Strawberry Spinach Salad w/ Gorgonzola, Candied Walnuts + Lavender Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients: organic spinach, organic strawberries, Gorgonzola cheese, candied walnuts, lavender balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sea salt

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This is a classic salad that I thought I'd take a stab at, adding my own twist of a lavender balsamic vinaigrette. It's a perfect summer combo, especially when strawberries are just heading into their peak season and are as sweet as can be. There's a myriad of flavor here that really bounces off each other nicely: the sweet tang of the strawberries, the saltiness of the Gorgonzola, and the sugary crunch of the walnuts go perfectly together!

Photo courtesy of kelocity.com

The lavender balsamic vinegar is probably the magic ingredient here and really ties everything together. I snagged a bottle at the incredible Amphora Nueva, an olive oil and balsamic vinegar press company with a tasting room in the Claremont neighborhood of the Berkeley/Oakland border. Out of all the flavors of balsamics (espresso, red apple, vanilla, pomegranate...), the lavender one surprised me the most. I was worried it would be too floral, but it has sweet chocolatey flavor that blooms when you add it to olive oils. 

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Amphora Nueva: Berkeley Olive Oil Works

2928 Domingo Avenue

Berkeley, CA 94705

510.704.9300

Photo courtesy of Poor Taste Magazine

Chomping Ground // Los Angeles: La Maison du Pain

 

5373 West Pico Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90019

www.lamaisondupainla.com

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Finally! A decent French bakery in Los Angeles. After months of searching for good quality French bread (comparable to La Farine in Oakland), I finally found this place after a recommendation from a friend. Slightly off the beaten path in the southern part of Miracle Mile, the croissants, baguettes, pains aux chocolats, cinnamon rolls, and every other baked good imaginable is stocked pile-high in this small family owned bakery.  


The croissants are out of this world. The true test to a good French bakery is just their plain croissant. Incredibly flaky and buttery and crunchy - this is probably one of the best things in their bakery case. Not to mention a million other things made of this buttery goodness like their cinnamon rolls, their ham & cheese croissant (insane), hazelnut/chocolate croissant, and almond.

They must import the water from France because their bread is exactly how it tastes in Paris and Provence. Crunchy crust and airy doughy insides is absolute perfection. And cheap, too! Other fancy places on the westside charge up to $8 for a simple baguette, but here you spend no more than $2.50. 

On top of their bakery case they have quiches galore, huge cheese bread knots, muffins, and varieties of open-faced focaccia breads that are topped with roasted tomatoes, spinach, and cheeses.  Beautiful French fruit tartes line the bottom of the bakery case that look incredible. They have every fruit and flavor imaginable in the classic scallop-edge French pastry crusts and also the classic danish-looking pastries with loads of fruit and custard in the middle.

I try and come here every week for my bread/croissant fix - no point in getting bread anywhere else in my opinion!

[Photos courtesy of La Maison du Pain]