new digs!

Hi everyone.

It's been awhile since I've checked in here at Hungry Cat. Things got a little crazy with work and life and there wasn't much time to devote to the blog. I've never forgotten it though, and despite an offer to buy the blog (something I regarded with great suspicion), I've always wanted to keep and come back to it in some way. I still get comments and visitors now and again, and I look on these early chronicles of my cooking efforts with a great deal of affection. I've learned so much since the days when I first started learning how to cook 3 years ago, and I've discovered so many wonderful and delicious things about our adopted home in Los Angeles.

A lot of my time these days has been taken over with my interest in crafting, and I can't seem to separate food and craft. Just last night I was sidetracked from a project I was working on and had to make Martha's walnut rum wafers from the December issue of MSL. I think creative peeps tend to be creative in many different aspects, and as such I've started a new blog that focuses on craft, food, and various other things that amuse and inspire me.

I thought I'd lure you with my recipe for LA's infamous illegal bacon-wrapped hot dogs, something I wrote over the summer for a website on handmade. If you've never tried one, you're in for a hugely indulgent treat.

I so appreciate all the lovely comments and feedback from readers over the years. Hope you'll pop over and visit me in my new roost!

butter croissants from Williams-Sonoma

We got a box on our doorstep today from Williams-Sonoma marked "perishable". When my husband told me this over the phone, I said "Hey, maybe somebody sent us some croissants."

And---someone did! My wonderful friend Michel sent me 3 months of croissants for my birthday. Little did he know, but he had sent me yet another Oprah-sanctioned food gift that I had been wanting for ages. I'd heard about this years ago and had always wanted to try it or send it to someone else--but I can attest that receiving food as gifts is even better than giving food as gifts.

The first month of croissants is the plain butter croissant, a dozen to a box. You leave the croissants to rise at room temperature for at least nine hours before baking for 15 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Since the box sat on our doorstep for a few hours in today's 100 degree weather (albeit in a styrofoam cooler and a large ice pack, and shaded), it only took about half that amount of time to come to the right size. Good thing, because how could we possibly wait overnight to taste them?

And ohhhhh . . . .these croissants are everything I'd hoped they would be. Light and buttery, with a delicately crispy thin crackle when you bite into the flaky layers. Obviously not what a fat Frenchman is going to feed you at a sidewalk cafe in Paris, but pretty darned amazing, especially considering that they were shipped frozen. Having them hot from your own oven is a huge treat.

The box also comes with a little card describing the supposed origins of the croissant. Apparently in the 17th century, Viennese bakers working late in the night thwarted a band of marauding Turks, and as reward, were allowed to create a commemorative pasty. A COMMEMORATIVE PASTRY. Isn't that awesome? And in the shape of a crescent moon, which is of course, on the Turkish flag. So that's kind of like if the Allies had been "permitted" to create swastika-shaped bread to mark World War II isn't it? Hah!

I have to share my photo of the entire croissant as well. Since I hadn't realized at first they needed to rise, I'd set out a few croissants in much too close proximity, and had to pull them apart, which messed with the shape somewhat. This one kinda came out looking like a giant dungeness crab, which was kind of fun. Very generously sized, as you can see.



Anyway, I am SO thrilled with my present of quarter year of croissants! Michel is a genius. The only thing that would have made these better was if he had been here to eat them with me.

strawberry shortcake from Whole Foods

Behold, my birthday cake from Whole Foods--a strawberry shortcake concoction with mascarpone.

Hugo was so detail-oriented, he bought new strawberries to replace the not-so-fresh ones on the cake before serving. He's a nice husband. :)

the little door restaurant

Today was my birthday, and for dinner Hugo took me to The Little Door Restaurant. Tucked away in the "zoo" of Third Street, we were enchanted to find a romantic patio with rustic tables, Mediterranean decor, and genial service. As it got darker, the patio was lit with candles placed at different heights throughout the room, lighting the area with an intimate, seductive ambiance. The indoor area, which has a fireplace and piano bar, looked like it would be the perfect thing for a winter's day as well.

The bread basket boded well for the meal--chewy, crusty baguette served with a olive oil and olive mixture. Our dinner consisted of:

Mozzarella with balsalmic and grilled toast
Shrimp casserole with feta, fennel, oregano
Seared sea scallops with aged balsalmic sauce
Duo of Duck with honey, lemon, and thyme sauce








Our starters were wonderful--the mozzarella fresh, and the shrimp "casserole" warm and earthy. Hugo's sea scallops were fat and perfectly cooked, though the carrot "flan" was bland and unappetizing.

I was looking forward to my duck, but was somewhat disappointed in the entree--one of the two ways that was not mentioned on the menu was l'orange, which I'm not a huge fan of; this portion of duck was also overcooked, and the sauce heavy. The lemon, thyme, and honey duck was much better, if slightly salty; it also was not very appealing to the eye, although it tasted just fine. The rice and vegetables were pretty blah as well.

