tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78402098634309793782024-03-13T08:07:38.033-07:00Cooking Italiano BlogChef Eric Horwitz's "Cooking Italiano" blog is the source for Italian cooking tips, recipes and reviews of Italian eateries in Los AngelesEric Horwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15132968017570567335noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840209863430979378.post-87228070600054858342014-03-11T10:37:00.000-07:002014-03-11T10:37:12.741-07:005 Things To Do in Santa Monica While Your Kids Are Having Fun at Parent’s Night Out<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmBhyphenhypheny9-X6tMsZKaO1J1GhBEWnw9iBkMC2PrnIfj41zpKEJeuC3DiYpH64_kL0aNOHVbnT3lOKi6tTaUdrLkBzvQsmfv_ZwLWqLmCCX9zgmPWxJC1I1hRVKI7lHIfNxuaMIzrik0K2ddy/s1600/rooftop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmBhyphenhypheny9-X6tMsZKaO1J1GhBEWnw9iBkMC2PrnIfj41zpKEJeuC3DiYpH64_kL0aNOHVbnT3lOKi6tTaUdrLkBzvQsmfv_ZwLWqLmCCX9zgmPWxJC1I1hRVKI7lHIfNxuaMIzrik0K2ddy/s1600/rooftop.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rooftop Lounge at the Shangri-La Hotel</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few times a month on Friday nights, we open our doors at our
summer camp spot in Santa Monica for an evening of cooking lessons for your
kids, Lego robotics activities, foozball, dance games, science activities and
more!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To signup:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cookingitaliano4kids.com/parents-night-out.html">(CLICK HERE)</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But here are 5 things you, the parent, can do as your
kids are having fun at PNO:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5) <b>Go out for dinner on the Santa Monica
Promenade</b>. There are plenty of great
restaurants serving everything from Italian pizza at <a href="http://www.trastevereristorante.com/">Trastevere</a> to sushi at <a href="http://www.globaldiningca.com/monsoon/">Monsoon </a> If you’re craving seafood, check out my favorite spot in the city: <a href="http://blueplatesantamonica.com/bpo/home/">Blue PlateOysterette.</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4) <b>Check out a film. </b> For the
latest movies, The Promenade is your go to spot to see artsy fare like Wes
Anderson’s gorgeous <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Fg5iWmQjwk">“The Grand Budapest Hotel”</a> or, if the kids inside you needs to come out, the super awesome <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ_JOBCLF-I">“Lego Movie.”</a> You can also check out a classic film at the
<a href="http://www.americancinematheque.com/Aero/aeromastercalendar.htm">Aero Theater</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3) <b>Grab your girlfriends and have a Girl’s
Night Out.</b> In need of a fun night
out with cocktails? Hit up a cool
rooftop lounge such as the <a href="http://www.shangrila-hotel.com/">Hotel Shangri-La</a> or the <a href="http://www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/en/santamonica/dining_and_nightlife">Vice Roy Hotel.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2) <b>Stay in</b>
Enjoy the peace and silence of your house with some take-out Chinese
food, a bottle of wine and catch up on your favorite shows from House of Cards to
Modern Family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1)<b> Treat yourself!</b> Your kids are having a good time, so why not
enjoy yourself as well? Enjoy a glass of
fine wine at <a href="http://bodegawinebar.com/">Bodega Wine Bar</a>, a massage at <a href="http://themassageplaces.com/">The Massage Place </a> or grab an ice cream and play games at the<a href="http://santamonicapier.org/"> Santa Monicapier</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There’s plenty to do!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And what will your kids be up to?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At our next PNO your kids will enjoy a delicious meal of:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Learn how to crank at fresh pasta, tossed in a tasty Alfredo and
Marinara sauce<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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lemon-Parmesan dressing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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classic Italian dish <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, Lego Robotics kids will engage in the “Hammer
Car Rampage!” Build the super fun “Hammer Car” bot and see
how you can do against our “challenges”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other Games / Activities:
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solids that you can play with<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Signup early for Parent’s Night Out: <a href="http://www.cookingitaliano4kids.com/parents-night-out-registration.html">(CLICK HERE)</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Eric Horwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15132968017570567335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840209863430979378.post-69956233372456299622013-11-01T12:15:00.001-07:002013-11-01T12:15:14.541-07:00Super-Easy Salmon Teriyaki with Brown Rice and Veggies<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5H9t_esgakTXMDB0toGfn6mktGiGh3NLCGzhL7sebdnqy7s_fpyRfBrQlDVk0WAinvq88IdpbLFkCDcKMSDegbgKTDB2xafJgnyWzcFGmU5oaNrco6eb5qr-QZkag8TgFuP1r-Qyuali8/s1600/salmonteriyaki.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5H9t_esgakTXMDB0toGfn6mktGiGh3NLCGzhL7sebdnqy7s_fpyRfBrQlDVk0WAinvq88IdpbLFkCDcKMSDegbgKTDB2xafJgnyWzcFGmU5oaNrco6eb5qr-QZkag8TgFuP1r-Qyuali8/s400/salmonteriyaki.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salmon teriyaki with brown rice and veggies</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few nights ago I saw a piece of salmon in my refrigerator and was immediately bored. I could roast it, pan-sear it, but I wanted something with more flavor and taste. Suddenly it hit me...I'd make salmon teriyaki!