Meet Me At Lorna Jane!

I am thrilled to be hosting a cooking demo this weekend at Lorna Jane! Come join me at the Beverly Center in Los Angeles for healthy treats, giveaways, and more!
All the info is below, just click on the photo to RSVP! :-)

A Little Bite of The Taste 2014

Now that the Summer is wrapping up (though you wouldn't know it from the 100 degree weather here in LA) it seems like I can hang up my Press pass for now and recap one of my favorite events of the year, LA Times' The Taste.

Since I know I can only hold your attention for so long, here's a quick video of all the fun!

Special Thanks to Breezeway Productions for the photos and video footage!

More Than Just A Little Dinner Music... LAFW Preview

LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES SPECIAL GUEST PERFORMANCE FROM AWARD-WINNING RECORDING ARTIST COMMON

A night of music, culture, and cuisine collide on Saturday, August 23 in Downtown Los Angeles as headline performer Common takes over the stage at the fourth annual Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival

 

Common; Los Angeles Food & Wine

As you may have heard, Kasey's Kitchen has been invited back to LA Food & Wine to cover all the delicious excitement! The festival just announced that Common will be headlining on the Main Stage. Read on for more details!  

WHAT:           The fourth annual Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival will once again take over Downtown Los Angeles’ Grand Ave. fromAugust 21-24, 2014, bringing an electrifying evening of beats and bites, including a marquee performance from multiple Grammy-winning recording artist, Common on Saturday, August 23, 2014.  Opening for Common that night will be a live performance from African children’s ensemble amaWolseley Marimbas. Both performances will round out the weekend of festivities on the festival’s main stage, located on Grand Avenue between 1^st and 2^nd Streets.   Common, will perform hits from his recently released tenth studio album Nobody’s Smiling, along with songs from his previous recordings. An appreciation of great food and respect for the diverse L.A. dining scene and its talented culinary artists inspired the collaboration with the festival for Common’s performance.

 The city of Los Angeles, long known as a mecca for creative talent from every background in a diverse array of fields, once again has whole-heartedly thrown its support behind the festival. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has praised Los Angeles Food & Wine for its positive impact on the city, saying "Our diversity and surging neighborhoods have put our city at center of the food world and this year's Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival will put attendees on the front lines of L.A.'s culinary revolution."

Additional performances will include the amaWolseley Marimbas, who first came together in September 2012, when they were discovered in the rural townships surrounding Wolseley in South Africa’s Witzenberg Valley.  None of the children had ever heard or seen a marimba prior to the auditions, but were selected based on rhythm and then taught to play. The eight current members (14-15 years old) now regularly perform at live events in South Africa and throughout the United States

Los Angeles Food & Wine festival co-founder and CEO David A. Bernahl II praised the upcoming performances, saying, “Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival continues to celebrate the second-to-none culinary and cultural diversity that is LA. We see no better way to honor that eclectic electricity than a world class mash up of Grammy award winning artist Common and a group of ridiculously talented kids from the other side of the world.”  

The critically acclaimed Common, and the amaWolseley Marimbas, are a great complement to the four-day epicurean fête produced byCoastal Luxury Management, also the team behind Pebble Beach Food & Wine.  The festival is presented by founding partners FOOD & WINE and Lexus, as well as major partners Chase, Delta Air Lines, JENN-AIR, and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.  Los Angeles Food & Wine continues its position as the only homegrown festival to provide Angelenos and visitors unparalleled access to the food industry’s most celebrated local and national stars.

As guests sample one-of-a-kind gourmet creations, discover new and unique wines and enjoy a performance by Common, attendance will help to end childhood hunger in Los Angeles and across America with the festival’s live auction benefiting Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry® campaign–-a national effort to end childhood hunger in the United States. Tickets for the gastronomic gathering are available on-line and at the door to each event, pending advance sales. Up-to-the-minute information on participants, event line-up, media credentials, and purchasing tickets is available at www.lafw.com

WHEN:           Saturday, August 23

·         7-10 p.m.: “Lexus Live on Grand” (Grand Ave. between 1^st and 2^nd St)

·         Hosted by Michael Chiarello, including live musical performances from Common and the amaWolseley Marimbas

 WHERE:         Downtown Los Angeles on Grand Ave., between 1^st St. and 2^nd St. (in front of the Disney Concert Hall)

www.lafw.com

Facebook (@lafoodwine)

Twitter (@lafoodwine)

Instagram (@lafoodwine)

ABOUT LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE:

Now in its fourth year, the Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival, presented with generous support from founding partners FOOD & WINE, Lexus, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, JENN-AIR, and Delta Airlines, in addition to Chase Sapphire Preferred® is a four-day epicurean event showcasing the finest in food and drink culture throughout Los Angeles, and culinary personalities from throughout the country. Set amidst one of the country’s foremost cultural destinations along Grand Avenue, the event spans the city and offers guests the chance to sample the cuisines and products from some of the most prominent epicurean influencers, while enjoying the sights and sounds of the entertainment industry’s brightest talents. The star-studded lineup has included celebrated chefs such as Curtis Stone, Michael Chiarello, Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, Thomas Keller, Guy Fieri, Robert Irvine, and local favorites such as Rory Herrmann, Michael Voltaggio, Matsuhisa Nobu, and Sang Yoon. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.lafw.com or call 855.433.LAFW. The Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival supports Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign and other L.A. based charitable endeavors.

*Press Release Courtesy of Wagstaff Worldwide

Stupid Good Sushi at Sugarfish Beverly Hills

Last night was "Girls Night" and since The Mr. was away on a golf trip, I knew I could indulge in a food that he wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole... sushi! 

I have always heard rave reviews from my friends and colleagues about Sugarfish so I knew this was the perfect time to get my hands on the raw goodness. 

With two girlfriends in tow, I had my first experience at the Beverly Hills Sugarfish. Knowing that there would be a wait, we got there on the early side, around 6pm and only waited about 20 minutes which I soon realized was a cakewalk compared to the typical 90 minutes. 

Once seated in our cozy, candlelit table we perused the concise menu and made our decisions. Being accompanied by Sugarfish Pros I went with the "Trust Me" option as well, swapping out salmon for the sweet shrimp. 

Every bite at Sugarfish is moan-inducing. My favorites were the Tuna Sashimi which is prepared in a scrumptious ponzu sauce and the halibut sushi that just melted in your mouth. The combination of the crisp, clean fish and the subtly sweet warm rice is seriously euphoric. Am I being dramatic? Maybe. Perhaps the fact that gossip and laughter were the only things emitted between bites made everything taste even better but it's safe to say that I have officially joined the Sugarfish cult and I am not upset about it. 

Photos Courtesy of Sugarfish.com

[Restaurant Recipe]: Casa Vega's Spinach Enchilada

I'm so grateful that Christy over at Casa Vega was willing to share some of her family's recipes with us! Turns out, they are pretty simple to make and beyond delicious! 

Spinach Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 package of corn tortillas

12 oz fresh spinach

½ sliced white onion

1 tbsp chopped onion

8 large green tomatillos

2 cups of water

1 bushel of cilantro

1 tbsp cilantro

1 tsp granulated garlic

1 tsp of salt

½ avocado

1 oz sour cream

6 oz shredded cheese (Monterey Jack or Asadero)

Do You Need a Granita?

This afternoon I had the chance to beat the heat and try the new Tea Granitas at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. The two new flavors, Pear Berry and Passion Fruit are blended concoctions of tea, fruit puree and ice. Absolutely refreshing! My personal favorite is the Passion Fruit :-)

Right now, CBTL is running a social media promotion where if come up with your "rhyme-ita" and tag #iNeedaGranita then you're entered for a chance to meet Grammy award winning artist, Zedd.

I got in on the fun with this post below

Read on to learn how you can get in on the Instagram fun! 

