2/23 Taste of Hawaii at Sub-Zero Showroom

Tropical cocktails

It was a night of island breezes and mai tais despite the pouring rain outside in Burlingame’s striking Sub-Zero & Wolf Showroom. Three of Hawaii’s biggest chefs, Roy Yamaguchi (yes, that Roy of Roy’s restaurants), Alan Wong and D.K. Kodama, plus a mixologist, wine-maker, products (like sweet and spicy Kilauea hot sauce), all came over from the islands, transforming Sub Zero’s kitchens into a Hawaiian luau.

Chef Roy Yamaguchi walks us through a private tasting

Gorgeous leis made from fresh flowers were draped over our necks as we entered. Festivities began with shiso, ginger and elderflower soju-based cocktails, followed by a three-course tasting in a back room before other guests joined us in the main areas. The table was laden with flowers and artistically-presented fish dishes from all three chefs.

I was pleasantly surprised at the range of tastes available… and the high quality. Proud of Hawaii’s recent resurgence in locally grown produce and sustainable, local seafood and animals (they’re even raising Maine lobsters on the islands), everyone from chefs to farm owners (brought together by Hawaii’s Visitors Bureau) talked of Hawaiian grass-fed cows and a new iPhone app, What Chefs Eat, which gives Hawaiian chefs’ recommends for the best in non-touristy food joints. Keep up with Hawaiian food news at Share Your Table.

Hawaii’s food scene is changing and I, for one, am eager to go check it out. In the meantime, this was one delightful peek into what’s happening… You can get into the aloha spirit as well as Hawaii’s Visitors Bureau has scheduled a slew of events over the coming weeks, from Maui Magic at the Embarcadero Center to Aloha Fridays at Gordon Biersch. Choose your March escape to the islands here.

Private Dining Room

Shiso Soju Cocktail

Chef Alan Wong's ceviche-like Ahi Tartare in coconut "Leche de Tigre" broth

D.K. Kodama ladels up buttery Lobster Truffle Ramen

Roy Yamaguchi's Kona Lobster wrapped in Kulana Aged Ribeye

Hawaiian "street food" - BBQ pork, hot sauce, tasty snacks

FANCY FOOD at Moscone Center, 1/16-19

Fancy Food is the largest showcase of specialty foods in North America, held annually in NYC and SF, and walking through literally thousands of products from around the world (not to mention tasting them) is massively overwhelming and exciting. It’s a place for industry folk to discover and buy new product, and, in my case, share new taste discoveries with you.  I’ve narrowed down favorites (believe it or not!)

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  Oleum Vitae's exquisite olive oils (photo source: Oleum Vitae)

  Olive oils from Oleum Vitae were pretty much the most thrilling discovery. From Spain, they aren’t easy to track down in the US (yet) and you may think we have more than enough fine olive oils locally (we do). But not like this. Flavors only sound trendy: horchata, ginger, chocolate, tomato. Trying buttery, nutty Kenyan Coffee was a revelation. I’ve never tasted anything like it. Nor their ultra-expensive premium oil, Heliodor, with cherry and vanilla flavorings, made of olives from 1,000-year-old trees. I actually like Kenyan Coffee better but the decadence of cherry/vanilla with that so-smooth-you-could-bathe-in-it oil is irresistible. Find a way to try or purchase these oils and you won’t regret it.

• Mother-in-Law’s Kimchi is New York-based Lauryn Chun’s mom’s recipe, created in the 80’s in her mother’s hometown of Garden Grove. This is high quality, tasty kimchi with just the right amount of heat. I can see it really taking off in the Bay Area, as it already has in NY, if NY Times accolades are in any indication.
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  Mother-in-Law's Kimchi

  I’ve had many a gourmet marshmallow, including more delicate pillows made by local chocolatiers. But I had fun with Plush Puffs from Sherman Oaks. Maybe it was the toast-it-yourself stations where I could get that blackened crisp I’m crazy about. Or it could have been the Bacon Marshmallow. Yeah, that did it.
  

