Show 477, June 4, 2022: Baker Amy Dixon, Proprietress. The Baker’s Table, Santa Ynez, CA Part One

Amy Dixon of The Baker's Table

Amy Dixon’s The Baker’s Table in Santa Ynez is an artisan bakery feeding the body and soul through the time-honored craft of baking. They hold quality ingredients to heart and incorporate them into the way we live. The Baker’s Table is dedicated to combining organic, local and fair-trade ingredients to honor the earth and the hands that cultivate it.”

“Thoughtfully choosing fair-trade, local and organic ingredients when possible, Amy Dixon tends to each recipe with the passion of an artist, persistence of a chemist, and patience of a mother. At home in the Santa Ynez Valley since 1998, Amy keeps answering her driving call to pursue excellence through baking. Through kneading bread or crafting desserts for local restaurants, she continues to find joy in a flaky, buttery apple galette or in the delightful textures of a French macaron.”

“If you’re searching for a full, hand-crafted breakfast or a steaming cup of coffee and a luscious pastry, The Baker’s Table can satisfy your craving. Delectable offerings include everything from savory quiches to scones jam-packed with berries galore. If it’s lunch you prefer, their menu features salads with pristine ingredients fresh from the farm, as well as delicious sandwiches on their famous variety of hearth-baked breads.”

“Bread is the backbone of The Baker’s Table. They use artisan flour, all baked on a radiant, stone hearth. The Baker’s Table lovingly creates each and every loaf by hand, and carefully tend to them from mixing to slicing. You will see, smell and taste the stellar quality of their mouth-watering breads.”

The Baker’s Table is on the move. They will soon move to a new, expanded location with more patio seating near the main Post Office on Sagunto St. (about a block away from the original location.)

Baker Amy Dixon joins us with rolling pin in hand.

Show 477, June 4, 2022: Baker Amy Dixon, Proprietress. The Baker’s Table, Santa Ynez, CA Part Two

Amy Dixon of The Baker's Table

Amy Dixon’s The Baker’s Table in Santa Ynez is an artisan bakery feeding the body and soul through the time-honored craft of baking. They hold quality ingredients to heart and incorporate them into the way we live. The Baker’s Table is dedicated to combining organic, local and fair-trade ingredients to honor the earth and the hands that cultivate it.”

“Thoughtfully choosing fair-trade, local and organic ingredients when possible, Amy Dixon tends to each recipe with the passion of an artist, persistence of a chemist, and patience of a mother. At home in the Santa Ynez Valley since 1998, Amy keeps answering her driving call to pursue excellence through baking. Through kneading bread or crafting desserts for local restaurants, she continues to find joy in a flaky, buttery apple galette or in the delightful textures of a French macaron.”

“If you’re searching for a full, hand-crafted breakfast or a steaming cup of coffee and a luscious pastry, The Baker’s Table can satisfy your craving. Delectable offerings include everything from savory quiches to scones jam-packed with berries galore. If it’s lunch you prefer, their menu features salads with pristine ingredients fresh from the farm, as well as delicious sandwiches on their famous variety of hearth-baked breads.”

“Bread is the backbone of The Baker’s Table. They use artisan flour, all baked on a radiant, stone hearth. The Baker’s Table lovingly creates each and every loaf by hand, and carefully tend to them from mixing to slicing. You will see, smell and taste the stellar quality of their mouth-watering breads.”

The Baker’s Table is on the move. They will soon move to a new, expanded location with more patio seating near the main Post Office on Sagunto St. (about a block away from the original location.)

Baker Amy Dixon continues with us, a Pain au Levain loaf in hand.

Show 464, March 5, 2022: Sean Nolan, General Manager, Apple Farm Inn & Restaurant, San Luis Obispo

Sean Nolan of Apple Farm Inn

The historic Apple Farm Inn & Restaurant is a well-established lodging institution in San Luis Obispo. “The guest options in their 106 rooms range from deluxe rooms at Apple Farm Inn to a welcoming motel setting at the Trellis Court surrounded by shade trees, flower gardens, and mountain views.” There are multiple varieties of apple trees growing on the spacious grounds. The Inn is especially popular with the extended Family of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

“With three floors mixing contemporary country design with elegant accommodations, the main Inn boasts rooms with seating areas, gas fireplaces, Wi-Fi, and more to create a perfect setting for relaxing. Adjacent to the Apple Farm Inn, Trellis Court Motel contains all the comforts of the Inn with cozier rooms and the convenience of a motel setting. This includes exterior corridors and drive-up access.”

