Show 242, September 30, 2017: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris

Now an appetizing preview of Saturday, September 30th’s tantalizing 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…

Porto’s Bakery on the Westside? For the very first time Porto’s is temporarily making a limited engagement appearance (on now through March 4, 2018) at the Annenberg Space for Photography (Century City) in the Dona Dulce Café in connection with the Cuba Is photography exhibit. Betty Porto joins us with the sweet details.

Upon learning that rice and bread were the culprits for her husband’s Type 2 diabetes, entrepreneur Deepa Thomas deconstructed and reinvented her native Indian cuisine. She slow-carbonized family recipes, used Western cooking techniques, incorporated breaking-news research on gut health and weight loss, and even drew from her grandfather’s Ayurvedic wisdoms. After three months, Deepa lost twenty-five pounds and freed her husband from a ten-year-long routine of insulin shots. The impressive result is documented in Deepa’s Secrets – Slow Carb New Indian Cuisine. We’ll meet her.

Kenyon Paar is the seasoned General Manager of the historic Five Crowns in Corona del Mar as well as the adjacent SideDoor. Both are still refreshingly Family-owned. Upcoming is Porktoberfest and the much-anticipated, festive Holiday season activities at both establishment. Congrats to Kenyon, our guest, on her year anniversary at Five Crowns and SideDoor.

Jonathan Melendez, a C-CAP graduate, is a food photographer, blogger, cook, baker, recipe developer and the author of The Slider Effect – You Can’t Eat Just One. “Break out of that burger rut, and switch things up with sliders for breakfast, lunch or dinner.” Chef Jonathan joins us sharing all the proven tricks to true slider nirvana.

Los Angeles’ itinerary for The James Beard Foundation’s 5th Annual Taste America Los Angeles will kick off on Friday, October 6 at Vibiana with A Night of Culinary Stars, an exclusive dining event benefiting the James Beard Foundation. The evening will begin with a reception filled with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres from local chefs and restaurateurs, including Evan Funke (Felix, Venice), Justin Hilbert (Maude, Beverly Hills), Sara Kramer (Kismet, Los Angeles), Amanda Chapman and Johnny Ray Zone (Howlin’ Ray’s, Los Angeles) and David Schlosser (Shibumi, Los Angeles) as well as host chef Neal Fraser (Shibumi, Los Angeles). Afterwards, guests will be seated for an extraordinary one-night-only dinner prepared by Taste America All-Star & James Beard Award-Winner Barbara Lynch (Barbara Lynch Gruppo, Boston) along with Local Star Michael Cimarusti (Providence and Connie and Ted’s, Los Angeles) and pastry chef Shannon Swindle (Craft Los Angeles, Los Angeles). Host Chef Neal Fraser joins us with the details.

Laura Donadoni is our resident expert wine ambassador when it comes to selections from her native Italy. This time we’re talking about the wines of Lugana D.O.C. from the Lombardy region of Italy. The grape is turbiana.

What’s the recipe for a really successful wine dinner? On Oct. 12th Café del Rey in Marina del Rey is hosting a very special Wines of Italy Dinner presented by Italian wine authority Laura Donadoni. General Manager Brian Cousins and Executive Chef David Vilchez join in the conversation. We’ll learn how the menu is created and how the Italian wine pairings are conceived

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

Show 242, September 30, 2017: Chef & Food Photographer Jonathan Melendez, The Slider Effect

Jonathan Melendez Jonathan Melendez, a C-CAP graduate, is a food photographer, blogger, cook, baker, recipe developer and the author of The Slider Effect – You Can’t Eat Just One. “Break out of that burger rut, and switch things up with sliders for breakfast, lunch or dinner.”

“Way better than a cupcake, sliders are delicious and fun—you can’t eat just one. They are the perfect bite that can be served as an appetizer, tapa, entrée, side, or midnight snackIndulge in the awesome world of sliders and mini sandwiches through 75 omnivorous and vegetarian recipes, complete with homemade breads, buns, and sauces. These are that are more than just your usual mini burgers.”

“The ingredient and flavor combinations that can fit between two buns are limitless. The Slider Effect focuses on these amazing small bites, featuring the best recipes and 60 delicious photographs designed to turn you into a slider pro. The four main chapters focus on meat, poultry, seafood, and vegetarian sliders, and there is something for everyone.”

