Blog of award-winning authors
KAREN PAGE &
ANDREW DORNENBURG
2013

Named one of GourmetFood.About.com's "Top 10 Food Blogs"

Named one of The Fifty Best Links for Epicureans

Named to MUG 400 for "distinctive contribution to life in New York"

"Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page monitor the pulse of the food world like nobody's business. There's a fantastic database of restaurant reviews, too."
— Babbo pastry chef Gina DePalma

"Page and Dornenburg also write one of the most informative and engaging food/wine blogs on the planet. Check it out."
— Bestselling author Michael Gelb

"If you asked me what I came into this world to do,
I will tell you: I came to live out loud."
— Critic and novelist Emile Zola (1840-1902)

"There is nothing under the sun better for man than to eat, drink, and be merry. Go, therefore, eat your bread with joy and drink your wine with cheer.”
— Ecclesiastes 8:15

Looking for a more current update?
Follow us at www.twitter.com/karenandandrew

"Twitter's Top 10 Wine Gurus...@KarenAndAndrew."
—Phil Butler, Argophilia.com (January 23, 2013)

"Who to follow: Authors Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page obsess over food and wine."
—Tara Q. Thomas, Wine & Spirits magazine (Fall 2009)

Mashable

"Tasty Tweets: 55+ Foodies to Follow on Twitter....@KarenAndAndrew — Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg are the authors of numerous books, most recently THE FLAVOR BIBLE, winner of the 2009 James Beard Award. Their tweets talk about their books, food commentary, and interesting links."
—Cameron Chapman, Mashable.com (August 13, 2009)

"9 Famous Foodies to Follow on Twitter. Hungry for some tasty tweets? The culinary community is sweeping the Twittersphere, and now you can keep up with some of the biggest names in the biz just by clicking the 'follow' button on Twitter. Here are some faves... @KarenAndAndrew: You heard of THE FLAVOR BIBLE? Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg wrote the book."
—Michele Laudig, Phoenix New Times (July 10, 2009)

 

Monday, June 3, 2013 — We're very grateful to have been blessed with such good news to share over this past month. Where to start? Since it's graduation season, we'll start here: On the heels of celebrating our one-year anniversary of eating 98% vegetarian in May, Karen last week was awarded her Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell University and the T. Colin Campbell Foundation.

She found her coursework a profoundly eye-opening learning experience, and one that is informing her completion of THE VEGETARIAN FLAVOR BIBLE, which is scheduled to be published by Little, Brown in 2014 and will feature the insights of America's most vegetable-enamored chefs (from celebrated chefs offering vegetarian tasting menus in their four-star restaurants to those at the nation's best vegetarian and vegan restaurants) on how to make a whole foods, plant-based diet more delicious than you ever imagined it could be.

This week, as WHAT TO DRINK WITH WHAT YOU EAT held the #2 position on Amazon.com's "Wine" bestseller list, THE FLAVOR BIBLE hit the #3 spot on Amazon's "Movers & Shakers" list, the #5 spot on Amazon's "Cooking, Food & WIne" bestseller list, and the #62? position overall. Which begs the question...

How? We apparently have Miami Beach bartender Chad Phillips to thank: Chad wanted to come up with a new cocktail to honor his fiance, and used THE FLAVOR BIBLE to create something very special, as National Public Radio's "All Things Considered" reported nationally. You can listen to the segment here, or read a transcript (plus Chad's recipe for his cocktail 'Beet Me In St. Louis') here.

There have been a reported 50,000+ cookbooks published over the past quarter of a century. For the last year and a half, in honor of its 25th anniversary, Cooking Light magazine has been counting down "The 100 Best Cookbooks of the Last 25 Years." In the magazine's May 2013 issue, THE FLAVOR BIBLE (which was described as "a must-have reference for any cook seeking fresh ideas") was added to that impressive list — something we're also delighted was mentioned by radio host Leonard Lopate during our May interview on his multiple James Beard Award-winning "Leonard Lopate Show" on WNYC Radio.

We're always thrilled to see our books influencing food and beverage professionals far and wide. Last week Santa Barbara columnist Joe Hafner wrote of "The 9 Books You Need in Your Kitchen," and included both THE FLAVOR BIBLE and WHAT TO DRINK WITH WHAT YOU EAT alongside Joy of Cooking. Down in St. Louis, Alive magazine reports that artisanal brewmaster Kevin Lemp of 4 Hands Brewing Company is using THE FLAVOR BIBLE as an inspiration when concocting new brews. The Washington Post reported Virginia's Salt & Pepper Books' Christine Myskowski's recommendation of THE FLAVOR BIBLE as an ideal wedding gift. (Special thanks to newly named Navy Rear Admiral Lisa Franchetti for thoughtfully forwarding us a copy of the paper!)

Meanwhile, in Toronto last week The Grid named CULINARY ARTISTRY one of the "7 Best-Thumbed Tomes" of that city's leading chefs (such as Chatecler's Jonathan Poon, The Chase's Michael Steh, and Porchetta & Co.'s Nick auf der Maer). Speaking of CULINARY ARTISTRY, we were touched that "South Florida star" chef Timon Balloo of Miami's Sugarcane described it to Food & Wine magazine in May as his favorite cookbook of all time. And a few short weeks after "Top Chef" winner Stephanie Izard named CULINARY ARTISTRY as her favorite cookbook in an interview on Startle.com, we were delighted to see Stephanie take home the 2013 James Beard Foundation Award as Best Chef: Great Lakes.

While we'll both have our heads down working on our exciting new projects (Karen's VFB, and Andrew's next book on flavor) in June and July, we'll of course be taking the night off to support Citymeals-on-Wheels' 28th Annual Chefs' Tribute at Rockefeller Center the evening of Monday, June 10th. You can feast on exquisite tastes from the likes of chefs from New York City (e.g. Daniel Boulud, Nobu Matsuhisa, Alfred Portale, Jean-Georges Vongerichten) and Los Angeles (e.g. Michael Mina, Nancy Silverton, Michael Voltaggio), and sips orchestrated by uber-sommelier Daniel Johnnes and uber-mixologist Audrey Saunders. While the proceeds feed New York's homebound elderly, you can take $200 off the ticket price here with Gael Greene's discount code of CMOWGG. We hope to have the pleasure of seeing you there!

Georgette Farkas wins another "Best Dressed"
Award with her black chicken feather headdress

SO happy to be able to toast the Award
winners with our beloved Henriot Champagne

Culinary Royalty: Jacques and Alain

Karen Page, Mario Batali, Barbara Lazaroff

Chef Jean-Francois Bruel of DB Bistro Moderne & his ace team

2013 James Beard Award-winning
winemaker Merry Edwards and Karen Page

2013 Best Chef: New York
Wylie Dufresne

Jardiniere chef-owner Traci Des Jardins

Mario Batali, Cesare Cassella

Andrew Dornenburg, Bill Telepan, Gillian Duffy

Restaurateur Barbara Lazaroff flanked by John and Andrew

L: Karen with Christopher Lee
R: Karen with Claudia Fleming

Sommelier Bernie Sun, Merry Edwards and Ken Coopersmith

Andrew & Trent compare
silk print pocket squares

Topolobampo pastry chef Jennifer Jones and sommelier Jill Gubesch with Karen Page

SD26's Marisa May with Karen Page

Andrew Dornenburg, Eatocracy's Kat Kinsman

Karen Page with Jenifer Harvey Lang

Jen Fite, Jill Gubesch, Belinda Chang and Rick Bayless...

