Over the Moon

I am a lover of all things Venice (Italy and California). However I am not a fan of the trend towards hipster and Hollywood trendiness that has infected the California branch. Every now and then little gems that reflect the warm bohemian roots of the area pop up. The latest well rooted neigborhood addition is a healthful drink and snack shop called Moon Juice. The decor is minimalist but not in a contrived stylized way and even more importantly their 100% organic product lines are delish. I lucked out on my first visit and met the owner Amanda Chantal Bacon. Amanda has some serious culinary credibility. She attended culinary school in Vermont, honed her skills in Italy, New Zealand, Buenos Aires, Uruguay and Luques in LA. She is a former assistant food editor at the LA Times Magazine and was a key figure at Forage in Silver Lake. She came up with the name because she was an avid juicer and decided that she wanted to open her own shop. Shortly after settling on this lifestyle change she found herself sitting by a beach in San Francisco when a hippie bus with a "beautiful mural of a moon surrounded by a galaxy" drove by. The name Moon Juice was conceived.

Moon Juice sells hydraulically pressed juices (orange, carrot and blends with ingredients like kefir lime, ginger coconut meat...), moon milks (made from raw almonds and alkaline water which can be blended with cacao nibs, bee pollen...) and healthful snacks (dried fruits, granola, almonds and walnut butter). Amanda took a few moments to let me know that they also have custom blended Japanese developed probiotics. I opted to do a shot of this and I have to say I will be going back for more. I also got the Carrot, Lime & Coconut juice and the Date Shake. Both were soothing and delicious.

Just a few pointers. They will let you sample. You must consume the milks and juices within 3 days before the nutrients degrade beyond benefit. Parking can be tricky. The juices and milks are pricey ($8-$12) but are worth the price given how unique and tailored they are...this is NOT Jamba Juice. Check out the menu here and if you are up for exploring a uncharted healthful realm of deliciousness jet over to Moon Juice.

Moon Juice
507 Rose Avenue
Venice, CA 90291
(310) 399-2929
moonjuiceshop.com

ImPRESSED

Health nuts and anyone who is seeking to make a healthy transition will fall in love with West Hollywood's latest retail operation. It's called Pressed Juicery. They have existing locations in Brentwood and Malibu. They sell fresh pressed juices which you can consume at your leisure or use as a meal replacement or buy a kit for a cleanse. You might be thinking, "I can just buy a juicer. What do I need to pay them for?" Well their claim is that their "juices are produced on a hydraulic press which extracts straight from the pulp, minimizing oxidation and releasing vitamins, minerals, and enzymes into each juice that are impossible to yield from a normal juicer (up to 400% more!)." They offer individual juices, packages (monthly sets delivered to your door), kits (gift sets...celebration, kids, get well) and supplements (liquid vitamin concoctions). I tried the Greens 2 (kale, spinach, romaine, parsley, cucumber, celery, apple, lemon). It was delicious. This place is a little pricey though. Check out the menu here. Individual juices are priced at $6.50 a bottle, packages start at $130 for a 16 bottle variety pack, kits start at $130 and supplements are $10. They also have signature drinks made with coconut meat and almond milk ($8 each) as well as specialty waters (chlorophyll, coconut and aloe vera) starting at $3. This place is worth a visit otherwise you can purchase via phone or online here.

Butta' Baby. Ohhh Yeah.

OK. So we all know that two things make restaurant food taste better, salt and butter. A more specific explanation specifies clarified butter. Clarified butter goes by the name of ghee in South Asian circles. It is butter that is simmered until golden and filtered of the solids that settle at the bottom. I feel like I have broken a culinary code but the difference became so apparent to me this week when I made homemade buttermilk pancakes last week. I love a pancake with crispy edges, the appearance of splattered webbing and a oh so fluffy interior. I fear and loath non-stick pans but opted to use one and the results were my definition of perfection. Here are the results.

Again the primary contributor to my delicate and delicious creation was clarified butter which I found at Whole Foods. You do not need to use much but it really adds a delicate crispiness to anything you cook. I used it pan fry some salmon. The skin came out super crisp and delicious. Remember a little goes a long way. If you do not have a Whole Foods in your area you can order some here or here.

C'est Si Bon!!! The Resurrection of a Classic

Let me start this post off by stating that I am NOT a lover of mustard...at all, at least not on it's own, except for Dijon. I however do appreciate mustard when it is mixed in with other spices and things to make something else. Love it in dressings, marinades, sauces and dips. With that said I am going to share with you the second coming of all condiments. Behold the glory of Savora by Amora.

I wanted to scream praises (literally contemplated pulling my hair out and running down the street with my arms flailing) for this 11 spice French condiment as soon as the first spoonful approached my lips. Yes it's that good. It's the perfect blend of aromatic, savory, luscious and soothing deliciousness. The blend of nutmeg, mustard seed, cloves, cinnamon, garlic, honey and other notables is subtle yet powerful all at once. Please do not confuse this heavenly concoction with mustard as that would be absolute blasphemy. You can adorn almost anything with this product...seafood, meat, vegetables, sandwiches, burgers or hotdogs to make a common meal fabulous. Check your local French Market or go to this link (Frenchy Bee) to experience this taste of divinity.

