Délicieux

The Bazaar By Jose Andres, Beverly Hills

2010-10-21T11:57:00.000-07:00

Life has been busy --- Exciting happenings coming up--- but for now, enjoy this food porn from Jose Andres Bazaar at the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills. Maybe I should just change the name of my blog to: "I Ate Here" lol.

Philly Cheesesteak --Air bread, cheddar, Wagyu beef

Japanese Taco--Grilled eel, shisho, cucumber, wasabi, chicharron

West Coast Oysters -- lemon, black pepper

Ensalada Rusa --potatoes, carrots, mayo, tuna belly

Oven Roasted Cippolini Onions ---citrus, passion fruit, pumpkin seed oil

Beef Hangar Steak -- piquillo pepper confit

Bunuelos --codfish fritters, honey alioli

Sea Scallops -- romesco sauce

The beautiful Patisserie at Bazaar

Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta - apricots and muscat gelatin

Creamy Chocolate Heart -- coffee and cardamom

Light Red Velvet Cake

Sonoma Wine Garden, Santa Monica

2010-08-26T11:56:00.000-07:00

In an effort to offer more expensive wines by the glass, wine bars with self serve enomatic wine systems are cropping up everywhere. Last year I wrote post about The Hostile Grape and since then it seems this type of wine bar is becoming the standard.

Wine Garden

When I heard about the Sonoma Wine Garden in Santa Monica in Santa Monica Place, I had to check it out. A wine bar in a mall? What makes this different is the open air bar, beautifully designed wine garden, and gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean at sunset.

Enomatic Wine System

Wine Bottle Chandelier

The View

I had a beautiful pour of 2008 Amuse Boucche -- Napa Valley offered at $30 for 3 ounces. Also St. Estephe Chateau Petit Bocq-Bourdeaux Fance offered at $15 for 3 ounces. There are smaller and more affordable pours available. For example, a 2008 Pinot Noir Coup de Foudre—Santa Rita Hills, CA offered for $5.20 per ounce.

Service was a little slower than I appreciate, but I gave it a pass since it had just opened and there were some left kinks to work out. However, the small plates were so tantalizing, perfect sized portions perfect for wine parings – well worth the wait.

Worth going back for:

Pommard Clos des Epeneaux Domain de Comtes amand-Burgundy France 1996 offered at 1 oz for $12, 3oz for $30.00

Langhe Ross costa Russ Gaga –Piedmont Italy 2004 offered at 1 oz for $19.80 and 3oz for $49.50

Asparagus Walnut Salad

2010-06-12T17:47:00.000-07:00

Inspired by friends and family who are now joining in and eating more raw foods, I played around with a super simple raw asparagus walnut salad recipe.

Toast nuts (I used walnuts but you can use pine nuts, pecans, whatever you like) on a cookie sheet for a few minutes at 350 degrees. Slice a bunch of raw asparagus in small crosswise slices and toss with toasted nuts, parmigiano reggiano cheese, 1/3 cup red wine vinegar, 1/4 cup Evoo and s&p. I refrigerated it for an hour or two.

It doesn't get easier than that. The red wine vinegar, olive oil combo softens the asparagus a touch. It's crunchy, tangy, addictive.

Enjoy!

Rick Bayless: Red O...my God that’s Good!

2010-06-12T17:32:00.000-07:00

Red O
8155 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90046-7016

Nibbled on a little of everything during one of the first few days of Red O’s opening. Rick Bayless created the lip-smacking menu and trained the staff, so you get exactly what you expect: Mouth-watering, piquant, Mexican cookery -- beautifully presented.

My faves:
Nosh: Corn chowder with roasted poblano chile and dungeness crab
Drinks: A very reasonably priced Malbec
Décor: The glass tequila tunnel, bar swings

Pics for now, captions to follow.

Top Chef Masters: Susan Feniger's Street

2010-04-10T13:42:00.000-07:00

An exciting Season 2 of Top Chef Masters is under way! I had the privilege of attending Susan Feniger's viewing party and charity benefit for the season opener, held at Street in Los Angeles. Susan Feniger is best known for being half of the duo Too Hot Tamales from television's Food Network and owner of several fabulous restaurants including Ciudad and Border Grill.

