chezcherie

i also have a benriner. and a $300 fancy-schmancy one. i use the benriner nearly every time.

please excuse me if this is ignorant, but isn't that mousse? (i thought pots de creme indicated a bain-marie baked custard, but would love to learn more.)

chipotle creme fraiche. corn-off-the-cob, sauteed with pancetta, enriched with creme fraiche. creme fraiche stirred into soup, just before serving. creme fraiche instead of sour cream in stroganoff (more heat-stable, less breaking/curdling.) ever-so-slightly sweetened, beaten creme fraiche with fresh raspberries and blueberries. or with flourless chocolate cake. a ramekin of creme fraiche, and one of brown sugar, and a basket of strawberries. mmmmm, creme fraiche....i owe 30 lbs to it!

Montrose is a tiny suburb of Glendale, which is a smallish suburb of Los Angeles.

I really wanted to like this place, having heard great things about the one in the valley. Gave it three tries, and each time the food was cold, and wrong. Both. Each time. Got dragged there a fourth time, and it was dismal. Big portions, reasonable prices, but, for my money, not worth the (small) price of dinner.

Montrose is close, and my favorite new spot is Bistro Verdu (3459 N. Verdugo Road--technically Glendale.) No liquor license, no corkage fee, and really great menu (especially for the area--a dining wasteland). Mediterranean influence, but lots of bistro dishes (mussels, a nice cheese selection, etc.). You can get out for $40 if you bring a bottle of vino with you.

my middle son had never had grits (hey--i know...) until we were in a big las vegas buffet line. he asked what they were, which drew pitying glances from the couple in front of us. (i know that "hot saucing" is being debated on another thread--is it child abuse to deprive a child of grits?) he placed a spoonful on his plate, and when we got to our table, he gamely plunged in. now, bear in mind, these were steam-table, las vegas style grits, so i couldn't really blame him when he got a look on his face i'd never seen before, and pronounced "those taste like air, whipped with nasty!"

last night for snacks with drinks, i cooked baby 'chokes and new potatoes in chicken stock until tender, then blasted the heat to glaze them with the remaining stock. made a quick rouille with some chipotles for dipping---quick, easy and very swiftly devoured.

Surfas, in Culver City, is in the L.A. area, but about an hour from Anaheim. It is a wonderland of spices, sauces and edible goodies, as well as well-priced tools and toys. (They had molcajetes , and also tortilla presses, last time I was there...as well as lots of woks and wok accessories, paella pans in many sizes, and lots of other fun stuff.) Their chief business is restaurant design and supply, but don't let that put you off, as lots of their stuff is great for home cooks. Their website seems to be down at the moment (or at least, I can't seem to link to it) but I believe it is www.surfasonline.com (it's not a great site, but will give you the address and phone, and maybe driving directions.) Happy shopping!

I will be spending my bday (aug. 14th) and julia's (aug.15th) on the beach near Santa Barbara. I will join many of you in raising a glass to her vibrant spirit and extraordinarily generous nature. She inspired me to go to culinary school at 40, as she hadn't begun to cook until later in life. My avatar brings a warm Julia memory: I met her several times, and once I took her some just-laid eggs. She was at least 90 at the time, and a bit frail from back sugery, but she peered with great interest into the container in which they rested, and said, in her inimitable, plummy voice,"Oh, they're just looooovely. That was sooooo thoughtful of you. Thank you so much!" My fondest wish is that she had them, gently coddled, for her lunch. R.I.P, Julia. Dine well wherever you are. And, as always, bon appetit!

voila! en guard!

two words: drama and tradition (confession--i recently purchased a laguiole champagne sabre, but have yet to muster the brio and safety googles to try it out!)

good god--that's just soooo beautiful.

had a wonderful meal at la poste a few months ago. i had deliciously flavorful duck and my friend swooned over the cassoulet. it is a teeeny-tiny little place, so it's not a very romantic spot , privacy-wise, but there is a certain romance in sitting so close?! decor is quite authentic french, so if you were hoping to go to paris on the honeymoon, but ended up in CA, you can pretend! the tarte tatin was deeply carameled and luscious, andi think i had cheese for desert. very good service---a thoroughly enjoyable evening. j'recommend. (edited to add that after i posted, i read the review linked above---i seem to have had a very similar experience re: decor and snuggling...but i had no trouble finishing the tarte tatin!)

my perfect evening in sonoma would include a taste or two at the cheesemaker's daughter, an appetizer at sonoma saveur (or is it saveur sonoma--in either case, vive la foie gras!) and dinner at the girl and the fig. one easy stroll of the square, and you can hit them all....absolutely lovely people at every stop, and i have no doubt that you will have a wonderful and memorable evening, whether or not they know it is a special occasion (although dropping the word would not be inappropriate..everyone love nice newlyweds, don't they?) upon reflection, another very enjoyable spot is la poste, a little bit farther off the square, but completely walkable...and i had such an enjoyable meal there on my last visit, i hate to leave it out of my personal recommendation list.

i guess i'm in the minority here. the way i see it, if they know what i buy, maybe they'll be more likely to have it in stock when i come in to buy it. if they give me a loyalty discount, so much the better. i just have either little paranoia or high naivety (pick one) where the loyalty cards go...

Les Jardins de St Germaine 14 Rue de Dragon is a nice lunching spot. We were drawn in by the window of desserts (most especially by the water pitchers full of creme anglaise, which were both emptied by the end of our lunch---not solely by us, i hasten to add!) Nice housemade pates, etc...very comfy, nonpretentious and relaxed. Not huate cuisine, but enjoyed it enough to revisit a couple times, and in Pairs, there's so much to try! I actually brought a napkin home from there, and had the color matched to paint my livingroom. (lush, lovely Plugra yellow with apricot undertones!)** ** (God, now that that's typed, it really seems weird...)

Bay Bread Boulangerie on Pine St at Fillmore. Excellent French pastries, bread and cookies ludja, you make me weep. will be up there so briefly this weekend, and won't have a moment to head over for a croque monsieur, let alone a macaron. *sob*

i've noticed this, too. any idea why this is? would like to be armed with an explanation (other than "mmmm, yummy. it's fine.eat it!")

the line is too line. also too long. we broke ourselves in easy, by going on a weekday morning first. once we knew it was lovely, we didn't mind the wait so much.

la note on shattuck. will be there this weekend, college-shopping with brilliant middle son. yum!

when i graduated from culinary school, i received a number of verrry nice bottles of champagne. we decided to hold a blind tasting, and stuck a bottle of piper sonoma in there, just to mix things up. now several of these bottles were $100+ (and this was some time ago, so allow for inflation)..pol roger, vieuve clicquot.etc. the overall winner was the piper...much to the chagrin of my favorite, very french, chef instructor, who was in attendance. (now, some folks had another favorite, but the piper received the most votes, overall.) so now i have this ladies group that mets on fridays to bitch, drink, eat, and knock the rough corners off the week, and what do we drink? piper, and keep it coming!

self-cleaning fridge.

i've had a couple of these over the years: clickety one caveat--if you carry it constantly, try to remember to divest yourself before you get to the airport!

zuni cafe is open on sunday. (must...have....roast chicken with bread salad.....)