Fab Food for the Visiting Foodie, Pt. 2: Pizza

Little Star makes it to go, too. Yaay!!!

Everybody loves pizza.

Everyone believes they know the composition of the perfect pizza and the best place to find it. What no two people can ever agree on, however, is what that perfect pizza actually is or where you can get it.New Yorkers are thin crust fanatics (... I'm guilty, too....) and know that their crispy blistered crusts with a very delicate ratio of cheese to sauce and crust to toppings is America's premiere cheesy pie (yes, yes, we know all about the joint in Phoenix, Pizza Bianco, whose owner bakes each pie himself, makes his own mozzarella & imported that amazing wood-burning oven from Naples; but, if you're actually willing to wait two hours for a pizza, New Yorkers don't care how great it is, to them you're obviously a loser who lives in the middle of nowhere and, furthermore, they don't want to hear your opinion on anything, capiche?). 

So do yourself a favor, never take an East Coast foodie to any pizzeria that specializes in either Neopolitan or "New York-style" pizzas. Delfina, Tommaso's, A16, Amici's, Chez Panisse Cafe, Gioia, Tartine's Bakery... fuggetaboutit! 

You'll never convert them. The best you will get is sympathy for what they say must be the inferior composition of California water which somehow is not sexy enough to interact in a meaningful manner with the yeast in the dough; thereby inhibiting production of that magnificent crust that is the very foundation of every NY slice. Not fun to listen to, especially when you are trying to fulfill your obligation as a host or hostess and avoid adding a few drops of arsenic into your ungrateful toxic guest's Barbaresco glass. 

No, the best thing you can do is take them to a pizza place so far removed from the NY pizzaphile's own experiences they have no basis for comparison. That's right, take 'em to the unchartered territory of the deep dish pie. A notion so alien to the thin crust afficionado, they won't even know their eating pizza unless you tell them. 

Little Star's "Classic" Deep Dish 

They'll think it's just a crusty lasagne or a cheesy crostada. Especially if the pizza joint you take them to is Little Star Pizza on Divasadero who serves the paragon of classic Chicago pies in the Bay Area with the best salads in a pizzeria bar none. (Sorry, Zachary fans!)

Little Star's interior: not your typical pizzeria

The first time we went to Little Star, it was to take a couple of pies to go (we had friends

 introduce us to it's takeout pleasures one Pizza Friday sometime just before that). We were living in Presidio Heights at the time and we chose to go to the Western Addition branch on 846 Divisadero Street off McAllister (there are two restaurants). 

Now, despite having the address on our person and both being free of any vision challenges, we went by that 800 block on Divisadero about 4 times without seeing any sign of a pizzeria. Granted, I was looking for a large red awning with large plate glass windows and the usual displays of beer, pizza slices or neon red letters. Never saw them. Actually, there is another pizzeria of the more usual variety on that 8oo block but it wasn't Little Star. 

We decided I had the wrong address & to continue driving up and down all of Divisadero until we spotted the place. Once again, no sign of what I could determine was the pizzeria.

Little Star's low profile entrance. Doesn't it look like a night club to you, too?

Finally, the hubby decided we should call Little Star and get the cross streets. 

Did that.

Twice. 

Because, I swear I couldn't find that pizza joint! 

By now, the counterperson was surely thinking this is a crank call; but, to her credit, she was patient and assured me of their physical presence in this plane of existence when I suggested that perhaps they were located in an alternate universe whose event horizon coincided with ours every third lunar cycle & whose Divisadero Street contained a Little Star which probably was, indeed, located between McAllister and Fulton. It just didn't exist in our dimension of the universe.

The hubby, not easily deterred and hungry for his pizza, asked me to ascertain from this friendly Little Star employee both the house number and color of the building. 

Eureka! 

While, I still refused to believe that entrance belonged to a pizzeria with its brownish black facade and heavy brown velvet curtains at the windows and doors obscuring the view inside, the hubby insisted I enter and enquire after our dinner. 

I never saw the very discreet signage out front which looks more like an angry Pac-man from Texas than a pizza to my untutored eyes.

The logo looks like an angry Pac-man from the Lone Star state

Little Star's interior looked like a 40's supper club or speakeasy. 

Indie Rock (on other occasions Jazz) playing softly in the background. 

Dark, sexy, mysterious with low barely lit orbs of pendant lighting, dark blue and gray walls, striking cubist paintings of jazzy musical instruments, and small crowded dark, wooden tables filled with glassy-eyed hipsters rapturously hunched over their tables fixated by something on top of them. 