...Andrew Dornenburg, "Birthday Girl" Lanie Bayless, Deann Bayless, and chef Andres Padilla of Topolobampo

Gary Danko with Andrew Dornenburg

Karen Page, Garrett Oliver and Andrew Dornenburg
("Friends in Velvet"), and Barbara Lazaroff

What's the fun of seeing your most fashionable friends...

...if you can't revel in each other's footwear?

Danny Meyer, Karen Page, Master Sommelier John Ragan

Tuesday, May 7, 2013 — Congratulations to all of the nominees and winners at last night's 2013 James Beard Foundation Awards at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall, where it was great fun to celebrate with them all!

2013 James Beard Restaurant
and Chef Awards

Rising Star Chef of the Year
Danny Bowien, Mission Chinese Food, SF and NYC

Outstanding Bar Program
The Aviary, Chicago

Outstanding Wine, Beer, or Spirits Professional
Merry Edwards, Merry Edwards Winery, Sebastopol, CA

Outstanding Wine Program
Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder

Best Chef: Great Lakes
Stephanie Izard, Girl & the Goat, Chicago

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic
Johnny Monis, Komi, Washington, D.C.

Best Chef: Midwest
Colby Garrelts, Bluestem, Kansas City, MO

Best Chef: New York City
Wylie Dufresne, WD~50, NYC

Best Chef: Northwest
Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland, OR

Best Chef: West
Christopher Kostow, The Restaurant at Meadowood, St. Helena, CA

Best Chef: Northeast
Melissa Kelly, Primo, Rockland, ME

Best Chef: South
Tory McPhail, Commander's Palace, New Orleans

Best Chef: Southeast
Joseph Lenn, The Barn at Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN

Best Chef: Southwest
Jennifer Jasinski, Rioja, Denver

Restaurant Design and Graphics: 75 Seats and Under
Isa, Taavo Somer, Brooklyn, NY.

Restaurant Design and Graphics: 76 Seats and Over:
Juvia, Alejandro Barrios Carrero Designs, Miami Beach

2013 Who’s Who Inductees
Zarela Martinez, Michael Mina, Bill Yosses, Eric Asimov, Dorothy Kalins, and Barbara Lynch

Lifetime Achievement Award
Cecilia Chiang (Chef and Restaurateur, San Francisco)

Humanitarian of the Year
Emeril Lagasse (Chef and Restaurateur, New Orleans)

Outstanding Pastry Chef
Brooks Headley, Del Posto, NYC

Best New Restaurant
State Bird Provisions, San Francisco, CA.

Outstanding Service
Del Posto, NYC

Outstanding Restaurateur
Maguy Le Coze, Le Bernardin, NYC

Outstanding Restaurant
Blue Hill, NYC

Winner of Outstanding Chef
TIE
David Chang, Momofuku Noodle Bar, NYC
Paul Kahan, Blackbird, Chicago

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

The James Beard Awards are typically held on or around May 5th, which was James Beard's birthday. But we learned last night that many other food and wine pros celebrate their birthday the same week, including Lanie Bayless (May 6th) and Merry Edwards (May 7th), in addition to Karen Page (May 8th).

Huge ice sculpture trumpeting DANIEL's 20th Anniverary

Daniel Boulud & Karen

Desserts a-go-go on DANIEL's 20th Anniversary "Cake"

Karen with DANIEL's former
pastry chef Francois Payard

Andrew with Belinda Chang

The band that set he party's lively mood

DANIEL General Manager John Winterman w/his girlfriend Jenn

Marion Nestle, Leonard Lopate, Melanie Baker, Karen Page

Andrew Dornenburg, Sarah LeTrent, Jordan Weiss

The exquisite cheese display

Karen with Belinda Chang and
Belinda's fabulous SHOES!

Milk display at the cheese station

Karen Page with former DANIEL sommelier Jean-Luc Le Du

World's best spring pea soup

TV legal analyst Rikki Klieman, "Vegan Diva" Fernanda Capobianco (aka Mrs. Francois Payard), and Karen Page

The uber-popular caviar station

Steve Dolinsky & Karen Page

The extraordinary white asparagus station...

...with white asparagus spears and soup -- mmm!

Rikki Klieman, former NYC Police Commissioner Bill Bratton, Karen Page and Daniel Boulud

Monday, May 6, 2013 — Our heartfelt congratulations to chef-restaurateur Daniel Boulud and his extraordinary team at DANIEL on the restaurant's 20th anniversary, which we were thrilled to be able to celebrate with them yesterday.

The first time we interviewed Daniel (for our first book BECOMING A CHEF), he was still laying the tile for the original location of DANIEL, which was in the 76th Street space where Cafe Boulud is now. It was instructive to see his eye for detail and perfectionism in how much attention he paid to the process, even asking our opinions of two different ones. We were not surprised in the least to see the attention paid to every other aspect of the restaurant, leading to its ascendency to the top of the restaurant stratosphere.

Having celebrated more birthdays, anniversaries and book launches at DANIEL than at any other restaurant, we now hold the entire extended family of DANIEL (who, in addition to chef Daniel Boulud, include many we had the pleasure of saying a brief hello to at yesterday's party!) close to our hearts as a cherished part of our lives — and we look forward to celebrating their continued success for many, many years to come.

DANIEL is located on East 65th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues, in New York City. Website: www.danielnyc.com

Saturday, May 4, 2013 — Our thanks to James Beard Award-winning radio host Leonard Lopate for having us on his show yesterday afternoon to talk about entertaining with wine, and our congratulations to the 2013 James Beard Foundation Book & Media Award winners, including Maricel Presilla, whose tome Gran Cocina Latina was last night named the 2013 "Cookbook of the Year."

The list of 2013 Book & Media Award winners follows; the 2013 Chef & Restaurant Award winners will be announced on Monday, May 6th, at Lincoln Center — which we'll be reporting on live from Avery Fisher Hall at www.twitter.com/KarenAndAndrew:

2013 James Beard Foundation Book Awards
For cookbooks published in English in 2012.

Cookbook of the Year
Gran Cocina Latina: The Food of Latin America
by Maricel E. Presilla (W.W. Norton & Company)

Cookbook Hall of Fame
Anne Willan

American Cooking
Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking
by Nathalie Dupree and Cynthia Graubart (Gibbs Smith)

Baking and Dessert
Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza
by Ken Forkish (Ten Speed Press)

Beverage
Wine Grapes: A Complete Guide to 1,368 Vine Varieties, Including Their Origins and Flavors
by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding, and José Vouillamoz (Ecco)

Cooking From a Professional Point of View
Toqué! Creators of a New Quebec Gastronomy
by Normand Laprise (les éditions du passage)

Focus on Health
Cooking Light The New Way to Cook Light: Fresh Food & Bold Flavors for Today’s Home Cook
by Scott Mowbray and Ann Taylor Pittman (Oxmoor House)

General Cooking
Canal House Cooks Every Day
by Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer (Andrews McMeel Publishing)

International
Jerusalem: A Cookbook
by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi (Ten Speed Press)

Photography
What Katie Ate: Recipes and Other Bits & Pieces
Photographer: Katie Quinn Davies (Viking Studio)

