I am so grateful. And rather amazed to hear myself saying so. In a few weeks, I’ll no longer have a job or any known source of income – which is more than enough to make me wake up with a start many nights. My dear madre has conspired to see to it that I have a soft landing pad on my duff. Hopefully whatever fall there is won’t be too hard – or too long lasting. In the meantime, I keep tossing proverbial sticks in the fire and believe (though I can’t promise you I’ll say the same thing if you ask me in two days – especially at 2 a.m.) that one of them will light on fire – brilliantly – at just the right moment. Any minute now…

Namely to do work that is worthwhile in the company of good people; to be there for my kids; and to maintain this home, which is a gift unto itself.

In addition to applying willy nilly for jobs at places that range from banks and libraries to the Department of Epidemiology (just got the letter from the latter today, informing me they’d found someone more “suitable” and wishing me “luck” in my search – which feels akin to being handed a face mask at the beginning of an H1N1 outbreak), I am meditating on what I want:  namely to do work that is worthwhile in the company of good people; to be there for my kids; and to maintain this home, which is a gift unto itself. I am more sure that I want to teach again – but something new, something with a spin. Writing through grief? Yoga for teens? How to have a good divorce ? … There’s something out there that I’m supposed to be sharing more actively, and I’m excited – albeit a bit terrified – to pull it out of my velvet top hat.

Tobey and Bella on the Gulf of Mexico - the sweet life.

As I wait for this year 2010 to arrive, an inexorable wave that is just out of reach, I sit here, tea cup in hand, and smile with pleasure for the many beautiful moments that shine brighter in my memory than any of the dark places of 2009. I can be dark – yes, I have my moments – but Lexapro free as I am of late, I amaze myself at my ability to see plenty of light. For this, I credit the moments that have provided me with grounding –  like the two times I visited  the ocean this year. I’m thankful that at 43 I am no less enthralled by the power of water. The Atlantic — well, really the Gulf of Mexico — provided the most LOVELY day of all 365. Just one day. Perhaps seven hours, when you come right down to it. At a friend’s beach house with my mom and my kids. They dug for sand crabs and carved out  moats, while I read Peter Mayle’s fluffy but totally pleasurable Hotel Pastis cover to cover. Wow. Talk about gratification.

A page from Dan Eldon's journals.

There was also Los Angeles and my dear friend Kathy’s house. I was there working on another book about her son, Dan Eldon. I spent a day with his journals – such amazing reminders of what a life well lived looks like. It looks like Pleasure. It looks like Passion. It looks Curious and Open Ended. The journals always leave me feeling wide OPEN to possibility, so I was in a good space when I left them, first to visit  my friend Kyle’s store – a craft shop that is an act of love by one single mama/artiste  - and then to listen to my friend Hope read from her book – a book that gets to the heart of motherhood and the soft spine of creativity. Later that night, meeting Barb at Lucques, I had one of my favorite meals of the year.  I don’t remember what I ate, but I vividly recall talking and talking in a cozy room while people brought wine and refilled water and Barb laughed. The next day – capping off all of this creative energy – I stood with my toes in the the Pacific, remembering its ineffable return and our briny beginnings.

The wishing rocks, Topanga Beach, Malibu, USA

One of the greatest ongoing blessings of my year was my yoga practice. I took classes with several outstanding teachers in Los Angeles, including Bryan Kest. A trip to San Francisco brought me to two studios in the Mission, the most memorable of which was a lovely class with a buoyant teacher named Peter Guinosso. My own little corner of the earth is now teeming with yoga. The opening of Heartland Yoga, which recently celebrated its first anniversary, makes me feel ever more at home here; my belief that I belong and have a like-minded community, ever more intact. I remain amazed, after more than 15 years of practice, as to how powerful yoga is for me as a creative force – or, rather, as a tool to renewing my creativity and shedding any hunched-shoulder weariness that comes with mamahood or from gray jobs.

Shoes awaiting their yogis, Santa Monica.

Oh, for the time in my life when I used to keep a journal in which I wrote the title of every book I read and by year’s end, pages had been filled with appraising comments and explanation points.

Outside of that woozie, delightful entire-book day on the beach, my reading was woefully limited this year. Oh, for the time in my life when I used to keep a journal in which I wrote the title of every book I read and by year’s end, pages had been filled with appraising comments and explanation points. Hopefully, I’ll experience that again, but for now, I get through 1/3 of the Sunday New York Times - always starting with the Style section (shame, shame). With the oh-so-sad demise of Gourmet, I have become a fan of Chow, which I read online as steadfastly as the Buddhist magazine, Tricycle.  I love the little dashes of honesty and wit that I find online among friends like Aimee at Artsyville and Karen at Cheerio Road.  And I enjoy bumping into new friends and new ideas, such as How Art Saved My Life and Bulls Eye Baby.

The life of a single mama doesn’t even lead much time for films. Most of what I’ve seen, I’ve seen with my kids. Often, this is satisfying, but sometimes, as on my birthday when we sat in a movie theater during a rainy beach vacation, watching Up (a good movie, but not what I had in mind that day), I want to cry. As with reading, I remember being in my 20s in Seattle and going to movies all of the time. Matinees alone. Weekends with friends. Rainy days. Summer nights. The Neptune. The Egyptian. The Harvard Exit. The Guild.  Now, the kids and I forego the big screen of the mall cineplex and snuggle up with my computer to watch in bed. We went on a documentary spree last winter, my favorite of which was Girls, Rock! More recently, I saw a documentary about a Tibetan monk in search of the reincarnation of his lama. Unmistaken Child is a beautiful film that raises unique questions about spirituality – who leads, how they’re chosen, what is valued. Food, Inc. made me once again struggle with just what to buy at the grocery store, an overwhelming ethical dilemma worthy of Martin Luther. Undoubtedly, though, the film that  hit closest to home was Everlasting Moments, which I saw in NYC last March. Set in Sweden in the early 1900s, a woman gets a camera and discovers both a gift and a passion – which spells joy and trouble, not necessarily in that order.

