Lemon Juice

Matthew Biancaniello isn't the only bartender laying egg drinks. Here are a few more requiring the ingredient. Allston Yacht Club The bartenders here infuse vodka with Nueske's applewood-smoked bacon and then pair it in a martini glass with a pickled quail egg -- bringing a whole new meaning to liquid breakfast. 1320 Echo Park Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 481-0454 Cafe Pierre Here's a new way to combine tea and eggs. The folks at Cafe Pierre steep a bag of Earl Grey tea in gin for one hour.

Dear SOS: I am utterly obsessed with the curried chickpeas at Joan's on Third. They are the best curried chickpeas I've ever had. Every time I go there I order them as part of the salad trio (a selection of three salads from their daily specials on the marketplace menu). I should know by now that I should order just the chickpeas because they're all I ever want to eat (well, that and a number of things from the bakery). Lauren Burchett Los Angeles Dear Lauren: The curry blend in this recipe gives an otherwise simple salad wonderful depth and robust flavor.

Dear SOS: Many lemon bars are either too sweet or much too tangy. Euro Pane's is just the perfect combination. The base is crumbly yet firm. They also serve really large portions. I always love picking up a couple and putting them in the fridge. They taste so much better cold, well at least for me. There have been many times when these bars run out, so I always have to call to make sure they can set aside a couple. I'm sure this bar will become a staple in dessert menus in many homes.

News and notes on L.A. night life: Make that drink with Chartreuse Do the Carthusian monks, who produce Chartreuse, add their secret-recipe herbal liqueur to cocktails? If not, they should now. The Chartreuse Sweet 16 Competition, held at the Doheny on Aug. 10, produced several interesting cocktails by local bar superstars including Damian Windsor (Roger Room), Matty Eggleston (Wurstküche) and Chris Bostock (the Varnish). Matthew Biancaniello, of the Roosevelt Hotel, eventually won the final round with a bell-pepper cocktail, but it was his Grapes of Wrath drink, made with Concord grapes, lemon juice, agave, Hendricks gin and Chartreuse, that really had us smitten.

  Total time: 15 minutes, plus freezing time for the decorative block of ice Servings: 10 Note: From Marcos Tello of the Edison. For a large block of ice, pour simmering water into a heat-proof container that fits into your punch bowl and freeze. With a vegetable peeler, peel the lemons in lengthwise strips, avoiding the white pith, and use the fruit for juice. Peels of 3 lemons 5 tablespoons superfine sugar 1 cup fresh lemon juice 1/2 cup pomegranate syrup (such as Monin)

  Total time: 15 minutes, plus overnight macerating and freezing time Servings: 8 Note: Adapted from "The Perfect Scoop" by David Lebovitz. This is best when assembled a day or more ahead. It can be made up to 3 days in advance. Feel free to let the prunes macerate in the Armagnac a few days ahead. Our recipes, your kitchen: If you try this or any other recipe from the L.A. Times Test Kitchen, please share it with us: Click here to upload pictures of the finished dish.

A bright, pungent tapenade spiked with anchovies and lemon juice and long wedges of tortilla crackers studded with sesame seeds make a winning combination of appetizers. Ciudad's house olive tapenade recently caught the attention of the Food section website producer, Tenny Tatusian. "It was a lovely balance of flavors -- the olives were somewhat tamed, but still bracing," Tatusian says. "It's a dish I'd love to serve at my next dinner party -- especially alongside untamed martinis."

COUNTLESS forests have been sacrificed to print recipes for the easy things in life: cooking for crowds, dinner parties for six or eight, family suppers, holiday feasts. When it comes to the real challenge, though, one leaf is missing. What do you do for dinner for two? It can be the most satisfying experience for both cook and diner, but getting there is a minefield. You need a menu that is easy to produce, without constant running between table and stove to check on the fish or the dessert.

Lemon juice from Argentina and Mexico is being sold in the United States at unfair prices, causing U.S. producers to lose market share and cut payrolls, the country's largest marketing cooperative said Tuesday. Sherman Oaks-based Sunkist Growers, which is owned by 6,000 members who account for the majority of U.S.

ALTHOUGH it's better known as a soup, avgolemono, the familiar Greek mixture of chicken broth, egg yolks and lemon juice, is also often used as a sauce. This quick vegetable braise of artichoke bottoms, carrots and potatoes, perfect for the season, is finished with a dill-enlivened avgolemono sauce. Made without the traditional chicken stock, it's a great vegetarian main dish served with Greek olives, feta cheese and a rustic bread, or as a side with grilled fish or lamb.