Gerry Furth-Sides

Second Generation Christy Vega Revs Up Casa Vega in Studio City

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) Original owner Ray Vega’s beautiful daughter, Christina “Christy” Vega is one of LA’s most visible restaurant owners.  She can be seen on Food Network’s “Guy’s Grocery Games,” NBC’s “TODAY” Show, CBS’s “This Morning,” ABC’s “The View,” and more) is at the helm of the time-honored restaurant.

Christy Veg

Casa Vega is a family-owned Mexican restaurant that has been a Los Angeles landmark for 61 years and an iconic stomping ground “back in the day” for Old Hollywood’s biggest stars, from Marlon Brando, Cary Grant, and Jane Fonda.    There are waiters still at Casa Vega who can provide the stories — what each celebrity liked to eat.

Opened in 1956 by Rafael “Ray” Vega, Casa Vega prides itself on serving authentic Southern California Mexican food and drinks in a warm, festive atmosphere

Christy and dad, original owner, Ray Vega

The sprawling complex I comprised of a series of oddly shaped, appealing rooms (with a parking lot in back!)  The colored neon sign is a beacon of hospitality on the expansive corner.

 

Casa Vega features an extensive and time-tested menu, ranging from delectable dishes such as traditional chicken mole, burritos, enchiladas, and tostadas, to tasty house-made margaritas and mojitos.

 

Chopped Guacamole

Chopped Guacamole on a list of 12 Aperitivos

Must-try include Chopped Guacamole with fresh Avocado, Pico de Gallo, Jalapeño, Fresh Lime Juice, Flour Tortilla chips ($12.95)

Chopped GuacamoleWe also recommend the Carnitas De Puerco ($17.95), Seasoned Pork Butt, Salsa Verde-Pico de Gallo on (just enough) shredded lettuce.

The new Casa Vega Molcajete dish served in the most ancient of concrete bowl cooking utensils is Sliced Flank Steak, Chicken Breast, Tiger Shrimp, Grilled Chile Relleno, Green Onion, BBQ Enchilada Sauce, Guacamole, Sour Cream and Tortillas ($21.95)

For more information, please visit www.casavega.com or find Casa Vega on Facebook and Instagram.

 

National Moldy Cheese Day October 9 Celebrates “The “Good Mold”

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Moldy Cheese(Gerry Furth-Sides) Mark your calendars for October 9 and Moldy Cheese Day. While the idea of mold on most types of food is not a pleasing one,  five fast facts about mold on more complex cheeses can help change your mind,  including those with wonderfully wrinkly rinds such as the one below.

What could be better than a salad with stinky gorgonzola, julienned hard Italian salami and candy-peppered walnuts on a bed of mixed greens – with a bold red wine? salad

Chef Giada DeLaurentis even has a recipe for gorgonzola and salami biscuits that are a must to make:  //www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/salami-and-gorgonzola-biscuits-recipe. For imaginative, detailed ideas about cheese and wine pairing, please see //winefolly.com/tutorial/6-tips-on-pairing-wine-and-cheese/. 

For more detailed information about which cheeses are best and healthy, consult an expert.  Beautiful ways of arranging platters and pairing cheeses are also available at these shops, such as Fromagerie Sophie: www.fromageriesophie.com.   However, all experts agree, “Throw away anything questionable.” 
cheese

Mold spores protect the cheese from bacteria, the more the better.   And molds on the outside of cheese produce an enzyme that makes the cheese just inside the rind super “ooey gooey”.

The rind is edible on many kinds of cheese, and it holds a lot of the flavor. Molds have been added to cheeses for thousands of years and are added at various stages of the cheese making process.  Safe mold on some cheeses such as Danish Blue, Brie, and Camembert and in cheeses like Gorgonzola, Stilton, and Roquefort even add to their flavor profile.  And moldy Parmesan rind adds to the flavor and texture of a variety of hot soups and stews.

BUT,  when mold appears on semisoft and hard cheeses like cheddar, Colby, and Swiss, it is fine to eat the cheese, but not the mold.  Use a clean knife and clean the knife after each cut to avoid recontamination.  Tip: trim off at least half an inch around and beneath the moldy areas, then store the cheese in a new package to help keep it mold-free for a longer time.

Without mold, we might not be able to make aged cheeses at all so if you like any cheese, give the healthy moldy cheese a try.

