First, Let Me Fix You A Drink…
It’s the best Martini in Hollywood, and it’s served at the legendary Musso & Frank restaurant on Hollywood Boulevard!
This photo is from their Cookbook / Memoir, and I will be cooking from it for my latest “52 In 22” challenge!
Grab your cocktail, take a seat, and get hungry, because I have a legendary “True Hollywood Story” to tell…
This is the stack of the second ten cookbooks I am cooking through for my yearlong “52 In 22” cooking challenge.
Second from the bottom is the terrific cookbook / memoir from “The Musso And Frank Grill” – timeless and delicious food and a legendary Hollywood hangout.
Working in the entertainment industry, I have many friends who call this their second home.
The restaurant opened in 1919 – and has survived the pandemic and is still going strong – it’s located in the heart of Hollywood on Hollywood Boulevard – and it has a star on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame right outside the front door…so let’s discuss our cooking challenge for today!
So that’s my goal: and let’s get started with one of their signature appetizers – this is a photo from the cookbook:
Stuffed Celery feels like its from another era because it is, but the memoir tells great stories of the celebrities who have enjoyed these iconic dishes…
This is the recipe from the cookbook – and I’m going to make it at home!
Here are the ingredients…I used a pound of crumbled Rocquefort Cheese, a cup of sour cream, and salt and pepper…
Combine it as creamy as you like an set aside, then drain a can of black olives and have those ready as well…of course, my Whole Foods olives were a bit more naturally brown, but they taste just as good.
Next, make your Vinaigrette…half a shallot dices, a teaspoon and a quarter of Mustard, two ounces of red wine vinegar and I used 5 oz. of olive oil…
Add it all together and stir until it’s creamy, then set aside…
Next, cut your celery sticks into the size you like, and stuff with the Roquefort mix…they are ready to plate.
Last part involves chopping your romaine hearts, add the watercress in torn pieces, and stir in your vinaigrette…put your stuffed celery sticks on top, add a black olive and sprinkle with paprika and here you are:
The next part of this classic Hollywood feast is to head to Rome and see how Alfredo made his famous pasta dish – here’s the famous story:
Here is the recipe and famous story in the cookbook:
Making Alfredo’s Fettucine!
Here’s the recipe and a photo of the finished dish from the book – and I will explain what makes this recipe so special in a moment. First, let’s get cooking!
OK, I see what you are thinking: why didn’t I make fresh pasta? Because I didn’t – I don’t currently have a pasta rolling machine, and felt trying to do it from scratch wouldn’t be good for the finished product.
So this is store-bought fresh Fettucine – the other two ingredients are butter and parmesan cheese.
Here’s the trick however, to making this extra special – first, cook the pasta in less water, just enough to cook it – here’s why:
You see, the pasta water has a much more flavorful pasta taste because there is so little water – add a cup to the butter, cook it down by half, and there is your sauce!
Add the cooked pasta into the sauce and combine it all…shave parmesan in as well, mix it all up and make your Martini!
The Cookbook / Memoir tells stories of how simple yet delicious the Musso & Frank Martini is – served ice cold, stirred never shaken! Just Vodka strained through ice!
Now, time to plate the Fettucine!
Shave your desired amount of Parmesan cheese over the top, sprinkle a bit of basil on it, and a classic Hollywood dinner is served!
Everything turned out perfectly: the Martini was ice cold, the celery sticks delicious and the pasta creamy and rich….I devoured it!
This was week #16 in my “52 In 22” cooking challenge – this was one of the easier days in the kitchen – remember when my effort took three days to finish?
This “Sous Vide Lobster” dish from Chef Thomas Keller was a marathon to be sure – here’s what took so much time:
I also cooked from the late Anthony Bourdain’s first cookbook:
This “Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin” was delicious and looked good too!
See the entire recipe by clicking here:
Bourdain was a great TV Host as well as Chef – and here’s an Actor who became a great TV Host as well:
Stanley Tucci loves to cook as well, so I made his family’s Chicken Caiiatore recipe – here’s the recipe:
About Stanley Tucci: you may know that I became obsessed with a dish he cooked on his CNN travel series.
How obsessed?
THIS OBSESSED!
I made “Spaghetti alla Nerano” with some added “Zoodles” as well – click here for this amazingly delicious recipe!
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Categories: 52 In 22!, Bite Eat Swallow, Bite! Eat! Repeat!, Books / Media, Chef memoirs, Cookbooks, Eat This!, Fine Dining, Food, Food Pictures, Food Porn, Food Travel, Recipes, Restaurants, Travel, World's Wildest Food
Bite! Eat! Repeat! 
Thanks for this recipe, John, and for the tips. Good to know.
Thank you for reading and commenting Robbie!