RoobiFood

As some of you might remember, a few years ago my husband and I started a Gourmet Group with three other couples who love to cook as much as he does. And I say “he” – because I’m a decent cook, but don’t love doing it. I do love to eat, though. For these dinners we alternate houses. The host couple chooses the “theme,” makes the entree and assigns the remaining courses with the caveat that we bring the appropriate beverage (translation: wine or cocktail) for our course. “Themes” have been as diverse as “white, spice food from below the Equator” to “Provencal” and “Tuscan” to “dishes made from Trader Joe ingredients only.” However, our very first Gourmet Group theme was “Julia Child with a California Twist.”

To toast our maiden dinner voyage, the hosts handed each of us a glass of vintage champagne as we arrived, while the appetizer couple got their course ready. Soon creamy, cheese-y individual quiches made with Julia’s favorite ingredient – ‘butter’ – were in our hands. But they didn’t stay there long as we teased our taste buds with every bite, accompanied by the chosen wine – a very chilled pinot gris. Not a traditional choice to complement quiche, but the perfect California cuisine twist of cold, fruity liquid for the warm, velvety, cheesy solid.

The candles lighted, we went into the dining room for a first course of rich, ‘buttery’ vichyssoise. The soup’s twist? Scallops. If I could sing, I would have. The taste and texture mix was heavenly. The wine chosen was a gewurtztraminer. Again, an untraditional choice, but one that worked wonderfully with the soup.

Julia’s classic Caesar salad which got its American ‘premiere’ in California was next. To quote Julia:

“I am probably one of the few people around who saw the real Caesar
Cardini making his salad. I was about 9 when my parents took me to his restau-
rant in Tijuana, just the other side of the border from San Diego. They were so
excited when big jolly Caesar himself came to the table to make the salad, which
had already been written up and talked about everywhere. And it was dramatic:
I remember most clearly the eggs going in, and how he tossed the leaves so that
it looked like a wave turning over.”

Cardini lived in San Diego, but cooked in Tijuana to avoid the prohibition laws back then. It wasn’t long, however, before California chefs were copying it. Julia’s version is quite close to the original (see her “The Way To Cook” cookbook) and the fresh lemon and garlic flavors went beautifully with the Cuvaison chardonnay that accompanied it. The California twist? The romaine and lemon were from California!

The entrée was an amazing array of Copper River salmon and Alaskan salmon cooked three ways. A whole fillet of Copper River salmon was braised with herbs in a river of ‘butter’ and white French vermouth and served with local aromatic diced carrots, onions and celery slowly cooked in butter. The Alaskan salmon was poached in California white wine and butter and served with roasted potatoes and vegetables. Again, all local California produce. The third preparation was baked salmon coated with crushed California walnuts. The wine – David Bruce pinot noir. I’m with Julia… everything’s better with butter!

My husband and I were up next. Dessert! And since we’re all suckers for chocolate, we made Julia’s favorite – Queen of Sheba chocolate cake (recipe can be found on-line). I now understand why it’s her favorite. Chocolate and ‘butter’! Our California twist. Well, we made it in our very own California kitchen. You shouldn’t fool with perfection. To sip between bites of this chocolate perfection we broke open a bottle of Taylor Fladgate port.

Remembering that meal and seeing “Julie & Julia” recently – I’ve decided I have to spend more nights interpreting Julia. Well, watching my husband interpreting Julia. I can almost smell the melting butter.

ilona
“My Dinners With Richard & Other Musings”
www.myspace.com/othermusings

ilona // Other posts by ilona

It’s probably safe to say that everyone agrees one of the best things about summer is the abundance of gorgeous fruits and vegetables we find at our neighborhood groceries, fruit stands and farmers markets that ultimately end up in our kitchen sinks. Bright and beautiful in color, juicy-delicious, bursting with flavor, it’s fruits and veggies that get all the attention during these warm-weather months. Imagine the food pyramid all fruits and vegetables except for the tiniest triangle at the top where in summer, every other food group fits.

