rjwong

Complete2L, If you don't mind a chain restaurant, consider a high-end steakhouse called Fleming's in Newport Beach. Their steaks are really great. I like their side dishes. They have a huge selection of wines-by-the-glass. And if your group wants some privacy, ask for the smaller dining room downstairs.

LA Times Food Section -- February 16, 2005 Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week. Crème de la custard / by Russ Parsons Russ Parsons, fellow eGullet member (and LA Times food writer), writes this week's lead food article on quiche. He talked with Thomas Keller and Josie LeBalch. "When I see a well-made quiche, it gives me a sense of comfort, a sense of grounding," he [Keller] says. "Good food is not about fashion; it's about quality of product and execution. A dish that is good lasts forever." And what about those comments about quiche during the '70's and '80's? "The quiche just got a bad rap," says [Josie] LeBalch. "It was too frou-frou or whatever. 'Real men don't eat quiche.' Ha! I'll tell you what: All my men love my quiche, are you kidding me?" Keller's techniques for making quiche are detailed. Includes four recipes: Basic quiche batter; Basic quiche shell; Ham and potato quiche; Roquefort and leek quiche. New wines, ancient cellar / by David Shaw Jean-Guillaume Prats, the 35-year-old director-general of Cos d'Estournel, in the St.-Estèphe region of Bordeaux recently attended lunch at Lucques in West Hollywood, organized by Steve Wallace and Christian Navarro of Wally's Wines and Spirits in West Los Angeles. Amongst these serious wine lovers & collectors, various questions were asked. And inevitably, this question was asked: "Does [Robert] Parker have too much power?" Shaw concludes, “Tasting good wines with the man responsible for them and willing to talk about them honestly is a rare and delightful experience.” Dinner in the hot seat / by John Balzar New restaurants are including an open kitchen for diners to view the chefs in action. But Chinois on Main, Wolfgang Puck's longest-lasting of his restaurant empire, has been doing this act for 21 years. With its nine stools at the counter surrounding the U-shaped kitchen arena precisely compact enough for seven, the team of six men and one woman create culinary dishes with amazing excitement for these serious kitchen voyeurs. Rarefied cookbooks, well done / by Laurie Winer “If by chance you are looking for a copy of a handmade, high-end food art book called La Conversation and are willing to shell out $600, you should step into Le Sanctuaire, the culinary shop in Santa Monica. Go to the glass case: Although the shop has shelves of ordinary cookbooks, here is where the special volumes are kept. Just as owner Jing Tio collects vinegars, chocolates, fleur de sel, porcelain, truffle slicers and spices from all over the world to offer for sale, he is also an avid collector of books. For the right price, he'll even part with some from his private collection.” Silky, sophisticated and simple / by Leslie Brenner Brenner recollects her husband's interview with lyricist Mitchell Parrish shortly before his death at age 92 in 1993. She remembers him as a guy who inadvertently gave her one of her favorite soups. Brenner articulates the joys of creating simple, nutritious, frugal yet luxurious soups. Includes three recipes: arugula and potato soup, fennel-carrot soup, and broccoli soup. Also includes “A clear reading on broths” / by Susan LaTempa The Times tasting panel tasted 12 store-bought chicken broths. They recommended four of them: Trader Joe's Free Range; Swanson chicken broth; Williams Sonoma's All Natural and Whole Foods Market 365 Organic. Is it really a magic wand? / by Cindy Dorn Introduced in the '80s, hand-held blenders were, at first, awkward to hold. But some of today's models work terrifically. Four most widely available versions are tested: the Cuisinart SmartStick, the Braun Multiquick, the Russell Hobbs hand blender and the KitchenAid immersion blender. Asian chic, Hollywood style / by S. Irene Virbila Geisha House in Hollywood is given a 2* rating. It's the Hollywood bar scene that brings the crowds in. And the food here? “That's why Geisha House is so unusual. The food is actually pretty good, a big cut above the nosh at most trendy places, and not one but two in-house sommeliers pour rare sakes and pricey bubbly .... It's not L'Orangerie, that's for sure. With its surrealist setting and fanciful Japanese food, this sexy new Hollywood restaurant and sake lounge sizzles.” WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila 2002 Ravenswood Big River Zinfandel, Alexander Valley: Sonoma, Alexander Valley region; about $25; rich, ripe and concentrated; goes with barbecue, roasted birds and meats, braises. “What really makes this wine soar is its impeccable balance. Soft, ripe tannins and a firm acidity mean it's brilliant with food.” For the record Sushi — In an article on sushi in the Feb. 9 Food section, there were several translation and spelling errors. Omakase was translated as "today's delicious one; I leave it to you," but it literally means "entrusting" and if written on a menu means "putting your trust in the chef." Tiny shrimp from Toyama are shira ebi, not shira evi; sawakani, not sawa gani, are fried tiny crabs; and "Irasshai mase!" not "Irasahi masai!" is the greeting one receives upon arrival. *********************************************************** *********************************************************** Calendarlive Stories Spreading the aloha spirit / by S. Irene Virbila Critic's notebook on Roy's in Woodland Hills. Roy's, the Hawaiian fusion restaurant concept from Roy Yamaguchi, has opened in the San Fernando Valley with all the expected razzmatazz. “Nothing at Roy's goes unadorned or unsauced. And many a dish seems to be still a work in progress.” Hawaiiana / by Leslee Komaiko “In the last few years, Hawaiian eateries have proliferated in Southern California. Now you can satisfy your cravings for mahi mahi and kalua pork without boarding a jet.” Includes five restaurants: King's Hawaiian in Torrance; Yi Cuisine on W. 3rd St.; L & L Hawaiian Barbecue in Van Nuys; Ono Hawaiian BBQ in Westwood; Back Home in Lahaina in Manhattan beach.