The Apple Farm Inn Restaurant is currently serving breakfast and lunch specializing in fresh, local ingredients and good, old-fashioned cooking. Whether you come to share a meal with your friends and family, to pick something up to-go, or just to check the place out and shop in the Marketplace, The Apple Farm Inn Restaurant staff hopes you’ll stop in! A favorite spot of locals and visitors alike, the Apple Farm Restaurant has delivered local farm-to-table cuisine, fresh pastries, and acclaimed pies to hungry patrons for decades!”

General Manager Sean Nolan is our guest to provide a look at the past of Apple Farm Inn & Restaurant and what’s in store for the future with the ongoing renovation.

Sean invites our listeners to visit the Apple Farm Inn Restaurant’s bakery display area when next in San Luis Obispo. Listeners who stop-by and mention they heard about the Apple Farm Inn & Restaurant on the “SoCal Restaurant Show” will be hosted to a treat of a house-baked pastry or baked good.

Show 452, November 20, 2021: Polly’s Pies with Jacklyn Mitosinka, Director of Brand

Jacklyn Mitosinka of Polly's Pies

“Founded in 1968 by brothers Eddie & Donald Sheldrake, Polly’s Pies has been family-owned and operated for more than 53 years. The restaurants offers breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as an assortment of fresh bakery items throughout 14 Southern California locations in Orange, Riverside, and Los Angeles Counties.”

“For 72 non-stop hours, beginning Monday, November 21 through Wednesday, November 24, the ovens at each Polly’s Pies locations will be going non-stop with bakers working round-the-clock to fulfill more than 53,000 pie orders just in time for Thanksgiving. In addition, the culinary team at each restaurant will also be fulfilling some 20,000 total take-home orders.”

“As much work as it is, the Thanksgiving frenzy we experience really puts you in the holiday mood,” observes Jacklyn Mitosinka, director of brand for Polly’s Pies (enthusiastically representing the 3rd generation of Family-ownership.) “Without a doubt pumpkin is one of our top selling pies during this time of year followed by apple and our own signature Banberry. We also make gallons and gallons of fresh whipped cream as well as cinnamon whipped cream to accompany our pie orders.”

Jacklyn Mitosinka takes a break from all the busy Thanksgiving preparations and is our guest with a signature Banberry pie in hand.

Show 431, June 26, 2021: Dr. Shica Little, Dr. Shica’s Bakery, Westfield Culver City Part One

Doctor Shica Little of Dr Shica's Bakery

Dr. Shica Little, known to many as “Southern Sweet Maker to the Stars” as she channels her love of baking and her Southern upbringing into her signature Southern sweets and custom creations, is now showcasing her Southern hospitality at her first official Dr. Shica’s Bakery retail bakery location at Westfield Culver City which opened last month. Her irresistible treats are brownies, cookies, cakes and custom creations.”

“Dr. Shica has always enjoyed her small bakery business as a fun side project in hopes that one day it would grow beyond her home kitchen. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March of 2020, Dr. Shica, a Doctor of Education and college professor in the educational services industry was laid off from her corporate job and she knew right then that it was time to turn her dream into a reality, so she created Dr. Shica’s Bakery online in Los Angeles.”

“Delivering comfort in a Bakery Box became Dr. Shica’s sole mission as everyone was trying their best to adjust to life in lockdown. Dr. Shica also discovered that growing a small business during a pandemic is chock-full of challenges and Dr Shica’s Bakery was faced with operational restrictions, slow supply lines, and a customer base with a much less disposable income, but Dr. Shica and her small team continued to push forward to overcome these challenges and they continued to deliver her delicious Southern sweets all-across the country during a most challenging time.”

“This past year Dr. Shica started selling her Red Velvet Cake (her mom’s special recipe) and her Brownies at a pop-up shop in a soul food restaurant on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. This gained the attention of several Hollywood executives who instantly became huge fans of Dr. Shica’s Desserts, especially her brownies, giving them their name: Almost Famous Brownies. Word started spreading quickly and Dr. Shica began delivering her Bakery Boxes all over the city.”

