The Knife

The 2008 Sundance Film Food Festival

The Sundance Film Festival is getting to the point where what you eat is as interesting as what you see.

I recognize that may not be an entirely good thing.

Honors for best dinner party go to Talisker Club, which hosted a seven-course meal that began with a duck's-egg custard (served in the shell, thanks very much) with oysters and Iranian Osetra caviar and ended with a spiced ice cream Napoleon. Along the way were wine pairings that included Domaine Louis Latour Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2005 and (my favorite) Thibault Liger-Belair Nuits-St. George, "Les St. George," Premier Cru 2005.

Full disclosure: Variety hosted the event. Even fuller disclosure: To attend, you had to be either a Black Amex card holder, one of Variety's 10 Directors to Watch or, you know, work for Variety. Extra points for the evening's sommelier, who operates out of Salt Lake City. I asked him what it was like to promote wine in a state that largely believes his job to be a greased pole to hell. "Sometimes I feel like I'm promoting a love of wine, " he said. "Sometimes I feel like a drug dealer. And I can live with that."

Honors for best dinner party that Sundance attendees might actually attend went to the second-annual Bon Appetit Supper Club. Yes, the magazine chose to host a dinner for "The Hottie and the Nottie," with Paris Hilton as the guest of honor. No, neither the film nor Ms. Hilton have anything to do with Sundance.

However, Bon Appetit also hosted dinners for a half dozen other Sundance films, including "Bottle Shock," where the wines were provided by the Bo Barrett's Chateau Montelena (Barrett's portrayed in the movie by Chris Pine, soon to be known as Captain Kirk in "Star Trek.").  The crowds were controlled, the food was delicious and the interior was impressive thanks to the world's biggest doily that papered the dining room walls, which also posed graciously with "Bottle Shock" stars Bill Pullman and Alan Rickman, above.

Best-kept dining secret: That Bon Appetit was hosting a Sundance dinner for U2. According to publisher Paul Jowdy, it began when his secretary said there was a man on the line, but she couldn't understand him because his accent was so thick. "I don't know why I took the call," he said, especially when the brogue-tongued caller insisted Jowdy sign a nondisclosure agreement online before he even revealed the reason for their conversation. But Jowdy did, upon which Paul McGuinness introduced himself as the manager of U2. The band heard about the Supper Club and would Bon Appetit be interested in hosting them for their film "U2 3D"? And could Bon Appetit arrange for a Champagne sponsor, since the Edge loves Champagne, and a chef from New Orleans, since the band is very interested in supporting the area? One Veuve Cliquot and a John Besh later, it was done. (Al Gore with Bono and the bubbly-loving guitarist, above.)

Best Park City addition: The Sky Lodge. The hotel opened less than a month before the festival, so the Sky Lodge had its issues -- including double-charging me for my room. However, it also introduced three new restaurants, Fin, Easy Street Brasserie and La Boheme. None are cheap but all provided comfort and sustenance on demand -- at Sundance, no small feat. Bonus points to breakfast at Easy Street, which is included in the room charge and where the waiters happily put up with our sprawling, highly caffeinated story budget meetings.

Sundance is over; the cold I contracted there has (almost) followed suit. I'm back.

[EDIT:] Almost forgot to mention: Should you travel to Norwalk, OH, and should you  stay at the Georgian Manor B&B, you might have something like this for breakfast. French toast with berry compote, fresh blueberry muffins and the comforts of a flawlessly restored 1906 home helped make a tough trip much more tender. RIP, Ross Stewart.   

Attack of the 50-Foot Cupcake

Not that I'm complaining. It was delicious.

This came courtesy of La Provence in Beverly Hills, eager to promote their HUGE HONKING CUPCAKES (Discovered! The bakery treat that frightens small children!) for Valentine's Day in particular. Even for cupcake burnouts like myself, it was impressive: Buttercream icing that tastes like chocolate and butter instead of powdered sugar. And while it's a French bakery, the chocolate cake was moist and crumbly-dense like a class-A Duncan Hines.

Still. That thing's big.

(Picture credit: Tom Sorenson)

The secret to a $150 martini.

1. Go to Nic's Beverly Hills.
2. Waiter places beautiful, if oversized, martini glass on the table.
3. Waiter removes bottle of Kauffman vodka from a nest of ice cubes.
4. Waiter pours vodka into glass.
5. Waiter continues pouring.
6. And pouring.
7. And pouring, until there is a scant cup's worth of pure vodka.
8. Your martini is served.

How'd it taste? Delicious; cold in the mouth, warm in the stomach and not even a suggestion of those butane fumes found in lesser vodkas, but what do you expect from a "single-vintage" vodka that's filtered 14 times through the silk stocking that once belonged to Marilyn Monroe* (or whatever it is that Kauffman does to differentiate itself from the hundreds of thousands of other luxury-brand vodkas)? It's a testament to my willpower (and desire to drive home) that I didn't come close finishing the thing.

