Summer Berry Salad

Ingredients: strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cane sugar, fresh mint, lemon juice

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This is such a versatile dessert perfect for summer and so simple to put together! Full of fresh flavors, it's simple, beautiful, and you can eat it in so many ways. The mint is a great way to combine all the berries together, counteracting their sweetness and tartness with a nice fresh bite. After combining all the ingredients, it's best to let it sit in the fridge for a bit so that the lemon juice and sugar work their magic on extracting some of the berries juices.

The salad is perfect on its own, or topped with a bit of chilled mascarpone cheese or even a dollop of greek yogurt with a mint tea syrup for a dessert; of course, always great with some vanilla ice cream. Add some more yogurt and some granola and honey and you've got yourself a great breakfast; better yet, top these on some fluffy buttermilk pancakes and warm maple syrup!

Chomping Ground // Los Angeles: Fruute

Früute

8951 Santa Monica Blvd. | Ste. A

West Hollywood, CA 90069

310.786.9983

www.fruute.com

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I just read about this lovely little new dessert place in West Hollywood [on Santa Monica between Doheny and San Vicente] and was taken by its minimalist and delicate design of their bite-size tarts. To top it off, the flavors sound ünique, interesting, and über gourmet. 


Having just opened on July 2, the menu of tarts feature "curated" flavors and are divided into Classic (flavors for the purist) and Curious (flavors for the audacious). The website is clever; hovering over each tart, you are given a profile view of the tart along with a small caption description of its flavor. See their tart page here.


Some classic flavors include: 

Three Berries

Citron

Creme Brulee

Sea Salt Caramel

Curious flavors are: 

Matcha

a light matcha green tea cake on a dacquoise base, topped with harmonious blueberry and raspberry

Black Pepper

pepper-infused bittersweet chocolate with a forest berry center, layered with frangipane in a chocolate crust, topped with candied black pepper crisp and blueberries

Wasabi

a rare blend of spicy Japanese horseradish and a blood orange center, layered with vanilla frangipane in a pistachio crust, garnished with a mint leaf tempura

Mont Blanc

caramelized banana with a touch of rum in a chocolate crust, topped with caramel wafer, chestnut cream swirl and a lone pistachio

Let's just hope the flavor of these teeny things live up to their design. I haven't been here yet, so I have no idea how much these cost, but presumably an arm and a leg.  

Peach Crisp

 

Ingredients: Filling // yellow peaches, organic cane sugar, all-purpose flour

Crumble topping // toasted pecans, brown sugar, cane sugar, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, unsalted butter, kosher salt

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I used Alice Waters' very simple crisp recipe for this incredible dessert (perfect for 4th of July bbqs!). I've never poached fruit before and it was necessary to poach the peaches slightly in order to remove the skins. The skins slide off very easily after placing the peaches in a pot of boiling water for about 30 seconds. I couldn't believe how bright and colorful they were underneath (see photo above). Some variations to this peach filling are to add blackberries, blueberries, or even raspberries to the mix; for other seasons, you can use apples & pears (fall), or cranberries & orange zest (winter).

The crumble topping was super simple; it was just a matter of throwing everything into a bowl and dicing up the butter (very cold) into cubes and adding them to the mixture. You then just massage and mix the topping with your hands until it becomes crumbly and no longer sandy and loose. 

Pour the filling into a ceramic baking dish (make sure you pick a nice one since you'll be serving out of this dish - you could also use individual ramekins for this recipe) and then sprinkling the crumble topping on top, covering as much of the filling as possible. Line a flat baking sheet with some parchment paper and place your baking dish on top - some of the juices will spill over in the oven while baking. Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 mins and you're set.

Alice Waters suggests serving this crisp with a cold heavy cream or a crème anglaise - I'm a fan of both, especially with some whole vanilla beans added for flavor. Even better, just top with a scoop of simple vanilla ice cream and serve.

From the Market // Peaches & Nectarines

Featured: Yellow Peaches, White Nectarines, Green Nectarines, Snow Angel Peaches

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Peaches have been flooding the markets lately and I couldn't help but snap some quick shots of all the reds, oranges, and yellows. I read a blurb in Bon Appétit magazine last month that some of the peach crop in California has suffered this year due to an unusually wet/cold spring; explains why some of the flats I've purchased at supermarkets have yielded a lot of firm and sour peaches. Your best bet is to stick to your farmers' markets where careful attention has been paid to harvesting.

