Fit for Foodies

Saturday I spent most of the day working the Intermezzo magazine booth at the LA Wine Expo with the mag's senior editor Jessica, who lives in Austin, Texas. Also in town for the event was the magazine's publisher/editor, Roseann, who hails from Boston. Roseann did a cooking demo for the audience while Jessica and I talked with many drunk expo patrons about the magazine and whatever else they felt like discussing. So, after a long day of work, we ventured to the Intercontinental Hotel in Century City (where the ladies were staying) for a reward dinner and lots of food talk.

The Park Grill is a restaurant that I have, admittedly, never heard of. I don't venture out to Century City much, mainly because I don't really know that part of town. Besides the much-ballyhooed opening of Tom Colicchio's Craft restaurant, there hasn't been much foodie news from those parts.

Lucky for us, The Park Grill was a real find in this quiet stretch of the city. We started the meal with possibly one of the best amuse bouches I've ever had: an olive, anchovy and puffed pastry cigar. Yes, I said olives. Though I notoriously do not like olives, this cylinder of goodness was bursting with the briny flavor of anchovies and a hint of saltiness from the olives, but no real olive flavor (yay for me!). Both Roseann and I commented that we could have eaten a dozen of these wonderful little treats. I will have to try to replicate it for my next dinner party.

For appetizers, I got the mixed green salad which, on the menu was described to be in a "potato cup." I had envisioned a hollowed-out potato, much like ones used for stuffed potato skins, but this was an entirely different cup all together. The "cup" was made of thin strings of fried potato, and my salad was inside the cup. On the top was a beautiful curl of Parmesan cheese. It tasted as good as it looked. Jessica had the sushi, which was tuna wrapped in rice paper - a wise choice for a light appetizer. Roseann had the risotto with duck and a blood orange reduction. Both loved their choices.

For dinner, Roseann got the duck entree, mainly because it came with a side of turnips, a vegetable rare on most SoCal menus. The turnips were cut into the shape of fries, and stacked on top of each other to form a little turnip tower.

Jessica got the salmon, which sat atop a floor of asparagus and what I think was a puffed pastry disc. She remarked at how lovely her dish was, both to look at and to eat.

I chose the steak with curry butter and fries. The fries got the same tower treatment as the turnips, which was not only cute but made picking up the fries very easy (not that picking up fries is hard, but somehow this left less grease on my fingers). The steak was perfectly cooked, and the curry butter added a nice spice - though I used about 1/4 of the butter they gave me.

The service was excellent, and the atmosphere was very relaxed and soothing. Again, I would have never thought to come here before, especially since it is in a hotel, but after this experience, I may have to go back. For us three food-freaks, it was an excellent experience.

What I'm Eating

I'm addicted to wraps lately. I have been making all kinds, like chicken and avocado with greens, tomatoes, pickles and jalapenos. I use La Tortilla Factory Multigrain Soft Wraps, which have 12 grams of fiber per tortilla and have a great wheat-y taste. No, I am not getting any free tortillas or anything, I just really love these. They're nothing like those cardboard-tasting sprouted grain wraps; these actually taste good and are good for you!

On a completely different note: I'll be working the Intermezzo booth at the LA Wine Expo tomorrow - Saturday - (in downtown, at the convention center), so come on by if you're going!

Gym Gals' Dinner

This is probably going to sound obvious to many of you, but the key to eating healthy and sticking to a well-rounded menu is to cook healthy foods that you actually want. If all you're fixing is grilled chicken and a salad, day after boring day, you'll eventually reach for those potato chips and never look back. If healthful eating equals misery, there's really no point. Lucky for us, there are plenty of low-fat, high-fiber options that also taste great.

I had a couple of women from the gym over the other night, and my goal was to show them that you can have the best of both worlds. My go-to favorite is Mexican food, because it's comforting and full of flavor. Of course it can also be full of fat and grease. Not this Mexican meal.

