Then comes the part where you write the list and set out to get your ingredients.

I am not a huge fan of supermarket chains. I understand their necessity for things like Kleenex and band-aids. But for other things - the important things, the food, their cold impersonal nature, their hermetically sealed meats and cheeses, their slicked up veggies and perfect fruits just leave me feeling, to put it mildly, underwhelmed.

What I love about visiting and shopping in New York City, Rome or Paris are the small neighborhood stores. They’re personal, the food is lovingly picked out and placed on the shelves. There are no glaring fluorescent lights, no sounds of “ping, pinging” as food is “scanned” through a computer system. Shopping in these kinds of places is a much more intimate affair.

The Valley, for the past 20 years has gotten a pretty bad rep. And I’m not saying some of it isn’t deserved. But there is a incredible ethnic diversity here, and some great mom and pop markets to to serve that population. Once I started paying attention, I found there were some such gems, right under my nose.
I’m definitely on a hunt for more, but for now, here are some of my favorites.

Valley Produce
18345 Vanowen St. Reseda, CA 91335

There is one in Reseda and one in Simi Valley. This is a place where you can find unusual fruits, nuts and veggies for unbelievably cheap prices. They had the not unusual russet potato on sale for 10 cents a pound not too long ago. Hello!?

Their ethnic offerings are also, as my boyfriend and cook Todd would say, off the chain! You want Indian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Vietnamese? You will most likely find the ingredients you are looking for.

Their meat and fish counters are crazy (in a good way) with every part of every animal you might like. If you are into trying the more “unusual” bits and parts of a creature, you will be in heaven.

Cheeses are limited, but Feta is $3.99 a pound, about half what you’d pay at a major chain. Although, for my day to day cheese purchases I still think Trader Joe’s is a pretty good bargain.

A few caveats: it isn’t always as spotless as one might like (more of a Farmers Market kinda feel), there are no oiled up fruits and veggies at this place, a good thing in my estimation, so you’ll have to pick and choose amongst the piles and it’s beyond busy on the weekends - be prepared.

But if you are an adventurer in the kitchen - go for it!

Vallarta Supermarkets

This isn’t exactly a “mom and pop” place, it is a larger chain, but, you may have overlooked them, and that would be a shame.
I love some good Mexican food - grilling up a little Carne Asada con todo on the weekend is all good by me. I’ve driven by Vallarta’s Markets for years but finally stopped in a month or so ago. Mariachi music pumps from the speakers to accompany you while you shop.

Produce? Check! There are inexpensive peppers and chilies of every kind imaginable. Lemons, plantains, yucca and more are also there in all their glory. You want jalapenos? You’ve got about 10 brands to choose from. The meat and fish are of great quality as are their pre-made offerings - like pickled carrots (the spicy kind, yum!) several kinds of salsa and guacamole.

There there is the Taqueria - Oh yeah. So far we’ve only picked up a bag of their “hot off the presses” corn tortillas, but if you don’t want to cook you can buy a huge variety of hot food - carnitas, tortas, enchiladas, you name it.

It’s not a place I shop for coffee, dairy, paper products - but when I get the itch to cook Mexican it’s the only place I’ll go. Besides they offer shuttle service so the ladies can come and do their shopping - how stinkin’ cute is that?

Find A Vallarta Near You

Tarzana Armenian Grocery and Deli
18598 Ventura Blvd. Tarzana, CA 91356

If you are hankering for some dolmathes, a little kasseri cheese or maybe some hummus then look no further. This small market has a good variety of Middle Eastern ingredients but most people come here (some from OVER THE HILL) to try their freshly made sandwiches and salads.

Q Market
17259 Vanowen St. Van Nuys, 91406 Phone:
818.345.4251

Hankering for some Turkish Delight? This is an interesting little Middle Eastern Market. From my limited understanding of the regions represented in this market, there is a Kosher section and a Halal section. Halal is food that is “permissible” by strict Islamic standards and Kosher is the same for Jewish standards.
In any case, the market has some really interesting and unusual Middle Eastern ingredients. Don’t let the scruffy exterior scare you away - it’s well kept inside.