Here's a link to one of the best & popular Cuban restaurants in Southern California: Versailles (I'm sure there'll be posts coming from Florida, I suppose).

NulloModo, I'm beginning to like you. To be honest, I was wondering what kind of person you are with that avatar until you said the magic word: MAYONNAISE!! Out here in Southern California, It's Best Foods for me. I definitely put mayo on my hamburger, on my hot dog, with chilled asparagus, with artichokes. I combine mayo with ketchup as a sauce for Dungeness crab. One of my favorite combinations is ordering a beef brisket sandwich on an onion bun with a side of mayonnaise, thin-to-medium layer on BOTH halves of the bun. Add plenty of pepper.... Thank you for starting this thread at the "Mayo" clinic.

Pan, when I hear someone say "stir-fry," I think of cooking of meat and/or vegetables (bite-size portions) on very high heat rather briefly with a little bit of oil (about 1 tablespoon) until done and transfered onto a serving plate, ready to eat with rice usually. No bath of water, maybe a little soy sauce to taste. I was also presuming deep-fried as well. As for me, it has to be onion rings. Not a fried onion loaf, not onion strings, but onion RINGS!!! How often? Maybe about once a month or whenever I go to a steakhouse that serves them.

You show us your fried foods first, and then we'll show you ours.

FYI Campanile Restaurant serves brunch, not lunch. Finding a restaurant for Sat. lunch (not brunch) is not so easy. Mind you, I found a few places for your consideration: Hotel Bel Air does serve lunch at Sat. One can eat in the Restaurant, or on the Terrace next to "Swan Lake." Kendall's Brasserie is in downtown LA by the Music Center. It is part of the Patina Group, headed by Chef Joachim Splichal. Pacific Dining Car is more of an old-fashioned high-end steakhouse that started way back in 1921. It's located just outside of downtown LA across from Good Samaritan Hospital.

Why must one admit something that is not a fact? That's like starting out with a statement like, "One must admit that all Frech food contains stunning amounts of butter", "all italian food has pounds of garlic in it and always involves pasta", or one like, "All food in Britain is bland and tasteless mush". Perhaps a more accurate statement might be, "One must admit that the general perception by those not acclimated to the diverse offerings of the Southern U.S. is that all food is fried-even the vegetables. These people have never spent any time with Southern cookbooks, or in Southern households, and have no clue what the daily fare of the average Southerner who cooks at home is. These people have no idea that the giant array of vegetables available, for large part, year round in many Southern Farmers Markets are not taken home and floured and thrown into a big boiling vat of lard (not that it is a bad idea, just that it is not an everyday thing), but many of them are lightly stewed, steamed, baked, etc. While frying is certainly an option, and when done well it is a tasty one, the Southern United States is also the center of the BBQ world, where meats are slow cooked over various kinds of heat sources to tasty, and many times, healthy results." I would say that this is a more accurate statement and I will be glad to admit to that. Sure we fry alot of stuff, and in fact, what most tourists seek out are fried offerings, as that is what they expect and they can't find these sorts of food done well back home. But to say that all Southern food, even most, is fried-is not true. At all. ← Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa! Mayhaw Man, I sit corrected. Yesterday afternoon, I was overloaded with pies & potato chips at a tasting event. So I wasn't thinking correctly. Besides, I was surprised that Gifted Gourmet didn't start this thread first. Nevertheless, I shouldn't have assumed that everything I was reading in that AP news article was 100% true. Please enlighten me (and perhaps others). Do you think that this article has a certain "let's pick on the Southerners" tone to it?

