June 27, 2008
June 04, 2008
Pretty Pantry Gifts
At the bookstore last night, I spied this neat kit:
"Pretty Pantry Gifts" includes recipes, cellophane bags, fabric jar toppers, gift tags and other supplies needed to assemble your own batch of homemade jams and sauces.
P.S. The Chronicle ran a great article in last week's Food section about the "fresh wave of home canners."
April 30, 2008
Granola
It's no secret that I don't really cook or bake much. But one of the few things I like making in the kitchen is granola — specifically, Alton Brown's granola. (I have Kim-Anh to thank for bringing this recipe to my attention.) I usually omit the coconuts and substitute the raisins with dried cranberries. Delicious.
P.S. That's the Heath "Coupe" dessert bowl in Persimmon/French Grey. It's the perfect size for snacks, as well as desserts.
April 21, 2008
Coming Soon
Two more reasons to love living in the Peninsula:
- I just overhead someone at Beard Papa mention that Pinkberry is opening its first Northern California location. At Stanford Shopping Center. It probably won't displace Fraiche as my favorite, but I'm looking forward to this opening anyway.
- Sprinkles (!!!) is also opening at Stanford. This summer.
I gave up on the whole personal trainer thing. But with Sprinkles opening soon, I may have to get back on that.
March 05, 2008
Let's Hear It for the Girls
Make that: the Girl Scout Cookies. The Tagalongs were once my absolute favorites, especially frozen. But they have now been replaced by the Lemon Chalet Cremes. They are best eaten as follows: Separate the sandwich-style cookie (like you would an Oreo) and eat only the biscuit that is topped with the yummy lemon creme.
The other biscuit, now lacking any creme? In our house, that goes to Jon. Because this is how a partnership works, people.
February 11, 2008
Weekend Notes
If Jon would allow us to, we would be eating out seven nights a week. I'm just not one of those people who finds cooking to be enjoyable, relaxing, cathartic, etc. I have tried and tried, but it just feels like work to me. And I already do enough of that during the daytime.
So any weekend that involves good meals out = a good weekend to me. Some of the highlights from the past 2-3 days:
- Post-dinner yogurt at Fraiche on Friday and Saturday. No, I'm not addicted. But close.
- A gigantic bowl of Vietnamese porridge for breakfast on Saturday from Out the Door. It had been ages since I'd last enjoyed this classic comfort food. (My mom used to make it a lot when we were growing up.)
- Donuts and a Dutch pancake from Citizen Cake just a few hours later.
- Saturday night dinner at a new-to-us restaurant: Mantra.
- I was jonesing for some of their spicy deviled eggs, so we went to the Dutch Goose last night.
As if all of the above yumminess wasn't enough, we also snacked on all sorts of Miette treats throughout the weekend.
Yes, it's a good thing we're both seeing a personal trainer these days.
February 04, 2008
Super Weekend
- Friday night, I dragged Jon up to SF for a delicious dinner at Farina. The sweet fried milk dessert that I love so much was not on the menu. But what's that they say about asking and receiving? Our server checked with the pastry chef and they whipped up a plate just like that. After dinner, I checked out the Something's Hiding in Here show opening at Rare Device. (Of course, I couldn't walk away empty-handed: I picked up a music box and a plaster heart.)
- On Saturday morning, I had my first official work-out with the personal trainer. And I am happy to report that, nearly 48 hours later, there is no soreness. But I guess that means the next work-out will be a little tougher. Jon rewarded me with a yummy lunch at Chris's Fish & Chips afterwards. (The trainer said I could eat whatever I want as long as I continue to see him.) That night, since Jon was craving a good burger, we went to one of my favorite restaurants: The Village Pub. Usually, I have a hard time resisting their beignets and chocolate soufflé. But we decided to try the apple crisp and carmelized banana/chocolate tart on Saturday night. Both were SO GOOD. I also liked the little Staub mini-dish that the crisp was served in.
- Sunday morning, we started the day with a trip to Fraiche for some fresh yogurt (I like the frozen better) and Blue Bottle coffee. Yum. Then we tried not to eat much the rest of the morning/afternoon, in preparation for a Super Bowl gathering at my sister's house. The fourth quarter of the game? Daaaamn. I love watching that Manning escape/Tyree over-the-head catch — and I must've at least two dozen times last night in the post-game wrap-up shows. (Jon is from NY, so we were rooting for the Giants. Besides, doesn't everyone love an underdog?) I wasn't that impressed with the Super Bowl ads though. There were only a handful that I thought were clever or funny.
And now I've got a case of the Mondays.
January 17, 2008
Old Port Lobster Shack
How did it get to be so long since our last visit to this place? So long, that since Jon and I last dined at the Redwood City location, they've opened up two more establishments — one in San Francisco (North Beach), the other in Napa. Now, no matter where you live in the Bay Area, there's no excuse not to try this place! Jon eats here even though he doesn't usually eat shellfish (let alone shellfish in a strip mall restaurant).
We went last night and the Lobster Rolls are just as good as we remembered. We ordered way too much food, but everything was so tasty ... the fish'n'chips, the New England clam chowder, the fried oysters, the blueberry pie ... Okay, we had to order the dessert to go.
