Roberta

This is a post that is somewhat food-related. Obviously, it is not my usual type of post, but I thought Roberta deserved a post of her own.

Many years ago, after a fantastic lunch at L’Ambroisie, located at the Place des Vosges in Paris, we decided to explore the area.

Place des Vosges – gorgeous – yes

Well, we wandered into Modus Art Gallery at 23 place des vosges and we were captivated by the The Mobile Sculptures of Vincent Magni.

http://www.galerie-modus.com/magnisc.html

As this was many years ago and the exchange rate wasn’t punishing, we fell in love with Roberta, one of Vincent Magni’s mobile sculptures. We did buy her and had her shipped to our home. Last night, Los Angeles had heavy winds. Little did I know that with heavy winds, Roberta farts! I am not kidding she makes a sound that absolutely reproduces the exact sound of someone farting. It was an interesting dinner – perfect Flannery steaks, creamed corn, Ridge wine and Roberta farting.

 

Farmer’s Market

The Toyota Hybrid Farm to Table Tour concluded on Sunday October 25 starting at 9am. “Taking place at the Brentwood California Certified Farmers Market, Toyota created the Farm to Table Tour to highlight farmers markets around the country and the benefits they offer their communities, and to celebrate the food produced by each market’s farmers and vendors. Oh and to help promote their hybrid vehicles too, obviously.”

“During the event, in booths throughout the market, local chefs and farmers will be paired together for a day that highlights the Market’s offerings. The chefs will prepare special tastings showcasing their partner farm’s fresh ingredients and visitors will have the opportunity to sample the chefs’ creations while also learning more about the market vendors, their products, and how to buy and eat seasonally. The chefs will be serving up samples from 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.”

“The market is located one block west of Bundy at 741 S. Gretna Green Way. Test drive a Prius or Highlander Hybrid and take home a John Boos cutting board as a thank you gift.”

 

In any case we went. Didn’t test drive the Prius or Hybrid so no John Boos cuttting board. (The Steeler game started at 10 am so this was a very fast Farmer’s Market experience!)

 

 

Brentwood Farmer’s Market

 

 

Gorgeous persimmons, but very expensive. I will wait to get the persimmons from Santa Monica Farmer’s market and a very kind friend who has the sources and does the shopping for me  - see persimmon pudding recipe on the site 

Delicious corn

Nice apples

Cheese quiche from one of the chefs

Neil Frasier from Grace

The best dish was from Neil – risotto with glazed apple

 

Vegan Soft Taco – horrible

Great Harvest Bread Company 

More Great Harvest Bread at the Farmer’s Market

 

The pumpkin swirlbread is terrific

Site here:

http://www.realgoodbread.com/

 

We will go back to the Farmer’s Market for more of the great bread.

Bryan Flannery Steaks

I very rarely endorse a product and never do I get anything for free. I have been hearing about Bryan Flannery’s steaks and everyone who has had them has raved. Well, when he did his helluva a deal promotion, I couldn’t resist and ordered 8 New York Strips and 4 Rib Eyes. I must say my husband declared that the strip steak he had this morning (yes, it was 10 am and he couldn’t wait) was one of the finest steaks he has ever eaten.

Steak seasoned

On the grill

Ready to be eaten

 

Website here:

http://www.bryansfinefoods.com/

 

HelluvaDeal here:

http://www.bryansfinefoods.com/category.php?cats_id=26

Il Treno – Vernon

The only real place to eat in Vernon! Il Treno (The Train in Italian) is on the property of Peacock Cheese Gourmet food distributors. They bought two real honest-to-gosh Santa Fe train dining cars and built a patio around them to serve local businesses. Only open 5 work days for lunch but it’s amazing. This is truly one of those rare LA things and worth playing hookie for a trek to Vernon for the experience. Ironic that they are on Santa Fe Blvd.

comment from http://losangeles.menupages.com/restaurants/il-treno/

This comment reflects the feelings of the Refined Palate ROVING REPORTER exactly.  If business associates in Huntington Park did not bring me there I certainly would not have found Il Treno. It is a very good restaurant with a nice setting, simple service and high quality food…I don’t find many places to have home made spagetti and meat balls and lasagna…it is a treat.

