry more people haven't heard of them. Try the bolitas (fudge, surrounded by chocolate, then chopped almonds) or Twin Peaks, two almonds in a blob of caramel, dipped in dark chocolate.

Perhaps you're dashing off somewhere and need a hostess gift quick--swing by The Little Flower Candy Co. Pricey, but delicious and lovely to behold during Christmas time.
But I'll be you already knew that.

Feeling frugal, and like baking? Two of my favorites here and here.

Something different.

2011-12-08T14:00:00.000-08:00

Now's the season for Fuyu persimmons. They don't have to be mushy soft, or cooked, like the Hamachi variety, to be palatable. Raw these are firm, crisp, mildly sweet, with a flavor all their own. Let me know if you're a fan.

Thank you for asking

2011-12-03T19:02:00.000-08:00

Yes, still in the dark. On the upside I have a very clean refrigerator.
I tackled it like a triage unit: what is the most vital and perishable?
That one was easy, we all know room-temperature vodka is vile. I made sure to polish it off
before tackling anything else. And after that, what could possibly matter?

Thanksgiving

Thank You
for all my hands can hold--
   apples red,
    and melons gold,
     yellow corn
       both ripe and sweet,
         peas and beans
          so good to eat!

Thank You
for all my eyes can see--
lovely sunlight,
   field and tree,
    white cloud-boats
     in sea-deep sky,
      soaring bird
       and butterfly.

Thank You
for all my ears can hear--
birds' song echoing
   far and near,
    songs of little
     stream, big sea,
      cricket, bullfrog,
        duck and bee!

--by Ivy O Eastwick

Reality Check

2011-11-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

Driving down a busy street I noticed a long line of people. What was the draw? What was the event?
A closer look and I realized it was a food bank.

Well, my lads and lasses, I consider myself a generous person. I'm sure you are one, as well. I respect the charities to which I send my funds; none of them, however, address hunger in the city where I live. This week I'm dropping off funds at the food bank, so they can buy the foods they need to stock, and I gently recommend that you, kind reader, consider it as well.

(Although knowing my readers they're waaay ahead of me).

Cameo

2011-11-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

Faithful readers, please check out my story here, published today, on fiction365.com

Dr. Drew Shameless Shill

2011-11-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

Yes, people die, people die in required surgery, people die from elective surgery. But the lap band deaths display an incredible disregard to medical procedures, monitoring and follow up. The industry preys on those who face our cultural opprobrium of obesity--and I feel for people who think this operation is their salvation.

Dr Drew currently promotes it on radio ads. What I want to know, doc, is would you really recommend it to someone you loved?

Gourgeres, if you dare--

2011-11-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

Pay no attention to the quantities of butter, cheese, and beating. Keep your mind focused on the result, and an accompanying quaff of champagne.

This is one of those standard French recipes apparently everyone knows so well they can tinker with it--a tip of the toque to Dorie Greenspan.

Melt a stick of butter, along with one half cup milk and one half cup of water in a heavy saucepan. Add half a teaspoons salt, bring to a fierce boil then add one cup flour. Beat like a mad woman from Chaillot, over low heat, until the flour is fully incorporated, and a more or less cohesive mass. Continue cooking and beating for a moment or two longer, then turn into a mixing bowl, where the mass needs to cool for a few minutes, before you begin incorporating the eggs.

One at a time, beating each egg in until it is fully incorporated, add five eggs. Whew!!! Now add a mixture of grated cheeses: cheddar, gruyere, maybe some chives, perhaps a smattering of nutmeg, but around 6 ounces or one and a half cups of hard, flavorful cheeses.

Spoon the mixture onto your silpat or greased cookie sheet, a tablespoon at a time. Pop into a a 425 degree oven, and immediately turn the heat down to 375.

If you have an uneven oven like mine, turn the trays after ten minutes. Should take between 20 to 30 minutes.
Long enough to clean and dry the champagne glasses.

Pumpking Cravings

2011-11-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

Our dining companions, clearly more sophisticated than us, for we scanned right past it on the menu, ordered it. Out came the oven-toasted flatbread, covered with slivers of cooked pumpkin, feta cheese, prosciutto, arugula and a scattering of toasted pumpkin seeds. The pumpkin was tender and slightly sweet, a terrific foil for the bitterness of the greens and the crunch of the seeds. An evening of good wine, food and friends, but even now all I can think about is that unexpectedly delicious flat bread.

The night of the living unread

2011-11-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

When you pass on book after book, you have to wonder, is it them, or is it you?
Here is an abbreviated list of books I have been unable to finish recently, followed by my excuses.

Robert Harris, author of The Ghost Writer, the basis of one of my favorite films from last year, also penned Archangel. BBC made a series out of this, starring Daniel Craig, another seal of approval. Mr. Harris is an amazing writer, just pick up Imperium and you will find yourself privy to the mind and soul of Roman Cicero, and you will care, and care deeply. Halfway through Archangel, set in Russia five years back, however, I still had no idea what the title referred to, nor why I should care. Nyet.

The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson, whose book jacket details his many fellowships, awards, and a photo which reveals him to appear about 19; this is one of those novels that has been glowingly praised just about everywhere. So hip and arty that if flies far above my pedestrian interests in plot and plausibility. Halfway through I finally realized I'd rather have an ingrown nail than follow their lives any further.

Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. Incomprehensible. Intentionally so. Put me right in my place and I returned said novel to its rightful place--somewhere between the potato peels and the coffee grounds.

Tattoos on the Heart by Gregory Boyle. I'll confess, this one's all me. The preface alone reminded me how little I've done with my life--and instead of galvanizing me forward I kind of got paralyzed, and was unable to turn to the next page.

Gentle reader, which novels do you admit to being unable to read to the very bitter end?

Just say "No" to bland white fish

2011-10-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

Tilapia's a recent addition to the American dinner table, and if you don't mind buying it from China, quite the deal. But where's the zest?

Saute one rather finely sliced onion, one red or orange or yellow bell pepper (too many green bell peppers spoiled the foods of my childhood) and a teaspoon or so of minced garlic in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Cook on low until soft, say at least ten minutes. Add four diced tomatoes, cover and let the vegetables cook down, over low.

Once the tomatoes have self-destructed into sauce, add a tablespoon of capers and a tablespoon or more of sliced green olives. Then gently lay your boneless, skinless filets of tilapia over the vegetables, and again gently, cook covered on low, until the filets are cooked through. Not sure how to judge that? The fish will flake when prodded with a fork.

Serve over rice and enjoy.

Why I am a bad consumer

2011-10-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

The other day I needed to replace something. I realize "something" is vague; for the purposes of this exploration let's call it the sturdy hand towel, that has graced my downstairs bathroom for years, or perhaps it was a search for a bright shiny saucepan to replace the one that's been seasoned perfectly and dented by years of use. No matter, I had a mission.

There is a problem living in a quiet neighborhood. Most other places qualify as sensory overload, and so it was with my excursion. It was not the cinnamon scented Yankee candles, it was not the rows of Thanksgiving knicks and knacks, nor the spry and fey Santas so festively garlanded. Nope. It was the announcers coming from the tv monitors.

