March 3: Wine Exchange, The Sky Room, Pascal Olhats, Kausar Ahmed, Taste of Solvang, Karen Kaplan

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Kyle Meyer, Managing Partner, Wine Exchange, The Wines of Santorini, Greece
Segment Three: The Sky Room’s Coquelicot Wines Benefit for Food Finders
Segment Four: Pascal Olhats, Pascal San Juan Capistrano & Café Jardin
Segment Five: Chef Kausar Ahmed, The Karachi Kitchen, Karachi Pakistan
Segment Six: 26th Annual Taste of Solvang
Segment Seven: Karen Kaplan, Food Journalist, Open Faced – Single-Slice Sandwiches from Around the World
Segment Eight: Chef Andrew Gruel’s “Ask the Chef”

Now an intriguing preview of this Saturday’s properly decadent 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 morning with a fresh show.

By all accounts Greek wines, in general, are improving but are still a bit of a mystery to the casual wine connoisseur. Our resident wine authority, Kyle Meyer of Santa Ana’s Wine Exchange, to the rescue. He’ll provide us with an understandable overview of the wines of the Greek island of Santorini. The famous, high quality white wine grape there is Assyrtiko.

The Sky Room, an iconic restaurant in downtown Long Beach, will be hosting an afternoon wine tasting fundraising event featuring their signature Coquelicot wines, on Saturday, March 10th from 1-3pm. Organized by Dine LBC, funds raised will benefit Food Finders food rescue program. “The team at The Sky Room has always been supportive of the important work that Food Finders does in working to eliminate food security in Long Beach and beyond,” said Jonathan Rosenson, proprietor and sommelier of The Sky Room. Jonathan joins us with all the 411.

Chef Pascal Olhsats, the Dean of French chefs in Orange County, turns 30 this month. That’s 30 years of having a namesake restaurant (as the proprietor) in Orange County. It’s a month of festivities at Pascal San Juan Capistrano and the ultimate 5-course celebration dinner (with a Champagne toast) on March 21st at his Café Jardin in Corona Del Mar’s Sherman Gardens and Library. We entice Chef Pascal out of the kitchen with a glass of French Chablis to preview the celebrations.

From the Arabian Sea to the peaks of the Himalayas, cuisine in Karachi is as diverse as its inhabitants and draws influences from across South, Central, and West Asia. Acclaimed Pakistani chef, culinary educator, and food and prop stylist, Kausar Ahmed, has curated and created mouth-watering recipes in her first cookbook, The Karachi Kitchen – Classic and Contemporary Flavors of Pakistan. Chef Kausar is our guest.

The 26th Annual Taste of Solvang returns from Wednesday through Sunday on March 14th to 18th, 2018. It’s a unique experiential culinary weekend featuring Solvang farmers, chefs, bakers, winemakers, brewers, distillers, and artisans showcasing the bounty of Santa Barbara wine country set amidst California’s quaint Danish town. Laura Kath the Media Relations Director for the Solvang Conference & Visitors Bureau has the scrumptious preview.

Food journalist and author Karen Kaplan has just launched her first solo cookbook, Open Faced: Single-Slice Sandwiches from Around the World, published by Gibbs Smith. In this concise yet comprehensive volume she shares her passion for open-faced sandwiches in authoritative text filled with history, lore, anecdotes and tips, and 65 no-fail international recipes, each with its own wine or spirit pairing suggestion. Each recipe reflects the taste and spirit of its place of origin, yet is perfectly translated for the way we cook and eat in America today. Karen Kaplan joins us.

Our always informed Co-Host, Chef Andrew Gruel, encores with his “Ask the Chef” series. The Monterey Bay Aquarium has their closely observed Seafood Watch program to help consumers, restaurateurs and seafood retailers choose seafood that’s fished or farmed in ways that support a healthy ocean. Chef Andrew further explains the effort.

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

Kyle Meyer of Wine ExchangeBy all accounts Greek wines, in general, are improving but are still a bit of a mystery to the casual wine connoisseur. Our resident wine authority Kyle Meyer of Santa Ana’s Wine Exchange to the rescue.

He’ll provide us with an understandable overview of the wines of the Greek island of Santorini. The famous, high quality white wine grape there is Assyrtiko. We’ll also hear the success story of Santorini’s Domaine Sigalas S.A.

