Foodscaping in LA

A day filled with food, architecture, design and art make for a complete and soul satisfying day for me.  Had I had any idea all of this could be accomplished in L.A, I would have sought it our earlier.  I had no idea there was neighborhood gentrification going on just east of downtown L.A.  I had no idea my city had developed an Arts District in that neighborhood.  I had no idea this gentrified warehouse district, now known as the Arts District is the home of many new and old food based businesses. 

Biscuit Company Lofts, formerly The National Biscuit Company West Coast Headquarters

Then again, when you live in Los Angeles, one tends to stick within their 5 mile radius to avoid traffic. What a shame.

Burning off the last couple of vacation days of 2012, John and I opted for a staycation.  What to do so it feels like we actually took a vacation?  We took a chance on a random email invite from the Foodprint Project to take a foodscape mapping walk of downtown LA's new and old food related businesses.  What is the Foodprint Project you ask? 

Foodprint Project is an exploration of the ways food and cities give shape to one another. Founded by Nicola Twilley and Sarah Rich, the project is punctuated by a series of events in physical space.  Foodprintproject.com

We've done walking tours of other cities.  Why not do one our own town?   Even more intriguing, we could participate in mapping what we're seeing in real time with our cell phones.  How hipsterish!

This BID (Building Improvement District), aka Warehouse/Arts District has really been in transition for  decades.  What started out as citrus groves in the late 1800's, turning into rail yards for centralized warehouse goods distribution to abandoned old-school industrial spaces is now a burgeoning, thriving hub of artistic green living.

Old Rail Spur Turned to Strolling and Dining Charm

The zoning, existing building stock and the neighborhood had the right combination to encourage this urban center to become home to artists' live/work studios.

Food artisans naturally are attracted to the same environs creating a new wave of creative food-based businesses.

Remember our food mapping project?  Over 50 people participated on the walk.  For those who wanted to participate, we live texted pictures to a central website of what we were seeing along the way.  At the end of our journey we would be able to see our collective pictures documenting our experience.

Let's get started.  Our first stop, a caffeine artisan.  Handsome Coffee Roasters goals include being hospitable, accessible and giving uncompromising quality. Roasted on site, co-owner Tyler Wells graciously opened up their workroom to show off their antique beauty of a roaster to us. 

A coffee tidbit according to Tyler, you shouldn't have to doctor up coffee (i.e. sugar, cream, etc) to make it taste palatable. A good cup of coffee means the roasted beans haven't been burnt. You know who he's talking about if you've been to any top visited coffee chain.

Along the way to our next destination, the friendly neighborhood greeter...

A work in progress, the couple behind The Spirit Guild describe their vision of making craft liquor from California's own abundant source of sugar, fruit.  Standing in front of their newly acquired workspace, their description neatly fits the definition of the farm to table movement.  Their distillery is slated to open in 2013.  Yes, they will have a tasting room, pending permitting of course.

Site of the Future Spirit Guild

As in any gentrifying urban neighborhood can attest to,  groceries can be hard to come by.  Even though the district's residential population is growing leaps and bounds, there is no grocery store; a food desert.  For now, most residents are making weekly treks to Pasadena 12 miles away.  That will soon change.

Mural by Street Artist, Peter Roa

Local Arts District residents Keri Aivazis and Carolyn Paxton have made the steep investment of retrofitting the old warehouse above into a future food market.  The ginormous chipmunk mural painted as a Los Angeles Freewalls Project will be retained.   It will be known as the Urban Radish where most items will be locally sourced and finely curated.  Knowing their typical consumer, it will have a full range of pricing and small packaging for living in a small urban kitchen.

A Sneak Peek at the Plans

Metal Shed to Retrofitted Building Housing a Grocery Store

Not all food artisans are requiring a store front.  Instead of eating Fruit Loops, why not have your healthy cereal accompanied by Cow Wow organic milk tasting like Fruit Loops.  Best way to get the word out at the moment, be a street vendor.

Our food culture requires mass food warehousing before final distribution.  Imagine trying to feed over 12 million people in the LA metro area and beyond.  We visited one such cold storage business.

