Edible LA | No 8

edibleLA WINTER 2019

Issue No. 8

Sharing the Story of Local Food, Season by Season

the

drinks issue COCKTAILS & LEGENDS | EVERYDAY POTIONS | A WINTER JULEP Member of Edible Communities

YO U S H O U L D N ’ T B E T H E ON LY O NE EAT I N G H EALT HY

Real food. For your dog. Delivered.

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IN THIS ISSUE

16

34

EDITOR’S LETTER p. 4

features 17

CONTRIBUTORS p. 6

departments

EVERYDAY POTIONS

Exploring how locals incorporate modern-day potions into their daily routines.

BY LISA ALEXANDER

19



9

WHAT’S IN SEASON NOW

11

READING CORNER

34

Invite the summertime staple into this chilly season, with a fresh sprig of bright mint.

BY SHAUNA BURKE

SIP ON THIS

Local bartenders share cocktail recipes using ingredients from our own Golden State.

A WINTER JULEP

BY KRISTINE BOCCHINO

37

LOCAL HEROES

How a spirited partnership is making our city a better place, one burrito at a time.

BY LISA ALEXANDER

16

40

HEAD TO EDIBLELA.COM FOR THIS BONUS COCKTAIL RECIPE: THE BONAL SHANDY

Learn about our city’s tamale history.

BY MAITE GOMEZ-REJÓN

42

20

THE FOOD HISTORIAN LAST BITE

Meet Nell Stephenson, a local bone broth maker, and get her recipe for holiday pumpkin soup.

BY LISA ALEXANDER

editor's note

NO. 8

WINTER 2019 PUBLISHER Pulp & Branch LLC

SIPPING ON WINTER

It’s hard not to talk about the devastating Woolsey Fire since our offices are right in the heart of Malibu. We felt so relieved to see our homes and office still standing after what seemed like an eternity under mandatory evacuation orders in November. Sadly, so many friends returned to piles of rubble, shattered memories, and have been forced to start over. This has been a trying time for our communities and it just reminds me how resilient we can all be when faced with life’s toughest challenges. It made me want to celebrate — even more — our state, our city, and all the people who feed and nourish us.

I loved putting this issue together simply because I had the pleasure of reading about some brave and creative local entrepreneurs — many of them women. As you might expect in a “drinks” issue, one story celebrates the city’s historic cocktail culture as Maite Gomez-Rejón takes us on a little journey through the ages. Not just in LA, but in so many cities we seem obsessed with the trends and the new thing on the block, but reading through this issue celebrates both trends and classics in a way that really made me want to start my day with an adaptogenic smoothie and end it with a vodka martini at Musso & Frank in Hollywood. We also rounded up cocktail recipes from local bartenders which all showcase California-made spirits or other ingredients.

Wishing you a beautiful winter full of good sips and great company.

With love,

Shauna Shauna Burke Editor in Chief

EDITOR IN CHIEF Shauna Burke CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lisa Alexander Kristine Bocchino Shauna Burke Ryan Caveywoolpert Linda Civitello Maite Gomez-Rejon

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our contributors Our contributors share their

BEST BEVERAGE EXPERIENCES IN LA! Share your thoughts with us on Instagram @EdibleLAMag #FeastOnLA and we’ll repost our favorites!

"Since Jonathan Gold said G&B Coffee’s macadamia nut milk chai was the best in LA, I’ve been on the hunt for my own personal favorite,” says contributing writer LISA

ALEXANDER (Everyday Potations, p.22) . “It has to be at Culver City’s

Destroyer Cafe. Deliciously spicy and not too sweet, their chai also comes in the most beautiful blue cup I’ve ever seen.”

“Every single time I go to Here’s Looking at You in Koreatown I not only have an amazing meal but a sensational beverage experience,” says contributing writer MAITE

GOMEZ-REJON (Cocktails & Legends, p. 28). “I’m partial to

Photo ©istockphoto/kajakiki

tequila and their mezcal/sotol/tequila concoctions are always perfectly balanced and perfectly delicious. If you need me, I’ll be in Ktown tasting their latest.”

"I love the mango lassi at Chandni in Santa Monica,” says contributing writer

LINDA CIVITELLO (visit ediblela. com for her latest food history column). “It’s like a milkshake but

more tangy and not as thick, because it’s made from mangoes, yogurt, and milk. A lassi is lovely with any of the allyou-can eat vegetarian buffet lunches but especially nice at a weekend brunch.”

“I’m really into the date shake at Moon Juice in West Hollywood right now,” says our editor and contributing writer

SHAUNA BURKE (Invite the Julep Into Winter, p.40). “It’s alkaline water,

dates, activated almonds, almond butter, maca, cold brew coffee, pink salt, and cardamom. They call it ‘endocrine energy with a coffee kick’ and it definitely serves as a pick-me-up any time of day, especially when I have a long drive back to the westside!”

“I randomly stumbled upon Smith & Tait Coffee Bar in West Hollywood one day and fell in love with their secret menu,” says contributing writer

RYAN CAVEYWOOLPERT (visit ediblela.com for his latest recipe).

“The black sesame latte was my first experience there and is now on the permanent menu — a drink I truly crave, filled with rich flavor and an intoxicating aroma.”

“My current go-to cocktail is by Mitch Ono at Accomplice Bar,” says contributing writer KRISTINE BOCCHINO (Sip on This, p. 33).

“It’s a combination of Thai basil rum, Aperol, apricot Brandy, pineapple juice, and more. It may sound a little overwhelming, but the flavors play well together and the Swizzle technique is right on trend, though Mitch is never concerned with that. Garnished with toasted almonds, chili threads, and pineapple, it’s as gorgeous as it is tasty.

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SOME OF THIS SEASON'S

MOST DELICIOUS READS

THE NEW RULES OF COFFEE A MODERN GUIDE FOR EVERYONE Jordan Michelman & Zachary Carlsen (Ten Speed Press) A great introduction to coffee by the founders and editors of Sprudge. Divided into three sections (At Home, At the Cafe, and Around the World), this covers the basics of brewing and storage, cafe etiquette, and essential information about coffee production.

THE SOMMELIER’S ATLAS OF TASTE A FIELD GUIDE TO THE GREAT WINES OF EUROPE Rajat Parr and Jordan Mackay (Ten Speed Press) The first definitive reference book to describe, region-by-region, how the great wines of Europe are supposed to taste. This could become the goto guide for aspiring sommeliers, aficionados who want to improve their blind tasting skills, or anyone looking for a straightforward and visceral way to understand and describe wine. From Chablis and Champagne to Barolo and Bordeaux, this book helps to explain the wines of the world.

