The only caveat is that if you plan to separate your pickings into different bags, make sure to use different buckets in the first place. The lady who weighed and tallied up our costs was cranky and gave someone in our party a hard time because she wanted her cherries split into two bags and even offered to pay for the cost of the second bag.

Also, make sure to pack sun block and a hat. While the orchard was shady, there were still some patches of sun and it was at least 95 degrees outside.

I’ve noticed the last few months there are quite a few new joints opening all up and down Ventura Blvd.  I’m officially excited. 

That’s the good news.  Here’s the bad news - or part of it:  you have to look really hard and keep that head on a swivel ’cause they open - then it seems they close the very next week.  Add to that, they are often next to some really obscure places, um, like We The People.  I won’t go into why I had to visit the venerable WTP several times over the last few months - but suffice it to say when I did I noticed a new joint - Vino Wine and Tapas Room.

Wine?  Small bites?  Hello! This is the kind of thing I can really get all worked up over.  Let’s just say I walked into this place wanting to love it.  They were going to have to work really hard to make me hate them.

I’ve been to Vino a few times since its soft opening and each time I’ve walked through the door I’ve thought - “almost.”   The mood is all dark woods, plush leather and candlelight and they always seem super happy to see you.  One time we sat at the bar towards the back, another at one of  their tables for two and last time we sunk into one of the comfy leather couches at the front.   

Each time we were given a wine and tapas menus immediately although once we waited close to ten minutes for our first wine order to be taken – what??  Really?  The server did apologize profusely and was extra attentive after that.   I’ll cut her some slack.

We started off with a glass of the J. Lohr Cabernet and the EOS zinfandel both decent glasses of wine but nothing to write home about.

For food we had the Roasted Almonds and Marinated Olives and the Calamari The almonds were nice and warm and the olive selection was pretty good.  The calamari was great – although you gotta really try hard to screw up something deep fried right?  It came with two dipping sauces – an aioli and a marinara sauce.  The sauces were respectable if not mind blowing but the plating was really lovely.

From there we tried the Chicken and Potato Croquette.  Why, why, why do people put these kind of dishes on the menu?  Why?  I don’t think I’ve ever had this kind of dish taste as good as it sounds and shocker of all shockers, this was no exception.  The chicken and the potato were dried out, the breading a bit thick and the cheese fell flat. 

To go with the croquette (or rather to wash it down) we had a couple glasses of white wine - an Albarino by Vionta – from Spain and a Frei Brothers Chardonnay.

Here is where my biggest disappointment with Vino Wine and Tapas Room rears it’s ugly head. Hey, I am by no means a wine “aficionado”  AT ALL! But I do like to try new wines and was excited by the prospect of having a local place that could introduce me to things I couldn’t get off the shelf at Bev Mo. 

I actually cut and paste every wine off their list onto the Bev Mo site (yes, I have too much time on my hands. I know.)   Guess what?  I’d say 95% were available there.  C’mon people!    I get that they have to have a stable of wines for their day to day menu – but how about a revolving list (on a chalkboard behind the bar perhaps?) that has little heard of wineries or vintages you can’t get every day.  If you are going to call yourself a “wine room” then be a wine room dammit. 

Okay….getting down from my soap box.  

Our next culinaryorder was the Filet Mignon.  This was seriously delicious.  The steak was cooked perfectly  (medium rare) and the baby vegetables were tender yet toothy (isn’t “toothy” just a fun word to say?) The sherry sauce was so yummy we wished we’d had a giant baguette to sop it all up.    We also tried the mini burgers. In a word - tasty.    Instead of French fries the chef sauteed thin slices of potato and served them as “chips.” Yummy. 

Over all, the multiple experiences at Vino were never 100%.  Potential?  Yes.  The mood was great, the service was warm and very well meaning – if a little disorganized - and the food was over all pretty good - showing lots of promise.  If they can get their act together concerning their wine list, I think Vino Wine and Tapas Room could be a place I’d go to often - and take my friends to.  Crossing my fingers….