Reference and Scholarship
The Art of Fermentation: An In-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes from Around the World
by Sandor Ellix Katz (Chelsea Green Publishing)

Single Subject
Ripe: A Cook in the Orchard
by Nigel Slater (Ten Speed Press)

Vegetable Focused and Vegetarian
Roots: The Definitive Compendium with More Than 225 Recipes
by Diane Morgan (Chronicle Books)

Writing and Literature
Yes, Chef: A Memoir
by Marcus Samuelsson (Random House)

2013 James Beard Foundation Broadcast and New Media Awards
For television, webcast, and radio programs aired in 2012.

Radio Show/Audio Webcast
Fear of Frying
Host: Nina Barrett
Area: WBEZ
Producer: Lynette Kalsnes

Special/Documentary
(Television or Video Webcast)
The Restaurateur
Network: PBS
Producer: Roger Sherman

Television Program, In Studio or Fixed Location
CBS Sunday Morning: “Eat, Drink and Be Merry”
Host: Charles Osgood
Network: CBS
Producers: Gavin Boyle, Amol Mhatre, Rand Morrison, Amy Rosner, Jason Sacca, and Robin Sanders

Television Program, On Location
The Mind of a Chef
Host: Anthony Bourdain
Network: PBS
Producers: Anthony Bourdain, Joe Caterini, Alexandra Chaden, Jonathan Cianfrani, Christopher Collins, Peter Meehan, Michael Steed, and Lydia Tenaglia

Television Segment
Friday Arts, Art of Food
Network: WHYY TV Producer: Monica Rogozinski

Video Webcast, Fixed Location and/or Instructional
How to Cocktail
liquor.com
Producers: Kit Codik, Scott Kritz, and Noah Rothbaum

Video Webcast, On Location
The Perennial Plate: Real Food World Tour
theperennialplate.com
Hosts: Daniel Klein and Mirra Fine
Producers: Daniel Klein and Mirra Fine

Outstanding Personality/Host
Host: Andrew Zimmern
Show: Bizarre Foods America
Network: Travel Channel
Producers: Colleen Needles Steward and Andrew Zimmern

2013 James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards
For articles published in English in 2012.

Publication of the Year Award
ChopChop

Cooking, Recipes, or Instruction
Matt Goulding, Matthew Kadey with Tamar Adler, and Paul Kita
Men’s Health
“The Butcher is Back!,” “The Six-Pack Foods of Summer,” “Southern Food Rises Again”

Craig Claiborne Distinguished Restaurant Review Award
Tejal Rao
Village Voice
“Bangkok Pop, No Fetishes,” “The Sweet Taste of Success,” “Enter the Comfort Zone at 606 R&D”

Food and Culture
Ann Taylor Pittman
Cooking Light
“Mississippi Chinese Lady Goes Home to Korea”

Food and Travel
Adam Sachs
Travel + Leisure
“The Best Little Eating Town in Europe”

Food Coverage in a General-Interest Publication
Men’s Health
Adina Steiman

Food Politics, Policy, and The Environment
Tracie McMillan
The American Prospect with the Food & Environment Reporting Network “As Common As Dirt”

Food-Related Columns
Adam Sachs
Bon Appétit
The Obsessivore: “I'm Big On Japan,” “Everyone’s a Critic,” “The Tradition Starts Here”

Group Food Blog
Dark Rye
darkrye.com

Health and Well-Being
Rachael Moeller Gorman
Eating Well
“Solving the Sugar Puzzle”

Humor
Alice Laussade
Dallas Observer
“The Cheap Bastard’s ultimate Guide to Eating like a Total Cheap Bastard in Dallas”

Individual Food Blog
Hunter Angler Gardener Cook
honest-food.net Hank Shaw

MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing Award
Mike Sula
Chicago Reader
“Chicken of the Trees”

Personal Essay
Fuchsia Dunlop
Lucky Peach
“London Town”

Profile
Brett Martin
GQ
“Danny and the Electric Kung Pao Pastrami Test”

Visual Storytelling
Michele Outland and Fiorella Valdesolo
Gather Journal
“Starters,” “Dessert,” “Smoke & Ash”

Wine, Spirits, and Other Beverages
Michael Steinberger vanityfair.com
“A Vintage Crime”

Tuesday, April 16, 2013 — We're delighted to have learned today that THE FLAVOR BIBLE was just named to Cooking Light magazine's list of the "Top 100 Cookbooks of the Last 25 Years."

Our heartfelt thanks to the judges at Cooking Light for including THE FLAVOR BIBLE in this impressive line-up!

"Next year is Cooking Light's 25th anniversary, and by 2012 more than 50,000 cookbooks will have been published in the U.S. in a quarter century. Since our launch there’s been a furious boiling up of interest in food, restaurants, ingredients. Chefs left their cloistered kitchens to become media superstars. Nutrition “rules” were made, then overturned, and healthy cooking blossomed. Then the Internet supernova rocked the publishing world. Yet cookbooks keep coming, and as some book categories wilt, this one is amazingly resilient. Cooks love books for their ability to inspire, entertain, excite, soothe, teach — and for their beauty as physical objects. The best are thrilling, whether they’re eye-opening explorations of a single subject, seminal overviews, or beautiful obsessions. As we contemplate turning 25, we decided to pick our favorite 100 cookbooks, which we’ll unveil over the next year across 15 categories. We looked at best-seller and awards lists, and talked to editors, authors, and experts. For consideration, books had to be published in the United States since 1987 and either be in print or easily available online. Winners emerged after passionate debate about voice, originality, beauty, importance, and a clear mission or vision. Yes, we tested the recipes. Finally, we asked: To whom would you give this book? (Probably another Cooking Light reader: Our research shows you are omnivorous cookbook consumers.).... Top 8 Best-of-the-Rest Cookbooks: After reading and testing hundreds of cookbooks to find our top 100 of the past 25 years, we were left with eight books that earned wild praise but didn’t fit neatly into our other categories. This list includes a few reference books that don’t contain recipes but that, in the end, we feel no cook should live without...THE FLAVOR BIBLE: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity Based on the Wisdom of Americ'as Most Imaginative Chefs by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg: Although this book contains no actual recipes, it is a must-have reference for any cook seeking fresh ideas. The first two short chapters are a bit pointy-headed, discussing how one builds food from the harmonious interplay of flavors (salty, sour, bitter, sweet), mouthfeel, texture, temperature, emotion, and more. But the real meat of the book, about 340 pages of it, comes in the form of flavor-matching charts organized A to Z by ingredient name or cuisine (Afghan to Vietnamese). Each entry is followed by a list of complementary flavors, plus tips from chefs and foodies on how to use the ingredient, and sometimes flavor combos that one should avoid (like soy sauce with mangoes). The chart for oranges, for instance, shows tons of nice flavor pairings, including basil, cranberries, and some shellfish, while chef Michel Richard of Citronelle in Washington, D.C., notes, 'I like orange zest with crab and shrimp…Lemon and lime are too strong. Orange is feminine—the lady of citrus.'  THE FLAVOR BIBLE can help any cook out of a jam, whether she finds herself lacking an ingredient in the pantry, or, say, ends up with a superabundance of cucumbers in the garden (in that case, move beyond dill and buttermilk and try a salad with coriander, jicama, or peanuts). GIVE THIS TO: Cooks hungry for new ideas."
—Cooking Light magazine (May 2013)

