Daytona 500

At the Nationwide Series today and the Daytona 500 tomorrow with 250,000 of our closest friends.   We are almost Nascar groupies and are beginning to understand why this is the largest spectator sport in the US.  More later.  

Charming Munich

Delightful, charming downtown Munich seems to be a bit of a counterpoint to everything precisely and efficiently German. My husband reminds me that southern Germany and especially the Bavaria region is more relaxed and casual than efficient and staid northern Germany.  What lovely Bavarian architecture, cute, cute, cute winding streets and passages leading towards one after another lovely square.  It is snowing and continues to snow for the time we are here.  Beautiful.

Everywhere one turns there are displays of Wurst (sausage), most made from pork and other ingredients:  Rotwurst, Weisswurst, Bratwurstchen, Kockwurst, Rohwurst, etc. etc.  We have no choice but to delay our recent budding vegetarianism. 

Our hotel – the Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski is located in the city center right on Maximilianstrasse.  This is a lovely hotel with quite an international clientele.  The lovely Marienplatz square and the famous Glockenspiel is just a few streets over - just between Karlsplatz and Marienplatz over near Sparkassenstrasse and Landschaftstrasse.  Every German word seems to go on and on.   I finally have started to just say the first syllable and then mutter for a few minutes.  This seems to work ok.

Dinner on our second night in Munich is quite memorable.  Albarone (on Stollbergstrasse), an Italian restaurant, has been recommended by local acquaintances and we can tell pretty quickly that this is not a touristy place.   There is a fixed menu every night and the chef chooses a white and a red wine, which he feels will best accompany the food.  We love not having to decide on our menu – it is like being invited for dinner at someone’s home.   This is a fairly casual restaurant and so we are surprised to find out we will have about 9 courses throughout the evening.  We start at 7:00 pm and don’t leave until close to midnight - so very civilized and old world.   I’m not sure if they have more people in the kitchen but we see only one waitress and the chef (who helps serve) all evening.  I’m not sure how they do it with 12 tables but the service is excellent.

We start with a tuna carpaccio with cooked chicory, then a beet, mozzarella and arugula salad, followed by a sautéed quail served with a delicious potato salad with a balsamic reduction with a peanut garnish, then a pumpkin soup, then a homemade ravioli with cod, then a risotto with tomato and sausage sauce, then some type of fish with an onion marmalade, then a beef course (I have stopped remembering dishes at this point…) then a lovely dessert.   Gracious!  Everything is extremely tasty and beautifully and elegantly presented.  Our white Italian wine is a Sanct Valentin (very appropriate as it is Valentine’s day) made with pinot bianco grapes.  White Italian wines are always a bit iffy for me– this one was excellent.

We are off to Vienna in the morning but I would love to return to Munich.   Next time I intend to make sure to read up on King Ludwig II of Bavaria and then take myself on a tour of notable sites involving this interesting character. 

24 Hours in Milan

More than enough time in my opinion….

“Not as pretty as Venice, Florence and Rome but unique in its own way.”  The front desk receptionist echoed what we have heard from many others.  Fortunately, since we only have 24 hours, our hotel, the Rosa Grand StarHotel, is perfectly located in the city center, right next to the Duomo (cathedral) and the main square of central Milan.   Our junior suite and the hotel lobby cry out design, design, design!  I love this décor.  Modern and functional yet lovely - just what you would expect from one of the fashion design capitals of the world.

I’m sure if you stayed here longer you would find ways to appreciate this city but I didn’t leave anything here so won’t need to come back.  There are a few notable sites if you happen to be passing through on route to somewhere else or if you have business here.  La Scala – the famous opera house is of course one.  La Scala seems a bit underwhelming on first glance from the outside and unfortunately we were not able to check out the inside as the performance the night we are here is canceled due to a strike - apparently not an uncommon occurrence.

Another notable site is painting of The Last Supper at the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie.  We think we will be able to just stop by and see this famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci.  We should have known better and done a bit of research.  You must have a ticket to see the painting and they are of course sold out.  Plan ahead on this one.

