Foodie Favorite: The Crispy Hash Brown Chilaquiles at Trois Familia

Trois Familia, the casual Mexican-French café in Silverlake, is the latest foodie genius invention of the very creative Chef Ludo Lefebrvre.  Who else would know that what a bean and cheese burrito really needed is some garlic brown butter, or that a cornichon is just the right garnish on a beef tartare tostada?  The hash brown chilaquiles is a perfect stack of breakfast - it layers a square of hash browns, a sunny side up egg, and cotija cheese, and you must add avocado, then smothers it all in a vinegary salsa macho.  It'll wake up your taste buds at brunch, and it works well with pretty much every other inspired menu item.  We also really love their logo.

Trois Familia is open daily from 9am-2pm

We Recommend: City of Gold

Food critic Jonathan Gold has been living and eating in Los Angeles for his entire life.  His appreciation of the incredible diversity of the city, willingness to travel into every one of its neighborhoods, and delight in each gem of a hole in the wall or innovative taco truck has allowed him to go on a culinary world tour without ever leaving Southern California.  City of Gold documents Gold's treks around LA, his life, and the food that makes it all worthwhile.

What We're Talking About This Week

 

San Francisco's food scene has been getting better and better recently, but with sky high rents, some of the most inventive meals are served in pop ups around the city.  Here's a list of some of the best options over the next few weeks.

 

LA is having a bit of a renaissance architecturally right now, and this article breaks down some of the best new buildings in the city.

If, like us, you have dreamed many times of spending the night in Versailles, the opening of a 20 room hotel in the French Palace by 2020 is extremely exciting.  We'll start saving now...

Last night, Universal Studios finally opened the doors to the long awaited The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  Within the Potter themed park, you can go through Diagon Alley, drink butter beer, and ride the Hogwarts Express. Learn more and buy tickets here.

Foodie Favorite: The Roasted Little Farm Potatoes at SHED

Healdsburg's SHED has a number of amazing, locally sourced, and farm fresh items on their menu, but one of our favorites is the Roasted Little Farm Potatoes, served on a board with tomato sauce, garlic aioli, and herbs.  The dish's presentation is stunning, and it's a great California cuisine play on the traditional Spanish patatas bravas.  The tomato sauce has a bit of spice, and pairs perfctly with the tangy, garlicky aoili and fresh mixed herbs.  This is one of the rare restaurant dishes that's worth the drive to eat again, but also something we could attempt as home cooks.  We look forward to eating it, one way or another, many times in the future.

More information about SHED here.

We Recommend: Popson's

We love the cozy Marina restaurant Causwells, and while their menu is varied and full of delicious items, their Americana Burger has always been a standout - we are thrilled that the owners finally have a separate restaurant dedicated to it.  Popson's recently opened in SOMA, and one of the big perks of heading down there is that you can now order a side of fries alongside your burger, as Causwells only serves theirs with crispy onions.  The menu is simple and straightforward:  Burgers, chili, salad, and fries.  You can never go wrong with the classic cheeseburger.

A second location is already coming this month.  You can find out more details here.

What We're Talking About This Week

Northern California has never been known for its bagels, but San Francisco's Wise Son's Jewish Delicatessen has made a big investment to change that. 

Santa Barbara Wine Country keeps getting better, and the whole country is taking notice.  We love this guide to the best of what's on offer for a weekend getaway.

Since David Bowie passed away early last month, there have been many beautiful tributes to him, but the one from this week's BRIT Awards is among the best.  Performed by Lorde and Bowie's own band, it was, in the word's of Bowie's son Duncan Jones 'Just... beautiful. Thank you.'

This is an election year unlike any other - with an unusual group of candidates, many divisive issues, and a seat on the Supreme Court at stake.  But it's also a significant year due to the changing demographics in the US, namely the rise of the single woman.  This article is a great long read about the hard earned power of the unmarried American woman.

On Sunday, we'll be watching the Oscars and keeping track of our best guesses on this ballot.  Look for our favorite gowns on Monday morning!

