The Sweeter Side

View of life from an Artistic Chef

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On Location - Christmas Cookie Matchup | Hallmark Drama

Go behind the scenes of Hallmark Drama's first baking competition series for a closer look!

Tune in November 13th on Hallmark Drama

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GingerPie House

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Hope everyone had a wonderful Dia de Los Muertos!

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Riding around in a vintage sleigh, Santa has rocked the same style forever, and host Eddie Jackson thinks that it's time for a total makeover. For the decorating challenge, five of the cleverest cookie makers design two different cookies: one showcasing Santa's new outfit and another featuring his new ride. It's up to judges Vivian Chan, Ree Drummond and Gesine Prado to decide which cookies are fashion forward and which are just fashion fails. In the display challenge, the three remaining cookie makers must craft cookie picture frames for their cherished family photos. Every picture tells a story, and this one ends with the winning cookie maker taking home $10,000.

Tune in to #foodnetwork on November 26th at 10p/9c to catch me compete on #ChristmasCookieChallenge!

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I LOVE Gingerbread! Some of my creatins over the years.

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Our friends and Ace Hotel New Orleans culinary captains Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman, being pals, making life. Starting now, you can book your stay at Ace NOLA. We’ll be seeing you. 

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So excited to see what these guys do in New Orleans!

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Gingerbread Pittsburgh Ace Hotel now on display at Ace Hotel DTLA

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A Day in the City of Chocolate

Tain L'Hermitage truly is just that. From restaurants to locals and even this American chef, you just can’t help but feel the presence of this well respected chocolate and every day is a celebration of Valrhona. My journey really began with my drive from Dijon and through the Rhone-Alpes days before, but my tour started when I turned down the street that one of the two Valrhona factories is located on. The aroma of roasted cacao perfumed my car and awaken my senses. It was heavenly. I got into the factory and said to Eugenia (her Willy Wonka to my Charlie Bucket for the day), “You must be roasting beans today!”, she responded “At Valrhona we roast beans everyday.”. My eyes were suddenly open to just what I was about to experience.

We entered a room where we had to suit up. NO CONTAMINATING the chocolate!!! Just as you’d imagine in a fantasy, pipes and conveyor belts carried and delivered cocoa beans, nibs, liquor, powder and so forth to various hoppers and vats where the secret process would take place in machines that were 80 or so years old. The smell inside the factory was much more intense then before and stopping along each step to taste the product filled me chocolate bliss from inside and out.

Next to factory two, where yes, we HAD to suit up again. This factory is much smaller and where Valrhona produced all chocolate up until 2006. Here they now focus on the personal touch of bonbons and specialty treats like squares, sticks, eggs and truffles. The conveyor belts with people moving and sorting pieces made me recall that well known episode of I Love Lucy. Although these people operated with skill and precision. All along this experience I was tasting and sampling the finest chocolates of the utmost freshness. So fresh that although tempered and set, while tasting it almost felt warm from the journey it had just taken.

A personal tour through L'Ecolé by one of the Valrhona chefs was a unique insight to classes and R&D that takes place daily on these grounds. Then it was off to lunch to fuel the body for more chocolate! We went to a small restaurant that offers a daily tasting menu and of course a Valrhona dessert course. This is not the only restaurant that celebrates the chocolate. From breakfast to dinner restaurants all through Tain L'Hermitage offer daily Valrhona treats and sweets.

The day commenced with a guided tour through the museum and then into the chocolate shop that displays every variety of chocolate treat and confection Valrhona makes ( So much more then I ever thought and realized). And of course more tasting… If that wasn’t enough chocolate I was sent on my way with a beautiful care package that will only help me recall each moment of this spectacular day when back in Los Angeles. Thank you for an experience of a lifetime Valrhona. You’ve already had me as a customer and believer since I was thirteen, but here’s to forever more!

