Café Stella to Farm in Echo Park, Classes Continue at Cookbook

Open just since August 2010, Echo Park Avenue’s new green grocer is already expanding–along with its offerings. Cookbook now occupies the storefront next door, former site of Ladyboy shoe boutique.

Completely gutted and renovated, the clean, minimalist space is currently home to a retail corner that consists of a few shelves of fresh plant starters–just in time for spring gardening.

More importantly, the new space is where Cookbook now holds classes, tastings and teachings.  The first classes were held on Saturday, May 7: “Kitchen Garden Basics” (two hours, $65), and “Grow Delicious Tomatoes” (one hour, $25).

“Kitchen Garden Basics” includes a copy of Homegrown: A Growing Guide for Creating a Cook's Garden, written by Cookbook owner Marta Teegan, and will be held again on May 14 from 10 a.m. to noon. The tomato class will be repeated on May 21 from 1 to 2 p.m.

A “Container Gardening” class will also be held on May 21 from 10 a.m. to noon ($65). All classes are limited to 10 people. To sign up, email marta@cookbookla.com and indicate which class you’re interested in.

Beyond May, the varied offerings will include everything from still-life painting courses to food history lessons, a cheese series and more. Starting in the fall, Cookbook’s new space will be home to a retail area for kitchenware.

Also expanding its footprint, Silver Lake's Café Stella is set to double its dining space at Sunset Junction. The Eastsider LA reports that the charming French bistro will be taking over the adjacent storefront currently occupied by Driftwood, a shop that specializes in new and vintage clothing and accessories.

The expansion will take the beloved bistro from around 900 square feet, with space to seat up to 50 diners, to more than 2,500 square feet, with seating for nearly 100. The exact timing of the expansion is unknown, but Driftwood will remain open until the transition occurs.

While Café Stella’s menu will stay the same, owner Gareth Kantner is seeking to expand the drink menu to include liquor. Kantner has applied to upgrade the bistro’s beer and wine license, but the public hearing has yet to occur.

Kantner and his wife Christine also recently purchased ¾ acre of property in Echo Park at the corner of Avon and Baxter streets--by the Baxter stairs--which they plan to turn into a community farm.

In addition to farming the land to supply Café Stella with seasonal produce, Red Star Farms (named for Stella’s logo) will include anywhere from 10 to 20 12-by-12 foot gardening plots that will be available for rent. The fees, which Kantner estimates will be around $100 a month, will be used to maintain the property and pay property tax.

Early plans for the space also include olive trees and a public deck at the top of the property. Still 90 days from escrow on the land, local residents will have to wait awhile for this exciting new addition to the neighborhood.