The last 8 photos I submitted to TasteSpotting were declined. I was disappointed, naturally, because getting my photos accepted does wonders for my traffic. However, since the people who view TasteSpotting also view FoodGawker, where 6 of those same photos were accepted, I figured it was TasteSpotting’s loss.

When Sarah Gim, who runs TasteSpotting, spoke at Camp Blogaway last May, she was asked what her criteria was for choosing what is accepted. She answered that she couldn’t say exactly, but she knows it when she sees it. Well, it is her website after all, so she can put what she wants on it.

BUT…. There are 22 other food porn sites, that I know about, where our photos can be submitted. We don’t have to be subject to TasteSpotting’s whim. We can saturate the food porn landscape with our photos and reap the forthcoming traffic. Here’s my list:

1. Kitchen Artistry
2. Tasteologie
3. Dishfolio
4. Dessert Stalking
5. Food and Fizz
6. YumGallery
7. eRecipeCards
8. Finding Vegan
9. Refrigerator Soup
10. Liqurious
11. Tasty Days
12. Savory Sights
13. TasteFix
14. Opensource Food
15. Foodieview
16. Knapkins
17. Foodepix (New!)
18. Bakeolicious

And of course…

19. Photograzing
20. Tasty Kitchen
21. TasteStopping
22. Food Porn Daily

If you know of additional food porn sites, let me know and I’ll add them to the list.

So about the photo of the BBQ Pork Sandwich above… that was taken at a food blogger luncheon at my favorite restaurant BALEEN and you can see all of the photos in that post, which includes the stunning BALEEN Burger below. Beautiful food.

Spicy “Crack” Krab Cakes from Starry Kitchen

The full title for this post is actually “The Food Porn Laboratory Sponsored by Starry Kitchen featuring Pulitzer Prize Winning LA Times Photographer Kirk McKoy & Award-Winning Photojournalist and Photo Editor Ken Kwok”. Quite a mouth-full. But all true.

Last week my friend Michele sent me an urgent email saying she had read about this photo event in the LA Times and thought it was right up my alley. She included the link to the article. It sounded like fun and something to get me outside my comfort zone, so I called up and registered. Subsequent emails revealed that about 70 people had signed up and we were urged to get there early, as we would be given numbers and be shooting the food in the order of our arrival.

This free event was hosted by Visual Communications, the nation’s premier Asian American Media Arts organization, and was billed as a three-part feast for the senses, one-part photography tutorial and food styling workshop, one-part photo competition and one-part community potluck. Guaranteed to give you multiple foodgasms. The dishes for the photo competition were donated by Starry Kitchen and the owners of that famous underground restaurant, Nguyen and Thi Tran, would be judging and selecting the winning photos. The prizes included the winning photo framed and displayed in Starry Kitchen’s restaurant, website and menu, plus a $20 gift card to Starry Kitchen.

We started off with the potluck, which was set up in the courtyard in front of the Union Center for the Arts Theatre. There was so much good food, I can’t even describe it all. I just remember one guy taking a bite of his Rice Krispie Treat Pop and saying “Who made these? I’m going to marry her.”

We all sat around stuffing our faces and networking. I met one other food blogger and everyone else seemed to be there to learn about photography. At the appointed time, we were called into the basement offices of Visual Communications, where they had set up rows of folding chairs in front of the tables where  Pulitzer Prize Winning LA Times Photographer Kirk McKoy and Award-Winning Photojournalist and Photo Editor Ken Kwok were giving their photography and foodstyling workshop.

Kirk McKoy talked about turning your dish around until the way it looked really appealed to your senses. He had a LED light faced with vellum shining on the hero and placed those nifty silver reflectors around just so. On the opposite end of the table a strobe light was also shining on the dish.

More silver reflectors were used, and Ken Kwok consulted and held the big silver reflector.  Kirk McKoy suggested that if we were in a restaurant and it was dark, that we should take the plate to the nearest window. Or use the light or candle sitting on the table. Or as a last resort, get everyone around to turn on their cell phones and hold the lighted screens near the food while you take the shot.

For this dish, you can see a small compact mirror was used as an option. After the photo competition, we went to the computer center upstairs and uploaded our photos into our own folders. We could choose to enter them into four categories: Most (Food) Pornographic, Best Color, Best Mood, and Best Composition. No Photoshop was allowed. I needed a lot of help with this part as I am MAC-challenged. DSLRs and point-and-shoot cameras were judged separately.

Finally we got into groups of ten according to our arrival numbers, in preparation to go shoot the dishes from Starry Kitchen. I want you to guess who had number one. OCD me, of course. LOL.

The dishes were set up on tables covered with black tablecloths. We had been told we could bring our own props, but I didn’t. In retrospect, I should have brought a white napkin and a knife and fork, at the least. As I said, the room was in the basement and was lit with overhead fluorescent lights. We got two minutes each to shoot 5 dishes (10 minutes total) and only got to choose the first dish. Then the rules were that you had to go on to the next four consecutively numbered dishes. There were actually 10 dishes in all. They blew a whistle every two minutes. I had never been in a photo competition before, especially one that was timed, so it was a very interesting experience. I did ok, I think. At least a couple of my photos turned out.

Thank you Visual Communications, Starry Kitchen, Kirk McKoy and Ken Kwok for a really informative and interesting event. Next time I’m bringing props, you can bet on that. Oh yes.

In September of last year I visited Baleen and photographed beautiful dishes from Executive Chef Jesse Souza’s dinner menu. I had so much fun and the food was absolutely beautiful and delicious. So when I was recently invited to a Blogger Luncheon to sample and photograph the Summer Breakfast and Lunch menu items, wild horses couldn’t have kept me away. We sat outside on the covered patio, looking out at the marina through gauzy curtains that were moving in the breeze, the sounds of the rigging on the boats and the little chop of the ocean in the background.

We started out with this Amuse Bouche, which to me initially looked pretty unassuming. But I was really hungry, so I took a bite. I was stopped in my tracks by the most amazing cheese that was on this crostini. I closed my eyes as it melted in my mouth. I asked someone if they knew what kind of cheese it was. I had my eyes shut, savoring, so I don’t know who answered, but someone said “Boursin, I think.” Probably everyone on the planet has tasted Boursin, but I must be culturally deprived. I confirmed with Chef Jesse that it was the Boursin with Garlic and Fine Herbs, and I went to Ralphs the next day and bought some. I had to have it. So Good. Also on the crostini was smoked salmon, avocado, capers and arugula. What a great start.

