National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day is Tuesday, Aug 4. In 1937, Ruth Graves ran out of nuts and substituted semisweet chocolate for them in her cooking dough recipe. The rest is history. To help commemorate this holiday, La Gourmandise School will conduct The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Class on Sunday, August 16 (2:30–5:30 p.m.) Few…
desserts
Celebrate National Cheesecake Day on July 30
Did you know cheesecake is a beloved dessert around the world? While many assume it originated in New York, it dates back much further. Cheesecake originated in Ancient Greece, and was made by pounding fresh cheese smooth with flour and honey, then baking it. The evolution of modern cream cheese began in 1872 when William…
Confections by Kirari West Soft Opens in Redondo Beach
In 2015 Hiro Saito opened Kirari West Bake Shop. Word spread about his delicious gluten-free creations, and Kirari West quickly vaulted to one of the top gluten-free bakeries in LA. They featured muffins, scones, bread, breakfast sandwiches, french toast, sandwiches, and salads. He recently opened Confections by Kirari West, a sweets shop featuring fresh-baked artisan cookies,…
Where to Find Celebratory Holiday Takeout in LA
Quite a few restaurants are featuring specials and limited-time offers for the holidays. You can find that unique addition to your holiday dinner or party this time of year. For me, I look forward to seeing delicious items that I have not tried before or experiencing unique takes on a classic dessert. Listed below are…
Celebrate National Food Truck Day on June 25
Friday, June 25 is National Food Truck Day. Due to the pandemic, the holiday this year will have a special significance for the food trucks still in operation. As a symbolic day for the industry to celebrate its resiliency and to let the world know they are back, join Roaming Hunger, a national food truck…
Week 5 – Coronavirus Dining in LA
This is the 5th week of dining after restaurants were forced to close or convert to a delivery or “to go” operation. More and more, many restaurants on my “to visit” list are either temporarily and permanently closed. Many restaurants still don’t update their websites and feature their take-out menus using their Facebook and their…
Churriño Gourmet Desserts for Brazilian-style Churros
Street vendors used to be the sole place where you find Mexican churros. Nowadays, you are starting to see churros as an option on many LA restaurant dessert menus. A Latin Churro shop named Churriño recently opened on the Promenade in Long Beach. Mexican churros are typically foot-long fried pastries that are rolled in a…
Poca Madre, Modern Mexican in our Nation’s Capital
I recently traveled to our nation’s capital for business. I only had one night out for dinner and I had to make the most of it. Since I was traveling with two others, I had to select a place that would also satisfy my colleagues’ desire for something they wouldn’t mind eating. I selected Poca…
Celebrate National Chocolate Eclair Day at La Chouquette
Saturday, June 22 is National Chocolate Éclair Day. Did you know that éclair is the French word for lightning? It is believed that the pastry received its name because it describes the speed at which these delicacies will disappear. To prepare you for this day, I recently visited La Chouquette, a French pâtisserie. La Chouquette…
LA Food Bowl: Glendale Walking Food Tour
The LA Food Bowl is the city’s largest celebration of food, chefs, farmers, wine-makers, bartenders, baristas, and, of course, eaters. It is currently taking place in locations across LA. My wife and I attended one of their events, a Glendale Walking Food Tour featuring cuisine from the Middle East. The company Six Taste led our…