Show 478, June 11, 2022: Tehachapi Heritage Grain Project with Sherry Mandell and Sugarbear Bakes’ Steph Chen

Sherry Mandell and Stephanie Chen of Gather for Good

Gather for Good’s Co-founder, Sherry Mandell is also a partner in the Tehachapi Heritage Grain Project. She is affectionally referred to as the “Fairy Grain Mother.” Sherry’s mission is “spreading glutenous joy far and wide.” Her Gather for Good Co-founder, artisan baker and pastry chef Stephanie Chen, operates Sugarbear Bakes. Pastry Chef Steph uses Tehachapi Grain flour in her incredibly delicious hand pies and cakes.

“The Tehachapi Heritage Grain Project’s aim is to preserve and grow heritage organic grains which are naturally drought tolerant and low in gluten.”

“Wheat and the other small cereal grains have been planted in the Golden State since the establishment of missions in the 1760s. Our Mediterranean climate is ideal to the growing of the annual grasses collectively known as grains. California once led the nation in barley production and was second in wheat production, but in the early 20th century grain farming began to be replaced by higher value orchards, vineyards, and row crops.”

“However, grains (especially heirloom varieties) tend to have very low water requirements, and remain well-suited for California. Tehachapi Heritage Grain Project is trying to bring back many different types of heirloom grains (non-GMO) for use by home cooks, chefs, bakers, and brewers.”

Sherry Mandell is at the Wednesday and Saturday Santa Monica Farmers Markets with the Tehachapi Heritage Grain Project flour. She is based in the Weiser Family Farms stand. Pre-ordering is necessary via the website.

Sherry Mandell and Pastry Chef Stephanie Chen continue with us now providing an overview of the Tehachapi Heritage Grain Project.

Show 34, July 6, 2013: Valerie Gordon of Valerie Confections

Valerie Gordon of Valerie ConfectionsValerie Gordon of Valerie Confections burst on the local foodie scene with her cravable line of chocolate-dipped toffees in 2004. The response has been terrific and the line has greatly expanded over the years. Her quality products now include chocolates, a line of petis fours, handmade preserves, cakes, pastries, and even a catering division.

Valerie has developed a sub-specialty of recreating the classic desserts of fondly remembered, but long-ago departed, iconic local restaurants. The original Brown Derby’s grapefruit cake is just one memorable example.

Valerie Confections latest project is their new Coffee Shop & Bakery located at the historic Grand Central Market in Downtown Los Angeles. It’s open Monday through Friday only from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. There are breakfast and lunch specials daily and the classic desserts are available by the slice, too.

July 6: Sherry Yard, Sriracha Movie, Gustavo Arrelamo, Evan Funke, Valerie Confections

Podcasts

Segment One: On the Town with Chef Jet, Sherry Yard, and Producer Andy
Segment Two: Food Journalist Randy Clemens and “Sriracha” filmmaker Griffin Hammond Part One
Segment Three: Food Journalist Randy Clemens and “Sriracha” filmmaker Griffin Hammond Part Two
Segment Four: Gustavo Arellano, Editor of OC Weekly and author of Taco USA: How Mexican Foods Conquered America
Segment Five: Chef Evan Funke, executive chef & proprietor, Bucato Restaurant
Segment Six: Valerie Gordon, Valerie Confections

Time to talk of recent dining adventures …

Sherry YardPastry princess, Sherry Yard, the recipient of two James Beard Awards, joins us in-studio. She was celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck’s high-profile dessert guru for 20 years and is now out on her own with an ambitious project at The Helms Bakery complex in Los Angeles (on the border with Culver City.)

We’ll also answer some e-mail inquiries.

Sriracha MovieIt’s the Sriracha wars and the heat is on !

If you think Sriracha is simply the locally produced, fiery sauce with the red rooster on the label you need to know the real story. It’s actually Thai hot sauce named after the seaside town of Si Racha. It’s as popular as ketchup on the Southeast Asian table.

Documentary filmmaker Griffin Hammond will join us to talk about the Sriracha documentary he’s working on. It’s partially funded by an ongoing KickStarter campaign that’s already oversubscribed! He’ll be joined by local food writer Randy Clemens who is the author of two cookbooks on Sriracha. Newly released is The Veggie-Lover’s Sriracha Cookbook from Ten Speed Press.

Gustavo Arellano of Ask a MexicanOur favorite all-star, “Ask a Mexican,” Gustavo Arellano, returns to give us more practical insight on Mexican ingredients and their history. He’s also the editor of OC Weekly.

Today we’re talking tortillas. Why is a burrito made with flour tortillas? On the other hand why are enchiladas prepared with corn tortillas. What is right for a hard or soft-shelled taco? We’re confused…

I need a cerveza…

Evan Funke of Bucato Restaurant Chef Evan Funke generated a lot of interest at Rustic Canyon as the opening chef when it opened a few years back in Santa Monica. Now Evan is about to debut Bucato Restaurant on Washington Blvd. in Culver City in the former iconic Beacon Laundry Building which is part of the larger Helms Bakery complex. With Bucato he is Executive Chef and Proprietor.

During construction Chef Evan has been operating a food truck. The rave item is his porchetta sandwich. Bucato will be modern Italian.