“In the Meat chapter you’ll find recipes for Grilled Steak and Potato Sliders as well as Mediterranean Lamb Sliders. The Poultry chapter will introduce you to Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Waffle Sliders, Turkey-Bacon BLT Avocado Sliders, and Chicken Curry Sliders. The Seafood chapter ranges from Fish and Chips Sliders to Shrimp Fajita Sliders. And in the Vegetarian chapter you’ll find tiny buns filled with ingredients like roasted beets, eggplant, polenta, and black beans. If you feel like making your own rolls, there are recipes ranging from biscuits to challah and from waffle to pretzel buns. And what slider would not be complete without a dab of Cilantro, Lime, and Green Chile Aioli or Arugula Pumpkin Seed Pesto on top? There is no end to what you can make work in a slider.”

Chef Jonathan joins us to share all his proven tricks to true slider nirvana.

September 30: Porto’s Bakery, Deepa Thomas, Five Crowns, Jonathan Melendez, Neal Fraser, Laura Donadoni, Cafe del Rey

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Betty Porto, Porto’s Bakery
Segment Three: Deepa Thomas, Deepa’s Secrets – Slow Carb / New Indian Cuisine
Segment Four: Kenyon Paar, General Manager – Five Crowns & SideDoor, Corona del Mar
Segment Five: Chef & Food Photographer Jonathan Melendez, The Slider Effect
Segment Six: Chef Neal Fraser, Redbird, JBF’s Taste America Los Angeles Benefit
Segment Seven: Laura Donadoni, Certified Sommelier, Lugana D.O.C.
Segment Eight: Café del Rey’s GM Brian Cousins & Executive Chef David Vilchez

Now an appetizing preview of this Saturday’s tantalizing 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…

Porto’s Bakery on the Westside? For the very first time Porto’s is temporarily making a limited engagement appearance (through early March of 2018) at the Annenberg Space for Photography (Century City) in the Dona Dulce Café in connection with the “Cuba Is” photography exhibit. Betty Porto joins us with the sweet details.

Upon learning that rice and bread were the culprits for her husband’s Type 2 diabetes, entrepreneur Deepa Thomas deconstructed and reinvented her native Indian cuisine. She slow-carbonized family recipes, used Western cooking techniques, incorporated breaking-news research on gut health and weight loss, and even drew from her grandfather’s Ayurvedic wisdoms. After three months, Deepa lost twenty-five pounds and freed her husband from a ten-year-long routine of insulin shots. The impressive result is documented in Deepa’s Secrets – Slow Carb New Indian Cuisine. We’ll meet her.

Kenyon Paar is the seasoned General Manager of the historic Five Crowns in Corona del Mar as well as the adjacent SideDoor. Both are still refreshingly Family-owned. Upcoming is Porktoberfest and the festive Holiday season activities at both establishment. Congrats to Kenyon, our guest, on her year anniversary at Five Crowns and SideDoor.

Jonathan Melendez, a C-CAP graduate, is a food photographer, blogger, cook, baker, recipe developer and the author of The Slider Effect – You Can’t Eat Just One. “Break out of that burger rut, and switch things up with sliders for breakfast, lunch or dinner.” Chef Jonathan joins us sharing all the proven tricks to true slider nirvana.

Los Angeles’ itinerary for The James Beard Foundation’s 5th Annual Taste America Los Angeles will kick off on Friday, October 6 at Vibiana with A Night of Culinary Stars, an exclusive dining event benefiting the James Beard Foundation. The evening will begin with a reception filled with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres from local chefs and restaurateurs, including Evan Funke (Felix, Venice), Justin Hilbert (Maude, Beverly Hills), Sara Kramer (Kismet, Los Angeles), Amanda Chapman and Johnny Ray Zone (Howlin’ Ray’s, Los Angeles) and David Schlosser (Shibumi, Los Angeles) as well as host chef Neal Fraser (Redbird, Los Angeles). Afterwards, guests will be seated for an extraordinary one-night-only dinner prepared by Taste America All-Star & James Beard Award-Winner Barbara Lynch (Barbara Lynch Gruppo, Boston) along with Local Star Michael Cimarusti (Providence and Connie and Ted’s, Los Angeles) and pastry chef Shannon Swindle (Craft Los Angeles, Los Angeles). Host Chef Neal Fraser joins us with the details.