Foodie Favorite: The Bucatini Cacio e Pepe at Jon & Vinny's

We are big fans of LA's Animal and Son of a Gun, so we don't know why it took us so long to get to their sister restaurant, Italian spot Jon & Vinny's, but we are officially in love.  From the meatballs, to the pizza, to the polenta dishes, to the wine list, Jon & Vinny's has so many delicious items on their menu.  However, the seemingly simple Bucatini Cacio e Pepe is a major standout.  Made of homemade noodles and topped with some incredible Pecorino Romano cheese, this pasta is one we will be dreaming of until our next visit.

Jon & Vinny's, Los Angeles, CA

What We're Talking About This Week

We were devastated by the loss of David Bowie on Sunday, just as millions of others around the world were.  It's amazing to see how fans are memorializing him in their own way. 

This was a sad week for celebrity deaths.  Just as Bowie passed away at age 69 of cancer, so did Alan Rickman, one of our very favorite actors.  His perfect, plummy British accent was music to our ears, and he was excellent in everything from Sense and Sensibility, to Die Hard, to Love Actually, to Harry Potter.

Eater recently updated their list of the top 38 best places to eat in the US, and California dominated this year, with seven restaurants placing between LA and the Bay Area.  One of them is a foodie favorite of ours, Guerrilla Taco.

The Oscar nominations were announced yesterday, and we will be spending the next six weeks seeing as many of the films as we can.  Favorites so far include Mad Max and The Big Short, and we would love to see best actress nominee Charlotte Rampling go home with a statue.

Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen have been taking their friendship on the road in their show AC2.  They'll be making stops in San Francisco tonight and in Oakland on Sunday, before moving down to Socal in March.

Recipe: Almond Pear Tart

This almond pear tart is so buttery and rich, it's the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea on a rainy El Nino day.

Ingredients:----For the pears:4 cups water1 1/4 cups sugar1 1/2 t fresh lemon juice4 pears, pealed----For the crust:1/2 cup powdered sugar1/4 cup slivered almonds1/4 t salt9 T unsalted butter, room temperature1 egg yolk1 1/4 cups flour----For the filling:2/3 cups slivered almonds1 T flour7 T sugar6 T unsalted butter, room temperature1 egg
Recipe:For the pears: Bring 4 cups water, sugar, and lemon juice to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add pears. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until pears are very tender, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool pears in syrup. 

For the crust: Blend powdered sugar, almonds, and salt in a food processor until nuts are finely ground. Add butter and blend until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Mix in egg yolk. Add flour. Blend until dough comes together in clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 3 hours. 

For the filling: Finely grind almonds and flour in a food processor. Mix in 7 tablespoons sugar, then butter, blending until smooth. Mix in egg. Transfer filling to medium bowl. Cover and chill at least 3 hours. 
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Roll out chilled dough on floured sheet of parchment paper to 14-inch round, lifting and turning dough occasionally to free from paper. Using paper as aid, turn dough into 11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom; peel off paper. Seal any cracks in dough. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch. Fold overhang in, making double-thick sides. Pierce crust all over with fork. Freeze crust 10 minutes.

Line crust with buttered foil, buttered side down, then fill with pie weights. Bake crust until sides are set, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and weights. Bake crust until sides are golden and bottom is set, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles, about 10 minutes longer. Cool crust in pan on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

Spread almond filling evenly in crust. Stem pears and cut in half; scoop out cores. Cut each half crosswise into thin slices. Gently press each pear slightly overlapping, starting from the crust and working towards the center. This gives it a petaled effect.

Bake tart until golden and tester inserted into center of filling comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool tart in pan on rack. Push pan bottom up, releasing tart from pan.
Serves 8
Inspired by this recipe.

What We Are Talking About This Week: Gift Guide Edition

If you still haven't finished your Christmas shopping, finding the perfect gifts is probably at the top of your mind this weekend.  We've rounded up some of our favorite gift guides to make the shopping a little bit easier...

This zodiac gift guide is perfect for the astrology fan in your life.

  This San Francisco food lovers list is full of great last minute options for anyone who lives in the Bay Area.

