Thanks to Kristin Hohenadel and Chip Brantley of cookthink.com for including me in the cookthinktank as the featured author this week. This coincides with the paperback edition of TRAIL OF CRUMBS, available today in bookstores. Check out the new beautiful cover. Thanks again to everyone at Grand Central Publishing, my wonderful editor, Amy Einhorn, and my agent Joy Tutela.

I’ve been craving citrus and tasting these combinations in my mind’s palate all day: Meyer Lemon Limoncello. Red Grapefruit Butter on Scallops. Buddha’s Hand Citrus Eggs. Kaffir Lime Leaf soda…So this afternoon I made fresh tangerine juice granita.

2 cups fresh tangerine juice
1 1/2 tablespoons organic powdered sugar (it’s what I had on hand)

Combine juice and sugar in a metal or Pyrex baking dish (or loaf pan). Whisk until sugar is dissolved and freeze 1 hour. Stir and freeze 3 hours or overnight. Fluff with a fork and serve in chilled glasses. I couldn’t wait overnight. I also topped this with mascarpone mixed with some fresh vanilla bean.

ONE THINGS LEADS TO ANOTHER:
I’m not very fond of creamy cocktails (except for the occasional Brandy Milk Punch or orange blossom-laced Ramos Gin Fizz to accompany brunch in an overgrown courtyard in New Orleans), but the granita started to melt and I had some CIROC vodka in the freezer. One thing led to another and I ended up with this combination that tastes like a Dreamsicle all grown up..

Vodka, Semi-melted granita, a bit of heavy cream and scraped vanilla bean. Shake and serve chilled. I also started thinking about a sprig of thyme instead of vanilla…or maybe a crack of pink peppercorn…this is what happens when I get in the kitchen.

Everyone has a favorite burger joint–In-and-Out, Pink’s, The Burger Joint, Daniel Boulud’s DB Burger (sirloin, braised short rib, foie gras and black truffle), Shake Shack, New Orleans’ late-night haunt, Port of Call…but when I went to visit my friend, Brian Garrido, in San Francisco he insisted I not leave until I tasted the burger at BOULEVARD.
“Snake River farms beef, ground to order and just salt and pepper,” Brain claimed.

The bun was toasted and buttery, brioche-like, and the beef, juicy and tender. No onion or cream or capers or spices tossed into the meat to mask its flavor. Just pure, juicy goodness. WHERE’S YOUR FAVORITE BURGER JOINT or WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RECIPE?

Photos by Thayer Gowdy

I mentioned San Francisco’s Dynamo Donuts–the apple-maple glazed sprinkled with bacon, in particular, in an earlier blog post. Here are some more photos from that day and one of me feeding Donut-crazed author, John T. Edge.

PHOTOS by Thayer Gowdy

I’ve been lucky enough to work with photographer Thayer Gowdy for several years now. Together we have crushed berries in Oregon, tasted wines in Paso Robles, as well as Buddha’s Hand citrus eggs, marionberry pie, roast duck, field greens, more wine, ricotta, chevre, pecorino, chocolate, donuts, tacos…Here are some images from a recent trip to San Francisco.

I “heart” Tacos

I’ve been craving this Spanish-style potato omelette for weeks now. You’ll find smaller versions sitting out in Tapas bars all over Spain. I visited a friend in San Sebastian once whose mother always had one of these ready and waiting in her oven to offer up to unexpected guests.

The trick is to not overcook the eggs so the tortilla stays moist. And then flipping the tortilla while still loose without it spilling everywhere requires a deft and strong hand. I’m debating on whether or not to try this tortilla flipper from latienda.com

My friend James came into town and is always up for cooking together, so we made one with chorizo, potato, and egg. While in France last month, my friend, Florent made his mother’s Vietnamese version with glass noodle, crabmeat, mushroom, pork, onion, and cilantro. And a little touch of Maggi.

This was part of our last lunch at Le Comptoir du Relais before having to leave for Roissy. Stuffed Cabbage, Camborde-style, and sweetbreads with braised chestnuts and raisins. Roberto had the Poularde facon poule au pot (see post below) and Jennifer went back to her first love, deep and dark fork-tender beef cheeks with elbow macaroni. A glass of red, tarte Tatin, pot de creme, a run-in with the chef, bise, bise, au revoir…je me sens de plus en plus un peu chez moi…

This is really very easy to make and perfect when you’ve had a little too much foie gras (yes, it’s possible-see the posts below). Open a bottle of Deutz Champagne and enlist your friends to prepare the green beans. Promise them Ruinart if the Deutz does not work.