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Below is my super simple salmon teriyaki recipe you can make in 20 minutes or 50 minutes (which means you'll marinate it longer). I'm a fan of fast and easy cooking as I live on my own and on a weeknight after a day of <a href="http://www.cookingitaliano4kids.com/">Cooking</a> and <a href="http://www.legoroboticsclass.com/">Lego Robotics</a>, I don't have a lot of energy (or patience) for a gourmet meal.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I only cook in batches of 3 meals, so this recipe reflects 3 individual meals, 1 for dinner and 2 for later. When your co-worker chewing on a cold turkey sandwich stares in awe at your lunch, tell them Chef Eric sent you the recipe and direct them here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love this dish because it's easy, inexpensive and tasted exactly what I'd pay $16.99 at a Japanese restaurant. Also, the only ingredients you need to pickup at the market are the salmon and a small piece of ginger, because the other ingredients are pantry staples that you'd be wise to have on hand at all times.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u>Salmon Teriyaki</u></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- 1 1/2 lb salmon cut into 3 8-oz fillets (skin on if you like it crispy)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- 1/3 cup soy sauce</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- 1/3 cup mirin (seasoning sake)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- 3 Tbs sake</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- 4 Tbs sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- 1 tsp ginger, minced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- 1 garlic clove, minced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- 1 tsp corn starch</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- 1 Tbs olive or vegetable oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Sesame Seeds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Kosher salt and black pepper</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Fast Way (No Marinade - 20 minutes)</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> </b>Rinse and pat dry your salmon. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add cooking oil and cook skin-side down for 4 minutes, flip and cook for 4 minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Meanwhile, in a bowl whisk together, soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, ginger, garlic clove and corn starch. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Add teriyaki sauce to pan with salmon and cook for 2 minutes, spooning the sauce on top of the salmon. Remove salmon to a plate and cook sauce until it's reduced and thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Strain teriyaki sauce over a mesh colander on top of a bowl. Serve salmon with teriyaki sauce spooned on top and garnish with sesame seeds</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Longer Way (With Marinade - 50 minutes) </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Follow recipe above except marinate the salmon for 20-30 minutes in the teriyaki mixture. Before sauteing in the pan, be sure to pat salmon dry so it gets crispy. Also, there's no need to add salt and pepper because the marinade will season the salmon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>How to serve with brown rice and vegetables (The Fast Way)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> </b>Todd, my homeboy in the meat department at the Albertsons in Culver City, told me about a quick-cooking brown rice that I am now a huge fan of. It's called <a href="http://www.successrice.com/en-us/products/40/WholeGrainBrownRice.aspx">"Success Boil-in-Bag Brown Rice"</a> and allows me to cook brown rice in 16 minutes. All you do is put an individual bag into water in a small pot, cover and bring to a boil (about 8 minutes). Reduce to simmer and cook for 8 minutes. Carefully remove bag using a slotted spoon to a bowl, use two forks to open the bag and pour out the rice. Season with a pinch of salt and a pat of butter (come on, it's brown rice, you can splurge a little!). To elevate the taste even more, add chicken stock to the water you boil the rice in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> For veggies, you can steam, roast or saute broccoli, zucchini, green beans or whatever you like. Or, you can be lazy (which is ok every now and then) and heat some frozen vegetables, which <a href="http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/nutrition_news_information/fresh_vs_frozen_vegetables_are_we_giving_up_nutrition_fo">have almost EXACTLY the nutritional value of fresh vegetables</a>. Be sure to pour the teriyaki sauce on top for flavor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <b>Game plan for fast, weeknight cooking</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Overall, this meal took me 30 minutes to put together, including the rice and veggies. Start with the rice ASAP, and then make the salmon and during the middle of cooking microwave your veggies. Wash dishes while you have a few spare moments. (This is key to keep your kitchen clean and neat!) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> It's lunch time and I need to go eat some leftover salmon teriyaki. Enjoy!</span><br />
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<br />Eric Horwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15132968017570567335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840209863430979378.post-58188843179774342872012-12-24T01:55:00.002-08:002012-12-24T01:55:43.585-08:00Away We Go...without much to carryIt's rather late and I don't feel tired. Excitement builds for my trip to Italy when I'll depart tomorrow (or technically, today). My grandfather is picking me up at noon for my flight that leaves at 4pm from LAX to arrive in Milan December 25th at 5pm.<br />
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I have a very <a href="http://zenhabits.net/the-beginners-guide-to-minimalist-travel/">minimalist pack </a>ready to go and I'm surprised by how light it all is. My pack is the size of typical school backpack and is made up mainly of clothing: 2 polyester t-shirts, 1 long-sleeve polyester undershirt, 1 flannel shirt, 1 small quick-dry towel and 2 pairs of socks. Besides that I have my toiletries kit, which includes just the basics and Dr. Bronner's soap which I will use to wash my clothes when needed as well as for showering.<br />
