Archive for the ‘gelato’ Tag
The month-long Los Angeles Times Food Bowl is over. I was there for a week and participated in three and a half (I’ll explain this) events. My clothes are still a little snug even though only one of the activites I attended did not involve eating. That was the Q&A session with cookbook author Nadine Levy Redzepi and LA Times dining critic Jonathan Gold.
She’s married to chef Rene Redzepi of Noma fame. Although she works with her husband at the Copenhagen restaurant, Nadine deserves her own spotlight thanks to her new cookbook, “Downtime.” The recipes, designed as easy-to-prepare, flavorful and for simple at-home dining, are what she serves family and friends.
Nadine’s intelligence, passion for food and humor shone during the hour-long discussion. Gold’s questions and demeanor were less impressive. Clearly he knows food, but his interviewing skills could use some work – along with his wardrobe.
Nadine’s interest in food developed well before meeting her husband. Her parents were buskers and when they had a particularly good day in earnings, the family celebrated by going out to a nice meal. “Food was an adventure for us,” she said. Her talk, and her cookbook, let the audience share in the fun.
Oh, that half event: gelato at Gelateria Uli which participated in the Food Bowl by offering different flavors suggestive of Los Angeles. It was horchata the day we stopped in, but I was too tempted by other flavors: white chocolate banana and peanut chocolate chip, for example.
Gelateria Uli
541 S. Spring St.
Los Angeles, Calif.
Carrying an umbrella in case of rain is almost a sure sign that it won’t be needed. Upon arriving in Barcelona we worried that the final weekend of our European vacation would be wet and dreary. For the first hour, it was. So, I unpacked the umbrella and the rain in Spain stayed mainly away.
Although, I’m sure we would have enjoyed the sites and food no matter what, the blue skies were an exclamation mark. We marveled at Barcelona’s beauty while also taking the opportunity to sample Catalan cuisine such as tapas, paella and other dishes that expanded our waistlines.
Tapas aren’t only only found in Spain, but that is certainly where they’re an art form. Following a walking tour of the Gothic quarter we wandered into a small tapas bar. Our server spoke wonderful English, which she said she was happy to practice.
We ordered jamon (paper thin slice of cured ham big on salty flavor), tomato bread, a cheese plate and potato balls. There is nothing like Spanish ham (jamon) and as much as I loved it, the potato balls were my favorite. Golf ball-size rounds of mashed potatoes were quickly fried creating a crusty, non-greasy exterior encasing creamy potatoes. Each had dollops of aioli. I could have eaten several platefuls.
My tapas-sized order of paella at another restaurant was uninspiring. The flavors were fine, but the abundance of shellfish made it difficult to eat. I suppose, in retrospect, that wasn’t a bad thing.
My favorite meal was grilled chicken and French fries topped with roasted pepitos. These mild, savory peppers were smoky. The crispy chicken skin, which I ordinarily would have discarded, provided contrast to the juicy meat.
We enjoyed pastries at breakfast and gelato for afternoon/evening snacks.
We did a lot of walking in Barcelona; we had to!
Beginning as a small outlet for seasonings, Garden of the Gods Gourmet has a long local history. It’s evolved as a local catering favorite and as a place to purchase upscale meals-to-go. Also, it has emerged as small, out-of-the-way lunch, and occasional dinner, spot. That latter point is precipitating an upcoming move to a larger, more visible location.
Sometime this fall, according to the market manager, it will relocate to the corner of U.S. Highway 24 and 26th Street. That will allow for longer business hours for the catering side and a bigger restaurant space. The new site should also include better ventilation.
Although it was a hot day on a recent visit, the limited shade in the patio area was far more comfortable than the stifling temperature inside. Fortunately, the soup of the day was a cold, refreshing roasted red pepper and corn which highlighted each ingredient. Along with a cup of soup, I had half of the Beef Banh Mi. Traditionally served with thinly-sliced pork, this roast beef version also featured pickled carrots, cucumbers, radishes and fresh cilantro on a baguette baked in-house. Because of the heat, and the inability to resist, we ordered the raspberry-lemon gelato. Neither flavor overwhelmed the other.
Garden of the Gods has successfully managed to remain a catering, epicurean market and restaurant with a cohesiveness that doesn’t make it feel like an establishment with multiple personalities. Its new locale is likely to better showcase its strengths.
Garden of the Gods Gourmet Café and Market
Four Plates
2528 W. Cucharras Ave.
Colorado Springs, Colo.
The Blue Page Special 