On the Road with The Nosher

The past few weeks have felt like a whirlwind of packing, unpacking, eating, and then packing again. My daughter and I spent the last two weeks of 2014 in Los Angeles, spending time with some of my family, attending a dear friend’s wedding and what else: eating. And we got the chance to eat some pretty great stuff.

donut friend donuts

On of our most important goals in LA was to sample some divine donuts, and I can happily say, we were successful. One of our favorite spots? Donut Friend in Glendale that features largely vegan doughnuts. I was skeptical, but they were delicious, beautiful to look at and the flavors were very creative. We even got to try a vegan “bacon” doughnut made from coconut bacon chips.

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I got to spend a glorious morning chatting, noshing and baking with Nosher contributor Jennifer Stempel right in her Los Angeles home. Our goal, in addition to talking all things food and family, was to try and re-create the guava and cheese pastries from the famous Cuban bakery Portos. It was such a fun exercise and in the end, we got incredibly close to remaking the original. It also inspired a new recipe from Jennifer for a savory version of her beloved pastry, manchego and quince turnovers. Yum!

Here we are taking a selfie in her kitchen. We are pretty adorable.

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Other LA highlights? We visited the famous Canter’s Deli, which opened its doors in 1931! My brother wanted to go because the eatery is featured in an episode of Entourage. I was all about their mish mosh soup, which included matzah balls, kreplach, noodles and rice. I will now only only serve soup in this way. We also hit up a newer spot on the recommendation of several friends called Eggslut, a breakfast spot in Grand Central Market in downtown LA. Doughnuts, matzah ball soup and egg sandwiches: an all around successful trip.

And this week? We are lounging and eating from the beaches of Turks and Caicos, an island in the Caribbean. The views, weather and lowkey pace down here have been definite highlights, and we’ve had a few great eats though mostly we have been cooking and grilling from home. Fresh coconuts right from the trees outside mean lots of coconut cocktails.

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The best thing I have eaten on the island? Would you believe, of all things, it was a doughnut! The custard filled doughnuts from Caicos Bakery in Grace Bay was one of the best doughnuts I have ever eaten. Perfectly fried and with a dusting of sugar, I would have liked to eat several in one sitting. But I stopped at just one.

Next week I am looking forward to being back home, unpacked and working on some new recipes from my own kitchen again. But for now I think there is a coconut with my name on it. Maybe a doughnut too.

Caicos doughnut
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