Vino Wine and Tapas Room:  18046 Ventura Blvd.  Encino, CA 91316.  818.342.2525 

Both times we sat out on the patio area. The patio does not feel like an outdoor area, since it is surrounded by a high stone wall and covered by a canvas roof. The weather, however, feels like outside. We were nice and cozy next to the inside wall with a heater, but two parties seated near the outside wall requested to be moved inside due to being chilly, so something to remember when making reservations in winter.

We reluctantly had to set aside the cocktail menu, as we knew we were going to be getting the tasting menu with wine, but the cocktails looked excellent. On one page was classic cocktails, along with a credit to the inventor. On the other page were house cocktails. All looked delicious and the house cocktails looked very unique. I would have had a hard time deciding between old favorites and trying something new.

But we steeled our will-power and set it aside so that we could order the nine course full tasting menu with wine pairings, and then we commenced to eating. The meal was well-paced so that I never felt full or overwhelmed. However, it also took over three hours, so make sure you have time to spare if you do this!

The meal started with an amuse bouche that lived up to its name by being very entertaining. It was our substitute for cocktails - there were three small bites. One was a gin and tonic gelee candy, then a “mojito”, which was a sphere with a rush of minty, rummy liquid in the center. Finally, there was a fennel and saffron soup with the fennel bisque on top of a saffron syrup underneath. You were to eat it by downing it like a shot, so that the flavors mingled. The saffron was a little much, but other than that the amuse was very fun.

(Bold = food; Italic = wine)

bigeye tuna (hawaii)csergszegi fuszeres, craftsman 2006: I’m normally not much of an eater of raw fish, but I make an exception for really good tuna. This tuna was thickly cut and lightly seared, and came with a sauce of blood orange and jalapeno-infused olive oil, green onions, and little pearls of avocado. The heat of the oil was perfect - surprising at first, but not overwhelming. The wine was a Hungarian white, made by a female winemaker. It was what I would call a friendly wine. It’s not expensive and is easy on the mouth - fruity, crisp and floral.

nancy’s down-east scallops (deer isle, maine)sauvignon blanc, craggy range 2006: The scallops were fat and buttery, and they came with zuckerman farms delta asparagus, and a sauce of almond infusion and pedro jiminez sherry. Wine Spectator has called Craggy Range one of the best all-around wine producers from New Zealand. I also appreciated that this was another wine choice that I could go on to purchase for myself. A bottle is in the $20 range. The zesty citrus flavors went well with the scallops.

razor clam and japanese sword squid risottochablis, domaine william fevre 2006: Next up was a bright green risotto, served in a bowl that as whimsically large compared to the food. The color appeared to come from parsley, and also in the dish was preserved lemon which gave it a nice tang. The risotto was served with a chablis that while probably very good, was not my thing. I am not so much a chardonnay fan, unfortunately.

cod (chatham, mass)jurancon sec, charles hours 2005: I am afraid the cod has been completely obliterated in my mind because of what it was served with. The cod came with basil, spring onions, and courgettes and a puree of artichokes. The puree of artichokes was somehow so intensely flavorful that it was a shock to my system. I wasn’t expecting so much flavor and it was a little like getting shot in the head. The whine was a white bordeaux, that was a mix of two somewhat obscure grapes. It was again a decently priced wine that was unique and therefore something to remember for wine shopping, which I liked in the wine pairings.

arctic char (new zealand)pinot nero, j.hofstatter 2006: The artic char was nice, but not as memorable as some of the other dishes. It came with shimeji mushrooms, radish, cinnamon espuma and mitsuba (Japanese wild parsley). The mushrooms were amazing - really savory with a nice soft/crunchy texture. I did not get the cinnamon flavor though, which was a bit disappointing. I was happy to start on the red wines, this was a Pinot Noir from the Alto Adige region of Italy, also known as a Blauburgunder, which is just fun to say. It means “blue burgundy.”

