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Come have a taste! Hollywood Bowl Previews their Food + Wine Menu for the 2023 Season

By Joe Winger — 2 years ago

Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine for the 2023 Season presented by Los Angeles Philharmonic Association

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association announces it’s menus for the 2023 Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine season.

Eighth year with award-winning chef Suzanne Goin and restaurateur Caroline Styne

Now into the eighth year with award-winning chef Suzanne Goin and restaurateur Caroline Styne, Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine promises exceptional dining for visitors to the iconic venue.

Goin and Styne’s culinary history has defined Los Angeles tastes since 1998 when they opened Lucques, their legendary first restaurant.

At the Hollywood Bowl, their California-inspired offerings include three restaurants and three marketplaces.

Additionally, menus for the Terrace and Garden Boxes, which can be ordered a day in advance, are created by four-time James Beard Foundation award-winner Suzanne Goin.

Vibrant Summer Dishes

Goin’s vibrant new summer dishes pair beautifully with the exceptional wine and beer programs curated by Caroline Styne, the James Beard Foundation’s 2018 Outstanding Restaurateur of the Year award recipient. Overseeing the broad range of dining options serving Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine’s thousands of nightly guests is Executive Chef Jeff Rogers.

Hollywood Bowl’s Wine Selection

This year Caroline Styne has expanded the retail wine selections in the three marketplaces, broadening the varieties and options for wine lovers visiting the Bowl.

In addition to increasing the selection of her popular canned wine offerings, she has also added a number of vegan and organic bottles, as well as a collection of natural wines from producers including Broc Cellars, Johan Vineyards, Lo-fi Wines, Angeleno Wine Company and more.

Returning for the 2023 season are the fan favorites Winemaker Wednesdays and Sunday Market Tastings – a 14-week program of complimentary wine tastings at the Plaza Marketplace with guest winemakers, importers and sommeliers hand-selected by Caroline to give the venue’s visitors an immersive and personal experience with her favorite people in the wine world.

Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine’s dining options

Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine’s many dining options include three sit-down restaurants, street-food kiosks, pre-ordered picnic boxes and a full-service dinner delivered to your box seat. For private events, Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine provides catering at several locations for groups both large and small.

Notable additions for the 2023 Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine portfolio include:

Suzanne’s Fried Chicken: This kiosk serves an all-inclusive bucket of chicken in two sizes, complete with sides of cornbread, coleslaw, house-made ranch dressing, honey and hot sauce
Bar West, with batched craft cocktails, made with soju and other wine-based liquors by A.O.C.’s head barman Ignacio Murillo
The Plaza’s new South LA Cafe, a thriving Black-owned, family-owned and community-owned and -focused company, operates daily 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and during performances
State-of-the-art customer self-checkout at Marketplace East, where guests can have their entire purchase of up to 12 items scanned at once
Food kiosks – fried chicken, tacos, pizzas/BBQ and Kitchen 22 – have ordering stations, or guests can order from the Hollywood Bowl app or posted QR code
Additions of smaller Sweet Shop and soft serve ice cream stations around the grounds to increase availability
New beer pads for grab-and-go beers with self-checkout
Comprehensive compostable food ware and greenware program used throughout all disposable food services

Highlights for the 2023 menus include:

Supper in Your Seats – Available by pre-order online until 6 p.m. the day before a performance, Supper in Your Seats offers curated three-course dinners or customized meals from à la carte selections delivered right to your box seats.

Menu Highlight: The Angeleno – summer fruit and arugula with Leonora goat cheese, jamon and candied pecans; a choice of soft polenta, wild mushrooms, Swiss chard, mascarpone and gremolata or slow-roasted salmon with farro tabbouleh, summer vegetables and cucumber yogurt; and dessert of crème fraîche cheesecake with stone fruit and blackberries.

Newly available Supper in Your Seats items for 2023 include:

chopped Greek salad: romaine, cucumber, tomato, black olives and feta
summer fruit and arugula with Leonora goat cheese, jamon and candied pecans
tortiglioni pasta with heirloom tomatoes, pancetta, parmigiano-reggiano and garlic breadcrumbs (can be prepared vegan)
diver scallops with saffron risotto, young spinach and Meyer lemon salsa
braised short ribs with shell bean ragoût, rapini and whole grain mustard

Ann’s Wine Bar by A.O.C. – Showcasing a wine list personally curated by Caroline Styne, Los Angeles’ favorite wine bar comes to life at the Hollywood Bowl with a wine-friendly menu of artisanal cheese and charcuterie, farmers plates, grilled flatbreads, market-fresh salads and A.O.C.-style fish and meats.

There are also craft brews and farmers market-driven cocktails made with soju and other wine-based liquors.

Newly available Ann’s Wine Bar by A.O.C. items for 2023 include:

grilled flatbread with summer squash, taleggio, sun-dried tomato pesto
apricots and pickled cherries with soft ricotta, jamon and coriander hazelnuts
cherry tomatoes with sweet peppers, stracciatella, basil pesto and torn croutons
quinoa dumplings with spiced tomato, sugar snaps, pea shoots and feta
cumin lamb chops with black beans, cucumber, roasted poblano, Urfa and pistachios
milk chocolate torta with rum caramel and coffee cream

the backyard – The al fresco dining area, adjacent to the amphitheater, is flanked by two large wood-burning grills and offers an updated seasonal market-driven menu of summer salads, an extensive raw bar and side dishes, in addition to the wood-grilled selection of fresh fish, seafood, organic chicken, chops and steaks.

Newly available items for the backyard in 2023 include:

hamachi tostada with avocado, cucumber, citrus and salsa macha
avocado bruschetta with cherry tomatoes, feta and piri piri
heirloom tomatoes with Jimmy Nardellos, butter beans, aloreña olives and paprika
whole sea bream with couscous, golden raisins, pistachios, kumquat and chermoula
grilled lobster with toasted cornbread, succotash salad and smoked tomato butter
chicken paillard with pecorino pudding, haricots verts, spring onions and mustard breadcrumbs

Picnic Boxes – All four of Suzanne Goin’s complete picnic boxes can be pre-ordered a day before a concert and picked up at the Plaza Marketplace or delivered to your box seats.

Menu Highlight: The Maple Drive – Grilled wagyu with arugula, cherry tomatoes and preserved lemon salsa; summer succotash salad; feta stone-fruit salad with beets, dandelion and hazelnut vinaigrette; 2 cheeses, pain aux fruits, nuts and dried fruit, fig jam; and crème fraîche cheesecake with stone fruit and blackberries

Kitchen 22 – Made-to-order beef and veggie burgers, Suzanne’s Spanish fried chicken, grilled Comté cheese on Larder sourdough and savory sandwiches anchor the Hollywood Bowl’s tribute to classic American fare.

Menu Highlight: Big and Juicy Burgers

Marketplaces – Three Marketplace locations – Plaza, East and West – specialize in “grab-and-go” salads, sandwiches, farmers’ market-driven main courses, charcuterie, cheese plates, desserts, and Magpies Softserve ice cream pies and sundaes.

Showcasing the best of Goin and Styne’s casual Larder café-marketplace, these Hollywood Bowl venues also feature a large selection of hand-picked wines, craft beers, sodas and waters, as well as salty and sweet snacks including cookies and brownies, candy, nuts and crackers.

