Solo Rosa - Summer Is Comming !

I'm not too much into rosés myself. But realizing that the summer is here and that we need a nice wine alternative for all the alFresco eating, I'm going with SoloRosa , which is the only California winery devoted exclusively to rosé. The wine is made from blends of Sangiovese and Merlot as well as Syrah. SoloRosa rosés are bone dry, brimming with ripe cherry and raspberry flavors, tempered by tangy acidity, a flinty mineral core, and just a hint of toastiness. The wine is aged for five months exclusively in 2- to 4-year-old French oak barrels and offers multiple layers of intensity. Dry rosé is the most versatile of all wines. Drink SoloRosa slightly chilled on its own, or with all manner of meals - from seafood to steaks and with culinary traditions ranging from Mediterranean to Mexican and even Indian. It's pretty darn delicious with your favorite sandwich or pizza, too. Mostly, SoloRosa serves up plenty of serious fun - perfect for both "haute" and not-so-haute cuisine.

King Corn - A Kernel Of Truth !

Americans are made of corn—literally. Curt Ellis and Ian Cheney are best friends from college who have decided to move from the east coast to the Midwest in hopes of getting a better idea where the food they consume on a daily basis actually comes from. Corn is America's most productive and subsidized grain. Upon relocating to Iowa, the pair and seeks out the assistance of friends and neighbors in procuring the land, seeds, fertilizers, and herbicides needed to grow a one-acre bumper crop of this highly-versatile commodity. As their maize is harvested and the sometimes-troubling realities of modern farming begin to emerge, the pair sets off on a mission to track the progress of their product and find out just how it is used to create a variety of different food products. What emerges is an informative and at times disturbing account of both the food Americans so readily consume without so much as a second though and the alarming state of the contemporary agricultural industry, farm subsidies, high-fructose corn syrup, and the obesity epidemic. Still, the documentary, while sobering, never loses its natural sweetness. A must see! ($24.95 for the DVD)

Pierre Hermé - The King Of Macaroons !

picture courtesy "A La Cuisine-Clement Lo"

Like everybody else--I love French pastry. And for people like me there are only a few places in the world where they can really satisfy my cravings for it. One of the grand masters of French pastry--the Elvis Presley of French pastry--is Pierre Hermé! Whatever you do, when you are in Paris next time, you need to go and pay respect to this man and his boutique. He is simple the best in this business there is at this point. As you know me, you already know that the benchmark of a good pastry chef for me is his or hers ability to make real Parisian Macaroons. There is only a handful of places on this planet where you find this delicacy done the right way. Not only does Pierre Hermé produce one of the worlds best Macaroon, but he has taken the Macaroon to a whole new level with his own creations. If you ever make to one of Pierre Hermé's boutiques--here are the two Macaroon creations of his that you MUST try:

The first one is a macaroon ice cream sandwich that is called "Miss Gla’Gla". Pierre Hermé makes a killer ice cream and an even better macaroon, and I think is a genius for combining the two. This piece of pastry is simply amazing. When you bite into the Miss Gla’Gla you’ll first hear that delicate crunch--the paper thin shell of macaroon collapsing in your mouth. Underneath the shell is a moist and chewy cake-like layer. And then you hit the cool, refreshing ice cream. Intense and flavourful. The whole sandwich just melts in your mouth. Simply divine.


The second Pierre Hermé creation that you need to know about and taste is called the Ispahan. The macaroons for this piece are made with rose water and the cream between them is a combination rose pedal's and lychee's decorated with fresh raspberry's. There are simply no words to describe to you how this combination of incredible odd and bold flavors taste. The piece is so beautiful and perfect that you will have a hard time to even eat it. Once you bite into this you will know what French pastry heaven must be like--trust me!

Heavenly Soufflé - Made At Home !

The good old soufflé is a dessert that has been around for a long time. A lot of people just simply love this hot desserts right out of the oven after their meal. Most soufflés are made without flour and are usually gluten free. That makes this dessert rich, statisfaying but nut stuffing. Although there is not much technique nor recipe behind a soufflé, most people threat to make them. Now there is a very nice alternative on the market. The "Heavenly Soufflé" melt-in-your-mouth desserts come as individual soufflés, frozen, in reusable white ceramic ramekins. All you have to do is open the box and pop the ramekin into your oven for 18 minutes and a perfect soufflé is ready to serve on your table. No fuss and no mess--just like a real Chef. These soufflés come in three flavors; chocolate, chocolate-mint and raspberry. They are great to entertain but also make a very nice gift. You can oder them online. Try it--you might like it!