• Mrs. Palmer’s Pantry makes pita chips the way I wish others would. Usually hard, crusty, lacking in flavor, hers are light, airy, crisp, but loaded with taste. From Canada, I only hope I won’t have to struggle to find bags of Cinnamon, Sea Salt, Parmesan & Garlic, BBQ pita chips – all way better than they sound.
• The nice part about Charlie’s Truffled Popcorn from North Carolina’s Susan Rice Truffle Products, is that they shave actual Black Perigord Truffles over popcorn, rather than using truffle oil. The result is a happily overpowering truffle taste.
• Hernan makes an all-natural Mexican chocolate, called Kekua (sold at Dean & Deluca). Light, smooth, frothy, it’s a combo of chocolate, cinnamon, sugar and, in one variety, crushed almonds. But what sticks with me is dusty, addictive Cinnamon Chocolate Balls in a hand-woven basket which can be eaten on their own or crushed to make the drink.
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  Hernan's Chocolate Balls (photo source: Hernan)

  Napa-based Susan Knapp has been on TV with her A Perfect Pear products, like sauces, oils, chutneys, syrups. I took to Tomato Cinnamon Clove Preserves immediately. Savory, sweet and spiced, it covers a wide flavor spectrum.

• Dairy free, organic chocolate? I don’t go for vegan chocolate based on taste alone… and I’ve tried many. Give me the real thing. Sherman Oaks-based Chocoveda, started by Julia Lungin, certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and chocolate-lover, does it better than any vegan chocolates I’ve tried up till now. Peppermint is vibrant and Tangerine refreshing… all truffles coated in rich, dark, dairy-free chocolate.

Tea

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  Steven Smith teas

  Russian-style Kusmi Tea (founded in St. Petersburg in 1867) is based in Paris since the Russian Revolution in 1917. They have a teahouse in Paris’ Left Bank, with one soon to open in NYC. I sat and chatted with Kusmi’s gracious president, Sylvain Orebi, here from Paris. The product is old-world Europe with modern class, a range of well-balanced teas. I took to many of them right away, continuing to savor more at home, from a Moroccan Spearmint to Anastasia, a beautiful black tea with hints of bergamot, lemon and orange blossom.
  

• My other favorite new tea discovery is Steven Smith Teamaker. Getting a chance to talk with Steven and sample his teas, I learned he’s one of the original founders of Stash Tea, and he launched Tazo teas, eventually acquired by Starbucks. His latest venture is a labor of love, and as a smaller line, gives him the freedom to do the kinds of teas he’s always wanted to do. Clean packaging and colors make for an attractive product and the presentation of flavors is intelligent and playful. A caffeine-free Meadow tea (chamomile flowers, rose petals, hyssop) is described as “a Renoir you drink”. Peppermint Leaves is intensely refreshing and Lord Bergamot, a fine Earl Grey.

Cheese

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  Bellwether Farms' Ricotta (photo source: Bellwether site)

  Locally, I’ve long been in love with the perfection of Sonoma’s Bellwether Farms‘ cheeses, fromage blanc, sheep milk yogurt… but, oh, their delicate fresh ricotta!

• Vermont’s Grafton Village Cheese sweeps cheese awards annually, and one bite tells you why. Whether it’s their beloved Grafton Duet, layers of cheddar and blue cheeses, or cave-aged cheddars, there’s many a worthy cheese here.
• Hook’s Cheese Company is Wisconsin cheese at its finest, run by a husband wife for 35 years. Their Blue is rich and crumbly and there’s a lovely, stronger, English-style blue, Tilston Point. A six year aged Cheddar also reeled me in.
• Atascadero’s Kendall Farms Creme Fraiche is a beauty. I’ll take it with caviar, over salmon, or on dessert, thank you.

Honorable mentions:

• Korean vinegars from Epanie are natural and bright: there’s Hibiscus Herb or Pomegranate Herb, but I liked subtle Passion Fruit.
• Siggi’s is an interesting Icelandic yogurt – thick and concentrated, not light and luscious like yogurts I love, but their flavors, such as Pomegranate & Passion Fruit or Orange & Ginger, are subtle, delicate and healthy, made from skim milk with live active cultures.
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  Siggi's Icelandic yogurt

  Extra sharp, 3-year aged Black Creek White Cheddar is grocery store Wisconsin cheese, but the kind that makes nuanced fondues or pleases even a finicky eater.

• Yes, I’ve had this divine hard cow’s milk cheese many a time, but Grana Padano remains one of the greats. Created 1000 years ago and sister to Parmesan, it’s nutty, grainy perfection.
• Humanitarian coffee from Colorado Springs, Buy Well Fair Trade Coffee has smooth blends like Medium-bodied Screaming Monkey or smoky French Roast.
• Kicking Horse Coffee is Canada’s # 1 selling Fair Trade coffee by a long stretch. With playful names like 454 Horsepower, Z-Wrangler, Cliff Hanger Espresso, and Kick Ass, they’re having a lot of fun doing it unique and organic, while continuing to expand across Canada.
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  Apple Cinnamon Sauce (photo source: Mom Likes Me Best)

  Mellow Argentinian wines at a good value: Atamisque’s 2007 Catalpa Malbec (blackberry, violet aromas, round tannins and hint of tobacco) and Catalpa Chardonnay (full-bodied with aromas of vanilla and pineapple). Rated at 88 and 89 points respectively in Wine Spectator, these are the kind of wines mild enough to please a broad range of palates or for  casual dinners at home.