Jonathan RosensonThe Sky Room, an iconic restaurant in downtown Long Beach, will be hosting an afternoon wine tasting fundraising event featuring their signature Coquelicot wines, on Saturday, March 10th from 1-3pm. Organized by Dine LBC, funds raised will benefit Food Finders food rescue program.

For this unique social event, guests will be invited to sample up to twenty Coquelicot wines while enjoying light appetizers provided by The Sky Room. The Sky Room is located at 40 S.Locust Avenue in downtown Long Beach.

Tickets are $35 per guest and are available for purchase right here. All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to Food Finders to support their ongoing food rescue program.

“The team at The Sky Room has always been supportive of the important work that Food Finders does in working to eliminate food insecurity in Long Beach and beyond,” said Jonathan Rosenson, proprietor and sommelier of The Sky Room, “We’re excited to have this chance to invite guests to spend a fun afternoon tasting our Coquelicot wines and support Food Finders at the same time.”

Wines by the bottle will also be available for sale for guests to take home during the event, with all proceeds also going to Food Finders.

Jonathan uncorks the needed 411 for us.

Pascal OlhatsChef Pascal Olhats, the Dean of French chefs in Orange County, turns 30 this month. That’s 30 years of having a namesake restaurant (as the proprietor) in Orange County. It’s a month of festivities at Pascal San Juan Capistrano and the ultimate 5-course celebration dinner (with a Champagne toast) including a Chef Pascal cooking demonstration on March 21st at his Café Jardin in Corona Del Mar’s Sherman Gardens and Library.

“It will be 30 years in March that I signed my first restaurant lease for Pascal Restaurant in Newport Beach. I am not sure if I will still own a restaurant for another decade so it’s time to celebrate” – Chef Pascal Olhats.

At Pascal San Juan Capistrano in March for every Thursday, Friday and Saturday dinner service they are offering a special “Pascal’s Patrons’ Favorite” menu for a 30 per cent discount. It’s 3 courses for $50 including a Champagne cocktail toast. The celebration menu features Salade Lyonaise, choice of Thyme crusted seabass or Duck a l’orange and a lemon tart.

We entice Chef Pascal out of the kitchen with a glass of proper French Chablis to preview the celebrations.

Kausar AhmedFrom the Arabian Sea to the peaks of the Himalayas, cuisine in Karachi is as diverse as its inhabitants and draws influences from across South, Central, and West Asia. Acclaimed Pakistani chef, culinary educator, and food and prop stylist, Kausar Ahmed, has curated and created mouth-watering recipes in her first cookbook, The Karachi Kitchen – Classic and Contemporary Flavors of Pakistan.

Chef Kausar is best known Internationally for her work through “Kitchen Craft by Kausar,” an organization she founded in 2009 that offers free nutrition and cooking workshops to women and youth in high-risk communities around Karachi. The goal is to promote healthy eating and hygiene in the most impoverished families. Hands-on workshops teach students about cooking, nutrition, kitchen safety, personal hygiene, gardening and more.

Chef Kausar is our guest.

Laura Kath of Mariah MarketingThe 26th Annual Taste of Solvang returns from Wednesday through Sunday on March 14th to 18th, 2018. It’s a unique experiential culinary weekend featuring Solvang farmers, chefs, bakers, winemakers, brewers, distillers, and artisans showcasing the bounty of Santa Barbara wine country set amidst California’s quaint Danish town.

The popular Taste of Solvang favorites of Friday evening’s Sip +Savor (March 16 from 7:00-9:00 p.m., $45); Saturday’s Tasting Trail (March 17 from 11:00 a.m-4:00 p.m., $30) and Saturday & Sunday’s Wine & Beer Walk (March 17 & 18; $45) are joined by two, new 2018 Taste of Solvang exclusive events in 2018.

NEW on Wednesday, March 14, 2018

4:00-7:00 p.m. Taste of Solvang: Farmers Market Dinner

Experience this new, family friendly farm-to-table event during the weekly Solvang Farmers Market featuring truly fresh-from-the-market ingredients prepared by Chef David Cecchini of Cecco Ristorante and Mathew Raab of Fresco Valley Café. Savor hearty seasonal stew, small bites, and dine al fresco at communal tables in Solvang Park (Mission Drive & First Street) while enjoying the sounds of the Bryan Titus Trio (bring your own beer / wine). Net proceeds benefit Santa Ynez Valley Veggie Rescue. ($15 adults, $5 children under age 12) Space is limited; reservations are required online.