First, a few tips about moldy cheese NOT to eat:

Moldy soft cheeses, such as cream cheese, cottage cheese, and ricotta cheese, as well as cheeses that have been shredded, sliced, or crumbled, should be tossed immediately.  That’s because mold can send threads throughout soft and shredded cheeses, and also support the growth of harmful bacteria, such as Brucella, listeria, E. coli, and salmonella.

For everything you ever wanted to know about cheese storage, including temperature and shelf life, please see //www.formaticum.com.  This is the company that makes the two-ply cheese paper.

Two-ply Cheesepaper offers just enough moisture to protect cheese properly.  Otherwise, cheese can be wrapped in wax or parchment paper, then in a partially sealed plastic bag.  Wrapping my cheese blocks in waxed paper and storing them in a plastic box with a lid partially open was alright after all!

 

Astonishing Georgian Wines Keep “Georgia on My Mind”

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) “Georgia on my Mind” – this Georgia being the small country in the Caucasus region known for being the first winemakers in the world and where producers still use ancient “qvevri” (meaning underground) clay pots that make them the most exciting recent find of wine experts everywhere.

In a way, it could be compared to the world eating only sauerkraut and all of a sudden learning about ancient Korean Kim chi cabbage, also fermented in pots.

Qvevri

“Qvevri” above ground in the field (photo by Patrick Comiskey)

We agree wholeheartedly after a presentation of four indigenous varietals of Georgia’s 525 at Republique about this ancient find that has the international wine world abuzz.

We were impressed from the first Schuchmann, Mtsvane 2014, which was surprisingly clean, clear (after being told about the cloudy whites, stainless steel vinification) and refreshing all the way.  Hints of citrusy lemon and light orange on the nose are followed by layers of lingering sweet grapefruit, orange zest, and lemon curd, with a solid medium finish.

wineRenowned, sommelier, Taylor Parsons (Whole Cluster beverage and wine consultant, former Republique Wine Director) and Los Angeles Times wine writer, Patrick Comiskey led the seminar, pretty much breathless with excitement,  stopping often to show their personal slides of the winemakers and unusual methods.

Wine expert Taylor Parsons double checks the wine list.

Why now?  After all the Bible says Noah planted a vineyard nearby after the ark settled on Mount Ararat. Georgian representatives and International wine news have been allowed out only recently although Georgia is known as  “the cradle of wine” for its uninterrupted, 8,000-year winemaking history.  Now considered such a treasure, the giant qvevri are now UNESCO protected.

Georgian WinesGeorgia’s history and topography ranging from lush to Savannah, almost desert, Taylor told us.   This is where ancient trade routes crisscrossed the mountains between the Black Sea and Persia, inviting continuous invasions by other countries ever since the Middle Ages.

Leave it to the stalwart Georgian personality in adverse conditions. Not only did farmers secret away a few vines each time invaders ripped out orchards, but they lovingly tended them in their backyards, improving them along the way.  Then, adding insult to injury, 70 years ago the Soviet Union government limited farmers to growing only two grapes (Rkatsiteli and saperavi), adding a proviso that only sweet wines would be allowed for the commercial Russian market.  All this is over now.

Although Georgia is at the heart of the Europe and Asia, Parsons described Georgian wines as taking on eastern rather than western characteristics,  more like preserves or an Asian fermenting process than French wines to the west, known for their fruit flavors.

However, French wines, Georgian wines are usually a blend of two or more grapes. They are classified as sweet, semi-sweet, semi-dry, dry, fortified and sparkling. The semi-sweet varieties are the most popular.

The fermenting process is a natural one, usually with skins and seeds, and sometimes even includes stems along with the juice.  The resulting flavors of the qvevri transform of them into textural wines texturally experience as well, what Parsons kept emphasizing over and over, “are unlike any others in wine.”

 

Saperavi  (reds) and Tsolikouri, Mtsvane and Rkatsiteli (whites) provided a wonderful introduction to the wines after the Schuchmann, Mtsvane 2014.

Red wines are the familiar shades of purple, ruby, garnet, and purple.  Georgia is best known for Saperavi, a black-fruited, tannic and sometimes powerful red.   The name means ” to dye” because the juice of the red grapes is additionally tinted.

Saperavi Georgians favor a variety of whites from their indigenous grapes.  Parsons was surprised that some winemakers process white wines like red wines, macerating them on their skins, with or without stems, and for various amount of time.  This is also what prompts the tannins in the white wines, admittedly, he concluded, “some more successful than others in taste.”  Unfiltered, their sort of foggy look can be offputting.