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I will wear most of my clothing: socks, shoes, underwear, polyester t-shirt, beige hiking pants, a red insulated pull-over sweater and an outer jacket. <br />
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The irony is that I bought a large, light backpack after spending 2 hours suiting up at Adventure 16, an outdoor equipment store, only to realize I filled up half the pack and was wasting space. <br />
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I also have a very light over-the-shoulder Patagonia pack with my iphone, camera, pad and paper, passport and "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac. <br />
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In Italy I'll treat myself to a few items like sunglasses, a beanie, gloves and new shoes (I plan to throw away the ones I'm wearing, which are some old bball shoes) but I don't plan on spending much more on clothing. Maybe I'll buy a dress shirt for New Years.<br />
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The point is that now that the basics are taken care of, I can devote my time to just enjoying the cities and travelling around. I don't have any definite plans except:<br />
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<span style="color: blue;">1) Spend a week in Padova with the Valeriani family.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;">2) Go to Florence until I have to go home January 8th at 8am</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06;">3) Learn 10 new Italian recipes</span><br />
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Everything else will be improvised. <a href="http://airbnb.com/">Airbnb.com</a> will help me find wherever I will live in Florence. The only place I know I want to revisit is Venice, and then I'll probably just pick random towns to check out based off of recommendations from Italians I meet along the way. <br />
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It's thrilling to have so little to do. Part of the plan <i>is </i>wandering around and getting lost. Don't tell my mom that last part. But hey, I'll get myself out of any jams I get stuck in. Isn't there an app for that? If I can survive the time in the spring of 2007 when I was stuck in Naples...at night... with all my luggage, a female companion who was scared out of her mind and no idea where our hostel was, I'll be fine.<br />
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Naples is making me think of pizza...and now I'm getting hungry. <br />
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Earlier in the day I had an incredible lunch at <a href="http://honeyskettle.com/">Honey's Kettle Chicken </a> a local spot in Culver City with the best fried chicken I've ever had. Seriously, every bite of chicken is loaded with crunch and who knows how many spices. Also their biscuits are buttery, sweet and a tad salty and expertly pair with the chicken for a truly indulgent meal. <br />
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Now I'm even more hungry, and still not tired. I better go "try" to sleep. Buona Notte!<br />
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<br />Eric Horwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15132968017570567335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840209863430979378.post-46712120297935789972012-05-14T08:00:00.000-07:002012-05-16T11:43:22.387-07:00How A Cooking Italiano Group Lesson Turned Into a Bonding Experience For Kids….And Their Moms!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Cooking Italiano Group Lesson with Chef Eric</span> </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">People bond over a good meal, but more so when they prepare
it together. At a recent <a href="http://www.cookingitaliano4kids.com/group-lesson--birthday-party.html">Cooking Italiano Group Lesson</a>, which is a cooking lesson in the comfort of your own home, I had the pleasure
of seeing a group of kids form new friendships as they made a home cooked meal
for their moms.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Cooking Lesson <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A client had won an auctioned Cooking Italiano Group Lesson
/ Birthday Party Package for her 8-year-old daughter, but instead of waiting
for her birthday, she wanted to have a “cooking play date” for 7 kids in which
we would make enough food for them and their moms. The menu would include five favorite dishes
from my after-school classes: Handmade Fettuccine Pasta with a Homemade Marinara
Sauce, Green Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette, Garlic Bread and for dessert, Gelato
Sundaes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On a warm Saturday afternoon, I pulled into the client’s
house in the Pacific Palisades to begin the lesson by creating the chocolate gelato,
as it takes the most time to simmer the custard, freeze and churn it.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Homemade Vanilla Gelato</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Who Doesn’t Love
Gelato?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once the gelato was busy churning, we focused on making
fresh pasta. Using our “pasta tree” (otherwise
known as a pasta drying rack) and our pasta machines, we turned eggs and flour
into silky, smooth fettuccine. Kids love
to use the pasta machine because it’s very hands-on and fun to use the
machine’s hand-crank to make the pasta dough thinner and thinner until we can
send the dough through the fettuccine attachment. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, the moms seemed to be enjoying themselves as they
relaxed in the living room. One kid
asked, “Do you think they miss us?” As
the sounds of laughter echoed from the mom-filled room complete with champagne and
a platter of fruit, cheese and crackers, I responded with a grin, “I think
they’re doing just fine.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Halfway through the lesson, we began chopping vegetables for
the salad using kid-friendly lettuce knives.
