Gerry Furth-Sides Archives - Page 12 of 82

Celebrate All “Beach Days” at Stella Barra Italian Cafe

September 14, 2022 Comments Off

Stella Barra Manager, Leanne Murakoni and Barkeep,Jimmy Miller

(Gerry Furth-Sides) We learned that Stella Barra has so much more than pizza when we went to celebrate “Beach Days,” there this year. The official and unofficial dates range from Italian Beach Day (a religious holiday) on August 15 to National Beach Day in the USA on August 30th, also an alert that September 17 is around the corner. For more information on the event and to participate, please see //www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/ccd/ccd.html.

Beach Clean Up Day on September 17, 2022

While the August 15th holiday has religious connotations, most Italians see Ferragosto as the culmination of summer vacation and a time to escape to the water, so much so that major cities become ghost towns. In smaller towns, you still see some religious processions with a statue of Mary paraded through the streets.

We celebrated at Stella Barra blocks from the beach for its guaranteed good cheer any day of the year. (see why in the company history below).

Stella Barra, block from the beach in Santa Monica.

Bartender extraordinare Jimmy Miller at Stella Barra

First, let’s eat! Stella Barra Pizzeria & Wine Bar is known for its artisanal pizzeria “inspired by the idea of simple honest cooking,” in the restaurant’s mission statement. And there is an entire array of dishes outside of the famous pizza.

The pizza and the dishes all have top quality, local ingredients are sourced from a network of farms and purveyors and “presented simply.” This includes sustainably farmed organic produce, meats and cheeses.

Jimmy Miller is the authority on red, white and rosé plus all spirts at Stella Barra, Santa Monica

First up, a chopped salad marinated chickpeas, salumi, olives, basil, pepperoncini, pecorino (15.95) is surprisingly filling. The chop is a rough chop with plenty of texture. We found that the flavors blended and deepened when we ate the “planned overs” the next day!

Stella Bara’s chopped salad marinated chickpeas, salumi, olives, basil, pepperoncini, pecorino 15.95

Healthy, ROASTED CAULIFLOWER Calabrian honey vinaigrette, olive- pine nut gremolata (9.95) has a unique twist because of the Calabrian honey vinaigrette’s sweet and tangy combination, and an added crunch with the pine-nut gremolata. It makes a fashionable dish entirely original here.

Stella Bara’s ROASTED CAULIFLOWER calabrian honey vinaigrette, olive- pine nut gremolata ($9.95)

PRIME BEEF MEATBALLS marinara, dusted with parmesan ( $13.95) are tender inside with a refined crunch on the outside. They are perfect for sharing or eaten as a meal with a salad or veggie.

PRIME BEEF MEATBALLS* marinara, parmesan ($13.95)

BURRATA choice of house made bread with tomato jam (16.95).

The story that is the foundation of this hospitality at the top, began decades ago in Chicago. Read it below.

The happy patio at Stella Barra Pizzeria & Wine Bar in Santa Monica

And in addition to the festive air of every restaurant, special events are creative. A current four negroni cocktail menu is offered this month, for example. The mix of classics includes the Bianco Negroni and a few with “a West Coast twist,” such as the 818 Negroni which uses 818’s Blanco Tequila.

The Italian Negroni stars in special menus at Stella Barra this month

We were regulars at M next door (for the root vegetable hash) until it closed. And the salted pretzel croissant afterward. When they stopped offering them and I asked why, they said their bakery source closed and the replacement bakery wasn’t the same quality!

We were startled, but not really surprised, to see that the Maggiano Restaurant in the Grove is a Lettuce establishment. The food, service and the ambiance, were always just old-fashioned quality. A lifetime-best poached salmon dish at winter holiday party stands out in my mind. So does a lavish Easter brunch, along and the extraordinary asparagus I ate on the lazy back veranda one summer with my TV producer because all was simply such a cut above. //localfoodeater.com/tag/maggianos-little-italy/

Through his relationship with Orzoff, Melman formulated a philosophy based on the importance of partnership, sharing responsibilities and ideas, developing and growing together, with a “culture of caring” ethos which has been paramount to the company since day one.

It is fascinating that icon Danny Meyer made the description of “enlightened hospitality” famous though it has always come naturally to Stella Barra and any Lettuce Entertain You restaurant. Meyer, in fact, appropriated the approach from Rich Melman, founder and chairman of national Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises. And Meyer alway gives Lettuce credit for it, including in his book.

Rich Mellman and Jerry A. Orzoff of Lettuce Entertain You

Open on Earth June 10, 1971, Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants began as a result of Rich Melman’s innovative ideas combined with the business acumen of Jerry A. Orzoff. A successful realtor, Orzoff played a crucial role in Melman’s life as close friend and mentor. Following the opening of R.J. Grunts in 1971, Melman and Orzoff continued to develop restaurant concepts together until Orzoff’s death in 1981.

^©2022 Stella Barra Pizzeria & Wine Bar^® A Lettuce Entertain You^®Restaurant is one of their national brands. Fifty years later, Lettuce remains a family-owned organization that owns, manages and licenses more 60 brands and 130 restaurants in a dozen states, including California. From fast casual to Michelin-starred fine dining.

Different brand names but the same brand of hospitality at Lettuce Entertain You

Stella Barra, 2000 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA tel:310-396-9250

Amy Riolo’s “Must-Have” (!) Italian Recipes & Mediterranean Lifestyle Books

September 13, 2022 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Amy Riolo’s Italian Recipes and Mediterranean Lifestyle for dummies books both need to be up there on your bookshelf with Julia, The Joy of Cooking and New Larousse Gastronomique. She is a writer after my own heart, seeking out and sharing fascinating individual facts and trends about global cuisine and the cooks who create them.