Heavily pierced and tattoed servers in tight jeans and black t-shirts roamed to & fro. A far cry from Nicolas Cage's dingy white "guinea" tee in the movie Moonstruck. (Don't get offended; that's how those thin-strapped ridged tee shirts are known throughout all five boroughs of NYC)

Definitely, not a Little Star server

Your eyes are not thinking pizza; but, simultaneously, appearances notwithstanding, your nose, suddenly animated, is telling you that this may be a night club, but, if it is, they also offer something that smells so delectable and redolent of sweet tomatoes, Italian herbs, buttery yeast, and milky cheeses, you can swoon from the excitement generated by the anticipation of tasting it. 

This place had to be a pizzeria!

Then you see what all those diners are hunched over like so many opium bed denizens is undeniably pizza. Not just any kind of pizza but a proud, bosomy pizza with a strong, golden, cornmeal crust and a robust topping of chunky tomatoes blanketing melted mozzarella that just oozed enough to make you want to have it right there. 

It took all my willpower and years of proper etiquette training to overcome the savage-like desire to snatch a slice from the jaws of an unsuspecting diner. 

After all, one must be civilized; but, as I say, the temptation was great!

Of course, we have ordered many pies since then and allow me to assure all ye who say Chicago-style pizzas are a doughy mess: you haven't given that crust your full consideration until you taste Little Star's version of deep dish. 

They do offer a thin crust version but fuggetaboutit!

All of their toppings are fresh & delicious from the veggies to the meats. 

When we share a pizza (a 9" deep dish pizza easily feeds two to three people provided you can all agree on the same toppings, 12" deep dish pie can feed a family of four with no problem), it's the Classic with thick juicy hunks of perfectly-seasoned Italian sausage, mushrooms, green pepper and onions; all sauteed before being added to the pie, and, all in perfect balance with each other. 

The crust is a symphony of cornmeal, olive oil, butter & flour. Both crisp & tender at once. Never too salty, never too oily with just the right heft to hold up the prodigious amount of mighty toppings. Too good!

If I'm eating by myself, I love the namesake Little Star with sweet, creamy fresh ricotta, feta, sauteed spinach, mushrooms, onions and garlic. The leftovers reheat beautifully over the next day or so as long as you place it in a hot oven (450 degree) either directly on the rack with a sheet of aluminum foil beneath to catch the drippings or, my favorite way, on a hot pizza stone.

The Vegetarian is also delish with fresh zucchini, black olives, red bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, garlic. They also offer Pesto Chicken, White Pie, Italian Combo with pepperocini, pepperoni, salami, etc.
The range of toppings offered is wide and you can create any combination you like for $1.50 - $2.00 a topping.

There are not many appetizers but what they do offer is solid. Really the best takeout salads I've ever had at a pizzeria.

The Caprese is simply slices of fresh mozzarella with sliced tomatoes, fresh basil & drizzled with very good e.v.o.o. & balsamic vinegar. Good, fresh but since I'm already having pizza with mozzarella, it's not something that I would regularly order. Too redundant.

The Mixed Salad with Gorgonzola & House Dressing, yummy!!!

The Mixed Salad on the other hand is something I crave: fresh organics greens, ripe halved cherry tomatoes, sweet chopped red bell peppers, chopped red onions, topped with chopped toasted walnuts & pungent gorgonzola. The housemade vinaigrette is a winner, not too oily, not too tart and just the perfect amount of it to coat the greens without drowning them. So yummy!

The Garlic Bread is warm sourdough served with a blend of salted butter & extra virgin olive oil with a whole bulb of roasted garlic to spread on the side. Again, it's not something I would normally order since I'm eating pizza which is starchy enough for yours truly but it's a good start if your carbo-loading for your next tri-athalon.

The oddest starter is the Spicy Chicken Wings served with the requisite blue cheese dressing but baby carrots instead of celery sticks. I've never ordered them. They don't appeal to me. I didn't go to college in Buffalo, New York so I never was really indoctrinated into their penniless college student, beer drinker's appeal.

They have a housemade cheesecake & gelato for dessert but I'm always too full after two slices of the deep dish to even consider eating anymore.

So, if you want to show your out-of-town foodie the best pizza in San Francisco without falling into the usual traps, go to Little Star. It's worth it and so are you!

Pizza pies range from $17-$23, depending on the toppings with a plain cheese pizza going for $12 for the 9"-$16 for the 12". Additional toppings are $1.50-$2.50 per topping for 9" and 12" pies, respectively. $28 bought us dinner last night with one 9" Classic and a large Mixed Salad.

Little Star does not accept reservations and is a cash only establishment.

Go to Little Star website for further details.

