Carolyn Tillie

Do you have a farmer's market in your area? They may be a good source or may know of someone they can refer you to. edited to add: Also try food co-ops and health food stores for possible sources or referrals. ← I did make a round of phone calls and mostly idiots answered the phone who had no clue and/or no referrals. The farmer's markets are next... ← I thought I would try again with a few phone calls... One has to love the varying responses: "You can't get milk from sheep! You want goat's milk!" and "Milk from sheep? Ick, are you sure????" People really ARE idiots!

Oh, you must expand on that statement! What is NOT safe cheesemaking weather, pray tell? Can it be too hot? Or too cold? Or too moist? I'm terribly curious... p.s. You are paying more for your goat milk than I am! I'm impressed and probably should suck up and just buy more... ← It's raw milk. I want the temperature to be in the 60s or below for the entire 30 hours or so it will take to make the cheese. ← I get it -- you are brave. Most of the home cheesemaking books warn against making raw milk cheese. Since most of US has been having a heatwave, I guess that is a critical issue.

Do you have a farmer's market in your area? They may be a good source or may know of someone they can refer you to. edited to add: Also try food co-ops and health food stores for possible sources or referrals. ← I did make a round of phone calls and mostly idiots answered the phone who had no clue and/or no referrals. The farmer's markets are next...

Oh, you must expand on that statement! What is NOT safe cheesemaking weather, pray tell? Can it be too hot? Or too cold? Or too moist? I'm terribly curious... p.s. You are paying more for your goat milk than I am! I'm impressed and probably should suck up and just buy more...

One of my few regrets about moving out of Wine Country is that I used to be surrounded by dairies. Now, living in the city, Trader Joes is my only supplier of goat milk and it is pretty expensive (something like $3.00 a quart) and I was surprised that Whole Foods only sells the ultrapasteurized version which is a cheesemaker's nemesis. That made my chevre REALLY expensive to produce. I followed the instructions in Carrol's book and my resulting chevre was surprisingly dry and crumbly -- I was expecting something creamy like Laura Chenel's. It tasted good, but had the consistency of a feta without the sharp tang (no brine). Dave makes me jealous and I may have to start hunting around for a less-expensive supply of goat milk. I REALLY wish I could find sheep's milk, but that seems close to impossible! I'll have to stick to cow's milk cheeses for a while...

I'm resurrecting this thread to see who else might be interesting in keeping a cheesemaking thread alive... Kevin and I have gone down the path and become rather maniacal cheesemakers with some successes and some failures, all of which I am willing to share. Thus far, we have made a simple cheddar and a blue (both are now aging) as well as some goat which was eaten immediately. This week, throwing ourselves back into it, we have produced a sage cheddar (needed pressing longer), a caraway cheddar (looks great!), and two whey cheeses from the remainder. As I type, Kevin is in the kitchen now, heating up yet another batch of cheddar but we are experimenting with the addition of cream. What I can't find on the 'net is a community of like-minded home cheesemakers who are sharing their experiences and/or recipes. Ricki Carrol's site has a few shared recipes from her readers. This site has a link to a discussion forum, but it doesn't seem to work for me. We like the smell of the caraway cheddar and will probably experiment with making some that have other seeds or flavors but aren't finding exact recipes. Care to come along and share your cheesemaking experiments?

Sorry for the heat in the city -- believe me, even we city-dwellers are shocked!

Kevin and I have taken to some maniacal experiments in cheesemaking lately -- to the point where we put in a THIRD fridge in our apartment (one in the kitchen for the daily stuff, a wine fridge, and then the third kept at 55 degrees for beer- and cheese-making). With the latest heat wave and a bout of complete and total laziness, we opted to have grocery delivered including 10 gallons of whole milk (why not have someone else carry them up to our fifth floor apartment instead of us)? Thinking ahead, we added a handful of other heavy items; a box of kitty litter, a case of Pelegrino, a re-stocking of our liquor cabinet, a bag of potatoes and onions, etc... The 40-something woman arrived with our order. She's normally a weekend firefighter helping out her girlfriend with the deliveries and was terribly curious why someone would need 10 gallons of milk. She stayed a while, had a bottle of our home brew, and indicated a desire to come back and taste our cheese... I guess they were too curious to check our order as we also got some un-ordered bananas and yams!

Some LA culinary landmarks include having a Steak and Martini at Musso & Frank on Hollywood Boulevard (and probably seeing some movie stars), a hotdog at Pinks, and a French Dip at Philippe's. I would save your haute cuisine dining for Northern California (and In-N-Out Burgers can be had in either city, although I much prefer Fat Burger which is more prevalent in SoCal). Ludja's got some good SF recommendations and I second going to Swan Oyster Depot. You won't want to miss the Ferry Plaza on a Saturday morning for breakfast and people watching.

Wine Searcher Dot Com is a good place to start -- having their deluxe, pro-version gives more information, but their basic online information can be a decent-enough start to determining what is available (if that is your intention). But as Djsexyb said, if you can elaborate what you need, it would be easier to help... Are you trying to value a cellar or simply look for hard-to-find bottles?

