This past weekend, I visited Four Barrel Coffee after reading a story in the San Francisco Chronicle about the new forthcoming coffee roaster and cafe in the Mission District. Jeremy Tooker, who co-founded Ritual Roasters, is opening his own coffee bar. The Chronicle story said that Four Barrel Coffee is still under construction, but in the interim offers a coffee counter in the alley behind the store.
After a bit of searching, I found the alley coffee counter, which is not much larger than the coffee counter of Blue Bottle Coffee Company in Hayes Valley. I typically don't drink caffeinated coffee in the afternoon as it interferes with my sleep, but I ordered a double cappuccino. The barrista took care making my double cap and created a pretty rosette in the foamy top. Four Barrel's cappuccino, however, is a bit smaller than that offered by Ritual Roasters. It's a good thing I had brought a water bottle to offset the intensity of the espresso.
My first impression is that Four Barrel Coffee is comparable to both Ritual Roasters and Blue Bottle Coffee Company, which I believe offers a much better cup of espresso than most cafes in the city. Philz Coffee also offers very good coffee hand-made by the cup, but it's pricey. But, if you want really good coffee or espresso, I would recommend you visit any one of these four locations.
On its web site, the Chronicle story on gourmet coffee cafes also includes a video of the Japanese siphon coffee champion, which is a similar, if not the same, as the vacuum concept. At home, I use a Bodum Mini Santos vacuum pot. Not only does the Mini Santos make good coffee, but it is fun to watch the process: the water boils in the bottom chamber and is sucked up into the top chamber by vacuum where the coffee grounds are located. The coffee begins to percolate once all the water is pulled into the top chamber. Then, the machine shuts off and the resulting coffee drops down into the bottom chamber. It's pretty neat.
After watching a recent episode of Check, Please! Bay Area, yesterday I visited the El Tonayense taco truck located at Harrison and 14th Streets, just outside of the Best Buy store.
I went at lunch time and waited in queue, which was a half a dozen people deep. It was a good thing I had the time available as I waited at least 20 minutes if not a half an hour to order and get my food, which I think was much too long for what should be a much quicker process. I've had faster service at sit-down restaurants during the lunch rush. I originally thought there was only one person serving customers and making the orders, but in fact there were two people. The other guy was manning the grill. I think it would be more efficient if one person took the orders and the other person made the orders.
I ordered a Diet Coke and a Super Torta sandwich with pork that included guacamole, sour cream and salsa. The total came to $6.50. My sandwich included the sour cream despite having requested the food preparer to hold it. I took it anyways as I didn't want to wait any longer. Unlike other taco trucks, El Tonayense did not provide tables and chairs for customers, at least at this location, so there was no where to sit. I walked more than a few blocks to find a comfortable place to eat my lunch given the truck's location in an industrial neighborhood.
I did enjoy my sandwich, however. The roll had a crispy crust and a soft interior. The pork was tender and came in a nice sauce, but I had to be careful eating it as both the sauce and the sour cream made for a messy lunch.
I would recommend El Tonayense with reservations. I sum it up this way: It's good fast food with slow service (at least during the lunch rush). Plan on at least a twenty minute wait if you see more than several people waiting in line.
A few weeks ago, I purchased the Oxo LiquiSeal Thermal Beverage Container as I wanted to carry more coffee to work. For the past two years, I had been using a thermos from IKEA that I liked a lot, particularly its slender design, but it could only accommodate a cup or cup and a half of coffee.
I bought the Oxo product as a co-worker told me that America's Test Kitchen rated the product favorably in a product comparison test--it could keep hot beverages hot for nearly two hours. A good sign. However, my results have been mixed--but for other reasons. The product does keep hot liquids hot and the product is large enough to accommodate two large cups of coffee. However, contrary to the marketing copy, the product dribbles after I have poured myself a cup of coffee, which is quite disconcerting given OXO's emphasis on design and ease-of-use. Maybe I ought to depress the control button to the off position before I tilt the container back to vertical position, but I think it migh be a bit of an awkward maneuver.
Also, I dislike that you cannot completely empty the container of liquid. I have found that there is always a little bit of coffee left in the bottom no matter how much I tilt the container in my attempts to empty it. Another gripe I have with the OXO product is the inability to completely tighten the top, which also acts as a cup, to prevent leaking in case the control button is accidentally left in the open position. One day, while traveling to work, I spilled coffee all over myself and all over the floor of the light rail car I had been riding in. I had forgot to click the button to the off position, but I had twisted the top on tightly. Unlike my IKEA thermos, the top of the OXO thermos lacks screw threads. As a result, the product leaks. It would have been nice if OXO added a second layer of protection in just such instance.
In short, I would not recommend this product, or I would do so with reservations.