 

Georgian white wines

Instead of the bright lemon or golden colors of white wines, Georgian white wines can range in color from yellow and golden to gentle peach and orange. The amber-colored whites (truly the color you associate with the resin) is weighty with acid and tannin that flood the palate.

These are all wines that enhance food, due to their acidity and tannin. And in Georgia, the versatile wines are served with every sort of food from cheeses and fruits to grilled meats and vegetables.    Cookbooks celebrating Georgian food are just now arriving in bookstores.

Georgian hosts allowing a whopping 2.5 liters per guest (though only 10-13% alcohol).  I’ve been a guest in a Russian home and parties always lasted from noon to midnight with lots of food – always one absorbing potato dish –  to fully appreciate this allotment. We tried the ORGO Rkatsiteli 2014, a dry amber wine from Old Vineyards on an Indian summer day, perfect since it is described as “the Eternity of the sun Living in a Bottle.”  The Rkatsiteli grape variety has a home in the Kakheti region of the country.  It is a delightful example of the qvevri fermentation method; on the bottle, it explains that the “amber color is a result of its extended contact with the skins.”

Rkatsiteli grape

(Photo by Barbara Hansen)

We served it with a salmon salad, broccoli slaw, and a baguette.  Each enhanced the flavors of the other with the wine’s notes of dried apple and apricots, followed by a lingering taste of sweet spices and dried herbs. It is also recommended to be served with grilled pork and creamy pasta — we will next time!

 salmon salad, broccoli slaw, baguetteGeorgia’s dramatic variety in a landscape is matched by the wide array of winemakers.  While the list of vintages is  8,000 the list of winemakers is short, tending to be either small family-run affairs or huge enterprises. Even descriptions of the winemakers themselves lend themselves to flights of quickly fancy: “The Scientist & the Visionary; The Craftsman & the Tinkerer; the Rebel & the Farmer”. While the majority of the wineries produce 2,000-3,000 bottles per year, less than ten wineries produce seven million bottles annually.

And, in the end, there is indeed a tie between the two “Georgia’s.”  Georgia, in ancient Greek georgos, originated as an admiring appellation for a farmer.  Romans spread the name into Western European languages, where it became used for Christian saint and kings.  Centuries later, as was common at the time, when the land to the south of South Carolina was being established as a penal colony, the new colony was named in honor of the reigning monarch, King George, in a Latinized form: Georgia.

 

CUISINE DEL SOL Cookbook Reflects International Special Olympics

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) Celebrating 20 years of food, fun, and sport, CUISINE DEL SOL is a cookbook that combines recipes from Los Angeles’ celebrated chefs, restaurants, and food purveyors supporting Special Olympics Southern California at the annual Pier del Sol fundraiser.  The event takes place on October 8th this year. For more info about SOSC and the event: www.sosc.org

We received a very special, very moving introduction from the SOSC core team at Melissa’s Produce, a sponsor for many years.  Each member had their prepared remarks on cards so they would be able to express themselves but not go overtime.


Pier del Sol is held at the iconic Pier on Santa Monica’s beautiful oceanfront, and it is the largest annual fundraiser benefitting the region’s Special Olympics Southern California athletes.  Book editors, Michelle Brien (left) and Laurie Ann Marie (middle), along with contributing Chef-owner Peter Garland of Porta Villa in Beverly Hills, took great care to sign their books on their individual pages.  The cookbook includes the bio and stories of many of the long-time supporters of the event.  It was a signal of what was to come.

Lauren Ann Marie and Peter Garland “sign their pages” –

SOSC ambassadors Eddie and Marco

The team included two Olympians and spokesmen, Eddie and Marco, who proved to be humble, friendly, entertaining and brief!  Eddie (left) told us he works at the Ralph’s at LaBrea and then because “he’s a numbers guy,” reported the exact number of shopping carts – and got a big laugh.  The two SoSC representatives are also to be commended because they can get anywhere in using public transportation!

Marco and Robert Schueller of Melissa’s

Restaurateur and SOSC supporter Peter Garland of Porta Via and The Bar Room in Beverly Hills shared his insider tips for the kale salad CUISINE DEL SOL. It all “starts at the top” and Peter heads a Porta Via professional staff makes you feel so at home you’re just happy to be there even without the food.  www.portaviabh.com

I am not at all a fan of kale –  even wasted as a catering table decoration.  Then a decade ago, Henry’s (now Sprouts) offered a kale smoothie demo.  Delicious!   The chef who created it told us to “massage the leave with olive oil” before using cooking.   The next wonderful kale dish I had was actually the Porta Via Kale Salad at the LA TIMES TASTE.  When I asked Chef Peter about  massaging, he told us to just “take the vein in the middle out and it will be fine.”