I had half-a-case delivered by The Alandia Company last week. I love their site because you can order by country of origin or by style. I had had a number of Czech, German, and French absinthes in the past, but am now completely won over with Alandia's Swiss La Bleue Clandestine l´Alcool de Vin. It is a lovely high...

The simple reason your simple ingredient didn't compare to the company's recipe is that any reputable recipe MUST contain dates; that is the "secret ingredient." If you look at the Haagen-Dazs ice cream, it even contains dates (got some in my freezer now, pretty good too!) When I lived in SoCal, I met the owner of stickytoffeepudding.com -- he's a great guy with a great product and I still buy it when I can find it NoCal. Bottom line, look for a recipe with dates and, yes, I would recommend brown sugar for a richer pudding.

I worked for a "name" caterer in Los Angeles and this was exactly the same method he used to grill and serve over 2,000 steaks simultaneously (i.e., the Emmys). Works just fine.

I appreciate the list! Shalimar has been on the list for some time with a business client who has wanted to dine there and I've been waiting until I had at least six people to go to Old Mandarin Islamic (although I might break down to see how their duck tongues compare to those I've tried in SoCal). I definitely need to spend more time in Chinatown and investigating the various gastronomic joys there. I haven't done as much exploration into the Korean/Vietnamese/Thai for mostly whimpy reasons -- I am one of those to whom cilantro tastes like soap so even the much-loved Banh Mi sandwiches hold little joy for me. I am getting better at just suffering through it, especially with my recent Central American trip and the fact that I shall be spending considerably more time there; it is less instrusive when finely chopped as in the ceviches I ate vs. the huge sprigs of fresh cilantro so predominantly used in those southeast Asian cuisines. It just gets tiring having to continually ask to have it omitted. I did wander through the tenderloin on the way to the Wednesday market last week and noticed a number of other establishments worthy of investigation, mostly notably the Original Joe's. I have always been intrigued with ANY restaurant that has been around in any city for more than 50 years, regardless of the cuisine offered.

You don't really say where you are coming from... There are some amazing ethnic restaurants in SF which might showcase foods you don't have available in your neck of the woods. Instead of concentrating on an entirely California Cuisine itinerary, consider adding in Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Mexican, etc...

I think I got quite spoiled eating (and reviewing) in wine country where most restaurants at least strive towards the ethereal (note: STRIVE). It is as though people expect more when they dine in wine country, possibly because of the tourist factor or the wine-pairing factor. In many cases, the restaurants I eat at here (the neighborhood joints) just suffice. Or, those that excel (Winterland) can't survive. It would be easy to only go to the San Francisco restaurants with great reputations (Quince, Boulevard, Campton Place, Ritz, Danko), but constant consumption of that caliber of cuisine gets boring. There was a point when I was reviewing that if I saw another "Sonoma duck breast with [insert odd fruit of choice] served with a port-wine, balsamic glaze and [insert lentil/orzo/rice of choice]" I would roll my eyes at the absurdity of it all. I suppose that is why I get completely charmed with restaurants like La Bergerie or Troya or Harry's Kobe burger which sells for less than $10. They were unexpectedly delightful; decent cuisine at a reasonable price. Part of me really wants to go back to La Bergerie, Casablanca Cafe, or Troya but knows (as you stated) there aren't any shortage of great places to eat at these lower price points. And that is when it gets hard; wanting to return to the tried-and-true, but wanting to find even more along those criteria of providing great food at a great price.

With over 4,500 restaurants in the city, I am hard-pressed to want to go anyplace a second time. However, Bix, Piperade, Bushei-Tei, and Kiss are all restaurants I have returned to because of their quality. These are definitely worth both the return visits as well as going out of the way for... For convenience or relationships with staff and/or chefs, I have gone back to Osakaya, Fillmore Grill, Harry's, and (before it closed) Winterland. Much of the rationale on the thread is simply discovering restaurants which are seemingly flying under the radar which are more than worthy of attention.

Congratulations, Carolynn. Sounds like an interesting project. If part of hte contract is to be a completely "silent" ghostwriter, how does one handle using this work/experience on your resume in order to garner future projects or opportunities? ← Well, its a small enough world that word gets around; like from the person who gave me the referral. Also, the winery owner will give me a reference so I can put it on a resume with a signed NDA (non-disclosure agreement) and future prospective clients will be able to talk to the winery owner and read some of my work.

