Where's Lori K?

I haven't dropped off the face of the earth, just have had WAY too many non-food responsibilities on my plate. And now we're expecting another snow dump, so I'll be tied up for another few days with no time to write. Hang in there, and check back in a week or so. In the meantime, check out Vivace if you're in Charlottesville; we had an excellent Restaurant Week dinner there (their tiramisu is especially light and a perfect complement to the well-thought-out entrees there).

And I can't wait to try out the Meyer Lemon Pudding Cakes from this month's Good Housekeeping, but it'll be at least Monday before I can bake.

California tried to come here...

... but didn't quite make it. A friend made a special effort to ship my favorite olive oil to me, even going to the Sunday farmers market under the freeway in Sacramento to buy it from the grower, but the box arrived yesterday minus its bottle. There's a reason "Thou shalt not steal" made it into the top 10 of the commandments, and I'm sure the oil won't completely calm the waters of its thief''s roiling conscience. To read a review of the missing oil, click here.

And for those of you in or visiting Southern California soon, be sure to check out a very interesting exhibit at Heath Ceramics in Los Angeles. Clare Crespo has created an entire Mardi Gras feast with yarn versions of seafood gumbo, beignets and café au lait, king cake, catfish po’ boy, and more. Her oysters are pictured here.

The show’s opening is on Feb. 6 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Heath, featuring complimentary Abita beer and other pre-Fat Tuesday offerings.

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Birthday thoughts

As I joyously watched a few candles burn brightly, lights of delight that were mere representatives of my true age, I pondered why cake became the dessert of celebration.

Of course, candles can go on almost anything, as they did on my pot de creme I had for lunch, or on the bagel pictured here.

But cake reigns. "That takes the cake." "Let them eat cake." "It was a cakewalk." And although I didn't eat (much) of the cakes that were presented in my honor, I enjoyed watching the children who come to St. Paul's community dinners each Wednesday eagerly await their slices, and the adults after them.

And I am constantly amazed at the quality and variety of the dishes that Iris and Tony Potter provide each week, good wholesome meats and vegetable dishes, that the church offers as a gift to the community (but donations are joyfully accepted). It is a great way to meet people and catch up with their lives.

Pizza at the Crossroads

Photo from doctorhos humblepie.com

If you're ever south of Charlottesville on Highway 29, don't pass up that brightly white-lit shopping center at the corner of 29 and Plank Road in North Garden. Off at the end of the 29 North side you'll find Dr. Ho's Humble Pie. It's just about as humble as the rock group of the same name.

It's a pizzeria, yes, but has a full service menu and bar. One inside, you'll forget you are in a shopping center, with its walls of wood covered in posters, photos, Grateful Dead memorabilia, bumper stickers and you-name-it. The waitstaff are all heavily tattooed - at least all the women that were working there last night were. OK, let's not mince words: It looks like a dive.

But the food is definitely upscale. The soup of the day was leek, and the pizza special, which we ordered, came with roasted tomatoes, shaved country ham and fresh mozzarella on a delicious rustic crust, topped with a huge mound of baby arugula and big squares of Parmesan. The large size was more than enough to feed three hungry skiers and a friend, and we were so full that we couldn't possibly squeeze in one of the very enticing desserts listed on the chalkboard. The restaurant says it uses mostly ingredients from local providers and food artisans.

We'll be back!

When is a dessert not a dessert?

When the dessert includes the words "sweetbreads," "parsnip custard" or "dragon's breath popcorn."

GQ magazine, what were you thinking?

You can see the slideshow here.

Photo from Schwa restaurant, Chicago; slideshow by Alan Richman.

Underrated Mexican beers

Maybe the title of this post should be "Under-distributed Mexican beers" - because those of us who have tasted them have enjoyed them, but we find few other beer lovers who have any idea what we are talking about.

But there's new hope for a more widespread distribution of Noche Buena (my favorite Christmas beer, with the little poinsettia on the label) and Indio (Jim's favorite that he had feared had passed into oblivion): Heineken is buying up their parent company, Femsa (see the New York Times story, here).

Or will the corporate gorilla just focus on two or three most profitable brands and ditch the rest, so that even in Mexico we will be deprived of our favorite brews? Time will tell.

Eat Food - a rule to live by?

Had to share this clip from Jon Stewart's "Daily Show":

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Michael Pollan
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