AlliK

Anyone have ideas for a no-bake (relatively easy) dessert? My oven has decided to take a vacation from working and guests are coming over tonight. I was planning a citrus tart sort of thing, so I've got cream, limes, lemons, etc. on hand and normal pantry supplies. Might be able to squeeze a quick trip to the store in if necessary.

In last week's chat he mentioned the wine tastings at Vidalia on Tuesdays, and I think he said they were free and included some nibbles. Does anyone know if that is that really the case? Seems like quite a bargain... maybe he means the snacks are free w/ a purchased wine flight?

you could also check out this cia greystone student's blog - lots of restaurant reviews (bouchon, girl and the fig, etc)

I've enjoyed tasting at Pine Ridge. For dinner, Zuzu in Napa is fun for tapas, but maybe you're looking for something a little more upscale?

Since it's a breakfast food and I'm not sure that it merits it's own topic, does anyone have good recipes for granola to share? Preferably a little on the lighter side...

Oh dear - I should've known better. There's a pic on this site for one of the more well-known argan oil cooperatives in the area. Apparently it's a big deal for opportunities for economic self-sufficiency to women who otherwise might not have them. The oil has something of an almond taste to me.

I have some argan oil too! My sister actually went to Morocco and worked with some of the oil cooperatives as part of a business school project last year. Some oil is traditionally made through that process, but more is made by women physically cracking the nuts. The oil is great on tajines, perks up salad dressing etc. It's also great blended up with ground almonds and honey in a spread called amlou (and smeared on toast). (Edited to add link found for recipe)

Having grown up in Michigan, I'm not aware of Michigan Style chili. I guess maybe they're referring to the chili that's commonly used on hotdogs (a.k.a. Coney Dogs - for which there are many proprietors in the Detroit area) which is beanless, but I've never seen mushrooms in it. It never seemed tasty enough to merit standing on its own, but it is good on the hot dog or fries.

Some of my favorites (with something of an escapist fantasy...) David Lebovitz (Paris) Traveler's Lunchbox (recipes for specialties from around the world) Chez Pim (Thailand, Paris, SF and more) Sweet Napa (pastry student at CIA Greystone)

I really enjoyed it! I cut back the oil a bit at the start, and didn't put any additional oil on at the end. I think most of the water evaporated for me in cooking the broccoli rabe, etc. so it didn't seem too soupy. If you liked the overall flavor combo, maybe try again w/ less oil and water?

KitchenAid users might enjoy reading this post on davidlebovitz.com (click) about touring the KitchenAid factory. And it sounds like you could call KA with your mixing issue to have them diagnose the problem. My mom got so excited reading about the reconditioned appliances, that she ordered a blender for about $50 ($129 originally) and is very happy with it.

I made this recipe too based on your recommendation and it was great - love the accompaniments.

My favorite there is the minced baby clams and pork dish with sesame crackers - the ultimate salty/sour/sweet/crunchy/smooth combo. And the shrimp toasts appetizer is yummy, sort of a deep fried shrimp french toast kind of thing.

Tapenade on crostini? Just blend up some olives with a bit of anchovy, garlic, olive oil. Maybe top w/ a basil leaf? You could also make a roasted pepper topping w/ some store-bought peppers to put on other crostinis for some color contrast.

I'm enjoying Room for Dessert by David Lebovitz, a former Chez Panisse pastry chef, and his blog which he writes from Paris.

We've layered the top with thinly sliced zucchini rounds (like scales), sprinkled w/ olive oil, and baked it on a layer of fresh tomato sauce - holds up well to heartier preparations.

If Union Square is a possibility, then how about going a mile further down Market St (cab/bus) to the Ferry Plaza building? I don't think it'll be a farmer's market day, but you can do VERY well with Acme Bread, Miette pastries, Cowgirl Creamery, Out the Door (take-out counter for Slanted Door - Vietnamese), etc. Doesn't open til 10 though, which might be a limiting factor for you.

I understand that it probably gets pretty crowded and chaotic as the evening progresses, but in general, are you able to sample enough to actually get full or is it very small bites with very long lines? (would like to support the cause, but it's also more than a typical weeknight out budget...)

Yummy recipe, Elizabeth. I made this for a dinner on Saturday and it was a big hit. I poured the cream into martini glasses to serve from. Tried putting a raspberry sauce on the bottom and then adding the panna cotta, but the bottom layer wasn't thick enough to stay unmixed with the cream. So instead I just had the panna cotta layer and swirled raspberry sauce on top for serving. The first bite really highlighted the meyer lemon flavor; after that the raspberries kind of overpowered it.