Porta Via

Other local chefs who have lent their support over the years include Gino Angelini, Michael Cumarusti, Josiah Citrin, Brooke Williamson & Nick Roberts, Alain Giraud, Sherry Yard, and Melissa’s Chef Tom Frake, who prepared a Fall Harvest Salad.

Gazpacho Soup

Gazpacho Soup from Melissa’s Produce Chef Philip Kastel

Chef Said Le Febre’s royal Truffle Honey Laced Fried Chicken

 

Cupcakes

Pacific Park (SM) Funnel Cake Cupcakes

Cuisine del Sol

A plate of food from the Cuisine del Sol Cookbook!

 

Dinner with the Mountbattens in Gurinder Chadha’s VICEROY’S HOUSE

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) Gurinder Chadha’s  VICEROY’S HOUSE film is as transplendent as the palatial New Delhi home of the same name in 1947 when India was indeed the “Jewel in the Crown” of the British Empire.

The current release of VICEROY’S HOUSE  commemorates the 70-year anniversary of the partition of British India into Muslim-majority Pakistan and Hindu and Sikh-majority India.   Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham) brings in the perspectives of both the privileged British along with those of the Indians who worked in and resided near “the” house.  It is also a glimpse into the cuisine and culture of the British in India at the sunset of their stay. For film details and trailer, please see: “Viceroy’s House”.

Photos of the original and the film version (above) Viceroy’s House residents and staff are nearly identical.

 The film begins with it newly occupied by the recently dispatched Lord Mountbatten and family to oversee  India’s complicated move to Independence.  Mountbatten (Hugh Bonneville), has shared arrivals at former posts with fashionable, playgirl wife, Edwina (Gillian Anderson), and daughter Pamela (Lily Travers), but never on this scale.  The Mountbattens presided over 500 Hindu, Muslim and Sikh servants for the needed for the 340-room HOUSE.

Mountbatten held the post for only six months in 1947 during which he and his wife Edwina were renowned for their lavish parties.  The parties extended to the outdoor landscaped gardens, where the Mountbattens took leisurely tea with the statesmen of the day with the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

“Big-bellied copper pots to prepare pints of steaming turtle consomme. Metal cutlet bats to tenderize beef into butter-soft filet mignons. Gleaming silver salvers to carry in main courses like quail stuffed with grapes for banquets at ‘Viceroy’s House’, as Rashtrapati Bhavan was known before Independence. These were the ‘imperial measures’ used in the kitchens and dining rooms of the Crown and all her colonies.”

For a marvelous detailed look at the restored restaurant version, please see: //www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/dinner-with-edwina/231823

Director-Producer Chadha and actor Lily Travers (Pamela Mountbatten)

At 200,000 sq ft, it was one of the largest seats of government in the world and has been described as “the last great palace ever built”    (Chadha was able to shoot the exterior scenes at the original Viceroy’s House in New Delhi, now the Indian president’s residence).

Chadra talked with Lord Mountbatten’s aide-de-camp and author Maharajah, Narendra Singh Sarila extensively.   Sarila revealed how Indian luxury at the time contrasted with England still suffering from war-rationing.  When servants brought in a gleaming silver tray of beef for the Mountbatten’s pet dog their first day, they were tempted to eat it themselves!

The socialite world of the Mountbattens turned inside out in India, brought out an altruistic side of Edwina, who traveled into the city often,  instructing her staff to include Indian dishes for every banquet.  

The HOUSE itself inspired exotic parties.  The main entrance is sufficiently high to allow a visiting maharaja to pass through without dismounting from an elephant. The  180 feet high central dome is coated in copper.   Multiple courtyards grace the site with two distinct wings, one for the viceroy and his staff, the other for guests and their entourages. 
Bickering as partition drew near took place downstairs, leading to outright brawls in the kitchen between Hindu and Muslim staff in the VICEROY’S HOUSE. As the split of India loomed near, the house and its contents were divided between the new states of India and Pakistan with factions quarreling over every piece of silverware.

Gurinder, who is known to be a feminist,  said that custom of Indian women cooking and men eating separately was “terribly sexist. ” She added, “When I was a teenager I remember rebelling against cooking time-consuming dishes, particularly the roti. You had to put the dough on the hot griddle and it had to be done just so.  ‘What will your mother in law say when you get married if I don’t teach you how to do it properly?’, my mother would beseech me, and then my name will be pulled through the mud!’

