Michael Chiarello and Dark Chocolate Shortbread with Sea Salt

Today I had the pleasure of interviewing chef and entrepreneur Michael Chiarello for a magazine. He was totally gracious, articulate and kind. I did the interview in the back room of his new NapaStyle store in Pasadena, and did the photo shoot inside the store. Oh, one thing I can reveal since it won't be in the story is that, for Thanksgiving, Michael hosted 40 people for dinner at his place, and Billy Joel was one of his guests - how cool is that??

I wanted to make something to take to Michael, but there's always that fear of making something for a renown chef. So I put a lot of thought into it and decided on chocolate shortbread cookies with cocoa nibs and sea salt, since Michael is well-known for his love of natural salts (he has his own line, which includes the gray salt he uses for everything!).

The cookies are not too sweet. Though I used regular cocoa powder in the recipe, the flavor is very much like dark chocolate. The unsweetened cocoa nibs give them a great texture, and the salt adds the perfect balance of flavor.

Though he didn't try them while I was there (didn't expect him to), hopefully he'll like these cookies as much as I do. I think they go great with coffee or a rich red wine or port, so give them a try for your next get-together or to give away as a gift for the holidays! To see the recipe, go here (scroll down once on the page to see the recipe).

Brussel Sprouts from Heaven

Yes, I realize many of you are thinking, "Ewwww, brussel sprouts?!" But I beg you to hear me out: These are the best, most succulent brussel sprouts you've ever had. My best friend Tawny reminded me of how fabulous garlic, brussel sprouts and good balsamic vinegar are together when she made this as a side dish for her family's Thanksgiving feast. So last night, I whipped up a batch for my dinner.

Simply saute some chopped garlic in olive oil for a few minutes, add brussel sprouts (trimmed and cut into halves) and let cook for 10-15 minutes on medium-high heat (the sprouts will begin to caramelize). Throw in a few splashes of chicken or veggie stock and put a lid on it, allowing the sprouts to steam for another 10 minutes or until the stock evaporates and the sprouts are tender but not mushy. Turn off the heat, and drizzle GOOD balsamic vinegar over the sprouts. Serve immediately, and get ready for sheer bliss. I had mine with a salmon steak and some sauteed cauliflower. YUM.

Say Hello to My Little Friend

Look what I found in my package of Earthbound Farms Organic Spring Mix. A chunky little worm, still alive, though a little slow thanks to being in my refrigerator for a good few days. I took him outside and as soon as he felt the sun he squirmed, as if saying, "Ack!! Too much heat!" so I put him on a shady tree on the patio and wished him well.

On a completely unrelated note: I've just started writing for Pasadena Magazine (you can get it at any bookstore in the greater Los Angeles area). For the January issue out in mid-December), I interviewed Emeril Lagasse about his involvement in next year's Rose Parade. But what I am really excited about is that I'm interviewing Michael Chiarello this week for a feature that comes out in March. I have always been a huge fan of his receipes (they always turn out great) and love his new NapaStyle store here in Pasadena. Stay tuned!

Thanksgiving Feast at the Folks'

This year we had Thanksgiving at my parent's house, and it was fabulous. My sister, her husband, our friends Kayo and Mika, and I showed up with empty stomachs (well, Kayo had "pancakes and a sandwich" for lunch, but she's got a hollow leg so no matter) and were ready to feast. And what a feast it was! My sister and I clearly learned from the best!

We started off with my dad's sea urchin mousse with thinly sliced Japanese cucumbers and a yuzu dressing. Refreshing, light and the perfect way to start off Thanksgiving dinner.

My mom made her favorite watercress salad with Asian pears and champagne dressing. I love the peppery flavor of watercress.

This year my parents opted for canned cranberry sauce, which is fine considering we never eat much of the cranberries anyway.

Behold the lovely turkey, stuffed with a traditional Italian sausage bread stuffing! It was tender and juicy and perfectly cooked. And there's nothing like that crusty top from the stuffing sticking out of the bird.

We always have corn with our Thanksgiving meal. I love this white corn: sweet, crisp and delicious.

Another family tradition: oyster bread stuffing. This is absolutely the best stuffing in the world as far as I am concerned. Bread, butter, fat oysters, a little seasoning and some Panko breadcrumbs on top. FABULOUS.

Straight-up mashed potatoes. I really like the density of real mashed potatoes (as opposed to purees, which can be too watery or too doughy).

Here's a photo of my plate with everything, including my dad's homemade gravy with giblets.

My parent's pumpkin pie is not too sweet, which is the way our family generally likes desserts. It's light, creamy and really hits the spot!

Here's my slice, topped with sour cream (my parents mix a little sugar with sour cream - try it sometime, it's great on pumpkin pie).

