Test Kitchen LA
I had an opportunity to attend a night of fantastic food and wine downtown at this year's incantation of Test Kitchen LA. http://testkitchenla.com/. This year' s residency is downtown in the soon to be opened Italian themed Bestia. A very lovely space off 7th and Santa Fe. The inside is a nice blend of rustic and industrial, with a nice long bar upon entrance.
So to start why not indulge in one of the nights special cocktails. The cocktail menu was created by Julian Cox and Chris Day. The original
Superba Snack Bar!!
So I first met Chef Jason Neroni at Cochon 555 this past spring at The House of Blues. I was blown away by his amazing pasta dishes where he included to honored guest of swine. I chatted with him for a while, listening to his plans for a "snack bar" in Venice. I was very intrigued by the concept, and his cooking. I sat waiting all summer till I heard that he had finally opened. Last week, I found myself in Venice at dinner time, and secured a seat at the bar that overlooks the kitchen.
5X5 Collaboration, INK, 9/16/2012
WAIT!?!?!? A five chef collaborative, progressive dinner you say?? Here in LA? And it happens more than once? Well there has been a few incarnations of the famous 5X5 dinner for charity. Last Sunday's was the last of the year, and at Michael Voltaggio's ink http://mvink.com/. The group who got together for the 2012 edition were, Voltaggio along with Josiah Citrin of Melisse http://melisse.com/, Rory Herrmann of Bouchon http://bouchonbistro.com/ , Michael Cimarusti of Providence
The Taste LA. – Labor Day Picnic
Yes dear friends and confidants, I attended the Labor Day Picnic of The Los Angeles Times "The Taste". And, I had the honor to be on the Backyard Burger Champs panel with Noelle Carter from the LA Times test kitchen. Thank you to whoever came over to hear our discussion! Hope you learned a tip or two from the burger masters. Here is the link to go check out my BLT&E burger. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2012/06/battle-of-the-burgers-blt-e-burger.html. My homage to a real deal
CRABS!!!!
Well first off, get your head out of the gutter. I'm talking KING CRAB, DUNGENESS, and all things ALASKAN CRAB!!!
What I'm talking about here, is Tracy's Crab Shack in Juneau, Alaska. I was up that way to take a small family cruise, and we left out of Juneau. An amazing town in it's own right. You get to see why they call this state the Last Frontier. But I digress, crabs.
Let me start with just two words. Crab Bisque. Thoughts of warm coziness in liquid form should fill your
Mammoth Mountain Food and Wine Experience
Yes folks!! You're favorite Southern California Resort now has it's very own Food and Wine weekend. It is a very small, easy-going experience. Nothing like the much, much bigger one in another mountain town. Mammoth is one of my favorite places to go. So add food, wine, education, and many many tastings, and I'm there.
It is short and sweet, starting Friday July 6 in the afternoon and finishing with a grand tasting Saturday night. My party arrived Saturday at lunch, and unfortunately
Cochon 555- Part Deux!
As promised, I had time to recover my brain, liver and stomach to further talk about the event known as Cochon 555. A massive pig cooking competition. 5 chefs, 5 heritage pigs, wine, whiskey and beer!!
Well this year was a little different than last year. It was a smaller venue and over two floors, so the flow wasn't quite there. Last year the event took place at St. Vibiana's downtown LA. An old cathedral that has undergone an amazing transformation. I have done the VIP ticket
Cochon 555
So I am slowly recovering from the Epic pig battle known as Cochon 555 a roving pig cooking competition. It pits 5 chefs in each city cooking 5 Heritage pigs tail to snout. There are wineries pouring much wine, beers and this year, whiskey. An overall big day in food and drink. Come hungry and leave satiated. I was so full I couldn't even get down the ice cream Scoops was dishing out.
This year the 5 chefs were Chad Colby of Mozza, Ben Ford of Ford's Filling Station, Neal Fraser of The
Santa Barbara County – Part II – Wine Country
Well here I will explore some of the spots to go in the Santa Ynez Valley for tasting wines and eating, and tasting more wines. Being it is so close to LA, most people don't give this area very much thought for having great wines. Well, I am here to correct that fallacy, because there are some superb wines available right up the road. And going in person you can cut out a lot overhead costs of wine shops, AND sometimes catch a special. I've already walked away with cases of wine for pennies
Hirozen Gourmet
I usually don't lose my head over a dinner, especially here in LA, where I tend to have many favorites, but Hirozen is phenomenal. So please only go if you are a true blue lover of real, authentic, fish. Go to some simple chain if you want a big picture menu of cut rolls. Don't bring that weak-ass attitude here. To a small tiny place in a non-descript strip mall along a non-sushi stretch of Beverly Boulevard.
I thought after one trip with a friend who is a regular that maybe we got lucky
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