The California Report is celebrating 25 years on the air, and this week, we’re digging into our archives to give you a break from political news and share some of our favorite food stories from over the years. It’s a feast for your ears!
Are These the Best Donuts in Southern California?
Gotham City may have Batman, Metropolis may have Superman, but Glendora, California has The Donut Man. People line up at the window of Jim Nakano’s tiny shop for what many call the best donuts in Southern California. It's open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and it sits on one of the most historic roads in the country. Peter Gilstrap brings us this story from 2017.
‘The Food Keeps Coming’ at this Century-Old Basque Restaurant
When host Sasha Khokha was The California Report’s Central Valley Bureau Chief, she’d search for out-of-the-way places to get really delicious food while reporting in the area. Back in 2011, she discovered a Basque restaurant in Los Banos that’s been serving up gargantuan portions for more than a century. She took on the tough assignment of sampling the cuisine for herself.
Engine Cuisine Give New Meaning to ‘Fast Food’
In the late 1980s, a cookbook came out called “Manifold Destiny.” It was a big deal among traveling bands, who would cook their meals en route to the next gig in a very unusual way. Think roasted chicken in a Dodge van, or poached fish in a Pontiac. Back in 2002, Reporter Debra Baer met up with the queen of engine cuisine.
Are you Brave Enough for This Spicy Ramen Challenge?
Orochon Ramen in LA’s Little Tokyo has got a cult following among extreme eaters. That’s because of Special #2, the spiciest ramen on the menu. The few who dare to eat it get their picture taken and put up on a wall. In 2009, Reporter Queena Kim went to check it out, and says the dish is even too hot for the chef, Shigeki Matsuda.
From ‘Defeat in a Box’ to Latke Perfection
Before Tamara Keith was covering the White House, she got her start on The California Report as an intern, and then worked as a producer and reporter in Fresno and Sacramento. Back in 2007, she produced a personal essay for the show about converting to Judaism when she married her husband, and her quest to make the perfect latkes.
California Foodways: The Chinese-Mexican Cuisine You’ll Find Only Along the Border
It’s no surprise that you might find good Mexican food in the Imperial Valley, East of San Diego. But what about Chinese food? What about Chinese-Mexican food? In 2015, Reporter Lisa Morehouse travelled to both sides of the border for the series California Foodways, to dig up the history behind “Baja Fusion.”
We're celebrating 25 years of bringing you great stories from around the golden state, and we want you to be part of it. On December 8, we'll be celebrating with a livestream event, featuring our California Report hosts, musical guests, show alumni like Tamara Keith, Scott Shafer, and more. You can find the details here.