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Craving Coffee? Time for a Tea Break?

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010

When you feel like you’re running in every direction, why not take a moment to relax, re-energize and indulge in something sweet?  Whether you’re craving a halt in your hectic lifestyle or a pick-me-up to get through the day, check out CRAVE’s suggestions for LA-area coffee and tea shops that will leave you refreshed and ready to go!

LAMILL Coffee - lamillcoffee.com

Jean Min and her husband, Craig, are crazy about coffee; they’re just as crazy about their customers.  Expect stellar service and coffees from around the globe, complete with a variety of treats sure to satisfy even the strongest sweet tooth.  We’re craving a sip of Black Pearl and dreaming about Stella Noche.  But don’t let us decide for you.  Head over to LAMILL to discover the best brew for you.

T Salon - tsalon.com

T Salon owner Miriam Novalle has such a knack for herbal chemistry, she was nicknamed “Tea Guru” by her hometown newspaper – the New York Times.  With years of experience in the fragrance industry and time spent in Europe and Asia, Miriam shares the art of tea at her environmentally friendly tea cafe, bar and market.  We can’t get over the festive jasmine flowers and lily buds blooming in Miriam’s handcrafted Jasmine Spring Beauty.  Regardless of your brew-of-choice, rest assured, T salon is dedicated to healing you and the earth one cup at a time.

Intelligentsia Press - intelligentsiacoffee.com

At Intelligentsia Press, Emily Mange and crew believe the perfect cup of coffee is the culmination of a shared creative process.  Working with farmers who grow the beans they roast, the Intelligentsia team tops off their caffeinated creations with a healthy dose of dedication to fair trade practices.  We can’t stop purring  thinking about the Black Cat Organic Espresso – a treat for the taste buds with hints of molasses, black cherries and dark chocolate.  Slink over to Intelligentsia to score some.  You won’t be disappointed.

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Craving Dessert? Meet Kristy Choo of Jin Patisserie

Friday, April 2nd, 2010

Who doesn’t CRAVE desserts? Just reading this interview will get your mouth watering. Chocolate cake, pear tart, Jin Patisserie‘s Kristy Choo can do it all!

What was the hardest/scariest part about starting your own business?
Not knowing what is going to come when you have already invested so much money. It’s hard to predict what the customers want and you are torn between being a business owner and a pastry chef–their perceptions are very different. You have to find the balance to still be able to make money as well as enjoy baking and crating at the same time.

What is the best part about being your own boss?
You can do what you want and you have only yourself to answer to.

You used to travel around the world as a flight attendant. Where in the world have you found your favorite cuisine?
It is always Japan that I love, as well as Paris.

What is your favorite dessert?
I like very simple desserts like warm pear or fig tart with puff pastry base and a scoop of salted caramel ice cream will make my day!

What is your most popular product?
We make cakes, macarons, cookies and chocolate. in fact, almost everything is pretty sellable. One week it could be the cakes that are selling very well and the next week it could be macarons so it really depends.

People may be surprised to know…
That I never used to like to cook when I was younger. I just enjoyed eating and never seemed to put on weight.

What do you CRAVE? In business? In life?
I crave to be able to open another Jin Patisserie with a beautiful new concept in addition to what i have now. In life, I want my life to be complete–you only live once!

Visit Jin Patisserie
1202 Abbot Kinney Blvd
Venice, CA 90291

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Interview With Mary Sue Milliken of Cuidad

Friday, March 5th, 2010

We want to share a secret; you can find the bold foods and modern flavors of Mexico and Latin America served in a hip, urban restaurant without venturing too far from the city. At both Border Grill in Santa Monica, named “One of the Best Restaurants in America” by Gourmet, and downtown Cuidad, Food Network’s “Too Hot Tamales” Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger have created a local standard for gourmet fare. The fantastic efforts of these ladies mean that we have a new fave restaurant. Read on as one of the  Chef/Owners, Mary Sue Milliken steps out of the kitchen to talk with us!

People may be surprised to know…
As a pretty hard core meat eating chef, I decided to try and eat at least 80% plant-based foods in 2009. I loved it so much that we added a special “Good for the Planet, Good for You” symbol to the menus in all our restaurants indicating which menu items are 80% plant-based and we even created some new dishes with only a hint of meat to help diners who might be interested.

What or who inspired you to start your business?
I was a food loving teen who bumped into a brilliant pastry chef, Greg Duda, a friend of my older sister. He cooked dinner for us and I was hooked. Greg helped me get into a Washburne Chef School on the south side of Chicago at age 17. After graduating and working at the finest French restaurant I could find, I met Susan Feniger and we dreamed of owning our own place someday. A few years later, Susan spotted an opportunity on Melrose in LA and invited me to join her in creating City Café. That was 1981 and the first Border Grill followed in 1985.

Where do you go for the best street food in Los Angeles?
I used to go to the Wat Thai Temple on weekends for terrific Thai food, but sadly, they don’t serve food currently. Grand Central Market in downtown is great for tongue gorditas or cheese and lorocco pupusas. I also love the special combination platter of Vietnamese grilled pork things at Nem Nuong Kanh Hoa in Alhambra. Korean food in LA is incredible – Kobawoo is a favorite or mine. And of course going to my business partner, Susan Feniger’s restaurant Street is the best of all worlds!

How do you spend your time when you’re not in the kitchen?
I play soccer up to 4 times a week on an over 40′s women’s team and I love it!

What makes a great meal?
Great friends! Then add an eye opening cocktail (like Ciudad’s Cucumber and Elderflower Margarita made with triple distilled silver tequila), genuinely welcoming and entertaining atmosphere and some mouth-watering food, and the meal is unforgettable.

What is your indulgence?
I can never resist ice cream.

What has been your most memorable meal?
A few months after Ciudad opened in 1990 my husband (Ciudad’s architect, Josh Schweitzer) and I had lunch in our bar with our friend and accountant (who also happened to be an “internet ordained” minister). He married us and then we walked to MOCA, stepped inside the spectacular Richard Serra double ellipse sculpture, had a private moment to say some vows, and viola! we were married. I think we shared the chopped salad with Cuban fried chicken, which is still one of my favorites on the lunch menu.

What do you CRAVE in business?
Collaboration…..I feel incredibly lucky to work with so many talented people at Ciudad. When the sum of our ideas is greater than any of our individual efforts; those Ah Ha! moments are addictive.

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Best Places to Sip and Savor with your Girlfriends

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

It’s easy for all of us to get stuck in our weekly routines: go to work, come home and make dinner, relax on the couch, go to bed, repeat. Instead of forcing yourself to wait for the weekend to go out and have fun, why not make it a point to schedule a mid-week rendezvous with the girls to revitalize your energy? Since we all CRAVE a good gab/vent session to relieve some stress,  we have compiled a list of some great places that you and your friends can check out any day of the week and make it your new routine to swap stories while sipping and noshing on some of the city’s finest offerings.

Thyme Cafe & Market, owned by Maire Byrne

With a large selection of fresh, seasonal foods, this market is not only a great place to pick up food to make at home- it also has a great café where you can you choose from some mouthwatering gourmet sandwiches and salads. The grilled salmon salad sounds light and delicious, or indulge in a gruyere grilled cheese. Click.

Jar, owned by Suzanne Tracht

Come to this modern chophouse for Suzpree Little Bites every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night at the bar. This special menu features six small sized selections for only $6-$10! Share several with your pals and have enough cash left over for one of their signature cocktails. We have our sights set on the Sourberry: ketel one citron, muddled straw-berries fresh lemon, and simple syrup. Click.

Huckleberry Café, owned by Zoe Nathan (co-owner along with her husband)

This café offers a large selection of tasty baked goods and savory meals. They also have weekday specials which create a perfect excuse for a mid-week get together. Head over on a Wednesday for a deal on their Deck Oven Pizza, or celebrate Taco Thursday! Click.

 Left Coast Wine Bar & Gallery, owned by Rachelle Ryan

What could be better than a place with wine and live music every night? With a selection of over 400 different wines, make sure you and your friends each try a new one! Come on Tuesday when they offer wine tasting and become more of a connoisseur. Click.

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CRAVE LA Best of Women Owned Businesses Tour

Friday, February 19th, 2010

This past weekend CRAVE, along with a small but mighty group of local bloggers, writers, and friends, took to the streets of LA for a fun filled day of shopping and discovery.  We joined forces with Chevy’s Best of Tours to create the CRAVE LA Best of Women Owned Businesses Tour and traveled to four amazing businesses soon to be featured in the upcoming CRAVE LA guidebook. After brief hellos and an introduction to the day, we hopped in to our chauffeur-driven car of choice and got on the road. The sleek and sexy collection of Chevys included a Camaro, an Equinox (our personal favorite, well, after the red hot Camaro), a Malibu, and an Avalanche, all complete with On Star concierge service to help us navigate through the crowded streets.

Our first stop was Calleen Cordero on Beverly Blvd.  This chic boutique is filled with a carefully crafted selection of the most beautiful shoes, belts, bags, and accessories you’ve ever seen. Just as much about comfort and function as it is about high fashion, Calleen is out to “prove that hand crafted luxury can be made in the U.S.A”. All of the products are handmade right here in her North Hollywood Factory by the 45 artisans she employs.

Next we traveled across town to Santa Monica where we visited STUDIO BEAUTYMIX at Fred Segal.  The ultimate stop for beauty lovers worldwide, Studio Beautymix is truly a feast for the eyes.  Long time store manager Rosie walked us through the lavish 250 lines of makeup, fragrance, bath and body products, and accessories in the store.  She shared founder Robin Coe-Hutshing’s story and showed us some of her favorite products like their signature Memoire Liquide fragrances and brand new line Soft Corp before letting everyone loose for some power shopping!

Up next was The Drybar in Brentwood.  LA’s first blowout only salon opened their doors just one day before we visited and is already buzzing with press.  While we sipped champagne, owner Allie Webb took a few minutes to share her story.  We love the selection of fun blowouts offered like the sleek, smooth Manhattan, or the messy and beachy Mai Tai.  We adore the beautiful, bright, and modern décor too and know where we’re coming the next time we need a “big night out” ‘do.

After a full day of shopping and beautifying, we headed back across town towards Silverlake for our fourth and final destination; Valerie Confections.  A perfect ending to an indulgent day, and a very timely stop for the day before Valentine’s Day! Valerie Gordon greeted us with a huge tray of scrumptious chocolate treats all handmade on site.  Our personal favorite was their signature Almond Fleur De Sel Toffee.  Need we say more?

As we said our goodbyes, each guest went home with a very generous pile of goodies from all of the stores we visited as well as a few treats from some other special CRAVE ladies and Chevy.  Thank you to all who participated on what we think was an incredible and fun day.  We loved getting to know each and every one of you and made some great memories along the way. Lastly, we want to send a very special thank you to those strong and inspiring women for sharing their stories with us. Hat’s off to you for following your dreams. We love what you have accomplished!

Want to know what the tour was really like first-hand? Check out these short video clips from some of our favorite bloggers to see what they liked best about the tour!



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Interview with Michelle Turnbull of David Family Wines

Friday, February 19th, 2010

Is your glass half full? If you are sitting in the afternoon sun, sippin’ a glass of fabulous wine from David Family Wines, then the answer is yes! We CRAVE the premium local flavors from Santa Lucia and Napa Valley. Owner Michelle Turnbull creates boutique wines for you to sip and savor during a spirited evening with the girls. Check out this fun interview with Michelle and look out for CRAVE LA – The Urban Girl’s Manifesto in Summer 2010 where David Family wines is featured.

People may be surprised to know:
That I did this on my own. There’s no family history here. I’m creating and building it as I go.

Who is your role model or mentor?
Just last week I was in New York getting out of a cab with all my luggage. 10 or 15 minutes later the cab driver came back to my building to find me and return my laptop bag that was left in his cab. A simple act of kindness like that can be rare today. I’m fully appreciative of his honesty and willingness to drive back to return it. In that instance he was a terrific role model for how we should act everyday in even the smallest of ways.

There’s no one person I could single out and name. There are many people in my life and even some I’ve met just briefly (like the cab driver) who have done things that impress me. I take away life lessons from all those experiences.

Where is your favorite place to go for wine?
Home. Wine always tastes better with family and friends.

Tell us about your “Every Bottle Counts” program:

We believe that wine should be a complete sensory experience. Why not enjoy a glass of wine with your family at home and know that you’re helping someone else achieve their dream to one day do the very same thing in their own home? So, we forged a great partnership with Habitat for Humanity to just that! Proceeds from every bottle of David Family wine benefit Habitat. Consumers can type in the number printed on their bottle of wine at davidfamily.com and learn more about the family they’re helping to build a home for. Also a percentage of our company profit, product and employee time is donated to Habitat each year.

Tell me about your favorite bottle of wine you sell.
The black label editions. We only produce 100 bottles a year that have the black leather label. These bottles are for special friends, collectors, and customers of David Family. I have such pride when we put these together. For some people we customize the leather with their names and to see how special that bottle becomes to them is truly rewarding and fulfilling.


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Valentine’s Day – Pink Themed Recipes

Friday, February 12th, 2010

There are so many pros to going out to dinner on Valentine’s Day and we can think of a lot of cons to staying in and cooking. But with the following recipes, staying in and making a home-cooked meal with your sweetheart might just look like the best idea ever!

Rack of Lamb with Herb and Olive Crust
For a pink themed menu, let’s start with a delicious lamb recipe. It comes from Caroline in Chicago’s blog (hwhippedtheblog.com). Our mouths are watering already!

1/3 cup coarsely chopped olives – kalamata, picholine or Manzanilla
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh thyme
2 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
2 racks of lamb (7-8 ribs each, trimmed or frenched)
salt and pepper
3/6 cups breadcrumbs

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Combine olives, parsley, thyme, garlic and red pepper in a food processor or mortar. Make a rough paste. Stir in mayo. Set aside. Trim lamb so only a thin layer of fat remains. Heat a heavy skillet (NOT a nonstick) over high heat. Season racks with salt and pepper. Set in skillet fat side down and cook for about 2 minutes. Spread breadcrumbs on a plate. Coat the surface of the lamb with the olive paste then dip in the crumbs to coat. Put bone side down in a roasting pan. Cover the bone tips with foil so they don’t burn. Roast until instant read thermometer is 120-125 degrees for rare or 130-135 for medium. It will cook another 5 degrees when out of the oven. Let the lamb rest for 5 minutes. Cut apart between the bones and serve.

Strawberry Cupcakes
Amy Sherman, a San Francisco-based author, writer, and developer of all things food, shares an amazing strawberry cupcake recipe on her blog (cookingwithamy.blogspot.com). Cupcakes and strawberries are the key to any beau’s heart.

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 large egg
6 ounces Dannon® All Natural Vanilla Lowfat Yogurt (or any other fruit flavor of yogurt)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup fresh strawberries, diced

Frosting:
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 fresh strawberries, about 2 Tbsp. mashed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. With an electric hand mixer, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the egg, Dannon® All Natural Vanilla Lowfat Yogurt and vanilla, blending until smooth.
2. Measure the dry ingredients into the bowl and blend, then fold in the strawberries.
3. Divide the mixture equally between the 12 paper-lined cupcake cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
4. Beat together butter, powdered sugar, and mashed strawberry in medium-size bowl until creamy and smooth. Chill frosting for 15 minutes or until thick. Frost cupcakes with a spatula. Keep cupcakes in the refrigerator loosely covered.
Yield: 12 servings

French Kiss
To accompany your beloved meal (cupcakes are a meal, right?), the Wedding Paper Divas have some suggestions for romantically festive drinks (blog.weddingpaperdivas.com). May we recommend the French Kiss? It’s just the perfect shade of pink to match you cupcakes…we mean cheeks!

¾ oz Chambord
¾ oz Peach Schnapps
¾ oz Vodka
Splash orange juice, pineapple juice, cranberry juice
Serve straight up in a martini glass

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Let Them Eat Cupcakes

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

Okay so we are pretty sure everyone is thoroughly obsessed with cupcakes. There might still be a couple out there thinking, “Cupcakes? Really? I don’t get it!” Well here are a few bakeries that specialize in cupcakes that just might make those few finally “get it” and jump on the cupcake bandwagon!

Sprinkles Cupcakes

Cupcake maven Candace Nelson’s Sprinkles had been described by the Los Angeles Times as “the progenitor of the haute cupcake craze”. Sprinkles was the first cupcake bakery in Beverly Hills. Topped with their trademark modern dot, these elegant cakes are in high demand. They have all the usual flavors, as well as sophisticated options such as chai latte and ginger lemon. Sprinkles now offers vegan and gluten free red velvet cupcakes to serve those who usually have to stay away from these small delights! Click

Susie Cakes

You have to love a place where you can buy a whoopie pie! Susan Sarich’s signature frosting filled cupcakes sound like the perfect splurge, the chocolate mint sounds to die for! You can also pick up bite-sized mini cupcakes for a smaller treat…or maybe just as an excuse to try multiple flavors. Click        

Vanilla Bake Shop

Amy Berman has a  sleek and modern design to her cakes, all full of decadent layers and fillings. They have a daily menu of cupcakes as well as a rotating menu for each day of the week. While the individuals are tempting enough…one of their specialties is the impressive cupcake towers holding as many as 175 cupcakes plus 300 cupcake babies! Click

Violet’s Cakes

Denise Weber is living her dream by owning her own cupcake shop. Some of her recipes are based on her grandmother’s classics, and other flavors include: eggnog, snickerdoodle with cinnamon butter crème, French toast, and Elvis (banana cupcake with peanut butter frosting). Her specialty cakes are intricate and show mastery in frosting artistry. She also designs wondrous wedding cakes. Click