The girls enjoyed the chopping, as well as whisking and taste-testing
the balsamic vinaigrette.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Hand-cranking fresh pasta in our enrichment class with Chef Alix</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the sauce simmering and the garlic bread in the oven, we
cooked the fresh pasta and prepared the dinner buffet. The girls were beaming with pride and the
mothers too as we enjoyed the pasta, salad and garlic bread. A few moms complimented me on the tenderness
of the fettuccine, while the kids were raving about the garlic bread. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After dinner, the kids bolted outside to play, but I
corralled them back in the kitchen with a simple question, “Who wants to make
gelato sundaes?” We then whipped up
homemade whipped cream and made a quick chocolate sauce. In an assembly line, we cranked out fourteen sundaes
with a scoop of vanilla and chocolate gelato topped with fudge, whipped cream
and strawberries that everyone enjoyed.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">New Friendships
Formed<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During the lesson it seemed to me that all the girls were
old friends. Later, however, I found out
that for a few of the girls, this was their first time spending time together
outside of school. My client enjoyed how
this “cooking play date” kept the kids happy and engaged as she had an
opportunity to bond with their moms. Leaving
the house that evening, I reflected how amazing it was to see my work result in
people coming together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To learn more about our <b>Cooking Italiano Group Lesson / Birthday
Party package</b>. <a href="http://www.cookingitaliano4kids.com/group-lesson--birthday-party.html">Click here</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you like this Cooking Italiano blog post, check out "<a href="http://cookingitalianoforkids.blogspot.com/2011/10/understanding-gelato-compared-to-ice.html">Understanding Gelato Compared to Ice Cream"</a></span></div>
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<br /></div>Eric Horwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15132968017570567335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840209863430979378.post-26620644436070673002011-10-25T10:17:00.000-07:002011-10-25T10:17:27.293-07:00Understanding Gelato compared to Ice Cream: 3 Key Differences<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoyTQw8-xq66oNhChewfWEBNNrCvNovmimtM4ENfGyUeeFyV2Z1u5n9llbW-LMLY0gvOrqVgt30O7w_F3yExXpx1hcqmtmXJwhHyq9HRLZXMY-kuL6Lw0kcAYRl72y8PQxjyaG1WyTJWT/s1600/gelatomain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoyTQw8-xq66oNhChewfWEBNNrCvNovmimtM4ENfGyUeeFyV2Z1u5n9llbW-LMLY0gvOrqVgt30O7w_F3yExXpx1hcqmtmXJwhHyq9HRLZXMY-kuL6Lw0kcAYRl72y8PQxjyaG1WyTJWT/s640/gelatomain.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<o:p> </o:p><span style="background-color: transparent;">It’s hard to explain what is </span><i style="background-color: transparent;">gelato</i><span style="background-color: transparent;"> to those who have not experienced it at its best in </span><st1:country-region style="background-color: transparent;"><st1:place>Italy</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="background-color: transparent;">.</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">Gelato means “frozen” in Italian and is
comparable to ice cream but there are a few key differences</span></div>
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<b>3 Differences between
gelato and ice cream<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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1) <b>Gelato has less cream than ice cream</b>. Typically, gelato has about 10% butterfat,
while ice cream has 18%-26% butterfat, because its makers use more heavy
cream. More cream masks the flavors of
the other ingredients and that’s why gelato, which is less creamy, allows you
to taste more flavors with each bite.</div>
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2) <b>Gelato has less air than ice cream</b>,
which again means that each bite is denser with flavor. The churning process with both desserts
allows air to go into the treat so that it is lighter than if it was
immediately frozen. Ice cream is churned
so that the volume is double, meaning each bite is 50% air! Compare this to gelato which has 20% air,
ensuring each spoonful has more flavor.</div>
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3) <b>Gelato is served slightly warmer than ice
cream</b>. While both treats are served
at well below 32ºF, the freezing point, gelato is served slightly warmer by 10º
to 15º than ice cream. Because it’s less
solidly frozen, when you eat it, you’ll notice how it very smoothly melts in
your mouth.</div>
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The quality of ingredients play an important part in making
great gelato because you now understand that the ingredients matter for
everything (and this is true of all Italian cooking).</div>
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<b>Making Gelato</b></div>
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Gelato begins with a custard base made by combining cream,
egg yolks and sugar and bringing it to a near boil before it’s chilled. Next, this base is mixed with fruits, cocoa,
mint or any flavor you can think of, as long as it is of the highest quality and
at the peak of the season. For example,
strawberry or cherry gelato tastes best in summer, and is never as good during
the rest of the year.</div>
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My favorite gelato flavors include pistachio, stracciatela
(chocolate chip), fragola (strawberry), and bacio (which means “kiss” and
refers to a chocolate truffle with a hazelnut center). One of my favorite combinations is choosing a
chocolately flavor paired with a scoop of mint so the flavors balance each
other after each bite. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My friend enjoying gelato in Trento, Italy</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent;">In </span><st1:country-region style="background-color: transparent;"><st1:place>Italy</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="background-color: transparent;">,
it seems like everyone is walking around with a cup or cone of gelato.</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">It only costs 1-2 Euros (about $1.50-$2.50)
for a perfect sized snack on a hot day…or a warm day…or even if it’s freezing outside,
you will still crave gelato!</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">When I
studied abroad in Italy, I lived for a few months in Trento, a town in North
Western Italy by the Dolomite Mountains, and took classes at the local
university.</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">Between my studies, my
friends and would go to different gelaterias around town until we found the one
with the best flavors and served the largest portions.</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">Our favorite shop near the town’s central </span><i style="background-color: transparent;">piazza</i><span style="background-color: transparent;">, meaning plaza, offered two
generous scoops in a cone for 1.5 Euros, or about $2.25.</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">What a deal!</span></div>
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(<b>Gelato Taster
Secret: A</b>LWAYS go for a cone because
a scooper will pack in more gelato than if you choose a cup.)</div>
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I apologize if all this reminiscing of <st1:country-region><st1:place>Italy</st1:place></st1:country-region>
makes you want to jump on the next plane to <st1:country-region><st1:place>Italy</st1:place></st1:country-region>
to taste this fantastic dessert.
