Special Tomato, New Indian Sweets, Piggy Event & More

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 Jelabi”, 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 Bhatury”, 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.

More: What It Takes to Cross-Breed a New Tomato

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17 comments

  • Ooh lamb festival…that has GOT to be good!

  • I am so excited that I can actually participate in some of the events that I am reading on your blog this time (since I am in town for the next week and a half.) I am definitely going to look out for the Taste Tomatoes, and try to attend the Lamb Jam.

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  • The tomatoes are, indeed, beautiful. They look very thin skinned and are shaped like the famed San Marzano fruit. I love to visit here. It is always lively and informative. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings…Mary

  • Those are lovely tomatoes. I’m going to look for them at the market!

  • Wow, never seen such gorgeous and unique tomatoes. Need to get me some. 😉

  • The tomatoes look great! I always look for unique tomatoes. I think I’ll have to make a trip to Menlo Park soon… 🙂

  • Those tomatoes are lovely, almost like a cross between a chili and a tomato. I wonder if we’ll ever get to taste it here in MN.

    Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment 🙂

  • I wish I could taste a “taste tomato!” Love the shape of them.

  • “tomato salad with heirloom melon and jamón ibérico de bellota; and Pacific “Bourride” (sable fish, monterey squid, mendocino uni, saffron, bouillabaisse)”. That sounds incredible! Boz is a Dallas native, didn’t know he had a winery.

  • I am in pure of envy on thos happenings! Hope you will get the chance to taste all of them and tell us about them! 🙂

  • Dinner with Boz??? Oh you lucky Californians! Are you going? If so, I expect a report AND photos.

    Those tomatoes are an absolute delight. Never have seen them before and sure would love to taste one. Doubt I’ll find them here, though.
    🙁

  • I would love to have a breed of tomato made just for me. how awesome would that be! I wonder what I would call it…

    And now after reading your second heading, I am seriously craving Indian food. And it is 8AM….an interesting way to start the day 😛

  • Hello Carolyn,

    It is so nice to meet you and visit your lovely blog! I have perused several of your posts and found them interesting and informative. You have so much to offer your readers!

    Thank you for stopping by my place and leaving your comment!
    Kindly, ldh

  • Wow, so much going on out there. If I hadn’t just gone to Meatopia out there this weekend, I may have had to jump on a plane next weekend for the pig and lamb roasts.

  • Though I keep repeating my love for Indian food, I must say I am not into their sweets…cos it is overly sweet! But I could check this place out if they have savories..

  • oh there you go again tempting us with too many delightful events! I really want to head over to check out that chickpea stew with fried bread…

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