Garagiste Festival Celebrates Explosion of Micro-Winery Movement in Paso Robles: November 11th and 12th

October 1, 2022 by evebushman

PASO ROBLES, CALIF. (PRWEB) – America’s Best Wine Festival[1], The Garagiste Wine Festival, returns to its home base of Paso Robles in SLO County for the 11th time to celebrate the continued expansion of the Garagistes, with over 200 wines poured by over 50 of the Central Coast’s most exciting micro-production artisan wineries. Festivities include Friday’s Rare and Reserve Tasting at the Pavilion on the Lake in trendy Atascadero, ‘The Many Sides of Syrah’ seminar, the Grand Tasting, and the festival’s signature Keep It Rockin’ After Party. Tickets are on sale here.

Taking place November 11th and 12th, the festival which, in 2011, helped kick off global awareness of the micro production winery movement, comes at a time when limited production winemakers are dominating the wine scene in the Central Coast. Home to one in five of the state’s wineries, the Central Coast boasts over 700 small production wineries, with San Luis Obispo County leading the pack, according to Wines Vines Analytics.[2]

In fact, Wines Vines Analytics reports that the number of very small and limited production wineries in the Central Coast has exploded, more than doubling (61%) to 753, since 2010, with the number of limited production wineries (under 1000 cases) having grown an astonishing 79%. The Garagiste Festival has showcased nearly 500 limited/very small production winemakers since 2011, the majority from the Central Coast.

SMALL / LIMITED PRODUCTION WINERY GROWTH ON THE CENTRAL COAST:
GROWTH – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 2010 – – – 2022 – – – %CHANGE
Ltd Production (<1,000) – – – – – 240 – – – – 430 – – – – 79%
Very Small (1,000 – 4,999) – – – 227 – – – – 323 – – – – 42%
Small (5,000 – 49,999) – – – – – – 154 – – – – 170 – – – – 10%
(Source: Wines Vines Analytics)

“It is no surprise that, today, Paso’s home county, SLO, leads the limited production wine scene. Back in 2011, its rich network of artisan winemakers, hand-crafting wine almost in obscurity, was the impetus for the founding of the Garagiste Festival,” said Doug Minnick, Garagiste Festival Co-founder. “We set out to shine a light on these fantastic artisan winemakers and connect them with others like ourselves who love discovering new wines and wineries. We’re proud to have played a part in helping these wineries – and this movement – grow significantly. Eleven festivals later, we are still introducing extraordinary new wineries and winemakers to a growing and appreciative audience of wine consumers.”

Dubbed “tasting nirvana,” “strange and wondrous,” and “one not to miss” by the LA Times, the Garagiste Festival showcases under-the-radar, innovative, commercial winemakers who handcraft 1500 cases or less of wine and is renowned for its diversity of wines, renegade spirit, passionate winemakers, handcrafted wines and rules-breaking, ‘no snobs allowed’ ethos.

This year, the festival’s signature tasting seminar, kicking off events on November 12th, revisits one of the most popular grapes among the festival’s garagiste winemakers, Syrah. Moderated by festival co-founder and winemaker, Stewart McLennan, “The Many Sides of Syrah: A Deep Dive into this Classic Grape” features tastings of different interpretations of the grape from panelists and winemakers Doug Minnick (Hoi Polloi Wines and Garagiste Festival co-founder), Steve Martell (Kaleidos Winery) and Bret Urness (Levo Wine).

“Long a favorite of Garagiste Festival winemakers, Syrah has been called the ‘winemakers grape’ because of the range of styles it can make, its ability to express terroir – as well as the winemaker’s personality – and, importantly, because of the excellent wines it can produce,” said Minnick. “It is such a signature grape of Paso Robles’s artisan winemakers, it is hard to believe that, before 1970, there were barely four acres of it planted in California. Today, it is at the heart of some of the greatest wines produced in Paso Robles, and we are excited to share three distinct explorations in our seminar.”

