The Gold Standard Food & Wine event is presented by LA Weekly and The Wine House and will feature a selection of 40 of LA’s best and most eclectic restaurants hand-picked by Jonathan Gold. This year’s event will be held in a new, larger location at the Petersen Automotive Museum.

Asked how he chooses his favorites, Jonathan said that “…an essential restaurant is one that reflects Los Angeles in a startling and unusual way, that uses fresh local ingredients in a fashion that respects the land in which they were grown, that showcases cooking echoing both foreign-trained chefs’ region of origin and the hypercharged mosaic of the L.A. dining scene.” Sounds like a great definition, and a great event:

When: Sunday, February 28, 2010 from 1:00pm until 5:00pm (VIP early entry begins at noon)
Where: Petersen Auto Museum, 6060 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles. Self-parking will be available at the museum lot for $8.00.
Cost: $60 general admission; $80 VIP admission. A portion of the proceeds benefit Heal the Bay and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Tickets can be purchased online or by phone at 1.888.878.9651.

Jonathan Gold has been a food critic for the LA Weekly and the Los Angeles Times, and has been a writer and editor at Gourmet magazine. He currently writes Counter Intelligence, First Bite, Where to Eat Now, and Ask Mr. Gold for LA Weekly, and also contributes to its food blog, Squid Ink. He is the author of Counter Intelligence: Where to Eat in the Real Los Angeles.

Fuyu persimmons; photo by David Karp via Los Angeles Times

When: Saturday, November 7, 2009 beginning at 11:00am
Where: Surfas, 8777 Washington Boulevard, Culver City
Cost: Free, no reservations required

Among the demonstrations will be fresh persimmon butter, spiced apple-persimmon chutney, and cranberry jam with orange peel and candied ginger.

If you’re not familiar with Surfas’ outstanding selection of equipment and often hard-to-find foodstuffs, allow some extra time to browse the aisles.

And… if the lure of autumn fruit preserves isn’t enough, this Saturday Surfas is also offering free knife sharpening (up to three) while you wait between the hours of 1:00pm and 4:00pm.

The quintessential summertime fruit (or vegetable depending on your school of thought) in the market is the tomato. Available in a rainbow of colors far beyond the stereotypical red, tomatoes color the market with their pink, orange, yellow, green, purple, and even black and white hues. Each summer, the market’s farmers grow old favorites and new varieties of tomatoes, each with their own unique flavor and texture.

Free samples of 30+ tomato varieties will be available for sampling from 9:00am until noon. Adam Schell will sign copies of his work, Tomato Rhapsody from 9:00am until noon. The Farmer’s Kitchen will also feature a tomato-focused menu for those who want follow their tasting with a more substantial meal.
The Hollywood Farmers’ Market is located on Ivar and Selma Avenues between Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards every Sunday from 8:00am until 1:00pm. The Market is operated by Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles (SEE-LA) as a nonprofit community activity.

Do you love pie? We do. Please join us for a summer pie swap and we’ll talk and taste pie.

Join Slow Food members and friends as we swap stories and goodies. Bring a favorite or try something new–just tell us how it connects to Slow Food. Do you buy special ingredients from the farmers’ market? Create or modify it from a treasured family recipe? Seek out local, sustainable, or fair trade products?

Please bring one pie to share as well as a container to take home extras. Well-behaved children accompanied by an adult are welcome. Hungry pie-loving friends are also welcome. Limit of two additional people per pie please. Coffee and tea and will be served.

When: Sunday, July 19, 2009 at 2:00pm
Where: Private home (West Hollywood); address will be provided with receipt of donation
Cost: Adults: $5; children may attend free. This event is limited to twenty-five people. Please purchase your tickets via Brown Paper Tickets and RSVP your name, number in party, and email address to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com. Paid reservations are not refundable.

We hope you’ll join us for what promises to be a delightful–and delicious–afternoon. If you can’t attend the event but would like to share a recipe, please send it to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com.

Have you experimented with natural sweeteners like agave or unrefined cane sugar? Do you boost the fiber and nutritional content of your recipes with whole grains? Have you tinkered with vegan cupcakes or revised family favorites to make them a little kinder to your health? Let us sample your favorite gluten-free cake or your whole wheat banana bread. If you haven’t experimented in the past why not give it a try?

