In the kitchen...

We're moving a wonderful family in the east bay, and during the pre-move preparations, I went through their kitchen cabinets to see what would be packed and what would be tossed.  In the toss pile went a half dozen bottles of various oils that have gone rancid, along with dozens of bottles of herbs and spices that are several years (if not decades) old.  And bags of opened crackers, chips  cookies and cereals that have gone stale.

All cooking and salad oils go rancid.  Some faster than others.  Nut oils turn the fastest, but olive oil and seed oils also turn fast if not properly stored.

Store nut and seed oils, especially walnut, avocado and sesame seed, in the refrigerator.  They will thicken and sometimes turn cloudy, but that does not affect the flavor in use.  Otherwise, store oils in a cool and dark space.

Buy the smallest sized bottles, not the giant ones, of oils you do not use every day.

Bottled or boxed herbs and spices lose their flavor in about 3 - 6 months.  Store ALL nuts and seeds in the freezer - especially sesame seeds.  Buy these items in the smallest quantities you need and store in airtight containers, preferably in a drawer.

Have you noticed that your family will open a bag of chips, eat some and then toss them in a cabinet, only to then open ANOTHER bag of the same thing, rather than finish off the previous one?  Snack foods, crackers, cookies and cereals need to be sealed and put in airtight containers after use to keep them crisp.  I use these clips from IKEA to close up bags before putting them in my airtights.

The French Laundry

On Sunday, May 15th, I celebrated my birthday with friends at The French Laundry.  I've been wanting to go for ages, and finally the stars aligned so that it was possible.

It's an experience, sort of a trip to Disneyland for grownups.  Everything was perfect, the weather was lovely, it's before the season starts in wine country so it wasn't too crowded, all the roses are in bloom everywhere, the vines all have foliage, so everything is super green everywhere.  Just a lovely, lovely day to be in the wine country.

The restaurant's exterior is understated and elegant.  The grounds are beautiful and the kitchen is  unlike any other restaurant kitchen I've seen.  So many people working quietly and efficiently to put out spectacular dishes.  

The interior is also elegant and understated and the first thing that you notice is how quiet it is...all the tables are full, people are eating, but there's no loud conversation or clanking of glassware and utensils - it's amazingly quiet.  

As there were 10 in our party, we had the private dining room, a large round table with a gorgeous flower arrangement in the center, lovely place settings and the famously folded napkin with clothes pin.  (Photos were taken by others and haven't been circulated yet, sorry...).

Service is out of this world, there is someone quietly refilling your glass or refolding your napkin without your realizing that they are there.  All plates are served at the same time, so it's like a ballet throughout the entire meal.  Each dish is explained in detail after it is set down for you to admire.  Wine is paired with each dish.

There were 9 courses and several "extra" surprises...

 "Beets and Leeks", Maine Lobster Tail "Pochee au Beurre Doux", French Laundry Garden Leeks, Baby Red Beets and "Mousseline Raifort"  (This was my favorite.)

Milk-Poached Four Story Hill Farm "Poularde" Hobbs' Bacon, Morel Mushrooms, English Peas and Tokyo Turnips

Andante Dairy "Nocturnes" Black Truffle Tart, Royal Blenheim Apricot, Fennel and Piedmont Hazelnuts

A special treat for the birthday girl... Chocolate and a light peanut butter whip...plus small handmade chocolates.

"Mousse Au Chocolat Blanc", Morello Cherries and Marcona Almonds

We were there for 5 hours!  Our parting "gift" was a beautiful bag with cookies, chocolates and our menus.  

I highly recommend that if there is anyway you can, it's worth experiencing this kind of dining at least once...

My thanks to Ruth and Yasuo for making this day possible for me!  And to my dear friend Peggy for sharing the day and doing the driving.  

Time for laundry...

There's a lot for an organizer to blog about in May...however, all I can think about is food. My birthday is coming up, and I've finally whined and begged enough to get my one big wish...The French Laundry. I'm counting down the days and I'll share everything with you in next weeks post.

Chocolate & Zucchini

I don't know how I missed this, but I have discovered the most delightful books by Clotilde Dusoulier.

In adddition, she has a wonderful blog at chocolateandzucchini and a newsletter - try it, you'll be transported to France at the click of your mouse.

My favorite cookbooks

As a "retired" private chef in San Francisco, I frequently get asked about my favorite foods, restaurants, chefs and cookbooks. So, from time to time I'll post on these subjects, including cookbooks from my library, and here are two books that I think should be in every kitchen.

Emily Luchetti's first 2 pastry books, Stars Desserts and Four-Star Desserts are legendary. The originals of these books sell for hundreds of dollars when you can find them. Fortunately, Emily revisited those books and published Classic Stars Desserts earlier this year. Emily was the original pastry chef at Jeremiah Tower's Stars Restaurant - the likes of which will never be seen again! Emily's pastries are simply the best. She is neat, economical and dead on when it comes to putting together a recipe. No one has ever made a better lemon square.

Judy Roger's Zuni Cafe is also a San Francisco legend. Her cookbook of the same name is, in my opinion, the best to come out in decades and should stand as one of the best ever. Her discussions of brining and braising are life changing and there is no better roast chicken than Judy's. This book won the James Beard award and Judy was named Chef of the Year at the same time.

La belle Julia

Those who know me well, know that Juila Child is one of my favorite people ever! An amazing woman in so many ways and what a life she led. I have finished reading her last book, "My Life In France", written just before she left us in 2004. She recounts her time spent with her husband, Paul, in Europe, during the 40's and 50's. What time that was! You can hear her voice on every page and almost taste the meals she describes so vividly. She also tells how "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" came to be (and very nearly not so). You know, it was Julia who was the first to list recipes in the format ALL cookbooks now use. I loved every page of this book.

Bon Appetit, Julia...