Show 160, February 20, 2016: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris and Chef Andrew Gruel, Founder, Slapfish Restaurant Group

Andrew Gruel at the AM830 KLAA StudiosExecutive Chef Andrew Gruel of the rapidly growing Slapfish empire with restaurants in Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, LAX, Irvine at UCI and, now, Brea, is back as today’s special Guest Host.

Next a mouthwatering preview of Saturday’s promisingly scrumptious and always healthy show and not, with profuse apologies, for dieters. If we’re doing it right we will always leave you hungry and thirsty. In our case that’s positively a good thing…

Leave it to our local celebrity chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger to have some real fun with Leap Day on February 29th at Border Grill Downtown Los Angeles. For one night only on Leap Day, Mary Sue’s and Susan’s fondly remembered CITY will return for an encore. Mary Sue Milliken takes us back to the beginning in 1981.

Disney’s “OC Chef’s Table” culinary event will be held March 13, 2016 at the Disney Grand Californian Resort & Spa’s Grand Ballroom. The event features 30 of Orange County’s top chefs coming together to create a delectable five-course meal prepared tableside at tables decorated to reflect the personality and brand of each restaurant represented. All proceeds from the event go to Illumination Foundation. Host Chef Andrew Sutton of Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian joins us with all the details.

For the first time ever, Planned Parenthood Los Angeles (PPLA) is recognizing a Restaurateur of the Year for the upcoming 2016 PPLA Food Fare on March 3rd in Santa Monica. This inaugural honor has been proudly presented to Jenny Rush, head and founder of the Blue Plate Restaurant Group in Santa Monica and Los Angeles. Honoree Jenny Rush is our guest.

Berlin Bistro, a favorite casual dining destination in Long Beach’s eclectic East Village neighborhood, is partnering with the Art Theatre and DINE LBC – Long Beach Restaurant Week, in bringing attention to the very important issue of edible food waste and to raise vitally needed funds for local non-profit Food Finders food rescue organization. The benefit on March 6th is a special screening of the highly-praised documentary, Just Eat It. A Food Waste Story followed by a specialty multi-course “Root-to-Stem” lunch created by Berlin Bistro’s chef, Tim Balen. Chef Tim and the Producer of DINE LBC – Long Beach Restaurant Week, Terri Henry, join us with the 411.

Hundreds of premium wine varieties, sweet and savory chocolate confections, gourmet food samples from acclaimed Pechanga Resort & Casino restaurants, live music, a silent auction and helping out a good cause are all on the agenda for February 26 and 27 at Pechanga Resort & Casino. Tickets for the 8th annual Chocolate Decadence and Pechanga Wine Festival are on sale now. Proceeds from both events benefit Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley. Pechanga Resort & Casino’s Executive Banquet Chef, Colin McGinley, joins us with all the sweet and savory details.

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

Show 160, February 20, 2016: Mary Sue Milliken, Border Grill, Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Las Vegas

Mary Sue MillikenLeave it to our local celebrity chefs and Food Network favorites, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, to have some real fun with Leap Day on February 29th at Border Grill Downtown Los Angeles. For one night only on Leap Day, Mary Sue’s and Susan’s fondly remembered CITY will return for an encore.

“One giant leap for restaurateurs. The year was 1981 when two newly minted chefs named Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger opened a 39-seat restaurant off Melrose Avenue with a worldview that would catapult their careers – CITY. Now 35 years later, the “Too Hot Tamales” are throwing it back to host the return of CITY Night on Leap Day, Monday, February 29th at 6:00 p.m.”

“For one night Border Grill Downtown Los Angeles warps to the 1980’s with a prix-fixe selection from the CITY menu repertoire that introduced Los Angeles eaters to radical flavors and signature dishes from Thailand, India, Italy, France and Greece with French-inspired technique. Nostalgic new wave diners and the uninitiated curious can enjoy the limited engagement at $125 per person.”

Mary Sue Milliken takes us back to the beginning in 1981.

