Reading List: Los Angeles

You may know your fair share about this city, but as an ever-changing, breathing, often eccentric place, there are always nooks and crannies to discover and interesting seasonal eats to make from the bounty of the abundant farmers markets. Once the smoke and hullabaloo of carmageddon clears this weekend, take next week to explore. Until then, chill out near home and read all about this metropolis.


1. L.A.'s Original Farmers Market Cookbook 2.Los Angeles, Portrait of a City 3. Forgotten Modern 4. Ed Ruscha's Los Angeles

Going for Green

One of the books I picked up at the library on Sunday was The Food of a Younger Land, Mark Kurlansky's compilation of the historical writings of some of America's first foodies (though they might not have known it) under the Federal Writers Project (yes, Uncle Sam funded writing & the arts!). And it got me thinking about

local food. Organic foods. Non-GMO foods. The traditions of food. While I don't always mention this in my recipes, we certainly try to eat organic and we're working on getting to the farmers' markets regularly...Because you see, before there were giant supercenters and Safeway online, there were gardens and orchards where baskets of fruits and vegetables were grown without chemicals and picked for the enjoyment of locals, not to be shipped across the world. People shared recipes. They cooked with love. And they knew when to eat what. Sadly, we now eat pineapple in November. Hey, I'm guilty of it, but I've got to get a grip. In fact, with the enormous stack of food-related books on my nightstand, I really should be together about it.

In Los Angeles, there is no reason to not eat well even if you are living on a budget. We have farmers' markets every day of the week, tons of bookstores with useful information, our fair (maybe unfair) share of Whole Foods, co-ops and organic restaurants and if you drive a few miles, green farms where you can pick up grain-fed meats and cage-free eggs. And while yes, it seems easier to throw a couple of food items in your basket while picking up toothpaste at Target, the benefits of eating fresh and organic are countless, copious and bountiful!

Here are some ways to get a green grip too:

Eat Well Guide

Just type in your zip code to find organic and local food including

produce, dairy, meat, etc.

Greenopia

A green guide to everything including restaurants, shopping, and organizations.

Farmer Net

A listing of every farmer's market in and around LA including dates, times and what's in season.

Books

Clean Food

A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close to the Source with More Than 200 Recipes for a Healthy and Sustainable You

Cooking Outside the Box

Easy, Seasonal, Organic: The Abel and Cole Cookbook

Farmfood

Green Living with Chef Daniel Orr

Fresh from the Farmers' Market

Year-Round Recipes for the Pick of the Crop

Grub

Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen

L.A.'s Farmer's Market Cookbook

Meet Me at 3rd and Fairfax

Local Flavors

Cooking and Eating from America's Farmers' Markets

Recipes from America's Small Farms

Fresh Ideas for the Season's Bounty

Santa Monica Farmer's Market Cookbook

Seasonal Foods, Simple Recipes, and Stories from the Market and Farm

Simply Organic

A Cookbook for Sustainable, Seasonal, and Local Ingredients

The Farm to Table Cookbook

The Art of Eating Locally

The Organic Cook's Bible

How to Select and Cook the Best Ingredients on the Market

Suds & The Singer

Karaoke always seems to go two ways--the singer belts it out like it is the big debut or they know they're as good as a frog and have fun with it. And then there is Wednesday karaoke at EB's in the Farmer's Market. This experience, along with the cheap $3 beers, is a throwback both with the median age (there are a few lively grandmas) and in tunes. Expect music by everyone from Frank Sinatra to Nina Simone and maybe a couple of opera performances. There is also the 3 minute dance break, sparkly dresses, and Sherman. Who is Sherman? You'll have to come to find out. All I can say is you're in for a jolly good show that gets better with every song.