The Campari Spagliatos were flowing, authentic carbonara canooded with guanciale, sounds of bel canto filled the air and liters of world-class wine were poured as hundreds of Italophiles filled the plaza surrounding the historic Pico House near Olvera Street for Taste of Italy L.A. on Saturday.
Chef Giacomino Drago welcomed guests with samples from his legendary Beverly Hills restaurant Il Pastaio to the courtyard, demonstrating spaghetti history on his ancient Il Torchio pasta extruder. And a special treat for Sopranos fans, FBI agent turned gourmet food distributor Louis Lombardi was slinging garlicky pizza slices from his Avalou’s pizza company. Eataly served up a chilled zuppa di pomodoro alongside fluffy and creamy tiramisu. Chef Sal Marino’s delicate oozy spinach lasagna was a glowing testament to his weekly pilgrimages to the Santa Monica Farmers Market.
Winner of the longest line and a clear standout of the evening – as unapologetically noted by chef Antonello Zito – authentic cheese wheel carbonara, simmered in cream with egg yolks topped with imported guanciale. The silky pasta was matched only by Zito’s high-energy showmanship which is an equal draw at his restaurants, Palmina By Puglia in Palm Springs and Puglia Ristorante Italiano in Lake Arrowhead.
Read more: https://www.laweekly.com/the-historic-pico-house-comes-alive-with-la-dolce-vita/
Armed with a treasure map, a troop of mushroom lovers ventured out into the Santa Monica Mountains recently in between atmospheric rivers in search of Elfin Saddle, Golden Milk Caps, Russula, the Western Jack O’Lantern, Springtime Amanita, False Turkey Tail Mushrooms and the elusive California Golden Chanterelle. We even came across the rare Unicorn Dance Mushroom.
Led by mycologist and Topanga Canyon native Brando Farr, much of it was a lesson on what NOT to eat. Our trek in the mountains along flowing streams began with a fungal tutorial.
“The Santa Monica Mountains are actually home to a lot more #wildmushrooms than people realize,” Farr told the group of novice and expert foragers alike. “It’s not quite caught on as much in this culture as it has in Northern California, the Pacific Northwest or Europe. They do exist, and it’s my job to bring you all a little bit deeper into that world. Read more: https://www.laweekly.com/video-foraging-for-mushrooms-in-the-santa-monica-mountains-after-the-rains/
Stranger Things: The Experience is open in LA! Step into Hawkins and be the hero of your own adventure!
http://bit.ly/3GrXOvA
Food Network Chef Jet Tila descended on the Cal State Northridge campus this week to participate in “Thank-Ful”, a food-focused nationwide collegiate event designed to celebrate campus community and help feed students in need.
The #TournamentOfChampions star and cookbook author hosted a cooking class in the Matador Marketplace to teach students and staff how to prepare turkey and egg fried rice and also helped students prepare 150 meals for the CSUN food pantry to help with food insecurity. The standing-room-only event was helmed by Matador Eats guru Edwin Santiago and Senior Executive Chef Bill Bauer.
“We’re here for many reasons,” Jet told L.A. Weekly while the couple signed copies of Jet’s books 101 Epic Dishes and 101 Thai Dishes You Need To Cook Before You Die, with all proceeds going to the university’s food pantry to help fight food insecurity on campus. “Thank-Ful is a national way to give thanks as we go into the holiday season. We featured various dishes as we visited the campus as part of a nationwide celebration. CSUN is one of the 300 schools that Chartwells Higher Education serves.”
Read more here: https://www.laweekly.com/video-food-network-star-chef-jet-tila-feeds-matadors-in-northridge/
Michael Cimarusti’s Michelin-starred Providence, on a busy street in the heart of Hollywood, has always been the subject of praise and sustainability in culinary and environmental circles. But the latest buzz around the elegant seafood restaurant is the approximately 100,000 gentle honeybees that call the restaurant’s urban rooftop garden home.
With the help of Robin Jones, garden designer and curator of Honey Girl Grows, Providence installed two Italian honeybee hives with re-hived locally removed colonies, in April of this year. Unlike raising new populations, re-hiving an already existing honeybee colony that you might find in your loft, attic, garage or underground DWP meters doesn’t pose any threat to available food for other pollinators. After re-hiving, Providence’s colonies were requeened with docile Italian DNA from a queen bee breeder, to assure the genetics were less defensive.
“We pick specific breeds of queens that will lay eggs of bees that are docile with a less defensive DNA, so we’ve added friendly bees into the neighborhood,” Jones tells L.A. Weekly, as she and Chef de Cuisine Tristan Aitchison inspect the stacked boxes of bees.
Read more: https://www.laweekly.com/video-providence-honey-bees-are-the-latest-buzz-in-hollywood/
In a hidden canyon in the heart of Beverly Hills, just a stone’s throw from where little Ronnie Howard skipped barefoot in the opening credits of The Andy Griffith Show, one of L.A.’s oldest existing orange groves has provided 180,000 pounds of free produce to local service organizations since 2010.