Street features upscale Asian-inspired street food dishes. Street's decor provides an artsy conversation pieces: Global street art, murals, neon drawings.

The first thing I noticed as I entered were small yellow colored puffs on every table: millet puffs. Think sweet and savory Rice Krispies treats accented with curry.They're playful and delicious and set the tone for the event.

Susan provided us with many tantalizing items from the menu to sample. I enjoyed the Malaysian Black Pepper Clams and the Indonesian Peanut Noodles. But my absolute favorite was the Massamum Beef Curry -- the very best curry I've eaten to date; a lovely balance of coconut and curry and melt in-your-mouth tender. I also had the pleasure of tasting one of her winning dishes from their very first quick fire challenge (Maple Bread Pudding with Caramelized Bananas) and now understand why she and Tony Mantuano were the victors!

Japanese Shizo Shrimp

Maple Bread Pudding

Meeting Sue (we're best friends in my head now) was incredible. Susan is competing for a great charity, the Scleroderma Research Foundation, and she speaks about her cause with such hope and passion. There is something about her Spirit that truly resonated with mine and that has inspired something (good I hope) in me. Sue is in it to win it!

Belvedere: Peninsula Beverly Hills

2010-03-19T21:31:00.000-07:00

On the first sizzling and sun-drenched day of March, I made it a point to kick off the Spring season by having a light, refreshing lunch al fresco. My first instinct was Belvedere in the Peninsula Beverly Hills after having had such a wonderful brunch experience at their Roof Garden restaurant.

Short and sweet: Both food and service were sensational, living up to Belvedere's AAA Five Diamond status.

YELLOW TOMATO SOUP with Moroccan Olives, Miticaña Cheese and Parsley

MAINE LOBSTER SALAD with Sweet Corn and Jicama, Tarragon, Radicchio and Frisée, Lime-marinated Chioggia Beets

Belvedere’s patio is supremely charming and tranquil.

It’s My Bird and I’ll Baste if I Want to: Organic Brined and BastedTurkey

2010-03-17T19:32:00.005-07:00

Over the holidays (yes I do know it is now March), I secured a whole organic pound turkey with the intent to brine and roast. The beautiful 14 pounder arrived and I immediately felt a little intimidated. I’d brined a chicken a few times and now I was determined to move on to something bigger and take on a more ambitious project.

As I was researching some of the best brines for turkey, I happened upon so many discussions about basting. My parents are diehard basters and as a result, I too baste. But why??? I used to believe that basting made for moister meat. Not necessarily. In fact, it slows down the cook time because you’re constantly opening the oven and losing heat.

But still, I baste. I baste for one reason alone: Crisp, dark skin. I brushed the entire turkey with melted butter and basted every 30 minutes.

The bottom line: Do what makes you happy. It’s YOUR bird.

The final product:

I used the following recipe from Epicurious:

Brine

3 3/4 cups (2 pounds) kosher salt

1 cup (8 ounces) Creole seasoning ( I used Tony Chachere's)

1 16-18 pound turkey, quills removed if necessary and neck, giblets, and liver removed (reserve for another use)

Turkey

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 cup (2 sticks), cut into 1-inch cubes

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons coarsely cracked black pepper

1 medium white onion, roughly chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 head garlic, cloves separated, peeled, and smashed with back of knife

1 stalk celery, roughly chopped (about 3/4 cup)

1/2 cup fresh sage leaves, roughly torn (about 1 ounce)

1/2 bunch fresh thyme (about 45 sprigs or 1 ounce)

1/2 bunch fresh parsley (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 bunch fresh rosemary, roughly chopped (about 20 sprigs)

Brine turkey:

Rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry. In 8-gallon bucket or plastic tub lined with large, heavy-duty garbage bag, combine 5 gallons ice water, salt, and Creole seasoning. Stir until salt dissolves. Add turkey and, if necessary, place large plate on top to submerge. Close bag tightly and refrigerate entire bucket at least 12 hours and up to 36 hours. (If bucket does not fit in refrigerator, use large cooler instead: Enclose ice or freezer packs in resealable plastic bags and add to brining liquid until probe thermometer inserted into liquid registers 40°F or just below. Check every few hours and add additional ice or freezer packs if necessary to keep liquid at or just below 40°F.)

