23 Aug 2011 20 Comments
in Observations, Pork Tags: cochon, Henri Toulouse, mascot, pig, Pork, pork shoulder, Skinny Girls, teacup pig
What to get for a 10th anniversary gift for the wife who has everything? Well, sure … I picked up a nice watch and some diamond bling… but was looking for something a little unique. How about a pig! It’s certainly original…
Henri sunbathing
Many things go through your head when you buy your wife a new pet pig as a surprise anniversary gift. The first, after the money has changed hands and the pig is now yours, is, “My god, what have I done??” More
19 Aug 2011 7 Comments
in Observations, Recipes, Starlets, Yoga Students & Quinoa (stories) Tags: anchovies, antipasto, France, fruits de mer, Nice, octopus, offal, pizza, polpo, sardines, sea urchin, Sicily, stinky cheese, sweetbreads
You would think everyone at my house would be living a life of culinary bliss, eagerly anticipating the next plate placed before them. But it ain’t always so…
Polpo diavolo
Everything is grand when I serve breaded chicken cutlets, hamburgers or pizza. Unless I try to slip some anchovies on top. But certain dishes elicit a blank stare from the kids — even from the wife on occasion — that says: “You expect me to eat that??” More
16 Aug 2011 4 Comments
in Observations, Starlets, Yoga Students & Quinoa (stories) Tags: butter, Deliboy, japan, Japanese culture, Little Osaka, Sawtelle, tomato, Tomato Bank
Sometimes in life you stumble upon an odd confluence of food and commerce. And more often than not, the Japanese are behind it. Witness the business I noticed today on a sojourn to L.A.’s Little Osaka to pick up some fish: The Tomato Bank.
Happy customer leaving the Tomato Bank
I’m not sure I would feel confident entrusting my savings to the Tomato Bank. But maybe that’s not what kind of bank it is. More
11 Aug 2011 5 Comments
in Cooking Tips, Observations, Recipes Tags: Celestino Drago, Genoa, Hawaiian, Italian riviera, Italy, noci, pansotti, salami, Saveur, tortellini, tortelloni, walnuts
I’m often asked by dinner guests, as I serve them a meal of Sardinian seafood or Japanese sumiyaki grill or Yucatan-style Mexican, “Where do you get your ideas?”
Freshly made mezzaluna
I’ll admit it’s somewhat easier for me than the average person — having a career that gives me the time and flexibility to indulge my passion for kitchen creativity. However, I still have to come up with ideas of what I’m going to cook each evening. More
skinny girls & mayonnaise 