Edible LA | No 12

Issue No. 12 Summer 2021

edibleLA

Sharing the Story of Local Food, Season by Season

the

outdoor issue Member of Edible Communities

LIVE LIFE OUTSIDE C REATE

A WELL - DESIGNED SPACE AND CHANGE

YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUTDOOR LIVING .

MILL VALLEY I WALNUT CREEK I BERKELEY I SAN RAMON I BURLINGAME

TERRAOUTDOOR.COM

I

MOUNTAIN VIEW I LOS GATOS I FOUNTAIN VALLEY I PASADENA

888.449.8325

N AT I O N W I D E S H I P P I N G

IN THIS ISSUE

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EDITOR’S LETTER p. 4

features 26

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THE ZING OF THE THING A deep dive into jerk chicken from a wild weekend in Jamaica.

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WHAT’S IN SEASON NOW

12

THIS SEASON’S MOST DELICIOUS READS

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THE LAST BITE A summer picnic favorite from the COMO Shambhala kitchen.

THE COMPLEXITY OF SIMPLICITY

departments

recipes 11 14 17 17 18 20 36 36 38 41

LOCAL HEROES And Gather For Good is changing the world, one bake sale at a time.

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CONTRIBUTORS p. 6

in every issue

Escape LA and enjoy lavish minimalism in the Turks and Caicos.

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SIP ON THIS Local bartenders share cocktail recipes with summer fruit as the star.

ZUCCHINI AND WHITE BEAN SALAD RADISH BUTTER TERRINE SPICED TOMATO SCRAMBLE COLD PEANUT BUTTER NOODLES WHOLE BURNT AUBERGINE HAITIAN PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE FARMERS MARKET MORNINGS SOURBERRY GRAMOPHONE AVOCADO AND SWEETCORN SALAD

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editor's note

NO. 12

SUMMER 2021

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

What a year. As I write this, Los Angeles and California are moments away from reopening and we’ll be able to walk around—possibly maskless—for the first time in what seems like ages. It finally feels like the world is opening up. Our near future could include travel—which we happily reported on in this very issue—dining at our favorite restaurants, and enjoying summer barbecues with family and friends.

We stopped publishing early in the pandemic, for a number of reasons, and are so beyond thrilled to be back supporting our local community of farmers, growers, food artisans and entrepreneurs, cooks, and all the other people and businesses that keep our world going round.

We’re looking forward to continuing to connect with new readers, invite you all to spectacular farm dinners later this year, release our podcast, and fill you in on all the cool collaborations we’ve been cooking up. Stay tuned.

Be sure to keep up with us on Instagram @ediblelamag, where we’ll be giving away a few of our favorite cookbooks of the season. Trust me, you won’t want to miss them!

PUBLISHER & EDITOR IN CHIEF Shauna Burke ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lisa Alexander DESIGNER Shauna Burke COVER PHOTO & STYLING Carolina Korman ADVERTISING ads@ediblela.com SOCIAL MEDIA Sara Cardenas CONTRIBUTORS Lisa Alexander Shauna Burke Sara Cardenas Ken Concepcion Carolina Korman

Happy Summer,

Shauna Shauna Burke Editor in Chief

Edible Communities James Beard Foundation 2011 Publication of the Year

Reach out to me: edit@ediblela.com Instagram: @iamshaunaburke

Edible LA© is published quarterly and distributed throughout Los Angeles County. Subscription rate is $28 annually. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used without written permission from the publisher. Publisher expressly disclaims all liability for any occurence that may arise as a consequence of the use of any information or recipes. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings, and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, please accept our sincere apologies and notify us. Thank you.

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our contributors

Summer produce styled and photographed

by Carolina Korman

Shauna Burke @iamshaunaburke

Ken Concepcion @djgnocchi

A Malibu native, our editor-inchief ditched the corporate office to become a classically trained chef and Certified Sommelier. This morphed into recipe development and consulting for cookbooks, restaurants, brands, and writing for numerous publications, authoring plant-based cookbooks, and traveling as much as possible to find food inspiration.

Ken is co-owner of Now Serving, a cookbook and culinary shop in Chinatown. Before becoming a bookseller with his wife and partner Michelle Mungcal, he worked as a chef in the restaurant industry for nearly 20 years. Not able to afford to culinary school, he learned on the job, working his way up and devouring as much food writing as possible before opening Now Serving in 2017.

Sara Cardenas @thefoodthatweshare

Lisa Alexander @lalexande Now one of our editors, Lisa has written feature pieces in numerous publications. Her fiction has won several awards, been published in literary journals, and staged

by LA’s longest running spokenword series. What she loves best is messing around in the kitchen, interviewing tiger-striped tomatoes, and delving deep into the culinary underground of LA.

An LA native, Sara is a photographer and self-taught home cook with an academic background in the social sciences. Her love of wholesome cooking with local ingredients prompted her to establish her Instagram during the height of the pandemic, which has led to multiple opportunities including managing our Instagram, contributing to the print magazine, and developing recipes and original content for local brands.

Carolina Korman @carolinakormanphoto Carolina is a food, beverage, restaurant, chef, and cookbook photographer in Los Angeles.

When she visits her hometown in Buenos Aires, she travels with her camera and loves to photograph local food. Her background in psychology, sociology, and fine art gives her a unique sensibility to her surroundings that translates to her gorgeous photography.

@EdibleLAMag

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edibleLA’s

summer shopping guide SUMMER PRODUCE

YEAR-ROUND PRODUCE

SUMMER SEAFOOD

Apricots Artichokes Asparagus Avocados Basil Blackberries Blueberries Cabbage Celery Cherries Chiles Chives Cilantro Corn Cucumber Dill Eggplant Figs Grapefruit Grapes Green beans Green onions Lavender Limes Melons Mulberries Mustard greens Nectarines Peaches Plums and pluots Raspberries Strawberries Tomatillos Turnips Watermelon Yellow squash

Almonds Apples Arugula Bananas Beets Bell peppers Black-eyed peas Bok choy Broccoli Broccolini Carrots Cauliflower Chard Coconut Dandelion greens Edible flowers Garlic Kale Leeks Lemons Lettuce Mushrooms Onions Oranges Parsnips Pistachios Potatoes Radishes Snow peas Soft herbs Spinach Sprouts Walnuts Winter squash Yams

Halibut Rock fish King salmon Sardines Spot prawns Swordfish Albacore tuna White seabass Yellowtail

YEAR-ROUND SEAFOOD Abalone Black cod Clams Oysters Rock crab Sanddabs Urchin

YEAR-ROUND GOODS Eggs Coffee Dairy Honey Olive oil Meats Potted herbs Preserves Pickles Grains @EdibleLAMag

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what’s in season

PEACH PERFECT

Photo © Loris Tissino

T

o be totally honest here, I’m not much of a summer person. It’s too hot, too crowded, there’s too much traffic, and I just want to go home. Summer produce, however, makes the whole season.

