“As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea taste and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell and washed it down with the crisp taste of the wine, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans.” -Ernest Hemingway -’A Moveable Feast’
One of my favorite stops when I am in the Bay Area is the Hog Island Oyster Company for a dozen of their plump, sweet oysters. They have two oyster bars, one at the Ferry Building in San Francisco and a newer location at the Oxbow Market in Napa, as well as a picnic location at Tomales Bay where they are harvested. They offer oysters grilled, baked and fried as well as clam chowder and oyster po’boys but I prefer them plain and on the half shell. Not even a squeeze of lemon to get in the way of their briny deliciousness. (more…)
The food memories that tend to stay with us are often the most elemental, like the smell of fresh baked bread or the taste of raspberries still warm from the sun. What makes these tastes and smells so elemental is how close they are to the source. The meal that I had with my family today was as close to the source as you can get. On the recommendation of a friend we headed to Barra de Potosi, a mostly undeveloped beach about 45 minutes from Zihuatanejo. Like most good adventures, this one involved a bit of getting lost, a few dirt roads and a bumpy ride. All of which made our first view of the 22 kilometer long white sand beach that much more amazing. (more…)
My family and I have just arrived in Zihuatanejo on the Pacific Coast of Mexico to celebrate my dad’s retirement and enjoy a family vacation. After 35 years of working as a chef in his restaurant, he is ready to let someone else do the cooking for a change. Which is exactly what brings us to Restaurante Mexicano ‘Any’ in the historic center of Zihuatenejo. I have to say that my family, having lived most of our lives in the restaurant, is an adventurous bunch with high expectations for good food. Our first taste of pozole did not disappoint. An enormous platter with a giant bowl of soup in the middle was served surrounded by all of the pozole ‘toppings’. The traditional toppings are lime, ground oregano, jalapenos, finely chopped onions, avocado, radishes, sliced cabbage, chicharrones (fried pork skin) and chiles but this can vary from region to region. (more…)
One of my all time favorite books is “Like Water for Chocolate” by Laura Esquivel. Its a love story, written more like a cookbook, with luscious Mexican recipes at the beginning of each chapter. Forbidden to marry the love of her life, the main character Tita expresses her love and sensuality through food. Through cooking, she is able to communicate her desire, her dreams, her creativity and her longing for Roberto. In one of my favorite chapters she creates a ‘mole’ using ingredients like chocolate, chiles and cinnamon. While blending the spices, she thinks of her beloved and they exchange a smoldering glance in the kitchen. The magic of that moment and the passion of her thoughts work their way into the flavor of the dish. One by one, each person at the table, overcome by the the ’secret ingredient’ of Tita’s passionate thoughts, leaves the table in a hurry. For Roberto, each bite that he takes is like a secret gift from Tita that conveys all of her sensuality and repressed love. This book always reminds me of the power of food to communicate love, to comfort us when we are down and to tap into all of our sensual desires. (more…)
For those of you who don’t speak Russian (including me!) ‘На здоровье’ means ‘Cheers’ and is pronounced ‘na zda-rov’-ye’. By far the most important word to learn before a trip to Russia. And that’s me (above) practicing my toasting skills during intermission at the ballet. What follows is my ‘toast’ to Russia. A list of some of the foodie finds and new culinary discoveries that I will miss when I am home. (more…)
On our first evening in Moscow, we discovered the Esenin Cafe, which we stumbled on by accident near our hotel. This charming and cozy restaurant is named after a Russian poet, Sergei Yesenin, and features fairly inexpensive and traditional Russian fare and live music. It turned out to be our favorite restaurant in Russia and would be worth a return trip to Moscow just to spend a few more evenings there. Since we were in Russia and since most of the tables around us had carafes of vodka on the table, the first order of the night seemed to be ordering a shot of vodka. Along with the icy shot of vodka came a complimentary shot of a currant infused vodka for each of us….another example of Russian hospitality in action! (more…)
It is hard not to fall in love with Russia. All of the preconceived notions I had of Dr. Zhivago-esque romance were, actually, quite true. It was as glamourous and intriguing and complex as I had imagined. What I wasn’t prepared for was the incredible warmth and hospitality of the Russian people. I had planned this trip with my mom, who has always been fascinated by Russian history, from the Tsars to the Russian Revolution. The plan was to spend a few days in Moscow, and the majority of our time in St. Petersburg. (more…)
Tarragon, like all fresh herbs, have the ability to transform something as simple as roast chicken into something sublime. It also has lots of health benefits, from helping digestion to helping to prevent heart disease. This easy recipe is a great one to enjoy with friends or family….the perfect fall feast! (more…)
The last night at Peppino’s….my dad hard at work in the kitchen!
My family’s restaurant, Peppino’s, opened in 1974 on State Street. I grew up in the kitchen, surrounded by the smell of onions sauteeing in butter and the sound of garlic being chopped. As a little girl, I would peek out from behind a refrigerator (trying to stay out of the way of pots and pans) and, mesmerized, watch my parents turn out dish after lovely dish of food for our customers. My sister and I would play hide and seek behind crates of lemons in the walk-in cooler until our mom would give us some task, like peeling garlic, to keep us busy. My memories of the restaurant are incredibly important to me and I can’t imagine my life without those tastes and smells and sounds. In late December, after 35 years, my father will be retiring. While I am happy to see him have more time to relax with his wife, I will admit that I am more than a little nostalgic and sad to see Peppino’s close it’s doors. (more…)
I just saw the ultimate ‘foodie’ movie (and one of the most uplifting movies I have seen in a long time), Julie & Julia. If you haven’t seen the trailer, it is the story of Julia Child’s journey to become a chef and Julie Powell’s year blogging and cooking her way through 524 Julia Child recipes. I loved the fact that it made me want to run out immediately afterwards and cook a chocolate souffle. I loved the long drawn out shots of Sole Meunier sauteeing in loads and loads of butter. I loved the close-up shots of Bouef Bourguignon simmering in a pot on the stove. But I digress. What I loved most was the message. (more…)
