A Day in Big Sur

Hi. I'm here! Well, mostly - here meaning, in California. Apologies to all as this has probably been the longest stretch I've had on The Hungry Roach without sharing my adventures with you. Summer is one of those bittersweet times in New York City. It's the time of year that the city simply clears out as most offices embrace some sort of summer hours policy or, if not, the heat is enough to drive you right out. So, here I sit - in cool, southern California, bracing for tonight's red-eye only to drop me off right in the middle of a typical, New York City summer heatwave. But, in all honesty, that's the fun of living in New York. The city keeps you on your toes, so much so that you just might be forced to get out and explore. And this summer, I have definitely taken advantage of escaping the heat.


One of my latest summer excursions landed me in Big Sur, California - en route from San Diego to San Francisco. I could have easily spent a week in this area, but we were only given one day to cover the grounds. But, let me tell you, we made the most of it. When Big Sur comes to mind, most people think of breathtaking views and amazing hikes. I would like to add "leading to food" at the end of the latter. One day in the Big Sur turned into taking in the landscape, sun, and delicious food. Our journey took us from the south in Morro Bay to an end destination of Carmel. Since there is only about 120 miles of road to cover in that stretch, the day actually never felt too rushed.


I'll let you find your own mini-hikes since those are certainly countless, and I am not going to begin to act as if they are my specialty. What you can start mapping out and basing them around, however, are the food destinations. If you only have one day in Big Sur, get ready to spread out your meals across several destinations. It will certainly be worth every stop as each one will make you gasp - and I mean from the views AND food. When heading north, Lucia Lodge is the perfect first stop after a short hike for lunch #1. The rustic lodge is on the west side of the highway with dining set up so that you are literally eating in the middle of a dramatic seaside cliff. The deck is a must as you can actually dine along the edge and face out as if you are sitting at a bar. I recommend sharing one order of the fish and chips served with malt vinegar and tartar sauce. The order is delicious and huge. And, if you order only one, it will be easier to convince yourself to head to lunch destination #2 in just a couple of hours.


After sneaking in another hike (I promise not to judge how far you go), you will be ready for another feeding in the northern end of Big Sur. And Nepenthe is the perfect next stop to truly take in the region's culture. This is the ultimate hippy destination that still draws crowds of all ages and all types. No matter what time of day you arrive, be prepared for a wait (which is never a bad thing when you have already eaten fish and chips and are staring into the ocean). Whether you are sitting on the exterior deck, the steps with cushions, or by the fire pits, your dining experience will be overlooking the Pacific in the middle of the mountains. The burgers are a must - and another great item to order just one of for two people. This will surely complete the lunch portion of your day.


But, feel free to linger, listening to music or checking out local artisans in order to digest, as just up the road, The Ventana Inn and Spa awaits. You can also pretend to take another mini-hike or just call it cocktail hour and head right up. While I will continue to dream of staying there, I did manage to make myself right at home on their back deck with a cheese plate and glass of wine. Even though the inn is located on the east side of the highway, the view makes you feel as if you are at sea. It is truly the ultimate escape. The full restaurant menu offers an excellent selection of California cuisine. Although, in all honesty, I recommend finding any way possible to claim one of their outside couches on the patio, grabbing a newspaper, and not moving for awhile. Before leaving, it took me a minute to remind myself I wasn't staying there. It was the perfect, relaxing end to what most should consider a packed, active day.


Hopefully, you still have some summer vacations lined up - taking you to cooler, dryer spots - allowing a nice balance of exploration and relaxation. And while the additional thirty-five degrees ahead of me sounds daunting, especially in my cozy fifth floor village apartment, I am trying to think of the good news ahead of me. As the city clears out, the chances of getting into some of the hottest spots gets easier. So, get ready for some NYC posts ahead. See you in the hot city!

Say Cheese

After nearly six years of attending events in New York City - celebrating countless birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, and even new babies - I thought surely I had seen it all. Well, just when I thought I had done it all, I recently discovered that I was mistaken. In fact, as I was so quickly enlightened, I learned that my latest culinary excursion is available to you in your very own backyard (or kitchen). I have attended wine tastings, beer tastings, even cheese tastings - but never before in the comforts of an apartment. Just say "cheese" and call up Murray's Cheese Shop for an afternoon or evening of a sampling of their finest. For the lactose intolerant out there, start popping your pills. This will definitely be worth it.

This celebratory evening started with passed hors d'oeuvres and bubbly in one of my favorite apartments on the upper west side. This was a great way to pad the stomach before full lactose invasion. Although, in all honesty, I couldn't wait! And I know I wasn't the only one eyeing the blocks of cheese so prominently displayed on the kitchen counter. It didn't take much for our very own Murray's expert Taylor to grab the attention of all twenty adults, eager to learn what the evening had in store for us. To sum it up - 6 cheeses and 6 wines, with a huge emphasis on the cheese. I give Taylor a great deal of credit for the beautiful display of dried fruits, nuts, breads, and crackers surrounding the cheese. But, in the end, they were hardly a distraction from the main attraction.


The cheese was presented in order of richness- the lightest being served first. Even though cheese is one of my favorite foods and I have had more than my share over the years, I am not going to pretend like I knew the names as she presented them. I did, however, notice I was able to at least recognize each taste - certain that I have at least sampled a cousin version. We started the evening with Monte Enebro, the 2003 award winning goat cheese from Spain. While the interior was extremely smooth and rich (allowing me to identify it as a goat), as I tasted closer to the rind, the flavors were much stronger - different from most I had tasted. The next cheese was Brillat Savarin, a French cow's milk delicacy. To quote its namesake, the famous French gastronome Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, "a dessert without cheese is like a beautiful woman with only one eye." I couldn't have said it better to sum up my favorite cheese of the night. This reminded me of a gooey, Camembert at it's best - a butter cream delite!

We were then transported back to the States with the Jasper Hill Farm Winnemere from Vermont. Another cow's milk treat, this is what gives stinky cheese its name. While it was the rind that truly was the most potent, the aroma can often turn away customers immediately. I made it past the smell and embraced the woodsy flavor underneath - and actually went back for seconds. It was then back to Europe for the Pecorino Foglia de Noce. On to the sheep's milk and very familiar flavors. This lightly peppery hard cheese reminded me of what I so often buy at the market. While I more than recognized the makers of the next cheese (basically my staple during my college days) - Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, I was nicely surprised by the variety that Taylor offered us. This was unlike most cheddars I have tried as I tasted underlying nut and fruit flavors within - resembling more of a Gouda in the end.

And for the grand finale.... Enter Fourme d'Ambert - a blue cow's milk cheese straight from Roanne, France. While I usually prefer blue cheese on salads or burgers, this was actually a great "starter" blue. The flavors were not too overwhelming, yet had a nice, rich finish. In fact, it actually did well serving as a stand-in dessert course. And, despite having sampled 5 cheeses prior to this one, the Fourme d'Ambert was not lost in the shadows. Taylor did an excellent job of serving small portions as well as spacing out each tasting. We had ample time to socialize, enjoy our wine, and forget about the previous "course" - allowing us to officially cleanse the palate. And, in the end, all plates were cleaned as well. It was such an enjoyable, informative evening. The only problem with hosting such a great event in your very own kitchen is the risk of guests overstaying their welcome. Not that I did or anything... Many many thanks to my favorite American-British-Brazilian-African family!!

Murray's Cheese Shop
254 Bleecker St
New York, NY 10014
(212) 243-3289
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