Category Archives: Enticing Events

Time to Enjoy Holiday Teas, Christmas Ales and More

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Afternoon tea hits the spot during the holidays. (Photo courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton)

Afternoon tea hits the spot during the holidays. (Photo courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton)

Holiday Tea Time at The Ritz-Carlton SF

If you need a respite from all that holiday shopping, head to the swank Ritz-Carlton San Francisco for some soothing tea.

Take a load off at the 3 p.m. afternoon tea in the lounge, available daily through Dec. 24.

You’ll enjoy a pot of tea, savory finger sandwiches, scones, macarons and other sweets while live music entertains.

Price is $65 per person.

The little ones are sure to love the Teddy Bear Tea, available 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Dec. 14-15 and Dec. 20-24.

Children can bring their favorite stuffed animal to the Terrace Room to meet Stretchy the Elf, Holly Berry and the giant Ritz-Carlton Teddy Bear. They’ll also get to partake in holiday story-telling, sing-a-longs and a photo session with the Ritz-Carlton Teddy Bear. Holiday treats will be served, too.

Aww, how cute is this Teddy Bear Tea? (Photo courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton)

Aww, how cute is this Teddy Bear Tea? (Photo courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton)

Price is $110 per person. A portion of proceeds benefits the Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area foundation.

For reservations to either tea event, call (415) 773-6168.

Winter-Christmas Ales at The Trappist

The Trappist in Oakland is celebrating Kerstbier, a two-day Bacchanalia today through Saturday that spotlights a bevy of winter-Christmas ales, including a tap take-over with 25 featured beers.

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Memories of Stone Crab Claws and A Food Gal Giveaway

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Now, that's a holiday seafood platter, wouldn't you say? (Photo by Carolyn Jung)

Now, that’s a holiday seafood platter, wouldn’t you say? (Photo by Carolyn Jung)

 

Having grown up in San Francisco, I am an avowed Dungeness crab gal through and through.

Some people may consider lobster the ultimate luxury ingredient. But I think Dungeness is far superior with its fluffy, sweet meat.

That being said, though, I have dabbled with stone crab claws.

When you worked in South Florida for four years as I did, you can’t help but fall for these big, meaty claws.

On a lowly newspaper reporter’s salary, pricey stone crab claws were a rare treat.

But the once or twice that I did splurge on them, I must say they sure satisfied, especially dunked in mustardy mayo.

Thanks to Anderson Seafoods, I got to relive that memory recently.

The Orange County seafood distributor, which overnights fresh and frozen seafood right to your door, sent me a sample of real-deal Florida stone crab claws to try.

They’re ready to eat once they arrive. All I did was whip up my own mustard-mayo sauce before digging in, happily.

I may be a California gal, but there just might be a little bit of Florida still in me. Just maybe.

CONTEST: One lucky Food Gal reader will win a $300 credit from Anderson Seafoods to enjoy whatever seafood you please. Entries, open only to those in the continental United States, will be accepted through midnight PST Dec. 14. Winner will be announced Dec. 16

How to win?

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“Favorite Asian Dumplings From Scratch” and A Food Gal Giveaway

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Learn how to make a bevy of Asian dumplings with instructor Andrea Nguyen. (Photo courtesy of Craftsy)

Learn how to make a bevy of Asian dumplings with instructor Andrea Nguyen. (Photo courtesy of Craftsy)

 

There is both an art and a skill to meticulously folding, shaping and cooking all manner of precious little Asian dumplings.

I can’t think of any better teacher to learn from than my good friend and Asian food authority bar none, Andrea Nguyen.

After all, she knows Asian food like nobody’s business. She teaches dumpling-making classes regularly at Love Apple Farms in Santa Cruz. And she wrote the book, “Asian Dumplings” (Ten Speed Press).

Now, no matter where you live, you can learn from her, thanks to Craftsy.

The site offers online classes on everything from cooking to knitting to photography. Started by former eBay executives, it allows you to learn in the privacy of your own home and at your own speed, as you can watch the videos over and over, and even with friends and family. You can even ask questions of the instructors in a virtual classroom.