While we were being served this Chinese Chicken Salad, Chef Jesse stopped by our table and announced he had ten dishes he was preparing for us to taste. My fellow bloggers and I looked at each other, grinning in anticipation, and groaning because we knew we were going to be stuffed to the gills by the end. Actually, we were given one serving of each dish, which we split four ways, so we could each have a small portion. This poached chicken salad with cabbage and udon noodles, with orange segments, wonton crisps and almonds had a perfect Soy Honey Viniagrette with miso, Dijon and rice vinegar. It was so good, but I had to stop myself from eating too much, because I knew there were eight more dishes to come. What sweet torture.

Next came this Grilled Shrimp Panzanella Salad. The shrimp were perfectly grilled, soft and sweet. No rubbery shrimp for this bread salad, which also had the interesting flavors of arugula and feta cheese, with a white balsamic vinaigrette. I had to make my table-mates wait to divide up the dish so I could get some good photographs. I’m sure they wanted to slap me on the knuckles with their forks. Sorry.

The third salad placed before us was a Grilled Hangar Steak & Crispy Potato Salad with Blue Cheese Buttermilk Dressing. When I was showing my photographs to my husband, this was the one that elicited the big “Ooooh! That looks really good!” You know… men, carnivores, chunks of meat. (I’m rolling my eyeballs.) I have to admit it looks pretty darn good to me, too, actually. The nuggets of blue cheese sprinkled over the top were really good.

Next, the sandwiches, beginning with the BALEEN Burger. The presentation, with the cup of fries and bun hat tilted on the side, was so photogenic, I wanted to take tons of photos. This may have been the best burger I have ever eaten. I distinctly remember the soft toasted buttery sesame brioche bun and the wonderful bacon flavor along with the definite umami of the beef patty. And then, of course, there was the cheddar, guacamole, chile mayo and crispy fried onions. They may have had something to do with it. My mouth is watering right now.

And then they came out with the BBQ Pork Sandwich with slow roasted 8-hour pork shoulder, the sesame brioche bun and burnt sugar BBQ sauce. That was it. I was in love. This sauce, which Chef Jesse makes, is the most amazing stuff. Just listen to the ingredients: carmelized sugar, tamarind, ancho chiles, roasted tomatoes, onion brulee, beer, orange juice and soy sauce. See what I mean? Then add the coleslaw and crispy fried onions and you’re in BBQ heaven.

We were getting pretty stuffed by this time, so when they brought out the Huevos Redondos from the Eggcetera section of the Breakfast menu, I took a small portion. Just enough to sample the black bean quesadilla, fried egg and avocado surrounded with romesco sauce and topped with feta and cilantro. Such an artistic presentation with the perfect circles of color.

The last entrée before the desserts was Steak Frites, a beautiful grilled hanger steak with arugula salad, french fries and housemade steak sauce (aka burnt sugar bbq sauce, see above). When you go to BALEEN, make sure you order something with this sauce. Even if you get a little side to dip your French fries. You will be so glad you did.

To make this Pain Perdu, the original french toast, long slices of La Brea Bakery baguette are dipped in a royale mixture (egg, milk, cream, sugar and vanilla) and griddled with butter until golden. It’s served with brown sugar mascarpone, sliced strawberries and warm maple syrup. You can eat this for your breakfast, or as we did, for dessert. The texture of the custardy bread was so delicious.

And finally, the coup de grace, Lemon Meringue Pie with Raspberry / Passionfruit Sauce. If you hadn’t eaten nine previous courses, you could easily eat the whole pie by yourself. Or cut it in half and share it. I love the torched swirls on the meringue. Almost makes you not want to cut into it. Almost.

Take a look at the first post I did about BALEEN to see the inside of the restaurant and the marina outside. And the photos of the dishes from the dinner menu. Mouthwatering.

The prices at BALEEN for breakfast items are from $8 to $18 and lunch from $9 to $20. Monday through Friday Breakfast is from 6:30 am to 11:00 am and Lunch is from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Saturday and Sunday Breakfast is from 7:00 am to 11:00 am and Brunch is from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm. Don’t forget that there is free valet parking also.

Thank you Chef Jesse Souza for inviting me to sample your breakfast and lunch menu, and for letting me photograph all your beautiful food. I will be bringing all my friends to eat at BALEEN and I will be telling everyone I know to come and visit. Soon.

BALEEN at The Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club
260 Portofino Way
Redondo Beach, CA 92077
Phone 1-310-372-1202
Hotel 1-310-379-8481

Recently I had the great pleasure of being  invited on the cruise ship Queen Victoria for a luncheon at the restaurant Todd English, to meet Chef Todd and take a tour of the ship. I had never been on a cruise ship before, so it was all new and exciting for me. Here you can see Harbor Drive going down to the World Cruise Center Catalina Terminal in San Pedro and the stacks of one of the other gigantic cruise ships. I took this from my car as we inched along.

The Queen Victoria is immense. The top photo is a composite of four photos, because I couldn’t get it all in one shot. The QV weighs 90,000 tons and her length is 964.5 feet (294 meters). That is the length of 3 ¼ football fields. If you stood it on end, it would be 65 stories tall. She was built for Cunard by the Italian shipyard Fincantiere and cost approximately $522 million. Her maiden voyage out of Southampton, England, was December 11, 2007 after being named the previous day by Camilla, HRH the Duchess of Cornwall in the presence of Charles, HRH the Prince of Wales. She has a passenger capacity of 2014 with a crew of approximately 1000. The QV has 13 bars and clubs, 7 restaurants, proper English Tea served daily and room service 24/7.

The restaurant, Todd English, is quite elegant and has windows that overlook the water. My table companions were Patti of Worth the Whisk and her husband, and Erika of In Erika’s Kitchen and her husband, which made for quite lively conversation to go with our dining experience. It was fun to be with other people that were just as interested in photographing the food as eating it.

Maine Crab Cake, Todd’s Fiery Sweet & Sour Tomato Sauce, Whipped Avocado & Cucumber Salad

Chef Todd English was 20 when he attended the Culinary Institute of America and he graduated in 1982 with honors. He worked with Jean Jacques Rachou at New York’s La Cote Basque and in Italy apprenticed at Dal Pescatore and Paraccuchi. He returned to the U.S. at 25 and was asked to be the Executive Chef at award winning Michela’s in Cambridge, Mass., where for three years he received high praise from press and public.