The Garagiste Festival is the only wine festival that exclusively features high quality wines from commercial California ‘garagiste’ winemakers and, unlike other festivals, the wines are poured by the winemakers/owners themselves, offering a rare opportunity to interact with the creative forces behind the wines, while making brand new wine discoveries.

Proceeds from the festivals support the Garagiste Festival Scholarship fund of the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo Wine and Viticulture Department.

The Paso Robles Garagiste Festival kicks off on Friday night, November 11th at 6:30 pm at the lovely Pavilion on the Lake in Atascadero, with a Rare & Reserve Tasting, featuring 50 special wines poured only at this event, as well as a wine country buffet.

Saturday’s festivities begin at 11:30am for VIP ticketholders with “The Many Sides of Syrah” seminar. Saturday’s main event, The Grand Tasting, starts at 2:00pm (1:00pm for early access ticket holders) and features over 50 winemakers pouring 200+ wines and 20+ grape varieties, as well as a silent auction benefitting The Garagiste Scholarship at CalPoly. Complimentary cheese and charcuterie will be available curated by Vivant Cheese, along with shopping from local artisan vendors The fun continues with the Keep It Rockin’ After Party from 5:30 – 8:30 pm, featuring live music and local brews. All of Saturday’s events take place at Paso Robles Event Center

Among the over 50 winemakers pouring at The Garagiste Festival in Paso Robles are:
ALLBAER Wines*, Alma Sol Winery, Ariana Wines, Autry Cellars, Bon Niche Cellars, Boutz Cellars*, Bushong Vintage Company, Caelesta Vineyards*, Cairjn Wine Cellars*, Caliza Winery, Concur Wines, Copia Vineyards, Crush Vineyard, Cutruzzola Vineyards, Demeter Family Cellars, Diablo Paso, Dracaena Wines, Dresser Winery*, Dubost Winery, Dusty Nabor Wines, Etnyre Wines, Familia Hicks, Hayseed & Housdon, Hoyt Family Vineyards, INNATE Wines*, Kaleidos Winery, Leverage Wines, Loma Seca Vineyards, Marin’s Vineyard, MCV Wines, MEA Wines, Montagne Russe, Nenow Family Wines, Optio Vineyards*, Purple Dragon Cellars, RF Fine Wines, S&J Cellars*, Sea Shell Cellars, Seven Angels Cellars, Seven Oxen Estate, Stilson Cellars*, The Farm Winery, Torch Cellars, TW Ferm Co., Ultima Tulie, Vines on the Marycrest, Volatus Winery, Zanoli Wines, Zobeto Wines*

*First Time Garagiste Participants

Tickets are very limited for the Garagiste Festivals and always sell out. Tickets are available here.

For breaking Garagiste Festival news and special discounts, sign-up for our free newsletter, The Dirt, at https://www.garagistefestival.com/garagiste-blog or follow us on Twitter (@GaragisteFest) or Facebook.

Sponsors include:
Vinebase, ETS, Travel Paso, Visit Atascadero, G3, Glenn Burdette, WIVI, Bank of Marin, Digital Dogma, Farm Credit West, Laffort, mWEBB Communications

The non-profit Garagiste Festivals benefit the Cal Poly SLO Wine and Viticulture program.
For sponsorship info, email info(at)garagistefestival.com.

For more information and full Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure schedule details, go to: https://www.garagistefestival.com/los-angeles-2022

About The Garagiste Wine Festival
The Garagiste (pronounced garage-east)Wine Festival (http://www.garagistefestival.com), named “Best of the Fests” for 2019 by Fest Forums and the ‘Best Wine Festival in the US in 2018 in USA Today’s 10Best Readers Choice Awards, is the first and only wine festival dedicated to the undiscovered and under-recognized American artisan ‘garagiste’ micro-wineries who are making some of the best, most exciting, handcrafted small-lot production wines in the world. Founded by fellow garagistes Stewart McLennan and Douglas Minnick, the Garagiste Festivals are committed to discovering the best and most innovative limited-production winemakers and promoting and showcasing them to a broad audience of discerning wine consumers. In addition to its flagship annual festival in Paso Robles, CA, the Garagiste Festival line-up includes Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure, featuring Santa Ynez Valley garagistes; the Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure, in Los Angeles; the Garagiste Festival, Northern Exposure, in Sonoma; winemaker dinners, a newsletter, garagiste profiles and more.