The announcers, certain of my reluctance to buy and incompetence in using their products, stalked me through the rows and aisles. They insisted I learn how to build a gingerbread train using their kit; how to set a perfect table; how to fold a napkin; how to use a swiffer; how to competently snap shut their storage boxes, how to use a magazine rack, over and over and over again. I surrendered my credit cards to the first store clerk I came across, and fled.

Musical Detour

2011-10-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you missed LA Opera's version of "Cosi fan Tutte."
It was based on the Glyndebourne Festival's version.
See of clip of that here.

Food for Thought

2011-10-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of Altadena Hiker, a haunting tune.
Swedish, by origin, and the lyrics are about wandering far and wide,
with a lunch made of blue and yellow milk, bread without butter or cheese.
How ignorant I am, when I asked the student who introduced me to this song.
What does blue and yellow milk mean?
Rancid, she answered.
Even Sweden had its moments.

Right here.

Flops

2011-10-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

It seemed a simple enough recipe, from my trustee go-to book in all things Italian, by Marcella Hazan. For years I'd sliced chicken breasts lengthwise, thin filets cooking in minutes, tender and juicy. This particular recipe called for doing that, and filling them with a ground pork mixture. Check. Then it called for tying up the bundles "like a roast."

I don't know how you tie up a roast. How hard could that be?
Since my hands were sticky with raw chicken and my stomach growling with hunger, I didn't bother to google it. I had the appropriate twine in my utility drawer, and, I, which I thought was rather nifty and farsighted, cut said twine into six long strands. I then proceeded to bundle up raw chicken, cooked pork, supplemented by, when necessary, toothpicks.

I should have remembered that I use gift bags--not gift wrap. With all the pork filling spilling out I felt like I was trussing a mobius strip.

Never mind! I moved forward, sauteeing the little suckers, er, bundles, which Marcella reminded me should cook rather quickly. I cooked them longer than I thought necessary, and then a little longer for good luck.

My dinner companions cut through the twine, removed the toothpicks, and sliced up their savory chicken bundles to reveal raw meat. Through and through. Bravely, they microwaved what was on their plate.
So did I. Now it tasted like a chicken who had died in vain. I scraped it back into the pan and made my dinner of spinach, Ceasar salad, and viognier. Lots of viognier.

Summer

2011-08-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

I don't usually pop for over $10 for most bottles of wine, particularly a rose,
but this one called to me from the wine racks at Whole Foods. Gorgeous deep color, fruity and balanced, $13 of summer, to the very last drop.

Hyperbole and a Half's Cake

2011-08-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

Blue? Tired? Despondent?
You must read this. Now.
It should make you forget your troubles
for as long as it takes to read it, and then some.

Moules Mariniere

2011-08-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

Does cooking seafood frighten you? Does just looking at it give you the shivers?

I remember going to Tijuana as a kid and watching them crack open clams, adding lime, onions, hot sauce,
cilantro and making a spectacular cocktail. Or, digging on the beach and coming up with those wildly
iridescent interiors of mussel shells. Shell fish was always an exotic item, and never served at home.

But mussels are easy! Sustainable, and relatively inexpensive:

In a soup pot saute two tablespoons of butter. Add and saute a minced shallot. Splash in a half cup of white wine and let it boil down a bit. Bring to a simmer. Throw in your pound of freshly rinsed mussels (somehow they no longer have beards, those bits of grit you have to pull out of them) cover, and cook--5-7 minutes on low, until all the mussels have opened.

Garnish with parsley. Serves one mussel hungry person.

August Recommendations

2011-08-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

5. Key lime pie at La Grande Orange
4. Fried duck egg on grilled asparagus at Kings Row Gastropub.
3. A free concert at Farnsworth Park amphitheater in Altadena or the Levitt Pavilion in Pasadena.
2. Caprese salad with home grown tomatoes.
1. Drinks on the veranda with family or friends or both.

What delights do you have to recommend for this wonderful month?

Simple Things

2011-08-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

You probably already have your favorite grilled salmon recipe. Maybe thick steaks, lightly salted,
grilled long enough to cook the exterior and keep the interior medium rare. Heaven.
Perhaps filets, marinated for an hour or so in orange juice, parsely, salt, pepper and a splash of olive oil.
Perfection.

Here's my latest pick, courtesy of a favorite friend.

Make or buy your batch of pesto. If you're using Marcela Hazan's recipe here, just blend the basil, salt, olive oil and pine nuts. You won't need the butter or Parmesan cheese.

Take your one to two pound salmon filet, skin-side down, and spread your pesto gently to cover the top of the fish. Carefully place, again, skin-side down, on pre-heated grill, set to low low low.

Cooking time depends on the heat of your grill and the thickness of the fish. If you like it cooked thoroughly the fish is done when flaky on top.
Remove from grill; if removing it in one piece seems tricky, remove it in serving portions.
I guarantee you will love the contrast between the pink salmon and the dense green pesto.

Serve with a luscious potato salad, and some sliced tuscan melon. It's summer, after all!

Breatherians Unite!

2011-07-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

My scale is telling me that I am transforming into a breatherian.

I'm not keen on this change, as I have long had an attachment to consuming nourishment the traditional way. On the upside, it's slashing our food bill and I'll have tons of pots, pans, etc to donate to Goodwill. The family won't miss my cooking, they've always been resentful of the lack of convenience food.

Any sister breatherians out there with wise coping tips? I don't have much hope, knowing that faithful commenters here here and here are slender lasses. One in particular (no names) hides her stash of evening sweets from the kids. Sigh. It's hard living here on the astral plane---

Crabby Patties

2011-07-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

Life is simple. It is our expectations that seem to complicate everything.

For dinner all you need is the right bottle of white or rose, summer, crab cakes and chipotle mayonnaise.

For each pound of crab you will need:
one egg
1 tsp seafood seasoning
two tablespoons mayo
two tablespoons sour cream
1/3 cup bread crumbs
half a bell pepper (red, orange or yellow, they're so much more festive than pedestrian green)
Minced chives (optional, adds a nifty bit of color)
season responsibly.

Mince your bell pepper and sautee in a tablespoon of butter until soft. Cool.
Mix all of the above ingredients together. Form into manageable patties, about a tablespoon or saute, and
saute briefly until browned on both sides. Serve on a bed of arugula. If you don't like chipotle mayo blend some wasabi into a tablespoon of mayo and sour cream. Kapow!

Tanked Ogre

2011-07-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Who can imagine that something dealing with "split-strike leveraging" could be so compelling, and ultimately a page-turner?

A flim flam man people simply wanted to believe.
I've worked with one or two people like that, haven't you?

No recommended menu here, only a confirmation of my own biases, on business self-interest.

"Life's exactly as it looks
Love may triumph in the books
Not here"

---Song of Ogres
W H Auden

Why not a frittata?

2011-07-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

One hungry morning I found leftover string beans from the dinner the evening before. What to do, what to do? Marcela Hazan, to the rescue.

