sally from LA's Profile
Hot Cross Buns in Pasadena
Il Fornaio has excellent ones - they only sell them for a week or so over Easter .
Trader Joe's?
I would be interested to hear of any TJ's wines (either red or white) that Chowhounds can recommend as being especially good - Thanks!
Why can't you buy a half loaf of bread??!!
Le Pain Quotidien stores ( in most major cities) will sell half and even quarter loaves of their delicious bread. I see a lot of people requesting half loaves.
Do you drink bottled water (even if the tap water is safe)?
I drink bottled water at home because of the heavy chlorination and characteristic taste in my water, which is especially obvious in tea. This is despite the fact that my local water district (Pasadena, CA) is always proclaiming the quality and purity of our water. Interestingly, all bottled waters are not equal, with some having a subtly unpleasant aftertase which is almost as bad as the tapwater. For my taste, Crystal Geyser is the most neutral tasting still water and is a good price. And I love Badoit carbonated water with meals.
Any tasty recipies for boneless chicken breasts?
Cajun chicken with capers and lemon from Epicurious - quick, simple and delicious.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/CAJUN-CHICKEN-WITH-CAPERS-AND-LEMON-4345
Your favorite alcohols in desserts!
Port with strawberries
Pimms with strawberries (a la Jamie Oliver in FN's Jamie at home)
Searching for the real Dover Sole.
Fish King in Glendale stock it fresh, also really excellent Petrale sole.
Manhattan Beach brunch?
We have some relatives staying in Manhattan Beach on a Sat/ Sun stopover en route back to Australia, and would like to take them for brunch on the Sunday morning. . We live on tbe east side of town and are not familiar with the beach communities.Where is a good place for brunch - preferably a place that takes reservations? They are on Highland Ave near the beach - are there any good places within walking distance? We are happy to drive anywhere as long as there is parking nearby! Thanks for your recommendations.
westside sushi
I need recommendations from westsiders (Westwood, Marina del Rey etc and environs) for reliably fresh and delicious sushi - price is not an option. Thanks!
your favorite cheese for grilled cheese sandwiches?
Double Gloucestor with Stilton on La Brea Bakery Olive Rosemary bread - divine!
Help! Le Creuset french oven size and shape recommendation
I have 8 assorted Le Creuset pieces, some of which are over 20 years old, and not one is chipped - if bought from a reputable dealer (must be made in France) it is virtually indestructible. I recommend choosing a size to fit your largest chicken or piece of meat, and make sure you'll be able to lift it with the combined weight of cast iron, meat and liquid!
Veggie Soup Base? [moved from The Best board]
"Imagine" vegetable stock. Used to be available at TJ's, now available at most good supermarkets.
ISO Best Price on Walker's Shortbread
Cost Plus stock it - don't know about the price
Hot water + ______ = a nice drink
Try Trader Joe's organic Orange Spice Rooibos tea - I love it.
do you ever watch Aussie-Chinese chef Kylie Wong?
Kylie Kwong is very popular in Australia for her fresh, sometimes less traditional approach to Chinese cuisine (I am an Aussie) - her cooking show also appears in Britain. Although I haven't seen her show yet, I was leafing through her new cookbook at Barnes & Noble on the weekend, and thought it looked interesting and very well presented.
Help fill my picnic basket in Pasadena ... ?
Have you tried Nicole's in South Pasadena? French and Italian cheeses, bread and charcuterie, also a lot of other goodies. Adjacent to the Farmers Market, which happens to be tonight!
http://nicolesgourmetfoods.com/home.htm
good brand of raspberry jam in L.A. for cake filling? (moved from Home Cooking)
D'arbo wild raspberry conserve, available at Cost Plus in Los Angeles. This Austrian company makes the best jams- full of flavour and not too sweet.
Dinner near the Derby
Simply Thai (a few blocks further south on Hillhurst, on the east side of the street) has fresh tasty food that is reasonably priced. You can check out their website to see if anything appeals....
I also recommend Farfalla, if you want something closer.
Feeding a crowd dessert?
What about several large pavlovas, each with a different fruit topping - passionfruit, kiwi with raspberry puree, strawberries, etc? You can make the meringue shells in advance, and fill them with cream and fruit just before serving. They look beautiful on a buffet, and seem to appeal to both children and adults.
Pudding Basin
You can get pyrex pudding bowls everywhere - eg Bed Bath & Beyond. The mixing bowl may crack while the pudding is being cooked, depending on its composition.
Dinner near the Pantages?
Off Vine is close, has good food and is very cozy on a winter's night.
Your Ideal Kitchen.... Appliances, Utensils, Cookware, Cutlery -- any price, up for all ideas!!
All Miele: dishwasher, gas cooktop (master chef model with high BTU burner), 2 convection ovens, warming drawer, built in coffee center
Fisher Paykel: 2 drawer dishwasher (for overflow, small loads or special loads)
Sub Zero: fridge/freezer plus 2 under counter refridgerated drawers
A raised fireplace.
A large skylight
A plasma TV
Padma vs Katie on Top Chef
Padma is definitely less robotic and more natural than Katie, who was a disastrous choice. I suspect Padma has no say re her outfits, which seem unsuitable for a show host, but are par for the course on the Food Network, whose stylists have made over RR and GDL similarly. I do wish the Food Network would replace Gail, who is truly repellent, and adds nothing to the show. The succinct observations of the guest judges really show up her banal and whiney comments.
Getting cured meats from Italy to US
The beagle is at LAX every time I return from overseas!
Vermont Restaurant and Bar - PK's Review w/Pics
I work nearby, and Vermont used to be the venue of choice for birthdays, sendoffs etc. However, recently the standard of the food has really deteriorated - at a recent farewell lunch party, the salads were virtually inedible - limp and slimy with the most horrible sweet dressing. If you plan to go there for lunch - don't get a salad!
Your recent prepared food purchases?
Trader Joe's mini vegetarian quiches are in my freezer for emergencies
Organizing tips for the refrigerator--please chime in!
I hate my fridge - I had to buy it to fit in a particular space, and it is so deep that I was always losing items towards the back. I solved this problem by buying some plastic coated open wire baskets in various sizes from The Container Store. Some are long and narrow that I can place along the walls and line up condiments, olices, capers, anchovy jars etc or pots of yoghurt, some are square that I fill with cheeses, some are large that I put towards the botttom and fill with bagged greens and herbs. I have one at the top for butter, sour cream, cream cheese and eggs. It has made a real difference in accessing what I want quickly - I just slide out the approriate basket.