So that trip to New York in March also brought about one of several Food Moments of the year. Most memorably:  oodles of  noodles and other goodies round a lazy susan in a crammed Chinatown restaurant with five friends who didn’t previously know each other — three writers, an editor, a photographer, and a painter. Loud but blissfully so! Another meal so loud that I nearly lost my voice was at avec with April on a weirdly mild winter night in Chicago. We couldn’t get in until 9:00 pm and by the time we left, it was well after midnight, but we were more that sated. So happy, that place. Then there were the croissants — oh, too many croissants for one woman to have eaten alone whilst working on a book in a borrowed apartment — from Tartine in San Francisco.

And the steamed oatmeal from Doma — so good that I’ve slowly been adapting it at home on my stove, which has seen plenty of action with boules of no-knead bread, chocolate gelato, and Mark Bittman’s divine – I mean really, on-your-knees divine roasted corn salad.

Hands down, though, the best meal of the year was a mid-July feast in honor of Bastille Day. The place: Kristin and Kat’s screened-in porch. My attire:  a Chinese red dress. The menu: 7 or so courses, climaxing with a variation on a Patricia Well’s Mediterranean rabbit.  The company: Impeccable. Especially the man at the far end who piqued my interest. A week later, I introduced myself on Facebook. I have a lot of women in my life, I basically said, and they are wonderful. But I am trying to cultivate some male friendships. Are you game? The answer pinged back, indeed, and we haven’t stopped talking yet.

And that, folks — along with generous mothers and block parties celebrating the neighbors’ legalized marriage, along with stellar children’s holiday concerts and a nest of baby hawks in the alley — is reason enough for hope at the end of a year that could be overwhelmingly gloomy. When the glass could seem half empty, Life threw a party, replete with glasses of rose and marinated olives. It brought a lovely human being into my midst and suddenly so much that felt impossible is within bounds. Jobs. Money. Even a new roof. All is within the bounds of the possible. All is within the potential waves of the coming year. Salut!

Since we’ve known each other, my husband and I have spent every New Year’s Eve together at Lucques, including the New Year’s Eve upon which we got engaged, after which we rushed over to a party at our friends Booth and Adam’s house. This year we are heading back with Booth and Adam, and my sister, Claire, and OH MY GOD. I’m so excited about the low-country menu! Check it out! And what to wear? After a visit to Club One in Savannah with my cousin Stefanie several years ago (photos sooo not appropriate for this blog even though I was wearing a favorite gauzy Gaultier top and Stefanie sparkled in gold lamé), I’m thinking feathers are appropriate. And of course we’ll be toasting to the Lady Chablis!

A lighter interpretation for gnocchi.

Ack! All you bloggers out there – ever make a dish and somehow forget about it in your stack of “to post” items? I have no idea how I forgot this one as it’s one of my all-time favorite dishes, but I found it yesterday in my blog photos folder.

And once again…a post from Sunday Suppers at Lucques: Seasonal Recipes from Market to Table. My favorite cookbook evah.

This recipe is typical Goin fashion – a bit overachiever (shocking, I know). First, she wants you to make your own gnocchi. And yeah, making your own gnocchi is HIGHLY recommended. But sometimes on a weeknight, it’s just not going to happen. These are times when I cheat and call in reinforcements. She also wants you to shuck your own corn. Again, I cheat here too. Ok, AND she wants you to use Chanterelle mushrooms. I think they are kinda pricey so I cheat and use Portabellas.  But first…

What are gnocchi?

Gnocchi are Italian dumplings – little pillows of light dough – served in a manner similar to pasta. They are traditionally made with potatoes, but can also be formed from ricotta cheese, semolina, squash, um…I’m sure there are probably other options I don’t even know about. Purists like the potato variety, but I’m a convert to the ricotta kind because:

1. They are way WAY easier to make and

2. I think they are lighter. And that’s really the goal – to make them light.

But we aren’t going to talk about making them here. That’s for another day.

So, ok.  Back to the recipe. This is a dish that is rustic, yet impressive enough for a casual dinner party. And the sage thrown in towards the end makes your house smell just lovely. And you can be a lazy butt like me and make them with fresh/frozen gnocchi purchased at the store. Which just makes things easier during the week.

Gnocchi with Chanterelles, Sweet Corn and Sage Brown Butter

Adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (I like Panko)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
7 T unsalted butter
3/4 pound chanterelles, cleaned (I use portabellas cause I am cheap)
1 T thyme leaves
1 T sliced sage leaves
3 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 4 ears – or do like I do and use a can of corn)
2/3 cup diced shallots
1 lb fresh gnocchi (I used dried -either way, cook thoroughly and set aside)
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:
First – toast the breadcrumbs:
1. Preheat oven to 375F.

2. Toss breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons olive oil.

3. Spread them on a baking sheet, and toast 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until golden brown. Set aside.

Then:
4. If the mushrooms are big, tear them into bite-size pieces (or chop).

5. Heat a large saute pan over high heat for 2 minutes.

6.Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and heat another minute.

7. Swirl in 1 tablespoon butter, and when it foams, add the mushrooms, half the thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a healthy pinch of pepper.

8. Saute the mushrooms about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they’re tender and a little crispy.  Don’t be tempted to move them around in the pan too much in the beginning: let them sear a little before stirring.  Transfer the cooked mushrooms to a platter.

9. Return the pan to the stove, and heat on high for 1 minute.

10. Add the remaining 6 tablespoons butter to the pan, and cook a minute or two, until the butter starts to brown.

11. Add the sage, let it sizzle, and then add the corn, shallots, remaining thyme, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and some freshly ground pepper.

12. Saute quickly, tossing the corn in the hot butter for about 2 minutes, until the corn is just tender.

13. Add the cooked gnocchi and toss well to coat with the corn and brown butter.

14. Season with salt and pepper to taste, add the mushrooms.  Toss to combine, and heat the mushrooms through.

15. Add the parsley.

16. Arrange the gnocchi on a large platter, and shower with the breadcrumbs.  Grate over some parmesan cheese if you like.