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OLIVES MARINÉES (recipe on page 16)

APÉRITIF COCKTAIL HOUR THE FRENCH WAY Rebekah Peppler (Clarkson Potter) Apéritif is about kicking off the night, rousing the appetite, and doing so with the carefree spirit of connection and conviviality. Find simple yet stylish recipes for both classic and modern French apéritif-style cocktails, along with French-inspired bites and hors d’oeuvres, like the marinated olives shared here.

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DINNER FOR EVERYONE 100 ICONIC DISHES MADE 3 WAYS - EASY, VEGAN, OR PERFECT FOR COMPANY Mark Bittman (Clarkson Potter) Bittman shares 100 essential main dishes, each with easy, vegan, and all-out recipes as the mood or occasion requires. A great reference for the modern cook, with simple, to-the-point recipes that always come out wonderfully.

POTATO HASH WITH GRAVLAX & CREAMY HORSERADISH (recipe on page 16)

Sanguinello Spritz (recipe on page 16)

WINTER DRINKS 70 ESSENTIAL COLD-WEATHER COCKTAILS The Editors of PUNCH (Ten Speed Press) Packed with hot, spiced, and buttered seasonal tipples, this makes a wonderful reference for this often forgotten cocktail season. Also learn the ins and outs of making a spirit infusion, how to batch drinks for a crowd, and how to bottle favorite stirred drinks and freeze them ahead of time.

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ottolenghi simple NEW ADVENTURES IN DRINKING AND COOKING Yotam Ottolenghi (Ten Speed Press) It seems like nearly everyone these days owns at least one cookbook

by Yotam Ottolenghi — and for good reason. His most recent presents 130 streamlined recipes packed with his signature Middle Eastern– inspired flavors, all simple in at least one way: made in 30 minutes or less, with 10 or fewer ingredients, in a single pot, using pantry staples, or prepared ahead of time for brilliantly, deliciously simple meals.

Pappardelle with Rose Harissa, Black Olives, & Capers (recipe on page 20)

reading corner

Olives Marinées (continued from page 12) serves 4 to 6 INGREDIENTS 1½ cups large, pitted green olives (such as Picholine or Castelvetrano) ½ cup Suze 2 tablespoons dry vermouth ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 lemon peels 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, lightly crushed with the side of a knife 5 whole black peppercorns 1 fresh or dried bay leaf INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 350°F. In small baking dish, combine the olives, Suze, vermouth, olive oil, lemon peels, coriander, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Toss to combine further. Place in the oven and heat until the olives are warmed and fragrant, about 20 minutes, tossing halfway through.

Remove the olives from the oven and set aside to cool for a few minutes.

Serve warm.

Reprinted from Apéritif: Cocktail Hour the French Way. Copyright © 2018

by Rebekah Peppler. Photographs by Joann Pai. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

Potato Hash with Gravlax and Creamy Horseradish serves 4 to 6

resistance, 24 to 36 hours.

3. Unwrap the salmon and rinse off the salt mixture. Pat dry with paper towels and refrigerate in an airtight container; don’t slice until you’re ready to serve. (You can make it a day or so in advance.)

4. Mix the crème fraîche, cream, herbs, lemon juice, and horseradish; season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more horseradish if you like, but keep in mind the flavor will intensify as it sits. (You can cover and refrigerate the crème fraîche mixture for up to 12 hours.)

5. Cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Put the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and when it melts, add the potatoes and ¼ cup water. (It’s okay if the pan is crowded.) Sprinkle with lots of salt, stir, cover, and cook undisturbed until the potatoes are just barely tender, 5 to 10 minutes. (Unlikely, but you may need to add a little more water, cover, and cook for another minute or 2.)

6. Uncover the pan, raise the heat to high, and cook undisturbed until the water has evaporated, the butter has started to brown, and the potatoes release easily from the pan, 20 to 25 minutes.

(If they don’t release easily from the pan, they aren’t ready to be turned yet.) At this point, stir the potatoes and cook until browned on a second side, another 10 to 15 minutes.

7. Switch to a potato masher and a spatula, smashing and turning the potatoes once in a while without overworking them. Continue cooking until the potatoes clump up and brown in some spots, like fried mashed potatoes, 5 to 10 minutes; adjust the heat so the potatoes sizzle but don’t burn. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

8. Holding the knife at a 45° angle, thinly slice as much of the gravlax as you like, leaving the skin behind. It’s better to get smaller slices or ones with holes than to get a slice that’s too thick.

Remove the potatoes from the heat and fold in the gravlax. Serve drizzled with some of the sauce and pass the rest at the table.

Reprinted from Dinner For Everyone. Copyright © 2019 by Mark Bittman.

Photographs copyright © 2019 by Aya Brackett. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC.

Sanguinello Spritz

INGREDIENTS One 1- to 1½-pound salmon fillet ½ cup salt, plus more for seasoning 1 cup sugar 1 bunch fresh dill, chopped (including the stems is fine) 1 cup crème fraîche ¼ cup heavy cream ½ cup chopped mixed fresh herbs (like dill, parsley, chives, tarragon, and fennel fronds) 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or as needed 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish, or to taste Pepper 2 pounds starchy potatoes (like Idaho or other russets), scrubbed 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

The spritz—the bitter, bubbly, low-alcohol icon of Italian aperitivoculture—is a perfect candidate for riffing and experimentation. This wintry adaptation wrangles the holiday season with the addition of in-season blood orange, spicy Barolo Chinato (a lightly bitter aromatized wine), and vanilla syrup for a spritz with enough stuffing to stand up to the season.

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Put the salmon, skin side down, on a large piece of plastic wrap. Run your hand against the grain of the flesh, and if you feel any pin bones, remove them with pliers or tweezers (or ask your fishmonger to do this).

2. Mix the salt, sugar, and dill. Pack the salt mixture onto the flesh, making sure it’s completely covered, and putting a thicker layer on the thickest part of the fish. Wrap the fish tightly, put it on a rimmed baking sheet or plate, and refrigerate until the flesh is darkened and firm, some liquid has leeched out, and a sharp paring knife inserted into the thickest part of the fish meets some

INSTRUCTIONS Combine the Barolo Chinato, orange juice, Campari, and vanilla syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake until chilled. Strain over ice into a tall collins glass and top with prosecco. Garnish with a blood orange half-wheel.

