Show 198, November 19, 2016: Baker Dorie Greenspan, Dorie’s Cookies Continues…

Dorie Greenspan and her cookbook Dories CookiesOver the course of her incredible baking career, Dorie Greenspan (a 3-time James Beard Award-winner) has created more than 300 cookie recipes. Yet she has never written a book about them—until now. Just in time for the Holidays is Dorie’s Cookies. It’s her 12th cookbook.

Baking phobic…? Dorie gently prods you to get into the kitchen and give it a go. Her suggested starter cookie is Almond Crackle Cookies. The three ingredients are sugar, and egg and sliced almonds.

This is such an exciting book for me. It’s got a whole new look and a cover that’s my favorite color: Purple! Oh, and it’s got recipes, of course. Lots of them. There are cookies of every kind imaginable and some that you might not have imagined. You’ll be surprised at how many of our favorite sweets can be cookie-ized.” – Dorie Greenspan

“There are everyday cookies and cookies for weekends (recipes that take a bit more time), holidays (you’ll be everyone’s fav at this year’s cookie swaps) and celebrations. There are bars and brownies and biscotti and the kinds of cookies that make big batches for parties. And there are all the recipes for the cookies that I created for Beurre & Sel, the cookie adventure that Joshua, my son, and I launched a few years ago. In the front of this beautiful (chubby) book there’s a Cookie-Making Handbook that guarantees that every cookie you make will be perfect, even if you’re new to the craft.” – Dorie Greenspan

Inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America, Dorie Greenspan is also the author of Around My French Table, a New York Times bestseller that was named Cookbook of the Year by the IACP; Baking Chez Moi; and Baking: From My Home to Yours, a James Beard Award winner. She lives in Westbrook, Connecticut, and Paris.

Show 100, December 6, 2014: Show Preview with Producer Andy Harris

Andy Harris at the KLAA StudiosProducer and occasional Co-Host Andy Harris is going solo in the host chair this morning. Now a preview of today’s ample show as we swing into The Holidays…

The historic Grand Central Market (GCM) has been an icon in Downtown Los Angeles since 1917. It celebrates the cuisines and cultures of all Angelenos. In the last two years, under the watchful eye of The Market’s proprietress, Adele Yellin, an impressive transformation has begun. The best of the ethnic heritage food merchants have been retained while exciting new food concepts (appealing to a younger generation of sophisticated foodies) have opened. Foot traffic at The Grand Central Market has increased…This year Bon Appetit Magazine, incredibly, named the GCM as one of the “Ten Best New Restaurants of The Year.”

Hidden in plain sight in The Grove adjacent to the Original Farmer’s Market in Los Angeles is the comfortably elegant, The Whisper Restaurant and Lounge. Right now it’s a great respite from the craziness of The Grove during the Holidays. The Whisper celebrated its 10th birthday this year and, for the last seven years, has been under the culinary direction of Executive Chef Anthony Jacquet. It’s classic American cuisine with contemporary surprises. It’s surprisingly reasonable for the quality of the food and the refined atmosphere.

With her groundbreaking bestseller, Around My French Table, renowned cookbook author and baker Dorie Greenspan changed the way Americans view French Food. Now in BAKING CHEZ MOI: Recipes from My Paris Home to Your Home Anywhere, she explores the captivating world of French desserts, bringing together a charmingly uncomplicated combination of contemporary recipes that emphasize the French knack for elegant simplicity.” Dorie Greenspan joins us from Manhattan.

The unusual Diamond Jamboree retail center at the corner of Alton Parkway and Jamboree Road in Irvine is a veritable culinary tour of the edible delights of Asia (primarily) without the long plane flight and needing a current passport with the required visas. You hear more Chinese, Japanese, and Korean spoken there than English but all are welcome. The best known anchor (there are over 20 possible dining destinations) is the West Coast Flagship of 85 Degrees, a hugely popular Taiwanese bakery café (230 plus cafes in Taiwan) that is always busy. We’ll be provided with an informed overview of this foodie’s paradise by Marketing Manager, Suzie Won.