Up & Coming Chefs Ask this Warehouse for the Next Hot Item, Edible Herb Crystals

The end of our tour led us to the latest entree to the District, Beastia.  Less than 2 months old, head chef Ori Menashe makes everything from scratch including curing his own meats.  If only I could share with you the tremendous smells emanating from this restaurant. 

After our adventurous walk we ended at Villain's Tavern for happy hour, where we viewed (and you can too) our collective mapping activity led by civic media and gaming researcher, Benjamin Stokes.  Seeing what we had just witnessed through other people's lenses made the journey all the more interesting.

Once again life proves taking a chance on doing something out of the ordinary can deliver its greatest rewards.  That very statement has given me a moment of clarity and an idea about the future of this blog.   Stay tuned .....

Happy New Year!

26 Acts of Food Related Kindness

I've been struggling to write anything meaningful in this last week.  Like everyone else in the country, the events of Sandy Hook never stray far from my thoughts.  Writing about food right now seems a bit trivial, that is until today.

Have you heard about Ann Curry's 26 Acts of Kindness?  It started after she reflected on having to cover the atrocity for NBC News.  Replacing her feelings of being frightened, angry and helpless she tweeted:



What a gift she gave us to suggest we can create a new paradigm.  I'm in.  And so are many others.  Spying my twitter feed, here are 26 examples of food related acts of kindness since food and life lessons are what I write about.  This is not to the exclusion of the masses of other good deeds which have gone on in the past week.    I'm really hoping this is the tipping point.

Jeff Simmons‏@JeffSimmons2050

Participating in #26acts? RT this and we’ll donate $0.50 on your behalf to @Heifer to help solve #hunger.

kellyn elizabeth‏@ms_mellyn

Picked up the person's tab behind me at McDonald's. #26acts Act number 1/26 #cantwaittokeepitup

beans8‏@beans8

#26acts 3 Paid for elderly couples meal at restaurant. Best part, when waiter said, “oh somebody just did this!” It’s spreading! @AnnCurry

Lindsay George‏@lindsaymgeorge

@AnnCurry I was the recipient of #26acts this was taped on the wall @ the Nashville airport! Excited 2 pay it forward! pic.twitter.com/2wHa8Phx

Ellen‏@BestEllenEver

#20Acts #26ActsI tried to impress this in my HS student. Go up to the quiet kid at lunch. Be the loners lab partner. Offer a kind word.

Taylor Smith‏@ctaylor_smith

Got a giftcard at Taco Cabana after eating. Left it at the counter for the next family with a young child. #26Acts

Lesley Young‏@lesleyryoung

@AnnCurry I am a teacher in ct and I was the recipient of a #26Acts today from one of my 7th graders pic.twitter.com/xwP3X14T

 Gigi Poveromo‏@gigipov

#26acts today I helped load food for backpack activity next wed. Backpacks stuffed w food for kids w no food at home. Act 15 @AnnCurry

Michelle T‏@mishl20901

Act 9 of 26 gift card so the Salvation Army volunteer can go have lunch in memory of Chase Kowalski 💚 #26act
 

Ruby Pratka‏@mllemarguerite

went around grocery store looking for owner of dropped pair of gloves. Found him. #26acts

Brendan Schaller‏@brendanschaller

A woman doing 26 Acts of Kindness today bought the next two orders. I've been giving out candy canes. The world isn't so bad sometimes.


FrankTown ‏@FrankTown

Server at Franklin,TN Chop House gets a special Christmas tip. #26Acts pic.twitter.com/nBgiopSO

Paula Deen ‏@Paula_Deen

In a season known for giving, it is hard to know an entire community is grieving. Let's lift them up and honor them. #26acts

Melanie Galvan ‏@Melbeliz

@anncurry #26Acts 2nite I paid 4 an elderly mans few groceries. He thanked me over & over, lives on Social security w/a very tight budget❤❤ 

SGOV ‏@SGOV17

@anncurry, out to dinner tonight with the family, saw an elderly women eating alone. My 10 year old asked the waitress for her bill. Act#2 

EZZY MAYNES ‏@MAYNESEZZY

@AnnCurry 4th Act in honor of Little Daniel. Kids Daniel, Gabby, Addy gv 26 cupcakes to firemen#26Acts pic.twitter.com/qDRg0dZm

