31 Days of Traveling and Local Food

I’m off yet again, this time to two continents and three countries (See Map). First stop, to the Motherland, Vietnam, which I have never been with Mom. We are traveling North to South, Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) with stops in Hue, Nha Trang, Hoi An, and many more. Next, a pilgrimage for myself; cooking on Organic Farms in New Zealand, through the program, WOOF. I met 3 nice families via email and they have been kind enough to let me crash and cook, all while learning the culture and food of KIWIs! I hope to learn about gardening too! Last but not least, a few days down under in Sydney visiting friends. Can’t wait to eat ‘Roo meat!

These 31 days of traveling will give me perspective, hopefully a little thought about food that is not processed and is fresh and local. So, of course, I have decided to do a little experiment of eating nothing but local fare, the freshest of fresh, in Vietnam, fresh caught fish, vegetables, and herbs galore, in New Zealand, farm to table, straight from the gardens to the kitchen I’m cooking in, and in Sydney, at my friends’ kitchen tables of course! I’m straying from any diet sodas, chain restaurants, frozen food, and even potato chips (unless I make them myself). Will I be able to do it? I would be ashamed if I didn’t. How about alcohol you ask? I have to draw the line somewhere but will be drinking Vietnamese beers, New Zealand wines and in Sydney anything goes!

I’m excited to share a Kiwi Christmas and Australian Boxing Day amongst new friends. Wish me a bon voyage, drop an email, and most importantly, any suggestions of local fare would be fantastic! Check back periodically at this site!

Autumn is here!

Tis another Fall season upon us and it's going to be a sultry 95 degrees this weekend in Los Angeles. At least it was chilly enough for a few days in which I took full advantage. A few weeks ago, I cooked a dish that would make any East Coaster proud.

How do I put into words that exact moment of a spoon caving into the buttery crust, soping and sponging it's way to the velvety broth! Simultanesouly aromatics of thyme, onions, celery, Fall come rushing up, engaging all senses. The first bite, crunch of sweet peas, hot broth, savory chicken, flaky yet soggy crust, oooouch... tounge burnt but well worth it. At least this is what I remember as a youngster eating Chicken Pot Pie!

Fast Forward: Midde of October 2008, one rare chilly and windy Friday, cooking for a bunch of friends’ of friends a nice filling meal. Vegetable pot pies which consisted of everything Fall, butternut squash, sweet potato, swiss chard, and mushrooms. Everyone was to bring their own wine and cheese, nuts, dried fruit to be provided. All and all we ended up with 8 cheeses and 8 wines!

Sake Buerre Blanc

We all get sad at points and eat chocolate, watch movies endlessly, exercise, or just sit on the couch. When I get sad, I bust out Thomas Keller’s French Laundry cook book and read. That’s the perfect cure; inspiration, poignant, and creative. So, the other day, I flipped it open and read all about buerre blanc, a very difficult but gratifying sauce to prepare. The importance of ‘buerre blanc’ is that it doesn’t ‘break’ on you, not too acidic, nor rich, perfect in texture and pairs with just about any good protein.

I decided to try it and substituted white wine with Sake. This would be perfect atop Sea bass. I went to Whole Foods and bought this non-sustainable fish. Hey, I deserved to be spoiled sometimes. The sign said, ‘Chilean Sea Bass from coast of Georgia.’ Not too bad, right?

I reduced the Sake with shallots until almost dry, then, slowly threw in cold cubes of butter and finished it with Tarragon. Of course it’s not as easy as you think, I have messed up a plenty of times, because the heat was too high. The trick is having the heat very low if on at all and constantly whisk.

The Chilean Sea Bass was steamed with soy sauce and served with the succotash of corn, fava beans, and tomatoes, last of summer!

Chicken Wings and Chicken Things

A friend ordered from Honey Kettle Chicken the other day for a Feist Feast at the Hollywood Bowl. It came with the fixins’ of biscuits, cole slaw, fries, and cooked down greens beans, just the way I like 'em. The Chicken was good and different, more like a battered product than anything almost like Tempura batter instead of a regular flour based batter. Anyways, it was fattening yet yummy and thanks to Dylan, we were treated VIP at the concert.