Kevin and I did an H.G. Wells last night, unexpectedly and in a most bizarre fashion. We spend an awful lot of time shooting pool at The Abbey Tavern on the corner of 5th Avenue and Geary. I love it because they are capable of pouring my favorite pub drink, a Poor Man's Black Velvet (half cider and half stout) except that they not only have hard apple cider on tap but Wyder's Pear Cider which, when poured with Guinness, makes a great Black Velvet. Kevin loves this place because the pool table is in a remote section of the pub that allows smoking. They also play great music. When we left the pub last night, we crossed the street to catch the 38L back towards Japantown. The smell of something compelled hunger pangs to look around and enticed us to La Bergerie French restaurant [4221 Geary Blvd., 415-387-3573] and took us back to 1976 in both ambience and cuisine. The decor is almost surreal; painted leather shields adorn the walls amidst low ceilings and heavy, dark pillars, pink tablecloths with candlelight and roses adorn the tables. Ceramic cherubs look down upon diners from unassuming locales and a very amateurish painting of Provence shows age from water drips from the ceiling and cracked paint. Too much of the upholstered banquets have been taped from wear. Again, all circa 1976. Then came the food... We started with escargot which was served appropriately in the shells with clamps and the even-rarer long, two-pronged fork. With the restaurant's warm, crusty bread, we made short order of the snails. Then came a split pea cream soup. Not overly thick the way so many pea soups are, this was creamy, smooth, and elegant with an undercurrent of fresh sage. To our surprise, a salad came next; fresh butter lettuce with a perfectly light, creamy dressing. I can't remember the last time a restaurant served a soup AND salad course along with an entree that cost less than $20! The entrees? Kevin ordered Duck a l'Orange and I, a roasted rabbit. Accompanying sides were fresh haricot verts (a tad overcooked), a sweet potato puree (excellent!), and a savory rice with the duck and a potato gratin with the rabbit. Being too full to stay for the complimentary ice cream, we opted to take home a creme caramel that I still enjoying, bite by bite. In tasting the food, it TASTED the way I remember "fancy" French food tasting in the 1970s. Eating the left-overs today, Kevin suggested that MSG (remember, Accent?) is being used which may give it its 70s flavor. It was wholesome, hearty, and savory. It was not cutting edge. It was not haute cuisine. It was surreal and enjoyable. As it happens, the restaurant has been open for over 40 years. Ten years ago, two Cambodian brothers purchased it (which may explain why, in a room of a dozen people, we were the only non-Asians). There were only Asian people in the kitchen and on the service floor. Yes, the room and building itself is showing its age. But the service was impeccable and the entire experience memorable. So, two entrees in the $20 range, an hors d'oeuvre, the most expensive bottle of wine on their list (a du Pape for $42), a dessert and tip put us back a little more than $100. Pretty cool in my book. I like retro-eating and look forward to similar dining experiences, when I can find them!

I certainly will think of you! This is quite interesting. So, you are working directly with the winery versus a publisher (meaning, the contract was between you and the winery)? I wonder if this is happening more and more--meaning, ghost writers not receiving any credit, co-authorship etc... and certain entities being able to pay top dollar for this type of collaboration. Good luck with your project! ← My contract is with the winery owner. After considerable work, a publisher became involved (it was initially going to be self-published and only given to wineclub members and sold through the winery). They may or may not have to edit the book. I've got editing experience so I'd like to think the book stands pretty well on its own merit, but that will be left to be seen. Many publishers like to re-work books so that they reflect their current offerings; i.e., themes, lay-outs, production, etc.

Very interesting question... I am currently working on a project where I am ghost-writing a cookbook for a Napa winery owner. I am spending considerable time testing recipes, offering suggestions, enhancing family "recipes" I have been given, and then turning them into the cookbook speak that we are all familiar with. Guess what - once released, if that particular cookbook garners fame, attention, and accolades, NO ONE will ever know I was involved with it. My name will not appear anywhere in the book nor will anyone know that I have developed any of the recipes. I know for a fact that mine is not first contract of this type to have been entered into -- I got the referral from another writer who had done exactly the same thing. The sad thing is lack of attribution. This particular winery owner is paying a premium for this kind of service (and silence). I'll never divulge the name of the winery but, if in a year or so, you stumble across a winery cookbook with a particularly memorable Bouillaibaise or Osso Buco, think of me...

Without being too disparaging, there ARE people who work graveyard (my ex) or who have insomina (my current beau) who are neighter drunk nor stoned. Fortunately for me, neither of these gentlemen would consider eating at a Taco Bell, but I can assure you I know of some of the most amazing late-night dining establishments throughout California.

I'm starting WAY late, but having spied a box of green walnuts at this morning's Farmer's Market, I'm totally on board! I picked up a total of 54 walnuts and will be making two different batches; one with considerably more spice than the other. I'll be following a combination of Wolfert's and Lucy's recipe -- mostly wine with a touch of brandy, citrus, and spice. I'll post pictures when blended and going!

Did they fly underneath the Golden Bridge? The Spinnaker has been my favorite too. Food is good and the view of San Francisco skyline is gorgeous! ← Actually, yes! It was very cool that we approached the bridge near the top span and then suddenly dropped down below and under the bridge, swooping back around above at 180 mph. A serious rush that made for a great BDay present!

The classic Muffaletta sandwich is smashed with roasted eggplant, bell peppers, portabello mushrooms, fresh basil, olive tapenade (or just oil & vinegar), tomatoes, mozzarella, and salami. Lots of veggies and relatively light on the meat. I buy smaller boules of sourdough, slice off the top, scoop out the interior and line with said-ingredients. Then slice into quarters... it was my standard Hollywood Bowl fare and travels well.