Last weekend, I was out at the California State Citrus Park enjoying the aroma of the blossoms. I wanted to put together a beautiful cake, and here it is.
April 18th, FOX5 San Diego Cutting the Cost of Fast Food Prices. /
Food prices have skyrocketed. It is surprising to go through a drive-thru and spend $15 per person. You need to start making your fast-food favorites at home! In today’s segment, I created four “meals” from a few of the popular fast-food restaurants. Check out my recipe for the perfect Hamburger.
#7 Jersey Mikes: Turkey and Cheese Mini Recipe Breakdown
Jack in the Box Chicken Fajita Pita Meal Breakdown
Taco Bell Burrito Supreme Combo Meal Breakdown
McDonald’s Quarter Pounder Meal Breakdown
The Perfect Hamburger Recipe
You can order personalized copies of my newest book, Made in California Volume 2. Here
March 29th, FOX5 San Diego Easter time! 🐣 /
Are you tired of all the dyed eggs the kids won’t eat? How many Peeps do you have left? And all of that chocolate.. In today’s segment, we look into the uses of your eggs, candy, and any Peeps you have around. First, an adult beverage. a Blood Orange Beliini.
Here is the link to the show LINK
March 15th, FOX5 San Diego St. Patricks Day ☘️ /
Today, on the Friday before St. Patrick's Day, I will be making on San Diego FOX5, an array of Irish dishes for you to try this weekend. Menu: Irish Coffee Milkshake Shooters, Irish Pub Cheese with Pretzels, Irish Soda Bread, Rich Irish Beef Stew, & Bailey’s Chocolate Pie. Here is the show if you would like to watch it. San Diego Fox March 15th, 2024 George Geary Show
Iced Molasses Cookies /
A simple cookie packed with flavor. I remember that our elementary school served cookies like these occasionally. Soft yet spicy!
Timeline: 1995 "Food for the Soul" Cream Cheese Pound Cake /
A few months back, I was searching for historical cookie recipes for an article about our mid-century home in Palm Springs. We wanted accurate recipes from the 1960s sitting on our table during the photoshoot. I came across Marguerette Allen from the south. Newspapers picked up a story called “Food for the Soul” featuring recipes from Black home cooks. This is her Cream Cheese Pound Cake.
It was rare for mainstream newspapers to write about any other food besides common foods that middle America would prepare or eat. This was a groundbreaking story with 10 recipes.
Marguerette Allen with her prized pound cake.
Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Where to stay, play and eat! /
When one says they are headed to Kentucky, being from California, you get the question, “Why???”. I have traveled to all 50 states and taught cooking classes in probably 40. I see each state as a beautiful place; it is not home to me, but every place has beauty. I hear what some people say. “How do you live in California with all the traffic and earthquakes?” Yes, we have a lot of traffic (you learn when and how to get from point A to point B with the least traffic). One day, I turned onto Highway 555 in Kentucky, and the sign said, “Congested area”. I think I traveled 5 miles before I came across another car.
Here is the diary of what we did from Friday's arrival to Monday’s departure.
Friday Night: We arrived at Lexington, KY Airport, the Bluegrass Airport. One of the surprises is when the luggage belt is about to deliver the bags; instead of a bell going off, a bugle, like a horse race, is about to start tooting away.
Rent an SUV. Some of the roads in and out of the distilleries are rock roads.
Bourbon Barrel Resort
We stayed at Bourbon Barrel Resort. Each barrel has a king-size bed, a roomy shower, a bathroom, a kitchenette with a table, two chairs, a microwave, dishes, a small couch, and a fridge. (Some rent with a hot tub).
The barrel was unique and fun. Bring an eye mask, as the bedroom has a beautiful window without shades. All restaurants are 30-40 miles away, so I suggest going to a nearby grocery store for breakfast items so you can enjoy the mornings.
Yes, one evening it snowed!
We try not to go to chain restaurants when traveling. We ate lunches in diners and dinners a little more upscale. Before you leave your home, you should book all the distilleries as they sell out; many are closed on Mondays. About 40 distilleries make up the trail, but there are many more to visit. Here is a handy map of the trail with information on each location.
https://kybourbontrail.com/map/
Here are the distilleries we visited:
Makers Mark
Makers Mark: A very well-known brand of Bourbon. It is a beautiful location full of art and bourbon. They have a few different tours to choose from. Sign up to be part of their Ambassador Club. It is free; you get your name on a barrel, and about 8-10 years later, your barrel matures. You are given a “Golden Ticket” to come back and purchase bottles from your barrel with your name on the labels. About 2-3 times a year, Makers Mark sends you gifts for being in the club. The gift store has a unique feature. Purchase a bottle of MM, and you get to dip it in the signature red wax. You will see the bottling and dipping process if you visit Monday through Friday.