 

The editors of Domino have amazing taste and have put together an incredible amount of suggestions for almost everyone in your life.

Likewise, Goop does a fabulous gift guide... full of both reasonably priced items and the splurges they're known for.

This beautiful guide is California-centric, featuring items located/designed/produced in our favorite state.

 

For the friend who has everything, Town & Country has this guide for the uptown girl - we are coveting it all for ourselves.

Thanksgiving Recipe Round Up

If you're still stumped on any of your Thanksgiving dishes, here is a round up of some of our favorite new menu inspiration, as well as some standby recipes.

 This is ambitious, but if you're cooking for a smaller group, this turketta is a great alternative to roasting a whole bird.

If you are roasting a turkey, the latest trick is to brine the bird and then cover it in a butter soaked cheesecloth before you put it in the oven.  This method saves you basting time and delivers moist, flavorful meat.

This stuffing recipe is fairly traditional, but has the added twist of jalapeno to give it some heat.

For dessert, we can't wait to try this Bourbon Ginger Pecan Pie.  Plus, we are making our Apple Pie with Crumble Topping to serve alongside.

For some general tips and tricks, check out this advice from some of LA's top chefs.

There's plenty more to cook in our guides from 2013 and 2014.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Thanksgiving Table Inspiration

Thanksgiving is almost upon us! We've seen some gorgeous table decor on Pinterest lately, and wanted to share some of our inspiration with you. There's nothing like a beautiful setting to complement delicious food and welcome family and friends.

all images from pinterest

What We Are Talking About This Week

Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop is doing an amazing collaboration with Valentino.  If you're in the market for some fabulous, high end, star studded holiday looks, this is the line for you.

 The wonderful and hilarious essayist David Sedaris is currently on tour, and he's stopping at Northridge this Saturday.  Amazingly, there are still a few tickets left, so we just have one word for you: Go!  If you can't, console yourself with some of Sedaris' best stories on NPR.

While most places wait to unveil their holiday decorations until after Thanksgiving, Christmas comes a little early to Pier 39, where their tree will be unveiled this Saturday evening.

There is an amazing culinary event happening tonight in Los Angeles in honor of the release of SF/NYC Chef Danny Bowien's Mission Chinese cookbook.  Featuring a banquet cooked by Bowien, as well as chef's from LA's Night + Market and Sqirl, SF's Tartine, and LA, NYC & Portland's Pok Pok, this is set to be a delicious time.

It's no secret that San Francisco is winning the NorCal vs. SoCal airport food battle, and Eater has outlined some of the best places to eat next time you're waiting for a flight at SFO.

Recipe: Apple Pie with Crumble Topping

We went apple picking recently and decided to use the apples to make a pie. It turned out really well, although there was quite a bit of topping, which we might not use all of next time...

• Ingredients:
• Crust:
• 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
• 1/4 cup frozen solid vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2" cubes
• 3 tablespoons ice water

• Filling:
• 3 1/4 pounds apples, peeled, cored, sliced 1/4" thick (this tool is our secret weapon)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• Topping:
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes

• Instructions for the Crust:
  Mix flour, salt, and sugar in large bowl. Add butter and shortening; rub in with fingertips until coarse meal forms. Mix 3 tablespoons ice water and vinegar in small bowl to blend. Drizzle over flour mixture; stir with fork until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate 30 minutes.
  

  

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 12" round. Transfer to 9" glass pie dish. Trim overhang to 1/2"; turn edge under and crimp decoratively. Refrigerate while preparing filling and topping.

For the filling

• Mix all ingredients in large bowl to coat apples.
  

  

• For the Topping:
  Blend first 5 ingredients in processor. Add chilled butter cubes; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles wet sand.
  

  
• Toss filling to redistribute juices; transfer to crust, mounding in center. Pack topping over and around apples. Bake pie on baking sheet until topping is golden, about 40 minutes (cover top with foil if browning too quickly). Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake until apples in center are tender when pierced and filling is bubbling thickly at edges, about 45 minutes longer. Cool until warm, about 1 hour. 
  

  

  recipe based on this.