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INGREDIENTS 1 ounce Cocchi Barolo Chinato 1 ounce freshly squeezed blood orange juice 1/2 ounce Campari 1/2 ounce vanilla syrup (recipe below) Prosecco, to top blood orange half-wheel, for garnish

VANILLA SYRUP makes 1 1/2 cups (continued on page 20)

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Tahini Semifreddo (recipe on page 20)

GENIUS DESSERTS NEW ADVENTURES IN DRINKING AND COOKING Kristen Miglore (Ten Speed Press) Drawing from her James Beard Award-nominated Genius Recipes column and powered by the cooking wisdom of the Food52 community, creative director Kristen Miglore set out to unearth the most game-changing dessert recipes from beloved cookbook authors, chefs, and bakers—and collect them all in one indispensable guide.

The Pursuit of Something More What Robert Mondavi saw was not just a place of exquisite beauty in To Kalon Vineyard, but the birthplace of an idea for what wine from Napa Valley could and should be. Robert Mondavi Winery is the culmination of one man’s pursuit of something more.

Come experience his inspiration and embrace his call to live beautifully every day with our Signature Tour & Tasting. Reserve your place at RobertMondaviWinery.com/Tasting-Options.

Schedule a Tour, Tasting, or Program by February 28, 2019, and receive a gift at Le Marche.

While supplies last. No wine purchase required. Must be of legal drinking age and present to receive gift. Enter GIFT when you sign up.

Please enjoy our wines responsibly. Š2018 Robert Mondavi Winery, Oakville, CA.

reading corner (continued from page 16) INGREDIENTS 1 cup sugar 1 cup water 1 vanilla bean

Tahini Semifreddo serves 8

INSTRUCTIONS Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan over low heat. Split open the vanilla bean with a small knife and scrape the contents into the pan; add the bean pod. Stir until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool and macerate for 1 hour. Strain through cheesecloth into a glass jar and store in the fridge for up to 1 month.

Reprinted with permission from Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails by the Editors of PUNCH, copyright© 2018. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Photography: Lizzie Munro © 2018.

Pappardelle with Rose Harissa, Black Olives, and Capers serves 4 Pappare means “to gobble up,” in Italian, which is the destiny of this dish (particularly in Tara’s house, where her husband, Chris, makes it most Sunday nights). I like it spicy, but the quantity of harissa can easily be reduced. Make the sauce 3 days ahead if you like and keep in the fridge until needed.

INGREDIENTS 2 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, thinly sliced (mounded 2 cups/220g) 3 tbsp rose harissa (or 50 percent more or less, depending on variety) 14 oz/400g cherry tomatoes, halved ½ cup/55g pitted kalamata olives, torn in half 2 tbsp baby capers Salt ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp/ 200ml water ¾ cup/15g parsley, roughly chopped 1 lb 2 oz/500g dried pappardelle pasta (or other wide flat pasta) ½ cup/120g Greek-style yogurt INSTRUCTIONS 1. Put the oil into a large sauté pan with a lid and place over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion and fry for 8 minutes, stirring every once in a while, until soft and caramelized. Add the harissa, tomatoes, olives, capers, and ½ tsp salt and continue to fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes start to break down. Add the water and stir to mix thoroughly. Once boiling, decrease the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer for 10minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook for 4–5 minutes, until the sauce is thick and rich. Stir in ½ cup/10g of the parsley and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, fill a large pot with plenty of salted water and place over high heat. Once boiling, add the pappardelle and cook according to the package instructions, until al dente. Drain well.

3. Return the pasta to the pot along with the harissa sauce and 1∕8 tsp of salt. Mix together well, then divide among 4 shallow bowls.

Serve hot, with a spoonful of yogurt and a final sprinkle of parsley.

Reprinted with permission from Ottolenghi Simple: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi,

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copyright © 2018. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Photography: Jonathan Lovekin © 2018.

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One more smart path to churn-free frozen desserts is to make semifreddo, the Italian mousse–like concoction that freezes up soft and spoonable. Better yet, this tahini version, from Michael Solomonov, chef-owner of Zahav in Philadelphia, has extra insurance against icy stiffness. Because tahini is made from ground toasted sesame seeds, it’s rich in sesame oil, which turns out to be a good buffer against ice crystals, as well as a happy carrier for the smoky, nutty flavors that we love in tahini dishes both savory and sweet—it’s like peanut butter, but with a huskier voice. Solomonov serves this with bright fruits like strawberries and rhubarb in spring or passion fruit and lime in winter; with bananaand streaks of chocolate; or with crumbled cookies on top. If you don’t want to wait for it to freeze, this also makes a stupefyingly good tahini mousse. “This requires a bit of a delicate touch, so sip a little chamomile tea and practice some deep breathing before you start.” —Michael Solomonov INGREDIENTS 2 cups (470g) heavy cream, very cold 7 large egg yolks 1 cup (200g) sugar 1⁄2 cup (125g) well-stirred tahini1.

IINSTRUCTIONS 1. In the bowl of astand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or using a handheld mixer in a large bowl, whip the cream until it holds soft peaks. Refrigerate the whipped cream briefly as you proceed with the next step.

2. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a small heatproof bowl set over but not touching gently simmering water in a saucepan. Whisk the eggs and sugar constantlyuntil the sugar is dissolved and the yolks have lightened in color, about 2 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the heat.

3. Scrape about one-third of the whipped cream into a large bowl with a rubber spatula and pour in the yolk mixture. Stir together until well combined. Scrape in half of the remaining whipped cream and fold it in gently with the spatula until just incorporated.

Repeat with the last of the whipped cream.

4. In a separate large bowl, stir together 1⁄2 cup (120ml) of the whipped cream–egg yolk mixture with the tahini until well combined. You want the texture of each ingredient to be as similar as possible before folding them together, so be sure the tahini is well stirred.

5. Carefully fold in the rest of the whipped cream–egg yolk mixture with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain. Divide the mousse among eight 4-to 6-ounce (120 to 175ml) bowls or ramekins, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until firm, about 4 hours or up to 3 days.

Reprinted with permission from Food52 Genius Desserts: 100 Recipes That Will Change the Way You Bakeby Kristen Miglore, copyright© 2018. Published by Ten Speed Press, animprint of Penguin Random House.”Photography credit: James Ransom© 2018. ◆

Perfect Food, Every Time™ This year, make a roast that deserves a toast.

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Simples Tonics

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EVERYDAY POTIONS Exploring how local entrepreneurs craft modern-day potions for everyday life.

