The Recipe for Blogger Prom 2009: Lots of Cheese and Hard Work

Ericka of City Elf and me

It was about 2 months ago that I received an email from Caroline of Caroline on Crack and Esther of e*star LA, two fun, well known Los Angeles bloggers, asking me to join them on a quest to create an unforgettable Blogger Prom on Wednesday, July 22, 2009. I agreed, still not exactly sure what Blogger Prom even was! They recruited a couple of other wonderful bloggers, and the 8 of us became the Blogger Prom Committee...

• Caroline of Caroline on Crack
• Esther of e*star LA
• H.C. of LA and OC Foodventures
• Lindsay of LAist
• Marni of Happy Go Marni
• Maya of Shop Eat Sleep
  
• Natalie of The Liquid Muse
• Tara of When Tara Met Blog

The entire Blogger Prom Committee
L to R: Caroline, Natalie, Tara, Marni, Esther, H.C., Lindsay, Maya

Our mission was to organize an event that would bring together Los Angeles bloggers from every genre: food, tech, lifestyle, fashion, and everything in between. These are people we follow online but often have never had the chance to meet in person. The Andaz West Hollywood, a newly renovated hotel on the Sunset Strip with amazing views of Los Angeles, agreed to open their rooftop to us for the occasion. The venue was set, but we still had a lot more work to do!

View from the rooftop of the Andaz West Hollywood Hotel

We immediately built a Blogger Prom blog and set out to create an exclusive invite list and seek sponsors. We were overwhelmed by the responses. Trying to get 200 bloggers to attend this event turned out to be so easy that we had a waitlist! And because of the golden opportunity this became for brands of all sorts, being able to show off their products to a Who's Who of influential, talkative bloggers, sponsorship was also not a challenge.

In fact, we ended up turning down companies right and left because we could have had hundreds and that would have just been messy! Still, we kept enough that there were dozens of raffle prizes - everything from a $100 gourmet chocolate assortment from Charles Chocolates (YUM!) to a 6 game assortment of Wii games by EA (fun!!) to restaurant gift certificates to tickets to the Hollywood Bowl to a $300 gift basket of booze from The Edison in Downtown and so much more. And let's not forget the beloved, coveted goody bag that every attendee would receive at the end of the evening. Raffle prize winner or not, no one went home empty-handed. The bag contained chips, booze, free food coupons, a t-shirt, lube, ear plugs, hair products, granola bars, a Goldstar poster and a lot more. A big THANK YOU to the generous sponsors.

Over-stuffed goody bags for all!

We had liquor sponsors and one of our very own Blogger Prom Committee members, Natalie of The Liquid Muse, even concocted a signature cocktail for the evening. We had an official prom photographer Claire Barrett, whose work is amazing! We required cheesy prom attire, encouraging 80s era since that's as cheesy as you can get, and we were strictly enforcing that dress code at the door. The 8 of us committee members divided up the shifts for the evening so someone was always checking people in at the door, handling the raffle, giving out goody bags, etc... And after putting so much thought into every detail of the night, it was a big success! We are so pleased with the turnout, the outfits, the venue, the food, prizes, goody bags, and most importantly, the smiles on everyone's faces. They all seemed to be having a great time. Many asked us if we'd be doing this again next year because they for sure want to be on the list. I don't know what next year has in store, but as for 2009, yeah, I think we can safely say, "Mission accomplished."

