Category Archives: Fruit

Garden Creamery Sorbets Taste Fresh-Picked

Posted on by 28 comments

Sorbet flavored not only with raspberries, but red peppers.

I love a good, fruity, virtuous sorbet. But truth be told, it’s usually not quite as swoon-satisfying as a sinful scoop of bonafide full-fat ice cream, if you know what I mean.

That is until I tried samples of Garden Creamery sorbets.

These sorbets — made with agave nectar, as well as organic fruits, veggies and herbs, and no stabilizers or emulsifiers — are something else.

They taste high-end, as if a talented pastry chef at a four-star restaurant had spent the morning churning them, using the best ingredients in winning combinations.

Read more

Hello, Limoncello

Posted on by 24 comments

Hello, my citrusy , boozy friend that looks like summer sunshine in a glass.

Have you made the acquaintance of everyone else out there? Allow me to make the introductions.

Everyone: Say “hello” or rather “hellocello” to Limoncello di Sonoma, which landed in my mail box recently as a sample.

This traditional, artisan Italian liqueur is home-grown from Sonoma. It’s made from organic lemons, organic agave syrup, and grappa.

Read more

Kickin’ with Kiwi

Posted on by 26 comments

Kiwi is the secret ingredient in this tasty flatbread wrap.

When life gives you kiwi, make kiwi raita, of course.

More precisely, when Zespri, the largest marketer of kiwifruit, sends yours truly a case of the brown furry fruit to try, that’s just what I get a hankering for.

Especially when this twist on a traditional Indian condiment comes from pioneering Florida chef, Norman Van Aken.

The easiest way to eat a kiwi? Cut in half, then scoop the flesh out with a spoon.

With kiwi in this cool, creamy yogurt sauce, you don’t get the crunch you would from using the traditional cucumber. What you get is a subtle sweetness instead, a counterpoint to the warm spices of cumin, coriander and black mustard seeds.

Read more

A Sweet Society

Posted on by 23 comments

How'd you like these raspberry-white chocolate sables delivered to you? (Photo courtesy of Tell Tale Preserve Company)

Executive Pastry Chef William Werner, one of the Bay Area’s top talents, won’t officially open his new Tell Tale Preserve Company on Union Square in San Francisco until November.

But those impatient for a taste of his confections have a novel option in the meantime: Become a member of its Tell Tale Society.

For a $35 a month subscription, you get a once-a-month delivery of house-made pastries, jams, candies and breads. Now, that’s my idea of high society.

Customers can either pick up their package at a designated location or have it shipped directly to them for an extra fee.

The once-a-month delivery bag. (Photo courtesy of Tell Tale Preserve Company)

The first burlap bag shipment of goodies is set to go out on Sept. 1. It will include an almond financier, plum-litchi pate de fruit, coffee-laced milk jam, caramels with volcanic sea salt, savory tomato-semolina bread, praline marshmallows, and raspberry-white chocolate sandwich cookies.

Werner, who has worked at Quince in San Francisco and the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, is building a patisserie and delicatessen on tucked-away Maiden Lane. Tell Tale Preserve Company is a collaboration between him and the Whisk Group, a Maryland boutique hospitality group.

Read more

The Newest in Wine Pairings — Lady Gaga Donuts and Cupcakes

Posted on by 21 comments

You’ve had cheese with your wine. You’ve had chocolate with your wine.

But you’ve probably never had the likes of a Lady Gaga donut with a Petite Syrah.

This Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 28, you can enjoy that unusual pairing that sounds as out there as one of Gaga’s outfits.

Poetic Cellars of Soquel is hosting this creative food-wine pairing. Psycho Donuts of Campbell is supplying all the donuts that day, including the pop star-inspired iced cake ones topped with fresh blueberries.

The winery is offering up even more donut-wine combos with the likes of “Apricotology fritters” with Chardonnay and Viognier; an Oreo cookie-like cake donut matched with Syrah; and S’Mores cake donuts with Poetic Cellars’ Bourdeaux blend, Ballad.

Read more

« Older Entries Recent Entries »