scott hilburn's strip "Argyle Sweater"
considering the Cave Man Diet was the primary ways and means of diet and exercise during Moses’s day and age, i wouldn’t be surprised that he might actually partake on the magic of all condiments possible. and in squeezable and easy to store containers.
wooly mammoth patties.
im not a religious person. and i don’t mean to offend. but, just like this writer, sometimes i just can’t help myself.
1962
roy lichtenstein’s “standing rib”.
bernard cole
shoemaker’s lunch.
love lunch.
and where is the last place you saw a shoemaker? i miss my guy in the west village.
met a man this morning that came into the bakery. i shuffled out front to put some cream in my coffee (and honey) and he commented on my appearance very blatantly, “you look like you’ve been baking all morning.”
well sir … yes … yes i have. dude didn’t get any of my pastries, but we got to chatting. turns out he’s a horseshoer from west palm beach (of all places) and he “goes to the island” a few times a year to shoe some horses over there.
such a long lost craft. same with this guy here. but heck, between a baker, a shoemaker and a horseshoer, we all have at least one thing in common …
WE ALL GOTTA EAT
peel it back
this is actually a birch tree. (and just for the record, i accidently typed “bitch” instead of “birch” … actually i just did it again)
but have you ever seen someone shaving chocolate?
if yes:
good for you and there shouldn’t require any further explanation.
if no:
well, this is what it looks like. super super sweet …
that was a pun, but unintentional.
the chickens are finally starting to lay eggs. teeny little guys.
too delicate to eat (or, i just don’t really have the heart to).
so, a girl at work also has chickens. she said that they had recently been eating a lot of pumpkin and thus tasted like pumpkin. we’ve been feeding the chickens a lot of Pie in the Sky. well hell … if the eggs came out tasting like a croissant, then i could skip the bread all together.
the blue eggs is much more rich in color in person
a little mini guy that i made – fits just perfectly in my hand.
as well as a tuna fish sandwich…
thanks SAM MOORE for photo
extra chocolate chips.
rolling out croissant doughs is an exercise everyone should practive. even oprah.
diagonals
don’t even start with your “perils in baking”. you haven’t imagined anything more stressful and complicated than yeast.
those bastards will involuntarily rip out your hair and cause endless nights of restlessness.
i’ve made pizza dough as many times as i can count on both hands, but BREAD … REAL BREAD, my friends, will deduct years off any pizza dough’s life. it will pity even the thinnest of brooklyn’s crust or the deepness of a chicago pie.
oh my goodness … where do i start? baguette.
baguette has a dough that needs to be “velvety”. beth is a pie girl/coworker of mine and i marvel over her french bread every time she makes it. using words that would later leave me walking home imagining the daggone things having “feelings” and “body parts”. it also needs to be kneaded like crazy. and watching it in the bowl – spinning around and around and morphing is the coolest. if i don’t brace myself or, much less, keep a distance, i’d probably dive into the mesmerizing sight – all the little “tendons” starting to criss cross and tighten; so tight that i’d swear i could pick it up and stick on the back of a pencil and go and erase all the drawings at Louvre in Paris. speaking of …
anywho, then weigh out the dough for rolls and baguettes. rolling out the baguette is even more of a tightening and pinching process. pressing and rocking the dough against the baker block – all the while lengthening and stretching it into an evenly rolled-out baton.
mind blowing.
four ingredients by the way: bread flour, salt, water, yeast. that pesky yeast. but how i love thee when you can give me product as such ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ …
i sure hope my dogs would save me before something tragic as such happened.
i can’t say that i’ve made a roast beef sandwich and my dog has told me that i forgot the mustard. but then again, i never really took the time to listen…
for years and years midnight and friends would sit and wag their tails as i’m prepping a snack or a meal and i was always under the frustrated assumption that they were begging to nibble on whatever i had my hands on.
perhaps they’re nervous that i’m leaving out the tomato in my grilled cheese or i overlooked the salt in my scrambled eggs.
