csa july 3, 09

i was dreading seeing the two heads of lettuce in our box this week since we hadn't even finished eating the two heads of lettuce from the last box, but all the new and fun items made up for it. needless to say, i'll be making a cream of lettuce soup again.
*marks what's new

- romaine lettuce (2 heads)
- purple cabbage (2 heads)
- cucumber (3)
- purple carrots*
- japanese eggplant*
- green beans
- cilantro
- corn
- tomatoes (not sure, but they look like heirloom)
- strawberries (1 qt)
- apples (4)

i'm not sure how they determine how much to put in the box, but it seems that there are a lot more in quantity and variety this week, which is exciting. i'll probably use the japanese egpplant in a red coconut curry. not sure what i'll make with the purple cabbage, yet. anyone have suggestions for something relatively easy? i usually just stir-fry with some red pepper, onions and basil.

dwell + coolhaus contest

dwell on design
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

we entered a contest sponsored by dwell & coolhaus to name their next ice cream sandwich. their concept consists of ice cream sandwiches named after architects and designers. here are the ones we submitted:

Archi-Graham Cracker Lemongrass - Graham Cracker Cookies, Lemongrass Ice Cream
(Archigram)

David Double Chocolate Chipperfield - Chocolate Chip Cookie, Belgian Chocolate Ice Cream
(David Chipperfield)

Caramel and Ray Creams - Salted Caramel Cookie, Sweet Cream Ice Cream
(Charles & Ray Eames)

Peter Cookies and Coconut Cream - Chocolate Cookie, Coconut Ice Cream
(Peter Cook)

Louis Candy Cane - Chocolate Cookie, Peppermint Ice Cream
(Louis Kahn)

Roland Cherry - Shortbread Cookie, Cherry Ice Cream
(Roland Terry)

Mies van Taro - Shortbread Cookie, Taro Ice Cream
(Mies van der Rohe)

well, we didn't win, but i got a mention on their shortlist for the chocolate chipperfield. hate to be a sore loser, but i don't think their selection was that great considering the other possible entries (other than the fantastic ones we submitted). i mean really--Louis Kahnteloupe?

lal mirch

lal mirch
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

who knew there was excellent indian food in studio city? even though the name is unusual, lal mirch looks like many other generic indian restaurants--nice, but somewhat outdated decor with a buffet for lunch. the experience however, stood out. for me, it was love at first bite. everything we had was so good. it's the kind of indian food i crave--a rich mixture of spices in a thick sauce paired with tasty starch you eat with your hands.

the vegetable samosas, which come with a cilantro chutney and a tamarind chutney, are a perfect starter. crispy outside, spiced potatoes, corn, peas and beans. most places only have two ingredients in their samosas, but you could tell these had something extra.

the entrees we ordered, the shrimp tikka masala and vegetable korma, fueled my butter addiction. they were so amazingly crispy, perfectly spiced and creamy. i kind of wished we received more shrimp in our tikka masala, but it was fine because the sauce was a meal in itself slathered on some buttery parathas (in case all that ghee in the sauces weren't enough). i couldn't decide between naan and paratha, but either way would have been great. the parathas are like butter soaked tortillas, but with a slight crunch to them. they seem so simple at first, but the more you eat the more you want to keep dipping them in sauce and consuming until you explode.

the vegetable korma consisted of cauliflower, peas, carrots, potatoes in a turmeric yellow coconut curry. i liked the added texture and subtle nutty flavor from the coconut. i haven't tried their chicken tikka masala, which seems to be the thing to get, but judging by their shrimp tikka masala, i'm sure it's good too. tangy, sweet, salty and creamy, it brings together some fragrant spices and delicious flavors. their vegetable biryani had similar vegetables to the korma, and was also tasty and hearty--equal parts vegetables to rice.

oh, and the mango lassi i had was one of the best i have tasted. there was something much more complex here than i have had at other places. the bf doesn't like mango or yogurt, but he could appreciate the flavors.

service was so friendly and fast. this place is worth driving far to get good food.