Shaved Asparagus Caesar, Tomato Ragout, Parmesan Foam

In 1991 the James Beard Foundation named him their National Rising Star Chef; in 1994 Best Chef in the Northeast; 1999 “Top 50 Tastemakers”; 2001 Bon Appetit’s Restaurateur of the Year; and People Magazines 50 Most Beautiful People. He was recently named to the James Beard Foundation’s “Who’s Who in Food and Beverage in America.”

Grilled Tenderloin of Beef with Lobster Ragout, Bearnaise Sauce, Swiss Chard, Celeriac Gratin

Chef Todd is currently Chef and owner of three Olives in Charlestown, Mass; New York in Union Square; and at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. He has four Figs Restaurants and 14 additional restaurants nation-wide. He has numerous television credits, including the series “Cooking Under Fire”, Iron Chef USA and Martha Stewart Living.

Milk Chocolate Panna Cotta with Cardamom Foam

Chef Todd has written three acclaimed cookbooks and has a line of cookware and lifestyle products. He is also involved with several charities including Big Brothers, Share Our Strength, and Boys and Girls Clubs.

Panache of Seasonal Sorbet with Minted Mango Citrus Salad

Coffee with Todd’s House-made Cookies, Jellies, Truffles and Biscotti

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Here you can see Erika and Patti as we were waiting to talk to Chef Todd.

After our delightful lunch, we met with Chef Todd in a small bar, where we had a short question and answer session. Someone asked him what he would be doing if he wasn’t a chef, and he said he would be living on an island somewhere in the South Pacific.

Chef Todd talks with his hands, which may be part of his Italian heritage. He was standing about three feet in front of me, so his hands were right in front of my camera.

Next was our tour of the ship, which was very interesting to me, because I had never been on a cruise ship before. On a 12-day voyage there are 1072 pounds of lobster served; 14,105 pounds of potatoes served; 1705 pounds of coffee; 51,847 eggs; 24 pounds of caviar; 2617 bottles of champagne; and 1752 gallons of beer. The annual consumption is 954,681 teabags; 59,060 pounds of coffee; 1,528,707 eggs; and 34,871 pounds of breakfast cereal. All meals are included in the price of the ticket. I would be a butterball by the time I got home.

I asked our tour guide if there was anything to do on the ship besides eat, because it seemed there were restaurants at every turn. She said we could go shopping in the boutiques and art galleries, or visit the two-story library which has a spiral stairway and 6,000 books. We could go to the casino and play the slots, or attend a play. We could visit the pool and jacuzzi outside or go to the gym and spa. Here is a photo tour as we walked and walked. I was lost immediately.

GolinHarris, the PR firm for Cunard Line/Queen Victoria, gave us a whole packet of information about the ship and Chef Todd English, which I have used extensively in the story above. One of the facts that made me laugh out loud was this:

There are 280,000 square yards (159 miles) of carpet on the Queen Victoria.

I laughed because I am a carpet aficionado and I was in heaven walking on all the beautiful carpet everywhere we went. The colors and designs were different in each area and I took photos of the carpet throughout our tour. Ok, I’m weird. Check these out:

So it was time to end our stay on the Queen Victoria. We turned in our bar code badges and got our Driver’s Licenses returned to us. As I was walking out of the terminal, I saw Chef Todd English getting in his limousine, no doubt rushing off to his next engagement.

Farewell, Queen Victoria.

Last August I was invited to a lavish and spectacular blogger preview lunch at the new Seasons 52 Fresh Grill restaurant at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. You can read all about it in my post about that day. Quite soon I was getting queries about the recipes for the dishes in the story and whether there was a Seasons 52 cookbook. So I emailed Senior Culinary Director, Cliff Pleau, who had done the demonstration cooking during the lunch, and asked him about the cookbook and if I could have the recipe for the Goat Cheese Ravioli.

Chef Pleau emailed me the Goat Cheese Ravioli recipe and this message:

“Hi Lynne… sorry not to get back to you earlier. You got your ravioli recipe, enjoy, as for the cookbook probably not soon… I am living in a cookbook. Keep in touch and happy cooking. Best regards, Cliff “

These guys are such a class act, I mean Chef Pleau had worked with fellow CIA alum Bradley Ogden in the early days at Lark Creek Inn in Marin County; had opened the California Grill at Disneyland Paris; and done a stint as personal chef to Luciano Pavarotti. And here he was sending me a recipe and a chatty email. Amazing.

So here is the recipe for the Goat Cheese Ravioli and remember that every item on their menu is under 475 calories. Including this recipe. And I hope you will read the original post and at least look at the photos, because the restaurant is beautiful and the other dishes we were served were brilliant. But then you will soon be making a trip to Costa Mesa to eat at this wonderful new restaurant.

Recently I received an invitation to join in a visit to Rosti Tuscan Kitchen in Encino, CA, along with ten other LA food bloggers, for a pizza-making competition. The invite said Rosti would provide the rolled-out dough and a slew of farm-fresh ingredients, and we’d each get to make our own fabulous pizza creations. These would be baked up, judged and voted on. And (trumpet salute) the winning pizza would be featured on the restaurant menu in the Santa Monica and Encino restaurants along with the name of the winning blog. Well, how could I pass this up? Pizza, an afternoon with my blogging friends and a friendly contest. I’m so there!

We were welcomed by the owner of Rosti, Kevin Goldfein, and seated at a long table in the dining room, as you can see in the photos above, which was covered with bowls of all the ingredients we could use to build our pizzas. Wonderful things like artichokes, anchovies, sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, minced garlic, meatballs, mushrooms and kalamata olives. I had no idea what I was going to put on mine, but I have a shrimp pizza I like to make. But I saw no shrimp. Darn. Kevin explained that each of us would be supplied with a dough-round and when all were constructed, they would be baked and we would each get a small piece of each pizza. We received a ballot to record our first three choices, which would be counted at the end. If we didn’t see an ingredient we would like to use, we could ask him if the kitchen could provide it.

Here is my blank canvas. I had no clue what to put on it. So I decided to ask if they had shrimp…and they did!

