Tomato Time:
Are these gorgeous tomatoes or what?
These lovelies, known as “Taste Tomatoes,” were created especially for Taste Catering of San Francisco. The tomatoes, a cross between the Maglia Rosa and Zucchero varieties, is the brainchild of Baia Nicchia Farm & Nursery in Sunol.
With their sweet flavor and unique look, the tomatoes proved such a hit in hors d’oeuvres and salads with customers that the catering company wanted to make them available to the general public.
Starting July 19, you’ll be able to buy your own “Taste Tomatoes” at the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market at Allstar Organics’ booth on Saturdays; Menlo Park Farmers Market at Baia Nicchia’s booth on Sundays; Berkeley’s Tokyo Fish Market, Mondays through Saturdays; and Baia Nicchia’s farm stand in Sunol on Friday afternoons.
Sweets with Indian Flair:
That’s just what you’ll find at the new Bengali Sweets, which just opened at 783 E. El Camino Real in Sunnyvale.
Open 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, the 50-seat cafe serves up sweets and chaat (snacks) made by chefs Sohan Bhatt and Bajrang Bhamu, both of Sakoon restaurant in Mountain View. This is the newest venture of the Bombay Garden Group, which also owns Sakoon.
The Bengali region of Eastern India is known for milk-based sweets, including “Chenna Jelabiâ€, a cottage cheese-style milk-based dough piped in coils, deep fried and soaked in a spice-infused sugar syrup.
On the savory side, enjoy entrees such as “Chole Bhaturyâ€, a rich chickpea stew served with fried bread dumplings and curries such as lamb Roganjosh. For more information, call (408) 736-4000.
For Carnivores:
Lamb lovers will want to head to the “American Lamb Jam,” 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. July 18 at Fort Mason Festival Pavilion in San Francisco.
Executive Chef Matthew Accarrino of SPQR in San Francisco hosts this meaty affair that brings together dozens of top San Francisco chefs who will create succulent lamb dishes paired with local wines.
Tickets to the event, brought to you by the American Lamb Board, California Lamb Producers and Golden Gate Restaurant Association, are $50 per person.
For a pig-a-licious time, look no further than the second annual “High on the Hog” event, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. July 17 at Epic Roasthouse in San Francisco.
Listen to music and soak up the rays at this al fresco feast cooked up by Executive Chef Jan Birnbaum. Think slow-roasted fennel porchetta roasted over firewood for hours, charcuterie, molasses-honey pork spare ribs, crispy corn fritters, and homemade maple ice cream cones with bacon brittle. Salivating yet?
To wash it all down, there’s a line-up of stellar Pinot Noirs from Claypool Cellars, Pisoni Vineyard, and others.
Tickets are $95 per person and includes unlimited food and wine tastings. VIP tickets are $160 per person, and include a private cooking demo by Birnbaum on making his signature barbecue sauce. Each VIP guest also will receive a jar of the sauce to take home, as well as a select bottle of Pinot Noir.
Dinner with Boz Scaggs:
Yes, you can dine with the famous singer, songwriter and — yes — Napa vineyard owner, Boz Scaggs, at a special dinner July 15 at Bardessono in Yountville.
Executive Chef Sean O’Toole has designed a menu to complement Scaggs Vineyard wines, a grenache rosé and a Rhone-style blend, as well as selected French wines.
Dishes include tomato salad with heirloom melon and jamón ibérico de bellota; and Pacific “Bourride” (sable fish, monterey squid, mendocino uni, saffron, bouillabaisse).
Price is $135 per person. For reservations, call (707) 204-6030.
