The Lonely Anchovy

And we're off... must eat meat

2011-02-21T17:20:00.006-07:00

A fabulous New Orleans weekend must generally always begin with a libation of choice and some sort of meat or meat-infused snack. My choice this round was from Butcher in the Warehouse District, a stone's throw from my quarters and the easy choice for a Friday lunch with friends.

Tucked down a side street behind Cochon on Tchoupitoulas Street, Butcher reads like a deli, like the uptown Martin's Wine Cellar but smaller and with a decidedly more food-snob appeal. Tall boys and stools it across from the deli counter and service bar where friendly hipsters take your order for pork belly sandwiches, bacon melts, boudin and house-made hot dogs (I was personally present at the inception of Stephen Stryjewski's hotdog creation years ago at a contest among local chefs; it was great to see it in commercial form on the menu here) as well as your Abita, Sessions Lager, Tito's vodka et al.

On the menu for me, my dear friend MCF and a new Austin acquaintance was the aforementioned boudin, served hot with course Creole mustard and electric green pickles; that fabulous hot dog covered in what looked like a bean based chili, green onions, cheese, etc etc etc; a plate of melt-in-your-mouth head cheese with crusty bread and more Creole mustard; and a few drinks to begin our weekend back in town.

I'm glad we arrived when we did; after 11:30 the line stretched out the door and we had hungry patrons breathing down our necks for a shot at our tallboy. We befriended our friendly bartender over lunch and he bequeathed us with two delicious cookies on the way out: classic white chocolate chip and snickerdoodle that were still moist when this writer indulged this evening.

Definitely ch-ch-ch-check it next time you find yourself wandering in the Warehouse District, just get there with plenty of time to wait and an aggressive approach to table poaching!

Cochon Butcher, 930 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans, LA

On to the Next

2011-02-17T21:46:00.006-07:00

Grant Achatz envisions a new restaurant concept where the concept changes four times a year. Fascinating idea from the "Andy Warhol" of the cooking frontier.

I especially found interesting the 18 different types of ice at the cocktail bar! It all sounds intense and fun and slightly wacky, but the question remains to be answered: will the food-appreciating public adore Next like they've adored Alinea, or will it simply become to heady and self-interested to appeal to anyone but the most dedicated Achatz fan?

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/16/dining/16next.html

Some days are better than others...

2010-11-30T07:39:00.006-07:00

Well after much pleading and prodding Blogger has reinstated thelonelyanchovy! While I have so many awesome posts to share, I have to start out with a comical and even somewhat tragic story of newlywed cooking gone awry.

I have successfully ruined 3 recipes in the last 12 hours, and none of them were the same recipe.

Attempt 1: Monday night, 8:30p

Dish: Celia Brooks Brown's Spaghetti with Yogurt, Chile and Spinach

This is a recipe I have been following for years - YEARS - by heart. It has become one of my husband's favorites, takes about 20 minutes and is even vegetarian. See recipe below. Note that it calls for plain nonfat yogurt. Pretty standard stuff, but I guess I was in a yoga daze at the grocery last night because I picked up vanilla nonfat yogurt instead, and apparently didn't bother to notice my mistake until I had stirred the yogurt/flour mixture into a sizzling pan of olive oil and finely minced garlic and Thai chili. An intoxicating aroma of garlic, spice olive oil and... vanilla... erupted though my new kitchen.

Attempt 1: fail

Attempt 2: Monday, 8:45p

Dish: Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil

As I already had pasta rolling from Attempt 1, I decided to do a quick, easy, undestroyable dish with what I had in front of me. Minced a little more garlic, grabbed a fresh pan, tossed in a little olive oil over medium heat and dropped in the garlic. Then the phone rang in the other room, a great friend from New Orleans catching up from the holiday. I lingered for just a moment too long to discover burned and crispy garlic in my pan.

Attempt 2: fail

At this point, I gave up anything that was remotely complicated (apparently roasting garlic was out) and tossed the innocent-enough pasta in butter and chopped flat leaf parsley. Dinner accomplished.

Attempt 3: Monday 9:00p - Tuesday 8:00a

Dish: Chicken stock

How does one destroy chicken stock? Well I'm going to tell you. The meal plan this week included chicken soup, and I always need chicken stock for other soups as well. So into the pot go three chickens, onions, parsnips, carrots, celery, parsley, dill, thyme, Kosher salt and whole peppercorns, topped off with about 8 quarts of water. In my old kitchen with gas burners, I could generally leave all this on the cooktop over low all night to really get some great flavor. So I brought the stock to a boil, turned the heat down and went to bed. I closed the kitchen door so the dogs wouldn't be tempted to explore the aromas of the hot pot. Now, the great thing about working freelance is that I can sleep a little late, so I woke up around 8:00a this morning expecting the smell of delicious chicken stock and herbs. Not so. Instead, the scent of protein burn permeated the house -- the stock had reduced the almost the point of no liquid and the contents were burning on the edges of the pot. To make matters worse, water had condensed on the walls, hood and inside the vent above the cooktop. My house still smells acrid.

Attempt 3: fail

And all within 12 hours. Welcome back, lonelyanchovy.

Spaghetti with Yogurt, Chile and Spinach

1/2 pound whole wheat spaghetti
1 1/2 cups plain low-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 red Thai chile, minced
10 ounces baby spinach
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the spaghetti until al dente. Drain and return to the saucepan.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk the yogurt with the flour until smooth. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and chile and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the yogurt and bring to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring. Add the spinach by the handful and cook until wilted, stirring. When all of the spinach has been added, stir in the lemon zest and juice and season with salt and pepper.
Add the sauce to the spaghetti and toss well to coat. Mound in bowls, sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve right away.

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/spaghetti-with-lemon-chile-and-creamy-spinach

Tis the Season to be Festive

2009-12-23T11:08:00.002-07:00

And drink Champagne!

The Wall Street Journal just posted a fabulous (as always) and informative aricle on the science behind my favorite beverage. Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126108284326695963.html?mod=dist_smartbrief

Food by Politics

2009-11-13T16:37:00.000-07:00

Wine and Chocolate Pairing Made Simple

2009-11-04T09:00:00.003-07:00

Ziggy "the Wine Gal" Eschliman gets quoted here by Bill Daley at the Chicago Tribune. Great article for the pairing-minded.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/dining/chi-tc-food-wine-1023-1028oct28,0,840505.column

On a personal note, Ziggy scored DR and I some fabulous tickets and backstage passes to the Journey/Hart show this summer in exchange for some Perrier Jouet. Couldn't have been a better show, thanks so much for hooking us up Ziggy!

Fast Company weighs in on the closure of Gourmet Magazine

2009-10-06T13:35:00.004-06:00

http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/kate-rockwood/bizzy-body/rip-gourmet-how-keep-brand-alive?partner=homepage_newsletter

A few interesting tips and ideas for Ruth and the crew to keep this publication viable and relevant, form the magazine that prides itself on keeping up with all things hip and au currant.

Gourmet Magazine to close

2009-10-05T12:51:00.002-06:00

Gourmet magazine, that lovely publication full of glossy recipes you can never do so well yourself, will be closing soon, according to the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Sources cite low ad revenue for the Conde Nast publication.

I'm sad to see Gourmet go; I once had the pleasure of working with a few of their editors while at Commander's Palace and recall a devotion to food that at the time I could not match.

Sad day.

Beer and Cheese Pairing

2009-10-01T15:48:00.001-06:00

Gotta love the Wall Street Journal and it's creative titles.
I haven't had a chance to indulge in this particular pairing, but it may be good material for tonight's dinner plate...
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125383275067639085.html?mod=dist_smartbrief

The Journey of Grass-Fed Beef, from the Denver Post

2009-09-30T11:57:00.004-06:00

As the editor mentions in the notes, I am smarter and better-off knowing where my food comes from each and every day.

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_13440238

Cocktails Go Green!

2009-06-26T13:36:00.002-06:00

It's about time someone figured this out! This place is on my list...
http://www.sommelierjournal.com/articles/article.aspx?year=2009&month=6&articlenum=55

The World is Your Oyster: New travel site Oyster Hotel Reviews

2009-06-26T13:32:00.003-06:00

www.oyster.com
This travel site is growing but is full of objective opinions for those caught by the travel bug. See also an article from Fast Company, who is consultingon the project: http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/adam-hanft/change-pulpit/opinion-exhaustion-sets-skittles-oystercom-and-president-obama

Wall Street Journal on Chilled Summer Reds

2009-06-25T08:40:00.000-06:00

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204482304574220183250628914.html?mod=dist_smartbrief

Fast Company Names 10 Most Creative People in Food

2009-06-22T14:16:00.002-06:00

http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/denise-b-martin/creative-time/10-most-creative-people-food

The Reinvention of Olive Garden and Red Lobster

2009-06-22T14:11:00.001-06:00

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/137/why-america-is-addicted-to-olive-garden.html

The Cherry Bounce in the Wall Street Journal

2009-06-18T08:15:00.001-06:00

Oh how the times are a-changing!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204482304574221581090326024.html?mod=dist_smartbrief

Michael Pollan in Newsweek

2009-06-12T12:01:00.001-06:00

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/popvox/archive/2009/06/12/author-michael-pollan-on-food-inc-and-how-to-eat-well.aspx

Basket Case

2009-06-11T07:32:00.000-06:00

Basket Case

Quote of the Day

2009-01-19T12:37:00.002-07:00

It doesn't matter who you are, or what you've done, or what you think you can do. There's a confrontation with destiny awaiting you. Somewhere, there is a chile you cannot eat.

--Daniel Pinkwater in A Hot Time in Nairobi

Quote of the Day

2009-01-10T18:17:00.002-07:00

Lifted off a friend's Facebook status...

I am cursing the devil called champagne..."It hides its evilness with pretty bubbles."

Coca Cola as Wine

2008-12-18T12:02:00.001-07:00

It's been awhile, so here's a fun fact of the day...

The J.S. Pemberton Medicine Co. was formed in Atlanta circa 1885 to sell three principal products: a cough syrup and a hair dye that are both long forgotten, plus Pemberton's French Wine of Cola. In 1886, after Atlanta's Fulton County passed prohibition legislation, Pemberton devised a nonalcoholic version of his Wine of Cola, known today as Coca-Cola.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/bay-area-living/ci_11245061?nclick_check=1

Lunch Alert: Masterpiece Delicatessen

2008-11-20T17:41:00.007-07:00

My friend Frankie alerted and turned me on to possibly one of the best little sammy shops in Denver: Masterpiece Delicatessen. Nestled at the top of the LoHi pedestrian bridge, this is not your New York-style deli.

