california, here we come {again}: LA
after parting ways with our friends outside of lucha libre, tom & i set off a little ways north to spend the night in escondido. i was a little nervous about the place we had booked…a two star rating, $55 a night, the word “motel” in the name, but it was the #1 rated hotel in escondido on trip advisor & trip advisor has yet to steer us wrong.
i was still a little skeptical when we pulled up. it looked like an old school motel, sign & all,
{helloooooo 1950s, photo credit}
but we went ahead & checked in, & the woman at the front desk was really, super nice. keys in hand, we went around back to find our room, where i was {thankfully} surprised. luxurious? no. decently updated & clean? yes. $55 a night with breakfast included? bonus. thank you jesus trip advisor, because the travel & the wedding festivities had finally caught up with us & we were tiiiiiiiiiiiired.
{this photo of Motel Mediteran is courtesy of TripAdvisor}
on the way out in the morning, i snagged what i thought was a lime that had fallen from these trees right outside our room.
we hit the road to LA, which should have been a two hour drive, but we hit deadlocked traffic just outside the city at 1pm on a monday. which isn’t out of the norm for LA, so i’m not sure how anyone in that town gets anywhere on time. ever.
we grabbed some lunch, checked in to our west hollywood hotel & set off for beverly hills & sprinkles, the cupcake shop responsible for starting the whole cupcake craze. they did not disappoint.
after a quick stroll window shopping down rodeo drive, we made our way back to hollywood for some touristy stuff.
back to the hotel for a quick change & it was time to hit the town! first up, the surly goat. it’s an unassuming, dimly lit bar on santa monica that also happens to be part of the ladies of craft beer‘s west coast bar crawl on untappd. they pour some pretty amazing beers & we made it just in time to catch some of them for happy hour.
a few beers later, we grabbed a cab back to hollywood boulevard to check out a place we had just seen on drinking made easy, & another stop on the west coast bar crawl, blue palms brewhouse. they rotate their 24 taps daily & showcase the selection on giant projector screens around the room. & there isn’t a bad beer on the list. probably ever. at this point, it was getting kind of lateish, we were hungry & sitting right where all the food was passing by us. it was hard not to order something, but we were saving our appetites for our dinner reservation at pizzeria mozza.
i had been looking forward to this dinner for about a month, since that’s how far in advance i had to make the reservation. with a team of nancy silverton, mario batali & joe bastianich, i just knew that anything there was going to be delicious & after fried squash blossoms, a goat cheese, leek, scallion, garlic & bacon pizza, and butterscotch budino with sea salt & rosemary pine nut cookies, we knew firsthand that it was the truth…too dark for pictures though.
the next morning, we kissed LA goodbye & went just outside the city to meet my cousin, his wife & two gorgeous children in montrose. we all walked downtown for lunch {where their little girl has her routine down pat: ring the bell at the store, look in the window of the dance studio…} & caught up at a shaded table along the little main street.
{photo credit}
the very same street where this occurred.
it was so great to see them & we probably could have wasted the afternoon away there, but we had already interrupted nap time & had a few hours’ drive ahead of us, so we said goodbye & headed north on the 101.
meatless monday | posole
i’ve always been a toppings person. baked potato? load it up. whole foods salad bar? i’ll make you a $10 salad in no time, with very few leafy greens.
so when i read the recipe for this soup, i knew i was going to like it.
i mean, check out that plate of toppings.
now traditionally, posole starts off with a lot of meat, usually pork, but this vegetarian version is flavored really wonderfully with chiles, onion & hominy {hominy that’s not grits? i never knew such a thing!} & comes together quickly enough for a weeknight. while it would be good on its own, the toppings just make it all the more delicious.