Hugo also couldn't resist the strawberry rhubarb tart at the end of the meal, however (despite birthday cake at home), which he prounounced "excellent."

All in all--though I would skip the duck next time, the service and ambiance were such that we still enjoyed ourselves thoroughly, and would definitely come back again. A wonderful evening in a most charming setting.

Check out www.thelittledoor.com.

asahi ramen

One of my favorite comfort foods is a great big bowl of noodles from Asahi Ramen on Sawtelle. Simple and perhaps slightly overpriced at $8.95 a bowl, but it hits the spot every time.

Hugo likes the wonton while I'm a fan of the pork chasiu, which comes with generous lean slices of pork, bamboo shoots, sprouts, and a half a hardboiled egg. Parking is a bit hard (as with all the places on Sawtelle), and only cash is accepted--but well worth it on a day when you're craving the comfort that a warm tummy brings.

bamboo restaurant

This was one of those perfect Southern California weekends--sunny, warm, breezy, and beautiful. In search of lunch and outdoor seating on Saturday, we settled on a Brazilian place called Bamboo Restaurant on Venice, which turned out to be a great find.

Hugo had their ahi tuna steak, covered in tomatillo sauce, and I had a delicious grilled chicken sandwich, served on garlic French bread and covered with mozzarella cheese, lettuce, onions and tomato. Both meals came with black beans, perfectly crispy and sweet plantains, and rice flecked with corn. We had a couple of decent, if unremarkable mojitos as well. Reasonably priced, non-trendy, and relaxed! Check out www.bamboorestaurant.net.

sweetcakes cupcakes delivery, denver

I recently wanted to send a thank you to someone in Denver, and was trying to think of something appropriate. I came across a mention of Sweetcakes on the Cupcakes Take the Cake blog and decided to try it out. While there is no website yet, I found some photos of their cupcakes on Flickr. I generally don't like to send food I haven't tasted, but I decided to take the chance since I'm of the opinion that if it looks pretty, it generally has a pretty good shot of tasting good.

I e-mailed master baker Sarah Lippa, who was incredibly helpful and friendly, and created exactly the flavor and style of cupcake I wanted. She offers batches of 1 dozen cupcakes in traditional sizes, but also sweet little BittyCakes in batches of 2 dozen. Since these were going to an office (and I adore things that are fun-sized), we went with 2 dozen of Bittycakes in "the Sweetcake" flavor--a buttery vanilla bean cake topped with fluffy vanilla buttercream, speckled with bits of Madagascar vanilla bean. I requested robins egg blue frosting with some pretty little red flower candies I'd seen in a Flickr photo. With delivery, the cupcakes came to a very reasonable $26.

As you can see from the photo, the cupcakes were just darling! The recipient (and her boss) called to tell me they were the best cupcakes she had ever tasted, as well as the cutest. I'm so pleased that they made her happy. To top it all off, I discovered two days after delivery that Sarah hadn't even received her check yet when she delivered the cupcakes--she had done it on faith that the check was in the mail. How's THAT for terrific service?

Sweetcakes is highly recommended, and I believe an official website is in the works. In the meantime, however, if you're in need of a sweet treat in Denver, e-mail sarahsweetcakes@gmail.com for a menu of cupcake flavors.

zankou chicken

Did we cook anything this weekend? Nope.

So today we had lunch at Zankou Chicken, at the location on Sepulveda. The chicken is juicy, moist, and tasty, and comes with a creamy garlic sauce to dip it in. Alongside the portion of 1/4 dark that I ordered were warm pita bread, with somewhat bland hummus (you get spoiled when you make your own and can just add tons and tons of garlic, thyme, and red pepper), and pickled vegetables.

We enjoyed our meal, but we're still in search of really great pollo a la brasa. We haven't tried very many places here yet, so--the hunt continues. Check out www.zankouchicken.com.

il cono gelateria

We love Il Cono gelato, on Little Santa Monica in Beverly Hills. After our amazing sushi, we headed over to indulge in sinfully delicious frozen treats. The bright, cheerful shop is open until 10 pm or 11 pm everyday and features rich, creamy gelatos and sorbets made fresh onsite daily.

I had a combination of cappuccino and donatella, which is a hazelnut flavor, while Hugo had a chocolate brownie and strawberry combo. Delicious!

Not cheap, though--each cup is about $5, but totally, totally worth it. Check out www.ilconogelato.com.

omakase menu, hiko sushi

We had the most amazing sushi on Friday night, and we may never eat sushi anywhere else ever again.

One of my colleagues had told me about Hiko Sushi on National. The chef goes to the fish market every morning and selects the best fish for the day's menu--no fresh fish on the weekends, so no weekend hours. No rolls, no donburi, no nonsense of any kind. Sounds marvellous, except that I'd also read posts online about how the chef is deadly serious about the experience--if you're not eating your sushi correctly, if you're screwing around with your meal--they have been known to take away your chopsticks and tell you that you're done. Crazy!