coolhaus ice cream

downtown la artwalk
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

we happened upon the coolhaus truck in downtown la during a recent third thursday artwalk. i love the concept--ice cream sandwiches with flavors inspired by famous architects like the frank berry or richard meyer lemon. the idea of gourmet ice cream sandwich isn't new, but you're not just getting any old ice cream sandwich, you're getting a minimalist building-like sculpture that tastes like an ice cream sandwich, and out of a mobile truck. if only the ice cream trucks in my neighborhood were this cute or the ice cream they were selling was as fresh.

they were out of all cookie varieties except for the sugar cookie, so i had some of m's mint ice cream sandwiched between sugar cookies. the ice cream was intensely minty but otherwise not memorable. cookie was more chewy than crunchy. i don't know if it was so awesome that i would seek it out any time soon, but if this cute little silver truck with a bright orange camper top rolled up on my street on a hot day, i would be happy to see it. i would like to try some of their other flavors and sandwich combinations. because i like the cuteness factor of the truck and think the ladies who run this outfit are super friendly, i'm giving them an extra star.

ludobites @ breadbar

ludobites @ breadbar
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

i've never been to breadbar, but on the recommendation of a fellow foodie i had to check out ludobites. this review primarily is for our sampling of tastings at ludobites, which is in breadbar, but not really a part of breadbar. chef Ludovic Lefebvre takes over tues - saturday evenings offering an eclectic menu. my experience of the flavor combinations ranged from good to great, but nothing was boring. if you're interested in creatively and intricately prepared chef's tastings at tapas prices, ludobites is worth checking out. the concept is that you build your own tasting from a menu that changes nightly.

we snacked on crusty olive bread with a sweet lavendar honey butter, while waiting. it was hard not to fill up since the bread was so good. our first course, an HEIRLOOM TOMATO SMOOTHIE with celery granite and basil turned out to be one of my favorite selections of the evening. a cold, thick soup with celery flavored shaved ice, basil oil and fresh basil, it combined tangy, salty, herbaceous flavors that likened it to a cross between a bloody mary and a gazpacho.

next up was a POACHED EGG 65 DEGREES with chorizo, saffron. the process for cooking the egg rendered it creamy, and tasty with the tangy, salty, smokey chorizo. the tart side of pickled cornichons helped to make it less heavy.

the CALAMARI, AVOCADO, EXOTIC FRUITS, almonds, lemon combined some unusual ingredients and gave the dish a tropical twist. the battered and fried calamari was straightforward, but made a little unusual with the salty avocado, sweet banana, and tart passionfruit seeds as garnish as well as variations in texture from soft to crunchy.

the KING SALMON CUBE with WATERMELON, oranges confites, and sesame oil arrived with some instructions for the order of tastes. i thought the sweetness of the watermelon after the saltiness of the salmon cube and roe was interesting, but subtle and not as huge an impact flavorwise as it sounded, maybe because the watermelon was a little bland and not as sweet as i thought it would be to provide a huge contrast in flavor.

of course, simple can be quite good too, but even simple here is not so simple. the MARINATED GRILLED BELL PEPPER and mozzarella ice cream combines sweet peppers with fresh cherry tomatoes and a creamy cheese flecked with salty pieces of dried black olives.

our last savory dish, the SAUTEED DIVER SCALLOP with curry-yogurt, spinach was another unusual flavor combination. i don't think i've had scallops with curry before, but this was pretty good.

we ended with the CHOCOLATE MOUSSE with COFFEE SAUCE and CHERRY CHANTILLY. the chocolate mousse had more of a gooey, thick sauce texture to it than a light mousse as i was expecting, but it was plenty rich. i found the intense tart and sweetness of the cherry a nice accent.

the meal made me feel like i traveled to different countries for each course, with the diversity of spices, seasonings and flavor combinations. service at first was a little overly helpful, which made me nervous, but relaxed as the restaurant filled up. ingredients and freshness were all top notch. it's too bad this only goes through the summer, but maybe the chef will find a permanent home. i would definitely go for more.