San Francisco Eats

I went to San Francisco this past weekend for a quick visit to one of my favorite cities in the world. I lived in the city for 8 years, and go back whenever I get a chance. There's just something about San Francisco that has always felt like home to me; I feel an instant click whenever I am there. The people, the weather, the politics...it's just more me than Los Angeles will ever be.

All that said, the cuisine is a major reason why I love SF. But this time around, I was plagued with bad luck when it came to the food. The only photo I took was of the best dish I had - the famed chilaquiles at the Primavera booth at the Ferry Building Farmer's Market (the booth is only there on Saturdays and they don't always have the chilaquiles, so I got VERY lucky!). This breakfast is absolutely, completely and totally the best breakfast in town or in the state of California or, dare I say it, the world. You've got a mix of crispy fried tortilla chips tossed with a spicy red sauce and chorizo, topped with Mexican crema, cojita cheese, chunks of avocado and chopped onions. It's served with soft scrambled eggs and savory black beans. Yes, it's a lot of food, but you will eat every last bite because it's THAT good. Besides, after I ate my chilaquiles, I went on a 7 mile walk and didn't eat again until dinnertime. It'll fuel you for the whole day.

Other good food I had in SF on this trip: The cream puff at Beard Papa's (first time I've ever tried). The turkey hash with poached eggs at Universal Cafe. The amazing burger at the Slow Club. Unfortunately, I didn't take photos of these because I either forgot, or have featured the same meals on this blog before. Oh, one other notable: Claire's Squares at the Ferry Building Farmer's Market (as recommended by Becks & Posh). Fantastic.

But on to the mediocrity that seemed to plague this trip:

• Piperade, the Basque tapas restaurant that came highly recommended by numerous foodie friends and the every food magazine/website/guidebook. Their signature dish, the piperade, is simply stewed onions and bell peppers topped with a poached egg and a few slivers of serrano ham. It tasted OK, but this is their signature dish? The crab salad was bland and didn't have any acidic balance, and their pork was overcooked and tough. My friend thoroughly enjoyed her halibut in brown butter/hazelnut sauce, which was absolutely delectable, and we all liked our sides of machengo cheese potato gratin, but for the price and with all the hype, I expected a lot more. Oh, and the service left much to be desired. Our waiter was rude, unfriendly and inattentive.

• Americano, the restaurant at the Hotel Vitale, where we stayed. I booked a 10:30 a.m. breakfast for me and a few of my best girlfriends. When we showed up a few minutes late, we noticed the waitstaff was busy breaking down all the tables and cleaning up the place. We stood there, waiting for someone to notice us, and when they did not, I walked over and asked the manager about our table. "Oh, it's after 10:30 now and we stop serving after 10:30." I asked why, then, they take 10:30 a.m. reservations, and he said that this was the last seating of the morning. The thing I don't get is that if a restaurant is going to start breaking down tables at 10:31 a.m., why book a 10:30 a.m. reservation? As if we want to sit there amidst all the chaos of table-clearing, dish clanking and vacuums running? We left without eating and went to the Fairmont Hotel instead, where we had a good but average crab cake and Cesar Salad lunch.

• Citizen Cake, the place I always go to for the best almond croissants ever made. We poked our heads into this Hayes Valley institution, only to realize they had split up the restaurant into two parts: The bakery, which was very small and featured only pastries, cookies and cupcakes (no sign of their fabulous cakes and bigger baked goods) and 3-4 small tables; then the restaurant, which served lunch and dinner. What a bummer. The restaurant, with newly dark painted walls and a bar where the fabulous bakery counter used to be, looks depressing and small. The cafe is way too small and looks more like the average coffee shop than the destination place for Elizabeth Falkner's famed baked goods. The old restaurant, which combined both the bakery and the main dining room in one space, was light and airy and open, and allowed patrons to see the bakers actually making the cakes and pastries. They were also out of almond croissants, so we walked down to La Boulangerie and had a very good almond croissant down there. I think that's going to be my new cafe stop in Hayes Valley.

• The Slanted Door, a place I've been wanting to try for a very long time. What a complete and utter disappointment. We ordered their shaking beef, which everyone insists is the best dish there, and it was basic and mediocre. There were about 7 small chunks of beef, half of which were overcooked, some onions and spices - for $26.00. The "spicy" cauliflower and "spicy" Japanese eggplant had no heat at all, though the eggplant had good flavor. We did enjoy the hoison pork ribs and the egg rolls, and the drinks were tasty; unfortunately, the bar staff "lost" our drink orders twice and we went 45 minutes without any drinks while we ate dinner. The manager apologized and comped two of our drinks, and gave us a free dessert, but overall it was a very disappointing experience.