FOR THE POSOLE:
1 1/2 cups boiling water
2 dried ancho chiles, seeds & stems removed
1 dried guajillo chile, seeds & stem removed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 poblano pepper, seeded & diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cups vegetable broth
2 15.5oz cans hominy, drained
kosher salt, to taste
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
shredded pepper jack cheese, for topping
diced white onion, for topping
shredded cabbage, for topping
thinly sliced radishes, for topping
lime wedges, for topping
place the dried chiles in the boiling water & let steep, covered, for 20 minutes. add the chiles & their soaking liquid to the jar of a blender & puree until smooth. set aside.
heat the olive oil in a dutch oven, or other heavy bottomed pot, over medium high heat. add the onions & garlic & cook until softened, about 5 minutes. add the tomatoes & poblano & cook for another 5 minutes. stir in the cumin, oregano, vegetable broth, hominy & pureed chiles. bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer & cook, partially covered, for 20-30 minutes. taste for seasoning & add salt, if necessary. add the chopped cilantro & simmer for another 3-4 minutes.
ladle in to individual bowls & serve with all the garnishes.
from cates world kitchen
{baja} california, here we come: back to the states
i was seriously surprised at how bright eyed & bushy tailed everyone looked the next morning, considering the marathon margarita/tequila/mexican wine/tecate fest of the previous night. the line to check out of the hotel was a mile long, so the girls & i sat outside with our luggage & almost ran up to hug tino when we saw that he would be driving us back to san diego. the hotel didn’t even charge us the $1 for the razor i used. it was going to be a good day.
we headed back to casa de los siete patios, one last time, for the recovery party.
the pool, the pacific, micheladas & the largest pan of paella i’ve ever seen.
{seriously, it was at least 5 feet across. & how good does that look?}
it was a perfect, relaxing way to wind down the weekend.
after a few hours of basking in the sun, acquiring weird farmers’ tans & breaking the piñatas,
we wearily boarded the bus for the border.
i don’t know that anyone actually slept, but the ride home was much quieter than the way there, with the silence only being broken by the occasional sprinkling of the “we have got to find a california burrito when we get back to san diego,” whispered through the cracks in the bus seats.
over the course of the weekend, the groom’s california friends told us east coasters that we absolutely must have a california burrito before we headed home, so that was part of the plan before we all parted ways. but first, we had to wait at the border crossing for about 4 hours, walk our luggage through customs {where the customs agents were stating our claims to us , since they got the gist that all 50 bus passengers had a fifth of tequila} & roll it through some filthy parking lots to get back to the bus. & since none of knew exactly where the border was cell-service wise {& weren’t willing to risk the charges}, we weren’t able to make dinner plans until we were very clearly back in california.
tino dropped us off on harbor island, near the airport, where we said goodbye to all the new friends we met at the wedding. our friend, adam, looked up california burritos & decided that our best bet was a recommendation from man vs. food: lucha libre.
after a game of musical rental cars, we met up there, even the groom! we walked through the velvet ropes of the tiny, hot pink restaurant & managed to score a table. surfin’ california burritos {almost} all around, mine minus the steak. it’s was seriously delicious. shrimp, avocado, pico, cheese, super secret chipotle sauce &? fries. i was full after half, but powered through the rest, because it was just so damn delicious.
{crappy iphone picture}
we have to figure out how to make this at home.
crack pie
in case you were wondering, the going rate for a 10″ round of crack seems to be $44, plus the cost of fedex overnight shipping {insert mitch hedberg joke here}, unless you live in nyc. then it’s $44, plus tax, & is available for pickup in midtown, the east village, the upper west side & brooklyn.
no, no, no. it’s not crack cocaine i’m speaking of…it’s pie.
this pie.
with it’s slightly salty oatmeal cookie crust, gooey, almost tooth-achingly sweet, baked custardy filling you’ll be dreaming up reasons to have it again before you even finish the last bite. or clean the pie plate with your finger. whatever.
but thanks to bon appetit magazine, you don’t have to have upwards of $100, or stumble around new york city looking to score your next fix. just check out the surprisingly simple recipe below, right from the source: momofuku milk bar.