The Los Angeles Parks Foundation together with Food Forward has begun the seasonal process of harvesting oranges from about 246 trees in the Franklin Canyon Orange Grove, which will then be distributed to the community via local agencies and food banks, including MEND, Mutual Aid Action Los Angeles, Seeds of Hope, Project Angel Food, and North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry.
One of L.A.’s last orange groves, the orchard sits on Department of Water and Power land, which the agency has owned since it built the Franklin Canyon Reservoir above the property.
Read more here: https://www.laweekly.com/video-the-hidden-franklin-canyon-orange-grove-moves-food-forward/
There’s no shortage of great Eggs Benedict renditions and sweeping rooftop views for brunch in Los Angeles, but when it comes to presentation high in the sky, Castaway Burbank is tough to beat.
On a clear day, you can see from City Hall downtown to Sherman Oaks, but even more dramatic is the arrival of a Belle at your table. A smoke-filled glass dome is presented and slowly swirled up to reveal a glass of Grey Goose Strawberry and Lemongrass Vodka, clarified lemon, and elderflower liqueur resting in a bed of fresh flowers. The gentle smoke of applewood chips and jasmine essence is faint and delicate as it dissipates into the Verdugo Mountains.
A stiffer option to go with one of Castaway’s signature cheese and charcuterie platters is the El Mariachi – mezcal, triple sec and pink grapefruit juice infused with citrus, seasonal fruit, jalapeno and rosemary for 48 hours. It’s served in individual glass canteens filled with the infusion. Read more: https://www.laweekly.com/brunch-pick-of-the-week-castaway-burbank-is-over-the-top/
Paper Pizza Co. Pairs Their Margherita 2.0 With Sparkling Rosé
Paperpizza.co co-owner Marc Shelton and dough guru Ryan Weitmann shared their recipe for their paper-thin custom fired Margherita pizza with L.A. Weekly in the kitchen of the new #Downey fine-casual go-to space designed by co-owner and interior designer Erika De La Teja.
The latest concept from the minds behind local favorite Lock & Key Social Drinkery, the restaurant uses only imported unbleached Italian pure 00 wheat flour which is gently processed, pesticide-free and organically grown, resulting in its signature low-rise thin crust. Suggested wine pairing: The strawberry and tangerine notes from J Vineyards & Winery Sparkling Rosé.
While staying safer at home may result in extra time on your hands, you may want to trade the 10-hour process and just order takeout or delivery. Paper Pizza Company also offers the Piggy Smallz with San Marzano tomatoes, Fior di Latte, sausage, calabrese hot salami and arugula with a balsamic drizzle and garlic butter and the Truffle Shuffle with Fior di Latte, ricotta, lemon, black truffle and garlic butter.
The Pesto-digitation is made with San Marzano tomatoes, burrata, pesto and prosciutto with garlic butter and Don’t Call Me White is a combo of Fior Di Latte, ricotta, garlic, jalapenos, red onion and garlic butter, (Rounding out the menu are Hot Hunny Wings and Whipped Romesco, a mix of Piquillo pepper, roasted garlic and onions, pepita seeds, olive oil, Champagne vinegar and Puccia and the What the Kale with kale salad, cilantro, avocado, 24-month aged parmesan and almonds in a Thai chili vinaigrette.
Named after Shelton’s preferred eating habit of folding his pizza to look like a paper plane, the Paper Margherita 2.0 adds prosciutto and pesto to the pie as well as fresh burrata to top the five-ingredient “fake stuffed” crust.
Poppy + Rose Chef Michael Reed Dishes Up Holiday Leftovers Shepherd's Pie
Forever on the search for a good #Thanksgivingleftovers recipe, chef Michael Reed from Poppy + Rose in DTLA has come up with a one-dish winner. Watch him make delicious use of leftover turkey and all the fixings in this video with the help of #SousChefMackenzie, who quite frankly steals the show and is well on her way to becoming the next #FoodNetworkStar. Due to this joyful distraction, we have included the recipe below.
Starting on #GivingTuesday, Poppy + Rose, in collaboration with Brown Bag Lady, will begin accepting donations of gloves, coats and blankets to help those in need stay warm this winter. The first 100 guests to bring in a new or nearly-new coat, pair of gloves or blanket will receive a free fried chicken sandwich at Poppy + Rose – available for takeout/pick up only. The promotion runs from December 1 through December 6 or up until the first 100 donations. Check out the Poppy + Rose Instagram @PoppyandRoseLA for more information.
Click here for the Thanksgiving Leftovers Shepherd's Pie recipe: https://www.laweekly.com/video-poppy-rose-chef-michael-reed-demos-his-recipe-for-thanksgiving-leftovers-shepherds-pie/
Japan House LA #GetawayStaycation #JapanASMR
So...last night...happened. If anyone else could use some ear bleach we highly recommend checking out these incredible videos from Japan House Los Angeles: japanhousela.com/discover/
Dreaming of a getaway someday, but enjoying our Japanese staycation for today.