The Museum of the American Cocktai in association with Craft in America Center presents : Crafting the Cocktail : Handmade Objects and Implements for Classic and Modern Libations.” It’s a landmark exhibition of one-of-a-kind, handmade barware that showcases innovative designs inspired by the ways in which we enjoy distilled spirits, both neat and well-mixed. The exhibit will be hosted at the Craft in America Center in Los Angeles from December 6, 2014 to February 21, 2015.

“The Museum of the American Cocktail (MOTAC) presents A Complete History of Drinking (Abridged),” the next edition of Touring the Cocktail: MOTAC Los Angeles. The seminar will take place Monday, December 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ace Hotel’s Upstairs Rooftop Lounge. Celebrate Repeal Day Weekend in Los Angeles with Museum of the American Cocktail.

All of this and lots more absolutely incredible deliciousness on Saturday’s show!

Show 100, December 6, 2014: Dorie Greenspan

Dorie GreenspanWith her groundbreaking bestseller, Around My French Table, renowned cookbook author and baker Dorie Greenspan changed the way Americans view French Food. Now in BAKING CHEZ MOI: Recipes from My Paris Home to Your Home Anywhere, she explores the captivating world of French desserts, bringing together a charmingly uncomplicated combination of contemporary recipes that emphasize the French knack for elegant simplicity.”

“A little over five years ago, Dorie set out to observe and write about some of the best French pastry chefs behind the world’s most accomplished desserts – those towering architectural confections that are as much art as food. She went in search of what she called her “Ph.D. in pastry.”

“However, it didn’t take her long to recognize that she was continually drawn to the simplest sweets – those of daily life – the home-baked cakes, tarts, pastries, and cookies we all crave every day. BAKING CHEZ MOI is the culmination of all of Dorie’s discoveries, an irresistible collection of radically simple desserts inspired by years of travel through France. Incorporating the country’s traditions, specialties, and seasonal ingredients as well as the recipes shared by talented home bakers and pastry chefs.

Dorie Greenspan joins us from Manhattan.

Show 100, December 6, 2014: Dorie Greenspan Continues…

Custardy Apple SquaresDorie is on a mission to encourage Home Bakers in their kitchens. Her gateway recipe which she suggests a starting home baker tackles first is her foolproof “Custardy Apple Squares.” The ingredients are typically already in the home pantry. The recipe is now available for the taking via the “Blog” tab accessible from the Home Page of the “SoCal Restaurant Show’s” Website.

Dorie observes about BAKING CHEZ MOI, “Over the years, as the recipes and stories accumulated, as I made the cakes and cookies, tarts, pastries, and desserts in France, remade them in America, and shared them with friends on both sides of the ocean, I realized that though I hadn’t written the book I’d originally set out to, I’d written one that taught me just as much.”

“In 2006 Dorie’s Baking From My Home to yours was published. Shortly after the book was available an online baking club, Tuesdays with Dorie, was formed so that members could bake their way through the book and learn from it and each other. The group finished the book’s 300 plus recipes and is now deep into Baking with Julia.”

“Around My French Table is filled with stories of French life and more than 300 recipes for the elbows-on-the-table food that my friends and I are making in France today. Another online group, French Fridays with Dorie, was formed and the members – they come from all over the world – are cooking like mad. Soon they will be baking their way through BAKING CHEZ MOI”

Custardy Apple Squares

I think of this as a “back-pocket recipe,” one I can pull out when I need something quick and wonderful, something I can make on the spur of the moment without trekking to the market. The cake is primarily apples (or pears or mangoes) and the batter, which resembles one you’d use for crepes, has more flavor than you’d imagine the short list of ingredients could deliver and it turns thick and custard-like in the oven. Through some magic of chemistry, the apples, which go into the pan in a mishmash, seem to line themselves up and they come out baked through but retaining just enough structure to give you something to bite into. That it can be served minutes out of the oven makes this the perfect last-minute sweet.

I’ve made this with several kinds of apples and the cake has always been good. In general, I go for juicy apples that are not too soft (Gala and Fujis work well), and if I’ve got a few different kinds on hand, I use them all. I slice the apples on a mandoline or Benriner, tools that make fast work of the job, give you thin slices and allow you to use almost all of the fruit. When you’re finished slicing an apple on one of these, all you’ve got left is a neat rectangle of core.