Domingoes Italian Grocery
17548 Ventura Blvd. Encino, CA 91316
818.981.4466

Pancetta from Domingoes…Yum.

This is one of those places I’ve driven by, literally, hundreds of times. When I first walked in the other day, I almost kicked myself for having missed this hidden gem for so long. I just returned from my first trip to NYC. One of our favorite things about the city, was among other things, the little markets we lingered in while in Little Italy. Tucked away, with goodies galore, they seem to be waiting for you to find them. Domingoes, for me, had a little bit of that vibe, right here in the big ‘ol Valley. I picked up some pancetta, some great Italian cookies, and then spent a half an hour drooling over their spices, oils, wines, and yes, freshly baked bread. They have a full service deli making sandwiches and other goodies, definitely on my list of “things to do.”
I may have missed this placed before, but I’ve found it now, and I’ll be back!

It excites me to discover my part of the world in a whole new way, looking for those places that, sadly, may go unnoticed. I’m done doing my shopping at some big, cold chain store. For me, the independently own shops are the way to go.

So I haven’t actually had a full meal at this place yet, but based on my first short experience with it, I think it looks very promising, and I want to spread the word to help these people out.

I was going to Kay n’ Dave’s with a couple of friends tonight, and we parked in front of this bright red, neatly-fonted, bright little building that pronounced itself “Food” and indeed looked to be full of the same. The place was closed, but the staff was inside cleaning up, and when they saw us peeping in, a woman came to the door and waved us in.

“Oh, we’re just looking,” we said shyly, “we’re actually going to dinner down the street.” Nonetheless, she continued to wave us in, saying that they were closed, but were new in the neighborhood so she’d love to have us come look.

The woman’s name is Judy Ornstein, and she’s a longtime resident of the neighborhood, a 30-year veteran of the restaurant industry, and co-owner of Food. She said that previously there was a cramped, dingy and dusty convenience store in the location and she had always wished that they could have a place kind of like Joan’s on Third in her neighborhood. So when her oldest child left for college, and the space became available, she and some friends decided to go for it.

The space is indeed reminiscent of Joan’s, although on a smaller scale. Near the entrance are spices and packaged candies and nuts. Across from that is a refrigerated case with soups and prepared foods. Then spanning the length of the place is a deli counter with prepared foods that looked really good. There was a beef tenderloin that was soooo pink that it made me want to grab it and go NOM right there in the store. There were artichoke halves sprinkled with nasturtium, and some pretty vegetable salads: grilled seasonal vegetables and a julienned beet and apple salad.

Near the back is a small wine section, and refrigerated drink cases. The menu also contains breakfast and lunch items like granola, eggs, tofu scramble, and soups, sandwiches and salads. A neatly handwritten paper lists daily specials on the deli. I could easily see myself coming here when I need a bottle of wine, or some milk, or perhaps some soup to refrigerate for weekday meals, and then grabbing a lunch along with my necessaries.

And Ms. Ornstein was incredibly friendly. She talked to us about the place, but didn’t keep us trapped there for too long, and she sent us on our way with some free homemade chocolate chip cookies that were really delicious and packed full of chocolate.

My husband and I agreed that if we lived in the neighborhood, we would definitely be popping in often, and my friends were 100% certain that they would be back in the near future for a breakfast or lunch.

So if you’re on the Westside, check it out and report back. If this place is as good as it looks, I would love to see it do well. It’s not exactly in a prime location, but it is on many people’s way to and from work.

FOOD
10571 Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064
http://www.food-la.com

NEAT FACTS about LAMILL
La Marzocco espresso machine
$11,000 Clover coffee machine that brews single cups to order
Siphon tableside coffee service (popular in Japan)
Food as exquisite as the coffee
Similarities to Starbucks: ZERO … thankfully
Serves room temperature water (more easily absorbed)

LAMILL COFFEE BOUTIQUE
1636 Silver Lake Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
323-663-4441
Hours
Tuesday-Sunday
7:00AM-7:00PM
Closed Monday

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

However, the reality is that these upscale markets only offer a limited number of the most popular fish like salmon, halibut, trout and a few others. Nonetheless, you can be assured of excellent fresh fish.

But, if you want a fish adventure and good product at good prices, the place to go is an ethnic market.

Have heard a few people mention that there was a hot new affordable seafood market in the old Eagle Rock Plaza.

A Google search tells me that Seafood City in Eagle Rock Plaza has been there since September 2006.

I saw many folks scooping up bags of shrimp.

I have to keep an eye on the cholesterol but I did get some!

But clearly, the fun is the fish …

I could play it safe and select a type of fish I recognize but what is the fun in that?

So I picked a fish I had never seen before as it looked pretty fresh. I selected a Yellowtail Fusilier that the tag says is from Thailand.

The fish in the above cited web link has the right tail (yellow!), the right body shape but, as you can see, the body color wasn’t quite the same as what I bought.

Since the fish is from Thailand, I figure the way to go is the Asian way of steaming it.

Cut up matchstick size pieces of ginger and similar sized pieces of green onion. Stuff some into the body and around and on top of the fish. I sprinkled on some garlic powder and in a hat tip to Thai cooking, I put a few slices of lime on top.

Bring the water to a boil and place the dish in the pan and cover so the steam can cook the fish in about 10 minutes.

Drain off most of the liquid that winds up in the bowl. The finishing touch my parent’s taught me was to splash some soy sauce on the fish and then pour some hot oil and voila, moist and tender fish for dinner.

By the way, if you aren’t into fish, the meat section at Seafood City was also doing extremely brisk business and the selections looked good!

Seafood City Supermarket
2700 Colorado Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90041

It isn’t the most well publicized event around town. I’ve been to it twice in the last few years. Some years, it sneaks by without me noticing it.

Anyway, if you have got some time on your hands and an interest for the cultural flavor of Los Angeles, be sure to check out the 22nd Annual African Marketplace and Cultural Fair.

Neat craft vendors, music, evening films and many food booths all highlight the African and American black cultures.

Gala African Ball and Opening Reception
Friday, August 17
Cultural Faire (10AM to 9PM)
August 18, 19, 25, 26
September 1, 2, 3

RANCHO CIENEGA RECREATION COMPLEX
5001 Rodeo Road
located one block east of La Brea Avenue on Rodeo Road.

I love cheese. No, wait - I adore cheese. I don’t mean that rubbery, bland molten and stringy stuff you generally find on pizzas, nor that weird orange stuff you find melted inside a quesadilla. Don’t offer me a highly processed slice of square, plastic-wrapped plastic ‘cheese’ unless you want to wear it.

I’m talking about Real Cheese.

Pungent cave-aged Gruyere and the blue-veined Roquefort from France. Dreamy, creamy brie-like cheeses such as Fromage d’Affinois or stinky Reblochon (also from France). Pungent blue cheeses such as Gorgonzola or the semi-hard and flavourful cow’s milk Provolone from Italy. I adore fresh chevre from Redwood Hill Farms, in northern California, or from local cheese maker Laura Cheney. “Blessed are the cheese makers” indeed.

So, you can see I was thrilled when a specialty cheese shop opened in my ‘hood last year, The Artisan Cheese Gallery

Their close proximity, here in Studio City, saves me the pilgrimage to the other notable cheese specialists in town, namely The Cheese Store of Silver Lake and - my absolute favourite - The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills.

Owner Melody Dosch is similarly enamoured with cheesy comestibles. She cultivates relationships with (and devotes a large section of her display cases to) the wares of quite a number of artisanal and boutique cheese makers, dealing personally with a dozen or so on an ongoing basis. These include Californian dairies such as Andante Dairy in Tomales Bay, Winchester Cheese Company, Rinconata Dairy, Santa Margharita and Fiscalini Dairy in Modesto; farms such as Donnay Farms, Minnesota and Capriole Farms in Indiana; also Oregon Gourmet in Albany, Bobolink Dairy, New Jersey and Haystack Mountain Dairy, in Longmont, Colorado.

