This past week we celebrated National Grilled Cheese Day (yes, it’s a thing!), fried up delicious zucchini blossoms fresh from the Farmers’ Market, served an incredible Cornmeal Waffle with Ham, Caramelized Onions and an Over-Easy Egg, and unveiled our newest spring salad: Pea Shoots with Sliced Radish and Mint.

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Last week we ventured into the land of real food with Baby B. I was so excited to see what her reaction would be to carrots, spring peas, and sweet potatoes. I was not sure if she was going to be hesitant, or jump right in.

Well, needless to say, she jumped right in and her dirty onesies are now sitting in Oxy Clean to prove it! She would get so excited about the next bite that she would grab the spoon and proceed to get the food not only in her mouth, but all over her body. AND in her crazy head of hair!

Making our own food has been fun and easy. So far we have tried carrots, bananas, pears, avocados, yams, sweet potatoes and spring peas. I am hoping her adventurous appetite continues!

Have any questions about preparing your own baby food, or any tips and tricks for me? Comment below or on facebook!

Sara, cook.
Where are you from? I am from San Salvador, El Salvador.
What is your favorite thing to make at Thyme Cafe? Beautiful salads!
What is your favorite food? I love sushi.
Do you have a favorite place to eat in LA? I love Panda Express, and El Baron – a Salvadorian Pupseria. They have two locations – one in South LA and one in Mid-City.
What inspired you to cook professionally? When I first came to Thyme to work. As soon as I started, I knew – I loved what I was doing and just wanted to cook more and more.

What we love about Sara: Sara takes pride in presentation – her salads are truly “gorgeous!”, she gives her sandwiches an extra bit of love, and it all makes a difference. Always upbeat and smiling, Sara loves getting to know customers and preparing their meals just right. She also makes killer soups and enchiladas!

Cirillo, cook.
Where are you from? I am from Oaxaca, Mexico.
What do you love to eat at Thyme Cafe? For breakfast, I love chorizo with eggs.
What is your favorite food? I love steak, I love Italian food. My kids love it, too, so at home I cook a lot of pastas. And Vietnamese!
What do you like to cook at home?  I cook lots of Oaxacan food. Like cecina (thinly sliced, salted and partially dried strips of beef) and tasajo.
When did you become a cook? I started about 14 years ago. The first 5-6 months, I was a trainee. Then, I started on the line. When I was looking for a job back then, someone said, “hey, why don’t you try cooking?”. I like it. It’s my job!

Funny how some weeks go by and you do the same old thing, eat at your regular restaurant, and would by no means attempt to cross the 405 going East or West!!! Well for me, this week was not one of them. This week has been action packed with dining out, and I have to say, I loved everywhere I went.

Tuesday night we went to Picca Peru, an Argentinian restaurant on Pico Boulevard. It was my sister’s 40^th, so we had lots to celebrate. We arrived before my parents and upon entering, I got nervous about the noise level knowing that my father hates loud restaurants. I quickly grabbed the waitress and ordered Pisco Sours for the table – if he was handed a drink upon his arrival, things would be looking up! The drinks were so fresh and ice cold…the type of drink that could get you into trouble because they taste so darn good and you forget there is alcohol in them!! Picca features small plates and lots of sharing … so all you “I want my own meal and don’t let others eat off my plate people”… and you know who you are … it might not be your cup of tea. We ordered the Tuna Tartare, a few of the Anticuchos, and the Bisteck a lo Pobre (my personal favorite). We loved everything!!!

Wednesday night, my friends took me out for my birthday. We went to my one of my favorites, A.O.C. The food at A.O.C. never disappoints! Of course we got the Bacon Wrapped Dates – how could you not?! We also ordered the Lettuces with Buttermilk, Grapefruit and Radishes, Arctic Char with Green Garlic Soubise and Citrus Chutney, English Peas with Sugar Snaps and Saffron Butter, Squash Ravioli with Shell Beans, Pecorino and Olives. Everything was a hit!!

image via www.aocwinebar.com

Tonight I am off to the Tasting Kitchen in Venice, another favorite for their handmade cocktails…..TROUBLE!!!!

Well, we all turned our clocks back yesterday, and to me daylight savings says “Hello Spring! Adios Winter!” It’s been fun butternut squash, root vegetables, and pomegranate seeds, but it’s time for us to go our separate ways for a while.  Though we will miss our favorite fall and winter salads, we are excited about our new Wild Rice with Blueberries & Arugula and our Israeli Couscous with Sugar Snap Peas & Asparagus.  We hope to see you all soon to welcome the flavors of Spring.

If you love our new Israeli Couscous and want to try it at home, follow our recipe below! Post pictures of your finished salad on our facebook page, or let us know any modifications you make to suit your family’s taste buds.