Fortunately, you can experience gelato in <st1:city><st1:place>Los
Angeles</st1:place></st1:city> in a way that is close to the great stuff I
remember in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Italy</st1:place></st1:country-region>. </div>
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Next Tuesday I’ll share my FAVORITE place to go out for
Gelato. </div>
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<i>Mangia Bene! </i>(Eat Well!)</div>
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Chef Eric<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />Eric Horwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15132968017570567335noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840209863430979378.post-10761380221240409722011-10-18T11:09:00.000-07:002011-10-18T11:09:45.946-07:00How to Make The Best Tomato-Basil Bruschetta<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRhXOjXbhqgymA17Ql_gPAbmGAbhkKSLC9_YvzQTxLGLmHnA3Xi28Qm8ug58wjJtMh9kJteMB2_uU_rk6wirtOLaRX1ncG_b1QXKakFldV98w1Q2ctjFvWRtGgKRLew7M6w5idtjx2qeV6/s1600/Bruschetta+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRhXOjXbhqgymA17Ql_gPAbmGAbhkKSLC9_YvzQTxLGLmHnA3Xi28Qm8ug58wjJtMh9kJteMB2_uU_rk6wirtOLaRX1ncG_b1QXKakFldV98w1Q2ctjFvWRtGgKRLew7M6w5idtjx2qeV6/s640/Bruschetta+-+Copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Photo by<a href="http://davidgreenwald.net/"> David Greenwald</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">In my last
post I shared a moment making Bruschetta with over 70 teenagers at </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Culver City</span></st1:placename><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">High School</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"> and now I’ve included that recipe,
as it’s one of my favorite appetizers to make.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Bruschetta</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"> refers to garlic rubbed bread that
is grilled and lightly drizzled with olive oil.
It does NOT refer to the topping you place on the grilled bread, as some
American producers of “bruschetta” will make you believe with their
<a href="http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=buy+bruschetta&hl=en&prmd=imvnse&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1133&bih=544&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=15214126225918309055&sa=X&ei=vK-dTtfjNMPKiQLS4tzjCQ&ved=0CGsQ8wIwAQ">products</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">The word bruschetta
is derived from “<i>bruscare</i>” which means
to “roast over coals.” True bruschetta
is grilled, because the act of grilling creates a satisfying, crispy outside and
those aesthetically pleasing black grill lines. Bruschetta originates from Tuscan cooking,
which celebrates hearty breads and the art of grilling, which I’ve experienced
at it’s best while eating a “Bistecca alla Fiorentina” in </span><st1:place><st1:city><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Florence</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">, </span><st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Italy</span></st1:country-region></st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">As a matter
of what bread to use, the most true bruschetta uses a Tuscan loaf, which is a
dense, crusty bread. A sour dough or
Ciabatta will work as. A baguette
produces slices that are a little small for true bruschetta, and would be
better as a “<i>crostini</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Difference between Crostini and
Bruschetta<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Crostini</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"> meants “little toasts” and refers
to an Italian appetizer that has small pieces of toasted bread, about 2”-3” in
diameter, that are topped with a spread, like one made of fava beans or olive
paste. Most restaurants will use
crostini and bruschetta interchangeably, but just know that crostini are smaller
bites, while burschetta are larger slices of bread that accommodate chunkier
toppings like a tomato-basil salad. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">For
grilling the bread, I recommend firing up a grill, or using a <a href="http://www.google.com/products/catalog?rlz=1C1_____enUS394US394&q=cast+iron+grill+skillet&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=4698085530469200821&sa=X&ei=Y7SdTubcAuHeiALI6O2PCg&ved=0CJABEPMCMAI">cast-iron skillet with grill ridges</a>. You’ll get a nice grill mark without all the prep and cleanup of a grill. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Now as for
the bruschetta recipe itself, I’ve included my favorite recipe below. I’ve made this with hundreds of students and
it’s a great appetizer for dinner or a party.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Tomato-Basil Bruschetta</span></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Active Time:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"> 20 min - <b>Start to Finish:</b> 20 min
- Serves 8<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Ingredients<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">3 medium
tomatoes, about 1 lb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">5 basil
leaves<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">1 loaf of Tuscan
bread, ciabatta, sour dough or baguette sliced into ¼” thick slices<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">1 garlic
clove, cut in half<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Extra-Virgin
Olive Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Red Wine
Vinegar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Kosher salt
and freshly ground pepper<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Directions<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">To Grill the Bread: </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Heat a grill or a cast-iron grill skillet over medium
heat. Grill one side of each slice for
1-2 minutes until grill marks form.
Remove from the grill and lightly rub each piece with the inside half of
the raw garlic clove. (Do not overrub,
otherwise it will be too garlicky).
Drizzle with olive oil and add a small sprinkle of salt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">To Roast the Bread:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">
Preheat an oven to 425ºF with a rack at the top. Lay the bread on a baking sheet and drizzle
with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Bake
until the top is golden brown, about 2-4 minutes, watching closely so it’s not
overcooked. Remove from the oven and
lightly rub each slice with the inside half of the raw garlic clove<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">To Make the Tomato-Basil
Topping: </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Chop tomatoes into chunky pieces and
place in a large bowl. Add basil torn up
with your hands. Add 2 Tbs of olive oil,
1 Tbs of vinegar, a big pinch of salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Taste your salad and adjust seasoning as
needed. Add the tomato-basil on top of
the bruschetta and serve warm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Chef Eric’s Tip: </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">To make “Caprese Bruschetta” add a slice of mozzarella on
top of your bruschetta followed by the tomato-basil salad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">I hope you
enjoy this recipe, as much as I do. Next
week we’ll explore variations on bruschetta.