BY LISA ALEXANDER

L

os Angeles is infamous for its many health trends and seems to be full of interesting and unique ways to nourish both body and soul. Whether the mood of the morning is coffee, tea, maca, cold-pressed juice, rooibos, or a collagen smoothie, there are all kinds of little things to add which will deliciously zip up the experience.

From adaptogens to tonics to CBD, the city is experiencing a moment brought to us by entrepreneurs who are exquisitely sensitive to the fact that whatever we put into our bodies should be extraordinary.

In her bright shop on Main Street in Santa Monica, Traci Donat brews plant-based tonics expressly made to amplify her client’s sense of well-being. A close cousin to teas, tonics are more concentrated and potent due to the quantity of plant material and the extended brewing times.

Roots, flowers, stems, and leaves — everything goes into the pot — but only one ingredient a time, hence the name Simples Tonics. The tonics are made fresh each day and, though Traci grows much of the material for her line of vinegars on her garden in Malibu, the tonic ingredients are sourced from organic distributors.

“No one was really exploring these plants,” Traci tells me. A lovely woman with a halo of light hair, she glows from within as she talks about the herbs she’s been studying since her teens. She admits to having been a junk food junkie; when she discovered Susan Weed, a master folk herbalist, it changed her life and she’s been brewing up tonics for friends and family ever since. She exudes bright energy — flitting from one subject to another like a hummingbird —

and a huge passion for her products.

“People look to exotic locations for superfoods, but these are in your backyard,” she explains. They’re also the invisibles of the plant kingdom because, well, they’re weeds. Who knew they could taste so good?

Traci gives me the rundown on the tonics she features and there is definitely something for everyone. I immediately notice the lovely color palette on display — from the pale pink of Schisandra berry to the almost turquoise blue pea flower and the darker, deeper chickweed to the golden burdock root — all serving their own unique healing purpose, which is what drives Traci everyday. The tonics are subtle and crave-worthy — and I don’t want to put it down once I’ve had a sip.

In addition to the tonics, Traci carries her own line of infused vinegars because, as she tells me, apple cider vinegar is a great way to extract the nourishment of the plants. She’s also made it her mission to discover obscure and talented herbalists from all over the world, so one side of the shop has digestive bitters, turmeric honey, flower essences, and much more. She also carries a line of CBD tinctures, which make a glowing add-on to the herbtails her assistant Hanna whips up behind the bar.

“We were just asked to do a whole mocktail bar for a baby shower,” Traci shares, with a delighted smile.

Now they offer a happy hour on Thursday and Saturday afternoons, and have even branched out into offering classes so anyone can become an expert at combining tonics with flower essences. (See sidebar for a few recipes @EdibleLAMag

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Traci Donat at Simples Tonics in Santa Monica

SIMPLE(S) MOCKTAILS

Sass in a Glass 2 parts Schisandra tonic 1 part Blue Pea tonic 5 drops Venus Flower tincture with CBD Lemon verbena garnish

Blessed 2 parts rose tonic 1 part Tulsi tonic Half to full dropper of strawberry cardamom bitters 5 drops goddess bless flower essence Rose geranium garnish

Transformed 7oz Tulsi tonic Half to full dropper smoked bourbon bitters Dropper full of Chaga tincture Infuse with Lavender sprig

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using Simples Tonics.)

Just before I venture out into the Santa Monica traffic, Hanna mixes up a personalized brew with blue pea and rose (the combo turns a lovely lavender) with a pinch of CBD and I floated out of the store. ◆◆◆

Emily O’Brien, a blond, emphatic woman with sparkling eyes and a big smile, had a back injury when she was 21 years old. She was prescribed opioid painkillers but found cannabis to be the only treatment that would help counter her considerable side effects. Pot brownies were her first choice but they were heavy, put her to sleep, and made her gain weight. That’s when Emily realized there was a need in the market for an edible that was delicious, lighter, and organic.

Her first attempt was a sugar-free vegan granola bar with cannabis-infused coconut oil, but she wanted an even more versatile product that people would be able to use every day. At the time, she was really into maca and spirulina smoothies and wondered why she couldn’t just create a powder to add to beverages. It would have to be something easy to use so it would be a no-brainer for someone who’s shy about beginning to use cannabis. Emily also liked the idea of micro-dosing, she tells me, because it stimulates the body on a cellular level, but not enough to change perception, and clients can really control the high.

By then, Emily was also struggling with anxiety and not only wanted pain relief but an alternative to synthetic

chemicals that would give her relief without the possibility of addiction. After much experimentation, she figured out how to do a coconut oil extraction that is dehydrated, fixed, and then bound with a final addition of tapioca starch. The result is Mondo Dust, a soft, cloudlike powder that can be added to all kinds of drinks and smoothies.

“I take the whole plant,” Emily explains. “The trim and the sugar leaves too — all of it goes into the infusion pot and this way I’m able to get all the terpenes and cannabis oils that make that wonderful entourage effect.” Her preferred strain is a 50/50 indica and sativa hybrid grown in Humboldt County. It worked best for the most number of people, according to Emily, and delivers a subtle full-body high with no loss of clarity or focus; a daytime edible that can be easily infused into a client’s routine.

A smidge of Mondo can dress up a morning shake and provide all the potential health benefits of THC and CBD, too. For those who don’t want or like the high, Emily’s just come out with a new product that is just CBD with a touch of theanine thrown in — this amino acid is found in green tea and is being used for its potential in treating anxiety along with a whole host of other diseases.

Gone is the old head shop with its brightly colored bongs and artificially flavored gummy bears. These days, dispensaries are more like luxury boutiques with vegan, sugar-free, and small-batch products made by a new breed of entrepreneur. Emily made Mondo Dust with a very specific intention: an easy, user-friendly way to use cannabis to ease over the bumps of life. ◆◆◆

Mushrooms were here on earth before the plant kingdom and they could just be the oldest form of medicine

on the planet. Adaptogens, a buzz word these days, are plants or herbs that may help the body adapt to life’s stresses.

Moodbeli’s products (the name is an attempt to focus the conversation between the gut and brain) are backed by modern science and rooted in ancient wisdom, or so says Krysia Zajonc, co-founder of the company. In this case, she’s preaching to the converted as I sip on Moodbeli’s Bliss Booster, a seductive blend of maca, cacao, and cayenne that’s perfect mixed into my homemade almond milk.

Krysia and Mateo Aguilar, her husband and Moodbeli’s co-founder, had the perfect bohemian dream life — a bookstore and chocolate shop on the beach in Costa Rica specializing in treats made from locally-grown, heirloom cacao and coffee. “Our customers were locals and tourists and ex-pats and it was just beautiful and divine,” she tells me, though it was also really hard to grow beyond a mom-and-pop shop.

