What Happens In Vegas....

You know the rest. This is an easy post. Next stop after LA on the foodie adventure, enter Las Vegas. We didn't eat at a single place worth writing about in that town. We were just too busy sinning and repenting. Proof of repentance:


What's on my mind foodwise right now: My preference for warm fruit. When it's warm you feel closer to its origin. There is nothing better than eating something straight from the branch after the sun has warmed it with her rays. Somebody, who obviously doesn't share my point of view, put the clementines in the fridge.....it was still pretty good though :)

Who Moved My Cheese?

In an attempt to get back on the blog-wagon (it is pretty pathetic how long it has been since I've updated...only got half way through the blog entries focused on my trip from CA ---> TN back in AUGUST) I started perusing my favorite food blogs once again. Something sparked in me literally hours ago and I understood now is the time to make a real commitment to this thing! My life is crazy busy with work and the realization of goals I have for my professional and personal lives, but writing has always been and will always be my creative outlet. Oh how I've missed voraciously typing away on my little keyboard!

I'm not totally ready to continue my story because honestly I need to organize my notes/thoughts about the rest of "the most excellent foodie adventure"...it was so long ago, BUT I did come across an interesting article about how once again the government is imposing on one of our most basic human rights, the right to choose what we nourish OUR bodies with. I felt the need to share :)

It is laughable and also completely appalling that the FDA pretends to be concerned with "food safety". Are they not the same government organization that guides the American population to consume food products that are made in factories from subsidized crops that are making us and the land we live on sick? Do they not regulate the feedlots where animals are fed foods that they are not by the laws of nature built to eat? Are they not the same organization that puts a band aid on a gushing wound by devising an antibiotic regiment for the animals so they can continue to feed them a crop that is purchased below the cost of production? Bigger cows, bigger breasted chickens (we NEED more McNuggets for the kiddos), shorter life spans, more money, a nation where kids are obese and diabetic by their twelfth birthday. Cows are not designed to eat corn. We are not designed to eat meat at every meal. They are big business. They are master manipulators. They do not have our backs....and now they want to take away our artisan cheese!! Bulls*it! Their reason: E. Coli. E. Coli is definitely a crazy icky insane super bug, BUT we are the ones supporting its growth and proliferation through our jacked up food system. Maybe if we didn't allow feedlots to exist, for miserable cows with major tummy aches to stand cheek to cheek knee high in there own feces their entire lives, we wouldn't have contamination of our water that is potentially used to spray fields of spinach, spinach of death. Wait, that's a whole 'nother post.....

That's my show and tell for now. Here's a link to the article that put a fire under my tooshie: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/05/business/05cheese.html?_r=1&hp

I'll also share one of my favorite quotes beautifully written by a man that has my utmost respect. Simple words to live by...

"If it came from a plant, eat it. If it was made in a plant, don't." -- Michael Pollan

Until next time, ya'll....

Oak Park to Hollyweird and back!

L.A. is a foodie town like no other. It's also a lot of other things...but we'll stick to the food because that's the purpose of this blog. One of my favorite things about Los Angeles and the surrounding areas is that it is filled with mom and pop operations. While chains and big box stores still rear their ugly heads , L.A. has stayed true to its local business owners. Possibly because the population demands nothing but the best. Well, duh. It's Hollywood baby.

After getting a good night's rest at my aunt's Oak Park digs we woke, drank coffee, and discussed our plan for the day. I was aware that my aunt and father had been discussing eatiers to visit while there, but I was completely oblivious to the seriousness of this day of total gluttony. My dad constructed an excel spreadsheet highlighting 20-30 of the BEST places to eat in L.A.'s metropolis. Can you grasp my confusion? Here I am thinking 3 square meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner, done. When I expressed my surprise to my family (that had rented a van for the day so that we could all drive in one car...on tour), the unanimous response was "you're the one with the food blog". Touche. So I got in the van and went with it. Here is what I can recall seeing that my brain stopped sending signals after the first two hours of the eating expedition.

Pure awe!