Show 160, February 20, 2016: Mary Sue Milliken, Border Grill, Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Las Vegas Continues…

Mary Sue MillikenLeave it to our local celebrity chefs and Food Network favorites, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, to have some real fun with Leap Day on February 29th at Border Grill Downtown Los Angeles. For one night only on Leap Day, Mary Sue’s and Susan’s fondly remembered CITY will return for an encore.

James Beard Award-winner Mary Sue Milliken is well-know to the audience of the “SoCal Restaurant Show.” She is a pioneer in Food TV and also the co-founder and co-executive chef of the hugely successful Border Grill restaurants (and truck) in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Santa Monica. She is also an active volunteer for The James Beard Foundation in her prominent position on the Board of Trustees as a Board Member.

The 10th Annual Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appetit is coming up the Weekend of April 29th. As they have been for each previous year Mary Sue and Susan are involved in a lot of the culinary events, including a Tequila tasting dinner at Border Grill in the Forum Shops on Saturday, April 30th.

For the 2nd year Mary Sue Milliken is riding in the Chefs Cycle California event to raise funds for Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry effort. Last year her participation raised $14,000 and the goal for 2016 is $20,000. Go Mary Sue…!

 

February 20: Mary Sue Milliken, Napa Rose, Blue Plate Restaurant Group, Berlin Bistro, Pechanga Resort & Casino

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris and Chef Andrew Gruel, Founder, Slapfish Restaurant Group
Segment Two: Mary Sue Milliken, Border Grill, Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Las Vegas Part One
Segment Three: Mary Sue Milliken, Border Grill, Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Las Vegas Part Two
Segment Four: Executive Chef Andrew Sutton, Napa Rose, Disney’s Grand Californian
Segment Five: Jenny Rush, Blue Plate Restaurant Group & 2016 PPLA Food Fare
Segment Six: Terri Henry, Producer, DINE LBC & Executive Chef Tim Balen, Berlin Bistro, Long Beach Part One
Segment Seven: Terri Henry, Producer, DINE LBC & Executive Chef Tim Balen, Berlin Bistro, Long Beach Part Two
Segment Eight: Colin McGinley, Executive Banquet Chef, Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula

Andrew Gruel at the AM830 KLAA StudiosExecutive Chef Andrew Gruel of the rapidly growing Slapfish empire with restaurants in Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, LAX, Irvine at UCI and, now, Brea, is back as today’s special Guest Host.

Next a mouthwatering preview of Saturday’s promisingly scrumptious and always healthy show and not, with profuse apologies, for dieters. If we’re doing it right we will always leave you hungry and thirsty. In our case that’s absolutely a good thing…

Leave it to our local celebrity chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger to have some real fun with Leap Day on February 29th at Border Grill Downtown Los Angeles. For one night only on Leap Day, Mary Sue’s and Susan’s fondly remembered CITY will return for an encore. Mary Sue Milliken takes us back to the beginning in 1981.

Disney’s “OC Chef’s Table” culinary event will be held March 13, 2016 at the Disney Grand Californian Resort & Spa’s Grand Ballroom. The event features 30 of Orange County’s top chefs coming together to create a delectable five-course meal prepared tableside at tables decorated to reflect the personality and brand of each restaurant represented. All proceeds from the event go to Illumination Foundation. Host Chef Andrew Sutton of Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian joins us with all the details.

For the first time ever, Planned Parenthood Los Angeles (PPLA) is recognizing a Restaurateur of the Year for the upcoming 2016 PPLA Food Fare on March 3rd in Santa Monica. This inaugural honor has been proudly presented to Jenny Rush, head and founder of the Blue Plate Restaurant Group in Santa Monica and Los Angeles. Honoree Jenny Rush is our guest.

Berlin Bistro, a favorite casual dining destination in Long Beach’s eclectic East Village neighborhood is partnering with the Art Theatre and DINE LBC – Long Beach Restaurant Week, in bringing attention to the very important issue of edible food waste and to raise vitally needed funds for local non-profit Food Finders food rescue organization. The benefit on March 6th is a special screening of the highly-praised documentary, “Just Eat It. A Food Waste Story” followed by a specialty multi-course “Root -to-Stem” lunch created by Berlin Bistro’s chef, Tim Balen. Chef Tim and the Producer of DINE LBC – Long Beach Restaurant Week, Terri Henry, join us with the 411.