When they moved back to California, their first instinct was to continue with chocolate, but sugar was the new no-no on the block, so they decided to create a line of products that were inspired by all of the ethically sourced ingredients they’d learned about — like cacao, maca, reishi, turmeric, gotu kola — but with no added sugar. The result is spicy deliciousness because the absence of sweeteners allows the ingredients to really shine, especially with a pop of pink sea salt.

Their goal was to offer these ancient ingredients in a way that was straightforward and delicious. They interviewed experts, farmers, and food makers, and tested hundreds of recipes to come up with their product line — things like Golden Turmeric and Ceremony tonic, even a very cool coconut creamer called Cloud Dream.

But what I really wanted to know about were

Toasted Sesame Adaptogenic Vegan Chai INGREDIENTS 1 teaspoon Moodbeli Calming Adaptogen 2 tablespoons Moodbeli Cloud Powder 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil hot water (or your favorite black tea) black sesame seeds, for garnish METHOD Combine ingredients in a blender and blend on high.

Garnish with black sesame seeds.

Chilly Nights Mushroom Immunity Latte INGREDIENTS 2 teaspoons Moodbeli Mushroom Adaptogen 1 teaspoon coconut butter drop of vanilla extract hot water METHOD Combine ingredients in a blender and blend on high.

Swap out the hot water for coffee for the perfect winter mushroom mocha.

Moodbeli’s Toasted Sesame Adaptogenic Chai @EdibleLAMag

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Moodbeli’s Chilly Nights Mushroom Immunity Latte

the mushrooms. Turns out theirs are ethically sourced and cultivated because some varieties like ashwaganda, rhiodiolus, and astralagus can take up to five years to mature.

“The only plants we work with are wild-harvested ones that grow all over the place…it’s a big deal to be pulling up [older] plants, so we wouldn’t want to do that,” she explains.

Moodbeli’s Mushroom Adaptogen contains raw cacao from Peru mixed with reishi and cordyceps mushrooms. Reishi, the great multi-tasker, has been touted for its almost endless list of healing properties. Moodbeli’s Calming Adaptogen contains ashwagandha and the Meditation Tonic is all about memory and mindfulness, with gotu kola, reishi, and schisandra.

“I’m a big fan of our Energy Tonic in the morning… if I don’t do a tea or coffee,” she says. She tells me the astragalus keeps her from getting sick and the rhodiola banishes her brain fog. Blue Green Protein is a meal in a smoothie with spirulina protein and tocopherols, or fluffy rice bran solubles that taste sort of like vanilla ice cream.

Krysia says she also loves the Calming Adaptogen in the afternoon or before bed — ashwaganda in a spicy chai base (see the recipe below). And the Golden Turmeric is

her go-to to cook with. She uses it with roasted cauliflower, squash soup, and always adds a dash of black pepper to make the turmeric even more bioavailable.

As Krysia tells me, this is about more than what’s in Moodbeli’s amber glass jars, “a huge part of these products is the intention you set when you decide to make yourself a tonic: that in itself is a healing part.”

And it makes sense — our minds are powerful.

Besides, it’s fun to add a dash of this and a dab of that to my routine, as if I am an ancient potion master. ◆◆◆ Simples Tonics may be found online at simplestonics.com or at their Santa Monica boutique. Mondo Dust may be ordered online at mondomeds.com. Moodbeli products are at moodbeli.com or local Erewhon Markets.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. ◆ @EdibleLAMag

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the food historian

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Photo © Andrew Cebulka / Stocksy United

T

he first recorded definition of a cocktail appeared in The Balance & Columbian Repository in the early 1800s as a drink made with distilled spirits and bitters. Fast-forward to 1862, Jerry Thomas called all mixed drinks cocktails in his book, How to Mix Drinks; or, The Bon Vivant’s Companion. His was a compilation of American and European recipes that gave birth to the modern cocktail craze. That being said, during the Gilded Age, cocktails were considered only appropriate for men as they were believed to be too strong for a delicate woman’s sensibilities.

A few decades later, a 1909 edition of The Woman’s Dictionary and Encyclopedia, edited by culinary maven Fannie Farmer, included 58 cocktail recipes — martinis and Manhattans among them. By then, men and women had begun to socialize over cocktails and appetizers. The Victorian tea party was rebranded as the American cocktail party. In restaurants and bars around the country, waiters with bow ties served cocktails to appreciative patrons. Martinis, sazeracs, and old-

Cocktails & Legends

In an often trend-obsessed city, let’s always remember the classics.

By Maite Gomez-RejĂłn

Martini INGREDIENTS 2 ½ ounces gin ½ ounce dry vermouth 1 or 3 olives or a lemon twist, for garnish METHOD our gin and vermouth into a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir for 30 seconds and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with olives or a lemon twist.

Old-Fashioned INGREDIENTS 1 sugar cube 1 teaspoon water or club soda 2 to 3 dashes Angostura bitters 2 ounces bourbon orange wedge, for serving Maraschino cherry, for serving METHOD Muddle the sugar cube and bitters with water or club soda at the bottom of an Old Fashioned glass. Add bourbon and stir. Add one large ice cube or three or four smaller one. Stir until chilled and garnish with an orange wedge and a cherry.

Moscow Mule INGREDIENTS 2 ounces vodka ½ ounce lime juice 4 ounces ginger beer fresh mint, for garnish METHOD Fill a copper mug with ice. Pour in the vodka and lime juice. Fill the glass with ginger beer and stir once to mix. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

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fashioneds flowed, each with its own special glass. Though New York or San Francisco might be the cities that spring to mind when thinking of old-school cocktails, Los Angeles was right up there with them, especially among the stars of the Golden Age.

During the 1920s, Hollywood came into its own as a movie-making powerhouse, the Red Car connected neighboring cities to one another, downtown was a bustling shopping center, people had automobiles, and architectural design thrived. Restaurants and bars dotted the landscape – from swanky steakhouses to fancy hotel restaurants to informal pubs. There were so many dining options that, by the early 1930s, Los Angeles was responsible for the highest per capita restaurant sales in the country. The City of Angels was also one of the country’s most diverse place to eat. Stories of legend were created in LA dining establishments.

Grand hotels like the Biltmore and the Ambassador served luxurious French-style meals reminiscent of the Gilded Age and were the perfect place to host an upscale party (or awards celebration). While Champagne still flowed, cocktails reigned.