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Lunch at À Ma Vigne

I just had my first meal from an authentic and possibly the BEST Bouchon (not from personal experience but from reviews and recommendations) here in Lyon. I can’t even begin to tell you how delighted I am. They sat me down to terrine of pork and baguette slices, I ordered a glass of rosé to accompany. The pork was exceptionally seasoned and there were cornichons speckled through the gelatinized terrine. It was cut into cubes and served with toothpicks as my utensils.

For my first course I had the tripe salad. It was served cold and cooked exceptionally well. Not that I’m a tripe aficionado, but this was the best trip I have eaten. It was tossed in mustardy dressing that was velvety and luscious, and just had to be sopped up by the crusty baguette pieces.

An order of steak frites was the entree as this is what they’re know for. It is rumored to be the best in all Lyon and by the taste of it, I'd think all of France. A piping hot plate was delivered to my table and then a large platter containing my steak covered in brown butter followed. I was served and then asked if I cared for jus… When the jus is brown butter you say YES! Ladles of jus were spooned onto my steak and then the chef himself (wearing a smile that could only convey how proud he was about his delivery) brought out a platter of piping hot and golden crisp fries that were placed directly in front of me. I washed it all down with a glass of beaujolais.

For dessert a citron (lemon, but not quite like any lemon I’ve had before) tart came to me. Buttery delicate crust gently cradled the citron curd so perfectly. It was completely balanced and just the right way to end the meal. This with an espresso and I was in heaven. My visit wasn’t complete without the chef bringing me a shot of green chartreuse V.E.P.. Cheers!

I was very comforted by the simplistic delivery of everything I ate. The favors were delicate and warming but executed only with mastery and skill. I was swept away w/ this experience and was saddened as it was drawing to an end. Thank you for the meal À Ma Vigne as it is one that I will forever crave.

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Finding Poulet in Saint Jean de Maurienne This morning I drove from Annecy to the Opinel knife museum and shop in Saint Jean de Maurienne. Besides being a beautiful drive (navigating through fog set valleys and towns added a nice spooky factor for my Hallows eve morn) and getting to learn a lot about the knives us American chefs adore so much, I stumbled upon possibly the best chicken of my life! Naturally being France this city too had an afternoon street market (something I'm really wishing we had more of in the US). There were three different rotisserie chicken vendors in a square block. I chose the one w/ the longest line taking it as a sign of perfection. I waited 20 minutes or so and thankfully snatched up one of the last whole birds. I was so excited to rip into it, but I waited til I got back to Annecy (an hour and fifteen minutes later)... Believe me it felt like a 3 hour drive with the aroma of the roast bird filling my small Citroen rental car. When I got back I toasted off some stale brioche in a bit of butter, grabbed a few Mallie cornichons and a glass of rosé to be my sides for the delectable bird. Here we go... The reward I'd been waiting so patiently for. Now, not that the chicken (I feel bad even calling it that) was prepared or seasoned beyond any good roast chicken I've had before, it's just that the chicken itself was unlike any I'd ever eaten in the US. Don't get me wrong I've had some "good" chickens. Free range, not antibiotics or hormones, blah, blah, blah... They didn't come close! The structure of this bird was different. It seemed taller and leaner, the dark meat darker and a bit more oily and the breast smaller. The chicken oysters, well possibly the best poultry I've put in my mouth (and much bigger in size then what we normally see). All in all SO much more chicken flavor! Why can't we have this in America?!?

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Highlights from todays drive. Dijon to Annecy! Those are the Alps at the end.

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Tonight's dinner at Lyle's in Shoreditch London. Standouts were: -Cockles -Pumpkin dish w/ Whey Butter & Chestnuts -Brill, Cauliflower & Buckwheat No wonder this restaurant that serves a daily changing tasting menu just received its 1st Michelin Star. The wine program is off the charts good as well!

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About to have dinner at my 1st Michelin Star restaurant! Congratulations Lyle's on your newly appointed star.

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Here we go! Let the European Vacation begin. 1st stop London. Well, after this next 12 hours in the air...

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Valrhona