2004 Aubert - One Of The Finest Chardonnay's !

Mark Aubert has been in the Napa Valley since the age of eleven. His father, a drug store owner, made Petit Syrah and Cabernet on the side. Mark graduated from St. Helena High and Fresno State with a degree in enology and a double minor in viticulture and chemistry. He then went on to work his way up to winemaker at Rutherford Hill, Monticello Cellars, Peter Michael, and Colgin, twice succeeding Helen Turley. Presently focusing on his own label with traditions deeply entrenched in Californian and Burgundian techniques, Mark has planted a 7 acre chardonnay vineyard on the Vine Hill appellation near Forestville-Sonoma, as well as another 6 acres of chardonnay and 1.5 acres of pinot noir at a vineyard down the street. And what a chardonnay Aubert produces! Absolutly steallar! There is no other way to express this. The Aubert 2004 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast Lauren Vineyard is light gold with a greenish tinge that shows real great body. Powerful nose of butter, sage and citrus in the glass. Absolutely marvelous! This is the definite insider tip of the year as far as chardonnay is concerned. Only 900 cases were made. If you find a bottle, make sure you go for it.

Faretti Biscotti Famosi - Liquid Italian Cookies !

If you like real Italian biscottis--well then you will love this Italian liqueur. Faretti Biscotti Famosi is made in a town in Northern Italy, near Lake Como, where the biscotti cookies are still baked in real fire brick ovens. This delicious biscotti liqueur is sweet and delicate with hints of nuts, citrus and anise. It is lusciously smooth in flavor and is sure to impress you and your friends. Try it with coffee, or, believe it or not, with a glass milk. One thing is for sure; This is a lady pleaser. It actually is a secret weapon. At the end of that meal or date--pull out a bottle of Faretti Biscotti Famosi and just watch what happens! And as always; You heard it here first.

Kishibori Shoyu - Premium Artisan Soy Sauce !

Shoyu in Japan is like olive oil in the Mediterranean. It is an indispensable ingredient in the Japanese cuisine. As olive oil is available in many different qualities, so is shoyu. Shoyu by the way is good old soy sauce. There are many shoyu producers all across Japan. The best, unique shoyu's are produced by small- and medium-size, family run breweries that continue to use only traditional ingrediants and artisan production processes. New York Mutual Trading, Inc,--an importer and restaurant supplier for Japanese products--has now introduced a high-end, pure, wonderfully flavored, artisan shoyu into the US market. KISHIBORI SHOYU is a premium soy sauce, manufactured by the Takesan Company located on the small island of Shodoshima in the Seto Inland Sea, between the main Japanese island of Honshu and neighboring Shikoku. KISHIBORI SHOYU is made only from whole soybeans, wheat and sea salt. The Takesan Company steames their soybeans in line with the old traditions and adds toasted wheat, sea salt and spring water. This basic brew is then left to ferment in old cider barrels for one entire year. The Takesan barrels are very well seasoned and have been in use for more than 100 years. The mild winters in the region encourages slow fermentation year around.This slow fermentation process create complex organic acids. These are essential for the excellent taste characteristics of the Takesan shoyu. Unlike mass-produced soy sauces, KISHIBORI SHOYU is not treated with any alcohol, preservatives or added salt.They filter the shoyu and then pasteurize it before it is bottled. When you pour KISHIBORI SHOYU use a white saucer and observe the color! Its flavor and aroma is incredible and has nothing to do with the stuff that you usually find on the table of your Japanese buffet. You will note that it is crystal clear with a slightly reddish-tinged brown color. As a matter of fact this soy sauce is so good that you can actually sip a little and roll it over your tongue. The flavor is round and rich and finishes with pleasant umami aftertaste. When you go to the Asian or Japanese store the next time, look out for the artisan permium soy sauces and do away with that other stuff that you are used too. Premium artisan soy sauces and

Real Wasabi

is the only way to go! Once you done that, you will never go back!

Bonny Doon Vineyard's - Magically Delicious Vinos !

