SiseFromm

It seems like Cha is a totally different business, so I think they'll hang on. The late-night crowd, especially during testing, seems pretty prolific. On a side note, do you go to the farmer's market on Saturday's? There are a few really great vendors there. I've also been meaning to try that new Indian restaurant that just opened up.

Ah yes, that's a brilliant episode! I absolutely love Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. I watch it with glee and laugh heartily at every episode. The rotten scallop episode was at Bonapartes in Silsden. The "chef", a 21 year old with a relatively oafish personality, is mince meat when Ramsay rolls through to fix their helpless operation.

After watching all five around a week ago I had voted for Hans. Did he know ahead of time he would be among the finalists or did he find out when his video popped up on the Food Network website?

Interestingly, even comparisons between MTV and The Food Network can be made. Both started off with humble beginnings, became the premier source for the type of content they were offering, then evolved into showing mostly drivel that appeals to an under-informed audience. MTV has diversified a bit by offering more MTV stations to choose from. MTV2 for example sprung up to take on the overflow of content from the original station. Maybe The Food Network will do the same with a sort of "etchnic" version of their station. I'd love to be able to switch to the more "obscure" programming to see chefs like Rob Feenie and Gordon Ramsay at work. I can hope anyway.

I wonder if I was at the same signing? Book Soup at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa? In any case, he mentioned the same thing when I saw him. The Food Network wanted to know if he would be interested in doing something with barbecue, or a "Dude Ranch" type show. Of course, his answer was a big screw you. I can't wait until his Travel Channel show starts airing. It will be yet another food-related program NOT on Food Network that I'll be watching.

My wife and I laughed furiously during the episode at Bonaparte's. I feel that this is quite possibly the greatest food show ever concocted. Ramsay is a genius.

No doubt. The Best and Cooking with Heart and Soul are better than anything on FoodTV. The Food Network has basically gone completely to the toilet. There isn't a single cooking show on that channel (other than Molto Mario) that has found its way into my Tivo. Meanwhile, cooking shows on Discovery Home as well as Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares on BBC enjoy plenty of play.

If you have a Smart & Final near you you can get great deals on larger-sized stock pots. I don't think they carry anything below 16-quart. I have 40 and 60 quart pots that I use to make several gallons of stock at a time. I think I paid around $75 - $85 for them, though I can't remember exactly since I've had them for so long.

Try Picnics on 17th Street in Costa Mesa. They have an awesome little selection of raw milk cheeses. The chef owners are uber-cool so if you chat with them, they'll let you taste and give good recommendations on what's best at the moment. Plus, their deli sandwiches aren't to be beat. Get the ham/fig/brie sandwich! EDIT: Dang, I should have read the last post before I opened my trap! Yes indeed, Picnics is great. I have a nice rapport with them and I can't say enough good things about that little shop.

Hans' is great. That location was originally home to a Swensen's that he and his wife ran. They started it so long ago then when their contract expired, they were able to get out of it with ease and open their own shop. I would imagine that in subsequent years, ice creameries have put strict non-complete clauses into their franchise contracts. In any case, Hans uses a high milk fat content in his ice cream. The result is a dense and super-creamy product. the store isn't much on interior vibe. Sort of old-school parlor style. Get a few pints to go and you'll be set.

My new favorite is Zipangu at the Lab in Costa Mesa on Bristol Avenue. Great sushi. Uber-hip atmosphere. Plus, you can get all sorts of great oddities not usually seen on sushi menus. Eel and Foie Gras? Grilled Sweet Breads and Leeks? I suggest stopping by there.

Seafood dinner tonight. The appetizer was the highlight. Seared Scallops on Potato Puree with Saffron Beurre Blanc and Vegetable Brunois:

I'm a total proponent of Bouchon (Keller) and Les Halles (Bourdain). Both are bistro masterpieces, although completely different in their approach. Actually, both as a present to one recipient would be brilliant because it really shows two chefs at the top of their game that each look at the bistro life a little differently than the other.

Creamy Risotto with Crispy Pan-Roasted Chicken Breast and Mustard/White Wine Sauce.

