Planned Parenthood's Cocktail Pairing at The Corner Door

Planned Parenthood is one of the more controversial nonprofit organizations, sadly. Each year, PPLA Food Fare receives their share of anti-abortion protesters in front of their event, even though the majority of PPLA's services (97%) include cancer screenings, STD treatments and testings, and contraceptive services.

PPLA Food Fare is the organization's biggest fundraiser of the year. It started 34 years ago with a simple cooking demo from Julia Child but now draws 1500 attendees to partake in good food and wine from over 100 vendors (see my recap of the 2011 Food Fare). The Food Fare is returning to Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on Thursday March 7th. There are two sessions. The daytime session rungs from 10:30am-2pm ($150) and the evening session, which usually have more restaurants participating than the daytime one, runs from 6:30-9:30pm ($225). You can buy tickets on their website or by calling (213) 284-3200x3700.

There are many great restaurants participating including Angelini Osteria, Drago Centro, the new Hart and The Hunter, Joe's Restaurant, and The Corner Door. Libations will be offered by The Beer Chicks, La Fenetre Winery, and more. To promote the PPLA Food Fare, I was invited to a cocktail paired meal at The Corner Door in Culver City. This new restaurant has become a very popular destination in Culver City, with waits up to an hour for a table at dinner time.

The chef at The Corner Door is Luke Reyes, who moved from from Massachussetts to work for Ludo Lefebvre. Since then he had been Chef de Cuisine at Gorbals, then Michael Mina, and most recently, Tasting Kitchen.

Behind the bar program is Beau du Bois. Beau has opened a few bars in the LA area, including MB Post.

The restaurant doesn't want to call itself gastropub because the term has been misused in LA lately. Instead, they emphasize that they offer a "laid back", ingredient driven menu.

olives and rosemary

Bread is made in house, including the foccacia with olive, red onion, rosemary

We started our pairing with Lettuces and Avocado, Bayley Hazen blue cheese, watermelon radish, peppercorn.

The salad has a citrus dressing and was paired with King's Assassin (gin, blanc sweet vermouth, Salers, Cocchi Americano, Cointreau).

The King's Assassin is a play on Negroni with a light, bright, vegetal quality from the Salers, which pairs well with the citrus in the salad. This cocktail is nicely balanced, strong but easy to drink.

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Eating and Riding Around Knott's Berry Farm

I've been invited to many restaurants and food events, but every once in a while something fun and different comes along, like an invitation to Knott's Berry Farm! OK, so the invite was to come to a tasting of their food offerings around the theme park, but I have to admit the opportunity to ride roller coasters was a major draw for me. Knott's Berry Farm isn't just known as a theme park, but their fried chicken and pies were what started the whole enterprise. Mrs Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant started in 1934 and attracted so many tourists that they started building shops and attractions around it to entertain waiting guests. So it really was the food that started the theme park!

The most famous food here of course is the fried chicken from Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner in the MarketPlace area, where they still serve the original recipe from 78 years ago. I actually have never had the fried chicken up until now, despite having lived in LA for almost 10 years. Verdict: they're quite good and hit the spot.

During the tasting I also tried the chicken pot pie, which also turned out to be really good. Flaky crust with creamy filling!

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Rick's Chile-Glazed Country Ribs with Simple Guacamole

The nights have been getting cooler here, and although the days have heated up again this week - fall is smelling closer with those evening breezes.

This means we have to get in as much grilling as possible before the snow flies. Not that we can't grill in the winter... but it seems very necessary to make the most of the good weather now - before I become attached to my oven again.

So let's grill up some ribs, shall we? Sticky savoury sweet ribs with a refreshing guac to go with. Don't forget the cervezas!

Simple Guacamole
Guacamole Sencillo
Serves 8 to 12 as a snack
Recipe adapted from Season 3 of Mexico - One Plate at a Time, Rick Bayless

Ingredients

2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled
Hot fresh green chiles to taste, stems removed
3 ripe avocados, preferably the black-skinned Hass
A couple of tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
1 small white onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Sour cream to taste

Directions
Finely chop the garlic and green chiles, and scoop them into a bowl.

