Monthly Archive for October, 2011

Page 3 of 3

GIVEAWAY: “Cook Like a Rock Star” Debut Cookbook by Anne Burrell

GIVEAWAY: Cook Like A Rock Star

For Anne Burrell, a classically trained chef and host of Food Network’s Secrets of a Restaurant Chef (where she shares impressive recipes and smart techniques that anyone can master), and Worst Cooks in America (the show that transforms hopeless home cooks), being a rock star in the kitchen means having the confidence and ability to get a great meal on the table without a sweat. In her debut cookbook, she presents 125 rustic yet elegant recipes, all based on accessible ingredients, along with encouraging notes and handy professional tricks that will help you cook more efficiently at home.

Organized from “Piccolini and Firsts” to “Pasta, Seconds, Sides,” and, of course, “Dessert” Cook Like a Rock Star is all about empowering you with the confidence to own what you do in your kitchen, to be excited by what you’re making, and to experience the same kind of joy that Anne feels everyday when she cooks and eats.

“Cook Like a Rock Star” Cookbook Giveaway

I have THREE copies of “Cook Like a Rock Star” to give away to THREE gas•tron•o•my readers. To qualify for the giveaway, please leave a comment with your name and email address in the appropriate fields, and your answer to the following question: What is your favorite show on the Food Network? For additional entries, follow me on Twitter (@GastronomyBlog) and on Facebook, and leave a separate comment for each letting me know.

I’ll be using a random number generator to choose the winner. All entries must be received by Sunday, October 9, 2011 at midnight PST. Good luck! ** The contest is over. The winners are Bu, Amos, and Christina. Congrats! **

P.S. Want to meet Anne? Check out these stops on her Southern California book tour…

Continue reading ‘GIVEAWAY: “Cook Like a Rock Star” Debut Cookbook by Anne Burrell’

Dinner at Farmshop – Los Angeles (Santa Monica)

Dinner at Farmshop - Santa Monica

While The Astronomer and I were eating our way through Vietnam, one of my favorite restaurants in Los Angeles quietly launched dinner service. After nearly a year of dishing up only breakfast, lunch, and brunch, Farmshop finally began serving supper late last month.

As soon as we landed on dear, sweet American soil, The Astronomer and I made reservations to dine at Farmshop. Even though we were both feeling the effects of jet-lag, we couldn’t let a little fatigue stop us from coming in for a long-awaited taste.

Dinner at Farmshop - Santa Monica

The restaurant was busy enough for a Wednesday night when we arrived just after eight. I loved the look and feel of the dining room during brunch service and was pleased that the space transitioned nicely into nighttime. We were joined for dinner by our friend Kat on her final night as a restaurant PR rep.

Dinner at Farmshop - Santa Monica

Dinner at Farmshop is currently offered five nights a week, Wednesday through Sunday. The menu changes daily except for Sundays, which are dedicated to Chef Jeff Cerciello’s famous fried chicken [See: Fried Chicken Night at Ad Hoc].

Dinner each night is a three course affair served family style with prices ranging from $40 to $60. Our menu was priced at $46 per person.

Continue reading ‘Dinner at Farmshop – Los Angeles (Santa Monica)’

Saigon Classic: Flaming Roadside Bánh Xèo

Banh Xeo - CMT8 & Bac Hai

The Astronomer and I could barely stay awake when nightfall hit due to a combination of jet lag and over-stimulation. However, crawling into bed without a proper supper was completely out of the question, so we toughened up, called our friend Hanh, and made plans for flaming roadside banh xeo.

This no-name restaurant in District 10 was the site of our final feast with friends three years ago, and we’ve been dreaming about it ever since.

Banh Xeo - CMT8 & Bac Hai

The specialty here is Central-stybanh xeo, small yellow pancakes stuffed with shell-on shrimp, fatty bits of pork, and beansprouts. Whereas Southern-style bánh xèo are thin and lacy wok-sized beasts, their Central counterparts are smaller, crunchier, and heftier.

Banh Xeo - CMT8 & Bac Hai

The bánh xèo are made in heavy-duty cast iron molds over open flames. A roadside kitchen means that the smoke and smells carry over onto the streets, beckoning passers by on motorbikes to come hither. I find the pomp and circumstance simply irresistible.

Continue reading ‘Saigon Classic: Flaming Roadside Bánh Xèo’

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...