The Los Angeles Times I Food & Wine: The Taste had me flying.

 

There I am.  Happy as a camper at The Taste.  It was little over a week ago I started planning which events I would attend.  I felt like a little kid going to Disneyland for the first time.  Giddy, nervous, not knowing what to expect, just confidant it was going to be GOOD.  I wasn’t disappointed.  The Taste was everything it promised to be and more.  Let me take you along for an abbreviated ride of the events through my experience.

Friday Night: September 2nd

Location: Paramount Studios Back Lot

Event: The Art of Mixing

 

This event celebrated mix drinks and some food.  Music was provided by KCRW.  Jason Bentley spun his magic for our listening pleasure then shortly after Mariachi El Bronx took the stage much to the crowd’s excitement.  The highlight of the evening for me was the demonstration provided by Chef Ricardo Zarate (Chef of the year by: Food & Wine) and Chef John Rivera Sedlar.  Ricardo taught us how to fillet a fish and John taught us some of his signature salsas.

 

The dish of the night that stood with me was surprisingly a delicious little pink cake.  It was brought to The Taste by Cakes Suzette.  Champagne cake that was moist, rich, dense, buttery, perfectly sweet, and covered in chocolate.  Heaven to the tongue.

The next day I went back for round two…….

Saturday day: September 3rd

Location: Beverly Hills

Event: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar

This was family day for me.  My fiance and our son Max joined me on this jaunt.  We watched Chef Celestino Drago make a beet risotto, then he served it on little platters and Max rarely eats anything but he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to sample some of Drago’s cooking.  We sat in on the interview with Chef Ludo and Krissy Lefebvre.  Not to mention the food was so sensational….. we might have over eaten.  Eeeeek.

Sunday Night: September 4th

Location: Downtown Los Angeles

Event: Food Noir

Sunday night The Taste came to my part of town and in my opinion it was the best of all the events I attended. Film + Food = Happy Me.  I had a great time and the food was knock my socks off good.

Us food bloggers were in our element.  We took a minute away from eating and made a picture.  Me- Presley’s Pantry,  Quyen- Kitchen Runway,  Ericka – Nibbles & Feasts

The stand out dish of the night came from Rivera Restaurant: A corn flan with black quinoa poured over the top.

Monday Afternoon: September 5th

Location: Beverly Hills

Event: Picnic in the Hills

The last day was celebrated with a bang.  We ate well, drank lots of wine and lemonade, and learned how to make strawberry sprinkles cupcakes by none other then Candace Nelson….. Don’t be jealous.


Mmmmmm gorgeous bread topped with burrata, grilled grapes, olive oil, salt and a little basil leaf.  I about fainted from the happiness this dish brought me.

The outstanding exhibitor for Monday was Fig and Olive….. Everything I sampled at their post was sublime and tap danced on my taste buds.

At the end of the 4 days I had expired. I was exhausted and fell asleep with a smile on my face much like when I was a kid at the end of my Disneyland visit.

Thank you Los Angeles Times / Food & Wine for bringing such a wonderful event to my town.

All photos taken by: Nicole Presley, Mando Lopez, and Ericka Sanchez

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