Orts & Reports: Kitchen Takeovers & Needful Things
All the News That’s Fit to Eat in 3 Small Bites
Small Bite #1: California Culinary Field Trip
Cook & Tell took a road trip to its old stomping grounds in Southern California last month to visit friends, pet-sit (sort of) and have some fun in kitchens that aren’t ours. Here’s the story, featuring a few outtakes not posted on Instagram.
Day 1 | Shields Date Garden, Indio: A date with a dish of to-die-for date ice cream at the old-fashioned soda fountain counter. A very quick viewing of the black-and-white filmstrip, “Romance & Sex Life of the Date” in the Shields Romance Theatre—a dark and creepy place with such a peculiar odor, I had to bail.
Day 2 | Kitchens for Good, Pacific Beach: Found my dream vintage KitchenAid stand mixer at this resale shop that’s devoted entirely to kitchen goods and transforming lives through their Culinary Apprenticeship Program.
Meanwhile, it was St. Paddy’s Day, and the beach was having a moment.
Day 3 | Kitchen Takeover, Orange County: Somewhere between petsitting, grocery shopping and coordinating a photoshoot of my antique typewriter 3,000 miles away for a soon-to-be published story (thanks, Rob!), I managed to find time to test a few recipes for the upcoming Cinco de Mayo issue. Our client, Bandit, didn’t get a sample, but my culinary cohort and long-time bestie Cindy gave the Olé Buffet her seal of approval.
Day 4 | Shake Shack, Crystal Cove: A mid-afternoon date shake with Cindy, perched on a bench overlooking the sparkly Pacific. Later, a not-so-quick trip to IKEA for the bamboo cutting board she’s been raving about. Yes, there is an IKEA in Phoenix. But it’s way more fun exploring the labyrinthine aisles with a friend.
Day 5 | Bake Session, Los Angeles: A drive up the 405 freeway to bake with
, who writes the newsletter, Ruth Talks Food. In honor of the Jewish holiday Purim, we made hamantaschen. While the little pastries baked, we nibbled on slices of the Irish soda bread Ruth had made that morning, and I interviewed her about her journalism career at the Orange County Register and Los Angeles Times. In turn, she regaled me with stories from the days of ticker-tape news feeds and typewriters. I also learned a LOT about Jewish food and how she met her husband in a Haight-Ashbury record store. Before I even drafted the story, Ruth wrote about it in her latest newsletter. Ever the reporter, she’s now scooped me twice!
The drive back to Orange County—48 miles and 2 hours later—reminded me why I do not miss the 405 in rush hour traffic.
Day 6 | Manaserro Farms, Irvine for a flat of strawberries that amazingly made it back to Phoenix without me eating even one. Coffee at Crave in Corona on the way home with subscriber/writer artist/runner, Wendee L, the only person I’ve ever communicated with solely via Instagram.
Hey! If you’re not already following me on Instagram, hop on over for more hijinks in and out of the kitchen, random dog pics and the free Recipe of the Month.
Small Bite #2: KitchenAids
Okay, I know I should have these, I’m sure no kitchen is complete without them, but like I’ve said before I’m still a rookie cook learning as I go. All the cooking and baking from my California trip introduced me to these must-haves. So I bought them.
Small Bite #3: Sentimental Journey
Switching gears from kitchen must-haves to cherished favorites, subscriber Vivienne A asks:
Have you ever done a piece on favorite kitchen items? Not "best chef's knife," but sentimental favorites that you would grab in an emergency, or that would be the first thing to move into a new kitchen?
My mom gave me my basic set of pots and pans, just stainless steel, which I've used for two decades - so I'm fond of those. My daughter already has her eye on my Le Creuset! I hope someone cherishes my soup bowls some day, or our square dinner plates—so 80's!
Got a sentimental favorite to share? Pop it into the Comments section!
Glad to have you along for the ride! Your Pantry Pal,
Amie
I always try to purchase something for my kitchen when I am traveling- so every time I use them, I reflect on my journeys. My kids now do the same thing. It's almost always something small, like a wooden spoon or measuring cups- that can easily fit into my suitcase but bring smiles and fond memories for years to come.
Those strawberries 🍓!!!