Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

20 Jun 2010

Eat My Blog Summer 2010: "It’s a really fancy bake sale!"

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Drum roll, please…The second annual Eat My Blog charity bake sale raised nearly $5,500 for the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank! Angelenos from every walk of life came to Tender Greens in West Hollywood yesterday to show their support and to stuff their faces with some of the finest baked goods in town. From Egyptian basbousa cakes to bacon chocolate chip cookies, the spread was so impressive that one customer proclaimed, “It’s a really fancy bake sale!” I wouldn’t have expected anything less from our city’s pool of talented, food-loving bloggers!

Eat My Blog was very fortunate to have Steven and Carmen Lam of Steven Lam Photography on hand to capture some incredible images of the event. All of the photos featured here were taken by the dynamic duo. Here are some of the mouthwatering sweets and savories that were featured at Eat My Blog. Clockwise from top left—whoopie pies from G-ma’s Bakery, rocky road brownies from Cube, almond tea cakes from The Catty Critic, and bacon coffee cake with almond butterscotch drizzle from chef Debbie Lee of Ahn-Joo.

Clockwise from top left—brownie bites from Sweet Life Kitchen, olive oil cake from Banana Wonder, toasted coconut and dulce de leche crispy treats from Delicious Coma, and chocolate cupcakes with salted caramel frosting from Nosh With Me .

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Echo Park

17 Jun 2010

Buy Me Some Garlic Fries and Dodger Dogs…

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I avoided eating a Dodger Dog last season out of fear that doing so would cause The Astronomer’s beloved St. Louis Cardinals to lose to the Los Angeles Dodgers. After the Dodgers swept the Cards in the Division Series with me consuming only team-neutral concessions, I vowed to eat whatever my heart desired the following season. Superstitions be damned.

We returned to the ballpark last week to witness some regular season play between the Dodgers and the Cards. With the sun slowly setting in the distance and cheery fans sporting their brilliant Dodger blue, my appetite was piqued for greasy stadium fare.

During the first inning, The Astronomer and I shared an order of Gordon Biersch garlic fries ($5.75). What makes these spuds super special is the abundance of minced garlic and parsley bits coating each shoestring. Every bite delivers an intense garlicky hit that’s dreadful for one’s breath, but oh so good for one’s soul. I’m not much of a sports fan, but I will gladly tag along to any event where these fries are served.

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Restaurant Review

16 Jun 2010

Tender Greens – Los Angeles (West Hollywood)

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If things go according to plan, the entire city of Los Angeles will be amped up on sugar and good spirits this weekend courtesy of the Eat My Blog charity bake sale. This time around, we’ve teamed up with Tender Greens in West Hollywood. It might seem strange to hold a gluttonous event at such a virtuous venue, but I assure you that it all makes perfect sense. After all, what better way to counteract the damage of downing a dozen cupcakes than by consuming a plateful of organic greens afterwards? Guilt assuaged.

While scoping out Tender Green’s space last week, I went against my carb-loading ways and ordered a salad for lunch. I could’ve eaten local albacore tuna, barbecue chicken, or even flat-iron steak, but decided to step completely out of my comfort zone and went with The Happy Vegan ($10.50). I have never felt more like a stereotypical L.A. gal than I did that afternoon eating a vegan salad in the middle of West Hollywood. At least I didn’t have a small dog with me.

The platter was comprised of four different salads—farro wheat with cranberry and hazelnuts, quinoa with cucumbers and beets, green hummus, and tabouleh. A pile of romaine leaves, along with a large house made crouton, rounded out the plate. Each salad struck a nice balance between healthy and tasty, but my favorite was the the green hummus. I haven’t a clue what’s in there besides lots of chickpeas, herbs, and garlic, but my oh my, was it moreish to the max. I washed it all down with a most refreshing mint-infused lemonade.

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