Remove turkey from brine and place, breast side up, on wire rack set over paper towel-lined rimmed baking sheet. Allow to drain completely. Pat dry.

Roast turkey:

Set rack at lowest position in oven preheated to 450°F.

Place turkey on rack in large roasting pan. Using pastry brush, brush turkey, inside and out, with melted butter, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Loosely fill body cavity with cubed butter, onions, garlic, celery, and herbs. Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string and tuck wings under body.

Place turkey in oven and roast until light golden brown, about 40 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and roast, basting with drippings every 30 minutes, until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh (do not touch bone) registers 170°F. If skin starts to brown too much, tent breast with foil.

Transfer turkey to platter and discard string; let stand 30 minutes before carving.

Lucia: Puerto Plata's Finest

2010-01-25T10:48:00.013-08:00

My first (and long overdue) post of the year features a review of the most magnificent restaurant in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. In fact, there are only two 4 Diamond restaurants in all of the Dominican Republic and Lucia is the only 4D restaurant in Puerto Plata.

Casa Colonial

Lucia is set within Casa Colonial Beach Resort, Puerto Plata's most upscale hotel. I have truly started my year off on the right foot as Chef Rafael Vasquez is truly a culinary mastermind. I love with he does with local, fresh produce like yucca and pumpkin. While dying to sample everything, I opted for the Tres-viche, seared foie gras, and the Angus Beef tenderloin. All was incredible. The service: flawless.

Amuse Bouche

Tres Viche: Three different types of ceviche in one single dish. Tuna, lobster, and Chilean Sea Bass

Seared Foie Gras: Pear, rum, mango sauce, balsamic glaze, yucca cake

Angus Beef Tenderloin, whipped yucca with Roquefort cheese, steamed broccoli, brandy-shallot sauce (finally got the settings right on my camera)

Duck Connection: Grilled breast, cripy leg confit and fresh foie gras served with a mango rum sauce, seared pear, and whipped pumpkin.

All photos by yours truly :)

John Alan Wine Dinner at The Foundry on Melrose

2009-10-27T13:12:00.009-07:00

What a pleasure it was attending John Alan Wine Dinner at the Foundry on Melrose. 5 courses of incredible Greenspan fare paired with wines from John Alan Winery in Paso Robles. Pardon my photos and video -- they were taken on my Blackberry.

Seared Scallops, garlic cream, pears and potato. John Alan, Viogner, Hidden Valley Ranch, Paso Robles 2007

Risotto of duck confit with blue cheese, dried cherries and mushrooms. John Alan, "Malcontent", Paso Robles, 2005

Breast of Duck with fresno chile and current mole, yellow corn, and fried masa. John Alan, "East Bank Cuvee", Paso Robles, 2006

Duo of beef with caraway and carrot puree, baby carrots, and golden raisins. John Alan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, 2006

Artisinal Cheeses with non traditional garnishes and raisin toast. John Alan, "Bonnr Terre Rouge", Paso Robles, 2006

Without a doubt, my favorite course was the breast of duck paired with the East Bank Cuvee. The hints of dried cherry in the wine paired perfectly with the currant mole.

The highlight of the evening was when Chef Eric Greenspan rushed from the kitchen into the private dining room shouting a description of the courses. Surprisingly, I don't watch Iron Chef so was unaware of what to expect. I'm just happy it was grasshopper-free. See video below:

The Birthday Binge of '09

2009-10-27T12:49:00.012-07:00

During a time that I consider birthday season (my birthday fall in September) I was treated to a variety of exciting birthday dinners. I considered myself off duty and so have no pictures of all of the scrumptious things I devoured. Nonetheless, I wanted to sing the praises of a few establishments worthy of mentioning.

