Apocalyptic Beer for the End of the World

Apocalyptic Beer for the End of the World

Yes we all know that the world is scheduled to bite the dust on the 21st of December, 2012 (according to those playful Maya astronomers). Better sit down for this one. Combining the edgy visuals of comic cult legend Charles Burns and the micro-brews of Seattle's...

Spicy Seafood Sensation

Spicy Seafood Sensation

A spectacular presentation of pan-roasted black cod utterly festooned with spun daikon, carrots and cucumbers, and sauced with soy, mirin, sake and mustard. The secret weapon was home-grown red chiles and cilantro, plus caramelized garlic and shallots. Where did I...

Fruitcake Matriarch

Fruitcake Matriarch

Here's a vintage portrait of the highly independent woman whose fruitcake recipe I used, with much variation, in my own recent effort. According to her niece, Lisa Jensen, this portrait of Anna Augusta Kirstine Jensen was taken in 1920 or 1921, "when Chris would be 18...

as the fruitcake ages…

as the fruitcake ages…

This was how the Magdalene must have felt, anointing the body with precious spices and elixirs, carefully wrapping it in clean linens before placing it in the cool dark place where it would wait—preserved and guarded—until its ultimate appointment with destiny. As...

Nutty as a Fruitcake

Nutty as a Fruitcake

When my sister and I were little, we would make the annual trek to Aunt Mariana and Uncle Doodle's house for a holiday visit. Aunt Mariana would reach up high into her pantry and take down the fruitcake we were forced to eat each Christmas. My sister and I would...

The other orange drink

The other orange drink

Little did I know that I would grow up to consume a breakfast liquid that closely resembles industrial effluent, or rain forest mud mixed with compost. But I do. And I love this stuff. It's loaded with carrot, celery, cucumber, collard greens, kale and parsley. It's...

Tuna Can Rant

Tuna Can Rant

Actually, it could be about any packaged product on the market today. The incredible shrinking product. It started with the size of the cardboard roll inside toilet paper rolls.  The cardboard cylinder is noticeably (i.e. MUCH) wider in diameter than it used to be....

Cigare Lands @ the Cellar Door

Cigare Lands @ the Cellar Door

A recent vertical tasting of Le Cigare Volant—the Bonny Doon Vineyard flagship creation—showed off the evolving style, and substance, of vintage 1993 through 2009 of Randall Grahm's main squeeze. Incidentally the odd-numbered years showed especially well....

An idea whose time is questionable….

I admire the entrepreneurial spirit as much as the next woman, but I just have to wonder (to quote late-night talk hostess Joyce Riley) - "What were they thinking?" I am musing about the sign currently placed at the front of the former Bella Napoli, the former Il...

More Manresa

More Manresa

Last month the dishes arrived like bright, colorful jewels from the kitchen of David Kinch.Here is a celebrated plate — Into the Garden — in which choice morsels of what’s freshest and most appealing from Kinch’s grower, Love Apple Farm. Served on an...

Autumn @ Avanti

Autumn @ Avanti

A salad of trout, crisp skin/moist flesh, on a bed of green garlic, infant diced green beans, dry-farmed tomatoes and mixed shelling beans. Too good.

@ la Posta

@ la Posta

Tuesdays, la Posta. The marvelous live mandolin and guitar music, the house Montepulciano, the neighborhood special....$15 for pizza and a glass of house wine. We added this sparkling fresh salad of watercress and fava beans, topped with a perfect egg from the house...

Dynamite Davenport Dinner

Dynamite Davenport Dinner

We had a terrific dinner last night at the Davenport Roadhouse. All four of our entrees, including a mushroom risotto, steelhead with pesto, roasted local halibut on a bed of favas and lemon spaetzle and my order of rare hanger steak atop lemony fresh artichoke...

Stern Cooks the Flavors of Spring

Stern Cooks the Flavors of Spring

That would be Katherine Stern, who's busy transforming the season into edible orgies of flavor, texture and delight. Last night we sampled an outstanding entree of roast halibut, toasted farro and roasted leeks sauced with a pistachio pesto. A great pasta dish and the...

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Le Cigare Volant – debut dinner

Le Cigare Volant – debut dinner

Yes there is a new chef, and a new name over at the Bonny Doon Tasting Room. Le Cigare Volant's the name, and Ryan Shelton—formerly of the Michelin two-star restaurant Baumé in Palo Alto—is the chef. Our initial dinner last week gave us plenty to smile about. The...

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Herb Workshop @ UCSC Farm – April 1

If you're intrigued by the healing properties of medicinal herbs, don't miss this workshop by herbalist Darren Huckle, founder of Roots of Wellness, this Sunday April 1 from 10am - 1pm. The workshop will focus on cultivating and using herbs for teas and salves that...

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Mixed Culinary Metaphors

Maybe it's just me, but it's going to take more than three bright green patio umbrellas and a glut of signage to convince me that Mex-Italian cuisine is a sound idea. When a restaurant, for all the good will in the world, is consistently empty....it might occur to the...

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Starz Cupcakes on the Westside

Starz Cupcakes on the Westside

Cupcake freaks (you know who you are) will want to check out the luscious array of cupcakes on offer at Starz' new outlet. It's inside the Yogizmo located at 1717 Mission Street (next to Avanti). Imagine getting to wrap your mouth around cupcakes, made-from-scratch,...

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Spicy Seafood Sensation

Spicy Seafood Sensation

A spectacular presentation of pan-roasted black cod utterly festooned with spun daikon, carrots and cucumbers, and sauced with soy, mirin, sake and mustard. The secret weapon was home-grown red chiles and cilantro, plus caramelized garlic and shallots. Where did I...

read more
Fruitcake Matriarch

Fruitcake Matriarch

Here's a vintage portrait of the highly independent woman whose fruitcake recipe I used, with much variation, in my own recent effort. According to her niece, Lisa Jensen, this portrait of Anna Augusta Kirstine Jensen was taken in 1920 or 1921, "when Chris would be 18...

read more
as the fruitcake ages…

as the fruitcake ages…

This was how the Magdalene must have felt, anointing the body with precious spices and elixirs, carefully wrapping it in clean linens before placing it in the cool dark place where it would wait—preserved and guarded—until its ultimate appointment with destiny. As...

read more