A Caramelized Conversation with Elizabeth Chambers

Elizabeth Chambers may wear many hats -- television personality, model, wife of The Social Network's Armie Hammer, and journalist, to name a few -- but owner of San Antonio's most beloved sweet shop is the icing on the cake, in my book. BIRD Bakery, Chambers' precious confectioners paradise that will soon ship nationwide, reflects Elizabeth's roots in every made-from-scratch recipe. I admire her ability to juggle so many career moves (including entrepreneurial ones) at once with the utmost poise and passion. As a fellow UT-Austin College of Communication alum, I only hope to model one of her successful ventures! Please join me and Elizabeth in the latest Caramelized Conversation. . .

YOUR MOST UNFORGETTABLE RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE?

I think my most unforgettable restaurant experience has to be a dinner at Le Bremner in Montreal. It wasn't a special occasion and we didn't have any particular reason to celebrate, but my husband and I were filming in Montreal at the time and several of our friends flew in for the weekend. It was the first Friday night everyone was in town, we dined outside on a perfect summer night and the food and drinks were epic. It's Chuck Hughes’ second in Montreal and one of my most favorite restaurants of all time.

HOW DID YOU FIRST DISCOVER YOUR LOVE OF BAKING?                      

In my family, you come out of the womb being a cook, a baker or both. My grandmother owned an incredibly successful catering company and for as long as I can remember, I would try to help her bake. I like to cook, but love to make desserts and have always loved to eat them. *Below is a photo of me (scantily clad) baking in my grandmother's commercial kitchen when I was young.

WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT SAN ANTONIO?

The people in San Antonio are incredible. They are not only wonderfully loyal customers, but they are genuinely lovely people. If someone says, "it's nice to know you" in San Antonio, they don't mean, "it's nice to know what you can do for me," they genuinely mean it's nice to know you for who you are. There's something incredibly refreshing about that.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT LA?

I love every single thing about Los Angeles. There's truly nothing I don't love. I love the people here and the creative vibe of the city.

WHAT, IN YOUR WORDS, IS THE VISION OF BIRD BAKERY? We're so excited it's spreading nationwide soon!

Our mission is to create the freshest, finest, from-scratch, most delicious nostalgic American desserts each and every day (with the exception of Sunday). Almost all of our recipes are family recipes and I love that people are instantly brought back to their childhood when they take that first bite.

EVERY HOME COOK NEEDS. . .

Passion. And someone to share their creations with. When I've had a particularly stressful day, you know it because there will be stacks and stacks of cookies in the kitchen.  I love packaging them and giving them to people because everyone loves cookies. Baked goods are like currency--no one's going to turn them down.

HOW DO YOU ADD SWEET TOUCHES TO EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES?

By always focusing on the details. It's the little things that people notice and the little things that matter.

LET US IN TO YOUR DAILY ROUTINE.

My daily routine changes incredibly each day. Whether I'm in a foreign country on assignment for the Human Rights Foundation, on a plane, working in LA or in San Antonio at the bakery, it's always a balancing act. I think it's incredibly helpful to compartmentalize priorities, which is one of the reasons that I don't plan on opening a location in LA--I like the geographic delineation of the two worlds.  With the expansion of our San Antonio store, future opening of our Dallas location and a baby on the way, there are a lot of balls in the air, but with technology and an amazing staff, all things are possible.

WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL FAVE BITE FROM THE BIRD BAKERY MENU?

My favorite BIRD bite usually changes every 4 to 6 months. Lately, I'm absolutely obsessed with our Lemon Squares. I cannot get enough and when I'm not in San Antonio, I crave them immensely. I think I've tried every single lemon bar, square and tart in LA and none of them achieve the perfect tartness and texture that ours do. In fact, I would put our Lemon Squares up against any--they're truly the best.