Lisa Bryan's Pineapple Turmeric Smoothie
According to the Los Angeles County Department of Health, daily hospitalization numbers continue to steadily decline in the past week; from the more than 2,000 COVID-19 patients hospitalized daily in mid-July to now an average of 1,100 patients hospitalized daily. There are 1,089 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized – the lowest since the beginning of May. With 10 new confirmed deaths and 1,030 new cases of COVID-19, it’s never been more important to follow guidelines and build up our immune systems. Especially for people with underlying health conditions.
Food blogger Lisa Bryan is on a mission to do just this with her Downshiftology digital hub, where she shares healthy and whole recipes, kitchen advice, and cooking tutorials. The platform’s concept is to develop recipes that get back to the basics and embrace the simple life.
She shared her simple and cleansing recipe for a pineapple turmeric smoothie with us to start the day in this video, read more here: https://www.laweekly.com/video-food-blogger-lisa-bryan-downshifts-her-life-to-stay-healthy/
Long Beach natives and restaurateurs Phil and Lauren Pretty have restored a charming 1922 craftsman into the Heritage Sandwich Shop. The shop is open for outdoor dining and to go orders, featuring menu items like their smoked brisket sandwich made with fermented pickles, cole slaw and green garlic aioli on country bread and their line-caught halibut sandwich with tartare sauce, gem lettuce and pickles on brioche.
The building has been home to a coffee shop, taqueria, and palm reader; the brother and sister team have now transformed it into a modern farmhouse concept with bright white walls and emerald green accents. A live-edge Ashwood bar top serves as the focal point of the airy space dotted with greenery and the patio offers picnic tables safely spaced between olive trees.
Other signature items include a smoked wild salmon Caesar and a market heirloom tomato wrap with whipped dill cream cheese, avocado, toasted sunflower seeds, pea sprouts and pickled Fresno chilis.
Just in time for your upcoming Labor Day BBQ, chef Phil shared the recipe for one of his popular sides in this video: deviled eggs garnished with crispy chicken skin.
Get the recipe here: https://www.laweekly.com/video-the-pretty-siblings-open-the-heritage-sandwich-shop-in-long-beach/
Lindsey Stirling Demos Her Favorite Muffin Recipe Under Quarantine
You know how it is lately in the new world of communication, when you’re trying to have a serious computer conversation and you get zoom-bombed by the wonderful relatives that you’re enjoying quality quarantine time with.
Always fearless and determined, violinist and electronic music impresario Lindsey Stirling overcame screeching squirrels, wandering moms and sisterly love to demonstrate a Chocolate Covered Katie recipe for flourless chocolate blender muffins with us, with the same agility that won her the runner-up position on season 25 of Dancing with the Stars.
Safer at home on her sister Brook S. Passey’s horse farm in Missouri along with mom Diane, the L.A. resident puts a personal spinach spin on the original recipe.
“It means the world to me to be able to quarantine with my sister and get to know my nieces,” Stirling, who once battled anorexia tells L.A. Weekly. “I feel so lucky to be able to spend this time on the farm with our mom and at the same time I’m sad to look out and see so many people are hurting. I find that cooking helps to relax me and turn my focus towards creating something beautiful and hopefully delicious. This little muffin recipe is my absolutely favorite comfort food. They always bring a smile to my face and make me feel happy.”
Aisha Tyler Gets Old Fashioned With Gin
Before actress and comedian Aisha Tyler became one of America’s favorite talk show hosts on Talk Soup and co-host of The Talk, the Dartmouth College graduate was a bartender at the since closed Peter Christian’s in Hanover, New Hampshire, while she was in college.
The San Francisco native never lost her knowledge or passion for the art of mixology and has just launched Courage + Stone, a line of ready to pour old fashioned and Manhattan cocktails, both 80 proof. No mixing, muddling or measuring, the craft cocktails can be delivered straight to your door, ordered from their website.
Together with partner David Kanbar, Tyler started out of the gate with an old fashioned and Manhattan, with 30 percent of the online profits benefiting the Bartender’s Guild to support the hospitality community during the shutdown. Next up is a departure from the standard bourbon version — a bottled gin old fashioned and she’s sharing the recipe and tips exclusively with L.A. Weekly.
“The original old fashioned cocktail didn’t actually have a spirit base,” Tyler, whose inspiration for the drink comes from Ryan Gosling’s sexy muddling of a cocktail in Crazy, Stupid Love, tells us. “It was a style of cocktail made with whatever was available — there was a brandy old fashioned and the whiskey old fashioned.”
Tyler hosts weekly virtual happy hours on Tuesdays and Fridays at 5 PM PT on her @aishatyler Facebook and YouTube platforms. Each time she mixes a classic cocktail, she asks viewers to mix along at home and profiles a new charity, to which she donates and asks viewers to consider doing the same.
Get the recipe here: https://www.laweekly.com/video-aisha-tyler-stirs-things-up-for-l-a-weekly-with-a-gin-old-fashioned/
THE ALBRIGHT OWNER YUNNIE KIM MORENA SHARES HER PANTRY RECIPE FOR MOQUECA STEW
Best of L.A. Food and Drink
