Podcasts
Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Author Elisa Callow, The Urban Forager
Segment Three: Sommelier Ian Blackburn – Chinese Food & Wine Challenge – Which Pairs Best?
Segment Four: Executive Chef and Restaurant Consultant Phil Kastel, The Milky Way, Los Angeles Part One
Segment Five: Executive Chef and Restaurant Consultant Phil Kastel, The Milky Way, Los Angeles Part Two
Segment Six: Border Grill’s and Socalo’s Executive Chef / Co-Founder Susan Feniger
Segment Seven: Tom Cross, Hotel Manager, The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort, Hawaii
Segment Eight: Co-Host and Slapfish Restaurant Group Founder, Chef Andrew Gruel
Now an intriguing preview of this Saturday’s properly enticing 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, and upon careful reflection, that’s probably a pretty good thing… As always, we greatly appreciate you being a part of our loyal listening audience.
The Urban Forager by Elisa Callow showcases one of California’s richest and most rapidly expanding culinary cultures : the Eastside of Los Angeles. Author, passionate cook and food explorer, Elisa Callow is our guide.
Ian Blackburn’s LearnAboutWine is doing it again. His first Chinese Food & Wine Challenge – Which Pairs Best? event sold out way ahead of the date so he’s encoring it on Sunday April 14th at Alhambra’s Chengdu Impression. Wine Professional and Sommelier Ian Blackburn pulls the cork for us. (What wine pairs with a fortune cookie, anyway?)
Leah Spielberg Adler was a fixture of the Pico-Robertson neighborhood (The Borscht Belt) in Los Angeles since 1977 until her passing in early 2017 at 97. She was the proprietress and heart of the kosher dairy restaurant, The Milky Way. In a loving tribute to her memory The Spielberg Family (Steven, Nancy, Anne and Sue) has reimagined and reopened The Milky Way with a new look and an updated, appealing and streamlined kosher menu. Executive Chef & Restaurant Consultant Phil Kastel of PK&J Hospitality Group is the Creative Chef at The Milky Way and is out guest.
Celebrity Chef Susan Feniger (Border Grill & the upcoming Socalo) is also the co-chair of the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Simply diVine annual benefit on Saturday, April 27th at Hollywood Forever. It’s also the 50th Anniversary of The Center. Chef Susan has the rundown for us for this celebration of delicious food, wine, spirits, craft beers, and lots more !
Presented by the Kona Cacao Association, the 2019 Big Island Chocolate Festival (8th Annual) is an annual fundraiser that benefits five local non-profits and Hawaii cacao farmers. This fun, participatory and engaging two-day festival is set for April 26th & 27th at The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort on Hawaii Island’s Kohala Coast. Tom Cross is the Hotel Manager for our accommodating host, The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort, which last year completed an ambitious $50 million renovation. It’s part of the renown Mauna Kea Resort on the Island of Hawaii. Tom previews The Festival indulgences for us.
Our own Co-Host, Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group, is again back with his always informative “Ask the Chef” commentary. He’s a real, working chef with great insight and experience. Chef Andrew is on the road this morning from parts unknown. We’ll find out…
All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s not-to-miss show!
Program Note: Next Saturday, April 6th, is part of Home Opening Weekend for our Halos. We’ll be broadcasting live from Golden Road Pub OC right across the street from Angel Stadium from 10:00 a.m. to 12 Noon. If you’re going to the game come by and say hello before the 1:05 p.m. start of Angels Baseball versus Texas…
The Urban Forager by Elisa Callow showcases one of California’s richest and most rapidly expanding culinary cultures : the Eastside of Los Angeles.
“When visitors to Los Angeles think of food in the city, they think Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Hollywood, and Malibu…the Westside of town. But author and arts educator Elisa Callow spent years exploring the communities in her neighborhood on the Eastside of Los Angeles and learning about the chefs and stores in little-known areas that no one was talking about. She put all that love and research together in her new cookbook, The Urban Forager: Culinary Exploring & Cooking on L.A.’s Eastside (Prospect Park Books/Hardcover)”
“Los Angeles has an unending number of flavors, culture, and food possibilities—many of which are tucked within the checkerboard of neighborhoods on the city’s Eastside,” explains Elisa Callow. “I realized that to even begin to appreciate the various cuisines emerging and flourishing in Los Angeles requires time, respect, and attention. My urban foraging adventure yielded a deeper connection with the communities I explored—one of the most gratifying outcomes of my obsession. The chefs, cooks, and stores owners I met and include in this book offer a hint of the variety of delicious and unique food representing the diverse communities of L.A.’s Eastside.”
