Category Archives: Cheese

Special-Occasion Dining At Its Finest: Michelin Three-Starred Quince

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Heavenly white asparagus tortelloni at Quince.
Heavenly white asparagus tortelloni at Quince.

San Francisco’s Quince definitely puts the “special” in special-occasion dining.

It’s been around for a remarkable 23 years (including 17 of those at its current Jackson Square location). It’s held three Michelin stars since 2017. And it came as no surprise when the San Francisco Chronicle gave it the nod for “best hospitality” in its “Top 100 Restaurants” list this year.

Quince certainly lived up to all of that when I dined there last week in an epic 5-hour dinner, where my husband and I practically closed the place down with only one other table still occupied. Granted, that’s probably a more extended time than the norm. Even though we paid our own tab, Chef Michael Tusk (who owns the restaurant with his wife Lindsay Tusk) sent out extra dishes on the house that made for a longer dining duration.

Even so, I have to say, it never felt like five hours. It never dragged, there were no lapses, and it actually seemed to go by quite swiftly.

A lot of that does owe to the fact that the staff are so personable and engaging — but not in an overly interruptive or intrusive way. When one server who was pushing the migardises cart saw me eyeing it at the start of dinner, he slyly winked, “Not just yet. For later.” When another staff member saw me fingering a beautiful wine stem, he made a point to come over periodically to explain that a certain glass came from Germany or a serving bowl from Japan.

The entrance.
The entrance.
The sidewalk window with a view into the kitchen.
The sidewalk window with a view into the kitchen.

This was my first time dining at Quince since its remodel in 2023. The dining room, which used to be more dimly lit and darker overall, has been moved to the front of the restaurant and lightened up with blond oak furniture and plenty of space between all of 10 tables. A wall of large windows lets in a lot of warm natural light, especially at this time of year.

The 8- to 10-course tasting menu is $390 per person. Beverage pairings include “Wines of California” ($325), “Rare & Unique” ($550), “Art of Wine” ($1,225), and seasonal non-alcoholic ($150). Cocktails and supplemental courses are also available.

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Marin French Cheese Co. Celebrates 160 Years With New Products

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The new Petit Breakfast Everything from Marin French Cheese Co.
The new Petit Breakfast Everything from Marin French Cheese Co.

America’s oldest cheese company, Marin French, marks its 160th anniversary this year in a big way — with new cheese offerings.

The West Marin company has expanded its “Breakfast Range,” its fresh brie that is rindless and not aged. I had the opportunity to try samples of the new products.

I’ve long been a fan of its Petit Breakfast ($7.99), its 4-ounce wheel that is soft, creamy, tangy yet mild that I often enjoy with jam on an English muffin for breakfast. So, I couldn’t be happier that it now comes in a size that’s twice as large.

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Tom Colicchio’s “Possibly the Best Grilled Cheese You’ll Ever Have”

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'Nduja and plenty of mozzarella make this grilled cheese extra messy and delicious.
‘Nduja and plenty of mozzarella make this grilled cheese extra messy and delicious.

Tom Colicchio may be a household name now, thanks to 21 seasons as head judge and executive producer of the Emmy-winning, Bravo hit show “Top Chef.”

But as a kid, he felt a little lost and a lot unsure while growing up in northern New Jersey, especially with a father who was often moody, silent, and a gambling addict.

One day, when he was 13, his mom dragged him to her weekly hair appointment. As he waited, he happened to pick up a magazine, Cuisine. Leafing through it, he grew mesmerized by a recipe for roasted, stuffed eggplant. So much so, that he asked permission to take the magazine home, where he made the dish, the first meal he had ever cooked.

His dad took a taste and remarked, “Not bad, Tom” — words that Colicchio would cherish.

Three years later, when Colicchio was 16 with nary a thought to his future, his father suggested he become a chef, saying, “I think you’d be good at it.” Coming from his usually stoic dad, it carried immeasurable weight and would propel him into his exceedingly successful career.

So Colicchio recounts in his new book, “Why I Cook” (Artisan, 2024), of which I received a review copy.

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Spanakopita Gets An Italian Twist

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All the flavors of the classic Greek pastry pie -- minus the pastry.
All the flavors of the classic Greek pastry pie — minus the pastry.

Loaded with spinach and creamy, briny feta, who doesn’t love the savory Greek pie with the crisp pastry crust known as spanakopita?

Even so, the thought of fussing with hard-to-handle phyllo pastry sheets might be enough to deter you from wanting to make it at home.

So, take an easier route and use pasta instead.

Yes, “Baked Spanakopita Pasta with Greens and Feta” swaps out phyllo for tubular or curvy pasta instead. Think of it as the Greek cousin to American mac ‘n’ cheese.

This simple recipe is from “Easy Weeknight Dinners” (Ten Speed Press, 2024), of which I received a review copy.

It’s by the New York Times Cooking and Emily Weinstein, its editor in chief.

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Endive Salad With Indian Flair

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An endive and romaine salad gets jazzed up with seared paneer and a punchy tamarind chutney dressing.
An endive and romaine salad gets jazzed up with seared paneer and a punchy tamarind chutney dressing.

Like so many ethnic households, my family’s included a pantry where fermented black beans, three types of soy sauce, and tubs of tofu had equal billing as ketchup, mustard, and frozen hash browns.

Same for Khushbu Shah, whose family arrived in the first wave of Indian immigration to the United States.

The former restaurant editor at Food & Wine magazine, the Los Angeles-based Shah grew up in a home where Bisquick, peanut butter, and Taco Bell burritos were as beloved as curry leaves, coconut milk, and moong dal.

It’s that blending of heritages that informs her new cookbook, “Amrikan” (W.W. Norton), of which I received a review copy. Just what is “Amrikan”? As Shah explains in the book: Both a noun and an adjective, it is the word that Indians use to describe all things American. Or in short: “It’s America — with a desi accent.”

As such, the 125 recipes showcase the clever, surprising, and inspired ways that Indian American families have adapted what they found in American grocery stores or added a Southeast Asian spin to American comfort food classics.

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