Valerie Gordon of Valerie ConfectionsValerie Gordon of Valerie Confections burst on the local foodie scene with her cravable line of chocolate-dipped toffees in 2004. The response has been terrific and the line has greatly expanded over the years. Her quality products now include chocolates, a line of petis fours, handmade preserves, cakes, pastries, and even a catering division.

Valerie has developed a sub-specialty of recreating the classic desserts of fondly remembered, but long-ago departed, iconic local restaurants. The original Brown Derby’s grapefruit cake is just one memorable example.

Valerie Confections latest project is their new Coffee Shop & Bakery located at the historic Grand Central Market in Downtown Los Angeles.

Podcasts

Segment One: On the Town with Chef Jet, Sherry Yard, and Producer Andy
Segment Two: Food Journalist Randy Clemens and “Sriracha” filmmaker Griffin Hammond Part One
Segment Three: Food Journalist Randy Clemens and “Sriracha” filmmaker Griffin Hammond Part Two
Segment Four: Gustavo Arellano, Editor of OC Weekly and author of Taco USA: How Mexican Foods Conquered America
Segment Five: Chef Evan Funke, executive chef & proprietor, Bucato Restaurant
Segment Six: Valerie Gordon, Valerie Confections

February 9: Average Betty, Andrew Sutton, Jet Tila, Rachel Klemek

Podcasts

Segment One: Sara O’Donnell of You Tube’s “Average Betty” Part One
Segment Two: Sara O’Donnell of You Tube’s “Average Betty” Part Two
Segment Three: Andrew Sutton, Executive Chef of Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, Anaheim
Segment Four: Jet Tila and Average Betty
Segment Five: Rachel Klemek of Blackmarket Bakery at The Camp in Costa Mesa, and Irvine Part One
Segment Six: Rachel Klemek of Blackmarket Bakery at The Camp in Costa Mesa, and Irvine Part Two

It takes equal measures of moxie, talent, and preparedness to break out on YouTube. We’ll talk to their culinary star, and she can really cook. What’s it like to prepare a meal at The James Beard House (the Carnegie Hall of cooking) in Manhattan? We’ll find out from a high-profile Orange County chef who was just there…

Jet has been cooking up and down the West Coast this week from the legendary studio commissary at Paramount Pictures in Hollywood to the campus of OSU in Corvallis, Oregon. He’ll share a few of his observations from the road. Finally, Orange County’s rebel baker is in-studio. What a story of tenacity she has to share with us!

Average Betty Sara O'DonnellSara O’Donnell of Average Betty has conquered YouTube with her series of humorous and highly entertaining shorts on cooking. YouTube has been so impressed with her work that she was chosen to go through their coveted training program. As a result of her success she was given high value equipment to increase the production values in her segments!

She makes it look easy but it requires talent, a point-of-view and a lot of advance preparation.

Sara is with us to give us the background on the unlikely success story that is Average Betty!

Andrew Sutton of Disney's Grand Californian Resort and SpaOne of the most distinct honors a chef can have in the United States is to be invited to prepare and cook a multi-course meal at The James Beard Foundation in Manhattan for a group of highly discriminating diners. James Beard is considered the “Father of American Gastronomy” by many pillars of the contemporary food world.

Andrew Sutton, the founding executive chef of the stellar Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, was at the Beard House on January 30th as part of the (mostly Orange County-based) culinary team cooking the “Salmon Seduction” evening. Andy will share that special experience with us and it’s not the first time he’s been there.

Chinese New Year has had Jet on the road this past week. Monday and Tuesday he was the celebrity guest chef at the commissary at Paramount Studios in Hollywood with his Chinese New Year menu as the featured lunch special. The menu changed daily and continued for the week.

Jet Tila at Oregon State UniversityOn Thursday Jet was in Corvallis on the campus of Oregon State University. Again, he was the celebrity guest chef in residence to celebrate Chinese New Year. He taught cooking classes for the students as well as conducted some entertaining demos. His Chinese New Year menu was featured on campus as a special celebration for Thursday evening.

Jet will share highlights from the road along with some dining intell, too…

Rachel Klemek of Blackmarket Bakery and the CampOn the show it’s a joy to share local food success stories. Saturday we’ll meet the amazing Rachel Klemek of Blackmarket Bakery in Irvine and at The Camp in Costa Mesa. In 2004 she started out with a small production bakery for wholesale customers in a hidden location in an industrial park in Irvine. Word-of-mouth for her creations grew quickly. Aficionados swoon over her cakes, decadent pastries, and fresh breads. Rachel’s signature Marche Noir Cabernet brownies are pretty incredible, too.

Her first planned retail location at The Camp actually debuted in early January but Rachel is having the Grand Opening celebration on Monday, February 11th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 15 per cent of all sales during the festivities will be donated to Share Our Selves.

Podcasts

Segment One: Sara O’Donnell of You Tube’s “Average Betty” Part One
Segment Two: Sara O’Donnell of You Tube’s “Average Betty” Part Two
Segment Three: Andrew Sutton, Executive Chef of Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, Anaheim
Segment Four: Jet Tila and Average Betty
Segment Five: Rachel Klemek of Blackmarket Bakery at The Camp in Costa Mesa, and Irvine Part One
Segment Six: Rachel Klemek of Blackmarket Bakery at The Camp in Costa Mesa, and Irvine Part Two