Potential Gold

Happy Birthday, Dad...Here's some Sushi!!!

For my dad's 60th birthday we decided to make a sushi night. We went to where our favorite local sushi chef goes to buy their fish in downtown LA and bought really fresh salmon, tuna and albacore. We bought plenty of fish and we were preparing to feed 80 people sushi! 

Here are some pictures of the prep work that was done in preparing the fish for tonight's sushi. 

Here are some of the pictures from the sushi that night. Amongst the rolls were:

Spicy tuna, Philadelphia, Salmon, Albacore, Tuna and some Aji...

Chef Jason Casey at Havana (Bar Harbor, Maine)

My good friend Jason has taken on a new position as chef of Havana Restaurant in Bar Harbor, Maine.

The restaurant opens in a few weeks and after speaking to Jason, I can hear the passion in his voice.

He's busy cleaning and organizing the kitchen right now and he already told me about some delicious menu items. All you Maineiacs beware. Jason's food is delicious and extremely addictive. You'll want to keep Havana open all year long once you taste his food.

Jason recently left a personal chef position cooking for the owner of Dooney & Bourke handbags and also spent about a month with his mentor, Waldy Malouf, at his NYC restaurant, Beacon, prior to his move to Maine.

Good luck, Jason!

Private Dinner - October 2009

Here's a posting we should have put up a few months ago.  Back in October, we were invited to cook for a dinner party in Agoura Hills, California.  Check out the menu and photos from that dinner.

Cooing in their beautiful home, we were asked to come up with a 'steakhouse' menu for this evening.  The menu was as follows:

Passed appetizers:

Grilled Lamb Loin on Olive Crostini with Roasted Red Peppers
Sesame Crusted Seared Tuna on English Cucumber Chip with Wasabi Crème
Fresh Basil Pesto Crostini with Imported Mozzarella & Cherry Tomatoes
Smoked Salmon Endive Spears with Croutons and a Dill Crème Fraîche

Here are some pictures we captured from the appetizers that night:

The first course was:

A seafood tower which consisted of jumbo shrimp and Alaskan king crab legs. These were presented at the table with smoking dry ice. This was a big success and delicious with the different dipping sauces.

The second course was:

The Classic Steakhouse Iceberg Wedge with Point Reyes Station Blue Cheese, Crisp
Bacon & Onion Strings

 
Between the second and third course there was a palate cleanser served. This evening's was a champagne mint granita.

 

The main course was served next. The guests had a choice of entree- Fresh Halibut Filet with a pesto sauce or Grilled Filet Mignon. These were served with Roasted Garlic & Shallot Mashed Potatoes,
Sauteed Mushrooms with Shallot and White Wine and Sauteed Asparagus spears with garlic and shallots.

The last course was Fresh Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Strawberry-Balsamic Compote and an Almond
Tuile. Finished with a home made chocolate truffle.

Technical Difficulties

UPDATE:

As of today, April 2nd, I have found a way around Adobe automatically running its AME software when I file is to be exported from Premiere Pro.  So until this doesn't work, then I will really be out of business...  Thanks for watching!

As of today, March 31st, I haven't successfully killed this bug but I have found a way around it.  I will be posting episodes shortly.

This weeks WBW episode will be up as soon as we can figure out some of the bugs we are having with our editing software. 

Thanks for tuning in.

Ore

Pho Cafe - The Un-Named Mystery is Delicious

We finally made to what I always only knew as 'the un-named pho place on Sunset and Silver Lake'. 

It does have a name, just no sign!

We got there by "walking a half block west once you see the Mongolian restaurant on Sunset, just East of Silver Lake".  The adventure in finding this place was fun.  It's in a nondescript strip mall (as is much of LA's treasures) on Sunset Boulevard.

We started with an order of spring rolls.  Limor and I really like these.  They are relatively easy to make at home (we've tried) and the peanut dipping sauce really hits the spot for the peanut butter cravings we often get!

This item, called Goi Cuon, is made here with charbroiled lemongrass steak, shrimp, vermicelli rice noodles and fresh herbs which surely included mint in the mix.  The dipping sauce was excellent and the flavors of the meat, shrimp and mint were just what we needed to start the meal off in the right direction.

Goi Can - Fresh Spring Rolls

We were instructed to try one Pho dish and one Bun dish.  We gladly followed instruction and we were very satisfied with the recommendations.

Limor started with the Pho Ga which is a chicken based rice noodle soup made with free-range chicken served with a delicious ginger pepper sauce and fresh herbs to add to the bowl as you wish.  To our bowl Limor added the bowl of ginger sauce, about 85% of the sprouts we were given, about half the amount of basil leaves, torn into the bowl (thai basil), a good splash of Sriracha and the few spicy pepper slices we were given.  

Pho Ga - Chicken Broth Based Rice Noodle Soup

This soup was awesome.  The extracted chicken flavor was incredible.  The broth was rich and clear too, something I always admire.  This was a very very good bowl of Pho.  Get there!

I started with the Bun Cha Gio Tom Thit Nuong which consisted of cool vermicelli rice noodles, a crispy fried egg roll, three delicious shrimp, some charbroiled lemongrass steak which was served in a bowl with roasted peanuts, fried shallot, sprouts and fresh herbs.  There is a sauce that arrives with this dish which is truly magical.