Suffice to say, our interest was sufficently piqued. How good could this sushi be, that you would be willing to sublimate any natural tendencies towards individualism? Could anyone really be so bold as to insist that his way is the only way sushi will be eaten, or you're out? Could this casual little cafe, with its unassuming front and melanine dishes, really have an experience that was that special?

I can only say that after this experience, I truly understand the meaning of the "chef's choice" option at sushi bars. The word omakase literally means to entrust in Japanese, and while the concept can seem foreign and somewhat intimidating (especially with the threat of dire consequences lingering overhead should you displease the owners), it will take only one taste to convince you that anything placed before you in this restaurant will tantalize your taste buds.

With a minimum order of 4 dishes per person, we ended up with:

baby tuna sashimi with sesame ponzu
yellowtail
toro and red snapper with lemon and sea salt
albacore with garlic and ginger ponzu
crab hand roll
shaved hamachi wonton
sea bass with pickled seaweed
sweet shrimp

















As the server brings each dish, she tells you tactfully whether you should be dipping it in soy sauce or whether it should be enjoyed just as is. We had one heartstopping moment when Hugo accidentally dipped a non-soy-sanctioned piece into soy sauce out of habit, but he quickly popped the offending morsel into his mouth before anyone noticed. (I also was a bit more furtive about my photo-taking than usual, as I realized after the first dish how wonderful the experience was going to be and I really, really did not want to get thrown out. If you get reprimanded for using soy sauce who knows what would happen if they objected to photography in their restaurant!)

Anyway, we could not have enjoyed ourselves more. Everything put before us was an astonishing blend of flavors and textures. Every bit of fish was incredibly clean and fresh, with a luxurious, buttery texture unlike anything we'd ever tasted before. The sushi rice is served warm, which in many dishes made a wonderful contrast to the chilled fish. We even enjoyed the thin, papery hand roll--I'm not usually a big fan of those, as the seaweed tends to be thick, rubbery, and tough. Not so here--the seaweed was pliable and chewy, and made the most wonderful slight crackling noise as you ate the fresh cold crab and warm rice. My favorite had to be the red snapper with lemon and sea salt, however--the subtle, delicate flavors somehow intricately enhanced but did not overwhelm the pretty, translucent fish.

Dining here was an amazing experience. Be forewarned, no prices are mentioned, and for the two of us (including a beer and tea), the bill was about $140 with tip. But it was one of the best meals we'd ever had. Hiko also has weird hours--lunch is from 12:00 pm - 1:45 pm, and dinner from 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm, weekdays only.

There is something divinely freeing and exciting about handing over your whim and every random desire over to another person. Not something I'd do lightly, but after tasting the results, I convinced there is nothing I wouldn't eat that was laid before me here, in whatever manner I was instructed. In the hands of this master chef, every dish is presented exactly as it should be--and for the willing, adventurous guest, a feast of unparalleled flavors and sensations is the reward.

ham, mascarpone, and asparagus tart

This Epicurious recipe for ham, mascarpone, and asparagus tart is being made on the East coast by my friend Michel for his Easter brunch as well. We haven't compared notes yet, but mine turned out pretty well.

I liked the flavors all together, but needed to pile much more of the toppings on top of the tart than I actually did--I was going for aesthetics, and in the end each piece needed to have more toppings put on them anyway. The spiciness of the arugula, the smokiness of the ham, the crunch of the asparagus, the creaminess of the cheese, and the tang of the lemons make for a great combination.

Next time I would make my own crust, however, since the store bought one was too thin to adequately complement all the mascarpone. Also, previous reviews on Epicurious mention that the tart tastes better second day, which I imagine is probably true, since the cheese will have firmed up quite a bit more. A nice addition to the brunch menu, however.

1 twelve inch pie crust
1 1/2 cups mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, finely chopped
4 teaspoons horseradish
4 teaspoons coarse-grained mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
3 cups arugula
6 ounces of smoked ham, thinly sliced and cut into strips
juice and zest of 1 lemon, divided in half

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place pie crust in bottom of a glass pie pan and press all around sides, crimping edges. Bake crust until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Cool completely.

For tart filling, mix in medium bowl the cheese, tarragon, horseradish, mustard, and first half of the lemon zest and juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Drop asparagus in large pan of salted boiling water. Cook 3 minutes; drain. Cool in bowl of ice water. Drain, then slice each spear as you wish--small pieces, or to fit the pie. Toss asparagus in medium bowl with arugula, ham, and remaining lemon juice and zest. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.

To assemble tart, spread filling evenly into cooled crust. Top with asparagus-ham-arugula mixture and allow to cool in refrigerator, covered, for serveral hours before serving. Might actually be best to make this the day before intending to serve, actually.

We had some of Hugo's leftover birthday cake as Easter dessert, which tastes even better on day 2. Firm, chocolatey and delicious, I think this is my new favorite sweet to make for special occasions!