csa box june 19

- romaine lettuce
- red leaf lettuce
- green beans
- cucumber
- corn
- radishes
- maui onion
- tomatoes
- basil
- strawberries

road trip to northern california

point reyes
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

we took a mini road trip of sorts to visit some friends, check out point reyes, the wildflowers and wildlife, the new academy of sciences designed by architect renzo piano, the new rooftop sculpture garden at sf moma, moecular gastronomy at coi, maker faire in san mateo & the winchester mansion in san jose.

bouchon

bouchon
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

though the cuisine at bouchon appears so straightforward classic french bistro, you can taste the craft and precision of expertise that went into it. what i came to appreciate here was not the inventiveness of the menu, but how good good technique can be. with all the craze over molecular gastronomy these days, it's easy to get distracted.

our meal began with bread from their bakery and butter and a white bean dip. the white bean dip was fabulously creamy with hints of the herbaceous olive oil that was drizzle on top. excellent with the toasted mini sourdough rounds. we shared a beet salad with mache, rhubarb, and asparagus. good but not exciting.

the entrees from the list of specials we ordered ended up being the highlight of the meal. the bf had the salmon sous vide on ratatouille. sweet tomato-y vegetables. this is the one of the few instances when i like vegetables mushy. salmon was delicate and flavorful. i had the pork shoulder which was shiny from a sweet glaze and laid on top of a ragout of corn and arugula accented with sweet currents. pork was wonderfully tender. the glaze was perfect. the zippyness of the arugula, the slight sweetness of the fresh corn and the more intense currents were all excellent.

i would recommend bouchon for a solid meal. the hostess was a little stand-offish, but our waiter was great--amicable and responsive. fine restaurant with a somewhat more casual atmosphere. it was a lovely evening for dinner on their patio. even on a weeknight, it was packed. we didn't have reservations, but were able to get seating immediately.

coi

coi
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (43/143)
at first glance, i didn't recognize many of the ingredients on the menu at coi, which are sourced from local producers. unusual descriptions which apply more to things found on a nature walk than food, combined with the distinct presentation of mostly vegetarian, minimalist food intrigued me, serving to slow and enhance the experience of eating.

our AMUSE BOUCHE consisted of milk & honey packaged in a transparent membrane. a nectar of milk and honey oozes comfort and some sweetness into your mouth. not sure about it being room temperature though.

with the first course, PINK GRAPEFRUIT (ginger, tarragon, black pepper), which looked like a small white cloud atop smaller pieces of grapefruit, comes with a drop of essential oil which is applied to the wrist for comparison. dominant flavors were fragrant citrus tartness from the grapefruit & tarragon. the combination of taste and aroma were nice- with aroma being the foreplay to the more intense flavors. by itself, i wonder if the flavors would have been more subtle.

the martian landscape that was our third course, called EARTH AND SEA (new harvest potatoes, cucumber, borage, sea beans, ice plant flowers), was almost too pretty to eat. the tiniest potatoes i've ever seen cooked to creaminess were huddled against greens, pink flowers atop a vinegar-y squid ink dyed chunks of cucumber. drizzled with grassy olive oil. fragrant, simple flavors, tasty!

an investigation of architecture, INVERTED ANDANTE DAIRY GOAT CHEESE TART (black olive, vadouvan, preserved lemon, wild arugula) consisted of a canti-levered wonton made from black olive atop creamy goat cheese and littered with bits of preserved lemon & arugula.

haiku-like, WINTER INTO SPRING (chilled english pea soup, buttermilk snow, mint), pairs simple, natural flavors--sweet, fresh peas, tart buttermilk & aromatic mint--with a twist on temperature. all i want to know is how you turn buttermilk into snow.

taking all that is good about fried chicken and packaging it in small tater tot-like cubes of intense flavor, the FRIED CHICKEN CONSOMME (artichokes, fava beans, radish, green garlic) is a good thing if it makes me feel like i don't need to work out after eating it. crunchy on the outside, with a gravy-like inside. garnishes added texture. the bf doesn't eat meat, so they made him roasted mushrooms with mayo. i definitely got the better option.

the SAUTEED MONTEREY BAY ABALONE (escarole, caper berry-sea lettuce vinaigrette) was a little hard to slice, but not as chewy as i thought it would be. it sits atop some cooked escarole and an emulsified vinaigrette. seasoned well, with slightly caramelized skin.