In a very airy and bright open space, Masterpiece Delicatessen seems to be run by a top-notch group of chefs who are constantly innovating and perfecting the deli sandwich. Other wares include crafty salads, rich soups, breakfast goodies, gourmet coffee, housemade desserts (yum), and overflowing plates of meats and cheeses. Whew! Top it off with a cooler full of artisan sodas and -- gasp! -- real rootbeer, and you've got a tasty lunch hour on your hands.

Frankie and I went to Masterpiece Delicatessen for a quick Friday lunch; he's been raving about this place for a few months now. He ordered the braised beef brisket upon discovery that the Get-Right wasn't on the menu that day, but apparently there was no buyer's remorse. A thick serving of brisket spilled out the sides of a crusty baguette with crunchy pieces of Arugula (lettuce of choice in Denver, apparently) sticking out and sopping up some brisket-y goodness. Heaven on bread.

I chose only-slightly lighter fare: the Black Truffle Egg Salad Sandwich. Frankie isn't an egg salad fan, so I had all the tasty glory to myself that afternoon -- add in red onion, capers and romaine on toasty white bread and you have one egg sandwich that blows the rest of them out of the water.

I now find myself making excuses to walk 15 blocks through Lodo to get my hands on other mouth-watering items, like the Roasted Vegetable Sandwich with zucchini, Piquillo peppers, caramelized onions, wild mushrooms, tomato tapenade, hummus and Manchego (wowza!). More reports to come, as I am on the hunt for that fabled Get-Right...

Masterpiece Delicatessen, 1575 Central St, Denver 303.561.deli

KCRW's Good Food

2008-11-20T14:49:00.004-07:00

Love food so much you want to hear someone talk about it for a couple of hours? One of my favorite podcasts is Good Eats from KCRW in LA. Weekly journeys to the Santa Monica Farmer's Market are complimented by interviews with innovative chefs, culinary shop-owners, innovators and the like. With subjects ranging from how to cook fresh shell beans and sanddabs to the newest chocolate shop to hit Los Angeles featuring goat cheese chocolates to impassioned discussions about sustainable food products and local purchase habits.

This is a seriously cool podcast to add to your repertoire, so check it out -- free knowledge about one of the best subjects I can think of!!

Check it out here!

Quote of the Day - Christopher Robin

2008-11-20T14:36:00.001-07:00

"If there is ever a tomorrow when we are not together, there is something you must always remember: you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think . . . but most important of all, even if we are apart, i'll always be with you." - Christopher Robin to Winnie the Pooh

Not exactly food related, but a quote that touched me today.

Quote of the Day

2008-11-17T13:47:00.001-07:00

What is patriotism but the love of the food one ate as a child?

--Lin Yutang

Table 6

2008-11-17T13:35:00.004-07:00

14 November, 2008

The setting: Table 6 restaurant in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Downtown Denver. A small, intimate space with no more than 12 tables, a bright open kitchen, and a high bar area to enjoy pre-dinner drinks and start to dream of the meal to come.

The table: the Doctor and I out for an evening of catching up, paired with great food and a snappy bottle of wine. Do we do it any other way?

The wine: In the mood for a Grenache/Syrah blend, the Doctor and I deferred to Sommelier Aaron Forman for his suggestion of an earthy wine to take the chill out of the cold night. A bottle of Acustic 06 Montsant, produced just south of Barcelona, gave us that earthy, woodsy bouquet we were craving, and continued to develop and open up throughout the meal for a really tasty bottle experience.

The food: After much deliberation and negotiation (the foodie rules apply at this type of spot), the Doctor started with the Little Phillies and I settled on the Confit Fresh Bacon. As us food nerds typically do, plates were passed and "oohs" and "ahhhs" were the only syllables uttered for several minutes.

The Little Phillies were reminiscent of home-cooked pot roast with just enough aged Provolone, grilled onions and Sriracha Aioli to whet the appetite for more.

While the Little Philles were pretty smokin', the Confit Fresh Bacon may have been the winner for the evening -- served with bacon and date brittle and a chilled celery truffle curd, the 3x1x1" slab of pork belly sat next to a bed of arugula tossed in olive oil and lemon juice. The savory meat with sweet accoutrement incorporated with a touch of vague spiciness made for an excellent dish that night.

Entrees were just as difficult to decide over, with yummy choices like Ahi Noodle Casserole with Orecchiette, Lobster Mushrooms, Idiazabal and Fried Shallot, or the delectable sounding Grilled Beef Hanging Tender served with Blue Cheese Bread Pudding, Spinach, Onion Ring and Red Wine Gastrique.

In the end, the Doctor settled on the Chanterelle Chicken Pot Pie, a perfect example of gourmet comfort food ready to take you back to childhood. Only with better taste buds. I chose the Butternut Squash Ravioli, a sweet pasta dish complimented by a healthy dose of fennel, parmesan and parsley, and the dish took me back to New Orleans with its aromatic big flavors.

Dessert was at the Doctor's recommendation: an order of Chocolate Beignets with Vanilla Creme Fraiche that literally burst with molten chocolate under a fork. A perfect treat to end the night.

The verdict: I gave the Doctor quite a lot of grief throughout the night that the Denver dining scene was going to be a breeze for me; chains and Mexican joints were easy to conquer, and the city's people eat to live rather than the live to eat attitude inherent in New York and New Orleans. If Table 6 is a suggestion of meals to come, I cannot wait to discover all the fabulous, hidden food my new city has to offer.

Quote of the day -- Richard Wilbur

2008-11-16T18:49:00.000-07:00

All that we do is touched with ocean, yet we remain on the shore of what we know.

-- Richard Wilbur

Quote of the Day -- Luciano Pavarotti

2008-11-15T11:43:00.001-07:00

One of the nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.

--Luciano Pavarotti + William Wright, Pavarotti, My Own Story

New Zealand 2008 -- Cook N With Gas

2008-11-14T08:14:00.000-07:00

Despite the odd name, Cook N With Gas turned out to be a foodie highlight of my trip. Nestled in downtown Christchurch (south island), this little gem turned out some spectacular dishes for JR and I.

The interior was eclectic and meticulous all at once: the French bistro genre elaborated with vintage posters, awards, pictures, and general kitsch to create a visual jewelbox.

Bottle of wine #1 was a Peregrine Saddleback Pinot Noir, 07 from the Central Otago, one of New Zealand's hot wine-growing regions right now. It turned out to be the perfect accoutrement to the meal that followed...

We started with prawn and whitebait fritters (whitebait is a delicacy in NZ -- it's a white sliver of a fish cooked in oil or baked with spices) served with a sweet relish that complimented the light, slightly sweet and subtle flavor of the fritters.

My main dish was a seasonal vegetable tortellini, Italian interpreted by Kiwis. This dish was a treat: large green pastas filled with fresh spinach and pecorino romano cheese, surrounded by a bed of fresh, crisp asparagus, roast tomatoes, toasted walnuts and more delicious shaved pecorino romano -- yum yum yum! The dish also had hints of lemongrass and maybe even cardamom, but I was in foodie heaven because everything was balanced and complimentary, not a taste out of place.

Dessert was a simple creme brulee topped with a clever "Gas" sugar sculpture. So rich we couldn't finish, especially not with the beverage we chose to accompany it...

The final component of our meal at Cook N With Gas was a bottle of dessert wine. Not just any dessert wine, mind you, but a late harvest riesling. Konrad & Co. Sigrum Noble #2 Riesling '04 was a super rich, tasty bottle, cut with Sauvignon Blanc. Even so, one glass was more than enough to cap of a fine meal.

Quote of the Day -- Galileo

2008-11-14T08:09:00.000-07:00

Wine is sunlight held together by water

--Galileo

Quote of the Day -- Mitch Hedberg

2008-11-11T12:37:00.000-07:00

I like rice. Rice is great if you're hungry and want 2000 of something.

-- Mitch Hedberg

Quote of the Day -- Miss Piggy

2008-11-11T12:35:00.000-07:00

Never eat more than you can lift

-- Miss Piggy

Tasty Meal Archives: Bouchon, June 2008

2008-11-11T12:02:00.000-07:00

The setting: a lovely late afternoon lunch following the Napa Valley Wine Auction at Bouchon in Yountville

The table: ever-fabulous and energetic glamorous jetsetters: Sheana Davis, Leslie Owen, and myself

The food: foie-gras terrine and East Coast varietal oysters

The wine: a lovely crisp bottle of Pouilly-Fuisse

A crisp decor welcomed a crowd of tourists and locals alike as the knowledgeable waitstaff guided us through a leisurely afternoon of sipping and munching.

An added bonus: Bouchon Bakery is right next door for dessert. A latte and two flourless chocolate cakes later... time to nap and dream of more Thomas Keller goodness!

Quote of the Day -- Lord William Stonewall

2008-10-21T18:09:00.000-06:00

A dinner lubricates business.

--Lord William Stonewall

Dominick's, West Hollywood, or, Diagnosed at 40. Part I

2008-10-21T17:17:00.000-06:00

A Foreword: This entry will hopefully accomplish two things: first, a mini-review of the restaurant Dominick's in West Hollywood; and second, to outline a truly fantastic night full of hilarity and good friends.

5 friends were invited to Dominick's to help Leslie ring in year 40, quite the monumentous occasion. On the back patio, bricked in and canopied by an olive tree, the only light source a fireplace and strings of globe lights traversing the space, we are tucked into a long wooden table and start the night off right. A bottle of bubbles appears, and the night begins.

Leslie is my stylish cousin, a super-creative type who travels the world and lives between Los Angeles and St. Croix. She can be credited with spoiling me for all world travel, as my first trip to Europe was as her guest at age 17. We stayed at the Savoy, soaked up culture, went to the World Music Awards... you get the idea. Her party guests include folks from across the creative spectrum and I feel inspired from the moment I sit down with this group.

I swipe the wine list to discover an Italian-focused yet nicely balanced selection to celebrate Leslie's big day. Wines are separated into "White" and "Red" but subcategories don't stray into the cliche grape names; instead, bottles were creatively organized by familiarity under titles like "Tried and True," "Your New Best Friend," and "Go Out on a Limb."

We chose a Sirch Tocai-Fruilano "Albana" 2007 off the "Your New Best Friend" list. This is one of my favorite grapes, and it is becoming just a little easier to find with its popularity growing. The first bottle was dry and lightly effervescent with notes of lemon-verbena and pears. An instant crowd-pleaser! Bottle #2 was from the 2006 vintage, and had vanilla undertones with a very slight tang on the palette. This, too, went over well with our group, so a third bottle (of the 2006) was requested and came sailing out with smiles.

