Fritter Time!

This week, Sunday night hit with fatigue: bummed after losing our big tree, rattled by an earthquake, and bored with the dinner options, we stared into the fridge feeling more and more depleted by the minute.

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The midlife health crisis didn’t help. Trying to limit carbs and fats and salts and sugars meant all those standby indulgences which turn veggie bin scraps into bowls of creamy pasta or baked saucy goodness were off the table.

Then it hit me!

Sunday night was fritter night at our house when I was a kid.

Mum would chop something (leftover corned beef our favorite- but mostly potato, onions or corn), mix into a fritter base and fry up for a simple sunday supper.

So with 2 grilled cobs of corn, passed over all week on the evening dinner dating game, it was time to make fritters.

Super simple.

Cut the corn off the cobs (we had 2 REALLY big yellow ones) and put in a mixing bowl.
Chop some green onion, about a half cup, and add to the corn.
Break one or two eggs, and add 1 dessert spoon of flour for each egg.
If there’s some cheese, grate a spoon or two into the mix. We had some sharp cheddar but a little feta or goats cheese is good and maybe a fresh herb from the garden like parsley, cilantro, or basil. Last night we were too tired to even think of heading down the back yard so ours were plain.. a bit of basil from the deck to garnish, the best we could do.

But so good!

Fry in a little oil and eat with a goopy condiment. For aussie kids it was tomato sauce, but now whatever floats your boat – thai sweet chili, sour cream or yogurt, cilantro chutney or hot sauce.

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Kelley Hart Custom Cookies

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Kelley Hart Jenkins is a musician, calligrapher, fabric artist, clothing designer, and owner of bespoke decorated cookie business “Kelley Hart Custom Cookies”. She works from her design studio in the Averill Park neighborhood of San Pedro.

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Since she started selling small batches of seasonal themed cookies at the Corner Store over 10 years ago, she has created well over 1,000 unique designs for clients across the USA: corporations, families, event planners – even the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C. who needed replicas of Faberge eggs for a special reception.

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She bakes, creates, teaches, and ships the edible art pieces. Inventive and graphic, the designs are colorful and seemingly too special to eat but they are impossible to resist. The experienced baker shines through with each delicious mouthful.

Each season Kelley offers cookie decorating classes at the studio. It’s always a festive atmosphere, with a signature cocktail included! Valentine classes are scheduled for January 30th and 31st.

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She is also expanding and developing her clothing line division “Kelley Hart Creations”: adorable reworkings of classic children’s clothes using repurposed vintage fabrics, treasured crochet and knitted pieces, and whimsical complementary gift items.

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Keep up with all things cookies on Facebook at Kelley Hart Custom Cookies.

http://www.kelleyhart.com

Dustin Trani

To many San Pedrans, Dustin Trani is still the kid who grew up in the restaurant – a 4th generation chef with 20 years experience (he’s 30) in the kitchen.Image 1crop dustin

But many were surprised to see his impressive win on Esquire Networks “Knife Fight” where he made fast work of the task, the ingredient, and Chef Vartan Abgaryan of Cliff’s Edge in Silver Lake. And then there’s the inclusion in many “Top Chefs to Watch” type lists in the foodie press.

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Now Executive Chef at DOMA, he partners with Sonja Perencevic (owner of the iconic Dan Tana’s) to create a classic Beverly Hills gem of a restaurant – to quote Huffington Post “sophisticated and beautiful”.

His food continues to be inventive, massively flavorful and somehow old and new at the same time. Time spent in Asia informs lovely combinations of Thai textures and tastes, and often the simplest plates surprise with an extra crunch or contrast or combination of ingredients.

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The good news for those who have tracked Dustin’s career is a remarkable pop-up menu some Mondays at J.Tranis on 9th Street in San Pedro.

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Just a few dishes, some appetizers, and small dynamic mains: these are some of the best plates in Los Angeles and well worth a phone call to check if Dustin is in the house, and if so, to make a reservation!

http://www.jtrani.com

http://www.domabh.com

99¢ Store love

Every so often the gods smile and fabulous glasses rain down from the shelves at the 99¢ store!

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7 years ago it was the very cute, painted faux French juice glasses, radiating citrus sunshiny happiness. So charming they were the official glasses at Cafe Nosh until we had bought, used, broken or sold every single one available in the LA basin (do you know how many 99c stores there are?).

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Another time it was the teal blue water glasses, much loved by the Metlox dinner plates Becky found for me at a garage sale in Westminster. Pretty, funky and retro in equal parts they have been used and used, with the stash dwindling at an alarming rate: initially enough for parties, now just enough for thanksgiving dinner if we scour the bedrooms, bathrooms and cupboards for truants and runaways..

Enter the refined heavy smoked glass tumblers!!
Elegant, minimalist and sophisticated they are SERIOUSLY grown up.
They call for important nuanced tabled settings and textured black, white and stone. Masses of sunlight or candlelight.

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Oh how I love you, 99c store!!