tenderloin of vealcotes du rhone, montirius 2006: The final main course was a tenderloin of veal with roasted salsify, petit pois (peas), himalayan truffle, and jus de veau (veal stock). This was the highlight of the meal for me. I am not normally a veal eating person but this was … well … a tiny log of tender, juicy, pink veal. I hate to use on internet meme in my sophisticated restaurant review, but I think NOM is an appropriate way to describe this dish. OMNOMNOM. I was getting a little full at this point, but I ate it all anyway. The wine is a biodynamic wine from old vines (1947) near the village of Sablet. It is 100% grenache and unoaked. And like the others, very affordable.

market cheesescorvina, palazzo della torre, allegrini 2004: The next course was the cheese course, and I’m afraid to say I went a little nuts with the cheeses. But he let us pick out whatever we wanted? And then anything I even expressed interest in he would cut off and put some on the plate. But we ended up with a nice mixture of soft, and hard, pungent and mellow. The wine is a huge big juicy tannic red that was nice for the strong cheeses.

tangerine and vanilla: This tasted like a fancy creamsicle. Need I say more?

milk chocolate-passion fruit chantilly banana and spiced peanut pureetaylor fladgate, 20 yr tawny: This dessert was basically the best thing in the world. You could smell the passion fruit from across the room, and it blended well with the chocolate and banana. The spicy peanut was something I’d love to learn how to make for myself. And the port was a nice finish. I’ve not had a 20 year before, and to be honest, I’d drunk so much that I can’t say I noticed the difference between 10 and 20 year. I would probably have to taste side-by-side.

Whew. And that was it. We stumbled out into the blessedly crisp and cool night in a cloud of wine and food satisfaction. It’s definitely the kind of think I’d reserve for special occasions, but we also thought that going to the bar for a cocktail, some clam chowder, and fries would be a fun thing to do for a regular night.

Providence
5955 Melrose Ave.
(323) 460-4491

It’s no secret how much I love cheese. I also love my local cheese emporium, The Artisan Cheese Gallery in Studio City.

Apparently plenty of cheese aficionados make frequent pilgrimages to this temple of buttermilky delights. One of their bestsellers is Coach Triple Creme Goat from New York cheese maker Coach Farm (apparently the same people who made the Coach handbags and leather goods).

So owner Melody asked her friends at Coach if they would make it in a heart shape for Valentine’s Day - “just for them”.

And they said “Yes”.

Coach Farm made them a triple cream (meaning 75 percent butterfat) goat cheese that tastes like a smooth, rich, and creamy brie with hints of the tangy, grassy flavor typical of chevres.

And it’s in a sweet heart shape just in time for Valentine’s Day.

The Artisan Cheese Gallery
12023 Ventura Blvd.,
Studio City, CA 91604
Phone: 818-505-0207
Fax: 818-505-0282

I kept some notes from a somewhat recent discussion on chowhound that I found extremely interesting. (I’m afraid I neglected to note which posters made which points, so I’m sorry I cannot give full credit where due.)

Here are a few general things you might not know about your sushi experience.

When you go to an extra fine sushi house, you are paying a premium for a number of reasons, the primary one being due to the pecking order of sushi chefs in this town.

The quality of the fish that most sushi bars purchase at International Marine is not the same. Chef Nozawa apparently shows up at 6am and Chef Nobi (from Sasabune) around the same time.

Everyone else shows up later.

There is only a small amount of superior quality fish available these days and these high ranking guys get the lion’s share.

Hiro Urasawa shows up around 9am and picks up his already fish. (Hand-picked apparently earlier in the morning, but I’m unsure by whom.)

Basically, there are a handful of other sushi bars across Los Angeles who pay the premium prices for the very best fish available, which is extremely limited.

Most of the 7-800 LA sushi bars just order and have their fish delivered and do not choose it themselves.