Classic Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise and Thyme-Roasted Potatoes Last weekend we ate at a miserable cafe and had the worst benedict of all time. The eggs weren't so much poached as hard-boiled. The sauce was broken, and the potatoes were bland and far too al dente. I erased those memories this morning with gooey eggs, clarified butter-toasted muffins, excellent Canadian Bacon from a Neiman Ranch pork loin, and a classic hollandaise straight from the days of culinary school. The potatoes were fluffy on the inside, crunchy on the outside, and tossed with sea salt, thyme, and chives. Lovely. We had French-press coffee with half and half and orange/grapefruit/pomegranate juice. It was a proper brunch to be sure. Best meal of the day!

Rich, gelatenous veal stock and a batch of demi. My freezer is stocked now with the components to put together pretty much any sauce. I've got stocks of veal, chicken, lamb, and fish fumet, not to mention that dark sticky demi. I'm ready to rock!

Hamburgers! Boy were they good too. It's been awhile since I've indulged. These were fresh-ground Chuck loaded with plenty of sea salt, black pepper, and bits of Shropshire Blue cheese from England. Grilled medium rare over charcoal and red-wine soaked hickory chips on eggy buns with house-made tarragon mayonnaise and crisp green lettuce. Soooo tasty.

If you head a little North to Laguna Beach, you can eat at the buzz-creating Hush. Every review I've read has been full of adoration, though I have yet to stop by myself. I hear the Veal Porterhouse with Foie gras whipped potatoes, blackberry verjus vinaigrette is the ultimate in indulgence.

We ate at Maple Drive roughly 6 months ago. Our visit was really great. The service in particular was professional and much better than I had anticipated. I imagined a hot-shot chef with recent fame in a restaurant set in the heart of Beverly Hills would spell disaster for service. I expected snooty employees, but it was quite the opposite actually. The hostess was really accomodating in getting us a choice table. We opted for a tasting menu over six courses (if I remember correctly). There was definitely some Japanese influence, with a sashimi course and a skirt steak with Asian spices. The dining room is washed in earthy tones and is quite comfortable. The best seats in the house (somewhat secluded booths) were taken up by uber-beautiful LA people, which I found both amusing and disturbing at the same time. Make no mistake, Maple Drive is definitely in the thick of the Hollywood elite scene. The Maybach dealership on the corner a block or two away sets the tone. We were there for our anniversary, which meant our dessert of chocolate (four different ways) was brought out on a large plate with a hand-piped congratulations note from the chef. My memory might be fuzzy since we ate at several LA restaurants that week, but that should be a pretty complete review. I give Maple Drive an A, but having also eaten at Suzanne Goin's restaurant the same weekend, I think it edged out Maple Drive on coolness and respect for ingredients and simple technique. You might say Lucques and A.O.C. are more truly "foodie".

Braised Veal Shortribs with Pureed Potatoes and Baby Carrots Let Fall begin!

I'm sure each chef will have his or her own take on it, but I've found a good rule that I've stuck with. In culinary arts school one of my chefs told me the ratio for stocks, by weight, is: 75% Water 50% Bones 10% Mirepoix Basically, 4 lbs. bones for 3/4 gallon water.

In a few hours: Melted Leek Salad with Leek Vinaigrette Crispy Chicken Breasts with Creamy Risotto Banana Tarte Tatin

Why not do a nice filet of fish with lemon, white wine, dill, shallots, and butter? Is this "car camping"? Obviously, backcountry expeditions wouldn't allow for such luxuries as easily-spoiled proteins. If you have a cooler though, it seems like the sky is the limit.

Jamie Oliver is excellent at seducing big, deep flavors using modest technique and simple ingredients. Classic technique paired with British sensibility and Mediterranean flavors work really well for him, and his books show this brilliantly. I give him a lot of respect and credit for the Fifteen project. It was probably ill-advised and at best risky, but I really feel like he was so passionate about the subject that the cons/negatives didn't matter to him. I've never eaten there so I can't comment first hand, but if I have the chance to visit when I'm in England, I definitely will. That is, if I still have room after I swing by Fergus Henderson's joint. In any case, I still love Jamie Oliver and I'm happy he's on the television from time to time. His shows are infinitely more interesting and educating than the vast majority of the crap the Food Network has resorted to.

I just finished reading The Fourth Star, a year in the life of Daniel in NYC. Reading through the passages of Lee and Boulud yelling out orders was enough to make me stressed out! Such an amazing restaurant. Boulud is a master of his craft.