Each year, I trek over to the East Bay from San Francisco to visit nurseries to find vegetable and herb plants for my window garden. There are two places that I visit each year. The first is Berkeley Horticulture in North Berkeley, which I plan to visit it at the end of this month or in early May. The second place is Long's Drugs, located in the shopping center at the corners of 51st and Broadway streets in Oakland. In past years, I also visited the Home Depot in Daly City, but I will forgo that trip this year.
Yesterday, I visited Long's Drugs after I had an appointment near the Piedmont shopping area. However, it was not without a protracted internal debate that I had with myself. The weather in San Francisco has been quite cold for the past few weeks despite the sunshine and clear skies. Yesterday was no different. It was chilly in the city and not much warmer in the East Bay. I ultimately decided to visit the drug store as I was nearby and I wasn't sure if I wanted to make a special trip.
Long's Drugs has a huge selection of plants and gardening supplies, and unlike Berkeley Horticulture, the prices are much more affordable. Long's also offers a small selection organic plants. Many of the plants are located right outside the front door, but inside there is a special section devoted plants and a larger section devoted to gardening supplies.
In past years, I have had success with cherry tomatoes and pepper plants (though usually not at the same time) despite the shallow depth of my planters and the minimal amount of available sunshine. I have been able to maintain a few herbs from year to year, which include oregano and two kinds of thyme.
Last year, I was fortunate to find Epazote plants at Whole Foods in San Francisco. Epazote is an herb commonly used to flavor black beans. Unfortunately, both plants died with the approach of the winter months.
Only my three avocado plants have managed to survive from year to year. I should probably transplant them to a pot that is larger and has greater depth so the plants can grow taller. It would also free up space in my window planters.
This year, I bought six veggie plants at Long's, most of which are tomato plants. I purchased the "Patio" tomato since it might work best for my planters. I bought a tomato plant called "Super Italian Paste" that I assume would be good for making Italian red sauce. The tomatoes on the label appear to be elongated like plum tomatoes, but with a mixture of red, orange and yellow coloring. I also bought a "Green Grape" as I have had luck with cherry tomatoes in the past, and I bought a "Cherokee Purple" since the name intrigued me ( and purple is my favorite color). Lastly, I bought a "Moroccan" mint herb seedling and a "Fresno" chili pepper plant.
I hope to have better success with my garden than last year. I think most of my plants died from pests. I need to research pest deterrents such as the use Lady Bugs to keep away that aphids that have plagued my tomato plants. I will need to purchase a bag of top soil and stakes for when my tomato plants get big.
For now, I want to ensure my new acquisitions don't die from the cold weather.
I enjoy eating peperoncini, those tiny pickled peppers common to Greek and Middle Eastern cuisine. So, I was delighted to find at my favorite corner produce market a new product from Mezzetta, a Greek brand of the pickled peppers. Mezzetta now offers Deli-Sliced Golden Greek Peperoncini. This nifty idea because the work is already done for me. Rarely do I eat peperoncini whole. I often slice them for salads and sandwiches.
OK, OK. I now that Easter is here today, but I thought I would post this video to naturally dye eggs instead of using the packaged kind.
This past Saturday, I had lunch in the Mission district with a friend. We ate at Roosevelt Tamale Parlor located on 24th Street at York. My friend had been there numerous times during its multiple owners while it was the first time for me.
I had arrived earlier than expected a was delighted to discover that a city park that I had been meaning to visit was directly across the street from the restaurant. The 24th Street Mini Park was renovated with a giant snake, entitled Quetzalcoatl, with shards of mosiac tiles that resembled the work of the famed Barcelona architect Antonio Gaudi. The sculpture is not only beautiful, but must be fun for all los jovenes to play on.
Shortly thereafter, I spotted my friend and entered Roosevelt Tamales Parlor for a late lunch. My friend decided on the house dish and chose a single tamale while I opted for chicken quesadillas with mole poblano sauce. I love mole and I have made it several times. It is well worth the enormous effort required. My friend ordered an orange soda and I, a strawberry aqua fresca. We also ordered a basket of chips and salsa.
Our drinks arrived promptly along with the tortilla chips and salsa. The chips were crispy and not oily like those I have had at taquerias in San Francisco. My friend and I had an opportunity to chat before our entrees arrived in a decent amount of time.
I enjoyed my Mole Polano. The mole sauce had a nice velvety consistency. It was neither too spicy or too chocolately. Many people mistake mole to be a chocolate sauce when in fact, mole uses very little chocolate. The deep, dark color comes from roasted chili peppers. The chicken was succulent and not dried out. My dish also came with rice and refried beans. I would have prefered black beans (though frijoles negros are not really Mexican in origin), but I may have missed that option on the menu. The service was attentive, but I thought it could have been better.