One at a time, run a knife down through each avocado, starting at the top, until you reach the pit; continue cutting around the pit until you reach the point you started.

Twist the two halves of the avocado apart. Remove the pit and discard. Scoop the flesh into the bowl with the chiles. Mash coarsely with the back of a spoon or an old-fashioned potato masher.

Add the tomato and onion, stir to combine, then taste. Stir in sour cream and season with salt (usually about a teaspoon) and lime juice.

Chile-Glazed Country Ribs
(Costillas Adobadas)
adapted from Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen

1 garlic bulb, broken into individual cloves, unpeeled
3 (about 1 1/2 ounces total) dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
6 (about 1 1/2 ounces total) dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, preferably freshly ground Mexican canela
1 teaspoon black pepper, preferably freshly ground
A pinch of cloves, preferably freshly ground
1 tsp of cumin, preferably freshly ground
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup beer, plus a little more if needed
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
3 pounds pork country ribs
2 tablespoons honey


1. Making the chile marinade. Set an ungreased griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat, lay in the unpeeled garlic and roast, turning occasionally, until blackened in spots and soft, about 15 minutes; cool, then peel. Toast the chiles a few at a time: open them flat on the hot surface, press flat for a few seconds with a metal spatula (until they start to crackle, even send up a faint wisp of smoke), then flip and press down to toast the other side. In a small bowl, cover the chiles with hot water and let rehydrate 30 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure even soaking. Drain and discard the water.
Place the chiles and garlic in a food processor or blender along with the oregano, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, cumin and vinegar. Measure in the broth or water, then blend to a smooth puree, scraping and stirring every few seconds. (If the mixture won't move through the blender blades, add a little more broth to get things going.) Press the puree through a medium-mesh strainer into a bowl and stir in the salt and vinegar.

2. Marinating the ribs. Place the ribs in a large bowl, smear half of the chile marinade over them, cover and refrigerate for several hours (preferably overnight). Combine the remaining chile marinade with the honey, cover and refrigerate.

3. Cooking the ribs. Turn on the oven to 290 degrees. Transfer the ribs and all their marinade to a baking dish large enough to hold them in a single layer (a sheet pan with sides works perfectly). In a foil package, bake low and slow for 90 minutes. Let cool slightly while you prepare your BBQ.

4. Glazing and serving the ribs. Salt ribs and give them gentle grilling on medium heat- Brush the ribs heavily with the marinade-honey mixture. Grill gently until the ribs are burnished cranberry color, about 4 minutes per side. Serve with guacamole and either beans and rice or potato salad.

ADVANCE PREPARATION -- The chile marinade can be made a couple of weeks in advance; marinate the ribs (step 2) overnight or as long as 2 days. The ribs may be cooked a day in advance, but save the final glazing for serving time.

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BBQ at The Roof Garden, Peninsula Hotel (Beverly Hills)

What's a more perfect meal than a BBQ on a beautiful rooftop in LA? Roof Garden at The Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills is one of the best rooftops in town and they're having a bbq every weekend this summer. The Roof Garden shares the kitchen with The Belvedere and the hotel's Executive Chef James Overbaugh oversees all the dining operations.

The rooftop is not that big, but the circular section with the fireplace is my favorite.

Before starting with the bbq, we had some cocktails and appetizers near the fireplace:
Ahi Tuna Chop Chop with sliced avocado, crisp pineapple and roof garden-picked herbs

Chilled Cucumber Soup with spicy cucumber-melon sorbet, hearts of palm, cilantro and citrus tapioca

Your best bet for cocktail here (if you like a bit of heat) is the Speckled Jalapeno Margarita

Dinner starts with a basket anise bread (yep, anise, and it was good), zucchini, olive, and lavash.

We shared a variety of their entrees including:

Free range chicken breast, cilantro and mint chimichurri ($24, comes with 2 sides)

I am typically wary of chicken breast since it tends to be dry and overcooked, but at least this night it was prepared well and the bold chimichurri sauce would make any protein taste that much better.

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Sweet Smoked Beef Short Ribs from America's Best Ribs!

