That’s exactly what Chef William Mueller of Babblin’ Babs Bistro in Tacoma, WA wants to help you do.
Owner of a five-year-old restaurant named for his late-Mom, Mueller just launched a line of all-natural, salt-free, sugar-free, MSG-free, gluten-free spice blends to give your everyday cooking an easy punch of flavor.
His six blends include: “Everyday,” “Greek,” “Lonestar,” “New Orleans,” “Thai” and “West Indies.”
On time-pressed weeknights, I like nothing better than a one-pot dinner that cooks up in mere minutes and leaves you soulfully satisfied far, far longer.
Melissa Clark’s “Sauteed Scallops with Tomatoes and Preserved Lemon” is such a dish.
It’s from her new cookbook, “Cook This Now” (Hyperion), of which I recently received a review copy. Its 120 recipes are arranged by season and month to take advantage of your local farmers market offerings. I’ve already got half the pages bookmarked, as these are wonderfully straightforward recipes that not only entice with their flavors but with their ease of preparation.
This particular recipe by the famed New York Times food writer has only five ingredients (not including salt and pepper), but tastes like so much more.
If you ever happen to find yourself in the vicinity of Healdsburg, make a beeline pronto to the Downtown Bakery & Creamery.
You will not regret it.
And your stomach will thank you profusely.
Started in 1987 by three Chez Panisse alums, this bakery makes everything from scratch — breads, ice cream, cookies, and pastries. There’s even a cafe menu if you want to sit for a spell to enjoy breakfast pizza, cheesy scrambled eggs or a Croque Madame that’s a croissant topped with herbed ricotta cheese and ham.
My husband and I can never resist the sticky buns ($2.25 each). This version is simply sublime — a flaky, buttery croissant-like dough formed into a muffin shape that has a crunchy topping of sugar. You also can buy them frozen to bake up fresh at home.
Chef Alan Wong and historian Arnold Hiura are bringing the “Taste Hawaii Tour” to the Bay Area, Oct. 27-Nov. 2, which includes a slew of public events that celebrate the culture and food of the islands.
The James Beard Award-winning chef of Alan Wong’s Honolulu and the Pineapple Room, Wong just published his newest cookbook, “The Blue Tomato: The Inspirations Behind the Cuisine of Alan Wong” (Watermark), which is filled with more than 200 recipes. Hiura, who co-wrote Wong’s latest cookbook, also is the author of “Kau Kau: Cuisine & Culture in the Hawaiian Islands” (Watermark), which includes more than 70 recipes.
* Oct. 27 from 6 p.m. to 7 pm., the two will host a free talk and book-signing at Omnivore Books in San Francisco.
* Oct. 29, 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Wong will host a free cooking demo at the north arcade of the Ferry Building Marketplace in San Francisco. Following that, from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m., Wong and Hiura will sign copies of their books.
For Chef-Proprietor Sachin Chopra of All Spice in San Mateo, the celebration of Diwali always has had a special place in his heart.
After all, the joyous Festival of Lights, which starts on Oct. 26, is not only one of the most important Hindu holidays, but also marks the New Year.
It’s a time for gathering with family and friends. It’s a time to illuminate the house with candles. It’s also a major time for sweets.
As champagne is poured to signify important celebrations, sweets play a similar role in Sachin’s native India. They are readily offered to visitors in a warm gesture of welcome.
The chef, who specializes in California cuisine with Indian and global influences, likes to create modern takes on Indian desserts at his year-old restaurant.