Filed under: Leftovers, Lunches, Dinners, Vegan, Market Haul, Fish and Seafood, Cool People, Vegetarian, Raw, YUM, Christmas, Nights Out
I know, we’re almost in the final week of January, but this is the first you’ve heard from me in a while, so here we go!
When we were last in touch, I was heralding the arrival and cuisine of Autumn, my favorite season. Well, as per usual, life leapt up and got in the way of most of my most enjoyable activities until the holiday season rolled around. Though it was busy, it was incredibly fun and interesting; fueled by visitors from near and far, culinary feats of mimicry and invention, new freedoms and life lessons – these all contributed to an eventful year’s end.
Some culinary highlights? I thought you’d never ask!
On December 10, The Boyfriend and I went to Bar Toscana for dinner. They’d opened one year prior, to the day, and I hadn’t been in a while. Sean ordered one of their beautiful thin-crust pizzas and I got their smoked salmon/grapefruit salad. In that order. It was an extremely busy night at the Bar and the kitchen seemed really backed up, so I used all my willpower to refrain from finishing my salad before Sean got his food. By slowing down and really savoring this meal, it gave me the opportunity to figure out exactly how to replicate this refreshing repast.
Smoked Salmon & Grapefruit Salad, My Way
This simple salad is made special with delicate grapefruit segments and unique with zucchini ‘noodles’ snuggling with the friseé lettuce. It’s dressed with a simple vinaigrette, made with grapefruit juice, sherry vinegar Dijon mustard and Olive oil. The toast points just made it feel a bit more like lunch.
Due to the delayed arrival of Sean’s pizza, Chef Luca brought out an extra dish that has given us a new comfort food to pine for! He bestowed up on us a plateful of super-creamy polenta with a rich, meaty wild mushroom sauce, adorned with a dusting of pecorino. Lord. Have. Mercy. Though we were already satiated, we made this extra dish disappear in an instant! SOOO GOOOD! So, of course, I had to try to make this at home! I already had all the ingredients…
Polenta with Mushroom Sauce, My Way (Pecorino is on the side), and a Citrusy Kale Salad
Before having this in the Bar, Sean claimed he didn’t like polenta…even though he’d had it many times at home in different forms. What does that mean? Whatever. Now, this is polenta in our house.
A couple weeks later, Christmas showed up. Though we went to the big family dinner on Christmas Eve, I had to do it all over again…of course, it’s me! Jeremy joined us once more, and Sean’s sister Jaki was staying with us, so our table was once again filled with conversation as well as deliciousness.
The Menu
Hors d’oeuvres
– Three Cheeses that disappeared fast; Manchego, Camembert with Wild Mushrooms and the omnipresent Humboldt Fog
-
Spiced Walnuts
-
Blue Corn Chips and Homemade Salsa
-
Cucumber cups with spicy Scallop Ceviche
-
To drink: Prosecco, Raspberry Bellini
The Main Event
- Turkey Breast Roulades with prosciutto and basil
- Roasted Vegetables
- Stellar Salad
-To drink: Cocobon , Magistrate Cabernet Sauvignon
Dessert
-
Caramel Apple Pie
Cucumber cups with Scallop Ceviche
Our Dinnertime Wine Selections
The Turkey Roulades, baking away…
Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
Caramel – Apple Pie… it runneth over ;-J
So, that was Christmas; the final feast of the year. I know I was ready for a steady diet of sprouts and water after all the indulging I’d done since Thanksgiving.
After the New Year arrived, our focus was on vegetables, and lots of them. Even Sean was tired of meat, eggs and cheese by the time the ball dropped. That was fine with me! Bring it on!
In general, we’ve been having veggie-packed meals ‘all year long’, as it were. But, we had loads of potatoes around, making it a little difficult to keep meals light, but I managed to avoid having them every night…somehow…
Colcannon & Pan-Roasted Asparagus, with Apple-Walnut Slaw
Colcannon Cakes, with leftover Slaw
Smoked Salmon/Frisee Crostini, adorned with FingerLime ‘Caviar’
Orecchiette with Kale and Wild Mushrooms
Now, obviously, many of these meals aren’t as Spartan as I’d have liked, but these lunches and dinners were usually the only substantial meal I’d have in a day… I may really still be full from the holidays! But after a couple weeks of these comfort-food meals, I went to the Sunday West LA Farmer’s Market. Here’s the haul:
Kholrabi: $2
Brussels Sprouts: $2
Olives: $5
Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cilantro and Green Garlic $7
Total: $16!!
