FEEDING MAD MEN

Food service on big Hollywood TV and film productions is divided into two departments: Catering and Craft Service. Catering is responsible for feeding the cast and crew breakfast and lunch, while Craft Service, affectionately called “Crafty,” is responsible to supply them every possible thing to be consumed in between and after those meals.

Food Woody on Mad Men set

During summer 2010 I was fortunate to work as a stand-in on the Emmy-winning show "Mad Men.” I’ve worked on several top-rated shows and films with big budgets for feeding their crew, but my “Mad Men” experience is at the culinary top of the TV world.

“Mad Men” is based downtown at the Los Angeles Center Studios and employs one of the best caterers in the biz - Limelight Catering of Sylmar, CA. Breakfast is simple with custom-made offerings of eggs, omelets, bacon and the works including fresh fruit, potatoes, oatmeal and burritos. But lunch, usually served six hours later, is a delectable food orgy. 

You would be thrilled to offer this assortment and quality of food at your wedding; there is something amazingly delicious for carnivores, pescatarians, vegetarians and vegans. Everyday is a different theme, like Fried Chicken Fridays.


One of my favorites is Italian day, which might include Veal Piccatta, Chicken Marsala, Grilled Striped Trout, Seasoned Vegetable Medley, Grilled Eggplant, Lasagna, Manicotti, Penne al Pesto, Ravioli, Roasted Garlic, Risotto, plus a few mixed salads, salad bar, and dessert buffet of cakes, cookies and ice cream.  

This Italian day also included Pizza, Meatball and Polenta

Mexican day is totally groovy too featuring Carne Asada, Shredded Pork, Chicken Mole, Ceviche, Tamales, Enchiladas, Frijoles, Grilled Corn, Fresh Fried Chile Rellenos and Flan. After every meal, Chef Mike comes around with his special brew of Turkish coffee to thrust the group into the second half of the day. 

Cast and crew eat together and then it’s back to work where set medic Alise passes out flossing sticks to everyone to remove lingering morsels from between their teeth.  At first I was shocked to be around a whole group of people picking at their teeth in public, but then I came to realize it must be the plaque-free environment that makes the show so popular.

On many sets, an 8-hour workday is an anomaly. And so it goes on “Mad Men,” where 12-14 hour days were the norm, and some lasting past 1 AM.  So by hour 10, the crew begins to get hungry, and Crafty's sliced fruit, crudité and nut mixes are no longer satisfying.  This is when Crafty steps up their game and takes over for the second meal.

Like a Jewish mother, a good crafty doesn’t prepare anything, but knows who to call to get the best. We’ve had food woody from a variety of restaurants like Cuban take out from Versailles and French dip sandwiches from historic Phillipe’s.

But the current trend in gourmet food trucks is not lost on Hollywood, and often a truck would pull up outside the soundstage and serve us their grub.  

So which truck foods have passed the lips of Jon Hamm, Christina Hendricks and John Slattery? To eat like the stars, check out Komodo, The Slice Truck, India Jones and Lake Street Creamery. 

Komodo is Asian-Mexican fusion and the hot item is the Blazin’ Shrimp taco that’s muy picante. 

 Slice Truck pizza is a thin crisp crust version and the pepperoni and sausage is amazing.  

India Jones is Bombay street food and the Lamb Frankie is a Taj Mahal in your mouth with a side of chicken curry and rice. 

 Lake Street serves fresh-made ice creams, and even created the Don Draper flavor with bourbon, caramel and smoke served in a sweet waffle dish.

There's never a crew work break for the second meal, so it becomes a free for all to get what you can quickly in between takes and setups when not needed on stage.

It was an amazing summer and opportunity to meet wonderful people over great meals.  One remarkable discovery was finding out  director of photography, Chris Manly, and I went to the same high school in Allentown, Pennsylvania. And show creator, Matt Weiner, is just as warm and personable in person as he is while accepting awards.   The last day I told him how much I enjoyed working on the show, that the crew was so nice and supportive, and that I believed it came from the top. He smiled at me, obviously touched, offering his hand to shake while asking, "What's your name?"

A Food Woody Weekend in New York

When spending a romantic weekend in New York, food will be a necessity and I have a few dining suggestions away from the crowds that will leave you with some cash for the taxi back to the airport.  It’s up to you to find a great place to stay; I’m just here to tell you where to find food woody to help with your own.

Inoteca - Beet Salad

So you blow into town on a Friday afternoon.  Dinner tonight is in Gramercy Park at Inoteca. Great Italian food in a sleek eatery sets a sexy tone for the rest of the weekend.  Order a few plates and share them, of course.

The best salad is the Beets, Orange, Pecorino, Mint and Hazelnut Salad.  The cold cut platter is authentic with cured meats including prosciutto, bresaola and mortadella.  Chickpea Fritters satisfy the fried food craving. Share the Skewered Chicken in a Mushroom-Tomato Sauce for some great flavors. And if you need to carb-load before running the marathon, they have pasta too.