Fab Food for the Visiting Foodie: A Cheat Sheet of Options: Pt. 1... My First Tastes of SPQR

Okay, one of your snarky, picky, Greenmarket-going, H&H bagel-eating, Frank Bruni-reading, ssam-scarfing, Zagat-toting, fans of David Chang from (where else?) Manhattan is coming to what they (trying to be clever but missing by a mile) refer to as Fog City.

You're a proud San Franciscan, even if it is only your adopted home, and you want to show this philistine, .... oops, I mean very good friend, the best San Francisco has to offer by way of comestibles: where do you start?

Step right this way, ladies & gentleman, I'll take you through a quick tour of a few of my favorite hot spots, old & new, that will have any visitor wondering how they could ship their belongings out here without having to head back to that dingy, old city by the East River to collect them. This will be part one of a series of posts that take dead aim at their intended target: the visiting foodie. Please secure your seatbelts, stow your tray tables & have your seats in their locked and upright positions... here we go:

The Bay Area is rife with regional Italian restaurants. Abbondanza doesn't even begin to accurately modify the amount of restaurants with nods to that thigh high boot along the Mediterranean. While Manhattan boasts my new chef crush, the very hot import named Fabio Trabocchi & , of course, the stalwart stallion of all things Italian, Mario Batali, we here in Frisco (as the obnoxious, no..no.. I mean... clever, eastcoaster refers to our fair gotham) have a few aces up our own metropolitan sleeves: namely Nate Appleman and his SPQR, a casual Roman-style osteria, with spot on delectable dishes like the fried brussel sprouts; so nutty & succulent, I almost cried when the last crispy sprout was gone.

Ditto for the expertly dressed salad of radicchio, almonds & meaty fried sunchoke which was so fleshy & voluptuous that I initially mistook the chokes for hunks of tender guanciale; the supremes of tangerine made the dish complete bringing all the elements into a harmonious balance. Dishes like these could convert the most voracious carnivore into a life-long veggie eater.

Other dishes also hit the spot like the classic mozzarella en carrozza with sweet little cow's milk bocconcini coated in a savory crumb crust and its accompaniment of a marinara sauce with just a hint of fiery chili flakes offered a nice balance between sweetness & acidity to cut through the richness of the fried mozzarella.
The fresh ricotta with crostini & olio nuovo is sweet, creamy & served at the perfect just slightly below room temperature.
Housemade sausage does pork right with a crisp, caramelized crust and juicy, fennel-inflected interior. The hubby likes his sausage a little leaner with fewer bread crumbs; but, even though I tend to agree with him, to me, it is still a good example of Appleman's charcuterie wizardry, a skill for which the 26 year old has rapidly gained national recognition.
The delicate lobster brodo with plump tender rock shrimp, rapini & toothsome ceci beans, all anointed with a few drops of the fruitiest olive oil, was the kind of dish you fantasize about when you imagine an evening tryst with a handsome Roman at his favorite little osteria. The bay scallops & cauliflower with rapini & olives was another lustily satisfying dish that was light on the tongue but somehow soulful and rich with it's perfect measure of earthy cauliflower and sweet meaty scallops. YUM YUM.

The housemade pastas are very basic but well-executed. My only quibble may have been with the carbonara which was beautifully light (thank God no cream just rich unctuous egg yolks which caressed the pasta with their golden goodness) but the sauce may have needed the slightly more assertive pancetta flavor instead of the nuanced house-cured guanciale. The Amatriciana however had all the flavor & fire you'd expect in the dish.

The griddled ricotta cake with crema fresca & bitter orange sang it's way on my tongue and through my throat. A masterful dessert made all the better because of its purity and simplicity.

Wines run from Italy's North to South, East to West in their origin with interesting varietals as well as the more classic blue chips.


SPQR

The room is somehow both spare & luxe with heavy brown velvet draperies at the entrance, dark wood wainscoting & floors, marble counters (for both the bar & chef's table), tastefully matted & framed lithographs with a few whimsical subjects, utilitarian dark wooden furnishings and a staff of female servers who are professional but ever so slightly aloof. In all fairness, however, it's a tough assignment being a cute young woman in a trendy restaurant. It's a fine line they must draw that male servers probably never need to concern themselves with; i.e. being friendly & helpful without seeming like they're being too flirtatious which can alienate certain green-eyed monsters in the guise of female diners & overexcite their male companions. It's an unfair disadvantage but these are everyday realities that female waitstaff contend with; so, as I said, the young attractive female servers I encountered both times I visited with my husband were very efficient but a wee bit distant. While I both understand and sympathize with their plight, it is a bit off-putting in a casual neighborhood setting, no matter how uber-hot it's meant to be.

