The 100

Saveur just published their annual Saveur 100 issue. I truly look forward to this every year, and this time they actually collected recommendations from readers so each entry has a unique story with a unique voice. This format somehow feels very timely - readers from all over the country and the world bringing their local hidden treasures to light. I'm sure I will go through these 100 things, which are in no particular order and range from well-known chefs to rare books to simple recipes to eccentric food writers to heirloom utensils, 100 times, but right now this Turning Fork is my favorite entry and my new mission. Receiving this issue also reminds me of Gourmet's absence (they ceased publication after the November 2009 issue, at least they went out with a bang), alas.



Images via Saveur.com

Home for the holidays

Backtracking a little... I just returned from a really great trip home for the holidays. Doing things I can only do in LA is my first priority when I am there. So... I cooked at home with mom most nights, ate lunch at new and old restaurants all over the city, saw two museum shows, hiked Runyon Canyon, and just generally took it all in. I couldn't edit this down any more so here is something like a photo album of my trip - full of local LA treats and homemade goodness.

Lunch before anything else

Baja Buds (a place i frequented in high school, for good reason) was my first stop when I arrived in LA, a new tradition is born.

LA MOCA's Collection: MOCA's First Thirty Years features some amazing work. Three highlights for me were Ed Ruscha's Chocolate Room, Roy Lichtenstein's Meat painting, and Nan Goldin's The Ballad of Sexual Dependency (not pictured).


Ed Ruscha's Chocolate Room


Roy Lichtenstein Meat


Instead of your typical wall label, MOCA posted artist's quotes next to their works and I thought it was a stroke of genius. This was definitely one of my favorites.

Pigging out at Bottega Louie

A former Brooks Brothers store, renovated, bright, shiny, and tied with a bow!


Pizza Napoli


Lasagne bolognese with house-made sauce and pasta (10 layers)


The finale... Lemon tart and latte


Gorgeous macarons at the take-out counter

Christmas Morning

Blueberry pancakes with berry compote - it's really good to be home

Typical Breakfast

Satsuma tangerine wedges, blackberries, blueberries, and honey over greek yogurt

Another delicious lunch

It's what a hamburger's all about

Hiking Runyon Canyon then eating dim sum

Ale running ahead


View from the top


In the canyon


A very beautiful morning


Dim sum at Elite


Doesn't get cozier than Heather and Alex in their backyard

Venice

Front-lit palm trees in Venice


Back-lit palm trees in Venice


Lunch with Vern at Gjelina

Making Dinner

Prepping artichokes in the manner of Julia Child


A master at work, mom making chicken parmesan

Trip to Newport

Hill in the valley


Driving down the 405, sky of angels


Season's Greetings from sunny Newport Beach

Visiting The Hammer

A little bit of Brooklyn in LA - Rob Fischer's Hammer Projects installation

Back to NY

Loving Greenpoint on Day 1 of 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM NORTH BROOKLYN!

Greenpoint Coffee House turns over a new leaf

It's almost too good to be true. There is a new chef at Greenpoint Coffee House and I'm pretty crazy excited about it. The new menu is small, simple, thoughtful, with oft-changing seasonal specials, and even includes farm names for the grass-fed beef and artisinal cheeses. After a tiny bit of sleuthing, I discovered that the chef is Jonathan Meyer. He lives across the street and has cooked in the kitchens at Diner and Fatty Crab. The Coffee House has always had a place in my heart and now it has a serious place in my stomach! This is a recent lunch with Gareth - the corn beef up there in his reuben is house-made. And my mushroom quiche was a velvety delicious special. I've also tried the burger, the fried chicken, the chicken liver, and the special garganelli pasta with a sage and pistachio pesto and romanesco florets. So far nothing has disappointed.

Birthday Huevos

Deborah's birthday started with homemade huevos rancheros (after a brief shop at The Garden, of course). Marisa prepared the quesadillas; Deborah simmered the beans with onion and cumin; and I scrambled the Garden of Eve farm fresh eggs with some Milk Thistle milk. No better way to start the day! Wait until you see how we ended it...

Cozy Dinner

Deborah and Chris came over on Monday night for a cozy (and simple but delicious) dinner. I had some very special garlic sausage left over and looked to Marcella Hazan for inspiration. She really delivered. From Marcella's Italian Kitchen, we made her Ruote di Carro col Sugo di Salsicce, Passa e Pomodoro, or Cartwheels with Sausages, Cream, and Tomato. Hard to go wrong with this wonderful combination. I substituted cellentani for cartwheels.