Maya of Shop Eat Sleep receives her corsage from friend Chris

I went for the poofiest sleeves I could find

My friend David with the Cheese Impresario Barrie Lynn
who matches cheese to cocktails

Cheesecake pops from Pure Cheesecakes

Silamith, the liquor rep for Martin Millers Gin and Caroline of Caroline on Crack

To read some of the Blogger Prom coverage, take a look at these links:

BlogHer, "Blogger Prom 2009 in Los Angeles"
Caroline on Crack, "Blogger Prom 2009: Backstory and Wrap-Up"
LA Weekly, "We Hit It…Blogger Prom, That Is"
Lalawag, "Bloggers Just Wanna Have Fu-un"
Food Woolf, "Getting To Know You at LA’s Blogger Prom"
Franklin Avenue, "Scenes from a Blogger Prom"
Kevin Eats, "Blogger Prom (West Hollywood, CA)"
Nadine Jolie, "Jolie, the Prom Queen"
Shop Eat Sleep, "Blogger Prom was Awesome"
When Tara Met Blog, "Blogger Prom 2009"
and for hundreds of photos, the Blogger Prom Flickr Group Pool

Plum Blueberry Upside-Down Cake

This is a good ROI cake. You put little effort in, and you get big returns. Isn't that the way all baking should be? :) I say this because it's really an easy cake to make, and yet it looks so impressive and difficult when you present it to your guests. Now that's bang for your buck!


And it's not just presentation that wins people over; it's taste. This cake is a perfect summer treat with fresh fruit from the farmer's market, and has a shocking, totally-out-of-character-for-Marni non-chocolate personality. You can swap out other fruit for the ones called for in the recipe, which gives this cat of a cake 9 lives! In fact, I did just that. In the cookbook, the title is Plum Huckleberry Upside-Down Cake, but come on folks, huckleberries aren't exactly everyday produce. So out they went and blueberries were happily invited to the party. David Lebovitz is the inventor and mastermind behind this amazing recipe and if you've been following my blog for awhile, you know that I'd practically take a bullet for the guy (does it have to hurt, though?).


Plum Blueberry Upside-Down Cake
Recipe by David Lebovitz in Room for Dessert
One 9-inch round cake or 10-inch square cake; 10-12 servings

The plum blueberry topping:
3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup (4 ounces) blueberries
6 to 8 medium plums (about 1 pound)

The cake:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk, at room temperature

Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

1. To make the plum blueberry topping: Melt the butter in a 9-inch round cake pan or a 10-inch square cake pan, directly on the stove top, over low heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar is thoroughly moistened. Remove from the heat and cool briefly.

2. Sprinkle half of the blueberries evenly over the moistened brown sugar. Cut the plums in half, remove the pits, and cut the plum halves into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange the plum slices over the blueberries in concentric, overlapping circles, or just scatter them evenly. Strew the rest of the blueberries on top of the plum slices.

3. To make the cake: Position the oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

4. Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes in a standing electric mixer. Stop the mixer once and scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure the butter is completely incorporated. Add the vanilla.

5. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until completely incorporated.

6. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix half of the flour mixture into the batter. Stir the milk into the batter, add the remaining dry ingredients, and stir just until smooth; do not overmix. The batter will be quite thick.

7. Carefully spread the batter over the fruit in the cake pan, smoothing with a spatula. Bake the upside-down cake for about 1 hour, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

8. Let the cake stand at least 20 minutes before unmolding. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Invert a serving plate over the cake and carefully flip over both cake and plate simultaneously. Lift off the cake pan and scrape any fruit that may have stuck to the pan back onto the cake - or enjoy it yourself. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Variation: Make the topping with 6 medium apricots instead of plums, and substitute 1 cup of any kind of berries (except strawberries) for the blueberries.


Step-by-Step in Pictures

Melt the butter directly into the pan over a burner.

Add the brown sugar and stir to moisten...

Sprinkle half the blueberries on top...

Slice about 1 lb. of plums...

Place the plum slices in concentric circles, then sprinkle with the remaining blueberries...

To make the cake batter, cream the butter and sugar, then add the vanilla, eggs, and half the dry ingredients...
Add milk, and then add the remaining half of the dry ingredients...
Dollop the batter on top of the fruit in the pan...

Spread the batter evenly over the fruit, then bake at 350 degrees F for about an hour...

The top will be golden brown when done and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean...

Serve this beauty!

