Buttermilk

Four years ago, three employees of the now-defunct Bistango on La Cienega Boulevard plotted to change Angelenos' perception of Latin American food. Tired of patrons thinking that Latin food amounted to a plate of beans and rice with some meat, Kevin Cooke, Jose Chavez and Ismael Saenz's decided to present the foods of Mexico, Central and South America in a French style, with elegant presentations and an array of sauces.

They say that life is a journey and not a destination. That sentiment must surely include cooking, where the twists and turns of one memorable culinary adventure brought my husband and I right back home. Many years ago, we hosted a book party for an out-of-town writer and decided to take her to dinner afterward. Our choice was the now-defunct Georgia restaurant, one of those neo-soul palaces on Melrose where celebrities were investors -- and whose major return on investment appeared to be first dibs on the best tables in the house.

Buttermilk doughnuts Total time: 1 hour Servings: Makes about 1 1/2 dozen donuts 4 1/4 cups (18 ounces) flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 teaspoon salt Pinch grated nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 2 eggs 1 egg yolk 3/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup buttermilk 3 tablespoons butter, melted 1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking...

Ever have a craving for biscuits? Not the hockey pucks, but those tender, lighter-than-air biscuits. The ones so delicate they have to be homemade and eaten fresh, while they're still warm. Maybe with a little tang from buttermilk, and a crumb that perfectly balances flaky and crumbly. These biscuits were adapted from Gourmet magazine (November 1992), and the recipe is demonstrated in the video at left by Test Kitchen manager Noelle Carter . Eula Mae's buttermilk biscuit recipe is one of the favorite holiday recipes we've collected in our "Los Angeles Times Holiday Handbook.

Buttermilk is understated--a quiet, old-fashioned ingredient that brings its own small delight to summer dishes. Yet a bit of buttermilk imparts a tangy and refreshing edge to cakes, salad dressings, even ice cream. The secret is its sour taste, which adds a little acidity but also a homeyness. Originally, buttermilk was the leftover milk after churning butter from whole cream.

Just about every year at this time, nostalgia over foods eaten in school cafeterias years ago rears a maudlin head. How good or bad those school day foods actually were matters not. It's how well remembered, adored and revered they are today that counts. Judy Gilges of Long Beach writes: "In the cafeteria in the early '60s, they used to make a tuna sandwich and a killer peanut butter cookie. . . ." Ellen Vakovich remembers a crumb cake sold during nutrition break.

DEAR SOS: I'd love to duplicate the Indonesian gado gado salad with peanut sauce for a Hollywood Bowl picnic. Can you help? --GLORIA DEAR GLORIA: It's a spectacular salad to serve on an oversized platter for any event under the sun or stars. You'll find most of the specialty ingredients at Asian or Dutch food stores. If not, create a modified version of the salad using available ingredients.

I remember how secure I felt, there in the High Sierra. I remember how comforting it was to have him to lean on in that wild and craggy land. I remember the rush of the sundown breeze that shook the hemlocks beside our trail and rippled his coarse golden hair. Most of all, I remember his eyes--deep pools of amber that mirrored affection, humor and a certain stubborn streak. We met near Tuolomne Meadows. The attraction was strong. We traveled together six days.

DEAR SOS: I have been searching for a buttermilk pie to serve for my holiday meal but I can't seem to locate one. Can you help? --KAREN DEAR KAREN: It so happens that a colleague, Virginia Depew, shared her pie recipe after I tasted it at a Press Club luncheon. Depew reported that her cousin found the handwritten recipe among the personal effects of her grandmother, who died at the age of 85 in 1938.

Question: Can you tell me where to find buttermilk powder? Answer: Saco Buttermilk Powder is available at Alpha Beta Co. stores, Boy's Markets, Gelson's Markets, Hughes Markets, Ralphs Grocery Co. stores and Safeway Stores Inc. In some stores it is stocked in the dry milk section, in others it may be found with the baking supplies. Q: How do you prepare a fruit pie for freezing?