Remembering produce and BBQ pioneers, and learning to blend spices

Hosted by Evan Kleiman Feb. 01, 2020 Food & Drink

Lior Lev Sercarz’s tomato and pepper pizzas. Photo credit: Thomas Schauer

Frieda Caplan and Woody Phillips rose to the top of their fields in Los Angeles, ushering in exotic produce and barbecue, respectively. We look at how they cemented their place in our city’s culinary history. Plus: Lior Lev Sercarz adds a bit of spice to home cooking.

From this Episode:

Breaking through the glass ceiling one kiwi at a time

Known as the “Mushroom Lady” and “the Mick Jagger of the produce world,” Frieda Caplan was a game changer for how Americans eat.

11 min

Remembering barbecue master Woody Phillips

Known for his smoky slabs of ribs, Woody Phillips was a big name in the Los Angeles barbecue scene. Mona Holmes pays tribute to the man behind Woody’s Bar-B-Que and...

8 min

Modernizing the ‘The Joy of Cooking’

ohn Becker and his wife, Megan Scott, took on the daunting task of updating his great-grandmother’s legacy book, “ The Joy of Cooking .”

11 min

Spicing up the homecook’s repertoire

Lior Lev Sercarz has mastered the art of spice blends, creating seasonings that unlock global flavors and transform simple ingredients into sophisticated meals. He dishes...

14 min

Welcoming sweet potatoes back to the Farmers’ Market

Market Report correspondent Gillian Ferguson visits Chef Balo Orozco of Onda at the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market, where he shares his take on the sweet potato....

6 min

Bill Addison gets a taco fix in Boyle Heights

L.A. Times restaurant critic Bill Addison takes us to Boyle Heights for a taco circuit must: El Ruso . That’s where flour tortillas, carne asada, and a Sonoran...

5 min