Author Archives: foodgal

Nutty Braised Beef Short Ribs

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Short ribs get gilded with plenty of orange peel, sticky dates, and crunchy pistachios
Short ribs get gilded with plenty of orange peel, sticky dates, and crunchy pistachios

Yes, these succulent, fall-off-the-bone short ribs sure are nutty — thanks to a final flourish of rich and crunchy pistachios.

“Braised Beef Short Ribs with Orange Peel, Dates, and Pistachios” is from “Pistachios Sweet and Savory Recipes Inspired by World Cuisines” (Cameron & Company, 2023), of which I received a review copy.

The book is by veteran cookbook authors Barbara Bryant of St. Louis and Palm Beach; and James Beard Award-winning writer Georgeanne Brennan of Winters, CA, who is also a co-founder of the wonderful aperitif company, L’Apero les Trois.

Pistachios may be native to to Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria, but their appeal now reaches far and wide. The United States is the leading producer of pistachios, with California having bragging rights in producing 99 percent of them.

They are good for you, too. A handful of pistachios (about 50 kernels) has as much protein as an egg and more fiber than an orange, according to the book. Pistachios also have high levels of unsaturated fatty acids and potassium.

And don’t toss those pistachios shells. Mix them with wood chips, bark or leaves to make a handy mulch that will slowly break down over time to release nutrients into the soil. Just be sure to use unsalted shells; or rinse salted shells and allow them to dry beforehand.

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An Addictive Taste of the Middle East In Ronda’s Muhammara

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Ronda's Fine Foods muhammara turns simple roasted veggies into something far more special tasting.
Ronda’s Fine Foods muhammara turns simple roasted veggies into something far more special tasting.

It’s nutty, tangy, savory, and fruity with tomato and pomegranate — and you’ll want to dollop it on most everything.

Made with ground walnuts for a chunky-textured sauce, muhammara is vegan, too.

Now, Ronda’s Fine Foods of Petaluma has debuted a shelf-stable version that comes in glass jars.

The company was founded by Ronda Brittian of Petaluma, a former trauma nurse who developed a passion for cooking from her grandparents, one set of Mexican heritage and the other hailing from the South.

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Crack Open A Cold One — To Bake This Marvelous Beer Bread

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Red Stripe beer and loads of rosemary infuse this aromatic, moist, and easy quick bread.
Red Stripe beer and loads of rosemary infuse this aromatic, moist, and easy quick bread.

On your next trip to the store, pick up a six-pack of Jamaican Red Stripe beer, and feel free to sit back and sip a cold brewski.

But do yourself a major favor and save at least one of those distinctively stubby bottles to bake a loaf of “Rosemary Red Stripe Beer Bread.”

That’s right — this incredibly moist and flavorful quick bread uses one whole bottle of the beer, plus copious amounts of fresh rosemary.

There’s no yeast involved and no rising time required. Just mix, bake, and enjoy a warm slice slathered with butter in no time flat.

This wonderful recipe is from “For the Culture” (Harvest, 2023), of which I received a review copy. It takes its name from author Klancy Miller’s For the Culture digital magazine.

A New York chef and food writer, Miller spotlights 66 inspiring Black women in her book with interviews, and 47 recipes from them.

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The Allure of Alora

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A salt cod fritter goes glam at Alora.
A salt cod fritter goes glam at Alora.

The newest restaurant by Vikram and Anu Bhambri, the husband-and-wife team behind a handful of contemporary Indian establishments in the Bay Area, is a major departure.

And it’s a doozy.

Alora opened in late-January on Pier 3 on San Francisco’s Embarcadero to serve up ambitious Mediterranean fare with aplomb, as I found when I was invited in as a guest of the restaurant last week.

The couple, who have tech backgrounds, got their restaurateur start with Rooh in San Francisco, followed by a second Rooh in downtown Palo Alto. Then, came Pippal in Emeryville in November. Look for Fitoor, and Indian grill, to open March 19 at San Jose’s Santana Row.

The stylish dining room.
The stylish dining room.

For Alora, they tapped Ryan McIlwraith as executive chef, who formerly held that position at Bellota in San Francisco, and was chef de cuisine at Coqueta in San Francisco and director of culinary development for Bottega restaurants in San Francisco and Yountville.

It’s an interesting setup with the main dining room in one building and the kitchen in another one a couple yards away connected by a breezeway. McIlwraith may have jested that servers have to ensure that the dill doesn’t blow off a plate in transit, but noted it’s actually a smooth path unless there’s a major storm. In cases like that, they take extra care to put covers on all plates.

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Bow Down to Four Kings

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The signature fried squab at Four Kings. Only 15 are offered each night.
The signature fried squab at Four Kings. Only 15 are offered each night.

The food of my childhood has been stunningly reinvigorated at the new Four Kings in San Francisco’s Chinatown.

If you’re Chinese American and of Cantonese heritage like myself, one taste of the dishes here will take you back nostalgically to many a celebratory Chinese banquet meal of long ago, as well as just plain ol’ homey weeknight gatherings with family at Formica-topped tables at local hole-in-the-wall joints.

Four Kings, which officially opens to the public on March 14, is the brainchild of chefs Michael Long and Franky Ho, former sous chef and chef de cuisine, respectively, of Michelin-starred Mister Jiu’s a block away. The duo, along with Millie Boonkokua, general manager of Liholiho Yacht Club in San Francisco, and Long’s wife, Lucy Li, an accountant, pooled their money along with that from friends and family to open this brick-and-mortar, following a series of sold-out pop-ups last year.

The open kitchen with counter seating.
The open kitchen with counter seating.

Last week, I had a chance to snag an early pre-opening reservation at the u-shaped counter that surrounds the open-kitchen — the best seats in the house if you enjoy seeing all the action up close.

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