Palm Dessert Food & Wine Recap

       The fourth annual Food + Wine Festival Palm Desert took place this weekend "Under the Big White Tent" in the El Paseo Shopping District. The festival, organized by Palm Springs Life magazine, gathered the brightest and most inspired chefs and culinary personalities from across the country for three extraordinary days of live cooking demonstrations, wine and craft beer seminars, and tastings from more than 50 restaurants and 70 premium wineries, spirits purveyors, and microbrewers. 

The festival kicked off with a four-course gourmet luncheon featuring James Beard award-winning chefs and continued through the weekend with Grand Tastings offering bites and sips from renowned chefs and purveyors. The festival also boasted cooking demos, craft beer seminars and interactive wine tastings. 

If you were following the #PDFW hashtag, you may have seen some of my favorite bites from the festival including this Ahi Tuna Wonton from Matchbox. 

Some Honesty About Los Angeles

As some of you know, I am a (somewhat) recent transplant to Los Angeles. I too am one of those people who packed up everything I had, hopped in a car, and traveled the 3,000 miles to the City of Angeles in search of a dream coming true. I however, was lucky in the sense that I had a partner in crime, my husband Jay.
No, my dream wasn't to be a "movie star" but it was a dream nonetheless and I will continue to pursue that dream no matter how many eye-rolls and snickers (not the candy bar) I get along the way.

You can scoff at the "celebrities" that make cameos in this video but what I appreciate is the singular message of following your dreams, no matter how many times you get knocked down, called names, or told "no"... just get back up and keep dreaming.

Ok... Now back to my regularly scheduled food blogging.

Video by Thirty Seconds to Mars, "City of Angels" 

Shopping Local Leads to Awesome Foodie Finds!

As a "LA Transplant" by way of Massachusetts, I still have many places in this town that I have yet to fully explore, one of which is downtown. With the booming restaurants and trendy shops popping up I'm never short of amazed by the gems that are down there. This past weekend I was invited to check out the Artisanal LA event held at L.A. Mart. This event was a showcase of all the new food artisans that you didn't even know you loved. I was able to meet some truly inspiring people and taste some delicious new delicacies all under the roof of an awesome creative space.

Below are a few of my new faves. Check them out for yourself!

Win Free Tickets! Artisanal LA Oct 12-13

 

Join me this weekend as I check out the hottest local artisans from the Los Angeles area! Purchase tickets here or enter to win two free tickets below! 

Taste, shop, sample and learn while supporting the local economy and local artisanal vendors at our seasonal shows and pop-up shops.Artisanal LA is a pop-up community event with weekend long seasonal shows and shops celebrating the city’s finest local, sustainable and handmade edibles.

LA Residents, Want A Free Coffee Maker from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf??

 For a mid week pick me up, we wanted to make sure you heard the buzz going around about The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s second annual CBTL® Trade Up Your Cup coffee machine exchange!  The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf will be celebrating National Coffee Day on Sunday, September 29, 2013 at the Angel Stadium of Anaheim where guests can trade in any coffeemaker for a new complimentary CBTL® Americano Machine.  

Last year Coffee Bean gave away 2,500 complimentary CBTL® Kaldi Machines (valued at $179.95) in black, white, red, and blue and 200 free CBTL® Milk Frothers (valued at $59.95) ß over ½ a million dollars’ worth of product.  And, this year is going to be even bigger!

Restaurant Review: NINETHIRTHY and the W Hotel Los Angeles

A few weeks ago I was invited to dine at NINETHIRTY, one of the restaurants nestled inside of the W Los Angeles. Now, I know there is a certain stigma that comes with "hotel restaurants". They tend to be overpriced and underwhelming. I must say that NINETHIRTY is as far from that as you can get.

Chef Dakota Weiss is the mastermind behind the eclectic menu. Sourcing ingredients and inspiration from local farms Weiss has created a culinary carnival with dishes that range from innovative to nostalgic.

