Gerry Furth-Sides Archives - Page 15 of 82

Three + One Mother’s Day Ethnic Dining + Patio Favorites

May 6, 2022 Comments Off

(Content and photos courtesy of the restaurants unless otherwise noted).

Arth Bar & Kitchen

Arth Bar & Kitchen’s Mother’s Day Mimosa Lunch on their graceful, patio echoing the tree-lined boulevard is perfect to enjoy their $15.00 Bottomless Mimosas with purchase of any food.

The perfect people-watching patio at **Arth Bar + Kitchen** (photo by LocalFoodEater)

Mother’s Day Lunch Specials including the Chicken / Paneer Tika Tacos, Fish Tikka Masala, Arth’s Signature Butter Chicken, Jackfruit Masala, or Nutty Eggplant. Mom can also order any of Arth Bar + Kitchen’s Small Plates, Shared Appetizers, Entrees, Sides, Tandoor Fresh Baked Breads, Rice, and Dessert from their Signature Menu for Lunch or Dinner.

**Arth Bar & Kitchen’s** Mother’s Day Dishes

Arth Bar + Kitchen will be open on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8^th, 2022, for Mother’s Day Mimosa Lunch from 11:30 am to 3:00 pm and for Mother’s Day Dinner from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm; 9531 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA 90232; 424.503.4155;www.ArthLA.com

Arth Bar + Kitchen with generous food to go (photo by LocalFoodEater)

CELESTINO RISTORANTE:

Sicilian style Executive Chef and Owner Calogero serves dinner in Celestino Ristorante’s gorgeous outdoor patios or in the main dining room this year. Chef Drago celebrates Mama by featuring his full Classic Menu showcasing signature items like the Ravioli filled with Duck, Mushrooms, & Porcino Blueberry Sauce, Tortellini Stuffed with Pumpkin Cream, Butter & Sage, Risotto with Red Beets & Goat Cheese, Ossobuco, Bistecca.

A specialTasting Menu for Moms will also be offered. For the perfect sweet, there is Tiramisu, Panna Cotta (Vanilla Custard with Strawberries), or for something even more decadent Mama can indulge in the Torta Al Ciocolato (Flourless Chocolate Cake).

**Owner Calog**ero Drago at Celestino in Pasadena

Celestino Ristorante will be open on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8^th, 2022, for from 4:30 pm to 9:30 pm; 141 South Lake Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105; 626.795.4006; www.CelestinoRistorante.com

THE RAYMOND 1886:

Our all-year round favorite, The Raymond 1886, adds more to the menu for Mother’s Day Brunch. Colorful Blueberry & Pistachio Pancakes, Eggs Your Way, Eggs Benedict, Breakfast Burrito, Chilaquiles, Breakfast Sandwich, Mediterranean Frittata Veggie Hash, Avocado Toast, Smoked Salmon Toast are on the menu.

Mother’s enjoying Dinner can savor The Raymond 1886’s signature Mother’s Day Dinner Menu, award-winning Wine List or enjoy an 1886 Bloody Mary or savor any one of their handcrafted cocktail.

Ah, The festive and serene patio at **The Raymond 1886** (photo by LocalFoodEater)

The Raymond 1886 will be open on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8^th, 2022, for Mother’s Day Brunch from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm, and for Mother’s Day Dinner from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm; 1250 South Fair Oaks Avenue; Pasadena, CA 91105; 626.441.3136;www.TheRaymond.com

VEGAN SUNDAY SUPPER:

Mother’s Day Sunday Supper on your own patio is delicious and sharable with Vegan Sunday Supper’s 100% Plant-Based Lasagna. The Six-Layer Lasagna (2-4 Servings $28.95 / 6-8 Servings $44.95) is a sumptuous alternative take on the traditional sausage recipe made with sweet peppers, vegan cheeses, and vegan sausage.

Another wonderful feature is that 25% of all profits from Vegan Sunday Supper go directly toward benefitting and funding Support + Feed, a non-profit organization created during the pandemic to eliminate hunger and climate change.

***Vegan Sunday Supper*** in a box to prepare **100% Plant-Based Six-Layer Lasagnas**

Vegan Sunday Supper’s new gourmet ready-to-bake 100% Plant-Based Six-Layer Lasagnas are now available for home delivery anywhere Nationwide by visiting www.VeganSundaySupper.com.

Brunch is Now Served at The Brandy!

May 6, 2022 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Brunch is now being served on week-ends at the hookah-driven The Brandy in Glendale. The restaurant will begin regular service of a contemporary Mediterranean fusion brunch with full-service liquor bar every Sunday.

Sunday Brunch arrives at **The Brandy in Glendale**

Executive Chef Gevork Bazrkanian’s menu features customized Eggs Benedict, Pan Fried Zucchini, Avocado Toast, Ceviche, Surf N Turf as well as “The Brandy Breakfast”, of eggs with a side of pepperoncini hollandaise plus options of Greek potato hash, bacon, sumac roasted vegetables or sauteed broccolini.

