Merchants we Love ~ Little Spain's Chef Alejandro Pages

Chef Alejandro Pages from Barcelona, is the owner and brilliance behind Little Spain at the Original LA Farmers Market. His tapas bar, gourmet grocery, and restaurant serve authentic cuisine from each region in his homeland. Here a little of Spain's traditions and culture are shared, with those of us lucky enough to be in LA.

As his biggest fan, I fired questions at him with enthusiasm as authentic as his exquisite dishes.

Being from a 3-generation restaurant family, what was the first recipe you ever learned?
I worked in my family’s restaurants since I was 14, and started by making the desserts. Crema Catalana was really the first dessert I mastered.

What are some of the new items on your menu?

• With many requests for salads, now we make several with fresh, healthy ingredients. One has 3 fine Spanish cheeses. Another, Tarifa, is made with seared tuna from Spain ~ the finest tuna in the world. Most tarifa goes to Japan.
• A new grilled sausage tapas dish with green beans and bacon; also one with eggs.
• Our Lobster Paella, for 4. It must be ordered a day in advance, so I can get the lobster fresh. It must be done right or there's no point in doing it at all!
• The Mallorcan paprika sausage tostada, with Mahon cheese, also from Mallorca.
  
• The Tarta de Santiago, a traditional cake from northern Spain. To call this cake Tarta de Santiago, it must be made from 70% almonds.
  
• More varieties of beer and wine, all from Spain.

What do you recommend for first-time guests?
Dishes that are prepared here, exactly as they are in Spain! Tapas like Patatas Bravas (fried potatoes), Croquetas Espanolas (fritters), Albondigas (meatballs; his Great Grandma's recipe), Choricitos al Vino (small sausages in wine), Gambas al Ajillo (shrimp). Also, the Paella. And the Jamon (ham) ... it's like you've flown there to eat! (The NY Times considers the Jamon Iberico de Bellota that they serve, to be the best ham in the world.)

What philosophy do you practice in the kitchen?
Cuisine is art, and you are part of that artwork. You must have the right inspiration in the kitchen, you cannot create new dishes while in a bad mood!

What is one item that is always in your refrigerator? Cheese
In your pantry? Olives
In your freezer? Ice cream

Let's play Rapid Fire! Don't think, just answer immediately about these choices as I call them:
Jamon or Chorizo? Jamon
Flan or Crema Catalana? Crema Catalana
Cava or Sangria? Sangria
Rosemary Goat or Manchego? Rosemary goat
Messi or Ronaldo?* (LAUGH) ~ Messi. I might as well stay home!

Now that we are all a little more well-versed on this fine Chef, his work, and loyalty to Barcelona ;-), I heartily recommend checking out Little Spain’s menu to gain more savvy (and salivation tendencies) about all of the above.

Then, please plan to enjoy this slice of Spanish heaven here on earth, as soon as possible!

Until next time I remain
Your Chef and Tour Maestra,
Diane Scalia

*Spain’s top soccer players, for Barcelona and Madrid, respectively

This Week's Appetizing News: Delicious Summer Ahead!

Rainy day greetings from LA to all of you!

As I write, I see tiny patches of blue sky out my window here at the beach, but woke up to light rain this morning. As much as I love my rain boots, enough already ... the sun is rumored to return for our tours coming up this week.

Today's post is about what else is peeking through right now, gently reminding that summer is just around the corner.

I love that yummy California cherries have just made their debut at the Original Farmers Market, both at Farm Boy and Farm Fresh Produce stores. Find amazing strawberries too ~ spectacular in salads with butter lettuce and fresh basil. Fresh sweet corn, which by the way is wonderful just cut from the cob and eaten raw in salads and homemade salsas, is also front and center at Farm Fresh Produce.

The local organic farmers are making their annual appearances now, on weekends in the Plaza by the main clock tower, offering the season's first crop of temptations like apricots and even white peaches and nectarines. Have I mentioned lately how incredibly good summer white fruits compliment Monsieur Marcel's Cantalet cheese that we taste on our tour? I have now!

Speaking of Marcel, next month (or sooner) there ought to be an impressive array of gourmet products from South Africa gracing its floor and shelves, celebrating what else is fabulous about the nation hosting the 2010 World Cup. Please stay tuned for more on that.

One more! His brand-new fresh salmon cakes, alongside his fresh crab cakes, have finally taken their rightful place at Bob Tusquellas Seafood Market, for a very good $2.99 each.

