French Macaroon vs The Cupcake

These gorgeous creatures are from Laduree in Paris. www.laduree.fr/v1/

Are we on the verge of another trend takeover in baked goods?

First it was the fresh baked monster cookie, now its cupcakes. I still love cookies and I still love cupcakes. They both grew to rapid popularity from cookie swaps and bake sales into big money. There isn't a town out there that doesn't have a cute little cupcake shop that sell your standard red velvet, devils food w/milk chocolate icing and traditional birthday flavors to orangesicle, triple citrus and s'mores. And those decorations! See this cool blog about cupcakes cupcakeestakethecake.blogspot.com.
There is a new cookie in town. The macaroon. It's not really new, at least not to the french, but we are discovering this tasty and pretty petite four. When you bite into it your teeth break a thin crunchy outside and immediately you get to the soft cookie, and then... the filling. The combinations of the cookie and filling seem to be endless causing a beautiful color spectrum you just can't resist. More restaurants and bakeries are starting to carry them and more recipes are being tried out by cooks at home. I haven't made any yet but I heard they are not as difficult as they may look. You will certainly see my results here when I do.

The cupcake is still going strong though and I think they will stick around for a while, but watch your back cupcake something just as cute is on the horizon.

Hmmmm.......pie anyone??

Guess who's coming to dinner?

I looove this! Can't beat yellow and green for a fresh look every time.
Dinnerware and table linens are another weakness of mine which is why I am working on my own line of table linens.

So romantic

Celedon green is the star here. Simple sophisticated arrangements make this work.

Love the jewel tones and the plate mixing. My favorite thing to do.

OMG! I hope there are 11 courses at these tables. I would never want to leave!  More is more for a layered exotic look.

Carolyn Roehm is the queen of tabletop in my eyes. She always amazes me with her beautiful color combinations in floral and china selections. Her arrangements are usually simple and sophisticated and leaves the pizzazz to the rest. Her attention to detail is always makes a photo finish. All of her books are amazing, but check out the Notebook Series. Your sure to get plenty of ideas.

I can see the possibilities now!

I love these retro plates. My mom has a set of the top right ones. I might have to steal them from her soon.

Here are some fab choices from Anthropologie

There's Always Room For Jello

I fell in love with jello all over again when I was trying to find sugar free substitutes for my dessert obsession after dinner ( or anytime really), and just wanted to cut down on my sugar intake for a while.  As I was cruising the isles at the grocery store I saw those boxes of jello and thought "Oh Yeah, why didn't I think of this before!" I began making the jello and sugar free pudding and adding a dollop of fat free Cool Whip on top. This was a great guilt free dessert. As I do with most things I make, I began to wonder how I could make this more pretty looking trying to find recipes and ideas, and I came across a great website called Victoriabelanger.wordpress.com, the self proclaimed "Jello Mistress of Brooklyn. She amazed me at the the sheer number of combinations of flavors of jello and the beautiful jello molds she made them in. Cool flavors like Pumpkin Pie jello and ones that look like Candy Corn made with Orange, Pineapple, Rum, and sweetened condensed milk. A true mistress indeed! It also took me back to the 'ol days of Better Homes and Garden's Lime Jello salad with peaches and sometimes vegetables. Remember the jello squares and Jello cake?

I have always loved and admired the Victorian era of extravegance and those fabulous copper molds that they used for gelatins and ice cream. Unfortunately I didn't have one of those molds when the inspiration struck me so  I decided to just use a plain old glass bowl. The flavors as seen in the photo above are as follows from top to bottom:

1st layer: Black Cherry jello with blueberries

2nd layer: Lime jello with Cool Whip

3rd layer: Peach jello with peaches

4th layer: Cherry jello with Cool Whip

It took most of the day to make, but it was delicious. I am now on a mission to experiment more with jello and the endless combinations of flavors and designs.