Lucques at the Circle full-service dining experience for Pool Circle

Lucques at the Circle – This is a full-service dining experience for Pool Circle subscribers, showcasing a seasonal made-to-order menu and exceptional wine list styled from the award-winning cuisine of Lucques.

Menu Highlights:

ricotta gnocchi with chanterelles, sweet corn, spinach and sage brown butter
“three sisters” gazpacho: yellow tomato, avocado, pepitas and queso fresco
dandelion and radicchio with roasted wild plums, pecans and crumbled goat cheese
arugula and Weiser melons with cucumber, Urfa, lime and pistachios
grilled ribeye steak frites with arugula salad and smoked tomato butter
Spanish stuffed chicken, romanesco, pickled golden raisins and Marcona aioli
pistachio baklava Magpies: chocolate crust, almond pound cake and fudge

Authentic street foods and snacks

Street Food and Snacks – Authentic street foods can be found throughout the grounds of the Hollywood Bowl, including Suzanne’s fried chicken, tacos (including vegan), artisanal pizzas, pulled pork BBQ sandwiches, assorted sandwiches and beverages.

The Sweet Shop offers signature desserts, cookies and brownies, coffee and ice cream. Visitors will find L.A.’s Magpies Softserve’s ice cream pies and their mix-in ice creams, which include nondairy and vegan options.

Please visit Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine for more information about the food and wine experiences available at the Hollywood Bowl.

Hollywood Bowl has been the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since its official opening in 1922

One of the largest natural amphitheaters in the world, with a seating capacity of nearly 18,000, the Hollywood Bowl has been the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since its official opening in 1922 and plays host to the finest artists from all genres of music, offering something for everyone.

It remains one of the best deals anywhere in Los Angeles; to this day, $1 buys a seat at the top of the Bowl for many classical and jazz performances. In February 2023 the venue was named the Outdoor Concert Venue of the Year at the 34th Annual Pollstar Awards, an honor bestowed 15 previous times.

The Hollywood Bowl was also named Amphitheater of the Decade at the 32nd Annual Pollstar Awards as well as Top Amphitheater at the 2017 and 2018 Billboard Touring Awards.

For millions of music lovers across Southern California, the Hollywood Bowl is synonymous with summer. hollywoodbowl.com

Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine is presented by the Los Angeles Philharmonic in partnership with The Lucques Group and Sodexo Live!

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Broadway and Vine’s 2023 Concert Series: Brooke Shields, Sutton Foster, Darren Criss, Tituss Burgess and More Will Headline Broadway and Vine’s 2023 Concert Series

By Susan Schuler — 2 years ago

Brooke Shields, Sutton Foster, Darren Criss, Tituss Burgess and More Will Headline Broadway and Vine’s 2023 Concert Series In Napa Valley

Broadway and Vine, a nonprofit organization bringing the best of Broadway to the best of Wine Country, kicks off its summer season on Tuesday, June 27

with Emmy Award and SAG Award nominee Tituss Burgess (TV: “Schmigadoon,” “Unbreakable Kimmie Schmidt,” Broadway: Jersey Boys, Disney’s The Little Mermaid) at Tre Posti Vineyards in Napa Valley.

The vineyard concert series will continue throughout the summer with Golden Globe, SAG, and Emmy Award Winner Darren Criss (TV: “The Assassination of Gianni Versace,” Broadway: American Buffalo, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, How to Succeed in Business…) at Carneros Resort’s Hilltop Vineyard on July 28.

Tony Award-winning actress, singer, and dancer, Sutton Foster (“Younger,” The Music Man, Anything Goes, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Drowsy Chaperone) will appear on August 2 at a Napa Valley vineyard estate.

Actress, model, author, entrepreneur, and Broadway star, Brooke Shields (Wonderful Town, Chicago, Cabaret, Grease, The Addams Family) will appear on August 29 in an intimate concert at an exclusive vineyard estate.

On August 16, Erika Henningsen (TV: “Girls 5 Eva,” Broadway: Mean Girls, Les Misérables) will headline with special guest Kyle Selig (Broadway: Mean Girls, The Book of Mormon); and on September 26, Julian Ovenden (TV: “Downton Abbey,” Broadway/West End: South Pacific, Butley) will perform with Scott Frankel, both at Tre Posti.

World renowned Pianist and composer, Natalie Tenenbaum (Lang Lang’s Disney Songbook, David Byrne’s American Utopia, MJ: The Musical, Mean Girls) will be featured throughout the summer as this year’s emerging artist.

Broadway and Vine was founded and is produced by Tony Award nominee Jacob Langfelder (Sea Wall/A Life) with a mission to provide mentorship, masterclass and performance opportunities for students and pre-professional performing artists.

The concert series is paired with world class wineries and wines including Chateau Montelena, Gargiulo Family Vineyards, Frog’s Leap, PEJU, Lloyd Cellars, Arietta, Cervantes Family Vineyards, Titus, Prescription Vineyards and more. Chefs Peter Halikas, Nash Cognetti, and Jeffrey Jake will showcase their cuisine in the picturesque vineyard and resort settings. Tickets begin at $95 and are on sale now at www.broadwayandvine.org

● JUNE 27, 2023 7:00pm Tituss Burgess at Tre Posti
● JUNE 28, 2023 7:00pm Natalie Tenenbaum at Meadowood Resort
● JULY 28, 2023 7:30pm: Darren Criss at Carneros Resort
● AUGUST 2, 2023 7:30pm: Tony Award Winner Sutton Foster at a Napa Valley Vineyard Estate
● AUGUST 16, 2023 7:30pm: Erika Henningsen at Tre Posti
● AUGUST 17, 2023 5:00pm: A Taste of Broadway with Natalie Tenenbaum at Estate Yountville
● AUGUST 29, 2023 7:00pm: Brooke Shields at Napa Valley Vineyard Estate
● SEPTEMBER 26, 2023 6:30pm: Julian Ovenden with Scott Frankel at Tre Posti

Broadway and Vine was founded by Tony Award nominee Jacob Langfelder

Broadway and Vine was founded by Tony Award nominee Jacob Langfelder (Sea Wall/A Life), with a mission to provide mentorship, masterclass and performance opportunities for students and pre-professional performing artists. It launched in 2021 and has featured appearance by Golden Globe nominee Lea Michele, Tony Award winners Beth Leavel and Matt Doyle, Tony Award nominees Christopher Sieber, Tony Yazbeck, and Shoshana Bean, as well as Abby Mueller, Jelani Remy, Natalie Tenenbaum, and Taylor Iman Jones. Its Founder, Jacob Langfelder, is a former performer and Tony Award nominated producer who has also worked with acclaimed chefs including Tom Colicchio, Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Daniel Boulud. In Napa, he executive produced Festival Napa Valley, Taste of Napa, and has worked with dozens of wineries and resorts presenting luxury concert events.

Brooke Shields began her accomplished professional career…

Actress, Model, Author and Entrepreneur, Brooke Shields began her accomplished professional career at only eleven months of age when she was selected as the Ivory Snow Baby, and by age 3 was a runway model. At age 9, Shields began her extensive film career when she won her first acting role in Alice Sweet Alice and rapidly gained fame after starring in Louis Malle’s Pretty Baby, the Palme D’or Award winner at the Cannes Film Festival, and the coming-of-age tales Blue Lagoon and Endless Love. As a model, Brooke has graced the covers of hundreds of magazines, most notably Time Magazine as the “Face of the Eighties.” Today, Shields continues her prolific appearances in a broad range of worldwide publications, decades after it all began.