During the beginning of Hollywood’s Golden Age, the silent movie era produced Musso & Frank Grill. On Hollywood Boulevard since 1919, the dimly lit restaurant with dark mahogany stained walls and red leather banquettes quickly became the industry watering hole for stars like Greta Garbo, Charlie Chaplin, and Rudolph Valentino. Through the decades, for many it was like a home away from home. Orson Welles once proclaimed that being at Musso’s was “like being in the womb.”

Mingling amongst film’s biggest stars were also screenwriters and studio executives. Deals were made from its pay phone — the first in Hollywood. A star could nosh on stuffed celery, indulge in a filet mignon, and sip a martini at lunch. A combination of gin, vermouth, and an olive or twist of lemon, Musso’s martini is said to have been the best the city had to offer. It would bring an air of sophistication to anyone who drank it. Served stirred, not shaken, in its ubiquitous conical glass with a chilled decanter on the side, Musso’s threeounce martini is a taste of classic Los Angeles. To this day, it is considered one of the top cocktails in America. Prepared by bartenders like Manny Aguirre and Ruben Rueda who have manned the bar for decades, how could it not?

Hotels of the Golden Age also drew in big personalities.

The Roosevelt, built in 1927, was financed by a group that included MGM head Louis B. Mayer, actors Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, and theater magnate Sid Grauman.

Built in the Spanish Colonial style with art deco touches, it was the epitome of swank. The hotel opened just three days before Grauman’s namesake theater at a time when the movie industry was experiencing a revolutionary transition from silent to sound films. The Roosevelt hosted the first ever Academy Awards and, like Musso & Frank, is one of the relatively few old Hollywood haunts standing intact. It is the oldest stilloperating hotel in the city, today restored to its original glory with bars and restaurants reminiscent of its golden past.

Errol Flynn is rumored to have created a recipe for bootleg gin in a hotel bathtub. During Prohibition (1919-1933) when alcoholic beverages were illegal, gin became the liquor of

Photo © Brett Donar / Stocksy United

choice. Since it didn’t require whiskey’s longer aging process, it was easy to produce illicitly. Fruit juices were added to sweeten the drink, making it easier to drink quickly — an important consideration when the establishment might be raided at any moment.

Equally historic is the Frolic Room — today a famous dive bar standing next to the Pantages Theater. Originally a private speakeasy lounge called Freddy’s, it opened to the public as Bob’s Frolic Room after the end of Prohibition in 1934. Cozy and dark with red bar stools, Howard Hughes, who owned both the bar and the Pantages from 1949 to 1954, added the art deco neon sign on its facade. The bar enjoyed the afterparty spillover during the years the Academy Awards were held next door.

The Frolic Room was known to make a mean oldfashioned, a cocktail made by muddling sugar with bitters before the key ingredient, whiskey (typically bourbon), is added. According to legend, the drink was created in the late 19th century in Louisville, Kentucky to honor Colonel James Pepper, a bourbon distiller. Served on the rocks in a short tumbler which bears its name, the Old-Fashioned was once referred to as “the manliest cocktail order” but also “something your grandmother drank.” Sweet, smooth, and democratic, it was a favorite of regular patrons Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland.

As of 1937, a few miles west but still in Hollywood, stars would be found enjoying a plate of roast beef and “the best drink in town” at the Cock’n Bull on Sunset and Doheny, the birthplace of the Moscow mule. Ginger beer, vodka, lime juice and a sprig of mint served over ice in a copper mug, some claim the Moscow mule was invented to bring awareness to vodka,

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then a little-known spirit in the United States. Another story claims that owner Jack Wagner invented the libation as a way to clear out the bar of unsalable goods — vodka and ginger beer. The cocktail was dubbed as “The Drink with the Velvet Kick” and became a hit in Tinseltown. It is said to have driven America’s post-war vodka craze. Legend has it that some stars had their very own copper mug behind the bar.

Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, and F. Scott Fitzgerald were regulars at the Cock’n Bull. Richard Burton changed tables every time he changed wives. Its owner Jimmy Breslin once wrote, “You didn’t have to worry about some guy throwing up on your shoe or punching you in the mouth. The place had class.” His statement doesn’t necessarily exude elegance but it was a place that would guarantee a good time and a story or two. A popular hangout well into the 1980s, today it houses a luxury car dealership. A plaque on the wall keeps its memory alive.

Hollywood also had the Brown Derby, Formosa Cafe, and the still glamorous Chateau Marmont. Burbank claims the Smoke House; Beverly Hills, the now defunct Chasen’s, Trader Vic’s, and Romanoff ’s. Downtown, Red Car riders and celebrities alike could grab a bite and a drink at Cole’s or at the Pacific Dining Car. Like these, there were many more Golden Age haunts all over the city. Though a number still stand, many only survive in the imagination.

Cocktails are shaken or stirred, rolled or muddled, dry or sweet, creamy or frozen. Creative and imaginative with the magical ability to slow the passage of time, cocktails are an American gift to the world, just like Hollywood – the city of dreams and fantasies, sunshine and noir. ◆

sip on this

Our Spirited Golden State California has certainly seen its share of ups and downs these past few months — with seemingly endless miles of scorched earth as proof. This winter, we asked a few local expert bartenders to celebrate the many extraordinary spirits, bitters, and other cocktail ingredients created in this magnificent, resilient Golden State.

BY KRISTINE BOCCHINO

note: all recipes make one cocktail

HARVEST MOON At Momed in Atwater Village, the cocktail menu from bar directors Lindsay Barker and Amanda Callis features this stunning tangy, vegetal, and savory cocktail. Greenbar’s vodka and ginger liqueur, both distilled in Los Angeles, marry beautifully with fresh herbs and a hint of celery to make this refreshing treat, tailor-made for a winter brunch. Add a thinly sliced golden beet for the perfect garnish and gather your dearest friends for a toast.

INGREDIENTS 1 ½ oz Greenbar Tru Vodka ½ oz Greenbar Fruitlab ginger liqueur 1 oz rosemary-vanilla syrup (recipe follows) ¾ oz lemon juice 2 dashes celery bitters 1 oz beet shrub (recipe follows) METHOD Add vodka, ginger liqueur, rosemary-vanilla syrup, lemon juice, and celery bitters to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake

until cold. Fill a Collins glass with pebble ice and strain shaker contents over ice. Serve beet shrub in a sidecar, pour over, then stir.

ROSEMARY-VANILLA SYRUP INGREDIENTS 32 oz sugar 16 oz hot water 1 bundle fresh rosemary, stripped from stems 1/2 tsp vanilla extract METHOD Add all ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat, then bring to a boil, remove from heat, and allow to sit until room temperature. Strain and refrigerate.