In addition to being named the US’ Best Wine Festival, the Garagiste Festival was named one of the ‘Top Nine Incredible Epicurean Vacations’ in the world by ABC News, “one of the premier wine events of the year,” by the LA Times and “Best Festival” by Sunset Magazine’s ‘Best of the West.’ The festivals are produced by Garagiste Events, a non-profit dedicated to furthering the education of future winemakers and those training for employment within the wine industry. Proceeds from the festivals support the Garagiste Festival Scholarship fund of the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo Wine and Viticulture Department.

Garagiste (garage-east) is a term originally used in the Bordeaux region of France to denigrate renegade small-lot wine makers, sometimes working in their “garages” (anything considered not a chateau), who refused to follow the “rules,” and is now a full-fledged movement responsible for making some of the best wine in the world. The Garagiste Festivals were the first to shine a light on the American garagiste winemaker in 2011.

[1] The Garagiste Wine Festival was named “Best of the Fests” for 2019 by Fest Forums and the ‘Best Wine Festival in the US in 2018 in USA Today’s 10Best Readers Choice Awards.
[2] Wines Vines Analytics, April 2022

Art Beyond The Glass 2022 Has Returned – Celebrating Their 10th Anniversary!

July 15, 2022 by evebushman

Another annual event we’ve missed is Art Beyond the Glass where local teams of bartenders show their talents, with the help of some amazing spirit sponsors, in LA’s only killer daytime cocktail party with live music, art and food! This year’s event was held at Catch One nightclub in Los Angeles, and who wouldn’t love to party in a nightclub in the daytime? Too much fun!

Art Beyond the Glass (ABTG) was founded in 2011 by Daniel Djang and Zahra Bates as a special event for bartenders to showcase their artistic talents when they’re not behind the bar. From cocktails to paintings, photography, live music, DJs, spoken word and more, ABTG is a celebration of bartender artistry inside and beyond the glass. Proceeds from every ABTG event are donated to a local arts-based nonprofit – to date, ABTG has donated more than $210,000 to these vital community organizations.

What We Discovered

If you just want the story in photos and videos go here. This is what we enjoyed the most: the bartender teams this year really outdid themselves, there was a foggy tent with even foggier-seeming bartenders from Empirical Spirits, the Fernet Branca people made several cocktails – I liked the Pink Negroni – and also cheerfully offered to water gun drinks directly down your gullet; the Drifter Cocktail Company/Drifter Spirits table was set up like an airport check in complete with a TSA agent, boarding passes and a computer to order your cocktail; SelvaRey Rum was poured through an ice sculpture filled with fruits, bottles and cans, before the drink landed in your ice filled glass; then the Birds and Bees booth, sponsored by Patron and Grey Goose, served Espresso Martinis to Vespers in mini Martini glasses, with lots of fruity concoctions in between.

Taking a break between drinks there was plenty of framed art and a silent auction to peruse, guests partaking in karaoke, and live bands in the multi-level venue. Also munched on fresh pizza, empanadas and street corn.

Going back to sample (or just look at) more drinks I enjoyed the bourbon and rye from San Francisco-based Bespoken Spirits; a popular “Jack Daniel’s Stage”; from the “Disco Sucks Forever” group I sampled their Fizzy Melon Disco Balls with Ford’s Gin at its base; the “Hymns” table had Bib and Tucker and Redemption whisky-based drinks served up by a priestly bartender; the Diplomatico Rum group made popular pineapple, passion fruit and coconut Mojitos; Johnnie Walker had their “high rye” blended scotch whiskey on hand; Chareau, an aloe-based liqueur, was very popular; Amaro Montenegro in Italian inspired light libations; the “Outta This World” table made a fine Makers 46 based cocktail and more; Mulholland Spirits served up a fruity snow cone with their whisky, vodka or gin at its base; I loved the Americano made with Noilly Prat Rouge Vermouth and Topo Chico – and a huge shout out to Topo Chico for supplying lots of icy cool mineral water to keep guests hydrated and drinks cool.