And then there was food...

New Orleans Needs Ideas!

2008-10-07T12:07:00.000-06:00

New Orleans holds a special spot in my heart as the birthplace of my personal and professional passions. Food, wine, restaurants, and entertaining are a way of life in that city, and a little storm a few years ago still threatens the city I and many others hold dear.

IdeaVillage is a group of passionate and creative entrepreneurs in New Orleans dedicated to bringing the city back to its prominence and then some. They recently unveiled a program asking entrepreneurs for ideas to keep young professionals in the city, offering $100,000 to the winner.

Long has it been a problem for New Orleans that its young, educated people leave the city for opportunities in Houston, Dallas, Chicago, and other places around the country. IdeaVillage believes the trend can change.

See their outstanding YouTube video after the jump for an outline of their program, and pass the word along to anyone who may have that great idea!

http://www.youtube.com/browse?s=rf&c=29&l=&b=0

Quote of the Day -- Anthelme Brillat Savarin

2008-10-06T20:48:00.000-06:00

A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine.

--Anthelme Brillat Savarin

Return from the Southern Hemisphere

2008-10-06T20:40:00.000-06:00

I have returned from my little jaunt down to New Zealand, so sorry there weren't many (any) posts while I was away; sitting down at a computer just didn't seem right in such an amazing country.

I will write about my trip and its stellar food and wine experiences once I have pictures. J and I shared a camera (I only have a film, not so good for international travel), so I am waiting patiently for what I hope turns out to be great shots of the NZ landscape.

Where in the World (is the Lonely Anchovy)?

2008-09-22T17:01:00.000-06:00

Good afternoon, food nerds and friends (or morning, depending where you are on the globe)!

I am excited to report that the next two weeks of scintillating Lonely Anchovy entries will be coming to you from the diverse and fascinating country of New Zealand. 13 days, 7 cities (no checked bags) and lots of good munchies and sips to look forward to.

I am currently sitting in Auckland at the Hilton on the Wharf, peering out onto a glassy, cold bay and a grey-blue sky, breathing in some of the loveliest sea air I've found in awhile.

Stay tuned for all the hijicks, big and small...

Restaurant Alert: Father's Office, Santa Monica

2008-09-20T20:51:00.000-06:00

Father's Office on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica reminds me quite a bit of the Delachaise in New Orleans. Just a lot more clean. And smoke-less.

You can't miss this spot: the exterior roof is topped like a birthday cake with a 60s era neon sign complete with an arrow pointing to the entrance. Walk in to a narrow, wood paneled room lined with low tables filled with chattering Los Angelenos, sipping on obscure and tasty beers and nibbling on organic yum yums from the kitchen. Hip but not overdone tunes jammed in the background, and people stood around the L-shaped bar under chalkboard menus, eagerly weighing their options of a Bruery Black Orchard Ale versus a Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA. Of course they have a wine selection, but the real treasure at Father's Office is the beers. Their motto, in fact, is Beer Makes You Strong.

The Big and Small plates offer something for almost every palate. Picky eaters beware though; the menu specifically states that no substitutions, modifications, alterations or deletions will be indulged. Yes. Really. Sobrasoda come out with heaps of manchego alongside plates of white anchovies (lonely no more!) and spicy lamb skewers. The organic beet salad burst with complementary ingredients, including a healthy serving of Cabrales Blue cheese and a kickin' Jerez vinaigrette.

The most talked-about dish on the menu is The Office Burger. Looking around at tables filled with slim and pretty men and women (this is LA), you might not expect to see too many plates of ground beef and a carb-load. Au contraire, my friends. On nearly every table sat a happy burger, and McDonald's this was not: on a thick (French bread?) bun with crunchy bits of Arugula sticking out from every angle, a thick patty sat medium rare on the inside and covered in caramelized onions, delightful bits of bacon, and nibbles of Gruyere and Maytag Blue. Is my envy showing through the computer screen yet?

Cannot wait to find myself in LA again, if only to nibble on that Burger. Yum yum yum.

Foodie Quote of the Day

2008-09-18T22:28:00.000-06:00

Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.

~M.F.K. Fisher

Foodie Quote of the Day

2008-09-18T02:06:00.000-06:00

If all of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.

~J.R.R. Tolkien (1892 - 1973)

Kitschy New Invention: ToastaBags!

2008-09-17T11:33:00.001-06:00

Yet another reason I love DailyCandy: they have turned me on to a product that might single-handedly change the way we make a classic American staple -- the grilled cheese sandwich.

ToastaBags are truly for the lazy gourmet. This little pocket of love holds your bread slices, cheese in between, and slips them effortlessly into an upright toaster for an un-messy fromage-laden treat. Oh, the possibilities of all the grilled cheese sammies I could make! Havarti, manchego, aged cheddar -- yum yum yum!!

Image from DailyCandy

Foodie Quote of the Day

2008-09-17T11:17:00.000-06:00

If junk food is the devil, then a sweet orange is as scripture.

~Audrey Foris

New Useful Website Alert: RegionalBest.com

2008-09-17T10:54:00.000-06:00

Finding good regional produce is difficult in Southern California, certainly much for difficult than in Northern California. I am well aware that this may sound insane, that the Central Valley is just north of us. The thing is, these crops are meant to sustain a good percentage of the food for the entire population of the United States, i.e., much of it is "treated" to keep the apples and cucumbers shiny and whole upon arrival in Wichita. Locavores have a pretty difficult time down here.

Typical grocery stores here in Orange County don't have any higher quality or fresher product than a store in a non-agricultural area. There are a few exceptions, including Farm to Market in San Juan Capistrano, but on the whole, very few people get access to great regional food stuffs.

RegionalBest.com is a cool new site I've discovered that organized its wares not only by type of product (cheeses, grains, seafood, etc.) but it breaks offerings down by region for good local feast. Happy hunting for good regional items!!

Image from RegionalBest.com

Quote of the Day

2008-09-15T20:31:00.000-06:00

You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients

-Julia Child (1912 - 2004)

Fish Goes Eco-Conscious

2008-09-14T22:10:00.000-06:00

MSN recently did an article on piscine choices that are eco-friendly. Many people may want to purchase and support environmentally friendly fish, but have a tough (if a little fishy) time finding fish that meets those confines.

This article from MSN offers some good material for anyone looking to green up. Many of these may not be the most popular little fishies, but I'm excited to expand my palate, and I hope you might do the same!

Your Daily Yum Yum: Banana Bread

2008-09-14T21:16:00.000-06:00

I am the first to admit that while my cooking skills may be formidable, I rarely use them for the good of mankind (or my tummy). I learned through osmosis while at Commander's Palace; Tory McPhail was working on his fabulous new book, "Commander's Wild Side" and I did my duty as proofer, assistant stylist and (my favorite part) taster.

Along the lines of my earlier post (half of the world's food supply is wasted every year), I decided to make lemonade out of lemons. Rather, I made banana bread out of overripe bananas. A quick search on Food and Wine (my favorite monthly of mine) found this recipe from Lisa Ritter, which turned out just as they claimed: crispy on the outside, moist on the inside. Really scrumptious, if I do say so myself.

Old-Fashioned Banana Bread

MAKE-AHEAD
VEGETARIAN

ACTIVE TIME: 20 MIN
TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 30 MIN
ONE 9-BY-5-INCH LOAF

This extraordinarily simple and tasty banana bread (with a moist center and crispy crust) is a Ritter family heirloom. “The recipe has been in our family for generations,” Lisa Ritter says.

INGREDIENTS

Unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
2 large, very ripe bananas, mashed
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch metal loaf pan. In a medium bowl, whisk the 1 1/4 cups of flour with the baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the oil, sugar and mashed bananas. Stir the banana mixture into the dry ingredients.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the center of the oven for about 50 minutes, until the bread is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool for 15 minutes, then turn the bread out onto the rack and let cool completely. Dust the top with confectioners’ sugar, cut into slices and serve.

MAKE AHEAD The bread can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Brennan's of Houston Burns to the Ground

2008-09-13T10:54:00.000-06:00

I started my professional career at Commander's Palace, a grand-dame restaurant in New Orleans owned and operated by the Brennan family. While there, I became well-acquainted with the family and deeply involved with each restaurant the group owned. I still consider Ti Martin and Lally Brennan as the two women who helped shape me into who I am today.

I was surprised and saddened this morning to learn that Brennan's of Houston, their beautiful downtown Houston restaurant, burned to the ground early this morning in the throes of Hurricane Ike. That family has already dealt with so much tragedy; Commander's Palace was closed for 13 months after Hurricane Katrina, and the renovation of it and the city of New Orleans was physically, mentally and emotionally exhausting.

I'm not sure what path the Brennan's will take with the Houston location, but it will no doubt be an exacting one.

Brennan's Restaurant, revered Midtown landmark, destroyed by fire

By BRADLEY OLSON AND MIKE TOLSON
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

Sept. 13, 2008, 5:24AM

Three people were severely injured and a Houston culinary landmark was left in ashes early Saturday by a fire that erupted as Hurricane Ike began to barrel into town.

Brennan's Restaurant, a Midtown institution famous for its turtle soup and bananas foster and a time-honored eatery among local society, was ruined by the blaze. A 45-year-old man and his 4-year-old daughter, along with a third man who was not related to them, were taking refuge from the storm inside the brick structure.

The father and daughter were taken to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center with burn injuries, Assistant Fire Chief Omero Longoria said. Both were listed in critical condition early today, a hospital spokesperson said. The other man was taken to Ben Taub General Hospital, where he is listed in fair condition.

The cause of the fire and whether it is connected to the storm was not yet known.

Firefighters struggled in vain for hours to contain the fire, which was whipped by ever gusting winds that blew from all directions. With no hope for the restaurant, fire officials concentrated on keeping the fire from reaching nearby buildings. An old two-story apartment building sits directly across from the restaurant.

The task of containment grew even more daunting as the winds increased. Dangerous debris — felled trees and limbs, unhinged stoplights, awnings, road signs, shopping carts — skittered through the streets, with nearby taller buildings funneling gusts directly toward the flames.

The fire was reported around midnight, and at 1 a.m. flames which darting skyward, hardly diminished by a stream of water from a firehose. But by 2:30 a.m., all that could be viewed from a few blocks away — as a legion of emergency vehicles blocked roads around the restaurant — was an orange glow.

Reached on his cellular phone, Alex Brennan-Martin, Brennan's co-owner and part of a family of famed New Orleans restaurateurs, declined to comment, apparently too emotional to speak.

