Foodie Friday: LOVE Delivery Organic Vegetables

This week's Foodie Friday is a little different because it isn't about a restaurant but a service. A few months ago, I subscribed to L.O.V.E. Delivery (Los Angeles Organic Vegetable Express) in the hopes that it would motivate our family to eat more vegetables. Guess what? It is totally working.

There are several different vegetable delivery services out there, some of them cheaper than LOVE. I picked LOVE because A) They let you customize your order completely (as long as they have what you want) and B) Despite being more expensive than say, a CSA box (which runs at $17 in my neighborhood), I still consider the large box I receive (which the website calls a "small box"... they have an even larger option) to be a great deal at $28.50 a week.

Something to consider when choosing LOVE is whether or not local produce is important to you. LOVE provides local produce when it is available, but because they have the option of extensive customization, they do provide non-local organic produce as well. My family is picky and if we were receiving a box that had untouchables like bell peppers and cucumbers, we would be wasting our money. It is convenient to be able to decide exactly what we want. LOVE does denote which vegetables and fruits are local that week, so it is possible to stick to local as much as possible if that is important to you. In addition, one of their box options is an all-local box.

I have also been impressed with their service -- the box arrives in a timely manner and the delivery lady manages to get it to the door despite the gated entry (which, granted, may not speak much for our gated entry).

The produce has mostly been good. LOVE has the philosophy of delivering everything slightly unripe so that it won't go bad right away during the week. My only problem with this is that I can't always tell when something is ripe -- but I am learning. And honestly, the only thing I've gotten that I wasn't impressed with were the raspberries, and I am a raspberry snob.

The service isn't perfect -- for example, the fruits that Scott and I buy at a fruit stand called Loratelli are much better than the ones we receive in our weekly box -- but it definitely does its job of getting me to eat more fruits and vegetables. While I get to decide what we are getting each week, we still get a set amount that is probably more than I would just pick up in the produce section. I'm happy with the service and will continue with it while I remain in Los Angeles.

Foodie Friday: Blockheads Shavery

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A month or so ago, a group of friends and I were waiting for a table for over an hour, and we started talking about fun places to get dessert. Blockheads Shavery came up. The girl who mentioned it said that there was no way to describe it, that it was unlike anything else she had ever had before, but that it was good. It didn't take anything more than that -- within a few days, Scott and I were headed to Blockheads to answer the question: what exactly is snow cream?

{location}

The location is perfect for us -- just a mile or so down Sawtelle Blvd. The surrounding few blocks are packed with delicious options, including Tsujita LA, Tatsu, Buttercup LA, Pinkberry, and Brian's Shave Ice. The only unfortunate thing is parking -- it is incredibly difficult to find. Case in point -- I once waited for 20 minutes in a red zone with the hazards on while my mom ran inside to get takeout.

{ambiance}

The ambiance is minimal -- it's an in and out kind of place. I really liked the "owls" that are their mascot -- but recently I realized they are not owls at all, but penguins. Still, cute.

{service}

Pretty slow. Even with a short line, it tends to take a while. It's definitely worth a short wait, but try to go during off hours, both for the parking and the quicker service. In addition, they don't offer samples, although they do give good recommendations on flavor combinations.

{food}

So what is snow cream? 

{via}

According to their website, it is "fine texture of Hawaiian shave ice with the creamy goodness of ice cream." Sounds about right. Blockheads has a few different flavors per day, often including unique flavors like red bean and black sesame. I have tried the black sesame and the original, and while both were delicious, I like original best. You also have the option of choosing from a variety of toppings -- fruit, mochi, red bean, sprinkles, etc. I have tried fruit, mochi, and red bean -- all delicious. Finally, you choose a sauce (or two or three) to drizzle on top. I always opt for the sweetened condensed milk. 

I personally love the texture and the flavors that are available. Initially, Scott and I thought that it was just something novel that we would try once, but I have found myself craving the unique texture of Blockheads multiple times. For a unique dessert experience that just might convert you, Blockheads is a great choice.

