Back when things were a bit more fun, in 1976 actually, I submitted a recipe to celebrate a new festival. By 1986, I was surprised to learn last night, that recipe had taken hold in a small universe (and was even the basis of an offering put onto the menu of a famous restaurant!)

The Courier, June 24, 1986

"The recipe for Garlic Ice Cream is by Barbara Flaska, has been published in both "The Garlic Times" and "The Book of Garlic", and has been adopted for use by Nucleus Nuance in Los Angeles as its official garlic dessert."


That was years ago that happened, and even as long ago as last night. Given how things are today, I find sometimes I still prefer to linger in places and times where things used to be more fun. The lucky diners at Nucleus Nuance, for instance, could culminate their fine repast if they so chose with a chilled dessert I was instrumental in designing. The Nucleus Nuance soon became a famous Hollywood eatery on Melrose, a classy natural foods joint that offered Evolution Burgers and fine jazz.

The restaurant was frequented by stars and performers famous to that era and maybe also by people I knew (Herbie Hancock, Linda Ronstadt, Joni Mitchell).

It's nice even going there now in my imagination, because I was never in attendance when it existed in fact, and I know from mere casual reading just now that other people still recall the place with special fondness and more than a twinge of nostalgic longing. The Nucleus Nuance was a gathering spot, where artists were discovered and signed on the spot by famous producers, where poets and musicians and artists and all kinds of interesting people assembled, and the place itself was celebrated in lyrics and paint by the artists who'd gathered around the tables. It's likely the Nucleus Nuance is about as close as I'll ever get to my ideal place Romany Marie's, but still, I'm glad I could bring dessert.  ¶ 4/02/2009 06:39:00 PM