Pageant of the Masters

While I missed out on the Hollywood Bowl this season, I made a point to attend an event I haven't been to for at least ten years--the Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach.  At the event, living actors in body paint form tableaus of famous works of art, with narration set to live orchestral music.  My timing was perfect as this year's theme was "The Big Picture."

I'd gone by myself, so I had time to enjoy the town and the scenery.  I'd packed a picnic lunch, but was afraid I wouldn't be allowed in the theater with it (could find no info on their website, for or against) so I found this little spot just outside the entrance to enjoy my fresh figs and sweet-n-sour tofu outside next to a bubbling fountain.  As it turns out, nary an eye batted when I went in with my cooler, so now I know for next time.

Around the Pageant is the juried art festival known as the Festival of Arts.  Admission is free with your pageant ticket, so you can browse at length before or after the event.  There were concessions available on-site, and a green area with limited tables covered by shade sails set up in front of a performing stage.  There was a wonderful jazz/blues vocalist performing with his band who set the perfect relaxed tone for the evening.

Then, the Pageant itself....turns out my high school choir teacher was conducting the orchestra for the performance.  It was a joy to hear the music, apart from the visuals.  I'd used a groupon-like site to get my ticket, so my seat wasn't the best in the house, but it was still fun just to feel the energy of the audience and performers.  Most of the people involved volunteer their time all summer, so it's truly a tradition and an effort of love. 

 

A hallmark of the Pageant of the Masters is the demonstration of the process of putting together a tableau.  A backdrop is wheeled in as the narrator talks through the scene.  Actors are brought onstage in costume to take their marks, props are added, and a foreground set piece is wheeled in.  Piece by piece, the tableau forms and the stage lights come up to full brightness.  Lo and behold, "A Dash for the Timber" by Frederic Remington stands on stage.

Do you attend the pageant each summer?  What traditions do you hold in conjunction with it--dinner someplace special beforehand, a particular group of people gathering to go?  Please leave a comment on the blog post.

Vegetable Carving at the OC Fair

Chef Ray is the expert vegetable carver who contributed many sculptures to the Burbank Rose Parade Float that I worked on for the 2013 Rose Parade.  It was a pleasure to meet him in person at the Orange County Fair and have an opportunity to ask him about his craft. 

Chef Ray has several demonstration dvds for sale, and now a brand new app!  It's made for iPhone or iPad, and is just under $14.  Search the app store for "Chef Garnish Pro" and it will pop right up.  It's on my wish list right now!

My favorites at the fair were the little robo-bunny and the big turkey.  Which ones jump out at you?

 

Creative Inspiration from the Orange County Fair

The art decoration at the OC Fair always astounds me, and this year was no exception.  From oversize cupcakes to a collection of globes, bundt pans, or recipe boxes displayed together, the feast is one for the eyes.   As a food photographer and stylist, I soak up this creative inspiration. 

 

 

What are some common items around your home that could be displayed as an eye-catching collection?  Please feel free to comment on the blog.

Great Grills

In my cooking class at Glendale Community in the spring, I got a bit lazy towards the end of the course and stopped photographing what we made.  Frankly, we were onto the meat portions of the course, and it wasn't pretty to look at.  I did all the veggie prep for each meal, often making a salad to go along with our actual lesson.  I also made the sauces, leaving the meat prep to my classmates.  One of these was a sweet and sour sauce that accompanied pork.  I've been looking for an excuse to make it again since.

Another thing I'd like to learn to do better is to marinate tofu.  I often buy a Teriyaki tofu from Trader Joe's that is ready-made.  I know this is something that would be easy to do on my own, and much more economical, but my fear of sauces has long stood in my way. 

So, when FBLA announced the theme of "Great Grills" for the August meeting, I figured it was time to give it a try.  I was wondering if the tofu would actually soak up the sauce and be flavorful, or if the flavor would just come from the sauce on top of the tofu.  I made the sauce from scratch, to taste, and didn't know if it would be thick enough.  Also had to guess at whether or not I could pour the sauce over the tofu while the sauce was still warm, or if I needed to cool it separately first.  I chose to pour it on right away.  Because I'm vegetarian, I'm picky about my grills--I like to keep my food away from the meat jujus.  So though our hostess for the FBLA meeting was kind enough to offer a grill to use, I chose to bake the tofu at home prior to the meeting.  I was fairly confident in the range of heat to use, but really had no idea how long it would take.  All of these technical experiments came together to make a great dish.  I was really pleased with the results, and it's definitely something I'll add to my repertoire. 