Heat extra virgin olive oil and a small spoonful of salted butter in a large sauté pan. Add potatoes and cook on high heat about 10 minutes (the skin should brown and blister). Add green beans and sauté with potatoes, tossing occasionally, about 7 to 10 minutes more or until tender but not falling apart. If still not cooked enough, add a tiny bit of water and cover and cook a few minutes. Add fleur de sel and a crack of black pepper. Add chopped shallot, garlic and fresh chopped parsley and cook another 5 minutes. Garnish with more parsley and some lemon zest, if desired. Serve warm.

I’m addicted to Le Comptoir. I need my comptoir lunch fix at least 3 or 4 times during a week’s stay in the city. I really do try to go elsewhere but I just can’t stay away from Yves Camborde’s cooking. A problem when I dine at restaurants is this: I have to order last so I can decide according to what everyone else has ordered and then I’m still torn –I want to taste it all. Luckily, I have very tolerant (and hungry) friends who know they will end up finishing whatever it is I do finally decide on.
Yesterday, though, I regretted not ordering the poularde façon poule au pot. So, today, after toast de pain de mie and foie gras, a plate of wild mushrooms with sauteed foie gras, I ordered the poule au pot.

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Poule au pot is basically a whole chicken in a pot simmered in broth and served with white rice. A simple and satisfying Sunday supper. Of course, in the brilliant mind and hands of Yves Camborde, the chicken is taken off the bone, stuffed with herbs and stuffing, reconstituted and then wrapped in skin and served over a thick and creamy risotto-like accompaniment, topped with frothy “broth” and garnished with almonds.

This is the time of year for Tarte Tatin (upside-down apple pie, named after the Tatin sisters). I love it with creme fraîche, but here it’s just as good served with vanilla bean ice cream and chocolate sauce.

Winter lettuces are abundant and ready for the eating, raw and crisp with a simple vinaigrette (extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, fleur de sel and a crack of pepper) or topped with a poached egg and a few sauteed lardons.

I am thankful
for airplanes and pilots and hot fried chicken
for open kitchens and French raw milk cheese.
For running water and electricity
for literacy and words and the dictionary.
For my notebook and my pen and the Mac genius bar
even though I would be more thankful if they served cocktails
like Lillet blanc or mad Champagne.

I am thankful for white and pink peonies
Neapolitan style pizza
and a room of my own in Paris,
the five senses
and farmers markets in any city.
For music…Schubert’s trios and Glenn Gould and Josephine Baker
Nina Simone and Neal Young, Priscilla Ahn
and Bill Smith’s good banana pudding, music to my mouth.

I am thankful for my sister when she calls just to say hey
for my 4 year-old goddaughter who breaks out in song
to announce her own joys over Barack Obama
being her president.

For Roy in Korea who calls while I’m in a cab
circling the Paris opera
dreaming of an almost-family in Seoul.
For family in New Orleans, North Carolina, Korea, and France
for my friends, and my analyst, my agent and my publisher.
For the sea and the oysters that live there,
for thick creme fraîche and good wine.
For Neruda and Harrison,
Rilke and Bishop,
and good friends always at the ready
to join me at the table.

This Thanksgiving I am in Paris, and I am lucky to be dining with friends, Dan, Jan and Florent, and Little O. I’ve been coming to Allard for years. I love it for basic, old-school French cooking, including duck with 1000 green olives, frisée with lardons, and thin, crisp apple tarts.

J and Little O.
Paris Bistro Thanksgiving Menu

Saucisson Chaud Lyonnais with potatoes cooked in white wine

Salad of Mâche and Beets
Salad of Haricots Verts and Smoked Duck Breast

Frog Legs Sauteed in Butter, Parsley, Garlic, and a squeeze of lemon

Sweetbreads cooked in cream with Morel Mushrooms

Poule Faisane with Cabbage and Chestnuts
Poulet de Bresse with chanterelle mushrooms and sauteed potatoes

Tarte Tatin
Paris-Brest
Profiteroles
Baba au Rhum

Champagne and Sancerre Rouge

I love the frog legs sauteed with butter, lots of garlic, parsley and lemon.

We always have to remind Florent to share the sweetbreads. Cooked with cream and carrots and morel mushrooms, they are his favorite dish at Allard.

And Poule Faisane, a gamebird served with chestnuts and cabbage.

Tarte Tatin

Thank you Chef Didier.

I love being in France this time of year when my favorite winter cheese is in season. (The Mont d’Or is best at room temperature served up with a spoon.) It’s also the time to celebrate Belon oysters and Tarte Tatin, clementines and chestnuts, marrons glacés and nougat glacé and salted caramel apples. Champagne, meslcun, pumpkins and poireaux, pommes de terre and les pommes tout simplement.