He has been enthralling LA foodies for years, then he took his show on the road and charmed the rest of America via his television show Ludo Bites America, now Chef Ludo Lefebvre is tackling the tiniest of tastebuds via his new online series Ludo Baby Bites. more ›

So many cultures can tell their stories through their food, and for Los Angeles, the same can be said for a landmark like the Original Farmers Market. Not only does the historic meeting place for farmers, cooks, foodies, locals, visitors, and shoppers alike offer delicious fresh produce and tantalizing eats and sweets, it also is a vital part of our city's history. more ›

Why should drinkers have all the fun this holiday season? And poor designated drivers, sitting there with their sad little sodas and chewed-on straws. Fortunately this month, Natalie Bovis-Nelsen (aka the Liquid Muse) -- L.A. cocktail blogger extraordinaire and a certified mixologist -- has come out with her first cocktail book for -- wait for it -- pregnant women. But the thing is if you're not expecting, Preggatinis: Mixology for the Mom-To-Be ($16.95) with its 75 virgin cocktails is actually also a great recipe book when you want to whip up something for non-drinkers and designated drivers at your holiday parties. Hey, they should have something fun to drink, too. more ›

The LA Times Food section embarks on a perilous and ambitious project today: collecting 1,001 recipes featuring that porky product most commonly known as bacon (less commonly known as "Taste Explosion Happy Fat Yummy Time!" and "Vegetarians, Weep"). Why bacon? Well, apparently because "bacon works so well in so many dishes, from soups and salads to chili and stuffed pork chops". Uh, yeah guys: is a pig's pussy pork? Anyway, so far the list is only five items long, but includes such creative (if questionable) items as a Candied Bacon Martini (ew?) and a roasted potato salad (that's definitely more my steez). They're welcoming comments and suggestions from readers, so head on over and school those fools on how to add some dazzle to your dinner. more ›

Did you just remember that you promised to bring a "side dish" to Thanksgiving dinner? Don't even think about green bean casserole. People will snicker at you behind your back. I'm sorry, but it's true. I've witnessed it on more than one occasion. Even if you tell them you were being ironic. So here are a few ideas for side dishes that will save your reputation. Bring along a chilled bottle of champagne and you will really outshine that annoying cousin who is always sooooo perfect... more ›

Our generation was never quite as obsessed with kitchen gadgetry as our parents were. Most people never seem to venture beyond a blender and a George Foreman Grill. After all, Margaritas and paninis can get you through your 20s just fine. more ›

LA-based food writer Jeanne Kelley knows her way around a recipe (she develops them for Bon Appétit) and knows how to present food in its most glorious state (she's a food stylist) - so it should be no surprise that her just-out cookbook, Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatoes: Recipes from a Modern Kitchen Garden, perfectly combines these talents. more ›

Every once in awhile something is so surprisingly good that you never forget the first time you tried it. more ›

I was looking through the recipe box for ways to use up the old Christmas carcass, when I re-discovered a little gem from days gone by: 1969 to be exact. It's one of those tiny paperbacks that they used to sell, a Flash World Library For Modern Living publication called: bachelor's cook book (all lower case for style's sake). more ›

Welcome to a two-part review of the year’s best cookbooks. In part one, I’ll list five new books that inspired me in the kitchen in 2007…part 2 will include five rediscoveries that you might want to add to your shelf. more ›

It's a family tradition: every year on New Year's Day, we toast slices of panettone and drink mimosas. The warm, buttery, alcohol-infused bread is the perfect compliment to a nice, dry champagne and nothing says ring in the new year like a little more liquor (provided you've survived the night before.) more ›

OK, maybe this post is a little last-minute. But most of the grocery stores are open until noon today. There is still time. Christmas dinner is very similar to Thanksgiving dinner, but easier. Some people have an identical turkey dinner, perhaps with an added ham. more ›

Taste-Buzz will fill you with ramen cravings in this post on Asa Ramen in Gardena. Rameniac (noodle porn!) is also on the scene. More and more, it seems like the real culinary finds in this region are in the cities surrounding central L.A. Is Whole Foods (Whole Paycheck) a necessary evil for those seeking high-quality, low-impact organic food? Or is the company less interested in ethical consumption and more involved in "creating a retail... more ›

Earlier this week on LAist we passed on a treasured recipe for latkes, and two Hanukkahs ago we ran the closest thing to my late Grandpa (AKA "The Latke King")'s recipe. Latkes (potato pancakes) are a tasty and traditional food long associated with the holiday of Hanukkah, which rocks its halfway point at sundown tonight. But soaking up the oil that is at the core of the holiday isn't just something for members of the... more ›

Hanukkah is the one holiday of the year that celebrates oil. How could I not love it? Luckily for me, I grew up next-door to Mrs. Barton, an excellent cook and my "adoptive Jewish mother". Every year I remember her up to her elbows in the world's biggest Tupperware bowl, mixing up the potato pancakes. As a newlywed, I was terrified hosting my first dinner party. I went over to Mrs. Barton's house to... more ›

