In which we highlight the past week in food, either at home or abroad.

  • “The Tam O'Shanter in Atwater Village, owned by the Lawry's family, is also as ersatz as can be, a Disney version of a Scottish inn that in fact started its life as a drive-in restaurant, but something tells me it's the kind of place you have in mind: prime rib, Yorkshire pudding and a lush trifle for dessert.”

    Ask Mr. Gold: Oh, To Eat in England; or as Near as Los Angeles Will Allow.

  • “While we are content to measure our summer vacations in single day increments (Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day), Italians prefer to measure their holidays in months. Particularly in the summer, when everyone in Italy seems to be on the beach, craggy rocks and sunbathing crowds be damned.”

    Perfect Pairings: Recipes From An Italian Summer, Pinot Grigio + A Melon Salad Recipe.

  • “The baristas are knowledgeable and can talk about different styles, such as the chardonnay being less oaky and more crisp in nature.”

    Is Starbucks Getting Into the Wine Bar Business?.

  • “BP isn't the only disreputable oil company in the United States. Apparently there are no rules regulating olive oil here. Which means that purveyors can sell consumers any kind of adulterated garbage and call it “extra virgin” — and they do.” Is Your Olive Oil Really Extra Virgin? U.S. Called a 'Dumping Ground for Cheap Olive Oil.
  • “This year I'm really enjoying that Dogfish Head Festina Pêche. They call it a 'neo-BerlinerWeiss', and it's faintly tart but not nearly as much as might be expected.”

    LA's Beer Gurus Pick Their Favorite Summer Brews: Dogfish Head, Drakes, The Bruery.

  • “By now, we know that tofu can take on many different forms. It can be rich. It can be fiery. But what many overlook is that it also can be sweet. The key ingredient in tofu, soy milk, has an underlying nuttiness that is enhanced when an element of sweet is added.”

    Sweet Soy: Tofu as Dessert.

  • “That means when you pull into the fenced-in lot in Glassell Park's warehouse district, you'll wonder whether you have the correct address. There's no sign, no open door to welcome you inside, and at certain hours, an ominous silence seems to emanate from the surrounding streets..” Best Beer Tasting Room: Eagle Rock Brewery.
  • “Ultimately our table resorted to analyzing the two steaks by finding their comparable movie/sequel counterpart. Is Tofu Steak the subtle and reserved Terminator to Tofu Steak II's glossier, shinier, Terminator 2: Judgment Day? Or are they perhaps the first two Godfather movies? They are neither. In the end, we decided on Back to the Future, and Back to the Future Part II.”

    Squid Ink Food Fight: A Tofu Steak Farewell to Terried Sake House.

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