in shock

I wanted to write about how much I love the show, Top Chef.  But after tonight’s season finale, I’m at a loss for words.

to salivate over kitchen utensils

This weekend I took my brother to Surfas, my favorite kitchen/restaurant supply house in LA (or anywhere, for that matter).  I am in heaven whenever I walk through the warehouse sized doors and into my culinary dream of rows of olive oils (bought a bottle of jalapeno lime olive oil – how delicious is that?) [...]

the other red meat

Ever since I could remember, a trip to Johnnie’s in Culver City was always a treat.  Either sitting inside at one of the vinyl booths watching the traffic go by on Sepulveda, or being fireside at one of the picnic benches in the patio,  Johnnie’s has been a destination diner for my family for over [...]

to get naked…no more

RIP, Lobster Shack.
I coveted your naked lobster roll more than I can say.  The buttered, toasted  hot dog bun cradling luscious chunks of unadorned sweet, sweet Maine lobster, served with clarified butter and mayo on the side to use at your discretion.  Crispy hand cut french fries and a cup of the best damn cole [...]

yodel-off

“Do you want me to bring you back anything from New York?” I rhetorically asked Howard.
“Bring me back a box of Yodels!” as if asking me to bring him the head of Alfredo Garcia.
So I did.  The yodels, that is.  And here’s what he did with said box:
“Well, we had the great Yodel-off over the [...]

cheese it!

What isn’t to like about grilled cheese sandwiches?  It’s simple, easy to make, and oh so good.  Ironically, the grilled cheese sandwich that most of us know of, is fried, not grilled. GC pundits from around the world undoubtedly will argue the best cheese to use.  France would say brie or camembert.  The Italians might [...]

to be a geisha

I have often wondered what it would take to be a geisha, and why I couldn’t be one, too.  The business of pleasuring other people seems like a natural.  After all, isn’t that what cooking is all about?  To satiate, to gratify, to pleasure.
There were two (at least) huge obstacles in front of me.
1.  I [...]

OYGISB 2.0

It’s raining outside.  It’s been raining for the past week.  We need it.  But on this, the middle of a three day weekend, I was kind of hoping for some sun.  In my Meursault drunken state last night, I sang (to myself)  sweetly, “I just can’t stay inside all day, I gotta get out, get [...]

to crush again

What would be a more appropriate place to go for a pre-Valentine’s Day dinner than back to my #1 restroom crush?  Though La Mar’s reservation book was, well, booked, we were able to get seats at the ceviche bar, which is always plenty fun.
I really have nothing new to say here other than what I [...]

choco-bye

SF Gate reported this morning that local chocolatier, Joseph Schmidt, will no longer be selling their famous confections after Easter this year.  A very sad announcement, indeed.
I first met Mr. Schmidt ten years ago when he won a Best of the Bay award from the San Francisco Bay Guardian.  I was the Promotions Manager at [...]