Love for Love Grown Granola

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Sweet Cranberry Pecan granola. Look at all those lovely chunky clusters of oats.

My favorite summer lunch is one of the simplest: Just a bowl of fresh berries or cut-up peaches, plums and nectarines from the farmers market, topped with Greek yogurt and a handful of crunchy granola.

Oh, I know granola gets knocked at times for its high calories. But like anything, when eaten in moderation, it will nourish, satisfy and still leave you trim enough to squeeze into that skimpy swimming suit.

The makers of Love Grown Foods know all about that. Started by two University of Denver graduates, one a avid cyclist and the other a certified pilates instructor, the company set out to make nutritious, good-tasting “Oat Clusters & Love” perfect for active lifestyles.

The granola-like mixes are sweetened with agave nectar and honey. They are gluten-free, and contain no preservatives or artificial flavors. Each 1/4 cup serving has 120 to 130 calories, depending upon the variety.

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Moroccan Magic At Aziza in San Francisco

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A spectacular uni-crusted halibut. You won't find that at many Moroccan resaurants. But you will find it at Aziza in San Francisco.

You may have enjoyed the warm, earthy flavors of  Moroccan cuisine before.

But you’ve never experienced the likes of it at the Michelin-starred https://azizasf.com/Aziza in San Francisco, a short drive from the Laurel Inn San Francisco.

The flavors of saffron, tomatoes, preserved lemons, sumac, and za’atar remain hauntingly familiar here, but have been put to use in daringly creative, boldly contemporary ways.

As chefs around the world have elevated Korean and Spanish cuisines to a whole new level, Executive Chef-Proprietor Mourad Lahlou has done the same with his native cuisine. Indeed, I don’t know if there’s another Moroccan chef out there who’s pushing the envelope quite like this Marrakech-native is.

Lahlou immigrated to San Francisco in 1986 and earned a master’s degree in economics from San Francisco State University. He was planning on getting a PhD next, when his brother asked him to lend a hand at his Moroccan restaurant in San Rafael.

Luckily for us, Lahlou grew so enamored of cooking that he never looked back.

In 2001, he opened Aziza to great acclaim. Back then, it was a very traditional restaurant, complete with belly dancers and classic, rustic tagines.

The distinctive curved archways, and the saffron and cobalt blue hues remain in the warren of dimly-lit dining rooms. But the food has undergone a true metamorphosis. There’s such sophistication and refinement now. The dishes never disappoint; they often dazzle and surprise.

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Cherries for the Fourth — and Beyond

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Rasberry-Cherry Crumble Bars. You can't eat just one. Trust me.

Fourth of July might be the ideal time to celebrate the last of the season’s fresh cherries with a bang.

Those sweet, crunchy orbs come and go all too soon, don’t they?

But Payson Fruit Growers has a way to let you enjoy them all year-round.

Founded in 1964, the farmer-owned business processes tart cherries that are grown on local farms in the Payson, Utah area. Recently, I had a chance to sample some of their products.

Some of the tart Montmorency cherries are turned into Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate ($18 for 1 quart). The thicky, syrupy concentrate is fabulous for adding to smoothies or to pan sauces for duck, pork or chicken.

Make your own tart cherry soda.

I stirred two tablespoons into 8-ounces of carbonated water, then garnished with fresh cherries and a rosemary sprig to make a refreshing summer soda. It’s super fruity and not overwhelmingly sour. But if you like it sweeter, you can add a tablespoon or two of simple syrup.

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Scenes From the Food Gal’s Cooking Demo At Macy’s Union Square

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Yours truly with Chef Earl Shaddix of All-Clad. (Photo courtesy of Barry and Eva Jan)

It was an unbelievable standing room-only crowd a couple of Saturday afternoons ago at Macy’s Union Square San Francisco, when I did my first cooking demo ever.

Chef Earl Shaddix of All-Clad was on hand to act as host and assistant, when I demonstrated how to make my late-Mom’s one and only tomato beef chow mein.

The event was crazy fun. It was a blast. And it was downright exhausting. I was so pooped that I joked to some of my cookbook-author friends afterward that I don’t know how they do these all the time without keeling over.

The day was a total whirlwind. The event started at 2 p.m., but I got there two hours earlier in order to make two batches of the dish ahead of time to ensure there was plenty for samples and to prep for the third batch, which I would make in front of the audience. From the second I got there, it was non-stop chopping, peeling, stirring and talking — until I finally left the store at 4 p.m. to go back home. Whew!

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Home-Grown Sorbets

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French Press sorbet made with agave nectar and no dairy products.

With searing temperatures of late, why not reach for some new sorbets to beat the heat?

Especially when they’re made right here in the Bay Area in small batches with locally sourced ingredients and without any dairy.

Garden Creamery, which is made in Marin County, is the brainchild of Bay Area residents, Erin Lang and Natalie Parker. Recently, they reformulated the sorbets to make them even smoother in texture. Additionally, they added two new flavors: French Press Coffee and Thai Iced Tea.

All the sorbets are made with coconut puree to add body and sweetened with organic agave syrup.

Recently, I had a chance to try the new flavors.

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