How does your summer vegetable garden grow?

I’m sure I wasn’t the only one inspired by a gorgeously sunny Sunday to hit the nursery and get started on my summer vegetable garden. My favorite local stop --  H&H Nursery in Lakewood -- was jam-packed, particularly the section selling vegetable starts.

Normally, I game-plan my summer garden like a college freshman on his first date. I’ll spend a couple months browsing the various catalogs and weighing the merits of pole versus shelly beans, this variety against that. Anticipation is part of the fun of gardening.

But this winter was so crazy I wound up being spontaneous. I got some Blue Lake green beans to go up a trellis and Cocozelle zucchini to mound in front of them. As usual, one raised bed will be a lettuce mix.

I’ve gone back and forth about tomatoes -- living in Long Beach only a couple miles from the ocean, our May gray can last until early August, which does not encourage great fruit. Tomatoes would rather be in Bakersfield, and though I like my home-grown 'maters as much as anyone, that’s a sacrifice I’m not willing to make.

Gradually, I’ve whittled my selection from a dozen plants to probably half of that this year. I’ve got old favorite Brandywine -- I might get only a dozen or so fruits from it, but they are great -- and a couple of mini-tomatoes -- Juliet and SunGold. These fruit and ripen reliably even in cool weather.

That chicken-wire contraption you see in the front of the picture is my latest innovation. This is actually my second summer garden this year. The first I planted several weeks ago, but it was very quickly un-planted by the neighborhood cats, which regard my raised vegetable beds as super-deluxe litter boxes. So Saturday, a friend and I screwed together some 2X4s and topped them with chicken wire. Let’s see the kitties dig through that.

I’ve still got one raised bed to plant, sometime in the next few weeks after I harvest the last of the winter/spring crop of beets and shallots. It gets pretty good sun, so more tomatoes? Or do I go for eggplants and cucumbers? Or maybe something entirely different?

What do you suggest? And what have you planted in your summer garden?

-- Russ Parsons

Photo of tomatoes and cat-proof garden by Russ Parsons / Los Angeles Times

The asparagus (and swordfish, sugar snaps, fingerlings and strawberries) cure

After a long, cruddy month of weekends spent in bed with the flu, I guess I went a little crazy when I finally got to the Long Beach farmers market Sunday.

As soon as I walked in, I noticed that, thankfully, Zuckerman's Farm still had some of their jumbo asparagus. I almost went down on my knees in thanks. This is one of my favorite foods of the year, and I'd been depressed at the thought of a spring without it. On to fishmonger Pete Siracusa, who talked me into a couple of pounds of California swordfish. Neil Ims from Weiser Family Farms sold me on some Ozette fingerling potatoes. I found some crisp, sweet sugar snap peas at another stand and scoured the market to find the best strawberries (for some reason, most of them seemed a little blah … could be all the rain we’ve had recently).

The asparagus I prepared in my usual way –- steaming it until it’s completely tender, then dressing it just with good olive oil, some lemon zest and juice and a little sea salt. This time I added a twist, sprinkling the spears with toasted breadcrumbs just for a bit of crunch. If you haven’t tried these jumbo asparagus, please, you really need to. They’re as big around as my thumb, and when cooked, they have an intense flavor and an almost mousse-y texture. It really is one of my highlight dishes of the whole year. I always serve it as a first course by itself (well, with a bottle of Navarro Gewürztraminer, year in/year out, the perfect match), and four of us almost finished three big bunches.

The swordfish I sliced into four thin paillards, seasoned with salt, fennel seed, red and black pepper and some olive oil and then broiled. The potatoes were roasted, the sugar snaps briefly steamed and tossed in sizzling butter and shallot chives (the green tops of the plants from my garden). We ended with strawberries sugared and spooned over vanilla ice cream.

It'd take more than four weeks of flu to ruin my spring. What are the foods you love most at this time of year, and how do you prepare them?

-- Russ Parsons

Photo: Russ Parsons / Los Angeles Times

3 food events you should know about: coffee meets art at 'Hecho a Mano'; 'Swine & Wine' dinner at Corkbar; pick-up farm boxes in Long Beach

 

Coffee and art: Coffee lovers with a passion for an artisanally-produced cuppa won't want to miss the opening celebration of "Hecho a Mano" ("Made by Hand"), a collaborative multimedia exhibition co-curated by the nonprofit Los Angeles Art Assn. and the Guatemalan Coffee Board. With a photo series showing artisans at work on small coffee growing fincas, the presentation draws parallels between the hands-on techniques involved in small-scale premium coffee production and the care that artists take to produce their creations. Admission is free. The opening is Saturday,  7 to 9 p.m. at the Los Angeles Art Assn.'s gallery. The exhibit continues through Feb. 11. 

