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The Bouchon Bonus

3/26/2013

My good friend Harlan introduced me to a concept called, "The Bonus."

The idea is simple enough: on a long trip, each person brings along a little surprise to reveal at a time of his or her choosing. It can presented after an arduous hike when the group needs a boost, or during a joyous moment to exponentially increase the euphoria. The bonus can be anything, from board games though food is generally the most well-received.

Having been in Vegas before my camping adventures in the Mojave National Preserve and Joshua Tree National Park, I decided to pack a little bonus for myself at Bouchon Bakery in The Venetian hotel. Sure, it sort of defeats the purpose, but the hope was to bury it somewhere deep in my pack, forget it was there, and stumble upon it just as the taste dehydrated food on which I was about to live became unbearable.

It lasted fewer than six hours.

Carrot Cake "Cookie" Sandwich

But here's where it gets really fun. The woman behind the counter met me with a bubbly personality that nearly matched my own: a rare occurrence. We chatted for a bit, and she helped me pick my pastries. In addition to my sandwich, I wanted to grab a macaron, but had an internal struggle between flavors: coffee or pistachio? Coffee is my go-to flavor for nearly anything, but pistachio is just downright classic. Ultimately, I caved on my standard, rushed off to my car to start the drive, and was immediately met with buyer's remorse.

Pistachio - the one that got away.

But as I un-crinkled the paper a few days later for my mid-morning snack...

SHE BONUSED MY BONUS!

In my haste to begin my journey, I never felt the weight of the extra cookie, and the whole concept of the bonus was reborn. There was no way she could have possibly known what she was doing, making my pistachio macaron that much sweeter.

So, while she'll probably never read this: thank you, woman-behind-the-counter-at-Bouchon-Bakery-in-Vegas, for slipping an extra bonus into my bag. You made me smile and you made my day, more than I think you realized.

Nosh on,
Josh

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Los Angeles is the Bestia

3/25/2013

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I take my rivalries seriously - so much so that I own nothing red and refuse to utter the name of one certain pathetic excuse for a state. Accordingly, It was a no-brainer that from the instant I called San Francisco home, SoCal was on my shit list.

Surfers. Hollywood. Fakes.

On my recent travels through the southwest, curiosity got the better of me and L.A. was tacked onto the itinerary. My lovely tour guide (and lifestyle blogger extraordinaire) Anne Sage introduced me to the wonders of Proof Bakery, The Pie Hole, Intelligentsia and Shortcake LA.

Canele and Hazelnut Croissant from Proof Bakery

Early Grey Custard Pie, Pistachio Crumble, Whipped Cream at The Pie Hole

Campfires Scone from Shortcake LA, Cappuccino by Intelligentsia

Through sheer chance, the two of us bumped into a few of her acquaintances: phenomenal food photographer, Bonnie Tsang and the owners of Poketo - Ted and Angie. After chatting for a spell, they invited Anne and me to join in their pre-arranged dinner plans.

No phone call to change the reservation; no heads up to the people they were meeting. They didn’t so much as bat an eyelash, welcoming us if we no longer had a choice in the matter.

Spontaneity struck and we were whisked off to Bestia - recommended to me originally by Jessica from Sqirl - to join Matt Poley and Tara Maxey of HeirloomLA, and for the first time in recent memory, my phone remained in my pocket. I let the conversation flow as smoothly as the inventive and delicious drinks went down (though for your photo fix, check out Bonnie’s shots of some pizza, cocktails, desserts and scenery). I learned of Matt’s tremendous work ethic and dedication, commuting from Arizona to California three times a week just to learn from a chef he respected and admired. I heard Bonnie’s transformation from wedding to food photography and had the pleasure of dining with her smart, adorable daughter Miss Venise.

I learned that someone in the group once got drunk off of an overripe mango.

As family-style passed plates whizzed passed holding some of the most delectable cured meats, pastas, pizzas, and salads, I could not help but be caught up in the moment - enthralled by stories of passion, adventure and life and overwhelmed by a sense of community. It was only until much later that evening, after the food began to settle along with my thoughts, that I was able to fully appreciate what that meal meant to me. These wonderful people had taken a complete stranger into their world for a single, unselfish night and reminded me of the true power that sharing a meal possesses.