folks, just imagine a black lab saying, “jess, you’re not supposed to dice the onions. you’re supposed to MINCE them.”
dogs are so smart … that black lab is probably friggin right!
this guy right here … BUMMED. he probably took that canine piece of love for a solid 6 mile hike. no brie at the end …
before you tell your pup to “forget it”, just remember he’s just trying to be a bud … ALL THE TIME.
crabs and bubble flip
a classic scenario.
invite the nieghbors over and pour the food all over the table. create a mini bar of sorts (tub of beer) and pull it right up to the edge so it seems that you have created some sort of “shrine” on one side of the dining table. mow down and drink. sounds like college, but in this case your wife (secretary) spent 4 hours on her hair do.
its crab season. old bay and extra napkins are necessities. put out your pots or throw down your wallet!
burgers, homie
these guys are a little more complex – imagine meat loaf complex.
they need fillers and binders. the meat is so lean, that the fat content practically doesn’t exist and there is nothing to “hold” your burger together. thus, you’ll need an egg and a handful of breadcrumbs (maybe none at all if you can swing it) when you’re fixin’ up enough meat for four or five people.
while you’re at it, throw in some chopped garlic and a tad-o-onion. salt, pepper too.
mash, form, sear, nom nom nom
we have all “felt up” the peaches
thank you Rhymes with Orange
dedication
no shortage of dedication whatsoever.
it was an amazing evening and we threw some venison tenderloin on the grill. cape weather. epic.
im eating some now, actually, and i’m licking my fingers before i type on the keyboard.
as you all know, if you’ve read my posts, we are serious venison fans and there is no holding back whatever time of year it is.
thus, voila!!! a journey through the mouths of 23 nobska rd, woods hole, masssssssssssss …
and the close up. i dont have the conclusion because, well, it didn’t last so long! char grilled goodness!
product
dali or a rembrant?
i asked myself the same thing.
when food styling doesn’t even end up being less appetizing but moreso just works of art. i’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, presentation is everything. 
i’m such a sucker for old labels. i remember being so young and not really understanding changes in marketing and how companies base their designs off of consumer interests. i still fondly recall old m&ms labels. not to mention pepsi. i found this picture tonight and it immediately brought back my strange obsession. it all apparently parallels with my music and wardrobe taste. i can’t help it though! there is something so humble about antique labels that i think has such an intense originality that can never be replicated.
courtesy of the New York Crimes
pierogies for days
correct date - yes, 1977
great old menu images from the world dominated el bulli restaurant in spain:
now just think, they have a publishing deal with Phaidon press. i swear by the looks of these pages, i just pulled up to a curbside joint. but then again, Ferran Adria (let’s face it) is way ahead of the times. take a look around nyc – it’s cool to write the menu … on the table cloth … where you are seated … as you explain each menu item. trust me – i’m not stretching the truth by all means. then let’s think, not even a year after he designed this menu, he was creating what we know as “molecular gastronomy”. meanwhile, over in London, the Sex Pistols are dropping their first EP. honestly though, if you plan on just waltzing into this joint or pullin’ up to the curbside – well then, FORGET IT! reserve now – or after a few years (it’s closing temporarily) – because they accept a year in advance. daggone!
“i pity the fool!”
truely exception bottle of wine.
one of my most favorites.
some quote it “a great fine dining accompaniment”. others quote it “even a great burger wine”
it’s just lovely and rich in all of its powers. Jenny and Francois describe it like so:
“Blue-black in the glass with a deep purple rounding the rim. Scents of red and black fruit intermingle with Blueberry ink, a warm note of garrigue, pine and pounded limestone. The palate is a delectable expression of juicy plum, blackberry, black cherry and deft flavors of sweet herbs. A buoyant note of minerality emerges near the finish and that is given a nice boost by the wines silken acidity. L’ Enclos will age gracefully for more than a decade, however, it drinks beautifully in its relative youth.”
