Easter 2008

Happy Easter

As I write this, I've just finished an evenings prep for an Easter picnic on Sunday. I've prepared organic veggies for grilling - asparagus spears, green beans, mini sweet peppers of bright colors all marinating in an e.v.o.o. and fresh lemon mixture. I've also prepared fresh cremini mushroom caps and 'scored' them - those will be the 'hot cross buns' stand in. I'll be making kinpira gobo (braised burdock and carrots), and bringing some sakura mochi (fresh an {red bean} filled mochi wrapped in a fresh edible cherry tree leaf), mini cream puffs and Calpis (a sweet fermented soda drink). I made up some Easter bags full of fun Japanese chocolate and cookie treats for the kids, and some matcha (bitter green tea) chocolate for the adults. Jo-Ann and Jonathon, their kids Toran and Aurelia and their grandfather Hal will be meeting Dad and I up at the same place we had an Easter picnic last year on Mt. Tamalpais. So conveniently, I have some photos from last year. It will be another 70F sunny day, so I'm sure it will be much the same. Jonathon informed me that they'll be bringing some wild salmon to grill, hummus, and some other goodies and Hal is bringing some rosemary bread. Sounds like a feast.

It's Easter, not Thanksgiving, but still I am very thankful for living in such an abundant place where you have natural beauty, high quality food and water (not to mention wine) all around. Despite all the bad news in the press, business couldn't be better and life is good! I hope life is good in your part of the world as well.

In search of Greek food

A friend of mine had a taste for Greek food and all I could think of in Marin County was Fair Fix in Fairfax. So we went to find that it was not Greek, but Mediterranean. Close enough for me, but not for my friend, so I made a mental note to come back and try it. Fair Fix has been a fixture (pun intended) for a long time in the community, and locals feel comfortable hanging out here with an eclectic mix of suits, barefeet in sandals and dreadlocks.

Noticing a Couscous plate on the menu brought me back to student days in Paris, enjoying couscous on the Left Bank. Unfortunately the comparison left this plate wanting. The couscous of my memory had flavorful stewed vegetables while these, although fresh and good quality, were rather watery and bland. The couscous rather than being a soft and fragrant foil for the vegetables was rather crunchy and tasted dry. I really loved the fresh carrot-orange-ginger juice though! It has other interesting Mediterranean dishes I'd like to come back and try. I understand Aroma Cafe in San Rafael is a sister cafe. The cafe is cash only, and they offer free Wi-Fi (it also occurs more as a coffee house than a cafe).

Only gets better

I couldn't believe that it has been over a year since I visited Table Cafe in Larkspur. The owner, Suzanne, was there making sure all the details were well in hand. And it is still superb due to the care and attention that permeates this peaceful stop on the quiet side of Larkspur. At the top of the specials blackboard it reads that all produce used is local sustainable and organic. You know that anything you order here is good for the body, good for the soul. Well, some may take exception to that description for the dense Scharffen Berger brownies, but it wouldn't be due to their pure ingredients. And hey, don't healthy eaters deserve a treat now and then too? And what better testament to the purity of the food than the visage of the clientèle. While I was there I only observed the most dewy fresh faced women and cherub children coming through the door.

Dad started with the Carrot Soup with Cilantro Creme Fraiche. He said he wished that he could lick the bowl.

He followed the soup with the Steak Dosa (grilled shirt steak, caramelized onions, teleme cheese) with Avocado Orange Chutney. It looked so good, I was tempted to trade him a half.

I started off with the Fennel Soup with Goat Cheese. The flavors fairly sang to the extent I could almost see musical notes rising off the surface. This had to be nourishing.

My main dish was Crab Dosa (Dungeness crab, cilantro citurs aioli, arugula) with Apple-Onion-Ginger Chutney. It was light and a fabulous medley of flavors. Another thing I noticed that has changed in the past year is that the list of specials has only gotten longer and more interesting. And there are more choices on their take-out section as well. I guess I'm also going to just have to make a 'resolution' to get here for their Saturday brunch soon too as that has been an experience on my 'to have' list for some time now. This is one of the best places in Marin for a casual and healthy, not to mention reasonable (for this kind of food) meal.

