Every year about this time in San Francisco, pepper lovers in the know eagerly check their CSA’s with the same anticipation as a child peeking into their Christmas stocking, “Is it there?” ”Have my wishes been answered”? What are they looking for? In my case, it was a nondescript small paper bag almost hidden...
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Nice Butcher – “Miss, what sort of chorizo do you want – Spanish, Mexican or Portuguese?” Me – to self ”Oh gosh, I have to choose? Geeze, I thought ordering the sausage would be the easy part of this dish. What are the differences? How do I find out what I need without sounding...
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to explore California. This past weekend my husband bundled me into the car, entirely too early for a race in San Juan Bautista – about two hours drive from San Francisco. I told him I wanted to discover more of this fair state I call home, and he took me at my word. I...
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I had no plans to write about my experience at the Fancy Food Show that recently took place in San Francisco; I intended to incorporate what I discovered in future posts, but after receiving many requests to identify what I tried, I reconsidered. After all, is not food something of an ambassador of a...
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Halloween is fast approaching. I know because I just spent a few days with my niece and I got the details on this much anticipated holiday from her costume (a garden fairy) to the fact that old people do not wear costumes (she’s four). She informed me of this sad fact when I asked...
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For me, paprika and Hungary are the immediate paring that come to mind, followed closely by smoked paprika and Spain. In this case, there is no talk about settling for second best. This spice is stellar. Smoked paprika is an amazing spice that that assertively adds depth and packs flavor to any dish. It...
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I learned my lesson about being hesitant about trying sheep cheese, and eagerly jumped in with both feet to try goat cheese. I was ready to be impressed, and was not disappointed. Goat cheese, with the fresh kind also known as chevre, is made from goat milk. Goat cheese comes in a wide variety of...
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I don’t know about you, but some of my favorite cheeses are made from sheep milk. I love the tanginess it imparts. Growing up in the Midwest, and well versed in the ways of cow’s milk cheese, for my first encounter, I am ashamed to say, I sallied forth with some trepidation, I had...
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Like much of life, fortified wines were born from necessity. In this case, to preserve European wines on long trade voyages in the 16th and 17th centuries. Brandy was added either before or during the fermentation process to stabilize the wines, and improve their shelf life. As might be imagined, traditional wines did not store well in the...
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photo from sfgate.com In preparing a recent post on raw fish, I developed a craving for cerviche, and really who could blame me? Living in San Francisco, there was one restaurant on my radar that I knew could offer me an authentic, or at least close proximally, of the Peruvian cerviche I desired: that restaurant...
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