Hundreds of premium wine varieties, sweet and savory chocolate confections, gourmet food samples from acclaimed Pechanga Resort & Casino restaurants, live music, a silent auction and helping out a good cause are all on the agenda for February 26 and 27 at Pechanga Resort & Casino. Tickets for the 8th annual Chocolate Decadence and Pechanga Wine Festival are on sale now. Proceeds from both events benefit Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley. Pechanga Resort & Casino’s Executive Banquet Chef, Colin McGinley, joins us with all the sweet and savory details.

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

Mary Sue MillikenLeave it to our local celebrity chefs and Food Network favorites, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, to have some real fun with Leap Day on February 29th at Border Grill Downtown Los Angeles. For one night only on Leap Day, Mary Sue’s and Susan’s fondly remembered CITY will return for an encore.

“One giant leap for restaurateurs. The year was 1981 when two newly minted chefs named Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger opened a 39-seat restaurant off Melrose Avenue with a worldview that would catapult their careers – CITY. Now 35 years later, the “Too Hot Tamales” are throwing it back to host the return of CITY Night on Leap Day, Monday, February 29th at 6:00 p.m.”

“For one night Border Grill Downtown Los Angeles warps to the 1980’s with a prix-fixe selection from the CITY menu repertoire that introduced Los Angeles eaters to radical flavors and signature dishes from Thailand, India, Italy, France and Greece with French-inspired technique. Nostalgic new wave diners and the uninitiated curious can enjoy the limited engagement at $125 per person.”

Mary Sue Milliken takes us back to the beginning in 1981.

James Beard Award-winner Mary Sue Milliken is well-know to the audience of the “SoCal Restaurant Show.” She is a pioneer in Food TV and also the co-founder and co-executive chef of the hugely successful Border Grill restaurants (and truck) in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Santa Monica. She is also an active volunteer for The James Beard Foundation in her prominent position on the Board of Trustees as a Board Member.

Andrew Sutton of Disney's Grand Californian Resort and SpaDisney’s OC Chef’s Table” culinary event will be held March 13, 2016 at the Disney Grand Californian Resort & Spa’s Grand Ballroom. The event features 30 of Orange County’s top chefs coming together to create a delectable five-course meal prepared tableside at tables decorated to reflect the personality and brand of each restaurant represented.

All proceeds from the event go to Illumination Foundation, a nonprofit working to end the cycle of homelessness in Orange County. Last year over $580,000 was raised, which helped the charity with their emergency house built for the homeless families they serve.

Each table will receive personal service throughout the 5-course meal from a single chef and their staff who take great pride in creating a unique and unforgettable experience for their table’s guests. They will prepare each course right there, tableside, exquisitely paired with fine wines and cocktails presented with impeccable service.

Host Chef Andrew Sutton of Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian joins us with all the details.

Jeniifer Morton of Blue PlateFor the first time ever, Planned Parenthood Los Angeles (PPLA) is recognizing a Restaurateur of the Year for the upcoming 2016 PPLA Food Fare on March 3rd in Santa Monica. This inaugural honor has been proudly presented to Jenny Rush, head and founder of the Blue Plate Restaurant Group in Santa Monica and Los Angeles.

Jenny Rush owns and operates Blue Plate in Santa Monica, Blue Plate Oysterette in Santa Monica and West Hollywood, and Blue Plate Taco in Santa Monica. “PPLA Food Fare is pleased to recognize Jenny for her outstanding contributions to Los Angeles’ culinary culture as well as her dedication to PPLA’s mission to support community health, education and wellness.”

PPLA Food Fare is one of Los Angeles’ most eagerly anticipated annual foodie events. On Thursday, March 3, 2016, this gastronomic affair will showcase over 100 of Southern California’s best chefs, restaurateurs, caterers, wineries, breweries, vendors and merchants, as well as entertainment, raffles and auctions.

