Category Archives: Great Finds

Buzzing Over Beehive Cheese

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Cheddar rubbed with New Mexico Hatch chiles and chile powder -- from Beehive.
Cheddar rubbed with New Mexico Hatch chiles and chile powder — from Beehive.

Creamy cheddar flavored with everything from espresso to bourbon, and porcini to Earl Grey tea. If that doesn’t perk up your cheese board or grilled cheese game, nothing will.

Those imaginative products and more are the handiwork of Beehive Cheese, an award-winning creamery that gets its name from Utah’s nickname, the Beehive State (who knew?), and its creativity from founders Tim Welsh and his brother-in-law Pat Ford.

The two guys went all in on cheese-making after the dot-com collapse did a number on their former software and real estate businesses. They had little cheese-making experience at the time, but didn’t let that stop them, getting help from the Western Dairy Center, a leading cheese research institute. They also had the good sense to partner with fourth-generation dairy, Wadeland South, which raises Holstein and Jersey cows for their rich tasting milk.

Because the two were learning as they went, they had no fear when it came to experimenting with what a cheese could be.

The results are unique and delicious cheddar flavors, as I found when I received samples recently.

All the cheddars are creamy and semi-firm, so they’re easy to cut into neat slices for nibbling or stacking atop a sandwich.

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Dining Outside at Mago

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A hearty wheat berry porridge finished with mustard greens and bottarga at Mago.
A hearty wheat berry porridge finished with mustard greens and bottarga at Mago.

If you’re on the hunt for a relatively reasonably priced tasting menu full of soulful flavors, where you don’t have to get dressed up fancy, and can sit comfortably at a heated outdoor patio, look no further than Oakland’s Mago.

Its name is Spanish for magician, and Chef-Owner Mark Liberman and his staff of just five certainly perform wizardry with such a small crew.

Opened in 2019, it’s Liberman’s first solo project, following his stint in San Francisco at the shuttered AQ restaurant.

Last week, I was invited in as a guest of the restaurant for dinner. There’s only one tasting menu offered each night, though vegetarian and vegan versions are always available on request.

It’s $75 per person for about eight courses, which are moderate in size, but all together will definitely leave you sated at the end. Because Liberman takes a vegetable-focused approach to his rustic, Colombian-meets-California dishes, you’ll leave plenty full yet still feeling buoyant.

Chef Mark Liberman manning the live-fire grill.
Chef Mark Liberman manning the live-fire grill.

With the tasting menu lasting about two hours, I was pleasantly surprised at how many diners were indulging in it on a school night (Wednesday). Ease-dropping, I could tell quite a few were regulars, too, which is always a good sign.

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The Cutest Ever Hot Dog Flower Buns

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A genius Asian take on pigs in a blanket.
A genius Asian take on pigs in a blanket.

Before my love for B. Patisserie, Arsicault, and other modern-day baking meccas took hold, there was my childhood infatuation with Chinatown bakeries.

I remember the stacks of pink boxes on their counters, and the mesmerizing machine that would automatically wrap candy-cane colored twine around them in a blink of an eye.

I remember the bustle of customers queuing to place orders, as I scurried underfoot to get a closer look at the glass cases of golden custard tarts; glossy double-crust apple pies; squishy steamed sponge cakes; and airy layer cakes covered in ethereal whipped cream, strawberries and mandarin orange segments.

So, when I heard that the Bay Area’s Kristina Cho was writing a cookbook inspired by the sweet and savory creations of Chinese bakeries, I couldn’t have been more excited to see get these wonderful and nostalgic treats finally get their due.

“Mooncakes & Milk Bread” (Harper Horizon), of which I received a review copy, did not disappoint.

Cho, a former architectural designer turned food blogger of Eat Cho Food, recipe developer, and cooking instructor has created a true love letter to these Chinatown bakeries.

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David Chang’s Best Dessert in the World

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An effortless dessert that's mind-blowingly good.
An effortless dessert that’s mind-blowingly good.

Do yourself a favor: Buy a glazed yeast doughnut. Or two. Pronto.

Now, resist inhaling them in the morning. Instead, save them for the evening.

Then, spend a mere few minutes to transform them into the “Best Dessert in the World.”

That’s what Momofuku’s David Chang calls this uncanny creation.

Given how stupid-simple it is to make and the sheer bliss it provides, I’d have to agree that his multi-named “The Only Dessert I’ll Cook at Home (Doughnuts Cooked in Butter with Ice Cream)” definitely ranks right up there.

It’s from his new cookbook, “Cooking at Home: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Recipes (And Love My Microwave)” (Clarkson Potter), of which I received a review copy. Chang co-wrote it with New York Times food writer Priya Krishna.

It might be best described as the anti-cookbook. Meaning that it’s more like one of those no-recipe cookbooks of late. There are no precise measurements for ingredients. Sometimes, there aren’t even specific ingredients listed. The idea is to trust yourself more, to season to your own personal taste, and to use what’s in your pantry without dashing to the supermarket for obscure items all the time just to make one dish one way all the time.

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Three New Things to Try In the New Year

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Momofuku instant noodles that cook in 4 minutes, which I garnished with fresh green onions.
Momofuku instant noodles that cook in 4 minutes, which I garnished with fresh green onions.

Momofuku Noodles and Chili Crunch

After reading that the initial release of Momofuku Noodles sold out in a flash, then had a wait list of tens of thousands of folks, well, I had to buy some when an ad popped up in my social media feed that they had been restocked. Because, yes, I am that kind of person.

Plus, when the irrepressible chef of the Momofuku restaurant empire, David Chang, develops a product, your curiosity can’t help but be stoked.

The instant noodles were initially available on the Momofuku online store, but are gone now until future restocking. However, they are still available at Target for about $9.49 for a bundle of 5 packets.

They come in three varieties: Spicy Soy Noodles, Soy & Scallion Noodles, and Tingly Chili Wavy Noodles.

I purchased the Soy & Scallion Noodles. Each packet of the wheat noodles serves one at 320 calories total. And they couldn’t be easier of faster to make. Just boil them in water for 4 minutes, drain, then stir in the seasoning packet plus freeze-dried scallions.

The noodle packages.
The noodle packages.

The curly, white, modestly wide noodles are very supple and bouncy, nearly akin to fresh noodles but with slightly more sturdiness. The seasoning packet is soy sauce-based and added a savory, homey taste.

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