From a slightly paraphrased post by russkar on chowhound:

There are other sushi bars who buy Premium Fish but the selection is so small only a few sushi bars get them. Some of the others that come to mind are Kiriko, Mori Sushi, Hiko, Asanebo, Wa, Sushi Gen.

I’ve been in my share of arguments over the years with some of the Chefs over a particular ‘high quality’ fish.

…[recently] a 800 lb Blue Fin tuna came in IMP and was scooped up by MASA, NY. I also buy from LA FISH and True World. Huge demand and little product creates serious competition.

Okay, so that’s just the fish. Then we come to what they can do with it.

You probably already know that sushi chefs go through years and years of training and apprenticeships in order to master their craft. If, like me, you’ve ever attempted to make sashimi at home, you probably ended up with a hacked up pile of fish. Obviously the manner in which it is trimmed and sliced, and then attractively arranged on the plate, genuinely makes it tastier, or at least more appealing.

Some chefs in Japan, and also here in LA, take their art to the next level. Morihiro Onodera hand crafts the gorgeous ceramic plates on which he serves his sublime sushi. (He also makes his own tender tofu and polishes his own rice, for crying out loud!) The glazed clay platters at R 23 are also hand made. For his elaborate Kaiseki sushi, Kyoto-style dining experience, Hiro Urasawa to give one example out of 32 courses, he hand carves a personal block of ice on which to serve probably the finest toro you will ever taste in this town. I believe this to be true.

If you think you know sushi, you might like to take a class at the Sushi Academy.

It will change your view on sushi and make you more aware on what to look for when purchasing fish for your own consumption.

So, which is your favourite place for sushi in Los Angeles and why?
Please provide links and addresses, if you can!

While I recently enjoyed a fine meal at R 23, my hands down favourite place in LA is Mori Sushi.

Urasawa (no link available) remains unsampled by me - for now!

Post Scriptum:

According to a recent post on chowhound by exilekiss:

The menu [at Mori Sushi] states that [Morihiro Onodera] gets his own special blend of sushi rice made exclusively for him.

Mori Sushi
11500 West Pico Boulevard
Los Angeles, California, 90064
(310) 479-3939

Sushi Zo
9824 National Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 842-3977

Sushi Sasabune
12400 Wilshire Blvd. #150
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 820-3596

[Photo from their website]

R23 Japanese Cuisine and Art Gallery is exactly what a downtown, cool and artistic space serving fantastic sushi and exceptional gastronomic delights ought to be. Tucked away on the outskirts of Little Tokyo, in L.A.’s Arts District, this fine restaurant first opened its doors in 1991. Now, seventeen years later, R 23 has expanded into the galleries next door, extending their ambiance of intimate dining rooms currently adorned with modernistic paintings by Japanese artist, Ichiro, which are available for sale. The expansion also features a lounge area with a small sake bar.

The main dining room remains lined with dramatic Gauguin-inspired paintings from acclaimed Japanese artist Shiho Amano. Tables are dressed with crisp white linen and are framed by R23’s signature, custom-made corrugated cardboard chairs created by L.A. architect Frank Gehry.

R23’s Executive Chef Tobi-San orchestrates an extensive menu from the kitchen that includes two dozen nightly specialties, while Head Sushi Chef Toshi-San leads the team of four chefs at the granite sushi bar.

A substantial heap of their signature Dungeness crab salad ($21) is drenched with a perfectly balanced rice vinegar and olive oil dressing that has the clarity of a consomme and the mild heat of a hint of ginger.

You truly haven’t lived until you’ve sampled their luscious Lobster tempura ($55), featuring lightly deep-fried claws and tails, as well as vegetables, which also arrives as a generous portion fit for sharing.

Grilled medallions of Duck ($14) are stuffed with Tokyo scallion and served with crisply steamed baby bok choy.

Lavish cuts of truly sublime sushi are draped over the lightly vinegared rice and are served on handcrafted ceramic platters with abstract black, grey and red hues. The toro was so rich and oily, it was practically falling apart. In my notes, I think we paid $29.50 for four orders of sushi, including yellowtail, salmon and the toro.

