No Pooh-Poohing this Pu-Pu

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Not your father's pu-pu platter. (Photo courtesy of E&O Trading Co.)

You might think tiki as tacky and the epitome of bad tourist joints of yesteryear.

But E&O Trading Co. in San Francisco, just steps away from Campton Place Taj Hotel, is reinventing that Polynesian staple, the pu-pu platter, into something hip and fresh.

The plentiful platter features some of the restaurant’s signature favorites, including Chinese five-spice chicken rolls, short rib sliders, Hoisin-coffee ribs, chicken satay, Indonesian corn fritters, and taro chips — all for $18. It’s enough to serve four to six hungry diners.

Experience this new take on the pu-pu during Happy Hour, Monday through Saturday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., through the end of January.

While noshing on those nibbles, quaff your thirst with the new E&O San Francisco custom-blended wine for $24 a bottle.

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Spread It Around & Food Gal Contest

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(From top to bottom): Golden Flaxseed Spread, Savory Flaxseed Spread, and Lemony Flaxseed Spread.

Mayo, mustard, and tapenade.

Been there, ate that.

If you’re looking to spice up your sandwiches with new flavor and flair, look no further than Laxmi’s Delights flaxseed spreads.

Made by Bay Area cookbook author Laxmi Hiremath, who wrote “The Dance of Spices” (Wiley), the three organic spreads are made with flaxseed, a plant source high in good-for-you omega-3 fatty acids.

Hiremath sent me a sample to try. There are three flavors: Lemony Flaxseed Spread with Ginger and Honey; Savory Flaxseed Spread with Sun-Dried Tomatoes; and Golden Flaxseed Spread with Dates and Orange Juice.

Hiremath created these bold-tasting spreads to smear on Indian flatbreads. But they also work well on your favorite sandwiches, as stir-fry sauces, marinades for fish, and flavorings for all manner of vegetable dishes.

Organic spreads with bold flavors.

The Lemony Flaxseed Spread is tangy, sweet, and spicy with the bright sunny notes of citrus. The Savory Flaxseed Spread is like Italian meets a little bit of India. Sweet, plump sun-dried tomatoes get an earthy complexity from Indian spices. The Golden Flaxseed Spread is a cross of Middle Eastern and Indian flavors. A little sweet and a little savory, this quite thick sauce has the lovely, deep, concentrated flavors of orange peel and sticky dates.

One tablespoon has 30 to 100 calories, depending on the particular spread. The sun-dried tomato spread has 10 grams of fat, while the other two have just 1 gram each.

Each 7-ounce jar is $9.99. If you’d like to try them, Hiremath has a deal for you: If you order three jars, she’ll waive the cost of shipping, if you mention you read about the spreads on FoodGal.com. Just go to the “contact” page on the Laxmi’s Delights site to order by sending her an email or calling.

Even better, one lucky Food Gal reader also will win the grand prize of three free jars of the spreads (one of each type).

How?

By spreading it on, so to speak.

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Presto Change-O

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What could this clear liquid be?

That glass above looks innocent enough, doesn’t it?

You think it might be filled with water, don’t you?

But wait until you see what happens when I add some ice to it:

Add some ice and a dramatic change happens.

Holy moly, it turns from clear to milky white in a flash.

This far-from-innocent liquid is 106-proof Kubler Absinthe ($54). Yes, that rather mysterious high-octane spirit with the sordid history.

You might recall that absinthe had been illegal since 1912 because of supposed health concerns. It was thought that the chemical thujone, which is found in the herb wormwood (used in the making of absinthe), affected the brain. But that view has largely been debunked. Fortunately, for adventurous imbibers, the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau made it legal again in 2007.

I’ve tried a couple of different absinthes since then. But I was most eager to try the Kubler one after a 2009 New York Times taste-test ranked it No. 1 among absinthes on the market.

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Sweet New Bakery, Wine Time & Meal Deals

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Ten cupcakes sold on opening day at SusieCakes will hold a special surprise. (Photo courtesy of SusieCakes)

With shades of “Willy Wonka,” the new SusieCakes bakery opens Jan. 23 in Greenbrae in Marin County with a fun surprise.

The Los Angeles bakery, which welcomes its first Northern California location, will be hiding 10 “golden tickets” in its signature frosting-filled cupcakes on opening day.

Each golden ticket is redeemable for a special reward, such as attendance to a baking or cake decorating class; a 6-inch or 9-inch specialty layer cake; five dozen mini cupcakes; or one dozen cupcakes. Winners will also be entered in a grand prize drawing to receive a 9-inch specialty layer cake monthly for an entire year as part of the “Cake-of-the-Month Club.”

So if you buy a cupcake on Saturday, be sure to bite carefully.

Are you a natural redhead? Then, Sent Sovi of Saratoga has a special offer for you for its first wine dinner of the year.

Jan. 28, the restaurant will host a wine dinner spotlighting Testarossa Winery of Los Gatos, which specializes in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

And did you know that “testarossa” means “redhead” in Italian? Yup, so the restaurant is extending a 20 percent discount off the normal $100 price per person for the dinner to any natural redheads who mention that fact when they make a reservation and are able to prove it when they show up for the dinner.

Get your ‘do in check and prepare to dine on such dishes as dayboat scallops with caramelized scallop jus and sprout petals; and slow-cooked beef ribeye cap with whole grain mustard spaetzle.

Chef Paul Arenstam invites you in for crab and pig. (Photo courtesy of the Americano Restaurant)

Like crab? Like pork, too?

Then, you won’t want to miss the “Crab and Whole Hog Dinner,” Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Americano Restaurant in the Hotel Vitale in San Francisco.

The event, which will be held in the heated patio tent, will feature guest artisan ham purveyor, Massimo Spigaroli, from Italy. The dinner, overseen by Chef Paul Arenstam of the Americano, is an all-you-can-eat buffet of Dungeness crab, pork, side dishes, salads, desserts, and local white wines.

Price is $85.

Through March, the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, will be featuring distinguished California wines in its ENO tasting room. Each Friday, Saturday and Sunday mid-afternoon, a representative from each featured winery will be on hand to answer questions about the wines.

Tasting fees range from $25 to $35 per person, depending upon the vintner. Flights of cheese and chocolates can accompany the tasting for an additional charge.

January spotlights Stage Left Cellars; February showcases Far Niente, Nickel & Nickel, and Dolce wineries; and March focuses on St. Francis Winery & Vineyards.

Throughout the year, Quince in San Francisco will host a series of “In Residence” intimate, informative dinners with guest chefs and vintners from around the world.

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