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Fondue by the Pool at Après at The W Hotel in Westwood

It's getting cold out. Cold enough for fondue, even. But you're still an Angeleno at heart so you're going to want your fondue by the pool. Well, you can at Après at The W Hotel in Westwood. Not après ski, but après skinny dip?
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Available at the poolside cabanas (but they'll serve it inside or at the bar if you ask nicely) are cheese and chocolate fondues, s'mores, and special cocktails.
There are three choices for the cheese fondue ($16 for 2), including the Miss Swiss which is the traditional gruyere cheese with sherry and garlic, Dive bar made with cheddar, IPA, and bacon, and Jako-Dip made with goat cheese, white wine, and pumpkin puree.
Cheese Fondue
My favorite is still the traditional Swiss style, but the pumpkin one is fun to try as well. They come with bread and vegetables as usual but also some cured meats.

The chocolate fondue also comes in three choices and served with strawberries, dried pineapples, marshmallows, Oreos, and graham crackers.
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Langer's #19 is Chowzter's Tastiest Fast Feast in North America!

I had been recruited by a new website and app called Chowzter to curate the best of Los Angeles "fast feasts" - the dishes that are not from a chain or fine dining restaurant. I've been contributing items to their list which can be found here (although some of those still remain from the old list!)

Anyway, Chowzter recently held an award for North America's Tastiest Fast Feast in San Francisco, and I had nominated some of LA's finest including Langer's #19 pastrami sandwich and Tsujita's tsukemen! At the end of the night the winners were announced .... and Langer's took home #1!! That's right, New York, LA's pastrami is numero uno. They even made a nifty video for it. You can see the full list of winners here.
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Chowzter's trophy for Langer's
You can see my post of Langer's #19 here. So, anyway, I found out I wasn't supposed to keep that nifty trophy but give it to the restaurant instead :p
I went over to the deli last week to hand over the trophy to Norm Langer himself and his family. Such an honor to meet them!
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The new trophy will replace the golf balls on top of the cash register. The daughter couldn't wait to get rid of those golf balls :)
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Of course, since I was there I had to get some lunch. #19 may still be my favorite but I wanted to try something new and went with #6: pastrami and chopped liver on rye bread.
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The chopped liver is creamy and doesn't taste too much like offal. It's a nice accompaniment for the pastrami. Psst, they also have a secret off-menu item right now ... pastrami chili cheese fries!
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Obsessions + Confessions

I've missed you!!!!

I apologize about the lack of recipes this year month. It's the end of the fall semester, PLUS I started two new Saturday classes at the end of November. So wrong! You think you're done with the semester, but then 2 new classes sneak up on you like BAM! No break for you! But I do get a nice little holiday break from school. I'll take it :)

Time for some of my current obsessions + confessions.

This outfit. Plus her new show, Courtney Loves Dallas. Reality TV about a fashion blogger? From a show I used to watch? I'm in.

These Snowman Milk Bottles are THE cutest!

I'll admit it. I'm such a Taylor Swift fan. She's adorable guys! And I love her songs. I like to think if we hung out we'd be BFFs and cook together and play hopscotch on her rug and dance and dance and dance until we can't dance no mo. 

This nail polish would be the perfect last-minute Christmas present for the girlies in your life!

I've never eaten one, but I have an unhealthy obsession with macarons and their cuteness. I mean come on guys, Penguin Macarons with Eggnog Ganache? I get it. You're now also obsessed with macarons and their cuteness.

And while we're talking macarons, how about these White Chocolate Ganache Filled Gingerbread Macarons

The perfect holiday treat. Bourbon + sugar + pecans. Did I mention bourbon?

Another holiday treat - these Meringue Acorns with Salted Pistachios and Chocolate are so creative and pretty! 

This Apricot Orange Twisted Coffee Cake would be the perfect Christmas morning breakfast for your family.

You know those round butter cookies that come in those blue tins and only appear in stores at Christmas time? I love those cookies! These remind me of those, but with rosemary. All sorts of right.

