Presley's Pantry

Last week I stepped into Playa restaurant for a tasting of an exciting event that AltaMed is hosting later this month.  They are putting on an all out gala “East LA Meets Napa” at Union Station (800 N Alameda St in Los Angeles) Friday, July 20th from 6p.m. to 9p.m.  Bringing together the richness of Mexican food and success of Latino-owned restaurants and vineyards in California.  The ticket will allow you to sample some amazing dishes and taste all the squashed grapes from Northern California.  The preview proved to be very delish with samples  from Chef Rocio Camacho from Rocio’s Moles de Los Dioses, Chef Hugo Molina from Seta Dine: Lounge, Chef John Rivera-Sedlar from Rivera Restaurant and Playa Restaurant, and wines from Black Coyote, Alex Sotelo Cellars, and Gustavo Thrace.  This was just a sneak preview and it was just enough to wet my palate and leave me begging for more.  Wild horses couldn’t keep me from attending East LA Meets Napa this year after the gorgeous food I had.  This is NOT an event you’ll want to miss either.  Plus you’ll feel great knowing all proceeds from East LA Meets Napa will benefit AltaMed Health Services.

 AltaMed has also teamed up with author Sergio C. Muñoz, Jr. for a release of their new book “In Their Own Words II” where local Latino chefs and restaurant owners share inspiring stories along with traditional recipes.  On Thursday, July 19th from 6p.m. to 9 p.m. a fun book release party will be had in honor of the new publication.  El Cholo Restaurant in Pasadena will host this unique event.  The event will include a brief program featuring readings and remarks from the owners of El Cholo and the writer, Sergio C. Muñoz, Jr. of Intelatin along with AltaMed. Expect lots of food, wine and music.  Grab your tickets while you can.

To buy tickets for either or both events visit: www.eastlameetsnapa.com

Here are a few pictures from the preview sampling:

Let me end by saying I am so proud of AltaMed for providing many underserved communities with quality care for the past 40 years.  This organization continues to prosper and grow bringing more people/families the health care they need.

The idea of having a bar-b-que doesn’t exist if corn on the cob isn’t thrown on the grill.  I take pleasure in watching people eat their corn.  So many different ways to enjoy each kernel.  Some people eat it like a old typewriter on fast speed….very crickety.  All the way down one side and back at the top again for another go at it. Some people pick each kernel and savor it slowly. Some people just hack away at the corn taking big bites here and there with no rhythm or coordination.  I am a meticulous corn eater, I eat one side and then more on to the next….  never leaving a kernel untouched.  Then you have your funny people that bite a kernel and place them strategically in their teeth and leave them there to resemble messy mouth.  Maybe that last one just happens in my family, I don’t know.  Whichever the case, delight in this corn and eat it the way you know how.

All photos taken by: Nicole Presley

Ingredients for grilled corn on the cob:

Fresh corn on the cob

Kerrygold garlic and herb butter

basil infused olive oil

fresh lime juice

salt and pepper

aluminum foil

Take a piece of aluminum foil (7×7)and place down on  as a work space/wrapper. Place corn on aluminum foil and spread butter around entire corn to cover it.

Then drizzle with olive oil and squeeze with fresh lime juice.

Next season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Then wrap the corn in aluminum foil nice and tight, and start on the next one.  One you finishing wrapping all your cobs. Throw them on a bar-b-que grill and cook on each side for 5 to 6 minutes. A corn has 4 sides…. a total of 20 to 24 minutes.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!

There’s a reason I buy my meat at Whole Foods Market, it’s not just the gorgeousness of the market.  Or the fact that I love the deli section, or that everything in the display cases looks as if it’s been placed by a meticulous artist.  I could go on and on about the cheese area and the perfect produce, but then we would never get to the meat section….

Tuesday I was in Whole Foods Market in Pasadena for a Best Butcher Competition.  I watched as 8 butcher’s from the southern pacific region cut and displayed their meats with such accurate craftsmanship, sophistication and speed!

The defending champion was said to be the favorite but a different butcher who had humbleness on his side and skill in his hands won my vote right away.  I walked around photographing the skilled butchers and talking to the judges.  Before I knew it, their 30 minutes of allotted time was up and the competition was over.  I credited myself for picking my own favorite early in the game, the butcher I was rooting for won!  Rafa Rodriguez is the champion of the Southern Pacific Region.  Here’s a photo of him going over his work with the judges.

Rafa will now move on to the next phase in the competition.  11 different regions of Whole Foods markets will move on to Portland, Oregon July 21st to compete in the semifinals against the regional champions from Northern California and Pacific Northwest!

Three butchers will emerge victorious from the national semifinals and will move on to compete at Meatopia, the nation’s largest celebration of meat, on Sept. 8 in New York City.

Whole Foods Market’s quality standards for meat include no antibiotics – ever, no added hormones, and no animal byproducts in feed.  All of the beef, pork and chicken sold in Whole Foods Market’s meat department comes from farms and ranches that are certified to Global Animal Partnership’s 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating program.  There’s my reason for buying my meat at Whole Foods!

A photo diary from the competition:

All photos taken by: Nicole Presley

Ingredients for Honey Brie Cups:

1 – uncooked pie crust (I use pillsbury)

6 – oz. brie cheese

1/8 – cup honey

2 – tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice

Preheat oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit

Spray a mini muffin pan with a non-stick baking spray. Set to the side.

Unroll pie crust and cut with a star cookie cutter.