i think it’s pretty spot on. but needless to say, i love depth and mind-blowing flavors.
not to mention, it’s organic and biodynamic. can’t beat that homies …
fay's carrot birthday cake
carrot cake has a phenomenal open-ended policy.
it’s extremely easy to adapt carrot cake recipes. part in part, to my belief, that there are so many different solid ingredients, that it doesn’t need much to give it structure. it’s like brick v mortar.
i’ve never really made a REAL carrot cake. i’d taken the reigns at vegan carrot cake while working at Babycakes, but never anything of my own and that including nuts etc.
so i did a lot of studying at the book store. snapped a few recipes with my iphone. and went to the grocery store to put my ideas together while cruising the isles. by the way … which is my absolute FAVORITE thing to do.
the following recipe is closest to that from the Gourmet cookbook:
3/4 pound of carrots
2 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons plus a pinch of baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 and 1/2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups of packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups of sunflower seed oil
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon of lemon extract
8 ounces of crushed (NOT diced) pineapple – totally different, but amazing for moisture and diversified texture.
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (pecans are good too)
2/3 cup gold raisins
frosting:
3 8 oz. packages of soft cream cheese (full fat)
1 and 1/2 sticks of soft butter
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of imitation rum extract
2 and 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
for cake:
preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. grease and flour 2 nine inch spring form pans.
grate the carrots with the “medium-hole size” on a cheese grater. set aside in a bowl.
beat on medium speed with stand up mixer the eggs, oil, lemon extract and sugar.
add salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices.
add flour and pineapple.
remove bowl from stand up mixer and fold in coconut, walnuts, raisins and carrot with a sturdy spatula.
once mixed well, divide up batter evenly amongst the two 9 inch pans.
place pans on the middle rack in the oven for 45 minutes.
cakes are ready when there is a nice cushion-spring-like poke in the middle of the cakes AND a tooth pick comes out clean.
put aside to cool.
when the cakes have FULLY cooled, even after having removed the sides of the spring form pans, then you can start making the frosting:
whip on high with a beater the butter and cream cheese until fluffy (a few minutes).
add powdered sugar. whip some more.
then add the vanilla and rum extract.
whip until nice and smooth and stiff peaks form from beaters.
frost your cake – obviously a double layer and finish off with a nice and smooth half inch layer on the outside.
use extra frosting to pipe lettering/doodles/designs.
*also a great idea is to sprinkle with crystallized ginger bits on top. a fun, yummy, and great texture addition.
set in the fridge for an hour at least!
BANG!
shredded baked chicken
pour over gravy
top with biscuits
in the oven until golden brown
SO SIMPLE!
servin' hot in the kitchen
le pavillon restaurant, formerly accross from the st regis on east 55 street
savory steez
thinly sliced regular and sweet potatoes
dress with olive oil (we use coconut), cayenne, sea salt, and thyme (or rosemary).
spread out and bake on parchment in 325 convection oven until golden and the potato slices curl up at the edges.
you want them crisp too, of course.
deal with it
this is seriously … a whatever salad. but it was delish.
take the citrus dressing from my last “motherload salad”
get some good greens (here is a mixed mesclun and baby arugula)
thinly sliced sweet pepper
blueberries
cucumbers
blue cheese.
drizzle, toss.
and if you’re curioust as to why it’s a whatever kinda salad … well … i just kinda used whatever veggies/fruits i could find in the fridge. and it was delicious.
don’t be silly and fussy about salads. nobody really cares anyway, right? it’s greens …
troublemakers
the easiest recipe ever that was taught to me…
take your normal Nestle Toll House recipe (staple).
use just one cup of the semi sweet chips AND add an extra 2/3 stick of butter.
THEN add 1 cup of crushed salted pretzels, 1 cup of chopped walnuts, and 1 cup butterscotch chips.
form balls that are about 2 inches in diameter and spread them evenly – about 2 inches apart – on an ungreased cookie sheet.
bake for 14 minutes in the instructed 375 oven.