Chef Gev’s spin on appetizers at **The Brandy** in Glendale

With the unveiling of its full-service liquor bar, The Brandy’s Bar manager David Arsenyan expanded its cocktail menu to 21 drinks. Craft Cocktails include: Fashionably Old, a Buffalo Trace Bourbon featuring simple syrup and angostura bitters presented with trapped smoke of applewood and cedarwood chips in a mason jar brought to the table upside down

Also on the list are Butterfly Blossom, an Empress Gin, lemon juice, orgeat and prosecco concoction delivered in a long, fine-strained flute; Black Knight, a Buffalo Trace Bourbon, plantation pineapple rum, lemon juice, simple syrup, yellow chartreuse, orange bitters, angostura bitters cocktail that includes edible charcoal and is pitch black.

Arsenyan, a walking encyclopedia of spirits and coffee, has a reason for every ingredients and technique he uses. All cocktails are made with fresh ingredients and posh hoshizaki ice. The Brandy also has a carefully curated wine list to accompany the craft cocktails.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is IMG_4649-768x1024.jpeg — **Bar manager David Arsenyan** at **The Brandy** is a walking encyclopedia, eager to share his knowledge and favorite

Arsenyan, a recipient of the internationally sought after Fernet-Branca coin has dedicated his life to his craft. When we visited and he learned I was a fan of mezcal, he took out a slip of paper and wrote down a long list of his personal Mezcal and other favorites in the blink of an eye.

**Bar manager David Arsenyan** at **The Brandy**‘ instant list of the best of his favorites

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is IMG_4656.jpeg — Bar manager David Arsenyan at The Brandy creates the cocktails

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is IMG_4715.jpeg — **David Arsenyan’s** perfect strong, mild espresso macchiato at **The Brandy, Glendale**

Chef Gev’s French culinary training and technique lends a refined touch to the coastal-California inspired, Mediterranean dishes. The Brandy’s show them off beautifully in dishes like Lamb Chops and Hanger Steak, plus appetizers such as the bold, refined Labne & Olives and Brussels Sprouts.

Chef Gev **Bazrkania**n ‘s Labne & Olives and Brussels Sprouts at the **Brandy in Glendale**

The inviting rustic back patio dedicated to the hookah, has a slide-back cover that opens to the skies in warm weather. One entire room off to a side, is dedicated to prepping the hookahs. This includes the many specialized House Mix concoctions curated by Harry Keseian and his team. Guests have the option of choosing their own combination of flavors from Tangiers, Fumari, or Al Fakher brands. All use top-brand Regal Hookahs.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is IMG_4716-2.jpeg — Eric lights ups a hookah at The Brandy

The Brandy most of all defines genuine middle eastern family hospitality. Owners, Hovig (John) and Jizell Chahanian’s competently created an operation less than a year ago that runs seamlessly. That’s because each family and/or long-time friend with a specialty (hookah, food, bar,) has a devoted, professional team behind them. The crew is reflective of the Glendale Armenian community, that seems to make hard work look like play.

The Brandy “family” who are family and friends: Harry Keseian, Hookah head honcho; Marketing Director Sarin Chahanian; GM Robert Arsenyan, Exec Chef Gevork Bazrkanian and co-owner, Hovig (John) Chahanian.

David Arsenyan’s strong, mild espresso macchiato at The Brandy, Glendale

The Brandy expanded its cocktail menu by 21 drinks with the unveiling of its full-service liquor bar. The Craft Cocktails menu includes cocktails, such as: Fashionably Old, a Buffalo Trace Bourbon featuring simple syrup and angostura bitters presented with trapped smoke of applewood and cedarwood chips in a mason jar brought to the table upside down; Butterfly Blossom, an Empress Gin, lemon juice, orgeat and prosecco concoction delivered in a long, fine-strained flute; Black Knight, a Buffalo Trace Bourbon, plantation pineapple rum, lemon juice, simple syrup, yellow chartreuse, orange bitters, angostura bitters cocktail that includes edible charcoal, and is pitch black.

Alongside its specialized Craft Cocktails menu, The Brandy has its staple Classic Cocktails featuring a number of timeless favorites like the Lemon Drop, Cosmopolitan, Cadillac Margarita, Paloma, Mai Tai, Daiquiri.

The restaurant’s signature drinks are crafted by in-house mixologist David Arsenyan and team.

We more than believe the quote attributed to him about his creations, that “Every drink is carefully researched and developed with balance via speed, quality and consistency to ensure the experience we provide echoes and is reminisced.”

The Brandy has indoor and outdoor seating, specifically tailored to serve hookah. Takeout is also available.

The operating hours are as follows:

Sunday-Thursday: 11am-12am, Friday-Saturday: 11am-2am

For more on The Brandy, visit: TheBrandy.com
Instagram: @thebrandyonbrand
Reservations: Book Your The Brandy Reservation on Resy

Contemporary El Granjero Cantina’s Startling Contemporary Cuisine

May 4, 2022 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides, content and Michael Brown photos courtesy of El Granjero Cantina) El Granjero Cantina invites everyone to celebrate the historic holida of Cinco de Mayo with special dishes and cocktails Thursday, May 5^th, 2022, from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm.

A Strawberry Margarita at **El Granjero Cantina**‘

Executive Chef Jenni Sklar will also be featuring three festive specials including her FRY-CHOS made of fries, guajillo cheese sauce, black olives, pickled onions, salsa verde, pico de gallo and sour cream, Lobster Tacos with luscious crispy lobster, cabbage slaw, and spicy aioli, and Steak Taco comprised of asada-style skirt steak, guacamole, corn salsa, Cotija cheese, and cilantro served with herb rice and beans.

What would a Mexican party be without delicious chips and guac?

