Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites

It was yet another amazing celebrity and VIP luncheon honoring the 2016 Emmy

Award nominees at Fig & Olive Restaurant in West Hollywood. The Seventh Annual

Style Lounge & Celebration of Emmy® Season is a coveted, and by invitation only event. Fig & Olive in West Hollywood, the popular dining venue to the stars, was overflowing with Emmy nominees, former Emmy & Oscar nominees, past winners, Emmy presenters, 'series’ regulars and media who all thoroughly enjoyed the fantastic luncheon items, while perusing the amazing celebrity Style Lounge in the outdoor patio.Chef de Cuisine Sam Jung's menu included the signature Fig & Olive Salad, Penne Funghi Tartufo, Chicken Tagine with apricots, figs and couscous, fluffy bread with a selection of oils, and tray passed desserts. All paired with Josh wines.

This very special event was hosted by Ein Drink and presented by Dioo Audio, featuring the latest in electronics and mobile applications from across the globe, an incredible array of fashions for him and her including couture gowns, bespoke tuxedos & suits, the finest in beauty, skin & hair care, stunning jewelry collections, gorgeous accessories, sexy lingerie, fabulous fragrance, gourmet cuisine, unique spirits, delectable sweets and much more!

Jason Ritter, Former Primetime Emmy Nominee and currently a series' regular on "Another Period" on Comedy Central takes a look at EinDrink

The invite list included Primetime Emmy Winner, Patrika Darbo, Best Actress for a short form (“Acting Dead”), Primetime Emmy Nominees, Jane Lynch (“Hollywood Game Night”), Ariel D. King (“Peopel vs. O.J. Simpson”, Jeffrey Bower Chapman (“UnREAL”), Marsai Martin (“Black-ish”), Tye White (People vs. O.J. Simpson”)

Presenting Sponsor Dioo Audio with Edyta Sliwinska, "Dancing With The Stars"

VIP Sponsor Personal Touch with Award-Winning Actress Kimberly Elise, currently starring in VH1's "Hit The Floor"

All jolined Damien Whitewood, Edyta Sliwinska & Alan Bersten (“Dancing With The Stars”), Naomi Grossman & Jamie Brewer (“American Horror Story”), Jason Ritter (“Another Period”), Kim Kimberly Elise (“Hit The Floor”), Dot Marie Jones (“Glee'), ollywood Icon Diedra Hall, Lydia Cornell, Areva Martin (TV Legal Analyst, Tony Denison (“Major Crimes”), Tasha Smith (“Empire”), Stephen Kramer Glickman (“Big Time Rush”), Michael Campion & Soni Bragas (Choice Teen Comedy/FOX Comedy/ FOX Teen Choice Awards (“Fuller House”), Charlie Koontz (“CSI:CYBER”), Darius McCrary (“Transformers”, John Savage, Kelsey Scott (“12 Years A Slave”), Eric Millegan (“Bones”), & Lucy Butler (“The Last Ship”), to name a few, were among the cadre of celebrities and industry VIPs who were treated to the best of the best. In the spirit of giving back, Wednesday's Child was the official charity and was on-site collecting new, unwrapped gifts – clothing, accessories, sporting equipmet, monetary donations, etc., for a Pre-Holiday Gift Drive. Guests brought items for teens in foster care to lend a helping had to these young people to help them have a spectacular Holiday Season! http://www.foxla.com/wednesdays-child.

On August 25^th1867 the first foundation stone was laid for this honorable venue, and on August 1^st1874 the Ratskeller opened its doors for the first time. Since then guests have been delighted to the Bavarian specialties served in its historic rooms. Today the menu showcases food from Franconia and other Bavarian regions.

Many German towns in earlier times had a traditional Ratskeller restaurant or inn, housed in the cellar of the their town hall. Munich’s Ratskeller in the past years found its place in the Bavarian capitals gastronomy scene as a Wirtshaus (inn) which not only offered traditional Bavarian meals, but also offered a menu with a variety of international dishes. The huge Wirtshaus under Munich’s Town Hall currently seats 1,200 people inside and a few hundred outside at the Prunkhof of the Town Hall at the Marienplatz.