As an award-winning, best-selling author, chef, television personality, Mediterranean lifestyle advocate,
considered one of the world’s foremost authorities on culinary culture. For more information, please see her website, //www.amyriolo.com/web/about/ We covered another book of author Rioli: //localfoodeater.com/italian-diabetes-cookbook/

Her compact, accessible, and affordable hard-cover paperback cookbooks hold encyclopedic breadth and depth into Italian culinary culture and a dazzling array of recipes— all with the charm of a favorite, very glamorous, internationally renowned relative.

Glam Amy Riolo, author **Italian Recipes and Mediterranean Lifestyle for dummies books**

In Amy’s youtube presentation hosted by Melissa’s Produce, Amy explains how a “lecture at the Smithsonian” on the Mediterranean diet (!!) prompted the book. You can watch the presentation on //www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5ikLguxiLI)

International culinary expert Amy Riolo talks about her **new Mediterranean Lifestyle and Italian Recipes books for dummies**

One of the gifts and joys of Amy’s books is confirmation of our own Mediterranean cuisine preference. It is also a reminder that living this culinary lifestyle doesn’t mean long hours with complicated recipes. The books are divided into parts of a meal and nutritional themes. Thoughtful icon-marked REMEMBER and TIPS line the content.

Caution: The page-turner 300-page books also lead to side research to her descriptions of the difference in traditions between America and Italy, such as the Seven Fishes. It is a wonderful “rabbit hole” you won’t regret.

Amy Riolo talks about her new **Mediterranean Lifestyle** and **Italian Recipes books for dummies**

Recipes are natural, clear, scrumptious and appealing, each with tens of variation she encourages. A salad, espresso and homemade pesto on pasta is used to illustrate her work.

We used Chef Amy Riolo’s privately-labelled Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil is made by Fatttoria Italiana Martelli – an award-winning, fourth generation family-owned estate in a region of Italy, where Amy also leads tours.

Chef Amy Riolo’s privately-labelled Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil made by Fatttoria Italiana Martelli

Her blend is individually and carefully crafted with two olive cultivars indigenous to Abruzzo, an area known as “The greenest region in Europe.” Gentile di Chieti and the Intosso olive varieties are harvested directly from the plant and milled immediately, allowing harmonious, sweet, fresh, and fruity characteristics to permeate the oil.

This prompted us to esearch on the difference between Spanish and Italian olive oil. It turns out that Spanish oil has a nuttier, fruitier taste and is yellow-gold in color; it’s also more widely available Italian live oil is typicallv a darker green, with a grassier taste and herbal smell, and authentic bottles are harder to find. So Amy’s oil IS A FIND.

We tried it in a variation of an Amy recipe, and my own, with romaine lettuce. Inspired to research, we learned that the Romans first naming it “COS” from the Greek Aegean Island where it originated and brought it to England and Europe, where the buyers labeled it after the purveyors. Next, neutral appearing Artichokes are actually low in fat, high in fiber and loaded with antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, phosphorus and magnesium. It was perfect in this Mediterranean salad.

Artichoke salad “dressed” dressed with a drizzle of Amy Riolo EVOO, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper

Amy answered an age-old question of mine with this salad: how fiber in foods takes satisfies hunger. This answers why dishes, such as our artichoke, walnut salad is not only satisfying for taste and texture, but filling enough for a meal. She also reminded us that a squeeze of lemon or the zest not only can spark a dish. It adds an anti-viral and anti-microbial property!

A variation of a Mediterranean salad from **Amy Riolo’s Italian Recipe Book for dummies**

The Pasta section of Italian Recipes is filled with history, how-to-make illustrations (including trofie!), descriptions, dried pasta information and recipes.

The official Pesto Recipe in Amy Riolo’s Italian Recipes for dummies book

Pesto with Amy Riolo’s EVVO, Melissa’s basil and pine nuts

A confirmed trofie and pappardelle-only eater, I prepared a sort of penne out of convenient box because it was sort of “baby” small and cute, also thinking that the pesto made with Amy’s Olive oil would fill in the holes and indentations.

Penne pasta “dressed” in pesto sauce made from a recipe in Amy Riolo’s **Italian Recipes book for dummies**, using Amy Riolo Extra Virgin Olive Oil

In her description, Amy adds the fun fact that Penne is “called ‘pens’ because they are shaped like the quills once used as writing instruments. “ She also points out that penne is now “more commonly eaten outside of Italy!

Penne pasta “dressed” in pesto sauce made from a recipe in Amy Riolo’s **Italian Recipes book for dummies**

And, ah, espresso. The thought was enough for me to down a fresh little cup – you never linger over espresso. Again, there is a complete listing of variations, full history and customs, including roasting, plus a how-to section on making and making sweets to accompany caffe.

A “quick” espresso, as described in Amy Riolo’s **Italian Recipes for dummies book**

I was so happy to read that caffe (the affectionate term Italians use for all coffees, is indeed served after every meal. And that espresso does, indeed, have less caffeine than regular coffee. I cannot wait to make the anise biscotti. Bon Apetito!

A quick espresso or a larger latte with a middle eastern pastry: it is all explained in Amy Riolo’s Italian Recipes for dummies book

A graduate of Cornell University, Amy is a food historian, culinary anthropologist known for sharing history, culture, and nutrition through global cuisine as well as simplifying recipes for the home cook. In 2021 she co-founded the international organization A.N.I.T.A. (National Italian Academy of Italian Food).