Our first stop was Umami Burger in Hollywood. They refer to themselves as the "fifth taste". There is sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and Umami (apparently). Their menu is set. You can remove things from the burgers, but you can't add. They don't ask how you want your meat cooked either. Fortunately for me, I like my burgers medium rare and this place hit the nail on the head. They've got the temperature down! I ordered the truffle burger. One word: truffle. If you use it in your cooking I am forever yours. I love truffles so much I'm thinking about moving to France, buying some farmland, and getting one of those truffle sniffing pigs. That's how crazy about truffles this lady is. The burger was simply bread, meat, truffle cheese, and truffle glaze. No garnish. Some might say this place is pretentious. I would disagree. They are experimental, redefining the all American food. It was awesome. Two thumbs up for the burgers. I paired my truffle burger with a tall glass of IPA. We also ordered fries and onion rings for the table. They were served with a roasted garlic aioli and house spread, which I think was some type of chipotle mayo/ketchup sauce. The fries were cooked well, but I wasn't a fan of the rings. Too much batter, not enough onion. Overall, an excellent start to the day!

Me and my Sally Rose at Umami!

My beautiful family at Umami!

Next, we arrived at Luna Park. A hip, new American restaurant in the Fairfax/ La Brea neighborhood. I couldn't tell you anything about their menu because we were there for one thing and one thing only: smores...and they don't come all pretty, prepared, and plated for you. All 3 of the ingredients are brought out so that you can build them at the table. I really enjoyed the homemade graham crackers and I thought the chocolate was perfectly melted while the marshmallows perfectly roasted, BUT there was just something too delicate about the whole thing for my taste. I get the concept, but honestly the thing I really like about smores is that you don't have them that often and when you do it is usually around a campfire and the chocolate is the cheap milk Hershey kind. I was chomping at the bit when I noticed that their happy hour cocktail special was a ginger infused concoction. I had to have it. Once ordered, the server returned with the bad news that they had sold out of them! What?!?! My state of confusion led the server to ask me if I wanted to have the bartender make something up. Below is the recipe for what he came up with, but first some photographs....

Blog discount! Sweet!

**Note: just for asking for this recipe and mentioning my food blog we were given a facebook/twitter discount, and they took off one of our smores. Woo hoo!

Yummy ginger drink with no name
2 shots preferred Vodka
Dash of canton
Couple second pour of ginger infused liqueur
Half of a lime
Splash of soda water

Add all ingredients into shaker with ice, give it a few shakes, and pour.

So yummy! It was perfect. If I lived in the L.A. area I think I would return to this place for brunch. The decor was awesome, the vibe hit. Nice choice, Dad!!

The third stop (yes the THIRD stop in less than 2 hours) was a sweet little bakery/eatery/market place/catering & event planning business in the Hollywood area, Joan's on Third. I've read that everything there is GREAT and it all looked good, but we were there for baked goods. Well, actually my family was there for the baked goods. I was done eating at this point and couldn't stomach the idea of getting a cupcake, but of course I had to try a little bite of what my mishpacha had ordered. The desserts here were insane. I never really got on board with the whole cupcake fad thing (I do remember my mom visiting me in Oregon several years ago, however, with cupcake talk about how they were about to be really "hot". Always a woman ahead of the times...). I attribute my disinterest to preferring savory over sweet, but damn!! people are doing some things with a little cake batter and icing these days. My favorite was the red velvet cupcake, but that's because I'm a sucker for anything with cream cheese in it...and I'm from the south. If you are in the area I would definitely suggest you stop here for the whole shabang. Pick up some fresh bread, soup, salad, dips, and don't skip out on the dessert.

Moo!

If you can believe it!!! after the burgers, smores, and cupcakes we drove to Carney's Restaurant, a SoCal burger joint famous for its chili cheese dogs. Now here I wasn't even able to sample. Enter whining, returned with "your the one with the food blog" again. Now while I didn't participate I was provided with a very enthusiastic thumbs up from my dad as he downed his dog. My favorite part was the architecture, or actually lack thereof. This place is housed in an old railroad Amtrak car from the 1920's. Uber cool.






After the furious frenzy of driving, stopping, unloading, and eating we decided to return to Oak Park for a quiet evening of digesting by the pool...

