Omnivore Books on Food Events

With the help of 33 outstanding chefs, who have each contributed a 'vanilla plate' to Vanilla Table, international chef Natasha MacAller has created a truly global compendium of vanilla expertise, showcasing this most exotic and yet everyday spice in over 100 vanilla dishes, sweet and savory. Please come join us for the book signing and if you would like a signed copy of a book from our event, but are unable to attend, just call the shop at (415) 282-4712, we’ll be happy to take care of it for you.Omnivore Books Saturday, April 11 • 3-4 p.m. FREE

In addition, please check out David Lebovitz, one of the chefs from Vanilla Table, as he has a book signing on April 3, for My Paris Kitchen: Recipes and Stories.  Finally, a good friend of Natasha’s and Sherry Yard’s - Mindy Segal - is having her book signing on April 10 (the day before the Vanilla Table signing).  Mindy's new book is Cookie Love: 60 Recipes and Techniques for Turning the Ordinary into the Extraordinary. Omnivore Books

A Whirlwind Event

It has been an absolutely breathtaking whistle stop visit to London. The last #lovevanilla event at Madeleine’s Cake Boutique hosted by the generous and very talented owner Lisa Martini was a whirlwind event. Kathy Kordalis had vanilla tastes flying out of the kitchen while guests satisfied their vanilla curiosity with dishes both sweet and savoury. Thank you all for coming to our Vanilla Table UK! See you soon in Washington DC.

Photos by Little London Whispers

London Launch Day!

It began with a delicious jolt of espresso-resisting the idea of adding frothed green milk in celebration of St Patrick’s Day, instead choosing to wear green earrings. Checked the vanilla panna cotta shot glasses: all set beautifully! First of the season rhubarb plus fresh ginger, lime and vanilla pods for gazpacho to top the panna cotta: tick! Vanilla Sauce whisked into submission for the tartine, then to the Organic Walnut and Parmesan Shortbread Stars. Like Santa’s to do list, we checked off the array of bags, boxes, platters and the vital toolkit-off to the heart of London’s Piccadilly Circus to spread the vanilla word! Waterstones Piccadilly coordinator Mark transformed the scone and flat whites café into an elegant candlelit bistro as we set up.

With great help from fellow chef and friend Kathy Kordalis we got the tasting platters organized and Jessica set up the science of vanilla memory experiment and I extolled the virtues, science, history and my love for this power behind the throne of fragrance and flavor … VANILLA. Chef, food writer, my gorgeous friend and cheerleader PETER GORDON (who wrote the Vanilla Table foreword) sat front row with colleagues and friends from Kopapa and The Providores for the vanilla show! With glasses of Proseco we shared tastes of Rhubarb Gazpacho with Vanilla Panna Cotta, Smoked Salmon Tartine drizzled with Vanilla Seed Sauce and The Walnut Parmesan Stars. Not a bite left and every single book was sold and signed! A fantastic evening spent in London!

UK Release of Vanilla Table

Vanilla Table: The essence of exquisite cooking from the world’s best chefs has now officially hit the shelves and is available to buy at all good bookshops and online at Amazon.co.uk. With its rich and familiar scent, vanilla has a place in every cook’s kitchen.  It often evokes memories of childhood favorites cookies and cakes warm from the oven. Yet beyond these nostalgic noshes, vanilla is a versatile and surprising ingredient in an enormous array of dishes - both sweet and savory.

Teaching a Class at Leiths

Be it teaching, coaching or collaborating I always find great joy in discovering and learning something new from students, apprentices, peers and my teachers. Teaching a vanilla class at Leiths cookery school last week I asked students to think about what they would create with vanilla salt. A little voice in the fourth row stage right chirped up and said, “I use vanilla salt each morning in my porridge. I like salt and I like vanilla.” Done! A brill yet simple idea! I joyfully learned something new to do with vanilla.