Officially Introducing El Granjero Cantina at The Original Farmers Market!

February 8, 2022 by evebushman

(Los Angeles, CA) – El Granjero Cantina is L.A.’s newest most colorful cantina featuring a top-notch culinary team delivering a delectably delicious fun and fresh take on authentic Mexican cuisine influenced by Southern California farmers market ingredients. With its lively, bright, and inviting indoor-outdoor seating and great patio for people watching, El Granjero (pronounced gran-heh-roh) Cantina is the perfect one-stop spot offering up Tacos, Dorados, Vegan Tacos, Salads, Bowls, Burritos, Quesadillas, Tequila, Mezcal, Top Shelf Margaritas, Sangria, Specialty Cocktails, Cerveza, Mocktails and much more for Los Angeles locals and pleasure travelers alike to all enjoy!

Photo Credit: Michael Brown

Located in the former Ulysses Village space on the Market Plaza at The Original Farmers Market, El Granjero Cantina originally opened in late June 2021 and is the brainchild of EGC Founder and Owner John Moshay who has a deep connection to the cultural traditions of Mexico. Moshay, also Co-Owner of Fritzi Coop inside The Original Farmers Market with Fritzi Coop Partner Chef | Owner Neal Frazer (Redbird | Vibiana), put together a dream team of young culinary talent starting with General Manager Grace Etchegoyen who spent time on the floor at Pizzeria Mozza, and was General Manager at Fritzi DTLA, PYT, and Redbird earning her hospitality stripes by first becoming Event Manager, then Assistant General Manager, and then General Manager while working alongside her celebrated father Chef | Owner Neal Fraser and stepmother, Co-Owner & Operator of Redbird | Vibiana Amy Knoll Fraser. Next, Moshay sought out Executive Chef Jenni Sklar (Lucques, Sqirl, Son of a Gun, and Whoa Nelly Catering) to create El Granjero Cantina’s modern Mexican menu and oversee the kitchen, and finally, Moshay reached out to Cocktail Consultant Tobin Shea (Bar Director, Redbird | Vibiana) to create El Granjero Cantina’s innovative agave-forward bar program.

Executive Chef Jenni Sklar’s ingredient driven menu embraces regional Mexican flavors using seasonal and fresh ingredients showcasing a selection of Antojitos (Snacks) including Guacamole, Fiesta Nachos, Papas Fritas and Pork Belly, and the Ensaladas (Salad) spotlight Chef Sklar’s signature Caesar Salad prepared with romaine lettuce, cured egg yolk, sunflower seeds, and breadcrumbs, or Kale Salad made with avocado, griddled cheese, house pickles, corn, and black bean salsa. The Oaxacan Quesadillas are house favorites featuring the HIBISCUS made with sauteed hibiscus flowers, onion, and cheese, or the Queso prepared with cheese, black bean puree, salsa negra, and escabeche relish served with lettuce. Chef Sklar’s Tacos do not disappoint and there are two for every guest to enjoy featuring a sublime selection including Avocado, Beef, Carnitas, Chicken or Crispy Fish. The Dorados (Golden Tacos) are lightly fried to perfection and offer up three delicious options, Chili Braised Beef & Cheese, Tomatillo Chicken & Cheese, and Soyrizo & Vegan Cheese. The Los Tazones (Bowls) include the California fresh Crispy Avocado Bowl prepared with chipotle aioli, marinated kale, corn, black bean salsa, and pickled red onions, along with a Chicken Bowl, Beef Bowl, Carnitas Bowl, Seared Fish Bowl, or Keto Bowl comprised of your choice of protein with cauliflower rice, griddled cheese, cabbage slaw, marinated kale, and crema. Chef Sklar’s Cheese and Chicken Enchiladas are a family favorite and her Carnitas and Chili Beef Burritos are packed with flavor. As, with any proper Mexican meal, Chef Sklar’s Acompanantes (Sides) are the perfect addition to each dish featuring fresh Avocado, Blistered Jalapeno, Cauliflower Rice, Corn Tortillas, Flour Tortillas, Guacamole, Black Beans, Black Bean Puree, and Herb Rice. “We make everything in-house from our pickles to our salsas, carnitas, and our tortillas,” states Sklar. El Granjero Cantina’s tortillas are extremely special as Sklar spent months looking for the perfect blend of fresh corn masa and maseca (dry corn flour) to create a unique texture that resembles a flour tortilla. Says Sklar, “Our Tortillas are soft, pliable, full of moisture and fantastic flavor. The density reminds me of a tamale and every tortilla is handmade to order every time.”