All of this chicken inspired to make a cousin to the fried chicken, smaller sized, Chicken Wing! I did a little research and came upon Mr. Food Scientist himself, Alton Brown’s version, which is baked not fried and prepared a Buffalo sauced and Teriyaki sauced Wing Party! I messed up on the Teriyaki sauce because I failed to boil it down to the right viscosity; it should cling to the wing but didn’t. However, it was still tasty being my first attempt.

I was rushed cutting the wing tips off not to mention tearing the wing from the ‘mini drumstick’ or drummette. Afterwards, they were steamed halfway then baked all the way through at 425 degrees. Last, tossed with either sauce, garnished, and served. Sounds easy, soooo....try it!

Buffalo Sauce:

3 ounces unsalted butter

1 small clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Melt the butter in a small bowl along with the garlic.

2. Pour this along with hot sauce and salt into a bowl large enough to hold all of the chicken and stir to combine.

Teriyaki Sauce:

1 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1 cup orange juice

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 fresh, hot red chile, halved

5 garlic cloves, halved

2 T fresh ginger

Sesame Seeds



Green onions, minced


1. Combine all ingredients and whisk. Reduce on medium low until sauce is has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.










12 whole chicken wings


1. Place a 6-quart saucepan with a steamer basket and 1-inch of water in the bottom, over high heat, cover and bring to a boil.

2. Remove the tips of the wings and discard. Using kitchen shears, or a knife, separate the wings at the joint.

3.Place the wings into the steamer basket, cover, reduce the heat to medium and steam for 10 minutes. Remove the wings from the basket and carefully pat dry. Lay the wings out on a cooling rack set in a half sheet pan lined with paper towels and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Replace the paper towels with parchment paper.

4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Roast on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes.

5. Turn the wings over and cook another 20 minutes or until meat is cooked through and the skin is golden brown.

6. Remove the wings from the oven and transfer to the bowl and toss with the sauce. Serve warm.

Is it Bay-sil or Bah-sil?

A friend had bought a stalk of basil and wanted to know what else to do with it besides using with Tomatoes. Good question, I thought…so I experimented all in one day. As I kid, I used to love eating Tuna with potato chips, but now as I an adult, being more sophisticate, I decided upon pita chips.

Lunch: White Pizza with Ricotta Basil Stuffed Squash Blossoms

Snack: Tuna fish Salad with Black Pepper, Basil and Cornichons on Crispy Pita

Dinner: Spaghetti with Roasted Garlic and Herbed Breadcrumbs


Tuna Salad

Tuna, canned in water, 1 can

Red Onions, small dice, 2 T

Black Pepper, 1 t

Dijon Mustard, 1 t

Olive Oil, extra virgin, 1 T

Basil, 1 T

Salt as needed

Cornichons for garnish

Pita chips

1. Mix Dijon and olive oil until well incorporated.

2. Add to tuna, red onions, basil, and gently mix with salt and pepper.

3. Top on pita chip and finish with halved Cornichon.

Dining with a View

I’ve lived in this apartment for 3 years and just figured out another brilliant way to enjoy the view of the Mt. Baldy mountains….over good food and wine! I invited Michelle and Caroline over for and we pulled the table outside and shared a meal comprised of the local Alhambra Farmer’s Market ingredients. We started by snacking on Shrimp 'Toasts' with Manchego Cheese, after, I whipped up a salad of Corn, Heirloom Tomatoes, Green Beans, Cucumbers and mixed in good olive oil and basil…fresh and most of all summer-esque. For the main course, we had Garlic Anchovy Butter and Tomato spaghetti. It’s fairly easy and the anchovies add a light umphh. I opened up a bottle of wine that was given to me on my 30th. The Lancaster Estates Cab ‘03, not only paired well with the pasta but also Chocolate Molten Cake Michelle brought for dessert. Yum. Cheers to future dinners on the balcony as the sun sets!