Janos Wilder's Downtown restaurant in Tucson
proudly supports local producers

"The Game Changer": $1 from the sale of every bowl of this delicious African yam, ginger, pineaple + peanut soup goes to benefit BeadForLife.org

Beet carpaccio with avocado mousse + goat cheese croutons, with orange + grapefruit supremes, nasturtium leaves + jalapeno-orange vinaigrette at DOWNTOWN

The fava beans atop this salad were picked a few hours earlier just a few steps from Downtown

Smoked portobello mushroom grilled cheese with griddled eggplant, fried tomato, herb aioli + pickled peppers on sourdough pullman bread, served with purple potato chips

Chef Janos Wilder shows us the fava beans grown for the restaurant across the street at the Tucson Children's Museum

Tuesday, March 19, 2013 — After having enjoyed so many wonderful dinners over the years at JANOS in Tucson, we were sad to see the restaurant close after its impressive multi-decade run. Last week, having the opportunity to visit Janos Wilder's latest restaurant DOWNTOWN in downtown Tucson cheered us right back up.

Downtown Kitchen + Cocktails is at 135 S 6th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701 - (520) 623-7700 - downtownkitchen.com

Our congratulations to the finalists for the 2013 James Beard Foundation Awards:

The James Beard Foundation has announced the finalists for the 2013 James Beard Awards at an event in Charleston, SC. Winners of the Book, Broadcast and Journalism Award will be announced Friday, May 3rd. Winners in the chefs and restaurant categories will be announced during a ceremony hosted by actor Stanley Tucci on Monday, May 6th, 2013 at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall in Manhattan. The finalists are:

For more information, visit jamesbeard.org.

"What's past is prologue."
—William Shakespeare

A copy of the Inn at Little Washington's opening night dinner menu, in Patrick O'Connell's own handwriting, that was prologue to the Inn's 35th Anniversary Menu served during the last week of January 2013
(January 28, 1978)

The Funnest Amuse-Bouche of All Time:
The Inn serves popcorn (in its own logoed movie-style boxes) with black truffles shaved tableside

The back of the Inn's 35th Anniversary Tasting Menu,
which features chef-owner Patrick O'Connell on a circa-1990s cover of Food Arts magazine. NOTE: This photo — inspired by the Inn's presentation of its signature Seven Deadly Sins dessert (see below) — was originally intended for the cover of Patrick's first cookbook, but his publisher nixed it as looking too much like O'Connell had been the victim of a mob hit. Its loss was Food Arts' gain.

1995 Pommery Cuvee Louise Champagne is poured by the Inn's beloved wine director Jenn Knowles, an alum of both Rubicon and Farallon restaurants in San Francisco

Our "chips and dip" amuse-bouche (served nestled in a polished stone) is finished with a caviar garnish

A Shot of the Inn's Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup,
served with a gougere on a pedestal (1980) — the dish of Patrick's that Andrew has probably cooked more than any other, he's served it at dinner parties, on catering gigs, and even at a 1998 James Beard House tribute dinner honoring some of his biggest culinary inspirations, including Patrick O'Connell

Tasting Spoons of Maine Lobster with Citrus Butter Sauce
(1982) showcase the delicacy's richness juxtaposed with a gently refreshing citrus sauce

Rappahannock Oyster Glazed in Champagne
(1980)

Applewood-Smoked Virginia Brook Trout with Horseradish Apple Cream and Buckwheat Blinis (1979)
2011 St. Innocent Vitae Springs Pinot Gris (Oregon)

A Miniature Timbale of Lump Crab & Spinach Mousse (1979) celebrates crab, one of the region's great natural delicacies
2006 Marie Bernard Les Chenevottes Chassagne-Montrachet

Seared Foie Gras on Black-Eyed Peas Vinaigrette
with Virginia Country Ham (1981) perfectly balances both haute and humble influences, making it an updated version of the favorite dish of the late New York Times restaurant critic Craig Claiborne, who was a regular at The Inn and the namesake of the Inn's mega-luxe Claiborne House
2007 Domaine Lecheneaut Clos des Ormes Morey-Saint-Denis

Black Truffle-Stuffed Breast of Pheasant on Savoy Cabbage Braised in Champagne (1984) celebrated one of the specialties of Spain (pheasant) with the pairing of a special Spanish wine:
2008 Bodegas Remelluri Rioja Reserva

"Veal Shenandoah" (named after the local mountain ridge): Loin of Veal with Crispy Veal Sweetbreads, Braised Veal Shank Ravioli and Local Granny Smith Apples Perfumed with Calvados (Opening Night 1978) inspired an annual parade of ever-evolving dishes featuring the combination of veal + apples
2010 Delaplane Cellars Springlot Reserve Cabernet/Merlot
(which earned a "Wow!" around our dinner table of 5)

Grapefruit Campari Sorbet (1987) transported us to the 1980s when sorbets were more often served as palate cleansers, and its flavors were so refreshing we wondered why the tradition ever faded ("It used to be 30 times this size," recalled Bonnie Moore, who was with The Inn 1992-1994 and honored us by joining us for the anniversary dinner on this rainy night)

The Original Seven Deadly Sins (1994)
1994 Blandy's Malmsey Island-Bottled Madeira

Chef-proprietor Patrick O'Connell, Andrew Dornenburg, Karen Page, George Knauf, Bonnie Moore and Rachel Hayden (Note: We were delighted to be able to celebrate Rachel & George's anniversary as well as The Inn's! Rachel credits Karen with introducing her to Patrick at a Women Chefs & Restaurateurs conference in Washington, DC; he very wisely snapped her up immediately as the Inn's Director of Public Relations)

Rachel, Karen and Bonnie pay proper tribute to Patrick after an extraordinary dinner by sprinkling white rose petals over him

One of our three favorite breakfasts in America (at #1): The Inn's homemade granola, served with fresh raspberries and blackberries and yogurt, as well as a quartet of fresh juices

The world's best blueberry pancakes

The Inn's signature oatmeal souffle, with currants and
maple syrup added a la minute at the table

Bidding farewell to the Inn...although hopefully not for long

"To go a long way is to return."
—The I Ching

Sunday, February 10, 2013 — The Inn at Little Washington is not only our favorite place on earth but, as you can imagine, it is the best-in-class exemplar of many, many things. In addition to being named the Top Hotel for Food by the readers of Travel + Leisure, it has a near-perfect 29/29/29 (Food/Ambiance/Service) rating in the Washington, DC Zagat Survey and was just named the DC area's #1 restaurant by Washingtonian magazine. Its exemplary mailing list is no exception: For an an elite Relais & Chateaux property, its mailings are frequently hilarious, if always charming, and often irresistible.

Case in point: While we were visiting San Francisco last month (for the Women Chefs & Restaurateurs' organization's 20th anniversary), we read that the Inn was celebrating its 35th anniversary the last week of January with a special menu drawing on some of the "greatest hits" from the Inn's menus over the last three-and-a-half decades.

We'd made our reservation nearly instantly for what we knew would be a not-to-be-missed menu of some of the greatest dishes we've ever tasted in our lives — along with dishes we'd give our eye teeth to be able to taste, including the "Veal Shenandoah" from the Inn's opening night menu on January 28, 1978.