@MelissasProduce

@amyriolo

@fordummies

#amyriolo

#mediterraneanlifestyle

#italianrecipes

For more terrific coverage please see @tableconverwsation @fayelevy @melissa’s and the SOCAL radio show: //socalrestaurantshow.com/media/podcasts/show-490-september-10-2022-chef-amy-riolo-with-italian-recipes-for-dummies/

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Top Cakes for September 6 “Extra Dessert Day!”

September 6, 2022 Comments Off

Gerry Furth-Sides) Celebrate National Extra Dessert Day on September 6 and do it with the best cakes in the world! The Lemon Hazelnut Torte at Il Forno and the Swedish Princess Cake at Copenhagen Bakery are our two international, favorites, deserving of an article. For more “ethereal” desserts, please see: //localfoodeater.com/five-ridiculously-famous-ethnic-cakes/

THE Lemon Hazelnut Torte at Il Forno with a twist of Meyer lemon

The Torte is a pared down, more elegant California version of the Marjolaine, which for me every single ingredient makes a cake perfect: layers of crunchy praline, ground nuts and marshmallowy meringue with the added surprise of citrus.

How can you not love anything so labor intensive and difficult as its small layers with fillings of praline, buttercream, vanilla-rum buttercream and chocolate buttercream. The Lemon Hazelnut has instead lemon curd and buttercream, the better to contrast flavors as well as textures.

The elegant inside-outside Il Forno setting for the Lemon Hazelnut Torte! Co-owner, Joseph Suceveanu,and Steven welcome you daily. the Romania-born restaurateur who founded Il Forno in Santa Monica,

I rode my bike six miles to and from the former Rose Café incarnation to eat a slice of this beauty at least once a week. This was years before the pastry chef changed the shape from a cake wedge to the lovely singular, circular one below. If you know where it may be available, please share with me!

The Rose Cafe version of the Lemon Hazelnut Torte

This chef worked under the incomparable Amy Pressman, Nancy Silverton’s colleague who was to be her partner at Short Order Restaurant. These are arguably the two most original and best pastry chefs to come out of Los Angeles.

The Lemon Hazelnut Torte we love so much at Il Forno!

These days it is the welcome of Il Forno, Co-0owner, Founder, Romanian-born restaurateur Joseph Suceveanu, and long-time server, Steven, who welcome customers and myself.

Il Forno‘s kitchen carefully packages the cake so that you can have it at home, too.

Is there a way to make a Lemon Hazelnut Torte at home? The only recipe we found was a vegan one on video that does not even look the same. //www.mobirecipe.com/index.php?proc=article&tit=Lemon-Hazelnut-Torte

Il Forno, 2901 Ocean Park Blvd., (310) 450-1241, Santa Monica, CA //www.ilfornocaffe.com

What these two cakes make you feel like!

Copenhagen Bakery called Princess Cake, an “absolute best seller.” The Princess cake, in Swedish, the prinsesstårta, is a traditional Swedish layer cake or torte with alternating layers of airy sponge, pastry cream and raspberry jam. and a thick-domed layer of whipped cream. The cake is covered by a layer thick whipped cream and a smooth rounded top of marzipan. The classic version is sprinkled with powdered sugar and topped with a pink marzipan rose.

The recipe, relatively recent for a classic, came from a cooking teacher of royal princesses, rather than from a chef. It first appeared in the 1948 Prinsessornas kokbok cookbook, published by Jenny Åkerström (1867-1957), teacher of the three daughters of Prince Carl, Duke of Västergöland. It did not have the fruit layers.

This cake was originally called grön tårta (green cake), but was given the name prinsesstårta because the princesses were said to have been especially fond of the cake. The princesses were Princes Margaretha, Princess Margaretha (1899–1977; Princess Märtha (1901–1954) and Princess Astrid(1905–1935.

The Copenhagen Princess Cake given out as an 10th Anniversary “thank you” to customers

A slice of the cake was their gift to all of us who love it and the bakery for their anniversary. When I arrived at a little after 8 in the morning, opening time, three staff members were just finishing up 4 customers inside and no line outside. When I left, the line had grown to 22!

I wanted to purchase another piece of to add to the celebration, but the staff would have none of it. This is the kind of generous, community spirit that has made the bakery so popular along with its quality product.

Copenhagen Pastry, 11113 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232, (310) 839-8900, www. copenhagenpastry.com

Admittedly, I first became interested in the Princess Cake because of the Great British Bake Off TV Show! Of course, all it took was me hearing about its “marzipan dome.”

Food Network Star Molly Yeh’s simpler take on making princess cakes was inspired by the IKEA version. Please read about it below. (Food Network Star Molly Yeh Has Her Own Take on Ikea’s Princess Cakes and They’re Almost Too Cute to Eat). The ‘Girl Meets Farm’ and baking show host’s version still takes three hours to make.

Dessert is always more fun and lively with what it is served with and on. We fell in love with these espresso cups at The Commissary in Culver City. When the staff said they do not sell them, I found them online created by an Australian manufacturer and sold by a coffee gear company in Seattle dedicated to the best products available. (//www.seattlecoffeegear.com

We fell in love with these espresso cups at The Commissary in Culver City. When the staff said they do not sell them, I found them online made by an Australian manufacturer and sold by a coffee gear company in Seattle dedicated to the best products available. (//www.seattlecoffeegear.com

Hatch Chili Pepper Party at The Winery in Tustin!

August 30, 2022 Comments Off

Winery, executive chef-partner Yvon Goetz has a smile on his face for a couple of reasons! First, as we were reminded as honored guests at the Hatch Chili Roast & Toast at the Winery in Tustin.

Chef Goetz oversees both The Winery in Tustin and Newport Beach, both in what just feels like “cushioned” Orange County where the weather is perfect and restaurant hospitality feels seamless because everyone seems happy you are there and they are there.