And then 9:30 happened. My aunt and uncle completely convinced me to trade my swim suit for jeans and head back out for some more nosh. This time we decided to stay in the neighborhood. Leila's, Leila's, Leila's! Right down the street from my aunt and uncle's place in Oak Park...never would have thought I'd find you!

When I was younger I would spend the summers in California with my aunt aka mother in training. I always looked forward to the month of California bliss; going to the beach, seeing summer friends, squeezing lemons in my hair for the glow, playing in my aunt's makeup drawer, rollerblading with my uncle, etc. etc. Those summers were the best, but I definitely do not recall ever eating like this. Italian deli, of course. Agoura deli, sure. I guess this time they figured grown up palete, grown up restaurant (well it's fairly new as well, so there's that...). The food was phenomenal and the wine list extensive. The service was friendly and quick. 5 golden stars for this place. The food memory is slightly blurry, but I do recall the crispy lobster tempura with an aioli that was da bomb!, and Tobikko. We also had some sort of duck confit pancake that was out of this world. My favorite: the tuna tartare. Get out. It was bursting with a trillion flavors that didn't overpower each other, but instead perfectly balanced and played out like a little story in my mouth. Aha, I'm pretty sure I just stole that last line from a Top Chef episode, but whatever it still puts my point into words and they are very, very true words. It was kind of like picking a bunch of fresh ingredients from your garden, getting on your boat, catching a tuna, and putting it all together to devour right at sunset. It was THAT fresh and THAT beautifully constructed. That's the great thing about this place. Their menu is always changing to reflect the seasons and the presentation of the food is so appealing to the eye. High-five California Cuisine, and double high-five Leila's in Oak Park. Thanks Uncle Philip for treating us to such a special evening!!




The end. Whew. That was a long day (long post) and extremely memorable. There was a lot of driving, a lot of complaining, a LOT of eating, and definitely a whole lotta love. One word: WONDERFUL!

"Oh you fancy huh"

On our first leg of the trip, Oakland to L.A., Les and I decided to stop in Santa Barbara for dinner, a city that has a small town vibe and also screams southern California. After driving for about 4 hours post falafel drive in we arrived at our dinner spot famished and ready for a tasty meal. As we entered the front doors of Opal Restaurant and Bar, a California Cuisine-ish joint with a large eclectic menu, all I could think about was how underdressed I was....how embarrassing! Then I settled into my seat, looked around, and realized that I wasn't inadequately clothed for the environment. Some people in Southern California are just kinda fancy. Don't worry, you don't have to be in a froufrou smock and stilettos to dine at this cozy spot. (If you want to get decked out however, go for it!)

Once I got over my initial hesitation I started focusing on the menu! It was extensive. I had no idea what to chose. They do provide guidance by pointing out the local favorites, but what does that really mean? I decided to call our bubbly server over and discuss. Well, actually first we ordered ginger cosmos that fell flat due to the lack of ginger and liquor, totally worrisome. This just reminded me, hold on. I'm going to rant for a minute. What is it with upscale restaurants serving supbar cocktails??? I just can't figure it out. I've been in a few places lately where the food experience was excellent, but the cocktails were just not good. Dear restaurant owners, I really believe it would behoove you to invest in your bars. Shout to my friend Anna Katherine's spot in Memphis, Sweet Grass. Not only is the fare mouth watering good, but the bartender is a magician. Great food and great cocktails equals repeat visits. Good food, bad cocktails means we've got a one hit wonder on our hands.

Back to the chow. After having the waitress weigh in on what to order I started with a roasted beet, heirloom tomato, and fresh mozzarella napoleon. My dad ordered the flash fried shredded phyllo wrapped tiger prawns served with a coconut curry dipping sauce. My napoleon would have been enjoyable (average yet enjoyable) had the tomatoes been ripe. There is something wrong with you if you serve unripe tomatoes in California at a place that focuses on fresh ingredients in AUGUST. Also, the mozzarella...not so fresh. At this point in the meal I was completely underwhelmed. Good thing my dad and I enjoy each others company because where the food was lacking the conversation was not. My father's tiger prawns were pretty good. They were wrapped in phyllo dough and fried so yeah that is hard to screw up. The one thing I didn't really enjoy about his app was the intense sweetness of the dipping sauce, but like I said before at this juncture of the meal I wasn't expecting much.

