Tequila in 2008 is not just for margaritas anymore -- although the drink has had an explosion of variations. Bars such as Pink Taco, with locations including at the Westfield Century City Mall, offer an intoxicating array of brands. Explorers can make their way through blanco tequilas, reposados and anejos -- some rare and with prices to match. Best of 2008 Photography >>>Best of 2008 Main >>>(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
From tequila bars to coffee shops, squash veloute soup to pear-blackberry pie, our Food section touches on the staples, as well as on the eclectic. It also profiled a young couple who decided to grow their own. They ventured into farming and selling their mix of vegetables at local farmers markets.
Sophisticated yet simple and fresh: squash veloute soup (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Turkey pot pie, rich with earthy vegetables and a savory herb crust, keeps the thanks coming. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
World-renowned Italian butcher Dario Cecchini shops for beef at Guss Meat Co., a mid-Wilshire butcher shop. “Bella, bella,” he says, carefully examining the meat. Cecchini is there on a visit to Los Angeles. Cecchini’s own butcher shop is in the Chianti countryside outside of Florence, and is a culinary shrine, drawing gastronomic travelers from all over the world. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Sundaes, floats and shakes shake up menus around town, including the one at Silver Lake’s LA Mill, where the “Blanco y Negro” (black and white in Spanish) isn’t complete until cold-press coffee is poured over vanilla ice cream. (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)
Pear-blackberry pie is the star of a potluck approach to Thanksgiving. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Farmers markets continue to flourish, yielding a fresh alternative for diners and business opportunities for farmers including Christopher and Johanna Finley, with daughter, Ashlin, in one of the fields they farm in the Santa Ynez Valley. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Mushrooms take an exotic turn in Southern California thanks to a joint project by Japanese company Hokto Corp. and its American partner Golden Gourmet Mushrooms. Hard-to-find mushrooms including shimeji (also called beech) may soon hit the market. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
It was a busy year for former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan who, in addition to owning two of the busiest restaurants in Southern California -- the Original Pantry in downtown L.A. and Gladstone’s Malibu -- added three more: Riordan’s Tavern, next door to the Original Pantry, and the Oak Room and its adjoining Village Pantry in Pacific Palisades. Best of 2008 Photography >>>Best of 2008 Main >>>(Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)