Spicy Chicken Sausage Marinara

This new marinara creation is seriously fabulous -- it's light enough to serve on hot summer nights, yet the Italian chicken sausage (I love the Whole Foods behind-the-counter selections) is rich enough to fill you up, as any Italian dinner should. Sunday has been dubbed "Italian night" lately, so I am posting this on a Friday in hopes that you'll bookmark this for your weekend finale supper. Let me know what you think, ladies and gentlemen. 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup thinly sliced sweet onion 3 cloves garlic, chopped Sprinkle of crushed red pepper (A little goes a long way. . .) 1/2 pound Italian chicken sausage, casings removed 1/4 cup dry white wine 1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes 1 bunch broccolini tips (toss the ends) Gigli pasta, cooked according to box Pecorino cheese 1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and crushed red pepper. Saute until onions are translucent, approx. 6 minutes. Add sausage, making sure to break up with a fork. Saute 4 minutes, until browned. Add white wine and simmer for 1 minute. 2. Add tomatoes and broccolini. Simmer until tomatoes soften, approx. 5 minues. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. 3. Add pasta to sauce and toss over medium heat. Add pecorino and serve immediately.

The Second Line Cocktails (Memphis)

Chef Kelly English's newest restaurant venture may have opened over six months ago, but I'm determined to bring back the chatter after (finally) trying it for myself and instantly becoming obsessed. That's right. . .I'm obsessed with this restaurant concept, which highlights my second favorite Southern city with a curated, clever approach.

And, by the way, this is not just The Second Line -- it's his Second Line. Chef Kelly English's, that is. Every ingredient, every presentation and detail was chosen by Chef himself with complete authenticity. You can feel his downplayed yet utterly contagious and charismatic New Orleans flare as soon as you walk through the doors.

The renovated home serves as a welcoming entrance to the booming Overton Square neighborhood. It may be modeled off New Orleans fare and libations, but the "casual, honest, delicious, and true" traits seem to reflect Memphis perfectly, too. Personally, the fusion of New Orleans' finest foods with Memphis' funky atmosphere couldn't make me happier.

I arrived at 5:05 along with a swarm of preppy, post-work businessmen and women. The cocktail scene is clearly happening from open to close. Evan and I walked through the house and entered the fully-packed patio, taking a seat on turquoise bar stools. We showed up for a drink, but we obviously needed a taste of something, so the bartender recommended besh bbq shrimp. The peeled and made-to-order skillet is inspired by my favorite New Orleans chef, John Besh (see New Orleans under critiques, and you'll find I frequent his restaurants). You can soak up the sauce with a fresh French loaf, delivered from a family bakery in New Orleans.

But back to the cocktails. My "farmers market" gin and cucumber cocktail was excellent, naturally sweetened with honey and lemon. I felt refreshed after every sip, though I savored the drink for as long as possible. Evan's whiskey cocktail had hints of mint and peach -- it screamed summer without unnecessary frills and cheesiness.

I can't wait to revisit The Second Line for a full meal -- I'm already planning out my menu. Fried oyster salad. . .a mushroom debris po boy. . .Here we go, people. . .

A Caramelized Conversation with Chef Brian Malarkey

Austin, Texas is obviously known for its wealth of iconic and trend-setting restaurants; they seem to be popping up by the minute, to the point where we cannot even keep up. There are moments when we have mistakenly taken for granted the booming food scene surrounding us; but there are also those rare occasions in which restaurants actively ask us to stop and appreciate the causes behind such a beautiful city.

The community of Austin cafés, bars, trailers, and the like are uniting to showcase communal talent and the city to which they serve. During Eat Out For Good (click to reserve your spot), beginning this Sunday August 3 through August 13, over twenty spots are creating special menus with proceeds benefiting local non-profits. From Finn & Porter and The Bonneville to Odd Duck and NO VA, you will simultaneously serve Austin's non-profits and be served by Austin's finest talent.

Today, I'm sitting down with Chef Brian Malarkey, the celebrity mastermind behind Searsucker (one of the Eat Out For Good participating restaurants), winner of Top Chef and judge on numerous Food Network shows. His culinary resume will stun you, and his light-hearted persona will charm you. Keep scrolling for the latest and greatest Caramelized Conversation. . .

YOUR MOST UNFORGETTABLE RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE?

I have two: The first was the lobster dinner where I asked my wife to marry me. The second was when Jose Andres cooked me 30-something courses at his mini bar in Washington, D.C. -- magical, whimsical and intriguing.