“I am constantly impressed with Jenni’s cooking as she knows the perfect way to balance every dish with acid, salt and texture,” states Etchegoyen. “She is excited by Mexican food, and it definitely shows. It was important to her to make everything from scratch, and I love the vegan items she created for our menu. She put extra time and attention into preparing them to make sure they were thought through, exciting and delicious.”

BAR: El Granjero Cantina’s bar program, created by Cocktail Consultant Tobin Shea, honors traditional agave-based spirits from Mexico with a specially curated list of Tequilas y Mezcal showcasing a special selection of Blanco Tequila, Reposado Tequila, Anejo Tequila, and Mezcal, while also featuring fun and frothy Frozen Margaritas, Cocktails on Tap, and collection of Classic Margaritas and Specialty Cocktails such as the EGC Old Fashioned comprised if reposado tequila, mezcal, Meletti Amaro, and orange, Lifesaver made with mezcal, Fiero, lime and pineapple syrup, and Rasp-Hib Cocktail prepared with guests choice of tequila, Italicus, hibiscus tea, lime and soda to name just a few. In addition, El Granjero Cantina also offers select Beer, Wine, house-made Sangria, and non-alcoholic beverages such as El Granjero Cantina’s handmade Horchata and freshly carbonated Agua Frescas.

“I am really proud that we squeeze fresh lime juice for all of our cocktails as this is something that is very important to us, and it really helps us produce the best quality beverages we can provide,” says Etchegoyen. “Tobin introduced us to the Spinzall which clarifies juice to give a perfect texture and color. We clarify our cucumber juice and raspberry hibiscus for our house-made Agua Frescas, and I am in awe of how Tobin took classic cocktails, the Old Fashioned and the Mai Tai, and he put a tequila twist on them. They are well balanced and it’s a fun way to lean into agave-based spirits. We truly have something for everyone – a red Sangria for easy drinking, a frozen strawberry margarita for those hot days on the patio, and the option to have your very own version of the perfect margarita with a choice of over 30 different tequilas, mezcal, and/or spicy tinctures.”

El Granjero Cantina was designed by Amy Knoll Fraser who wanted to take full advantage of the existing architecture of the space and exposed joist of the ceiling. Fraser drew inspiration from many trips to Mexico City and she wanted the space to feel like a lively bustling cantina where the energy from the street outside gives back to the restaurant inside, spilling into each other. She saw the space as casual, but cosmopolitan and created a subtle division between the two with tall folding panel doors and dangling light fixtures meant to evoke lightning bugs in a jar creating a warmth that immediately attracts guests into the space. Fraser created bold pops of color throughout the restaurant which inspired the stripes running down the back bar and interior side wall and the bold and bright mural on the outside walls based on a traditional Mexican Otomi embroidery with a nod to Matisse cut outs. The chair design was created by Hee Welling inspired by refrigerator racks, and all the woodwork throughout the space was thoughtfully designed in hickory by John Moshay’s son designer Ned Moshay making this project a full family affair.