“Part cookbook, part guide to foraging the best L.A. has to offer, The Urban Forager is a compelling bridge to the unfamiliar, inspiring readers to enrich their culinary repertoire by foraging in own their communities.”
Author, passionate cook and food explorer, Elisa Callow is our guide.
Ian Blackburn’s LearnAboutWine is doing it again. His first Chinese Food & Wine Challenge – Which Pairs Best? event sold out way ahead of the date so he’s encoring it on Sunday April 14th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Arcadia’s Chengdu Impression. Capacity is limited to 24 inquisitive guests.
Wine and Chinese food pairing. A multi-course Chinese meal prepared by vetted Chinese experts in the San Gabriel Valley.
“Wine will be the focus. Which wines work best? The audience, the energy will be amazing. Come and fight for your favorite wines. This is a competitive flight tasting of approximately 20 different wines.” Everything from Chateau Miraval Cotes de Provence Rose, France 2017 to Bodega de Edgar Tempranillo, Paso Robles, USA 2014.
Chengdu Impression was established in September of 2004. The founder and chairman of the company, Mr. Bing Du, is the Vice President of Sichuan Gourmet Association and Deputy Director of China Zhigong Party Sichuan Overseas Communication Association. The company insists on following Chengdu’s deep-rooted gastronomic culture and the long-lasting culinary tradition to produce, provide and promote the tradition and high-quality Szechuan cuisine worldwide.
Wine Professional and Sommelier Ian Blackburn pulls the cork for us. (What wine pairs with a fortune cookie, anyway?)
Leah Spielberg Adler was a fixture of the Pico-Robertson neighborhood (The Borscht Belt) in Los Angeles since 1977 until her passing in early 2017 at 97. She was the larger-than-life proprietress and heart of the kosher dairy restaurant, The Milky Way. In a loving tribute to her memory The Spielberg Family (Steven, Nancy, Anne and Sue) has reimagined and reopened The Milky Way (after an extensive renovation) with a fresh new look and an updated, appealing and streamlined menu of tasty kosher fare.
“Ms. Adler, whom friends and family alike referred to as “LeeLee,” was a concert pianist and an artist, and also a proud mom of four talented children – Steven, Nancy, Anne and Sue Spielberg, a fact that was celebrated throughout the restaurant in the form of a memorabilia-filled room that became as much a salon as the perfect place to drop by for a plate of blintzes.”
“Our mom had a gypsy spirit that was larger than life itself, with an unstoppable energy and a fiery confidence that was reflected in the halls of The Milky Way,” said the Spielberg family in a joint statement. “LeeLee opened the restaurant with the vision of offering fine kosher food to the Jewish community in Los Angeles at a time when such a thing didn’t exist. Though her passing left a deep void in our hearts, we hope the new Milky Way will not only honor her memory, but also give back to the community she loved so deeply.”
“The Milky Way may be a kosher dairy restaurant, but it is also a New American Kosher restaurant,” said Chef Phil Kastel. “We wanted to create an inclusive and welcoming place for everyone, regardless of their faith or adherence to a specific dietary restriction. What will resonate with diners most is just how comforting the food here is – all the dishes on the new menu honor LeeLee and her unique tastes and are updated but true to her legacy at the same time.”
Executive & Restaurant Consultant Phil Kastel of PK&J Hospitality Group is the Creative Chef at The Milky Way and is out guest.
“Chef Kastel has put a modern spin on the kosher dairy menu, peppering the menu with entirely new items and updating many of Ms. Adler’s original family recipes with a new twist to create a menu that has a global appeal, both for the international Jewish community and the general public alike. All dishes are made using the freshest, locally sourced ingredients, and diners can expect the menu to shift quarterly for seasonality, including a selection of seasonal fish. The new menu will now feature The Impossible CheeseburgerTM with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, American cheese and thousand island on a sesame seed bun, served with fries; the Famous Fish Chowder with halibut, Yukon potatoes, onions, celery and leeks, available daily; as well as the Cajun Pacific Snapper, with blackening spices and pineapple salsa, served alongside assorted seasonal vegetables.”
