Potential Gold

Hendrick's Gin

I believe I was introduced to Hendrick's Gin at Lalime's in Berkeley, CA.

Michael and I used to go out there for a cocktail after work and the bartender was great.  After a day of making salami, the Hendrick's with a drop of olive juice was perfect to clear the mind.

My Basket

This is what I came back with from the Farmer's Market.

I Found some great Scallops - $18 for the pound (7 Scallops)
I brought back a nice Squash - $1
I brought back a small bunch of Cara Cara citrus - $4 (6 ea.)

Farmer's Market

From Last weeks trip to the farmer's market on Laurel Cyn. and Ventura Blvd.

Choont

My dad is a great cook, when he wants to be at least.  His specialty always have been soups and hummus but lately he's also been making some great choont.

Choont, aka. Cholent or Chameen, is a stew made primarily of meat and potatoes or grains of wheat but there are numerous possibilities.  There are always hard boiled eggs involved and it is usually eaten on Saturday with a loaf of Challah bread.

This particular one above was okay.  This one was made with beans and I really love the ones made with wheat berries.  The best part is when a Kishke is thrown into the mix.

Porto's Bakery - Burbank

Porto's is a true phenomenon.  Upon arrival to this magical place, you get awestruck by how many people are in line and how massive of a project this really is.

How Porto's Started

It's always nice to walk into a place and watch it run, and this place sure does run like a well oiled machine.  There is plenty of staff and the long lines pass quickly - try it if you're in the area.

We often stop there on the way to the Burbank Airport (Bob Hope) as it's right on the way.

Make sure to try the Cuban influenced snacks and save room for some sweets.

The Sweet Life Bakery

Below is a letter from Stephen & Jill who are friends of mine from the CIA.  They have opened a great bakery in New Jersey and this is what they have to say...

"Hello,

Have you imagined opening your own restaurant, or being the chef and culinary creator of a concept? The Sweet Life Bakery would like to let you know that the city of Vineland, New Jersey is currently building a ‘food district’ in its downtown. It has the investors, but needs the culinary talent that you have to open a restaurant.

Our bakery has laid the foundation for a legitimate culinary destination, but downtown Vineland needs more genuine restaurants and specialty food shops to make it a truly special place. Nice restaurants will be opening here… do you want one to be yours?

There are financial incentives, a convenient location halfway between Atlantic City and Philadelphia, lots of growth in the general area, as well as the host of the newly founded Vineland Music Festival.

If you’re interested and would like more information, please call Jill or Stephen at The Sweet Life Bakery 856-692-5353, or e-mail us at [email protected]

If this is not something that interests you, please forward this on to any awesome cooks or talented chefs that you know. We’re counting on using the power of the web to find just a few people whose time has come! Thanks for your help!

We hope to hear from you or your friends soon.

-S&J"

Read their blog here.

Smothered Zucchini

I picked up some really great Zucchini from the Farmer's Market.  The farmer said they were similar to the 'Zucchini Bolognese' variety but that they were from Mexican origin.  I am not gonna chase the tail but they were very tasty.

This recipe is super simple and the results are always grand.

Hamburger Habit - Albacore

Back in 2001 I worked at the San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, California.  I was out there on an externship under Jamie West.  Great times were had but one of the best things about the experience was that I lived right behind the original Hamburger Habit in Goleta.

After a long night on the line (maybe not, since we didn't do that many covers at all!) the Habit was always there for a snack or breakfast around 1.30 pm - before getting to work.

Back then, I knew they had something going for them.  There was another Habit on S. Milpas near the beach and another on State Street.

The logo was sharp and the menu fresh and 'light'.

Now they are popping up all over the LA area with a new location near my work in Chatsworth.

 

Menu For Hope 4

It's finally time to do another good deed. 

This years Menu for Hope has begun and I was able to sneak in an assortment of Fra' Mani Salumi as a prize for this years raffle.  Make your $10 donations by following the information below and you could be a winner (yes, I know, we're all winners!).

The Prize code for the Fra' Mani Salumi assortment is UW34 - The set will include a random assortment of Fra' Mani Salumi hand chosen by Paul Bertolli.  Included will be an assortment of salami as well as Fra' Mani's new Cooked Sausages.  Shipping is included within the continental US and there is no delivery to a PO Box.  This set won't let you down and will be great for any Salumi lover or fan of Paul's work.

Spiced Apple Sauce

For the holiday, I made some Potato Latkes - I made them with a mixture of Russet and Sweet Potatoes and I added a touch of flour and a few eggs to hold everything together.

I love eating latkes either with Sour Cream or Apple Sauce.  I prefer the Apple Sauce when the latkes or fresh and right out of the oil.  The sauce cools down the bite and adds the perfect contrast to the salty, crispy potato.

For this Apple Sauce, I decided to spice it up a bit with some winter flavors - flavors that have more to do with Christmas or Thanksgiving then Chanukah, but it worked out really well - flavors that just work well with apple and its pairing with savory ingredients.

DEI - Sancta Catharina

We finally opened a bottle I was holding onto for a while.  The 2001 Sancta Catharina from Dei in Montepulciano.  This 'Super Tuscan' was okay - not amazing in any way but not bad either.

The batch was made of 30% Prugnolo Gentile, 30% Cabarnet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah and 10% Petite Verdot.

Soofgania aka. Jelly Doughnut

By the end of Chanukah this year, I will try my hand at these delicious treats.  I'll show you how it comes out.

Inside a Flower

Inside a Flower.

Party Snacks

From our past trip to Italy, we brought back some 36 month Parmigiano-Reggiano and we served it with some of PB's Balsamic Vinegar from Chalk Hill & a local Los Angeles Honey I found at the Farmer's Market.

Limor made a tasty Chickenless version of the 'Chinese' Salad.  The dressing is tricky - with so many variations we had to modify a handful of recipes to come up with the one she used.

The Third Night

The Third Night of Chanukah ( Hanukkah) at my place - I love lighting candles...