Until then…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Mangia
Bene! (“Eat Well!”)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Chef Eric<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Eric Horwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15132968017570567335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840209863430979378.post-43244851400824881812011-10-11T10:13:00.000-07:002011-10-11T10:13:48.986-07:00Cooking Italiano with BIG kids (at Culver City High School)<br />
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<i style="background-color: transparent;">The Gist: I volunteered at </i><st1:place style="background-color: transparent;"><st1:placename><i>Culver City</i></st1:placename><i> </i><st1:placetype><i>High School</i></st1:placetype></st1:place><i style="background-color: transparent;"> as a Guest Chef at their Culinary Arts Class. It was my first time teaching teenagers to
cook and it was a blast!</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-bWwudVa90-1GuBat6vL2PbmsuYwDviTXfRwHoFkCwO78r-CV04K6OOwkEF0lln7becHGuHXoC8FtdjrLX9gJA0rH7SuVIjhTdVM5R_JLliZAdZyAFC9eA-_trBW15xW_96-C3Us_dw4/s1600/Pic2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-bWwudVa90-1GuBat6vL2PbmsuYwDviTXfRwHoFkCwO78r-CV04K6OOwkEF0lln7becHGuHXoC8FtdjrLX9gJA0rH7SuVIjhTdVM5R_JLliZAdZyAFC9eA-_trBW15xW_96-C3Us_dw4/s640/Pic2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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As I looked around the table of students eager to learn how
to make tomato-basil bruschetta, the first thing that came to mind was… these
kids are huge! I’ve taught my cooking
class at elementary schools all over LA where the oldest kids were in 5<sup>th</sup>
grade, but on Thursday, Sep 29<sup>th</sup> at <st1:time hour="8" minute="5">8:05
a.m.</st1:time> I was surrounded by <i>teenagers</i>
at <st1:place><st1:placename>Culver City</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>High
School</st1:placetype></st1:place>. </div>
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I was a special guest chef that day at their Culinary Arts
class…which was amazing to me because I never even had a Culinary Arts class
when I was a teen attending high school in <st1:place><st1:city>Ventura</st1:city>,
<st1:state>CA</st1:state></st1:place>.
Their teacher Carolyn Caldwell called me to get some tips on how to
teach a cooking class to kids and I offered to help out in her class one
morning. As an Eagle Scout, I’ve always
enjoyed doing community service, and this was a great way to share my passion
for Italian cooking with kids outside my regular after-school cooking
class. </div>
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As I transported two boxes of cooking equipment through the
school, I walked by every clique and high school stereotype under the sun, from
jocks to geeks, and knew my cooking class would bring them all together.</div>
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The first period of kids arrived and looked at me with
surprise, wondering who I was. I greeted
them with a friendly “Ciao!” and asked if they were ready to make some
food. Their eyes lit up. “We’re gonna eat something?” one of them
asked. “Of course!” I said.</div>
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This would be their first lesson actually making food, as their
classroom was undergoing a deep cleaning and all the stoves and ovens were
unavailable for use. Their last lesson
involved chopping lots of onions to better their knife skills and the mere
thought that they be able to eat something (and not cry) produced palpable
excitement. </div>
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<b>The Lesson Begins<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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With a group of 26 kids in each 1-hour period, I divided the
class in half so I would two 30-minute lessons.
The students quickly cleaned up, put on their aprons and waited next to
a cutting board to chop tomatoes. At one
point I looked to my left and saw a rather odd sight: one teenager was wearing
his leather jacket under his apron! He
even rolled up the jacket’s sleeves.
“The things teenagers do to look cool,” I thought as I chuckled and
reached for a tomato.</div>
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We chopped the tomato into bite size chunks and made a
flavorful salad by mixing them with torn basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil,
red wine vinegar and salt and pepper. I
purposefully underseasoned each salad so the students could taste it and learn
to adjust the salt and pepper amounts as needed.</div>
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Next up I heated up one of my portable electric pans and we
toasted slices of baguette with a little
olive oil. When they toasted on one
side, we rubbed the bread with a raw garlic clove. We then topped each slice of garlic toast
with the tomato salad and with a loud “Mangia Bene!” (“Eat Well!”) Took a bite.</div>
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<o:p> </o:p><span style="background-color: transparent;">I loved hearing the crunch of the bruschetta followed by
smiles and “yum!” as the hungry students ate the dish they had just made. As they finished their dish and wiped down
the station some of them told me they were going to make the dish that night. I was very proud of them.</span></div>
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<b>More and more kids</b></div>
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Soon the next group arrived at the table, even more eager to
cook after watching their classmates chow down.