“She then got a call from Oprah Magazine as they had heard about her desserts and Oprah and Gayle loved her cookies, and Dr. Shica’s Bakery was in the top three on Oprah’s Favorite Things out of 15,000 entries. She was then featured as a Black small business owner on GMA, and her Gourmet Dessert Boxes were featured on Tory Johnson’s ‘Deals and Steals, bringing a tremendous amount of visibility and recognition to Dr. Shica’s Bakery just after its inception.”

“Dr. Shica’s Bakery creates gourmet, Southern-style desserts using only the freshest premium ingredients. Dr. Shica also knew she wanted to expand her baked goods to meet the growing demand for vegan treats, so she developed and is introducing a new line of mouth-watering, plant-based Vegan Desserts that satisfy those sweet cravings and allow her plant-based customers to maintain their vegan lifestyles all while continuing to indulge and enjoy.”

“Reinventing her family’s recipes, Dr. Shica brings old favorites into the modern era featuring desserts with the taste of home and the sophistication of a gourmet bakery, including Signature Sweets such as Dr. Shica’s CookiesSprinkle Delight, Hot Chocolate, Gigi’s Chocolate Chip, Vegan Chocolate Chunk, Lemon Drop, Red Velvet; CakeDebra’s Red Velvet Cake; BrowniesAlmost Famous Brownies; full line of Vegan DessertsVegan Almost Famous Brownies, Vegan Cookies, Vegan Red Velvet Cake, and Signature Boxes including Dr. Shica’s Spring Gift Box, Gourmet Dessert Box, Vegan Gourmet Dessert Boxes, and Traditional and Vegan Birthday Boxes. Also, not to be missed are Dr. Shica’s Custom Creations as Dr. Shica’s Bakery will bring joy to any celebration and if you dream it, they will make it!”

Dr. Shica joins us with whisk in hand.

Show 431, June 26, 2021: Dr. Shica Little, Dr. Shica’s Bakery, Westfield Culver City Part Two

Doctor Shica Little of Dr Shica's Bakery

Dr. Shica Little, known to many as “Southern Sweet Maker to the Stars” as she channels her love of baking and her Southern upbringing into her signature Southern sweets and custom creations, is now showcasing her Southern hospitality at her first official Dr. Shica’s Bakery retail bakery location at Westfield Culver City which opened last month. Her irresistible treats are brownies, cookies, cakes and custom creations.”

“Dr. Shica has always enjoyed her small bakery business as a fun side project in hopes that one day it would grow beyond her home kitchen. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March of 2020, Dr. Shica, a Doctor of Education and college professor in the educational services industry was laid off from her corporate job and she knew right then that it was time to turn her dream into a reality, so she created Dr. Shica’s Bakery online in Los Angeles.”

“Dr. Shica’s Bakery creates gourmet, Southern-style desserts using only the freshest premium ingredients. Dr. Shica also knew she wanted to expand her baked goods to meet the growing demand for vegan treats, so she developed and is introducing a new line of mouth-watering, plant-based Vegan Desserts that satisfy those sweet cravings and allow her plant-based customers to maintain their vegan lifestyles all while continuing to indulge and enjoy.”

“Reinventing her family’s recipes, Dr. Shica brings old favorites into the modern era featuring desserts with the taste of home and the sophistication of a gourmet bakery, including Signature Sweets such as Dr. Shica’s CookiesSprinkle Delight, Hot Chocolate, Gigi’s Chocolate Chip, Vegan Chocolate Chunk, Lemon Drop, Red Velvet; CakeDebra’s Red Velvet Cake; BrowniesAlmost Famous Brownies; full line of Vegan DessertsVegan Almost Famous Brownies, Vegan Cookies, Vegan Red Velvet Cake, and Signature Boxes including Dr. Shica’s Spring Gift Box, Gourmet Dessert Box, Vegan Gourmet Dessert Boxes, and Traditional and Vegan Birthday Boxes. Also, not to be missed are Dr. Shica’s Custom Creations as Dr. Shica’s Bakery will bring joy to any celebration and if you dream it, they will make it!”

Dr. Shica joins us with whisk in hand.

Show 413, February 20, 2021: Trevor Faris, Proprietor, Hank’s Bagels – Sherman Oaks & Burbank

Trevor Faris of Hanks Bagels

We’re bagel obsessed in Southern California so a new, independent bagel shop really needs to stand out to get attention in an already crowded and highly discriminating marketplace. Hank’s Bagels (Hank’s…a deli of sorts) is the creation of Chef Trevor Faris and the original, tiny Burbank location opened without fanfare in late 2019. 

