sweetTooth

Location:

Los Angeles

Best meal I ever ate:

Meals that I cook are most satisfying to me when all I am trying to do is use up a few things, and the concoction turns out just right. Of course, these are hardest to ever replicate and hence the fondest. As for restaurant meals, a super simple salad of crisp lettuces with buttermilk dressing followed by a rich tagliatelle dish with mushrooms and pancetta at Joe's. Yumm!

My current drink of choice:

Torrontes or other white wine with a good nose. Shiraz or Petite Sirah when in mood for red. Joel Gott Cab or Zinfandel. Also, french press Trader Joe's Breakfast Blend coffee with steamed milk.

I really wish I could:

Cook some healthy south east asian vegetarian dishes

My "Go-to" dinner party dish:

Varies by season - corn/edamame/zucchinni/red bell pepper succotash in summer, greens catalan when spinach and/or lamb's quarters abound, squash and rice gratin for picky eaters. Cornmeal cake or pound cake with berries and possibly whipped cream for dessert. Paneer Jalfrezi when menu is Indian. Chard and Onion Frittata or Tortilla Espanol for brunch.

My favorite comfort food:

Broth based soup with beans and greens, with crusty airy bread. When I am sick: rasam, rice and french beans poriyal.

My top 5 favorite restaurants:

Joe's, AOC, Melisse, JiRaffe, Real Food Daily

My most tattered cookbooks:

Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone