Tasty Tidbits: Help Boston, Beer 101, Wine Dinner, Stumptown Coffee, Brioche Pancakes -- My Daily Find

BY KAREN YOUNG

Shawna Dawson Beer, the brains behind Artisanal LA, LA Street Food Fest and Sauce LA, has organized LAdrinks2Boston on April 27 — a day for LA bars, restaurants and customers to raise money for the victims of the Boston bombings. The City of Boston has set up a fund for those affected by the bombings, www.onefundboston.org, so it’s Dawson’s intent that the L.A. event will help raise money by restaurants and bars donating a percentage of profits, or other fundraising activities. The list is growing all over Los Angeles, and there’s food in addition to drinks, so “Like” the Facebook page and check it out to see what businesses are participating.

Want to learn about all about beer? Think craft beers belong in a bottle? Not anymore. Some are in cans. Find out why at the “Good Kick in the Can” beer tasting class at at Total Wine & More locally in Northridge and Thousand Oaks on Thursday, April 25 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Enjoy tasting a selection of canned craft beers, and find out how the packaging makes all the difference in the taste of some craft beer favorites. The class is $15 per person, and seating is limited, so call your local store to make reservations today!

If you’re a woman and interested in beer (novice or advanced), you might want to visit Ladyface Alehouse and Brasserie in Agoura Hills when they have a monthly beer tasting/learning/social group on the third Monday of every month, however in May, the meeting is one week early on May 13 to celebrate the group’s second anniversary when they’ll recognize American Craft Beer Week with the theme is “My Favorite Beer.” Check out the group’s Facebook page. We featured this restaurant with its own microbrewery in 2010 — check out the article for details!

Peasant Wine Bistro (a recent MDF fave) in Tarzana is having a private event wine dinner on Monday, April 29. Paris Driggers, founder of SiKa Wine by Forgotten Barrell, will pair his wines with a five course tasting menu prepared by Executive Chef Marcel Vinson. Taste and learn about SiKa’s 2011 Russian River Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 Carneros Chardonnay and 2011 Pinot Noir, 2009 Napa Syrah and 2009 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that are perfection! Seating is limited so reserve early. $65 per person. RSVP online, email eat@peasantwinebistro.com or call (818) 708-7081.

For French Toast lovers, IHOP has just introduced three new decadent dishes prepared with thick cut brioche bread and soaked in a lightly-sweetened vanilla batter. Choose between three different toppings: Bananas Foster (sliced bananas, caramelized in a buttery brown sugar glaze, and whipped topping), Berry Berry (blueberries and strawberry topping with powdered sugar and whipped topping), and Peaches & Cream (sweetened sliced peaches, honey-roasted pecans, vanilla cream drizzle and whipped topping). Order it alone or as part of an IHOP combo.

My Personal OMG Moment: I wrote about Republic of Pie last fall and mentioned that they made their own cold brew coffee, however, I just discovered that they serve Stumptown coffee. Not sure how I missed it, but I did. I guess it wasn’t on my radar at that time since I didn’t know about Stumptown until a recent trip to Portland and Seattle where I found it to be the BEST coffee I’ve ever tasted— so, that’s the news, in addition to great pies, quiches and more at Republic of Pie — there’s Stumptown (and I heard they are opening a store in Downtown LA soon!).