Garlic Anchovy Butter and Tomato Spaghetti

Garlic, minced 5 cloves

Butter 2 T

Olive oil 2 T

Anchovies 5 fillets or as much you can bare

Tomatoes, preferably Heirloom 5 good sized, chopped

Parsley, minced 2 T

Spaghetti 3 cups, cooked

Parmesan-Reggiano Cheese as needed

Salt and Pepper as needed

1. Warm butter, olive oil and garlic until aromatic, about 2 minutes.

2. Add anchovies and cook for about 1 minute on medium low.

3. Add tomatoes and simmer for 5-7 minutes, salt as needed.

4. While sauce is still warm, add to pasta and gently mix with parsley.

5. Garnish with parmesan and pepper.

2nd Annual New York 4th of July

Red, White, and Blue Potato Salad

Lamb burgers with Mint pesto fused Yogurt

Gerlyn's fav German sausage

Karoake at Sing Sang

Pizza Margherita at L'asso's

Bone Marrow and Oxtail Marmalade at Blue Ribbon

Our fish tacos

Another 4th in New York, it’s become a kind of tradition, one that starts with me arriving via LA red eye, breakfasts of cheese, charcuterie, & champagne, rained out BBQ’s on Gerlyn and Kirstin’s rooftop, long walks through the city, Karaoke and eating good in general.

This year for the annual BBQ, we did burgers in style; Lamb, Tofu, and the old fashioned Beef. I added my Red, White, & Blue Potato Salad (circa ’05) and we were set! My hosts were nice enough to let me invite family friends over. Along with G, K, and Steve's (3rd roommie) NY pals the party turned into an eclectic mix of people from around the world. We had a guest bring over German sausages, perfect with mustard on a soft bun even hours later. Not to mention the deep intricacies of British food, a.k.a Toad in the Hole and Fish n' Chips Of course, it started pouring as we started the burgers but made the best of it and moved into their cozy apartment. After the fireworks which..we did not make it to due to dark clouds, we headed to a Karaoke spot, Sing Sang and sung our faces off.

We took our own tour of the Meat Packing District, West Village and SoHo the next day, with eat/drink spots along the way. Favorites where Spice Market for the atmosphere, La Esquina for the underground-esque bar, L'asso’s, and Blue Ribbon Brasserie. They had this exquisite Mushroom and White Truffle Oil pizza at Lasso’s. At Blue Ribbon Market, the Fried Chicken was excellent along with the Bone Marrow and Oxtail Marmalade. The marmalade cut through the richness of both the marrow and oxtail, it was a perfect combination.

On my last night, we cooked Fish Tacos and Chipotle Chicken Tacos. My cousin, Michelle brought over delightful Chocolate chip cookies. We devoured these alongside Haagan Dazs Crème Brulee ice cream. It was a perfect evening as Steve played the guitar and we sang along to the Beatles and Oasis.

Red, White and Blue Potato Salad

RED potatoes, fingerlings or bliss 3#s

WHITE cheddar cheese, shredded ½ cup

BLUE cheese, Maytag or Stilton ½ cup

Green onions, thinly sliced ¼ cup

Caramelized onions, red ½ cup

Dijon mustard 3 T

Olive Oil ¼ cup

Salt and pepper as needed

1. Boil potatoes half way done, then either grill or roast until all the way done.

2. Whisk oil and mustard, then pour in with potatoes.

3. Add blue cheese, white cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, salt and pepper with potatoes, mix gently.

4. Top with green onions.

Fish Tacos for 4

Snapper, Halibut, or Rockfish 2#s

Oregano 1 teaspoon

Cumin 1 Tablespoon

Red Pepper 1 teaspoon

Parsley 2 Tablespoon

Lime 1 Tablespoon

Lemon 1 Tablespoon

Olive Oil as needed

Salt and Pepper as needed

1. Marinate fish with all ingredients above for at least 1 hour.

2. Grill fish over medium heat until done.

‘Slaw’ for Tacos

Cabbage, white, thinly shredded 2 cups

Cilantro 2 oz

Corn ½ cup

Red Vinegar 1 T

Lime 1 teaspoon

Olive Oli 2 oz

Salt as needed

1. Mix red vinegar, lime, and olive oil.

2. Pour over cabbage, cilantro, and corn and incorporate well.

**Eat with Corn tortillas and fresh salsa!

SD Friends and FroYo

We love it when Sarah and Maria are up from San Diego and it’s time to do the Hollywood/LA thing. This usually entails parties in the Hollywood Hills, clubbing, or watching some sporting event that includes a Boston team. But as we have gotten older our ‘thing’ is eating out and sharing a few bottles of wine. We are getting smarter with the times and finally realize that I can cook and we’d save mondo money. However, we still managed to eat brunch out a few times per Sarah's request, ‘I want to go to place where someone from the Hills would dine at.’