We had made reservations and are looking forward to dinner tonight at Hostaria Borromei, a spot my husband had tried and liked on a previous trip.  But after finally honing in on the restaurant through the twisty turny streets of old Milan, we were shocked to see that it was closed.  We must have made the reservations for the wrong night!   But things turned out quite well as the hotel’s concierge gave us a great recommendation: Ristorante Il Coriandolo.  We had an excellent meal.  Fine de Claire oysters from France to start (#2 size – not too big, just right…), then a saffron risotto with pistachio nuts, sprinkled attractively with parsley, followed by a sautéed sea bream with a champagne and pumpkin seed sauce served with white bean in olive oil and parsley.  My husband appreciates Italian Pinot Grigios but I find them a bit too fruity and prefer a chardonnay style wine so the waiter was quite resourceful and suggested an excellent Le Rime by Banfi 2010 – 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Grigio.  He obviously was able to pick up quickly on the nature of our marital relationship.

Dio Deka, Los Gatos, Ca.

A wonderful dining experience in all aspects.  After dropping off your car with a delightful parking valet, you walk through the charming lobby of the Hotel Los Gatos, across a lovely courtyard and then into Dio Deka.

The ambiance is casual and relaxed.  I do remember however, from an earlier visit on a weekend, that things were quite busy and bustling and the noise level was a bit bothersome.  But this is a weeknight and all is good.  There is an open kitchen which always adds to the warmth of the dining experience.  Our server was charming and quite knowledgeable - she was Greek and so we were able to hear how some of the dishes we thought we knew how to say are supposed to be pronounced.   

The food was delicious.  Even our marinated olives starter was tastier than the norm.  The mussel appetizer, Mithia - mussels steamed in ouzo and served with crispy fried olives and croutons - was served with the mussels already out of the shell.  Excellent, excellent dish.  The celery root soup – Hortosoupa – was so tasty we asked the server if she would ask the chef for the ingredients.  The chef actually came out and filled us in on how he makes it. (See below)  The Sonoma duck breast, Papia, was also memorable - slowly cooked Sonoma duck breast and confit of duck leg, tiny radishes, goat myzithra (a type of cheese) and crispy polenta.  There is an extensive wine list and we wanted to try a Greek wine so chose the Assyrtiko Argyros 2010.  It was an excellent dry white accompaniment to our meal and we thought a very nice wine at this price point. ($54 in the restaurant, about $25 retail). 

Dessert, usually not my favorite part of the meal, was also memorable.  We had the Baklava, which was not too sweet and was served surprisingly with grilled bananas and banana ice cream.  I don’t even like banana ice cream but I loved it at Dio Deka with their baklava.  Our second dessert (what were we thinking!) was the Bougatsa, a crispy phyllo filled with semolina custard and served alongside spiced wine sorbet and a bitter orange garnish - one of the best desserts I’ve ever had. 

Dio Deka is a one star Michelin restaurant.   Actually it’s the only Greek restaurant in the US to have a star and in our experience, well deserved.

Hortosoupa 

Hortosoupa is the Greek name for vegetable soup.  Dio Dekka spruces theirs up by using celery root instead of potatoes and by the addition of apple, smoked paprika and lemon juice, On checking out different versions of this soup, I found some listed under weight loss programs so I will be making versions of this more often.   Dio Dekka also uses the lovely method of presenting the soup bowl with just the garnish and then pouring the celery soup around the garnish from at tableside.  Their garnish made the soup:  some lovage (from the micro lettuce family - sometimes known as mountain celery), thinly sliced celery, thinly sliced apple, toasted pistachio nuts, lime zest and two oysters leaning against the garnish.

Here is a version of the soup I tried at home and everyone seemed to enjoy.  This is such a versatile soup – any vegetable can work with a myriad of different garnishes to make it simple or elegant.