The cantina’s new location at the historic Original Farmers Market adds to the holiday features an inviting indoor-outdoor seating and great patio for people watching,

El Granjero offers a daily selection of Tacos, Dorados,Vegan Tacos, Salads, Bowls, Burritos, Quesadillas, Tequila, Mezcal, Top Shelf Margaritas, Sangria, Specialty Cocktails and Cerveza, Mocktails.

A contemporary spread of dishes at **El Granjero Cantina**‘

Executive Sklar‘s menu features regional Mexican flavors. She takes care to use seasonal and fresh ingredients. On the list is a selection of Antojitos (Snacks) including Guacamole, Fiesta Nachos, Papas Fritas and Pork Belly, and Ensaladas (Salad).

Chef Sklar’s signature Caesar Salad prepared with classic romaine lettuce, adds cured egg yolk, sunflower seeds, and breadcrumbs. A more trendy dish of greens is the Kale Salad made with avocado, griddled cheese, house pickles, corn, and black bean salsa.

El Granjero Cantina house favorites include The HIBISCUS featuring sauteed hibiscus flowers, onion, and cheese. The Queso is prepared with cheese, black bean puree, salsa negra, and escabeche relish served with lettuce.

**El Granjero Cantina**‘s contemporary Quest

Chef Sklar’sTacos include Avocado, Beef, Carnitas, Chicken or Crispy Fish. The Dorados (Golden Tacos) are lightly fried to perfection with options of Chili Braised Beef & Cheese, Tomatillo Chicken & Cheese, and Soyrizo & Vegan Cheese.

The Los Tazones (Bowls) include the California-inspired Crispy Avocado Bowl prepared with chipotle aioli, marinated kale, corn, black bean salsa, and pickled red onions. Other choices are the Chicken Bowl, Beef Bowl, Carnitas Bowl,Seared Fish Bowl, or Keto Bowl with a diner’s choice of protein with cauliflower rice, griddled cheese, cabbage slaw, marinated kale, and crema.

Chef Sklar also includes family favorites and sides for a full Mexican meal. This translates to Cheese and Chicken Enchiladas; Carnitas and Chili Beef Burritos. Acompanantes (Sides) include Avocado, Blistered Jalapeno, Cauliflower Rice, Corn Tortillas, Flour Tortillas, Guacamole, Black Beans, Black Bean Puree, and Herb Rice.

“We make everything in-house from our pickles to our salsas, carnitas, and our tortillas,” states Sklar. El Granjero Cantina’s tortillas are extremely special. Sklar spent months looking for the perfect blend of fresh corn masa and maseca (dry corn flour) to create a unique texture that resembles a flour tortilla. Says Sklar, “Our Tortillas are soft, pliable, full of moisture and fantastic flavor. The density reminds me of a tamale and every tortilla is handmade to order every time.”

El Granjero Cantina’s bar program, created by Cocktail Consultant Tobin Shea, honors traditional agave-based spirits from Mexico with a specially curated list of Tequilas y Mezcal showcasing a special selection of Blanco Tequila, Reposado Tequila, Anejo Tequila, andMezcal.

They describe their fun and frothy Frozen Margaritas, Cocktails on Tap, and collection of Classic Margaritas

**Specialty Cocktails** at El Granjero Cantana

Specialty Cocktails such as the EGC Old Fashioned comprised if reposado tequila, mezcal, Meletti Amaro, and orange, Lifesaver made with mezcal, Fiero, lime and pineapple syrup, and Rasp-Hib Cocktail prepared with guests choice of tequila, Italicus, hibiscus tea, lime and soda.

And, to make sure this is the ultimate Cinco de Mayo celebration El Granjero Cantina will be serving up a SHOT & BEER featuring a shot of Cazadores tequila and Modello ($12), Patron Margarita ($16) prepared with Patron silver, fresh lime juice, Cointreau, and agave, fresh Frozen Strawberry Margarita ($14) made with Cazadores tequila, Fiero, strawberries, lime, and sugar.

Cazadores and Patrón will add to the party by serving samples from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm to guests 21 and over. In addition, El Granjero Cantina will also be offering select Beer, Wine, house-made Sangria, and non-alcoholic beverages such as El Granjero Cantina’s handmade Horchata and freshly carbonated Agua Frescas.

A party would not be complete without music. Live Mariachis will be performing from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm, so come sip, savor, and celebrate at El Granjero Cantina atThe Original Farmers Market this Cinco de Mayo!

El Granjero Cantina will be open on Cinco de Mayo, Thursday, May 5^th, 2022, from 10:00 am to 8:00pm. For more information about El Granjero Cantina at The Original Farmers Market or to make reservations,please call 323.879.9324 directly or visit www.CantinaLA.com.

Want more stats to impress your friends on on Margarita preferences state-by-state? Head over to Shane Co.’s The Loupe Blog for the full post — including sweet and salty insights like just how much Americans spend on average per year, $331!

The most popular combination is classic lime margarita with Patrón tequila, on the rocks, with a sea salt rim, voted a favorite by 20 states.
Wisconsin, Florida, and Oklahoma have the highest margarita tolerance – reporting it takes more than 3 to get tipsy compared to the national average of 2.5.
On average, the most Americans are willing to pay for a margarita at a bar or restaurant is $10.97
The average American drinks 30.18 margaritas per year! With 83% of respondents saying they prefer regular to skinny margs.
31% of Americans said they would choose margaritas over coffee if they could only have one of either for the rest of their lives.