The best of summer, for me, will always be the stone fruits—peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots, sweet cherries, and mangoes, to be exact. In cookies, breads, cocktails, salads, soups, and everything else that I’m forgetting. They are luscious, drip-down-your-chin gems of sweetness that I dream about the rest of the year.

I’ll be sharing some of my own favorite stone fruit recipes on ediblela.com—like roasted peaches with brown sugar and pecans, morning mango protein muffins, a cherry smash mocktail, and a vegan plum and nectarine crumble.

Happy summer!

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BY SHAUNA BURKE

what’s in season

Simple Summer Squash Words and photo

by Sara Cardenas

Zucchini and White Bean Salad with Burrata

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ucchini. If you’re anything like me, you grew up eating this ubiquitous summer squash steamed and cooked to oblivion. If you were lucky enough to escape a childhood with mushy zucchini, let me tell you, it’s not a fond memory. In adulthood, I finally discovered zucchini could be prepared in a myriad of ways. It’s perfect grilled or roasted and tossed with a garlicky vinaigrette, gently sautéed as part of a vegetable-filled pasta dish, or puréed with homemade broth for a light summer soup.

My favorite way to prepare zucchini is actually to leave it raw. When thinly sliced and tossed with a light, citrusy dressing, zucchini has the tendency to soften while still maintaining a light crunch and just-picked taste, making it the perfect addition to a summer salad. When paired with a couple cans of beans—which we all probably have left over from the early pandemic panic-purchasing days— and topped with a big ball of local burrata, suddenly it’s an easy, satisfying, and slightly decadent dish that would make an impressive accompaniment to any summer spread.

INGREDIENTS ¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 clove garlic, grated Zest of 1 medium-large lemon, plus a little extra for garnish Salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 green or yellow zucchini 2 cans cannellini or great northern beans, drained and rinsed 1 generous cup green herb leaves, such as parsley, dill, or basil 1 8-ounce ball of burrata (optional) INSTRUCTIONS 1. In a medium non-reactive bowl, add the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and lemon zest. Whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Roughly chop most of the herbs leaves, leaving a few behind to use as garnish. Set aside. Thinly slice zucchini into rounds about 1/8 of an inch. Use a mandolin if you have one to get even slices. Add the sliced zucchini, beans, and chopped herbs to the dressing. Toss to combine and check for seasoning. Add salt and pepper as needed. Set aside to marinate for about 10 minutes.

3. Arrange salad on a plate or shallow bowl. Top with burrata and finish off with a drizzle of olive oil, and a little extra lemon zest and herb leaves for garnish. • @EdibleLAMag

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reading corner

SOME OF THIS SEASON'S

MOST DELICIOUS READS curated by Ken Concepcion, co-owner of

Like fashion, cookbooks have two seasons. As the summer starts to heat up, we’ve collected some of the most notable titles from this year’s spring season along with a recipe that we love or can’t wait to make and share with friends and family we haven’t seen in a long time.

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asmin Khan’s third book, Ripe Figs, is a gripping humanitarian tale in the construct of a moving and beautiful cookbook. An activist and journalist, Khan’s extraordinary lens brings her to examine the cuisine and foodways of Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus, by engaging and learning from the remarkable refugee and migrant communities in these countries. Among the most striking of these seasonal and mostly vegetable-centered dishes is the simple and elegant Spiced Tomato Scramble (recipe on page 17), a luxe study of soft yolks and chili.

Mother Grains by LA’s own Roxana Jullapat of Friends & Family in Thai-town is one of the strongest baking books of the year. With equal parts respect and adoration, Jullapat deep dives into eight ancient grains - barley, rice, and buckwheat to name a few - doting on each with history, backing tips, and recipes. One sure not to disappoint is her baked cornmeal pancake, rich with flavor and texture.

Summer brings to mind a garden brimming with life and a great guide for navigating your favorite farmers’ market is The Chef ’s Garden from Farmer Lee Jones of Ohio’s

legendary regenerative farm famously known for growing produce for some of the best restaurants in the country. Part shopping guide, part vegetable bible, and part cookbook, it details Jones’ undeniable connection to his family farm and what he is excited about for the future. A stunning interpolation of the classic French pairing is the salted butter and radish terrine (recipe on page 14), that would be a perfect beginning for a summer meal with its crunch, bite, and richness.

Summer travel may not be something on the horizon just yet, but Rebekah Peppler’s evocative À Table and its glowing study of her life and dishes in Paris may be just enough to keep wanderlust at bay. A true love letter to the City of Lights, Peppler provides drinks, snacks, and bites along the way to sides, mains, and desserts with a modern French nod to eternal classics. A great dish geared for any party or picnic is her radiant take on Nicoise (For A Crowd).

Keeping things fresh, our pick for a terrific new book on Mexican cuisine is renowned chef Alejandro Ruiz’s ode to his home, The Food Of Oaxaca, which beautifully illustrates @EdibleLAMag

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reading corner the range and depth of Oaxacan cuisine, from the mountains to the valleys, and of course to the seas. Try the magnetic Margarita Scallop Cocktail (recipe on ediblela.com), bejeweled with the raw mollusk and laced with lime and chile.

Perfect for the sweltering days ahead!

Speaking of the dog days of summer, a wonderful cookbook by Hetty McKinnon titled To Asia, With Love, is full of vegetarian Asian recipes and can also be a great beach read. Deeply personal with ruminations on her Chinese heritage and the bond with her mother in Australia, it’s easy to be swept away with McKinnon’s “third culture cooking” as she explores her sense of identity. Her soulful cold noodle soup with watermelon, kimchi, and nashi pear just sounds like it was made for the heat.