Wish granted, we headed to Comme Ca, the latest dining craze in LA, French bistros or brasseries. Brunch is better than dinner as you can’t even hear your own voice in dining at night. The highlights are the Quiche and the Burger as Mr. Jonathan Gold raves about. It was a hot weekend, heat exhaustion was apparent; hence, we decided to try another LA craze of the moment, Fro Yo a.k.a. frozen yogurt. Pink Berry, Red Mango, Berries, the Big Chill, it is all here. Yogurtland, IMHO, is in a league by itself, this place is a wonderland for yogurts especially since you can pump-your-own with 8 rotating flavors, Taro Root, Peanut butter, Blueberry, Pistachio, Chocolate, Tart, Cheesecake, just to name a few. Then pick your own toppings galore, ranging from rainbow sprinkles, chocolate chips, fresh fruit, coconut flakes, etc. Its 30 cents for an ounce and that is cheap! We loved it so much we went back twice, even tucked in a corner of strip mall on the edge of Little Armenia a.k.a quite far and not nice area of LA.

That night, my sous chefs (Carly, Sarah, Maria) and I prepared light apps which included Pizzettes, Bruschetta, Portobello mushrooms ‘pizzas’ and Summer soba noodles. Afterwards we headed to the Thompson Hotel where we sat on the gorgeous rooftop enjoying life and sipping on cocktails. The next day, we went to another favorite brunch spot, Bread Bar. Bread Bar originated in Paris by the famed bread maker, Eric Kaiser. After full stomachs, much to my delight, we headed to Robertson and did light shopping.

Thanks guys for coming up and Carly for letting us stay at Hotel de Gomez and most of all, helping me remember that LA is truly a cool city. Good luck to Sarah who’s headed off to San Francisco!

A Summer Weekend in DC

I love taking that red eye flight from Los Angeles, leave at 10 PM and bam, it’s 6 AM the next day when you arrive in DC. This trip was short and I had 4 missions;

1. Eat at 3 Star (Washingtonian Magazine) French restaurant with foodies, Mom and Aunt

2. Meet with a good friend for drinks and snacks at the hot DC restaurant, Zatinya

3. Cook brunch for my best friends family (see below post)

4. Eat Peking Duck with Dad for Father’s day

I definitely had to nap when I landed, I hardly slept on the plane since my neighbors were yacking the entire night AND my seat was broken and would not recline back. It was an uncomfortable ride but at least Jet Blue has satellite TV and Terra Blue Potato chips. Let me tell you the satellite TV was sweet on the way back televising the US Open! I digress, so, yes, I slept a total, 2 hours since we needed to be in DC by noon to dine at Le Paradou. It was easy though, slipped into a skirt, hopped in the car, and 15 minutes later, we were in the Nation’s capital.

Today’s lunch was a prie fix of $29 for 2 courses or $39 for 3 courses. The menu selection was vast ranging from hot & cold appetizers, Salads, Meat & Poultry and Poisson (Fish in french). Dessert was separate but we were fine with that since none of us really has a sweet tooth. To start, I had a glass of Sancerre along with Lobster Tail sautéed with Grapefruit, Butter, followed by the main entrée, Stuffed Quail with Mushrooms, Pistacchios, Chestnut Gnocchis and Sage jus. Mom shocked us by ordering the Beef Medallion Roast, Leeks and Roasted Shallot Jus (she never eats red meat!) and started off with Morel Mushroom soup with Sea scallops. My aunt chose the Stuffed Squid with Pine Nuts, Olives and Lavender Blossom and then had the Scallops with Crab Stuffed Raviolis, Red Snapper and Lobster jus (yes, detailed indeed) as her entrée.

Out of all appetizers the Morel Mushroom was tastiest, such depth and freshness, the scallops were seared to perfection. My aunt’s squid was well executed, baby squid stuffed with good flavor not to mention the dish was beautiful. I found my entrée to the best, the quail was exquisite, rich in flavor, strong in taste, loved each bite. For dessert, we had Poached pears stuffed with Chocolate and Ice cream. The pear embedded with chocolate was genius, I will attempt it to duplicate!