So far, from this haul, I’ve made a smooth, deceptively rich broccoli soup from a recipe I found on knowthecause.com. I’ve also been finishing off the leafy greens I’d bought on my last market visit. Check out this Arctic Char and Green Ribbons. The Kale and Chard from the previous market run were hearty and delicious combined with this crispy skinned Arctic Char….just an afterthought!
As happy as I am to be back in the blogosphere, I’m not going to promise anything in particular… well, I’ll promise one thing: In my quest for balance between Delicious and Nutritious, I’ll always share my findings.
Be well.
Filed under: BBQ, Dinners, Leftovers, Lunches, Poultry, Raw, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian, YUM
Okay, I know I said I’d be devoting each post to one specific type of produce, but when so many featured ingredients work so well together…this is what happens! The evolution continues!!
My favorite band of Summer Superstars are today’s focal point; Squash, Peppers, Heirloom Tomatoes and Eggplant. When I have more than one of these players in the fridge at once, they tend to find themselves next to each other on the plate. The Squash in my fridge at the moment is round, dark green, creamy and called “Eight Ball.” I got a big bag full of them at the West LA Sunday market. My peppers are more varied. Also from Sunday in West LA, I procured a mixed bag of chilies; Anaheim and Ancho…plus another bag of vibrant Thai Bird Chilies. On Saturday at the Pico market, I also picked up a bag of Padron Chilies… Yes, things are gettin’ spicy ’round here!
The Heirloom Tomatoes I got at the Saturday market at Pico and Virginia are called ‘Red Zebra’. These sweet, Summer beauties have streaks of orange, red and golden hues and were so fragrant on the way home, I had to devour one in the car! SOOO YUM. My Eggplant haul included two young Globe Eggplants, two bright purple Chinese Eggplants, and a gaggle of firm, round, green-streaked Thai Eggplants. Berry, berry good (yes, Eggplants are berries…)! Throw in some Tomatillos, and we’re so in business…
Fabulously Fiery Thai Bird Chilies (The green ones are hotter than the red!!)
Grilled Eggplant rounds, topped with Smart Simple Gourmet’s White Bean Salad, resting atop an Heirloom Tomato/Chili sauce
Rotini in a spicy Tomatillo/Padron Chili Sauce
Pan-Roasted Eggplant and Zucchini, topped with an Heirloom Tomato/Chili sauce…
A spicy snack of shrimp, Padron Chilies and pretzel crackers, with all the Tomato/Chili sauces
A salad, adorned with marinated Chicken Strips and Oven-Dried Red Zebra Tomatoes…
A super-spicy, savory relish of Anaheim, Ancho and Thai Bird Chilies
A smooth Tomatillo/Avocado salsa for my Daiya Quesadilla…
A Grilled Eggplant sandwich, with a spiced-up BBQ sauce…some more Heirloom Tomatoes would’ve made this even more amazing!
Leftovers ahoy! Pan-Roasted Eggplant, atop a Zucchini/Chili Slaw, dressed with a Tomatillo/Chili sauce…all that, on toast J
So many combinations, so many meals and snacks!
There’s a hint as to what Summer Superstar is coming next…a few photos back… Can you guess which item(s)? Don’t be surprised if you see lots of Heirloom Tomatoes next time, I just bought a sackful today! Also, remember to keep track of which layout you like best! I’ll be featuring two more options after this.
Enjoy the flavors of Summer while they last; and with the tardy onset of the season, that may be for more than a month to come! At today’s market, a friend pointed out that while the bounty of High Summer is still quite plentiful, Autumn’s finest is already starting to appear. I can’t wait to see what happens in the kitchen!
If you’re in the Los Angeles area, you’re in for a great treat. The Good Food Festival is coming soon to Santa Monica. You can learn lots about your produce, where it comes from and what to do with it! That’s my kind of Festival!
Until next time, have a Delicious Day!