Lashers: I’ve lived in Long Beach for about 10 years and have heard tons of praise for Lashers but was a little skeptical because of the surrounding neighborhood which is a tad undesirable. My comments: Easily the best steak I’ve had all year (a really juicy Angus New York), a wonderful wine selection, and a great reminder of why I shouldn’t judge a book by its cover (yes –a cliché!)

B & B Ristaurante : Mario Batali’s Italian restaurant located in the Venetian Hotel. The service was impeccable, and it was a treat sampling a grilled octopus appetizer and fennel dusted sweetbreads. My entrée was a fantastic lobster spaghettini (yep I played it a little safe), but the award for best birthday dessert goes to B&B’s exceptional berry tiramisu.

Fuego at the Maya: I’ve hesitated for months to review Feugo because it is my little neighborhood secret and I’m terrified that once it becomes even more popular, the food quality will plummet. I LOVE, ADORE, WORSHIP everything about the place from its awesome location overlooking the bay, to their perfectly crafted bloody marys and mojitos. They serve the most succulent lobster and I always order my beloved trio of guacamole.

I have to add that I had dinner at Asia de Cuba, my very favorite restaurant. ADC is consistently fabulous. The end.

And last but not least I the privilege of visiting the most creative, ingenious wine bar visited thus far in my search for the perfect red. The Hostile Grape at the M Resort in Las Vegas is a cut above most wine bars offering 1, 3 and 5 ounce pours of 160 wines. You purchase and load a tasting card and then proceed to the wine station of your choice. You then insert the card and wine is dispensed at whatever serving you require. This allows you to sample from amongst even highly rated, expensive wines. Brilliant! Imagine my surprise when Mosel offered me a pour of my favorite Opus One! Happy Birthday to me!

Above all, I am thankful for the love of friends and family -- those who took the time to ~~worship me~~ celebrate my ~~37^th~~ 25^th birthday. Oh and thanks for the extra 10 pounds.

Le Chateau in Costa Mesa

2009-10-02T20:51:00.001-07:00

My review of Le Chateau in Costa Mesa can be found here on Travel Costa Mesa's website. Enjoy!

Stefan's at LA Farm

2009-08-03T11:41:00.000-07:00

Most food fanatics and reality TV junkies (like me) will recognize Stefan Richter as the bold, abrasive, proudly European finalist from Top Chef Season 5. Stefan, 37, runs Stefan's Catering and was the previous Excecutive Chef at Celestino Drago. LA Farm was closed for much needed renovations throughout July and will reopen on August 6th as Stefan's new Santa Monica restaurant, Stefan's at LA Farm.

When I received an invite to the pre-opening/open house this past weekend, I leapt at the chance! Stefan is my favorite Top Chef contestant of all time and I truly believed he got robbed of the Top Chef title. To see him making good use of and running with his 15 minutes of fame is incredible.

The new space is amazing -- comfortable yet contemporary, chic yet unpretentious. If the tray-passed appetizers are any indication of what to expect from Stefan's, I cannot wait to try the incredible tapas style small plates that will grace it's menu.

Most notable was the Thai crab bisque. I've never tasted anything more perfect -- velvety smooth and incredibly flavorful. The Kumamoto oysters with absinthe (yes absinthe!) were outstanding -- unbelievably fresh!

On a personal note, Jamie Lauren and Leah Cohen were in the house (also contestants from Top Chef Season 5). I also must say that Stefan is surprisingly friendly and approachable.

Stefan's at LA Farm is located at 3000 West Olympic Blvd in the city of Santa Monica.

In Which I Eat Montreal

2009-07-06T19:27:00.000-07:00

If I could only describe Montréal in a few words, I’d use the words refined, conscientious, and vibrant.

The food in Montreal is as meticulous as I’ve ever had – painstakingly delicious. Almost every meal was a true work of art offered in reasonable portions. The way of life in Montreal is such that it’s normal to linger for hours over wine or coffee. Food is savored, not devoured. Dining is a true social event.

