Mark your calendar for 4 p.m. Nov. 7, when I’ll be one of the moderators for this year’s virtual Holiday reFresh, which brings together a stellar roster of Bay Area chefs for conversations and cooking demos centered on plant-based celebratory dishes for the upcoming holidays.
This free event, which is open to the public, is brought to you by Acterra, a Palo Alto non-profit dedicated to supporting a healthy planet.
Sharing moderating duties with me will be the Bay Area’s Liren Baker of the popular Kitchen Confidante blog and podcast.
Join us as we host an incredible line-up of chefs, including:
Brioche, quail egg and caviar — one of the many amuse-bouches that kicked off the meal at Le Papillon.
This might be one of the South Bay’s best-kept secrets: You’ll find zero mention of it on its web site, but San Jose’s venerable fine-dining Le Papillon actually offers outdoor dining.
Granted, not much of it, as there are only three tables.
But for those like myself who still prefer dining al fresco in these times, it’s definitely news you can use and appreciate.
When my husband and I had driven past the elegant, 44-year-old restaurant, which is located incongruously on the edge of a strip mall off congested Saratoga Avenue, we thought we caught a glance of a small outdoor area at the rear. A look-see of Yelp images showed what appeared to be a couple tables outside there. Finally, a quick call to the restaurant confirmed it.
When you make a reservation online, you can request an outside table, though it’s not guaranteed. However, if you make a reservation on the early side on a weeknight, and show up a few minutes beforehand, there’s a good chance you’ll score a patio table.
The compact patio is done up nicely with potted plants and other greenery.
When my husband and I dined with another couple last week, we were the only ones dining outside along with one larger party. It’s a small, slender space, which is why it can accommodate so few. But it’s a very sweet spot, dressed up with walls of live succulents and pretty potted plants. There are plenty of heaters, too, which will keep everyone toasty enough after the sun sets.
A simplified version of my incredible wedding cake.
When I wed years ago, the dress, the setting, and the food were of utmost importance, of course.
But what was absolutely paramount was the cake.
After all, with my enormous sweet tooth known far and wide, my family and friends fully expected a wedding cake to remember.
I am happy to report they were not disappointed in the least.
Just how unforgettable was this moist almond cake adorned with the silkiest Italian meringue? With nary an ounce of shame, many of the guests will attest that they indulged in not one, not two, but even three slices that evening.
Leftover cake? I was lucky to claim just the top tier as my own. Every other piece was devoured.
And if you think I tucked that top away for a year to languish in my freezer, forget about it. I took it to my parents’ house the very next day, where my family, new husband, and I demolished it with gusto. Moreover, when Mother’s Day rolled around the next year, I had the baker who made it recreate it in a smaller size to give to my mom because that’s just how good it is.
One for the ages, if there ever was one, this cake was made by professional baker Nancy Kux, who used to own Nancy’s Fancies in San Carlos. I had sampled quite a few cakes from other bakers. But none had us scraping the box for every last crumb and lick of frosting like hers did.
My actual wedding cake was four tiers. This is a home-version that’s two layers.
This is not a light, fluffy, airy cake, but one that has a little more heft to it. It is buttery, tender, and full of almond flavor. It stays moist for quite a while, too, whether you store it in the fridge for a couple of days or freeze for a couple of months. As one wedding guest swooned about its Italian meringue buttercream: “This is better than whipped cream!” Indeed, it is. When enjoyed at room temperature, it softens like butter on the tongue, leaving behind a caress of sweetness.
Now’s the time to indulge in artichokes with artichoke aioli.
Who grew up eating artichokes, leaf by leaf, dunked into Best Foods mayonnaise?
Show of hands, please.
If you’re a native Californian like me, no doubt you did from childhood on.
“Twice As Nice Artichokes” riffs on that favorite combo by grilling the artichokes after first boiling to give them pretty charred edges, then levels up plain mayonnaise by mixing it with garlic, lemon, parsley, and marinated artichoke hearts.
The book is by Helene Henderson, chef and owner of Malibu Farm, a restaurant that grew out of the cooking classes and dinners she hosted at her home. Now, Malibu Farm spans eight locations not only in Malibu, but Lanai, Miami, New York, and Tokyo. The African-American, Swedish-born Henderson is self-taught, and is married to actor-director John Stockwell.
The 100 recipes reflect a chill California vibe in dishes such as “Surfers Rancheros,” “Chicken Parm From the Farm,” and “Caffe Latte Ice Cream.” There’s also a delicious dose of Swedish skal (“cheers”) with a whole chapter on fun drinks such as “Rhubarb-Infused Aquavit” and “Coconut Horchata.”
House-made longganisa pork sausage with egg yolk at Abaca in San Francisco.
For more than 15 years, food writers like myself have predicted that Filipino cuisine would be the next big thing.
After all, Filipinos have been immigrating to California for more than a century, and Filipino Americans make up one of the largest Asian-American ethnic groups in the state. Certainly, the time was nigh that its cuisine get the attention and due that Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Indian and other Asian cuisines have long had here.
While there have been plenty of mom-and-pop Filipino eateries over the years, however, there had never been an upscale restaurant to take Filipino cuisine to new heights.
Until this August, when the groundbreaking Abaca opened its doors at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco.
Housed in the new Kimpton Alton Hotel, Abaca is the creation of Chef-Owner Francis Ang, his wife, co-owner and director of operations, Dian Ang, and Chef de Cuisine Danica Alves.
Ang may be best known for his star turn as pastry chef at the Fifth Floor in San Francisco, which earned him a “People’s Best New Pastry Chef” honor from Food & Wine magazine. But his talent on the savory side began to shine brightly with his pop-up Pinoy Heritage, and only escalated during the pandemic with his beautiful, multi-course feasts packed immaculately for takeout.
The stylish dining room.
Abaca, named for a native Philippine banana species, takes the soulful, homey, yet bold tastes of traditional Filipino cuisine and infuses it with California flair and freshness. That’s what I found when I dined last week. While my husband and I paid our own tab, Chef Ang added some of his signature dishes on the house.