Bun Cha Gio Tom Thit Nuong - Cold Rice Noodle Salad

Basically, I would describe this dish as a cold noodle salad with the above items as the accompaniments.  It is a really fresh, light dish and I tell you the SAUCE is where it is at with this dish.

Overall this was an excellent choice for lunch on a Saturday. 

Pho Cafe is open daily from 11am to Midnight and is CASH ONLY.

Remember - this place has no sign (well, it is just white but blank) and you will recognize it with the bright orange seats and the line to get in!  Enjoy.

Menu For Hope VI - Fra' Mani Prize Code UW33

To view the prizes - Check out the OFFICIAL PRIZE PAGE

It's finally time to do another good deed – AGAIN & AGAIN!

For this year’s Menu for Hope I was able to organize another "Raffle Bid Item" of Fra' Mani Handcrafted Salumi.  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 UW33 - The set will include a random assortment of Fra' Mani Salumi hand chosen by Paul Bertolli.  This year's set will guarantee at least: 1 ea. Pancetta; 1 ea. Little Ham and 1 ea. Special Edition Salame Gentile nicknamed the Gentile Gigante for its extra long size.  Included may also be an assortment of salami.  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.  This set is at least 12 pounds of lovely and delicious Salumi!

Menu For Hope and the Raffle Bid Items are the real deal...three years ago I was the winner of the famous Manresa Dinner for two - which was AMAZING!  I've decided to give back SO donate to a great cause and good luck!

To view the prizes - Check out the OFFICIAL PRIZE PAGE or see the Regional Hosts' Blogs below:

You can also browse prizes by region by visiting our regional host blogs

Europe *Including the UK*: David Lebovitz (david.lebovitz[at]yahoo[dot]com)

US: West Coast: (If you are closer to SF than you are to NY then you belong here.)
Shauna and Danny of Gluten Free Girl and the Chef (glutenfreegirl[at]gmail[dot]com)

US: East Coast: Helen of Tartelette (mytartelette[at]gmail[dot]com)

Canada: Tara of Seven Spoons (tara[at]sevenspoons[dot]net)

Asia Pacific, Australia, New Zealand: Ed Charles of Tomato (gastrotom[at]gmail[dot]com)

and, last but not least, our special Wine Blog Host: Alder of Vinography (alder[at]vinography[dot]com)

Champagne Salon and Delamotte Tasting at Wally's

The other night Limor and I enjoyed a wine tasting at Wally's Wine & Spirits in Los Angeles. The tasting was in collaboration with Champagne Salon as well as Delamotte.

We arrived around 7 pm to find the tasting room packed to the max. A few days ago Wally's sent out an email stating that the tasting was sold out. We made the best of it and received our tasting glass from the person who checked us in at the front.

From there we began with the Delamotte Non-Vintage Brut. For Limor who isn't a wine:o I enjoyed seeing her reactions and comments to the Champagne. The Brut was very traditional. We picked up a nose of toast, some tart green apple and Limor really thought the nose resembled the smell of something 'salty'.

From there we went onto the Delamotte Rosé. The Rosé was elegant and tasty. The blend of primarily Pinot Noir grapes really stood out. Unlike the cheaper wines, this Rosé was made by letting the skins stay in contact with the wine, releasing the color and flavor that we see and taste.

Unfortunately, the ONE Champagne I built up all my expectation towards was nowhere to be found. I bought my ticket to this tasting not for the Salon but for the 1985 Delamotte Blanc de Blancs. Unfortunately, we were scammed as that bottle wasn't poured at the tasting.

From the Rosé we moved onto the 1999 Delamotte Blanc de Blancs. The Blanc de Blancs was awesome. Although the pour was very skimpy, my one sip was really refined and the sharp difference from the first two wines was pretty outstanding.

Lastly was the Champagne Salon. The 1997 Salon Le Mesnil is what I think everyone else was there for. The bottle is extremely expensive - somewhere in the $400/btl area. I found the Salon very, very good but I am glad to say that I am not an extreme Champagne fan yet as that hobby could get really really expensive.

I want to really point out that it is not OK to say that a specific bottle will be poured and then NOT pour that bottle. I went to Wally's to taste a quarter century old Champagne and that didn't happen. Although it was my first tasting at Wally's, I do hope to come to another event there where I will expect more than this tasting.

 

 

Lessons at Dolciarte

My friend Carmen Vecchione from Dolciarte in Avellino, Italy has opened up her pastry shoppe to small lessons.

If you find yourself in the southern town of Avellino I highly recommend a class with Carmen.  Carmen's skills in pastry arts are excellent and a couple of years ago I had the privilege of working alongside Carmen and enjoying her delicious sweets.

Download Calendario corsi settembre - ottobre 2009

You can reach Carmen for more info by e-mail: carmenvecchione 'at' yahoo 'dot' it

Fast Taco - Chatsworth

This whole-in-the-wall type taco and burrito establishment really makes great tasting food.  I recently tried a plate of three different tacos which was terrific.  The three tacos, chicken, al pastor and carne asada were each really excellent.  The chicken was moist and flavorful.  The al pastor was smoky and had a great peppery flavor and the carne asada was simple and juicy.