Andrea’s “Favorite Asian Dumplings from Scratch” includes eight lessons, from “Introduction to Dumplings” to “Making Shrimp Wontons” to “Japanese Pot Stickers” to “Korean Dumplings.” The complete package is $19.99.

Yes, you can make this. (Photo courtesy of Craftsy)

Yes, you can make this. (Photo courtesy of Craftsy)

I had a chance to preview the class for free for this review. The videos have nice production values, like a cooking show you’d see on PBS. There are plenty of close-ups of the food, too, which not only get you hungry but help you follow along easily, especially when it comes to learning how to stuff and fold the dumplings. You’ll also learn where each of these dumplings originated and what makes each unique. Along the way, Andrea offers up stories of her love for dumplings and endless words of encouragement. Crafsy even allows you to share your new-found dumpling skills with your virtual classmates through the posting of your own photos and comments.

I’ve actually been lucky enough to stand alongside Andrea as she’s cooked in her own home kitchen. This video class is the next best thing to that.

CONTEST: One lucky Food Gal reader will win “Favorite Asian Dumplings from Scratch.” The best part about this contest is you can live anywhere in the world to enter.

How to win?

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The Goodies You’ll Find In My New Cookbook, “San Francisco Chef’s Table”

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A dusting of cinnamon completes this anise semolina cake from Aziza that's perfect for the holidays.

A dusting of cinnamon completes this anise semolina cake from Aziza that’s perfect for the holidays.

 

Drum roll, please: My debut cookbook, “San Francisco Chef’s Table,” (Lyons Press) arrives next week.

Available easily on Amazon, it makes for a perfect holiday gift without having to trudge to the mall on Black Friday, too.

The cookbook features spotlights on 54 of the San Francisco Bay Area’s top restaurants, along with 70 of their signature recipes.

SanFrancisoChefsTableCover2

To rev up your taste buds, I thought I’d tell you about some of the recipes you’ll find in the book:

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Nudo’s Italian Torrone and Adopt A Tea Garden Program; Plus A Food Gal Giveaway

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An Italian specialty candy perfect for the holidays.

An Italian specialty candy perfect for the holidays.

 

Sticky, sweet and crunchy — that’s Italian torrone.

This traditional confection is made the time-honored way by hand by Torronificio Trapani in Southern Italy with a family recipe that’s more than 200 years old.

Now, Nudo Italia has made it available in the United States. The gourmet food company sells a 7-ounce, 10-inch-long slab for $15.

Recently, I had a chance to try a sample.

The white nougat looks like Christmas, itself. It’s packed to the gills with almonds, too. Orange honey gives it a rounder flavor. And the bitter edge of the almonds ensures this treat isn’t cloying.

It’s a stick-to-your-teeth candy that’s fairly addictive.

A nice up of tea is a perfect accompaniment, what with its welcome tannins to counteract the sweetness.

A sample from the Darjeeling Adopt a Tea Garden program.

A sample from the Darjeeling Adopt-A-Tea-Garden program.

Nudo offers a unique way to enjoy its tea by offering a Darjeeling Adopt-A-Tea-Garden program. Here’s how it works: Choose one of five Nudo tea gardens in Darjeeling, India to adopt for a year. Each features a different flavor profile. Then, each quarter for $29 per quarter, you’ll receive a 125-gram tin of loose leaf tea straight from your garden. Each container is enough for 40 cups.

In this way, you’re helping to support a local, family tea farm in India.

You’ll also get quite the tea education in the process by being able to taste tea from the same garden throughout the year, discovering how the flavors change over time. For instance, I found the First Flush (summer harvest) I sampled to be quite delicate and green tasting. In comparison, the Monsoon Flush (winter harvest) was quite robust and earthy.

CONTEST: One lucky Food Gal reader will win not only a sample of Nudo Italia’s torrone, but a membership in the Darjeeling Adopt-A-Tea-Garden program that includes an “adoption certificate” plus one shipment of Golden Harvest Darjeeling tea. Entries, limited to those in the continental United States, will be accepted through midnight PST Nov. 30. Winner will be announced Dec. 2.

How to win?

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