Enjoy!
Ms. Pantry Raid

As for me, olives, endives, and smooth mallows provide sustenance.
~Horace (65 BC – 8 BC), Roman lyric poet

The olive itself is quite evidently the fruit of the squatty olive tree (Olea europaea) which is native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean basin. Unlike most fruits though, olives are not eaten in their raw state, as the high level of glucosides naturally found in raw olives makes them strikingly bitter. For olives to become edible, the bitterness must be drawn from them through one of several methods: lye curing, water or brine curing, or dry curing.

The color of an olive indicates the stage of ripeness at which it was picked. Green olives are fruit picked before they have ripened, usually in early autumn.

Lucques olives originated in Lucca, Italy, but are now grown exclusively in France—particularly in the glorious Hérault countryside of the Languedoc region in southern France. Brine cured, long and slightly curved with firm bright green flesh, Lucques are meaty and full flavored with a sweet, buttery, and nutty finish. Lucques are freestone olives in that the flesh does not cling to the pits. The olives must be kept submerged in their light brine since they discolor very easily.

A black tapenade recipe is found on the previous post entitled Tapenade—Provencal Olive Paste, 02.03.09. Both tapenades can be used as dips, with cheeses, on pizzas, with pasta, in vinaigrettes, on crostinis. That is a short list.

GREEN TAPENADE

2 C olives, such as Lucques or Picholines, pitted
2 fresh plump garlic cloves, peeled and chopped roughly
2 T capers, drained and rinsed
2 high quality anchovy fillets
1/2 t fresh thyme leaves
2 T lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Zest of 1 lemon
2 t Dijon mustard
Dash of brandy or cognac
6 T olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

If the anchovies are salt packed, let them stand in a bowl of milk for 15 minutes to exude the salt. Then, drain and pat dry thoroughly.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the drained anchovies, olives, capers, mustard, garlic, cognac and thyme. Process in bursts until thick and chunky.

With the processor running, add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until it is thoroughly incorporated. Season with pepper, then allow the tapenade to stand for an hour or so to allow the flavors to marry.

Sunday Suppers at Lucques have become an L.A. dining institution, a guaranteed splendid evening at any time of the year. This past Sunday, to kill some time while waiting for another Comme Ca Block Party to begin, I stopped by Lucques, not knowing it happened to be the 9th Annual All-American Rib Fest. (Lucques staff wearing cowboy outfits and country music standards on the stereo were big hints, but I digress.)

As I sat at the bar, endless platters of BBQ and all the fixin’s were sent out from the kitchen. Had I not been stuffed from an earlier dim sum session, I would’ve gladly participated in the $45 protein extravaganza. Here’s a rundown of the menu:

• St. Louis style pork ribs
• Braised beef back ribs
• Spicy lamb spare ribs
• “Too-hot-to-handle” chicken wings

~~~

• Cole slaw & baked beans
• Long-cooked collard greens
• Buttered corn-on-the-cob
• Watermelon and lime salad
• Grilled cornbread & wonder bread

~~~

• Warm peach and blackberry crisp with vanilla ice cream

To wash all of this glorious food down, Lucques offered two special lemonades, one with brandy and the other with Jack Daniel’s. Both seemed to be very popular on Sunday. The only thing missing was a “wafer-thin mint” at the end of the meal.

A Lucques Standard: the Maker's Ruby.

While everyone indulged their inner carnivore, I quickly scanned the cocktail list and decided on one of the Lucques Standards, a Maker’s Ruby:

• Maker’s Mark bourbon
• fresh Fitzgerald Ruby Diamond nectarines
• a splash of Bundaberg ginger beer

The Maker’s Ruby was excellent, tangy and perfectly refreshing for a late Sunday afternoon. I’m sure it would’ve made an excellent compliment to all of the smoke and spice.

Other Standards include the Lucques Gimlet (Hangar One vodka with fresh lime juice and mint) and the Green Hound (Chopin vodka, cucumber and grapefruit juice, garnished with mint).

~

Owner/chef Suzanne Goin is renowned for her seasonal menus, so it’s no surprise that the drinks at Lucques reflect that same commitment to freshness and quality. With that in mind I next ordered from the Seasonal Cocktail list, the Fragola Balsamico:

• Miller’s gin
• strawberries Cointreau
• balsamic reduction

Summer in a glass: the Fragola Balsamico.

If you’ve ever wanted to sip summer in a chilled glass, the Fragola is the cocktail for you. The Miller’s botanical notes are dominated by the upfront, fresh strawberry aroma and flavor, anchored by the bitter orange of the Cointreau and enhanced by the balsamic reduction. The Fragola’s brilliant red hue makes for an easy conversation starter.

The other Seasonal option was the Black on Black: Leblon cachaça with blackberry compote, thyme, black salt rim.

With summer winding down, now is the time to savor the best of the season. At Lucques, that means more than just what’s on your plate; you’ll taste it in your cocktails as well.

Lucques
8474 Melrose Ave
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 655-6277
www.lucques.com

Today we are celebrating our two-year wedding anniversary! Shortly we’ll be heading out to dinner at Lucques, where we got engaged several New Years Eves ago. Tonight when I got home from work, there was a pretty orange and brown bag, and within a red leather Kelly Double Tour leather bracelet (shown in white above). I have a serious thing for leather cuffs, and I’m over the moon about this saucy new red number!

Just opened:

• Tavern From Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne (AOC, Lucques, Hungry Cat) comes the ladies’ newest creation, a restaurant/lounge/marketplace, in Brentwood. Yes, it did open today. I called.

• Pourtal A high-tech wine bar in Santa Monica, Pourtal offers wine via preloaded punch cards and electronic dispensers. Fancy.

To open in the near future:

• Trader Vic’s The Beverly Hills institution moves downtown to L.A. Live. Scheduled to open Saturday, May 2.

• La Grande Orange Cafe The Santa Monica location is scheduled to open May 7. Food being tested and staff being trained, according to tweets from @LaGrandeOrange. Pizza will be added to the menu at the new location, with Pasadena getting pizza some time this fall.

