The Lure of the Melting Pot

Merchants we Love ~ Little Spain's Chef Alejandro Pages

2011-03-14T20:13:00.001-07:00

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!

2010-05-18T13:09:00.000-07:00

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 Marce l, 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

2010-05-11T13:30:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-26T16:32:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-04-20T16:35:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-15T10:59:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-04-07T18:03:00.000-07:00

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

This Week's Appetizing News - Bacon, Seafood, and Stuart

2010-03-23T17:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Spring everyone!

I have been Facebook-ing about having spring fever so before it sets in once and for all today, I wanted to send this dispatch to keep in touch! We have just a few quick notes for you, so here we go!

We have so many bacon fans on our tours, and in general in life, do we not!? So if you are a local, or you're planning a visit to LA soon, we think you need to know about where to eat some of the best bacon in town. This tip comes from our fabulous friend Chrysta Wilson of Kiss My Bundt Bakery (whose Maple-Bacon and Chocolate-Bacon cakes are phenomenal, by the way!) ~ she considers herself obsessed with what I'm about to tell you, and now I can give excellent testimony as well. Little Next Door on West 3rd Street offers breakfast 7 days a week. Their bacon is so incredibly delicious because, they buy it whole and fresh, from an organic farm, and slice it themselves. Nicolas Meschin, the charming owner there, told us the other day that the larger the quantity you buy, the better quality you get. His chef from Switzerland, Nicolas Peters, is all about buying and serving only the best. What you need to know, is that it is gorgeous on the plate. Cooked to perfection, its almost-curly presentation is like no cooked bacon I have ever seen. On my plate it sat next to two perfectly prepared farm-fresh organic eggs and a small portion of their potatoes gratin, so I have a second-to-last comment: Be sure to use the fresh baguette slices on the side, to mop up every last bit! Last comment: Rise-and-Shine special, Monday-Friday 8-10am, egg dishes are 30% off!

And while on the topic of what's delicious about spring, I had a wonderful conversation with Bob Tusquellas (the Bob of Bob's Doughnuts, Tusquellas Fish and Oyster Bar, and Seafood Market) the other morning. I am proud and privileged to pass his good news onto you. Coming next week or so, there will be a brand-new crab sandwich, and also a fresh ("incredible", says the man) salmon burger on the menu at Tusquellas. That's all we have on that for now, stay tuned for a gushing report (like the one above, about the bacon), at a later date!

Lisa and I were just talking about how proud and very pleased we are to have such fantastic tour leaders to represent our company! Trish Procetto and Mike Albanese do such great work to show off both Old Pasadena, and Farmers Market with 3rd Street, while taking excellent care of our wonderful tour guests. Now, with some more pride and joy, I am equally pleased to introduce Stuart Popkin, who is our newest tour leader. He is a native of Los Angeles, his 4 aunties really lived in a 4-plex home in the Fairfax District and, he used to visit Kiddieland so, that neighborhood is very close to his heart! When he is not offering stellar hospitality as a tour guide around town on other contract assignments (and now with us), he is a resident expert at "Relax the Back" and, a secret shopper! He appreciates fine dining and the rich culture and arts our great city boasts, and we know he'll be a great addition to our team. He will begin hosting our LA tour this Sunday, and we are very excited to welcome him to Melting Pot Food Tours!

Our April e-zine/newsletter is due up in the next week or two, we will let you know when to expect it in an email box near you! For now, please enjoy a beautiful week celebrating the joy of spring, ideally sharing fabulous foods around the table with those you love!

Until next time, I remain ...

Diane Scalia
Your Tour Maestra

This Week's Appetizing News - Think Green in Delicious Ways!

2010-03-15T20:07:00.000-07:00

This week's post comes right on time for St Patrick's Day, so let me start by wishing everyone the Happy Luck of the Irish and reminding you to wear something - or better - to eat something green, on Wednesday!

If you're stumped as to what that ought to be, may I gently suggest some homemade cupcakes topped with either green icing, deco-sugar, or candies?! Try one of my favorite chocolate cake recipes morphed into cupcakes that have a simple chocolate-mint twist, at the end of this post.

If you'd rather have someone else do the baking, our favorite Cake Maestra Chrysta Wilson is busy as usual and at your service at Kiss My Bundt Bakery. This week (even perhaps all month; all cakes are available to order) she'll have specialty cakes that range from "Green Velvet" (which we hope to sample on Wednesday's tour!) to Bailey's Irish Cream to pound cake drizzled with a fantastic Irish Whiskey glaze ... and that probably is just the beginning; she never ceases to amaze us. Become their fan on Facebook and follow them on Twitter to be in-the-know this week and at all times!

Now is the perfect time to chat up the "green" restaurant owned by Jesse James (husband of Oscar-winning actress Sandra Bullock). In Long Beach, next to his world-famous West Coast Choppers motorcycle store, sits Cisco Burger. I am always on a great burger hunt (she writes, as swimsuit season approaches ...) and I can't wait to check this one out. There is lots to love about them besides their simple handcrafted/homemade menu items that are "wallet friendly", and made with farm-fresh and local ingredients. Their hybrid delivery car brings goods home from their mostly solar-powered facilities, they participate in local recycling, and all packaging containers are biodegradable paper products. There is no drive-thru at this "old world hamburger stand with a modern eco-friendly philosophy", but surely enough allure to call a crowd to their breakfast and lunch tables, 7 days a week!

And speaking of allure, sweeten the day of your favorite loved one(s) with this recipe, and enjoy the good luck that will inevitably yield!

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

1 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder (make sure date on bottom of can is in the future!)
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup strong, brewed coffee or espresso - warm is best
12 unwrapped Andes thin Creme de Menthe pieces
Chocolate-Mint icing + Green sprinkle sugar or green candies to decorate

Preheat oven to 350F, and prepare 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or coat with cooking spray. Sift first 6 ingredients into large mixing bowl. Whisk oil, vanilla, egg, and milk until smooth, in medium bowl. Stir moist ingredients into dry ingredients, with wooden spoon (hand mixer not necessary) until just combined. Add coffee and stir until blended well; do not overmix. Gently spoon batter into muffin cups, distributing evenly. Tuck one Andes mint into each cupcake. Bake for about 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in a center cupcake comes out clean. Let cool completely before topping with Chocolate-Mint Icing. Yields 12 cupcakes.

Chocolate-Mint Icing
3 Tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pure peppermint extract
3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted with 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Combine butter and extracts until smooth. Gradually add cocoa-sugar and stir until thick and creamy. Adjust flavor with more sugar or extract(s). Frost cupcakes as desired, decorate with green sugar or candies to serve favorite leprechauns. (3 green M&Ms placed together yield a sweet a 3-leaf clover!)

Wishing you and yours the best of fun, love, and luck around the table this week!

Until next time, I remain,

Diane Scalia
Your Tour Maestra

This Week's Appetizing News - Hope you're Hungry!

2010-03-11T16:41:00.000-08:00

We hope you all enjoyed our March e-newsletter, which is posted now on our Facebook Fan page in case you missed it.

This week's post is a little delayed but, that is no accident ... I like to believe that delays are good and our having discovered a brand-new dining gem is what this one yielded today. So! Without further ado, let's get right in to this week's ...

We recommend ...

Sophy’s Cambodian and Thai Cuisine, Long Beach
Eyes-roll-back-in-your-head delicious! Sophy came here as a young refugee from Cambodia and finally has her own exquisite and spacious haven, where she proudly serves over 100 fresh, authentic menu items. I tried (and loved) the Asian crepes (Banh Cheo; pictured in photo), and Fried Eggplant with Ground Pork. Tons of vegetarian and wheat/gluten-free selections (crepes, wraps, and noodles made of rice flour). Heads up: entrance at back parking lot! Open 9am - 10pm, 7 days.

TODAY's GEM: Canteen Burger Bar and Grill, Redondo Beach
Trish, our fabulous Melting Pot Food Tours leader and I, so couldn't wait to devour our burgers dressed with fig-balsamic aioli, arugula, and a Parmesan crisp 'slice' ... that we, mmm, don't have a photo to show you (same for the fries, sorry) but, we promise that they were beyond fantastic!! We collectively, definitely recommend you run, not walk, to this brand-new pearl near Riviera Village in deep south Redondo. Their site is only their menu at the moment, but note that non-carnivores might really enjoy their vegetarian falafel burger. Half-price burgers through tonight (11 March) to celebrate their grand opening!

Holy Cow Indian Express, West 3rd Street near LaCienega, LA
This little sister restaurant of the former Surya on 3rd Street is some of our favorite Indian in town. Brothers Sheel and Neel take tremendous pride in their fresh and innovative offerings. Here we love the Paprichat (like Indian nachos) and the chicken tikka masala, which will have you looking for either more fabulous naan to mop up the last of its sauce or, a straw to just slurp it up! Free parking while dining. Open at 11:30am weekdays, at 3pm on weekends. 8474 W. 3rd Street, LA 90048 323.852.8900

In other news, the annual Spring Wine Fest event is taking place in the upper dining deck of the LA Farmers Market next Saturday, March 20 from 1-4pm. $30 ($25 for paid reservations by March 17th) is quite the fair ticket price for tastings of 40 wines and wine cocktails, plus gourmet cheeses from Monsieur Marcel. Quite possibly the main event will be samples from Chef Steven Brown's brand-new "small plates" menu at Ulysses Voyage restaurant, which promise to be spectacular.

Please remember that this Saturday is the night to change your clocks before sleeping! We spring forward Sunday at 2am, and have an extra hour of daylight to look forward to that evening and from now on!

That will do it for this week, food fans ... next week I promise a very special "St Patty's Day" Salute to GREEN issue, including the perfect cupcake recipe to sweeten your favorite leprechaun's tooth!

Wishing you and yours a fabulous week of dining well, especially at the table with those you love!

Til next time, I remain ...

Diane Scalia
Your Tour Maestra

This Week's Appetizing News: Celeb Regular at the Market

2010-02-17T18:55:00.000-08:00

Happy Post-Valentines Day-Mardi Gras-Chinese New Year everybody! We hope your weekend was grand, however you celebrated. This has been quite the eventful month so far!