El Granjero Cantina is open every Sunday through Thursday from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, and every Friday and Saturday from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm. El Granjero Cantina offers Happy Hour “All Day” every Monday and Tuesday, and every Wednesday through Friday from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. For more information about El Granjero Cantina at The Original Farmers Market or to make reservations, please call 323.879.9324 directly or visit www.CantinaLA.com.

Social Media: Follow El Granjero Cantina on Facebook @ElGranjeroCantina and Instagram @elgranjerocantina

El Granjero Cantina

The Original Farmers Market

6333 W. 3^rd Street, Stall 750

Los Angeles, CA 90036

T: 323.933.9211

www.CantinaLA.com

Hello World – Renaissance Glassware Launches a New Luxury Glassware Brand

September 30, 2021 by evebushman

Eve Reviews: MADE IN CALIFORNIA, The California-Born Burger Joints, Diners, Fast Food and Restaurants that Changed America

August 27, 2021 by evebushman

So excited when George Geary’s book, MADE IN CALIFORNIA: The California-Born Burger Joints, Diners, Fast Food and Restaurants that Changed America arrived in the mail! Why? Because back in 2016 I really enjoyed reading and reviewing his book, L.A.’s Legendary Restaurants, and knew I would learn some amazing history while being treated to archival photographs and restaurant secrets from this new volume!

An even more special treat, the new book came signed by the author! After the signed page I read the dedication on the next, “To my father George L. Geary, who taught me at the age of six to eat a Foster’s Freeze chocolate-dipped cone without messing my shirt.” Ah, don’t think I learned that one!

Now, let’s get into the book! This time I traveled down “Memory Lane” with inside glimpses of:

– See’s Candies: Learned that besides the free samples, they had been one of the first to start international delivery, and while in California where the brand began, one man took it upon himself to do deliveries too – via his motorcycle and in a chauffeur’s uniform. And yes, the famous chocolate shop Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance learned how to make chocolate at, for the infamous scene in an episode of I Love Lucy, was a See’s shop.

– Clifton’s Cafeteria: Before my single mom took us there for the “Turkey Dinner” during Thanksgiving it served many people during the depression for free, had a “pay what you can afford” plan and opened up a “Penny Cafeteria” as well. Later, during the 1940’s they set up a restaurant training school, and after 13 weeks found jobs for their students.

– Foster’s Freeze: The Hawthorne shop location was near where the Beach Boys lived and their song, “Fun, Fun, Fun” pays homage to them with the line, “She cruised through the hamburger stand now.” And I learned that nowadays there are 163 El Pollo Loco restaurants also offering their soft serve.

– Love’s Wood Pit Barbeque: No idea this old favorite haunt of mine on Ventura Blvd. had won a Gold Medal for their BBQ in the California State Fair, the BBQ beans recipe is still a secret held by the Love family, and that all of the locations have closed. If you want a taste of Love’s, Geary reports, try the internet.

– El Torito: Did you know that the name means Little Bull? I didn’t! The restaurant is credited for making the frozen Margarita popular, and buying more tequila to make them than any other restaurant – something else I didn’t know. Many stars visited the location in Toluca Lake, including John Wayne, Gregory Peck and Lana Turner. Glen Bell, of Taco Bell fame, was known to have watched over El Torito as he was planning his own large venture into Mexican dining. Mexican immigrants, counting for most of their staff, train for nine days before hitting the floor and were offered college courses – paid for by restaurant owner Larry Cano – to further their restaurant careers.

– Pup N’ Taco: One of the first fast food joints to offer diet sodas, grape and cherry slushes that were my favorite, along with prices a kid could afford for an afternoon snack in the 1970’s: my favorites, the Chili Dog and Taco, were .29 each! But by 1986 all but three of the locations were bought by Pepsi Co. and had been transformed into Taco Bells. And my favorites were off the menu.

– There are so many more California restaurants in the book that will take you on your own trip down Memory Lane, but I give you no more teasers! Get any more information that you may need below and get your own tasty copy!