Save room for dessert because you won’t have the raging food woody without trying the Nutella Panini. Inoteca has an extensive selection of Italian wines and a Sommelier to help you choose the perfect one to get you both sufficiently buzzed.

Ask to have any leftover food wrapped to take back to the hotel. You know you’ll both be getting a little workout after dinner, so a few gourmet bites of energy in the mini-fridg will come in handy.

If you don't want to drink $4 bottles of water or $10 bags of nuts courtesy of your hotel, stock up with room goodies at Herald Square Market.  As the name suggests, it’s across the street from Macy’s and convenient after shopping. In addition to made-to-order sandwiches, they have a ginormous food bar with hot and cold international selections that rival a Vegas buffet.  Sushi Rolls, lasagne, Asian salads, Indian Curries and Fresh fruit all go for only $6.99 a pound.  Don’t eat it there, but take it to the park or back to the hotel for a quickie.

If you’re out and about on Saturday and Sunday and need a bite, you must have the quintessential New York culinary experience: street meat.  You can go classic or gourmet. The Halal Carts are some of the city's original street meats and offer a variety of higher quality grilled Mediterranean meats, gyros, falafel and of course the classic New York hot dog. The most popular cart is at 52nd and 6th street, where you can expect to see a line at any time of day.  Share the mixed grill of lamb and chicken over yellow rice with yogurt and hot sauces and some salad on the side. Only $6!

Go Burger Truck

On the gourmet side, many trucks in the food scene can be followed on Twitter to get their location if  you're not lucky to find one nearby.  One of the most popular is Calexico Carne Asada Cart which won the 2008 Vendy Awards for  best new Mexican truck. Amazing specials include pork rib and pork belly in a chili de arbol and coconut sauce.

Go Burger is another mouth-watering option. Get the Classic with cheese - a perfectly grilled 5oz. certified Black Angus beef burger topped with tomato, red onion, iceberg lettuce and pickles. Must be washed down with a milkshake.

Papa Perrone’s are best known for their addictive rib-sticking rice balls. Top honors go to  the three cheese rice ball with ricotta, Mozzarella and Pecorino Romano cheese.  Find a small urban park to sit and enjoy the delicious food and your time together.

For a delicious brick and mortar snack and sandwich spot, check out Pret-A-Manger (Ready to Eat).   It’s an upscale chain from London that features rows of refrigerated pre-made gourmet sandwiches, salads and desserts.  Many offerings come on crispy baguettes like the Roast Beef, Arugula and Parmesan. Dozens of stores dot the city, but the one on Broadway in the Theater District is the only one with a warm and inviting dining area featuring a long upholstered banquet to snuggle up on. They serve great coffee too, in addition to pastries, if just looking for a coffee break.

Havana Alma - Ceviche

 Dinner Saturday night is Cuban in The Village at Havana Alma de Cuba: Awesome Cuban food with a heavy Spanish influence. If you visit in nice weather, ask to sit on the back patio when making a reservation.  The lighting is low and romantic with live music on weekends. Start with a pitcher of Sangria and the appetizer combo of a tasty assortment of different fried plantains and empanadas, with picante dipping sauces.  For something lighter go with the ceviche or marinated squid.

Tres Leches

 Entrees to induce food woody include Marinated Pork, Ropa Vieja, Paella Marinara, or Grilled Skirt Steak. Don’t forget to get a side of yucca con mojo for the raging food woody! It’s like a boiled potato with garlic butter. End the meal with an outstanding dessert of the Tres Leches Con Coco. It’s creamy and coconutty.

When you wake up Sunday morning, order a continental breakfast from room service and finish up all the delicious foods you left in the frigo.  When you dirty duo are showered and dressed it will be time to check out and have some brunch. We’re heading back to Gramercy Park.  You can either stop in again at Innotecca for amazing French Toast, or go for something completely new and delicious.

Grill 21 - Tosilog

Around 2pm check out GRILL 21 on 21st at 1st streets. It’s a cozy little joint decorated with charming hand-painted murals. Most Filipino restaurants are out in Queens, so this being so close is a no-brainer to hit.

Tosilog is popular Sunday brunch fare with pork, fried egg and rice.  The national dish is Chicken Adobo cooked to perfection in garlic, soy sauce and ginger. Another flavor-friendly dish is the Pork Sisig served with an egg. It’s crispy and sizzling minced pork and vegetables you will crave when served over garlic rice. Add an order of Pinakbet, sauteed vegetables and shrimp in a broth including bitter melon, and you’ll start the day with a raging food woody. Ask for a little dish of Bagoong.  It’s a fried shrimp paste condiment that makes everything taste phenomenal.