Since we boast regular celebrity sightings on our tours, we are just a little excited to report that actor George Segal (photo here) has been a new Monday-Saturday "regular" at the "Hollywood Table" of the East Patio at the Original Farmers Market, where our tastings commence on our LA tour. Today I was in the patio and noticed that this group of men, most of whom wear fedoras or berets (including Mr. Segal) begin to gather right around 9am, and enjoy coffee and usually lively conversation, with laughter. Our group this morning enjoyed Bob's Coffee and Doughnuts just to the side of their table. Mr. Segal was a big favorite of Lisa's and mine in his role at Jack Gallo on "Just Shoot Me" some years ago. Mind you, we haven't had the guts to go introduce ourselves and tell him so ... yet ...

We have dined pretty well lately, and have a couple of hits to report for this week's ~

"We recommend ..."
Britt's BBQ, El Segundo - Lisa especially recommends the baby-back ribs and suggests that the mac-and-chili is a don't-miss!
Kassava Caribbean, West 3rd Street (just across from Cedars-Sinai Hospital) - I recommend the fried chicken with jerk sauce, roti, and Jamaican patties and then making 10 or 12 or 20 subsequent visits to try everything else on the menu. Today they were out of their French Caribbean cupcakes due to a large order for the hospital, so I didn't get to try them. (I do not like when that happens.)

And finally, if you like the idea of coming on our LA tour soon, you will love this news! Ferrara Chocolate has generously offered us samples of their Belgian Milk Chocolate Bars, as gifts to our LA tour guests for the next few weeks at least. We have tasted them (just to see if you would like them, of course!), and we think they are going to be very well-received! Available at Ralph's and Walgreen's stores now, we welcome you to try them out if you want to enjoy some of the best-quality chocolate this side of the continent!

I will leave you with that tempting thought, and wish you a week filled with all things delicious, especially at the table with those you love!

Until next time, on behalf of Lisa, I remain your faithful ...

Diane Scalia
Tour Maestra
Melting Pot Food Tours

... from our Melting Pot: Guacomole with a New Orleans Twist

2010-02-09T15:14:00.000-08:00

In This Week's Appetizing News, we wish to offer our humble congratulations to the New Orleans Saints, for their Super Bowl XLIV victory last Sunday!

Now, let's consider that ...

their prestigious championship deserves an honorary recipe,
last Friday was - surprise! - World Nutella Day,
Di is working on a new concept for us called "French Fridays",
next Tuesday is Mardi Gras (New Orleans is so busy this month!) and,
we love our French tour merchants and, our fans in France (hence the baguettes)!

With great pride and joy, Di offers her New Orleans-inspired guacamole recipe. It was originally developed for the Chilean Avocado Board, in 2004 for the Sugar Bowl game. Served with toasted baguette slices, admittedly it seems quite strange and unusual ... until you get a taste and, can't stop eating it! Try it for a Mardi Gras celebration or anytime you have occasion for boasting a fantastic new appetizer!

PS: Click here if you want to take the guacamole to whole other French level ...

New Orleans-style Guacamole
3 large, ripe avocados, peeled, seeded, cut in chunks
2 tsp Tabasco sauce, or to taste
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar or, orange juice
2 tsp hot-and-sweet mustard
2 cups cooked (peeled, deveined, tails removed) shrimp, chopped coarsely
1/2 large sweet white onion, diced
Sugar-Pepper, for seasoning and garnishing dip:
2 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp red cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 tsp sugar

Toasted French baguette slices, for serving

Mash avocado chunks in large bowl. In separate bowl, whisk next four ingredients until smooth. Gently stir into mashed avocado and blend well; add shrimp and onion. Prepare Sugar-Pepper by mixing salt, black pepper, red pepper, and sugar. Add gradually to taste, to avocado mixture, adjust seasoning, reserving some sugar-pepper for topping guacamole if desired. Transfer to serving bowl, garnish as desired. Enjoy as spread for baguette slices. Yields 6-8 servings.

Or, if you just prefer someone else do the food and you practice being a guest, you might really love this weekend's LA Street Food Fest. Take your Valentine, your Mardi Gras date, your Chinese New Year of the Tiger buddy, or maybe even someone who doesn't have to work or study on President's Day Monday! Enjoy a full-on food-frenzy extravaganza offered by LA's most popular catering and gourmet trucks, all in one location. Goodwill is part of the deal, so feel good about toasting the LA Food Bank at one of the beer and wine bars!

Just enjoy! On behalf of my lovely siser Lisa, you are wished delicious hours around the table this week, especially with those you love! Happy Valentines Day, Chinese New Year, and Presidents Day!

Until next time, I remain,
Diane Scalia
Your Tour (and Blog) Maestra

New Home: This Week's Appetizing News from our Melting Pot!

2010-02-02T13:32:00.000-08:00

Happy Groundhog Day! Punxsutawney Phil (shown in photo, left; courtesy of Fox news) apparently saw his shadow this morning, so it looks like we've got a little winter left. Perhaps look at the bright side - more fabulous winter meals for the next six weeks at least!

Meanwhile, here at Melting Pot Food Tours, as we continue to stretch and grow and move toward more fun and success, we're gently mixing a few things up - for the greater good! To jazz up our new Facebook fan page, we've decided to post a blog story and newsbites about what is delicious each week, usually on Tuesdays. This blog post will take the place of our former weekly messages to members' inboxes.

We will also continue emailing our monthly "Appetizing News" newsletter, so we'd love you to kindly sign up for our mailing list if you haven't already!

This week we're simply going to introduce a new feature we'll be presenting regularly. "We recommend ..." will acquaint you with places we've discovered - or maybe have loved for a long time - that we consider hidden treasures for great dining in and around town (other than those which are current tour stops)!

We would love to hear from you about your favorite independently-owned places as well! Let's do our part to give these best-kept secrets more exposure and keep them thriving! Here's a few to start us up.

We recommend ...

Playa Blanca - Peruvian cuisine, moderately priced, incredibly delicious! Owned and operated by family, in El Segundo. Lunch and dinner.

Antigua Bread Bakery and Cafe - Fresh, wonderful Guatemalan with a Euro twist, i.e., enjoy croissants and/or chilaquiles for breakfast...lunch...dinner! In Highland Park with a new location opening soon in West Alhambra on Huntington Drive. Their new site is forthcoming but locations are listed on current page.

TART - Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, just across from the Original LA Farmers Market at the Farmer's Daughter boutique hotel. Considered "Southern Chic", its classy comfort food is so very good! Di's particular weakness is their homemade biscuits for breakfast ...

Where have you eaten lately that you think ought to top our don't-miss list? Please let us know! Tell us a little about what you enjoyed, the price levels, and where/how we can learn more about the place. Post your comments on our wall or here on the blog. Thank you!

We hope you've enjoyed this post, and please know how very much we appreciate your becoming a fan on our new page! Please tell your family, friends, Romans, countrymen, people you don't like (kidding about that last suggestion) about our fan page if you'd like, we'd love to continue to grow with your support!

Enjoy a delicious week, especially with those you love around the table! We'll see you here next Tuesday. Until then, we send ...

Warmest regards,

Lisa and Diane Scalia
Your Melting Pot Tour hosts

Chocolate Chip with a Peppermint Twist

2009-12-21T18:14:00.000-08:00

Let me first say, humbly, that this year's Cookie Parade has been a huge hit. I am just so touched that so many of our tour merchants, partners, and friends loved the gifts we offered last week, with such joyful passion. Several requests were made for more cookies, please, as in, encore! More than one suggestion was made to have our own cookie shop. Wouldn't that be nice??

All of this hoopla has actually made me quite introspective, and filled with joy, to think about how really, really happy people are to receive cookies. I would just love to share, that whether you ever make any of my recipes or not, just know that the offering the gift of homemade cookies is almost powerful enough to make people (especially doubters) believe that we do in fact live in a kind, loving, and benevolent Universe. I just love being an agent of that.

My sisters and I were on the phone to each other yesterday, comparing baking notes from our respective kitchens. Lisa finally got on board which is why that call wasn't made until Dec 20; she has finally come out under from the heaps of work in her office. We anxiously await the first taste of her signature spritz cookies. Suz and I never really wanted that job, I think the spritz cookies have always only been on Lisa's list.

Before I get to one recipe which has made a big splash on my own hit list this month, I appreciate your allowing me to reminisce about some of the most special cookies we grew up with. They came from across the street, from our neighbor Mary Mendes. She has since passed away, for many years now but, I know that we can all still remember her special paper plate of homemade cookies that we received every year as a family. The tag always said "from Mary Mendes", as if we might confuse which Mary made the best cookies on Cordova Street.

Mary was like the neighborhood grandma. She called all 5 of us, and all the other neighborhood children, her "little chickadees". Right up until the time she passed away, in her 90s, she would still recall how she took care of all of us at one time or another. Her husband died when she was 59, and she learned to drive their classic 1965 mustang with my mom as her instructor. The day she passed her driving test, my father made her a cocktail to celebrate and she giggled with excitement. She was an absolute darling, and this Christmas my thoughts keep returning to her memory.

The 'return' of my cookies seem to be having the same impact on my gift recipients, as her cookies had on my family. I am so touched that bakery owners and gourmet chefs and shopkeepers are thrilled beyond measure to receive my homemade cookies, when we all know LA's best products are right at their fingertips 7 days a week. Growing up, we made batch after batch of homemade cookies and, to receive those from "Mary Mendes" was still like receiving a bountiful treasure chest each Christmas. We especially loved that the cookies were usually the same varieties each year. What an incredible gift she offered ... it was like you could taste the love in every bite of her simple, beautifully crafted cookies.

I feel like her spirit nudged me this month to add some peppermint to my chocolate chip cookies. Her chocolate chip cookies (the BEST) always seemed to pick up the flavor of something peppermint on the plate. This year, I added a chopped peppermint bark bar from Trader Joe's, (which is made with both white and dark chocolate I believe) to the dough. It makes a fantastic cookie! If you can't find this bar, peppermint bark is seasonally available at many stores, including Cost Plus, Crate&Barrel, Williams-Sonoma, Sur La Table, and maybe even grocery stores right now.

My chocolate chip cookie recipe is basically the original Toll House one, the first recipe I ever learned with my mom. I gently recommend using the best vanilla extract you can find, pure butter, and even cage-free or organic eggs to yield the absolute, most delicious cookies.