C@
Yes, I know…Kale isn’t the most unusual vegetable, nor is it famous for its Summer existence. Though it’s abundantly available year-round, I’ve decided to try some preparations that are more appropriate for these Doberman days of high Summer, as compared to my usual braises or sautés. Kale is one of the most nutritious vegetables around. It’s packed with iron, vitamins A and C, folic acid and calcium. There are many varieties of this dark beauty. Some are decorative and sport vibrant hues of purple and white, and the textures vary widely as well. This week, I picked up Dinosaur and Curly Kale (each bunch was $1.50) to headline this week’s menus.
It’s fairly well known that the spine or stalk of these greens is tough, and kind of interrupts the eating experience. Usually, I’d just load up my stock bag with these, throw it all in the freezer and forget about it until I wanted to make veggie stock. This time, with so much of the stuff around, I decided to not only share the stems with our rabbit, Dude, but also snack on them myself! Dipped in vinaigrette or some hummus, these stalks seriously rival celery or carrot sticks! Snack on!
Kale Pie
Yes, Kale Pie. A few weeks ago, I made too much polenta for the meal I was making. So, I decided to flatten and bake it into something of a cracker. Well, this big biscuit became a landing place for dips, beans, salsa and…oops, I ate the whole thing! This was such a tasty idea, I decided to try it as a crust for this Kalestravaganza. The Kale started the way I usually get it going; in a sauté pan with garlic, olive oil and red pepper flake. Then, I remembered a Spinach Pie my mom used to make, with Italian Sausage. I happened to have a veggie version in the freezer, so I crumbled that in with the greens and, loaded it all into my par-baked Polenta crust. I topped the whole thing with sliced Heirloom Tomatoes and a sprinkle of breadcrumbs and baked it all at 400° for about 15-20 minutes. When served with a drizzle of thick balsamic vinegar, SOOO YUM…and even better the next day!!
Kale and Fennel Salad
Adorned in a beautiful spiced Orange salad dressing, this Dinosaur Kale (aka, Black Kale or Cavolo Nero) and Fennel salad was a refreshing surprise. My friend has been raving about a kale salad she orders often. My local Ralphs has been advertising one from their service deli… I had to try a raw preparation for myself. With a handful of toasted Walnuts and the zest of an Orange, this became a fabulously filling and satisfying lunch.
Grilled Kale and Squash Wrap
If you scroll back through my past posts, you’d know I love a handy, wrapped-up meal. This combination of raw Curly Kale, grilled strips of PattyPan Squash and Onions was wrapped in a sprouted tortilla which had been spread with my homemade Hummus. I then grilled the whole thing to make it a little crispier and more compacted. Filling, nutritious, delicious and easy to enjoy!
Veggie Pizza
Kale doesn’t just have to be used in leaf form!! Last night, I made a sauce for this Pizza with Curly Kale, Tomato Paste, Red Pepper Flake, Garlic and Olive Oil. After processing it in to a thick paste, I brushed it onto the rolled-out crust and added the veggies you see on top. After topping my side with “fauxmage” and The Boyfriend’s half with mozzarella, I placed thinly sliced Heirloom Tomatoes on top. Served with a combination of Stellar Salad, Black Mission Figs and Sugar Snap Peas, this nutrient-packed pizza made for a beautiful dinner, with leftovers for my lunch today!
Dude with a very nutritious snack J
Let me know what you think of these yummy creations and this new theme! Stay tuned for more featured Summer produce!!
Filed under: Breakfasts, Cool People, Dinners, Leftovers, Lunches, Vegan, Vegetarian
As I write this, I can still taste tonight’s beautiful dinner…
Life has been especially hectic and busy of late. My way of getting back to normal, of course, begins in the kitchen. These hectic days did include a few special features, however; being home all day on a Saturday and getting to watch all my favorite PBS cooking shows, that’s a favorite. Being nestled cozily in mid-Summer, the season of nightshades and stone fruits has had me craving some interesting combinations of these bold flavors.
On Made In Spain, chef Jose Andreas featured a smooth gazpacho, blended with Marcona Almonds. This sounded purrfect. Shortly thereafter, I stopped into Bar Toscana with my friend, Bree. Chef Luca was working on some new dishes for the Summer menu, and we got a little sneak preview…this catapulted my earlier inspiration into the genius category.