BEET SHRUB INGREDIENTS 8 oz water 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1 pinch salt @EdibleLAMag

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The Breeders Cup by Matthew Biancaniello. Photo: Mia Wasilevich

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sip on this

The Golden Child at Gracias Madre in West Hollywood. Photo: Brennen Woo

1 tsp mustard seed 5 dried bay leaves 4 med-large red beets, diced METHOD Combine salt, vinegar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Place beets, mustard, and bay leaves into a 1-quart mason jar, then pour in the hot water mixture, seal lid, and shake frequently until mixture is room temperature. Strain and refrigerate.

THE BREEDERS CUP Matthew Biancaniello, the so-called cocktail chef, opened Mon-Li, a twelve-seat, twelve-course liquid tasting experience, at the Calamigos Beach Club in Malibu a few months ago.

Several surrounding buildings were destroyed in the recent Woolsey Fire — miraculously, Mon-Li still stands. Biancaniello shares this recipe from his cocktail cookbook, Eat Your Drink. ediblela.com

@EdibleLAMag

It’s hard to believe this is so simple to construct after savoring its wild complexity.

INGREDIENTS 2 oz Vapid vodka 3/4 oz fresh lime juice 3/4 oz agave syrup 3 cucumber slices, sliced 1/8” thick 1 bar spoon (about 1 tsp) of beet-horseradish mix (recipe follows) borage flowers, for garnish METHOD Add lime juice, agave syrup, cucumber, and beet-horseradish mixture to a cocktail shaker and muddle. Add vodka and ice and shake until cold. Strain into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with borage flowers.

BEET-HORSERADISH MIX

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INGREDIENTS 2 oz beet juice 1 cup horseradish, finely minced METHOD Add beet juice and horseradish to a small bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.

THE GOLDEN CHILD Maxwell Reis, beverage director of Gracias Madre in West Hollywood, concocted a warmly spiced cocktail which begs for a crisp California winter evening. This versatile brandy was recently introduced by EJ Gallo Spirits and is born of grapes from Gallo’s own family vineyards. Badass Rita Hansen incorporates her 20 years of experience as both distiller and blender, which rarely happens in the classic Cognac region.

This gives her complete control from vine to bottle for all four of Argonaut’s brandy expressions.

INGREDIENTS 1 oz Kin Brown bourbon 1 oz Argonaut Saloon Strength brandy ½ oz allspice liqueur 1 oz lemon juice ½ oz turmeric syrup 1 dash aromatic bitters star anise pod, for garnish rosemary sprig, for garnish METHOD Pour all ingredients into a shaker tin over ice, then shake well and strain into a rocks glass over a large (two-inch) ice cube.

Garnish with star anise and rosemary.

Harvest Moon at Momed. Photo: Noted Media

TURMERIC SYRUP INGREDIENTS 1 part turmeric juice 1 part sugar METHOD Add turmeric and sugar to a bowl and stir well until all sugar is dissolved.

Welcome Home Boyle Heights natives Othon Nolasco and his two partners in Va’La Hospitality recently opened Here and Now in Downtown Los Angeles. This much-anticipated industry favorite proudly features many locally produced artisan spirits. In this cocktail, Nolasco features Bertoux California brandy from Thomas Pastuszak of the NoMad Hotel and Jeff Bell of the famed PDT in New York City.

INGREDIENTS 2 oz Bertoux California brandy ¾ oz Amaro Angeleno ½ oz Bruto Americano 2 dashes Miracle Mile Red Eye bitters dehydrated Valencia orange wheel, for garnish METHOD Add all ingredients to a mixing glass filled with ice and stir.

Strain into a double old-fashioned glass over a large ice cube.

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Garnish with half a dehydrated Valencia orange wheel.

POINT DUME SUNRISE Our editor-in-chief, Shauna Burke, loves this super simple recipe — perfect for a Sunday brunch gathering or an early evening enjoying the beautiful ocean views in Malibu. It’s also easy to multiply this recipe for a crowd and serve it from a punch bowl.

INGREDIENTS 1/2 oz Greenbar FRUITLAB orange liqueur 1 tsp simple syrup 5 oz Domaine Carneros Blanc de Noirs sparkling wine orange twist, for garnish METHOD Add orange liqueur and simple syrup to a Champagne flute, top with very cold sparkling wine, and garnish with an orange twist. ◆

local heroes

Burritos for Change How a Spirited Partnership Makes Our City a Better Place

BY LISA ALEXANDER

G

reenbar — the city’s first distillery since Prohibition — churns out impressive spirits backed by heart, soul, and good intentions. Co-founder Melkon Khosrovian met his wife and partner, Litty Matthew, in journalism school at USC. According to Melkon, that’s what made them both “highly trained questioners,” and that insatiable curiosity continues to drive their spirited discoveries at Greenbar as well as their determination to save the planet — and the whole project began, as so many do, with a love story.

It happened like this: Melkon, an Armenian, used to drink great quantities of alcohol when he got together with family and friends — “it’s the Armenian way,” as he says — and Litty, his Indian wife, hated the drinks. Melkon took it on, messing around until he came up with a new line of spirits that not only tasted amazing but also paired beautifully with his chef wife’s savory food. Before long, they were getting calls from cousins and friends asking for bottles. As Melkon puts it, “we pretty much had to go into business or get an unlisted number, that’s how popular it was.”

Melkon shows me the large and spotless distillery with its gleaming steel tanks — “we ferment over here and infuse over there,” he gestures — and the old-fashioned and newfangled stills.

“Everything starts with an imagined taste,” he explains. “Like, we found daiquiris really disappointing because you could never taste the rum. We wanted to make a rum that tastes like sugar without being sugary, that smells like flowers and fruit, and if you age it outside the barrel like wine, the end result is a rum that tastes that way.” What’s more, neither Melkon nor Litty took old techniques for granted, questioning and learning by trial and error. Among their innovations is an invented still that, instead of mashing all the ingredients together, distills each ingredient separately and then combines them at the end. The result is that each of the flavors retains its identity and expression. And that’s not all.

“[Most] of the spirits you see at a liquor store get their flavor from a flavor company. In the beginning, we got so many calls about who was going to do our flavor profile,” he says.

“Companies were asking us how we were going to get our lemon flavor, and we shocked them by saying ‘lemons.’ It just wasn’t done. ‘You’ll never get your batches consistent,’ they told us. So we decided to taste every batch. How do we like it? 95 percent the same, 3 percent wild card, and 2 percent better. That’s our formula right there.”

