American

  • We “Give a Fig” – for the Historic Fresno Fig

    (Gerry furth-Sides) We give a fig – and always did after cooking with them on tv for 22 years. We were privileged to work with the semi-dried figs – dense, packed with flavor and  The fashion industry agrees with us, and they promoted “fig” as a major color this fall season, although judging  from the vari...

  • Susan Herrman Loomis’ Insider’s FRENCH GRILL Book

    (Gerry Furth-Sides)  I love French cuisine, and with a well-respected cookbook author like Barbara Hansen singing the praises of Susan Herrmann Loomis’ there was no way I going to miss the presentation of this French expert’s brand new (13th) cookbook, FRENCH GRILL.  The award winning book author and enormously pop...

  • “Must-Go” NEW Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues Anaheim

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) It ranges from invigorating to revitalizing and the last song at the House of Blues Gospel Brunch at the continually growing Anaheim Gardenwalk said it all, “Oh Happy Day”.  In fact, you might be part of the audience to end up on stage waving  dancing to celebrate a birthday, according to brunc...

  • Chef Raphael Lunetta’s New Day to Night Concept

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) Its been decades since Chef Raphel Lunetta surfed off the beach near his new dining concept in Santa Monica, LUNETTA All Day and LUNETTA Dining Room & Bar.  And during the years in between Chef Lunetta’s culinary career burgeoned, right through the heyday of LA fine dining.  But to see the chef in...

  • Local Hive™ Safely Brings Local to Global This Season

    (Gerry Furth-Sides, photos courtesy of LOCAL HIVE HONEY)  Honey, in general, is so wonderful that it might just take a taste test like to differentiate the pure and local ones for yourself.  We did years ago with local Santa Monica honey at a farmers market and never went back to other honey.  One company that […]...

  • House of Blues Wins 2018 Anaheim Gardenwalk Chef Challenge

      (Gerry Furth-Sides, all photos courtesy Nancy Newman Photography) The Anaheim GardenWalk hosted its second annual Chef Challenge Cook-off on Sunday, October 14th, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.  Sponsored by DiningOut Magazine, top chefs from seven notable Orange County restaurants competed for best-in-show honors with their s...

  • Must-Try (Mexican-inspired) the NIXON CHOPS & WHISKEY in Whittier

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) When I was invited to Whittier’s Uptown Whittier restaurant District, billed as the “new foodie hub of Southern California,” I was skeptical until I saw the name of Mexican-Japanese American Katsuji Tanabe as executive chef of the NIXON CHOPS & WHISKEY.  The service, food and atmosphere...

  • Americana Culinary Surprises in the Whittier Museum

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) Whittier was full of surprises, all good, starting with how easy it was to get there.  The  Whittier Museum was next on the list.   Like many, I’m sure, after visiting for the day we also now understand that the Whittier museum is not the library is in Yorba Linda, birthplace of Nixon.  Nixon [&hel...

  • Celebrate National Breakfast Month with Oatmeal Fruit Squeezes

    At first an item that came across our desk seemed a totally zany idea:  Munk Pack’s ready-to-eat Oatmeal Fruit Squeezes to time with “National Breakfast Month” and the back-to-school season. But much to our surprise, the product tastes great (it could have a little more texture, true), so much more satisfying th...