Hitting the slopes (literally on my rear end)

So One of the things I got to do while back home was hit the slopes again after many years! With patient training from one of my closest friends Lisa and my little brother BJ, I was able to get up on the board and get down the hill without falling! (this is after 2 really hard falls in which my bruised butt cheek is still recovering).


We were lucky enough to stay at the uber luxurious and brand new Ritz Carlton in Northstar. A Beautiful new property with mystique in the works.


We were also lucky enough to be able to dine at Manzanita, Chef Tracie Des Jardin's new project headed by executive Chef Reylan Augustine. A talented up and coming chef who started his fine dining career in London at the Savoy Grill with the GRH group, Chef Reylan incorporates old tecnhniques, new flavors and local ingredients. The winter menu- a warm and toasty menu with traditional components to give that comforting tahoe "homey" feeling. Also noteworthy is the open kitchen and brick pizza oven. Thank you for a wonderful meal Chef Reylan and Chef Dylan!


Hopefully I'll be able to hit the Swiss Alps now without this happening too much!

Ritz Carlton Residences
13031 Ritz-Carlton Highlands Court
Truckee, CA 96161 USA
Tel: 530.562.3000

Manzanita by Chef Tracie Des Jardines

Congratulations

Congrats to my Beautiful Sister in Law and My Brother ( I would say handsome but it seems wrong to do so)


Finally done with all the wedding Schinanigans! Sorry I missed everything. Love you both and miss you both very much!!!

xxx Vi

Yeah Oui!

Wanted to give a big shout out to my Claridges crew. U guys (and I don't need to say who) are an amazing crew. I love you all dearly. Keep your heads up because you are ALL talented. xxx

Gordon Ramsay at Claridges
Brook Street
London W1K 4HR
Tel: 020 7499 0099
Reservations Recommended

*Warning* Genius, at work~

yeah yeah, So I've been busy over winter break ok? I went back to my English home kitchen, then to Porto, then back to my family in California- Manresa. I do miss the kitchen terribly. The warmth of the bonnet.... so comforting! The way everything flows in and out of the kitchen- people COMMUNICATING with each other... why can't all life function this way?

One of the greatest things about coming home was being around Chef Kinch. An artist, a teacher, a mentor and an incredible confident. Thank you Manresa for a wonderful Winter break and letting me come back! Miss you all terribly.

Manresa
320 Village Lane
Los Gatos, CA 95030-7218
(408) 354-4330
Closed Monday and Tuesday

I love Jamon

I spent my Christmas in Porto with my friend Nuno and his amazing family. His family figured out that besides being a rabbit and needing my veggies ( they have french fries and bread with EVERY MEAL) I also love JAMON!!!!! we managed to go through this moist, tender and not overly salty Portuguese version in 3 days.. it usually takes them two weeks.. oops... what can I say??? It's JAMON!

Le Perolles P.A. Ayer

Starter: Pumkin soup, creme fraiche, bacon, foie gras gele and foie gras feuillantine (delicious)

Yes yes, It's just another tease... but it takes time to write these things ok? I gotta pour over my notes, remember what I ate.. yada yada yada. Hayley and I got to go to this INCREDIBLE one michelin star in Fribourg, the next town over. Le Perolles is one of the two michelin restaurants in Fribourg Simple decor- very modern and very reasonably priced. The food was fabulous.. which will be discussed in further blogs.. in the mean time. Just a little teaser.




and of course the cheese trolley. Ok So I said that Steireck has a pretty crazy cheese trolley.. but this one.. was AMAZING. really. I would go back just for the cheese....

Le Perolles
BD de Perolles 18a
1700 Fribourg
Tel:41.026.347.40.30
ayeramey@leperolles.ch
Ferme le dimanche et lundi

Ca Matilde: Ristorante Locanda

I know I owe you guys about four michelin reviews... but ok.. I owe you guys one more. I had the enormous pleasure of going to Cinque Terra to visit my foodie, amazing, fun, intelligent friend John who lives in Lerici Italy (well temporarily). Although we didn't make it to the Agritourismo that we so desperately wanted to, we did make it to Ca Matilde: Ristorante Locanda, 1 Michelin star. Located in the middle of no where in Rubbianino - Quattro Castella- Reggio Emilia (past Parma) in an old house, we were expecting a rustic italian dining experience. Instead what we got was an incredible, rustic- with definite innovative ideas (especially in the dessert department!) meal.

The review will go up sooner or later. In the meantime, here are some pictures to drool over.


Parma Ham.. ham ham ham!


The cheese plate, Parmigiano-Reggiano!!!! Deliciouso!!!


and of course, no meal of mine is complete without a bottle of bubbly- Prosecco in this case.

Ca Matilde
Ristorante Locanda
Via della Polita 14,
42020 Loc. Rubbianino
Quattro Castella (Reggio Emilia)
Telefono 0522.889560
Cell. 339.7874556