Yvon Goetz has a smile on his face for a couple of reasons!

Cooking outside cooking at the annual Hatch Chile Roasting & Toasting at The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar in Tustin.The event drew a sell-out crowd. Chef Yvon told us how happy a turn of events this has been post-Covid, and that maybe, maybe next year he would answer requests for a French menu!

Not only are they only grown in Hatch, New Mexico, but their season is only six-weeks long, just enough for fans to purchase and store. available only during a short six-week season.

Melissa’s Produce features Hatch Chilis, only grown in Hatch, New Mexico with a six-week season

Working in a breeze outside, Chef Yvon, James and Ray worked non-stop to a hungry, happy crowd in side on the veranda. They preparing fresh pulled pork tacos, (American) Indian tacos with beef and bean paste on a fried base.

The Winery’s Chef-partner Yvon Goetz, Executive Chef James Chavez and Sous Chef Ray Segovia

Laughing about the “Indian” tacos that are American and not Indian. Hint! Executive Chef James chavez’ stetson with the feather in his cap!

Cookbook writer and Chef Goetz at **The Winery in Tustin’s Hatch Pepper Party.**

The menu included:

Hatch blue cheese and beef sliders

Sourdough rolls were ingeniously scooped out and filled with Hatch chili

Hatch-spiced pecans topped sweet (pastry dough) Savory bacon quiche bites

Hatch-spiced pecans topped bread pudding

Hatch blue cheese and beef sliders at **The Winery in Tustin’s Hatch Pepper Party.**

Sourdough rolls were ingeniously scooped out and filled with Hatch chili at **The Winery in Tustin’s Hatch Pepper Party.**

Savory bacon quiche bites topped with Hatch Pepper pecans at **The Winery in Tustin**

Hatch-spiced pecans topped bread pudding at The Hatch Chili Party at **The Winery in Tustin**

A bar at one end of the breezy veranda served refreshing Hatch chili margaritas, as much of a pick-me-up at “tiramisu” plus summery strawberry-watermelon and creamy, tropical pineapple-coconut tequila cocktails.

Spicy Hatch Pepper Margarita’s The Winery’s Hatch Pepper Party

A walk to the other end earned you wonderful local spirits from nearby Anaheim; full-bodied Lumino Mexican style lager from the Unsung Brewing Company and from X Brewery, a fruity/flinty huckleberry hard seltzer.

Lumino Mexican style lager and Huckleberry Hard Seltzer at The Winery’s Hatch Pepper Party

The event was sponsored by Melissa’s Produce which first introduced and then became the main distributors for not only fresh Hatch peppers but a line of expanding Hatch products. These include many such as salsa, dried peppers and Hatch-seasoned polenta. On display with these at the party was Melissa’s new Hatch Pepper Cookbook.

Robert explained that Hatch peppers come in four levels of heat—mild, medium, hot and very hot. Thick-skinned Hatch peppers’ thick skins keep in the flavor but they have to be roasted so they can be peeled before using. For “beginners and the more timid taste palette,” mild peppers are advised, which were in the gift bag, along with the new Hatch Pepper Cookbook.

There’s still time to go to roastings! See the schedule here, and details of the last one of the season at Zapien’s Salsa Grill on September 10! Meanwhile Hatch Chili dishes are also on their menu. //localfoodeater.com/salsa-grill-opens-and-closes-the-hatch-pepper-season-with-sizzle/

Duck! Coming at You Here the Four Best Ways!

August 25, 2022 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Sublime: Duck! two ways at Chef Tony Dim Sum in Pasadena as Roast Duck and Minced Duck Lettuce Wrap. Duck! Confit at Le Vallauris in Palm Springs. Duck! Schwarma at Momed in Atwater. Chinese, French and Middle Eastern versions that are as original as they are elevated.

Chef Tony Dim Sum menu in Pasadena

Actually the word “duck” is all we needed to order any dish with it in it. Even if the description on the Chef Tony Dim Sum menu in Pasadena succinctly reads: Roast Duck and Minced Duck Lettuce Wrap (prepared two ways)(Order in Advance).” The dish, as artistic as it is tasty, is sublime.

Our dining companion, Cary Huynh, explained just how much work is involved with putting these lettuce mounds together. He knows. It was his job at a restaurant. “The leaves are carefully hand-pickled from lots of heads and then if any of the leaves are damaged, it goes into a salad.”

Roast Duck and Minced Duck Lettuce Wrap at Chef Tony Dim Sum

The “surprise” sandwich presentation of crispy duck skin, duck and bun suddenly seems the most natural and right way to eat duck!

Every dishes made-to-order fresh right out of the Chef Tony Dim Sum kitchen. Other Signature Dishes include Sliced Chinese Broccoli with Black Truffle Sauce, Squid Ink Shrimp Dumplings with Gold Leaf, Sticky Rice Ball with Lava Salted Egg York.

Chef Tony Dim Sum is open every Wednesday through Monday from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm. For more information about Chef Tony Dim Sum or to make reservations, please call 626.803.0028 directly or visit Chef Tony Dim Sum Pasadena.

Duck! At Le Vallauris in Palm Springs

How can you order duck confit and sweetbreads at the same time – and on one of the hottest days in Palm Springs? Because you can when they are on the menu at Le Vallauris. It was the most perfect combination for the al fresco dinner (with salad greens). I would do it anytime. The combination was delicate, sumptuous and unique at the same time and not too rich for a once-in-a- while treat.

