We took my mother-in-law to dinner at The Slanted Door tonight. She's here from Miami, so we did the whole showing-off-the-Ferry Building thing, like we've been living here for more than 5 weeks. But I have to say, it's so nice to be able to take someone to a place with a view and great food.
We took the long way home and drove by the Cliff House to see if we could oogle some seals, but I guess they don't hang out there much anymore. There was a man sitting out in front, panhandling for change, and when I gave him some money he said, "Enjoy your dinner! The lamb is very good."
"Really?" I asked.
"Yeah, and so's the strip steak. They give me food sometimes at the end of the night. The mahi-mahi's good, but I don't recommend the fish and chips. The breading is too oily, and you can tell they use frozen fish."
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Handy, man
This was a busy couple of days because Sunset held it's annual Celebration Weekend bonanza, with 25,000 people descending on the campus to tour the gardens, buy stuff, see cooking demos, walk through the Breeze House (which really is stunning, even standing as it is in a parking lot behind the administrative building), eat, dance, and marinate in the Sunset lifestyle.
I served as MC at the food stage on Sunday afternoon, which means that I introduced the speakers and then asked probing questions like, "So, if folks can't find shiso at their local market, can they substitute mint?"
Jamie Purviance's "Steak 101" class was the hit of the weekend, drawing big crowds and lots of spontaneous applause (a reminder of how much Americans still love their steak). The highlight came when he taught the old poke test trick from cooking school. For those unfamiliar, it's a way of telling how far cooked your meat is by poking it with your index finger. Once you know how a medium-rare steak feels, you'll no longer have to cut into it to check for doneness. And as a handy reference for knowing that medium-rare feel, Jamie held up his right hand. "Feel that fat pad under your thumb?" he says. "That's how rare meat feels. Now touch your index finger to your thumb and feel the fat pad. See how it tightens? That's how medium-rare feels. Touch your middle finger to your thumb; that's medium. Ring finger to thumb is medium-well, and pinkie to thumb is well-done." Choruses of "Ahhh!" and "Howsabout that!" Thunderous applause! Celebration weekend draws to a triumphant close.
I served as MC at the food stage on Sunday afternoon, which means that I introduced the speakers and then asked probing questions like, "So, if folks can't find shiso at their local market, can they substitute mint?"
Jamie Purviance's "Steak 101" class was the hit of the weekend, drawing big crowds and lots of spontaneous applause (a reminder of how much Americans still love their steak). The highlight came when he taught the old poke test trick from cooking school. For those unfamiliar, it's a way of telling how far cooked your meat is by poking it with your index finger. Once you know how a medium-rare steak feels, you'll no longer have to cut into it to check for doneness. And as a handy reference for knowing that medium-rare feel, Jamie held up his right hand. "Feel that fat pad under your thumb?" he says. "That's how rare meat feels. Now touch your index finger to your thumb and feel the fat pad. See how it tightens? That's how medium-rare feels. Touch your middle finger to your thumb; that's medium. Ring finger to thumb is medium-well, and pinkie to thumb is well-done." Choruses of "Ahhh!" and "Howsabout that!" Thunderous applause! Celebration weekend draws to a triumphant close.
Saturday, May 21, 2005
Vines, vines everywhere and lots of wine to drink
Just got back from a trip through Western Sonoma. That place is Eden, Eden, Eden. Especially this time of year when the hills are still green and everything is in bloom. We focused on the western part of the region, hitting towns like Healdsburg and Sebastopol, following the Russian River, and taking in the landscape, which ranges from ocean to primeval forest to big sky rolling hills within just a few miles. Everywhere you turn, there's an apple orchard or a vineyard or a sheep farm, and the markets are bursting with local cheeses, breads, wines, organic strawberries and cherries. Foodie heaven. Plus, Sebastapol is a funky little leftie place with a "Nuclear Free Zone" sign at the town line and a mayor who won on the Green Party ticket.
We had some memorable meals. In Sebastopol, Bistro Bella Vita (8050 Bodega) just opened a few months ago, and though they don't yet have a Web site, they're worth seeking out. Great Cal-Ital food cooked by Manuel Mena, a chef who grew up in the Yucutan. He works some of these flavors into the menu, so if you see any dishes with salsas or moles, try them. Madrona Manor in Healdsburg is housed in a gorgeous Victorian mansion (Bless those 1880s lumber barons). This is a place where I'd love to take my mom for lunch, which, for us, was served on a patio that looks out over the gardens (like many California restaurants, the folks at Madrona grow their own flowers, herbs, and vegetables). Californians are really into composed salads right now and we had a deconstructed Nicoise in which every element was allowed to shine: wild salmon, sweet green beans, creamy fingerlings. Oh, and candied walnuts thanks to our kind and generous sponsors. Finally, we had a terrific dinner at Underwood Bar and Bistro in Graton, which is a one-horse town, Sonoma-style. No traffic lights, but a gourmet shop and a bistro. And Underwood is all about the bistro experience, with a Spanish accent, which means you'll have the perfectly roasted chicken, but with olives and preserved lemon rubbed under the skin, not herbs and butter.
