I had to once again drop my car off at the service department for minor problems. Sigh, car problems. Never ending aren't they? However, on my chilly and dark walk home I stopped by La Brea Bakery to peruse and look for some goodies that I may fancy. I don't frequent the Bakery too much but I should really rethink that considering I can get a unique treat for myself everytime I go.
This time a jar of peppers caught my eye: Matiz Vasco Piparras. "Piparras are a traditional Basque pepper with a mild sweet flavor and a fine texture." I have a small fascination with the Basques and love peppers, so there was nothing to hold me back. I also got a 4 inch cacciatorini. They even sliced it for me into thin rounds while I waited browsing and noshing on a complimentary piece of their heavenly chocolate cupcake. Friendly customer service, definitely something to appreciate.
So I brought these jewels home for a little tasting. I drizzled a bit of good olive oil over the peppers and sprinkled a teenie pinch of kosher salt. I guess some fancy salt would have been better but I still haven't delved into them fancy stuffs. Yet. The peppers tasted like pepperoncini but sweeter and mellower, with a softer texture. It was delicious especially with the accompanying salami and chunks of the Bakery's Pain Rustic dipped in the olive oil mixed with some of the brine.
Here is a bit I found on cacciatorini...
A dry Italian salami, which generally consists of equal parts of pork and beef, however it can be produced with all pork meat. It is seasoned with black pepper, garlic, spices, dry white wine, and packed into a small natural casing measuring approximately 4 to 8 inches in length (10 to 18 cm) and 1 inch (3 to 4 cm) in diameter. It is then dry aged for one month or longer. When served, it is sliced thin for use in sandwiches, as an appetizer with cheese, or as a topping for foods.
Dry sausages such as Italian cacciatorini are commonly thought of as hunter style salami, since it is made as a small rustic salami to be carried in hunter's pockets and eaten as a lunch meal. This product may also be referred to as cacciatore, cacciatoro, or salame milanese. [Hormel.com]
La Brea Bakery
624 South La Brea Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323.939.6813
www.labreabakery.com
9 comments:
yoonifer, i thought you might be proud to see this.
http://eatingla.blogspot.com/2005/12/chowhounds-2005-ultimate-la-restaurant.html
look who's in the ranking. congrats on landing on a nice soft, patch of land.
thanks dylan! i have yet to goto some of those restaurants on the list but glad to see aoc, angelini, and lucques are on it. any of your favorites on there?
about the soft patch, i don't think i've landed anywhere yet. just free labor-- indefinitely. i really do hope my time spent there will sum up to something. right now i'm just there doing tid bits helping everyone out.
do you find the cia book handy? maybe i will get that too and practice on my own time.
i don't go out to eat too often just because i think i can do the same dishes myself. i like the challenge of trying to recreate a dish. it's hit or miss. i just checked out the AOC menu and it looks really good. beautiful restaurant. i'll try AOC first.
i work garde mangre, but i try to help out whoever needs stuff. usually meaning that i lug stockpots back n' forth and do excessive cleaning. it's ok that you're not getting paid b/c you can just put it down on your resume -- experience is golden. atleast you're not starting out at classy restaurants like sizzler or olive garden. just know that you skipped a huge part in the culinary industry and got into a nice restaurant. i've already gained a wealth of knowledge in my few weeks just by taking notes and asking questions, and reading at home. would you rather be giving free labor with or without a $35,000 school debt? know what i mean?
i love my CIA book (7th edition) b/c it's a textbook/cookbook. i got lucky and found it at Sam's Club last year for $45. so you might wanna check out Costco or Sam's club, you never know. it's the same book CIA students use, and is easier to follow than a college biology book. oh dude, you're in luck. it's $44 brand new on Amazon. You should also pickup Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential" -- it'll inspire you. there are a few other essential books that i've read about on this forum i'm on. It's a great site.
http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15537
angelini osteria is so delicious. simple italian food but cooked to perfection.
i am thankful that i got an intern position at aoc and it does feel good knowing that i am helping the kitchen out and they are always giving me a sincere thank you at the end of my night.
there are so many food/gastronomy books to get! i've done the amazon search and man, the list goes on. but i'll start with the cia and kitchen confidential. do you have larousse gastronomique? i need to get that too.
yes, there are tons of books. i think my amazon wishlist is around 20+ books and Larousse's Gastronomique is on there, along with Keller's "Bouchon" and "On Food and Cooking" by Harold McGee.
ok, i gave in real quick. i bought the professional chef and larousse. :D i am so weak. i will have to wait til after holidays to indulge in the others. i want the french laundry cookbook. do you know any good food history/gastronomy books you would recommend?
haha, i know, i'm about to hit the submit order button on Amazon. i think i want to get larousse and "on food and cooking" first. but then again, i also want that le creuset pot and more global/shun knives. i think you should check out gastronomique once you get it. buying books can be addicting but from what i'm reading on forums... most people have these 4 books:
(1) Professional Chef (CIA, esssential textbook)
(2) Larousse's Gastronomique (history)
(3) On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee (science)
(4) Jacques Pepin "La Technique" (cooking technique)
maybe those are all you'll need. what was your total for the CIA/Larousse book? did you get the Amazon combo deal?
including shipping was about 98. i went to surfas recently and i really had to restrain myself. so many things to buy! i want new knives, or my own should i say.
that's not a bad deal at all. start camping out by your mailbox now, oh the anticipation...
might have to go to surfas today to look for a pan to braise my osso buco. unfortunately i do not own a le creuset dutch oven. =(
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