Taibo at the statue of Juarez in Mexico City (Netflix documentary above and below)

The Battle of Puebla is important in Mexican history as an inspiration for freedom and overcoming the odds for it. This is true despite a second battle that ended differently with the French overtaking Mexico City and Napoleon the III eventually establishing his second Mexican empire outpost that lasted a few years. The reason was to replace the land his uncle sold to Thomas Jefferson in the Louisiana Purchase.

What we remember, though is that although considerably outnumbered in this last stand to take over Mexico City, the ragtag assortment of 4000 Mexican soldiers defeated a much better-equipped, over-confident French army twice the size that had not been defeated for almost 50 years. Credit goes to a young General Zaragoza who inspired them, calling them, “the best children of Mexico.”

Paco Ignacio Taibo II’s book traces Mexico’s revolutionary history from 1854-1867, a period he considers foundational to the country. Watch the Netflix documentary of it, showing Taibo tracing the route with other historians while narrating the captivating story.

How to Celebrate Ramadan in All Its Parts

May 4, 2022 Comments Off

Ramadan treats at Forn Al Hara: Maneen flatbreads, salad and pastries

(Gerry Furth-Sides) We were so fortunate to visit Forn Al Hara and Le Mirage bakeries in “Little Arabia” leading up to the first of two month-long Ramadan holiday celebrations, Eid al-Fitr. The second arrives in about two months, Eid al-Adhar. The joyous bakes made specially for the holy days, but the spirit of it as well. It is a time for forgiveness and reflection, rejoicing and blessings. What’s not to celebrate for everyone, and to do this all year.

First up: Forn Al Hara. Trays of miniature flaky filo dough pastries rolled into what look like fields of edible flowers and dense, moist pastries shaped in flat slabs or mounds appear to undulate across the glass counters in the fading sunlight. It is the first thing you see when you walk in the door even if it is across the room.

Neatly laid stacks of plastic boxes filled with a variety of beautiful treats nearly take your breath away. What a special time in Little Arabia during Ramadan! Our favorite special cookie, Ma’amoul, is a tradition at Eid al-Fitr.

**Forn Al Hara**‘s miniature flaky filo dough pastries rolled into what look like fields of edible flowers

Not a minute’s lull between lively customers coming for the best, best savory and sweet dishes or the friendly staff preparing them, fast, fast, fast to be ready for Iftar (break-the-fast dinner).

Customers can arrive to survey the treats and put in an order and then come back for their full meals; call in on the phone, or dine-in to linger and eat. Each order takes about 30 minutes.

Last year we were so concerned that sweetest, talented, Forn Al Hara owner-chef, Muhammad Alam was so tired from working 12 hour shifts. Of course, this lovely man still tried to send us home with a gift box of traditional Maamoul and ka’ak.

**Forn Al Hara** owner-chef, Muhammad Alam and a boxed treasure of Ramdan bakes

This time his nephew, Nader, capably manned the bustling post this day and “took good care of us,” as promised. A table set up turned out to be a plate and take out box! Finger food defined!)

Nader, nephew of **Forn Al Hara** owner-chef, Muhammad Alam

A young customer who was in line waiting was happy to offer suggestions when we asked about what he like to eat. We knew we were looking for a Maheesh (flatbread). He immediately suggested his favorite of his with ground beef (my new favorite) and a cheese favorite of his children.

We were also advised to order the little closed spinach pies, a cousin of Greek spanakopita. These turned out to be pillowy and tasty, also redolent with the taste of pomegranate molasses.

We could not decide what holiday pastries and cookies to take away and so seemed to take all as happily explained by another customer. Nader explained each one when I called during lunchtime today!

My confirmed new all-time holiday favorite is pistachio paste Ma’amoul, light, buttery and not too sweet. It is the bigger cake, bottom row. I am grateful enough for this alone.

Ramadan is not complete without Ma’amoul. These sweet cookies are not only popular in Lebanon, but in Jordan, Palestine, and Syria too. These crumbly and buttery cookie mounds are as dense as a cake. They are made with rose water can have a filling of dates, walnuts or pistachios, and sometimes almonds. They are cousins to my absolute favorite Polverones, the Mexican Wedding Cookie.

**Forn Al Hara’s Ma’amoul** with pistachios in bottom row, with walnuts at top left, next to anise cookies

Forn Al Hara, 512 S. Brookhurst St, Anaheim,CA 92804, 714.758.3777, Phone: (714) 758-3777.

Menu and details: Fornalhara.com

This (Le) Mirage is a real treasure for those who know that a bouza ice cream machine is in their back room. We knew. It was our second visit.

In the hunt for Bouza: (1) don’t be fooled by look-alike, Melissa’s flowery cabbage. (2) ASK for Syrian Bouza, or sticky ice cream. The shop also sells Italian gelato and dazzling arrays of pastries.(3) Don’t think the shelf at the door only holds business cards- it’s the original ice cream maker! Weighs a ton, and had to be replaced with another that has USA-friendly electrical system. See Maher Nakhal and the machine out back from the Le Mirage Facebook.

For more reading, please see //localfoodeater.com/shoppers-guide-to-aneaheims-magical-little-arabia/

Le Mirage, Maher Nakhal bouza, 100 S Brookhurst St, Anaheim, CA 92804, 714-491-3855.

lemiragepastry.com

Audrey III Returns as Stuffed Baby Eggplant at Banana Leaf Restaurant!