CRACK PIE
serves 8-10
FOR THE COOKIE CRUST
nonstick cooking spray
1 stick, plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
5 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar, well packed & divided
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons old fashioned oats
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
FOR THE FILLING
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, well packed
1 tablespoon dry nonfat milk powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, melted & cooled
6 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
powdered sugar, for dusting
preheat oven to 350°. line a baking sheet with parchment paper & spray well with cooking spray.
in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 6 tablespoons butter, 4 tablespoons brown sugar & the granulated sugar. beat on medium high speed, until combined & fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. add the egg & continue beating until pale & fluffy. add oats, baking powder, baking soda & salt & beat for a minute more.
pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet & bake for 17-18 minutes, until light golden on top. remove from oven & let cool completely.
once cooled, crumble the giant oat cookie into a large bowl, trying not to eat too much of it in the process. add the 3 remaining tablespoons of softened butter & the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of brown sugar. rub everything together with fingertips, until crumbly, but able to stick together. press evenly into the bottom & up the sides of a 9″ pie plate. place the pie plate on a rimmed baking dish & set aside.
in a medium bowl, whisk together both sugars, milk powder & salt, to blend. add the melted butter & whisk until combined. add the cream, egg yolks & vanilla, then whisk until well blended. pour into prepared pie plate.
bake for 30 minutes. reduce oven temperature to 325°. continue to bake pie for about 20 minutes longer, until brown spots appear & the filling is set around the edges & still a little jiggly in the middle. remove from oven & cool for at least 2 hours on a cooling rack. once cooled, sprinkle powdered sugar over top & serve at room temperature, or cooled slightly in the fridge.
from momofuku milk bar via bon appetit magazine
meatless monday | spicy black bean soup
so, our garden really does well with no human intervention. first the basil, now the chiles.
they are out of control.
we’ve candied them {i’ll have to share that soon. sooo good.} & have a big batch of pepper vodka steeping, but there’s still a ton, so we’ve been on the hunt for recipes that will use several at a time.
this spicy black bean soup fit the bill perfectly, using 4 of our largest, ripest jalapenos.
as an added bonus, the prep is super simple & the finished soup is delicious, creamy & filling, making more than enough for the two of us. the leftovers freeze beautifully & we’ve portioned them off for easy lunches & dinners when we’re in a rush.
SPICY BLACK BEAN SOUP
serves 8-10
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large white onions, chopped
4 large jalapenos, minced
1 large shallot, minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons white pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
6 15oz cans black beans, 4 drained & rinsed, 2 with liquid
6 cups vegetable broth
sour cream, for serving
chopped green onions, for serving
heat the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat. add onions, jalapenos, shallot, & garlic. saute until translucent. add the spices & stir until well combined & cook for 3 minutes more.
add beans & broth. bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer & cook for 40-45 minutes, until soup has thickened.
using an immersion blender, or transferring to a blender one cup at a time (being careful to let the steam escape through the top of the blender), puree about half of the soup. transfer to bowls & serve with sour cream & green onions.
from the novice chef blog
{baja} california, here we come: the wedding day
after indulging in little more than beer the night before, tom, our four friends & i gathered fairly early with one collective goal: find. food.
we headed, in a hungered stupor, around the corner from our hotel to las bugambilias where we sipped on the freshest, most delicious, freshly squeezed orange juice, while waiting for our omelets, huevos rancheros & french toast. the food was seriously delicious. i would show you pictures, but we didn’t waste any time demolishing it all, including the homemade tortillas & salsa. i’m now ruined for life. & need to learn how to make tortillas, since the ones at the grocery store taste like flavorless cardboard in comparison.
