Category Archives: Enticing Events

Cherry Time, Sunset Celebration Weekend & More

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Dig a spoon into this Bing cherry sundae. (Photo courtesy of Bluestem Brasserie

Cherries Galore at Local Restaurants

Who can resist sweet, crisp cherries? Not San Francisco chefs, who are featuring them on many menus.

At Bluestem Brasserie in San Francisco, indulge in cherries in multiple forms in one over-the-top dessert: gelee, granita, fresh and marinated in Cherry Heering Liqueur.

You get all that in the “Bing Cherry Sundae,” that’s also loaded with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. If that weren’t enough, it also comes with chocolate chip cookies. Oh my!

At Vitrine at the St. Regis in San Francisco, Executive Chef Romuald Feger pays homage to his grandmother by recreating her Alsatian black cherry clafoutis. During cherry season, she’d bake it daily, offering him a big slice after school.

His version comes with Sicilian pistachio ice cream. To pair with it, he recommends an Alsatian Gewurztraminer.

The whimsical "foie gras sphere'' at Michael Mina restaurant. (Photo courtesy of the restaurant)

At Michael Mina in San Francisco, enjoy cherries in two unique savory preparations. First, the “Foie Gras Sphere” that is a tiny, rich mouthful of cherry and amarone-scented foie gras. It’s playfully shaped like a red sphere with a stem on top to mimic a real cherry. You’ll find  it as part of the “hors d’oeuvres platter” ($16).

Second, cherry puree is a pivotal component of the “Vacca Rosa Risotto with Cherry and Squab Ragu.” The rich Vacca Rosa cheese, similar to Parmigiano Reggiano, is a striking counterpoint to the sweet cherries. The dish is part of the tasting menu, but also can be ordered a la carte.

“Tango & Tapas” Soiree and a Discount for Food Gal Readers

Learn how to make mouth-watering tapas — then get a lesson in the tango to burn up all those calories.

Yes, it’s two demos in one with the 6:30 p.m. June 7 “Tango & Tapas” event at Circolo in San Francisco.

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New Tazo Ice Tea Bags & A Food Gal Giveaway

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Your chance to win this pretty pitcher, plus the iced tea that goes along with it.

With summer just around the corner, it’s time to kick back with a refreshing pitcher of iced tea.

Tazo makes that even easier now with its new line of Iced Tea Filterbags.

These aren’t mere bags, but large sachets of tea leaves, to better brew a large pitcher without diluting its flavor.

Recently, I had a chance to try samples of the three new flavors: Iced Black Tea (a strong pick-me-up), Iced Green Tea (with the lilt of spearmint, lemongrass and lemon verbena), and Iced Passion Tea (with notes of hibiscus, mango and passion fruit).

The generously sized sachet is easy to use. Just drop one in hot water and let steep for about five minutes. I sipped the iced black tea on a weekday afternoon when I needed that extra hit of caffeine. Even over ice, the flavor wasn’t watered down whatsoever.

A box of six tea sachets is $4.95. Find them at Starbucks stores or other grocery stores. The Portland, Ore. company is a division of Starbucks.

The iced tea satchels come in three varieties.

Contest: One lucky Food Gal reader will win a sample box of each of the three new Tazo Iced Tea Filterbags. You’ll also get a pretty glass pitcher (pictured above) to serve it in once your tea has cooled down enough to transfer it to that vessel.

Entries, limited to those in the continental United States, will be accepted through midnight PST June 2. Winner will be announced June 4.

How to win?

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Scenes From My Latest Macy’s Event

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Monika Batista and Chef Earl Shaddix get cooking in the Macy's Cellar. (

If you missed the Food Gal’s most recent appearance at Macy’s Union Square in San Francisco last Saturday with Brazilian food entrepreneur Monika Batista, you missed a delightful, delectable time.

But don’t despair.

Thanks to to Macy’s regulars, Barry and Evan Jan, here are photos they took that captured the afternoon’s cooking demo, as Batista showed how to make the Brazilian cheesy snack bread known as pao de quejo.

Gluten-free, they are made from yuca root flour.

Sample plates. (Photo by Barry and Eva Jan)

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Dinners For Free at a Campbell Cooking School — But You Have to Know Someone

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A generous-sized asparagus salad, cooked by students at the International Culinary Center in Campbell.

On the second floor of the International Culinary Center in Campbell sits the Monte Bello room.

The 24-seat, makeshift dining room serves lunch daily and dinner on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

For free.

The catch is that you have to know someone affiliated with the school in order to get invited to enjoy the multi-course meals that are prepared by the culinary students.

Fortunately, Bruce McCann, president of the culinary school, provided just that opportunity last week for my husband and I to experience dinner there.

The culinary school doesn’t have a license to operate a full-blown restaurant on the premises. But administrators wanted to give students the experience of cooking for real diners. So, they came up with this concept, in which invited guests can partake of a meal for free. At the end of the meal, you’re asked to fill out a detailed questionnaire that ranks the taste, presentation, flavors and cooking of each dish so that the students can get feedback from the experience. Though it’s not required, you also can make a donation of any amount that will be donated to the student scholarship fund. Tips also are appreciated, as your waiter is not a student but an actual professional server.

Your meal is technically for free, but you can enjoy wine or beer for a charge.

The comment card you fill out to give feedback on the meal.

For dinner, seating begins at 8 p.m., as the students arrive at 6 p.m. to begin prepping for that evening’s menu.

When you are seated, you’ll get a pencil and questionnaire, as well as a printed menu. There’s always a choice of entrees,  at least one of which is vegetarian. Depending upon how many students are working that night, you might also get a choice of appetizers and desserts.

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