2 of my fave things - salted caramel + egg nog! Win + win.

Add this cookie to your holiday tray. Nutella + sea salt + brown butter... these could quite possibly be the best cookies of all time. 

How are you guys on Christmas shopping? Done? Almost done? Haven't started? I hate leaving mine to the last minute. I have about half done but am feeling the pressure! PJ cracks me up... he usually goes on Christmas eve and buys all of my presents (he's so busy at work in December so doesn't have time earlier than that, and I buy for his side of the family) and gets it all done the day before Christmas. Boys!

Come back soon for a post about last-minute gift ideas for the foodie in your life.


Peace, and bacon grease!


 
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Bulgogi Banh Mi and Juices at Fruit Farm in Little Tokyo

An unassuming cafe called Fruit Farm had popped up inside of Little Tokyo's Galleria mall, serving fresh juices, smoothies, sandwiches, and salads. What to know is that one of the owners is Korean so you can get fun sandwich mash ups like this bulgogi banh mi ($6.75 gets you the two pieces shown below and you can get half filled with something else!)
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What I actually like even better was the spicy pork banh mi that I got in my other half of the sandwich.
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The bulgogi tends on the sweeter side and I think the light spiciness of the pork works better with the banh mi accompaniments, but both were good and interesting.

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Top 6 LA Bites in 2013

It's almost the end of the year and looking back at 2013, I've certainly had many great meals! Here's a look at what I remembered to be the best bites in Los Angeles in the past year. Because the list only covers LA, it doesn't include the absolutely amazing kouign amann at B Patisserie, but you should definitely try that if you're in San Francisco. These also only include the things I tried for the first time in 2013, so while there are many great dishes in LA they may not be on this list. Also, I'm bound to have missed a few things due to my failing memory, so feel free to add what you think is the best bite in the comments!

In no particular order:

1. Uni Caviar Lobster roll at Petrossian
Uni Lobster Roll
Chef Giselle Wellman has devised the ultimate lobster roll, topped with fresh uni and Petrossian caviar on a brioche roll. While the lobster roll and fries aren't cheap, each bite will assure you that it's worth it.

2. Mandilli di seta at The Factory Kitchen
Almond Pesto
I still dream about this silky smooth handkerchief pasta and that subtle almond basil pesto.

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200 Easy Homemade Cheese Recipes, Second Edition

200 Easy Homemade Cheese Recipes, 
Second Edition
By Debra Amrein-Boyes
Paperback, 440 pages

They say that cheese is milk's leap towards immortality. One thing I know for certain: cheese is wonderful.

It can be soft, hard, salty, mild and everything in between. And it can be made in your own home!

I have actually tried quite a few of these recipes from the original edition and, let me tell you, it is a thrill to be able to make your own cheese at home. Start with the easier ones and work your way up. (One simpler recipe is included below)

The author is a celebrated professional cheese maker and the book is clear and easy to follow. There is a trouble shooting guide at the back to let you know how to correct any mistakes and lots of step by step photos of the process.

Like canning, there are safety procedures to follow and they are laid out in simple, basic steps to make sure your cheese is fresh and wonderful.

You've conquered so much in your kitchen, time to add homemade cheese to the list!

Mmmmm, cheese!


 About the Author

Debra Amrein-Boyes is one of the top artisanal cheese makers in Canada. She spent several years learning about cheese making in Switzerland, then returned to Canada, where she is now the head cheese maker of The Farm House Natural Cheeses.



Here's a sampling of some of the cheeses you can make:

  •     Fresh Cheeses: traditional Ricotta and fresh goat cheeses
  •     Stretched-Curd Cheeses: Bocconcini, Provolone and Mozzarella
  •     Mold-Ripened Cheeses: Brie, Camembert with Calvados
  •     Blue-Veined Cheeses: Gorgonzola, Roquefort, White Stilton
  •     Washed-Rind Cheeses: Muenster, Brick, Limburger
  •     Washed-Curd and Semisoft Cheeses: Colby, Edam, Fontina
  •     Semifirm and Hard Cheeses: Emmental, Jarlsberg, Cheddar
  •     Ethnic & Regional Cheeses: Feta, Paneer, Domiati
  •     Yogurt & Kefir: Bulgarian-Style Yogurt, Kefir Cheese
  •     Butter, Buttermilk and Crème Fraîche: Orange Honey Butter, Clotted Cream
From the back flap:

New step-by-step photos make the art of cheese-making easier than ever!