April 27, 2022 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Audrey II appeared on my plate at Banana Leaf Restaurant Indian restaurant! Look at the resemblance to this plate of Bharvaan Baingan.

But this time we got to devour Audrey II (unlike Little Shop of Horrors). We adored Chef Vadivel Kasirsian’s Bharvaan Baingan, instantly honoring it as another out of this world creation.

**Chef Vadivel Kasirsian’s Bharvaan Baingan at Banana Leaf Restaurant**

Bharvaan Baingan, is made with baby eggplants stuffed with an astonishing, mix that is both tangy with just enough lingering heat in it. This being said, Chef Vadivel, chuckled, reminded us that the heat can be turned up to any level.

Flavors brought out by the “tadka” technique, added to the dashing colors and the textures, give it the satisfaction to rival an animal protein. Because the eggplant fruit is fleshy and savory, it is frequently cooked as a vegetable – and this dish is vegetarian.

Let the tempering begin! **Chef Vadivel’s Bharvaan Baingan at Banana Leaf Restaurant**

Tamarind paste heads up the list of Bharvaan Baingan ingredients and lends it such a satisfying feel. Turmeric and chili powder infuse it with their usual brilliant red-orange coloring. Layers of flavor are added with coriander, cumin, turmeric, chili powder, garlic powder, garlic and usually dried coconut.

These ingredients are then cooked in oil with mustard seeds, red chilies, and curry leaves. The key here, though is that the ingredients are tempered with a special technique, known as “tadka.” Whole or ground spices are briefly roasted in oil or ghee. This releases the essential oils of the mixture and makes the flavor more aromatic. In English it is called known as “tempering.”.

Small baby eggplants, peel, seeds and all, are used. After I finished the dish for the first time and left the eggplant peel, as you would with a western versions, I was told that the skin is eaten. And so I did. It was wonderful.

Recipe: //www.thespruceeats.com/bharvaan-baingan-stuffed-baby-eggplant-1957937

The very little eggplants, so common in India, can be found in Indian and Asian grocery stores. The little babies do not store well and should be used quickly.

Brinjal and baingan on a historic and fun note, are both names for the egg-shaped “eggplant” fruit. Brinjal is a less common name used for eggplants, mostly by South Asians (such as Indians) and Sri Lankans.

Brinjal or baingan goes by different names in different parts of the world. In North America, or course, it is “eggplant.” in England as Aubergine is the English and French term, also often used in fashion to describe a rich, purple color.

The dish may be fit for royalty, but starts with humble beginnings as the “common man’s vegetable” in India because it is popular amongst small-scale farmers and low income consumers.

Nevertheless, “We gave the vegetable to the rest of the world. The Turks, the Italians and everybody else took it from us,” writes Vir Sanghvi in the Hindustan Times.

“The Turks, the Italians and everybody else, took it from us,” he happily boasts. “They may give it fancy names. But it is an ancient Indian vegetable. It appears in all our ancient texts – even our epics – and we have had the first ever name for it: the Sanskrit vrantakam from which the Hindi baingan came. As for the Arabic name of which so much is made, well it looks like Badinjan but it actualy) is derived from the Sanskrit vrantakam.”

As for me, I’ll take it with any name. And this includes Audrey II.

Carrot Cake and other New Easter Traditions

April 15, 2022 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Easter has become for so many the holiday that celebrates the easter basket and the easter bunny with its traditional stuffers rather than a religious one. And rightly so, because it goes so much farther back in history by thousands of years.

A modern Easter basket with a bottle of Rabbit Ridge wine!

To ancient cultures, Easter was known as the spring equinox-the time between seasons when the hours of day and night were equal. For farmers, this marked the highly anticipated transition from the dark days of winter to the sunny days of spring. And why it also is marked as the New Year by certain middle eastern and Asian cultures.

It was a time for people to pray to their pantheon for a bountiful harvest. This included the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility, Eostre (sounds like Easter, doesn’t it?). It is written in the eighth-century work “The Reckoning of Time,” which was penned by the Venerable Bede (an English monk and scholar) that feasts were held in her honor. Eostre was depicted cradling a woven basket in the crook of her arm. And so the idea of the Easter basket tradition began.

It would be lined with “grass,” stuffed to the brim with goodies like decorated eggs, marshmallow chics and chocolate candy. There was usually a cuddly rabbit, wrapped in paper, and topped with a bow. Children around the world received Easter baskets like this. We have added cheese, wine, crackers, fruit and great chocolate.

A modern Easter basket with a bottle of Rabbit Ridge wine, chocolate and oranges!

We also love the idea of carrot cake becoming a tradition. The best one we have ever has was at Better than Sex Restaurant in Los Angeles. Patricia Cabello’s is the lovely It is just a “wow” with all the right components. The cakes tastes like a spice cake topped off with cream cheese.

The perfect carrot cake at Better Than Sex restaurant in Los Angeles

The caramelized brown sugar gives a sweet taste, cream cheese gives a salty and creamy profile, and spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves provide a richer taste.