Warm Baked Duck Confit Terrine with dried fruit & pistachios in filo dough served with baby mache salad ($18 **at Le Vallauris**

Crispy Half Duck ($42) is on the dinner menu as well. It is prepared with a Merlot black fig & five spices reduction, apple potato gratin and broccolini. And the kitchen prepares a Duck Ravioli, in a wild mushroom truffle & green onion Duck broth as part of holiday menus.

Le Vallauris where original owners Paul Bruggemans, put 60% of the budget, and seating into the garden

New owners and the food is perfection at Le Vallauris,

Le Vallauris, ( www.levallauris.com), 385 W.Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs California 92262, T.760-325 5059

Duck! at MOMED in Atwater Village

Dining al fresco also adds to the dining experience at MOMED. This time the oversized canopied dining area takes over most of this middle eastern, informal restaurant in the middle of a residential neighborhood.

The succulent (shredded) DUCK SHAWARMA (lavash) WRAP with cherry tomato, figs, pickled onion, arugula and garlic aioli jumped out at us in the newest MOMED Atwater location and we have ordered it ever since. Half of the order also turned out to be even more satisfying and flavorful the next day, if that was possible. We would drive to MOMEDLA just for this and the dips.

Read more about MOMED in our story //localfoodeater.com/momeds-extraordinary-immigrant-wednesday-dinner-feasts/

The Duck Confit at the then brand-new Father’s Office in Culver City was my gift when I was asked if I wanted “a salad or anything” to go with my burger. Of course, duck confit, and the best I’d ever had at the time. It was packed in a nice little box. When I returned for the same order the following week, the guy looked at me and said, “we don’t do take-out salads. What do you want me to do? Toss it in your purse?

No, but I still remember how good it was the first time!

Sublime Duck Confit salad twice, first and last, at Father’s Office

Acme Espresso Cup: Designed in New Zealand for the World

August 23, 2022 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides) We fell in love with these espresso cups at The Commissary in Culver City. When the staff said they do not sell them, I found them online. Designed in New Zealand, manufactured in Asia, they are sold by the North American distributor, Acme Cups in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. For details, please see: //www.acmecupsusa.com

ACME espresso, and cappuccino cups can be described as whimsical, chic, pretty and bright – with a perfect ergonomically designed fit that fits your fingers and is comfortable for your hands. The little cups are also stylish and long-lasting. (beautiful earthenware cups from the Ivy and from Portugal develop cracking lines in short time).

Acme is the brainchild of Jeff Kennedy – NZ Specialty Coffee Association inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and Godfather of NZ espresso. Jeff had long wanted to create a cup he wanted, so in 2011 he and partner Bridget Dunn founded the company. Within two years Acme had established itself as the specialty coffee cup market leader in New Zealand, both for design and durability.

We also curious about the origin of this sweet little cup, and were stunned at its relatively recent history! A history of the coffee cup that led to it can be found at: //laboratorioespresso.it/en/coffee-cup-history/

We first learned that classic espresso served also in a glass cup, as it is in the middle east. But the porcelain coffee cup seems preferable since this material conserves heat better and helps to bring out the flavor of the drink more than glass.

In English you say “espresso cup”, but it in Italian it is known as “tazzina” after the last name of its inventor’s last name Luigi Tazzini. The fun part is that every region has its own specific spelling for the word. When you are in Milan you might hear “tazzin”, and when in Naples it might be “tazzulella.”

Gifted artist, Tazzini adored the then emerging movement of Art Nouveau and oriented his production in this direction; the design of the modern coffee cup is all down to him and the definitive addition of the handle. Tazzini developed many different types of this cup, for different purposes: el tazzinin for drinking coffee, el tazzin on the other hand was designed for drinking wine, the tazzinetta for latte, the tazzina for eating pasta with beans.

Tazzini was studying painting at the “Accademia di Brera”, the Academy of Fine Arts in Milan somewhere between the 19th and 20th century. The main contribution was adding a handle to the current version of cups that were very hot to hold!

The story continues when Tazzini was nominated the artistic director of “Società Ceraminca Richard-Ginori”, a company based in Tuscany. He was also an estimator and connoisseur of the Art Nouveau. Thanks to his notoriety he was able to push the production of his new, stylish and very practical little cup, which was especially popular in Milano. For more details, please see //caffeaiello.us/blog/curiosity/history-of-the-traditional-espresso-cup/

The French demitasse cup vies for being the first “espresso” cup. But it means half a coffee cup, which is larger than the amount in an espresso. Of course, the French term “demitasse” originated in France and translates to “half cup”. Their original intended use was for drinking strong espresso coffee after a meal.

The French claim that while Espresso, long considered an integral part of Italian life, actually originated in France in 1822. They also claim that the French invented the espresso machine, but the Italians perfected it into what it is today and it continues to play an important role in daily life.

All in all, the diminutive little cup is called by many different names, depending on which country you are in. Here are some examples: Demitassekop is Dutch, Mokkatasse is German, Tazzina is Italian, Copo demitasse is Portuguese, and Copa tacita or pocillo is Spanish.

While we sort that out, here are our favorite treats to keep company with these wonderful espresso “tazzini”. By whatever name you call them, they somehow make drinking your coffee, tea or chocolate more special.

Cannoli, of course, is perfect with espresso!

New Melting Pot Tours at Original Farmers Market

August 21, 2022 Comments Off

Farmers Market, W. 3rd Street & Fairfax Avenue

(Gerry Furth-Sides) This summer a Melting Pot Tour proved in the most fun way that you can visit an iconic (read “tourist) place and always learn more about it! Tour company owner Jodi Flowers, who combines midwest common sense with southern charm, led us to places that boasted 40 years or more at the market. For details //farmersmarketla.com/visit and //meltingpottours.com

Animated, charming Jodi Flowers, our guide and owner of Melting Pot Tours

Jodi added a whimsical touch by alternating savory with sweet! We got to know fellow tour members by sitting and eating along way. And the absolutely best was saved for last. The two-hour expedition flew by as fast as 15 minutes.