SEARSUCKER IS A PERSONAL FAVORITE AUSTIN SPOT, AND I ALSO ENJOYED HERRINGBONE IN LA JOLLA. WHAT WAS YOUR INITIAL VISION WHEN FORMULATING THE ECLECTIC AMBIANCES OF THESE RESTAURANTS?

Searsucker is my home -- very comfortable and approachable, very personal and warm in a quirky sort of way. Herringbone is where I want to live when I  grow up -- probably no time soon. . .

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT SAN DIEGO?

It's still a relatively small city where you get to know the chefs, farmers, surfers -- the community. And of course it's on the ocean and 70 and sunny almost every day. The fact that it's named after a whale's vagina is just a bonus! Stay classy, San Diego!

FIVE FRIDGE ESSENTIALS?

Cured meats. Great cheese. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Organic pressed juice. BUTTER.

HOW DO YOU ADD SWEET TOUCHES TO EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES?

Love.

YOUR SIGNATURE COCKTAIL TO BEAT THE SUMMER HEAT?

Watermelon, jalapeño and my booze of choice.

RESTAURANT OWNERSHIP IS NOTORIOUS FOR ITS NARROW WINDOW FOR SUCCESS. WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON CONCEPTUALIZING RESTAURANT IDEAS THAT REALLY STICK?

#team. Great staff with approachable, great food and a fun ambiance. . .And learn from your mistakes -- that location thing is kind of important.

Farmers Market Cocktail

When it comes to grocery shopping, I really should change my system. . . but for now, it typically goes as follows:

1. Roam through every aisle (or stand, if at a market). 2. Pick out the most colorful and beautiful produce available. 3. Lay it all out on my kitchen counter. 4. Create a recipe with what's in front of me.

I find it to be both a fun little challenge for myself (like an easy version of Chopped?) and also an opportunity to showcase the ingredients that truly caught my eye from the beginning. Recently after a trip to the farmers market, I stared at the most gorgeous assortment of summer peaches, blueberries and basil on my cutting board. Hello, cocktail!

Makes one serving

1 ounce vodka Small handful blueberries 2 slices of peach 2 basil leaves Ice cold sparkling water

1. In a small glass, lightly muddle peaches, blueberry and one basil leaf. Add vodka and stir.

2. Top with sparkling water and a basil leaf.

Qui (Austin)

I feel a subtle sense of intimidation right now. How am I, a food blogger and chef-wanna-be, qualified to "critique" and conjure up dining details of Austin's hottest restaurant? Frankly, I'm not. Therefore, this post will not be filled with expert judgments of typically mispronounced ingredients or attempts to portray the culinary brilliance of Top Chef winner and Food & Wine Best New Chef Paul Qui. The menu was a spectacle, the food was magnificent, and the restaurant's decor was completely out-of-the-box. . .obviously. Would you expect anything less?

I was most impressed by Qui's customer service, which is the primary reason I feel entitled enough to share an opinion of the place. Three of us managed to grab a 9:15 reservation on a Friday night; so we eagerly saved up our appetites and entered the minimalist establishment right on time. The hostess walked us to a patio area, inviting us to order a drink while our table was prepared. We enjoyed "the official drink of Austin" -- Chef won the city-wide contest with his bold tepache and honey cocktail. Yes, it was a winner.

Thirty minutes later, we had not yet been seated -- the time flew due to awesome people-watching and funky, eye-drawing patio decor. Before an opportunity even arose to ask the hostess for an update (i.e. complain), the manager arrived at our cocktail table and offered four appetizers on the house to apologize for the delay! I knew it would be a fantastic night. . .and it was.

Chef Paul Qui expresses his witty character in every dish. We were instantly enthralled by the menu, which our waiter explained in detail and with such passion. We tried eight dishes or so in total, but our table began with a play-on version of cheese spray and ended with an aged cheddar cheese ice cream sandwich. Interesting, right? Chef is deeply rooted in Filipino tradition, yet he cannot pass by the Texan influence; his Texas wagyu and Filipino curry marry without question. The smoked short rib (first photo) was my very favorite of all that we tried.

This can't-miss restaurant completely surprised my palette and surpassed my expectations of customer service. Chef Paul Qui is truly something else, and I cannot wait to revisit his newest namesake.

featured image via qui austin