We also love the same sort of fresh farm vegetable displays in Los Angeles as you would in any country market with the earth still clinging to them. We used a strong (made in Mexico) old Oster blender to make the carrot puree AND a kitchen scale to measure the baby carrots. For other idea about spring carrot dishes, please see //localfoodeater.com/new-novel-passover-and-easter-restaurant-feasts-2019/

For the “hottest” carrot cake recipe out now, please see //www.eater.com/23015346/carrot-cake-recipe-frosting-cream-cheese

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 43A6ED69-BCE7-464F-B128-DCF9C8FD3F96.jpg — Carrots are another perfect veggie ready to be an Easter tradition!

For more ideas on how to celebrate easter in Southern Italian style, please see our article on Fabrizia Lanza’s book, COMING HOME TO SICILY. Her simple statement of “the first thing I remember about the holiday is chocolate” is as international as it gets.

Celebrate a Rustic, Aristocratic Italian Easter with Fabrizia Lanza’s “Coming Home to Sicily”

Happy New Year – Four Times Over!

April 15, 2022 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides) You can wish friends and family a “Happy New Year” four times over this month. The reasons include religious and secular traditions following of either the sun or the moon.

Smita Vasant shows how why new (and colorful) clothes mark every New Year celebration

Let’s start with with the Persian holiday, NOWEUZ, which falls on March 20. It begins with the new moon in an astrological sign, the first sign of Aries, marking spring.

The first day of the first astrological SUN SIGN is the basis of the New Year in Persian and some Asian cultures

The Gregorian calendar replaced the Julian to correctly reflect the actual time it takes the Earth to circle once around the Sun, known as a tropical year. Let’s just say that, again, for religious reasons, January 1^st was picked to mark the New Year right in tune with the new calendar. It added a leap year every fourth year.

And add an April Fools Day greeting right in with them. While the origins of April Fools’ Day remain a mystery, it is not forgotten by any means because people still play elaborate pranks on this unofficial holiday. Some historians believe that April Fool’s Day dates back to 1582, the year in which France switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar following the 1563 Council of Trent. Even after the switch, some people who didn’t know about it or forgot about it, continued to celebrate the Julian calendar’s New Year, which took place on the Spring Equinox, which often takes place around April 1. And this is how the holiday began.

You can also always celebrate the Indian Ugadi New Year which falls around the first of April. Feasts with symbolic foods and beautifully colored decorations, much more welcome celebration than a joke.

Culturally rich India, in fact, has it’s own way to celebrate New Year’s day in different times of the year at different places. Indian dates are so diverse because both the sun and lunar lunar calendars are following within the Christian, Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Most celebrations based on Hindu calendar movement of the moon.

Generally new year is celebrated in other regions at the time of harvest. It is known as Gudi Padwa, Baisakhi, Cheiraoba, Diwali and Marwari New Year.

This is followed soon after with Ugadi, the joyous holiday celebrated in India. It has the same theme and idea as the Persian New Year, which is the spring equinox.

Ugadi begins on the first of April or very early in the month. The date is determined by changing astrological signed in the zodiac. on the basis of the rotating sun, which changes year by year. Hindus celebrate the New Year on April 14. Thai New Year arrives on April 15. According to its literal meaning in Sanskrit, a Songkran occurs every month. But Thais consider Songkran when the sun moves from Pisces (the last sign of the zodiac in winter) to Aries, the first sign in the zodiac that occurs in spring.

It combines the traditions of both the Indian observance of New Year and Hol, a day when wild colors are splashed on each other. In Thailand, this is done in a more “purist way,” and only water is used!

Preparations for the festival start a week ahead. As with most New Year holidays, homes are given a thorough cleaning. People buy new clothes. This includes dhoti (or sarongs) and also items for the holiday.

Mango leaves and coconuts are considered auspicious in the Hindu tradition, and they are used on Ugadi. People also clean the front of their house with water and cow dung paste, then draw colorful floral designs. People offer prayer in temples. The celebration of Ugadi is marked by religious zeal and social merriment.

The BananaLeafLA kitchen (www.bananaleafla.com) prepares a special festival box of traditional dishes for this special day of Ugadi. It is a greeting of blessings and abundance. Ugadi Pachadi represents the holiday with six different tastes (sweet, sour,salt, pungent, spice and bitter) symbolizing that life is a mixture 6 different human emotions.

Ugadi Special Box

Ugadi pachadi
2vada(garralu)and chutney
Ven pongal
Sambar and papad
Tamarind rice(pulihora)
Curd rice
Rice
Eggplant and aloo curry
Mango kesari

Hindus celebrate Vishnu, which marks the first day of the astronomical year on April 15. Lord Vishnu, the God of Time, and his incarnation Lord Krishna are worshipped on the day of Vishnu. A typical greeting and we wish it to you:

May you be showered with
Divine Blessings, wealth and fortune ;
May this year bring your way
abundant joy and bounteous prosperity.

Thailand also marks the New Year on April 13-15 by splashing water on each other for a fresh, playful start to the season. Songkran or Thai New Year is a national holiday. Songkran until 2018 took place from April 13 to every year April when the Thai cabinet extended the festival nationwide to five days, 12–16 April, to enable citizens to travel home for the holiday.

New Scrappy Ways to Fight Food Waste

April 8, 2022 Comments Off

(Gerry furth-Sides) “Waste Not, Want Not” describes the work of Imperfect Food. We experienced a lively, inspiring experience learning about it at Cafe Gratitude in Los Angeles. The combination of he Launch Dinner Menu currently offered to diners this month and motivating conversation is the perfect Rx this session. The attitude (of gratitude) that genuinely permeates the staff is what makes me love the place. And the feeling permeated the Launch Dinner for very first LA Food Waste Week.