The saving grace...the entrees. Hallelujah! I ordered the lemon grass crusted salmon filet topped with ribbons of zucchini, squash, and carrots smothered in a Thai curry sauce served atop a bed of basmati rice. Heaven. The sauce carried the perfect amount of heat, and the Riesling in my glass created the perfect balance between sweet and spicy. My dad had their paella with fresh steamed mussels, manila clams, tiger shrimp, chicken and chorizo sausage. Everything was cooked to perfection. So delicious!

We ended up skipping dessert to get back on the road and head to our final destination for the evening, my Aunt's house in the L.A. area burbs. So nothing to report there.

To sum it all up, if you are looking to eat a meal in Santa Barbara that has enough variety to satisfy an array of palettes, this would be a good place to go. The atmosphere is cozy, the portions are just right, and the price is reasonable. Just make sure to skip the cocktails (drink wine instead) and anything with uncooked vegetables in it. I'll be semi-generous and give it a 6/10, but that's just my opinion....take it for what it's worth!!

Check back soon for a post about the most ridiculous foodie marathon ever in Los Angeles. Until next time...Bon Appetit!!

Guy Fieri really does know what he's talking about...

That's probably why the food network gave him his own show. My dad discovered the Diner, Drive-In, and Dives map, which can be found by clicking this link: http://www.flavortownusa.com/, to come up with a few eateries to hit up along our cross country drive. Just one hour away from San Francisco, in San Jose, is the cutest little falafel stand you ever did see, Falafel's Drive-In. I only say cute because it reminded me of an old fashioned drive up, but the employees there were not cute. Quite the opposite actually. They were no nonsense, but for good reason. The lunch crowd line literally circled the block and the employees still somehow managed to get your food to you in under 5 minutes.

Now I'm not sure that it compares with any of the top five falafel joints in Israel (I'll have to get over there soon and conduct the taste test), but damn it was some good falafel. Perfectly moist, perfectly seasoned with just the right amount of tomato, lettuce, tahini, and hot sauce all stuffed into the most delicate pita. It is not a falafel for the fastidious. You will get messy, but that's half the fun. The special at this place is a large falafel with a banana milkshake. I was weary of the combination at first, but it turned out to be awesome. The cool, creamy shake perfectly balanced the salty, spicy falafel. We also ordered a kabob pita to give something else on the menu a shot. Now, I'm not the biggest lamb fan in the world so it wasn't my favorite. It was good, I just preferred the falafel.

All in all, if you ever find yourself in San Jose I definitely recommend checking this place out. Lunch time can get a little crowded, and there is limited seating, i.e. I swooped in on a table that a family was occupying once I heard the husband ask the wife is she was ready to go, but if that is the only problem with this place it's a good one to have!! The sun was shining, the people were happy, and the food was satisfying.

Check back later for more posts highlighting our trip. I'm a little behind, but we're in Vegas now and it's time to hit the pool drink in hand. Until next time....Bon Appetit!

The best goodbye, Thank you Alice Waters

If I was going to emulate my life after one woman (besides my mother!) it would be Alice Waters. As a pioneer of the slow food movement she is an inspiration to chefs and home cooks across the globe. In 1971 Alice Waters and a few inspired individuals opened the doors of Chez Panisse, a landmark in the gourmet ghetto neighborhood of Berkeley, CA. Unknowingly at the time, Alice started a revolution by inventing a new type of fare, California Cuisine. Her principles simply consist of providing people with fresh, local, organic food cooked in a way that highlights the delicacy of the ingredients.

This was the absolute best way I could imagine to bid farewell to the bay area. It was honestly one of the best meals I've ever had in my life. Unfortunately, due to all the packing and hectic pace of my last couple of days in Oakland I forgot the camera so I was unable to photographically document this glorious meal.