Here is my pie, pre-baking, with pesto, shrimp, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, arugula, mozzarella and parmesan. We put our pizzas on a table to wait for everyone to finish. Meanwhile I checked out Rosti’s menu. Wow, they have every Italian category possible: starters, appetizers, starter salads, soups, panini, sandwiches, hearty salads, pasta dishes, chicken and fish dishes, calzones and a kid’s menu. And PIZZAs. They have the standard combinations, but they have some that are definitely not your grandma’s, like The GCOP~ Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onions & Crisp Pancetta; and Pesto Hazelnut Pie~ Fresh Mozzarella, Cherry Tomatoes, Hazelnuts and Pesto. Plus you can build your own pizza from a list of 26 different ingredients!

And here is my pizza after baking.

Meanwhile everyone was busy constructing their pies. Here on the left you can see Kim of Rustic Garden Bistro, whose main ingredients were anchovies, sun-dried tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. On the right is Cheryl of Black Girl Chef’s Whites applying chicken, Italian sausage, pesto and caramelized onions.

I thought the most photogenic pie was made by Gaby of  What’s Gaby Cooking, with artichokes, pesto, caramelized onion and a twirl of perfect pink prosciutto on each piece.

On the left is our host, Kevin, and Minty, holding her mushroom, marinara  and mozzarella pie. On the right is Gaby of Whats Gaby Cooking, Minty and her mom, Lucy, of Ladles and Jellyspoons, and Paulette of Girl+Fire.

Photo courtesy of Erika Kerekes

And the winner is Paulette of Girl+Fire !! and her pie adorned with pesto, mozzarella, pancetta, caramelized onions, sun-dried tomatoes, bread crumbs and a honey-balsamic drizzle. I voted for this pie as my first choice. It was so good. In fact, it is on the menu at both restaurants this week, if you’d like to taste it also.

And second place went to Greg of SippitySup for his pizza with caramelized onions, goat cheese, pancetta and balsamic vinegar. Yea, Greg!

The third place winner was Lucy of Ladles and Jellyspoons for her butternut squash, gorgonzola, mozzarella and sage pie. Doesn’t that look delicious?

Here on the left you can see Greg of Sippitysup and Pam of My Man’s Belly waiting for the pies to be baked. Pams pie featured marinara, meat balls, pepperoni and mushrooms. What a great combination. Yum. On the right is Erika of In Erika’s Kitchen and Kim of Rustic Garden Bistro. Erika’s pie was adorned with figs, goat cheese, bacon, olives and rosemary and it smelled so divine!

Sitting next to me at the table was Mr. Rustic Garden Bistro (aka Barry). As we were served a little slice of each pie, Mr. RGB took one big bite and then carefully placed the slices in perfect layers around his plate. What kind of clue is this about you, Barry?

And here is our group, photo courtesy of Rosti Tuscan Kitchen. I was so stuffed with pizza. Together, the eleven of us polished off eleven pizzas. Groan. Those pizzas were so delicious… every one really was a winner. Thank you all for such a great event!

By the way, Rosti Tuscan Kitchen recently started offering gluten free and vegan menu items… and a monthly pizza contest, which you can find on the Rosti Facebook page. If you win, you get free pizza for a year!

Where to find Rosti:

Santa Monica: 931 Montana Ave at 10^th Street, 310-393-3236

Encino: 16350 Ventura Blvd near Havenhurst, 818-995-7179

Recently I had the great good fortune to be invited to review BALEEN, the signature restaurant at The Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club in Redondo Beach. And I want you to know, before you read the rest of this post, that the food at this restaurant is absolutely amazing and beautiful, and this is now my most favorite restaurant in the South Bay. You must go eat there.

The restaurant is housed in its own separate two-story building across from the hotel and adjacent to the marina. The inside has a tropical feeling with shiny wood floors and walls, and a bit of whimsy as monkeys cling playfully to the chandeliers. On the water side there is a full length, massive wall of windows through which you can see the grand vista of hundreds of boats in the Portofino Marina. Upstairs is the dining room and lounge, and down stairs is the terrace, part of which is inside across from the kitchen area, and part is outside enclosed in a long curtained alcove.

I arrived a half hour early so I could walk around and take photos before I was scheduled to meet the chef. The Hotel is located on a private peninsula and you drive into a circular driveway, with the Hotel on the ocean side and BALEEN on the right hand harbor side. They have free valet parking, so my car was whisked away. I was a little nervous because it was late afternoon, the sun was going and I wanted to be able to take really fabulous photos of the food. I had not seen a menu, so I had no idea what the food was going to be like.

Executive Chef Jesse Souza has been at BALEEN for seven months, after two years as executive chef at La Playa in Naples, Florida, where he ran 4 kitchens with 4 chefs, a private club and a beach kitchen. He told me all he did was solve problems. Finally he said to himself, “I want to cook. I want to make a menu!” and that’s why he came here. Chef Jesse started as a dishwasher out of high school at the Asticou Inn in Northeast Harbor, Maine. He worked his way up in the pantry, doing prep work, then as sous chef. At the Clarement Hotel he was executive sous chef for 2 years. He worked with Robbin Haas and Adam Votaw, and opened Chispa where he was chef d’cuisine and executive chef. At Chispa the food was Nuevo Latino and he learned the dishes of South America, Spain and the Carribbean. So now we can all benefit from his extensive and varied experience.

I set up my photo area on a little table across from the kitchen. You can see them in the photo above with the little colorful lights hanging down. They weren’t seating anyone there, so it was a perfect place. I had no idea what the dishes were going to be, so when Chef Jesse brought out the first plate, I had to gasp. The Cane Sugar Seared Ahi Tuna with Coconut Rice, Spicy Papaya Salad and Avocado Wasabi Sauce was like a beautiful painting. The best way to photograph this masterpiece was from straight overhead, so I stood on a chair to get the shot. There were customers walking by and rubbernecking. I ignored them. I couldn’t decide which of these two photos of the Ahi Tuna to put in this post, so I am putting them both in.

I showed Chef Jesse the shots of the Ahi Tuna and he was very happy about them. So he started bringing out more dishes for me to photograph. Next was the Duck Carnitas & Cornmeal Crepes with Chipotle Blackberry Sauce and Appleslaw. The long rectangular plates were hard to shoot and get everything in. Also if I got the duck with the right light, then the appleslaw was overexposed. If the appleslaw was correctly lit, the duck looked like a black blob.

