Food

How to make ponche and why it reminds me of the old country

An LAist correspondent's recipe for the simmered, holiday fruit punch from Mexico and Central America — and the meaning behind it.

An apple, prunes, a guava and other items in a ceramic bowl.

Call it pork roll or Taylor ham — either way, it's coming in burger form to LA

A Jersey breakfast icon lands in Hermosa Beach.

Close-up of the Jersey Burger on white parchment paper showing a Martin's potato bun topped with a fried egg with runny yolk, American cheese, and pork roll on smashed burger patties

12 sips of Christmas: holiday cocktails in LA

December can be a stressful time of year, but these specialty sips and festive teas will have you fa-la-la-la-la-ing in love with the season all over again.

A minature figure of Santa is wearing a red hat, a hula skirt and a lei around his chest.

The journey of chop suey, from Ming Dynasty to a once-fashionable Americanized dish

Before its fall from grace, chop suey was a holiday tradition for families who don't celebrate Christmas, even being immortalized in songs and film.

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Northeast LA's Hermon gets a new gathering place

The Northeast LA neighborhood has a new place to gather over dinner.

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A nighttime view of Hermon’s neon sign reading “Dinner & Cocktails” glowing against the dark exterior.

3 bartenders from a legendary LA speakeasy reunite for a cocktail classics pop-up

The Varnish is the site for a one-night only return ahead of Cole's planned closure at the end of this year.

Vintage brass cash register illuminated on dark bar top, surrounded by rows of empty cocktail glasses and backlit shelves of liquor bottles in dimly lit speakeasy setting

Raise a glass of Angelica, as LA’s oldest wine is resurrected

Following a recipe unearthed at Mission San Gabriel and using its grapes, local winemakers have recreated a wine made by 18th century Franciscan friars.

A hand holds a bottle of deep red Angelica wine with a white grapevine illustration on the label, photographed outdoors with Mission San Gabriel's historic grapevine arbor visible in the blurred background.

At $27 each, they might be LA’s most expensive tamales — but are they worth it?

A wave of high-end chefs are experimenting with the traditional tamales recipe, introducing premium ingredients and global influences.

A sauced tamal served in a shallow pool of rich red chile sauce, topped with fresh greens and sliced red onion.

Helms Bakery closes down again, just one year after being resurrected

Owner cites challenging operating environment for restaurants in Los Angeles as primary reason.

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From Taylor's to Dear John's: Angelenos are obsessed with old-school steakhouses

Eric Wareheim's new book is a love letter to wood-paneled rooms, veteran servers and America's enduring steakhouse obsession.

an old time looking dining room with red walls and tiffany lights; there are elegantly dressed people sitting at tables with white tablecloths.

Restaurants in El Sereno release a food passport to explore local eats

It's the brainchild of El Sereno's favorite punk rock taco spot, Evil Cooks.

How the turkey trotted its way onto our Thanksgiving tables — and into our lexicon

Much of the turkey's early history is shrouded in uncertainty, historians and etymologists say — which is particularly true of how the bird got its name.

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