Remember California Cuisine?

Last minute gift suggestions. Vintage menus. And a recipe.

Trolling through a box of old papers, I came upon this picture of Hiro Sone in 1983, along with a menu from Terra, the Napa Valley restaurant he and his wife Lissa Doumani ran for thirty years. Hiro’s one of my favorite chefs, and I was curious about what he was cooking when they opened in 1988. And here it is:

Hiro was the original chef at Spago Tokyo before moving to the Los Angeles restaurant. A pioneer in folding international flavors from the four corners of the world into his dishes, it’s interesting that he was already adding Thai curries, Middle Eastern tahini, and Japanese miso into what was then being called “California Cuisine.”

Somewhere I have a great video of Hiro sharpening a dull knife on the bottom of a ceramic plate. Since I can’t find that, I offer this video of Hiro and Lissa demonstrating how to make sushi at home.

In the same folder I found the considerably less adventurous menu from La Petite Chaya, which was on what was, at the time, an extremely untrendy stretch of Hillhurst Avenue in Los Angeles.  (That restaurant is long gone, but there are still a few Chayas in California.)

And finally I unearthed this fascinating artifact from eighties Los Angeles, courtesy of Bipin Desai, Professor of Physics and internationally renowned wine collector.  Where I got this I have no idea….

Salted Caramel Bourbon Sauce

It's the day before Christmas and you’ve suddenly realized you're behind on your shopping. It's too late for mail order and you've no time to go to the store. What to do?

Got ten minutes?  Then you can make this terrific sauce that requires nothing obscure in the way of ingredients.  (If you have no Bourbon, you can substitute Scotch, Cognac or Armagnac - or simply leave it out altogether. )

One suggestion: Before you begin, read David Leibowitz’s wonderful post on making caramel, here. Caramel can be tricky, and it will save you a lot of trouble down the line.

And another: Use a larger pot than you think you'll need.  I use a 5 1/2 quart casserole. Trust me - it makes everything easier.

Cut 3/4 of a stick of the best butter you can get your hands on into small pieces and put that next to the stove.  Let half a cup of heavy cream come to room temperature. Stir in a couple of tablespoons of Bourbon.  Now pour a cup of sugar in an even layer into a large, heavy, light-colored pot and watch it melt over moderate  heat. When it begins to liquify around the edges begin stirring with a spatula, watching carefully. When it is completely liquid, has turned a deep copper color, and is just on the edge of smoking, stir in the butter until it is completely incorporated into the sugar. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream mixture.  It will hiss and sizzle and generally act nasty. Ignore it  - this is the nature of caramel - and whisk until you have a smooth sauce. Add a generous quarter teaspoon of coarse salt (or a bit more if you've used unsalted butter).

This is great on just about everything, and it will keep for a month or so in the refrigerator. (Rewarm the sauce in the microwave for a minute before serving.) Divided into half cup portions and poured into pretty jars, it will make three friends very happy.

This is me heading into dinner at Noma with Laurie Ochoa, Nancy Silverton and Kate Krader. We’d just come from a fascinating session about sustainability at the restaurant’s charitable arm, MAD. (Mad is the Danish word for food.)

I donate to many food and hunger charities, and I’m sure you do too: my favorites include World Central Kitchen, City Meals on Wheels, Share Our Strength, and Food and Environment Reporting Network. Mad is a bit different: dedicated to helping the restaurant community contribute to the health of the planet and improving the lives of those who work in food, it’s all about the future. I’m also a big fan of The Lee Initiative, which does similar work in the United States.

The Covid crisis was a wake-up call that reminded us all not only how much we love restaurants - but also what a vital part they play in our food landscape. If you like going out to eat you might want to consider helping the restaurant industry become more equitable and sustainable.