THE WEEKEND...

HEADED NORTH!

To celebrate a friend’s birthday, a group of us rented a house in Santa Ynez for the weekend. I am over the moon excited, but slightly bummed it is supposed to rain all weekend. I won’t let it get me down though! Worst case, it pours both days and I get to spend that much more time in the BEAUTIFUL kitchen of the rented house. (I’ll post pics on Monday) If you haven’t made it out to the Santa Ynez Valley, GO! About 20 minutes east of Santa Barbara, you’ll find beautiful landscapes, lovely wineries, quaint restaurants, stunning homes, and an adorable grocery store. (http://www.losolivosgrocery.com/).

All in all, Santa Ynez equals a really good time. 

R

MÉLISSE

I've been told you should ALWAYS say "yes" when asked to dinner at Mélisse in Santa Monica.  Here's why: http://melisse.com/menu/

You may not be into the whole delicate and artful plating that most French restaurants offer, but I'm just so curious as to how they can make each dish look so effortlessly beautiful.  Not to mention, feed so many people AND make sure the right sauce goes with the right course.  I'm overwhelmed when I have to make just ONE sauce at home!  I have such an appreciation for chefs at fine dining restaurants (or at any restaurant, for that matter) because they have a tremendously high standard they need to maintain at ALL times.  But sometimes those restaurants can be formal and stuffy.  I hope Mélisse is fun and the food is as delicious as everyone says.  I have a hot date there on Saturday night.  I shall investigate and report back!  What awful homework for this weekend.  Woe is me.

M

FRESH IS BEST

Whether we're talking about food or breath, anything stale is just plain gross. That's why, when I went to Cabo over the New Year, I jumped at the chance of chartering a fishing boat with my friends in hopes of catching something fresh and tasty for dinner. Seeing as this was my first time fishing, I was really hoping to catch a trout or…something cute.  You can imagine my disbelief when we reeled in this 50 pound mahi mahi!

Thank you Mr. Mahi for an amazing and unforgettable meal, and to the Sea Grill at Las Ventanas for preparing our beautiful catch. Pictured below is Tiradito with pickled shallots topped with guacamole and tortilla chips.  Also pictured is the mahi mahi blackened, and then grilled.  

I have to say that everyone preferred the grilled to the blackened, which just goes to show you, when you're using the freshest ingredients in a dish, most times, the less you do, the better it'll be.

R.I.P., dear fishy.

M

SWEET ROSE CREAMERY

This past weekend I made the very happy decision to try Sweet Rose Creamery for the first time and I officially now have a new favorite ice cream. Drum roll please……Sweet Rose Creamery’s Salted Caramel. I cannot put into words how my taste buds reacted after taking my first lick.  It was as if they all jumped for joy at the same time; a moment of celebration for the creamy, salty, sweet, and heavenly flavor that just entered my mouth. As my Grandmother would say, it’s divine. I immediately purchased two pints and brought them over to my friend’s dinner party later that evening. Needless to say, it was a humongous hit.

Get yourself over to Sweet Rose Creamery and try it if you haven’t already. You will thank me.  http://www.sweetrosecreamery.com/

R

THE OLD PLACE

The Old Place....a true hidden gem that surpises and satisfies!

I was thrilled when I noticed "The Old Place" featured on the cover of Los Angeles Magazine's "Hidden LA" issue. My most recent Birthday was spent there with my closest friends enjoying a fantastic meal in a wonderfully special setting. You feel as if you are in another time and place when dining at "The Old Place". A large antique bar runs down the length of the restaurant and a rustic antique piano greets you at the door. The service is warm and genuine and the food is hearty and homey. (You must make sure to try the bread pudding with leeks...oh boy is it delicious!!) If you have a group of 9 to 12, you can rent out The Mail Room which is their private dining room in the back of the restaurant. Make sure to bring your favorite records with you...as they have a record player in the room!

Whatever the occassion or number in your party, The Old Place is sure to provide you with a rare Los Angeles experience....

http://www.oldplacecornell.com/

R

A TREAT FOR CHOCOLATE LOVERS...

BON APPETIT

Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Walnuts

These are some of the best brownies we've ever had—fudgy in the middle and chewy on the outside with a shiny, crackly top. The browned butter adds a rich, nutty flavor.

MAKES 16

• PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES 
• TOTAL TIME: 4 HOUR 50 MINUTES (INCLUDES COOLING TIME)

Recipe by Alice Medrich

Photograph by Christopher Griffith

February 2011

INGREDIENTS
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
10 Tbsp (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (spooned into cup to measure, then leveled)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, chilled
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup walnut pieces


PREPARATION

• Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 325°F. Line 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan with foil, pressing foil firmly against pan sides and leaving 2-inch overhang. Coat foil with nonstick spray. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking until butter stops foaming and browned bits form at bottom of pan, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; immediately add sugar, cocoa, 2 teaspoons water, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt. Stir to blend. Let cool 5 minutes (mixture will still be hot). Add eggs to hot mixture 1 at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition. When mixture looks thick and shiny, add flour and stir until blended. Beat vigorously 60 strokes. Stir in nuts. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
  
  

  • • Bake brownies until toothpick inserted into center comes out almost clean (with a few moist crumbs attached), about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Using foil overhang, lift brownies from pan. Cut into 4 strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 4 brownies. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

• 
  

  NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:

  One serving contains:

  Calories (kcal) 199.7

  %Calories from Fat 57.2

  Fat (g) 12.7

  Saturated Fat (g) 5.2

  Cholesterol (mg) 45.3

  Carbohydrates (g) 20.8

  Dietary Fiber (g) 1.9

  Total Sugars (g) 16.1

  Net Carbs (g) 18.9

  Protein (g) 3.7

  Sodium (mg) 45.3

Many of you probably already know about these super rich chocolatey brownies or have seen a picture of them as you've passed by a newsstand. They have juuust the right amount of crisp and flake on top and are so dense and cakey in the middle. We guarantee they'll rock your world. We've made 4 batches already (for different events) and they've garnered rave reviews. Thank you to Bon Apptit for finding this fabulous recipe from Alice Medrich, who is a chocolate expert, cookbook author, cooking teacher and our hero. These cocoa brownies with browned butter and walnuts made the cover of the February 2011 issue, edging out other oh-my-god-that-looks-so-delicious recipes. These brownies are no joke. This Valentine's Day, treat yourselves to this amazing dessert (or what we like to call "breakfast" for the next several days). They're easy to make and a sure fire way to make everyone ooh and ahh. You'll be glad you did. Now our next step is to buy Miss Medrich's most recent book, "Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies." She definitely knows what she's talking about! Love and Hugs on this special day. 

R&M

A LETTER FROM RACHEL & MAYA (THE EDITORS)

We're best friends and we love to cook.  Food inspires and enriches our lives and we've wanted to share our passion with everyone for quite some time.
Introducing our blog: DINE AND DISH!

We love to seek out new experiences and create wonderful settings where our friends and family can get together and have a great time.  We lose track of time planning menus for parties and we love getting our hands dirty.  We want to fill you in on our gourmet experiences; whether it's a cool new restaurant we've tried, a delicious recipe we found, random cooking tips or tantalizing kitchen gossip, we want our readers to enjoy the benefits of all our amazing finds as we journey through life (which can be quite the adventure, and at times, the misadventure). We hope you enjoy our daily entries and allow us to bring a little sugar, spice and everything nice into your lives. Thanks for visiting!

R&M