Crack and mix four eggs. Add salt, half a cup of grated parmesan cheese, a cup or so of chopped string beans (or asparagus, or cooked artichoke hearts). Add a tablespoon or so of butter to your ten inch skillet. Heat on medium. Once the butter foams pour in your mixture, even it out, if need be, and turn the heat to low, low, low. Your frittata will cook from the bottom up, 10-15 minutes. The top will be runny, so, slip it under the broiler for 15-30 seconds, until set.

Slip onto a serving dish, garnish with a chiffonade of basil (I just enjoy that word, it doesn't mean chopped, exactly, more like in strips) and a side of sliced tomatoes from your garden. Or Trader Joe's.

What? You don't have a broiler? Try flipping your frittata, like a pancake. If you succeed, you're a better and braver cook than I. Or, you could run out and buy this nifty gadget.

A pickled garnish

2011-07-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

Picking up my Diana Kennedy I came across such a simple recipe.

Finely slice one pound of red onions.
Place them in a mixing bowl.
Add one half cup fresh lime juice,
one and a half teaspoons sea salt.

Macerate for two hours before sprinkling on grilled fish or meat everywhere.
Or add to your media noches. Or pulled pork sandwiches.
It's crisp, tangy, and not at all as oniony strong as you might expect.

Keeps in a sealed container for at least a week, and I find the bright pink hue particularly beguiling.

Downton Abbey

2011-07-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

Fans of Masterpiece Theater will recognize the title--the rest of us?
When you have a deep need for class differences, sibling rivalry, spectacular cinematography, Anglophilia escapism, "Downton Abbey" is just the ticket.

Only 7 episodes, and I rationed them like chocolate in 1984.
Must be my sentimental side.

Sigh.

After Midnight

2011-07-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

Medianoche, that fabulous Cuban sandwich, is filled with different textures and flavors, and perfect for any
pork roast leftovers you may have hanging around. For those in the know, there is great debate over the appropriate bread. Perhaps you have a Cuban bakery nearby, and can ask for the correct sweet, egg bread. I make do with bolillo rolls.

Per person you will need:
a sandwich roll
sliced ham
sliced or shredded pork roast
sliced Swiss cheese
yellow mustard
mayonnaise
dill pickles

Slice the roll. Spread mayo and mustard on each side. Layer cheese, pork, ham, pickles. Brush the top and bottom of the roll with melted butter. In a heated skillet or sandwich press, grill your sandwich, until the bread is crisp and a bit compressed, and the cheese melted.

One bite and you, too, will have after midnight cravings.

Coleslaw updated

2011-06-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

Nothing better to cool down a hot evening or a spicy main dish like coleslaw.
My grandmother had her favorite: shredded green cabbage soaked in salted water
to crisp it, then drained. A dash of vinegar, sugar to balance the tang, and mayonnaise to taste.
Mixed well, perhaps a bit of red cabbage for color, and a sprinkle of dried mustard for
spice. Simple and delicious, and you probably already have a variation of it.

But want trying to impress at a summer potluck? Try this variation via Martha Stewart.
Napa cabbage, radishes, daikon, and a zingy dressing that will knock the socks off of
your conventional slaw. Find it here.

Spicin' up that white meat--

2011-05-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge fan of James McNair's recipes ever since I got a copy of his at my bridal shower. The recipes are clear, the photographs make you want to run out, buy every ingredient and start cooking!

But I, perhaps like you, fall victim to routine, and rotate the same recipes in and out, week in, week out. The other night I was racing home and realized my guests needed a splash of protein to accompany the drinks I had offered. I picked up this copy and found another winner, one that I hadn't previously had the imagination to try.

Cube a chicken breast. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and thyme (proportions? More spice for heat, around 1/2 teaspoon each per chicken breast). Let sit for a half hour.
Melt half a tablespoon butter along with half a tablespoon oil in a saute pan. On medium high heat quickly saute your chicken cubes--3-5 minutes, turning to cook through.

What a great nibble to go with a glass of almost anything--

Last Meal

2011-05-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

As you know, the end of the world is scheduled for Saturday May 21st. I'm not sure whether that's Greenwich Mean or Pacific, in any case the implication is that Friday night is the very last supper.

I have a fondness and affinity for those who believe in the end times. After all, for many years I was a devout fan of The Late, Great Planet Earth. So, to be inclusive, as well as on the safe side, I have penciled in a meal of final requests:

To start the day:

croissants flown in from Broca's, Paris.
(or perhaps, Ugo's, in Sierra Madre)

To end the meal:
gelato flown in from Italy. Or, perhaps Bulgarini, around the corner.
Or perhaps hot fudge sundaes all day long.

And in between? Caviar and blini? Foie gras? Gumbo? A mess of mole?

Let me know one of two of your favorite things---

See you around, or, then again, not!

Refried Beans.

2011-05-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

It's astonishing, the amount of invective hurled at this simple dish. Identity and food can be so overwhelming,and, of course, the basis of ethnic stereotypes and slurs.

However, this is a dish I embrace.

Three cups of home made beans, including liquid.
In a deep skillet, heat one to two tablespoons of lard. (Of course you can use vegetable oil, you can even doctor it later with butter and milk--but there is no substitute for this animal fat.)
When hot, turn off the heat, stand back, and pour in the beans. When the sizzling has stopped,
raise the heat to medium. Take your potato masher, and start mashing. I personally like them fairly well pulverized. Allow the liquid to bubble away, to your preferred consistency. Thick or thin, it's your call.

The beans should already be well-seasoned, but if they seem too bland, add salt.

I really have been quite thick about comfort foods, not understanding ice cream and macaroni and cheese as go-tos. And yet, if I think about it, refried beans made just right, on a hot flour tortilla, with a dollop of sour cream, is my Valium.

Mother's Day Plans

2011-05-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

In an alternate universe my day would include:
reading novels
vodka
and
cigarettes

(Please don't tell the kids--)

In the official universe it will include deli fixings from Billy's in Glendale--and some form of drama, to be determined.

Easter Bunny Wishes

2011-04-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

The Easter Bunny can bring me plenty of these, by the crate.

Knock knock
Who's there?
Ether
Ether who?
Ether Bunny.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Samoa.
Samoa who?
Samoa Ether Bunnies.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?!
Consumption.
Consumption who?
Consumption be done about all these Ether Bunnies?!?!

Ah, yes, The simple things. Malted milk balls and corny knock knock jokes always hit the spot for me.

Last Gasp, East Egg

2011-04-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

I came across this online at the LA Times. Apparently they are demolishing the 20,000 square foot
mansion that was said to have been the model for Fitzgerald's novel. A photographer took a number of evocative shots, that you may enjoy. Here. Click for the slide show.

What does this have to do with food? It made me think of feasts past and feasts future.

Currently Reading

2011-04-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

Goddess Margaret, in the LA Times, right here.
btw, I think not only did they like her writing, but I think they really really liked her head shot!