Join Slow Food members and friends as we swap stories and healthier) baked goods. Bring a favorite or try something new–just tell us how it connects to Slow Food. Do you buy special ingredients from the farmers’ market? Create or modify it from a treasured family recipe? Seek out local, sustainable, or fair trade products?

Please bring one item to share such as a dozen cookies, a loaf of bread, or a batch of ice cream and a copy of the recipe to swap with other members. Please also bring a container to take home extras. Well-behaved children accompanied by an adult are welcome. Coffee and tea and will be served.

When: Sunday, May 24, 2009 at 2:00pm
Where: Private home (West Hollywood); address will be provided with receipt of donation
Cost: Adults: $5; children may attend free. This event is limited to twenty-five people. Please purchase your tickets via Brown Paper Tickets and RSVP your name, number in party, and email address to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com. Paid reservations are not refundable.

We hope you’ll join us for what promises to be a delightful–and delicious–afternoon. If you can’t attend the event but would like to share a recipe, please send it to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com.

When: Saturday, August 23, 2008 from 3:00pm until 9:00pm
Where: Skylark Fine Art Gallery, 8576-A Melrose Ave, West Hollywood 90069
Cost: Free, but RSVP required (see below)

Among new artwork by Luc Leestemaker, Terry will be pouring organic wines and sampling cheese, many from California including Cowgirl Creamery, Pug’s Leap Goat Cheese, and others.

At 5:30pm, master sommelier Sean Crowley will conduct a wine tasting session focused on the impact of terroir on wine. At 7:30pm, Terry will extend the concept of terroir to chocolate, and will lead a tasting of chocolates that will feature not just single origin chocolates, but single plantations from Ecuador and Africa. All chocolates selected are from plantations that follow sustainable growing practices and are fair trade.

Due to limited space, the number of attendees will be limited, particularly for the 5:30pm and 7:30pm sessions. Reserve your place by calling Terry August at 323.466.7654 or by emailing your request to admin [at] fancifull [dot] com.

When: Saturday, August 9, 2008 from 10:00am until 12:00noon
Where: The new Loteria Grill in Hollywood, 6627 Hollywood Boulevard
Cost: One perfectly ripe, correctly labeled homegrown tomato

The tasting will be an opportunity to share what you’ve grown and get a taste of what’s been ripening all over Los Angeles this summer. Jimmy Shaw, chef and owner of Loteria Grill, is graciously hosting the event. Share your stories of the season, taste what all that care and water have produced, and get great ideas from Jimmy Shaw on how to best use this season’s crop.

This event will make a great day trip outside the city but you might also consider driving up the day before so you can enjoy the bay or eat in some of the great local restaurants such as the Station House or Manka’s Inverness Lodge.

Schedule:
9:30am: Leave SF for Marin; drive takes around an hour but the tour starts promptly so leave early or drive up the night before
11:00am: Meet up in Tomales Bay
11:30am: Tour of Cowgirl Creamery at Tomales Bay. Watch them make cheese, buy picnic provisions, take a walk around charming town, visit independent bookstore, Marin Sun Farm Butcher Store, etc. 
1:30pm: Leave Tomales Bay for Hog Island, drive takes around 30 minutes
2:00pm: Picnic area reserved at Hog Island Oyster Farm includes access to barbecue, shucking tools, and lemons. They will provide a quick overview of oyster shucking. You may purchase and shuck fresh oysters and eat them raw or grill them with garlic butter in the local style. Guests may bring any other picnic foods they wish, including beer and wine. The barbecue is essentially potluck but we will provide fire, grilling tools, condiments, plates, utensils, napkins, and cups as well as Marin Sun Farms weenies and buns. We encourage you to share. 
 
When: Friday, August 29, 2008 (schedule as noted above)
Where: Meet in Point Reyes Station at Cowgirl Creamery
Cost: $35.00 per person for adults; $20 per child under 12 years of age. Event limited to 20 people. Priority will be given to Slow Food members.