If those high-grade ingredients are not handy, adding a healthy dose of loving feelings while you mix and bake the dough, will suffice. I love listening to my favorite music while I bake. I do everything by hand without an electric mixer so I can focus on how yummy the dough looks. I really think, if you take the time to have all of your senses engaged - sight, sound, touch, smell, taste (the last two can kick in even before baking) - your cookies can't help but be spectacular.

Please, try it and let me know!

Chocolate Chip Cookies with a Peppermint Twist

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cup flour, sifted with 1 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp salt)
12 oz (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Trader Joe's Peppermint Bark Bar, chopped or, 1/2 cup chopped peppermint bark

Preheat oven to 375F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream butter and sugars, blending well before adding eggs and vanilla, combine well. Add dry ingredients and combine well. Stir in chocolate chips and peppermint bark.

Drop by teaspoonful, two inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned on edges. Cool on wire racks, store in airtight container.

Yields 50-60 cookies.

Spicy Ginger Snaps

2009-12-09T17:15:00.000-08:00

Welcome to post 2 of my promised Holiday baking series of recipes, and the lore that goes with.

These spicy ginger snaps have lots of stories associated with them, not the least of which is about them resonating with a beautiful Italian cousin of ours. Linda loves to eat them when we are all very full at the end of our mom's annual Christmas Open House, because "they're ginger, they settle your stomach, right?"

Yes, Linda, I have promised her. Especially if you eat 2 or 5 or 10 of them!

The original recipe is from the Dahlia Lounge in Seattle, Chef Tom Douglas's first success story in the Pacific Northwest. It was in Fine Cooking magazine, alongside a Pineapple Sorbet recipe. More on the pairing of sorbet with these in a minute ... for now let me just say, YES, for that concept. This recipe was clipped and has been resting in my Christmas cookie file for many years. Each December it is the first to come out. I love the freshly grated ginger in these (I use more than the original recipe), and have added fresh nutmeg because I love it and, nutmeg makes people happy.

Please know that of course, they are delicious the other 11 months of the year as well. They were on the esteemed menu in October of 2002 when my friend Jan and I were committed to "red food" during the LA Angels' run toward the World Series. We believed that if we lit red candles and ate red food each time we were together to watch a postseason game, the gods of baseball would be pleased and, favor the Angels. We ate these cookies alongside (red) Cabernet Sorbet (an incredibly delicious idea and pairing, by the way) during the American League Championship series. The Yankees went home. The Angels went on to play in their first World Series ever and, they won.

The ginger snaps' next claim-to-baseball-fame was in June 2005. It was Derek Lowe's birthday, he was pitching that night, and it was the first time we catered sushi for the LA Dodgers in their clubhouse. He asked us to please not serve him too much of the sushi because he either had, or would get, an upset stomach. I made him a plate of cookies that the guys put by his locker with a Happy Birthday note on a yellow post-it that they had handy. I wrote, "the ginger snaps will settle your stomach". (I learned that from my cousin Linda.) The plate of cookies got a mention in the LA Times the next morning. I still have the clipping!

Later on in life, they became the favorite of one of my beautiful Roman friends, Riccardo. Our friend Bruno was living in LA at the time, and was off to New York to spend New Year's with our friends from Rome, by way of Colorado for Christmas. Bruno and I had breakfast at Philippe's the Saturday before Christmas. (Little sidebar advice here: Take a Roman to Philippe's some time; it's tremendous fun!) I gave Bruno about 6 or 8 containers of homemade cookies to share with Francesca, Diego, and Riccardo in New York. He promised me they'd stay fresh in the Colorado cold. I learned later, that Riccardo's favorites were these ginger snaps when the cookies came out every morning with their espresso. When I visited them in Roma the following spring, I had every intention of baking them while I was there - I'd even brought my own nutmeg grater - but never got the chance to do that. But I was consoled to meet Diego for the first time, and be introduced to him accordingly:

"Remember those cookies in New York? This is THAT Diane!"

It gives me great joy and pleasure to share this recipe. My wish for you, is that they garner new, delicious fame each time they come out of your kitchen. Don't forget to mix in the love!

Riccardo's Favorite Spicy Ginger Snaps
12 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/2 cubes), softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Cinnamon sugar, for dipping before baking

Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add the egg, molasses, ginger, combine well. Sift dry ingredients and add gradually, stirring until a smooth mixture results. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using about 1 Tbsp dough, roll into balls; roll each ball in cinnamon sugar. Place about 2" apart on baking sheet and bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Cool completely and store in airtight container. Yields about 4 dozen cookies; recipe is easily doubled in direct proportion.

Ricotta Sugar Cookies: 1st of Best Cookie Recipes!

2009-12-03T17:24:00.001-08:00

My sisters and I grew up baking Christmas cookies, and I am the first of us three to admit that the mindset of Holiday baking 'sets in' immediately after Thanksgiving dinner.

That is, right after we consult with our mom - or like this year, take over on her behalf - to decide on the menu for her annual Christmas party in early December. Suz just about had her clipboard handy this year to make sure my mom knew our take on her menu this year. The most important thing to note, is that our mom is to do none of the baking. We will handle that.

December's blog posts, which I will try to keep coming fast and often, will be dedicated to Christmas cookie recipes, and the stories that inspire them. I cannot promise that my sisters' recipes will get any days in the sun here, but hopefully those I do share from my own files, will be warmly, and deliciously, received.

The first one is for Ricotta Sugar Cookies, and this is one of my favorite stories ever.

In 2004, I volunteered to demonstrate Italian recipes on the Cooking Stage at the Feast of San Gennaro in Hollywood. The stage was managed by volunteers extraordinaire, Dolores and Johnny, two of the kindest, most fun, young&beautiful people I have ever met. I told Dolores, when we were planning the menus for each chef, that I wanted to make dessert, since the other chefs were all featuring savory recipes.

She gently suggested I make her mother's Ricotta Sugar Cookies, which simple, delicious recipe was shared in that year's cookbook. I was honored that she had offered something so special and I agreed to the idea in a heartbeat. I even made a double recipe. There were more than enough cookies for our audience that night, all of the volunteers and then some, and then the village after that. But everyone knows Italians don't know how to prepare small portions of anything.

What I didn't know, was that Dolores' mom had passed away several years before. When her father tasted the cookies that night, I believe with tears in his eyes, he said he was touched that they tasted so good, he had almost forgotten ...

Suddenly I knew that Dolly's cookie recipe is probably one of the most precious family heirlooms they had. It made me all the more humble to have prepared them, both for her and her father, and for so many others who all agreed they were so incredibly delicious.

Dolores and I reconnected a couple months ago. I told her that I make these cookies every Christmas, and I send a prayer of love and gratitude to her mom, and to her whole family, for such a precious (and I said incredibly delicious, didn't I??) gift each year. To prepare them each time, is still an honor and, a joy!

In December 2005, I brought a ton of Christmas cookies to the managers of the LA Dodgers' Clubhouse, because I wanted to stay connected with them after having been their caterer during the previous season. When one of them tasted this cookie, he looked at it with such wonder and said, "Oh my god, how did you make these?"

I just smiled. No-brainer, Mitch, come on.

With love.

In that same spirit of Holiday wonder, it gives me tremendous joy to share this recipe with you.

Dolly Tersigni's Ricotta Sugar Cookies

1/2 lb. butter, room temperature
2 c sugar
3 eggs
4 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 lb. ricotta cheese (I usually use SIENA or the Trader Joe's brand)
2 tsp vanilla

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Alternately add this mixture and ricotta to batter. Add vanilla. Drop 1 teaspoon of batter on greased cookie sheet and bake for 15 mins at 350.

Icing:
1 1-lb box granulated sugar (per original recipe; I use about 1 lb. powdered sugar)
2 tsp soft butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
milk as needed

Mix together and add milk until you obtain consistency to your liking.

(I tint the icing red and green, then drizzle it over the cookies. The cookies are also delicious and quite perfect just sprinkled with powdered sugar!)

Yields about 4-5 dozen cookies.

Really good Clean-out-the-Fridge recipes

2009-09-17T11:08:00.000-07:00

OK now this is only the story for you, if you:

don't have any science projects going on in there
buy fresh produce regularly
have some meat, cheese, or other protein in there (tofu, for instance) OR
have nuts or nut butters available
have some pasta, rice, or grains on hand, preferably cooked OR
you're OK with some kind of bread as a 'mop' to be your starch 'side'

Or at least some of the above are true.

Years ago, I went with my best friend to her aunt's home in San Clemente for the weekend, and from the leftover beef roast we ate on Friday, our hostess made the best taquitos on Saturday. I was in awe, and thought it would be a dream come true if I could work that kind of magic one day in my own home - alchemizing leftovers into completely different and delicious meals.

Well the last however many years have been very kind to me, and now we see that I ought to be careful what I wish for. Granted, taquitos are not my strong suit, but throw-together meals are. For me personally, when I'm ready to eat I prefer to do so as soon as possible, so dinner especially needs to be prepared quickly since it's usually been a while since lunch. For me, 30 minutes is quick because I do not own a microwave.

I typically buy enough of whichever sausage, chops, burger blend, etc., Jim recommends when I do my weekly grocery shop at Huntington Meats on Saturdays.

When the weather is not too warm, I positively love the following for dinner. This you can make with any fresh vegetables you have. You don't need to add a lot of seasoning unless you want to, because the protein is already well-seasoned just by its own virtue. I recommend that all vegetables be cut in pieces that are about the same size, and that an ovenproof skillet (preferably cast-iron) or casserole be used. Recipe is easily multiplied in direct proportion.

Oven-roasted sausages and vegetables with wine, for 2
2 fresh uncooked sausages, spicy or uniquely-seasoned are my favorites
about 4 cups fresh vegetable chunks
Extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
Red or white wine, or chicken/vegetable broth, if non-alcohol is preferred
Place sausages in large oven-proof skillet or casserole in 400-degree oven. Roast for 10 minutes while vegetables are prepared. Toss vegetables with a little oil and vinegar, salt and pepper. Place around sausages, and return skillet to oven. Roast entire mixture for about 25 minutes. Pour some wine or broth over roasted mixture, and toss pan contents slightly. Return to oven for 5-10 minutes. Serve over cooked pasta, mashed potatoes, or on its own, with warm bread to mop up juices from the plate. Yields 2 servings.