Fire officials said personnel would continue their efforts as long as conditions were safe, though remaining in a 'defensive' posture' Longoria said, meaning they were not inside the building.

In 2005, Houston Chronicle restaurant reviewer Alison Cook included a personal note that rang true with many who grew up with Brennan's as a touchstone for a fancy night out.

'I have a long and mostly happy history with this restaurant, which opened in the former Junior League building in 1967,' Cook wrote. 'Through my post-college jobs, Brennan's was a place where I got comfortable with fine dining, where I discovered the joys of Meursault wines, learned to eat grillade and grits, and decided that 'brunch' was a word to be welcomed instead of feared.

'I have a vivid memory,' Cook went on, 'of sitting with my college-age sister at a small table against the back wall of the stately main dining room, eating turtle soup and mustardy steak Diane — a period piece long since banished from the menu — that seemed absolutely thrilling. Our waiter, who doted on us, knew perfectly well we couldn't afford it. He didn't care. We were queens for an evening, and the feeling of welcome and occasion that he exuded — and which endures — has always been one of my favorite things about this restaurant.'

Although Cook sadly noted what she perceived as a later demise in its offerings, she was happy to report that it had bounced back with new Chef Randy Evans, who has headed the kitchen since 2003.

'Brennan's food these days has a profound, Southern soulfulness to it,' she wrote.

The restaurant had a previous brush with hurricane disaster, albeit indirectly. When Katrina pounded New Orleans in 2005, much of the staff of Commander's Palace, which is owned by the Brennan family, came to work temporarily at the Houston outpost.

Brennan-Martin, then head of the local chapter of the Council of Independent Restaurants, also hosted fundraisers for Katrina victims and led efforts to find work for displaced restaurant employees.

Brennan's traces its history to a New Orleans restaurant of the same name opened in 1946 by Owen Edward Brennan. The son of a local shipyard worker, Brennan had already staked a claim on the local landscape when he acquired the Old Absinthe House on Bourbon Street three years earlier.

The Absinthe House was built in 1798 and was known to be pirate Jean Lafitte's secret hangout, and after buying it, Brennan staged lifelike mannequins of the notorious Lafitte and Andrew Jackson in what he called the 'Secret Room' — the room in which a pact was supposedly made to assist in New Orleans' defense against the British at the Battle of New Orleans.

Brennan became one of the French Quarter's best known hosts at 'the oldest saloon in America,' with pianist Fats Pichon adding to its appeal with tunes ranging from Bach to boogie. But he didn't made his mark in the culinary community until he opened Owen Brennan's French & Creole Restaurant across the street.

After a dispute over his lease a few years later, Brennan moved the restaurant to a new location on Royal Street. However, Brennan died shortly before the official opening in 1956. It fell to one of his sisters, Ella, to manage the new operation, which became more successful than the old.

As time passed, Ella, who is Brennan-Martin's mother, expanded operations, first by acquiring a restaurant in Biloxi, Miss., and then moving on to Houston, Dallas and a New Orleans suburb. Brennan's Restaurant of Houston, as it was formally known, opened in 1967. Jimmy Brennan, one of Owen's sons, moved to Houston to manage the eatery. Jimmy had been formally trained in the restaurant business at École Hôtelière de la S.S.H. in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Ensuing disputes over money, the quality of the restaurants and more ambitious expansion plans brought the family and the restaurant group to the brink of disaster before a settlement was reached. The original Brennan family — Owen's three sons — now operates only the New Orleans restaurant bearing its name and Commander's Palace, an established restaurant it acquired in 1969.

Chronicle writers Cindy George and Shelby Hodge contributed.

mike.tolson@chron.com

bradley.olson@chron.com

Amazon Gets into Wine

2008-09-12T00:03:00.000-06:00

Wild. Absolutely wild.

Quote of the Day

2008-09-11T23:39:00.000-06:00

My favorite animal is steak

~Fran Lebowitz

Quote of the Day

2008-09-10T15:28:00.000-06:00

After all the trouble you go to, you get about as much actual "food" out of eating an artichoke as you would from licking 30 or 40 postage stamps.

~Miss Piggy

Quote of the Day

2008-09-08T22:52:00.000-06:00

High-tech tomatoes. Mysterious milk. Supersquash. Are we supposed to eat this stuff? Or is it going to eat us?

~Annita Manning

In-N-Out makes me happy

2008-09-08T16:00:00.000-06:00

I had the distinct pleasure of taking a tasty detour to the only fast food I will ever consider, California's own In-N-Out Burger.

If you have ever eaten at In-N-Out Burger, you know that there are few burgers that can substitute this dietary staple. Fresh produce, meat and dairy make for a tasty if indulgent meal I only spring for every once in awhile.

My friend Tom and I stopped in for a yummy treat last week and ordered the works: cheeseburgers with onions, fresh cut french fries and chocolate milkshakes.

Americana at its finest. Yum yum yum!

Slow Food Nation in San Francisco

2008-09-08T15:23:00.000-06:00

Sunday, Day 4 of my Sonoma Showcase Weekend and Slow Food Nation Tour was devoted to a day at Slow Food Nation in San Francisco at the Fort Mason Center.

My intrepid tour guide and rock star cheesemaker friend Sheana Davis drove us into the city around 8:00 am to get prime parking (exit strategy in place). We met a new friend Susan Roth for early breakfast at Greens Restaurant -- they made me a truly de

licious and real Chai tea that hit that early morning hankering for me.

We sauntered in to the Slow Food Nation staging area in the beautiful Fort Mason on the Marina. Slow Food Nation is meant to the birth of a broad and inclusive food movement to build an American system that is sustainable, just and delicious.

Sheana's cheese Delice de la Vallee was on showcase in the Cheese section of the event among 60 other artisanal fromage varieties. Sheana, with the help of Susan, offered 5000 samples of her cheese to people walking through the cheese section. Excited delights of 'Yum!" and "Wow, what is that goodness?!"

Sheana's friends from Cheese School of San Francisco stopped by and the picture below is by far my favorite: the baby, eating cheese and looking as happy as a mini clam. So cute!

Sonoma Showcase Weekend -- Saturday August 30

2008-09-08T13:20:00.000-06:00

The cheese and the weekend has finally digested -- what a time I had in Sonoma over Labor Day weekend, drinking the best beers and wines in the country and sampling some of the best food goodies of my life.

MacMurray Ranch was the scene of the Sonoma Showcase. This beautiful ranch is set about 15 minutes west of the town of Healdsburg. Driving down the winding road between lush vineyards and simple homesteads, I felt transported back in time; this scene does not exist in mainstream America anymore. MacMurray Ranch was purchased by Hollywood actor Fred MacMurray in 1941, and sold to the Gallo family many years later. They have kept the ranch on it's original charming state, and you couldn't have asked for a more beautiful setting for the Sonoma Showcase Weekend.

Saturday, August 30th started out as a very early morning; Sheana and I had to arrive at MacMurray Ranch sometime around 7:00am. Sheana's assistant Alexis arrived around 9:30 to serve 1000s of samples of fresh Sonoma cheeses to the happy attendees.

Alexis manned the Epicurean Connection table in the center of the Sonoma tent. She served Delice de la Vallee to 1500 cheery folks on lovely fresh bread topped with a drizzle of saba, a super yummy concoction imported into the States made of concentrated, reduced grape juice. Wow. The Delice de la Vallee certainly pops on its own, and the saba adds that extra zing. The other cheese on the table was Franklin's Teleme, a rich complement to the Delice, indeed. The table was decorated with Mason jars full of culinary harvest items and even Mardi Gras beads, a tribute to New Orleans for the careful observers.

Quote of the Day

2008-09-05T20:31:00.000-06:00

You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline - it helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer.

-- Frank Zappa

Banksy Strikes New Orleans

2008-09-05T17:47:00.000-06:00

This post isn't really related to food; rather, it is an image of graffiti by Banksy in New Orleans.

See more here

Cheese School of San Francisco

2008-09-05T15:09:00.000-06:00

I had the delight and pleasure of accompanying my friend Sheana Davis to the Cheese School of San Francisco on Friday, August 29 to serve her amazing Delice de la Vallee and mingle with fabulous friends from San Francisco. A fantastic and energized crowd of 200 attended the soiree -- from giddy, civilian foodies to professional fromage gurus -- all tucked nicely into the Cheese School of SF's cozy space in North Beach.

Sheana's Delice de la Vallee was one of 6 cheeses served that evening to a sold-out crowd, and we ran into a few folks who knew Sheana from her classes there. Sheana teaches at Cheese School SF about 4 times a year, and from what I gather has quite the fan base! Our new foodie friend Matt even made it a point to come meet us at Slow Food later in the weekend. We hope to see you next time too!

Sonoma Wine Country Weekend and Slow Food Nation

2008-09-05T15:05:00.000-06:00

Or, Two Gals in a Suburu.

I didn't make this post earlier in the week because there was so much commotion about New Orleans. Thankfully, that storm has passed and I can relax again.

I spent this past extended weekend up in Sonoma County and San Francisco with my good friend and ally Sheana Davis. Sheana is quickly becoming the hottest new cheesemaker on the scene, and signed up for all the glorious foodie madness for the weekend.

Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, a showcase of sorts that celebrates the best the county has to offer, and Slow Food Nation, a conglomeration of slow products from around the country, were scheduled for the same weekend, causing many small producers in Sonoma County to choose between the two. Not so for Sheana Davis and her intrepid sidekick Josie!

We shuttled between Sonoma and San Francisco many times in those 4 days, and what an adventure we had! I'll give you the quick overview here, because each event deserves an entry of it's own.

We delivered wine and cheese to the Cheese School of San Francisco for Friday evening's artisanal cheese showcase, we shuttled out to Healdsburg to MacMurray Ranch (a beautiful property owned by Gina Gallo -- wow), served 1000s of portions of Delice de la Vallee at the Sonoma County Showcase, served even more 1000s of portions of Delice de la Vallee at Slow Food Nation in Fort Mason, served a delightful cheese course as the coup-de-gras of the Sonoma County Wine Auction, met new friends, drank fabulous wines, worried over New Orleans and our friends who stayed, and generally had a spectacular time.

MFK Fisher, at home in Sonoma

2008-09-05T14:39:00.000-06:00

The New York Times just published a nice little article on MFK Fisher's final home in Sonoma, and after spending an amazing weekend there, I cannot imagine any other place more fitting.

Read the article here for a little treat.

Houston Chronicle reports on America's food supply

2008-08-25T18:37:00.000-06:00

This article from the Houston Chronicle is an awesome example of mainstream media finally paying attention to the issue of our ever-widening chain of food supply. Great read.

