Category Archives: General

Lighten the Load, Part II: Black Garlic Butter Branzino

Posted on by Leave a comment
It tastes like a restaurant-worthy dish -- but takes only one pan and about 10 minutes to make.
It tastes like a restaurant-worthy dish — but takes only one pan and about 10 minutes to make.

When it comes to Italian cooking, Chef Joe Sasto doesn’t like to adhere rigidly to tradition.

Thus, the title of his new cookbook, “Breaking the Rules” (Simon Element), of which I received a review copy.

It was written by San Francisco-native and “Top Chef” alum Sasto, who graduated from the University of California at Davis before going to work for three years at Michelin three-starred Quince in San Francisco, where he was in charge of the hand-made pasta program. From there, he went on to become executive sous chef at Michelin two-starred Lazy Bear in San Francisco.

The book, written with assistance from cook and recipe developer Thea Baumann, is a collection of recipes that Sasto makes at home.

From the first page, his flair for bending or breaking so-called rules in on display.

Read more

Lighten the Load, Part I: Neapolitan Fish Stew

Posted on by 2 comments
Fish fillets simmer gently with tomatoes, olives, and capers for a super easy supper.
Fish fillets simmer gently with tomatoes, olives, and capers for a super easy supper.

At the start of a new year, most of us want to feel a little lighter.

That could mean actually losing a few pounds. Or simply resetting the palate after one holiday after another holiday of rich, heavy foods. Or reverting back to effortless cooking after preparing one too many complicated holiday specialties. Or simply stressing less about everything in general.

Whether the desire is physical or emotional, “Neapolitan Fish Stew” will take a load off.

That’s because it’s a no-brainer to prepare, and its simple, clear yet satisfying flavors provide the verve to energize any new beginning.

This simple and healthful recipe is from “A Kitchen In Italy” (Clarkson Potter), of which I received a review copy. It’s by Mimi Thorisson, a food writer and cookbook author of Chinese and French heritages who lives in Turin, Italy. The book is lavishly photographed by her husband Oddur Thorisson, an Icelandic photographer.

Read more

Happiness Is Getting A Table At Happy Crane

Posted on by 2 comments
Hand-pulled noodles with hedgehog and shiitake mushrooms at Happy Crane.
Hand-pulled noodles with hedgehog and shiitake mushrooms at Happy Crane.

After opening in August in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley neighborhood, Happy Crane has garnered acclaim far and wide.

So, it’s no wonder that landing a reservation to enjoy Chef James Yeun Leong Parry’s contemporary take on Cantonese cuisine is as hard as getting invited to Taylor Swift’s upcoming nuptials.

A tip to the wise: Reservations open up 30 days in advance at noon on OpenTable. So, set yourself up with your phone, laptop or desktop five minutes before, and keep refreshing the page over and over again. When the reservations finally so pop up, immediately pounce.

That’s how I managed to secure a reservation for four a few weeks ago. And it was absolutely worth jumping through those hoops.

The dining room.
The dining room.

Like with Mister Jiu’s and Four Kings, both in San Francisco’s Chinatown, Happy Crane has reinvigorated Chinese food with fresh, young energy with the use of top-quality ingredients, time-honored and modern techniques, and playful reinterpretations.

Read more

The No-Guilt Pleasure of Japanese Pudding

Posted on by 4 comments
A sweet taste of Japan.
A sweet taste of Japan.

Even after visiting twice in six months, there are still so many aspects about Japan that I sorely miss:

The speed and efficiency of its bullet trains.

The reverence for ancient cultural traditions.

The civility and orderliness.

And most of all, the pudding.

Whether we had just gorged on a dinner of sushi or ramen or even a fine kaiseki, my husband and I could not pass a 7-Eleven there at the end of the night without stopping in to grab a small container of pudding in the refrigerator case.

Think the smoothest, silkiest flan with a layer of dark, bittersweet caramel.

For all of $1.50 U.S.

Is it any wonder that one taste left us immediately hooked on this pudding that’s known as purin?

Yearning for it back home, I came across a particular intriguing version of it: “Soy Sauce Pudding (Shoyu Purin)”

It’s from the new cookbook, “The Japanese Pantry” (Smith Street Books), of which I received a review copy.

It’s by Emiko Davies, an Australian-Japanese food writer and veteran cookbook author, who runs a cooking school and natural wine bar, Marilu, with her sommelier husband in San Miniato, Tuscany.

Read more
« Older Entries Recent Entries »