“However,” she laughed, “10-year-old son loves to make roti.  He loves just getting right in there and does it all the time.

Does food bridge a gap between cultures?  “Absolutely.”   Chadha reminds us, “What’s cooking?” is the most popular, friendly phrase in the world.

For film details, please see: www.viceroyshouse.com

 

Best Ethnic Bites at “Field to Fork” at LA Times TASTE 2017

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Ethnic delightful bites that surprised us the most at the LA TIMES Field to Fork (Sat., Sept. 2, 2017 noon to 3 p.m.) ranged from a delicate French starter to a surprising Jasmine ice cream dessert from McConnell’s Ice Cream in Santa Barbara.  What an overview of the current Southern California culinary world an opportunity to sample the restaurants’ finest, along with becoming acquainted with friendly, helpful chefs and owners.

Amy Scattergood from the LA TIMES and Sang Yoon, Korean Chef/Owner of Father’s Office and Lukshon hosted the event.

The Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills offered the most delicate appetizer reflecting the Southern French background of new Executive Chef, Wildred Hocquet.

Chef Hocquet’s offering of Hamachi Tartar with Mint dotted Sesame Seeds, a spot of Avocado on a couli of Tangerine Reduction was sublime.  It was especially appealing on a hot summer day.

Georgie at the Montage Hotel, 225 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA  90210, //www.montagehotels.com/beverlyhills/dining

Salted doughnut

Restauration Restaurant, Long Beach served the most unusual bite: Salted doughnut with Oxtail Jam & Black Garlic Salsify.  Owners Robertsons Dana and Rob Robertson succeeded in creating Restauration to be a modernized tribute to the American bistro, and later brought in Long Beach native and LA vet, Chef Phil Pretty.

Restauration, 2708 E 4th St., Long Beach; (562) 439-8822; restaurationlb.com

new burger

Best Italian meatball, the “new burger” was served up by RAOS in east Hollywood, where their Meatballs ($17 on the menu) are made with Ground Beef, Pork, Veal and  Seasoned Breadcrumbs.  The recipe could go all the way to the opening of the New York restaurant in 1896.

RAO’S, 1006 Seward St, Los Angeles, CA 90038, (323) 962-7267,

//wwwraosrestaurants.com

 

ice cream

McConnell’s Ice Cream has been making ice cream in Santa Barbara since 1949.  They offered scoops of their new global line flavors,  Hibiscus lime, and Mexican Chocolate.  The surprisingly creamy, bold hibiscus (flower) with tart lime proved a taste wake-up.

//www.mcconnells.com

 

No dessert from Chef Brian Melendez, famous for his “Mascarpone Cheesecakes by Chef Turok) and cheesecake and here with one of his fans and friend, celebrity chef Gilberto Cetina, Jr. of Chicken Itza and now Holbox seafood stand.  What a great, new look for both of you!

Holbox, 3655 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles.  //(www.holboxla.com),

Mayura Indian Restaurant keeps with the latest American trends by offering a Gluten Free options.  See LocalFoodEater article: //localfoodeater.com/mayura-indian-restaurant-on-la-top-100-list/

Mayura, 10406 Venice Blvd., Culver City, 310-559-9644, //www.mayurala.com/

 

Michael’s Restaurant Chef Miles Thompson shared his own tips at a demo in the shaded BACKLOT CULINARY STAGE.

Crowd-pleaser Chef Miles Thompson carefully explained the Japanese ingredients he loves to create layers of East-West flavoring his current signature dish, potatoes a la plancha Parmigiano-Reggiano, bonito flakes, furikake aioli ($10)

Young Miles won me over by loving his cast iron skillet and preferring Indian ghee to clarified butter.

Michael’s Restaurant, 1147 3rd St, Santa Monica 90403 h. 310.451.0843 http://www.michaelssantamonica.com

Ethnic and regional food samplings also offered included: Aqui es Texcoco, Banh Oui, Cento Pasta Bar, Coni’Seafood, Cruciferous, M Café, Maury’s Bagels, Robert’s Catering Service and VCHOS Pupuseria Moderna.

 

 

 

Lance Thomas of the BLACK CAT – famous and single!

Everyone was ready for fun -even in the heat!