They also found that organic produce was much more expressive and that they could immerse different woods — hickory, cherry, maple, grape, and oak — in whisky barrels to amp @EdibleLAMag ediblela.com 37

Melkon Khosrovian and Litty Matthew at Greenbar Distillery

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up the flavor.

With the distillery’s great success, Melkon and Litty started to think about sustainability and community — a way to give back. They plant a tree for every bottle sold; so far threequarters of a million trees from Belize to Panama. As Melkon calculates, “you can become carbon negative for a day just by drinking one of our cocktails.” The reforestation made them feel good and also contributed to their vision of a sustainable and organic business that gave back to our planet, so they decided to expand their efforts even further.

Next up was City Bright gin, crafted with the flavors of their adopted city. Infusing it with some of LA’s diversity — think ancho chiles, lapsang souchong tea, cardamom, cassia, and lemongrass — they ended up with a very personal celebration of our collective food culture. Now all Melkon and Litty had to figure out was how to really impact their immediate community. It didn’t take long to see the greatest need; they only had to open their eyes in their very own DTLA neighborhood.

“We can’t solve the [homeless issue] because it’s too big…but we wanted to do something.” And that’s where The Burrito Project came in.

It’s simple, really: an organization that invites neighbors and volunteers to make burritos, then shares them with anyone in need, wherever they happen to be. When Melkon and Litty met Alan Pinel, The Burrito Project’s founder, it felt like serendipity.

Together they told twenty-six DTLA restaurants that they would hand out one burrito for every City Bright cocktail sold. The model exploded as they went through five thousand burritos that summer, so they decided to blow up the campaign and take it statewide.

From San Diego all the way up to Sacramento, restaurants were

offered the same deal, but this time twenty five thousand burritos found their way into the hands of hungry people on the streets.

Now, according to Alan, there are Burrito Projects in cities across the country — Salt Lake, Denver, San Francisco, Portland — and growing fast. His goal is to establish a national non-profit, but he also wants to do it right so he’s taking his time and feeling it out.

And the giveaway is not only food; The Burrito Project also hands out necessities like bottled water, toiletry kits, socks, and blankets.

“Not having a home is really devastating, especially for the brandnew homeless [population],” Alan says. “I think it’s great that other organizations and the government are getting involved but, in the meantime, things take time and people are hungry.”

Melkon agrees. “Here is some warm food on a cold night, and we’ll be back to give out more. It’s as simple as that,” he tells me. “We want to make sure that these forgotten souls don’t feel forgotten all the time.”

With nearly a half-million burritos given out so far, they’ve gotten a pretty impressive start. ◆ @EdibleLAMag

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Photo © Andrew Cebulka / Stocksy United

winter julep

INVITING THE MINT JULEP INTO WINTER

BY SHAUNA BURKE

M

int juleps are the stuff of legend. Whenever I think of a julep, I imagine the scorching Southern summertime heat. The humidity. Shiny silver cups that just cannot stop dripping with the accumulated condensation. A mound of perfectly pounded ice. And, of course, the sprightly sprig of fresh mint — tall, proud, and bright green. I think of ladies and gentlemen dressed in their finest, always donning a great hat. I think of wraparound porches and squeaky rocking chairs and mosquitoes. A mint julep is one of those dangerous tipples — strong and far too easy to drink. It seems like the tank is empty in just a few sips.

Each winter, I bring my potted mint plants inside — I keep it potted to stop it from taking over my yard— and I can’t help but stare at it just about every day, wondering how I can incorporate it into meals and drinks. Maybe unsurprisingly, fresh mint is a gorgeous addition to winter pastas, stews, and even scrambled eggs. On shorter, darker days, fresh herbs can add a little bit of sunshine to just about anything.

It was on a particularly cold winter night at home that I discovered the mint julep actually makes a phenomenal winter cocktail, especially for those of us living in Southern California where winters are just mildly chilly evenings, comparatively.

Adding a mint liqueur — you can play around with your favorite and change the amount as you see fit — really amps up the mint

flavor and can even be passed off as a great holiday beverage. Just think, a cute silver cup with a little candy cane hanging off the edge and a big sprig of green mint — how festive!

Some cocktails don’t require the highest quality brands, but since a julep is so dominant in one sprit — bourbon — I do think this is one place where it’s important to choose a bourbon that you would enjoy sipping neat.

A WINTER JULEP INGREDIENTS 10-12 fresh mint leaves 1/2 oz simple syrup 2 oz bourbon 1/2 oz Branca Menta a large mint sprig, for garnish METHOD Place the mint leaves and simple syrup into a julep cup and muddle well. Add the bourbon and Branca Menta and stir. Fill the cup with crushed ice, garnish with a sprig of mint, and serve wit a straw. ◆ @EdibleLAMag

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LAST BITE

BY LISA ALEXANDER

DRINK ME Health Tips from the Hunter-Gatherers

W

henever people said “bone broth,” I would instantly get a visual of a huge cauldron bubbling away over an open fire. These days, bone broth is everywhere and can be totally approachable for home cooks, too. Meet Nell Stephenson, an elite Ironman Triathelete — she’s completed 16 Ironman races including 8 times at the World Championship — she’s also been a nutritionist for the past twenty years. Nell is glowing and energetic, and usually trailed by her two Weimaraner dogs. She’s also very passionate about bones. As Nell tells me, her broths — available at paleoista.com for local LA delivery — are equally ancient and on trend. They also pack a punch in the health department, she says — helpful with overall gut health and a great source of collagen, not to mention that a mug of warm bone broth can be super comforting on these chilly winter nights.

My big question was: what’s the difference between bone broth and a regular meat broth? Turns out regular broth is usually lighter and made with meat scraps while bone broth is more like stock, made with mineral-rich bones, plus a splash of vinegar that draws out larger amounts of keratin, collagen, and amino acids, as well as other healing compounds; that and cooking time, which can extend to twenty-four hours. Nell’s also passionate

about sourcing ethically for her products. We’re talking organic, pasture-raised, grass-fed-and-finished animals from local farms.

Choose from flavors like lamb with mint, chicken with lemongrass, lime, and chili pepper, or beef with shiitakes. Use it as a base for soups or just as a pick-me-up any time of the day.

Bones are starting to sound pretty good.◆

Above: Nell Stephenson of Paleoista. Below: Nell’s bone broth. Photos by Nicola Buck

Photo © iStockphoto.com/HannesEichinger

GET THIS BONE BROTH PUMPKIN SOUP RECIPE AT EDIBLELA.COM

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