Kim Hudson

Scout: Bronze Cafe

Published on December 19, 2014

Every year, without fail, I’m asked by a handful of visitors, “Where should we eat while we’re in Las Vegas?” And as if by the powers of association, my mind starts spinning like a slot machine with all of the possibilities. “Strip or Off-Strip? How much money do you want to spend? What type of food do you want to eat? Casual or Fancy?” ACKKKK!!!!! There are literally so many places to choose from my brain inevitably shuts down and I can’t think of anything at all. It’s embarrassing! I’m determined to change this, but it is truly hard, so we’ll start with baby steps. Actually, we’ll start with the most obscure place of all… The Bronze Cafe.

I discovered this little gem via my bestie Jessica who happened to move to DTLV (downtown) earlier this year. She kept mentioning this as a favorite and I was like, “What?! Where? I’ve never heard of it.” That’s the problem you see. There are constantly new restaurants popping up all across town, all of the time. After about the 3rd mention, I looked it up and quickly discovered it was a favorite of many people (rated #2 on Yelp) and that it had been there for a year and a half. (SIGH) The next day, I high-tailed it downtown to see what the fuss was all about. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

180360_BronzeCafe_ComplicatedOrder

The food is delicious, healthful, and all made from scratch with a focus on vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. But if you’re an omnivore like me, don’t let that put you off. They also have bacon! The cafe serves coffee, juice, pastries/baked goods, soup, salad, sandwiches and sides.

It’s located in the The Center (our local Gay + Lesbian Community Center) and run by Chef Peter Bastien (of Osteria Mozza fame) and his business partner David Mozes. Many of the items have playful names like, “The What What” and “The LGBTQ.” I’m absolutely in love with the “Complicated Order” sandwich (bacon jam, FTW!). I’m also addicted to their kale salads, specifically “The Bizness” and “David’s Special.” The sides they put on top are the best – curried quinoa, spiced chickpeas, beet salad, house-made seitan, roasted chicken. The vegan “Tree of Life” pita is another favorite with it’s pickled onions, cashew crema, and brazil nut crumble. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it! I’ve also tried a few of their baked goods and all have been fantastic. Plus they’ve got a special, cold-brew iced coffee made from a Japanese-style drip tower.

(Excuse the lousy photos. I took these quickly before scarfing everything down.)
180360_BronzeCafe_Sandwich

180360_BronzeCafeSalad

Honestly, the only downfall for me is that it feels too much like a Starbucks at an airport or a library. I wish it was a stand alone restaurant because the food deserves better presentation than take away boxes and the atmosphere feels far too casual for the quality of the food. Luckily, there’s some outdoor seating or you can always take the food to go.

But truth be told, the people that work there are so incredibly friendly and the food is simply so delicious, I’d probably eat it any way they handed it to me.

BRONZE CAFE

401 S Maryland Pkwy

Las Vegas, NV 89101

(702) 202-3100

Repertoire: Winter Granola

Published on December 16, 2014

Food + Wine/Food Photography/Recipe/Repertoire

I’m one of those people that can eat the same breakfast, day in and day out and never tire of it. In a perfect world, that would consist of a double espresso and a pastry. Alas, that doesn’t work for me. After about an hour I’d be shaking and foggy from lack of protein.

Over the years, I’ve come to realize the best breakfast for me is granola. I eat it almost every day without fail, making large batches several times a month. You’d think I’d be sick of it by now, but I’m not. In fact, I crave it constantly. It’s also one of those recipes that keeps evolving and getting better with each experimentation.

I call this my Winter Granola. It’s full of nuts and seeds, crunch and heartiness with just the slightest hint of sweetness. If that bothers you, you could certainly add some coconut sugar, but I don’t think it needs it. I know there are a bazillion different granola recipes out there, but this one is definitely a keeper. It’s paleo, vegan, vegetarian, easy to make and most importantly, energy sustaining.

Winter Granola

2014-12-15 10:38:30

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Ingredients

2 lbs of rolled oats (gluten free, if preferred)
2 cups roughly chopped raw pecans
2 cups raw sliced almonds
2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup raw pepitas
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raw slivered almonds
3 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup of olive oil
1 cup of maple syrup
12oz of dried tart cherries

Instructions

Set oven to 300 degrees F and make sure oven racks are in top 1/3, middle 1/3 and bottom 1/3 of oven. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir well. Add the oil then the syrup and stir to coat completely. Spread evenly onto 3 parchment-lined baking sheets. Pat granola down so it is flat and even. Put one tray on each rack. Bake for 10 minutes, then move the trays up/down a rack so that each tray bakes on each rack for approximately 10 minutes (you'll do this 3 times). The key is to have nicely browned granola. If it's underdone, it will not taste right! Likewise, it won't taste well if it's burnt. Generally speaking it's about 10-13 minutes on each rack to get a nice golden brown color. Once baked, allow to cool on racks or stove top for several hours (this is when it sets and crisps up). Pour dried cherries on top, then pour into storage containers. Refrigerate or freeze (it tastes best cold).

