Newsletter: How we’re getting ready for summer

The top food stories from this week at the Los Angeles Times:

TASTING NOTES

New focus, new look, new name — just in time for summer: Starting next week, restaurant critics Bill Addison and Patricia Escárcega will take over this newsletter and it will be renamed Tasting Notes. It will arrive in your email inbox every Saturday morning, featuring their latest thoughts on the restaurant scene, insights on how they approach their jobs and links to the week’s stories in The Times’ Food section. Plus, in the new “Ask the Critics” section, they will answer your questions about dining in L.A. (send them to [email protected]). Know someone who’d enjoy reading Tasting Notes? Have them sign up here: latimes.com/tastingnotes.

CHEERS TO THE SUMMER

Cooking columnist Genevieve Ko shares a recipe for a twist on a classic Negroni, made with Harry’s Berries.

This savory clafoutis transforms the traditional sweet baked custard dessert with whole cherries into a breakfast dish using cherry tomatoes instead. Food styling by Ben Mims, with Julie Giuffrida at PropLink in downtown Los Angeles.

(Leslie Grow / For The Times)

THE PERFECT POST FARMERS MARKET BRUNCH

Ben Mims makes good use of his farmers market haul in this recipe for a savory clafoutis studded with cherry tomatoes.

From left: Mason jar desserts (carrot cake, rice quinoa and vanilla pot de creme); the Farmhouse vegetable bowl; and grilled Asian short rib at the Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens.

(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Restaurant critic Patricia Escárcega finds that the menu at Farmhouse, chef Rich Mead’s “field-to-fork” restaurant in Corona del Mar, doesn’t quite live up to expectations.

A vegetarian string hopper meal (including sides of beet curry, okra and grated coconut pol sambol) at Apey Kade in Tarzana.

(Silvia Razgova / For The Times)

INTO THE HOPPER

At Apey Kade in Tarzana, restaurant critic Bill Addison’s dopamine levels spike at the trays of spiced coconut milk gravy, pol sambol and string hoppers — thin rice flour noodles.

Erin McKenna at her new Santa Monica bakery.

(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

WINE AND SWEETS

Food writer Amy Scattergood has the details on Erin McKenna’s Bakery, a new vegan, gluten-free bakery in Santa Monica, with wine.

Our 101 Restaurants We Love list for 2018 is out. The list incorporates restaurants and food trucks from around Los Angeles and Orange County, in alphabetical order (no rankings this time). Plus there’s a bonus list of 10 classic restaurants.

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And don’t forget the thousands of recipes in our California Cookbook recipe database.

Feedback? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at [email protected].