Their refreshed wine list is impressive as well, with selections specifically chosen to pair with the cuisine. A nice range of cold sake, from junmai to ginjo to the finest daiginjo varieties, arrive in cunning little glass carafes with their own internal ice reservoir to keep the rice wine chilled (small is $20, medium is $25).

Be advised, this place is seriously spendy and there are no prices on the long page of chef’s specials, so don’t be afraid to ask before you order, unless you have an unlimited amount of dosh at your disposal!

It may be a little tough (but not impossible) to find R23, hidden down a small street of warehouses off East Third, but that’s all part of the adventure.

R23
923 East 2nd Street, in downtown L.A.’s Arts District.
Open for lunch Monday through Friday – 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.,
dinner Monday through Saturday – 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 213 687 7178.
Valet parking is available, but we snagged a free spot on the street.

I began my little adventure at Cafe del Ray where Jason Niederkorn is the executive chef. On the menu: Rabbit Rillette on crostini with persimmon marmalade, green apple celery root soup, and chocolate truffle cookies.

I opted for the Rabbit Rillette and it was delicious. The golden crostini; perfectly crisp without being dry thanks to just the right amount of olive oil I. The tart, sweet persimmon marmalade mingled well with the soft, savory rabbit rillette and made a gorgeous pair. Together with crunchy crostini this appetizer had both fabulous taste and texture. I was so satisfied with the rabbit I wanted to try their soup and truffle cookies, but I had to give some other restaurants a try :)


Next stop, Pecorino where chef Raffaele Sabatini presides. I chose a dish that reminded me of a cross between an au gratin and a Paella. The regional dish from Puglia in south eastern Italy was a flavorful medley of riso, thinly sliced potatoes that melted in my mouth, mussels, zucchini, summer squash, and tomatoes. Besides being a touch heavy on oil, it was wonderful Italian comfort food.

The chef was kind enough to give me a sample of roasted pork leg as well. It was wonderfully simple, tender and the marbling gave it a rich, satisfying flavor. All three gentlemen from Pecorino including Mario, who is one of the owners, were clearly passionate about their food and I can not wait to try the restaurant!

Somehow I managed to have enough self control to save room for dessert … difficult when all the food thus far had been scrumptious and served as much more than just a taste. I headed over to Punch Grill where I’d seen the spiced panna cotta dessert. I’d actually never had panna cotta before, so this was the perfect time to try something new. Three words: Creamy, velvety, bliss. Why I’ve never ordered panna cotta before, I have no idea but if this is what I’ve been missing I’m looking forward to making up for lost time. Each lush, subtly sweet bite enrobed my entire mouth with pleasure. The flavor of any spices was a bit lost but the berries on top cut the richness of the dessert very well.

I REALLY wanted to eat the entire petite pot of heaven but with 4 tickets left I was eyeing a red velvet cupcake across the way so … regretfully, I left half of the panna cotta uneaten and strolled over to continue my sugar rush at SusieCakes.

This was unquestionably the best red velvet cupcake I’ve had in LA; FAR superior to well, all the other cupcake stores. (Why name names, you know who I’m talking about.) I took one, two, three licks of the fluffy white frosting spilling over the edges of the little ruby red cake. Um … AMAZING! Tart n’ tangy, sweet n’ creamy, everything that great cream cheese frosting should be. The cake itself was not only super tender and buttery but also filled with even more of that addicting frosting. I really really wanted to eat the whole thing … so I did :)

Café del Rey
4451 Admiralty Way
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
310.823.6395

Pecorino
11604 San Vicente Blvd (Brentwood) CA 90049
310 571-3800

Punch Grill
3001 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
310-828-8812

SusieCakes
11708 San Vicente
Brentwood CA 90049
310-442-CAKE (2253)

The decor is cool without being cold. They’ve successfully folded together the concrete jungle that is LA with mellow, natural elements reminiscent of, well, a park. Designer beehives buzzing with warm lights hang from the large tree in the main dining area. The rich wood accents throughout add a strong, sophisticated feeling to the space.