The two-part documentary Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields (which screened to critical acclaim at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival) premiered on Hulu in April. This galvanizing look at Brooke as an actor, model, and icon, as she transforms from sexualized young girl to a woman discovering her power, is directed by Lana Wilson (Miss Americana). Holding a mirror up to a society that objectifies women and girls, Brooke’s story shows the perils and triumphs of gaining agency in a hostile world. The documentary is now ABC News’ most-watched Hulu debut program ever.

Sutton Foster was most recently seen on the Broadway revival of The Music Man, opposite Hugh Jackman.

Tony Award-winning actress, singer, and dancer, Sutton Foster was most recently seen on the Broadway stage starring in an acclaimed turn as “Marian Paroo” in the Broadway revival of The Music Man, opposite Hugh Jackman at The Winter Garden Theatre. Her performance earned her seventh Tony award nomination as well as the coveted 2022 Drama League Distinguished Performance Award. In the summer of 2021, Sutton reprised one of her most notable roles as “Reno Sweeney” in Anything Goes at the Barbican Theatre in London in which she earned an Oliver Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. Her original performance in the Roundabout Theatre Company’s revival at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre earned her a 2011 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.

The two-time Tony winning actress starred as “The Baker’s Wife” in the Hollywood Bowl’s sold-out summer 2019 production of Into the Woods. Previously, she appeared in the title role of The New Group’s 50th anniversary revival of Sweet Charity and in Jeanine Tesori and Brian Crawley’s Tony-nominated Broadway revival, Violet. Sutton also appeared on stage as “Queenie” in New York City Center Encores! Off-Center’s production of The Wild Party in July 2015. Sutton’s performance as “Janet Van De Graaff” in Casey Nicholaw’s The Drowsy Chaperone at the Marquis Theatre in 2006 earned her Tony Award, Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle, and Ovation Award nominations.

On television, Sutton led the critically acclaimed TV Land series, “Younger” for seven seasons. Created by “Sex in the City’s” Darren Star and styled by the iconic Pat Field, the seventh and final season of series premiered in April 2021, making it the longest running original series in TV Land history. As a solo artist, Sutton has toured the country with her hit solo concert which featured songs from her debut solo CD Wish as well as her follow up CD, An Evening with Sutton Foster: Live at the Cafe Carlyle. She has also graced the stages of Carnegie Hall, Feinstein’s, Lincoln Center’s American Songbook series and many others. Sutton released her third solo album, Take Me to the World, through Ghostlight Deluxe, June 1, 2018.

Darren Criss exploded into the internet’s subculture

Darren Criss exploded into the internet’s subculture as both an actor and songwriter for the YouTube viral hit A Very Potter Musical in 2009. From there was cast on FOX’s massively successful musical series “Glee,” from which many of his performances of popular songs would lead to several Billboard-topping records. In 2015 his songwriting also landed an Emmy nomination for Best Original Music and Lyrics, from penning the song “This Time” for the show’s series finale.

Criss has continued to write and produce music extensively through the years, whether for his own releases as an artist or as a songwriter for theater, film & television. In 2019 Criss created, executive produced, starred in, and provided all the original songs for his short-form musical comedy series “Royalties,” and earlier this year provided the music & lyrics for the opening number of the 2022 Tony Awards: Act One. As an artist, he most recently delivered a genre-diverse collection of “character-driven” singles as part of his 2021 solo EP titled Masquerade(BMG), and in the same year, released a full-length Christmas album titled- aptly- A Very Darren Crissmas (Decca).

As an actor, Criss is a veteran of the stage whose Broadway credits include the titular role of Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2015), How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (2012), and the most recent 2022 revival of David Mamet’s seminal play American Buffalo alongside Laurence Fishburne and Sam Rockwell. In 2018 his work in Ryan Murphy’s “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” received wide critical acclaim, earning him a Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, and Critics’ Choice Award. He was most recently seen starring in Netflix’s hit series “Hollywood,” for which he also served as executive producer.”

Tituss Burgess has quickly emerged as one of the entertainment industry’s most versatile and dynamic performers

Tituss Burgess has quickly emerged as one of the entertainment industry’s most versatile and dynamic performers, with his work in television, film, and theater generating both critical and commercial acclaim. Tituss starred as ’Titus Andromedon’ in the hit Netflix comedy series “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (nominations for four consecutive Emmy Awards, a SAG Award, and two Critics’ Choice TV Awards). He reprised his role in the Netflix interactive special “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend” and was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting actor. Tituss can be seen in the second season of the Apple TV+ musical comedy “Schmigadoon!,” and recently starred in the MGM Aretha Franklin biopic, Respect. Previously, he starred in the Netflix films Set It Up and Dolemite Is My Name. An accomplished voice actor, Tituss currently stars in the animated musical comedy series “Central Park” for Apple TV+, for which he was nominated for his sixth Emmy Award. A veteran of the stage, Burgess made his Broadway debut as “Eddie” in Good Vibrations and has played “Hal Miller” in Jersey Boys, “Nicely-Nicely Johnson” in the 2009 revival of Guys and Dolls, and “Sebastian” inThe Little Mermaid.

Julian Ovenden has starred in many TV shows

Julian Ovenden has starred in many TV shows on both sides of the Atlantic, including “Downton Abbey,” “Foyle’s War,” “Person of Interest,” “Any Human Heart,” “Knightfall,” “Smash,” “The Crown,” The Sound of Music Live” and “Adult Material.” Recent screen work includes the second season of Armando Ianucci’s Avenue 5 for HBO, the global hit “Bridgerton” for Netflix and Shonda Rimes, and The People You Hate At The Wedding for Amazon. Julian has just begun to film the second season of “Trigger Point” for ITV and Jed Mercurio.

As a singer, Julian has headlined at some of the world’s great venues, including Lincoln Center; Carnegie Hall; Sydney Opera House; the Royal Opera House; the Concertgebouw; the Palladium; the Royal Albert Hall; the Royal Festival Hall. He has been a recording artist for both Warner Music and Universal; his latest recording work includes a Broadway Duets album with the American soprano Sierra Boggess and Carousel for John Wilson and the London Sinfonia.

Erika Henningsen is most known for originating the starring role of in the hit, Tony-nominated musical, Mean Girls.

Erika Henningsen is a Bay Area native and is most known for originating the starring role of Cady Heron in the hit, Tony-nominated musical, Mean Girls. She was reunited with Tina Fey when she went on to recur as “Young Gloria” on Peacock’s acclaimed series, “Girls5Eva.” Other theater credits include Fantine opposite Ramin Karimloo in the recent revival of Les Miserables. She originated the title role of Joy in the Broadway-bound musical adaptation, based on the life of Joy Managano, which premiered at the George Street Playhouse. Other roles: Nellie Forbush in South Pacific & Sophie in Mamma Mia! (PCLO), Nina in the Dear World opposite Tyne Daly. Her solo show, Raise Your Standards has played to sold out venues in New York City & San Francisco. Additional TV credits include CBS All Access’ “Blue Bloods,” HBO’s “That Damn Michael Che“ and Tracy Oliver’s original comedy, “Harlem,” for Amazon. She can be heard as the leading voice actor in A24’s upcoming musical animation series, “Hazbin Hotel.”