All in all, SPQR is a great experience, especially if you sit at the bar and order a few nibbles while you wait for your table (no reservations are accepted). I plan to more fully review this restaurant after a few additional visits & give you further details on the menu, prices, etc. (only been twice now for dinner, too many things to try & I am watching my weight these days) but I implore you to go & take your visiting foodie. They won't be disappointed and neither will you. This I will tell you now: be sure to go with someone who likes sharing because there are many wonderful small dishes to try and the organization, pricing, as well as the generous portions of the menu, encourages selfless eating.

SPQR
1911 Fillmore St. (between Pine & Bush)
415-771-7779
website

Gotta go! Headed back there for brunch tomorrow, I'll be going to bed tonight with visions of griddle cakes dancing in my head... yaay!

(to be continued with other restaurants on my must eat now list...)

Caprese Salad: The Only Way To Enjoy Fresh Mozzarella Di Bufala Campana

The weather was glorious today in San Francisco with crystal clear skies, cerulean blue waters and warm golden sunshine.

I felt like I had been transported to some warm weather clime along the Tyrrhenian Sea, away from the spectacle of American politics, away from the burst of the real estate market bubble, where few people had ever heard of Dow Jones Averages, Senate Committee hearings or Barry Bonds; and the farmer's markets aren't trendy places to see and be seen but a bona fide way of life.



Yup, today I felt like I was on a magic carpet ride to here:

La bella Napoli.

Can't you see the resemblance around the eyes?

Sure they have the legendary Mount Vesuvius, a jealous, capricious goddess in the Avellino region of Campania that could wipe out their entire bay area as completely as she did Pompeii and all we have is somewhat timid Mount Tam where a capricious cyclist could wipe out a hiker if he were jealous of his right of way.
But these tragic incidences would both be relatively comparable in terms of sheer disaster. I mean, it would be just as catastrophic for that poor hiker to go tumbling off a high cliff into oblivion as it would be for Naples to be buried in a pile of magma & ash, wouldn't it?
No?
Oh well, maybe not.

My point is the day was so warm & lovely it made me feel like eating a lovely salad named after Capri, an island off the Sorrentine peninsula in the Gulf of Naples. It is, of course, Insalata Caprese a.k.a. the Caprese Salad.

Actually, all I really wanted was the fresh mozzarella.

Not just any old fresh domestic mozzarella sold under Italian names, even if they are made by cheese-loving Italian immigrants fresh off the boat. I wanted imported mozzarella di bufala campana, the undisputed emperor of fresh mozzarella, accept no domestic bovine substitutes. No matter how long they've had them soaking in briny water; manufactured domestic cow's milk mozzarella cannot compare with it's richer, creamier, fuller tasting buffalo milk cousin.
Sorry, Belgiosa, Belfiore, Mozzarella Fresca, Gioia's Burrata, and all the rest. You just can't cut it. Anyone whose says domestic cow's milk fresh mozzarella comes close or is better than the original has either never tasted fresh buffalo mozzarella or is a moron.

Granted, the Italian import must be purchased & eaten practically the moment it hits the store's refrigerator shelves; but all you have to do is find out from your cheese purveyor when the shipment is due.
There is this technological marvel known as the jet freight which flies these cheeses in soon after they are produced. Find a shop with lots of clientele clamoring for product like Cheese Plus, A.G. Ferrari, The Cheese Board, etc. & you will find fresh Italian buffalo mozzarella, if you get there early. Hell, even Whole Foods has it.

BTW, Why are there no American made fresh mozzarella di bufala. Isn't the West where the buffalo roam & the deer and the antelope reign?

I know as a society our collective tastes tend to lean a bit to the homogenized and the pedestrian but there is an ever-growing movement of foodies, producers & purveyors with more sophisticated palates than their 8 year old children. Can't they figure out a way to get the milk from the buffalo before they grind the poor dears up for hamburger patties? Just asking....

For me the only way to eat a fresh beautiful piece of mozzarella di bufala is simply, purely.

Nothing comes between me and my mozzarella di bufala.
Nothing.

No bread, no salt, no pepper. Just thick coins of creamy, custardy cheese from the producer Gustosella of Fresca Italia with a splash of the purest, unrefined olive oil you can find and a salad fork.
Some say the oil must be from Sorrento but, hey, I'm no food Nazi, a little handcrafted Balzana from Figueroa Farms of the Santa Ynez Valley is just fine. It's March not August, so I just garnish it with cherry tomatoes & fresh basil for artistic effect without really eating the garnish.

Heavenly, Heavenly. Like billowy clouds of fat and lactose.
Doesn't that sound so appealing? It would if you could taste these ambrosial curds.
If there were a cheesy rendition of the Atkins Diet I would wholeheartedly advocate it and be an active participant in marketing it.