Retweeted by Ann Curry

 

MamaBix ‏@Bixbees

@anncurry - gave hot baked chicken, Christmas cookies & $26 cash to couple living in car. Their surprise was my thanks!! #26acts

Retweeted by Ann Curry

Sean Scanlan ‏@SMS87

felt good to pay for every1s coffee in line with me today.A lady asked how she could repay me I said #26acts of kindness @anncurry

Karen Tate ‏@wondergirl75

@AnnCurry made dinner for my next door neighbors young couple 2 kids both med students they eat way too much takeout wife cried made me cry

Retweeted by Ann Curry

Heather Hansen ‏@Heathertwin29

Won $15 Target gc from Bundt cake contest. At checkout told cashier "Apply 2 mom w/2 kids behind me" #26acts @AnnCurry pic.twitter.com/CoXajdVO

Retweeted by Ann Curry

 

 Suzy Albert ‏@SuzyAlbert

A stranger bought my family's breakfast today! So I started my #26acts & bought an elderly couple's breakfast. @anncurry see what u started! 

Ann Torbert ‏@ann_torbert

#26acts bought coffee for an unknown person while husband had outpatient surgery . Gave me goose bumps. Did for principal. @AnnCurry

Mindi Rice ‏@mindi_rice

Got a late start, but just almost made a homeless man cry because I bought him a hot sandwich & a banana. No.1 #20acts #26acts @AnnCurry

Jeannie Alexander ‏@JeannieRickele

@AnnCurry : sent warm homemade monkey bread to LCM School Administration office in honor of Olivia. #3 of #26Acts pic.twitter.com/ff6aFx04

Retweeted by Ann Curry

Deb Lister ‏@Hockeymom3116

@AnnCurry just fulfilled #2 of #26.1-pd 4 ladies purchase in front of me at kmart. 2-gave soldier at airport $10 applebees gift card. #:)

Veronica Lewis ‏@VeronicaLewis

@AnnCurry I bought a retired teacher's lunch today at @SUBWAY - she kissed me on the cheek and cried #26acts #warmsmyheart #notstoppingat26

 

Let's not allow the bad eggs define our country.  Take the bold step to shape the world you want to live in.

 Are you in?

Another Iconic American Restaurant Goes Extinct

Our generation has sadly witnessed L.A.'s famous Brown Derby falling into disrepair to just this last week the closing of the 75 year old Stage Delicatessen in NYC.  Vanishing legends such as these strike a melancholy chord within me.

Vintage Postcard of L.A.'s Brown Derby.  Famous for inventing Cobb Salads



Circa 2011

With this latest closing, I oddly feel I've lost a piece of me. My first visit to this Deli was with my mom.  We were celebrating my high school graduation during my first trip to NYC.  I remember those glorious very crisp pickles and of course the massively stuffed sandwiches.  Just last year, I introduced this place to a friend who was for the first time enjoying the New York experience himself.

Does my sadness make me that person who reminisces for the way things used to be?   Alternatively, does this really speak to Michael Pollan's assessment that America's food heritage has been dwindling because of decades of food policies to stimulate business in under served areas resulting in loans to grow fast food franchises and supermarkets?

Imagine if Solvang lost this classic.  It's possible.  We were there in the last month and the place was less than half full.  What would a stop in Solvang be without Aebleskivers?

These noteworthy restaurants define what makes these locations special whether it is New York's large Jewish community, Solvang's Danish influence or P-Town's access to some of the finest Lobster around.

P-Town's Lobster Pot

I've been asked by those who haven't done much traveling why I like to travel so much.  My answer is I want to see how other people on this planet live.  Food is so much a part of that experience as it defines much of what culture is about.

Santa Fe has some of the most classic old school restaurants around.  Check out Tecolote Cafe.

Atole Pinon Pine Hotcakes....who else would make these?

Never more have I been enthused about the new farm to table restaurants, but I appreciate them because of these predecessors.  Sorry Red Lobster, you just can't compete with the Lobster Pot and Applebees you just don't make hotcakes the way Tecolote lovingly does.

