spicetart

Fresh Cheese in Action

So Tuesday I wrote about my visit to Point Reyes, and Biggles wrote about his heathen adventures in the sand with chicken, but what would a trip to Point Reyes be without a stop at Cowgirl Creamery? Just off of main street in Point Reyes Station, Cowgirl Creamery is in a beautiful, old renovated barn. Part of the Tomales Bay Foods group (a cool history of their beginnings in 1993 is here), Cowgirl Creamery consists of their cheese making facility and cheese counter, and shares the barn space with a natural fabric clothing boutique, an organic produce stand, and a healthy foods deli. The main attraction is easily the windows that overlook the cheese makers doing their thang. We got their just in time to see the process from curds to, um, cheese formed things. Just see the pictures.

My favorite of their cheeses is the Mt. Tam, I could easily put away the whole thing in a sitting.  It's a smooth and buttery triple-cream cheese that just melts in your mouth.  I've also tried the award winning Red Hawk and decided that I am not quite at the advanced cheese tasting level to enjoy this cheese.  It's a washed-rind cheese so it's got that -WOW- that's a kicker of a cheese, yeah!  They call it "fully-flavored" - can't argue with that assessment at all. Red Hawk won Best-In-Show at the American Cheese Society's Annual Conference in 2003.  Impressive.  Go pay 'em a visit.

COWGIRL CREAMERY AT TOMALES BAY FOODS
80 Fourth Street
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956
Phone (415) 663-9335

You can also find Cowgirl Creamery cheeses at their store front in the Ferry Building and at Whole Foods, Draegers, the Pasta Shop and probably at Andronicos.

Food gnus is good gnus

Lots of decent food news in today's San Jose Mercury News.  You need to register to view anything, you decide if it's worth it.  A few tidbits:

• Another breakdown of the confusing and somewhat useless new food pyramid, with some recipes as examples of what to eat and how to do it.  I'm going to choose clean living and constant prayer over the pyramid.
• Santa Cruz Mountain Pinot Noirs are getting more well-deserved love from the masses.  That's good news to me, I'm a big fan of Byington, Kathryn Kennedy and Thomas Fogarty.
• Competitive cooking shows have exploded all over the networks:

1. "Cooking Under Fire", which features 12 contestants looking to become the next American Idol  New Top Model  get a job with Todd English in New York, it starts tonight at 8:00 on PBS (KQED)
2. "The Million Dollar Recipe" about the 2004 Pillsbury Bake-Off, Monday May 2, 8:00 on Bravo
3. "Food Network Challenge", which features the "best" chefs in various food specialties competing for the title of "best", the Merc says this starts May 22, but it's already on, so I don't know.
4. "Hells Kitchen" hosted by the scary Gordon Ramsay, tests chefs' skills while verbally abusing them.  Sounds good and you know it must be on Fox if someone is crying on a reality show, May 30, 9:00.

• Healthy Handfuls is a great company in Grass Valley that are making certified organic wholesome treats with none of the toxic poison (trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, preservatives).  And perfect for midgets (kids) cause they make cookies shaped like critters.
• Local chef David Cohen of Willow Street Pizzeria won the first ever Italian Chef Wars in Las Vegas this month.  He's not Italian so I'm skeptical about the title, and his stiffest competition was from Winnipeg, Manitoba. I guess it makes sense since it was sponsored by two industry magazines, Pizza Today from the U.S. and Canadian Pizza.  There's a whole magazine called "Canadian Pizza"?  Hmmm.....

Flowers and Pie

What do you do after a 5-mile wildflower hike down to the ocean and back? Well, you eat pie of course. Actually, a bacon cheeseburger, a Boont Amber and then pie. Hunting for wildflowers really works up an appetite. Or was it the mile practically straight UP, through bogs and marshes with squishy mud and wet socks? Ah, the natural beauty of Point Reyes is not to be compared. That fresh ocean air gets all the juices flowing, and meat and sugar is a well-deserved reward.

