Melissa’s Produce

(Faye Levy and Barbara Hansen, menu descriptions; Gerry Furth-Sides content and photos ) Week-end time in particular moved in at a different, slower, lazier pace in last century Los Angeles. And somehow our friend, Cary Hunyh, joyfully makes it feel like that again.

Why we ❤️LA: because, as this a treasure of a spring brunch hosted by delightful Renaissance man, Cary Huynh, reminds us, we live in the most diverse culinary city in the world. And a common love of food can lead to the most wonderful friends. Here our Melissa’s special ones.

This leisurely afternoon in Cary’s beautiful garden started with a gasp in the living entrance. Table upon table of with exquisite dishes were beautifully laid out. French and Vietnamese savory and sweet cuisines were definitively represented in Cary’s springy springy light touch and refined, elevated flavors.

A spectacular Vietnamese Fish Soup with Elephant Ear Taro (Canh Chua). Classic Vietnamese spring rolls with shrimp and meat or vegetable with their own homemade dipping sauces, along with a selection of egg, spicy avocado and crunchy nori rolls. Grilled Sugar cane seafood sticks filled with shrimp and fish paste. A favorite Vietnamese Chicken and cabbage salad. Cary his friend and guest, Mary Manivong’s Lao style beef salad, served with packets of sticky rice.

The short list: My favorite, irresistible, were Daikon cakes (the flat rectangular envelopes) with just enough heat for a brunch. They were made by Cary’s mother! I had to confirm such a delicacy was made with daikon

Faye Levy’s description of the Lao style beef salad – made by Cary’s friend Mary Manivong, who used chuck roast and grilled it to almost medium rare and added onions, ground toasted rice, pepper flakes, very thinly sliced lemongrass, green onion, red jalapeno, lime juice, fish sauce, a touch of sugar. Mary said that the Lao name of the salad means Waterfall. She served it with sticky rice. 

Cary mentioned that the Vietnamese add sugar, not commonly done, and the Vietnamese don’t serve it with rice.

The talk was just too good to be a better student of the dishes. Not only were there fascinating stories about travels, food careersand family memories at table. A forensics professor’s vast knowledge of food covered fascinating “last meals” and food in crime!

Cary told the story of his very social, beautiful cat, Spooky, who was abandoned by a neighbor. He told us that when he and Spooky came upon the neighbors on the street, Spooky turned and walked away. What a wonderful home she has now!

Acclaimed cookbook writer, Faye Levy wrote, “During the last two years Yakir and I have been trying to be careful and refrain from going out, writes Fay Levy, but this was a special occasion–a chance to see our friend Cary Huynh and enjoy his delicious food once again, together with friends of ours from what we call “the Melissa’s Produce Culinary Club.” 

The dishes were done descriptive justice and more by guests, Faye and Yakir Levy and Barbara Hansen. Faye Levy wrote, “Cary prepared the savory and sweet dishes and is a talented, creative chef and a natural teacher, and he shared with us not only what ingredients were in the dishes but also tips on preparing them. 

Cary’s Menu as described by Faye Levy, author of 23 cookbooks: 

*Vegetable spring rolls – filled with jicama, lettuce, basil and omelet strips, served with nuoc cham, a Vietnamese dipping sauce

* Classic Vietnamese spring roll – with shrimp and meat

* Avocado rolls – Egg roll with spicy avocado filling in egg roll wrapper made with wheat flour

* Egg rolls made with rice paper – fried egg rolls with meat filling

* Crunchy egg rolls with nori – with chicken filling; made with lacy rice paper that doesn’t need to be dipped in water, which Cary said is a new trend; Cary adds nori so the oil won’t get into the filling during frying

* Daikon cakes – slightly spicy, made by Cary’s mother.

* Dipping sauces for the egg rolls and daikon cakes:

** Tamarind sauce – Cary made this by extracting the pulp from tamarind pods and added fish sauce, sugar and garlic

** Nuoc cham – lemon juice, water, fish sauce, garlic, chili. (Cary added that if people don’t like fish sauce, you can add Chardonnay to camouflage the fishy smell.)

** Hoisin sauce – Made by diluting bottled hoisin sauce with water, adding sugar and thickening it with cornstarch

** Three more sauces: soy sauce and vinegar; chili oil; and chili sauce

* Sugar cane seafood – Fish and shrimp paste grilled on sugar cane

* Chicken and cabbage salad – with onion, black pepper, lemon and fish sauce; Cary said this is a typical Vietnamese salad

* Vietnamese Fish Soup with Elephant Ear Taro (Canh Chua) – made with red snapper, shrimp, a vegetable called elephant ear, pineapple, tomatoes, okra, a leafy green vegetable, white vinegar, sugar, rice wine, Thai chilies, garlic and fish sauce. Cary made fish stock from the bones and cooked it with the other ingredients. He added the fish and shrimp (in their shells) at the last minute. Cary said the soup should be sour, spicy and sweet, and it was delicious. The soup is popular at seaside resorts in Vietnam.

Cary’s homemade pastries, bread and desserts:

* Puff pastries filled with pate – Cary’s puff pastry was buttery and absolutely delicious

* Sourdough pumpernickel and rye bread – served with pate, Vietnamese ham and cheeses

* Singapore breakfast toast filled with kaya – a custard that Cary made with coconut and pandan juice

* Croissants – buttery and fabulous

* Almond croissants with hazelnuts added to the filling

* Canneles – French fluted cakes

* Coffee creme brulee

And there was more:

* Kourambiedes – Greek butter cookies coated with powdered sugar – made by Christina Xenos of Sweet Greek

* Fresh mulberries and raspberries

* Fresh tangerine juice from Cary’s tangerine tree

* Rose flavored cold tea

* Wines, coffee and hot tea

The party continued with memories AND take away food. Ah. Thank you, Cary!  Adds Faye,” Thank you, Cary, for a wonderful day!”