825 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles; www.laaa.org.

'Swine & Wine': Downtown wine bar Corkbar teams with bacon maker Cast Iron Gourmet on Wednesday, Feb. 2, for a bacon dinner dubbed "Swine & Wine." Corkbar executive chef Albert Aviles and Cast Iron Gourmet chef-owner Rashida Purifoy will collaborate on the three-course menu: frisée salad with roasted tomato, shallot and lardons; banh mi slider with cured pork belly, hoisin glaze and sambal aioli on a brioche bun; and a bacon chocolate cupcake with caramel whipped cream and lardons. $25; optional wine pairing is an additional $13. 5 to 10 p.m. Reservations required. 

403 W. 12th St., Los Angeles; (213) 746-0050; www.corkbar.com. See also Corkbar on Twitter, @corkbar. 

Long Beach farm boxes: Farmer-based nonprofit Long Beach Local offers a farm box program in conjunction with Beachgreens, which will deliver locally and organically grown produce direct from the farmer to a drop-off point at the Bella Cosa shop (located at 3803 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach). Pick-up day is Wednesday, from 4 to 6 p.m. The next pick-up opportunity will be Wednesday, Jan. 19 (payments must be be made by Monday, Jan. 17). Payment for pick-ups starting in February are due Jan. 31. Farm boxes come with seven types of vegetables, two herbs and two to three types of fruit. Only the freshest in-season produce will be harvested and packed for you. $30 per week (can be ordered weekly, biweekly or monthly). Recipes posted each week at www.longbeachlocal.org in the recipe section. 

To sign up, e-mail sashakanno@mac.com or call (562) 230-7207.

-- Linda Burum and Betty Hallock

Photo: the patio at Corkbar. Credit: Jay Clendenin/The Los Angeles Times.

 

4 food events you should know about: Chefs cookout for Alex's; Ammo's fundraiser; 'comfort dinners' at Petrossian; making tamales at MOLAA

Chefs fundraiser: Chef Suzanne Goin and partner Caroline Styne of Lucques, A.O.C. and Tavern and chef David Lentz of the Hungry Cat will host L.A. Loves Alex's Lemonade on Sunday, a chefs cookout to raise money and awareness for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer. Jennifer Garner is the honorary chair, Jim Belushi is the emcee, and participating chefs from all over the country include  John Besh of August in New Orleans, Chris Bianco of Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix, David Tanis of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Jonathan Waxman of Barbuto in New York and Neal Fraser of Grace in L.A. $150 for general admission or $350 for the VIP special seating and after-party. All proceeds go to Alex's Lemonade Stand. Tickets are available at www.lucques.com, www.thehungrycat.com or www.alexslemonade.org/campaign/la-loves-alexs-lemonade. Noon to 4 p.m. Culver Studios, 9336 Washington Blvd., Culver City. 

$ for Edible Schoolyard: Ammo chef Daniel Mattern and pastry chef Roxana Jullapat announce their first annual "Brunch & Bake Sale," to take place on Sunday, benefiting the Edible Schoolyard program at Larchmont Charter School. Some bake sale treats from the pastry kitchen to look forward to: petite cinnamon buns, carrot cake muffins, pumpkin bread, cheddar biscuits with farmhouse butter, and breakfast beignets with fruity dipping sauce. And from the brunch menu: steel-cut oatmeal with warm pear compote and muscovado sugar, heirloom apple pancake baked in a wood-burning oven, and thick-cut brioche French toast with Roxana's cherry preserves and maple syrup. All of the proceeds from the bake sale and 15% of brunch sales will be donated. 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 1155 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood, (323) 467-3293, www.ammocafe.com.

Petrossian prix-fixe: Petrossian Boutique & Restaurant in West Hollywood has kicked off prix-fixe dinners on Thursday nights: three courses for $44 with a French comfort-food theme. Chef Benjamin Bailly features classic French dishes such as frisee aux lardons, boudin blanc with pomme puree and caramel pot de creme. Thursdays, 5 to 9:30 p.m. 321 N. Robertson Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 271-0576, www.petrossian.com. 

Tamale time: The Museum of Latin American Art offers a series of "Buen Provecho" cooking classes with instructor Consuelo Campos, including a tamale-making class on Saturday, just in time for the holidays. For additional information, e-mail education@molaa.org or call (562) 216-4108. $25 for members, $35 for non-members. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. 628 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach, (562) 437-1689, www.molaa.org.