So, we went a rather long way from our home in New York City (300 miles, each way) to return to The Inn in Washington, Virginia, the site of some of the greatest dinners of our lives (including our first-ever dinner at the Inn, arguably THE greatest dinner of our lives), to taste its 35th Anniversary menu.

As luck would have it, there were such torrential rains that afternoon that at times during our drive we couldn't see 10 feet ahead of us. We arrived shaky and rattled by our journey, but just one step into this magical place started to put us at ease. The next 17 hours of our visit made the transition to paradise complete.

The wonderful news is that we learned that The Inn at Little Washington will be celebrating its 35th anniversary all year long in 2013 — and we dearly hope you'll also have an opportunity to celebrate it with them. We wish a visit to The Inn to everyone we know and love — especially those we know who appreciate great food and wine, and great hospitality.

We certainly hope that our January 2013 visit to The Inn was mere prologue for our next.

The Inn at Little Washington is at the intersection of Middle & Main Streets in Washington, Virginia, which is just 1 hour and 15 minutes from Washington, DC (and a 6-hour drive in the rain from Manhattan, but totally worth it). (540) 675-3800. www.theinnatlittlewashington.com

(While not inexpensive, the Inn offers perhaps the most extraordinary value/price ratio of any property we have ever visited, and we often recommend the investment to aspiring culinarians who we believe can learn more in a single visit than in weeks of culinary school. In addition, there are occasionally extraordinary specials offered as last-minute seasonal promotions if you keep an eye on the dates on website's Accommodations page. )

The private dining room at Porter House

Chef Michael Lomonaco welcomes the crowd

Maine lobster + cognac + aromatics +
San Marzano tomatoes + oregano + parsley
+2011 Nino Franco "Primo Franco" Prosecco

Andrew Dornenburg chats with Tony DiDio

2011 Cusumano Insolia...

...accompanied Timballo di Maccheroni:
Rigatoni + bolognese sauce + sausage + fegatini + fonduta

The revelers at Porter House are seriously into the food!

2010 Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico "Brolio"
accompanies Pancetta alla Mostardo:
Fresh pork belly + crisped skin + pear mostardo
+ pistachio + bitter greens

Left: Mezzo-soprano Deborah Domanski
Right: Authors Michael Gelb and Karen Page

2008 Cusumano Sagana accompanies Brasato e Lomate:
Short rib in Nero d'Avola and sliced prime strip + root vegetables + roasted potatoes + herb salad

Winemaker Primo Franco, Tony DiDio,
and winemaker Diego Cusumano

2007 Cusumano Moscato dello Zucco with Dolce a Carnevale: Bombolini tre Aroma e Biscotti di Mandorla

All Carnevale images by photographer Roger Chen

Sunday, January 27, 2013 — Chef Michael Lomonaco and his talented team at Porter House New York know how to host a party — as Friday night's celebration there of Carnevale proved yet again. Photographer Roger Chen captured the delicious fun in his beautiful images, which we're happy to share here. Tony DiDio of Tony DiDio Selections brought in Italian winemakers Primo Franco, Diego Cusumano, and Stefano Capurso, whose wines were as charming as they themselves were!

The French Consulate in New York City
hosts the Left Bank Bordeaux Cup

The LBBC Commanderie de Bontemps jury

Teams indicate their answers to the jury

Wines are poured for the tasting challenge

Teams assess the wines

Three rounds of tasting challenges

Members of one of the two winning teams,
from Wharton Business School, flash their answer

Authors Michael Gelb and Karen Page, with wine director
Bernard Sun and Robin Kelley O'Connor

Members of one of the two winning teams, Yale Law School,
with coach Lisa Granik, MW (center)

"Chaired by Baron Eric de Rothschild, owner of Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, this unique Wine Tasting Competition, organized by the Commanderie du Bontemps, first came into existence in 2002. The aim of this contest is to enable the future elite of our country to come into closer contact with Great Growth wines of Bordeaux's left bank."
—Commanderie du Bontemps

Wednesday, January 23, 2013 — Congratulations to the teams from Wharton Business School and Yale Law School, who will represent the United States in June at the global finals of the Left Bank Bordeaux Cup (LBBC) in Bordeaux, based on their performance at last night's American finals held at the French Consulate in New York City.

This wine tasting competition pits dozens of teams from leading business schools and other graduate programs against one another to test their knowledge of Bordeaux wines.

Eight teams from around the globe (Yale Law's Laura Femino, Tyce Walters, Edward Lyons, and Joseph Pomianowski, and Wharton's Matt Kunz, Hubert de Bilgnieres, Emma Wang, and Nora Varela Cardenas from the U.S., plus two teams from Asia, two from France, and two from the rest of Europe) will compete for the world title on Friday, June 14th, at Chateau Lafite-Rothschild in Pauillac.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013 — Congratulations to the Women Chefs and Restaurateurs organization, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this week in San Francisco.

Karen was recruited for the WCR's 2nd Board of Directors, as the first non-chef/non-restaurateur asked to serve by the late Barbara Tropp. Tropp's passionate leadership in founding the organization will be fondly remembered this week.

We'll also be signing books this Friday, January 18th, at the WCR Conference's InfoFair taking place from 1-3 pm at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel. Stop by and say hi between 2 - 2:30 pm!

Monday, December 24, 2012 — We just opened this email, and can't thank its author enough for taking the time to share these thoughts with us. It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

"Dear Andrew and Karen,

I wanted to pass a heartfelt thanks and espress my appreciation for an amazing piece of work you have created with your books.

I was gifted BECOMING A CHEF some years ago, and it brought me to later purchasing CULINARY ARTISTRY, THE FLAVOR BIBLE, and WHAT TO DRINK WITH WHAT YOU EAT. I use all of these books on a regular basis for menu planning.

I just wanted to add my drop of sentiment into the overflowing bucket of appreciation chefs everywhere feel for these tomes. You must be aware of the impact you have had in actually making food more thoughtfully prepared in this country."

Sincerely,
Chef-owner of a restaurant in Portland, OR"

Saturday, December 15, 2012 — What a beautiful, clear morning! Please join us from noon - 2 pm today at the Union Square Greenmarket, where you can finish (or start!) your holiday shopping by picking up personally signed copies of THE FLAVOR BIBLE, WHAT TO DRINK WITH WHAT YOU EAT, and THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE as well as one of our favorite books of the year: Amanda Cohen's DIRT CANDY: A Cookbook. All proceeds benefit GrowNYC, the non-profit that operates the Union Square Greenmarket and dozens of other greenmarkets around New York.

Lisa Airey, CWE

Few people know as much about wine education as Lisa Airey. The Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Georgetown successfully completed the three-year American Wine Society Wine Judge Certification Program in 1988. In 1995, she was certified as a Wine Educator through the Society of Wine Educators and joined the ranks of 121 other C.W.E.s around the globe. Lisa sat on the Board of Directors for the Society of Wine Educators from 1998 to 2004 and co-chaired their Corporate Wine Training Committee which authored and edited SWE Certified Specialist of Wine Study Guide and created the two-day review session given in preparation for the Certified Specialist of Wine exam. Additionally, she worked as the Society of Wine Educator’s Director of Education and Certification from 2004-2007. In 2003, Lisa started her own corporate training and consulting company, thewinekey.com. She writes a weekly wine column and lectures on wine at both regional and national levels. She currently serves as Director of Education for the French Wine Society.