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LA Foodies Want to know: What does Plant-based Honey Pair Well With?

By Joe Winger — 2 years ago

LA Foodies want to know, what does Plant-based Honey Pair Well With?

You keep reading about plant-based honey. The environmental story, the nutrition. But how does it taste? What can you pair it with? Let’s find out in an exclusive interview with Mellody Food’s Darko Mandich.

Darko Mandich is a food entrepreneur in San Francisco. After spending almost a decade in the European honey industry as a business executive, Darko committed to reimagining the honey industry to become sustainable. Darko immigrated from Europe to California to launch Mellody, the world’s first plant-based honey brand. Darko is an advocate of saving the bees and wild pollinators.

Mellody Food’s Darko Mandich

Recently, I had a chance to talk with Darko.

You said you are a foodie. What are some incredible food pairings that you recommend with this honey?

When I like to talk about food, I always like to join food and beverage.

What does Plant-based Honey Pair Well With?

I’ll start with beverages first. I think this honey is perfect for mocktails and cocktails. It gives just enough of sweetness that someone is looking for in their alcoholic cocktail or non-alcoholic cocktail.

Will Plant-based Honey pair well With baklava

In terms of food, I would split it into savory and sweet. Sweet applications are my favorite, I just have a sweet tooth. My favorite dessert is Baklava because it comes from the part of the world where I come from. My wife, who’s a home chef, [used our honey to make] baklava and it was amazing.

We did an amazing collaboration with an upscale Italian plant-based restaurant in San Francisco Baia. They created this amazing, vegan panna cotta with our honey on top. It was culinary mastery developed by Chef Joshua Yap, who started working with Chef Matthew Kenny, who is also a well-known, plant-based chef.

Will plant-based honey pair well with a burger

In terms of savory applications, that opens a whole new world of opportunities. How we interact with stuff like pizza and honey, burgers and honey. Obviously honey and vinaigrette and olive oil, used as a dressing for salads, honey mustard, just name it.

What’s next for Mellody? What are the next steps out there for you?

Getting into as many restaurants as possible in this country. People are inquiring about the standalone product [separate from the speciality box] get it very soon at Eleven Madison Home.

Working on getting this product to as many people as possible, and just to invite everybody to participate in this mission of creating the sustainable future of honey.

I’m just excited about every tiny step in this journey until melody becomes the word for honey.

Eleven Madison Home’s The Specialty Tea and Honey Box featuring Mellody Honey

Is the honey currently available at Eleven Madison Home?

Yeah, the honey is currently available. The Specialty Tea and Honey Box launched for the Mother’s Day collection and Earth Month.

It’s a specially curated box of artisanal teas coming from different parts of the world with honey and also amazing, shortbread cookies. All plant-based, also made with our honey. That’s available right now

Sometime very soon a standalone jar [of honey] will also be available to Eleven Madison Home.

Eleven Madison Home’s The Specialty Tea and Honey Box featuring Mellody Honey

Tell us again what’s available, how to find it; and how to follow you and support you.

Yeah, follow us on Instagram and TikTok at MellodyFoods

In terms of purchasing, head to ElevenMadisonHome.com and you can purchase it there.

Saving the bees is learning more about them. Learning more about pollinators and you can do that on our social media.

And finally, if you’re equally passionate about bees and plants as we are, ask your favorite restaurant to reach out to us to offer Mellody in your favorite restaurant. It can be a vegan restaurant on non-vegan.

We are gonna work with all the restaurants that reach out to us where people ask to see our product offered, either on the menu, either within a meal, or just if you order a cup of tea and you want a side of Mellody.

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Manhattan NYC’s La Grande Boucherie Chef Maxime Kien Reveals His Inspiration

By Joe Winger — 2 years ago

Manhattan NYC’s La Grande Boucherie Chef Maxime Kien Reveals inspiration from Past Generations of Chefs

Chef Maxime Kien is the new Executive Chef of NYC’s The Group, responsible for La Grande Boucherie, Boucherie Union Square, Boucherie West Village, Petite Boucherie and more. And by the end of 2023, they’re launching even more restaurants throughout the United States..

But today’s conversation is about how the past has inspired Chef Maxime Kien’s work.

Chef Maxime Kien has over twenty years of fine dining experience but it all started as a young boy growing up in his family’s kitchens.

You grew up in kitchens. Your grandparents loved to cook and your father was a chef. How did these experiences inspire you?

Well, my Dad was a professional Chef in the South of France. In Monaco, all my grandparents, both my grandmothers and my grandfathers were great cooks. One of my great-grandfathers was a professional cook in Paris at an open air market that was very famous in the early 1900s. There was a very famous French brasserie opened over there and the story behind that is that the gentleman that opened that place wanted to have a place where all the chefs [that worked there] could meet because there was the open air market that was right next to it.

So you had a mix of late night partiers that would go out and party and wanted a place to be able to go eat and drink all night long. Now you had a place for that.

All the people that worked until late at night wanted a place where they could go and eat something before they went home. And Chefs that had to go to the market very early, at four o’clock in the morning to pick up that day’s poultry, rabbits, quails and all the fresh fish coming from Britain on a daily routine. They would do that at four o’clock in the morning and afterwards they needed a place to go for breakfast.

It was open 24 hours a day. It was always a mix of people from show business, like singers and actors.

You would have Mick Jagger sitting at the bar. Next to him would be a Chef. Next to the Chef would be a 14 year old boy having an omelet for breakfast with a glass of red wine at six o’clock in the morning. So it’s always been a mix of everything.

Unfortunately, my Dad passed away when I was really young. I was six. But I guess I was drawn to cooking and that lifestyle. It’s chaotic. When you’re working in a kitchen, you never know what time you’ll get done. It might be quiet and you get home at night by 10 o’clock.

If you start to get busy, you might not be done until two o’clock in the morning. So it’s a mix of adrenaline and being busy and it’s tough and it’s grueling and it’s rewarding and it’s a mix of everything

How did growing up in kitchens with your family inspire you to run your own kitchen?

Every chef is different. The way I run my kitchen is different from the way that other chefs I’ve worked with run theirs. It’s like a recipe. Everyone can interpret it differently. You take bits and pieces from a recipe to take the same dish and make it your own.

Someone’s management style is the same way. I’ve worked for some chefs who were very good at managing people, but in the kitchen they were not as great. And some of them were geniuses at creating dishes, but they were not the best at managing people. So you have to create your own style.

You graduated culinary school when you were very young. Would you still recommend school or encourage new chefs to learn hands-on in a kitchen?

The hard part about school versus hands-on is being able to understand exactly what [a new chef] is trying to achieve. Meaning that when I went to culinary school back in the 1980s, you wanted to graduate and get a diploma. After that, you wanted to be able to get your foot inside the door of a three Michelin star restaurant, a very famous place because you knew the chef was someone you were gonna be able to learn from.

And that [experience] was gonna take you to the next chef, that was gonna take you to the next chef, and so on. Because it’s a close-knit community, like a family. All the big chefs know each other. So when you’re ready to make your next move, the Chef [at your current kitchen] would come and ask, ‘Where do you want to go next?’ He’ll make a call and help you get that next job.