Thank you all for the input on this. We only spent one day in the area, so didn't get to too many wineries - but did enjoy visiting Brander, Rusack, and Stolpman. Full disclosure: I'm not a wine expert by any means (hopefully not as flaky as some of the people they get in the WP tasting panels, but definitely not as wine-educated as most of you on this board). I think Brander gets my gold sticker for tastiest tasting. Their much lauded Sauvignon Blanc was nice (could easily pair with lots of foods), but I actually preferred the Cuvee Natalie which was more of an alsace style (fruitier nose, but still dry). We ended up buying a merlot here though. It was fun to drink something made with grapes that were literally grown about 10 ft from where we were standing...definitely drinking "local." Tasting room staff was very friendly and made recommendations for visiting other places. One that he mentioned that we did not visit was Alma Rosa, a newer place in Buellton - he seemed to think they were "up and coming." Rusack is a very pretty setting with a porch, outdoor seating, views of the grapes/hills - good place for a picnic As a group, the tasting wasn't quite as interesting to me here as Brander's (probably only partially due to the wine and partially due to a less outgoing pourer), though we did enjoy and purchase a sauv. blanc. We had Stolpman's tasting room in Solvang to ourselves, and really enjoyed talking with the friendly tasting room/sales manager who had good stories about the valley wine community there, impact of their relatively high Robert Parker ratings (for syrahs I believe), etc. Purchased a syrah here. I would say that all 3 are worth a visit. The other highlight of our stay was going to the Hitching Post restaurant (featured in Sideways, written up in many other publications). We had driven by on previous trips but decided we needed to check it out, and boy, those were the best steaks we've ever had! The restaurant is funny in that 70s/early80s non-updated sort of way (think, relish tray on the table when you sit down), and the salad that comes with the meal was nothing special. But the grilled artichoke and top sirloin cooked over a wood fire were excellent.

We made our first return trip to LA last week after having lived there between 02-04, so we basically spent our couple of days returning to old favorites. A quick report: Loteria Grill - an authentic mexican food stand in the LA Farmer's Market with great tacos, etc. We ordered a variety - cochinita pibil (pork), chicken tinga, and chicken in poblano mole and all were delicious. Imgaine...the tortillas actually taste like corn! Lime agua fresca and a side of nicely stewed, rich black beans rounded out the meal. A.O.C.- I think I've decided this is my favorite restaurant anywhere because it's a "trendy" restaurant that is consistently great (and continues to pop up on the critics' lists after 5 years - it's in Bon Appetit this month). Huge wine selection - many affordable bottles, a couple of flights, carafes, etc. Everything is "small plates" style, and every dish we had was perfect. A salad with baby roasted carrots, yogurt, chickpeas and (I believe) a carrot/chick pea mash; chicken liver crostini with pancetta; toasted farro with pinenuts and currants; peas and pea shoots in a saffron butter with green garlic; sea bass with celery root puree, hazelnuts and sunchokes; le brebiou sheeps milk cheese from France for dessert. The food is straight-forward in focusing on the high quality ingredients and service is friendly. (West 3rd Street in West Hollywood) Doughboys Cafe & Bakery - Also in Bon Appetit this month, Doughboys is a popular place for breakfast. Sourdough semolina waffle with marscapone and sour cherry topping is a favorite. I also like the "waffle stack" that's a wafle with ham, fried egg, asiago, and white gravy smothered all over it...served with syrup - think gourmet McGriddle! (West 3rd Street in West Hollywood) Cobras and Matadors [Closed Feb 14, 2012] - traditional Spanish tapas with a very friendly wine policy: no wine on site, but only $5 for corkage, and they own a Spanish wine store next door. Unfortunately the food was not quite as great a value as we had remembered from a couple years ago, but some dishes were still worth the trip - wood oven roasted mushrooms with a hazelnut topping (sort of gremolata-ish), and lentils with jamon serrano that I think they must fry because the lentils are crispy/crunchy in a good way. It was pretty slow when we were there this time - don't know if it's fading in popularity, or if all the Angelenos were watching the Oscars while we were there. (Beverly Blvd in West Hollywood) Diddy Riese - I wish they would franchise this cookie store in Westwood Village! Freshly baked cookies of all varieties (though why stray from chocolate chip with nuts?) that they'll turn into an ice cream sandwich for you....for $1. Or you can have 2 cookies and a carton of milk for $1. How can you beat that?

We enjoyed our dinner at 1550 Hyde [Closed Aug 14, 2010] last week in the Russian Hill neighborhood. Small, neighborhood place with a fantastic wine list and wine flights program. The decor is nothing exciting, and some of the tables were a little close together for having much privacy - but the food/value made it worth the trip. We enjoyed a simple, fresh arugula salad with meyer lemon vinaigrette, pecorino and almonds as well as a bowl of excellent ribollita for appetizers. As mains we shared the appetizer portion of the stinging nettle gnocchi (excellent - though there's only 5, so next time I'd order a double portion for an entree) and an excellent braised lentil dish with butternut squash and walnut pain levain breadcrumbs. The lentils were a highlight - very rich, a little sweet, and a huge portion. The waiter clued us in that the richness was due to a healthy dose of butter. We enjoyed the Loire Valley wine flight and shared the brown sugar pecan cake for dessert (this was the least exciting of the dishes). The place was quite full, so a reservation is a good idea. They're on opentable.

America's Test Kitchen on PBS can be fun

Edited since I somehow hit "submit" twice and posted a duplicate. Oops.

Does Cheesetique ever carry Le Brebiou (or something similar)? Had this at a restaurant in LA last week and loved it - the perfect combination of slightly funky/sweet/salty/creamy for me.