I accidentally struck gold the other evening when I had no time to cook, but refused to jump in the car and head for KFC. So I picked up a package of Santa Cruz’ own Pasta Mike’s fresh Three Cheese and Spinach Raviolis ($4.89 for a two-meal package). How could I lose? (more…)
Has this happened to you? We’re sitting in the boisterous interior of Sushi Totoro, on the Westside of Santa Cruz, winding down a dinner of saba and hamachi, listening to Bob Marley. All was well. But just as I picked up my last piece of nigiri, chopsticks still in my hand, my wooden plate was grabbed and whisked away. I mean while I was still chewing! (more…)
Cynthia Sandberg, heirloom tomato queen and agri-artist, is the entrepreneuse of Love Apple Farm. You knew that. But what you didn’t know is that Love Apple has been chosen by David Kinch to be the exclusive kitchen garden for his two-Michelin starred Manresa Restaurant in Los Gatos. Surely this comes under the “oh my god†heading. (more…)
Wally Goldfrank, sociologist and bon vivant, has returned from November in Madagascar raving about the local, regional spins on French cuisine — “profiteroles in the tropics.†Visualize mango tarte tatin! But more. Wally loves a good bowl of soup on a chilly night – so do I – and he sends me a recipe for a butternut squash soup, with white beans and fresh ginger (more…)
“You guys – hey, you guys. Have a good one, guys.”
Language abuse in America is becoming more prominant than Nancy Pelosi’s bosom.
Either the revenge of machismo, or the triumph of feminism – it’s unclear which – the prevailing omni-use of “guys†to denote any collection of two or more humans is just plain out of control! (more…)
O’Mei Update: It’s true – no more lunch at O’Mei. Roger Grigsby, that maverick political hothead and tireless culinary tinkerer emailed me (and believe me an email from Grigsby is a lengthy affair) to say that things are going well now that he has discontinued lunches at the landmark restaurant. (more…)
A book of sensory adventure: The rituals, passions and discoveries of an engaged life.