Here's the link to the article: Southern Food Frustrates Health Officials / by DANIEL YEE, Associated Press Writer February 13, 2005, 9:47 PM EST Oh boy, where do I start? One must admit that most Southern food are prepared fried, even the vegetables. The article later describes two artery-clogging items, "The Hamdog" and the "Luther Burger": In Atlanta, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is leading the way with their anti-obesity campaign. Ironically, their cafeteria serves such things as biscuits and gravy. MIND YOU, Southern food tastes so good!!! When I was in Chapel Hill for two years doing graduate studies, I enjoyed eating fried chicken, fried okra, pig pickin's, hush puppies, Virginia ham with red eye gravy, .... Not all the time, just once in a while, somewhat regularly ... With its long history of flavorful and fried favorites, will Southern food be changed by the efforts of CDC et al.? Should Southern food be changed?

Which underground market in downtown LA? Do you mean the Grand Central Market on Broadway? I work in downtown LA. So, let me know if I can help you over here in Los Angeles (it's raining tonight). Hasta la vista, baby!

Yes, I want to try them all. Why do you think my research project costs so much?? In fact, I just got back tonight from doing some "research" over at Arnie Morton's in downtown LA. And a couple of weeks back, I went to a local steak place in Glendale called Damon's. Arnie Morton's is part of the Morton's of Chicago chain. In Los Angeles, it's called Arnie Morton's to differentiate it from a restaurant called "Morton's" in West Hollywood. Now, back to steaks ... I ordered the New York strip medium rare, with a spinach salad & Lyonnaise potatoes. I enjoyed the "somewhat melt-in-your-mouth" quality of the steak. It was a bit burnt towards the ends. I was disappointed with the sides: The salad suppose to have a sweet & sour dressing. It was so subtle that it was non-existent. And the onions in the potatoes were not carmelized but burnt. The service was okay. For a steakhouse that serves USDA Prime, I expect a certain level of professional service, so that one can't tell the difference between the servers and the "suits". Mind you, my server was wonderful. I'm just commenting on my observations tonight. Oh, and the "menu presentation"... I suppose some diners like that visual form of the restaurant's offerings. Personally, I'm used to looking at a written menu. The prices, especially the sides, were a bit much. Overall, Arnie Morton's is definitely not on the top of my list under the "USDA Prime" steakhouses. In Glendale, there's a local steak place that's been around for decades called Damon's. Recently, it got sold to some corporation back East. I went to Damon's a couple of weeks ago on a Sunday night for a New York cooked medium. They haven't changed the place: The atmosphere is fake Polynesian, tiki room-type decor, waitresses wearing Hawaiian-type shirts calling everybody "sweetie." You gotta love it!! The steak comes with a soup or salad. Got the salad. They bring out a salad bowl with lettuce, beets, celery and their house dressing, all tossed tableside and served in individual bowls. Afterwards, the steak comes out with your choice of potatoes. The steak was decent. It wasn't as juicy as in previous times. The prices at Damon's I could handle. Overall, Damon's is still on the top of my list under "local, non-prime" steak places.

John, Are you familiar with a recent publication titled The soups of France by Lois Anne Rothert (San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2002)? The book is in English, and apparently, Rothert spent ten years collecting these soup recipes from the different regions of France, with sprinklings of MFK Fisher-type commentaries. I've never encountered this book. I was just doing a library search for you since the question was asked. I hope this helps.