• Playhouse and Sweet Love Hangover The nightclub/24-hour restaurant taking over the Fox Theater space on Hollywood Boulevard is now slated to open June 11. We’ll see. This is like the third or fourth time the opening date has been pushed back.

although i endeavor to remind myself of my blessings each and every day, i find that i’m always especially filled with gratitude on my birthday. i suppose that i associate acquiring a new age with the need to reflect and reminisce. sometime back in the 80’s, on a military base in Texas, my little life began. along the way, i have been overwhelmingly blessed by amazing people and experiences. today i am the proud wife of my incredible husband, a friend to some extraordinary people, and a confidante and assistant to the fabulous couples who entrust me with their wedding plans. i never could have imagined that this is where i would end up at age twenty-five, but this is how the Lord had it for me. and i am SO thankful for His perfect will + timing. i am so excited for what this year holds in store for me…

here is a peek at how i spent my birthday weekend earlier this month.

i kicked off the celebrations with a special birthday tea with my mother-in-law, del. she is the most thoughtful person! here’s another fact that everyone knows about me: i looove tea. i love drinking tea, i love buying tea, i love going for afternoon tea, i love holding afternoon tea! del took me to a darling tea room i had never tried before and we spent hours just chatting and unwinding.

while we did enjoy some house tea (a sweet and spicy black tea), i could not resist ordering a refreshing glass of rosewater lemonade. DELISH and bottomless refills. i would pay a pretty penny for this recipe… (p.s. i love everything rose-flavored, including a delicate rose gelato!)

first course: a tasty lentil soup. smooth, perfectly-spiced and comforting.

second course: a crisp green salad with the most addictive sesame dressing.

a unique twist on the traditional tea sandwich: most of the offerings are served as wraps on lavash. the fillings remain accessible favorites, however. turkey cranberry, smoked salmon, and egg salad.

we also enjoyed some fabulous dessert, but i apparently failed to photograph the marvelous tiered display! trust me when i say it was altogether delightful. i highly recommend my favorite place (yes, that’s the actual name) for an intimate, attentive, charming tea experience. thank you, mom!

on saturday (the 7th – my actual bday), i knew i wanted to have lunch in san pedro. a longstanding tradition with my sis & daddy is having lunch at ports o’call. it’s basically a long dock with tons of fish markets and restaurants. you pick your fresh fish and seafood (we always get a sizable tilapia and 3-4 lbs of large shrimp) on the market side, and then drop it off on the restaurant side. they cook it up to order then and there. the fish is deep fried whole (YUM), while the shrimp is cooked fajita-style (with chunks of potato, bell peppers and onions). pair it with some lemons & limes, tapatio, tortillas and huge loaves of garlic bread… and you have yourselves one scrumptious feast! we used to go do this nearly every saturday of my childhood. back in the day, after lunch we would take a harbor cruise and get ice cream. this time we skipped the cruise but went for the ice cream.

we let the boys join us. left to right: anna’s friend edward, my beautiful sis, erik my love, and me!

for dinner, erik and i went to old favorite pasta pomodoro for a tasty & nostalgic meal. while we were dating at cal, we used to go to “pasta p” all the time for cheap & delish dates. we also finally saw slumdog millionaire, and loved it (of course!). it was a lovely way to spend the evening.

finally… i went to a family birthday dinner on sunday night with mom, raj, anna, and erik. we enjoyed a delightful sunday supper @ lucques. if you live in soCal and haven’t had sunday supper at lucques, you are missing out!! it is a 3-course prix fixe meal for $45. the first course + dessert choices are fixed, and you have two options for the entrée. each menu is released a few days prior (typically the wednesday prior) so you can browse it and make a reservation if it tickles your fancy. it is always packed so sometimes it is worth booking your reservation before the menu is released. on march 8th the menu was:

roasted asparagus with soft polenta, butter-crumbled egg and shaved parmesan. sweet & tender stalks of asparagus nestled on a bed of creamy polenta. the egg was the best part. i loved breaking into the crisp breaded exterior and spilling warm yolk all over the plate. YUMMM

maine diver scallops with green garlic soubise, pea shoots and tangerines or
duck pot au feu with farro, young turnips, stinging nettles and duck sausage. clearly i went with the scallops. they were INCREDIBLE. 4/5 of us went for them, but mom opted for the duck pot au feu. it was also quite tasty. and finalement…

rutiz farm’s carrot cake with golden raisins, walnuts and milk sherbet. wowee was this good! i love a good carrot cake, and this one was moist, well-spiced and chock full of walnuts… just the way i like it! the milk sherbet was the perfect complement: light and icy.

ready to make my wish… i’m wearing an anthropologie dress (yeah, another one!), tarina tarantino lucite heart necklace (my oldest tt piece…7 years old!), and twigs & honey hair piece. erik got me this gorgeous teal creation as part of my bday present!!

i have a slight peacock feather obsession, so this piece is perfect for me. that’s not a hearing aid in my ear, btw, but my dorky hands-free cell phone ear piece.

the gorgeous myra also sent me this special headband. how feminine and precious is this? i wore it to my afternoon tea excursion with del. sooo delicate; i feel like a little girl when i wear it! thank you, myra!!

all in all, i felt thoroughly spoiled for my birthday. thank you for being a part of my life via this blog. here’s to another fabulous year!!

p.s. SO many gorgeous posts in the queue, including three FAB weddings. yesterday’s wedding at the ritz carlton marina del rey was nothing short of AMAZING. sooo excited to give you a sneak peek!!

xoxo, angel

congrats to this year’s nominee’s! a special shout out to Babbo (NYC), Zingerman’s (Ann Arbor, MI) and Michael’s (Miami.)

below is the partial list from the James Beard Foundation:

Restaurant and Chef Awards

OUTSTANDING RESTAURATEUR AWARD

A working restaurateur who sets high national standards in restaurant operations and entrepreneurship. Candidates must have been in the restaurant business for at least 10 years. Candidates must not have been nominated for a James Beard Foundation chef award in the past 10 years.

