Vanessa Loves Love

Ok, so yesterday was a tough day for me...a lingering 14-day cold, a hacking cough that disturbed my sleep, and a frustrating job hunt during one of the toughest economic times of my life.

But then I talked with Rose, my east coast sister. If food is love then she and I have certainly shared a lot of love. We used to live across the street from each other in West Hollywood. It seems like a lifetime ago when we used to cook together in my kitchen. This is a pic of us with her (then fiance) now husband, Patrick at my wedding.

Life is constantly changing. But love never waivers.

During this Thanksgiving, love is what I'm thankful for. Thanks to all my loved ones for feeding me. I'm sorry I forget sometimes but they say memory is the first to go.

Food Is Love

I've been saying that for years. I've lived it my whole life. My family, huge eaters and feeders. You really can't have one without the other I suppose. But if you can't say it (and even if you can), you can show it, and boy, can you eat it.

Thanksgiving is coming up. I don't like Thanksgiving. I used to love it. C'mon, so much food how could I not. But one year, a long time ago I wasn't very thankful. There wasn't much T-day-esque food and I wasn't very happy.

It happened decades ago and every year since I think about it. It's almost like a broken record to my faithful readers who have been with me since (oh my goodness!) 2005. My dad died when I was a wee 10 year old the Sunday before Thanksgiving. It was confusing and devastating and I ate a lot (people bring a bereaved family loads of food). I still miss him. He was a man of very few words but he always knew what to say to me.

Every year, around this time I always wish he was around to tell me what I need to hear. For some reason I always get my worst colds of the year right before/around Thanksgiving so I'm never feeling at my best and I wonder what the hell there is to be thankful for.

I know, it's been a beautiful year of love for me (getting married and all). It's been a great food year for me too (working at Lucques, teaching families how to cook). But it seems like so long ago. I'm in a new town, building everything up from scratch.

I have to say, I really miss my L.A. friends for whom to cook a nice meal. Boy, could they eat...and a lot of them could cook too. What I wouldn't do for a little food-love exchange right now...or just a little GNO (Girls Night Out) exchange.

It's really difficult to start in a brand new place.

The New White House...

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer...

This victory alone is not the change we seek -- it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you."

--Barack Obama, Nov. 4, 2008

I am inspired by the election turnout (the number of people who voted, the presidential win). I am hopeful that America will ban together to move this country forward.

Barack Obama has made huge promises for change. I hope he can deliver some. Y'know, four years isn't really that much time. Everything, whether it's finishing a work project or renovating your home or packing for a trip, takes longer than you think it might. The more people who are involved, the more setbacks or confusion can happen. So, to our soon-to-be White House Chief, I recommend this new White House Chef:

Change starts at home. That's what I say. So bring Suzanne Goin (Lucques, AOC, and Hungry Cat) into your kitchen. She buys directly from farmers and cooks seasonally. I don't see how you could go wrong. I'd want Suzanne to cook for me. Who wouldn't want Sunday Supper everyday?

I learned a lot from Suzanne Goin when I worked in her kitchen. She always looked like this--hair tied back, wearing a black long-sleeve t-shirt, white apron around her waist.

Once I burned my arms (yeah, both of them because they stored the sheet pans above it, stacked tall and I'm short) on edges of the deck oven (commonly known as pizza oven) that was usually set at 450*F or more.

At that point she came by to help me take down the sheet pan I needed. (Something not many Executive Chefs would do for an intern.) Then Suzanne told me the reason she wears the long sleeves is to prevent such burns. Knowledge is experience...or maybe, experience is knowledge.

It is a time for change after all. We will have our first African American president, why not our first female White House Executive Chef?

There was one article that I had read years ago where the interviewer asked if Suzanne would take that job if offered. Her response was only if she had complete control over her purveyors and if she could buy directly from farmers?

I knew there was a reason I liked her.

Oh Sushi, My Sushi

My husband tells me I have no patience. He's right. But when it comes to salami and sushi, I can overcome...if it is indeed, worth waiting for.

Saburo's is just down the street from the cheese steak place. However, even though the pieces of sushi are about the size of the sandwiches and hoagies, the similarities stop there. Just check out that piece of eel. That's not an optical illusion, it is more than half the length of the chopsticks.

They don't take reservations so people wait up to 90 minutes to taste these morsels of goodness. There is no to-go or take-out. But you can take it with you. I have seen many customers order so much that a table of two walk out with two to-go boxes! It isn't full of teriyaki chicken and rice either.