The service was attentive and the French speaking servers are always a nice touch. Afterwards, my aunt requested for me to meet Chef Yannick Cam who has been in Washington since 1978. To my surprise, my aunt had taken my grandfather to his famed restaurant Le Pavillon back in ’79, why yes, I was only 1 years old! Chef Cam was charming enough to take a picture with us and speak briefly about his years in the area. To many, he is one of the first chefs to put DC on the map for French fine dining. Overall, the meal was one of the best I have had all year putting a totally different light on dining in LA!

Later that evening I met up with Sarah at Zatinya in DC. Still stuffed we shared a mélange of appetizers, Grilled Ocotups, Kibbeh, and Zucchini fritters. The bar was hoppin’ and it was nice to be among fellow East coasters. After, we ventured to the National Gallery of Art- Sculpture Gardens for what look like the tail end of Jazz at the Gardens, the night was gorgeous. As I sat there, I thought about all those muggy summer nights as a kid wondering what my life would be as a grown up. I never dreamt it would be eating at restaurants of all kinds from DC to LA to Paris! When I got back to LA, I emailed my aunt my thoughts, she replied back, ‘yes, you are living the high life at age, 30.’

Kitchen Impossible

I’ve known Carly and her family since I was 12. I remember arriving to her old house in my blue station wagon a.k.a Blue Bomber and the place was always bustling. She has 2 dogs and 2 younger sisters and there is always much action. I'm not used to growing up around it but found the dynamics endearing and entertaining. One weekend during college, since Gerlyn and I always heard Carly rant and rave about her mom’s dish we requested that Mrs. Gomez prepare Arroz con Pollo, one of my first ventures with Cuban food.

Since becoming a chef, Mrs. Gomez has been requesting that I cook and finally we found a weekend that Carly and I were home at the same time. Before the trip, she kept on warning me how her house can be loud, I reassure her, I remember. A half an hour before she picks me up, she texts, ‘Really, it’s chaotic here, be prepared.’ This still doesn’t deter me because after all, I’ved cooked for 50 people, surely a family of 5 will be cake!

We arrive to her house about an hour later then anticipated. Already, I feel rushed ….I put her sisters immediately to work, Jackie a.k.a. Lil J, the veteran cook shows me where everything is. OMG, girlfriend has a full set of Shun knives, yes, this is my brand of choice! Not only that, the kitchen is fully equipped with a Kitchen Aid and vast selection of bowls and pans, not to mention a mini working station. Yes, this should be easy, as I am thinking this; I look over to the sink and it’s over flowing with ‘sewer’ water. Hence, we could not wash nor clean anything including our hands. Still, not really a huge deal as Carly buckets out the dirty water. I put Rebecca a.k.a. Becks to work and get her started on the Chocolate Mousse. Suddenly, I feel my contact lens acting up, for 15 minutes I struggle with it, and finally it rips and I find myself cooking one-eyed. Next, I hear much commotion and the smell of Lysol is becoming apparent, oh wait, the cleaning ladies are here vacuuming and scrubbing today!

I’m cool, I’m cool, the next hour is smooth with much picture taking by my new photographer, Becks, also the Champagne is popped! We are ready to finish by poaching eggs, then, boom, the electricity goes off. Ohhhhhh shuuuuuucks, Carly and I smile, this is too funny. I pose the question of using another heating mechanism like the fireplace….and keen Mrs. Gomez suggests the grill, YESSSS, Lil’ J suggests using the Le Creuset pot so the water will boil faster, double YESSSSS! Of course as we are waiting for the water to boil on the Grill, it starts to rain on us, again, Carly and I smile, hysterical at this point.

Brunch is served at 4:00 initially it was supposed to be at 2. My guests are very patient especially as I mess up their kitchen with dishes piling up feverishly due to the ineffective sink. All and all it was a great time, long overdue with many laughs and memories. It may have had its challenges but it was one of the funniest and honest meals I have cooked. Thank you to the Gomez Family for inviting me into your home and making me extremely comfortable.

Cool Dips

When summer hits and there is a heat wave in Southern California, there a few things I will only eat. Tons of tourists line up to try the famous Pink’s or In N’ Out. Just the sight of this to me is unappetizing, how can anyone eat bacon wrapped dogs or animal style cheeseburgers in this sweltering madness!