Lisa's December 13th review of THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE in the Baltimore Sun captured the book so beautifully that we share it below in its entirety:

December 13, 2012

by Lisa Airey, wine columnist,
Baltimore Sun's "The Grapevine"

Every once in a while, a really, really good wine book comes along … something destined to become a classic.

THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg is an amazingly fresh and novel exploration of the world of wine and food and how they interact. Far from being a didactic list of do's and don'ts, the authors encourage the reader to play with flavor and they outline many, many different ways to do just that.

The information is brilliantly presented. Like lentils? Drink Gruner Veltliner. Like bacon? Try a Côte Rôtie. Enjoy lychee fruit? Pop the cork on a Gewurztraminer. There are two pages of such synergistic combinations!

The book is aimed at helping food lovers along their journey of discovering wines and expanding their enjoyment of them.

But first, why wine with food?

The authors compare the caloric count of a glass of milk (160), beer (150), coke (140), orange juice (125) and wine (125), then put just the right weight on wine's acknowledged health benefits and mention how wine improves the dining experience by magnifying flavor. Their credo? Drink Wine. With Food. Not too much.

Interestingly, they acknowledge that (as of 2010) the USA became the largest wine-consuming country in the world … but not at table, a fact they attribute to the "intimidation" factor. There are 6,000 wine labels gracing the retail shelves in the United States, a good number of them with foreign terms upon them.

Instead of teaching the reader about wine directly (which is staid, traditional and incredibly boring), the authors back-door the subject matter in an extremely user-friendly fashion.

"The wine isn't the only thing that needs to 'open up'," they avow. Think xylophone. There is a scale to color, weight, astringency and sweetness … and they walk you through the scale. Think crayons, they advise. When you start coloring, you start with the primary colors, so start with the primary varietals, then move up to "the box of 64." It's good practical advice designed to build your confidence.

Most importantly, they counsel you to pay attention to what you like. Embrace your senses and explore. They give you guidelines, but few rules, and they quote many experts in order to present wine in all its multiple facets — without overwhelming. These are experts such as Mark Twain, who said, "There are no standards of taste in wine…[One's] own taste is the standard and a majority vote cannot decide for him or in any slightest degree affect the supremacy of his own standard."

Yep. This book will wean you off the periodicals that rate wines with points, develop your comfort level with wine and food (in combination) and engender a spirit of exploration and joy in both arenas.

THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE is the perfect book for someone who is just starting out in wine and the perfect book for those who have studied wine for so long that they seldom wander off the path of the tried and true.

Available on Amazon for $23 and highly recommended.

Sunday, December 2, 2012 — Looking forward to our travels this month, which always have us crossing paths with the most interesting people...We're looking forward to speaking at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park next Sunday, December 9th, before heading to Boston on Tuesday, December 11th, for a complimentary reception and book signing at The Butcher Shop from 5:15 - 6:45 pm and a class at Stir from 7-9 pm.

We'll get home to New York City in time for our book signing at the Union Square Greenmarket on Saturday, December 15th, from noon - 2 pm.

All our book signings are great opportunities to finish (or start!) your holiday shopping by picking up personally signed copies of what Amazon.com indicates are some of the "Most Wished For" Cooking and Wine books this holiday season: THE FLAVOR BIBLE, and WHAT TO DRINK WITH WHAT YOU EAT.

Karen Page

Karen Page and Betsy Bernardaud

Karen Page and Michael Lynne

Dee Soder and Karen Page

Margot Harley of The Acting Company, Georgette Farkas
of Rotisserie Georgette, and Karen Page

Karen Page, Bill Bratton and Rikki Klieman

Karen Page, Rita Jammet, and Claudette Pages

Jenifer Lang and Karen Page

Our late friend Terri Dial was lovingly remembered for
her support of Citymeals during the lunch...

...and in the lunch's printed program

Suri Kasirer and Karen Page

Beth Shapiro, Karen Page, Laura Day

Dorothy Gaiter, Laura Day

Sunday, November 18, 2012 — We're in awe of those who are making extraordinary magic happen this week-before-Thanksgiving, including feeding New York's homebound elderly, creating music that elevates the spirit to new heights, and traveling cross-country to bring comfort food to SuperStorm Sandy survivors.

On Friday, Karen joined more than 350 of New York's most powerful women (and the men who pay $10,000 for the privilege to have lunch with them) to raise $1.1 million through the 26th Annual Citymeals-on-Wheels Power Lunch for Women at The Plaza Hotel. And just in time, as Citymeals has been working virtually round-the-clock to feed an even greater number of homebound seniors given the power losses caused by Sandy.

Stephen Schiff, Laura Day, Barbara Lazaroff,
Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg at The Plaza Hotel

Once those conversations get started at the Power Lunch, they're hard to stop...and so an annual tradition of post-lunch cocktails has continued for several years. Once in a while an exceptional male is allowed to crash, and this year's exceptions were screenwriter Stephen Schiff and Andrew Dornenburg.

Bill Bratton, Rikki Klieman, Peter Gallagher

Afterward, we joined our friends Rikki Klieman and Bill Bratton to witness multi-talented actor Peter Gallagher get a packed room at Feinstein's at the Regency in the holiday spirit through his supremely entertaining one-man show.

Marketa Irglova and Karen Page

On Saturday, we toasted our dear friend Marketa Irglova's completion of her second solo album, on the heels of her Oscar-winning song "Falling Slowly" from the movie "Once" (in which she co-starred), and whose music was just turned into the hit Broadway musical. Kudos to our hostess (and the best Persian home cook we've ever met) filmmaker Zohreh Shayesteh and host designer Nersi Nasseri.

Bud Royer, aka Bud the Pieman

And today, Texas restaurateur Bud Royer aka "Bud the Pieman," whose world-class pies have graced our Thanksgiving table for ages, leaves Round Top, Texas (population: 77) to drive a refrigerated truck full of pies to New York to deliver them personally to feed 5,000 Sandy survivors. While our Thanksgiving just wouldn't be the same without Bud's pies, we're thrilled this year to be able to invite Bud himself plus his cross-country team (Bud's wife Dr. Karen Royer and their friends Doug Runyan and his wife Janis) to join us at our Thanksgiving table in New York City. You can read more about Bud's journey in Pat Sharpe's column in Texas Monthly and in Virginia Wood's article in the Austin Chronicle, not to mention in Bud's lovely daughter Tara Royer Steele's blog on RoyersPieQueen.com.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012 — On Election Day 2012, we're grateful to be back in our apartment in Manhattan for the first time in a week WITH POWER, heat, and hot water — not to mention grateful for our friends Rikki & Bill, who provided us with a place to shower last week and a warm bed (not to mention their warm and fun company) over the weekend. We're grateful to Citymeals for its important work of keeping New York's homebound seniors fed, even when the loss of electricity and elevator service involved volunteers' climbing many stairs in order to do so. We're grateful to our fellow New Yorkers, down but never out, who are contributing to the many relief efforts to help those devastated by Hurricane Sandy. We're grateful to those unaffected by the storm who have reached out with compassion and care to those whose lives were disrupted in ways large and small.

And we're grateful to live in a country where our voices are heard on Election Day. We hope everyone has informed themselves on the Presidential candidates and will take the time to VOTE today.