What a great way to end a romantic weekend trying something new.  It was easy and no one got hurt. Try that philosophy in the bedroom when you get home.

Inoteca, vino, cucina e liquori bar

323 Third Avenue

New York, NY 10010

  (212) 683-3035

Herald Square Market

968 Ave of the Americas

New York, NY 10018

(212) 244-3484

Halal Cart

52nd St & 6th Ave

New York, NY 10079

Pret-Å-Manger

1384 Broadway

New York, NY 10018

(646) 497-0510

Havana Alma de Cuba

94 Christopher St

New York, NY 10079

(212) 242-3800

Grill 21

346 E 21st St

New York, NY 10010

(212) 473-5950

Follow on Twitter:

@Calexico

@goburger

@papaperones

REAL FOOD WOODY!

Just like those who have seen the image of Jesus in potato chips, French toast and ancient shrouds, many have found images of the male phallus in foods and nature.

Kimberly Wharton of Los Angeles found a baby carrot in a bag that looked like a dick. Nothing was carved; it was in the bag exactly as you see.

A full-sized carrot sporting wood.

This image of a circumcised mini pepper was found on the internet.

 This spud stud is also an internet find.


If you find the perfect image on the web or come across your own food woody, snap a pic and send it my way to add on.


THANKS!


FW

Orgasmic Brownies From a Box

Legs or breasts? Blond or brunette? Fudge or cake? These are some questions of preference that have come down through the ages. And when it comes to brownies, raging food woody comes from the fudgey ones.


My latest sexy concoction includes walnuts, maraschino cherries and coconut. If those ingredients don’t give you food woody, make this a mercy dining experience and try it anyway. No guilt please. The chewy chocolate cake with crispy sweet coconut on top and sweet rich goodies inside makes for a truly decadent treat.


You can start from scratch with your favorite brownie recipe or save a few minutes by opening a box of brownie mix. Use Giradelli dark chocolate pieces for the tastiest  results.


INGREDIENTS:


1 box brownie mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
2 8-ounce jars maraschino cherries, drained, reserve liquid
1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup Giradelli Dark Chocolate pieces
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup shredded coconut




Preheat oven to 350°F


Empty the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl.


In a small bowl whisk eggs and butter with a couple tablespoons of the reserve cherry liquid. Add instant espresso powder and cinnamon and mix well.


Pour liquid into the dry bowl and mix just to combine. Stir in chocolate pieces and nuts.


Transfer batter to a greased 8 x 8 pan. Sprinkle the coconut on top and gently pat to lock it in the surface.


Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Cover with foil and bake another 15 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes almost clean.


Allow to cool for 1 hour, then carefully slice into approximately 1” x 2” bars. Cover and place in the freezer for 4 hours or overnight.


To serve to company, recut bars and arrange on a plate or place into individual cupcake papers. The first row is the hardest to release from the pan, but a wide metal spatula will come in handy.


To eat alone, just cut and chew!

Peruvian Sex With Your Tongue

Latin men and women are the sexiest people in my book. The way their hips sway when they dance, the caramel color of their skin in the sun, and the amazing flavors of their cuisine in every region. When you think of having Latin food in Los Angeles good enough to give you food woody, you probably can only come up with Cuban.  But one region on my top 5 list that you need to try is further south of the border in South America: Peru. 

Peruvian cuisine has evolved from the combination of native ingredients like corn, potatoes and beans, combined with ingredients from Spanish settlers such as rice, wheat, beef, pork and chicken. Later, more influences from China, Italy, West Africa and Japan came into the culture with immigrants. Ground annatto is the common seasoning giving foods a red or pinkish hue.

Coastal cuisine varies from inland regions by including much more seafood.  The specialty is ceviche, chopped fish marinated in citrus juice and herbs. The acid cooks the fish, not heat. Centuries of cooking perfected their preparation of ceviche to an art form. The flavors from the meat and potatoes from this country leave one speechless while the food woody grows.

I tasted Peruvian food at different LA farmers’ markets and restaurants outside LA which left me unimpressed. Luckily, I found some great places around town to sample delicious and original Peruvian.

Natalie's Chicken Tamale

Hidden in a corner of Hollywood right off the 101 Freeway is Natalie Peruvian Seafood Restaurant. The outside is dingy, but once inside, you will be charmed by the giant murals of Machu Pichu.

Natalie's Special Fried Rice

Known for their ceviche, Natalie also has many other delicious dishes on the menu. For starters, try the Chicken Tamale. Similar to the Central American style - with white corn wrapped in banana leaves instead of cornhusks – with the inside all red and spicy from annatto.  Also amazing is the Special Fried Rice, with beef, chicken, shrimp, squid, and egg and is a huge mound enough for four.  But the raging food woody here goes to the Shrimp with Lobster sauce.  It’s so good you won’t want to share it.

