Category Archives: Chocolate

Ice Cream Sandwich Time & Dan Gordon Performs at the San Jose Jazz Fest

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Can't resist this ice cream sammy at Sift Cupcakes. (Photo courtesy of the bakery)

Ice Cream Sandwiches on the Menu

When the weather heats up, there’s nothing as joyful to enjoy as an ice cream sandwich. It can’t help but bring out the kid in each of us.

Try an “Ice Cream Sammy” at Sift Cupcake & Dessert Bar, the only Bay Area bakery to win the Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars.”

With locations in Napa, Santa Rosa and Cotati, the bakery takes organic gelato and sandwiches in between big cookies. Try the “All for the Cookie” ($4), which features cookies ‘n’ cream ice cream stuffed between two chocolate cookies.

Look for a San Francisco location to open later this summer, too.

Mozzeria's loaded ice cream sandwich plate. (Photo courtesy of Mozzeria)

San Francisco’s Mozzeria is getting in on the act, too, with peanut butter ice cream sandwiched between two chocolate cookies ($6). It gets even better, too. The sammy is served on a homemade fruit roll-up — with a side of spicy beer nuts. It’s a meal.

Mozzeria is one of the first deaf-owned restaurants in the country. Its global menu features everything from roast duck pizza with hoisin to Japanese pumpkin ravioli.

Dan Gordon — Beer-Maker and Musician

Sure, we all know that the founder of Gordon Biersch Brewing Company knows how to make great beer.

But how many knew that Dan Gordon also is an accomplished musician?

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Auberge du Soleil Sweets, Foie Gras News, Yigit Pura’s New Bakery & More

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Auberge du Soleil's new Gianduia confections. (Photo courtesy of the resort)

Two New Sweets From Auberge du Soleil

Rutherford’s luxe Auberge du Soleil resort offers a pampering experience that just got a little sweeter.

Its chefs have come up with two new confections sure to satisfy any posh sweet tooth.

First, “Gianduia,” dainty hazelnut-chocolate squares made with both dark and milk chocolates, as well as organic nuts. A box is $24.50.

Sticky caramels with the surprise of pistachios. (Photo courtesy of Auberge du Soleil)

Next, California pistachios star in hand-wrapped pieces of rich caramel made with organic butter and cream. Fifteen pieces of “Carmel a la Pistache” come in a decorative box for $19.50.

The treats are available for purchase at the resort or through its online store.

Presidio Social Club Exempt From California Foie Gras Ban

Yes, the new state law that took effect July 1 may have bumped foie gras off menus everywhere else in California, but not at Presidio Social Club in San Francisco.

You see, it’s on federal land, thus, making it exempt from the California ban.

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Souvenirs from New York

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Pasta with truffle cream -- dinner from my New York souvenirs.

Some people tote home T-shirts or snow globes from vacations.

Me? I’m prone to do that on occasion, but more often than not, my souvenirs involve food.

I love nothing better than scouring supermarkets or specialty food stores to bring back a real taste of the place I’m visiting.

When I walked into New York’s Eataly last month, I knew I’d hit paradise for edible memorabilia.

The multi-restaurant food emporium brims with the flavors of Italy. Bringing back some of the wondrous gelato, cheeses and specialty beef would be out of the question, of course. But dried pasta was definitely do-able. I scoured the plentiful pasta aisles there to find one that would withstand being shoved into my carry-on without getting badly crushed or crumbled. I hit upon the Alta Valle Scrivia Trofiette ($4.80). The sturdy Ligurian durum wheat pasta is a slender, tightly twisted 1 1/2-inch sliver that has a hand-rolled look to it. Traditionally, it’s tossed with pesto sauce.

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Outrageously Good Gourmet Marshmallows

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Strawberry marshmallows to sink your sweet tooth into.

When I was a kid, I thought marshmallows were the perfect food.

After all, they were cute, sweet, squishable, meltable and fat-free. What more could a gal want?

(OK, the fact they were still caloric obviously escaped my reasoning back then.)

Now, the inventive ones by Have it Sweet have me singing the virtues of marshmallows all over again.

Made by a husband and wife duo in Los Angeles, this small confectionary company turns out fresh, delightful marshmallows in mind-boggling flavors. Think bubblegum, cinnamon sugar. apple pie, lemon swirl, and double cocoa swirl.

Produced in small batches to order, the marshmallows are  made of all natural ingredients, including organic and sustainable ones when available. They get their hues from food-based, organic colorings.

Chocolate hazelnut swirl marshmallow (front) and fleur de sel caramel swirl marshmallow (back).

Recently, I had a chance to try some samples.

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A Sweet Way to Celebrate the Giants’ Home Opener

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"Pitchersnaps" and "ShortBEARD'' cookies from Waterbar. (Photo courtesy of the restaurant)

Sure, you can dress in your best orange and black.

You can whoop and holler, too.

But best yet, you can nosh on cookies baked in honor of your fave players as you cheer them on.

Pastry Chef Emily Luchetti wants to help you celebrate the San Francisco Giants home opener on Friday, April 13 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. She’ll be selling fresh-baked Giants-themed cookies at a pop-up outside her restaurant, Waterbar on the Embarcadero.

Choose from Pitchersnaps (a riff on gingersnaps), Pablo Sandoval’s Panda Prints (peanut butter and jam thumbprints), Buster Posey’s Chocolate Chunk Cookies, and Brian Wilson’s Chocolate Sea Salt ShortBEARDS (get it?).

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