Previously reviewed:
February 9, 2007
September 10, 2005
June 24, 2005

My sofa is new again!

I sent my sofa and some chairs out for reupholstering -- after a month or so without, I'm ecstatic to have the sofa back today! It looks new, and really it is since all the padding and cushioning was replaced too. If you are looking to support a local new business, and want some reupholstering done with great detailing at a reasonable price, look up John Frayer! By the way, you can see a little peak of my computer network in the corner. My home office is just behind this sofa where I write these posts every day :-)

African spirit

My adventurous friend Sachiko and I went to a Eritrean Restaurant on Geary in San Francisco called Assab. We were immediately greeted by a friendly man who I believe was the owner. He looked for every way to make us comfortable and to understand Eritrean cuisine. For example, when we noticed on the map that Eritrea borders Ethiopia's north and has a coastline on the Red Sea, we wondered why there were no seafood dishes. Apparently until just recently the colonials have kept the native people from fully enjoying the bounty of the sea, so they do not have seafood dishes. And interestingly, they do not have desserts either (although there is cheesecake on the menu here). He said that some elders live healthily surpassing 100 years of age, and have never tasted anything sweet (and maybe that's why they were so healthy). He told us that Eritreans enjoy spicy and sour tastes.

Since it borders Ethiopia, there are a number of shared traits in their cuisine. And there were some things of Ethiopian origin on the menu, such as this tea, which Sachiko mentioned had a bold flavor. It reminded me of tea I had in Kenya.

And I went Ambo, an Ethiopian mineral water. It was fresh and sparkly and tasted a little softer than a Perrier.

We ordered two dishes which came on a BIG platter on top of injera, a fluffy slightly soft and sour traditional bread. It is made of teff, cornmeal and a self-rising wheat flour. Besides the overlapping pieces on the platter, we were each served an additional piece on the side. We each also received a fork, although it is traditionally eaten by tearing off strips of injera and picking up the food with it to transport to your mouth. We ordered the vegetable combination plate and the Kelwa-Derho. The Kelwa-Derho is made of chunks of chicken breast sauteed with clarified butter, specially seasoned hot pepper, jalapenos, onions and tomatoes with a little yogurt (housemade). It was tender and delicious. The vegetables were vegetable alicha (mildly seasoned carrots, potatoes & peppers), seasoned okra and zucchini. The traditional red and brown lentils, salad and some cooked spinach were garnishing the edges as well. We enjoyed our out of the ordinary dining experience and would recommend it to other curious eaters.

Natural & Organic Indian Cafe

Daniel and I went out for a late dinner the other evening, and made it even later by traveling to Fairfax, a very relaxing town with lots of options for the veggie lover. We smelled the wonderful aromas coming from Cafe Lotus and made it our destination.

Daniel was quite exuberant about the smoke arising off of the Seekh Kabab, minced natural lamb kabab with crushed onions, cilantro, and roasted cumin seed. From experience, I knew that it could be difficult to capture the moment of billowing smoke well, but I think it actually photographed pretty dramatically. He was quite loquacious about the flavorful lamb.

He ordered some brown rice as a side, which also tasted great (he shared some with me too).

I had the Saag Paneer, where the cheese part of the dish was made with fresh milk and tasted SO smooth and fresh. The spicing was right in the overall dish as well. Some restaurants make this one a little bland. It wasn't spicy hot, just well seasoned and you could tell that the spinach was fresh also.

I ordered some onion naan with mine, wow! It had a great texture and had that fresh bread appeal. This is a place I'll love to come back to.

Rox Kreme

Well this fairly leapt out of the freezer case! I'm nothing if not a fan of Roxanne's. So when I saw this in Mill Valley Whole Foods it came right home with me.

Made with organic almond milk and cacao, it was smooth, sweet and soft. A delicious treat on a sunny day. Dad concurred. I hope your St. Patrick's Day yesterday held fun and laughter!