YUMMMMMM!
trifecta
pumpkin ginger with orange spice crust, chocolate bourbon pecan with orange spice crust, calvadose[d] apples with a cheddar crust.
all recipes adapted from cookbook PIE by Angela Boggiano
you going to let something like this slip?
either “Rock Fish” or “Striped Bass”. oye!
even the guy behind the counter knew what i was talking about. and even HE said, “i hope you’re not callin’ ME the idiot!”
who's in charge here?
virginia plates
dad is so awesome to send me text messages sometimes with some sort of culinary delight.
all homemade.
all from my home.
this time they had squirrel and baked potato. don’t under estimate. it’s a mighty fine bite if you do it right.
🙂
so many great colors
shack food. straight forward. you MUST be hungry to appreciate. not to mention, that open mind of yours …
chorizo and deep fried (gasp… i know) fish with gucamole. homemade pickled carrots, fresh radish, cilantro, cabbbage, and the “green stuff”.
starved after sitting on the gross beach of Rockaway. “ya should’ve gone to 67 street.” well yes, i know, but i really made this trip for the tacos, not the beach. so i hit the 98 street stop and it was just fine. swam in the grimey waters and prayed that i wouldn’t see a turd or a body part float by. got crazy burnt and managed to find some aloe that cost 4 dollars at a “99 cent store”. but rest assured, i mapped my way to this awesomely funky old dig:
is this the projects?
walking here i passed a whole block of homes that had been abandoned and probably burned down at different time periods. there’s a crew of guys across the street tearing down a without-a-doubt asbestos infested building. but with a whining tummy, i walked briskly up to this window:
cash only
and sat out here nine bucks poorer:
first come first serve
a woman came up to me as i was eating and asked “what the wait was?” and “where’s the server?”
i said, “first come first serve, ma’am.”
and then i stuffed my pie hole!
great lil guy
food just IS happy. look at this crumb. that is a SMILE it’s wearing!!
🙂
of all the things you can’t find in downtown LA, there are the things that you can find which are so unique in their own right that it sets them apart from the rest of that massive palm tree village. gems people like to call them, but i prefer to call them “digs”.
everywhere you walk, you’re walking through a mass of scary people. the locals that make up the majority of this area of LA aren’t ones that i choose to mingle with or stand on a corner too long with – at first glance you might categorize them as “crazies”, but it’s taught me quite the lesson in life. get. tough. friggin. skin. build it and you better build it now cuz life don’t get much easier. that being said, “cruising” downtown has become natural for me and the girls that work hard over at Babycakes.
Pam and i went out cruising one night – i think it was in search of something like Big Lots or something else. we walked past the Wooden Spoon. an ex gallery space. warm yellow tones. tall ceilings. quaint and small tables. bench seating that lines the walls and adorned with pillows. we told ourselves we’d go there soon. and we did – pretty much the very next day.
i’d blog about the brazilian sausage over the yummy beet salad. but, my biggest “wower” meal was the pork burger.
mammoth.com
it is so gigantic in size. it was inconceivable as to how i would even fit a proper bite (a little bit of everything) in my mouth at one time. the third try, i managed to load everything in and probably at the risk of dislocating my jaw. but the amazingness of this THING would ease any hospital bill. the potato roll was toasted, the pork was SO thick and tender. the caramelized onions and sauteed cabbage was just the perfect complexity. so simple, right, but slightly vinegary/butteriness. pam scored a bite before i finished it off. we were floored. i finished it only to have gained “the bottomless dish” syndrome. which you say to yourself when you’ve tasted something so yummy that “you wish that it would just never end … you could keep eating it for the rest of your life. the salad? salad shmalad … who cares?
we also enjoyed the sangria. cinnamon was a big puncher in it. not to mention the wonderful, wonderful berries:
marriage in heaven
"eeeyyy....!"