Fast Taco keeps a great salsa bar which may be the cleanest salsa bar in all of Los Angeles.  They also make great plates like the Carna Asada plate I enjoyed the other day.

Try it when you're in the area.

Shrimp Boil

I really had an aching for a shrimp boil - so I made it happen!

I called over some friends and made up so Old Bay Seasoning, ran over to 99 Ranch for some shrimp and other ingredients and whipped up almost five pounds of shrimp to feast on.

I went to school with one the the real Phillips kids - he's a really great guy and while listening to a Jack Johnson song, the memories of Ocean City, MD came into my head and that's where I was able to enjoy my first real shrimp boil. 

I remember walking into the large kitchen at the Phillips restaurant in Ocean City and seeing the three large kettles of boiling seasoned water.  The smell was intoxicating!  We grabbed our shrimp in paper bags and went across the street where we laid out newspaper across the table, brought plenty of beers and ate the evening away...

I love reminiscing!  

For this boil I followed one the recipes available online for an Old Bay seasoning.  I was pretty upset that I couldn't find any at the markets here in Los Angeles and the closest we have is Zatarans which I don't even consider close.  With a few minor tweaks we were ready to go.

Into a large stock pot went the water and seasoning, a couple of cut lemons and the red bliss potatoes.  After about 15 minutes I pet in the corn and sausage and five minuted prior to eating I added the shrimp.  The house smelt amazing and personally, the sausage was my favorite part.  That and peeling the shrimp faster than everyone else at the table!  

UPDATE

Yes, it's been way too long since a post has come up on PotentialGold.com

I know!  That's why I'm here, now, to make some changes.  In the next few weeks you will see a reinvented design, attitude, feeling and a lot more GOING ON.  Stay Tuned to the new Potential Gold

iPhone Post!

So I finally did it...

I got an iPhone and I'm learning how to use it.

Any hints, tips or tricks are greatly appreciated!

A Feast from 1001 Nights: Chreime

(This post was written by my friend Benjamin Rosendahl.  This first appeared in a German Internet Newspaper)

Spicy Moroccan Fish is also known as "Chreime" (and tastes a LOT better then it's name!)

This is one of my favorite dishes: A feast for the senses that can be prepared quickly and without muych effort.  And it's healthy too!

The ingredients:

-300g Fish

-Olive or Canola Oil

-1Onion

-2 to 3 Garlic cloves

-a few Jalapenos, according to spice tolerance

-2 cups tomato paste

-Lemon (important!)

-1 cup steaming hot water

-Challah bread (or, alternatively, rolls)

First, the onions, garlic cloves and jalapenos are cut into small cubes (professionals do it like the Goodfellas).  The lemon is cut into two halves.  Then the onions are seuteed in a deep pan or a pot until golden.  Afterward, the garlic cloves and jalapenos are added.  After a few minutes, the tomato paste and the glass of steaming hot water is added.  

Now we add the fish.  Here it is important to make sure not to overcook it:15 minutes is the absolute MAXIMUM!  (It is always possible to reheat, but it is impossible to reverse overcooking).  The best idea is to cook it for 5 minutes on the hot flame and then to squeeze out the lemon.  The lemon adds very much to the taste.  (The other half can also be squeezed on the fish or alternatively, used to wash the hands after the meal).  Now, the flame should be turned to "low" and possibly covered.  10 minutes later the "Chreime" is ready...

Spain & The World Table - Bocadillos (Ready to Eat)

The two posts below show you how to work up to the place we are at now.  In this post we will be putting together our two different types of Bocadillos.

The recipes I followed were taken from Spain and The World Table.

The photo below shows the Bocadillo set up with the Anchovy and Pisto Bocadillos.  You take a toasted slice of bread and add some of the prepared Pisto.  Above the Pisto you add a slice of anchovy and a drizzle of GOOD balsamic vinegar.  These are delicious.

Moving onto the second Bocadillo, the Anchovy and Pepper Bocadillos are made by placing some of the sauteed green peppers on top of some toasted bread.  The add the sauteed red peppers with garlic.  On top of that add some anchovy (here I used a slice of each type).  For added crunch and perfect flavor marriage, add a potato chip to the top.  This is magical!

Spain & The World Table - Anchovy & Pepper Bocadillos

In this recipe, adapted from the book Spain & The World Table (which I am working on for this section of Potential Gold), we will be continuing the work on Tapas.  The post below this is the starting point.

This post will be focusing on making an Anchovy and Pepper Bocadillo as well as the preparation of the anchovies for both posts.

Below - Limor is prepping the ingredients for a vinaigrette which will season this Anchovy & Pepper Bocadillo - NOT TO BE CONFUSED w/ the Anchovy & PISTO Bocadillo below.

Any fine vinaigrette will work.  Focus on the use of Sherry Vinegar and lemon juice as your acid.  You can see that there is a good amount of shallot and garlic in this particular vinaigrette.

Below you can see the ingredients needed for this Bocadillo (which I translated to toast point or crostini).

You will need some fire-roasted red peppers, fresh green peppers, a lot of chopped garlic and a bag of Lays Classic potato chips.

Mince the garlic and cut both peppers into strips.  