Bonny Doon is one of my favorite vineyard's in California. It has a certain underground quality and his owner Randall Grahm sure does have a reputation for wackiness, but his wines are dead serious. You may get distracted by a Bonny Doon label which sure is not your usual gold-edged, flanged and waxed grocery store fare. Tattooed ladies, flying saucers, and monkeys in fezzes. Every label practically giggles; Buy me or don’t--I don’t care! I’ll have a good time without you. Randall Grahm had a funeral procession for the cork, when his winery went all screwcap. He has Fear and Loathing, Las Vegas artist Ralph Stedman which designs half of Bonny Doon's labels. This guy can actually make a Madiran and label it "Heart of Darkness". Randall is this guy that runs with the big boys but really remains the little guy. He describes Bonny Doon Vineyard's as the ones championing the strange, esoteric, ugly-duckling grape varieties of the world. All of this may be a little over the top, except for one thing; Bonny Doon produces magically delicious wines which usually come at real bargain prices! Also they have switched to biodynamically grown grapes in their own vineyards. You need to keep looking out for these wines. They feature all sorts of stuff that you wont find by anybody else. At this point I'd like to introduce you to two of Bonny Doon's bottles--one being a stellar Sryah for $16 a bottle and secondly a Dessert Framboise that comes below $20 a bottle and is amongst the best pairing bottles for anything chocolate!


The 2004 Syrah "Le Pousseur" Bonny Doon is a true stunner and at $16 a steal as well. This is a very serious and authentic syrah. One strongly senses that the Northern Rhône is not terroir incognito to this wine. This wine is endowed with rich tannins, smoky meatiness and a clear ping of wintergreen. The use of only coastal, cooler climate grapes preserves the nuance and complexity of this Syrah, which allows one to daydream without guilt of sexy, well proportioned, and sophisticated côtes blondes et brunettes.


The Bonny Doon Framboise is a true singular sensory frequency potion. It is all about raspberry and in order to adequately describe this genious Framboise we must find news ways of expressing what lies beyond the lashings of raspberry, the explosions of raspberry flavor and the eruptions of raspberry zest that come in this little bottle of dessert wine. Pour a nice glass of this concentrate and have it with some flourless chocolate cake and know what it is to sit under a banyan tree and contemplate new found enlightenment. Anything chocolate really!

Louis XIV - Versailles Limited Edition Collection !

In 1682, Louis XIV established the French center of government in Versailles. Until 1789, when rebellion overtook the country, the Château de Versailles stood as a symbol of the absolute power imposed by the Sun King. Now Paris-based S.T. Dupont has introduced the Dupont Versailles Limited Edition Collection of men’s accessories that, like the palace, are both functional and extravagant. The pieces feature white lacquer and gold trim that recall the baroque decoration in the château’s salons, while their lattice motif is modeled after the rectangular shapes in the palace gardens. The line consists of three cigarette lighters , two large pens , cuff links , a money clip, an ashtray , and a cigar cutter. Nail cutters are not included--Louis XIV required his courtiers to scratch at his door with their left pinkie fingers rather than knock, and some grew that nail longer than their other nails for this purpose. As always; You heard it here first!

French Macaroon - At McCafe !

The McCafe concept by McDonlad's was first introduced down-under in Australia in 1993 and has become a successful enterprise in 17 countries with almost 300 McCafes worldwide. McDonald's tried unsuccesfully to introduce McCafe concept in the U.S., which means most Americans have never heard about this part if the McDonald's operations. All McCafes are within or adjacent to existing full-service traditional McDonald's restaurants. McDonald's is the world's leading and best-known food service retailer with about 29,000 restaurants in 120 countries serving 45 million customers each day. Menu items at McCafe include cappuccino, latte, fruit smoothies, hot chocolate and premium teas as well as Chocolate Raspberry Rumble, Chocolate Carmel Peanut Pie, muffins, scones and more. Items are served on fine china with stainless steel flatware for dine-in customers. All menu items also will be available for carry out. The ambiance at McCafe is designed for comfort and includes leather couches, chairs and bistro style tables as seating with vintage French posters, lace curtains and mahogany and granite accents decorating the space. The most intriguing features as far as I care are these monster French Macaroons, they are offering. Next time in Paris I will be trying these puppies!

Bollinger - Uncork's Sugar Free Champagne !

