Category Archives: More Food Gal — In Other Publications

Cute-As-Can-Be Brown Butter Buttons

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Heavenly brown butter buttons

These cookie nubbins pack a wallop of brown butter flavor. Even after you finish chewing, the nutty, rich flavor lingers on and on, much like a fine wine.

Their texture is surprising, too — extremely sandy and crisp, almost like a smaller, thicker version of a Chinese almond cookie.

“Nancy’s Brown Butter Buttons” is an heirloom recipe from the Swedish aunt of baker extraordinaire Nancy Kux, who used to own Nancy’s Fancies in San Carlos. Kux always will hold a special place in my heart because it was she who made my unforgettable almond-and-buttercream wedding cake.

Yes, this is the proper way the dough should look.

The recipe is one of many gems in the new “Baking for All Occasions” cookbook (Chronicle Books) by Palo Alto baking expert Flo Braker.

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Google’s Culinary Star Power

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Google's first executive chef. (Photo courtesy of Charlie Ayers)

If you ever had any doubts about the caliber of food those lucky Googlers get to nosh on for free, check out my story in the new December issue of San Francisco Magazine.

Charlie Ayers got the ball rolling in 1999 when he became the first executive chef at the Mountain View headquarters of that search engine giant. The delicious foundation he established helped nurture and lure a host of culinary stars. Now, Ayers is set to open his first restaurant, Calafia Cafe and Market A Go-Go in Palo Alto’s Town & Country Village. Although anticipated to open this month, due to construction delays, it will most likely open in January now.

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A Whirlwind of Information on Sustainable Seafood

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Gravlax topped with a creamy sauce of Greek yogurt and Dijon mustard.

That’s exactly what my buddy,  Jacqueline Church, has created in her 2008 “Teach a Man to Fish” blogging extravaganza.

Church, a Boston food writer and the creator of the LeatherDistrictGourmet blog, asked notable chefs, homecooks, seafood experts, and food writers from around the world — including yours truly — to submit a favorite recipe, and our thoughts on why we so strongly champion sustainable seafood.

You’ll find a wealth of seafood resource links, video clips, and 37 mouth-watering recipes you can enjoy without environmental guilt.

I hope you enjoy my contribution on the “Teach a Man to Fish”  roundup: New York Times food writer Mark Bittman’s Gravlax, served with Carolyn’s Creamy Greek Yogurt-Dijon Sauce.

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Root Beer — It’s Not Just For Drinking

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The secret ingredient in this luscious cake? Root beer.

One of my fondest memories as a teenager is the jolting brain freeze I’d get slurping an A&W root beer float after spending the afternoon playing tennis with my older brothers.

The frosty mug of root beer and soft-serve vanilla ice cream went down sweet, slightly bitter, and creamy. I was usually so thirsty that I couldn’t help but take that first gulp big and fast. The coldness would race up my nose to the middle of my eyes, forcing them shut with part pleasure and part pain. For a kid, it was the ultimate reward after all that running around after a fuzzy, bouncing ball.

Nowadays, I can’t remember the last time I picked up a tennis racket. And I long gave up root beer floats in an ode to try to be more health conscious.

But when I saw the photo of Root Beer Bundt Cake in the new “Baked: New Frontiers in Baking” cookbook (Stewart, Tabori & Chang) by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, I knew I had to make it. There’s root beer in both the chocolate cake and the chocolate frosting.

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Food Gal Makes Her Debut In San Francisco Magazine

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One of the new sustainable sushi guides. Pick up a copy of the November issue of San Francisco Magazine now on newsstands to read my short piece on three new sustainable sushi guides.

A year in the works, the guides were put together by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Blue Ocean Institute, and the Environmental Defense Fund.

On each of the organization’s Web sites, you’ll find a copy of a free guide to download. All three are sure to make your next meal at a sushi bar more enlightening.

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