The Station House Cafe is along the main strip in Point Reyes Station, and, from the outside, looks like a regular small-town diner. But entering through the lush backyard, you see that this is not your typical restaurant. The menu is full of the normal lunch fare, hamburgers, sandwiches, and salads, but also includes a variety of oysters, steamed mussels, spanikopita and meatloaf. The menu actually made it hard to choose. Another plus for the Station House is that their beef, pork, and lamb is from Niman Ranch, their chicken are fresh Rocky or Rosie chickens, their bread is La Brea Bakery bread baked fresh every day, and they bake corn bread and popovers throughout the day. They also have an organic garden in the back. All these things meant I didn't want to leave until I had tried everything on the menu. Alas, I chose a bacon cheeseburger (I mean it had a whole wheat bun, how could I NOT choose that?) It came with country fries, which I'm not a huge fan of, so I got my usual, salad on the side with vinaigrette.

You know how every now and then you have one of those food moments, when the thing you are eating becomes the center of your sensual universe and all of your senses are focused on the wonder of this one thing? Yeah, it was like that. Perfect, thick bacon, perfect burger, and perfectly accompanied by pickles (a necessity). It's now in my top 5 best hamburgers ever.

And what is a delicious hamburger without pie? Triple Berry Pie with Straus Whipped Cream.  I was in heaven, this flaky, dense, tart pie was a symphony of flavors, and I don't even really have a sweet tooth.  You must order this when you go.  Or the butterscotch pudding, I think I'll have to try that next time.

The Station House Café
11180 State Route One (Main Street)
Point Reyes Station, California 94956
415.663.1515

When Tequila Is Food

Ok, so nobody specifically said that Is My Blog Burning had to be a food. Or did they? I didn't read the details on purpose. I do know that IMBB #14 is about the color orange. And if need be, I can certainly argue the merits that Mango and Orange Margaritas are, indeed, food. Here goes:

1) Mangoes. Mangoes are a fruit and are indeed orange, they qualify as food, so right there, I got it sealed. Plus, mangoes are chock full of nutritiony goodness, like most orange foods, they contain vitamins A and C, and moderate amounts of calcium and potassium. See, four whole types of vitamins and we haven't even gotten to the orange yet.

2) Oranges. Oranges are also a fruit and are, duh, orange, and are also a food. Vitamin-wise, it's all good, with lots-o-Vitamin C, some folate and cancer-fighting superpowers. Interestingly, mangoes are actually a better source of Vitamin C as they contain almost twice what the orange does. Still, oranges are food, so I'm two-for-two.

3) Limes. Limes are totally food, everybody knows that, and even if they aren't orange, I already got orange covered (see 1 and 2). Limes rock because they make food taste better, and like other citrus fruit (see 2) are a good source for Vitamin C and phyto-chemicals. Sweet. Three-for-three.

4) Cazadores Tequila - Yum, cactus! Ok, blue agave is not orange (see 1 and 2) but some folks actually eat cacti, so I can almost qualify Tequila as food...Ok, still, three-out-of-four isn't terrible.

5) Grand Marnier - Hellloooo? Can you say "orange liqueur"? Totally food. Ok, so current score: food = 4, non-food = only one silly little one.

6) Ice. Ice is neither food nor orange, I'm not going to try to fool you. But water is the essence of life (and air and some other stuff) and is awfully important, so let's just call ice neutral, shall we?

Final score: Food = 4, Non-food = I can't remember, maybe one, Neutral = one.

So enjoy this very ORANGEY and very FOOD FILLED Mango and Orange Margarita.

A cup of frozen mango
1/2 cup ORANGE juice
Juice of one lime
4 ounces of Cazadores Tequila
2 ounces of Grand Marnier (Cointreau, Citronnage, or any other Triple Sec can be used)
A couple handfuls of ice

Put everything in a blender and, well, blend. Until margarita-ey. Lime slice to garnish. Then eat.

What am I doing?

I have no idea.  The lady at the Riverdog Farms stand at the Berkeley farmers' market said that this was a variety of radicchio, so even though it looks like plain old lettuce, it's really a much hardier and MUCH more bitter green.  It definitely deserved to be cooked.  It deserved to be cooked and eaten and it deserved to taste good.  So I treated it bad, so so bad.  Olive oil in a hot pan, funny radicchio variety in the olive oil, salt and pepper on top, swirl it around a bit, and then add some good chicken stock and braise for about 15 minutes with the lid tightly on.  Conclusion: Good but VERY bitter, could probably have used a chopping before braising.  Trying to braise these bad boys whole was really out there.  Crazy. I'm wild like that.