With a bushel’s worth of fresh goodies thanks to a) my friend’s vegetable share that came home with my last week due to her being out of town, b) a mint plant that sits on my fire escape and grows ferociously…ah, what to do with so much mint? and c) my seasonal obsession with watermelon, I’ve come up with three summertime recipes to share with you. I hope you like…

Summer Salad

No real measurements are required for this one. Start with a base of arugula or baby mixed greens and top with the following: 1 cob fresh corn (steamed, kernels cut from cob), a handful of pickled beet slices cut into quarters, a handful of garden cherry tomatoes (multi-colored are best!). Sprinkle with toasted pecans, chopped.

Form two 2 1/2″ Goat cheese medallions. Beat one egg with a splash of milk. Coat medallions in egg mixture then cover in breadcrumb/flour mixture (about 1/2 c seasoned bread crumbs and 1 T flour).  In a frying pan, heat 1 T extra virgin olive oil. Brown medallions until golden.

Top salad with warm Goat cheese medallions and drizzle with a favorite Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Basil-Mint Pesto

1 c (packed) fresh mint leaves

1 c (packed) fresh basil leaves

1/4 c walnuts

1 clove garlic

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1/3 c extra virgin olive oil

1/2 c fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

1/4 c boiling hot pasta water (*if cooking pasta)

In food processor, pulse leaves, walnuts, garlic, salt and pepper until finely chopped. Add oil gradually until smooth. Add pasta water. (If not cooking pasta, increase oil as needed). Stir in grated Parmesan.

Watermelon Chiller

1 1/2 c watermelon chunks

juice of 1 lime

8 – 10 large mint leaves

4 ice cubes

2 T raw sugar

Blend all ingredients until smooth (until watermelon is liquefied).

Garnish with mint leaf. Enjoy!

dre27nyc // Other posts by dre27nyc

We are experiencing unusually hot weather here in the midwest.  It’s unusual because we have been having a pretty cold summer in general. It’s only the last couple of weeks that have been sweltering! So, while nursing my air conditioner along, the expectation of the next season quickens my baking pulse.  I begin to dream of hot crusty loaves of fresh baked bread, fresh from the oven, the scent wafting through my house on the wings of cool fall breezes. (I hope they arrive soon!)

Quality of flour is extremely important when making bread, instinctual or not. I prefer King Arthur flours, specifically whole wheat and white. In my opinion, this brand offers consistent results and a fine taste.

Yeast is another important ingredient-avoid rapid rise, instead opting for the regular active dry yeast found in little foil packets in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. I think regular active dry yeast is more predictable.

Filtered water  is important to your creation, as is salt-I prefer sea salt ground in a mortar and pestle or food processor till it is of a fine grain.

A good olive oil is also an essential-buy the best you can afford, but keep in mind that some extra-virgin olive oils have a very pronounced taste that will come through in your finished product. I usually stick with the mild tasting variety which I use almost everyday in my kitchen.

After these basic ingredients, the possibilities are endless. You can add chopped garlic, herbs, or you could go sweet, adding molasses, honey, or cinnamon.

To make your basic dough, the easiest way is to employ the use of a good stand mixer-I have used my Kitchen-Aid mixer for years, (fondly dubbed the ‘mama mixer’ by my daughter) with the hook attachment. It is possible to mix, shape, rise, and bake this loaf entirely without fancy equipment, but I suggest using a mixer your first few times, then working up to using only your hands and a board.

The recipe then-

In your mixing bowl, add the following:

1 cup of warm to the touch (between 105-120 degrees Fahrenheit) water

-as you become more efficient at judging this kind of thing, you may find yourself being less concerned about the exact temperature, instead opting to feel your measuring cup with your hand to check the heat of the water.

1 packet of active dry yeast

Stir in bowl till combined, give it a few minutes to dissolve completely.

Then add the following:

About 4 cups of white flour, one cup at a time while the mixer is running on a very low speed.

1 scant cup of whole wheat flour.