I started off with a super easy, no-mayo cole slaw. Simply mix about 4 cups of shredded cabbage, carrots and cucumbers (or whatever vegetables you like) with a dressing of 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. It's light, quick and refreshing.

The side for this meal is one of my all-time favorites: pearl barley and pinto beans, Mexican style. Simply cook 1 cup of pearl barley according to package instructions. Set aside. In a large saute pan, cook 1 minced onion, 1/2 minced red bell pepper, 1 8-oz can of diced tomatoes, 1 small can of mild green chilies, 1 seeded and minced jalapeno (or less if you don't like heat), 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoons oregano, 3 tablespoons tomato paste and a few dashes of whatever hot sauce you like. Cook until the vegetables are softened, then add 1 can of pinto beans (drained and rinsed) and the cooked pearl barley. Add salt, pepper and one bunch of minced cilantro and cook for 10 minutes. It's hearty, spicy and low in fat and full of fiber. Top with a few slices of avocado or non-fat sour cream if you like.

For the main course, I made stuffed bell peppers. I mixed cooked ground turkey with sauteed onions, bell peppers, a can of Mexican tomato sauce and a packet of taco seasoning and stuffed it into yellow bell peppers. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. The gym gals were very happy with this healthy but uber flavorful and filling Mexican meal, and even took home leftovers (this kind of food actually tastes even better the next day!). I had one stuffed pepper left over, which I chopped up and put inside a whole wheat tortilla for lunch the next day. It made a fantastic, low-fat burrito!

MEME: The Omnivore's 100

How the Omnivore's 100 Works:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional: Post a comment at Very Good Taste, linking to your results.

My Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted Cream Tea
38. Vodka Jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects (Giant Water Bug, to be specific)
43. Phaal
44. Goat's milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth $120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini (NO - I hate olives!)
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost or brunost
75. Roadkill (we hit a deer in Arkansas; we didn't let it go to waste)
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang Souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom Yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. 3 Michelin Star Tasting Menu
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

Need Your Help: Wellington, New Zealand

I need to speak with someone who knows about the restaurant/food scene in Wellington, New Zealand. Bloggers, chefs, foodies, etc. Just have first-hand experience with dining out and eating in Wellington. Please contact me via my ABOUT ME page. Thanks in advance!!!

The Secret Lives of Supper Clubs

A while back I heard about an underground group called the Silverlake Supper Club and managed to get on its email list. Every couple of months, I received an email with a date and a dinner invitation, but never replied in time to make the cut. Finally, a few weeks ago, I happened to be sitting at my computer when the invitation arrived. I immediately hit "reply" and RSVPed for myself and a friend. A day later, I got the email: "Thanks to all of you for your speedy RSVPs for the dinner on 8/9. You beat everyone else to the punch!" SUCCESS!

The Silverlake Supper Club is organized by a food-loving woman who enjoys bringing strangers together for a home cooked meal. The attendees do not find out about the location until the day of the dinner, and are required to bring $60 and a bottle of wine to share. For Saturday's dinner, which had a vegetarian theme, the place was a gorgeous, Schindler-designed house up in the hills of Silverlake. We arrived to find a beautifully set table, a bartender pouring cocktails and wine and a group of foodies who, like us, were buzzing with excitement at the prospect of a fun evening.

The setting was spectacular, as was the view. The person who allowed the club to use his home for the dinner had only been to one other secret supper, and was impressed enough to offer his digs for this occasion. It was all very elegant; everyone was dressed nicely and brought good wine. The attendees were nice, intelligent and the conversation flowed along with the wine.

While we mingled with drinks in hand, a waitress came out with a plate of mushroom bruschetta. These were excellent: A soft brioche (I think) topped with a mixture of saucy mushrooms with a touch of sage. They were hearty and really showcased the fresh and woodsy flavor of the mushrooms. The platters kept coming out and we all got several of these delicious morsels.