America's Best Ribs
Tips and Recipes for Easy, Lip-Smacking, 

Pull-Off-the-Bone, Pass-the-Sauce, 

Championship-Quality BBQ
by Ardie A. Davis PhB, Chef Paul Kirk CWC, PhB, BSAS
Paperback, 160 pages

What is the best thing about summer? BBQ!!!!! Seriously, I love my BBQ, smoker and grill equally. I love to stand outside with a beer and survey my neighbourhood while holding tongs and being bathed in that sweet meat heat. Is there anything better? I think not.

Yep, there are a few BBQ books out there - and usually  they have a rib recipe or two - but this book is devoted to ribs! Rib Basics, Pork Ribs, Beef & Bison Ribs, Lamb & Mutton Ribs, Sides and Desserts. All in a colourful and fun to read book that will inspire you all summer long. Make this your most ribtacular season ever.

And who are the kings of the Q? Our neighbours to the south, real south. These guys are the masters of the Q and have the CV to back it up.

About Ardie and Paul
A charter member of KCBS and former three-term member of the Board of Directors, Ardie A. Davis founded the American Royal International BBQ Sauce, Rub, and Baste Contest and the Great American Barbecue Sauce, Baste, and Rub Contest. He is the author of six barbecue cookbooks.

Paul Kirk, a charter member of the KCBS and member of the Board of Directors, operates the Baron's School of Pitmasters. The author of seven barbecue cookbooks, he has won more than 475 cooking and barbecuing awards, among them seven world championships, including the prestigious American Royal Open, the world's largest barbecue contest.

Ardie A. Davis & Paul Kirk

The authors invite you to try these recipes at home!

Be Back Sweet Smoked Beef Short Ribs
—From America’s Best Ribs/Andrews McMeel Publishing

Serves 8

Artists at fairs have a label for browsers who say, “I’ll be back,” as they leave the booth. “Be-Backs” seldom return. These ribs are a work of art. The sweet, smoky, meaty, rich flavor will compel most of your guests to be back for more!

8 (6-inch-long) beef short ribs

SAUCE
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup cola
2 tablespoons clover or other mild-flavored honey
2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon ground oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
1 teaspoon granulated garlic

RUB
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne

Heat a cooker to 230° to 250°F. Remove the ribs from the refrigerator and outline them with a sharp, pointed paring knife.

Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a medium saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. If the sauce is too thick to brush on the ribs, add water to thin, as desired. Set aside.

Combine all the ingredients for the rub in a small bowl and blend well. Season the ribs all over with the rub.

Oil the grate and place the ribs on it bone side down over indirect heat. Cover and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Turn and cook for 45 minutes more, then turn and cook for another 45 minutes, or until the ribs reach 185°F on a meat thermometer, glazing the ribs with the sauce every 10 minutes during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Transfer the ribs to a cutting board and let them rest, covered loosely with aluminum foil, for 10 to 15 minutes. While the ribs are resting, boil the remaining sauce for 1 to 2 minutes. Cut the ribs into individual pieces and serve with the sauce.

Heartland Grilled Corn on the Cob
—From America’s Best Ribs/Andrews McMeel Publishing

Serves 12

This recipe honors the abundance of America’s sweet and field corn that comes from the heartland. There’s something about the heartland terroir that makes corn and other fresh produce absolutely delicious! Although field corn is grown primarily for livestock feed, ethanol, or adult beverages, when it is grilled we’ve enjoyed field corn as much as sweet. This recipe delivers a combination of sweetness, spice, and smoke that your guests will devour with as much gusto as the ribs.

12 ears corn on the cob, with husks
1/4 cup barbecue rub
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
12 thin slices lean bacon

Remove and discard any dry outer corn husks. Pull the husks down, but don’t remove them. Hold the corn under cold running water while removing the corn silk.

Heat a grill to medium to medium-high.

Pat the corn dry with paper towels and sprinkle it with the rub and pepper. Wrap the corn in bacon and pull the husks over it. Wrap each ear in a 12-inch square of aluminum foil. Grill for about 15 minutes over direct heat, turning frequently.

Remove the corn from the grill and leave it in the foil for 20 minutes before serving.

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