Although most of you are in the giddy early stages of fall, here in Los Angeles it’s still over 90 degrees. So what the rest of the country is referring to as “Fall,” I am calling Pumpkin Season. And to curb my near constant urge to shove as much pumpkin into everything I consume, I… Read More
When it seems like your entire life revolves around a food blog, small things make you really excited. Like making homemade tortillas with beer and realizing how much better they are than any other tortilla you’ve ever had. Or getting a shout out from The Cooking Channel as if they knew just how to… Read More
Last Friday I was able to visit the Los Angeles CBS studios. They even let me do a cooking segment. Originally slotted for 4 to 5 minutes, the loved me so much, they let me run to 6 1/2 minutes. Aren’t they great? A few questions threw me off, “Were you in a… Read More
When it comes to baking, I’m always intrigued by a new spin on an old favorite. Not to say that I don’t fully appreciate the simplicity and beauty of a perfect and well done classic recipe. I’ll never tire of a traditional, straight forward apple pie with a huge scoop of homemade vanilla bean ice… Read More
There are some great elements in this world we live in that we beg the universe to some how bring together. Like a Yankees vs. Dodgers World Series Or an episode of The Office directed by Christopher Guest Or Trey Parker have complete creative control over The White House Holiday Card Or a reality show… Read More
Here it is, just like I promised. Beer Chicken Piccata, to go with those beer noodles I made. The first time I ever had Piccata I was a completely broke college student traveling through Italy. And it was cheap. It turned out to be one of the most memorable dishes I had on that trip,… Read More
Here’s my artichoke. We’re going to gut him and stuff him with bacon. And then cook him in beer. The first step is to trim. Start with peeling off a few layers of the outside leaves They’re tough and not very good, don’t feel bad about getting rid of them. And if… Read More
This recipe has been in my brain for a while. For weeks it’s been taunting me, begging to be flushed out, poured into my food processor and immortalized in internet print. And this weekend three failed attempts to make IPA lemon bars that never really gave me the results I was hoping for coupled… Read More
(Roasted Garlic & Parmesan Beer Cheese Dip) There are a few ingredients that I have to restrain myself from adding to everything I make. On that list are the following: Sriracha, bacon, goat cheese and roasted garlic. As you can clearly discern, beer is not in that line-up. Because I never try to hold back… Read More
Everything I love about summer is in this dish. Or, more accurately, everything I love about summer that can fit into a small metal bowl are in that dish. Fresh produce. Homemade sorbet. Beer. Of course, beer. And when I was buying said beer, Alesmith Anvil, I had an interesting conversation with Beer Store Beer… Read More
Tortillas are one of those glorious foods that I have found myself continuing to make from scratch. It wasn’t an epiphany that wakened me from my supermarket tortilla grabbing slumber, it was a gradual process. Tortillas are easy, and you probably have all of the ingredients in your kitchen already. And the end product… Read More
Last week I was able to sit down with a guy, who in just two years went from a home brewer who was opening the doors to his first bar, to owning three bars and the fastest growing craft brewery in California. If you live in Los Angeles, and you’re a craft beer fan, I’m… Read More
The first time I made marinara was a complete accident. Just a few months after I nearly accidentally graduated college, I got a job working with teenage gang members in South Central Los Angeles. You are free to laugh at the idea of a very white girl, who grew up on a farm in… Read More
Being wrapped in a world filled with food people, the lovers, academics and fanatics, I’ve often lost my footing. Forgotten the simple pleasures of small, honest meals for the sake of a journey towards the creation of an epic recipe. While surrounding myself with people who strive to reinvent the world of food as we… Read More
A really well crafted IPA is a beautiful thing,but this is the style that is most often poorly done. The art of balancing a hop forward beer delicately with its subtle back notes is an art that only a few persistent pros seem to be able to manage. The well crafted, well balanced IPA is… Read More
There are foods that I relent to making from scratch, taking hours to carve a meal out of whole ingredients. Hours spend on homemade pasta, breads, pie dough and sauces. The extra time is more than worth it for real food, feed to those I love from the earth, to my hands to the table.… Read More
I’ve noticed something about you. You seem to have no interest in healthy beer recipes. You want your beer recipes to be a flagrant indulgence of full-flavored stimulation. You want chocolate and bacon and sugar and whatever else I can manage to squeeze into your meal. I like that about you. No “semi-homemade” or “skinny”… Read More
Beer and bacon in a spreadable form, this may be the best thing to ever come out of my kitchen. It is a simple food, a few ingredients that over time become large with flavor and possibilities. A conversation piece, something your guest won’t forget, or a handmade gift for those carnivorous beer lovers in… Read More