The Sweet Taste of Southern-Style Bundt Cakes at Kiss My Bundt

A few months ago, I heard the rumblings of a new cake shop in town and surprisingly, it wasn't another new cupcake shop. Instead, it was all about bundt cakes at the Kiss My Bundt bakery, owned and operated by Chrysta Wilson. Since this cutely named bakery was way on the other side of town from me, I didn't have any immediate plans to check it out until I went on a walking food tour run by Melting Pot Tours.

Lo and behold, it was along our route. On the way back to my car after the tour, I decided to stop by and see what the fuss was all about. As luck would have it, it was their grand opening and there were free samples to be had. I tried a couple of items and they were wonderful. After touching base with Chrysta and than following up, I set up a cake tasting for my dining group.

The evening started with Chrysta giving us some background about her shop and how she got started. You can read her entire story by visiting her website, but what isn't written there is how she came up with the name of her business. Her previous work background has been primarily in government and the non-profit sector and after having had a long work week and still having to be in the office during the weekend, she threw her hands up and said "This job can kiss my bundt!" Voila! The name of her new bakery.

Another thing Chrysta emphasized to us is that their bundt cakes are Southern-style and what she meant is that while traditional Southern bundt cakes are very sweet, she didn't want to use that same sensibility for her own cakes. In fact, getting ahead of myself a bit, what impressed me about the cakes we sampled that evening was that they had just the right amount of sweetness to satisfy one's sweet tooth craving without making you feel that you just ate a cup of sugar in cake form. Now that you've had some background, let's talk about cake tasting itself.

The first cake we sampled was a Vanilla Bundt Cake with a Vanilla Butter Cream. I tend to favor stronger flavors, even in dessert, so this wouldn't be the type of cake I'd order on my own. However, the cake itself was moist and if you're a vanilla lover, this bundt cake is for you.

Next up was a Carrot Cake with a Cream Cheese Frosting that had an interesting story behind it. Traditional Southern carrot cake has pineapple as an ingredient and sometimes even raisins, neither of which Chrysta was a big fan of. So her first attempts at carrot cake didn't include either ingredient, but the cakes weren't turning out right, both in flavor and texture. It took her 5 years to finally come up a recipe that could mimic a classic Southern carrot cake, but without the pineapple or the raisins. I was a big fan as soon as soon as I took my first bite of a cake that was carrot-sweet and nutty. The pineapple and raisins were not missed at all.

The next cake we tried was and still is their top selling cake and it's their Red Velvet Cake with a Cream Cheese Frosting. An interesting thing that Chrysta mentioned is that that there's a basic assumption that a Red Velvet Cake is a straight out chocolate cake that's been dyed red. Red dye is usually used, but the addition of cocoa powder to a Red Velvet Cake recipe is minimal to what you'd see added to a regular chocolate cake recipe. Side by side and maybe even blind-folded, one could probably taste the difference. Although I love the color, I never understood why people are so gaga over red velvet cakes. Flavor-wise, it's pretty mild and in fact, I don't even feel like there's anything distinct in how it tastes. I wouldn't turn down this cake, but it wouldn't be my first choice.

After the Red Velvet Cake came one of my favorite cakes of the evening. Simply, it was a Callebaut® Chocolate Bundt Cake with a Chocolate Glaze. My eyes are glazing over just thinking about it. I remember Chrysta mentioning that the cake itself was dark chocolate with the glaze being more milk chocolate. All I know was that each forkful was heavenly. Of the cakes we sampled so far, I found this one to be the most moist and I loved its chocolate richness. I think some people even asked for milk to go with this particular cake. I could go for a slice right now.


Following the chocolate bundt cake was the Pumpkin Bundt Cake served in two different ways. We had one sample with the cream cheese frosting and one with a cinnamon sugar glaze. I actually preferred the version with the cinnamon sugar glaze. It was almost like eating a pumpkin pie in the form of a cake.

Finally, our tasting ended with a slice of their Rum Pound Cake with a Butter Rum Glaze. I enjoyed this cake as much as I did the chocolate bundt cake. I think this cake was actually soaking in rum because the cake was pretty moist. The butter rum which tasted like one of my favorite hard candies, butterscotch, was the perfect match.

Overall, this was a wonderful tasting event. Chrysta was informative, funny and really knows her bundt cakes and we got to sample a nice cross-section of what her bakery offers. Other information you should know is that her bundt cakes come in 3 sizes: mini, baby and Big Ol' Bundt Cake. There is what is referred to as the "Daily 8", which are 8 bundt cakes that will always be available 7 days a week. However, with over 30 recipes that Chrysta has developed, other bundt cakes will come in and out of rotation on their daily menu and of course, pre-orders are also available.

To see pics, go to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/la_addict/sets/72157613253212298/

Kiss My Bundt
8104 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 655-0559
http://www.kissmybundt.net/

Upcoming Pleasure Palate Events

For those of you who are or are not regular readers of my blog, you may not realize that I run a very active dining group that also goes by the name, Pleasure Palate. If you're in the LA area or even visiting the LA area and would like to join me and other food lovers, please check out my group by clicking here! While there's a variety of events currently on the calendar, I'd like to highlight some below.

February 21 - Docent Tour of BCAM
Today's tour, which includes admission to LACMA, will start with some info about LACMA itself and from there, our docent will be giving us background and info about how BCAM came to be as well as about the two current exhibitions, which are on the 1st and 3rd floor of BCAM. By the time of this tour, a new exhibit will also be in place on the second floor. Click Here For More Info!

February 22 - Sunday BBQ at Bludso's BBQ
Join us for a delicious Sunday BBQ at Bludso's BBQ where your meal will include samplings of barbecued meats like pork ribs, beef brisket, pork shoulder as well as other dishes like potato salad, macaroni salad, cobbler and red velvet cake. Click Here For More Info!

February 24 - Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Beer Pairings
If you're someone who thinks that an ooegy-goooey grilled cheese sandwich is the perfect accompaniment to beer, than by golly, you're right, which is why you should join me for an evening of grilled cheese sandwich and beer pairings at Andrew's Cheese Shop, owned and operated by Andrew Steiner. Click Here For More Info!

March 15 - Cookie Tasting and Kitchen Tour of Platine Cookies
So when it comes to having a sweet tooth, do you actually have a whole set? Specifically a whole set of sweet teeth? If so, than this event may be just the one for you. It's a sweet tasting of 6 delectable gourmet goodies and maybe, even an extra surprise or two from Platine Cookies in Culver City owned and operated by Chef Jamie Cantor. Click Here For More Info!

March 29 - Vodka and Cheese Pairings
What I love about cheese...well, basically, I love everything about cheese in general, but what's great about cheese is how many different things that can pair with it. Whether it's other foods like honey, fruit, jams or beverages like wine, beer, vodka.... Whoa Vodka? Well, why not? To give you an idea of how well vodka pairs with cheese, I've set up a vodka and cheese pairing with Artisan Cheese Gallery in Studio City. Click Here For More Info!

I'm In the Mood For A Sandwich!

I'm in the mood for a sandwich! So let's share a virtual one together.
Does anything below catch your fancy?

Pastrami Sandwich
from Johnny's Pastrami in Culver City, CA

BBQ Pork Banh Mi
from Cho Chu Bakery in Westminister, CA

The Classic Doner Sandwich
from Spitz in Eagle Rock, CA

Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato and Avocado Sandwich (BLAT)
from T-Burgers in Monrovia, CA

Steak Sandwich
from Johnny's Grill in Long Beach, CA (Now Closed)

Grilled Cheese Sandwich
from The 1st 6th Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational in Los Angeles, CA

To check out my Flickr Photos (foodie and otherwise), please click here!

Go Eat Los Angeles (Aid for AIDS)

EVENT: Go Eat Los Angeles
Simply join family or friends for a meal at a participating restaurant on February 26th, and you automatically will be helping those in need through Aid For AIDS. The event lasts from your morning bagel to that late-night dessert...with more than 15 years of restaurant support!

DATE:
Thursday, February 26, 2009 – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

WHAT:
Annual, ONE-DAY fundraising event, where 50+ Los Angeles area restaurants give 15% or more of their day’s proceeds to Aid For AIDS to help prevent homelessness and hunger for individuals and families impoverished by HIV/AIDS. Some are donating as much as 40%-60%!

WHERE:
At many restaurants and cafes across Los Angeles County from West Los Angeles and Santa Monica to West Hollywood and Burbank to Long Beach. The restaurant list is updated regularly; visit our website at www.GoEatLA.org

WEBSITE:
www.GoEatLA.org See the growing list of participating restaurants and sponsors.

BENEFITING:
Aid For AIDS, a non-profit organization founded in 1983, is one of the oldest, continuously running AIDS assistance organizations in California. The agency mission is to prevent homelessness and hunger and to encourage independent living for impoverished women, men and children with HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles County. Aid For AIDS helped more than 1,000 last year. Visit www.AidForAIDS.net for more information.

"The Four Schools of Chinese Cooking" - Dinner at China Islamic

A few months back, I came upon this online article on the Cooking Light website simply entitled "The Four Schools of Chinese Cooking" and as the title suggests, it talked about 4 different types of Chinese cooking based on schools or more likely "regions": East, West, South and North. Given the fact that I'm lucky enough to live in the San Gabriel Valley where the breadth of Chinese cooking is unparalleled, I thought I'd start a new dining series for Pleasure Palate where we would dine at restaurants representing each school. Our next visit focused on the Northern School.

Taken directly from the article, "The Northern School is the most eclectic, incorporating the refined cooking of palace kitchens and Shandong province (where classic Chinese cuisine originated), as well as Mongolian and Muslim dishes. acclaimed for its spicy dishes, includes Sichuan, Hunan, and Yunnan provinces." Look below for more info.

What the North is known for: Noodles, Steamed Breads, and Pancakes are served instead of rice.

Styles of Cooking: Stir-Frying, Pan-Frying, Braising, and Barbecuing

Common Seasonings: Garlic, Chives, Leeks, Star Anise, and Sweet Bean Sauces.

Representative Dishes: Moo Shu Pork With Mandarin Pancakes.

To represent the Northern school, I chose China Islamic in Rosemead and I tried to choose dishes, with the help of the staff, to best showcase what the Northern School was all about. For our meal there, we shared 12 dishes.

Starting our meal was the Dabing, which is a thick sesame and green onion pancake. I've only had the thinner versions of this pancake before, so I was interested in tasting the difference. The Dabing is definitely quite filling on its own. When you cut into and see the cross-section, it looks like a pancake within a pancake.

After taking a few bites, it didn't do much for me. I found it too dough-y and preferred the thinner pancakes that we ordered later in the meal. Of the remaining items, I have to say that everything was pretty good, but some were more memorable than others.

The first dishes to arrive were the Lamb with Green Onions and the Beef with Pickled Cabbage. I enjoyed how the grassiness of the green onions complimented the stronger flavors imparted by the lamb, which by the way, was tender to the bite.

When it came to the Beef with Pickled Cabbage, I was one of the few at my table or maybe, I was the only one at my table who loved this dish. Compared to some of the other items which were bolder in taste, this dish was pretty mild. What drew me to this dish was my Filipino palate which favors foods that have a sour/vinegary tang to them. I liked the combo of the cabbage, which was almost like sauerkraut and the meatiness of the beef. I would definitely order this dish again.


Although some kind of green bean dish is seen on most Chinese restaurant menus, regardless of the region that the restaurant represents, I have to say that their Dried Shrimp and Green Bean dish is better than most. The addition of the dried shrimp gave a nice hit of saltiness and overall, the little bit of heat coming from the sauce that the beans and shrimp were sauteed in was very appealing to my taste buds.

Like the green beans, noodle dishes are also standard Chinese dishes, but the Three Flavor Chow Mein that we ordered was exceptional in that the noodles were hand cut and had a nice slightly chewy texture that really did it for me.

The two dishes that wowed me the most arrived last. One was the oxtail in brown sauce. All I have to say is "Mama Mia!" and I'm not even Italian and I'm not even dining at an Italian restaurant, but that brown sauce was so good, I could have dived into it. It was thick and had a smoky, slightly sweet heat taste to it. I can't say enough good things about it. The added bonus was that they didn't skimp on the oxtail, which I found to be meaty and also quite tender.

Finally, there was the Lamb in a Warm Pot dish. The broth was just so goooood. Notice the extra "o"s in the word gooood. There was so much flavor in that soup plus it was rich and hearty. I loved the addition of fresh cilantro. It's a dish that's perfect cold weather comfort food. The lamb was also tender and in general, the running theme is that this restaurant really knows how to prepare their meat dishes. There wasn't anything I had where the meat wasn't cooked just right.

Overall, I really enjoyed my meal at China Islamic and I can see why it's gotten consistent raves from bloggers, food critics and regular dining folk alike since it's opened. My second visit there happened a month or so later and this time we ordered different dishes and the meal was still just as good as the first time. China Islamic is definitely a must visit for anyone who enjoys Chinese dining and even more so, if you're interested in checking the Northern Style of Chinese Cooking that China Islamic represents so well.

To see pics, go to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/la_addict/sets/72157613063801490/

China Islamic
7727 Garvey Ave
Rosemead, CA 91770
(626) 288-4246
http://www.chinaislamic.com/

Discover LA: Bungalow Heaven Home Tour in Pasadena

Other than being a great foodie town, LA has much to offer and while this blog will still be primarily about my culinary experiences, I also wanted to share with you other things about LA that have definitely made me smile, think, chuckle, appreciate and so much more and hopefully, they'll also help you discover an LA you've never known before and may want to know better.

If you have a love for historical homes, than you should definitely try to make it to the yearly Bungalow Heaven Home Tour in Pasadena. Bungalow Heaven is a neighborhood where the people living there actually worked to have it declared as a Landmark District. So why a Landmark District? Well, considering that Bungalow Heaven contains a rare and mostly intact collection of over 800 homes built from the 1900s through the 1930s, you can see why.

The architectural significance of Bungalow Heaven is that the homes reflect the start of the Arts & Crafts movement a la the Gamble House. As many of you may know, the Arts & Crafts movement rejected the ornateness of Victorian homes for simplicity in architectural style and a use of more natural materials.

This particular tour is self-guided and at your own pace, but what's so fantastic about it is that you get to visit the interior of 6 to 8 California bungalows and you'll also get a booklet detailing the particular history of that home. I was just amazed that at the time some of these homes were first in existence, a couple thousand dollars would get you the home of your dreams. That's certainly not the case now.

The tour runs $15 to $20 and happens every April. I think the tour is worth every penny and what better way to spend a spring day than exploring beautiful homes.


To see pics of the tour I went on and to read about the histories of the houses in the pictures above, go to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/la_addict/sets/72057594140795493/

For more information on the tour, go to:
http://www.bungalowheaven.org/

I'm In the Mood for Dessert!

I'm in the mood for something sweet! So let's share a virtual dessert together.
Does anything below catch your fancy?

Dulce de Jicama
(candied jicama with cinnamon in a creamy sauce)
from La Casita Mexicana in Bell, CA

Rice Suman
(sweetened rice cut in squares and topped with fried coconut and flan)
from Alejandro's in Eagle Rock, CA (Now Closed)

Timbal Elysee
(pure vanilla bean ice cream in a cookie tuile with fresh berries topped
with a caramel dome and served with a raspberry & vanilla sauce)
from Maison Akira in Pasadena, CA.

Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich
(topped with Pears poached in tequila)
from La Huasteca in Pasadena, CA (Now Closed)

Indonesian Dessert
(with shaved ice, fruit and sweetened beans)
from Indonesian Outdoor BBQ in Duarte, CA


To check out my Flickr Photos (foodie and otherwise), please click here!

A Home Run and Then a Strike Out at Pollo Campero

I think half the fun of writing a blog is coming up with interesting blog titles. Don't ask me why I worked in a reference to baseball. The title just seemed a great one-line description of my experience at Pollo Campero. By the way, if you didn't know already, Pollo Campero is a Guatemalan fried chicken chain. For this particular write-up, I'm focusing specifically on the location in Long Beach.

When Pollo Campero opened its first location in Los Angeles, I heard that lines were around the block. When I heard news like that, my curiosity was definitely piqued, but time passed by and I soon forgot about until I started working in Long Beach and found out there was a Pollo Campero location down the street from me. Fate was definitely working on my side, so I decided to check it out for lunch one afternoon.

I walked through the doors, up to the counter and after a quick glance at the menu, I ordered a three piece fried chicken with rice and yucca fries. While I was waiting, I loaded up on some salsas at their salsa bar. When the plate was finally placed in front of me, I have to say that it looked good and it smelled good, but did it taste good? The answer was a resounding YES in big capital letters.

The skin was wonderful and there was just enough batter to form a "cracker crust". What I meant by that is when I pulled the skin from and off the chicken meat, it seemed wafer-thin and crispy like a cracker. The chicken itself was tender and juicy and very well seasoned, which doesn't translate to being spicy, just full of flavor. A little peppery. A little bit of a kick. All of which made me one happy chicken eater.

The chicken was definitely the star of the plate although the yucca fries would have been a complete thumbs up for me, if they hadn't been so salty. As for the rice, they didn't really add much to the meal. Overall, I was pretty happy and was looking forward to have Pollo Campero as one of my regular lunch stops.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make it back until a few months later, but I was still anticpating a great meal. Too bad, I didn't get it. I wish I could share pictures, but as luck would have it, I didn't have my camera with me. I ended up ordering almost the same thing I ordered last time, but this time I replaced the rice with black beans, which were a definite improvement over the rice. However, the yucca fries, while wonderfully crispy, were still salty. I would have been fine with whatever sides I ordered, as long as my chicken had been up to par. Oh my, it wasn't and saying "Oh my" is putting it mildly.

The chicken didn't have enough batter and it didn't seem like it was fried for that long, which made for a skin that was more droopy than crispy. They also cut back on the seasoning. There just wasn't as much of a flavor punch as before. It was just a disappointing looking and tasting piece of chicken. These are the times when a picture speaks a thousand words and if you are able to see what I saw, you'd know exactly what I was talking about. In the end, I left shaking my head, wondering what the heck happened. I felt like they were trying a new recipe and I somehow became their test subject.

Would I go back to Pollo Campero? I would, but this time I'd check out another location, if only to see if that last experience at the Long Beach restaurant was just a fluke. For now, I'll just try to remember that one good meal and hope that it can be repeated elsewhere.

To see pics, go to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/la_addict/sets/72157612910004741/

Pollo Campero
281 E. Willo Street
Long Beach, CA 90806
(562) 981-8938

www.campero.com

Food Porn from the Now Closed Macau Street

With all the eating out I do, I definitely get behind on my blogging about my various dining and restaurant experiences. I think that's a problem that most bloggers experience as well. Such is the case with Macau Street in Monterey Park, which is now closed. Briefly, I wouldn't say it was a destination restaurant for me, but I still enjoyed my meal there. Even more so, I liked how my pictures came out. While I may not be sharing a review with you, I hope you enjoy some of the food porn below.

Pepper and Salt Chicken Knees

Tofu Skin with Spinach

Steamed Tilapia

Egg Tart

Red Bean and Taro Tapioca

To see the rest of the photos, go to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/la_addict/sets/72157611985223170/

Discover LA: The Bunny Museum in Pasadena

Other than being a great foodie town, LA has much to offer and while this blog will still be primarily about my culinary experiences, I also wanted to share with you other things about LA that have definitely made me smile, think, chuckle, appreciate and so much more and hopefully, they'll also help you discover an LA you've never known before and may want to know better.

Did you know that there is a Bunny Museum in Pasadena? Well, now you know and boy, what a museum it is with over 24,000 bunny collectibles with everything from stuffed animals, salt and pepper shakers, kitchen ware and so much more that it's mind-boggling.

The Bunny Museum is actually the private home of Candace Frazee and Steve Lubanski. So why all the bunnies? Well, it all started when Steve gave his girlfriend at the time, Candace a white, plush bunny (which holds a heart with the banner, "I Love You This Much") on Valentine's Day, 1993 because she called him her "Honey Bunny".

Candace gave Steve a white, porcelain bunny on Easter. At first, they gave each other bunny gifts on holidays, but, Steve not wanting to wait, started their tradition of giving bunny gifts to each other, every day!

Several years later and now married, they decided to open up their home as a Bunny Museum. Over the course of 9+ years of the museum being open, as visitors came to visit, they would sometimes donate a bunny item to the collection, which definitely contributed to the over 24,000 bunny items they have now. In fact, they have so many bunnies, they hold the Guinness Book of World Records for the most bunny collectibles.

To visit the museum, you need to make advance reservations. Just check out the website for more info and even better, it's FREE admission. Now how often does that happen? You are allowed to bring cameras and/or video equipment and you basically have the run of the house (except for their bedrooms and bathroom) and the backyard and your stay can last up to an hour.

I was pretty overwhelmed when I walked in and if it wasn't for the over 150 pictures I took, everything may have remained a blur. Anyway, when you get a chance, pay a visit to The Bunny Museum. It may just one of the quirkiest places you'll ever experience.

To see all my pics, go to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/la_addict/sets/72157600052889174/

For visiting info, check out the website below:
http://www.thebunnymuseum.com/