Combo plate: Food trucks, food films, ‘Shrek’ and more
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-- McDonald’s recall of ‘Shrek’ glasses raises some disturbing questions, including: How did a potentially toxic material find its way into drinking cups marketed to children?
-- Handy-dandy cheat sheet to download, print and clip for your purse or wallet: When you should spring for organic fruits and vegatables -- and when you can get away with the regular stuff. This is all according to the Environmental Working Group.
-- If you find yourself in New York later this month, you might want to check out the NYC Food Film Festival, running June 23-27. A caravan of food trucks will be serving up waffles, ice cream, pupusas and more. All the films sound worthy, but these two jumped out at me: ‘In De Keuken (In The Kitchen)’ about a professional chef and two home chefs in Belgium who follow identical recipes with differing results, and ‘It’s Grits!’ by director Stan Woodward: ‘Over 30 years ago, veteran filmmaker Stan Woodward rambled through the South gathering opinions on the subject of grits. Shot in the black-and-white cinema-verite style ... this must-see classic is the definitive film on the subject.’
-- Speaking of food and film: There will be a foodie element to the 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by the Los Angeles Times, running June 17-June 27 at L.A. Live. LA Weekly’s Pulitzer Prize-winning restaurant critic Jonathan Gold serves as one of this year’s artists in residence, and will introduce ‘Udon,’ a 2006 Japanese film about an aspiring comic and his noodlemaker father. Click here for more about the festival.
-- Ah, food trucks all in one place: Check out the Street Feast & Street Sale on Tuesday, June 15, from 6-10 p.m. at The Americana at Brand in Glendale. A clutch of gourmet food trucks will set up shop along Caruso Avenue, including: World Fare, The Buttermilk Truck, The Grilled Cheese Truck, Coolhaus, Vizzi, Chef Brian’s Comfort Truck, Patty Wagon, Mandoline Grill, and Flying Pig.
-- OK, L.A., prepare to get clicking: Sears.com is hosting a four-city chef showdown, all to raise money for charity. Go online to vote for your favorite L.A. chef, and best of luck to the three finalists -- Sally Cameron, Palak Patel, and Scott Storms -- competing to raise money for local food banks and food pantries. Voting runs June 26-July 10.
Have some linking news for Combo Plate? Contact me at rene.lynch@latimes.com
-- Rene Lynch
twitter.com/renelynch