Riverdog Farms
At the Berkeley Farmers' Markets on Saturdays at Center & MLK and on Tuesdays at Derby & MLK

Plate-licking Strawberries

My mother will be so happy to know that, despite my incredible sweet tooth as a child, and despite having spent all my allowance on as many candy bars, Jolly Rancher sticks and Laffy Taffy that I could afford, and despite me turning my nose up at fruit offered as dessert in foot-stomping refusal, despite all that, I often eat fruit for dessert.  If there is no ice cream in the house.  So for Sugar High Friday #7: Molasses, hosted by Derrick over at An Obsession With Food, I settled on fruit, but better. 

Strawberry season hits like a bang, the rows at the farmer's market sporting that ripe scent, and I knew my basket wouldn't last another day.  I used to eat strawberries dipped in white sugar, crunchy and sweet, strawberries were a sugar delivery vehicle.  I graduated to dipping strawberries in chocolate and, when chocolate was not available, sour cream sweetened with vanilla and sugar.  Sour cream with molasses instead of sugar seemed a logical step.  Epicurious apparently already stole my idea 10 years ago, so this is not an original recipe, although I thought it was when I made it.

Strawberries Bathed in Molasses Sour Cream
You can follow the Epicurious recipe or do what I did

Strawberries, cleaned, hulled, halved or quartered
Sour cream
Molasses
Vanilla

Put some sour cream in a bowl, as much as you want. Add a bit of vanilla.  Add some molasses, probably a tablespoon or so at a time until is tastes just right.  Mix well.  Slowly drizzle some molasses on top so you can take a fancy picture and your entry for Sugar High Friday looks tight. Eats.  Lick bowl.  Serves 1-4 depending on your gluttony level.

Farmers Storm Montclair Village

You know a town has come into its own when they have a farmer's market there.  Right?  I mean that tells you  people have made this place a home and a destination spot.  I was excited to hear that my hometown, Montclair, which resides in my bigger hometown Oakland, is starting a Farmer's Market May 1 right there in downtown Montclair Village (3 blocks long, 5 blocks wide).  I cried when the evil trio Starbucks, Noahs Bagels and Jamba Juice came to town, and when Icehouse and the original Colonial Donuts closed down, but I'm happy about the arrival of the new Farmer's Market.  Welcome farmers!  Don't let the yuppies scare you away!

Montclair Village Farmer's Market
Sundays from 9 am to 1 pm
On La Salle Ave between Mountain Blvd. and Moraga Ave.
MAP

And the beet goes on

I am sure they have been doing it for centuries, "they" being either people without food coloring or people who hate food coloring and "it" being coloring things with beet juice.  Fabrics and paints were dyed naturally by the Egyptians and Chinese, and right here in America, betalain is produced from a specially bred "high pigment beet" to be used as a natural food dye in the food industry.

I have accidentally "dyed" many things with beet juice, towels, tile grout, carpets, but had yet to use it for coloring something on purpose.  So when I was recently in the throws of pickling some beets, it occurred to me that they could be used to liven up the butter-cream frosting that was at that very moment being whipped up in my Kitchen Aid.  I did a quick test by squeezing a handful of beets skins into a tiny bowl with a tablespoon of frosting.  This resulted in a beautiful, soft pink and no beet flavor which was exactly what I wanted for the cupcakes Chris was making (yep, and he makes the best cupcakes on the planet).  So I squeezed away (squozed? squeezeded?), and whipped away until we got the perfect color.  What simple pleasure I get out of this discovery, to be able to use a food I love to naturally enhance the beauty of another food I love makes me giddy.  No, I'm not totally nuts.  I just have this crazy thing about beets.