I would recommend before lunch you stop to watch the Munich Glockenspiel, located steps from Ratskeller Munchen. It is a delightful show that attracts thousands of people to witness its magic each day. This is "classic Munich" and is the best-known work of artistic engineering of its kind in the world. It occurs in the tower of the New Town Hall at Marienplatz at 11 a.m., noon and, except in the winter, at 5 p.m. Munich's glockenspiel is the largest in Germany and 4th largest in Europe, containing 43 bells.

The first part of the Carillon, takes place on the top section and represents the wedding festival of Renata von Lothringen and Wilhelm V, founder of the Hofbräu brewery. The wedding took place on the Marienplatz (then called Schrannenplatz) in 1568. 18 figures dance around Wilhelm and his bride, including two jousting knights. The Wittelsbacher (Bavarian), with the white and blue colors on his horse, wins against the Habsburger (Austrian, with red and white), knocking him backward, every single day. This really beautiful and worth seeing if you are in the Marienplatz for lunch.

When entering the Ratskeller you will find the Bavarian hand painted murals, lighting, furniture design and dishware fascinating. Numerous rooms in the Ratskeller, provide everything from traditional elegant Bavarian to cozy and down-to-earth interiors that are artistic and inviting. The food preparations and presentations include specialties from Munich and Franconia accompanied by Löwenbräu beers fresh from the tap and wines from the wine estate of Würzburger Juliusspital. The Sunday brunch at the Ratskeller is worth planning your schedule around, as the huge selection of authentic local dishes is astounding.

Chef Michael Schubaur, a pupil of the famous Bavarian Michelin star chef Otto Koch, creates with expertise and fantasy, true culinary surprises for patrons. The tireless kitchen team uses only fresh ingredients of flawless quality and origin, primarily from their own region. The Ratskeller has also become known for its selection of beautifully prepared fish dishes.

Most sought after dishes at Ratskeller Munchen include Schweinebraten €11.5/US$12.80 (roast pork with gravy and crispy bacon crumbs, served with bread dumpling, potato dumpling and Bavarian coleslaw) and Grillwürstl Schmankerl €18/US$20 (Nuremburg-style bratwurst, skinless veal wollwurst, smoked beef beer-knack bratwurst, Schnapps bratwurst, grilled bacon, sauerkraut and mashed potato). They also appeal to vegetarians with dishes like the Käsespätzle €10.50/US$11.70 (egg noodles and mountain cheese).

The Ratskeller traditional menu includes starters of Pancake soup in beef broth or Frankish (Nuremberg grilled sausages, "Silvaner" herbs and horseradish) or a Munich salad plate (Herb salad with bacon, potatoes salad, cucumber salad, carrot/orange-salad, green leaf lettuce and yogurt dressing). Choices of main-course include Lean roast pork with crisp bacon crumbs, potato dumplings or Frankish Sauerbraten, a German specialty of beef marinated in vinegar with smooth burgundy sauce, and served with red cabbage, potato dumplings or green asparagus risotto (Italian risotto with green asparagus spears, oven dried tomatoes, in a tomato-wrap).

Millions of people visit the Ratskeller and enjoy the Munich Glockenspiel during Octoberfest each year. The first Oktoberfest was held October 12,1810 in honour of the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig. Octoberfest 2016 in Munich will be held September 17 through October 3. For information visit: http://www.muenchen.de

Hot New Restaurants in Vienna

Culinary odysseys and new takes on Viennese cuisine: an overview of the latest movers and shakers on the capital’s restaurant scene.

Blue Mustard opened in June 2016 in a prime city centre location, right next to the pedestrianised Graben shopping street. By day its Airstream trailer serves up street food and coffee to go, and at nights the restaurant and bar open up. The food is cosmopolitan with menu highlights flitting between Vienna, Naples, Paris and Tokyo. The bar also serves smaller snacks. At Art, also in the first district, the focus is on low carb, low fat and low sugar food. Beautifully mixed cocktails bring out the flavours of each dish. The head chef and the bar keeper work together to ensure that their “food & cocktail pairing” approach hits the spot every time. Inside, the uncluttered interior is brought to life by works created by international artists.

Habibi & Hawara (“friend” in Arabic and Viennese dialect), a new arrival on Wipplingerstrasse in the first district, is run by refugees and Viennese chefs. The outcome is Austro-oriental fusion cuisine, with set menus available at lunch time and an à la carte family menu consisting of several courses in the evenings. A few doors down, Chuchù concentrates on contemporary Latin American cuisine with a hint of the Far East. Delicious cocktails are available from the bar in the evenings.