Sweet and Sour Baked Tofu

4 pkgs (8-12 pieces) Firm or Extra Firm Tofu

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Minced Garlic
3 oz Bragg's Amino Acids or Soy Sauce
1 1/2 c Ketchup
1 c Sugar
1 20 oz. can Pineapple Chunks in Pineapple Juice
3/4 tsp Cornstarch

Drain the tofu.  Sandwich the tofu in between two plates and put something heavy on top of it.  Allow to sit for 20 minutes.

Heat the garlic in the oil.  Add all ingredients except cornstarch, including pineapple juice, to saucepan and bring to simmer.  I used my immersion blender (stick blender) to pulverize the mixture so the pineapple would stick to the tofu.  Add cornstarch just before removing from heat and blend again.

Lay tofu in a baking pan with some room in between each block.  Pour the sauce over the tofu. Cover and allow to marinate refrigerated overnight. 

Bake at 325 till warm, about 40 minutes, or grill (on well oiled surface) for three minutes per side. 

Tomatomania 2013 at Loteria Grill

I brought my bright red "Isis Candy" tomatoes to share at the annual tasting held at Loteria Grill this year.  I saw another plate with the same label that were a completely different color--an orange/yellow.  I didn't realize the sunlight could affect the color so very dramatically.

Loteria Grill in Hollywood is as usual a perfect venue for this tasting, and Chef Jimmy Shaw was gracious as ever.  The event's been running for at least six years now, and I've gone several times.  I love hearing what's the best new heirloom flavor, how the season has been for growing, and any new growing tips straight from the master.  However, like the Good Food Pie Tasting, the event has evolved over the years, and not necessarily in a good way.  Chef has done an impressive menu of samples each year on a complimentary basis for Tomatomania and Loteria customers, and this year finally ceded to demand to open the event to the public by having a sit-down meal following the official tasting.  So there were no actual food samples, though the tomatos were opened up for sampling after the welcome and discussion. 

I was on my way to a food bloggers meeting following the event, so I elected not to stay for Chef Jimmy's meal, even though he offered a discount to those who participated in the tasting beforehand.  I did bring the menu to the FBLA meeting and also the contact for Tomatomania's owner Scott Daigre.  I'm hoping he'll be able to come speak to FBLAers sometime in the coming year. 

Scott spoke about the hot topic of "Blue" tomatoes and introduced a new product from Tomatomania in the testing phase, a foldable coated wire tomato caging.

The tomato tasting went on for miles this year, including the entire L-shaped restaurant counter and an added row of tables in the back.   It's intriguing that as many people as there are participating, there are rarely any duplicates of varieties offered.

Some fun ones that I would like to try next year include the grape-shaped "Blondkopfchen" and the teeny tiny "Spoon."

What did you grow this season?  Please feel free to leave a comment on the blog post--I'd love to hear from you!

Shuttle Endeavor at the CA Science Center

Here's a little photo essay of my day at the California Science Center, checking out the shuttle Endeavor.  If you haven't seen it yet, make an effort to go--it's well worth it.  I can't describe the experience of seeing it in person, but it made an indelible impression on me, to say the least.  Parking at the museum is ten bucks for the day, but entrance to the exhibit is only two dollars!  There are lots of new restaurants surrounding USC as well, so you can make a fun day of it--or bring a picnic and eat in the rose garden next door.

One of my favorite spots in the museum is right outside the front doors. 

 

the bunny on the fountain out in front of the museum--for my friend Cathy.

The shop just inside the front door had cool plush astronaut and ship sculptures.

Walking in....The crowds heading upstairs to the Endeavor exhibit were immense, especially with the school groups.

Viking Lander

The operations/control center here in CA

On our way into the building that housed the actual Endeavor

The emergency escape portal

Difficult to get the entire ship into the frame!