In a saute pan, add two to three tablespoons of good olive oil and start sauteing the garlic.  Add the roasted red peppers.  When an amazing aroma develops, remove the garlic and red peppers and add the green peppers to the now-seasoned oil.  Saute the green peppers until they have cooked down, reducing the heat of the pan so nothing burns.  Once cooked, remove the peppers from the pan into a bowl, saving the oil that the peppers were cooked with in the same bowl as the green peppers.

ANCHOVIES -

Below are the two types of anchovies I used for these Bocadillos.  Directly below are the salted anchovies and below that are the Boquerones.

For the salted anchovy, I just washed them gently in cold water and then let them sit in a bowl of half water and half sherry vinegar.

I purchased these Boquerones from Whole Foods Market but they are easy to make if you have your hands on fresh anchovy.  To make them, just clean the anchovy and fillet it.  Let the anchovy soak in half water and half white wine vinegar over night.  Remove the liquids the next day, taste a piece and if salt is needed (not always), add salt and cover with olive oil, fresh sliced garlic and fresh chopped parsley.

For these that I bought, I just rinse them and pat them dry.  I did sprinkle a touch of Sherry Vinegar on these as well.

Look for the post above this in the next few days for how all these yummy ingredients finally come together...

Spain & The World Table - Anchovy and Pisto Bocadillos

In this recipe, adapted from the book Spain & The World Table (which I am working on for this section of Potential Gold), we will be focusing on Tapas.  Two more posts will be part of this Tapas section...

Follow the pictures on this post for a simple and tasty treat!

We're going to make toast points with anchovie and sauteed vegetables which in Spain is called Pisto and resembles a small diced ratatouille - almost... 

Start by small dicing some zucchini, red and green bell pepper and onion.

 

Once your ingredients are ready, heat some good olive oil in a pan and start sauteeing the vegetables.  I add the onion first, followed by the peppers and finally the zucchini.  I did this on high heat to allow for good flavor development and some caramelization.

- Season to taste with salt & pepper

Once you taste that it is ready - take it off the heat and let it cool to room temperature or just warm.

Menu For Hope V

It's finally time to do another good deed – AGAIN!

This year’s Menu for Hope has begun and I was able to sneak in an another assortment of Fra' Mani Salumi as a prize for this year’s 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 UW15 - 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 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.

This is the real deal...two years ago I was the winner of the Manresa Dinner for two - which was AMAZING!  I decided to give back SO donate to a great cause and good luck!

To view the prizes - Check out the OFFICIAL PRIZE PAGE or see the Regional Hosts' Blogs below:

You can also browse prizes by region by visiting our regional host blogs

Europe *Including the UK*: Sara of Ms.Adventures in Italy

US: West Coast: Matt Armendariz of Matt Bites 

US: East Coast: Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen 

Canada: Meena Agarwal of Hooked on Heat

Asia Pacific, Australia, New Zealand: Ed Charles of Tomato

and, last but not least, our special Wine Blog Host: Alder of Vinography 

__________________________________________________________________________________

To Donate and Enter the Menu for Hope Raffle Here's what you need to do:

1. Choose a prize or prizes of your choice from the Menu for Hope selection which you can find at Chez Pim and the other sites listed above.

2. Go to the donation site at Firstgiving and make a donation.

3.  Please specify which prize you'd like in the 'Personal Message' section in the donation form when confirming your donation. You must write-in how many tickets per prize, and please use the prize code.  Each $10 you donate will give you one raffle ticket toward a prize of your choice.  For example, a donation of $50 can be 2 tickets for EU01 and 3 tickets for EU02 - 2xEU01, 3xEU02.

4. If your company matches your charity donation, please check the box and fill in the information so we could claim the corporate match.

5. Please check the box to allow us to see your email address so that we can contact you in case you win. Your email address will not be shared with anyone.

Check back on Chez Pim on Monday January 12 for the results of the raffle. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IMPORTANT: Please use the following convention when specifying your prize choices  

"number of tickets" x "prize code"

for example: 3xUE01, 2xAP06

Lemongrass Thai Restaurant - Tarzana

Welcome to Lemongrass - I Loved The Flower On The Tip Of My Straw...

Crispy Fried Springrolls - Just OK - Great Dipping Sauce

Soup - My Father's FAVE - Tom Yum something - He Asks For It The Way He Gets It In Thailand
 It's Good

Step by Step - Fresh Pasta

Flour - Farina di Grano Tenero tipo 00

Scale it out - 200 Grams

Yogen Fruz - Tarzana

So it opened a few weeks ago.  It's cool.  The yogurt is okay and after sushi...well, actually I can't say what it's like after sushi since every time I leave Kushiyu I am stuffed with no room for anything, especially yogurt.

The yogurt here is made elsewhere and delivered in small packages.  It's pretty simple for any monkey to whip up some Yogen Fruz...

1. Grab a bar of yogurt.  Make sure the size and color of the packaging is what the customer ordered.

2. Open package and place yogurt in machine.  Add toppings/fruit and turn machine on.  (while the machine works, it basically mixes the yogurt and topping/fruit around itself, blending the ingredients together (as seen at Humphrey Yogart in Sherman Oaks)).

3. Add yogurt back into cup and add spoon - give to customer.  Customer pays and eats.

Easy!

Mastro's Steakhouse - Beverly Hills

I finally made it to another steakhouse.  This opportunity was a gift from a family friend for our recent engagement.  Fun...