Then place little stars in mini muffin pan to form your cup.

Cut your brie cheese into cubes large enough to fit in center.

Then place in the oven for 9 to 12 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

While cups are baking take honey and orange juice and mix well.

Once you remove brie cups from oven,  drizzle orange honey generously over each cup.

Enjoy them on their own or with a bowl of fresh cherries!

 All photos taken by: Nicole Presley

I’ve been doing so well this early into Summer with my Shape Up regimen.  I have a good exercise routine in place…. Either a hot dose of Bikram Yoga or dancing to El Paso Positivo song with my arms flailing from side to side and a jump just to show my enthusiasm.  Me and the Maestro del vaso Medio Lleno have this routine in common.

My son and I were dancing to “EL Paso Positivo” on our front lawn and before I knew it we had a group of neighbors staring at our dance moves.  I told them to come in and we could all practice and get in shape together.  Soon, everyone felt they had the  signature moves attached to the dance down.  Whether they did or didn’t wasn’t the point, we were all having a blast dancing together.  It was such a joyful experience, my son Max invited everyone back for a BLOCK PARTY the next day.  I made a big batch of Cherry Coconut Chocolate Milk Shakes so once we were done shaking our behinds, we could drink down our shakes!  We had such a magnificent time.  I told the two cute school aged boys from across the street to come back and dance with us whenever they fancy.  The sweet punk rock girl next store let her inner dance princess loose and found her way to enjoy El Paso Positivo.  The two senior ladies were really happy to be reliving some youth and hanging out with fun people.  El Maestro and I highly recommend this neighborly love!

Here’s a video of us doing “El Paso Positivo”

Shake it up Baby!  This summer when you find yourself dancing to the awesome sounds of El Paso Positivio to get in shape, remember to drink a BIG TALL GLASS of MILK right after.  This will help your muscles to recover after a good workout.  Or have one of my Cherry Coconut Chocolate Milk Shakes!

Ingredients for Cherry Coconut Milk Shakes:

1 1/2 – cups of fresh pitted cherries

3 – coconut paletas

1 – pint of Ben and Jerry’s “Cherry Garcia” ice cream

2 – cups of milk

1 – cup of ice

Add all ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth.  Divide among glasses and add a straw for fun drinking. 🙂

In the words of my son Maxie: Toma Leche!

All photos taken by: Mando Lopez and Nicole Presley

Disclosure: This is part of a sponsored campaign with the California Milk Processor Board and Latina Mom Bloggers. However, all opinions expressed and recipe are my own.

If I could float away into the world of soda and ice cream I would.  I love the foamy substance a float produces up top, it makes scooping out the ice cream with a spoon and gulping down the soda with a straw a heavenly experience.  I’ve been feeling rather peachy lately and it isn’t a coincidence that Melissa’s Produce and I are on the same wave of sentiments.  They were kind enough to send me over a batch of stone fruits. Pictured below.

After sinking my teeth into their skin and marveling over the sweetness of their flesh I wanted to enjoy them as many ways as possible.  I recently had a delicious float and was inspired to make a peach version.  Something to cool down my summer and quench my sweet tooth at the same time.  Peach and cream float with ginger cookie crumbs would definitely do the trick.

Ingredients for Peach & Cream Float:

peach ice cream

1 – peach (cored and sliced)

cream soda

ginger cookies

In a big cup add 3 to 5 scoops of ice cream.

Then take your sliced peaches and add them in!

Then pour cream soda over the top till filled, then crumble ginger cookie on top!

Stick a straw and a spoon in it, and SLURP till your heart’s content!

All photos taken by: Nicole Presley and Mando Lopez

I dream of sweets all the time but in the warmest season of the year, they seem like such a task to make.  I picture the sweaty kitchen and think twice about dessert creating.  Until recently that was the case…

A little while back I had a hands on lesson with Danielle Keene ( you may remember her from Top Desserts) and Chef Michelle Quiles (gelatin queen extraordinaire).  I learned a few sweet Milk based recipes to keep cool with in the dead of heat… Creamy Summer Desserts.

Pictured below: The desserts we ate and made. 🙂

All photos taken by: Nicole Presley

Ingredients for Lavender Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta:    (Pictured at top)

1 – vanilla bean, split

2 1/4 – teaspoons dried lavender

1/2 – cup sugar

1- cup milk

3 – cups heavy cream

1/2 – cup creme fraiche

1 – tablespoon powdered gelatin

In a saucepan over medium heat bring vanilla bean, lavender, sugar, 1/2 cup milk and 1 1/2 cups heavy cream to a simmer.  Cover, remove from heat and set aside to steep for 30 minutes.  In a separate bowl, mix gelatin powder in remaining 1/2 cup milk to hydrate.  Reheat vanilla mixture and pour over gelatin mixture.  Whisk until combined and gelatin is dissolved.  Whisk in creme fraiche and strain.  Cool to room temperature.  With a electric mixer whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream to soft peaks.  Gently fold in vanilla bean mixture in two parts.  Pour into small greased ramekins and chill for 6 hours or overnight.  Unmold and serve with blueberry caramel and fresh fruit.

Ingredients for Berry Caramel Sauce:

1 -cup sugar 

1/4 – cup water

1 3/4 – cup fresh berries pureed

1 – tablespoon butter

In a saucepan over high heat, combine sugar and water.  Boil until mixture is an amber color.  Add berry puree and butter.  Whisk until dissolved.  Strain and serve over panna cotta.