The Farmer’s Market started with Fred Beck & Roger Dahlhjelm idea to build a “Village” at the corner of 3rd & Fairfax where local farmers could sell their fresh fare. Entrepreneur E.B. Gilmore agreed to give it a go. So July 1934, a dozen farmers and a few other merchants parked their trucks at the corner of 3rd & Fairfax and sold their fresh produce from the back of the trucks.

I already know from working at Western Research Kitchens, once across the street, and working with the market that it was a failure in winter until Mrs. McGee had the “bright” idea to put in strings of overhead lights!

The Original Farmers Market feels cool no matter how hot the weather

Our tour began at Du-par’s Pie Shop, legendary for their baked fresh daily pies and as old as the market itself. The first location was founded in 1938 at the Los Angeles Farmers Market by James Dunn and Edward Parsons, who combined their surnames to create the restaurant’s name. Their restaurant, with its famous “comfort food” and hospitality, also earned fame as a landmark because of the clock right overhead. Los Angeleno’s would know the location straight away right from the phrase, “Let’s meet under the clock.”

Du-par’s Pie Shop on the corner of Third & Fairfax, legendary for their baked fresh daily pies

Moishe’s Restaurant serving Mediterranean food with a Lebanese flair offers gyros, chicken shawarma sandwiches, lamb dishes and hummus. Their seasoned falafel, crunchy on the outside and tender inside, served with a little Greek salad was excellent. Please see the bottom photos for a meal.

Magee’s Kitchen is an original Market restaurant famed for its corned beef. When I worked with the Farmers Market Mrs. Maggie Magee was 100 and still involved enough with the market to go on television and talk about it!

Magee’s House of Nuts is almost more famous for their ground peanut butter, which you can see flowing out of a huge shiny metal grinder daily. Regulars travel miles to buy to buy it for themselves or as a unique gift.

Littlejohn’s English Toffee House actually makes specialty candy on the premises. Their fresh toffee is surprisingly crisp and super buttery. It comes sticks or slabs. The slab are covered in delightful, rich milk chocolate and finished with crunchy, crushed almonds.

Patsy D’Amore’s Pizza is historic is still baked in the original brick oven that Patsy (Salvatore) brought out to Los Angeles with him from Boston almost 100 years ago! A variety of toppings is available and the friendly staff is patient and happy to accommodate. Housemade meatballs, lasagna and spaghetti are also available.

Photos on the walls show Patsy celebrity fans of the past, including Frank Sinatra. Second generation daughter Filomena D’Amore is the proud proprietor. Patsy at one time owned the most popular restaurant in Hollywood, Villa Capri. The waiter captain, Ciro Marino, the youngest member of the staff as he boasts, told the staff that if they listened to him they would own their own places. Today his children own Marino and the the others still thrive: La Scala, Madeo, Matteo and Carmine’s! History!

Patsy D’Amore’s Pizza made in the original brick oven from Boston

A true old-fashioned butcher shop, Huntington Meats offers their dry wit along with traditional roasts, steaks, chops, ground beef in its long, full counter. A dazzling array of sausages includes Cajun, three-cheese, chicken sausage, Italian from mild to what they call,d “Wow”. Huntington is an exclusive purveyor of renowned Harris Ranch meats.

Jim loves to tease and it turns out so does his staff. They are also the kindest, most generous and thoughtful crew you can find no matter how large or small an order is and it’s a destination drive for me.

Owner Jim Cascone and one of his wonderful staffers at Huntington Meats, Original Farmers Market

A sampler of lOriginal Farmers Market treats from Moishe’s Patsy D’Amore’s Pizza and Fritzi Coop.

Bennett’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream has to be tried to be believed. This “Choffee Choffee” is about the best ice cream I have every eaten and this is a food that I once wished was all we ate for every meal. Proof that I am not alone are the cascades of Blue Ribbons all over the shop.

One of the last of a vanishing tradition, Scott Bennett and his staff make their own ice cream from fresh ingredients mixed on the spot. You can watch the process through Bennett’s kitchen window. The flavors are true and put to good use in inventive ways, such as Scott’s cabernet sauvignon sorbet or his pumpkin ice cream. Click here to learn about Scott Bennett, owner of Bennett’s Ice Cream.

Bennett’s old-fashioned ice cream, this flavor one of the best in the world I’ve ever had

For those of us who visit Los Angeles attractions “when we have out of town guests,” this is yet another lesson in enjoying what the city has to offer. It is as refreshing as any vacation could be.

Barbara Hansen and I were invited to visit Olvera Street with a LocalFoodeater and his daughter for her school project on Los Angeles Historical sites (and I had suggested nine other places ahead of it, and then we loved it as though for the first time because we stopped at all the museu

Original Farmers Market, 6333 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA 90036, 323-933-9211 (toll free: 866-993-9211 ). Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 10 AM-8 PM, Friday-Saturday, 10 AM-9 PM.

Mandi Biryani at Home in House of Mandi!

August 20, 2022 Comments Off

The signature **Mandi Biryani** platter at House of Mandi in Little Arabia

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Summer Sundays in Anaheim can be as sticky and hot as the original home of Mandi Biryani in Mandi (the name for this feast) in Hadhramaut, Yemen. We arrived for a meal here in the name of research because Banana Leaf Chef-Owner, Sri Sambangi, LocalFoodEater.com publisher, added Mandi Biryani platters his menu after discovering its new popularity in India.