-- Betty Hallock

Photo: Pecan sticky buns served at brunch at Ammo. Credit: Liz O. Baylen/Los Angeles Times

Sir Winston's at the Queen Mary closing in December for menu, decor changes

The Queen Mary’s signature upscale restaurant, Sir Winston’s, is about to go under the knife. Planned updates to the restaurant named for Winston Churchill follow a recent change in management for the popular tourist attraction.

We can expect the Old World classics on the menu, such as beef Wellington and rack of lamb, to receive “a more contemporary interpretation” as well as an emphasis on local, seasonal produce, according to a statement by Delaware North Cos. Parks & Resorts, which took over management of the Queen Mary in late September.

Menu and restaurant-decor changes are scheduled to be implemented by Dec. 21. As such, Sir Winston’s will close on Sunday, Dec. 6 and reopen on Monday, Dec. 21. Read more here:

Photo: At Sir Winston’s, the menu might change, but the views won’t. Credit: Delaware North Cos. Parks & Resorts

25 delicious deals

There are deals, and then there are delicious deals. But at a time when restaurants' offers of "buy one get one free" and "half-price on Wednesdays" are as commonplace as tuna tartare or beet salad, sometimes it’s tricky to distinguish the two.

This is definitely an eater’s market — but just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean it’s a bargain. If a $5 cocktail isn’t well-crafted, or an appetizer that costs less than a cup of coffee fails to excite your palate, then it’s not a delicious deal.

So, wading through the low-price hype, L.A. Times Food section writers found 25 of the best values around, including $1 specials at a favorite San Gabriel Valley noodle house, a 10-course Indian thali feast, a $14.95 lobster dinner with a million-dollar view, the happiest happy hour and our top spots for all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue. Check it out:

Photo: At the Beachcomber in Malibu, the $14.95 lobster dinner special is too good to pass up, especially since they throw in the million-dollar view for free. Credit: Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times

 

Four Food Events You Should Know About: Your weekend is made of food

SATURDAY

It's Greek to me Get your Zorba on at the 60th annual Long Beach Greek Festival. Enjoy a wide variety of authentic Greek dishes and pastries, including spanakopita, Greek barbecue, pork souvlaki and baklava. Also on the menu: traditional Greek costumes, dancing, music by the Olympians, game booths, carnival rides, specialty shops, a children's play area and more. Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church, 5761 E. Colorado St., Long Beach. Noon to 9 p.m., daily, through Monday. Adults, $3; children under 12, free. (562) 494-8929. www.lbgreekfest.org.

The frying game The L.A. County Fair is back and ready to give you and yours a fatty dose of food love. Come for the rides, people-watching and entertainment; stay for row after row of food booths featuring the snacks and treats that you probably associate most closely with your childhood including hot dogs, nachos, pizza, ice cream, sausages, barbecue, and of course, all things deep fried and golden. (Check out the story Elina Shatkin wrote about Chicken Charlie's booth and his Frankenstein-like fried creations.) 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona. Opening weekend lasts from Saturday through Monday. 10 a.m. to midnight, Saturday and Sunday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday. $17; or $1 if you arrive between the hours of 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. (909) 623-3111. www.lacountyfair.com.

SUNDAY

Why the sour face? If you're a devoted lover of pickled cabbage, consider attending the Machine Project's Kraut Fest '09. Sign up to learn how to make sauerkraut, kimchi or both. You bring the ingredients and you'll be provided with a "kraut kit," which includes a bucket, a plate and a hand silk-screened poster. Machine Project, 1200 D N. Alvarado St., L.A. 11 a.m., making sauerkraut; noon, making kimchi. $10 per demonstration, $15 for both. (213) 483-8761. www.machineproject.com.

MONDAY

Potluck for change Attend an "eat-in" in support of encouraging the introduction of healthful, locally sourced food into school lunchrooms. Those in attendance will share the food they bring, sign petitions and call their legislators. This event is being sponsored by Slow Food L.A. and organized by Jennie Cook catering. There are five additional eat-ins happening around town, so check the Slow Food website for times and locations. The Cesar Chavez Arboretum in Elysian Park, 835 Academy Road, L.A. 11:30 a.m. Free. (310) 850-1884. www.slowfoodla.com.

-- Jessica Gelt

Photo: Baklava. Credit: Rick Meyer / Los Angeles Times

Red velvet cake: Duty calls

Who would’ve thought that calling for beets in a recipe ingredient list would lead to a quest for the best red velvet cake? 

Well, it did just that in The Times test kitchen.