And I have to say, it tickles me to see the little ol' review from my deeply neglected food blog on their "Reviews" page.
January 14, 2008
Restaurant Recommendations
This weekend, we visited two new-to-us restaurants:
• jZCool Eatery and Wine Bar, Menlo Park
Jon and I are big fans of Jesse Ziff Cool's Flea St. Cafe. So when we heard that she had revamped her downtown MP outpost, we had to check it out. The food was delicious, especially the blood orange angel food cake. I thought the jazz band was good, but could do without the live music. In such a small space, it was super-loud and made any dinner conversation a real struggle. So we'll definitely return, but not on a Wed-Friday night.
• Pizzeria Picco, Larkspur
Really yummy Neapolitan-style pizza. We shared one at the restaurant ("Seven") and took home several flash-frozen ones as well. Kinda cool that most of the pizzas are named after cycling companies. There's not much indoor seating — less than a dozen — but thankfully, there are tables and heat lamps outside. Be sure to leave room for the soft-serve! Jon loved the texture, but could do without the olive oil and sea salt toppings that I ordered. I thought it was tasty, but probably don't need to try that again. They also have more traditional toppings, like hot fudge and caramel.
December 14, 2007
Fraiche vs. Pinkberry
So last month, while in NYC, my sister and I ate at a couple of restaurants we know and love. We also made it a point to try two new-to-us places: Billy's Bakery and Pinkberry. The latter has amassed quite a following all over NY and Southern California. But for some reason, there are no locations in Northern California. Thankfully though, we have Fraiche. (Or at least Palo Alto does.)
We popped in last night after dinner at La Bodeguita del Medio (which is awesome, by the way) so I could do a comparison between Fraiche and Pinkberry. I even ordered the same toppings: diced strawberries and mangoes. The verdict: I prefer Fraiche because it's not quite as tart as Pinkberry. Plus Fraiche carries Blue Bottle Coffee — extra points for that.
October 26, 2007
Rare Device Debrief
Wow. Those ladies at Rare Device sure know how to throw a party! It was so fun and so crowded, I did not take a single photo. (Sorry!) I seriously don't know if I could even reach into my purse for my camera. I certainly would have only gotten a shot of the back of someone's head. The room was packed, I tell you. I'm pleased I finally got to meet so many people whose names and writing I've become so familiar with on the Internet. And I'm looking forward to many return trips to RD so I can fully appreciate the great artwork and merchandise that Lisa and Rena have assembled. (There's one Kelly Lynn Jones piece in particular that I can't get out of my mind!)
So how do you follow up a super party like that? Head over to Farina for dinner. Evo, my dining companion, mentioned that the restaurant had undergone a $5 million renovation. Insane, right? It is quite a cool space though (used to be Anna's Danish Cookies). And I love the penny-round tiles in the bathroom. In addition to spending a bit of time checking out all of the details in the space, we did enjoy a wonderful meal. The highlight was dessert. Not that the other two courses weren't tasty. It's just that the desserts were divine: Sweet. Milk. Fritters. They were sooo good. And the panna cotta with strawberry coulis ... mmmm.
P.S. Last night, in addition to picking up some items at Rare Device, I made a quick shopping trip to The Curiosity Shoppe. This weekend, I'll try to photograph some of my new goodies so I can share (not all of it is on the stores' web sites yet).
October 22, 2007
My Last Supper
Photographer Melanie Dunea has a new book out called My Last Supper: 50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals. What a cool idea! So cool, I thought I'd open this one up to comments.
Tell me, please — what would you order for your last meal?
I think I'd opt for the tomato soup with puff pastry from Bistro Jeanty, followed by Ladurée macarons in every possible flavor.
September 30, 2007
The Ladies Pie Society
Today's Oregonian includes an article about the Ladies Pie Society at Reed College:
Bakers navigate an obstacle course of 50-pound flour and sugar bags, industrial-sized tubs of Crisco and half-empty beer bottles. Six pumpkin pies waft autumn into this Southeast Portland home; seven peach-apricots wait their turn. A couple of dozen young adults chat about summer internships and reminisce about holiday cooking adventures, over the thump of hip-hop from the stereo.This evening seems to be another success for the Ladies Pie Society, a wacky philanthropy of twentysomethings who give away pie — just because.
What a cool idea. You can read the rest of the story right here.
September 27, 2007
While We're On the Topic ...
Of food blogs with lovely photography: Athena has started documenting her meals! Check out Athena Eats for pretty pictures like these:
Oh, and she also includes recipes. Nice.
Simply Breakfast Blog
I know I've mentioned the SBB before, but I just need to say: I am so envious of people who can style and snap such wonderful photos. I am a horrible photographer. Seriously bad.
The only problem with clicking over to SBB every morning is that it makes me wish I was at home cooking up a yummy breakfast like this:
Image: Tuesday's post on the Simply Breakfast Blog
September 25, 2007
French Fries
Today's "Between Meals" post covers a topic that is dear to me: french fries. Check out Chron Food Editor Michael Bauer's top picks in the Bay Area:
Best thick fries: Nopa, which also uses the Kennebec potatoes and make the best thick-cut fries I've tasted.Best flavored fries: The Parmesan truffle fries at Bungalow 44 in Mill Valley.