New Food Reviews

I visit McSweeneys site regularly, chock full of witty banter and news of the current and interesting in writing.  Today I see that Reviews of New Foods is updated.  Pages and pages to scroll through, I already have a few favorite reviews, such as

Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper
Submitted by Pat Roath

"Aside from its having far too many syllables for a soft drink, my skepticism toward the new Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper began when someone informed me that "it probably won't make you vomit"...

and

Reese's Pieces Peanuts & Peanut Butter With Nuts!
Submitted by Eric Black

"See where you say "Limited Edition" in your upper left corner? You're just playing on my fear of scarcity. There's really nothing limited about you at all, but here I am, falling for your cheap candy-aisle come-on, because I'm suddenly terrified the rest of my life will seem like a long, grim march toward death if I can never have peanuts and peanut butter together in a crunchy candy shell."

and

The Wild Mountain Chicken Sandwich at Wendy's
Submitted by Rachel DuBois

"If anyone ever tells you that you should eat a Wild Mountain Chicken Sandwich from Wendy's, what they really mean is "I secretly hate you and now revenge is mine."

You can also submit your own...

La Fonda: A Finda

It happens every now and then, when you take a chance on that family-style Mexican restaurant that you have driven by a hundred times, you go in, suspiciously look around, take a seat at the bar and two margaritas and some carnitas later, you realize you have discovered a hidden gem.

La Fonda in San Mateo is such a gem.  Family owned and operated, mom, pop, uncle and three adult children, La Fonda is bustling and friendly and serving great, fresh traditional Mexican cuisine.  The vibe is warm and even newcomers like us felt welcome - they have been serving their regulars since 1976.  The people sitting next to us had been coming every Friday night for twenty years.  They order the mole or the enchiladas.

Everyone gets a bowl of soup to start.  It is called bean soup but no beans were to be found.  Brothy with tomato and plenty of cilantro, I suspect that the base is the bean cooking liquid.  And it is delicious, a great precursor of things to come.  My carnitas arrives, Chris ordered the chile verde.  Whole beans, a scoop of guacamole, cabbage salad, fresh tortillas and a pile of hot, salty carnitas.  I was very pleased and set about rolling the pork and beans in the tortillas and munching happily away.  Then I tried Chris's chile verde.  A unique sauce, it was thinner than I was used to and had tomatoes in it which made it red, not the usual tomatillo green.  But what made it different made it incredible.  Did I detect a bit of cinnamon? Allspice? But just a hint, it was perhaps the best chile verde I have ever had.

When in need of comfort food, this is the spot.  Check it out, order some mole while Maureen and Pablo make you feel at home.

La Fonda
2310 South El Camino Real,
San Mateo, CA 94403
650-574-9699

The things you finding surfing the net

I have no idea what this site says or what it is for except to display cappucino foam art - which is apparently a new form of art - I wonder if they do it live, on stage?  There are at least barista contests and champions, just ask Fritz Storm - World Barista Champion.  Just when you think you've seen it all (or at least a lot).  But look at that espresso- two bear-like things hugging! It's lovely and cute and makes me want to draw puppies and kittens in milk foam too.

I'm going home to make butterflies and unicorns out of rice and beans.

The sign said "Restaurant Supplies"

Who could resist buying this lovely egg slicer?  Well, I certainly couldn't, but then again, I can't resist a good, junky kitchen store.  If it has cheap figurines and Christmas lights in the windows, I am compelled to go in.  M.V. Trading Co in San Mateo has everything for your gadgetoholic needs and FOR CHEAP!  I only had 10 minutes to shop, but I am so going back this weekend. 

M.V. Trading Co.
251 3rd Street
San Mateo, CA

Baby Artichokes

Spring time was always a good time growing up because it meant giant artichokes appeared on the dinner table (or TV tray).  Anything that I got to eat with my hands, and scrape on my teeth no less, was a real winner in my book.  Let's face it, artichoke leaves are a butter delivery system (or mayo delivery system for you heathens - snort) and the heart, well, let's just say coagulated cold butter never tasted so good. 

I've also always been a big fan of marinated artichokes, especially with pesto and melted cheese sandwiches, and my pizzas often proudly display a layer of the canned variety.  But not until recently did it occur to me to actually pick out some baby artichokes and explore some fresh possibilities.  So a pound of baby artichokes, some bacon for the fatty goodness, and dandelion greens for a bit of a bite, and I was off to cook these little beasties myself.