Weekend Cocktail for a lazy Evening

2011-04-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

Since my daughter moved to Manhattan I've been trying to acquire the taste. Mixologists recommend rye, so I've been buying rye bourbon. I like the sweet, the bitter, and the iciness.

However, before a swinging artistic event, three of us stopped into Fraiche, a trendy/swank restaurant in the ever-aspiring-to-be-somewhere Culver City. This time the bartender used orange peel, searing it with a match to intensify the aromatics. I sipped, savored, and approved. So did AH. Later in the week I tried this at home, and this is what I came up with.

Fill your shaker halfway with ice.
Add 2 ounces bourbon ( I really like Buffalo Trace or Bulleit)
Add a splash of angoustura bitters
Then a splash of Regan's orange bitters.
Add one ounce sweet vermouth.
Swizzle, and let it sit in the cocktail shaker, so the drink chills completely, without getting watery.
Pull out your previously chilled cocktail glass, strain drink into glass. Garnish with orange peel.

And relax! Your taxes are filed. Aren't they?
If not, sip celebrate that this year you can wait until Monday--

Constant Cravings

2011-04-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

Salty, nutty, with a soul-satisfying crunch, I buy these at my scale's peril.
Once the bag is opened, they are quickly decimated. How 'bout you?
What disappears around your house?

Salad Days

2011-04-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

As I kid I dreamed of the salad dressing that Lucy Ricardo pitched. I knew, just like everyone else who watched it, what it tasted like: fabulous!

The other night I was out, and my husband, inspired by restaurants that drizzle bleu cheese dressing over hunks of iceberg or romaine, dug up this recipe. When I got home I had to taste it, for quality control, of course. In an instant I realized, this was it. This was that dressing I could practically taste, years and years ago.

Mush 4 ounces gorgonzola or bleu cheese.
Blend in half a cup of mayonnaise.
Drizzle in up to a cup of buttermilk, to desired salad dressing consistency. Season aggressively with salt and pepper.

Drizzle, a la Smitty's, over ice berg, or, a la Beckham over romaine.
Garnish with finely chopped tomatoes.

If, for some reason, doesn't live up to your expectations, try it again, except this time have someone else make it. Food always tastes better when someone else cooks. Because then, it's like magic.

I'm in love!

2011-03-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

This was a Christmas gift. For nearly three months it sat silently, behind jars of spices and bags of pasta, waiting. It was only a matter of time before I would come across it, and dip a teaspoon in.

Sigh. Life should always be like this. Need a supply? Williams Sonoma. Hate shopping? On a frugal budget? Here's the home version, via Richard Sax's Classic Home Desserts:

Take a can of condensed milk. Pour it into a 9 inch pie pan, cover with foil. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, place pie pan in larger roasting pan, and fill with warm water until the level of the water comes halfway up the pie pan. Bake until rich and thick and caramelet, around 90 minutes.

(I've never tried this, once I open a can of condensed milk, its life is short-lived).

Switching Plates

2011-03-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

Since the goddess Margaret is tackling food, I thought I'd steal a page from Financially InKleined and tackle
business.

This from the Rotary Club, circa 1932

This 24-word test for employees to follow in their business and professional lives asks the following four questions:
"Of the things we think, say or do:

Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?"

Kids, imagine what capitalism would really look like, if more businesses were run this way. Read it again.
Frankly, I think it's revolutionary.

Quick, simple, delish

2011-02-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

If you've paid any attention to chicken recipes these days, every one is clamoring for organic, free range et cetera, and an equally large contingent are hollering back "elitist rubbish!"
If I have extra cents in my pocket, I really don't begrudge paying more-I think of it as a quality of life topic, the chicken's, not mine. I don't claim to taste a difference, and when I sometimes do (for the better) I wonder if it's a placebo effect.
I always try to cut down the consumption of slaughtered animals in my house, but it's challenging when one of the household members has derided carbohydrates as the source of all evils in the world. Sigh.

Something very simple to do when you have a whole chicken breast, on the bone.
Poached from Ina Garten.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, even under the skin. Add dried or fresh herbs to taste, like thyme, tarragon, basil.

Place on baking sheet, 350 degrees.
Roast for 30 minutes.
It will be moist and delicious. Slice to have a sliver of the skin and herbs.
Serve with pan roasted asparagus garnished with crumbled goat cheese and toasted pecans.

Heaven!

PSA Retraction

2011-02-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

Boo boo-
Apparently the discount was not for Fridays, but for Feb 11- Feb 14, aka Valentine's weekend.
Boo hoo

Yes, it is my duty to make this public service announcement.
Sure, you know that plenty of shops give you a 10% discount when you buy 6 or more bottles of vino.
But did you know Whole Foods give you 30% on Fridays?!?!?
I'm stocking up on $9 Graves Entre Deux Mers (a crisp French white, with a clean finish), a bubbly $9.99Louis Pedrier rose that has a dry finish and won't stop till that last drop is gone, and some inexpensive but palatable plonk, Melanto Terrace Cabernet that clocks in at $6. And I'll get 9 bottles for more or less the price of 6--
Gosh, then I'll have to cast about for a reason to share it--

Fusion Cuisine

2011-02-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

The Chinatown of my childhood, (the one of downtown Los Angeles) celebrated the Year of the Rabbit this past weekend with a parade. My African-American friend and his Peruvian wife invited us--so we hopped on the Gold Line, exited about where we bought a Christmas tree once, and ambled over to barricades.

I tried to think back to the last time I stood on the street and watched a parade pass before me: I couldn't. While the evangelists had their six-year-old blond boy warning urging us all to believe in the one true way, and Asian supporters carried banners of a rather brutal crucifixion and statements in Chinese that I couldn't read, my son and I set off in search of food. He was hungry. I thought: pot stickers. Lychee or green tea ice cream, shops filled of incense; again, the experience of my childhood.

We found the food truck zone: crepes, lobster, hamburgers, french fries, shaved ice, grilled cheeses.

We found the fountain I used to hover around, with my sister, pitching pennies in.

We found an espresso shop.

While the mayor rode by, martial arts experts staged a mock battle, the bobbing dragons swirled past us, and tubes of gorgeous confetti exploded around us, my son ate sliders. As my friends and I watched the crowd and the participants including South Pasadena High School, Alhambra High School, Pico Rivera Elementary, City Terrace Elementary (a hovering mom kept squirting a water bottle into kids' gaping mouths) it was clear no one culture or heritage had the lock on this parade.

There you have Los Angeles, showing the rest of the world the inherent possibilities.

The next time I want Chinese food I'm heading to Monterey Park

Food Pairing

2011-02-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

What goes best with murder mysteries?
In this instance, vodka, blini and caviar.

Actually, perhaps a bit of champagne to start.

What am I talking about? My novel HUMAN CARGO is
now an ebook. Forget the magnums, let's open a jeroboam!

More info here.