Bollinger, a leading French champagne house has cast aside centuries of tradition by producing a sugar-free version of bubbly, aimed at figure-conscious women. Ayala, owned by Bollinger, the brand favoured by James Bond is launching its Cuvée Rosé Nature, a rose champagne with no added sugar. With one flute (glass) of champagne you normally consume around 89 calories. By contrast, the new rosé will drop the calorie count down to 65 calories per glass. Per bottle the difference is 534 to 390 calories. Around three level teaspoons of liquefied sugar - called the dosage - is normally added to most champagnes at the last moment before bottling to balance the flavour and make it more palatable. But Ayala is now attempting to grab a bigger share of the highly competitive champagne market by offering its new sparkling rosé without the usual sugar dose. Even better, the new method does not lower the drink's alcoholic potency. Men get beer bellies and girls get champagne tummies, so anything that will allow people to drink as much champagne but with fewer calories is likely to be a big hit. After all the ladies are always looking for ways to reduce our calorie intake without losing out on fun. The small Ayala vineyard was once one of the great champagne houses before hitting hard financial times in the 1990s and going into bankruptcy. It was rescued by the nearby Bollinger company three years ago. Bollinger put top executive Herve Augustin in charge.

California Apricots Are Here - The Easiest Dessert You Ever Prepare !

The first fresh California apricots of this season are hitting the market as we speak. Something about apricots. It is one of these fruits that mean nothing to me fresh, but when you dry, cook or bake them, they seem to trun into something magical. Here is the quickest and easiest apricot dessert you will ever prepare:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pull 2 pounds of apricots apart with your hands and remove their pits. Put apricots in a pie plate--or any other baking or souffle form you have. Melt 1 stick of butter and stir in 3/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup flour and a pinch of salt and cover apricots with the mixture. Bake for about 40 minutes and serve warm, with some Häagen-Dazs® vanilla ice cream.

Elie Bleu Tabletier - Che Guevara Humidor Collectible !

Amongst cigar aficionados Elie Bleu's products have been consistently ranked as the best in the world. And the collectors seem to agree with that. Big money is now being paid for older Elie Bleu humidors. The boutique Parisian humidor-maker, under founder Alain Berda has come up again with an exceptional piece and future collectible. Inlaid with dyed sycamore by the famous ‘Ecole Boule’-trained Elie Bleu cabinet-makers juxtaposes Alberto Korda’s iconic image of the “Guerillero Heroïco” combine with the English national flag of St. George. Only 20 pieces of this humidor will ever be made. I'm personally not a great admirer of Che or anything to do with Che, but I guess given the historic circumstances on Cuba now and in the past and the fact that this really is a piece of art in the world of humidors, as a true aficionado I cannot ignore this piece and therefore had no choice but to share it with you.

Gas Price Nonsense - Is It Just Me?

I will spare you a long and boring ranting. Here are just a few facts, loosely put together. You make your own mind!

a)
At this time of the year in 2006 the spot price for a barrel of oil was around $79 and the median gas price at the pump in the US was $3.03

b)
Last week the spot price for a barrel of oil was around $65 and the national median gas price at the pump was $3.19

Off course--this is a free market and it is not about the spot price for oil but all about refineries and their output--you are saying! Well how about this one:

a)
During the Hurricane Katerina aftermath, the US refineries reported their capacities down by about 25% and the national median gas price at the pump went up to $3.13

b)
Now they are telling you the reason for these prices is the fact that the refining capacities are down 11% and the median price is at $3.19

By the way; The big oil companies crying to us that it isn't them but the bad refineries--well 90% of the US refineries are owned by the big oil companies! This is like me saying it wasn't me, but my sons!

This ain't about any free market - call me crazy!

Good Night Sleep - A Cup Of Milk!

Are you one of these people that like to drink a hot chocolate before going to bed or even believe that if you can't sleep a hot cup of milk could help? Well there is now a product that ties right into this. Dreamerz is the safe and delicious way to get a restful night's sleep without unpleasant side effects. For years, many doctors and mothers have recommended a glass of warm milk before bedtime to help soothe restless children to sleep. Now Dreamerz has added a unique combination of two safe, active ingredients scientifically proven to promote relaxation and sleep: Lactium®, a protein from milk for relaxation and Melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep cycles for sleep. In fact, in a recent study, Dreamerz helped people to fall asleep faster, wake fewer times per night and improve their overall quality of sleep without unwanted side effects. When used as part of your nightly bedtime ritual, Dreamerz is a delicious treat that will help you unwind and relax from the day, while preparing your body for the sleep you need. The best part about Dreamerz is that it really taste good. The product comes in three flavors--chocolate, vanilla and dark chocolate-mint.