His hand-rolled bagels and spreads, along with a full menu of mouth-watering bagel sandwiches earned early word-of-mouth fame. Many days they sold out of bagels by the early afternoon. Demand has been so great that Chef Trevor opened a much larger, commissary location on Ventura Blvd. late last year to keep up. Chefs rave about these bagels and sandwiches.

The assortment of handmade bagels includes plain, poppy, sesame, salt, cinnamon raisin, onion, rosemary sea salt and everything. Spreads range from Scallion to Vegan Cream Cheese plus Lox. A popular Bagel Sandwich is the No. 2 with crispy fried egg, braised greens, gruyere, pickled peppers and aioli.

Chef Travis joins us with the bagel briefing.

Show 339, August 31, 2019: Cookie Good’s Co-Founder & Baker, Ross Canter Part One

Ross Canter of Cookie Good“You know that feeling when you take your first bite of a cookie? When you crunch through that crisp exterior and get to the chewy often chocolaty center; when the buttery, slightly salty sweetness hits your tongue? It’s just an instant but suddenly your brain is flooded, senses over-loaded and without even being aware, you find yourself smiling. That’s what we call feeling “Cookie Good”.”

“We take that feeling one step further, working hard to make cookies that not only taste amazing but also feed your soul; that make you remember something wonderful – the gooey, toasted, marshmallowy treat you ate around a campfire, that favorite childhood cereal you only got when your dad went to the market, your grandmother’s once-a-year-apple pie…Cookie Good: it’s how you wanna feel.”

“After a few years of baking thousands of cookies at home with only a 6-quart mixer and a single oven, we decided to move to a commercial kitchen. In just 5 hours a day, 4 days a week, we baked and baked and baked. As the business grew, we knew it was finally time to take the biggest leap of all – building our own bakery. We found the perfect spot in Santa Monica – a small, 1930s brick building right across the street from a park with palm trees, lawn bowling, and a duck pond.”

Cookie Good’s (Santa Monica) Co-Founder & Baker Ross Canter joins us with all the sweet details.

Show 333, July 20, 2019: Betty Porto, Vice President, Community Relations, Porto’s Bakery & Cafe

Betty Porto in front of the Porto's Bakery Bread RackPorto’s Bakery & Café started modestly in the greater L.A. area in the 1960s and has grown steadily since then becoming a popular, local institution. Founder Rosa Porto’s life took an unexpected turn back then when she and her family made the difficult decision to leave their beloved Cuba and emigrate to the United States. Out of a job, Rosa relied on her love of baking and began selling cakes out of her house for her neighbors and friends to support her family.

Porto’s has gradually (and deliberately) grown into five existing locations in Glendale, Burbank, Downey, Buena Park, and the newly opened West Covina. Northridge is on the horizon.

“Rosa’s recipes and high standards continue to be carried on by her family, reflective of her motto “quality is the number one ingredient in everything we do”.”

Newly launched from Porto’s is “We Make It, You Bake It.” Also known as Porto’s Bake at Home.

“We now ship nationwide our best-selling pastries unbaked, frozen, and direct to you so you can bake them fresh in your own oven! It’s like having a Porto’s Bakery in your home! Congrats, you are now a Porto’s Pastry Chef. Feel free to take all the credit.”

The initial menu is Potato Balls, Guava Strudel, Chicken Empanadas, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Cheese Rolls, Guava & Cheese Strudel, Meat Pies, Sprinkledoodle Cookies and Dulce de Leche Bestio Cookies.

Betty Porto, Vice President of Community and Guest Relations for Porto’s is our guest.

Show 316, March 23, 2019: Phoenix Bakery with 2nd Generation Baker, Youlen Chan, L.A.’s Chinatown Part One

Youlen Chan at the AM830 KLAA StudiosFamous for their fresh strawberry whipped cream cake, almond and butterfly cookies and the unusual watermelon pastries, Phoenix Bakery has been artfully creating delectable cakes and pastries since 1938.

Founded by, and still operated by the Chan Family, their little Chinese bakery serves families and celebrities alike for all occasions. It’s one of the five-original business operating in L.A.’s historic Chinatown. They celebrated their 80th Anniversary last August.

Baker (and Family Member) Youlen Chan frosts the cake for us.