In the Tiki tiki tiki tiki tiki room

2011-01-28T09:00:00.000-08:00

Not sure what to do this weekend?
How's does visiting a dive bar in Silver Lake sound?
The three of us set off, met a little after 5 on a Saturday afternoon and squeezed through the crowd to order a Mai Tai, Roy's Mistake, and the Blue Wave. By an act of Ka ne, two barstools materialized in front of us,
and we could settle in, more or less comfortably, to munch on the bar crackers, and admire the two men mixing drink after drink, pouring jiggers and jiggers of rum, and other spirits swirling pineapple juice, mixing them with a small swish of the blending machine.

They sell a t-shirt that lists all their drinks, and you check them off as you work your way through. Let me know how far you get.

Thanks for the photo, Dr David!

Tinga Poblana

2011-01-24T09:00:00.000-08:00

Tinga is the style, Poblana means from Puebla.

First, roast your pork in the usual way. (Braise then simmer, for hours, covered, on the stove top, adding water as necessary. Use pork butt, or pork shoulder, 3-4 lbs). Cool until easy to handle. Remove bones, gristle, you know, the connective tissues that force us to consider vegetarianism. Shred. Return meat to its juices. Char a pound of tomatoes in a skillet, evenly, then drop into a blender. Char a couple of garlic cloves as well. Add 2-4 canned chipotles (depending on your heat tolerance) and the juice from half an orange, or a quarter cup of orange juice. Blend. Add to shredded meat, let simmer on low for 15 minutes.

Garnish with:
chorizo which has been cooked down
avocado slices
red onion slivers marinated in lime juice.

Ladle over rice, or place into just heated corn tortillas. Let me know how it turns out.

How to feed a hungry crowd.

2011-01-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

Outta town guests still around?
Not sure how to feed them, and simultaneously get rid of them?
We got you covered. Right here.

Best Soup this Year

2010-12-28T09:00:00.000-08:00

Is what I made the other night from this Christmas present. She calls it Paris Mushroom Soup. For me, it had a depth of umami savoriness I haven't gotten elsewhere. Up until now my mushroom soup has been the Joy of Cooking's, with its bechamel sauce and pureed onions and celery. I think it helped that the stock I used had been from poaching a whole chicken. Want the recipe? It's posted right here.

From our Family to Yours

2010-12-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

Recipe for Sunshine on a Cloudy Day

2010-12-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

It's right here.
And it seems to be working already!

It's that time of year

2010-12-21T09:00:00.000-08:00

for delicious, warm things. Here's a favorite of mine. Take it when you're asked to bring an appetizer, or serve it to your guests. I think credit goes to Williams-Sonoma--

Preheat oven to 325

In your blender or food processor whiz together: 8 oz drained, cooked artichoke hearts (frozen or canned is fine, skip the marinated ones), 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup mayonnaise (are you still with me?) 8 oz cream cheese, 2 cloves garlice, 2 jalapeno peppers (I always skip those, if I don't know the crowd's spice level). Place into a quiche or pie dish. Bake 30-40 minutes until lightly browned on top.

Let rest 5-10 minutes, then set it down in front of your guests, with pita chips or crackers, or calorie-mitigating crudites. Trust it to disappear quickly, and your once dignified guests will arm wrestle over the last bite.

Short Ribs for a Wintry Weekend

2010-12-16T09:00:00.000-08:00

Cold weather and Christmas carols: I'm in heaven! So, what to cook while the fire crackles? Something that can get more and more tender, while it bakes in the oven.

The other day I found boneless short ribs at an incredible price. I found this recipe at Epicurious, and am now a fan. I'll be popping it in the oven Saturday night, and looking forward to savoring it with a terrific syrah.

Dredge 3lbs boneless ribs (or 5lbs with) in flour.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of bacon fat in your dutch oven. Brown short ribs.

(News flash! Listened to Shirley Corriher on NPR, and found out that if you put protein on hot fat, let it sit for NINETY SECONDS before turning and the protein will not stick. Honest! I've tested this!)

Remove ribs from fat. Add additional bacon fat if necessary, or reduce to 2 tablespoons. Add: one pound chopped onions, six carrots scraped and sliced, 1/2 teaspoon rosemary. Saute until softened, then add four minced garlic cloves. This will smell like heaven. Add three cups beef broth, bring to a simmer. Add the short ribs, cover, and pop into a pre-heated 350 degree oven. Bake until absolutely tender, 2 hours minimum. Then invite me over.

Holiday Hits, Misses

2010-12-13T09:00:00.000-08:00

What are you listening to, as you sip your Mexican hot chocolate, or Tom and Jerry, or coffee spiked
with egg nog?

I'm not a fan, in general terms, of Rufus Wainwright's dead pan delivery, but I find myself loving this album, for a couple of their songs: the wistful, "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" and the bouyant "Spotlight on Christmas."

Each year we buy a new album, and try to incorporate it in with the standards like Christmas in Lake Woebegone, Nat King Cole, Putamayo, Boston Pops. Some, like the Roches, or the Gypsy Kings, are played just once, and hidden. Others, like the Chieftains, become favorites. This year we're trying out Annie Lenox's latest, "A Christmas Cornucopia." What are your faves?

Faithful readers know I tend to stay too long at holiday parties. Here's a tip: Put on Celine Dion massacring eardrums in O Holy Night. I'll be outta there.

Sanity Paws

2010-12-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

When abandoned golden retriever Denby is rescued by Santa in the Nevada desert on Christmas Eve, he knows he has found the perfect family. But over the months between one Christmas and the next, Denby finds himself again and again doing what he has been told not to. Is it magic? Are his actions somehow tied to the injury he had when Santa found him? Or is he just a bad dog? With the help of a reindeer, some elves, and Santa himself, Denby finds that solving his own mystery could also mean saving Christmas.

Yes, kids, it's an e-book, but you don't need an e-reader to read it. You can download the Kindle for PC or Mac apps here. and read it on your computer. Or use the Droid, iPhone, iPad or Blackberry apps to read it on your phone.

You can see and buy the book here.

I know with all the dog lovers in this crowd, only a Grinch could resist. I lickin' my chops in anticipation of sitting before the fire, and reading this puppy.

Peppermint Mochas for Fuss Pots

2010-12-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year where everything is candy cane scented and flavored: ice cream, chocolate, cookies, coffee. I can't resist, myself. But instead of popping into a corner coffee pit stop, I mix 'em at home. I must confess, this is not the recipe for people who are only awake enough to push a button.

Brew your espresso or coffee. In your coffee mug mix two teaspoons sugar with one teaspoon Barry cocoa (more or less sugar, to taste, of course). Heat and froth 1/3 cup of milk.
Add coffee. Add 1/8 of a teaspoon of peppermint extract (a drop or two, any more and it becomes medicinal). Mix in the milk to your desired proportion of liquid and froth. Turn on the Christmas carols and skip reading the paper this morning.

Public Service Announcement

2010-11-27T09:00:00.000-08:00

Okay, this is not a deep, sweet, humane post like my fellow bloggers here, here and here.

This is for those of you who need an escape, an inexpensive way to wind down this weekend.
Tried to DVR Masterpiece Theater's updated Sherlock Holmes, but something happened?
First three episodes here, until December 27th. I know what I'll be doing later.