Bar Toscana’s gazpacho was studded with watermelon bits and sprinkled with goat cheese. I made a Basil, Chive and Garlic-packed vinaigrette to drizzle over my version. What did I put in the soup? Heirloom Tomatoes, Orange Bell Pepper, Garlic, Shallots, Marcona Almonds, Sherry Vinegar, Olive Oil, Pimentón, cumin and a little water…all blended together! Soooo refreshing!!
Next to the soup, my love of marinated veggies was represented. This past Sunday, I picked up some wildly beautiful Pattypan Squash that just begged to become a noodle-like slaw. Combined with thinly sliced Leeks, leaves of Cilantro and a light and creamy dressing, this slaw made a purrfect bed for a handful of toasted Marcona Almonds…I had to go back for seconds…of both dishes!!
Now, these dishes have barely left the dining room table. I’m still digesting. But, in the last few weeks, I’ve put together some more Farmer’s Market inspired meals… Let’s see what else I’ve been up to…
This filling treat was my lunch today. On whole wheat bread, I used up the last of my Cherry Tomatoes and the end of a tin of Anchovies as a base for a couple scoops of marinated Bean salads. The Lentils are the last of a salad I bought from Smart Simple Gourmet, at the West LA Sunday morning Market. I only had a little left, so I mixed them in with my own marinated Christmas Lima Bean Salad. I’ve been enjoying those beans on and off since September, and am getting near the bottom of that jar, too. A sprinkling of Hempseeds and a few sprigs of young Sweet Marjoram (from my kitchen windowsill) rounded out this deliciously rustic meal.
This sweet breakfast was another refreshing delight. On toasted whole meal rye bread, I spread some sliced, very ripe Black Mission Figs, tore some fresh Basil over the top and drizzled some Olive Oil over the whole deal…I think I cracked some black pepper over it after the picture was taken… Again, inspired by ingredients!
This is one of those situations where I just want to celebrate the ingredients. On top of some Mixed Greens, I’d placed grilled Yellow Bell Pepper, Japanese Eggplant, Shrimp and Porcini Mushroom slices. In the center is a dollop of pesto, made with Macadamia Nuts. It was filling and fulfilling!!
Interspersed with these dishes were nights out, ordering in and missing meals altogether. These highlights are certainly satisfying to remember!
I recently read, in a few places, the phrase “Evolve or Die”…kind of a recurring threat of sorts, I guess, but, in many occasions, good advice. I certainly don’t want this blog to “die”, as it were, so in the coming weeks you’ll be witnessing an evolution! I’ll be highlighting one particular ingredient each time. These will usually be something unusual or an uncommon version of a common ingredient. I’ll be using it in different ways, combined with my other Farmer’s and Super Market purchases. I’ll also be changing my layout. Starting with the next post, and over the course of the month of August, I’ll use different layouts and include a poll to help me decide which one I’ll start using in September.
Until next time, stay hungry!!
This week, I went to the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market and went a little nuts…
I had $46 with me, and came home with $7.85…needless to say, my fridge is VERY well-stocked!! So, with no further ado, here’s this week’s haul (photo taken on my phone, because The Boyfriend had my camera…)!
My Haul
Big bag of Grapefruit: $2.25
Mini Cherry Tomatoes: $4.00
Apricots: $1.95
Japanese Cucumbers: $3
Kale and Sugar Snap Peas: $4.00
1.5 Porcini Mushrooms: $8.00
Macadamia Nuts: $4.00
Stellar Salad Mix and Romaine: $6.00
Pinkerton Avocados: $3.oo
1 Dozen Cage Free/Free Range Eggs: $2.50
Total: $38.70!! Yeah, crazy.
Not to make excuses or anything, but The Boyfriend and I had been camping all weekend and got back on Monday to a fairly empty kitchen. We had a few ingredients left over from the trip, but not much to create any real satisfying meals. I’ve already enjoyed some of the Salad, studded with the Tomatoes, Cukes and Macadamias. Tonight’s dinner will be a luscious ode to Summer; featuring grilled bell peppers, eggplant and thinly sliced Porcini…at least, that’s my plan. Tune in next time to find out what deliciousness transpires!!
Enjoy this holiday weekend!!
Filed under: Breakfasts, Dinners, Fish and Seafood, Leftovers, Lunches, Raw, Snacks, Vegetarian
I know, I know, I’ve been gone quite a while. It’s not like I haven’t been cooking…I just haven’t had much time to tell y’all about it!