This bestselling book has been designed to help you create wonderful cheeses that approximate the flavors and textures of many cheeses from around the world — in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Discover and indulge in the taste of fresh handmade cheeses and experience the joy of creating outstanding food from a simple ingredient: fresh milk. These excellent recipes feature step-by- step instructions that take the stress and guesswork out of creating artisanal-quality cheeses at home. You will find recipes for everything from fresh unripened cheeses to aged ones with complex rinds.

An enticing new cover, an all-new 32-page troubleshooting section, new step-by-photos, as well as the new inclusion of preparation times with each recipe will be welcomed by both novice and experienced cheese-makers.

Rounding out this fantastic book are descriptions of basic cheese-making steps and techniques, along with information on and illustrations of all the necessary techniques, equipment and tools. Debra also chronicles the fascinating history of cheese and gives presentation instructions.

Fromage Frais
This fresh, creamy cheese is so delicious you will want to eat it with everything!

•    Draining bag or cloth-lined colander
4 quarts    whole milk    4 L
1⁄4 tsp    aroma or mesophilic culture    1.25 mL
2    drops liquid rennet    2
    Pickling (canning) or kosher salt

1.    Sterilize all equipment (see page 40). In a large stainless-steel pot over medium heat, warm milk to 77°F (25°C), stirring gently to prevent scorching. Remove from heat.
2.    Sprinkle culture over surface of milk and let stand for about 5 minutes to rehydrate. Using skimmer and an up-and-down motion, gently draw culture down into milk without breaking surface of milk.
3.    Dilute rennet in 1 tbsp (15 mL) cool water. Add to milk and, using the same up-and-down motion, draw rennet down into milk until well blended. Cover and let set at room temperature in a draft-free location for 12 hours.
4.    Using skimmer, ladle curd into a draining bag or
cloth-lined colander and let drain. The draining can take several hours; the time depends on how firm you want your final product to be (see Tip, left).
5.    Remove cheese from bag and place in a bowl. Weigh cheese, then add 1% of the weight in salt. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks (see Tips, page 53).


Tips: Unless otherwise specified, all the recipes use cow’s milk.
The longer the cheese is drained, the firmer it will become. Check at intervals to decide when you think it is
firm enough for your preference. Feel the bottom of the bag with your hand; it should be quite damp but not still freely dripping. You can remove some cheese from the bag to check the consistency, then return it to the bag
to continue draining with no harm done. Remember, as the cheese stands in the refrigerator, it will firm up a bit more.
Makes 2 lbs (1 kg)
25% yield


Excerpted from 200 Easy Homemade Cheese Recipes, Second Edition by Debra Amrein-Boyes
© 2013 www.robertrose.caReprinted with publisher permission.

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A Chat and Taste with Evolution Fresh Juice Founder

With all the fresh pressed juice trend going around, have you tried the bottled Evolution Fresh juices? I've seen them around at Starbucks but never thought to try them until I got to chat with the Evolution juice founder, Jimmy Rosenberg. I thought they would be like the overly sweet, pasteurized Naked juices, but I was wrong!
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Speaking of Naked Juice, it's interesting to know that Jimmy also founded Naked Juice. The original idea was just selling juices on Santa Monica beach in the summer of 1984. That grew, as I'm sure you know, but their subsequent partnership with Chiquita led to the partner demanding cheaper cost and the use of processed fruit purees. That was not what Jimmy had in mind, so he left, signing a non-compete agreement. After the non-compete period had passed (he was farming lettuce in the meantime), he started again with Evolution Fresh.
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