Now if you happen to be in the mood to try some delicious seasonal specials that others have prepared for your dining pleasure, I am excited to share a couple of winners that surely serve up pre-summer extremely well .... especially if you're hungry while in the LAX or Orange County areas ...

We recommend ....

Second City Bistro in Old Town El Segundo
Not only is the fare here famous for farm-to-table with flair, their Monday night wine tastings are one of their finest signatures. Our tour guest, fan, and very sweet friend, is their sommelier Gus, and he would love to know that we sent you. They are open for lunch and dinner at their exquisite historic location, and just a mere read of Chef Nikki's menu items will make you salivate!

Zov's Bistro, Cafe, and Bakery in three Orange County locations
Zov and her husband Gary are two of the loveliest, most generous people I have ever met, and their contemporary homemade signatures with Eastern Mediterranean influences, are truly some of the best on the planet, even for breakfast! While I adore their original Tustin location, I haven't dined there for quite some time, and I've just learned that their new cafe/bars have opened in Newport Coast and Irvine. Any or all of these three places deserve your - and our - time and attention! They're also on Facebook ~ consider 'liking' them!

Well, my beautiful friends, I leave you with those savory thoughts and, that's all she wrote for today because, it's time to make lunch!

Here is wishing you and yours a delicious week, filled with lots of special time around the table together!

Until next time I remain,
Your Chef and Tour Maestra
Diane Scalia

This Week's Appetizing News: A lesson in Poussin

Delicious greetings everyone!

On the heels of our May newsletter that arrived in your e-boxes last Friday (if you haven't seen it, catch a peek here), and since Lisa and I just posted you on all the good gossip from our desks here at Melting Pot Food Tours, this week's story is going to just tempt you to prepare a meal you might soon consider irresistible!

My friendly tour rounds at LA's Original Farmers Market include Julio's Farmers Market Poultry, because I can't seem to refrain from singing their praises. Their chicken reminds me of one I bought and cooked in Italy at a friend's home - so incredibly fresh, tender, and flavorful. My friends there at Julio's stall love to chat up sports, recipes, and what's new that they know I would just love. One day it was frog legs (I didn't love them and Andre' didn't mind my honesty; he doesn't like them either) and last week it was poussin. This too sounded French, so I was interested, yet again.

Poussin is a very young chicken which resembles a Cornish game hen. It is generally raised very carefully on select grains, to render delicious, tender, and succulent meat. They are specially bred to yield only a certain size and are harvested earlier than other varieties of chicken. The very pale meat is very low in fat and cholestrol, making it quite the healthy choice ... when you can get, and afford it.

Julio is selling them fresh from the farm, for $5.49/lb. Each poussin are just over a pound and split, will serve two.

So there I was, with my poussin and, a Brazilian recipe that I had discovered in the Brazilian magazine my friends at Pampas leave on their counter for those curious like myself. The recipe called for game hens, cornbread stuffing with prosciutto and cranberries, and papaya nectar.

Hmmm. Yes.

Let's see. I had a poussin, stuff to make brown rice and barley stuffing blended with bacon and raisins, and fresh oranges and limes were on my counter waiting patiently to be made into something fabulous.

Voila! The following is my very yummy recipe (which leftover half I am enjoying for dinner tonight) and I am beyond pleased to report that everything except the olive oil, brown rice, and barley (pantry staples), were purchases from my favorite Market.

The recipe was also inspired accordingly, and yields a myriad of colors, flavors, and textures that balance and compliment each other beautifully. For ingredients, I have indicated where you too, may buy the best groceries in town! You may also wish to drop by Breadworks for some kind of "mop"; you'll want to enjoy every last bit of what's left on the plate!

Brazilian-style Bacon-wrapped Poussin with Grain Stuffing and Citrus Reduction Sauce

1 slices bacon (Huntington Meats), chopped finely
1 shallot, chopped finely (Farm Boy Produce)
generous handful of black raisins (Farm Fresh Produce)
1 cup cooked brown rice with barley

1 poussin, approximately 1.25 lbs, rinsed and patted dry (Farmers Market Poultry)
2 slices bacon (Huntington Meats)

Your choice of fresh vegetables, chopped coarsely (I used onions, eggplant, and carrots; all from Farm Boy Produce)

Juice of 4 oranges and two limes (Farm Fresh Produce)

Preheat oven to 400F, and line a shallow baking dish with foil piece large enough to later wrap chicken in.

