The Urban Forager - by Elisa Callow (Hardcover)

About the Book

The Urban Forager is a cookbook, guide, and irresistible invitation to both the novice and adventurous food lover to explore the rich, diverse culinary cultures of L.A'.s Eastside.

Book Synopsis

The Urban Forager showcases one of California's richest and most rapidly expanding culinary cultures: the eastside of Los Angeles. Food makers representing the eastside's diverse traditions share beloved personal recipes, ingredients, innovations, and neighborhood resources. A hands-on, stunningly photographed collection of inspiring recipes, profiles, and references for novice and adventurous home cooks and the culinarily curious, it includes conversations with Sumi Chang (Europane) and Minh Phan (Porridge and Puffs), as well as such acclaimed home cooks as Mario Rodriguez, Rumi Mahmood, and Jack Aghoian. Part cookbook, part guide to foraging the best LA has to offer, The Urban Forager is a compelling bridge to the unfamiliar, inspiring readers to enrich their culinary repertoire with delicious new discoveries.

Review Quotes

An LAist "Essential Los Angeles Cookbook"

"A welcome surprise, The Urban Forager is a good read about the area and the people. Of course, the recipes tie it all together."
-- Diane Worthington, Chicago Tribune

"An ideal compendium for adventurous home cooks who want to expand their repertoires."
-- Elina Shatkin, LAist

"Elisa Callow takes us on a stroll through her kitchen, her neighborhood, and her meandering path of learning to be a great cook--and drops a lot of knowledge along the way. I relished her discoveries and expanded my own world of food and community."
-- Anna Thomas, James Beard Award winner and author of The Vegetarian Epicure, Love Soup, and Vegan Vegetarian Omnivore

"The Urban Forager provides insight into a region of innovation and leadership that is intriguing and enlightening, with a sweeping mix of cultures, styles, and personalities. Though locally focused, the concept and personal voice of the book make it a good read as well as guide--and there are recipes for all!"
-- Jerry Di Vecchio, former food and wine editor, Sunset Magazine

"Elisa has always known the way to the hidden jewels in our culture-rich city. This stunning treasure map focuses on her friends, family, and a beautiful life as she takes us through her community, to the people and places that inspire her love of food. The book is also bursting with warm, lovingly composed photos and recipes. How lucky we all are to go with her on this journey."
-- Christine Moore, author of Little Flower Baking and Little Flower: Recipes from the Café

"If indeed the kitchen is the heart of the home, The Urban Forager wonderfully captures this truth with warm, anecdotal stories, delicious food photographs, and charming illustrations. As a chef, I read and use lots of recipes on a daily basis, and Elisa's recipes are manageable, smart, and well tested. The creatively selected ingredients coupled with didactic methods teach the user how to develop into a skilled cook. The Urban Forager is much more than a collection of fabulous recipes--it is a lifestyle book."
-- Onil Chibás, chef/owner, Onil Chibás Events

About the Author

Author Elisa Callow shares her recipes and food discoveries on her blog, The Urban Forager, www.theurbanforager.co. She is a well-known arts-nonprofit consultant in Los Angeles.
Photographer Ann Elliott Cutting is on the photography faculty of ArtCenter College of Design. She is also a ceramicist and, to really round things out, a molecular biologist who has worked at Caltech.