We were both full so we skipped dessert. My friend and I then headed off to Philz Coffee, a few blocks down 24th Street. Philz Coffee claims to have the best "hand-made" coffee in San Francisco and I think I would have to agree with that claim. Every coffee is made individually by hand. In other words, no machines are used. Not even a French press as Ritual Roasters uses to make their coffee. I think what I enjoyed most at Philz Coffee is the laid-back atmosphere. There was neither the loud, overbearing music, nor was it super crowded as Ritual Roasters. In addition, there was only a laptop or two. At Ritual Roasters, nearly every table has at least one, if not several hipsters (or wannabes) hunched over their shiny MacBooks. However, Ritual makes one of the best cappucinos/espresso in town and I buy their beans regularly.
Afterwards, my friend and I look a leisurely stroll through the Mission to her car.
This evning, I came across Debi Mazar's cooking channel while surfing YouTube. Her TV and movie credits are as long as my arm. All you Entourage fans will know Mazar as the publicist for Vincent Chase (play by Adrian Grenier) who's working media wonders or performing damage control. I had to admit that she looks great post two kids. Her husband is cute too.
Having grown up with Pasta Fagioli, I just had to embed this episode, which includes the recipe!
My trusty thermos that I bought last year at IKEA is showing a bit of wear and tear. It has quite a few scraps and the top has a couple of dents where it had feel off my kitchen counter or off my kitchen table. I have used it almost daily to transport the coffee I make at home to bring to work. I have also left it at work for use when I have made hot tea.
While I have enjoyed using the IKEA thermos, I have been thinking of buying one that is slightly bigger as I would like one with more volume, but not too big. I like the slender design of the IKEA product as it fits easily into my handbag with room for other items. It might be nice to have two, one to carry tea and the other for coffee.
A co-worker of mine said that America's Test Kitchens gave a high rating to the OXO thermos for its ability to keep liquids hot for two hours. OXO, the maker of comfortable and well-designed kitchen tools and other products, is one of my favorite kitchen brands. I own a number of their products, which are my favorites, including OXO's salad spinner, serated peeler, strainer, and mandoline.
Today, I finished the book Alice Waters and Chez Panisse: The Romantic, Impractical, Often Eccentric, Ultimately Brillant Making of a Food Revolution. The book is a biography of the iconic woman behind the venerable Bay Area restaurant and the sustainable food movement.
Written by Thomas McNamee, he leads us on a chronological history of both Waters and Chez Panisse, from the inspiration and inception for the restaurant in August 1972 up through the 2006 where she has become a worldwide activist for sustainable agriculture and advocate to improve the diets of school children. Behind her demure appearance, it is her will of steel, her pursuit of perfection, and her devote passion for food and sustainability that has brought her where she is today as global icon.
McNamee attempts to illustrate the many cast and characters who have contributed to the success of both Waters and Chez Panisse. The writer emphasizes how Water's circle of friends and colleagues not only formed the Chez Panisse family, but almost a keiretsu of sorts. For example, there's Kermit Lynch of Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant who has provided the wine to the restaurant. Or Steve Sullivan, whom Waters had loaned the money, to found Acme Bread, which today is a multi-million dollar business and a purveyor of artisanal bread.
But McNamee had devoted whole chapters to the more dramatic characters who have passed through the Chez Panisse doors, many of whom have come back to the restaurant more then once. One of the most notable being Jeremiah Tower, founder of Stars restaurant in San Francisco, who provided high drama at the restaurant as well as haute French cuisine during the mid-1970's. Then there's Jean-Pierre Moulle, who followed Tower's departure and has returned to the restaurant a number of times.
Another character in the Chez Panisse keiretsu is Bob Cannard, who one of the Chez Panisse foragers discovered as the farmer who could grow the fruits and vegetables that Alice Waters and company not only desired, but to Waters' extremely high standards. Cannard, according to McNamee, produces fruits and vegetables of very high quality after years of trial and error. Cannard says he refrained from tried and true agricultural practices so he could learn what worked and what didn't. While he has a sizable farm, only a small portion is cultivated.
It's Waters' pursuit to find the best vegetables, the best fruits or the best chickens that has formed the basis of her sustainability ideology, that is, to find farmers who share the same passion for food or ranchers who treat and feed their animals well before sending them to market.
After giving birth to her daughter Fanny, Waters began to move her ideology for sustainable food beyond the confines of Chez Panisse to ever larger audiences. The first of which, according to McNamee, is Waters Edible Schoolyard project that she began at the Martin Luther King school in Oakland, but shortly thereafter, became a nationwide cause in which she would lobby former President Clinton during his first and second administrations.
During this time, Waters moved from restaurateur to worldwide activist as she accepted speaking engagements across the country and internationally. It would be fate that Waters would meet Carlo Petrini, the Italian activist and founder of the Slow Food Movement. Petrini and Waters are kindred spirits in their activism for sustainable food and vehemence against big agribusiness.
I enjoyed McNamee's wonderful prose and learning about one of the Bay Area's culinary icons and activists, as well as the high drama of the restaurant's employees, many of whom have become successful in their own right.
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