Monday, June 29, 2009

Noshing for a Cause

Yesterday, I got myself down to the Mission for the S.F. outpost of the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale.
My pal, Elise-the-Baking-Goddess, had participated the day before in the Castro, but by the time I got there her delicacies were all gone. At least I was ground central for some Pride Weekend eye candy!
As luck would have it, yesterday there were still some mighty yummy offerings to be had. To wit: the cranberry oatmeal cookies, small and round with a velvety texture, and the chocolate-peanut butter cookies which were rich with a deep cocoa vibe. If you don't believe baked goods can rock without butter or cream or eggs, you should get on down to the next vegan hootenanny. As Elise might say, 'tis all good.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Bowl of Sorabol

Yesterday's lunch was a revelation, after eating so little for the past week. But I figured, rice being easy on the tummy, it was worth my while to take a sunny stroll down to Rincon Center and my favorite lunch stop there, Sorabol. The Korean food is healthy, tasty, and oh-so-cheap! For $7, I got a huge veggie bowl: rice, slippery glass noodles, not-so-spicy chunks of tofu, and all the toppings a girl could want: bean sprouts, shredded daikon, cucumber pickle, carrots, spinach, mushrooms and a drizzle of sesame oil. There are dainty paper cups of kim chee, too. Seven freakin' dollars! That's a bargain any way you scoop it up in your chopsticks, my friend. And a happy lady I was, mixing it all together and filling my belly. Bi bim bop, that's what it's all about.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

On an Upward Slant

At least I hope so. The tummy problem continues, yet I long to eat good things! And so, tonite, following a self-indulgent pedicure at Spa Nordstrom, I met JP for dinner at one of my favorites, Out The Door. It's the little sister of the divine Slanted Door, and nicely accessible to Nordstrom and Bloomie's. You just cannot have a bad meal at this place, and we started with some toothsome vegetarian spring rolls accompanied by a complex, peanutty dipping sauce. For the main event, there were caramelized prawns with onion shreds and a dark pool of soy-chili goodness, as well as bok choy and shiitakes that hinted of cooking wine. And there is no rice like the Slanted Door's broken rice: stubby white grains topped with minced green onion, a textural delight. I scooped the last of the caramel-garlic sauce onto my rice, admired my candy-apple toes, and hoped my ginger ale days were behind me.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Jammin'

It is very hard to eat when one has the tummy flu. I haven't eaten much for three days, but today I am slowly coming back from the land of ginger ale.
Tonite, as a snack, I had a slice of bread slathered with Blue Chair jam, a brand made by a local girl with a winsome personality and a creative way with preserves. I urge you to check out her web site, and purchase something wonderful at, for example, the Saturday farmers' market in Noe Valley (24th near Sanchez). Her combinations are unusual, often involve spirits, and cause quite a tastebud frenzy on the tongue. The jar I am currently savoring is Early Girl Tomato and Damson Plum Jam. It's only available in season, which I can respect, and has some clove in it that adds a warm, homey touch. Rachel, the jamstress, recommends pairing it with cheese or savory roasted meats. Me, I'm fine jammin' with some toast. And when this jar is empty, I may just get my Lady Marmalade groove on...

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Lord Loves a Working Girl

Sometimes the name of a place lures you in. That's what happened with Working Girls' Cafe. What's not to like when you're a working girl yourself, need a good lunch that's not too expensive, and might want some froyo every now and then? So you see.
Today I wanted a sandwich. Nothing too fancy. For $6.95 I scored a huge whole wheat roll filled with lettuce, tomato, Swiss cheese, and - you can choose four of their optional veggies - avocado, cucumber, roasted peppers and sundried tomatoes. The mustard was nice and spicy. And it was thoughtfully wrapped in paper and cut in two, so I could eat one hefty half and save the rest for later. Not too fancy, but no slouch of a sandwich either. Just the thing to devour at your desk, while trying not to drip on the keyboard.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Meatless in the Mission

Last night, Elise-the-Baking-Goddess and I ventured to Modern Times Bookstore on Valencia for a reading by two amazing people: Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, author of "The Vegan Table", and Bryant Terry of the most excellent "Vegan Soul Kitchen". Wow! Both chefs are so personable and dynamic; Bryant, while reading from his book, even sang a spiritual that his grandma would sing when cooking. Oh, and he offered up part of the hip-hop song that raised his awareness about the meat industry.
When the question/answer period was over, there were noshes on the back table: crackers with a walnut-red pepper spread, and almond cookie balls dusted with confectioners' sugar. I can attest to the high yumminess quotient of both. And I think I need to buy me some vegan cookbooks. FYI, Bryant's even comes with music suggestions to accompany each recipe. Amen to that!

