10 WAYS TO SAVOR CINCINNATI

Love food? Headed to Cincinnati? Lucky you.

Forget your diet. Cincinnati is the place to gorge, gobble and gluttonize on high-fat, low-cost and pig-out delicious specialities. Whatever you do in the city—wherever you go, be sure to sample:

CINCINNATI CHILI

There is nothing like this chili anyplace else in the world. Unlike traditional chili, the Cincinnati version lacks beans and heat and is almost never served by itself in a bowl. The semi-sweet concoction shows up on top of unflavored spaghetti buried under a mound of shredded Cheddar. Some swear chocolate is responsible for the chili’s unique flavor. Others say cinnamon. I say, who cares. Just give me more. I thought Cincinnati chili would be an acquired taste, and I was correct. I acquired the taste at first bite.

Although a slew of restaurants and chili parlors make Cincinnati chili, I like the 3-, 4- or 5-ways served at Skyline Chili. (Three is just spaghetti, chili and cheese. Four adds beans or chopped onions and the five adds beans and onions.)

While at Skyline, you must try the Cheese Coney, a hot dog topped with mustard, chili, cheese and onion. OMG good!!! While waiting for a chili order to arrive, locals load up on “cracker bombs,” made by splashing hot sauce over oyster crackers. Go figure. https://www.skylinechili.com

GRAETER’S ICE CREAM

Hand-crafted French Pot ice cream from Graeter’s can seduce even rigid dieters.

Flavorwise, black raspberry chocolate chip ranks first in popularity. I prefer the cookie dough chocolate chip because both chunks of cookie dough and chocolate manage to stay soft and chewable despite being encased in cold. Truth be told, it doesn’t really matter what you choose— black raspberry, cookie dough, salted caramel, Oregon strawberry, toffee chocolate chip, etc.—all of Graeter’s creamy, dreamy incarnations delight. https://www.graeters.com

GOETTA

Gotta try it. Developed in Cincinnati’s German community as a way to stretch a scant supply of sausage, Goetta (pronounced GET-uh), is a sort of cold meatloaf made of ground pork combined with steel-cut oats and seasonings. The loaf is sliced into thin patties and fried until crispy brown outside and melting rich inside. One can find goetta on menus at various diners and breakfast places throughout the city and folks can buy goetta to cook at home at most all Cincinnati supermarkets and grocery stores.

MONTGOMERY INN BBQ SAUCE

Although this famous thick and tangy wow of a sauce (tomato based with garlic, onions, molasses and spices) is sold in supermarkets and online, the very best place to try it is slathered over ribs at The Original Montgomery Inn and/or The Montogomery Inn Boathouse. Great ribs. Great sauce. Great fun.

UNITED DAIRY FARMERS MILKSHAKES AND MALTS

United Dairy Farmers (UDF) is a chain of convenience stores that started out selling dairy products in 1940 and, today, sports 170 outlets spread over three states, most selling gas. What UDFs have in luscious common is ice cream, with an emphasis on handmade milkshakes and old-fashioned malts. Although UDF’s classic strawberry shake took “best in the Buckeye State” honors, I say their chocolate malt ranks as my personal favorite. Go ahead. Try both. Make up your own mind. https://www.udfinc.co

HOLTMAN’S DONUTS

One photo is worth a thousand words. https://www.holtmansdonutshop.com

MAVERICK CHOCOLATE

Maverick’s co-founders, Paul and Marlene Picton, start from scratch in producing their prize-winning chocolate. Scratch means sourcing the beans from around the world, then taking every step necessary to turn the beans into luscious bars, truffles and drinking chocolate. I suggest visitors stop at the Maverick Chocolate Co. shop/factory in Findlay Market to sample and savor, although one can buy Maverick Chocolates online to devour at home—wherever in the world home is. (Oh the glory of online shopping!) https://maverickchocolate.com

Paul Picton

FINDLAY MARKET

In addition to Maverick Chocolates, Findlay Market merchants sell a rich variety of locally sourced, artisanal and speciality foods and craft products. Findlay is the oldest continuously operated public market in Ohio and well worth a visit. Best way to explore Findlay is on a Cincinnati Food Tour led by Barb Cooper. Barb makes sure her “clients” find and sample the best of the bounty. http://www.findlaymarket.org https://www.cincinnatifoodtours.com

Barb Cooper

MITA’S

If I could only choose one restaurant to try in the cornucopia of Cincinnati’s best, I would pick Mita’s. James Beard Nominated Chef Jose Salazar’s interpretation of Latin American and Spanish dishes shine in Mita’s pretty, casual, upscale dining room. Perhaps it’s the pitcher of white sangria that preceded my meal, but I loved everything I ordered from the freshest ever jicama and green mango salad to the octopus with potatoes and potato foam to the paella. https://www.mitas.co

Jose Salazar

JAPP’S BAR

The drinking crowd will find Japp’s Bar particularly interesting, primarily because it’s owned by the exuberant, colorful, delightful Molly Wellman, the Queen City’s recognized “queen of cocktails.” A historian, Molly whips up historic cocktails as well as contemporary craft concoctions. Although the bar is staggeringly good on its own, Molly adds a unique spirit that’s positively intoxicating.

Molly Wellman

HAPPY HOUR: UNION 30’S COMFORTABLY NUMB

So here is the way I was told to drink the Comfortably Numb cocktail served at Union 30, a restaurant located inside the smashing Hotel Saint Louis.