Madeleine’s Cake Boutique Event

Come and join International Chef, Natasha MacAller for a delicious evening of tastings and talk about all things Vanilla! With its fragrant and captivating scent, it is a must-have in every kitchen, and the ways it can contribute to your dishes are endless and often surprising. Vanilla Table is a culinary celebration of all things vanilla. From sweet to savoury, she will share her experiences and take you on a journey to discover the many wonders of one of the most amazingly versatile ingredients in your pantry.

Lisa Martini, Director, Madeleine's Cake Boutique

Monday 23rd March • 6.30-8 p.m.Madeleine’s Cake Boutique 397 Upper Richmond Road West London, SW14 7NX

To reserve a place, please contact Lisa Martini in store or call: T: 0208 878 6194 M: 07787 600 329

Free parking is available at Waitrose opposite for a limited time period.

80 Cakes

I’m so honored to have been asked to make a cake for IACP’s “80 Cakes Tribute” to celebrate Jacques Pepin’s 80th birthday. The IACP (International Association of the Culinary Professionals) 2015 conference opening reception in Washington DC, Friday, March 27, 2015 celebrates this most iconic, talented and generous chef with a stunning visual display of cakes created by 80 pastry chefs. I’ll be donating my "Pure Vanilla Layer Cake" from Vanilla Table for the opening reception to be included in the auction for the IACP Culinary Trust. I am thrilled to be a part of the celebration and humbled by Jacques’ breathtaking quote on the cover of Vanilla Table. Beaucoup de Mercis, Jacques and Joyeux Anniversaire! “You expect vanilla in a Hazelnut Bavarois or a Tarte Tatin, but in the Vanilla Table you discover that ingredient in Vanilla Lacquer Duck Leg and Slow-Roasted Oxtail Pot Pies. These are exotic combinations that will expand your culinary palate and titillate your taste buds in a new way. Natasha MacAller teaches us how wonderful, aromatic vanilla can take the mundane to the memorable.” Jacques Pépin, chef, cookbook author and PBS-TV cooking show host

Waterstones Picadilly London Event

Come hear International Chef, Natasha MacAller talk about all things Vanilla! With its fragrant and captivating scent, it is a must-have in every kitchen, and the ways it can contribute to your dishes are endless and often surprising. Vanilla Table is a culinary celebration of all things vanilla. From sweet to savoury, soup to nuts, Natasha will share stories and take you on a journey to discover the many wonders of one of the most amazingly versatile ingredients in your pantry. You will taste a few sweet and savoury treats!

Tuesday, 17th March • 6:30 p.m. In the Mezzanine Cafe at Waterstones Piccadilly 203 - 206 Piccadilly, London W1J 9HD

To reserve a place, please contact the store on: 020 7851 2400 or email piccadilly@waterstones.com

Let Them Eat Cake

Gesine Bullock-Prado, one of the chefs from Vanilla Table, has just released a new book, Let Them Eat Cake: Classic, Decadent Desserts with Vegan, Gluten-Free & Healthy Variations: More Than 80 Recipes for Cookies, Pies, Cakes, Ice Cream, and More! Gesine wrote this book with everyone in mind. She wanted to provide a resource for bakers who are often hamstrung when confronted by the need to modify recipes for dietary restrictions. Available for purchase at Amazon.com

Awards Season

The International Association of Culinary Professionals has announced its 2015 IACP Award Finalists, which focus on the year's best food writing — from cookbooks to videos to journalism.  A few of the chefs from, Vanilla Table are finalists – Rose Levy Beranbaum, The Baking Bible, David Lebovitz, My Paris Kitchen: Recipes and Stories, Christine Manfield, Dessert Divas and Yotam Ottolenghi, Plenty More: Vibrant Vegetable Cooking from London's Ottolenghi. The Winners will be announced during IACP’s 37th annual conference in Washington, DC on Sunday, March 29, 2015. Congratulations chefs!

Vanilla Table Book – Giveaway

A Glug of Oil is delighted that the lovely people over at Jacqui Small Publishing are giving one lucky reader of this blog the chance to win a copy of this lovely book – 21 days left to enter. Please visit A Glug of Oil.com to find out the details.*

*Please note the prize – one copy of the book Vanilla Table, can only be sent to the UK only.