I cooked at a few bbq’s of late and did some brainstorming to make dishes that were refreshing, neat to eat, simple, and cheap (let’s face it, gas is high!). I decided on dips. Who doesn’t love chips or anything that isn’t crunchy to go with it? One night, we made Hummus from dry chickpeas with many Meyer lemons, Avocado ‘tatziki’, Heirloom Tomato Salsa, and Oaxacan Eggplant dip. Toasted pita chips, crackers, crostini were all used as the dipping apparatus.

I found the recipe for the Oaxacan Eggplant dip in Gourmet and it was delicious. Afterwards, we used the grill to toast mini-marshmallows on foil (according to my friend, they were out of big ones at the store). To be expected the mini marshmallows turned into fluffy hot pillows of sugar but still worked fine for the s’mores. My friends ended up dipping the graham crackers into the gooey mess, the only hot dip of the night!

3 lb medium eggplants (about 3)

2 fresh poblano chiles

1 to 2 fresh serrano chiles

1/3 cup finely chopped white onion

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (preferably Key lime)

1. Grill eggplants and chiles, turning frequently, until chile skins are blistered and slightly charred all over and very soft, 5 to 6 minutes for serranos; 10 to 12 minutes for poblanos; 18 to 20 minutes for eggplants.

2. Transfer chiles as cooked to a large bowl; cover and let stand 20 minutes. Cool eggplants to warm, about 15 minutes.

3. While eggplants cool, carefully rub off skins from chiles. Stem, seed, and devein chiles, then chop. Transfer to a large bowl.

4. Peel eggplants, the add parsley, chiles along with onion, cilantro, lime juice, and 3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste) in food processor or blender. Puree to until just chunky.

Authentic Mexican food in LA

My love for Mexican food started back in Virginia eating Taco Bell and Tippy’s as a youngster. I loved Tippy’s Taco House which was down the street on Lee Highway, as a matter of fact, some of the cousins fondly remember and joke about it, as it was served at my 12th Birthday party. My go-to was the Enchilada combo meal, 2 cheese and 1 beef Enchilada, red sauce, rice, refried beans, finished with a Beef Taco and tortilla chips, por supesto.

Fast forward, L.A. where I work for a Mexican food company. We had to give a presentation on Mexico and the different regions where the staples are no where near what we think is Mexican is: no burritos, no enchiladas INSTEAD moles, tamales, flavors that are tantalizing and tasty. We pepared Mole for the presentation and used 16 different ingredients, amazing. Ever since, I have wanted to explore every region and its indigenous foods. According to Chef Rick Bayless, there are 6 food worthy regions of Mexico; Chihuahua (Northern), Puebla (Central Mexico), Mihoacan (West Central), Oaxaca (Southern Mexico), the Yucatan, and Veracruz (the Coast).

Back to the point of this blog, down the street from South Pasadena is Highland Park, known for their hole-in-the-wall Mexican joints. I haven’t been to any probably because most of my friends don’t eat pork and most of them are MTA (Models Turn Actresses)….you can guess that H.Park isn’t safe at night either. I dragged Eric one night and we pick a joint that specializes in the Yucatan, Villas Durangos. A French trained Mexican chef was welcoming and proudly showed off a picture of himself in Paris. The salsa is super hot, chips straight out of the fryer, and beer ice cold. The waitress speaks Spanish so Eric and I struggle to order, still all the more amused My dish, Pollo Pibil was delicious while Eric was forced to order Carne Chile Colorado since the Cochinita Pibil (pit roasted pork seasoned w/an achiote paste, sour orange and wrapped in banana leaves) was fresh out! The meal with 3 beers, 2 very filling dishes came out to be $18, cheapest and tastiest meal I’ve had in awhile! I plan to visit more Mexican places in Highland Park but don’t think that will be too often unless I make more carnivore eating friends!

Can’t Buy Me Love

Friday night and it’s time to drink wine and eat good food. I’ve wanted to make this Butterscotch pudding forever and had a few willing guinea pigs. I had to prepare dinner too! The food; Romesco style Shimp n’ Grits (a.k.a. Polenta cakes), Mexican Chopped salad with Skirt Steak & Chimichirri dressing, then Proscuitto & Brie Flatbreads. Last was Butterscotch pudding adapted from Dave Lebovitz. The pudding turned out not so great, the egg cooked too fast only because I should have tempered it correctly..ughhhh…..next time!