Nothing says summer like grilling and Chasing Smoke from beloved London chefs Itamar Srulovich and Sarit Packer provides a staggering travelogue with middle eastern live-fire cooking with their fourth book, Chasing Smoke. Full of romance, embers, and char, we follow the couple dubbed “The Honeys” (they own and operate the Honey & Co. family of restaurants) as they navigate the Levant - Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Turkey, Greece, and more - all in search of adventure, food, and flame. Their dish of whole burnt aubergine with charred egg yolk, tahini, and chili sauce (recipe on page 18)

- a riot of fire and luscious umami - that is as elemental as it is sophisticated.

We can’t talk about the summer without barbecue and we turn to one of the most acclaimed and celebrated pitmasters in the world, Rodney Scott and his groundbreaking book, Rodney Scott’s World Of BBQ. Hailing from Pee Dee, rual South Carolina, Scott and his family have made their name nearly synonymous with whole hog bbq. In this book co-authored by legendary Lolis Eric Ellie, we are given access into this world and family history. Recipes range from digging your own pit for whole hog to burgers to an incredible smoked chicken (recipe on ediblela.com) which will guarantee to be a crowd pleaser and simple enough to execute in your own backyard.

Finally, we look to Everyone’s Table by Top Chef alum Gregory Gourdet from Portland. Gourdet leaves it all out there in his first book, a triumph of healthful cooking, impeccable technique and inventive flavors that honor traditional cuisines. Hard to believe these delicious dishes are all dairy, gluten, soy, and grain-free. A tribute to his roots, the Haitian Pineapple Upside Down Cake (recipe on page 19) will leave you and everyone else speechless, clamoring for another slice.

Cooking the Books

Head to the kitchen with a few of our favorite recipes mentioned above. You can find more at ediblela.com.

Radish Butter Terrine MAKES 1 SMALL TERRINE, SERVING ABOUT 12 This terrine is a play on the classic combination of French breakfast radishes, butter, and salt. While the terrine takes several hours to set, you can prepare it in just a few minutes.

The recipe works best with higher-fat, European-style butter, which is especially good with the radishes, but the terrine is still enjoyable with high-quality American butter.

INGREDIENTS 12 ounces (340 g) small (about ½ inch) round radishes 1¼ cups (2½ sticks, or 280 g) unsalted butter (preferably European), diced and at room temperature Neutral oil Slices of fresh bread Fleur de sel INSTRUCTIONS Using a pair of scissors, remove the taproots and leafy tops from the radishes, forming perfectly round spheres. Wash and 14

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thoroughly dry the radishes. (If desired, reserve the leaves to make Vegetable-Top Emulsion) In a large bowl, fold the softened butter with the radishes using a rubber spatula. Oil a mini loaf pan (about 5¾ by 3¼ by 2 inches) and line it with plastic wrap; press and pull the wrap as needed to eliminate air bubbles. Transfer the radish butter to the pan and spread it to the edges; smooth the top and tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles.

(Alternatively, transfer the butter directly to a sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper and roll it into a log.) Refrigerate the terrine until very firm, 4 to 6 hours.

Using the plastic wrap, lift the terrine out of the pan and transfer to a work surface. Remove the wrap. Using a very sharp knife or gently serrated bread knife, cut the terrine into ¼-inch-thick slices. Serve with slices of fresh baguette and finish with fleur de sel.

From The Chef ’s Garden: A Modern Guide to Common and Unusual Vegetables--with Recipes by Farmer Lee Jones; with Kristin Donnelly, to be published on 4/20/2021 by Avery, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright © 2021 by The Chef ’s Garden, Inc.

Radish Butter Terrine from The Chef’s Garden

Spiced Tomato Scramble from Ripe Figs

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Spiced Tomato Scramble

reading corner

serves 2 This is one of the most iconic Turkish egg dishes and its name appears to have been derived from the Greek word menemenos, meaning to “flood” or “overflow.” This makes sense when you see a pan of menemen with its eggs flooded in juicy, sweet tomatoes, just waiting for you to scoop up with some freshly baked Pide ekmek (see page 72).

Just to clarify, before you find yourself saying it, this is not a Turkish version of shakshuka. All countries in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East have their own versions of eggs cooked in tomatoes, and it does a disservice to the many food cultures of the region to lump them all together. Anyway, you don’t need to get into regional politics over breakfast; just serve this with toasted bread, feta, and maybe a few slices of fried sujuk sausage (see page 60) and everyone will be happy.

You can make the tomato sauce ahead of time too; it keeps well in the refrigerator for a few days.

minutes, uncovered. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so it cooks evenly.

Crack the eggs into a bowl and lightly whisk with a fork.

Then add these to the pan of tomatoes and increase the heat a little. Let the eggs cook for 1 minute, then mix them in with a wooden spoon for 3 to 4 minutes until just set.

When the eggs are ready, serve them immediately with toast, a little sprinkle more pul biber if you like your eggs with some kick, and some chopped herbs, if you have any around.

Reprinted from “Ripe Figs: Recipes and Stories from Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus.”

Copyright © 2021 by Yasmin Khan. Published by W.W. Norton & Company. All rights reserved.

INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 tablespoon salted butter ½ small onion, finely chopped (around 31/2 oz/100g) 6 large ripe tomatoes (total weight about 1 lb 5 oz/600g) 1 fat garlic clove, minced ½ red bell pepper, finely chopped ½ teaspoon dried oregano ½ teaspoon paprika ½ teaspoon pul biber (Aleppo pepper), plus more (optional) to serve ½ teaspoon granulated sugar 5 large eggs leaves from a few herb sprigs, chopped, such as parsley, cilantro, or chives (optional) salt and black pepper INSTRUCTIONS Melt the oil and butter in a sauté pan or deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, skin the tomatoes. To do this, use a knife to cut a cross into the top of them (where the stem was), then pop them into a bowl of just-boiled water. After 2 minutes, fish them out and you should be able to peel the skins off easily.

If not, pop them back in the water for another minute. Once you’ve skinned the tomatoes, very finely chop them.

