Food and Beverage
La Brea Bakery Closes Flagship Los Angeles and Downtown Disney Café locations
Last Updated on January 12, 2025 by Daily News Staff
La Brea Bakery Café locations closed permanently on January 9th; the company is supporting employees through the transition process and turning business focus to grocery stores.
LOS ANGELES /PRNewswire/ — La Brea Bakery Café locations in Los Angeles and Downtown Disney District in Anaheim closed permanently this morning. The company has made the strategic decision to exit the restaurant business and continue its focus on growing the La Brea Bakery business through retail grocery and foodservice locations. Employees at the Los Angeles and Downtown Disney Café locations were informed of the closures on January 9th, 2023, while the Aspire Bakeries Human Resources team began working directly with employees that are impacted by the closures to ease the transition.
“We are so thankful and hold a tremendous amount of appreciation for our employees, and for our customers who have frequented La Brea Bakery Café over the years. Our flagship Café location on La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles is where the La Brea Bakery magic started 34 years ago. These humble beginnings are an integral part of the brand history, and we will forever be grateful to the local community for their support over the years,” said Tyson Yu, CEO of Aspire Bakeries, which owns La Brea Bakery. “While we will no longer be operating the Cafés in Los Angeles or at Disneyland Resort, you can still find our delicious La Brea Bakery artisan breads in your local grocery in-store bakery and at other locations that serve artisan breads.” The franchised La Brea Bakery kiosks in the Reno International Airport (Nevada) and JFK Airport (New York) will remain open.
A local favorite in the Los Angeles community since 1989, La Brea Bakery artisan breads are the cornerstone of Aspire Bakeries’ thriving artisan bread business. La Brea Bakery has a long history that started at a restaurant on La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles, evolving into the #1 artisan bread brand nationally. Still crafted using our original custom sourdough starter, the La Brea Bakery recipe has not changed in 34 years. In fact, our bread makers have maintained the same artisan techniques since 1989, with no compromises. Our quality ingredients and processes give our breads the hallmark flavor, texture and crust expected from authentic artisan bread, continuing the brand legacy.
La Brea Bakery artisan practices are our commitment to our loyal customers and our community. With our headquarters in Los Angeles, we bake artisan bread every day at our bakeries in California and New Jersey to meet needs across the country, and we look forward to the continued growth of our thriving grocery and foodservice business.
Impacted Locations:
- La Brea Bakery Café (Flagship), 468 La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles, California
- La Brea Bakery Café at Downtown Disney District, 1556 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, California
About La Brea Bakery
La Brea Bakery is North America’s No.1 artisan bread brand. Since 1989, La Brea Bakery has focused on crafting true artisan bread with its original recipe, high quality ingredients and dedication to the artisan process. Based in Los Angeles, the brand has revolutionized the modern artisan bread movement, enabling the culinary community and consumers to share the joy that hearth-baked, hand-crafted bread brings to their experiences. La Brea Bakery foods are sold at grocery stores, online retailers and restaurant channels across the country. Find La Brea Bakery breads near you: www.labreabakery.com/where-to-buy and follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
SOURCE La Brea Bakery
https://stmdailynews.com/category/food-and-beverage/
Cool Down This Summer with a Sweet Slushie
(Family Features) Each season throughout the year seems to
have its own “flavor,” and summer is no exception. Hamburgers and hot dogs off
the grill, refreshing watermelon at snack time and cool, delicious ice cream on
warm evenings.
While many people think of sweetpotatoes during the
holidays, you can make this sweet vegetable a key ingredient all year-round –
including summertime. As one of the most versatile veggies you can find,
they’re easy to add to a variety of recipes while enhancing flavor and boosting
nutrition content.
Sweetpotatoes can be your summer staple in both simple and
elevated recipes alike, as well as in both sweet and savory dishes. They can be
cooked or prepared in several ways: on the stove, baked, microwaved, grilled or
slow cooked.
Or, for an easy way to cool down in the heat, try them in a
creamy drink like this Sweetpotato Summer Slushie. It may surprise you, but
sweetpotatoes are ideal for sipping – smoothies and cocktails are both
crowd-pleasers, especially during sweltering summer days. This refreshing treat
can be made with or without the boozy kick; just break out the blender and kick
back in the sunshine.
To discover more ways to cook and enjoy sweetpotatoes all
summer long, visit ncsweetpotatoes.com.
Watch video to see how to make this recipe!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5xyuKDlklQ?si=JiKNgtk78Vc8NiMU&controls=0]
Recipe courtesy of the North
Carolina Sweetpotato Commission
- 1 cup cooked,
mashed North
Carolina Sweetpotatoes - 1 cup
pineapple juice - 1/2 cup orange
juice - 1/4 cup lemon
juice - 1/4 cup coconut
milk - 2-3 tablespoons
simple syrup or honey (adjust to taste) - 1 teaspoon
vanilla extract - 2 cups crushed
ice - 2 ounces
spiced rum, coconut rum or bourbon (optional) - pineapple
slices or orange wedges, for garnish (optional)
- In blender, blend sweetpotatoes, pineapple juice, orange
juice, lemon juice, coconut milk, simple syrup or honey, vanilla extract and
ice until smooth and slushy. - Pour into glasses and serve.