The sit-down dinner started with a soup of black basil and I think artichokes? I can't recall, but this, too was very good. The hostess/cook explained that she is a believer in the Slow Food movement and pointed out that most of the ingredients used in this dinner are locally sourced, including what was in the soup. Delicious and eco-friendly!

The main meal was served family style and included these braised leeks with a hint of lemon and mustard seed...

...a cabbage, corn and bell pepper salad, which was lightly dressed with a hint of lemon and olive oil...

...a watermelon, olive and feta salad, artfully served in cored watermelons...

...and baked squash, which was stuffed with a cheesy, bread-crumby filling. I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed with the main courses. The cabbage salad was good, the squash had great flavor, but the leeks were just OK and the watermelon salad was my least favorite (but I don't like olives, so that might have a lot to do with it). While I think this was a good use of local ingredients, I think they could have been used in a more creative fashion. I'm a meat eater, but do not mind eating vegetarian as long as it's something more interesting than a series of salads.

But the incredible coconut cake dessert made up for the main courses - it was creamy and dense and so good that I actually had seconds (!!). I especially loved the fresh coconut on top, which is so much better than that sugar-coated coconut from the grocery store. I loved this cake.

Though some of the dishes were a bit lackluster, I think the point of the supper club is to bring people together to share in a fun evening and maybe even learn a thing or two about food. I think it's safe to say that everyone had a great time, including me, and that we all felt we got a good deal for the money. The hostess worked very hard to create this lovely evening, and I met a lot of cool people, like Noah (posing with the amazing cake!) and Ellen and Angela and Raif, among others. I am looking forward to the next supper!

For Stacy: Pearl Barley & Vegetable Salad

My friend Stacy recently went back to work after having her second child, and needless to say, she's finding it difficult to keep up with the kids, work and cooking healthy meals for herself and her family. I've been promising her some easy recipes, so I thought I'd start with one of my favorites.

Pearl barley is a whole grain that is still somewhat ignored by most home cooks. Maybe they think it requires a lot of attention, but it's actually very easy to make. I make all kinds of salads and sides with pearl barley, because with 8 grams of fiber per serving, it's much healthier than pasta or rice. Unlike rice, where you have to watch it constantly, you can cook pearl barely with extra water and drain it like pasta. I put one cup of barley into 4 cups of chicken broth or water, bring to a boil then simmer for 30-35 minutes or until al dente (which is the way I like it; you can cook it longer for softer barley). Simply drain it and set aside.

For this recipe, which I'll call "Barley Vegetable Salad," I chop up whatever vegetables I have handy. Today I had some cherry tomatoes, sweet onions, white corn and orange bell peppers. You can use any vegetable you'd throw in a salad: radishes, red onions, cucumbers, etc.

I then made a simple vinaigrette of Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, anchovy paste, olive oil and salt and pepper. You can make any vinaigrette you like, or use a store-bought one if you're short on time. Toss the pearl barley with the vegetables and vinaigrette, and let sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour. This is the type of salad that tastes even better the next day.

For a quick and healthy dinner, I had the Barley and Vegetable salad with some chicken sausage and an arugula and scallion salad. Stacy, I hope you'll try this and enjoy it as much as I did!

Hot Damn.

My sister and I recently ate our way through Ventura, and though I will have a complete story on our weekend of eating in an upcoming issue of Intermezzo, I had to share this with you. This is the Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcake with Cappuccino Ice Cream and Dulce de Leche Anglaise and Chocolate Sauce at Brooks Restaurant, and it is one of the best desserts I've ever had. The chocolate cake is actually quite light but very moist, but with a deep, dark chocolate flavor. It's drizzled with bittersweet chocolate and topped with crushed cocoa nibs. The cappuccino ice cream had the texture of ice milk, which I love, and the coffee flavor really brought out the heavenly chocolaty goodness of the cake. I don't usually do back flips for chocolate desserts, but this was incredible. I'll be dreaming of this for a very long time!