Category Archives: Chefs

Final Days of La Cocina Auction, Mini Shops in San Jose, and A New Farmers Market

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Nite Yun's offerings. (photo courtesy of IfOnly)

Nyum Bai’s soulful offerings. (photo courtesy of IfOnly)

La Cocina Online Auction

San Francisco’s inspiring food entrepreneur incubator, La Cocina is holding an online auction now through May 28. Proceeds will benefit the organization’s entrepreneurs, who are largely immigrant women working to launch self-sustaining food businesses.

Among the incredible items up for bid are:

For a look at all the items up for bid, click here.

The New Moment at San Pedro Squared

Now, you can not only park your car at San Jose’s downtown Market-San Pedro garage, but do a little shopping, too.

Four new mini stores. (Photo by Rick Jensen)

Four new mini stores. (Photo by Rick Jensen)

Twelve parking spaces on the San Pedro side have been converted into four micro stores to help give greater visibility to new, small business owners.

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Parcel 104 Celebrates Its 17th Year

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Not to big, not to small, but just right citrus tart by Pastry Chef Carlos Sanchez.

Not to big, not to small, but just right citrus tart by Pastry Chef Carlos Sanchez.

 

To help celebrate Parcel 104’s 17th anniversary this year, the restaurant in the Santa Clara Marriott near Levi’s Stadium last week reunited founder Chef Bradley Ogden with the team there for a special Cakebread Cellars wine dinner last week, which I was invited to as a guest.

The festivities will continue, as the restaurant is offering a $35 three-course lunch through July 31 with appetizers by Ogden, entrees by Executive Chef Sergio Morales, and desserts by Pastry Chef Carlos Sanchez.

Ogden, who practiced farm-to-table long before it became part and parcel of the Bay Area lexicon, is now working and living in Lodi’s wine country, as culinary director at the Wine & Roses resort.

Chefs Bradley Ogden (left) and Sergio Morales, (right).

Chefs Bradley Ogden (left) and Sergio Morales, (right).

Sanchez has been with Parcel 104 since day one. Born in Columbia, he has staged and worked with Juan-Mari and daughter Elena Arzak at Arzak in San Sebastian, Spain, as well as Pastry Chef Jordi Roca of El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain, two of the greatest restaurants in the world. Over the years, Sanchez has become known for his dainty-sized desserts, often served in trios, that are perfection personified.

Cakebread Cellars' wines matched to each course.

Cakebread Cellars’ wines matched to each course.

Morales was supposed to be a lawyer like his father. In fact, he attended Santa Clara University’s law school for a year and a half before leaving to follow his passion of cooking. He graduated from the Professional Culinary Institute in Campbell, now known as the International Culinary Center. His Dad first feared that he’d end up being a short-order cook, flipping burgers for the rest of his life. But now, his father couldn’t be prouder of his son working his way up from a cook to head chef here.

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A Taste of the Seasons at Danville Harvest

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Lamb with carrot puree at Danville Harvest.

Lamb with carrot puree at Danville Harvest.

For those who have never been to downtown Danville — and I count myself in that group until a couple weeks ago — it’s high-time to explore this sunny town in the San Ramon Valley. Picture a larger downtown Los Gatos, and you get the idea of how cute and inviting this area is.

Danville Harvest is a perfect place to stop in for a bite to eat, too. With its interior barn doors, library ladders, pewter light fixtures, walls of white subway tiles, displays of old farm tools and antique bottles, and gray tufted leather booths set off by billowy, printed drapes, it’s a Chip-and-Joanna-Gaines rustic-chic interior come to life. Yes, I watch too much “Fixer Upper” on HGTV. But this space is definitely done up in that comfortable-chic style we all can’t get enough of.

Chef Tim Humphrey.

Chef Tim Humphrey.

The servers dress in cute gingham shirts. Old glass pane windows front the kitchen to give a glimpse into all the action. And there’s plenty of outdoor seating with a fire pit and strings of lights overhead.

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Not One, Not Two, But Three Cheese and Tomato Muffins

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Cheesy muffins to fall for.

Cheesy muffins to fall for.

 

Is there anything better than ooey-gooey cheese, all melty and molten with bits that have caramelized and hardened to a lacy crisp?

These savory muffins have all that and more going on.

“Three Cheese and Tomato Muffins” are loaded with cheese, pesto and sun-dried tomatoes.

The recipe is from the new “The Modern Dairy” (Kyle Books) by chef and food writer Annie Bell.

TheModernDairy

It’s definitely not a book for those who are lactose intolerant, as its 100 recipes celebrate milk, cream, yogurt, cheese and butter. Learn how to make everything from yogurt from scratch to “Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi” to “Butternut Squash Fries with Date and Mint Quark” to “Milk Chocolate Mousse.”

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Carbo Loading at Pasta Armellino

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Pasta heaven at Pasta Armellino.

Pasta heaven at Pasta Armellino.

 

How much do I love carbs?

Let’s just say that when my husband and I went to Pasta Armellino in Saratoga for dinner recently, we ordered all six pastas on the menu, plus the garlic bread. We didn’t mess around with any soups or salads. We meant business — carb business.

But when the pasta is this dreamy, who can blame us?

After attending the media preview of the casual pasta restaurant that opened in February right across the street from its big sister, flagship Michelin-starred Plumed Horse, we were eager to go back to try more. A couple weeks ago, we were invited in as guests of Pasta Armellino to do exactly that.

The counter.

The counter.

Orecchiette with asparagus and roasted tomatoes.

Orecchiette with asparagus and roasted tomatoes.

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