Definitively, I stand corrected in my previous misconceptions about some of the truly remarkable people in Los Angeles. I was greeted with firm handshakes and bid farewell with firmer hugs. Food-wise, if Ori and the Bestia team are any indication of the culinary scene happening down south, there is nothing remotely fake about it.

Miss Venise, Chef Ori, Chef Poley

Nosh on,
Josh

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Non-Hipster Toast at Sqirl

3/8/2013

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Since the opening of the Josey Baker Bread and Four Barrel collaboration, The Mill, “Hipster Toast" has been leavened to a craft, cult status in San Francisco.

Mountain Rye Toast and Cream Cheese, Other Things at The Mill

Toast, Peanut Butter, Honey (Art!) at Trouble Coffee

So when an acquaintance directed me to Sqirl for toast with jam and G&B's pop-up coffee shop, I was hesitant - but hell, I already drank the Kool-Aid, so I might as well dive in headfirst.

From the moment I entered, a calm overtook me. A simple menu on the chalkboard, and friendly faces smiled and welcomed me. The quaint kitchen and cafe in Wilshire Center certainly didn’t have the straight-edged, clean and pristine feel of The Mill, but had all the charm that only comes with the love and dedication to a lifelong passion.

I was pleasantly surprised to find delicious options aside from toast - a few sandwiches, a quiche, some daily specials - and extremely displeased that I wasn’t hungrier. Meadow, who takes charge of the pastries, also tempted me with gigantic espresso-chip and molasses cookies.

As a newbie, I was advised by Sumi (former Intelligentsia turned newly established G&B coffee man) to stick to simplicity: brioche with house-ground almond/hazelnut butter and Sqirl's strawberry/rose/geranium jam to accompany my shot of espresso.

Sitting there in the parklet, I couldn’t help but feel like a refined kindergartner with the classiest PB&J in the school. The almond/hazelnut butter was so grown-up, and the jam was complex but familiar, all sitting patiently on buttery Proof Bakery brioche. A feeling so comforting, so warm, brought me back to a time when I was a bit more carefree, a bit more relaxed. I was a kid again.

When Jessica Koslow tested the kitchen/cafe concept around her confitures, she wasn't quite sure it would work. Now that she has proven it does, the plan is to remodel, expand and grow...as she told me with the ear-to-ear smile of a giddy child.

Jessica and Meadow

Nosh on,
Josh

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Slutting It Up With the L.A. Locals

3/7/2013

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Thee Slut: Coddled Egg, Potato Pureé, Chives, Grey Sea Salt, Toasts

With zero knowledge about the city of Los Angeles, it was easy to accept the recommendation of the ever-knowledgeable Anne Sage, in all her sage wisdom. “Go to the Art District, you’ll love it.”

Apparently knowing me all too well, I frolicked my way over and after a brief shopping stint, proceeded immediately to Handsome Coffee Roasters where Anthony dialed in one of the most perfectly pulled shots of espresso my tastebuds have ever experienced.

Empty, But Delicious

Running only on pastries from Proof Bakery earlier that morning, I was ready for some real food. As I stepped outside of Handsome in search of such sustenance, a truck had appeared - seemingly out of nowhere by some divine intervention - on the corner where once stood merely an open parking space.

A food truck.

I was back to my roots, and immediately stepped in line, not bothering to Yelp, nor even take notice of the truck’s name. Perusing the menu, I realized that this was, in fact, an egg truck.

AN EGG TRUCK!

Egg Slut, run by chef Alvin Cailan, serves up a mess of eggcelent dishes: runny yolks in all their golden glory, scrambled to impossibly light and airy proportions, and fried onto burgers and breakfast sandwiches. After several tense moments of contemplation, I decided upon, “Thee Slut,” a coddled egg atop potato puree, chives and grey sea salt with toast. With a twelve minute wait in front of me, I patiently paced on the sidewalk, until who walks up but none other than Anthony, who proceed to order Meat City.