The parade of dishes started off with a fresh Cousa Squash Carpaccio (pictured above) dressed with a yuzu-pumpkin vinaigrette as well as a warm white corn bisque that had a hint of smoked queso fresco and jalepeno for an extra kick. My favorite starter that was presented to us was the Beet Cured Diver Scallops. After reading a few of my restaurant reviews, you may have figured out by now that I'm a bit of a scallop lover. This dish seriously blew my mind. The ceviche-like scallops were sliced thin and boasted a fuchsia stained trim. Paired with cantaloupe creme fraiche and mint made this dish unlike anything I have had before.

Lights! Camera! EAT! My Coverage of The Taste!

This past weekend marked another epic weekend in eating. It was Labor Day Weekend which in the “Foodie Community” means it’s once again time for The Taste! LA Times’ puts on an amazing event at Paramount Studios where over 50 white pop-up tents line the historical backlot. I was lucky enough to attend 3 out of the 5 events and too be honest, I don’t think my waistline could have afforded any more!

The 5 Things I Learned from Katherine & Sophie of Georgetown Cupcakes

As some of you may know, when it comes to baking, I'm kind of a dud. There's just something about all that time...and measuring...and "not being able to taste the batter"... I go crazy just thinking about it! 
Now, I have the philosophy that if you want to know how to do something, ask! So who better to ask than Katherine and Sophie of Georgetown Cupcake! The DC Cupcakes stars were sweet enough to invite me into their LA location for a private baking session! 
We caught the whole thing on tape and that will be coming to you soon, but while the video is cooking, I wanted to share with you The 5 Things I Learned from Katherine & Sophie of Georgetown Cupcake!

LA Food & Wine: My Chat with Giada and Stuffing My Face

The first night of the LA Food & Wine Festival came to live through Giada's Festa Italiana. It was pretty much a Foodie's fantasy. Picture every hot chef from all over the country in one place, serving their favorite dish, hosted by one of the most popular celebrity chefs and Questlove spinning the whole party. 

I had a chance to chat with the "hostess with the mostess", Giada DiLaurentiis and asked her for the best advise she could give me to get on Food Network Star. She gave me some great words of wisdom and when we parted, she grabbed my hand and said "You're off to a great start, I hope to see you on the show real soon." Yeah, it was pretty perfect. Take a scroll through the pictures in the full album here.

LA Food & Wine: All The Details

 

A POWER PACKED LINEUP INCLUDING INCONIC CHEF COLLABORATIONS AND LIVE PERFORMANCES FROM GAVIN DEGRAW, DJ ?UESTLOVE, AND THE LA OPERA COMPLETE THE CITY-WIDE LANDSCAPE FOR THE THIRD ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE,AUGUST 22-25, 2013

Over 120 chefs and 200 wineries will be featured in tasting events, wine and mixology seminars, dynamic cooking demonstrations, and a bounty of live musical acts solidifying the city’s largest epicurean gathering

Kasey's Dish Worth Driving To: Natas in Sherman Oaks

As some of you know, my nationality is 1/2 French and 1/2 Portuguese, so not only does that mean a whole lot of temper... it means a whole lot of talent in the kitchen too!
In the past, I've shared a few of my favorite Portuguese recipes (click here to see) but a few weeks ago I discovered something even better...  Natas Pastries in Sherman Oaks. Natas is a full out authentic Portuguese Restaurant that has everything this little Port-a-gee could desire!

I had the opportunity to sit down with Natas owner, Fatima Marques to enjoy a few traditional dishes that reminded me of the restaurants I grew-up going to in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
In a matter of minutes, Fatima made me feel right at home. As I sipped on a passion fruit Sumol (traditional Portuguese soda) we chatted about her background as a professional dancer, which is what brought her to LA from mainland Portugal. She noticed that there was a lack of Portuguese cuisine in Los Angeles (tell me about it!) so she decided to make some of her favorite pastries from back home, most specifically, the natas. For those who are unfamiliar with natas, it's pretty much heaven in a pastry shell, but we'll get to that in a bit.

We started started our culinary journey with the Chouriços Grelhados which is an appetizer of assorted Portuguese sausages and picked vegetables. This is most like the linguica and chourico I grew up with and love using a bunch of my recipes. Warning... your mouth will start salivating in 3...2....1....

