Thai Lemongrass is a Family Affair

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Gingery ground pork with crunchy-chewy rice cakes make up this delight salad at Thai Lemongrass.

The Chakreeyarat family ran the tucked-away Thai Bistro in San Jose for many years.

Doing it all, every day, at that small eatery, though, eventually wore on  matriarch Pat Pongsil. She closed shop, and retired.

But it wasn’t long before the 70-year-old was itching to get back in the kitchen.

So, in August of last year, she opened Thai Lemongrass in a strip mall off El Camino Real in Sunnyvale, in what was once an Indian restaurant.

Last month, I was invited to be a guest of the restaurant. The dining room is simple and sparse. But from the moment you walk in, you feel like you’re in Pongsil’s warm home about to enjoy a most satisfying meal.

Pat Pongsil at work in her kitchen at Thai Lemongrass.

Thai Lemongrass is a true family affair. Daughter Jenny Chakreeyarat, who used to work at the nearby Ginger Cafe in Sunnyvale, runs the dining room. Her sister, Jennet, helps her Mom cook in the kitchen.

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A Sweet Way to Celebrate the Giants’ Home Opener

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"Pitchersnaps" and "ShortBEARD'' cookies from Waterbar. (Photo courtesy of the restaurant)

Sure, you can dress in your best orange and black.

You can whoop and holler, too.

But best yet, you can nosh on cookies baked in honor of your fave players as you cheer them on.

Pastry Chef Emily Luchetti wants to help you celebrate the San Francisco Giants home opener on Friday, April 13 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. She’ll be selling fresh-baked Giants-themed cookies at a pop-up outside her restaurant, Waterbar on the Embarcadero.

Choose from Pitchersnaps (a riff on gingersnaps), Pablo Sandoval’s Panda Prints (peanut butter and jam thumbprints), Buster Posey’s Chocolate Chunk Cookies, and Brian Wilson’s Chocolate Sea Salt ShortBEARDS (get it?).

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Marvelous Meatballs — With A New California Whole Wheat Pasta

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A plethora of meatballs to dig into.

“I Love Meatballs!”

That’s the fun title of the newest cookbook (Andrews McMeel) by the ever prolific New York cooking instructor, Rick Rogers, of which I recently received a review copy.

But it might also very well be a mantra we would all shout happily from the rafters.

Come on, say it with me now: I. LOVE. Meatballs.

If that doesn’t put a big smile on your face, I don’t know what will.

Rogers circles the globe with is recipes for meatballs in this book. You’ll find everything from “Beef Meatballs in Pho” to “Persian Meatballs in Pomegranate and Walnut Sauce” to “Chinese Rice-Crusted Meatballs with Soy-Ginger Dip.”

I gravitated to the “Ziti with Sausage Meatballs and Broccolini.” The meatballs are actually made from ground pork and sweet Italian sausages that have been removed from their casings. Mix in shredded onion, egg, and milk-soaked bread crumbs for added moisture.  The results are juicy, fluffy meatballs perfect for nestling in pasta.

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New Sour Licorice Twists

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A veritable rainbow of sour licorice to choose from.

If you’re a fan of Newman’s Own Organics regular licorice twists, you’ll be glad to know the company has just introduced a new variation: Sour Licorice Twists.

They come in four flavors: Sour Apple, Sour Cherry, Sour Mango, and Sour Strawberry.

I had a chance to taste samples of each recently. If you’re used to the wince of some other uber tart candies on the market, these will come off as fairly tame.

The sourness is present, but not overwhelmingly puckery.

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Goat Fest, David Chang Visits the Bay Area & More

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Nubian goat kids at Redwood Hill Farm. (Photo courtesy of the farm)

4th Annual Goat Fest

OK, just look at those faces above. How adorable are they?

For a closer look, head to the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market for the 4th annual Goat Fest, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 21.

Redwood Hill Farm of Sebastopol will be bringing some of their “kids” for you to meet.

Enjoy samples of goat’s milk lotions, soaps and face creams, as well as cheeses, yogurts, caramels, fudge, chocolates and ice creams.

There also will be cooking demos and chances to meet representatives from Cypress Grove Chevre, Laloo’s Goat Milk Ice Cream and other goat’s milk product producers.

For more goat fun, you’ll be glad to know that Redwood Hill Farm will be offering tours of its farm on May 12, May 13, June 9 and June 10. Cheese, yogurt and kefir will be for sale, so don’t forget to pack a cooler. You can even milk a goat while you’re there.

The one and only David Chang. (Photo courtesy of the chef)

Chef David Chang Comes to San Francisco in July

The always opinionated and colorful New York Chef David Chang will be the star attraction of an event, 8 p.m. July 17 at Herbst Theatre in San Francisco.

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