Koi

I'm always surprised that some of the best spots in LA are in the most random locations.  Or, um, I guess that could be explained by my absolute resistance to acquainting myself with LA and thusly locations seem more random than they actually, probably are.  In any case.  Koi was on la Cienega near Santa Monica.  WhatEVER.

The creative team I was traveling with had been to Koi at least a few times before, so I let them order and never even attempted to read the menu.  It was too dark anyway, without my glasses on I could barely make out the fork at my placesetting let alone a menu.  However, for all my reluctance to appreciate LA, when the deconstructed California rolls arrived, I was in sushi heaven.  Our waiter recommended adding fresh avocado to the soft crab wrapped in super thin rice paper with smoky toasted sesame.  Tuna with jalapeno, miso cod, lobster tacos.  I was barely willing to tear my attention away from the ridiculously innovative sushi bites to catch a glimpse of David Spade at the table next to us.

Speedos on Bondi

Recommended by my too-hip Aussie coworker, I was a little worried Speedos might be too much of a scene for me to relax at on a casual Sunday morning, my single day off in Sydney.  But I forget that Bondi is the Santa Cruz to Sydney's already lax SF and any clothing in addition to board shorts and bikinis is pretty much optional.  Speedos was meters from the surf, catering to locals and wanderers looking for coffee by the bar or comfort food by the truckload.  Close to 1pm (it took me a while to figure out the right bus to take to Bondi and a bit longer to walk the arc of the beach) I was ravenous and opted for the menu listing with the most goodies.  Thick Turkish toast, eggs with yolks the color of pumpkins, soft bacon, sweet sausage with sweeter tomato chutney and crispy hashbrowns.  Sure, it was far more food than I needed, but I thoroughly enjoyed tasting the range of flavors and combinations. 

Still My Favorite Brunch

Less than a mile from my old home in Belltown, Lola is still my favorite.  Loud in that airy, sparkling way that feels cozy and comfortable with a twinge of excitement.  Whether celebrating with a group or finding a table by the window with Shelly, it always feels like an event.  For my birthday, Sherry and Kristin surprised me with brunch there on a crisp, crystal clear Seattle morning.

We had to start with beignets, as one does at Lola, which arrive with clotted cream, strawberry rhubarb compote, and taste like warm, sugary...vehicle food.  I love how light and fluffy they are on the outside,   crispy on the outside with giant granules of sugar so you can't miss the texture match.

In a sort of embarrassing coincidence, we all ordered the exact same dish with the exact same style of eggs: Tom's Big Breakfast with octopus, pumpkin, spinach, bacon, red onion and sunny-over-medium egg.  All of this on a bed of garlic yogurt with vegetable caviar and seeds that pop with flavor.  I really can't forget to mention the spectacular coffee but I guess that goes without saying in Seattle.  Can't wait for my next trip north, as soon as it starts to get cold in SF, I miss meandering around Belltown.

Culinary Mecca

Chris secured us a reservation at French Laundry for lunch the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  Holiday weekend + Napa + three-star Michelin restaurant = culinary mecca.  Epic.

The Dinner

Making our dinner selects was too easy.  Even before we made any decisions, John and I had caesar salad (with anchovies, of course) and beef tenderloin in mind.  Once we figured out there would be a seafood and vegetarian dish, I was leaning toward salmon, but it only took one bite of Madera's halibut and we were sold.  Seared to perfection on a generous bed of creamed corn and covered with mini heirloom tomatoes, I think the best part of the dish was the smoked pepper sauce peeking out from underneath like it would only be revealed to the one who discovered it!

Beef eaters were served medium rare tenderloin with broad beans and brussels sprouts over mashed potatoes.  Mushroom sauce and giant sea salt were the finishing touches.  For the veggies, we chose a spicy tomato ravioli that was so awesome I almost ordered it.  Roasted cherry tomatoes and fresh parmesan with a cream sauce topped some of the most tender ravioli I've tasted.

As impressed as we were during the tasting, I think our guests were surprised how amazing the food was.  Either that, or they know EXACTLY how to flatter this bride!  The best surprise however, has been that Madera was awarded a Michelin star less than a month after we hosted the wedding there!  Couldn't be more proud that we got to party there before they made it big.

Anchor & Hope

My fabulous CBA team at Goodby took me to a boozy lunch the day before I took time off for the wedding.  In addition to sparkling rose all around, fried calamari with a fantastically sweet thai chili sauce and caprese salad with thick balsamic, we savored A&H's signature Angels on Horseback: oysters wrapped in smoked bacon.  What's not to love about a combination of two of my favorite flavors and textures?  I opted for the lobster roll for lunch, such a treat whenever it's on the menu but especially at such an east coast seafoodery. 