a bite of the MORELS (burnt rice, ash, smoke, pine) is like a walk in the forest. earthy, fragrant green, slightly salty. i overheard one of the servers explain the molecular evolution of this dish. even if i remembered, you'd be thinking huh? as well. if you like mushrooms, this dish refines them for a delicately flavored course. plenty of interesting textures as well.

slightly rare, the MARIN SUN FARMS GOAT (sprouted seeds/nuts/beans, wheatgrass) was surprisingly healthy (and not gamey at all) for a meat dish. tender meat, delicately prepared, with crunchy nuts and beans. a combination of perfectly runny yolk and buttery foam, the bf's SLOW COOKED EGG (farro, chard, brown butter)--a meatless sub--was quite good too!

after the previous courses, the few slices of COMTE with lightly coated lettuce leaves was a bit underwhelming, although the cheese was good.

the intercourse of BEET juice puree atop a creamy powder was sweet, slightly tart and salty

couldn't taste the olive oil in the OLIVE OIL SHORTCAKE (strawberry-rhubarb, lemon balm, long pepper), but the combination of fruits were prominent in flavor--sweet, tart, salty

the WHITE CHOCOLATE SEMI-FROZEN (brooks cherry, lime thyme) is a creamy white pillar accented by soft little thyme leaves, tangy sweet cherries in syrup, and crumbly cake

the crunchy cookie crumbles coating the CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES were the dominant texture and flavor. texture was more interesting than flavor. along with the truffles, we ended our meal with OLIVE OIL VANILLA bean milk shake. the olive oil added another layer of creamy complexity.

healthy, light, earthy, the cuisine at coi seems the kind of food forest elves would eat. some looked strange, but the flavors were familiar, often combining savory with sweet and tartness. some flavor combos were better than others, but none were off. each course delicately crafted.

they only offer a tasting menu-no a la carte & small portions. for me, grazing on ten courses over three hours was sufficiently filling, but i don't recommend coming here starving. kudos for cloth towels in the bathroom & interesting artwork on the walls, which appeared to be photograms of cross-sections of food in black and white. excellent service. more silverware than you know what to do with.

csa box june 5 '09

- romaine lettuce
- green cauliflower
- carrots
- spinach
- yellow beans
- cucumbers
- maui onion
- strawberries
- apples

elements kitchen

elements kitchen
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (42/143)
fresh, locally grown produce. quality ingredients. reasonable prices. a beautiful sunny day, we found ourselves on a late saturday afternoon at elements kitchen starving for some good eats. we almost missed the place as the door and "resto" faces a side street instead of the street address. judging from what other diners were having, i was anticipating a beautiful meal at least.

they have a specials menu, from which we ordered a couple items, including a shrimp chile lime ceviche. fragrant, refreshing and perfect for the warm weather, it was one of the best ceviches i've had. sometimes simple is best. the tangy lime juice with the shrimp and little bits of fresh tomatoes, cucumber and avocado were perfect. shrimp is so good as ceviche. partially cooked, it takes on a tender juiciness not found in fully cooked shrimp.

for entrees, we shared the salmon red coconut curry, also from the specials menu, and a quiche filled with mushrooms and caramelized onions. i enjoyed the crunchy exterior texture of the seasoned and seared piece of salmon as well as the sweet and salty, spicy creamy curry with vegetables. it was topped with an eggroll filled with creamy potato. though the dish didn't blow me away, it was prepared well and tasted great. the quiche was excellent. i loved the sweetness of the onions and the texture and meatiness of the mushrooms. it came with a salad of mixed greens with so much variety and a light, sweet vinaigrette.

everything was perfect including service until the end, when our waitress disappeared, and we sat around for a while, waiting for our check. i asked another person working their for the check, and we waited some more. i had no idea where our waitress went. when i had gone inside earlier to find a bathroom, there were no people at the tables inside, and there were maybe 5 other occupied tables outside. finally, the bf had to go inside to retrieve it. i really enjoyed the food, and hope the service improves. the servers are nice, but inconsistent.