I am always tempted to do that as well but with raw fish, you gotta eat it right away. I just don't know if I would be up to such a decadent breakfast. I don't usually need a midnight snack after Saburo's, if y'know what I mean.

The fish is fresh. One of my favorite rolls there is the Grand Roll. It's a deep fried, of course--no rice, bunch of spicy tuna around a krab core, wrapped in seaweed and lightly battered. Yum.

Our bill is always around 40 bucks for the two of us. I can't wait to bring my cousins here. (Lisa, you would totally love this!) The sashimi plate always comes with octopus and sweet shrimp. I don't know how they do it for $15.

My favorite sushi places, hands down, are still Matsuhisa Restaurant (Beverly Hills, Calif.) and Sushi Nozawa (Studio City, Calif.). They aren't quite as affordable but everything really melts in your mouth like butter. I've never known raw fish to melt in one's mouth until Matsuhisa and Nozawa.

But I gotta give props to Saburo. Tasty and affordable. I guess that's why we all wait in line for it.

Saburo's
1667 SE Bybee Blvd
Portland, OR 97202
Open for Dinner only.

We All Scream for Ice Cream!

I had heard and seen that Starbucks would be doling out the free cup to those who voted but now I think they may have changed their minds since it's not up on the website, but if you need a joe, might as well just ask.

However, Ben & Jerry's, our cool and smooth dudes, are serving up the freeze cream to our nation's active voters.

So head out to the polls, everyone! (You should vote with or without the temptation of ice cream delight afterward anyway.) You get to where that stylish "I Voted" sticker, too (in most states).

Then top it off with some dessert at your local B&J's between 5-8pm tonight to celebrate our new president. If you're standing in one line, why not stand in another. You have the folding chair in your trunk anyway.

Over the Kitchen Table with (the next) Mr. President

Last month, Michael Pollan, a contributing writer to the New York Times Magazine and a Knight Professor of Journalism at UC Berkeley, and author of books including, The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, and more recently, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto...wrote an article or more of a letter.

On Oct. 9, 2008, Farmer in Chief was published in the Food Issue of The New York Times Magazine. It was pages long. Here's an excerpt:

"In drafting these proposals, I’ve adhered to a few simple principles of what a 21st-century food system needs to do. First, your administration’s food policy must strive to provide a healthful diet for all our people; this means focusing on the quality and diversity (and not merely the quantity) of the calories that American agriculture produces and American eaters consume. Second, your policies should aim to improve the resilience, safety and security of our food supply. Among other things, this means promoting regional food economies both in America and around the world. And lastly, your policies need to reconceive agriculture as part of the solution to environmental problems like climate change."

He talks about how our food system focuses on quantity rather than quality, how cheap fuel prices sends California produce all over the nation that neighboring (east coast) states can provide, and promotes the "sun-food agenda."

Check it out when you get the chance. It will probably affect the way you look at your food and shop at the grocery store. And that's a start.

A Philly for the Phils

Congratulations to the 2008 World Series Champions, Philadelphia Phillies! In honor of your win, I ate a cheesesteak.

I went to this place called Philadelphia's Steak and Hoagies. Y'know, I've never been to Philly, where I'm told by those who have lived in and around the city (shout out to Tory, Holly, and Philo!) that you haven't tasted a cheesesteak or hoagie if you haven't had one in Philadelphia.

Well, I didn't get a chance to hit Philly the last (and first) time I was in Pennsylvania, so I guess I still don't. But this one didn't seem half bad. I ordered a cheese steak, which according to the board is "melted American cheese on top of our thin sliced steak, grilled onions, on a hoagie roll with your choice of sauce or self serve condiment bar."

First of all, I'm told it's supposed to be Cheez Whiz or some kind of soft cheese-like product. I'm not opposed to quality but I think we're getting a little West Coast crazy using real cheese. Secondly, I found a few slices of mushrooms in the sandwich. Not unusual if I had ordered the Mushroom Cheese Steak. But I didn't. Let's just say it was a nice surprise for me.

I liked the hoagie bread. It had a crispy, flaky crust. The steak was thin and tender. I didn't add any condiments but there was horseradish, mayo, mustard, some sort of hot sauce, and I think ketchup.

Anyway, I love meat, bread, and melted cheese. I think you'd have to do something awful to a Philly to make it taste terrible. But I'm not sure how authentic this one is. I'll have to go to Philly to make a sound judgement. I must do it...for all of you.

However, if any of you are interested in trying a PDX Philly, go on Mondays, 6-9pm. Steak sandwiches and hoagies are 1/2 off then.

Philadelphia's Steaks & Hoagies
6410 SE Milwaukie Avenue
Portland, OR 97202