May 19, 2012 from 11a.m.-1p.m.

A Sustainable Kitchen brings one of L.A.’s top chefs, Mark Gold of Eva Restaurant and Kim Thompson, Program Manager of Seafood For The Future at the Aquarium of the Pacific together in the Test Kitchen at Surfas on May 19, 2012 from 11-1pm for a program of great food and inspiration.

Chef Mark Gold opened Eva Restaurant in 2009. Named after his grandmother, the restaurant’s welcoming environment and ambiance make Mark’s guests feel Eva Restaurant is their home away from home. The simple, seasonal and refined Contemporary American menu changes often as Mark is inspired by the fresh produce of season. Who better to team up with Seafood For The Future?

Kim Thompson, a rising star in the world of sustainability, is the new the Program Manager at Seafood For The Future and will be on hand to answer your questions and clear up confusion about sustainable seafood and which is the safest for the environment and your for dinner.

Speaking of dinner…what’s cooking? Mussels from Carlsbad Aqua Farms (we hear Mark has a way with mussels) and local, fresh, wild catch of the day from Steve Escobar of the Dory Fleet in Newport Beach.

A Sustainable Kitchen is a Venice based community organization focused on making complex issues of sustainability more accessible and offering solutions that are easy to understand and incorporate into day-to-day life. And, it sure helps when delicious food is involved.

This event is FREE! and open to the public. Please arrive early, as seating is limited. Recipes and samples will be given.

For more information: http://www.facebook.com/events/309954752407846/

9:30 – 10:30am
On the Patio: “FOR KIDS! Make Wreaths from Organic Herbs with Bettina of Bee Green Farm”
FREE! Make a mini-herb wreath from organic herbs and learn about composting and organic farming from Bettina of Bee Green Farm. Miss Bettina has been teaching and inspiring children to plant, grow and eat from the garden and growing certified organic fruits and vegetables since 1991.

9:30- 10:30am
In the Test Kitchen: “Sustainable Flowers for the Green Table with the Flower Chef Carly Cylinder”
FREE! Focused on flowers for the table this young talented dynamo shows caterers and home chefs alike how to add color and pizazz to their tables with flowers!

11:00-4pm
On the patio: “Bee Green Farm Stand”
Farmer Bettina sets up her produce stand to sell organic vegetables, herb and fruit from her Certified Organic farm in Three Rivers California.

12:00-3 pm
At the front of the store:
“Meet Bruce Lampov owner of Malibu Honey and taste his locally grown Honey”
Using no chemical treatments in their hives, Malibu Honey goes straight from the comb to the jar. Eating locally produced foods is not only good for your community but also good for your health. What could be more local than honey from Malibu?

12-2pm
In the Test Kitchen:
“Whole Wheat Pancakes with Community Grains Flour featuring Martha Shulman”
FREE! Cookbook author, food writer, instructor and caterer Martha Shulman shows us how to prepare delicious whole wheat pancakes from Community Grains flours. Community Grains, a Northern California grain and flour company dedicated to producing true whole grains locally.

For more information go to: http://www.facebook.com/events/340388386021249/

or email: johnp@surfaslosangeles.com

April 28, 2012 from 11-1pm

Josiah Citrin, the Two star Michelin Chef/Owner of Mélisse Restaurant in Santa Monica shares his knowledge, skill and a couple of his recipes on Saturday, April 28, 2012 from 11am-1pm in the Test Kitchen at Surfas!

A permanent fixture in the California culinary landscape, Citrin charms audiences eager to learn about his meticulously crafted cuisine. It also belies a fierce intensity and laser-focused work ethic. His season-driven menus are inspired by the bounty that California offers. He sources only the highest quality ingredients from local farmers and manages to coax extraordinary flavors and textures from those that meet his expectations and criteria.

Join this multi-awarded, critically acclaimed chef for an unforgettable afternoon! Josiah Citrin’s first cookbook, “In Pursuit of Excellence” will be available for purchase and signing!

On the menu from his book:
Creamless Cream of Pea Soup
Liberty Duck Breast

This event is FREE and open to the public. Seating is limited, so be sure to arrive early for best seating!

For more information: http://www.facebook.com/events/274582445963144/

SURFAS WILL BE OPEN!!!

Expo Line Notice: Temporary Closure & Traffic Detour – Washington & National Blvds

Latest construction notice regarding a temporary closure and traffic detour on Washington and National Boulevards for street improvements near the Culver City Station.