coming out of the LCD Soundsystem concert in LA, the exit doors are practically blocked by these street vendors. hands out and within an arm’s (and pocket’s) length to snag your money and hand over a dog in exchange.
these dogs are special though. and extremely unappetizing in appearance. a hot dog wrapped in bacon. then on your traditional bun, they put the mammoth thing and dress it with sauteed peppers and onions. looks good after the toppings, but needless to say, i couldn’t get a good or even appealing photo of one of them cooking on the hot plate. in reality, the hot plate that is nestled inside a shopping cart. who needs a license to sell these? if you’ve had one, i’m curious as to what your opinion is.
great. phenom concert. face melter!!!!!!!!!!!!!
my brunch life really evolves around omelettes. i work in a bakery, so something sweet for breakfast is out of the question. i can’t look at sugar and if i’m putting my money into a meal, it daggone well better NOT be sweets. i get that for free and it’s the best (see below post).
pam lived in santa monica when she was a california girl previously. she is in LA again now, but we’re all downtowners. she took the liberty of showing my a few favorite spots and she took me to Swingers on Lincoln Blvd.
egg white omelettes amongst the bagillion other amazing things they had on the menu. it reminded me a lot of Kings Highway at the Ace Hotel in palm springs. extensive and extremely diverse. and from the look see around me, methinks the quality parallels as well! funky fresh waitstaff: questionable amount of clothing, tattoos and eyeliner, all super super kind.
i got the california omelette. wasn’t trying to play the tourist, but i couldn’t disagree with the ingredients. “3 organic eggs, stuffed with jack cheese, bacon, avocado, and alfalfa sprouts”. grapefruit juice (freshly squeezed).
done me good. it was tremendous in all its glory. spicy potatoes to accompany and i even got leaves with mine too. of course the hot sauce was in abundance and a plentiful amount of mustard. mixed and shmeared on my english muffin. hit the beach afterwards. california girl… !!
doughnuts. baked not fried. gluten free.
chocolate gooey glazed goodness
did a really really rad vintage food editorial in this month’s (april) bon appetit magazine. the idea was to bring back old dessert recipes like your classic coffee cake or chocolate mayonnaise cake. imagine lots of butter, sugar, and hellman’s mayonnaise. very circa 1950-1960 something. i really dig the music that they put out in those days, the food however, i’m a bit questionable about? but hey, bon appetit is a publication that has survived the deepest and darkest corners of the recession, so i’m only somewhat optimistic about the turn out of these old school confections. why would they lie??
the photography is what REALLY caught my eye. very vintage-y tones, graininess, and lighting. lots of browns, pinks and yellows ya know?? check it:
chocolate mayonnaise cake
maple cake with maple syrup frosting. don't forget the walnuts.
vanilla bean bunt cake with vanilla glaze and strawberries
i really couldn’t stop staring and i was extremely intrigued by the simplicity. the spread is in fact brilliant. the nostalgic photography and the every popular recipes can only make any curious individual try their hand at these. we all know that the magazines come in the mail and sit on the average joe’s coffee table for visual stimulus. but there’s peanut butter, maple syrup, chocolate and mayonnaise? … come ON! recipes are included. go HERE to look at pictures and get recipe links~!!
new york style crumb cake
banana cupcakes with peanut butter frosting
great puns and all involving food – good for a small chuckle, and they’re visibly easy to read, thus appealing for most.
this is for colin
tatiana opened up a whole new world of the ice cold creamy stuff in LA – close to one of my last days there. we went to this vegan place called Pure Luck just off east Melrose. i’ll write more about that place later, but what really blew my mind was the ice cream shop across the street called Scoops.
when you walk in, you see a dry erase board on your left that has BONKERS combinations of flavors that customers have written up as suggestions on new lickable goods. blueberry-cap’n crunch-cream cheese or maybe chocolate-almond-chutney. i seriously just made those up, but they aren’t too far off. for reals.
i chose after ten minutes of pulling my hair out. pistachio hefeweisen.