See that little bud sitting in a white dish at the side of the drink? It’s a Szechuan button flower. I was told to eat the button and then take a soothing sip of cocktail. Can’t believe I listened. That bud packs a whole lot of OMG-hot into a nibble.

Take a bite and your mouth feels hit by lighting—as if you stuck your tongue in an electrical outlet—as if you bit into a cherry bomb…no… make that a hand grenade. You grab the cocktail and gulp, then your mouth goes comfortably numb.

Truth be told, it’s not really the drink that eases the pain. It’s the button doing the damage and then the numbing. In some circles this crazy plant is known as the toothache plant due to the eventual numbing qualities when chewed.

When consumed together, the button and cocktail are no less than explosively enjoyable, agonizingly delightful and miserably marvelous. But just as the button can numb without the cocktail, two or three cocktail can make everything well…beautifully numb without the preceding pain. See for yourself. The Union 30 bartender gave me the recipe:

COMFORTABLY NUMB

Yield: one serving.

2 ounces Hendricks Gin

3/4 ounces St-Germain (elderflower liqueur)

3/4 ounce Curacao (orange-flavored liqueur)

1/2 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice

1/2 ounce white grape juice

1 Schezwan button flower

Put all ingredients except button in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Serve with the Schezwan button flower on the side.

¶ Posted 22 February 2019 † Susan Manlin Katzman § ACCOMMODATIONS § BEVERAGES § COCKTAILS § DRINKS § MISSOURI § RECIPES § RESTAURANTS § ST. LOUIS ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: cocktails, Comfortably Numb, Curacao, gin, Hotel Saint Louis, St-Germain, Szechuan button flower, Union 30 restaurant

HOTEL SAINT LOUIS, UNION 30 RESTAURANT AND FAMOUS BARR FRENCH ONION SOUP

St. Louis has a new hotel and it’s a stunner.

Believing hotels should be rated for not only guest comforts, but also capturing “a sense of place,” I’d rate Hotel Saint Louis a perfect 10. Well… make that 9-1/2 as it’s hard to find free parking. (A paid lot sits across the street and the hotel offers valet service.) Other than parking, Hotel Saint Louis delights on so many levels.

First is the building itself. The 14-story hotel is encased in the historic Union Trust Building designed by famed architect Louis Sullivan and constructed in 1893. As you know, Sullivan earned the name of both the “father of skyscrapers” and “father of modernism.” He mentored Frank Lloyd Wright and a hotel manager told me that Hotel Saint Louis was the last project that Wright worked on under Sullivan’s tutelage before going on his own.

The hotel serves as a shrine to Sullivan. Original windows and floors and stairways remain intact. Design elements copy Sullivan’s swirls and curls and other original features.

A commissioned portrait of Sullivan by artist Fern K. Taylor overlooks the sparkling lobby.

The rooftop bar is even named “FORM,” after Sullivans famous motto, “Form follows function.”

Unpretentious and unique, the Hotel Saint Louis combines the historic with the contemporary while it shines a spotlight on all things St. Louis. Portraits of Maya Angelou, Betty Grable, Josephine Baker and other St. Louis-connected personalities hang in conference and meeting rooms.

The 140 rooms (52 of them suites) wear every modern comfort, including luxury beds and linens plus bathrooms with huge walk-in shower/bath combinations, bidets and TV’s embedded in mirrors.

But best of all, the rooms offer opportunity for guests to sample some of St. Louis’ finest products.

The bathrooms stock St. Louis produced Barr Co bath products. The mini bars feature St. Louis favorites, including Bissingers (sigh!) chocolates.

A record player (manufactured by a St. Louis company) sits in every room accompanied by vintage records featuring musicians with a St. Louis connection.

But, to me, it’s the hotel’s Union 30 restaurant–serving breakfast, lunch and dinner–that most captures the hip, hot and historic spirit of St. Louis.

In addition to dynamite cocktails, incredible barbecue and delicious creative dishes (am thinking seared duck topping gluten-free waffles),

Seared Duck and Waffles

Chef Matt “Birk” Birkenmeier reincarnates favorite dishes from long-closed St. Louis restaurants. Menu items include: Al Baker’s Chop Salad, Busch’s Grove Cottage Fries and Famous Barr French Onion Soup.

Of course Birk adds his personal pizzazz to the vintage recipes, for example, serving the famous onion soup with tidbits of prime rib.

Here ya go with Matt’s old-fashion, updated recipe:

UNION 30’s FAMOUS BARR FRENCH ONION SOUP

Yield: 2 quarts soup or 8 one-cup servings.

3 pounds peeled and trimmed yellow onions

4 ounces butter

3/4 cup flour

2 tablespoons paprika

1-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

3 quarts beef broth

1 bay leaf

Salt

Caramel coloring or liquid browning sauce, optional

1 pound diced cooked prime rib

French bread croutons (See NOTE below )

Gruyere cheese, sliced

Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Parmesan cheese, grated

Slice onions into 1/8-inch thick rounds. Put butter in a large soup pot and melt over low heat. Add onions, toss in butter, and simmer over low heat, stirring often, for 1-1/2 hours.

Sprinkle onions with flour, paprika and pepper. Stir well to incorporate flour. Stir mixture over low heat for 10 minutes. Slowly stir in broth. Add bay leaf. Simmer soup for 2 hours. Remove bay leaf. Season to taste with salt. If necessary, adjust color to a rich brown with caramel coloring or liquid browning sauce. Cool and refrigerate overnight.