Milo & Olive

My favourite go to local – Milo & Olive a neighborhood bakery and pizzeria that is now twice the size. Smiles and delicious food all around! The lovely operations manager Anastasia was working at the new expansive counter on Saturday morning and chatted with a great friend, Chuck Craig and I, while we enjoyed a whole wheat mascarpone-blueberry iced cake, the apple kouign amann and Luxxe coffee. Our server Sarah was a delight – we will return again and again! Milo & Olive serves a menu of fresh baked morning pastries and bread, wood fired pizzas, farmers-market inspired salads and small plates in a very intimate and warm environment. Milo & Olive

When Pigs Fly

This is my London chef assistant, Kathy who helped cook and style for the Vanilla Table photo shoot. I thanked her with a gift of a Chefwear apron, “when pigs fly”. Kathy says, “it is by far her favourite apron and most complemented”!

Sausal – El Segundo

Sunday tasting for soon to open restaurant Sausal near LAX. Chef Anne began with a scrumptious artisan salad, homemade hominy and irresistible short ribs. Natasha finished the afternoon with Frozen Chocolate Soufflés and Fresh Raspberry Empanadas. Anne, Chef Terry Buzzard and Natasha, three happy gals celebrate with Sausal co-partners Sorin Costache and Joseph Suceveanu. Sausal – Nuevo rancho cuisine

Amazing fruit and veg art

Just love this! I think it beats an aquarium anytime.

Amber Locke creates intricate designs by photographing fruit and vegetables arranged on a sheet. “It started with a picture posted on Instagram of her weekly groceries last year, but now Amber Locke is being commissioned to create her 'veg art' by the likes of Jamie Oliver and Android.” Read more here and share with friends mad on photographing their veges! Amazing fruit and veg art

Melisse Restaurant

Melisse Restaurant in Santa Monica, is truly an extraordinary and elegant dining adventure! Chef/Owner, Josiah Citrin and Chef de Cuisine, Ken Takayama artistically combine ingredients, flavors and textures in a most spectacular manner. The food is divine and the presentation is exquisite. Pictured here are just two offerings that contain Heilala Vanilla beans. We are more than impressed with what they have created and extremely flattered to have our vanilla beans become a part of something so grand! Melisse Restaurant

Pineapple Souffle and Coconut Sorbet and house made vanilla yogurt with the most delicious fruit combination.

Heilala Vanilla USA

HOT OFF THE PRESS - The top 5 Trends spotted at the 2015 Specialty Food Association Winter Show in San Francisco are in - looks like Vanilla is one of the 5, with emphasis on varietals. As you can imagine that makes us Heilala Vanilla thrilled! Vanilla Bean Cheddar Cheese - yes please!! Specialty Food

After 5 Years of Work, Redbird Finally Takes Flight

Neal and Amy Knoll Fraser together run Redbird, the restaurant in the rectory of the former St. Vibiana Cathedral. It has been five years in the making. It’s been quite the journey for Neal and Amy Fraser, who made a pact 17 years ago to one day live in Downtown. The Silver Lake residents haven’t done so yet. For now, a beautiful new restaurant in a cardinal’s old home will have to do. Brilliant and cheers to you Neal Fraser.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - Once upon a time, a Catholic cardinal lived and worked out of the tidy concrete rectory adjacent to the St. Vibiana cathedral at Second and Main streets. If only he could see his old home today, transformed... Read more

Pic’s Peanut Butter

SOMETHING NEW.

Pic’s really good peanut butter

What's new about this, you may ask. It's the same old smooth peanut butter, With no salt. Like you probably bought by accident once. NO MORE! That smart White band around the lid tells you there’s no salt in this one. Soon you will find that same white band around the no salt crunchy as well....

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25 New Restaurants to Try Around Los Angeles

It's a new year (hello, 2015!), and the eternal question remains the same: where should we eat tonight? We're here to help answer that with a roundup of new and notable openings around LA over the last month, from Downtown LA to Burbank. Read more