Tom Douglas
Tom Douglas Restaurants
Seattle

Keith McNally
Balthazar, Lucky Strike, Morandi, Pastis, Pravda, and Schiller’s Liquor Bar
NYC

Richard Melman
Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises
Chicago

Drew Nieporent
Myriad Restaurant Group
NYC

Stephen Starr
Starr Restaurants
Philadelphia

OUTSTANDING CHEF AWARD

Presented by All-Clad Metalcrafters
A working chef in America whose career has set national industry standards and who has served as an inspiration to other food professionals. Candidates must have been working as chefs for at least the past 5 years.

José Andrés
Minibar
Washington, D.C.

Dan Barber
Blue Hill
NYC

Tom Colicchio
Craft
NYC

Suzanne Goin
Lucques
Los Angeles

Paul Kahan
Blackbird
Chicago

OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT AWARD

A restaurant in the United States that serves as a national standard-bearer for consistent quality and excellence in food, atmosphere, and service. Candidates must have been in operation for at least 10 or more consecutive years.

Babbo
NYC
Chef/Owner: Mario Batali
Owner: Joe Bastianich

Boulevard
San Francisco
Chef/Owner: Nancy Oakes
Owner: Pat Kuleto

Fore Street
Portland, ME
Chef/Owner: Sam Hayward
Owner: Victor Leon and Dana Street

Highlands Bar & Grill
Birmingham, AL
Chef/Owner: Frank Stitt

Jean Georges
NYC
Chef/Owner: Jean-Georges Vongerichten
Owner: Phil Suarez

RISING STAR CHEF OF THE YEAR AWARD

A chef age 30 or younger who displays an impressive talent and who is likely to have a significant impact on the industry in years to come.

Nate Appleman
A16
San Francisco

Sean Brock
McCrady’s
Charleston, SC

Johnny Monis
Komi
Washington, D.C.

Gabriel Rucker
Le Pigeon
Portland, OR

Michael Solomonov
Zahav
Philadelphia

Sue Zemanick
Gautreau’s
New Orleans

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

Presented by Lexus
A restaurant opened in 2008 that already displays excellence in food, beverage, and service and is likely to have a significant impact on the industry in years to come.

The Bazaar by José Andrés at SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills
Los Angeles
Chef/Owner: José Andrés
Owners: SBE

Corton
NYC
Chef/Owner: Paul Liebrandt
Owner: Drew Nieporent

L2O
Chicago
Chef: Laurent Gras
Owner: Richard Melman

Momofuku Ko
NYC
Chef/Owner: David Chang

Scarpetta
NYC
Chef/Owner: Scott Conant

OUTSTANDING PASTRY CHEF AWARD

Presented by All-Clad Metalcrafters
A chef or baker who prepares desserts, pastries, or breads and who serves as a national standard-bearer for excellence. Candidates must have been pastry chefs or bakers for at least the past 5 years.

Gina DePalma
Babbo
NYC

Kamel Guechida
Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas

Pichet Ong
P*ong
NYC

Nicole Plue
Redd
Yountville, CA

Mindy Segal
Mindy’s HotChocolate
Chicago

OUTSTANDING WINE SERVICE AWARD

A restaurant that displays and encourages excellence in wine service through a well-presented wine list, a knowledgeable staff, and efforts to educate customers about wine. Candidates must have been in operation for at least 5 years.

Bin 36
Chicago
Wine Director: Brian Duncan

Blackberry Farm
Walland, TN
Wine Director: Andy Chabot

Le Bernardin
NYC
Wine Director: Aldo Sohm

Patina
Los Angeles
Wine Director: Eric Espuny

Picasso at Bellagio
Las Vegas
Wine Director: Robert Smith

OUTSTANDING WINE AND SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL AWARD

Presented by Southern Wine & Spirits
A winemaker, brewer, or spirits professional who has had a significant impact on the wine and spirits industry nationwide. Candidates must have been in the profession for at least 5 years.

Dale DeGroff
Dale DeGroff Co., Inc.
NYC

Merry Edwards
Merry Edwards Wines
Sebastopol, CA

Garrett Oliver
The Brooklyn Brewery
Brooklyn, NY

John Shafer and Doug Shafer
Shafer Vineyards
Napa, CA

Julian P. Van Winkle, III
Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery
Louisville, KY

OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARD

Presented by Stella Artois
A restaurant that demonstrates high standards of hospitality and service. Candidates must have been in operation for at least the past 5 years.

Daniel
NYC
Owners: Daniel Boulud and Joel Smilow

Emeril’s New Orleans
New Orleans
Owner: Emeril Lagasse

La Grenouille
NYC
Owners: Charles Masson and Giséle Masson

Spiaggia
Chicago
Owner: Levy Restaurants

Vetri
Philadelphia
Owners: Marc Vetri and Jeff Benjamin

BEST CHEFS IN AMERICA

Presented by American Express®
Chefs who have set new or consistent standards of excellence in their respective regions. Candidates must have been working as chefs in any type of dining establishment for at least the past 5 years. The 3 most recent years must have been spent in the region where the chef is presently working.

Best Chef: Pacific (CA, HI)

Jeremy Fox
Ubuntu
Napa, CA

Douglas Keane
Cyrus
Healdsburg, CA

Loretta Keller
Coco500
San Francisco

David Kinch
Manresa
Los Gatos, CA

Daniel Patterson
Coi
San Francisco

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (D.C., DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)

Cathal Armstrong
Restaurant Eve
Alexandria, VA

Jose Garces
Amada
Philadelphia

Peter Pastan
Obelisk
Washington, D.C.

Maricel Presilla
Cucharamama
Hoboken, NJ

Vikram Sunderam
Rasika
Washington, D.C.

Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)

Isaac Becker
112 Eatery
Minneapolis

Gerard Craft
Niche
St. Louis, MO

Colby Garrelts
Bluestem
Kansas City, MO

Tim McKee
La Belle Vie
Minneapolis

Alexander Roberts
Restaurant Alma
Minneapolis

Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)

Koren Grieveson
Avec
Chicago

Arun Sampanthavivat
Arun’s
Chicago

Bruce Sherman
North Pond
Chicago

Michael Symon
Lola
Cleveland

Alex Young
Zingerman’s Roadhouse
Ann Arbor, MI

Best Chef: New York City (Five Boroughs)

Michael Anthony
Gramercy Tavern

Terrance Brennan
Picholine

Wylie Dufresne
WD-50

Gabrielle Hamilton
Prune

Gabriel Kreuther
The Modern

Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, NY STATE, RI, VT)

Rob Evans
Hugo’s
Portland, ME

Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier
Arrows
Ogunquit, ME

Michael Leviton
Lumiére
West Newton, MA

Tony Maws
Craigie on Main
Cambridge, MA

Marc Orfaly
Pigalle
Boston

Best Chef: Northwest (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY)

Maria Hines
Tilth
Seattle

Joseba Jiménez de Jiménez
The Harvest Vine
Seattle

Ethan Stowell
Union
Seattle

Cathy Whims
Nostrana
Portland, OR

Jason Wilson
Crush
Seattle

Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)

Hugh Acheson
Five and Ten
Athens, GA

Linton Hopkins
Restaurant Eugene
Atlanta

Mike Lata
Fig
Charleston, SC

Bill Smith
Crook’s Corner
Chapel Hill, NC

Bob Waggoner
Charleston Grill
Charleston, SC

Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, CO, NM, NV, OK, TX, UT)

Paul Bartolotta
Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare at Wynn Las Vegas

Sharon Hage
York Street
Dallas

Ryan Hardy
Montagna at the Little Nell
Aspen, CO

Claude Le Tohic
Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas

Andrew Weissman
Le Rêve
San Antonio

Best Chef: South (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS)

Zach Bell
Café Boulud at the Brazilian Court
Palm Beach, FL

John Currence
City Grocery
Oxford, MS

John Harris
Lilette
New Orleans

Douglas Rodriguez
Ola
Miami Beach, FL

Michael Schwartz
Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink
Miami

It airates the wine, coats the palate…yada yada. That slurping sound, the one you continue to make over and over while tasting the wine, just destroyed the wonderful images of the hills of Italia in my mind and imparted the times I spent walking through the halls of a convalescent hospital on the way to see my great grandpa. Is it really necessary, especially when the one who has spent nearly his entire life making the wine itself isn’t doing it. I fucking love wine, the flavours, the mystery, the making, all of it, and as hard as it is for me to say for that very reason, sometimes its not the most important thing. Sometimes you need to shut your mouth, or stop your goddamn slurping and allow for something else to take place. Recently, I had dinner at Lucques, openned a 1989 M. Chapoutier Syrah, had some rabbit, but I couldn’t tell you a damn thing about the tasting notes on the wine or how my rabbit was cooked. I could tell you how Sarte saved her life, how the maitre d’ was one of the best, and how it was perfectly wonderful, all of it. But the wine and the food, sorry I forgot.

It’s difficult when you love something so much and it’s such a integral part of your life, but sometimes you have to let it go and allow the wine and the food to simply be a framework. Like Anna Karenina in her black dress. Now I’ve become sentimental when all I wanted to say was quit your damn slurping, you ruined the serene afternoon I was enjoying getting to know an intriguing man by making it work.

Also, thanks to the green energy lady for encouraging me to keep writing. I imagine you to be a wonderful, granola eating, prius driving, kyoto protocol loving lady. And thanks to the squirrels that love me, here’s one for you…”You can’t use profanity in commercials it’s offensive…. Don’t tell me how to do my job, I don’t go down to your work and slap the dick out of your mouth” courtesy of Mr. Show, the most awesomest 90’s comedy.

The not-so-skinny: bread, custard, chocolate. The recipe is on the menu at The Hungry Cat in Hollywood, a seafood restaurant with scene and substance from David Lentz, husband of Suzanne Goin of Lucques and AOC fame. You can also find the recipe in Goin’s cookbook, Sunday Suppers at Lucques. It’s pretty much perfect as written. One note – I always have leftover custard liquid. I bet it would be good for french toast the next day. Of course, do you really want french toast the morning after you eat this? Oh, and I was out of whole nutmeg, so we just used ground instead.

One more thing—boys go CRAZY for this dessert, so if you were wondering what to make for your Valentine, look no further.

Caramelized Bread Pudding with Chocolate and Cinnamon

From Sunday Night Suppers at Lucques, Suzanne Goin 

GOIN WRITES: This recipe is a lifer. I’ve been making it for more than 20 years, and every time I try to file it away, someone inevitably comes along asking for it. I brought it to my first staff get-together when I was working at Chez Panisse and, from then on, for all of the parties that followed, when I would even thinkof making something different, my friends and coworkers would cry out for this caramelized chocolate bread pudding. A few years later, the bread pudding gained an East Coast fan club, too. I was working at Alloro, a tiny restaurant in Boston’s Italian district. Back then, the Mafia owned all the local cafés and had a monopoly on the dessert-and-coffee crowd. Whereas the other (probably wiser) restaurants on the street obeyed the unspoken law of not selling dessert, at Alloro we broke the rule and secretly served this bread pudding to our in-the-know customers. We worked hard to keep the highly requested dessert under cover, and it seems we succeeded: both the recipe and I are still around. 

A few things make this bread pudding better than most. I love custards and am often disappointed by bread puddings with too much bread and not enough pudding. So be careful to use just a single layer of brioche, which creates a crispy crust but won’t absorb all the rich, silky custard underneath. Once you break through the caramelized, toasty top layer and dig down through the luscious custard, a treasure of melted chocolate awaits you at the bottom. 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 
4 or 5 slices brioche, or good quality white bread (I like Pepperidge Farm), 1/4-inch thick, crusts removed 
3 extra-large eggs 
2 extra-large egg yolks 
1/4 cup brown sugar 
1 1/2 cups heavy cream 
1 1/4 cups whole milk 
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
3/4 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate 
1 tablespoon granulated sugar, for caramelizing the top 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the softened butter on one side of the brioche. Cut each slice in half on the diagonal and then again into quarters. 

Whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Add the cream, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, whisking to combine well. 

Sprinkle the chocolate over the bottom of a 9-by-9-inch (or equivalent) baking dish. Arrange the brioche, buttered side up, with slices overlapping just slightly, on the chocolate (there should be just a single layer of bread). Pour the custard over the bread, pressing down with your fingers to make sure the bread soaks it up. Place the bread pudding in a roasting pan, and pour warm water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the pudding dish. Bake about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the custard is set and the bread puffs up slightly. The pudding will be springy to the touch. 

Let the bread pudding cool at least 10 minutes. 

If you have a kitchen blowtorch, sprinkle the sugar over the top, and torch to brown and caramelize. You could run the pudding under the broiler to caramelize if you don’t have a torch, but be careful not to curdle the custard underneath. Serve the bread pudding from the baking dish at the table, using a big spoon.

Just got this in my inbox – my top 5 favorites Lucques will be having a special “All-American” dinner on January 20th in honor of our new administration. To be sure, you’re going to get a lot of whitewashed liberals stupidly toasting to the End of Racism attending, but the upside is that you’ll also get a fine American meal, including mini-pork burgers, lobster rolls, choice of stuffed trout, beef brisket, or mac & cheese, and a slice of home-dog American apple pie. It’s like that movie, American Pie.

The catch: the End of Racism is very expensive – $50/person (which, really, isn’t too horrible considering that Lucques’ always excellent Sunday Suppers are $45/person, every week).

Toast!

Lucques
8474 Melrose
reservations (323) 655-6277

Two years ago tonight my husband proposed in the garden courtyard at Lucques, where we are heading tonight for the late seating. But first, it seemed only fitting to pop open a bottle of the very first bubbly we ever shared together, a 1998 Bollinger La Grand Année, and enjoy a sip or two before calling a cab to take us to a pre-dinner party. Be safe tonight, be merry and a very Happy New Year!!!

There’s nowhere I’d rather be in LA on New Year’s Eve than at Lucques in West Hollywood, so we got a jump on reservations. Each December 31, the restaurant rings in the New Year with a totally unforgettable—even through the Champagne haze—themed menu. Three years ago it was a Scottish Hogmanay night complete with bagpipers and the staff kitted out in kilts. It was also the first time my now-husband dropped the “L” bomb, and I remember wearing a dusty pink Loy and Ford “Fortuny” pleated skirt and a feather stole. The following year, a spectacular Venetian theme prevailed, with guests in feathered masks and courtiers juggling in the aisles. I will never forget wearing what has become my favorite dress—a silk chiffon handkerchief-hem Sass & Bide frock—because that was the night my husband proposed, getting down on one knee by our table out on the patio. I wore that dress six months later on our honeymoon, in Venice. Last year was a Greek theme with raucous entertainers (I zigged with black velvet AGs and a Viktor & Rolf tuxedo jacket while the staff zagged in togas), which we enjoyed with two of our dearest friends and celebrated the news that we were expecting our first child. (2007 was a busy year to say the least.)

This year looks to be the best menu yet: New Year’s Eve at the Moulin Rouge. We have so much to celebrate. What the evening will hold is anyone’s guess, but one thing is certain. I know what I won’t be wearing.

Last night was the Anti-Prop. 8 Protest In Which, Contrary to Everyone at Work’s Expectations, I, Disappointingly, Did Not Get Arrested.  Instead, after some contemplation and venting of frustration at those idiots who use children as proxies for their homophobia and the anti-gay rights movements’ success in co-opting the gay rights movement and turning it into a singular issue of marriage, the rally ended – so early and without any violence – disappointing – a good number of people gathered and headed down Sunset and ended up around the CNN building in Hollywood.  We marched down Melrose and ended up at Lucques.  Whoops.

I’ve been to Lucques at least four or five times now, almost always for the Sunday Supper (if you can afford it, the pre fixe menu for $45 is easily, easily, easily the best deal in town for the quantity and quality of food you get).  Each time, I walk in and feel warmed by the lovely exposed brick, seduced by that damned beautiful patio, and also a little discomforted by solemnity.  I think sometimes I get so used to music blaring at restaurants and/or people screaming at each other because of poor acoustics that I forget what it is like to just hear the peaceful hum of people talking in their indoor voice as they clank their knives against the plate.   It is a little startling, but then you get used to it, and realize that it is nice not to yell at the person next to you.

It was around 9 when we walked in.  Remember my rule?  Always at the at bar.  And so we did.

We were hungry, but not hungry enough for a full meal.  We also have money, but not enough money for a full meal (entrees run in the high 20’s-low 30’s – yet another reason why the $45 Sunday Suppers are such an outstanding deal).  So, we opted to go with the more affordable (and as it turns out, totally fantastic) bar menu.

Before 9:30 on the weekdays and 10:00 on Friday and Saturday, the bar menu has a few things that essentially amount to finger foods (i.e., nuts, French fries, cheese and bread).  After 9:30 is where the meat is: steak frites, omelettes, grilled cheese sandwich, spaghetti.  We ordered the steak frites to share.  $22.  (BUT the online menu shows it at $19.  !!!  Blah.  So much for the under-$20 bar menu.)

First out is the breads, butter, olives (Lucques variety of course), almonds, and kosher salt.

I learned last night that the kosher salt is to salt your butter after spreading it on your bread, not to salt the olives.  This makes a great deal of sense.  I don’t know what I was thinking.  Such a good way to whet an appetite.

It was also at about this time that I learned there are HOOKS underneath the bar so you can hang your coats and purses.  !!!  Is this normal?  I can’t recall any bar that has had this, but then again, I don’t recall ever bothering to look.  I just recall holding my stuff uncomfortably with a napkin on top of everything.

