Caroline on Crack

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Tag Archive: bacon

August 18, 2011

This Weekend: Bacon Brunch, Bay Cities Wine Tasting, Food Truck Flea Market Music Fest

Look out weekend cuz here I come…

Thursday, August 18

Napa Valley Grille’s Taste Foursquare Happy Hour
Get a delicious (and wallet-friendly) sneaky peek of Executive Chef Joseph Gillard’s Heritage Pork Belly he created for September 4th’s “Fashion Bites Brunch” during the Westwood restaurant’s happy hour (Monday-Saturday 3-7pm and 9pm-12am, Sunday 3-11pm). This is part of a promotion, which kicks off today, for the LA Times’ Taste event which features happy hours around town. Foursquare users who check-in at five or more participating venues—including Napa Valley Grille—during regular happy hours and post “I’m at THE TASTE Foursquare Happy Hour” in the optional “Shout” message box will receive a 20% discount on TASTE event tickets. NVG’s happy hour offers specials off beer, wine and cocktails ($4-$8) and small plates ($4-$7).

August 18-25. Napa Valley Grille, 1100 Glendon Avenue, Los Angeles (map). (310) 824-3322.

Friday, August 19

Rachel Palley Warehouse Sale
It’s almost autumn. You know what that means: Sales off spring and summer fashion! Fortunately, LA weather is so temperate that we can usually wear those seasons’ styles way into October. At Rachel Pally’s warehouse sale, you can save 55%-85% on her Spring and Summer Collections in women’s dresses, tops and bottoms. Cash and credit cards only.

August 19-21, Friday-Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 11am-4pm. 2301 E. 7th Street, Suite C100, Los Angeles (map).

Sunday, August 21

Bacon Brunch at Royal/T Cafe
Bacon is definitely a foodie buzz word so no doubt they’ll flock to this bacon-focused brunch which will feature bacon and Nutella panini and a special Bacon High Tea. While you’re indulging in everyone’s favorite meat product, check out the bacon-inspired jewelry in OnchMovement’s Meat-cessories line in the OnchMovement’s “Perfectasy” pop-up shop, which is around through August 31. Wonder if that bacon bracelet smells as good as it looks. There will also be drink specials: $12 bottomless mimosas and $28 bottles of Veuve du Vernay Champagne to quench your bacon-induced thirst.

10am-1pm. Royal/T Cafe, 8910 Washington Boulevard, Culver City (map).

Gourmet Music Carnival
I know, “Another food truck fest?” you’re probably saying. But this inaugural event is a cross between a food truck fest, flea market and concert series. That’s right, indulge in 40-60 food trucks, browse 200 local vendors and rock out to 9 bands. Currently there’s a Thrillist Rewards special where, for $36, you get an open vodka and moonshine bar tended by Joel Black (formerly of Cana), VIP tent for the concerts and food from 25 food trucks.

11am-7pm. $12-$50. LA Historic Park, 1245 N Spring Street, Los Angeles (map).

Bay Cities and Italian Wine With Silverlake Wine
West meets East as the beloved Santa Monica deli treks to Silverlake for a very special wine tasting. Enjoy wines like Caravaglio Salina Vino Da Tavola Bianco 2010, Macarico Macari Aglianico Del Vulture 2007 and Germano Angelo Nebbiolo Langhe 2007…yeah, I’m not sure what these are either but you know they probably go well with the meatballs, charcuterie and, yes, godmothers that the deli will be bringing.

3pm. $20. Silverlake Wine, 2395 Glendale Boulevard, Los Angeles (map). Reservations required: (323) 662-9024.

Categories: Dining, Lists, Los Angeles, Music, Nightlife, Shopping & Sales

5 Comments

May 2, 2011

Cast Iron Gourmet’s Bacon Bourbon Breakfast Cocktail Recipe

Bacon-infused bourbon by Caroline on Crack

Easy bacon-infused bourbon.

When I stopped by Cast Iron Gourmet‘s booth at Artisanal LA’s spring show, I saw that owner Rashida Purifoy was selling jars of bacon fat. “But why?” I asked her. Why? Apparently her bacon fat is awesome. Thanks to her gourmet bacon, her customers were asking for her leftover bacon fat. Yup. They wanted to use it to make scrambled eggs, in their baked goods, etc. But it was Rashida’s own use of the fat that got my attention: bacon-infused bourbon!

Yes, this may be so 2000-and-late to the cocktail world but I don’t care. I’ve been wanting to make my own bottle of that good stuff since I first heard the New York bars were doing it but since I don’t fry my own bacon, I never got around to it. So this jar of bacon fat was a blessing. Half the work was already done! Plus it’s triple filtered so it’s clean from bacon bits.

And Rashida not only gave me her recipe on how to infuse my own bacon bourbon but a cocktail recipe for something she calls “Breakfast.” It’s similar to this bacon-infused vodka cocktail which is also called “Breakfast” but seems like bourbon would be a better way to go, no? Especially when mixed with maple syrup. Rashida isn’t a trained mixologist but I can still get with what she’s doing.

By the way, there’s also this recipe which involves bourbon and a bacon-infused St. Germain and the Bacon Old Fashioned from PDT. Hmm, so many options! Anyway here are the directions for infusion:

To infuse the bourbon, just pour your bourbon into a mason jar or some type of jar with a lid. Pour in 2 – 3 ounces of bacon fat. Place jar in fridge for 2 – 3 days. On the 4th day put the jar in the freezer to solidify all of the fats. On the 5th day filter the bacon fat through a coffee filter 2 – 3 times to remove all of the fat. Boom, time to make the cocktail.

Breakfast Bacon Cocktail
By Rashida Purifoy

2 ounces Bacon infused bourbon whiskey
1/4 ounce maple syrup
3/4 ounce lemon juice
1 egg white
2 dashes orange bitters
Twist of orange

Combine ingredients in a shaker over ice and shake vigorously.

Categories: Cocktails, Los Angeles, Recipes

3 Comments

December 11, 2009

Fig’s New Taco Bar Brunch + Lots of Bacon

Chicaron Taco

Tacos for brunch, the perfect hangover cure, I say. Fig in Santa Monica gets that and has just added a brand-new taco bar to its Sunday brunch. It officially debuts this Sunday the 13th but I got a chance to check it out last week courtesy of the restaurant.

The Fig's Patio

The taco menu features a wide variety to choose from, usual fare like chicken, carnitas and steak to those you don’t see too often, if at all, like lengua and chicaron. And everything is $3 a piece, that includes other taco menu items like sides queso fundido (naughty!) and nopales and even drinks sangrita and horchata. A nice deal in such a swank-looking setting like the fancy Fairmont Hotel’s restaurant.

For the hosted brunch, my friend Jules and I were sat at a table looking out at the pool which was surrounded by palm trees. This area of the restaurant is well lit thanks to the white tiles and white marble tables and the huge windows. Perfect for taking food pictures!

Categories: Cocktails, Dining, Los Angeles

3 Comments