I think where I went wrong on this trip is that instead of researching out some of the lesser known places, I opted to go to everyone's favorites. In the past, I've gone to old favorites like Il Borgo in Hayes Valley or just scoped out the neighborhoods instead of reading up on what's hot.

I'll be back for New Year's Eve, so hopefully I'll have better luck next time!

QuickTake: My Favorite Weekday Breakfast

I'm big on breakfast. Though I have never been officially diagnosed with hypoglycemia, I definitely get that shaky, tired and dizzy feeling if I go too long without eating - especially in the morning. So I always eat breakfast within 30-40 minutes of waking up, and this is a good example of my typical weekday first-meal. It's sprouted grain toast, two slices of thinly sliced turkey lunch meat, sauteed baby spinach (water squeezed out after cooking) and an over-easy egg. Talk about starting the day off right!

QuickTake: Opah Pita Pockets

I cooked up some Opah last night, and had some leftovers, so I made some Opah pita pocket sandwiches for lunch today (sprouted wheat pita, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, hummus, salt & pepper). Opah is a very tender and lovely fish that is available at better grocery stores like How's and Whole Foods. It's got a high fat content, like salmon, but milder in flavor. Anyway, it was a good lunch.

I've Died and Gone to Whole Foods!

Today I went to the grand opening of the new 77,000+ square foot Whole Foods on Arroyo Parkway in Pasadena. Though a million other people decided to go around the same time I did, it's really hard to make 77,000 square feet of space feel crowded so it wasn't that bad (the parking lot, however, was full).

The first thing you notice about this place is its the absolute wealth of culinary offerings. I think I actually gasped out loud when I first walked in...it's just so...so...awesome. So, without further ado, here is my mega Whole Foods experience:

Since it was lunch time and I was famished, I decided to get some food from one of their overwhelming collection of food "booths" (more like little restaurant islands, really). I opted for the combo plate from their Mediterranean booth - hummus, chicken skewers, salad and Lavash bread. Very good. Fueled up and ready for my walk around this massive store, I headed off with camera in hand:

I couldn't really do their wine selection justice since I don't have a camera capable of taking panoramic photos. But just check out what I did manage to capture. It's a wine lover's haven, let me tell you. Wines from California, France, Italy, Chile, Spain, etc. etc - the list goes on and on.

Perfect, clean, beautiful, colorful vegetables and fruits fill their GINORMOUS produce section. I imagine you could find just about any vegetable in existence here at WF. Just in this shot alone (which captures about 1/10th of the produce section) we've got Japanese and Italian eggplants, as well as bitter melon and three kinds of zucchini and peppers.

This is the much-anticipated wine and tapas bar. It's small, but actually really nice. "Inside" (meaning a section separated from the store by shelves of wine) the place you'll find bar seating as well as a couple of couches and cozy chairs and coffee tables. I didn't want to take a photo since there were people occupying those cozy chairs and I wasn't in a paparazzo mood. I noticed people had little plates of cheese and smoked meats with their glasses of wine. I can't wait to try it.

The sushi booth offers fresh, hand cut sushi and sashimi as well as pre-packaged sushi if you're on the run. They even have a nice, marble counter top/bar where you can sit and enjoy your food. And from the looks of it, most of the people behind the counter are Japanese (I heard them speaking Japanese and yes, I know, not all Asian people look the same - bah).

This is a selection of fancy meat. Check out that strange beef/cheese/asparagus roll up there on the top left. Pretty, though not really that practical in my book. Still, the array of specialty prepared-but-raw meat is quite impressive. Great for dinner parties or last-minute gatherings.

The cosmetic/vitamin section of this Whole Foods is HUGE. It takes up about 1/4 of the first floor (did I mention this is a two-story Whole Foods with an escalator and everything?). Here's a shot of their bulk soaps. Not bad at $1.29 an ounce, and probably the cheapest thing in the entire store.

Sausages!!! These are all fresh made and look absolutely divine. They have everything from chicken to beef to pork, with all kinds of flavors. Vegetarians: Look away!

These sandwich-makin' dudes were hard at work creating all kinds of filling and tempting sandies. I saw caramelized onions, roasted turkey, smoked mozzarella and all kinds of other ingredients for the perfect sandwich. BTW, all the gourmet food stands are upstairs, and with so many to choose from, it's really tough to decide what to get. Going to this Whole Foods on an empty stomach might not be such a great idea.

Along with their wide selection of wines, this Whole Foods has a ton of great sakes as well. This is just one of two, large shelves of sake. I really need a panoramic camera...

Next to the Mediterranean place is the wood-fired pizza booth. There's actually a wood fire pit that cooks up these long and luscious pizzas in just minutes. See what I mean about having to decide what you want to eat for lunch? It's like going through a 20-page menu, but it's all animated and alive and tempting you right in front of your face. Torture!