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Crumb Fairy Bakery: Interview with Esti Rothstein

Friday, February 5th, 2010

We would all love to savor a sweet slice of red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting or a rich chocolate truffle cupcake topped with ganache. How many of us could bake these? Here’s one woman who can put baking on her list of talents: ladies, meet Esti Rothstein, chef and owner of Crumb Fairy Bakery. After setting foot in a bakery for the first time, Esti knew she wanted to be a baker. After years of working for renowned chefs, Esti’s very own fairy tale came to life. We love how Crumb Fairy Bakery creates indulgent artisan cakes to order for individuals and delivers cakes and baked goods to private homes and many restaurants including Alcove, Aroma Coffee and Tea, and Larchmont Bungalow. We had a chance to hear more about the lady behind the pastries when we chatted with Esti.
 
What are your most popular products?
Although we offer a huge variety of cakes, pies, tarts, and all things sweet, we can’t seem to get away from making enormous amounts of cupcakes.  People love them and we do make a nice selection of unique flavors, which keeps things interesting.  Our Chocolate Truffle Cake is a favorite amongst chocoholics and our Red Velvet Cake (of course) is also a fan favorite. 

People may be surprised to know…
That I have a secret infatuation with Miley Cryus.  Oh, and that Red Velvet is NOT just chocolate cake colored red.

What or who inspired you to start your business?
After being in the restaurant world for several years, I decided that I had garnered enough experience to be crazy enough to try and work for myself.  I literally started making cakes out of my mom’s kitchen and slowly grew into a big-girl commercial kitchen space!

Where do you like to go to eat? 
I love it all and feel lucky to live in a city that has everything to offer food-wise.  It’s great to get creative at places like Bazaar and follow it up the next night with a great burger from Father’s Office.  

Where is your favorite place to go with your girlfriends? 
We have fun anywhere we go, but I love when we all get together for brunch at Urth Café.  We can sit for hours, drink our lattes, share a slice of coconut custard pie, and shmooze with the best of ‘em.

What do you CRAVE? In business? In life?
I think I am a lucky lady that CRAVES exactly what I have.  I own my own business and get to do what I love every single day.  I work with amazing people who share my passion and zest for the sweet life!

Want to take a peek at these mouth-watering delights? Click here

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Rachel Ray, I’m not…

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

I don’t know if any of you are “culinaryily challenged,” but I sure am. I am obsessed with the Food Channel but don’t cook anything I ever see prepared on there. There is something soothing and brain numbing about watching them create, compete, build absurdly shaped cakes, and whip up mystery ingredients I have never heard of.

How about that Rachel Ray gal? She rocks it every night in less than 30 minutes. The big difference is when I go to my pantry or fridge I don’t conveniently have all the spices and sauces placed by the elves so my 30 minute meal turns into a frustrated 80 minute search for cumin, and a trip to the grocery store. (Consequently, I leave the grocery store with everything BUT cumin and swing through the drive-through window before returning home.)

When I do cook I seem to have portion control issues. I grew up in a big family so I assume spaghetti noodles come in “single serving” bags only. Needless to say, I have a lot of leftovers and anyone who reheats spaghetti noodles knows, they aren’t too tasty.

My Mom is an amazing cook and she knows how to put on a party with picture perfect hors d’oeuvres, now SHE could have her own Food Network show. I think I was busy outside shooting hoop when she was whipping up chef lessons. So the pressure to live up to that is huge. She would bring heaping scrumptious cupcakes to my class parties… with every child’s name monogrammed on them. I am lucky if I can pull off a drive by drop off of Oreos for the school Valentines Day party!

My southern Mother-in-Law once tried to help me out by buying me a southern cookbook. Every dang recipe started with “make a rue”…have you ever tried to make a rue? Well, it’s a special little concoction of flour and butter that you have to try not to burn. I never made a single recipe from that book!

I will have to say I have the “sipping” part of this sip/savor category down pat. Never met a cocktail I didn’t like and they seem to be MUCH easier to make. Although I recently tried a signature cocktail recipe and it actually called for pear sorbet…my Coors Light generally does not come with ice cream and- huge surprise- I didn’t have any pear sorbet in my freezer (unlike Rachel) so I skipped the garnish, the vodka tasted fine without it!

If your idea of comfort food is a large bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos and you don’t own a food processor…you are not alone. Rachel rocks…me, not so much!

* a weekly humor post by Lynn Edwards

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