Food Fare is PPLA’s largest fundraising event of the year. Proceeds benefit the health care and education services that PPLA offers through their 20 health centers throughout LA County. Founded in 1965, Planned Parenthood Los Angeles will be celebrating its 50th anniversary at the 2016 Food Fare.

Honoree Jenny Rush is our guest.

Tim BalenBerlin Bistro, a favorite casual dining destination in Long Beach’s eclectic East Village neighborhood is partnering with the Art Theatre and DINE LBC – Long Beach Restaurant Week, in bringing attention to the very important issue of edible food waste and to raise vitally needed funds for local non-profit Food Finders food rescue organization. The benefit on March 6th is a special screening of the highly-praised documentary, Just Eat It. A Food Waste Story followed by a specialty multi-course “Root -to-Stem” lunch created by Berlin Bistro’s chef, Tim Balen.

It’s a sad fact that 40 per cent of fresh food produced in America ends up in a landfill. This is perfectly good, edible food.

Chef Tim and the Producer of DINE LBC – Long Beach Restaurant Week, Terri Henry, join us with the 411.

“Just Eat It. A Food Waste Story” is a lively, funny and thought-provoking, 97-minute film produced in 2014 by filmmakers and food lovers Jen Rustemeyer and Grant Baldwin. The pair dive into the issue of food waste from farm, through retail and restaurants, all the way to the back of their own fridge. After catching a glimpse of the billions of dollars of good food that is tossed each year in North America, they pledge to quit grocery shopping and survive only on discarded food for six months. What they find is truly shocking.

Following the film at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, March 6th, Berlin Bistro Executive Chef Tim Balen will present a unique multi-course “Root-to-Stem” lunch made primarily from fresh vegetable and fruit scraps, along with other perfectly edible food products that are typically discarded as unusable. The menu includes:

  • Beet Skin Pickled Egg Salad
  • Brown Beech Mushroom Stock – Spring Vegetable Soup
  • Carrot Top Salsa Verde

All lunch guests will take home a mason jar of Berlin’s housemade Blood Orange Infused Vinegar.

Colin McGinleyHundreds of premium wine varieties, sweet and savory chocolate confections, gourmet food samples from acclaimed Pechanga Resort & Casino restaurants, live music, a silent auction and helping out a good cause are all on the agenda for February 26 and 27 at Pechanga Resort & Casino. Tickets for the 8th annual Chocolate Decadence and Pechanga Wine Festival are on sale now. Proceeds from both events benefit Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley. Pechanga Resort & Casino’s Executive Banquet Chef, Colin McGinley, joins us with all the sweet and savory details.

For the Pechanga Wine Festival on February 27th Chef Colin’s department will be serving Cava and Cantaloupe Lollipops with Saffron and Jamon Serrano. Also, stuffed mini sweet peppers with Longaniza, Shrimp and Potato.

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris and Chef Andrew Gruel, Founder, Slapfish Restaurant Group
Segment Two: Mary Sue Milliken, Border Grill, Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Las Vegas Part One
Segment Three: Mary Sue Milliken, Border Grill, Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Las Vegas Part Two
Segment Four: Executive Chef Andrew Sutton, Napa Rose, Disney’s Grand Californian
Segment Five: Jenny Rush, Blue Plate Restaurant Group & 2016 PPLA Food Fare
Segment Six: Terri Henry, Producer, DINE LBC & Executive Chef Tim Balen, Berlin Bistro, Long Beach Part One
Segment Seven: Terri Henry, Producer, DINE LBC & Executive Chef Tim Balen, Berlin Bistro, Long Beach Part Two
Segment Eight: Colin McGinley, Executive Banquet Chef, Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula

Show 83, August 9, 2014: Chef Jimmy Shaw of Loteria! Grill and The Torta Co.