  

 

Ethnic Highlights at the Western FoodService & Hospitality Expo 2017

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) Ethnic highlights from The 81stAnnual Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo, (Aug 27-29) at the Los Angeles Convention Center filled the chef and awards presentations, education sessions, and product demonstrations.


Over 10,000 restaurant and foodservice industry professional attendees took a look at new products and services from nearly 500 exhibiting companies at the event, sponsored by the California Restaurant Association.


New product awards presented at the Show featured ethnic-regional   2nd Place Runner-Up, Big Mama’s Gumbo for their Creole Gumbo from a “secret” family recipe. Best New Product in the Food Trends Experience was Mommy Sauce for their Korean sauces.

Thousands of attendees took advantage of the 30+ education sessions offered, including Understanding the Latino Consumer.

We attended the session with Selectivor founders, Dr. Steven Tan and Daniel Lemin since we have followed the brilliant Dr. Tan since he began practice.

Dr. Steven and Lemon created Selectivor   //www.selectivor.com because they strongly believe that,  “The Age of the Omnivore is over. People are increasingly selective about what and how they eat.  In fact, studies show that nearly two-thirds of Americans have at least one dietary restriction. Even more, this new majority expects – and often demands – that their selective preferences are met wherever they go, especially in foodservice and hospitality establishments, which has ..created challenges and opportunities for the foodservice and hospitality industry.”

The founders reviewed the implications of this trend to the food industry, from describing these selective eaters and their primary food concerns and eating behaviors to developing a comprehensive framework for this new, complex landscape.

Feature areas on the show floor included the Food Trends Experience where 75 companies displayed ethnic, healthy, organic sustainable, artisanal, fusion and more.

 

The Sabor Latino Pavilion focused on Latin and Hispanic products for the foodservice market.    Many of the booths used this as an opportunity to gain distributors for their products.


Jesus Lopes representing AVOSALC reminded us that when avocados are in short supply in the United States, they are available south of the border

AVOSALC

Melissa’s Produce elaborate booth reminded us of the global pull of the company.  The local headquarters in Vernon have become international influencers.

Melissa’s is has become key in introducing new products to the US consumer because of their policy of both supporting American farmers grow a product that is out of season around the globe, or importing produce when it is not in season locally.

Jackfruit

A showy Jackfruit from Melissa’s Produce

At the close of the Show, exhibitors donated thousands of pounds of food to the LA Regional Food Bank, to be distributed through the Salvation Army.

On Sunday afternoon the California Restaurant Association hosted the 6th Annual Culinary & Cocktail Clash: Battle Los Angeles raised more than $100,000, which will provide educational resources to ProStart programs in California high schools.

The 2018 Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo is produced and managed by Urban Expositions, a Clarion Events Company www.urban-expo.com and sponsored by the California Restaurant Association www.calrest.org.

“Everyday” Honey Smoked Fish Un-Loxs A Secret

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(Gerry Furth-Sides)  Smoke master, Kevin Mason and his sons at  Honey Smoked Fish //www.honeysmokedfish.com are determined to convince the world that smoked salmon is not a “special occasion” food.

The reason Smoked Salmon is considered a delicacy is its high price because it involves a fillet, the curing of this fine piece of fish, plus the smoking of it hot or cold. And do not confuse it with lox.  Smoked salmon is cured or brined, then smoked. Lox is cured, but not smoking.

Family owned and operated Honey Smoked Fish marks 24 years of producing the world’s finest lightly hot-smoked salmon. Smoke master Kevin Mason started fishing the seas at the young age of five and has been in the seafood industry for nearly forty years.

Kevin began his seafood venture working at Bob’s Fresh Fish, his father’s Kosher Fish Market on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles. It was there that the idea for Honey Smoked Salmon was born.

Long before that, smoked salmon was devised as soon as cooks realized that smoking prolonged the shelf life of fish.  In fact, during the Middle Ages, smoked salmon became part of people’s diet and was commonly found in soups and salads. The first smoking factory was in Poland in the 7th century A.D.  The rise of the American smoked salmon industry in the West Coast, processing Pacific salmon from Alaska and Oregon took place much later in the 19th century.

Somewhere in the middle of all this history, the “London Cure” method of smoking salmon became the gold standard by which the fish is the star rather than the smoking process.  This school of smoked fish frowns upon any extra flavoring, and especially the addition of lemon of any kind. //www.formanandfield.com/notebook_history_smoked.html 

We met the lively, fit Mason family at the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo  //www.westernfoodexpo.com this year in Los Angeles who is determined to change it to daily fare — something like the drive to serve turkey year around and not just on Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Kevin’ explained,  “Motivation was pretty simple.  We were looking to our own best way to preserve the shelf life of fish for delivery.”  And the company only took shape after “many years of perfecting the Honey Smoking Process.”

