This Food Stalker was longing for Mother’s cooking, soul food, the prepubescent banana split, but hey, a homemade breadstick would make this girl happy. Hungry for a trip down memory lane, I grabbed my vintage Moschino military jacket, slapped on some mascara and headed up the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu Farms. Upon my arrival I was greeted by an adorable black & white pig named Arnold who is both super fat and super hungry. Pet goats, bunnies and chickens keep him company while owner Helene Henderson tends the garden and the kitchen. ( Oh how I’d love for Husband to prepare me a frittata made with these local duck eggs in bed tomorrow morning! ) Helene’s dynamic background consists of private chef for Barbara Streisand, model, owner of Lavender Farms and author of the book “Swedish Tables”. A private chef with humble beginnings, Helene held cooking classes for friends on her day off and is now the inspiration and driving force behind what is recognized as Malibu’s most desired supper club. Part of a growing food culture in this little seaside town called Pointe Dume, all of the organically grown ingredients are harvested at the farm and supplemented with artisanal edibles. Helene has transformed this beautiful hillside property into a dining experience worthy of the eclectic attendees made up of Hollywood celebs, musicians, producers and hey…even a Food Stalker. With much attention to detail – the food, lighting, music, pressed white tablecloth’s set for 75 guests on the lawn, it’s like organizing a small intimate wedding.

More exciting than a sale at Barney’s, these popular underground dinners sell out within hours. The evening I visited they served a lovely beet & blood orange salad with fennel, Jidori Chicken meatballs, potatoes horseradish, kale caesar salad, homemade parmesan breadsticks and succulent seafood for surf & turf right off the grill.  Whole wheat cakes and farm fortune cookies satisfy your sweet tooth.  I always believed food to be something moving and therapeutic, but anything that beautiful and cooked with passion, love and conviction can transcend us mere mortals to another space and time. Apparently what I needed was a “Down on The Farm” mind blowing meal – not therapy! For Helene, cooking is like love, great adventure worth any risk…sometimes you just have to leap off the cliff not knowing if there’s a feather bed or a rocky gorge below. This feather bed happens to come in the form of hay….