On my surprisingly pleasant flight to Montreal, I read Naturally Thin by Bethenny Frankel, in which she describes how balance, listening to your food voice instead of food noise, and truly understanding yourself lends itself to becoming svelte. One of her “rules” is “Taste Everything, Eat nothing”. Strangely enough I’ve been doing this most of my life . I think I learned this from my mom, who nibbles on everything and rarely cleans her plate. In many American restaurants, portions for one person can feed a family of four. And we eat it. All of it. I digress – apologies. I believe that this is how the people of Montreal eat (grazing and savoring) and I appreciate it!

What I liked most about dining in Montreal is a little thing called “table d’hote” – a pre fixe menu ranging from 20+ to 60+ dollars. It includes an entrée (appetizer), main course, dessert, and coffee. For an extra two or three bucks you can upgrade your entrée to something even more spectacular. For example for $3 more I was able to have Gaspacho, purée d’avocat, crevettes et sauce cocktail (Shrimp served with cocktail sauce, gazpacho and avocado purée) as my entrée (appetizer) rather than soup or salad.

What's more, establishments without a liquor license allow you to bring in your own wine with no corkage fee (BYOW). It was cool to just be able to grab a reasonably priced bottle of Bordeaux to accompany your meal and not have to deal with ridiculous markups. So basically, dining was easier on the wallet than usual.

I only was able to capture a few pics of my meals because many times by the time I thought to take a pic, I had eaten half of it.

While it’s all still semi-fresh in my mind, here are the restaurants in which I recall dining:

Premiere Moisson -- my favorite bakery. Croissants to die for!

S Le Restaurant at Le Saint Sulpice Hotel in Old Montreal. On the terrace, in the most beautiful garden setting, lunch was magnificently served. I had the Pan seared halibut, sauce vierge, smashed olive oil potatoes and red pepper coulis as my main.

Vizizza near the Jean-Talon Market: Most memorable was the Insalata Caprese – the freshest tomatoes and basil and mozza, and just a hint of butter mixed in with the olive oil that was drizzled upon it.

Manzo Pizzeria in La Salle, Quebec. Flat out the best pizza of my life! Perfect crust, perfect toppings, and a tuna salad to die for.

Suite 701 in Old Montreal. Excellent Plateau de fruits de mer: Crabe royal, huîtres, crevettes, queue de homard, saumon fume (King crab, oysters, shrimp, Québec lobster tail, smoked salmon) and a remarkable and reasonably priced cheese plate with an assortment of local cheeses from Quebec.

Bonaparte in Old Montreal. The Lobster stew was ridiculous! Pictured: Lobster stew flavored with vanilla, served with spinach fondue

La Raclette, a swiss restaurant in Plateau Montreal where I feasted on fresh salmon in a mustard sauce. I should have tried the fondue, in hindsight.

Byblos Le Petit Café. Excellent Persian Food! Fresh feta cheese with herbs and olives, an eggplant salad with a sprinkling of paprika (not pictured), and a croissant with seasonal jam for breakfast.

Just Noodles, where I had the most delicious bowl of noodle soup with shrimp and veggies for about 8 bucks.

I also enjoyed visiting Olive & Olive (which is very similar to We Olive here in the US) and David’s Tea, a contemporary tea shop with the most friendly and helpful staff.

And finally, the outdoor markets that I loved: Jean-Talon and Atwater --The most beautiful produce, cheese, meats, and seafood. I loved the wild strawberries and the fresh trout salad (think tuna salad but with trout). The French buy in season and plan meals around seasonal produce. It was inspiring.

Going Raw: 118 Degrees in Costa Mesa

2009-05-20T16:52:00.001-07:00

I'm going raw! Ok well, not quite, but occasionally I love a totally raw meal. There is something to be said for guilt-free, delicious food. A few months ago I had the pleasure of dining at 118 Degrees in Costa Mesa. It's a relatively small bistro in a strip mall right off of Bristol near South Coast Plaza. All of the dishes are living and organic and prepared beautifully.