From the Market // Carrots

I found these vibrant and fun carrots today and can't wait to try them. Some herbs that go great with carrots are fresh thyme and even some rosemary stalks. You can steam, saute, boil, broil, bake, and puree carrots every which way and taste super sweet during the summer.

The gorgeous Red Carrots are this deep beet-red color with bits of orange peeking through while the White Carrots are these pale cream yellow color. The mini carrots below are called Thumbelinas!

Pan Seared Trout w/ Garlic + Oregano

Ingredients: Trout fillets, MarketSpice Seafood Seasoning Rub, kosher salt, lemon, red garlic, fresh oregano, butter, olive oil

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Investing in any type of spice rub will make your food taste like you've been slaving away in the kitchen (or on the grill) for hours. It elevates the flavor of your dishes 10-fold and all you need to do is rub it on! This particular Seafood Rub has a blend of paprika, garlic, onion, parsley, mustard, turmeric, pepper, and dill weed. This trout literally took 10 mins to make, throwing it on a hot pan (skin-side down) and finishing it off with garlic, lemon juice, and fresh oregano leaves. 

MarketSpice is a great little store in a corner of Pike Place Market in Seattle, tucked away behind the famous yelling fishermen stand. It was a bulk spice, seasoning, and loose-leaf tea store that was absolute heaven. 

Spaghetti + Meatballs

Ingredients:

Spaghetti Sauce //  canned tomatoes, dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, bay leaf kosher salt, black pepper, sugar

Meatballs // ground turkey, spicy Italian pork sausage, Italian parsley, ground Parmesan cheese, fresh bread crumbs, soy milk, red garlic cloves, kosher salt, black pepper

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There is nothing like the flavor of homemade Spaghetti sauce. And I don't mean buying a jar of pre-made marinara and adding your fix-ins, I mean making your sauce. There is definitely a novelty of having your sauce simmer on the stove for the whole afternoon - the aroma really transports you into an Italian kitchen that no other jarred sauce could do. And since I don't have an Italian bone in my body, take my advice with a grain of salt. 

I combined a variety of Spaghetti sauce recipes that I referenced on epicurious.com, Bon Appetit magazine, and Cook's Journal. But in the end I just made my own.  I combined all the ingredients above and allowed it to simmer on low for at least an hour. I then poured it all into my food processor to puree the sauce in order to make it a smoother consistency and returned it to a low heat for another half hour.

It was my first time making meatballs, referencing loads of recipes and finally making up my own concoction. They turned out incredible - I seared them in a saucepan first, browning them on all sides and then finished them off to cook in the sauce. Throw in some al dente spaghetti pasta and you're in business.

Bourbon Ice Cream

Ingredients: heavy cream, half and half, egg yolks, cane sugar, brown sugar, Maker's Mark, kosher salt

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Here's a shot of my latest and greatest batch of homemade ice cream, fresh from the churning  and setting process. I went a little overboard with the bourbon... but that's not a problem. I had this vision of serving it with some grilled peaches which made it a picture perfect summer [happy hour] dessert.

Classic Caprese w/ Mozzarella di Bufala

 

Ingredients: tomatoes, basil, Buffalo mozzarella, olive oil, lavender balsamic vinegar

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If you've never tried Buffalo mozzarella, you have not lived. It is refreshingly creamy and soft and typically served chilled and kept in a water bath to prevent it from drying out. It is definitely an indulgence, much pricier than regular mozzarella, but worth every penny. Buffalo mozzarella is worlds away from the classic mozzarella which is usually featured on pizzas, lasagnas, and your standard Italian fare.  Someone told me once about the technical differences in making Buffalo vs. regular mozzarella, but I don't remember. All I know is that this is possibly the best cheese on the planet - and perfect with a caprese. You can find it at any cheese shop or Italian deli, and even at Trader Joe's. 

And while we're on the topic, here are some of my favorite Fromageries:

Cowgirl Creamery - San Francisco Ferry Bldg.

Berkeley Bowl West, Cheese Counter - West Berkeley

The Cheese Board - North Berkeley / Gourmet Ghetto

The Pasta Shop, Cheese Counter - West Berkeley

The Cheesestore of Silverlake - Silverlake, Los Angeles

Andrew's Cheese Shop - Santa Monica

Monsieur Marcel - Inside the 3rd & Fairfax Farmer's Market, Los Angeles

And one last thing, the lavender balsamic vinegar I have is out of this world! I was scared it would taste too flowery from the lavender, but it is so subtle that the folks at Amphora Nueva seemed to get it just right by extracting only the sweet flavors from the blossoms. It's so great on salads and with bread for dipping!