Our friend ordered wine and an appetizer and we chose our protein of choice.  Limor ordered the petite filet and I had the bone-in rib eye.

Our appetizer was a shrimp cocktail which was incredible.  These shrimp were so large that it was more like biting on lobster tail.  I highly recommend this as an appetizer as it's not everyday you stumble across these huge creatures.

The presentation of the shrimp rocked - as the plate approached our table, some water was poured into the bowl holding dry ice, which oozed CO2 across our table - cool!

Our meat was next up, along with our second bottle of Franciscan Cabernet Sauvignon.

Our side dishes were sauteed spinach and sauteed mushrooms.  Both were nothing special - just run-of-the-house side dishes as expected of any steakhouse these days.

Some Notes:

Tunisian Tomato "Salsa"

The smell of this dish brings me straight back to my childhood.  At first sniff, I recall fun summers in the small neighborhood of Malcha, in the city of Jerusalem.  I remember my mom and her sisters making a feast of fried fish and 'chips'.

This tomato sauce was always there.  With the 'black' bread to soak up all the flavors, my favorite part was eating the crispy fish skin.  Dredged in flour and fried, the white flesh of the fish was always tasty and sweet.

For the sauce:

• Vegetable Oil for the pan
• Onion - 1 Cup
• Garlic - 1 Tablespoon, minced
• Tomato Paste - 1 Can
• Crushed Tomato - 2 Large Cans (not #10 large, just large)

Method:

In your pan, start by heating oil and sauteing the onion (don't be cheap on the oil...this is a rustic sauce!).  Once off to a good start and almost cooked through, add the garlic.  At this point, pay special attention to the garlic.  At first sign of color, add the can of tomato paste. 

The Technology of Today

Isn't it wild...imagining for a moment what life would be like without today's techy gadgets!?!

How has technology changed the way you live?  Just the other day I was corresponding with co-workers overseas in real time on my Blackberry.  My friends in Italy share text messages with me and my brother and I chat in real time through our laptops and the web.  Crazy!  Ten years ago we had pagers and knew how to spell out "Goodmorning" (600017704171176) and "I love you" (143).  These days I BBM without looking at the keys to my phone...

I'm still longing for that cell phone that can replace my office and I'm sure it’s on the way! 

How does technology affect your everyday life?  What about technology and the kitchen?

Light Dinner

Cheeses, Sardines and Dolmas...

Often you get home and just want to chill...  After a long day, you go into the fridge and open up an easy to drink Heineken Light and kick back and relax.

In the fridge I had some cheese, Smoked Sardines and Stuffed Greek Grape Leaves.  With a few crackers we had a meal!

My Boos Block

I finally got my Boos Block.  I was working on a custom design for a while and had a friend lined up with the right skills to do it but the idea never made it through to production.

I wanted a large end grain block that was three inches thick by about eighteen inches wide by thirty inches long.  From my research, I understood that end grain blocks help against bacteria and just from common sense seem much stronger to the typical layout of a cutting board.

One day we were traveling through a Sur la Table near or in Glendale and there was a nice size Boos Block up for grabs.  It was $110 and well within my budget so I decided to get it.  So far, I've been very happy with it.  It's not end grain but it does the job at well below half of what I was willing to spend.

I think that after a good knife, the next most important thing in the kitchen is where to use that knife.  After a good rub down with a natural bees wax sealer paired with mineral oil, my board was ready to use.

LA On Fire...

Go

HERE (Flickr Page)

to see pictures of the fires burning through the North-Western part of the San Fernando Valley.

The pics start off early AM on my drive to work with a view from the street as well as the fwy.

I get to work and then jump onto the roof to get a glimpse at all the airpower they brought in for this thing.

Early in the AM on the way to work there were the twin SuperScoopers flying around but the wind got too high for them the rest of the day.

I hope tomorrow is a better day.

Enjoy the pics.

Foodbuzz Publisher Community Launches

I've been a part of Foodbuzz for a while now and I'm glad they're finally public!  This company really cares about its bloggers.  Check out the official press release below...

LAUNCH OF GLOBAL FOODBUZZ BLOGGER COMMUNITY 
LEVERAGES REAL-PEOPLE, REAL-TIME POWER OF FOOD PUBLISHING   

San Francisco – October 13, 2008:   Foodbuzz, Inc., officially inaugurates its food blogger community with more than 1,000 blog partners, a global food blogging event and an online platform that captures the real-people, real-time power of food publishing in every corner of the world.  At launch, the Foodbuzz community ranks as one of the top-10 Internet destinations for food and dining (Quantcast), with bloggers based in 45 countries and 863 cities serving up daily food content.  

“Food bloggers are at the forefront of reality publishing and the dramatic growth of new media has redefined how food enthusiasts access tasty content,” said Doug Collister, Executive Vice President of Foodbuzz, Inc.  “Food bloggers are the new breed of local food experts and at any minute of the day, Foodbuzz is there to help capture the immediacy of their hands-on experiences, be it a memorable restaurant meal, a trip to the farmers market, or a special home-cooked meal.”    

Foodbuzz is the only online community with content created exclusively by food bloggers and rated by foodies. The site offers more than 20,000 pieces of new food and dining content weekly, including recipes, photos, blog posts, videos and restaurant reviews.   Members decide the “tastiness” of each piece of content by voting and “buzz” the most popular posts to the top of the daily menu of submissions.  Foodbuzz currently logs over 13 million monthly page views and over three million monthly unique visitors.      