Jimmy Shaw of Loteria Grill and Torta CompanyChef Jimmy Shaw of Loteria! Grill and the Torta Co. is with us. He brought the rich Mexican Street Food of his native Mexico City to Los Angeles. Keep in mind that Los Angeles is the 2nd largest Mexican City in the World. It all started in 2002 with a modest stand in the Original Farmers Market at Third and Fairfax in Los Angeles.

There are now Loteria! Grill restaurants in Hollywood, Studio, City, Westlake Village, Santa Monica and Downtown at Fig at 7th.

“Lotería! Grill has grown from the open-air stall at the Farmers Market to become a nationally renowned group of restaurants that offer a casually elegant, fun and relaxed atmosphere in which to enjoy everything from a refreshing agua fresca or margarita to award-winning, delicious regional specialties and slowly cooked guisos served with handmade corn tortillas. Favorites like the Chicharrón de Queso, and the Probaditas, a mini-taco sampler of our signature guisos, have their guests coming back frequently for more.”

Chef Jimmy Shaw educates us on the ample Mexican sandwich, the Torta. The bread is the key. It needs to be crispy on the outside and pillowy soft on the interior. He also talks about the rising popularity of stocking Mexican ingredients as regular part of your home pantry.

August 9: Jimmy Shaw, FoodGPS, Richard Foss, AlXimia Vino Elemental Winery, CremaCafe, David and Lesley Jacobs Solmonson, Golden Foodies

Podcasts

Segment One: Guest Host Chef Jimmy Shaw and Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris preview the show
Segment Two: Chef Jimmy Shaw of Loteria! Grill and The Torta Co.
Segment Three: Food GPS Fried Chicken Festival, Chinatown
Segment Four: Food Historian & Author Richard Foss
Segment Five: Manuel Alvarez of AlXimia Vino Elemental Winery
Segment Six: Tarit Tanjasiri of CremaCafe & Bakery
Segment Seven: The 12 Bottle Bar
Segment Eight: The Golden Foodies

Guest Host Chef Jimmy Shaw of Loteria! Grill restaurants and Producer Andy preview the show.

Chef Jimmy Shaw of Loteria! Grill is with us. He brought the rich Mexican Street Food of his native Mexico City to Los Angeles. Keep in mind that Los Angeles is the 2nd largest Mexican City in the World. It all started in 2002 with a modest stand in the Original Farmers Market at Third and Fairfax in Los Angeles.

Chef Jimmy Shaw educates us on the ample Mexican sandwich, The Torta. He also talks about stocking Mexican ingredients in your home pantry.

Josh Lurie of Food GPS is at it again with delectable food and beverage events. The 3rd Annual Food GPS Fried Chicken Festival is set for Sunday afternoon, August 17th in Chinatown’s historic Central Plaza.

The Museum of the American Cocktail (based in New Orleans at the Southern Food & Beverage Museum) is presenting an evening of cocktails, food, and entertainment featuring (the always entertaining) culinary historian and author Richard Foss on August 18th at 6:30 p.m. at Roxanne’s Lounge in Long Beach. The presentation is : “Dry With a Twist: A Liquid Lesson in How Prohibition Changed America.”

One of the most important wine regions in Mexico is the Valle de Guadalupe located about an hour and one-half South of Tijuana. The best of these wines are slowly finding their way North to Southern California. Manuel Alvarez of AlXimia Vino Elemental winery joins us from the Valle de Guadalupe with his Family’s story.

Tarit Tanjasiri is the baker/proprietor of the revered CremaCafe in Seal Beach. It started as a small breakfast and lunch spot. Tarit couldn’t source a bread for his sandwiches that satisfied him so he added an adjacent production bakery. We’ll meet him.

“A new kind of cocktail book, The 12 Bottle Bar, distills the craft cocktail movement for the home bar. Irresistibly uncomplicated, just 12 bottles create over 200 distinct and seasonal cocktails, including beer and wine cocktails.” The husband-and-wife authors are with us.