that's my jammer - right in the middle (Green)
incredible. pistachio (including the little nut pieces), creamy, not too sweet, a bit of honey and the soft wheat-y after notes. it was seriously one of those “damn, i wish this bowl of ice cream had no bottom.” i’ll never forget it.
couldn’t find the legit site, but here is a site that really just tells ya where to go (most important).
my job
some things i’ve been doing lately are these sorts of fun things. i love my job. period.
this was a cake i decorated in LA for the Babycakes NYC that just recently opened. you have to go and say hi to the crew for me.
my last day came a lot faster than i imagine. whirlwind. whoo. okay plane time.
my girlfriend Pam said let’s BBQ on the roof. she made her special homemade BBQ sauce and bought some meats. Tatiana made her jalapeno poppers that she’s super famous for (as well). Pam bought my favorite beer and Tatiana brought Tim and Emelia along with their son Elton and friend Emily. great crowd called for amazing energy and therefore, duh, amazing weather.
marination
this is chicken and it’s being taken over by Pam’s homemade BBQ sauce. she used something like 5 different kinds of peppers which i could never detect individually, but it works as a whole! it was the perfect combo of sweet and spicy. i have strong dislikes of the “saucy” kinda of BBQ sauce usually. if you haven’t read about the BBQ at the chalkley christmas, then i suggest you review that post. Pam converted me – and from now on i’ll be most willing to atleast try the variety – to the saucy/glaze genre. we also marinated some pork ribs along with the chicken wings and thighs, mushrooms, and then also just plain grilled some chicken.
the view
tatiana made simple jalapeno poppers that were friggin amazing. so simple and so backyard 1960’s easy-type. jalapenos hollowed out, then stuffed with a cream cheese and roasted garlic mixture.
mmmmmmmph!
they brought guacamole as well and the trick was to leave the pit in the guacamole mixture to prevent it from browning AKA rotting. that is something i will never forget. look at the photos!
spread
cute crowd
what is this place? israeli, tapas, small plates, kosher, american? well despite the questions, there is always something good on the menu. pam frequents this place. she got pork with deep fried beets, over soft and sweet beet puree and some fresh finally chopped tossed greens on top. the colors were amazing and so was the meal apparently.
oye!
i had the potato latkes one night that were dipped in a smokey apple sauce. unbeweeeeeevable. and fried boccoli that were tossed in a tangy vinagrette that was extremely diverse in flavors. great wines and beers on tap … including a small selection of bourbons and whiskeys.
it’s located through the lobby of the Alexandria Hotel and downtown LA.
site: The Gorbals
eatible planets
i really wasn’t so sure that downtown LA had it in her, but seriously. Pam and i were on our way to Macy’s of all places, and passed by this fancy pantsy place called LOUIE. It is kind of like a small gourmet grocery like dean and deluca in the front and then fine italian bistro dining in the back. the place is huge as i am pretty sure it used to be a bank of some sort. the build out is beautiful, lots of white, it looks so pristine inside. amazing pastries, good selection of cheese, meats, butter, wine, confitures, moutardes, salt, sugar, bread, ya know? pate and little doo dads like that. nothing involving fresh produce, sadly. maybe soon?
well, what really made me come in here is the fact that right the glass door entrance there is a beautiful color array of MACAROONS. colin and i have a few places in our hood and our girlfriend ghislaine brought us back some from France one time, but the quest is still on and i think that i’ve come to the end and final conclusion – LOUIE makes a friggin “nasty” macaroon aka i’m blown away aka i’ll never taste another one the same way (almost positive).
i’ve been able to buy all 6 flavors at once and not really have a chance to sit down before i’ve finished eating them all. which is why i literally forced myself to save three (my favorites… for last) for a photo!
ABOVE FROM LEFT: coconut with REAL coconut flakes, tangerine with REAL zest in the filling, and chocolate with REAL salted caramel inside.
take that y’all. digest it and think if you’ve had the same? nuh uh….