Finally, Chef Jesse suggested we plate a duck carnita and see what that looked like. He had fun drizzling the sauce while I took multiple shots, catching the sauce in mid air. There were so many good photos from this that I couldn’t put them all in. So I picked the one that looked the most gorgeous and mouth watering. When you come to eat at BALEEN, you absolutely must order this dish. The Chipotle Blackberry Sauce is sooo good. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

The Portofino Hotel is owned by Seattle-based Noble House Hotels and Resorts. They own and manage 13 unique boutique hotels and resorts located across the country including Riviera Palm Springs in California, Little Palm Island Resort in the Florida Keys, and The Edgewater in Seattle, Washington. So there is a BALEEN in Naples, Florida, and one in San Diego. Chef Jesse said the menu is made up of Corporate dishes served in all of the NHHR restaurants and then there are his signature dishes served only at this BALEEN. And these works of art he was presenting to me are those very signature dishes. I asked if any restaurant reviewers had visited and he said he thought two had been there, but he didn’t know they were coming and they didn’t order any of his signature dishes. So he was very happy I was photographing them now. I was very excited to get this post up so all of you could see them, too.

The next dish to come out of the kitchen was Roasted Sea Scallops & Braised Beef Short Rib with Vanilla Parsnip Puree, Glazed Carrots & Mustard Pan Sauce. The plates were now totally covering the small table where I was working. This beautiful plating was set before me and I just had to shake my head. I didn’t want to mess up the way it looked before shooting it, so I stuck my finger in the sauce where it wouldn’t show. I just had to sit there, shut my eyes and go Mmmm. This was another of those long rectangular plates that I stood on my chair to shoot. This photo doesn’t do justice to the way it looked in person. But imagine a bite of the sweet parsnip puree with the beef and sauce all mingling in happiness on your tongue. Heaven.

We had been photographing about 2 hours at this point and I asked Chef Jesse if we were through yet. His eyes lit up and he went back in the kitchen, reappearing minutes later with this Dungeness Crab Cake with Shrimp Mousse, Lobster Lemongrass Sauce and House Made Tomato Jam. He said he’d made the crab cake a little bigger than they normally do so it would photograph better. He liked the way the snipped chives showed up.

I was done shooting all the plates on the table and Chef Jesse said there was one last dish. So I followed him into the kitchen and watched as he plated the Warm Asparagus & Mushroom Salad with Brioche “Hole In One”, Reggiano & Truffle Vinaigrette. I love to watch a chef plate a dish, with all the care of an artist.

This was my favorite dish of the whole night. Hands down. That creamy truffle vinaigrette is the most…I’m at a loss for words. My first bite stopped me in my tracks. I had to shut my eyes and just savor it. Chef Jesse came over and saw my rapture, picked up my knife and sliced open the egg. The brilliant yellow yolk ran out onto the plate and we both just stood there looking at its perfection. He said there was something about the synergy of the yolk and truffle sauce that was so splendid. I had to have this recipe. And Chef Jesse happily gave it to me. It’s at the end of this post.

It was time to pack up my camera, but I shot these two dishes as the servers walked by my table from the kitchen.

The prices at BALEEN for breakfast items are from $7 to $14 and lunch from $7 to $17. Dinner entrée prices range from $13 to $36. The entrees also come in half portions. For instance, the Roasted Sea Scallops & Braised Beef Short Rib for half $16 / full $28. And the Duck Carnitas and Asparagus, Mushroom, Brioche “Hole In One” are both only $13. Don’t forget that there is free valet parking also.

Thank you Chef Jesse Souza for one of the most memorable experiences and for letting me photograph all of your beautiful food. Thank you for taking your valuable time to prepare each dish and your patience as I took hundreds of photographs. And for ignoring the fact that I was standing on one of your chairs (I did take off my shoes). I enjoyed our conversation very much and the tips you gave me about truffle oil. I will be bringing all my friends to eat at BALEEN and I will be telling everyone I know to come and visit. Soon.

BALEEN at The Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club
260 Portofino Way
Redondo Beach, CA 92077
Phone 1-310-372-1202
Hotel 1-310-379-8481

Last Saturday I was invited to a special food and dining blogger preview lunch at the new Seasons 52 restaurant at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. I knew ahead of time that there would be a special tasting menu with wine pairings and a cooking demo, but I had no idea how lavish and spectacular a dining and photo opportunity I was about to experience. I knew that the Senior Culinary Director, Cliff Pleau, had worked with fellow CIA alum Bradley Ogden in the early days at Lark Creek Inn in Marin County; had opened the California Grill at Disneyland Paris; and done a stint as personal chef to Luciano Pavarotti. But I had no idea how delicious and beautiful the food I was to eat would be. Nor how visually stunning the interior space was with its rich wood accents, ledgestone and abstract art works.

This 300-seat restaurant, with an open kitchen, large circular piano bar, and large outdoor patio, is reminiscent of houses designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, with art deco burnished wood angularity. When I walked in I was totally surprised, because the outside of the restaurant is typical Southern California. I arrived an hour early and was given the royal tour by the President of Seasons 52, Stephen Judge. Previously he was vice president for food and beverage for the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, led food and beverage operations for Rosewood Hotel and Resorts, and spent 11 years in senior management for Princess Cruises and Premier Cruise Lines. And this was the guy walking me around his beloved restaurant explaining about the bar chairs that rotate 360 degrees, the little hooks around under the bar to hang hand bags on, the wine glasses that are specially made with titanium in the glass so they don’t break as often, and showing me the Chef’s Table in its own alcove with the huge lazy-susan in the center. He said after gutting the previous restaurant, it had taken them six months to build-out the present interior. It was abundantly clear that these guys really know what they are doing.

In the photo above you can see how the tables were set for us bloggers, with a full set of wine glasses at each table setting. They set up the tables in a U-shape and in the center Chef Pleau had a table where he did his cooking demos and talked to us about the food. We got a look at the menu and I was pleasantly surprised to see the Flatbreads ranged in price from 4.95-9.95; Appetizers 5.75-11.25; Entrée Salads 12.75-15.95; Fish & Seafood 16.75-22.95; Poultry & Meat 15.95-26.95; and Mini Indulgences 2.75 each. Now, this is reasonable.

We started the event on the patio with Champagne and the Shrimp, Pineapple and Feta Flatbread, which was quickly followed by the Fig, Bacon, Mint and Arugula Flatbread. They were cut in little triangle shapes for easy handling. Mr. Judge explained that every item on the menu is under 475 calories and they cook with no butter or oils. There is no deep-frying and the dishes feature wood-fire grilling and brick oven cooking. The menu is market-driven 52 weeks a year and changes with each season. Hence the name, Seasons 52. He said what they have is great tasting food that happens to be good for you.