The food was incredibly delicious. It was pretty crowded so the service was understandably very slow but was excellent when it was received. I had a million silly questions and the server didn't mind answering all them and going into great detail about how things were prepared. Overall: Vibrant, artful, and surprisingly outstanding raw food, unique juices and cocktails, and a great selection of organic wines.

I started with the Thai Spring Rolls: Coconut Sesame Wraps filled with Julienne Squash, Red Bell Pepper, Carrots, Avocado and Enoki Mushrooms with a Spicy Dipping Sauce.

And for my entree, a Trio of Enchiladas served with Green Guacamole and Pine Nut Sour Cream.

My favorite was the wine of course; an 05 organic Pinot Noir from Pedroncelli of the Russian River Valley.

I'm dying to try Brunch!

Spring is in the Air: This Year's Container Gardens

2009-05-20T15:38:00.000-07:00

Earlier this winter, Container Gardening by Stephanie Donaldson arrived, a book I wishlisted on BookMooch.com. It's a huge collection of 150 of really simple but fabulous container gardens.

My parents, apparently growing busier and busier with every year, asked me to start seeds for them this year and provided me with a Jiffy Seed Starter Greenhouse with 72 plugs.
I've never done this before, as I usually start my own seeds directly in containers. I'm an apartment dweller and my space is extremely limited. Furthermore, the one time I planted my parent's entire garden it was a direct sow. So...this is going to be different and interesting.

Although I've decided on three definite container gardens, I'm starting my seeds along with my parents seeds in the Jiffy. Most of my seeds all arrived a few weeks ago, but I just planted this past weekend. Most are from Burpees and some are from containerseeds.com.

Here's what I've got going:

Salad Bowl Garden: tumbler tomato, chives, little gem lettuce, salad bowl lettuce, cilantro plants (was supposed to be parsley but im not a fan of it)

Fruit and Flowers Garden: Alpine strawberry plants, bright red petunias, helichrysum petiolare (variegatium)

Herb Garden: Sage, rosemary, mint tarragon, lemon thyme, dill, creeping thyme, and basil.

My parents gave me red pepper, dill, and basil. I'm also planting some wild flowers I picked up at a little boutique in the great white north years ago, hoping they've not gone bad.

Alrighty -- that's it for now. I'll post pics once they've sprouted (otherwise we're just looking at soil).

Mushroom Barley Soup is Good Food

2009-04-28T20:00:00.000-07:00

Organic criminis and shiitakes from my CSA box

a brand new food processor (yippee)

tying to find more vegetarian recipes

= mushroom and barley soup

Meh --- boring but tasted perty darn good!

My recipe (adapted from two recipes combined):

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 white onion finely chopped

1 pound shiitakes mushrooms

1 pound crimini mushrooms finely chopped

1 tablespoons soy sauce

1 cup pearled barley

3 cups peeled and sliced carrots

½ cup sherry

9 cups vegetable stock (homemade –look out Martha!)

Sprig or two of fresh rosemary

Sprig or two of fresh thyme

1 Bay leaf

Salt n Pepper

Sautéed garlic, onions til soft. Added mushrooms and soy sauce. Added sherry then reduced until all liquid absorbed. Added barley, carrots, sherry, veggie stock, herbs and brought to a boil. Reduced heat and simmered covered 30 minutes. Served with Salmon and asparagus.

I’m now officially obsessed with looking at and taking pics of food. Food porn.

Up next: tomatillo salsa (mild because I’m a heat wimp).

The Cuisinart Smart Stick is Souper!

2009-04-15T17:57:00.000-07:00

I am on a small appliance kick! When I moved, with my "new life" I wanted to get rid of some of the "old", and I ended up donating or tossing about 80% of my things. While I have not bitten the bullet and gotten a Vita-Mix (one of my dream small kitchen appliances) yet, I have replaced a few necessary items like my food processor (it's on its way - hoorah!). Alas, everything I have chopped or blended has been by hand.