Notes

If you only have 2 racks in your oven, set them up evenly and cook the third tray on its own in the middle. It's important that the baking sheets do not have too thick of a layer, so I wouldn't recommend squeezing everything on to 2 sheets.

By Kim Hudson

180360 https://www.180360.com/

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Old Story/New Story

Published on December 5, 2014

Blog/Music

My story is all too familiar. These past few weeks have been typical for this time of year — complete mayhem. I suppose some things never change! Nonstop photo editing. Panicking over my lack of gift purchases. Feeling unhealthy because I ate too much over Thanksgiving but am too busy to work out. Fretting over the fact I haven’t done our Christmas cards. Horrific stomach viruses and Croup gone very wrong (see: ER visit). Good times, my friends. All that whining aside, sometimes, nay most times, something good will come out of something bad. Such is the case here…

As I’ve been dealing with a very sick toddler that only wants to be held and nursed 24/7, I’ve been subjected to what I call “forced relaxation.” Seeing as I barely sit down during the day, this is not my forté. So I had to find something to numb the pain of not getting those photos edited and all those gifts purchased. Enter that black box on my wall. Truthfully, I don’t watch a lot of television. I have a tendency to binge watch all my favorite shows, so I had to search around for something new this past week.

Thankfully, I discovered a docu-series on HBO called Sonic Highways. Produced by Dave Grohl, the show follows his band, the Foo Fighters, to 8 musically-renowned cities where they record a song for their latest album in a well-known recording studio. Dave calls it “a love letter to the history of American music.”

“You hear about different cultures around the world trying to preserve their history. Native Americans hand down stories from generation to generation. And you have museums all over the world preserving art and culture. I honestly believe we should be doing the same thing just with music. That’s what this place is all about.” — Dave Grohl

Isn’t that so true? Music is just as important in defining a culture as art or food, but it doesn’t always seem quite as tangible. Dave does an amazing job of bringing awareness to the way a city has been shaped by it’s musical scene. He draws out all of the best musicians, producers and record labels to hear their stories and evolution as artists. And just as importantly, he focuses on the places in which the music was performed in these 8 musical hubs and how the environment has influenced their music. Each episode unfolds a weaving of American Music History, the same cultural melting pot of different roots that have melded the relationship of people, place and time to create inspiration for generations. It’s truly fascinating.

While this series technically commemorates the Foo Fighters 20th Anniversary (How is this possible? I remember when the first album came out like it was yesterday! It’s one of my all time favorites…) and showcases them recording a new album, it truly doesn’t matter whether you’re a fan of the band or not. It’s simply a history lesson that all Americans need to learn. But for fans, it’s really interesting to see their creative process. I love that they’re trying to do something different and challenging on this record. I had previewed the new album prior to watching this documentary and wasn’t totally sold on it. But after seeing all that was behind each song and how the lyrics relate to these cities and people, I started to get it.

These are the stories of our country and our people. They transcend race and religion, roots and time. And isn’t that what art is all about? I hope you’ll check it out. It’s truly worth watching.

Image credit: HBO

Repertoire: Persimmon Salad

Published on November 18, 2014

Food + Wine/Food Photography/Recipe/Repertoire

180360_PersimmonSalad I discovered this beautiful and unusual salad several years ago at my friend Jora’s house. Although I’d heard of persimmons, I couldn’t tell you what they looked like or how they tasted! Thankfully, that changed as soon as I ate this salad. It was love at first bite and now I look forward to seeing them in the store every fall. Funny how that happens!

For those like me who aren’t as familiar with persimmons, they have been grown in Asia for centuries but are also found throughout America, including a native variety specific to the Eastern US. However, there are two main Asian varieties sold in markets, the Fuyu and the Hachiya.

The Fuyu is squat and flat, shaped more like a tomato and should be eaten when it’s just barely soft. The Hachiya is longer and more oval shaped. It can be extremely tart if eaten before it’s ripe.

Here we use the Fuyu Persimmon, which happens to be my favorite. When purchasing, look for orange and firm-fleshed fruit.

This recipe incorporates all of my favorite qualities and balance in a salad; sweetness from the persimmon, tartness from the pomegranate and lime, heat from the chile, smokiness from the cumin, crunch from the walnuts, softness from the fruit. It’s a fine introduction and also makes a fantastic Thanksgiving side dish, if I do say so myself. I’ve made it these past two years and I just love the color and flavor it brings to the table.

Have you had a persimmon before? Do you like them as much as I do? If so, I hope you’ll share a new persimmon recipe with me!

Persimmon Salad

2014-11-16 11:44:06

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Ingredients

2 pounds Fuyu persimmons
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 serrano chile, seeded and minced
Salt
1 tablespoon walnut oil
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds (about 1/4 pomegranate)
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Instructions

Cut off the tough green calyxes and slice each persimmon in 10 to 12 wedges.
In a small lidded jar, combine the lime juice, cumin, about half of the chile, a dash of salt and the walnut oil. Tightly cover and shake hard to mix well. Taste the dressing on a small piece of persimmon. There should be just enough chile to add a suggestion of heat. If you'd like it hotter, add more and shake again.
Combine the persimmons and the dressing in a work bowl and toss to coat well. Turn the salad out into a decorative bowl and sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds, walnuts and cilantro. Taste and add more salt or lime juice if necessary.