Ideas for Dad: Dinner at Susan Feniger's STREET

Dumplings for Dads

Susan Feniger’s STREET Doses out the Dumplings for Dads this Father’s Day

WHO: Chefs Susan Feniger and Kajsa Alger of STREET restaurant in Hollywood

WHAT: For fathers who like a little foreign flair, Susan Feniger’s STREET is serving a special dumpling and beer tasting menu. Dads (and any other dumpling aficionados) can get down with six dumplings and six beers for $40. STREET’s regular menu will also be available.

WHEN:                Sunday, June 16th, 2013

                          11:00 am – 3:00 pm

MENU:                         Dumplings

Ukrainian Spinach Varenyky

Korean Mandoo Vegetable Dumplings

Spicy Szechuan Potstickers

Mini Jackfruit Bao

Shiitake Mushroom Shu Mai

Potato Samosas

Beers

Meantime Scotch Ale

Reutberger

Weihenstehaner

Duhbe Imperial IPA

Kirin Ichiban

Messiah Nut Brown Ale

RESERVATIONS: 323.203.0500

                                     

WHERE:             742 North Highland Ave.

Los Angeles, CA       

www.eatatstreet.com

ABOUT STREET: Susan Feniger’s STREET is a dining destination dedicated to the diverse flavors of the global kitchen. Located in the heart of Hollywood, STREET’s modern space includes a large patio, a sexy fire pit and chef’s kitchen window seats that offers diners an inside peek. Imbibers can enjoy bottomless champagne cocktails brunches and bold cocktails during happy hour and at the bar, while non-alcoholic indulgences include specialty teas and refreshing coolers.  

[Restaurant Recipe]: Casa Vega's Tamales

Restaurant Review: Napa Valley Grille - Westwood

I always say that the beauty of not being from L.A. is that everything is new to me. I’ve noticed how valuable that has become since I’ve started doing more and more restaurant reviews. I’m visiting places that are both new hot spots and old standards but can give a fresh perspective on the two.

Recently I visited Napa Valley Grille in Westwood. Now I was pretty sure this was a “chain” restaurant (a dreaded word in the Foodie world) but there was something that intrigued me about this one… NVG in Westwood has its own Executive Chef on site. That’s right, Chef Taylor Boudreaux is not just a name printed on a menu. He is actually there making sure every dish is executed the way he intended… straight up delicious.

We started the evening off with 2 of their signature cocktails, the Clementini and the Vanilla Pomegranate Mojito.  Now, I’m not a gin girl, but the Clementini was knock-your-socks-off good! It tasted like a [very dangerous] creamsicle.

The parade of food started with a delightful Butternut Squash Agnoloti but hurry over soon to try it, Chef Taylor changes his Agnoloti dishes seasonally. Next up was probably the best crab cake I’ve ever had. We joked about how most places will serve you sub-par “crab-flavored bread” and call it a crab cake but there was nothing but fresh lump crab meat and a little extra seasoning and dressing in this one. Check out how to make it for yourself here!



Our entrees included Seared Scallops, which were actually from my old stomping grounds of New Bedford, Massachusetts. They were cooked beautifully and stacked on top of a roasted corn salsa and parsnip puree. We also tried out the Pork Loin that was packed full of flavor and cooked to a medium-rare temperature. A bold move that you don’t see too many restaurants do. It was great especially stacked on the roasted apples!  The last entrée on our menu was actually Chef Taylor’s favorite, the rack of Lamb. Now I’ll admit, I’m not the biggest lamb-fan, but the flavor was great and super decadent on top of a frothy celery root puree.

As if we weren’t ready to be rolled out of there, it was time for dessert. Being as full as we were, Chef Taylor insisted we at least try a few bits of his homemade Tiramisu. The light whipped topping on the made-from-scratch lady fingers were the perfect finale to our meal!
The rustic setting of Napa Valley Grille is gorgeous and provides for an intimate atmosphere even in such a large venue. NVG also hosts private events and specialty dinners open to the public! For more information visit - http://www.napavalleygrille.com/westwood