Intelligentsia: Itzamna, Guatemala

I recently was able to get a bag of Intelligentsia’s Itzamna, Guatemala. In Yucatec Maya mythology, Itzamna is the name of an upper god and creator deity that supposedly lives in the sky. The meaning of the deity’s name is unclear, but could refer to a large lizard or Caiman (itzam) or to a liquid such as dew (itz). Aspects of the god were sometimes designated by the epithet “Itzamna Kauil,” which could mean ‘the powerful’.

Flavor: Chocolate, red apple, date
Acidity: Buoyant, well-rounded
Finish: Walnut, nutmeg, butterscotch

Even though the harvest season is from January to April, the coffee tastes like you should be drinking it during the Fall season. Immediately at first sip, I taste the red apples which turns into a sweet slightly spicy taste, which quietly disappears. Not a shy exit, but a confident exit. As if the flavor just came to say hello, compliment you on how good you’ve been looking, and then be on their way out. Because of the transition from loud, pleasant taste to quick and polite exit, I was left wanting to drink more.

Counting down the days until Intelligentsia opens in Venice….

Intelligentsia
3922 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90029
(323) 663-6173

100 proof of change.

I have found my palate is evolving in ways that surprise myself. Last night, I purchased my first bottle of whiskey. Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey to be exact. This is a huge change of pace for me because I haven’t bought a bottle of hard liquor for probably a year (I do however have a growing collection of wine). Even more incredible is that I bought whiskey. I don’t know really how to explain it, but the feeling is similar to the craving of a cup of coffee in the morning. I don’t drink much at home so this bottle will probably just be for celebrations or “emergency” situations. However, I’m very pleased to include it into the family that is my cabinet.

Knob Creek is Jim Beam’s small batch, high-end bourbon. 100 proof, aged for 9 years, comes in a chic rectangular bottle with the reassuring black wax-sealed top. Their website has a few interesting facts on Bourbon:

• At least 51% of the grain used in making bourbon must be corn. The rest of the ingredients are commonly wheat, rye, and malted barley.

• Straight bourbon must be aged for a minimum of two years in new white oak barrels that have been charred.

• Nothing can be added at bottling to enhance flavor, add sweetness, or alter the color!

• Up to 3-4% of the bourbon in a barrel evaporates every year because of the againg process, so the longer the product is aged the less there is to sell. If a product is aged 7 to 9 years, the third that has evaporated is called the “angel’s share.”

• Bourbon began to be produced in the U.S. due to British blockades preventing importation of sugar and molasses needed to make rum. Because of the Revolutionary Army required spirit provisions, people began making bourbon (using rye as the predominant ingredient).

• For more than 30 years, 1876-1910, federal taxes on domestically produced distilled spirits (mostly bourbon) accounted for HALF of all U.S. government revenue.

• The federal personal income tax was adopted in part to replace revenue lost when the whiskey tax revenue dried up due to Prohibition.

• Bourbon was one of the first products to be sold using mass marketing techniques that set the foundation for modern advertising.

• America’s first consumer protection legislation, The Pure Food and Drug Act, was largely an effort to protect drinkers from adulterated bourbon.

• During Prohibition, bourbon was only legally available with a doctor’s prescription.

• “Ponying” a barrel is putting a few gallons of water into an empty used barrel and rolling it around for a day or two. The results tend not to be very good!

Viva la whiskey!

Yoku Yoku

I went here for the first time about two weeks ago. I have fallen in love. It has become my new favorite frozen yogurt place. As you can see below, the pros outweigh the cons which makes this place rank very high. I was tempted not to write about it because I wanted to keep it my little secret, but then I decided I wanted to share it with the world ten people.

The cons
-Kinda far from where I live; farther than Bigg Chill (it’s practically in Culver City)
-Completely furnished with the predictable “Ikea” style

The pros
-Close to a Trader Joe’s (2 birds, 1 stone)
-Not as busy as Bigg Chill
-Takes credit cards ($5 minimum, so you HAVE to get a large with toppings)
-Parking lot is not too crowded or overwhelming (like Bigg Chill)
-You’re practically in Culver City so you might as well go get a glass of wine at Bottle Rock
-Pretty wide selection of flavors (tart, chocolate, vanilla, cookies and cream, peanut butter, specials for the week)
-Menu offers nutritional information (allowing me to know that I am eating way too much)

I am a simple girl and ordered Peanut Butter and Chocolate. No toppings necessary, even though they had mochi. Peanut butter is my favorite flavor ever and Yoku Yoku’s seems to have the best recipe for it. So if you too enjoy Peanut Butter frozen yogurt, you should go try it. Or if you just like frozen yogurt, check it out.

Yoku Yoku
11146 Palms Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 391-0571

Lumpy Bumpy Bar

No, it’s not a soap for STDs. It’s my latest find at Trader Joe’s! Lumpy Bumpy Bar is creamy caramel and peanut nougat drenched in dark chocolate. Yum. This lumpy bumpy bar is 290 calories (130 of the fat kind), 14g of fat, 6 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber. Whatever that means, hah! It’s chewy, nice and nougat-y, and goes well with the dark chocolate. It had me at lumpy.

Three stages of L.B.B.

1. Uncut

Reaction: That’s not so lumpy OR bumpy.

2. First Cut

Reaction: Where’s the bumps and lumps at?

3. Second Cut

Reaction: Ohhhhh, I found the lumps and bumps!

This delicious Lumpy Bumpy Bar was bought at the Trader Joe’s in Santa Monica (the one where it is always ridiculously crowded, out of my favorite foods, and takes at least 10 minutes to check out; supposedly one of the busiest in the nation). I found this gem where the chocolate bars are normally located at TJ’s: near the cash register for last minute “oh I really absolutely need this” grabbing.

Trader Joe’s
3212 Pico Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 581-0253

Scoop-y Snack.

Already on that side of town, I stopped at a place that always cheers me up. Flavors: Black Currant Sherry Wine, Mascarpone, Green Cocoa Tea (Vegan), and Strawberry Triple Sec.

Winner: Black currant sherry wine.

Abbot Pizza Company I

Recently my boyfriend and I went to the Abbot Pizza Company at it’s flagship location on Abbot Kinney. (The other location is on Pico in Santa Monica). Abbot Pizza Co. is quintessential Californian gourmet pizza. Known best for their bagel crust (a mixture of poppy seeds, onion, garlic and sesame) and supposedly as the best pizza on the West side of Los Angeles. However, the bagel crust is not the only option; if you were to order a pie they offer six crust options: Onion, Garlic, Sesame, Poppy, Hot-Crust and The Blend (Bagel). Also, they have a pretty wide selection of toppings (4 types of mushrooms!: shiitake, oyster, portobello, and buttons). The place is very small and filled up quickly with a wide variety of clientel. If we had not have come so early, we would have probably had to sit outside or get our food to go. Or be a looming (drooling) seat hunter.

I took the gourmet route and ordered a slice of the  Cheese Bomb - parmesan, romano, fontina, gouda, ricotta & mozzarella cheese on an alfredo sauce.

And a slice of Popeye’s Chicken - spinach, mushroom, onion, tequila lime marinated chicken with mozzarella cheese on a garlic pesto sauce.

They were both great. I thought the cheese bomb was going to be my favorite because I love cheese, but other than the ricotta and mozzarella the cheeses were hard for my palate to pick up. I think I would have enjoyed the cheese bomb more if it had been a red sauce instead of the alfredo. I really enjoyed the garlic pesto on the popeye slice. I have yet to have a bad pesto experience.

In regards to both slice’s crust, I found it to taste more like a big soft pretzel than a bagel. I suppose when you add salt to a bagel, it increases it’s chances to taste like a pretzel exponentially. I would go again; it was good pizza. I want to continue trying their gourmet slices like the Meatless/Sauceless with pizza crust and seasonal vegetables. It’s a great place to go if you’re in Venice and hungry for pizza.

Abbot Pizza Company I
1407 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291
(310) 396-7334
Hours: 11am - 11 pm

Abbot Pizza Company II
1811 Pico Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 314-2777

Leda’s Bake Shop

I had to bump this post up in line because of the few days left that you can actually get them. Last week my boyfriend and I went to the Valley to find some cupcakes. Driving down Ventura longer than I would ever think I need to (I am never in that area), we finally found Leda’s Bake Shop. As you can see, the facade is cute and the bake shop is small.

While sampling the numerous cookies and scones, I chose a couple of cupcakes. Of course the Red Velvet cupcake, which was vegan (probably use oil). It didn’t stand out to me at all, probably because of the vegan frosting not being as good as a dairy-ful / dairy-licious cream cheese frosting. Although I wasn’t too impressed by the Red Velvet, I loved the Peanut Butter cupcake. It was a peanut butter cake with peanut butter frosting. Delicious. This place is notorious for having frosting that has a dab of filling (curd, ganache, cream) inside. A hidden gem (sorry no picture of that).

They have a plethora of cupcake flavors. I don’t know the gossip behind it, but they are shutting down cupcake sales in a few days (the 19th to be exact). Supposedly they will still sell cupcakes, but only for orders. I think this is a little ridiculous, because good cupcakes are a great cash cow. However, I do understand that it takes a lot of time and effort to make them (especially the little ones!). But - to stop selling something that people obviously enjoy, is like making alcohol illegal. Exactly like the Prohibition. I don’t know.. it’s 7 in the morning, you get what I’m trying to say.

So if you’re a fan of them already, this is a reminder to go get some. If you’re not a fan and live close enough, this is a recommendation for you to go try some. Or order some.

Leda’s Bake Shop
13722 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
818-386-9644