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Foodie on Foot – Melting Pot Food Tours

Foodie on Foot – Melting Pot Food Tours

by liz · Jun 12, 2010

One thing I never saw in Paris was an opera cake with a créme brulée top – instead I saw it in Pasadena on a food tour.

Opera Cake at Aux Delices on a Pasadena food tour

I found this little gem as part of one of Los Angeles’ new culinary walking tours by Melting Pot Food Tours. I meandered through old town Pasadena with the tour, wondering why the French haven’t adapted their beloved dessert to this topping at Aux Delices Bakery & Café. I tasted smoked and truffled oils and vinegars at Beyond the Olive, the best place in LA to get local olive oil. I watched a tea flower blossom and drank house-made goji syrup at Bird Pick Tea & Herb…. see what happened on the tour here.

Filed Under: Food Adventure Tagged With: Bakery, Food Tour, Los Angeles, Opera, Pasadena

Adventures in Eating – Food Tour in Pasadena

Adventures in Eating – Food Tour in Pasadena

by liz · Jun 11, 2010

As a team of foodies, we are always talking about and tasting new foods. We know where the best food trucks are parked, when the latest restaurant openings are happening, and hardly a day goes by that we aren’t sampling some new product from our brands or recipe from Chris. So, when we found out our team off-site would be a walking culinary tour of Old Town Pasadena, we were stoked!

We started at Heritage Wine Company, a wine shop/bar where they serve wine by the glass, tasting flights and small snacks. After a quick history lesson on Pasadena, we hit Tortas Mexico for a traditional torta, Father Nature’s Lavash Wraps for organic wraps and falafel, and Equator, where I wanted to relax on the comfy sofa among indoor palm trees with a steaming cup of coffee and try their beautiful cakes.

When we arrived at Aux Delices Bakery & Café, I was mesmerized. This was just like being back in a real Parisian patisserie! Rows of French pastries, the smell of baking bread, the buzz of neighbors in and out…and when I tried the opera cake it was every bit as good as those I had in Paris, but better; it had a brulée top. Ooh la la.

Opera Cake - Aux Delices

Next stop was Beyond the Olive, the best place in LA to get local olive oil. This couple turned to olives when the economy forced them into looking at starting a small business. They decided to focus on California olive oil, since it’s plentiful and affordable. We tried different oils – just like wine tasting: swirl, smell, slurp – and they were spicy, smooth and pungent. You can buy oil from the stainless steel vats at a discount, choose Californian or Italian and try anything before you buy. I tried a delicious truffle olive oil and a smoked olive oil that had the essence of bacon (idea: this would be great for making meatless pasta carbonara).

Beyond the Olive

At Bird Pick Tea & Herb we tried various infused teas and a blossoming pot of jasmine green tea. Watching the flower grow to a large exotic green tea flower and sipping teas with rosehips, hibiscus, citrus, cloves, lychee and coconut inspired Ani to come up with an Infused Cider recipe idea. “This would be so good with Juicy Juice!” she exclaimed. “An apple cider infused with things like rose petals, tea, fruit, spices like clove, ginger…” she babbled to herself as we made our way to Tutti Gelati for chocolate gelato with orange sorbet (our reco: don’t miss the Hazelnut gelato).

Bird Pick Tea & Herb - Blossoming Jasmine Pot

Finally at Mignon Chocolate Boutique, the group favorites were ginger lime sea salt chocolate and the signature chocolate-dipped orange peel. The plethora of chocolate choices was overwhelming, and I could see the wheels turning in Chris’ brain as she looked them all over carefully. “Hmmm…” she mused as she tasted the orange peel, “this could be very interesting to play with in our kitchens.” I definitely liked that sparkle in her eye.

Mignon Chocolate Boutique

Stay tuned for more adventures and recipes coming soon!

Tour Information:

  • Melting Pot Food Tours
  • Old Town Pasadena

Filed Under: Food Adventure Tagged With: food in los angeles, Food Tour, walking tour

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