I’m writing this on the last day of Spring, so I’ll be giving you the best of my Spring table today, before the tomatoes take over…
Pea tendrils; one the most magical elements of Spring. Here, they’ve been mixed in with some other salad greens to form a bed for my Wild Mushroom stuffed pasta, with a Roasted Pepper sauce.
The next night, we had a delicious curried Carrot soup, next to a Grape-laced salad of Arugula and some Stellar Salad Mix from Maggie’s Farm.
Maitake Mushrooms, Pea Tendrils, Leeks and slices of Kumquat made this crispy-skinned Trout dinner as flavorful as it is interesting to look at! I made a paste of herbs, added the Leeks, mixed in some slices of Kumquat and stuffed the combination into the cavity of this trout. Dig ‘em!
I’m a huge fan of Trader Joe’s frozen croissants. They make breakfast elegance so easy. Here, I loaded one up with some Pea Tendrils, Arugula and Smoked Salmon. The extra Arugula ended up as a wee side salad, simply dressed with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Lemon Juice and a sprinkle of Sea Salt. Now, that’s a breakfast of champions!!
TJ’s also has a great solution for a yummy lunch; Lavash, or Flat Bread. I rolled some marinated, thinly sliced Baby Artichokes and Radishes, Pea Tendrils and Smoked Salmon inside. Such a delicious lunch!
Pea Tendrils and Fresh Dill made a comfy spot for this crispy Smoked Salmon to sit and watch me eat that tangy-sweet Oro Blanco. Good Morning!
Behind my Thyme-infused glass of Rosé sits my deconstructed Cod Sandwich. Sliced Tomato, Pinkerton Avocado and Treviso Radicchio are all lined up and ready to jump onto the toasted, sprouted English Muffin. Roasted Baby Fingerling Potatoes round out the dinner.
Millet, a Poached Egg and quickly grilled Asparagus made this another Good Morning J
These Vietnamese Shrimp Spring Rolls accompanied some Miso Soup and were adorned with a spicy dipping sauce…beautiful and yummy!!
Simple, savory, scrumptious. A salad of Pea Tendrils, Sugar Snaps and shelled English Peas got adorned with Shrimp, Mint, Anchovies and Cara Cara Orange slices. The embodiment of Spring.
Even with all the fresh, healthy fare I’ve been creating, The Boyfriend still loves his BLTs…
…and I still love my Metallica.
Thanks for watching…don’t worry, I’m back now!
Filed under: Uncategorized
I’ve been dealing with lots of frusturating health issues this year, and the most recent one had me under the knife. Today is the 1st time I’ve even turned on my computer since my surgery, and I’m still in the process of healing.
Though I have loads of pix from meals I’ve created since the last couple of market runs, I’ll be continuing my much needed hiatus until the end of the month. If you’re a subscriber to Wholly Delicious!!, you’ll be getting a late edition newsletter later this week. But, for now, the $20 Farmer’s Market Run will continue to be silent until May.
Thank you for visiting and continuing to support this project!!
xoxo,
C@
Filed under: Cool People, Dinners, Fish and Seafood, Leftovers, Lunches, Market Haul, Snacks, Uncategorized, Vegan
Stinging Nettles. Not the most friendly member of the backyard regulars, but certainly the item that excited me the most after last week’s Market Run. Most years, I end up making a potato/nettle soup that, while tasty, It’s nothing really to write home about…and it’s gotta be pretty exciting for me to risk being covered with a bunch of itchy welts. So, this time, I started with a PESTO!
Three of this week’s featured players made a tasty splash in this dish. The Nettles, Macadamia Nuts and Green Garlic played very well together, making a smooth, creamy adornment to my homemade mushroom raviolis…raviolis that got just a little overcooked, so tossing them with the pesto would’ve gotten really ugly…
Next, a new favorite snack: Kale Chips! All I did to make these crispy bits of deliciousness was spray a parchment-lined sheet pan and the leaves with oil spray, sprinkle them with salt and bake them at 250° for about 30 minutes. So beautiful, so yummy and so incredibly healthy!!
