JFLinLA

Malaika -- I agree pretty much with Hollywood and would only add the following information. The Pantry is the most traditional LA haunt that is within walking distance of Staples. I think the term "greasy spoon" may be a bit off but know that, for dinner, you are talking about a heavy meal -- think meat, gravy, etc. There are two other options to consider. The Korean restaurant at the Wilshire Grand hotel would give you a chance to sample some cuisine that you may not get easily in other parts of the country. There is certainly equally good (of not better), and definitely cheaper Korean food to be had in town but this is pretty close to Staples. The other option would be to hop the Metro Rail to Langers for great pastrami sandwiches. Metro Blue Line station is a block from Staples. Ride it one stop to Metro Center/7th Street then go down one level and transfer to the Red Line and one stop to MacArthur Park. Langers is a half block from the station. Just call them first. I go to Langers for lunch but, as neighborhoods have changed, I'm not sure about their evening hours. Enjoy our city.

Somebody recently started a topic in this section on dining in Orange County which should give you some suggestions in the Huntington, Newport, Laguna areas. As for the hockey game, are you going to the Staples Center? If so, you are in the downtown LA area. There is Cafe Pinot (J. Splichal) in the Maquire Gardens of the LA Central Library and Ciudad (Milliken & Feniger) if you want to go the celebrity chef route. There are lots of other options too. What were you looking for?

So this Sunday is my annual hamantashen assembly line. What's that? I show up in the Temple kitchen with dough and fillings ready to go and a bunch of us make literally hundreds of hamantashen for the carnival the next week. It all gets done in under 3 hours. A few roll and cut, a few fill and pinch, a few glaze and bake, and a few pack the cooled treats. They get frozen in the intervening week. For this, I use a cookie dough because it's easy to work with in this fashion, especially for those less experienced. We laugh a lot. These are the little bite-sized ones. For home I make them bigger and use a yeast dough that, at least for me, is easy to work with. For both, I use the traditional fillings as well as some non-traditional ones, especially chocolate (ganache with a low cream to chocolate ratio), pecan-caramel, and cheese (like a cheese danish filling, good on it's own or combined with cherry). I mean really, wouldn't you take chocolate over prune any day of the week. I'm going to attempt to convert a poppy filling recipe this year to make without sugar. I will use agave syrup or barley malt syrup or a combo. My husband can't eat regular sugar and really misses these. Wish me luck. Jody

My favorite Italian bakery in LA is Nicolosi's. It's in Encino (fer, shure) on the south side of Ventura Boulevard just east of White Oak. I don't know about their cheesecake since I'm not a fan of the ricotta variety but I love the cannoli. You won't see them in the case when you walk in, you have to ask. They keep them in the back and then fill the shells when you are at the counter. Good luck.

I'm a fan of Guittard Super Cookie Chips -- when you want chips for cookies, etc. Trader Joe's used to carry them but decided to discontinue doing so. They would come in some time in late October and be around through the holidays usually into February and I would stock up. I'm so mad at them I haven't set foot in a TJs store since I found out in early November. I finally got the information from Guittard since the folks at the various stores I was at were clueless. I know you can get them at CaliforniaCandy.com but, of course, they are much more expensive than at TJs, even before the shipping. So, I have two requests: First, I invite any of you to join my personal campaign to get TJs to change their mind. Mention it when you are in the store or, better yet, fill out one of those cards (I don't think all the verbal comments actually get relayed). Even better, pick up a card in the store with the address of corporate HQ and let them know how you feel. Sorry, I don't have the info handy on that or I'd post it here. Secondly, anyone have another source to get the Guittard Super Cookie Chips? I'm in Southern California. Thanks. Jody

Hey Bond Girl -- I believe the other chocolate you are talking about is actually Guittard. Like Ghirardelli and Scharfenberger, they are also based in the San Francisco Bay area. Their products seem to be harder to find at a retail level but I really like their stuff. I am especially a fan of their Super Cookie Chips. Aside from the chocolate quality, these are about twice the size of standard chips and are great in chocolate chip cookies . . . but that's another topic.