Attire/Precautions: Wear comfortable clothes, walking shoes, a hat, and sunscreen. If you intend to shuck oysters, consider bringing a shucking glove to protect your hand and/or your own tools. Maximum of four people per reservation. Please carpool if possible. Each child under 12 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. Porta potties are available.

Reservations: 
Email your reservation request to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com with the number in your party (adults + children) and the name of the Slow Food convivium to which you belong. Because of the strict space limits I will ask you to reconfirm after you’ve made your travel arrangements. Please also let me know if you are you interested in carpooling. Do you need space in a car? Do you have space in a car?

Blenheim Apricot Jam…
Chunky Fig and Balsamic Chutney…
Kyoho Grape Jelly…
Peach and Crystallized Ginger Preserve…
Aunt Edna’s Spicy Tomato-Pepper Relish…

Are you enjoying the summer bounty of wonderful fresh fruit and vegetables available at your local farmer’s market? Want to try your hand at canning or revive a family tradition? Does your freezer yearn to be filled?

Join other Slow Food members and friends as we swap stories and jams, chutneys, and other preserves. Bring a favorite or try something new–just tell us how it connects to Slow Food. Do you buy special ingredients from the farmer’s market? Create it from a treasured family recipe? Seek out local and sustainable products?

Please bring four pints of canned or frozen jam, jelly, preserves, or chutney and a copy of the recipe to swap with other members. Jam should be packed in four containers you don’t mind giving away such as canning jars, plastic containers, or vacuum-sealed bags. Want to swap more? Bring eight pints and take home eight pints. Please also bring a small sample to taste. Well-behaved children accompanied by an adult are welcome. Coffee, tea, and dessert will be served.

When: Saturday, July 19, 2008 at 2:00pm
Where: Private home (Simi Valley); address will be provided with confirmation of reservation.
Cost: Free of charge, but note that reservations are required.

This event is limited to twenty-five people. RSVP with number of guests to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com.

Bill Lewis, an experienced beekeeper and long-time participant in the South Pasadena and Santa Monica farmers’ markets, has once again generously agreed to host a private tour of his bee-keeping and small-scale honey production operation and to share his vast knowledge of bees and honey with Slow Food Los Angeles members.

Bill’s Bee Ranch is a rural oasis, located high above the city. The site has active bee hives and there is an ambient bee population. The morning event will include a tour of his honey-making facility, an opportunity to learn about the production and uses of honey, a close inspection of hives and bee colonies, and a comparative honey tasting. Bill’s honey and bee products will be available for sale.

When: Sunday, June 8, 2008 at 10:00am
Where: The Bee Ranch, located in the Angeles National Forest above Lake View Terrace. Directions will be provided with confirmation of reservation.
Cost: $20.00 per person for adults; $15 per child under 12 years of age
Attire/Precautions: While the prospect of a bee sting is unlikely, those who are concerned about, sensitive to or allergic to honey, bee stings, and/or insect bites should not attend this event. Late spring brings rattlesnakes out for sun in the California hillsides. Wear pale-colored, full-length clothing and socks and walking/hiking shoes suitable for unpaved, farm/hilly terrain ( = no shorts, capris, skirts, sandals, bright-colored or billowy clothing). Please refrain from using perfume or floral-scented lotion, sunscreen, soap, or shampoo. Long hair should be confined to a braid or placed under a cap/hat; bees are attracted to long hair when it is blown in the breeze.
Maximum of four people per reservation. Please carpool if possible. Each child under 12 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. The event will last approximately 1.5-2 hours.

Please note: There are no restroom facilities on site.

To reserve your place:
FIRST: Email your reservation request to snailwrangler [at] slowfoodla [dot] com with the number in your party (adults + children) and the name of the Slow Food convivium to which you belong.
THEN: Send your check, payable to Slow Food Los Angeles to:
Slow Food Los Angeles
8033 Sunset Blvd #395
Los Angeles, CA 90046

Please include with your check the name under which your reservation was placed. Your reservations will be confirmed by email when your check has been received. Checks must be received by May 20th to hold a reservation.