bamboodles

bamboodles
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (41/143)
the main attraction for bamboodles is for their freshly made noodles, which they prepare the same day, and the novelty of watching them do it through the big fish bowl window, but you would probably have to go early to catch the show. we were there for dinner, so no show. the restaurant is clean, bright and modern.

as far as their noodles, i could tell that it was fresh, much firmer than most places with a springiness to them. the spinach, translucent green with little flecks, was more interesting than their regular noodle. the one soup i had--the shrimp wonton noodle soup--was pretty dull. i liked that the delicately skinned wontons consisted mostly of shrimp stuffing that was tasty--flavored with sesame oil, and the broth was light and healthy, but as far as broths go, it was a little bland.

the bf had the garlic shrimp noodles, which are pretty much what they sound like--regular noodles and shrimp sauteed with garlic. garlic flavor was good, though preparation was not very creative.

i also tried their seafood delight dumplings, a thick skinned, light (not oily) dumpling that satisfied my craving, but definitely not the best dumpling you'll find in the area. however, shrimp dumplings seem to be less common than the pork variety, so i would say it is a plus here. overall, i enjoyed our dinner and may come back to try different soups, but wasn't overly impressed. the one waitress we had was very personable. one perk is that they offer uncooked noodles, wonton wrappers and premade dumplings for very reasonable prices for those who wish to prepare them themselves.

marche moderne

marche moderne
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (40/143)
marche moderne offers a 3 course prix fixe--$20 during the week and $25 on the weekends--seven days of the week, which is a great deal on some good gourmet food. their prix fixe changes out almost every day.

i came here with a few other foodies. some of us ordred the prix fixe, while a couple ordered off their lunch menu. everything looked amazing and fresh. the prix fixe came with a butter lettuce, pine nuts, watermelon salad. the sweetness of the bits of watermelon as well as the crunchiness of the pine nuts were paired nicely with the lettuce and simple vinaigrette. my only complaint was that they may have mixed the salads with a little too much dressing, so everything was super wet.

the options for the entree were roasted sand dab with sweet peppers, cilantro emulsion and preserved lemon salad and braised pork belly with sauteed rapini and frisee salad. the fish could have been seasoned more, but it was cooked to flaky perfection, and the sweet peppers were a nice complement that added some flavor. the braised pork belly was so tender and moist, a little bit sweet from caramelization and salty. the rapini was a little overcooked but tasty with a simple preparation. one person in the group ordered the maine scallops tagine, which was excellent. the combination of the tender scallops with the earthy, spicy tomato based harissa worked well.

for dessert, i had an espresso gateau with mascarpone cream and tahitian vanilla ice cream. the cake, which was airy and infused with espresso, reminded me of a refined tiramisu, and was made decadent with a little sweet cream and ice cream.

insect sleeves

i can't say i care much for looking like a butterfly or a moth, but i had to laugh at the cleverness of the latest anthropologie concept that came into my mailbox today.

paciugo gelato

paciugo gelato
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (41/143)
even though paciugo is a chain, the mother daughter team that own this franchise--the first one of its kind in california--are so personable and passionate, you wouldn't know it. the unusual flavor combinations are unexpected and worth the visit alone. i came with a group of foodies for a tasting of a variety of gelati and sorbets and liked pretty much everything we sampled, although some i loved more than others. tastings, in order of appeal:

chocolate coconut curry - rich chocolate enhanced by curry with hints of coconut; sometimes plain chocolate just isn't enough. this one's got complexity

black pepper olive oil - the spiciness and complexity of the black pepper was really nice against the backdrop of a super creamy vanilla. olive oil was super subtle, but it added to the creamy mouthfeel.

sweet corn thorntree honey - corn ice cream may be more common in mexico, but it is really good. i love how corn can add sweetness to cooking, and the combination of sweet corn and cream in this one works well. couldn't really make out the honey, but i assume it added to enhancing the sweetness, which was just right.

mango chile lime - first comes sweet, smooth mango, then the spiciness lingers in the back of your throat. mexican paleta or thai green mango salad? you be the judge of this sorbet's cousin. not as spicy as either, but it keeps your mouth engaged through every lick.