Details From the Publisher
“George Geary’s Made in California takes you on a delightful journey down memory lane. It’s a must-read guide for anyone who loves history, food, and California’s culture of innovation. Fortunately, you can still visit many of these iconic locations, so plan your road trip now!”

— LINDA DISHMAN, president and CEO, Los Angeles Conservancy

Made in California Takes Readers on a Delightful Journey of the Restaurants and Diners That Became American Icons

Los Angeles, CA — A&W Root Beer. Foster’s Freeze. IHOP. Der Wienerschnitzel. See’s Candy. Jack in the Box. You name the American food icon, and chances are its roots are in California. But what are their origin stories? Who started the very first branch? Where were the original buildings? What made them famous? And for the few that are no longer around, or that have a smaller footprint than they had in their glory days, what happened to them?

Food historian and chef George Geary answers these questions and more as he takes readers on a sentimental journey of some of America’s most iconic foods in his new book, Made in California: The Burger Joints, Diners, Fast Food & Restaurants that Changed America.

Geary tells the remarkable stories of the early 20th-century food startups that captured America’s hearts and stomachs, from Bob’s Big Boy to McDonald’s, Winchell’s Donuts to In-N-Out, Peet’s Coffee to Taco Bell. Filled with over 200 historic and contemporary photos, Geary succinctly captures the stories of these essential businesses and structures before they are gone forever.

“In my earlier years as a food writer and professional, I would never have admitted to anyone that I actually eat at these establishments,” Geary says. “But after seeing Julia Child eat McDonald’s French fries in person and say that they were her favorite, and after hearing Anthony Bourdain claim that In-N-Out Burger was the best burger around, I knew that I, too, could come out of my kitchen and into the drive-thru. Now I get to celebrate these places in this book.”

Made in California covers such iconic food establishments such as:
–   Shakey’s Pizza Parlor
–   The Brown Derby
–   The International House of Pancakes (IHOP)
–   See’s Candies
–   Orange Julius
–   Marie Callender Pie Shop (Marie Callender’s)
–   The Blimp (Carl’s Jr.)
–   Hamburger Hamlet
–   Burt’s/Snowbird Ice Cream (Baskin-Robbins)
–   Van de Kamp’s Holland Dutch Bakery (Van de Kamp’s)
–   And many, many more

“In Made in California, George cranks back the time machine to reveal the local origins of foods known around the world, like the McDonald’s cheeseburger or the all-night menu at Denny’s, as well as classics like the Double Cream Lemon Pie at Marie Callender’s, which have remained only-in-California favorites. We find out how the International House of Pancakes went from one modest coffee shop in Burbank to serving up flapjacks from Guatemala to Kuwait.” Chris Nichols, senior editor at Los Angeles magazine.

“This delicious book serves up more than a feast of information—it’s food for the soul of anyone who is hungry for the back stories and glories of California’s classic cuisine, iconic kitchens, famous flavors, and tastiest landmarks.” Charles Phoenix, author of Addicted to Americana and Holiday Jubilee.

Forward by Chris Nichols, senior editor at Los Angeles magazine
Prospect Park Books/An Imprint of Turner Publishing
August 2021/Hardcover/$40.00
ISBN: 978-1-945551-91-8 / Ebook ISBN: 9781945551925

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
George Geary is an award-winning chef, best-selling author, and renowned educator. A former pastry chef for the Walt Disney Company, George is a Certified Culinary Professional, and was awarded as the Culinary Educator of the Year by the International Association of Culinary Professionals. He is perhaps best known for creating all the cheesecakes for The Golden Girls and other top-rated television programs.

George served as a casting judge for ABC’s The Taste with Anthony Bourdain, The American Baking Competition with Jeff Foxworthy, Hell’s Kitchen, Supermarket Superstar, and many other popular television food shows.

