Toddrickallen wants to wish all readers a sumptuous Thanksgiving filled with family, fun, and of course great food!  I am grateful to all who support this site.  Cheers!

Wishing all readers a joyous holiday filled with good food, family, and dear friends.  I’m very grateful to all of you for giving me the inspiration and support to keep exploring the excitement of the LA food scene these past two years.  Happy Thanksgiving from Toddrickallen!

Rojas Eatery recently opened in West LA.  Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the “Mexican infused” menu is designed to be fresh, healthy, locally sourced, and mostly organic.  Everything is made from scratch daily and the food is prepared when ordered right in front of you.  Look for  healthy breakfast items, a variety of sandwiches, soups, salads and clever plates such as 3 potato tacos in corn tortillas with mozzarella, queso fresco, sauce, lettuce, and light sour cream, Even the desserts (such as flan tres leches, various cupcakes, and banana bread) are made on the premises. 

Toddrickallen wishes everyone a joyful, prosperous, and delicious 2011!  I’ll be toasting all my readers at midnight tonight as we look forward to a new year of fantastic eating, and perhaps a few changes at Toddrickallen as well… Cheers!

Toddrickallen is grateful to all who visit this blog and wishes all his readers a very Happy Christmas filled with laughter, joy, and of course, delicious food!  (The diet can start Monday…)

Toddrickallen appreciates your patience.  The rain had knocked out my phone lines and my internet.  I was only able to communicate via iPhone.  I felt as frustrated as Irene Virbila at Red Medicine.  But things are remedied as of today, so you can expect more news and reviews…

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I haven’t yet posted this week. That’s because the copious rain has knocked out all forms of communication at Toddrickallen. Repair crews are on their way and I should be back up and running soon…

Cut in Beverly Hills is listed as the first restaurant in a piece in the December issue of Bon Appétit magazine titled, “The Hot 10 Best Celebration Restaurants”.  They appreciated the food, design, and the diners, all of which are described as “beautiful”.  As many of you know, Cut is a favorite of mine for food, ambiance, and amazing staff.  If you go, check out the incredible John Baldessari installation of photos from Studio 54 with the faces blanked out.  The large images are mesmerizing and are guaranteed to stimulate conversation.

The back of the menu at Cut with an image from John Baldessari

Toddrickallen wishes a very Happy Thanksgiving to all my devoted readers.  May your day be filled with joy, family and friends, and of course, wonderful food!  I’m so very grateful for your support.  Cheers!

Toddrickallen is heading for some of the planet’s best style and food destinations: Paris, Milan, Naples, and the Amalfi Coast.  Stay tuned for blogs from some of our favorite restaurants, markets, patisseries, and food halls.  Au Revoir Los Angeles!

OK, so you know I love Fauchon in Paris.  I always end up bringing back a suitcase filled with  spices, cookies, jams, coffee, and gifts from the iconic luxury French market in Place de la Madeleine.  So what is one to do when one’s stash of goodies dwindles dangerously low?  Help is on hand in Beverly Hills at L’Epicerie de Paris.  They carry a good assortment of products from Fauchon including coffee and tea, madeleines, chocolates, macarons, marrons glacés, and jams.  Arnaud the manager will put together impressive gift baskets certain to charm les sous-vetements off anyone. 

                                                                                                       Arnaud

L’Epicerie de Paris 310 North Camden Drive in Beverly Hills,  90210  

 Tel : 310 271 2981  Email : info@lepiceriedeparis.com

And while we’re on the subject of salt…

Remember the salt tastings a few years back?  I still have about 20 quirky salts sitting in my cupboard.  But the one salt I consistently still use is Balinese pyramid salt.  It’s amazing for finishing a salad or dish and provides a unparralleled crunch.  Upon close examination, Balinese salt really is a mini pyramid.  It’s formed in some sort of highly specific atmospheric condition.  If you’ve ever had the good fortune to go to Bali, you know it sits on every Balinese table, usually in a small square dish ingeniously folded from banana leaf.  It sits on my table as well.  I enjoy guests’ reactions as they experience its texture.  You either grind it a bit between your thumb and forefinger, or scatter it whole for a wonderful, slightly briny, satisfying crunch.

Balinese pyramid salt can be ordered from Big Tree Farms at the following link:

http://www.worldpantry.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prmenbr=762027&prrfnbr=838011

Toddrickallen attended a wonderful garden party over the weekend hosted by an expert party planner.  Her careful attention to detail ensured that the guests every needs were met.  Everyone had a delightful time.  The highlight was the magnificent paella prepared al fresco by chef Virginio Picazo who hails from France.  Actually, there were two paellas, one seafood the other vegetarian.  Watching his skilled and expert technique as he prepared the paella mesmerized the crowd and the finished product was sublime.  He can be reached at vpicazo@promiseeastla.com.

Piggybacking on my last post about Dehillerin, here’s a photo of my very first attempt at brioche, turned out of the mold I bought there.  I must say I was quite proud of it.  And even though it took two days to make and the calorie count is stratospheric, it was the star of a recent Sunday brunch.   I used Patricia Wells’ recipe from The Paris Cookbook.

Stay tuned, Toddrickallen is off to Paris.  I’ll be posting on the food scene in the City of Lights over the next few weeks.  Stay tuned!  A Dieu, mes cheres!