Cafe Gratitude celebrates the eco-friendly philosophy of Imperfect’s Food Waste Week

Imperfect dishes to try this week at Café Gratitude are a baked butternut squash dip with focaccia crostini, warm broccolini with mustard-marinated kale and edamame, broccoli romanesco with a lemon tahini sauce, a Torta Española chopped salad with a chickpea frittata, and, for dessert, Café Gratitude’s gluten-free raw tiramisu.
JuneShine hard kombuchas and grapefruit palomas were also served to honor the week. AND an Imperfect Foods Virgin Olive oil was on the table – not quite qualifying as “extra virgin!”

Executive Chef Dreux Ellis explained the **Cafe Gratitude** eco-friendly philosophy that Imperfect Foods adheres

A Toast with Kabucha Tea at the **Cafe Gratitude** dinner to launch Imperfect Foods

The array of colorful, internationally influenced dishes started out with ingredients purchased from Imperfect Foods, an online provider of healthy, sustainable products. Slight flaws that keep them from being sold to grocers.

Hosted by Imperfect Foods, Cafe Graditudes “I am Confident” Main Course “Imperfect” Cauliflower Steak with sun-dried tomato tapenade, toasted almond romesco, harissa spices,dukka, gremolata

Hosted by **Imperfect Foods, Cafe Gratitude’s** shared “I AM COMMUNITY” Baked Butternut Squash Dip with radicchio, cashews, rosemary, garlic confit, caramelized red onion to spread on a focaccia crostini

**Hosted by Imperfect Foods, Cafe Gratitude’s** shared I AM ENCHANTING Warm Broccolini& Edamame with mustard-marinated kale, tarragon, dill, avocado cream, maple-toasted seeds

Hosted by **Imperfect Foods, Cafe Gratitude’**s I AM FANTASTIC Tiorta Española Chopped Salad with shredded kale and romaine, chickpea frittata, pickled vegetables, tamari almonds, garbanzo beans, kalamata olives, cashew mozzarella, lemon thyme vinaigrette, gremolata

Hosted by **Imperfect Foods, Cafe Gratitude’**s I AM INSPIRED Broccoli Romanesco with tomato confit, arugula, preserved lemons, kalamata olives, pickled golden raison, lemon tahini sauce.

Server Tim gets into the act, photographing the tiramisu dessert at **Cafe Gratitude**

KimLai Ling of Eatn Asian joined in the Cafe Gratitude party with Imperfect Foods Maddie Rothman and Rachael Felicity, of Imperfect Foods who organized the L.A. Food Waste Week

KimLai Ling of Eatn Asian joins in the Cafe Gratitude party with Imperfect Foods Maddie Rothman and Rachael Felicity, of Imperfect Foods who organized the L.A. Food Wast Week

The brand also partnered with local restaurateurs and chefs to save 1,000 lbs of food from waste in one week, with eateries featuring limited edition, waste-less menu items. Panels, workshops, lectures and special events took place in Venice, free to the public.

A toast to Cafe Gratitude Food Waste (fighting) Plant Food & Wine week: Venice Ale House, The Butcher’s Daughter and Only The Wild Ones, a natural wine and cocktail bar with plant-based dishes. They will donate $5 for each food waste-fighting dish ordered to the Hollywood Food Coalition.cafe

Venice restaurants participating in the Food Waste (fighting) Plant Food & Wine week: Venice Ale House, The Butcher’s Daughter and Only The Wild Ones, a natural wine and cocktail bar with plant-based dishes. They will donate $5 for each food waste-fighting dish ordered to the Hollywood Food Coalition.

To learn more about this scrappy company that successfully fights food waste with fresh sustainably sourced affordable produce and meats, please see: delivered to your door, please see: And go to https//www.imperfectfoods.com

Cafe Graditude’s Executive Chef Dreux Ellis and his Sous Chef

The Cutest, Quirkiest Veggie in the World: Tindora

March 24, 2022 Comments Off

All dressed up for Sunday, BananaLeafla Tindora

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Quirky tindora acts like a cross between a tiny, toy zucchini and a cucumber. Two inches in length, they may share the characteristics of super-healthy zucchini or cukes, yet resemble a cornichon more than anything else. Absolutely scrumptious in taste and texture, tindoras can be prepared in a dazzling variety of ways in the kitchen. Its crunchy texture is fun on its own, especially tasty when coated in spices and roasted. And this ivy gourd can also add a cooling, mild flavor to heavily spiced dishes.

And did we say, “quirky?” Tintura is awash in bizarre contradictions. At the same time this vine plant takes a star turn in the kitchen, outside, its slender little climbing vines and broad, wide, five-lobed leaves can easily overrun any garden, more voracious than Audrey in “Little Shop of Horrors.” They aptly translate into “ivy gourd” in English. And while available year-round in India and Southeast Asia, Tindora remains seasonal in the USA.

Still, could this be the next produce sensation in the USA? We say, “Cardoons and kiwi, step aside.”

Quirky, irresistible tindora payla at **Banana Leaf** looks like tiny, toy zucchini .