Half of all food wasted post-production

2008-08-24T12:57:00.000-06:00

Reports now say that half of all food is wasted post-production. Among the main culprits of this ugly fact are Great Britain ($40bn wasted per year) and the United States (one third of all food thrown away in this county per year). Living in America, I think we often take advantage of the immediate and varied access to high quality food and water; most people around the world do not have that same luxury.

I am no saint when it comes to food consumption. I can think of so many instances where I let something go to waste in the fridge or don't finish my plate at a restaurant, and the thought of exactly how much food I have personally wasted is slightly sickening. There is no excuse for food left in the fridge -- what a clumsy error! My biggest sin: the cartons of cream-on-top yogurt that get shoved to the back of the fridge and forgotten until way past the expiration date. Such a waste.

Yet another case in point: I had lunch at Ruby's Diner, a SoCal favorite, on Friday with a girlfriend. I ordered the veggie tacos and she ordered a salad with chicken -- standard fare at Ruby's. The plates arrive, and our eyes go round: my two little tacos are stuffed to the brim and even spilling out, and Rachelle's salad bowl is a half foot tall and packed with food. Neither of us can finish, and are forced to send a half the salad back as well as an unfinished taco.

I try not to blame myself for not finishing food at restaurants. I think portions have increased exponentially at American restaurants, resulting in our cultural obesity epidemic. I'm certainly not talking about foodie restaurants such as the French Laundry or my favorite taco stand in Laguna Beach, but the places a vast majority of middle America frequent with veracity. Applebee's, Outback Steakhouse, Panera, and steakhouses like Ruth's Chris and Morton's that serve giant portions that often go unfinished. It's a chicken-and-egg dilemma: would restaurants be serving such large portions if consumers didn't demand them? Would consumers be so obese if not offered gigantic portions?

Food for thought today.

Anthony Bourdain on Quimet Quimet!!

2008-08-24T01:49:00.000-06:00

Love him or hate him, Anthony Bourdain gets around. His current show, "No Reservations" on the Travel Channel, sends the chef around the world with open mind and excited palette.

I happen to be a major Bourdain fan; he has attitude, yes, but I've worked with chefs with half the talent and charisma and twice the vitriol. He reminds me of all my favorite chefs: unwavering desire to taste the authentic and local; the will to try anything once; and an unapologetic need for the best food around, whether it be foie gras or fried chicken.

Spain is one of those amazing places in the world where the entire country serves as a culinary mecca, and has been doing so for ages. Chefs have always flocked there for the varied cuisine across the small country, and it is Spain that Bourdain chooses for his next round of culinary adventures.

I personally have not had the pleasure of exploring a large majority of this fascinating country and its storied food, but I did get the opportunity to jet in and out of Barcelona last year. A group of jet-setting girlfriends decided Barcelona would be the perfect backdrop for a 30th birthday party. Quimet Quimet was on my short list of must stops, and I dragged my sleepy friends there one afternoon for an amazing tapas experience.

I mention this because my culinary hero hits up Quimet Quimet while in Barcelona, and his coverage of the city is said to make foodies drool in their living rooms.

So call me a nerd, but I know exactly where I'll be on Monday afternoon: in my living room, munching up Manchego and roasted red pepper toasts and sipping a Spanish rose, devouring Spain through Mr. Bourdain. The re-run of "Anthony Bourdain, No Reservations: Spain" is on the Travel Channel at 4pm.

How to Win Wine Awards

2008-08-21T14:01:00.001-06:00

A very entrepreneurial spirit recently attempted and achieved a historical and triumphant feat: his restaurant won the Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator Magazine. The only real issue surrounding this fantastic achievement: the restaurant doesn't exist. Brilliant!!

The issue has already gone to print in an error I believe Wine Spectator is rather embarrassed over. Bloggers and news publications have been picking this up like Girl Scout cookies from a 12 year old.

I need a partner in crime for this one...

2008-08-21T11:31:00.000-06:00

SIP
L’Heure Verte at Maison 140
What: Drop into Bar Noir during the nightly Green Hour for an absinthe tasting that’ll set you back $5.
Why: It’s easy being, hiccup, green.
When: Daily, 5-7 p.m.
Where: 140 Lasky Dr., at Charleville Blvd., Beverly Hills (310-407-7795).

I must be on a sweets kick...

2008-08-20T00:25:00.000-06:00

I have officially died and gone to heaven. The Cookie Fairy exists!! Cookie Sandwiches now come right to your doorstep. I will know how they taste in 7-10 business days... so excited!!!!

New Cocktail Alert! Pesca Matta

2008-08-18T19:58:00.000-06:00

You've got to love it when a popular, trend-setting company recognizes the power of cocktails. Featured on none other than Daily Candy last week...

From Perbacco in San Francisco:

Pesca Matta, or "Crazy Peach"

209 Gin

Peach puree

Mint leaves

Lemon juice

Splash of soda water

Serve on the rocks

My New Dessert Obsession

2008-08-18T19:43:00.000-06:00

I've never been a baker. Couldn't be farther from it, in fact. Which is why I have no shame in admitting I make sweets from a box.

The day has come when the box just raised the bar. Jacques Torres has a boxed brownie mix. Let us all praise the foodie gods.

A New Type of Foodie Man

2008-08-18T19:34:00.000-06:00

Gastrosexuals. The new movement.

Quotes

2008-08-07T18:57:00.000-06:00

The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind.

--Humphrey Bogart

The Crow Bar + Kitchen

2008-08-07T18:51:00.000-06:00

I am heading to a new gastropub in Corona Del Mar tonight, The Crow Bar. Expect a full review tomorrow -- their website is very enticing, although crows aren't necessarily appetizing... we shall see. Happy Thursday!

The Office

2008-08-06T19:35:00.000-06:00

Working in Southern California has its perks somedays. Working on a rooftop with a view of Laguna Beach and the Pacific Ocean is one of those perks. Enjoy the view.

Your Daily Yum Yum: Sustainable FIshing Appears on Zagat!

2008-08-06T19:13:00.000-06:00

Fish is an amazing source of protein and nourishment, preferred by many people around the world over red meats, including this pescetarian. This wouldn't be a problem if we didn't have 6 billion + people on this Earth, which is putting an incredible strain on our natural food resources. Fish are no exception. With the demand for fish rising around the world as the population increases, our oceans and rivers are becoming over-fished to the point of unsustainable production.

So what's an eco-conscious foodie supposed to do without trading in our beloved pesce? Sustainable seafood is possible to obtain on your dinner table and out at restaurants if you are in the know. Zagat, my favorite guide to all things food, just published this blog about sustainable fishing and the conscious chefs and restaurants who serve it. Yum yum!

http://www.zagat.com/Blog/Detail.aspx?SNP=NLA&SCID=37&BLGID=13877

Lessons from the Sushi-Gods

2008-07-30T21:52:00.000-06:00

I like to claim I ate sushi before I ate a hamburger as a child out here in California. While that might be a bit of an exaggeration, it's not too far off. Sushi is part of the culture on the West Coast; we are all connoisseurs of this Japanese cuisine, although in varying degrees. To you foodies: I hope you know much better than to ever order a California roll!

Here's an interview with Nobu Matsuhisa, whose Nobu restaurants can be found in the best cities around the world and open the sushi horizons for plenty of very lucky folks. It comes from the Zagat website, which I use as a guiding culinary light during my travels.

Yum yum!

Unpasteurized Cheese -- Your Daily Yum Yum

2008-07-21T15:55:00.000-06:00

I love cheese like [insert your favorite simile]. So any little note about this amazing substance catches my eye, especially since my good friend Sheana Davis is coming out with her very own cheese later this year. More on that soon...

Anyhow, this post came up on unpasteurized cheese -- yum yum!!! And from Denver, no less -- what a foodie town in the rough!

http://www.5280.com/blog/?p=3241

Greek wines are the hit this summer

2008-07-08T20:05:00.000-06:00

The Los Angeles Times has spoken.

Possibly the best food article all week -- BACON!

2008-07-08T10:52:00.000-06:00

My friend Sheana Davis, the ultimate foodie up in Sonoma, California, sent this article to me last night. I don't eat meat at the moment, but as this fabulous and lengthy piece points out, if I were to start again, it would be with that ultimate tasty treat, bacon. Yum yum yum.

Bacon mania

Why are Americans so batty for bacon? It's delicious, it's decadent -- and it's also a fashion statement.

Editor's note: The Discovery Channel has Shark Week. Here at Salon, we bring you Pork Week. This is the first in a weeklong series of stories about that most polarizing of meats.

By Sarah Hepola

July 7, 2008 | I stumbled across an Internet link several months ago that made me gasp. At a time when Amy Winehouse implodes via RSS feed and Mini Me has a sex tape, genuine surprise is as hard to come by as affordable gas. But this link was fascinating and repellent at once. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce: the bacon bra.

The bacon bra did its little cha-cha around the interweb for a good week last April, sparking debate about everything from the offensiveness of a naked woman covered in raw meat to the bra's functionality -- which, let's face it, exists in that vast flyover between a Maidenform underwire and, umm, whipped cream. But what struck me most about the reactions, whether from online commenters or my own friends, was how they were shot through with a childlike giddiness that sounded something like this: "Ohmygod, baaaaacon."

Anthony Bourdain has called bacon the "gateway protein" for its astounding ability to lure vegetarians back to the carnivorous fold, and for me, the bacon bra proved something of a gateway as well. It was through links to the bacon bra that I stumbled into a zany online world of bacon-related wackiness. Bacon clothing, bacon accessories, bacon jewelry, bacon toilet paper. The vegans may get their own bestselling cookbook, the yuppies may get their raw organic walnut oil at Whole Foods, but carnivores have turned bacon into something more than mere food; it has become a fashion statement. Leapfrogging from link to link -- bacon gift wrap,bacon tote bags -- I felt like a weary traveler standing on the jagged edge of the Grand Canyon for the first time, staring into its vast, unfathomable abyss; I mean, I knew this existed, but I didn't know it was soooo huge.

Part of this enthusiasm comes from the fact that, as one hit man told another in "Pulp Fiction," "bacon tastes gooood." Or, to put a finer point on it: "Bacon has the perfect balance of sweet, salty, smoky flavor, and the perfect balance of meaty and crispy texture," says James Villa, the author of "The Bacon Cookbook." "It's the most perfect food ever created by the gods."

But triple crème brie is pretty tasty too, and I don't remember seeing that on any Chuck Taylors.

I spoke with several experts about this bacon fixation and cooked up a few explanations for our exuberance. After all, how do we come to exalt a food so much that it is not enough to merely eat it -- but we also feel an urge to wrap ourselves in its likeness and scream our adoration from our Facebook profile? The following bacon theories should be taken with a grain of salt. (Better yet, a nice, crisp rasher.)