strawberry balsamic vinegar - mostly sweet strawberry flavors with a smooth consistency to this sorbet. i couldn't really taste the balsamic, but i think it rounded out the sweetness of the strawberries, which can be tart.

cilantro lime - a tart lime sorbet. the cilantro was barely noticeable, but overall very refreshing

mediterranean sea salt caramel - creamy and sweet, a little too sweet for me, and the salt was a little lost

violet chocolate chip - if you like lavender and other such floral flavors, this one's for you. it had the character of a society brunch at an upscale bistro--elegant, but sweet. tasty but not really my cup of tea.

beer chill - this one is kind of the opposite of the violet chocolate chip. they pretty much captured the flavor of corona and lime. i guess if you like corona, you'll enjoy this sorbet. i personally think they could have found a more interesting beer as the flavor provider. granted guinness is overused, but there's a reason.

i sampled a few other flavors outside of the tasting, and these were smaller samples.
german chocolate - good, but not as interesting as the chocolate coconut curry
wedding cake pannacotta - very sweet and creamy
cheesecake chocolate crunch - too much like an oozy dessert. you might like it, but i thought the chocolate crunch was overkill on the already sweet cheesecake.
ginger vanilla - very nice, light pairing

get a cone or a cup or take some home with you. i highly recommend it. they have styrofoam takeout containers that come in three sizes, all of which are fairly large. with the small, you can get up to three flavors. the medium--four flavors, and the grande--5 flavors.

csa box may 15

- a huge head of cabbage
- lettuce
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- spring onions
- beets
- carrots
- green beans
- apples
- strawberry jam

udupi palace

udupi palace
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (39/143)
its a good sign when you're the only non-indian at an indian restaurant. granted, i've only started eating south indian food last year, but the spinach cheese dosa i had here is the best i've had in my limited experience. dosas are delicate but large crepes usually filled with some combination of potatoes, vegetables and/or spices. what makes the dosa and other dishes we ate here so great is how well spiced and balanced the flavors are. sporting a crispy chewy outside and only available on weekends, the spinach was well seasoned with wonderful curry and great with bits of cheese.

bf & i also shared the thali to try a little of everything, which comes with 2 veggie options--that day it was chana masala and gobi masala (both were good; the gobi was sweeter, while the chana had a tangy tamarind flavor)--, a delicious daal (one of the better i've had--most are usually a little bland--lentils with fennel and mustard seeds), sambar (a tasty lentil soup), rasam (broth cooked from lentils), poriyal which was spicy, turmeric-y cabbage, tomato rice, raita which is yogurt with chunks of cucumber, and payasam which appeared to be a sweet coconut milk flavored with saffron and chopped almonds.

we should have stopped there, but we had to have some baigan bartha, a slow cooked eggplant curry dish with some kick. i was eyeing our neighbors' poori, which are these puffed bread things, and paratha, which are thicker tortilla like bread, and was intrigued by the coconut rice, so will have to return to try other things. everything tasted great, and though there was some heat, it wasn't unbearable, especially if you have a sweet and creamy mango lassi.

service was friendly and fast. utensils are optional.

play me

play me
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

my piece in the show at lbcc

todd bailey @ machine project

todd bailey @ machine project
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

todd bailey gave a lecture at machine project on digital sampling and his 8-bit circuit bending kit this weekend. though i was tempted, i'm holding off on getting a kit until i actually have a project in mind i'd like to use it for. seems like putting the thing together is a project in and of itself. besides todd's natural nerdyness, i was envious of his cool binary watch which unfortunately, he is not selling. sounds like quite a bit of work to make one. he was considering making a hex watch only a geeky web nerd like myself could appreciate. for more info about todd & his exploits, go here.

huge maui onion from csa

huge maui onion from csa
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

only the onion & the cauliflower are from the csa. all other produce came from last week's farmer's market, but i left them in for scale. i thought the onion in the delivery two weeks ago was big, but this i would call ginormous.

- romaine lettuce
- broccoli
- yellow cauliflower*
- maui onion
- green beans*
- zucchini & squash*
- cilantro
- carrots
- apples
- strawberries

as you can see, a few new things in the box this week (*). yay!