Yeah, tradition

2010-11-24T09:00:00.000-08:00

You've got your turkey, dressing, gravy whatever tradition, come the fourth Thursday in November.What I'm curious about, is what do you do Thanksgiving eve? Thanksgiving morn?

Years back in Brea, as a waitress at Alphy's, wearing my comely fall colors (orange skirt, thick brown waistband, white peasanty shirt, and nylons. Nylons!) I worked Thanksgiving morning. Who, I asked myself, would go out to breakfast on the morning of the feast day itself?! Our beloved neighbors, that's who, all five of them filled up the counter I was working, the very same neighbors with whom
we were later feasting. Yah, they tipped well.

Lately, up until this year we shared Thanksgiving Eve with our friends-- a simple pasta or deli dinner, rounded out by a number of bottles and laughs. This year, instead, we'll be picking up our daughter at the airport. And now I'm wondering about you. What do you do before the iconic meal? I'd love to know. Btw, have a warm and bounteous Thanksgiving~

Would you like brine with your meal?

2010-11-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

AH, always the provocateur, asks what kind of brine gal am I?

So, I've brined chickens. They're juicy inside, crisp outside, flavorful too. But you can't stuff 'em, they're waaaay too salty. And, face it, for some of us turkey is just an excuse for the dressing. This year spin-the-turkey has singled me out; and, sure I could stay with the tried and successful: steamed turkey, courtesy the bird in the bag from Reynolds (and it works great, just fine, cook it breast side down, and your turkeys will always be moist and flavorful), but my heart craves adventure.

(Uh, married and monogamous, I'll take my adventure where I can find it). So, to answer AH, dry brine! I can't commend it, yet, because the feast is still a few days off. It promised to be simple: Use three tablespoons of kosher salt to sprinkle inside and out of a 15 lb turkey. I hit a glitch on the next step: slip into 2 1/2 gallon bag, and squeeze the air out. Two bags refused to seal. By the third bag I sprinkled another teaspoon or two of salt (to make up for all that got left behind in the previous storage bags) and pushed the air out. And kept pushing. Apparently I have a less-than-airtight bag.

Thursday morning I will remove it from the bag--stuff it, roast it, and then decide. Need the details? Courtesy Russ Parsons here.

Or, are you having a panic attack, cuz even though the house is tidy, the plates are washed, the crystal's gleaming, you've got your priorities straight because there's plenty of booze on hand, but you have no idea what the heck you're feeding those 5-12 guests? Patina's got you covered. They'll even deliver. Just let them know, like, NOW!

Count Down

2010-11-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

Growing up we ate my grandmother's cranberry relish: grated berries, chopped nuts, bits of orange and peel.
We loved it. My mother attempts to recreate it, these past few years but, for me at least, it's never quite as I remember it. As she works on hers for the feast on Thursday, I'll start mine today, giving it three days to mellow into sweet/tart perfection.

Bring 1 1/2 cups sugar mixed with 3/4 cup water, 3 cloves, 3 allspice, 2-3" cinnamon sticks to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Cook until the sugar is dissolved, the syrup clear (three minutes or so). And the one bag rinsed cranberries and cook until they pop! (five minutes or so). Remove from heat, add grated zest of one orange.

Too fussy? Use the recipe on the bag. It's fool proof.
Like a little kick? Try this one at Epicurious.

The Four Food Groups of a Random College Student

2010-11-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

4. Sushi
3. Butter
2. Ketchup
1. Nutella

Clearly it was something I did.

Soup's on!

2010-11-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

There are so many old standards: albondigas, matzoh ball, minestrone, cream of mushroom, split pea.
This past weekend I was browsing through my cookbooks (the actual, not the virtual) one of which I had received as a wedding gift and have been using since. What I discovered is there are so many recipes I
haven't tried--always going straight to the tried and true. But this week, I decided to stretch myself, try something new from Diana Kennedy, and pass it on to you.

Besides chicken broth you will absolutely need limes and 2 chiles chipotles.

Bring 6 cups of chicken broth to a simmer. Add two peeled and diced carrots, 6 ounces trimmed and halved string beans, (the first time I made this I used the zucchini I had on hand), one diced tomato, and let simmer for 20 minutes.

Now, add the chiles, half a cup of garbanzo beans (already fully cooked, muchisimas gracias) and let simmer for another five minutes. Remove the chiles.

Ladle into a soup bowl. Sprinkle in a few tablespoons shredded chicken, squeeze in a quarter of lime.Diana recommends garnishing with a few strips of the chiles and cubed avocado.

I anticipate wrinkled noses at the thought of a squeeze of lime. Think Thai food. Think lemon grass. Then squeeze.

Warning: this comes with a kick and may be addictive. I've already made it three times...

Recently Overheard

2010-11-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

1) As I run errands the commercial on the radio says, "Did you know, if Proposition 19 passes, people can come to work high?" The commercial uses the h word about twenty gazillion times.

My husband says, "I'm sure some people already come to work high."

2) Outside of a favorite wine shop, a group of waitresses huddle for their cigarette break. The manager comes out and says, "By this time next week, you can be lighting up a joint." One waittress, puffing away, says, "I just don't like drugs, myself. Never have." There is no trace of irony.

I load a case of my drug of choice into the trunk of my car and drive off.

More October

2010-10-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

In October I'll be host
To witches, goblins and a ghost
I'll serve them chicken soup on toast
Whoopy once, whoopy twice
Whoopy chicken soup with rice

--Maurice Sendak

Quite the generous host.
When my children were younger, I'd paw through their haul and munch happily: smarties, pixie stix, jolly ranchers, low-ticket items, unlike the king-sized Snickers and Hershey bars they'd never share. Out of pity, they'd throw miniature Snickers my way, and fobbed off their miniature Milky Ways on their dad.
This year I am wavering between buying bushels of corporate candy, or hiding in my room with all the lights off.

What will you be doing?

The Balancing Barn

2010-10-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

Let's go. Four nights in Suffolk, England, just around $1,000.
Sleeps 8. Are you in?

Her-oes

2010-10-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

Here she is.

Ramekins

2010-10-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

I bought numerous white ramekins. In my mind's eye, I pictured
creme brulee, elegant puddings, lemon custard.

Well, I got the egg component right. This morning I was scrounging around in my fridge,
and figured, waste not want not. A coupla baked eggs on last night's chopped spinach,
stretched out by a bit of dried out goat cheese, garnished with that one remaining slice of
bacon, fried crisp. Doesn't sound appetizing, right? The result was worthy
of high falutin' guests. Provided they eat eggs.

Baked Eggs:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In single serving ramekin place half a slice of toast. Or not.
Add:
left over chopped spinach.
Or leftover risotto.
Mix in or grate on top cheese: swiss, cheddar, parmesan or, baaaa, goat!
With the back of your tablespoon press down a concave area (or convex. I forget.)
Crack an egg. Salt and pepper it. Top with a little left over heavy cream.

Bake 14 minutes or so, until desired firmness. I like my eggs runny.