When: Saturday, April 14, 2012, From 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM (Grind Existing Pavement)
Sunday, April 15, 2012, From 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM (Paving)              Saturday, April 21, 2012, From 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM (Traffic Striping)

Traffic Impacts

Where:

• Washington Boulevard will be closed between Landmark Street and National Boulevard, with traffic impacted in both directions.
• National Boulevard will be closed between Washington Boulevard & Wesley Street, with traffic impacted in both directions.
• The closure on National Boulevard will not overlap the closure on Washington Boulevard.

Traffic Detours

• Southbound National Boulevard traffic will be prohibited between Washington Boulevard and Wesley Street and will be detoured along Washington Boulevard to La Cienega Boulevard, and back to Jefferson Boulevard.

• Northbound National Boulevard traffic will be prohibited between Wesley Street and Washington Boulevard and will be detoured along La Cienega Boulevard to Washington Boulevard and back to National Boulevard Local access to Eastham Drive, Hayden Avenue, Schaefer Street, Helms Avenue and Wesley Street will be maintained

• Eastbound Washington Boulevard traffic will be prohibited between Landmark Street and National Boulevard and will be detoured along Robertson Boulevard, to Venice Boulevard, to National Boulevard, and back to Washington Boulevard.  Local access to Landmark Street will be maintained.

• Westbound Washington Blvd. traffic will be prohibited between National Blvd. and Landmark St., and will be detoured along National Blvd, to Venice Blvd, to Robertson Blvd, and back to Washington Blvd.

Advisories: Parking and “No Stopping Anytime” restrictions will be strictly enforced at all times. Please do not enter the construction work zone and obey all posted construction signs.

We’re proud to announce the winners of the Careers through Culinary Arts Program’s (C-CAP) Meatless Monday recipe contest! Thousands of C-CAP high-school seniors became head chefs in their classroom for a chance to win a scholarship and have their healthy, meatless recipe featured on the menu at the Canyon Ranch, a destination spa in Tuscon, Arizona.

Students worked with their culinary arts teachers to create an original meatless entree, that explored new fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. Each C-CAP school was then invited to submit their strongest Meatless Monday dish, along with the recipe and a photo. Seven finalists were then judged by a distinguished panel of Meatless Monday experts, including Flexiatrian Diet author Dawn Jackson Blatner; Laurie David and Kristen Uhrenholdt, co-authors of The Family Dinner; weekly Meatless Monday columnist and Cooking Channel host Ellie Krieger, MeatlessMonday.com food editor Joey Lee; Hillary Mickle, founder of FOODILY, Ron Taylor, executive chef of Brand Aromatics, and Scott Uehlein, corporate chef of Canyon Ranch.

First prize and a $5,000 scholarship was awarded to Nicole Caceres of John Marshall High School in Los Angeles, California for her colorful and nutritious Black Bean Mole Stew. “I use food as a medium to express my artistic vision just like a painter might use water colors,” says Nicole, an excellent student with a passion for pastry design.

Second prize and a $3,000 scholarship went to Danielle Hill of Western Branch High School in Chesapeake, Virginia, who submitted a recipe for Lentil and Wild Rice Stuffed Zucchini. Third place and a $2,000 scholarship was awarded to Mary Geyer of Lane Tech College Prep in Chicago, Illinois for her entry of Red Coconut Curry with Tofu.

List of Stinky Cheeses at Surfas:

Stinking Bishop – Voted Britain’s Smelliest Cheese!  Stinking Bishop is washed in a Gloucestershire perry made from a pear variety called Stinking Bishop.

Cowgirl Red Hawk – Cowgirl Creamery captures the essence of West Marin with its Red Hawk, a triple-cream, washed-rind, fully-flavored cheese made from organic cow milk from the Straus Family Dairy. Aged four weeks and washed with a brine solution that tints the rind a sunset red-orange.

Jasper Hill Winnimere – Washed with lambic-style beer that is brewed from Jasper Hill Farm’s own wild yeasts, Winnimere is a seasonally-produced cheese available from November to April. A strip of spruce bark cut from Jasper Hill’s own trees is wrapped around the full-flavored, pleasantly aromatic cheese. Recalling the tradition of French Vacherin d’Abondance, the spruce strip permeates the cheese, giving it a gentle woodsy flavor.

Meadow Creek Grayson – Grayson is made from rich swirls of Jersey milk in which you can detect the mountainous meadows of southwest Virginia. It has a soft, fine texture, a pungent aroma, and a big beefy flavor.

Cato Corner Hooligan – Hooligan is made from Raw Jersey and Brown Swiss Cows, bathed in brine. It’s soft and creamy with a gorgeous orange rind.