Trimming the outer leaves is easy, and after cutting them in half, I made sure to place each tender, exposed choke into acidified water (with lemon) to help prevent browning.  They turned a bit brown anyway, but I cooked them in a vinegar bacon sauce so it didn't really matter.  I love wilted salads with a warm vinegar sauce and used this recipe as a base.  I added a lot more vinegar though, (and way less mustard) it didn't seem like enough dressing for me and I like it with a lot of bite.

A layer of dandelions, a layer of artichokes and the dressing, sprinkled with bacon and egg.  The artichokes were tender and perfect with that characteristic astringent artichoke flavor, and the bacon always adds a nice smoky contrast.  The dandelion greens were beautiful and tasty, though next time I would select some that are a bit less woody and perhaps cut the leaves smaller.  It also could use some shallots in the dressing for that oniony sweetness, but overall, a somewhat healthy and definitely fun way to cook with these spring lovelies.

Incanto's Meat

After the recommendation of numerous people, I paid a visit to Incanto in Noe Valley recently.  I love places like this, slightly off the beaten path, neighborhood patrons, a destination spot.  Before being seated I always enjoy a drink at the bar, it allows me to absorb the atmosphere of a place, to watch the tempo and flow of service and to get a feel for the menu.  I was thrilled with the wine list, mostly Italian and mostly wines that I had never tried, and served by the glass, half-glass, half-liter, as well as themed flights.  This is something I am seeing more and more of, it is great to be able to taste and enjoy a wider variety of wines, especially when you have a many course meal.

The food was good.  Not great though, which surprised me, as Incanto has been compared to A16 (which I love) and Delfina.  Don't get me wrong, it wasn't that we had a bad meal, I just didn't have one of those "Oh My God this is FANTASTIC" meals.  A particular standout, however, was the Antipasto Platter of porchetta, mortadella, country pate, salumi, head cheese & mustard, Tuscan pecorino & roasted garlic.  Not only was this platter beautifully presented, but the porchetta and salami were incredibly flavored and perfect with the pecorino.  The rough, rustic pate was excellent, one of the best I've had.  We split this four ways, but I really just wanted the whole thing for myself.

I will return to Incanto because I believe that this is a great place, and based on the quality of the recommendations, I think it deserves a second chance.  Next time I will try the pork ragu or maybe the hanger steak, but I am definitely going to get the Antipasto again.

Incanto
1550 Church Street
San Francisco, CA
415-641-4500

Best. Bread. Ever.

Do you remember how I went on and on back in December about the bread at Crepe & Brioche?  And how I tracked down the phone number and grilled a poor baker about when they were opening a store front (see update in SF Gate)?  Well I have yet to visit the store BUT their baked breads, cakes, tarts, brioche (der), scones, croissants, muffins, epis baguettes (pictured, best. bread. ever.) and other items of bakery goodness are available at the farmer's market in San Mateo, also at other markets.  It was all I could do to keep myself from jumping over the table and grabbing as much as I could carry and saying "merci" to the French guy that counts in French (show off) and run off maniacally laughing into the hills of the Peninsula to live a happy life on chocolate croissants and walnut bread.  Alas, I bought a baguette and a blueberry scone and left peacefully.  Check it out.

Brioche Bakery
210 Columbus Ave. (near Kearny)
San Francisco
(415) 765- 0412
Open Tuesday-Saturday, hours vary

The vegetables series: No end in sight

Ok, so I lied.  I am just so damned smitten with vegetable right now.  My spring/summer challenge is to cook with vegetables I have either a) never heard of or b) have cooked with before but always cook them the same boring way and so I will cook them differently.  And I will not be afraid.

I went to the San Mateo Farmer's Market on Saturday, and while it is a great little market with all the veggies I cook with weekly, there was nothing different and unusual.  The main reason to go to the Ferry Building is because there is always stuff there that you look at and go "What the hell is that and where did it come from", but in a good way.

Nevertheless, I am going to cook beets and artichokes and spring onions different than I have ever cooked them before.  It's exciting, trust me.

