Monthly Archives: October 2008

A Pear-fect Time

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That’s what’s in store at the second annual “Pear & Wine Festival,” 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 19 at San Jose’s Santana Row.

The festival pays tribute to the pear orchard that once thrived where Santana Row’s glittery shops and hopping restaurants now stand.

This year, amateur chefs will be facing off in a new pear recipe challenge. Today is the last day for contestants to submit a written recipe and photo of their dish to the Santana Row Concierge Center. Five finalists will be pre-selected to tote their dishes to the festival (4 p.m. to 5 p.m.), where a panel of judges — including yours truly, the Food Gal — will judge them for taste, presentation, and originality.

The winning recipe will be posted on the Santana Row Web site. The grand prize winner will receive a $100 gift card to Consuelo Mexican Bistro and a Santana Row shopping spree. The winner also will get a signed copy of
“Giada’s Kitchen” (Clarkson Potter), the new cookbook by Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis.

Yes, the ever-popular De Laurentiis will do a Q&A at noon that day in Santana Row Park, then a book-signing afterwards at Sur La Table. Reserve your spot and a copy of the book by calling Sur La Table at (408) 244-4749.

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A Primer on Palo Alto Eateries

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Meeting friends in Palo Alto for dinner, but don’t know where to go? Or behind on all the newest restaurants that have opened in that posh Peninsula city?

Dan Pitt of Palo Alto comes to the rescue. By day, he’s a consultant. But in all other hours, he’s a foodie obsessed with eating his way through his favorite city. Find his list and opinions of Palo Alto restaurants here.

An Ovation For Newest Newman-O’s

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A marriage of peanut butter and chocolate

I tore into a bag of the new Newman-O’s Peanut Butter Creme Filled Chocolate Cookies, and curiously took a bite. As I contemplated whether I liked the new cookie sandwiches, my hand started reaching for another. And then another.

That answered that.

Basically, I had to close up the bag and move it to another room so that I wouldn’t end up inhaling the entire package. The deep cocoa-tasting, crisp chocolate cookies encase a creamy, subtly salty peanut butter filling. I especially like how the cookies are not that sweet.

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Korean Tea, Part 2: The Traditional

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Ellen Kim performs a traditional Korean tea ceremony.

Driving past the profusion of strip malls that make up El Camino Real in Santa Clara, it’s easy to miss so much.

But look closely along that stretch, and you’ll spot what was until recently the only Korean tea house in the Bay Area.

It’s easy to overlook Chasaengwon tea house on the second floor of a non-descript office/retail building at bustling 3330 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, near a See’s Candy store. But if you do, you’ll be thoroughly missing out.

Jinsook Hong opened her charming tea house/cafe here because the city already was home to a sizable Korean-American community. Hong operated a tea house in her native Korea, until immigrating here 21 years ago.

Kabocha soup

A quiet matriarchal figure, Hong is here seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., carefully preparing all the tea and all the food, such as hearty kabocha or abalone soup, and the most popular item – a huge bowl of green tea shave ice with green tea ice cream, mochi and fresh fruit that’s big enough for four people to share. She will even prepare a special menu if given advance notice.

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Korean Tea, Part 1: The New

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Korean corn tea that tastes like popcorn in a mug

You’ve enjoyed trendy wine bars. Now, take a seat at a soothing tea bar.

Puripan Tea Garden opened its doors a month ago at San Jose’s Santana Row. This cozy oasis sells 70 types of loose-leaf teas, the majority of them Korean. Although Koreans traditionally don’t drink black teas, the store has imported a range of black teas from India and China, as well.

If your experience with tea has been limited to the bagged variety, you are in for a treat here. Most run-of-the-mill tea bags contain more tea “dust” than actual leaves. Glass containers here display tea leaf samples that can be opened to experience their intoxicating fragrances.

Take a breather at Puripan Tea Garden

Besides many types of green tea, Koreans have a tradition of brewing tea from grains such as corn and barley, as well as more unusual plants such as persimmon leaves. Store proprietor Ellen Kim explained that during Korea’s Chosun Dynasty (the 1300s), the tax on tea was so high that people resorted to brewing “tea” with other ingredients.

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