Photos tell the story…well worth finding time to get there for a good, reasonable cost different lunch. 

 

 

 

 

Host/Manager

Rolls and Olive Oil with Fresh Garlic

Pounded Chicken Breast

 

Four Cheese Lasagna

Virgin America

Some first class airline food is terrific. A number of years ago we were first class on Thai airlines. We were served unlimited Beluga caviar plus Krug champagne and I do mean unlimited. This was while we were on the ground waiting for a part from Air France. After take-off more caviar and champagne, then appetizers, then dinner, then after dinner treats and then dessert.  Before tucking us in to our sleeper seats, they asked what we wanted for breakfast. My husband jokingly asked for softly scrambled eggs with beluga caviar. Well, they have a working kitchen on board and the next morning he was served freshly scrambled eggs with caviar.

Now to Virgin America.

I was on flight VX3367 from Boston to LAX leaving at 4:25 pm. We left at 4:25 Boston time, had to refuel in Vegas and didn’t arrive in LA until 12:00 am Boston time. I have no concerns regarding the fueling stop or the length of the flight – it couldn’t be helped. But I was a full paying first class passenger and the level of service on the Boston-LA flight was a disgrace.

1. Usually a flight attendant asks if you would like something to drink when you first board the plane – nothing. There were only 8 of us in first class and one flight attendant.

2. As soon as we were airborne, she came by with a basket of packaged pretzels and/or trail mix for us to snack on – this is first class?

3. After about 30 minutes of snacking, we were given our meal at about 5:40 pm – Boston time. From 6:15 pm to 12 am (Boston time), we were never offered one more bite of food – no cheese, no nothing, not even those pretzels.

Drago – Santa Monica

Drago is our neighborhood go to restaurant. We have known Celestino Drago for years and not only  has he aged very well over the years, but he is as gracious as ever.

Celestino

New amuse – tuna tartare on a potato crisp – good, but I do miss the Arancini

Grilled Santa Barbara prawns on caponata with basil oil, drops of balsamic, topped with crispy garlic strips- the prawns were head on and just meant for sucking every bit. The caponata was perfect and a great compliment to the prawns.

Risotto with sausage and Spaghetti Bottarga – cured tuna roe, garlic, bread crumbs, EVO- this is my husband’s favorite combination and Drago always does a split of the two.

Tortelloni filled with pumpkin, sage, butter and Parmesan cheese – October food and “homey” delicious.

BYO wine

A quick lunch that just hit the right notes.

White Truffles

The best white truffles I have ever tasted was in December at Sabatini restaurant in Hong Kong – yes, Hong Kong. I know it is the beginning of September, but I can dream of white truffles, even though truffle season is months away. But fall is in the air, so white truffle thoughts are starting to “dance in my head.”

The second best white truffles were at Per Se in New York and The French Laundry in Yountville. The worst white truffles were at Alex in the old Michel Richard’s Citrus space. Alex Scrimgeour was the chef. In any case we ordered a dish with a shaving of white truffles that had a very large supplement, almost $80 per person, if my memory is correct. There were exactly 2 small shavings of truffles, less than the beef carpaccio dish pictured below.

 

Carnaroli Risotto Biologico with White Truffles from Alba – Per Se

Russet potato gnocchi, roasted chestnuts, white truffle butter and shaved white truffles from Alba – French Laundry (no picture)

 

A year ago, I decided to splurge and order some white truffles for an at home truffle dinner. Of course, the quality was not even close to the ones served at Sabatini, Per Se or French Laundry and I wasn’t as generous with my shavings!