Now, unfortunately, the way some TV cooking shows happen, they give a vision of what it is to be a chef that is completely different from the truth.

So now you have cooks that go to very famous, very expensive culinary schools and they spend a huge amount of money to graduate. Then after two years of education, they expect to find a position of Executive Chef, making six figures and wearing Egyptian cotton jackets with their name on them.

But they don’t have the basics. They’re trying to run before they can walk. The biggest difference with my generation is, we went through all the processes, we didn’t try to rush the steps before you actually tried to be a chef.

You had to be a good line cook before you tried to become Chef de Partie and then [become] a good Chef de Partie before you become a Sous Chef, and then [become] a good Sous Chef, before you become an executive chef. So that’s the main difference.

Almost like an army style, you have to graduate through the ranks.

New chefs try to go too fast. Take your time. Find a chef you can learn from. New York is very lucky for that because you’ve got so many great chefs.

Daniel Boulud and all these great chefs brought the New York Culinary to the next level. Daniel Boulud has been here for 30 years now.

So go work for them, write everything down, taste everything, take pictures!

When I started, we didn’t have cell phones to take pictures, so it was whatever you could remember and whatever you could write down. Now we’ve reached a point where you can take a video of a chef doing a dish and afterwards you can write down notes.

I would say the biggest advice to the cooks right now: find a chef, find your niche, go work for him for two years, three years, four years. Write everything down, taste everything, ask questions, and then learn as much as you can.

Don’t think about being called “Chef” right away. Don’t think about making a ton of money. Learn as much as you can then, then after that, start to think about your next step. But take your time.

If you have the financial ability to be able to afford culinary school, do it, but it can be pricey. You don’t need to go to a very expensive, very famous one; but go to get some good basic training in a culinary school.

Then after that, go see a chef and say, “I just want to learn. I want to work for you. You’re the best in the business in your town.” It can be in New York. It can also be in Chicago or anywhere else. Just say, “I want to learn. I want to work for you.”

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SoCal’s Coffee and Margarita just got Upgraded! Jordan’s Skinny Mixes Reveals Tasty New Flavors in Exclusive ExpoWest 2023 Interview

By Joe Winger — 2 years ago

Yum! Jordan’s Skinny Mixes Reveals Tasty New Flavors in Exclusive Interview for ExpoWest 2023

Say yes if you love coffee. Say yes again if you love cocktails. Say yes a third time if you love ‘em, but wanna be healthier and save some money.

If you said yes to *any* of the above, you’re going to want to listen, because we just had twenty minutes with the woman who makes all those things happen for you.

This week at ExpoWest 2023 Jordan’s Skinny Mixes has a lot to share!

Jordan’s Skinny Mixes Margaritas

Their Naturally Sweetened line of margarita mixes is made with real lime juice and sweetened with agave and contains 75 % less sugar and calories than other leading brands. The four margarita mixes flavors are Classic, Peach, Spicy, and Strawberry Key Lime, and they do not contain any artificial sweeteners, flavors, or colors.

Jordan’s Skinny Mixes natural line of skinny syrups is available in 4 guilt-free flavors, including Vanilla Bean, Salted Caramel, Cinnamon Dolce, and Chocolate Mocha

Their natural line of skinny syrups is available in 4 guilt-free flavors, including Vanilla Bean, Salted Caramel, Cinnamon Dolce, and Chocolate Mocha, for your coffee, tea, protein shakes, baking, or just about anything.

Jordan’s Skinny Mixes was founded in 2009 by female entrepreneur Jordan Engelhardt. The beverage brand was created with the simple desire to enjoy a margarita that wasn’t loaded with sugar and empty calories. Now with over 100 products, this female-led team is on a mission to craft beverages that cut the sugar and keep the fun from coffee ‘til cocktails.

Skinny Mixes can now be found in over 13,000 specialty retail locations across the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe, including Target stores, Skinnymixes.com, and Amazon.

Jordan Engelhardt is an impressive person, so when I had the chance to meet up and have a conversation, it was an easy yes.

Just to give us some background, what were you up to before launching back in 2009?

Back in 2009 I was a recent college graduate working in real estate as an appraiser. I launched this product [Jordan’s Skinny Mixes] right when the recession was basically at its peak. It had just started and the market crashed pretty heavily in Florida where I was living at the time.

So I found myself without work, and this idea that I felt pretty strongly about.

What are some of the biggest changes you’ve navigated in the industry over those 10 years?

Oh, there’s been a lot. The world has evolved much more to natural products, which is why we’re here at Expo West as we just have launched our new natural line so this is pretty big for us.

Also, the customization of flavors over the years have just gotten more and more prevalent.

Millennials, and the population in general, really like the variety of flavors, and being able to customize everything. And then Covid really drove at-home consumption of coffee. So I think all of those trends over the last 10 years have really helped drive this company’s growth.

When Covid forced everyone to stay home, did that become a “lucky opportunity” for the business and boost at-home coffee drinking?

It was certainly fortunate in some ways, but in many other ways [not as much]. We were selling to many grocery accounts. We’re selling to a lot of specialty stores which had no choice but to close their doors. So we lost quite a bit of distribution during that time, but were able to make up for it online [with website e-commerce]. So [with market] penetration and trying to drive consumer growth, in that capacity, yes, it was fortunate. But it was also a little bit scary [for us], like many other businesses at the same time.

What is the biggest misconception in general about skinny mixes?

People don’t necessarily understand the versatility of our syrup and how you can not only use it for coffee, but you can use it for baking and protein shakes, and just anything.

Flavored syrups are great for iced teas. You can simply just add a dash to water and transform your water.

Once we got the samples this week, the amount of random things we’ve tried [the skinny mixes] with just to see how it’d go.

I love it! It’s part of the fun and part of the great relationship we have with our consumers. They

have so much fun experimenting and making these recipes, and then including us on that.

So [experimenting with the syrups on different foods] just became a benefit over the years. It’s certainly something we think about now.

We have this really amazing closed Facebook group that has really active members. It’s called “Skinny mixes. Share your recipe”. You can see the amount of creativity that our users come up with and then they share their recipes.

One person put it with sweet potatoes, they used it on egg sandwiches. Interesting wild things that you would never think about.

Can you share a little bit about the inspiration behind the line and how you develop the flavors?

Yes, of course. We have a great relationship with our consumers, and they asked for it. When they ask, we listen. We do a lot of innovation. We launch a lot of flavors.

So that’s where it came from and it’s really done. We’ve gotten into Target with this line. We take a lot of pride in listening to what our customers want, and this is what they wanted

What’s the development process like for these flavors?

We have several partnerships with different food labs and beverage labs. We start by verbally explaining to them what we’re looking for. We have a big panel at our company and we just do a lot of tasting. It often takes quite a bit of time because we take a lot of pride in making sure it tastes exactly what we were visualizing.

We can come up with anything from “Mermaid” to “Unicorn”. The different food labs across the country are amazing and they make it happen.

It’s a slow, methodical approach. Then we have a larger tasting panel and we keep going until we find just the right mix.

That’s incredible. What’s the timeline from concept to finished product?

It varies widely. It could take a couple of months or it could take over a year. Probably on average, about 4 to 6 months.

Do you ever try to create flavors and they don’t end up working out?

Oh, it happens all the time, especially in the beginning. We’re innovating constantly. Trends change fairly quickly. We’ve been fortunate with a robust website where we can test things quite easily and pivot.