Rutini is one of the top names in wine in Argentina

Dover sole served with three red wines

Cumin-noted Munster harmonized with the
spice notes of both Rutini reds

Chefs Daniel Boulud & Mauro Colagreco flanked by their
kitchen team to the left, and Rutini's Ariel Menniti to the right

Tuesday, October 23, 2012 — We don't mind eating our words — especially when we end up learning a delicious lesson in the process. We found ourselves in Detroit this past weekend to watch our friend Deborah Domanski nail the role of Rosina in "The Barber of Seville" at the Detroit Opera House. On Saturday while we were having dinner at the Rugby Grille at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham, Michigan, we overheard the couple at the table next to us ordering a bottle of Molly Dooker Shiraz to accompany their Dover sole with capers and butter sauce. "Hmmm...red wine with Dover sole wouldn't have been my first choice...." one of us had mused to the other at the time.

So imagine our surprise this afternoon when we were served not just one but three different red wines to accompany our Dover sole! And, much to our surprise, we found the pairing inspired.

The difference was that this Dover sole dish, created at Restaurant Daniel as overseen by guest chef Mauro Colagreco (a 36-year-old Argentine who holds two Michelin stars for his restaurant Mirazur in Menton, France), featured hazelnuts from Piedmont and white truffles from Alba, which served as beautiful bridges to the red wines. Karen loved hers with the 2009 Rutini Malbec, while Andrew was over the moon for the 2006 Rutini Cabernet Sauvignon with this dish.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Menu

Chef Colagrecco's Signature Bread
Menton Olive Oil Flavored with Ginger and Lemon

Seafood Tartare with Confit Lemon
Ginger, Wakame Seaweed, Crystal Lettuce
2008 Rutini Chardonnay

Dover Sole Meuniere with Crushed Jerusalem Artichokes
Piedmont Hazelnut, White Truffle from Alba
2009 Rutini Malbec
2007 Rutini Merlot
2006 Rutini Cabernet Sauvignon

Munster
Cumin, Honey Walnut Dressing
2008 Rutini Encuentro Barrel Blend
2009 Rutini Apartado Gran Malbec

Saffron Mousseline with Almond Espuma and Orange Sorbet
2011 Trumpeter Torrontes

Mignardises

Tuesday, October 2, 2012 — We couldn't be happier to know that our book THE FLAVOR BIBLE is being used this week in this Georgia School Nutrition Assocation program to teach local school nutrition managers how to make healthy and delicious food for their students:

Georgia School Nutrition Foundation
2012 Managers’ Retreat & Training
October 4-5, 2012
Simpsonwood Retreat - Norcross, GA
What:  Partial scholarships available for an outstanding Professional Development workshop designed just for school nutrition managers/ assistant managers.
Why:  Georgia School Nutrition Association, the professional organization for School Nutrition staff, is making scholarship money available through its Foundation to benefit local school nutrition managers.  This training will focus specifically on the needs of the manager/asst. manager. At the end of this session, participants will be able to...5. understand handling and storing of fresh herbs and spices. 6. identify flavors of fresh herbs and spices utilizing taste and smell. 7.  identify appropriate food and seasoning (flavor) combinations of fresh herbs and spices based on THE FLAVOR BIBLE*. 8. develop a flavor profile for jicama sticks using lime juice, chili powder, and fresh cilantro. *Each district will receive one copy of THE FLAVOR BIBLE: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Winner of the 2009 James Beard Book Award for Best Book: Reference and Scholarship.
—Georgia School Nutrition Association

Karen Page & actress Becky Ann Baker, Jessica Hecht's friend

Karen Page, Brenda Blackmon (& her book!) & Daisy Martinez

Karen Page and Rikki Klieman

SHARE's 2012 "Celebrity Sous Chefs"

Chef Barbara Sibley with Karen Page

La Palapa's standout dish: Grilled Duck Breast

Karen Page with La Palapa's ace team at SHARE

Karen Page with Amy Scherber and Becky Ann Baker

Brenda Blackmon with D'Artagnan's Ariane Daguin


Dirt Candy's Amanda Cohen

Aaron & Liz Morrill of Fizzy Lizzy

Ellie Krieger with Karen Page

Stacey Richman with Rikki Klieman

Rikki Klieman

Lucinda Scala Quinn, Rebecca Charles of PEARL

Karen Page, SUENOS' Sue Torres, Daisy Martinez

SD26's Marisa May with Karen Page

Heather Carlucci with Karen Page

Tuesday, September 25, 2012 — Loved last night's 9th Annual "Second Helping of Life" benefit for SHARE at Pier 60 in New York City, which is an unmatched gathering of dozens of New York's best women chefs to raise funds to support breast and ovarian cancer survivors. Karen was delighted to be matched with Barbara Sibley, chef-owner of La Palapa on St. Mark's Place in the East Village, helping to serve one of the evening's most popular dishes: Grilled Duck Breast with a Chipotle-Fig Glaze served on a blue corn tortilla chip.

To make a tax-deductible contribution to SHARE, visit www.sharecancersupport.org.

Sunday, September 16, 2012 — Four years ago today, our labor of love THE FLAVOR BIBLE was first published.

We're enormously grateful that it's gone on to help so many home cooks and professional chefs, baristas and mixologists, and even university professors — literally all around the world.*

(*On August 28th, we were visiting friends in the Hamptons when we learned via Twitter followers in attendance that THE FLAVOR BIBLE was being discussed by Cambridge University's Sebastian Ahnert in his presentation "The Flavour Network: Exploring the Principles of Food Pairing" at the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters, which was hosting a global conference on "The Emerging Science of Gastrophysics" in Copenhagen.)

We hope you'll join in the celebration: If you make a blog post about THE FLAVOR BIBLE this month (by September 30th), send us a link to the post on your website — and not only will we link to it from our own website, but you'll have a chance to win one of several signed copies of THE FLAVOR BIBLE we'll be giving away PLUS a copy for you to give away (e.g. to one of your readers or another worthy gift recipient).

Feeling more ambitious? Make a video about THE FLAVOR BIBLE, post it to your website and/or YouTube.com, and send us a link to it by October 31st. Not only will we share links to the videos with our readers, but the best video will win a $500 Grand Prize.

Let THE FLAVOR BIBLE inspire you — have fun, and be creative!

Friday, September 14, 2012 — One month from today, we hope you'll join us on the North Fork of Long Island for our complimentary talk, wine tasting, and book signing at Bedell Cellars in Cutchogue, New York. To RSVP, simply email molly@bedellcellars.com.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012 — This week we're excited to be making our first visit of 2012 to one of our favorite places on earth: The Lodge at Woodloch in Hawley, Pennsylvania, just 95 miles from New York City. We'll be joining our good friend bestselling author Michael Gelb (How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci) as he talks about his latest book BRAIN POWER on Friday night — and Michael will join us for a discussion of wine and the Enneagram (based on the sidebar in our latest book THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE) on Saturday night. Both talks are complimentary to all guests. Hope to see you there! Web: thelodgeatwoodloch.com

Russ Hudson, Andrew, Karen, Don Riso, and Brian Taylor,
after dinner in our home in the early 1990s

Saturday, September 1, 2012 — Happy Labor Day weekend to all...even if we ourselves are finding ourselves feeling blue this weekend in the midst of our own happiness. We lost an old friend and beloved teacher on Thursday in Don Richard Riso, bestselling author of several books on the Enneagram with Russ Hudson. We will miss him dearly, although his wisdom lives on forever in his work, which was life-changing to us.

