February 17: Marcy Carriker Smothers, John Cox, Neal Fraser, Take Amtrak to Solvang

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Marcy Carriker Smothers, Eat Like Walt: The Wonderful World of Disney Food Part One
Segment Three: Marcy Carriker Smothers, Eat Like Walt: The Wonderful World of Disney Food Part Two
Segment Four: Executive Chef John Cox, The Bear and Star, Los Olivos
Segment Five: Chef / Proprietor Neal Fraser, Redbird & Vibiana, Downtown Los Angeles
Segment Six: Chef Andrew Gruel with “Ask the Chef”
Segment Seven: Laura Kath, Solvang Conference & Visitors Bureau Part One
Segment Eight: Laura Kath, Solvang Conference & Visitors Bureau Part Two

Program Note : For Saturday, February 17th (only) we unusually follow Ducks Hockey at the special time of 3 to 5:00 p.m. Don’t miss us !

Now an appetizing preview of this Saturday’s sinfully tempting show. It’s not, with profuse apologies, for dieters. If we’re successful we will always leave you incredibly hungry and thirsty. In our case, upon careful reflection, that’s probably a pretty good thing… Keep in mind we’re always here with you live every Saturday with a fresh show.

Eat Like Walt: The Wonderful World of Disney Food is a culinary tour of the original Disneyland park’s six lands packaged in an impressive coffee table-volume. Every attraction has a story, and so do many of the menu items. Disneyland’s food transports us as much as it satiates us, or as Walt declared, “The food is as fabulous as the fun, too.” We’ll meet author Marcy Carriker Smothers.

Los Olivos’ The Bear and Star, serving “Refined Ranch Cuisine” inspired by the Parker family at the eponymous Fess Parker Inn, continues their collaborative Chef’s Table Dinners with Chef Neal Fraser of Los Angeles’ Redbird on Sunday, February 25, 2018. The five-course tasting dinner championing Southern California restaurant talent, staged in the state-of-the-art Chef’s Room, blends products raised on the Parker ranch with inspiration from Los Angeles County. The Bear and Star’s Chef/Partner John Cox joins us with the enticing preview.

Chef/Proprietor Neal Fraser of Redbird then joins us to discuss the intimate Chef’s Table Dinner at Los Olivos’ The Bear and Star on Sunday, February 25th. Chef/Owner Neal Fraser and Owner/Operator Amy Knoll Fraser’s flagship restaurant Redbird features Modern American cuisine that is refined yet approachable and highlights the multi-cultural influences of Fraser’s native city – Los Angeles.

Our always informed Co-Host, Chef Andrew Gruel, encores with his “Ask the Chef” series. The New York Times had a thought-provoking piece by food journalist Karen Stabiner on the front page of their dedicated Food Section this week on February 14th. The issue contained in “What to do When Laptops & Silence Take Over Your Café” is how does a café that wants to maintain a lively atmosphere handle customers who hang out there all day on their laptops (while buying little food & beverages) and use the establishment as their office. Chef Andrew weighs in on the debate.

New 2018 “Take Amtrak to Solvang” offer nets savings and specials at Hotels, Restaurants, Wine-Tasting, Museums and activities. Known as California’s Denmark, Solvang is 125 miles north of Los Angeles and 300 miles south of San Francisco and served via Amtrak Thruway Bus service connecting to trains from Los Angeles and Santa Barbara as well as San Luis Obispo six times daily (3 northbound, 3 southbound). The Amtrak bus stop is located in the heart of the village at Solvang Park, 1630 Mission Drive—within easy strolling distance to 16 hotels, 35 restaurants, 22 wine-tasting rooms, 150 boutique shops, 5 authentic Danish bakeries, 6 museums and many more activities. Solvang’s Media Relations Director Laura Kath is our guest.

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s show!

Marcy Carriker SmothersEat Like Walt: The Wonderful World of Disney Food is a culinary tour of the original Disneyland park’s six lands packaged in an impressive coffee table-volume. Every attraction has a story, and so do many of the menu items. Disneyland’s food transports us as much as it satiates us, or as Walt declared, “The food is as fabulous as the fun, too.”

Two decades before the California food revolution, Walt Disney was planning a revolution of his own. Walt knew that food could be more than nourishment – it could be entertaining, too. The concept of families eating and playing at the same time was an innovation in mid-century America. Food in Disneyland wasn’t gray or humdrum. It was full of fantasy and color!

We’ll meet author Marcy Carriker Smothers.

““Eat Like Walt: The Wonderful World of Disney Food gives you a great sense of Walt Disney’s creative journey in designing Disneyland as an immersive experience, in thinking about food as an important part of creating something enjoyable and memorable. It’s a fascinating story, connecting the personal, professional and public sides of Walt Disney’s life: from his simple tastes and down-to-earth home life, to his attention to detail and good quality in everything he touched, to his incredible understanding of storytelling and entertainment as a complete experience.”

“Marcy paints an in-depth picture of the food at the Disney Studios and Disneyland during Walt’s lifetime. Reading it you can imagine what these places were like when they first opened – what it must have been like to see Walt standing in line at the commissary for lunch, or seated at the back table at the Carnation Café. Any Disney fan knows how exciting it is to get to hear a new part of the Disney story. This one is a special treat.” – John Lasseter, Chief Creative Officer, Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios & Principal Creative Advisor, Walt Disney Imagineering.

