csa box 7/24/09

csa box 7/24/09
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

- lettuce
- cabbage
- basil
- cilantro
- green bell peppers
- one giant onion
- cucumbers
- oranges
- tomatoes
- peaches

long beach museum of art

long beach museum of art
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#65 of 101 in 1001
don't take your local art museum for granted. one day, it could be too late, and they could be gone. financial times have made it difficult all around to make ends meet. it was not too long after my first visit to the long beach museum recently that i found out they are in danger due to financial woes.

the show i went to featured artists taking book arts to large sculptural forms, and it along with all access to the museum is free on fridays. i can't believe i never took advantage of this before. it's such a good deal. i hope enough people visit the museum and take advantage of all they have to offer, including free video screenings related to concurrent exhibitions on fridays.

point reyes

point reyes
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#80 & #81 of 101 in 1001
on our trip to northern california, we stayed in marin county to do some sightseeing in point reyes. my allergies slowed me down some, but we had a nice little trek to abbott's lagoon on one of the state park's trails. the highlights of the walk were all the little birds including vultures and egrets and a deer we saw along the way.

winchester mansion

winchester mansion
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

i don't know if i was really expecting anything when i arrived, but my first impression walking through the stereotypically obnoxious gift store then to the waiting area outside that reminded me of being at disneyland left much to be desired. luckily, once the tour started that changed.

during the tour, i spent most of my time taking a lot of photos of the home, over 500 photos in fact, but from what i could gather, the tour seems geared towards a large audience. there are some interesting historical tidbits, but the whole thing seems written to entertain rather than educate.

still, a look inside the house, if you take your time, past the slick paint, can offer a view of architectural details, quirky "mistakes", and detailed motifs that came out of the eccentric mind of sarah winchester. the conservatory is quite lovely, with all the windows and light and open space compared to other parts of the house, with room after small room of confined space and twisting stairs. some areas of the home were damaged by earthquake, and it was interesting that they left those parts of the home unrepaired as if time had stopped.

the tour moves fairly quickly through this large estate. at one point, i did one of the things the tour guide warned us about which was to fall behind the tour taking photos and almost got lost. all of a sudden it was quiet, and extremely spooky, since there was no sign of anyone in #58 on my 101 in 1001 list
the house. the place is huge and small at the same time, and the labyrinthine hallways and staircases make it difficult to orient yourself. i have to give it to the tour guides to lead us through this maze. luckily for me, the fussy child in our tour group saved me from the ghosts, and i eventually made my way back.

not sure if historically, the home has been preserved in the truest sense. the gardens were nice, but felt small in comparison. because of the shrunken acreage of the estate, the whole place feels confined and partly consumed bye the encroaching modern city around it. if you're in the area, it's worth a visit.

beverly soon tofu

beverly soon tofu
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (53/143)
a friend recently introduced me to beverly soon tofu, mentioning that she loved this place for their banchan, and after eating here, i have to concur that the banchan stands out for being fresh and tasty, definitely better than most i've had in my limited experience with korean food. you can tell they put some heart into it, that it's not just about the tofu soup, their specialty.

one of my favorites was the tofu with nori & scallions, which consists of soft tofu in a dashi-like soup with strips of seaweed. it was really light and refreshing with hints of sesame. other items included some crunchy bean sprouts, tangy, sweet lightly pickled cucumber, fresh celery, a super vinegary daikon kimchee, cabbage kimchee, potatoes in a sweet brown sauce.

you can get a combo meal that includes a tofu soup with galbi, which is what i did. i was amazed by the delicious galbi. tender, sweet, juicy, it was quite good. with our combo, i ordered the shrimp and vegetable tofu soup. except for needing some salt, i thought the flavor of the shrimp really came through, and enjoyed it overall.

my friend ordered the bibimbap, which comes in a large bowl with dried seaweed, cucumber, chopped pork, tofu, carrots and a fried egg. i didn't try any of it, but it looked really good. i'll have to next time.

honey's kettle fried chicken

honey's kettle fried chicken
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (52/143)
every now and then, i crave fried chicken, one of the few chicken dishes i crave. it's not one of those things i can indulge in very often due to the whole fried thing and lack of healthy sides, but the chicken here is worth the extra exercise (or weight). i wasn't very impressed with roscoe's but after walking by the honey's kettle chicken in culver city and hearing good things about the chicken at the compton location, i had to check it out.

sure, it's a little ghetto, but seems more like one of those places that's been around for a while, so mostly just worn around the edges. don't be fooled by the exterior. their chicken tastes more homemade, is worlds above KFC and far better than Roscoes.

there are two qualities that make their chicken so good. number one is the crust--a crunchy, perfectly crispy and flavorful crust. i could almost just eat the crust. the second thing is the meat. i'm more of a dark meat person, but i mixed it up by getting a breast and leg. the breast was surprisingly moist. most fried chicken breast or breast meat in general often turns out dry in the cooking process. i'd like to know if they brine their chicken to get it so moist. my chicken came out hot, almost too hot to start eating right away.

you can get three different dipping sauces: a hot sauce, a spicy bbq-like sauce, and honey. the chicken is so delicious and well seasoned, you don't even need a sauce. sides include fries and a super buttery and tender biscuit.

ludobites @ breadbar

ludobites @ breadbar
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (51/143)
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 gazopacho.