Are there any teases as to what flavors might be next?

Well at the show we’re launching our naturally sweetened flavors. French vanilla, caramel, peppermint, mocha and pumpkin spice. Maybe some new seasonal offerings after that. We’re constantly innovating, constantly looking at new categories.

Switching over to coffee, what inspired you to launch coffee syrups?

12 years ago the company started with cocktail mixes. With the popularity of Starbucks and people going through the drive through and having what they thought was guilt-free drinks but was not necessarily guilt free.

They didn’t realize how many calories they are consuming with their Frappuccino or their latte.

It immediately seemed like another way to really help people not have such a sugar laden beverage every single day.

That’s why the coffee syrup was developed. Since cocktail mixes are so seasonal, coffee syrup is something that consumers consume daily. So it was a natural extension for the product line with the coffee syrup

You have some new coffee flavors launching as well

Listening to the trends and looking at the popularity of the most popular flavors just through our [tasting] panel. and you know, just having a great team that’s out and about, and looking at menus, and using some common sense, if you will, and reading up on trends, it’s then a 3 prong process.

You’re getting a lot of positive attention at ExpoWest. What in your opinion, makes for a successful trade show?

Taking the step to take the risk to be there and have your branding there; and be open to meeting consumers and buyers in the trade. We try to make it fun. So we serve cocktails, and we’re going to be serving espresso Martinis today. Yesterday we served Margaritas, and we had a speakeasy happy hour. It helps people really understand the brand, and come by and see us. I think that’s most important, really put your brand out there and your brand’s personality and just have fun with it.

Can you talk a little bit about the mission behind Jordan’s Skinny Mixes?

Our mission summarized is crafting beverages that cut the sugar and keep the fun for a healthier, more flavorful lifestyle and to make everyday moments simply sweeter.

What is your biggest call to action for the audience?

I’d love the consumers to experiment at home. I’d love for them to make their latte at home. Make that morning coffee at home. So many people will say it’s going to be a better experience.

Try our products. You’re going to save calories. You’re going to save time. You’re going to save money.

Shop Jordan’s Skinny Mixes products online and view recipes at https://www.skinnymixes.com/

Check out Jordan’s Skinny Mixes latest and greatest recipes by following on Instagram – @skinnymixes, Facebook- @skinnymixes, TikTok – TikTok , and Pinterest – @skinnymixes

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Mother’s Day in Los Angeles: AOC presents Brunch and Dinner at West Hollywood and Brentwood Locations

By Contributor — 2 years ago

Mother’s Day in Los Angeles: AOC presents Brunch and Dinner at West Hollywood and Brentwood Locations

A.O.C., Los Angeles’ ground-breaking small plates restaurant at the forefront of the city’s best dining since 2002, celebrates Mother’s Day, May 14, 2023, with its acclaimed brunch and dinner menus at both 3rd Street and Brentwood locations.

Spacious seating is offered on outdoor patios and indoor dining rooms.

Brunch features favorites of Dungeness Crab Omelette with Watercress, Basil Pistou, Burrata & Crème Fraîche; Shrimp and Buttermilk Biscuit with Celery Sofrito, Pea Tendrils & Shrimp Gravy; Spanish Fried Chicken & Cornmeal Waffle with Chile-Cumin Butter, Jamon Serrano & Maple Syrup;

Vanilla Bean French Toast with Harry’s Berries & Santa Barbara Pistachio Aillade; Stout-Braised Brisket Hash with Horseradish Cream, Poached Egg & Pickled Red Onion; Scrambled Egg Focaccia Sandwich with Hook’s Cheddar, Hill’s Bacon & Chive Crème Fraîche; Roast Turkey Focaccia Sandwich with Mozzarella, Green Harissa, Avocado & Castelvetranos; the A.O.C. Burger with Gruyère, Dijon, Caramelized Shallots and Crispy Onions, served with French Fries.

Don’t miss Suzanne’s indulgent Sticky Buns

Don’t miss Suzanne’s indulgent Sticky Buns with Munak Walnuts and some other special treats for the table, including Lemon Blueberry Oatmeal Streusel Muffin and Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Coffee Cake.

Three new tempting spring desserts by Pastry Chef Tristyne Frutos

There are three new tempting spring desserts by Pastry Chef Tristyne Frutos– Meyer Lemon Bar with Blackberry Compote, Almond Streusel and White Chocolate Ice Cream; Ode to the Samoa Cookie with Chocolate, Dulce De Leche & Coconut Sorbet; and Harry’s Berries & Cream Coupe with Strawberry Sorbet, Vanilla Ice Cream & Diplomat Cream.

Mother’s Day Dinner menu

For Mother’s Day Dinner menu, try the wood-oven focaccias of Bottarga, Red Onion, Cippolinis, Calabrian Chili & Meyer Lemon or Jamon, Sheep’s Milk Cheese, Cherry Tomatoes, Marconas & Salbitxada. Suzanne’s newest salads include Spring Greens with Broccoli Kibbeh, Avocado, Fava & Feta; Arugula with Blood Orange, Pickled Rhubarb & Fresh Ricotta; and Endive with Radishes, Meyer Lemon Cream & Oil-Cured Olives. Other dinner highlights for the season are Lobster & Kanpachi Ceviche with Cara Cara, Urfa & Pistachios; North Pacific Halibut with White Bean Brodo, Nettles, Black Olive & Artichoke Salsa; Prawns with Saffron Pasta, Fennel Sofrito, Spinach & Sourdough Crumbs; and Harissa-Spiced Lamb Chops with Fava Bean Purée, Cumin Yogurt & Pickled Carrots.

Enjoy an inspired selection of Caroline Styne’s curated wines and beers and expertly mixed market cocktails by Head Barman Ignacio Murillo, featuring spring drinks – Kingdom, with Suntory Toki Whiskey, House Strawberry Aperitivo, Rhubarb Bitters & Orange; Sugar Daddy with Gin, Lime Juice, Sugar Snap Pea Syrup & Kiwi Puree; The Fulton with Bourbon, Lemon Juice, Oat & Banana Syrup; Ruta Oaxaca with Mezcal, Tequila, Lime Juice, Pineapple & Opal Basil; Molcajete with Tequila, Lime Juice, Cilantro-Avocado Syrup, Orange Juice & Jalapeño Juice and the award-winning Green Goddess– Green Tea-Infused Vodka, Cucumber, Arugula, Jalapeño & Absinthe Rinse (also available as a mocktail).

Brunch is served from 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Dinner is offered from 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Reservations are available on OpenTable, and takeout can be ordered online at www.aocwinebar.com for pickup. Delivery is available from DoorDash.

LA Movie-Lovers: Chris Gore’s “Attack Of the Doc!” Premieres for you April 21

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LA Movie-Lovers: Chris Gore’s “Attack Of the Doc!” Premieres for you April 24

By Contributor — 2 years ago

Chris Gore’s “Attack Of the Doc!” Comes To Audiences Across North America Timed to G4TV’s 21st Anniversary

Prolific author, film critic, founder of Film Threat, regular on-air personality for G4TV’s “Attack of the Show,” and beloved comic con staple, Chris Gore makes his directorial debut with “Attack of the Doc!” “Attack of the Doc!” addresses all the questions left unanswered by the cancellation of G4TV and Attack of the Show!

