Happy Olive-tines Day!

It's Valentine's Day.  A time to think about luuuuv.

Well.  

Lately, (aside from my new bathroom, my family, and my dogs) the thing I love most in the world is Cookbook, a green grocer that's pretty much around the corner from my house in Echo Park.

This place is insane.  I bought a peach there once, and it took me three days to eat it BECAUSE IT WAS SO GOOD.  

Also, so large.  

Cookbook, on the other hand, is very small.  Which means they don't have space for anything but The Best.

One example:  When I was in Spain after Christmas, I had the single best olive I've ever eaten.  Until last week, when I bought olives at Cookbook.  Can't remember what they're called right now, but the olives they carry are, without contest, the best olives in the known universe.

Another great thing about Cookbook:  Last weekend, instead of bringing wine to a dinner party, I stopped at Cookbook and picked up a special red pepper blend, which I knew the host would love.  (Don't worry, that little bottle of dried spices cost just as much as a bottle of wine.)

And Cookbook doesn't just have food.  This week, I bought a gorgeous clay pot there, a clay pot cookbook, and two small sculptures they had commissioned of the original edible apple.  (I'll take a picture of them and post it soon-- they're beautiful.)  

This is not your mama's grocery store, people. 

If you live in or around Echo Park... stop in.  

I recommend the olives.

Comments

[jerie b]

so this is the trade-off for the traffic huh? you get these little neighborhood gems...my sister-in-law lived in studio city for years and i thought gelson's was the most wonderful place (also could be that george clooney was there twice!) and that was before trader joes's......i noticed in the link...there are cans of chickory coffee...yellow cans.....this is real new orleans french quarter coffee...an acquired taste but worth the time. also noted, the cheeses...geez..cheese, olives, fresh oregon blackberries on STEMS..i'm just plain jealous. we have to make do here in po-dunk with a place called cuban liquor and speciality cheeses...not even so special but the traffic's not bad.
sample everything and let us know. bon appetit

[@elizabethcraft]

As a recipient of the above olives... might I just say YUM!!! In fact, I think I'll have one right now...