Bertolli's Into the Heart of L.A. Festival of Flavor

L.A. Home of palm trees, light and extraordinary food. Bertolli Foods brought five bloggers and five of their readers to enjoy a Flavor Festival - utilizing fresh, local ingredients in the same way Italians do. When Rocco DiSpirito was asked why the food is so extraordinary in Italy, his answer was simple.
"Usually, nothing comes from more than ten miles away. Food is not trucked in from around the world. It's local and fresh."
`
And so my Culinary Tour of L.A. from Bertolli Foods begins.

I found myself on an exquisite journey of chasing light, chasing aromas, palates, and emerging from a cocoon. Looking at the hills of Beverly from my hotel window and dazed at how this all came to be.

A wee bit raw from the loss of my father, missing his support and love mixed with three years of various challenges, I found L.A. had light to shine, light to spare and light to give.

(Photo from Pat from Mille Fiori Favoriti)

We were an eclectic group - from at least nine different states representing all the regions of the continental United States: an opera singer, an editor, marathoner, professional scrapbooker, photographer, playwright, recovering economist and retired nurse-turned photographer. The above photo is one of the few photos I have of us with faces....

`

Mostly we looked like this:

(Photo from Pat from Mille Fiori Favoriti)
`

Pat from Mille Fiori Flavoriti and I embarking on our adventure. Please visit Pat's blog - generous of heart and spirit, her blog unfolds the wonders of New York City not always prevalent on the tourist map. As the posts go forward, I will be linking to all the bloggers on the trip.

(Photo from Pat from Mille Fiori Favoriti)

`

And what an adventure it turned out to be. A whirlwind of flavors, a jostling of light, a luxury of luscious. The limo was not hard to take!

(Photo from Pat Mille Fiori Favoriti)

Bertolli had set an agenda of sweet, savory and delectable feasts. The day was a banquet. And as they say in Italy, "A tavola non si invecchia." (You don't age while seated for a meal.) Taking that literally, I youthened a few years on the trip.

`

I am dividing this trip into four posts - ending with the very gracious Rocco DiSpirito. (How can he not be gracious - he grew up in Jamaica, Queens - my hometown!) Dividing the posts is the only way to do the trip justice. I am the proud owner of two, autographed copies of Rocco's newest cookbook, Now Eat This! and I will be posting a recipe from the book at the end of each post. Pat generously brought me one as a gift and Bertolli kindly supplied me with one in L.A. My son has already confiscated the second one! From my samplings thus far, Rocco did not sacrifice one iota of flavor in trimming down the fat and calories. And in answer to Rocco's constant question, "No, I have not made the meatballs... yet."

`

First stop: breakfast at the Griddle Cafe.

Wooden counters, retro charm, a step inside a time machine to the past. Journeying backwards to go forward. Food does this. It links us to to our past, grounds us in the present and give us eyes for the future.

Someday I may write a play about the strangers in my blog photos... wondering about their stories...

But for now, shall stick to my timeline....

And drink some welcome and much-needed coffee.

I had the Manhattan frittata - smothered with cheese, a huge hunk of ham, tomatoes and a side of fruit. The meal could have fed ten hungry ranch hands. I dug in.

"Mom's French Toast" - the most popular item on the menu. Each portion could have fed Sicily.

We introduced ourselves and except while eating, never shut up!

Representatives from Bertolli and Zucola group explained their passion for their brand. (The care of using fresh ingredients, making sure the pasta is al dente, giving a taste of Italy to the busy cook.)

And we dug in. All was quiet for a few minutes. Then the clattering of coffee cups, the laughter, and the stories began. As someone immersed in my own cocoon of woven stories, I was beginning to see my way clear. My time with the computer, my immersion in Dicken's London, NYC's 9/11, the Village of the Brothers Grimm - I had not interacted with the present for awhile. In-between sips of coffee, there was reflection. In-between flavor-bites, there were budding friendships.

`

And after breakfast, we were on our way to L.A.'s oldest Farmer's Market. Back chasing the light. Finding new flavors, sampling the city. Embarking on a journey of tastes, rediscovering what I always knew - each journey is always personal.

Rocco's Tortilla Soup: (from Now Eat This!)
Rocco also makes homemade tortilla strips. But you need to buy the book - I cannot "tell all." I used more tomatoes, more broth and more chicken (which I poached). Peppered with some chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (good for you! increases metabolism, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure), this soup is packed with flavor and comes together very, very fast.

`

Serves 4:

2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup fire-roasted, diced tomatoes

2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped fine

2/3 cup hot, fresh salsa (I'm a wimp, I used mild - but locally made!)

1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

1 cup shredded, cooked chicken breast (from a grocer's rotisserie is fine)

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (I did not use either)

1/2 ripe Hass avocado, sliced

1/3 cup chopped cilantro (I am odd about cilantro and used Italian parsley)

`

Combine broth, tomatoes, chiles, salsa and corn in medium sauce pan. Bring soup to a boil over high heat. Turn heat down to medium-low, simmer for 8 minutes. Stir chicken into soup (I simmered another few minutes. Salt and pepper to taste and serve. Top with sliced avocado and fresh cilantro.

`

"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." - J.R.R. Tolkien. And so it would.

`

Tomorrow: Farmer's Market
Disclaimer: All of my transportation, hotel and meals were paid for by Bertolli Foods. The reporting and the opinions are my own.