3 medium juicy,sweet apples, such as Gala orFuji,peeled
1⁄2 cup (68grams)all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1⁄3 cup (67grams) sugar
Pinch of fine sea salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6 tablespoons whole milk at room temperature
2 tablespoons(1ounce; 28 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.

Slice the apples from top to bottom using a mandoline, Benriner or a sharp knife, turning the fruit as you reach the core. The slices should be about 1/16th inch thick—elegantly thin, but not so thin that they’re transparent and fragile. Discard the cores.

Whisk the flour and baking powder together in a small bowl.

Working in a large bowl with a whisk, beat the eggs, sugar and salt together for about 2 minutes, until the sugar just about dissolves and, more important, the eggs are pale. Whisk in the vanilla, followed by the milk and melted butter. Turn the flour into the bowl and stir with the whisk until the batter is smooth. Add the apples to the bowl, switch to a flexible spatula gently fold the apples into the batter, turning everything around until each thin slice is coated in batter. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top as evenly as you can—it will be bumpy; that’s its nature.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until golden brown, uniformly puffed — make sure the middle of the cake has risen—and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.

Using a long chefs knife, cut the cake into 8 squares in the pan (being careful not to damage the pan), or unmold the cake onto a rack, flip it onto a plate and cut into squares. Either way, give the squares a dusting of confectioners’ sugar before serving, if you’d like.

Bonne Idées

You can add a couple of tablespoons of dark rum, Calvados, applejack or Armagnac or a drop (really just a drop) of pure almond extract to the batter. If you have an orange or a lemon handy, you can grate the zest over the sugar and rub the ingredients together until they’re fragrant. You can also change the fruit. Pears are perfect and a combination of apples and pears even better. Or make the cake with 2 firm mangoes—the texture will be different, but still good—or very thinly sliced quinces. Finally, if you want to make this look  a little dressier, you can warm some apple jelly in a microwave and spread a thin layer of it over the top with a pastry brush.

Text: Excerpted from BAKING CHEZ MOI, (c) 2014 by Dorie Greenspan. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Photos: (c) Alan Richardson

December 6: Grand Central Market, Anthony Jacquet, Dorie Greenspan, Diamond Jamboree, Museum of the American Cocktail

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Producer Andy Harris
Segment Two: The Grand Central Market
Segment Three: Chef Anthony Jacquet, The Whisper Restaurant & Lounge
Segment Four: Dorie Greenspan Part One
Segment Five: Dorie Greenspan Part Two
Segment Six: Diamond Jamboree Center
Segment Seven: “Crafting the Cocktail: Handmade Objects and Implememnts for Classic and Modern Libations”
Segment Eight: Ace Hotel Beverage Manager Dan Sabo

Andy Harris at the KLAA StudiosProducer and occasional Co-Host Andy Harris is going solo in the host chair this morning. Now a preview of today’s ample show…

The historic Grand Central Market (GCM) has been an icon in Downtown Los Angeles since 1917. It celebrates the cuisines and cultures of all Angelenos. In the last two years, under the watchful eye of The Market’s proprietress, Adele Yellin, an impressive transformation has begun. The best of the ethnic heritage food merchants have been retained while exciting new food concepts (appealing to a younger generation of sophisticated foodies) have opened. Foot traffic at The Grand Central Market has increased…This year Bon Appetit Magazine, incredibly, named the GCM as one of the “Ten Best New Restaurants of The Year.”

Hidden in plain sight in The Grove adjacent to the Original Farmer’s Market in Los Angeles is the comfortably elegant, The Whisper Restaurant and Lounge. Right now it’s a great respite from the craziness of The Grove during the Holidays. The Whisper celebrated its 10th birthday this year and, for the last seven years, has been under the culinary direction of Executive Chef Anthony Jacquet. It’s classic American cuisine with contemporary surprises. It’s surprisingly reasonable for the quality of the food and the refined atmosphere.