In 30 minutes, we were done and after two more periods of class it was <st1:time hour="11" minute="30">11:30 a.m.</st1:time> and I had already taught <b>over 70 kids how to make tomato-basil
bruschetta</b>! Exhausted, I cleaned up
and headed out, as I had a cooking class to teach that afternoon at St. Martin
of Tours elementary school where we’d be making homemade fettucine pasta tossed
in fresh basil pesto. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Overall, I loved seeing how making bruschetta brought teenagers
from all walks of life together in the name of good, healthy food. Cooking truly is a universal activity that
everyone can enjoy whether you’re a jock, nerd, cheerleader, goth or cool guy
in a leather jacket.</div>
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The next post will feature my bruschetta recipe, so check it
out next Tuesday!</div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Eric Horwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15132968017570567335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840209863430979378.post-46993090719400084922011-07-12T17:20:00.000-07:002011-07-12T17:40:26.598-07:00Italiano Around Town: Tasty Pizzas at Antica Pizzeria<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE5QgPDBBKV32r8ilUQD_sA7ryW8knpPi_fRhrH4UjM_YUsXp5ChnS4onXG0Iwl4nIsenqfRK5z9oIyBmTG9m_pvcEd5PDuIYrLU1zFAF1jl0krTdKHPUaUcVkWKW5Jczc2FE91zwWlwfJ/s640/1_pizzabianco.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pizza Bianco with Prosciutto and Arugula</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE5QgPDBBKV32r8ilUQD_sA7ryW8knpPi_fRhrH4UjM_YUsXp5ChnS4onXG0Iwl4nIsenqfRK5z9oIyBmTG9m_pvcEd5PDuIYrLU1zFAF1jl0krTdKHPUaUcVkWKW5Jczc2FE91zwWlwfJ/s1600/1_pizzabianco.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">On the eve of my 26<sup>th</sup> birthday on Monday, June 27<sup>th</sup>, there was one thing on my mind: eating a great Italian pizza with my family. A week before, I called up my favorite pizzeria in Los Angeles, <a href="http://www.pizzeriamozza.com/">Pizzeria Mozza</a>, and was dismayed to find the only time available for a reservation of four with my brother and grandparents on a Monday night was at 9:30p.m. Even Italians don’t eat that late! Dinner, as I remember living with a Roman family in <st1:city><st1:place>Padua</st1:place></st1:city> <st1:country-region><st1:place>Italy</st1:place></st1:country-region>, always started promptly at <st1:time hour="20" minute="30">8:30p.m.</st1:time></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">After a google search for other gourmet pizzerias, I discovered <a href="http://anticapizzeria.net/">Antica Pizzeria</a> in Marina Del Rey (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">13455 Maxella Ave - 2nd floor) </span>and booked a table for <st1:time hour="19" minute="0">7:00p.m.</st1:time> The pizzeria had received a strong recommendation from the <a href="http://findlocal.latimes.com/listings/antica-pizzeria-company-marina-del-rey">Los Angeles Times</a> and I was impressed by how the restaurant served authentic Neapolitan pizza as certified by the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><i>Verace Pizza Napoletana Association</i></span> based in Naples, Italy. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">As I entered the restaurant, the first thing I noticed was the prominently displayed counter filled with Italian desserts and foods and next to it was a large chef rolling out pizza beside a huge wood-burning oven. In front of him lay bowls of grilled vegetables, cheeses, deli meals and a pot of homemade Marinara sauce. Outside was a small patio area, but we chose to eat in the main restaurant which had a homey feel due to light yellow and terra-cotta red walls that reached high to a vaulted ceiling. The walls were decorated with photos, drawings, wooden instruments and in the far corner was a mammoth painting of an </span><st1:street><st1:address><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Italian street</span></st1:address></st1:street><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> scene. It all felt relaxing and comfortable. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The four of us sat and went straight to the pizza menu. After careful deliberation, we made our choices. I smiled and said to our waitress “<i>Ciao, oggi e’ il mio compleanno!”</i>(“Hi, today is my birthday!”) and she looked back at me blankly. I had hoped to practice some Italian, but tonight was obviously not the night. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">As she left, our attention turned to the table directly in front of us where a mother and several kids devoured large plates of margherita pizzas and fresh meatballs. They ate with enthusiasm and as we watched we became really hungry and eagerly awaited out food.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Soon, a hot appetizer platter of <i>calamari fritti</i> arrived with lemon slices and marinara sauce. I appreciated how the fried squid slices were thick and tender, even if the batter was a little overpowering for my tastes. Still, we enjoyed the dish and it disappeared quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">As we chatted at our table, the pizzas came in full force. In front of me was a pizza bianco with prosciutto and arugula, a classic Italian pie with melted mozzarella that is topped hot out of the oven with a bed of arugula and salty prosciutto.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mwz7BRZe8ZVQAhkRb7weJd8UIbc5Uy8hQ6yif7BwQkHELCYUVrTtJjmNwv_Os2XiAKZI-VvskGnZEj0OhkKjYJ8mg9vN2I4-J9bt_oNwunr2sVtT9sQUYi0Za3dB5_LGF8-wwiYM5_wn/s1600/P1000204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mwz7BRZe8ZVQAhkRb7weJd8UIbc5Uy8hQ6yif7BwQkHELCYUVrTtJjmNwv_Os2XiAKZI-VvskGnZEj0OhkKjYJ8mg9vN2I4-J9bt_oNwunr2sVtT9sQUYi0Za3dB5_LGF8-wwiYM5_wn/s640/P1000204.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pizza Margherita</td></tr>
