{complete comfort in a bowl of wonton noodle soup, v-day with v on superbowl sunday, birthday wishes from a hot tamale, breakfast for dinner, turning 31 with j-e-l-l-o, tet isn’t tet without banh tet, chai latte + salty chocolate chip cookie, noodle kugel in s.f.—a first for both, michelin recommended xiao long bao, pre-dinner drankz, plushy korean ambassadors at the l.a. times travel show, happy hour: always and forever }
I have long believed that one of the happiest times in one’s adult life is the brief period between ending a job and starting a new one. Without the pressures of maintaining or finding employment, these days or weeks can hold such promise—a combination of carefree bliss and thrilling anticipation reminiscent of summer vacation during elementary school. It just doesn’t get any better than this. Or maybe it’s just me…
In recognition and celebration of closing one chapter and opening a new one, I baked a batch of the most festive cookies ever—Confetti Cookies from the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook by Christina Tosi. Nothing says “Woo hoo!” quite like rainbow sprinkles, if you know what I mean. Plus, any cookie that calls for “Birthday Cake Crumbs” in the recipe is a winner in my book.
As far as cookie recipes go, this one is somewhat high-maintenance, although not as fussy as Jacque Torres’ “Perfect” Chocolate Chip Cookie. The aforementioned “Birthday Cake Crumbs” create an additional step, but every extra minute is worth it once you taste the crumbs’ sandy texture and salty-sweet profile. There’s also an hour-long pause required in between mixing and baking the dough, which can be irksome for those seeking instant gratification. Other than those two blips, these Confetti Cookies bake up like a dream—crisp on the outside and cuddly on the inside, a technicolor treat.
For cookies
For “Birthday Cake Crumb”
Make Birthday Cake Crumbs
Heat the oven to 300°F.
Combine the sugars, flour, baking powder, salt, and sprinkles in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until well combined.
Add the oil and vanilla and paddle again to distribute. The wet ingredients will act as glue to help the dry ingredients form small clusters; continue paddling until that happens.
Spread the clusters on a parchment- or Silpat-lined sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes, breaking them up occasionally. The crumbs should still be slightly moist to the touch; they will dry and harden as they cool.
Let the crumbs cool completely before using in a recipe or scarfing by the handful. Stored in an airtight container, the crumbs will keep fresh for 1 week at room temperature or 1 month in the fridge or freezer.
Michael Voltaggio, the former Chef de Cuisine at The Bazaar by José Andrés and Executive Chef at The Dining Room at The Langham, and the winner of season six of Bravo’s Top Chef, opened his highly anticipated first restaurant in 2011 on a stretch of Melrose known more for its fashion than for its fare. Here at Ink, a minimally appointed space painted a shadowy shade of gray, Chef Voltaggio creates “modern Los Angeles cuisine” that marries molecular gastronomy with surprising flavor combinations and highly stylized plating.
Based on my lukewarm meals at both The Bazaar and The Dining Room, I wasn’t expecting the strongest showing at Ink. However, I was downright tickled to find that the food here was playful, beautiful, thoughtful, and very much delicious.
Diners can order family style from the a la carte menu, three to four dishes per person is recommended, or indulge in a four-course tasting plus dessert orchestrated by the kitchen. While the former allows for freedom, the latter features unique dishes not available on the a la carte menu. Since The Astronomer and I had plans for a second dinner later on, we went with the a la carte option.
We sat at the “sushi” counter this evening since we didn’t have advanced reservations, which provided stellar views of the chefs making modernist magic with liquid nitrogen and thermal immersion circulators. I highly recommend snagging a seat along the counter for dinner and a show.