A Chilly Bird That’s Hot
That’s exactly what air-chilled chicken is these days.
If you’re versed in organic, free-range, and natural when it comes to poultry, now learn about the newest type of chicken available — air-chilled.
Category Archives: Health/Nutrition
Sustainable Sushi
Sit down at your favorite sushi bar to order mirugai, bonito, hotate or akame.
Chances are that you’re not really sure what you’re always eating, given that the seafood names are in Japanese. Moreover, chances are even greater that you’re unsure whether what you’re eating is sustainable or being over-fished to extinction.
You may remember my post last year about three new sustainable sushi guides by three environmental organizations. Now, on the heels of those, comes “Sustainable Sushi” (North Atlantic Books) by Casson Trenor, a sustainable seafood expert who’s also a consultant to Tataki Sake and Sushi Bar in San Francisco, the first sustainable sushi restaurant in North America.
At 110 pages, this book is a more in-depth look at 39 species found on sushi menus. Trenor includes information on such crucial issues as mercury levels, dredging, and crowded fish farms. The species are color-coded so that you can tell from just a glance whether it’s sustainable, unsustainable, or one that you should proceed with caution about. It’s a must-read for any sushi aficionado.
Charlie Ayers’ Calafia Cafe Opens
The long-awaited debut restaurant by the former executive chef of Google has opened for business at Palo Alto’s Town & Country Village.
Calafia Cafe & Market A Go Go is the brainchild of Charlie Ayers, one-time private chef to the Grateful Dead. Although the cafe is open, the market — with its planned salad bar, rotisserie chicken, and pre-cooked meals to reheat at home — won’t open its doors until February.
The eclectic, global menu of the casual eatery emphasizes fresh, healthy, local, and sustainable. You’ll find everything from brown rice sushi ($9) to Crouching Chicken Pizza (Five-spice chicken, tiger sauce, mushrooms, white sesame seeds, and greens; $9), Chinese Chicken Salad ($7.50), Lacquered Beef Short Ribs ($16), and Vegan Sticky Buns with Maple Syrup ($7).
Carafes of house-filtered still or carbonated water are set on the tables. Lumber from a 1910 Pennsylvania barn was reclaimed for the ceiling. A chandelier of 66 recycled milk bottles graces the front dining area. Other custom table lamps are constructed from a found gas can and dairy can; and counters are made from recycled paper put under immense pressure to create a hard, dense surface.
The cafe and bar are open daily, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Happy Hour, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily, will feature select wines, beers, and appetizers at a discount.
Finally — Pinkberry Comes to Town
The wait is over for Northern California’s first Pinkberry.
The Korean-style tart fro-yo that started the whole craze will open Saturday, Jan. 17 at Santana Row in San Jose. You’ll find it in a pavillion in Santana Row that was once the concierge center.
Pinkberry serves two main flavors: Original (tart) and Green Tea. A new seasonal flavor makes its debut, too: Pomegranate.
Fro-Yo Craze Continues
Trying to eat more healthful in the new year?
Then, you’ll be glad that the frozen yogurt craze that came, went, and returned, continues to be more than alive and well in 2009.
Yogen Fruz, established in 1986 in Toronto, now has more than 1,100 locations in more than 20 countries, and that includes the United States. The fro-yo company is making a push into Northern California, having opened a cafe in San Francisco in 2008 at 3 Embarcadero Center. Now, it’s about to open one early this year in San Jose at the Westfield Oakridge Shopping Centre.