With her groundbreaking bestseller, Around My French Table, renowned cookbook author and baker Dorie Greenspan changed the way Americans view French Food. Now in BAKING CHEZ MOI: Recipes from My Paris Home to Your Home Anywhere, she explores the captivating world of French desserts, bringing together a charmingly uncomplicated combination of contemporary recipes that emphasize the French knack for elegant simplicity.” Dorie Greenspan joins us from Manhattan.

The unusual Diamond Jamboree retail center at the corner of Alton Parkway and Jamboree Road in Irvine is a veritable culinary tour of the edible delights of Asia (primarily) without the long plane flight and needing a current passport with the required visas. You hear more Chinese, Japanese, and Korean spoken there than English but all are welcome. The best known anchor (there are over 20 possible dining destinations) is the West Coast Flagship of 85 Degrees, a hugely popular Taiwanese bakery café (230 plus cafes in Taiwan) that is always busy. We’ll be provided with an informed overview of this foodie’s paradise by Marketing Manager, Suzie Won.

The Museum of the American Cocktail in association with Craft in America Center presents : Crafting the Cocktail : Handmade Objects and Implements for Classic and Modern Libations.” It’s a landmark exhibition of one-of-a-kind, handmade barware that showcases innovative designs inspired by the ways in which we enjoy distilled spirits, both neat and well-mixed. The exhibit will be hosted at the Craft in America Center in Los Angeles from December 6, 2014 to February 21, 2015.

“The Museum of the American Cocktail (MOTAC) presents “A Complete History of Drinking (Abridged),” the next edition of Touring the Cocktail:MOTAC Los Angeles. The seminar will take place Monday, December 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ace Hotel’s Upstairs Rooftop Lounge. Celebrate Repeal Day Weekend in Los Angeles with Museum of the American Cocktail.

All of this and lots more absolutely incredible deliciousness on Saturday’s show!

Adele YellinThe historic Grand Central Market (GCM) has been an icon in Downtown Los Angeles since 1917. It celebrates the cuisines and cultures of all Angelenos. In the last two years, under the watchful eye of The Market’s proprietress, Adele Yellin, an impressive transformation has begun.

The best of the ethnic heritage food merchants (Tacos Tumbras A Tomas & Sarita’s Pupuseria) have been retained while exciting new food concepts (appealing to a younger generation of sophisticated foodies) have opened. The first wave of these spots was G&B Coffee and Sticky Rice. Mark Peel (ex-Campanile) has a seafood concept on the horizon.

The Market is now open later hours for dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Foot traffic at The Grand Central Market has increased…This year Bon Appetit Magazine named the GCM as one of the “Ten Best New Restaurants of The Year.”

Anthony JacquetHidden in plain sight in The Grove adjacent to the Original Farmer’s Market in Los Angeles is the comfortably elegant, The Whisper Restaurant and Lounge. Right now it’s a great respite from the craziness of The Grove during the Holidays.

The Whisper celebrated its 10th birthday this year and, for the last seven years, has been under the culinary direction of Executive Chef Anthony Jacquet. It’s classic American cuisine with contemporary surprises. It’s surprisingly reasonable for the quality of the food and the refined atmosphere.

Chef Jacquet recently returned from an eight-day culinary adventure in Taiwan as part of the 2014 Taste Taiwan Culinary Tour. Of 25 chef nominations in the United States and Canada three chefs were selected to participate on the trip including Anthony Jacquet. He created a signature dish inspired by his time in Taiwan. Chef Anthony joins us to share the highlights of this experience.

Dorie GreenspanWith her groundbreaking bestseller, Around My French Table, renowned cookbook author and baker Dorie Greenspan changed the way Americans view French Food. Now in BAKING CHEZ MOI: Recipes from My Paris Home to Your Home Anywhere, she explores the captivating world of French desserts, bringing together a charmingly uncomplicated combination of contemporary recipes that emphasize the French knack for elegant simplicity.”

“A little over five years ago, Dorie set out to observe and write about some of the best French pastry chefs behind the world’s most accomplished desserts – those towering architectural confections that are as much art as food. She went in search of what she called her “Ph.D. in pastry.” However, it didn’t take her long to recognize that she was continually drawn to the simplest sweets – those of daily life – the home-baked cakes, tarts, pastries, and cookies we all crave every day. BAKING CHEZ MOI is the culmination of all of Dorie’s discoveries, an irresistible collection of radically simple desserts inspired by years of travel through France. Incorporating the country’s traditions, specialties, and seasonal ingredients as well as the recipes shared by talented home bakers and pastry chefs.