There are 3 champagnes offered by the glass on the “champagne & caviar” menu. We ordered 2 glasses of Veuve Clicquot. My dining companion was a true wine guru and thought their list to be quite interesting and impressive for the size. Our waiter genuinely enhanced the entire experience as he had considerable knowledge of both wine and food. A complimentary sunomono style salad made with Persian cucumbers was served first. It was fine but uninspired.

Our server recommended we order 3 or 4 items to share between the two of us which was perfect. First to arrive, the Artichoke Boursin Fritters with Jalapeno Ponzu Aioli. This dish was my least favorite of the night. It lacked in both presentation and flavor. The 3 fritters, served on a wilted piece of lettuce, were fried to a crisp golden brown, but any artichoke was overshadowed by the rich cheese. The aioli was watery and reminded me more of a store bought cheese dip. I know that’s harsh but honesty is the best policy right? :)

Moving on to the Beet “Noodle” Arugula Salad with Crumbled Goat Cheese & Roasted Red Pepper Dressing; This presentation did have more zest, but reminded me of gourmet cuisine from the early 90’s “plate painting” and “tower” designs became super popular. The al dente texture of the beet noodles was outstanding and a great pairing with the creamy goat cheese and spicy arugula. It was a touch over dressed but still very enjoyable.

My favorite plate was the Clay Pot Chilean Sea Bass, baked with black pepper, caramel and scallions, then topped with crispy onions. The tender bass was resting in a sweet, delicate broth and the batter browned fried onions made this dish pop!

Last, we had Burg’s Grilled Lamb Chopettes marinated and grilled with a rosemary Port Ginger Sauce. The lamb was butter knife tender and I enjoyed rich, comfort food flavors with each juicy bite. We opted out of dessert to catch Wicked at the Pantages. I guess I’ll have to revisit for caviar, cocktails and dessert.

THE BOTTOM LINE ~ Better than good, yet not great Asian French fusion tapas … go for the scene, ambiance, wine and cocktails, not for an exquisite gastronomical experience.

PARC
6683 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90028
Phone: (323) 465-6200
Cross Street: Las Palmas Avenue
Hours: Daily 6pm-2am

A vibrant and familiar iconic symbol caught my eye at Gelsons, yesterday. It was a golden flying kangaroo inside a green triangle = Aussies! Turns out there were some new Aussie products to sample and I was feeling peckish.

Here’s a bit of background:

Many of you dear readers will already know that A.O.C. is not just Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne’s chic and fantastic little “small platesâ€? wine bar on Third St (in WeHo); it also stands for Appellation d’origine contrôlée.

A.O.C. is the French government’s stamp of authenticity granted to certain French products, such as wines, cheeses, butters and other agricultural products, to indicate their genuine geographical origins. Hence, no one can call their sparkling wine a ‘Champagne’ unless it is actually from the Champagne region of France. Instead, many wineries use the term “méthod champenoise.� Also European law dictates that unless your cheese was aged in the natural Cambalou caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, your blue cheese is not a Roquefort.

And so on.

Spain has a similar rating of authenticity, as does Italy.

Well, I am pleased to report that Australia has recently come out with their own version, called “Australian Made™� which is signified by the national colours of a gum tree-green triangle with a wattle-gold flying kangaroo within. Only authorized products may carry this logo and must meet a number of stringent guidelines to qualify for this privilege.

This official stamp of quality has been granted to various delicacies, such as macadamia nuts (product of a native tree indigenous to Australia); low-mercury tuna from local waters; premium varieties of honey; muesli and oils etc etc

Now a select range of some of these fine products can be found at boutique supermarkets in LA such as Gelsons and Bristol Farms, as I discovered when I stumbled upon a tasting booth at my local Gelsons (NoHo) yesterday.