To serve: Add prime rib to soup. Ladle individual portions of soup into individual ovenproof bowls. Top with a crispy French bread crouton. Top crouton with a slice of Gruyere and then a generous sprinkling of Mozzarella and Parmesan. Place soup bowl under a hot broiler and broil until cheese melts and is golden brown.

NOTE: TO MAKE CROUTONS

One large French baguette

Butter

Salt

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Slice baguette into rounds, each about 1/4-inch thick. Spread butter on one side of each round and place rounds in a single layer on a baking sheet, buttered side up. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Place baking sheet in oven and toast until rounds are crispy and light golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Hotel Saint Louis is a Marriott Autograph Collection property, located on the corner of Seventh and Olive in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. It sits a short walk from Busch Stadium, The American Center Convention Complex and a slew of downtown St. Louis attractions.

For more information on St. Louis attractions and another treasured recipe (Gooey Butter Cake), click HERE. For more information on Hotel Saint Louis, click HERE.

¶ Posted 01 February 2019 † Susan Manlin Katzman § ACCOMMODATIONS § ARCHITECTURE § BARBECUE § CHEESE § MISSOURI § PRODUCTS § RECIPES § SOUPS § ST. LOUIS § TRAVEL § Uncategorized ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: barbecue, Famous Barr French Onion Soup, Fern K. Taylor, Hotel Saint Louis, Louis Sullivan, Matt "Birk" Birkenmeier, Missouri, St. Louis, Union 30 restaurant

DIVA DIAMOND MUSEUM, ANTWERP BELGIUM

Prepare for sparkle. Prepare for shine. Prepare for scandalous stories of courtesans and opera singers and movie stars. Prepare to be educated and entertained. Prepare for DIVA, a museum dedicated to diamonds, silver and other dazzling objects that opened in Antwerp, Belgium, in May, 2018.

Located in Antwerp’s historic city center, DIVA has already emerged as one of Antwerp’s most treasured tourist attractions for good reason.

Although showcasing about 600 items, the museum offers more than just displays for pass-by viewing. Dark lighting, creative staging, soundscapes, multimedia and interactive features plunge the visitor into the deep and delightful world of diamonds, showcasing the many facets of the diamond industry that has flourished in Antwerp since the mid-15th century.

Beautiful as they are, it’s not only objects that make DIVA so seductive. Visitors tour the museum guided by a variety of voices telling diamond-related stories that are mostly fictional, sometimes factual and always fascinating.

Sound tract narrator, Jérôme, a fictional butler serving a lady (also make believe) whose house the museum is said to represent, provides the verbal thread that ties the six themed galleries together.

Designers staged the first gallery as a Wunderkammer (or room of wonder that wealthy aristocrats of past centuries used for displaying collections). DIVA’s Wunderkammer showcases objets d’art collected from around the world.

The Atelier, or Workshop, comes second in the line of galleries and focuses on the art of diamond cutting, polishing and setting.

The third gallery, Trade, centered by a dramatic interactive globe, takes visitors through historic periods in Antwerp’s diamond industry, exploring trade routes and other aspects of the global business.

From Trade, visitors enter the intriguing Dining Room which reveals the evolution of silver table pieces as well as the etiquette and dining habits of rich and elite of centuries past.

In the full-size Vault, visitors find a fun, interactive array of information to test their own savvy about gemstone crime and security.

And the Boudoir, the final gallery, links diamonds with desire displaying objects associated with famous Divas.

Contemporary diva wannabes (and the selfie crowd) can end their visit by trying on virtual diamonds and posting the resulting images on social media.

In addition to galleries, the museum sports event space, a workshop, a library and two shops—the Museum shop, selling books, gadgets, curios and souvenirs (DIVA-brand gin among them) and the Silvius Druon jewelry store, offering a treasure trove of items including loose diamonds and diamond baubles ranging from €500 to €50,000.

More information on DIVA click HERE

For another top-notch Antwerp attraction click HERE

¶ Posted 10 January 2019 † Susan Manlin Katzman § ANTWERP § BELGIUM § MUSEUMS § SHOPPING § TRAVEL ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: Antwerp, Belgium, Diamonds, DIVA, Gemstones

10 THINGS TO LOVE ABOUT LONDON IN DECEMBER

CHRISTMAS DECOR. HERE. THERE. EVERYWHERE.

WARMING AND LINGERING AT LONDON’S TOP INDOOR ATTRACTIONS

MADAM TUSSAUDS

CHURCHILL WAR ROOMS

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM

THEATRE

THE DIVINE NATIONAL THEATRE

AFTERNOON TEA WITH A HOLIDAY THEME

Winter Wonderland Tea At The Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel

ONE-STOP CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

PUBS, PUB GRUB AND HAPPY PEOPLE

The Swan in Hammersmith and Bunch of Grapes on Knightsbridge

FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST

Breakfast At The Rubens At The Palace Hotel

POP UP ICE RINKS AND MERRY GO ROUNDS

Natural History Museum Ice Rink

COSY HOTEL ROOMS

A Sweet Suite At The Rubens At The Palace Hotel

MERINGUES, MARZIPAN AND ESPECIALLY MARSHMALLOWS

MERINGUES

MARZIPAN AND GLACÉ FRUIT

MARSHMALLOWS

Marshmallow Welcome Gift From The Rubens At The Palace Hotel

Sarah Houghting

Recipe supplied by Sarah Houghting, pastry chef of Rubens at the Palace hotel, London

Yield: Depends on size of pan and way of cutting.