Once the onion is soft and golden, add the garlic and red pepper and fry for another couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano, paprika, pul biber, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and cook for another 5

Cold peanut butter green tea noodles with cucumber Serves 4 Vegan INGREDIENTS 3 Persian cucumbers, trimmed Ice cubes 7 ounces (200 g) green tea noodles ½ cup (80 g) roasted peanuts, roughly chopped 2 scallions, finely sliced Sea salt and black pepper Everything Oil or chile oil, to serve (optional) Peanut butter sauce 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil ⅓ cup (90 g) smooth peanut butter 1 teaspoon maple syrup ½ -inch (1.25 cm) piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped 2 teaspoons rice vinegar @EdibleLAMag

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reading corner Sea salt and black pepper Substitute Peanut butter: tahini Green tea noodles: soba, rice, egg, udon or ramen noodles, or long pasta

establishment we both love. It has since become a staple at every BBQ, and in our restaurant Honey & Smoke. Burning the aubergine really brings out the best in this slightly bland vegetable. Don’t hold back – by the time you’re done, the skin should be blackened and the flesh so soft it can easily be scooped out with a spoon.

INSTRUCTIONS

INGREDIENTS

Originally a Sichuan dish, cold peanut butter or sesame noodles have become an American take-out classic. There are many variations of this dish—for cold sesame noodles, simply use sesame paste or tahini in place of the peanut butter, or make “mala noodles” by adding an enthusiastic lashing of tonguenumbing chile oil. The crucial step for this dish is to mix the peanut butter sauce with the chilled noodles right before you are ready to eat—if the noodles sit in the sauce too long, they will become soggy. These noodles are served cold; cooling them in an ice bath ensures that they stay firm and sturdy enough to handle the heavy peanut butter sauce. While I have used earthy green tea noodles here, this sauce will go with any type of noodle. Try soba, ramen or rice noodles. Don’t have noodles? Substitute a long pasta such as fettucine or linguine.

Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and, using a small spoon, scrape out the seeds. Slice the cucumber into very thin strips. Set aside.

Set up a large bowl with ice and cold water—this is your ice bath for the noodles. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the noodles and cook according to the packet instructions until tender, about 5–6 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water until the noodles are cold; drain and place in the ice bath. Set aside.

To make the peanut butter sauce, whisk together the sesame oil, peanut butter, maple syrup, ginger, garlic and vinegar.

Thin the sauce with ⅓ cup (80 ml) of warm water (or more) until it has a pourable consistency. Season well with sea salt and black pepper. Set aside.

When you are ready to eat, drain the noodles, shaking off any excess water. Place the noodles in a large bowl, then pour over the peanut butter sauce and toss to coat the noodles. Add half the cucumber and half the peanuts, then season well with sea salt and black pepper. Toss to combine.

T o serve, scatter the remaining cucumber, peanuts and scallions over the noodles. Top with a few drops of everything oil, or chile oil if you like it hot, and eat immediately.

2 aubergines 50g / 1¾ oz tahini paste 50ml / 1¾ fl oz ice-cold water 2 egg yolks from beautiful eggs

To Asia, With Love by Hetty McKinnon, copyright © 2021. Published by Prestel Publishing. Photography: Hetty McKinnon.

To cook without a BBQ

Whole burnt aubergine with charred egg yolk, tahini and chilli sauce Serves 2 as a meal This is the essence of our food, distilled into a single dish. It is inspired by the first whole burnt aubergine we ever ate, served with a smattering of grated tomato, at a very famous Jerusalem 18

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For the lemon, chilli and garlic dressing 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (about 10g /1/3 oz) 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (about 10g/1/3 oz) 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped (about 20g/¾ oz) juice of 1–2 lemons (about 80ml / 2¾ fl oz) 1 tsp table salt 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp caster sugar 2 tbsp olive oil 1 bunch of parsley, leaves picked and chopped (about 30g / 1 oz) INSTRUCTIONS Place the whole aubergines on a very hot grill, or directly on the embers if you prefer. Let them scorch all over, turning occasionally, until the skin is charred and the flesh is so soft that it seems they are going to collapse.

While the aubergines are cooking, combine all the dressing ingredients apart from the chopped parsley. Separately mix the tahini paste with the water to form a thick whipped cream consistency.

Once the aubergines are fully blackened, remove from the grill onto serving plates and slit open to reveal the flesh.

Add the parsley to the dressing and mix well. Use half the dressing to douse the flesh of the slit aubergines, then top with the whipped tahini. Use the back of a spoon to create a little well in the tahini and place a raw egg yolk in the centre of each one. Using tongs, carefully remove a hot charcoal from the fire and lightly char the top of each yolk. Return the coal to the fire and drizzle the remaining dressing over the aubergines before serving.

Cook the aubergines on your highest grill setting or in a superhot oven at 240°C/220°C fan/gas mark 9, remembering to pierce them with a fork beforehand, as they have a tendency to explode.

Scorch one side, then rotate and char the next section until the flesh of the aubergine is completely soft. Use a blow torch to scorch the surface of the egg yolk, or simply heat the back of a spoon over a flame and use that instead.

Extract credit to Honey & Co. Chasing Smoke: Cooking over Fire Around the Levant by Sarit Packer & Itamar Srulovich, published by Pavilion Books. Image credit © Patricia Niven

Whole Burnt Aubergine from Chasing Smoke

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Haitian Spiced Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

reading corner

Serves 12 Mom often made pineapple upside-down cake, the most famous of Haitian desserts, augmenting a boxed mix with various spices and extracts brought from Haiti by visiting relatives and popping a can of pineapple (and some freakishly red maraschino cherries) for the topping. Mom was busy with a demanding job and two kids. I have a little more time on my hands, so I look to fresh pineapple, caramelizing it with maple syrup and spices then tiling it onto the bottom of the pan before baking the cake. Believe me, it’s worth the effort. When you haul the cake from the oven, the heady perfume of vanilla, almond, cinnamon, and star anise fills the room. When you flip the cake and lift the pan, the pineapple slices glisten like jewels and stun your friends waiting at the table.

INGREDIENTS For the Pineapple Topping 3/4 cup virgin coconut oil, plus more for greasing the pan 1 ripe pineapple 1/2 cup coconut sugar 1/2 cup maple syrup Three 3-inch cinnamon sticks 5 star anise For the Cake 23/4 cups Paleo-Friendly Flour Blend (page 327) 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt One 1-inch piece cinnamon stick 2 cups coconut sugar 3/4 cup melted virgin coconut oil 5 large eggs 1/2 cup well-shaken coconut milk 2 tablespoons vanilla extract 2 teaspoons almond extract 1 lime, for zesting INSTRUCTIONS MAKE THE TOPPING Trace the outside of an 11-inch pan onto a piece of parchment paper to make a rough circle about 1 inch bigger than the pan, then cut out the circle. You want the parchment to be just a tad bigger than the base of the pan so it has a little lip to contain the topping. Tuck the parchment into the base of the pan and rub it and the sides of the pan with a little coconut oil.