Monday, June 15, 2009

The Perfect Package

What is better than dinner that's wrapped in a corn husk, just waiting for your fingers to peel it open like a plump, fragrant gift?
Primavera tamales are a fine present to serve yourself and whoever is lucky enough to dine with you. They come four to a package, and some are vegan, like the butternut version I tried tonight. The masa is fresh (and organic), stuffed with chunks of sweet squash and kernels of corn. Primavera also makes nice salsas and guacamole, which they sell at the Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market, and at several grocery stores in the Bay Area. I'm thinking the mushroom and spinach tamale is next on my wish list.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Two Good Noshes

Yes, I ate lots of good things today. For the day began at the Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market, which may not look so crowded out front, but in the back...whoa! It's a mobscene! Everyone wants a sample of the kettle corn, or the Rainier cherries, or...what's the hugest line? It's for the candycots! Crazy-sweet little golden apricots, they have the highest sugar content of any 'cot you'll find. Ms Wig and I tasted them, and she bought an adorable box of the candyfruit, each nestled in foam like a precious jewel. People kept cooing over them all morning.
My evening nosh was more pedestrian, but still good: I finally made quinoa. I know, I know, I'm the last one on earth to discover how easy it is and how nicely the little grains crunch in your teeth, almost like tobiko. Topped with some soy-and-mirin-fried tofu, onions and crinkly savoy cabbage, it was a bowl o' goodness. And if you'd like some lovely savoy for your own self, why, stop by Dirty Girl's produce stand at the Ferry Building next Saturday. Then walk a few steps and grab a bouquet of poppies for $5. You deserve it.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Friday at the 'Fly

For JP's birthday, I took him to dinner at our favorite local, splurgey place, Firefly. It has no sign, just a blinking firefly over the door. That's the first hint of how cool a place it is.
Cozy space, welcoming staff, a creative menu. The food is seasonal, local, mostly organic. Vegan-friendly, too. And once you order, instead of getting bread and butter, you're treated to a nice whole-grain loaf and a crock of some type of spread; tonite it was split pea, carrot and...darn it, the last veggie escapes me. But it was so comforting spread on bread.
One appetizer that never leaves the menu: scallop and shrimp potstickers. Just order them. Don't be stupid, do it.
My entree was the vegan farrotto - farro cooked like a risotto - with sweet bits of mushroom, tender leafy greens, long curls of carrot and chili oil. A whiff of garlic, too. JP had the golden-crusted halibut, perched atop a hash brownified potato cake with escarole poking out below. And atop the fish, fava bean puree the color of springtime.
Even if you don't order dessert, reading the lavish descriptions on the menu will make you giddy. Poetry on the page and the plate.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Ol' Faithful

When Kimster and I have a dinner date, we have a hard time trying someplace new. We have a place we like to go, a place that's always good, even great, and a nice walkable distance from home.
We even order the same damn thing when we go. Salad 'Tricolore', with arugula, fennel and radicchio topped with great shards of parmigiano and lemony vinaigrette. Tuna conserva, with giant white beans, watercress and olive oil. Napoletana pizza with tomato sauce, capers, anchovy, olives and chile flakes. A little plate on the table has some twigs of dried oregano, a mound of grated cheese and more chiles, if you need 'em. There's a glass of skinny breadsticks, too, but for my money there's no carbs like the blistered crusty ones on the pizza.
Ah yes, we're predictable. Thanks again, Delfina Pizzeria.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