Try this alternate reality

Cafe Tibet has always been my favorite Berkeley eatery. Yes, I have been to Chez Panisse too. Cafe Tibet is literally like entering another world, from the moment you walk in and see the prayer wheel spinning on the front table, hear the Buddhist chants in the background and if you get close, feel the mist from the small fountain. You can peruse the menu page 1, and page 2 which is maintained on line by the Tibetan Association of Northern California, and see for yourself the myriad of authentic choices. I celebrated here in 2004 upon passing Ground School in pursuit of a pilot's license, which was much fun (both the food and the flying)!

Daniel was my dining companion for the evening, and we each started with a lassi, he a mango, and I a strawberry, just because.

The lighting was warm and ambient as well.

Daniel enjoyed Luk-sha She-dre, a Tibetan gourmet boneless lamb curries with mixed vegetables. He said it was great.

His accompaniment was some organic Bhutanese brown rice. It smelled nutty and rich.

With the soup I ordered, I tried the Tingmo, steamed Tibetan bread mildly seasoned with fresh garlic. It was as I remembered it, a unique soft bread with a shiny exterior and very faint taste of garlic.

With my bread, I had Then-thuk, a regional Amdo specialty, Hand pulled flat pasta simmered with tofu, daikon, onion, tomato, garlic and ginger in flavorful broth. The pasta was so fresh, it was amazing. According to the owner, the people of Amdo like this so much they do not hesitate to eat it for any meal, even breakfast! Amdo is one of the three provinces of Tibet and is renowned for its scholarship and monasteries. It was quite thick with ingredient so it held its heat, so I had to eat it slowly and savor. It's still my favorite place in Berkeley.

The call of the waves

Paul missed the ocean. Visiting from Portland this weekend, I asked him what he missed most about the bay area. One of the things was the ocean. So for brunch we took off to Stinson Beach. Once there, we found that menu at the Sand Dollar spoke to us best.

Paul liked the look of the Stinson Beach scramble, so that's what he ordered. He said that combination of organic eggs, smoked salmon, cherry tomatoes, green onions with home fries was delicious. The potatoes had some spicing that colored them dark; they were not overcooked.

I was intrigued by Miguel’s Chilaquiles, which consisted of sautéed corn tortillas, tomato-cilantro-jalepeno sauce, Parmasean cheese and topped with scrambled egg & fresh salsa. I'd never heard of such a combination and thought I should be adventurous! And it was a lovely inventive melding of ingredients, which paired well with the fruit that I requested instead of the home fries. The tomato-cilantro-jalepeno sauce wasn't overly spicy and made a nice contrast with the tortilla chips and egg. It was light and struck the perfect note for me yesterday morning.

Reviewed previously:
December 9, 2007

Extending our visit to the town, we decided to visit the Healing Arts Store just across the street and a few steps down. It's a small and focused book store with healing object and art pieces inside. If you are interested in the healing arts and metaphysical things it has a collection of unusual books. I always enjoy these independent bookstores where someone has thoughtfully put their own personal stamp on the collection contained.

There were delightful little artful nooks around the outside of the ocean weather beaten exterior.

In the rear of the store there was a table and seating with several artsy pieces about.

Near the seating, just to the right of the store's entrance, there was a most intriguing small building labeled the "Sandtray Room of Self-Discovery". A little note above the door directed you to ask the person tending the bookstore for a key.

Curiosity peaked, I just had to do so. Inside there were multiple shelves lining the room with all kinds of little figures. There was a chair and instructions on the door.

The instructions directed you to get into a relaxed state, and run your hands through the sand in the sandtray in the middle of the room a few times, until inspired to choose some figurines to place in the box, and make designs in the sand. What a relaxing, step-out-of-time thing to do! The previous person made a tableau of what appeared to be Moses fighting a dragon. Use of the room is free, and donations are gratefully accepted.

Leaving the Healing Arts Center behind (with a few books and gifts), we made our way down to the beach proper. We caught a few waves.