When I was 18 I had the opportunity to attend college in one of the most beautiful places on the west coast, Oregon (GO DUCKS!!). At this time the foodie world was uncharted territory, and while fresh food was available where I am from it wasn't as easily accessible as it is in Eugene and other spots on the left coast. Besides getting schooled in science, I got schooled in fresh, local food. From there on out I was hooked. I started taking urban farming classes, growing organic produce in my backyard, and eating seasonally. So for anyone like me Chez Panisse is the holy land and I am forever grateful to have been able to dine there twice so far.

The meal review: I started with a Baked Andante Dairy goat cheese with garden lettuce salad. The goat cheese was breaded ever so delicately to create a thin, crisp outer layer that eventually revealed the creamiest cheese one's ever encountered. Chez Panisse works with approximately 60 local nor cal farms and I literally wish I could meet this goat farmer AND the lettuce farmer. The lettuce was so fresh that I imagined a tiny farm behind the restaurant and the sous chef stepping out a hidden door to hand pick the lettuce fresh to order. Woah. My father started with a garden lettuce salad with sun gold tomatoes and green goddess dressing. He felt the same way about the lettuce. The only downfall was that the lettuce was slightly over salted, taking away from the purity of the ingredients. I had a local pinot noir to pair with my salad, while my father enjoyed a glass of the house zinfandel. Delicious.

The entrees came out perfectly timed. There was little space to sit and chat about how we just consumed some of the best salads ever. Weird concept for some, I know. My father ordered the grilled duck breast sliced into medallions served with applesauce and green beans. The applesauce was so divine I had the server ask the chef about the secret. Feeling saucy (pun unintended) I made a guess about how it was prepared, and I was right! All it consisted of was caramelized sugar and apples blended together. You can caramelize sugar with either water or butter. I've done it with butter and obviously it is mouth watering. I enjoyed a California white sea bass with turnips, turnip greens, and peas. The bass was baked to perfection while the turnips were prepared to keep their natural consistency and taste. The combination of the soft greens, hard turnips, and semi-soft peas blended together to create a perfectly balanced plate in terms of texture. Oh my word. As for the wine, my dad enjoyed a nice pinot noir while I balanced the lightness of the fish with a crisp chardonnay. Thank you thank you thank you!!

For dessert we shared a creme anglaise with fresh local raspberries, strawberries, and a baked cinnamon sugar stick. I have been obsessed with strawberries since I was first introduced to them (so I'm told) and would consume so many that my sensitive skin would turn red and blotchy (so I'm told). Still at the age of 24 I count down the days to strawberry season. I don't think anything is better than eating fresh organic strawberries directly off the bush after sitting in the warm sun all day.

As you can see from how long this post is the meal was extraordinary. I beg you, if you are ever in the bay area please please visit this restaurant. They have a downstairs that has a Prix Fixe menu that gets more expensive as the weekend approaches, or the upstairs cafe with reasonable prices and choices. This restaurant is famous for a reason. It is the crown jewel of California cuisine. Environmentally friendly, sustainable, and delicious....what could be better? Thank you Alice Waters for turning your dreams into a reality and allowing us mere mortals to experience the earth's bounty through your creations.

Chez Panisse is a 10.

Until next time....Bon Appetit!!

The Most Excellent (Foodie) Adventure

After many months of contemplation I decided to take a leap of faith, leave the bay area , and move back home. (Graceland, Graceland Memphis, TN....) My few years of post grad lollygagging have been fantastic, but it is time to move forward and--- dun dun dun--- grow up! I'm getting back to my southern roots, taking some time to ground, and figure out what I want from this incredible experience some sum up in one word, life.

Now you may be asking yourself, "What does this have to do with adventures in cooking, baking, and cheese making?". The short answer: everything. The long one: when I finally told my parents I had decided to embrace my southern roots once more, my dad jumped at the opportunity for the most epic father/daughter road trip ever. Immediately Pops began to scour the web and the local bookstores for advice on how to capitalize on the situation. He did an incredible job. His idea: two foodies eating their way through the southern United States. My job: to blog about it. Over the next ten days look out for photos and reviews of some of the best places to eat, drink, and be merry.



I may have left my heart in San Francisco, but I definitely remembered to bring my appetite. Stay tuned... and as always Bon Appetit!


***My dad was concentrating very hard on making his sign in this picture thus the furrowed brow. We are not hard. We tried.