Freshly Dipped Bottle
Buffalo Trace
Buffalo Trace Distillery: The oldest continuing distillery. They have many tours, and all are free with tastings. We went on a historical tour, which was interesting and full of history. It is one of the largest gift stores of all of the locations.
Log Still
Log Still Distillery: A newer family-owned distillery. The land housed a distillery, and you can see the former equipment. Tours have a fee, but you get samples of their bourbons. After your samples, they will make a full drink for you. They also have a B&B onsite with historical buildings.
Whiskey Thief
Whiskey Thief Distilling Co.: A small distillery that makes you bottle your bourbon. They do not sell their bourbons outside of their distillery. You get to sample five bourbons directly from the barrels. Tour/tasting has a fee.
We drove to one of my favorite candy/soda fountains:
Schimpff’s Candies: Since 1891. They are famous for making red hots, lemon drops, and other hard candies using antique machinery. They do daily demonstrations (Making red hots in heart shapes the day we visited). Half of the building is a candy museum; the other half is retail and kitchen. It is only one off-ramp outside of Louisville, KY, in Indiana.
Dinner Locations:
Vallozzi’s: In the cute 1890’s city of Versilles, KY. Italian with a great wine/bourbon list. The staff and service were perfect. The food, an array of appetizers to main dishes. After dinner, we walked next to the quant Amsden Bourbon Bar with only two dozen people compacity. If you have time, I suggest arriving an hour early and taking a walk down past all of the remarkable businesses and buildings over 100 years old.
http://vallozzis.com/versailles (Open Table for Reservations)
https://www.amsdenbourbonbar.com
Tony’s of Lexington: In a historical building. Old-time steak and fish restaurant. We had the crab cake appetizer that was as big as a baseball. The steaks are perfect, just like the service.
https://tonysoflexington.com (Open Table for Reservations)
Toogie’s Table: Opened in 1937, it is a local restaurant using local produce and foods. A menu is full of surprises. Pasta is made on the premises. The motor lodge (retro from the 50’s), part of the same complex, was recently purchased by a hospitality group, as was Toogie’s Table.
https://www.toogiestable.com (Open Table for Reservations)
I hope you enjoy this quick and fun weekend! Let me know if you have questions in the comments!
February 14th; FOX5 San Diego Happy Valentines Day /
Today’s Show. Sweetheart Dinner! Love is Love!
The Year of the Dragon! Chinese New Year. Almond Cookies /
Almond Cookies are simple to make and so flavorful. Just follow the directions and you will have better than the pink box cookies!
Rainy Day Cookies Oatmeal! /
California is in the middle of 4 days of rain. A storm that is dumping so much rain that our yards and streets have turned into rivers. When it rains, I think of warm cookies. This past weekend, I made oatmeal (the old-fashioned way) and thought about making a few dozen cookies today. Here are two recipes: one, and you add chips or raisins into the batter. Enjoy!
Peanut Blossom Cookies 1957 Pillsbury Bake-off /
If one thinks about the Pillsbury Bake-off the cookie that comes to mind is the 1957 entry from Mrs. Chester Smith the Peanut Blossom. And it didnt win the grand prize! Shocking. This recipe you find during the holidays on cookie platters. Here is the recipe!
1957 Pillsbury Peanut Blossom Recipe
December 14th: FOX5 San Diego 30th Anniversary on TV Holiday Appetizers /
December 1993: 30 years ago this week. I worked at Disneyland as the Pastry Chef and the company decided to close the department two weeks before Christmas. I was watching the KHJ-9 morning show with Cyndy Garvey and Steve Edwards. A guy was making a pie, using a ready-made crust and a can of pie filling. I knew I could do better. I called and got hired for six months. I did everything from a wedding cake to the main dishes. Then I booked Mike and Maty Show, a national show for three years.
Meanwhile, the Food Network started up, and I crisscrossed the country with Robin Leech and talked about a new station on cable. Since 1993, I have been on every network every local national show except The Today Show. Currently, my home station is FOX5 in San Diego, and I pretape WGN-Chicago and Tampa NBC. Here are the holiday show recipes.
30th Anniversary Holiday Show FOX5 San Diego
1993 KHJ-9 TV Morning Show. The first show
November 20th: FOX5 San Diego Thanksgiving 2023 Desserts /
Tired of that Pumpkin Pie or that same dessert? Here are some new desserts that are so fast and easy to make that you will wonder why you had not taken the desert to dinner before. And a drink to help you deal with the family! All from my annual Thanksgiving Morning Segment
With Raoul Martinez at FOX5 San Diego on the Set.
