by Christina Waters | Dec 11, 2008 | Home, Travel |
Nope. Not Jean Genet. It’s restaurateur Paul Cocking (Gabriella Cafe) eating his way through Paris last month, one eponymous restaurant at a time. Blown away by what he tasted, Cocking and his traveling companion Jeannine Bonstelle sampled freely along the Left Bank, the Right Bank and everything in between.
The Ile St-Louis provided this gorgeous dish at a place called Mon Vieil Ami, 69 rue St-Louis-en-l’Ile, 4th. Culinary researcher Bonstelle found the place in Clothilde’s Edible Adventures in Paris. 
The bistro showcases the cooking of Alsace’s Antoine Westermann – including this gossamer salad of lightly steamed vegetables in broth.
by Christina Waters | Dec 10, 2008 | Food, Home |
Here’s an example of the Sean Baker all-star line-up of handmade salumi, available to adventurous diners at Gabriella Cafe and at the new Le Cigare Volant cafe at Bonny Doon tasting room on Ingalls Street.
These gorgeous paper-thin specialties taste even better than they look.
Soprasata, prosciutto, coppa, finocchiona, oh my! Taste and you’ll understand why the buzz over salumi.
by Christina Waters | Dec 9, 2008 | Home, Wine |
Lunch last week at downtown Santa Cruz’ Cafe Mare knocked me out – in two ways.
First off the kitchen had just received a huge harvest of fresh porcini mushrooms and was busy turning out a gorgeous variety of daily specials involving the sweet, earthy funghi. My companion and I sampled bruschetta topped (nicely over-the-topped) with melted tallegio and sauteed porcinis. It was incredible!
Another great revelation of the lunch was a bottle of Cumbre Pinot Noir Hicks Family Vineyard 2006, loaded with raspberries and licorice. This gorgeous wine made by Sal Godinez of the Wines of Vine Hill group (more…)
by Christina Waters | Dec 9, 2008 | Food, Home |
Yes, chef Giovanni diMaio did deliver what we expected last week at a wonderful Limoncello lunch. I like to use the holidays as an excuse to take my mom and aunt out for lunch, and Limoncello surpassed our hopes. Manicotti with a dreamy ragu, veal piccata with fragrant vegetables — all partnered with glasses of various Italian varietals from the house menu — molto bene. And for dessert, we feasted shamelessly on flawless tiramisu — the kind that’s not-too-sweet yet plush with mascarpone creaminess (more…)
by Christina Waters | Dec 1, 2008 | Holidays, Home |
We did Thanksgiving our way this year, and shared a small, informal, but luxurious meal – with no turkey in sight.
The menu:
fresh cracked Dungeness crab with three dipping sauces
creamy polenta topped with parmesan reggiano
braised bitter greens – mixed sorrel and chard
Veuve Clicquot champagne &
pumpkin pie
The crab – largest, sweetest I’ve ever tasted – was from the mighty Staff of Life. So was the fresh sorrel, which is never available in markets. And I made the pumpkin pie with double the spices, and used whole cream instead of condensed milk. Killer!
by Christina Waters | Nov 23, 2008 | Home, Wine |
Sean Baker has created a short menu of flavor gems at Le Cigare Volant cafe. The new tasting room for Bonny Doon Vineyard wines offers items like this supple hiramasa crudo, unctuous with fennel olive oil and garnished with pungent cress and shaved fennel. This is truly take-no-prisoners cuisine. Open from Thursday through Sunday, 11:30 – 5:30pm, the cafe will turn you on to Baker’s culinary metaphysics partnered by the exact, perfect, spot-on wines.
