Inspired by a tin-foil-y, snack-laden, 1960s-ish wonder found in one of his famous vintage slides, history-loving LA entertainer Charles Phoenix took to his kitchen a few years back to recreate the old-school holiday hor d'oeuvre. But it is much more than an hor d'oeuvre. It is a magnificent, mostly edible centerpiece for the coffeetable, a wonder of physics, a get-out-the-Kodak symphony of radishes and cocktail weenies. It will garner you praise, compliments, questions, and probably hugs, should you choose to recreate yourself. It may change the course of your holiday cooking forever, or how you think about food presentation. Is it that magical? We believe it is.
So we salute you, Mr. Phoenix. Not only are your hilarious retro slideshows and fact-y but fun downtown tours a must-do in these parts, but the Astro-Weenie Christmas Tree is a sublime gift to the citizens of your hometown and to the culinary world, or, at the very least, adventurous people who like to experiment with foil, toothpicks, and small, pickled vegetables in their spare time.