A 9- by 13-inch pan will yield about 42 1-inch marshmallows.

Vegetable oil for coating pan and cutting knife

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup powdered sugar

3 packages (1/4 ounce each) powdered gelatin

1 cup water, divided

1-1/2 cups castor or superfine sugar (see NOTE below)

1 cup light corn syrup

Flavoring (see NOTE below)

Food color, optional

Coat bottom and sides of a metal, glass or ceramic pan with oil.

Sift cornstarch and powdered sugar into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle a generous amount of the cornstarch mixture in the oiled pan and swirl pan around to coat with mixture, knocking out excess back into the mixing bowl. Set prepared pan and bowl with remaining cornstarch mixture aside.

Put gelatin in a small glass bowl. Cover with 1/2 cup water and stir to dissolve gelatin. Set bowl aside to soften gelatin.

Put sugar, corn syrup and 1/2 cup water in a heavy 3- to 4- quart saucepan. Put saucepan over moderate heat and bring mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar completely dissolves. Put a candy thermometer into the boiling syrup and continue boiling without stirring, until thermometer registers 240°F. Remove saucepan from heat and set aside until the bubbles dissipate slightly.

Meanwhile, put gelatin in a microwave and heat for a few seconds to melt gelatin.

Scrape gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. With mixer on low speed, slowly pour hot syrup in a thin stream down the side of the bowl into the gelatin. Gradually increase the mixer speed to high and beat until the mixture is very thick, white in color and forms a thick ribbon when the beater is lifted, about 5 minutes. Beat in flavoring and color if desired.

With a spatula dipped in water or wet hands, transfer the marshmallow mixture to the prepared pan, spreading mixture evenly and smoothing top. (The mixture will be very thick and sticky. You may need to repeatedly wet the spatula and/or your hands to smooth marshmallow mixture evenly in pan.)

Set pan aside, uncovered, at room temperature, until marshmallows are set and no longer sticky, 4 hours to overnight.

Sprinkle a generous amount of reserved cornstarch mixture over a large cutting board. With a rubber spatula, release marshmallow from pan and invert onto cutting board.

Sprinkle top with a thick layer of cornstarch mixture.

Lightly oil a long sharp knife and dust with cornstarch mixture (or wet knife with water). Cut marshmallows as desired.

Working with a few at a time, put cut marshmallows in the bowl of the cornstarch mixture and toss to coal all sides. Transfer marshmallows to a sieve and shake off excess cornstarch mixture (can shake back into bowl for next go around).

Store marshmallows at room temperature in an airtight container, layered between sheets of wax or parchment paper, for up to 1 month.

NOTE: Castor sugar is a British term for superfine sugar. If you can’t find superfine sugar, you can whirl granulated sugar in a food processor or blender for a few seconds until the sugar is a cross between granulated sugar and powdered sugar.

NOTE: Marshmallows may be flavored and colored in a variety of ways. Here are a few suggestions:

Vanilla: Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

Peppermint: Add 1 teaspoon peppermint extract. To color peppermint marshmallows, add a few drops of red food color randomly onto top of marshmallow mixture in pan and pull table knife through food color to create a swirl pattern. Sprinkle top with crushed candy canes.

Green tea: Add 1 teaspoon green tea powder and a few drops of green food color.

Raspberry: Add raspberry oil or flavor concentrate to taste.

For more information:

Visit London

The Rubens at the Palace

Tea at The Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel

¶ Posted 12 December 2018 † Susan Manlin Katzman § ACCOMMODATIONS § BREAKFAST § CANDY § CHRISTMAS § DESSERTS § ENGLAND § GIFT GIVING § HOLIDAYS § LONDON § RECIPES § TRAVEL ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: Afternoon tea, Churchill War Rooms, England, London, Madam Tussauds, marshmallows, National Portrait Gallery, National Theatre, Natural History Museum, Rubens at the Palace hotel, The Chesterfield Mayfair, Victoria and Albert Museum

THE SPIRITS OF GULF SHORES & ORANGE BEACH ALABAMA

Beer? Okay.

Wine? Fine.

Cocktails? Now you’re talking.

Although beer and wine may float your boat, cocktails best capture the free-wheeling beach spirit of Gulf Coast Alabama. The coastal cup runneth over with bars and restaurants serving a staggering array of house-speciality cocktails, and although many raise the bar of pleasure, I’ll tell you about three favorites. (Will also include restaurant-provided recipes for those not lucky enough to be in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach to sample and savor in person.)

THE BUSHWACKER

I know. Locals claim Flora-Bama, a bar located on the Alabama-Florida border, is the best place to enjoy a Bushwacker, but I liked the one I devoured at the Sunliner Diner in Gulf Shores.

New in 2018, and wearing decor of the 1950s complete with a booth fitted into a 1952 Ford Sunliner convertible, the diner serves breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as a collection of knock-out ice-cream concoctions and desserts.

With an old-fashioned, apple-pie atmosphere, the Sunliner provides a wholesome environment for the kids to sugar-up on vanilla shakes while the adults down look-alike, rum-soaked Bushwackers. Life is sweet! (See NOTE below.)

