There's still time to get some shopping done for Hanukkah and Christmas and whatever else occasion is on the horizon, and if you have a food lover on your list and want to get them something "so L.A." we have put together a few gift ideas we think they would love. more ›

Teenagers in Ventura County have gotten their hands on hash candy bars, and are making themselves sick by eating them and handing them out to unsuspecting teachers. KTLA reports that one student ate a chocolate Hubby's Edible Bar, then collapsed and had to be taken to the hospital, and another student gave part of a bar to a teacher, who also became ill after eating it (thinking it was a regular candy bar). The bars are being sold, according to the Ventura County DA's office, around LA and Ventura. more ›

Caviar is synonymous with luxury and decadence and the name Petrossian evokes images of posh people eating copious amount of lavish caviar presentations while laughing about their private planes and yachting adventures. But then we walked into Petrossian in West Hollywood and realized that caviar is not always an untouchable indulgence. more ›

As soon as the Valentine's Candy went into the 50% off bin, the aisles of your local grocery and drug stores were stocked with colorful bags and boxes of egg and bunny shaped chocolates and candy, as has become the commercialized standard for the upcoming Easter holiday. more ›

Before you gas up the car and hit the I-5 to head to Knott's Berry Farm, we have to tell you up front that the Bacon Chocolate Funnel Cake was a one-time thing. But for super fans of the OC theme park who attended Sunday's West Coast Bash, the bacon chocolate funnel cake was a real treat to have, behold, and eat, explains the OC Register. Knott's asked via Twitter what kind of funnel cake the super fans wanted, and bacon with chocolate was the winner. One fan posed with his special treat, and posted the pic on Knott's Facebook fan page. How was it? "It was awesome!" more ›

Only three weeks old tonight, the Yamashiro Garden Market is a great opportunity to pick up produce and other locally-sourced edibles, nosh a little (hello, Bulgarini Gelato cart!), and take in a pretty staggering city view. We hit up this new market, which is run by the non-profit L.A. City Farm, last Thursday (before Daylight Savings Time, as the velvety black skies in our photos attest) and had the chance to talk to some of the vendors, and grub on the fusion tacos from Yamashiro's own market stand. more ›

Walking through the Farmers Market, we couldn't pass by Littlejohn's without spending some time watching the candy makers coat their world famous English toffee with milk chocolate and crushed almonds. Then we bought some to give to friends and family for holidays presents. At just $19.95 per pound, this treat is a bargain for some of the crunchy sweet goodness. more ›

Support local business without leaving your computer today thanks to a sale by one of our favorite chocolatiers. Compartes [Twitter] is running a "Chocolate Brown Friday" 24-hour online sale to celebrate the launch of their online shop. Their shopping site went live this morning, and today buyers can score 10% off everything by using the coupon code "ChocolateFriday." Compartes is a jewel of a chocolate shop in Brentwood that is gaining national attention (thanks to Oprah and People Magazine) for their phenom artisanal truffles and bars. If you're not ready to shop today, head over to their charming shop before the holidays to put together gift boxes for the sweet tooth on your list--or for you. We know those honey + peanut butter + sea salt truffles are damn good. Treat yourself; we won't judge. more ›

Friday evening Morton's in Burbank hosted a tasting of Piper-Heidsiek champagne and Vosges chocolates. The evening started with generous pourings of Piper Sonoma Brut and hearty appetizers including Smoked Salmon Wedges, Broiled Sea Scallops and Petite Filet Mignon Sandwiches. more ›

Okay, so at lunchtime one of the city's ever-growing fleet of mobile eateries may park outside your workplace, but for many of us we don't emerge from studio lot bungalows or Wilshire Blvd. high-rises midday--we have to go to where the lunch is. And while some of the trucks offer up sweet treats, they aren't always parked behind the main course. Tomorrow from Noon to 2, however, you can get your NomNom on right where some of the city's best chocolates come from. more ›

Brentwood chocolate boutique Compartes sells some amazing cocoa confections, and now they're adding coffee to the works. They tell us that they will "will serve coffee daily along with our handcrafted aritsan chocolates (specials for summer include passionfruit, wild strawberry, lychee and more), handmade sorbets and gelatos and a brand new thick european-stlye hot chocolate drink with a kick (that is served in shot glasses)." more ›

More than likely, it's been a while since you've seen a kung fu movie. There were the Jackie Chan years, the Crouching Tiger times, but those are largely gone, and true martial arts ass-kickery is for the most part missing from American cinema houses. Why is this? Has the general skill level gone down? Is Parkour, the French fast feet phenomenon, leg-sweeping the populace? Is that too many feet references in one sentence? The answer to all of these questions is: maybe. more ›