Laura Donadoni is our resident expert wine ambassador when it comes to selections from her native Italy. This time we’re talking about the wines of Lugana D.O.C. from the Lombardy region of Italy. The grape is turbiana.

What’s the recipe for a really successful wine dinner? On Oct. 12th Café del Rey in Marina del Rey is hosting a very special Wines of Italy Dinner presented by Italian wine authority Laura Donadoni. General Manager Brian Cousins and Executive Chef David Vilchez join in the conversation. We’ll learn how the menu is created and how the Italian wine pairings are conceived

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

Betty Porto in front of the Porto's Bakery Bread RackPorto’s Bakery on the Westside? For the very first time Porto’s is temporarily making a limited engagement appearance (through early March of 2018) at the Annenberg Space for Photography (Century City) in the Dona Dulce Café in connection with the Cuba Is photography exhibit. The coffee is from F. Gavina & Sons.

Open 11am-5pm, Wednesday through Sunday, Doña Dulce immerses guests in a Havana-inspired space that temporarily transports visitors to the Caribbean island nation with a taste of authentic Cuban delights.

Sweets
Milk ‘n Berries
Cappuccino Mousse
Mango Mousse
Taste of Cuba (1 guava cheese roll, 2 cheese rolls)
Havana Kiss (1 chocolate besito, 1 hazelnut besito, 1 raspberry besito and coconut glaze)

Beverages
Café Cubano
Cortadito
Café con Leche
Brewed Coffee – House Blend

Betty Porto joins us with the sweet details.

Deepa ThomasUpon learning that rice and bread were the culprits for her husband’s Type 2 diabetes, entrepreneur Deepa Thomas deconstructed and reinvented her native Indian cuisine. She slow-carbonized family recipes, used Western cooking techniques, incorporated breaking-news research on gut health and weight loss, and drew from her grandfather’s Ayurvedic wisdoms (“When diet is right, medicine is of no need; and when diet is wrong, medicine is of no use.”).

After three months, Deepa lost twenty-five pounds and freed her husband from a ten-year-long routine of insulin shots. The impressive result is fully documented in Deepa’s Secrets – Slow Carb New Indian Cuisine.

Part Indian cookbook, diet guide, kitchen companion, and memoir, Deepa’s Secrets introduces breakthrough slow carb and gut-healing recipes that are simple and healthy without sacrificing their rich South Asian flavors. To demystify an “exotic” cuisine, Thomas provides step-by-step instructions with ingredient substitutions (all ghee-free!), shortcuts, and secret techniques that will make New Indian easy, everyday fare. Beautifully photographed with menu plans, kitchen wisdom, and scientific commentary, Deepa’s Secrets includes East-to-West recipes.

A journey from old traditions to modern Indian cooking with deliciously simple and gut-healing recipes that leave you feeling fulfilled—rather than full.

A graduate of Delhi University with degrees in journalism and political science, Deepa Thomas moved to the US and, in 1985, founded Deepa Textiles. After 21 years and 23 design awards, the company has been credited with transforming the $10 billion a year contract furniture industry.

We’ll meet Deepa.

Kenyon PaarKenyon Paar is the seasoned General Manager of the historic Five Crowns in Corona del Mar as well as the adjacent SideDoor. Both are still refreshingly Family-owned. Upcoming is Porktoberfest and the festive Holiday season activities at both establishments. A great seasonal tradition…

The ever-popular SideDoor Cheese Takeovers continue the third Wednesday of each month through January.

On October 18th the 6th annual Porktoberfest returns to the Five Crowns Greenhouse and Garden. A 6-course meal from Executive Chef Anthony Endy will be paired with Firestone Walker beers and hosted by Co-Founder David Walker, himself.

Congrats to Kenyon, our guest, on her year anniversary at Five Crowns and SideDoor.

Jonathan Melendez Jonathan Melendez, a C-CAP graduate, is a food photographer, blogger, cook, baker, recipe developer and the author of The Slider Effect – You Can’t Eat Just One. “Break out of that burger rut, and switch things up with sliders for breakfast, lunch or dinner.”

“Way better than a cupcake, sliders are delicious and fun—you can’t eat just one. They are the perfect bite that can be served as an appetizer, tapa, entrée, side, or midnight snackIndulge in the awesome world of sliders and mini sandwiches through 75 omnivorous and vegetarian recipes, complete with homemade breads, buns, and sauces. These are that are more than just your usual mini burgers.”