• An extensive selection of dips, preserves, mustards, rubs from Ohio’s Robert Rothschild Farm appeal to an all-American hunger for junk food but with gourmet flair. I could eat a boatload of Onion Blossom Horseradish Dip, heavy on cream and horseradish. Buy locally at supermarkets like Andronicos and Draeger’s.
• Cute, all-American Mom Likes Me Best sells Chili & Cornbread Fixins or tastes-like-Mama-made-it Apple Cinnamon Dessert Sauce. Based out of Lincoln, CA (near Sacramento), I found the owner and products homey and pleasing. Try smoky/sweet BBQ Sauce or Salad Dressing, ideal for potato salad or coleslaw.
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  Kicking Horse Kick Ass Coffee (photo: Kicking Horse site)

  Charming-person-of-the-day award goes to Sebastian Demmel, a cute, German grandfather type, who I met in the international section offering tastes of Bavarian cheeses from KaseRebellen. Call it novelty, but I had fun with a bright, orange Carrot Rebel cheese, made with fresh yoghurt and hay-milk.

• Pops A Lot popcorn is fun, 100% natural popcorn in flavors like Southern Surprise (caramel, pecans) and Roman Holiday (Parmesan), but what struck me was founder Noah Sheray’s story of popping and selling corn from his Beverly Hills apartment, which is now his office. Truly a homegrown business built out of a playful return to beloved childhood eats.

10/24 Loretto Dinner with Phoenix Supper Club

Inside the lovely Haas-Lilienthal House (this photo: Daniel Stumpf)

Boarding the limo

Meet at a corner disclosed when making a reservation to Phoenix Supper Club’s Loretto dinner. A limo awaits with champagne and about 10 other guests all guessing where you’ll be dining. October 24, the first Loretto dinner, brought us to historical Haas-Lilienthal House/Museum, where we were ushered to candlelit tables and entertained by live jazz from lovely vocalist, Sabrina Modelle, with pianist.

Ahi Tuna course with Nicoise olives, Peruvian purple fingerling potatoes, haricot vert, sherry vinaigrette, paired with Sebastiani 2006 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

A nine course meal (each course paired with wines) follows from Chef Tommy Halvorson, creating delicious, delicate (but never fussy) dishes covering all food groups from vegetables to fish to a range of meats, portioned small enough to leave room, though I was heartily full by the end.

Entrance to the house

The Renaissance Man and I savored a romantic hour at our own table initially, but we’d made friends in the limo and talking across our neighboring tables, felt the evening begged for a communal aspect. We asked to have our tables moved together halfway through the meal when the evening turned into festive dinner party. Eventually more tables and guests intermingled, an ideal trajectory for the evening (and maybe future dinners?) to take. With three seatings of 10 or so people arriving every half hour, the gathering grew, while remaining intimate.

Jazz standards sang by Sabrina Modelle

With each dinner different in location and menu, Loretto comes at a high cost ($220!) But it’s fine dining plus, with points for romance, intrigue and surprise… a one-of-a-kind birthday or anniversary dinner. If the communal aspect is encouraged, it can also operate as a unique dinner party.

Dessert: Chocolate Hazelnut Crepe, Lemon Cream Sorbet, Candied Zest

In a sea of pop-up dinners and supperclubs these days, the concept of classy, comfortable speakeasy dining with live jazz is one that actually excites me. At about half the price, there’s also Mephisto, a five course dinner series with speakeasy surprise locales (minus a limo), so choices abound. The next Loretto dinner is this Saturday, 11/21.

Dining rooms exuded a Fall glow (this photo: Daniel Stumpf)

Recchiuti’s Taste Project:
BEER & CHOCOLATE
with Michael Recchiuti and Dave McLean

Though renowned artisan chocolatier, Recchiuti, just ended their fabulous tasting series, pairing chocolate with everything from spirits to mushrooms to bread, there will be more ahead so I urge you to sign up on their email list to be notified when they do. I went to my first ‘class’, Beer and Chocolate, not sure what to expect: a tasting, discussion, both?

I entered a intimate, candlelit room in the Recchiuti chocolate factory/headquarters in Dogpatch, where Michael Recchiuti himself, and Dave McLean, brewmaster and owner of Magnolia Pub & Brewery and the Alembic, led us through the two hour class. It certainly was educational, with time to converse directly with these two experts. We were lucky to have a face-to-face tour and demo from Michael, watching him make chocolate truffles, serving them to us fresh out of the molds, a caramel truffle in particular exploding with tender flavor.