The Bar Toscana menu continued to inspire me this week. My version of their Polentine features crispy cubes of baked polenta and my homemade marinara for dipping. This sauce was also spiked with the Green Garlic, as was the NZ Spinach-filled grilled “cheese” flatbread sandwich.
The other night, my friend Mischa came over for dinner. I decided to incorporate the haul into Taco Night. The Green Garlic (of course), the Salmon and the Avocado were all involved in making these Seafood Tacos incredibly tasty.
Another bit of mild excitement…yeah, I’m kinda easily amused these days. An evening eating solo! Okay, now, I LOVE cooking for My Teddy Bear, especially because he’s always so appreciative. But, sometimes, I need intense, outright blatant Garlic Flavor… or something else I know he wouldn’t like. On those nights when he has to miss dinner, I make something he’d run from…this time, it was these beautiful Steamed Manila Clams with lots of Green Garlic, parsley and lemongrass. He’s not a fan of mollusks either, so this was all about me!
So, the food fun goes on, and of course when this week’s Wednesday Market rolled around, I was there! This time, I took my neighbor, Andrea, who was curious about creating some healthy meals…now she’s hooked, and coming with me next time, too!
So what did I get this time?
My Haul
Arugula: $2
Oro Blanco Grapefruit: $1.50
Pea Shoots: $1.50
Maitake Mushrooms: $5
Stellar Salad Mix: $3.80
Apples and Asian Pears: $3
Total: $16.80!!
This will be a delicious week!
By the by, if you haven’t yet signed up to receive the monthly newsletter, you can do so here! April’s edition will feature a soup recipe to tackle “That Thing That’s Going Around” and some tips on Spring Cleaning…
Stay tuned for what’s next, and stay hungry!
Aah, it’s been a while, but yesterday, I immersed myself in my favorite Farmer’s Market and came home with a tantalizing sampling of Spring!! Here it is:
My Haul
New Zealand Spinach: $2
Green Garlic: $1.50
California Macadamia Nuts: $4
Wild Alaskan Salmon Filet: $6
Fuerte Avocados: $3
Stinging Nettles and Broccolini: $3
Total: $19.50!!
What fabulousness will come from these items? Will the Macadamias encrust the Salmon? Will the Nettles become something other than soup? Will The Boyfriend complain about the Green Garlic?
The answers to these and other questions will be waiting for you here in the upcoming week!!
Stay tuned for deliciousness!!
And, if you haven’t checked it out yet, you can still click the link and subscribe to the Have Your Health, LLC newsletter, Wholly Delicious!! Next month’s issue features more of Spring’s culinary delights, plus a special report on Spring Cleaning…from the inside out!
Filed under: Cool People, Dinners, Fish and Seafood, Leftovers, Nights Out, Poultry, Snacks, YUM
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you understand how important I feel it is to cook at home. You can control what goes into your food, you can choose ingredients based on your own individual needs and you’ve already paid for it!! But sometimes, life gets in the way. Recently, health issues, an uncooperative work schedule and the lethargy that these things bring conspired to send us out to eat on quite a few occasions…
I’m fascinated by the endless variety of cuisines that can be found from food trucks. One recent night, The Boyfriend and I got home from work within minutes of each other, and having worked all weekend, I wasn’t able to do my usual weekly meal prep. We took a quick stroll over to Sawtelle Boulevard to see who was serving what. That evening, there was only one truck, but I’m kind of glad there was just the one. When I eat in our neighborhood, I’m usually craving Japanese food. There’s so much of it to choose from around here; but that night, we were in for a surprise.
Crazy Creole Café was waiting for us after what seemed like a busy night for them. They’d run out of their entire Po’ Boy meat supply, other than the Shrimp. That was just fine with me!
This ‘Fully Dressed’ sandwich made me smile…many times! The shrimp were purrfectly fried, the giant slices of tomato were fresh and flavorful, the lettuce and pickles were crisp and refreshing and the spice was quite nice!! I ate the whole thing in one go! Man, I was hungry!
My Boyfriend has VERY big eyes. His stomach? Not so much. But, that was okay when he didn’t finish this AMAZING potato salad! I took care of that. He’d also indulged in the Gumbo Ya Ya. It was full of creole herbs, chicken, turkey and chicken sausages and rice. The aroma was too much for me to resist…so were the leftovers J While we waited for our order, the generous Chef Guy Duplantier III treated us to samples of some of the other items, keeping us warm and excited for what was coming up.