It's tamale season! Every year around this time, our family spends one Sunday wrapping tamales for Christmas Eve. It's easiest to make the meat the day before, then have the wrapping party the next day. This is not a solo project. Stock up on beer and make something easy, like chili, and invite all of your friends over. Call every Mexican restaurant/deli/store in your phone book and find one that sells the masa pre-prepared. Some... more ›

Mashed potatoes are one of then few dishes I can't live without on Thanksgiving. Luckily, it is super-easy. Just make someone else peel the potatoes. Peeling is an easy thing to do while watching TV, so recruit those football fans. You can also peel them Wednesday, and as long as you keep them covered with water, they will not discolor much. I don't do the green bean casserole thing. It's a love-it-or-hate-it dish. I... more ›

Recent studies from both Dutch and Norwegian researchers are confirming that consumption of omega 3 fatty acids, which are most often found in fish and nuts, may make you smarter (or at least help you utilize what you've got): People who reported eating on average at least a third of an ounce of fish per day -- 10 grams -- outscored those who skimped on fish, regardless of factors including age, education, and heart... more ›

The Los Angeles Michelin ratings are out! No three-star restaurants for LA, and many Angeleno foodies are already complaining about the non-starred status of places like Lucques, Grace, and JAR. They couldn't get Ackroyd? Meryl Streep will be playing Julia Child in the upcoming movie adaptation of the book "Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen." The sequel will be based on Carol Cooks Keller, hopefully. The kids over at... more ›

Those of you living meat-free, rejoice! October is World Vegetarian Awareness Month. Some vegetarians are doing it for the health reasons, some to support animal rights and live cruelty-free, and others to protest the increasing McDonald-ization of the world's food supply. The World Vegetarian Day website is offering a free trip to Vegetarian Summerfest for one lucky winner who contributes a story about what they are doing to celebrate their lifestyle choices this month.... more ›

Labor Day Related Accounts Payable Door to Door for Greenpeace 10 Tips to Get Ahead in the Business World Creating A Hostile Work Environment With Dirty Comics Slinging Sunglasses in Inglewood Graveyard Manager at Gorky's Russian Cafe Phone Scam Artist Street Spammers and Signwalkers High School Janitor Labor Day Recipes. Yum! First Film, Last Straw My Year Running Bootlegs Sex Why Dating/Hooking Up With Friends Isn't a Good Idea Media & Advertising Misadventures in... more ›

If you're like most Americans, you'll be on your way to a barbecue at some point this weekend. Of course you'll want to do the right thing and help out your host with the menu -- but who wants to slave over a blazing grill in this heat? Here are some super quick and delicious side dishes you can bring along as an offering to the hospitality gods -- that great crowd-pleaser, Potato Salad,... more ›

- Do you think Jamie Oliver is cute? We do. We also think he's a great cook. Check out this clip featuring his Lamb Curry Song. Curry looks great, the singing? Not so much. - EaterLA has worked itself into a frenzy over two new celeb chef restaurants: here's their first peeks into Craft LA and Osteria Mozza. So far Craft is winning the war of the reservation line. - Jonathan Gold loves The... more ›

Why aren't you barbecuing right now? What are you, a commie? Here are a few favorite barbecue recipes to help you celebrate our freedom from living under a regime that taxed the hell out of us! Freedom from a regime where the rich and politically connected were treated differently than the average citizen! Umm...here's to drinking beer with our friends instead of being at work! (BBQ Recipes after the jump!)... more ›

Throw-The-Kitchen-Sink-In-It Pizza: with Vodka Sauce, Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Garlic, Mozzarella, Pepperoni, Basil, Parmesan, Caramelized Onions, and Olives We've gotta admit, Mozza was great, but Lord knows we can't eat like red-headed Italian kings every day. In fact, even ordering pizza every night tends to add up: $20 per pizza per day for two people over one week? That's over $140, even if you eat the leftovers for breakfast! It's enough to make us want to...I... more ›

So I'm at the Cheesecake Factory in the Sherman Oaks Galleria one night - you know how that goes - and my dinner companion and I decide to order some appetizers, even though the Cheesecake Factory practices the most horrible crimes of unhealthily-large-portion-sizes ever committed upon humanity. I want something light to start, so I tell the waiter: "I'll have the bruschetta, please." "One order of the bru-SHET-a?" "Um, yes. And I want the... more ›

A rub is simply a mixture of herbs and spices that can be rubbed into the meat before grilling or smoking. The longer the rub is on, the more the flavors will permeate the meat. But it can also be put on at the very last minute. If you are cooking a large cut of meat for a long time, you may also want to baste the meat every hour or so. For a... more ›

Did any of you catch Bobby Flay's Throwdown the other night? It's the show where he goes to different cities across the world and challenges some legendary food purveyor that his version of whatever traditional city food they're making will win a blind taste test. Usually, he loses, cause I mean COME ON: can anybody really make a cheese steak better than a Philly native? What about fish n' chips from some grotty bar... more ›