Tag Archives: dessert

April 9, 2009 · 1:24 pm

Rum Cake

I rarely make desserts. I don’t bake cookies over the holidays or even like sweets all that much. Every few years I’ll make a tasty bread pudding with whiskey cream, using the last of the Glenmorangie Scotch I’ll have brought back from Scotland (while visiting my family). I know I can buy Glenmorangie here in the U.S., but there’s something about my dad tucking it in my overstuffed suitcase, the night before I’m heading home, that makes it more special.

There is one little cake that I do make each and every year, and that would be the classic Bacardi Rum Cake (I KNOW, more alcohol!). My sister and I loved when our grandma would make it for the holidays, because it was so “grown-up” tasting with the aromatic Bacardi glaze.

I’ve always called my version “Spring Rum Cake” because I top it with powdered sugar and pretty edible flowers. My husband Peter loves when I surprise him with it every year, and instead of dessert he likes it in the morning with coffee.

This Sunday is Easter and I’ll be making it over the weekend for sure. Luckily for me, my good friend Afaf recently gave me a gorgeous bottle of Depaz Blue Cane Rum, so I’ll use that instead of the classic Bacardi. The recipe is super easy and always a crowd pleaser.

Rum Cake Ingredients:
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 18 ½ oz pkg butter cake mix
1 pkg Vanilla Pudding
4 eggs
½ cup cold water
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup of your favorite dark Rum

Glaze Ingredients:
1 stick of butter
¼ cup of water
1 cup sugar
½ cup dark Rum

Topping:
1 Package of Edible Flowers
Powder Sugar

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Nonstick spray bundt pan
Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan
Mix all cake ingredients together
Mix on high for one minute.
Poor batter over nuts.
Bake 1 hour

Meanwhile make Glaze:
Melt butter in saucepan.
Stir in water and sugar.
Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Off the heat, carefully stir in the rum.

After removing cake from oven, cool in pan then invert onto a serving plate.

Using a toothpick or fork, prick holes on top for glaze.

Next, drizzle glaze over top of cake. Go slowly so the glaze sinks in the cake.

Add powdered sugar and arrange fresh flowers on top.

Mentioned above:

Note: The lovely “Sunflower” cake pan I use can be purchased on Amazon

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Filed under Recipes

Tagged as bacardi, breakfast, brunch, cake, celebration, classic, coffee, dessert, easter, family, get-together, holiday, holidays, rum, Sweet, walnuts

March 9, 2009 · 11:12 pm

Riva Restaurant

On those very rare occasions when Peter and I have pizza delivered, we either argue over the type of crust to get, or simply order separate pizzas. Peter likes classic “hand-tossed” crust and I prefer a thin crust because it’s less filling, and I admit…. I just care more about the toppings.

When Pizzeria Mozza opened a couple of years ago, we finally found that one pizza that we could agree on and actually enjoy together. Nancy Silverton’s pizza crusts are thick enough on the outside for Peter, yet thin enough on the inside so I don’t feel overwhelmed by dough.

We first went to Pizzeria Mozza on Christmas Eve in 2006, and have tried every pizza on the menu since then. Mozza’s “Gorgonzola, Fingerling Potato and Rosemary” is the one we return to again and again. It’s a real shame they don’t deliver.

Last friday we were invited to dinner by Peter’s friends, Barbara and John. They were in town, from Seattle, looking at colleges with their two teenage kids, Corey and Claire. Peter asked me to make a dinner reservation in Santa Monica (near their hotel) so I decided on Riva restaurant. We hadn’t been to Jason Travi’s Italian eatery yet, so after I made the reservation I started researching the menu online.

The L.A. Times noted that Riva’s menu “plays off the cuisine of the Italian Riviera” and serves delicious crudo (Italian style “sashimi”). I was surprised to read that they don’t serve pasta, but Riva does specialize in pizza. I found several good reviews about the pork lovers pizza called “Molto Maiale”, but it’s when I started reading about the “Patate Semplice” pizza that I began feeling well…. a little guilty. It’s made with potato, rosemary, fontina and sea salt, which sounded very similar to our favorite pizza at Mozza. Should we even try Riva’s potato pizza, or would it be like cheating on Nancy? It took almost fifteen years of “crust fighting” to find a pizza that my husband I both love, so maybe it was best not to test fate by bringing in a new player.

I know what you’re thinking. “It’s JUST PIZZA… GET OVER IT”.

