Christina Waters

Rancher Jim Dunlop, from TLC Ranch emailed me recently to let me know that the luscious, free-range pastured pork he raises is currently available on the menu at Avanti. And so it is. Lunching at Avanti last week with Simone and Jean-Paul, I sampled an outrageous ragu of TLC ranch pork shoulder - utterly succulent and delicious - spooned over creamy polenta. Truly to die for. . . . But that wasn’t the only cold weather comfort food I’ve had lately.

Last night Dee and I worked our way through a few dishes at La Posta (more…)

Photographer Tana Butler has just released a 2008 calendar loaded with her juicy images of farmers market bounty. A certified organic groupie, Butler just can’t stay away from open-air farmers markets. Collecting some of her choicest images of freshly-harvested produce, she has produced one of the most eye-catching holiday gift items to ever deserve the “local” label.

Think of Butler as the Annie Liebovitz of fresh food - she does for tomatoes what the Rolling Stone photographer does for Mick Jagger. Makes everything look exciting, sensuous and available for fondling. Food porn without apologies. (Those are Windmill Farms strawberries on the mouth-watering cover.) (more…)

A little-known opera by Puccini provided the vehicle for Romanian superstar Angela Gheorghiu’s San Francisco Opera debut last week. The opera, La Rondine, a Viennese cream-puff wrapped in Italian histrionics deserves to remain obscure — especially with the cloying sets and mono-dimensional lighting provided by the underwhelming SF Opera production. But the voice! The chance to hear the effortless crescendoes, the burnished center and remarkable beauty of Gheorghiu’s voice was worth driving up to the city for.

Her’s is not only a rare instrument, but the packaging is also terrific. Gheorgiu, who apparently owns Puccini these days, is a tall, statuesque, gorgeous woman. She can act, she can move and she sings like a young Maria Callas. If only we could pronounce it, her’s would easily become an operatic household name.

Bay Area chef Chris Kobayashi and his brothers have joined the new transformation of downtown Paso Robles into a food and wine destination. Their smart dining room - Artisan - offers a wine list of local all-stars and serious, accomplished local, organic foods to match.

Since our longtime favorite Paso Robles restaurant, Bistro Laurent, was closed on sunday, we made reservations for dinner at Artisan on our way to Thanksgiving in the Mojave.

From two sensational local wines - one a cab from Firestone, the other a “Cuvee des Artistes” blend from RN Estate - to a mini dessert of warm cookies, we were charmed right down to our trail runners.

The opening dish of seared yellow fin tartare, arranged in a fan of crimson seafood, arrived with a tangy fried green tomato and frisee salad. Killer. Jack’s entree of natural pork porterhouse was tender and juicy, sided with sweet potatoes and baby turnips. My Kobe beef cheeks came with stupendous buttermilk mashed potatoes, broccoli rabe, infant heirloom carrots and more of those thumbnail-sized white turnips. Even though the beef tasted more like gelatinous pot roast than anything else, the side dishes were better than great.

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That would be the “Original California-Style” hot pepper sauce known as (ta-da!) The Pepper Plant.

We discovered this zippy hot sauce at Margie’s Diner in Paso Robles on the way back from the Mojave last week. Made in Gilroy, this all-natural product is saucy and thick (unlike Tabasco). It is also much, much more peppery than Tabasco, and lacks Tabasco’s distinctive vinegary subtext. The Pepper Plant is loaded with jalapeño puree, chili peppers and garlic. It adds miles of peppery panash to even the most ordinary soft boiled egg. Your condiment shelf needs this product!

Chef Sean Baker took on the robust wines of Ridge Vineyards last night and came up with a flawless walk through contemporary, field-fresh, hand-made cuisine. Six courses - including one surprise - and at least as many matching vintages from what many consider the apex of American winemaking.

Gabriella was packed with adventurous wine-lovers enjoying such flavor thrills as:

1) Devils Gulch rabbit confit plumed with fried dulse and surrounded by an outrageous “chutney” of pecan wood-smoked tomato pancetta vinaigrette. Unbelievable.