Israeli Couscous with Asparagus, Fresh Peas & Sugar Snap Peas
Olive Oil
Lemon Juice
Garlic cloves, minced
Israeli Couscous
Water or Vegetable Broth
Asparagus
Snap Peas
Fresh Peas
Chives
Parmesan Cheese

1. Whisk together olive oil, lemon choose, minced garlic cloves & lemon zest.

2. Slice and blanch asparagus, transfer to ice water.

3. Heat olive oil in a pan, add couscous and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until couscous is evenly toasted. Add a bit of water or vegetable broth. Then, spread out on a baking sheet to cool.

4. When cooled, combine with asparagus, uncooked snap peas (sliced) and fresh peas. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese & chives. Before serving, toss with vinaigrette. Add salt to taste.

St. Patrick’s day is around the corner – another holiday with religious roots that has grown into a worldwide cultural celebration. If you’re Irish, it’s a day to be proud of your heritage. If you’re not Irish, it’s an excuse to “cheers” to the festive charm of the Irish people.

St. Patrick’s day is a day to eat, drink, and be merry! We have a fabulous St. Patrick’s Day catering menu, available for pickup on the big day. Need some hors d’oeuvres before you head to the pub? Throwing a party for your whole clan? We’ve got you covered.

Available menu items include Emerald Deviled Eggs, Twice Baked Potatoes, Shepherd’s Pies, Corned Beef Brisket and more. We have incredible desserts (Irish Coffee Cupcakes with Espresso Butter-cream Frosting!), many of which are bright green in honor of the holiday. Place your orders by Wednesday, March 14th at 3pm.

How are you celebrating the holiday? Post your plans and ideas to our facebook page!

introducing… THYME TESTED
Wondering what to serve with your St. Patrick’s Day feast? Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider makes a great base for a Green-Apple Martini. Below is our favorite kid-friendly recipe.

Virgin Green-Apple Martini
2 oz Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider
1/2 oz Granny Smith Apple (chopped)
2 oz lemon-lime soda
2 dashes cinnamon
1/2 cups crushed ice

blend, pour into a martini glass, garnish with an apple and serve. consider adding a touch of natural food coloring to emphasize the green!

These oils make for outstanding dressings and glazes – alone or with a splash of vinegar, salt and pepper. Do you love our Grapefruit & Avocado salad? Enjoy these flavors at home by drizzling O’s Organic Ruby Grapefruit over sliced avocado & red onion.

We’re also carrying an assortment of O’s Wine Vinegars, including Champagne, Port & Pinot Noir, and a few of their Citrus Tapenades. The bold flavors bring any dish to life, and cut the amount of prep work you’ll need to do to make a refreshing meal for your family. That means more time for you – to relax, eat & enjoy!

This weekend, we’re featuring 2008 Claiborne & Churchill Dry Riesling (San Louis Obispo, CA, $6/glass). This is a fruity, honey-laced vintage that goes down easy and pairs well with most of our dinner specials. Try it alongside Chicken Tacos and a slice of our Apple Pie!

We always have a great selection of bottles in the market. Other favorites include Fire Road Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand, $13), Commanderie Rose (France, $22) and Kit Fox Vineyards Foxy Red (CA, $19). Come by and pick up a gift for your host on the way to your next party, or let us pour you a glass to enjoy with your meal.

Last year Mark Bittman (one of our favorite food journalists) wrote a gorgeous article about Asparagus for The New York Times, featuring 4 ways to cook it and 12 ways to prepare it. In the article, he walks us through great, no-brainer recipes for steaming, roasting, stir-frying and grilling the vegetable. Our favorite of the bunch? Grilled, brushed with homemade pesto, and served with grilled grape tomatoes. There is also a mouth-watering ham and egg dish, pictured below.

Photograph: Yunhee Kim for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Maggie Ruggiero.

Today, we’re serving an Asparagus, Havarti & Parmesan Crepe, topped with an egg served sunny side-up. This week, we’ll be introducing our Asparagus and Endive salad, which is tossed with hard boiled egg, croutons, capers and champagne vinagrette. We may even roll out some Asparagus Fries!

Have you liked us on facebook or followed us on twitter yet? We offer real-time soup and specials updates, as well as news about the market, food photography, recipes we love, and more. Check in with us daily to see what Asparagus specials we’re offering – and let us know how you like them!

We just received four books we’re thrilled to put on our shelves; ABCs and 123s- both featuring the gorgeous illustrations of Charley Harper, Panini Express by Daniel Leader, and Harvest to Heat by Darryl Estrine & Kelly Kochendorfer.

We can’t wait to try Bill Taibe’s Roasted Stuffed Tomatoes with Farro, which we found on page 219 in Harvest to Heat. We’re also looking forward to trying out the Grilled Asparagus, Taleggio & Prosciutto Panini from Panini Express.

We’re hoping to serve these in the coming weeks, so check our facebook & twitter pages often for our Specials!  And next time you visit us, take some time to peruse through our books. Let us know if you try any recipes!