Home style cooking

Manhattan Beach goes country with the addition of the straightforward yet delicious fare at American Farmhouse Tavern & Dining Hall.

Written by Bonnie Graves

Palette of Pinots

For me, spring is about pinot noir. Its range of colors and aromatic subtleties make it one of the most expressive red wines. Pinot is much like a blank canvas for winemakers, against which they can showcase both palate and palette.

Written by Bonnie Graves

Food and Friendship… Al Fresco

Food and wine editor Bonnie Graves teams with renowned Chef David LeFevre of Manhattan Beach Post and his good friend, Chef Giuseppe Tentori, for the perfect South Bay brunch and wine pairing, hosted in the beautiful outdoor entertaining space of a private Manhattan Beach home.

Written by Bonnie Graves

Mod Mex

Palmilla Cocina y Tequila 39 Pier Ave in Hermosa Beach 310-374-4440, palmillarestaurant.com

Sweet Endings

Skip the candy and head straight to the heart of the matter. These delicious wines satisfy your sweet tooth and set the mood for Valentine’s Day. From delicate bubblies to luscious, late-harvest treats, sweet wines make a perfect gift.

Counter Culture

It’s official. The so-called “third wave” of coffee culture has finally crested in Los Angeles. Maxwell House, Folgers and Sanka at home and the beloved bottomless brew from Original Pantry Café down at Figueroa eventually gave way to our homegrown Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and the Starbucks phenomenon. This was a monumental improvement, to be sure, but franchised coffeehouses are themselves now yesterday’s flavor in a city that fully expects not just a decent latte but fair trade-certified, shade-grown, organic beans roasted in-house. Welcome to coffee’s third act.

Written by Bonnie Graves

Bubble Talk

From authentic French Champagnes to crowd-pleasing proseccos and moscatos from Italy to generation-next producers right here in the U.S., bubbles abound for holiday toasting.

Cookie Crash Course

As a kid, I always felt sad for friends whose cookie experience was limited to sad plastic tubes of “slice and bake” dough with store-bought frosting. In our family, cookies are second to nothing else at the holidays. From my Danish great-grandfather’s cherished klejners to my Mexican grandmother’s galletas de boda to my mom’s perfected chocolate chip recipe, holiday baking means getting out the cookie sheets.

Written by Bonnie Graves

12 Days of Delicious

This year, we encourage you to think outside the box for your holiday giving. Consider some of these unique food and wine gift ideas and hum along ...

Written by Bonnie Graves

A Catered Affair

Food and wine editor Bonnie Graves plans the perfect outdoor holiday meal … with the help of South Bay vendors and friends.

WRITTEN BY BONNIE GRAVES

Life’s a Picnic

Whether lunching in the park, packing for the beach or concert dining at Malaga Cove, we picked a few local restaurants with offerings for the perfect picnic basket.

Nice Delivery

LeFevre gives the South Bay something to celebrate with M.B. Post

Reviewed by Bonnie Graves