*Photography by Kai Morrison Vibe-n-Vision.com

Fair Market Value

I went to the Hollywood Farmer's Market this past Sunday to hunt for some deliciousness to prepare for the week. I am in LOVE with all beets right now and been roasting up a storm for the past few months with them. When I saw these lovely baby red carrots I had to have them. I decided to roast them too and they turned out so good that they are now in my top 5 fav veggie recipes. I simply tossed then with some olive oil, a little garlic salt, pepper, and a sprinkling of brown sugar since we were out of honey and put them in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes and then at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Sometimes the mother of invention turns out to be the best thing. They tasted like french fries!!! Any veggie that can do that is one for my recipe book. The beets came out great too as usual (see previous entry for recipe). The tops of the beets looked so fresh I decided to cook those as well. They were the best greens I ever tasted. I prepared them simply by sauteing  some red onion with olive oil and adding vegetable stock to the liquid and cooked on medium heat for 30 minutes. They don't need as long as collard, turnip or mustard greens.
I always have great success with whatever I buy at the market. That's why I was so sad to hear that that day might be the last day of the market!! Say it ain't so people. Apparently the film school nearby does not have access to their parking lot and since the market's permit to close streets has been revoked who's knows what will happen. I look forward to going to the market for the freshest fruits and vegetables and buy varieties I can't find in Ralph's, Von's or Food 4 Less which all by the way could stand improvement on what they do carry. Most of the produce has no flavor and at times has gone bad right on the shelves. The produce at the market is at best 3 days old, but for most vendors has been picked the day before.
The market has been there for 20 years and I hope it stays for 20 more. And yes, I signed the petition.

Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall

Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall

I love the farmer’s market. Sunday morning’s without going to the Hollywood spot wouldn’t be the same. I also love to cook and plan my meals around what I find at the market that looks particularly delightful. So, on one particular Sunday I rushed to pick out my favorite Cotton Candy Pluot and lo and behold...no more. Same with the most delicious peaches ever from Gelson’s on Franklin, and the fresh sweet corn at Pavillion’s in West Hollywood. There are now piles of beautiful gourds, squash, pumpkins, pears and apples in bounty. It’s official; summer is over and fall is here.

I can still taste that juicy peach and imagining how it will make the best peach blueberry cobbler ever! My bad I didn’t buy out the store and freeze them for a winter’s enjoyment in December and January. 

This is why we revel is seasonal cooking and enjoy every savory, juicy, and creamy bite of fruits and veggies in season when they are at their peak. Bring on the fried sage garnished butternut squash soup, the fresh pumpkin risotto, the rustic pear tartin, and an outrageous apple pie with a sticky toffee center topped with Haagen Das vanilla ice cream. So many new things to cook along with some old favorites.

Turkey day will be here in less than a week, and although I will not be hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year, i still enjoy watching the turkey day specials on the Food Network to see if I can learn anything new and add new dishes for next year. There are also no worries about what to do with the leftovers after 3 days.

Short Ribs Trial 1

So I decide to make some short ribs after seeing some beautiful ones at the Pavillions on the Westside. I buy 3 since I was cooking for one and didn't want to experiment on anyone else until I can perfect my recipe. Well, I don't have my own yet as I usually find a recipe online or somewhere else and change it as my mind races through all of the possibilities!
I found 2 great recipes: Tyler Florence's Ultimate Short Ribs on the Food Network ( I love his ultimate series!), and a fabulous one on Saveur Magazines blog that includes chocolate and coffee! Two of my favorite things. I had to try it. I decided to fuse them both together, but in order to cut the recipe in half I needed more short ribs, so back to the store I went. I now have about 3 lbs to work with.
I left out the wine Tyler's recipe, not because I wanted to but because I couldn't open the wine bottle. Very disappointed, but the ribs must go on tonight. I left out the bell pepper and jalapeno from the other and used a red onion.
After 3 hours of braising in the oven the end result: my studio apartment smelled like beef and I had some really tasty meat with a very thick sauce. I could really taste the chocolate and coffee. Yum. It really added something to the sauce and made for a very complex flavor. The meat was falling off the bone and they looked picture perfect. This is the first but not the last time I will make this and I will not forget the wine next time and use a sweet yellow onion, carrots and celery next.