LA Times Food Section -- February 9, 2005 Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week. Advanced sushi / by Carolynn Carreño Carreño interviews dozens of sushi chefs and sushi diners and concludes, “I'm happy to report that it is possible to enter a sushi bar for the first time, and just by knowing how to behave and what to order, to get something very close to the best experience the sushi bar is capable of providing.” Includes three accompanying articles: Where to seek the special stuff; Cheat sheet for aspiring aficionados; A guide to sushi etiquette. A bittersweet love affair / by Betty L. Baboujon Baboujon is dragged along by her husband through the streets of Barcelona into a little alley to drink that hot chocolate. “This was no baby's chocolate milk. This was the thinking chocoholic's brew.” Includes 3 recipes: Spanish hot chocolate (chocolate a la taza), adapted from Janet Mendel's "My Kitchen in Spain" ; Parisian-style hot chocolate, adapted from Dorie Greenspan's "Paris Sweets"; Hot cocoa Embracing the darker side / by Susan LaTempa Valrhona unsweetened cocoa powder (1 pound container, $10.85) is available at Surfas in Culver City. Stalking the sizzling crepe / by Andrea Q. Nguyen Nguyen returns to the streets of Vietnam to find out “how to achieve that chewy-crisp texture of a Vietnamese street vendor's creation,” bánh xèo (sizzling crepes). Includes the Bánh xèo (sizzling crepes) recipe in 3 parts: dipping sauce (nuoc châm), batter, & assembly. Beyond a come-hither label / by David Shaw Bart O'Brien is selling a wine named Seduction. “What makes Seduction unusual is its intended audience: O'Brien is making, packaging and marketing the wine specifically for women, a demographic group that he's convinced is untapped and growing rapidly.” Photos that look good enough to eat / by Regina Schrambling Schrambling consults a food photographer on tips “to preserve their [amateur eaters and serious cooks] food memories in a digital age.” Toy for the digital gourmet / by Wes Bausmith Review of the Olympus Stylus 500, featuring “21 picture-taking modes (indoor, sport, behind glass, sunset, etc.) include one for cuisine.” Toffee at its best / by Leslie Brenner Valerie Confections, a new Los Angeles-based company, has a toffee assortment that “is the best rendition we've ever tasted.” Isn't it romantic? Mais oui / by S. Irene Virbila L'Orangerie on La Cienega Blvd. is given a 2* rating. Owners Gerard & Virginie Ferry hire new chef Christophe Bellanca, 33, who comes from the Michelin two-star Pic in Valence in the northern Rhône. For 27 years, the restaurant continues its commitment to contemporary French cuisine (not California-French). Virbila hopes that the new chef would save L'Orangerie from itself. “And while the atmosphere may recall Les Crayères in Reims or another temple of haute cuisine, the food at L'Orangerie doesn't match the level of a top two- or three-star in France. It just isn't exciting enough.” WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila 2003 La Spinetta Moscato d'Asti 'Bricco Quaglia': Piedmont; about $17; light and fragrant; goes with a plate of cookies, a slice of cake. “The taste is like biting into a peach.” *********************************************************** *********************************************************** Calendarlive Stories Breakfast à la Bel-Air / by S. Irene Virbila Critic's notebook on Hotel Bel Air. Virbila makes certain to arrange breakfast here for her East Coast friends, who want to escape the latest snowstorm. Pancakes and eggs “If breakfast is, in fact, the most important meal of the day, then why not do it right?” Includes these five locations: The Griddle Cafe in Hollywood; Marston's in Pasadena; John O' Groats in West L.A.; Pedals in Santa Monica; Off Vine in Hollywood.