“The ingredient and flavor combinations that can fit between two buns are limitless. The Slider Effect focuses on these amazing small bites, featuring the best recipes and 60 delicious photographs designed to turn you into a slider pro. The four main chapters focus on meat, poultry, seafood, and vegetarian sliders, and there is something for everyone.”

“In the Meat chapter you’ll find recipes for Grilled Steak and Potato Sliders as well as Mediterranean Lamb Sliders. The Poultry chapter will introduce you to Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Waffle Sliders, Turkey-Bacon BLT Avocado Sliders, and Chicken Curry Sliders. The Seafood chapter ranges from Fish and Chips Sliders to Shrimp Fajita Sliders. And in the Vegetarian chapter you’ll find tiny buns filled with ingredients like roasted beets, eggplant, polenta, and black beans. If you feel like making your own rolls, there are recipes ranging from biscuits to challah and from waffle to pretzel buns. And what slider would not be complete without a dab of Cilantro, Lime, and Green Chile Aioli or Arugula Pumpkin Seed Pesto on top? There is no end to what you can make work in a slider.”

Chef Jonathan joins us to share all his proven tricks to true slider nirvana.

Neal FraserLos Angeles’ itinerary for The James Beard Foundation’s 5th Annual Taste America Los Angeles will kick off on Friday, October 6 at Vibiana with A Night of Culinary Stars, an exclusive dining event benefiting the James Beard Foundation. The evening will begin with a reception filled with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres from local chefs and restaurateurs, including Evan Funke (Felix, Venice), Justin Hilbert (Maude, Beverly Hills), Sara Kramer (Kismet, Los Angeles), Amanda Chapman and Johnny Ray Zone (Howlin’ Ray’s, Los Angeles) and David Schlosser (Shibumi, Los Angeles) as well as host chef Neal Fraser (Redbird, Los Angeles).

Afterwards, guests will be seated for an extraordinary one-night-only dinner prepared by Taste America All-Star & James Beard Award-Winner Barbara Lynch (Barbara Lynch Gruppo, Boston) along with Local Star Michael Cimarusti (Providence and Connie and Ted’s, Los Angeles) and pastry chef Shannon Swindle (Craft Los Angeles, Los Angeles).

Host Chef Neal Fraser joins us with the delectable details.

Laura DonadoniLaura Donadoni is our expert wine ambassador when it comes to selections from her native Italy. This time we’re talking about the wines of Lugana D.O.C. from the Lombardy region of Italy.

“Lugana is the name of the magical land nestled within the ancient Quadrilateral defense system of the Lake Garda region. The Lugana wine region encompasses two provinces (Brescia and Verona) and two regions (Lombardy and Veneto) in the morainic plain south of Lake Garda. Its unique qualities originate from the beneficial microclimate of the lake, the local clay soil, and a particular variety of grapes named “turbiana” that make it full-bodied, age worthy, and grant it a floral and citrus bouquet.”

Brian CousinsWhat’s the recipe for a really successful wine dinner? On Oct. 12th Café del Rey in Marina del Rey is hosting a very special Wines of Italy Dinner presented by Italian wine authority Laura Donadoni.

The evening starts festively with flat bread with smoked sundried tomato, buffalo mozzarella and basil paired with Franciacorta, Ca’del Bosco, Brut, Cuvee Prestige. Just desserts is honey oregano goat cheese ice cream with a pistachio cranberry biscotti martched with Vernaccia di Serrapetrona, Spumante, Dolce.

General Manager Brian Cousins and Executive Chef David Vilchez join in the conversation. We’ll learn how the menu is created and how the Italian wine pairings are conceived.

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Betty Porto, Porto’s Bakery
Segment Three: Deepa Thomas, Deepa’s Secrets – Slow Carb / New Indian Cuisine
Segment Four: Kenyon Paar, General Manager – Five Crowns & SideDoor, Corona del Mar
Segment Five: Chef & Food Photographer Jonathan Melendez, The Slider Effect
Segment Six: Chef Neal Fraser, Redbird, JBF’s Taste America Los Angeles Benefit
Segment Seven: Laura Donadoni, Certified Sommelier, Lugana D.O.C.
Segment Eight: Café del Rey’s GM Brian Cousins & Executive Chef David Vilchez