Cookin' with Mama

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

2012-02-14T11:48:00.001-08:00

Tracey Emin "it was just a kiss)

Tracey Emin "i promise to love you"

Jenny Holzer "i smell you on my skin"

Pink Jasmine (Jasminum Polyanthum )

2012-02-10T21:01:00.000-08:00

Pink Jasmine is a fast growing evergreen vine that offers a fragrant perfume of pale pink blossoms. I love this time of year because it starts to bloom at the end of winter and is the first to announce the arrival of spring. In Southern California, we recently have been enjoying warm temperatures so my vine of pink jasmine has just started to bloom. There’s a constant perfume breeze filling my home with an exotic fragrance.

Pink Jasmine is a great plant to use over an arbor or trellis because at maturity the vine will reach over 20 feet. The blossoms look almost white, but prior to opening they’re a soft pastel pink color. When the vine stops blooming around the end of March, I cut back the entire vine to the root and the plant will quickly return to it’s original growth and offer green foliage for the rest of the year.

Guacamole at the Hollywood Farmers Market

2012-02-06T18:23:00.000-08:00

Pedro’s Avocado Ranch, the organic farm in Fallbrook, has just started selling homemade guacamole at the Sunday market in Hollywood. This week was the first day, so I made sure to stop and try a taste. I’m very happy I did.

Pedro’s Avocado Ranch is one of my favorite stops at the market because it’s an organic property and the quality of its produce is just heads above the rest. You don’t have to be a professional chef to know that it’s all about the ingredients you use, so a great guacamole really depends on the quality of the produce.

All of the ingredients used in Pedro’s guacamole are grown at the ranch. Richard Dominguez, who operates the Pedro’s Avocado Ranch at the market had a display tray to show the ingredients used in the homemade guacamole: avocados, citrus, garlic, jalapeño, onion and tomato.

The Pedro’s Avocado Ranch stand is located on the lower end of Ivar, close to Sunset Boulevard, but this week Dominguez had a separate guacamole stand set-up near the information booth. The market is open every Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Super Bowl Buffet Ideas

2012-02-03T12:54:00.000-08:00

Now here's a really fun idea for a super bowl gathering!

Pass the mayo.

February at the Beverly Hills Farmers Market

2012-02-01T11:27:00.000-08:00

Discovering the 'New' West Hollywood Library

2012-01-30T20:48:00.000-08:00

This week, I checked off one of my New Year’s resolutions from the list – a visit to my new neighborhood library in West Hollywood.

The brand new, spanking clean tower of knowledge is the first phase of the reconstruction of the West Hollywood Park, which will also be the future home to the city’s government offices. It is designed by architects Steve Johnson and Jim Favaro and opened this past fall.

The state of the art facility features: Computer and Technology Areas, Career Development Center, an HIV Information Center and an extensive art and design collection. There’s also a LGBT area featuring periodicals and DVD on the gay liberation movement.

There’s also a separate teen and children’s areas which showcase readings and children’s theater productions. Jones Coffee Roasters of Pasadena have just opened a new café on the street level and serves fresh brewed coffee drinks, tea, pastries and sandwiches.

The library also offers public computers and free Wi-Fi for persons traveling with their own computer devices. All that’s needed is a library card, which is free to all. Books, CD and DVDs may also be requested on line and then picked up in the first floor reception area.

The new 32,000 square foot building is a landmark public facility designed to achieve a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver rating and is a certified “Green Building.”

Parking is free for the first three hours with validation. Make sure to check out the outside public murals from artists Shepard Fairey, Retna and Kenny Scharf. Hours and additional information may be found HERE.

Avocados, Cherimoya and Heirloom Tomatoes

2012-01-28T12:51:00.000-08:00

Every Wednesday, there’s a wonderful farmers market at the Barnsdall Art Park in Hollywood. It’s sponsored by nearby Keiser Permanente Medical Center and run by, SEE-LA (Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles,) the same private nonprofit that operates Sunday’s mega market in Hollywood.

What this market lacks in size makes up for it in quality. Here, some of my favorite farmers are represented with their California grown, fresh picked produce such as the delicious avocados at Pedro’s Avocado Ranch, an organic farm in Fallbrook. In California, avocado season generally runs from March to September, but with this year’s mild winter, Pedro’s has an early harvest of Hass avocados. Later in the year it also grows Reed and Lamb Hass varieties as well as Dragon fruit and autumn persimmons.

This week, I also found Pedro’s selection of heirloom tomatoes and cherimoya, the exotic tropical fruit that has the watery crunch similar to an Asian pear. Cherimoya is best served chilled and may be eaten raw as a snack or sliced and tossed into a salad.

“Cherimoya may also be sliced in half and put into the freezer,” said Richard Dominguez, who operates the Pedro’s Avocado Ranch at the market. “You just serve the cherimoya in the shell and eat it with a spoon – Just like ice cram.”

Starting in February, Dominguez also tells me the ranch will start serving its homemade guacamole with ingredients grown on the farm. To start, the guacamole will only be available at the Sunday Hollywood market.

The Barnsdall markets is every Wed from Noon until 6p.m. and when you finish shopping, make sure to walk up the hill and visit the park’s art museum and the historic Hollyhock House designed by the iconic Frank Lloyd Wright. The park also boasts a theater where outdoor movies are shown and it also offers free art classes and social activities such as the popular Friday evening wine tasting. More info may be found on the parks website.