I made a similar meal with lamb shanks the other night, only I slow-roasted everything after searing the shanks in olive oil before placing them with vegetables in the oven. Use 325 for oven temperature, and roast for about an hour. This was a good Friday night meal for me, I could allow the hour between prep and eating to finish up work, take a cool shower, and enjoy a well-deservered glass of wine at the end of the day (just as I doused the lamb&vegetables in red wine to finish the dish. It tasted very 5-star, I promise you!)

If you prepare a meal without animal protein, those can be quickly whipped up too.

I love pasta with tofu and vegetables, and now that there are whole-wheat and whole-grain varieties out there, it feels even more virtuous to indulge in a pasta meal on a whim.

Asian-inspired pasta with tofu and greens
1/2 lb. pasta of choice
1/2 lb. firm tofu, cut in cubes
Desired amounts of broccoli, baby bok choy, zucchini or other favorite vegetables, cut in small pieces
Finely chopped celery, green onion, garlic, ginger
Sesame oil
White wine or chicken/vegetable broth
Equal parts pure maple syrup combined with soy sauce (about 1/4 cup each)
Peanut or other nut butter, optional
Cook pasta in large stockpot of boiling water, as directed. When pasta is just about cooked, add tofu cubes and chopped vegetables to cooking water. Drain all contents in large colander once pasta is al dente or cooked to desired doneness. In large skillet, cook celery, onion, garlic, ginger in sesame oil until soft and fragrant. Pour in a little wine or broth and stir to deglaze pan. Add maple-soy mixture and cook until boiling over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and stir in a little nut butter if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning with more syrup or soy sauce. Toss pasta mixture with sauce in skillet (preferred method) or in large serving bowl. Yields 2-4 servings.

You are warmly invited to submit comments here and share ideas for your own healthy made-at-home meals. I will be offering sequels to this story as the weeks whir by!

With autumn arriving officially next week, the 'nesting' season begins again and amazing seasonal ingredients start to lure more of us back to the kitchen.

Wishing you the joy of amazing flavors at the table!

Your Tour Maestra,
Diane Scalia

Ode to Tour Guests

2009-09-08T18:06:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, it occurred to me that it wasn't really possible for me to review my tour guests. It didn't seem fair.

By now all of those feelings have passed, and the only thing that seems unbalanced now, is that up til this moment, I haven't been able to sing the praises of my tour guests.

Melting Pot Food Tours officially celebrated its first birthday in July. We are very, very flattered by the reviews we've been receiving and, I promise that a lot of that credit deserves to be passed back to the guests who really, really add to the joy the tours have rendered ... especially in the last couple weeks.

Quite honestly, when temperatures soar to a steamy 112 degrees and, for 3.5 hours at least one of us is required to be Miss Mary Sunshine, it's tricky business! And, for weeks now, I have been blessed beyond measure, to host some of the loveliest people, truly, in the world...considering they have vacationed in LA from Australia, Wales, Washington DC, Canada, Iowa, and beyond! And many of them have joined us to play tourists in their own city! They have made my job so incredibly pleasurable, to express my gratitude here seems like such a small token of appreciation.

Take my group a couple Saturdays ago, for instance. Some of them were from 'the (San Fernando) Valley' and humorously reminded me more than once that 112 was "cool" compared to their neighborhood. They came equipped with mini- and not-so-mini- spray misters, and kept all willing guests 'misted' and cooled off, and extended that free, generous service to me as well. As usual, we sat outside, we were sometimes welcomed indoors, we were in the sun, we were in the shade, and devil-may-care ... everything was more than fine with them. What a fabulous group!

Same deal this last weekend. It was a little cooler, but not much. Groups of 12 and 13, each person more enthusiastic, kind, complimentary, patient, cool-and-collected, than the last. We waited a long time for the bus at the end of the tour, postponing what relief I thought they'd be craving. No problem. We laughed and chatted more, they eagerly asked for what else there was to do in LA that would be this much fun.

Blew me away!

A lovely couple from Las Vegas joined us last Friday. She was a wringer for Serena Williams (and, we all liked her better). The first question he couldn't wait to ask me right at the beginning of the tour, was if I had a restaurant where they could go and eat, after the tour!? No, I was sorry to say, but I suggested that if they still liked me after the tour (I wasn't sure I'd even like me, lol!), and some of my recipe suggestions, maybe they'd like to come to my home for dinner!

Another wonderful young man was visiting LA for the very first time and told me this was one of the very best experiences of his entire visit. He can't wait to come back to LA because now he loves it so much.

Another young lady from the East Coast got very badly lost on buses trying to find her way, and didn't catch up with our tour until it was nearly over. When I told my group to kindly take care of her while I went to order another sample for her, by the time I returned they had broken out all of the leftovers they were toting and shared them all with her, telling her all the stories she'd missed. Afterward she and I spent one-on-one time around Farmers Market and I made sure she had both the Bob's donut she missed earlier, and everything she needed to carry on and enjoy the rest of her time in LA...which she ended up extending another 4 days.

There was the beautiful young woman earlier this year who told me the story of how she was named for Racquel Welch.

There was a four-generation family who all came to town for a graduation and made my tour a party of their own!

Another big Irish family, whose members had flown in from all over the map (Ireland, Scotland, France, NYC), enjoyed the tour immensely and, because they were staying at a big beach house, they stocked up on all the groceries I recommended for their family bbq that night. Their menu included a big box of Bob's donuts for dessert!

An adorable couple from Perth, Australia, also endured intense heat and smiled, laughed, and were profoundly grateful for the experience from beginning to end.

It would take a very long time to cite everyone who joined my tours and touched my life over the last 14 months, even in a mere blog post. So kindly forgive me if you are reading and I have appeared to overlook you because in truth, I have not taken any of this for granted.

I love to say that my work is really about meeting the angels in LA and introducing them to each other. As a native and now an ambassador of my great city, it is a post I take very seriously, responsibly and, with gratitude and great joy.

LA is a big city and it can be overwhelming to find one's way, it's true. But just because a place is big, doesn't mean its visitors don't deserve old-world, authentic, sincere hospitality.

Wouldn't it be nice if everyone who came to visit felt like the young man who can't wait to return to our City of Angels because he felt so welcomed and just loves it here so much?

I think it would.

Til next time, I remain your Tour Maestra,
Diane Scalia

Don't cry, Julie. Julia trashed me too!

2009-07-02T14:55:00.000-07:00

Even before I worked with her personally, I was a fan of the fabulous Julia Child. And, like young Julie Powell in the movie, I was left confused when the very elderly, revered, gourmet icon allegedly made an unkind comment about me.

My story backs up to 2001, but first let me explain the means to my madness regarding this article.

Some of our lucky email subscribers joined us Tuesday night in West LA, to enjoy an advance screening of Columbia Pictures’ “Julie&Julia.” Julia Child was born in Pasadena, and this was a brilliant coup formulated by our own Marla Dennis, to celebrate the launch of our Old Pasadena walking-tasting tour.

The film was fantastic - very funny, romantic, and incredibly delicious! With food in nearly every scene, we were very happy we ate a little something before. Afterward it was easy to talk each other into splendid desserts at Junior’s Deli (free cake with Landmark movie ticket stubs, just a little heads up; I recommend the blackout cake)! It was a great evening all around.

In the film, our young heroine has a very sad moment she learns that Julia apparently made a negative comment about her; her dreams of their ever meeting fade into hopelessness. I felt for her because I could liken it somewhat to my own personal experience. Except that I did get to meet Julia Child, at her home, where I spent truly some of the most blessed hours of my life.

Once upon a time, there was a lame GE “speedcook” oven called Advantium, that Julia Child had purchased. As such an esteemed buyer, she was promised that GE experts would come to her home in beautiful Montecito, California, to personally teach her to use the oven.

I was one of those experts. The other was a wonderful spirit named Bridget, who came out from GE headquarters in Kentucky, to be with me for this very important post.

We drove to Santa Barbara, we bought groceries. We met Julia the next morning at her pretty, small condo that had a tiny, but perfectly organized, kitchen.

She wanted to be shown how to roast a chicken. The oven didn’t do that, we were sorry to advise her.

“Why don’t we try it anyway?” Julia offered, kindly, hopefully.

Some short time later, we had a roasted chicken, to all of our delight. Who knew?

When our little lesson was over, just as Bridget and I were debating whether to invite our lovely client out to lunch, Julia spoke up.

“Well, you’d better cut up that chicken so we can have lunch, don’t you think?”

Oh yes, OK. And suddenly, I was forced to face my worst demons. Cutting up a chicken is not my strong suit. And I am in Julia Child’s kitchen with this dilemma. Maybe Bridget could do it? She could not.

“Oh fine! Get me some scissors!” I laughed and while Julia set up her patio for our meal, I hacked up the chicken and presented it as elegantly on the platter as possible.

The pleasure of one yummy roast chicken, a Julia-prepared vine-ripened tomato salad with vinaigrette, baguette, and French Champagne, lasted a good hour. We had the most wonderful, sacred time with the world-famous Julia Child, one of the most gracious human beings we’d ever met, for certain.

She sent us off with autographed copies of her latest (and last) cookbook, hugs, gratitude, all good things. A few days later I received a beautiful note in the mail from her, thanking me again.

So imagine my shock a few months later when I received a phone call from my agency through whom I had this job. They wanted to know if 90-year-old Julia was a ‘little off’ that day at her home? She was not, and I told them so - why?

An article in the NY Times had quoted her saying that GE had sent two people to show her this oven, “and they didn’t even know how to use it.”

What could I make of that?

Bridget emailed me, "Did you see that Julia trashed us??"

I think I just laughed.

I have photos (see a few more on Facebook) of us together, her kitchen, that Champagne lunch, her autographed book, the unforgettable memories.

What can I say?

Never mind Julie, she was probably only misquoted. I still love her too.

Handmade Pizza and Red Salad, per request

2009-06-25T12:19:00.000-07:00

It is with tremendous joy and pleasure that I share my handmade pizza recipe. Having gently boasted (lol!) on Facebook about the 'pan pizza' prosciutto-arugula masterpiece I whipped up last night, some interest - even from Italy - popped up, so here we are. I will tell you what I did, I hope you will try it, and report back to me how that all worked out.

