Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Recipe

05 Jun 2011

How to Peel Tomatoes

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This is a simple, step-by-step guide on how to gracefully remove the skins from tomatoes. Skin-less tomatoes are a quintessential component in various recipes, especially homemade tomato sauces.

Firstly, remove any stickers and wash the tomatoes thoroughly. Remove the stem, but be careful to remove only as much of the tomato as is necessary to detach the stem and the green skin surrounding the stem from the red flesh of the tomato.

Cut a very shallow X on the top and bottom of the tomato. This will aid in the actual peeling of the tomato later in the process. Prepare a bowl of ice water and set it aside.

Place a pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil. Drop the tomatoes into the boiling water 4-5 at a time using a slotted spoon. Remove the tomatoes after 20-30 seconds, or when the skin begins to peel, into the prepared bowl of ice water.

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Restaurant Review

02 Jun 2011

Ruen Pair – Los Angeles (Hollywood)

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Years ago, I told a coworker that The Astronomer and I had made reservations a solid month in advance to dine at Osteria Mozza. “What if you’re not in the mood for Italian on that day?” she responded. Her question was logical enough, but it caught me by surprise nevertheless. In all my years of calling for reservations and eating when the date arrived, I’d never once considered the possibility that I wouldn’t be in the mood to enjoy whatever fare I had planned on.

In fact, I’ve always been hungry and ready for just about everything until a recent sushi date with my girl Lien. We had made plans to dine at her favorite spot Kiriko weeks in advance. However, when the day rolled around, I found myself not the least bit in the omakase mood. On this particular evening, I craved something filling, unfussy, cheap, and very spicy.

So, rather than meet for fresh and delicate fishes on the Westside, we jammed it to Thaitown instead. After all, it is the epicenter of all that is filling, unfussy, cheap, and very spicy.

Lien arrived at Ruen Pair first and snagged a comfy booth fit for four toward the back of the restaurant. The extra-large table proved to be quite useful as the evening progressed because we ordered a whole lot of food.

The first dish to arrive was the green papaya salad ($6.95). The heap of shredded papaya was pleasantly snappy and dressed in a well-balanced lime juice and fish sauce vinaigrette. Tomatoes, peanuts, and dried shrimps mingled harmoniously amongst the greenery.

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Restaurant Review

31 May 2011

Stan’s Doughnuts – Los Angeles (Westwood)

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I couldn’t resist making a quick stop in Westwood to visit Stan’s Donuts while staycationing nearby in Century City. Expertly made deep-fried dough is one of my all-time favorite sweets, and I’d heard rumblings that Stan Berman’s creations delivered a satisfying punch.

This old school doughnut shop has been serving the Westwood Village community since 1965. There were nearly fifty varieties of doughnuts available when The Astronomer and I stopped in on a Saturday afternoon. The flavors on offer were mostly standard, with a few notable gourmet options as well.

Scanning the four shelves of doughnuts, the “custard puff” ($2.50) was the first one to catch my eye. The cool, smooth, and vanilla-tinged custard paired extraordinarily well with the yeast-risen dough. The thin coat of chocolate frosting added depth and oomph.

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