In fact, Melody purchases cheeses from over fifty American artisans and cheese specialists.

I went over to the Artisan Cheese Gallery for a special event recently where Melody had invited Paula Lambert, a cheese maker from Dallas, to do an in-store presentation, provide samples of her most excellent and unusual cheeses and sign her two glossy cookbooks, The Cheese Lovers Guide and Cheese, Glorious Cheese.

Melody carries a number of Paula’s cheeses, including:

Hoja Santa, a goat’s milk cheese wrapped in Hoja Santa leaves; Blanca Bianca, a raw washed rind cow’s milk cheese (she says it’s one of her favorites); Scamorza, a smoked mozzarella made from cow’s milk; a stunningly creamy yet tart Goat’s milk Mozzarella; Queso Oaxaca, a traditional Mexican cow’s milk cheese; Montasio Festivo, a goat’s milk cheese with a unusual and flavourful chipotle chili rind and Caciotta, a plain cow’s milk infused with Mexican mint.

Melody says she first had the pleasure of meeting Paula and tasting her marvellous cheeses at an American Cheese Society conference in Louisville, Kentucky, about three years ago. Says Melody of the stylish southern dame, “She is one of the most elegant women you will ever meet.” She’s right.

A selected range of Paula Lambert’s excellent cheeses, as well as boutique cheese from all over the country, can be found at The Artisan Cheese Gallery

Also available are salads and sandwiches made daily to order (available 11am-4pm), such as Duck Confit paired with fig spread and Le Marechal cheese or AGC Muffaleta (approx $10) or the classic Grilled Cheese sandwich, made with Ballard Family Dairy cheddar on BreadBar pain de mie and with or without organic heirloom tomatoes ($8.25 or $9.25).

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

Paula Lambert’s cheeses - The Mozzarella Company

In all honesty, I don’t think I have ever had bad Carne Asada from my grill. Therefore, I feel pretty confident strolling into any carniceria to pick up some pre-seasoned meat. The risk of getting something foul is low.

Memorial Day weekend I stroll into one such random (to me) carniceria on the Westside. At the corner of Venice Blvd and McLaughlin sits Aqui es Oaxaca (Here is Oaxaca). They carry a slew of Oaxacan goods, including a variety of meats — and their own marinated Carne Asada.

I do get small pleasure out of using my limited Spanish when I’m in a carniceria. At Aqui es Oaxaca, not only is my Spanish not needed, I don’t have the chance to use it, as the friendly Señora behind the meat counter greets me in English and we talk about how much carne I want.

She weighs out five pounds of carne ($5/lb) and after she marks down the price, throws in some extra goodies like orange slices, onions and a few small pieces of meat. While she is doing that, I am eying the salsa containers in the refrigerated cabinet. My new friend pulls out a few of the containers and seems to be guiding me towards the salsa roja, which turns out to be an amazingly thick smoky chipotle salsa.

I walk out happy with my new find. The service is friendly, the meat counter is clean and I like how the carne asada seasoning is on the dry side. Sometimes when I buy carne asada, it is swimming in half a bag of marinade. I still like that style, but if the meat sits in the marinade too long, it can become a bit chewy.

So how does it cook?

I fire up the grill on fairly high heat and slap the meat down with a sizzle. I’m tempted to munch on some carne tartar, it looks so good. A few minutes on each side and then on to the chopping block to be cut up for tacos. The meat is juicy, charred on the outside and moist on the (thin) inside.

So here I am, staring at my taco. So far my Carne Asada de Aqui es Oaxaca experience is first rate. I get ready for my first bite. Yeah right! I totally ate chunks of carne while I was swinging my cleaver. It is awesome. A taste of Oaxaca right in my backyard. I’m the hero of the grill. The crowd is clamoring for carne. I’m passing out the tender morsels while my guests lick their lips and then close their eyes and sink their teeth into the flavor bursting meat.

Need I say more? Aqui es Oaxaca is a homerun in the carne asada department.