For over thirty years, Geary has been a culinary contest judge for such major food manufacturers as Canola Producers, Veg-All, Hormel Foods, the Hershey Company, Knott’s Berry Farm Foods, Ghirardelli Chocolate, Fleischmann’s Yeast, the San Diego Union Tribune, ABC News, and many more. From 1982 to 2010, George was the culinary coordinator of the Los Angeles County Fair. He was also a popular guest chef on board the Holland America Line’s ships, sailing to over 118 countries and every continent.

George is the author of L.A.’s Legendary Restaurants, Fair Foods: The Most Popular and Offbeat Recipes from America’s State & County Fairs, as well as eleven cookbooks including The Cheesecake Bible, The Complete Baking Cookbook, and 500 Best Sauces, Salad Dressings, Marinades & More. He is a frequent guest on national and local television and lives in the Greater Los Angeles area. For more information visit his website, www.GeorgeGeary.com.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Vintage Eve Circa 8/2018: What Did We Love the Most at Live and Dine LA?

February 16, 2021 by evebushman

Angeleno‘s annual Live & Dine LA event honors the city’s most distinguished chefs and restaurateurs that continue to shape and evolve L.A.’s culinary scene. Guests will be treated to exclusive culinary demonstrations prepared by award-winning chefs, which will be paired with delicious wines and artisanal cocktails. This evening of culinary indulgences and refreshing libations is sure to make for a memorable date night, with its luxury lounges and unique tasting experiences under the stars and the Fairmont’s iconic (and romantic) fig tree.

Count me in! The last time I covered an event at the Fairmont Miramar – on Wilshire Blvd. just a block from the beach – was a Union des Grands Crus (UGC) Bordeaux Tasting in one of the large convention rooms. This time, as promised, we were outdoors under their enormous fig tree. Being outdoors was fine with me, as long as it was away from the street that, if you’ve been reading the news, is littered with abandoned electric scooters, the latest “craze” that may be dismantled by the time this article runs.

But lets move on, sorry about that, my attention had definitely been happily taken over by all of the restaurants, wineries and spirit companies – no scooters needed. (Read on or skip to the photos here.)

The crowd of smart couples and singles meandered from one welcoming table to another. My favorites of the tables (I couldn’t do it all!) started with

Menhir Salento Winery represented by Gaetano Marangelli, where I tasted Italian wines from Puglia. Between the Pass-O white blend to the Primitivo – I was enchanted. I hope to go through a tasting of their complete line up soon!

From there I inhaled: the Crab Guacamole with shaved Truffle from The Nixon in Whittier, Garlic Crostini from HomeCooked, the incredible Burrata cheese from di Stefana, a refreshing Lillet-based (a white Bordeaux wine made with quinine and citrus) cocktail made simply with tonic, Chick Souvlaki from Cleo, Roasted Peppers from FIG, Provence’s Domaine de Cala Rose wine, Ocean Prime Watermelon Salad, looooved the Mongibello blood orange juice with Tito’s vodka, and Deviled Green Eggs and Ham from Boa Steakhouse stole the show until I had a Deviled Egg from Yardbird that was equally yum-worthy.

Moving to the other side of the fig tree my taste buds were further delighted with wheat-based Carbonadi Vodka from Italy, AN Catering Garlic Noodles, a carved tri-tip sandwich from Grand Food and Beverage, really tasty cocktails from Gratitude, and Viva Tequila 32 Reposado in my favorite cocktail of the day made with Grapefruit and lime juices, agave, orange bitters and Aperol!

Still not done I munched on a heavenly slice of Grilled Cheese with Summer Truffle from Salt in Marina Del Rey (well worth a short wait in line), killer Reposado cocktails from Gracias Madre in West Hollywood and more lovely Burrata from Mozza. Of final note guests really appreciated the two open lounge spaces that served delicious Brugal Rum from the Dominican Republic and chilly gin cocktails from Sipsmith.

Restaurants and Beverage Companies

Sponsors

Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows, Hornburg Jaguar Land Rover Santa Monica, CBS 2, KCAL 9, Italy-America Chamber of Commerce West, and nonprofit partner City of Hope.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 15k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.