The Kitchen Table: A Winning Kosher Experience in Mountain View

Living in Los Angeles, I have quite a selection of Kosher restaurants at my fingertips, ranging from fast food to Jewish deli and all the way up the scale to steakhouses. But it's a funny thing how I eat at just one Kosher restaurant in Mountain View, California, and I suddenly realize Los Angeles doesn't have it all.


I'm talking about The Kitchen Table, a new Kosher establishment on the popular Castro Street in downtown Mountain View (just south of Stanford University and a little north of San Jose). I ate here with my parents and sister for Father's Day. My mom secured a reservation, which the restaurant staff tell me is a smart thing to do as tables, which in my opinion aren't so limited, apparently still fill up. The decor inside is sophisticated but with personality as crystal chandeliers and abstract metal artwork are juxtaposed with old black and white photographs of families sitting at their kitchen tables. But Father's Day brought lots of sunshine and good weather and so we opted to eat outdoors on the front patio where lots of cheerful green shrubs separate you from the busy street.

Photographs of families at their kitchen tables cover a wall of the restaurant

The staff are incredibly gregarious. Our waitress Suzanne was fun, honest, and attentive. A co-owner also greeted us at our table. We felt loved. And the feelings are mutual!

My dad with our waitress Suzanne

But ambiance and waitstaff aside, the menu is the real kicker! Prices are very reasonable and the dishes are so creative! Scanning the menu I was drooling. The lunch menu includes a Chipotle BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwich, Knish of the Day, Hand-Cut Yam Fries, Tuna Ceviche with Fried Plantain Chips and Spicy Avocado Relish, Chicken & Matzo Ball Soup, Lamb BLT, Dry Aged Tuscan Salami with Dijon on a Crispy Baguette, House Cured Pastrami Sandwich, and lots more. Dinner includes many of the same items as lunch, but also entrees such as Honey, Thyme & White Wine Glazed Salmon, Tamarind Mango Braised Duck Leg, Masala Spiced Lamb Kabob, and Boneless Rib-Eye Steak.

House Cured Pastrami Sandwich

Salami Potato Knish with Rocket Salad

3 eggs, Hash Latkes, and Lamb Bacon with Whole Wheat Toast

Chocolate Babka with Fresh Fruit

Tunisian Shakshouka

Homemade Grilled Pita Wedges

Since we ate at 10am on a Sunday, we ordered from a small brunch menu of just 5 choices, though we had no trouble finding many things we wanted. In the future, hopefully they'll add one or two more breakfasty items like Challah French Toast and Blueberry Pancakes. I selected the Tunisian Shakshouka, consisting of three eggs in a tomato sausage sauce and a side of homemade pita wedges. My sister's and dad's meals included lamb bacon, and so I was fortunate enough to try a bite. Wow, that alone was worth the trip! My mom ordered chocolate babka, fresh fruit, and a salami potato knish. Presentation and taste were all on point. Even my coffee came with a mandelbrot cookie on a sleek white saucer.

Father's Day Brunch Menu

Coffee and Mandelbrot

Very soon, The Kitchen Table will be offering Shabbat take-out. Now that's something I wish more Los Angeles Kosher restaurants did! I came to this place with no expectations and practically no information about it - just an open mind. It turned out to be a perfect 10 of an experience. I am deeply and madly in love.

Details:
The Kitchen Table
142 Castro Street
Mountain View, CA 94041
(650) 390-9388
Lunch/Dinner/Sunday Brunch/Take-Out/Catering

Joyce's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake

I am in love with this oatmeal cake. I've never made it before and I had no idea how oatmealy it would turn out. But you actually can't tell there's oatmeal in it! That's because you pour boiling water over the oats before adding them to the batter, and so they become soft and soggy and un-oatmeal-like. I also changed up the recipe slightly by using chocolate chips instead of the dried fruit the recipe calls for. Chocolate makes anything better. Duh. Forgive me for skipping the Broiled Topping. It sounds delicious, and I've included the recipe in this post, but I just didn't feel the cake needed the topping and I didn't want the added calories.