Way to go, JFL!!! You're right. The Academy Awards is airing on Sun. 27 Feb. 2005. And we haven't gotten through Mardi Gras, Chinese New Year, Valentine's Day, and Presidents' Day!!! If it will help, I'll put on my research cap and find out who's doing what where (food-wise, of course ). EDITED--for additional info. I just went to the official website for the Oscars. This Mon. afternoon (7 Feb. 2005), a "Nominees Luncheon" was held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. They don't say what was served. However, at the 77th Annual Academy Awards Governors Ball, Wolfgang Puck Catering will be serving the following menu: Hors d’Oeuvres: Roasted New Potatoes with Caviar and Crème Fraîche; Smoked Salmon Pizza with Caviar; Kobe Beef Burgers with Gorgonzola and Caramelized Onions; Mini Vietnamese Spring Rolls; Samosas with Tamarind Glaze Pre Set Antipasti Platter: Smoked Salmon Oscar; Chino Farms Chopped Vegetable Salad; Asparagus with Prosciutto di Parma; Marinated Mushrooms with Balsamic and Extra Virgin Olive Oil; Truffled Artichokes; Bruschetta with Goat Cheese and Roasted Peppers; Bruschetta with Marinated Tomatoes and Basil Served Amuse (Demi Tasse with Demi Spoon): Chilled Potato Leek Soup with Iranian Osetra Caviar Entrée: Duo Plate: Slow Braised Kobe Beef Shortribs with Wild Mushroom Crust And Kabocha Squash Puree And Sweet Maine Lobster “En Croute” with Black Winter Truffles from Perigord Dessert: “The Oscar I Love” (Toasted Almond and Espresso Cream Torte with Jivara Milk Chocolate Mousse) ehbidee, ehbidee,"That's all, folks!"

After being stuck in my apt. with a virus for two days, I was feeling good enough to take a drive to LA Chinatown to buy some Chinese candy. Let's see, I bought: Sesame candy Kopiko coffee candy Haw flakes Chan Pei Mui Ginger candy The ginger candy not only tastes good, but it's great for a bad throat. Thanks for the memories, everyone.

Correct. Right-o. Spot on. I think you've got it. Just a bit. Mind you, the serving of Cool Whip reinforces the previous point to a negative extreme, as posted by our fellow eGulleteers. Perhaps, the discussion of two topics (the hostess and the Cool Whip) combined in one thread could be a bit confusing, ehh?? By the way, Jonathan, the happiest cows come from California.

culinary bear, The radius of an 8" pan is 4". The radius of an 9" pan is 4.5". Thus, surface area of 8" pan = πr² = 3.14 x 4 x 4 = 50.24 surface area of 9' pan = 3.14 x 4.5 x 4.5 = 63.58 differential = 63.58/50.24 x 100 = 1.26 Mind you, the differential is still close to 125%. Therefore, to answer aidensnd's question: Yes, 125% seems correct.

Boy, all this candy is bringing back memories!! First, here's a store website to where I go in LA Chinatown: Asiachi (formerly Wing Hop Fung) gingerpeach, I modified your list and made it mine: Botan rice candy Haw flakes Kopiko coffee candy Chan Pei Mui (Preserved plums, w/ or w/o the seed, but plenty of salt!!) Ginger candy (No edible paper on this candy, chewy; used to buy them about ten bags at a time for my friend from Canada. It kept him & his family going while driving from LA to BC.)

Yes, each diner should have a place setting of one pair of chopsticks, one rice bowl, one Chinese tea cup (no handle on the side), and one medium-size plate (about 8 inches). Yes, if you plan to eat your rice in the rice bowl. If I go to a Chinese restaurant that tends to accommodate more Western sensibilities, I'll eat my rice that's on the plate with a fork. Admittedly, eatting rice on a plate with chopsticks can be frustrating. As a librarian, may I recommend a Chinese cookbook? I use it as a personal reference resource: The thousand recipe Chinese cookbook by Gloria Bley Miller. It's not only a cookbook, but a handbook, answering the who, what, where, and how of Chinese cooking.

itch22, To answer your questions: D, not necessarily, sometimes. Because I live in Southern California, I expect chopsticks to be placed in Chinese restaurants. The only times I had to ask for chopsticks was in towns where the Chinese community was relatively small. The last time I ate in a Chinese restaurant outside of SoCal was in the Carson Valley area (near the CA/NV border). I remember asking for chopsticks. I got chopsticks, but no rice bowl. Eventually, I ate my Chinese food with a fork, while enjoying the meal with my wonderful friends. It didn't bother me.