Dorie Greenspan joins us from Manhattan.

Dorie observes about BAKING CHEZ MOI, “Over the years, as the recipes and stories accumulated, as I made the cakes and cookies, tarts, pastries, and desserts in France, remade them in America, and shared them with friends on both sides of the ocean, I realized that though I hadn’t written the book I’d originally set out to, I’d written one that taught me just as much.”

“In 2006 Dorie’s Baking From My Home to yours was published. Shortly after the book was available an online baking club, Tuesdays with Dorie, was formed so that members could bake their way through the book and learn from it and each other. The group finished the book’s 300 plus recipes and is now deep into Baking with Julia.”

“Around My French Table is filled with stories of French life and more than 300 recipes for the elbows-on-the-table food that my friends and I are making in France today. Another online group, French Fridays with Dorie, was formed and the members – they come from all over the world – are cooking like mad. Soon they will be baking their way through BAKING CHEZ MOI”

Diamond JamboreeThe unusual Diamond Jamboree retail center at the corner of Alton Parkway and Jamboree Road in Irvine is a veritable culinary tour of the edible delights of Asia (primarily) without the long plane flight and needing a current passport with the required visas. You hear more Chinese, Japanese, and Korean spoken there than English but all are welcome.

The best known anchor (there are over 20 possible dining destinations) is the West Coast Flagship of 85 Degrees, a hugely popular Taiwanese bakery café (230 plus cafes in Taiwan) that is always busy. We’ll also learn about Chef Hung Taiwanese Beef Noodle, Urban Seoul borderless kitchen, and Capital Seafood.

We’ll be provided with an informed overview of this foodie’s paradise by Marketing Manager, Suzie Won.

Philip DobardThe Museum of the American Cocktail in association with Craft in America Center presents: Crafting the Cocktail: Handmade Objects and Implements for Classic and Modern Libations.” It’s a landmark exhibition of one-of-a-kind, handmade barware that showcases innovative designs inspired by the ways in which we enjoy distilled spirits, both neat and well-mixed.

Cocktails are inherently craft–centered : making a fine beverage requires an arsenal of tools, materials, and know-how. The process is a fundamental as the product. This exhibition will encompass the myriad items in the bartender’s toolkit, ranging from the miniscule to the sizeable, from the swizzle stick to the punchbowl, from the barstool to the liquor cabinet.

The exhibit will be hosted at the Craft in America Center in Los Angeles from December 6, 2014 to February 21, 2015.

Dan Sabo“The Museum of the American Cocktail (MOTAC) presents A Complete History of Drinking (Abridged),” the next edition of Touring the Cocktail:MOTAC Los Angeles. The seminar will take place Monday, December 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ace Hotel’s Upstairs Rooftop Lounge. Celebrate Repeal Day Weekend in Los Angeles with Museum of the American Cocktail.

SoFAB Institute President and MOTAC Managing Director Liz Williams, author of the forthcoming Lift Your Spirits, a history of drinking in New Orleans, will present a concise and colorful history of drinking, from the ancient roots of alcoholic beverages to the modern craft cocktail revolution. Acclaimed bartender and Ace Hotel Beverage Manager Dan Sabo will deliver a menu of classic libations surveying the history of mixed drinks, and guests will enjoy gourmet appetizers courtesy of Executive Chef Ken Addington of L.A. Chapter at Ace Hotel.

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Producer Andy Harris
Segment Two: The Grand Central Market
Segment Three: Chef Anthony Jacquet, The Whisper Restaurant & Lounge
Segment Four: Dorie Greenspan Part One
Segment Five: Dorie Greenspan Part Two
Segment Six: Diamond Jamboree Center
Segment Seven: “Crafting the Cocktail: Handmade Objects and Implememnts for Classic and Modern Libations”
Segment Eight: Ace Hotel Beverage Manager Dan Sabo