Notes

(Walnut oil gives a nice flavor, but I've used olive and safflower oil and it works fine, too.)

By LA Times

180360 https://www.180360.com/

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Introducing: Repertoire

Published on November 17, 2014

Food + Wine/Food Photography/Recipe/Repertoire

180360_Repertoire_Cover I’m not sure what’s in the air, but boy have I been in the mood to tackle projects that have been looming over me for years! There has been a bunch of purging going on around here and this lightening of the load has inspired action in all sorts of other areas.

One thing I’ve always wanted to do is compile a cookbook with all of my favorite recipes. But between homeschooling, travel and then a baby, anything non-essential was put on the back burner over and over again.

Well the time has come! I can’t handle my recipe filing system any longer. It is a complete disaster of folders upon folders of magazine tears, hand written notes, and food spattered print-outs. (Please tell me I’m not the only one with this problem!) I can’t help but think it would be so nice to have all of these recipes in one, tidy place.

I realize this project is primarily for me (and perhaps a future gift for family members), but I thought I’d post all of the recipes and images here to keep me accountable. Some of these I know by heart, yet I’d like to take the time to write down exact measurements so I can share them with others. But the majority are recipes I’ve collected over the years from blogs, through friends, family members, cookbooks, or magazines. I am so tired of constantly trying to search for them in my messy cabinet or look them up online for the 50th time!

Not only will this book help me pare down the mess that is currently taking over my kitchen cabinets, but it will also force me to work on my food photography skills. Win win! And who knows? Maybe one of these recipes will become a favorite for someone else…

The Unknown Grape

Published on October 31, 2014

Food + Wine/Food Photography

Over the years, my wine journey has gone down many roads, through multiple countries and certainly with different mindsets. In the same way that I view travel, I feel there’s so much to experience and even more to taste when it comes to wine. As much as I’d like to fancy myself “a white wine connoisseur,” I’m really just an experienced drinker. After watching The Somm earlier this year, I think it’s safe to say I am nowhere near expert level. I couldn’t tell you if something tastes like quince, white linen, or flint, but I can tell you if I like it or not.

After years of sticking with labels I knew and literally drinking what seemed like every single Pinot Grigio under the sun, I started branching out and trying new grape varietals. And I’m so glad I did! There’s a huge world out there. No one should get stuck drinking one kind of wine. My current favorites are all dry, un-oaked, everyday white wines that pair easily with different foods. The majority are from France and Italy, but I’ve found some Spanish, German, Austrian and even Greek wines that I’ll save for another post. Here are some lesser known grape varieties that are worth trying. I recommend focusing on the varietal as opposed to the actual vineyard, that way you’re bound to find something similar.

MUSCADET – This is an inexpensive and easy to drink French wine from the Loire Valley. Light-bodied and dry, it’s the perfect place to start when looking for an alternative to Pinot Grigio. I’d say it goes with just about everything, but it’s known for being the perfect compliment to oysters and other seafood. The NY Times recently published an article about Muscadet making a comeback and I was really chuffed to have already been on the pulse. The two listed above are super affordable and easy to find, but there are many fancier versions also worth seeking out.

FALANGHINA – I’ve written about my love for Falanghina in the past. I discovered it many years ago and have yet to drink a bottle I didn’t like. It’s a fantastic, ancient grape grown in the Campania region of Southern Italy. I was hoping to visit a vineyard while we were there this past summer but unfortunately it didn’t happen. It’s one of those wines I order whenever I see it listed on a menu. The only problem is that it can be tricky to find. Other notable wineries to look for are: Terredora diPaolo and Feudi di San Gregorio.

ROERO ARNEIS – I learned about this Italian wine last year at my children’s piano recital. It was completely new to me and I immediately pulled the host over to find out more about it. Forget the piano music! Let’s talk about this wine… I’m pretty sure they wanted to keep it a secret but I believe in spreading the good word. The Arneis grape originated in Piemonte hundreds of years ago. Arneis means “little rascal” as the grape can be quite difficult to grow, which might explain for it’s obscurity. It’s more of a medium-full bodied, straw colored, aromatic white compared to the other wines listed. Although it can be found in other parts of the world, including America, the best reportedly come from the hilly Roero district.

JACQUÈRE – Thanks to a recent dinner party, this was an exciting, new discovery and perhaps one of the most frustrating wines I’ve ever tried to locate. I think I may have bought the last 6 bottles of this particular (pictured) wine in the country. But if by some wild chance you can find a Jacquère wine from the Savoie region of Eastern France, TRY IT. From what I’ve learned, it’s infrequently distributed outside of this alpine area, which accounts for it’s rare appearance in the United States. I may just have to head to France to check it out in person.

I hope you enjoy trying these lesser known white wines. Be sure to let me know of any worthy discoveries you make. I am always on the lookout for something different. Cin Cin!

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Image credit: HBO

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