I feel that our founding fathers would have included the consumption of mozzarella di bufala in the Bill of Rights if just one of them had been Italian. But sadly, the Continental Congress was chock full of WASPs. Nary a true continental man among them.


Could Georgie be expounding on the virtues of mozzarella di bufala?

Benji Franklin & TJ (Jefferson) were francophiles but what the hell do the French know about fresh curd, anyway? They won't eat a cheese until it's been buried in a cave for a few years to be resurrected only when it is redolent with eau de smelly armpits.

Even then it can't be eaten until it's oozing with penicillin and resembles a dead Brit.

(.... and, Mr & Mrs. Smarty Pants, don't talk to me about chevre. It's a totally different animal. Figuratively, as well as literally!)


Disclaimer: I love French cheeses including chevre. I also adore the British with their wily wit, their brilliant accents and amazing architecture. Let's make this clear, I want none of Her Majesty's subjects ever to be injured in the cheesemaking process.

Anyway, let's see what all this fuss is about:

Pretty isn't it?

Look at that composition!
Can you see its custardy goodness and savor those sweet aromas?

No?
Come on, take a good look...

Can't you feel it's luscious delicate curds melting in your mouth?
Coating your tongue with a creamy kiss....

No?

Dammit, have you no Eyes? No Mouth? No Soul?
Be the cheese.... close your eyes, dear reader, and be the cheese.


Are you really trying?


Now sink... deeply into the milk, immerse yourself into the cool white bath
Come on now....
.... You're not being the cheese!



Look at it again.... rivulets of fruity oil nestled in its billowy bosom.
How can you resist it?

You know you want it..... now taste it... before Mistress loses her patience!!!

There, now, didn't that feel good... Mistress didn't hurt too much, did she?

You owe that organic orgasmic experience to:


Worth every penny!

Out of Town Relatives? Here Are Twenty San Francisco Treats They'll Eat Up!

Living in this great metropolis by the bay has it's civic responsibilities.

The most important of which does not involve voting in political elections, serving on juries, recycling, riding on public transportation or carrying our own reusable shopping bags.

No.

These things may have their uses in most civilized societies but in San Francisco they must take a backseat to the Bay Area's citizen's gravest, most time-honored tradition.

They must give way to the thing that makes this city great; the most important aspect of residing in the 415 area code; the very backbone of this beacon of golden light and civilization in the Western United States.

You know what I'm going to say, don't you. Of course you do!

Tourism.

Yes, each one of us has the solemn duty to act as personal concierge for every family member or the acquaintances of every family member that come to visit our fair Gotham.

Those of us who are single or married but childless are doubly bound to act in our capacity as this city's ambassadors.

We are not a volunteer army.
Oh no, we are drafted into the position by a vigorous and demanding committee of aunts, uncles, cousins, stepparents, parents and their ilk. We cannot threaten to move to Canada because chances are the posse would follow us to our exile, anyway, and we'd be stuck with even higher income taxes and no Kara's Cupcakes.

So, we must not only be fonts of knowledge about the latest greatest restaurants likely to please the diverse (and sometimes pedestrian) palates of our guests; but we must also be acting tour guides with a wealth of information on the fascinating facts of San Francisco's storied history ("Hey Lori, who was that Milk toast guy who got shot by Fidel Castro?" or "Where are those Rice a Roni trolleys that go down that crooked street?") while providing mountains of Ghiradelli Chocolates and Sourdough bread bowls for all.

While I don't mind assisting the occasional foreign tourist with directions to Chinatown or trying to discern the meaning of their questions ( I once had a young French couple come up to me, hands waving frenetically, brows deeply furrowed as the gentleman ejaculated, "Steve MAkeen, Steve MAkeen. BOOlet! BOOlet!" while pointing questioningly at the various slopes around him on Russian Hill. Querying me, or so I gathered, on where the famous car chase scenes in Steve McQueen's movie "Bullet" were shot. ), catering to the dietary requirements of friends and family does have its pitfalls. They are more likely to complain about your choices for them than enjoy your company.

It loses its charm quickly. For all of us. I'm lucky because our family are eaters and willing to give anything a try but they are on vacation, San Francisco is a beautiful place and it's incumbent on me as the resident to provide a hospitable environment which is fairly easy to do in this city as long as I don't think too far outside the box.

Spring is upon us, with summer to follow. These are the prime houseguest months for the spring and summer breaks, so gird up your loins and get ready to rumble. It's tourist season, baby!

That being said, there are places in town that are always crowd pleasers. I'll not bother mentioning Alcatraz because your guests will anyway. The same goes for Lombard Street.
You may be bored to tears; but, if your guests are between the ages of 8-85, are not hipsters and have never been to San Francisco before, these places are probably perfect for them (unless they are foodies, of course, but that's for a different post). Some of the places are downtown because, hopefully, your guests are staying in a hotel and not with you.