THE QUEEN’S DOWERY

Fisher’s at Orange Beach Marina has a split personality, with both aspects worthy of praise. The Dockside downstairs serves casual food in an easy-going setting. Upstairs’ diners find elegant and refined food with decor to match. Of course, the bar Upstairs offers cocktails just as sophisticated as the food and setting, which brings me to The Queen’s Dowry. Bar manager Michael Gaona said he invented The Queen’s Dowry to capture the crisp flavors of fall. He makes the cocktail with Ketel One Grapefruit & Rose Vodka, a simple syrup that he infuses with a whisper of sage and Cave de Bissey Brut (Crémant de Bourgogne). Although Gaona specifies the sparkling wine used at Fisher’s, his recipe says any brut bubbles will do. Cheers! (See NOTE below.)

https://fishersobm.com

THE LOOPY LU

What can I say about Lulu’s Gulf Shores that hasn’t been said before—by me, (click HERE for more Sweet Leisure). Guess I could talk about the open air setting directly on the water, the fun beach activities, live music and the nachos, fried okra, tuna dip and “down-home” catch, such as crab claws and shrimp. Lulu’s serves family friendly food and crayon-colored adult-chummy cocktails.

I love the Loopy Lu, a grownup lemonade enhanced with both tequila and vodka. Happy days are here again! (See NOTE below.)

Marg=Margaritaville Last Mango Tequila/ Lemonx= Lemon-X Sour Mix (sweet and sour mix).

https://lulubuffett.com/gulf-shores/

NOTE: Drink responsibly. Don’t drink and drive. Appoint a designated driver. Take care. Don’t overload.

Click HERE for destination information.

¶ Posted 15 November 2018 † Susan Manlin Katzman § ALABAMA § BARS § BEACH § BEVERAGES § COCKTAILS § GULF SHORES § ORANGE BEACH ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: Alabama, Bushwacker, Fisher's at Orange Beach Marina, Gulf Shores, Loopy Lu, Lulu's Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Queen's Dowery, Specialty cocktails, Sunliner Diner

HOTEL LUTETIA ADDS SPARKLE TO THE CITY OF LIGHTS

Spoiled as it sounds, I would try to plan a trip to Paris every year on my birthday, so that I would look forward to aging. Now that I have ripened with multiple years of Paris pleasure I still crave the city. It just gets better and better.

The same could apply to Hotel Lutetia, an iconic Paris hotel built in 1910.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to stay at the Lutetia in its last incarnation, just before it closed for a four-year, 240-million-dollar renovation. I loved the hotel then and couldn’t imagine changing one inch of the Art Nouveau/Art Deco charisma. But the grande dame emerged from her revamp with much of her original glory intact plus a score of added enhancements to enchant.

Built in 1910 by the owners of Le Bon Marché department store to service shoppers, the Lutetia wraps around a corner in hyper-fashionable Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Always an icon of Parisian high-style, boho pizzazz, the hotel attracted the likes of Josephine Baker, Picasso, Matisse, James Joyce, Hemingway and countless other artists, writers, celebrities and statesmen (Charles de Gaulle honeymooned at the Lutetia).

The Lutetia also attracted the Germans, who in World War II requisitioned the hotel for their counter-espionage headquarters. Immediately after liberation, the Lutetia won a forever first-place in the hearts of Parisians by housing survivors of concentration camps and filling it’s lovely halls with posters of missing persons, thus becoming the city’s focal point for reunions and rejoicing.

Today’s Lutetia guests see the hotel in a new light—one that positively glimmers and glows. Skylights were installed, windows enlarged, a newly built interior courtyard captures and spreads sunshine. Great expanses of polished white marble add shimmering shine to public areas, enhancing the rich and plentiful cornucopia of natural light.

Whereas the lobby-floor corridor ceiling wears bright-white paint and twinkles with recessed spotlights reinforcing the daylight mode, upper-floor corridors are clad in dark eucalyptus wood and cocoon guests in a sedate evening glow as they walk to their rooms.

The “new” Lutetia sports 184 rooms, 47 of which are designated suites. My sweet suite on the fourth floor offered hotel heaven. Most startling, and what sets the Lutetia’s suites apart from other luxury hotels, is the view. Balcony windows overlook the flower-decked Square Boucicaut, the Bon Marche department store and the Eiffel Tower. I could watch the tower sparkle all through the night from my pillow on the super comfortable bed—or I could press a bed-side button and close the shades and sleep in the deep dark.

The room, decorated in shades of white, dark blue, and grey, held a large bed, a marble topped desk and chair, plus two chairs placed around a coffee table filled with welcome gifts (white hydrangeas, Champagne, chocolate pastries, a bowl of fruit).

Of course there was a coffee/tea/mini-bar station stocked to capacity, a separate closet/ luggage area and a large marble bathroom with separate toilet, shower and a tub big enough for two. The bathroom held white roses and an array of fragrant Hermès toiletries. Perfection!

Should one ever get the gumption to leave their room, the Lutetia offers choice places to enjoy.

The library stocked with coffee-table books.

A 7,500-square-food spa and wellness center.

A 55-foot-long indoor swimming pool.

A gym.

L’Orangerie

Although the Brasserie, for which the Lutetia has long been famed, has not yet reopened (think end of this year), people can enjoy an extravagant breakfast buffet in the peaceful, light-filled L’Orangerie.

The breakfast buffet in L’Orangerie

The Saint Germain

Breakfast, lunch and dinner is offered in the the Saint Germain, a living room-like dining room under a glass roof ceiling colorfully decorated by artist Fabrice Hyber.