The Joy of Leftovers

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to drop by Omnivore and heard Deborah Madison - founder of Greens, 20-year Tassajara Zen Center member - speak about her new book, "What We Eat When We Eat Alone". One of the topics discussed was leftovers: most people love 'em, some people - oddly, IMHO - hate 'em. As Deborah astutely pointed out, leftovers often taste better the next day. And you get that nice thrifty feeling, besides.
Today I had leftovers from yesterday's lunch at Herbivore, my local vegan eatery. Boring as I may be, I favor one thing in particular and order it often: the marinated tofu sandwich. It's a generous plate: the sandwich itself, with nice slabs of shoyu-infused tofu, avocado, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickle and vegan mayo; a lettuce/tomato/cucumber salad with Dijon vinaigrette; and finally, their addictive and crispity baked "fries". There's so much, in fact, that half the sandwich comes home with me and makes for some happy noshing. I don't even mind if the bread gets a big soggy. No, I am firmly in the camp of leftover lovers.
And if you're on Church Street, stop by Omnivore. The selection of vintage cookbooks is enough to keep a food-lover distracted for hours.

Friday, June 5, 2009

What's Old is New

By my calculations, I've been going to Ebisu for twenty-five years. My sister Nancy took me there and it was my first taste of sushi.
Well, they took six months to renovate, and what a change! The place looks beautiful, the bar is less crowded, the tatami room is but a memory. New menus and fancy plates. The seaweed salad now comes from the kitchen, not the sushi chef, and is bejeweled with slivers of radish. Sapporo is on tap. Even the white clouds of pickled ginger seem more tender than the pink stuff of a bygone era.
My favorite nosh is the 49er Roll: exquisite salmon and the thinnest of lemon slices wrapped around white rice and a filling of avocado, shiso and tobiko. Do also treat yourself to shiro maguro nigiri topped with garlic. And say hello to Steve-san for me...

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

John's The Man

With all due respect to my spouse, I'm actually referring to John of John's Snack & Deli, a hole-in-the-wall space on Battery near Market. It's quite close to my workplace, and I'd been curious about it for awhile, owing to the pictures of Korean food in the window. Now I know: it's great. And John? Super friendly, and patient with lunkheads like me who take forever to make up their mind.
John's mom makes the Kim Bap, Korean sushi rolls filled with crisp veggies and egg. He gave me a complimentary piece to try, and it was a fine little nosh. John also stocks one of my all-time favorite snacks, rice balls wrapped in nori and filled with salmon. I bought one a few weeks ago and it made me very happy, not least because the nori is in a separate pouch, and there are instructions on how to wrap-it-yourself. Too cute!
Today I tried the popular kimchee burrito...People around me were getting meatified versions, but mine was veggie. It's a flour tortilla wrapped around rice, salsa, lettuce and some fiery kimchee, with good creamy tofu for protein's sake. It was messy to eat, but worth the trouble. John's mom must be very proud.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Goddess of Vegan Baking

Elise is my food goddess. She grows amazing produce in her little community garden and brings me bags of it: arugula, chard, kale, peas, strawberries. She came to a brunch I hosted with a plate of vegan rosewater-pistachio cupcakes, which were so popular that I had to share mine with three other people. And today, she got up early and baked a loaf of banana-pecan-chocolate chip bread. Since we work together, I was lucky to snare a piece, still warm from the oven, melty chocolate staining my fingers as I carried it back to my desk.
Was it insanely delicious? Perhaps the moistest, most tender banana bread ever to induce a state of blissful noshitude? Well, I guess you won't know (unless you are also a friend of this classy lady). But you can try your hand at vegan goodies here.
Merci, Mlle. Elise.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Failure to Blog

It's been a busy weekend. I haven't been blogging, and like a good Jew, I feel guilty. And so I apologize to the two people who read me regularly, and anyone else who's kind enough to stop by.
My nosh du jour is, predictably, something I could throw in the microwave when I got home from work and the gym. Ah, the goodness of an Amy's frozen meal: Roasted Veggie Tamale. It's vegan, but not boring; a nice thick pocket of masa enclosing some colorful diced veggies, sided with black beans and a mild chili sauce. Just the thing when you're hungry, exhausted and craving Mexican comfort food. Now to catch up on those zzz's.