Tindora fruits are juicy and crunchy when young with a mild, slightly bitter aftertaste. As the fruit matures, it develops a soft and a sweeter quality. The skin of this little plant is smooth with variations of light striping of pale green, dark green, and white hues, and it can change to bright red in some varieties. Underneath the surface, the translucent, watery yet crisp white flesh holds seeds in a slippery, pale red coating.

The new staff from Southern India at **Banana Leaf in Culver city,** Chef Ramu (left) and Beam

Tindora is so versatile, it can used in cooked or uncooked dishes although its bitter natural flavor needs adjustment. Cooks also appreciate tindora’s natural capability to absorb accompanying flavors in the same way that zucchini does. This is even more so in India where stronger flavors are so common, such ginger, garlic and chiles.

Tindora also adds a novel, subtle texture and flavor to stewed meats and vegetables, baked fish, coconut cream and peanut sauces. And Indian cooks love it with aromatics, vegetables that deliver deep, rounded flavor and aroma when heated or crushed like cumin and cilantro. This characteristic is perfect in pickling spices such as mustard and coriander, light-bodied vinegar because the fruits are perishable and will keep only up to one week when stored in a paper bag in the refrigerator. So in this way they are more like cakes than zucchini.

Quirky **tindora** looks like a cross between tiny, toy zucchini or cucumber.

Indian cooks use it in the popular Urad Dal by soaking it in warm water and cooking it with lentils. Also known as Split Black Gram, it is one of the famous lentils in southern part of Asia. In Tindora Payla, it is mixed with spices and dried, roasted lentils, or slow-cooked in coconut milk as a savory curry.

**Tindora** is commonly paired with Urad Dal or Split Black Gram

As a healing agent, Tindora or ivy gourd is out of the league of zucchini. As a health remedy, ivy gourd is a good source of plant-based fiber, iron, and nutrients. It can also be used to help with weight loss (such as zucchini) , control high blood pressure, and relieve constipation. Tindora is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin B, and beta-carotene. It is also known for its toxin eliminating properties and can help clean the bloodstream.

The leaves can also be made into a paste for a topical application to help heal skin wounds caused by leprosy, psoriasis, and scabies. In India, Ayurvedic medicine uses Tindora as a way to reduce inflammation and to help regulate sugars in the body, especially useful for diabetic patients. It also encourages the overall health of endocrine glands.

Tindora plants are native to tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and Asia. You can see the common home garden vine plant growing along walls and fences in Southern India.

**Tindora or ivy gourd** is commonly grown and eaten year around in South India

The vine was subsequently introduced in Southeast Asia, the South Pacific, the Caribbean, and the Southern United States, including Hawaii. Today Tindora can be found growing in the wild and at local markets in India, Cambodia, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Guam, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Australia, and the United States.

The Most Royal Fried Version Ever: Andras Chicken Majestic

March 24, 2022 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Say the words, “Fried Chicken” in any language and you have an instant favorite. Like the Chicken Majestic, new on the menu at Banana Leaf in Culver City. We use the term, “wildly popular” throughout this report because it IS accurate for all of the fried chicken dishes here. And the scrumptious piles are considered appetizers!

Fried chicken continues to be one of the top five most popular dishes in almost any country that serves it. And what’s not to like in any form of it, from buttermilk coated to extra spicy battered?

At Banana Leaf, colorful Chicken Majestic starts with top of the line protein for this refined version of fried chicken. Then the chicken is coated in a tangy yogurt based sauce with a carefully thought out combination of spices. Cumin, coriander, garam masala are classic. Ribbons of red and green pepper are sautéed just enough so that they are tender and still have a crunch.

Double textures kick in from the very first bite with the oh-so-lightly crispy chicken that’s tender and juicy inside.

Chicken Majestic at Banana Leaf in Culver City

Look closely and you will see that the chicken strips are first marinated and then fried. The final step is to saute them in a special sauce. sauce.

Chicken Majestic, a wildly popular regional dish from Hyderabad in the André Pradesh state. Southern dishes tend to be more spicy than in the north but Chicken Majestic has more heat than prickly spice shards.

Chicken 65, so beloved that there are numerous variations each South Indian state has its own version! Although all are commonly served with hot, red chutneys, in Karnataka, the dish is garnished with grated coconut, and in Andhra Pradesh, the chicken is cooked instead of fried.

Chicken Majestic hails from Hyderabad in the André Pradesh state while Chicken 65 is from Chennai

Indian appetizers are described as “wet” with more of a sauce, or “dry,” which describes this chicken appetizer recipe that is wildly popular in Hyderabad, India. It’s your choice: the final call is divided on the subject with “wet” and “dry” chicken 65, another version of Indian fried chicken, so popular it is served all over the country. One is more of a finger-food (dry) and one more of an appetizer dish (wet).

A prepped “wet” **Chicken 65** Southern Indian dish at Banana Leaf Restaurant before it is cooked

Chicken 65, the now classic poultry dish, originated in Chennai, India. The deep-fried chicken marinated in ginger, lemon, red chiles also includes a variety of other spices. There are a few theories about the origin of chicken 65. The most popular one speculates that it was created in Tamil Nadu by A. M. Buhari in 1965.

A “wow” portrait of the “dry” fried **Chicken 65** at **Banana Leaf Restaurant** in Culver City

Another one says that the original dish was made with 65 hot chili peppers, as a testament of manliness. There are also some unlikely theories, such as the one claiming that the chicken was cut into 65 pieces, or that the chicken was 65 days old when the dish was prepared.