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