Best fries with non-traditional accompaniments: Cortez,where the stellar fries are accompanied by both harissa and a za'atar spiced aioli.
Best fries with "everything": The thin fries at Absinthe stacked in a cone and served with aioli, mustard, malt vinegar and ketchup.
Best double-wide fries:The thin ribbons served at Cesar in Berkeley.
Best "mussel" fries with mussels: Plouf's version can't be beat, with or without the shelfish.
Best duck fat fries: Boca in Novato.
I don't like thick-cut fries and haven't tried the restaurants in Marin County, but I totally agree with his other assessments. If there was just a plain ol' "best fries" category, I would go with Absinthe.
July 17, 2007
Pop Quiz
Any guesses as to which hip dining establishment is shown below?
This is the McDonald's just off Pushkin Square in Moscow. I'm slightly embarassed to admit that our first meal in Russia was here. But isn't it THE nicest McDonald's you've ever laid eyes on?
Let me back up a bit and explain: Our flight landed in Moscow at 6pm and we had 8:30 reservations that evening at a perfectly good restaurant (Turandot). We took our position in one of the half dozen or so passport lines and were fairly confident we'd be able to get out of the airport, check into our hotel, change our attire, and walk from the hotel to the restaurant in 2.5 hours.
We were wrong. The passport control area became insanely busy as more flights arrived. And what did the powers that be decide to do? SHUT DOWN two lines. Seriously. "Welcome to Russia!" people joked. But no one was laughing. Especially those poor people who were in the two lines that were suddenly closed. And yes, two of those poor people were named Jon and Anh-Minh.
Two hours into the experience, we finally got to The Booth. The lady in The Booth seemed to have a problem with my passport, as she motioned for me to step back and wait. And that was all the information I was given for the next 20 minutes. (At least Jon got through without incident and was able to secure our luggage.) My mystery situation was eventually resolved, so we went off to meet our car service. Which was no where to be found. One story was that the driver went to the car to get something and would be back soon. Another story was that he gave up on us and left and was stuck in traffic and wasn't sure how long it would take for him to return. We finally connected with him (after $40 worth of cell phone calls!) around 9pm.
Which meant that 8:30 dinner wasn't happening.
By the time we checked in and the hotel did whatever 30-minute thing they needed to do with our passports, we were starving. In the car ride between the airport and hotel, we had spotted a McDonald's. And we knew for sure that, no matter what language the person behind the counter spoke, s/he would understand a few magical words: Happy Meal. Big Mac.
So at 11pm, we walked into the very crowded McDonald's and had ourselves a good ol' American fast food meal.
Welcome to Russia!
P.S. In the photo above, there are no lines at the registers because this is one of two register areas in this McDonald's. The other set of registers was packed, even though the restaurant was closing at 11:30pm.
July 10, 2007
Snacks of Europe
Roast chicken flavored chips. Or flame-grilled steak chips. Is that something you might be interested in? (These were found in a St. Andrew's-area grocery store.)
In Bucharest, apparently they prefer their chips to taste like original bacon or paprika. (The latter, by the way, are like a mild-flavored BBQ.)
Speaking of flavors! Check out my $20 worth of Ladurée macaroons: salted butter caramel, raspberry, vanilla, chocolate, rose petal, icy mint, pistachio and lemon.
And here's me with the "twin scoops" of ice cream mentioned in my previous post:
March 23, 2007
Taste Test
I love perusing Trader Joe's snack aisles. Recently, I came across the dried versions of two fruits that I'm more accustomed to seeing in the Asian supermarkets: lychee and dragonfruit.
The Verdict: The dragonfruit is disgusting. Like, spit-it-out-right-away and wash-it-down-with-eight-ounces-of-water disgusting. The lychee, however, is delicious. Sweet, delicate and fragant, it's such a nice snack to dig into when I get home from work. Of course, it's not as refreshing as fresh lychees, but pair a handful with a pot of tea, and I'm good.
November 20, 2006
Brownie Points
Amai Bakery — makers of the delicious Tea Sweets that I cannot get enough of — is now offering Botanical Brownies! And, as of last week, you can buy directly from Amai's web site, instead of tracking down their goods through various other outlets (as I have been known to do).
I'm also looking forward to the Champagne Brownies being available again this December, as I missed out on those last year.
November 03, 2006
Tea Time
I do not like the smell of rain, nor do I enjoy driving on slick roads. But I do like that rain makes for perfect tea weather. And one of my favorite souvenirs from last fall's trip to Tokyo is this insert tea strainer:
October 23, 2006
Current Food Obsession: Polenta
Meg and I met up for brunch yesterday at Citizen Cake, and now I can't get their creamy polenta off of my mind! It was served hot in a bowl — topped with melted white cheddar, a soft egg yolk, and scallions. Three crispy strips of bacon were on the side.
Now I'm thinkin' I need to get myself an egg separator so I can start replicating this dish at home. I like this Typhoon one, but it's currently out of stock. Shooot!