Sonoma...Uncorked

This place has managed to pull off having California frontier aesthetics without being Disneyland campy. The place was built in 1881 and has managed to avoid bastardizing it original decor. Once you mount the rickety steps you enter a culinary WONDERLAND. The establishment is part general store and therefore carries survival standards like soap and Bisquick. They also carry taste bud teasing artisanal meats, cheeses, preserves, confections, pastries and snack foods galore. There is a gourmet deli that serves up insanely delicious handcrafted sandwiches with ingredients like speck, Molinari Salami and aged Gouda. There is a full bar in the back of the store.

I initially went kicking and screaming into this place. I was being a snob, having just been spoiled on the first leg of an indulgent wine tour. However once I entered I heard whispers of "Mama's home" in my head, which echoed as I perused the deli meat counter and studied the menu. My poison of choice was the speck sandwich. I could taste it before it even hit my lips...the aroma emanating from the warmed speck had a similar aromatic effect as truffle oil. Toasted crusty baguette, paper thin speck, fig compote, aged provolone and arugula. Each bite was savory delicious. I almost had to be carried out. This is a great place to stop before, during or after you hit the wineries. And yes I made sure to do a last stop visit before I departed the Sonoma area the next day. The Dry Creek General Store's sandwiches are what dreams are made of...Mickey Mouse ain't got nothin' on them! Two words...eat here.

Dry Creek General Store
3495 Dry Creek Road
Healdsburg, CA 95448
(707) 433-4171

The Maui Files (Culinary Adventures in Paradise-Part 1)

Maui is many things but is best characterized as a dichotomous destination. It is part heavenly paradise and part commercialized demon (think Lahaina, Kanapali and overpriced tourist trap restaurants with sub par food...ala Bubba Gumps). Luckily there are small towns on the island that are in harmony with the ideal getaway intimacy one hopes for when breaking away from the hustle and bustle of city living. One such town is Paia. In this town you will find a main road with a strip of specialized boutiques and NO towering high rise hotels. On my way to the Road to Hana I stopped off at a quaint French spot called Cafe De Amis.

This restaurant more than exceeded my expectations. Their specialties are DELICIOUS crepes and fresh juices/smoothies. The place is low key affordable and absolutely a must go to stop.

I ordered the ham and gruyere crepe (Delish!) which was accompanied by a a perfectly dressed fresh salad.

The second crepe on deck involved a combination of three of my favorite things...brie, avocado and apple. It is amazing how something so simple can bring so much pleasure. The pleasure quotient was escalated by a gracious dollop of creme fraiche being place adjacent to the salad. I left full as a tic and completely satisfied.

Cafe De Amis

42 Baldwin Avenue

Paia, HI 96779

(808) 579-6323

Holy Land (Part 1-Guilt and Giving In)

My stomach (a.k.a. "The Beast") has a mind of it's own. When I travel I like to stick with the local cuisine but sometimes my cravings from home take precedence. Israel is culturally diverse country and has a burgeoning food culture. I was lucky enough to indulge in the local delicacies but I also had a hankering for familiar comfort foods, which were surprisingly easy to find and very affordable. My first few days were spent eating fruit, humus, cheese, tomatoes and cucumbers, even for breakfast. The emphasis on Israeli cuisine is on "fresh" and "healthy". Eventually after an initial internal struggle I succumbed and gave into the cravings being barked by "The Beast". I found a pizza place...Il Pizziaolo. The smell of the freshly cooked crust beckoned me.

I ordered a sun-dried tomato and olive pizza. It arrive piping hot and loaded with fresh mozzarella. It was absolute heaven even in the humid 90 degree weather. I came back here several times and on my last night in town. The staff was friendly and the pricing was great.

Il Pizziaolo

122 Ben yehuda

Tel Aviv

phone: 03-6093515

www.rest.co.il/sites/Default.asp?txtRestID=17

My next shameless craving indulgence involved sushi. This craving hit almost as soon as I hit the ground. I stumbled across a hip modern/retro Pinkberry style decor restaurant called Atza Sushi Bar.

It's hard enough to try new sushi places in Los Angeles let alone outside of the US so I was not expecting much...let alone real crab. But I was pleasantly surprised.

I ordered a spicy tuna roll and a California roll (I never order these but get them when I am testing out a new place since they are hard to mess up). Both were tasty and satisfied my craving. The staff was really nice. They do delivery and takeout orders.

Atza Sushi Bar

128 Ben-Yehuda St.

Tel Aviv

Phone 03 527 0017

www.atza.co.il

Another great find that I came across during my trip was a beach side lounge with tasty food (I ordered fried calamari...it was "fresh") and strong drinks. The place is called Gordo and it is fabulous.

They apparently serve breakfast and host events up to 500 people. This is a great place to lounge, people watch, escape and watch the sun as it sets.

Gordo

Gordon Beach

Tel Aviv

Phone: 03-5293929

http://www.gordo.co.il