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  • Ten Top Surprising Must-Try Ethnic Desserts

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) These local Ten to try local desserts are the best in the world, full of fascinating flavors and textures — and even shapes. Even if you are not a dessert lover, these might change your mind; they did change mine. Pictured above is our original list. The Mont Blanc and Praline Bar from […]...

  • Are you a Kati or a Frankie? Find Out at KATI ROLL CO

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) Are you a Frankie or a Kati? Do you know the difference? You will soon when Kati Roll Company (#katirollco) comes to to town, bringing authentic, fun Indian Street food to LA. And second generation, Avinash Kapoor, who is bringing it to Los Angeles, already owns two of the most popular Indian restaurants...

  • The Ojai Pixie Fairytale Story

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) The story about Pixie’s coming to market is of fairytale nature. This spring cleaning we came upon a SPA OJAI bag with a pixie tangerine spray tucked inside fit that felt just as magical. Its fragrance was as fresh as when we first made it in the Artist Cottage Cottage, a working artist […]...

  • Must-Try Bakes with Historic Ojai Pixies

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) What can you add to Pixie tangerines that are perfect to eat on their own with their bright orange, easily separated, seedless segments? Even their size that is never over two to three inches in diameter is endearingly size.  We recommend these “must-try” bakes! We used colorful Fla...

  • Bombay Bugle Brings First Anglo-Indian Cuisine to Town!

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) When French soldiers returned to Paris after their North African occupation they brought cous cous recipes with them, leading to a proliferation of successful Paris cafes featuring the dish. When Brits returned from their posts during the long British rule, known as “the Raj,” whether as merchants...

  • Cooking with Everyday Dorie Greenspan

    We met Dorie Greenspan Dorie Greenspan’s bold Summer Vegetable Tian jumped out at me from her EVERDAY DORIE book. And no wonder: Roger Vergé the brilliant Provençal chef influenced this slow roasted dish. And so Dorie inspired me: I have had his book forever, just to admire, after meeting him and eating his eating his [&hell...

  • So Welcome to the US: Thrilling Tenuta Montemagno from Italy

    (Gerry Furth-Sides, content and photos from Tenuta Montemagno in Italy) Tenuta When we received a beautiful, generous gift from Tenuta Montemagno last fall of two bottles of their finest wines, we were so overjoyed we shared them with our wine maven friend, Irv Wynuck. Even after Tenuta Montemagno let us know that they were stil...

  • Celebrate Easter at The Raymond 1886

    (Gerry Furth-Sides, content from The Raymond 1886) We’re excited to hear of the reopening of historic The Raymond 1886 restaurant and bar for Easter. Our memories of dining outdoors in their gracious, timeless patio there were lively enough to last a year, and we were pleased to hear that during the pandemic the site was [...

  • Celebrate Easter at Our Favorite Celestino, Pasadena

    Happy Spring and Easter celebrations at one of our favorite family of restaurants that brought us “through the pandemic” with their to-go specialties and dining outdoors as soon as it opened up: the Drago brothers – who also happened to be our last public event we attended a year ago! And we found a way [&helli...

  • Ancient Crackers Go Contemporary with GG® Scandinavian Bran Crispbreads

    Everything seems to move in cycles in the culinary world, and it is no exception with crispbreads from the renowned GG company in Norway. They have earned high marks with their Exceptional Fiber Crackers, the  GG® Scandinavian Bran Crispbreads line of functional fiber crackers produced since 1935.  GG Crackers ar...