Join other Slow Food members and friends as we swap stories and soup. Bring a favorite or try something new–just tell us how it connects to Slow Food. Do you buy special ingredients from the farmer’s market? Create it from a treasured family recipe? Seek out local and sustainable products?

Please bring four quarts of soup and a copy of the recipe to swap with other members. Soup should be packed in four containers you don’t mind giving away such as glass canning jars or plastic. Want more soup? Bring eight quarts and take home eight quarts. Well-behaved children accompanied by an adult are welcome. Coffee, tea, and light snacks will be served.

When: Sunday, April 13, 2008 at 2:00pm
Where: Private home (West Hollywood); address will be provided with receipt of donation
Cost: Adults: $5 for Slow Food members and $10 for nonmembers; children may attend free.

This event is limited to twenty-five people. Please RSVP with number of guests to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com, and purchase your tickets via Brown Paper Tickets.

Bring your sweetheart and bring your friends to sip and taste to your heart’s delight. A six-course wine and treat tasting will be served, and will feature a selection of biodynamic/organic sparkling wines and dessert wines paired with Boule’s delicacies, such as macarons, pastries, and chocolates, all made by hand with sustainable local products.

Robert Rogness of Wine Expo will enlighten with his “grower champagne” wisdom, providing an education regarding the virtues and the merits of these natural wines as compared to commercially produced “brand” wines. Mark Mendoza, sommelier of Sona, will also be on hand to discuss the nuances of pairing these natural wines with the sweeter fare. Come taste, learn, and toast a sustainable future for us all.

When: Wednesday, February 6, 2008, beginning at 7:00pm
Where: Boule Atelier, 420 N. La Cienega Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90048
Cost: [Note updated information] $45 per person for Slow Food members; $50 per person for nonmembers
Reservations: Seating limited to 65, reservations may be made by email to Chelsea Wilmeth at Boule.

With its high ceilings, pale blue walls, and display cases, Boule Atelier has earned its place among L.A.’s chic shops and restaurants. Built as a temple to honor sweets in all their forms, the green tea macarons have an ephemeral finish, the long ribbons of rose marshmallows boast pretty petals, and chocolates are delicate with innovative and balanced flavors. All products are handmade from local, sustainable products by the Boule pastry team.

Wine Expo, founded in 1993, has a concentration in four areas with uncommon intensity, one being Grower Champagnes, and as a consequence, a nearly rabid loyal following. General Manager, Robert Rogness, has been in the fine wine business for over two decades. Robert is a champion of traditional, terrior and food based wines despite what the score keeping “gatekeepers” think.

When: Monday, February 11, 2008 beginning at 7:00pm
Where: Lou, 724 North Vine, Hollywood 90038
Cost: $80 per person
Reservations: Limited seating is available; reservations may be made by email to reservations [at] louonvine [dot] com or by phone to 323.962.6369.

Tony and Julie Hook are proprietors of Hook’s Cheese Company, located in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. Their cheese plant operates out of a repurposed blacksmith’s shop constructed in the 1850s; the historic building is built into the side of a hill, the perfect environment to age their cheese. Hook’s Cheese Company is a true family-owned and run business and on most Saturdays you will find Tony and Julie hand-selling their cheeses at the Dane County farmers’ market.

Julie Hook won the coveted “Finest Cheese in the World” award at the World Cheese Championship in 1982, the first woman to win this award.

Hook’s 10 Year Cheddar is unarguably one of the finest, super-aged cheddars in the country, if not the world. The Hooks are modern-day alchemists, masters of the process that yields cheddar that becomes nutty and complex with age, saturated with the same sort of tiny crystals of crunchy protein that are found in a good Parmesan Reggiano. All of the milk that the Hooks use in their cheese is sourced from providers that raise their cows sustainably, and without the use of bovine growth hormones.

In addition to their beloved super-aged cheddars, the Hooks also produce three stylistically different blue cheeses: Hook’s Original, a double-cream named Blue Paradise, and a natural-rind, English farmhouse-style cheese named Tilston Point. Recently, they’ve begun to produce yet another new cheese, Sweet Constantine, which pays homage to both Parmesan and Asiago.