Merguez Two Ways: Second Way

After the success of my eggsellent Merguez Scramble (I'm cracking myself up!), I wanted something a little, ok A LOT, more complicated, to highlight the Merguez's spices and flavors.  And you wondered what the grape leaves were for?  I had made dolmas once before and found them lacking in flavor and texture, which doesn't really leave a lot to lack.  So why not see if I can waste another 6 hours at second attempt at success?

The recipe for the filling was in my Gourmet Cookbook and also here, conveniently calling for Merquez and two of my favorite food ingredients, dill and pinenuts.  I mean, how could I go wrong?  Making the stuffing was easy and could be a good stuffing for cabbage as well.  I would normally omit the currants, seeing as how I am suspicious of sweet things in savory food, but I stuck to the recipe with the confidence that this would be fantastic as is.

Grape leaves come in rolls STUFFED into jars.  Seriously, I could barely get them out.  They needed to be rinsed and then boiled for a few minutes to soften them.

Then, flattening the cooled leaves and using only the leaves that were not torn and that were big enough to roll, away we went.  A heaping tablespoon of filling per grape leaf.

After all the stuffing was used, we layered the dolmas over the rest of the leaves lining a pot and covered with the chicken stock and olive oil.

Cook for about an hour and then cool.  I served them with tomato, cucumber and feta salad with sumac, pita and pickled turnips (which I grew to love from eating at Zankou Chicken).  And while the dolmas looked beautiful, the taste, meh - not great.  Too dry and not wrapped tightly enough.  I must say, I was pretty dissappointed, and will likely NOT attempt dolmas again.  I'll just stick to the ones that I get in restaurants that I love.  At least the tomato salad was good, very very good!  Feta and sumac...mmmmm.

Paper Chef Is Here!

While I am pretty good at following recipes, I for some reason lack food sense and creativity.  Taking a few ingredients and creating a recipe has never been something that I have been able to do with great success.  So up until now, I have avoided the Paper Chef challenges.  The most recent challenge, however, has some of my favorite ingredients, sherry vinegar, goat cheese, prosciutto, green garlic, so I just couldn't resist.  Thanks to Fatemeh for judging (as the gracious former winner) and thanks to Owen for hosting!!!

Chicken Roulade with Sherry Vinegar Sauce

4 chicken breasts
6 oz good goat cheese, softened
1 stalk green garlic
1 T olive oil
4 slices prosciutto
1 cup sherry vinegar
2 cups chicken stock
4 shallots, chopped
2 T butter
salt and fresh pepper

Clean and trim green garlic, then slice in half lengthwise.  Place in small roasting pan and pour over olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast in 300 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until carmel colored.  Cool, dice and then mix with goat cheese.

Pound flat each chicken breast between plastic wrap until about 1/4 inch.  Spread goat cheese mixture over the chicken breasts, but do not go the edges.  Put one piece of prosciutto over goat cheese.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Tuck in sides and start to roll up, using kitchen string or tooth picks to secure the ends.  Melt butter in a skillet and brown the chicken lightly.  Put chicken in small roasting pan in 350 degree oven to finish cooking, about 35 minutes.

When chicken has cooked for 20 minutes, heat the skillet the chicken was cooked in add the shallots, sauteing until softened.  Add vinegar and bring to a boil.  Boil for about 3 minutes and then add the chicken stock.  Boil until is starts to get thick, about 10 minutes, or until it is the desired consistency.  Season to taste.

Remove string or toothpicks from chicken, slice chicken into rounds and drizzle the sauce and shallots over the rounds.  Voila!

Yuzu, revisited

Already described in eloquent detail by Fatemeh and Alice, and previously visited with Alice last month, our revisit to Yuzu last week presented an impossibly detailed and delicious venture into the finest Japanese food I have ever had.  I think I might have to hire Alice to accompany me to all future Japanese food outings; to have someone who knows the food and all it's ingredients and preparation really enhances the dining experience.

My favorite dish of the meal was the Nanban-zuke (literally Nan/Southern Ban/ Barbarian Zuke/Marinaded).  A chilled dish, the snapper was lightly fried and garnished with a mild, sweet pepper, called Shishito, and then it was surrounded by a light soy-vinegar broth.  It was perfectly salty and utterly scrumptious.  Plus it's called Barbarian Zuke which totally rules (for the name origin see the link above).