Carve off the brown eyes, quarter the pineapple, and cut off and discard the core (see page 376). Cut the quarters crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices.

Set a mesh strainer over a large heatproof bowl Combine the remaining coconut oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon sticks, and star anise in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

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Add the pineapple and simmer until it releases its juices and they reduce into a rich syrup and the pineapple is very golden, translucent, and tender, about 10 minutes.

Pour the mixture through the strainer. Reserve the pineapple, discard the whole spices, and pour the strained liquid back into the saucepan. Continue reducing the liquid until it’s as thick as molasses, about 8 minutes more. Set the liquid aside.

Starting from the dead center of the parchment, lay down once piece of pineapple, then shingle the remaining pineapple slices into a spiral, overlapping each slice over the last in an outward circular pattern, until you cover the entire base of the pan. Set aside while you prep the cake batter.

MAKE THE CAKE Preheat the oven to 350°F and move an oven rack to the center position. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour blend, baking powder, and salt and stir well. Use a Microplane to grate in the cinnamon. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the coconut sugar and coconut oil until combined. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each one before adding the next. Whisk in the coconut milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract until the mixture is well combined, thick, and creamy. As you lift the whisk from the bowl, the mixture should slowly and steadily fall back into the bowl. Use a Microplane to grate in the lime zest. Working in two batches, add the flour to the bowl with the wet ingredients and fold it in, completely incorporating the first batch before adding the second.

Pour the reserved caramelized sauce evenly over the shingled pineapple. Next, pour the cake batter evenly over the sauce. Bake the cake on the center rack until golden brown and a thermometer reads 200°F when inserted in the center (temperature is the best way to tell when cakes made with my Paleo-friendly flour blend are ready), about 35 minutes.

When the cake is done, run a knife around the edges to make sure it releases from the pan. Grab a plate or lightweight cutting board that’s slightly larger than the pan and invert the plate onto the pan.

Protecting your hands from the hot pan with oven mitts or a kitchen towel, firmly grab the sides of both the pan and the plate and swiftly invert the pan onto the plate. Let the plate rest on the counter for a few seconds, then carefully remove the pan, slowly lifting from one side, then the other, to expose the cake.

If any pineapple pieces have stuck to the pan, use a small spatula to gently dislodge them and use them to cover any of the cake’s bald spots.

Let the cake rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Leftovers keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

From the book EVERYONE’S TABLE by Gregory Gourdet and JJ Goode.

Copyright ©2021 by Gregory Gourdet and JJ Goode. Published by Harper Wave an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Reprinted by permission.

Photo (opposite) Eva Kosmas Flores. •

Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Everyone’s Table

local heroes

Who Doesn’t Love a Wall of Pie? And Gather For Good is changing the world, one bake sale at a time.

WORDS BY LISA ALEXANDER PHOTOS BY CAROLINA KORMAN

H

ow cool would it be to have a bake sale with high-end pastry chefs instead of the PTA? A cakewalk for reproductive rights, a pie sale to Stop Asian Hate, Sherry Mandell and Stephanie Chen are the two women behind And Gather for Good as a potent force for change. I met them at Platform in Culver City to find out more.

Sitting in a sunny corner at Bianca, Stephanie Chen has the no-nonsense chops of a mom with young kids and Sherry Mandell is passionate and enthusiastic, earrings swinging as she talks. Both of them finish each other’s sentences and seem in perfect sync. Apparently it all started when Zoe Nathan (of Huckleberry fame) came to Stephanie Chen to raise money for the ACLU.

“It was a time when the past administration was coming in,” Stephanie explains. “They were defunding a lot of organizations that were basically human rights. And everyone was feeling pretty helpless. So that was the kickoff to find a way to support local food communities and the

industry to do good beyond just their own world.”

“Zoe came to me too,” Sherry adds. “Because when you’re a pastry chef or a restaurant owner, that’s your world, and it’s hard to get out of that world. But, as a farmer at the farmer’s market, I have the luxury of getting to see all the chefs knowing how they’re doing, what they’re in to, and what’s important to them, and what’s happening in their worlds individually. And so I think, for Zoe, connecting those dots across this spectrum of restaurants and pastry chefs was kind of my role.”

The two work together brilliantly. Stephanie has a preternatural ability to organize big events without losing her cool, and Sherry has been instrumental in the Tehachapi Grain Project (www.tehachapigrainproject.org ), a movement that’s bringing heirloom, non-GMO grains to farmers and chefs all across the state. With Sherry’s work comes a vast network of goodwill among restaurant people and farmers because she literally gets them the specialized flour they need. Together Sherry and Stephanie are creating @EdibleLAMag

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that elusive thing in LA: a hub where like-minded makers and artisans and chefs can come together for change.

“Part of the beauty,” Stephanie says, “of having access to so many different bakers and makers is that, independently, we have these aspirations and homes and dreams, but we can only do a little bit on our own. But if we pull everyone together, it really is powerful.”

One past event was a cakewalk for reproductive rights.

“Sherry’s idea,” Steph says. “I’d never heard of it, but it’s very Southern. People make a cake and bring it to school or church or whatever and then buy a ticket, the music starts, and when it stops you’re on a number, they call a number, and you can win a whole cake.”

Sherry nods. “It’s musical chairs, but with cake. At our events, it’s not just that you’re feeding yourself, but you’re feeding your soul. You’re feeding your mind. You’re feeding your community with ideas and concepts. And you’re creating a culture that is sustainable on so many levels because we have farmers and pastry chefs, the industry and the community coming together to work on these very emotional and intense ideas. Especially when we’re talking about kids in cages and immigration and gay rights and mental health.”

When the pandemic struck, along with hate crimes and everything else getting worse, the whole restaurant industry visibly and viscerally suffered, a suffering which continues now. Sherry and Stephanie were determined to find a way to keep helping, even though no one could actually physically gather for good. Their solution? Taking Pies for Justice online. It was scary, and neither of them knew if it work.