Enter, the Cuisinart CSB-87 Smart Stick Hand Blender. Ta da!!!

I really wanted a blender but decided upon the Smart Stick instead because of its versatility. I love this thing! It blends and thickens soups and dressings really quick and easy and its an immersion blender so you can stick it right inside the pot you're cooking in! And it's super easy to clean.

Smoothies are a breeze! My morning shake I created is fabulous and it's all organic: hemp protein, fresh raspberries, unsweetened apple juice and a little greek yogurt. Is that a smoothie or is that a shake? Well it tastes good at any rate.

The cons: I learned the hard way NOT to try to whip potatoes with this thing. It kind of liquefies them and makes them into a goopy, pastey substance. I'm still working on the chopping aspect of this thing. I still haven't tried it on ice yet.

Overall, I use it daily and it's a keeper!

Olive Oil Tasting?? Who Knew??

2009-03-28T13:45:00.002-07:00

To kill time before watching Slumdog Millionaire, Mosel and I went to We Olive in Belmont Shore for an olive oil tasting. I heart Olive oil-- it is truly a staple in my diet.

What is We Olive you ask? It’s the cutest little store that sells olive oil (mainly from California as well as olive oil from all over the world). They also sell olives, dipping oils, vinegars, tapenades, and bath and body olive oil-based body products like soap and candles.

Mosel asks me, “Are we going to be doing shots of olive oil?” LOL I honestly had no idea what was in store.

Olive oil tasting is much like wine tasting. First they pour the olive oil sample in a tiny plastic cup. Next you hold the sample, top and bottom between your hands, in order to warm it. Then you swirl it, sniff it, take a sip, aerate it in your mouth and swallow. Supposedly this is the only way to taste the true flavor of the oil.

I’ll be honest with you -- a lot of them tasted like fresh cut grass or wheat grass. Some of them had a peppery finish. I really had no idea that olive oil was so complex.

I purchased an Arbequina olive oil from Spain (I’ve already killed it). It was absolutely wonderful. Good stuff, Maynard. I'd suggest you limit your tasting to 3 to 4 samples. I got kind of queasy afterward but I think I had way too many. I will say it was very unique experience and I would definitely go back for another tasting.

K Cups!!!

2009-03-28T12:24:00.000-07:00

I’m addicted to coffee, although I truly have cut down and am now mostly drinking green tea from Two Leaves and a Bud.

I have not owned an automatic coffee machine in over 5 years. I grind my own coffee beans and use a French press because it provides a more intense, flavorful coffee and I require it strong. Some mornings, depending on the laze or time factor, I’ll drink tea simply because it’s much faster.

Every time I get around those single serve coffee brewing systems, I get small kitchen appliance envy. Whilst in Cancun, I spent a great deal of time at the hotel coffee bar where there was a professional single serve espresso machine. I knew I had to get one when I got home to use on those days when I wanted something quick and easy.

Well, I now am the proud owner of a Keurig Special Edition Gourmet Single Serve Coffee Maker (the B60).

Had I known it would come with an 18 Kcup variety pack, I might have held off on purchasing Timothy's Extra Bold Rainforest Espresso ( I got a really great deal on Amazon).

My first cup (Green Mountain Coffee’s Dark Magic) which was from the included variety pack, was very mediocre, I’m hoping the Tims will be much better or else im stuck with 48 kcups.

Now, the K-Cups are pretty expensive. After doing a little research I found this money saving device that allows you to reuse your K-cups and fill them with your own coffee. Brilllllliant!

Hopefully this wont end up in the small kitchen appliance graveyard next to my juicer….

On the way...

2009-03-12T20:07:00.001-07:00

My first olive oil tasting

Worlds largest crab cake

I stuffed my face: Wine and Food in Cancun

What I'm drinking now

Baby's First Massage

Herb Brined Roasted Chicken

2009-02-06T18:30:00.000-08:00

This is my second attempt at brining. My last brine was just a simple sugar and salt solution. This time, I opted for an herb brine since I received loads of rosemary and thyme in my CSA box that I need to get rid of. I also had a chicken in my freezer that needed to go so I could make space for some other goodies.