1. Bacon is rebellion

Americans have a guilty relationship with food, and perhaps no food is more guilt-inducing than bacon -- forbidden by religions, disdained by dietitians and doctors. Loving bacon is like shoving a middle finger in the face of all that is healthy and holy while an unfiltered cigarette smolders between your lips.

We live in a time when even a casual trip to the market is fraught with anxiety. Is it OK to buythe salmon? What are the food miles on this red delicious apple? And there is something comfortingly unambiguous about a thick slab of bacon. It's bad for you. It tastes fantastic. Any questions?

As Dan Philips says, "Death to all food and wine rules. Down with the health establishment. Bacon is the ultimate expression of freedom." Philips -- aka Captain Bacon -- is the founder of Grateful Palate, a company whose popular Bacon of the Month Club and cheeky assorted gift items -- from T-shirts to bacon air freshener to bacon candles -- has probably done more for the bacon chic movement than anything else.

John T. Edge, author and director of the Southern Foodways Alliance, says, "Bacon is a sort of 21st century tattoo, a marker that declares the wearer to be a badass, unbeholden to convention."

(Oh, and bacon is, in some cases, also literally a tattoo.)

It's telling that, among the many celebrity chefs who have embraced bacon (Paula Deen, Bobby Flay, Emeril Lagasse), it is Anthony Bourdain who has become its most unabashed spokesperson. A cocktail-swilling, cock-slinging adventurer who disdains cliché, Bourdain is the poster boy for macho hedonism.

You can hear a kind of growling swagger in the introduction to Susan Bourette's "Meat: A Love Story," in which she writes about a spike in carnivore culture: "It's like a bitch-slap to all those reedy, high-minded herbivores who demanded nothing short of a bloodless revolution, dictating the parameters of the discussion, decreeing the rules for years."

"Bacon is the cocaine of the '00s," says author Sarah Katherine Lewis, "a visible sign of decadent rebellion."

2. Bacon is sexy

Sarah Katherine Lewis recently wrote a book called "Sex and Bacon: Why I Love Things That Are Very, Very Bad for Me." It's a series of funny, outré personal essays, with a title meant to transmit a kind of wanton lustiness. Bacon is the perfect food with which to do so. "Sex and Lamb Patties," after all, doesn't quite have the frisson.

To love bacon is to sink your teeth into life, to refuse to nibble at the side salad or sip on the seltzer with a twist of lime. "Nobody wants to be wholesome, boring Betty when they could be sexy, hot-to-trot Veronica," Sarah Katherine Lewis says. "Pour me a drink, light me a smoke, fry me up a pan of bacon, and let's get it on."

A recent Taco Bell commercial has played up this idea of bacon as an aphrodisiac. In order to lure male attention at a bar, a woman hides the new Bacon Club Chalupa in her purse. It's absurd; no one with hair that glossy would suffer the indignity of diced chicken in her handbag. But the spot has prompted at least one male viewer to suggest bacon perfume. And why not? It's probably a more seductive scent than lilacs and roses.

"Bacon is sex in a skillet," says Dan Philips of the Grateful Palate. "It's the ultimate aphrodisiac for all living things. Except pigs, of course."

3. Bacon is kitsch

Of course, bacon may be rebellious and sexy, but no one is really slaying hearts in the bacon costume. Bacon is silly, too. And there is a smug irony to be had in embracing such a blue-collar breakfast meat. On the site for Archie McPhee, an online novelty store, the top-selling bacon items are bacon bandages, gummy bacon and the classic bacon wallet. (They sit proudly in thetop 50 items beside the corn-dog air freshener and the yodeling pickle.) The bacon chic movement is as much about a tongue-in-cheek goofiness as it is about stiff-arming the food police. In fact, it is about doing both at once. (Maybe the perfect illustration of this is Wendy's Baconator commercials, in which bacon is a rock star.)

"Bacon is delicious and irresistible, but also can be perceived as gross. Wearing the image of bacon on the body intensifies that duality," says Sasha Wizansky, former Salon staffer and co-founder and art director of the San Francisco-based Meatpaper, an art magazine devoted to animal flesh, which is in itself a highbrow example of this ironic stance.

A less sophisticated example? Barney's sells bacon-and-egg cuff links for $300. That's like a trucker cap for button-down goofballs.

4. Bacon is an Internet joke

A friend of mine recently remarked, "If someone is wearing a bacon scarf, chances are that person has a blog."

Blogger Sadie Fox, who also goes by the name Miss Cellania, wrote about the online bacon bonanza in a post for Mental Floss last summer. She dates the burgeoning phenomenon back to September 2006, when blogger John Scalzi momentarily captivated the blogosphere by taping bacon to his cat. If there is a better example of the sublime pointlessness of Internet memes, I cannot think of one. Oh, wait: Yes I can.

The Internet does for a trend what lighter fluid does for a tiny, flickering flame. So, if someone is taping bacon to his cat, then it only stands to reason there is a bacon flow chart and a bacon Stonehenge and bacon robots. Someone has posted a video to teach you to say "bacon" in sign language. There are dozens of bacon Facebook groups. There are, naturally, bacon blogs, including I Heart Bacon and Bacon Unwrapped, which recently celebrated its third anniversary.

Heather Lauer began Bacon Unwrapped as a joke, but she says, "I started to realize there is something about bacon that gets people incredibly excited, and that was fascinating to me." She recently completed a cross-country bacon tour of America, and still updates her site with the latest in bacon oddities -- chocolate-covered bacon, for example, or a bacon cocktail contest.

This is catnip for kook-seeking sites like Digg and Metafilter, or bloggers scrambling to fill a 10-post-a-day quota, and it's not uncommon to find the same zany links showing up again and again. Take, for example, the jaw-dropping, truly awe-inspiring bacon tux (it's scented!). Archie McPhee put it out as an April Fools' joke in 2006; I discovered it on BuzzFeed a couple of months ago.

All of this creates a wink-wink atmosphere among the Web community, a group of people who have been known to enjoy an inside joke. "People now wear bacon like it's a mark of status or tribal membership," says Leitha Matz, a New York writer who blogs under the name Miss Ginsu and has garnered online attention for making her own bacon cake and bacon ice cream.

But when is that proverbial shark jumped? When does this become less a celebration of bacon and more like a degradation of it? Recently, a blogger wrote of her attempt to make bacon vodka. The result? It made her hurl.

5. Bacon is a crafting trend, and not just for carnivores

Of course, it's not the Gap and Forever 21 who are selling bacon fashion products. It's online manufacturers, many of whom sell their own handmade wares through collectives like the crafting superstore Etsy. Mandy Jouan at Sappy Moose Tree sells bacon Christmas ornaments and a bacon fridge magnet and places bacon among those nostalgia-quirk items you often see clogging a craft fair -- "like owls and unicorns and skulls."

She also adds that, "Vegetarians and vegans have told me they love my bacon magnets." Which reminds me that the latest top-seller on Archie McPhee is the Mr. Bacon vs. Monsieur Tofu action figures. Which also reminds me that in my next life, I want to invent toys for Archie McPhee.

6. Bacon is funny

There was a "Simpsons" episode -- there is always a "Simpsons" episode -- in which Homer is ordering at a restaurant. "I'll have the smiley face breakfast special. Uhh, but could you add a bacon nose? Plus bacon hair, bacon mustache, five o'clock shadow made of bacon bits and a bacon body."

The waitress is all bored sarcasm. "How about I just shove a pig down your throat?"

Now THAT gets Homer really excited.

"I was kidding," she replies.

"Fine, but the bacon man lives in a bacon house!"

The thing is, bacon makes people smile. Bacon taps into that unsophisticated part of our brains, our inner Homer Simpson -- the childhood mind untutored by such oppressive adult realities as fat or cholesterol or moral/ethical dilemmas.

"We are living in serious times," says Bacon Unwrapped's Heather Lauer. "And when you walk down the sidewalk wearing a bacon scarf, you know that you are going to get a few laughs."

"Who can't love a bacon with a little smiley face on it?" asks Mandy at Sappy Moose. "I honestly don't know!"

"It's like ninjas or pirates," says David Wahl, marketing director of Archie McPhee. Actually, it's more like: Ohmygod, baaaacon.

7. Bacon is America

The turkey is the unofficial mascot of Americana, the 20-pound plumper we dutifully cook on our most sacred of national holidays. But really, it should be the pig. Bacon is our national meat. The pig is not an elegant animal, but it is smart and resourceful and fated to wallow in mud. A scavenger. A real scrapper.

"I see bacon as a celebration of an American birthright," says John T. Edge. "Four slices of Hormel Black Label, hissing in a cast iron skillet on a Sunday morning. To wear the bacon colors, to sport a bacon tattoo, is to announce your belief in the possibilities of bacon, in the American goodness rendered by a low-on-the-hog meat, transmogrified by smoke and salt."

Gelato Makes it to the Wall Street Journal!

2008-07-03T12:08:00.000-06:00

I have had a love affair with gelato ever since my first trip to Italy in 2002. Different from our American ice cream, gelato has a mysticism about it (for me, anyhow) that makes this treat mouth-watering.

In the world of media, you know something has made a worldwide impact when the Wall Street Journal has a major article on it. As a foodie, my little heart leaps when this type of press makes it to the eyes and ears of a mainstream audience. I take it as a sign that more and more consumers outside the "foodie" confines are enjoying amazing artisanal products from around the world. Or at least giving them a try.

Check this article out for a global perspective on this tasty summer treat.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121503086914623959.html?mod=hpp_us_inside_today

Sustainable Food Resource

2008-06-30T13:02:00.000-06:00

There are two great food organizations in the US today that provide resources to consumers and outlets for producers of sustainable products. Slow Food USA and Slow Food Nation are great resources for anyone interested in foods produced in a sustainable method and locally sourced.

I've just come across a great article on the Slow Food USA blog. Sustainable fishing has been a topic at my dinner table lately, as I am living in Southern California at the moment. The incidence of shark sightings and attacks has risen this year, and one argument is that their natural food source, fish like tuna, is dwindling in population. Check out this article below for more information on something foodies cannot turn their backs on.

http://www.slowfoodblog.org/2008/06/sourcing-sustainable-seafood/

A Saturday in New Orleans, Part III: Lola’s

2008-06-30T12:39:00.000-06:00

I was recently invited to join a good friend, TVO, at Lola’s in New Orleans. This small Spanish gem is tucked into a large house on Esplanade Avenue in Mid-City.