These spots have been selected for their views, unique locations and proximity to San Francisco tourist attractions. They all have large menus and/or a variety of options which is particularly important if, and this is often the case, your guests food preferences are not immediately known to you (if, however, you know someone is vegetarian and likes Indian Food, you don't need me to recommend Dosa). These options are all tried and true with mid-range concepts and prices but by all means do take them to your favorite joints, too. Just don't ask them to eat sweetbread gratin, braised beef tendon and tripe stew unless they are offal enthusiasts.

Some of the restaurants have food that is fairly mediocre or just o.k. (meaning uninspiring & average; not bad tasting or inedible) but they are good in a pinch, have great locations and will not terrify your mid-western guests. Coi, Orson or even Spruce would be too intimidating for many of them. Remember this post is for a non-foodie, middle American demographic. I have successfully entertained many non-foodie baby boomer and depression era relatives with these options. What that actually says about me is too terrifying to contemplate, so we'll move on.

Here are some of my recommendations and the links to their websites in no particular order of preference:

1. Cheesecake Factory: Huge menu, chain restaurant with edible food good for kids, views of Union Square with outdoor seating (killer wait at peak times; not good for the impatient)
   
2. Cliff House: Huge menu, edible food that's especially good for breakfast, views of the Pacific Ocean, &, sometimes, surfer dudes
   
3. Izzy's Steakhouse: Huge portions, edible food with Izzy's cheesy potatoes always a good side , views of Marina Yuppies
4. Fog City Diner: Huge booths, edible food, site of an '80's Visa commercial
5. Il Fornaio: Huge Italian menu, edible food for a chain, views of Levi Plaza with an outdoor garden room
   
6. In-N-Out Burger: For better or worse, it's become synonymous with California if your guests are of a certain age (under 20) & it's on Fisherman's Wharf, you'll be killing two birds with one stone. Be sure to visit the sea lions on Pier 39 and pass by the "Bush Man" if you want to give your mother-in-law a coronary incident.
   
7. Mamacita: Likely to be one of the only restaurants you'll really love on the list, huge pitchers of Margaritas, great Mexican food and so loud you'll never hear your stepmother complain about the noise, the spicy food or anything else. Every Eastcoaster I know wants to try "real" Mexican food. This will satisfy their Mexican jones & finally give you something yummy too.
   
8. Waterbar: Amazing views, pretty room, good service. Excellent classic seafood restaurant to take the parents or in-laws. Few palates will be displeased. The food is fresh, simple and straight forward and they'll get a kick out of all the little Kuleto flourishes like the floor to ceiling aquarium columns.
   
9. The Rotunda at Neiman Marcus: Ladies who shop lunch place; food underwhelming but solid classic American. The amuse of chicken consomme & fresh hot popovers with strawberry butter are bound to please mom or auntie. They always love that stained glass dome, too.
   
10. Yank Sing: Dim Sum is always a fun experience for newbies and Yank Sing has a huge variety of it. It's off Market but you could still incorporate a jaunt through Union Square to Chinatown to walk off the calories. They'll be too tired from food and walking to hang around Chinatown shops for too long and you can check another thing off the list.
11. Sam's Anchor Cafe: Every tour of San Francisco winds up with a drive over the Golden Gate Bridge. Keep on going until you get to Tiburon & drive to Blackie's Pasture, park the car, take a look at the bronzed Blackie (a horse) and walk to Sam's if your guests are energetic. It's a beautiful walk & Sam's has great outdoor seating on the Marina with stellar views and decent chow. Then you can avoid all those silly shops in Sausalito that guests spend hours traipsing through but never buy anything from.
12. Japanese Tea Garden: Unfortunately, it's the rare mother-in-law that really enjoys sushi beyond a California roll. To let them experience a little of the Japanese culture in the city, take them instead into Golden Gate Park for tea at the Japanese Tea Garden. It's quiet, pretty and reflective and allows you to drive through the lovely park. Combine it with a trip to the DeYoung Museum and don't forget to show them where the buffalo roam. If they do like sushi then take them to your favorite place but avoid the tatami mat seating if you go to Ebisu unless your guests are young and flexible.
13. Ben & Jerry's: There are scores of better ice cream shops in the city but none of them are on the historic corner of Haight and Ashbury Streets. This is not about you. Out of town baby boomers and their kiddies will love to get their scoop of Wavy Gravy or Cherry Garcia from there. So suck it up, go and walk around the Haight. It's fun!
    