Hortosoupa  

(Puréed Celery Root Soup)

Serves 6

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 lb fresh celery root, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 qt vegetable broth
• Kosher salt
• Ground white pepper (if you have it) or black if not

 Garnish: 

• Apple – small thin slices, about 1 inch by 1 inch
• Celery – small thin slices, same size as the apple
• Lime zest
• Toasted pistachio nuts
• Paprika

In a soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat and then add the onion and cook until slightly translucent, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the celery root, potato and garlic and cook another few minutes, stirring often. 

Add the wine and cook a few more minutes until the wine seems to be reduced by about half.

Add the broth and bring to a boil, then simmer slowly for 15 minutes or so until the celery and potatoes can be pierced with a knife.  Don’t let the vegetables get mushy.

Purée in blender or processor until smooth.  Return to pan and season with salt and pepper to taste.

When ready to serve, arrange the garnish in a stack in the middle of the soup bowl (apple slices, then celery slices, sprinkled with the lime zest and pistachio nuts and a bit of paprika.)  Pour soup around garnish. 

(Alternatively, for a simpler and heartier soup, you could use a large crouton (Italian or French bread slice brushed with olive oil and baked til just slightly brown) as the garnish.)

Washington DC - Old Ebbitt Grill

I love this place!  Just around the corner from the White House, the Old Ebbitt Grill was a favorite of Presidents in the late 1800’s.  I love the clubby feel of the building, the booths with velvet upholstery, the dark mahogany wood, the coat rack hooks between the booths, the bustle and energy level still high at 9:30 and 10:00 pm.   We thought the food was quite good; nothing to right tomes about but it fit the bill for what we were looking for as a late evening casual dinner.   The lump crab cakes were delicious and were 95% crabmeat.  Raw oysters are a specialty and were a treat.  Steamed mussels with fennel, kalamata olives and a tomato-saffron broth served over linguine – excellent.  Many other tried and true American specialties are on the  menu.  I highly recommend this restaurant for its ambiance and location - especially late in the evening in the winter as the snow is starting to fall.  If this should happen to you, as it did to us,  make sure to make the short two block walk to the front of the White House to have your own private viewing in a silent winter setting.

Washington D.C. - The Library of Congress

I decide a visit to the Library of Congress might be just the thing to give a boost to any latent writing talent – talent I’m sure just waiting to ignite with some outside catalyst.

I should walk from our hotel, it is only about 1 ½ miles, but as I start walking I am a bit shocked at the temperature.  I’m just not used to it yet, so I hop in a cab.  Anyway, some of these cab rides are worth much more than the convenience of the ride.  This was a quick trip but my cab driver and I exchanged tips on how to sleep through the night.

Nicolas Cage in the Main Reading Room - from
NT2's Official Web Site

The Library of Congress is an impressive, beautiful building inside and out.  Gorgeous murals, art, architectural elements  - but where are all the books??   This is more like a museum than a library.  I don’t get any literary vibes until our tour group gathers in a glass fronted alcove and can peer down three floors into the library’s main reading room (the one used in the movie “National Treasure” and “All the President’s Men”).  This room is what you think about when you think of the great libraries of the world.  It is a fabulous many storied dome room with reading and working areas on the ground floor for “researchers” to request their books or other library collection items and where they must use them - nothing can leave the library.  Visitors aren’t allowed into the library’s reading rooms but this is where I want to go and sit and ponder and let creative thoughts flow through my fingers onto a page…. 

Researchers can gain access by going to room L147 in the adjoining Madison building to apply for an official library ID.  I am not sure if I qualify for the researcher classification but I decide to give it a try – I really want to experience that reading room!   It takes some walking through tunnels and corridors and so I have plenty of time to think about a plausible research topic.  I decide on:  “History of Anabaptists in Switzerland”.  This subject really did come up several years ago in the course of research into my family’s genealogy.  It sounds fairly scholarly, not too normal, and fairly useless – perfect research topic.   They would certainly go for this.