The recipe isn't really mine, it is an adaptation of Giada's but, maybe don't tell her. I tried making it last night for the first time with the fresh yeast I bought at Monsieur Marcel, and I think it's a keeper. I'd recommend using fresh yeast from now until forever! It's more likely they use it in Europe (and they probably think our dried yeast is a joke).

I also tried baking the pizza in my cast-iron skillet for the first time and, another keeper for certain. Up until now I've been using my well-seasoned metal baking sheets that I've had forever. I was about to throw them out until I visited Marche, Italy (see my friend Ashley's site for where to cook in Marche!). My incredibly lovely hosts made pizza after pizza after pizza one night for dinner, using their well-seasoned metal baking sheets...and each was more amazing than the next. (I had a pizza stone in another life but it broke one morning all over the kitchen floor when I was in a very very bad mood...whole separate story.)

I roast tomatoes for pizza by chopping tomatoes (even underripe ones will work, or cherry tomatoes that do not need to be chopped), placing them in a heavy ovenproof pan or skillet, drizzling them generously with extra-virgin olive oil, and roasting them for about 25 minutes in a 400F-degree oven. After that time, I pour in a little red wine and roast for 5 minutes more. Stir and press pieces gently to create a fresh sauce.

For this pizza last night I used grated Italian Bel Paese cheese (very mild and creamy) from Marcel. You can use any cheese you'd like. The ricotta or mozzarella from our new friends, cheesemakers Angelo and Franco would be sublime, also available at Marcel.

Now your pizza is ready to prepare, once you've made the dough with my recipe below.

Coat the bottom of whatever pan you're using with extra-virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with polenta (or cornmeal) to prevent sticking.

Roll or press pizza dough to desired thinness, and place in or on pan. Top with fresh roasted tomato sauce and cheese. Bake in preheated 400F-degree oven for 18-25 minutes. Crust will be browned on edges and cheese will be bubbly.

You can stop there if you'd like, but I topped mine with thinly sliced prosciutto and arugula, which is my favorite in Italy (well, besides porcini or Margherita or primavera or 4 stagione...).
If you hurry, Prosciutto di Parma is on sale at Marcel I believe through tomorrow, Friday - $15.98/lb instead of $22.

On the side of my pizza, I made a Red Salad of radicchio, grated beet, and red onion, tossed with balsamic vinaigrette. It all looked amazing on the plate, and when I have a good digital camera and more patience for posting fotos, you'll be the first to see them in a new gallery!

Buon appetito!!!

Handmade Pizza Dough
1 package yeast, stirred well into 2/3 cup warm water
OR, if using fresh yeast, use 2 tsp; stir into warm water
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups all-purpose ﬂour
1 Tbsp sea salt
1 Tbsp sugar
Additional olive oil

Stir olive oil into dissolved yeast. Combine ﬂour, salt, sugar in large bowl and make a well. Pour liquid into well and mix quickly and thoroughly by hand until ball is formed. Knead brieﬂy, then turn into clean bowl coated with olive oil. Place in warm, draft-free setting covered with cotton towel for at least one hour. Gently punch dough down before preparing pizza, or store in
plastic zipper bag in refrigerator. Yields about 1 pound of dough; usually enough for 2 pizzas.

A Must-Make Satay Recipe!

2009-06-01T21:24:00.000-07:00

Two years ago, today, was the day Lisa invited - or better, enthusiastically encouraged - me to join her in a new venture called Melting Pot Tours.

Very shortly before all that happened though, I had been having an idyllic time in France and Italy for an extended duration. One day while in the French Alps, at an internet point (where no one spoke English so my broken Italian actually came in handy), I managed to check my email successfully. There was a message that from Kitchen Aid inviting me to be one of their four US regional "Advanced Team" chefs. Was I interested?

Oh OK, I wrote back. There would be training in Atlanta the end of June. Fine. I signed up, not woo-hoo'ing too terribly loudly since one of the blessings of being in the French Alps, then Italy, was that it really is easy to stay present and only focus on the current moment.

Long story short, the Kitchen Aid thing from start to finish kind of ended up to be the equivalent of a bust but, I did get called for one event in El Paso, Texas, that August. Did I want to be in El Paso that summer? Not so much. But, there was the chance that El Paso was likely to have some really fabulous local food and they did: Sam's BBQ - no website to refer to, still have their menu.

Now mind you, with this job came all kinds of free Kitchen Aid stuff/goodies, but not the stand or hand mixer in case you're wondering. I schlepped all of this fine equipment with me in a second clunky suitcase, to El Paso. Then came to learn that all of the stuff was available at the customer site and the schlep was all just for fun. Fine.

The job really just equalled a lot of intensive labor for not much pay but, I did get to meet and work with wonderful people. A Ventanas magazine article mentioned Amy, Viking's resident chef and me (I'm in photo 6 of 6 of the link), so that was nice. Amy and I did our respective magic in what looked like opposing corners at this kitchen showplace grand opening. When I was asked if this was supposed to be like Iron Chef, I answered the repeated, unnerving question with a smile to say, "There's no competition. Amy's a much better chef than me."

One of the foods that I prepared, was a KA recipe for Satay. I cut a deal with my agency, that I would make it if I could use Penzey's Sate' seasoning, which would easily include the list of individual ingredients I was really in no mood to buy on their tight budget (remember, this project eventually went "bust"). I did well to use the Penzey's product, and am here to tell you I resurrected this actually-really-good recipe to make dinner here at home tonight.

You want to consider having some of these things handy at all times in your pantry, so you can throw an incredibly delicious dinner together in 10 minutes like I did tonight - peanut butter, canned coconut milk, the Penzey's Sate' seasoning or something like it, soy sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice. I tweaked the recipe a little because I didn't have time or interest in marinating anything, so I'm going to tell you just what I did. You won't be disappointed if you do the same!

To make the satay sauce, which makes enough for about 2 servings, whisk together til creamy:

1/2 cup canned coconut milk (I used the light one I bought at Trader Joe's)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter
1 Tbsp light brown sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 generous Tbsp Penzey's Sate' seasoning
OR
1/4 tsp ground coriander, 1/4 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp ground ginger, pinch cayenne

In skillet, over medium heat, cook
1/4 cup chopped onion in 2 Tbsp sesame or vegetable oil
until soft.

Add chopped chicken/pork/tofu pieces (about 1/3- 1/2 lb.), and cook, stirring, until tofu is heated through or meat is cooked. Add some white wine or broth to keep protein from sticking.

Add choice of diced or shredded vegetables - as much as you'd like - and stir to heat through. I used the Broccoli Slaw from Trader Joes and would recommend this, it cooks quickly and is really delicious.

Add the prepared satay sauce and stir to heat through, for just a few minutes. I stirred in some cooked pasta to finish the dish; this may also be served over cooked rice, noodles, or other grain.

Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, green onions, and/or chopped peanuts if you'd like. This will yield about 2 servings.

I think the sauce is perfect as it is. If you want to add some heat, just add a desired amount of your favorite selection from...Light My Fire!

Enjoy, and let us know how you like this!

Til next time, I remain your faithful Tour Maestra,
Diane Scalia

This Week's Passion for Asian

2009-05-24T12:55:00.000-07:00

One of the kindest gifts from the Universe to Los Angeles - and I've said this 10000 times before - is that so many beautiful immigrants came here, and brought their food with them. It's that very gift that inspired the birth of our Melting Pot Food Tours. And, that celebration of delicious diversity is surely one of the things that makes me get out of bed every day.

We regularly entertain Angelenos from all corners of Asia on our tours and I am always needling them to tell me about their foods. Yet, it had been months, or at least weeks, since I'd had an authentic Asian meal out. My body must have been craving their flavors, as evidenced by all of the dining out I've done in the last 4 days (and daily dining out is very rare for me).

Equally rare is blogging on a Sunday, but I'm over-the-moon excited about 3 places I would love you to know about as soon as possible...in the event that you too, start to feel some Asian on the brain coming on.

Within walking distance from my home in Redondo Beach, is Casa Arigato. I was originally lured their way because I was told they make the most creative foam art on their lattes. Here we have an exquisite Japanese cafe, run by the loveliest women who care for you like family, and the espresso they serve is Pasquini from Italy (same as that served at our beloved Bob's Coffee and Doughnuts in Farmers Market). While on a much-deserved coffee break the other day - ocean breezes and sunshine + Arigato's extremely comfortable patio chairs luring us to stay longer - we decided to share one of their lunch specials once the table next to us began dining way too well.

For about $10, we enjoyed an incredibly delicious combination platter that included butter-tender salmon, miso soup, shrimp and vegetable tempura, rice, California sushi roll, and salad. Ultra-fresh and spectacular, it was enough to fill us both up. We walked home oh-so-happily along the beach, marvelling at our good fortune.

On Friday after leading my tour of 11 grownups and two baby twins - pure pleasure, all of it - I felt like I was being divinely led to the Singapore Banana Leaf at the Farmers Market. (I was.) The joy of savoring Indonesian cuisine here in LA is rare since there are so few places that offer it. The Banana Leaf has a very sweet history at the Market, which I will elaborate on later, but for now you just have to put it on your go-yesterday list!

A big fan of their Gado-Gado salad which is a warm vegetarian salad topped with out-of-this-world peanut sauce, I wasn't that hungry and opted for their cold Rojack salad instead. It is dressed with a spicy peanut-tamarind dressing that, I promise you, I about slurped off of its banana leaf once I finished the salad of spinach, tofu, jicama, cucumber, apple, and pineapple. Thankfully, for everyone concerned, they had a spoon I could finish it with and, I did not leave one drop. I'm sure I sounded only half-lucid - because I thought I'd died and gone to heaven - when I asked to please buy some of the dressing. I promised my kind host that it was the best thing I'd ever had in my life. He was more than happy to sell some to me and I felt privileged beyond measure to hand over the money.

Last night, LuAnn saved me once again, from my own exhaustion (and sloth) when she invited me to try a new Vietnamese place that she and our friend Juli had stumbled upon earlier in the day. If you are near Torrance (and even if you're not), two words: Saigon Flavor. This little eatery at the corner of Carson Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard does not have a website for us to savor, but they do have about 64 item menus, 2 of which I ate last night. Rest assured, I will be returning at least 62 more times.