“Four minutes in,” Sherry says. “My son said, ‘Mom, 24

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all the pies are sold,’ and he’s a tech person too. I called Steph at five minutes and said, ‘Did the website crash? Are we okay?’ And she said, ‘I think we sold out.’”

And it did, in three minutes flat.

So far And Gather for Good has supported Black Lives Matter, DACA, Planned Parenthood and the Environmental Defense Fund, among other causes, and raised a whopping $120,257. Stephanie and Sherry want to stay LA based for now, though they see possibilities in national events, some of which they’ve already done. They also offer DIY kits for anyone who wants to do their own sale.

“We get really enthusiastic community bakers, but you need to be certified,” Sherry says. “There’s certain codes and regulations to follow. So we give them access to flyers: if you want to host your own, here are the ways we can help.”

They also want to highlight the restaurants that are doing good things in the community, as well as the chefs doing pop-ups.

“Hopefully those chefs will open up a brick and mortar at some point,” Stephanie says. “And they’re really talented and trying to get by… I’ve never met a more selfless group of people than the ones who work in the food industry. You look at the slim margins of owning a restaurant and a bakery or a café, and there’s no room for anymore more than keeping your lights on. But Sherry will get on the phone and say, ‘Hey, we all need to unite to take a stand against systemic racism or senseless violence against Asians, all the things we care about, and every single time, people will say, ‘Yes, I’ll do it. I’ll find a way.” •

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edible explorer

THE ZING OF THE THING A deep dive into jerk chicken from a wild weekend in Jamaica.

BY LISA ALEXANDER

I

t didn’t seem to bother anyone that we couldn’t find the place. In fact, they might like it that way. There had been talk about a bigger sign, but it kept getting mysteriously put off. Of course that’s part of the charm of Kanopi House, a guesthouse in a jungle-y corner of Portland, a parish known for the most untouched nature in all of Jamaica, with place names like Goblin Hill, Fairy Hill, and Dragon Bay Road.

At Kanopi House the rooms are houses built sturdily on stilts in the rainforest. Lianas trail from towering 100 foot banyan trees. The jungle vibrates with cicadas, a noise like maracas. When the rain arrives, it’s like standing under a bucket, a sluicing that comes and goes, leaving bright shaky sunbeams through wet shimmering leaves.

Kanopi sits on the famous Blue Lagoon, very blue— just like the name—and striped with cold sea water and the rising heat of underground springs. Float on your back and 26

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turn your head to the right, and you can see the whole bay, lined with grand houses ornamented with the finials, fretwork and the jalousie windows of classic West Indian architecture.

Many of them are owned by Jamaicans and rented out for weddings and parties. Bob Marley songs drift across the water from the lit mansions at night. Directly across from the mouth of the bay is the wooded hump of Monkey Island, and the whole thing is ringed by a reef, the water inside calm and clear.

Portland was once known for the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Marlon Brando and Ursula Andress in Dr No, the Bond film, sporting a white bikini with a knife at her belt. The Flynn family, as in actor Errol Flynn, still own much of the land around here. After the booming banana trade went bust, Portland sank back into the quiet and

Treehouse at Kanopi House, Jamaica

Simples Tonics

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A sumptuous breakfast spread at Kanopi House, Jamaica

“Here, cinnamon comes in great strips of bark.

Pimiento wood flavors the meat. Allspice, bay leaf, Scotch bonnet chiles, nothing is powdered or processed—everything is right off the tree.”

lack of development it’s prized for today by both tourists and locals. Goats wander around freely in church yards. Farmer’s markets spill over with jackfruit, breadfruit and sour sap by the road. There are still beautiful beaches like Winnifred’s and Frenchman’s Cove.

Kanopi House was built as a family retreat by Brian and Jennifer Hew. As time went on, more and more family members wanted to come, and then friends, and then friends of friends, and pretty soon they opened it as a guesthouse.

The thrill of staying in treehouses is one thing, but it’s also worth swinging outside on your vine to explore the neighborhood. Each parish in Jamaica is famous for a specialty, and Portland happens to be the epicenter of jerk.

The epicenter of the epicenter is a place called Boston Jerk Centre, a narrow strip of seven smoke pits by the road.

Terri Jarret, the quietly confident chef at Kanopi 28

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House, has her own special version, and isn’t fazed when we tell her we’ll be checking

out famous Boston first.

“Be my guest,” she says. “You’ll like mine better though.”

It’s an island tradition, going towards the end of the afternoon after the pork and chicken has smoked all day over pimiento wood. The spicy hot jerk is handed to you in packets of foil with extra hot sauce and yams cooked in the coals. It’s easy to chill with your Red Stripe, listen to the resident DJ spinning tunes, and enjoy the delicious spicy chicken or pork.

If not at Boston, family members gather on Sundays for jerk. The recipes get handed down through the generations, just like with Indian curry or Southern barbecue.

When the time comes at Kanopi, all Terri will tell us is that she steams the chicken before she grills it, and she has her own spice mix, which she won’t give away—what self-respecting

edible explorer jerk-master would?—and, anyway, we won’t be able to recreate it in LA because, in Jamaica, all the spices are fresh.

She’s right, of course. Here, cinnamon comes in great strips of bark. Pimiento wood flavors the meat. Allspice, bay leaf, Scotch bonnet chiles, nothing is powdered or processed— everything is right off the tree.

“You can’t do better,” Terri says. “That’s the secret right there. We say it’s the zing.”

Terri’s jerk is exceptionally tender, as well as spicy and delicious along with rice and peas (more like our kidney beans), fried plantains, and a spicy slaw on the side.

At lunch we’re joined by Donna Anderson, quickwitted and elegant, as well as her daughter Krysta, a journalist for the well-known local newspaper, The Jamaica Gleaner, where she chronicles her relationships beat by juicy beat (Single and Iffy to Mingle) and has competed in dance hall as well.

We go out on a boat with them and Boxer, a former heavyweight champion and the caretaker at Kanopi House.

Motoring across to Monkey Island, we pass the partiers in their gorgeous white houses, then slip off the boat into the clear water. Below us are waving fields of sea grass as the current pushes us gently towards the beach. Clouds mass on the horizon. A couple of kids in kayaks pass. Donna laughs at something, and Krysta does too. Boxer joins in, full of pride showing us his gorgeous little corner of the world. It’s hard to ever want to leave.