“Our goal is to be the number-one online source of quality food and dining content by promoting the talent, enthusiasm and knowledge of food bloggers around the globe,” said Ben Dehan, founder and CEO of Foodbuzz, Inc.  

The Foodbuzz blogger community is growing at a rate of 40 percent per month driven by strong growth in existing partner blogs and the addition of over 100 new blogs per month.   “The Foodbuzz.com Web site is like the stock of a great soup.  The Web site provides the base or backbone for bloggers to interact as a community, contribute content, and have that content buzzed by their peers,” said Mr. Dehan.  

Global Blogging Event

Demonstrating the talent and scope of the Foodbuzz community, 24 Meals, 24 Hours, 24 Blogs offered online food enthusiasts an international, virtual street festival of food and diversity.  The new feature showcased blog posts from 24 Foodbuzz partner bloggers chronicling events occurring around the globe during a 24 hour period and included:
•    Mid-Autumn Festival Banquest (New York, NY)
•    The "Found on Foodbuzz" 24-Item Tasting Menu (San Francisco, CA)
•    Aussie BBQ Bonanza – Celebrating Diversity (Sydney, Australia)
•    The Four Corners of Carolina BBQ Road Trip (Charleston, SC)
•    Criminal Tastes – An Illegal Supper (Crested Butte, CO)
•    From Matambre to Empanadas: An Argentine Dinner (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
•    A Sweet Trompe l’oeil (Seattle, WA)

    “24 Meals, 24 Hours, 24 Blogs” captures the quality and unique local perspective of our food bloggers and shared it with the world,” said Ryan Stern, Director of the Foodbuzz Publisher Community.  “It illustrates exactly what the future of food publishing is all about – real food, experienced by real people, shared real-time.”

About Foodbuzz, Inc.

Based in San Francisco, Foodbuzz, Inc., launched its beta Web site, foodbuzz.com, in 2007.  In less than a year, Fooduzz.com and its community of over 1,000 exclusive partner food blogs have grown into an extended online property that reaches more than three million users.

Italy from Back in the Days

I've decided to add a new category to PotentialGold.  I am going to re-visit old posts that bring back fond memories - posts that I have forgotten about and am now rediscovering...

My experiences in Italy a few years back have been such a large part of my life and slowly, as I 'waste' my young years away, I enjoy reminiscing on those times.

The post below is the second post I ever posted on PotentialGold.  Damn, since then so much has changed.

My comments in RED are reactions to what I wrote then...

The other night I had a great meal at Trattoria dell’ Alba in Vho di Piadena (Cremona).  I dined with the FOH manager and his wife, as well as two ‘cameriere’ from Al Vedel.  Cremona - how many of you even know where that is?!?  one of the line cooks I worked with in Al Vedel was from Cremona - man did she get it bad..."Cremonesa di merda!"

This Trattoria is much more like the true Osteria.  One waiter, who knows everything about the restaurant (he happened to also be the owner) and its food/wine arrived at our table.  The menu was announced and our order was placed.  Hello - the menu was announced - how great is that...I'd love to have a place like that - what a perfect restaurant.

The antipasto was a table-wide variety of salumi with the addition of house made baby onions in vinegar, marinated artichokes, insalata russo and crispy polenta squares.

The antipasti were enjoyed with a bottle of Bellavista Franciacorta Gran Cuvee ’99.  Bellavista - maybe one of the greatest sparkling wine producers in the world!

Tri-Tip and Meritage

When you put it all together - this is what comes out!

Trader Joes Cooked Tri-Tip

Yes - it really is pre-cooked meat on my blog...

WHY?   Because sometimes I just don't want to think...JUST EAT!  (and its not all the bad, too)

Microwave for a few moments, let rest and slice thin.

So - the next time you're at the Traders, take a peak at some of the offerings of pre-cooked options.  I really like the shredded bbq chicken and I want to try the baby back ribs they have.

Napa Valley Meritage - Kirkland

Yes, it's from Costco!

I found these last four bottles at my local Costco a couple of weeks ago.  I thought it was interesting that there were only four left and that they were almost hidden out of view.

What's funny is that when we went to ring up that days purchases, these wouldn't scan so they gave them to me for about $10 each.

I found a good amount of info on the DF Flynt MW site which is who produces and bottles this wine (so says the label above.  GO HERE TO SEE THAT INFO...

Primo Cafe on Sunset Blvd.

A couple of nights ago we took our parents out to Primo on Sunset.  This cafe is the most European style cafe I have seen here in the states.  The food isn't great and is very far from anything European but the openness and the way the food was ordered was very much so Europe.

The chalkboard menu has what's available for food and a quick glance at the offerings through the glass windows will show you that as well.

We chose a random mixture of plates and tastings including chicken parmigian, a cheese pizza with mushrooms, a tuna sandwich, and a grilled vegetable salad.

YELLOW

Mom's Stuffed Cabbage

I remember growing up how much simpler this dish was (at least at my house).  When I was a kid, stuffed cabbage was just rice and sometimes meat, mixed with rice and rolled into blanched or even raw cabbage leaves, then simmered or braised in a tomato broth for a few hours.