Two months later and a new last name, we went back but for dinner this time.  In the cold and the dark, the space is much less designer dockside and much more coastal cabin chic.  I couldn't help myself ordering more sparkling wine, it just seems right when I know I'll be ordering fish!  To kick things off, we chose the grilled baby octopus (reminding us all of Greece) and shrimp with crispy eggplant.  The octopus were tiny, just like calamari but with a smoky, spiciness working well with pesto, but the best part was lemony white beans to cut the powerful flavors.  John and I ordered the same thing for the hundredth time, obviously fish and chips.  This particular dish is tough to judge because it's always either just right (aka just what I expected) or really really wrong (soggy, bone-y, mushy).  Extra crispy Smithwicks batter, firm cod—not too greasy—it was just right at A&H.  Even the tartar sauce was lemony goodness.

Carmel Clam Chowder

New England and Manhattan were already taken, so Carmel now has a signature clam-based chowder.

On a super cold, rainy night in Carmel with some of John's Alaskan salmon, I undertook my first chowder.  The best recipe I could find began with bacon.  What recipe which begins with bacon could possibly be mediocre?  The other major selling points were the cup of half and half (instead of boring old milk) and that I would be grating a carrot instead of chopping it.  What fun!

• 6 slices thick cut bacon, sliced into 1/4 inch strips
• 2 cups yellow onions, diced
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 3/4 cup celery, chopped
• 3 cups cooked potatoes, in 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 Tbs dill
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1/3 or 1/2 cup flour
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups clam juice
• 3 6.5 oz cans of chopped clams, juice included
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1 cup half and half
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3/4 lb fresh salmon, in 1/2 inch cubes
• (plus a good tablespoon of brandy for kick)

After the bacon is crispy and the veggies are softened with spices, you make a roux with the flour and bacon drippings and stir in all the liquids except the cream.  As it came to a boil, I put a bunch of chopped vegetables in the oven as a side dish.  Just before serving, sourdough rolls went into the oven to warm up, the half and half was stirred in, and finally this comfort food feast was ready to devour!

It was a wonderfully wintry meal, complete with a fire in the fireplace and rain pouring down outside.  I thought the soup itself was super creamy, almost to the point of being too much and when I warmed leftovers, I added a few cups of seafood stock and more sauteed vegetables (in bacon of course).  The dill really makes this soup, it's not a shocking combination of cream, salmon and dill, but it's certainly a time-tested classic.

Butternut Squash & Cinnamon Soup

One of the new, exotic items in my kitchen thanks to our wedding registry is a Bamix hand mixer, perfect for blending vegetables to make soup.  Given the autumn turn of the weather and upcoming Thanksgiving, comfort food like squash soup is often on my mind, so I sauteed a pan of butternut squash cubes in a bit of olive oil.  Adding white pepper, salt and cinnamon, the squash softened and slightly carmelized in the pan. As soon as I was sure they were cooking through, I added just enough chicken stock to cover the vegetables and brought it to a boil before letting it simmer for a few minutes.  Transferring hot liquid is not without a few splashes of terror, but once it was safely in a deep glass bowl, I was able to start using the Bamix to smooth into a soup.  The texture was pretty thick, so I added more stock until it was just right.  I was really happy with how the soup turned out and how quick it was to whip up!  Next time: burnt garlic and creme fraiche on top, or perhaps the "so hot right now" fried sage leaf and sage oil.

Joys of Cooking

Many things make the "art" of cooking especially gratifying: pleasing your taste buds, pleasing your guest's taste buds, successfully achieving a difficult result...others are less obvious; finding you have just the right ingredients already in the fridge, discovering a new, delicious sauce combination by accident...and my favorite today: filling the entire house with inviting, mouth-watering scents and using pristine cookware!

On a lazy, rainy Sunday, I was looking for a meal that would make for an extra challenging and enjoyable afternoon of cooking.  Beef Bourguignon?  Done!  This time I would follow Julia's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" recipe to a T—hours of prep and all.  I wish I could somehow capture the aromas wafting around our apartment; fresh rosemary and thyme mixed with carmelizing cippolini onions, bacon, fresh pepper and wine...it's warmth and coziness in the form of food.

I must say, cooking with our new cookware makes the experience about doubly delightful.  Our knives are so sharp and adept, I was able to peel 25 cippolini onions in record time.  The giant le Creuset dutch oven John bought me for Christmas last year is a much better suited size for the 3 lbs. of beef.  The All Clad sautee pan is about as even a skillet as ever, allowing me to leave the onions carmelizing with herbs for 50 minutes without trouble.  We even have prep bowls to store chopped garlic and thyme!  And enough mixing bowls to set aside the bacon, meat, onions and mushrooms separately and sanitarily!  Oh, such joy of cooking!