If you’re up for adventure after being COVID-cooped up, Emily Lutz with Beyond Travel Company, a Travel Leaders agency (818) 624-1089, knows all things Caribbean and beyond, and can set you up at Como Parrot Cay or Kanopi House. •

Upper Deck treehouse at Kanopi House, Jamaica

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edible explorer

The Complexity of Simplicity Lavish minimalism in the Turks and Caicos

BY LISA ALEXANDER

W

hat strikes me first is the color. Aqua doesn’t quite cut it, or turquoise. It’s a more concentrated hue, and yet diaphanous at the same time, a light green-y blue rimmed by gray thunderclouds. Parrot Cay (pronounced key) in Turks and Caicos is subject to storms, but they’re the fast-moving kind, and it’s ringed by a world-famous reef. While outside is a channel of deeper, darker blue, inside is all calm and that unearthly green.

Legend has it that two female privates bivouacked on this island in the 1850s. Anne Bonny, red-haired and rapscallion, and fierce Mary Read, ended up here after being badly treated by husbands and men in general before joining up with the notorious Calico Jack Rackham.

On this scrubby scrap of land, they watched for Spanish and British galleons using the deep-water channel just beyond the reef, then signaled for Jack’s crew to go fetch. Anne and Mary were a quick study themselves with cutlasses and pistols, and Mary Read had a habit of ripping off her bodice to whichever poor sod she’d mortally wounded, crying, “See, Sir, you’ve been slain by a maid!”

All these years later, Como Shambhala Parrot Cay is lavish, luxurious, and completely lovely, and it’s where I was lucky enough to be put up to while writing this piece. At night, the Big 30 ediblela.com @EdibleLAMag

Dipper sparkles, the palm trees rustle in the light wind, and the sand is the texture of finely-milled flour studded with sunrise shells.

One of the many pearls of Christina Ong, a visionary hotelier who founded the Como Shambhala properties (eleven in all, including Bali and the Maldives), it epitomizes her mission: hospitality and simplicity, wellness, and unforgettable experiences.

Melissa Ong, Christina’s daughter, first brought the abandoned island to Christina’s attention when Melissa was diving off the reef. Christina immediately saw how she could develop the place into a community where nature mattered more than development.

Before long her friends, none other than Keith Richards, Christie Brinkley and Donna Karan, all wanted villas, and the whole place became a low-key but luxurious property where the famous could relax, recharge and, basically, disappear.

After twenty-three years, second generations come back now, bringing their kids, along with regular guests, and the focus is still on nature. Villas at the edge of the 1000-acre wildlands are still being sold. The hotel pools are peppered with families. The spa is world famous, a minimalist haven with therapists imported from Thailand and Bali. The standard rooms are in the original plantation buildings, white-washed and elegant, while the villas are lavish with four poster beds and plunge pools. Ours came with a butler, a

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edible explorer

Above: Cuban style beef skewers Below: Pumpkin and macadamia nut crust pizzetta.

Opposite: Whole roast sea bass with sweet and sour grapes. All photos courtesy of COMO Hotels & Resorts

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edible explorer

gentle Turkish young man named Ozan, who quickly made himself who has an idea—even the interns—I encourage them to come indispensable. A fearless golf-cart driver, he told of us of his love forward. We have these family meals where everyone says what they of roller coasters while skillfully maneuvering down the banana think, then we make the dishes, then we start taking things away. plantation paths. And then there’s the food, Como Shambhala How much can we remove and still keep the essence of the taste?”

Cuisine. While spa food has a reputation for being bland, here it

Many of the ingredients are local, a challenge on an island vibrates with Balinese, Thai, and even like this, and there are plans for a “I tried a lot of complicated things that fleet of dedicated fishermen and more Bhutanese influences.

For the past four years, didn’t really work, then gradually it all elaborate kitchen gardens as well.

Edwin Lau has been the Director of Over the next four days, we swim in Food and Beverage, managing the melted away, and now I have a philosophy. the ocean, read books, dine like kings, culinary team at Como Parrot Cay. and actually talk. On the boat crossing It’s simplicity in complexity.”

An unassuming and handsome young back to the airport, a long grey torpedo man, it doesn’t take long to realize he of a shape races behind us in the water has definite opinions and is every inch the part. After working in then settles beneath the bow as the captain slows. When the captain Michelin-starred kitchens in the Swiss Alps and Monaco, Edwin did picks up speed again, a twelve-foot dolphin leaps out of the water, a swing through molecular gastronomy at Casino de Madrid before inches away, and then again and again, jumping with something that arriving full circle back in Singapore to figure out his own food. looks a lot like joy. •

“I tried a lot of complicated things that didn’t really work, then gradually it all melted away, and now I have a philosophy. It’s simplicity in complexity. Everything needs to be simple, but to get simple, you need to go through complex first…For example, tonight, it’s steak night. It’s just a simple piece of steak. What goes into the steak, people don’t have to know… the complex part is the source, from which farm, how organic it is. Are they exclusive to us? Why are they exclusive? What water do we use? How hot is the water to cook? That’s all the complex part, but once you’ve reached the end user for eating, I don’t want them to know any of this. It’s a piece of meat. It’s a bowl of soup. That’s it.”

And what’s his kitchen culture like?

“Military,” he says, then laughs and adds that, “But anyone 34

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sip on this

SUMMER SMASH Local bartenders share their favorite ways to shake up summer fruits.

BY SHAUNA BURKE

During these warmer months, I find myself arriving home with an absolutely ridiculous amount of fruit from the farmers market and end up knee-deep in ripe summer berries, melons, peaches, sweet cherries, and all the good stuff. As summer days continue getting hotter, I’m looking for refreshing ways to use up any fruit that seems like it may be on the decline—and icy cold cocktails, with or without alcohol, are the best solution for me. I reached out to a few local bartenders for inspiration on incorporating fresh summer fruits into my drinks at home, and the below recipes are sure to keep me cool all summer long.

INSTRUCTIONS

FARMERS MARKET MORNINGS

To make the Honey Syrup: Combine honey and water (2 parts honey to 1 part water by volume) and blend well.

