Go Fish LA – August 4th

Now that Summer is officially here I am thinking about the next fishing trip – and I have a feeling it’s going to be the best yet – with a special out-of-town guest chef – Rick Moonen – joining the trip. One of the comments I always get on our fishing with chefs trips is that they are never long enough, they go by too fast and just as everyone is getting into it, lines have to be reeled in and we are headed back to the harbor.  The shorter trips also mean we don’t get out to the waters near Catalina for the bigger fish. Well all that is going to change when we set out to sea for a 3/4 day trip to Catalina Island on August 4th. The boat will depart at 6am – yes I know a little on the early side – but this is an adventure of a life time- and I promise you will forget the time of day as you sit on deck as we head out to sea.

There will be coffee from LA Mill and breakfast treats to munch on as we pass the time getting to the best fishing spot – oh and a little sneaky peak to get the party going – cocktails from Matt Biancaniello (Library Bar) at dawn anyone?! A longer trip also means more time to consume vast quantities of food that the chefs’ bring to share – and we aren’t talking your normal vittles – oh no! These chefs, many with Michelin stars, come with food enough for 10 times the number of guests we have on board.

We have several great chefs who have not yet fished with us coming onboard in August – Rick Moonen (rm Seafood, Las Vegas) [now that we have a chef from out of town we’ll have to rename this trip GoFish!], Walter Manzke (previously at Church and State) and Rory Herrmann (chef de cuisine at Bouchon in Beverley Hills). There are other chefs who are hoping to make it but are yet to confirm their schedules – when I get confirmation I’ll be sure to post the list.

It’s thrilling for me to be able to welcome Moonen aboard – he has made his life’s work about cooking great food but more importantly he’s all about sustainable seafood. It’s going to be thrilling wetting a line with this fisherman chef. We met earlier this year at his restaurant, rm Seafood in Las Vegas, where he showed me how to make lobster rolls for my book Made in America. Not only has he said we can make lobster rolls together again on this trip but I’m also going to put in a request for a couple of his famous Moon Doogies.

On the last trip I persuaded Joan from Joan’s on Third to come fishing – she had a blast and afterwards sent me this email:

Thank you so much for organizing Sunday’s fishing trip.  It was such fun!
All week I wondered, “Why am I going fishing?  I’m not a fisherman.  I have to work; I don’t like waking up at 4am; why did I say “yes”?
Well, I’m really glad I went.
It was fun people, good food, learning to fish (with the excellent instruction from Didier) and…catching a baby shark!

I’m willing to get up at any time of the day or night if I get to eat food like we had on the last trip. I’m still craving a ficelle from Joan’s on Third –  rich creamy brie and pink ham sandwiched inside the best mini baguettes this side of the Atlantic – thank you Joan, who was already planning what to bring for the next trip as we left the boat last time. The pretzel rolls – made in house at MB Post – with jamon serrano and wild rocket were sublime – David Lefevre has a habit of missing the boat – literally! So glad we waited for him this last time. Perhaps you like something a little lighter? Brian Moyers made a gazpacho of watermelon – boy did that one hit all the right notes. I confess I also ate a lot of his gaufrettes – not so light but too tempting to pass up. Fresh from the farmers’ market Alain Giraud brought cherries and strawberries – individually wrapped with blue ribbons that were sweet enough to satisfy the sweetest of sweet tooths. And then there’s THE cookie from Providence – when I say that it’s heaven in every bite I’m not exagerating – Adrian Vasquez is keeping the recipe close to his chest but I did manage to squeeze out of him the fact that you use a lot of fleur de sel. I made up some chocolate chip cookies last weekend and the results were amazing – mainly because I took his advice and tripled the amount of salt the recipe called for.

The Italians dominated our last trip which meant we were well taken care of and very full – they really know how to enjoy life – mainly through food but also just in their sense of humor. Prosecco mixed with blood orange juice or topped with a spicy St Germain foam to pair with Melanzane alla Parmigiana in a brioche bun for a vegetarian option to the kobe beef slider? The kobe truffle sliders from Andrea of Cecconi’s and Marco of the Truffle Brothers was worth the price of the ticket alone – as Donato so rightly said “The burger of the year” – although I might go beyond this and call it the Ultimate Burger – I mean it’s shaved truffles folks – and lots of them – not to mention the truffle salt, the truffle ‘cream’ and the truffle honey that was also on board.

The cost of this trip is $125 for a VIP ticket – available at Brown Paper Tickets.

6am – 6pm Thursday August 4th 2011
Monte Carlo
22nd Street Landing,
San Pedro, CA

You bring: A rod (available to hire on the boat) and a fishing license (purchase a one day fishing license $14 online before we set off), sunscreen, and a smile! As well as the treats the chefs are bringing aboard there are drinks (including beer) and food sold on the boat. All ticket sales are non-refundable.

Follow me on Twitter – @LucyLean and don’t forget to use #GoFishLA