Aqui es Oaxaca
11614 Venice Blvd
Los Angeles, 90066
(310) 313-4813

I heard former coach now famed football analyst John Madden loves them.

I heard that Whole Foods will carry them on a test basis this year. The guy at the store says they will go for $5.99/pound and will usually be about 16 pounds. He said you can’t pre-order as they will only get a limited number of them as they want to test the demand for them this Christmas and holiday season.

A Google search for turducken reveals that one can order one sent to your home from such vendors like Cajun Grocer, Cajun Specialty Meats and Cajun Stuff.

By the way, did I mention it is Cajun?

For those who haven’t yet heard, turducken is a turkey stuffed with duck stuffed with chicken.

I’ve never tried it and I’m curious if anyone in our LAFB readership has and what they thought of it?

I suppose I could be bold and part with the big $$$ to buy one to try one. Let’s see … at Whole Food: $5.99 x 16 x $1.085 = $103.99.

Would you spend that much on something you have never tried before?

Perhaps, someone out in LAFB land knows where one might have it as an entree in a restaurant?

Thanks!

Unfortunately, they remain elusive. Pictured above are the two closest specimens I have been able to find: from a friend’s true free-range hens (left) and Lily’s ‘free range’ eggs from the Hollywood farmer’s market (right). Even in this small comparison you can see the difference between them; the ones on the left are more richly-colored and plump, while the ones on the right are paler and more petite.

So why all this fuss over eggs? Some would probably call it an obsession, or that an egg is an egg is an egg. I just want to know where they come from.

As an avid home cook and baker, I use a lot of eggs. It goes in my pastas, sauces, pie crusts, custards, and souffles. However, like most other Angeleno foodies, I am also concerned about the environment in which the eggs are laid. What are the hens fed? How old are they? Do they roam around the fields freely, or do they merely have ‘access’ to the outside? All these factors directly affect the quality of the egg, from its size and shape to its color and behavior when being cooked. The details of this association are pretty well-documented in books like Edward Behr’s The Artful Eater and Joel Salatin’s myriad books on pastured farming, so I won’t go much further into the details. Suffice it to say, a good egg comes from a hen with a healthy, balanced diet and lots of room to exercise.

In the kitchen, I’ve found that with the better eggs, you don’t need as many to get the job done. Take, for instance, a custard — egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, and cream — where eggs are the sole thickening agent: if a recipe calls for six yolks, I’ll usually only need four of my best eggs to get the same texture as a custard I would make with other eggs. This, in many cases, justifies the added cost, as the price premium for ethical peace of mind turns out not to be so steep.

Take it up a notch, using as many eggs as the recipe calls for, and my egg white-only souffles never fall — even if I hit them with a spoon.

Still, I am on the hunt for those fleeting eggs of legend. Does anybody know of a good farmer in the area? Here’s a list of what I’ve found commercially so far, my favorites listed first:

1. Lily’s Eggs, $4.50/dozen. Raised in Santa Barbara County, sold at the Hollywood farmer’s market, and marketed as ‘true’ free range eggs. Usually packed the day before market. Small, but nice, dense, and richly yellow. Grade AA.
2. Eggs at the South Pasadena farmer’s market, $2.50/dozen. Raised in Riverside and marketed as free range. Large, generally firm and yellow, but a bit inconsistent in quality. Still, a good bang for your buck. Grade A.
3. Mike & Sons Eggs, $2.50+/dozen. Raised in Ontario and sold at the Pasadena Victory Park farmer’s market. They are grain-fed and not marketed as free range, but they are large and fresh. Yolks are a bit on the small side. Grade AA.
4. Trader Joe’s Organic Jumbo Free Range Eggs, $3.29/dozen. Origin unknown. Although these are marked as jumbo eggs, they are mostly whites, with the yolks about the same size as the ones found in Lily’s Eggs. Also, the yolks look about the same color as those found in Mike & Sons eggs. Grade A.

As for my friend’s eggs, I can’t disclose where they are raised, but the girls eat what they want and have unlimited freedom to roam. If I could get these all the time, I would.