Now I especially love eating in New Orleans. There are so many fantastic restaurants (if you avoid tourist drab) in such a small metropolitan area; that combined with a smaller post-Katrina population and tourists creates a level of competition that drives out all bad meals. If you are in or soon visiting New Orleans, check out local food critic Tom Fitzmorris’ www.nomenu.com for a comprehensive list of what restaurants are open, complete with a pretty trusty rating system.

The specialty at Lola’s is the paella. This thick rice dish is one of my favorites and so hard to find in the states, so I was pretty excited to see it as the focal point in the menu. Lola’s paella is made in the traditional fashion in their fabulous open-air kitchen, and the whole dining room smells of saffron and rich stocks.

We started with a traditional ceviche and a bottle of Septima Malbec. Each restaurant makes their ceviche differently, and Lola’s was not a disappointment. It had a super crisp aroma of citrus and fresh fish, and an equally beguiling flavor. Chunks of whitefish, avocado, shrimp, tomatoes, red onion and peppers all marinated in lime juice. Yum yum, indeed.

The paella came out after some time (paella is rather time intensive). My friend had ordered the meat variety (beef, chicken, sausage) while I had chosen the seafood variety. Both were steaming hot and served in the traditional paella skillet.

The saffron flavor in each was delicate and subtle -- a little saffron goes a long way. The rice was fluffy and juicy and burst with flavor. Baby octopus sprinkled in with calamari rings, scallops, hunks of whitefish, shrimp, lobster. I felt like I had died and gone to heaven.

We closed Lola’s down that night. The combination of great wine, tantalizing food, snappy conversation, and steamy temperatures make dining in New Orleans a real treat. I truly suggest a trip just for the food.

A Saturday in New Orleans, Part II: Galatoire's

2008-06-25T22:04:00.000-06:00

I descended upon my mother’s brunch party at Galatoire’s (209 Bourbon Street, New Orleans LA 70130, 504.525.2021) after a rambling brunch of my own. For New Orleans and Louisiana locals, few restaurants conjure up the memories from and reaction to a mention of a grand old restaurant. Galatoire’s has been a staple in that town for well over 100 years, and for good reason.

The cuisine is classic New Orleans, the wine list and cocktails flow like water, and a Friday lunch crowd is about the most fun you are going to get in this life. All of New Orleans seems to turn out for this weekly occasion. Young and old, professional and retired, ladies and gentlemen -- you will find just about anyone in that dining room.

The main room is simple and old-world, with simple tiled floors and classic framed mirrors on the walls. Coat hooks line the room along each mirror frame, just in case the gentleman gets a little warm after his Sazerac. Ah yes -- coats are required for gentleman. At dinner and at lunch. Gotta love the old-world charm of this city.

Our server that day is, like always, Harold. Harold has been a server at Galatoire’s for several decades now -- since the 60s. He has been my parents’, grandparents’ and extended families server for nearly 50 years. That’s just how magical Galatoire’s can be: generations of people come back year after year, requesting the same family server who remembers your Aunt Christine when she was a young girl, and remembers that you like a little extra cloves in your Cafe Brulot.

By the time I got to them, the entrees had been cleared and spirits were high. I joined at the table my mother and three of her siblings. This bunch knows how to have fun -- Cafe Brulot was on its way! Harold brought over the concoction, and I found a great recipe with great backstory from Chef John Folse in case you want to make this cocktail at home. Yum yum!

-------------------

PREP TIME:15 Minutes
SERVES: 6-8

COMMENT:
In New Orleans, Cafe Brulot is often served. Brulot in French means spicy or burned with sugar. The recipe for this famous blending of dark roasted Creole coffee with cognac or brandy and vermouth, spiced with cinnamon and orange peel is attributed to Dominique Youx, top lieutenant to the pirate, Jean Lafitte.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lemon

• 1 orange

• 6 whole cloves

• 2 small cinnamon sticks

• 1 1/2 ounces triple sec

• 1 ounce brandy

• 1 1/2 cups cafe noir

METHOD:
Every household in early New Orleans had its brulot bowl on the buffet. A brulot bowl is any silver or copper bowl that can be heated with sterno or candle flames from the bottom. Over your brulot bowl, peel lemon in one continuous motion so that the peel is a long spiral. Any juice from the lemon should fall directly into the bowl. Peel orange in the same fashion. Once peeled, insert cloves into the orange and lemon peels at one inch intervals. Into the brulot bowl, place cinnamon stick, triple sec and brandy. Place a sterno or candle under the bowl and bring the liquid to a slight simmer, stirring constantly. Once the liquor is simmering, carefully ignite using a kitchen match. A ribbon of golden blue flame may be achieved by ladling the liquors into the air above the bowl. While the liquor is flaming, hold the lemon and orange peels in the heat to "cook out" the flavor. Slowly add hot coffee, pouring around the edges of the bowl so that the sizzling sound may be heard. Continue stirring until flame dies out. Squeeze a small amount of orange and lemon juice into the bowl to naturally sweeten the coffee. Ladle hot brulot into hot demi-tasse cups.

-------------------

http://www.jfolse.com/recipes/beverages/bev09.htm

The spicy taste combined with intense aromatics and a bit of liqueur in that hot coffee make your senses go wild.

Just as the Brulot based was sipped dry and the check was payed, good old Mother Nature descended upon New Orleans and we found it to be rather wet and stormy outside. So what do we do? Order another round, of course!

B&B for my mother and siblings, champagne for me (gotta keep with routine, you know? We reminisced about great food memories and great family stories, then mused over the future and current politics. All in all, a very stimulating hour or so. And look at that, the sun came out! Time to move along, best to take a stroll around the Quarter before getting into much more trouble, right?

Oh, the places we’ll go...

A Saturday in New Orleans, Part I: Dante's Kitchen

2008-06-25T21:35:00.000-06:00

I had agreed (in a less than ideal state) to meet a few friends at Dante’s Kitchen (736 Dante Street, New Orleans LA 70118, 504.861.3121) this past Saturday morning for a little hair-of-the-dog brunch. Upon arriving at 11:30 a.m., I was pleased to discover that this was a shades meal: every person at the table had sunglasses on. Indoors.

To allow my body to slowly recover, I ordered a mimosa -- this is New Orleans after all. Our server informed me that the mimosa special of the day (!) was watermelon. Yum yum yum yum yum.

My concoction arrived in a bright pink fashion: textured, but no yucky pulp to constrict the flow of champagne. The liquid was refreshing in every sense of the word: not too sweet and just enough bubbles. I was in brunch heaven!!

The table was composed of a lovely group of New Orleans friends intent on keeping the previous nights’ festivities rolling. Crimrose bloody marys packed with little snacks and screwdrivers that packed a punch crowded our table of friends.

After a quick scan of the menu -- roasted duck hash cake, bread pudding french toast, pancakes, griddle, duck debris & poached eggs, i.e. foodie paradise! -- I settled on a sensible veggie omelet. But this is no egg white and cheddar cheese dish. Chef Eman’s version of this “light” classic was anything but: Gruyere cheese, slow-roasted Creole tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms and a dainty side of fruit to ease the guilt. Ha!

I happily sipped on watermelon mimosa #2 as I nibbled on my breakfast delight, unaware of the glorious foodie day (and night) ahead of me...

Loa, New Orleans

2008-06-25T16:23:00.000-06:00

I’ve always been fond of Loa in New Orleans. The hotel bar for the smashing International House Hotel, they have always taken particular pride in their cocktails and wine selection.

I met my friend Josh in the bar for a cocktail and came upon a rosé that looked like it had panache. Hendry Rosé, I believe it was an 06. If you happen to come across this wine, take the time to try it. Perfect for summer, it has a strawberry and cherry bouquet and has a super smooth finish that makes sipping a pleasure.

Your Daily Yum Yum: Quimet y Quimet

2008-06-25T11:18:00.000-06:00

I recently went on a very quick jaunt to Barcelona, Spain with a group of great friends. Mary, Helena, Rita and I spent 4 days relaxing, eating, cocktailing, and soaking up all the wonderful offerings of this Spanish Mediterranean city.

Having had a little notice of this trip (it served as Helena’s 30th birthday party), I promptly set out to learn as much as possible about the city and its culinary prowess. Imagine my delight upon discovering that Barcelona claimed some of the best tapas in Spain. I am not surprised by this claim; the city sits at the edge of the Western Mediterranean and has thousands of years of history to draw upon.

Barcelona research started with a review through my collection of back-dated Food + Wine magazines. I love Food + Wine for this reason; so many articles and little tidbits covering such a wide array of topics and fascinating, expert advice for lands yet unvisited.

I quickly had my heart set on finding Quimet y Quimet, a tiny tapas bar in a hillside neighborhood in Barcelona best reached by taxi. I excitedly piled the girls into a little taxi (everything is smaller in Europe -- I love it) and set off towards adventure.

From the Hotel Majestic in the heart of Barcelona, we arrived at Quimet y Quimet quickly. A tiny shop in a working class neighborhood, locals lined the walls and the sidewalk outside, engrossed in rapid conversations in espanol, sipping cava, a yummie Spanish sparkling wine.

The shop walls were lined with Spanish wines and ales, preserved and pickled delicacies (my favorite white anchovy was not lonely here), oils and vinegars -- it was a foodie mecca! To my delight, we settled into a standing table just next to the bar, where shiny red peppers, rich manchego cheeses, spicy sausages and toasted breads sat ready for my enjoyment.

A kindly older gentleman was ponied up at the bar next to us, enjoying his cava and chatting with the staff. He was clearly a local and a regular to Quimet y Quimet, and my first thought was, jackpot! Especially in non-English speaking countries, this type of patron can become your best friend during the meal. He can offer off-the-menu suggestions that you could have never known about and pick out an obscure wine or ale to wash down the meal if you offer a smile and friendly conversation.

This gentleman did not speak English, but my limited Spanish sufficed to communicate all my wants and desires from Quimet y Quimet. He ordered a lovely array for the four American girls in the shop that day, all kinds of cured meats, cheeses, vegetables, pate, a basket of breads, and cava all around.

If you have the opportunity to visit the lovely city of Barcelona, I recommend seeking out Quimet y Quimet. It may be a little off the beaten track, and you may have to try foods outside your comfort zone, but that’s the life of a foodie, right?

Cheers,

Josie

MFK Fisher, the beginnings

2008-06-24T11:47:00.000-06:00

Christian Science Monitor delivered a short and sweet article about this female foodie. Enjoy!