Coffee and Chocolate Braised Short Ribs

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Coffee and Chocolate Braised Short Ribs

Washington Local and Seasonal Cookbook Coffee and Chocolate Braised Short Ribs adapted from the Washington Local and Seasonal Cookbook

• Olive oil or lard

• 5 lbs beef short ribs

• Salt and Pepper

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped

• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

• 2 Tbsp brown sugar

• 1 tsp chili powder

• 1/2 tsp oregano

• 1 tsp cumin

• 2 cups strong coffee

• 1.5 cups chopped tomatoes, with juice (or one 28 oz can)

• 1 Tbsp tomato paste

• 1 cup unsweetened chocolate (70% or higher cacao)

• Cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

1. Remove the short ribs from their package and rinse them under cold water. Pat them dry.
Rich chocolate and coffee sauce makes these ribs shine

2. Season the short ribs liberally with salt and pepper. (Use more salt than you think you will need).

3. Heat the olive oil or lard in a cast iron pan or Dutch oven over medium high heat.

4. Place two or three of the short ribs in the pan. Be careful not to crowd the short ribs. You want to brown them, not steam them.

5. Brown the short ribs well on all sides. You want the outsides of meat just a tad under burnt.

6. Transfer the browned meat to a plate and continue to brown the rest of the meat. When done, remove all of the meat to the plate.

7. Reduce the heat to medium.

8. If you used a cast iron pan for the browning, heat more oil in a large oven safe covered casserole dish. If you’re using a Dutch oven, just keep on cookin’.

9. Add the onions and peppers and cook until the onions are translucent, approximately 5-10 minutes.

10. Next mix in the garlic and cook for another minute.

11. Stir in the brown sugar and spices and cook for 5 minutes longer.

12. Add the coffee, chopped tomatoes, and tomato paste and bring the whole mixture to a boil.

13. Return the short ribs to the pot and cover.

14. Braise in the oven for 1.5 to 2 hours.

15. Mix in the chocolate until melted.

16. Season with the cilantro and salt and pepper.

Bistro-Style Short Ribs

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence, 2007

Ingredients

Short ribs:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 pounds short ribs, in 1 long piece or at least in pairs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 large tomato, quartered
• 3 ribs celery
• 1/2 head garlic, peeled
• 1/4 bunch fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
• 2 cups low-sodium, organic beef stock
• 4 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Preheat a cast iron grill or outdoor grill.

Season the short ribs with salt and pepper, drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil, and brown on all sides.

Place the onion, garlic, celery, carrot, and tomato into a food processor and blend until you reach a consistent, smooth pulp.

Take a large Dutch oven and place over medium-high heat. Add a 3-count of extra-virgin olive oil and add the thyme to infuse the oil. Next add the vegetable pulp, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and cook for about 10 minutes. Pour in the red wine and stock and bring it to a boil. Using tongs take the ribs and nestle them into the braising mix; the liquid should just about cover the meat. Place the lid loosely on top, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the meat is very tender, approximately 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

When the ribs are about finished, remove about 1 to 2 cups of liquid and strain into a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Heat the sauce until slightly reduced and thickened, about 5 minutes.

cook books

Cook Book Review

I thought I would share my beloved and always growing cookbook collection. I have a hard time going into the bookstore and walking out without buying a new cookbook, or any book for that matter! My first cookbook was a huge and had a recipe for almost everything and was given to my by my Aunt Alma at around the age of 20. By then I was a pretty good cook, but I wanted to learn more and with each new recipe came new techniques and new ways to prepare ingredients. I then joined a cookbook club and so my collection started to grow and included books on entertaining. I of course collected many tear sheets and scribblings of recipes and tabletops and created a filing system to handle the chaos. I couldn’t even begin to tell you how many recipes I have, but they span over 10+ binders filled to capacity. Soon those recipes will make it onto this blog.

