A Visit to Aubergine at L’Auberge Carmel

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Executive Chef Justin Cogley in the kitchen of Aubergine at L'Auberge Carmel.

Executive Chef Justin Cogley in the kitchen of Aubergine at L’Auberge Carmel.

Justin Cogley’s first career may have been as a professional figure skater with “Disney on Ice.”

But these days, you can find him spinning circles around haute cuisine as executive chef of Aubergine at L’Auberge Carmel.

Cogley, who started his culinary career working at Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago, developed a passion for fine food and wine as his skating career took him all over Asia, Australia and Europe. At Aubergine, a jewel-box of a restaurant in Carmel-by-the-Sea, he’s so dazzled diners that he was even named one of Food & Wine magazine’s “Best New Chefs 2013.”

He’s all about local ingredients, even going diving with his cooks to gather their own seaweed for beautifully composed dishes.

Late this summer, I had a chance to experience his skills when I was invited as a guest to stay overnight at the inn and enjoy dinner.

The inn is situated in the heart of the charming village.

The inn is situated in the heart of the charming village.

Housed in a three-story, European-style building constructed in 1929, the charming inn features 20 guest rooms set around a brick courtyard with a bubbling fountain and plenty of patio chairs for lounging.

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Meet Chef Bradley Ceynowa of Pizza Antica and the Food Gal at Macy’s Valley Fair

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MacysCeynowaDemo

Are you a fan of Brussels sprouts?

Well, even avowed Brussels sprouts haters have been known to fall head over heels for Pizza Antica’s magnificent warm Brussels sprouts salad with bacon, hard-cooked eggs and caramelized onions.

Learn how to make this best-selling dish for your own holiday guests when I host a cooking demo with Chef Bradley Ceynowa of Pizza Antica at 6 p.m. Nov. 20 at Macy’s Valley Fair in Santa Clara.

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Beef Cheeks, Baby!

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Happiness is beef cheeks -- cooked until tender as can be.

Happiness is beef cheeks — cooked until tender as can be.

 

I’ve found a new love.

Its name is beef cheeks.

Oh sure, for the longest time, I’d had a torrid love affair with short ribs, my favorite cut of meat for its unabashed tenderness.

But what can I say? Beef cheeks have that going on and more.

Braised for hours, their toughness gives way to pure unadulterated lushness. Best yet, they don’t have bones like short ribs nor any bits of fat and sinew left even after long cooking. They’re just succulent meat through and through.

It used to be that I could only enjoy these at restaurants. But now that Prather Ranch has started selling its primo, sustainable meats in the South Bay at farmers markets in Santa Clara and Campbell, they’re easy to come by.

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Clear Skies with A Chance of Great Chicken at the New Fog City

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Chef Bruce Hill cutting up a chicken cooked with his patented method at Fog City.

Chef Bruce Hill cutting up a chicken cooked with his patented method at Fog City.

 

Fog City Diner has a most storied past in San Francisco.

Long ago, the establishment nourished sailors before they shipped out to do battle in World War II. Then in 1985, Chef Cindy Pawlycn opened the doors there to what was then called Fog City Diner, serving up burgeoning California cuisine in the shiny Airstream-like restaurant.

A month ago, after an extensive remodel by owners Bill Higgins and Bill Upson, it reopened with veteran Chef Bruce Hill at the helm. It jettisoned the “diner” to become just Fog City.

The whimsical artwork on one wall.

The whimsical artwork on one wall.

With Hill’s vast experience as co-owner also of Bix, Picco, Pizzeria Pico and Zero Zero, it’s no surprise that the restaurant charged out of the gate with an impressive showing, as evidenced by the media dinner I was invited to there the week it opened. All around me, booths were crowded and seats at the bar filled with patrons enjoying specialty cocktails such as the gingery “Inside Job” (James E. Pepper Rye, Nocino, Orgeat, ginger shrub and lemon; $11).

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Cozy Up To These Pumpkin Rolls

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The orange tint of these rolls comes from -- what else -- pumpkin.

The orange tint of these rolls comes from — what else — pumpkin.

 

These are called “Pumpkin Cozy Rolls” for a reason.

The dough is so downright pillowy to the touch, you’ll be hard pressed not to lay your head on it to take a nap.

The recipe is from the new “Choosing Sides” (Andrews McMeel), of which I received a review copy. Food writer Tara Mataraza Desmond has crafted this cleverly named cookbook that’s perfect for this time of year — when you’re scratching your head for new side dishes to add pizazz to your holiday table.

The book includes 130 recipes for breads, salads, veggie dishes, grains and stuffings. The directions are detailed and even include suggestions for main courses to pair each side with.

ChoosingSides

With Halloween here tomorrow, I couldn’t help but be thinking of pumpkins.

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