14. Ghirardelli Square/Westfield San Francisco Centre combo: No trip to San Francisco is complete without a cable car ride. It's an integral part of the original San Francisco treat, Rice A Roni, "that flavor can't be beat..." Here's my recommendation, start at Ghiradelli Square in the late morning, walk around, avoid the lines for eating in Ghirardelli's Ice Cream Shop but let them browse if they insist & suggest a Kara's cupcake instead since you'll be eating lunch soon, go to Aquatic Park watch those crazy swimmers splash around in 52 degree water, brave the lines for the cable car with your trusty cupcake in hand to help you get through the wait, ride the cable car to the end of the line. Get off and go across Market to the Westfield. Let everyone gawk at the homeless & the looneys in disbelief (hopefully that Asian guy, Frank Chu, with the sandwich board is out there predicting the end of civilization). Enter the Westfield & let the roaming begin. Walk through Bristol Farms. Maybe you can catch a movie? Maybe you can eat lunch at Out the Door or one of the other many higher end food court spots. There's something for everyone to buy or eat.
15. San Francisco Ferry Building: Farmer's Market days are especially fun but anytime is a good time to go to this historic Embarcadero building. Food options are endless with MarketBar and Mijitas being the easiest to get tables for; but, Taylor's Automatic Refresher, Boulette's Larder, Hog Island Oyster Bar and , of course, The Slanted Door (you'll really need a reservation if you want to eat there) are all there; among others. It's a great place for a quick snack, too with all the chocolate shops (Michael Recchiuti, yaay!), gelato, caviar, sausages on a stick, Acme Breads, Lulu's Sandwiches, Cowgirl Creamery, Starbucks, that little tea shop, wine bar etc, etc. Hell, you can even hop a ferry ride on a bay cruise, to Tiburon or to Sausalito.
16. Exploratorium: great for children of all ages located in the beautiful Palace of the Fine Arts. Tons of hands on exhibits and experiments. The tactile dome, if it's still an exhibit, is quite an experience but not recommended for claustrophobics.
    
17. Giant's Stadium: Last I heard it was Pac Bell Park but I haven't been there since last season, so it may have changed names & ownership by now. (It might be AT&T Park this year?) Whatever the name, it's still visually arresting and very intimate in scale for a stadium; if you can get tickets for your guests, do. Just remind them to dress warmly. Even a sunny day is chilly there. It's still worth a trip even if you just drive by.
    
18. Presidio Social Club: The food is not cutting edge, half the time it's no better than what you can get at the prepared food section at Whole Foods; but, the portions are generous, the atmosphere is vibrant, the tables are huge and the desserts (as well as the cocktails) are very good. Best of all it was an old army barracks, it has parking and it's in a park-like setting. Scratch that, it is in a National park , the Presidio. Most out-of towners will feel at home with the Retro-American comfort food and will be impressed by the unique setting.
19. Sociale: The setting is pretty, the food is unintimidating, upscale rustic Italian. The neighborhood will be a nice relief from the cacophonous, bustling downtown area; offering your mom and dad a different view of San Francisco.
20. Zuni Cafe: Judy Rodgers' famed eatery is a classic American diner with a little French twist. It will keep everyone in their comfort zone & you can buy your aunt the cookbook as a parting gift. Try to include a trip over to the landmark Castro Theatre & catch a revival. It's beautiful, it's in a famed part of town & chances are your guests will have some great story about what they observed in that part of Gay Old San Francisco to take back to Wichita Falls with them.
    

What's Cooking For Easter?

Easter is coming and I am really conflicted.

Not because I'm an atheistic ex-Catholic who left the church of Rome 32 years ago (& all other belief systems that involve omniscient, omnipotent invisible Cranks who get their rocks off by seeing how much havoc Their little jokes wreak).

My own fallout with Great Almighty Powers That Be occurred as a result of the Archdiocese of N.Y. rejecting my petition to be an altar girl at St. Lucy's.

That I would have been the first altar girl in the history of the Roman Catholic Church seemed irrelevant to me at the time.
The important thing was that I was brutally rebuffed by several levels of the Church hierarchy (as a 10 year old girl with great aspirations growing up in East Harlem, "no" was a word I took to mean, "Try harder" not "Stop, you annoying pipsqueak!"). Needless to say, it took many rounds to knock me out; when they finally did, I vowed never to step into that ring again.

Exit devout Saint-worshipping Catholic school girl. Enter, cynical iconoclastic Atheist who took every opportunity to ask during our neverending catechism classes, why Jesus didn't have a girlfriend.

I was a Mary Magdelene freak. You know, the proverbial whore with a heart of gold who quit doing tricks to wash Christ's feet. I chose her name for my confirmation.

