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CULINARY SOS
Dear SOS: This past week I dined at the Purple Palm restaurant in the Colony Palms Hotel in Palm Springs. One of their appetizers is "Spicy Macaroni and Cheese." It's nothing like any mac and cheese I've ever eaten. Every mouthful was an adventure. Unfortunately, once my dinner guest tasted it, I was forced to share more than I wanted to. If you could rustle up this recipe, it would be a great addition to my summer barbecues. >>
The Japanese eat the wheat noodles out of an ice-water bath, with a variety of condiments. Go ahead and slurp. >>
Fresh homemade cookies sandwiched with your favorite ice cream: Is there a more scrumptious summer treat? >>
THE CALIFORNIA COOK
Just because it's organic doesn't mean it's the best. Let flavor dictate. >>
The Irvine farmers market, the largest in Orange County, offers a wide selection and moderate prices. There are quite a few craft stalls, but produce is clearly the focus. >>
WINE OF THE WEEK
Everything you want in a Central Coast Syrah -- ripe, beautiful fruit, wonderful balance and structure, flavors of dark, juicy berries, wild herbs and a touch of smoke. Adam Tolmach's 2006 Santa Barbara County Syrah is a stunner. One of the original Rhone Rangers, he's no newcomer to Syrah and has distilled everything he knows about the grape into his wine. A true artisanal winemaker, for the past few vintages, he's been blending the Syrah with a touch of Mourvèdre and Grenache to terrific effect. >>
Lovers of the tart stuff are lining up as its availability increases, including at upcoming local festivals. >>
 Be prepared for big portions, big crowds and big noise at this Italian restaurant in the Brockman Building. It looks ritzy but is reasonably priced. >>
The rustic Valley Village cafe serves up an array of multinational ethnic specialties in a relaxed, convivial setting. >>
Govind Armstrong serves up wild boar burgers, designer cocktails and short rib grilled cheese sandwiches. >>
ARTISANAL TOFU
Southern California is full of great tofu makers, and we've searched out the best. >>
Working in tiny kitchens where sway is at play, private rail car cooks stay true to a legacy of fine dining. >>
The new cafe at the Hollywood Farmers' Market aims to connect small growers and the urban community, and help fight poverty, plate by plate. >>
AT THE MARKET
The grower of cherries and mulberries will resume selling at the Hollywood Farmers Market this Sunday. >>
ARTISANAL TOFU
Two ingredients and a steamer, and you're on your way to amazing tofu at home. >>
THE FIND
At Long Beach 'shack,' the Southern-fried seafood is finger-licking good. >>
Total time: 1 hour and 20 minutes, plus cooling time for the mushrooms >>
CULINARY SOS
Dear SOS: Ocean Avenue Seafood in Santa Monica has a delicious warm chocolate bread pudding dessert. Can you get the recipe? >>
Total time: 40 minutes, plus steeping and cooling times >>
Total time: 20 minutes, plus soaking and cooling time >>
Total time: 25 minutes >>
ARTISANAL TOFU
A guide to artisanal tofu makers in Southern California. >>
Total time: 45 minutes >>
Total time: 20 minutes, plus cooling and overnight chilling time >>
Total time: 15 minutes >>
WINE OF THE WEEK
A truly lovely Pinot Noir from Stoller Vineyards in the Dundee Hills of Oregon. >>
THE FIND
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RESTAURANT REVIEWS
Buffeted by the chilly economy, the Italian eateries get warmer and cheaper, each with different results. >>
THE CALIFORNIA COOK
Done right, cheap steaks cooked on the grill taste great. Your guests will never know the difference. >>
At a Glassell Park pickling factory, their company makes 'fresh packs' and naturally fermented sauerkraut the old-fashioned way. >>
COOKING
A good barbecue sauce is sweet, sour and spicy. Make your own to add a personal touch to your grill. >>
THE FIND
Familiar Mexican dishes happily coexist with the hearty cuisine of Bolivia at the Tustin restaurant. >>
AT THE MARKET
The plum-apricot hybrids include the Flavor Supreme variety, which is difficult to grow and has a less-than-appealing appearance but taste great. >>
CULINARY SOS
Dear SOS: I've recently fallen in love with beet salads of all kinds, but this beet/horseradish antipasti from Pizzeria Mozza takes the cake. This dish on their menu is called marinated beets with horseradish. If you could help me find this recipe, I would be eternally grateful. >>