Smell Like a Monster

2010-10-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

Fans of the terribly witty Old Spice commercial must check this link here.

What I love about October

2010-10-01T15:00:00.000-07:00

I can't resist these triangles of sugar. Cheerful and evocative of autumn foliage to come. I particularly enjoy pairing them with walnut pieces. It's a great combo that somehow makes me feel more virtuous.

Didja enjoy the morning's thunderstorm? I practically jumped out of my seat from the din. A delightful omen

Soda Pop

2010-09-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

A faithful reader from NYC recommends this.
And it's in LA, kids--

TMI

2010-09-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

In the past week two acquaintances have told me more than I ever wanted to know.
I stress the word, acquaintances. Family, friends, fellow bloggers, I will listen to--whatever they want to tell me.
But ya gotta draw the line somewheres.

Scenario #1: Details regarding the disintegration of a marriage, the infidelities on both sides, the dirty little details.
Scenario #2: Breast augmentation gone awry.
(What? I wanted to ask. Are we in some kind of outtake from the Real Housewives of New Jersey?)

Now, starving reader, I have pondered the genesis of these two events. Why?!?!? Why?!?!
And after much contemplation I realized, because I didn't offer them any food to put in their mouths, to stop the terrible onslaught of overly personal information.

To help you avert similar disaster I recommend:
withdrawing all potent potables.
Offering food that requires concentration and attention.
Like chicken wings.
Or tostadas.
Or nachos, with a very spicy salsa.
I'm just sayin'

Man of the Moment

2010-09-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

Dear Mr. Colbert:

Thanks for reminding us, "'whatsoever you do for the least of my brothers.'" I like your brand of Catholicism. Chapeau.

Looking for helpful tips

2010-09-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

Faithful readers:

I've got this brilliant kid living in the center of the universe who can do plenty of clever things, but not cook. I'm wondering, what's your favorite little-to-no prep meal? Really, anything
to add to the repertoire of cereal, sandwiches, quesadillas and ramen.

I look forward to the suggestions!

Nuts about Walnut Oil

2010-09-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

A dinner party or two ago, a dear friend brought this as a hostess gift. Normally, I am not a fan of fussy oils or vinegars, so it took me some time before I picked this up to use. And what a surprise! A toasty, nutty flavor just terrific.

The next dinner my friend attended, I used the recipe right on the bottle for the salad dressing:

4 tbls roasted walnut oil
1 tbls balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
dash of salt.

Simple and delish.

Local recommendations

2010-08-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

Don't you love being in the know? Like visiting a new town and having someone give you the skinny on the best fattening foods?

Our quartet has turned into a trio over the past week. We dropped off our daughter at the center of the universe, that's right, NYC. In January I had walked past a place near Grand Central; this past week I walked in, got pizza by the slice for the kids, and a wonderful stuffed spinach calzone, drenched in garlic, crammed with mozzarella, truly a thing of beauty. Bringing back the slices to the hotel room the elevator fella sniffed at the label on the box.
"You wanna know where to get the best pizza in the city?"
Are you kidding me?! Of COURSE I want to know!
He leaned over to let us in on the secret, pausing, then pronouncing "California Pizza Kitchen."

Okay. So maybe the ratings by locals are overrated.

Compounding Your Errors

2010-08-20T11:30:00.000-07:00

Richard Feynman gives some interesting advice. If you don't know how to pronounce a word, pronounce it loudly. Dr. Laura apparently knows the correct pronunciation, she's just confused about appropriate usage.

Interesting about some personalities who use scorn and humiliation for entertainment purposes: they turn out to have the thinnest of skins.

Doing things all wrong--

2010-08-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

Sigh. After another season of New Jersey Housewives, I realize I've been doing everything all wrong! Yes, I know, I, along with many others, choked when Teresa paid hundreds of thousands of dollars, in cash, for furnishings. And, no, I don't need a black onyx kitchen counter. And her husband is a bit of, well, a vulgarian. But did you see the size of that jewel he gave her on their tenth? The chinchilla jackets the girls wore in their gondola? The size of the cruise ship they sailed out of Venice, Italy? The size of their bankruptcy? In case you hadn't heard, $11 million.

I know her Bravo gig isn't going to cover that. But what slays me, is how did they get to dig themselves so deep? Some company (ies) was definitely extending an enabling hand (s). And, what does it feel like to spend so much money?

Fuhgidaboudit Pasta:

Bring salted water to a boil, add a pound of pasta. I'm keen on fettucine or linguine.

Slick a saucepan with olive oil. Heat on medium. Add 4-6 minced anchovies and stir until the anchovies melt away. Add a coupla minced cloves of garlic. Let sizzle for half a minute, don't let it discolor. Add a pound of chopped tomatoes, salt, simmer and stir until soft. If you feel that's too simple kick it up with minced basil and black olives. Pour over your drained pasta.

Fresh Fish Friday

2010-08-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

US farmed rainbow trout is a "best choice" according to the Monterey Aquarium's seafood watch. I picked up a four pack the other day, dived into a coupla Jamie Oliver recipes, and emerged with this:

Preheat oven to 475 (whaddya complaining about?! This is the coolest So Cal summer on record!)

Mince a bunch of thyme, mix with sea salt and olive oil and use to coat the interior and exterior of the fish. Lay in a baking dish.

Boil a pound of rinsed and trimmed string beans until tender. Drain. Set into another baking dish, coat with a tablespoon or two of olive oil, add cherry tomatoes if they're handy, salt, and pepper. Set 6-8 anchovy filets on top.

Bake for ten minutes or so. Half way through I stir up the green beans with tongs, making sure anchovy bits get every where. I turn over the trout, to be sure that both sides get a bit of the heat.

A small miracle: everyone in the family approved.

iSolation

2010-08-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

Full disclosure: I'm one of those whiny broads who complain when someone whips out their handheld to answer, text, or find information to confirm or deny a passing snippet of conversation. I will needle the gadget freaks and their partners. What, we in the flesh aren't good enough to hold your attention? Don't contain enough sparkle or zing or flavor?

And yet, and yet...

I'm the same one who packs three or four books to filter out the noise of the mundane, or to shield myself from unwelcome feelings (boredom, irritation, etc.) If anything, a book is even more anti-social, because it creates a worm hole in an alternate universe where the company is either witty, knowledgeable and urbane, or thrilling and entertaining, or emotionally engaging. How can real life compete with that?

I dunno, but I'm working on it!

Recommended reads: Breakfast with Socrates and Hamlet's Blackberry (which has gotten a lot of attention this past month). I may even unplug my laptop, close my book, leave my phone behind, and talk to someone, face to face. I'm just having a little problem getting started.

What I'll be doing

2010-08-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

with the rest of my summer. Check it out right here.
Got any favorites of your own?

Chipotle Bacon

2010-08-02T09:00:00.001-07:00

Got your attention did I? Good! Okay, so not precisely bacon, but grab a coupla thin pork chops, with bone for texture and fat for flavor. Flash pan fry them, a minute or so on high each side, then lower the heat. Add a cup or so of canned tomatoes pureed with two chipotles and a little of their sauce. Cover the sauce pan and simmer on low for 15-20 minutes (those dry pork chops will simmer tender, if you let 'em). Serve with rice and beans and warm tortillas, and let me know how you like it.