Orange County’s answer to the prestigious, red carpet awards shows is The Golden Foodies. Voting has started for this year in the first group of categories and the public is invited to vote for their favorite restaurants and related categories. Good luck to all…

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

Jimmy Shaw of Loteria Grill and Torta CompanyChef Jimmy Shaw of Loteria! Grill is with us. He brought the rich Mexican Street Food of his native Mexico City to Los Angeles. Keep in mind that Los Angeles is the 2nd largest Mexican City in the World. It all started in 2002 with a modest stand in the Original Farmers Market at Third and Fairfax in Los Angeles.

There are now Loteria! Grill restaurants in Hollywood, Studio, City, Westlake Village, Santa Monica and Downtown at Fig at 7th.

“Lotería! Grill has grown from the open-air stall at the Farmers Market to become a nationally renowned group of restaurants that offer a casually elegant, fun and relaxed atmosphere in which to enjoy everything from a refreshing agua fresca or margarita to award-winning, delicious regional specialties and slowly cooked guisos served with handmade corn tortillas.  Favorites like the Chicharrón de Queso, and the Probaditas, a mini-taco sampler of our signature guisos, have their guests coming back frequently for more.”

Chef Jimmy Shaw educates us on the ample Mexican sandwich, the Torta. He also talks about stocking Mexican ingredients as part of your regular home pantry.

Joshua Lurie of Food GPSJosh Lurie of Food GPS is at it again with delectable food and beverage events. The 3rd Annual Food GPS Fried Chicken Festival Presented by Bolthouse Farms is set for Sunday afternoon, August 17th in Chinatown’s historic Central Plaza. Hours are 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

This all-inclusive, chef-focused event includes some of L.A.’s best chefs preparing unique fried chicken dishes and complimentary sides. Additionally, there are an array of delicious desserts (Valerie Confections) and beverages.

Participating chef Jesse Furman (Free Range LA) and Josh Lurie of Food GPS preview the Festival.

Dry with a Twist: A Liquid Lesson in How Prohibition Changed AmericaThe Exhibition Room at Roxanne’s Cocktail Lounge & Latin Grill, Long Beach’s “hidden speakeasy,” hosts the next edition of Touring the Cocktail: MOTAC Los Angeles, a liquid lesson in how Prohibition changed America. Come out for an evening of culture and cocktails, costumes and music! Dress as a flapper, bootlegger, moonshiner, or temperance crusader (no hatchets please, ladies). There will be prizes for the best costume, giveaways, and more!

Whether you were a regular tippler or never let a drop of alcohol past your lips, Prohibition affected every American’s life. Dining options, dating habits, vacation choices, and perhaps most infamously, the attitude of citizens toward law enforcement, were forever altered by the temperance movement’s short-lived crowning achievement. Even so, most Americans don’t really understand who we were before that great experiment, how Prohibition came to pass, and the ways in which the period reverberates to this day.

Historian Richard Foss, author of “Rum: A Global History,” transports participants to a world of temperance terrorists and flappers, moonshiners and smugglers, and ordinary citizens who just wanted a drink and would get it by any means necessary. Drinkmaster David Valiante executes a menu of five period cocktails, illustrating the ways in which America’s palate for drinks has changed.  (Don’t worry, bathtub gin will not appear on the menu, but some delightful and largely forgotten beverages will make a glorious reappearance.) A light dinner of savory specialties from Roxanne’s Latin Grill is included in the price of admission.

Tickets are $40 in advance, $35 for members of SoFAB/MOTAC and the USBG. Tickets at the door are $50 (subject to availability.)

Manuel Alvarez of AlXimia Vino ElementalOne of the most important (and historic) wine regions in Mexico is the Valle de Guadalupe located about an hour and one-half South of Tijuana. The best of these wines are slowly finding their way North to Southern California. Manuel Alvarez of AlXimia Vino Elemental winery joins us from the Valle de Guadalupe with his Family’s story.

Wine tasting and tours are available to visitors at this architecturally significant winery.

“AlXimia is a wine-making project born from the meeting of the senses and the world, with special attention to the earth, the plant, the fruit and its benefits. We are trying to understand, use and preserve nature.