On Praterstrasse, now a culinary hotspot in its own right, Ramasuri has set up shop in a 19th century palace. The new restaurant in the second district took a fresh look at Viennese cuisine, and added a long overdue selection of vegan alternatives for its patrons to enjoy in the sidewalk café in front of the Johann Nepomuk Nestroy memorial. On the other side of town, the fourth district welcomes new arrival Grace. Oliver Lucas, former sous chef at the two-Michelin-starred Steirereck, serves first class creative cuisine in a laid-back Gasthaus setting.

Blue Mustard, Dorotheergasse 6-8, 1010 Vienna, www.bluemustard.at
Art, Falkestrasse 5, 1010 Vienna, www.artdinnerclub.com
Habibi & Hawara, Wipplingerstrasse 29, 1010 Vienna, http://habibi.at
Chuchù, Wipplingerstrasse 21, 1010 Vienna, www.chuchu.at
Ramasuri, Praterstrasse 19, 1020 Vienna, www.ramasuri.at
Grace, Danhausergasse 3, 1040 Vienna, www.grace-restaurant.at

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Past Emmy Dessert Recipe – Jochim Splichal – Patina Group

CHOCOLATE CROISSANT PUDDING WITH WILD TURKEY SAUCE

Master Chef Joachim Splichal, Patina Restaurants

Wild Turkey Sauce

1 cup milk

1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and seeds scraped out

4 large egg yolks

1/4 cup of granulated sugar

1 tablespoon Wild Turkey liqueur

In a small saucepan, combine the milk with the vanilla bean and seeds and bring just to a boil. Remove from the heat and allow to infuse for 5 minutes, then strain out the vanilla pod. In an electric mixer or with a whisk, beat the egg yolks together with the sugar until the mixture is pale and thickened. Pour about a quarter of the hot milk into the egg-yolk mixture and mix until well combined, then return the yolk mixture to the pan with the rest of the milk and, over medium-low heat, stir continuously until thickened. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Strain it through a strainer into a clean pan and add Wild Turkey liqueur, to taste. Cool the sauce and refrigerate, cover until chilled.

Croissants

4 croissants, cut in half horizontally

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. On a baking sheet, toast the croissant halves until golden, about 8 to 10 minutes, watching carefully so that they do not burn. Remove from the oven and when cool, break the croissants up into 1/2 inch pieces and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Custard

2 cups heavy cream

1/4 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and seeds scraped out

5 large egg yolks

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar

In a medium saucepan, heat the cream and the vanilla bean together over medium-high heat. Bring cream just below boiling point, then remove it from the heat and allow it to infuse for 5 minutes. Strain out vanilla pod. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until the mixture is pale and thickened. Gradually whisk the warm cream into the egg yolks and then return the mixture into a clean saucepan. Over medium-low heat, bring the mixture up to just below a boil, stirring all the time until thickened, and immediately remove it from the heat.

Finishing

8 ounces bittersweet bakers chocolate, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1 tablespoon of powdered sugar

Arrange an equal amount of toasted croissant pieces in each of six 8 ounce ramekins or oven-proof bowls. Distribute the chocolate chunks evenly among the ramekins. Spoon the warm custard over the mixture, pressing down with a fork to be sure all the pieces of croissant are soaked in custard, and cover each ramekin tightly with aluminum foil. Place the ramekins in a roasting pan and pour in enough very hot water to come up halfway up the sides. Bake in the hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until just about set, then pierce the foil with a toothpick to release the steam and let stand for 5 minutes before removing the rest of the foil. (Note: At this stage you can cool and refrigerate the puddings for several hours or overnight. Warm them through in a 400 degree F oven for 4 to 5 minutes before serving.) Dust the top of each warm pudding with powdered sugar and serve the chilled sauce in a sauce boat on the side.

Patina Restaurant has been voted number one restaurant in Los Angeles for four consecutive years (1991-94) by the popular Zagat Restaurant Survey of Southern California and Splichal was inducted earlier this year into the James Beard Foundation Who's Who of Food & Beverages in America. He was formerly named "Best California Chef by them, in 1991. Don Mischer is executive producer of the telecast for the third successive year.