John CoxLos Olivos’ The Bear and Star, serving “Refined Ranch Cuisine” inspired by the Parker family at the eponymous Fess Parker Inn, continues their collaborative Chef’s Table Dinners with Chef Neal Fraser of Los Angeles’ Redbird on Sunday, February 25, 2018. The five-course tasting dinner championing Southern California restaurant talent, staged in the state-of-the-art Chef’s Room, blends products raised on the Parker ranch with inspiration from Los Angeles County.

“The Bear and Star takes its name from the two states our founder called home – Texas and California – celebrating refined ranch cuisine paired with California’s bounty. The restaurant is intrinsically intertwined with the 714 -acre Fess Parker Home Ranch seven miles away where the Wagyu cattle herd are raised and finished with the spent grains and pomace from the family brewery and winery. Also raised on the ranch are chickens, quail, rabbits, pigs and bees along with a number of heirloom fruits and organic vegetables for use at the restaurant.”

The Bear and Star’s Chef/Partner John Cox joins us with the enticing preview.

Neal and Amy Knoll FraserLos Olivos’ The Bear and Star, serving “Refined Ranch Cuisine” inspired by the Parker family at the eponymous Fess Parker Inn, continues their collaborative Chef’s Table Dinners with Chef Neal Fraser of Los Angeles’ Redbird on Sunday, February 25, 2018. The five-course tasting dinner championing Southern California restaurant talent, staged in the state-of-the-art Chef’s Room, blends products raised on the Parker ranch with inspiration from Los Angeles County.

Dinner begins with a First Course of Sautéed Abalone with Wild Watercress, Preserved Lemon and Sea Beans; followed by Second Course of Beets from Our Farm with Smoked Garlic and Chanterelle Mushrooms. For the Third Course, guests enjoy Sweet Shrimp and Sea Urchin Risotto with Kuri Squash. Served for the Main Course will be Grilled “Parker Ranch” Wagyu Beef with Kale, Crouton, Snails, Cheese and Red Wine Sauce. The evening is complete with the final Dessert Course – Blackberry, Hazelnuts and Goat Cheese. Wine pairings are available for the dinner by The Bear and Star’s General Manager Robert Williams.

Andrew and William GruelOur always informed Co-Host, Chef Andrew Gruel, encores with his Ask the Chef series. The New York Times had a thought-provoking piece by food journalist Karen Stabiner on the Front Page of their Food Section this week on February 14th.

The provocative issue discussed in What to do When Laptops & Silence Take Over Your Café” is how does a café that wants to maintain a lively atmosphere handle customers who hang out there all day on their laptops (while buying little food & beverages) and use the establishment as their office. Chef Andrew weighs in on the hospitality debate.

Interestingly enough L.A. restaurants, including Venice’s Rose Café, are featured in the piece.

Laura Kath of Mariah MarketingNew 2018 Take Amtrak to Solvang” offer nets savings and specials at Hotels, Restaurants, Wine-Tasting, Museums and activities. Known as California’s Denmark, Solvang is 125 miles north of Los Angeles and 300 miles south of San Francisco and served via Amtrak Thruway Bus service connecting to trains from Los Angeles and Santa Barbara as well as San Luis Obispo six times daily (3 northbound, 3 southbound).

The Amtrak bus stop is located in the heart of the village at Solvang Park, 1630 Mission Drive—within easy strolling distance to 16 hotels, 35 restaurants, 22 wine-tasting rooms, 150 boutique shops, 5 authentic Danish bakeries, 6 museums and many more activities.

Solvang’s long-time Media Relations Director Laura Kath is our guest.

Solvang Conference & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Tracy Farhad reveals, “Just show your current Amtrak train/bus ticket to Solvang at participating businesses and you’ll enjoy rewards for taking a vacation from your car. It’s so easy to be car free in Solvang year-round and enjoy our warm, Scandinavian hospitality with no passport required!”

 Here are the current participating Solvang businesses in the 2018 “Take Amtrak to Solvang & Show Your Ticket for Specials” offer, valid now through December 31, 2018.

First, be sure to visit the Solvang Visitor Center, 1639 Copenhagen Drive, open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily (behind the Solvang Park bus stop) for FREE 2018 Destination Guide, maps, savings coupons and gift of audio ear buds—perfect for enjoying by downloading the new Solvang Heritage Walking Tour App.

Be sure to check back often since more are being added frequently to this list: Atterdag Inn; Grapeline Wine Tours; Hamlet Inn; Holiday Inn Express; Home Connection; Ingeborg’s Danish Chocolates; King Frederik Inn; Segway Tours of Solvang; Solvang Antiques; Solvang Restaurant; The Good Life Cellar; Wandering Dog Wine Bar; Wheel Fun Rentals and Wildling Museum of Art & Nature.

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Marcy Carriker Smothers, Eat Like Walt: The Wonderful World of Disney Food Part One
Segment Three: Marcy Carriker Smothers, Eat Like Walt: The Wonderful World of Disney Food Part Two
Segment Four: Executive Chef John Cox, The Bear and Star, Los Olivos
Segment Five: Chef / Proprietor Neal Fraser, Redbird & Vibiana, Downtown Los Angeles
Segment Six: Chef Andrew Gruel with “Ask the Chef”
Segment Seven: Laura Kath, Solvang Conference & Visitors Bureau Part One
Segment Eight: Laura Kath, Solvang Conference & Visitors Bureau Part Two

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