Spring Tulips at the Beverly Hills Farmers Market

2012-01-24T13:14:00.000-08:00

On a rainy winter day, I found a pleasant sign at the market that spring is truly on the way. As I was heading back to my car, I glanced over to the Sunny Spot Flowers stand where I saw the last bunch of yellow long stemmed tulips. I looked over my shoulder to see if there was anyone headed for this last bunch and made a zigzagged dash -- Victory!

Sunny Spot Flowers is located in Santa Paula and is owned and operated by Bert Rutten, a pioneer in the California Farmers market scene. Rutten always has a beautiful selection of fresh cut California grown flowers to choose from, but this Sunday was the first arrival of spring tulips. Now that the storm’s past and the tulips have opened, my home is filled with a beautiful spray of spring color. Note: The photo of Bert Rutten is from “Vegetarians in Paradise” and the vibrant red painting in the background is by LA artist, Andrea LaHue. You can check out her work here.

Nine Kishu Mandarins

2012-01-22T15:55:00.000-08:00

This week, when LAWeekly alerted that the Kishu mandarin citrus had surfaced at the Beverly Hills Farmers Market, I ran to grab a few to celebrate the New Moon and Chinese New Year. The Kishu mandarin is a tiny, golf ball-shaped citrus fruit that has a fragrant leathery skin. They’re easy to peel and one bite offers a juicy sweetness that will take you back to childhood memories at the candy store. I tasted my first Kishu last year on a cold rainy day at the Beverly Hills market and it immediately turned that winter day into one filled with sunshine, rainbows and unicorns. You can see why I was eager to run to the market to try and relive the acid-like experience again. You can find the Kishu mandarins at the J. D. Farms stand until the end of the month. Jean Davis owns this small orchard near Fallbrook and is one of the few farmers in the area to grow these old Chinese heirlooms. This time of year, she also harvests Satsuma mandarins, another sweet juicy citrus that’s great to toss into salads or eaten as a snack.

I purchased nine of the little Kishu fruits and before I brought them into the house, I opened the front door and rolled each Kishu over the threshold and into my living room. This is a Chinese good-luck tradition that is said to bring good financial luck for the coming year. Traditionally, you do this with nine oranges, but I thought the Kishu would bring a greater wealth because of their uniqueness. -Happy Year of the Dragon.

(A Dragon I encountered a few years ago on Waikiki Beach)

White Truffles Grace the West Hollywood Market

2011-10-04T22:31:00.001-07:00

October brings one of Italy’s most treasured gourmet delicacies. Written by, David De Bacco for Patch.com (West Hollywood)

Jujube Fruit Kicks Off the Autumn Season at the Hollywood Farmers' Market

2011-09-29T23:12:00.000-07:00

It's last call for summer produce and an anticipation for fall favorites. Written by, David De Bacco for Patch.com (Hollywood)

Autumn Arrives at the Hollywood Farmers’ Market

2011-09-29T23:09:00.000-07:00

Transition into fall with apples and pears and savor the last of summer's harvest at a Farmer’s Kitchen canning workshop. Written by, David De Bacco for Patch.com (Hollywood)

Sudachi, Grapes and Plums

2011-09-29T23:05:00.000-07:00

It's time for autumn produce at the market. Written by, David De Bacco for Patch.com (Beverly Hills)

Roses, Rose Apples and Pears

2011-09-29T23:02:00.000-07:00

Also try a tasty recipe for the summer's last figs. Written by, David De Bacco for Patch.com (Beverly Hills)

Fresh-Picked Pomegranates Trumpet Arrival of Autumn

2011-09-29T22:59:00.001-07:00

Gama Farms has the first picking of pomegranates, while Ha’s Apple Orchard boasts two varieties of fresh picked pears and Smith Farms offers spicy peppers. Written by, David De Bacco for Patch.com (West Hollywood)

Changing Seasons at the Hollywood Farmers’ Market

2011-09-16T15:40:00.000-07:00

The last of the summer harvest makes room for autumn. Written by, David De Bacco for Patch.com (Hollywood)

Onions, Celery Root and Winter Squash

2011-09-16T15:34:00.000-07:00

Also, the market shares an easy recipe for Tapenade-Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes. Written by, David De Bacco for Patch.com (Beverly Hills)

SEPT 10 – 10 YEARS AGO

2011-09-10T11:58:00.001-07:00

Ten years ago on Sept 10, I was in Amsterdam. At the time I was living in London and Amsterdam became my little escape. A place where I could go, get lost and be a writer. Several trips into these excursions, I asked ‘Why do I keep coming back here? What is it about this place that keeps pulling me back like a magnet?’ One would think I was drawn to the city for its sex, drugs and the open gay lifestyle, (it doesn’t suck,) but one beautiful afternoon as the sun was shining through my opened window, it hit me – New York City was once called ‘New Amsterdam.” Just like in NYC, I was free to be me and nobody would ever tell me that I couldn’t be me. I always stayed in this hotel room at the Hotel Ambassade on the Herengracht Canal. After spending four days locked-up in this room, just after sunset, I typed ‘The End’ to my first novel. It was the first draft – you know the kind of version that’s not ready to be read by anybody, but as a writer – a celebration because you’ve got to the end. I celebrated by going to a coffee shop and then taking a walk through the city. As I crossed one of the small bridges, I looked up to see the moon illuminating the water. I smiled, cried and thanked her for helping me finish writing the novel. I then asked the moon, ‘Now what do I do? What’s next for me?’ The next morning, I was on the first flight back to London. I got to my flat and turned on the TV to see the WTC on fire. In the subsequent days to follow, I knew that I had to return to NYC. The event caused one chapter of my life to end and the next chapter to begin. -David De Bacco 9/10/11 (West Hollywood)