Turkey Tree

Blink, blink.... yes those are blow-up turkeys hanging in a tree. 

Happy Thanksgiving All!

Leftover Quinoa? Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies of Course!

I am all about having my cake and eating it too.  In this case, my cake is chocolate chip cookies.  With a goal of trying to eat in healthier ways every day, my sights on a chocolate chip cookie seemed a bit far fetched given some of the tastiest are laden with butter, white flour and sugar.

But I like to think of myself as clever.  Where there's a will there's a way.

My now not so secret ingredient weapons to deliver me to the object of my desire: 

A full can of pumpkin

 

About a quarter cup of applesauce

Leftover cooked quinoa

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Adapted from All Recipes (click here for original recipe)
Makes approximately 2 dozen

1 28oz canned pumpkin
1/4 cup applesauce (substitute for vegetable oil)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup whole wheat flour (substituting for 1 of the 2 cups of all-purpose flour)
1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons cooked quinoa (new to the original recipe)

Directions

1. Combine pumpkin, sugar, applesauce and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir in. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
2. Add vanilla, chocolate chips, nuts and quinoa.
3. Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.

 

 

I dare you to find the quinoa.

Having a Ball in our 1940's Kitchen

Happenstance events bring this conclusion, Mason jars, whether Ball's or Kerr's, are one of the best kitchen storage inventions ever!  As any mother from the 1920's-60's might say, "Tell me something new."

Distributed by Division of Public Inquiries, Office of War Information 1943, courtesy Northwestern University Library

Event #1:  For several years after reading about BPA chemicals from plastic and canned food leaching into our food, I was on a mission to swap out our plastic containers with glass ones.  Convincing my husband was part of the challenge.

Event #2:  John is Mr. Organization.  I have lost count how many times he has reorganized our small kitchen.  Never would I stand in the way of his mission of finding ways to better contain our kitchen clutter.   It almost seems like therapy to him.  Let him go!

Event #3:  Enter Judy, a respected co-worker of my husbands.  After many mutually shared cooking stories, a theme emerged.  Both were a little, shall we say, possessed with finding storage solutions in the kitchen -- and in Judy's case -- solutions not involving plastic.  She shared her light bulb moment.  Every leftover, pantry item and so forth goes in a Mason jar. Her refrigerator and cabinets were so clean and orderly -- we know because she took pictures; John was inspired.

Off to the store!

Mr. Organization needed little more inspiration -- Smart and Final hardly knew what hit them.  A middle-aged guy with a shopping basket full of their entire stock of wide-mouth Mason jars.  Like John's co-worker, every last pantry item is now contained.

As John was organizing once again our cabinets with our new containers, he observed how perfectly they fit in our 1940's cabinets.

Prior to our Mason jar purchase splurge, packaged goods and plastic containers would never quite fit properly.

Doors would remain slightly ajar, containers would be propped up or a shelf might have been nudged up to accommodate.  Not with Mason jars.

This observation caused me to daydream as what it was like in my humble little 40's kitchen when it was first designed and built.

With a bit of research I was reminded the 40's were all about rationing, stretching ingredients, cooking from scratch all the while the Great Depression in vivid memory.  Does this scenario sound vaguely familiar today?

U.S. Government Printing Office 1944, courtesy Northwestern University Library

The food shortage of the 40's was caused by the need to feed the soldiers in World War II.  Farmers and food manufacturers were dedicating their efforts to the cause.  To fill in the gap back home, rationing was introduced as a way to equitably distribute food.

The federal government encouraged homeowners to create their own vegetable and fruit "Victory Gardens" to help supplement.


OWI poster ; no. 77 (War Information Office) 1943, courtesy Northwestern University Library

Of course Mason jars fit in our cabinets so well...duh! 

There are so many applications for their usefulness such as storage, packing a salad for lunch or yes...even canning!  Did I mention the smaller jars can go in the freezer?

And when one's exuberance in acquiring Mason jars has exceeded the need, creativity kicks in.

Even though Mason jars were invented and patented in 1858, they are far from being an antiquity!  I stand by my first statement, Mason jars are one of the best kitchen storage inventions ever.