Lori Ann Magdelene G__.

There's a future Pulitzer Prize-winning name, if ever I saw one.
I figured MM & the Savior were probably getting jiggy with it. He was a man after all, even if He was a god incarnate. Sometime between turning the water to wine and curing lepers, I figured he needed to release some tension and let his hair down. It's not easy being the son of God. The father-son talks alone would be enough to raise your cortisol levels!

But I digress... yes, my conflict is not caused by the age old question of the existence of God or the legitimacy of Jesus the Nazarene as His only son; I don't care about any of that.
Nope, my real dilemma is what to serve for the Easter spread.

While some might think it odd or hypocritical that I still celebrate the Resurrection of Christ, I say that I am enlightened & open-minded besides I'll never let a little thing like religious dogma get in the way of a good foodfest.

No, I just flat out love to cook & Easter gives me as good a reason as any to celebrate the rites of Spring. I could say, I suppose, that I'm celebrating the rebirth of the Goddess or some such other fib; and, though that may garner me many fans here in Baghdad by the Bay where the only openly accepted Catholics are Our Lady of Perpetual Indulgence, paganism doesn't excite me either even with its promise of drunken orgies (or is that only in the movies?). I'm not Marxist but I think all organized religions are nothing more than opiate for the masses and I prefer my opiates to be of the fermented phenolic variety enjoyed in the sanctity of my home ( or the other places of worship, the Three Star Michelin variety, a truly holy trinity to us, the worshippers of the Divine Dish).

I'll leave now while I ponder the virtues of grilled racks of lamb over braised shoulder or roasted leg. Or the purity of asparagus tarts over asparagus sformato. Yes, there are profound questions to be asked.

However will I find the answers?

(Now, I know why people pray.)

All and any ideas are always welcome.

Giada De Laurentis: The True Domestic Goddess

I may lose tremendous street cred for posting this; but, now that I think of it, I have none to lose so why not just go ahead and speak my piece?

Giada De Laurentis is a goddess!

Yes, her teeth are frighteningly white and, yes, she is always baring them (as well as the rest of her anatomy; displayed in sharp relief with her daring decollete); yes, our husbands are all too prone to take a sudden interest in the Food Network Channel when channel-surfing if she's on the air saltim-ing her bocca, but, don't hate her because she's beautiful!

The woman can cook.

She does it simply with decent technique and makes her food accessible to all. I'll be damned if the food doesn't almost always look as good as she does!

Giada had an episode that I caught once called "Cooking for Beginners" that made me ashamed of my so-called lazy gourmet recipes. Her trout en papillote (she calls it fish & veggie pockets for this episode, see what I mean about her trying to be user-friendly), fusilli alla caprese & sugar cookies with a chocolate ganache center were masterpieces of ease & flavor. The ingredients were minimal, the preparation spartan, & the dishes looked more than just edible.

Will these recipes make her a James Beard winner or garner her Michelin Stars if she had a restaurant? No, but she's not trying to do that.

Giada has become the patron saint of home cooks (I wonder when El Papa will make it official) and she oversees her domain with a dazzling smile & a great rack which is why I call her the true domestic goddess. (Sorry, Nigella). She has a knack for distilling recipes down to their essence & taking shortcuts that are sensible to the home cook without overly compromising the overall quality of the dish. I have made dishes like these zillions of times but never considered adding them to this blog's recipe files. It took someone with Giada's sensibilities to make me realize that this is precisely the kind of home-cooked fast food people who are not accustomed to cooking can & would make for themselves. They are simple & elegant.

I'll post a link to that Everyday Italian episode for beginning cooks to inspire those who are slightly intimidated by their Wolf ranges: well worth a glance, I assure you.

Unfortunately, Food Network has no pictures to go with the recipes & I'm not fond of taking photos of other people's ideas no matter how simple even if I did cook the recipes myself (unless I'm reviewing a restaurant). However, I may break down, cook her food as written & take shots anyway, so that there will be images to go with this episode's recipes. (Nothing gets the gastric juices flowing like a little food porn.)

I wish Food Network had a video of this episode I could upload because a picture paints a 1000 words & I must say I was impressed with a few of her simple, sensible tips which are not as effectively communicated in her written recipes because they can't be. Seeing it is almost always more deeply imprinted in our minds than reading it. It's just an extra dimension of reinforcement. Do read them & then try them. They are simple, yummy & easy to embellish, if you are so inclined.

Here are the links:

Fusilli alla Caprese

Italian Fish and Veggie Pockets (Fish en Papillote)

Black and White Cookies


Happy Cooking! P.S. since I first wrote this posting the savvy Food Network people have put up photos of the dishes. So now you can see what the results should approximate.