Combo Plate: ‘Top Chef’ backlash, Crazy cakes, shopping the food trucks, and more

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-- Time asks: Has ‘Top Chef’’ lost its edge? What do you think? VOTE! -- Get jamming! Valerie Confections kitchens, 3360 W. 1st St., is hosting a class Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m., taking students through the basics of making stone fruit jams, pickled green beans, and relish. Class size is limited to 12. Contact: (213) 739-8149 or info@valerieconfections.com.

-- The L.A. Flea Market debuts Sunday at Dodger Stadium. What does that have to do with food? Nearly 20 of the city’s favorite food trucks are going to be parked right there, including the Border Grill truck, Coolhaus and the India Jones Chow Truck. Click here for the full list of yummies, and check out our Q&A in the Home section: It’s an interview with Phillip Dane, the man behind the whole thing.

-- When Angels manager Mike Scioscia wants pizza ... he goes into his kitchen. His wife is a great cook and they have their own pizza oven. He calls it ‘the best pizza you can get outside of Chicago deep dish.’ But if he’s in the L.A. area and a hankering hits, he says he goes to Tarantino’s in Pasadena.

-- Check out this photo gallery of cakes that are crazy -- and creative. Who puts monkeys on top of a cake? I want to party with that guy! Or gal.

-- Rene Lynch
Twitter / renelynch