When I saw the phrase "California Rancho Cooking," I was thinking about the type of cooking during the 1800's. Now living in Southern California, I think of the ranchos of Southern California that were owned by former Mexican generals as a reward for their military service. Rancho San Fernando, Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica, Rancho La Cañada, Rancho San Rafael, Rancho Gordo (oops, sorry ) : The geographical boundaries are still noted in those Thomas Guide mapbooks. By around 1861-2, there was a huge drought in Southern California, and these rancho owners had to sell the land for real cheap. And what happened after that? Railroads. Pardon the history & geography lesson. Hopefully, this information provides a little historical & geographical context to "California Rancho Cooking." Oh, I forgot, Rancho Gordo, Are you referring to Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, the "Two Hot Tamales"? EDITED -- also adding a website on California history and "The Heyday of the Ranchos": http://www.californiahistory.net/ranchos_frame_main.htm

LA Times Food Section -- February 2, 2005 Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week. Revolution in a glass / by Jordan Mackay; Leslie Brenner Welcome to Spain's new revolution! Not the culinary one with Ferran Adrià et al., but the revolution that can be found in the vineyards of Spain. The 3rd annual Madrid-Fusión conference featured wine for its first time. Spain's attempt to hit the top end of the market resulted in high-quality wines that “caught many tasters by surprise at Madrid-Fusión, generating lots of buzz.” Four emerging regions of Spain are highlighted: Toro region, Spain's biggest, boldest reds from the Tinta de Toro grape, a local clone of Tempranillo; Rueda region, dry white table wines from the Verdejo grape, similiar to Sauvignon Blanc; Bierzo region, red wines from the Mencia grape with more finesse than power and acidity over tannin; Jumilla region, red wines from the Monastreil (or Mourvèdre) grape, with great density and power. This article is followed by: A tasting full of discoveries / by Leslie Brenner Twenty-four wines from Rueda, Bierzo, Toro and Jumilla were sampled. Listed are the ones considered “best value” by the tasting panel: 2003 Basa Blanco (Rueda); 2003 Casa de la Ermita (Jumilla White); 1999 Bajoz Crianza (Toro). Five of the six wines from Bierzo were strongly recommended. And the surprise winner of the tasting: 2001 Caño (Toro). Pass the chicken and tackle the pie / by the Times staff writers “Here's a Super Bowl game plan sure to score big with both Patriot and Eagle fans.” Includes four recipes: Coleslaw with buttermilk dressing; Black bean, tropical fruits and queso fresco salsa; American fried chicken; California Key lime pie. A ruby glow in winter / by Susan LaTempa Sweet blood oranges used to be cultivated only in the Mediterranean. But now, they're grown in California, roughly from January to April or May. Includes four blood orange recipes: Argula with blood orange vinaigrette; Blood orange marmalade; Blood orange white sangria; Blood Orange Blossom. An island cuisine with worldly ways / by Barbara Hansen Asian Noodles, located in the south section of downtown Chinatown, is not a Chinese restaurant. It's Filipino, or as it calls itself, “Manila fusion.” Owner Philip Ma “descended from the Ma Mon Luk family, which, according to a story on the menu, brought pasta from Canton, China, to the Philippines in 1920.” The cafe serves traditional Filipino dishes like adobo, kare-kare, and grilled meats like inihaw na baboy. More Chinese-styled items includes siopao (steamed buns), Shanghai egg rolls, and seafood-noodle combinations. “Servings are generous, prices low: This is great food to linger over when chatting with friends, just right for the young, casual crowd that frequents the room at night.” Bastide's troops march on / by Leslee Komaiko The “Bastide diaspora” , where have these former employees gone? Here's the lowdown: Former general manager Donato Poto is teaming up with former Water Grill chef Michael Cimarusti to open a seafood restaurant called Providence this spring in the old Patina space on Melrose. Former sous-chef Kevin M. Meehan is now executive chef at Citrine, with former chef de partie Jeremy Strubel as Meehan's sous-chef and former assistant sommelier Drew Langley as new wine director. Ex-sommelier Christophe Rolland traveled north to San Rafael to become North American representative for Leroy. Ex-pastry cook Mario Ortiz is pastry chef at Geisha House in Hollywood and ex-pastry chef Koa Duncan has several options. Is that enough? Darkly compelling / by David Shaw David Shaw and Mort Rosenblum “had dinner at Spago -- to catch up, to talk about his chocolate book and to sample the chocolate desserts of Sherry Yard.” Rosenblum's newest book, “Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light” details the history and mystery of chocolate. In considering writing a book about cheese, Rosenblum instantly refuses, saying, “There aren't really any cheese wars. Nothing like Hershey's versus Mars or Amedei versus Valrhona. I like blood in my books.” The candy war between Hershey and Mars are on several pages in Chapter 5. Rosenblum details the Amedei versus Valrhona battle: Alessio Tessieri wanted to use Valrhona chocolate in a family business selling ingredients to bakers in Italy. The family was told “that they did not think Italians were ready for their products, and they were not sure we could do them justice. Right then and there, it was war.” Enter Sherry Yard and a high-spirited, high-level chocolate talk ensued. “Then it's, showtime. Yard sends out five chocolate desserts, each more delicious and more beautiful than the next.” There's a thread to Mort Rosenblum's New Chocolate Book. Tastes from Venice / by S. Irene Virbila L'Ombretta in Santa Barbara is given a 2½* rating. This is not really a restaurant, but a Venetian wine bar to bere un'ombra or ombretta, or literally, to drink a “shadow,” a small glass of wine together. While A.O.C. is the closest thing in Los Angeles, “that's really Mediterranean, not Venetian.” L'Ombretta serves a selection of cichetti, the Venetian equivalent to tapas. Owner Andrea Gros is also the designer, the builder, the chef, and the wine buyer. He refuses to dumb down the Northern Italian list of dishes. Santa Barbara's L'Ombretta is as close to a true Venetian wine bar as you're likely to get in California. WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila 2001 Emilio Moro Ribera de Duero: Ribera de Duero, Spain; about $25; ripe and full-bodied; goes with roasted and braised meats. It “expresses the terroir in its deep red color, voluptuous texture and firm structure.” *********************************************************** *********************************************************** Calendarlive Stories All the Modernist trappings / by S. Irene Virbila Critic's notebook on Beechwood in Venice. It “takes over Menemsha's spot, and nothing is the same.” Beechwood, runned by Brooke Williamson and her partner Nick Roberts, has a Modernist bent, with a large, sprawling bar and stylish outdoor patio. They serve American classics with a twist: steamed Prince Edward Island mussels in a lemon grass broth, pasta with New Zealand cockles, balsamic-roasted market vegetables, duck leg confit, a pulled beef short rib pot pie, and steak accompanied by a Cabrales butter. I'll eat at the bar / by Leslee Komaiko “Sometimes you don't feel like a full-on restaurant dinner. Or you just want to nosh. Fortunately, a number of spots around town offer special bar menus.” Includes these five locations: Central on Sunset; Gardens on Glendon in Westwood; Windows Lounge in Beverly Hills; Mixville Bar at Edendale Grill in Silver Lake; Table 8 on Melrose.