I was first drawn to the recipe because of its name: Joyce's Oatmeal Cake. My mom's name is Joyce, and as she is my baking inspiration and the one who got me into this hobby in the first place, I felt it was a sign that I have to make this recipe.

The 9x13 Pan Cookbook is really fun because every single recipe uses the same pan. And it happens to be one of my favorite pans. It serves enough people and it's easy because you just pour the batter into the pan and when done, slice to serve. It's a much bigger pain to shape drop cookies individually and place them evenly apart on a cookie sheet. Low maintenance is key! Also, this cookbook, which visually is half the height of most cookbooks, is part of the Nitty Gritty Cookbooks family. I love Nitty Gritty! How much? Let me count the ways.....I own 26 Nitty Gritty cookbooks!


Joyce's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake
Recipe by Barbara Karoff in The 9x13 Pan Cookbook
Serves 10-12

1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped dates or raisins (I used chocolate chips instead!)

Pour water over oats and let stand. Cream sugars with butter until fluffy. Add vanilla and egg; mix well. Combine flour, salt, soda, baking powder and cinnamon; add to creamed mixture. Stir in dates (or chocolate!). Add oatmeal and water. Batter will be quite thick. Spoon it into a buttered 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes or until it tests done. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Broiled Topping
2/3 cup chopped nuts
2/3 cup flaked coconut
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons milk or cream

Combine all topping ingredients in a saucepan over low heat just to melt sugar and butter. Do not cook. Spread on baked cake and place under the broiler, about 4 inches from heat, until brown and bubbly.


Step-by-Step in Pictures

Pour boiling water over the rolled oats...

Cream the sugars with the butter until fluffy...

Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl...

Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture...

Add chocolate chips...

Add oatmeal and water mixture...

Pour into 9x13" pan and bake at 350 degrees F for about 35 minutes...

Test for doneness with a toothpick...

So moist. Perfect for breakfast or any time of day!

Kiss My Bundt Bakery Has Classes!

You know all about the national, if not international, cupcake craze, I'm sure. But individual-sized gourmet, creative treats are also found in the form of donuts and even mini bundt cakes! Sadly, I live 400 miles from my new obsession, Psycho Donuts in Campbell, CA. But fortunately I live just around the corner from Kiss My Bundt Bakery in Los Angeles! And these treats look, smell, and taste amazing.


Kiss My Bundt Bakery sells bundts in mini, a-little-larger-than-mini, and full size. The price is right, too, at $2.50, $4.50, and $32 respectively. Among the many flavors are:

• 7-Up Pound Cake
• Bailey's Irish Cream Cake
• Chocolate Cabernet Aphrodisiac Cake
• Chocolate Mint Cake
• Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake
• Strawberry Lemonade Cake
• Red Velvet Cake
• Peanut Butter Bundt Cake
• Pineapple Upside Down Cake
• Pina Colada Cake
  
• and a LOT more!!!

But besides going to the bakery and purchasing a treat for now or later, Kiss My Bundt Bakery also hosts baking classes and tasting sessions! I am dying at the thought of this! Isn't it every sweet tooth's dream to go behind the glass display cases at a bakery and be able to work in the kitchen there? I want to see where the magic happens!


Currently, I am aware of four events you should check out:

• Bundt Cake Baking and Wine Tasting on Friday, June 12th at 7pm
• Hands-on Intro to Baking Class on Sunday, June 14th at 5:30pm
• Introduction to Cake Frostings Class on Friday, June 19th at 7pm
• Cake Tasting on Saturday, June 20th at 8pm

Remember the scene from My Big Fat Greek Wedding that, in my opinion, reintroduced bundts to today's generation? Here ya go...



And for true bundt-a-holics, follow Kiss My Bundt Bakery on Twitter at @KissMyBundt.

The Details:
Kiss My Bundt Bakery
8104 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Cross Street: Crescent Heights Blvd.
Phone: (323) 655-0559