Mandi biryani is prepared with specially seasoned proteins or vegetables and rice are cooked separately instead of layered in one pot (dum biryani). Generous sharing platters encourage communal finger-food dining. House of Mandi stays full continually. Even without word of mouth, when we phoned minutes before arrival, no less than owner Sarem Mohamed welcomed us on the phone.

t **Mandi Biryan** platter at House of Mandi in Little Arabia

Mandi biryani originated in Yemen and traveled to India by way of the Arabian peninsula. Meats are traditionally slow-cooked underground on smoldering fires, or at the very least in special ovens to keep them moist, which is gives “mandi”its name.

Lamb Mandi, a traditional dish from Hadhramaut in Yemen, can be ordered individually or for large groups. A very young fresh lamb is gently roasted underneath the oven until the ultra-tender meat literally falls of the bone. It is served on a bed of specially seasoned Mandi rice with slivered almonds and yellow raisins, and arrived with a little container of Yemeni sauce and yogurt. ($24.99 “serve 2-3” and can serve six)

**Mandi Biryani** platters draw a crowd at House of Mandi in Little Arabia run by family and friends

Hrada of Fahsah is traditional dish from Sana in Yemen. A shredded lamb and deer whipped fenugreek is served bubbling hot, cooked in the traditional Yemeni plate carved of stone. One blanket of a Yemeni bread and yemeni sauce comes with the dish. ($21.99 “serves 2-3” and can serve four)

Famous Hrada of Fahsah at House of Mandi features shredded lamb

When we heard about House of Mandi, we headed right to Little Arabia although we later discovered other restaurants that serve the dish near DTLA.

House of Mandi, 518 S Brookhurst St Unit 1, Anaheim, CA 92804, Phone: (657) 220-5272, //www.houseofmandi-yemenirestaurant.com.

Hours: 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. No alcohol. Credit cards accepted. Lot parking.

Thank you @tableconveration, @foodfaye and 2photosbyyakir for introducing me to this restaurant when it was Olive Tree and creating such special memories. And this included going to the Middle Eastern Market to see the fresh ingredients for yourself!

No trip to Little Arabia feels complete without a trip to the Fresh Market!

For the story of how regal Biryani was brought to India by the powerful, ruling Mughals to the northwest to be transformed by a shah’s wife, when It was already a classic rich with fruits and meats in the Mughal royal kitchens of Persia and how Mandi Biryani arrived in the south by way of traders from the Arabian peninsula, where it was cooked in special ovens that kept the meat moist and gave “mandi” its name, please see www.localfoodeater.com

I first experienced finger food eating, on the floor inside of a house of the Asian Culture when I was doing a special on a network TV special on Immigrants. I was quite surprised. And then remembered the outdoor picnic in western cultures that does the same thing, and with insects!

Salsa Grill Opens and Closes the Hatch Pepper Season with Sizzle

August 18, 2022 Comments Off

Chef Marco Zapian in the midst of Melissa’s Produce Hatch Pepper treasures of the 2022 season,i

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Welcome Hatch Pepper season! And it runs longest at Zapien’s Salsa Grill. The restaurant introduced this year’s early season which started in July, and the last pepper roast and special menu feast will be right outside the door on September 10. For detail please see: //thesalsagrill.com/events-2/hatch-chile-roast-3/

We were so fortunate to preview Chef Marco’s seasonal dishes at an introductory luncheon co-hosted with Melissa’s Produce, major supplier of hatch chilis and products. The menu: Hatch Cilantro Caesar Salad; Hatch Pepper Braised Short Ribs; Roasted Hatch Pepper Beans and Hatch Pepper Rice!All the recipes are in the new HATCH PEPPER COOKBOOK available now.

Zapien’s Grill special Hatch Pepper menu with enchiladas, rice, cake and Hatch Chili ice cream!

Melissa’s delivers these full-flavored peppers to local markets, where customers may have them roasted for using and storing 25 pound batches. The peppers can be frozen for up to a year– just remember separate them first!

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is HatchChileRoastingSchedule_2018.jpg — The Hatch Chili Pepper Season is on!

Love at first bite! Melissa’s Hatch Salsa made with authentic Hatch peppers & house-made chips JUST out of Chef-owner Marco’s kitchen. You cannot stop eating them because of the crunch and the lingering tingle of pepper salsa.

Anaheim peppers, baby relative of Hatch Chiles on top with the books to prepare them!

The combination of nutrient-rich soil, intense sunlight and cool desert nights, result in this sought-after pepper with thick walls and meaty, flavorful flesh. The weather in Hatch gives the mildly hot and savory pepper an obsessively delicious spicy and sweet flavor. No wonder the peppers – and the sweet onion crop grown right before them – have developed a cult following. See more at //localfoodeater.com/an-insiders-guide-to-hatch-chili-season-starting-now/

The sweetest, almost crispest onions you could image, with addictive Hatch popcorn!

More and more stores and supermarkets celebrat Hatch Chile Season and stores with outdoor roastings, many with a variation of heat levels. For dates please see: //www.melissas.com/pages/hatch-pepper-roasting-dates-and-locations-2022

For Hatch Chile roasting at supermarkets across the southland. see: //www.melissas.com/pages/hatch-pepper-roasting-dates-and-locations-2022

Hatch chilies polenta: simply slice, braise and add to any plate with for a an extra special meal

Named after the original growing area in Hatch, New Mexico, authentic Hatch Peppers so grown in the Hatch Valley, just north of Las Cruces are prized so highly they have developed an almost cult following. Row after row of these green leafy pepper plants are harvested for a short six-week season during the summer.

