I ate my heart out in San Francisco...

Sean and I got to take off for a few days off to San Francisco. It has been nine years since we have been there, and while I was happy to return to the land of trolleys, bridges and fog, I really had no plans other than to dine at the city's fabulous restaurants. I took it very seriously. I did my research, asked some of my favorite chefs for recommendations, and took advice from our fathers before we went. It would be a sin to not share. That said, this post is dedicated that that deadly sin of gluttony.

Here's to San Fran...

Slanted Door: Bob insisted that we go to the Slanted Door the minute we got into town. Vietnamese food is not generally on my list of favorites, but the Slanted Door has changed my mind. I would have gone there just for the incredible view, but after the first course I only had eyes for my food. They do take reservations, but do so well in advance of your trip. If not, be prepared to line up outside for when they open at 11:00am. We were fortunate and got right in. It was packed within minutes. Make sure to try the Daikon Rice Cakes. They are prepared more like a polenta and oh so good! Go on a Saturday morning after you have explored the Farmer's Market at the Ferry Building, it is incredible.

Flour + Water: This is San Fran's version of Pizzeria Bianco. Their pizza is not the same, of course, but it is good enough to warrant a Bianco-like line outside before their doors open. We ordered a Marghertia and a Proscuitto and Radicchio, which were both worth the wait, but the real star was the Roasted Asparagus and Crispy Pork salad with a mustard vinaigrette. I even quizzed the waitress on the dressing without success. Guess we will have to go back.

Buena Vista Cafe: Out of homage to my Dad, we stopped by the Buena Vista Cafe for an Irish Coffee. This is the U.S. birthplace for Irish Coffee and since we were there right before St. Patrick's Day, it would have been unforgivable not to stop in. The real show is at the bar. Grab a seat and watch as these concoctions are whipped up. I asked, the bartender said he has only made about three or four million of them. He has it down to a science. This place is so my Dad. I could tell from the street that this would be a favorite of his.

Chinatown: I don't have a specific place to recommend, but Chinatown on a Sunday morning is something to experience. We wandered around just trying to take it all in. The markets there are fascinating, chaotic and exotic enough to warranted a stamp in my passport. There was everything from bins of chicken feet to buckets with live toads. We were enthralled. You must go experience it for yourself, and then go enjoy the Dim Sum. We found a little place on a side street and had enough food for a week for about $20. (No, I did not eat chicken feet or live toad.)

A16: This one was on my list to try, but then reinforced with Bob's recommendation. A16 is on Chestnut Street in Cow Hollow, a wonderful neighborhood that we returned to for further exploration. A16 is also known for their artisan pizzas, but we decided to go a different route. After I smelled the incredible roasted chicken the woman next to me ordered, I had to do the same. We also ordered the Citrus and Honey Gelatina for dessert. It came in a jelly jar and almost looked like a science experiment with layers of neon orange, cream and shaved ice on top. It was the perfect ending to the meal - light, refreshing and not overly sweet. Oh - and they serve Burrata! Need I say more.

Chez Panisse: We did have to make a trek across the Bay to Berkeley to go to the famed Chez Panisse, the birth place of local, seasonally prepared foods. They weren't joking about taking reservations a month out. With only three weeks planning, I was only able to get us a table at the upstairs cafe for lunch, but I was willing to take what I could get. Their menu changes with the seasons and I don't think that you can go wrong. We did get to enjoy the Pink Lady Apple and Currant Tart with Ceylon cinnamon ice cream.

Kokkari: This recommendation for incredible Greek food came from my favorite French pastry chef, Eugenia Theodosopoulos from Essence Bakery Cafe in Tempe. Chefs always know the best places to eat. Kokkari has a wonderful menu filled with Greek favorites, but it is their preparation that takes it up a notch. I ordered the Spanakotiropita and Moussaka, because when in Rome and all (or Greece as the case was). The food was as good as Eugenia promised, and it is also one of prettiest restaurants in the city. Warm and glowing, with a large fireplace with lamb roasting on a spit, I could have hung out there all night.

Blue Bottle Coffee: Even though our hotel had four coffeehouses within feet of the front door, we made the trek back to the Ferry Building for lattes at Blue Bottle Coffee. I have made it clear my love of latte art. Not just because they are pretty, but because it is usually the sign of a someone who takes making a good latte very seriously. I am willing to cross a town, take public transportation and wait in line for a good latte. Done and done.

So, to sum up our trip... Daikon Rice Cakes, Roasted Asparagus and Crispy Pork salad, Irish Coffee, Dim Sum, Citrus and Honey Gelatina, a Pink Lady Tart, Spanakotiropita, and a pretty latte. Am I missing anything?

Now, if you will excuse me, I need to fast and go to the gym. Or take a nap.

The Slanted Door

1 Ferry Building

San Francisco, CA

415.861.8032

www.slanteddoor.com

Flour + Water

2401 Harrison Street
San Francisco, CA
415.826.7000

www.flourandwater.com

The Buena Vista Cafe
2765 Hyde St (@ Beach)
San Francisco, CA
415.474.5044

www.thebuenavista.com

A16

2355 Chestnut Street
San Francisco, CA

415.771.2216

www.a16sf.com

Chez Panisse

1517 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA
510.548.5049

www.chezpanisse.com

Kokkari Estiatorio

200 Jackson Street
San Francisco, CA
415.981.0983

www.kokkari.com

Blue Bottle Coffee

Multiple Locations in the San Francisco area

www.bluebottlecoffee.net

P.S. I took the above photo with my iPhone. If you go to the city, make time to drive up to Battery Spencer overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. It will take your breath away.

Sweet!