Allow the mixer to continue to run at low speed while you add:

1 tsp. salt

a few dashes of olive oil

any extras you desire, like herbs

A word of caution-if you choose to add things that are heavy in water content, you will need to add more flour to your mix, or decrease the initial warm water in the first step.

Allow the mixer to finish kneading, until the bread clings to the hook, about 3 more minutes. During this time you can add a few dredges of extra flour if it looks too wet. Just a little at a time!

Turn your mixer off, turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and give it a little pinch or poke-when the dough springs back, then you are ready to let it rise. If it doesn’t, knead it a bit more with your hands.

In a greased bowl, place your lovely dough, turn it once to ensure all sides are greased, and cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let it rise one hour in a draft-free place. On cold winter days, I like to preheat my oven to 400 degrees F and place the bowl on top of the range, with the burners off, of course. Even if it’s not cold out, go ahead and preheat your oven anyways-400 degrees F.

After the hour, expose the dough, gently punch it down, and turn it out onto a floured board. Roll it to about ½ inch thickness, in a kind of rectangular shape no longer than what you plan to bake it on. Roll it up, tuck the ends under, and place on a baking stone or cookie sheet that has been dusted with cornmeal. (This will prevent sticking.) Again cover with clean towel or plastic wrap, then let rise for one hour in a draft free spot.

After that hour, with an extremely sharp knife, slash or score the top of the loaf lightly in a diagonal pattern. Slice just enough to break the top ‘skin’ that’s formed-I omitted this important step once and my bread exploded out its side. Then pop it in the oven and let it bake for about fifteen minutes. Check the bread at this time by checking the color of the crust-should be turning brown, if it is, thump it lightly-should sound hollow. Gauge from this point how much time you’ll need to finish baking. If the crust is too light and it doesn’t sound hollow when thumped, give it another 5 minutes and check it again. Once you are satisfied with your loaf, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool. You can either keep it in the pan or put the loaf on a wire rack. Be careful! It will be very hot.

Voila! You have just created a beautiful, versatile, gorgeous loaf of bread, using a recipe as a guide, not a rule. Bread-making is a wonderful way to get acquainted with instinctual cooking. Flour is not too terribly expensive, so even if you end up with a fallen lumpy loaf, you can chuck the results and try again without too much loss of cash. Baking bread this way can instill a great amount of confidence in your cooking skills, you get a loaf of bread that is far superior to what you’d find at the grocery, and it can be great fun, too.

Antonia // Other posts by Antonia

Ca’ Del Sole has long been one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants. Located in a little Mediterranean-style building with washed ‘mustard’ colored stucco walls and pots of geraniums on the outside walls, this is an Italian restaurant with a Tuscan flare. The main dining rooms are chic and inviting with displayed Italian pottery, beautiful framed landscapes and comfortable booths with crisp linen. The separate bar/cocktail lounge is a cozy place to meet friends for a drink and hang out long past ‘dinner time’ while snacking on such delights as ahi tuna tartare or fried calamari, shrimp, zucchini, vegetable tortelli or beef carpaccio with shaved parmesan and capers or maybe just sipping a perfect vodka martini or sharing a bottle of Barolo.

I love the food here. A few favorites are the mezzelune pumpkin ravioli, with butter, sage and parmesan cheese. It’s a dish I actually crave. The pasticcio chicken lasagna, béchamel, light tomato sauce with mushroom and cheese crust is a dish about which poets could write sonnets. And for those summer nights when you want something light there’s the Milanese breaded chicken breast with baby arugula (my favorite ‘green’) onions and tomatoes.

But I’m writing about this favorite restaurant not because of its lovely inviting décor or my usual favorite dishes. I’m here to tell you about it’s recently redecorated walled-in garden patio with it’s pretty potted plants and large trees brimming with clusters of little white lights bunched together to look like twinkling grapes dripping from the branches. Along the garden wall the tables have been encased in romantic cabanas with a rich salmon-colored fabric outlining the tent and white sheers draped and knotted for a dramatic accent. In the cocktail area of the patio, the wall has new elegant pillowed chaises which give new meaning to the definition of cocktail ‘lounge.’