Oooooooooh, pastries, how I love thee. Whole Foods actually knows how to make good crossaints (crispy on the outside, tender on the inside) so I imagine they know what they're doing with all the other bready concoctions you see here. They certainly LOOK great.

I think this is my favorite part of the new Whole Foods. HOT NUTS. Yup, you heard right. This booth has about 30 different kinds of nuts - spiced, candied, maple, garlic - and they are served hot. I sampled some cinnamon candied pecans and they were warm and lovely and I really did go into a state of hypnotic nutty bliss for a few seconds eating them.

My brother-in-law would love this section: fresh cut fruit in ready-to-go containers. Now I realize that all Whole Foods has this, but there is way more selection at this one. Blueberries, mangos, pineapples, strawberries, watermelon, honeydew...

This fresh whole fish section is about 3 times the size of the one at the Whole Foods I normally go to. Check out the size of some of these...amazing. And of course they'll gut, scale and fillet anything you want.

OK, this is just too much: A dessert bar, where you can load up for a mere $7.40 per pound. Not cheap, but really - how much rice pudding, carrot cake, chocolate cake, apple cobbler, bread pudding and warm brownies can one eat? Wait, don't answer that.

As if the all-you-can-eat dessert bar wasn't enough, this Whole Foods also has a gourmet chocolate shop complete with a huge chocolate fountain (not pictured) and homemade truffles. I'm getting a toothache just looking at this photo.

This is my favorite section of the new Whole Foods (and if I've already said that about another section, I changed my mind just now). Look at all this glorious cheese! Sheep, cow, goat; bleu, Stilton, Gorgonzola; soft, medium, hard - it's all there, just waiting to be eaten. Today's free samples included a wonderful roasted garlic butter (yes, butter!) and an amazing Stilton laced with walnuts and honey.

More sweets! The Whole Foods bakery has fresh-baked cakes, cupcakes, cookies, brownies and whatever else your little heart desires. They also have a wide array of gluten-free goodies in the refrigerator case. Speaking of gluten-free, I noticed that in many sections of the store, there are special subsections specifically for gluten-free foods.

Look how pretty these brand-spankin' new bulk bins look. It's actually overwhelming trying to go through all of these...just...too...many...choices.

And last but not least, my second favorite section - the fresh baked bread. I could stand here all day and inhale the scent of warm, yeasty bread.

All in all, I am thrilled beyond belief that I live only blocks away from this dreamland o' food goodness. Though I won't be buying all my groceries here (they don't call it "Whole Paycheck" for nothin'), I will definitely come here for my specialty foods and the occasional lunch/dinner. I think it's a great addition to Pasadena, and judging from the number of employees I saw today (including a ton of hot guys - you heard it here first!), I'm guessing this Whole Foods has brought a fair number of jobs to the area.

Sunday Cooking: Clean Food

I try to eat "clean" food as much as possible. By "clean," I mean food close to its natural form, like a baked potato instead of french fries, or sprouted wheat bread instead of focaccia. Granted, I do eat out a lot and of course I splurge (as you've witnessed many times in this blog), but when I cook for myself during the week I try to stick to the healthy stuff.

Tonight I grilled some tuna steaks (seasoned with Michael Chiarello's Sundried Tomato Gray Salt), roasted some asparagus (seasoned with sea salt, cracked black pepper and olive oil) and cooked up a caramelized red onion, basil and tomato relish to top the tuna steaks with. Simple, basic and clean. Oh, and delicious!

QuickTake: Monday Night Dinner

Since my sister and her huz had to have their house fumigated, they came to stay with me for a couple of days. It was actually nice to cook dinner for more than one [insert music from sad, tiny violin here]. So I whipped up some teriyaki salmon, warm potato salad and sauteed sugar snap peas with red peppers. We all sat at the coffee table, ate our dinner and watched Monday Night Football. No, I don't typically watch sports but my bro-in-law wanted to and there was nothing else on anyway...actually turned out to be a great game (Denver vs. Green Bay).

The warm potato salad is easy: cooked potatoes, a bit of rice wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, shallots, parsley, salt and pepper. NO MAYO. You can really use as much or little of each ingredient to get the flavor you want, but the key is to add the wet ingredients in when the potatoes are still warm. Serve it warm or room temperature. The teriyaki salmon? Also a breeze: soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger, scallions and a drop of sesame oil and you've got your marinade. Let the fish marinate for at least two hours, then cook in the oven (I do mine at 425 degrees for 15 minutes for a medium to medium-rare salmon - use good, fresh salmon only!).

Bon appetite!