SiseFromm

Great recommendations. Holly is particulary interested in a cave tour so I will give Ladera a call to set something up for mid-week. We've got a week to burn up there so even if we can't hit them all in a day, we can hit one or two over the course of our trip and I'll be happy. I'll google these to see which if any have sites I can peruse.

My wife and I are headed soon to Yountville for a week. While we're there we're hoping to discover some smaller wineries, or hot spots that are gaining buzz. What's happening up there right now? It's been two years since our last trip and I feel a little out of it. Is there anybody we should know about to call for an appointment while we're there?

I'm a huge Morford fan and was thrilled to read this article posted a few days back. In fact, I emailed him my two cents regarding the Calphalon One product. I email him all the time though and I dno't ever hear a word back, so what are you going to do?

Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen sounds really great. Casual, sophisticated yet simple California cuisine in the wine country. I can't ask for much more than that. As for our other plans, honestly, the big multi-coursed tasting meals spanning several hours don't appeal to me much on this trip. I don't want to do the Laundry or any other similar dining experience. I want to tuck into rustic food with big fat California wines. I'll probably do Bouchon, because, well, it's Bouchon. A lunch of steak frites sounds perfect.

My wife and I are headed to Yountville for a week in the beginning of December. Has anything amazing or groundbreaking happened up there since April?

So did you end up coming out to LA yet? I'm curious about your experience.

Goodells' adieu to Aubergine

Lucques' Sunday Supper is not to be missed!

I actually like the cast a lot, including Owain Yeoman, John Francis Daley (loved him in Freeks & Geeks), and John Cho. Those guys are great so I'm hoping the characters will drive the show.

This article is one of the many reasons I feel I slip further and further each passing day into full-blown misanthropedom. Is that a word? It should be. Sushi isn't as lean as it looks? You mean those beautiful streaks of white fat in the salmon is fat? Damnit!

White Cheddar cheese is an option at one of the biggest apple pie spots in Julian, California. Julian somehow became known for their apple pie, cider, and juice. The first time I had apple pie served with cheddar was in Julian some 7 to 8 years ago. The combination makes sense to me, but is perceived by many I tell here in Southern California as some sort of weird/gross practice.

Although "No Reservations" deals with food (it is Tony Bourdain after all), let's not forget it airs on Travel Channel. It is, at its heart, a show about travel. The food serves to tie the stories together, but this isn't exactly "A Cook's Tour". That show had a different vibe. I don't think, for example, Tony would have been folk dancing on Cook's Tour. This is probably why he didn’t get into the small details about the dinner feast he was served in the “secret volcano lair”. That segment was more about the amazingly weird experience of being a pampered Westerner in a completely unexpected and foreign place.

My wife and I were dying during the "Squeezle" segment. That had us rolling. I thought the pork roasted over the sidewalk charcoal looked like the best thing he ate. Lime, pickled garlic, lettuces, fatty pork, rice noodles? Bring it.

There is no way that Ramsey would have offered Michael the opportunity to come to London in lieu of the restaurant prize without first clearing it with Fox. That doesn't mean his offer is any less valid, or that he had the idea just before commencing with the grand finale ceremony. Simply put, Fox owns the show and would have final say in any changes to the master plan. Whatever the case, choosing to move to London to work in what sounds like his namesake 3 Michelin-starred restaurant is an absolute no brainer. You work under Gordon for a few years, then you do whatever the hell you want, anywhere you want. EDIT: for spelling

Maple Drive is another big celebrity draw, but honestly, seeing "famous" people at restaurants in LA seems extremely common. Every time we hit up Lucques, A.O.C., Meson G, Bastide, The Little Door, etc., there are always people to see. Personally, I pick restaurants for the food. The scenery is a footnote.

Am I the only one that felt the segment ended somewhat abruptly? I was nearly expecting them to come back after the commercial break and pick up where they left off. Regardless, I found it interesting. I was hoping to see a bit more of Per Se, but glad that Bourdain made an appearance. He's definitely the guy you want to interview if you want something glowing to be said about Thomas Keller. Seeing the restaurant again makes me want to head back up to Yountville ASAP. How beautiful were those Porcini mushrooms? I wanted a basket of them that very instant.

From the comments in this thread, it seems like this is many people's first exposure to Gordon Ramsay? Did anybody catch Boiling Points, Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, or Beyond Boiling Points? Gordon's kitchen exploits are well documented in all three. From what I can tell (from television and his books), this is how he really is. I do not believe there is an act going on here, so these poor saps are going to get eaten alive. Real chefs that work for him take a regular verbal (and sometimes physical) beating, so imagine what a bunch of home cooks and relative amateurs are going to be hit with. Good luck suckers.

Very cool. I found this website for the restaurant. I'll send it to her and find out how "authentic" it is by her standards.

Those short ribs sound the shit. I made a crispy roasted chicken breast (using my new copper pan) over pureed potatoes with blanched farmer's market baby vegetables. The sauce was a reduction of stock and white wine with butter and tarragon.

Thanks y'all. I had no idea there was even such a thing as a Polish Business Association right here in OC! I'll pass the information along. I know there's a great German market (with amazing sausages) on Main Street in Orange. The beer case is something to be admired. Hopefully we'll find something of equal caliber by calling this organization in Huntington Beach.

A new co-worker just moved here from Detroit area. She's of Polish decent and is looking for local area Polish joints (Irvine, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, etc.). Basically, shops, restaurants, food markets, etc. Any advice?

Pluots I love! I eat them steadily for the months they're in season. Don't they usually hit in July'ish?

Apricots hit last weekend at the Irvine market, but they didn't look very promising. They're my least favorite Summer fruit anyway, so I wasn't eager to test them. Even some very poorly looking white peaches were on display last weekend. The sample I tried was hard as a rock and tasted nearly nothing like a peach. Still, it's nice to be reminded that they're on their way.

The Magic Bullet is poorly made, plain and simple. I can't ever imagine owning one. Somebody (knowing I'm a chef), figured I would want one as a gift. Great gesture. We looked at it. Laughed for a bit, and gave it away for free to anybody that would take it.

I find that even with a proper custard base, it can be hard to get perfect ice cream at home. I have a Simac which makes great product, but I can't get it the way I really want it. I can't get that ice creamery denseness with that perfect toothy mouth feel. I can make creme anglaise in my sleep so the base isn't really the problem. I just think that industrial freezing gear is always going to beat out the home models, regardless of how "pro" they are.