The brine consisted of: water, 1 cup kosher salt and 1/2 cup sugar.

And to that I added:

fresh thyme

fresh rosemary

fresh parsley

2 bay leaves

1 head garlic

1 onion

black peppercorns, crushed

2 lemons

I simmered that all together so the salt and sugar would dissolve, brought it to room temp, then chilled it in the fridge. After it was chilled, I added the chicken to the brine, and kept refridgerated for about 4 hours. Next, I rinsed and patted the bird dry then rubbed it down with butter.

I think my bird was a 4 pounder. Then I roasted it in a large roasting pan, breast down, for 15 mins @ 450, 60 minutes at 325, then flipped it breast side up for another 20 mins. I really need a meat thermometer -- luckily it came out perfect!

The skin was really crunchy, the meat was super moist and tender and I could really taste the herbs and the lemon. I cant wait to use the carcass for stock. A chef I was chatting with told me chickens don't need to be brined but I think if you have the time or you're roasting chicken for a special occasion, it's worth the effort.

Long time no post!

2007-05-29T18:45:00.000-07:00

I haven't written in a long time, so here is a quick update:

Firstly, I got promoted to feature writer at Suite101.com on the topic of daycare. It's been an interesting transition from contributing writer to feature writer. More work --- but I'm getting the hang of it and loving it. My sister and I are also working on getting a magazine published. It has nothing to do with anything delicious but its smart and will help so many people.

Secondly, I graduated and finally got my masters degree, part of the reason I've been slacking with the posts and on just about everything else I used to do regularly. See grad pic below...and giggle.

Thirdly, I have replanted everything, again from seed. I now have arugula, mesclun, basil, dill, and mint growing. And I also have four kinds of flowers growing: marigolds, johnny jump ups, impatiens, and nasturtiums. Hope I spelled everything right. Will post pics soon.

And finally, I've been experimenting in the kitchen. I learned how to make the perfect standing rib roast this spring. I also experimented with brine and boy does that make a HUGE difference in how tender and juicy your chicken comes out. Last night I made a super spicy, fresh tomatillo salsa (first time). I could drink the stuff.

More to come!

I'm writing again!

2007-02-20T21:01:00.000-08:00

Hey all. This is way off topic, but I am now a contributing writer for a wonderful website called Suite101.com. I write for the "children's books" topic and I believe the link to my articles is below! Hope you check it out!

Update: RIP Amy and other matters

2006-10-21T14:58:00.000-07:00

I harvested everything and I am starting a whole new garden. I will be doing an herb garden, edible flowers, and a salad bowl garden. I also have a tomato plant that is starting to take off. The only thing that is holding me back is the containers I bought do not have drainage holes, so I need to either purchase one or ask my dad or a neighbor to drill them for me.

My orchid, which I named Amy, is officially dead after one month. I tried everything I could do to revive her, but no dice. First the leaves starting turning yellow. Then it started loosing blooms. Then it lost all its leaves. There are only two blooms left which are starting to wither. I feel so guilty, like I failed. My assumption is that I over-watered her or fed her improperly. I conclude that orchids are too high maintenance and tricky. Proof: the message boards and forums at gardening sights are fraught with people panicking over how to care for their orchids. Live and learn, I guess. RIP Amy.

Still Growing

2006-10-03T13:32:00.000-07:00

So, its about two weeks later and my greens have really taken off. I've got lots of mesclun and arugula, but found out that its way to hot right now for the spinach to grow the way it should. It actually bolted and started producing flowers. Alas, I will have to replace the container with something else.

I also recently received a beautiful orchid in a planter as a gift, and as many of you well know, orchids are really hard to care for. Thanks, Aaron. They're very temperamental so I spent a lot of time reading about how to care for it. It has to be fed on twice a month, watered once a week, and misted every other day. My concern is going out of town! Who is going to care for her like I do? Anyway, I have not yet killed it. And I am proud.