Stephanie Reading, bar manager at Birdie G’s in Santa Monica, offered this “pick your poison” libation brilliantly incorporating an array of local farmers market goodies, including muddled summer berries, citrus, ginger, and honey.

SOURBERRY

INGREDIENTS pinch fresh mint 3 blackberries 3 raspberries ½ oz fresh lemon juice ½ oz fresh lime juice ½ oz ginger syrup (recipe follows) ¼ oz honey syrup (recipe follows) 2 oz spirit of choice 2 oz soda water 36

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Place mint, berries, juices and syrups in a cocktail tin and muddle. Add spirit of your choice (gin, vodka, bourbon, rum, etc.), ice and shake shortly and softly to mix. Dump into a tulip or Collin’s glass, top with soda and garnish with a piece of candied ginger, berries and mint.

To make the Ginger Syrup: Combine fresh ginger juice and sugar (2 parts ginger to 2 parts sugar and 1 part water by weight) and blend well.

Margo Tyler, head bartender at Jar Restaurant, came up with a bright, citrusy summer cocktail recipe with simple ingredients that many people already have at home.

INGREDIENTS 2 oz Ketel One Citroen vodka 1/2 oz lemon juice 1/2 oz simple syrup 1 strawberry (large) Bakers sugar for the rim INSTRUCTIONS

Birdie G’s Farmers Market Mornings cocktail

Sourberry cocktail at Jar Restaurant.

Photo by Anne Fishbein

Gramophone cocktail at Death & Co.

Muddle the strawberry in a shaker. Add vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup, ice, and shake until you have ice crystals.

10g Art of Tea Egyptian Chamomile INSTRUCTIONS

Strain and serve up.

GRAMOPHONE This stunning libation by Tyson Buhler, national beverage director for Death & Co., utilizes Art of Tea’s Egyptian Chamomile—an LA-based artisanal tea company that sources the finest teas and botanicals from around the world and hand-blends their tea in Monterey Park just outside of DTLA. INGREDIENTS 1 oz Art of Tea Egyptian Chamomile infused PM Spirits VS Armagnac (recipe follows) 1 oz Tanqueray London Dry Gin 1/2 oz Pineapple Juice 1/2 oz Lemon Juice 1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup 1/4 oz Honey Syrup

Combine and let stand for 45 minutes. Strain through coffee filter or similar fine mesh into a bottle or lidded container.

LOVE IS LOVE For Pride month, Alejandro Utrera, bartender at La Paloma Cafe in Santa Barbara, created a cocktail dubbed Love is Love—a bright red, watermelony twist on a classic margarita, and perfect for sipping outside in scorching weather.

INGREDIENTS 2 oz tequila 1 1/2 oz fresh watermelon juice 1/2 oz lime juice 1/2 oz agave simple syrup Tajin, for rim pickled watermelon, for garnish INSTRUCTIONS

INSTRUCTIONS Shake all ingredients with ice until very cold. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.

Art of Tea Egyptian Chamomile infused PM Spirits VS Armagnac INGREDIENTS (makes 1 bottle): 1 750ml PM Spirits VS Armagnac 38

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Dip half of the glass rim into leftover lime or watermelon juice and then into the Tajin, then gently shake off any excess. Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a glass over fresh ice. Garnish with pickled watermelon rind. •

sip on this

Love is Love cocktail at La Paloma Cafe in Santa Barbara

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the last bite

A Summer Picnic Favorite From the COMO Shambhala Kitchen

BY SHAUNA BURKE

We took a much-needed trip to Turks and Caicos and had the pleasure of staying at a COMO Hotel property (see story by Lisa Alexander on page 32) and the spa cuisine is still serving as home-cooking inspiration even all these weeks later. While flipping through their cookbook, I found this gorgeous, quintessentially summer salad—satisfying, portable, and perfect for using up my farmers market haul.

Avocado and Sweetcorn Salad with Black Beans and Quinoa, Cumin and Oregano Vinaigrette

This recipe is one of the 147 recipes from our new cookbook, The Pleasures of Eating Well: Nourishing Favourites from the COMO Shambhala Kitchen (Clearview, 2016) SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS (For the vinaigrette) ½ clove garlic, sliced 1¼ teaspoons ground cumin 1 sprig oregano, leaves only, chopped Sea salt and cracked white pepper, to taste 60ml (¼ cup) raw red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons agave nectar 1 tablespoon lime juice 60ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil (For the salad) 1 cooked corn cob 1 green bell pepper (capsicum), seeded and diced 80g/3oz (½ cup) cooked quinoa ¼ small red onion, diced ½ small telegraph cucumber, cut in half lengthwise, seeded and sliced 90g/3oz (½ cup) cooked black beans 1 fresh long red chilli, thinly sliced into rounds 1 avocado, peeled and cut into wedges (To serve)

¼ butternut pumpkin, peeled and cut into curls on a turning slicer 7.5g/¼oz (½ cup) flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped 4g/⅛oz (¼ cup) coriander (cilantro) leaves, roughly chopped 40G/1½oz (½ cup) soaked hijiki seaweed or sea spaghetti 35g/1¼oz (1 cup) watercress leaves 4 tablespoons sunflower seeds INSTRUCTIONS To make the vinaigrette, place the garlic, cumin and oregano in a mortar and use the pestle to pound to a paste, seasoning with salt. Transfer the paste to a bowl and whisk in the vinegar, agave nectar and lime juice until combined. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, and season with a grind of white pepper.

To serve, remove the corn from the cob by cutting downwards to produce long shards. Place the green pepper, quinoa, onion, cucumber, black beans and chilli in a bowl and dress with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Toss gently to combine and leave to marinate for 5 to 10 minutes. Arrange the salad down the centre of 4 serving plates and top with corn shards and avocado wedges.

Place the butternut pumpkin, herbs, seaweed and watercress in a bowl and dress with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Toss gently to combine, arrange over the salad and finish with a good sprinkling of sunflower seeds. • @EdibleLAMag

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E AT. D R I N K . S H O P. L O C A L .

NO.3 | SPRING 2021 | MEMBER OF EDIBLE COMMUNITIES

Stay up to the minute on all things edible at: ediblecommunities.com

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Issue 45

Spring 2020 MARIN & WINE COUNTRY

Celebrating the harvest of Marin, Napa and Sonoma counties, season by season

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