Recently my husband and I were there for lunch. While sitting in a garden cabana which blocked the sun yet allowed the gentle breeze to filter through, we were transported to a charming villa patio in Tuscany. I had one of the piadina grigliata, a thin crust bread topped with prosciutto di parma, burrata (a king among cheeses) and arugula (I love that arugula!). Delizioso! Other piadina grigliata (a sort of pizza) toppings are cured salmon with goat cheese and watercress; seared ahi tuna, caramelized onion, black olives, capers and curly endive; and roasted wild mushrooms with arugula. My husband had the scaloppini pollo, a sauteed chicken scaloppini with fresh tomatoes, basil, watercress and Belgian endive. I love this chicken dish so much that my husband learned to make it for me so I could have it at home whenever I want.

So, if you’re in the neighborhood and want some truly good Italian food AND charming ambience, I highly recommend Ca’ Del Sole.

4100 Cahuenga Blvd.
Toluca Lake CA 91602
818-985-4669
www.cadelsole.com

“My Dinners With Richard & Other Musings”
www.myspace.com/othermusings

ilona // Other posts by ilona

Ever summer, while our daughter is out of school, there are a few things that as a family we always try to do. Go on a camping expedition and head to the Santa Cruz California boardwalk.

This year camping never happened and with the summer flying by we thought we better plan our annual trek to the boardwalk soon. As we don’t live to far away it’s totally feasible to drive there and back. It’s a long day but you work with what you got.

The day is nice and sunny. The sun is hot but there’s a nice breeze that blows to help cool everything down. As we walk through the boardwalk entrance it seems all so familiar. I’ve taken these steps many times and know the area well.

Amongst all the usual rides, games, and entertainment the traditional
midway/boardwalk food is everywhere. No matter where you are, you can see the familiar boardwalk feast. The pink of the cotton candy and the bright red of the candy apples brings a smile to my face. The smells bring back great memories to when I was a kid and how my request for a bag of cotton candy was always granted.

We walk on and the smell of grease fills the air. We are at the part of the boardwalk that has the most food booths and is always very populated. The traditional “dog on a stick” or corn dog to the rest of us, hut is here and there is always a line up! Before you even see that fried to perfection dome on a stick you can smell the crispy batter and the scent of the mustard. But then something different fills my nose, a fresher scent that cuts through the grease. A refreshing smell of lemons from the lemonade stand perfumes the air. Definitely thirst quenching on a hot day.

So many foods to be found. The pretzel, funnel cake, hot dog,hamburger,french fries, onion rings, ice cream and sodas of all flavors to name a few. I look around and see everyone par-taking in some sort of eating. Is the food really that tasty or is just what’s here so they’re eating it?! Food does always taste better outside. right!?

Then I spot a newer booth that always makes me cringe “the deep fried twinkie.” I guess if you deep fry it the flavor is that much better. That’s what I’ve been told so I’ll have to trust you all that have tried it. Not for me.

There are also some non-traditional foods making their way into the boardwalk cuisine. What I could see through the crowds was a place that served Gyros. Those are usually yummy. I’m sure that there are many other places as well but it was so busy… but that’s the thing about fairs people just stand around and then they make great barriers to what’s behind them.

After an expensive not so good hamburger and soggy fries (that’s why I usually don’t eat carnival food) and a refreshing lemonade .we play a few games and go on few rides. It’s late evening by now and we know that the ride home is ahead so we opt to leave now.

We leave the park under the country’s oldest wooden roller coaster. I can still smell the sweetness of the cotton candy as well as the grease from all the food booths. The lights from the rides twinkle in the back ground and the noise from the music, rides and people is getting quieter. It’s been a nice day. I got to hang out with my favorite people, my husband and daughter.

Will we return next year?…Of course we will. It’s tradition!

lynn the personable chef // Other posts by lynn the personable chef