2) Next came a creation of Yukon gold gnocchi with unctuous beef cheek guazzetto (like a ragu of beef, tomato, wine, and porcinis) loaded with attitude and pecorino romano.

3) A rack of lamb, grilled with borage honey and rosemary, arrived with a velvety pool of sunchoke cippolini parmesan sauce and a not-for-wimps lamb’s tongue hash with rapini garlic oil. Joined by the stupendous 2004 Santa Cruz Mountain Cabernet, it took my palate to a whole new place. (more…)

Rummaging around the seductive shelves at River Cafe & Cheese Shop, I was looking for a substantial lunch. Something to go with that fabulous bbq pulled pork and slaw sandwich. Hmmm, what’s this? A platter filled with gemlike gigante beans, green olives, yellow roasted peppers, caramelized onions, squares of feta and aromatic oregano. Yes! A bean salad to end all bean salads. I bought a large container full of this glorious creation (actually it was the smaller of the two sizes available, $4.35) and took it home.

Glistening in a lemon-scented dressing, the salad begged to be presented on a pretty red plate. Done. Along with that succulent organic pork on francese, it made one of the finest take-out lunches I’ve had all year. Any year. River Cafe & Cheese Shop - 415 River Street, SC - deals in oral temptation. This is a good thing.

You owe it to yourself to stop at Nine-Ten, smartly tucked into the landmark Grande Colonial Hotel on Prospect Street. Here you can taste what California cuisine has transformed itself into, thanks to the feisty imagination of chef Jason Knibb. The chef brings a blazing trail of culinary conquests to this little dining room in the upscale seaside village. He’s worked with Wolfgang Puck, Roy Yamaguchi and most recently as executive chef of Robert Redford’s Sundance Village. Credentials are great, but the proof is in the eating.

My mom and I splurged on lunchtime wines by the glass, because this food demanded respect. Her entree of thickly sliced wild halibut filet was done just to the translucent point, and adorned with tiny chanterelles, Chino Farms fresh corn and a handful of orichiette pasta. My sea scallops (above) bordered a central island of carrot risotto, dusted with toasted hazelnuts and infant arugula. Soft clouds of coriander-scented foam infused the scallops with a subtle spice. (more…)

Sandwiches with a smile, that’s one of many specialties of Deli Manager Carie Anne MacAlpine, who runs a bountiful ship over at the Mission Street store. I’ve been stopping by at lunch time for the past year, filling out the handy order form for my custom-made sandwich and taking home such an abundance of fresh bread, ham, cheese, or whatever, that it feeds two adults very nicely. (Okay, plus an apple.)

The vibes are distinctly upbeat at this neck of the New Leaf woods, and I can’t help but think that MacAlpine’s service-intensive attitude is part of the secret. “We have fun,” she admits, slathering mayo onto the interior planes of my favorite multi-grain bread. While giving full credit to New Leaf’s deli czarina Nancy Weimer, MacAlpine is willing to take a bit of credit for keeping up with inventory needs and making what has to be one of the truly heroic sandwiches on the planet.

“My thing is to figure out just how much we need each day and week - the University and the weather are the biggest variables - they affect what I need to do.” No surprise there. But what is surprising is the unfailing high quality of these made-to-order lunches.

For $5-$6 you get an even distribution of whatever you like inside, e.g. tuna, avocado, instead of a tiny little clump sitting in the middle of the bread. I hate that! Also at MacAlpine’s counter you actually get enough condiments - sometimes even an overload (see image) - rather than having to reconstruct the entire sandwich, and add mayo and mustard, when you get home.

I love these sandwiches! And I’m not alone. Viva MacAlpine and her skillful crew.

Ginger & Garlic Vinaigrette: Perfect with arugula.

Three parts minced ginger to one part minced garlic.

That’s how it begins.

Then whisk in your best olive oil and sherry vinegar in 3 to 1 proportions.

Add sea salt to taste.

Toss with arugula.

Killer. (You’ll see.)