Cook 1 piece of diced bacon in small skillet. When cooked, add diced shallot and cook until soft. Add raisins and heat through. Add skillet mixture to cooked brown rice and barley, combine well.

Gently stuff poussin with rice mixture, then wrap two slices of bacon around poussin, breast side up. I gently tied the bacon pieces in a knot, you may wish to use a toothpick to hold the ends together. Place bird breast side down in prepared dish. Toss chopped fresh vegetables with a bit of olive oil, and sprinkle around prepared bird.

Place in oven, and roast for 45 minutes, stirring vegetables once during cooking time. After 45 minutes, wrap to cover entire contents with foil. Roast for an additional 15 minutes, or until clear juices run when thigh is pierced.

While chicken is roasting, place fresh fruit juices in small saucepan, and boil for 15 minutes or longer, until juice is reduced by half and yields a lightweight sauce. Keep warm until serving.

To serve, lightly coat serving plates with citrus reduction sauce, reserving a little. Carefully split poussin in half, and place on sauce, cut-side down. Spoon roasted vegetables around chicken, and top entire serving if desired, with more citrus sauce.

Yields 2 servings.

Here is wishing you and yours a savory and sweet week, ideally with time around the table surrounded by those you love!

Until next time, I remain,

Your Chef and Tour Maestra,
Diane Scalia

This Week's Appetizing News - Passion Fruit Curd+new Delibar

Happy end of April, food and travel fans!

This last weekend we entertained about 75 tour guests from Wednesday through Sunday. My wanderlust gets stirred up each time my guests tell me where they've been or where they're going, on either side of my tour. One couple was off to Australia and New Zealand while another was set to sail the Riviera, and still others were just having too much fun just touring SoCal, staying in Downtown LA, Santa Monica, Laguna Beach, and San Diego ... dining fabulously well at every turn! So here is wishing all of our travelers safe and yummy journeys!

For those of us staying in or near LA for the next duration, I have some great news that will tempt local palates for the here and now ~

One of our favorite LA tour guest-speakers, Chrysta Wilson at Kiss My Bundt Bakery, is at it again I'm thrilled to report! We were the very privileged tasters of her new, spectacular Passion Fruit Curd the other day, that she will be using in brand-new cake recipes (probably as I type). She is also considering offering a new class via her Baking Academy, on making fruit curds using fresh purees. Once again, I promise that we are very lucky that she is sharing her recipes and techniques, and I encourage everyone to rush over to her class page and consider learning from one of the finest and most clever culinary artists we have in our midst!

In addition to all that, I had the joy of dining out a couple of times last week, so it's time again to chat up a couple more delicious places that ~

We recommend ....

Chameau Delibar ~ formerly a more formal Moroccan dinner spot on Fairfax near Beverly, it has now been transformed to a 'delibar', which is more casual, open for lunch and dinner, and offers options like customizing your own sandwich. A selection of colorful, fresh, seasonal salads also adorn their display. I couldn't resist their Lamb Merquez Sausage sandwich with crispy leeks, alongside their fresh green salad with lemon dressing, delicious enough to slurp with a straw! If you like a Moroccan slant to your Mediterranean, very kind service, and a relaxing respite in an otherwise high-voltage neighborhood, you will love Chameau.

Chef Hannes ~ one of downtown El Segundo's finest traditions, for lunch (weekdays only) and dinner. With a well-priced menu offering salads, pastas, and specialty entrees, this exquisite little European bistro rarely has an item priced over $20. Hannes is from Austria and at one time was the private chef of Arnold Schwarznegger! Selections feature fresh farmers market veges, which taste like they were picked from the garden minutes before they appear on your plate. Heads up - closed Sundays!

That's it for this week ... next week you will find in an email box near you, the May edition of our e-newsletter, which will boast a recipe for the best fish tacos in the land, and we'll even suggest where to buy the ingredients!

Enjoy your weekend, ideally with lots of delicious time around the table with those you love!

Until next time, I remain ~

Diane Scalia
Your Chef and Tour Maestra

This Week's Appetizing News - Pappardelle, Parking on 3rd, and Pear Sandwiches!

Delicious greetings everyone! I hope this week finds you and yours somewhere happy and safe ... she writes as LA decides whether to rain or not... but never mind that. I want to jump right in and share some really good things!