Today there are several versions of the product.  Original Honey Smoked Salmon remains the most popular and features a blend of all natural herbs and spices with a light hickory smoke.  Also on the Honey Smoked Fish menu are: Lemon, Cajun, Cracked Pepper and Chipotle Lime — all of which would be frowned upon by purists.

Honey Smoked Salmon

A very mild, savory flavor can be detected on the front end, followed by a delightful faint touch of lemon. 

It is light but substantial, not the least bit salty and a texture that makes the fish fall apart in your mouth in a wonderful way.

This impressive artisanal pizza topped with tender marinated artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, and Honey Smoked Salmon. The company website offers recipes.

 Honey Smoked Salmon PizzaHoney Smoked Salmon Pizza

 

Party-Perfect Whole-Pig Roast at The Marina del Rey Hotel

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Marina Del Rey Hotel

(photo courtesy of The Marina Del Rey Hotel)

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Let’s go straight to the grill poolside to tell the store of the “Aloha to Summer” event created by the SALT Restaurant at The Marina Del Rey Hotel, (//www.marinadelreyhotel.com).  The festive “authentic Hawaiian” spirit made this event as extraordinary as “an island day in Paradise.”

For more on how the Hawaiian luau celebrates removing restrictions in group eating, please see:  //www.hawaii-luaus.com/history-of-hawaiian-luau/pig roast

This “Aloha to Summer” featured Executive Chef Mark Gold and his team cooking up a special whole-pig roast, fresh poke, and Hawaiian-inspired eats, available to order, each with a bold macaroni salad and pillowy toasted Hawaiian rolls. Friendly, experienced  Chef Garee even let us take a look up close.  Click here to see the grill in action:

IMG_2276

Fun, talented Chef Garee Battad

grill

We were treated to succulent, chewy and tender, suckling pig shreds and ribs just off the grill.

pineapple salsa

WHOLE SUCKLING PIG PLATE ($18) roasted poolside, on a bed of pineapple salsa.

LOMI SALMON

LOMI SALMON with heirloom tomato, scallion, coriander, serrano chili, sesame.

TERIYAKi CHiCKEN

TERIYAKi CHiCKEN included a quarter chicken ($14) .

BIG KAHUNA' BURGER

The beef ‘BIG KAHUNA’ BURGER($16) with grilled pineapple, house ‘thousand islands’ and macaroni salad. Chicken burgers are also offered.

Chef Garee and his own “outdoor” crew.

Special artisan beers and cocktails were offered all day at the TIDAL WAVE bar ($12-14 per creation) with a whimsical description to match.  A rotating list of draft brews was on tap.  You could  “make it a bucket” of beer (6) for $25.

The citrusy white Sandy Beaches cocktail was made with Gin fillet, falernum, lime, and absinthe.  The (pink) Shark Attack was a mix of Mount gay, mint, strawberry orgeat (almond syrup). You could definitely taste the layers of flavor in each.  All glasses and utensils used poolside are unbreakable for safety sake.

Sandy Beaches

The Sandy Beaches and Shark Attack.

Guests were meandering in when we arrived around noon.  A half hour later it was SRO with everyone pointing to the very place they wanted to be seated!  The staff took it all in stride. 

Hostess (turned party server) Markie Pastor, and F & B Director Greg Simons, put everyone in a holiday mood and made us all feel special.

(Above)  Wobbly table on the uneven deck?  Need an umbrella? SALT restaurant manager Richard Serrano and Greg (below) get the job done in a jiffy.

The locals  “stay cool” in their favorite spot.

 

Modern oceanfront property Marina del Rey Hotel’s spectacular pool area affords sparkling views of the marina. Two luxury cabanas and six “daybeds” are available to use for a $1000 and $600 food/drink minimum.

Visitors and locals  (21+) are invited to use the pool and order off the menu with no cover charge at the  Marina del Rey Hotel event series.

This welcome reflects how the luau first came into being in 1819 to celebrate King Kamehameha II’s abolishment of traditional religious practices in which men and woman ate their meals apart, and certain delicacies were forbidden to commoners and all women.