{sea lions, golden heads of mexico past}
the rest of the day, we explored the waterfront, waited for the churro stand to open {it never did}, unsuccessfully searched for the home of the first margarita & ate even more*.
a little after 4pm, we boarded martin’s steel coffin once again & sped to the church. our men were all in the ceremony, so us girls took our seats in the pews.
the bilingual mass, in the church that was all stone & hanging lanterns, was absolutely beautiful with the afternoon sun shining in.
they were wed! & in true catholic fashion, we were off to celebrate!
back at casa de los siete patios, we were treated to a margarita cocktail hour as all the guests streamed in. lime, cucumber & tamarind** margaritas flowed freely as we mingled poolside & watched the sun set over the pacific.
we were seated at another oceanfront*** patio for dinner. in addition to the delicious food, we were spoiled by table side beer, wine & tequila service
& a fireworks show. which may or may not have caught the parking lot on fire.
after dinner, the band took the stage. this wasn’t your typical wedding band by any means. this was one of the most popular bands in mexico & this reception was a concert with no shortage of staging, lighting, choreographed dance moves & costume changes.
no, seriously. here they are as the black eyed peas.
& this guy?
from the night before? he was there every time any one of us turned around…with a fresh drink in his hand, saying, “more?”. it was an offer you couldn’t refuse.
there was a battle of the luchadores & everyone danced into the wee hours.
at 2:00am, breakfast was served.
{chilaquiles, with plenty of chiles}
still not fully adjusted to west coast time,
we called it a night & boarded the bus back to the hotel, max speed, palm trees blurring along the way…
*fun fact: the caesar salad is said to have originated in tijuana & i SO BADLY wanted to have one, but didn’t want to face the wrath of lettuce washed in mexican water, so i settled for the other local specialty, tecate, instead.
**although it was an unappetizing shade of brown, the tamarind margarita was, hands down, the favorite.
***the pacific breeze is cold. even in august. pack a sweater.
{baja} california, here we come
the next day, we grabbed lunch at the hotel restaurant, finished up the rest of our sculpin & boarded a chartered bus for ensenada, where all the wedding festivities would take place.
we were hoping for an uneventful border crossing, with everything going on in mexico right now & it was. but not five minutes into tijuana, right when the bus was trying to gain some speed for the upcoming steep hill, some crazy ass went running across the two lanes of traffic speeding in the other direction with THREE UNLEASHED DOGS. the man jumped up on the concrete divider & stopped, BUT THE DOGS DIDN’T. we were headed right for them, full speed. i couldn’t not watch.
i don’t know how, but we didn’t hit them. tino, our bus driver/comedian/tour guide/mexican wine enthusiast was the best. coach america, if you’re reading, give that man a raise.
after that, the rest of our ride was blissfully uneventful, with views like this
& this, the whole way.
once in ensenada, tino dropped everyone off at the hotel, which was…interesting. our room had a giant electric candelabra with CFLs affixed to the {painted cinderblock} interior wall & access to a weird, enclosed alley through the closet*. i was going to have to get drunk to sleep in that bed. luckily, the hotel bar was located two steps to the left & 10 steps up from our room & the man who owned it declared it happy hour anytime we were there.
7 beers, $5 american dollars & a bowl of popcorn with hot sauce split 6 ways later, we were on our way to the rehearsal. except this time, tino wasn’t there to pick us up. our chauffeur for the weekend was martin {martine}, who didn’t speak a word of english & possessed a shock-less bus & general disregard for any stop sign, traffic rule, pedestrian, or speed limit. he did, however, help every lady in heels down the stairs…you know, safety first.
the priest stumbled through a rehearsal**, while our stomachs growled & we got back on martin’s steel coffin & sped to the rehearsal dinner at casa de los siete patios: the house of the seven patios. It’s a gorgeous, round house, with seven different patios {duh.} on a cliff overlooking the pacific. breathtaking. & bono has vacationed there. no big deal.
the six of us parked ourselves at a poolside cocktail table & the men grabbed some beers. food passed by, but as soon as it was placed on the bar, it was devoured. we soon realized we were at a rehearsal appetizer with 100 other starving people.
we grabbed what we could,
but this guy made it his j.o.b. to make sure none of us was without a beverage. things got hazy.
a mariachi band*** showed up,
& everyone partied the night away.
i had no trouble sleeping in that bed.
*our friends, however had a baller room with a full size fridge with “mini” bar & no questionable outside access.
**apparently, rehearsals aren’t typical of mexican weddings.
***apparently, you just find them on the street, tell them when & where to show up & they’ll be there.