They've also got at least 3 aquariums with fish and turtles that entertain you silly (especially if LuAnn is there to add color commentary), some of the funkiest dining furniture in the land, and prices that almost seem like a mistake. Dinner for 3 (including take-home for them; I'm no fool, I cleaned my plates!) cost about $33, and we were stuffed. Their photo menu is filled with traditional dishes and I was very enthusiastically impressed (just ask LuAnn and Juli) with their clean, fresh flavors and enticing presentations. If you're not familiar with this outstanding cuisine, start with the spring or egg rolls, and a Rice Vermicelli dish with your choice of meat, tofu, or shrimp. Or, just keep an open mind and select anything that you think has your name on it - you won't go wrong!

And so today, I am at home cooking and dining a little more on the 'west' side of east-meets-west. I had huevos rancheros for breakfast, have fresh Italian bread dough rising as I write, and dinner will have more of a Euro accent.

Life is such a delicious banquet. How fabulous is all that.

Oh by the way, this post doesn't even go into detail about the off-the-charts Indian cuisine Lisa and I indulged in during our Old Pasadena tour R&D. (Have I ever mentioned how much we love our jobs?) For that, you'll have to stay tuned. We're just sellin' the sizzle here, not the steak...

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday weekend,

Your Tour Maestra,
Diane Scalia

Skyline Chili and Major Celebrity Spotting

2009-05-18T16:49:00.000-07:00

Clearly it is not a stretch for me to have lots to say and, forgive me for not blogging lately. Our Melting Pot has been stirring up so much, I haven't opted for the pure pleasure lately of telling stories here...but oh, we had fabulous tours this last Friday and Saturday so kindly settle in for some yummy tales!

On Friday we welcomed a lovely family of 3 from Cincinnati and herein I learned of the Cincinnati chili company - which food signature Lisa and I are well familiar both from our birth family (my cousin is married to a wonderful man from Cincy), and our extended family which would be the Robertos. LuAnn Roberto is our company's Art Director, Creative Genius, and all-around savior at times...and Cincinnati is her hometown.

The granddaughter of the Skyline Chili's founder was my guest, visiting LA for the week with her husband and son. Here is a little about this grand company that was started 60 years ago, by a humble Greek immigrant family!

"In 1949, on a hilltop overlooking Cincinnati, Ohio, Nicholas Lambrinides and his sons opened a small restaurant and began serving what would soon become a Cincinnati icon--Skyline Chili. The name came from the impressive view of the city's outline against the sky and has since become synonymous with a unique dish known as Cincinnati-style chili. Today, there are more than 100 Skyline Chili restaurants in four states, a credit to the vision of Nicholas Lambrinides and his sons--men who had the determination to perfect a truly new dining experience way back in 1949."

Today this company is said to be a $100 million enterprise so, how humbled and honored was I to host its lovely people! Their Cincinnati chili (which secret recipe is said to live in a locked vault!) does have cinnamon, but not chocolate (rumored to be used in others' recipes). The influence of spices in a savory recipe makes perfect sense to me now that I know a Greek family had something to do with the tradition!

Also on Friday, the grand prize winner of our Facebook "Amazing Foodie Race" contest, Antoine Maury, and his lovely girlfriend joined us for the tour. Since Antoine is from France and the Meyer family has traveled extensively through France and once bought a Paris-St Germain (Antoine's team) football jersey, there was lots of lively conversation for the duration!

On Saturday, we had another 12 perfect tour guests, one in particular of whom was an excellent celebrity spotter...thank you, considering, as we know, I am very lame on that count. So, may we have a drumroll please, it was a big stargazing day! Hanging right in and around Joan's on Third was:

Zach Braff of "Scrubs" fame
Tabatha of BRAVO's "Tabatha's Salon Takeover" fame and,
Bridget Marquardt of "Girls Next Door" fame

And no paparrazzi!! Which was a big tipoff (for me), a few weeks ago when Jessica Alba stepped out of an SUV in front of Little Next Door and, my guests had to tell me who she was.

I will leave you with that, and a big thank you for reading yet another compelling post from...

Your faithful Tour Maestra,
Diane Scalia

Surprise lures on this weekend's tours!

2009-03-30T17:07:00.000-07:00

I really am not a poet, that title just popped out of my tired brain just now. It's after 6pm and I'm past ready for quitting time today!

Spring is definitely in the air! The temperature on the bank's thermometer at 3rd and Fairfax read 97 (F) when I was leaving the market on Saturday, after a fantastic tour. Friday was equally great, and included some special guests. Thank you everyone, for coming out in the warm, beautiful sunshine! We had full groups both days and it was pure pleasure to be the host.

Lisa joined us on Friday which is such a rare treat. Last summer when we began the tours, we very often were co-leaders and that happens only once in a while now. For those of you that have never met my wonderful sister, when you finally have the privilege it will have been worth waiting for!

Two other ladies you will love to meet in the very near future, are LuAnn Roberto and Marla Dennis. I mention them both now because they have joined Lisa and I on our team, as creative geniuses to lend support for our marketing and PR efforts. LuAnn has been our artist and soul sister since the beginning (since even before that), and Marla is our Facebook and online marketing expert. I could write an entire book to sing their respective praises so just rest assured, you'll be hearing more about them soon. LuAnn came on our tour - for the second time - a week ago Saturday with her lovely mom and two friends. Marla came to play for the first time on Friday and since she snapped photo after photo, she probably missed a lot of my clever banter and will have to come again!

Also on Friday, we enjoyed some extra color, with Carolyn Scott and Dan, her fiance-videographer joining us, to create a video for Carolyn's brilliant, check-out-worthy site The Healthy Voyager. Carolyn is a vegan and, was pleased that she really enjoyed the tour's tastings and claims she was quite full at the end! We aim to please! We are delighted and very grateful that now her fan followers will be turned on to Melting Pot Tours!

No celebrity sightings (that I knew of!) on Friday but, Saturday....Actor Billy Zane was spotted dining al fresco at Little Next Door on West 3rd Street. Was I the one who spotted him? I was not. Did I have a clear idea of who he was when they said "That's Billy Zane!" I did not. I am so pleased that our fabulous tour guests can point these things out - thank you to our Saturday spotters Liliane and Julie!

I wrote last week about how Cook's Library is closing on April 30 and would love to think that my blog post was responsible for the mob that had converged there both Friday and Saturday but, I'm quite sure it was not! Tim and Ellen were gracious as usual as they dealt with our big groups and their lot of customers buying up a storm. On Saturday, JoAnn Cianciulli, Author "LA’s Original Farmers Market Cookbook" coming out in just a few days, arrived at Cook's just as we did. We helped her lament that her dream was to see her cookbook in the window of Cook's Library, and her timing is sadly just off, a little bit.

Two rounds of good news on that note, however. That very cookbook will be celebrated at the Farmers Market at a big booksigning event on April 16th - I will get more information about that to you soon. The book will be sold at the Market and you are welcome to take it to merchants like our darlings at Huntington Meats for autographs! I mention Huntington Meats because Nancy Silverton will be joining the guys that day to grill up some burger samples. If I'm not mistaken, the entire Market will be partying to launch the cookbook that is...75 years in coming! This is all part of the big 75th birthday party going on at the Market all year long.

The other note of good news is that Tim at Cook's Library told us on Saturday that they are keeping their mailing list. He did elude (dare I quote?) that there may be something in the future for Cook's Library, and they will still keep in touch with their following. So if you haven't signed up yet and would like to, now is the time!

And with that I leave you, so that I may prepare handmade loaves of bread for baking. Ahh, the perfect antidote to a busy day on the computer!

Wishing all of you a delicious week, your faithful Tour Maestra,
Diane Scalia

How Much We Love Cook's Library

2009-03-24T16:16:00.000-07:00

Well, welcome back to me I guess...it's been over a month since I last posted which was never my intention, so sorry!

Today's story is about one of Melting Pot Tours' proudest tour stops on West 3rd Street in mid-city LA, on our current Friday and Saturday walking-tasting food tour.

The Cook's Library.

This small, fabulous store gives whole new meaning to unique, as it is one of America's two last standing brick-and-mortar bookstores dedicated solely to cookbooks. And, they are sadly closing their door April 30th, after 20 years in this one location. They have said internet booksellers have been fierce - and now their final - competition, and we are so sorry for this.

The lovely Ellen Rose (left in photo above) is the owner and one of LA's dearest angels for certain. For nearly 9 months now, our tour guests have enjoyed meeting her and hearing her personal story of how this landmark came to be. I won't spoil it for you, but the upshot is that her daughter Molly was dancing around the kitchen one day and told Ellen she had enough cookbooks to open a library.

Molly, I am certain, is glad that she wasn't careful what she seemed to wish for. By now her mother and staff have given and shared so much joy with so many of us.

Tim has been Ellen's manager for years and years, and he too is one of our favorite people on the planet. We adore the rest of the staff as well - Tehra and Amy very kindly and lovingly keep us company, and then there's Alan, who is said to live there so his hospitality usually equals the feeling that a red carpet is rolled out...sigh. Such a first-class operation, in so many ways.

Since each of the staff cooks and bakes, we get the pure joy and privilege of tasting the most incredibly delicious samples when we stop by and, they are experts bar none, on the treasures they stock. From books for children to those from Europe to those from our own top LA chefs and those all around the US...it's rare that you can't find what you seek. Their undivided, top-notch expertise is at your service for the duration of your visit. Imagine that - extraordinary customer service - what a concept!

One of the most comfortable couches in town graces their front library section. I am here to tell you, that spot in the window on very warm days/freezing cold days/perfect spring days/not-so-perfect other days alike, is considered by more than one of us, as the most-coveted in town. Here is truly where heaven-meets-earth, for those who enjoy perusing and reading cookbooks possibly more than bestseller-anything-else.

For years, the famous Sunday Hollywood Farmers Market co-hosted chef authors for book signings, and these will probably cease as well. Besides that, my favorite LA chef icon, Kerry Simon, will have to find another afternoon haunt to visit in his vast spare time.

I can't begin to tell you how much we will miss this place and, the people there whom we've come to love like family. We can however, begin to encourage those who have not experienced our tour, or those of you who are due for a return visit, to please consider booking with us by the end of April.