{miscellania}

Cost: $ It looks a little pricey at first glance, but you get a lot for the price. I could easily have split it 

Hours: Mon-Thu -- 12:30 pm - 10:30 pm

Fri-Sat -- 12:30 pm - 11:00 pm

Sun -- 12:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Address: 11311 Mississippi Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90025 310.445.8725

Reservations: No

The Beginner's Guide to {Herbal} Tea

I became an herbal tea aficionado for three reasons:

{1} I worked in a cafe where coffee and tea were only 50 cents and everything else was expensive.

{2} I'm a bookish person, and bookish people like tea

{3} I'm a Mormon, and Mormons don't drink "real" tea.

Okay, number 2 is kind of a joke. But I have really come to love herbal tea, and I've found it a great way to get myself to drink water and avoid sugary drinks like soda and fruit juice. People have asked me about different herbal teas, and I thought it would be fun to outline some of my favorites. 

First of all: How is herbal tea different from "regular" tea?

Herbal isn't actually tea, and that is why you will frequently see it referred to as an infusion rather than a tea. It doesn't contain any actual tea leaves. Instead, it is made by steeping fruit, plants, herbs, and/or spices in hot water.

Second of all: How do you make it?

Hot: Heat water, steep the tea bags. Usually you steep for about five minutes. I like my tea really strong, so I usually do it longer. I usually don't add sweetener to hot tea. 

Cold: Heat water and steep the tea bags. If you want to use a granulated sweetener or honey, stir it in before pouring the tea over ice or sticking it in the refrigerator. If you pour over ice, you should make your tea double strength so it isn't diluted by the melted ice. I prefer to use a liquid sweetener with iced tea because it dissolves better -- my favorite is liquid stevia. While I don't usually use sweetener with hot tea, I can't stand cold tea without sweetener. Sometimes if I am making a big pitcher I mix different kinds of tea. 

Tea latte: Can be hot or cold. Half tea, half milk. Again, I always use sweetener with cold. Sometimes I use it with hot if I am treating myself. 

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf -- They have the best herbal tea, hands down. You can also purchase it. It's on the pricey side -- $8.75 for 20 tea bags.

:: African Sunrise

What it is: Honeybush, which is similar to rooibos (more about that in a minute). It is sweet and mild.

How I like it: Hot, cold, and tea latte. This tea tastes good no matter what.

:: Chai Rooibos

What it is: Rooibos, which is sometimes called "red tea" (but has no caffeine or tea leaves). This is a South African plant related to the honeybush. It is flavorful and a little spicy. The chai are spices added to the tea.

How I like it: Hot and in a tea latte (the best thing EVER). 

Special uses: Rooibos is antioxidant rich

Starbucks/Tazo -- They carry Tazo brand, which you can usually buy anywhere. They are a little bit lame about making tea lattes or icing herbal tea, but if you teach them how they can usually figure it out. 

:: Vanilla Rooibos

What it is: Basic rooibos with vanilla

How I like it: Hot

Special properties: Antioxidant

:: Wild Sweet Orange

What it is: Orange infusion with licorice and some other spices

How I like it: Hot

:: Passion

What it is: tropical fruit infusion

How I like it: Iced, and always with sweetener. It is very strong and a little sour. 

:: Rooibos tea latte

What it is: Concentrated, sweetened rooibos tea that can be mixed with milk for a tea latte

How I like it: Hot or cold, in a half and half ratio

Where to get it: Target, Sprouts (I've never seen it in a cafe)

Celestial -- This inexpensive brand is everywhere. 

:: Rooibos -- Same drill with everything. They also have a Rooibos vanilla mix, which is good as well.

:: Mandarin Orange:

What it is: Orange infusion with spices

How I like it: Hot

:: Goodnight Grape Sleepytime Kids

What it is: Grape infusion with chamomile and stevia. BEST THING EVER.

How I like it: Hot

Special properties: Makes you sleepy, is sweet and yet calorie free

:: Peach

What it is: Peach infusion

How I like it: Cold with stevia

:: Holiday Teas -- They also have these delicious Christmas themed teas. I love Sugar Plum Fairy (super sweet and spicy), Ginger Snap (lemony and gingery), and Sugar Cookie (barley, very good for before bed). All of these are best hot. I don't know if they ever get discontinued. I hope not. 

