Can I Eat That?

I don’t know what possessed me to attempt to make peanut sauce by scratch but I did and it worked! I sweat to you it is easy and much better for you than any pre package equivalent. Naturally I eat with kale because that’s basically my favorite food ever, but you could just as easily use as a dip with chicken satay or an egg roll. 

1. 2 tablespoons each of peanut butter, soy sauce, mirin (rice wine vinegar), water, and just 1 tablespoon of plum sauce or hoisen. Add sriracha to taste if you like things spicy. Sauteed shallots, garlic and a little ginger are good too, but in a bachelorette’s kitchen, these fresh food items are sometime scarce. 
2. Pour all that into a sauce pan on low heat - I use just following a quick sauté of my kale and can even use the remaining water that was left in the pan. 
3. Use fork to stir - you’ll need to move quickly to mix everything together before the liquids evaporate out, you don’t want/ need to reduce. In the event that it’s bubbling too much before you’ve combined all the ingredients, add a little more water. 
4. Add crushed peanuts for a little extra crunch and eat as you wish!

Dominick’s Restaurant - A Love Story, Volume II

The outside patio at Dominick’s just glows at night; it’s one of my favorite places in Los Angeles. But during the day, it’s rustic chic style feels even more like home to me. White table cloths, fire place, brick walls, and comfort food with just the right amount of elegance and a little sun shining in through the rafters. Our family style brunch as you can see from the photos is like the New York Times meets Hustler Magazine - smart yet sinful. Food porn on another level. All that really needs to be said is, GO THERE. 

What’s less annoying than calling this a food renaissance? Los Angeles had me down in a food slump and San Francisco just pulled me out of it like a lost child stuck in a well. Nothing makes me happier than pure and simply delicious food. LA seems to have lost this touch with it’s importance cast on style, image and buzz. I don’t care where I am or who I see, I just want something delicious. And don’t try to distract me with a spicy tuna roll.

The moment I was revived was eating this grilled sandwich from Tartine. Perfect slices of sheep’s milk pecorino cheese with a tapenade-like spread of crushed almonds with sage, lemon juice and lots of good quality olive oil. With the perfectly grilled thick cut bread - every element of this is simple yet perfect. Less is more.

Then a few days later, a Bahn Mi sandwich. Sure LA has the Nom Nom Truck but people go because they think it’s cool, not because Bahn Mi is one of the greatest sandwiches of all time. Slices of pork with a spread of pate, crisp and tart pickles carrots, lotus root, cucumber and jalapeño, all on a French baguette. It’s the epitome of the incredible marriage between France and Vietnam (forget about all that taking over their country thing.)

I’m back!