Baja California is wine country, and wines are, in our view, the product of the transmutation of the four natural elements:

  • the earth that nourishes and gives rise to the vineyards
  • the scarce water that is vital in the Valle de Guadalupe
  • the fresh air that comes from the sea and
  • the fire in the form of the heat from the sun, providing the freshness and warmth needed to ripen the grapes and give them the adequate acidity, while at the same time generating the energy needed for the process
  • When you assemble these 4 elements, the space (or ether) becomes the fifth element that makes possible their existence.

AlXimia is a family business focused on the work of the sensible. It is a group born at home, amidst the respect for the environment, in the tradition of teaching and knowledge transfer. AlXimia travels through the wine trail manifested in a free and existential thinking against the structured and accurate scientific thought process, daring to innovate.  Started by a mathematician turned winemaker, this amazing winery was built by an innovative architect, the mathematician-winemaker and his astronomer father.”

Tarit TanjasiriTarit Tanjasiri is the consumed baker/proprietor of the revered CremaCafe & Artisan Bakery in Seal Beach. It started eight years ago as a small breakfast and lunch spot. Tarit couldn’t source a bread for his sandwiches that satisfied him so two years ago he added an adjacent production bakery. It’s the café on one side and the bakery on the other. We’ll meet him.

Tarit’s Kouign Amann was one of the OC Weekly’s “100 Favorite Dishes of 2014.”

According to Anne Marie Panoringan of the OC Weekly : “Per Tarit, a Kouign Amann is a pastry from the Brittany region of France. It’s often considered more of a cake than a pastry, although Crema utilizes croissant dough for their version. Layers of butter, dough, sugar and a bit of sea salt are formed. Shaped to resemble a blooming rose, it is then placed in the deck oven to bake. Sweetness and density are much higher in France, and they come in many more sizes, shapes and filling flavors.”

David and Lesley Jacobs Solmonson“A new kind of cocktail book, The 12 Bottle Bar, distills the craft cocktail movement for the home bar. Irresistibly uncomplicated, just 12 bottles create over 200 distinct and seasonal cocktails, including beer and wine cocktails.”

David Solmonson and Lesley Jacobs Solmonson, the husband-and-wife authors (and noted cocktail enthusiasts) are with us.

“We’re living in the midst of a cocktail renaissance – artisanal cocktails. Celebrity mixologists, drink menus that outshine wine lists and feature ingredients as fresh and complex as the most sought after meals. Just as home cooks have looked to popular restaurants and chefs for new recipes, imbibers want to bring the magic of a local speakeasy straight to the living room.”

Golden Foodie AwardsOrange County’s answer to the prestigious, red carpet awards shows is The Golden Foodies. Voting has started for this year in the first group of categories and the public is invited to vote for their favorite restaurants and related categories. There are two more weeks of voting cycles…

Winners are chosen by the people. It’s a People’s Choice Food Awards. The Golden Foodie Awards Gala at The Fairmont in Newport Beach is Saturday evening, September 28th. Good luck to all…

Voting concludes on August 9th for the categories of : Mexican, Vegetarian, Pizza, Beer, American Cuisine, Burger, Cocktail, and Best Food Talk Radio Show.

The Founder of The Golden Foodies, Pamela Waitt, and J.C. Clow of The Winery Newport Beach join us. It’s been announced that J.C.’s The Winery Newport Beach has been nominated (one of three nominees in the category) for Best New Restaurant.

Podcasts

Segment One: Guest Host Chef Jimmy Shaw and Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris preview the show
Segment Two: Chef Jimmy Shaw of Loteria! Grill and The Torta Co.
Segment Three: Food GPS Fried Chicken Festival, Chinatown
Segment Four: Food Historian & Author Richard Foss
Segment Five: Manuel Alvarez of AlXimia Vino Elemental Winery
Segment Six: Tarit Tanjasiri of CremaCafe & Bakery
Segment Seven: The 12 Bottle Bar
Segment Eight: The Golden Foodies