Rachel Klemek, executive pastry chef-owner of Blackmarket Bakery in Costa Mesa, Santa Ana and San Diego, loves the whimsy of whoopie pies. She says the name connotes party-like fun. And the treat is a cake that is portable; it can be picked up and easily eaten out of hand. Her pumpkin-spiked whoopie pies showcase flavors associated with the holidays; a…
Cathy Thomas Cooks
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Orange Coast Magazine’s restaurant critic Gretchen Kurz just named Mix Mix Kitchen Bar as “Restaurant of the Year.” Vision, talent and guts. That’s what it takes for a chef to leave a much respected restaurant to plunge into the hazardous waters of restaurant ownership. Count award-winning Chef Ross Pangilinan as one of those brave owners. In December he opened Mix…
When I was attending college in Los Angeles, downtown L.A. was a ghost town after dark or on weekends. Needless to say, that was a long time ago. A recent weekend spent downtown, gave me a new perspective. It was a tease – a little three-day taste of delicious fun and thought-provoking sites. The city bustles with activity fed by…
I bet this isn’t your mama’s hash. Certainly not my mom’s hodgepodge of leftovers and pragmatic whatnots, an impromptu mix of last night’s meat scraps and vegetables from the bin. French-born Executive Chef Yvon Goetz creates a hash of an entirely different sort. Served as a brunch entrée at The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar on the waterfront in Newport…
Five minutes and you have starters that are as delicious as they are glamorous. These beauties are lavash (bought at Trader Joe’s) spread with cream cheese and rolled around watercress (or arugula) and pickled ginger. EASY. Got 5 minutes? (Thanks to videographer Curt Norris for taping and editing this quickie video!) Ginger Roll-UpsYield: 16 servingsOne (8-ounce) plus one (3-ounce) package…
Six-Layer Bombay Cheese Yield: about 30 servings 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated 1/2 teaspoon curry powder Garnishes: 1/2 cup mango chutney 2 tablespoons unsweetened flaked coconut 1/4 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped, see cook’s notes 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onions (include dark green stalks) 1 1/2 tablespoons dried cranberries For serving: water…
Homemade goodies seem to capture the spirit of the holidays in a way no store-bought treasure can. Create homemade liqueurs and then sit back and enjoy the pleasure that those soul-warming libations bring as gifts. Homemade liqueurs don’t take a lot of prep time. However, they do require advance planning and patience during the aging period. All fruits carry bacteria…
Kiwi Sorbet can be prepared in either in a standard freezer, but is best made in a machine specifically made for making ice creams (it’s lighter and fluffier that way). I have a simple machine that uses a chilled canister; I store the canister in the freezer so it is ready when I need it. If you like, accompany a…