This ice cream truck has been getting a lot of press lately. And for very good reason!

Sweet Republic makes all of their ice creams, cookies, toppings and waffle cones by hand, using milk and creams from independent Arizona dairy farms. They do not use any artificial colors, preservatives or hydrogenated oils. Everything is natural, even down to the sustainably harvested birch wood for their ice cream sticks. I love that! Isn't this what ice cream should be? Just natural goodness.

But don't think that all-natural can't be indulgent as well. Sweet Republic's ice creams have been winning awards and accolades because of their incredibly sumptuous, and inventive, flavors. I love their Meyer Lemon and have a list of what I want to try next... Basil Lime Sorbet, Early Grey Tea, Malted Vanilla, and especially their Salted Butter Caramel. There is even one with Roquefort blue cheese and Arizona Medijool dates that I am fascinated with trying. That may be my next one!

Look for their 1959 Chevy milk truck at the Old Town Scottsdale Farmer's Market, or go visit their store! I love smart local businesses that show just how good being natural can be!

Sweet Republic

9160 East Shea Blvd.

Scottsdale, AZ

480.248.6979

www.sweetrepublic.com

Homemade remedy...

Okay, given my post about the Parmesan Truffle Fries at Zinc Bistro, I thought I would share what I have been working on at home to help satisfy those cravings. This isn’t close to those sinful fries they serve, but it has helped me cope. Plus, I used purple potatoes, because who doesn't smile at a purple potato?

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

All you need is to slice them very thin, toss in a little olive oil and sea salt. Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and a little oil and spread out the potatoes. Bake at 400-degrees for 20 minutes or until a little crispy. Toss with truffle oil and shredded parmesan cheese.

I am officially in love with truffle oil. So, so good! And these little guys are perfect with a side of Lemon Aioli.

Lemon Aioli

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1 lemon, zested

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

A good dinner and a good cause…

We had a lovely evening recently at FnB that was made all the more special because it was in honor of a good cause. Slow Food is an international non-profit organization that was founded to protect the heritage of food, tradition and culture in the face of a fast food lifestyle. It has become a member-supported movement that is focused on preserving the traditions of food that tastes good, is cleanly produced, and recognizes the connection between our planet and our plate. Slow Food members aim to be co-producers, not simply consumers, of food through being informed about how food is grown and prepared. Slow Food is also a lifestyle about stopping to rush of quick production, preparation and consumption of food and truly appreciating the quality and beauty of eating well. McClendon’s Select is a proud member of Slow Food.

Our dinner at FnB was to locally support Natalie Morris in the opportunity of a lifetime. Natalie has been accepted into the Master of Food Culture program at the Slow Food initiated school, The University of Gastronomic Sciences, in northern Italy, the birthplace of Slow Food. This is a highly competitive program and Natalie was fortunate to be selected for one of the fifty spots out of a thousand applicants worldwide. With this degree, Natalie will be able to return to Phoenix to impart her knowledge of food security and biodiversity and to promote those farms and ranches who actively live by these standards. The goal is to raise $40,000 to send Natalie to Italy for this year-long program.

Charlene Badman and Pavle Milic put on a wonderful dinner to raise money for Natalie and served beautiful pairings of locally grown foods with local wines from the Pillsbury Wine Company in Cochise County. (You can find Pillsbury Wines at the Old Town Scottsdale Farmer's Market.) FNB is always a showstopper, but they topped themselves for this dinner. I am so excited to see all of the incredible reviews and coverage of this still young restaurant. They have been even made the New York Times for their dedication to serving local wines.

To learn more about Natalie’s story or to make a donation online, please visit http://pledgie.com/campaigns/8035. This is an incredible opportunity for not just Natalie, but for our community to continue the education, promotion and benefit of sustainably produced foods. We wish Natalie the best and will be excited to see what she learns during her time there.

For more information about the Slow Food movement, or to become a member of the Phoenix chapter, please visit www.slowfoodphoenix.org.

Please watch...

Please take a moment to watch Jaime Oliver's speech at the TED conference. He discusses what poor nutrition is doing to our country and our collective health. Through a culture of fast food, less home cooking and misrepresentation with food labeling, we have turned food into a dangerous weapon.

Jaime's desire is to educate our nation's children so that they may not fall into this cycle of poor eating habits. His facts about what our kids are eating at schools are harrowing and, sadly, all too true. He wants us to start teaching our children about food again by showing them how to cook, make better choices, and to take responsibility for what and how they are eating. So much of this is preventable, and he has real solutions that we can all partake in.

Take a moment to also visit his website at JaimeOliver.com. He also has a new show coming out on March 26th on ABC called "Jaime Oliver's Food Revolution" that follows his grassroots efforts to bring food education and a cooking initiative to the U.S.

I applaud his efforts and hope that his movement takes hold. Our kids deserve it!

New recipe...

So I tried something new, in an attempt to combine two recipes, I hit on a winner.

Kale/Spigarello Chips

One handful Tuscan Kale

One handful Spigarello

Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Honey

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.

Rinse the Tuscan Kale and Spigarello and dry thoroughly. Chop up both into bite size pieces. Toss with olive oil and sea salt and spread over a foil covered cookie sheet.

Bake the Kale and Spiagrello for 12-14 minutes until the leaves are crispy, browned at the edges, but not blackened.

Sprinkle a little honey over the top while still warm.

Sean loved them so much he called his mother and told her about them.

Good sign!

Good read...

The March issue of AZ Magazine has a wonderful article about Bob and McClendon's Select. Jaimee Rose truly captured the magic he has created on the farm. Go check it out! It is the newest issue with five local Valley chefs on the cover.