Roasted cod, cranberry beans, zucchinis and yuzu lemon in a bed of foam served in the Saint Germain

Bar Joséphine (named for Josephine Baker) serves lunches, canapés, light dinners, coffee, tea pastries, and a choice of cocktails including the luscious house signature Rive Gauche (see recipe below).

Pleasure greets the eye wherever one looks at Hotel Lutetia. I loved the violin table made by sculptor Arman that sits in the reception area.

And all of the art and decorative details that fill both inside and outside of the hotel.

The Lutetia has it all—history, elegance and state-of-the-art comfort.

Yet despite the grand hotel designation, despite the importance to the city of Paris, despite the countless dignitaries and celebrities that have called it home and despite the upper-echelon pricing, Hotel Lutetia radiates non-pretentious, easy-going joie de vivre. I think it was Shakespeare who once wrote about the Lutetia: Age cannot wither her, Nor custom stale her infinite variety; Other hotels cloy the appetites they feed, but the Lutetia makes hungry where most she satisfies.

True for me. I stayed as an invited guest of the hotel, but if I only had money, I would let the Lutetia satisfy me the rest of my days.

THE RIVE GAUCHE

Yield: 1 serving.

40 ml St-Germain liquor

30 ml Guillotine vodka

20 ml homemade shrub flavored with citrus and celery (see NOTE below)

50 ml Perrier

70 ml Champagne

Combine all ingredients and pour into a tall glass over ice. Decorate glass with banana leaves, add sprigs of lemon grass and serve with a straw.

NOTE: You can buy ready made shrubs or make your own by macerating fresh fruit with sugar, straining the resulting syrup to remove solids and mixing the juice with Champagne vinegar (find recipes online).

Hotel Lutetia is part of The Set, a hotel brand with three distinctive properties. For more information about Hotel Lutetia click HERE. For information about The Set hotels, click HERE.

And for other Paris perks, see:

Les Cocottes de Christian Constant, HERE.

D’Chez Eux for perfect roast chicken, HERE.

Paris wine bars suggested by Noël Balen HERE.

Sightseeing suggestions by David Downie, HERE.

and all about a special little flea market at la Porte de Vanves, HERE.

¶ Posted 13 October 2018 † Susan Manlin Katzman § ACCOMMODATIONS § ART § BEVERAGES § COCKTAILS § DRINKS § ENTREES § FRANCE § PARIS § RECIPES § RESTAURANTS § SPAS § TRAVEL § Uncategorized ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: Bar Josephine, Cocktail Rive Gauche, France, Hotel Lutetia, L'Orangerie, Paris, Rive Gauche, Saint Germain

BEST FROZEN CUSTARD IN ST. LOUIS

Seemed like a great idea. Justify an overload of indulgent frozen custard gorging, by calling it a scientific experiment. We had four days, five researchers of varying ages and were in St. Louis—America’s ultimate frozen custard city, so we conducted a study following the classic six-step scientific method.

1. INITIAL OBSERVATIONS

St. Louis has a lot of frozen custard outlets.

2. QUESTION BASED ON THE OBSERVATION

Which outlet serves the best frozen custard in St. Louis?

3. HYPOTHESIS:

After taste testing all of the frozen custard outlets in St. Louis, we would discover the best and all gain weight.

4. THE EXPERIMENT

We traveled to as many outlets as possible in four days, bought vanilla ice cream cones (and other concoctions) and rated the custard on a scale of 1 to 5 in four different categories: texture, taste, density and meltability (could we consume the cone before losing the custard to drips on shirts).

5. COMPILING THE DATA AND DRAWING CONCLUSIONS

We traveled, bought, devoured, discussed and drew conclusions.

6. SHARING RESULTS

First, some disclaimers:

We only visited five places before running out of time and energy.

To validate our comparisons we all agreed to test plain vanilla custard, which we did at the first stop. At the second stop, a few researchers went off track: Someone ordered a butterfinger concrete with cookie dough (Maggie, how could you!) and another topped the plain vanilla with graham cracker crumbs, chocolate chunks and marshmallow sauce (I confess.).
The 10-year old decided to conduct a tangential experiment of his own, comparing not only vanilla custards, but also chocolate. Of course this necessitated ordering both chocolate and vanilla cones. (He’s a smart cookie headed for big things.)

By the third stop, we all tasted the vanilla custard plain—and then ordered toppings and mixtures we liked—call it double dipping—call it extravagant—call it divine.

So onto conclusions:

The kid said hands down that Ted Drewes had the best vanilla frozen custard in St. Louis. His mom (and probably 30,000 St. Louisans agreed). Ted Drewes produced a smooth, dense custard with a rich taste of egg and vanilla; the downside, said one researcher, was that the flavor dissipated slightly as one ate.

Maggie, the recent college graduate, declared the butterfinger concrete with cookie dough at Silky’s was better than any of the plain vanilla cones, but we disqualified Maggie as her research lacked validity—she only had the one concrete and no cones.

The Weight Watcher liked Mr. Wizard because he could have super huge cone due to the low calorie option.

My heart belonged to St. Louis Frozen Custard Factory’s dense, smooth, rich custard with a taste that remained to the last lick. And I liked the plain vanilla even without the incredible turtle-sundae topping of caramel, hot fudge and pecans.

Mojo, the poodle, liked everything.

Andy’s came in second or third choice for the majority of researchers, and all agreed that the custard melted too quickly and flavor was lighter than the other outlets, but still enjoyable.

In conclusion:

We could not agree on the very best—proving the proverbs: Different strokes for different folks. To each to his own. Everyone to their own tastes.