We were seated and were served this little crab amuse bouche, which had a quenelle of guacamole on a bed of pico de gallo. So dainty, and hinting at what was to come. This was served with a Rose wine.

Here you can see Chef Pleau on the left at his demonstration table. On the right is Executive Chef Tim Kast, who will be in charge of the kitchen on a daily basis, preparing our dishes in the open kitchen. Chef Pleau said there is an important trick when cooking on a cedar plank. You should soak it in water for 24 hours, then either spray or paint it thoroughly with oil, otherwise the plank will suck all the juices out of the fish.

Up to this point the food had been familiar and tasty, but when the server placed the Salmon and Scallop on a Cedar Plank in front of me, I had to gasp! It was so beautiful and smelled sublime. I was compelled to photograph it from every angle and even placed it on the table behind me that was closer to the window, for better light. I almost didn’t want to eat it, because it was so gorgeous. Chef Pleau said we were served smaller portions than the actual dishes that will be served in the restaurant. He said the salmon dish will come with six scallops speared with lemon grass, plus the asparagus shavings, yellow beats, charred onion ring and green beans. The sauce was a vegetable stock glaze which was thickened with arrowroot. We had a Chardonnay with the Salmon.

As a palate cleanser, the next course was the Earthbound Farm Organic Greens Salad with Oak-Grilled Mushrooms and Truffle Dressing. The smell of the truffle oil wafting from the salad was just amazing. The white squiggle around the edge is non-fat sour cream infused with truffle oil. While we enjoyed our salad, Chef Pleau demonstrated his recipe for the Truffle Dressing, which he said he calls TEN, because there are five ingredients and 2 ounces each of blond miso, meyer lemon juice, white truffle oil, olive oil, and soy sauce (or tamari). He put them into a squeeze bottle, shook it well and said it was ready to go. We had a Pinot Noir with the salad.

If you are a goat cheese aficionado, then the next course would have transported you to heaven. The Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli with Roasted Garlic, Basil in a Light Tomato Broth was lovely to behold. As we ate, Chef Pleau demonstrated how he makes the ravioli by mixing the goat cheese with basil, flattens a dollop of it, places it between two egg roll wrappers which are sealed with Egg Beaters. They are simmered for 1-2 minutes in a roasted garlic broth. Here is the recipe. During all this eating and drinking, all of the bloggers were standing up and photographing their food, placing it on chairs or other tables to get better shots. It was quite different from your normal dining experience. We were poured a Chianti Classico, which was really good with the goat cheese.

I thought I had had my peak experience of the day with the Salmon on a Cedar Plank, so when I was served the Mesquite-Grilled Lamb Rack and Quail Breast with Mini Bok Choi, I felt like I had died and gone to heaven. Under the lamb was a quenelle of mashed sweet potatoes which were mixed with a little sour cream and maple syrup. The dish was served with a bourbon chili sauce with maple syrup and sriracha, and a drizzle of mint pesto. I love lamb, so this made me very happy. We sere served two wines with this course, a Petite Sirah and a South African Stellenbosch.

Well, you can imagine we were absolutely stuffed by this time, so the Mini Indulgences for desert were perfect. We were told to sample which ever ones we fancied, so I chose Chocolate Mousse, Key Lime Pie and Fresh Fruit. With this course we were served a wonderful sweet dessert wine, a Reisling Auslese.

I predict that this restaurant will be jam-packed at all times from the moment it opens and eventually you will have to make your reservation a month ahead of time. I’m just saying. Thank you Stephen Judge and Chef Pleau for inviting me to this luncheon, and wining and dining me in such a splendid fashion. And I look forward to seeing Seasons 52 becoming one of the premier dining destinations in Southern California. Bravo!

Seasons 52
South Coast Plaza
3333 Bristol Avenue
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Phone: (714) 437-5252

My friend, Michele, and I had been talking about going to Umami Burger for months, as it was one of the restaurants with good reviews and positive word-of-mouth from one of her friends. There was even a little review of it in Bon Appetit Magazine. Since umami is the new (recently re-discovered) flavor we can taste, along with sweet, salty, bitter and sour, I was looking forward to seeing what it was all about.

The umami taste is caused by the detection, by taste receptors in the mouth, of a couple of forms of glutamic acid that are found in meat, cheese, stock and other protein-heavy foods. It is naturally occurring in soy sauce, fish sauce, parmesan cheese, anchovies, mushrooms and ripe tomatoes. Also in seafood, such as lobster, crab and shrimp. Since I love all of those foods, I figured Umami Burger would fast forward me to Taste Heaven.

Michele and I had been to the Tasteful Pictures Exhibit at the Getty Museum, which had photographs taken by the first food photographers back in the 1880’s. We had walked around the Getty for hours and were tired and hungry, so we decided Umami Burger was where we would eat.

After valeting the car, we walked into this small restaurant, with west-facing floor to ceiling windows and a row of about 10 small, close together tables in front of the windows. A host/server greeted us and led us along the row of tables and back and to the left into a small room about the size of a big walk-in closet. It was empty, with dim overhead lighting and an 18-inch shelf around three walls, with chairs pushed underneath. The walls were bare, nary a painting, photo, mirror or window to be seen. The host said we could sit where we liked. Well, the idea of sitting in a dim closet facing a bare wall didn’t appeal to me much, so I told him we wanted to sit out in the other room. He seemed surprised that we refused to sit where he wanted us to sit. Do you suppose when his grandma comes to visit that he makes her sit in a dim closet facing a blank wall to eat? Maybe for him, that’s normal.

So, awkwardly, he led us to the end table nearest the kitchen. It was late afternoon and the sun was screaming in through the west facing window. All of the windows, except the one behind this table, had sunscreens, so the person sitting facing the window would have had their retinas burned out. There was one empty table in the middle of the row, so I said we wanted to sit there. By this time, the host was more flustered than ever, so he seated us at the middle table.

So we sat…and sat…finally he brought us a menu. We ordered our water. We sat…and sat. He brought the water and took our order. We sat…and sat…and sat. We saw that people who were already seated when we arrived were just getting their orders. I remind you, I was starving. I began to think that the host/server was also the chef, prep cook and line cook.