These days, my mom tries to out-do herself and we start seeing really crazy variations on a classic.  On this last occurrence, my mom mixed in dried cherries, pine nuts and other dried fruit and nut combos and in my opinion it just didn't work out. 

Now, I'm not saying it was inedible or nasty, because it wasn't, I'm just saying that sometimes you just wanna have that memory come back and when you get excited, rush over and find dried fruits and nuts is something as simple as stuffed cabbage...

You know where that was going.  In the end, its mom and its always delicious.  Right!?!

Ravens Wood - 2005 Old Vine Zinfandel (Sonoma County)

For some reason, I was on this notion that super high alcohol values would yield the right wine for the night.  From past experiences I know that (depending on the producer) higher alcohol percentages usually tell me that the wine will be big and fruity with sweeter notes and fruitier tones - more alcohol, more sugar there was to produce it.  I'm no expert and I very well may be wrong about this whole thing but it's what I thought at the moment.

So I walked into the local Trader Joes and searched for the high alcohol bottles.  My highest numbers were all zinfandels.

I chose to walk out with the Ravens Wood primarily because of the way the bottle looked.  I was going to Friday night dinner and you have to admit the Ravens Wood does a good job on their bottle's design so I didn't feel bad walking in empty handed now and also, what I brought looks cool.  For a little less then $15, this Zin wasn't bad but it wasn't really great either.

Because of the high alcohol, the wine wouldn't cool down.  It was so hot from the alcohol that right away I decanted it so it could breathe more but that didn't really help either.

I tried a glass at the end of the night and it was still as hot as it was three hours earlier, when I opened the bottle.

Now, it's really not a bad bottle, but I expected more.  This for me is just another lesson that for quality, you have to pay $$$.

Omer's Mojito Magic

For my brother's 24th Birthday we celebrated by making a large batch of Mojito.  Well - for the true Mojitoists, this may be a bastardized version but it sure resembles a Mojito and tastes like one too.

To the bottom of the large jar we added about 6 limes and four lemons that were rinsed well.

Add some fresh mint - about 1/2 a bunch or so and start pounding with a wooden dowel or other too of choice.

Bossa Nova

One of our all time favorite restaurants in the LA area, Bossa Nova is a must try if you've never been.

 

Now - don't expect fine dining at this place but do know that until 4 AM they crank out delicious pizzas, pastas, sandwiches and Brazilian favorites.

Tonight we were at the Bossa Nova off of Pico Blvd. There is also one on Sunset Blvd. right next door to Falcon.  If you are local to the establishments, they offer a delivery service too.

I 

These little yummy morsels are resemble gougieres and are delicious - I think they're called "cheese bread" on the menu.

One of the tastiest treats was this delicious soft drink called Guarana Antarctica.  This one was a diet offering as that is all they had available and it was delicious.  Served with an orange slice, I could easily be a fan of this drink for a long, long time.  I wonder what kind of cocktails are made with this drink?

Honshu Sushi - Chatsworth, CA

There aren't many great lunch places in the Chatsworth area.  This sushi spot is close to work and isn't bad at all.  Going to sushi is always a treat for me because I know that I can't sit at the bar and leave without spending at least $25 for lunch (which is a lot).

This sushi combo plate was about $16 and came with all that you see here, along with one roll of my choice and a nice amount of edemame.  Now, if I stayed with that, I would leave with about an $18 or $19 check which isn't bad.  You'll see why it got more expensive when you keep reading...

Culatello Tasting at BLD

Friends from Italy brought over a Culatello for me.  Below are some shots of a dinner we had at BLD to celebrate the arrival of Culatello to Los Angeles!  I believe that Tad and Russell had a good time and I am looking forward to the next Culatello festival!

Along with Culatello, we had some salads and a nice fish tasting that night.  It was a lot of fun.

Random Photos in Los Angeles

These pictures were taken on Beverly Boulevard near BLD.

I think this place was an old car mechanic shop - what a perfect place for a cool outdoor eatery (except for the residential neighbors...)

Interesting how its stayed vacant for so long.  I'm sure someone is holding on to it for that right moment $$$$.

Spain & The World Table - Classic Sangria & White Sangria

My first real experience of Spanish sangria was at a bar in the Spanish island of Ibiza.  I remember my eyes jumping at the pitcher of blood-colored liquid love.

I now am trying to recall the taste of what I experienced in Ibiza to the Sangria I've made here, in Los Angeles.  I remember the Sangria being tannic from the red wine but I also remember it being very strong on the citrus peel notes - I remember blood oranges and apple - so roughly chopped up that there were seeds, pith and peel floating around as well (probably adding to the authenticity of the pitcher).

Sunshine Mountain Vineyard

My friend Cassie and her family started this winery a little while ago and I had the great opportunity to taste some of the fine wines they make.  The Cabernet Franc is just spectacular and I even was able to get a sneak peak of what's to come with some barrel tastings.

I doubt they will be going commercial with this product but if you ever see it, pick it up!

Metaxa

Friends of mine brought over this tasty bottle of Metaxa from their recent trip to Greece.  With many similarities to Brandy, this beverage is tasty both neat or on the rocks.