It gives me great pleasure to let you in on where to buy the "Michelangelos of Pasta", in person, or online! If you're local, you will love shopping for Pappardelle's Pasta in the plaza near the main clocktower at the Original LA Farmers Market, every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. For over 25 years, they have offered more varieties of fine-quality gourmet frozen and dried pasta (including flavorful lasagne sheets), pesto and sauces, than any other maker. Their products boast handmade, rich-textured ravioli fillings and the artisan practice of small batch methods like slow-drying to ensure vitamin and protein integrity. If you like your pasta as much as I do, you will love their vast selection of flavors that include Tunisian Harissa, Rosemary Garlic, Four Peppercorn, Basil Tangerine, and Summer Herb. With extended offerings like Organic Whole Wheat and Gluten-Free Trumpets, theirs might become a must-stop at LA's best grocery store! Specialty oils and amazing balsamic vinegars by Bella Sol would round out your purchases nicely! Visit them online for recipes and to learn more, or stop to chat with Kyle and Vanessa at the Market soon!

Lisa and I are excited to be expanding our relationship with the West 3rd Street Business Association in the weeks to come. For now, we all want you to know that parking on the street while you shop and dine on weekends, has just become a dream come true! For $4 all day (plus tip), you may drop your car with one of 3 valet stands between Fairfax and LaCienega, and they will deliver your car to you wherever you end up! You may love to know that fabulous new merchants are filling up spaces in the most beautiful of ways! Last week we became acquainted with D.L. Rhein, an exquisite feast for your senses with unique designs, jewelery, aromatherapy, and even chocolates made in the Mayan tradition. Marcelita L'Art et le The' is a new tea salon and floral design boutique with French-Argentine owners who are delightful. Consider a day in the city to explore what's new ... now you can park easily, and you already know where to eat! Or, let us know if you need recommendations!

And finally, many of you have waited patiently for the Grilled Pear and Cheese Sandwich I refer to each time I chat up Monsieur Marcel's Cantalet cheese. April 2010 is apparently Grilled Cheese Sandwich Month, so here is my contribution to this fine culinary moment in history!

Grilled Pear Sandwich, with Cantalet Cheese

For each sandwich you will need:
Butter
Favorite whole-grain bread (I love Trader Joe's multigrain sourdough slices for this!)
Cantalet cheese, thinly sliced (our cheese guys will joyfully do, per your request!)
Thin slices of ripe, peeled, cored D'Anjou, Bosc, or Bartlett pears

Heat griddle to medium heat. Butter slices of bread and on one unbuttered side, place a few slices of cheese, then pear slices, topped with cheese slices. Top with second slice of bread, unbuttered side toward sandwich fillings. Place on prepared griddle; grill for about 1-2 minutes, until lightly browned, then flip and cook until second side is lightly browned and cheese is melted evenly. I sometimes remove from heat and place a lid over the sandwich to make the cheese ooze even more. Repeat for more sandwiches, or, until you use all ingredients ... whichever comes first!

I will leave you with that palate teaser, and wish you a fantastic week ~ ideally filled with time around the table surrounded by those you love!

Until next time, I remain,

Diane Scalia
Your Chef and Tour Maestra

This Week's Appetizing News - Argentine fever

Delicious greetings everyone! I hope this post finds you and yours enjoying all that comes with the beauty of April and spring. Today's post is a little unusual but I hope you enjoy it ... you'll have to humor me, I think I warned you about my spring fever recently, and now I have Argentine fever.

There was a lovely couple on my tour last Friday who had so much fun, they promised they were not going to be able to stop talking about it to everyone they knew. How fabulous was that to hear! (Thank you, George and Linda!) I about have the same passion at the moment about some "field work" that our tour-leader-extraordinaire Trish and I did yesterday after we co-hosted a tour of 17.

Some of you know that I am obsessed with world soccer. With the European Champions League finals going on now and the advent of the World Cup this summer, much of the world is in awe of Lionel Messi, Barcelona's 22-year-old phenom from Argentina. That includes me, and this has yielded unbridled curiosity lately for Argentine food (so I can write a story and recipe for him, as my muse). So, yesterday Trish and I treated ourselves to a spectacular visit to LaLa's Argentine Grill on Melrose. I hadn't had Argentine food in years ... foolish girl.