Our solicitation for the best red velvet cake recipe in response to our post on the American Cancer Society’s “New Red Velvet Cake” led to a flood of responses.  An overwhelming majority supported the red velvet bundt cake at Kiss My Bundt Bakery in West Los Angeles.

We contacted owner Chrysta Wilson, who graciously offered to send us the recipe.

We tested the recipe, baked the bundt cake and waited -- an eternity it seemed -- for it to cool just long enough so we could slather on a thick layer of cream cheese frosting and devour it.

The verdict? Amazing! This was a warm, moist cake with a delicate chocolate flavor complemented by the light, not too sweet, tang of rich cream cheese frosting. The cake was practically gone before we could get a decent photo.

But it doesn't end there....

Much as we liked it, there were still some who thought the cake could be done better. Times employees from the Long Beach area swore that Jongewaard's Bake 'n'  Broil version was the best red velvet cake on the market.

Small Bites: Fuego opens in Long Beach, Sol Cocina opens in Newport Beach, Debbie Lee at Gyenari, the new lunch menu at Water Grill

 

"Latin coastal" in Long Beach: Fuego restaurant is now open in the new Hotel Maya in Long Beach, with a menu that's "coastal Latin American." The executive chef is Jesse Perez. The indoor-outdoor dining room overlooks the waterfront of Long Beach, with 360-degree views. On the menu: shrimp ceviche with chile roja; duck al pastor tacos; chile relleño with pork carnitas; Yucatan-style pork “two ways"; and ancho chile grilled rib eye. Tequila tastings are delivered on a vintage dumb waiter to guests seated in the lower bar area (where there are leather and mohair tequila chairs). Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hotel Maya, 700 Queensway Drive, Long Beach, (562) 481-3910, www.fuegolongbeach.com.

"Baja-inspired" in Newport Beach: SOL Cocina restaurant and bar has opened on Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach. Executive chef Deborah Schneider is serving "Baja-inspired" dishes such as sauteed tangerine shrimp, mango-lobster tostadas, and ceviches, as well kurobuta pork carnitas and buttered tequila-steamed clams. The bar stocks more than 50 varieties of tequilas and mezcals. 251 Pacific Coast Highway, Newport Beach, www.solcocina.com.

Debbie does Gyenari: The judges on "The Next Food Network Star" raved about Debbie Lee's cooking. If you want to find out what the fuss was all about, you might want to try Gyenari in Culver City, which bills itself as an "upscale Korean BBQ destination." Lee, a Los Angeles-based restaurant consultant who made it to the final three of the Food Network competition, has revamped Gyenari's menu. Lee calls her style "Seoul to Soul," in homage to her unconventional upbringing: Her parents were Korean immigrants who settled in the South. Lee was raised on collard greens and fried chicken, and wasn't introduced to Korean food until she was well into her teens. Now, she puts a Korean spin on traditional Southern fare. On the menu at Gyenari: a SeoulTown Po' Boy made with sesame shrimp tempura, cilantro slaw and chile tomatoes; a crispy chile-crusted snapper with soy bean succotash and twice-fried pork belly; and pan-seared pork chops with Fuji apple gravy and kimchee smashed potatoes. 9540 Culver Blvd., Culver City, (310) 838-3131, www.gyenari.com.

New lunch menu at Water Grill: Chef David Lefevre has unveiled a new lunch menu, with salads such as Sea of Cortez white shrimp Caesar salad and sandwiches such as albacore tuna confit and lobster roll. Entrees include Cedar Key clam and sweet corn orechiette with Niman Ranch bacon and sweet basil and Alaskan halibut sauteed and basted with lavender, Meyer lemon and Madagascar vanilla bean oil. The current oyster selection: Malaspina, Fanny Bay, Evening Cove, Kumamoto, Bagaduce and Beausoleil. 544 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 891-0900, www.watergrill.com.

-- Betty Hallock and Rene Lynch

Photo: Gyenari. Credit: Glenn Koenig/Los Angeles Times.

 

Sampler Platter: Pane e Vino and stylish burgers

Midweek roundup of food bites featuring a burger shaped like a shoe, a documentary about food stamps and a local band's foray to a noodle bar.

• Blackburn & Sweetzer digs into Pane e Vino's bar menu.
• New documentary “Food Stamped” explores whether you can eat healthy on food stamps. The Ethicurean
• Forget burger porn. Get a load of burger fashion. Fork in the Road
• What members of Castledoor ordered at Viet Noodle Bar. Atwater Village Newbie

-- Elina Shatkin

Photo: Los Angeles Times.