But no one even asks what I will be researching.  And I would have sounded so impressive!  Oh well.   So without incident I get my very official photo ID (good for two years) and then thread my way through the tunnels back to the Jefferson Building and finally find the entrance to the main reading room.  I show my new ID and they let me walk right in!  I decide I should try to give the impression, at least, that I am researching something or they might kick me out so I first step into the card catalog room (all on computer of course) and look up my brand new research topic and good grief – there actually is a book titled:  A History of the Anabaptists in Switzerland – amazing.  I print out the call number and information and then walk across the hall to the beautiful main room and very quietly ask the nice man behind the counter what to do, fully expecting him to tell me I am a fraud and shoo me away.  But he is quite nice and has me fill out an old fashioned little slip of paper with the call number and my library card number and then I find a charming little carrel in which to sit and wait for my book to come from who knows where.   I envision conveyors like airport luggage belts on which books would arrive from all parts of this large complex of buildings.  But fortunately, as befitting this historic structure, a little lady comes every so often into the room pushing that same kind of library wooden cart that I remember from my childhood. 

During the hour or so I wait (yes, it apparently takes quite a while to retrieve requested books – I suppose with 33 million volumes it would be quite a task to fill requests, even though I don’t see more than about 10 people in this room), I expect any moment the literary enlightenment that must come from being in so august a place as this.  I wait and wait.  I find I have no brilliant thoughts to scribble on my scrap paper. And my requested book still hasn’t come after an hour (it usually takes about 45 minutes to retrieve books, but they are a bit behind today I am told when I inquire).  But I feel quite assured, even though it might take a while, that this book is safe somewhere in this complex of buildings, and it is available for anyone.   Just not for me on this particular day.  It is late, I am starving and I have accomplished my goal of sitting in this wonderful room.

I also realize that with on-line resources and inter-library loans, there is no real reason to come to a particular library.  I suppose a physical library might one day be a thing of the past.   I may not have experienced any personal literary enlightenment being on-site but I have came away from my visit with a very clear appreciation of how important it is to have a symbolic presence to remind us of what books represent and how important the written word is to our democratic society.                                  

Entrance Foyer

The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world.   The collection of more than 144 million items includes more than 33 million cataloged books and other print materials in 460 languages; more than 63 million manuscripts; the largest rare book collection in North America; and the world's largest collection of legal materials, films, maps, sheet music and sound recordings. Every day approximately 10,000 new items are added to its permanent collection.  There are fascinating exhibits always in process (right now the one on maps is notable.)   Ordinary people like me, members of Congress,  researchers, and governments from all over the globe rely on this, our Library.  I highly recommend a visit.

Four Nights in Hawaii – continued

Dinner at Merrimans in Waimea

Our meal was quite good and our particular server charming.  But it seems that this is typical for Hawaii – everyone is charming and friendly.   Merrimans has a wonderful Mai Tai – their secret is fresh pineapple and lime juice.  We also had the Talley Chardonnay - which we’ve had before but this reminds us that we like this Chardonnay and should have some on hand at home.  We of course try the ahi tuna many ways. 

The Luau at the Mauna Kea

My children don’t really remember their last luau.  So we decided we should experience this special event on this trip. And this will do until they have children…. I must say how very impressed I was with the food at the luau.  It can’t be easy preparing quality food for hundreds of people but the Mauna Kea does it well. Shrimp, sashimi, ahi poke, various salads, Island fruits, roast pork, roast turkey, teriyaki steaks, grilled Island fish, mashed potato and taro, poi, and lots of delicious desserts - and all in such a spectacular ocean side setting.  The food was so good I hated to see it served buffet style.  You just can't fully appreciate and enjoy each dish.   Served in courses, presentation Monettes style, and this would have been a standout meal.

Brown’s Beach House at the Fairmont Orchid

Dinner in this beachfront setting, with swaying palm trees, a striking sunset, tiki lights creating a romantic ambiance, and gentle waves rolling in only yards away is a perfect end to our brief vacation.  The theme of all our dinners has seemed to be Mai Tais and  ahi tuni served raw, seared, and in a poke.  Brown’s does not disappoint. 