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Pizza Etiquette</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Pizza has and always will be a FINGER FOOD. You do not use a fork and knife, except to cut the pizza into slices that you use hands to fold and eat. The first bite was heaven, as the melted cheese married with the prosciutto, a hint of arugula crunch, and, my favorite part, a flavorful crust. Each pizza is cooked in a 900 degree F oven for less than two minutes so they come out slightly blistered and crunchy on the outside while pleasantly chewy on the inside. Pizza has always been the most challenging part of my education in Italian cooking because there is a lot of finesse involved in making the dough correctly, rolling it out and cooking it perfectly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">This is why I love Antica, they do all the hard work for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">We ordered two other margherita pizzas with mozzarella, basil and tomato sauce, but one was a more “gourmet” version with buffalo mozzarella and tomatoes from San Marzano. The gourmet version, which was a few dollars more, was of higher quality, but my brother, who liked it, wished there was more cheese. Italian pizzas are traditionally scattered with sliced rings of mozzarella that melt in the oven but have some empty spaces between slices, as opposed to the more common American approach of covering the pie with a much dryer shredded mozzarella base. Still, the pizza was delicious and he was convinced by how much better an Italian pizza ranks next to an American version. In a future post, I’ll share my own experience in </span><st1:place><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Napoli</span></st1:place><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Italy</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> where I had the best pizza of my life. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pasta with Seafood and Creamy Tomato Sauce</td></tr>
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;">Our final entrée was a plate of spaghetti with a creamy tomato sauce topped with baby shrimp, scallops, spinach and parsley. The sauce was excellent, with just the right consistency and so much flavor that I used some extra pizza crust to soak it up. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Our bellies full of Italian carbs, we relaxed after the pizzas were finished. I liked the sight of our clean plates because when the crust is delicious, people want to eat EVERY BITE. It pains me to see at other pizza restaurants how friends will leave the crusts alone, in part because they are fearful of eating too many carbs, but mainly because the crust does not have the flavor requires, with a crunch so good you could eat it by itself dipped in some high quality extra virgin olive oil.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Not a Birthday Without a Cake <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Later, the staff approached our table with a slice of Tiramisu with a birthday candle on top. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUzVd4ygcwfBUtyy8utTfvwyq7FzkOKq8PiFahogeYLnWpZO-EiGTajLulc9TUOoyZmfkmfdHSd-nJs7_ZIP5wkQiuJeolJUph8D8EwvWgxE-nnfOmvZPfRf6uVMaQ2svMTg5RjoW2Q6ij/s1600/Tiramisu.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUzVd4ygcwfBUtyy8utTfvwyq7FzkOKq8PiFahogeYLnWpZO-EiGTajLulc9TUOoyZmfkmfdHSd-nJs7_ZIP5wkQiuJeolJUph8D8EwvWgxE-nnfOmvZPfRf6uVMaQ2svMTg5RjoW2Q6ij/s640/Tiramisu.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday Tiramisu</td></tr>
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">I’ve made tiramisu for my classes or for friends at least 12 different times, and I have one recipe that never fails and has been compared by professional event producers as “restaurant-quality.” Nonetheless, I still love to try tiramisu when out on the town to see how other restaurants make it. This iteration inspired me because it was presented so beautifully with freshly grated chocolate, a ribbon of chocolate sauce, a dollop of whipped cream and a spring of mint for bright color. I made a quick mental note for future dinner parties.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The tiramisu was expertly balanced with a marscapone custard that was lightened with whipped cream so as to be sweet and tasty, but not too heavy. The ladyfinger soaked cookies were stacked high and I made another note to make tiramisu in a smaller dish with higher sides so guests can really appreciate the individual layers. Each bite was creamy, chocolately and very pleasing. In my search for a great tiramisu, this was one of the best I’ve had.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">As we all put our forks down from the dessert, we leaned back and awaited a food coma. My mind drifted to times spent in </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Italy</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> and the simple joy of sharing my love for good pizza with my family. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">On the way out, my brother bought a pound of pizza dough for $3 to see if we could recreate the pizza another day. The pizza came out well, but not like the ones at Antica. It’s probably because we didn’t have a 900 degree Italian oven. One day, I want to own such an oven, but until then, I’ll be coming back to Antica Pizzeria.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Mangia Bene</span></i><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Eat well!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Chef Eric Horwitz</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExPJUByygaeIUxSfizd0NcYqRIrfhGOjrpsEanvOmqANYkfAUVGrI3VMzKCxAR4YCnKlbdmdOR7cRlw03XxUOCJNKIy7xTbYu2VmIDd5FPN3RUrENU707-nHiuyprDjfRi5Ibc08QHx4T/s1600/Eric_with_pizza.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExPJUByygaeIUxSfizd0NcYqRIrfhGOjrpsEanvOmqANYkfAUVGrI3VMzKCxAR4YCnKlbdmdOR7cRlw03XxUOCJNKIy7xTbYu2VmIDd5FPN3RUrENU707-nHiuyprDjfRi5Ibc08QHx4T/s640/Eric_with_pizza.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chef Eric with Pizza Bianco with Arugula and Prosciutto</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SOcZWAuDa_2GmUhAhxcRaA7jG_QCRDas1aScKwjk9Yx5JdLH_wul1xyjweWdTdW-jmIfdrITf7ECf4Dq8og-8pXVTSK_eNV2P4D3830qr8FQd1WGIvTHZEmLiaqtOHXuIxDatDrNneSy/s1600/P1000211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SOcZWAuDa_2GmUhAhxcRaA7jG_QCRDas1aScKwjk9Yx5JdLH_wul1xyjweWdTdW-jmIfdrITf7ECf4Dq8og-8pXVTSK_eNV2P4D3830qr8FQd1WGIvTHZEmLiaqtOHXuIxDatDrNneSy/s640/P1000211.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chef Eric with brother and grandparents</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Chef Eric Horwitz was once a journalist writing features stories for The </i><st1:place><i>Hollywood</i></st1:place><i> Reporter and the </i><st1:city><st1:place><i>Glendale</i></st1:place></st1:city><i> Newspress before creating his signature Italian cooking class for kids: <b>Cooking Italiano for Kids. </b></i><i>In his free time, he continues his search for the most authentic Italian pizzas in his home of </i><st1:place><st1:city><i>Los Angeles</i></st1:city><i>, </i><st1:state><i>CA</i></st1:state></st1:place><i>. </i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Eric Horwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15132968017570567335noreply@blogger.com0