We had ordered a Umami Burger ($10), a Manly Burger ($10), Hand Cut Fries, Triple-Cooked ($3.50), Malt Liquor Tempura Onion Rings ($3), and a Truffle Beet Salad ($6). Ten dollars for a burger, when I could go to Burger King and get a fantastic Double Cheeseburger for $1.59. It better be the best burger I have ever eaten.

Our Truffle Beet Salad came first and was very pretty, surrounded by a tangle of arugula with a sprinkle of toasted sliced almonds. The beets were a white variety and really confused my palate by tasting like pale cooked pear. There was lots of arugula (which I love), but, if you look at the photograph, those minute drips and little rivulet of white stuff on the almost tasteless beets was all the dressing on the plate. That arugula felt mighty dry after a while.

Finally, we were served the burgers, onion rings and 8 fries. Yes, just 8, because they were about 1-inch square and 5 inches long, and stacked up Lincoln Log style on the plate. I grabbed one of the fries first and as I dipped it in the ketchup, squeezing it slightly, oil gushed out onto the plate, like water out of a sponge. The fry was pale white, not browned at all, spongy and totally saturated with greasy oil. For the life of me, I cannot figure out how they got it like that. I guess if they put the raw fry in a plastic bag with some oil and cooked it sous vide for 24 hours at 140 degrees F, this would be the result. It was probably the most disgusting food item I have ever encountered. You can see a photo of the fries on the Umami website.

The Malt Liquor Tempura Onion Rings were also pale white; the coating was also oil soaked. So gross.

The photo at the top of this post is my Manly Burger, with Beer-Cheddar Cheese, Smoked Salt Onion Rings and Bacon Lardons. It had such a beautiful presentation, and phenomenal lack of taste. Can you see that the top of the bun is about an inch wider than the bun bottom? That is so weird. I even put ketchup and mustard on it, to no avail. Michele had the original Umami Burger (above, cut in half), with Cheese, Roasted Tomatoes and Mushrooms. She said it was ok. In retrospect, I think maybe my taste buds were so coated with grease, that they couldn’t taste anything. Or, in concert with the rest of our dishes, it had little taste and a lot of grease. Think about it…grease from the meat, the melted cheese, and grease from the deep-fried breaded onion rings on the burger.

I feel bad telling you all these unsavory things that occurred at Umami Burger. I mean, I’ve been a restaurant manager, so I know that on the chef’s night off, when the line cook calls in sick, the dishwasher is the only guy you’ve got to man the stove. It happens. So to be fair, here are other reviews, scathing to loving. You decide.

About a week later, I was on the road and stopped at Islands Restaurant in the Manhattan Mall for dinner. I had the biggest, juiciest, most delicious burger and the most perfect browned, crisp fries (all you can eat) that I have ever had. Those fries were crisp until the last moment and left no oil signature on the plate whatsoever. My server virtually hovered over me, making sure I had everything I wanted. Need I say more?

Last Saturday the California Avocado Commission hosted a Food Bloggers lunch and cooking demonstration at Ciudad with Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. Ciudad is located in downtown Los Angeles in the middle of the city-scape, the sky scrapers towering all around it. About 20 of us bloggers and food writers came together with our cameras and appetites to watch the Too Hot Tamales prepare four courses, all containing avocados, which would be perfect for Cinco de Mayo celebrations. 84.1 million pounds of avocados are expected to be consumed in one day during this year’s festivities in the U.S.

Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken

The event kicked off with a “Guacamole Challenge.” We bloggers, in pairs of two, were given a bowl of avocados and a long table-full of bowls of other ingredients to create our own personalized versions of guacamole. Some of the unusual ingredients were soy sauce, kim chee, tamarind, bacon, pomegranate seeds and bananas. My partner was Michael Limbo, a writer for the food section of Los Angeles Magazine. We were given five minutes to make our creation, so it was hilariously hectic, with all the people around the table trying to get their hands on the various items. We made a pretty classic guacamole, although it did have mango in it. We called our creation “Cado-Avo.”

Next came the judging for “Best Name” and “Best Guacamole” which was done by Mary Sue Milliken, Susan Feniger and Jeremy Tummel, the Executive Chef of Ciudad. If Mary Sue and Susan disagreed, Jeremy was to be the tie-breaker. The name of each guacamole had to be explained and each tasted, while the creators described what ingredients they had used. There was a lot of laughing and teasing during this process. It was decided that the Best Name award went to “Pomocado Mole” and the Best Guacamole went to “Spud Not Guac Fully Loaded” which they said tasted like loaded baked potatoes. Awards were given and photos taken of the winners.

Next we were  treated to a cooking demonstration by Mary Sue Miliken and Susan Feniger. They had a large cooking station set up in the back of the restaurant dining room with a grill and six-burner stove in the center. You can tell these two have been working together for years, because they finish each other’s sentences. Mary Sue is the straight man and Susan is the comedienne. They kept us laughing through their whole cooking  demonstration. If you would like to see a video of the Too Hot Tamales in action, you can go to the California Avocado Commission website.

The first dish was a Crispy California Avocado Taco, which had a wedge of avocado encrusted with quinoa, poppy and sesame seeds, and then deep fried, served with a chipotle corn relish. For a printable recipe and more.

Next was a California Avocado, Bacon and Tomato Salad with frisee, watercress, romaine, red onion, mustard vinaigrette, crispy capers, and homemade croutons.

It was pretty much agreed that the Chilaquiles looked like a brown blob on the plate, but they really tasted good! Chicken and California Avocado Skillet Chilaquiles with corn tortilla chips, salsa roja, panela cheese, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro and lime. For a printable recipe and more.

I have never had a dessert with avocado in it so this was a revelation. California Avocado and Mango with yogurt, honey, lime, touch of cayenne. The little shooter glass held a California Avocado and Orange Liquado, sort of like an avocado smoothie. The lavender shortbread cookie was divine. For a printable recipe and more.

And the best moment of all… I got my book autographed and my photo taken with the Too Hot Tamales!! I am their total groupie and not ashamed of it!

Last October my friend Michelle and I decided to celebrate our birthdays, which both fall in that month, at Osteria Mozza. We made our reservations a month ahead, as required, and waited with anticipation for October 5th to arrive. Mozza holds a special place on my restaurant list because Nancy Silverton is one of the owners, and I did my cooking internship for culinary school at Campanile, where I saw her every Saturday, for nine months. She is my culinary hero, whom I admire as a chef and business woman. Her book Desserts is my pastry bible and my go-to dessert recipe tome. So I was really looking forward to eating where she was one of the creators. And Mario Batali isn’t bad either. There was that little foodie groupie in me that was secretly hoping one of them might be there. Ya, right.