(Ahi poke is a mainstay of Hawaian cuisine.  Poke (an Hawaiian word meaning to slice or cut) is a raw fish mixture served as an appetizer.  Typically it consists of cubed raw ahi (the Hawaiian name for yellowfin) tuna mixed with salt, oil, chili pepper and often other ingredients like onions, garlic and tomato.    Stateside we have similar dishes but we usually call it simply Tuna Tartare.  I have a delicious recipe that I often use as an appetizer):

Tuna Tartare

• ¾ pd. very fresh tuna
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Grated zest of one lime
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ½ teaspoon wasabi powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce
• 6 dashes Tabasco
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup minced scallions, white and green parts
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh jalapeno pepper, seeds removed
• 1 ripe avocado

Cut the tuna in to ¼ inch dice and place in bowl.  In another small bowl, blend the oil, lime juice, wasabi, soy sauce, Tabasco, salt and pepper.  Pour over tuna.  Add the scallions and jalapeno. Cut the avocado into ¼ inch dice and fold very carefully into the tuna mixture.  Allow the mixture to sit in the refrigerator for about an hour for the flavors to blend.  Serve with large krinkle cut potato chips (excellent with this recipe!) or crackers.

Four Nights in Hawaii

I had sworn never again to go to Hawaii at Christmas time.  Our experiences in the past in the holiday season have been of too many people (and lots of children…) and not great weather.  I gave in this year.  But I fortified myself with low expectations – especially since hotel rooms were scarce as this was a bit of a last minute trip.   The Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel on the Big Island turned out to be not our kind of place.  After a few nights we ended up moving to the Fairmont Orchid and splurged on a first floor beach side suite.  I love to be able to come and go from the sliding lanai doors right to the beach or bar or pool.  I felt like this was my own little spot of paradise (well - to which I’d invited 100’s of guests…).  Service was excellent at the Fairmont in all expected and many unexpected ways.

Our dinner experiences also started out with a whimper...

Dinner at Monettes – Presentation over Substance

When I perused the menu at Monettes at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel I was quite impressed and immediately said to the family that this was one of the most promising menus I have seen.  Well, we soon realized the power of marketing and presentation.  

• Cold Water Oysters on the Half Shell with Mignonette, Lime & Gin and Pineapple Puree
• Ahi Tuna with Yuzu Brushed Tataki, Ahi Poke, Yuzu & Soy Caviar 
• Mosaic of Ono & Ahi with Umeboshi Vinaigrette, Genovese Basil, preserved Lemon Caviar
• Chilled Waimea Tomato and Avocado Gazpacho with Shaven Salted Radish and Niçoise Olive Powder 
• Sher Farms Double Black Wagyu Beef with Black Truffle Reduction

etc., etc., etc.  I really didn't know what most of this was but it sure sounded yummy.

But…. The oysters, which were so tiny any sauce would overpower their taste, were served with three, albeit cute, little bowls of sauces that tasted like they were mixtures of a few bottled ingredients.   The Mosaic of Ono and Ahi appetizer was cute (little squares of the two fish put together like a checker board) but not that tasty and what and where is the lemon caviar?  My gazpacho had three, cute again!, Asian soup spoons filled with the typical crouton, tomato and scallion garnishes - nary a shaven salted radish or niçoise olive powder in sight. (I know, I know - a shaven salted radish – what does that add?  But it sounded so nice).  Then the Sher Farms Wagyu beef (an Australian high quality beef on a par with Kobe beef from Japan) was fine but the “truffle reduction” that my son requested as an accompaniment was, yes served in the same cute miniature white bowl that seemed to accompany every dish, but alas without a whiff or hint of truffle flavor.

But I hate to be such a naysayer.  And perhaps it was just that the menu wording was so well done that our expectations were too high.  I can truthfully say that the meal ended on a high note.  We ordered regular coffee.  And of course it was served with another cute plate (I think it was a deviled egg serving platter – very clever) filled with different items to put in or have with your coffee.  But in spite of the nice presentation of which I was now wary, the very smooth Kona coffee was excellent! 