We've been sad to lose many cherished friends this year, including Karen's Northwestern professor Dr. Arlene Kaplan Daniels, banking executive Terri Dial, and photographer Steven Richter. But their spirits stay with us forever....

Tuesday, July 24, 2012 — Just returned from a few days away to find a slew of kind mentions of our book CULINARY ARTISTRY as among the very favorite books of several chefs in the Midwest. Many thanks to all who took the time to recommend them, including Bill Bugiyne of Wisconsin, Anthony Lusiak of Kentucky, and Trent Thrun of Missouri. Thanks, too, to New York blogger Michelle Weber for recommending THE FLAVOR BIBLE during her interview for Saveur's feature "Sites We Love" on her website Thursday Night Smackdown. [See links here.]

Wednesday, June 27, 2012 — It is a pleasure to take the hosts' chairs this week on "Cooking Today" on Martha Stewart Living Radio. After several years of sitting in the guests' chairs talking about our latest books, we're happy to have the opportunity to turn the spotlight on some of the worthiest talents we know this week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 3-4 pm on Sirius XM 110.

We kicked off our show Monday mentioning the dish Andrew had brought to share with our ace studio team (including producer Lisa Mantineo, Chris behind the controls, and intern Allison): a chickpea + cucumber + feta salad he'd made from Michael Natkin's beautiful new book Herbivoracious. It was accompanied by a lovely strawberry-noted Syrah Rose from Casa Dumetz, the winery started by actor Emilio Estevez and his partner-in-wine-and-in-life winemaker Sonja Magdevski.

Left: Andrew Dornenburg, Chef Heather Carlucci, Karen Page
Right: Chef Terrance Brennan of Picholine and Artisanal

Our in-studio guests Monday were Heather Carlucci, executive pastry chef of Print, and Terrance Brennan of Picholine and Artisanal Bistro. You can read the producer's recap on the blog at http://theradioblog.marthastewart.com/2012/06/cooking-today-farm-to-table.html

This afternoon from 3-4 pm, we're delighted that we'll be joined by guest chefs (Dr.!) Maricel Presilla of Cucharamama and Zafra in Hoboken, who is at the top of her game as the 2012 James Beard Foundation Award winner for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic, and 32-year-old Christopher Bates, who is a fast-rising star as chef and general manager of Hotel Fauchere (a member of Relais & Chateaux) in Milford, Pennsylvania, and an award-winning sommelier (not to mention winemaker) featured in THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE.

So join us live at 3 pm ET, and call in with your questions at 866-675-6675 — or Tweet them to us @KarenAndAndrew!

Herbivoracious.com's Michael Natkin's

Ten-Minute Chickpea Salad with Feta and Basil

Ingredients:

2 15-ounce cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 of a red onion, finely diced
1/2 of an English cucumber, finely diced
8 ounces of roasted red peppers from the jar
8 ounces of feta, crumbled
1 garlic clove, crushed and minced
1 handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients except for the salt and pepper in a salad bowl and toss well. Depending on how salty your feta is, you might not need any salt. Add the pepper to taste.

Serve right away or refrigerate for up to a few hours.

Serves three as an entrée, eight as a side dish.

Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg in the Loire this month
(Photo credit: Baroness Sheri de Borchgrave)

Monday, June 25, 2012 — We're looking forward to guest-hosting the show "Cooking Today" on Martha Stewart Living Radio all week long! Hope you'll join us *live* by tuning in to Sirius XM Radio 110 from 3:00 - 4:00 pm ET today (Monday, 6/25), Wednesday (6/27) and Friday (6/29).

Not a Sirius subscriber? Not a problem — you can get a one-week *free* trial this week right here: www.siriusxm.com/freetrial.

Email us your questions at dornenburgpage@gmail.com, or Tweet them to @MarthaRadio and @KarenAndAndrew.

Karen with Constantine Maroulis in
Central Park on Saturday

Karen has started running again, after a two-year break — and ran a five-mile race on Saturday in Central Park, where Andrew snapped this photo of her with Tony nominee ("Rock of Ages") and "American Idol" finalist Constantine Maroulis, who rocked the national anthem right before the race. Congratulations to Constantine, who landed the starring role in the musical production of "Jekyll & Hyde" coming to Broadway next year!

Thursday, June 21, 2012 — We're still on Paris time after returning from a wonderful (and our first-ever) wine tasting trip to the Loire and Burgundy regions. While we look forward to getting over this week's pattern of waking in the middle of the night and dozing off before 6 pm, the trip left us with so many delicious memories that it's well worth the inconvenience of a longer-than-usual body-clock readjustment.

Our thanks to our fellow wine writer and author Baroness Sheri de Borchgrave, who snapped the photo of us above while we were touring the Loire.

By the way, we hope you'll join us at 10:30 am this morning for our radio interview with Carole Kotkin on Food and Wine Talk Radio.

Kathleen Turner, Nick Valenti & Gael Greene: "$825K raised!"

Citymeals' founder Gael Greene

Karen Page, Stephen Lang, Beth Shapiro

Pouring wines from JUSTIN

Karen Page with writer-producer Robin Green

Gotham's Alfred Portale (the Man in Black) & team

Karen Page with Jenifer Harvey Lang

James Beard Award winners Matt Molina & Nancy Silverton

Karen Page with Cafe Boulud's Gavin Kaysen, Bocuse d'Or
contestant Rich Rosendale, and chef Daniel Boulud

Le Bernardin's Eric Ripert and his team after serving 900!

Chicago's Rick Bayless, with Deann Bayless in green

Karen meets her fashion doppel!

August Ceradini, Lynne Ryan, Andrew Dornenburg

PDT's James Beard Award-winning cocktail team

Jean-Georges Vongerichten with Karen Page

Danny Aiello and Robert Wuhl

Andrew Dornenburg, Rikki Klieman, Bill Bratton

"Food and film — what a perfect combination! Nothing brings people together like a good movie and a good meal. This evening is a celebration of cinematic cuisine that also brings a lifeline of nutritious meals and companionship to more than 16,500 elderly New Yorkers who are in need of our support."
—Beth Shapiro, Executive Director, Citymeals-on-Wheels

Tuesday, June 5, 2012 — Congratulating Citymeals on raising more than $825,000 last night at its 27th Annual Chefs' Tribute "Knives! Camera! Action! Star Chefs Salute the Silver Screen for the Benefit of Citymeals-on-Wheels" at Rockefeller Center, while showcasing dozens of the world's most legendary chefs including Rick Bayless, Daniel Boulud, Eric Ripert and Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

We indeed had great fun catching up with the chefs as well as friends who are fellow Citymeals supporters, and Tweeting live @KarenAndAndrew from the benefit.

To make a contribution to Citymeals to help feed New York's homebound elderly, click here. Fully 100% of your donation will go toward the preparation and delivery of meals.

Monday, June 4, 2012 — Congratulating Citymeals-on-Wheels on holding its annual Chefs' Tribute tonight at Rockefeller Center, which showcases dozens of leading chefs while raising hundreds of thousands to feed New York's homebound elderly. We're looking forward to catching up with the chefs, and Tweeting live @KarenAndAndrew from this not-to-be-missed benefit.

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