January | 2014 | Food Gal

Monthly Archives: January 2014

Meet the Food Gal at Two January Events

Posted on January 8, 2014 by foodgal 6 comments

Chocolate Mudslide Cookies by Pastry Chef Rodney Cerdan. (Photo by Carolyn Jung)

Dying for a taste of those rich, gooey, chocolatey cookies above?

You know you are.

Then, come by Omnivore Books in San Francisco, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 13, for a taste. I’ll be signing copies of my debut cookbook, “San Francisco Chef’s Table” (Lyons Press) with Pastry Chef Rodney Cerdan of Prospect in San Francisco and Chef Will Pacio of Spice Kit, with locations in San Francisco and Palo Alto.

Both chefs are featured in my cookbook and will be bringing treats to the event.

The “Chocolate Mudslide Cookies” are not only full of chocolate goodness, but also bits of home-made toffee that sometimes overflow out of the cookiesÂ just like a real mudslide. And yes, the recipe is featured in the book.

Listen to the Food Gal Dish on Restaurants on KQED’s Forum Show

Posted on January 6, 2014 by foodgal 9 comments

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What are the hot new restaurants and the must-try dishes in the Bay Area for the new year?

Take a listen as yours truly talks food with Michael Bauer, San Francisco Chronicle restaurant reviewer, and Meesha Halm, local editor of the Zagat Bay Area Restaurant Guide on last Thursday’s “Forum” show on KQED Radio.

Centonove Bids You Benvenuto

Posted on January 3, 2014 by foodgal 7 comments

Osso bucco — a Wednesday night special at Centonove.

Centonove, the newest restaurant to open in Los Gatos, welcomes you with Italian gusto.

Step inside its compact, convivial black and white dining room with splashes of marinara red, and you may hear Executive Chef Carlo Ochetti heartily conversing with customers in his native Italian.

Indeed, Centonove (Italian for “109,” its numerical address on W. Main Street) is like a neighborhood trattoria transported from Italy to the South Bay. Shelves lining a brick wall are stacked with wine bottles, packages of pasta (even gluten-free ones), and big cans of tomatoes to give the feel of an Italian groceria. Small tables fill the main room, which also sports two bar areas — one to enjoy a quick coffee, the other known as the chef’s counter because it fronts the kitchen, including the red-tiled, wood-fired pizza oven.

Executive Carlo Ochetti.

Manning the pizza oven.

That’s where Ochetti, formerly of San Jose’s Il Fornaio, holds court. He chats easily and often with diners at the black marble chef’s counter, asking how everything is or explaining how a dish was put together.

A Zesty New Year

Posted on January 1, 2014 by foodgal 10 comments

Fennel and Meyer Lemon Relish to start the year off right.

After all that belly-busting food of the holidays, it’s time for something light and bright to start 2014.

Best yet, this particular recipe makes use of any Meyer lemons you may still have hanging on your trees.

“Fennel and Meyer Lemon Relish” is from the new “The Art of Simple Food II” (Clarkson Potter) by the one and only Alice Waters.

The cookbook, of which I received a review copy, is filled with recipes that make the most of your kitchen garden at any time of year. Moreover, there’s even information included on taking care of your soil, building a compost pile, making compost tea and growing seedlings.

Although called a “relish,” this is almost like a salad in that it has so much delightful crunch. It couldn’t be easier to make, either.