Sweetest memory: A Hatch Dinner at Panxa dedicated departed chef and dedicated Hatch Pepper aficionado: **Executive Chef/Co-Owner Arthur Gonzalez** ! Read about it in //localfoodeater.com/celebrates-hatch-chile-month-2018-with-panxa-cocinas-menus-roastings/

Melissa’s Produce has created a Hatch Essential line for those customers unable to do this. The line includes: Hatch Clean Snax®, Hatch dried pepper pods, Hatch pepper pecans, Hatch popcorn, Hatch polenta, Hatch salsa, Hatch seasoning powder and more.

This year an extra special, posh “hatch party pecan mix” offers every universally loved combination from yogurt and chocolate covered to red and green dusted chilies dusted. Hatch Pepper chia & flaxseed CLEAN SNAX are wonderful to pop in your mouth or used in desserts and salads.

Extra posh and the PERFECT gift for yourself and others is the new Hatch Party Pecan Mix

For a special gift: Melissa’s Produce Hatch Chile Basket

An array of For a special gift: Melissa’s Produce Hatch Chile Products!

Once we discovered Hatch Chile from Melissa’s we started seeing it all over. We loved being surprised at the ALTAMED event with Chef Marco and bags of Hatch!

Chef Marco of Zapien’s Salsa Grill who hosts the longest season of Hatch Pepper events

You can see how happy the season makes us! Robert Schueller, Melissa’s Produce Marketing Director and major authority and enthusiastic of Hatch Pepper, where with daughter Marguerite who handing out addictive hatch pepper popcorn and brittle balls – the recipes are in the HATCH PEPPER book available for purchase online!

Robert Schueller, Melissa’s Produce Marketing Director and major authority and enthusiastic of Hatch Pepper, where with daughter Marguerite who handing out addictive hatch pepper popcorn and brittle balls!

Happy 75th Independence Day, Ancient Modern India!

August 17, 2022 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Celebrating Indian Independence Day when on August 15, 1947 the United kingdom proclaimed the Indian Independence Act and the country began its transition into a republic (January 1950).

Independence came with partition along religious lines when British India was divided into the Dominions of India and Pakistan.

There is could be no more fascinating story of colonial rule and obsession than this one.

For how this played out in the culinary world, in which the British fell in love with the country and the cuisine and blended it into their own, please see our article in //localfoodeater.com/bombay-bugle-brings-first-anglo-indian-cafe-in-la/

Curries & Bugles, the story of how British and Indian cuisine combined during the Raj

Thank you, many decades worth over, for the sheer enjoyment of films I see over and over.

And for the life-changing spiritual and health practices even if I never made the connection to their origin and couldn’t identify Indian food if it was in front of me then. How wonderful to have discovered the best of the foods, especially southern Indian food, now!

I magically found out about yoga by way of a Sunday newspaper magazine and still use the book (see it here). From the first time I tried yoga, it was as though I had been doing it all my life (or lifetimes!)

The music! My super-athlete dad, a major figure skating and ski film fan, took me to see Ravi Shankar concerts.

More recently my favorite guided evening and nightly meditation are from Heartfulness in India. And I always get such a kick out of the British expressions used in them.

And film. I’ve probably sat through days at a time of the APU trilogy (7 hours with the director’s bio) and seen every Merchant Ivory film Thank you @TableConversation for the congenial, sophisticated cookbook by Merchant.

And yes, the controversial Jinnah film is a recent find. It gives more insight and depth to both sides. I was sad to learn his daughter Dina, just passed away at the age of 98. I had dreams

Watch the TCM schedule for an airing of it and the sweeping David Lean film, Gandhi. The Jinnah film was not allowed on screen in India for some time because of the British lead actor.

Ancient Indian culture that is both timeless and contemporary

Thank you, many decades worth over, for such beautifully designed and crafted fabric (shown here in the clothes I sewed). The cloth industry in Bengali once accounted for 12% of all cloth internationally! (For my other silhouette “loves” of the “Nehru” tunic and jodhpurs, please see //www.gentlemansgazette.com/jodhpurs-guide-pants-history-style-where-to-buy/and //www.utsavpedia.com/ethnic-innovations/nehru-jacket-where-tradition-meets-fashion/

The skirt of “madras” fabric was worn by an unknowing Beverly Hills fashionista), meticulously made as always in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Madras cloth is named for the region that made it famous. Bermuda shorts made madras internationally fashionable at about the time of Independence and they are to this day, like jodhpurs! Both tell the story of class and creativity in colonial India.

The story: official Madras plaid, per the U.S. Federal Trade Commission must be made in Chennai (formerly Madraspatnam or Madras. The name was first used by a shirt maker in 1844 to describe the fabric that had been in use already for 5,000 years in its home country of India, known as a humble fabric used for laboring class clothing or pajamas. There is it often looked down upon as a reminder of slavery and oppression to some, yet a symbol of affluence to others in power. You only need to know that “The plaid was so valued that it became possible to trade the fabric for slaves.” For the full story please see//petermanningnyc.com/blogs/news/guide-to-madras-plaid

Madras, now Chennai, where the international famous fabric was born

These days the region named Chennai is as well loved for its the wildly long dosas and other regional dishes! Read about the delicious dishes you can try at Annapurna Restaurant in //localfoodeater.com/tag/annapurna-culver-city/

Fun, scrumptious, authentic Southern Indian food at Annapurna

ttps://localfoodeater.com/tag/annapurna-culver-city/

A dosa! One fun, delicious dish you can try at Annapurna Restaurant

And finally, the people, the links that spark vitality and inspiration into the bridge between cultures. Here are only a few of them from the past seven years.