“Some of Ms. Adler’s original recipes have also been elevated with a modern spin. Signature dishes include Leah’s Cheese Blintzes served with strawberry preserves and sour cream; Salmon Puffs – a long-time, much loved signature dish, featuring crispy pocket, cream cheese, scallions and herbs – and the Potato Latkes with house-made apple compote and sour cream. Additional dishes not to be missed include the Eggplant Parmesan with marinara sauce, mozzarella, parmesan and basil; the Ahi Tuna Burger with red bell peppers, ginger, scallions, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and sriracha aioli, served on a sesame seed bun; and the Trout Amandine, with a panko crust, toasted almonds and tartar sauce paired with seasonal vegetables.”
“Dessert features Leah’s Classic Cheesecake – another original – as well as the new Apple Dream Pie, with a filling featuring crushed floral pink peppercorn and inspired in part by a dream Nancy Spielberg had of her mother. The restaurant also serves kosher wine by the glass or by the bottle, as well as a selection of bottled beer.”
“While there is much to celebrate with the new Milky Way, what hasn’t changed is the attitude of the restaurant. Leah Adler is still in the room – her life and spirit preserved in the photos, posters and tchotchkes that carefully speak to her legacy – supported by food and wine that is still kosher, delicious and accessible. This is, after all, a neighborhood kosher restaurant servicing the community with class and style.”
Visit their website or follow along on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Celebrity Chef Susan Feniger (Border Grill & the upcoming Socalo) is the co-chair of the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Simply diVine annual benefit on Saturday, April 27th at Hollywood Forever. It’s also the 50th Anniversary of The Center.
“We couldn’t be more excited to showcase the best food, wine, beers, and spirits Los Angeles has to offer, especially when the Center is celebrating its 50th anniversary,” said event co-chair and celebrity chef Susan Feniger. “This year, we will be opening a new culinary arts training program at the Center’s new Anita May Rosenstein Campus, where LGBTQ youth can learn a truly marketable skill to help propel them to success in the professional world. In addition, the new kitchen will produce fresh meals for youth and senior residents as well as drop-in clients impacted by homelessness. Cheers to the Center—and to you—for building a world where LGBT people thrive! I want everyone to come out and support Simply diVine!”
FOODIE tickets may be purchased now for $150 which includes general admission entry to the main event from 6 to 9 p.m.
Chef Susan has the rundown for us for this celebration of delicious food, wine, spirits, craft beers, and more!
Presented by the Kona Cacao Association, the 2019 Big Island Chocolate Festival (8th Annual) is an annual fundraiser that benefits five local non-profits and Hawaii cacao farmers. This fun, participatory and engaging two-day festival is set for April 26th & 27th at The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort on Hawaii Island’s Kohala Coast.
Tom Cross is the Hotel Manager for our accommodating host, The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort, which last year completed an ambitious $50 million renovation. It’s part of the renown Mauna Kea Resort on the Island of Hawaii.
Tom previews The Festival’s sweet indulgences for us.
Our own Co-Host, Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group, is again back with his always informative “Ask the Chef” commentary. He’s a real, working chef with great insight and experience. Chef Andrew is on the road this morning from parts unknown. We’ll find out…
Podcasts
Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Author Elisa Callow, The Urban Forager
Segment Three: Sommelier Ian Blackburn – Chinese Food & Wine Challenge – Which Pairs Best?
Segment Four: Executive Chef and Restaurant Consultant Phil Kastel, The Milky Way, Los Angeles Part One
Segment Five: Executive Chef and Restaurant Consultant Phil Kastel, The Milky Way, Los Angeles Part Two
Segment Six: Border Grill’s and Socalo’s Executive Chef / Co-Founder Susan Feniger
Segment Seven: Tom Cross, Hotel Manager, The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort, Hawaii
Segment Eight: Co-Host and Slapfish Restaurant Group Founder, Chef Andrew Gruel