Next month's issue of Food & Wine magazine takes a look at chocolate, and just in time for Valentine's Day. Their pick of the ten best bites of chocolate in the country represents a wide variety of tastes and kinds, from the more low-rent, like Nestlé's 100 Grand Bar at #9, to the more refined and artisanal. Coming in at #4 is Los Angeles-based chocolatier Compartes with their Plantain Truffles. We think Food & Wine did well in picking Compartes, having nibbled on them back in the summer of 2007 at the Dessert Decadence event. If you plan on picking up some sweets for your sweet to celebrate V-Day next month, you might want to skip See's (or the supermarket) and head to a local chocolatier like Compartes or some of those LAist sampled not too long ago at the Luxury Chocolate Salon, and support local small businesses while indulging a sweet tooth. more ›

Next week's election presents a tough choice for some, although others have known for sometime which option is more suited to their taste. Here the dilemma gets a sweeter treatment, in the form of McCain/Palin and Obama/Biden chocolates for your choosing, as caught by LAist Featured Photos contributor C-Monster. These confection candidates were found in Laguna Niguel at Downey's Chocolates--we don't know which one is more delicious, but we did get to sample their nonpartisan--but artisan--chocolates a few weeks ago at the Luxury Chocolate Salon. more ›

Or just sit back and watch. The Nike-hosted event will be happening tonight at The Montalban. Every Sunday night this venue will house a different sport. This week, the L.A. Dodgeball Society is helping out by bringing back the classic game of 4-square. Look out for wild costumes and that giant rubber ball. more ›

Sunday brings the 2nd annual TasteTV Luxury Chocolate Salon to Los Angeles, and chocoholics and the sweet-toothed can score discounted advanced tickets until 6 p.m. today online to the indulgent event. more ›

After a successful visit last year, TasteTV's Luxury Chocolate Salon is returning to the area next weekend. If you are a fan of chocolate, it's your chance to taste and experience the finest in artisan, gourmet, and premium chocolate in our great culinary metropolis. more ›

It was a lovely evening of bookish folks gathered about to celebrate books and to kick-off the LA Times Festival of Books which begins today and runs through tomorrow afternoon. The awards ceremony for the Book Prizes was short and sweet, the acceptance speeches were both funny and poignant and the after-party had a full chocolate buffet, complete with ice sculptures. What more could you ask for? more ›

It'sNational Chocolate Week. It's always chocolate week for me, because I eat it daily. I take offense with the term "chocoholic" because it sounds like a problem. Chocolate is good for you! It's not an obsession that needs to be cured. Well, obsession - yes. Cure? No. Case in point: Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels, which are only seasonal. That is tragic, because they are one of the greatest edible delights in the world. I'm not talking caramels that have a bit of salt in them, aka fleur de sel caramels - they're a horse of another color. The dark chocolate ones have sea salt sprinkled on them and that irresistible sweet and salty combination - mixed with the alternating velvety texture of caramel and the crunch of chocolate and bite of salt - are a PMSing woman's dream come true. Chocolate pretzels sadly fall far behind. more ›

This banana bread recipe is so good. more ›

I am a peanut butter freak. And my Mom knows it. No matter how old I get (and I’m waaaay past the age of consent), she makes my favorite cookies – Peanut Butter Kisses – when I come home for Christmas. Typically, I’ll be sleepwalking through the door straight from a redeye from LAX to the east coast with nothing but the sofa is calling my name. But there’s always a stack of PB Kisses on the counter that need a little loving before I can sleep. Who am I to disappoint my mother? (Don’t answer that.) more ›

One of the highlights of holidays past for me has always been getting to taste some of the the delicious chocolate goodies that seem to appear everywhere this time of year. So the idea of checking out and tasting some of our city's finest chocolate makes absolute sense, which is where next weekend's Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon comes handily into play. The event, which is presented by TasteTV, will include speakers and demos, as... more ›

1. family and friends who love me even when I forget to return their calls, don't call often enough, get indecisive or irrational, or move 3,000 miles away 2. Blonde on Blonde and Blood on the Tracks by Bob Dylan 3. the big piles of raked leaves at my parent's house in Boston when I got here for Thanksgiving 4. the open road and anyone who will drive into it with me 5. cheese... more ›

Last Sunday night, whilst many Angelenos were trying to make complete sentences out of what was left between all the bleeps heard during the MTV Movie Awards, I was down by the beach at the Loews Hotel in Santa Monica, checking out an event called "Dessert Decadence." Billed as a sunset poolside minglefest, the event featured neither a sunset (too overcast and ran from 5-8, just a bit too early) nor a poolside (we... more ›

Have a food-fanatic on your shopping list? May we suggest some local sources for fabulous gifts, both big and small. LAist will help you Eat It, Use It, Learn It, and Read It with our food-focused installment of the Holiday Gift Guide. Some of these items will last for just a few precious bites, and some will let your lucky recipient get their own hands dirty. Since the clock is ticking, you'd best high-tail... more ›

This week’s pick: Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy Triple Chocolate Fudge Chip When you first crack the lid of 15.5 ounces of fine Betty Crocker culinary delight, you expect an aromatic blast of chocolaty goodness. That won’t happen, because there’s a foil seal. Once you overcome that pesky obstacle, you will be greeted by a dark and decadent looking substance that beckons your spoon. As you take that first exquisite bite all you can... more ›