Moussaka Attempt #1

While honeymooning in Greece, I ate baked moussaka more than anything else.  At Byzantine, it was a choice slice of casserole while at Blue Moon and Mama Thira, it was baked in an individual clay pot.  I couldn't wait to learn how to cook this classic dish.  Below is the recipe I used, plus notes on what I changed and what I need to change on the next round:

Casserole:

• 3 eggplants, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick slices - next time, 1/4 inch slices or thinner
• salt - go nuts
• 1/4 cup olive oil - a teensy bit at a time in the pan to flash fry the eggplant
• 1 tablespoon butter - ok to use oil instead
• 1 pound lean ground beef - used half lamb, half beef
• salt to taste - go crazy
• ground black pepper to taste
• 2 onions, chopped - only used one since it seemed like so much
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon - used 1/2 teaspoon and it still wasn't enough!
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg - ditto on the nutmeg, recommend a full teaspoon
• 1/2 teaspoon fines herbs
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup red wine

Bechamel Sauce:

• 4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• salt to taste
• ground white pepper, to taste - the more, the better

Topping:

• 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

I also added quarter-inch slices of potatoes at the bottom of the casserole since that's how it was served in Greece.  Although the cinnamon, nutmeg, fines herbs and parsley add a bit of flavor, I still felt it wasn't nearly as flavorful as I was hoping for.  On the next batch, I won't be so hesitant to double and triple up the spice quotient.  This experience also taught me how underrated white pepper has been in my cooking repertoire.

To prepare, slice the eggplant and potato, sprinkle with salt and layer in a casserole dish.  The recipe called for browning the eggplant in olive oil but I made one casserole without browning the eggplant at all and it tasted and cooked the same.  In a skillet, brown the beef and lamb in some olive oil.  Then add garlic, chopped onion, herbs, spices, and finally the tomato sauce and wine.  Layer half of this mixture over the eggplant, then sprinkle a half cup of parmesan.  Layer more sliced eggplant, the other half of the meat and another half cup of parmesan.

For the bechamel sauce, prepare as you typically would but add in another teaspoon of nutmeg.  Pour this over the final layer of the casserole and sprinkle the final half cup of parmesan on top.  Bake at 350° for one hour, then let cool for 20 minutes before serving.

Holy Poutine Coma

We finally went to Wayfare Tavern this weekend and holy poutine coma!  More calories in one sitting than I've had in ages but after you hear this you'll understand why: braised short rib, French fried potato, truffle jack cheese and veal jus.  Just, wow.  We tried to carry on a conversation during this appetizer but I couldn't concentrate on much else.

The atmosphere is intimate and inviting with modern touches overlaying an almost hunting lodge vibe.  We rounded out the meal with deviled eggs (no kidding!) oysters, fried chicken and truffled mashed potatoes. (photo is from the Wayfare Tavern website because the dining room was way too swanky for me to whip out my camera)

The Cake

 One of the many remarkable things I learned in the process of wedding planning was that pastry chefs across the board expect a bride to know exactly what kind of cake she imagines cutting into as a freshly minted wife.  Seven layers with a different cake/frosting combination on each tier, tropical cocktail-inspired flavors, buttercream versus fondant, flowers made from sugar, silk or real ones!  As you may be able to tell from the lack of dessert-specific posts on this blog, I don't have a big preference when it comes to cakes.  The more I thought about it, the more options I saw online, the more I pictured a simple white cake!  And what's white?  Vanilla!  It just works.  Biting into an almond croissant on the way to meeting the catering manager one morning, I realized the filling is one of my favorite flavors and a light bulb went off; the cake would have to involve almond, somehow.


In the end, the cake we saw on our wedding night was beautiful and I think the cake itself was almond flavored!  My first bite was memorable too, mainly because it was giant and all I could think about were all the flashes going off and how embarrassing it would be if I dribbled frosting on my chin!

The Cupcakes

 At the tasting, the pastry chef brought out six different flavor combinations for our cupcakes.  We couldn't decide on three so we served all six!

1. Almond cake with vanilla bean frosting (and gold leaf!) matched the wedding cake
2. Pistachio cake with dulce de leche frosting and fleur de sel caramel
3. Chocolate cake with espresso frosting
4. Banana walnut cake with toffee frosting
5. Red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting
6. Lemon cake with meringue!

All were to die for, but my personal fave was the pistachio with its sweet n saltiness.  YUM!!  Nice work, Rosewood ;)

Mrs!!

I've been a newlywed for 3 weeks!  3 weeks of culinary bliss, to boot.  After watching what I was eating for six months to fit into the white dress, I was in heaven tasting my way through the Greek Islands.

Being married is about the same as living with my boyfriend of 5 years but the excitement of being family—for real—is lovely to get lost in.  While we're waiting for the official shots of food from the wedding, here's a sneak peek at the table setting.

Getting Excited for Greece!

Sure, I'll have a fresh new ring on my finger and a last name I don't know how to spell, but the most exciting thing about the next two weeks is I'll be back in Greece, eating the best food on earth.  My past trips have all been at the height of the tourist season in summer, so I'm hopeful there is still a bounty of octopus and squid in October!