We had the privilege of meeting the very kind owner and gentleman, Horacio, who "keeps hearing about Lio Messi ...." and, he is a rugby fan. Not only was our meal out of this world, he and his staff made us feel incredibly special so, I am loving this opportunity to keep talking about them. We positively loved the Combo Appetizer of 3 empanadas (THE lightest and most delicious I have ever had! We let Steven our server choose for us - the beef, chicken, and spinach-cheese - are all recommended!), plus tortilla de papa (extraordinary potato quiche, Steven called it) and one grilled chorizo (perfection in a sausage). Alongside that we loved the Ensalada Melrose of chicken, warm rice, feta cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion in their homemade spicy honey mustard dressing. Everything is made from scratch, we were promised ... and I would guess, with love and passion, because you could taste it in every bite.

Clearly too full for dessert, we intended to part company with these lovely people. Then we were surprised with a exquisite serving of their flan drizzled with dulce de leche (see photo) and, two forks. Suddenly, miraculously, we had room for dessert. Smart girls.

Some of you may also know how much I love happy, sweet endings. To say that this gave whole new meaning to that reference, is an understatement!

My point of going on and on like this is, to impress upon all of us that we are so blessed in LA to enjoy different, authentic, fabulous world cuisine every single day of our lives if we choose to. It's why we call this blog series "The Lure of the Melting Pot" ~ it's our intention to encourage Angelenos and visitors and to appreciate and savor the amazing food treasures that line almost every street in our great city.

LaLa's Argentine Grill, which "We recommend ..." is certainly one of those (actually 2 of those, they also have a location in Studio City).

I wish you a fabulous week of dining well, especially with those you love and ~

Until next time, I remain your very full, and happy,

Diane Scalia
Tour Maestra

This Week's Appetzing News - Where to eat, right now!

Spring and restlessness is in the air for some, including myself. While I love cooking and eating at home, I've just got to jump in and open up this week's "We recommend ..." for places that are on a trajectory to become new dine-out objects of my obsession, and ideally yours too!

We recommend ...

California Fish Grill ~ actually Lisa gets credit for this one. With locations in Orange County and Gardena, they will be opening a new store soon in El Segundo. Fresh and inclined to "get you hooked", you might want to run, not walk, to this healthy spot at your next earliest convenience!

Berri's Cafe ~ One of those "We've walked by 1000 times" places, literally, since we pass this on our LA tour and I had never been before this morning! They are famous for their pizza, and now have just opened for breakfast. From now through April 15th, breakfast entrees are FREE between 6 and 8 a.m.! The exquisite dining room has a French accent and reminded me of my favorite cafe in Paris, true story. Their online menu does not yet boast its "petite dejeuner", but I strongly urge that you do drop in for one of the best little breakfasts in town as soon as possible. Soccer fans like myself will love that this summer, their lifesize TV projection will be showing the World Cup matches at whatever hour we need to watch them.

Philippe the Original ~ If you're lucky enough to be attending Opening Day at Dodger Stadium next Tuesday, you probably already know that Philippe's is the call for breakfast that morning ... or early dinner after the game. While they were closed for a brief spell earlier this year, all is alive and well again now. Another fabulous LA breakfast spot also open at 6am, they serve incredibly delicious and well-priced specialties and I personally recommend the homemade biscuits! Otherwise, don't miss their famous French dips (about $6) with a side of (my other favorite) macaroni salad (about $1), til 10pm daily! Coffee - 9 cents, lemonade - 75 cents ... the 102-year-old landmark experience ... priceless!

And finally, did you know that Julie&Julie's Oscar-nominated actress Meryl Streep doesn't have a lot of good food memories of good food from her childhood? Here is what she said about that:

"My mother had a lot of things she wanted to do, and cooking was not one of them. I remember when I was 10, I went to a friend's house up the street, and she and her mother were sitting at the table, doing something to tennis balls. I asked them what they were doing and they said they were making mashed potatoes. I told them mashed potatoes came in a box! They were peeling potatoes. I had never seen a potato."

Thank you, Valerie in Montana, for sending me that one!!

I leave you with that delicious idea of homemade mashed potatoes, as I exit this post and enter my own kitchen to prepare frog legs for dinner. My friends at Farmers Market Poultry are anxiously awaiting my report on that one.

Wishing everyone a yummy week, especially around the table with those you love!

Until next time I remain your faithful,

Diane Scalia
Chef and Tour Maestra