Then, the tasting menu: beer in its various stages before and after fermentation, chocolate pairings, creative bites, dishes and rare creations from Michael and Dave just for this class. Myself and the Renaissance Man, my husband, Daniel Stumpf, took a few photos from our time. For aficionados, it’s well worth a $55 class fee for the education and rare tastings.

MALT, a tasting of 3 heirloom malts (malted barely is reminiscent of grape nuts) & an incredible chocolate disc with smoky barley (I tasted a hint of burnt marshmallow in the 64% dark chocolate)

Wort Soda (beer pre-fermentation or hops) with malt foam cube garnish

Michael Recchiuti making truffles, then serving to us straight from the molds - melt in your mouth!

Chocolate making at Recchiuti's factory

Magnolia's Dark Star Mild beer (burnt coffee notes) w/ Recchiuti's Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

Recchiuti's candlelit "classroom"; Michael's films of Magnolia Brewery shown the wall

From Dave McLean's "secret stash" at home, a 2007 Imperial Stout - a rare treat! Paired with Michael's Chocolate Stout Tort w/ Kulchwort ganache and Japanese-style Stout Gelee

Magnolia Beer Flight paired w/ Recchiuti chocolates: (L) Blue Bell Bitter w/ Candied Orange Peel - mulled, spiced notes; (C) India Pale Ale w/ Star Anise/Pink Peppercorn truffle; (R) Brown Ale w/ Burnt Caramel truffle

In Conversation with Chef Melissa Axelrod

Some of the best gnocchi I've ever had

8/27 Menu for Melissa's Dinner at Velo Rouge

Melissa Axelrod, of Melissa Claire’s Kitchen, a chef with a background at none other than Delfina and Fringale, now works with other chefs and beer and wine experts to create a series of meals rich in range and taste.

I took in a night in Melissa Claire’s Kitchen at cozy Velo Rouge Cafe on August 27th, a stunning Indian Summer evening with white clouds dotting a moonlit sky. The four-course menu ($45 per person) redolent with freshness, each plate substantial and well-paced so I somehow did not leave stuffed.

Caponata

Melissa filled the menu with “late summer goodness”, starting off with a Caponata (eggplant, tomato, pine nuts) with fresh mozzarella and a grilled crostini, followed by a buttery Frisee Salad with ripe peaches, toasted almonds, and a tarragon creme fraiche dressing. Between the Renaissance Man and myself, I tried both entrees: a grilled/seared local Albacore Tuna, a generous piece of fish surrounded by butter beans, haricots verts and an Early Girl confit of tomato, basil, pesto. This would have been good enough, but she won me completely with her hand-made Potato Gnocchi with charred Brentwood corn, cherry tomatoes, corn butter broth and Parmigiano. For a gnocchi fanatic like myself (and I’ve had some of my finest in Italy), this was one of the best gnocchis I’ve ever had. Dessert was no afterthought: Gravenstein Apple Galette with cinnamon ice cream and salted caramel sauce, sweet with a welcome dose of salt.

Tuna

Now that your mouth is watering, there are plenty of opportunities to indulge in such a meal yourself.

As I sat and talked with Melissa, it was exciting to hear the projects and partnerships she has in the works. Teaming up with Toronado, namely her fiancee, Christian Spybrook,  they’ve created some intriguing beer dinners, usually around six courses at $95, with her own charcuterie and pates part of the feast (the last dinner offered tastes of no less than 13 local beers!) October 25th is their next Octoberfest-themed dinner (watch her website for details), but one where local Rieslings and German-style wines are paired (by wine consultant, Robert Joyce) with dinner, rather than beers.

With chef, Liz Bills of California Table, there’s a series of meals, usually around four courses (plus passed plates) for $55, held at Mercedes Hair of the Dog.  With communal seating, two long tables are set-up, and wine pairings commence, their last Tomato Dinner Feast paired with a fabulous selection of local Roses, again selected by Robert Joyce. Watch Melissa and Liz’ websites for dates and tickets through Brown Paper.

Melissa’s hands-on and seasonal, local approach is the “real deal” – she’s so involved in each course and the farm produce she lovingly selects, having wisely partnered with other food and drink experts to maximize the experience and camraderie. When Melissa says she “doesn’t want [her dinners] to be fussy”, she ensures they aren’t. Rather, it’s a fresh explosion of local foods with the welcoming spirit of dining in a friends’ home.

Frisee Peach Salad