Laura Avery talks with Fred Eric of Tiara Cafe and Liberty Grill in downtown Los Angeles, who was at the market with Octavio Becerra, founding chef of the Patina Group. Octavio, who is opening a new restaurant and wine market called Palate in Glendale, is traveling to Iowa with Fred to taste some of the first farm-raised Berkshire pigs raised by La Quercia in Iowa. La Quercia makes artisan salumi using traditional dry curing and will sell whole pigs, which produce 150 pounds of meat.
Tiara Cafe
127 E 9th St (in the Newmart)
Los Angeles, CA 90015
213-623-3663
Liberty Grill
1037 S Flower St
Los Angeles, CA 90015
213-746-3400
Palate
933 S Brand Blvd
Glendale, CA 91204
Laura also recommends root vegetables that are perfect for roasting. This week look for salsify, a hairy root that looks like parsnip. Peel it, cut it up, splash with olive oil and roast at 375°F until fork tender for a taste that's a cross between a carrot and potato. Salsify is also known as vegetable oyster plant.
Music break: Abigaille (Fumo di Londra by 1966) by Piero Piccioni