Better dinners to come – to be continued…

Philadelphia Eating Frenzy - Second Stop: Buddakan

Buddakan, another restaurant in the STARR Restaurant group (Pod, Alma de Cuba) has a wonderfully dramatic ambiance.  I grow increasingly appreciative of  Stephen Starr’s talent as we try more of his restaurants and look forward to trying as many as possible of his 27 of so locations in Philly, NYC, Atlantic City and Florida.  Buddakan must be one of his most successful undertakings as he has opened Buddakans in NYC and Atlantic City.

Tuna Tartare Spring Rolls, Kobe Beef Satay, Edamame Ravioli, Black Cod and Wasabi Mashed Potatoes are some of the dishes we shared.  The “Dip Sum” Doughnuts were a sinfully delicious dessert.

I suppose we could try out NYC's Buddakan for lunch tomorrow.  Train travel in this north-east corridor of the U.S. is astounding.  We could walk to Philadelphia's 30th Street Station, also known as Penn Station, and get to NYC in 1 1/2 hours max.  Arriving at New York City's Penn Station we would take a cab or an easy walk to the Meat Packing District and Buddakan.  Then back to NYC's  Penn Station and return to Philly by late afternoon in time for another great dinner in Philadelphia.


All of these Penn Station names cause confusion for me.  Because the Pennsylvania Railroad company was the owner of the DC to Boston line, there are many northeast cities with a "Penn Station",  including New York City, Philadelphia and Baltimore.  The Philadelphia station, completed in 1933,  is quite beautiful inside and worth visiting even without a train trip.  (The opening scenes of the movie "Witness" were filmed in the station.)

New York's original Penn Station is no longer.... The original structure (1910-1963) was, according to my husband, and from all the pictures I have seen and articles I have read, a breathtaking and monumental entrance to New York City.  Today there is still much angst over the demolition of the terminal building.  Where there was once a beaux arts masterpiece and an architectural jewel, there is now a boring office complex and the Madison Square Garden arena.  Penn Station is now completely underground.   On the positive side, the controversy that resulted from this tragedy prompted immediate conservation efforts and probably saved NYC's Grand Central Terminal from demolition.

The history of New York's Penn Station is a compelling story -  from its beginnings (check out this interesting NPR All Things Considered episode), to its heyday and eventually demise:



So we do not make the train trip to New York this time - we must leave for home this afternoon.  And alas, now I would be too depressed on arrival into New York's Penn Station.  So we instead opt for brunch at Farmicia; and try to pare down, just a tiny bit,  my son's food expectations with a simple but delicious goat herb omelet, breakfast quesadilla,  and bagels with lox and eggs.

Philadelphia Eating Frenzy - First Stop: Pod

Visiting our son at college has turned into an eating frenzy.  He is tired of college food already and so when he hears we will be in town his stomach starts growling and he starts prowling the Philadelphia restaurant and foodie sites.

This visit we were able to get in three great spots in 36 hours.  Hopefully this will tide him over for a month or so…

Pod is right in the heart of "University City" and consequently attracts a young crowd.  During the dinner hour it is quite loud and very busy, just perfect for its clientele of graduate students, young teachers and perhaps the occasional undergrad group out for a special night.   The very hip (I am so dating myself with this language) décor reminds me a bit of the Jetsen’s TV cartoon show;  but in a good way - I loved that show.  The ultra modern, red, u-shaped, couch-like,  plastic looking seating "furniture" (I’m exhausted even describing the lounge) where we waited for a table would have been very uncomfortable but it was not, and it provided a perfect area where you could be a bit separate with your own group but still feel part of the larger crowd.  

We started with Miso soup and Sushi, moved on to Kobe Beef Skewers, a Cauliflower Robata and Shrimp Pad Thai.  All were good and artfully presented.   The chocolate bread pudding for dessert was excellent!  I am sure we will be back many times over the next few years.

Pod is part of STARR Restaurants, which has restaurants not only in Philadelphia, but also in New York City, Atlantic City and Florida.   We have not purposefully chosen only STARR restaurants in Philly but every one we have tried to date has been excellent (see my 9/9/11 post, Alma de Cuba).    Our next meal just happens to also be at another STARR restaurant…