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.

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.

bottega louie

bottega louie
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (50/143)
when it came time to go out for the m's birthday, i picked bottega louie because--he wanted something casual, we hadn't been before and they have two of his favorites, pasta and pizza. this place is so casual that they don't take reservations, but luckily, we didn't have too much of a wait, about 10-15 mins on a saturday evening. even though it's casual, it still feels upscale, so you feel like you're getting a nice meal without worrying about what piece of silverware to use.

we started by sharing the basic arugula salad with red onions in a lemon vinaigrette with shaved pecorino that was spicy from the fresh arugula and prepared well--light on the dressing. m chose a napoli pizza, which i thought was ok, not great. he enjoyed it. toppings include mushrooms, red onions, and olives with a tomato sauce. i liked that they put two of my favorites together--mushrooms and kalamata olives.

our waitress recommended the tagliatelle bolognese. i love bolognese, so couldn't argue with it. it was tasty, but not as good as i had imagined due to the expectations set by the waitress. i liked the delicateness of the pasta. we also shared a couple sides, including the lightly battered portabello fries and some arancini arrabiata, which are these fried rice balls. the portabello fries consist of portabello mushroom slices deep fried. the crispy breading added some texture, and it was yummy with the pesto aioli. i enjoyed the smokiness and crunch from the bits of bacon in the arancini. they have quite a selection of sides, so if you didn't want to fill up on an entree, you could get a few sides. another plus is the amount of wine you get, when you order by the glass. you get a half glass typical of most places, then extra in a small carafe to refill the glass. etiquette is often such that you only get a partial glass even though you are supposedly ordering a glass. it was nice that wasn't the case here.

for dessert, i had an eclair from their pastry shop. it was ok as far as eclairs go, but the peanut butter terrine the m picked was excellent. the combination of slightly salty peanut butter with rich chocolate was so good.

overall, i think the meal was enjoyable, and found the ingredients to be fresh and high quality, but the ambiance lends itself to being more of a fun place to go as a group where you don't have to worry about being loud. they have plenty of large tables, and the place gets pretty loud due to the carpetless flooring and high ceilings no matter how quiet people are. we weren't too bothered by the noise, but it's definitely not the place to go if you're looking for a romantic evening. service was fast and friendly. they have a great selection of deli and dessert items for quick take out, too.

my only complaint was the cost. though i thought the food was tasty, i don't think it was special enough to warrant how much they charge. it seems that you could get similar offerings cheaper elsewhere.

pizzeria delfina

san francisco
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (47/143)
a juxtaposition of crunchy and chewy textures in a smoky crust as well as fresh toppings make for delicious pizza. pizzeria delfina's style is distinctively neapolitan, and while they serve authentically italian style pizza, it's with local flavor. i first had their pizza shortly after they opened, but since i no longer live in the area, have only dreamed about it.

i finally made it back, and it's still as good as i remember it. the margherita is classic. we tried one of their specials--a porcini mushroom pizza with panna, thyme and val d'aosta--which was very rich and creamy from the panna. not exactly traditional, but i loved the earthy mushrooms and fragrant thyme. photo: http://www.flickr.com/...

the casual environment is great. we have a similar resto in LA - pizzeria mozza -- that doesn't quite have the same relaxed atmosphere. delfina is gourmet without pretensions. good food, prepared well with quality ingredients.

tea room cafe

petaluma
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (46/143)
during our stay in petaluma, we discovered this cute cafe near the hotel on our search for breakfast. tea room cafe is a clean, casual cafe not too big, not too small that serves an excellent breakfast. it's the kind of place with good lighting that makes you feel like you're in an old house with a large screened porch. you order at the counter, and they bring it to your table. breakfast is typical fare with gourmet touches.

i had the french toast, which was a nice combination of crispy edges, tender bread with a little sweetness and hints of cinnamon. they lather it with butter, no syrup necessary. the fruit cup was a light addition, filled with fresh strawberries, apple slices, grapes and some melon. the bf had an omelet with goat cheese and avocado, super creamy and filling but not heavy. you can get fresh squeezed orange juice, and the usual coffee, tea offerings. they also start serving lunch around 11am.

the environment is relaxing, and food preparation took about 15 mins. not super fast, but not slow, either. service was friendly.

big mista's bbq @ watkins farmer's market

big mista's bbq @ watkins farmer's market
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (52/143)
i'm slowly making my way through the bbq offerings in the LA orange county area, in search of tasty cue. still haven't found anything as phenomenal as the best i've had in texas, which generally has more smokey flavor, but the bbq here is pretty good. thanks to a foodie friend for arranging this event, i was able to sample a large variety of their offerings, all of which were delicious.