- For alcoholic version: Add spiced rum, coconut rum or
bourbon after blending. Pulse in blender or stir after blending for layered
effect. - Garnish with pineapple slices or orange wedges, if desired.
SOURCE:
Food and Beverage
McDonald’s Fried Apple Pie Returns June 23—A Limited-Time Summer Throwback
McDonald’s is bringing back its OG Fried Apple Pie starting June 23 for a limited time at participating restaurants nationwide—plus a 35-foot pie photo stop on Route 66 near Chicago.
Summer tends to fly by, but certain bites slow time down. McDonald’s is betting its Fried Apple Pie is one of them.
According to a new announcement from McDonald’s USA, the OG Fried Apple Pie returns to participating restaurants nationwide starting June 23 for a limited time. The classic dessert is described as featuring a signature filling made with 100% American-grown apples, wrapped in the same golden, crunchy, flaky fried crust longtime fans remember.
Why the Fried Apple Pie comeback matters
McDonald’s is framing the return as a nostalgia play with a patriotic twist, tying the seasonal rollout to the lead-up to America’s 250th birthday. If you grew up hearing people talk about “the fried pies,” this is the moment they mean: hot, sweet, and unmistakably old-school.
And if you’ve never tried it? McDonald’s is positioning June 23 as your entry point—an “if you know, you know” menu item that’s meant to feel like a summer memory in dessert form.
A classic that started as a family recipe
The company also shared a bit of origin story: the Fried Apple Pie traces back to the 1960s, when East Tennessee McDonald’s Owner/Operator Litton Cochran created a fried apple hand pie that became a local favorite. Over time, it made its way into McDonald’s history.
Eric Cochran, a McDonald’s Owner/Operator, said the pie is one of those foods that “take you back,” and credited his grandparents—Litton and Jo Cochran—with helping shape the recipe when McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc was looking for a dessert that would resonate with customers.
The 35-foot Fried Apple Pie (yes, really)
To make the return feel like a road-trip moment, McDonald’s is also unveiling a giant roadside installation: The McDonald’s Largest Fried Apple Pie, a 35-foot version of the dessert placed along Route 66—built to be a photo stop.
Fans can snap a selfie and pick up a McDonald’s souvenir map at:
- 920 N Broadway St., Joliet, IL 60435 (just outside Chicago)
If you’re near Chicagoland, here are the dates
- Kickoff event (June 23): 3:30–6:00 p.m. CT, with live music, an ice-cold Coca-Cola, and complimentary Arch Cards
- June 23–July 4: The installation remains up through the holiday stretch
How to get it
McDonald’s says the Fried Apple Pie will be available all day at participating restaurants nationwide, and can also be ordered via the McDonald’s App, while supplies last.If your summer plans include a long drive, a late-night snack run, or just chasing a little nostalgia, June 23 might be the date to circle. Some menu items are built for convenience—this one is built for the detour.
Related
Source
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Nourishing Our Heroes: Eight Years of Impact at Phoenix VA’s Veggies for Veterans
Pair Summer Favorites with a Simple
Potato Salad
(Family Features) Ideal for
neighborhood cookouts, quick family dinners and anything in between, potato
salad is a tried-and-true summer favorite. This version from Cookin’ Savvy
comes together in a snap so you can spend more time enjoying the sun and less
time in the kitchen. Pair this easy potato salad with more warm-weather recipe
inspiration found at Culinary.net.
Watch video to see how to make this recipe!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhUIPGWfbrw?si=UJ2zY8g_aHMcWTsV&controls=0]
Potato Salad
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 4-6
- 3 pounds
potatoes - 4 boiled
eggs, coarsely chopped - 2 dill
pickles - 1 tablespoon
garlic powder - 1 tablespoon
onion powder - 1 package
(2 1/2 ounces) real bacon pieces - 2 cups
mayonnaise - 2 tablespoons
mustard - salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- smoked paprika, for garnish
- Coarsely chop potatoes. In Dutch
oven, boil until fork tender. Drain then add coarsely chopped eggs and pickles. - Add garlic powder, onion powder,
bacon pieces, mayonnaise and mustard. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Mix well. - Transfer to large bowl and
refrigerate 1-2 hours. Garnish with smoked paprika.
SOURCE:
Nourishing Our Heroes: Eight Years of Impact at Phoenix VA’s Veggies for Veterans
Nourishing Our Heroes: Eight Years of Impact at Phoenix VA’s Veggies for Veterans