And then the steak frites:

Oh, delicious.  Delicious.  Carmelized onions taste good, but these were great.  Tender steak, cooked only to the border of pinkness.  I am not particular to bearnaise sauce, but it was good for what it was.  The French fries were not as crisp as they could have been, but they were ok.  The ones at the Hungry Cat are better.

And following the rule re: Always order dessert at an expensive restaurant, we took to the dessert menu.

Ah, the dessert.

Oh, the dessert.

Let me explain something.  The only churros I have ever had are from (1) Disneyland, usually while waiting at the Pirates of the Caribbean and/or the Haunted Mansion; (2) Costco; and (3) somewhere on Olvera Street. They taste similarly: sugary, crispy, sugary, cinnamony, sugary on the outside with a bit of dough in the middle.  I mean, these are things you can get, easily, for $3.99 at Disneyland and something like a buck at Costco.  So I was a little hesitant to get churros from Lucques for $12.

But really, $12 well spent.

Churros y chocolate with dulce de leche ice cream:

Now, are churros supposed to taste like this??  Someone tell me.  Lightly fried on the outside, lightly sugar coated so the sugar sweetens, not hides, the dough.  And the inside of the dough melting in your mouth like the lightest of custards.  Is this what churros are supposed to taste like?

You get a tiny cup of delicious, thinned out Valrhona chocolate to dip your churros in.  This is too much.  Too much deliciousness.

At first, we were reveling in the churros and ignoring the dulce de leche.  Then I remembered and took a quick spoonful after dissolving a piece of churro and chocolate and wow!  Salty! Ice cream!  Perfect!  Counterpoint! to the churro!  I don’t think I have been this blown away at a dessert since the Mozza Budino of ‘07.

I love Lucques.  I just love it.  I love the subdued atmosphere, I love the nice people who work there, I love sitting at a table in the patio and thinking, This is LA, I love sitting at the bar and talking to everyone for hours.

I was angry when I walked in, I was a lot calmer when I walked out.  I love Lucques.

Above: chilled beet soup and martinis for lunch yesterday at Lucques in West Hollywood.

My editor at Princeton University Press will kill me: I was supposed to be working on my final edits of my translation of a Guide to the History of Italian Cinema yesterday but I played hooky and met the producer of a Swiss (yes, Swiss) vodka, Xellent, for lunch at the fashionable Lucques in West Hollywood. Maybe she’ll forgive me: after all, the 3-martini lunch used to be a given in the world of east coast publishing!

In other news…

The Siena Farmers Union is meeting tomorrow to discuss potential changes in the Rosso and Brunello di Montalcino appellations. Click here for the story.

Good weather holds in Montalcino for harvest today.

And far-flung Do Bianchi correspondent Italian Wine Guy reports from San Benedetto del Tronto in the Marches:

Harvesting trebbiano today—the much maligned ugni blanc. This AM the fishing boats came in from the sea. Lovely stuff on the adriatic.

We have a story on dinela.com about Los Angeles chefs that have written cookbooks. One of the chefs mentioned but not quoted in the piece is Suzanne Goin, author of “Sunday Suppers at Lucques.”

Here are some of her thoughts:

Victor: Sunday suggests a meal that is a little bit special. What made you decide to take that angle for your book?

Suzanne: At Lucques and to me, Sundays are special because we do a different set menu on Sundays. I felt that this was more accessible and approachable to people at home, and also I liked the idea of a menu book because people ask me all the time, “So I’m making x for dinner, what should I make to start?” I didn’t want it to be just a Lucques restaurant cookbook. I wanted to try to convey the ideas and feelings of a family dinner, which often happen on Sundays.

Victor: It seems like a smart idea to include the name of the restaurant in the book title because it can serve as a subtle invitation. Has that been the case? Do out-of-towners who have read the book make a point of
visiting?

Suzanne: Yes, it was definitely a good idea to put the name of the restaurant in the title. The great thing about a book is that you can touch people who don’t necessarily live anywhere near you. We have people come in all the time who tell me they cook out of my book all the time but have never been to Lucques.

Victor: As someone born and raised in LA, did you want that SoCal sensibility toward food (fresh, diverse, etc.) to come across in the book even if there are inspirations from elsewhere?

Suzanne: I feel like my cooking is very personal in that my style has developed over time through many influences: People I worked with and for, what I ate growing up, the farmers markets, how people live and eat in LA. So it wasn’t that I wanted a certain sensibility to be there. I was just trying to communicate what I feel and think about food and eating. But I do think a part of that is definitely SoCal, and that is probably why that comes across.

Lucques not only made L.A. Magazine’s Top 75 Best Restaurants in 2008: it made number one. Yes, according to the publication, this Melrose Ave hot spot is THE best culinary destination in all of Los Angeles. This report came out just after we secured Lucques as our second location for a Sunsweet-inspired dinner (see my post on TRU for the first).

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not really L.A.-esque. I mean, I don’t have a teacup Chihauhau dressed in designer doggy-wear; I don’t know the latest B-list celebrity up-and-comers; and you probably won’t find me in line for the latest club openings, or any club opening for that matter. Nope, just not my cup of tea.

That said, Lucques is just the right amount of trendy and substance, centrally located on Melrose Ave. The space is comfortable and relaxed and the food is amazing. I think that anyone would find this restaurant welcoming and delicious.

Co-owners Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne have operated Lucques for more than 10 years. In 2006 Suzanne (whose resume includes a stint at Chez Panisse) received the James Beard Foundation’s Award of Excellence for Best Chef in California. Last month a group of us got to taste for ourselves. Here’s a sampling of some of the menu items that hit my palate that night:

Our first course started us off with a Blood Orange Salad with Arugula, Dates, Almonds and Parmesan. Unfortunately, my picture for this course didn’t turn out, but let’s just say that any salad with blood oranges is okay by me. Our second source was grilled Hawaiian tuna with farro, black rice and pickled raisins.

Next up we had liberty duck breast with turnip-parsnip gratin and sweet-and-sour prunes.

And for dessert we were treated to a walnut galette with candied orange zest and prune-armagnac ice cream. Yummmmmmmm.

By Christine Moravec