No one bothered testing the weight gain hypothesis.

All agreed that like any scientific study, the results must be repeatable, so we decided to repeat the research as often as possible.

Now for a recipe that can help you top any frozen-custard/ice cream tasting:

HOT FUDGE SAUCE

Yield: about 1-1/3 cups.

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1/4 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

Pinch salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan set over very low heat. When completely melted, stir in sugar, cream and salt. Raise heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, until sauce is smooth and all of the sugar has dissolved, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool slightly before serving.

IN THE STUDY:

Andy’s Frozen Custard (1600 S Hanley Rd)

Ted Drewes Frozen Custard (6726 Chippewa)

Mr. Wizard’s Frozen Custard and Yogurt (2101 S. Big Bend Blvd)

St. Louis Frozen Custard Factory (9420 Manchester Road)

Silky’s Frozen Custard (12810 Olive Blvd)

¶ Posted 22 August 2018 † Susan Manlin Katzman § BEST § CHOCOLATE § DESSERTS § FROZEN CUSTARD § MISSOURI § RECIPES § ST. LOUIS § TRAVEL § Uncategorized ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: Andy's Frozen Custard, Frozen Custard, Hot Fudge Sauce, Missouri, Mr. Wizard's, Silky's Frozen Custard, St. Louis, St. Louis Frozen Custard Factory, Ted Drewes

MAMMOTH EATING IN MAMMOTH LAKES, CALIFORNIA

Mammoth Lakes offers vast opportunities for outdoor activities. The Sierra Nevada Mountains provide a winter wonderland for skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling. The Lake Basin supplies majestic lakes for fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking and swimming. And the entire region is a scenic playground for hiking, biking, camping, photography and exploring nature.

But as divine as all these outdoor activities are, I like Mammoth’s ever-indulgent indoor activities best. I’m talking about eating and drinking. For a town of only about 8,000 inhabitants, the locally run food and beverage outlets positively bulge with tasty pleasures.

If you only have one day to sample the glory, I suggest enjoying:

Breakfast at STELLAR BREW & NATURAL CAFE, a popular coffee shop selling coffee, tea, protein shakes, juices, breakfast and lunch—all with a locally sourced, natural and organic focus. As it happens, I would trade all of the nutrition on the menu for a large cup of dark brewed coffee and a giant, crunchy, sugar- and butter-packed cookie that is rich enough to give a nutritionist apoplexy just reading the ingredient list. Owner Andrea Walker gave Sweet Leisure the following recipe; it produces a somewhat similar, and equally delicious, version of her famous homestead cookies.

Lunch has to be at BLEU MARKET & KITCHEN, an upscale organic-focused grocery store/bakery/deli/restaurant/bar & lounge/take-out/catering facility. I’d have Bleu pack a box lunch for a picnic and/or would eat in the cool dining room loading up on protein-packed sandwiches on just baked bread and kale quinoa salad. Even those who say they don’t like kale, love the salad—it’s that good. See for yourself as Bleu’s owners, Theresa and Brandon Brocia, generously shared their recipe below.

Theresa and Brandon Brocia

Afternoon snacks producing mammoth sugar highs can be had at MAMMOTH FUN SHOP, an ice cream parlor, candy counter and novelty shop specializing in toys, juggling paraphernalia and souvenirs. Although all is lusciously decadent, it’s the super-duper vertical banana split called The Baked Gorilla that grabbed my heart.

Don’t have a sweet tooth? Into breweries? Then head to BLACK DOUBT BREWING COMPANY, a nano-brewery with a cool assortment of ever-changing small batch brews. An afternoon of flights will have you flying high. (Don’t drive!)

Cocktail Time belongs to SHELTER DISTILLING, a sleek and sophisticated facility that distills spirits, brews beer and serves a spirited sampling of both (food is on the menu as well). Favorite cocktail: The Eastside Retreat. Printed two recipes below. The first is for folks who believe one is never enough and the second for people who savor the solo.

Dinner restaurants abound. My personal favorite is PETRA’S BISTRO & WINE BAR, a justly popular place serving a contemporary American menu with 30 wines by the glass and many more by the bottle. The duck confit rocks and the salmon comes grilled to perfection.

STELLAR BREW’S GIANT HOMESTEAD COOKIES

Yield: 10 large cookies.

4 cups shredded coconut

2 cups flour

1 cup whole oats

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2-1/4 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs

Heat oven to 375°F.

Combine coconut, flour, oats, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a medium-size mixing bowl. Set bowl aside.

Put butter in a large mixing bowl. Add sugars and vanilla and beat with an electric mix until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in coconut mixture.

Cover baking sheets with parchment paper.

Roll a tennis ball-size portion of dough into a ball and put on parchment paper covered baking sheet. Either flatten ball by hand or top with another sheet of parchment paper and, with a rolling pin, roll dough into a 1/4-inch thick circle. Repeat, placing dough circles well apart on baking sheets.

Put baking sheet in preheated 375°F oven and bake until cookies are light golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Cool on a rack before removing from parchment paper.

BLEU’S KALE QUINOA SALAD

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

1 cup quinoa

Water

6 cups finely chopped kale, stems removed

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 garlic cloves, minced

1-1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons honey

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Put quinoa in a large strainer and rinse under cold running water until water is clear. Transfer rinsed quinoa to a 2-quart saucepan. Add 2 cups water bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn heat to low and put lid on pan. Simmer until water is absorbed and grains appear translucent and germ ring is visible along edge of grain, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Put kale in a large salad bowl. With a fork, fluff quinoa and add to kale. Add sunflower seeds and raisins. Set bowl aside.