And I had a blast dancing in them with my Crocs. I'm becoming quite the beach girl.

Met the Filmmakers at Sam's

Last night Sam's Anchor Cafe was the meeting place of Yelpers and Filmmakers at the Tiburon International Film Festival (TIFF). The room was quite well set up, and Sam's did a great job on the food and drink. The little bits and bites that kept circulating with costumed people were quite tasty, as were the Hog Island Oysters set up in a corner. I sampled some kumamotos, just freshly cracked open and seasoned lightly - quite good! Sake2Me had a nice set up in the facing corner and were handing out bottles of quite refreshing infused sakes. I tried their Asian Pear, it was so light and the calories are only around 110 per bottle so I may just have to add this to my on-hand supply of drinks.

The Tiburon Film Festival is playing through March 21st, and has a wonderful variety of independent and thought provoking films. I spent some time talking to Zhihong Yang the Producer of Xiaolin Xiaoli which her husband, Miaoyan Zhang directed. The film is premiering in the US with this festival. The film was made on location in China, and spotlights the plight of the country's urban working class. She was so lit up about the film it is hard to think of missing it! (It plays Monday at 9:45 p.m.) The event was full of exuberance and friendliness and the film festival looks like a great opportunity to experience some fresh voices.

No Superlative Strong Enough

It is rare indeed for me to absolutely feel 'gushy' over a restaurant, but my experience last night at the Cottage Eatery in Tiburon has made me so, so be forewarned! It is evident that Chef Ed Carew loves to cook. You can really taste joy in the food, and I couldn't believe that every single dish held new and captivating surprises. Everything from choosing the best ingredients to the prep to the cooking and artful arrangement expressed focused attention to detail and melding to perfection. I asked the waitress if the Chef truly enjoyed cooking, and in response she told me how he often invites friends and family to his place just to enjoy cooking dish after dish for them. How many CPA's do you know that cheerfully invite their family and friends around the table to do their taxes as a treat with gusto? His wife, Jennifer Rebman, was also the perfect hostess, making the rounds of the tables and checking in with the diners. On to the food -

The first sign that this was going to be a great meal was the fresh bread that was brought with a fresh whipped red lentil spread. Not only good, but healthy too! I also understand that local and sustainable ingredients grace the plates of all the patrons.

Next came a surprise amuse bouche potato leek soup in a shot glass. It was a very smooth and flavorful few sips. It is nice to see little surprises come out of the kitchen and around the house.

Next up was the grilled ahi tuna belly with escarole and bean salad. The chef surely knows how to choose fish. This was a wonderful blend of flavors and textures and the ahi was rich and fresh and grilled just right.

And then out came another surprise taste, the beet ravioli, which I had eyed as a possibility instead of the ahi, and now I could taste both! Ravioli and the other pastas on the menu are made fresh in house daily. These beet ravioli were delicious and interesting with mizuna and poppy seeds among the toppings. Beets take on a whole new light in this presentation.

Potato gnocchi with asparagus and lecciho e.v.o.o. was my entree, and I've been trying to think of a gnocchi experience that topped this one and came up empty-headed. This is the best gnocchi dish I've ever experienced. When the dish was placed in front of me a fresh green scent wafted into my nostrils and I literally exclaimed "wow!" to the waitress. That was a new experience. The gnocchi fairly melted on my tongue and the sauce was perfectly emulsified and held together with integrity.

Although I hadn't planned on dessert, with a meal so perfect nothing could have stopped me from sampling the lemon-lavender pound cake with strawberries and whipped cream. I could see the softness of the pound cake as it was set before me. Pound cake doesn't usually have the appearance of soft clouds. It was just as tender and soft when I took a bite, and the hint of lavender struck an elegant note. Naturally the whipped cream and strawberries were wonderful too. And I usually neither like nor eat whipped cream. The Cottage Eatery is every bit as inventive and delicious as San Francisco's famed Aqua, with a more cozy and less hovering type service (and the prices are much more reasonable). This is a do-not-miss place which I fear will soon have a weeks long waiting list for reservations. It's that good.