Well, we did… and both of us absolutely loved the Riva potato pizza. To me, the crust seemed a little lighter than Mozza’s version, and the topping was almost custard-like underneath the potato. It was velvety rich and so cheesy that I had to eat it with a fork.

The other pizza we ordered was (of course) the “Molto Maiale” which was topped with sausage, meatballs, pancetta and bacon. After a few bites, we were all in pig heaven.

The L.A. times said it best: “While Pizzeria Mozza still rules, Riva is closing in, and here at least you can get a reservation”.

What we ate:

Patate Semplice Pizza (potato, rosemary, fontina, sea salt) $14

Molto Maile Pizza (Sausage, Bacon, Meatballs, Pancetta, Caramelized Onion, Tomato) $17

Molto Maile Pizza (Sausage, Bacon, Meatballs, Panceetta, Caramelized Onion, Tomato) $17

Crudo: DELICIOUS cured belly of ocean trout with house made mustard. $9

Chef Jason Travi

Chef at the pizza oven

Pastry Chef Miho Travi is a dessert goddess…

Torta Della Nonna (grandma’s cake) served with roasted pears, caramel ice cream $10

Ricotta Fritters served with catalan cream foam $9

Sorbetti e Gelati Trio $8

More photos on Flickr

Riva Restaurant
312 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica
(310) 451-7482
RivaRestaurantLA.com

Dining date: 3/6/09
Thanks Barbara and John, for a wonderful dinner at Riva!

Mentioned Above:
L.A. Times Review of Riva

Filed under Eating Out

Tagged as angeles, Bacon, beach, blogger, bloggers, california, casual, Chef, critic, crudo, dessert, desserts, food, food blog, food bloggers, food blogs, gelato, gourmet, irene, italian, jason, jo, la, los, los angeles, Maile, Meatballs, mediterranean, miho, Molto, monica, my last bite, mylastbite, new, Pancetta, pastry, Patate, pig, pizza, pork, potato, restaurant, revolution, Ricotta Fritters, riva, S., santa, sausage, seafood, Semplice, sorbet, Sorbetti e Gelati Trio, times, Torta Della Nonna, travi, trio, VIRBILA

February 20, 2009 · 3:23 pm

The Bazaar by José Andrés [4]

I think it’s perfectly fitting that my fourth visit to the Bazaar by José Andrés, came just a few days before the L.A. Times awarded the restaurant FOUR stars. I don’t have a rating system on MyLastBite, but if I did… I would give the Bazaar a TEN (out of ten).

Since the very first night the restaurant opened (I was there), I’ve been telling everyone about this “gift” that Jose Andres has given to L.A. I know times are tough, but if you can afford to eat out once in awhile and haven’t been to the Bazaar yet, then make a reservation now. Your spirits (and taste-buds) will be quickly lifted, and you’ll feel good that you did something nice for yourself.

I love the Bazaar so much that I find myself berating friends who haven’t been there yet. These are friends who eat out once or twice a week and just haven’t “gotten around to it”. I want to shake them and scream “Do you have ANY idea what you are missing?”. Thanks to S. Irene Virbilia (L.A. Times Restaurant Critic), maybe now they’ll finally go experience the magic for themselves.

The Bazaar is not just a “special occasion” restaurant, although on this fourth visit we went to celebrate my nephew Cody’s birthday. Each time we go to the restaurant, Peter and I make sure to take family or friends, because it’s such an awesome experience to share with people you love… especially if you are celebrating something (or someone) special!

What we ate:

Of course, we started the evening with my favorite… the Foie Gras Cotton Candy! Bites of foie gras rolled in crushed corn nuts then wrapped in cotton candy. My nephew Cody and his girlfriend Jade loved them! $5

Caviar Cones with Crème Fraîche $8

Nitro Caipirinha $20

Making the Nitro Caipirinha (cachaça and lime) made with Liquid Nitrogen

“Not Your Everyday (Winter) Caprese” (Molecular Liquid Mozzarella Balls)$12

Steamed Crab Buns with Pickled Japanese Cucumber $15

”Just Shrimp Cocktail: Yea Right” $12

Alitas de pollo: Boneless chicken wings with green olive puree $9. These were so good, we ordered seconds!

Chef Marcel Vigneron brought this special dish to our table. I can’t remember what is was called, but it was filled with mushrooms and topped with freshly shaved truffles. A wonderful treat… THANKS CHEF!!

truffles, lovely truffles!