Like Peas and Toast, A Perfect Marriage

Sam and Alex finally visited! Tacos, pizza, absinthe, French toast, you name it, we ate it. Here is everything exciting we consumed in a week.






The absinthe ban has been lifted in the United States. Look at how Jared's clothes match the bottle. What a pirate.


Just cookin' at home, getting ready for IRON CHEF NYC!!!-- LEMON.


Lemony garlic chicken skewers and wild rice pilaf with oranges and lemons.


Sliders with lemon aioli and preserved lemon.


Lemony pasta salad.


Raspberry lemon ice cream and two lemon pies.














We went to 5ptz which didn't have any food per say, though there was a pub on the corner offering beer and 40 cent oysters that Sam and Alex negated.




Not one of us had been to White Castle before so we made a pilgrimage.






These RANCH Chicken Ringz are thin circles of chicken meat. Like little chickeny doughnuts, they are covered with a light dusting of ranch powder with little flecks of dehydrated parsley. They might have been the best thing we ordered.


Mmmmmmm.


Burgersssssssssssssssssss.


White Castle burgers taste like little puffs of slightly oily, sweetened, yeasty, air. They do not taste like burgers or even beef for that matter; the meat pattie is thinner than a nickel. Alex had one and a half. Jared had three. I had four. Sam had eight. We had to eat lots of greens vegetables the next day to feel better.


Roberta's! Our last meal. Sigh.

Zefe's Mexican Restaurant

There is great Mexican food in Brooklyn. You can find it as long as you are willing to search through the cracks and crannies of nighttime.


In-house-made-tortilla chips with red and green sauce. Stop and go.


Papaya batidos, tacos, rice and beans, beer, and one tamale = A delicious spread.


The carne asada tacos are wonderful, with a creamy guacamole and bits of cilantro and onion. The goat (chivo) and al pastor (spicy marinated pork) tacos are also superb. Steer clear of the carnitas (shredded fried pork) unless you favor tufts of hair and gristle in your tacos. I am excited to try the tortas, burritos, and sopes.


They also have a large selection of cup o' noodles if Mexican food ain't your thing. Shrimp, chicken, and pork.


Zefe's is like a breath of fresh air.

Cold Noodles

This scorching summer I am all about anti-stove/oven cool meals. Cold soba noodles with green onion and soy sauce and a side marinated vegetables. Cold sake too, of course.


Julianned carrot, cucumber, Serrano chiles, red bell pepper, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and fish sauce, makes a bastardized Thai salad. Spicy, tart, cool, and absolutely refreshing.


Kitty ignores the heat by curling up in a nice cold cardboard box.

Pizza and Beer

Stephie came to visit and a monster appeared on a van outside our apartment.


I had to take her to Bedford slice for the fried eggplant and roasted red pepper slice.


Mmmmmmm.


Then we went to a French bistro in Brooklyn Heights and drank Hefeweizen all day. It was a great weekend.

Bucha Lobster

What the hell is that?!


It's my first batch of Los Angeles bred 'bucha. Tangy, tingly, tasty, kombucha.


I bottled up my first batch, flavored a couple bottles with fresh ginger, some with lemon, and am well on my well to a second delicious batch. Thanks IVOR!


Here are a couple of pictures of the meals I made with the leftover produce I acquired on a new Food Network show shoot. If you can find out where television food shows are being filmed, go in the evening with open arms and suitcases, because they are sure to have gobs of vegetables, fruits, and other foodstuffs to give away. Grilled chayote, yellow squash, and zucchini with pesto, grilled asparagus, guacamole with roasted corn and poblanos.


Grilled plums brushed with maple syrup.


Roasted corn with lime.


Balsamic glazed grilled radicchio. I think it tastes like burnt cigarettes but in the best way possible.


Braised artichoke hearts.


And, lobster tails.