Author Archives: Cathy Thomas

Tweet Amber’s Ful Medames (fava bean dip or salad base) I’ve known Amber Cauble since she started preschool with my daughter more than three decades ago. It’s so heartwarming when grown children share their friends with parents, and even better … Continue reading →

Tweet Michael “Mike” Doctulero, executive chef at Scott’s Restaurant & Bar in Costa Mesa, fell in love with cooking early in his childhood. Working in the kitchen with his grandfather fueled the fun. One of his fondest early memories is … Continue reading →

Tweet   Doesn’t the thought of caramel make your taste buds perk up? The taste and texture are so luscious, so luxurious. My favorite? Chocolate-Caramel Shortbread Bars – shortbread on the bottom and caramel-amped chocolate on top. DELICIOUS. Caramel flavor … Continue reading →

Tweet Raj Dixit, executive chef at Stonehill Tavern at the St. Regis Monarch Beach, makes a  scrumptious holiday-themed turkey burger. It captures the bright flavors of a traditional holiday turkey menu: turkey, gravy, crisp apple salad, cranberry marmalade and a … Continue reading →

Tweet Salt Creek Grille’s Mahi Mahi Including liquid pectin in a glaze for fish was new to me. I was eager to see how Scott Green, the company executive chef for the Salt Creek Grille restaurants, utilized it in his … Continue reading →

Tweet It seems like everyone I meet wants to tell me about kale, their new culinary discovery. They speak about kale with such enthusiasm that they make the leafy green sound better than crisp bacon. Some juice it, turning it … Continue reading →

Tweet GOLDEN FOODIE AWARDS: Thank you so very much for voting me Best Food Writer in Orange County!  It was such fun to look our at the audience and an ocean of chefs and restaurateurs  who have shared their hearts … Continue reading →

Tweet Imagine the Arc Burger – that luscious cow-duck-pig combo served at ARC, the everything-from-scratch eatery in Costa Mesa’s South Coast Collection (SoCo).  The beef is hand cut into itty bitty pieces. The pig is crisp cooked cubes of house-cured … Continue reading →

Tweet       Tapenade, that scrumptious Provençal-style olive spread, is fast and easy to make at home, especially if you have a food processor and use pre-pitted olives. It is especially tempting layered in a torta with a mixture … Continue reading →

Tweet Banh mi, sub-style Vietnamese sandwiches explode with sweet, sour, hot and salty flavors balanced in perfect harmony inside a just-baked baguette. Each element, whether cooked or salad-like raw, weaves a seductive contrast. A marriage of French and Vietnamese components, … Continue reading →