The show’s hosts Olivia Munn and Kevin Pereira

Host Olivia Munn

Perfectly timed to the 21st anniversary of G4TV this year. G4TV’s Attack of the Show! was a birthplace for nerd culture on broadcast TV and where audiences watched the careers of the show’s hosts Olivia Munn and Kevin Pereira begin their ascent.

Host Kevin Pereira

“Attack of the Doc!” world premières April 21st

Oscar winner and filmmaking legend James Cameron appeared on the show

“Attack of the Doc!” will world première on April 21st offering Q&A’s with Goreat the Frida Cinema in Southern California, and will be available through Indie Rights for audiences across all TVOD/Digital platforms and Video On Demand throughout North America on April 24^th, 2023, which is the 21^st Anniversary of the launch of G4TV.

“Attack of the Doc!” writer, director, producer, and geek culture legend Chris Gore

“Attack of the Doc!” is written, directed & produced by Chris Gore, produced & edited by Bobby Schwartz, co-produced by Walter Areas, with additional co-editing by Anthony Ray Bench and Phillip H. Eubanks, and with an original score composed by Austin Smith.

This deep dive documentary features pop icons including Wil Wheaton, John Cena, Joel McHale, Peter Jackson, Kumail Nanjiani, Whitney Cummings, Danny Pudi, Eric Andre, Jerry Stiller, Joe Rogan, Jimmy Fallen, Kel Mitchell, Anne Meara, Stan Lee, Sara Jean Underwood, Carrie Keagan, Riley Steele, Tom Green, Anthony Daniels, Michael Winslow, Joey Kern, Joan Rivers, Chris Hardwick, Robert Kirkman, Greg Nicotero, Jessica Chobot, Tony Hawk, and Alison Haislip, among others as we search for the truth.

“Attack of the Show! was unique, way ahead of its time and was a milestone that had a huge impact on geek culture. Its core audience is one of the most coveted around the globe. I think viewers of the original show will be down for learning the history of the network and the show which helped usher in the age of nerd culture. Frankly, G4TV and Attack of the Show! are responsible for making it cool to be a nerd,” states Gore. “And at the end of the day, I hope the documentary entertains fans and reminds them of a time when a TV show could be dangerous and provide some laughs without fear of being canceled. Everyone who worked on the documentary is a super fan, so this movie was made by fans for fans.”

Attack of the Doc! Synopsis

Before the rise of big tech, social media and Marvel movies, Attack of the Show! chronicled nerd culture’s unlikely acceptance as mainstream. G4TV’s flagship show launched the careers of hosts Olivia Munn and Kevin Pereira and was beloved by fans – a unique celebration of geek culture before it was cool. Diving into colossal cream pies, wearing fat suits for comedy and putting internet servers where the sun don’t shine – anything could happen on an episode of Attack of the Show! It’s been years since the show went off the air and one question has lingered: what really happened to G4TV and Attack of the Show? Enter Attack Of The Doc! — the new film written and directed by Chris Gore, promises to answer one of pop culture’s longest running mysteries.

Tickets available here for the April 21^st premiere, and watch the trailer here.

Follow the documentary and its journey available on Video on Demand and TVOD/Digital platforms on April 24th, 2023, which is the 21^st Anniversary of the launch of G4TV.

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PacPal’s Qué Padre Introduces New Weekend Breakfast & Spicy Mimosa Bar

By Contributor — 2 years ago

PacPal’s Qué Padre Introduces New Weekend Breakfast & Spicy Mimosa Bar

Qué Padre is excited to introduce their new Weekend Breakfast and Spicy Mimosa Bar at Palisades Village.

Starting this Saturday, April 22nd, and continuing every Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, Qué Padre will be serving up Executive Chef Isaias Peña’s delicious new Weekend Breakfast Menu featuring Steak & Eggs Tacos, Soyrizo Tacos, Chilaquiles, and Churro French Toast.

Photography by Tonelson

Each item is also served with your choice of a Complimentary Cafe de Olla or Cold Brew, making for the perfect morning pick-me-up!

But that’s not all – Qué Padre is also introducing its new Spicy Mimosa Bar every Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm featuringTraditional Orange, Watermelon, Mango, and Guava Mimosas, and each drink comes with a spicy rim of Tajin and Chamoy adding an extra kick to your breakfast or lunch experience.

Photography by Tonelson

Whether you’re in the mood for a sweet and tangy Orange Mimosa or a refreshing Watermelon Mimosa with a spicy twist, Qué Padre has a perfect Mimosa just for you.

Qué Padre will be serving Weekend Breakfast every Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon and the Spicy Mimosa Bar will be open every Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Photography by Tonelson

For more information about Qué Padre or to make reservations, please call 310.461.8226 directly or visit www.QuePadreTacos.com. Walk-in guests are always welcome.

About Qué Padre, a modern Mexican restaurant

Qué Padre is a modern Mexican restaurant located in the heart of Pacific Palisades at Palisades Village. With a focus on modern Mexican cuisine made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients, Qué Padre has become a go-to destination for locals and visitors alike.

In addition to its popular lunch and dinner menus, Qué Padre now offers a delicious weekend breakfast and spicy mimosa bar every Saturday and Sunday.

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Having a Multi-Generational Passover Celebration? Wine Pro Etti Edri Shares Important Tips

By Joe Winger — 2 years ago

Having a Multi-Generational Passover Celebration? Wine Pro Etti Edri Shares Family-Friendly Tips

Today is a treat for people who observe Passover and wine-lovers who are curious to taste Israeli’s delicious (ands well-rated) new wine releases.

Etti Edri has over 15 years of wines experience and is the Export Manager for Carmel Winery.

So of course I come from Carmel. What’s important for me is to talk about Carmel Winery, that we are able to produce wines from a wide spectrum of wine.

When we sit together for Passover. There are younger people: 18 year old’s, 20 year olds, but it’s people we wanna bring in and invite to the wine world.

Because the wine world in Israel is just since the 1970’s, even though they used to produce wine thousands of years ago. After the Muslim era until the seventh century there was no wine at all. So when Rothchild came, he had to start everything from scratch.

So what he started, we actually sustained. And when we sit together at the table for Passover there are 18 year olds, 23 and 30 year olds, parents, grandparents. That’s a lot of different wine tastes. And we all know how wine involves your palette.

Personally, I mean, I started with semi-dry wines, and today I would go for the Volcano, which is the single vineyard one, you know, the geeky one that goes into oak and large oak. But how long it stayed, and how long it was fermented, and so forth.

As opposed to my 21 year old. She says, “Mom, give me something light and fun”.

So this is what’s so beautiful about Carmel is that you can give them the “Buzz” series, which is the sparkling, a flavored wine and it’s semi-sweet, and they love it. But yet, on the other hand, my father would like the brandy which we also produce. And, me, myself, would go for the high end one. So everybody around the table can enjoy their own glass of wine, and that’s miraculous in a country like ours, it’s an achievement.

Lets do a deeper dive on the wine.

Because I’m at the age of liking these geeky kinds of wines, I want to talk about Carmel Signature. Carmel Signature is all the premium wines under Carmel Winery’s label. It means that while we make regular table wines, you can also drink our Signature series and it has our signature on it, Carmel signature with a symbol of spies.

