Oaxaca, endangered bananas, and fake Tommy’s

Hosted by Evan Kleiman Nov. 02, 2019 Food & Drink

LA Times business reporter Daniel Miller took on the challenge of looking into Original Tommy’s chiliburger knockoffs and how they came to spawn all over the city. Photo credit: Mariah Tauger/The Los Angeles Times

Bricia Lopez and Javier Cabral team up to tell the story of Guelaguetza, LA’s most storied Oaxacan restaurant. Meanwhile, bananas are in the crosshairs of a deadly fungus. Can genetic science come to the rescue?

From this Episode:

Telling the story of Guelaguetza, 25 years in the making

In 1994, Fernando Lopez and Maria Monterrubio opened the doors of a humble restaurant on 8th St. in LA’s Koreatown. There were four items on the menu at Guelaguetza at the...

16 min

A guide to the food traditions of Dia de los Muertos

Carlos Salgado is chef and owner of Taco Maria and reigning Tortilla Tournament champion. He talks about the culinary side of Dia de los Muertos, including sugar skulls, pan...

8 min

The Cavendish banana is dying. Can CRISPR save it?

Cavendish bananas seem to be abundant in grocery stores, but a fungus has been threatening its existence for years, and saving it might become a technological endeavor.

11 min

Do any of the fake Tommy’s chiliburgers stand up to the real thing?

If you grew up in Los Angeles, there’s a chance you’ve eaten an Original Tommy’s chiliburger at some point—probably under the fluorescent halo of a streetlamp late at night....

13 min

Welcoming beet season at the Santa Monica Farmers Market

After a brief hiatus, the Market Report is back at the Santa Monica Farmers Market! Fall weather is hitting LA, which means it’s prime time for beets.

8 min