Posts Tagged ‘culture’

My 5 Favorite Tacos

Matt Holzman, KCRW Host.

Now I’m not a food connoisseur, but I do know a good taco when I meet one. Here are some of my top picks.

Alameda Swap Meet (44th and Alameda, LA, 90058)
An incredibly festive place and there are so many places to score awesome tacos here, it’s tough to know where to start. The main “restaurant” alone sells so many kinds you’d need a month to try them all (the fried potato tacos are special!) – though most of the “variety” meats (buche, anyone?) don’t appeal to a gavacho like me. They also make fantastic aguas frescas (watermelon is my fave) and sell bags of freshly made churros.
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Top 5 Places Around the World Where You Lose Track of Time

Aaron Byrd, KCRW DJ.

I absolutely love to travel.  Currently I’m up to 16 countries and it’s a bit of an addiction, I admit, but to quote the wise Anne Litt — “it’s a great problem to have.”  I have been thinking back on all my travels — from horrible hostels and 13-hour train rides to some of the most euphoric sunsets and food that doesn’t make you miss your momma’s cooking. So I present to you the top 5 places around the world where you seem to lose track of time.
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Tell Us YOUR Top 5 New Restaurants of 2009

You’ve heard from KCRW’s tastemakers and personalities and now we want to hear from you. As we reflect on ’09, we want to know your 5 favorite new restaurants that opened in 2009. Comment below and let us know which dining spots are a great addition to LA’s culinary landscape.

Tell Us YOUR Top 5 Books of 2009

Happy Holidays to everyone.

I never respond to requests for five best books of the year — there are too many and I wouldn’t trust anyone to have read  enough of them to know the best.  I’m comfortable choosing my five favorites, so here they are:
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5 Favorite Dishes to Make for First Time Guests by Ariana Morgenstern

Ariana Morgenstern, Morning Becomes Eclectic Producer.

I love to cook. I cook everyday. I spend endless hours thinking about meals and one of my favorite pastimes is pouring through my cookbooks and modifying recipes. I’ve taken classes, apprenticed at 72 Market St in Venice in its heyday and volunteer my services to friends.

As a child, my mom made 3 square meals a day so it’s hard for me to open a box and put the contents in a microwave. I’ve never even owned one. I’m more inclined to have a simple cheese sandwich over frozen food. That’s just not how I was raised. While I am not a fancy cook, there is great beauty in simple hearty fare.

It’s easy to get stressed out when guests are about to land on my doorstep so I try to prepare meals I’ve made before. My mom told me long ago to never experiment with a new dish on guests. I learned that the hard way when I made a quiche — the crust was so hard and dense my guest actually picked it up and started banging it on the table.

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