That symbol means it’s coming from the top vineyards in Israel. So it’s coming up from the Galilee. It’s coming from the Judean Hills. It’s always being picked from single vineyards that are growing up in the north, with really meticulous care.

When it comes into the winery, it’s separated in oak, and then after the fermentation, it’s blended together for a while until it creates a beautiful blend.

So two things I want to talk about, one is we are launching “Single vineyard”, which is a very famous among Kosher drinkers. They love it knowing it’s Single Vineyard from Carmel and they want to taste it because it’s been planted since 2010.

Also, we are launching something today that’s a bit higher. It’s called Volcano, because it comes from a special vineyard that was planted in 2010. Picked from their Cabernet Sauvignon, which Americans love.

So combine the Cabernet grapes, the single vineyard, the signature symbol, the immaculate vineyard work. Combing in all and eventually you get something that’s really really beautiful on the palate, very rich, but yet something you can age and drink 5 – 10 years from now.

Amazing, so tell me more about the Carmel Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2019. What meal would you pair with it for dinner?

When we are drinking such a rich and full wine, you would expect to have a matching experience with the food. So usually people would go for roasted meats, fatty meats because the wine is so rich in tannins.

I would actually go for the long-cooked lamb, because I’m Mediterranean, I’m Tunisian.

So I would put all these herbs inside, and yet these herbs would not damage the quality of the wine or the flavors it also pronounces. But long cooked. When you think about a bite of that alongside rice pilaf. You know what that is like? A mixture of the spices should match perfectly to that cabernet. The balance you would get is quite amazing.

Let’s move to a second wine.

What I want to talk about is a wine called Carmel Mediterranean. It’s also on the Carmel Signature which received 96 points by Decanter, which was a big thing for us.

The Americans that came here in 2000, when they tried it they were just blown away.

Mediterranean Carmel is a combination. It’s got Carignan, it’s got Petit Verdot. It’s got Petit Syrah. It’s got single vineyards, separated from all of Israel. It combined later on, after 8 months in oak together, as a blend.

When you taste it it feels like you are tasting some part of the Judean Hills climate, which is limestone and rocky, chalky. When you go out to the Northern Galilee, it’s just a bit wet there, there’s more rain there. So it would feel a lot more earthiness and herbiness into the wines, and combining that, together with also some of the northern shore, Carignan, which is a 100 year old vine. That just gives you a sensation on your palette that you can’t give up.

Then we say, Israel is in one bottle for Carmel Mediterranean and the Camel Signature.

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For Your Passover Seder Table, From the Holy Land of Israel, Carmel Winery Premiers Two New Outstanding Red Wines

By Joe Winger — 2 years ago

From the Holy Land of Israel to Your Passover Seder Table, Carmel Winery Premiers Two New Outstanding Red Wines from Its Premium Brand, Carmel Signature

Israel’s largest and leading winery, Carmel Winery, is expanding its premium wine brand – Carmel Signature with two new red varietals just in time for Passover.

The Carmel Signature fine wines were launched two years ago with great success as the luxury wine brand of Carmel Winery, and includes four series: Vats, Single Vineyards, and two iconic wines, Carmel Mediterranean and Limited Edition.

Carmel Winery Premiers Two New Outstanding Red Wines from Its Premium Brand, Carmel Signature

As part of their ongoing innovation, Carmel is expanding the Single Vineyard series with the introduction of two new wines produced from vineyards grown in volcanic soil. These two wines join the other exceptional wines offered in the Carmel Single Vineyard series.

The new Volcano series is comprised of fine wines from the best vineyards of the winery’s unique and rich terroir.

According to Etti Edri, Export Manager at Carmel Winery, “The Carmel brand introduces new selections of wines to its Signature series, along with a prestigious and up-to-date new look. These two new wines, a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Merlot, are both grown in an Upper Galilee vineyard rich in volcanic soil, hence the name Volcano. These are the wines worth waiting for, to celebrate memorable occasions and milestones. And, both are a perfect complement to the upcoming Passover holiday.”

Carmel Winery CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 MACHPEA HILL

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 MACHPEA HILL

Vintage 2019, Dry red wine, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. After gentle pressing and fermentation in stainless steel vats, the wine is aged in French oak barrels for 18 months and continued to mature in its bottle for another year. The wine’s subtle aromas include black and red fruit, cinnamon, vanilla, fresh red strawberry fruit flavors, tobacco, and mint. This premier wine is rich and full bodied, with soft and powerful tannins and a long and elegant finish. This wine will continue to mature over the coming years, and pairs well with dishes such as roasted lamb chops, roast beef, or smoked cheddar cheese. This vineyard is located in the northern Galilee, at an altitude of 915 meters (3,000ft) above sea level. This is a vineyard with an area of 30 dunams (7.4 acres), which was planted in 2014. (MSRP: $60)

Carmel Winery MERLOT 2019 EVYATAR CREEK

MERLOT 2019 EVYATAR CREEK

Vintage 2019, Dry red wine, 100% Merlot. This wine was aged in French oak barrels for 18 months and continued to mature in its bottle for another year. The wine’s complex and powerful aroma combines red and black fruits, black pepper, mint, and licorice, with a fresh and ripe taste. Characterized by a full to medium body, it presents balanced tannins on the palette, and has a long, slightly bitter and refreshing finish. This wine pairs well with dishes such as roasted lamb chops, roast beef or smoked cheddar cheese. The vineyard is located in the Upper Galilee. (MSPR: $60)

Yiftah Perets, Head Winemaker, Carmel Winery, says, “Carmel Signature draws on the long-standing traditions of Carmel Winery, a mix of old and new, including respect for the past while incorporating innovation and technology to produce the best possible wines from the best vineyards. The entire wine making process is overseen with preciseness from start to finish, from the selection of the vineyards, fermentation, and dedicated families of growers, to the wine’s bottling and aging.

The wines are produced in unique growing areas, reflecting the regional differentiation, and illustrate how growing regions perform in harmony with specific varieties adaptation, to produce some of the finest wines from the flagship Carmel Winery collection.”

Carmel’s new Signature wines, Merlot Evyatar Creek, and Cabernet Machphea Hill, were recently launched at the Kosher Food & Wine Experience in NYC, hosted by Royal Wine Corp.

For additional information visit the CARMEL WINERY website and Royal Wine Corp., the largest producer, importer and exporter of kosher wines.

Explore the best of Los Angeles with our featured section. Discover top-rated attractions, hidden gems, and insider tips on the latest trends in fashion, food, and entertainment.

Eighth year with award-winning chef Suzanne Goin and restaurateur Caroline Styne

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Newly available items for the backyard in 2023 include:

Lucques at the Circle full-service dining experience for Pool Circle

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Hollywood Bowl has been the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since its official opening in 1922

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Brooke Shields began her accomplished professional career…

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You said you are a foodie. What are some incredible food pairings that you recommend with this honey?

What’s next for Mellody? What are the next steps out there for you?

Is the honey currently available at Eleven Madison Home?

Tell us again what’s available, how to find it; and how to follow you and support you.

Don’t miss Suzanne’s indulgent Sticky Buns

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Mother’s Day Dinner menu

The show’s hosts Olivia Munn and Kevin Pereira

“Attack of the Doc!” world premières April 21st

Attack of the Doc! Synopsis

About Qué Padre, a modern Mexican restaurant

Lets do a deeper dive on the wine.

Let’s move to a second wine.

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