End of Summer Corn Soup

It is officially Autumn.

Growing up in New England this meant the obligatory class trip to an Apple Orchard and picking our weight in apples. Macintosh was an apple before it was a computer and we ate lots of them. Apple crisps, apple pies, and apple Betty.

But here in the grey gold haze of Autumnal Los Angeles, there is a gorgeous abundance of the last of the California Summer corn. As I needed a vegetarian course for our UNDERGROUND WINE TASTING DINNER at the Sowden/Balbes House, (shameless plug) I adapted a recipe from Boulevard. It is a yummy corn soup made from corn stock and the only dairy is the butter used to saute the corn garnish.

It is light and refreshing and if you'll forgive me this one time - relatively healthy.

This recipe makes enough soup for 8-10 adults.

two large onions diced
8-10 corn cobs, corn removed and set aside
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
salt & pepper to taste

4 Qts water

2 Tbs olive oil
sage leaves
2 Tbs Sweet Butter
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Corn Stock:  Sautee one onion, garlic and sage leaves in the olive oil. When the onions are translucent, add the water and corn cobs.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.  Strain the stock and discard the cooked onions and corn cobs.

Soup:  Sautee onions until translucent and soft. Add the corn stock and bring to a boil.  Add all the corn kernels minus one cup reserved for garnish and simmer for final five minutes.  Puree the soup in batches and add salt and pepper to taste.

Sautee the final cup of corn in 2 Tbs butter and and garnish each soup bowl with a spoonful of buttery corn and some chopped chives.

OPTIONAL:  Add 1 Tbs of butter to each batch of pureed corn soup for extra flavor.  The above recipe is ridiculously healthy!!

What could be bad? Shanghainese food and foot massages.

Last night was a revelation. I went to San Gabriel and enjoyed every Jewish girl's dream come true, . . . lots of delicious comfort food, an amazing massage and I didn't have to do anything afterward. You know what I mean!

We were an interesting gang of four - no pun intended- with two elegant Chinese American Women, a sexy Texan and me. Now the sexy Texan is my guide to all things in the San Gabriel Valley. A total foodie, her taste is impeccable and it should be said I'd follow her any where. Fortunately for me she lives down stairs.

All three of my dinner companions are in the wine business, so the first thing we did when we sat down at Mei Long Village was choose which wine we would drink as we circumnavigated the menu. We decide to start with BioKult Zweigelt, a Viennese white wine that we decided could be drunk with or without food! On to the menu - we had their crab and pork dumplings which were sublime. I know there is a raging war over which restaurant in SG Valley has the best dumplings - but we all agree that these dumplings can hold their own with any of the more famous places.

Then onto the fillet of Sole with ginger and green onion, also affectionately known as #92. It was/ is the best fish I have ever had in an Asian restaurant. The ginger broth was so delicate that if I had been alone or with family (same thing) I would have drunk it straight from the bowl.

Without putting too fine a point on it, I will go back just for this fish.

We also had Chestnut Chicken and Shanghai Spareribs (both have bones but are worth the effort) and bean curd noodles with sauteed Chinese greens and edamame beans.

We moved on from the Viennese white to a Pinot Noir from Austria that was so delicious that I decided it went with all of the food including the fish! But what do I know? The last wine was Hasjan Gemischter Satz 2008 - can't pronounce and to be fair, it is not for me. But for the educated palate it went perfectly with our food.

I know this place was meant for me because listed under the Vegetable section of the menu was a dish called Vermicelli with ground pork.

Dinner divided between the four of us with tip, $18.

The restaurant does serve beer but there is NO corkage fee.

BEST KEPT SECRET EAST OF SILVER LAKE!

It only takes 10 minutes to get to SG if there is no traffic. Guess what? Most evenings after 7 pm, there is NO traffic.

Had I known that for $15 I could have a one hour "foot" massage - I would have been doing it every week. We went to a place called CHINESE ANCIENT FOOT MASSAGE on Valley Blvd.

We got the #5 which included 20-30 minutes of acupressure on shoulders, neck and back.

the lights were dim, the music was from a 70's after school special and the only thing distracting me from complete euphoria was one of the employees speaking half in Chinese and half in English about a "short sale house with three bedrooms, three bathrooms for $440,000.."

I laughed, I cried, I saw G-d and his name was Tony.

Tell him I sent you!