Martha Stewart Living Cookbook

The Martha Stewart Cookbook

Weddings by Martha Stewart 

Martha Stewart’s Hors d’Oeuvres Handbook

Entertaining by Martha Stewart

Great Parties: The Best of Martha Stewart
Julia Child The Way To Cook

At Home With Carolyn Roheme Entertaining
Carolyn Roheme's Winter/Fall Notebooks

Marshmallows: Homemade Gourmet treats

America’s Best BBQ

Grilling for All Seasons

Brbecue! Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades

The BBQ Bible

Chocolate

Desserts

Baking

Sauces

Top Secret Restaurant Recipes

Cooks Illustrated Hardback Collection

The New Low Country Cooking

B Smith’s Cooking with Style

The Professional Chef

Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa Family Style

Sugar

The Cake Mix Doctor / Returns

Magnolia Bakery

California Pizza Kitchen

Rose’s Heavenly Cakes

The Cake Bible

Colette Cakes: The Art of  Cake Decorating

Cupcakes

InStyle Parties

Easy Entertaining

Napkins with a Twist

The Best of Gourmet

Nancy Silverton’s Breads

Nancy Silverton’s Pastries

The Cheese Bible

William Sonoma Collection Cookbooks

Smoothies

Essence of Chocolate

Death by Chocolate

Death by Chocolate Cakes

Charlie Trotter’s

Charlie Trotter Cooks at Home

Herbs and Spices

Cooking for Comfort

The Ultimate Cookie Cookbook

Mrs. Fields Cookie Book

The Bread Bible

I may have missed one or two since they are currently in storage right now. Oh how I miss them dearly!!

Where Should We Eat!

With all the excitement building around the new W Hotel in Hollywood, we’ve been teased about what the new dining experiences will be like. We’ll the Delphine Eatery and Bar at the W is now open for breakfast lunch and dinner. Let’s start with the decor, kinda like a modern take on french country with white washed pine ceilings and mirror accents, large over blown photos of old Paris all bathed in neutral colors of beige and white all laid out in a casual manner. 

What about the food you ask? I was having a breakfast meeting there and part of our party was tardy so we ordered a pastry while waiting. It was a freshly made bear claw with the most delicious almond and cinnamon paste inside ever! It will be hard to eat a pre-packaged one after that. The breakfast of herbed omelette with cheese, homemade potatoes, chicken sausage, and fresh squeezed orange juice was equally delightful. The oatmeal is served with golden raisons, walnuts, and brown sugar on the side. You will also delight in the scrambled eggs in puff pastry. They offer full menus for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner dessert, and a coffee menu.

The lunch menu includes bar food of oysters an antipasti of Foie Gras and a cheese plate to a Lobster Roll sandwich, Cod en pistou, and Quatre Fromage pizza.

For dinner items include specialties of the house Braised Beef w/Carrots, Bouillabaisse, Cassoulet, and a pasta selection of Mushroom Ravioli with butternut squash, hazelnuts, and sage brown butter. The Macaroni Gratin looks very promising!

The desserts come highly recommended.

The service was fantastic and we were waited on hand and foot. 

Giselle Raymond 2/10

6250 HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD . HOLLYWOOD, CA 90028 . 323.798.1355

Ok, this is my favorite casual dining place right now, Tender Greens located in Culver City, the west side Santa Monica, and soon to been in my neighborhood Hollywood!! When a restaurant has  a line out the door you know it must be something there people like. We’ll there is plenty there to like and fall in love with like my fav meal, the hot plate of Salt and Pepper fire grilled Chicken, yukon gold mashed potatoes (I challenge you to find better), and the caesar salad. Every meal gets large fresh made croutons instead of bread. These croutons are the perfect accompanyment to the most flavor packed and good looking hummus I have ever had. This is a recipe I am currently trying to duplicate for my own grubbing at home. When I  hit the right note I will post it on “All Things Food”. 

So here’s the ordering system: you peruse the menu on the wall which is devided up into 4 categories; Mixed green salads, Meats, Sides, and vegetarian options. You can order a la carte or a hot plate. There are different daily veggies to choose from which are display along the way as you make you way to the cash register. You can see everything being cooked and the salads are made fresh to order. They have limited desserts, like apple bread pudding or a few well chosen cookies and cupcakes, but they are good. To wash it all down, try the hibiscus lemonade or the watermelon juice. Prices are reasonable.

If you go to the Culver City location for lunch go early to beat the crowd or call ahead for pick up. Catering is also available.    Giselle Raymond 2/10