Eric back from a 6 month hiatus in Brazil and short timer Lindsay who’s moving to the Phillipines were my guests. The discussion was deep, figuring out how Eric could get back to Brazil since his Visa ran out and what life for Lindsay would be like in Southeast Asia. The conversation got even better, relationships, love, Patrick Dempsey, Grey’s Anatomy, and how much he went from, ‘totally chic to totally geek,’ in Can’t Buy Me Love. Needless to say, we ended up at Blockbuster watching it. I know, good times, good times, still one of my ultimate favorites.

The CIA of Napa

FYI, CIA stands for Culinary Institute of America. The main school is in Hyde Park, NY and about 10 years ago, they opened a facility in Napa and more recently San Antonio. Yep, am pretty darn lucky being able to take yet another cooking class that work has sent me to. The trip and class was more like a vacation and boy was I excited to get out of the hustle and bustle of L.A.! I chose to take a classed called, Healthy Flavors of Latin America, Asia and the Mediterranean which lasted 5 days. The class was right up my alley; lectures by a trained PHD of Nutrition , demos from a CIA chef instructor, and hands-on in the kitchen preparing a variety of recipes from the above cuisines. The class consisted of a few restaurant chefs, private chefs, food scientists, and even a foodie who just wanted to learn. The CIA kitchen; filled with French bonnet ovens, vast selections of spices, herbs, produce, meats, pretty much any ingredient, not to mention other equipment like vita-mixers, robocoups, blochett ovens, and automatic pasta makers! YIKES! Nothing like my old alma mater back in Philly where were scrapping for anything and everything.

I am now fascinated by the flavors of Morocco, India, Mexico and the Mediterranean in general. Each day had a differen theme/cuisine. New dishes I made were buckwheat pasta, Bengal fish curry, Roasted tomato chipotle shredded chicken salad. I added to my repertoire of grains, beans (Rancho Gordo) and cooked them in water with flavors like lemongrass, and root vegetables. It's amazing what a little nob of ginger can do onced cooked in rice pilaf or stewed beans! On the last day, we shopped at the local farmer’s market in downtown St Helena and created our own ‘healthy’ dishes.

The perks of taking class at CIA is unimaginable; breakfast, lunch, free wine tastings at local vineyards, discounts at the school store (awesome knives and such), and wonderful hospitality at the hotel and restaurants, Napa loves chefs! All and all, it was a fun week as I had many visitors and headed into SF a few times too. See one of my favorites dishes of the class.

Bengal Fragrant Fish Curry

Haddock, Salmon or Grouper, 3 oz pieces 1 1/2 lbs

Mustard powder 1 tsp

Cumin, ground 1 tsp

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Red pepper, ground 1/2 tsp

Vegetable oil 2 T

Onions, thin sliced 1 cup

Garlic, sliced 1 T

Serrano chiles, thin sliced 1 T

Tomatoes, peeled and chopped 2 cups

Lemon juice 1/2 each

Cilantro, fresh, chopped 1/4 cup

Salt to taste

1. Please the fish on plate and rub with all spices, set aside for about a half any hour. Heat oil on high and saute fish, unseared, 1 minute on each side. Transfer to plate.

2. Heat same pan on medium, add oil, onion, garlic, and chiles. Cook until onions brown, then tomatoes and salt. Cook until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.

3. Add fish, and cook until it is done throughout, about 4 minutes.

4. Plate and serve, sprinkle with lemon juice and cilantro.

Adapted from CIA Greystone, Classic Indian Vegetarian by Julie Sahni.

Tough life

Sorry, I haven't posted in awhile, after I turned 30, it went down hill from there! Nah...I have been further occupied playing with my toys from the birthday! The I-Touch is awesome, I can download podcasts which include cooking videos, plus check email and surf the web. And check out the Bose system Cousin Tina gave to me, sound is outrageous!

There were be tons of good posts to come like my Cinco de Mayo themed dinner and also, I'm in Napa all week...! Taking a cooking class for work....ahhh, life is hard. The class in on Healthy Flavors of Asia, Latin America and the Mediterranean. I just ironed my chef's jacket and am ready to roll at the CIA in Greystone tomorrow, 7 AM! Wish me luck.