Don't drink and write!

2010-07-30T12:26:00.001-07:00

This news flash from the NY Times here.

Chipotle Mayonnaise

2010-07-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

It's been too hot to do anything more demanding than picking up a phone to order pizza. Really, who wants to grill when the temperature's over 100? But last night I had a can of crab in the fridge, made a quick batch of crab cakes, with a little chipotle mayonnaise. Chipotles are those dark smoky chiles; in adobe they acquire a tangy zing of vinegar, which makes their salsas even more memorable.

In your blender for every half cup of mayonnaise add two chiles en adobo, with a teaspoon or so of their juice. For an added thrill toss in a teaspoon or so of capers. Puree.

I guarantee it will knock your socks off.

Dark and sweet endings

2010-07-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

Do you grill fruit? Marcella Hazan, that goddess Italian, introduced me to the concept. Half an apricot, peach, or nectarine, a teaspoon of sugar--charred skin, sweet stone fruit.

Wait--stone fruit gone off or just gone, grab a banana. You heard me! The embers are dying, or the grill is still hot, throw a banana (unpeeled) on. Turn once, after a few minutes, and don't panic if the skin is dark brown. Remove from heat, nip at the tips and peel, slice lengthwise, shower a smattering of brown sugar, garnish with a dollop of crema mexicana, or creme fraiche or sour cream and you are now officially in grilled dessert heaven.

Happy Bastille Day--

2010-07-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

Aux armes! Les citoyens!
Claude Rains, Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart.
I'd be shocked! Shocked! If you didn't know which film I meant.
Test your abilities here.

Ah, to be in Paris, watching the fireworks. Sigh.
What?! You need a menu, too? Try here, here and here.

The boy next door

2010-07-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

Up here in the true boonies known as Altadena live a celebrity or three. Cobb Estate was once the stomping ground of Harpo Marx; Zane Grey toiled away on his manual typewriter.

But today you can spot a red-head with a forehead riven with deep wrinkles dropping by the Coffee Gallery on Lake. Not impressed? Check him out in Hard Eight. I frickin love this movie. You've never seen Gwyneth Paltrow so gritty. Watch the trailer here, see the movie, then get back to me.

Poetry in a flute

2010-07-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

Inertia: Bodies at rest tend to stay at rest--bodies at parties tend to stay at parties. I can be one of those terrible guests that you need to shake a broom at to get rid of, or, failing that start hosing down the patio and washing the dishes. I stay too long because of the wonderful lure of the intimacy that can only be had as the party closes, and the guests have had too much fun, and the hostess offers up something to further stimulate our conversation and jaded palates.

Such was a recent evening, and as a small group gathered round the kitchen table and tried to address humanity's capacity for woe and error, the hostess popped open another bottle of Prosecco, and poured, but this time added a splash of cointreau and a blackberry. It was so good I wept over all the unadorned glasses of Prosecco I had ever had; and to scientifically verify the delight of the experience I had to repeat it, um, repeatedly.

My husband tugged at my elbow to leave, I urged him to go on home without me; soon however, I noticed the hosts had turned off the music and started mopping the kitchen floor in their pajamas. Definitely my cue to exit, stage left.

Firing up the barbecue

2010-07-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

Grilling. 101 recipes, including a final one which chars skewered green olives for your dirty martini. I think I'll pass on that one, but there are plenty of others--a great 4 minute steak, with grilled red onions, queso fresco and a squirt of lime, as well of grilled fruit, a favorite of mine. I think I want to try out the lamb chops, as well. Want to see for yourself?
Check out Mark Bittman's list right here.

Nicoise Salade Daze

2010-07-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

Take an assortment of greens, toss in vinaigrette of your choice, line shallow salad bowl. Boil string beans, or steam or microwave or pan fry skinny asparagus. Toss in said vinaigrette, scatter over salad bowl. Cunningly shell two hard boiled eggs, slice into eighths, and decorate said salad bowl. Slice ripe tomatoes, toss with vinaigrette, scatter throughout dish. Top tomatoes and hard-boiled eggs with bits of anchovy (yum). Scatter canned tuna, or deboned and deskinned canned salmon on greens. Feeling thorough? Add a huge dollop of potato salad, dressed with same vinaigrette, in center of salade bowl.

Serve with butter, baguette, and bottle of chilled wine.

Hope and Coke Floats

2010-07-02T09:00:00.001-07:00

Was there ever a day that couldn't be improved upon by a scoop of ice cream? Root beer floats, hot fudge sundaes, a Thrifty's ice cream cone are fond memories from childhood. Somehow I have replaced the root beer in my repertoire with wine--however the other night there was just a dollop of vanilla ice cream left in the container. Hmmm, what to do? A moment later I filled half a glass of Coke zero and the last scoop of ice cream. It was the perfect recipe for a summer evening.

Salad days

2010-06-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

I was recently at a small family event. You know the type I mean, the ones you go to through familial obligations, in addition to the knowledge that the person hosting it is kind-hearted. Hostess served coldcuts, potato salad and cole slaw from the deli section at her local grocery store, a green salad. Then she placed four bottles of salad dressings on the table.

Maybe you do too. If so, may I encourage you to try something else?

Easy vinaigrette:

One part red or white wine or balsamic vinegar.

Salt, pepper, dry mustard, dried tarragon to taste.

Optional: fresh tarragon, thyme, parsley, basil.

Six parts olive oil. Add everything in a jelly jar (or in our case, a glass peanut butter jar)

Screw the lid back on. Shake. Instant dressing.

My current favorite:

In above mentioned jar add a dollop of Dijon, a teaspoon to a tablespoon. Add a splash of red wine vinegar (about a third of the amount of mustard). Stir with a fork until well-blended. Add salt, pepper, more tarragon. While mixing in with a fork, add four parts olive oil. Fabulous.

Craving blue cheese?

Salt and pepper a tablespoon of red wine vinegar in your salad bowl. Mash 4 ounces of blue cheese into it, and a quarter cup, or more, of your favorite olive oil. Add greens and mix.

Trust me, between these three you should never have to buy the bottled stuff again.

You're welcome. And your guests will thank you. (Especially if that guest is me).

Dear Restless Des:

2010-06-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

I am growing tomatillos for the first time ever. The plant I picked up on a whim has taken off and is loaded with blossoms.

I've never cooked with them. Ideas?

-- super savvy

Super easy, chica--remove the papery skin, boil until soft, drain. In a small skillet pan roast a few cloves of garlic, until the skin is dark. Remove skin. In a blender, add cooked tomatillos, charred garlic, a pinch of salt, a pinch of sugar and a slice of onion, now blend. You now have a raw green salsa. Once blended, you can also cook it down in a skillet slicked with a little bit of oil. There!
I'd serve it with quesadillas. Top your fish tacos. Or, if you're ambitious, use it for your enchilada sauce.