Category Archives: Enticing Events

Cake Art, America’s Cup Cocktail & More

Artist Gary Komarin paints images of cakes on brown paper bags. (Image courtesy of the artist)

Cake Paintings at March in San Francisco

Cake — without the calories. That’s what you’ll find at Marche, the gourmet kitchenware store in San Francisco, when it hosts an exhibit by artist Gary Komarin, Sept. 28 through the end of November.

The whimsical artwork consists of water-based enamel and spackle paintings of cakes on paper bags.

“I have long been intrigued by the way paper bags are designed and the way that they fold back into such a beautifully flat object after being so very volumetric in their ‘open’ stance,” said Komarin in a statement.   “These bags have a terrific surface on which to paint and an almost puffy physicality once paint is applied.”

Komarin’s work was inspired by his mother, a consummate baker, and his father, an architect.

A cocktail to salute the America's Cup. (Photo courtesy of Michael Mina restaurant)

America’s Cup Cocktail

Hoist a drink to the America’s Cup World Series, which will take place in the San Francisco Bay, Aug. 21-26 and Oct. 2-7.

You can with a specially prepared cocktail, the AC45, available at Michael Mina restaurant and RN74, both in San Francisco.

The beguiling concoction is a blend of Carpano Antica, Velvet Falernum and Earl Grey tea that’s shaken, poured into a tall glass of ice, then garnished with black lava sea salt and nori.

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Two Food Gal Giveaways: Tickets to FallFest and to the Foster Farms Chicken Cook-Off

A scrumptious look at last year's FallFest. (Photo by Marcie Franich Photography)

San Francisco Magazine’s FallFest Extravaganza

You’ll have to wear loose clothing to try all the food from 40 top restaurants and vino from 40 wineries at San Francisco Magazine’s annual FallFest, noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 13 at Justin Herman Plaza in San Francisco.

What’s more, there also will be drink seminars, a cocktail competition, live music and chef demos by such esteemed chefs as Belinda Leong of B. Patisserie and Justin Simoneaux of the Boxing Room.

Among the restaurants that will be serving up noshes are: Brasserie S&P, Pizza Antica, Perbacco and Dosa. Participating wineries include: Bonny Doon, Natural Process Alliance and Chappallet Winery.

Tickets are $95 each. The event will benefit Meals on Wheels, which provides food for home-bound seniors.

Contest: One lucky Food Gal reader will win a pair of free tickets to FallFest (a total value of $190). Entries, limited to those who will be able to be in San Francisco on Oct. 13 for the event, will be accepted through midnight PST Sept. 22. Winner will be announced Sept. 24.

How to win?

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San Francisco Cooking School Debuts, SMIP Ranch Dinner & More

The team behind the new San Francisco Cooking School: (left to right) Bill Corbett, Catherine Pantsios, Craig Stoll, Jodi Liano and Daniel Patterson. (Photo courtesy of the school)

New San Francisco Cooking School

The new San Francisco Cooking School in the Civic Center neighborhood promises to shake things up.

What makes this one so different?

It plans to do away with teaching archaic disciplines such as ice sculpture carving and aspic making (still commonly taught at other culinary schools)  for more useful, contemporary skills instead.

What’s more, some of the city’s most esteemed chefs have been appointed as deans and advisers.

We’re talking the likes of Daniel Patterson of Coi, Craig Stoll of Delfina and Bill Corbett of Absinthe as deans; and Stuart Brioza of State Bird Provisions, Melissa Perello of Frances and Ryan Farr of 4505 Meats as advisers, among others.

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A Food Gal Giveaway: Two Seats at A Special Tomato and Wine Pairing Dinner in Los Gatos

Indulge your summer tomato cravings.

Two of my favorite places in Los Gatos are joining for one night to celebrate “Fruits of the Vine,” a salute to summer heirloom tomatoes and stellar wines.

Sept. 15, the owners of Enoteca La Storia wine bar will be supplying copious amounts of their 25 varieties of home-grown, organic tomatoes to Restaurant James Randall for a vine-to-table five-course feast.

Chef Ross Hanson’s menu will include dishes such as Dungeness crab croquettes with tomato relish; tomato braised beef with creamy polenta and Pecorino; and roasted tomato and peach shortcake.

The  6 p.m. dinner is $95 per person, which includes wine pairings. Tax and gratuity are not included.

Advance ticket purchase is required.

Contest: One lucky Food Gal reader will get a chance to attend the dinner with a guest — for free (though a tip for the servers would be appreciated, I’m sure). Entries, limited to those who can make it to Los Gatos on the evening of Sept. 15, will be accepted through midnight PST Sept. 8. Winner will be announced Sept. 10.

How to win?

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Chocolate Fest, Chef Craig Stoll Cooking Demo & Chefs of Compassion Event

A decadent Ghirardelli milk chocolate caramel square. (Photo by James Hall Photography)

17th Annual Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival

It’s a total chocolate weekend in store, noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 8-9, when the 17th Annual Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival rolls into San Francisco’s Ghirardelli Square.

Take part in an ice cream eating contest, in which contestants will have to down a famous Ghirardelli “Earthquake Sundae.” Join the chocolate scavenger hunt. Watch chef demonstrations. And enjoy the first ever festival bake-off with treats made from Ghirardelli products.

The chocolate extravaganza is a benefit for Project Open Hand, which provides meals to those who are homebound.  Last year, $63,000 was raised.

Tickets are $20 each, which will get you 15 samples.

Deep dark chocolate squares from Ghirardelli. (Photo by James Hall Photography)

Chef Craig Stoll Cooks at Bloomingdale’s San Francisco

Craig Stoll, chef-proprietor of Delfina, Pizzeria Delfina and Locanda, all in San Francisco, will be whipping up some delicious dishes at Bloomingdale’s in downtown San Francisco, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 8.

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