Just off the 110 Freeway, just north of San Pedro, La Española has just about everything a novice paella maker could want (including, on Saturdays, paella).

The party guests have gathered around the operation to watch. Ginnie Donovan is itching to stir. "No, you don't stir it," cautions Esteve. "That makes it mushy.

All of the cool stuff being created at Maker House (formerly known as the Clay Studio) is pretty mind-boggling. The 22,000-square-foot studio serves as both a creative hub and regional resource, ...

The socarrat is the most prized part of any paella, as well as the mark of the paella maker's skill. But, Johnson assures, if you don't get the socarrat just right, the paella will still be delicious.