Bigelow -- Another cheapy brand, probably the one you are most familiar with if you drink herbal tea. 

:: Peppermint

What it is: Straight-up peppermint leaves

How I like it: Hot, cold, or tea latte. Surprisingly refreshing when cold.

Special properties: Soothes nausea, suppresses lactation (I chugged about a gallon of it when I stopped breastfeeding)

:: Mint Medley

What it is: Similar to peppermint. Blend of peppermint and spearmint. It's a little milder than peppermint.

How I like it: Cold with stevia or hot with honey and whole raspberries. It sounds weird but it is amazing. My husband's friend told us about it. 

Special properties: Same as peppermint

:: Chamomile

What it is: Chamomile herb

How I like it: Hot

Special properties: Good for sleep. Sometimes I dilute it with water (3 parts water to 1 part tea) and put it in Cal's bottle when he is sick (but he thinks it is gross). I've heard it is also soothing on the skin -- haven't tried that. 

:: I Love Lemon

What it is: Lemon infusion with other spices

How I like it: Hot, but I'm intrigued to try it cold some time. I like to drink this when I am sick

Other random herbs

:: Barley -- Just infusing barley makes a sweet, nutty tea that I like to drink when I am sick. I drink it hot. 

:: Roses -- I infuse rose buds usually when I am working on a project and just want to drink tea all day. I drink it hot or cold, and I actually don't mind it without sweetener even when it is cold.

I'm sure I forgot a few favorites, but here is a basic summary of the teas I like. Do you have any favorites? 

Foodie Friday: Rock'N Fish

Scott and I love seafood, so being out of landlocked Utah and near the sea is definitely a culinary advantage. Scott scouted out Rock'N Fish on Manhattan Beach for one of our first seafood adventures.

{location}

Right off Manhattan Beach, it is the perfect place to go when you are spending your day at the shore. It is very close to the pier, which houses a free aquarium, the beach, and the walking paths along the beach. There are also several other restaurants and shops nearby.

We parked in a garage several blocks away, but didn't mind the walk as we were heading to the beach anyway. The parking was $2.00 hourly and very tight -- it took some maneuvering to get the car seat out. 

{ambiance}
We never entered the actual restaurant -- in the front is a screen that pulls up during business hours, leaving tables out in the open air, which was perfect for this beach adventure. The atmosphere is on the nicer side of casual -- there were definitely people in swimsuits, but it had a classy air (and prices to match).

I will say that the restaurant is not particularly kid friendly -- there wasn't a good place to put our stroller so we folded it up and left it outside. We put Cal's car seat under the table, where he blissfully snoozed through our lunch (ahh, those newborn days where they sleep everywhere), but we got a few irritated looks from patrons and waiters nonetheless.

{food}
The food was incredible. I don't remember what Scott ordered -- something with scallops and sweet potato fries. I had jambalaya, which was fantastic and very spicy. However, the real star for us was the clam chowder. We were only sharing a cup because someone had mentioned to us that it was good, but I honestly wish that it was all I had ordered. It was fantastic. Scott had to leave and put more money in the meter and I was tempted to devour the entire cup before he returned -- fortunately, I have some human kindness left in my heart. The bread was also excellent.

{miscellania}
Cost: $$$ a little pricey ($15 for my lunch-size portion of jambalaya)
Hours: 11:30 am - 10 pm, Sunday through Monday
11:30 am - 10:30 pm, Thursday
11:30 am - 11:00 pm, Friday through Saturday
Address: 120 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 (310) 379-9900
Reservations: Yes

Foodie Friday: 800 Degrees

Guys, I love food. If I wasn't a nurse or a neuroscientist or a mama or an amateur blogger, maybe I would be a food critic. (Mm, better not). But lately I've been thinking that because I live in this fabulous city of unique and delicious food, I should highlight some of that excellent food each week. And what better restaurant to begin with than my favorite restaurant in LA, 800 Degrees?

{location}

Located on Lindbrook Drive in Westwood Village, there is frequently a long line snaking out of the doors of 800 degrees, which in a past life belonged to a theater. Don't be dissuaded by the queue, though -- the line moves quickly as chefs build your pizza before your eyes. 

There is little parking available on the street, but parking garages abound on nearby streets. One of them, on Gayley, is reputedly $6.00 after hours, but half the time there isn't an attendant present, in which case it is free (shh!). 

Nearby are several shops, dessert places, and a movie theater.

{ambiance}

The long lines look intimidating, but I have never waited more than 20 minutes. The interior likewise is very crowded, but tables usually clear out by the time one gets through the line (although there have been a few instances where I had to wait a few minutes). 

The building itself is very interesting, having been a theater in its past life. There are a few lovely chandliers hanging. There is also a taxidermized water buffalo above the door, because, you know, why not?

{food}

Right, the important part. The first thing you need to know is that 800 Degrees serves Neapolitan pizza. This isn't the same as American pizza -- it has its own special little society "to promote and protect in Italy and worldwide the true Neapolitan pizza." (See the AVPN website). The crust is very thin, you are meant to eat the entire pizza yourself, and you are usually going to need a knife and fork. 

At 800 Degrees, diners have the option of selecting a pre-designed pizza or building their own from one of four bases -- the margherita, which has basil, tomato sauce, and mozzarella; the marinara, which is exactly what it sounds like; the verde, which is pesto and mozzarella; and the bianca, which has no sauce (not my favorite, if you want my opinion). Next, diners have the choice from an array of vegetables, cheeses, and meats. 

The variety of toppings are what really make 800 Degrees stand out among other Neapolitan pizzerias. While my usual standard Neapolitan pie is the traditional margherita, with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and fresh basil, at 800 Degrees I have to go all out. The toppings I find most tempting are the heirloom cherry tomatoes, the fromage du chevre (goat cheese), and the soppresata (a traditional, spicy Italian salami). The best combination I've tried so far is a verde pie with double cherry tomatoes, goat cheese, and pine nuts. 

800 Degrees also makes excellent salads, which complement the pizza very well. One of their simpler salads, consisting of greens, lemon juice, and shaved parmesan, has become a staple in our home. They also have a burrata bar (burrata is soft, creamy mozzarella cheese) and gelato, but I have not sampled either of these. To top it off, they have a soft drink machine. I know it sounds tacky, but it is really hard to find caffeine-free Diet Coke in LA, and not only do they have it, but I can get it with cherry, vanilla, lime, orange, or raspberry flavoring. Win. 

{miscellania}

Cost: $ Very reasonable

Hours: 11 am - 2 am

Address: 10889 Lindbrook Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90024 (More locations soon to come). 

Taste of France

Photo source

Three years ago this week, I said goodbye to my favorite city in the world, the place where I had to stretch myself, speak a different language, and discover the world. I also had to say goodbye to one of the most delicious desserts in the world, the macaron (not to be confused with the macaroon). I have had macarons twice since returning to the United States, but each attempt was insipid and mediocre, nothing compared to the burst of flavor I experienced at world-renowned patisseries like Laduree and Pierre Herme.

However, this week I discovered a little French bakery on 500 South in Salt Lake City, and as I have clinical only 6 blocks away, I decided today was a good time to investigate. I marched there in my scrubs with my frizzy unwashed hair and oversized backpack and asked if they had what I was looking for.

For a second I was disappointed when the friendly, overly cheerful cashier asked, "You mean macaroons?" and gestured at a display. However, after quickly remembering the bakery's own term for macarons, "buttons," (maybe to avoid the confusion with macaroons?) I bought two pistachio confections and left for the train, feeling victorious, and as sophisticated as a girl in scrubs who has been up since 4:30 this morning can feel.

Were they worth the journey? I think so. I haven't found the perfect burst of flavor I experienced in my first macaron (citron) at Laduree, but Laduree did invent the cookies in the first place, so I can't expect a little Salt Lake City bakery to have attained the same level of culinary perfection. The cookie was just the right level of crunch and ganache, and the nutty pistachio taste is still lingering on my mouth. And I am staring at my husband's cookie, wishing I hadn't told him that I'd bought him one. :)