“Going off-menu?” I asked nosily as yellow yolk dribbled off my spoon and down my sky blue sweater.

Sure en-oueff, the locals know about Egg Slut’s secret menu. Meat City, I come to find, was created as the answer to the pleas of members from the CrossFit gym across the street seeking a paleo-friendly, post-workout meal. Three fluffy, soft-scrambled eggs sit high atop strips of rare skirt steak, a truck-made turkey sausage patty laden with sage and a hint of spice, capped with lightly dressed greens and just a sprinkle of cheese.

Meat City, All Day

Cailan also offers some other hidden items, of which my favorite description was the Ron Swanson (turkey sausage patty, bacon, honey mustard aioli, egg and Tillamook cheddar, drizzled with maple syrup on toasted brioche). You just have to ask nicely.

These guys do eggs right, sticking to the traditional French method when it comes to cracking and cooking.

Cold pan. Butter. Egg. On and off heat. Stirred with a spoon, never a whisk.

In fact, they do everything right. They pop-up at Handsome for a reason: not only do they support their community, but they refuse to compromise quality in both the food they serve as well as the businesses with which they associate themselves. Forget canned sodas and bottled anything, you're going to get the best when you're around the Egg Slut.

When in L.A., check ‘em out. They’re at Handsome Coffee Roasters M-Th., 12-4p and Sat-Sun 9a-1p and The Heart and the Hunter M-F 7-11a.

Nosh on,
Josh

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GoodyFoods For GoodyFoodies

3/6/2013

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GoodyFoods Muffins, Molly DeCoudreaux Photography

The more work I continue to do with kids in the food and education space, the more irked I become at the food industry as we know it today. Recent reports from NPR and NYT highlight the manipulation of our taste buds by the food industry, as well as the overt marketing of processed junk food directly to kids had my hopes for the future of our health at an all time low.

Finally, someone is doing something about it - one snack at a time.

Allison Kim was sick and tired of trying to find nutritious, "clean” food she felt comfortable giving to her three children. Grocery store searches came up empty - empty carbs, empty calories, empty energy levels.

Fiber One? Kashi? Cliff?

Forget it: glorified candy bars.

All laced with with innumerable ingredients nearly impossibly to pronounce, these treats all tout themselves as “healthy” by throwing around words like, “Whole Grain,” or “Low Calorie.” In reality, they use the same cheap garbage that we have grown to know as normal.

So Allison decided to make change. After some experimenting in her home kitchen, she managed to launch GoodyFoods with the goal of providing healthier options for her community as well as her family (all while taking on that small little job of being a loving mother). Using alternative, more nutrient dense ingredients like almond and teff flours and healthy fats like nut butters, she produces muffins, cookies and crackers that would fool even the sugar obsessed. Her only sweeteners? Fresh or dried fruit, with the occasional splashes of honey or maple syrup, and since they are all preservative free, her treats are as fresh as they come.

GoodyFoods Almond Hearts, Molly DeCoudreaux Photography

GoodyFoods Granola Bars, Molly DeCoudreaux Photography

Yet she recognizes too the time and place for, say, a special treat from Tartine. While not a regular occurrence, pastries are an indulgence for both the body and mind. In fact, that's what makes them so special - that they are not meant to be an everyday occurrence.

Baked fresh Sunday morning and delivered Sunday night, each box arrives at your door with twelve servings to throw in a lunchbox, grab for breakfast on the run, or just nibble a nice treat for yourself anytime. She even includes a little menu card, highlighting her process and inspiration for this week's offering.

A special thank you to Molly DeCoudreaux for her stellar pictures! Check out her website, follow her on Instagram and Twitter, and hire her for photography things. She seriously rocks!

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The Bouchon Bonus

Los Angeles is the Bestia

Non-Hipster Toast at Sqirl

Slutting It Up With the L.A. Locals

GoodyFoods For GoodyFoodies

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