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California Walnut Crepes with Ricotta Honey Orange Filling
by Epicurator Susie Wyshak Chef Alex Stratta’s California Walnut Crepe recipe stole my heart but instead of the savory route, the recipe immediately sparked a vision of walnut groves surrounded by grazing cows, buzzing bees, and child-like rounded orange trees dotted with fruit. This could only mean one thing: a sweet California Walnut crepe with a “taste of California” theme. I used Happy Girl Kitchen’s orange marmalade (which you can learn to make in their classes!) Booya! The nutty, not-too-sweet substantial texture of the crepes against the creamy and sweet filling sent my tasters to the moon. Our senses enlivened with the orange evoking a tinge of middle eastern flavors…
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Temescal Food Tour in Oakland With Edible Excursions – A Photo Memoire
by Susie Wyshak Edible Excursions, a Bay Area food tour company has led many a foodie through the Ferry Building, the Mission District, and Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto. Starting in March, 2013, they’ll add Oakland’s new food goldmine — the Temescal district — to their gustatory adventures. On a sneak peak tour, we embarked on nothing less than artisanal food carnage, starting at the Sunday Temescal Farmers’ Market. The $75 tour is like an amazing 8 or so course tasting menu, where you usually get to meet the owner. Your palate journeys from sweet to savory, back and forth, with coffee in between. While by the end, I felt as if…
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Food Event Picks for February 2013
Hi folks! Now that Valentine’s Day is over it’s kind of nice to have a break from sweets. This weekend some friends are having a potluck where we’ll all cook a recipe from Jerusalem, which is a fun way to get people together around a theme. We have some great food events listed but I was decided to go on a quick hunt to see what other intriguing events were going on in the food and libation world in the Bay Area this February, and here’s what I found that I’d like to go to: Wilbur Hot Springs’ Guest Chef Series has Tim West as a guest chef, Feb 22-24…
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Top Picks for Hands-on Cooking Classes at San Francisco Cooking School
I’m working with the new The San Francisco Cooking School which opened this Fall. It’s been enlightening to work with founder Jodi Liano helping create awareness for the school. Jodi has put assembled the largest selection of cooking classes — that’ll teach anyone, from a kitchen novice to a professional. I’m personally signed up for a ton of classes — and can’t wait to hone my skills, techniques and knowledge. Here’s my picks for some favorites below — but the full slate of classes are on the San Francisco Cooking School website. Fundamentals and Advanced Techniques: Asian, Italian, Shellfish, Cooking with Ratios, and Advanced Sauce Techniques. Global Cuisine Series. Hands-on…
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Decorating a Gingerbread Dream House
Adults and children of all ages gathered at Autumn Express last night to channel their creativity into decorating gingerbread houses. Artist and gingerbread expert extraordinaire, Michele Simons, led the class in this festive holiday tradition. Michele had already taken care of the hard part – gluing the gingerbread walls together with royal icing to make a sturdy house – so we could jump right into the fun of decorating. With gumdrops, licorice, cereal, marshmallows, shredded coconut, gingerbread men, and much more, there were plenty of treats to work with (and nibble on). While we styled our houses, Michele gave us tips and inspiration for ways to use the decorations, like how to turn…
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Behind the Wine, Within the Whiskey
I learned a lot about libations last weekend while visiting not one but two Elysian Fields of alcohol within a short stroll of each other on the scenic Alameda waterfront. First was the Rock Wall Wine Company, whose Open House on Saturday afternoon featured food booths, wine tasting and tours of the vast facility, which is located inside a 40,000-square-foot historic former military airplane hangar. It was inspiring to learn how grapes from the Napa Valley, Sonoma County and even nearby Contra Costa County are transformed into Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Petite Sirah a virtual stone’s throw from downtown Oakland. Let’s raise a glass to urban winemaking. My favorite wines…
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Finalists Announced for the 2013 Good Food Awards
Thanks to our friends at Gamma Nine for the awesome photos. You can find more of their photos from the Good Food Awards here. Last month, team Epicuring was hard at work helping out with the 3rd annual Good Food Awards judging in San Francisco. Today, we’re excited to share the news that the finalists have been announced! We were proud to see that many California entries made the cut, including products from some of the merchants listed in our Epicuring guide. Find the complete list of 2013 finalists here. The Good Food Awards recognizes products from all over the country that are not only delicious, but also crafted…
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Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto Food History: A Video Tour
Berkeley, California is known as the birthplace of “California cuisine,” at least the kind using farm-direct, simple ingredients. Our friend Frieda DeLackner grew up in this luscious area and captured some of Berkeley’s unique food heritage on a fun short video, taking you on a tour through Chez Panisse to the Cheese Board Collective, famous for its wonderful 1 seasonal organic pizza flavor per day, its vast cheese selections and homemade pastries and bread. When you’re coming to the San Francisco Bay Area, we suggest watching the video and checking out our Berkeley food tour guide (which takes you to some fantastic food crafters’ shops). A Q&A With the Gourmet…
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Craft Cocktails and Wild Wigs for a Good Cause
Wear wigs, win prizes at Wig Out, a charitable post-Halloween hullabaloo at San Francisco’s Parc 55 Hotel on Nov. 2, 2012. Proceeds will go to Slap Cancer and Locks of Love. Guests are urged to sport their craziest wigs to the party. Dance beats will be supplied by the notorious DJ Ambrosia Salad, free hairstyle consultations will be provided by the folks from Carmichael Hair Salon & Color Bar … and drinks will flow: craft beers from Lagunitas, wines from Rodney Strong, and inventive cocktails by Fair Trade Spirits. Rumor has it that at least one of these cocktails will involve cotton candy.
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Blood, Bones and Beef Hearts: Where to Eat on (or Around) Halloween?
It’s that spooky season again. Where to live it up on or around the Day of the Dead? It’s not just about candy anymore — although it is still about blood, bones and Batman masks. Fear the food trucks. Friday, October 26 is the last time Off the Grid will appear at Fort Mason Center until next March. They’re turning their farewell gig into a Halloween haunt with decorations, live music from Rolling Stones cover band Black Angel, a costume contest (extra points for Stones-related guises) and Halloween specials at 34 food vendors and two full bars. (Hint: beef-heart tacos and pumpkin-cuchinta ice cream.) Off the Grid is also celebrating…