How often do you get to experience history in Los Angeles? We would love to share this exquisite pearl of just that with you, while we still can.

Until we meet again, I remain your tearful Tour Maestra today,
Diane Scalia

I THOUGHT the world was getting smaller...

2009-02-19T14:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, on Lisa's and my excursion to Beverly Hills and then Studio City - for business, I promise...she enlightened me about the new, reworked "It's a Small World" ride at Disneyland.

Apparently many or most of the world dolls have been taken out, and Disney characters have been made their replacements. I am still having a really hard time getting my arms around this one. (We have a soft spot for "Dolls" - we sisters are The Dolls in our family.)

I sat with it for a few, and when Lisa said they've put in Lilo and Stitch, Aladdin, etc., I thought, oh, OK, well, maybe that's the way diversity is being infused now...maybe? Maybe they've included Pocahontas, Mulan... Um, OK. I think.

It's possible, but the widespread criticism seems to be that Disney wants another venue to "product place" their own products - again - which are, with all due respect...not so diverse. Under the auspice of Walt Disney having said, "Disneyland will never be complete as long as there is imagination left in the world", the Disney spokespeople have spoken. This philosophy is said to be their inspiration for inserting Ariel, Nemo, and Toy Story characters into the ride that once sailed the seven seas of world color and culture.

I had to ask, do they still play the song? What does a small world have to do with Buzz Lightyear's signature "To infinity and beyond"?

Forgive me if I'm missing something here!

The ride was originally at the 1964 World's Fair as a benefit to the United Nations' Children's Fund, and came to Disneyland 2 years later. I remember it well. We rode it 3 times with our mom, and our dad and brothers opted out of all three opportunities if I remember correctly.

They say they don't want anything at Disneyland to become a 'museum' - hence the justification of the new Pirates ride. (I think the movie really does make the ride make more sense, but that's another topic.) Fine.

I wonder if now Small World is like a mish-mesh of, I'm not sure what. I really can't picture it - will we like it? Granted, that song did bend last nerves (especially at the end of a 12+hour day at the Magic Kingdom maybe) but, it did remind of the possibility of a peaceful planet. Am I the only one that thinks that's kind of timely right now? I loved that it celebrated world peoples, especially children, which is what I will miss the most.

And, you have to wonder what they did with all those dolls, right? Lisa and I always wanted to own one of those dolls. Our parents went to Disneyland years ago (without us, not sure how that happened) to buy Lisa a little doll from Italy, and one from Holland for me. They were from Santa, and the top items on our lists. I can still picture them, and I'm sure our mom still has them somewhere. Lisa and I also discussed how an item like that would never be found for purchase at Disneyland now. Sad.

I did try to console us by telling her that when they closed the America Sings attraction back when, it was only a matter of time before they recycled those singing hens and chickens and eagles and foxes and they all showed up in the Splash Mountain ride.

I am sure there is enough imagination left in the world for Disney imagineers to stick the has-been Small World dolls in a future attraction. Hmmm. Can't wait to see that.

Sorry for the mild sourness here, everyone. Please, please, write if you've been on the ride, and/or your comments about this.

I am waiting to hear from you!

Your tour maestra and small world doll,
Diane Scalia

Valentines Day and Texas Tea Cakes

2009-02-16T16:03:00.001-08:00

Just a few notes on what's happened since Multi-Cultural Day, and a recipe that I forgot to include last time!

This last Saturday in LA was a sunny, bright, cold day sandwiched between a stormy Friday the 13th and a dreary Sunday. To celebrate love - and the fair weather - LA's Farmers Market and West 3rd Street appeared to be the places to be. Lots of happy couples, lots of families, and lots of friends were out to play and have fun on Valentines Day.

Each year for at least the past 4 years, I have passed out kiddie valentines on the day, to complete strangers, with true desire of offering more love to the world. I have found this to be the most perfect and surefire way to make people happy, smile, and even laugh.

Late Friday night I stuck tiny heart stickers on my Ratatouille kiddie valentines - about 70 total - and early Saturday morning set out to distribute them. Having plenty of everyone - of all ages - to give them out to at the Farmers Market before our tour started, all 70 were mostly gone in less than an hour. Way too much fun! I highly recommend trying this. It takes a little courage but the rewards are wonderful (and, shhh, 99-cent and dollar stores have a great selection of valentines if you buy them early enough)!

Bringing well-deserved attention back to Multi-Cultural Day at Open Charter School last week, I happily brought home a little program piece that contains a recipe for Texas Tea Cakes...so worth sharing, as is the quote on the front of the little folded program:

"Much of what we know about each other's culture is learned through the sharing of food."

Young Drew Alexander Aldridge happily offers this multi-generational recipe for her family's famous cookies. Handed down now to Drew, the fifth generation to enjoy them, they were baked 2 and 3 generations ago, for families of 10 children each. Her great-grandmother Elizabeth baked them in a pot-bellied stove for her brood!

Drew recommends savoring them with ice cold milk or a cup of hot chocolate. It is with great joy that I share her recipe with you!

Texas Tea Cakes

1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
4 cups flour

Preheat oven to 375F. Combine shortening and sugar, stir and mix in the eggs and buttermilk. Add the salt, vanilla, nutmeg, and baking soda. Add in flour one cup at a time. Stir and mix until you have firm dough. Roll out and use a cookie cutter or glass to make circles. Bake until golden brown (I'm guessing about 8-10 minutes; Drew doesn't say!)

Yields about 4 dozen.

Bon appetit and enjoy!

Til next time, I remain your Tour Maestra,
Diane Scalia

Our Surprise: Multi-Cultural Day

2009-02-11T14:18:00.000-08:00

Surely you've had one of those days.

You look forward to something, you're on your way out feeling good about what you think you're expecting to happen. Then that 'something' unfolds so much more amazingly, and in more magical ways, than you never saw coming.

Lisa and I were on our way to meet with Entrepreneur-extraordinaire Curt Ewald. We thought the meeting was going to be about our working with his new destination management concept, and it was. We thought he'd have some good stuff to offer and he did, only great stuff to offer would be more appropriate and, a gross understatement at best. I thought I would also speak with him about other part-time tour-leader opportunities, and I did. Fabulous opportunities.

To get to the meeting in the first place, we thought we knew where we were going and then we thought we needed to backtrack to find our way. As we went to turn around, there in front of us was the address we were looking for. All 5 minutes before we were supposed to be there.

We thought our time together with Curt would last only until 11:30 when he had another appointment. We thought we'd need to book a whole second appointment to meet his wife Debra, whom we'll also be working with. We thought we would all head back to our respective corners, and right away begin on our next steps.

Not so fast. None of the above actually happened as we thought it would.

"What school do your children go to?" Lisa asked Curt as we prepared to leave. We had just learned they were elementary school-age.

"Open Charter," he said.

"That's where our other sister teaches!" She exclaimed in awe. "I bet -"

And before she finished that thought, Curt 'recognized' the family resemblance, since our sister is his son's teacher. So, we accompanied him to his son's, and our sister's school, to join their Multi-Cultural Day celebration. Their unbelievably fabulous Multi-Cultural Day celebration.

Curt's wife Debra was teaching a Chinese New Year unit in our sister Suz's classroom. Curt had had to leave our appointment when he did, so that he could deliver - on time - his wife's brilliant Chinese Fried Rice to the massive, bountiful buffet in honor of Multi-Cultural Day.

Backing up a moment, I had passed an Indian restaurant on my way to Lisa's that morning. An Indian buffet lunch sounds really good, I thought, hoping I could talk Lisa into it later. I had ethnic food on the brain ever since.

I love the expression 'be careful what you wish for'. We barged in on Suz in her classroom, cleared up all the confusion about how we got there, and met some of her beautiful little students. Curt was in and out of tow, carrying this beautiful bowl of fried rice which I was really wanting to taste, so very much...and here comes the rest of the story.

"Would you like a plate?" We were so kindly asked, at the beginning of the 100+, maybe 1000+ dish buffet. This was set up so bountifully and beautifully, for the dining pleasure of the little students, their families who came, the teachers and staff and, party crashers.

"Oh, only if there's enough," I answered.

"Are you kidding," the kind woman laughed. "The kids are only going to eat the buttered spaghetti! There's plenty!"

Well then, in that case, I told her we'd be honored to stay. Because we were.

A mere fraction of what was there, included: THE BEST bbq'd chicken. Guatemalan soup (served by an Irishman!). Ethiopian specialties. Spaghetti with tomato sauce. Cornbread. Spanakopita. Baked beans and hotdogs. A million Japanese offerings. Korean foods. Festival bread. Rice from China, Cuba, Persia, Mexico, Japan. Mac n' cheese. Croissants. Sweet potato fries. Hummus and pita. Taquitos. Jambalaya. Then, desserts!

Chocolate mousse. Baklava. Apple strudel. Mushroom-shaped ginger cookies. Turkish delight. Korean cookies. Rice pudding. Brazilian pastries.

Do I need to eat again before December? I do not. (But, Lisa and I are dining out Japanese tatami-style tonight. Just bein' honest.)

We got more time with Curt. We got to personally meet the lovely Debbie and their beautiful little son.

I especially loved visiting with the multitude of students with roots from all over the globe, and their families. And I thought my day couldn't get better, until we tried to say goodbye and got this response.

"Don't go yet," two beautiful little girls pleaded to Lisa and I. "You just GOT here!

Please tell me you've had one or more of these kind of days.

Your full, and faithful Tour Maestra,
Diane Scalia

Finally, that BEST pasta recipe

2009-02-06T14:43:00.000-08:00

Allora (Italian for "well,")...it will soon be Friday night and once I'm done playing on my (late-afternoon-when-I-can) guilty pleasure FaceBook, and more hours have gone by, and once again I did not practice yoga...I'll be hungry and inclined to raid my own refrigerator.

Now today in there I have some amazing applewood-smoked bacon and (roasted; leftover) hot Italian sausages, from those guys I love at Huntington Meats at the Farmers Market. And some more fresh broccoli from Farm Boy, plus a couple Roma tomatoes from Farm Fresh Produce (those last 2 produce stores at the market). All of these are stops of sorts on our tours.