Go to LOUIE!
colin has been to Palm Springs, CA for coachella. i couldn’t come because, well, i don’t have the money. but, the thing that i was most intrigued about was the fact that they ATE SO WELL WHEN THEY WERE THERE!!!!!!! jealous!
colin told me about the ACE Hotel in Palm Springs that is a super honky tonk kinda place, but Alex Calderwood (the brains behind all the ACE hotels), put the urban chic and cool in the desert and brings the think-you’re-cool-enough crowds.
desert and mountains - atypical palm springs
pool pushes lounging, of course a spa, a pop-up store, a cowboy-for-kickin bar called the Amigo Room, and a restaurant called Kings Highway and it’s totally california appropriate.
the pool
we ate out a fancy supper the night before, but we were craving a good bite to eat before we hit the road to orange county. not to mention we took an amazing hike through Palm Canyon that AM. good thing we hit cool(er) weather because i couldn’t have done it if it was even a few degrees warmer!!
so colin and i took a booth at Kings Highway and ordered the same sandwich but different meat fillers. colin loves bacon and will probably one day figure out how toultimately breathe bacon. i’m a grilled chicken girl. so i got the C.L.A.T. (Chicken, Lettuce, Avocado, Tomato) with some other veggies that i was definitely okay with.
it had beaucoup de sprouts
it also had the hot sauce. the bread was the only downer – it was too soft and not substantial enough to hold in the chicken plus fillers. although there was that one think that bothered me a tad, it was still toasted in the end! the chicken was so moist. and of course the avocado was the perfect texture. good tomatoes. and the sprouts handed over a good earthy/nutty taste. yum! and because i was on vacation, of course i had a small glass of chardonnay. which i shared with colin. almost forgot the jicama, sweet pepper, onion and cilantro side-salad that came with it! cleaned up with gums. lick your lips.
can’t wait to come back. the menu was SO diverse. check it here and make the trip if you’re on the west coast! it’s hot in the desert. hang, sweat, and be lazy kids!
so, as any New Yorker knows, the coffee scene has become a cult-like society and artisanal coffee shops are spreading like wildfire. the art and craft of perfecting an insane espresso or drip coffee has grown to become serious competition and the better the “latte art” you can come up with, the higher you are ranked on the coffeehouse coolness factor.
Starbucks has dissipated and has stooped to only a figment of one’s imagination. those poor guys. they are SO circa 1995. grande non-fat mocha frappucinos, no whip are locked and stored in the cellar with Constant Comment tea. move over coffee monopoly … the underdogs are surfacing.
i should’ve posted something about New York coffeehouses before this, but US Weekly and Star Mag thrive on Los Angeles movie stars pulling into the drive-thru Starbucks and now that i’m hanging out in LA for a bit, i’m happy to inform everyone that Intelligentsia has made a solid, SOLID mark on LA and is making a ground-[brewing] effect on the hippest parts of town. Venice Beach and Silverlake.
Intelligentsia prides itself on artisanal coffee growers and roasting in small batches to assure quality consistency in all of their beans. different beans from different regions bring different flavors to each cup – some fruity, some chocolatey, some having notes of cinnamon, some having notes of honey or liquorice – as odd as that may sound, it ultimately makes you try different “blends” as you frequent the shop, and you really do start to learn that those flavors and aromas do in fact exist. amazing? yes!!! definitely.
i’ve been to both branches of Intelligentsia. even on the same day. i biked 37.2 miles one day. starting at downtown LA, i went to Venice Beach, then up to Santa Monica, through Beverly Hills, across Hollywood, to Silverlake, through Echo Park, and back downtown. amazing, but couldn’t have done it if i hadn’t stopped to have a few ice coffees while the sweat dripped down my back and forehead.
my jam - soy latte
i got the usual – soy latte. of course it had all the characteristics that a good latte should contain – a rich espresso shot (triple ristretto aka three shots pulled into one long draw) with a good crema (not over heated to burn the espresso which brings a “creaminess” into the tail end of the shot). the milk was wonderfully steamed (not too hot so it burns the milk, but just hot/warm enough that it is truely drinkable on the first sip).
