Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, December 17, 2016

8

FOOD AND DRINK

Mountain Views-News Saturday, December 17, 2016 

Julie’s Favorite Family Recipes

PERFECT HOLIDAY 
RESTAURANT

Living in the San Gabriel Valley for the past forty-
plus years I have seen many restaurants come and 
go -- some should have left, and others I felt put 
a real effort into the craft. When I am looking 
to pair wines with food I head over Pasadena’s 
steak sensation, Del Frisco’s started in Louisville 
Kentucky over twenty years ago by Audrey Lapp. 
Now based out of Texas, Del Frisco’s has built their 
reputation on a menu that features all prime beef.

 What they have here in Pasadena is a great 
location, an incredible wine list, and a top-notch 
filet mignon. My assignment was to enjoy a pairing 
of fine wine with Del Frisco’s popular menu, aided 
by Del Frisco’s sommelier. Although not every 
restaurant has the luxury of having a sommelier, 
this is a fun way to go through a meal. I started 
off with the Ahi Tuna Tartare with avocado and a 
spicy citrus mayo. Ahi tuna tacos have become a 
popular appetizer in restaurants, and I enjoyed it 
paired with a Paco & Lalo white wine from Spain, 
one of the most popular wines from the region of 
Rias Baixas. I’ve never been to Spain, but when I 
go I’ll visit this wine region for sure. Next in my 
adventure came the Kale & Quinoa salad – it was 
spectacular, and went very well with my taste of 
Flora Springs Chardonnay. My friend John Ebbs 
teases me about my fascination of crab cakes, to 
me Del Frisco’s has the best crab cakes in the area. 
Now is the reason for our review: the steak! I 
had the 8 oz. (you don’t need more) filet mignon 
with a side of mac and cheese (did I 
say “truffled”?) If you’ve heard my 
radio show, I often talk about steaks 
and my contention that I can make 
a great steak at home. This one is 
as good as it gets, and sommelier 
Sharra Nagelberg paired it with a 
wine I reviewed recently, the Decoy 
Cabernet Sauvignon. But wait! There’s 
more! The night was completed with 
their Coconut Cream Pie – this was so 
good we went back the next night and 
got it to go.

 Thoughts on the matter: “Someone 
said drink the water, but I will drink 
the wine / Someone said take a poor man, the 
rich don’t have a dime / Go fool yourself, if you 
will, I just haven’t got the time / I’ll give you back 
your water, and I will take the wine.” Ol’ Blue Eyes 
Frank Sinatra

Del Friscos Grille 55 S. Lake Ave. Pasadena 
626.765.9913

 

 Tune into Dining with Dills every Sunday at 
5 PM KLAA AM 830 and reach me through my 
website peterdills.com

TABLE FOR TWO by Peter Dills

thechefknows@yahoo.com


COCONUT SHORTBREAD COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut* (about 3 ounces)

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 2/3 cups all purpose flour

PREPARATION

 Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread coconut on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until coconut is light golden, stirring 
occasionally, about 8 minutes. Cool completely.

 Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Mix in salt and vanilla. Beat 
in flour in 2 additions. Stir in toasted coconut. Gather dough together; divide in half. Flatten each half into 
disk; wrap each in plastic and chill at least 1 hour. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Soften 
slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)

 Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out 1 dough disk on 
lightly floured work surface to scant 1/4-inch thickness. Using 1 3/4- to 2-inch-diameter cookie cutters, cut 
dough into rounds. Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Gather dough scraps 
and reroll; cut out additional cookies. Repeat procedure with remaining dough disk until all of dough is 
used.Bake cookies until light golden, about 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 10 minutes. Transfer cookies 
to racks and cool completely. (Can be made ahead. Store airtight at room temperature up to 1 week.)

YIELD:Makes about 6 1/2 dozen

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

THE JOY OF YOGA


DON’T MISS SAVASANA!

Here is a much-
needed reminder 
in this holiday 
season: Whatever 
you do, don’t skip 
Savasana!

 I long for Savasana at the very beginning of 
class! When do I ever get a chance to rest and 
lay completely still? Savasana, or corpse pose, is 
almost always the final pose of a group yoga class. 
It’s one of the most important poses we can do.

 If Savasana is not part of the class you attend, 
find a different class! The benefits of it are immense. 
It’s where we absorb and assimilate all the benefits 
of the practice. It’s incredibly refreshing, and 
soothing to the body and mind to rest completely 
without effort. All the great benefits seep in: peace, 
calm, acceptance, and confidence.

 In this incredibly restful pose, we lie down on 
our backs and allow the legs to stretch out. The 
arms stay along the sides with the palms facing up. 
The breath falls into an effortless, natural rhythm. 
Feeling the support of the floor beneath, we relax 
any remaining areas where we might be holding.

 For extra comfort in Savasana, place a bolster 
underneath the knees and/or a thin blanket 
under the head. Make sure the body is warm and 
comfortable.

 Savasana can be particularly hard to complete 
in a home practice. It might feel there’s not time 
to just lie down and do nothing. Set a timer, if 
even just for 3 minutes, so you don’t have to worry 
about the time. This easy pose is so essential; 
it’s like hitting the reset button on the body and 
mind… refreshed, calm, and ready to do the day. 
What would the day look like if you 

BEGAN with a short Savasana?

Namaste, friends,

Keely Totten

 
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