There are lots of interesting flavors in this bottle - some of which include the oak casks in which it is aged, rose petal, lavender, nutmeg, and other spices and herbs.

The amount of stars on the bottle represent how many years the Metaxa has been aged.  This bottle has five stars so it has been aged for five years. 

There are other varieties which include a three star version which is younger, winey and sweet.  A seven star, a twelve star, a sixteen star and a thirty star (grand reserve) also are available.

They say that Fidel Castro shared a glass of Metaxa with the inventor, Spyros Metaxas, onboard a ship to Cuba.  Good times!

Fried Chicken at BLD

Every Tuesday night at BLD in Los Angeles you can try some of the best Fried Chicken.  Mike and the rest of the chefs at BLD make one of the best Fried Chicken dinners I have ever had.  It will cost you about $25 for the meal + bev, tax and tip but it is WELL WORTH IT.

I can't say how long the special Tuesday Night fried chicken will last and I'm not sure if it's permanent, so try it while its still there.

Chilito Verde, Bakersfield, California

Coming home from the Lake Isabella area, we stopped for as bite to eat in Bakersfield.  We used the Audi navigation system to suggest a Mexican restaurant nearest to our destination.  El Chilito Verde is what came up first and that's where we went.

The chips at this place were pretty damn good.  They were thin and fried fresh for our visit with a good amount of salt.  N, one of the fellow diners at this lunch, loved drenching the chips in lime juice which made them soggy, yet amazing.

We ordered taquitos and jalapeño Poppers as starters.  The taquitos I don't recommend at all but the poppers were tasty.  Very deep fried and greasy, but homemade and not the typical frozen popper you normally see.

DMB - Live @ the Staples Center

L bought some tickets to see The Dave Matthew's Band last night at the Staples Center.

It was my first of his show and I was able to understand many more words then just listening to his albums.  It was unfortunate that the concert fell on the same day that a band member passed away.  Dave seemed to be in good company with his "family" on stage and the crowd loved the show (so did L).

Fun times!

"Hlalem" a Jewish/Tunisian Dish

For Jews, Tisha B'Av is a holiday in which prohibitions are usually observed.  My family and I are not very religious but one thing that has stuck around is that we don't eat meat around the three weeks prior to Tisha B'Av.

One dish that I can remember my grandmother making is called Hlalem.  This dish is my brother's favorite out of all the dishes my mother and her family makes.

The Hlalem is the chickpea and pasta stew that you see above, on the right side of the plate.

I remember my grandmother hand-rolling pieces of dough into a large strainer for a few days prior to making the Hlalem.  She'd sit out on the balcony, overlooking beautiful Malha, a suburb of Jerusalem.

When it was time, the chickpeas would soak, then the stew would magically come together. 

The closest western dish this resembles is refried beans with favas, chickpeas, and cavatelli.  Stew that for a couple of hours with the right spice combo and it will be very close to my family's version of Hlalem!

Recipe is available upon demand!

(clearly these are leftovers as there's a nice lamb chop on my plate and meat isn't eaten during the Tisha B'Av period)

Beef Tenderloin Butts at Lake Isabella

This becomes my job at all the social outings although R has shown some interest in learning the right way to peel the silverskin off of the tenderloin.  His skills are promising!

What do you eat on your camping trips?  And how many of your friends bring along air mattresses these days?!?!(is that still considered camping???)

How do you cool your watermelon?

When at the lake, do as lake people do:

Try not to let it escape - it will be cool in the center if you leave it in the water a couple of hours before you want to eat it...

Structural Steel...It's What I Do

So - many have wondered over the last few months what I have been up to.  After Fra' Mani and the wonderful time off (traveling) I have finally made the move back to Los Angeles.  I grew up only 10 minutes away from where I currently live and a lot of the time I am glad to be back in LaLa Land.

As for work - I am currently the Estimator and Project Manager for a steel fabrication company called Ironman, Inc.

This field is completely new to me and the learning curve has been tough and often times aggravating but the give from the food industry is nice.  What's crazy is that time passes by so quickly and I have been with Ironman for a year already.

I've been through four projects with them and below are some photos of one of the latest projects almost 100% complete.

This is the Moorpark College Academic Center

Some more pictures are in the continuation of this post.

Structural Steel is a great trade to be in. 

With steel being in such a fluctuating market these days, I'm always on top of price changes and fluctuations and I am always trying to get my projects done in the quickest and most streamlined manner.

It's a fun game to be playing and I'm glad it's what I do...FOR NOW!

Spain and The World Table

In the next few couple of weeks months, I will be posting about my experiences cooking through the book Spain and The World Table.  This fantastic book is full of beautiful photographs and recipes that will get you cooking Spanish quickly.

Spain and The World Table

My plan is to go through almost all of the recipes.  At first I thought to go from the front to the back but that means that one night we'll be enjoying many types of tapas and one night we'll be stuffed with many varieties of paella.

Since then, I have changed my view and the plan is to go through the book at my own pace.  I won't be cooking any pork recipes at my house but I do hope to get to those recipes too.  For all those disappointed with that, Jamon Serrano, Jamon Iberico and the beloved Pata Negra do not count as pork to me, so those should get on Potential Gold sooner or later (also some chorizo).

Stay tuned and keep a look out for the Spain & The World Table link on the right to jump straight to those posts.