also, take not of the “latte art”…
different shapes and variations come out of the foam. it also depends on how good your barista is. you can also judge (of course, jokingly) how good it will be by the quality and name brand of their fixed gear track bike and how old the Chuck Taylors they’re wearing are. at least in NYC. in LA, it’s also about how old-school you can appear and if your two-toned vest is actually backed in real silk and the front is finely woven wool with leather buttons. not to mention vintage Brooks Brothers. love it all and the nature of these crafty hipsters. but, sometimes you’ll get hearts (or multiple), a shamrock, i’ve even heard one barista did a dog? (think that was at Saturdays NYC).
it was delish. and so were the other treats that come with the coffee. Colin and i visited the Venice branch (before i made my long ride) and shared the following:
cookie sandwich and chocolate/carmel shortbread
the build out of the Venice Beach location is amaze-amaze. super modern and just totally refined. they out did it – even for NY standards!!! gasp.
gorgeous. there is wonderful indoor and outdoor seating in the “alley way” that leads to this big shop. another barista station mirrors what you see in the image. superstardom times two y’all.
here are some more photos that i took on our little rendez-vous:
still good to the bottom
outdoor seating - in february
highly suggest you go. it is a wonderful cup of coffee at a wonderfully expensive price. but, if you are a top dog at limited locations, well that’s an authority that you can’t really mess with, huh?
cheers my loves!
whenever friends come into town, it’s always the greatest chance to go somewhere to eat that you have never been to. my brother came into town and i kinda laid down the usual questions – what are you feeling? what are you craving? into these days?
i kinda didn’t let him speak, but when i mentioned BBQ becuase i’d be DROOLING over this joint in Williamsburg that i hadn’t been to yet.
fette sau – aka “fat pig” in german … or so i’m told … is the name.
if you read my post on christmas at the Chalkley’s residence, you’ll totally understand that i am not a sweet sauce BBQ kinda gal. i love the smokey, salty, vinegary taste and hints. i read a thing or two when this place had just opened and as i could recall that is exactly how the BBQ is prepared.
and it was. we got a TON because i hadn’t really eaten anything all day.
Nat my brother and i shared pulled pork, belly strips, some boneless beef rib, and some pork spare ribs. side of baked beans and broccoli salad.
then Colin bought a whole gallon of Coney Island Lager.
before
and yes, they plate up all your food onto a parchment covered sheet pan – all to make the gluttony look more glorious.
i made my pie recipe but in a spring form pan and pressed the dough way up the sides to make a deep dish.
thinly sliced my apples, and prepared them just like i did my apple pie, but baked it like a tart … without a top and baked a little bit longer.
i was a little nervous to take it out of the pan and have it still all together, but it worked and it was delicious …
chicago
excuse the wine glass, but JD brought a really good white wine. it was perfect. i gave everyone the option of pouring cream over top if they wanted a “cutter” of sorts.
i’ve never done a deep dish pie crust, but the spring form pan is a beautiful and multipurpose tool. i can’t wait to do it again and possibly with a filling that rises or another seasonal fruit.
not to mention, it was a TOTALY Aix en Provence reunion and there are SO many more photos that i can’t possibly share. too good. too funny.
love all of you whom attended, especially the Canadians!!!!!
An we all know how much I love going al fresco. Some quickie omelettes, cranberry muffin divided up, coffee, and strawberries and honeyed sour cream.
Don’t forget hot sauce and Dijon. Have to keep it regular right?
Tmi.
650 pieces of pastry
Breads
Popovers
Coffee
Smiles
All served up. Photo op here of the last croissant rolled that day. I finally breathed but not without simultaneously taking a big swig of the morning joe. I’d been at work since 12 am and I rang in this little guy here at 6.
Amazing feelings!!
Jessiealamode 