A Little Ridiculous

2008-06-24T11:11:00.000-06:00

I was giggling to myself last night as I browsed the June 30 Wine Spectator, and came upon a pretty funny article, "The Critical Half-Inch" by Matt Kramer about becoming a "wine geek" and taking oneself too seriously.

Lo and behold, I came across another article today out of the Houston Chronicle, "My beer's too hot, my wine's too cold, my Coke is just right" devoted to the exact perfect temperature our beverages should be served at.

These articles serve as reminders to me that while temperature is certainly important, there is a tipping point from attention to detail across the line to obsessiveness. Enjoy wine -- that's what it is there for!!

Your Daily Yum Yum: Maximo’s Italian Grill, New Orleans

2008-06-23T13:22:00.000-06:00

I had the opportunity and pleasure of visiting Maximo’s Italian Grill in New Orleans last week, and thought it might be fun to sit at the kitchen bar.

A long, cool sheet of granite lines the edge of the open grilling kitchen, wafting the smells of garlic and tomatoes to my eager palate. Lovely fillets of fish and breaded veal cutlets graced the shallow pans, quietly sizzling under the supervision of a rather calm kitchen staff.

I had seen the bright green glimmer of grilled asparagus on the way in, and settled on that for the first course. Super thick stalks arrived in front of me, gleaming with a simple coating of olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper -- my favorite combination of flavors.

I stole a look at my neighbor’s plate for inspiration on my main course: the grilled scallops appetizer. Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum. Two huge, moist diver scallops set on a bed of baby greens just melted in my mouth. No knife necessary, these shellfish cut with my fork edge and had a delicate and fresh flavor. The thought of ordering seconds crossed my mind... no, must save room for the next amazing meal. That’s always around the corner in New Orleans.

The Lonely Anchovy

2008-06-19T12:58:00.000-06:00

The anchovy is a food that would divide the world: those who swear by the little fish, and those who detest its very existence.

A flavor-packed tiny morsel, an anchovy tastes of the sea in all its glory. Salty, a tinge of brine on the tongue -- this is truly an acquired taste. Anchovies often accompany caesar salads, antipasto plates, pastas and other Mediterranean salads, and can be found at the most authentic tapas bars, sitting lightly on a toast point with a bit of cheese or oil.

I am a fan of the anchovy, and find particular sadness when the Lonely Anchovy manifests at a meal. The Lonely Anchovy is the sad little fishie I imagine in the kitchen of a fine restaurant, lonely because a non-believer in the dining room has requested anchovies not touch his caesar salad. Scores of anchovies must go unopened in kitchens, just waiting for the wandering anchovy lover to grace the restaurant.

My good friend Tory McPhail uses white anchovies (a particularly tasty variety) in his Parmesan Crusted Oyster Salad at Commander’s Palace. In fact, it was this salad that turned me on to the amazing little fish. I admit it... I was a non-believer in my non-foodie days. Oh, the tragedy of all the Lonely Anchovies I created in my ignorance!

Imagine this lovely meal: fresh romaine lettuce, crispy fried oysters, roasted red peppers, generous slices of Roma tomatoes, olives, sea salt + cracked pepper, Parmesan cheese, and tiny little white anchovies gracing the plate, drizzled in a creamy buttermilk dressing. This recipe is included in Tory’s new book, and I had the pleasure of being present during the food styling and photography for this dish.

I promise, I do not own anchovy stock, but I feel as though this little delight gets a bad rap among non-foodies and foodies alike. Won’t you join me in the campaign against the Lonely Anchovy?

Your Daily Yum Yum: The Year of Eating Dangerously

2008-06-18T11:44:00.000-06:00

I recently finished a book right up the foodie alley. "The Year of Eating Dangerously" by Tom Parker Bowles follows the author around the world in search of culinary adventure. This book is a great read for the worldly foodie seeking a literary tour of culinary travels (my favorite activity).

In addition to the far off lands and exotic, amazing foods he discovered, Bowles in fact included a lot of insightful commentary in this British publication. He discusses the manner in which we consume food, the misconceptions the Western world holds about cultural culinary endeavors around the world, and the global supply chain and mass food production cycle that damages not only the small, local producers, but the consumer as well.

The latter point holds especially true as the United States experiences a scare of salmonella in the tomato supply. Now, there are certainly no guarantees that consumers will not fall ill after consuming locally grown tomatoes, but there is a fairly good chance that the local producer in any given region of the country (small production = attention to quality + detail) has grown their produce organically, therefore lowering chances of disease and contamination. If more communities had access (and interest) in food products cultivated within a 100 mile radius, the cost of produce would decrease (smaller distance to travel, less fuel used) and the risk of contamination and disease would diminish greatly. And, to top it all off, local food just tastes better. Imagine the difference in the taste of an enormous Granny Smith apple grown in Chile and flown/trucked in to California (the kind sold in your local supermarket) versus the a small, organic Gravensteen apple grown in a family orchard in the Russian River Valley and sold at a farmer's market in San Francisco. If you have never experienced this with any type of produce or food product -- this applies to meats and dairy products as well -- search out the seasonal, local produce in your area. You will no be disappointed.

Check out "The Year of Eating Dangerously" if you are a locavorian foodie like me. If nothing else, it's a good read with a humorous tone.

Your Daily Yum Yum: Gen Kai

2008-06-17T10:00:00.000-06:00

I have been spending a few weeks with my folks in Dana Point, CA (in the infamous Orange County) and exploring the culinary scene that is South Orange County.

I discovered Gen Kai in Dana Point one summer during college (pre-foodie years) and made it a habit to get there often. The fish was as fresh as I could find, the chefs were legitimately Japanese, the yellowtail would literally melt in my mouth. Maybe I was a foodie-in-training... One particular item -- this was before I discovered that I could not eat all that I wanted without working out -- was the Stuffed Tomato. A dollop of scallops and crabmeat (the real stuff) mixed with Japanese mayo, wrapped in two lovely pieces of Toro sushi, topped with a little green scallion. Truly, this is a yum-yum if you've ever seen one.

I always try to sit at the bar when eating sushi. One, there are always a little array of yum-yums that land in front of you, whether octopus salad, marinated cucumbers or miso soup. Two, you have the opportunity to talk to your sushi chef directly and inquire about the best fish in their cooler and the tastiest specials of the day. That, and when you visit a spot often enough, you can develop a rapport with your sushi chef who will remember the things you like and make the special items you crave.

Upon return to the OC, Gen Kai was naturally a first request to my father's offer to take me to lunch (In-N-Out was next; more on that later). I then discovered the best kept lunch secret in Orange County: the Happy Meal.

No, this is not your mushy and tasteless fast food kiddie combo from the local McD's. The Happy Meal at Gen Kai is a lovely adult lunch treat: portions of salmon, yellowtail, and tuna sashimi; a piece each of shrimp, tuna and yellowtail sushi; a large helping of California rolls; miso soup; and green tea. All this at the sushi bar for $10 at lunch. I am still in shock.

The Daily Yum Yum

2008-06-17T09:48:00.000-06:00

The Daily Yum-Yum was created as an outlet for foodie experiences. I caught the foodie bug a few years back during my tenure at Commander's Palace, a beautiful grande-dame restaurant in New Orleans. Every day was an educational foray into the exciting world of food and wine. Whether I was typing out recipes for the newest cookbook, partaking in wine tastings for special events, or simply reading up on what I knew would be my industry of choice, there was new information to be absorbed every day. I lapped it up.

My good friend Tory McPhail encouraged my learning, and before long, I was a full blown foodie. I would like to dedicate this blog to Tory and our friend Chris Barbato, who would always describe something little and delicious in a dish or a recipe as a "yum yum," thus inspiring the title of this blog. Thank you, guys, for always encouraging me and allowing me to ask the questions.

The Lonely Anchovy

And we're off... must eat meat

On to the Next

Some days are better than others...

DIRECTIONS

Tis the Season to be Festive

Food by Politics

Wine and Chocolate Pairing Made Simple

Fast Company weighs in on the closure of Gourmet Magazine

Gourmet Magazine to close

Beer and Cheese Pairing

The Journey of Grass-Fed Beef, from the Denver Post

Cocktails Go Green!

The World is Your Oyster: New travel site Oyster Hotel Reviews

Wall Street Journal on Chilled Summer Reds

Fast Company Names 10 Most Creative People in Food

The Reinvention of Olive Garden and Red Lobster

The Cherry Bounce in the Wall Street Journal

Michael Pollan in Newsweek

Basket Case

Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day

Coca Cola as Wine

Lunch Alert: Masterpiece Delicatessen

KCRW's Good Food

Quote of the Day - Christopher Robin

Quote of the Day

Table 6

Quote of the day -- Richard Wilbur

Quote of the Day -- Luciano Pavarotti

New Zealand 2008 -- Cook N With Gas

Quote of the Day -- Galileo

Quote of the Day -- Mitch Hedberg

Quote of the Day -- Miss Piggy

Tasty Meal Archives: Bouchon, June 2008

Quote of the Day -- Lord William Stonewall

Dominick's, West Hollywood, or, Diagnosed at 40. Part I

New Orleans Needs Ideas!

Quote of the Day -- Anthelme Brillat Savarin

Return from the Southern Hemisphere

Where in the World (is the Lonely Anchovy)?

Restaurant Alert: Father's Office, Santa Monica

Foodie Quote of the Day

Foodie Quote of the Day

Kitschy New Invention: ToastaBags!

Foodie Quote of the Day

New Useful Website Alert: RegionalBest.com

Quote of the Day

Fish Goes Eco-Conscious

Your Daily Yum Yum: Banana Bread

Old-Fashioned Banana Bread

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

Brennan's of Houston Burns to the Ground

Brennan's Restaurant, revered Midtown landmark, destroyed by fire

By BRADLEY OLSON AND MIKE TOLSONCopyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

Sept. 13, 2008, 5:24AM

Three people were severely injured and a Houston culinary landmark was left in ashes early Saturday by a fire that erupted as Hurricane Ike began to barrel into town.

Amazon Gets into Wine

Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day

In-N-Out makes me happy

Slow Food Nation in San Francisco

Sonoma Showcase Weekend -- Saturday August 30

Quote of the Day

Banksy Strikes New Orleans

Cheese School of San Francisco

Sonoma Wine Country Weekend and Slow Food Nation

MFK Fisher, at home in Sonoma

Houston Chronicle reports on America's food supply

Half of all food wasted post-production

Anthony Bourdain on Quimet Quimet!!

How to Win Wine Awards

I need a partner in crime for this one...

I must be on a sweets kick...

New Cocktail Alert! Pesca Matta

My New Dessert Obsession

A New Type of Foodie Man

Quotes

By BRADLEY OLSON AND MIKE TOLSON
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle