Fizzy and feeling good

Elyse Glickman is US west coast editor of Lucire.

While fruits and veggies should be a substantial part of anybody’s diet, that precaution alone does not change the fact that new technologies in food production and the environment have given way to food allergies and sensitivities. As a Mom and career woman, Vanessa Phillips was keenly aware of that as she tried to create healthy meals and dodging a lot of processed foods like land mines. However, being careful also means sacrificing flavour to eat well. As Los Angeles chef Royce Burke was prepping a stone fruit and snap pea salad and fish, Brooklyn-based Phillips pointed out at an intimate gathering near Los Angeles’ Arts District that produce at the peak of growing season means more food will consist of non-GMO ingredients, including beef and chickens all raised without antibiotics. However, as these ideal conditions are not available in all areas, Phillips—who ended up co-founding Feel Good Foods with Tryg Silverman, explained the savoury and crispy appetizers delivered the goods on flavour and texture without many of the preservatives and additives associated with frozen meals and snacks.

Gluten-y crusts are replaced with wholesome cauliflower while the proteins used for the pot stickers, taquitos, empanadas, egg rolls and snack bites are hormone and antibiotic-free. Vegetables are also “curated” at the peak of their flavour so the snacks have more of a “scratch kitchen” appeal when taken out of the oven.

Currently, the snacks are in the freezer section of Whole Foods and other grocery chains across the US. Hopefully, its success will inspire more thoughtfully produced food products elsewhere.

A Spanish gin with “fizz”

Chef Holly Jivin from the Bazaar by José Andréas

As Los Angeles headed into August’s “dog days” of sunshine and heat, the beaches of Spain arrived in the nick of time through the founders of Gin Mare and a group of bartenders keen on showing how far they could take the simple and refreshing poolside standby in creativity, flavour and versatility.

In a private Hollywood Hills home overlooking the city, six American bartenders vied for a spot in Gin Mare’s annual international cocktail competition in Ibiza this September, with Gkong Apopolous of New York City and Marian Scaturro of Houston making the cut for their innovative spins on gin and tonics and original creations with the Spanish-made craft spirit, with thyme, basil, rosemary and Arbequina olive oil as its leading botanicals.

Following the competition, a handful of spirits and food writers got to see just how versatile this modern gin was in a tasting dinner crafted by chef Holly Jivin from the Bazaar by José Andréas at the SLS Beverly Hills. Each course pairing featured a cocktail by the owner of Barcelona’s Paradiso (one of this year’s World’s Top 50 Bars) that emphasized one of the botanicals that was also a lead player in Jivin’s recipes. •