Zucchini Fries w/ Homemade Ranch Dip

Ingredients: Zucchini, all-purpose flour, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, organic egg, black pepper, kosher salt, olive oil // Ranch Dip: organic mayonnaise, light sour cream, chives, Italian parsley, garlic, black pepper, kosher salt

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I wanted to take a crack at making my own Ranch dip. I was never really a fan of the dressing version, but a good Ranch dip goes so well with incredibly fattening and fried goodies. Since summer squashes are in season, I thought I'd fry up some zucchini fries and make a classic pairing. Eat these up fast because fried zucchini tends to get soggy quickly! 

The Ranch dip was so easy to whip up - it's just a matter of throwing everything into a bowl, with very minimal chopping for the chives and parsley. This is a much healthier alternative than getting the jarred stuff or that disturbing powder that comes in those little packets at the store. The fresh greens in the dip make all the difference, along with some freshly minced raw garlic which adds a tangy bite. 

From the Deli // Mole Salami

   

Possibly the best salami you've ever tasted. Aged and infused with chocolate, cinnamon, ancho and chipotle peppers, this Mole salami blew my mind when I first tried it at Salumi. Run by a very tight-knit and robust Italian family (who man the counter and the kitchen), this small charcuterie deli has made a name for itself in the Pioneer Square neighborhood of Seattle, WA. Other notable flavors to try are their Hot Sopressata and Smoked Paprika. 

Broiled Baby Back Ribs

 

Ingredients: pork ribs, DiLaurenti Barbeque Sauce, kosher salt

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It really is all about the sauce. I snagged a bottle of this BBQ sauce while in Seattle and slathered a bunch all over a rack of baby back pork ribs. I'm not a fan of tangy BBQ sauces, but this one is very sweet and full of an oak-y, charcoal-y taste with incredibly earthy flavors.

I coated the ribs before broiling in the oven at 350F, covered in foil for one hour. I then removed the foil, increase the temperature to 400F and broiled for an additional 20 mins until brown (alas, I have no bbq grill). It needed a bit of heat as I dug into them and decided to drop a bit of my secret hot sauce that I bring out for special occasions. I found it while in this great hot sauce boutique in downtown Austin, TX last summer, appropriately named Tears of Joy Hot Sauce Shop.

Travelogue // SEATTLE, WA

Who knew Seattle had so many food shops, tasty treats, bistros, and everything gourmet. This was probably my 2nd or 3rd time visiting and it has definitely bourgeoned in the last 10-12 years since I've been. Recently featured in a NY Times article which cleverly dubbed the Seattle food movement as "Fork by Northwest," is has definitely become a food mecca destination. The city has an incredibly unique flavor and a vibe that is of its own - worlds away from the food cultures in San Francisco, Portland, and Los Angeles.  There is an incredible seafaring culture here, with Dungeness Crabs bigger than your head and Lobster tails up to 20 inches long on display at the markets. The clam chowder is to die for at Pike Place Chowder, the local cheese at Beecher's Handmade Cheese is unlike you've ever tried, and the Chocolate Mousse at Le Pichet is out of this world.

Some locations featured in the above collage:

Salumi Artisan Cured Meats 

[http://www.salumicuredmeats.com/]

Serious Pie 

[http://tomdouglas.com/index.php?page=serious-pie]

DiLaurenti Specialty Food & Wine

[http://www.delaurenti.com/]

Dahlia Bakery

[http://tomdouglas.com/index.php?page=dahlia-bakery]

Tomatillo Salsa

 

Ingredients: tomatillos, cilantro, jalapeno, lemon juice, kosher salt

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Tomatillo salsa is my own spin on the classic salsa verde. Tomatillos are such a fun veggie to husk, clean, and prep. I never knew they were so white and juicy inside - the bigger ones yield a runnier salsa. I pretty much just threw all the ingredients in the food processor and called it a day. It took about 5 mins!

Chocolate-Chocolate Chunk Muffins

 

 

Ingredients: semi-sweet dark chocolate, unsweetened cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, organic cane sugar, vanilla extract

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The muffin: the best excuse to have cake for breakfast. This is probably the most sinful muffin you'll ever have - super chocolaty, not dry, and not even that sweet. It goes perfect with a cup of coffee or espresso. The recipe was super simple! One of the differences I noticed right away while mixing up the batter is that it's a lot thicker and dryer than normal cake batter, but the result is very dense, very moist. There are huge chocolate chunks inside with every bite - don't use chocolate chips for these, it's better to chop up your own pieces from a block of chocolate.