Make dressing: put oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper and honey in a medium bowl and whisk until well blended. Pour dressing over kale mixture. Toss well with two large spoons. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

SHELTER DISTILLING’S EASTSIDE RETREAT

Yield: 50 cocktails.

Yield: one cocktail.

1-1/2 ounces gin (Gin the Third from Shelter Distilling)

1 ounce cucumber juice (make in a juicer)

1/2 ounce simple syrup infuse with mint

1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice

Slice of cucumber

Combine all ingredients and pour into a glass over ice. Garnish with cucumber.

For more information about Mammoth Lakes, see: VisitMammoth.com.

¶ Posted 04 August 2018 † Susan Manlin Katzman § ACCOMMODATIONS § BARS § BEVERAGES § BREAKFAST § BRUNCH § BRUSSELS SPROUTS § CALIFORNIA § COCKTAILS § COFFEE § COOKIES § DESSERTS § DRINKS § MAMMOTH LAKES § RECIPES § RESTAURANTS § SIDE DISHES § TRAVEL § VEGETABLES ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: Black Doubt Brewing, Bleu Market, California, COFFEE, Gin the Third, Homestead cookies, kale, Kale salad, Mammoth Fun Shop, Mammoth Lakes, Petra's Bistro & Wine Bar, quinoa, Shelter Distilling, Stellar Brew

SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE FROM ZINGERMAN’S BAKEHOUSE

For many years I’ve been trying to score the recipe for Zingerman’s best selling Sour Cream Coffee Cake. I’ve flashed my press credentials and requested the recipe at both Zingerman’s Deli and Zingerman’s Bakeshop in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with no luck. (Well that’s not exactly true. I did feel extremely lucky that Zingerman’s shared a recipe for their second best seller—the absolutely divine Hot Cocoa Coffee Cake which I published on Sweet Leisure in 2011. (Recipe HERE.)

But it makes hungry where most it satisfies, and I reasoned that if second best was so incredibly delicious, then I had to get Sweet Leisure cooks the first-best, most-favorite, top-seller Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipe. But no matter how much I begged, cajoled and pleaded, the recipe remained secret.

Until now.

In honor of the artisanal bakery’s 25 anniversary, Zingerman’s released it’s first ever cookbook and it’s a stunner.

ZINGERMAN’S BAKEHOUSE cookbook, fills 255 pages with interesting food and business-related stories, seductive photos, and best of all, 65 well-tested recipes including one for the Sour Cream Coffee Cake and a variation, Lemon Poppy Seed Coffee Cake. HALLELUJAH!

Trust me, no matter if you are a professional baker or first-time cook, you will want this cookbook.

ZINGERMAN’S BAKEHOUSE by Amy Emberling & Frank Carollo. Photographs by Antonis Achilleos. Chronicle Books/October 2017. Hardcover/$29.95. To order the book from Amazon click HERE. (As an Amazon Associate, I earn the big bucks if you order with this link.)

And just to tide you over until ZINGERMAN’S BAKEHOUSE recipes for cakes, breads, pizzas, doughnuts, stollens, crackers, biscuits, bagels, baguettes, brownies, cookies and the best of the best of the luscious life lands in your kitchen, here’s Zingerman’s treasured cake recipe:

SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE

(Recipe from Zingerman’s Bakehouse by Amy Emberling and Frank Carollo)

Photo by Antonis Achilleos

Yield: 9-inch [23-cm] bundt cake.

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (132 g) walnut halves

3 tablespoons (41 g) packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 cups (395 g) granulated sugar

1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, room temperature

3 large eggs

3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons (227 g) sour cream

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2-1/3 cups (336 g) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F [165°C]. Spray a 9-in [23-cm] Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray, coat with flour, and set aside.

2. Toast the walnuts on a sheet tray for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they’re a deep golden brown. After they are done, turn the oven down to 300°F [150°C].

3. In a small bowl, mix together the toasted walnuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.

4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and butter. Cream by hand or with the paddle attachment of an electric mixer on medium speed. Mix until the color lightens. Add the eggs, one at a time, creaming thoroughly after each egg until the mixture is homogeneous. Add the sour cream and vanilla. Mix briefly until light and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated.

5. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate medium bowl. Mix to combine. Add the flour mixture gradually to the creamed mixture and mix by hand or with a mixer on low speed until smooth and homogeneous.

6. Scoop one-third of the batter into your prepared pan. Smooth it evenly over the bottom of the pan with a spoon. Sprinkle one-half of the nut mixture evenly over the batter. Cover with another third of the batter. Smooth it evenly over the nut mixture and to the edges of the pan. Sprinkle the remaining nut mixture evenly over the batter. Spread the remaining batter evenly over the nut mixture.

7. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes. Do not leave the cake in the pan for much longer than this. The brown sugar in the nut filling might stick to the sides of the pan and make it difficult to release the cake.

8. Put a wire cooling rack on top of the Bundt pan and then invert the pan to release the cake. Cool to room temperature before eating.

Storage: This cake is so rich that it keeps very well at room temperature for at least two weeks, if wrapped well. It also freezes nicely. Wrap it carefully in plastic wrap and then put it in a plastic freezer bag or airtight container. It will hold well for up to three months in your freezer