NEW on Sunday, March 18, 2018

11:00 a.m-2:00 p.m.  Taste of Solvang: Danish Sunday Brunch with Bottomless Mimosa OR Bloody Mary Bar OR Bottomless Coffee

Created by Executive Chef Brooke Stockwell at K’Syrah Catering Events Center (478 Fourth Place) this fresh menu includes pork belly bites with real maple syrup, mini yogurt parfaits with sweet balsamic reduction, ‘Aeeggkage’ Danish style mini-egg frittatas with caramelized onions and gruyere; local Danishes and breads with whipped cream cheese & house made jams, organic field greens salad with Solvang Olive Co. citrus vinaigrette, home-style breakfast potatoes with farmers market vegetables, house made Danish sausages, scrambled eggs with sautéed squash, house cured and smoked lox with goat cheese mousse, pickled red onion, fried capers and micro greens on Solvang-everything bagels. Choose from EITHER bottomless Farmers Market mimosas OR bottomless “Build-Your-Own Bloody Mary Bar” featuring American Star Vodka from Ascendant Spirits OR bottomless coffee. ($65 with alcohol—be 21 years of age +; or $50 with coffee). Space is limited; reservations are required online right here.

Laura Kath the Media Relations Director for the Solvang Conference & Visitors Bureau has the scrumptious preview.

Karen KaplanFood journalist and author Karen Kaplan has just launched her first solo cookbook, Open Faced: Single-Slice Sandwiches from Around the World, published by Gibbs Smith. In this concise yet comprehensive volume she shares her passion for open-faced sandwiches in authoritative text filled with history, lore, anecdotes and tips, and 65 no-fail international recipes, each with its own wine or spirit pairing suggestion.

There are tartines of France, bruschette and crostini of Italy, montaditos and tomato toasts of Spain, smorrebrod of Scandinavia, butterbrote of Germany, butterbrodi of Russia,molletes of Mexico as well as sandwiches and toasts of Britain and the U.S.  There are traditional recipes, reinterpretations of classics, and original creations based on the flavors, ingredients and/or specialties associated with the country at hand.

Each recipe reflects the taste and spirit of its place of origin, yet is perfectly translated for the way we cook and eat in America today.

This is an indispensable little cookbook for those who love single-slice sandwiches as much as Karen does, and for those who would like to learn more about this unique food trend-one that has a storied global gastronomic past, and an increasingly popular place in today’s culinary vernacular. Some of the recipes are rustic and some refined, some simple and some sophisticated, but all are easy to make and ideal for weekday cooking or weekend entertaining.

Karen Kaplan is a freelance writer, editor, translator and recipe developer. She was on staff at Bon Appétit Magazine for twenty years and concurrently was the restaurant critic for the LAWeekly for seven years and the host and producer of The Audible Feast on KCRW radio station for seven years. She was also a consultant for culinary websites and food-based reality television shows, a contributor to food and travel magazines and newspaper sections, and was a writer, editor, translator and recipe editor for many cookbooks. She holds Le Grand Diplômed’EtudesCulinaires from La VarenneEcole de Cuisine, has a B.A. in Comparative Literature and taught at USC and UCLA. She lives in Studio City, California.

Author Karen Kaplan joins us.

Andrew and William GruelOur always informed Co-Host, Chef Andrew Gruel, encores with his Ask the Chef series. Oysters, oysters everywhere… Non-seafood restaurants are now starting to feature raw oysters on their appetizer menus as well as visible Oysters Bars are popping up in dinner houses. What should you know before you order? Are there differences in flavor profiles? What condiments really enhance the flavor? Chef Andrew has the answers and will explain the oyster basics. Leave the shucking to the restaurant & happy slurping!

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Kyle Meyer, Managing Partner, Wine Exchange, The Wines of Santorini, Greece
Segment Three: The Sky Room’s Coquelicot Wines Benefit for Food Finders
Segment Four: Pascal Olhats, Pascal San Juan Capistrano & Café Jardin
Segment Five: Chef Kausar Ahmed, The Karachi Kitchen, Karachi Pakistan
Segment Six: 26th Annual Taste of Solvang
Segment Seven: Karen Kaplan, Food Journalist, Open Faced – Single-Slice Sandwiches from Around the World
Segment Eight: Chef Andrew Gruel’s “Ask the Chef”

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