I am addicted to Food52 and their recipe contests. I've been doing pretty well, two of my thirteen recipes have been chosen "Community Picks". That's a win for a novice like me. In an effort to broaden my horizons (read: obsessions) I happened upon Gilt Taste, Ruth Reichl's website. I love, love, love this site. Their great recipes are accompanied by intimate stories. For … [Read more...]
Red Quinoa: Thank you Melissa’s Produce
Louise Mellor of Geez Louise fame suggested that I attend an end of year event at Melissa's Produce. … [Read more...]
Roasted Beet Soup
Beets. Nahid loves them. I have tried to like them. Pickled (yuck) Carpaccio-ed (underwhelmed) Raw thinly sliced with vinegar (so-so) Their allure still eluded me. So in my search for a beet dish that I could actually like, I bought a bunch at the Hollywood Farmers Market, threw them in the oven, then combed my cookbooks in search of inspiration. David Tanis' "A Platter of … [Read more...]
Pears and Gorgonzola on Parmesan Crackers
Our love for Parmesan crackers is no secret. Our fresh fig appetizer is slowly becoming legend. Alas, fresh figs aren't always in season so we needed to create a winter alternative. Nahid suggested using gorganzola as the main ingredient. It being winter, pears jumped into my brain. We both agreed that we needed crunch and a bit of sweetness, so candied walnuts were … [Read more...]
Porcini Mushrooms–Forage first then eat.
Sometimes I have the best job in the world. When working on food shows I get to travel around the world meeting great people and eating unusual and delicious food. Yesterday was a perfect example. We drove through an Ojai wrapped in a morning mist. When we turned on to Signal Street, Osteria Monte Grappa wore the unnatural stillness of a closed restaurant. Tammy and … [Read more...]