Thanksgiving Desserts for FOX5 San Diego. Recipes Below.
Berry Holiday Spritzer so can handle the family! Recipe
Bourbon Pecan Pound Cake Recipe
Fast and Easy Chocolate Raspberry Pots de Creme: Recipe
Kaluha Cream Cheese Brownies: Recipe
Fast and Easy ALL-IN-ONE-BOWL Pumpkin Pecan Cheese Pie: Recipe
Pumpkin Nutmeg Bread Pudding: Recipe
Here is the entire show from today on FOX5. If you do not live in the San Diego area watch it here : Nov 20th Broadcast
Pumpkin Caramel Sea Salt Cookies /
A soft fall cookie for you to try. I used the new Trader Joe’s Caramel Sea Salt Baking Chips. If you don’t have a TJ close or the chips are not in season you can use any type of baking chips you desire.
Trader Joe’s Caramel Sea Salt Baking Chips
Tick Tock Tea Room Hollywood 1930-1988 /
An amazing tea room in the middle of Hollywood. Here is a morning favorite, Orange Buns.
1716 N. La Cahuenga Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
16 years ago today! The Complete Baking Cookbook was released /
On this day in 2007, My 4th book came out. The Complete Baking Cookbook. Some may not know, but we, as authors, do not have the last say in the titles of the books we write. I wanted it titled George Geary’s Big Ass Book of Baking. It was a no-go. The book is out of print, but my publisher says it is not (Go try finding a NEW copy). I have three copies for sale. Below is the link. All of the pictures in the book are my favorite baked goods.
Here is the link to purchase the softcover book. LINK
SoCal Apple Country and 29 years ago! /
Twenty-nine years ago tomorrow (October 6th), I received a call from Joe Crea, the Food Editor at the time of the OC Register Newspaper. It was my first story with the newspaper since losing my job at Disneyland. He wanted to do a story about my tours of Oak Glen, CA, the Apple country, and a recipe for my apple pie with crust. Also, to include a picture. (This is before digital). He needed it the next day. I ran to the produce department of my local grocery store and, donned an apron, had the produce guy (who I didn’t know) snap one picture in the deli area (not sure why there). I ran to the 1-hr photo and hoped the picture turned out. Here it is:
Here is the story and recipes for the Spice Apple Pie and Crust. I even, 29 years later, taught it in North Dakota last week. OC Register Story Link
APPLE SPICE CRUST AND PIE
Robinsons Gardens Beverly Hills Event! October 11th /
Join the Friends of Robinson Gardens as we explore
LA’s Landmark Restaurants
In his latest book, award winning chef & best-selling author George Geary takes us on a tour of famous Los Angeles restaurants from throughout the 20th century. Hear the stories of how these classic restaurants – places where Angelenos rather than celebrities dine – got their start. George’s love letter to landmark restaurants will surely bring back memories to anyone who has dined at these fabled establishments.
Join us for this tribute to Los Angeles and its famous cuisine.
When: Wednesday, October 11, 2023
10:30 mimosas, 11:00 am lecture, 12:00 pm lunch
Where: VRG Pool Pavilion
Cost: $95 members / $105 non-members
To register: Click here or call the FRG office 310.550.2068 (space limited, register early!)
George will have books available for purchase.
Rose Petal Sauce /
If you love the aroma of Roses, you will love the flavor of this sauce. It is easy to make and store in the fridge for over a year. Uses: Drizzle on ice cream; use 1 cup for a batch of ice cream, brush a vanilla cake with the syrup or add 2 tablespoons to a glass of champagne.
Organic Pesticide Free Roses. I get mine at the Santa Monica Farmers Market on Tuesday at Lilys Eggs @smlilyseggs
Bring 2 pounds of sugar and 2 pints of water to a boil.
Wash roses with cool water, pull petals apart, and place into boiling sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and stir.
Place lid on, fire off, and let seep for 2 hours.
Drain liquid off of petals.
Place into jars, cool before placing lids on top
The rose petal sauce will last up to one year if you do not contaminate the mixture. When you use it, please pour what you need into a bowl. Do not use anything like a spoon in the jar. Reseal. If you see mold forming on the top, use something you should not have. Enjoy!
Double Chocolate Sandwich Cookies /
Today Hurricane Hilary touched down here in Southern California. Some areas had damage, some like mine.. a little rain. I decided to make these cookies. Come on! Rain means cookie-baking time! Plus it has been over 100F for days and today in the 70s.
Sometimes you have to use a hand beater. You can see the ripples in the cream!