Okay, I am an Aussie, so I’m definitely biased. But these are truly wonderful and high quality products.

I instantly fell in love with G’Day Gourmet’s range of South Pacific Skipjack Tuna, in various appetising flavours. I found out it is naturally low in mercury and that the tuna is harvested using sustainable, ocean-friendly practices. Good to know!

A couple of cool things about the design; these cans stack nicely in your pantry (I bought a handful) and they’ve placed the ring-pull opening on the underside of the can so that it doesn’t interfere with the information on the top of the can. In fact, it states there is an “easy open lid Down Under.�

I just thought that was so ingenious!

These tiny tins of tuna are surprisingly voluminous. My SO and I shared a tin’s worth as snack on the crackerthins. I can easily see myself consuming a whole tin of this tasty tuna for a nice Atkins-friendly (meaning protein-packed) lunch.

Gelsons currently has them on sale – three tins for $6.00.

The all-natural tunas come in various flavours, including Tomato Onion, Tomato Salsa, Mild Indian Curry (which I sampled – that one was really delicious), Lemon Pepper (not sure if I’d like that one) and so on.

Valley Produce Company’s Crackerthins (which are wafer-thin water crackers) were the perfect accompaniment to this tuna; light, thin and crispy. But I noticed the cracker got a bit soggy after I took the photos, so it’s probably best not to prepare these in advance. Just pile the tuna onto the cracker when you’re ready to scarf it down. Two flavours – plain and cracked black pepper.

Other new Aussie foods now available in LA include –

Valley Produce Company’s award-winning Fruit Pyramids made from dried fruit, nuts and honey which are ideal to serve with cheese

Brookfarm’s Toasted Macadamia Muesli, featuring local flavors such as unprocessed bush honey, macadamia nut oil, Barossa Valley currants and Murrumbidgee apricots.

Brookfarm’s oven roasted Macadamias, in three flavours; natural with sea salt, Kashmiri chili and bush pepper spice and sea salt with lemon myrtle.

Beechworth Pure Australian Honey, with distinct rich and earthy flavors. This high-quality honey is made from the blossom of century-old eucalyptus trees back home. *sigh*

Gelsons are staging in-store demonstrations all this month at almost all of their stores across LA, so watch out for a table and a smiling woman offering you a tasty sample.

You will not be disappointed.

Basil foam as created and invented by Ferran Adria at El Bulli, Spain.

Are you fed up with foam?

All truffle-oiled out?

Deathly sick of soft serve?

During the eighties in restaurants and kitchens everywhere (at least in Sydney), there was such a wholesale preoccupation with sun-dried tomatoes, placing them front and centre in virtually every menu item and featured at almost every dinner party, that the predominance of this overpowering and concentrated flavour soon became overkill.

I avoid sun-dried tomatoes to this day.

Flash forward to Christmas, late 2001, when we were travelling through Europe. It was a memorable trip – Christmas in Paris, snowboarding in the French Alps over New Years Eve, the thrilling debut of a gorgeous and unifying currency – the Euro – and, of course the emergence of a culinary sensation – foam! That strange, delicately flavoured, ethereal and gossamer-like substance dressing your plate in the hallowed halls of haute cuisine.

Well, it’s 2007 and culinary foam doesn’t appear to be fading away any time soon, even though Marcel Vigneron on TV’s Top Chef probably put the final nail in its coffin.

Is there any item or ingredient on a menu that, as soon as your eyes light upon it, instigates a massive yawn?

How do you feel about the prevalence of that rather pungent delicacy known as white truffle oil?

What about the increasingly ubiquitous appearance of sweet potato fries?

Are you heartily fed up with the tapas – aka small plates – fad?

Does the appearance of yet another donut or cupcake bakery fill you with dread?

Can you ever have enough Pinkberry or other version of frozen yoghurt?

Which LA food fads do you think are tired, lame, played out and soooo-five-minutes-ago-dot-com??