 

The truffles – OK quality

 

Beef Carpaccio with shaved white truffles – I did say I was skimpy on my shavings

 

Scrambled eggs with shaved white truffles and brioche – a bit more generous

 

Pasta with white truffles

 

Not exactly up to Sabatini’s, Per Se’s or French Laundry’s standards, but good.

Santa Monica Seafood

I have been going to this fish market for years. Recently, they opened a Cafe and it seemed like a good idea to sit at the Oyster Bar and have a quick bite with some good wine.

The BYO wine was terrific.

 

Oysters: Coromandel, Kumamoto, Sinku, Malpeque and Fanny Bay – they were freshly shucked – the best were the Kumamoto

 

New England Clam Chowder – absolutely horrid and inedible – tasted like tin. This should never have been served and if a cook tasted it, I have questions about the tasting ability of the cook. I was going to buy a quart to bring home – I wouldn’t have bought one teaspoonful. John complained and they did take this off the bill.

 

I asked our server if the calamari fritti was lightly battered as I was debating between that and another couple of dishes. I was assured that I would love the calamari – think heavy, zero flavor and a waste – two bites only was enough. Paid for this in full.

 

Vin Bar’s exquisite calamari – I hope the photo tells the story.

 

Instead of the soup, John ordered their lox with bagel, avocado, HB egg and cream/mayo dressing (???) Think absolutely soggy bagel, barely, if at all toasted, and no one in his/her right mind would want it, let alone eat it. I suggested that John deep-six the bagel and just eat the lox with the avocado and some of the dressing. Edible.

Santa Monica Seafood used to be one of my favorite fish markets. This is a joke – I used to look at whole pristine fish, carefully laid out on crushed ice and “talk” to the fishmongers about which fish would be best for a certain preparation. I was going to buy some fish, but one look at piles of prepared sliced fish, convinced me not to bother. Of course, the absolutely lousy lunch wasn’t exactly a major plus factor.

Bottom line:  I wouldn’t go back if they paid me. What a shame!

Ludo – Goodbye for now

I am astonished that Ludo is all of a sudden a “found” sensation by the food community of Los Angeles. He is NOT an overnight sensation. He has worked at his craft for years. I have enjoyed his food at L’Orangerie, absolutely adored his food at Bastide and loved how he was able to transform Breadbar into LudoBites under very trying circumstances. I only hope his new found fans will follow him wherever he goes. I know I have and will continue to do so.

In case you missed his Bastide retrospective, it is here:

http://lizziee.wordpress.com/category/southern-california/bastide-beverly-hills/

Caviar, Blinis, Krug

We celebrated our anniversary with a champagne and caviar tasting at home.

First up was making the blini batter:

Blini Batter after rising for 2 hours 

Blini Batter with Egg White added

 

Krug Champagne

3 kinds of caviar

 

Blini cooking

 

Blini plated with Caviar and Creme Fraiche

 

 I also decided to serve the caviar with toast points, HB egg whites, HB egg yolks and minced onions.

Toast point – half-eaten

 

 

RECIPE FOR BLINI BATTER

Martha Stewart’s Blinis

1 package of active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1 cup milk

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 eggs separated

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pinch of sugar

6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

 

Additional clarified butter for cooking

 

Proof the yeast in warm water and a pinch of sugar for 15 minutes

Put the yeast mixture, milk, flour, egg yolks, salt and melted butter in a blender or food processor. Blend at high speed for 40 seconds. Turn the machine off, scrape down the sides of the container, then blend for another few seconds. Pour the batter into a bowl that is large enough to accomodate the rising. Cover loosely and set in a warm place to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  Do not let the batter rise much longer or the blini will taste overfermented.

At cooking time, beat the egg whites until stiff.  Fold them into the batter.

Heat a heavy skillet or griddle. Brush with melted clarified butter. Drop batter by teaspooonfuls onto the hot griddle. Turn the blini when the first side is lightly browned and cook briefly on the second side.  I like to cook this to order at our bar.

 

The blini batter will hold overnight.

My husband’s breakfast.