The Chef is looking for a few good investors to help him ‘Laissez les Bontemps Rouler’ or Let the Good Times Roll! He’s envisioned a Nawlins Supper Club with live Jazz and Zydeco; so if you want to help or just need to get your Cajun fix, check out http://www.crazycreolecafe.com , or call 562.415.8876. Bring on the Beignets!!!
Now, when we went down this road, we had the usual Japanese cuisine in mind. This night, we had been planning for sushi at a popular new spot; Sushi Stop. Later that week, when the cupboards were bare and our wallets were less than full, we made our way over there. Why? Everything on the menu is just $2.75!!
Yeah, I know. Sushi for $2.75 might sound a bit suspect…sushi for $2.50 sounds even more outrageous; but that’s what they were charging when they first opened! We’ve been there 3 or 4 times and have never had a problem. They seem to keep their overhead low by only offering a limited menu; no alcohol, small plates and keeping the staff fairly small. The food is simple, delicious and their specials are innovative and seductive. Salmon sushi with truffle oil? Oh, YEAH.
No food photos because it went so fast!
Not all of our recent food outings were bargain trips. In fact, I’ve been splurging on occasion. I’ve mentioned my new favorite night spot a few times, Bar Toscana. After my first visit, I decided I wanted to try everything on the menu! The small plates aren’t all as small as the servers make them out to be; in fact, the Aragosta Caracau, an amazing lobster dish, was almost too much deliciousness for me! Chef Luca Crestanelli makes these bites with farm fresh ingredients and a huge dose of creativity. The cocktail menu is an adventure all its own. Bar manager and Mixologist, William Perbellini shakes up smooth, flavorful libations from the menu, from scratch and even from your own imagination. He can purrfectly pair the drinks with your food selections…so talented!
The Caterina and the Sorrento…*photo from bartoscana.com
This happy little ginger-laced cocktail was one of those impromptu creations. Spicy!!!
Yummy bar snacks, like these little focaccia sticks go beautifully with whatever you’re drinking. Here they paired purrfectly with the bold, juicy Barolo I had last week.
The Boyfriend had been obsessed recently; obsessed with the idea of walking across the Golden Gate Bridge. I’m not sure where the idea came from, but I was certainly into it. I have friends in San Francisco and hadn’t been there for years, so why not?! Originally, he’d planned the trip for the weekend before Christmas; an especially busy time for my workplace, so he rescheduled for the weekend before Valentine’s Day…Purrrrfect.
We stayed in an adorable motel, one which was originally built for the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge. The Marina Motel had everything we needed. Each room comes with a kitchen and free parking in your very own one-car garage! We emptied our fridge into a cooler and hit the road. I have to brag…my hybrid got us there and about ¼ of the way back on less than one tank of gas…all the way from LA! There’s a reason it was Motor Trend’s Car of the Year for 201o!
While in San Francisco, we decided we’d eat breakfast and lunch in our room and enjoy dinners out. The first night, we splurged at Ristobar. This beautiful restaurant sports large windows at the front, an intriguing fresco on the ceiling and a cozy corner walled with shelves of wine. We shared the Tagliatelle with wild mushrooms and duck…again; it went too fast to photograph. For dessert, I had the Dolci di Noci, a smooth, sweet hazelnut confection…YUM.
Our little corner of Ristobar
The next evening, after crossing the bridge, we met up with my favorite roommate ever, Shannon. We shared some fries with her precious daughter and attempted to catch up after sooo many years had passed. We hadn’t seen each other since shortly after college…that was quite a while ago!
We had originally planned to have a romantic evening out, the night of the 13th, but our gams were groggy and we couldn’t decide what we wanted to eat, so we kicked back in front of the TV, raided the fridge and watched the Grammys in our motel room. It was the purrfect finish to our adventurous day.
The Boyfriend with his Chips, Salsa and a toasted Roast Beef Sandwich
My Grammy-time snacks…Humboldt Fog goat cheese, toast, crackers, toasted walnuts and a little arugula…carbo-loading much?
Anywhoo, we’re back in town and I’m back on track. Stay tuned for more tasties, yummies and culinary gallivanting!
BTW…
This is my favorite shot from the GG Bridge. Pretty cool, huh?