Arrigoni Taleggio – Yummy washed rind cheese from Lombardy Italy. The rind is typically pink. This cheese is soft yet airy and meaty.

Epoisses – This is the cheese that is on almost every cheesemonger’s top 3 picks of their favorite cheeses.  Made by Fromagerie Berthaut in France, It is Marc Washed and has a strong, earthy, barnyard smell. The cheese is soft, sticky, fragrant, milky and every so salty. “It makes me smile every time”

Quadrello di Bufala: Brine washed Water Buffalo cheese from Lombardy Italy. It is lightly fragrant, with meaty and grassy tones.

April 14, 2012 from 11-1pm

This is a FREE demo!!

Fresh off a month-long culinary journey to Thailand and Vietnam, Private Chef and Cooking Teacher, Minnie Luong, brings back her secrets to creating zesty Asian veggie dishes.

Learn to make her colorful Carrot Pad Thai, inspired by a chef friend at the Amanpuri resort in Phuket. From ordinary to exotic, explore the array of vegetables that can be combined with Asian flavor profiles, along with tips on how to keep and prepare them. Minnie will also show you an easy array of sauces to enhance your weeknight veggies. It’s guaranteed you will want to bring them to work the next day! These flavorful,eye catching dishes are great if you are a vegetarian, and also delicious with meat or seafood. Bring your veggie questions and your tastebuds!

About Minnie:
Minnie Luong, is a private chef, food writer, and cooking teacher, who grew up eating in the bustling streets of Boston’s Chinatown. She has cooked in professional kitchens, high profile private homes, and for large scale events, where she dishes up fun, soulful and inventive Asian-inflected cuisine. She is the author of a popular food blog called, MinnieEatWorld.Com and the editor of Hungry? Boston: the Lowdown on Where the Real People Eat, a restaurant guidebook featuring local eats from secret food trucks, to historic diners and hole-in-the-wall Mom and Pop joints. Her writing has been published in The Boston Globe, Where to Eat Magazine, The Somerville News, Boston’s Weekly Dig, and Swindle Magazine.

This event is FREE!! Seating is limited, please arrive early for the best seating.

You can enjoy the great flavor of specialty foods from Surfas and know that you are eating for a healthy lifestyle. Join Registered Dietitian Lindsey Pine in a 3 week program dedicated to both eating well and eating for good health. Each of the 3 one hour classes will focus on a building block of great nutrition with a special focus on great taste!

All classes are FREE! and open to the public. In the TEST KITCHEN.

March 10, 2012 from 9-10am

“Everyday Super Foods”

Get the scoop during this interactive discussion on Super Foods that are easily available, tasty, and don’t cost a fortune!  Find out which everyday nutritious and flavorful ingredients will give you the most bang for your buck!  Recipe and samples will be provided.

-What are “super foods” and why so popular?

-Learn the health benefits and cooking strategies of        : grains, greens, beans, fish, berries & chocolate

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March 17, 2012 from 9am-10am

“Whole grains”

The term “whole grains” flies around the marketplace and you may wonder, “what exactly makes a grain WHOLE?”   This class will focus on eliminating the confusion of what a whole grain is, introduce you to some lesser known specialty whole grains, and explore the many health benefits while tasting delicious samples.

What is a whole grain?

Identify whole grains from a package label

What are the health benefits of whole grains and how they can fit into your weight loss goals?

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March 24, 2012 from 9am-10am

“Add flavor, not calories!”

Healthful cooking doesn’t have to be tasteless!  Learn ways to intensify the flavor factor in meals without adding extra fat, salt, and calories.  Recipes handouts and samples will be included!

- Reduce calories with small changes

- The blueprint for creating flavor and more healthful cooking methods

- Learn to use high quality fats in smaller amounts

- Condiments for low calorie flavor impact

David, our cheese monger calls Alemar cheese his favorite cheese (see his post: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150351129209396 ). This is your chance to meet the owner of the company, Keith Adams, and share your love of great cheese. Stop on by the cheese counter and say hello!!

Joe Miller from Joe’s Restaurant and Bar Pintxo has cemented his place in the vibrant Venice dining scene for over 20 years by using the freshest ingredients from the local Santa Monica Farmers Market and sources from all over the country. Under Joe Miller’s direction Joe’s Restaurant continues to redefine the intersection of fresh French/California cuisine, winning accolades from Michelin, Angeleno, Los Angeles Magazine, Citysearch and countless others.

See what Culinary magic happens when this talented and creative chef uses a CSA California weekly box of organic produce as inspiration.

THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!! Seating is limited, so be sure to arrive early for the best seats!