Author Archives: foodgal

The Debut of Al’s Real Goods Cookies

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Chef Aaron London's new packaged cookies just hit store shelves. Left to right: Ginger Smack, Choco Choco, and Choco Chip.
Chef Aaron London’s new packaged cookies just hit store shelves. Left to right: Ginger Smack, Choco Choco, and Choco Chip.

Aaron London has been many things over the years: chef, restaurateur, and recipient of a Michelin star and Bon Appetit magazine’s “Best New Restaurant in the Country.”

Now, add to that list: cookie entrepreneur.

The former chef of the ground-breaking, vegetable-forward Ubuntu in Napa, London closed his Michelin-starred Al’s Place in San Francisco in 2022, and spent the next couple of years working on crafting packaged cookies that he would be proud to sell on grocery store shelves.

The result is Al’s Real Goods boxed cookies that are made with brown cane sugar, free-range eggs, Fair Trade chocolate, and butter from grass-fed cows.

The cookies come in three varieties: Choco Chip, Choco Choco, and Ginger Smack.

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‘Bout That Sauce

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Grilled corn on the cob served with a dazzling tahini chimichurri sauce.
Grilled corn on the cob served with a dazzling tahini chimichurri sauce.

Will apologies to Meghan Trainor, I am all about this sauce.

No doubt, you will be, too.

If you love the bright and tangy herbaceousness of Argentinian chimichurri sauce and the way it livens up anything it touches, then you will go crazy for this Persian-influenced one that adds tahini for a richer, creamier body.

Slather it on ordinary corn on the cob to turn it into something extra special.

“Grilled Corn with Tahini Chimichurri Sauce” is from the new cookbook, “Bitter & Sweet” (Weldon Owen), of which I received a review copy.

It’s the debut cookbook by Seattle-based Omid Roustaei, an Iranian-American chef and culinary instructor, who has quite the background, having worked in the biotech industry and now also happens to be a psychotherapist.

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The Taste of the Sea Is Better Than Ever at La Mar Cocina Peruna

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Cebiche tasting (front to back): Clasico, Nikkei, and Victoriano.
Cebiche tasting (front to back): Clasico, Nikkei, and Victoriano.

On a summer evening when the sun lingers long even in typically foggy San Francisco, there are few better places to dine than outside at La Mar Cocina Peruna.

Located on the Embarcadero waterfront with sweeping views of the Bay, this modern Peruvian restaurant by acclaimed Chef Gaston Acurio just underwent an interior refresh, too. Its Executive Chef Victoriano Lopez also has updated the menu.

I had a chance to check out both when I was invited in as a guest of the restaurant recently.

Opened in 2008, it is one of 10 La Mar restaurants around the world, including the original one in Lima.

The bar.
The bar.
New fresh seafood display.
New fresh seafood display.

The San Francisco one glows in deep indigo hues. The bar features a giant squid art piece hanging from the ceiling. The dining room boasts light fixtures reminiscent of jellyfish, as well as a new display case of fresh seafood.

The covered patio has new planters, glass walls to guard against the wind, and plenty of heaters so the space is comfortable even when the evening chill descends.

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Sweet or Savory? Laura’s Gourmet Has Got You Covered

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Roasted green beans get a sprinkle of Laura's Gourmet Southeast Asian Savory Topper.
Roasted green beans get a sprinkle of Laura’s Gourmet Southeast Asian Savory Topper.

Sometimes you just want a little extra something to sprinkle atop a dish to give it oomph.

Chef Laura Briscoe knows that feeling. That’s why in 2004, she created her Arizona company, Laura’s Gourmet, a line of certified gluten-free granola and savory grain toppers.

Recently, I had a chance to try some samples. Her Southeast Asian Ancient Grain Savory Topper ($13.50 for a 10-once tin) has a fine, slightly crunchy texture. Think of it as almost a granola version of furikake.

It’s made of rolled oats, millet, and quinoa with organic coconut oil, sliced almonds, sunflower seed butter, sugar, and flaxseed. It has a gentle sweetness balanced by salt along with a nice nuttiness.

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The Napa Valley’s Newest Patisserie Is A Stunner

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The beautiful pastries at Under-study.
The beautiful pastries at Under-study.

As if the Napa Valley didn’t already boast an overabundance of fine eats, along comes the new Under-study patisserie and cafe, which opened with a splash in St. Helena at the end of May in the former Dean & DeLuca building.

It’s from the team behind Michelin-starred Press restaurant just a few yards away, which includes its Chef-Partner Philip Tessier, former executive sous chef at The French Laundry and the first American chef to ascend to the podium of the prestigious international Bocuse d’Or Competition; and acclaimed Executive Pastry Chef Frank Vollkommer, a former pastry instructor at the Culinary Institute of America. So, you know this isn’t your run-of-the-mill bakery, but one with some of the most exquisite pastries around.

Executive Chef-Partner Philip Tessier (left) and Executive Pastry Chef Frank Vollkommer (right).
Executive Chef-Partner Philip Tessier (left) and Executive Pastry Chef Frank Vollkommer (right).

I finally had an opportunity to visit a few weeks ago, when I was traveling through the valley. Under-study is right off St. Helena Highway, though, it’s not easily spotted from the road. When you see Press, you know you’ve landed in the right place. To the restaurant’s left is the new MAC, the Napa Valley Museum of Art & Culture, with its very thoughtful and creative Julia Child exhibit that shouldn’t be missed. Head around the left-hand side of the MAC, and you’ll find the entrance to Under-study.

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