Aubaine - Breakfast In London !

When the owners of Aubaine's came to London, they couldn't find the Parisian breads they liked, so they built their own boulangerie. Aubaine is a sophisticated, but relaxed re-invention of a French classic . They offer you the best breads and cakes money can buy in London. Their motto, Man certainly cannot live by bread alone, but, on the other hand, wouldn't want to live without it. Once you step into their store its all Paris; full of flair and light, fresh flowers and the delicious smell of freshly baked goods. French country furniture is mixed with urban, industrial finishes. In summer, the glass frontage folds back so Aubaine becomes a part of pavement life. It is like old Paris, but in the middle of London. And their is one more feature about Aubaine that you need to know about; Breakfast! This is one place you want to go for breakfast. The smell of freshly baked bread, a buttery croissant, that very first cup of creamy coffee, sturdy white porcelain and a newspaper--simple pleasures that make any morning a luxurious experience. Aubaine's breakfast follows the formula of butter croissant, pain aux chocolat, baguettes with home made jams and country butter, a grande crème or a mug of unctuous chocolate. Nothing better than starting an exciting day in London in a French bakery!

Bloomscape - Harvest Your Own !

Do you cook at home? Do you like fresh food and crisp food. Natural aromatics and herbs, rather then the good all McCormick? Well then you are just like me. You definitely need your own supply of garden fresh herbs and stuff. Most people don't have a garden or the time to attend to a garden. That's where Bloomscape comes in. These guys grow all sorts of stuff in miniature gardens and ship it to you, once you made an online order with them. Their pots are nice and yield a lot more, than does little plastic container of fresh herb the sell you at the supermarket. These pots also regrow and if you give them just a little care, there will be working for you for quite some time. They have a good selection from basil, oregano, parsley, rosemary all the way to little Italian tomato plants. These things are great and they will add a touch to your cuisine--not only for taste but they also happen to look good in a kitchen.

Pink's And Papaya King - The Best Dog East And West !

For 66 year now this hot dog joint has been one of the famous must-eat destination in LA. Paul Pink started this hot dog stand in 1939 and it stood on the same spot, giving the same quality of hot dog for years. This is LA's so-called hot dog stand to the stars. Once you walk through the doors and you will see the picture walls, you will understand that they all have been here--present or passed! Pink's has been able to build a real hot dog heritage over the years. The number one sell at Pink's is their Chili Cheese dog, but in my mind there is no dog on that menu that can beat their Chicago Polish Dog. Pink's started to market Hot Dog variations branded by the preferences of a particular celebrity. For example, The Ozzy Spicy Dog by Ozzy Osbourne which is composed of the spicy Polish Dog, Nacho Cheese, American Cheese, grilled onions, guacamole and chopped tomatoes. So for all you celebrities freaks out there--here you can knock yourself out with your favorites own hot dog. There is no better hot dog in LA - and on the West Coast for that matter - and you may encounter some real stars whilst going at it. Average wait in line (there is one day and night!) is about 15 minutes!

Pink's Hot Dog
709 N La Brea Ave (near melrose)
Los Angeles, CA 90038-3338


In 1923, a 16-year-old Greek boy named Gus Poulos arrived at the docks of Ellis Island from Greece. Penniless but industrious, he set his sights on achieving the American Dream. On a trip to Miami Gus came to love the various concoctions of papaya, pineapple and orange juices.In 1932, Gus opened his first juice store on 86th Street and 3rd Avenue in Manhattan, which at the time was an area heavily populated with German and Polish immigrants. After seeing the popularity of sausages in the neighborhood, he introduced the frankfurter to his juice stand, and business skyrocketed. Gus was very particular about his franks and insisted that Papaya King’s hot dogs be specially formulated. The Zagat dining guide has calls Papaya King the “best, stand-up lunch in the city”and a “must visit highlight of any trip to New York City. Critic Ed Levine of New York Eats calls it the “best hot dog in the world.” Papaya King has become a tradition with local residents, tourists, political and business luminaries, as well as the jet set of New York society. Papaya King represents the ultimate in quick dining – arguably the best hot dog on the East Coast!

Papaya King
179 East 86th Street
Corner of Third Avenue Between Third and Lexington