WINE OF THE WEEK
This is classic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc that practically jumps out of the glass. >>
Where to shopKrüegermann Pickles & Sauerkraut can be found at select Vons, Pavilions, Gelson's, Mayfair, Albertsons and Whole Foods markets as well as at Alpine Village Mart in Torrance, Globe Delicatessen in Costa Mesa and Surfas Restaurant & Gourmet Foods in Culver City. For additional retail locations, call (323) 662-9313 or visit www.kruegermann.com. >>The millions of pounds of Vietnamese fish imported to the U.S. each year are not classified as 'catfish' and may not be subject to the same inspection regulations that will soon apply to the American >>
Ariel Rogers looked for all the world as if she was the only person in the room. Never mind the other high school seniors, the nervous parents with cameras, the teachers, the hovering professionals who watched and graded her as she pared potatoes into little football-shaped pieces. >>
At Street, Susan Feniger's new tribute to global street food, look for the slight woman with the high-wattage smile, in canvas shoes, khaki chef's jacket and baseball cap worn backward. That's Feniger, one-half of the Too Hot Tamales, co-founder of Border Grill and at 55, no longer the youngest chef on the block. Nor the most outrageous. >>
Crops and Rawbers and other caterers keep L.A.'s underground art and music scene fed with vegetarian, vegan, raw and other healthful dishes. >>
COOKBOOK WATCH
"Knife skills" is one of those phrases designed to separate everyday cooks like me from people who measure their onion-chopping powers against those of the last guy Gordon Ramsay wiped the floor with. >>
No ticket needed. Just take a seat as three chefs from around the Caribbean prepare distinct dishes. >>
CULINARY SOS
Dear SOS: I'm hoping you can help me get a recipe. We went to the new Santa Monica restaurant Riva last weekend. Dinner was great, but I was particularly impressed by the carrot cake. Normally, carrot cake is dense, but this cake was light but still had that great carrot cake taste. >>
FARMERS MARKETS
The Pasadena Victory Park farmers market, founded 25 years ago, continues to be large, well-run and focused on produce. >>
BEER OF THE MONTH
What's going on here? The silver-on-black label is a clue. It's a very dark beer, almost opaque, and you'd expect a porter, but it's dry. It's a schwartzbier, a relatively uncommon style in this country (the only really widely available American schwartzbier is Samuel Adams Black Lager). Think of it as a stout, made with the same sort of roasted malts, except that it's a malty, low-hopped lager. So it has a very foamy tan head, a clean lager flavor and a paper-dry but pleasantly rounded palate, with a mild chocolate aroma and just a little bite in the finish. >>
WINE OF THE WEEK
Come summer (which is now here, rain or shine), you can never have too many rosés stashed away for the aperitif hour. Here's one more for your collection: Domaine Les Aphillanthes' beautiful dry rosé from the Côtes du Rhône is scented with rose petals and strawberries. Made from a blend of Cinsault with Grenache, Counoise (one of the more obscure grapes that goes into a Chateauneuf-du-Pape blend) and a touch of Mourvèdre, it is full-bodied and delicious -- and finishes really dry. >>
Let California Cook columnist and L.A. Times Food Editor Russ Parsons serve as your guide to the freshest produce of the season. Recipes included, and updated regularly. >>
How complicated can zucchini be? After all, most people's biggest problem usually seems to be getting rid of it. Well, actually there are more than 100 varieties of zucchini grown today, ranging in color from gray-green to almost black and in shape from long and thin as a hot dog to bulbous (and that's not including the round zucchinis, which are technically summer pumpkins). >>
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Market fresh: Cooking through the seasons
Blog: Daily Dish
THIS WEEK'S RECIPES
The Times'
Test Kitchen tests over 600 recipes each year. Only about 400 earn
the seal of approval and make it into our weekly Food section.
Follow the Test Kitchen's triumphs -- and travails -- at our Food
blog, The Daily Dish.
Here are this week's recipes: |