I appreciate the conciseness, the clarity and the organization of the recipe flowcharts. When I first saw them, amazingly, I thought of Julia (yes, Julia Child). When you get the opportunity, take a look at Julia's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Notice how the recipe is organized: Ingredients are listed and grouped together on the left, in the order they are needed. On the right, accompanying instructions are given. So organizational (like an engineer) and yet so passionate about food was Julia Child. Just a little something to READ. CHEW. DISCUSS.

browniebaker, pardon me for asking, but what kind of person was the hostess, as a hostess? Did you sense that she imposes herself a bit much? Were you thinking that she was implicitly "putting you down" with that question? Or perhaps the people she regularly has over at potlucks love Cool Whip on their desserts (or "need" Cool Whip on their desserts, if you know what I mean)? IMO, the hostess should have deferred to you in the first place since YOU brought the dessert. Instead, she could ask these questions: "How would you do want your brownies to be served? Do you need anything?" If you have it within you, say nothing and give the hostess a cold, glaring stare like this: . But seriously though, I would agree with herbacidal & Susan to tactfully say "No thank you."

I going for steakhouses in general (anything above a Sizzler's, please). That can include chi-chi, frou-frou, local hangouts, "prime" and "not ready for prime" steakhouses. And if you don't mind, I don't mind including Bakersfield into Southern California. Heck, let's draw that line up to Tulare or Fresno (BTW, I'm originally from the San Joaquin Valley, THE Central California Valley)!! Buck Owens is still around? He used to see him on Hee-Haw when I was a kid. Thanks for the suggestions, Toliver and the rest of you. Please keep it coming. Well, back to my "research" ....