The Valet Parking and the beautiful front door

The restaurant is in Los Angeles, on the corner of Melrose and Highland, and a long drive on the freeway from Manahattan Beach, where we live. We overestimated how long it would take to get there, and arrived 30 minutes early. After valeting the car, we took a little walking tour around the corner to Pizzaria Mozza and the little Italian Shop inside it. The clerk said Nancy Silverton personally chose and imported all the items from Italy. I ended up buying a 17.5 oz. package of Fregola Sarda pasta for $12.00, which is about 2 cups of little pasta balls the size of Israeli couscous that have been browned in the oven. Ok, it’s a tourist trap and I caved. But I’m hoping to cook them in the future and do a post about them.

Finally it was time for the front doors to be open. We went in and the whole server staff was standing in the entry, with their striped shirts and long white aprons. They gave us a little bow, and one stepped forward and said, “Where have you been? We’ve been waiting for you!” They must have seen us hovering around outside. Oh well, we were tourists, after all.

Or server graciously agreed to seat us by a window so I could photograph the food. I had only had my camera for a month and was a total novice. The photographs are all out of focus, so don’t laugh, ok? I did my best.

The restaurant is black, white and chrome and has a very slick look to it. The mozzarella bar runs the whole length of the room and you can pull up a chair and eat there if you like. The liquor bar is against the far wall and it is all twinkly like a big Christmas tree.

We ordered our wine and it was served along with an amuse-bouche, a Kalamata Tapenade Crostini, which is obviously where I got the idea for the recipe in this post. I have made them numerous times and they are so amazing. The salty olives, creamy ricotta and La Brea Bakery sour dough bread topped with basil shards. I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

We ordered our starters and entrées, and I took photos of everything. It was a Monday night, so there weren’t very many people there, although more arrived as the night went on. Finally our dishes arrived. They were so beautiful, I almost didn’t want to start eating them. Michelle had Burricotta with braised artichokes, pine nuts, currants and mint pesto.

I had Burrata with leeks vinaigrette and mustard breadcrumbs. It was very intense with the flavor of the stone-ground Poupon-style mustard. Too intense, really, but I ate it any way. I was at Mozza! and I didn’t want to miss any of the flavor experiences.

We had also been served some great rustic bread that was full of wheat berries and seeds, which we dipped in the peppery olive oil. It was chewy and wonderful. That bread inspired me to try to make some of my own rustic bread about a month later, and it was a dismal failure. It turned out like a solid football, which could have been used for a doorstop. I’m not going to tell you that story though.

Then came the entrées. Big plates of meat. Perfectly medium rare the way I like it. Whoever was working the grill really knew their stuff. Michelle had Grilled Beef Tagliata, rucola and Parmigiano with aceto balsamico.

And I had the Grilled Leg of Lamb with insalata di Fregola Sarda, mint and yogurt. The pasta and minty yogurt were hidden under the lamb slices and was a wonderful sauce for the lamb. And, lo and behold, there was the Fregola Sarda, which I had just purchased in the little shop.

Well, we were totally stuffed by this time. You know, groaning with happiness. Michelle said we had to have dessert because it was our birthday, so she ordered Cannoli with caramel, pistachio and espresso gelati. When it came to the table it had a little birthday candle stuck to the plate. It was so cute!

We said our good-byes to our server, who had been very charming and helpful. The whole evening had been like living a fantasy. We walked out saying WOW, that was really something to remember. And I could hardly wait to get home and look at the photos. And think about writing this post, which turned out to be five months later.

So here is the recipe for the Kalamata Olive Tapenade Crostini. When you eat it, you can pretend you are at Osteria Mozza, just like I do!

In the summer of 2009 I noticed that one of the Spanish hacienda-style office buildings in the Manhattan Village Mall near my home had the first floor under construction. I didn’t think too much about it until one day there was a big banner across the front announcing “Tin Roof Bistro coming soon!” I was really excited that a new restaurant was opening so close to me. I watched construction materials come and go, and then one day it was open! Tin Roof Bistro. It had to be good.

My friend, Michele, and I love to go to new restaurants and have been known to drive 50 miles to eat at a well-reviewed establishment. So I asked her if she wanted to go to TRB, and she already knew all about it. She told me that it was owned by Mike Simms, who also owns the beloved Manhattan Beach landmark, The Kettle, and the new gastropub, Simmzy’s. So we decided to try it out.

Outside, we walked by grape vines and a bocce court to approach the glass front doors. Inside, the place was big, slick and pub-like with a tin ceiling, which reflected the sound of voices and dishes, making it too noisy for us. We decided to eat on the patio outside, which is in the courtyard under palm trees and has a water fountain burbling nearby.  Nice and quiet, with the breeze rustling the palm fronds. Summer in California, you gotta love it.

I ordered the Honey and Wine Braised Beef Panino with Cheese, and Michele ordered a Soup of the Day and Half Sandwich Special. She also chose the Beef Panino, which is described on the menu as Swiss & fontina cheeses, braised beef short rib, horseradish mayo, onions, country white bread, served au jus.

We waited with anticipation and finally our lunch was served. The moment of truth, when you take your first bite. Oh my god, it was outstanding. The depth and richness of a long braise, the meat simmering for hours with the onions, celery, carrots and wine. I was in heaven. A real restaurant, with a chef that knew what she was doing. Nearby. At last.

Take a look at this sandwich. It’s said that brown food is hard to photograph, but my little Sony point and shoot did a great job capturing the wonderful essence of the short ribs, the melting cheese, the grilled bread.

Michele’s soup of the day was Mushroom and when I had a taste, there was a definite note of sherry that was a welcome surprise.

It was the mushroom soup that really intrigued me, the hint of sherry, that made me want to try to reproduce it at home. This often happens to me when I go to a restaurant – I eat something really good or new, and I want to try to cook it myself.

I wanted to make my mushroom soup recipe as mushroom-y as possible, so I decided to make a mushroom stock, instead of the chicken broth listed in the recipe. I found one in Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison. It made making the mushroom soup more time consuming, but with great results. The photo at the beginning of this post is the mushroom soup I made and shared with Michelle.