Marina del Rey Hotel; 13534 Bali Way, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

 

 

“Field to Fork” Goes Global at The LA Times “TASTE” Labor Day Week-end

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(Gerry Furth-Sides, Darien Morea) Globally- inspired dishes are featured by the vast array of restaurants at the upcoming Los Angeles Times ” The Taste,’  the annual festival celebrating the flavors of the world in Southern California style.

Hosted by The Times’ Food staff and acclaimed L.A. chefs and bartenders, The Taste meanders over the backlot small-town atmosphere set at  Paramount Pictures Studios.  This ultimate block party takes place during the last official days of summer vacation over Labor Day weekend (Sept. 1-3).  Admission to each of the five events includes unlimited tastings from the city’s best kitchens and a variety of wine, beer, and seasonal cocktails.  Details are below.

Two-day events featuring the best of LA area ethnic food

Field to Fork –  Sat., Sept. 2, noon to 3 p.m.

Hosted by Amy Scattergood, Times Food Editor, and Sang Yoon, Chef/Owner of Father’s Office and Lukshon;
Inspired by Southern California’s agricultural roots and DIY attitude, Korean chef, Yoon, and Miles Thompson (Michael’s) share their farmers market savvy by way of cooking demos and tastings.

Editor Scattergood will lead a discussion about the importance of farms with Romeo Coleman (Coleman Family Farms), Alex Weiser (Weiser Family Farms) and Wes Whitsell (Manuela). Ethnic and regional food samplings will be offered by restaurants, including Aqui es Texcoco, Banh Oui, Cento Pasta Bar, Coni’Seafood, Cruciferous, M Café, Maury’s Bagels, McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams, Robert’s Catering Service and VCHOS Pupuseria Moderna.

Sunday Block Party – Sun., Sept. 3, noon to 3 p.m.

Hosts Noelle Carter, Times Test Kitchen Director, and Sherry Yard, Chef/Owner of Tuck Room Tavern continue The backlot block party.  Restaurants include Cheezus, Cocobella Creamery, E.A.K. Ramen, Holtville Chicken & Chops, Hummus Yummy Food Truck, MessHall, Otium, Rosaliné, The Butcher’s Daughter and Tuck Room Tavern.

Sherry Yard

Tuck Tavern Chef Sherry Yard with Jet Tila

Former Spago pastry chef Sherry Yard will demystify pastry-baking and David LeFevre (Manhattan Beach Post) heads up a master class on making biscuits. Carter will host a panel discussion on brunch to include Chris Phelps (Salt’s Cure).

Tastings are ample and restaurant owners and staff are happy to talk about their food

Evening events include:

Dinner with a Twist –Sat., Sept. 2, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Hosted by Jonathan Gold, Times Restaurant Critic, Jenn Harris, Times Deputy Food Editor, Antonia Lofaso, Chef/Owner of Scopa Italian Roots and Black Market Liquor Bar, and Marco A. Ramos, Mixologist at Scopa Italian Roots;

Restaurants include Barrel & Ashes, Beauty & Essex, Black Market Liquor Bar, Faith & Flower, Mayura Indian Restaurant, Pedalers Fork, Scopa Italian Roots, Szechuan Impression, The Bellwether, The Ponte, and Wolf.

L.A.’s dining and cocktail culture take the stage with a chef-bartender demos and signature drink showcases.

Flavors of L.A. – Sun., Sept. 3, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Hosted by Jonathan Gold, Times Restaurant Critic, and Gilberto Cetina Jr., Chef/Owner of Chichen Itza and Holbox; Closing night of The Taste highlight the depth and diversity of flavors that make Los Angeles so international with demos by Cetina, Wes Avila (Guerrilla Tacos) and the team behind Badmaash: Pawan, Nakul and Arjun Mahendro.

Columnist Gold will explore Korean barbecue with masters of the grill: Jenee Kim (Park’s Barbeque) and Chris Oh (Seoul Sausage Co.). Restaurants include Chichen Itza, Frankland’s Crab & Co., Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, Holbox, Luv2eat Thai Bistro, Meals by Genet, Pasta Sisters, Revolutionario North African Tacos, Same Same and Worldwide Tacos.

Los Angeles Times The Taste presented by JetBlue Plus Card is produced in association with Best Events. The Collins College of Hospitality Management, L.A. Regional Food Bank, and Midnight Mission are the event’s charity beneficiaries. Opening Night ($150). Saturday and Sunday event tickets ($95 – $130). A $25 discount is available exclusively to Times subscribers. Details and tickets: latimes.com/TheTaste. Connect on FacebookTwitter and Instagram @TheTasteLA (#TasteLA).