Category Archives: Great Finds

Women Getting It Done, Part I: Amina Harris of The Hive

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Amina Harris, the "Queen Bee,'' at The Hive.
Amina Harris, the “Queen Bee,” at The Hive.

Woodland, CA — You’ve probably done wine tastings, cheese tastings, even olive oil tastings.

But have you ever indulged in a honey tasting?

If not, you need to experience one — pronto.

At The Hive Tasting Room & Kitchen, the largest honey tasting room in California, you can sample honey that naturally tastes like marshmallows (Northwestern Meadowfarm from Central Oregon), cardamom (California Coriander from the Sacramento Valley), Red Hots (High Plains Sweet Clover from the Midwest), and so much more.

I had the pleasure of doing exactly that last month when I was invited in for a visit.

Ishai Zeldner grew fascinated with bee keeping while living in Kibbutz Beit Hashita in Northern Israel. So much so that when he returned to the United States, he immediately dove even further into bee research by enrolling at the University of California at Davis. He went on to become a commercial beekeeper, even bottling his own California Yellow Star Thistle honey with its delightful creme brulee-like taste.

The Hive is a production facility, as well as a tasting room and cafe.
The Hive is a production facility, as well as a tasting room and cafe.
All manner of honey varietals are available.
All manner of honey varietals are available.

Zeldner passed away in 2018, but not before instilling in his family a true passion for bees and honey that continues to this day.

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The Name Says It All at Z&Y Peking Duck

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Maybe the best Peking duck you'll ever sink your teeth into.
Maybe the best Peking duck you’ll ever sink your teeth into.

Z&Y Peking Duck in San Francisco’s Chinatown serves what might just be the holy grail of ducks.

As a Chinese American who grew up in San Francisco, where Peking duck was the star attraction of many a celebratory banquet dinner, I rarely recall a version that was this outstanding as the one I enjoyed when I dined at the restaurant last week.

We’re talking duck meat that’s not dry or tough in the least, but juicy and tender throughout, and skin that’s incredibly crisp with all of its fat underneath completely rendered out, a rare feat in and of itself.

Chef-Owner Li Jun Han, who formerly was the executive chef at the Chinese Consulate-General in San Francisco, opened Z&Y Peking Duck in 2023. USA Today recently touted it as one of its “10 Best New Restaurants of 2025.” It is the sister restaurant to Han’s Z&Y restaurant, across the street that opened in 2008 and has garnered a Michelin Bib Gourmand distinction.

Ducks hanging in the window are a familiar sight in Chinatown. But these are actually fake ones. You'll have to snag a table to enjoy the real deal.
Ducks hanging in the window are a familiar sight in Chinatown. But these are actually fake ones. You’ll have to snag a table to enjoy the real deal.

At Z&Y Peking Duck, it pays to dine as a party of 4 or more. That’s because that’s the minimum you need to make a reservation. Otherwise, you take your chances as a walk-in, which can be dicey, especially on a Saturday night as when I was there and people were crowded inside the entryway, waiting for tables.

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Get To Know the New Eylan in Menlo Park

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Oysters with a chili-passion fruit essence at Eylan.
Oysters with a chili-passion fruit essence at Eylan.

Cementing their mettle as a culinary dynamic duo, Chef Srijith Gopinathan and business entrepreneur Ayesha Thapar are on their way to creating a mini empire of Bay Area modern Indian restaurants with Copra in San Francisco, Ettan in Palo Alto, Little Blue Door in Los Altos, and now their newest, Eylan in Menlo Park.

Eylan, which means “proclamation” or “public announcement” in Hindi, opened in January in the new retail-business development, The Villa Menlo Park.

As with all their restaurants, the interior is striking, though, a little less showy than some of their other ones, as I found when I was invited in as a guest of the restaurant last week.

Located at a new Menlo Park development with convenient parking underground.
Located at a new Menlo Park development with convenient parking underground.
The dining room.
The dining room.

Its look is punctuated with leafy vine-wrapped columns, lush trees, macrame hangings, black and white geometric floor tiles, curve-backed sand-colored chairs, and red-and-green fabric-wrapped chandeliers. Dimly lit at night, the dining room offers a nestled-in quality but can get noisy when it’s full.

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Say Hello To My New Little Friend: Chili Crisp Mochi Muffin

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Third Culture Bakery's new Chili Crisp Mochi Muffins.
Third Culture Bakery’s new Chili Crisp Mochi Muffins.

What’s soft, chewy, and irresistibly delicious with just the right kick of heat?

New chili crisp mochi muffins from everyone’s favorite mochi muffin bakery, Third Culture Bakery.

Best yet, its mochi muffins are not only available at its Berkeley and Walnut Creek locations, but also now through nationwide shipping.

Partners in business and in life, Chef Sam Butarbutar and Wenter Shyu founded Third Culture Bakery in 2016 to create baked goods that reflect their Indonesian and Taiwanese heritages.

Their newest chili crisp flavor mochi muffin is a collaboration with Oakland Chef Stacy Tang, formerly of Taiwan Bento, to commemorate the Lunar New Year.

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Spiceology Broadens Your Kitchen Curriculum

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Spiceology's Raspberry Chipotle adds sweet heat to a chocolate mochi donut.
Spiceology’s Raspberry Chipotle adds sweet heat to a chocolate mochi donut.

They look like jars from a chemistry set. But have no fear; the only explosions these will set off are ones of thunderous flavor.

Get to know Spiceology, a Spokane company that sells more than 300 spice blends.

It was founded in 2013 by food blogger Heather Scholten and Chef Pete Taylor.

The spices are available in single jars of varying sizes or in select variety collections. I had a chance to try the latter when the company sent me a sample of its “Ultimate Rub Collection” ($64.95) that features 12 mini jars of its best-selling blends.

It includes some really creative ones such as Raspberry Chipotle, a mix of brown sugar, chipotle, raspberry, paprika, cumin, mustard, and salt that is sweet, woodsy, and has a good kick of heat.

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