That said, was it even a martini? Nearly eight ounces (about four shots' worth) of unadulterated vodka, without so much as a spray of vermouth? (I'm not even touching the purist's argument that a martini can only be gin, anything else is an abomination, blah blah blah.)

However, that "martini" was the Beverly Hills equivalent of those places in Key West that boast $25 GIANT ASS FROZEN DRINKS (and $1 Bacardi melon Jell-O shots), only here the commemorative container is a Michael Weems etched-crystal glass rather than an insulated squeeze bottle.

* Actually, the Kauffman site says something even weirder: "The blend of Kauffman Luxury contains the infusion of dried wheaten crusts that is thoroughly filtered before being added to the other components of Vodka Kauffman Luxury such as rectified ethylic spirit ‘Luxe’, softened water and sugar." I'm not sure which disturbs me more, "dried wheaten crusts" or "rectified ethylic spirit."

Tastes like a shoe? We should all be so lucky.

Because this is LA, shoe stores can justify a full-scale blowout of an opening night. Especially when the store in question is Jimmy Choo, that synonym-as-footwear for power/wealth/Paris Hilton/Sex In The City. The new Rodeo Drive flagship operation opens in Beverly Hills tonight. 

And, because this is LA, such events have two publicists: One for the shoes, another for the food. The latter will be provided by Patina and the menu "has been carefully prepared... to compliment the event." 

I'm pretty sure they meant "complement," although a Patina menu generally brings compliments. However, that begs the question: What kind of food best complements $600 stilletto heels? That's a hell of a philosophical quandary. Judging by the menu, my best guess at Joachim Splichal's interpretation are small and costly things that don't drip. 

Jimmy Choo Menu

Square Brioche with Citrus Smoked Salmon and Vodka Crème Fraîche

American Black Caviar Pavé on Blini with Chive Crème Fraîche

Wild Mushroom Tartlet with White Truffle Oil

Tuna Tartare Cuplet with Avocado and Wasabe

Petit Filet of Beef on Mini Potato Pancake with Horseradish Crème Fraîche

Mini Flourless Chocolate Cake

Premium Liquor, Patina Selection of White Wine
Cucumber Lemonade Spritzer
Soft Drinks, Mineral Water, Juices

"Mad Money" best movie (premiere) of the year: Food by Silverton, Tracht and Spence

Why my first premiere of 2008 will be tomorrow, Jan. 9, for "Mad Money," the first feature released by new indie studio Overture Films:

Like so many in Hollywood, I go to movie premieres for the food. And by "so many," I mean anyone who's not associated with the movie, not associated with someone who's associated with the movie or who isn't using the red carpet and its attendant photographers to help his/her career.

Technically, "so many" probably refers to just me. But now that I'm not on the film beat, food does have a lot to do with whether or not I attend a premiere. And lest anyone condemn me for being a spoiled and iredeemable snob -- well, you're probably right, but first consider: There's a lot of bad movies made. A LOT. Then consider the experience of said movie starting 45 minutes late (because no one will stop schmoozing and being the first to sit down condemns you as less important than those still standing up) and turns out to be not just bad but twisting-in-your-seat awful. (It should be noted that the bulk of my premiere-going experiences took place before the advent of BlackBerries.)

And afterward? There's a party, populated largely by the people who made the aforementioned abomination but really wanted to make a good movie, have jobs riding on its success and are hoping every guest will overwhelm them with gratitude and you're not sure you can look them in the eye. (As my husband says, "We're earning our shrimp tonight.")

All of this happens more often than anyone cares to think. And even when there's the promise of a good movie, there's still the 45-minute thing, and it's a weeknight and -- feh, I can wait.

So: Nothing but love for stars Queen Latifah, Diane Keaton and Katie Holmes and may this be the first step toward career advancement and/or recesuitation for all involved, but I'll be the first to bolt out of the theater toward the light generated by the three stars in chef jackets: Nancy Silverton, Suzanne Tracht and Carolynn Spence are preparing the post-party feast.

The menu's after the jump.

Bon Appetit returns to Sundance with Paris Hilton in tow

I wrote about it in this weekend's Variety, but for those who didn't see it, Bon Appetit, Giada De Laurentiis et. al. plan to hold sway over the Sundance Film Festival once more.

As last year, they pair chefs with Sundance movies for private dinners, with plenty of thick-necked bouncers to ensure that private means NOT YOU.

I'll post the full lineup later, but it's, uh, eclectic. There's the SIR Ben Kingsley-Mary-Kate Olsen competition film (can't remember the title, but I'm recommending they change it to "No, That Is Not A Typo") and an American Spectrum selection, "Bottle Shock," the movie about the birth of the Napa wine scene that stars Alan Rickman and Bill Pullman.