my absolute favorite were the thick slabs of BRISKET. slightly fatty, tender, moist with a seasoned crust to accent the natural flavor of the meat, it was good with the vinegary bbq sauce, which was more a kansas style liquid sauce than the thick sauce i'm accustomed to, but had a slight kick and was good nonetheless. the RIBS were another favorite. they really know how to cook the meat so it stays moist. the rub gives it a peppery coating of spices.

they offer two varieties of SAUSAGE. the hot links didn't really blow me away, but it was good. the "fatty," a rich breakfast sausage had a lot of flavor. i don't think i could eat more than a couple pieces though, since it was so rich. the TRI-TIP looked like a good, lean piece of meat, although not as moist compared to some of the others, and better with the bbq sauce.

their CHICKEN, tender and sufficiently moist, is also slathered with similar combination of spices. in fact, most of their meats are well-seasoned with a nice crust, so you don't need a heavy bbq sauce, and the sauce becomes more of an accent to the natural flavors of the meat.

i loved their COLLARD GREENS. not oily at all, it tasted freshly made, with just the tiniest bit of vinegar. i'm not a huge coleslaw fan, but i liked theirs. it was crunchy, not too sweet, with a light tanginess. the potato salad has a kick, and the beans are sweet, a little too sweet for my taste, but they seemed fresh and nicely spiced.

for dessert, i enjoyed their red velvet. not phenomenal, but good. cobbler was a little inconsistent. some of the dough didn't seem fully cooked.

big mista's can be found at various farmer's markets, including the one we went to on saturday at watkins memorial park. i recommend checking them out. they're like one of those hidden food gems. the bbq here is much better than that at any of the chains like johnny rebs or lucille's. big mista's wife organized the food, and it was nice of her to give us some history on how they got started bbq-ing.

louisiana best seafood

louisiana best seafood
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (54/143)
there are far scarier neighborhoods you could have lunch in, and louisiana best seafood may not be the best, but they do fry up some good seafood. of course, some options are better than others. it actually reminds of me a little seafood shack by the beach except it's in a lesser frequented part of long beach. if it was in a small coastal town, people would think it was quaint. there's an inside area with video games and plastic chairs where you could eat (we did), although it probably was intended more as a waiting area. no tables.

i sampled a variety of their fried offerings, including shrimp, red snapper, scallops, oysters and french fries, and was surprised that nothing was oily. the crust has some texture, like cornmeal, in it, but it's not too thick, and cooked just right. the shrimp, which was even butterflyed, with it's fresh flavor, was a favorite. scallops were good too. they had a thin layer of chile between the meat and the crust that added a slight kick.

their fish, also a bit spiced, is pretty standard, but you do have to be careful. i found small bones along the edge that hadn't been completely removed. luckily, i found them before taking a bite. i prefer my oysters raw, but these fried ones were pretty good too. i think they should provide us with some lemon wedges. it would have been so much better with citrus. everything was seasoned, but not overly salty.

they offer many combo options depending on your preference for seafood. fish is primarily of the white flaky kind. fries were ok. not the worse fries, but i didn't care as much for them. their macaroni salad tastes like it came from the grocery store, so i wouldn't recommend that. the combos are pretty big. i couldn't eat it all, and didn't even get to the coleslaw or hush puppies that also came with it. my friend mentioned that the hush puppies were also spiced.

it seemed like there may have been some confusion with orders. the woman working the front was having trouble reading order numbers. my friend's order came out after mine although she ordered before me, but otherwise, service was fine. we didn't really have to wait more than 10 min. if you're looking for some fried seafood in the hood, check it out--a far better option than fast food crap. it is definitely freshly fried. i almost burned my tongue on the scallops.

veggie grill

veggie grill
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (53/143)
i'm pretty skeptical of gimmicky food places at the mall that tend to be more style than substance, but the food here is pretty good, and a much needed healthy reprieve from a week of sausage tasting, bbq, and fried seafood.

whoever says healthy food doesn't taste good should try veggie grill's portobello burger. it definitely rivals the one at native foods, but is not so hardcore (vegan). the combination of flavors from the smokey grilled portobello mushroom, sweet caramelized onions, flavorful pesto and spicy chipotle ranch makes for one delicious burger. you don't need any meat or extra fat.

i substituted a mixed green salad for the coleslaw that comes with. it's a nice mixture of baby lettuces, chopped tomatoes. some quinoa to help with regularity, corn and wispy curls of carrots. the citrus vinaigrette didn't have much citrus flavor, but it was a tasty vinaigrette.

the bf got the stack, which consists of their "steak", tomato, onion rings. i thought the onion rings added some interesting texture, but the steak was kind of bland. it had a meat texture, but little flavor. the portobello burger was definitely better tasting. the sweet potato fries are quite good and actually taste like pure sweet potatoes.

they give you three options of iced tea, including a regular and two fruity ones. i had two glasses of the strawberry lemonade, it was so good. tasted like it was made from real fruit and not high fructose corn syrup. you could see the little strawberry seeds floating in there.

my only complaint was that it is a little pricey after all the substitutions. it would be nice if the burgers came with fries, because i am not into coleslaw. native foods' burger comes with fries. still, i hope there will be a veggie grill close to home because it's tastier than most of the chain dining establishments out there.

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.