We were also served an incredible plate of fried karei, that cross-eyed fish known to you and me as flounder, complete with deep-fried skeleton.  While I have eaten, and love, soft-shell crab, eating the deep-fried bones of a fish was a new experience.  And what a tasty skeleton it was, crispy and salty, like potato chips!

Can you say 8 different sakes?  Well, I could if I could remember what they were called and if I could read Japanese.  All I remember is my favorite, Ginban.

Next time you go to a sushi restaurant, I recommend calling ahead if you can and asking for the omakase ("entrusting" or chef's choice).  Let them know any food restrictions you have and then let them prepare a meal for you.  They know what is freshest and they know their specialties.  It is a great way to really enjoy the best that a chef has to offer.

Yuzu Sushi and Grill
54 W. 37th Ave.
San Mateo, CA 94403
(650) 358-0298

Merguez Two Ways: First Way

There are many things in this world that I know very little about.  Merguez sausage is one of those things.  I've heard the word many times but have managed to avoid a Merguez encounter for these many years.  So when at the Made In France warehouse sale in February, I picked up a package to see what they were all about.

Bright red and spicy, Merguez sausage is traditionally from Northern Africa, though is popular in France where it is eaten (among other places) barbecued at street fairs (Note to self: Visit Southern France and eat Merguez sausages barbecued at street fairs).  The Merguez I bought were made with lamb only, no beef, and chili paste, I assume harissa, and NO nitrates/nitrates of any sort (blessed be the nitrate/nitrite free sausage).

I wanted a simple way to serve the Merquez so I took them out of their skins, browned lightly and then scrambled them with some eggs.  Um, yum.  Not too spicy and really lamby, but not in a gamey way, this was an eggsellent (heh) way to really taste the sausage without getting the full effect of the chilis (I'm a wuss).  Not sure that this picture could possibly do it justice.

Next post: It's a doosey, Merguez the second way...

International Food R Us

You know when someone tells you about a fantastic place that is right around the corner from you and you've never even heard of it and you're like, "It can't be all that or else I would have heard of it" and then you go and there's tons of spices and beans and pomegranate molasses and grape leaves and tamarind concentrate and you're all "Woah, it IS all that and more" and you can't believe you hadn't been there once in the past year that you have been working practically next door?

Well, that's what happened when I finally visited the International Food Warehouse a block away from my work.  I had heard on Chowhound that there was a middle-eastern grocery there and so, in search of grape leaves, I went to check it out.  A bag full of sumac, feta, grape leaves, fresh pita, tamarind concentrate and pomegranate molasses later, and I was happy as a clam.  They have tons of dried herbs, breads, cheeses, jarred sauces, canned vegetables and halal meat.  Almost everything is middle eastern inspired, though there are many items that could be found at a fancy grocery.  Check it out. (By the way, they do not sell lunch food, much to my dismay, only groceries).

International Food Warehouse
1684 Gilbreth Road
Burlingame, CA 94010
(650) 692-1450

Beets Me

The last of the vegetable series has arrived!

My love of beets started when my good friend Nova returned from Russia.  She lived with me a bit and, while I was familiar with her and her family's extensive cooking skills, I was wary of her extolling the virtues of the beet.  In my experience, beets were those crinkly cut, sour, mystery-veggie at salad bars.  That was it.  But I decided to at least try it and was instantly smitten.  I became a life long beet fan, it was all beets all the time.  For a while I talked about my love of beets so often that my mother starting cutting out every article and recipe containing any word of a beet.  My collection is many volumes strong.

First, roasteda unpeeled beets in, what else, olive oil, salt, pepper, covered with foil.  They could just be wrapped and roasteda in foil as well.  These ones were small, the size of a large walnut, so they cooked for about 35 minutes.  I don't trim them much because if their skin gets cut they seem to leak all their juice out.  Then, when cooled, the peels just slip off and take all the dirt and stuff with them.

Gorgeous, right?

We ate these with some miso-ginger-lemon marinated chicken and with the beets greens that had been braised in the chicken marinade.  Eating beets and their greens is like injecting my body with Mom Nature, they are so darn good for you.  Check it out.