Natalie's Shrimp with Lobster Sauce

Los Balcones' Ceviche

A Peruvian condiment of thinly sliced marinated red onions are out of this world and most plates are garnished with them.  Also, every table comes with a jar of homemade spicy green salsa, and a few dabs on your food really bring out the flavor.

Not too far away in Hollywood is Los Balcones del Peru.  Yeah, the decor is outdated and tablecloths would be a nice touch at dinner to hide the worn out tables, but after a glass of wine and the food arrives, who really cares what the place looks like?  So what if the face isn’t great if they got a great ass, right? The food here is Zagat rated and totally amazing!

What to get:

- The fish ceviche is perfect and spicy.

Los Balcones' Fried Calamari

- Fried calamari is crispy outside and tender inside.

Los Balcones' Beef Lomo Saltado

- Lomo Saltado is a National Peruvian specialty of roasted marinated beef, chicken or shrimp stir-fried with French fried potatoes and grilled onions, served with rice. Here it’s the best in town.

- Picante Meriscos is seafood that's not spicy as might be expected by the name, but comes in a heavenly cream sauce with sliced yucca and hard-boiled eggs.

- Pescado Especiale is basically paella and it’s so damn good!

- The fish stew is perfectly cooked everything.

Way downtown near the USC campus is Mo-Chica.  Their claim to fame is Peruvian fusion served with a creative flair yet very reasonably priced.  It’s inside Mercado La Paloma, which is a sort of flea market with food stands, so it’s a ‘rustic’ environment.

Mo-Chica Lamb Shank

I planned to start with ceviche but they were out. The must-have here is the Stewed Lamb shank; It’s big, meaty and flavorful served over beans with roasted hominy kernels.  They have daily specials and many tasty menu dishes all can be washed down with a variety of fruity teas including passion fruit, purple corn, and barley/ginger. 

All three restaurants are very reasonably priced with appetizer in the $5-$10 range and entrees $9 -$18 but always plenty of food to split two – or three- ways. Los Balcones is my favorite Peruvian restaurant so far, but Don Felix Restaurant on Alvarado and Mario’s Peruvian and Seafood on Melrose are also well-rated Peruvian restaurants in LA that I plan to try.

Natalie Peruvian Seafood Restaurant

5759 Hollywood Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90028

(323) 463-8340

Los Balcones del Peru  CLOSED

1360 Vine St

Hollywood, CA 90028

(323) 871-9600

Mo-Chica

3655 S Grand Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90007

(213) 747-2141

LudoBites 5.0 Is Sex on a Plate

Ludobites is a guerilla style pop-up restaurant created by chef Ludovic Lefebvre. This is his fifth go-round of offering some tasty and challenging victuals in temporary restaurant locations that are usually soup and sandwich shops during the day.


The 39-year-old French-born Lefebvre has truly earned his reputation. He’s lauded by critics and food bloggers with more than 4,000 followers on Twitter. He’s helmed the kitchen at chic LA eateries such as L’Orangerie and Bastide and was a contestant on Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters.” In May, Time magazine called him a “chef of the future.” The July issue of France-Amérique magazine, rated him as the #1 of the Top 50 French people in America who count in 2010. This is the pedigree that sustains a raging food woody.


For his latest incarnation, Lefebvre brings LudoBites 5.0 to a Downtown spot he used once before. On July 21, he opened in Gram & Papa’s, a 40-seat hole-in-the-wall in the Fashion District. Reservations for this 5-week stint were gone in a matter of minutes like a top rate rock star or hit Broadway show. If you are lucky like me to have gone or will be going, here’s what to order:

Start with the Vadouvan Naan Bread with Salted Coconut butter ($4) Delicate herbs infuse the bread and the slight coconut butter melts on the warm triangles completing a memorable exotic flavor. 

The Raw Waygu Beef, Dried Miso, Somen Noodle, Peanut Vinaigrette and Watermelon ($16) is an amazing appetizer. Small chunks of tender beef seem to melt in your mouth and are perfectly complimented by the noodles and Asian Flavors. The three small cubes of watermelon add a burst of excitement to a few of your bites. 

Steamed Duck Lemon Verbena, Crispy skin Puree, White Peach, Radish & Balsamic ($26) is served rather rare but the top of many peoples lists of dishes. The crispy skin puree really is the star, making every bite orgasmic. 

Save room for dessert because you don’t want to miss the Caramel Souffle, Blanco Grapefruit, Fleur de Sel Ice Cream ($14). It arrives at the table high and light and you are instructed to open the center to let the ice melt in. It is a very sweet treat, but the candied grapefruit rind adds the a hint of bitterness for perfect balance.


Even the coffee was delicious. They have no liquor license but you may be able to BYOB with a corkage fee. If you add up the plate prices, you see I spent nearly $80 with tax and tip and I’d pay it again.