Hello Friends,
Are you thinking about spring? The recent shift in weather to spring’s typical warm-chilly roller coaster and the fact that every tree in my neighborhood is blooming are hopeful signs of warmer, sunnier days. Asparagus’s appearance at the farmers’ market this weekend seals the deal – spring has sprung. Can strawberries and artichokes be far behind?
Tempted by recent sunny days, I took the cover off the grill to cook dinner the other night. The lure of cooking outdoors after a winter of rain and cool weather once again proves irresistible before summer is even close. Why do we like cooking outside? Grilling is often the best way to showcase a beautiful protein. And clean-up is always easier, too. My cast iron pans are ready!
What’s Hot: Women’s History Month
Thanks to the efforts of 51% of the world’s population, March’s focus on “women’s work” was front and center in my consciousness this year. Sunset reminded me of some favorite women-owned brands from the West, including Chai Super Food Latte that was a present for me under the Christmas tree last year. (Yes, I am ahead of the curve!) Kitka, an Oakland-based music ensemble known for interpreting music from the Balkans, Caucasus and Slavic lands, is celebrating with their Songs of Sustenance program. And San Francisco’s new professional women’s soccer team, Bay FC, hosts their inaugural game on March 30.
In my world, celebrating means supporting women in the culinary arts. This month, the Chef Takeover Series at the CIA at Copia features the cooking school’s female alumni. I headed to The Grove, the restaurant at the Culinary Institute of America’s downtown Napa outpost, to experience the cooking of chef Jen Jasinski of Rioja, Denver. The first course, a cauliflower velouté, was prepared without cream yet was luscious, creamy and divine. And the Colorado lamb saddle with spring onion soubise was exceptional. The room, packed with eating enthusiasts, thrummed with energy. It was the best kind of dining experience – thrilling, delicious, fun.
It’s not too late to stop in – chef Dara Yu of L.A.’s Congee & Crullers is cooking this weekend, the final dinner of the month. There are a few tables available…
Monthly Cookbook Column
After successfully launching my cookbook column last month, I am back with my second review. Maria Finn’s Forage.Gather.Feast celebrates the pleasure of wild foods, encouraging readers to commune with nature and find inspiration in her bounty. (Side bar: Is nature still a “she”? I hope so!) That translates to about 100 recipes for cooking over a fire or on a stovetop, recipes that consider oysters, seaweed, and herring (The Coast); chanterelles, green walnuts, and fiddlehead ferns (The Forest); loquats, roses and fireweed (The Edge and Urban Foraging).
For my review, I made Seaweed, Seed, Oat and Nut Bread (p. 13) with a package of wakame from Mendocino’s Rising Tide Sea Vegetables. Finn thankfully adds no sweetener, reveling in the inherent flavors of the seaweed, oats, and nuts. I used up the last of my kombu and dried morels from the farmers’ market to make Morel Mushroom and Kombu Dashi (p. 18). It’s savory on its own or a first step to making miso soup and many other recipes. Finn’s book is another reminder of the West’s abundance, that eating well can mean eating locally and simply. And a reminder to talk to your neighbors and get a barter system going.
Please let me know if you are writing a cookbook or know of a new or forthcoming cookbook I should consider adding to the queue.
What I’m Watching
I am also finding joy in HBO Max’s Julia. Actor Sarah Lancashire captures Julia Child’s effusive enthusiasm for French cooking. The show works because of her, because of the supporting cast (including David Hyde Pierce, Bebe Neuwirth, Fiona Glascott and Brittany Bradford) and an energetic script. It is a balm and a laugh and a social commentary, all in one. I love watching it! I just finished the Season One episode on sweetbreads…which means I am behind the curve on food TV-watching. Such is life.
Thank you to the many (many) people who recommended The Taste of Things to me. I went to my local art house theatre to watch. It is 100% about the love of food and cooking. It is also a romance (of sorts) and very, very French. Wow, there is a lot of cream consumed in that movie! It’s an epicurean delight. One of the main characters is a man, just in case you thought this whole newsletter was going to be about women. Ha!
About That Image
If you follow me on Instagram, you probably already know that I enjoy attending live music performance. I took my father-in-law to hear Emmanuel Ax play Hayden and was thrilled by Anders Hillborg’s new Piano Concerto which had its American premiere that evening. More recently, I bore witness to the marvelous violin artistry of Alexandra Conunova at the San Francisco Symphony. Before the show, I stopped in at Uccello Lounge across the street. It’s chef Loretta Keller’s latest restaurant.
I’m embarrassed to say – I was not only unaware that chef Keller (whose cooking at Bizou, Coco 500, Seaglass, and before that, Stars, helped define San Francisco’s modern culinary style) was still cooking in San Francisco, but that her restaurant was so close to Symphony Hall. I delighted in dishes like fritto misto, tossed with rice flour instead of wheat flour. Above, the Dungeness crab salad, zhuzhed up with celery root remoulade and capers, then topped with rice crackers and fines herbs.
The dish was a perfect expression of Ms. Keller’s style, balancing classic flavors and fresh herbs; presented with style, without pretense or pounding your taste buds into submission. There is a forthrightness alongside the lighter flavors. And yes, the staff timed our meal to make sure we left with 15 minutes to go until curtain. I can’t wait to go back and see what inspires chef Keller next.
Thanks for reading and be in touch.
Christina