Our tour guide for this chowfest was a wonderful guy named Clark Wolf, who has a home near the Russian River Valley. Clark is a restaurant consultant, pretty much the restaurant consultant in the country right now, and he divides his time between New York and Las Vegas, so he was doing double shots of espresso at every stop. But he's all heart, very generous, and he loves Sonoma. Back in the 70s, he stumbled across a job at one of the first-ever gourmet cheese shops in San Francisco, which means he landed right at the birth of the American food renaissance. And he met all the players, from James Beard to M.F.K. Fisher to Ruth Reichl. More recently, he helped found the Russian River Food and Wine Fest. The first festival took place last September, and this year's fest takes place on September 25. The New York Times has called the Russian River Valley "the new Normandy," and if the festival captures even a slice of the spirit that I saw on this trip, it'll be well worth the traffic on 101 to get there.
We had some memorable meals. In Sebastopol, Bistro Bella Vita (8050 Bodega) just opened a few months ago, and though they don't yet have a Web site, they're worth seeking out. Great Cal-Ital food cooked by Manuel Mena, a chef who grew up in the Yucutan. He works some of these flavors into the menu, so if you see any dishes with salsas or moles, try them. Madrona Manor in Healdsburg is housed in a gorgeous Victorian mansion (Bless those 1880s lumber barons). This is a place where I'd love to take my mom for lunch, which, for us, was served on a patio that looks out over the gardens (like many California restaurants, the folks at Madrona grow their own flowers, herbs, and vegetables). Californians are really into composed salads right now and we had a deconstructed Nicoise in which every element was allowed to shine: wild salmon, sweet green beans, creamy fingerlings. Oh, and candied walnuts thanks to our kind and generous sponsors. Finally, we had a terrific dinner at Underwood Bar and Bistro in Graton, which is a one-horse town, Sonoma-style. No traffic lights, but a gourmet shop and a bistro. And Underwood is all about the bistro experience, with a Spanish accent, which means you'll have the perfectly roasted chicken, but with olives and preserved lemon rubbed under the skin, not herbs and butter.
Our tour guide for this chowfest was a wonderful guy named Clark Wolf, who has a home near the Russian River Valley. Clark is a restaurant consultant, pretty much the restaurant consultant in the country right now, and he divides his time between New York and Las Vegas, so he was doing double shots of espresso at every stop. But he's all heart, very generous, and he loves Sonoma. Back in the 70s, he stumbled across a job at one of the first-ever gourmet cheese shops in San Francisco, which means he landed right at the birth of the American food renaissance. And he met all the players, from James Beard to M.F.K. Fisher to Ruth Reichl. More recently, he helped found the Russian River Food and Wine Fest. The first festival took place last September, and this year's fest takes place on September 25. The New York Times has called the Russian River Valley "the new Normandy," and if the festival captures even a slice of the spirit that I saw on this trip, it'll be well worth the traffic on 101 to get there.
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Where's Bento?
In order to feel at home in a place, you need a good mental map. Otherwise, everything you do is work. Need gas? Gotta find the gas station, then figure out how to get there. When my mental map includes not just a 24-hour pharmacy, a hairdresser, and a dentist, but my favorite bistro, friends-in-town restaurant, and guilty comfort food, I'll know I'm home. So while I fight my way into The Slanted Door, what I really want is to be able to find:
1) A good pizza place that delivers
2) Sushi within walking distance
3) Ice cream within walking distance that's just far enough away
4) A brunch place where you don't have to stand in line
5) Dim Sum, ibid
6) That place you recommend to visitors
7) That place with the young chef who just needs one good review
8) The place with the rice pudding
9) An Indian restaurant with puffy breads
10) The place where you meet friends for drinks
11) The place that becomes "your place."
1) A good pizza place that delivers
2) Sushi within walking distance
3) Ice cream within walking distance that's just far enough away
4) A brunch place where you don't have to stand in line
5) Dim Sum, ibid
6) That place you recommend to visitors
7) That place with the young chef who just needs one good review
8) The place with the rice pudding
9) An Indian restaurant with puffy breads
10) The place where you meet friends for drinks
11) The place that becomes "your place."
The Journey Begins
Actually, the journey began a month ago. The planning began back in January. My husband was offered a book project (I know, his-and-hers sites, ugh.) that would bring him to California for a year. As luck would have it, there was a job out there for me, too. We were a tech writer and a food writer looking for an adventure, and San Francisco opened its doors. We took it as a sign.
So I left one regional magazine and landed at another, and here we are. Now my job is to get out and explore this enormous region and become an authority on food in the West. There's a lot to learn, and I wouldn't mind a little company along the way. I promise not to tell any stories about my cat.
So I left one regional magazine and landed at another, and here we are. Now my job is to get out and explore this enormous region and become an authority on food in the West. There's a lot to learn, and I wouldn't mind a little company along the way. I promise not to tell any stories about my cat.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