Bon Appetit has also chosen to honor "The Hottie and the Nottie," starring Paris Hilton, who has as much to do with Sundance and Park City as, say, avalanches.

Here's the full list, although I expect they'll add more before they're done.

o       Friday, January 18th, *5:00 pm: "Bottle Shock," a film about the birth of the Napa wine industry featuring Alan Rickman, Chris Pine, Bill Pullman, Rachael Taylor, Freddy Rodriguez, Eliza Dushku and Dennis Farina. Dinner prepared by Master Sushi Chef Osamu "Fuji" Fujita.

o       Saturday, January 19th, *12:00 pm: “The Wackness,” featuring Mary-Kate Olsen and Sir Ben Kingsley. Lunch prepared by Bon Appétit’s chef de cuisine, Jonathan Lindenauer.

o       Sunday, January 20th, *8:30 pm: “The Hottie and the Nottie,” Regent Releasing’s world premiere event featuring Paris Hilton, Joel David Moore and Christine Lakin. Dinner prepared by Bon Appétit Executive Chef Cat Cora.

o       Monday, January 21st, *5:30 pm: “Kickin It – ESPN,” featuring Colin Farrell and Sienna Miller. Dinner prepared by Food Network personality Giada De Laurentiis. 

o       Monday, January 21st, *8:30 pm: “Henry Poole is Here,” directed by Mark Pellington, featuring Adriana Barazza (Babel), George Lopez, Cheryl Hines, Luke Wilson and Radha Mitchell.  Dinner prepared by Giada De Laurentiis.

Top Five Things I should have written about in 2007

Consider this a confessional new year's resolution: Worthiness slipped through the cracks. I like a clear conscience, so here's a handful of places and things that should have had their moment.

Meadowood in Napa Valley. This one is the most egregiously overdue -- like, more than a year, even before I launched The Knife.

In September 2006, I made a trip to Napa Valley for a feature article in Variety Weekend; when I got back, the VW section was killed and the story never happened. That was unfortunate because the trip had been terrific (Stony Hill Chardonnay; Havens, which makes the only Albarino in Napa) and I was really looking forward to writing about Meadowood.

Not that it needs the press -- it's sort of the area country club -- but the rooms are better than "world class" and those other weird adjectives that suggest some kind of thread-count throwdown. The beds are big and warm, the ceilings are high and white and staying there feels like... well, when you're a kid, it's what you think it means to be a grown-up. As a grown-up, you realize it's what it means to be rich: Prices start at $450 a night.

Also noted: the restaurant makes what's quite possibly the best corned-beef hash ever. Dinner there is also very good, although Meadowood recently sent me a pack of promo recipe cards that detail how to make things no one in their right mind will ever cook at home. (Chinese mustard-glazed sturgeon with heirloom apple, pickled shallots and fennel emulsion, anyone?) But don't hold it against them; if you can afford it, Meadowood is worth it.

Cafe Del Rey. This came out of one of those infamous media dinners, where food writers get free food. I don't usually write about them for that reason (What, the food was good and they treated you well? You don't say!).

This one deserves note because Cafe Del Rey used to be kind of an awful '80s remnant, a reminder of a time when the only thing bigger than the hair was the food. However, the owners have seen the error of their ways (including killing off an awful logo that used a font last seen on a Bananarama album; they even had a party, above, to celebrate; possibly a step too far, but that old sign was scary) and hired a new chef (Jason Niederkorn, formerly at Aubergine in Newport Beach). The result is a restaurant that, while not groundbreaking, nonetheless stands as a rarity in Los Angeles: Eating well with a water view.

Saltistry. This sounds like the unnecessary oxygen bar of the 21st century: Have a party comprised of little things to dip into darling little dishes of different flavored salts! Then you dip a baby tomato in vodka followed by six-pepper salt and stop being snarky because it interferes with your digestion and now all you want to do is eat. Raw tuna with tangerine salt, roasted potatoes with truffle salt, dark chocolate with coconut salt... sneer if you like. I'm salting.

The Crushpad Fusebox. I've had a crush (no pun intended) on the San Francisco-based Crushpad, where you can blend your own barrel of wine for a semi-reasonable sum ($5,000 and up; that's $17 a bottle). I can't afford that kind of time or money, but for $125 you can buy the Fusebox, a collection of seven 375 mL single-varietal wines and the accessories (pipettes, graduated cylinder) that let you design your own wine blends. Every bit as nerdy as a Sears Chemistry Kit and your experiments taste a lot better.

Flan King. Enough with the cupcakes, the Beasley muffins and those drywall-flavored cookie bouquets. Flan King will deliver a large flan for $25 in a cardboard-foil container; open it up, turn it upside down (my order came with a plate) and you have a beautiful dessert that is, no small feat, one of the best flans I've had. Not too eggy, or grainy, and with plenty of rich caramel. Never thought of flan having delivery potential, but I'm glad they did.