iPhone 4 Commercial

Check me out in a commercial for the new iPhone 4. I'm at the 0:58 mark.

Steamed Wild Cod with Citrus

Our very good friend, Mario Jackson, sometimes works the farmers market in Encino, selling wild caught seafood. He generously gave me a beautiful filet of wild cod that I marinated with garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and orange zest. I topped it with fresh chopped parsley, onion slices, and orange slices. Lastly, I wrapped it in aluminum foil, and Ismael cooked it for me on his grill. Mario came over for dinner that night, and it was a lovely evening of good food among dear friends.

Mouthwatering Bruschetta

How many of us watched Julie & Julia and salivated during the bruschetta scene? I certainly did. The sizzling sounds of the baguette browning in the sauté pan. The vibrant red color and perfect firmness of the heirloom tomatoes being sliced on the cutting board. The shininess of the olive oil married with the tomato and basil mixture. The savory sprinkling of salt. And mostly, the CRUNCH of the bread as the actors bit into the bruschetta, eliciting mouthfuls of yummy noises and exclamations of, "This is good! This is really good!" Mmmm...

I've seen this film at least five times, watching it every single time it comes on cable. Tonight, I couldn't take it anymore. I turned off the television, threw on my sandals, and made a quick run to the market to buy a French baguette and some fresh basil. (I already had the tomatoes and garlic.) I can only hope the pictures I've taken give you an adequate glimpse of how monumentally flavorful this dish was. The garlic, the tomatoes, the basil, the salt, the olive oil...every component comes alive in your mouth while your senses of sight, smell, sound, and taste are unabashedly bombarded.