Now, you add some chopped onion garlic, some white or even Marsala wine + a little lemon juice, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and black pepper and a bit of butter...have some pasta cooking (I loved spaghetti with this), and here is what you do:

Cook diced bacon or Italian sausage, with diced onion/minced garlic, in medium-large skillet until bacon is cooked or sausage is well heated through. (Add a little olive oil if pan is too dry.) Add some diced tomato and heat through for a couple minutes. Add some wine to pan, enough to make a light sauce now, splash in a little lemon juice, and simmer sauce while pasta finishes cooking. I also added some of the pasta water to the pan, to make more sauce, it's perfect for this!

Place your cut up broccoli in the bottom of colander. When pasta is cooked al dente, pour pasta from stockpot over broccoli to drain; this will cook the broccoli perfectly.

Add a swirl of butter to the sauce that is getting ready to 'receive' the pasta!

"Sauce" the pasta and broccoli in the pan, stirring gently until completely coated and heated through. Transfer to serving bowl(s) and sprinkle with grated Parmesan, season with freshly ground black pepper.

In true modo di Toscano (Tuscan fashion), you may wish to drizzle the pasta with a extra-virgin olive oil as a fine finish! When I took a cooking course in Tuscany, our lovely instructor Sandra constantly reminded of the "extra-virgin" and how necessary it is, to complete the prep of just about everything placed on the table.

Those of us who are extra-ambitious will add a salad to this on the side, and I strongly recommend some fresh bread of sorts too. What's left in the bowl or on the plate is sublime with a mop of bread, I promise!

Buon appetito!

And all the best from your faithful tour maestra,
Diane Scalia

PS- Next up: Lisa's and my "experience" in Westwood and Beverly Hills last night!

BEST Audiences EVER!

2009-01-30T18:38:00.000-08:00

When we were children, we went for a taping of the game show "Let's Make a Deal" with my parents. My mom got chosen for the 'trading floor'. She wore an olive green sheath dress that she had sewn herself, and held a big empty foil-wrapped box with a sign that said "ZONK for Monty".

She didn't get chosen to make a deal, but she did look really beautiful sitting in one of the front rows.

At the end of the taping, Monty Hall the host, came out to say goodnight to the studio audience. He sang our praises as "the BEST audience they EVER had!" I was so excited to learn this! I think it was my dad that crushed my spirit a little when he said, laughing, "He says that every night!"

Here's what I say. What if every audience night after night, was really the best? What if, he loved what he did so much, each night, he was filled with joy that was hard to contain, so that's just what came out when he said thank you? What if he really meant that?

I say this because, it's pretty much the way I feel after I lead each and every one of our tours. Today we had an awesome group of four people that I just adore by now. Last Saturday I hosted 10 people then Lisa hosted 8 more that I got to meet after my tour ended, and all 18 were THE most fun people!

Each group has qualities that bring such unique fun to every single tour. By the end, we are actually sad to have to say goodbye! We are very much inclined to say, "this has been our best group ever!" It does not discount the fun we had with the last tour or those before, it very much means that we just really love our work.

Ah! I know! I think what might be equally true, is that hosting/entertaining our guests brings out the best in us.

Please believe me when I say that!

OK, quick celebrity watch note - today, Weird Al Yankovic spotted on 3rd Street at one of our tour stops. He chooses his restaurants well.

Now. I was going to include a flash-in-the-pan pasta recipe in this post but guess what. I am starving and am making that very recipe for dinner just now. Let me just perfect it and, I'll write about it later.

I'll leave you with this Weird Al note: A thousand years ago, Weird Al and his girlfriend at the time, sat next to me and my boyfriend at the time, at a concert of the band They Might Be Giants. Weird Al's girlfriend was very interested in taking my cooking classes and, neither of us had a paper or pen. No business cards. We had nothin'. So could I offer her a way contact me later? I could not. Do I regret this? A little but really, not so much.

Enjoy a delicious weekend please and, let us hear from you!

Your favorite Tour Maestra,
Diane Scalia

More Allure: Celebrity Watch

2009-01-29T13:51:00.000-08:00

Really, Lisa is the one who could write more about the celebrity watch that occurs on our tours, since she watches TV and sees more movies than I do.

I love telling our guests, "I watch sports and, SpongeBob. SpongeBob is easy to spot..."

When sighting a more authentic Hollywood celebrity, Lisa is the one to say "Oh! That's ___!!" The deal is, even when she tells me, I still don't know who the person is. I just don't resonate that much with this genre, although once a spotting has occured, it is pretty exciting!

I do find myself thinking that it'd be nice if David and Posh Beckham return from Milan to LA soon, just so I can say she shops at the Beverly Center.

We intend to have this topic be a recurring one, so we'll update you on who we spot, from now on, at least at the Farmers Market and along West 3rd Street. Lisa will just explain to me who these noteworthy people are, and I will report to you!

Take a couple weeks ago, for instance. We were leaving Mishima late on Sunday afternoon at the end of a private tour for a great group, and there, taking the window table were Sasha Baren Cohen and Isla Fisher, with daughter Charlotte in tow. Did I recognize these people? I did not, but Lisa did, so there you are.

Here are some other spottings we've noticed, if you and yours tend to stargaze.

On weekday mornings especially, there is an East Patio table at the Farmers Market filled with Hollywood writers; sometimes actors from The Office join them. At Charlie's on the West Patio, Hollywood is said to have breakfast there often, especially on weekday mornings.

On 3rd Street, Joan's is favorite haunt of actor James Franco (also spotted by guests last summer, with me saying "Who?"), and Mindy Kaling from The Office. Across the street at Toast, Entourage and other shows use the dining room for filming. So, we understand the beautiful people are there often, and if you've ever noticed the swarm of people around the place at most any hour, you have to guess it's definitely a see-and-be-seen haunt. (I recommend the multi-grain toast, by the way.)

OK so, our sightings appear a little light for now I know, but give us some time. We won't disappoint, and intend to keep you posted on...well, probably better stories than this one.

Until then, I remain your faithful tour maestra,
Diane Scalia

Nachos with a Euro Twist!

2009-01-24T20:53:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things to offer on our tours is how to cook - if you are so inclined - with some of the ingredients we introduce and chat up, when visiting our merchants. Having wished for years that we could grocery shop there regularly, Lisa and I now love doing some of our weekly grocery shopping at the Farmers Market. After our tour(s) end, you might just find us still there milling around, trying to make decisions with that combined creative genius of ours!

In my fridge yesterday, I had these treasures:

Grape tomatoes (purchased at Farm Boy for $1.29) - I had roasted these, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil; 400 oven, 20 mins, and they keep about 1 week refrigerated
Leftover pinto beans
French Cantalet cheese (purchased at Monsieur Marcel, $10.28/lb) - we sample this on tour

I had tri-color tortilla chips on the counter.

Hmmm. This collection sounded kind of-sort of sounded like it could become nachos.

With half Euro ingredients?

Oh why not. I was starving!

Have no real ingredients for nachos on hand? No problem! You too, can make these! Place tortilla chips on bottom of oven-proof dish, top with some roasted tomatoes and pinto beans, dice or thinly slice the cheese and place evenly - or, haphazardly - on top.

I baked this in a 400 oven for about 8-10 minutes - you may do as you please in the microwave (I don't own a microwave) and it will yield similar results!

Ripe Avocado* (purchased at Farm Boy for $.99) - was also in the fridge!

I mashed 1/4 of it and topped the warm nachos with that. You MUST have avocado with your Euro Nachos. Of course.

I ate it with a fork but, fingers are also effective utensils.

You know, this was delicous! Or at least I thought so, which is why I'm sharing this ingenious recipe with you. I invite you to try them and enjoy!

Got a question or comment? I would love to hear from you!

Until next time, Buon appetito! from
your faithful Tour Maestra,
Diane Scalia

*When choosing avocados, they are ripe when slightly soft. Choose those which have an 'outie' stem at the top; these will yield fresher, cleaner flesh. If you purchase unripe avocados, they will ripen faster placed in a paper bag with a red apple. Seal loosely and check daily; usually in 1-2 days they'll be ready to eat!

The Lure of LA's Melting Pot

2009-01-23T14:24:00.000-08:00

Welcome everyone!

This is the new blog for Melting Pot Tours, and I am Diane Scalia, its esteemed blogmaster. On behalf of my brilliant sister Lisa Scalia, I'd like to thank you for visiting our website and reading our blog often!

I will do my best to keep these posts relatively short...if any of you have met me you know how much I have to say! There is the hope that if I keep them short I will post more often!

In this first post, it is my joy and pleasure to share just a little about why I am so excited to be the primary Tour Maestra for our walking tours. I love my city, Los Angeles. I love meeting new people. I love our tour stop merchants with a passion. I love the incredibly delicious food our tour guests get to enjoy. Above all, I love that my work is about meeting the angels in LA, then introducing them to each other. There was once a pop song that wondered, "If this is Los Angeles, then where are the angels?" How sad for that artist who didn't meet them on a daily basis like I do.

Our website mentions that at least 140 diverse ethnicities call LA home. I say, how fabulous is that?! Millions of immigrants came here with hope in their hearts for a better life, and how lucky for us, that they brought their food with them! At least their recipes! They didn't just arrive and say, "Yeah, we're good! We're OK with PB&J from now on!" Granted, I love PB&J myself and, I adore ethnic foods, sometimes the more exotic the better. The intention of Melting Pot Tours includes inviting you to join us, as we explore the rich collection of ethnic neighborhoods that contribute to our tremendous culinary landscape. We will love sharing with you, those foods that define each diverse culture; usually the foods these lovely people grew up with a passion for.

I also invite you to post comments here when you can, so we can perhaps extend the fun of the walking tours you have experienced. Maybe it will entice you to experience tours in the future!

For now, let me just close by saying that in the attendance of our tours alone, we have a spectacular Melting Pot to celebrate each and every week. One of my favorite parts of leading the tour is getting to know you, and here is a list of where our guests have hailed from, many of whom live right here - naturally - in the city of Angels:

Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Korea, Japan, Republic of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Holland, Italy, Greece, Sweden, England, Scotland, Canada, Philippines, Mexico, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, East Africa, Dominican Republic, Cuba, India.

If you were our guest and I missed your country, you must let me know!

Until next time, thank you for enjoying our tours and for reading our new blog.

Ciao for now!
Diane Scalia
Tour Maestra